What insulation materials are needed to meet the challenges facing the modern built environment, including how to create a more sustainable future? What if some of them are already available? Kingspan’s dedicated innovation center, IKON, hosted a panel of experts to discuss some of the key issues and explore solutions. Michael Bol, an architect and Concepting Director at Buro Kade, Benjamin Constant, Director of Development and Partnerships at Neo-Eco Partner, and Sandra Del Bove, Kingspan Group Head of Innovation, each brought a different perspective and shared their experiences of these crucial issues.
Studio Gang has revealed the design for a new theater for the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (HVSF). Planned to become the first purpose-built LEED Platinum theater in the United States, the building located in Garrison, NY, will serve as the permanent home for HVSF. The structure, measuring over 13,800 square feet, or 1,280 square meters, is designed to become the central point of the 98-acre HVSF campus, aiming to emphasize the theater company’s commitment to sustainable principles and social engagement. The project is expected to break ground in 2024.
NEOM has just introduced “Siranna,” a new tourism destination within the new sustainable regional development evolving in Northwest Saudi Arabia. Aiming to blend innovation and refinement, while integrating with the coastal terrain, the design seeks to offer a luxury escape, with a 65-key hotel and 35 residences. Prioritizing minimal intervention in nature, Siranna’s development utilizes specific techniques to preserve the local landscape. The architecture pays tribute to the area’s heritage while blending into the mountains and wadi. The initiative aligns with NEOM’s dedication to creating sustainable spaces in nature.
Being one of the first construction methods developed by humans, earth has proven its resilience and durability over time. While construction techniques have evolved and been updated over the years, there is still a long way to explore where the understanding of climate, geographic location, sustainability, structural requirements, and other factors determine its degree of application.
With low environmental impact and the ability to be used through a wide variety of techniques, such as rammed earth walls or 'tapiales,' this material offers the possibility of providing not only aesthetic but also thermal comfort, insulation, and other benefits. With the intention of discovering the different ways it has been used, we set out to select 12 projects distributed throughout Latin America, spanning Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Ecuador.
Throughout our lives, we are exposed to various stimuli and pollutants that directly impact our well-being. Although air and water pollution typically garner more attention due to their highly visible and negative effects, noise pollution is sometimes underestimated, even though it poses a risk to physical and mental health, according to the European Environment Agency.
Some of the strategies to address this challenge have focused on policies that control vehicular traffic and establish schedules for specific activities. In the field of architecture, within the Mexican context, local regulations address specific scenarios related to noise produced by machinery and particular uses, such as entertainment and service centers. These regulations establish a sound intensity limit of 65 dB (decibels). However, since housing represents perhaps the most archetypal manifestation of architecture and can be affected by various noise sources, it is worth asking: How can a home be soundproofed? In response to this question, Soprema has developed several solutions to create a soundproofed environment through the different elements that make up a home.
https://www.archdaily.com/1136480/how-to-soundproof-the-elements-of-a-homeEnrique Tovar
Villa Groot, Belgium / Lemaire & Longeval. Image Courtesy of Randers Tegl
Bricks are versatile and long-lasting building materials that combine technical and aesthetic qualities. In a variety of shapes, dimensions, textures, and colors –depending on the manufacturing process and type of clay– incorporating bricks into architecture creates dynamic facades and structures. From traditional to modern styles, these versatile elements can be arranged in different patterns and easily integrated with other building materials, enabling diverse architectural expressions. In addition to these qualities, the use of bricks in contemporary architecture is distinguished by experimenting with placement, orientation, and material textures, as well as embracing minimalistic design principles focused on simple and clean lines.
Among the different types of bricks, designing with a linear or elongated style involves playing with horizontal and vertical arrangements –or a combination of both– creating modular patterns for a rhythmic and harmonious visual appeal. Following this format, Randers Tegl has developed the Ultima waterstruck brick collection, which integrates craftsmanship, high-quality materials, and timeless appeal. By analyzing various projects, we showcase how the aesthetics of linear bricks are applied in contemporary architecture.
Recent floods have wreaked havoc in Libya, damaging critical infrastructure and claiming the lives of more than 6,000 people. Wildfires in Canada burned 18.5 million hectares, an area equivalent to the size of Syria. September 2023 saw astonishing heat records that alarmed climate scientists.
The events recorded over the last few months reinforce the urgency for countries to correct their course in the fight against climate change. The upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai presents a crucial opportunity to do so.
Few countries showcase living history like China. From the iconic Forbidden City to diverse landscapes and building styles, China has a rich cultural and architectural legacy. As the world’s largest construction market, the country continues to invest in new projects. At the same time, this rapid urbanization and accelerated development is juxtaposed with ancient building sites intertwined with layers of history and collective memory.
Rainwater Source Park / Turenscape. Courtesy of Turenscape
The climate emergency manifests itself in Brazilian cities in various ways: floods in the South, coastal surges in Rio de Janeiro, storms causing power outages in São Paulo, wildfire smoke in Manaus, droughts in Amazonian rivers, and heatwaves in the Midwest. Therefore, integrating the fight against climate change into public planning is crucial.
https://www.archdaily.com/1135924/free-e-book-teaches-how-to-use-nature-based-solutions-in-urban-projectsArchDaily Team
No País dos Arquitectos is a podcast created by Sara Nunes, who is also responsible for the architectural film production company Building Pictures. The podcast aims to get to know the professionals, projects, and stories behind benchmark contemporary Portuguese architecture. With just over 10 million inhabitants, Portugal is a highly intriguing country within this professional field, and its architectural output far exceeds what its population or territorial scale would suggest.
Huizhen High School by Approach Design Studio - Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group Co.,Ltd_Huizhen High School by Approach Design Studio. Photo Courtesy of WAF23
The World Architecture Festival announced the ultimate accolades of World Building of the Year, World Interior of the Year, Future Project of the Year and Landscape of the Year. A host of Special Prizes, including the International Building Beauty Prize, Best Use of Colour Prize and Small Project of the Year were also announced at the closing event, to celebrate the sixteenth edition of the festival. The announcement follows the final day of WAF, in which prize winners across all 44 categories competed for the winning titles.
Local communities are more than just a collection of buildings and infrastructure. They possess a distinctive architectural character that mirrors their history, culture, and values. As part of our year in review, we take a deep dive into the top narratives that examine the architectural identity of different local communities.
These stories explore a wide range of topics, including unique geographic territories, cultural tribes, iconic landmarks, communal collaboration, and socio-ecological urban planning. Through these narratives, we uncover the captivating tales behind the buildings and public spaces that shape certain cities and towns.
The Choctaw Casino and Resort expansion in Durant, OK, USA, completed in 2021, included enlarging the casino, adding 1,000 hotel rooms, conference areas, shops, and other amenities. The entire undertaking was accomplished in just 2.5 years, with an impressive 350,000 square feet of tile installed within a mere six months. The core focus of the project was to waterproof approximately 1,200 showers to ensure their longevity. The combination of high-quality installation systems, thorough training, effective communication, and collaboration were pivotal in achieving alignment on project goals and execution.
The 18th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia closed on November 26th. A total of 285,000 people visited the exhibition, making it the second most highly attended Architecture Biennale in its history. Named "The Laboratory of the Future," this edition led by curator Lesley Lokko, has been the first to focus on Africa and its diaspora, exploring the “fluid and enmeshed culture of people of African descent that now straddles the globe,” in the words of the curator, with themes of decolonization and decarbonization.
This edition has attracted a wide array of visitors, 38% of whom are represented by students and young people. Visitors organized in groups represented 23% of the overall public, with a large majority of groups coming from schools and universities. The numbers denote an event centered on the transmission of knowledge and circulation of ideas.
Foster + Partners, in collaboration with CannonDesign and Gilbane Building Company, have unveiled the new plans for a Mayo Clinic healthcare vision in Rochester, Minnesota. Named “Bold. Forward. Unbound.” This initiative presents a multiyear strategic endeavor aligned with Mayo Clinic’s strategy to “cure, connect, and transform healthcare globally.” Reimagining the institution’s campus, the design introduces new facilities that merge care concepts and digital technologies.
Sameer Makarius was born in Cairo in 1924. In 1933, he immigrated with his family to Berlin. At the age of ten, his father gifted him a camera, marking the beginning of his journey with photography. Following the outbreak of the Second World War, in 1940, they moved to Budapest, where he completed his secondary education, began his artistic training, and connected with the protagonists of the local avant-garde. In 1946, he embarked on his return to Egypt with a prior stop in Zurich. There, he organized an exhibition of Hungarian modern art with the support of Max Bill. Back in Cairo, he worked as a decorative artist for advertising and also for an architecture and construction studio.
His artistic work arrived in the Río de La Plata a few years before he did, through his partner Eva Reiner, who was already living in Argentina with her family. In 1948, she lent one of his works for the MADI art exhibition organized in the workshop of the German sculptor Martin Blaszko. After marrying Eva in Egypt in 1952, they traveled together to Paris, where they worked as pattern designers. They finally arrived in Buenos Aires in April 1953, a city that would become their permanent residence. His migratory journey was marked by the drama of war. At the same time, during these displacements, Makarius built a network of relationships around photography, visual arts, and architecture that allowed him to unfold his work in various territories and formats.
When it comes to windows, we can see how much the industry's technology has evolved over time. While the first versions of windows were small and not very transparent, today we can find large sheets of glass that blur the boundaries between the inside and outside, and can create virtually translucent façades. And this doesn't have to be limited to fixed glass. These days, we can use huge glazed surfaces that can be easily handled, thanks to a great deal of research and experimentation by manufacturers to improve components and raw materials. To create a large frame, for example, larger furnaces are needed for tempering, and strict technical control is required, demanding precision and high-quality standards, along with structural bonding using modified silicones and silyl-based polymers.
In an effort to bolster public care and personal hygiene services for the unhoused population, the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship (MDHC) has established the Street Support Points Program (PAR). The initiative aims to provide public spaces and facilities managed in partnership with civil society organizations.
https://www.archdaily.com/1136316/street-support-points-program-promoting-care-and-hygiene-for-the-homeless-populationArchDaily Team
The second round of award winners of the 2023 World Architecture Festival have been announced, following Day Two of live presentations at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, in which hundreds of shortlisted projects were presented by practices from around the world. Amongst today’s category award winners of the world’s largest international live-judged architectural event there were six projects from Australia and four projects each from Iran and the United Kingdom.
Arnau Rovira is a photographer who found himself in Turkmenistan by accident. From Barcelona, he recalls the story of how he found himself in its capital, Ashgabat, accompanying sports journalists for the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games. This Central Asian country, a former colony of the USSR, is known not only for its strict access and control restrictions but also for its white and golden structures that create a futuristic city near the border with Iran.
With its sights set on the future, in 2024, the Universidad Católica del Uruguay is adding the Architecture, Design, and Environment program to its academic offerings. Felipe Reyno, PhD in Architecture and director of this new degree program, reflects on the need to train architects with a contemporary, contextual, diverse, critical, and collaborative perspective.
On November 30, 2023, the UN COP28 climate summit begins in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. The name stands for the Conference of the Parties under the UNFCCC, and symbolizes the annual meeting of world governments for the purpose of establishing strategies to limit the extent of climate change and its adverse effects. Last year’s summit concluded with several important measures, including the promise of a global fund aimed at providing financial aid to developing countries affected by climate disasters.
The main purpose of COP is to reinforce the commitments of the Paris Agreement, signed in 2015, which strives to keep the global temperature rise under 1.5C degrees. As the construction industry accounts for 39% of global emissions, architecture plays an important role in helping to lower our carbon footprint, making COP28 a crucial event for architects.
There are numerous intersections between art and architecture, including aesthetic enjoyment, formal element composition, the relationship with the environment, and abstraction. The unique combinations of these aspects distinguish each architecture office or artist in their practice and language. Diogo Aguiar Studio is an architecture office that actively explores these intersections, pushing the boundaries that traditionally separate art from architecture.
Each project is built on the dynamic interaction between architecture and art, serving as its foundation and driving force. This approach yields work that addresses functional requirements and ventures into uncharted territories of spatial research. Notably, materials exploration and sensory aspects in both architectural and immersive artistic spaces stand out as a significant aspects of their endeavors.
