Chinese architect Sui Yanfei has won the 4th Kazuhiro Kojima Award in 2025, becoming the first recipient from outside Japan since the award's inception. The jury presented this honor to Sui in recognition of his deep insight into Chinese social realities alongside his continuous exploration of new, future-oriented possibilities for architecture. His work focuses on extending Eastern thought within a post-human context and excels at reinterpreting historically accumulated social structures. Grounding his practice in social, economic, and institutional realities, he transforms architecture within complex networks of relationships into a medium that connects people, objects, and time. The diverse practice of his studio is both deeply rooted in reality and brings a new poetry to contemporary life.

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Colors can define atmospheres, shape spatial perception, and translate ways of being, memories, and collective affects. Consequently, understanding them has become an essential part of contemporary creative and constructive processes. Behind every shade lies a field of research that bridges sociology, psychology, aesthetics, and technology, connecting color to broader cultural shifts and revealing how it can serve as a tool for reading and expressing the present.

The Arquiteturas Film Festival has opened submissions for its 13th edition, which will take pace from July 1 to 5, 2026, in Porto, Portugal. Organized by INSTITUTO and directed by architect Paulo Moreira, the festival was founded in 2013 and has established itself as an international platform dedicated to discussing and disseminating architecture in dialogue with cinema, visual and spatial arts, critical thought, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Under the theme "Urban Age," the 2026 edition invites filmmakers, architects, and artists to reflect on the urban era we inhabit and the ways in which cities and territories are shaped by contemporary social, political, and environmental challenges. The festival proposes a reflection on the lived experience of urbanization—from the material forms of architecture to the social and cultural dynamics that define contemporary cities.

An architectural award serves as a legitimizing mechanism, indicating which approaches, materials, and strategies are beginning to take center stage in the discipline's discourse. By bringing together projects with different programs, scales, and constraints, these initiatives bring to light emerging priorities and directions in the field. Within this context, the Shaw Contract Design Awards have established themselves as a global recognition platform for interior design and a barometer of the transformations reshaping the discipline, prompting reflection on the role of design in building more responsible, inclusive, and sustainable environments.

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Taking a deeper look at the interplay of light and shadow in architecture seems to be a recurring topic on the agenda of many professionals in the field. Spaces of light and darkness are conceived to enhance circulation and spatial directionality, as well as to highlight the colors, textures, and forms of specific architectural elements. That said, the impact of natural light on building facades reveals the need to develop strategies that support energy savings, improve the thermal and visual comfort of interior spaces, and promote the reduction of carbon emissions. Considering light as another material in architecture, in what ways could its power contribute to the architectural experience?

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From October 12 to 19, 2025, the city of Cuenca became the gathering point for more than 150 architecture students from 13 Latin American countries. The 37th Latin American Meeting of Architecture Students (ELEA XXXVII)—held as part of the 40th anniversary of the Latin American Coordinator of Architecture Students (CLEA)—proposed rethinking the role of architects in the face of contemporary territorial challenges.

Coordinated by architect Fernando Abarca, with the support of CLEA, the National Organization of Architecture Students of Ecuador (ONEA), the University of Azuay (UDA), the University of Cuenca (UCUENCA), and the Andean Parliament, the meeting adopted "Resilient Traces" as its conceptual framework: an invitation to read the city not only as a physical substrate, but as memory, conflict, and opportunity.

At the helm of architectural discourse on sacred architecture, attention almost always settles on the monument. Temples, mosques, monasteries, and churches dominate architectural histories, design criticism, and photography alike, becoming the physical symbols through which faith is understood. For millions of pilgrims across India, the most consequential architectural experience begins long before the shrine comes into view. It unfolds across mountain roads, river ghats, shaded streets, temporary camps, queue systems, bridges, water kiosks, medical stations, and countless ordinary pieces of infrastructure through which pilgrimage actually takes place. The architectural work of pilgrimage may lie less in the shrine itself than in the environments that allow millions of people to reach it.

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Buildner has announced the results of its Re-Form: New Life for Old Spaces, second edition, an international ideas competition examining the adaptive reuse of small-scale existing buildings. The competition invited architects and designers to propose transformations of used, abandoned, or overlooked structures with an approximate footprint of 250 square meters, located anywhere in the world. With no fixed site or program, participants were encouraged to explore alternatives to demolition and new construction through reuse strategies grounded in contemporary social and environmental concerns.

MVRDV and Balance Architettura have unveiled their proposal for the renovation of the Civic Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art (GAM) in Turin, Italy, following their selection through a public competition in December 2025. The project seeks to restore the spatial qualities of the museum's 1959 building while introducing new exhibition strategies, publicly accessible storage, and flexible display systems designed to accommodate evolving curatorial needs. Conceived as both an architectural restoration and an institutional transformation, the proposal aims to reconnect the museum with the surrounding city while adapting it to contemporary approaches to exhibition-making and public engagement. The project is supported by Fondazione Torino Musei and funded by Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, and the construction is expected to begin during the second half of 2027.

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Dar al Funoon Abu Dhabi, the new performing arts institution designed by the late architect Frank Gehry, is among his final works. Translating to "House of the Arts," the landmark building, commissioned by Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism, was designed as a global hub for the performing arts and is expected to open in 2030. The project adds to Gehry's work in the emirate, which also includes the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and follows the city's designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Music in 2021.

Almost certainly, everyone has their own ritual when entering a pool. There are those who dive in without hesitation, those who start with their toes, those who swim for sport, and those who submerge themselves for pure pleasure. Private or shared, intense or contemplative, every experience with water takes place within an environment carefully constructed to receive it.

Architecture and water are of opposing natures. While one delimits and contains, the other insists on spreading, and it is from this tension between solid and liquid that aquatic centers emerge. In these buildings, the presence of water transforms everything around it. Light fragments into shimmering reflections, sound acquires a distinct reverberation, and temperature and humidity define the atmosphere of the spaces, while materials and structural systems are constantly put to the test. Yet their uniqueness is not merely technical.

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*This article is based on data from www.archdaily.cn. We apologize for any omissions.*

This project is the concept competition for the world’s only WorldSkills Museum. The goal is to renovate and renew an old warehouse on the banks of the Huangpu River, transforming it into a venue dedicated to skills competitions and vocational education for youth, while creating a vibrant urban public space.

Founded in Shanghai in 2001, Lacime Architects has always adhered to the architectural philosophy of "simplifying complexity and returning to the origin," aiming to root its practice locally while creating world-class architecture. Drawing on the design excellence of international practices, the firm prioritizes design innovation and independence. It is committed to utilizing new materials and technologies that reflect contemporary trends, integrating cultural concepts into its architectural works to honor cultural heritage while celebrating the spirit of the times.

This article curates Lacime Architects' portfolio of 2018, showcasing public buildings, demonstration zones, and residential developments through four thematic lenses: civic engagement, Neo-Chinese research, urban renewal, and contemporary living. (The following projects are listed in no particular order.)

Located on the west bank of Xiang Lake in Nanchang, the project sits in a new district whose large-scale block morphology contrasts sharply with the organic, "natural" fabric of the old town. The Fuhe River, flowing south from the Tengwang Pavilion Delta, preserves the city's natural landscape character, turning bridges into a key element of the urban landscape. The project seeks to capture the morphological memory of this contemporary city, anchoring itself to the edge of its cultural context.

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By integrating AR technology with physical space, Fologram has been exploring ways to fully utilize digital technology during construction to simplify the realization of complex designs—such as the measurements, verification, and precise maintenance required in parametric design—while guiding bricklayers through every step of the process.

Fologram envisions a future where AR technology will gradually eliminate the need for construction drawings on-site, thereby preventing errors and misunderstandings while increasing both the speed and precision of construction.

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Ever since the classic example of the Piazza di Spagna stairway in Rome – where local citizens gather, fashion shows happen, and tourists make an (almost) mandatory stop – we understand that the possibility of being on different levels contemplating space has great appeal to human sociability. In contemporary architecture, there is no shortage of examples in the use of bleachers to create these meeting places marked by its versatility.

Next, we present 17 projects that have adopted the bleachers as one of its main elements.

Text by Henry Heng Lu

By Henry Heng Lu

The escalating use of air conditioning is pushing urban temperatures to unprecedented heights. In highly populated nations like India, China, Indonesia, Brazil, and Mexico, major urban centers are becoming virtual ovens. At the same time, heat absorbed by buildings is re-released into the environment, driving local temperatures even higher. This outdoor heat, in turn, triggers demand for more air conditioning, creating a vicious cycle that increases both energy consumption and atmospheric carbon emissions.

In response to this feedback loop, UNStudio partnered with Swiss paint specialists Monopol Colours to develop “The Coolest White”—an ultra-durable coating that protects buildings and urban structures from excessive solar radiation, thereby mitigating the urban heat island effect. Darker materials used in urban construction are a primary driver of urban heat accumulation. These materials absorb up to 95% of solar radiation, re-releasing it directly into the atmosphere, whereas standard white surfaces reduce this absorption to 25%. Now, The Coolest White lowers this absorption and emission value to a groundbreaking 12%.

Tracing the development of Chinese civilization reveals a journey that moves from the lower reaches of the Yellow River upstream. Journeying backward from Beijing of the Ming and Qing dynasties, through Luoyang of the Sui and Tang, to Xi'an of the Qin and Han, one eventually reaches Qin'an—the site of an 8,000-year-old prehistoric civilization. Recently, the Qin'an Archives, designed by WEISHE Studio, broke ground in this historic and cultural city, celebrated as the birthplace of the mythological figures Fuxi and Nuwa. The new facility will not only preserve county records and archives but will also serve as a public cultural hub, integrating research, reading, cultural exhibitions, and academic exchange.

Recently, HASSELL was invited to participate in the master planning and landscape design competition for this site, reimagining it as Hefei Central Park while preserving the memories of its past. Ultimately, HASSELL's proposal was selected as one of the two winning designs. The jury commented: "HASSELL’s proposal features a well-structured urban design framework, and the treatment of the interface between the park and the city is particularly striking. The skeletal road network is highly feasible, and the internal circulation system is thoroughly designed. While the runway is preserved intact, its potential for future adaptation is enhanced. Additionally, the 'Green Ribbon' concept at the intercity transit node is highly distinctive." 

* Original Author: Xie Xiaofan, Vice President of the China National Academy of Painting. Xie collaborated with Arata Isozaki to build the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) Art Museum and has curated a series of large-scale exhibitions. Xie is the author of "Exhibiting the Art Museum" and "Discerning Forms: Walking Between Art and Construction", led the drafting of the state-issued "National Standards for Art Museum Construction," and previously oversaw the construction of the new National Art Museum of China.
*This article is published with the authorization of Xie Xiaofan.

At 23:30 on March 5, upon receiving the first news of Arata Isozaki winning the prize, I immediately sent the following message to Hu Qian: "It would be incredibly badass if Old Iso immediately declined the Pritzker. Tell him my thoughts right away. The Pritzker is about celebrity and fashion; Old Iso is a literati avant-garde." As the person who turned Isozaki’s ideas and drawings into physical architecture, and as someone who has bickered and fought alongside Hu Qian, this was my immediate, gut-reaction response.

On World Water Day (March 22) during the 2019 Year of the Pig, SPARK is launching “The Three Little Pigs” research project. The project proactively treats wastewater from pig farming at its source rather than allowing it to discharge into freshwater systems. “The Three Little Pigs” supports the Chinese government’s efforts to address nationwide water pollution caused by livestock farming. The unchecked dumping of livestock waste not only degrades the quality of freshwater supplies but also causes mass fish deaths, triggering eutrophication that compromises the ecological value of China’s scenic lakes. SPARK’s practical, playful, and iconic concept diverts livestock waste from drainage systems, converting it instead into biogas that can generate electricity or serve as fuel for cooking and heating. The slurry remaining in the biogas reactor can then be used as agricultural fertilizer. SPARK’s 360-degree life-cycle proposal underscores the urgency of addressing water pollution in China, highlighting the opportunity to actively repurpose waste as energy.