Photographer: João Guimarães | ArchDaily

Thick Walls and Deep Openings: When Architecture Rediscovers Mass

Diogo Borges Ferreira — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 07:30:00 +0000

For much of the twentieth century, architectural culture was shaped by the pursuit of lightness. Steel structures and curtain walls reduced the building envelope to a thin layer separating interior from exterior, while façades became smooth, continuous surfaces where windows were cut as precise openings within an abstract plane. But for centuries, buildings were conceived as bodies of mass; walls possessed depth, windows were recessed within thick masonry, and space was often experienced as something carved from the solidity of construction. In recent years, several contemporary projects appear to revisit this older spatial logic, reintroducing thickness as an architectural condition through deep openings, monolithic volumes, and heavy envelopes.

Art Nouveau Revisited: Craft, Materiality, and Detail in Contemporary Hospitality Spaces

Hana Abdel — Fri, 01 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000

At the turn of the 20th century, parallel, yet connected movements around the world ushered in a new style and architectural era. From the Arts and Crafts in England, Art Nouveau, then Art Deco in France, or the Jugendstil in Germany/Austria, these design and artistic developments spread around the world and took on different forms depending on their context. The basis remained similar, though, with a focus on artisanal value and craftsmanship; the use of wood, glass, and various metals; the integration of organic forms into the exterior facade and interior structure; and the refined incorporation of ornamentation as an architectural element, often as vegetation or geometric patterns.

Introducing the 75 Finalists of the 2026 ArchDaily Building of the Year Awards

Daniela Porto — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Two weeks and over 85,000 nominations later, the finalists of this year's Building of the Year Awards are in. The selection is much like the ArchDaily audience that chose it: diverse in geography, generous in ideas, and precise in intent. With projects from 46 countries, in a variety of typologies and scales, they present a beautiful snapshot of the current architectural moment.

Art Legacy Hotel / Luís Rebelo de Andrade

Andreas Luco — Sat, 17 May 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Rebelo de Andrade Studio was responsible for the interior design of the five- star Art Legacy Hotel, located at Rua do Ouro, also known as Rua Áurea - and nothing less could be expected than a renovation that would enhance it.

Earth Day 2025: Our Agency in Rethinking Sustainability Across Cities, Scales, and Sectors

Jonathan Yeung — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0000

On Earth Day 2025, observed annually on April 22, we are once again reminded of the urgent environmental and sustainability challenges that face our planet—challenges that continue to evolve alongside global economic, political, and cultural shifts. The building and construction industry remains one of the most critical sectors in the effort to manage and reduce global carbon emissions. This year, these issues are being addressed through increasingly diverse lenses, calling for more holistic and integrated approaches. It's vital that we view sustainability not as a one-size-fits-all solution, but as a multi-scalar effort—one that spans from large-scale urban development and strategic planning, to the advancement of sustainable materials, and even to temporary, thought-provoking interventions like exhibitions and installations. In doing so, we reaffirm our commitment to reducing our collective carbon footprint, while shaping a built environment that promotes human well-being and planetary health.

Palma Studios / andre kong studio + Barbosa Mateus Arquitetos

Valeria Silva — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Palma Studios, situated in the Palma neighbourhood of Lisbon, Portugal, is a sustainable retrofit project transforming a late 19th-century farmhouse. This area is known for its village-scale charm and low density. The project preserves and restores the original building's shell that was badly decaying, repurposing it into micro studios designed for student living.

House in Cacela Velha / GSS arquitectos

Valeria Silva — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 14:00:00 +0000

The house is located in the Algarve, south of Portugal, in the historic village of Cacela Velha. It is a rehabilitation project for an old house from the beginning of the 20th century. Over the years it has undergone several changes. Initially, it was a small house for a farmer with the respective agricultural warehouses. Later a 2nd floor was expanded and has remained until today.

Grémio School / Falanstério atelier de arquitetura

Pilar Caballero — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 13:00:00 +0000

For the expansion of the school, the goal was to build a light structure that would not overload the existing one. Green roofs, not accessible and requiring low maintenance, were chosen to minimize the visual impact and improve the thermic conditions of the rooms through passive systems.

Service Areas Brisa A1 Mealhada / GSS arquitectos

Pilar Caballero — Sat, 04 Jun 2022 15:00:00 +0000

The project refers to the integral renovation of the interior of 2 existing buildings, which integrate the Mealhada service areas, on the A1 highway that connects the cities of Porto and Lisbon.

ArchDaily’s Readers Select Who Should Win the 2022 Pritzker Prize

Nicolás Valencia — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 09:30:00 +0000

As part of our yearly tradition, we have asked our readers who should win the 2022 Pritzker Prize, the most important award in the field of architecture.

House in Costa Vicentina / GSS arquitectos

Pilar Caballero — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 13:00:00 +0000

The project is located on land by the sea, on the Southwest Coast of Portugal, and integrated into the Costa Vicentina Natural Park.

House in Estrela / Aires Mateus

Martita Vial della Maggiora — Sat, 08 May 2021 06:00:00 +0000

The house is located on a ridge above the Lisbon estuary. It faces the Estrela Basilica on one side, and the river on the other. The house, with an extensive brief, requires the use of two circuits: one interior and the other exterior, alternating in order to facilitate the independence of the parents and their children’s lives. The house revives the form of a traditional street front house, in this case entirely in face concrete, both inside and outside. Thus, it opens up via the relationship between its constituent spaces.

Eco Tróia Resort – Casa II / GSS arquitectos

Andreas Luco — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Another house on the dune, in the same landscape as Casa I. Near the sea, integrated in the pine forest and surrounded by the rich biodiversity of native plants. The Pestana Tróia Eco-Resort & Residence, located in the paradisiacal Peninsula of Tróia has a perfect natural setting, its own decoration and a privileged location that provide its guests with a unique experience.

Eco Tróia Resort House / GSS arquitectos

Andreas Luco — Sun, 07 Feb 2021 13:00:00 +0000

A house on the dune, integrated in a vast natural area, where the construction index is reduced to a minimum. The Pestana Tróia Eco-Resort & Residence, located in the paradisiacal Peninsula of Tróia has a perfect natural setting, its own decoration and a privileged location that provide its guests with a unique experience.

Zalando Technological Hub / Luís Rebelo de Andrade

Pilar Caballero — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 16:00:00 +0000

Zalando is a leading online fashion platform in Europe, which started as a startup in 2008 and today employs 32,000 people worldwide. Lisbon was the chosen city to be the destination of the third international technological hub.

Junqueira Building 156 / Luís Rebelo de Andrade

Pilar Caballero — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 19:00:00 +0000

Nº 156, Rua da Junqueira formerly had a banal garage door like many to be seen all over the city. Behind that door a passageway ending in a stone arch gave onto a plot of land with three disused warehouses. The only similarity with the current reality is the arch, which has been kept. All the rest has changed for the better.

Bê House / SMG Arquitectos

Pilar Caballero — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 14:00:00 +0000

In an old ruined warehouse dating from the beginning of the 20th century, with 800 m2, its deep rehabilitation is proposed, with the demolition of some roofs, defining interior patios, transforming the centuries-old space, into a 3-bedroom house.

House in Monsaraz / Aires Mateus

Pilar Caballero — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Faced with the boundless extents of the Alqueva lake, the house requires a centre: a protected courtyard embracing the water.