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.

Colombia's topography features both plains and mountainous areas. Despite the challenges this poses for urban development, the country's major cities—from its capital, Bogotá, to Medellín and Cali—have been founded upon it. While this topography has posed significant challenges for construction and mobility, it has also paved the way for innovation, inspiring architectural projects that seamlessly integrate with the mountainous terrain, adapt to their specific altitude, and reflect regional culture.

On December 4, the opening of the Provincial Preliminary Design Competition for Cultural Spaces in Villa Carlos Paz took place. 

The format involved intervening in three emblematic urban spaces under a single competition, but with individual prizes awarded for each site. The goal was for participants to achieve aesthetic and architectural proposals that would transform each space into a city landmark.

These are the three winning projects:

As part of Semana UTEM 2019—"The Project Within the Project"—21 teams from the Faculty of Architecture at the Metropolitan Technological University of Chile (UTEM) participated in the Domestic Pre-Existences workshop. The students proposed interventions for the historic "C Blocks" in Santiago's pericenter—residential complexes designed by the state Housing and Urban Development Service (SERVIU) between 1986 and 1996.

In December of last year, the provincial government of San Luis, Argentina, alongside San Luis Agua, launched the Portales de los Lagos Provincial Ideas Competition. The objective was to design an icon to identify and showcase a key local natural resource: water. Read on to discover the first-prize-winning project in the words of its authors:

The Venice Architecture Biennale is an event organized by the Italian State that brings together some of the world's most prestigious international architecture exhibitions. The Giardini and the Arsenale serve as the event's main venues. These spaces have hosted various exhibitions, national pavilions, and collateral events spread throughout Venice.

Colombian firm DARP has won second place in the design competition for the memorial space at the former Mónaco Building in Medellín, Colombia. Organized by the EDU and the Colombian Society of Architects (SCA), the international competition sought to design a space of memory and reflection on the period between 1983 and 1994, located on the site of the demolished building that was once the home of drug trafficker Pablo Escobar.

On November 15 of last year, the national ideas and preliminary design competition for the Norpatagónico Hospital in Neuquén was launched. Organized by the provincial government through the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure, the competition was endorsed by the Argentine Federation of Architects (FADEA) and sponsored by the College of Architects of Neuquén Province.

The site—where the objective was to build a facility that provides high-complexity services while connecting with the natural environment—is located on the Neuquén plateau and spans an area of 32,700 square meters. First prize was awarded to La Plata-based architects Guillermo Ariel Canutti, Bernardo Luna, Clara Gallardo, Agustín Ichuribehere, and Fernando Sebastián Fariña. Read on to discover the project in detail below.  

The core of Castilian modern architecture, and indeed of the 20th century, emerged from the work of Rafael Aburto [1913-2014] and his contemporaries—this forgotten generation. An interwar generation whose trenches were fought not only on the battlefield, but also within architecture. This cohort of architects had to confront both the ravages of the Spanish Civil War and a sterile traditionalism, surrounded by professionals who had read, known, and seen almost nothing. Tradition—specifically, Spanish tradition—was what sustained everything. Unsurprisingly, the Civil War itself dealt a generational setback to the profession, impacting not only Aburto's peers but also those to come. 

The generational divide was defined solely by the experience of having fought in the war. Oíza was eighteen when it broke out; Sota, Cabrero, Coderch, and Aburto were called to battle, mostly fighting on the Nationalist side. Once the war ended, Spain was unrecognizable compared to its pre-war self, and architectural thought was no exception. Returning to the profession in the 1940s, architects faced an outdated, practically useless tradition, alongside a precarious modernism devoid of depth or knowledge. This is why figures like Aburto broke through—these postwar architects who took on the role of pioneers, or at least demonstrated their determination to break free from academic constraints and embrace their own modernism. 

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Whether seeking distraction, escape, or reflection, metro passengers shorten their commutes by checking their phones, reading books, or listening to music. For Chilean photographer and civil engineer Felipe Lavín, this conceals a contradiction. "Commuting en masse is a highly social act, yet at the same time, it is deeply solitary. As Marc Augé notes, in the metro we constantly brush against the lives of others without ever truly encountering them," Lavín says in conversation with ArchDaily.

Data is a controversial topic in the twenty-first century. Policy-making regarding data collection and use lags behind, while its value continues to rise—turning any initiative in the sector into big business.

To showcase the valuable output of Spanish universities, we launched an open call in September, inviting our readers to submit their thesis projects. Following a comprehensive evaluation of nearly 50 proposals, we selected 6 projects that not only offer innovative responses and deep research into complex, contemporary issues but also challenge and question the future of architecture.

The University of Navarra presents three Master's programs for 2019: the Master's Degree in Architectural Theory and Design (MtDA), the Master's Degree in Environmental Design and Building Management (MDGAE), and the Master's Degree in Architecture (MUA). These in-person programs will be taught at the university's Pamplona, Madrid, and Bilbao campuses starting in September of this year. Explore more details below.

The first thing one notices about the houses and other projects of Fran Silvestre and his studio is their distinct atmosphere of elegance and luxury—extravagantly understated—which is as recognizable in its own right as the work of, say, John Lautner or John Pawson. While this first impression might seem somewhat superficial, it is actually indicative of an elusive quality in their work, something we might call an essential “geist” or “gestalt” deeply rooted in their architecture, and one that is far more complex and interesting than a mere matter of “style” or “brand.” 

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Upgrading skills, renewing oneself, or reinventing a career can sometimes feel like a pipe dream. Indeed, work and family obligations, or simply where we live, often make it nearly impossible.

The concept of the margin implies the existence of a center. Consequently, anything that is not part of this central focus is deemed external or peripheral. This division between center and margin, or center and periphery, extends beyond the architectural sphere into political, social, and regional realms. Therefore, when we speak of practices on the margins of architecture, we are also discussing multidisciplinary approaches—efforts focused more on understanding the context of the work and less on merely answering pre-established questions. In cultures or contexts shaped by historical discontinuities and interruptions, there is a distinct effort to define identity through self-knowledge and discovery, ultimately designing projects to address specific needs. As a result, research, the dissemination of knowledge, and alternative methods of architectural production become essential steps in this process.

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As part of the exhibitions featured in the 2019 Abierto Mexicano de Diseño, the firm Dellekamp / Schleich presented the installation Dicotomías del Poder at the Museo Numismático Nacional in Mexico City. The exhibition runs from October 9 to November 17, Tuesday through Sunday, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

In the new Urban and Building Code of the City of Buenos Aires, approved by the Legislature in late 2018, new strategies are presented for the city's planned growth and densification. One of the code's most notable elements, which this article reflects upon, enables the development of apartments with a new minimum floor area established at 21 square meters. The supposed affordability of these minimum micro-units seeks, under a political agenda, to double the urban population in the near future, betting on a densification that would increase the city's population from 3 million to 6 million inhabitants.

Colombian practices Urbanittá and Lumaa have been awarded first place in the competition to design the Comfamiliar recreation park in Huila, Colombia.

This initiative is part of the organization's mission to expand its recreational services in the southern region of the department. The project entails the construction of a recreation center in Pitalito, strategically located near major cultural and tourist attractions, including the Tatacoa Desert and the San Agustín, Alto de los Ídolos, and Alto de las Piedras archaeological parks.

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“I decided to call it Silos because this building used to store food, which is, of course, essential for life. For me, just like food, clothing is also part of life” [1].

Built in 1950, the 4,500-square-meter grain storage facility Armani Silos by Giorgio Armani has been expanded and transformed into Armani/Silos, a unique four-story space housing an astonishing collection and selection of some of the designer's creations, organized by themes, color palettes, and textures where each tells a different story.

The spirit of the women participating in housing rights movements in Brazil is remarkable. Predominantly active in land occupations, they vigorously coordinate the organizational and political practices of the settlements and the construction of popular housing. It is no coincidence that many occupations of the MST (Landless Workers' Movement) or the MTST (Homeless Workers' Movement) bear the names of women, such as Dandara, a leader from the colonial period.

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The artwork Corolla by artist Inés Esnal is inspired by the rich and vast natural landscape of Colorado, where it is currently on display at The Coloradan building in Denver. The installation interprets Colorado's state flower, “the blue columbine,” as a network of vibrantly colored cords, where warm central tones and cool hues at the outer edges evoke the flower’s pollen and petals. Viewers are invited to explore the piece through their own movement, which triggers and unfolds multiple perspectives and optical effects.

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1989 is a digital illustration project founded in 2015 by Chilean architect Fabiola Morcillo. Her work has been exhibited at the Casa Gris Architecture Gallery and Galería Cima, and is also part of the group exhibition "Lights of Chile," on display until May 13 at 193 Gallery in Paris. Her projection mapping work and ephemeral architectural creations earned her a nomination for the next YAP Constructo 2020 pavilion, the results of which will be announced at the opening of the 2019 pavilion.

What little we know about the architectural profession is broken. It is no longer applicable to the second millennium, as evidenced by the unsustainable reality facing the vast majority. The experiences of previous generations were unique, tied to a specific historical moment. Today, we must learn to read our own historical moment and reprogram our vision to find the paths forward that currently remain hidden.

The conventional city model establishes very clear and concrete boundaries between the public and the private. Within this model, what is defined as “urban” has always corresponded to the public realm, whereas “domestic” defined the boundaries of the private. Yet societies are not immune to change and evolution, and neither is urbanism. Those traditional concepts of the urban and the domestic are becoming obsolete, transformed into expanded and more updated understandings. It is precisely around this blurred boundary—between what appears urban and what appears domestic—that the new public sphere is being constructed. 

This is the leitmotiv driving the ‘Dom Project’ intervention: to establish a gradient of spaces where the urban and the domestic are not clearly demarcated, but instead colonize one another, bringing certain public uses and programs to the surface within the ‘Housing Block.’ The project was submitted to the international architecture competition ‘Open International Competition for Alternative Layout Designs in Standard Housing’, organized by the Ministry of Construction, Industry, Housing and Infrastructure of Russia alongside the Unified Development Institution in the Housing Sector and the firm Strelka KB, winning second prize.