Tag: ad-projects-roundup | ArchDaily

Building with the Landscape: Non-Invasive Design Strategies for Steep Terrain

Olivia Poston — Thu, 07 May 2026 07:30:00 +0000

The relationship between constraint and design excellence is well established in architectural theory, yet often remains underexplored in discussions of site-specific practices. When architects encounter extreme topography, they face a fundamental choice: transform the landscape to accommodate the building, or modify the building to fit the landscape. The first approach is straightforward and requires the builder to cut, fill, terrace, and build on level ground. This choice, however, carries cascading consequences as any amount of earth moved may destabilize slopes, disrupt drainage, and fracture ecosystems. A growing body of innovative architectural work demonstrates an alternative to earth-moving and retaining walls.

Cities of the Dead: 10 Projects Exploring Burial Architecture

Diogo Borges Ferreira — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Death is a certainty, but its architecture has never been stable. Every period and culture has invented a different way of placing the dead in the world (close or far, visible or screened, monumental or almost anonymous), and those choices have always carried social and political weight. Cemeteries are where that weight becomes legible in space, turning belief and regulation into boundaries, paths, and names.

Deep Tones and Natural Roots: 22 Shou Sugi Ban Homes Across the US and Canada

Hadir Al Koshta — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 08:30:00 +0000

Shou Sugi Ban is a traditional Japanese technique for wood preservation that involves charring the surface of timber to create a protective layer. While its origins are rooted in practical durability, the method has been widely adapted into the modern built environment and shapes a unique and distinctive aesthetic. It is a material of contradiction: it remains bold in its visual language due to its dark tones, yet it simultaneously borrows from and complements its natural surroundings, allowing houses to settle quietly into their sites.

Obsolete Typologies Revived Through 17 Adaptive Reuse Projects

Hadir Al Koshta — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Adaptive reuse is shifting from simple preservation to active revitalization, a process of structurally rescuing and reprogramming architectural typologies whose original functions are no longer relevant. The obsolescence of architectural spaces occurs for varied reasons: sociological shifts, leaving spaces uninhabited; technological advances, phasing out specific machinery; and economic changes, making centralized functions necessary. The strategy of repurposing focuses on achieving spatial and functional longevity through minimal interventions, allowing the original structure to serve as the memory anchor of the project.

More Than Parking: 12 Projects to Reclaim Urban Space

Diogo Borges Ferreira — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Marginalized in architectural discourse and often dismissed as purely functional, parking garages remain among the most ubiquitous structures in the urban landscape. Designed to accommodate the needs of private vehicles, they occupy central locations, shape skylines, and consume considerable resources, yet rarely receive the same attention — or architectural care — as cultural institutions, schools, or housing. Despite their prevalence, these buildings tend to fade into the background of daily life, treated as infrastructural necessities rather than as design opportunities.

Raw, Refined, and Resilient: 14 Projects Showcasing Concrete Block as a Design Language

Moises Carrasco — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Once seen as purely utilitarian, bare concrete blocks have increasingly become part of an architectural transformation. In regions where warm climates make insulation unnecessary, this material can be left exposed, free of cladding, finishes, or embellishment. In doing so, texture, bond, and form can define the building's character and simplify construction while creating new opportunities for expression and identity. This also creates a platform to explore the concept of material honesty. Beyond its aesthetic value, using a material "as is" can significantly reduce construction costs and minimize maintenance during the building's lifespan.

Contemporary Mosques: Using Context as Driver over Symbolism

Mohieldin Gamal — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 05:00:00 +0000

The configuration of the mosque, the worshipping place for Muslims, traces its history to the courtyard of the religion's founder. The first mosques were, therefore, simple open spaces marked for ritual prayer use. Over the years and centuries, they would gain multiple standard, functional features, such as the mihrab, a niche that indicates the direction of prayer, and the minbar, a pulpit for the preacher to give the sermon. Other elements also became common, such as domes and minarets, which were historically used for the call to prayer. These had the additional purpose of signifying the function of the building as a mosque and were used by rulers and benefactors to elevate its grandeur.

ArchDaily Curator's Picks 2023: Global Projects our Curators Highlighted Through the Year

Hana Abdel — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The ArchDaily projects library is managed by our curators who constantly seek to populate our stream with the most interesting global works, showcasing evolving focuses and criteria. While we usually share our reader’s top 100 favorites, this year, we also decided to initiate our editor’s picks on the ArchDaily Instagram account, where our curators highlight some projects that include interesting themes and unique traits.

Architecture and Color: Explore 15 Projects that Feature Exterior Red Staircases

Luciana Pejić — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 06:30:00 +0000

Stairs are often an inevitable part of a building's DNA. Nowadays, staircases not only serve the function of practicality but are also a showcase of their own kind, especially if paired with a color that is guaranteed to grab attention. Among warm colors, red is considered to be the most powerful one. On one hand, it evokes feelings of joy and energy, and on the other, feelings of alertness and danger. Red can stimulate a whole range of emotions. Therefore, its usage should be attentive, delicate, and thought out.

15 Contemporary Projects that Emphasize the Sounds of Nature

Luciana Pejić — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Finnish architect Juhani Pallasmaa once said that "architecture is essentially an extension of nature into the man-made realm, providing the ground for perception and the horizon of experiencing and understanding the world."

In the constant hustle and bustle of the modern surroundings, it is more than needed to take a step back and listen to the sounds of something as calmly powerful as nature. Moreover, listening to the beautiful harmonies created by birds chirping and sound waves can make our inner voice louder as well.

Accessibility and Equity of Opportunity in 7 Educational Spaces

Susanna Moreira — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 07:30:00 +0000

As democratizing catalysts, educational spaces play a fundamental role in shaping individuals and entire communities. These places, where students spend a significant amount of time developing their capabilities, skills, and competencies, are more than a background for the promotion of a fundamental right, they are key elements to providing equal opportunities for all.