Photographer: Montse Zamorano | ArchDaily

What is Blue Infrastructure? Rethinking Water's Role in City Design

Olivia Poston — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 07:30:00 +0000

Nature-based solutions are a primary strategy for contemporary climate adaptation and urban ecological resilience, embraced by cities regardless of their geography or climate zone. Green roofs, urban forests, bioswales, expanding tree canopy, protected wetlands, and permeable landscapes are featured prominently in municipal adaptation plans. These interventions are deployed across neighborhoods, distributed through street networks, and measured by hectares restored, trees planted, stormwater retained, or temperatures reduced. This shift expands the role of ecology within cities, establishing environmental elements as infrastructure systems and providing planners with a grounded framework for integrating natural systems into urban development.

The renovation of Sala Equis, the book Oíza, and Espacio SOLO win the 2018 COAM First Prize 'ex aequo'

Nicolás Valencia — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 19:57:00 +0000

The Official Association of Architects of Madrid has awarded the 2018 COAM First Prize ‘ex aequo’ to the renovation of Sala Equis, designed by architects Lorenzo and Luis Gil (Plantea Estudio), to Espacio SOLO by Juan Herreros and Jens Richter, and to the book Oiza by Javier Vellés.

Pignatelli Reservoirs: From Water Infrastructure to Urban Park / Héctor Fernández Elorza

Valentina Díaz — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

For more than a century, the Pignatelli Reservoirs were part of the system that supplied water to the south of Zaragoza from the Imperial Canal. Built in the late 19th century, the complex consisted of four large open reservoirs measuring 125 x 40 meters and 4 meters deep, capable of storing up to 80,000 m³ of water. Over time, these infrastructures fell into disuse, leaving a significant urban void next to the Pignatelli Park.

How Are New Design Innovations Shaping Interiors in Spain?

Enrique Tovar — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 01:30:00 +0000

Innovation is at the core of architecture, expressed through new approaches to design, material experimentation, and, of course, ways of living. As a result, the conception of buildings and indoor spaces is constantly evolving. This evolution is especially evident in regions with a rich cultural heritage, such as Spain, where innovation reinterprets traditional ways of relating to space. This attentiveness to memory and daily life extends into interiors, where each intervention has the potential to actively reshape how people experience a space and open new possibilities for living and interaction.

The Evolution of Gas Stations: From Roadside Stops to Architectural Landmarks

Diogo Borges Ferreira — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 07:30:00 +0000

The gas station is an architectural typology that has undergone significant transformations since its inception. Initially, these structures were simple roadside refueling points designed for functionality rather than aesthetics. As automobile culture expanded, gas stations evolved to accommodate new technologies, shifting urban landscapes and changing consumer behaviors. Over time, they became more than just utilitarian stops — they developed into service hubs, integrating restaurants, motels, and leisure spaces, responding to contemporary transportation increasing demands.

Madrid Architecture City Guide: 27 Brutalist and Contemporary Attractions to Explore in the Spanish Capital

Maria-Cristina Florian — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Madrid, the vibrant capital of Spain, offers a blend of tradition and modernity, reflected in its diverse architectural heritage. This rich past is etched into the old façades, expansive public spaces, and historic religious institutions that define much of Madrid’s character today. The city’s continuous architectural renewal, reflected in both respectful restorations and innovative new constructions, highlights Madrid’s commitment to preserving its heritage while embracing modernity.

Integrated Kitchens in Spanish Homes: 50 Houses that Add Spaciousness and Flexibility

Agustina Iñiguez — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 05:00:00 +0000

In Spain, the implementation of integrated kitchens in homes has become increasingly common in contemporary architecture. Although there are various configurations and designs that are applied according to the customs and cultures of societies, as we saw in Argentina or Uruguay, the essence of conceiving the kitchen space as a hub of activities and a gathering space among its inhabitants and visitors is a common factor. This has led architects to try to find innovative ways, technologies, or materials that achieve an aesthetic and harmony capable of providing functionality, spaciousness, and flexibility to homes.

Brick Pavilion in Two Stages / Estudio Primitivo González | eGa

Pilar Caballero — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 12:00:00 +0000

The project was born from the will of the town hall to rehabilitate the façade of an existing ruin. The structure had a sunken roof, and only a brick wall remained in a decent condition. The intervention consisted in rehabilitating this wall and extending it with a new one, increasing the size of the space to adapt it for its new function: a multifunctional space and wedding hall for the Justice Courts in Alcalá de Henares, Madrid.

House in Cabanillas del Campo / Taller Abierto

Andreas Luco — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 16:00:00 +0000

The transfer of city life to a rural environment is a current topic in the commissions that architectural studios receive nowadays. This house is the consequence of the owners' decision to exchange a fifth-floor flat with views of the city for a house with trees and a garden in a nearby village. The first ingredient, the location, simplified the design decisions in many ways. Its dimensions and orientation allow the house to sit on one side, as if it was a white cat lying in the sun, stretched out as far as it can. This decision means that most of the rooms open into the southeast and the garden, taking advantage of the morning sun and the views over a nearby exterior. This first structuring line is complemented by the rest of the program, configuring an L-shaped floor plan. The rooms are placed on the larger side of the L, and a porch and a garage are placed on the short side. Forming another L-shape symmetrical to the previous one is a group of holm oaks and oak trees, which provide a backdrop to the landscape and greater intimacy to the interior of the plot. Between the two L-shaped volumes, there is a grassy area and a bathing area, surrounded by the house and the trees. The interior also benefits from the relationship with the boundaries. This condition allows a controlled opening towards the northwest, enjoying the cultivation of other plant species such as flowering pear trees, jasmine, and ivy that cover the dividing walls, as well as ground surfaces covered with vinca and rosemary. The pear trees provide protection from direct sunlight on summer afternoons, and as a whole, the vegetation manages to condition an exterior with which the house establishes crossed air circulation.

Casas GT3 / Bojaus Arquitectura

Andreas Luco — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 21:00:00 +0000

Located in a suburban area of Madrid characterized by single-family houses, the 800 sq. m. plot and urban regulations allowed the construction of three semi-detached houses. Instead of this, a three-story building with one house per floor is proposed. Compared to the characteristic semi-detached houses of the neighborhood, with small floor areas and organized in three and even four floors, this building alternatively proposes spacious houses organized on a single floor with large terraces, XL windows, and a shared garden. Therefore, circulation and server spaces are eliminated (stairs, corridors, distributors, and foyers) and the entire surface is gained for living areas.

Cyclopean Concrete and Its Many Diverse Uses and Applications in Architecture

Belén Maiztegui — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Historically, "cyclopean" referred to a building technique that superimposed large stone blocks together without any mortar. This allowed for a diverse array of structures across various civilizations, including defensive walls, talayots, navetas, nuraghes, temples, tombs, and forts. Nowadays, the term applies to any ancient structure consisting of large stones superimposed to form a polygonal shape.

Renovation of the Operations Court in CENTROCENTRO / Héctor Fernández Elorza

Valeria Silva — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 01:00:00 +0000

Colgando del Centro is the result of a public competition called by Madrid City Council (Madrid Destino) in order to adapt the existing Operations Court of Cibeles Palace as a new public space for the city of Madrid. Therefore, the project consists of a number of interventions inside the old Telecommunications Palace, built at the beginning of the 20th century as the Post Office by Antonio Palacios and Joaquín Otamendi. Today it serves as the home of CentroCentro cultural space. The historical context of the project conditioned the nature of the intervention, turning the proposal into a reversible intervention, without affecting any original structural element. In addition, it is mainly a mobile construction, so it would be possible to hide its main elements and furniture when necessary, thus creating a slight modification on the current morphology of the Operations Courtyard.

Construction and Design Trends of 2021: The Recurring, The Popular, The Relevant and The Substantial

Paula Pintos & Clara Ott — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 04:00:00 +0000

As we look back at the architecture projects we have published in 2020, as part of our yearly review, we were able to distinguish many recurring elements and solutions in terms of materials, programs, and functions.

Incorporating Fire in External Projects: Tips and Examples for Fireplaces

Eduardo Souza — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 04:00:00 +0000

Yuval Noah Harari points out that, around 300 thousand years ago, Homo erectus, Neanderthals, and ancestors of Homo sapiens already used fire daily. According to the author of the international bestseller “Sapiens,” fire created the first significant gap between man and other animals. "By domesticating fire, humans gained control of an obedient and potentially limitless force." Some scholars even believe that there is a direct relationship between the advent of the habit of cooking food (possibly due to the domestication of fire) and the shortening of the intestinal tract and growth of the human brain, which allowed human beings to develop and create everything we now have.

Mirrors in Architecture: Possibilities of Reflected Space

Lilly Cao — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 04:00:00 +0000

Humans have used mirrors since as early as 600 BCE, employing highly polished obsidian as a basic reflective surface. Over time, people began to use small pieces of gold, silver, and aluminum in a similar manner, both for their reflective properties and for decoration. By the 1^st century CE, people had started using glass to make mirrors, but it was only during the European Renaissance that Venetian manufacturers began making mirrors by applying metallic backings to glass sheets, remaining the most common general method of mirror manufacturing today. Since then, mirrors have continued to play both a decorative and functional role in architecture, serving a clean, modern aesthetic despite its ancient origins. Below, we investigate how mirrors are made, provide a brief history of mirrors in architecture, and offer several tips for architects looking to use mirrors in their designs.

House Studio Camp O / Maria Milans Studio

Valeria Silva — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 12:00:00 +0000

The house-studio is located in the middle of the Catskills’ preserve at an elevation of 2,550 feet. Oak, birch and maple trees flank a small driveway that ends in a sloped clearing. Impact on the site is minimal as the building rises on the existing clearing.

Icoma Headquarters / Estudio.Entresitio

Pilar Caballero — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 12:00:00 +0000

ICOMA is the acronim for Ilustre Colegio de Medicos de Alava, the medical professional association in the region of Alava in Spain, and this projects presents their new headquartes. The new offices for ICOMA are implemented on an existing space in a residential building, connecting the street level space with the one on the second floor. The adaptive reuse of the existing space involved the aperture and definition of two small glass courtyards, new light sources for the ground level, that allowed for an open plan in visual continuity while helping to clarify transits and the definition of static versus dynamic areas.

What is ETFE and Why Has it Become Architecture's Favorite Polymer?

Patrick Lynch — Sat, 06 Apr 2019 07:00:00 +0000

Until recently, the architecture world largely viewed plastic polymers as inferior building materials, handy for wipe-clean kitchen surfaces, but not practical in full-scale building applications. But with technological innovations driving material capabilities forward, polymers are now being taken seriously as a legitimate part of the architect’s pallet. One of the most widely-used of these materials is a fluorine-based plastic known as ETFE (Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene). Brought into the public consciousness thanks to its use on the facade of PTW Architects' Water Cube for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, architects are now realizing the film’s capabilities to express a new aesthetic and replace costlier transparent and translucent materials. Its most recent and spectacular public appearance was on the 120-foot telescopic shell of The Shed, designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Rockwell Group in New York City.