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Originating as protection against low temperatures around 3,500 years ago, carpets and rugs have, over time, evolved into a true art form, reaching a high level of specialization by the 16th century. Rugs, carpets, and tapestries of various shapes, colors, textures, and patterns are integrated into different areas of the home to meet users' needs and enhance spatial comfort, sometimes extending far beyond their original purpose.

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Videos

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Many factors influence people's well-being, but few have power as great as the quality of sleep. Adults spend, on average, a third of their day (and their life) sleeping. In the case of young children, this proportion is even higher. According to a study published by the WHO in 2019, babies (4 to 11 months) should sleep between 12 and 16 hours/day; and children up to 4 years old should sleep between 10 and 13 hours/day.

Quality sleep acts directly on the child's brain development, especially during his first and second childhood (from birth to 12 years old). During the rest period, the body releases the hormones necessary for growth and learning, and this is directly related to physical, motor, emotional, and cognitive development. It is also known that the environment where one sleeps interferes with the quality of that sleep, and some important aspects must be considered when designing sleeping spaces for children and babies.

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The relationship between architecture and structure has been widely discussed and is repeatedly revisited by architects with every new project. Much like plumbing and electrical systems, the structural system is one of the essential disciplines that make up a building. Yet, it is one of the most impactful on the architectural outcome, directly shaping the spatial experience and the chosen materiality. Mastering structural design and understanding how to best integrate it into the architectural project grants architects greater autonomy and expands the possibilities of design solutions. 

Selecting a structural system and deciding how to incorporate it into the architectural design is a pivotal decision in any project. On one hand, architects can choose to absorb structural elements, camouflaging them within the building envelope to make them imperceptible. On the other, the structural system can be brought to the forefront, turning into a defining feature of the design—whether through its structural logic, its materiality, or by being elevated to a nearly sculptural element. 

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Beyond viewing the home as mere shelter and protection, there is now a much greater complexity of functions integrated into the elementary programs of dwelling. We no longer think only of spaces for sleeping, cooking, and bathing, but rather of a series of new programs that demand new spaces and configurations. Among these, leisure emerges as an activity integrated into living, in the form of backyards, swimming pools, and TV rooms. 

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