As part of the 14-day design festival that took place in Mexico City, SPACE10 presented the exhibition "Deconstructed Home", with the intention of taking it to different places in Mexico. Five designers were convened and through six intensive weeks of design research and experimentation, they identified and explored new possibilities and uses for the biomaterial of their choice.

As transitory as trends may be, they always have a way of coming back. We see it all the time in fashion, with clothing pieces we thought were long gone coming back in style and reconquering the market. Interior design is no exception. Although this century has set the ideal on subtle sophistication and simplicity – with white surfaces, clean lines and slick gloss finishes –, bold retro enhancements are reviving in residential and commercial interiors. Whether in the form of vibrant colored walls, floors with intricate geometric patterns or vintage-looking furniture pieces, there seems to be a renewed appreciation for design elements inspired by trends from the second half of the 1900s, particularly from the 50s to the 80s.

+ 17

Recreating the artist studio in an exhibition has always been a challenge for curators and exhibition designers––bringing in the right amount of “mess,” intricately revealing the workings of artistry, and maintaining the visual coherence are all boxes to be checked while letting the audience behind the curtain. Kazuko Miyamoto: To perform a line, Japan Society’s survey of the artist’s five-decade career in sculpture, drawing, and performance solves this challenge in ways that are both practical and poetic.

+ 5

World Architecture Festival will take place in Lisbon, from the 30 November – 2 December 2022. This year’s WAF theme is ‘Together’. Festival speakers and participants will be invited to consider how architecture is responding to the renewal of collective life post-pandemic, and in the light of commitments to combatting climate change.

Museums are vital sources of knowledge, housing some of the most significant works of architecture in history and bringing learning closer to the curious minds who experience them. On May 18, International Museum Day was celebrated with various activities taking place across some of Mexico's most representative venues. Because the country's cultural wealth deserves ongoing celebration, we have compiled a selection of iconic museums where art and architecture merge to define unique spaces. What are your favorite museums in your city?

The National Ideas Competition for the Todos Hermanos (Fratelli Tutti) Themed Promenade was organized by the Merlo chapter of the Association of Architects of the Province of San Luis. The objective was to create an open public space for reflection on peace and fraternity, addressing themes such as overcoming social, cultural, religious, and environmental conflicts. At the same time, the space will support recreational, cultural, and leisure activities, landscape contemplation, and other programs that engage the public.

The Central Society of Architects (SCA) and the Association of Architects of the Province of Buenos Aires (CAPBA) organized the National Ideas Competition to develop a Rail Cultural Hub. The project includes a new General Railway Archive (AGF), a branch of the National Railway Training Center (CENACAF), and new facilities to protect records and showcase the historical and cultural heritage of Argentine Railways (Ferrocarriles Argentinos).

Architect Jimena Hogrebe presents “Architectural Embroidery,” an intimate project that explores the possibilities of representing and understanding architecture through the boundaries of other disciplines, framing it as a multifaceted and diverse activity. Embroidery is an ancient technique that demands abstraction and a clear understanding of what is being stitched. Above all, however, it is about pausing in time. Much like hand drawing, it connects the hand with the brain, linking reflection with memory to record and interpret architecture through an alternative narrative.

+ 41

More than ever; today a trip to a hair or beauty salon has become a much-needed escape time. It promises an ultimately uplifting and relaxing experience with an aesthetically pleasing result. However, this affair, like many others, depends on a catered physical setting; a space that’s efficient design can make or break one’s leisurely time. Many spatial considerations have to be taken while setting up a successful and functional beauty shop, and there are no better examples to consider than the quaint Japanese beauty salons. 

+ 18

Like a beautiful painting, windows showcase interiors and frame landscapes that connect users to the outside world, directing our eyes to what really matters. But besides framing views and facilitating visual communication, windows serve multiple essential functions that make them vital components in any project. They illuminate homes with sunrays, provide natural ventilation, filter light, insulate from cold and heat, block water and ensure protection. As most design professionals would agree, glazing also plays a crucial aesthetic role; its materials, style and dimensions certainly make a significant difference in the appearance of facades and spaces.

The Danish Architecture Center (DAC) has opened its latest exhibition titled "Women in Architecture", which showcases the contributions made by female architects across the years. The exhibition highlights women in architecture across time, age, and geography, and explores projects designed by Danish architects such as Hanne Kjærholm, Karen Clemmesen, Lene Tranberg, Dorte Mandrup, and others, along with installations by international architectural studios such as Tatiana Bilbao Estudio, Helen & Hard, and Ensamble Studio.

+ 33

Google’s first ground-up campus, designed by BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group and Heatherwick Studios in collaboration with Google’s design and engineering teams, opened in Silicon Valley. The campus’ mission is to create a human-centric design for the future of Google’s workplace and set new global sustainability standards for construction and office design. The site aims to operate entirely on carbon-free energy by 2030; it integrates the most extensive geothermal pile system in North America and is net-water positive. The campus also includes 17 acres of high-value natural areas, including wet meadows, woodlands, and marsh.

+ 6

The 13th edition of the Architecture Biennial, organized by IAB-São Paulo, will open on May 27. It emerges from a reality of intense transformations brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic worldwide, which demanded major efforts to reorganize urban, social, and professional dynamics for survival. 

Travessias (Crossings), the theme of this edition, recognizes that the pandemic reinforces socio-spatial inequalities that were already established, not only in Brazil but globally, understanding that these structures undergo physical and symbolic fragmentations rooted in violent processes of colonization and historical erasure. As a result, they trigger numerous manifestations of oppression – such as racism, sexism, ableism, and coloniality – in Brazil and other territories. 

The hammock swaying on the balcony, the sunlight passing through the pierced elements in a dance of light and shadow, the vibrant color marking the spaces and bringing life, these are some of the characteristics present in the daily life of the works of the quartet that form Lins Arquitetos Associados.

+ 5

Humans try very hard to make the inexplicable understood. Our spirituality becomes religion. Fairness becomes law. And what delights us becomes aesthetics, and aesthetics are dumbed down to “style” in fine arts and architecture. The description, then definition, of aesthetics enables us to judge, and hopefully, control what thrills us: "Styles may change, details may come and go, but the broad demands of aesthetic judgement are permanent". -- Roger Scruton

But the instant delight we sometimes feel when we hear, taste, think or see parts of our experience is unreasoned in its apprehension. We try to create value in our outcomes by defining them beyond experience – that is aesthetics.

Just like much of popular culture, for most of the twentieth century, architectural media relied on magazines sold at newsstands and supermarkets. Through them, readers discovered what was being built, tracked technological innovations, and, to some extent, popularized architectural discourse, taking it beyond the academic and elitist confines of universities and conferences. With the rise of the internet, the format of this information shifted, finding new ways to reach the public. Social media and specialized websites became crucial channels for sharing information and services, expanding public access to architectural issues. Today, every major social network hosts profiles dedicated exclusively to architecture, tailoring their content to each specific platform.

+ 2

From April 21 to June 19, the PUCP Architecture Archive presents “José García Bryce: Recollections for a History of Peruvian Architecture” at the PUCP Cultural Center. This exhibition approaches the work of Peruvian architect José García Bryce through seven of his creations, arranged in a chronological narrative that offers insight into the evolution of his thought.

+ 11

Wooden floors bring warmth, personality and style to any interior space, whether old or new. Rustic and elegant, wood also has excellent thermal properties, a pleasant temperature to the touch, and can even improve the acoustics of a space by absorbing sound waves. They are also highly durable and resistant to daily use. It is therefore no surprise that they are one of the favorite and most coveted materials for residential interiors. Wooden flooring is also very visually appealing, with a huge amount of variations possible in its design. Pieces can vary greatly depending on which part of the trunk they come from, even if they are from the same manufacturer and tree species. Colors and designs also vary according to different tree species, from light yellows to dark browns, with infinite possibilities. In addition, it is possible to create various types of patterns when laying the floor, according to the dimensions of the pieces used and the desired effect for the space. See below a selection of wooden floors in Architonic catalog.

Videos

The practice of frequenting public baths was common in civilizations such as the Greeks, Persians and Byzantines, but it was the Romans who popularized their use as places of socialization and purification. These bathrooms were communal and people sat side by side in a collective latrine. The modern bathroom, more similar to what we know today, began with Sir John Harington and his invention of the first flush toilet in 1596. Another crucial advance occurred with Alexander Cummings in 1775, which included a siphon within the toilet to retain gases and odors. But it was only when houses were equipped with running water and effective drainage in the second half of the nineteenth century that the modern private bathroom emerged: a bathroom, a sink and a bath place, which can be a shower or a bathtub. The basics have remained almost unchanged since then, with a few cultural variations in different parts of the world.

These days, the bathroom is a space that goes far beyond its function. With numerous options on the market, it can be designed with the most diverse aesthetics in mind, become a space for relaxation or a design statement in an interior design project.

On the occasion of UNESCO’s International Day of Light, The Daylight Award has announced the 2022 Laureates; Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara of Grafton Architects for their architecture, and Anna Wirz-Justice for her research. The winners were commended for their continuous exploration and prominent humanistic spirit regarding the celebration of daylight in their respective practices, allowing it to celebrate and enhance the quality of life.

+ 13

Architecture firm HENN has broken ground on the new Zoomlion Headquarters. The building is envisioned as the central feature of the Smart Industry City, an industrial park in the High-tech Zone of Changsha City, Hunan Province, China. HENN has envisioned the construction machinery manufacturer’s headquarters as a gathering place that will concentrate most of the social activities happening on the site. The building will house office spaces, a museum dedicated to the company’s history, a canteen, a data center, training and research areas, and sports facilities.

+ 4

Addressing themes involving memory, oblivion and gender, the Argentinean visual artist and muralist, Mariela Ajras, displays her art on the walls of numerous cities around the world such as Barcelona, Valencia, Salamanca, Mexico City, Bogota, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, among many others. With a background in psychology, she has participated in different urban art festivals, exhibitions, fairs and public art projects, one of the largest murals in the city of Buenos Aires being the one she developed for the project "Corredor de la Memoria", commemorating the 25th anniversary of the AMIA bombing.

With José Antonio Corrales and Ramón Vázquez Molezún, a situation quite common in Spanish architecture post-1950 is repeated: the lack of international projection of talented architects, largely due to the absence of theory. Apart from that, an intrinsically mysterious and enigmatic character pervades their work, deeply reinforced by the attitude of these architects towards it. They never stopped to explain it. They were never interested in providing it with a theoretical foundation. All this makes it extraordinarily difficult to understand their architecture, leaving many questions unanswered, open only to the interpretation of those who pause to reflect on them.

Corrales and Molezún have collaborated together on numerous projects sine 1952. They were very different people. José Antonio used to define himself as a "more rigorous person", while Ramón was closer to the "gaie", with a lighter, almost romantic touch. Their duo could be incarnated, respectively, as the two lobes of the brain: the left hemisphere, visual, verbal, linear, controlled, dominant, quantitative, etc. in Corrales; while the right, spatial, acoustic, holistic, contemplative, emotional, intuitive ... perhaps more accurately represents Molezún. One more couple to the long history of creation: Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, ...

The planning and design of mixed-use neighborhoods and individual mixed-use developments are on the rise. Many of the places we frequent most feature a variety of programs, bringing many of life's daily conveniences to one place. But mixed-use spaces do more than just create a diverse array of experiences in cities- they might also help contribute to lower crime rates.