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Interview with Zhu Xiaodi: How Can "Old" Building Stock Generate the "New"?

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Preservation and renewal are constantly unfolding in our cities. Against the backdrop of rapidly evolving lifestyles and the transition of China's economic development to a "new normal," urban renewal and regeneration are gradually superseding new construction as crucial aspects of Chinese urban development. This exhibition focuses on the theme of urban renewal, gathering outstanding projects from home and abroad to comprehensively review successful experiences across various regions, scales, typologies, and stakeholders. In doing so, it showcases the achievements, dilemmas, reflections, practices, current conditions, and futures within the urban development process, contributing diverse voices to the ongoing discourse on China's urban renewal.

We interviewed Zhu Xiaodi, co-curator of the exhibition “Born of the Old,” to discuss the significance of the theme, the rationale behind its unique exhibition design, and the stories behind the project.

50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing: 15 Designs for Living in Space

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July 20, 2019, marked the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 departed Earth, touching down on the lunar surface four days later. This historic milestone continues to prompt reflection on how technological advancements are making life on other worlds increasingly viable.

Aided by the evolution of 3D printing and fully automated construction technologies, we have compiled 15 architectural projects that demonstrate how life on the Moon and other celestial bodies is no longer a distant fantasy.

10 Must-Watch Netflix Documentary Trailers

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Courtesy of Netflix

Netflix is much more than a platform for casual entertainment—it is also an excellent resource for learning about architecture and urban planning. We have curated ten architecture-related documentaries that allow you to expand your design horizons while winding down. Below are the trailers for these ten titles, which can be viewed in full on Netflix.

Stéphane Beel on Architecture and Technology

Past, Present, Future is an interview project by Itinerant Office that invites prominent architects to share their perspectives on the constantly evolving world of architecture. Each interview is divided into a three-part video series—Past, Present, and Future—where interviewees discuss their architectural philosophies and experiences. The project's first installment featured 11 architects from Italy and the Netherlands, while the second edition comprises interviews with 13 architects from Spain, Portugal, France, and Belgium.

The aim of this interview series is to study these successful firms and understand their methodologies. The videos seek to offer a clear picture of what it means to be an architect in the 21st century, while serving as inspiration for the next generation of emerging architects and students entering the field.

"Flying" Slabs: How Concrete Panels Changed the World

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Flying Panels: How Concrete Panels Changed the World is the latest exhibition at ArkDes. Designed by Swedish studio Note Design Studio, it is co-curated by Pedro Ignacio Alonso and Hugo Palmarola, creators of the Monolith Controversies exhibition, which won the Silver Lion at the 14th Venice Architecture Biennale in 2014.

The exhibition brings together an array of models and material culture—such as posters, paintings, films, toys, cartoons, and opera sets—reflecting how concrete panels influenced culture to build a new society.

Diverse Approaches to Hospitality: 10 Brazilian Hotel Projects

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Unlike when they were seen merely as spaces for sleeping and showering, today hotels must enhance the travel experience to attract guests and offer a competitive edge against direct rivals or even new lodging models like Airbnb. Consequently, beyond room quality, leisure areas, restaurants, landscape, and architecture are key factors in the success of a development.

In countries like Brazil, which feature diverse landscapes and a varied population, one encounters a wide range of solutions when designing hotels. For this reason, we have gathered ten national examples where architecture stands out, lending a unique identity to each of these buildings.

Public Spaces: 10 Brazilian Projects

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Designing the spatial quality of public space and allocating its program for the population is one of the greatest challenges for architects and urban planners. Urban developments, parks, and plazas are some of the interventions these professionals encounter when creating places for democratic use—spaces that often become symbols of the city. To illustrate these projects, we have gathered ten Brazilian examples that explore different contexts and scales.

2019 UABB "Eyes of the City" Section Guide

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On December 20, 2019, the opening press conference for the eighth **Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (Shenzhen)** (hereinafter "UABB") was held at the **Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning (MOCAPE)**, marking the official launch of this year's biennale.

Under the theme of "**Urban Interactions**," this year's UABB is chief-curated by architect and director of the MIT Senseable City Lab **Carlo Ratti**, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering **Meng Jianmin**, and renowned curator and art critic **Fabio Cavallucci**. The South China-Turin Joint Lab (Politecnico di Torino and South China University of Technology) serves as the academic curator. The exhibition **opens on December 21, 2019, at the main venues—the Shenzhen Futian High-Speed Railway Station and the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning—and will officially open to the public on December 22**. In addition, **nine sub-venues** across various districts of Shenzhen will interface with the main venues, establishing an organic network of interaction throughout the city.

The exhibition comprises two main sections, "**Eyes of the City**" and "**Ascending City**," each exploring the evolving relationship between urban space and technological innovation from distinct perspectives. **The main venues showcase over 140 works, bringing together more than 280 exhibitors from 24 countries and regions**. These include renowned international and domestic architects, artists, and institutions such as MVRDV, Liam Young, Stefano Boeri, Sou Fujimoto, Thomas Heatherwick, Ryoji Ikeda, Wang Shu, Yung Ho Chang, Dominique Perrault, Philip F. Yuan, Liu Cixin, and Academicians Cui Kai and Wang Jianguo.

Best Houses of 2019

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In 2019, ArchDaily published more than 5,000 architectural projects, including hundreds of residential designs. Based on their popularity, we have curated 56 residential projects that stand out for their innovation, technical execution, and design ingenuity. Located across the globe—in cities, countryside, mountains, and coastal areas—they employ a wide range of structural systems and materials, from traditional masonry to cutting-edge prefabricated systems. Most of these designs share a common thread: fostering a powerful dialogue between the home and nature, whether by directly engaging with the surrounding landscape or bringing greenery into dense urban environments. The collection is divided into two sections: Collective Housing, represented by apartment buildings, and Single-Family Homes, represented by private villas and residential renovations.

2019 UABB "Ascending City" Section Guide

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On December 20, 2019, the opening press conference for the 8th Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (Shenzhen) (UABB) was held at the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning (MOCAPE), marking the official launch of this year’s exhibition.

The theme of this year's UABB is "Urban Interactions." It is chief-curated by architect and director of the MIT Senseable City Lab Carlo Ratti, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Meng Jianmin, and renowned curator and art critic Fabio Cavallucci. The South China-Torino Collaboration Lab (Politecnico di Torino and South China University of Technology) serves as the academic curator. The exhibition opened on December 21, 2019, at the main venues—Shenzhen Futian High-Speed Railway Station and the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning (MOCAPE)—and officially opened to the public on December 22. Concurrently, nine sub-venues across various districts of Shenzhen will collaborate with the main venues, forming an organic interactive network throughout the city.

The exhibition features two main sections, "Eyes of the City" and "Ascending City," which explore the evolving relationship between urban space and technological innovation from distinct perspectives. The main venues showcase over 140 works, bringing together more than 280 participants from 24 countries and regions, including MVRDV, Liam Young, Stefano Boeri, Sou Fujimoto, Thomas Heatherwick, Ryoji Ikeda, as well as renowned domestic and international architects, artists, and institutions such as Wang Shu, Yung Ho Chang, Dominique Perrault, Philip F. Yuan, Liu Cixin, Academician Cui Kai, and Academician Wang Jianguo.

Building-Forest (and vice versa)

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Around 80% of the Brazilian population lives on what was once forest and is not even aware of it. In Brazil, history has been—and continues to be—forged by opposing the city to the forest, within a civilizational matrix fundamentally based on the devastation of native ecologies and their replacement by monocultures and invasive species. In just a few centuries, we have transformed a megadiverse forest continent into sterile environments through urban standardization, bleak architecture, and unsustainable landscaping, imposed as a design project. We live on former forests but resist thinking of cities as forest ruins. [1]

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Research Reveals Disparities in Race and Gender Representation at the Brazilian Pavilion in Venice

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"The history of architecture is incomplete. Not wrong, but incomplete," said Lesley Lokko when announcing The Laboratory of the Future, the theme of the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale. Echoing the curator's statement, a new study published by Studio Autonoma, led by Paulo Tavares, reveals deep disparities in representation within the Brazilian pavilion at the world's largest architecture event.

Titled Historical Census of the Brazilian Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale (1980-2021), the study reveals a significant discrepancy in the profile of curators and participants over these three decades, with a predominance of white men from Brazil's Southeast region, particularly from São Paulo.

Exhibition at Casa da Arquitectura celebrates the role of architecture in 50 years of Portuguese democracy

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What has architecture done for democracy in Portugal—and what has the democratic era done for Portuguese architecture? These are the questions guiding the exhibition O que faz falta. 50 anos de arquitetura portuguesa em democracia [What is Needed: 50 Years of Portuguese Architecture in Democracy], organized by Casa da Arquitectura, which celebrates the fifty years since the 1974 Carnation Revolution.

Curated by Jorge Figueira with co-curator Ana Neiva, the exhibition highlights the intimate relationship between architecture and the democratic regime in Portugal, exploring how Portuguese architects contributed to democratic consolidation by transforming the country's public and private spaces over five decades.

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Architectural Adhesives: A Journey of Innovation Toward a Sustainable Future

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The history of building materials is a journey of innovation and adaptation to environmental demands. In their most rudimentary forms, for example, the earliest adhesives were made from natural sources, such as mixtures of tree resins, lime, and water. Later, cultures like the Egyptians refined these methods, using starch and casein (a milk protein) to bond elements in their structures. This evolution reached a milestone during the Industrial Revolution, when industrialization and the introduction of synthetic compounds laid the groundwork for the advanced products we know today. The production methods of these materials have transformed construction, optimizing processes and driving significant progress toward sustainability.

HOLDER ARCHIVE #01 | Juan Baixas - The Puzzle Chair, 1975.

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"Perhaps in other times knowledge was a secret, which held back progress. As knowledge is made public, knowledge advances." - Juan Baixas

This micro-documentary by HOLDER is the result of an initiative dedicated to bringing visibility to contemporary Latin American design through its histories and creations. In this first episode, Juan Baixas offers a first-person account of the creation and development of his Puzzle Chair, a piece that was added to the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York in 2015, highlighting its significance in modern design.

Minergie Neighborhood in Latin America: Sustainable Construction at the Community Level

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When the Minergie sustainable building standard was established in Switzerland 25 years ago to reduce energy consumption and improve indoor comfort, it was hard to foresee that it would become one of the country's most sought-after certifications. Today, it boasts a significant footprint with over 50,000 certified buildings. It was equally difficult to imagine its future in present-day Latin America: how could a system developed for the specific demands of one nation respond to the needs of another region with such diverse geography and culture?

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Glass Takes Center Stage: Casa Bosque and the Immersive Experience in Nature

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What role do glass surfaces play in connecting contemporary architecture, nature, and the experience of those who inhabit interior spaces? The evolution of the glass envelope has accompanied the development of contemporary architecture, with the transmission of natural light serving as one of its defining qualities. Furthermore, the material's versatility and transparent character blur the boundaries between indoors and outdoors, while evoking a range of sensory and psychological experiences, among other virtues. In its constant search for innovation, Glasstech offers a wide range of glass solutions, providing end-to-end support from initial project design to final installation. To illustrate these diverse applications, we examine Casa Bosque in Chile as a prime example of architecture in harmony with its natural surroundings.

At the Edge of Water and Nature: The Beauty of Wooden Decks

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Offering a balance between aesthetics and comfort, designing wooden decks for outdoor spaces such as patios, terraces, walkways, balconies, gardens, or swimming pools represents an excellent alternative for creating outdoor areas for relaxation, entertainment, and recreation. When paired with swimming pools, fountains, or water features, decking in various dimensions, colors, and finishes combines the warmth of wood with the clarity of water, provided it is treated and maintained to maximize durability and optimize long-term performance. Indeed, Leaf Panel's Forta Deck offers a renewable, recyclable, and high-quality solution for outdoor flooring, highlighting the importance of reducing the carbon footprint of building products and leveraging the properties of acetylated wood to improve outdoor performance.

Betina Rincón: "The Global South is not the region that pollutes the most, but it will be the most affected"

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Nicolás Valencia speaks with Venezuelan architect Betina Rincón, research coordinator at ⁠re:arc institute⁠, about the work of the Danish philanthropic organization in supporting and funding community-led solutions to address the climate crisis worldwide.

Karla Silva: “Viña del Mar bet on becoming one of Chile's most important seaside resorts”

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This week on the TERRAZA podcast, Nicolás Valencia talks with Chilean designer Karla Silva about the book ⁠Viña del Mar Moderna⁠, published in 2022.

As 50 melhores casas de 2024

A cada ano, a equipe de Curadoria de Projetos do ArchDaily rememora a vasta gama de obras publicadas ao longo desse período, apresentando retrospectivas que permitem não apenas identificar tendências e variações na produção arquitetônica, mas também reconhecer de que forma impactam a nossa audiência. No ArchDaily Brasil, a seleção anual de melhores casas – que ano após ano, segue permanecendo como nossa categoria de projeto mais popular – representa uma amostra das variadas soluções, estratégias, técnicas e materiais encontrados na arquitetura residencial dos países de língua portuguesa.

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Plano Coletivo Will Curate the Brazilian Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale

The Fundação Bienal de São Paulo has announced the curatorial team for the Brazilian Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, scheduled to open on May 10, 2025. The task will be led by the group Plano Coletivo, composed of architect Luciana Saboia and architects Eder Alencar and Matheus Seco. The selection of the group reflects the Foundation's commitment to highlighting architectural practices that foster positive social and environmental impact.

Plano Coletivo is recognized for its collaborative and multidisciplinary approach, integrating architecture, urbanism, and design with a focus on sustainable and inclusive solutions. The team has carried out significant projects across various regions of Brazil, always seeking to engage local communities in the design and implementation process.

Results Announced for the Ideas Competition of the XXIII Chilean Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism

The Architects Association of Chile and the Ministry of Cultures announced the results of the competition for the XXIII Chilean Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism. The winning proposal, "Double Exposure: reprogram, revitalize, rebuild", by Sebastián López, Ángela Carvajal, and Óscar Aceves, addresses interventions in disused heritage spaces, merging old and new works. In addition, awards were presented to "Urban Amusements" and "Weaving Territories". The event reflects on historical architecture and its revitalization.

The curatorial team for the XXIII Chilean Biennial of Architecture comprises Sebastián López Jeldes, Ángela Carvajal Fernández, and Óscar Aceves Álvarez, and the jury is composed of Fernando Pérez Oyarzún, Amarí Peliowski, Cristián Izquierdo, Macarena Cortés, Pablo Rojas, Beatriz Buccicardi, Fernando Miranda, Martín Urrutia, and Vicente Burgos.

Meet the winners of the ATHIS competition organized by CAU/AM

The Council for Architecture and Urbanism of Amazonas (CAU/AM) announced the winners of the ATHIS Ideas Competition - Arquiteto e Urbanista Zezéu Ribeiro Award, which sought to promote technical assistance projects for social housing (ATHIS). The initiative's main goal is to address the housing challenges of vulnerable communities in the state through affordable, innovative, and socially responsible architectural solutions.

The winning projects stood out for their sensitive and contextualized approach to local needs, incorporating principles of sustainability, community participation, and the efficient use of resources. Focusing on housing improvements, land tenure regularization, and the upgrading of urban spaces, the proposals align with the objectives of the ATHIS program, established by Federal Law 11,888/2008, which guarantees free technical assistance to low-income families.

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