With more than 11,000 years of history, brick is one of the oldest building materials. In fact, replacing sun-dried mud blocks, the Romans were the first to experiment with fired clay masses in new structural forms such as arches, vaults, and domes. Although the dimensions and manufacturing methods of this small module have evolved over the years, its components and classic rectangular shape have undergone few changes, especially considering its long history. The reason is simple: with its warmth, versatility, and outstanding structural properties, brick is a timeless material that never goes out of style.

The Municipality of Flores launched a public competition for preliminary architectural proposals for a mixed-use building called Mercado Trinidad, to be located in the city of Trinidad, Uruguay. By integrating existing heritage structures and renovating or replacing the remaining buildings and open spaces, the project aims to redirect truck and heavy machinery traffic from the municipal workshops and warehouses currently operating there. This shift will promote urban regeneration and revitalize the central area with a new urban facility.

Is there a future for our cities if we do not adopt a sustainable way of life? For some time, urban sustainability has been approached more from the perspective of climate change than from a holistic vision that integrates society and how we live as a community.

What new ways of living are we experiencing amidst today's social, economic, and ecological shifts? We must bring to the table the various reference cases emerging around the world to understand the latest trends in how we inhabit our cities.

Founded in 2013 and based in Mexico City, David Pompa is a studio comprising 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, maintaining a commitment to Mexican culture since its inception—a dedication reflected in the creation of aesthetic and accessible design objects. On this occasion, they are presenting a new collection for Milan Design Week 2022 on Via Simone Saint Bon as part of Fuorisalone from June 5 to 12.

As part of an initiative by the Ministry of Urban Development and Mobility of the Government of Michoacán, the Ministry of the Environment, and the Michoacan University of San Nicolás de Hidalgo, the First Ideas Competition to renovate and adapt the Morelia Zoo (one of the largest in Mexico by number of species) to the new environmental, social, and cultural conditions of its context was launched.

The National Ideas Competition for the Todos Hermanos (Fratelli Tutti) Themed Promenade was organized by the Merlo chapter of the Association of Architects of the Province of San Luis. The objective was to create an open public space for reflection on peace and fraternity, addressing themes such as overcoming social, cultural, religious, and environmental conflicts. At the same time, the space will support recreational, cultural, and leisure activities, landscape contemplation, and other programs that engage the public.

As the first female architect to graduate in Colombia, in 1945, María Luz Amorocho Carreño is a prominent figure in the country's architectural field. Throughout her career, she approached the profession from diverse fronts, ranging from teaching and public and private design to writing and criticism, most notably for the journal *Proa*. Over a career spanning more than 40 years, she steadfastly championed her ideals within a shifting context focused on achieving modernity, setting a precedent for future generations of women architects. An analysis of her work and legacy offers a window into the diverse roles of the architect, spanning from drafting and construction to research and project management.

While online stores have existed since the democratization of the internet in the late 20th century, the pandemic has marked a turning point in the evolution of e-commerce. In response to mobility restrictions and lockdowns, businesses of all scales were forced to embrace digital transformation, saving time and, in some cases, reducing costs. Furthermore, as more consumers discover the convenience of home delivery, online shopping is likely to continue growing even in the post-pandemic era.

From NFTs and the Metaverse to the productivity benefits of real-time rendering, this year presents a prime opportunity to discuss the latest trends in visualization.

With this in mind, we want to open the debate and hear your thoughts on the following questions: How much can we learn from other related industries such as cinema, video games, and industrial design? How can architecture contribute to and advance the world of visualization?

Spanish architect Lluís Comerón, who recently passed away at 62, has been recognized for his tireless professional practice with the Gold Medal of Architecture. The High Council of Colleges of Architects of Spain (CSCAE) has posthumously awarded the Gold Medal of Architecture to Catalan architect Lluís Comerón Graupera, who served as president of the institution during the 2018–2022 term.

Since the 15th century, the territory of Misiones, Argentina, has witnessed the constant passage and local overlap of a vast number of highly diverse cultures. Indigenous Guaraní, Spanish conquistadors, Jesuit missions, Paulist bandeirantes, people from the Republic of Entre Ríos and later the Province of Corrientes, Paraguayans, Brazilians, and, finally, a sweeping influx of European immigrants fleeing the world wars make up some of the layers of its immeasurable cultural fabric.  

On the path toward poverty reduction, economic growth, and environmental sustainability, both water and sanitation measures play a fundamental role, demonstrating the importance of access to a resource like water in people's lives. To mark World Water Day, celebrated every March 22, we present the Palacio de Aguas Corrientes (Water Company Palace) in Buenos Aires—one of the greatest creations of the 19th-century European foundry industry outside Europe, combining art and engineering in a unique Argentine work declared a National Historic Monument in 1989.

The CCCB is launching the call for entries for the European Prize for Urban Public Space, a biennial competition organized to recognize and promote projects that create, restore, and improve public spaces in European cities. This honorary award—with registration open from April 20 to May 17, 2022—will recognize works completed between 2018 and 2021. Teresa Galí-Izard, an agricultural engineer, landscape architect, and professor at ETH Zurich, will chair the prize's international jury. The rules and all information regarding participation are available on the website.

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In Peru, communal kitchens (ollas comunes) are self-managed neighborhood initiatives located in vulnerable areas. Driven by the food and educational insecurity triggered by the pandemic, these spaces have assumed a vital role in child development, transforming themselves into neighborhood schools. Within this context, "DIT: Building a Space for Children" emerged—a project selected for the XII Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism. Through this initiative, architects Gian Franco Pedreschi, Sergio Iván Puch, and Jhordano Zabanick, together with the community of the AA.HH. Horacio Zevallos, intervened in the public space adjacent to a communal kitchen in the Rímac district, improving the residents' quality of life.

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At the end of June, the exhibition marking the end of the First Stone program opened at the National Coach Museum in Lisbon, Portugal. Initiated in 2016 by the cultural association experimentadesign, the program involved 36 architects and designers from 15 different countries, including Michel Rojkind, Álvaro Siza, Amanda Levete, Bijoy Jain, Carla Juaçaba, Eduardo Souto de Moura, Elemental, João Luís Carrilho da Graça, Manuel Aires Mateus, Mia Hägg, Paulo David, Studio MK27, Vladimir Djurovic, Claudia Moreira Salles, Estudio Campana, Fernando Brízio, Frith Kerr, Ian Anderson, Jasper Morrison, Jonathan Barnbrook, Jonathan Olivares, Jorge Silva, Michael Anastassiades, Miguel Vieira Baptista, Pedro Falcão, Peter Saville, Philippe Starck, R2 Design, Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, Sagmeister & Walsh, Ai Weiwei, Alexandre Farto aka Vhils, Carsten Höller, Fernanda Fragateiro, Julião Sarmento, and Marina Abramovic.

In the latest edition of the FAD Awards for Architecture and Interior Design, the Kindergarten in the Cerro Colorado Community, located in the city of Arequipa, was selected as a 2022 International FAD Finalist. Designed by architects Ander Bados Sesma and Betsaida Curto Reyes, the school was developed as an expansion of the Villa Magisterial school by the NGO All Hands and Hearts following severe flooding in the city.

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The National Architecture Award of Chile is presented by the Colegio de Arquitectos (Architects Association) to recognize "a lifetime dedicated to the service of architecture," according to the organization. First awarded in 1969, the inaugural recipient was Juan Martínez, architect of landmark projects such as the Law School at the University of Chile and the Votive Temple of Maipú.

The DNA Paris Design Awards have announced the winners of the 2022 edition in the categories of architectural design, interior design, landscape design, product design, and graphic design. The results were announced at the end of June, and the awards ceremony will take place in Paris in September 2022.

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On October 1, architect Rozana Montiel presented the exhibition "Blanco en tres actos" (White in Three Acts) at the Colegio de San Ildefonso in Mexico City. The exhibition invites visitors to experience the design processes of the architect's studio in three moments: "Habitar el vacío" (Inhabiting the Void), "Hojas en blanco" (Blank Pages), and "Un manifiesto" (A Manifesto) within an interior space covered in paper, seeking to reframe the blank page through a shifting of time and textures. On this canvas, fifty projects hand-sketched at various scales form a grid that reveals the mysterious moment when an idea is conceived.

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The public architectural design competition for the Velodrome in Gibraltar Metropolitan Park in Bogotá, D.C., was organized by the District Institute for Recreation and Sport (IDRD). Located in the Kennedy locality, the competition—with advisory support from the Colombian Society of Architects (SCA)—aimed to select a preliminary architectural proposal for the design, technical studies, architectural and technical coordination, and related design tasks.

The jury comprised architects Leonardo Álvarez Yepes (representing SCA Bogotá D.C. and Cundinamarca), María Elvira Madriñan Saa and Fernando Montenegro Lizarralde (representing the SCA National Presidency), and Nelson Yovany Jiménez and Felipe Alberto Morales Sánchez (representing the District Institute of Recreation and Sport). Out of 17 submissions, three prizes and several honorable mentions were awarded. Read on to learn more about the winning projects.

El colectivito came into being about five years ago. Lacking both a name and a defined shape, it brought together, in an almost casual way, a group of students interested in critically reflecting on architecture and territory. Its name ironically references the historical moment of its birth: it views itself as just one of countless architectural collectives, adopting a diminutive suffix to reflect its awareness of its own budding development. Today, it serves as a meeting space where architects and architecture students from the province of Misiones, Argentina, share and discuss interests and concerns regarding the architectural culture of the unique region they inhabit.

Architect and archivist. She designed the three buildings for the Antorchas Foundation in Buenos Aires. She carried out the assessment, adaptive reuse proposal, budget, and equipment study for the completion and commissioning of the National Library in Buenos Aires. She also served as Director of the ARCA Center (Civil Association for the Archive of Contemporary Argentine Architecture) between 1998 and 2002.

On this day 117 years ago, Juan O'Gorman—the first Mexican functionalist architect—was born, whose work marked a turning point in the architectural production of his era. He trained at what was then the National School of Architecture, where he completed and integrated his studies in architecture and engineering. Considered the father of modern architecture in Mexico, O'Gorman trained in the style of Le Corbusier and the stripped purism of Villagrán, eventually evolving toward the "New Mexican Baroque" movement. His works were characterized primarily by the use of reinforced concrete, asymmetric exteriors, and a constant search for air and light.

The growing focus on sustainable architecture drives architects to explore alternative sustainable construction materials that can be implemented in new buildings. The research “Totora as a Thermal Insulation Material: Properties and Potential” was published by architect Leyda Aza Medina as a master's thesis in 2016 and won the ADUS 2021 academic practice award. The study offers a sustainable alternative, utilizing the renewable resource of totora reeds to develop thermal insulation for buildings in the Peruvian highlands.

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