"I am interested in how we transition as people from one phase of life to another, and as cultures from one historical period to another. Transitions are often difficult, maybe even frightening." With this introduction, we can expect the work of artist-architect Jorge Otero-Pailos to offer a different perspective, particularly in how we understand the passage of time in architecture throughout history.

Below, he shares photographs of his series "The Ethics of Dust," which highlights the cleaning of dust and pollution residue from renowned historical buildings and monuments—making the invisible visible.

Intervening in buildings of historic value is one of the most delicate tasks facing architects. Today, preservation is no longer limited to restoring centuries-old buildings; it also encompasses the language of modern architecture.

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The National Social Distancing Campaign (Jornada de Sana Distancia) in Mexico began on March 23, 2020. However, a couple of weeks earlier, despite the federal government's recommendation to continue normal activities, people on social media were already choosing to replicate the European model of self-isolation. Some architecture firms immediately decided to close their physical spaces and transition to remote work, while others took a few more weeks. Still, this period of social and physical (spatial) distancing is experienced differently in every household. The months of this pandemic have exposed not only inequality regarding basic needs in dense urban areas, but also the fragility of our social order. Whether at a macro or micro scale, all these experiences are shaped and influenced by the built environment, making architecture both a judge and a party to the equation. 

Musicologist, journalist, radio broadcaster, and music producer Zuza Homem de Mello is the third guest on Studio Casa, an interview series produced by Casa da Arquitectura - Portuguese Center for Architecture.

Videos

Directed by Mexican filmmaker Fernando Frías and winner of the Morelia International Film Festival, “I’m No Longer Here” (“Ya no estoy aquí”) is a film that has been widely discussed across various disciplines. It highlights the specific values and struggles of a territory while transcending borders to showcase the most human and global aspects of our shared world.

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From prefabricated modules that sit lightly on the landscape to projects built on-site and integrated into their surroundings, in Uruguayan projects, wood emerges as a highly capable resource for addressing the wide array of requirements associated with residential construction. Whether used as structure, cladding, or furniture, and paired with concrete, stone, brick, or metal, wood offers endless applications. These possibilities enable the materialization of diverse approaches to the projects' exterior language and expression, while also elevating spatial quality and generating distinct interior atmospheres.

Following the first lessons Thinking in Lines and Drawing the World, OSS (Office for Strategic Space), together with Professor Justo Isasi, Chair of Architectural Design at ETSAM (Technical Superior School of Architecture of Madrid, UPM), presents the third drawn lecture: "Stories in Lines."

The courtyard is an essential architectural element in many cultures. In Brazil, examples can be found both in historic buildings of Portuguese influence and in modern architecture of the last century. While its use is frequently associated with bioclimatic benefits—improving natural ventilation and daylighting in interior spaces—it can represent much more than that. The void it creates, a subtraction from the built volume, can establish unexpected geometric and visual relationships and foster cross-dialogues between different parts of the building.

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The winners of the Microscapes - Tactical Micro-Gardens competition have been announced. This international call, organized by the Intendencia Departamental de Río Negro (Uruguay) and the Inter-American Development Bank, invited architects, designers, landscape architects, artisans, citizens, entrepreneurs, and any other interested parties to propose installations to revitalize one of the central spaces of the Fray Bentos industrial complex.

São Paulo-based firm Estúdio Módulo, led by Guilherme Bravin and Marcus Vinicius Damon, was named a finalist in the international competition Hope Dental Center: Rwanda Clinic and Training Institute. Organized by Archstorming in partnership with His Hands On Africa (HHOA), the competition aimed to select the design that will be built to house a dental clinic and training institute in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.

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The winners of the competition for Projects to enhance the archaeological site of the Andalusi suburb of Arrixaca and the San Esteban Garden in Murcia (Spain) have been announced. Organized by the Ministry of Development, the call invited participants to devise proposals to protect the valuable Arrixaca Archaeological Site while creating a new public space for the community.

In the year that the nation's capital turns 60, the Council of Architecture and Urbanism of the Federal District (CAU/DF) is launching the CAU/DF Seal - Architecture of Brasília. The initiative celebrates the modern architecture of the Plano Piloto Urban Ensemble, highlighting the city's non-monumental architecture. The goal is to recognize the historical value of these buildings and their authors—who are often little known by the general public—as well as to promote best practices in building conservation and maintenance that have preserved the architectural language of the Modern Movement.

The Tomie Ohtake Institute and AkzoNobel continue to map contemporary architectural production, highlighting, for the seventh consecutive year, significant projects built within the current Brazilian landscape. The relationship to the urban context, the commitment to the site and sustainability, as well as design and construction inventiveness, are the core criteria guiding the 7th Tomie Ohtake Institute AkzoNobel Architecture Prize.  

"We are at a historic moment. Everything is changing—the way we relate, work, and build. The boundaries between the physical and the digital, the local and the global, are blurring as we move toward an uncertain horizon shaped by the climate emergency and social inequalities. In this context, the role of architecture, design, and urban planning is fundamental."

These are the opening words of a new documentary produced by the Arquia Foundation—the first in a series profiling different Spanish cities—directed by Javier Peña. The film explores Barcelona's most radical architecture through the lens of a generation of architects who emerged in 2008 in the midst of the financial crisis. It features contributions from Anna and Eugeni Bach, Maio, David Steegmann, Adrià Escolano, Vora Arquitectura, Bonell + Dòriga, Raúl Sánchez, Arquitectura G, FLEXO Arquitectura, Carles Enrich, La Col: cooperativa de arquitectos, and Harquitectes.

São Paulo-based firm SIAA Arquitetos has been named the winner of the national competition organized by AESabesp for the new São Paulo Water Museum, which involves the restoration and expansion of the former water and sewage department (RAE), currently the França Pinto reservation center.

Below, discover the winning proposal, accompanied by the project description written by the SIAA Arquitetos team.

The winners of the 2020 Wood Week Competition have been announced. The multidisciplinary open call invited participants to submit wood-focused projects in seven categories: Architecture, Design, Engineering and Construction, Innovation, Wood Startup Challenge, Built Works, and Photography. Wood Week (Semana de la Madera) is an annual event organized by Madera21, an association founded in 2001 by the Chilean Wood Corporation to promote and raise awareness about the use of this material in Chile.

This article by Paula Jaén Caparrós and Enrique Azpilicueta Astarloa was originally published in the 7th issue of rita magazine under the title "Reversible Architectures of Japan: The Houses of Shirakawa-go" as part of a joint publishing collaboration. The following text invites reflection on the design and construction principles found in these traditional Japanese houses, which could be recovered and applied to contemporary proposals that integrate disassembly, recovery, and relocation of the entire built object as key elements of sustainable architectural design.

The National Social Distancing Campaign (Jornada de Sana Distancia) in Mexico began on March 23, 2020, but a couple of weeks prior—even as the Federal Government recommended continuing normal activities—social media users were already opting to replicate the European model and self-isolate. Right away, some architecture firms made the decision to close their physical offices and transition to a remote work model, while others took a few more weeks to do so. However, this period of social and physical (spatial) distancing is experienced differently in every household. Over the months that this pandemic has unfolded, it has exposed not only the inequality regarding basic needs in dense urban areas, but also the fragility of our established social order. Whether at a macro or micro scale, all these experiences occur within and are influenced by the built environment, making architecture both arbiter and active participant in this equation.

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Tulum is a region located in southeastern Mexico, within the geographic boundaries of the state of Quintana Roo. Situated along the Caribbean coast, it forms part of the Riviera Maya. Historically, Tulum was a walled city, which is the origin of its name—meaning "wall" in Mayan, a term coined when the settlement was already in ruins.

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The state of Guanajuato is located in the north-central region of Mexico, bordering the states of Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Michoacán, and Jalisco. Covering an area of 30,607 km², it is one of the country's most populous regions. Its most prominent municipalities include León, Irapuato, Celaya, Salamanca, and San Miguel de Allende. The latter, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, is characterized by its Baroque and Spanish architecture. Additionally, this city is home to the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, built from the region's characteristic pink cantera stone.

Have you ever had to convince your friends or family that an exposed brick wall can be more appealing than a plastered, white-painted one? Or that exposed building systems can offer significant advantages when it comes to maintenance? Do we connect better with a smooth backdrop for hanging art than with the textures of exposed materials?

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Tepoztlán is a region located in the state of Morelos, in the south-central part of the country, bordered by the states of Guerrero, Puebla, the State of Mexico, and Mexico City. Spanning an area of 242.646 square kilometers, it is one of the 111 Pueblos Mágicos (Magical Towns) designated to boost tourism by highlighting the unique attributes of each destination.

Critic Jorge Figueira interviews Brazilian architect Alvaro Puntoni in the second episode of Studio Casa, an interview series produced by Casa da Arquitectura - Portuguese Center for Architecture.

We believe that the creative output of universities in Central America and the Caribbean is immense yet often overlooked. Therefore, we feel it is essential to launch a call for submissions to showcase the best graduation projects coming out of these institutions.

Academic proposals can be profound intellectual and critical works. This call aims to prevent them from remaining tucked away, gathering dust on shelves, and losing the opportunity to spark real change in our cities and in how we live and think.

If you believe your 2019 graduation project is compelling enough to be featured on our site, and that your hard work deserves recognition from the wider community, do not hesitate to submit it using the form at the end of this article.