The future of architecture is urban; there is no longer any doubt about it. Projections indicate that by 2050—that is, in just over 30 years—75% of the world's population will live in cities, while in Brazil this figure will exceed 90%. However, our discipline must concern itself with the quality of life for everyone; therefore, projects in rural contexts will continue to be on the agenda of architects worldwide.

Below, we present a selection of residential projects built in the countryside. These Brazilian houses, nestled in rural and pastoral landscapes, are designed for the daily lives of their inhabitants or as temporary retreats to decompress from urban life. One way or another, they all share a single objective: to open themselves up to their bucolic surroundings. 

The Spanish word medianera carries a meaning that is often translated as "party wall" or "blind wall," yet its significance in Spanish-speaking contexts takes on a deeper cultural and urban resonance when considered in local terms. This architectural element, which simultaneously separates and connects adjacent lots in such a striking manner, is a recurring feature in Spanish-colonized cities across the Americas. In the case of Argentina, Buenos Aires took shape under the principles of those who arrived with gridiron plans and the rigor of orthogonal organization. The city developed within this logic, resulting today in an urban landscape persistently marked by the presence of these rigid, seemingly unavoidable elements known as medianeras.

Residents of Jardim Lapenna, in São Miguel Paulista, in São Paulo's East Zone, have created a participatory neighborhood plan in the state capital. Out of 32 urban actions planned in areas such as lighting, security, and paving, seven were selected as priorities and are currently being incorporated into the annual budget bill (PLOA) for 2019.

In modern architecture, designing involves analyzing, predicting, and determining spaces and functions with precision, leaving no room for error. Throughout the second half of the 20th century, this rationalizing character, driven by maximum efficiency, was harshly criticized, and "erring"—in the sense of wandering, roaming without aim or destination—became recognized as an inevitable part of the human experience.

In September of this year, the streets surrounding the Anne Frank School in the Confisco neighborhood of Belo Horizonte received new ground markings, featuring pedestrian crosswalks and lane boundaries to organize vehicle circulation. In addition, planters made from recycled tires, traffic cones, and street furniture for resting were installed. The following weekend, from September 20 to 22, coinciding with World Car-Free Day, motorized traffic was temporarily closed, transforming the space into an Open Street with concerts, cultural activities, and gathering spaces for local residents. The following month, in October, students aged 8 to 10 from the Anne Frank School participated in a workshop to assemble traffic signs, writing messages that would become part of the neighborhood's official street signage.

In another episode of the Architecture and Cinema series, Arquicast brings the film Paris, I Love You to the discussion. In addition to the usual podcasters, the episode features advertising professional and journalist Janaina Pereira, who holds a postgraduate degree in Cinema and contributes to various entertainment outlets. Janaina previously participated in episode #58 on the film Her. Another returning guest on Arquicast is cinematographer and cinephile Kiko Barbosa, who always brings engaging insights to our conversations.

With nearly four thousand projects published on ArchDaily Brasil in 2019 alone, and with less than a month left in the year, our curators wrap up this stimulating year for architecture with a selection of the most visited residential projects published on our Brazilian platform.

Set in urban, rural, or coastal landscapes; built using diverse structural systems, from traditional masonry to highly technological prefabricated methods; and ranging from compact dwellings to large-scale residences; this selection of 50 houses highlights the most popular projects from the past twelve months. According to our readers, these designs stood out as the most compelling in terms of innovation, construction techniques, and design challenges. Check them out below:

In episode #59 of our series on architectural figures, we invited architect and historian Renato Anelli, who is also a board member of the Bardi Institute, and architect, professor, historian, and architectural critic Ana Luiza Nobre to discuss the life and work of Lina Bo Bardi—the Italian architect who deeply absorbed Brazilian roots and translated them into her highly original architecture. Trained at Rome's traditional school of architecture, Lina went far beyond the conventional scope of the profession, also working as an illustrator, editor, designer, and set designer.

Urban Brazil is deeply ugly. Why did this happen? Some blame "the absence of urban planning and zoning, manipulated height limits, and the nefarious power of contractors and builders influencing the drafting of master plans."

From chopsticks to religious temples, and often associated with the culture and, more specifically, the architecture of Asian countries, bamboo is a highly versatile, safe, and durable material with exceptional ecological performance. Due to its rapid growth, it is relatively inexpensive compared to other construction methods, and its most notable applications can be found in projects that leverage its unique materiality, color, and rhythm.

It is no coincidence that curved forms in architecture are deeply embedded in the global perception of Brazilian architecture. Invariably evoking the work of Oscar Niemeyer, curves are hallmark features of the landmark architectural complexes of Pampulha and Brasília. Yet they are also found in residential masterpieces, such as the Casa das Canoas in Rio de Janeiro.

Although more than 1.35 million people lose their lives in traffic crashes every year, these fatalities do not receive the same attention from politicians and the media as airplane, train, or ship disasters. Some believe that deaths from vehicle crashes are simply a part of daily life or inevitable—but they do not have to be.

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.

In the 21st century, any sustainable solution should be championed. This article explores architectural solutions that use recycled Styrofoam (EPS) as a raw material for waterproof decorative trim and as a core for EPS walls, offering a variety of benefits ranging from thermal and acoustic insulation to construction cost savings.

On flat terrain, where the horizon is visible in every direction, buildings with over forty stories rise across different areas of the city. Recently, a fifty-story building was completed; at 191 meters (626 feet) high, it is the tallest in the country. While some criticize this development model for its impact on the landscape, in a capital with rapid population growth, one would expect the cost of housing to rise steadily, along with the housing deficit. This, however, is not the case in Goiânia.

While steep slopes present a challenge, they also offer an opportunity to explore vertical relationships between spaces. Whether adapting to or subverting the natural landscape, these designs gain a powerful expressiveness and a strong sense of place. Negotiating the slope is a constraint for many program types, but in residential design, it often takes center stage, driving the core architectural strategy. Below is a selection of 25 Brazilian residences that exemplify the diverse approaches to addressing sloped terrains.

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In the fields of architecture and engineering, the term "span" refers to the distance between two structural supports, typically describing the uninterrupted space between the columns of a building's load-bearing frame. Several notable spans have achieved fame for their impressive scale, particularly in public and civic projects, such as Lina Bo Bardi's MASP and Paulo Mendes da Rocha's MuBE, both in São Paulo. Yet, large spans can offer spatial generosity and visual freedom in any project, including those on a smaller scale.

More than 36 tons of organic vegetables are grown on New York City rooftops every year. Beyond providing food, these green roofs also prevent pollutants from reaching the city's rivers.

Originally used to transport large cargo on ships, shipping containers feature a rigid and highly durable steel structure available in various dimensions. However, moving beyond their traditional role in storage and cargo transport, these structures have been adopted as the basis for commercial and residential modules for several years. They offer high strength, low cost, fast construction, and, above all, a sustainability-oriented system through reuse. With this in mind, and moving beyond standardized housing, several architects have developed residential projects by reusing containers as modular blocks, stacking or joining them side-by-side to suit the specific program of each client.

The recent budget cuts for federal universities have reignited a debate that deserves to remain permanently active: the quality of education in Brazil. The first edition of the Encontros de Arquitetura, organized by IABsp, set out to address this theme through the lens of architecture, bringing together four professionals with extensive experience in school design: Catherine Otondo, Marina Grinover (Base Urbana), Keila Costa (+K), and Pablo Hereñú (Hereñú & Ferroni Arquitetos).

A Solution for Heat Islands

Officially debuting the partnership between ArchDaily and Arquicast, episode #68 Interview: ArchDaily Brasil is now live. In this episode, three of the editors from the Brazilian platform—Pedro Vada, Eduardo Souza, and Matheus Pereira—share a behind-the-scenes look at what it is like to work for the world's most visited architecture and urbanism website. The challenges of adapting to a new kind of career in architecture, the speed of industry transformations, and the role of technology and collaboration are among the topics discussed in this casual and informative conversation, which can be accessed here!

The practice of the dérive is a subject that sparks great interest among urban scholars and professionals. The Situationists, a social critique movement founded in 1957, used this practice to propose new interpretations of the city based on individual lived experience. Jacopo Visconti, curator of the 34th Bienal de Artes de São Paulo, analyzed in his doctoral thesis artistic practices that incorporate the act of walking, seeking the characteristics that defined the Situationist practice of the dérive. Advised by Prof. Dr. Luis Antonio Jorge, Visconti defended his thesis in 2012, which was later published as a book by Martins Fontes. Read the thesis abstract below.

Brick is one of the most widely used materials in Colombia, helping local architecture stand out globally. This prominence is due to the exceptional quality of the clay found in several regions of the country. Beyond cladding the majority of the buildings that define Bogotá's urban landscape, the material is used in all its forms, from adobe to floor tiles in rural homes.