Combining the efficiency—in terms of both time and cost—of prefabrication with the inherent flexibility and adaptability of on-site construction, DUMAY Arquitectos presents Casa Aditiva, a modular architectural system that leverages standardization to create homes of diverse designs, floor areas, and layouts.
Between virtual panel discussions and tweets sparking debate on housing and its role during the pandemic, addressing this issue in Mexico is as complex as the country's history and as vast as its territory. The article What About the Right to Adequate Housing in Mexico?offered an overview of the laws governing Mexico City and urban conditions. But what about housing in rural areas?
Implementing universal design in built environments is no easy task—especially regarding the minimum requirements for making public spaces accessible and adapting urban intersections (sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, and bike lanes). For this reason, the Corporación Ciudad Accesible has shared its constantly updated article, Accessibility on Sloped Terrain.
https://www.archdaily.com/1123457/accessibility-on-sloping-terrain-conflicts-and-solutions-in-chileCorporación Ciudad Accesible
Fig 3. Javier Lucas, 20th Century Gym, 1991. Right photograph: Jose Hevia, 2005. Source: COLL-LECLERC. Image via Revista rita_
This article by Jaime Coll López was originally published in the 10th issue of revista rita_ under the title "Determination vs Indeterminacy in Domestic Space." It is a critique of flexibility in housing, one of the primary paradigms of 20th-century domestic architecture.
On Tuesday, December 1, 2020, during the inaugural session of the new National Board elected by members in the 2020 CA Elections, the new Executive Committee and officers of the College of Architects of Chile were selected for the 2020–2022 term.
Peripheria Films has shared with us their audiovisual piece developed for the exhibition "The Cathedral of Malaga, an Unfinished Symphony," curated by Juan Manuel Sánchez La Chica and Adolfo de la Torre (marinauno arquitectos).
The video traces the construction process of this unfinished building over time—a classic of Andalusian architecture in Spain.
We live in an era marked by profound transformations: urban sprawl, monoculture farming, cattle ranching, mining, and species introduction. These are some of the primary drivers accelerating environmental degradation. As landscape architects, we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to propose more sustainable ways of shaping our landscape.
Naturalistic landscape design incorporates fundamental ecological concepts to envision gardens tailored to their specific contexts, celebrating the unique qualities of each biome. To achieve this, we must understand the environment in which we are situated. While this article focuses specifically on the Cerrado, the same logic can be applied to any biome.
Cross-ventilation, solar radiation control, rainwater harvesting, indirect natural lighting, graywater treatment and reuse, and solar energy harnessing through panels are some of the passive strategies that allow for greater thermal and environmental comfort at low energy costs. When based on a proper understanding of a site's geographical and climatic conditions, these bioclimatic principles can significantly optimize building performance and foster the development of better interior spaces.
As seen throughout architectural history, ephemeral installations and pavilions are key elements for addressing specific architectural moments and social manifestations in an almost immediate way. While some pavilions have proven so significant that they transcended their temporary nature to become permanent, exemplary expressions of a historical moment—such as the Barcelona Pavilion, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich for the Barcelona International Exposition in Montjuïc—others remain documented in photographs, plans, and experiences, to be rewritten in future projects.
This interview is part of a collaboration with the digital magazine Hysteria.mx. It was originally published on January 24, 2020, under the title "Stories from the US-Mexico Border" as part of Issue No. 31, titled "Bodies and Territories," and was conducted by Tadeo Cervantes.
Alejandra Aragón is a visual artist, photographer, documentarian, and activist from Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua—a city on Mexico's northern border infamous for the cases of femicide recorded from the early 1990s to the present. From this vantage point, Aragón narrates various aspects of daily life for women in a territory shaped by violence, conflict, and complexity.
Spring’s fallen blossoms, summer’s thunderstorms, autumn’s mountain mists, and winter’s drifting snow. Once again, our annual **yearbook** arrives as promised, and we thank you for accompanying us through another year. Time flew by: only yesterday we were talking about buildings on the verge of completion, yet construction has been delayed until next year—as if this year was stolen from us. Fortunately, we have left behind space. While we may forget the viral gossip of the internet, architecture stands as a constant reminder of the stories of our era.
On July 31, during the 103rd Ordinary Plenary Session, the CAU/BR Temporary Commission on Gender Equity released the 1st "Gender in Architecture and Urbanism" Diagnosis. Conducted online from July 2019 to February 2020, the survey was answered by 987 professionals (767 women and 208 men), with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.11%.
Image of the 1981 winning design for Vale do Anhangabaú. Photo: Bruno Niz, 2019
The place where we are born, where we live, and our urban reference points are part of history and shape our identity. Can we decipher what these spaces tell us? Can we express our perception of them? Vale do Anhangabaú signals an essential part of São Paulo's development and is woven into the imaginary of those who have built memories there. This article is an exercise in traversing different themes to instigate multiple possibilities—collective and individual, real and utopian—of experiencing this space.
An architect colleague of mine once mentioned that her firm had hired a new intern. He was a competent, dedicated student in the middle semesters of his architecture program. His hiring was primarily due to his strong skills in BIM (Building Information Modeling) software, with a portfolio filled with well-resolved, medium-scale projects.
The following article is the result of a thesis research project by Colombian architect Sebastián Rojas (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana), which explores the materialities and vernacular construction techniques across 23 prototypes from regions such as the Coffee Axis, the Colombian Amazon, the Cundiboyacense Highlands, and the North Coast.
Interior design offers almost limitless creative possibilities, especially when it comes to commercial use. Within this realm, dining venues introduce a layer of experience defined by the temporary habitation of these spaces. These experiences are shaped as much by the food as by the atmosphere, and it is in this latter aspect where interior design plays a crucial role.
The founding of Guadalajara's first School of Architecture is a story often told as an almost ‘heroic’ feat, brought to fruition after years of effort. Once a series of fortunate events aligned, the capital of Jalisco finally achieved creative, architectural, and urban independence, fostering its own professionals to build a better Guadalajara.
As one of Mexico's most internationally renowned tourist destinations, Cancun is a city founded just 50 years ago. Since then, it has woven a unique narrative, both in its urban layout and in the culture and heritage that residents actively seek to elevate to foster a shared historical consciousness. While primarily known for its massive resort complexes and nightlife, Cancun is much more than that. Several emerging practices, such as Warm Architects and TAFF Arquitectos, are constantly striving to promote a regional architecture that responds to the unique ways of living in this tourism-driven area.
Due to its climate and territorial characteristics, Ecuador possesses an immense diversity of bamboos: it has 6 genera and 42 identified species, of which 11 are endemic. Among them, Guadua angustifolia cane is considered the most important species in terms of abundance and physical and mechanical properties. The indigenous term guadua was used by the native communities of Ecuador and Colombia to designate this species of "native bamboo," which was later renamed "Guadua angustifolia"—meaning "narrow leaf"—and taxonomically belongs to the Poaceae family and the Bambusoideae subfamily. The use of this material is so ancient that, according to the book *Nuevas técnicas de construcción en bambú* (1978), remains have been found in buildings in Ecuador estimated to be 9,500 years old.
Bookshelves are one of the elements present in almost every interior space, whether in homes, retail, offices, or even pavilions. Yemail Arquitectura, a Bogotá-based firm, shares its exploration of this element, which plays a key role in the spatial configurations of its multi-use projects.
Moving forward also means looking back. Fulfilling the mission of creating safe and inclusive bathrooms that meet the needs of a diverse range of people of different ages, genders, religions, and abilities requires a broad perspective. To understand how we arrived at the current "stalemate" regarding the debate over the design of these spaces, we must consider that bathrooms were and are designed within a particular social and historical context.
Fear of the economic recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic left supermarket shelves empty worldwide. Photo by John Camero, via Unsplash
Cities offer opportunity, diversity, and economies of scale, which ultimately attract more residents and retroactively drive their growth. Despite decades of predictions foretelling the demise of cities due to the telephone, the internet, videoconferencing, or virtual reality, cities and face-to-face interactions continue to grow. Large urban areas continue to draw more and more people. Driven by more than just tourism, the travel industry has also grown year after year, demonstrating how much people want to be physically present where things are happening—whether for meetings, events, concerts, or simply to gather with friends and family.