In Asunção, Paraguay, the XI Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism announced today the winners of the Panorama of Works section for this edition of the event, "all faithful to the spirit of the XI BIAU: inhabiting, the inhabitant," according to the organizers.
Out of 997 projects in Latin America, 17 architectural works—predominantly for collective use—built in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Spain, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Uruguay, and Venezuela were awarded.
The College of Architects of Mexico City invited all Mexican architects to participate in the IV Mexico City Architecture Biennial 2019. The event aimed to identify the country's best architectural works, publications, research, and theses, recognizing their authors and sharing the most outstanding works to foster reflection on responsible contemporary architecture and sustainable solutions through analysis and critique. During this biennial, 106 projects and 18 publications were submitted, resulting in 1 Gold Medal, 14 Silver Medals, 2 Special Mentions, and 27 Honorable Mentions across 23 categories. Read on to discover the winners.
Materia, founded in 2009, is one of the most prominent emerging firms in Mexico and Latin America. Its work focuses on studying the relationship between spatial moments and the strategy of materiality in architecture. The firm's work is characterized by a meticulous, handcrafted refinement and technical execution of built details. Its creative process methodology considers the contextual elements of the site, the user, and the specific requirements of each project as design references. Concepts such as mass, light, and contrast are fundamental tenets in the materialization of projected spaces.
Just over six months ago, the Federation of Architects' Associations of the Republic of Mexico invited young Mexican architects to participate in the Third Young Architects Biennial, aiming to identify, recognize, and promote their best works. Through analysis and critique, the biennial fostered reflection on responsible contemporary architecture with sustainable solutions.
2019 brought a wealth of enriching experiences through some of Mexico City's most prominent events, including the inaugural Porto Academy Workshop, the annual Design Week Mexico festival, and the Abierto Mexicano de Diseño, among others. These events hosted design and architecture exhibitions that captured the creative output of the moment—showcases that will serve as future reference points for understanding the architectural discourse of this era.
Coffee shops are spaces whose history dates back to the 15th century. Originating in Arab countries before the rise of Europe, they began to play an important social role, often described as taverns where significant conversations took place, deals were struck, and political debates unfolded. Over time, these spaces evolved and the concept expanded to European countries like England, France, Italy, and Germany, where they served as highly public gathering spots for merchants, politicians, scientists, academics, philosophers, and poets.
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The Mexican state of Oaxaca is one of the most visited destinations in the country, drawing travelers from around the globe with its rich culinary, cultural, and architectural heritage. Located in the southeastern region of the country, it spans 93,757 km² and is divided into 570 municipalities, making it the fifth-largest state in Mexico.
As part of INFONAVIT's Housing Research and Practical Experimentation Laboratory project—which involved designing and developing a series of prototype homes to deepen the analysis of social housing and improve residents' quality of life—32 world-renowned architects gathered in the city of Apan, in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. There, they tested, evaluated, and validated these prototype homes to improve the users' quality of life and promote better practices among developers, demonstrating that high-quality housing can be built at costs comparable to current market rates.
Casa Besign is a temporary project born out of the need to showcase the talent of interior designers, mostly from Puebla, as part of Besign México—a platform created to honor Puebla's 2015 designation as a “Design Capital” by UNESCO, connecting disciplines, key players, and companies in the fields of design, creativity, and innovation.
The XI Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism (XI BIAU) recently announced the 210 selected projects for its upcoming edition, which will take place for the first time in Asunción this October.
The winners of the Panorama of Works Award will be chosen from this shortlist, which includes the following 18 Mexican projects:
On Thursday, October 3, a new space called Design House opened in Mexico City, showcasing a series of interventions that integrate disciplines such as design, architecture, and interior design. Over the past nine years, the initiative has presented cutting-edge proposals from more than one hundred participating firms across various properties. These projects are created in collaboration with showrooms from the Design Route (Ruta del Diseño), which provide the design firms with the pieces and accessories that make up their diverse proposals.
Tezontle Ludens is the name of the winning project of the Arquine Competition No. 21 | Mextrópoli Pavilion 2019, which opened on Friday, March 8, in Mexico City's Alameda Central alongside a series of pavilions designed to activate public space. The pavilion, built by Factor Eficiencia and designed by Suma Estudio (Roberto Aguilar, Diego García, Fernando Franco, Diego Aguilar, and Jalil Miguel), was described by the jury as "a simple, well-narrated playful experience, materialized in a lightweight space and a commitment to subtlety. The project communicates with that same clarity, without discursive excess or unnecessary justification."
The Architecture MasterPrize celebrates the best in design excellence and innovation in architectural, interior, and landscape design. The award program is dedicated to showcasing and promoting exceptional talent, and highlighting the value of the art and science of architecture in enriching our lives. A jury of esteemed architects, industry professionals, and academics evaluates entries across 41 categories in the disciplines of architecture, interior design, and landscape design. The AMP honors and rewards the talents of those who push boundaries and set new standards, turning the ordinary into the truly extraordinary and inspiring others today and for generations to come.
In recent years, architectural production in Mexico has faced a series of extraordinary challenges. Some of these stem from natural disasters that severely shook at least nine states, leaving several areas gravely affected across Mexico City, Puebla, Morelos, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Tlaxcala, Guerrero, and the State of Mexico. However, these events also served as a catalyst, prompting the architectural community to increase its focus—and active involvement—on housing and infrastructure for the most vulnerable sectors of the population.
As part of Design Week Mexico 2019, Diez Company opened Maison Diez Company to the public. Led by Rodrigo Fernández, this dedicated design and lighting project brings together various elements to create an environment centered on illumination. This unique project in Mexico returns with a renewed concept, showcasing new proposals in a house in the Juárez neighborhood, aimed at those who enjoy architecture, design, hospitality, and construction.
As part of the cultural program of Jardín 17 –a space designed by Luis Barragán as an extension of his House-Studio that for 20 years has hosted various universities from around the world to present major design and architecture exhibitions–, Japanese architect Go Hasegawa presents 'Flying Carpet,' a pavilion suspended in a corridor amidst the vegetation originally planted by Luis Barragán and later intervened by Mexican architect Alberto Kalach.
On August 8, as part of Expo Arte-Objeto—an exhibition commemorating the 60th anniversary of Llano de la Torre— Firenze invited architect Ricardo Casas to reinterpret the use of porcelain tiles with playful, exclusive designs.
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