Tag: mass-design-group | ArchDaily

Pan-African Biennale Unveils Participants for Its Inaugural Edition in Nairobi

Reyyan Dogan — Thu, 28 May 2026 06:30:00 +0000

The Pan-African Biennale (PAB) has announced the official selection of participants for its inaugural 2026 edition, set to take place from September 7 to 11, 2026, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi. Conceived as the first continental architecture biennale dedicated to spatial practices from and within Africa, the event will bring together architects, studios, research collectives, and material practitioners from across the continent. Additional participants, keynote speakers, and contributors are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Rooted in Tradition, Nature, and Community: Wellness and Healing Spaces from the North to the South Africa

Hadir Al Koshta — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Wellness and healing spaces are shaped by cultural traditions, geographical contexts, and social structures. Across the world, certain practices have been deeply rooted for centuries, like Roman baths, Turkish hammams, and Japanese onsens, while others evolve by drawing inspiration from rituals or redefining their own concept and image of a healing environment. Europe, North America, and Oceania are characterized by a focus on personal journeys, self-care, and often luxurious wellness spaces. Asia shapes the prevailing global perception of wellness through meditation-based healing, inner reflection, and holistic retreats. In Africa, wellness is deeply rooted in ancestral traditions, integrated with nature, and centered around community and social interaction. The commonality worldwide lies in sensory engagement, relaxation, and holistic healing, often tied to nature. But what does wellness look like in Africa? What are the healing spaces that shape it, and what architectural languages define wellness from north to south?

Designing with Empathy: Architecture for Social Equity

Diogo Borges Ferreira — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Architecture has long been understood as a powerful tool for shaping the physical environment and social dynamics within it. However, its potential to foster social equity is often overlooked. Empathy-driven design invites architects to approach their work not only as creators of space but as facilitators of human connection and community well-being. This approach centers on understanding people's lived experiences, struggles, and aspirations — particularly marginalized communities — and responding to their needs through thoughtful, inclusive architecture. It goes beyond aesthetics and functionality, instead focusing on creating spaces fostering dignity, accessibility, and social equity. By prioritizing empathy, architects can design environments that uplift communities, address disparities, and create inclusive spaces that promote positive societal change in a tangible, human-centered way.

Design for Health at the UIA World Congress of Architects 2023

Pernille Maria Bärnheim — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 03:30:00 +0000

The UIA World Congress of Architects 2023 is an invitation for architects from around the world to meet in Copenhagen July 2 – 6 to explore and communicate how architecture influences all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For more than two years, the Science Track and its international Scientific Committee have been analyzing the various ways in which architecture responds to the SDGs. The work has resulted in the formulation of six science panels: design for Climate Adaptation, design for Rethinking Resources, design for Resilient Communities, design for Health, design for Inclusivity, and design for Partnerships for Change. An international call for papers was sent out in 2022 and 296 of more than 750 submissions from 77 countries have been invited to present at the UIA World Congress of Architects 2023 in Copenhagen. ArchDaily is collaborating with the UIA to share articles pertaining to the six themes to prepare for the opening of the Congress.

The Diversity in Architecture-DIVIA Award, Dedicated to Women Architects, Selects Five Finalists

Nour Fakharany — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 05:30:00 +0000

The Diversity in Architecture Award (DIVIA) has selected its 5 finalists, from a list of 29 nominees: Tosin Oshinowo (Nigeria), May al-Ibrashy (Egypt), Marta Maccaglia (Peru), Noella Nibakuze (Rwanda), and Katherine Clarke and Liza Fior (UK). The prize, dedicated to women architects, celebrates female figures by awarding and validating their work. Based in Berlin, the award platform promotes equality between men and women, making the discipline observable to all, and setting an example for the next generation of younger women architects.

2023 Venice Architecture Biennale: 63 National Pavilions and 89 Participants with Significant Representation from Africa

Christele Harrouk — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 02:30:00 +0000

Announced today in a live presentation, the 18th International Architecture Exhibition, titled The Laboratory of the Future, curated by Lesley Lokko, will be open to the public from May 20 to November 26, 2023, in Venice, Italy. This edition will include 63 National Pavilions, 27 of which are at the Giardini, 22 at the Arsenale, and 14 in the city center of Venice. Structured in six parts, the exhibition will include 89 Participants, over half of whom are from Africa or the African Diaspora, with a 50/50 gender balance, and an average age of 43 for participants. Contributors include Adjaye Associates, atelier masōmī, Kéré Architecture, MASS Design Group, Sumayya Vally and Moad Musbahi, Theaster Gates Studio, Andrés Jaque / Office for Political Innovation, Liam Young, Neri&Hu Design and Research Office, to name a few.

AIA Awards 2022 Gold Medal to Brooks + Scarpa and 2022 Architecture Firm Award to MASS Design Group

Christele Harrouk — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 06:30:00 +0000

The Board of Directors and the Strategic Council of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) have awarded the 2022 Gold Medal to Angela Brooks, FAIA, and Lawrence Scarpa, FAIA, for their lasting influence on the theory and practice of architecture. The jurors have also selected MASS Design Group to win the 2022 AIA Architecture Firm Award, the highest honor the AIA bestows on an architecture practice.

Anupama Kundoo Receives The 2021 RIBA Charles Jencks Award

Andreea Cutieru — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 05:30:00 +0000

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Jencks Foundation announced renowned Indian architect Anupama Kundoo as the winner of this year's RIBA Charles Jencks Award. The accolade given in recognition of significant contributions to the theory and practice of architecture acknowledges Kundoo's holistic practice that marries theoretical investigations, material research and sustainable building methods.

Local Expertise Versus Local Extraction: African Vernacular Architecture and a More Holistic Sustainability

Matthew Maganga — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 07:30:00 +0000

Every year, in the hot, dry town of Djenné in Central Mali, something special takes place – La Fête de Crépissage. Roughly translated to the “Day of Plastering”, this day sees the entire community of Djenné collaborate to reinforce the mud walls of the Great Mosque of Djenné – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the African continent’s most distinctive architectural landmarks.

13 Architecture and Design Books to Add to Your Reading List

Metropolis Magazine — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 03:30:00 +0000

Now that we are halfway through the year, what better time to prioritize your reading list? Whether you’re interested in the history of interior design, the relationship between architecture and health, or learning more about the 20th century’s forgotten architects, Metropolis editors have selected a variety of current and forthcoming titles that will be sure to get you through 2021.

Family Health Center on Virginia / Model of Architecture Serving Society (MASS)

Hana Abdel — Sun, 07 Mar 2021 21:00:00 +0000

MASS Design Group, a design collective dedicated to delivering architecture that promotes justice and human dignity, celebrated the completion of the Family Health Center on Virginia in McKinney, Texas. Located in North Texas’s Collin County, the 25,000-square-foot community health center is a patient-centered medical home serving children, families, and individuals, regardless of their ability to pay.

"Architecture Can Heal": MASS Design Group's Katie Swenson on Building Equity Together

Eric Baldwin — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 07:30:00 +0000

More inclusive, equitable futures are grounded in how we design for justice and the human condition. Katie Swenson is a Senior Principal of international non-profit MASS Design Group, and she has spent her career building social equity and advocating environmental sustainability. At the heart of her work is a thread of collective optimism, a knack for bringing people together to create healthier communities that promote human dignity and joy.

MASS Design Group Creates COVID-19 Guide for Senior Housing

Eric Baldwin — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 05:00:00 +0000

MASS Design Group has published a COVID-19 design guide for Senior Housing. Made by the firm's Design Response team, it includes strategies and best practices for retrofitting and upgrading existing buildings. The guide aims to help senior housing developers and operators as they work to manage infection control while balancing social and cultural needs with emerging research on the coronavirus.

7 Design Guidelines for a Safe Post COVID-19 Transition

Christele Harrouk — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 06:30:00 +0000

In order to ensure a proper transition into post COVID-19, architects, public health experts, and engineers are generating design guidelines to provide people with new secure, and efficient resources. Finding a balance between optimizing operations and keeping people safe, the strategies tackle the built environment that surrounds us, from restaurants and outdoor dining, to streets, offices, and retail.

Social Impact: Architecture Building Space for Empathy

Eric Baldwin — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 07:35:00 +0000

Architecture shapes how we live and come together. Amidst a pandemic and protests around the world, architects and designers are speaking out to condemn injustice and build space for empathy and understanding. In listening, they are looking to how we live together, and in turn, how we can create a more equitable and just world.

MASS Design Group to Lead Willamette Falls Tribal Engagement Process

Eric Baldwin — Thu, 28 May 2020 05:00:00 +0000

MASS Design Group has been selected to lead the tribal engagement process of the future Willamette Falls Riverwalk. The partnership was announced by the Willamette Falls Trust, with the team working to ensure that the Riverwalk centers on indigenous experiences and educates the greater Portland community on the Native stories of the region. The project will focus on public space that celebrates the human and natural history of Willamette Falls.

MASS Releases Spatial Strategies for Restaurants in Response to COVID-19

Christele Harrouk — Wed, 13 May 2020 06:35:00 +0000

MASS Design Group has released a guideline for restaurants in response to the coronavirus pandemic, to help these business reopen safely, viably, and vibrantly. Based on world health recommendations, the drafted protocols aim to keep both staff and customers safe, as well as facilitate operations.

The Future of Generative Design: Autodesk on Architecture and Machine Learning

Eric Baldwin — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 04:00:00 +0000

Autodesk has quickly become an industry standard for architecture and engineering software. Bringing together a range of tools and programs with resources like Autodesk University and the Autodesk Foundation, the company is exploring the future of how we design and build. In an exclusive interview with ArchDaily, we explore the company's thoughts on generative design, machine learning and new emerging technologies.