Sérgio Ferro is a Brazilian architect, artist, historian, and architectural critic who, due to his political activism during the military dictatorship, was imprisoned and exiled to France in the 1970s. Throughout his career, he has observed and intervened in the production spaces of civil construction, developing a critique of the production of plastic arts and architecture based on the construction process and its agents: the construction site, technologies, materials, and the builder.

In a historical context dominated by Eurocentric and male references, Ferro, along with architects Rodrigo Lefèvre and Flávio Império, formed Arquitetura Nova, a group that proposed debates centered on architectural production, the social role of the architect, and the relations of production on the construction site, challenging hegemonic thinking and practices, whether in design practice or academia. Following his exile, unable to practice as an architect, he dedicated himself to teaching at the École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Grenoble. 

One of the leading names in Brazilian photography, Hans Gunter Flieg (1923) worked in the fields of industry, advertising, and architecture. His images document the country's industrial development and verticalization, particularly in the city of São Paulo, starting in the 1940s. Through highly technically sophisticated photographs, he documented industrial facilities, machinery, buildings, and objects, challenging the boundaries between the objectivity of documentary photography and formal rigor.

Ancestral, vernacular, minimalist and harmonious. For many, these words have come to define the architecture of Japan, a country that has long served as a source of cultural and technological inspiration for countless societies worldwide. Popular Japanese techniques have reached even the most remote corners of the globe, gaining traction across various fields that range from technical craftsmanship to digital innovation. Within the realm of architecture, the appropriation and reinvention of various materials and construction systems –such as the use of carbonized wood in facades– has been an enduring theme.

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Color hues play an important role in the thermal comfort of buildings, influencing the absorption, reflection, and emission of thermal energy. Alongside the analysis of the local climate, solar orientation, and the qualities of construction materials, it is possible to design an integrated approach based on surface coatings that even helps save on utility bills. Learn how these variables can be combined to leverage color for the thermal performance of your project.

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Architecture is generally understood as a positive construction—that is, tectonics, volume, an object in the world. And indeed it is. However, shifting the observer's perspective—from the distant, aerial view to the interior experience of the occupant—transforms the notion of the object in the world into a "world" in itself. Furthermore, it can also act as a frame, capturing and directing the gaze. Indeed, the view is a key element of architectural value, highlighting a specific angle of the outdoors and inviting the occupant to contemplate. The projects of TETRO Arquitetura highlight this interplay between form and frame.

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Neuroarchitecture and environmental psychology are two fields based on the relationship between the physical environment and human behavior, yet they employ distinct approaches and practical applications. Learn about the differences between these fields and their practical applications in architectural and design projects.

The "Kilometer Zero" concept has been gaining popularity in contemporary architecture, promoting environmentally conscious approaches to reducing carbon emissions. One application of this concept is the blōma project by SPBR arquitetos, led by Angelo Bucci. The São Paulo-based firm's first project in Curitiba, the residential building was designed to prioritize local resources and labor.

In Paraguay, brick can be many things. Walls, dividers, facades, sieves, vaults, floors, and pavement are just some of the many example that demonstrate, not only the variety of uses for brick, but the ingenuity of the architects who choose to utilize it in their projects.

Hi there! Welcome to the first Supporters Newsletter, created exclusively for you. To kick off this first edition, we are dedicating this issue to the concept of START. We will delve into insights on how to get started with Artificial Intelligence, and how it influences the shift in architectural creativity. In addition, we are offering our Supporters a free course on Evolutionary Computational Design, information on a job opportunity at OMA, and a new room visualization tool.

A recent study in Nature warns that water pollution could cause a water supply crisis by the end of the 21st century. Water quality will deteriorate particularly in parts of South America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia—regions that are already vulnerable. Reversing this scenario will require governments to prioritize sustainable development. To this end, nature-based solutions, such as filtering gardens, may become increasingly common.

Art has always been a means for people to connect with space, and art movements have served as a platform for exploring new relationships with architecture. By incorporating art into buildings and interior spaces, they have been transformed, resulting in a fusion that creates beautiful, inspiring, and spiritually uplifting environments. Throughout history, various art movements, such as the Renaissance in the 17th century, Baroque in the 18th century, and Art Nouveau, Art Déco, and Bauhaus in the early 20th century, have had a significant impact on architecture. Architects drew inspiration from the ideals, concepts, stylistic approaches, and techniques of these movements, using them to create large-scale habitable structures. As the home is a fundamental expression of an architectural movement and the simplest canvas to exhibit the artistic ethos of any particular era, studying the interior spaces of houses provides a detailed picture of art's influence on spatial organization, furniture design, product patterns, and user interaction.

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The Bachelor of Science in Design* (BS Design) program at SCI-Arc is a 4-year degree preparing students for interdisciplinary creative careers in cinematic design, gaming, and data-based urban planning and design, using architecture as a platform for exploration.

Milan’s iconic Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, also known as San Siro, has been saved from demolition after a decision of the Regional Commission for the Cultural Heritage of Lombardy has determined that the stadium holds cultural significance. The stadium, home ground to f AC Milan and Inter Milan football teams, was set to be replaced by a new stadium, named “The Cathedral”, designed by American architecture studio Populous. The office continues to work with Inter Milan football club to develop a new stadium proposal in the Rozzano neighborhood, according to reporting in the La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York has just announced that the month of July 2023 was hotter than any other month ever recorded in terms of global temperature. Spiking to 1.12 degrees Celsius above the 20th-century July average, this month was warmer than any month since 1850 when the NOAA database began. The climate crisis at large has made heat waves more prevalent, putting millions of people in danger. These growing effects of the climate crisis also severely affect cities worldwide, posing a threat to urban inhabitants globally.

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Cities frequently have an unequal presence and distribution of green spaces, and their residents do not use and enjoy them in the same way. Aerial views of various urban areas show that the color green appears to be more prominent and concentrated in economically valuable locations, illustrative of the complicated and multifaceted relationship between vegetation and wealth concentration in urban environments. This relationship, which has been the focus of discussion and contemplation on a global scale, is crucial to understanding how socioeconomic differences materialize geographically and impact urban residents' quality of life.

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This article was originally published on Common Edge.

What we build can be metaphoric—often intentionally, sometimes subliminally. But architecture is seldom the intentional commentary of architects, crafting symbolism; more often it is a direct reflection of its time and the culture that made it.

From the top floor of the Hilton Hotel at Tucherpark in Munich, you could see the skyline of the city dotted with construction cranes, a reflection of its current state of development. With this backdrop of old meets new, this year’s edition of the Architecture Matters conference started its program under the title “Second City: The New in the Old.” While the title could have been fitting for a preservation conference, Architecture Matters actually brought together a diverse group of architects, urbanists, engineers, city planners, government officials, developers and technologists to discuss forward looking ideas for the built environment. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and the circular construction dominated the discussion across different scales, from city planning to new materials, and tech startups.

As we stand at the dawn of a new technological era, architects and designers are witnessing a paradigm shift in the industry. The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and collaborative design solutions are transforming the professional landscape, redefining the boundaries between creativity and technology. This article delves into these emerging trends and introduces cutting-edge tools designed to address the challenges inherent in this sweeping wave of innovation, relieving architects from the anxiety of navigating the unknown.

IKEA’s research and design lab SPACE10 has published The Healthy Home report, the second release in its Future Home report series. The report explores three main themes concerning domestic environments: how our homes protect us from harm, restore our bodies and minds, and enable us to grow through life’s stages. The research aims to evaluate the ways in which homes can positively contribute to and support the rhythms and flows of life. It was developed in collaboration with Morph to develop the visuals supporting the findings.

nArchitects has just received the 2023 National Design Award in Architecture from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. The award brings national recognition to the different forms of design that improve and enhance everyday life. In fact, the Architecture award selects a studio or individual for their holistic understanding of spatial experiences, and this year the committee picked nArchitects famous for their New York Micro-Apartment experiment, the cultural center A/D/O in Brooklyn, and many more interactive works.

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Sports arenas hold significant relevance in society as they serve as vital meeting places for sports and cultural activities. They play a role in enhancing overall well-being, encouraging an active lifestyle, and fostering social inclusion. Within these projects, architects assume the responsibility of designing spaces that seamlessly accommodate athletes and the community. Moreover, architects must actively engage with the surroundings to create a harmonious dialogue and establish a distinct identity for the arena.

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As the world increasingly recognizes the importance of adopting sustainable construction practices, bamboo’s versatility, strength, and renewable qualities are generating significant momentum in the transition toward a circular material economy. From initial idea to completion, this article will provide you with valuable insights to begin your bamboo building project, from the perspective of Bamboo U.

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In recent years, we have experienced the rapid growth of Digital Age data, which is deeply affecting the physical environment and whose unchecked proliferation will continue to reshape and alter the landscape. However, these impacts may not be immediately apparent. As our dependence on digital technologies increases, it becomes critical to consider the consequences associated with data generation.

There is no material more diverse and timeless than brick - which can be seen as a staple in both ancient and modern architecture. In many cases, stripping away the drywall of a historical building can reveal beautiful brick walls, which bring a great deal of texture, warmth, and character into a living space. Whether left raw or painted, the look lends itself to a range of styles from rustic to industrial. 

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