Contemporary educational architecture has moved away from replicating closed buildings that resemble prisons or hospitals more than environments designed to foster the academic development of younger generations. Whether a university, high school, elementary school, or preschool, educational infrastructure must encourage free and creative thinking, moving past the obsolete notion that students should be trained like soldiers who cannot question authority. This is where the architecture of these spaces plays a leading role, serving as the setting where students spend a significant portion of their lives.

In the heart of the southern Ecuadorian Andes, near the city of Cuenca—a UNESCO World Cultural Capital—PPAG Architects is building the Stiehle German School, having won the invited competition.

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The Universidad de Monterrey in Mexico inaugurated its new gateway to the campus: the Estoa building, presenting a new face to the landscape on the western side of the city. The Estoa building is part of UDEM's Infrastructure Master Plan, which aims to create a pedestrian-friendly campus and a green lung for the western part of the city. Located on the west side of the campus, the building features approximately 90,000 square meters of construction, housing student and community spaces, UDEM's public-facing offices, and continuing education facilities.

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Tezontle Ludens is the name of the winning project of the Arquine Competition No. 21 | Mextrópoli Pavilion 2019, which opened on Friday, March 8, in Mexico City's Alameda Central alongside a series of pavilions designed to activate public space. The pavilion, built by Factor Eficiencia and designed by Suma Estudio (Roberto Aguilar, Diego García, Fernando Franco, Diego Aguilar, and Jalil Miguel), was described by the jury as "a simple, well-narrated playful experience, materialized in a lightweight space and a commitment to subtlety. The project communicates with that same clarity, without discursive excess or unnecessary justification."

A few days ago, we asked our Instagram followers, "What does public space mean to you?" These reflections are intrinsic to architectural discourse and come into play across various project types, particularly those involving the planning of shared spaces in cities.

Keeping up with the software used in architecture is not only a massive task but a necessary one to showcase the diverse skill set of anyone involved in design and construction. With today's wide range of available programs, which of these could be the "best"?

Fortunately, TechRadar, the tech-focused online publication, gives us a clue with its announcement of the best architecture software of 2019. While this list may rank the software from "best to worst," it is important to remember that each program is designed to serve a different purpose, not necessarily to perform better than the others.

During the first half of this year, the XXI Chile Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism invited students, architects, firms, institutions, publishers, and collectives to participate in one of the most important architectural events in Chile and Latin America, which this year will focus on proposals geared toward the "everyday" public.

The core of Castilian modern architecture, and indeed of the 20th century, emerged from the work of Rafael Aburto [1913-2014] and his contemporaries—this forgotten generation. An interwar generation whose trenches were fought not only on the battlefield, but also within architecture. This cohort of architects had to confront both the ravages of the Spanish Civil War and a sterile traditionalism, surrounded by professionals who had read, known, and seen almost nothing. Tradition—specifically, Spanish tradition—was what sustained everything. Unsurprisingly, the Civil War itself dealt a generational setback to the profession, impacting not only Aburto's peers but also those to come. 

The generational divide was defined solely by the experience of having fought in the war. Oíza was eighteen when it broke out; Sota, Cabrero, Coderch, and Aburto were called to battle, mostly fighting on the Nationalist side. Once the war ended, Spain was unrecognizable compared to its pre-war self, and architectural thought was no exception. Returning to the profession in the 1940s, architects faced an outdated, practically useless tradition, alongside a precarious modernism devoid of depth or knowledge. This is why figures like Aburto broke through—these postwar architects who took on the role of pioneers, or at least demonstrated their determination to break free from academic constraints and embrace their own modernism. 

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Founded in 2013 and based in Mexico City, David Pompa is a studio made up of designers, engineers, and makers established in Mexico and Austria. David Pompa grew up in both countries and studied product design in London. Over time, the studio has shown a strong interest in traditional materials and techniques. Since its founding, it has remained committed to Mexican culture, which is reflected in the creation of aesthetic and accessible design objects.

In November of this year, the latest edition of the Minsk International Biennale of Young Architects was held in Belarus. The event featured the Leonardo Awards, which recognize completed projects from around the world across six categories: urban planning, public buildings, multi-family housing, single-family homes, landscaping, and interior design.

Among the award-winning projects, the prestigious "Great Grand Prix Leonardo" was awarded to the Municipal Toy Library of Dólar in Spain, designed by Carquero Arquitectura.

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Architects Ignacio Urquiza and Bernardo Quinzaños present "ESSAYS: The Architectural Process of 2008-2018," a monograph that celebrates and concludes the first stage of their careers, offering a critical and retrospective look at the projects and collaborative processes they have developed over the last 10 years.

On Monday, November 18, the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL), through its Department of Architecture and Conservation of Built Artistic Heritage, announced the official selection that will represent Mexico at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale 2020. Chosen from 153 submissions across 14 Mexican states, the final selection of 12 proposals features the following participants:

Argentine architect César Pelli, known for designing some of the world's tallest buildings, such as the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the Torre de Cristal in Madrid, and the Costanera Center building in Santiago, Chile, passed away today at the age of 92, as confirmed on social media by Juan Manzur, governor of the province of Tucumán.

"Domestic Workspaces" by Silvia Garcia Camps brings together 46 international architecture offices through collage, revealing the intimate, domestic, and shared qualities of workspaces through the everyday objects within them. Explore a selection of these illustrations, along with her thoughts, below.

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Whether seeking distraction, escape, or reflection, metro passengers shorten their commutes by checking their phones, reading books, or listening to music. For Chilean photographer and civil engineer Felipe Lavín, this conceals a contradiction. "Commuting en masse is a highly social act, yet at the same time, it is deeply solitary. As Marc Augé notes, in the metro we constantly brush against the lives of others without ever truly encountering them," Lavín says in conversation with ArchDaily.

Semana de la Madera (Wood Week) is an annual event organized by Madera21, an association founded in 2001 by the Corporación Chilena de la Madera (Chilean Wood Corporation). Its goal is to promote and disseminate the use of this material in Chile, offering a unique opportunity to highlight architecture, design, engineering, and innovation using wood, while encouraging future project development and research by professionals and academics.

On the occasion of the recent XXI Chilean Architecture Biennial, Juan Pablo Urrutia, a member of the curatorial team, spoke with Spanish architect Andrés Jaque, founder of the Office for Political Innovation, whose practice explores the intersection of the everyday and the political in architectural design.

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The ICO Museum (Madrid) has extended Francis Kéré: Primary Elements, the first exhibition in Spain dedicated to the Burkina Faso-born, German-trained architect. Originally scheduled to close on Sunday, January 20, the museum has pushed the closing date back to Sunday, February 3.

Think of a courtyard, just a courtyard. Naturally, the first thing that comes to mind is a courtyard defined by its frame. Thus, the designers created this frame to establish the atmosphere of a “home of knowledge”—yachaywasi—, as they have named their project. Yet, once again, do not lose sight of the courtyard. They also conceived a frame that not only defines the courtyard but integrates it with the surrounding volume, allowing it to transform, stretch, adapt, and complete or create what the school is missing. Shade, seating, panels, ventilation, green areas, a garden…even the facade.

This is what can happen when facing a competition with clear and defined parameters, yet with the freedom to let the imagination run wild—participating not just to win, but to propose and innovate. The result is an inspiring school. This proposal took second place in the First Social Infrastructure Projects Competition, organized by PLAN PISE, whose ongoing goal is to leverage the natural condition of a courtyard as an educational space for the Villa de Jesús IE 7216 school, located in Villa El Salvador, south of Lima. The project description from the design team follows.

Alexandra Cohen presents her master's thesis on the systematic cartographic analysis of the morphological intersection between the Cerdà urban plan and pre-existing urban structures in Barcelona, Spain. Through her cartographic work, she aims to demonstrate how two highly distinct urban forms can integrate to bring immense value to the city, preserving history within a modern plan.

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As part of an initiative by PienZa Sostenible, a group of architects comprising Alberto Kalach, Rozana Montiel, Tatiana Bilbao, and Manuel Cervantes joined forces with the design firm Pirwi to create a series of structures designed as bee habitats, thereby promoting population growth, care, and conservation. This project is supported by the work of Betsy de la Vega, who incorporates an interpretation of hand-woven textiles made by artisans from the León XIII Foundation, serving as a bridge connecting handmade craft with design requirements.

The winners of the International Preliminary Project Competition for the design of the “Education of the Future Building” have been announced. The project will be built based on the Master Plan designed for the Innovation Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Organized by the Central Society of Architects (SCA) and sponsored by the Argentine Federation of Architecture Organizations (FADEA), the competition sought architectural proposals that would foster entrepreneurship, science, and technology, generating and attracting knowledge and talent to the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.

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As part of its annual awards program, Tamayouz Excellence Award announced the winners of the Rifat Chadirji Prize, organized in partnership with the Barjeel Art Foundation for its 2019 cycle. This year, the award sought proposals for a modern Arab art museum in Sharjah, UAE, to house Barjeel's extensive collection of art from across the Middle East.

Colombia's topography features both plains and mountainous areas. Despite the challenges this poses for urban development, the country's major cities—from its capital, Bogotá, to Medellín and Cali—have been founded upon it. While this topography has posed significant challenges for construction and mobility, it has also paved the way for innovation, inspiring architectural projects that seamlessly integrate with the mountainous terrain, adapt to their specific altitude, and reflect regional culture.

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As part of the Abierto Mexicano de Diseño 2019 (AMD2019), Jumbo, an international company focused on the development of urban spaces and furniture, presented the play sculpture “Infinito,” designed by Ariel Rojo. The project stems from the desire to design a line of urban elements that stimulate a sense of adventure and play through a range of play sculptures. These address not only an aesthetic responsibility to users, the city, its parks, and playgrounds, but also introduce an original approach to how children play and learn.