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.

This article is part of a collaboration with the website coolhuntermx, and was originally published under the title "La Bauhaus Tapatía."

"A sort of Bauhaus" is how Mathias Goeritz, in short, tried to convince Italian architect and theorist Alberto Sartoris to come to Mexico. In 1950, through letters, he invited him to teach at the very project that had drawn Goeritz in and excited him so much: the first School of Architecture of Guadalajara, founded in 1948 by Ignacio Díaz Morales.

Children are often overlooked or entirely deprioritized in urban planning. Globally, it is estimated that up to 500 children die every day in traffic accidents. Thousands of others are injured in collisions or develop psychological trauma that can last for years. Whether on the streets or in public spaces, feelings of insecurity or discomfort discourage children from physical activity outdoors—at a time when 80% of children between the ages of 11 and 17 are not physically active, and another 38 million under the age of five are overweight or obese.

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Rarely do we encounter an open-air fine arts museum like the Garden of Fine Arts, designed by Tadao Ando in 1994 for the city of Kyoto, Japan. Reproductions at various scales of renowned masterpieces appear among concrete columns, beams, and walls, along with ramps and glass bridges, interacting with cascading waterfalls and the background vegetation from the adjacent Botanical Gardens.

Pancho Gallardo, the Chilean architectural photographer now based in Madrid, has long admired the Japanese architect's work, particularly for, as he explains, "the use of concrete as an element that creates spaces, textures, angles, and shadows which, above all, in spaces like this open-air museum, establish a direct relationship with sunlight, where every corner becomes a dramatic composition of visual angles."

Below, he shares a series of photographs taken on-site, accompanied by more of his thoughts.

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In light of recent statements by the Federal Government and the new programs announced by institutions involved in housing production in Mexico, we believe it is essential to open a dialogue and exchange ideas to better understand the concepts of self-construction, self-production, and the “Social Production and Management of Habitat” [SPMH], as well as the role of architecture in these social processes.

After the state of emergency, nothing will return to the way it was. At that point, public and private spaces will routinely be occupied in ways that prevent transmission of a still-active virus. However, just as this situation has forced us to recognize our deficient healthcare system, it has also revealed how inadequate the spaces we inhabit often are.

In 2018, sociologist and cycling activist Marina Harkot defended her master's thesis Bicycles and Women at the University of São Paulo (USP). To develop a qualitative methodology examining the challenges faced by female cyclists in the city, she interviewed various women: those who bike to work, those who explore the city on two wheels, and those who love tackling the capital's rolling topography.

Her methodology succeeded in revealing a common thread among these diverse cyclists: “It is the network surrounding these women that seems to prompt them to start cycling and keep them riding — as well as female role models, the women (whether known to them or not) who ride and inspired them,” wrote the researcher. 

When reality demands complex and unprecedented answers from us, one of the most interesting methods to find them is biomimicry, which consists of asking nature questions in search of inspiration. In this light, it is worth asking: how does nature deal with emergency situations where an organism's behavior must be quickly modified?

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Rojkind Arquitectos + AmasA Estudio present a new project on a site named "Tres Cerritos" in Valle de Guadalupe, part of the wine route in the Francisco Zarco district of Ensenada, Baja California. The project arises from an understanding of nature's value and its historical use as a sanctuary and refuge, creating a hospitality concept that reconnects the visitor with the environment.

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The “Xico-Parque Sur 23” project by the Mexican firm All Arquitectura grew out of the success of “Cancha La Doce,” which was developed in collaboration with love.fútbol and sponsored by the Pincus Family Foundation. Drawing on insights gained from previous projects on-site, the design and research process built upon an existing understanding of local needs and opportunities.

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As part of an initiative by Infonavit to drive the recovery of three neighborhood parks in the city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas—“San Juan,” “Las Torres,” and “Canteras”—these housing developments lacked efficient infrastructure, resulting in a deteriorated urban image, high crime rates, and a complete lack of community ownership over public spaces. In response, T+E Arquitectos and Fracciona Arquitectura joined forces to transform these spaces, addressing the distinct requirements of each site.

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One of the most important factors in design is the site's specific climate. This can pose a challenge in extreme weather, where insulating materials are required to adapt to changing conditions. However, in the case of Mexico and its privileged climate, this factor works to the architects' advantage, allowing them to create microclimates and spaces that blur the transition between indoors and outdoors.

In the daily routine of our conventional workday, we are influenced by many distractions that affect productivity, which have already become routine. However, now that we no longer lose time commuting and are restricted to activities we can do at home, we manage our time with more holistic priorities.

The Bogotá-based firm 57Uno focuses its practice on sustainability and has now channeled its creativity toward resilience and adaptability through Arquitectura en Tránsito (Architecture in Transit). This proposal aims to address the health emergency caused by COVID-19 by repurposing decommissioned buses from one of the primary contributors to poor air quality in the Colombian capital.

This article is part of a collaboration with the website coolhuntermx. It was originally published on February 2, 2020, under the title "Un parque moderno para Guadalajara" and written by David Lozano Díaz.

In 1971, architect Fernando González Gortázar, at 29 years of age, was commissioned to build González Gallo Park. This commission served a dual purpose: to commemorate the late former governor José de Jesús González Gallo and to provide a substantial new public space for the developing neighborhoods in eastern Guadalajara.

Stilt settlements have existed throughout the world wherever populations sustain their lives through constant interaction with water. In Colombia, the settlements of the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, in the department of Magdalena, are a local benchmark that has endured since pre-Hispanic times. Today, these are informal dwellings, unrecognized in the official land registry. The Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and AGRA have shared their research, compiled in a book that supports the documented formalization of these dwellings using architectural representation standards, specifically by identifying the typologies of Nueva Venecia.

Recent floods in Belo Horizonte and other cities in Minas Gerais have alarmed residents. Videos showing the force of the torrents dragging cars and toppling structures shocked the entire country. This state of emergency was not confined to Minas Gerais. Much of the Southeast faced heavy rains, causing widespread disruption. In Espírito Santo, for instance, more than 5,000 people were forced to leave their homes, while São Paulo was placed on high alert for flooding. Meanwhile, in Rio de Janeiro, an algae bloom in water sources led to the opposite extreme: a water crisis triggered by the poor quality of the water reaching people's taps.

Countries with a predominantly tropical or equatorial climate, such as Brazil, allow homes to foster a more fluid relationship between the indoors and outdoors, with little to no need, across most of the country, for architectural features that restrict this connection to retain heat. In regions marked by warmer temperatures, integrating indoor and outdoor spaces is particularly beneficial, promoting greater natural ventilation and daylighting within the home, alongside its inherent aesthetic appeal.

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As part of the cultural programming of the Mexico City-based art gallery, MASA presents the exhibition Recover / Uncover, a space featuring unique and limited-edition pieces by designers and artists whose work seeks to challenge labels. In doing so, MASA celebrates contradiction as a reflection of an ongoing process of self-definition and evolution over time, presenting objects as tools for life and contemplation.

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In early October, a new space opened in Mexico City under the name Design House at Público Coworking, showcasing a series of interventions that integrate disciplines such as design, architecture, and interior design. Over the past ten years, Design House has presented cutting-edge concepts from more than one hundred participating firms across various venues, collaborating with showrooms on the Design Route (Ruta del Diseño) that provide the pieces and accessories featured in the diverse installations.

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As part of an initiative by Makers México, a group of nearly 300 creative professionals from various fields continues to come together to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Architects such as Juan Carlos Baumgartner and Michel Rojkind, along with designer Ariel Rojo, have joined this effort to contribute in various ways, creating 3D-printed parts to be donated to hospitals across the country. Currently, they are working on a splitter—which allows two patients to be connected to a single ventilator in the event of a shortage—protective masks for doctors and patients, as well as other components to complement their operation.

The government-mandated lockdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic—and, in some cases, the fear of going outside—have recently underscored the value of domestic space, transforming it into the stage for the most evident and characteristic human actions and reactions within a capitalist and patriarchal system.

Architectural firms have been deeply questioning the future projections reshaped by lockdown and the new dynamics of how the city and territory are experienced. On this occasion, ruta4 taller from Pereira, Colombia, presents their perspective on how the profession is practiced in the country and their shift toward a more participatory practice for the benefit of local communities. The Pereira-based architecture studio has built exemplary collaborative projects, such as the taller de Urbanautas and the Casa Ensamble Chacarrá, demonstrating through experience that empathetic architecture is a highly viable approach.

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When it comes to housing typologies, the term duplex –lends itself to multiple interpretations, often leading to ambiguous applications and uses. The definition of the concept depends primarily on the country or region in which it is used, generally allowing for two main interpretations. First, a duplex can refer to a two-story housing unit with levels connected by an internal staircase. This definition usually applies to apartments and residences in countries like Spain or Canada, which are typically found in urban centers. Alternatively, a duplex can describe a specific type of project where two homes are joined side-by-side, each having its own individual entrance but sharing a central wall. Generally, the design of these houses is defined by an intentional axial symmetry, functioning as twin homes with the same features and floor plan layout. This type of duplex housing is particularly common in Argentina, Bolivia, the United Kingdom, Australia, and parts of the United States.

Seeking to design an immersive indoor environmental experience, design studio Aqua Creations created Manta Ray lighting. In this light installation, responsive RGB LED technology mixes red, green, and blue to produce over 16 million different hues. Programmed with a customizable color spectrum, the system is dimmable from 0.1% to 100% brightness and can even load images and videos directly onto its internal memory. This allows users to infuse expressive spaces with dynamic color and movement, or conversely, cultivate a warm, focused atmosphere for private, intimate settings.

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How does BIM incorporate materials like concrete?

BIM, the acronym for Building Information Modeling, utilizes information-rich 3D models to create the built environment and extract the data necessary for the documentation and construction of architectural projects. This is achieved by modeling various components—such as doors, windows, columns, and walls—which together make up an architectural project. Materials, however, are not 3D components in BIM; instead, they are part of the composition of these components. In this article, we will look at how materials behave in BIM, using the products offered by Melón Hormigones as an example.

Any 3D component created in Revit can have a Material parameter. Whether configured in the project or within the specific family, this material contains a series of default, customizable, and modifiable settings to provide technical and graphic data, as well as physical properties, to the 3D component.