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 Spanish Council of Architects (CSCAE) has announced a design competition for the comprehensive renovation of its headquarters, located at 12 Paseo de la Castellana in Madrid. Submissions are open until February 21 of this year. The competition will be held in two phases, with the goal of selecting a proposal that reflects the institution's identity while providing a friendly, environmentally sustainable office environment. The design should accommodate both institutional and office work alongside teleworking, utilizing warm and welcoming materials and textures.

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On December 29, 2022, the regional governor of the Metropolitan Region, Claudio Orrego, announced an investment of 7.7 billion Chilean pesos (9.4 million USD) for the construction of the Mapocho Pedaleable y Caminable Urban Promenade. The announcement is part of a public space recovery initiative and the master bike path plan promoted by the Chilean capital's regional government.

Starting in February, Instituto Inhotim will offer free admission on the last Sunday of every month. This promotional initiative is sponsored by B3 (the Brazilian Stock Exchange) and will run through 2024.

The first free-admission Sunday will be February 26. Currently, free admission is offered on the last Friday of every month, except holidays.

Marina Otero will give a lecture on Monday, January 16, at 6:00 PM as part of the XXII Chile Architecture and Urbanism Biennial: 'Vulnerable Habitats.' The event will take place in the temporary inflatable structure designed by Smiljan Radic at Plaza Bulnes, Santiago.

I am a software engineer (commonly called a programmer). Creating software involves many different roles. Different companies have different roles and different names for them, but it typically involves software engineers, product managers, and UX (user experience) designers.

Each role has its own strengths and its own responsibilities. Product managers identify user needs and dictate what we should build. UX designers determine the look and feel of the product — the layout, different screens, copy, images, branding, etc. Software engineers handle the actual implementation: they solve the technical problems required to build the product.

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The architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AECO) sector plays a highly significant role in global energy consumption and CO2 emissions, accounting for approximately 40% of the total. In Brazil, buildings (residential, commercial, and public) consume roughly 50% of all supplied electricity, while the cement, metal, and ceramic industries account for about 10% of the country's final energy consumption. Compounding this, the country faces a severe housing deficit of over 6 million homes, alongside a well-documented infrastructure deficit that must be addressed in the coming years.

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For architects and urban planners, perhaps the most difficult part of the city development process is dealing with the political strategies used in issues that, to us, should be purely a matter of urban planning. In the past, we imagined that cities were created and transformed solely through the architect's design, even though we knew that multiple forces have always been at play. In the case of Inhoaíba, located in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro, the forces beyond architects and urban planners are, unfortunately, far more present than we would like, which has prompted me to write this piece.

On Wednesday, January 18, 2023, at 7:00 PM, the exhibition "Sara Topelson: Architecture and Life in Diversity" opened at the María Luisa Dehesa Gómez Farías Gallery of the Faculty of Architecture of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). The event marked the culmination of the 2022 Federico E. Mariscal Extraordinary Chair, which celebrates the outstanding career of architect Sara Topelson.

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The 27th edition of FEICON will take place from April 11 to 14 at the São Paulo Expo in São Paulo. Widely considered a premier platform for business development, professional growth, and networking within the industry, the fair will feature a series of new developments and a 50% increase in the number of participating brands this year.

Following a diagnostic assessment in the previous issue regarding the severe housing deficit affecting our country, issue #47 of the Association of Architecture Offices (AOA) magazine presents a proactive vision, offering proposals to address this situation through practical approaches and effective actions.

"We don't want to see the final image of your projects; we want to know how you create them."

Profine Iberia - KÖMMERLING, a leading manufacturer of PVC window systems, in collaboration with the Green Building Council España (GBCe) and the Zero City Project, is launching the 1st KÖMMERLING Challenge Architecture Award. This initiative aims to recognize architecture firms that strive to innovate their work methodology to prioritize sustainability across all their projects.

Registration for the 5th Tomie Ohtake Design Award, aimed at university students and recently graduated professionals from all fields, has been extended until February 16. The initiative has established itself as the leading Brazilian design mapping award, welcoming multiple languages due to its transdisciplinary nature and avoiding rigid categories, as it encompasses projects of diverse natures.

Within the scope of construction, a budget is a technical planning tool that forecasts project expenses, combining materials, labor, monthly overhead, and indirect costs. Nevertheless, many risk starting a build without a detailed budget, often falling into the traps of an unplanned project—which is invariably more expensive and time-consuming than anticipated.

In civil construction, a budget is a document that outlines all the services to be executed during the project, totaling the necessary materials and required labor. In addition, the budget can factor in fixed monthly operational costs, such as utilities, or include an extra percentage for contingencies.

Structural design is predicated on ensuring the stability of a proposed building based on the chosen materials and construction techniques. To do so, calculations must account for different types of loads, such as the self-weight of the materials, the building's use, and its occupancy patterns, which are classified as either variable or permanent.