Water is indispensable for all forms of life on Earth, as it plays a vital role in maintaining biological processes, supporting ecosystems, and contributing to human well-being. Additionally, water holds cultural significance in many societies, being associated with rituals and ceremonies and carrying diverse symbolic meanings.
A historic symbol of the industrial age, the sawtooth roof is a lasting legacy of architectural history. Although a functional invention born from necessity nearly 200 years ago, the iconic shape is enjoying a renaissance in many contemporary projects.
Made up of many long, thin roofs with irregular pitches laid alongside each other, a sawtooth roof positions its steeper edges – filled with glass panels – away from the equator. This allows large buildings to control their solar gain by omitting direct sunlight, while still allowing uniform indirect natural light to fill an entire interior area.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) accounts for over one-tenth of the global population, approximately 800 million people, practicing urban agriculture worldwide. In the United States, millions of citizens lack access to supermarkets. Urban farmers play a crucial role in addressing food security issues in American cities.
Historically, the distance between rural and urban areas has never been greater, making traditionally rural food sources widely inaccessible. Cities initially would develop around centralized markets that brought produce from farmlands to urban centers. Today, urban agriculture is revitalizing this connection between city dwellers and agricultural products.
KPF’s “Tower 36,” has received unanimous approval in Miami, Florida. The building features an office space, set to become the tallest in the region at 193 meters. Emphasizing occupant well-being, the tower is designed by integrating the surrounding landscape and increasing access to outdoor areas.
The tower serves as the northern entryway to Miami’s high-rise zone, at the intersection of Biscayne Boulevard and 36th Street. Acting as a gateway to the neighborhood, the scheme connects Miami Beach with the mainland of Miami. To complement the office floors, the building’s podium boasts ground-floor retail, bicycle, car parking, and a restaurant on the landscaped roof.
A 2020 Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden study revealed that over 46,000 native species have been cataloged in Brazilian territory. Nearly half of them are endemic, meaning they occur exclusively in Brazil and nowhere else in the world in a natural way. This staggering number reflects the diversity of the flora found in the country.