The following article, based on the exhibition conceived by the Projective Drawing course and developed by the Digital Fabrication and Parametric Design Laboratory of the Institución Universitaria Colegio Mayor de Antioquia (FABLAB COLMAYOR), demonstrates the adaptability of undergraduate programs after COVID-19. This initiative, utilizing rendering and augmented reality, showcases a new approach to applying relevant tools in both academic and professional fields.
Incredible lighting, shining finishes, healthy trees, and properly positioned human figures seem to be the perfect kit for a good and traditional image of architecture, which, however, is not always representative of reality or context. We are accustomed to thinking of renderings as visions of future buildings, occupied and in use, which serve to sell or convince customers of the worth of a project. But what if rendered images also helped us understand the construction, systems, and functioning of some parts of the building? We talked to two professionals who have developed images that are both beautiful and explanatory.
Prefabrication is not a new concept for architects, but its usage is evidently on the rise. With today’s limited spatial capacity and need for cost efficiency, the industrial strategy of architectural production has shifted towards an all-around-efficient approach, in some cases assembling projects in a matter of days or weeks [1][2].
Prefabricated wood components, used in both wooden frames and mass timber constructions, have helped solve many design and engineering challenges. In addition to material and time efficiency, reduced waste, and cost control [1][2], prefabricated wood elements offer the advantages of high performing and energy efficient passive designs [3].
Few places have embraced sustainable design practices like California. Experiencing dramatic droughts, wildfires and environmental issues, the state has started to create new policies and initiatives to promote environmentally-conscious design solutions. From eco-districts and water management strategies to net-zero building projects, the Golden State is making strides to reshape its future. Forming long-term visions and procedures through the lens of physical resource consumption, California is working to better integrate its economic development plans with sustainable building methods.
Today, April 12, 2021, marked the passing of architect Carlos González Lobo, a leading proponent of social and participatory architecture in Mexico. A 1963 graduate of the National School of Architecture, he went on to earn a Master of Architecture from UNAM's Faculty of Architecture in 1995. That same year, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Rhode Island School of Design, later receiving a PhD in Architecture from UNAM in 2007.
Designed by award-winning architect Rudy Ricciotti, the designer of the MuCEM in Marseille, the Jean-Boutin Stadium in Paris, and the Islamic Arts Exhibition in the Louvre Museum, the Manufacture de la Mode reintroduces Chanel's intricate craftsmanship in an architectural and urban context. Architectural photographer Simon Garcia uncovers the newly-inaugurated fashion community in a series of photographs.
In the face of contemporary changes, architects and urban planners must revisit their roles. In contrast to planning approaches that produce increasingly massified and generic cities, establishing practices of resistance to reclaim the city for pedestrians is paramount. To be effective, these practices must foster connections between the people who experience the city daily and the urban space itself, moving away from technical definitions that treat public participation as fragmented. Instead of fueling collective paranoia that builds insurmountable walls in search of excessive security, the city should align with technology to promote openness, open-source models, collaboration, and collective creation. Beyond its practical connective function, the street must enhance lived experiences, becoming a space for chance encounters, reflection, and, above all, appropriation.
When creating a contemporary atmosphere for living, many factors come into play. The surrounding environment, its climate, use of materials, spatial organization, and the attention to detail in both the interior and exterior design, all impact the quality of the design as a whole.
With increasingly better renderings becoming ubiquitous, students and architects alike feel the pressure of mastering an additional set of skills to get their ideas across. To what extent do renderings make or break a portfolio or a project? How important are they in the design process, and do renderings inform of a particular set of skills besides the software ones? This article explores different perspectives on the role of renderings within the profession.
This article by Hugo Mondragón and Manola Ogalde (both from the School of Architecture of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile) was originally published in the 29th issue of Dearq journal on 01/01/2021 under the title "Consecration and Exclusion: The Disputed Canon of Colombian Architecture, 1951-1981" (https://doi.org/10.18389/dearq29.2021.08) and is part of a joint dissemination partnership.
Guillermo A. Blanco Alcón shares a summary of his research '"Seeing, Being Seen: The Evolution of the Trafalgar Lighthouse and its Social Influence Today".' This study outlines the aspects most affected by its influence on two highly contrasting realities: tourism and illegal immigration.
Designing spaces below ground level is always a major challenge, particularly regarding lighting and ventilation. However, creative solutions make it possible to create welcoming, airy subterranean spaces, such as the use of perforated panels to bring light into Casa K or even the strategic implementation of a glass-bottomed reflecting pool on the ground floor, allowing natural light to reach the basement of Jardim do Sol House.
Would you be willing to buy a home from a robot using only an app? As technology becomes more and more integrated into the design and real estate sector, that once an outlandish idea has become a reality. Only a decade ago, almost no one talked about technology and start-ups in the built environment. The real estate industry, which has historically lacked technological innovations compared to other sectors, is now taking a stance to reinvent itself as an industry that is more efficient, flexible, and automated- all resulting in one of the newest buzzwords that has taken the world by storm, proptech or Property technology.
The Second Studio (formerly The Midnight Charette) is an explicit podcast about design, architecture, and the everyday. Hosted by Architects David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet, it features different creative professionals in unscripted conversations that allow for thoughtful takes and personal discussions.
A variety of subjects are covered with honesty and humor: some episodes are interviews, while others are tips for fellow designers, reviews of buildings and other projects, or casual explorations of everyday life and design. The Second Studio is also available on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube.
This week David and Marina are joined by Marion Weiss, architect and co-founder of Weiss/Manfredi. Marion discusses her childhood interests in the arts, architecture, and landscape design, how her office was formed and its design process, working with clients on large cultural projects, how architecture can have a social impact beyond its physical footprint, and more. Enjoy!
On Thursday, March 25, the agency that provides air navigation services in Mexican airspace (SENEAM) announced the implementation of the first phase of the Mexico City Airspace Redesign. Listed benefits of this redesign include reductions in flight times, operational delays, and fuel consumption, although the primary driver behind it is to integrate the future Felipe Ángeles International Airport in Santa Lucía into the capital's airspace. From day one, areas that previously did not experience aircraft noise from arrivals at the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) began to notice the effects of the redesign. How significant is the noise impact of this airspace redesign for the population of the capital's metropolitan area?
Graphic novels fold drawings of people, space, and time into their narrative structure to produce powerful visual stories. Graphic novels and architecture also share a set of common tools that are central to their depiction — drawing, sequencing, text, action, character, etc. This makes for a natural allegiance between graphic novels, architecture, and the city. In this episode, Stewart pulls the graphic novels off his bookshelf to show how and why they influenced his approach to architectural design and led to the creation of award-winning competition entries. In particular, David Mazzuchelli’s City of Glass and Asterios Polyp, and Chris Ware’s Building Stories offer lessons for developing a holistic approach to architecture that involves multiple points of view, politics, fiction, and visionary design.
Believing firmly that "architecture is [...] too important to leave solely to architects", Ole Bouman embarked on diverse activities throughout his three decades of work, reflecting on “architecture, not so much as the art or technique of making buildings, but architecture as the intelligent way to organize our lives on earth, and infuse it with purpose”.
After having shared Bouman's essay Finding Measure, ArchDaily had the chance to discuss with Design Society’s founding director his thoughts on the role of architecture, the current challenges of the world, the digital revolution, and many other thought-provoking topics.
Fangcheng Design (FCHA) is an architectural design studio dedicated to the research and practice of Chinese urbanization. Driven by a pace, density, and development model unique in the world, China's urbanization is reshaping the built environment. Composed of a design team with international backgrounds, Fangcheng Design studies and researches Chinese cities to design contemporary architecture tailored to the Chinese context.
.jpg?1618334035 "Proceso de creación del museo. Image Cortesía de FABLAB COLMAYOR")
∏FABLAB_COLMAYOR.jpg?1618334099 "Exposición virtual de dibujos. Image Cortesía de FABLAB COLMAYOR")
∏FABLAB_COLMAYOR.jpg?1618334134 "Exposición virtual de dibujos. Image Cortesía de FABLAB COLMAYOR")
.jpg?1617841545 "Geminada House / CR2 Arquitetura. © Alessandro Guimarães")
.jpg?1617841649 "Jardim Paulistano Residence / Perkins+Will. © Daniel Ducci")
