The 2019 Architecture Prize was a call for entries launched by the National Endowment for the Arts (FNA). Geared toward young architects, it aimed to highlight and showcase cultural projects built in Argentina, including museums, theaters, auditoriums, concert halls, art galleries, radio studios, cinemas, libraries, bookstores, art studios, production workshops, rehearsal spaces, and community, private, or public cultural spaces.
One of the first things I hear upon arrival is that the sixth edition of the Academic Event of the School of Architecture (EARQ) was not only organized by students, but is also part of the graduation requirements to become an architect at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador (PUCE-SI). This management work, without a doubt, carries conditions that closely align with what we recognize as necessary in our discipline today.
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The National Architecture and Urbanism Award, presented by the Colombian Society of Architects (SCA), recognizes projects that outstandingly showcase the finest contributions to Colombian architecture.
The new edition of the Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism (XI BIAU) poses a different challenge. This time, along the shores of the peaceful Paraguay River, the Ricardo Brugada neighborhood, known as La Chacarita—one of the oldest in Asunción's historic center—takes center stage.
Together with the residents—who also exhibited the biennial's award-winning projects in their own private homes—national curators led 13 working groups to develop proposals for the improvement and transformation of a sector historically overlooked by the city, often associated with crime and unemployment. Some of these initiatives have already been put into practice.
CityMakers is working alongside ArchDaily to publish a series of articles, conversations, and interviews with the key figures of urban co-production behind the Barcelona CityMakers Lab 2019, an event taking place from October 14 to 20.
In this edition, we feature Salvador Rueda, director of the Urban Ecology Agency of Barcelona, who will give a Masterclass at the Barcelona CityMakers Lab 2019 addressing concepts of "Ecosystemic Urbanism," the foundation of a new urban model for the city of Barcelona.
Continuing the series of articles by Nikos A. Salingaros, David Brain, Andrés M. Duany, Michael W. Mehaffy, and Ernesto Philibert-Petit on social housing in Latin America, this installment explores economic alternatives to address construction costs. Review all previous publications and the new article below.
During June, Mexico City hosted one of the world's most famous workshops for the first time: Porto Academy. Held annually at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto—designed by 1992 Pritzker Prize laureate Álvaro Siza—this event is the result of a deep passion for architecture and for those who believe that practice, as the exercise of the profession, is fundamental to the future of the discipline.
At a time when micro-housing has moved to the center of debate—driven by rapid urban densification and emerging social needs—the proliferation of micro-units such as capsule hotels in Europe has sparked conversations about the future of our cities, offering new ways to adapt to contemporary living. Against this backdrop, the MUGAK Basque Country International Architecture Biennial presented an installation titled "Nakagin 1:1," a full-scale replica of one of the capsule units from the Nakagin Capsule Tower by Kisho Kurokawa in Tokyo, Japan. Located next to the San Sebastián Royal Yacht Club, the installation overlooks one of the Basque Country's most iconic spots, La Concha Bay, allowing visitors to experience firsthand what it feels like to inhabit these micro-housing units of just 10 m2 at a 1:1 scale.
Tomorrow, Chile celebrates Cultural Heritage Day, marking two decades since its inaugural edition. This year, a wide range of buildings will open to the public, featuring free tours and activities on Saturday, May 25, and Sunday, May 26.
Below, we highlight 10 unique initiatives that promise a distinct experience.
Through the Urban Development Corporation (EDU) and the Colombian Association of Architects (SCA), Medellín launched an international competition to design a space of memory and reflection on the period between 1983 and 1994, one of the most violent eras in the Colombian city. The competition jury awarded first prize to the design team of Taller Alterno, Pequeña Escala Arquitectura, and Luis Felipe Zapata Flórez.
Read more about the project below, in the words of its designers.
Inflection. Def. A change of direction in a process or movement / A bend or angle in a flat or straight object
Oneblock proposes a record that not only investigates the uses and potential of everyday objects—and their resulting actions or spaces—but presents drawing as a tool "requiring constant updating to represent, at all times and with the utmost clarity, what it truly aims to convey, responding to the needs of society at every point along the unstoppable timeline." Read below for an in-depth look at the work in the authors' own words.
The Flower and Garden Festival FYJA is an event held in Mexico City that brings together landscape architects, architects, artists, designers, artisans, gardeners, and students. In each edition, participants create a route featuring various activities and exhibitions, offering everyone—from experts and enthusiasts to the curious—the chance to engage with horticulture and experience the benefits of plants.
Aiming to propose “ordinary” solutions that meet the needs of the majority of people in Chile, the open call for the Feria Libre de Arquitectura—as this year's XXI Chilean Architecture Biennial is known—received 543 registrations, “a historic figure for this type of event,” according to the organizers.
For its 66th edition, the Progressive Architecture (P/A) Awards recognize unbuilt projects that demonstrate overall design excellence and innovation. The evaluations took place in December 2018, and the winners will be honored at a ceremony in New York in February 2019.
Global South, resilience, buildtech, and new materials: as 2019 comes to a close, we look back on a year rich in research and reflection, approaching architecture from different perspectives to support the millions of readers worldwide who visit ArchDaily every day.
Aiming to offer inspiration, knowledge, and tools, we have published hundreds of articles on topics as diverse as your views on the built environment. With this in mind, read on for our selection of the year. Goodbye 2019, hello 2020!
The family of José Antonio Coderch [1913-1984] has handed over the Catalan architect's significant archive to the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid. With this acquisition, the renowned Madrid museum seeks to follow the path forged by other contemporary art institutions, such as the MoMA in New York or the Pompidou in Paris. Because these institutions already feature dedicated architecture departments, the Reina Sofía aims to expand its own holdings, incorporating both architectural movements and the individual professionals who shaped the art of building. This initiative has been promoted for several years under the leadership of the museum's director, Manuel Borja-Villel.
The archive, which was stored in a utility room at the home of one of Coderch's children, consists of 9,800 documents organized across 875 folders and dating from 1941 to 1978. It includes plans and sketches of his architectural projects; designs, photographs, and negatives of his works, alongside family photos; professional correspondence; invoices and receipts for each project; as well as magazines, books, publications, and scale models; portraits of the architect, several of his numerous awards, and personal belongings.
No physical barrier separates Veracruz and Boca del Río; yet, despite being adjacent municipalities, they remain deeply distinct. On one hand lies the historic city of Veracruz, the gateway to the Americas for the Old World; on the other lies Boca del Río, a young city with greater economic influence. The Port of Veracruz serves as a tangible landmark that weaves this contrasting urban tapestry together, extending from north to south with sweeping views of the Gulf of Mexico to connect these two urban centers.
Earthen construction remains highly relevant today, spanning the preservation of architectural heritage, new projects seeking sustainable horizons, and numerous training programs offered by institutes and universities. Yet we cannot overlook one of the major driving forces behind this building material: self-construction. Thanks to its technical advantages and accessibility, communities worldwide have chosen to build their settlements with earth. Consequently, construction becomes a collective exercise where every individual can contribute to shaping a shared future.
In this article, we look at how the NGO Terrachidia works with the community of Mhamid in Morocco to rehabilitate public spaces chosen by local residents. Supported by volunteers, they rescue regional building traditions, successfully preserving and highlighting the local knowledge embedded in places where the pursuit of modernity has led to abandonment, but which remain deeply valued by those who inhabit them.
Campo Baeza asserted that “Light is the most beautiful, richest, and most luxurious material used by architects. The only problem is that it is given to us for free, is within everyone's reach, and is not valued enough” [1]. Today, many architects agree on the importance of lighting when creating architectural spaces, reflecting on its quality, quantity, nuance, and directionality. Despite this, when determining the characteristics of their building enclosures, many choose to work with materials that ensure a high degree of privacy, either by incorporating opaque elements or envelopes that screen views and diffuse contact with public outdoor spaces.
In certain cases where solar conditions permit, modern technological developments allow for the incorporation of translucent enclosure systems that ensure the entry of abundant, controlled natural light throughout the day without sacrificing privacy. These self-supporting treated glass panel systems offer the possibility of generating completely glazed, continuous, homogeneous, unobstructed, and translucent surfaces while simultaneously screening views into the spaces. Below, we present 6 projects located in Argentina that exemplify different ways of working with these systems.
Over the next five years, Bogota will inaugurate a series of public and private projects across the city, from skyscrapers to Felicidad Centers, highlighting those resulting from public architectural design competitions, legally managed by the Colombian Society of Architects.
Below, explore the main projects set to open:
Exhibited in a parallel exhibition at the 2018 Venice Biennale, the Tropi-Co-Re Housing project by SUMA Arquitectos reflects on the intersection of urban and architectural design within the low-income residential context of an equatorial/tropical climate, investigating alternative material systems for its construction, such as bamboo truss structures and folded metal plate roofs.
Read on to explore the project in detail, in the words of its designers.
On August 27, 2019, the awards ceremony and academic symposium of the first Bogota Public Space Biennale (BEPBOG) took place. The event was the first of its kind in Latin America and the third worldwide, highlighting the value of public space in the Colombian capital and the importance of recognizing best practices regarding the spaces to which everyone is entitled.
Great architecture continues to decentralize. After presenting the results of the Satipo competition in the Central Jungle a few weeks ago, we are pleased to continue our journey across Peru, this time highlighting a competition in the Central Highlands. Interestingly, both reflect the geographical diversity within the same region of Junín. Huancayo, capital of the department of Junín, is the most important city in the central highlands of Peru, located south of the Mantaro Valley. Recognized for its landscapes, history, and crafts, it is, above all, a major commercial hub. In recent years, it has also been officially recognized as Peru's sixth metropolitan area (the sixth most populous city in the country), a growth reflected in its constantly modernizing urban landscape.
Within the framework of the Interinstitutional Cooperation Agreement signed with the Asociación de Artesanos Sumaq Wuasi, the Colegio de Arquitectos del Perú – Regional Junín (CAP Junín) organized the National Competition for Preliminary Architectural Designs of the Sumaq Wuasi Commercial Building in Huancayo. Currently, the site is occupied by a precarious one-story structure covering the entire lot, which is used for commercial purposes. The goal is to modernize the services, uses, and urban context of the current commercial space through spatial renovation and the design of a new infrastructure that meets the current needs of both users and vendors. This will be developed into a technical dossier for construction during the 2017–2020 administration.
On November 23, Mexican artist Pedro Reyes presented projects from his architectural and design practice for the first time. The exhibition features chairs, tables, bedroom furniture, tiles, and small-scale architectural models that showcase a distinct architectural language that has evolved in recent years.
