Architecture News

The TEMA Pavilion Competition was created to provide young architects and students from the University of Guadalajara student body with the opportunity to design an ephemeral project that expresses ideas beyond the typical academic requirements of an architecture or design school. On November 11, the proposals were evaluated by internationally recognized architecture and design practices, including José Amozurrutia and Carlos Facio / TO; Andrea Castilla and Deha Chehade / Chehade Carter Interior Design; and architect Diego Vergara Álvarez.

On December 15, we celebrate "Architect's Day." While this date is an opportunity for celebrations and tributes to the profession, it also serves as an occasion to reflect on what the practice of architecture and urbanism in Brazil is—and what it could be. At this time of year, it is also common to take stock of the past and look toward the future. Therefore, let us take this opportunity to reflect on our professional practice and our role as architects, asking: "Where were you in December 2017, and what were you doing then?"

Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho, or simply Oscar Niemeyer, (December 15, 1907 – December 5, 2012) was one of the greatest architects in Brazil's history, and one of the greats of the global modernist movement. After his death in 2012, Niemeyer left the world more than five hundred works scattered throughout the Americas, Africa, and Europe.

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Australia’s most iconic landmarks have had their facade peeled off to reveal their interior, in order to make these spaces more recognizable to the general public and cater to the curiosity of people.

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This week marks the launch of the national advertising campaign by the Council of Architecture and Urbanism of Brazil (CAU/BR), themed "Architecture and Urbanism, a Right for All." Its objective is to highlight the importance of the work of architects and urban planners for society as a whole, including those planning modest renovations and construction projects. As an example, the campaign features the Moradas da Saúde residential complex in Rio de Janeiro, designed by architect and urban planner Demetre Anastassakis. 

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Based on the photogrammetric analysis of the City of Buenos Aires, the General Directorate of Data, Statistics, and Urban Projection produced a "Vegetation Cover Report." This document offers a detailed survey of the city's entire vegetation surface, classified by neighborhood, using zenithal aerial imagery. An infrared sensor was used to capture images that highlight any type of vegetation in red—whether on absorbent or non-absorbent ground—with 100% accuracy.

At the end of each year, we launch a call for submissions for graduation thesis projects from our readers in Portuguese-speaking countries. Through this, we aim to select the projects we find most interesting in order to share inspiring perspectives and discussions with our entire audience.

In this edition, we received 333 proposals from all over Brazil and several Portuguese cities. The selection of these projects is based on those we consider best presented, visually compelling, and whose theme we find thought-provoking and timely for a graduation thesis. More than simply delivering a satisfactory design, we believe that a final graduation project—by condensing the student's efforts during a transition period from academia to professional life (while, it is important to note, still being part of the academic journey)—must raise questions and spark discussion about the proposed theme.

It is worth noting that several submissions did not follow the guidelines and were either disqualified or provided insufficient material for evaluation.

Below is our selection* of the 32 best final graduation projects from Portuguese-speaking countries, accompanied by descriptions provided by their authors.

Designed by Arquitectonica, Miami’s most anticipated landmark dubbed Elysee has topped-off construction at 57 stories. Upon its completion in 2020, the 649-foot-tall glass tower will become the tallest residential building in the Edgewater district.

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Two Trees Management Company, a New York-based real estate development firm, has presented a master plan for the Northern Brooklyn waterfront, a new approach to urban resiliency. Designed by BIG and Field Operations, the project puts in place a mixed-use development and a resilient park.

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The City of Salvador is launching the second phase of the "Eu Curto Meu Passeio" program, which aims to promote the renovation of poorly maintained sidewalks that pose a risk to the public.

The new museum by BIG for Swiss luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet is set to open to the public next May. As featured in WSJ. Magazine, the project was designed as an extension to their headquarters in Le Brassus, near Le Chenit. Conceived as a spiraling glass pavilion in the landscape, the design will take visitors on a narrative journey through the company's 139-year history.

Weiss/Manfredi have been selected to lead the new La Brea Tar Pits master planning in Los Angeles. The team's ‘Loops and Lenses’ concept was developed to create new connections between "the museum and the Park, between science and culture, and envisions the entire site as an unfolding place of discovery." The team will work with NHMLAC on a multi-year process of public engagement, master planning, design and construction on the Tar Pits’ 13-acre campus.

The results of the first stage of the Pabellón Eco 2020 have been announced, following the submission of 90 portfolios from different states across the country. The jury selected 5 portfolios that will present a pavilion proposal to be developed in the courtyard of the Museo Experimental El Eco. Read on for the full list:

Archinfo Finland has announced the theme and curatorial team for the Pavilion of Finland at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition of the 2020 Venice Biennale. Entitled New Standards, the exhibition conceived by Laura Berger, Philip Tidwell, and Kristo Vesikansa will explore Finland’s timber industry.

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A sustainable social housing unit featuring productive and commercial spaces is the winner of the third edition of the Chilean competition Construye Solar. The project, known as Casa Mercado, was developed by a team of students from Universidad Mayor.

The Board of Directors and the Strategic Council of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) have awarded renowned architect Marlon Blackwell, FAIA, with the 2020 Gold Medal. This prize credits an individual that had a lasting influence on the theory and practice of architecture.

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This year showcased how landscape architecture is shaping public life in the built environment. In the first two decades of the 21st century, landscape architects created vibrant resiliency plans, rehabilitation projects, and new urban parks. As these twenty years come to a close, 2019 embodied many larger ideas and trends that will continue to influence the next decade of landscape design.

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Standing 120 meters tall at the corner of West 56th Street and Eleventh Avenue, the first building by Álvaro Siza in New York is nearing completion. Named 611 West 56th Street, the residential condominium will also feature several amenities for its residents, including a swimming pool, a spa, a gym, a children's playroom, and event spaces.