Mónica Álvarez de Oro, partner at MAO Arquitectos and an AOA director since 2018, secured her reelection for a new term in the recent electronic vote election held within the association. During the first session of the new board, she was unanimously elected as president for a two-year term.

Indian architecture firm Manoj Patel Design Studio has designed several award-winning projects that make creative use of clay roof tiles. In one of them, named Ridge Clay Roof Tile Plantation, a vertical garden was created using these tiles.

The Post_Arq student collective from the Leopoldo Rother Architecture Museum at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia has shared with us an interview with National Architecture Prize winner Santiago Pradilla Hosie. This conversation is part of a series featuring seven Colombian architects, including figures such as Sebastián Serna, Pablo Gamboa, Lorenzo Castro, and Fernando de la Carrera, whose interviews will be published on their YouTube channel.

While some works serve as monuments to the egos of those who practice this profession, other architectural approaches propose the exact opposite. These practices deliver projects that—almost poetically—harmonize built elements with the surrounding natural environment. There are also designs that adapt to the morphological order of nature, resulting in an organic language that generates highly unique and singular interior spaces. 

The crisis brought about by the pandemic and the resulting new global order compel us to review and adjust all Land-Use Plans—or their local equivalents—across Latin American cities. 

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The La Carcova Educational Park project is defined as an ongoing, long-term collaborative effort, initiated by the creation of a university network united by a common goal in a specific territory with many unmet basic needs.

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Driven by a personal quest to explore heritage and preserve Mexican traditions, architect Ana Ibañez has created a collection titled “Barraganescas,” featuring jewelry pieces inspired by the houses designed by architect Luis Barragán in the city of Guadalajara.

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Chuchín is that endearing figure whom you always remember despite the passage of time, whether you are a student, architect, professor, staff member, or fellow worker. Felipe de Jesús Cortés Guevara—or Chuchín, as he is commonly known—seems to go nowhere else; he is always watching over what he considers his second home, the UNAM School of Architecture.

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As part of an initiative by various creatives, Anything Else, But Change? emerges as a collective virtual exhibition that seeks to foster creative production and showcase content that triggers new ways of contemplating the current historical moment. In this project, the current state of affairs is not conceived as a struggle or a war; instead, it is understood as an invisible force pushing for a rapid shift in socioeconomic, political, and cultural logic, with no time for preparation.

During this period of remote work and quarantine, we can make the most of the time we save on commutes by honing our skills to improve our architectural practice. Below is a selection of free online courses that can help us better adapt to our new work environment.

In the early hours of January 11, 1967, a polar air mass swept into the country, bringing snow to Mexico City and blanketing the entire capital under a soft, pristine white layer. One day, more than 50 years ago, our urban sprawl woke up covered in white. It was not smog, nor the pollution of an unrelenting beltway; it was pure snow. The last time it snowed in Mexico City was January 11, 1967. That day, schools closed, people went outside to build snowmen and throw snowballs, and emergency services were overwhelmed by the beautiful catastrophe of so much snow.

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Since 1996, JSa has operated as a design studio focused on "reconverting, rehabilitating, restoring, compensating, reinserting, reoccupying, and reinhabiting" sites specifically located in the Roma and Condesa neighborhoods of Mexico City. Founded by Javier Sánchez, the studio aims for "architecture to link everyday life from the intimate space, adapting to urbanity and transforming it by weaving cities from their communal areas and the home, the epicenter and reason for existence of metropolises."

Charlas de Terraza is an initiative hosted at the office of OPUS in Medellín. It features conversations that extend beyond architecture and, adapting to the COVID-19 lockdowns, is currently being held virtually. Alongside these talks, there is another initiative dedicated to sketching called Club de Dibujo (Drawing Club). In this session, both formats merged as the Medellín-based practice, along with Alejandro Enriquez from Bogotá, discussed the sketch and its process.

The BIM methodology is based on the comprehensive management of an architectural project throughout all its phases, as well as its entire lifecycle. To achieve this, we rely on a series of software tools that allow us to manage project information more effectively, significantly contributing to the reduction of costs and execution times.

Indoor flooring must not only withstand foot traffic but also resist a range of daily impacts, including contact with cleaning products, waxes, and other liquids. With wood flooring, wear can be even more apparent, as water exposure can rapidly deteriorate its appearance and performance, especially if proper protection and maintenance measures are not taken.

However, new technologies continue to enhance the characteristics of laminate flooring, offering an appearance similar to natural wood while providing high resistance to daily wear and, specifically, moisture.

Developing a real estate project from scratch is a major challenge, given the significant investment involved and the expectations placed upon it. The purchase of land, its study, design, construction planning, and subsequent stages entail a series of requirements and details that must be considered before taking any action. To determine the viability of a plan, it is essential to conduct a feasibility study—a determining factor for making sound decisions. In this article, developed by the team at Arquigestión, you will find the necessary requirements, as well as key concepts to understand the logic behind this requirement, from the macro to the micro level.

In light of the pandemic we are facing as a society, we have begun to question various habits that we may have normalized for a long time. Consider our methods of greeting: is physical contact truly necessary to establish a greeting? We could look to countries like Japan, where people greet with a bow, or Thailand, with the "Wai"—a greeting performed by inclining the head with palms pressed together—or perhaps even a clap, as is the custom in Zimbabwe.

Physical contact does not only refer to people, but also to the objects we touch daily. One of the primary recommendations for preventing the spread of COVID-19 is hygiene, which is primarily maintained in the bathroom. Yet, how can we use a bathroom without touching equipment that has already been used by someone else? It is almost a contradiction. This question is even more relevant in public restrooms. Consider the typical sequence of actions we perform in such a facility; how many times must we touch an object?

The emergence and spread of COVID-19 have increased interest in understanding and analyzing the composition of the materials that make up the spaces we inhabit. On an average desk, it is possible to find more than 10 million germs, and nearly 80% of infections occur through contact with them. What material is your workspace, living room, or kitchen furniture made of?

Today, we are paying increasing attention to our daily environment, and it is beneficial to identify materials that allow us to reconcile these new concerns with the functions and aesthetics of the surfaces around us.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which now affects more than 180 countries worldwide, has changed how we relate to everything. Our social and consumption practices are limited, and we have had to rely on digital tools to maintain distance while attempting to remain operational. In light of this new landscape, concepts like "home office" and "e-commerce" are becoming commonplace.

A few weeks ago, we reviewed how architects are adapting to remote work, seeking to maintain adequate production levels from home. It is easy to imagine that the initial stages of the design process can be carried out easily from home, but what happens in the later phases, when the architect must work on-site or select and specify the materials and products necessary for construction?

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Prefabricated systems have become an effective option for completing projects that require standardized modular solutions, such as hotels, hospitals, residences, and residential buildings. The primary advantages of using ready-made modules are reduced labor time, optimal control, and project traceability. While the functional value of these systems—in terms of their quick and easy execution—is significant, the use of quality materials provides additional value. However, to understand how these modules function and are applied, it is first necessary to understand their origin and process.

There are various professions that, in our traditional view of work, seem strange or unusual to combine. This is the case for architect Leo Laniado and chemist Osiel Alves Pereira, who joined forces to produce handmade paints with extraordinary results. This leads us to consider the role of interdisciplinary integration in achieving more productive and comprehensive solutions. Is it multidisciplinarity, pluridisciplinarity, or interdisciplinarity? The case of Laniado and Alves demonstrates once again the success that comes from merging skill sets in the professional and, above all, creative spheres.

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When describing a place we like, we generally refer to sensations rather than physical aspects. This occurs because space directly influences our emotional state. For this reason, when designing a specific environment, it is important to understand its use and the desired character, which is determined by the sum of various physical elements that form a harmonious whole. Among these components is the cladding, which covers surfaces and is often the only material we perceive. In this article, we will discuss large-format pieces specifically and their impact on space.

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Carpentry is the term we have always associated with furniture manufacturing, but as interior design has taken on a more significant role in our daily spaces, the related terminology has diversified. This is why we have begun to hear about thermolaminated furniture, though we may not know exactly what it means. Fundamentally, thermolamination is an industrial process in which a plastic film is adhered to a surface to manufacture highly resistant and durable products, allowing for the design of distinctive, curved pieces.

When constructing a building, it is essential to define the waterproofing method to be used, as this serves to protect the structure from structural failure, ground movement, and water or moisture infiltration. Therefore, whether for a roof, terrace, swimming pool, road, or underground structure, choosing the right solution is necessary. Selecting the correct protective and insulating barrier prevents damage and unforeseen issues, ensuring high durability and strong performance. However, the guarantee of an effective and secure system relies primarily on the integration of solutions that are compatible and adaptable to multiple substrates or complex geometries.

By examining various high-impact international urban projects—using systems developed entirely by Soprema—we will explain why it is important to consider waterproofing as an integrated system rather than a collection of isolated products.