The global pandemic caused by the coronavirus has demanded emergency actions to save lives, which, in turn, require complementary measures to preserve jobs and income, especially for the most vulnerable segment of the population. The field of architecture and urbanism is no exception: the precarity facing a significant portion of professionals is worsening due to social isolation measures, which are absolutely essential to combat the pandemic. Left without financial reserves to guarantee basic survival, many architects are left with no alternatives. Emergency measures currently being discussed in Congress, such as a basic income, are urgent. While they rightly focus on low-income populations, the scale of the crisis demands additional actions.

Residents of the city of Punta Arenas collectively developed—in collaboration with writer Víctor Hernández and architect Alejandro Parada—a literary and graphic reconstruction documenting the heritage icons that represent the founding and evolution of the 18 de Septiembre neighborhood. The project, titled "Rutas Patrimoniales Barrio 18 de Septiembre, Punta Arenas", is framed within the Regional Cultural Identity Strengthening program of the Magallanes Region's Regional Ministerial Secretariat of Cultures, Arts, and Heritage, and is part of the 2017-2022 Public Policies for Cultural Promotion.

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“Alternative Utility Platforms” is a project that seeks to generate spaces for social innovation in the integrated management of urban waste. According to Giulia Bianchi and Luis Morillo, the authors of the proposal, the city of Barquisimeto, Venezuela, currently generates approximately 21,147 tons of solid waste per month. Only 61.79% of this waste ends up in landfills, meaning the remaining 33.25% winds up on streets, in informal dumps, rivers, and streams, improperly disposed of. Out of this total, ultimately only 4.97% is processed by recycling companies, and the majority of that volume is sorted and supplied by street waste collectors. For this reason, and through their thesis project developed at the Central University of Venezuela, the authors propose to generate new employment models for the collection and treatment of municipal solid waste through an urban and architectural intervention.

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The Eco Pavilion 2020 is the tenth edition of this competition, which, since 2010, has served as a space for reflection on architecture through temporary installations in the courtyard of the Museo Experimental el Eco. This year's edition was structured around Mathias Goeritz's idea of "the serpent," based on a concept proposed by architect Javier Senosiain.

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In light of recent statements by the Federal Government and the new programs announced by institutions involved in housing production in Mexico, we believe it is essential to open a dialogue and exchange ideas to better understand the concepts of self-construction, self-production, and the “Social Production and Management of Habitat” [SPMH], as well as the role of architecture in these social processes.

Electric scooters represent a significant opportunity to reduce transportation-related carbon emissions by bridging the "first and last mile" connections that people often make by car to access public transit systems during urban trips.

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With traditional access to information restricted due to social distancing measures implemented worldwide in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and with many unable to access physical architecture media like magazines, books, and other print publications, Summa+ has decided to release nearly 100 digital issues of its magazine, making its content available for free to readers around the world.

As the philosopher Byung-Chul Han states: every age has its signature afflictions. These illnesses have represented some of the most significant challenges in human history, bringing drastic changes not only to the healthcare sector but also to economic and political spheres, revealing humanity as a complex network negotiating its daily existence through actions that have reshaped our ways of living and relating to one another.

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Mexico's National Social Distancing Campaign began on March 23, 2020. However, a couple of weeks prior—even in the face of the federal government's recommendation to continue normal activities—social media users were already opting to mirror the European model and self-isolate. Architecture firms immediately began closing their physical spaces to transition to remote work, though for others, the shift took several weeks. Yet, this period of social and physical (spatial) distancing is experienced differently in every household. Over the months of this pandemic, we have witnessed not only the inequities in access to basic needs in dense urban areas, but also the fragility of the social order itself. Whether at a macro or micro scale, all of these experiences occur within and are shaped by the built environment, positioning architecture as both an active participant and a critical arbiter in this equation. 

For the third time since its founding in 2002, Mexico will host the Latin American Social Workshop of Architecture Students (TSL Mexico 2020). This edition is organized by the Latin American Coordinator of Architecture Students (CLEA Latin America), alongside CONEA Mexico and the Municipality of San Felipe del Progreso.

This article by Felipe Samarán Saló was originally published in the 11th issue of rita_ magazine under the title "Inhabited Renders and Deserted Architecture. The Hidden Message of Architecture Revealed by Photography" and is part of a joint dissemination collaboration. Below, we present a study on how the focus of architecture has shifted from "serving the person by addressing all their dimensions" to "generating a universe of surprising, beautiful, and photogenic forms and spaces," relegating the end-user to the background or into oblivion.

The Superintendency of Industry and Commerce has granted a utility patent for the invention "Multifunctional Self-Supporting Modular Roof System" to professors Camilo Ayala García and Christiaan Job Nieman Janssen, from the design department, and Diego Alejandro Velándia Rayo, from the architecture department, at the Faculty of Architecture and Design of the Universidad de los Andes.

After the state of emergency, nothing will return to the way it was. At that point, public and private spaces will routinely be occupied in ways that prevent transmission of a still-active virus. However, just as this situation has forced us to recognize our deficient healthcare system, it has also revealed how inadequate the spaces we inhabit often are.

In 2018, sociologist and cycling activist Marina Harkot defended her master's thesis Bicycles and Women at the University of São Paulo (USP). To develop a qualitative methodology examining the challenges faced by female cyclists in the city, she interviewed various women: those who bike to work, those who explore the city on two wheels, and those who love tackling the capital's rolling topography.

Her methodology succeeded in revealing a common thread among these diverse cyclists: “It is the network surrounding these women that seems to prompt them to start cycling and keep them riding — as well as female role models, the women (whether known to them or not) who ride and inspired them,” wrote the researcher. 

When reality demands complex and unprecedented answers from us, one of the most interesting methods to find them is biomimicry, which consists of asking nature questions in search of inspiration. In this light, it is worth asking: how does nature deal with emergency situations where an organism's behavior must be quickly modified?

According to researchers, staying at home has led to a reduction in pollution levels, and this drop has saved more lives than those lost to the coronavirus. Images of pollution-free canals in Venice and animals returning to areas previously occupied by humans swept the internet, proving how our model of relentless development pressures the planet's natural resources—and how quickly nature regenerates when given the chance.

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Rojkind Arquitectos has proposed a "Mourning Claim" memorial for COVID-19 victims. Led by Michel Rojkind, Arturo Ortíz Struck, and Diego Díaz Lezama, the project is envisioned for Times Square in New York and the Zócalo in Mexico City. "We claim mourning for its own sake. At the very least, we can care for them, for these architectural symbols that bear witness to our lives and the lives of others," say the authors.

The objective of the Pedestrian Networks Ideas Competition was to boost pedestrian connectivity and improve public spaces for gathering and movement within the city of Antofagasta. Chilean architecture firms and multidisciplinary teams submitted environmentally and economically sustainable urban design projects. These proposals aimed to guarantee universal accessibility, foster coexistence between residents and different modes of transportation, and integrate amenities to make these pedestrian spaces more attractive, inclusive, and safe.

Through the book “Nuestras Arquitectas. Re-mapeo y nuevas cartografías. Buenos Aires 1”, Dr. Architect Inés Moisset and Specialist Architect Carolina Quiroga propose a critical reflection on the contributions of women to the history of Argentine architecture, aiming to develop new cartographies grounded in approaches of equity and inclusion.

Although we typically associate their presence with playgrounds in parks, gardens, or schools, the swing or hammock—the terminology varies by region—is an element that can also function as complementary furniture in architectural projects with highly diverse programs, such as bars, restaurants, homes, and even offices and coworking spaces. These elements introduce movement and dynamism, creating interactive spaces that allow for a playful and unusual appropriation of architecture—one that fosters not only play, but also leisure and rest.  Suspended by tension-bearing elements—such as cables, chains, ropes, or solid bars—and anchored to ceilings, walls, beams, or dedicated structural supports designed to prevent overloading, these elements can completely redefine an interior or semi-covered space. In doing so, they provide a stimulus for play while also offering a place for relaxation and moments of quiet contemplation.

COVID-19 cases in Brazil continue to rise, overwhelming the healthcare system with patients diagnosed with the virus. Understandably, hospital visits by people suffering from other illnesses have also decreased due to fear of contracting the coronavirus. To prevent health complications among those hesitant to visit hospitals, the architects at the Brazilian studio Democratic Architects have proposed the Immediate Health Bus (O-SI), a system focused on telemedicine.

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This article is part of a collaboration with the website coolhuntermx and was originally published under the title "Frida Escobedo in the New Galerie Nordenhake Space."

The relationship between Frida Escobedo's studio and various creative disciplines is materialized in each of their projects; some involve extensive exploration and research, while others are more pragmatic. The studio achieves a balance in today's industry, spanning from residential, commercial, or hospitality spaces to projects that verge closer to art or installation. The processes of one constantly inform the other.

Two buildings in Brasília's Plano Piloto have received the CAU/DF Seal – Architecture of Brasília 2020, and another six will receive it in the coming days. Launched in August of this year by the Council of Architecture and Urbanism of the Federal District, the seal aims to recognize the historical value of Brasília's non-monumental buildings and their designers, as well as to promote building maintenance and conservation best practices that have preserved the architectural language of the Modern Movement.

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The following article, written by architect Marta Devia (National University of Colombia), a member of the Advisory Committee of the Leopoldo Rother Architecture Museum, presents the biography of the namesake Polish-born, naturalized Colombian architect. From 1996 to 2004, she served as director of the museum named in honor of the architect who profoundly shaped the Colombian scene during the first half of the 20th century—an influence best exemplified by the University City (Ciudad Universitaria) of the National University of Colombia.