This guide covers a workflow that moves from project parameters to generated floor plans, 3D perspective views, exterior design exploration, and site context visualization, using AI tools in place of preliminary CAD and rendering work.

Located in the area between Sachsendamm and Berlin Südkreuz S-Bahn train station in Schöneberg, a new mixed-use complex, EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin, was completed last month by Berlin-based architect Sergei Tchoban and his firm Tchoban Voss Architekten with additional offices in Hamburg and Dresden. The complex comprises two freestanding structures—a larger Carré Building and a smaller Solitaire Building. Together they occupy their own block. The pair is now the largest hybrid-timber complex of buildings in Germany and one of the largest in Europe.

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To start the day in a relaxed state of mind, it is good to have a natural sense of inner calm, or, failing that, a peaceful space to retreat to where stress can be left outside. In their first collaboration, Duravit and designer Sebastian Herkner transform the bathroom into a place of true well-being – for the restorative cleansing of body, mind and soul. Here, there really is nothing to remind one of everyday life, as the Zencha bathroom series transports us away, paying homage to the traditional tea ceremonies of Japan.

In 2013, Medellín (Colombia) was declared the most innovative city in the world as part of the City of the Year Competition, organized by the Wall Street Journal. It competed alongside metropolises like New York and Tel Aviv.

The Antioquian capital has become one of the most advanced technological and intellectual epicenters in Colombia, not to mention the important urban development that has occurred in the city since the beginning of 2010. The city’s mobility-orientated integrated infrastructure together with interventions of high social impact have turned Medellín into the center of the debate on the growth and development of Latin American cities.

The following projects tell you the story of a city that bet on urban consolidation through quality public spaces and projects that encouraged citizen management by supporting the development of marginalized areas in a process of social reconstruction, where architecture has played an important role as a spatial formulation tool.

One of Japanese architect Kazuo Shinohara’s iconic architectures, designed under the so-called "First Style" has now been reconstructed on the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein. The Umbrella House, originally built in Tokyo in 1961, will serve as a venue for small gatherings on the campus, offering visitors insights on modern Japanese architecture. After the geodesic dome by Buckminster Fuller/George Howard in 1975, and a petrol station by Jean Prouvé in 1953, the project is the third historic building to be reconstructed on the Vitra Campus.

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The “Reconstructing the Future for People and Planet” Conference, hosted by Bauhaus Earth and the Pontifical Academy of Sciences (PAS), has begun at the Casina Pio IV in the Vatican Gardens. The conference opened with a speech from Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission. The extensive program brings together renowned scientists, architects, spatial planners, and policymakers to discuss the transformation of the built environment from a driver of climatic and societal crises into a force for regeneration.

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Cartography consists of the flat, simplified and conventional geometric representation of the earth's surface, presented in the form of maps, charts or blueprints. Because it is a two-dimensional representation of something that is three-dimensional, all representations undergo some kind of deformation, so that the choice of a method takes into account not only technical aspects, but also political ones.

Offering short-term accommodation to travelers, hotels represent one of the main elements supporting the hospitality sector. They often aim to create a serene environment, isolated from the bustle of city life, yet representative of the local identity. Boutique hotels represent a rising sub-sector of hospitality design. These are small hotels typically between 10 and 100 rooms with carefully chosen interior design, providing a memorable experience to their guests. From historic renovations to contemporary ground-up hotels, hotel projects represent a great opportunity for architects to create unique environments centered around leisure and relaxation.

This week’s curated selection of Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights projects submitted by the ArchDaily community. Located in the forests of Portugal, on the shore of the Greek island of Crete, or in the deserts of Egypt, this round-up of unbuilt projects showcases how architects respond to local conditions in order to create designs that cater to the needs of tourists and travelers.

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At the dawn of the automobile era, suppose Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller had asked how urban planners could increase the demand for cars and gasoline. Consider three options. First, divide the city into separate zones (housing here, jobs there, shopping over there) to generate trips between them. Second, limit density to spread everything out and increase those trips even further. Third, require ample off-street parking everywhere, making cars the easiest and cheapest way to travel.

It is often times that when living in Japan, whether you're occupying a shared house or renting out your own apartment, you'll find yourself having a limited amount of space to work with. This primarily stems from land scarcity within the country, with 73% of the land available to us being considered mountainous, with another large percentage of the country's flat land serving as farmland and a means for agricultural purposes. There is also the issue surrounding overcrowding within Japan's urban areas. Due to these factors, inflation amongst properties is rife, thus, resulting in many residents turning to small dwellings.

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Whether it is a small balcony, access to green space or a private garden, the outdoor space has become a privilege for many, especially upon the dawn of the Covid-19 pandemic and the multiple lock down periods that followed. Green space in the city is constantly under threat, particularly since governments seek to increase housing densities in order to feed a growing demand for suburban development. As a result, the garden and access to green/outdoor spaces has decreased in recent times, as priorities lie in housing as many as possible, often with disregard to beneficial features such as access to outdoor areas in residential developments.

In terms of living conditions the lack of access to these spaces presents evident inequalities, uncovered during periods of lock down and restrictions during the pandemic. People were confined to their homes and local outdoor spaces, where they could exercise. Those who had access to these public spaces and had their own gardens/external space were very lucky in the sense that they were able to enjoy an element of the outside. While those less fortunate in flats and areas of depravity faced claustrophobic and demoralizing conditions, contained within the shell of their homes. 

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Covering around five hectares, Plaza de Cataluña is one of Barcelona’s primary hubs—a gathering point for a diverse local community and tourists of all cultures and backgrounds. Here, the architecture firm MAIO designed and built an urban kitchen for the Model Festival, an event that turned the city into a laboratory for experimentation and debate for ten days in May.

How relevant is the use of color in architecture? Throughout history, we find various scenarios where color takes centre stage in its integration with the architectural work. Nowadays this is no exception. This is because colour is a medium that can be used to provoke deep and immediate emotions and reactions in the person observing. Because of this, colour plays an important role in the architectural reading, as it has the power to clarify the components that make it up or, on the contrary, to change the perception of the work or space.

The following list shows various Latin American housing projects that have had a particular approach to color in their composition. In them, we see the conception of color as the integrator of the work, or as a means of enhancing a particular element, be it interior or exterior.

The Brick Award recognises and celebrates exceptional brick architecture from around the world. It creates a platform for architects and planners to present their innovative and creative projects and designs to an international audience.

Architecture can achieve great things and unite cultures and nature, as demonstrated by the outstanding buildings that won the International Brick Award 22. For the tenth time, Wienerberger shone the spotlight on exceptional brick building projects from all over the world. The aim of the Brick Award is to act as a torch bearer and source of inspiration for architecture, planning, urban development and culture. The 50 nominated projects also demonstrate the aesthetic and functional potential of ceramic building materials.

Architectural Record has unveiled its list of Top 300 U.S. Architecture Firms of 2022, ranked by revenue for architectural services performed in 2021. Gensler, Perkins&Will, and HDR continued a three-year streak leading the annual ranking of the top 300 American architecture firms, joined by AECOM, which saw one of the largest reported increases in architecture revenue, rising from eighth to fourth place.

The 21st Serpentine Pavilion, Black Chapel, designed by Chicago-based artist Theaster Gates opens today, on June 10, 2022. On display until the 16^th of October 2022, the project is realized with the architectural support of Adjaye Associates with Goldman Sachs’ patronage. In 2021, the Pavilion events program was planned to reflect Gates’ concept of interlinking architecture and music, particularly emphasizing artistic explorations of monastic sounds and hymns. The pavilion will act as a platform for Serpentine’s live program throughout the summer, offering the public space of reflection, connection, and joy.

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In the field of design and construction, the question of gender is a point of conflict: who has the possibility of building? What are the alternatives for us architecture professionals? These are the questions that Taller General (re)think about. It is from these questions that Femingas, a participatory construction conference with a gender perspective, arose. These are manifested as an alternative to the construction of "mingas", days of joint work between the members of a community to achieve a common good.

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A tricky style to achieve, maximalism is as unique to each user as their own personality. Get it wrong and it’s easy to feel exposed and unfulfilled. 

Videos

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Gloria Cabral was born in the heart of São Paulo and grew up in Paraguay—where she studied at the Colégio Experimental Paraguai Brasil, designed by Affonso Eduardo Reidy. Since then, she has established herself as an architect whose practice transcends borders. With numerous international honors to her name and currently based in Guarda do Embaú, Santa Catarina, she has championed horizontal, collaborative processes that demonstrate the power of the collective in shaping the built environment.

Ana García, architect and founder of NeuronaLab, recently interviewed Aureli Soria-Frish from the company Starlab. They discussed how the latest technological advances are increasingly being used to objectify neural activity and the emotional states associated with architectural spaces. Below, she shares her key reflections.

Few spaces are as intimate and contemplative as prayer rooms. Designed as both stand-alone structures and part of larger projects, prayer rooms are made as an architecture of introspection. Located within a house of worship or funerary space, or for their own dedicated purpose, these quiet rooms offer tranquil areas to consider life and the passage of time. Reflecting larger ideas on specific faiths and spirituality, they are designed as spaces of symbolism and sanctuary. 

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Daylighting design is an essential aspect for creating brighter, healthier buildings for everyone. Considering that daylight has a unique ability to shape the experience of a space, it is important for architects and designers to take it into account in order to build healthier, more sustainable buildings. Good daylighting design can improve the health, mood, cognitive abilities and productivity of the occupants of homes, schools or workplaces, while reducing the energy consumption of the building.

We explore a few key factors that can influence daylight availability in buildings and how to account for them in your next project.

Great Gulf Group, Dream, and Westdale Properties, have unveiled renders of Frank Gehry's newest architecture in Toronto, Canada. Set to leave a mark on the city's skyline, Forma, the architect’s first residential tower in Canada and his tallest building yet rises 73 storeys and features a thoughtfully-appointed Gehry-designed lobby along with a striking custom art installation that reflects his visionary approach, as well as interiors by international design studio Paolo Ferrari.

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Powerhouse Company has revealed a new design for THIS., a new mixed-use development in Amsterdam’s North District. Overlooking the waterfront of the IJ river, the complex offers the necessary amenities for both working and living in an area close to the city center. The ensemble includes a new office building, two waterfront private sector residential buildings, and two social housing blocks containing a total of 2017 homes. A Hidden Garden, designed by Delva Landscape Architecture and Urbanism, connects the residential and office buildings, creating a space for leisure and social activities.

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Headquartered in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, the architectural firm Arquitetos Associados presents a dynamic and varied way of dealing with each project. Based on a specific and specific work organization for each case, which allows for a varied team including external collaborators, the firm's way of working reflects on its unique projects.

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