I met Vera Primavera in Ibarra, Ecuador, during the sixth edition of EARQ (PUCE-SI)—a graffiti and tattoo artist whose work revolves around mysticism, magic, intimacy, and women in the city.

Architecture is often described by architects themselves as an exhausting path of study, where pulling all-nighters is encouraged and sleep is sacrificed—in theory—in pursuit of project quality, yet at the expense of mental health.

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With the goal of promoting the development of innovative urban ideas and proposals that can be implemented in the execution plans of the Provincial Municipality of Satipo, this entity—through its Sub-Department of Urban Development and Infrastructure, in collaboration with the Colegio de Arquitectos del Perú Regional Junín—launched the Satipo National Ideas Competition 2019: "Intervention on Jr. Colonos Fundadores and Treatment of the Satipo Waterfront" Ideas Competition.

As its name suggests, the project consists of two intervention areas: on one hand, it proposes an intervention on two blocks of Jr. Colonos Fundadores through pedestrianization, pavement treatment, and urban furniture design; on the other hand, it outlines the design of the Satipo Waterfront with an urban program that includes a bike path and sports equipment, as well as pavement treatment and urban furniture.  

Aiming to internationalize emerging architectural production in Latin America, the Latin American Architecture Biennale (BAL 2019) has announced the practices selected to participate in the next edition of the event, which will take place in September 2019 in Pamplona, Spain.

Located in the historic neighborhood of San Ignacio in the city of Bilbao, Spain, Levante Square is a prominent gathering point for residents and visitors alike. To address the lack of covered spaces protecting from the heavy rain, Spanish architecture office CANOBARDIN has designed a solution for users: a concentric structure titled "A Piece of Sky in Levante Square" that allows people to inhabit the public space and find shelter without losing touch with their surroundings, acting as a piece of the sky by day and a reflection of the square by night.

Developed by Tecno Fast and designed as part of a collaborative, sustainable tourist accommodation community, the Tiny Cabins designed by Chilean architects Mathias Klotz and Felipe Assadi measure 24.5 square meters and weigh approximately 5 tons, incorporating at least one bedroom, a kitchen, a bathroom, and storage space.

The cabin designed by Felipe Assadi sleeps up to four people and centers its layout on the bedroom, positioning the bed to face a large picture window, while incorporating two nautical-style bunk beds and a rooftop deck. Mathias Klotz's cabin is designed for three people, prioritizing the living room and connecting it with both the kitchen and the outdoors.

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Materia, founded in 2009, is one of the most prominent emerging firms in Mexico and Latin America. Its work focuses on studying the relationship between spatial moments and the strategy of materiality in architecture. The firm's work is characterized by a meticulous, handcrafted refinement and technical execution of built details. Its creative process methodology considers the contextual elements of the site, the user, and the specific requirements of each project as design references. Concepts such as mass, light, and contrast are fundamental tenets in the materialization of projected spaces.

Located just two hours from Santiago, the town of Los Vilos is home to a development that offers a reconnection with nature and architecture: the Ochoquebradas project. Within a vast oceanfront property, the master plan features weekend homes designed by renowned architects. The latest house to join the master plan was designed by the Argentine architecture firm Moarqs.

True to the spirit of the site, the architects designed a structure with minimal footprint, embracing the surrounding landscape through courtyards and large openings.

Read the architects' description below:

It is said that when Le Corbusier arrived in Greece, he was struck by its architecture—the Hellenistic temples, their regulating system of proportions, and their monochromia. Many of these elements went on to influence his work. What would have surprised the architect, however, is that Greek temples were actually not monochromatic; in fact, they were far from it. Blue, red, green, and even gold: these were the vibrant colors that enveloped Greek buildings. Friezes, pediments, colonnades, and even sculptures—every inch was coated in color derived from pigments. The passage of time, wars, exposure to the sun, rain, and wind, along with the perishable nature of the pigments, caused the surfaces to fade, leaving the cold marble exposed.

On Tuesday, February 19, the book ‘Años alejandrinos’ was presented at the Ivorypress Gallery in Madrid. Luis Fernández-Galiano, the author, presented the work accompanied by two Pritzker laureates: Rafael Moneo on one side, and Norman Foster on the other. “It is very difficult to find a critic with Luis’s background,” noted Moneo, while Foster shared an anecdote about how he insists his children read the work of the Calatayud-born critic.

Chilean architect and urbanist Germán Bannen, known for prominent projects in the municipality of Providencia such as the Parque de las Esculturas, Plaza Pedro de Valdivia, and the Plaza Bustamante Literary Café, passed away today at the age of 91, according to close sources.

A total of 210 works have been selected—from approximately 1,000 projects—to participate in the upcoming XI Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism, which will be held for the first time in the city of Asunción in October 2019. The winners of this edition's Panorama of Works Award will be selected from the following list.

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Architecture for Urban Play: Guidelines for Designing Public Play Spaces in Mexico City (APJU) is a digital publication that serves as a framework to guide the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of public play spaces, while incorporating children's perspectives into urban planning and design processes. Directed at urban planners, architects, designers, decision-makers, and the general public, this guide explores what it means to design a play space for a Latin American metropolis, analyzes the urban challenges of this process, and integrates diverse voices and perspectives from both civil society and government.

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The "Single-Family Housing" Architectural Design Workshop, organized by the architecture firm Cota Paredes Arquitectos, concluded its eighth edition. The program invited graduate architects and final-year architecture students to develop a Single-Family Housing Project over four weeks, in either in-person or online formats.

The project is located in San Luis Potosí, on the highest part of the mountains on the city's outskirts, on a plot with a 12-meter slope overlooking the city and a golf course. Students were tasked with designing a single-family home for four residents that would meet their needs for the next twenty years while responding to the rugged topography.

Designed to meet the construction sector's growing demand for finishes, Obra Blanca is a new event launched as a meeting point for professionals looking to showcase their products and those seeking to compare various finishing options. As a specialized exhibition, it focuses on the visitor experience and the professionalization of an increasingly comprehensive and sophisticated industry.

Providing warmth and a modern yet handcrafted aesthetic, wood is always an excellent choice for interior cladding or furniture manufacturing. However, how do you choose the right cladding for a specific project?

We have compiled a selection of cladding options with different appearances, dimensions, and installation systems, identifying their characteristics and differences to help you select the correct material. Melamine, MDF, or plywood? A natural look or colored pigments? Compare 5 different options below.

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Just over six months ago, the Federation of Architects' Associations of the Republic of Mexico invited young Mexican architects to participate in the Third Young Architects Biennial, aiming to identify, recognize, and promote their best works. Through analysis and critique, the biennial fostered reflection on responsible contemporary architecture with sustainable solutions.

Continuing our series of articles studying social housing in Latin America, Nikos A. Salingaros, David Brain, Andrés M. Duany, Michael W. Mehaffy, and Ernesto Philibert-Petit present a reflection on the problems and solutions of favelas. Read the previous articles and the new piece below.

The continental winners of the 2019 Prix Versailles have been announced, an annual award celebrating commercial architecture projects around the world.

This year, 11 winning projects were selected for the Central America, South America, and the Caribbean region across four main categories: shops, shopping malls, hotels, and restaurants. The global winners will be announced in September.

Concluding the series of articles on the study of social housing in Latin America, Nikos A. Salingaros, David Brain, Andrés M. Duany, Michael W. Mehaffy, and Ernesto Philibert-Petit present a reflection on high land prices, large-scale schemes, and national destabilization. Review the past publications and the new article below.

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Each year, the National Fund for Culture and the Arts (FONCA), through the National System of Art Creators (SNCA), recognizes outstanding figures in national culture through the Young Creators Program. By providing grants, the program supports the creative and educational development of Mexico's young artists, fostering favorable conditions for the realization of original, significant, and positive creative projects.

As part of the heritage preservation program of the municipality of Rosario, the provincial authorities of Santa Fe held the national preliminary design competition for the new building of the Provincial School of Visual Arts No. 3031 "General Manuel Belgrano". The selected plot contained the former railway workshops of the Central Argentino line, where contestants had to adapt the structures to the needs of the school and the community while preserving their historical value. Discover the winning project below.

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Interior courtyards are open-air areas located within buildings, with their perimeters defined by walls or galleries. These outdoor yet contained spaces often play a crucial role in shaping and organizing a project's floor plan. In some cases, they act as a central lung, gathering the surrounding spaces around their perimeter. They can also be designed as pathway organizers or articulating elements, connecting while simultaneously dividing different areas of the project.

Numerous benefits—such as the influx of natural light, improved ventilation, and a stronger connection to nature without sacrificing privacy—have made this feature an effective solution for many architectural designs. Consequently, we present a selection of 15 projects in Argentina where interior courtyards take center stage.