Museums play a key role in the preservation and dissemination of culture and knowledge. They can exhibit works of art, documents, photographs, historical artifacts or even plants and trees. Although today there are entirely virtual exhibition spaces, the primary functions of traditional museums are the conservation and protection of objects, which are invaluable due to their historical relevance, rarity or market value. From simple “Do not touch” signs to tape, security guards, or glass displays, each object receives a type of protection that is in accordance to its needs. These types of protection, in turn, must consider both the safety of the object, whilst also allowing for its appreciation and conservation, creating a controlled environment for the exposed object that preserves it indefinitely.

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Defining spaces in apartments is a challenge often imposed by their limited footprints. To address this, many projects utilize metal framing and custom furniture to delineate areas, connecting the architectural program through visual permeability while allowing natural light to flow throughout the home.

Aiming to give more to our users and from three different- yet united- perspectives, Designboom, Architonic, and ArchDaily which make up DAAily platforms, will be providing visitors of Milan Design Week 2022 an exclusive selection of inspiring architecture and design highlights via two inclusive guides. The DAAily fair guide and DAAily city guide will serve as the best example of what the power of the three provides to creatives during one of the biggest design events of the year.

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Aiming to give more to our users and from three different- yet united- perspectives, Designboom, Architonic, and ArchDaily which make up DAAily Platforms, will be providing visitors of Milan Design Week an exclusive selection of inspiring architecture and design highlights via two inclusive guides. The DAAily Milano Fair Guide and DAAily Milano City Guide will serve as the best example of what the power of the three provides to creatives during one of the biggest design events of the year.

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Just like hospitals and medical offices, dental clinics are places that tend to bring anxiety and anguish to patients, reactions that can be intensified in an unfriendly and unwelcoming environment. White and neutral environments can bring the notion of asepsis and hygiene, essential requirements for hospital architecture. However, the lack of welcoming elements, such as the use of warmer colors and materials, may also be responsible for causing a certain distance between professionals and patients, in addition to reinforcing the stereotypes attributed to dental clinics.

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After radically transforming the world of design and production in sectors such as automotive and aerospace, robotics is now entering the construction sector. That is why École des Ponts ParisTech, a leading French engineering school founded in 1747, preparing future leaders, civil engineers and researchers, has developed a new training curriculum.

Following the devastating explosion that took place on August 4th, 2020, Studio Etienne Bastormagi, along with Nada Borgi and Sandra Richani of Hatch Architects and Planners have designed a modular public installation for the historic Sursock Museum in Beirut, Lebanon, a structure that was heavily impacted by the explosion and is currently undergoing renovations. Titled "Diving Board", the installation creates a new link between the museum and visitors by opening up the structure’s gated esplanade, creating a new interchangeable public space within the culturally-rich district.

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Offering productivity levels 50% higher than previous models, HP introduces its new range of large-format printing solutions, HP Latex. The series consists of four devices—the HP Latex 700 and 800, and the HP Latex 700W and 800W—bringing white ink printing capabilities to this category for the first time. Print jobs run on this new series will not only deliver brighter colors and finer details, but will also do so at even faster print speeds, reaching up to 36 m2 per hour.

Ennead Architects has unveiled the Shanghai Lingang Special Area master plan, a new hub for global commerce. Designed around the central axis that defines the Dishui Lake district in Shanghai, the master plan establishes the identity of a new business district. Designed as a free trade zone, this is planned to attract prominent international companies. The site's design proposes functional areas where multinational corporations can optimize business operations while creating open spaces for the surrounding communities. Ennead’s large-scale plan includes four commercial buildings, retail, civic and open spaces.

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Housing will always be a theme and challenge for architects. Thinking about it in a way that serves the entire population, including the most precarious contexts, is one of the most complex, and perhaps impossible, tasks to be fully consolidated. Each place and family will always place different priority points on a project, which is why resorting to a standard solution is not ideal. However, several proposals present intervention possibilities that create an intricate seam between the most different factors: basic infrastructure, program, self desires, aesthetics, budget. For this reason, we have gathered here some Brazilian examples of affordable housing, ranging from a single-family house to large residential blocks.

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Housing objects of artistic, cultural, historical and scientific importance, the term ‘museum’ is derived from the Latin language. In regards to classical antiquity, in Ancient Greek ‘mouseion’, meaning ‘set of muses’ was a philosophical institution, a place for contemplation and thought. These muses refer to the 9 muses in Greek mythology, the goddesses of the arts and sciences, and patrons of knowledge. Early museums’ origins stem from private collections of wealthy families, individuals or institutions, displayed in ‘cabinets of curiosities’ and often temples and places of worship. Yet these ‘collections’ are predecessors of the modern museum, they did not seek to rationally categorize and exhibit their collections like the exhibitions we see today.

In definition, the modern museum is either a building or institution that cares for or displays a collection of numerous artifacts of cultural, historical, scientific or artistic importance. Through both permanent and temporary exhibits, most public museums make these artifacts available for viewing and often seek to conserve and document their collection, to serve both research and the general public. In essence, museums house collections of significance, whether these be on a small or large scale.

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Cities play a fundamental role in the search for solutions and policies to mitigate the problems driving global climate change. Today, urban areas account for more than 70% of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions—one of the main causes of the greenhouse effect and its consequences for the environment and human life.

This percentage is striking, considering that municipalities occupy a mere 0.4% to 0.9% of the Earth's surface, as pointed out by the study "Effects of population or density change on urban carbon dioxide emissions," published in Nature Communications—a journal specializing in natural sciences.

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CopyCat is the act of emulating something that's already been created and using it in a different context. Copycats can exist in music, arts and design; but they are not exactly a design inspiration or a style reference, but rather a literal copy with almost no modification of the original work.

In architecture, it is as if you were inspired by an emblematic work from another space-time and placed it somewhere unconnected with the original roots of the work-style.

Urban planning is of interest to everyone, but it is no subject for novices. With this in mind, Arquicast invited professionals who contribute directly to the field through extensive research and practical experience for a conversation. Joining the podcast are Roberto Ghidini, an engineer, urban observer, founder of Sociedad Peatonal, and PhD in Urbanism from UPM (Polytechnic University of Madrid); and João Flávio Folly, an architect with a Master’s in Urbanism from UFF and currently a PhD candidate in Mobility and Urbanism at PROURB/UFRJ. 

At the end of 2021, the port city of Genoa, Italy, introduced free public transit. Following the success of the initiative, the experiment, originally scheduled to end on March 31, 2022, was extended for another four months.

Vertical transit systems (such as elevators and funiculars) will remain free seven days a week with no time restrictions, while free subway access is available during two specific windows: daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. This free access will be valid until July 31.

In the mountain range of the Andes in Peru, at over 3,700 meters above sea level, lies the Q'eswachaka suspension rope bridge, declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The hand-woven bridge, which connects both sides of a gorge over the Apurímac River, has become the last remaining Inca bridge in use to survive modern times. This has been made possible through the transmission of Inca culture and engineering across generations, which renew the bridge every year to ensure its preservation.

In his most recent book, Survival of the City, economist Edward Glaeser diagnoses the conflicts of interest that permeate the urban debate. According to him, there is a fundamental opposition between insiders—longtime residents interested in maintaining the status quo and increasing their property values—and outsiders—new residents looking for affordable housing and new opportunities for work, consumption, and urban space.

Le Corbusier once stated that “Light creates ambiance and feel of a place, as well as the expression of a structure.” Despite other external technicalities and design choices made within public spaces, such as the way the space is constructed and the use of color and materiality, these elements would essentially be rendered useless without the proper use of lighting.

Many architects’ design choices and decisions cater toward the general illumination of a given environment, and the intended feeling and mood that architects want individuals of the public to experience whilst occupying the space. The lighting, therefore, must be integrated into the furnishings and architecture as lighting plays a decisive role in creating the right atmosphere. Low lighting creates an intimate, upscale atmosphere, especially within restaurants, bars, and lounge areas, where individuals are more apt to lean close together.

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World Design Capital Valencia 2022 unveils its final agenda for the month of May, more than four weeks full of openings, presentations, conferences, screenings and exhibitions distributed by some of the cultural and innovation centers, and the most outstanding museums and galleries in the city. 

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Mexican interior designer and artist Olga Hanono has been invited to present her latest exhibition, DREAMVILLE, at La Biennale de Venezia Modigliani Opera Vision, from May 1 to July 31, 2022. The collection is inspired by the human capacity to dream, reflecting on imaginary objects that might exist within a dreamscape, along with the variety of colors and shapes found in distant stars, planets, and galaxies. Hanono has created art pieces and furniture using unconventional, luxurious materials.

Videos

Most real estate brochures proudly showcase a specific feature: the gourmet balcony. Have you ever stopped to think that perhaps these spaces, typically equipped with a barbecue grill, say more about real estate speculation than about the actual barbecue culture in Brazil?

The phenomenon of building new cities around the world is gaining momentum in an effort to mitigate the effects of climate change, contain mass migration and brain drain, or improve the poor quality of life in some cities—a reality highlighted by pandemic lockdowns, among many other reasons. Urban planners and professionals in architecture, engineering, and other disciplines undoubtedly face major challenges, raising the question: should we concentrate all our efforts on creating new urban centers, or focus instead on improving conditions and addressing the issues of existing ones?

This week's curated selection of Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights different competition-winning designs and honorable mentions submitted by the ArchDaily Community. From large scale urban developments to small interventions and installations, this article highlights a selection of projects that have taken part of international and/or national competitions, and have received recognition from their juries.

From a metro station refurbishment that highlights the colors of Belgrade, to a memorial park on the coast of Miami, the award-winning entries are designed by young architects who have reimagined cultural, commercial, and urban projects, and provided innovative solutions that cater to the city and community. This round up also includes projects in Pakistan, Czech Republic, Germany, Vietnam, and Turkey.

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Before the pandemic, there was a concerted effort from world leaders to curb the effects of global warming, with nations from around the world trying to unite in this endeavor. There was an increased emphasis on policies and action plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 through the rapid introduction of new energy saving technologies and innovative carbon dioxide removal techniques, with the purpose of meeting the Paris Agreement goal of carbon neutrality and limiting global warming to 1.5ºC.