Currently, most global citizens have been directed into lockdown due to COVID-19. After spending more than two months under these circumstances, two broad reflections emerge—regardless of the personal challenges faced by each household. The first is that we might adapt and live in relative harmony within our living spaces; the second is that our living space may not be adequate for our comfort. We will delve into this second point to empathize with vulnerable populations who choose to abandon their lives in one place to migrate toward better opportunities, and to examine how architecture addresses—or fails to address—the migration emergency.
Architecture does not feed upon itself. Unlike Francisco de Goya's painting, Saturn Devouring His Son, architecture looks to other arts, sciences, and technologies for nourishment before turning upon its own kind. Without these fundamental tributaries, it could not exist. Its richness is directly proportional to the presence of these supporting contributions.
Since its origins, architecture has maintained a close relationship with measurement—an obsession that represents the transition between creative art and construction technology. Art and technique, united by measurement. First came the body, then proportional and regulatory elements, and finally, complex metrics of various kinds. Historically, the treatises of Vitruvius, Leonardo da Vinci, and Leon Battista Alberti taught us the mathematical relationships between art and nature as the fundamental basis of architecture.
https://www.archdaily.com/1123529/the-new-metric-reflections-on-norms-and-measures-in-times-of-social-distancingManuel Amaya D.
As part of an initiative by Makers México, a group of nearly 300 creative professionals from various fields continues to come together to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Architects such as Juan Carlos Baumgartner and Michel Rojkind, along with designer Ariel Rojo, have joined this effort to contribute in various ways, creating 3D-printed parts to be donated to hospitals across the country. Currently, they are working on a splitter—which allows two patients to be connected to a single ventilator in the event of a shortage—protective masks for doctors and patients, as well as other components to complement their operation.
On August 20, the landmarking process began for the scale model of Salvador, which is currently on display at the Associação Comercial da Bahia in the state capital [1]. The model, which will remain open to visitors by appointment until September 18, 2020 [2], was first conceived in the early 1970s by architect Assis Reis. Since then, it has been continually updated by a team of craftspeople from the Salvador Municipal Government to represent the city's urban changes, thus preserving the original vision behind its creation.
The 13th São Paulo International Architecture Biennial has established reconstruction as the core theme of its 2022 edition. As a preparatory activity for the co-curatorship competition, the IABsp organized three debates to discuss the very essence of art and architecture exhibitions, while also calling on us to reflect on the role of architects, urban planners, and many other professionals in building fairer and more democratic cities.
The government-mandated lockdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic—and, in some cases, the fear of going outside—have recently underscored the value of domestic space, transforming it into the stage for the most evident and characteristic human actions and reactions within a capitalist and patriarchal system.
"The hardest thing in architecture is building in the desert. It is terrible, there are no references," Álvaro Siza once remarked. Paradoxical as it may seem, complex site constraints are often the starting point for architectural reasoning. Dealing with steep slopes, significant pre-existing structures, or endemic vegetation might initially seem like an obstacle to the creative process, but in many cases, this very confrontation is what makes a project unique and anchors it to its site.
Edificio Isabel - arquitecto Christian Dávila. Image Cortesía de Bienal Internacional de Arquitectura de Santa Cruz
From July 20 to 27, the first virtual edition of the 7th Santa Cruz International Biennial of Architecture (BASC) took place. Organized by the Santa Cruz Association of Architects, the event was an effort to reflect on the “Return to Origins”; that is, bringing to the table the importance of an introspective review of the essence of space and cities from a global perspective, yet connected to local knowledge.
On the final day of the event, the first-place winners and honorable mentions for each of the five BASC 2020 categories were announced. Discover all the winners below.
Brick stands as one of the defining materials of Latin American architectural culture. The diversity and versatility of this masonry unit have led to a wide array of uses and applications. Whether chosen for economic or aesthetic reasons, exposed brick—left unfinished and without exterior cladding—is widely used across the region's designs, showcasing the rich textures and tones inherent to the material.
Located in the country's northwestern region, the state of Baja California Norte borders California (in the United States), Sonora, and Baja California Sur (in Mexico). Along with Baja California Sur, these are the only two Mexican states flanked by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Sea of Cortez to the east, harboring some of the most breathtaking landscapes and coastlines in the country.
What is architecture's share of the blame for climate change?
It was with this very serious question that we decided to open the debate with our readers, and the volume of responses received was impressive. After reading and compiling the comments sent by construction industry professionals, students, and interested individuals, we concluded that architecture schools rarely discuss the physical properties and characteristics of materials, let alone their embodied energy.
The use of concrete as a construction material offers distinct advantages in terms of structural strength and construction timelines. These benefits, combined with its plasticity, versatility, and aesthetic value, have led many architects to choose this system to bring their projects to life. The resurgence of trends surrounding exposed concrete applications—that is, without additional coatings—has simultaneously sparked numerous explorations of its expressive qualities, giving rise to new projects that experiment with the material's finishes in interior spaces.
From my hotel room, it was possible to see the roofs of the Forbidden City, though only as a faint shape through the haze blanketing the landscape. Beijing (or Peking, depending on the language or spelling) is one of the most polluted cities in the world, covered by a constant smog produced not only by automobiles—which account for 70% of the city's air pollution—but also by factories, coal-fired power plants, and sandstorms from neighboring regions. It looked like a cloudy day, but in reality, there was not a single cloud in the sky.
Soumaya Museum / FR-EE / Fernando Romero Enterprise. Image
While virtual reality is not a new tool, its adoption across various industries has been gradual. In the architecture and cultural sectors, virtual tours have become increasingly common, offering a much broader perspective of spaces and—in the case of art—their relationship with the exhibited works. Various efforts have been made to promote this spatial mapping, closing the gap between cities, countries, and continents. A prime example is the Google Arts & Culture project, which features a library of 4,500 institutions that can be explored virtually.
If quarantine has brought anything positive to the lives of many people around the world, it is the opportunity to shift our daily routines and immerse ourselves in new activities for which we previously had neither the time nor the energy. Learning and gaining deeper knowledge in topics that interest us or relate to our professional work is one of these opportunities.
Many organizations and companies linked to the architecture and construction industries are enhancing their digital presence through webinars that offer in-depth insights into their tools and products, allowing them to stay connected with their professional communities. We invite you to explore this list of free webinars available over the coming weeks. With any luck, you will find one that fits your latest project!
The sixth edition of the Madrid International Festival of Architecture and the City will take place from September 25 to 27, featuring a special edition organized to comply with necessary safety measures and ensure the well-being of all participants. The event will allow citizens to explore more than 80 spaces normally closed to the public free of charge, as well as participate in fifteen outdoor guided tours in small groups, with mandatory pre-registration. The festival will also feature other cross-disciplinary and complementary activities.
LIFE CERSUDS (which stands for Ceramic Sustainable Urban Drainage System) is a proposal developed within the framework of the LIFE program—the European Union's funding instrument for the environment and climate action. It is a sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS) that utilizes low commercial value ceramic material as a filtering paving system to improve cities' adaptive capacity to the climate crisis.
This initiative was implemented as a demonstrator project in the town of Benicàssim, Spain, by architects Eduardo de Miguel and Enrique Fernández-Vivancos of the Valencia Ceramic Chair. They present the project in detail below.
In mid-August, images of a new urban-architectural proposal for downtown Santiago began circulating in the media and on social networks: the preliminary design led by architect Gonzalo Mardones for the MAC Contemporary Art Museum in Parque Forestal.
Despite the potential benefits it aims to deliver, does it capitalize on the opportunity presented by intervening in this area? Does it meet citizens' expectations? Does it foster discussion about its management? Are there other viable alternatives?
Vaulted structures make it possible to build homes affordably and with minimal infrastructure—relying solely on the catenary arch as a design foundation, a formwork-free construction system, and the human body as a morphological reference. Beyond material cost savings—should financial benefits not offer enough incentive—vaulted structures are characterized by their humanized quality and their potential to create organic spaces imbued with identity.
As part of the cultural program of LIGA, Space for Architecture in Mexico City, the Brazilian quartet Terra e Tuma—comprising Danilo Terra, Fernanda Sakano, Pedro Tuma, and Juliana Terra—presents a project that reflects their architectural practice: a process of copying and repetition. As announced on LIGA's official website, the opening scheduled for Wednesday, March 18, was canceled due to recent developments surrounding COVID-19 in Mexico City. Nevertheless, digital publications like this one aim to share the project to foster dialogue and reflection on the world of architecture.
The winners of the “Parque de la Ciudad” Comodoro Rivadavia National Preliminary Project Competition have been announced. Organized by the College of Architects of Chubut and sponsored by the Argentine Federation of Architects' Entities, the competition invited participants to develop urban and architectural ideas to renew the public space of the city of Comodoro Rivadavia, Chubut (Argentina), through the design of a new Urban Park and a Popular Music Training and Production Center.
Seeking to gather ideas and reflections from professionals, students, and collaborators amidst the local and global health emergency, the Colegio de Arquitectos de la Provincia de Santa Fe has called upon architects to collectively contribute ideas to address the current issues associated with the spread of COVID-19. As such, the open call serves as an impetus to create a space for design development fueled by disciplinary thinking, aiming to offer responses to the ongoing health crisis while reclaiming and rethinking the role of architects in society.
This October 2020, the Memory and Tolerance Museum by Arditti + RDT Architects in the heart of Mexico City marks the tenth anniversary of its founding—a space designed to raise awareness and showcase the terrible consequences of hatred and indifference. Over these ten years, the museum has welcomed 5,000,000 visitors, hosted more than 4,000 free workshops and courses benefiting 470,000 people, generated 1,500,000 scholarships for vulnerable students, and spearheaded countless initiatives that have successfully fostered a culture of peace and tolerance. It has become a national and international benchmark in matters of historical memory and Human Rights—a voice that gives visibility to diverse causes, a bridge for conflict resolution, and an ally to various sectors, including schools, civil associations, institutions, and socially responsible corporations. Above all, it serves the individuals who wish to transform their environment through knowledge, introspection, reflection, and social action.
https://www.archdaily.com/1123625/the-importance-of-creating-spaces-for-reflection-10-years-after-the-museum-of-memory-and-tolerance-in-mexico-cityArchDaily Team
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