Square, rectangular, hexagonal, matte, shiny. It's hard to think of a more versatile flooring material than tiles. They're also known for their high durability, ease of maintenance and installation, and are among the most common choices for covering floors and walls, whether wet or not. Following are 10 common questions about ceramic tiles, and their answers:
Conventional, spiral, curved, U-shaped, ship's ladder... there are various models and possibilities for designing stairs in projects, depending on space constraints and design intent. But what unique characteristics does the Santos Dumont staircase possess compared to others? Named after its creator, the inventor and pioneer of Brazilian aviation, this model serves as a middle ground between a typical inclined staircase and a vertical ladder. Its slope is much steeper than that of a conventional staircase, and its steps feature alternating cutouts for the left and right foot, reducing its footprint and saving space.
When we talk about roofs or fifth facades it is already a classic to think about green roofs. In reality, there is a wide range of uses and possibilities that materialize in different ways depending on the specific technical needs of each roof as well as the spatial and climatic possibilities of each location. The roofs can also be favourable spaces to develop structures, extensions, recreational areas and interactive spaces. It could even play a key role in the integration of a building with the landscape.
Translucent facades are light glazing panels used on the exterior of buildings, protecting the structure from weather damage, dampness, and erosion. Its composition of polycarbonate microcells creates a soft, naturally diffused light with a wide range of possible colors, brightnesses, and opacities.
By fixing these panels in place with concealed joints, it’s possible to hide unsightly building elements and assist in protecting users from harmful UV rays, while also ensuring maximum thermal conduction. Individuals who use them will notice a reduction in energy bills because they use the sun’s natural light to heat and illuminate buildings, creating very attractive indoor environmental conditions for different uses.
“The skyline of Santiago is its mountain range” - Sir Norman Foster during his 1997 visit to Chile.
On October 19 and 20, more than 100 sites of high architectural, engineering, environmental, urban, social, or cultural value will open their doors for free during the third edition of the OH! Stgo event.
This edition focuses on fostering connections between people and the natural environment. To this end, we present 9 of the 26 island hills that surround the city for you to visit.
One of the primary challenges facing contemporary cities is the renewal of existing infrastructure to accommodate a growing urban population. Shifting to the scale of architecture and the built object, restoring legacy structures to assign them new uses and functions also emerges as both a challenge and a major opportunity of our times. Although the world is building at an unprecedented pace, we must not lose sight of the value of existing structures that can be adapted and reused.
As part of the design program at AGO Projects—a multidisciplinary space focused on promoting design, photography, and architecture, based in New York, which opened its doors in Mexico City just a few weeks ago—the exhibition "Otro Reino" has opened. The showcase features previously unseen and well-known pieces by Isabel Abascal and Alessandro Arienzo's architecture studio, LANZA Atelier, and is complemented by "Neo-neo," a collection of ceramics based on urban concrete accidents by MT Objects.
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The Truman Show is a 1998 dramedy starring Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank, the unwitting star of a 24-hour reality show that began at his birth. Set in Seahaven, a city-scale television studio designed to covertly record Truman's entire life, the show attempts to divert Truman from any potential suspicion that every single person he meets is an actor or actress.
In recent years, we have witnessed a steady increase in the number of registered architects and urban planners across professional regulatory bodies. Within this significant pool, young architects and urban planners—meaning professionals up to 40 years old—represent a substantial share and hold a strong presence in the market. Against this backdrop, we have followed the creation of awards dedicated specifically to this demographic, and, most notably, their active participation in biennials and triennials—events aimed at driving discussions on the future of architecture.
On August 8, as part of Expo Arte-Objeto—an exhibition commemorating the 60th anniversary of Llano de la Torre— Firenze invited architect Ricardo Casas to reinterpret the use of porcelain tiles with playful, exclusive designs.
An architectural project can always be viewed through a different lens. This time, Fernando Ayuso—creator of "Reflejos," a tribute to Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Pavilion—offers a new perspective on the Sant Antoni - Joan Oliver Library by RCR Arquitectes. The video aims to explore an often-overlooked aspect: the building's relationship with "nature" within an urban context.
The Urban Agriculture Laboratory is designed by Transversal / Arquitectura Paisaje Urbanismo, located at the Semilla Museum in Chihuahua, Mexico. This project is the result of a civic initiative that combines landscape, architectural, and exhibition design elements centered around urban agriculture, permaculture, and the observation of natural phenomena. In doing so, it redefines the traditional "white box" exhibition space, transforming it into a hands-on pedagogical space, civic gathering point, and laboratory.
The landscape architecture industry’s recent movement to standardize BIM workflows is a transition quite similar to its former move from hand drawings to CAD drafting. Now with BIM, landscape architects can work more closely with fellow architects, engineers, and other external collaborators on projects with structural and civil requirements. Adopting a new workflow to accommodate partners who use BIM regularly, however, isn't always a walk in the park.
Today's generation no longer sees work in the same way as previous generations. New company models and occupation possibilities have changed the spaces where people develop their professional activities. Working from home, from coworking spaces, or remotely from anywhere in the world is already a fairly common reality. But a number of companies still do not utilize or create spaces where their employees can work together, collaborating in the same environment. In addition to shared culture that companies often try to create, it is essential that the design of an office takes into account the needs and particularities of each type of work and encourages communication and interaction, while providing places for concentration and focus. As generations and corporate cultures change, it is natural for the office space to move away from traditional layouts with cubicles, tables, and meeting rooms.
Linear patterns in interior spaces are prevalent throughout northern and western Europe. Not only to create texture but also to define space and direct the eye. Here in New York, 3-dimensional walls, ceilings, and surfaces are being utilized more and more to add contrasting form and scale to interior spaces. Moreover, the current obsession with anything mid-century modern has led to a resurgence of linear and slatted pattern-making in many forms.
With a subtropical climate, high temperatures and environment favored by the rains, Vietnam has, as one of its main features, landscapes with vegetation in abundance, privileged by the fertile soil and the weather conditions. Ingrained in this scenario, Vietnamese architecture seems to embrace the nature as its protagonist increasingly, miming natural elements along with the rusticity of the concrete surfaces.
With this idea in mind, we selected 20 Vietnamese house projects already published on ArchDaily that incorporate natural elements into their façades and inside spaces. Check the list below!
Bivacco Bredy is the title of the project designed by Claudio Araya, Natalia Kogia, Iga Majorek and Maria Valese, a young team of architects who attended the latest edition of YACademy’s course in Architecture for Landscape.
Calgary’s upcoming Attabotics Headquarters, designed by the Modern Office of Design + Architecture, physicalizes complex circulatory systems into a structure that is simultaneously aesthetically pleasing and programmatically successful. The client, a robotics manufacturer, was initially inspired by the spatial organization of ant colonies in their design for their emblematic robotic storage and retrieval system. This attribute consequently embeds itself in the new design for their headquarters, which navigates height restrictions, views, programming, and sustainability within this already intricate system of organization.
Every October 1st, Mexico celebrates Architect's Day to highlight and recall the collective responsibility of architecture in designing the world's future cities and settlements. Over the years—following its official establishment in 2004—celebrations have varied widely across a massive community that constantly questions its role in society and the world. This has sparked ongoing debates about the meaning of architecture, the role of architects at pivotal moments in history, and above all, what the future of architecture in Mexico holds. Where should the profession direct its efforts to build spaces that improve people's quality of life?
Situated between the Caspian Sea and Si Sangan forest, Iranian firm MADO Architects developed a private residential project dedicated to the clients' specific request of absolute privacy. The Sisangan Villa project focused on the site's layout, referral to typical vernacular architecture, and geometric manipulation to create a dynamic structure of intersecting concrete walls and glass facades.
Seoul is considered one of the most densely-populated and over-priced cities in the world, reaching a staggering $ 80,000 per square meter. The extreme conditions of the city have forced local architects to operate, design, and build framing the city's urban issues, traditions, and history. This approach by architects has created the the theoretical basis of “The Condition of Seoul Architecture”, a publication by multidisciplinary practice TCA Think Tank which sees the point of view of 18 innovative South Korean architects. In this interview, Pier Alessio Rizzardi, founder of the practice, interviewed whimsical architect Moon Hoon, explaining his unique take on architecture and how his work has the ability to inspire people into another dimension.
People often gather around sports activities, whether they are the ones exercising or the ones cheering. This internationally recognized social interest brings everyone together seamlessly, regardless of their background, gender, culture, ethnicity and so on.
Urban regeneration can take different aspects, and one of the most prominent and efficient solutions that can reconcile a community with itself and its surroundings is a sports function. In fact, this purpose encourages people to reclaim their fundamental right to public spaces and regenerate demoted, hostile or forgotten areas.
Read on to discover examples from all over the world, where physical activities made an urban impact on the neighborhood and the community.
Open ceilings offer an opportunity for creative design and technical integration. They play a key role in forming interior spaces and add value by adding comfort through acoustics, finishes and other integrated solutions to the overall design intent.
One of the most controversial topics regarding professional ethics in architecture and urbanism is the so-called "technical reserve" (reserva técnica). This widespread practice refers to the payment of commissions to design professionals by construction industry suppliers and companies as compensation for client referrals or project specifications. Despite its questionable nature, this practice is adopted by many architects and has become increasingly common.
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