Mishing traditional bamboo house, Majuli . Photo by Rumi Borah. License Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
Across India's varied geographies, from coastal backwaters to desert fortress cities, architecture evolved with a deep, instinctive connection to climate. These were not isolated craft traditions but complete ecological systems in which material cycles, thermal comfort, and community knowledge were interdependent. As COP30 turns global attention toward the links between heritage and climate resilience, India's vernacular practices appear less as historical artifacts and more as climate technologies refined over centuries.
Architecture has entered a pivotal moment. As cities continue to grow under the weight of climatic and social pressures, the materials and systems that shape them are being redefined. Artificial intelligence and robotics, once used to accelerate construction processes, are now being rethought as tools for cultivation. Printed structures that grow, breathe, and decay. Cultivation, in this context, refers to designing with biological materials, where growth and decay are active parameters, merging digital precision with ecological intelligence. This evolution shows the shift from efficiency to empathy, where architecture becomes an agent of active repair. The introduction of mycelium and other natural materials into 3D printing presents a new paradigm in architecture: the logic of the living. A place where computation and fabrication meet biological adaptability.
AI and robotics, once associated with industrial efficiency, are now opening new ways of designing. Early examples, such as ICON's 3D-printed housing prototypes, focused on speed and automation but offered little response to their surroundings. Newer projects, such as the MycoMuseum at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, reinterpret these tools through a biological lens. Instead of shaping concrete, they cultivate living materials, marking a shift from pure optimization toward regeneration.
Vernacular architecture is often referred to as harboring lessons for creating low-energy buildings and the fight against climate change. Yet, as weather patterns are changing, there are cases where traditional building techniques are themselves becoming at risk. As well as changes in temperature, different regions have faced becoming wetter or drier, experiencing increased risk of droughts, flooding, storms, and changes to local flora. The painted houses of Tiébélé in Burkina Faso, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are one example.
The circular economy, including the reuse of building materials, is fast becoming a key component in the fight against carbon emissions. This involves designing to minimize waste and utilize materials that can be reused at the end of the building's life. On the opposing side, the reuse of materials from partially or wholly demolished buildings can also reduce waste and carbon emissions that would have resulted from using virgin materials. Sustainability purposes aside, the reuse of building materials has a centuries-old history, both for symbolic reasons and simply out of necessity.
Shah Alam Sports Complex Render. Image Courtesy of Populous
Populous, in collaboration with Malaysian practice HIJJAS Architects + Planners, has released the design for the new Shah Alam Sports Complex in Selangor, Malaysia. Anchoring the Kompleks Sukan Shah Alam (KSSA) masterplan, the stadium sits at the heart of a 188-acre redevelopment led by Populous that aims to transform the site into a major public and civic destination. Originally opened over 25 years ago, the existing Shah Alam Stadium has been a significant venue in the country's sporting history. The new proposal retains the original stadium's silhouette while introducing contemporary architectural and technical upgrades to support current and future needs. Redevelopment works, including the demolition of the aging structure, are planned over 48 months, with completion targeted for 2029.
As the global climate crisis intensifies, the construction industry faces increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions, prompting a fundamental reassessment of building practices. Dutch architecture firm MVRDV, known for its commitment to sustainability, presents an honest exploration of this challenge in "Carbon Confessions," an exhibition at Munich's Architekturgalerie. The exhibition provides insight into the firm's ongoing efforts, highlighting both its achievements and the obstacles encountered in the pursuit of carbon reduction.
The construction industry, traditionally reliant on the intensive use of non-renewable natural materials, is at a decisive moment to reevaluate its processes and mitigate its significant environmental impact. How can the growing demand for infrastructure, housing, healthcare, and education be met without depleting natural resources? While recycling initiatives are gaining traction, they remain insufficient. In this context, more innovative solutions are emerging, proposing the use of agricultural waste, such as sugarcane bagasse, to create sustainable and disruptive alternatives for construction.
It's been four years since the VELUX Group, together with partners EFFEKT architects and Artelia engineers, first embarked on Living Places. The experimental housing project demonstrated that building more sustainable homes using readily available products, materials and technologies is possible. Putting the ultra-low carbon housing concept to the test, VELUX conducted a study with 98 live-in guests to evaluate whether sustainable homes can also provide indoor comfort. Using a combination of environmental sensors and guest questionnaires, the findings reveal that the homes maintain a comfortable indoor climate in line with European Standards and had a positive effect on the well-being of guests, showing that building for planet can also greatly benefit people.
The 15-minute city has become an internationally recognized concept advocating for a people-centric urban model where residents should be able to meet most of their daily needs within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from their homes. The concept was introduced by Professor Carlos Moreno in 2015 following the COP21 conference in Paris, which concluded with the signing of the Paris Agreement. The idea proposes a practical and adaptable framework for introducing low-carbon mobility and creating a vibrant local economy to support more social interaction and more sustainable urban environments. Since then, the concept has been recognized with the 2021 Obel Award and has gained a notable recommendation in UN-Habitat's World Cities Report. Now, Professor Moreno is publishing the book titled “The 15-Minute City: A Solution to Saving Our Time and Our Planet” to showcase concrete examples and strategies for achieving better cities. ArchDaily had a chance to sit down with Professor Carlos Moreno to discuss these ideas, offering insight into Moreno’s urban thinking and the impact of this model.
Chinese temples have stood for centuries, battered by wind and earthquakes, without a crack or timber out of place. They employ an ancient technique called “bracket set construction” that requires no nails or metal parts to connect wooden structural elements. Scandinavian stave churches are nearly as durable. Unsurprisingly, there are plenty of trees in Sweden and all over China.
So what is with the hype about innovation in “mass timber” construction over the past few years? As Boyce Thompson argues in his thoughtful new book, Innovations in Mass Timber: Sequestering Carbon with Style in Commercial Buildings (Schiffer Publishing), this will be the next big thing in “green” tech for architects feeling guilty about their costly titanium skins and outsized carbon footprints. The color photos show some impressive buildings in places where the wood industry has always been healthy, such as the Pacific Northwest and Scandinavia. The Japanese build log cabins with imported material that might as well be gold.
For decades, our society has predominantly embraced an extractivist approach when formulating models for material manufacturing across diverse industries. While we now know that this model is unsustainable, a major question remains: So, how do we do it? We may be a while away from offering a definitive answer to this challenge. Still, it is exciting to note that, in a context marked by a challenging global and ecological horizon, the architectural community maintains a positive approach by pushing for a re-evaluation of what we make and how we make it.
This momentum may be gaining relevance due to the emergence of new, more environmentally conscious generations, such as Gen Z and Alpha. What is certain is that we are witnessing the development of new production philosophies, such as plant-based materials, which adopt practices aimed at favoring the use of resources derived from plants, reducing dependence on extractive processes, and promoting conscious and sustainable alternatives in various aspects of the manufacture and production of materials in architecture.
https://www.archdaily.com/1014260/harvesting-architecture-a-glimpse-into-3-plant-based-materialsEnrique Tovar
The sun’s influence on human life encompasses multiple dimensions, from biological and developmental aspects to religious-mythological connotations in civilizations such as the Egyptians and Romans. Moreover, this influence extends to its use as a natural resource within the realm of science. In scientific pursuits, the continuous search to harness the sun as an energy source has been a constant throughout the years. Within this context, the discovery of the photovoltaic effect and its application have paved the way in the history of solar panels, starting from the first observations of Becquerel to the initial prototypes of Charles Fritts in the 19th century.
Nowadays, the energy obtained from the sun through devices such as solar panels has become one of the most widely used sources in regions like North America and Europe, contributing to the efforts for a complete transition to clean energy. The momentum in this transition has motivated the development of new technologies, such as SolarLab facade systems, that challenge the preconceived idea of what a solar panel looks like and where it can be installed. These systems converge with architecture to integrate them as aesthetic elements, serving as cladding for both retrofit projects and new buildings.
https://www.archdaily.com/1011349/from-new-buildings-to-retrofit-projects-solar-facade-systems-for-a-circular-and-low-carbon-architectureEnrique Tovar
“ReviveR,” a new exhibition by MVRDV opened at the Shenzhen Women & Children’s Centre, focused on the different narratives surrounding its hosting building, from the role of play and social interaction, to the importance of fun environments for people of all ages, along with the need to reduce carbon emissions by applying principles of circularity. The exhibition is on display in the building’s 5th-floor auditorium from December 6, 2023, until February 28, 2024.
RSHP has just won the Jean Moulin competition held in La Défense, Paris, to design a low-carbon mixed-use development. The competition is a part of the Paris business district initiative to become the world's first post-carbon business neighborhood, launching “Empreintes,” aiming to revolutionize five urban sites at the district’s periphery. Through collaboration with neighboring city centers, the scheme hopes to create various sustainable mixed-use properties.
COP28, or the 2023 United Nations Conference of the Parties, was held in Dubai between November 30 and December 13. The annual meeting gathers representatives from 198 countries, as well as industry leaders to discuss and establish strategies to limit the extent of climate change and its adverse effects. The ultimate goal of these meetings is to find ways to limit the global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times. At the moment, the global temperature rise is already at 1.2 degrees Celsius. As the construction industry at large accounts for 39% of global emissions, architects and planners have a shared interest in the results of thee international summit, Read on to discover some of the key takeaways of COP28.
Studio Gang has revealed the design for a new theater for the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (HVSF). Planned to become the first purpose-built LEED Platinum theater in the United States, the building located in Garrison, NY, will serve as the permanent home for HVSF. The structure, measuring over 13,800 square feet, or 1,280 square meters, is designed to become the central point of the 98-acre HVSF campus, aiming to emphasize the theater company’s commitment to sustainable principles and social engagement. The project is expected to break ground in 2024.
Moving towards a sustainable future is a global challenge that involves all disciplines working together. According to the 2021 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction, almost 40% of carbon emissions come from the construction industry. This places a heavy responsibility on the industry, which must be open to exploring innovative strategies, technologies, and materials in order to pave the road towards a universal sustainability goal: reaching carbon neutrality by no later than 2050.
With that in mind, this article presents three specific products and systems –low-carbon glass, low-carbon concrete, and lightweight materials– that architects are applying in their projects to contribute to a low-impact architectural design.
ArchDaily and VELUX have joined forces to provide you with an exclusive coverage of the highly anticipated UIA World Congress of Architects 2023. Watch Sebastian Peck from KOMPAS VC and Liz Gilligan from Material Evolution explain a revolutionary low-carbon cement produced from industrial waste, and how can it help to decarbonize architecture by reducing a building's carbon footprint by 85%.
