From October until November 24, 2023, the Mugak International Architecture Biennial of the Basque Country will take place. Now in its fourth edition, the event brings together a wide range of open, free activities across San Sebastián, Bilbao, and Vitoria-Gasteiz under the theme “rebuild, reinhabit, rethink,” encouraging debate on the impact of architecture within the context of today's multidimensional crisis—encompassing its environmental, economic, and social responsibilities, as well as its capacity for transformation and care. 

Atrium Ljungberg unveiled Stockholm Wood City in Sweden, the world's largest urban construction project in wood, and in Norway, just four years ago, Voll Arkitekter completed the Mjøstårnet Tower on Lake Mjøsa, one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world at 18 stories. On the other side of the planet, the Tamango project by Tallwood Architects is an example of the challenges and opportunities of wood construction in Chile, as it could become the first 12-story building with a prefabricated wood structure in Latin America. Meanwhile, in Peru, the Construye para Crecer project by Poggione+Biondi Arquitectos won the XIX National Architecture Biennial 2022 with a residential complex to be built mainly of wood. Nearby, Uruguay recently concluded its social housing in wood competition, paving the way toward innovation in social interest architecture. Furthermore, in 2020, Vicente Guallart won an international competition to define the standards for the buildings of a new city in China. The project, titled The Self-Sufficient City, was already a design that materialized a new urban model in wood across four city blocks.

Across the globe, sustainability and innovation in construction are constantly evolving, and wood structures are presented as a promising option. ArchDaily presented The Future of Wood as its monthly topic, opening up a discussion to explore and hear predictions and thoughts from our readers regarding the future of this material in architecture and urbanism. Is wood the key to a more sustainable and livable urban future? Or are there challenges we must address before embracing this trend? What are the implications for architecture, cities, the economy, and the environment?

The winners of the XXII Bienal del Colegio de Arquitectos de Nuevo León in Monterrey have been announced. Under the theme "Coherence," this edition's discourse proposes establishing dialogues and expressions to recognize the correct expressive and material act of architecture in practice. The biennial seeks to acknowledge how both architectural objects and urban projects operate under the following categories: social coherence, ethical coherence, strategic coherence, participatory coherence, productive coherence, and material coherence.

Launched in 2023 and developed by the Technological Center for Innovation in Construction (CTEC) and the Chile Green Building Council, the P+ Material Passport for Construction Platform enables the registration, characterization, and traceability of building materials and components throughout their lifespan.

Traditionally made of wood, the pergola can also be constructed from materials such as concrete, bamboo, and metal sheets. The spacing and arrangement of its horizontal elements vary across different projects, providing shade tailored to the specific needs of the space without necessarily forming a fully covered roof.

An exhibition by British-Indian artist Anish Kapoor will inaugurate one of São Paulo's largest contemporary art spaces. Located in the Cidade Matarazzo complex, Casa Bradesco de Criatividade will host the exhibition starting in September 2021.

As part of the UIA2020 Congress activities, the Institute of Architects of Brazil, in partnership with CAU/BR, will produce a publication featuring Brazilian architecture and urbanism projects aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in an effort to showcase sustainable architectural and urban planning practices.

With the rapid acceleration of the climate emergency and the consolidation of an urbanized planet, the challenge of transforming cities and metropolitan areas into more inclusive and sustainable environments depends on reducing the negative impacts of transportation. Shortening the distances traveled by residents, bringing homes closer to work and opportunities, promoting the shift from private motorized transport to active or public transit modes, and creating more plural and democratic territories are the outcomes of policies aligned with addressing 21st-century global challenges. Implementing the necessary transformations across urban territories on a global scale, while also considering local particularities, is an even greater challenge—yet a vital one for a more sustainable future.

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The latest video produced by Building Pictures features a project by the Portuguese firm CREA, which includes the renovation of the Bom Sucesso School, the construction of a multi-sports court, and a new kindergarten. The film begins by contextualizing the school within the urban fabric. The project is located right in the center of a densely populated area, where the sounds of traffic and the city's frantic bustle can be heard.

Chiloé as a starting point. From here, translocal phenomena, driven primarily by sea, served as the catalyst for sculpting the southern Patagonian cone—across both Chile and Argentina—by Chilote hands during colonial times. A hybrid people of Indigenous and European descent, whose geographic and political-administrative isolation forced them to rely on the self-construction of their settlements, the cultivation and gathering of their own food, and the making of their own clothing—all from the resources available within their archipelago. Out of this emerged the unquestionable Chilote ingenuity—a skill set highly sought after in territories that, during the colonial period, were being forged under the Chilean state. Consequently, it is easy to recognize the creative hand of the Chilote people in the architecture of the southernmost towns.

Chiloé, in southern Chile, is a place where architecture is a tangible expression of history, culture, and the natural environment in which it sits. Its urban identity is unique, as are its inhabitants, featuring everything from the iconic colorful stilt houses suspended over the water to the wooden churches designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites. 

Inspired by this rich architectural heritage, Castro Abierto was created—a festival that brings together architecture, landscape, and local communities to connect and promote the diverse expressions of Chiloé's archipelagic culture. 

Discouraging the use of private cars is a crucial step in addressing climate change, improving air quality, and reducing traffic collisions. Cities must find ways to curb traffic and prioritize human well-being, while also considering the environmental and social impacts of automobile use by offering transportation options that generate lower carbon emissions.

Recently, low-emission zones (LEZs) have become a popular strategy in several cities worldwide. The measures implemented in these areas effectively reduce car dependency by offering cleaner, more affordable, and accessible transportation alternatives.

The exhibition "Engine of Equality: La Residencia de Señoritas (1915-1936)" will be open until October 15, celebrating a unique, iconic, and pivotal institution in promoting equality in Spain. It is housed in the Ortega-Marañón Foundation's recently opened cultural space—an expansion at the rear of the central "casa" in Madrid that joins the historic 1930s building designed by Carlos Arniches on the corner of Miguel Ángel and General Martínez Campos streets.

Architects and urban planners across the country will participate in a national election this Monday and Tuesday, October 16 and 17. More than 200,000 professionals in the field are set to choose 402 state councilors for the Councils of Architecture and Urbanism of the States and the Federal District (CAU/UF) and 28 federal councilors for the Council of Architecture and Urbanism of Brazil (CAU/BR) – one from each Federative Unit plus one representative of Higher Education Institutions (IES).

The Council of Architecture and Urbanism of Santa Catarina (CAU/SC) has announced the results of the design competition for the partial renovation of its headquarters. Acquired last year, the six-story building is located on Rio Branco Avenue in Florianópolis, and its main spaces—such as the atrium, reception, and facade—will be renovated according to the winning design.

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The update to Porto Alegre's Master Plan is currently underway. Much has been said about the city's future, but what can we learn from the past to foster greater dynamism, walkability, and quality of life for its citizens? After all, a more inviting city retains and attracts talent, driving innovation and wealth. In this article, I look back at the most significant moments in Porto Alegre's urban evolution, dividing them into four major periods.

In the hyper-tech twenty-first century, urban North America is largely a service economy. New York City, for example, is currently dominated by a mix of high-end financial services, technology, and other specialized professions, while lower-skilled work is concentrated in tourism, food delivery, and other service-sector jobs. Manufacturing jobs, where they exist, persist as a legacy of strictly industrial zoning. Agrarian land uses, such as "urban agriculture," are almost non-existent—an esoteric hobby for foodies.

The concept of "truth to materials" is a maxim cultivated within architecture as a way to preserve the comprehensibility and function of the components that make up buildings. Although it dates back to when modernist discourse guided practical application, this approach persists in various contemporary projects for a wide range of reasons, from a nod to historical continuity to the expressive possibilities that raw materials bring to built environments.

For Caetano, true joy lies in the appropriation of the square, not the ballroom. However, this interpretation of Brazil's greatest cultural manifestation is not unanimous.

When samba emerged, between the 1900s and 1910s, Rio de Janeiro's official Carnival took place on Avenida Central and was geared toward the elite, following Belle Époque standards. Black, mixed-race, and impoverished residents were barred from the central streets during the festivities. Conversely, the Carnival of favela residents took place in backyards, terreiros de santo, and during feijoadas hosted by the “Tias Baianas”. It was a music of improvisation and challenge in rodas de samba. Nonetheless, despite the prohibitions, many residents from the morros (hillsides) and samba musicians defied the established order and marched in blocos through the city's central streets, earning significant prestige in their home communities.

Inverted beams, as the name suggests, differ from conventional ones due to a shift in position. Instead of the typical arrangement where the beam sits below the slab, the beam is positioned above it. In other words, its base, which usually hangs below the level of the slab, is aligned with the slab's underside. Formally, this strategy creates the illusion of a continuous, beam-free span when viewed from the building's interior.

Developed for the student competition Temporary Housing for Refugees, the following project—designed by Rodolfo Cavalcanti and awarded second place— seeks to offer a solution to the challenges arising from the migratory flow between Brazil and Venezuela through a proposal based on modularity, reproducibility, and cost-efficiency.

Learn more about the project and read the description provided by the author below:

Soccer stadiums are much more than mere venues for sports; they are true cultural icons that house the passion of fans and the history of the clubs they represent. However, the impact of these spaces goes beyond the stands and the pitch. It also involves the backstage, where a dedicated team of professionals works tirelessly to ensure matches run smoothly. It is crucial to recognize that the built environment of these stadiums plays a critical role in the quality of life and mental well-being of these workers.

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Casa da Arquitectura and Hinterland are organizing the Por Exemplo meeting on October 13, bringing together 10 practices of young Portuguese and Spanish architects aged 45 and under for an exchange of ideas, methods, and work processes.

There is a generation of young architects who have been developing their work in a stimulating international context, driven by the pressure of the tourism market. Despite their brief experience, these professionals have mastered digital tools, but they navigate a highly competitive and continuously accelerating world.

The Municipality of Valle Viejo and the Ministry of Housing and Urbanization of the Province of Catamarca, alongside the Catamarca Association of Architects (UAC), launched the "Regional Ideas Competition for the Revitalization of the Historic Center of Valle Viejo in Catamarca." Home to the department's main institutions, the historic center is organized around General San Martín Square, which is framed by the San Isidro Labrador Parish, the Valle Viejo City Council, and the Gobernador José Cubas School.