Tag: masslab | ArchDaily

Expanding Practice: Architecture Think Tanks at the Intersection of Research and Design

Diogo Borges Ferreira — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 07:30:00 +0000

In architecture, most practices revolve around delivering projects to clients. Offices are shaped by deadlines, budgets, and clear briefs. While this structure produces buildings, it rarely leaves space for architects to question broader issues — about how we live, how cities are changing, or what the future demands of design. But alongside this production-focused system, a quieter movement has emerged: studios, collectives, and foundations that prioritize research, experimentation, and reflection. These are the architecture think tanks — spaces designed not to build immediately, but to think first.

The Architect as Writer: Expanding the Discipline Beyond Buildings

Diogo Borges Ferreira — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Architecture has always been more than bricks and mortar. It is equally constructed through words, ideas, and narratives. From ancient treatises to radical manifestos, from technical manuals to poetic essays, the written word has served as a spatial, pedagogical, and political tool within the field. Writing shapes how architecture is conceptualized, communicated, and critiqued — often long before, or even in the absence of, physical construction.

MASSLAB Transforms Bragança Water Treatment Plant into Dynamic Public Space in Portugal

Nour Fakharany — Tue, 07 May 2024 05:30:00 +0000

MASSLAB has just won the competition for the new roof of Bragança's Water Treatment Plant in Portugal. Integrating public use of this infrastructure, which until now only serves a functional purpose, the project showcases adding value to existing infrastructure by rethinking them. Blending architecture, landscaping, and urban design to transform this structure into a vibrant public space, MASSLAB seeks to change the perception of water treatment facilities in urban settings. By reimagining the roof as a livable infrastructure, the project transforms the purely functional roof into an engaging and integral part of the urban fabric.

A Tetris-Like Residence in Iran and a Seaside Apartment Block in Italy: 8 Unbuilt Housing Projects Submitted by the ArchDaily Community

Maria-Cristina Florian — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 07:30:00 +0000

In every city, urban housing projects represent most of the built environments, reflecting an intricate weave of societal needs and architectural visions. This roundup of unbuilt projects submitted by the ArchDaily Community offers a lens into the dynamic interplay between design constraints and creative opportunities. From the revitalization of urban fragments to the exploration of innovative construction methods, architects navigate a terrain shaped by sustainability imperatives, community inclusivity, and evolving urban dynamics.

OODA and MassLab Win Competition for a “Building without Devastating” Master Plan in Portugal

Maria-Cristina Florian — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 06:30:00 +0000

In collaboration with MassLab, OODA has been awarded first place in the Barrosinha Agricultural Company competition, aimed at creating a 2,000-hectare development seamlessly integrated into the agro-forestry heritage of Alcácer do Sal, Portugal. The master plan, covering a variety of functions for tourism, housing, commerce, and leisure, is designed in harmony with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, striving to transform Herdade da Barrosinha into a model of sustainable renewal.

Awarded Architecture Competitions Reshaping 2023: A Year in Review

Nour Fakharany — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 04:00:00 +0000

As 2023 comes to an end, the future of our landscape is filled with visionary imaginations as a result of a year of forward-thinking design competitions. From revitalizing historical gems to designing new buildings, these global contests have pushed innovation further in the architecture industry. In fact, with each new competition, the boundaries of our living were challenged, reimagining what the future may accommodate or encourage.

A Reimagined Brutalist Icon in the United States and a Maldivian Floating Villa: 12 Unbuilt Projects By Established Firms

Maria-Cristina Florian — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 07:30:00 +0000

Exploring architectural projects, competition entries and unbuilt works by renowned architects is an important step in fostering innovation and encouraging cross-cultural exchange and the development of diverse design approaches. Analyzing these unrealized concepts can offer insights into the evolution of architectural thinking, exploring a wider spectrum of approaches and design perspectives. This week’s curated selection of Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights designs submitted by established architecture practices.

Portuguese Office Masslab Wins Competition for Mixed-Use Building in Helsinki, Finland

ArchDaily — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 06:00:00 +0000

The Portuguese office MASSLAB, in collaboration with AFRY Ark Studio, won the Train Factory Mixed-Use Competition, an international competition in two stages whose main objective was to create a landmark for the city of Helsinki, Finland. The proposal was selected from five world-renowned architectural consortia.