To date, more than 90 countries have set net-zero emissions targets, committing to help prevent the worst impacts of climate change. However, doubts remain regarding the credibility of many of these commitments and whether these targets will actually be met.
Together, the countries that have established net-zero emissions targets—a group that includes China, the United States, and India—account for nearly 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Alongside them, thousands of other regions, cities, and companies have also set their own targets. Never before has there been such ambition and momentum for such deep emissions cuts.
https://www.archdaily.com/1136356/five-countries-on-track-to-reach-net-zero-emissionsClea Schumer, Cynthia Elliott e Rebecca Gasper
Infraestudio is an architecture and art practice based in Havana that has been obsessed with fiction since its foundation in 2016. Fernando Martirena, Anadis González, and other members and collaborators work from a narrative and discursive approach to experiment with various resources such as buildings, research, exhibitions, writings, and activism. This has allowed them to operate discreetly in a city frozen in time, recounting how contemporary architecture is done in Cuba today.
For these reasons, Infraestudio was selected by ArchDaily as one of the best new architectural practices of 2023. They are concerned with creating architecture that blends into the landscape, showcasing emptiness as a representation of an idea, focusing not on forms but on strategies, and building with the bare essentials.
Energy efficiency wall renovation for energy saving. Exterior house wall heat insulation with mineral wool, building under construction. Image via Shutterstock / brizmaker
The buildings and construction sectors are key players in the fight against climate change –Combined, they are responsible for 30% of global final energy consumption and 27% of total energy sector CO2 emissions. Further, energy demand from buildings and construction continues to rise, driven by improved access to energy in developing countries, growing need for air conditioning, greater ownership and use of energy-consuming appliances, and a rapid growth in global floor area. Without targeted policy actions, the energy used in buildings could increase up to around 70% in 2050.
Being present has become the new currency, another way to accumulate symbolic capital, and a new way to validate status. It began with a sudden and rapid surge in museum attendance, alongside the visible crowding of specific areas of Mexico City. This points to an issue currently affecting us: gentrification and forced displacement.
Photo by Diego Baravelli. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Major cities like Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Belo Horizonte have been transforming their downtown areas into more residential zones, reclaiming a past of greater vitality. Rio de Janeiro pioneered this trend with the launch of its Reviver Centro program in 2021. More recently, São Paulo launched Todos pelo Centro, which also aims to “promote transformative actions in downtown São Paulo, bringing new life alongside the city's memories and history.”
From a design perspective, the integration and connection of different spaces in homes have taken center stage in contemporary architectural scenes, driven by the need to make the most out of increasingly limited spaces. By eliminating dividing walls or enclosures and employing diverse materials in flooring, fixtures, and installations, bathrooms are often integrated with bedrooms, creating a sense of spaciousness that harmonizes with the interior design defined within these areas.
There are many building materials that have experienced minimal changes since their initial inception in the field of architecture. However, this does not imply that they are outdated, but rather that their qualities and simplicity make them highly versatile materials also demonstrate the resilience and durability of materials that withstand the test of time. An example of this is brick, a timeless material that has been able to adapt over the years, serving functions such as walls, cladding, and flooring, among others. Under this premise, Louis Khan referred to the expressive possibilities of brick, stating, "Even a brick wants to be something. It aspires."
Thanks to the progress of new technologies applied to materials, disruptive proposals have arisen that converge in new construction systems. On many occasions, these new technologies are combined with materials considered "traditional," generating new concepts in which materials such as brick find new applications and possibilities. One of these new concepts is Flexbrick, a ceramic textile with an industrialized system that combines flexible sheets to wrap architectural spaces. This opens up new possibilities for applications at the forefront of the parametric architecture revolution, using a flexible, adaptable, and sustainable material.
https://www.archdaily.com/1003807/algorithm-based-architecture-flexible-bricks-to-wrap-architectural-spacesEnrique Tovar
Pigmented concrete is created by adding pigments that provide a specific color to traditional concrete. From subtle touches to more intense hues, this approach allows architecture to play with surfaces and structures across a wide range of shades and finishes. Unlike surface coatings, pigmented concrete is integrated directly into the mix composition, preventing it from fading or wearing over time. Through its diverse aesthetic possibilities, pigmented concrete is a versatile and attractive alternative for adding color to architecture and design.
How can this material be applied in architecture? To achieve optimal and long-lasting results with pigmented concrete from Melón Hormigones, it is essential to correctly follow its application process, whether on walls, interior floors, exterior pavements, sculptures, or urban furniture. Below, we share a series of key recommendations for the proper use of pigmented concrete, from product selection to post-application care.
When it comes to architecture, scale is inevitably mentioned for graphic and two-dimensional representation of the built area, land size, and city extension. Architecture is a grand discipline with robust constructions and large areas, but the field of action is vast, encompassing "smaller" scales: essential housing, restricted land, and small cities.
Lo-tech Augmented Reality. Image Courtesy of James Corbett
Augmented reality (AR) software has been a common feature in professional design toolkits for a while. But the recent release of Apple’s Vision Pro glasses shows the mixed-reality wearables sector is making serious inroads in consumer markets too, as one of the world’s biggest names in consumer design and technology enters the market.
A major reason for the immense hype surrounding Apple’s foray into AR/VR hardware, however, is the decision to position it as ‘spatial computing.’ By taking the complexity of augmented reality, and using it to heighten a familiar consumer sector – personal computing – the Cupertino-based brand has simplified the whole experience, widening its understanding and appeal.
Architecture is likely to exist in any place or physical space inhabited by human beings. Moreover, our inherent curiosity and exploratory spirit constitute an integral aspect of our humanity. Fueled by our inventive capacity, drives us to venture into future scenarios that we can explore as individuals and as a society. Consequently, the possibility of a future in space has sparked the imagination of scientists and designers, resulting in conceptual and science fiction designs where human beings inhabit space.
The inventive and imaginative human capacity can be traced through the work of artists such as Jean-Marc Côté, who, in the early 20th century, envisioned a series of retro-futuristic illustrations depicting what life would be like in the year 2000. There are also notable literary references, such as the works of Ursula K. Le Guin, renowned for her speculative fiction exploring humanity's journey as a spacefaring species. Undoubtedly, the future and space are two captivating topics that have inspired the development of a long-term vision for society in space.
https://www.archdaily.com/1001762/architecture-for-inhabiting-space-tessellated-reconfigurable-structures-for-adaptive-environmentsEnrique Tovar
Proper home insulation and selecting the right materials are fundamental when undertaking a construction project. These strategies enhance interior comfort and serve as a long-term cost-saving measure.
By building houses like the Latypi residence on hillsides, we can reduce the impact construction has on the landscape, while keeping the views for ourselves. Image
Ever since humans started building (about 10,000 years ago), settlers looking for sites to build new villages or homesteads have kept a simple list of criteria: access to water, proximity to arable land, and, ideally, as flat as possible. Modern development sites instead look for industry and transport links rather than water and farmland, but a level site is still the preferred option.
Whether you cut and fill into the landscape by digging in a retaining wall, or balance the structure above the hillside on stilt supports, building on sloping ground always adds time, cost, and difficulty to the project. With immense views and extra space both inside and out, however, the results can be worth the extra effort.
genarchitects was founded in Shanghai in 2013. Whether operating in dense urban environments or amidst natural landscapes, the firm remains committed to the authentic realities of design and construction practice. By carefully balancing site conditions and functional requirements, genarchitects seeks to find calm and honest solutions for complex and uncertain realities.
Led by founding partners Fan Beilei, Kong Rui, and Xue Zhe, genarchitects engages in a comprehensive range of design work. Their projects span from schools and art museums to bridges, sports fields, furniture, and urban design. Representative works include the Dingshu Vocational School, the Pavilion of One Court, the Aranya MCSC Hotel, and the Wallpaper* Apartments at Friendship Bay. The firm's work has received numerous honors, including the Architecture China Natural Construction Award, the WA China Architecture Award, the Architectural Creation Award of the Architectural Society of Shanghai, the AIA Shanghai Design Award, the German Iconic Awards (Best of Best), and Italy's THE PLAN Award.
Based in Barcelona, Puente Editores is an independent architecture and art publisher directed by Moisés Puente that seeks to serve as a platform for independent projects.
After a three-year break, Hello Wood’s builder festival returns to welcome students, architects, and young professionals from all across the world to join the 10-day builder camp to test their wooden construction abilities, learn to collaborate, and participate actively in on-site design and construction. For the first time in Hello Wood’s 13-year history, this year’s workshop takes place at a new location, in the crater of an abandoned basalt quarry on Haláp Mountain in Hungary. The workshop also aligns with and supports Veszprém’s title of 2023 European Capital of Culture, which also includes over a hundred other villages and towns across the Bakony-Balaton region. The event took place between July 6 and 15, ending in a two-day music festival open to all.
In her 1959 debut by Mattel, Barbie became a doll that transformed the toy industry and has been a popular culture icon ever since. 3 years later, the first accompanying Barbie Dollhouse was created, a home for Barbie representing her domestic, habitual, and day-to-day life. Over the past 60 years, Barbie Dreamhouses have changed and evolved, each iteration adopting the architectural and design fads of the eras in which they were produced. In fact, each dollhouse is an artifact of the unique blend of history, politics, popular culture, trends, and design styles that define architecture as we know it.
Present-moment awareness, also known as mindfulness, is the practice of focusing entirely on the present. In this meditative practice, worries about the past and future give way to a heightened awareness of the *here and now*, which includes awakening a space-mediated self-awareness through the perception of feelings, sensations, and the surrounding environment.
In this context of awakening to self-awareness, the power of the built environment to serve as a refuge cannot be overlooked. While social interaction is vital for maintaining human health, privacy and spaces of retreat are equally essential.
Realidade aumentada usada no canteiro de obras. Image Cortesia de IE School of Architecture & Design
Although the architecture and construction industry has advanced in recent years into new areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), parametric modeling, virtual reality (VR), and other cutting-edge tools, their integration and systematization within the design process remains slow. In an increasingly connected and constantly evolving world, digital tools and emerging technologies are revolutionizing how architects design and build, rewriting the rules and expanding creative horizons. Therefore, it is essential to continue discussing how these tools are being integrated and how their potential can be further unlocked within the discipline.
This July, ArchDaily is exploring the topic of the design process. Within this framework, we want to open up the discussion to hear about your experiences, learn from your successes, challenges, and mistakes—and explore together how these new tools are transforming the practice of architecture.
A close look at the building facades in many Brazilian cities, such as São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, and Rio de Janeiro, reveals that the use of aluminum frames is highly common and popular in Brazil. Adopted across a wide range of building typologies, including residential and commercial projects, and in various formats such as doors, windows, and railings, these versatile structures are widely used in construction, representing about 80% of the total volume of aluminum consumed by the sector in the country. But why, after all, have aluminum frames become so widely used in Brazilian cities?
Within architecture, water evokes sentiments of calmness and wellbeing. The element has influenced design through its dynamic and fluid nature. With recent technological advances, architects have created some of the most strategic, innovative, and unexpected intersections of design and H2O.
Below, we have provided a roundup of indoor pools that highlight the application of water in different spaces, showing its relationship to materiality and use.
Virtual reality, alongside the metaverse, is playing an increasingly important role in helping both people living with dementia and their caregivers and families cope with the symptoms of this neurodegenerative condition.
There are currently 50 million people living with dementia worldwide. This number is expected to double in the next 10 years and more than triple by 2050. Consequently, the global cost of dementia is projected to reach $2 trillion by 2030.
Milan’s urban fabric has long been defined by change. In a city known for its historic monuments, from the Piazza Duomo and Milan Cathedral to works like Velasca Tower, contemporary architecture must balance many existing contexts. Emerging as a global center for design and culture, Milan has become home to new buildings and structures addressing this condition as iconic landmarks and expressive forms. Actively building upon its legacy, Milan has turned its attention to the sky.
In Lagos, a city with a complex urban fabric that includes historical buildings and vast interpretations of contemporary architecture, lies PatrickWaheed Design Consulting (PWDC). This design practice, Co-led by Adeyemo Shokunbi, aims to contribute to a Nigerian architectural language through the renaissance of local materials. Through explorations anchored in local laterite, they have developed the material as a modern finishing technique, investigated its potential as a natural dye, discovered new ways to employ its thermal properties, and now build the research prospect of other local materials. I had the opportunity to speak with Architect Shokunbi, who discussed the initial inspirations and investigations during the construction of two building projects (Mad House & Abijo Mosque) in Lagos. These projects brought the Laterite finishing technique to life and now help build the case for a Nigerian architectural language.
