With the goal of getting to know the architects, projects, and stories behind landmark Portuguese architecture, Sara Nunes, from the architectural film production company Building Pictures, launched the podcast No País dos Arquitectos, where she speaks with leading names in contemporary Portuguese architecture.

In this week's episode, Sara speaks with architects Susana Rosmaninho and Pedro Azevedo, from the studio Rosmaninho + Azevedo, about their project for the Tua Valley Interpretive Center, located in Carrazeda de Ansiães. Catch up on other interviews from the podcast No País dos Arquitectos and read the transcript of the interview below.

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Bakeries are timeless. While industrialization and commercialization have transformed the art of baking and baked goods, bakeries remain important community spaces for gathering and defining neighborhood identity. These iconic spaces are still defined by a common programmatic understanding that combines areas to gather, socialize, shop, and work. Found across cultures, they are diverse as they are functional and expressive.

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Sergei Tchoban (b. 1962, Saint Petersburg, Russia) graduated from the Repin Institute for Painting, Sculpture and Architecture at the Russian Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg in 1986. He started his practicing career in Russia but left for Germany in 1991, becoming a managing partner of nps tchoban voss in Berlin in 1995. Since 2006, he also heads SPEECH, one of the leading architectural offices in Moscow. Apart from building his successful career of a practicing architect, he is a collector of architectural drawings, publisher, and museum owner.

In describing the process of spatial structuring in the city of São Paulo, Professor Flávio Villaça notes that its growth between the construction of the São Paulo Railway in 1867 and the early 20th century was predominantly geared toward the bourgeoisie. At the time, the working classes did not yet constitute a significant market for urban land.

Del Libertador Avenue—which starts in the Retiro neighborhood of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires and ends 35 kilometers later at the San Fernando Canal, north of Greater Buenos Aires—is set to become a pedestrian, cyclist, driver, and public transit-friendly space. The proposal aims to reclaim pedestrian spaces, incorporate one-way bike lanes on each side of the avenue, install bus boarding platforms, integrate new tree species along the route, and implement new technologies to improve vehicular circulation.

On December 13, the groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) building, one of the first projects to kick off the transformation of the hospital campus into a new "research city" concept, designed by architecture firms BAAS Arquitectura and Espinet / Ubach.

Imagine if a few years ago you woke up to the news that someone paid more than one million dollars for three plots of digital land next to famed rapper Snoop Dogg’s digital mansion. You’d probably ask yourself, “What is digital real estate, and why would someone pay for that?” Over the past year, there’s been a rush to buy properties, art, and land- but all of it exists in a virtual world called the metaverse. Although this world existed long before the pandemic, lockdowns propelled the online world to a new level, catching the attention of private buyers and brokerages alike who began to funnel tier money into this augmented reality. But how did this world emerge, what does the future hold, and can anyone join the virtual world?

This article was written by Julia Mingorance, Senior Workplace Consultant at CBRE and alumn from the Master in Strategic Interior Design at IE School of Architecture and Design.

More than 500 days ago, our whole world was turned upside down and our way of life changed overnight. We were forced to stay at home and work away from the physical office, in a purely virtual collaboration.  In general, companies were surprised to maintain the same levels of productivity and results during these months—many even predicted the end of the office. As the health situation has started improving, a lot of companies have returned to the office, experimenting with different flexible models combining remote work and in-office days. The normalization of remote work means that many organizations see it as an opportunity to reduce office space and therefore, save costs.

The classic concept of estimating m2 for an office is being challenged completely. New variables are appearing in the equation and these are increasing uncertainty about just how much office space is needed. 

Seven years after the inauguration of Bosco Verticale in Milan, Stefano Boeri Architetti presented a video documentary of Trudo Tower, the first Vertical Forest in social housing. The 19-storey residential tower, which is built in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, features hundreds of various species on each of its four facades, with 125 affordable apartments that accommodate low-income residents. The miniseries consists of 3 episodes that explore how "living in contact with trees and greenery - and enjoying their advantages - is not the prerogative of rich people but could well become a possible choice for millions of citizens around the world.”

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Videos

Valentino Gareri Atelier has been selected to design the pilot project for a circular economy village model that aims to redefine urban sprawl through sustainability and diverse programming. Comprising eight residential hamlets with co-working and entertainment spaces, The Spiral Village will be created using emerging 3D printing methods and will foster circularity through a waste-to-resources hub, a diverse regenerative agricultural system, a sustainable water management system and renewable energy.

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It could be said that one of the main aspects to take into account when designing a swimming pool is the choice of colour for the coating. The light, the shadows, the depth, the environment and the elements that surround it are variables that directly affect the final tonality of the water. The effects of artificial and/or natural lighting also determine the final aesthetic, because if it's located outdoors, reflecting the sky, it will create a different effect than if it's located indoors, where the ceiling would influence its colour. 

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced last week that the current and former sites of Terminals 1, 2, and 3 on the south side of John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens will be redeveloped to make way for a $9.5 billion international terminal that will be built out in phases beginning next year. With the first of its 23 gates anticipated to go live in 2026, the 2.4-million-square-foot new Terminal One will rank as the largest at JFK and, per a news release from the Governor’s Office, “aspires to be among the top-rated airport terminals in the world.”

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ITTI | High Tech Institute aims to pioneer BIM specialization, providing the knowledge to manage projects through its renowned "Learning By Doing" methodology. Its training programs equip BIM managers with the necessary resources to address complex issues from an innovative and revolutionary perspective.

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As summer approaches, so does the desire to enhance our homes' outdoor spaces. Whether for sunbathing, enjoying the breeze, or gathering with friends, areas like patios, backyards, and balconies can be highly versatile depending on how they are occupied. With this in mind, we have compiled some essential tips to help you make the most of these spaces. 

With the aim of getting to know the architects, projects, and stories behind landmark Portuguese architecture, Sara Nunes, from the architectural film production company Building Pictures, launched the podcast No País dos Arquitectos, where she speaks with key figures in contemporary Portuguese architecture.

In this week's episode, Sara speaks with architects Pedro Domingos and Pedro Matos Gameiro about the design of the Grândola Municipal Library and Archives in southern Portugal. Revisit previous interviews from the podcast No País dos Arquitectos and read the transcript of the interview with Domingos and Gameiro below.

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'Heritage and Modernity’ is the main theme of the Euskadi International Architecture Biennale / Mugak 2021 — one of the most significant architectural events in northern Spain. Within this framework, architect and economist Francisco Mangado participated prominently at the Bibat Museum in Vitoria-Gasteiz with a discussion on his architectural work, and we took the opportunity to interview him to learn his views on the subject.

Homeowners in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, will begin paying a “climate tax.” With this revenue, the city council will invest in environmental solutions to improve residents' quality of life and help the city reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Videos

The Second Studio (formerly The Midnight Charette) is an explicit podcast about design, architecture, and the everyday. Hosted by Architects David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet, it features different creative professionals in unscripted conversations that allow for thoughtful takes and personal discussions.

A variety of subjects are covered with honesty and humor: some episodes are interviews, while others are tips for fellow designers, reviews of buildings and other projects, or casual explorations of everyday life and design. The Second Studio is also available on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube.

This week David and Marina are joined by Steven Ehrlich, FAIA, RIBA and Founding Partner of Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects to discuss his working as an architect for the Peace Corps in Morocco, his architecture office in Los Angeles, Julius Shulman, his work, current challenges in the profession, and more.

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Richard Rogers, the fourth British architect to be awarded the Pritzker Prize, has passed away at 88 on Saturday, December 18, as reported by The New York Times.

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There are countless possibilities when designing the transition between public and private spaces. In residential architecture, the landscaping of the main facade plays a key role in this regard. By integrating different elements such as vegetation, paving, steps, and even artwork, it is possible to create a composition that not only highlights the architecture but is also generous to the public space.

The rapid growth of Brazilian cities without adequate oversight by public authorities has resulted in a series of problems stemming from a lack of decent housing. Since the 1980s, grassroots community associations and academics have joined forces to pressure the government into developing housing policies that would not only construct new homes and neighborhoods, but also secure other fundamental rights, such as healthcare and education. Today, forty years after this initial push, we observe a lack of public housing policies across all three levels of government targeting the most vulnerable populations, even as we see a growing popularization of Technical Assistance for Social Interest Housing, known as ATHIS.

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In September of this year, the BANGA Group launched a competition to design the next Cabana de Arte. Open to students and recent architecture graduates in Angola, the competition sought proposals for an exhibition space dedicated to the work of Angolan artist Muamby Wassaky, who explores elements of traditional construction to create sculptures and installations.

First place went to architect Aquitofel Mananga, a recent graduate of the Methodist University of Angola. The winning proposal, titled M.Seque, draws on everyday and suburban references to design the space dedicated to Wassaky's work. Read the project description, submitted by the architect, below.

Founded in 2004 by then-architecture students Carlos Maia, Débora Vieira Mendes, and Igor Macedo, Tetro Arquitetura boasts a portfolio that spans projects across much of Brazil, yet maintains a remarkably cohesive approach. In the view of some architectural critics, the formal and conceptual identity defining the firm's work is driven in part by the influence of the Brazilian modernist tradition. But is this actually the case? This and other questions are explored in this casual conversation with the unconventional trio from Minas Gerais.

Videos

This video follows Hiba Bhatty, an architect at Valerio Dewalt Train in Chicago, through a day on the job. The daily activities of an architect can sometimes seem mysterious. This is likely due to the fact that no day is really “typical.” Designing buildings goes through multiple phases, each with very different responsibilities.