Educational projects are one of the typologies most emphasized in Colombian architecture, and the Public Preliminary Design Competition for the Lombardía School breaks away from the typical format of public competitions to offer even greater benefits to the community.
On May 31, the art gallery The Chimney presented “Twilight Chorus,” a group exhibition co-curated with guadalajara90210, a Mexican organization directed by Alma Saladin. The exhibition features works by Mexican artists Héctor Jiménez Castillo, Mariana Garibay Raeke, Ilana Harris-Babou, Circe Irasema, Mario Navarro, and Marco Rountree.
The concept of the margin implies the existence of a center. Consequently, anything that is not part of this central focus is deemed external or peripheral. This division between center and margin, or center and periphery, extends beyond the architectural sphere into political, social, and regional realms. Therefore, when we speak of practices on the margins of architecture, we are also discussing multidisciplinary approaches—efforts focused more on understanding the context of the work and less on merely answering pre-established questions. In cultures or contexts shaped by historical discontinuities and interruptions, there is a distinct effort to define identity through self-knowledge and discovery, ultimately designing projects to address specific needs. As a result, research, the dissemination of knowledge, and alternative methods of architectural production become essential steps in this process.
The winners of the Ideas Competition for the “Reserva” Master Plan have been announced. The competition sought proposals for the development of a 167-hectare site commonly known as “Camping de Ingenieros,” located along the Argentine Sea coast in the town of Mar Azul, in the municipality of Villa Gesell, Buenos Aires Province.
The Cultural Center of Spain in Mexico (CCEMx) presents a new exhibition as part of Proyecto1., a program of solo exhibitions by Spanish artists who live and work in Mexico. Launched in 2018, this initiative aims to showcase the latest trends and talents in the visual arts in Mexico City. Ascension and Fall: A Sacrifice (Ascensión y caída: un sacrificio) is the third exhibition in this program and the latest project by Navarre-born architect and artist Alberto Odériz.
In 2014, a group of friends from Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, eager to contribute to their city's resilience and recovery process, came together to discuss and share ideas for reclaiming streets, plazas, and parks through sociocultural projects and urban interventions in public spaces. This is how Nómada Laboratorio Urbano was born. Ciudad Juárez is an industrial city located on the northern border with the United States, directly across from El Paso, Texas. Over the years, Juárez has been economically dominated by the “maquiladora” manufacturing industry and was once considered one of the most violent cities in the world due to a wave of crime between 2008 and 2012.
MASA is a gallery founded in Mexico City by Héctor Esrawe, Cristobal Riestra, Agé Salajõe, Brian Thoreen, Roberto Díaz Sesma, and Isaac Bissu. The space was designed by Savvy Studio, a design and architecture firm based in New York, Mexico City, and Monterrey that works across various typologies worldwide, including boutique hotels, restaurants, retail spaces, art galleries, and museums.
The Global Power City Index (GPCI) is an annual report that evaluates the conditions of the world's major cities and urban centers, ranking them according to their "magnetism," or their comprehensive power to attract people, capital, investors, and businesses from around the globe. In 2019, the index included three Latin American cities—Buenos Aires, Mexico City, and Sao Paulo—among the world's 50 most attractive for investment and talent.
“I decided to call it Silos because this building used to store food, which is, of course, essential for life. For me, just like food, clothing is also part of life” [1].
Built in 1950, the 4,500-square-meter grain storage facility Armani Silos by Giorgio Armani has been expanded and transformed into Armani/Silos, a unique four-story space housing an astonishing collection and selection of some of the designer's creations, organized by themes, color palettes, and textures where each tells a different story.
“You don't have to arrive first, but you have to know how to get there,” goes the song. In architecture, this path is often envisioned as a perfectly straight line, but in reality, it is more of a zigzag with the precision of an electrocardiogram.
Starting a degree, then dropping out, later returning to it; graduating only to travel and see the world; entering competitions relentlessly; crossing the ocean in search of a mentor or a job; following your heart even when the world tells you otherwise. All of these decisions served as the compass for several Argentine architects. Let's look at their first steps below.
The spirit of the women participating in housing rights movements in Brazil is remarkable. Predominantly active in land occupations, they vigorously coordinate the organizational and political practices of the settlements and the construction of popular housing. It is no coincidence that many occupations of the MST (Landless Workers' Movement) or the MTST (Homeless Workers' Movement) bear the names of women, such as Dandara, a leader from the colonial period.
The artwork Corolla by artist Inés Esnal is inspired by the rich and vast natural landscape of Colorado, where it is currently on display at The Coloradan building in Denver. The installation interprets Colorado's state flower, “the blue columbine,” as a network of vibrantly colored cords, where warm central tones and cool hues at the outer edges evoke the flower’s pollen and petals. Viewers are invited to explore the piece through their own movement, which triggers and unfolds multiple perspectives and optical effects.
As part of the cultural program of the Abierto Mexicano de Diseño, which opened in October 2019, the Franz Mayer Museum and Nouvel present InVisible: Glass Design, an exhibition featuring over 500 pieces that offers a focused look at the technical, formal, and stylistic possibilities of glass, one of the most fascinating materials. The exhibition features pieces conceptualized by artists such as Jan Hendrix, Perla Valtierra, Edgar Orlaineta, Julie Richoz, Mauricio Lara, Brian Thoreen, and Frida Escobedo, among other prominent designers.
The Latin American Coordinator of Architecture Students (CLEA Latinoamérica) has confirmed on social media that the 2020 edition of the Latin American Social Workshop (TSL) will be held in San Felipe del Progreso, Mexico.
Each year, to mark one of Mexico's most important celebrations, architect Miguel de la Torre designs an installation that takes place on November 1 and 2. During this holiday, cempasúchil flowers—a plant native to Mexico that blooms in the fall—are used. According to a tradition dating back to pre-Hispanic times, yellow and orange cempasúchil petals are used to mark the path for the deceased during their visit, as they are believed to hold the light and warmth of the sun's rays.
As part of the exhibitions featured in the 2019 Abierto Mexicano de Diseño, the firm Dellekamp / Schleich presented the installation Dicotomías del Poder at the Museo Numismático Nacional in Mexico City. The exhibition runs from October 9 to November 17, Tuesday through Sunday, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Addressing the design of housing units for rural areas south of Bogota, the Colombian Society of Architects launched a public ideas competition. The call sought technological and spatial solutions that not only enable the development of productive activities and viable growth, but also apply sustainability criteria to ensure spatial efficiency and comfort.
Considering the architectural adaptability of the unit to plots located across three terrains with varying slopes and characteristics typical of the Andean mountain landscape, the jury awarded first place to the team from FP Arquitectura.
Learn more about the project below, in the words of its designers.
Continuing the history of expansions at the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum —located just meters from Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum Bilbao— the six finalists selected from the 57 initial applicants in the architecture competition have been announced. The leading architecture firms of Norman Foster, Rafael Moneo, Nieto Sobejano, Snøhetta, BIG, and SANAA will advance to the next stage to compete for the renovation of the current venue, with the winner to be announced between July 22 and 29.
In the new Urban and Building Code of the City of Buenos Aires, approved by the Legislature in late 2018, new strategies are presented for the city's planned growth and densification. One of the code's most notable elements, which this article reflects upon, enables the development of apartments with a new minimum floor area established at 21 square meters. The supposed affordability of these minimum micro-units seeks, under a political agenda, to double the urban population in the near future, betting on a densification that would increase the city's population from 3 million to 6 million inhabitants.
Colombian practices Urbanittá and Lumaa have been awarded first place in the competition to design the Comfamiliar recreation park in Huila, Colombia.
This initiative is part of the organization's mission to expand its recreational services in the southern region of the department. The project entails the construction of a recreation center in Pitalito, strategically located near major cultural and tourist attractions, including the Tatacoa Desert and the San Agustín, Alto de los Ídolos, and Alto de las Piedras archaeological parks.
As part of the Museo Jumex’s fall programming in Mexico City, internationally acclaimed artist James Turrell will illuminate two of its galleries with immersive installations from his new body of work—one of the most significant series of his career—which engages viewers with the limits of human perception. These two installations will offer contrasting experiences, transforming the spaces to blur the boundaries of the horizon in both light and darkness.
As part of Design Week Mexico 2019, Diez Company opened Maison Diez Company to the public. Led by Rodrigo Fernández, this dedicated design and lighting project brings together various elements to create an environment centered on illumination. This unique project in Mexico returns with a renewed concept, showcasing new proposals in a house in the Juárez neighborhood, aimed at those who enjoy architecture, design, hospitality, and construction.
Beyond its vast and diverse geography, the Iberian Peninsula is a map of architectural examples that have successfully adapted by reinterpreting materials, technical methods, and human needs.
In this regard, vernacular architecture in Spain—referring specifically to traditional dwellings—might not be as robust today as in its heyday; nevertheless, numerous examples still stand, some even continuing to serve as viable living spaces.
Below is a selection of the most representative traditional houses across Spain's diverse regions, offering a journey through the territory to inspire new architectural perspectives.
Open House Madrid has announced the winners of the 2019 City Awards, a new accolade highlighting the most innovative, socially engaged, and committed proposals shaping the future of cities. According to its founders, "these awards recognize both innovation and design as essential factors in improving citizens' quality of life, aiming to foster a culture of design and innovation in Spain."
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