What happens when the sensor-imbued city acquires the ability to see – almost as if it had eyes? Ahead of the 2019 Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (UABB), titled "Urban Interactions," ArchDaily is working with the curators of the "Eyes of the City" section at the Biennial to stimulate a discussion on how new technologies – and Artificial Intelligence in particular – might impact architecture and urban life. Here you can read the “Eyes of the City” curatorial statement by Carlo Ratti, the Politecnico di Torino and SCUT.

The recent ‘Greater Bay Area’ (GBA) initiative has led to a renewed interest in the supra-urban and regional or territorial planning scale by the spatial planning professions, urbanists and strategic spatial planners globally. The emergence of ‘mega’ urban-scapes and their regional agglomeration into urbanised areas of over 70 million – at least an order of magnitude larger than has ever been planned before - has reframed many conventional challenges of the spatial planning agenda. With the mega region in formation, a new necessity emerges, that being the investigation of the dynamic, morphogenetic and ecosystemic properties specific to specific regional conditions. Simply, the integration of eleven significantly sized cities and their corresponding metropolitan hinterlands, three special economic or administrative regions, three currencies, and three (or more) different cultural groups into one urban regional entity is a massive undertaking. At present aside from the governance and policy intentions this has primarily resulted in an infrastructural planning approach, one that utilizes a systemic top-down approach that seeks to provide the connective tissues and reticules, as well as civic and economic systems that mobilise people, capital and goods in such a vast region. This approach is akin to the smart city models which seek to enfold all aspects of civic life within infrastructure systemic control paradigms. But in reality, given the scope and scale of this undertaking the modalities of planning in the GBA need to shift from an extensive planned realm in which every part coheres to a plan, to one of a differentiated field in which different intensities arise as an effect of their urban eco-system integration (or its lack of). This clearly needs new approaches, concepts and models of planning that can deal with these regional issues in dynamic, open-ended ways that can foster new modalities of planning. 

Providing warmth and a modern yet handcrafted aesthetic, wood is always an excellent choice for interior cladding or furniture manufacturing. However, how do you choose the right cladding for a specific project?

We have compiled a selection of cladding options with different appearances, dimensions, and installation systems, identifying their characteristics and differences to help you select the correct material. Melamine, MDF, or plywood? A natural look or colored pigments? Compare 5 different options below.

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Located on the Mexican border as the southern gateway to the United States, Ciudad Juárez encompasses a territory that blends multiculturalism, migration, and resilience. Together, these elements form a phenomenon of hybrid roots that, over decades, has shaped “border culture.”

Often recognized as one of the most widespread constructive materials in the world, brick is, with no doubts, very versatile, low-cost and easily applied. Although it usually used in vertical surfaces, it also presents excellent properties when applied to horizontal ones, like floors.

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From prefabricated modules that sit lightly on the landscape to projects built on-site and integrated into their surroundings, in Uruguayan projects, wood emerges as a highly capable resource for addressing the wide array of requirements associated with residential construction. Whether used as structure, cladding, or furniture, and paired with concrete, stone, brick, or metal, wood offers endless applications. These possibilities enable the materialization of diverse approaches to the projects' exterior language and expression, while also elevating spatial quality and generating distinct interior atmospheres.

EGGER places an emphasis on the topic of digitalisation in the new collection. "We know that collections with real samples are important, but no longer sufficient, in order to advise customers optimally. This is why we have complemented our service offering with the new collection app, which combines many helpful features. This means that customers always have the collection digitally at hand", says Head of Marketing at EGGER Hubert Höglauer, summarising the comprehensive service.

Traditionally made of wood, the pergola can also be constructed from materials such as concrete, bamboo, and metal sheets. The spacing and arrangement of its horizontal elements vary across different projects, providing shade tailored to the specific needs of the space without necessarily forming a fully covered roof.

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We are continuing our five-year-long tradition of celebrating “The Best Architecture Drawings of the Year.” The 2019 edition sees a carefully-curated collection of architectural drawings with a wide variety of techniques and representations, all orientated towards a common goal of sharing architectural ideas, visions, and designs.

Water is one of the non-architectural elements most frequently used to complement design, harmonizing atmospheres and the overall experience of living. This can be achieved through reflecting pools, basins, fountains, or swimming pools. In tropical climates, it becomes a key tool that consolidates the architectural program, gathering spaces together and inviting residents to socialize around the pool. 

Between 1960 and 1980, architectural development in the Magallanes Region was heavily driven by public investment from the Chilean state. The economic boom of the era enabled the construction of high-quality buildings and infrastructure designed by the country's most prestigious architecture firms, providing solutions to challenges related to territory, the city, and society. It was during this progressive development process that Modern Architecture assumed a crucial role.

A draft of an executive order titled “Making Federal Buildings Beautiful Again” is moving forward towards possible signing by President Donald J. Trump. The proposed document favors Classical Greco-Roman design typologies for federal buildings in Washington, DC and elsewhere throughout the USA. This order would revise the current rules that regulate the design of federal buildings contracted through the GSA (General Services Administration — a Federal agency managing the construction, administration, and upkeep of US Government buildings and real estate). It was initiated by the National Civic Art Society, a Washington, DC based nonprofit organization that disapproves of what the US government has been building for decades. According to the New York Times, the chairman of the National Civic Art Society, Mr. Marion Smith, stated that: “For too long architectural elites and bureaucrats have derided the idea of beauty, blatantly ignored public opinions on style, and have quietly spent taxpayer money constructing ugly, expensive, and inefficient buildings.” 

"A hideous project for the future Tourist Information Center, to be located in front of the Palácio dos Despachos, a true 'modernist' terror." These harsh words from social columnist Anna Marina Siqueira in the Belo Horizonte newspaper Diário da Tarde in 1985 referred to the new building constructed on Praça da Liberdade, then the political epicenter of Minas Gerais. It was inaugurated as the Tancredo Neves Tourist Support Center and, for many years, housed the Professor Djalma Guimarães Mineralogy Museum. In April 2017, it reopened after a restoration, becoming the Visitor Information Center of the Circuito Liberdade and the Hub Minas Digital. While its location outside the Rio-São Paulo axis might make these official names unfamiliar to some, its popular moniker makes it instantly recognizable: it is known as the Rainha da Sucata (Queen of Scrap Metal), and has even been called the ugliest building in Brazil.

Sometimes referred to as “the leading environmental architect of our time,” in his roles as architect, designer, author, educator and social leader, William McDonough (born 20 February 1951) has provided a renewed look at the things that we make and their impact on both our bodies and the world. Through his Cradle to Cradle philosophy, McDonough’s buildings are designed to function for a predetermined lifespan, after which they can be broken down into their various parts whose core elements can be used anew to solve a different design problem.

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Held each year by the IE School of Architecture and Design, Venture Day provides start-ups a chance to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges. Part of the IE accelerator program Venture Lab, the high-pressure competition gives participants just five minutes to give concise, impactful presentations. This pitch is followed by a Q&A session, after which the winners are selected by a jury.

The vast history of the United States involving migration, the great variety of climates and the mix of cultures, has built a very diverse urban and architectural landscape. Despite this, there is a large number of historic buildings that – unfortunately, as in many other countries – are in the state of decay due to poor maintenance, which attracts developers.

Japanese mass housing from the 1960s is a fascinating cross-cultural experiment that merged Western and Soviet modernist typologies with traditional Japanese elements. Once a symbol of a new “modernized” way of life, it has since become a burden for Japanese society. Current living conditions in these housing estates are unsuitable for elderly residents and have given rise to the phenomena of kodokushi—lonely, unnoticed deaths inside of the apartments. Researcher and photographer Tatiana Knoroz explores the tragic fate of this modernist project in her essay for Strelka Mag.

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The “Glória-Lavapés Historical Path” is composed of Glória and Lavapés streets, which connect the neighborhoods of Liberdade, Glicério, and Cambuci in the central region of São Paulo. Although designated as a heritage site in March 2018 and ratified in July 2019 by the Municipal Council for the Preservation of Historical, Cultural, and Environmental Heritage of the City of São Paulo (CONPRESP), this area still faces issues that reinforce the historical erasure of critical memories along this stretch—such as Black occupation, the morphological layout of the colonial city, and the visual and topographical memory of the rugged terrain.

How do street art practices resonate through the digital world, and how do we trace such resonance back to the street? More generally, what happens when the sensor-imbued city acquires the ability to see – almost as if it had eyes? Andrea Baldini (Nanjing University) reflects on the role that the Internet, and social networks, in particular, have had in boosting the circulation of graffiti and street art and, in turn, their communicative and denouncing power.

For the 2019 Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (UABB), titled "Urban Interactions," (21 December 2019-8 March 2020) ArchDaily is working with the curators of the "Eyes of the City" section to stimulate a discussion on how new technologies might impact architecture and urban life. The contribution below is part of a series of scientific essays selected through the “Eyes of the City” call for papers, launched in preparation of the exhibitions: international scholars were asked to send their reflection in reaction to the statement by the curators Carlo Ratti Associati, Politecnico di Torino and SCUT, which you can read here.

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.

Architects Julie Smith-Clementi and Frank Clementi have changed the built environment of Southern California and Los Angeles for over three decades. Together, the duo recently launched Smith-Clementi, a new multidisciplinary design practice working at the intersection of urbanism, architecture and product design. Following a "plates to parks" design philosophy, the duo is transforming the built environment at multiple scales.

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Everybody’s talking about Grasshopper. It’s an exciting way to explore parametric and generative designs in architecture — and the ability to create and render those concepts and animations to present to clients is considerably even more impressive.

V-Ray is a trusted 3D renderer that gives Rhino users the power to render everything, from quick concepts to finished designs. It also allows designers to deliver professional-quality renders every step of the way. V-Ray for Grasshopper comes with V-Ray for Rhino, which makes it quick and easy to animate and render your parametric designs.

The objective of the Pedestrian Networks Ideas Competition was to boost pedestrian connectivity and improve public spaces for gathering and movement within the city of Antofagasta. Chilean architecture firms and multidisciplinary teams submitted environmentally and economically sustainable urban design projects. These proposals aimed to guarantee universal accessibility, foster coexistence between residents and different modes of transportation, and integrate amenities to make these pedestrian spaces more attractive, inclusive, and safe.

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Domus is an initiative of the Faculty of Architecture and Design of the Universidad Privada del Norte that seeks to bring knowledge of sustainable construction techniques to vulnerable populations in Peru, linking the academic sphere with real-world urban issues. With the participation of faculty, administrative staff, and students, and the collaboration of the Action Against Hunger Foundation, a total of 500 people worked together to train 70 low-income families living on the hillsides of the Virgen de las Mercedes settlement (Comas district, Lima, Peru) in bamboo construction. Sharing knowledge about best practices aims to significantly reduce the inherent hazards of construction processes carried out in very high-risk areas.

The global climate crisis is one that requires discussion in many areas of life, from planning for containment to the prevention of consequences. One of the main factors in this debate involves our means of energy production that, historically, were responsible for severe damage to the environment. This was due to the lack of concern to seek renewable and sustainable sources to generate electricity, and also the lack of technology. In general, traditional methods of electrical energy are ones that produce waste, release atmospheric and water pollutants, and use non-renewable resources.