For decades, the life cycle of buildings was a simple formula: planning, design, construction, demolition, and, of course, the great villain in this history: the landfill. Over time, architectural practice began embracing concepts like reuse, disassembly, and circular demolition, but often as secondary elements, part of the gradual shift toward a circular economy in construction. But what if these principles were no longer exceptions? What if we crafted or chose every building component to maintain value and purpose beyond its original use? The truth is, there is life after demolition. This transition—from demolition to practices focusing on reuse, repurposing, and sustainable dismantling—is edging closer to reality. By the time 2030 arrives, we could fundamentally reshape how we approach processes, buildings, and the market itself. As these changes unfold, we must assess how our strategies align with the evolving goals and challenges related to sustainability—and, of course, the new opportunities they bring.
https://www.archdaily.com/1025567/what-if-every-brick-had-a-future-rethinking-demolition-and-material-reuse-in-the-circular-economyEnrique Tovar
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Project: Mahón Model, from the '111 Casas inHAUS' catalogue. Architect: inHAUS Houses.
Architects from all over the world are invited to participate in the "Best House in the World"competition, a new international contest designed to discover and reward innovative residential architectural designs that have not yet been built and are still in development. The inHAUS brand, with the sponsorship of Geberit, Porcelanosa, Schüco, Joquer and S&P, presents the challenge of industrialized construction for the most daring and creative projects. These are real projects, with actual clients and real plots, designed by architects striving to achieve new standards of excellence and quality in their residential constructions. Dare to challenge the innovative off-site construction system by inHAUS!
The Danish Architecture Center (DAC) will open its new exhibition, "Water is Coming" in October 2024, remaining open until March 12, 2025. The exhibition addresses the escalating global water crisis, prompted by melting polar ice, rising groundwater levels, and increasingly frequent and intense flooding. It acknowledges the reality of rising sea levels and extreme weather events, shifting the focus from mitigation to adaptation. The exhibition aims to foster a deeper understanding of our complex relationship with water, exploring its vital role as both a life-giving resource and a potential threat to human settlements.
Photographer Paul Clemence captured a striking photo series of the Bioparque Pantanal, also known as the Pantanal Aquarium, a recently completed architectural project in Campo Grande, Brazil, designed by the late architect Ruy Ohtake. Located within the Parque das Nações Indígenas, one of the largest urban parks in the country, the structure serves as a centerpiece for cultural, scientific, and ecological exploration in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Clemence's photography highlights the interplay between the aquarium's architectural design and its surrounding environment, providing a visual documentation of the project's form, materials, and spatial organization.
Opened in October 2024, the Järva Cemetery offers everyone, regardless of faith or beliefs, a space for remembrance, continuing Stockholm's long tradition of funeral history. After overcoming significant planning obstacles, the site, designed by Kristine Jensen Tegnestue and Poul Ingemann, was created to accommodate burials and funeral ceremonies, with options for coffins, urns, ash groves, and a commemorative forest. During the last edition of Open House Stockholm, visitors could explore its surrounding natural landscapes and connect with the space.
Much before humans constructed their first permanent shelters, they discovered the protective power of animal hides as a barrier against harsh environmental conditions. This fundamental principle of building with flexible materials finds influence in the architecture of today, despite the lack of strong precedents that have been lost to time. Textiles served as humanity's first architectural elements, predating ancient construction methods like stone masonry. The relationship between textiles and shelter would go on to shape the entire history of architecture, from prehistoric settlements to modern skyscrapers. What lessons might these ancient origins of architecture hold for future advancements in building design?
Over the past two decades, the Holcim Foundation Awards has committed USD 20M to spotlight transformative projects by architects, designers, and engineers who pioneer sustainable design and construction practices. To capture these stories, the Foundation launched a short film series titled Words withWinners.
This series provides an in-depth look at award-winning sustainable design projects through exclusive interviews with their creators. It includes the first film to showcase BRAC University campus, recently completed in Dhaka, featuring an exclusive interview with the lead architect and co-founder of Singaporean green building specialists WOHA Wong Mun Summ.
Maria Lisogorskaya and Kaye Song of Assemble: Atelier LUMA 2023 Lot 8 Le Magasin Electrique Photo @ Joseph Halligan. Image Courtesy of Bauhaus Earth
Maria Lisogorskaya and Kaye Song from the London-based collective Assemble, along with Lviv-based architects Anna Pomazanna and Mykhailo Shevchenko, have been announced as the 2025 Experimental Fellows at Bauhaus Earth. Selected from 120 submissions, their projects are set to explore earth as a material in contemporary architecture. The annual Bauhaus Earth Fellowship program was established in 2022 by architect Prof. Regine Leibinger. It aims to support diverse projects that explore new modes of practice across various geographies, that can contribute to ecological and social resilience. Fellows receive financial support, mentorship, and access to a network encouraging collaboration among architects, manufacturers, and local stakeholders.
As we close the chapter on 2024, a review of ArchDaily's extensive database projects highlights a few standout interior design trends that defined the year. Among these is the use of stainless steel, often paired with concrete and shades of grey, creating interiors with a refined, industrial elegance. This article delves into the increasing prominence of stainless steel as an interior element, exploring its applications, pairings, and growing appeal despite lingering perceptions of its cold, industrial nature.
The housing crisis, the need for effective land management policies, and the growing demand for housing aid are global challenges, and Spain has taken significant steps to address these issues in recent years. While this effort is closely tied to rehabilitating obsolete buildings, it also tackles the challenges of densification and gentrification. These factors have prompted the exploration of new housing models and ways of living, leading to the development of affordable residential buildings designed to accommodate large numbers of inhabitants while maintaining high-quality living standards.
The Phasing Animation feature in D5 Render 2.9 redefines how professionals present complex projects. It simplifies the creation of dynamic, step-by-step visualizations, perfect for showcasing construction phases, product assemblies, and landscape transformations. With pre-designed templates like Drop/Rise or Ascend/Descend, users can quickly arrange objects in sequence without the need for complex keyframing, making it easier to illustrate how a structure is built, how a product is installed, or how elements grow and evolve within a landscape.
Stanton Williams has been selected to design the Fleming Centre, a state-of-the-art research and public engagement facility to be constructed on the St Mary's Hospital campus in Paddington, London. Announced by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the project aims to create a global hub for collaboration and innovation in addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a significant healthcare challenge affecting populations worldwide. The Fleming Centre forms part of the broader Fleming Initiative, a joint venture between Imperial College Healthcare and Imperial College London.
Upper Lawn's thoughtful interplay between the new and the existing is particularly compelling. Built on the remains of an 18th-century English farmhouse, the pavilion repurposes thick masonry walls from the original structure, incorporating elements such as the well, trees, and lawn into its design. Using prefabricated materials like timber, glass, and aluminum, the Smithsons constructed a light-filled space that harmonizes with its surroundings, embodying their principle of "as found architecture" — a concept rooted in honoring and adapting to preexisting conditions rather than imposing on them.
Religious architecture in Asia is evolving by incorporating modernist influences while preserving its spiritual essence. Clean lines, minimalist aesthetics, and materials like concrete, steel, and glass are a common sight. These interventions often replace or complement the intricate ornamentation and natural materials traditionally associated with sacred spaces in the region. This approach allows these structures to achieve a universal appeal while still reflecting their cultural and spiritual foundations.
Several examples highlight this blend of tradition and modernity. The Cloud of Luster Chapel in Japan uses slender columns and abundant natural light to create a luminous atmosphere, evoking Frank Lloyd Wright's Johnson Wax Building. The Temple of Steps in India incorporates cascading steps that emulate the traditional Ghats, combining cultural symbolism with Brutalist aesthetics. Similarly, the Water-Moon Monastery in Taiwan employs concrete, straight lines, and reflective pools in a manner influenced by Le Corbusier's Five Points of Architecture. Finally, the Jetavana Buddhist Temple in South Korea and the Upper Cloister in China integrate their layouts with the surrounding stone and hillside, drawing parallels to Wright's desert houses. Together, these projects demonstrate how Asian religious architecture is redefining sacred spaces through a modernist lens while honoring their traditional heritage.
On Tuesday morning, wildfires erupted in the Pacific Palisades, one of Los Angeles' wealthiest neighborhoods. The catastrophic fire left a significant mark on the infrastructure and neighborhoods of Los Angeles, resembling a war-torn landscape by the morning of January 8, 2025. Iconic locations along Sunset Boulevard transformed into scenes of devastation, with charred buildings. Over 2,000 structures have been destroyed, displacing tens of thousands of residents and sparking urgent appeals for access to homes for medication retrieval. Several hotels in Los Angeles have been taking in displaced residents.
College of Europe's Tirana Campus . Image Courtesy of MIR, Designed by Oppenheim Architects
Tirana, the capital of Albania, is undergoing a remarkable transformation fueled by an ambitious vision for the future outlined in the Tirana 2030 (TR030) Master Plan. This plan, devised by renowned Italian architect Stefano Boeri, aims to reshape the city into a sustainable, green, and inclusive urban hub, with a focus on increasing density while enhancing the quality of life for its residents. Central to this vision are projects such as the creation of an "orbital forest" with two million trees, the revitalization of rivers with green corridors, and the redesign of public spaces like Skanderbeg Square, which has become the largest pedestrian area in the Balkans. According to The Guardian, these initiatives aim to reverse the sprawling urban chaos that followed the fall of communism and accommodate a population that has quadrupled since 1992, while prioritizing quality of life and accessibility.
At the heart of Tirana's transformation is a renewed focus on architecture as a tool for connection, combining cultural identity with contemporary design to create spaces that invite public interaction and engagement. Recent projects announced by renowned architects and international firms including Coldefy, OODA, Oppenheim Architecture, and CHYBIK + KRISTOF showcase a common thread of reimagining the rejuvinated city for the public. These designs emphasize social sustainability, cultural references, and accessible public spaces, redefining how residents and visitors experience Tirana's urban fabric. From mixed-use vertical villages and pedestrian-friendly streets to eco-conscious campuses and civic hubs, these new developments collectively highlight the city's ambition to position itself as a progressive model for urban renewal in the Balkans.
Sustainability has been a central theme in architectural discussions for years, encompassing not only the profession’s role in combating climate change and transitioning to low-carbon economies but also preserving cultural heritage and celebrating vernacular traditions. In 2024, a wave of projects and studies stood out for their innovative use of natural materials, particularly in the Global South. These initiatives skillfully blend creativity and technology with renewable resources, demonstrating how architecture can deliver high-quality spaces that align with contemporary demands for sustainability and environmental responsibility.
At some point, you might have found yourself pondering, "Who is the world's leading architect?" It's a difficult question, but fortunately, there isn't just one definitive answer. If you're curious about the global state of the art, architecture, and design industries, the World Design Rankings (WDR) offer an interesting glimpse into the creative pulse of nations. These rankings don't just name names; they paint a broad picture of each country's strengths, weaknesses, and untapped potential in the world of design.
Foster + Partners has announced the breaking ground of BDO Unibank's new headquarters in Makati, Manila. The design aims to offer a climate-responsive approach inspired by vernacular architecture. The campus integrates five separate plots into a cohesive whole, featuring two high-rise towers flanking a sheltered public space incorporating lush landscaping and artwork.
The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) has confirmed that the Orange Line of the Riyadh Metro, also known as the Al Madinah Al Munawwarah Axis, began operations on Sunday, January 5, 2025. Spanning 41 kilometers, the Orange Line runs east to west, connecting Jeddah Road in the west to the Second Eastern Ring Road near Khashm Al Aan in the east in Saudi Arabia. This newly operational line is a key component of the city's metro system, designed to enhance urban mobility and connectivity.
It is with immense gratitude and excitement that I share my first letter as Editor-in-Chief. Addressing you directly marks a meaningful shift from our usual approach, and I believe it's the perfect way to begin the year. As I step into this new role, I am honored by the opportunity to lead ArchDaily into a new chapter, building on our strong foundation to reach even greater heights.
At ArchDaily, we have always believed that architecture has the power to transform lives and environments. For 17 years, we have been more than just a platform; we have become a community and a voice for architecture—a collaborative network where architects, designers, and enthusiasts come together to shape the built environment and redefine urban living. Reflecting on this journey, I am deeply inspired by our shared accomplishments, made possible by the dedication of our talented global team and the unwavering support of our users. Together, we have created a space where ideas thrive and innovation blossoms.
