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The room built for workers to "rest"—as current discourse attempts to camouflage the origin and meaning of the well-known "service room," "maid's room," or "storage room" typically located next to the service areas of contemporary homes—holds a historical, cultural, social, and economic significance within today's context that is rarely questioned.

Many of us agree with Roman Mars of 99% Invisible when he says that we "tend to not notice things that are well-designed"—yet we also agree that design is often considered a privilege for the few. Consequently, we must ask ourselves what truly constitutes democratic design, using this reflection to help define and contribute our vision toward a more equitable society.

From the perspective of architecture and design, democratization can be examined from several angles, ranging from debates on addressing everyday needs to strategies for inclusive design. At the core of these discussions lies a shared goal: finding ways to improve accessibility and livability in our daily lives.

Is it truly possible to design for everyone? And if so, how do we achieve it? We posed this question to you, our readers, in an open call. After reviewing the vast number of responses from industry professionals, students, and architecture enthusiasts, we were struck by a common thread: we not only experience design directly or indirectly in our daily lives, but we also need it to dismantle stereotypes and paradigms. Read a selection of these perspectives below.

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Is there a future for our cities if we do not transition to a sustainable way of life? For some time, urban sustainability has adopted a perspective focused more on climate change than on a holistic vision that incorporates society and the way we live in community.

What new ways of living are we experiencing amidst social, economic, and ecological shifts? Ultimately, we must bring to the table examples from different parts of the world to understand the latest trends in how we live in our cities.

We want to hear from you—not only about examples of co-living, cooperatives, and any new type of social housing you consider a benchmark, but also your thoughts on the matter. Selected comments from the form below will be published in an upcoming article.

99+Imaginaris invited renowned architects from around the world to speculate on the future of Barcelona. Within the context of the Model Festival, curators Eva Franch i Gilabert and Josep Maria Montaner, alongside the design, coordination, and exhibition design by the Enric Miralles Foundation, brought together a wide-ranging series of sketches, ideas, visions, and models—from an edible Barcelona by Areti Markopoulou to a Barcelona of inflection points by Zaida Muxí.

The resulting exhibition catalog is a diverse archive of drawn manifestos—a document that allows us to review and debate future ways of living in the city. The curatorial text for 99+Imaginaris, along with the individual visions of its contributors, is presented below.

What does sustainable landscaping in Brazil entail? What is truly important within our environmental reality? Written in accessible language and grounded in both science and practice, this book seeks to understand the past and present while envisioning the future, exploring paths toward these answers. Developed over the course of seven years, it is a work for professionals, enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the subject.

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Technical expertise is best discussed on the construction site!

Born on July 17, 1897, Julia Guarino Fiechter became the first woman to earn an architecture degree in Uruguay, in 1923. Although she was originally from Éboli, in the Italian province of Salerno, she grew up and spent her entire professional life in Uruguay. After graduating from the Faculty of Architecture at the Universidad de la República, she also worked as a draftsperson and educator.

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The Albert Einstein Education and Research Center, the first project in Brazil by Safdie Architects, is nearing completion. Scheduled to open this August, the building—which features spacious garden courtyards that create an urban oasis in the southern zone of São Paulo—will house a new medical school and research facilities for one of the country's most advanced healthcare institutions.

Brazilian architects Mário Rubem Costa Santana and Rafael Lamary Silva Santos received a special mention in the Children's House competition in Senegal, organized by the Kaira Looro organization. The competition sought proposals for a "space aimed at preventing child malnutrition" in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The 13th International Architecture Biennial enters its final week of activities—ending on Sunday, July 17—and brings very special attractions for those who have already visited or have yet to experience the Biennial.

Between July 8 and 17, the event features debates, conferences, short film screenings, a cycling tour, and much more, in this first in-person edition since the pandemic. The exhibition has been running since May 27 at Sesc Avenida Paulista and Centro Cultural São Paulo. 

National Public Architectural Design Competition for Social Interest Housing

The use of bicycles in urban areas has been steadily increasing. Health, leisure, cost savings, convenience—there are numerous reasons and benefits driving this choice. However, for people to choose cycling, a fundamental factor must be met: safety during the ride, which is primarily provided by bike paths and lanes. To highlight this, we present a ranking of which Brazilian capitals prioritize cyclists and the quality of their routes, fostering the construction of a better city through active mobility.

Approximately half of the children and young people between five and 14 years old killed in traffic worldwide are pedestrians, and nearly one-third are passengers in motorized vehicles. In Brazil, traffic is the leading cause of unnatural death for children in this age group. According to data from the Brazilian Association of Traffic Medicine, between January and August 2021 alone, the Unified Health System (SUS) recorded more than 6,000 children and youth hospitalized in serious condition due to being struck by vehicles in the country. 

Reversing this scenario requires making our streets safer and more comfortable for walking, focusing primarily on the needs of children. A city that works for children is a more prosperous and pleasant city for its entire population. 

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