The Canada Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, hosted Picoplanktonics. A research that emerged as a radical rethinking of how architecture can become a platform that blends biology, computation, and fabrication to propose an alternative future, one where buildings don't just minimize harm, but actively participate in planetary repair. At its core lies a humble organism: marine cyanobacteria, capable of both capturing carbon and contributing to the material growth of the structure it inhabits. The project has been developed over 5 years by a group of researchers at ETH Zurich, led by Andrea Shin Ling and a group of interdisciplinary contributors and collaborators. Together, they formed the Living Room Collective, founded a year ago to build upon this work and showcase it at the Venice Biennale. The Core team members include Nicholas Hoban, Vincent Hui, and Clayton Lee. This conversation with the team behind the project shares the philosophy, technical challenges, and speculative horizons that animated their work from printing living sand lattices to maintaining microbial life in a public exhibition. Their aim is to inspire people to reconsider architecture not as a static object, but as a living, evolving process. One that requires care, patience, and a radical shift in mindset.
New settlement and production in Øm. Render. Image Courtesy of THIRD NATURE
Danish architecture firm Third Nature, together with Sophie Sahlqvist Landskab, Arkaia, ILC, and Artelia, recently shared images of Øhjem, their proposed strategic vision for the re-naturalization of Denmark's Greater Copenhagen region toward 2050. The regenerative plan is part of the Water's Ways program under the Agenda Earth initiative, an interdisciplinary project run by the Danish Association of Architects in collaboration with the Dreyers Foundation and the Danish Bar Association. Led by urbanist Boris Brorman Jensen, the program calls for long-term solutions to restore 15% of Danish agricultural land while also protecting 600,000 homes from water-related threats. Third Nature's Øhjem masterplan reimagines the 25 km Ramsø Dale as a step toward implementing the land management objectives outlined in the Danish Green Tripartite Agreement (Grøn Trepart), signed in June 2024.
Traditional building development follows a risky model - design, build at full scale, and hope everything works as planned. Sustainable housing prototypes flip this script by creating functioning micro-versions of larger visions. This methodical approach allows designers to experiment with new materials, technologies, and systems without the enormous financial and environmental risks associated with full-scale development. Sustainable building prototypes serve as compact laboratories where theories can be tested before wider implementation.
Concrete towers dominate the skylines of Asian and African cities - looming edifices embodying development. With access to the tools and materials of industrial modernity, the Global South steps onto the world stage showcasing its bounty. Yet, at the depths of rising ambitions, the construction material speaks to colonial legacies and extractive economics that result in power imbalances in the geopolitical sphere. A climate crisis on the horizon only intensifies the complicated relationship between building materials, sustainability demands, and sovereignty of many countries.
Buildner has released the results of its Pape Info PointCompetition, organized in partnership with The Latvia Programme of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF Latvia) which focuses on environmental conservation, biodiversity protection, and sustainable resource management in Latvia.
This international competition invited architects and designers to propose a new visitor information point for Pape Nature Park, a protected area on Latvia's Baltic coast. Participants were challenged to design a structure that enhances the park's role in conservation and ecotourism while blending harmoniously with the surrounding landscape. The goal was to create an engaging and educational space that informs visitors about the park's rich biodiversity, migratory bird populations, and unique ecosystems while maintaining a minimal environmental footprint.
Urban living has become synonymous with limited space and creativity for compact apartments. As cities become more dominated by concrete and steel, there is an exciting, yet unsurprising, rise in interest in embracing the green thumb, even within the constraints of a dense urban environment. This interest is not purely to tend aesthetic tastes, as studies consistently show that exposure to nature reduces stress, improves focus, and enhances overall well-being. However, in dense urban environments, the challenge lies in finding innovative ways to make this vision a reality for apartments where every inch matters.
Upper Lawn's thoughtful interplay between the new and the existing is particularly compelling. Built on the remains of an 18th-century English farmhouse, the pavilion repurposes thick masonry walls from the original structure, incorporating elements such as the well, trees, and lawn into its design. Using prefabricated materials like timber, glass, and aluminum, the Smithsons constructed a light-filled space that harmonizes with its surroundings, embodying their principle of "as found architecture" — a concept rooted in honoring and adapting to preexisting conditions rather than imposing on them.
Lydia Kallipoliti is a recognized architect, author, and educator whose pioneering research has transformed the way architecture engages with the pressing challenges of sustainability, technology, and environmental politics. As an Associate Professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP), Kallipoliti's approach to architectural education encourages students to confront critical issues such as waste, reuse, and closed-loop systems. Her pedagogical philosophy empowers students to see design not only as an aesthetic or functional pursuit but as a powerful tool for addressing global ecological crises, urging them to think systemically and creatively about the future of the built environment.
In addition to her role in academia, Kallipoliti has authored influential works such as The Architecture of Closed Worlds and Histories of Ecological Design: an Unfinished Cyclopedia, which delve deeply into the relationship between architecture and environmental politics. Her research and writings have sparked discourse on methods for architects to reconsider traditional design paradigms and embrace sustainability as a core tenet of architectural practice.
Ammodo Architecture has just revealed the first 23 recipients of its inaugural Ammodo Architecture Awards, an annual recognition dedicated to advancing socially and ecologically conscious architecture worldwide. The awardees, chosen for their exemplary contributions, will receive financial support ranging from €10,000 to €150,000 to further their work and projects across three categories: Social Architecture, Social Engagement, and Local Scale.
Women have played a pivotal role in the evolution of landscape architecture, overcoming the constraints of a male-dominated profession to introduce groundbreaking ideas and fresh perspectives. From early pioneers to contemporary leaders, their work has reshaped how we interact with public and private spaces, intertwining aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability in innovative ways.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, female landscape architects carved out their place in the profession, emphasizing harmony between built structures and natural landscapes. Their projects showcased a deep commitment to community and ecological balance, setting the stage for an inclusive and thoughtful approach to design that continues to inspire the field today.
The 2024 European Prize for Urban Public Space has announced the overall winners for the 12th edition: For the General Category, the "Park at the Warsaw Uprising Mound" in Poland by studios topoScape and Archigrest received recognition its ability to honor the site's historical significance; while the Seafront Category prize was given to the "Beach Improvement and Redevelopment of the Harbour Edge" in Porto do Son, Spain, designed by CREUSeCARRASCO and RVR Arquitectos for its careful integration of natural and manmade elements. Selected from a list of 10 finalists, the projects were appreciated for their sensible response to local memory and an understanding of the interplay between various elements that interact with urban life.
Greenways, as a typology of urban design, have become an essential element in the planning of modern cities. They emerge in response to the increasing fragmentation of urban landscapes by elements such as highways. They usually integrate natural and constructed spaces, providing much-needed connections across various parts of the city. At the same time, they promote pedestrian accessibility, recreation, and social interaction. The Rose Kennedy Greenway in downtown Boston, United States, exemplifies this human-centered approach to design. The project, which began construction in 1991, showcases the potential of greenways to reconnect urban environments and enhance community life. As a series of parks designed by various architecture firms, it aims to create physical links and meaningful spaces that foster social development and a sense of place.
The Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (MCHAP) has announced the winner of the fifth MCHAP.emerge award: the Community Production Center Las Tejedoras in Guayas, Ecuador, designed by Natura Futura architect José Fernando Gómez and architect Juan Carlos Bamba. The project offers a hub for local women artisans, providing them with spaces to learn, create, and showcase their textile creations. The winner announcement was made at the Conference on Critical Practice held at Mies van der Rohe's S. R. Crown Hall, an inaugural event that brought together the four MCHAP.emerge finalists to open up conversations about the future of the architecture profession across the Americas.
From the 1930s to the 1990s, Burle Marx's work anticipated many of today's concerns about sustainability and urban well-being. Long before terms like "sustainable design" or "green infrastructure" became commonplace, Burle Marx was already advocating for the use of native plants, recognizing their role in creating self-sustaining ecosystems that required minimal intervention. His projects often transformed neglected urban areas into vibrant, ecologically balanced spaces that not only improved the environment but also enhanced the quality of life for city dwellers.
In the interview conducted by Louisiana Channel, architect Andrés Jaque discusses his foundational interest in architecture and his perspective on its role in shaping society. Jaque, founder of the Office for Political Innovation, emphasizes the creative potential of architecture to intervene in reality and reconnect all elements of the environment. He also goes into perspective on the political aspect of architecture, an interest from which the name of his office derives, as well as his perspectives on the true meaning of sustainability.
Are humans the only stewards of the built environment? For many architects and planners, spaces are designed with a focus on the needs, comfort, and health of humans. A spatial ordering, in constructed spaces and the urban fabric, designates humans as the default, singular user in this scenario. However, as much as humans have influenced the trajectory of the world, other species play a crucial role in designing, forming, and maintaining the urban landscapes of the twenty-first century.
The team led by Henning Larsen, in collaboration with Ramboll, Cistri, Gehl, Participate in Design, and Camphora has won the commission for the master plan consultancy to design Singapore’s North-South Corridor’s surface streets. The project proposes an expansive urban transformation, aiming to integrate public transport, active mobility, community-focused spaces, and greenery along the 21.5km corridor. Local communities and stakeholders are also actively engaged in the design process through public engagement sessions. The initial master plan design is set to continue into 2026, over the next 18 months.
Rendering of Dia Beacon’s south landscape. Image Courtesy of Studio Zewde, 2024
Dia Art Foundation announced a major landscape project to reimagine the land at Dia Beacon, New York. Commissioned landscape architect Sara Zewde of Studio Zewde aims to go beyond the simple arrangement of attractive plants and integrate ideas of ecology, culture, and people into the design. Taking over the museum’s 32-acre campus, the project will create an expanded outdoor park, free to access for visitors and locals alike, complete with native meadows, sculptural landforms, and winding pathways. The project, which has been recently extended to also include the museum’s eight back acres, is expected to open to the public in 2025.
