In times of pandemics, such as the one we currently face with COVID-19, quarantine is a vital measure to mitigate risks to the public and prevent overloading the healthcare system. During these periods of confinement, it is common to reassess our habits and question the way we live. As architects, one of our profession's key challenges is to design spaces that satisfy basic human needs while also catering to individual specificities, ensuring that homes can accommodate everything required for daily life for an indefinite period.

The Council of Architecture and Urbanism of the Federal District – CAU/DF will release a series of posts on its social media channels featuring essential information for architects, urban planners, and other professionals working on construction and renovation sites who, for some reason, cannot temporarily halt their work.

Although construction is primarily based on technical principles, which at first glance seem to follow only pre-established designs and specifications, there is a deeper dimension related to the nature and essence of the materials used. These materials do not only perform a utilitarian function; they also transcend their mere purpose, evoking the notion put forward by Pablo Neruda: "There is a rigor in materials that limits excessive whim and the struggle to infuse them with humanity."

Among the range of existing materials, there is perhaps none as universal as brick. Its versatility and aesthetic honesty have made it a widely used resource in the construction of diverse spaces worldwide. Within Chilean architecture, the broad possibilities this material offers have been highlighted, having been exceptionally utilized by numerous architects. Furthermore, it has gained renewed relevance in architectural discourse, as exemplified by the book "Arcilla. Materia y Obra en Arquitectura." This is reflected throughout the history of Cerámica Santiago and its joint collaboration with the Faculty of Architecture and Art at UDD to promote the Brick Architecture Prize.

Design, Art, and Culture at Pavão 2023

The 26th National Congress of Architects, hosted by the Colegio de Arquitectos de Chile (CA), will hold its opening session on November 30. Centered on the theme "Past and Present Challenges for the Future," the event will take place in Concepción, the city that hosted the first National Congress of Architects in 1950.

The call for academic papers for the upcoming 21st issue of rita_ journal is now open. Submissions in Spanish or Portuguese are invited from faculty, graduate students, and professionals holding a master's or doctoral degree.

The historic drought affecting the Amazon region has revealed four archaeological sites in the state of Amazonas, three of which were completely unknown and are of great importance. The National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (Iphan) has implemented an emergency action plan, involving inspections and educational initiatives in partnership with various public agencies and social organizations, including the Soka Institute of the Amazon, which voluntarily dedicates itself to the preservation of local cultural and environmental heritage.

Designing and constructing homes is a complex process involving a variety of factors. Within this process, considering the various design elements is essential—including underlayments, ceilings, partitions, claddings, structures, and facades—alongside selecting the right materials for each. This choice must align with user preferences as well as indoor and outdoor conditions, prioritizing durability, energy efficiency, and aesthetics.

To simplify the design process, Volcan develops Volcanboard fiber cement building solutions for different construction elements. Available in a variety of thicknesses to adapt to various applications, these fiber cement boards stand out for their fire and moisture resistance, as well as their long-term durability and versatility. Below, we explore various applications of Volcanboard in residential design.

“The development of this book was motivated, among other factors, by the following: initially, by my own twelve-year tenure at the SCEE (School Building Construction Society), during which I had the opportunity to meet José Aracena, who passed away in 1971; subsequently, by a desire to explore the life of Gustavo Mönckeberg, father of fellow architect Hernán Mönckeberg Barros, who served as president of the SCEE from 1969 to 1970 and kindly provided me with the remnants of his father’s archive; and finally, by the goal of documenting their complete and valuable body of work—spanning residential, civil, educational, religious, and funerary architecture—while tracing the natural evolution of the masters who preceded them in the city's development.” - Alfredo Jünemann Gazmuri, 2021.

As part of an initiative by the ISAD School of Architecture and Design in Chihuahua, the Taller del Desierto (Desert Workshop) has been running for several years, fostering various projects to stimulate student learning. For this edition, a pavilion was built, conceived as an assembly of pieces with a theatrical narrative. This pavilion was created as a collaboration between ISAD and Teatro Bárbaro, a local independent cultural forum led by Luis Bizarro. Consequently, the pavilion was designed to serve as a traveling venue for performances created or adapted specifically for this space, which consists of pieces designed during the four-week summer workshop in 2023.

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All Brazilians working in the management, preservation, appreciation, and promotion of Cultural Heritage can apply for the Rodrigo Melo Franco de Andrade Award. Organized by the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (Iphan) since 1987, this is the largest national award in the field of cultural heritage and aims to recognize those working to preserve the country's cultural assets.

The Brazilian Association of Architectural Offices of Rio Grande do Sul (AsBEA-RS) has released more than 40 hours of videos on its YouTube channel, featuring lectures and discussions on BIM, sustainability, technical standards, and other architecture-related topics.

About 14% of the population of Porto Alegre, nearly 200,000 people, live in favelas, classified by IBGE as "subnormal agglomerations." These residents typically lack guaranteed property rights and do not have access to basic public utilities and services such as sanitation, drainage networks, or street lighting. Around 4,000 people experience homelessness. The city's public transit system, which carries over 20 million passengers per month, is facing the worst crisis in its history, with unsustainable operations. Our public spaces are dominated by cars, whose drivers enjoy the privilege of parking for free on public streets. Dumpsters, which are meant to receive only organic waste and non-recyclables, end up filled with all kinds of trash, undermining proper waste collection in the city.

The São Paulo Department of the Institute of Architects of Brazil (IABsp) has made a series of videos of lectures, classes, and debates available on its YouTube channel. The videos cover topics such as urban mobility, architectural heritage, design competitions, urban policy, housing, environmental sanitation, and exhibition design.

Considered landscape landmarks due to their imposing dimensions, gasometers emerged during the Industrial Revolution and were present in many cities around the world, accompanying their urbanization process. With shifts in gas generation and distribution during the second half of the 20th century and the emergence of new technologies, gasometers were gradually decommissioned. Although many have been condemned to demolition in recent years, many also still remain within the urban fabric, standing as testaments to an industrial past. Their potential for architectural, artistic, and landscape interventions prompts us to question what possibilities lie ahead for their future.

We invite you to participate in the 2020 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 significant projects built in Portuguese-speaking countries over the past year. There are only a few days left in the nomination stage, which will select the 15 finalists from over a thousand projects.

Remember, registered users can nominate their favorite project once per day. The nomination stage ends on Tuesday, March 24 at 11:59 PM (Brasilia time, GMT-3). Thank you once again for helping us democratize architecture.

In an interview with ArchDaily, architect Gui Mattos discusses the beginning of his career in Ubatuba, on the northern coast of São Paulo, and his current projects across various scales, ranging from high-rise buildings to product design. Best known for his residential designs, Mattos heads his namesake firm, which features a team of over 25 architects.