Architecture News

The winners of the National Ideas Competition for the renovation of the Downtown Campus of the School of Architecture, Urbanism and Design of the National University of Córdoba have been announced. Organized by the Provincial College of Architects, the call invited architects from across the country to develop proposals for the programmatic and spatial reconfiguration of the FAUD UNC Downtown Campus in Argentina, repurposing the building for activities related to culture, research, outreach, and postgraduate studies.

The Colombian Society of Architects (SCA) has announced the finalists for the 27th Colombian Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism (BICAU XVII) across all categories. The selected projects, which you can explore below, will receive either an Honorable Mention or be named winners of their respective categories; the winner of the National Architecture and Urbanism Prize will also be chosen from among them.

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Concéntrico 06 is the Logroño Architecture and Design Festival, open to all citizens and visitors, which invites them to discover and rediscover key spaces in the city's historic center.

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The levels of air pollution reached by major urban centers around the world in recent years reveal the troubled relationship we have maintained—and continue to maintain—with our environment. The gravity of the issue lies in the fact that this not only affects the overall balance of the planet, but according to the World Health Organization, the current state of the atmosphere also causes, through the simple act of breathing, the death of around seven million people each year. Shortly after governments in various countries announced measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus—lockdowns and isolation—numerous studies began to show an unexpected and promising trend: air pollution levels in many cities began to drop significantly within days of the measures being announced due to reduced traffic and a decline in industrial emissions.

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The architecture firm Hauser (Argentina), alongside architects Mathías Klotz (Chile) and Edgardo Minond (Argentina), has presented its project 'BRUSCO,' a large-scale mixed-use development with a significant urban impact. Located opposite Montevideo's City Hall, the complex will integrate diverse programs, including an open-air retail promenade, a city hotel, public and private parking, residential units, and offices. The project is already under construction and aims to become a transformative landmark that revitalizes the surrounding area, ensuring both day and night activity by coordinating and integrating the schedules of its various functions.

The Mapa Corona nas Periferias, a digital initiative by the Marielle Franco Institute and the Favela em Pauta channel, is now live. The digital map highlights solidarity initiatives combating COVID-19 in socially vulnerable areas such as favelas, communities, quilombos, or rural hinterlands.

São Paulo-based firm SIAA Arquitetos has been named the winner of the national competition organized by AESabesp for the new São Paulo Water Museum, which involves the restoration and expansion of the former water and sewage department (RAE), currently the França Pinto reservation center.

Below, discover the winning proposal, accompanied by the project description written by the SIAA Arquitetos team.

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The winners of the Microscapes - Tactical Micro-Gardens competition have been announced. This international call, organized by the Intendencia Departamental de Río Negro (Uruguay) and the Inter-American Development Bank, invited architects, designers, landscape architects, artisans, citizens, entrepreneurs, and any other interested parties to propose installations to revitalize one of the central spaces of the Fray Bentos industrial complex.

The Tomie Ohtake Institute and AkzoNobel continue to map contemporary architectural production, highlighting, for the seventh consecutive year, significant projects built within the current Brazilian landscape. The relationship to the urban context, the commitment to the site and sustainability, as well as design and construction inventiveness, are the core criteria guiding the 7th Tomie Ohtake Institute AkzoNobel Architecture Prize.  

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The winners of the competition for Projects to enhance the archaeological site of the Andalusi suburb of Arrixaca and the San Esteban Garden in Murcia (Spain) have been announced. Organized by the Ministry of Development, the call invited participants to devise proposals to protect the valuable Arrixaca Archaeological Site while creating a new public space for the community.

In the year that the nation's capital turns 60, the Council of Architecture and Urbanism of the Federal District (CAU/DF) is launching the CAU/DF Seal - Architecture of Brasília. The initiative celebrates the modern architecture of the Plano Piloto Urban Ensemble, highlighting the city's non-monumental architecture. The goal is to recognize the historical value of these buildings and their authors—who are often little known by the general public—as well as to promote best practices in building conservation and maintenance that have preserved the architectural language of the Modern Movement.

The San Cristóbal local town hall, located in southeastern Bogotá, is currently situated in a mixed-use area of the San Blas neighborhood. It sits in close proximity to a school, a parish church, a community development center, residential complexes, and the local Metropolitan Park.

Despite its privileged location relative to surrounding properties, the town hall building is a designated heritage site. Participants in the public design competition for the new headquarters, organized by the SCA (Sociedad Colombiana de Arquitectos), had to consider all these aspects in developing their proposals. Estudio Territorios was awarded first place, followed by FP Arquitectura in second, and EMS Arquitectura in third. Below, we take a closer look at their proposals.

All large cities face the challenge of managing growth, expansion, and, above all, functioning as an integrated system. In Bogotá, one of the main issues is the mobility of both the commuter and resident populations. We spoke with urban planner and architect Liliana Mejía González, Director of the Projects Division at the Urban Development Institute (IDU), who shared insights into the District Development Plan 2020-2024 for the capital district.

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The winners of the International Preliminary Design Competition "A Place for Quarantine" have been announced. Organized by Architecture Eyes and sponsored by Revista Trama, the competition invited architects to design an "ideal" minimal house for two people to inhabit during the period of social isolation, rethinking the ways we relate to space, others, and ourselves.

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The winning and distinguished entries have been announced for the "Arquitectura Argentina Solidaria" (Solidarity Argentine Architecture) competition. Organized by the Central Architects' Society (SCA) and the Professional Council of Architecture and Urbanism (CPAU), this national call invited architects and collaborative teams from across the country to submit ideas, initiatives, proposals, projects, works, and research completed over the last ten years centered on solidarity and inclusion. Bringing together the collective knowledge and reflections of professionals nationwide, the primary goal of this call was to address the emerging needs of society's most vulnerable sectors, now further exacerbated by the pandemic.

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For the eleventh consecutive year, ArchDaily celebrated the best of Latin American architecture, presenting the Building of the Year award to architects Barclay & Crousse (Peru), Felipe Assadi (Chile), and Natura Futura + Frontera Sur Arquitectura (Ecuador). This year, the ceremony took place at the Pablo Neruda Lookout on San Cristóbal Hill, bringing together the architectural community and ArchDaily's main partners.

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The Architects' Association of the Province of Córdoba has called on architects across the province to collectively contribute ideas to address the current challenges associated with the spread of COVID-19—primarily the lack of adequate healthcare space to treat patients as the disease spreads—seeking to create a space for collective development nourished by the discipline's expertise to offer a response to society through the field of architecture.

During social lockdown, the CNM (National Commission of Monuments, Places, and Historical Assets of the Ministry of Culture), is offering a free online course to discover the great treasures of Argentine architectural heritage, spanning different eras, styles, and regions. Led by renowned experts in each field, the classes will cover a broad overview ranging from the Cueva de las Manos in Santa Cruz Province to modern buildings throughout the country.