The Second Studio (formerly The Midnight Charette) is an explicit podcast about design, architecture, and the everyday. Hosted by Architects David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet, it features different creative professionals in unscripted conversations that allow for thoughtful takes and personal discussions.
A variety of subjects are covered with honesty and humor: some episodes are interviews, while others are tips for fellow designers, reviews of buildings and other projects, or casual explorations of everyday life and design. The Second Studio is also available on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube.
Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (MCHAP) Director Dirk Denison and 2023 MCHAP Jury Chair Sandra Barclay (Barclay & Crousse) have just announced the six finalists for the 2023 Americas Prize. The award recognizes the best-built works of architecture in the Americas completed between December 2018 and June 2021. This represents the latest stage of the fourth cycle of the MCHAP, launched in Venice, Italy, in August 2021. On March 24, 2023, the jury will announce the winners of the the 2023 Americas Prize. The authors of the winning project are set to receive a $50,000 fund for research along with a publication.
In the architectural world, unestablished practices are often overlooked, yet, by challenging the traditional dogmas of the industry, they can have a significant impact on the built environment. The Young European Architecture Festival (YEAH!) explores the work of these upcoming architectural offices, looking at how they share ideas visions and experiences at the European level. The event is divided in two sections: Habitats, exploring ideas of domesticity and the residential typology, and Hybrids, initiatives that are rethinking the traditional systems of city planning.
The following represents a selection of projects by emerging architectural practices selected by YEAH! For the Hybrids category. Many of these initiatives are challenging the ideas of public space, but in doing so, they are also shedding light on the larger social structures at play in these spaces. The selection includes community spaces, schools, transportation hubs, and even projects initiated by the architects themselves, who have noticed deficiencies in their environment and are working to not only correct them but to enhance their presence and empower the local community through them.
Courtesy of 70°N arkitektur, Snøhetta and Joar Nango
The Sámi National Theater Beaivváš and Sámi High School and Reindeer Husbandry School are two of the most important cultural institutions of Sápmi, a region in northern Norway, Sweden, and Finland traditionally inhabited by the Sámi people. To strengthen the position of the two institutions, a project was initiated in June 2021 to create a shared cultural and educational facility. A design proposal by 70°N arkitektur, in collaboration with Snøhetta and artist and architect Joar Nango, was chosen following a competition. The building, also known as Čoarvemátta, is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by 2024.
The idea of "Biophilia" was defined as "love of life" in ancient Greece. Although the term may seem relatively new, coming across as a trend in the fields of architecture and interior design, the concept of biophilia was introduced by psychologist Erich Fromm for the first time in 1964 and then popularized in the 1980s by biologist Edward O. Wilson, who studied the lack of connection with nature caused by urban life.
The guiding principle is quite simple: connect people with nature to improve their well-being and quality of life. How could architecture do that? By seeking alternatives to integrate nature – either through natural elements or techniques – into its designs.
Last November, the annual climate conference COP 27 came to a close in Sharm el-Sheikh with a tentative agreement, reached at the last moment, to set up a “loss and damage” climate fund for Africa and other developing countries. For Africans, this was cause for muted celebration, because for generations the continent has built its climate change agenda almost exclusively around the pursuit of climate justice, a desire to enforce liability on the industrialized nations responsible for the bulk of global carbon emissions. All of this has unfolded, in a sort of willful blindness, while a majority of Africans struggled with the most prosaic challenges: inefficient urban sanitation; poor stormwater management; a paucity of water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities; willful and unabated deforestation; and environmental degradation.
https://www.archdaily.com/996301/its-time-for-africa-to-chart-its-own-climate-change-agendaMathias Agbo, Jr.
The backyards, outdoor areas usually located at the back of the lot, are spaces dedicated to rest, entertainment and family interaction. Its setting is essential to guarantee the warmth and comfort we seek in our homes. At the same time, as they are areas exposed to rain, sun and, sometimes, snow, they also need to have resistant, durable and easy-to-maintain materials.
ITA Laboratories. Source: Brasil Constroi. Digitized by the Hemeroteca of the National Library (BN)
Although little known, the Aeronautics Technical Center (CTA, current Department of Aerospace Science and Technology - DCTA) in São José dos Campos can be considered one of the largest and most relevant works by architect Oscar Niemeyer before Brasilia. It is his first project executed in São Paulo.
Dozens of countries around the world have already banned the use of asbestos in the civil construction sector. Cheap to extract and abundant in nature, it is a natural fiber used to manufacture water tanks, insulation, partitions, tiles and decorative elements. Its properties include great flexibility and high chemical, thermal and electrical resistance, making it a seemingly ideal material. However, there is scientific evidence that links exposure to asbestos to several types of cancer, as well as to asbestosis - when the fibers of the mineral lodge in the pulmonary alveoli, compromising the respiratory capacity. The asbestos case shows how certain construction materials can –suddenly or not– become a distant memory because of their negative impacts. In addition to the effects on health, the use of materials with high energy consumption or made of rare raw materials is currently under pressure, as experts call to reduce their use or to make their manufacturing methods "greener". The penalty? Disappearing in the near future, becoming yet another in the list of banned building materials. In this article, we delve into some of these materials and what their risks are.
Foster + Partners and Uruguay-based firm Ponce de León Arquitectos have unveiled The Edge, a residential project comprised of eight apartments in Montevideo's coastal landscape in Uruguay.
The emotional and spiritual atmosphere one feels when entering centuries-old architecture is palpable. So while the degradation, and sometimes even intentional destruction, of ancient structures and environments, is regretful and possibly shameful, it’s often an all-too-unavoidable part of healthy urban planning, adhering to important health and safety laws and regulations.
Whenever these historic yet antiquated environments are refreshed and adapted for modern life, however, they’re often labeled as grotesque Frankensteinian versions of their once beautiful selves. When the transformation is treated with care and respect, however, the humble grandeur and contemplative scale of the settings can remain intact.
Suburbs have experienced a sort of renaissance over the last decade. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people fled urban cores in favor of open space and decentralized amenities. For some people, the word “suburb” or “suburbia” flashes images of manicured lawns and rows of identical homes, but what makes a successful suburb may have more in common with cities than you might think.
When capital cities like Paris and Berlin resolved to switch off lighting for public buildings and landmarks in July 2022 in order to save energy in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the cities created a ripple effect throughout central Europe. Images of dark iconic landmarks swept through the media and allowed politicians a momentary act of environmental demonstration. However, designers have started to question the sustainability of this ad hoc step. Seen from a broader perspective the impression arises that this alleged radical action has been part of a rather media-savvy campaign with small effect in cities at night. Further steps are necessary to reassess urban lighting that may have a major impact on energy saving and sustainability.
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Caja Obscura / Javier Corvalán + Laboratorio de Arquitectura. Image
Through shapes, colors, and the elements on their facades, many architects have sought to bring a sense of movement to works that are otherwise physically static. Santiago Calatrava, Jean Nouvel, and Frank Gehry are only a few of the masters who managed to provide a dynamic effect to motionless structures, highlighting the work in context using formal strategies borrowed from the plastic arts. In other cases, however, architects have also opted for physically kinetic structures that could bring a unique aesthetic or functional dimension to the work.
For much of the world, this past year was spent within the confines of our homes, undoubtedly blurring the lines between our public, professional, and private lives and transforming our living spaces into places of work and productivity. This transformation of spaces and how they are used is nothing new in the world of architecture as countless spaces take on various roles beyond what they were originally designed for--a fact reflected in their layout, design, and the materials used within them.
An indispensable item, windows are fundamental to bringing more comfort to a room. Besides the desired connection between the interior and exterior, it is through their openings that it is possible to provide natural lighting and ventilation to the rooms.
When one steps into a Starbucks, they almost instantly know they are in the famed coffeehouse, and not at a McDonald's. Apart from the uniformed staff and a giant sign at the door, there are countless other factors that make a Starbucks look like a Starbucks. Textures, materials, shapes, colors, layouts, furniture, and lighting all contribute to the experience of being in a branded environment. These elements are replicated globally to create an identifiable image. As economic patterns change, brands are looking at extending their identities into spatial experiences in order to better engage with their customers in their daily lives.
When children first learn to draw a house, there are four basic components they illustrate: a wall, a pitched roof, a door and one or more windows. Along with the common structural elements, windows have always been considered to be indispensable architectural features for their multiple functions. While providing views, daylight and natural ventilation, these insulate from cold and heat, protect from external threats and enhance a facade’s appearance. They are also associated with a strong poetic or symbolic value; it is through them that we are able to connect with and enjoy our surroundings, be it a beautiful natural landscape or a dense urban environment. An expressive part of any building, windows serve as a visual bridge between the inside and outside, acting somewhat as a refreshing escape from our everyday routine.
.jpg?1611324153 "Memorial Cemetery Parque das Cerejeiras / Crisa Santos Arquitectos. Photo © Isis de Oliveira")
