Mónica Arellano

Content Editor at ArchDaily Mexico. Architect by UNAM (2018). Her interests focus on exploring the relationship of the body with architecture through dance. She has collaborated with different international choreographers who explore dance and architecture as an event. Twitter / Instagram: @monicarellano_

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Architecture and Sea: Outstanding Projects on the Beaches of Mexico

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One of the most important factors when designing is the specific climate of the site, this can represent a difficulty when dealing with extreme climates and it is necessary to use insulating materials that adapt to changing conditions. However, when talking about Mexico and its privileged climate, this becomes an advantage for architects, allowing the creation of microclimates and spaces that fade into the transition of what is the inside and the outside.

Rozana Montiel Wins the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture 2019

Rozana Montiel has won the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture 2019, along with Werner Sobek, Ersen Gürsel, Ammar Khammash and Jorge Lobos. The award ceremony will take place on May 13, 2019 in Paris, France.

Michel Rojkind: The New Senior Vice President of Architecture at WeWork

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Mexican architect Michel Rojkind has been named the senior vice president of architecture at WeWork. A native of Mexico City, Rojkind founded the Rojkind Arquitectos office in 2002 focusing on design, tactical and experiential innovation, maintaining an architectural vision that will shape integral experiences, connecting the complexities of each project to a deeper level to positively impact society and the environment. This vision was what led him to connect perfectly with the WeWork approach.

Mariam Kamara: 'architecture itself can not make a more equitable world but we can contribute with specific actions'

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Mariam Kamara is the founder and director of Atelier Masōmī in Niamey, Niger, an architecture firm whose interests lie in designing solutions relevant to spatial problems inherent in the developing world, in a cultural, historical and climatic way. She is a founding member of the united4design collaborative office in Seattle, where she worked on two major projects in West Africa. Her tenure as Associate Associate Professor of Urban Studies at Brown University began in the spring of 2017.

A Selection of the Most Representative Drawings by Yona Friedman

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Yona Friedman is a French architect and urban planner with more than 92 years of experience that has led him to participate in numerous events, including the Venice Biennial and the Shanghai Biennial. One of his most important works was published in 1958, entitled L'Architecture Mobile, which exposed one of his most ambitious projects named: "La Ville Spatiale", a utopia that recycled mega-structures of existing cities to provide citizens with the chance to live with complete flexibility in their decisions.

Porto Academy presents workshop 'Visiting Barragán' in Mexico City

Porto Academy is the result of an enormous passion for architecture as a discipline who believes that practice, as an exercise in the profession of architect, is fundamental for the future of the discipline and, therefore, one of the reasons why the program was founded.

Alejandro Aravena and David Chipperfield Among Speakers at Mextrópoli's Architecture Festival 2019

Mextrópoli is a ludic and reflexive event that heightens the voices of architects, city planners and authorities to generate knowledge about the city that occupants inhabit. At Mextrópoli, public spaces are filled with pavilions, panel discussions that involve prominent actors in issues such as urbanism and public policy, as well as a strong selection of speakers. This program seeks to include all citizens. Students, activists, urban planners and architects are welcome to experience the extraordinary city.

In its sixth edition, the Mextrópoli Architecture and City Festival will propose new ways of thinking about the city as an open territory that is continually redefining its limits.

Explore Architecture Offices in Mexico Through the Lens of Marc Goodwin

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After having previously photographed the architecture offices in the Netherlands, Dubai, London, Paris, Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, the Nordic countries, Barcelona and Los Angeles, the architectural photographer Marc Goodwin continues the series with an exploration of some of the most recognized architecture offices in Mexico. With a set of emerging and world-renowned offices alike, the series offers insight into the lives of designers in Mexico City.

15 Mexican Projects that Use Terraces as Design Elements

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One of the most important factors when designing is the specific climate of the site. This can often present challenges when dealing with extreme climates and it is necessary to use insulating materials that adapt to changing conditions. However, Mexico and its privileged climate can be in an architect's favor. Here, architects can create microclimates and spaces that blur the transition of inside and outside.

Let's Taco 'Bout Taqueria Architecture

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A quintessential characteristic of Mexican culture — in addition to its architecture and rich pre-Colombian identity — is its gastronomy. In 2010, UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list inscribed Mexican Traditional Cuisine. The foundation remarked that "their knowledge and techniques express community identity, reinforce social bonds, and build stronger local, regional and national identities." However, from Mole to Birria and Pozole to Cochinita Pibil, the most iconic, versatile, and tasty meal is the taco.

In honor of Mexico's rich history, tradition, and food, take a look at 7 taquerias that can inspire your next project. 

30 Years After Luis Barragán: 30 Architects Share Their Favorite Works

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On November 22, 1988, one of the most important and revered figures in the history of Mexican and international architecture died in Mexico City. Luis Barragán Morfín, born in Guadalajara and trained as a civil engineer left behind an extensive legacy of published works, conferences, buildings, houses, and gardens that remain relevant to this day. While Barragán was known for his far-reaching research in customs and traditions, above all, the architect spent his life in contemplation. His sensitivity to the world and continued effort to rewrite the mundane has made him a lasting figure in Mexico, and the world.

Undoubtedly, Luis Barragán's legacy represents something so complex and timeless that it continues to inspire and surprise architects across generations. It is because of this that, 30 years after his death, we've compiled this series of testimonies from some of Mexico's most prominent contemporary architects, allowing them to reflect on their favorites of Barragan's works and share just how his work has impacted and inspired theirs. 

Urban Sketchers Mexico Pays Tribute to Pedro Ramírez Vázquez

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Urban Sketchers is an international non-profit organization dedicated to fostering a global community of artists who practice on-site drawings to enhance the artistic, narrative, and educational value of drawing. Connecting people from all over the world, the organization brings people in touch with their environment to illustrate drawings of their lived experiences. 

A Guide to Contemporary Architecture in Cuernavaca, Mexico

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Cuernavaca, located just a few hours from Mexico City, is one of the most visited places in the country thanks to its history, weather, and architecture. The city has eleven declared historical sites, such as the Cortés Palace, the Cuernavaca Cathedral, the Borda Garden, the Calvario Spire, Teopanzolco, Chapultepec Nature Park, the Cuernavaca Kite, and the Hotel Casino de la Selva, among others. For the past few years, Cuernavaca has experienced a boom in contemporary architecture, starting with the Tallera building which was built in 2010 by Mexican architect Frida Escobedo. The project gave life to the Siqueiros murals and all the history behind them.

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Architecture Guide: Luis Barragán

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Community Central Pavilion: A Momentary Structure to Collect Seismic Waves in Mexico

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'Central Community Pavilion' was a response to an invitation to design a variety of temporary pavilions by different creators as a part of Arch Days CDMX and Design Week 2018. For the occasion, three up-and-coming architectural firms have joined forces to design and construct a single pavilion with a common theme. The design process between TO Arquitectura, LANZA Atelier, and Alberto Odériz reinforced the idea of a generation plagued with a certain collective curiosity and concern.

8 Mexican Projects That Use Bamboo

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Mexico is a country known globally for its traditional and contemporary architectural elements. The construction techniques characteristic of each region and the use of materials according to thermic, economic, or aesthetic needs result in unique spaces.

Bamboo as a constructive or decorative element, coating, facade, or roof has proven its superiority over materials such as plastic and steel.

While it is true that research on this material has advanced significantly in recent years, we know that there is still much to learn. Many architects are seeking knowledge from the past to apply to their current techniques. Below, we've selected a list of 8 Mexican projects that explore the use of bamboo in the hands of architects and artisans.

Broissin Arquitectos Reinterprets the Tree House in Glass

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Design House, which is held annually within the framework of Design Week Mexico, is celebrating its tenth anniversary. In this year's edition, 24 local designers and architects transformed an abandoned home, each restoring a room or outdoor area. One of these interventions, by Broissin Architects, reconstructed the outdoor patio into a micro-forest with the small, glass house placed on a centenary ash tree.

Alberto Kalach: 'We Have Been Deforesting for Hundreds of Years & We Have Not Given Ourselves the Task of Recovering It'

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Alberto Kalach is a Mexican architect whose career has focused on creating site-specific works that blend into the natural environment. In his most recent exhibition in Mexico City, Territories and Housing, Kalach shows a series of drawings that highlight his concern for the environment. In these drawings, we can see a master plan that proposes ways of living with an environmental conscience.