EJI-PATER II | Meeting of Young Researchers in Heritage and Territory Studies

This workshop is not only a great opportunity for professionals and students from various fields interested in Technical Assistance for Social Interest Housing (ATHIS), but it is also the first in a series of workshops across several states aimed at expanding the ATHIS Network, which began in São Paulo with the "Vivência em ATHIS para Melhorias Habitacionais" course. This network seeks to promote this practice, facilitate information exchange, and provide support to those involved through the "Arquiteto de Família" (Family Architect) methodology.

Text by Henry Heng Lu

By Henry Heng Lu

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This workshop is an excellent opportunity for professionals and students from various fields who have an interest in Technical Assistance for Social Interest Housing (ATHIS).

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The course is structured around visits to contemporary architectural works in the city of São Paulo, always accompanied by the architect who developed the project. A public inaugural lecture will be held to present the course and explain the dynamics of the visits. The selection of works to be visited is based on the following criteria: location, scale, authorship, and use. Each visit includes discussions on topics related to the day-to-day realities of architectural practice, education, new technologies, work processes, and the project's relationship with the city.

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The Brazilian firm Vigliecca & Associados, led by Uruguayan architect Héctor Vigliecca, in partnership with the Colombian firm Ensamble de Arquitectura Integral and architect Luis Fique, has been named the winner of a competition organized by Compensar, a Colombian social welfare organization, in collaboration with the Universidad de los Andes for social housing in Bogotá. Discover the winning proposal below.

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The escalating use of air conditioning is pushing urban temperatures to unprecedented heights. In highly populated nations like India, China, Indonesia, Brazil, and Mexico, major urban centers are becoming virtual ovens. At the same time, heat absorbed by buildings is re-released into the environment, driving local temperatures even higher. This outdoor heat, in turn, triggers demand for more air conditioning, creating a vicious cycle that increases both energy consumption and atmospheric carbon emissions.

In response to this feedback loop, UNStudio partnered with Swiss paint specialists Monopol Colours to develop “The Coolest White”—an ultra-durable coating that protects buildings and urban structures from excessive solar radiation, thereby mitigating the urban heat island effect. Darker materials used in urban construction are a primary driver of urban heat accumulation. These materials absorb up to 95% of solar radiation, re-releasing it directly into the atmosphere, whereas standard white surfaces reduce this absorption to 25%. Now, The Coolest White lowers this absorption and emission value to a groundbreaking 12%.

Tracing the development of Chinese civilization reveals a journey that moves from the lower reaches of the Yellow River upstream. Journeying backward from Beijing of the Ming and Qing dynasties, through Luoyang of the Sui and Tang, to Xi'an of the Qin and Han, one eventually reaches Qin'an—the site of an 8,000-year-old prehistoric civilization. Recently, the Qin'an Archives, designed by WEISHE Studio, broke ground in this historic and cultural city, celebrated as the birthplace of the mythological figures Fuxi and Nuwa. The new facility will not only preserve county records and archives but will also serve as a public cultural hub, integrating research, reading, cultural exhibitions, and academic exchange.

Recently, HASSELL was invited to participate in the master planning and landscape design competition for this site, reimagining it as Hefei Central Park while preserving the memories of its past. Ultimately, HASSELL's proposal was selected as one of the two winning designs. The jury commented: "HASSELL’s proposal features a well-structured urban design framework, and the treatment of the interface between the park and the city is particularly striking. The skeletal road network is highly feasible, and the internal circulation system is thoroughly designed. While the runway is preserved intact, its potential for future adaptation is enhanced. Additionally, the 'Green Ribbon' concept at the intercity transit node is highly distinctive." 

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