Honduran architect Angela Stassano is contributing to Central America's architectural landscape with her applied research regarding bioclimatic designs. Based in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, her projects draw from local heritage techniques to address the needs of hot, humid tropical environments. Stassano has developed her expertise through over 30 years of hands-on research, culminating in a bioclimatic architecture guide that outlines her methods for construction in this region. One of her most notable projects, Las Casitas, is a residential complex that embodies this research. The project includes multiple energy-efficient tropical houses that harness the local climate, resulting in low energy and operational costs.
Recognized for completing 36 distinct yet cohesive public projects across Mexico in just 36 months, Colectivo C733 showcases the impact of collaborative design on public spaces and communities. The 36 projects were part of a national effort to revitalize vulnerable urban and rural areas in Mexico, earning them the 2024 Obel Award focused on the theme of "Architectures With". The team behind the designs, Colectivo C733, is a collaborative group formed by the joint offices of architects Gabriela Carrillo (Taller Gabriela Carrillo), Carlos Facio, and José Amozurrutia (TO), along with Eric Valdez (Labg), and Israel Espin. In a recent conversation with ArchDaily's Editor-in-Chief, Christele Harrouk, the collective discussed their approach to public architecture, the process of integrating diverse voices, and remaining flexible to the challenges of local conditions.
The Chicago Architecture Biennial (CAB) has announced its sixth edition, marking the tenth anniversary of the renowned event, to take place from September 12, 2025, to February 28, 2026. The event will be titled CAB 6: Shift: Architecture in Times of Radical Change and will be directed by Florencia Rodriguez, an esteemed architect, writer, and educator. As the first female Latin American Director to lead CAB, Rodriguez brings a fresh perspective to the Biennial, which is set to continue its tradition as North America's largest exhibition of contemporary architecture, held biennially in Chicago.
"One of the first hits I got when I was googling about female architecture was a high-rise building in Australia, whose architects said that they had been inspired by Beyoncé's curves when they built it," exclaimed the Dutch architect Afaina de Jong in her last talk for TEDxAmsterdamWomen in 2021. "I mean, really? Her body? Beyoncé? Of course, she is amazing, but to translate her body literally in a building… Is that female architecture?", she continued indignantly.
De Jong is the founder of AFARAI studio, where she works with an interdisciplinary methodology combining theory and research with design. She considers her studio as "a feminist practice that encourages change on social and spatial issues and that accommodates differences," so Afaina is likely familiar with the concept of 'intersectionality'.
