This guide covers a workflow that moves from project parameters to generated floor plans, 3D perspective views, exterior design exploration, and site context visualization, using AI tools in place of preliminary CAD and rendering work.

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The Mexican Association of Urbanists, through its Tlaxcala chapter, called for entries for the Conceptual Preliminary Design Competition for the "Parque Integral Zahuapan 10." The competition was aimed at multidisciplinary teams in the fields of architecture and urban planning, with the goal of presenting proposals and conceptual ideas to develop a park along the banks of the Zahuapan River and revitalize its surrounding areas.

This week, we feature job openings at two Shanghai-based design firms: ARIZON Design and atelier tao+c. Specializing in different scales and themes, both practices are active across various architectural sectors and are looking to recruit like-minded architects to join their teams.

Choosing high-performance BIM software is key to developing efficient projects by automating tasks that traditionally consumed time in conventional design workflows—such as documentation, calculations, analyses, and other repetitive processes.

At the time of writing this article, Brazil is facing the most severe humanitarian crisis in its history—not merely a “health crisis,” as is commonly described. By April 30, 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic had claimed 411,854 lives in the country, and only in recent days has the moving average of deaths begun to cool down once again—after reaching a peak of 3,125 in April.

Epidemiologists, microbiologists, and infectious disease specialists note that the impact of the pandemic on Brazilian cities is highly idiosyncratic: each has unique conditions to consider before we can attempt any generalizations. Furthermore, underreporting is estimated to be high (with actual cases potentially being ten times higher), a figure that also varies from city to city. Nevertheless, with these caveats in mind, what does the overall picture reveal? 

“How much does a subway line cost?” is a question frequently asked when discussing high-capacity rapid transit solutions for Brazilian cities. However, the cost of implementing rail projects varies enormously across different global geographies.

For example, a rail line in New York costs about twenty times more per kilometer than one in Seoul, reaching a budget of $6.4 billion for a segment of just 2.6 kilometers in the second phase of the Second Avenue Subway in northern Manhattan. Geographical factors, or even the high built density of the American metropolis, are insufficient to explain such a massive disparity in construction costs.

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Receiving architectural recognition typically reflects best practices. This is the case for Niro Arquitectura + OAU, who have won the Building Of The Year 2021 award in the commercial architecture category with the Gramalote Market Square. This demonstrates that this pair of young Colombian practices is on par with internationally renowned firms such as Álvaro Siza, MVRDV, Heatherwick Studio, or Foster + Partners.

As a member of the Urban Design Expert Committee of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, I strongly urge an immediate increase in architectural and urban design fees. This is a matter of utmost urgency, for several key reasons:

 1. The current fee structure is a relic of China’s era of rapid, large-scale incremental construction, when design work focused primarily on spatial capacity and fees were strictly tied to project scale. Today, however, almost all cities have entered the era of existing urban stock. Moving forward, as the focus shifts to urban renewal, design work can no longer be mass-produced. Instead, architects must tackle an immense volume of bespoke, custom-tailored projects. Consequently, traditional fee metrics are completely out of sync with the actual workload;

 2. The flaw in traditional fee calculation methods is that when project scales shrink and design complexity increases, the upward adjustment coefficients for fees remain far too low. This is especially true for small-scale projects and renovations, which are incredibly time- and labor-intensive. Architects are essentially working at a loss, driven solely by passion. This leads to the absurd reality where years of design fees might not even equal the cost of a single tree. It is truly tragic when human value is deemed worth less than material objects;

 3. While the state encourages urban design—the essence of which is fostering urban diversity—achieving diversity requires architects and urban designers to invest significantly more time and labor into custom, site-specific solutions. Without a fee mechanism adapted to this level of customization, how can we support their creative work? While passion might sustain a single project or a brief moment, only a proper mechanism can ensure fair and sustainable practice. The so-called "cookie-cutter" urban landscape is, in reality, the product of a cookie-cutter fee structure.

In short, transforming Chinese cities begins with raising design fees!

ArchDaily is working with CityMakers to publish a series of articles, conversations, and interviews with the various actors in urban co-production behind the Barcelona CityMakers Lab 2021, an event taking place from November 8 to 12.

Outbreaks of contagious diseases can exert a long-term influence on urban design—many have undeniably shaped the way modern cities look and operate. Parks, wide streets, and even the bathrooms in our homes are a significant legacy of past cholera outbreaks. Today, these features are so deeply embedded in our daily lives that they are considered basic elements of modern cities. Over generations, cities have recovered from the initial shock of contagion and rebuilt public trust after periods of uncertainty.

The project “Artificial Topographies: Between the Real and the Unreal” by the architecture studio Ciudad Portátil won the 2021 CLAP Ibero-American International Design Awards for best commercial exhibition or ephemeral architecture design. This temporary intervention arose from the need of a group of students at Corhuila University to carry out practical labs for their Topography course, since these activities were restricted to the university campus for biosecurity reasons—specifically, in this case, on a concrete slab within the sports complex.

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Construction shores, which typically support formwork for pouring concrete, have been used to structure a temporary chapel in Bogotá. These elements, usually relegated to construction processes, combine with zinc sheets and exposed structural trusses to define the project's spatial experience. Designed to be mobile, the chapel can be easily disassembled, ensuring its components can be reused in future projects.

Discover the project, born from a collaboration between SCA and Colab-19, designed to meet the desire of Bogotá's faithful to celebrate Easter.

The restoration, rehabilitation, and recognition of urban rivers and canals must be integrated into state and federal policies, going beyond the mere practical use of the resource. In many developing nations, including Mexico, water-related challenges are heavily concentrated in cities, driven by the haphazard urban growth of recent decades.

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Redecorating the Oval Office is not just a statement of presidential taste; yet, as all spaces reveal principles that extend far beyond the visual, it is ultimately a statement of control. It is here that the president meets with international dignitaries and addresses the cameras to deliver messages of great importance, which is why he (or, one day, she) does not want it to look as though their predecessor still claims ownership of the space.

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#Anodized Aluminum Panels
In recent years, anodized aluminum panels have emerged as a prominent material, utilized across numerous interior and exterior architectural projects in China. Anodized aluminum features six key characteristics: 1. Metallic Appearance, protected by a transparent anodic oxide film, the natural, soft metallic texture of aluminum is fully preserved; 2. Workability, anodized aluminum features exceptional workability, as well as outstanding forming and bending capabilities; 3. Surface Consistency, across diverse architectural forms, anodized aluminum panels maintain a highly uniform color; 4. Corrosion Resistance, the anodization process generates a dense oxide film on the metal surface, providing superior corrosion resistance and enhancing structural hardness and strength; 5. Weatherability, the static-free surface does not attract dust, making it easy to clean and maintain its pristine, like-new appearance even after repeated washing. This ensures the building facade stands the test of time; projects completed with anodized aluminum 40 years ago still look as good as new today; 6. Sustainability, functioning as an environmentally friendly material classified as Class A non-combustible.

#Almeco Anodized Aluminum Panels
Almeco is a global expert in pre-treated aluminum surfaces, offering a range of innovative anodized aluminum products for interior and exterior curtain walls and decoration. Their unparalleled metallic texture, rich colors, and excellent workability bring new vitality and artistic form to interior and exterior architecture, turning every building into a unique work of art. Consequently, Almeco has become the material of choice for renowned architects such as Jean Nouvel, Thom Mayne, MAD, and UNStudio.

Organized by the Jujuy Association of Architects and sponsored by the Argentine Federation of Architects' Organizations (FADEA), the National Ideas Competition for the Former Penitentiary Site in the city of San Salvador de Jujuy is based on reimagining a new purpose for this walled, self-contained architectural and urban complex. Once located on the city's outskirts, the site now occupies a central position within the urban fabric. The goal is to transform it into an urban element that revitalizes and links degraded sectors.

The jury awarded first prize to architect Edgardo Barone, alongside collaborators Valentín Augusto De la Fuente, Juan María Mandalari, Joaquín Mortatti Perez, and Tomas Smachetti, and traffic engineering consultants Eng. Tomás Daels and Eng. Franco P. Di Biase. Discover the project below.

No País dos Arquitectos is a podcast created by Sara Nunes, who also runs the architectural film production company Building Pictures. The podcast aims to profile the professionals, projects, and stories behind contemporary Portuguese architecture. With just over 10 million inhabitants, Portugal is a highly compelling country in this professional field, with an architectural output that punches far above its demographic or territorial weight.

In this week's episode, Sara talks with architect Paula Santos about the Colégio Efanor, Campus II project, located in Senhor da Hora. Listen to the interview and read the transcript of the conversation below:

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We invite you to participate in the 2021 Obra do Ano Award. In its fourth edition, we are giving our readers the responsibility of recognizing and rewarding the projects that have made the greatest impact on the profession. By voting, you become part of an unbiased network of jurors recognizing the most relevant projects built in Portuguese-speaking countries over the past year. There are only a few days left to close the nomination stage, which will select the 15 finalists from more than a thousand projects.

Remember, registered users can nominate their favorite project once a day. The nomination stage ends on Tuesday, March 23 at 11:59 PM (Brasília time, GMT-3). Thank you once again for helping us democratize architecture.

The “Faro Verde” Provincial Ideas Competition, organized by the College of Architects of the Province of Buenos Aires / District 8 (CAPBA) and promoted by BAHMS S.A. (a member of the Faro Verde Group), sought proposals for a new mixed-use building featuring housing, offices, retail, and parking in the city of Tandil, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.

The jury awarded first prize to architects María Cristina Carasatorre and Luis Federico Risso, alongside collaborating architects Emilio Beilinson, Enrique Nakano, and Ms. María Sol Villaverde, with structural engineering consultation by engineer Alejandro Nico. Explore the project below.

On August 30 of this year, a new speed limit of 30 kilometers per hour came into effect in Paris, France. Making streets safer, quieter, and less polluted are among the measure's goals. While it may seem too slow to many, the initiative has been paved gradually. The 30 km/h limit already applied to about 60% of Paris and now extends to cover almost the entire city. In addition, Paris has been implementing measures to restrict car use on certain streets for several years, while simultaneously expanding pedestrian-only zones.

More than a year has passed since the pandemic imposed a new routine and atypical safety protocols on the world. A survey by NZN Intelligence, in partnership with the Estadão Summit Mobilidade Urbana, shows that 45.3% of people in Brazil have changed the way they get around since then.

Avoiding crowds led 40.2% of respondents to increase their use of private cars and 31.6% to travel more on foot or by bicycle, reflecting a global trend toward promoting active mobility.

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Over the years, driven by research that has brought once-neglected and marginalized issues to the fore, the debate surrounding self-construction and migratory processes has become increasingly vital for exploring the social phenomena reflected in the architecture of underserved, commonly termed "irregular" areas. While a clear polarization remains regarding what a living space should or should not be, we must observe what already exists—not only to contribute to the discussion but, above all, to listen and learn.

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.

The European Award for Architectural Heritage Intervention, organized by the COAC (Architects' Association of Catalonia) and AADIPA (Association of Architects for the Defense and Intervention in Architectural Heritage), has announced the shortlisted works in Category A (Intervention in built heritage) and Category B (Outer Spaces).

The finalists and winners will be announced on June 17 during the 5th International Biennial of Architectural Heritage Intervention.

"Domingos Libro" is hosted by Carmelo from Enorme Studio, where every two weeks, he delves deeply into forgotten architectural publications, books, and architectural magazines from the '60s, '70s, and '80s that carry the most interesting stories behind them.

This latest episode focuses on the 1989 double issue 181/182 of the Catalan magazine QUADERNS, specifically examining an unfinished house by Paco Alonso, an architect from the Madrid School who never completed any of his works and was once dubbed "The Builder of Ruins" by a colleague.