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.

From September 18 to October 19, 2025, the 14th São Paulo International Architecture Biennial, organized by IABsp, will occupy the Oca Pavilion in Ibirapuera Park to discuss how architecture, urbanism, design, and landscape architecture can address climate change and extreme events.

The curatorial concept stems from the understanding that we live in times of extremes, demanding radical and innovative solutions. Across the four floors of the Oca, the curators aim to bring together science and innovation, traditional knowledge, everyday practices, market-driven proposals, and state actions, asserting that the climate challenge must be confronted by society as a whole.

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If you have not yet seen "The Brutalist" and plan to do so, I recommend that you stop reading now and save this piece for after you watch it. Spoilers abound in the paragraphs below. If you are expecting a traditional film review, my apologies in advance: this is an architectural critique stemming from the themes explored in the movie.

The film's final line prompts an interesting debate on the architectural design process: "No matter what others try to sell you, what matters is the destination, not the journey." The line is spoken by Zsófia, niece of fictional architect László Tóth, the protagonist of "The Brutalist," during the epilogue showcasing his international recognition at the first Venice Architecture Biennale in 1980, titled "The Presence of the Past."

In Quito, Nicolás Valencia speaks with Ecuadorian architects Carolina Rodas, Carla Chávez, and Felipe Donoso, founders of the award-winning firm ⁠Rama Estudio⁠, about their book ⁠"Los primeros diez años. Crítica de obra" (The First Ten Years. Critique of Work), published in 2024 by Flap.

The spaces we inhabit are filled with movement, activities, and encounters: the kitchen where we prepare food, the living room where we gather, and the office where we work. Amidst all this, certain elements go unnoticed, yet connect our experience with the environment: switches, outlets, and wall plates. These devices not only distribute power but also structure and facilitate our interaction with space, serving as nodes that link functions and circulation paths while reinforcing the aesthetic identity of interiors.

Nicolás Valencia speaks with French architect Léa Namer, author of ⁠⁠Chacarita Moderna, ⁠⁠the Brutalist Necropolis of Buenos Aires,⁠ where she investigates the Sexto Panteón in the Argentine capital and the history of its forgotten architect, Ítala Fulvia Villa.

Nicolás Valencia speaks with Peruvian architect Sandra Barclay, founding partner of Barclay & Crousse Architecture, about the book ⁠Atlas Sensible: tiempo, memoria y recorrido en la construcción del paisaje⁠, published by Publicaciones Arquitectura PUCP and Fondo Editorial PUCP.

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Beyond their aesthetics, materiality, or installation methods, the role of ceilings in contemporary architecture is no longer limited to hiding building structures or internal building systems. By providing functional benefits such as acoustic absorption, thermal insulation, energy efficiency, fire protection, integrated lighting, and ease of maintenance, different ceiling layouts combine flexibility and versatility to meet the diverse needs and uses of their occupants. Offices, restaurants, clinics, retail shops, and other interior spaces take center stage through the use of ceilings designed with clear intentions and narratives.

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We invite you to participate in the 2025 ArchDaily Brasil Building of the Year Award. Now in its ninth edition, we charge our readers with the responsibility of recognizing and rewarding the projects that have made the greatest impact on the profession. By voting, you become part of an unbiased network of judges, recognizing the most relevant projects built in Portuguese-speaking countries over the past year. Only a few days remain until the end of the nomination stage, which will select the 15 finalists for the 2025 ArchDaily Brasil Building of the Year Award.

Registered users can vote for their favorite project once per day. The nomination stage closes on April 1 at 11:59 PM (Brasília time, GMT-3).

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Historically, architecture is a discipline that for many years was a male-dominated territory, until in 1939, María Luisa Dehesa became the first Mexican female architect. Yet, despite the perception that gender parity has been achieved in the education of architects in Mexico, the concept of masculinity (which can be exercised by both men and women) continues to permeate architecture. This is reflected in design processes, in the figure of the "unreachable architect," in a sense of competitiveness, in hierarchical structures, and, in the most unfortunate cases, in the notion that women design interiors while men design *real* architecture.

Jointly developed by China Resources Land and Shanghai Land Group, with architectural design by KPF, the Lujiazui Riverfront Center is nearing completion. Located along the Huangpu River within Shanghai's Lujiazui waterfront district, the project spans a total gross floor area of 200,000 square meters. Eight small-scale, standalone commercial buildings run parallel to the shoreline, reshaping the waterfront skyline with staggered heights. Inside the cluster, a network of pedestrian paths and axes links the internal plazas and surrounding buildings, integrating with neighboring historic structures to establish a strong dialogue with the broader urban design.

Characterized by its low-density layout, the development features specialty retail, shared conference spaces, sunken plazas, and rooftop gardens. By connecting with nearby luxury hotels, art venues, and high-end residences—all within walking distance—it creates a 24-hour elite lifestyle hub, establishing Shanghai's first workplace that seamlessly integrates garden-style offices with the Lujiazui CBD. Additionally, the project features a generous 4.5-meter floor-to-floor height, yielding a clear height of 3 meters for standard floors and 3.5 meters for executive floors. In terms of floor plate design, the column-free interior spaces offer unobstructed, panoramic views of the Huangpu River.

The archive of more than 40 years of professional activity by architect João Luís Carrilho da Graça will be integrated into Casa da Arquitectura, reinforcing the national scope of the institution's collection. The signing ceremony will take place this Saturday, February 15, at 3:30 p.m., at the CA Archive premises.

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Prefabricated systems have become an effective option for completing projects that require standardized modular solutions, such as hotels, hospitals, residences, and residential buildings. The primary advantages of using ready-made modules are reduced labor time, optimal control, and project traceability. While the functional value of these systems—in terms of their quick and easy execution—is significant, the use of quality materials provides additional value. However, to understand how these modules function and are applied, it is first necessary to understand their origin and process.

Morphosis has unveiled that construction works on its latest addition to the L.A. skyline, 8850 Sunset Boulevard, a mixed-use project on the Sunset Strip in the City of West Hollywood, are scheduled to begin in 2021.

This article is part of our new Opinion section, a format for argument-driven essays on critical questions shaping our field.

Before architecture students become authors of space, they are subjected to one. For years, they work inside a building that teaches without announcing itself as a teacher. It organizes their exhaustion, their ambition, their visibility, their solitude, their friendships, their sense of scale, and their relationship to judgment. Long before a student can articulate a position on architecture, the school has already offered one in its implicit built environment.

This is not to suggest that buildings determine architects. The influence is slower and less complete than that. A school building operates more like a hidden curriculum: a spatial discipline that works alongside faculty, syllabi, institutional culture, and student life. It teaches through access and obstruction, program adjacencies, daylight exposures, and scale. It produces habits of attention before it produces explicit beliefs.

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This week on the TERRAZA podcast, Nicolás Valencia speaks with Chilean sociologist and Universidad San Sebastián academic Ricardo Greene, editor of the landmark book "Ciudad Fritanga," published by Editorial Bifurcaciones in 2014.

"Ciudad Fritanga" compiles 34 chronicles of non-metropolitan Chilean cities like Arica, Talca, and Punta Arenas through the lens of poets, artists, and writers such as Lina Meruane, Jorge Baradit, Marcelo Mellado, and María José Navia.

"When people write about cities, they write about London, Berlin, and New York.  That is the urban chronicle. However, non-metropolitan cities are also cities," Greene comments in this interview.

This week on the TERRAZA podcast, Nicolás Valencia speaks with Argentine-Spanish architect Zaida Muxí, author of the book “⁠Mujeres, casas y ciudades⁠” (Women, Houses, and Cities), published by dpr-Barcelona in 2018.

In “⁠Mujeres, casas y ciudades⁠”, Muxí proposes rewriting the history of architecture and urbanism by incorporating the contributions of the many women who have been silenced in mainstream historical accounts.

“If we want to play by market rules, housing will never be a right,” Muxí posits in this interview.

The rise of sustainability and the circular economy is transforming the construction industry, driving a growing demand for new specialized roles. Positions such as sustainability managers or circular economy consultants are becoming increasingly common in contemporary projects.

In 2024, the evolution of porcelain tiles has elevated the tactile experience to a new level, transforming them into true works of art. Produced with mineral texture printing technology, the collections feature striking reliefs in dimensions of 120 x 120 cm, 100 x 200 cm, 120 x 250 cm, 160 x 160 cm, and 160 x 320 cm, designed to awaken all the senses. Behind this advancement is Roca Brasil Cerámica, part of the Mexican LAMOSA Group, leading the Roca Cerâmica and Incepa brands.

"Drinking Caracu is drinking health." This is what read on the massive blank wall of a building in downtown São Paulo on the morning of May 1, 2018. Hidden for decades, the advertisement for the famous beer brand now loomed before a massive heap of concrete, twisted metal, and shattered glass. This was the rubble to which the iconic Wilton Paes de Almeida Building had been reduced—a modernist landmark designed by architect Roger Zmekhol and the subject of the documentary Skin of Glass, directed by his daughter, Denise Zmekhol.

The film transcends traditional architectural documentation by blending a personal narrative with the political complexities of contemporary Brazil, a country shaped by deep inequalities and erased memories. At the heart of the story is the building itself, considered a landmark of Brazilian modern architecture, which collapsed in 2018 after a tragic fire.

The Latin American Architecture Biennale (BAL) has opened submissions for its 2025 edition, aiming to highlight young talent in Latin American architecture. Held in Pamplona, Spain, the event seeks to provide international visibility to emerging professionals and promote cultural and technical exchange between Latin American architects and the European public.

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Curated by Alcova Milano under the theme "Future Continuous," Heimtextil Trends 25/26 offers an exciting new perspective on the textile industry. This trend showcase will be presented in the Trend Arena at Heimtextil from January 14 to 17, 2025.

The Edifica 2024 International Construction Exhibition, an essential event for the sector in Latin America, will take place from October 15 to 17 at Espacio Riesco in Santiago, Chile. In this edition, the fair will not only showcase the latest advances in construction but will also serve as a platform to highlight how innovation and sustainability are transforming the industry landscape through concrete case studies and outstanding solutions.

Stone and marble continue to establish themselves as essential materials in architecture and design, for both interiors and exteriors worldwide. CHC offers a curated selection designed to create spaces with a timeless, elegant character. Discover how to incorporate marble and stone into your projects to add a touch of modern style.

As the world rapidly urbanizes, cities are becoming home to a new generation of leaders and changemakers. Youth are at the center of this transformation, especially in regions like Africa, Asia, and the Americas. On Monday, October 7, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) invites everyone interested in sustainable urban development to celebrate World Habitat Day, which this year centers on the theme "Engaging youth to create a more inclusive urban future."