This guide covers a workflow that moves from project parameters to generated floor plans, 3D perspective views, exterior design exploration, and site context visualization, using AI tools in place of preliminary CAD and rendering work.

Ricardo Rocha writes about the German-Brazilian architect Hartmut Thimel. Forgotten by canonical historiography, he worked with Georges Candilis, Yona Friedman, and later with Oscar Niemeyer. His work is a bridge between 1970s Brazil, addressing the international avant-garde - Team X, Metabolism, Spatial Urbanism, and Prospective, among others.

Widely recognized as being responsible for 8% of global CO2 emissions, concrete should be a blacklisted material, relegated to the shameful annals of architectural history. Rapid global urbanization, however, will ensure its unequaled production simplicity and structural strength help retain concrete’s firm grip on the construction industry.

If you can’t beat it, improve it: is the industry’s mantra on innovation, currently developing various alternatives to concrete or its constituent parts and admixtures. So with a concrete set for the environmental green list, the concrete revolution –using the material as an aesthetic exterior facade, interior decoration and fittings, or even in furniture and lighting, as well as a structural framework– is free to continue.

Museums play a critical role in preserving local cultures, promoting a better understanding of our collective heritage, and fostering dialogue, curiosity and self-reflection. In recent years –and largely driven by the Covid-19 pandemic– technological advances have enabled users from all over the world to visit exhibitions virtually, at any time and from the comfort of their own home. However, although online tours are a good way of increasing accessibility, there is something about the in-person museum experience that will never get old: the ability to witness, embrace and closely admire artefacts, paintings and sculptures in their true form, as well as the chance to experience the unique ambiance and essence of a traditional museum setting. Viewing the Mona Lisa virtually will never live up to appreciating it face-to-face at The Louvre, for instance.

In order to collect global intelligence and advanced ideas, and provide advice for the development of Shenzhen airport economics, the International Consultation for the Development Strategy and Implementation Strategy of Shenzhen Airport Economics was launched. Registration is now open to outstanding consultation institutions and planning and design institutions all over the world.

According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)—which organizes global data and supports research in this field—thermal comfort is defined as the condition of the mind that expresses satisfaction with the thermal environment. Why is it important to study adaptive comfort in Latin American climates? Given that 40% of the population lives in the tropics, designing architecture capable of adapting to tropical climates is essential. Consequently, in line with human-centered design, strategies must be tailored to the specific local conditions in which they are implemented.

Franco Morales, technical director of EBP Chile, who plays a cross-cutting role across the company's various departments (construction, climate change, and local energy), frequently collaborates with the CEELA Project. Following his participation in the energy retrofitting project for the Juan XXIII School in Montería, Colombia, and identifying a widespread challenge—namely, schools built without an architecture suited to their climatic context—he has begun developing a sustainable design manual for educational institutions in hot-dry and hot-humid climates.

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.

The 1970’s were a dark time for New York City. While the economy was down, crime rates were at an all-time high. The negative public image also kept tourists away, driving the city into a financial crisis. To change perceptions about The Big Apple, the New York State Department for Economic Development approached advertising firm Wells Rich Greene to create an inviting marketing operation. After 45 years, the resulting I Love NY campaign remains fresh in the minds of locals and tourists, successfully revamping New York City’s brand. Cities across the world like Paris, Amsterdam and Jerusalem have similarly invested heavily in constructing magnetic brands for themselves.

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Site work has always been and remains a pivotal stage in forming our built environment. Most architects, designers or engineers have at one point or another been on the grounds and understand the importance of presence within the project development phases. Working on construction sites can be a valuable learning experience and allows different inputs from diverse experts to be considered in forming a better urban, living, and working environment for all. Starting from this idea, and as we delve into Women in Architecture as part of our ArchDaily topics, we published an invitation, encouraging our readers to share their opinion on gender-based discrimination on the construction site.

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Even if you have never engaged with the ins and outs of a building’s acoustics, you will, no doubt, have had many a meeting or passing conversation eased by Rockfon’s sound-absorbing solutions. They may have invisibly clad a ceiling above you in tile form or seamlessly formed the white walls that surrounded you. Rockfon – a part of Rockwool Group – specialises in banishing acoustic bounce with sound absorbing products made from organic stone wool. The products have been part of the fabric of our public spaces – offices, schools, restaurants and libraries – for more than 60 years.

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.”

These days, wellness is a commonly-used word in design and other areas, but what does it truly mean? According to the National Wellness Institute, the concept is defined as "an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices toward, a more successful existence." It can be viewed from different perspectives, such as environmental, intellectual, spiritual and physical factors. Although these elements can be integrated separately into one’s life, they can also complement each other and work together. For example, exercise does not only provide physical benefits; it contributes to emotional wellness as well.

Sensory urbanism is a form of investigation of how non-visual information defines a city's character and affects its livability. Using methods that range from sound tracks and smell maps, wearables and virtual reality, researchers in this area have introduced other senses to urban centers.

If we previously brought in before and after plans of apartment refurbishments, we now focus on residential projects that have received needed improvements. In addition to the plans, the information contained in the memorial of each project helps to better understand the attitude taken in each architectural design. After all, each work brings with it different demands: deadlines, budgets, legislation and pre-existing conditions.

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We live in a world where the experienced, remembered, and imagined, as well as different moments in space and time concerning the past, present, and future are inseparably blended. As of recent, we are being offered various mediums to gain access to other planes of existence, utilizing immersive technologies like virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR), creating a pathway to the metaverse in which we are transported to spaces that are capable of feeling more ‘real’ than anything we presently experience.

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The design of cabinets and shelves is fundamental for the composition of the interior of a house. Their functions can be the most diverse - home libraries, storage, artwork and decorative elements display -, but with a little architectural ingenuity it is possible to make them protagonists, adding not only an aesthetic value to the room, but making the environment more versatile. Therefore, we have separated some tips and references to inspire your next project.

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The Mapocho Vivo Foundation was formally established in 2020 on the initiative of Joaquín Moure, an agricultural technician and muralist, who since 2019 had been captivated by the flora and fauna he found in the river when everyone else believed it to be lifeless, waste-filled water. Today, the project has established itself as an organization that maintains cleanliness, protects, and plans the future of the 110-kilometer biological corridor spanning 16 municipalities of Santiago de Chile, operating under the understanding that architecture must embrace natural ecosystems to integrate them into urban systems.

The façade is the only part of the building that can be seen from the outside and has the function of communicating a message derived from its design. It therefore deserves special attention in every detail. A façade that is well proportioned in terms of colours and materials, which facilitates the connection between the interior and the exterior, will generate an initial attraction for pedestrians, inviting them to enter.

From a small house clad in classic tiles, to big brands such as Apple or Louis Vuitton, façades are used as an architectural expression to give us a glimpse of the first elements that we will later find inside the premises. In interior design, the entrance hall of a home concentrates many clues as to what we will find next. The effect of this first impression would be even more positive if the façade included a design that leaves the user hungry for more.

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

My first encounter with saving a building landed me in handcuffs and a trip to the Long Beach Police Department. A friend and I were frustrated that our hometown was demolishing good buildings—because they did not conform with the current style of architecture—only to replace them with parking lots! All in the name of “progress.” In 1988, when we learned that the Jergins Trust Building, a Beaux-Arts beauty, was slated to be torn down with no plans for the site, we jumped into action and chained ourselves to the building to stop the wrecking crew. Our efforts kept it up for another four hours. And then it was gone forever.

Lighting plays a crucial role in architecture: to allow users to see, safely inhabit spaces, and carry out their daily activities. But its power has long exceeded these basic functions, primarily driven by technological advances and new design trends that have led to greater innovation and creativity. Contemporary lighting design has the ability to completely transform a room, impacting visual comfort and setting the tone by defining volumes, drawing attention to texture and enhancing colors. It can also determine shape and size perception; for example, in a room that is particularly small, having extra lighting reflect off light-colored walls will help the space appear larger. Similarly, light has been proven to affect mood, concentration and overall well-being. Whereas an adequately illuminated environment is associated to warmth and improved energy levels, poor lighting can lead to health deficiencies, including headaches, eyestrain and even depression.

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In architecture, context is what concerns human existence in a given place. Climate, culture, geography, and pre-existences, to name just a few. For Toshiko Mori, a Japanese architect based in the United States, context is everything that arouses curiosity about the people we design for. In almost four decades as the head of her office in New York, Mori has had the opportunity to exercise her interest in design practice and academia, managing to build her buildings in contexts as diverse as China, U.S., and Senegal.

With Johanna Meyer-Grohbrügge and Gabriela Carrillo, Toshiko Mori is part of the new documentary Women in Architecture, premiering November 3. The film — made by Sky-Frame in exclusive collaboration with ArchDaily, and directed by Boris Noir — is a catalyst for debate on one of the most pressing topics in architecture.

The Spitzer School of Architecture at the City College of New York has been challenging the strictures of traditional design education for decades. Now, the esteemed school’s revamped Master of Urban Design program continues this trend of innovative education by reframing the urban environment as a laboratory where students play active research roles.

The Constant Future: A Century of the Regional Plan, an October exhibit at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal is a succinct yet gripping display of civic dreams selected from the imagination of the Regional Plan Association (RPA), an independent non-profit that conducts research on the environment, land use, and good governance with the intention of promoting ideas that improve economic health, environmental resiliency, and quality of life in the New York metropolitan area. The occasion is the organization’s centennial, and the show is a testament to its powerful role in developing the tri-state region. Not all of its ideas have been good, but the city owes a debt to the group’s long-term view.

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As part of an initiative to recognize the architecture of northern Mexico, the exhibition “Levantamiento. Prácticas de arquitectura del Norte” is on display at the Nave Generadores in the Centro de las Artes (Fundidora Park) in Monterrey, Nuevo León, through November 13, 2022. The venue brings together the work of some of the region's most prominent architects. Curated by Brenda Fernández and Edgar Castro, the project is an invitation to establish a shared platform to disseminate, discuss, and foster new creative discourses in Mexico.

Flexibility has been an increasingly appreciated characteristic in the field of architecture. In the extremely dynamic societies and spaces that we inhabit, it makes sense for buildings to have the ability to continuously adapt their spatial layout and even their structure to changing needs. Providing a space that can be adaptable and not completely static is a priority in today's world and can extend to many different types of projects, from domestic to public. In offices and convention centers, for example, having the opportunity to create reserved rooms when needed makes these large open spaces much more versatile. 

Movable partitions, whether sliding or on pulleys, are particularly useful solutions in these cases, but they can also get in the way and often do not perform well acoustically. Skyfold specializes in developing vertically retractable walls, which are completely hidden in the ceiling when closed, therefore solving some of the aforementioned issues regarding movable partitions. Their newest product, Prisma, adds total transparency, clean lines and a lightweight structure to this functionality.