Tag: low-carbon | ArchDaily

From Waste to Wall: Sugarcane Bagasse as Low-Carbon Building Material

Agustina Iñiguez — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 07:30:00 +0000

From acoustic and thermal cladding systems to masonry units and textiles made from agricultural waste, experimentation with bio-based materials continues to drive sustainable solutions for the construction industry. Faced with the urgent need to rethink how we conceive of and interact with the materials that shape the built environment, professionals, researchers, and educators are addressing different design scales and project phases, recognizing the importance of reducing carbon emissions and the industry's environmental impact. In partnership with Bagaceira Project, the Sugarcrete® acoustic and thermal panel prototype, developed by the University of East London (UEL), demonstrates how low-carbon design can transform agricultural waste into high-performance building materials.

Studio Gang Completes the Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center for Hudson Valley Shakespeare in New York

Reyyan Dogan — Fri, 15 May 2026 06:30:00 +0000

Hudson Valley Shakespeare has opened the Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center in Garrison, New York, marking the completion of a six-year project that establishes the company's first permanent home. The new campus, designed by Studio Gang in collaboration with Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, expands the organization's long-standing open-air performance model into a permanent cultural and educational facility integrated within the Hudson Valley landscape. Construction began in September 2024 following several years of planning and fundraising.

Architecture of Belonging: Vision Pakistan in Islamabad by DB Studios

Daniela Andino — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 07:30:00 +0000

For DB Studios, architecture is not only about building, but about belonging. It is about creating a situated practice, one that responds to its context, its people, and its local identity, expressed through materials, color, and spatial decisions. In this sense, design becomes a way of articulating a language rooted in its context and shaped by the people it serves.

RSHP Wins Competition to Redevelop Rives-Défense Site in Paris

Reyyan Dogan — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 06:30:00 +0000

RSHP has won a competition to redevelop the Rives-Défense site in La Défense, the business district of Paris. Announced during MIPIM, the project envisions the transformation of an 8-hectare site at the western edge of the district into a low-carbon mixed-use neighborhood. Commissioned by Paris La Défense, the proposal is developed by a multidisciplinary team led by RSHP and including Atelier SOIL as co-architect and urban planner, Altitude 35 as landscape architect, Arcadis as engineering consultant, as well as Atelier Franck Boutté, Urban Eco, and Mobius.

Experimental Fellowship 2026: Open Call for Practice-Based Architectural Research

Rene Submissions — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 10:05:00 +0000

The Open Call for the next Experimental Fellowship, in partnership with material data platform revalu is now open. Experimental Foundation’s Spring Fellowship with revalu supports practice based research by emerging architectural practices with applied industry experience. The Fellowship is aimed at practitioners who seek to contribute to a transformative shift in the building sector. It is intended for architects collaborating with clients (developers, public or private) or industry partners who seek to implement regenerative, circular, and climate-conscious solutions in pilot projects, through innovative, systemic-analytical approaches.

With a focus on applied project planning and delivery processes, and the exchange and dissemination of

Modern Spolia: Harvesting Building Materials from Demolition Sites

Mohieldin Gamal — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 04:00:00 +0000

The circular economy, including the reuse of building materials, is fast becoming a key component in the fight against carbon emissions. This involves designing to minimize waste and utilize materials that can be reused at the end of the building's life. On the opposing side, the reuse of materials from partially or wholly demolished buildings can also reduce waste and carbon emissions that would have resulted from using virgin materials. Sustainability purposes aside, the reuse of building materials has a centuries-old history, both for symbolic reasons and simply out of necessity.

Circular by Tradition: India’s Vernacular Building Practices for a Warming World

Ananya Nayak — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Across India's varied geographies, from coastal backwaters to desert fortress cities, architecture evolved with a deep, instinctive connection to climate. These were not isolated craft traditions but complete ecological systems in which material cycles, thermal comfort, and community knowledge were interdependent. As COP30 turns global attention toward the links between heritage and climate resilience, India's vernacular practices appear less as historical artifacts and more as climate technologies refined over centuries.

From Concrete to Cultivation: How AI and Robotics Are Rewriting Architecture’s Material Logic

Daniela Andino — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Architecture has entered a pivotal moment. As cities continue to grow under the weight of climatic and social pressures, the materials and systems that shape them are being redefined. Artificial intelligence and robotics, once used to accelerate construction processes, are now being rethought as tools for cultivation. Printed structures that grow, breathe, and decay. Cultivation, in this context, refers to designing with biological materials, where growth and decay are active parameters, merging digital precision with ecological intelligence. This evolution shows the shift from efficiency to empathy, where architecture becomes an agent of active repair. The introduction of mycelium and other natural materials into 3D printing presents a new paradigm in architecture: the logic of the living. A place where computation and fabrication meet biological adaptability.

Global Heating: How Vernacular Architecture is Affected by the Climate Crisis

Mohieldin Gamal — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Vernacular architecture is often referred to as harboring lessons for creating low-energy buildings and the fight against climate change. Yet, as weather patterns are changing, there are cases where traditional building techniques are themselves becoming at risk. As well as changes in temperature, different regions have faced becoming wetter or drier, experiencing increased risk of droughts, flooding, storms, and changes to local flora. The painted houses of Tiébélé in Burkina Faso, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are one example.

Populous Reveals Designs for Shah Alam Sports Complex Redevelopment in Malaysia

Reyyan Dogan — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 06:30:00 +0000

Populous, in collaboration with Malaysian practice HIJJAS Architects + Planners, has released the design for the new Shah Alam Sports Complex in Selangor, Malaysia. Anchoring the Kompleks Sukan Shah Alam (KSSA) masterplan, the stadium sits at the heart of a 188-acre redevelopment led by Populous that aims to transform the site into a major public and civic destination. Originally opened over 25 years ago, the existing Shah Alam Stadium has been a significant venue in the country's sporting history. The new proposal retains the original stadium's silhouette while introducing contemporary architectural and technical upgrades to support current and future needs. Redevelopment works, including the demolition of the aging structure, are planned over 48 months, with completion targeted for 2029.

MVRDV "Carbon Confessions" Exhibition in Germany Reveals the Realities of Sustainable Construction

Nour Fakharany — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 05:30:00 +0000

As the global climate crisis intensifies, the construction industry faces increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions, prompting a fundamental reassessment of building practices. Dutch architecture firm MVRDV, known for its commitment to sustainability, presents an honest exploration of this challenge in "Carbon Confessions," an exhibition at Munich's Architekturgalerie. The exhibition provides insight into the firm's ongoing efforts, highlighting both its achievements and the obstacles encountered in the pursuit of carbon reduction.

Residues That Build: A School in India Made from Sugarcane Bagasse

Eduardo Souza — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 05:00:00 +0000

The construction industry, traditionally reliant on the intensive use of non-renewable natural materials, is at a decisive moment to reevaluate its processes and mitigate its significant environmental impact. How can the growing demand for infrastructure, housing, healthcare, and education be met without depleting natural resources? While recycling initiatives are gaining traction, they remain insufficient. In this context, more innovative solutions are emerging, proposing the use of agricultural waste, such as sugarcane bagasse, to create sustainable and disruptive alternatives for construction.

Living Places Copenhagen: A Living Lab to Test the Experimental Building Project

Rene Submissions — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 07:45:00 +0000

It's been four years since the VELUX Group, together with partners EFFEKT architects and Artelia engineers, first embarked on Living Places. The experimental housing project demonstrated that building more sustainable homes using readily available products, materials and technologies is possible. Putting the ultra-low carbon housing concept to the test, VELUX conducted a study with 98 live-in guests to evaluate whether sustainable homes can also provide indoor comfort. Using a combination of environmental sensors and guest questionnaires, the findings reveal that the homes maintain a comfortable indoor climate in line with European Standards and had a positive effect on the well-being of guests, showing that building for planet can also greatly benefit people.

“A Framework for Developing Happy Proximities:” In Conversation with Carlos Moreno, the Pioneer of the 15-Minute City

Maria-Cristina Florian — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 05:30:00 +0000

The 15-minute city has become an internationally recognized concept advocating for a people-centric urban model where residents should be able to meet most of their daily needs within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from their homes. The concept was introduced by Professor Carlos Moreno in 2015 following the COP21 conference in Paris, which concluded with the signing of the Paris Agreement. The idea proposes a practical and adaptable framework for introducing low-carbon mobility and creating a vibrant local economy to support more social interaction and more sustainable urban environments. Since then, the concept has been recognized with the 2021 Obel Award and has gained a notable recommendation in UN-Habitat's World Cities Report. Now, Professor Moreno is publishing the book titled “The 15-Minute City: A Solution to Saving Our Time and Our Planet” to showcase concrete examples and strategies for achieving better cities. ArchDaily had a chance to sit down with Professor Carlos Moreno to discuss these ideas, offering insight into Moreno’s urban thinking and the impact of this model.

Is Mass Timber the Key Element in a Low Carbon Future?

Mark Alan Hewitt — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 03:30:00 +0000

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

Harvesting Architecture: A Glimpse Into 3 Plant-Based Materials

Enrique Tovar — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 08:30:00 +0000

For decades, our society has predominantly embraced an extractivist approach when formulating models for material manufacturing across diverse industries. While we now know that this model is unsustainable, a major question remains: So, how do we do it? We may be a while away from offering a definitive answer to this challenge. Still, it is exciting to note that, in a context marked by a challenging global and ecological horizon, the architectural community maintains a positive approach by pushing for a re-evaluation of what we make and how we make it.

From New Buildings to Retrofit Projects: Solar Facade Systems for a Circular and Low-Carbon Architecture

Enrique Tovar — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 06:45:00 +0000

The sun’s influence on human life encompasses multiple dimensions, from biological and developmental aspects to religious-mythological connotations in civilizations such as the Egyptians and Romans. Moreover, this influence extends to its use as a natural resource within the realm of science. In scientific pursuits, the continuous search to harness the sun as an energy source has been a constant throughout the years. Within this context, the discovery of the photovoltaic effect and its application have paved the way in the history of solar panels, starting from the first observations of Becquerel to the initial prototypes of Charles Fritts in the 19th century.

MVRDV’s Explores Low-Carbon and Child-Friendly Solutions at the Shenzhen Women & Children’s Centre

Maria-Cristina Florian — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 06:30:00 +0000

“ReviveR,” a new exhibition by MVRDV opened at the Shenzhen Women & Children’s Centre, focused on the different narratives surrounding its hosting building, from the role of play and social interaction, to the importance of fun environments for people of all ages, along with the need to reduce carbon emissions by applying principles of circularity. The exhibition is on display in the building’s 5th-floor auditorium from December 6, 2023, until February 28, 2024.