The state of Guanajuato is located in the north-central region of Mexico, bordering the states of Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Michoacán, and Jalisco. Covering an area of 30,607 km², it is one of the country's most populous regions. Its most prominent municipalities include León, Irapuato, Celaya, Salamanca, and San Miguel de Allende. The latter, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, is characterized by its Baroque and Spanish architecture. Additionally, this city is home to the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, built from the region's characteristic pink cantera stone.
Have you ever had to convince your friends or family that an exposed brick wall can be more appealing than a plastered, white-painted one? Or that exposed building systems can offer significant advantages when it comes to maintenance? Do we connect better with a smooth backdrop for hanging art than with the textures of exposed materials?
Tepoztlán is a region located in the state of Morelos, in the south-central part of the country, bordered by the states of Guerrero, Puebla, the State of Mexico, and Mexico City. Spanning an area of 242.646 square kilometers, it is one of the 111 Pueblos Mágicos (Magical Towns) designated to boost tourism by highlighting the unique attributes of each destination.
Gonzalo Nicolau. Image adapted from the project 'HABANA PUERTO DE COMIDAS' (Habana Food Port). Published in The 10 Best Thesis Projects Designed by Architecture Students in Argentina 2017
We believe that the creative output of universities in Central America and the Caribbean is immense yet often overlooked. Therefore, we feel it is essential to launch a call for submissions to showcase the best graduation projects coming out of these institutions.
Academic proposals can be profound intellectual and critical works. This call aims to prevent them from remaining tucked away, gathering dust on shelves, and losing the opportunity to spark real change in our cities and in how we live and think.
If you believe your 2019 graduation project is compelling enough to be featured on our site, and that your hard work deserves recognition from the wider community, do not hesitate to submit it using the form at the end of this article.
CCTV Headquarters in Beijing. Image courtesy of Caos Planejado
Hundreds of towers repeat across a hazy horizon. Traditional buildings crumble, while others have been rebuilt into tourist shops. Colorful Lamborghinis share sluggish traffic with old taxis, laborers' tricycles, and executives riding yellow bikes from Ofo, the world's largest dockless bike-sharing company. Some pedestrians wear masks to filter the polluted air, others carry shopping bags, others spit on the ground or walk the streets in pajamas. Street vendors are extremely rare, in contrast to the police and military personnel seen on almost every corner.
The city belongs to everyone; it is a reflection of who we are as a society. That is why we must care for it—because it is ours! We have a civic commitment. (Civic, from the Latin civis / City, citizen, from the Latin civitas)
Team 10 and the 3 Pioneers: First Generation –Housing cooperatives in Uruguay are currently the country's most prominent form of cooperativism, though by no means the only one. This model transcends housing, having gained significant momentum in the first half of the twentieth century. For instance, Montevideo's transit company (CUTCSA) began operating as a cooperative in 1937. Specifically, while 843 cooperatives were registered in 1989, by 2017 this number had risen to 3,665 cooperatives across various sectors.
When we were still nomads, we fought our first battles with sticks and stones. The reasons for aggression against members of our own species can vary, ranging from securing resources and territory to seeking revenge or even power. Battles between different tribes have accompanied human evolution on Earth. Ever since the creation of cities, warfare and the combat equipment of each era have been important factors to consider in the planning of urban centers.
https://www.archdaily.com/1124208/how-wars-shaped-our-citiesPaulo Sa Vale
Aerial view. Plastic Arts Schools Ricardo Porro. Havana, 1961-65. Source: Office of the City Historian. Image via Revista rita_
This article by María José Pizarro and Óscar Rueda was originally published in the 3rd issue of rita journal under the title "Ernesto N. Rogers y la 'Preesistenza Ambientale' en las Escuelas Nacionales de Arte de La Habana" and is part of a joint collaborative dissemination effort. The present text seeks to delve into the influence of Rogers' theoretical corpus on three of his outstanding students: Ricardo Porro, Vittorio Garatti, and Roberto Gottardi, and how this thinking informed the design of their first and most significant work: the National Art Schools of Havana.
https://www.archdaily.com/1124203/ernesto-n-rogers-and-the-preesistenza-ambientale-at-the-national-art-schools-of-havanaMaría José Pizarro y Óscar Rueda
Periferia: Ecatepec de Morelos is a project by emerging photographer Zaickz Moz created to document the transformation of Mexico City's edges, while drawing attention to the aesthetics emerging in areas like Chalco, Nezahualcóyotl, and Naucalpan. Projects such as Soy de Azteca have focused on these forgotten territories, seeking to redefine the expressions of community and identity within Mexico City's periphery—a region that is increasingly blurred and constantly spilling over its geographic boundaries.
On Friday, September 25, the first Digital Event organized by ArchDaily took place, sponsored by Crest and Panel Rey for the Mérida-based architectural community. During the event, David Basulto (founder of ArchDaily) and Vanessa Vielma (Director of ArchDaily Mexico) gave a talk on the platform's history and shared relevant data specific to this context.
In a year defined by physical distancing, social media has taken on an even greater role in how we connect and stay informed. Our Instagram accounts have surpassed all previous reach records, bringing our audience the very best of what we publish on our website: projects, articles, interviews, and news from the architectural world, inspiring new ideas and tools for a better future for our cities.
Carátula tesis. Image Cortesía de Eleázar Gómez Fernández
Every architecture school has its canonical local landmarks. For students in Colombia, one of the most easily recognized is the Olaya Herrera Airport in Medellín by Elías Zapata Sierra, an undeniable yet understudied icon. Architect Eleázar Gómez Fernández (Universidad Nacional de Colombia) presents this master's thesis, published in the Digital Library of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia.
PECA design studio—led by Mexican architect Caterina Moretti—launches its new collection titled "Loto," crafted from beech wood, fused glass, and wool. It features two side tables with tops made of recycled glass fused in Tlaquepaque—providing the transparency needed to appreciate the interior of the pieces—and a pouf upholstered in sheep's wool woven on a backstrap loom in San Juan Chamula, in the Chiapas Highlands, which leaves a minimal portion of its wooden base exposed to highlight the contrast between the two textures.
As part of an initiative by architects and urban planners to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of Cancun in Quintana Roo, Mexico, two comics have been released to portray the history of Cancun's Foundational Zone. Created by Pablo Landa of Landa + Martínez and David 'El Dee' Espinosa, this work explains the origins of the city's urban layout, as well as the history behind Cancun's Foundational Zone, to help understand its sustainable, pedestrian-friendly origins that promote community life.
The moniker of having “built half the city” is often an exaggeration when discussing architects with a large volume of work. However, in the case of Julio de la Peña, the claim is not so far-fetched. This is true not only because of the sheer number of his projects, but also due to how iconic they are for Guadalajara.
With the emergence of COVID-19, we have had to adapt to living differently than we were used to, which has been directly reflected in our working style. Where and how do we work today? A large portion of the workforce has transitioned to working from home, where feasible. While comfortable for many, for others it has meant a radical shift, bringing new spatial and resource requirements. For architects, engineers, builders, and contractors, this challenge has been particularly complex, as much of their work involves handling large, high-cost devices.
In this article, we present 3 innovative solutions that replace the traditional, bulky plotter, allowing us to print in large formats from our own homes.
COVID-19 will likely change the way we live and work for an extended period. In this landscape, organizations have been seeking short-, medium-, and long-term solutions to guarantee their staff a safe return to work. Protecting the health of employees exposed to contact in the workplace requires implementing biosecurity strategies, social distancing, occupancy limits, cleaning, and disinfection. This article explores preventive measures recommended by HID Global, based on the application of identification technologies.
Water is one of the non-architectural elements most frequently used to complement design, harmonizing atmospheres and the overall experience of living. This can be achieved through reflecting pools, basins, fountains, or swimming pools. In tropical climates, it becomes a key tool that consolidates the architectural program, gathering spaces together and inviting residents to socialize around the pool.
With an average of 12 square meters of green space per inhabitant, the city of Rosario was declared Argentina's "greenest" urban enclave in a recent report published by the Inter-American Development Bank's (IDB) Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative. This figure aligns with the standards set by the WHO, which recommends between 10 and 15 square meters of green space per person to ensure a decent quality of life for all citizens. The creation of new parks in recent years, combined with the upgrading of over 70 existing ones through the addition of amenities and technology, highlights the significance of green spaces for the people of Rosario.
Last week we announced the 15 finalist projects for the Building of the Year 2020 award (Obra del Año), which since 2008 has celebrated the best built architecture in Latin America and Spain, calling on our expert jury—that is, you, the readers—to choose your favorite completed buildings.
Today, the day has come to announce the winners of ODA2020.
The state of Michoacán is located in western Mexico, bordered by the states of Jalisco, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Estado de México, Colima, and Guerrero. Covering an area of 58,598.7 km², it faces the Pacific Ocean. Its capital is Morelia, and it is the country's ninth most populous state. Furthermore, it boasts three UNESCO designations: 1) World Cultural Heritage for the Historic Center of Morelia, 2) World Natural Heritage for the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, and 3) Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity for the Day of the Dead celebration.
La Parleta is a project by the Ecuadorian architecture and construction collective EseColectivo, which gathers "highly valuable reflections, anecdotes, and experiences surrounding the profession." Below, we share some of their thoughts alongside their fourth episode, "Post-Apocalyptic Architecture."
Nicolas Norero presents a new season of his podcast, continuing his conversations on identity, memory, and ways of life. In this edition, the featured guests are Dust Architects, Salvador Macías, Luis Callejas, Grupo Talca, Germán del Sol, and Enrique Walker.