Luis Antonio Moreno Aguayo—architect and co-founder of Taller Matatipac in Tepic, Nayarit—presents his project: the Bípeda chair, which uses experimentation to simplify concepts to their elemental roots, employing critique as a tool to fuel creativity.
ArchDaily is working with CityMakers to publish a series of articles, conversations, and interviews with the various city co-production stakeholders behind the Barcelona CityMakers Lab 2021, taking place from November 8 to 12.
CityMakers is a global platform of experts in city co-production best practices, aiming to connect city co-producers and influential leaders from around the world to inspire one another and drive transformation in their cities.
For this installment, Velislava Simeonova presents her article "The Return to the Post-COVID City: Reflections Toward Sustainable Urban Tourism."
As part of an investigation prompted by the September 19, 2017 earthquake in Mexico City, Mexican photographer Onnis Luque presents the book “Undercover,” published by the imprint The Velvet Cell (TVC) América Latina. The book features a series of photographs depicting damaged buildings shrouded in a kind of black veil, which was installed to prevent structural debris from collapsing. These images, in turn, are accompanied by texts that guide the reader, revealing diverse issues that extend beyond architecture to address social and political aspects from this unique vantage point.
As part of the Manchester International Festival (MIF), Argentine artist Marta Minujín set out to recreate London's iconic clock tower at half its original size. Relocated from London to Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester—the city that drove the Industrial Revolution during the 18th century—the replica is a 42-square-meter structure covered in 20,000 books related to British history. This cultural icon, representing the center of power in the United Kingdom, is symbolically laid on its side as a work of relational art where the public can enter, explore the installation, and, toward the end of the festival, take home the books that comprise it.
Under the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,” Expo Dubai 2020 —held from October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022— is the first world expo hosted by an Arab nation and the Middle East region. The Spain Pavilion, under the slogan “Intelligence for Life,” synthesizes the idea of preserving a high quality of life on our planet for ourselves and future generations.
Designed by the firm amann cánovas maruri, the building is located in the expo's Sustainability District and stands out for its series of prominent truncated cones that rise above the landscape, evoking the feel of a traditional public square. Inside, the Pavilion houses two complementary thematic exhibition areas designed by the joint venture between External Reference and Onionlab. Here, the Barcelona-based firms have applied a striking blend of design, art, and technology to create a uniquely immersive experience.
Published in book format by Wustavo Quiroga and Juan Ruades, “Intermitencia. Diseño Mendocino” (Intermittence: Design from Mendoza) is an investigation that explores the development and trajectory of both architecture and other design disciplines in the province of Mendoza, Argentina. Spanning from the 1930s to the present, the book incorporates political events, pivotal moments, and intersecting histories that shed light on the evolution and cross-cutting connections linking industrial, graphic, product, and architectural design in the province, serving as a key resource for consolidating a federal narrative of Argentine design.
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The Colón Towers in Madrid, designed by Spanish architect Antonio Lamela, will be renovated with four new floors and a new skin by 2022.
luis vidal + arquitectos, who are responsible for the intervention on behalf of the owner Mutua Madrileña, propose removing the "plug" structure created in the 1990s, aiming to relocate spaces while staying ahead of sustainability and accessibility legislation.
In the following interview, Luis Vidal discusses the project in detail.
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Nayarit is a state located in western Mexico, bordered by the states of Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, and Jalisco, and facing the Pacific Ocean. With an area of 27,815 km², it is the country's ninth-smallest state. Its capital and most populous city is Tepic. Other notable localities include Nuevo Vallarta, Valle de Banderas, Ixtlán del Río, San Blas, Santiago Ixcuintla, Acaponeta, Compostela, Jala, Santa María del Oro, Rosamorada, Xalisco, San Pedro Lagunillas, Tecuala, and Huajicori.
Responsibly sourced, wood is a renewable, low-emission resource that, in addition to storing carbon within its composition, features low thermal conductivity and high acoustic absorption, creating comfortable, well-insulated spaces year-round. A well-designed timber building will not only enhance these properties but will also be aesthetically pleasing for its occupants and highly energy-efficient.
Fangcheng Design (FCHA) is an architectural design studio dedicated to the research and practice of Chinese urbanization. Driven by a pace, density, and development model unique in the world, China's urbanization is reshaping the built environment. Composed of a design team with international backgrounds, Fangcheng Design studies and researches Chinese cities to design contemporary architecture tailored to the Chinese context.
The 14th Bolivian Architecture Biennial 2021 took place between January 18 and 25, a cultural and academic event organized by the Departmental College of Architects of La Paz (CDALP) and the College of Architects of Bolivia (CENA CAB) through its Organizing Committee. The goal of this gathering was to celebrate and promote completed works, projects, and intellectual contributions related to the urban and architectural environment of recent years, both nationally and internationally.
In this edition, 169 projects were submitted from Bolivia's nine departments, as well as from the 12 countries participating in the international categories. Discover the winners below in the categories of Completed Work, Project Category, Research and Intellectual Production, and Student Graduation Projects.
Rescuing the invisible, diving into an erased urban memory, and walking on water. Surprising as it may seem, the world has not ended yet. However, those walking through Belo Horizonte, passing the busy intersection of Afonso Pena Avenue and Brasil Avenue, might be able to pinpoint exactly where it does. The “Acaba-Mundo” [World's End] is a creek that crossed the Curral del Rei settlement, the site to which the capital of Minas Gerais was relocated in 1897.
UMWELT is an architecture and territorial design practice and research office founded by Ignacio García Partarrieu and Arturo Scheidegger. Based in Chile, they have successfully expanded their interests across multiple scales and formats without drawing a distinction between design and research. The result is a diverse body of work, explorations, books, classes, and exhibitions that serve as different facets of the single project called UMWELT.
In the following interview, we delve deep into their current interests and concerns, their creative process when approaching a project, the numerous accolades of their rising career, and their upcoming projects and outlook on the future of architecture in Chile.
The firm of Francisco Burgos and Ginés Garrido was awarded first prize in the competition promoted by the Cabildo of La Palma to design a senior residence and day care center in Los Llanos de Aridane, a municipality in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands. Located on the west side of the island of La Palma, the proposal is conceived as a meeting point between architecture and nature, where its residents can enjoy the final stage of their lives supported by an optimistic architecture that fosters communal living.
What role does space play in education? How can we incorporate new learning methods that foster environmental stewardship and introduce sustainability principles to new generations? Located in the Parque Donado-Holmberg neighborhood of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, the Siglo XXI School draws on educational facilities in Finland, the Netherlands, England, and the United States as benchmarks, aiming to integrate the school into the community and maximize the use of open spaces and new technologies.
SLT- STUDIOLITE is a design consulting firm specializing in the evolution of commercial spaces. Founded in the United States in 2013 by Chen Ling, it is currently headquartered in Shanghai, with branch offices in Hong Kong and Seattle. SLT’s services encompass commercial interior design, dynamic retail SI iteration, strategic commercial complex upgrades, and brand identity renewal. The firm is dedicated to championing avant-garde ideologies and innovative business thinking, while actively fostering integrated collaborations with avant-garde artists, cutting-edge technology providers, and innovative material R&D laboratories.
“Edificios de Madrid” is a new 10-episode micro-series presented by Open House Madrid. A new episode will premiere each week on their YouTube channel, featuring ten renowned architects who explain and share previously unseen details of iconic works like the Zarzuela Racecourse, the Hotel Puerta de América, and the Liria Palace, while rediscovering lesser-known sites like the Frontón Beti Jai and the Francisco Giner de los Ríos Foundation.
On World Environment Day, celebrated on June 5, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, launched the Sustainable Development and Climate Action Plan. The document will guide the municipal administration's environmental goals for the coming decades. Among the proposals is the adoption of solely electric buses on municipal routes.
Electric mobility in Brazil, particularly in public transportation, is still in its infancy. There are promising solutions, such as the solar-powered electric buses developed in Ceará and in Florianópolis, but the adoption of these technologies remains highly localized.
The Sensory Landscapes project is part of the Biennial of the Mediterranean Garden (Biennale del Giardino Mediterraneo) and is located in the Radicepura Botanical Park on the island of Sicily, Italy. Nestled between Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea, Ivan Juarez conceived this research laboratory and educational initiative to focus on experiencing the landscape through conceptualization and the discovery of innovative methods. The concept centers on understanding the environment through sensory experience; therefore, it pays tribute to this landscape through a walkable, educational, and sensory garden featuring a plant collection that represents Mediterranean culture.
It is interesting to reflect on the events of a few days ago in Pamplona, which hosted the 7th Latin American Architecture Biennial (BAL) at the Civican Cultural Center. At first, it might seem striking that a Spanish city like Pamplona hosts an event focused on Latin American architecture—a practice that over the years has developed a distinct identity deeply rooted in its own continental context, and which one might think has little in connection with Iberian architecture today. Nevertheless, during these days, the city takes pride in serving as a bridge between Latin America and Spain. It welcomed emerging architecture firms that brought a fresh, driven energy to present work full of potential and promising ideas for the future of the Latin American architectural scene.
Established in 2009, PRAXiS d’ARCHITECTURE has undertaken a diverse portfolio of projects across various scales—ranging from office buildings, artist studios, and exhibition spaces to installations and furniture.
Through its Seminar on Culture and Contemporary Reality course, Escola da Cidade hosted sociologist, professor, and researcher Jessé Souza to discuss social classes in contemporary Brazil, exploring the challenges of overcoming inequality and the impact of these issues on the city.
"Domingos Libro" is hosted by Carmelo from Enorme Studio, where every two weeks he takes a deep dive into forgotten architectural publications—books and magazines from the '60s, '70s, and '80s with the most fascinating stories behind them.
In this episode, titled "Just What Is Necessary," he discusses Thomas Gordon Smith's 1988 book "Classical Architecture: Rule & Invention" and how two columns disappeared from his iconic Tuscan and Laurentian Houses just two years after their completion.
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