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Nicolás Valencia talks this week on the TERRAZA podcast with Chilean architect Rodrigo Tisi about his book ⁠Objetos y espacios performativos⁠ (Ediciones ARQ), research that examines key moments to observe, explain, and establish the possibilities of certain performance practices in academia and creative environments.

Videos

This week on the TERRAZA podcast, Nicolás Valencia talks with Brazilian architect and critic Guilherme Wisnik about his book En la niebla (Editorial Bifurcaciones), a series of essays where fog serves as a metaphor for the state of uncertainty in today's world, weaving together contemporary debates on space, art, and politics.

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Conceived as an initiative to meet the construction sector's demand for all types of finishes, the Obra Blanca exhibition is set to celebrate its second edition. Designed as a meeting point for both professionals looking to showcase their products and those seeking to compare different finishing options, this specialized trade show will focus on the visitor experience and the professionalization of an increasingly comprehensive and sophisticated industry.

May 3 is a holiday originating from the Finding of the Holy Cross, May Cross, or Festival of the Crosses, which traces its roots to the Roman rite celebrating the Cross of Christ. This commemoration has evolved over time, being adopted in cities across Mexico, Chile, Spain, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Colombia, and Venezuela, where the celebration typically includes floral decorations, processions, and dances.

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The design studio PECA—led by Mexican architect Caterina Moretti—launches its new collection titled "Impronta Terracota," made from clay and fused glass. Comprising two vessels that offer an unexpected twist on their purpose, they transform into table pedestals rising to two different heights. This exploration was developed at the Taller de Locos pottery workshop in Guadalajara.

Videos

The history of the Mexico City Metro dates back to the 1960s, a time when the Historic Center buckled under traffic congestion, overcrowded buses, and inefficient streetcars that were overwhelmed by the growing population of the then-Federal District. While other major Latin American cities like Buenos Aires had implemented underground transit systems since the early 20th century, it was not until 1967 that Mexico—by presidential decree and in collaboration with the French government—established a decentralized public agency called the Sistema de Transporte Colectivo (STC).

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Forty-seven years after construction began on the El Rosario housing complex—the largest housing development in Mexico at 350 hectares—the Azcapotzalco borough of Mexico City, in coordination with the city's Social Prosecutor's Office and the ICA Foundation, inaugurated the photographic exhibition “The City within the City: El Rosario” on March 25 at Plaza El Parián. The exhibition aims to show residents and visitors the evolution this complex has undergone over time.

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The TEMA Competition was established to give young architects and students from the University of Guadalajara the opportunity to develop projects that express ideas beyond the standard academic requirements of an architecture or design school. This year's theme, “Utopia of an Ideal,” stems from a reflection on how students navigate their university careers through academic projects, encouraging them to propose designs that address a utopian concept or a scenario detached from everyday reality. 

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Following three cycles held in 2020, we begin this new year by presenting the fourth cycle of Viernes de Fábrica. We remain convinced that now more than ever, the academic must be linked to the social, creating School+Community projects. Today, with the participation of over 1,500 students, architects, and professors from 20 countries across the 28 sessions held so far, we invite you to continue contributing to this initiative. 

Dear readers,

I am thrilled to share a very important milestone with all of you. Today, August 3, 2021, ArchDaily Mexico celebrates its 9th anniversary! Indeed, nine years ago, with great excitement and high expectations, we launched the Mexican edition of ArchDaily—already the most visited architecture website in the world. Our mission remained to deliver inspiration, knowledge, and tools, but with a dedicated focus on this country's architects, who over these years have enabled us to continue serving as their primary tool for international and Mexican architectural inspiration and knowledge.

The city of Bucaramanga is set to undergo an urban renewal project that prioritizes pedestrians in streetscapes, led by the Taller Profesional de Arquitectura Pública de Bucaramanga.

The initiative aims to improve efficient urban solutions at a neighborhood scale, working to counteract the effects of climate heating through urban acupuncture and tactical urbanism as strategies for evaluating urban planning and economic proposals. Additionally, it aims to strengthen direct interactions between the project team and the beneficiary community.

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As part of an initiative by KeObra—a platform providing reliable, free information through content, infographics, videos, and social media to support those building their own homes while fostering a network that empowers self-builders, master masons, material suppliers, and architects—the First KeObra University Competition was launched. The competition called for progressive housing proposals to be integrated into the KeObra Calculator, a tool that provides cost estimates, material lists, projected timelines, and the necessary construction blueprints.

In the face of an unprecedented climate crisis, green roofs are increasingly establishing themselves as a global architectural trend, providing multiple social, economic, and environmental benefits in urban areas. Following the example of pioneering models like Copenhagen's, cities around the world are replacing gray roofs with green ones in an effort to move toward a more sustainable and healthy future. As a result, integrating green roofs has become a recurring practice in projects aiming to address the inherent challenges of the contemporary city.

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The 2021 AZ Awards have announced their finalists. Two Colombian projects are among the finalists in two of the twenty-two award categories. Both projects—the La Perseverancia Vertical Activation Installation and the La Concordia Amphitheater—emerged as architectural proposals for economic reactivation in Bogotá, developed by the firms Taller Architects, SCA, and Colab-19.

The School of Architecture at the Universidad Intercontinental (UIC) has announced the winners of the 20th Academic Competition of Architecture Schools. This edition saw record-breaking participation in the number of students and projects compared to previous years, and for the first time in two decades, achieved international reach with the participation of a university from Ecuador.

Since 1985, the Faculty of Architecture at the National Autonomous University of Mexico has organized the Alberto J. Pani Architectural Composition Award, aiming to bring together the best students from institutions affiliated with the Association of Architecture Education Institutions of the Mexican Republic (ASINEA). This year, the collaborating host is the Universidad Internacional in Cuernavaca, Morelos.

One of the greatest challenges facing our cities today is reconciling two priority objectives that, at times, seem irreconcilable: reducing inequality and addressing the effects of climate change. On one hand, our planet is at a critical juncture where no action should be underestimated. Urban growth always comes at the expense of green spaces, which is why we must control our settlements. Yet, it is also a fact that certain environmental regulations, besides being ineffective at achieving their intended goals, have discriminatory effects on the most marginalized sectors. It is often these very groups that face the most rigorous enforcement of environmental administrative requirements, as well as penalties for non-compliance. Is there a way out of this apparent dichotomy?

Mexican architect José Luis Cortés has been appointed President of the International Union of Architects (UIA) for the 2021-2023 term. José Luis Cortés graduated from the Monterrey Institute of Technology in Mexico and completed studies in Urban Planning in Copenhagen, Denmark, and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States. He previously served as president of the Federation of Colleges of Architects of the Mexican Republic (FCARM) (2017-2018) and is currently a member of the UIA Council for Region III.

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As part of the activities of the 2019 Santa Lucía International Festival, organized by Las Artes Monterrey—a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the visual arts of Monterrey, Nuevo León, and its metropolitan area—Estudio Núñez Zapata (formerly Covachita Taller de Arquitectura) built the pavilion ¿Cómo podremos dormir juntos? (How Will We Be Able to Sleep Together?) on a private vacant lot adjacent to the Macroplaza. The project was subsequently selected to be exhibited at the Mexican Pavilion during the 2021 Venice Biennale.

In Colombia, numerous competitions have drawn countless proposals from national and international practices, yet not all of them end up being built. The case of the Arts and Crafts Park competition is unique. More than a decade after the winning proposals were announced, the current administration decided to revive the winning project by the firms Taller Síntesis + Cauce arquitectura del paisaje + Architect Juan David Hoyos + Matiz arquitectura to bring it to life.

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México Territorio Creativo presents the program for the thirteenth edition of Design Week México under the motto: design is everything. It will take place from October 6 to 31 of this year, featuring traditional programming alongside the digital initiatives adopted in the previous edition. Additionally, all events will adhere to international and national guidelines, particularly the Mexico City government's health and safety measures, to protect the health of participants, attendees, and everyone who makes the 2021 lineup possible.

The pandemic has undoubtedly redefined every aspect of daily life, from how we interact to how we live and work. Consequently, architecture has had to adapt to new paradigms and lifestyles. With travel and tourism coming to a standstill for over a year, the hospitality sector was one of the hardest hit, forcing hotels to quickly reinvent themselves in the face of changing needs. Today, the focus is on offering restful spaces that allow guests to disconnect and relax, creating unique, comfortable environments distinct from the home—where most people now spend the majority of their time.

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Throughout November, Diez Company will present the third edition of Maison Diez Company to both Mexican and international audiences. Dedicated to lighting design, the space serves as a gathering point for designers, creatives, architects, interior designers, commercial partners, lighting experts, and international brand representatives to celebrate light. Following the success of its 2018 and 2019 editions, Maison Diez Company showcases its latest designs within a historic mansion in the Escandón neighborhood, open to the public from November 6 through May 20, 2022.

"Acts of Patriarchal Domination and Violence from Architecture" is a campaign created by Mariana Ordoñez and Jesica Amescua through their Instagram and Twitter accounts, in collaboration with Ximena Ríos. It arises from the need for deep, self-critical reflection on the violence and acts of domination exercised within the architectural profession.