The Rafael Manzano Prize for New Traditional Architecture aims to promote the value of traditional architecture as a proven reference for contemporary architecture in Spain and Portugal. It seeks to do so both in the restoration of historical and artistic monuments and urban ensembles, and in the construction of new buildings that, based on local traditions, integrate harmoniously into these contexts.
The CA Awards, organized and curated by the Colegio de Arquitectos de Chile, aim to recognize professionals who stand out for their "excellence, work, and contribution" to the field of architecture across the country. Marking the end of the institution's 79th anniversary celebrations and Architecture Month, the awards honored 12 members who, according to the National Board, are "role models for architects throughout the country." See below the awards and distinctions for each category in this new 2021 edition.
'Instituto de la neoprehistoria' is the title of the exhibition organized by guadalajara90210 in the municipality of Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico, which emerges as a fictitious entity emulating an institutional structure. The project constitutes a speculative exercise that attempts to reimagine Mexican prehistory as immense and ambiguous, in a scenario where anthropomorphic and intersex beings and endemic megafauna—now extinct—coexist in perfect symbiosis. The name of the institution is based on research by the National Museum of Anthropology's “Departamento de la Prehistoria” (Department of Prehistory), which published a series of volumes on Mexican prehistory between the 1950s and 1970s.
"Domingos Libro" is hosted by Carmelo of Enorme Studio. Every two weeks, the series takes a deep dive into forgotten architectural publications, books, and architecture magazines from the '60s, '70s, and '80s that harbor the most fascinating backstories.
In this latest episode, we explore the monograph on Japanese architect Arata Isozaki published by Rizzoli, and his obsession with Marilyn Monroe—an obsession that led him to replicate her body's geometry across several of his buildings.
What is madness, and who is the subject that embodies it, the mad individual? What are the boundaries of normalcy, and how has it been dialectically constructed alongside the idea of sanity throughout history? What place does the mad subject occupy in society? To contemplate madness and its relationship to space—whether physical or social—it is essential to recognize the ethical and epistemic concepts that define it.
The Council of Architecture and Urbanism of Rio de Janeiro (CAU/RJ) is conducting an unprecedented study to profile architects and urban planners working in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The survey primarily aims to gather data on professionals working outside the capital and those employed in the public sector. The initiative also seeks to gather input for the council's strategic planning for the 2021–2023 triennium.
Understanding that architecture is inherently collaborative is what led us to speak with Sebastián Serna Hosie, one of the most prominent young figures in Colombian architecture. In the following Instagram Live interview, we delve into his perspective on collaboration, using his project Espacio Cuadrilla as an example.
Galería RGR presents for the first time in Latin America the exhibition You Are Everything by Danish artist Jeppe Hein, which creates a space for social interaction and intercultural dialogue. This space aims to activate the works through visitor engagement, offering opportunities for exchange among them and fostering a form of interaction that emerges between the artwork and the audience.
Rafael Araujo is a Venezuelan architect and illustrator who began observing intelligent patterns in nature when he was only fifteen years old. For over 40 years, he has been drawing them entirely by hand, equipped with only a pencil, a compass, a ruler, and a protractor.
In the following interview, we delve into his motivations and reflections on geometric representation systems, examining their application in the fields of design and architecture.
São Paulo-based firm Hiperstudio has been named the winner of the national competition to redevelop Senac Belo Horizonte, organized by the Institute of Architects of Brazil. With a proposal that emphasizes the spatial quality of the ground floor, characterized by the presence of pilotis, the studio convinced the jury, which was looking for projects capable of "dialoguing with the historical and cultural contexts in which the unit is inserted, while respecting the urban and architectural configuration of Belo Horizonte's downtown area."
Organized by the Central Society of Architects (SCA) together with Clarín Arq and sponsored by the Argentine Federation of Architecture Entities (FADEA), the Clarín-SCA National Prize for architecture students aims to foster the development of future architects. The competition received individual and group projects completed during the final two years of study in 2020 and 2021.
"Domingos Libro" is hosted by Carmelo from Enorme Studio. Every two weeks, he delves into forgotten architectural publications, books, and magazines from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s that carry the most fascinating backstories.
In this episode, titled "Signs of Regret," he discusses Mario Pisani's 1988 book "Fuksas. Architetto" and how the featured projects—all collaborations between the Italian architect and Anna Maria Sacconi—have vanished from his monographs, almost as if they had disappeared from the face of the earth.
The National Public Competition for the Basic Scheme and Urban, Landscape, and Architectural Preliminary Design outlines the development of the “Water Landscapes” project for the Rio Negro Linear Park, located in the municipality of Rionegro, Antioquia. Organized with the advisory of the Colombian Society of Architects (Antioquia Chapter), the competition aims to gather urban, architectural, and landscape design proposals for the urban stretch designated for the park.
The jury comprised architects Giovanna Vittoria Spera Velasquez, Jorge Pérez Jaramillo, Martha Cecilia Fajardo Pulido, John Octavio Ortiz Lopera, and Paola Catalina Castro Gomez. Out of 17 submissions, three prizes and two honorable mentions were awarded. The winning entries are presented below.
Under the agreement between the Government of San Juan and the province's Association of Architects, a preliminary design competition was held for the construction of a new police headquarters. The winning project, designed by ABCH Arquitectura, proposes an urban piece that fosters a relationship between society and the police department as an institution.
Eleven projects were submitted to the competition, evaluated by a jury consisting of an architect from the State Secretariat for Security and Public Order, two architects from the Ministry of Public Works and Services, an architect representing the College of Jurors for FADEA, an architect from the Argentine Federation of Architects' Associations, an architect chosen by the participants, and a representative from the San Juan Provincial Police.
The Federal Government and the Association of Engineers and Architects of Mexico will award the 2020 National Architecture Award to Guadalajara-born architect Fray Gabriel Chávez de la Mora, who at 91 has stood out for his 175 projects over a 65-year career.
The Bicentennial Argentine Credit Program for Single-Family Housing, commonly known as PRO.CRE.AR, is a program created in 2012 by the national government of Argentina to support and incentivize the construction of new housing in the country through subsidized loans. Through this program, many families gained the opportunity to build their first home of their own, which in turn generated an increase in the demand for local design and construction. Consequently, these housing loans also opened doors for young firms and studios to produce and build local architecture, navigating the limitations imposed by the loan's financial framework and its constraints on floor area and timeline.
The contributions of Mayumi Watanabe de Souza Lima to Brazilian architectural production in the second half of the 20th century constitute a fertile and still under-explored territory in academic studies on the history of the built environment. Her practical and theoretical perspectives on popular participation and the industrialization of construction form the guiding thread of the research from which this essay emerges, focusing primarily on the 1980s and 1990s—the final period of a trajectory tragically cut short in 1994.
Veracruz is a state located in eastern México, bordered by the states of Tamaulipas, Tabasco, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Puebla, Hidalgo, and San Luis Potosí, and facing the Gulf of Mexico. Covering an area of 71,820 km², it is the country's third most populous state.
The results of the ideas competition to rehabilitate the Raixa estate in Mallorca, Spain, have been announced. Organized by the Department of Sustainability and Environment of the Consell de Mallorca with the collaboration of the Official Association of Architects of the Balearic Islands, the call invited participants to design architectural proposals to rehabilitate the existing building complex (a traditional estate of Moorish origin and high heritage value located at the foot of the Sierra de Tramontana) and transform it into an agroforestry training school (Margers) and a mountain shelter that highlights the Dry Stone Route (which begins in Valldemossa, passes through Raixa, and reaches Bunyola, Orient, and Alaró).
Massimo Paolini shares the following article titled 'Barcelona: Destructions of Use.' It presents the latest projects and debates surrounding the future of the city.
Del Libertador Avenue—which starts in the Retiro neighborhood of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires and ends 35 kilometers later at the San Fernando Canal, north of Greater Buenos Aires—is set to become a pedestrian, cyclist, driver, and public transit-friendly space. The proposal aims to reclaim pedestrian spaces, incorporate one-way bike lanes on each side of the avenue, install bus boarding platforms, integrate new tree species along the route, and implement new technologies to improve vehicular circulation.
Yaiza Terré founded her own architecture studio in Barcelona in 2008, where she currently focuses her professional practice on renovation and reinterpretation projects based on reuse and recycling. Aprop Ciutat Vella is one of her works: a modular emergency housing building made from recycled containers, developed in collaboration with Straddle3 and Eulia Arkitektura. Recently, it was awarded first place in the 2021 Building of the Year Award (highlighting the best built architecture in Latin America and Spain). We reached out to her to learn more about her architectural practice.
In this interview with Yaiza Terré, we explore how this latest recognition helps open up the debate on urban regeneration and the housing crisis in cities. At the same time, we delve into her inspirations, interests, and motivations regarding restoration and adaptive reuse; examine her collaborative and reflective design process; and discuss her upcoming projects and vision for the future of Spanish cities.
'Des-Armar: Heritage Rescue Through a System of Parts and Components' is Valentina Verdugo's thesis project, selected as the Grand Winner of the 2021 National Thesis Project Competition (CNPT), an event organized by Grupo Arquitectura Caliente to recognize and reward the best student projects in Chile.
This second year of the pandemic offered a tremendous opportunity to continue reflecting on and debating the most urgent issues in architecture. To this end, we wanted our readers to actively participate by contributing their experiences and knowledge. Throughout the year, we invited them each month to share their comments and insights on a wide range of topics—from the future of cities, automation, and multidisciplinary design, to green infrastructure, adaptive reuse, migration, equity, and well-being.
After reading and compiling all the submissions received—from construction professionals and students to architecture enthusiasts—it is now time to present the key perspectives. Thank you very much for sharing your opinions!
.jpg?1621199663 "Maqueta espacial. Image Cortesía de Sebastián Serna Hosie")
_7.29.50_p._m..jpg?1621199730 "Esquema riego por goteo dentro de la estructura. Image Cortesía de Sebastián Serna Hosie")
.jpg?1631121402 "Cortesía de Galería RGR")
.jpg?1631121278 "Cortesía de Galería RGR")
