ArchDaily is proud to reveal the winners of the 5th edition of Next Practices, recognizing 20 groundbreaking architectural practices from around the globe. These firms embody the creativity, innovation, interdisciplinary approach and social responsibility that are shaping the future of architecture and expanding its horizons.
Yale Art + Architecture Building. Image Courtesy of gwathmey siegel & associates architects
By the mid-nineteenth century, American universities began to distinguish architecture from civil engineering and the applied sciences formally. Architecture was emerging as a discipline defined by both technical competence and conceptual inquiry, spatial imagination, and cultural agency. As this disciplinary identity evolved in the postwar decades, its built expression coalesced into the emerging architectural language of Brutalism.
The 2025 Osaka Expo has captured widespread attention—not only for its architectural ambition and spectacle, but also for breaking records and generating controversy. Its most iconic feature, a monumental timber ring designed by Sou Fujimoto, has already made headlines as a Guinness World Record-breaking wooden structure. Built on the reclaimed island of Yumeshima, the site has attracted praise and critique in equal measure. Beyond its awe-inspiring 2-kilometer circumference—parts of which extend dramatically over the water—the structure has also drawn concerns, including questions about health & safety, extreme heat, and swarms of insects that may affect the visitor experience.
This year also marks a significant anniversary: the 55th year since the 1970 Osaka Expo, held under drastically different socio-economic conditions. Comparing these two expos—both hosted in the same city—offers a rare opportunity to reflect on how the rhetoric, curatorial themes, and architectural ambitions of world expos have evolved over time. From "Progress and Harmony for Mankind" in 1970 to "Designing Future Society for Our Lives" in 2025, the shift in thematic focus reveals changing global priorities. Meanwhile, the scale and nature of architectural involvement have also transformed, from the futuristic visions of Japanese Metabolism to a more internationally dispersed group of designers concerned with sustainability, technology, and civic engagement.
The Land Remembers: Lebanon’s Pavilion. Image Courtesy of CAL
At the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in 2025, the Lebanese Pavilion, curated by the Collective for Architecture Lebanon (CAL), presents "The Land Remembers," an exploration of ecocide and environmental healing. Selected by Lebanon's Ministry of Culture and the Lebanese Federation of Engineers, CAL is a non-profit organization co-founded in 2019 by Shereen Doummar, Edouard Souhaid, Elias Tamer, and Lynn Chamoun. Their curatorial vision aims to transform the pavilion into a fictional institution, the Ministry of Land Intelligens, dedicated to confronting environmental devastation and proposing strategies for ecological restoration.
The 2025 edition of the VeniceArchitecture Biennale is hosting a total of 65 National Pavilions. Among them, four countries, Azerbaijan, Oman, Qatar, and Togo, will be participating for the first time. The exhibition will unfold across three main locations: 26 pavilions at the Giardini, 22 at the Arsenale, and 15 spread throughout Venice's city center. The exhibition will bring together over 750 participants, forming interdisciplinary and multi-generational teams, and is anticipated to be the largest in the Biennale's history.
The Biennale promises to be a dynamic platform uniting over 750 participants from diverse backgrounds, including architects, engineers, mathematicians, climate scientists, and artists. Such a broad coalition of over 280 projects underlines the Exhibition's focus on inclusivity and interdisciplinary collaboration, an essential aspect for adaptation. The selection process proposed a bottom-up, open call approach through the Space for Ideas initiative, which ran between May and June 2024. It encouraged participation from global teams, from Pritzker Prize winners and Nobel laureates to emerging architects and scientists.
Built on a cluster of 118 small islands in the shallow Venetian Lagoon, the city of Venice, Italy, has captivated the imagination of architects and tourists alike. The area has been inhabited since ancient times, becoming a major financial and maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, as proven through the rich architecture that characterizes the city to this day. With influences from the Byzantine, Gothic, and Renaissance styles, the city represents a palimpsest of architectural narratives, overlapping and influencing each other. In recent years, Venice has become a major attraction for architects drawn to the La Biennale di Venezia, the most important Architectural Exhibition featuring national pavilions, exhibitions, and events to explore new concepts and architectural innovations.
Beyond the Biennale, Venice itself is an open-air museum for architecture lovers. While the city is best known for its historical buildings, Modernist and contemporary interventions add a new layer of interest, with many contemporary architects working with the historical fabric, like OMA's intervention and rehabilitation of Fondaco dei Tedeschi, or David Chipperfield's renovation of Procuratie Vecchie, one of the buildings that define Piazza San Marco. In addition to what the city has to offer, the site of the Venice Biennale is also marked by interventions by famous architects such as Carlo Scarpa, Sverre Fehn, and Alvar Aalto, made permanent due to their outstanding qualities.
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.
The State of Qatar has just opened its national pavilion's doors at Expo Osaka 2025. Designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates in collaboration with Qatar Museums, the pavilion blends traditional craftsmanship from Qatar and Japan while highlighting the two countries' connection to the sea, which is understood as a hub of resources and a medium for trade and knowledge exchange. The exhibition will be on view until October 13, 2025, aiming to showcase Qatar's innovations across diverse fields.
The Portugal Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka embraces the theme "Ocean, The Blue Dialogue", offering visitors an immersive exploration of the ocean as a life-giving resource and a cornerstone of sustainability. Designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the Pavilion aims to reflect Portugal's deep historical, cultural, and economic connections to the sea, creating an architectural and narrative journey that bridges past, present, and future. The pavilion has recently been inaugurated in the in the "Empowering Lives" zone, next to the Bahrain Pavilion, designed by Lina Ghotmeh Architecture and the Austrian Pavilion by BWM Architects.
"Living Scaffolding" is the name of the proposal selected to represent Peru at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. Curated by architects Alex Hudtwalcker, Sebastián Cillóniz, and Gianfranco Morales, along with historian José Ignacio Beteta, the exhibition tells the story of a totora reed raft that, in 1988, embarked on a sea journey to other ports in South America and Polynesia. Its unprecedented expedition began on the Peruvian coast south of Lima and lasted 54 days at sea. The raft was the result of a collective, handcrafted effort and a significant structural challenge. The exhibition aims to highlight the importance of ancestral knowledge in addressing such challenges, celebrate materials essential to Peruvian cultural heritage, and expose the value of collective intelligence.
Doors are among the most frequently used architectural elements in any occupied building, serving as movable thresholds that negotiate between private and public spaces. They facilitate both connection and separation among co-inhabitants. Yet, despite their fundamental role, doors are often one of the most overlooked design elements, particularly by clients. In discussions with industry professionals on various interior projects, a common consensus emerges—clients typically pay little attention to door types and details as long as the opening direction aligns with their expectations. However, the world of door design is an intricate one, offering a wealth of possibilities in finishes, installation methods, and modes of operation—each of which can significantly shape the spatial experience beyond the simple matter of swing direction.
The choice of door type and detailing can define or redefine a space entirely. Some doors offer superior sound insulation, while others remain open to connect spaces, enhancing spatial fluidity seamlessly. Certain designs require meticulous installation and ongoing maintenance, while others are virtually hassle-free. Moreover, the type of door selected, particularly that of the hinge, influences not only wall construction but also flooring layers and transitions, adding further complexity to the design process.
Osaka, Japan's third-largest city, is a vibrant blend of tradition and modernity, making it a compelling destination for architecture enthusiasts. Known historically as the "nation's kitchen" for its role as a mercantile hub, Osaka is also a city of cultural and architectural diversity. Its landmarks range from the historic Osaka Castle to striking contemporary developments, each reflecting Japan's evolving urban identity.
As the host city for the highly anticipated Expo 2025, Osaka is poised to showcase its architectural prowess on a global stage. The city's skyline features innovative works by renowned architects and urban planners, including cutting-edge cultural centers, transportation hubs, and waterfront redevelopments. With contributions from celebrated Japanese architects such as Tadao Ando, Kengo Kuma & Associates, and Takenaka Corporation, alongside international figures like Dominique Perrault, Renzo Piano Building Workshop, and Pelli Clarke & Partners, Osaka seamlessly blends modernity with tradition, creating a unique architectural identity that reflects its past while looking boldly to the future.
