Às vésperas de embarcarmos, coletivamente, à bordo de mais uma aventura conhecida como carnaval, o primeiro propriamente dito após o longo e difícil período da pandemia de Covid-19, é importante falarmos sobre um outro aspecto da folia, menos abordado e visibilizado nas narrativas dominantes sobre o tema. Num recorte temporal mais recente, é possível perceber que em algumas cidades, com o aumento da escala, proporção e engajamento dos festejos carnavalescos, aliado ao grande interesse turístico e econômico disparado pela festa, o carnaval passou a mobilizar engendramentos cada vez mais amplos de logísticas, equipamentos e estruturas. Esses elementos passaram a tensionar uma série de espacialidades e outras dinâmicas urbanas existentes, incorporando-se, cada vez mais invasivamente, na relação entre essa importante festa popular e determinados espaços das cidades.

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At the recently concluded Asian Games, the Architectural Design and Research Institute of Zhejiang University (UAD) participated in the design of numerous competition venues. Among them, the Hangzhou Asian Games Baseball and Softball Sports Cultural Center is the largest newly built venue for this edition of the Games, as well as the largest, most advanced, and highest-standard baseball and softball sports center in China to date. For this edition of Spotlight, we interviewed UAD's Qian Xidong to discuss his design philosophy shaped by years of professional practice.

There is a clear reason why the circular economy is becoming increasingly central to debates on architecture and urbanism: the global population living in cities is projected to reach 68% by 2050. The environmental challenge will be significant as the demand for natural resources, such as materials and energy, increases, and circularity seems to offer key opportunities to mitigate this impact.

How can we move toward this more sustainable model in our cities? We posed this question to our readers. After reviewing a vast number of comments and opinions from construction professionals, students, and architecture enthusiasts alike, it was surprising to find such a strong consensus on policies and programs that promote responsible consumption and cross-sector collaboration.

Discover the main perspectives below.

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Pelourinho, located in the Historic Center of Salvador, Bahia, is one of the most well-known, publicized, and visited landmarks of the Bahian capital. With an urban and architectural colonial heritage of great cultural significance, it was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985. Spanning over four centuries of history, the district has hosted a wide range of activities, functions, and dynamics, its trajectory deeply intertwined with that of the city itself. Today, it is one of Salvador's primary tourist attractions, hosting a variety of tourism facilities such as hotels, restaurants, and museums in addition to its colonial architecture.

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OUTIN. DESIGN
A multidisciplinary, collaborative design firm. Its services span architecture (social and community interaction, innovative retail spaces, exhibitions, co-working spaces, boutique hotels), residential and lifestyle spaces, FF&E design and installation, and product design and fixture R&D. The four design teams under OUTIN. DESIGN operate independently while frequently collaborating on cross-disciplinary projects.

R.E.C
The team responsible for architecture (social and community interaction, innovative retail spaces, exhibitions, co-working spaces, boutique hotels), art direction, and strategic consulting. Its name stems from reflections on "Time Recycle"—the "long-term cycle" of 24 hours, 1440 minutes, and 86400 seconds. From understanding the essence of things to designing solutions, the team integrates the cycle and symbiosis of time. This ensures our projects are both poetic and pragmatic, combining research-driven design with the sustainable commercial performance of each project.  

WMT
The team responsible for residential and lifestyle sectors. Its core concept, "inspiring turning points in life," embodies new inspirations and forms while stimulating new lifestyles. All of our designs express a flexible, practical approach to relaxation and personalized concepts, ultimately creating warm and welcoming living spaces. Over the years, this has formed WMT's core value—"Comfortable life comes from WMT."

SIBAN
The team responsible for interior FF&E design services. It focuses on the intersection of social architectural spaces, innovative commerce, and daily life. SIBAN has years of experience in FF&E design and master planning for international home brand exhibition spaces, giving them a global vision and deep understanding of brand display. In residential FF&E styling, the team focuses on reflecting non-replicable, unique living states within private spaces, rejecting purely formalistic, decorative arrangements.

JEDI 404
The creative incubation team responsible for product design and fixture research and development. JEDI 404 seeks to construct original design concepts through "non-existent" and unconventional paths, perceiving and gathering raw emotions from design practice and multidimensional spaces. JEDI 404 builds a boundaryless platform where diverse imaginations converge to co-create infinite possibilities of objects.

Throughout its existence, architecture has continuously reinvented itself, driven not only by the emergence of new techniques and trends, but also by a deeper understanding of the human being. In recent times, the field of neuroarchitecture has yielded valuable research into how built environments influence our brains and, consequently, our behavior and well-being. This interdisciplinary approach suggests that interior design—specifically materiality and surface design—can play a crucial role in modulating individuals' neural and behavioral responses.

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Highly beneficial in climates with wide diurnal temperature ranges, where there is a significant difference between day and night temperatures, thermal mass is a key concept to consider when designing for optimal thermal comfort. As a passive strategy for temperature control, it eliminates the need for additional energy consumption, making the building more sustainable.

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The central region of São Paulo holds a significant part of our history, which can be read through its buildings. For many locals, the emotional connection to this area is clear when recalling moments spent in these historic buildings—which carry deep cultural and religious meaning—and along these bustling commercial streets.

Over the last few decades, however, this relationship has eroded due to the obsolescence of buildings, poor habitability, the deterioration of vacant properties, insecurity, and other factors that have driven residents away from downtown—which remains an area with high foot traffic, vibrant commerce, extensive transportation infrastructure, and a unique connection to the rest of the city. An urban space with such infrastructure cannot be abandoned in a city with a high demand for housing, culture, and leisure.

The average Brazilian generates nearly one kilogram of waste per day, according to a survey by Selurb (National Union of Urban Cleaning Companies). Meanwhile, according to Abrelpe (Brazilian Association of Public Cleaning and Special Waste Companies), organic waste represents half of the total urban waste generated in Brazil every year. This is waste that could be repurposed for composting, biodigestion, and/or energy production, but is instead sent to landfills—where it contaminates the soil and produces polluting gases.

Founded in Paris, France, Tektonn Architecture established its permanent office in Chengdu, China, in early 2018. Architecture connects places and people through the act of building; it is about life, environment, memory, and heritage. We strive to respond through sincere design, build with ingenuity, and observe from an objective perspective. Creating from the environment is the very origin of the name Tektonn.

We excel at observing and listening, where every design begins with a rational and meticulous reading of the site. Driven to explore, we continuously push established boundaries to discover creative ideas and realization possibilities. Methodical by nature, we uncover latent connections and site logic amidst complex realities, evaluating how scale impacts the environment. Committed to the pursuit of detail, we study spatial experience through openness and closure, yin and yang, and proportion, analyzing shifts in human behavior. We are architects in action, dedicated to researching materials and finding the most appropriate local construction methods to build comfortable spaces where stories can unfold.

The lack of safe drinking water and adequate sanitation is an issue that still affects millions of people worldwide; even in the 21st century, a large portion of the population lacks full access to these basic resources. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) show that about 3 in 10 people—equivalent to 2.1 billion people globally—do not have access to safe drinking water at home, and approximately 60% of the global population lacks access to safely managed sanitation services, including many living in urbanized areas.

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Identity is a complex, constantly evolving concept—a social construct built from historical elements, cultural factors, circumstances, and phenomena manifested in a specific place. In Mexican architecture, this identity is reflected in works conceived through the vision of artists and architects like Diego Rivera and Agustín Hernández. In projects such as the Anahuacalli Museum and Casa en el Aire, they captured the colossal proportions, symmetry, and simple forms of Mexico's pre-Hispanic past. Similarly, distinctive attributes, such as the folklore of traditions, are reflected in the sensitive use of color in the work of Luis Barragán and Javier Senosiain, creating a rich amalgam of artistic expressions that embody Mexican architectural identity in its diversity and ongoing evolution.

With the pandemic, many companies and individuals had to discover new ways of working, and working from home gained ground—the realization that so many activities could be performed remotely surprised many. There was an expectation that this work model would become permanent. However, the reality is that many companies are returning to in-person or hybrid schedules—and this might not be the best option for the planet.

A few years ago, one of my favorite university professors (who inspired me to study urban planning) approached me with a small request: she wanted to transform her small bedroom window into a balcony so she could look out onto the street.

In September 2022, Ricardo Carvalho and Leonardo Monastério published the paper FAR Regulations and the Spatial Size of Brazilian Cities. Available at the link above, the study evaluates the influence of density restrictions on the expansion of the urban footprint.

The term FAR, or floor area ratio, é known in Brazil as the *coeficiente de aproveitamento máximo* (maximum CA). This metric is the ratio between the total built area permitted by law on an urban plot and the plot's total area. Therefore, if a 200 m² plot has a maximum CA of 3, the building permitted on that site cannot exceed 600 m² of total built area.

The Wild Mile project is an ambitious initiative by the nonprofit organization Urban Rivers, aiming to restore a 1.5-kilometer stretch of the Chicago River in the United States. The project involves creating a vibrant and sustainable urban oasis with boardwalks and floating gardens.

Since the opening of its first section in July 2023, the Wild Mile has already attracted over 30,000 visitors, including local residents, educational programs, and special events. Leaders at Urban Rivers express pride in the project's achievements, highlighting the transformation of a once-neglected stretch of the river into a thriving public space for both wildlife and people.

Dérive LAB is a multidisciplinary laboratory based in Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico, that seeks to explore, understand, and inspire other (new) ways of living and thinking about city life. Through research, design, and action, they have focused on developing projects in art, architecture, urban design, and other disciplines that impact three specific scales: public life, the built environment, and everyday objects.

With a population of over 17.5 million people and 23 million bicycles—more than three million of which are electric—the Netherlands is a global benchmark in mobility and the development of urban designs that prioritize pedestrians and cyclists. Approximately 27% of all trips in the country are made by bicycle, with over 15.5 billion kilometers traveled annually, according to data from the national government. Despite these high figures, the goal is to implement initiatives that further encourage municipalities to transform their spaces, giving more room to cycling as the primary option for short trips of up to 15 kilometers.

Whether through small physical material samples or a digital collage, a moodboard is a valuable design tool for architects and designers—an inspiration board featuring colors and elements that guide aesthetic choices. The idea is for professionals to use them as a source of inspiration to compose their projects and define backdrops, predominant textures, and highlight details. In doing so, surfaces play a fundamental role in defining a space, setting its tone much like music, where all other elements either align with or disrupt the harmony of the chosen palette.

Given the reality of climate change and the role that architecture and construction play in this arena, finding new ways to build sustainably is imperative. That is why accelerating the transition toward a zero-emissions future will only be possible through net-zero construction. The Holcim team has developed a range of solutions to achieve this goal, such as the one implemented in the Torre Moranta project in Mexico.

In architecture and design, trends emerge from a variety of factors, including technological advancements, cultural shifts, environmental concerns, and aesthetic considerations. These are expressed through preferences in materials, colors, and textures, as well as in the ways spaces are conceived and organized.

When it comes to materials, the presence of natural elements like marble inspires the marbled style—a versatile, timeless trend that brings warmth, natural authenticity, and sophistication to interiors. In line with contemporary interior design trends, Daltile develops polished porcelain solutions as an alternative that preserves the aesthetic versatility of marble while offering greater durability and resistance.

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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.

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The importance of conserving natural resources through sustainable housing and infrastructure is becoming increasingly prominent, prompting the architecture, design, and construction industries to remain highly aware of these needs amidst dwindling resources and a growing global population.

In understanding the pressing challenges currently facing cities, and in response to both environmental demands and technical requirements within the industry, developing innovative materials and high-strength, durable, improved solutions has become central to the construction of buildings and infrastructure.

What is thermal inertia and how does it work? Consider two simple buildings: one constructed primarily of stone and another of uninsulated wood. On a sunny day, the stone building, with its high thermal inertia, will gradually absorb solar heat. At night, it will slowly release this stored heat, keeping the interior warmer for longer. Meanwhile, the uninsulated wooden building, with its low thermal inertia, will heat up and cool down much faster, quickly absorbing heat during the day but easily losing it at night.

This example demonstrates how the stone building has a superior capacity to regulate indoor temperature due to its higher thermal inertia. Architects leverage this physical property of materials to optimize building thermal performance and reduce reliance on heating or cooling systems. However, every project is unique, and the required levels of thermal inertia can vary depending on the climate and the use of each building.

Below, we examine how the thermal inertia of different materials performs across various scenarios, as well as the contribution of ceramic or porcelain tiles to achieving optimal comfort.