Articles

“Don't build walls, no more; Or the city dies.” I discovered this poem on a solitary wheatpaste poster stuck to one of the endless walls that make the city of São Paulo a worse place to live. I must admit that every time I take my youngest son to get vaccinated at the local health clinic (UBS) in Vila Romana, I think it would be nice to have a can of spray paint to graffiti the poem onto the walls of one of the apartment complexes recently built right across the street, which occupies nearly an entire block in the neighborhood.

The importance of connecting with nature is the subject of numerous studies. Research by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health indicates that living near woodlands, parks, and gardens is associated with a lower risk of developing kidney and respiratory diseases, as well as reduced rates of depression. However, those living in major urban centers cannot always bridge this gap, whether due to a lack of parks, a shortage of time, or simply the distance to the nearest green space. In such cases, an alternative is to bring nature indoors, relying on the power of plants as an integral part of home decor.

Terra. A term used to define the planet we live on, the soil we walk on, and the raw material for the most diverse works. From it derives the word territory, which, beyond its symbolic meaning in shaping culture and worldviews, is also the foundation of any settlement and of nature itself. The power of all the meanings this word carries is taken as the title of the 6th Lisbon Architecture Triennale, which explores themes concerning the human relationship with its context and the revolutionary processes spanning the most diverse scales of architecture.

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"I Book on Sundays" is hosted by Carmelo of Enorme Studio, delving into forgotten architectural publications, books, and architecture magazines from the '60s, '70s, and '80s that harbor the most fascinating stories.

Following a hiatus in 2022, the series returned with Episode 19, titled “Always Young”, telling the story of Ettore Sottsass Jr., and "No One Is a Prophet in Their Own Land", a tribute to the late master of architecture, Ricardo Bofill. Now, he brings us "Only the Best Products Go to the Museum", the first part of a two-part episode dedicated to the American "architects" of SITE—James Wines, Alison Sky, and Michelle Stone—and how they elevated BEST showrooms to the pinnacle of art.

Initiated by Patio Efímero—a collective of young creatives—the open call for the "Patio 3 Competition: Encounter of Ephemeral Interventions" was launched in early 2022. Organized in collaboration with the National System of Art Creators of the Federal Ministry of Culture, the Puebla State Ministry of Culture, Museos Puebla, the Municipal Institute of Art and Culture of Puebla, the Municipal Ministry of Economy and Tourism of Puebla, and the Historic Center and Cultural Heritage Management Office of the Municipality of Puebla, the call invited established and emerging graphic, visual, and multidisciplinary artists, as well as architects, to participate in the third edition of Patio Efímero.

For the eighth time, the MEXTRÓPOLI Architecture and City Festival held the Arquine No. 24 | MEXTRÓPOLI 2022 Pavilion competition, a platform where architecture, urban planning, and art meet to contemplate and celebrate Mexico City. The event also aims to engage citizens by occupying public space with architectural installations that can be activated by visitors. Celebrating public spaces or offering a fresh perspective on everyday routes is the driving force behind MEXTRÓPOLI’s exhibition of these ephemeral architectural installations.

The term “cradle to cradle” was coined by American architect William McDonough and German chemical engineer Michael Braungart in their manifesto-book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, published in 2002. This theory is not merely architectural; rather, it applies to any product, promoting a biological approach to manufacturing in which components are considered nutrients in a “healthy metabolism.”

What are the stories of the first Ibero-American women architects? This is the central question we seek to answer in celebration of this month's ArchDaily topic: Women in Architecture.

In seeking to present their motivations, inspirations, and career paths, we conducted research to bring visibility and recognition to several figures who have historically been overlooked. Meet Doris Clark Núñez, Guadalupe Ibarra, Matilde Ucelay Maórtua, Filandia Pizzul, Dora Riedel, Luz Amorocho, María Luisa Dehesa, Arinda da Cruz Sobral, and Julia Guarino below.

To celebrate the first decade of ArqFilmFest, Santiago Architecture Film Festival, various members of its community—including architects, cultural managers, film critics, academics, among other professionals—were invited to answer the question: What do we talk about when we talk about film and architecture?

Journalist and film critic Christian Ramírez responds with "Filmed Space, Inhabited Space," reflecting on the relationship between the recorded and the built; architect Martin Schmidt Radic presents "Reflections of the Future," addressing projections over time; and sociologist and cultural manager Julia Ramos responds with "10 Years of Narrating the City," exploring the importance of fostering exchange between film and architecture. Read the full columns below.

Eight teams led exclusively by women were invited to participate in an urban design competition to redesign the Austrian capital in 1993. Organized by urban planner and trained engineer Eva Kail, the competition brief restricted male participation—a decision justified by data showing that, in recent years, every single urban project, whether selected through competition or direct commission, had been led by men. 

It is clear that cities worldwide must make concerted efforts to encourage more people to choose sustainable modes of transportation—such as walking, cycling, and public transit—over cars and motorcycles. But what drives us to choose one mode of transport over another? What factors lie behind our choices? Are they, in fact, conscious decisions or merely "automatic habits"? Understanding this process is an important step toward promoting sustainable mobility.

On October 14, the first edition of the TAC! Urban Architecture Festival will begin. This year, the festival will be held in the city of Granada and will run until November 14. The opening of the event will be marked by the inauguration of the temporary pavilion “AIRE,” the winning project of the open call, located in Plaza del Humilladero and designed by P + S Estudio de Arquitectura.

Today, October 7, 2022, news of the passing of Mexican architect Fernando González Gortázar was announced on social media. Born in Mexico City, he spent most of his life in Guadalajara, where he earned his degree in 1966 and developed a keen interest in sculpture through workshops with master Olivier Seguin.

In recent years, several extreme weather events around the world have devastated cities, including those in Brazil. In 2022, heavy rains battered the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro, especially the city of Petrópolis, which recorded 250 landslides in a single day.

A similar situation occurred in Pernambuco, where above-average rainfall triggered landslides. In late 2021, in the state of Bahia, severe storms pushed at least 72 municipalities into a state of emergency. As in previous cases, these disasters caused casualties and left numerous families displaced. Globally, the situation is no different, even if the specific hazards vary.

It was a close call, but the first round of the presidential election was unfortunately not enough to determine the country's next political leader. As a result, candidates Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, of the Workers' Party, and Jair Bolsonaro, of the Liberal Party, will once again face the popular vote on October 30.

The next President will have, among many other responsibilities, the task of providing federal support for the development of Brazilian cities — home to approximately 87% of the country's population. To contribute to the debate and, if such a task falls to ArchDaily, help undecided voters make up their minds, we have compiled below the proposals of both presidential candidates for the future of cities, according to their respective government plans, covering topics such as housing, infrastructure, transportation, culture, sustainability, environment, and energy. 

Over 13 million Brazilians live with a physical disability. Data from the Ministry of Health indicates that roughly 6% of the population has some form of compromised mobility and overall coordination due to the complete or partial impairment of one or more body segments. Designing more inclusive environments is key to eliminating architectural barriers, ensuring the integration of this entire demographic into social and cultural activities. During the month of the National Day of Persons with Physical Disabilities, we aim to combat prejudice and present universal design alternatives as a tool for change for architecture and urban planning professionals.

University Cities constituted the most powerful architectural and urban action during the period of progressive Latin American governments. Despite North American influences, which pioneered the concept of the campus [1], projects in Latin America emerged in different contexts and took highly unique directions. Because of the scale and complexity of these complexes, for instance, they required several decades to complete. This extended timeline allowed multiple generations of architects to participate, infusing their architecture with diversity. Another characteristic feature in Latin America is the close relationship between University City projects and developmentalist governments—as noted by Gorelik (2005)—which invested in public policies during periods of economic prosperity.

The search for technological innovations that promote passive strategies has become key to advancing energy efficiency in architecture. Low-E technology emerges as a new concept in glass, providing the material with thermal control capabilities. What does this new technology entail? The Low-E concept refers to low-emissivity glass—meaning glass whose surface emits a smaller proportion of thermal radiation at a given temperature. This feature increases its insulation capacity, thereby reducing the amount of heat lost through it.