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With a century of history, the Confitería del Molino, designed by architect Francisco Gianotti—who was born in Italy in 1881 and arrived in Argentina in 1909—is one of the heritage landmarks of Argentine architecture. After remaining closed for more than 20 years, in July 2018, the National Congress took possession of the property and began restoration efforts. In Argentina in particular, where neglect or disinterest has led to the loss of a vast number of heritage works, projects of this nature invite us to reflect on the role of architecture in building a city's collective memory.

We all know that architecture is a complex field requiring input from multiple disciplines to come to fruition. While design lies at the heart of every project, without technical expertise, many would never have become the structures we know today.

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We spoke with Mexican architect Lucía Villers about her interest in understanding time in architecture through projects and research focused on transformation and restoration. Her work is divided between architectural practice and research projects. Time is an obsession Lucía has had since childhood. “When I went on road trips and watched the landscape, I would suddenly notice that a mountain moved slower, while what was close to me seemed to go faster. I always had many questions about the perception of time. Sometimes it seems to pass very quickly, and then very slowly.”

This week, we feature two firms currently hiring: a London-founded international practice and a studio led by a female architect with a global educational background. Both are active across diverse architectural sectors, each bringing a unique design ethos and seeking talented professionals to join their teams.

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This year marked the 10th anniversary of the release of the first episode of Black Mirror. A dystopian, character-driven science fiction anthology series that explores twisted, high-tech metaverses where, according to IMDb, “humanity’s greatest innovations and darkest instincts collide.” For this reason, the British series, created by Charlie Brooker for Netflix, sparked a wide range of reactions among viewers. While it presented future scenarios, their proximity ended up creating a distinct sense of paranoia, fear, and uncertainty.

Archivo de Ideas Recibidas is an interdisciplinary research and dissemination project that seeks to document and connect the ideas of individuals contributing to the contemporary creative ecosystem through art, design, and architecture. It is built upon conversations between the team and various creators, exploring topics related to memory, academia, cultural context, key influences, and working methodologies. This time, they share an interview on cinema and architecture with Mauricio Freyre (Estudio Rien).

From September 8 to 10, the sixth edition of the International Architecture Congress, titled "The City We Want," will take place. For the first time, the event can be followed live via the Architecture and Society Foundation's YouTube channel.

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Querétaro is a state located in the north-central region of Mexico, bordering the states of Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo, the State of Mexico, and Michoacán. Covering an area of 11,684 km², it is the fifth-smallest state in the country. Its capital and largest city is Santiago de Querétaro; other notable localities include Tequisquiapan, Cadereyta, Jalpan de Serra, San Joaquín, and Bernal.

Since its inception, Chapman Taylor has grown from a London-based practice into a multi-award-winning international group operating globally, maintaining a steady pace of progressive growth. While adapting to changing times, the practice has refined its founding principles while upholding traditional standards—a philosophy that has driven continuous business expansion and sustained the firm through several challenging periods.

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In late May 2021, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, hosted the inaugural edition of MDF Mexico Design Fair, an emerging platform born out of a desire to discuss, exhibit, and celebrate the Mexican design scene. Its primary objective is to promote the acquisition of contemporary Mexican design, strengthening its position by understanding and transcending the goals of the international market.

Solutions that improve usability while also being sustainable always deserve to be highlighted. Klabin, a Brazilian paper and packaging company, has developed the market's first cement packaging that can be integrated directly into the concrete mixing process. The water-dispersible packaging is made of 100% dispersible paper, meaning it can be incorporated during concrete preparation, streamlining production through direct use in a horizontal shaft concrete mixer. Simply place the closed packaging into the mixer, add sand, gravel, and water, and mix until it disperses and integrates into the final product, preserving the concrete's quality. This new packaging guarantees high performance and easy handling.

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As part of the annual collaborative efforts of the Design Week team in Mexico City, the "Inédito" exhibition opened on October 14 at the Espacio CDMX Arquitectura y Diseño gallery. This showcase is part of the seventh consecutive edition of the open call, which aims to support, promote, and disseminate utilitarian design projects in the categories of social impact, environmental impact, innovation, function, aesthetics, concept, user experience, materials, and processes. Divided into three categories—professional, student, and limited edition—the exhibition, rather than fostering competition, opens up opportunities in both the domestic and international markets for exceptional design with commercial and production viability.

The detection of gravitational waves is one of the most important recent discoveries. It is revolutionizing the way we observe and study the universe. 

El Equipo Mazzanti in association with Lino Cabras, Fabrizio Pusceddu, Eugenio Coccia, Massimo Faiferri, and Michele Punturo, designed an installation that showcases the latest projects on the subject. Titled 'Gravitational Wave Architecture', the exhibition is housed within the Italian Pavilion, curated by Alessandro Melis, at the Venice Biennale 2021.

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The project “Tequiocalco. Campa tlachializtli mozcalializtli in totlamatiliz huan toyuhcatiliz” –located in the state of Tlaxcala, Mexico– which translates to Spanish as the Autonomous Center for Research and Revitalization of Community Knowledge (CAIRSCO), is the “place where our wisdom and culture, ways of being, or what is lived in the community are observed, researched, and revitalized.”

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Since 2015, the Taller Vertical Proyectos de Incidencia (Vertical Workshop for Impact Projects) at the Department of Architecture of the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico—coordinated by Juan M. Casillas in collaboration with Daniela Luján and Karen Poulain—has operated as an academic space for reflection and action regarding the role of architects in today's context. This initiative will be part of the projects presented at the Mexican Pavilion during the 17th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale 2021.

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Architecture firm Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos (now SOMA) has unveiled the design for the new Park Hyatt mixed-use development in Mexico City's Polanco district. Comprising a luxury hotel, residences, and offices, the project marks Hyatt Hotels Corporation's first such complex in the country.

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The following article is a contribution from Juan Pablo Aschner, PhD, architect, founding dean, and tenured professor at the new Facultad de Creación at Universidad del Rosario in Colombia, which offers undergraduate degrees in architecture, arts, creation, design, and musical theater. Below, the text explores the contribution of transdisciplinary creativity, accompanied by illustrations created for the school by Antoine Cosse, under the art direction of Tangrama.

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Dedicated to creating environments for a wide range of human activities, Armando de Holanda practiced as an architect in Northeast Brazil. Unsettled by the persistence of European building traditions that proved ill-suited to the region, he developed a set of strategies for designing and building with a focus on performance tailored to the tropical environment, prioritizing the presence of nature, light, and climate. 

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March 9 marks the birth anniversary of one of the most globally significant Mexican architects, a pioneer of the Modern Movement in Mexico whose work has transcended geographical boundaries to be studied by generations of architects who have rewritten his teachings to make them their own. Luis Barragán, the Guadalajara-born architect and 1980 Pritzker Prize laureate, left a timeless legacy that continues to pave the way for new research and discoveries today.

Studio Zhu-Pei was founded in Beijing in 2005 by Zhu Pei. The practice has consistently focused on the exploration and practice of cultural architecture, driven by an artistic and experimental creative ethos. To date, the studio has completed 18 art museums and cultural projects, with another 17 currently under construction or in the design phase. Design Philosophy: "Nature Architecture" is neither landscape architecture nor green architecture. Rather than referring to nature in a narrow sense, it represents a natural attitude—an exploration of the natural tectonic laws behind architecture. It seeks to uncover the sensory roots defined by one's own culture, establishing a deep-seated connection between architecture and local culture, geography, and climate.

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With the growing interest in virtual tours driven by recent public health conditions, access to these experiences has become increasingly common. While not a new technology, it is rapidly evolving to engage art and architecture enthusiasts. With this in mind, a project titled "San Lázaro 40 (X) 5 / 40 years, 5 murals" was launched to showcase one of the most iconic spaces designed by architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez: the San Lázaro Legislative Palace.

PILLS is a Beijing-based, research-oriented architecture studio. Our practice spans speculative endeavors, including architectural and interior design, installation and exhibition design, urban and landscape design, as well as cross-media production and cultural dissemination. Ranging from installations to public buildings, and from cultural projects to commercial developments, PILLS actively delivers a diverse range of urban and architectural design services while leveraging various media to drive the production of contemporary architectural culture.

The adaptive reuse of the former production center seeks to revitalize the history of local industry through the preservation of its physical and cultural heritage. Transforming the historic building of the former Limache Brewery in Chile into a museum open to the public is the primary goal of the open call launched by CCU. Submissions for the heritage adaptive reuse of this industrial building will remain open until August 15.

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Ecuadorian illustrator and architecture student Ariel Triana Ayarza (Arluz Ilustraciones) has created a series that explores Guayaquil's architecture through digital illustrations. The graphic collection aims to highlight the beauty of heritage landmarks, colonial buildings, and all the representative works that shape the city's identity.