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.
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.
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.
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AXOR Starck. Image Cortesia de AXOR / Hansgrohe SE
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.
Institut Mines-Télécom, Paris-Saclay by Grafton Architects. Image
On the occasion of UNESCO’s International Day of Light, The Daylight Awardhas 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.
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.
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.
Cortesía de Colegio Oficial de Arquitectos de Madrid [COAM]
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, ...
Neighborhood Next / 15 Minute City by Gehl Architects. Image Courtesy of 3XN
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.
Museums play a key role in the preservation and dissemination of culture and knowledge. They can exhibit works of art, documents, photographs, historical artifacts or even plants and trees. Although today there are entirely virtual exhibition spaces, the primary functions of traditional museums are the conservation and protection of objects, which are invaluable due to their historical relevance, rarity or market value. From simple “Do not touch” signs to tape, security guards, or glass displays, each object receives a type of protection that is in accordance to its needs. These types of protection, in turn, must consider both the safety of the object, whilst also allowing for its appreciation and conservation, creating a controlled environment for the exposed object that preserves it indefinitely.
Defining spaces in apartments is a challenge often imposed by their limited footprints. To address this, many projects utilize metal framing and custom furniture to delineate areas, connecting the architectural program through visual permeability while allowing natural light to flow throughout the home.
https://www.archdaily.com/1123613/metalwork-elements-as-room-dividers-in-brazilian-apartmentsArchDaily Team
Aiming to give more to our users and from three different- yet united- perspectives, Designboom, Architonic, and ArchDaily which make up DAAily platforms, will be providing visitors of Milan Design Week 2022 an exclusive selection of inspiring architecture and design highlights via two inclusive guides. The DAAily fair guide and DAAily city guide will serve as the best example of what the power of the three provides to creatives during one of the biggest design events of the year.
Aiming to give more to our users and from three different- yet united- perspectives, Designboom, Architonic, and ArchDaily which make up DAAily Platforms, will be providing visitors of Milan Design Week an exclusive selection of inspiring architecture and design highlights via two inclusive guides. The DAAily Milano Fair Guide and DAAily Milano City Guide will serve as the best example of what the power of the three provides to creatives during one of the biggest design events of the year.
Just like hospitals and medical offices, dental clinics are places that tend to bring anxiety and anguish to patients, reactions that can be intensified in an unfriendly and unwelcoming environment. White and neutral environments can bring the notion of asepsis and hygiene, essential requirements for hospital architecture. However, the lack of welcoming elements, such as the use of warmer colors and materials, may also be responsible for causing a certain distance between professionals and patients, in addition to reinforcing the stereotypes attributed to dental clinics.
After radically transforming the world of design and production in sectors such as automotive and aerospace, robotics is now entering the construction sector. That is why École des Ponts ParisTech, a leading French engineering school founded in 1747, preparing future leaders, civil engineers and researchers, has developed a new training curriculum.
Following the devastating explosion that took place on August 4th, 2020, Studio Etienne Bastormagi, along with Nada Borgi and Sandra Richani of Hatch Architects and Planners have designed a modular public installation for the historic Sursock Museum in Beirut, Lebanon, a structure that was heavily impacted by the explosion and is currently undergoing renovations. Titled "Diving Board", the installation creates a new link between the museum and visitors by opening up the structure’s gated esplanade, creating a new interchangeable public space within the culturally-rich district.
Offering productivity levels 50% higher than previous models, HP introduces its new range of large-format printing solutions, HP Latex. The series consists of four devices—the HP Latex 700 and 800, and the HP Latex 700W and 800W—bringing white ink printing capabilities to this category for the first time. Print jobs run on this new series will not only deliver brighter colors and finer details, but will also do so at even faster print speeds, reaching up to 36 m2 per hour.
Ennead Architects has unveiled the Shanghai Lingang Special Area master plan, a new hub for global commerce. Designed around the central axis that defines the Dishui Lake district in Shanghai, the master plan establishes the identity of a new business district. Designed as a free trade zone, this is planned to attract prominent international companies. The site's design proposes functional areas where multinational corporations can optimize business operations while creating open spaces for the surrounding communities. Ennead’s large-scale plan includes four commercial buildings, retail, civic and open spaces.
Housing will always be a theme and challenge for architects. Thinking about it in a way that serves the entire population, including the most precarious contexts, is one of the most complex, and perhaps impossible, tasks to be fully consolidated. Each place and family will always place different priority points on a project, which is why resorting to a standard solution is not ideal. However, several proposals present intervention possibilities that create an intricate seam between the most different factors: basic infrastructure, program, self desires, aesthetics, budget. For this reason, we have gathered here some Brazilian examples of affordable housing, ranging from a single-family house to large residential blocks.
Louvre Museum Pavilions / France . Image Courtesy of Studio Malka Architecture
Housing objects of artistic, cultural, historical and scientific importance, the term ‘museum’ is derived from the Latin language. In regards to classical antiquity, in Ancient Greek ‘mouseion’, meaning ‘set of muses’ was a philosophical institution, a place for contemplation and thought. These muses refer to the 9 muses in Greek mythology, the goddesses of the arts and sciences, and patrons of knowledge. Early museums’ origins stem from private collections of wealthy families, individuals or institutions, displayed in ‘cabinets of curiosities’ and often temples and places of worship. Yet these ‘collections’ are predecessors of the modern museum, they did not seek to rationally categorize and exhibit their collections like the exhibitions we see today.
In definition, the modern museum is either a building or institution that cares for or displays a collection of numerous artifacts of cultural, historical, scientific or artistic importance. Through both permanent and temporary exhibits, most public museums make these artifacts available for viewing and often seek to conserve and document their collection, to serve both research and the general public. In essence, museums house collections of significance, whether these be on a small or large scale.
Cities play a fundamental role in the search for solutions and policies to mitigate the problems driving global climate change. Today, urban areas account for more than 70% of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions—one of the main causes of the greenhouse effect and its consequences for the environment and human life.
Chinese Champs-Élysées, named Xiangxie Road. Image by MNXANL, via Wikipedia. Licença CC BY-SA 4.0
CopyCat is the act of emulating something that's already been created and using it in a different context. Copycats can exist in music, arts and design; but they are not exactly a design inspiration or a style reference, but rather a literal copy with almost no modification of the original work.
In architecture, it is as if you were inspired by an emblematic work from another space-time and placed it somewhere unconnected with the original roots of the work-style.
Urban planning is of interest to everyone, but it is no subject for novices. With this in mind, Arquicast invited professionals who contribute directly to the field through extensive research and practical experience for a conversation. Joining the podcast are Roberto Ghidini, an engineer, urban observer, founder of Sociedad Peatonal, and PhD in Urbanism from UPM (Polytechnic University of Madrid); and João Flávio Folly, an architect with a Master’s in Urbanism from UFF and currently a PhD candidate in Mobility and Urbanism at PROURB/UFRJ.
.jpg?1652479150 "The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum / New York . Image © Laurian Ghinitoiu")
