Videos

Last year, the samba school Unidos da Tijuca announced the theme for its 2020 parade at the Marquês de Sapucaí: "Architecture and Urbanism." The choice was inspired by the unprecedented title Rio de Janeiro received from UNESCO as the World Capital of Architecture, as well as the city's selection to host the World Congress of Architects—an event organized by the International Union of Architects (UIA) that is expected to draw around 15,000 professionals this July. In addition to honoring architects and urban planners, the school will bring critical issues facing the field to the parade, such as the right to the city, the construction industry's role in the climate crisis, heritage preservation, and even ancestral architectural knowledge.

The Institute of Architects of Brazil - Federal District Department and the Arena BSB Consortium have announced the results of the National Architecture and Landscape Competition for the Redevelopment of the Arena BSB Sports and Leisure Complex, which includes, among other facilities, the Mané Garrincha National Stadium.

The latest video produced by Building Pictures about the Romanesque Interpretation Centre in Lousada, designed by the architecture firm spaceworkers, references one of the most iconic characters created by filmmaker Jacques Tati: Monsieur Hulot. With his curious spirit, he invites viewers to join him on this visit.

The National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage - Iphan has opened applications for 10 fellowships for the Professional Master's in Cultural Heritage Preservation. Interested candidates can apply until March 2, 2020.

Nearly eight years after the project's inception, the Comandante Ferraz Research Station, Brazil's Antarctic research base designed by Curitiba-based firm Estúdio 41, will soon be inaugurated. With construction completed since March of last year, the official opening is scheduled for this January.

Several new projects have been introduced this year that bring significant changes to transit options for Chile's residents. These include the addition of the new Santiago Metro Lines and a new preliminary cable car project designed to connect Valparaíso with Placilla de Peñuelas.

The Region V association of the Federation of Architects of the Mexican Republic (FCARM) issued a call for entries for the "Second Biennial: Living Architecture." The event aims to identify, recognize, and promote the best architectural works, publications, research, and theses by architects from Region V, which comprises the states of Baja California Sur, Nayarit, Jalisco, Sinaloa, and Colima.

The firm Solss Arquitetura was awarded first place in the national competition Iconicidades, organized by the State Government of Rio Grande do Sul and launched in April this year. The initiative sought to select the best proposals for transforming public spaces into hubs that foster the creative economy in the cities of Pelotas, Rio Grande, Santa Maria, Cachoeirinha, and São Leopoldo.

The firm won the competition in São Leopoldo, which aimed to choose the best revitalization project for the Casa da Feitoria and the Immigrant Museum, preparing the site for the bicentennial celebrations of German immigration in Brazil. Discover the project below:

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In August, the Colegio de Arquitectos de Chile celebrated its 81st anniversary at its National Headquarters in Santiago. To mark this anniversary, the 2023 CA Awards ceremony was held. 

Professionals registered with the Council for Architecture and Urbanism (CAU) are invited to participate in the 2020 Census of Architects and Urban Planners. Much like the 2012 Census, this survey aims to map the profile of the architecture and urbanism sector as well as inform CAU's initiatives. In addition, it will update the data collected in the first survey, which saw participation from 90% of registered professionals at the time.

This “unsolicited architecture” project is driven by the pursuit of professional practice that makes an active contribution, an ethical commitment to promoting the field of architecture and urbanism, and a desire to address pressing local and global challenges through a distinct, positive, and multidisciplinary approach.

Tokyo is a chaotic city, in the sense that it did not develop from city-wide coordinated urban planning. By the 18th century, it already had around 1 million inhabitants, with most of the population living in conditions similar to modern Brazilian favelas. Tokyo's dense suburbs resemble Brazilian peripheries, with low-rise but closely packed buildings on narrow plots and a wide variety of uses. Furthermore, Tokyo features a multiplicity of architectural typologies, different modes of transportation sharing the same space, and—not unlike Brazilian cities—billboards and exposed overhead wires clashing with the urban landscape.

The most famous critique of the disproportionate amount of space occupied by automobiles is represented by a poster from the city of Münster, which compares the space taken up by 60 cars, one bus, and 72 bicycles (all carrying 72 people). The image clearly demonstrates that the space required by automobiles to transport the same number of passengers is staggeringly larger.

How are Brazilian municipalities preparing to face climate change? What laws are being created? How are resources being invested? To increase transparency regarding public policies focused on the climate and the environment, the Diário do Clima was created.

As part of a new project by the architecture firm WORC, "Moradores" emerges: a space located just steps from Jardín Zaragoza in Toluca, State of Mexico. Housed within a 342-square-meter residence with nearly a century of history, it is one of the few surviving structures from the evolution of a representative neighborhood in the city's historic center. The studio, directed by Ricardo Martínez and Camila Ureña, describes the space as a “public house” comprising a restaurant, art exhibitions, and a community gathering point.

With the goal of highlighting Chilean women who embody female empowerment, Forbes magazine has compiled a list of the 30 most influential women in the country today. The selection is based on key attributes such as leadership, public inspiration, and an ongoing contribution to shaping a more gender-equitable nation.

Between April 2 and 16, students from Latin America, together with architects, worked on the analysis, design, and construction of public infrastructure for the city of Suchitoto in El Salvador, within the framework of the XIX Latin American Social Workshop (TSL).

Since its first edition held in Barranquilla in 2002, the TSL has annually brought together public and private entities, university students, architects, professors, and members of Latin American civil society to develop practical architectural exercises with a strong community and local focus. This year, the XIX TSL was led by the Latin American Coordinator of Architecture Students (CLEA) and the local organization, the National Association of Architecture Students of El Salvador (ANEA).

The following is the work produced by the workshops led by architects from El Sindicato, Taller Bugambilias, Taller de Tierra, Colectivo Hormiga, ACCIÓN, Laborateca, Sen Sos Hábitat, Alejandro Alcázar, and Coonvite:

London is one of the world's great metropolises and faces a challenge common to urban centers: air pollution caused by fossil fuel vehicles. To combat this issue, the city established Low Emission Zones in 2008, fining large vehicles operating with pollutant emissions above established limits.

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With studies estimating that by 2050 nearly 70% of the global population will live in cities, planning for more sustainable and balanced urban development has become imperative for the coming decades. This discussion invariably hinges on a more assertive choice of construction materials that yield greater urban and environmental benefits. In this context, a material re-emerging as a more sustainable choice for urban infrastructure is wood, particularly when paired with new technological advancements, which is being reintroduced into cityscapes due to its versatile characteristics and its ability to align with the construction of tomorrow.

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Atrium Ljungberg unveiled Stockholm Wood City, the world's largest timber urban development project, serving as a major showcase of Swedish sustainability. At around the same time, on the other side of the world, Tallwood Architects' 'Tamango Project' exemplified both the challenges and opportunities of timber construction in Chile, as it is poised to become Latin America's first 12-story building with a prefabricated timber structure.

Atrium Ljungberg recently unveiled Stockholm Wood City, the world's largest timber urban development project—an effort to showcase Sweden's commitment to sustainability. On the other side of the world, Tallwood Architects' Tamango Project exemplifies the challenges and opportunities of timber construction in Chile and could become Latin America's first 12-story building featuring a prefabricated mass timber structure.

Wulff Castle in Viña del Mar is a renowned landmark, celebrated for its appearance and architectural style inspired by Liechtenstein Castle in Germany. The structure features German and French design elements, along with medieval characteristics—qualities that captivate both locals and the thousands of tourists who visit it.

The international architecture and city festival Open House will take place in Madrid from September 21 to 24, 2023, inviting residents to visit and explore some of the capital's most iconic buildings. Extending beyond Madrid to open several spaces in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, this ninth edition will open the doors of over 120 buildings and studios, while also offering 13 outdoor routes and itineraries to discover Madrid's architecture.

Like the cobogó and the brise-soleil, the muxarabi is an architectural element designed to reduce solar heat gain inside buildings, acting as a “filter” that allows air to circulate freely. Typically made of wooden lattices, muxarabi panels offer the advantage of being lighter and cleaner to install compared to cobogós, for example, since they do not require mortar for assembly.