True beauty in architecture lies in its ability to serve and improve human experience, yet this fundamental principle is not always upheld. Too often, we see “public” buildings that do not integrate into the urban fabric, are disconnected from their surroundings and fail to contribute to a city’s vibrancy and quality of life. Some may be quite beautiful to look at, but if they are not functional, comfortable, and welcoming to the people they are meant to benefit, their value as public spaces becomes rather questionable. Architectural icons like the Sydney Opera House and Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, for example, are celebrated not just for their stunning silhouettes or breathtaking interiors, but because they enhance culture and city life, enrich the community, and offer diverse opportunities for interaction and public involvement. It is this holistic, human-centered approach to design that allows these landmarks to become integral parts of a city’s identity, one that is embraced and owned by its citizens.

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LEVER Architecture has been selected to lead the design team for the campus expansion of the Portland Museum of Art. The project aims to not only expand the existing campus but also to create a unified identity for the institution, one that ties together all the architecturally significant buildings on site. The winning proposal is primarily a mass timber structure inspired by Maine’s communities, history, and culture.

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Designed by architects Tomás Villalón, Nicolás Norero, and Leonardo Quinteros, the Educational Theater of the Arts of Panguipulli has been chosen in Chile as the winning work in the architecture category of ESENCIALES x ArchDaily 2022.

We are going through times of great change and we are all aware of that. The role of women in the field of architecture is becoming more and more relevant and, unlike other times, such as in the 20th century, the female figure is no longer hidden behind the male figure, as happened to Anne Tyng with Louis Kahn or Lilly Reich with Mies van der Rohe, just to mention a few examples.

If you haven't gotten a chance to visit Brasília, Joana França's photographic projects offer a comprehensive interpretation of the capital of South America's most populous country. França has dedicated a significant part of her career as an architecture photographer to the pursuit of amassing an impressive archive of images of the city planned by Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer.

We recently published an exceptional selection França's aerial photographs of Brasília divided by scale - residential, monumental, gregarious and bucolic. These overhead views solidify what, in theory, is already evident: the city lacks human scale, or the human scale of Brasília is just vast and (perhaps) not very human at all.

Architect business development can be very challenging. It's not a topic that comes up in design school, and many of the practices that firms employ today can simply be categorized under the heading, “That's the way we've always done things.” At Archmark, we've helped more than 2,000 architects, in speaking with many firm owners, we've come to understand the struggles of running a successful architecture and design firm.

For example, you may be struggling with one or more of the following issues: Taking on “bad fit” projects because you have to pay the bills, Struggling to find new clients because you don't have a marketing system, Feeling pressure to reduce your fees because clients don't understand or value what you do, Getting pigeon-holed into the same type or level of projects due to a limited referral network, Anxiety about your future due to relying on a small number of large project sources.

If you’re looking to grow your architecture firm and take it to the next level, it may be time to consider some new ideas to mix into your business development process. So, what do you do? Where do you start?

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Sodium chloride, most commonly known as salt, is everywhere. Ancient in its uses and abundant in nature, it preserves local ecosystems, de-ices roads, is vital in a variety of industrial processes, and is likely sitting on your kitchen table as a seasoning for your meals. Today, it is attributed relatively little value –considering it used to be as worthy as gold–, and unlike other nature-derived alternatives such as algae or mycelium, there doesn’t seem to be enough research and interest around all of its physical, mechanical or aesthetic properties. And yet it is a material with infinite, extraordinary potential. Apart from its life-supporting qualities, salt is affordable, easily available, antibacterial, resistant to fire, can store humidity and heat, and is great at reflecting and diffusing light.

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