Cities are defined as densely populated geographic areas characterized by urban development. They serve as economic, political, and cultural centers, offering various services, infrastructure, and opportunities. However, urban densification has been associated with negative aspects such as health issues, pollution, and social problems. Countries like India and China, with their massive populations exceeding billions, face a significant demand for services and housing.
Recent research, including studies by institutions like the Berkeley Cool Climate Network, has brought about a paradigm shift in our perception of urban densification. This shift aims to reduce cities' carbon footprint and support collaborative efforts to achieve Sustainable Development goals. Densification is proposed as a crucial strategy for promoting social prosperity, and well-being, and combating climate change. However, a relevant question arises: How can we effectively achieve densification while addressing global warming? Companies like Holcim have responded to this challenge by developing sustainable building solutions and engaging in meaningful discussions with architects, such as Shajay Bhooshan, Associate Director at Zaha Hadid Architects. These collaborations provide valuable insights into the concept of urban densification as a catalyst for climate action.
https://www.archdaily.com/1003021/rethinking-urban-development-densifying-cities-for-accelerated-climate-actionEnrique Tovar
The earliest vestiges of furniture in society can be traced back to the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt when the armchair of Queen Hetepheres I (ca. 2600 BC) was discovered. This armchair marked a significant milestone in the history of furniture. It is not surprising, therefore, that the chronology of furniture is intertwined with architectural, pictorial, and sculptural expressions of the time, where these elements often act as witnesses and, in exceptional cases, as central objects in the history of art and design.
Furniture consists of everyday objects designed to meet specific needs in our daily lives. However, sometimes they transcend their practical function and take on an autonomous presence. A piece of furniture has no nobler purpose than its interaction with human beings, therefore, separating these objects from their utilitarian dimension becomes an act of disruption. As a result, designers such as Francesco Binfaré have described sofas as “The most mysterious object amongst the furniture populating the interior design universe”. In this context, Edra creates unique objects that blend art and industrial production, reflecting contemporary domestic landscapes and experimenting with new shapes and materials.
https://www.archdaily.com/1002698/the-renaissance-of-the-sofa-innovations-atypical-shapes-and-anthropometryEnrique Tovar
In architecture, drawing is a technical and artistic expression that involves creating visual representations using various analog instruments. While drawing remains relevant and current in practice today, efforts have been made to carry out architectural tasks and studies more efficiently. The drafting machine, a significant development in this regard, enabled precise strokes using fewer instruments. However, the emergence of computational tools, such as computer-aided drafting (CAD), has revolutionized the workflow by leveraging the advantages offered by computers. Architects can now play a more direct and creative role in the design process, reducing their reliance on time-consuming drawing and repetitive tasks. Moreover, workflow enhancements have fostered more effective collaboration among different stakeholders in the architectural process.
https://www.archdaily.com/1001757/generative-space-design-exploring-8-transformative-tools-in-architectureEnrique Tovar
The complexity of our world is constantly increasing, and with it, the pressure and demands placed upon our built environment. Architects are faced with a monumental task: to translate society’s ever-changing needs into tangible, effective and sustainable solutions. Pressing issues such as the climate crisis, rapid urbanization, population density and housing shortages call for a new architecture –one that isn’t afraid to questionthe traditional way of working and is prepared to take on the challenge. Today the industry must adapt, evolve and innovate to cope with these challenges. The availability of data is changing the game, and as technology continues to advance, it will open new ways of thinking, creating and engaging with the built environment.
In this article, we delve into the effects of the digital transformation, how it is reshaping the industry and the questions it raises about the future role of architects.
The National Pavilion of Israel presents “Cloud-to-ground,” an immersive installation exploring the nature of modern communication networks at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. The exhibition, curated by Arch. Oren Eldar, Arch. Edith Kofsky, and Hadas Maor, aims to initiate a multifaceted discussion regarding the physical aspects of virtual networks: the data centers and telephone exchanges commonly referred to as “black boxes.” The chosen theme is relevant for Israel due to its strategic location set at the intersection of continents and cultures. The pavilion in the Giardini will remain open for visitors until November 26, 2023.
Some architects have left their mark on history; one such case is Antonio Gaudí. Through his nature-inspired conceptions, he became the foremost representative of Catalan modernism. The impact of Gaudí's work can be seen on various architectural scales, including the Sagrada Familia, Parc Güell, Colònia Güell, Casa Milà, and Casa Battló, the latter being an iconic landmark of Barcelona’s architecture.
Casa Battló emerged from the renovation of an 1877 building, which was acquired in 1903 and subsequently commissioned to Gaudí for its transformation. Inspired by animal forms, particularly those of the ocean, the facade and interior were renovated using curves and a combination of vibrant colors. This intervention marked a turning point for the house, as it significantly changed the facade, redistributed the interior, and provided a sublime interaction with natural light. Following the nature of the renovation that began with Gaudí, a new interior project for the stairs and atrium of Casa Batlló was developed in 2021. This renovation is the result of a dialogue between the anodized aluminum chains developed by Kriskadecor and the abstraction of the ingenious use of light in Casa Batlló through Kengo Kuma's design.
https://www.archdaily.com/1001552/metallic-layers-in-dialogue-with-light-an-abstract-intervention-at-casa-batlloEnrique Tovar
The architecture profession is increasingly facing the pressures of a rapidly changing era marked by urbanization, population growth, and climate change. To effectively navigate the complexities surrounding architectural and urban projects, there has been an acceleration in the adoption and integration of data-driven technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning. However, valid concerns have risen regarding the potential loss of the designer's creative control, with fears that their role may be reduced to a mere "parameter adjuster." Is this a genuine possibility or merely a reflection of resistance to change?
In a conversation with Carl Christensen, Autodesk's Vice President of Product, we delve into the impact of AI on the traditional role of the architect and explore the opportunities that arise with these technological advances. As paradigms shift, forward-thinking architects and designers could find themselves especially empowered to expand their influence and shape a new future for the discipline.
As you make your way through the symphony of wooden colonnades, leafy screen walls, and unfurled roofing, towards the converging veins of flooring and ceiling ribs leading to the light, it feels like a space that was always meant to be there. Part of the park, the pavilion complements the nature around it, reflecting its patterns, and illuminates a main interior feature: a concentric set of tables and stools that inspire people to sit at the moment, hold conversations, and connect with each other. This narrative tells the tale of this year's Serpentine Pavilion, designed by French-Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh.
Titled, À table, It draws inspiration from the designer’s connection with nature growing up and is reminiscent of the French call to sit together at a table, share a meal and enter a dialogue. It foregrounds the table as a laboratory of ideas, concerns, joys, connections, and essentially brings people together. It further reflects on the architectural ideals that can provoke and welcome moments of collective conversations.
On June 5, Apple launched Apple Vision Pro, a new type of spatial computer that uses augmented reality goggles to allow users to experience a blend between the digital and physical worlds. The device promises to offer its users an infinite canvas for apps, larger and more immersive than traditional displays, while allowing them to stay present and connected to others. It features visionOS, the first spatial operating system to create this new way of interacting with digital content. Previous concepts like the metaverse have promised to transform the way we experience digital worlds, with architects taking the opportunity to delve into the design of restriction-free virtual spaces. Could this new device bring new ways of experiencing three-dimensional spaces, to better integrate architecture with digital environments?
Ancient civilizations like the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans understood long ago the importance of sanitation and wastewater management, building elaborate sewage systems by using underground drainage channels to carry wastewater away from their cities. These systems relied on gravity to transport wastewater to nearby bodies of water, since water cannot flow upward without being pumped. Today, many sewage systems continue using gravity in a similar way, with a suitable slope that facilitates the flow of wastewater downhill to treatment facilities or other infrastructure. This also occurs inside private lots, where a height difference is needed between the building's piping and the urban drainage or sewage system. But there are times when the available height difference is not sufficient, or when the system is lower than necessary, causing gravity to get in the way, and making the system impossible to function in turn.
It’s here! The 21st-century digital renaissance has just churned out its latest debutante, and its swanky, sensational entrance has sent the world into an awed hysteria. Now sashaying effortlessly into the discipline of architecture, glittering with the promise of being immaculate, revolutionary, and invincible: ChatGPT. OpenAI’s latest chatbot has been received with a frenzied reception that feels all too familiar, almost a déjà vu of sorts. The reason is this: Every time any technological innovation so much as peeks over the horizon of architecture, it is immediately shoved under a blinding spotlight and touted as the “next big thing.” Even before it has been understood, absorbed, or ratified, the idea has already garnered a horde of those who vouch for it, and an even bigger horde of those who don’t. Today, as everyone buckles up to be swept into the deluge of a new breakthrough, we turn an introspective gaze, unpacking where technology has led us, and what more lies in store.
Can current design and manufacturing technologies be incorporated into vernacular and traditional construction techniques? On the IE University campus in Segovia, a group of researchers from IE University, Princeton University, and the University of Bergamo built an unreinforced masonry structure called innixAR that demonstrates how digital technologies can enhance craftsmanship. This pavilion explores the intersection between the latest augmented reality (AR) innovations and 4D funicular design to allow vault craftsmen to build masonry structures without the need for physical guides and costly temporary molds.
Cities are a canvas for architectural creativity and the dynamism of urban life. In recent years, they have taken on an additional role: that of living laboratories for innovative architecture and urban design. International cities have become experimental grounds for architectural technology, sustainable practices, and human-centered design principles to be tested and refined. This paradigm shift has not only transformed the physical aspects of urban environments but has also redefined the relationship between architecture, community, and the built environment.
Finding effective and valuable solutions for agricultural waste management has been an inspiring challenge for researchers. By-products from monocultures, such as residues from soybean production, corn cobs, straw, sunflower seeds, and cellulose, are often destined for soil composting, used as animal feed, or even converted into energy in order to reduce waste and mitigate the environmental impacts associated with agricultural activities. Sugarcane production, for example, generates a significant amount of by-products, totaling about 600 million tons of bagasse fiber waste from an annual production of two billion tons of sugarcane. This by-product has a promising potential to replace energy-intensive building systems, such as concrete and brick, by providing building materials that combine sustainability and structural efficiency.
With this perspective in mind, the University of East London (UEL), in partnership with Grimshaw Architects and manufacturer Tate & Lyle Sugar, has developed an innovative building material called Sugarcrete™. The aim of the project is to explore sustainable building solutions by recycling biological by-products from sugarcane, which in turn reduces carbon emissions in the construction industry – all while prioritizing social and environmental sustainability during the production and implementation of these building materials.
Harnessing the power of moldless manufacturing through large-scale robotic 3D printing, research at ETH Zürich in collaboration with FenX AG delves into the use of cement-free mineral foam made from recycled waste. The objective is to build wall systems that are monolithic, lightweight, and immediately insulated, minimizing material use, labor requirements, and associated costs.
Professionals in the AEC industry are well aware of the issues that grapple the built environment. That the construction industry is the largest consumer of materials and is responsible for 40% of all carbon emissions is a commonplace fact. Construction work is also a large waste generator and could greatly benefit from circular design principles. Almost three-quarters of all construction projects tend to be over budget, and nearly half of the spending on buildings goes into the overheads. In a fast-paced world with multi-faceted challenges, technology, and digitization seek to deliver significant solutions.
“Can you help me design my residential tower? It's 30 stories and located in Brooklyn, New York.” ChatGPT’s response may be surprising. Given that the bot has no architectural experience, and is certainly not a licensed architect, it was quick to rattle off a list of considerations for my building. Zoning codes, floor plan functionality, building codes, materiality, structural design, amenity spaces, and sustainable measures were just a few of the topics ChatGPT shared information about.
Nowadays, the understanding of our building culture and the application of local construction methods may seem like a distant and obsolete concept given the role of industrialization and globalization in the construction industry. We can now obtain almost any material from around the globe just by searching the internet for a distributor in our region. But this practice has important implications for our society, from the loss of architectural identity to environmental costs related to high CO₂ emissions associated with the processes of extraction, manufacturing, transportation, and disposal of these materials.
The increasing global need to reduce our carbon emissions and use materials in more efficient ways has led us to research and learn about the origin of our region's resources, eventually leading to better understanding their applications within a circular economy approach. But why not look right under our feet? Soil is one of the most common materials on the planet, and when it is locally sourced, it does not generate considerable amounts of embodied CO₂. It seems that after industrialization, we have forgotten that building with earth was for many years a viable construction method for our ancestors in different parts of the world. We spoke with Nicolas Coeckelberghs, one of the four founders of BC Materials, a worker cooperative based in Brussels that has been working with earth, rediscovering its use, and sharing its knowledge on a global scale while working with a local conscience.
https://www.archdaily.com/999074/building-with-waste-transforming-excavated-earth-into-architectureEnrique Tovar