This July 11 marks World Population Day, an annual event established by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1990 to raise awareness of global demographic issues. This is a critical issue today; not only is the global population projected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, but the latest UN-Habitat reports estimate that, by then, two-thirds of the world will live in cities.

Every year, World Population Review assesses urban growth and the number of residents living in metropolitan areas to understand global development trends. While the list of the 20 most populous cities in the world features recurring Asian hubs like Tokyo, Delhi, and Shanghai, it also includes several Latin American metropolises such as Sao Paulo, Mexico City, and Buenos Aires. Consequently, we have compiled a list of the ten most populous cities in Latin America to understand their growth and role in the global context.

Many of us agree with Roman Mars of 99% Invisible when he says that "we tend to not notice well-designed things"—yet many also agree that design is often perceived as being for only a select few. Consequently, we must ask ourselves what is truly democratic when it comes to design, and from there, help define and contribute our vision toward a more just society.

From the perspective of design and architecture, we can approach the democratization of design from various angles—from incorporating design into everyday needs to designing inclusively. At the core of it all lies the search for solutions that improve accessibility and livability in our daily lives.

Is there a future for our cities without a sustainable way of life? For some time now, urban sustainability has been viewed primarily through the lens of climate change rather than a holistic vision that integrates society and the way we live in community.

What new ways of living are we experiencing amid social, economic, and ecological shifts? We need to bring to the table different reference cases from around the world and understand the latest trends shaping how we live in our cities.

We want you, our readers, to not only be the first to share examples of co-living, cooperatives, and any new types of social housing you consider benchmarks, but also to share your thoughts on the matter in the form below. Selected comments will be published in an upcoming article.

Following the 60th anniversary of the iconic Casa en Jean Mermoz—a precursor to the ideas of Ciudad Abierta in Ritoque—Igor Fracalossi, PhD, proposed a reconstruction of its wooden formwork system. He knows the building well; since 2012, he has dedicated his research to studying "the most complex residential project in Chile to date.”

While walking through the exhibition of the reconstruction in the gardens and galleries of the Centro Cultural Las Condes in 2022, he explains in detail the innovative and unique construction aspects of this demolished work. The house was originally designed by Fabio Cruz Prieto, architect and founding master of the School of Architecture and Design at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso.

What do we mean by heritage? This is one of the main questions raised by Alejandro Orellana, director of Relatos de Barrios—a Chilean project that seeks to reclaim the heritage and historical value of housing complexes, highlighting the community dimension behind the lives of their residents.

A documentary and a book are the results of their experience with the “CCU Worker Housing” in La Serena, later renamed the “Rengifo Housing Complex.” Designed in 1957 by architect Carlos Feuereisen Polanco and built in 1958 by Negochea and Vergara, it represents a characteristic housing typology of the city.

Although the construction industry has spent years making strides in new fields such as biomaterials, nanotechnology, and 3D printing, it simultaneously remains one of the slowest to adopt new technology. Many of these innovations never progress past the experimental stage. How can this situation be reversed?

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Teresa Moller, José Cubilla, Solano Benítez & Gloria Cabral were honored today with the 2021 Global Award for Sustainable Architecture, organized by the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, a French institution dedicated, among other initiatives, to organizing events focused on heritage and architectural education.

Fernando Abellanas had already shown us how to take refuge from the city within the city itself, with an installation that invited shelter in the interstitial spaces of an existing bridge. This time, he presents Urban Macroparasite: a habitable and connective structure created during the UIT Urban Festival in Tartu, Estonia.

This mobile installation adapts to achieve structural parasitism, prompting us to rethink how we occupy the inert and hidden spaces that make up our cities.

Today is the day to discover the finalists of ODA2022: the award for the best Spanish-language architecture. Our expert jury—meaning you, our readers—has selected 15 of your favorite projects from nearly 1,000 architectural works built across Latin America and Spain.

This award has become a true tradition, now in its 14th edition. It is an invitation extended to all our readers to recognize the works published during 2021 that inspired them and represent the identity of their local contexts in a globalized planet, shaping the way architecture is made in Latin America and Spain within an increasingly heterogeneous and multicultural world.

Starting today, and until next Wednesday, March 30, at 11:59 PM (GMT -3), you can explore each of the finalists in detail and vote for the work that best represents the Spanish-language architecture that inspires us, defines us, and leaves a mark on us. Discover all the finalist projects below.

The 2022 Obra del Año Award is brought to you by Dornbracht, renowned for its leading architectural designs, which can be found internationally in bathrooms and kitchens.

Today, it was announced that architect Emilio Tuñón has been awarded the 2022 National Architecture Prize, presented by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility, and Urban Agenda (Mitma).

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How do we actually give citizens the ability to discover and understand what is happening around their cities? This is one of the key questions raised by Eva Franch, artistic director alongside Beth Galí and José Luis de Vicente of Model - Barcelona Architectures Festival.

How do we bring these issues to the table, into public debate, and into the public sphere? One answer could lie in augmented realities—technologies that allow us to visualize parts of the real world overlaid with new information through a technological device. For this architecture event, in addition to the five temporary physical installations scattered throughout the city, five augmented reality installations were produced, reflecting the event's different themes: Between-Generations, Between-Cultures, Between-Species, Between-Classes, and Between-Materials.

“Domingos Libro” is presented by Carmelo of Enorme Studio, where he delves into forgotten architectural publications, books, and architectural magazines from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, which harbor the most fascinating backstories.

From September 21 to 25, the Mextrópoli Festival + the XII Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism took place in Mexico City. As part of the event, ArchDaily sat down with 2014 Pritzker Prize laureate Shigeru Ban to discuss the theme "Inhabiting at the Margins." This topic seeks to explore solutions addressing the growing social, environmental, and economic demands at the fringes of the architectural system.

“Libros Model” is presented in Barcelona's Plaza Reial, hosted by its curator, Ethel Baraona. Joined by Santiago Bogani, they speak with curious visitors who stop to ask about the wooden wall and table filled with architectural publications.

The installation features a selection of 90 books from various international publishers promoting and disseminating work and ideas within the architectural field—inviting reflection on the central theme of the Model. Barcelona Architectures Festival: Re-Grow.

As part of “Libros Model,” a network of bookstores and libraries across Barcelona will also present special collections reflecting on the five themes of this inaugural edition of the festival: Between-Classes, Between-Cultures, Between-Species, Between-Generations, and Between-Materials.

From 'A Bestiary of the Anthropocene' to 'Icebergs, Zombies, and the Ultra-Thin', the complete selection of books curated by Baraona is presented below.

The Mexican project Casa de Música, designed by Colectivo C733, and the Bío Bío Regional Theater in Chile, by architects Smiljan Radic, Gabriela Medrano, and Eduardo Castillo, have been jointly awarded the Grand Prize at the Pan-American Architecture Biennial of Quito BAQ 2022.

"Domingos Libro" is hosted by Carmelo from Enorme Studio, delving into forgotten architectural publications, books, and architecture magazines from the '60s, '70s, and '80s that hold some of the most fascinating backstories.

After a hiatus in 2022, the series returned with episode 19, titled “Siempre Joven” (Forever Young). It focuses on Ettore Sottsass Jr. and how, at 62—when mere mortals would be contemplating retirement—he founded a studio alongside four twenty-somethings that would change the history of design.

"Domingos Libro" is presented by Carmelo of Enorme Studio, delving into forgotten architectural publications, books, and architecture magazines from the '60s, '70s, and '80s that harbor the most fascinating backstories.

Copenhagen and Barcelona will be the next World Capitals of Architecture in 2023 and 2026. Having developed along the water—the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean—both cities now face the challenges of the climate emergency.