In many parts of the world, remoteness is not only defined by distance. It may describe a mountain settlement far from infrastructure or an urban and suburban neighborhood on the margins of visibility and opportunity. Across these diverse contexts, the library has been one of the most vital typologies—a space where architecture embodies the modes of accessibility, inclusivity, and community care.
Internalities: Architectures for Territorial Equilibrium is the title of the Spanish exhibition at the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale. Curated by Galician architects Roi Salgueiro Barrio and Manuel Bouzas Barcala, the project presented in the pavilion’s central hall aims to "explore key strategies for decarbonizing architecture in Spain."
At the Bruder Klaus Field Chapel, designed by Peter Zumthor, the construction process involved the direct participation of residents from the small Swiss village of Mechernich. Using an internal formwork made of vertically placed wooden logs, concrete was prepared in small batches and poured manually, day after day, forming layers marked by subtle variations in the mix and application. At the end of the process, the wooden structure was reduced to ashes, leaving the chapel's interior impregnated with traces of fire and revealing a dark, tactile surface. The result was a quiet and deeply meaningful space, where collective action, time, and material transformation became part of the architecture. Centered on locally available resources and manual techniques, this construction method highlights how the choice of materials and building system can shape the experience of a space, reveal the time invested, and embed the culture of a place into the very matter of architecture. In doing so, it offers an example of how construction itself can become a regenerative act, restoring meaning, connecting communities, and honoring material cycles.
Thatching is a traditional building technique that has been reinterpreted in different ways in contemporary projects, allowing its value to continue to endure over time. As well as being a culturally and historically valuable technique, given its presence in humanity for centuries, it also has a number of other constructive advantages, such as its great environmental value, as it is an accessible renewable material.
The technique consists of grouping, intertwining, and overlapping dry vegetation, creating light surfaces with excellent thermal and sound insulation and which are cheap and relatively simple to build. In addition, flexibility is one of the technique's most prominent features, and it is particularly popular in roofing applications.
The Global Award for Sustainable Architecture, created in 2006 by architect and scholar Jana Revedin, annually recognizes five architects—or offices—from around the world whose practices are grounded in the principles of sustainable development, participatory design, and a community-oriented approach. This recognition aligns with the global urgency surrounding today's pressing issues—the ecological and climate crises, as well as social, cultural, and economic challenges. Acknowledging architecture's critical role in shaping the built environment, the award seeks to highlight the work of creators who address these challenges with innovative and creative solutions.
The 2025 iteration of the Time Space Existence exhibition is set to attract audiences from May 10 to November 23. Organized by the European Cultural Centre (ECC) in Venice's renowned venues—Palazzo Bembo, Palazzo Mora, and Marinaressa Gardens—this seventh edition brings together a diverse cohort of 207 architects, designers, artists, and researchers from over 52 countries. All contributions are curated under the theme of "Repair, Regenerate, and Reuse" as an exploration of architecture's capacity to engage with critical environmental, social, and cultural challenges. Highlights of the Special Projects section include ArchDaily's inaugural exhibition, presenting six architecture offices previously recognized as Best New Practices as emerging voices in the field of architectural innovations.
ArchDaily, in collaboration with the European Cultural Center (ECC), is curating its first-ever exhibition as part of the seventh edition of Time Space Existence, the biennial architecture exhibition held alongside the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale. Running from 10 May to 23 November 2025, this edition invites practitioners to explore the themes of Repair, Regenerate, and Reuse, emphasizing innovative and sustainable approaches to the built environment. ArchDaily's contribution will be presented in a dedicated space at Palazzo Mora, complementing other exhibition venues including Palazzo Bembo, Marinaressa Gardens, and Palazzo Michiel.
Operating in urban environments often requires us to make decisions regarding pre-existing structures. The increase in city density has directly impacted the availability of space for developing new and independent constructions, sparking debates about what stance to take toward built heritage that has become obsolete—either due to deterioration or because it no longer meets the functional needs of the contemporary population. In cases where buildings have seriously deteriorated or new projects differ greatly from the spatial possibilities an old building can offer, preserving only the façade—as an exterior envelope, almost like a superficial element—can be seen as a partial solution that allows for the preservation, in part, of the urban character of a structure if it holds some public or cultural value. The controversy arises, certainly, from the lack of relationship or connection between the transformed interior and the preserved exterior.
