Archiplan S.A. has won the Industrialized Social Housing Competition organized by Chile's Ministry of Housing and Urbanism. Part of the government's Housing Development Plan, the initiative includes the construction of 60 homeownership units in the Lo Espejo district and 103 fair-rent housing units in the Renca district.
The Chilean project Bío Bío Regional Theater by architects Smiljan Radic, Gabriela Medrano, and Eduardo Castillo, along with the Mexican project Music House designed by Colectivo C733, have been jointly awarded the Grand Prize at the Pan-American Architecture Biennial of Quito BAQ 2022.
Young people from the Quebrada Agroecógica collective received the ImaGen Ventures award during COP-27, the world's largest climate change summit, held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. The collective brings low-cost mini-cisterns to informal settlements and low-income communities.
The illustration above is a famous image by the artist Imperial Boy (帝国少年), who works in the anime industry. I sometimes claim that the entire *solarpunk* genre was inspired by this image. That is an exaggeration, of course—some people have thought very seriously about *solarpunk* design principles—but the influence and appeal of Imperial Boy's design are undeniable. Moreover, other *solarpunk* art, though often lovely, tends not to immediately resemble the kind of cities you would actually want to build; it is either an image of a high-tech farm, or some variation of "slap a tree on the side of every building."
Systems change. Transformation. Deep transition. These terms are used so frequently that they risk becoming buzzwords, obscuring their actual meaning.
Yet, to curb rising global temperatures, conserve nature, and build a fairer economy that benefits everyone, we indeed need deep change across all aspects of our economies—at a pace and scale never seen before.
Beyond Pelé and Maradona, November marks the celebration of Brazil-Argentina Friendship Day. Established in 2018, the date (November 30) aims to highlight diplomatic and commercial relations between the two nations. Together, Brazil and Argentina account for 63% of South America's total land area, 60% of its population, and 61% of its GDP, establishing themselves as key trading partners.
Escola da Cidade hosted journalist Juca Kfouri for a conversation on the relationship between society, politics, and soccer. Juca spoke about the presence of soccer in society and how it also serves as a political medium, emphasizing that it is a cultural, economic, and educational force. He also addressed topics such as the recent events at Pacaembu and the significance of the Maracanã.
“If I said that Brasília is beautiful, people would immediately see that I liked the city. But if I say that Brasília is the image of my insomnia, they see this as an accusation; yet my insomnia is neither beautiful nor ugly — my insomnia is me, lived, it is my astonishment.” — Clarice Lispector
In 2020, Brasília turned 60. The anniversary almost slipped by, but in times of isolation, I recalled the walks I had the opportunity to take there last year — walks that opened my eyes to the beautiful, the unbeautiful, and the “unobvious” in this famous modernist city. That said, I would like to share my astonishment in exploring this machine-city on foot.
Viña del Mar Moderna is an investigation into the modern architecture that took root in the 1950s and 1960s in the city of Viña del Mar, Chile. Developed by Karla Silva, a designer from UVM, alongside historian Daniel Briones, the research surveys 10 residential buildings constructed as part of the resort city's urban planning. The result of this project is an engaging publication accessible via a digital platform and an open-access book, both presenting historical analysis and context of Latin America, Chile, and the Modern Movement.
A new urban park under the Santa Ifigênia Viaduct, a lookout on Senador Queirós Avenue, wider sidewalks and reorganized traffic at Alfredo Issa Square, increased green space at Dr. João Mendes Square, and a redesigned Clóvis Beviláqua Square for public use. These are some of the urban design solutions presented by the winners of the Reinventing Cities São Paulo International Competition to revitalize four public spaces in the city's downtown.
It could be argued that indoor air quality has never received its due attention throughout history. While atmospheric pollution has been considered a threat since the time of Hippocrates in 400 BC, becoming a tangible concern with industrialization during the Industrial Revolution, little is said about comfort conditions in indoor environments. This issue is increasingly critical given that humanity spends about 90% of its time indoors, and the quality of these spaces directly affects long-term well-being and health. In fact, Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) encompasses far more than just indoor pollution. It refers to a balance between air quality, acoustics, lighting, temperature, and other factors that contribute to a pleasant and, above all, healthy environment for occupants. Under the motto “every space can be a healthy space,” Armstrong has developed solutions to help improve the environments where we spend the most time, such as educational and healthcare facilities, offices, and homes.
Juliana Terra, Fernanda Sakano, Danilo Terra, and Pedro Tuma are not typical Paulistano architects. At least, not to the extent that the recognition of the firm they lead—Terra e Tuma Arquitetos Associados—might suggest. Rejecting the figure of the genius and dispensing with that of the entrepreneur, the quartet runs the firm as craftspeople shaping the object. "We see ourselves as a craft-based practice," says Danilo, who explains the design process as a continuous remaking, free of hierarchy, involving four heads and eight hands.
In cinematic works, the architecture chosen and designed to compose the frame can communicate with the viewer in many ways. Buildings and cities can establish the setting through well-known monuments or specific building types adapted to certain climates, as well as indicate the historical period through tectonic aesthetics. Fantasy works offer an endless creative field for architectural composition and interior design.
Mujer ArquitectA is a collective that seeks to bring visibility to, strengthen, and promote the work of women in architecture. Among its initiatives are the MA Awards, which in their inaugural edition highlight the work of contemporary women architects in Chile across two categories: Emerging, highlighting new generations, and Established, recognizing the country's leading architects.
The public can now experience the virtual version of the traveling exhibition 7 Povos – Retratos de um Território. This is a restaging of the exhibition that has already taken place in person at three venues across the country: the Memorial do Rio Grande do Sul in Porto Alegre (RS); the Sítio Arqueológico de São Miguel Arcanjo in São Miguel das Missões (RS); and the Paço Imperial Cultural Heritage Center (CCPPI) in Rio de Janeiro (RJ). With the launch of the online version, the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (Iphan) aims to bring the exhibition to an even broader audience, both in Brazil and internationally.
The award ceremony for the 11th edition of the Interceramic Architecture and Interior Design Award was held at the Cabañas Museum in Guadalajara. With more than 1,000 entries this year, the prize promotes and recognizes projects that reflect contemporary design and represent the state of architecture and interior design, while also honoring creativity in the use of Interceramic ceramic materials.
With the rapid urbanization of our cities, animals that once called these environments home have been displaced, forced to seek refuge elsewhere.
Birds are perhaps among the species hardest hit by urban growth, as they are drawn during flight by stimuli like artificial light and wind currents—both of which can be radically altered by how a city is built and laid out.
As part of the celebrations for its 158th anniversary, Campina Grande, Paraíba, has launched a national design competition for the revitalization of its Central Market. The competition is promoted by the City of Campina Grande and organized by the Institute of Architects of Brazil (IAB), with support from the Council of Architecture and Urbanism of Brazil (CAU/BR), the Council of Architecture and Urbanism of Paraíba (CAU/PB), the Institute of Architects of Brazil – Paraíba Department (IAB/PB), and the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN).
The Association of Architects of the Province of Buenos Aires District VIII launched a provincial preliminary design competition for the design of its headquarters in the town of Saladillo.
In 2020, Trenzando launched the “Ideas for the Rehabilitation of Railway Stations” competition, designed as an opportunity to showcase the richness of this heritage, which includes 170 stations connected to the country's railway network. The open call received around 100 proposals for the rehabilitation of the San Rosendo and Yumbel stations in the Biobío Region, Rungue in the Metropolitan Region, and Ocoa in the Valparaíso Region.
An emblematic building for Meliana and the entire region, the Palauet Nolla dates back to the 17th century and has long served as a symbol of the famous Nolla mosaic factory. Situated within the landscape of Valencia's northern agricultural region (the huerta norte), after decades of neglect, the building had fallen into ruins by 2010. Its conservation status was critical, marked by a lack of exterior woodwork, a compromised structure, collapsed roofs, and severe natural and human-caused damage to its ornamentation, among many other issues.
Designing a layout, addressing structural constraints—renovating an apartment requires engaging with an existing structure, which often poses challenges for architects and designers. Whether it is bringing a sense of spaciousness to compact footprints, introducing natural light to darker rooms, or injecting unique character into a standard floor plan replicated across multiple stories, residential design remains central to the profession. Because standing out in this field is no easy feat, we have compiled the Brazilian apartments that received the most visits on ArchDaily Brasil in 2022 to showcase a diverse range of design references.
No País dos Arquitectos is a podcast created by Sara Nunes, who also runs the architectural film production company Building Pictures. The podcast aims to profile the professionals, projects, and stories behind leading contemporary Portuguese architecture. With just over 10 million inhabitants, Portugal is a highly compelling country in this professional field, and its architectural output far outstrips its population and territorial scale.
In this episode of the fourth season, Sara talks with José Carlos Nunes de Oliveira about the Trofa Town Hall building (Paços do Concelho da Trofa). Listen to the conversation and read an excerpt of the interview below.
The 2022 Chile Brick Architecture Award is organized by Cerámica Santiago and the Faculty of Architecture at the Universidad del Desarrollo. Held biennially, the event recognizes and promotes the use of ceramic brick in Chilean architecture, highlighting its wide range of applications and widespread adoption nationwide.
