While high expectations build up during the development of an architectural project—which often represents the realization of a professional dream or a new home for a family—and even though, despite careful planning, countless unforeseen issues and headaches can arise during construction, after weathering endless estimates, schedules, and delays, once construction is complete and the property is occupied, it usually feels as though the journey has finally come to an end.

However, even with the work seemingly finished and a sense of accomplishment, architects and clients will likely still need to align on certain points or address issues that crop up along the way. In light of this, what are the architect's responsibilities once the owners occupy the property?   

Twenty-one years after the passage of the federal City Statute (Estatuto da Cidade)—which regulated the “Urban Policy” chapter of the Brazilian Constitution, leading to the formulation of several master plans for 21st-century cities with more than 20,000 inhabitants and, now, the opportunity to revise many of them—it seems timely to tune our radars to a highly relevant topic for all cities, and one we have consistently struggled to address: our sidewalks!

I am referring to various aspects of their use and purpose, their regulatory mechanisms, their maintenance, and their design... Let us look at them.

To promote the use of wood in the construction of mid-rise social housing, the winners of the international competition "Wood: Innovation for Social Housing" have been announced. Organized by the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning (MVOT) and the National Housing Agency (ANV) in Uruguay, with support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the participation of the Municipality of Durazno. Much like previous wood competitions, such as the one focusing on single-family housing typologies, the goal is to promote the development and implementation of innovative timber construction systems. This approach improves climate comfort and energy performance while reducing environmental and economic construction costs.

Waffle and ribbed slabs are highly efficient systems for spanning large distances. The T-shaped section formed by the flanges and ribs functions as a network of beams, reducing the number of support points required compared to a solid slab. Although lightweight or insulating materials can be used to fill the voids formed by the grid, these slabs are often left exposed and unfilled, lending a distinct aesthetic quality to the construction system.

Humans have mastered ceramic manufacturing for about 15,000 years. Even today, it remains a widely used material in fields such as civil construction, crafts, and even high-tech industries. Because they are durable, cost-effective, and offer an immense variety of dimensions, patterns, and finishes, ceramic tiles are extremely popular finishes. Versatile, they can be used on horizontal or vertical surfaces, indoors or outdoors, in wet or dry areas. They are produced from a mixture of clay and inorganic raw materials; after being dried and fired at high temperatures (above 1,000 °C), the pieces acquire waterproof, easy-to-clean surfaces with a wide range of finishes and colors. 

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Stairs often become a fundamental element of a project. Beyond resolving vertical circulation, they can take on a sculptural role within the space and serve other functions, such as creating seating areas, bringing necessary light to other levels, acting as storage, and offering new perspectives of the architecture itself as one moves through it. Since addressing this component is not always an easy task—often requiring creative solutions balanced with user safety—we have selected 15 staircases designed by Brazilian architects to serve as inspiration for your next project.

To meet daily needs and ensure domestic routines function smoothly, the interior and exterior spaces of a home require certain fixtures and furniture—no matter how minimal or essential they may be. In many cases, selecting and designing the furniture that will complement the architectural project is relegated to a post-construction phase and, typically, left to the clients themselves.

However, for some architects, furniture design is considered an integral part of the project. Capitalizing on the plasticity and malleability of certain materials, they choose to integrate interior furniture directly with the architecture. In their designs, benches, shelves, and countertops merge with the spatial language, unfolding sculpturally to extend the surfaces of floors, walls, and partitions.

Mexico City-based firm LOCUS, in collaboration with Studio Météores and Philippe Rahm Architectes, has been awarded fourth place in the single-stage international competition for the renovation of the National Museum of Carthage for its project titled "Byrsa, Topographies of an Act of Reparation." The Ministry of Cultural Affairs of the Republic of Tunisia announced the results of the competition, which was organized by the UIA, the OAT, UNESCO, Expertise France, and Patrimonie 3000.

The BIM (Building Information Modeling) methodology is revolutionizing the construction sector, and with it, the role of the BIM Manager. This professional is responsible for managing the building process using BIM, from initial sketches to project completion.

A BIM Manager's career path can vary based on education, experience, and professional goals. However, in general, BIM Managers tend to follow a similar career trajectory. 

Organized by the Central Society of Architects, the call for entries has been launched for the National Ideas Competition for the Saldías District, in collaboration with the Secretariat of Urban Development of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires and sponsored by the Argentine Federation of Architect Organizations (FADEA). Promoted by Autopistas Urbanas S.A., the competition aims to secure urban design proposals to transform and renew the site located in the decommissioned section of the Illia Highway, along with its immediate urban surroundings.

The word "deck" originated in the English language to refer to a ship's deck. Today, the term is used to describe outdoor surfaces made of wooden planks that may or may not surround pools, hot tubs, and soaking tubs. These design options can be highly diverse—so much so that a new approach has emerged in the market as a growing trend: the wet deck.

Throughout 2019, the Minas Gerais-based architecture collective Micrópolis partnered with Museu Paulista and SESC Ipiranga to carry out the project Refundações [Refoundations]—a series of public programs that create new readings and meanings for the museum's collection, based on the desires and demands found in the urban practices of contemporary activists and thinkers in São Paulo.

The City of Florianópolis organized an initiative on the Hercílio Luz Bridge that uses comparative photos to show the space occupied by different modes of transportation carrying the same number of passengers. Led by the Institute of Urban Research and Planning of Florianópolis (IPUF) and the Municipal Secretariat for Mobility and Urban Planning, the initiative is part of the Ponte Viva (Living Bridge) Program.

The right to fully experience urban space and all the possibilities it offers has always been a distant reality for the vast majority of Brazilians. Recently, however, we seem to be drifting further and further from this reality. There is a sense that every day we witness more threats to the population's right to the city, ranging from fundamental issues, such as the freedom of movement in São Paulo, to symbolic dimensions like the presence of low-income populations in wealthy neighborhoods, as seen in Salvador. We must speak openly about these threats and name them as such (words have power!), while also imagining pathways for confrontation and political resistance. What is on the horizon at the start of 2020?

Artist André Chiote has shared his latest series of illustrations with us, this time portraying the Art Deco and modern architecture of Goiânia. Commissioned for the 31st Brazilian Congress of Dermatological Surgery, organized by the Brazilian Society of Dermatological Surgery in the state capital, Chiote's illustrations use the colors of the official congress logo to represent some of the most celebrated landmarks of Goiânia's heritage.

During architectural training and practice, we encounter countless examples of works that, for a wide variety of reasons, have shaped the history of the discipline. These examples become major references in an architect's repertoire, shaping how they view and design architecture. However, understanding a place is incomplete without experiencing it in person; therefore, when traveling, we seek out iconic works to enrich our perspective.

Yet, these works are not always easily accessible or close to established itineraries, which can turn the quest to visit them into true pilgrimages.

Courtyards are open-air areas located inside buildings, with their perimeters defined by walls or galleries. These outdoor yet contained spaces often play a crucial role in configuring and organizing the floor plan. In some cases, they function as a central lung, organizing the surrounding spaces along their perimeter. They can also be designed to organize circulation flows or as articulating elements, simultaneously connecting and separating different areas of the project.

One of the oldest building materials, stone has endured throughout architectural history due to its strength and durability. Frequently used in protective structures such as fortifications and walls, stone has also historically served as the foundation for a variety of buildings—including residential ones, where it has been employed since the earliest shelters.

The municipality of Rio do Antônio, located about 700 kilometers from the capital of the state of Bahia, still retains remnants from the era of slavery in Brazil. This period left deep marks that remain visible in the town's daily reality, including its architecture.

Few materials respond as well to a multiplicity of uses as wood. It ranges from the smallest decorative objects to the structural elements of high-rise buildings, bringing a distinctive character to architectural designs when left exposed. Its rich variety of tones, densities, and patterns, combined with its organic nature, make wood a unique and singular element that instantly lends warmth, coziness, and hospitality to any space.

African countries have issued a stark joint declaration calling on major polluting nations to help poorer countries develop without further destroying the planet's climate and ecosystems, as wealthy nations did. They advocate for a global carbon tax as the primary mechanism to enable sustainable investment in vulnerable countries.

This year will be pivotal for climate action. The growing impacts of climate change — from floods and droughts to hurricanes and heatwaves — are causing profound damage to human lives and economies around the world, especially in vulnerable developing countries with few resources to protect themselves.

Currently, climate actions are not even close to what is needed to keep global warming below the 1.5°C threshold and avoid the worst of these impacts — countries must significantly accelerate their efforts to get on track. The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that actions taken this decade will have impacts "for thousands of years."

As part of an initiative by Tec de Monterrey, this year's first prize for the 215th Traditional Sorteo Tec features a residential project designed by Mexican architect Cristina Grappin. With this home, the university raffle of Tecnológico de Monterrey furthers its support for the Líderes del Mañana (Leaders of Tomorrow) program, an initiative aimed at driving change, social mobility, and the development of outstanding young scholars.

Smart Cities, or smart cities, are increasingly in the spotlight, yet we can hardly describe exactly what they are.

Are they cities that manage to adopt, in a decentralized way, the array of new urban service apps from various providers that are increasingly present in our daily lives?

Or are they those that hire a major corporation to manage and monitor all urban services from a massive, centralized command center?