Porto's architectural legacy has long been shaped by the weight of history and the clarity of form. From the work of Álvaro Siza to the dense network of studios emerging from the city's schools, Porto offers a unique blend of continuity and reinvention. Here, architecture is not only a matter of design but often one of endurance — of working within constraints, of drawing with precision, and of navigating a built environment marked by permanence and resistance to spectacle.
Yet within this persistent context, a new generation of architects has been reshaping the field with quiet determination. Often formed in shared spaces, these practices balance autonomy with collaboration and meticulous detailing with broader urban concerns. Their studios tend to reflect this ethos: modest in scale, defined by adaptive reuse, and rooted in the material reality of the city. In these workspaces, architecture unfolds as a process — sometimes speculative, sometimes grounded — but always reflective of a practice that is deeply local and increasingly global.
Hungarian Architecture Center and Museum Design. Image Courtesy of BIVAK Studio
The Hungarian Architecture Center and Museum, designed by BIVAK Studio in collaboration with Tér és Forma Szeged Építéstervező Ltd., has received its building permit, paving the way for construction to begin. Located at the corner of Városligeti Fasor and Bajza Street in Budapest, Hungary, the project aims to establish a cultural and professional hub within an urban context. The proposal was selected as the winning entry in an international two-round open design competition, organized by the Hungarian Academy of Arts, held in December 2023.
According to several recent studies, noise in cities has become an increasing hazard to health. Environmental noise, that is, noise from traffic, industrial activities, or amplified music, which reaches internal spaces, is not merely an annoyance. It has been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia, and mental health. As the world urbanizes, more people are exposed to excessive levels of noise. How can urban design and architectural strategies help to prevent this?
Public spaces are more than just physical voids in the urban fabric—they are stages for social interaction, cultural expression, and collective memory. In times of social fragmentation and environmental stress, these spaces can serve as catalysts for healing, offering safe environments where communities can reconnect. Through thoughtful design and participatory processes, public space interventions can rebuild trust, promote mental well-being, and foster a renewed sense of belonging among community members.
Symbiosis, a Prototype for Living and Working. Image Courtesy of contexo
The future of urban life is increasingly being imagined as collective, layered, and adaptable. As cities grow denser and the boundaries between work, home, and leisure blur, architects are rethinking the traditional notion of residential living, shifting from isolated units to integrated, community-driven environments. This collection of unbuilt projects, submitted by the ArchDaily community, reflects this shift: a global exploration into how design can shape more resilient, inclusive, and connected ways of living.
In contemporary urban development, the concept of Privately Owned Public Space (POPS) has gained increasing prominence. These are spaces that, while built, owned, and maintained by private developers, are legally required to remain publicly accessible. Often the result of negotiated planning incentives—such as zoning bonuses or increased floor area—POPS have become especially prevalent in dense urban environments where land is limited and demand for public amenities is high.
The modern world is disconnected. Online interactions dominate the daily lives of people across the world. This shift is not just a result of the rise of the internet, but also a stark reflection of the decline of public spaces, particularly third places. Third places, once essential for promoting community and social cohesion, have evolved drastically over the past few decades. In today's commercialized landscape, third places face plenty of demands from users and designers alike, calling for a need to reconsider their accessibility and purpose.
The Lithuanian Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale presents Archi / Tree / tecture, a project by the National Architects Association. Commissioned by Juratė Tutlyte and curated by architect Gintaras Balčytis, the exhibition invites architects, students, communities, and visitors to reflect on the deep connections between architecture and urban nature. It positions the discipline as an interpretive medium that reveals the layered relationships shaping our cities, which in turn reflect these dynamic interactions. The proposal evokes an urban memory rooted in landscapes where fields and trees once stood, introducing the dimension of time into discussions on city ecosystems, sustainability, and resilience. The exhibition, an indoor installation designed by architects Paulius Vaitiekūnas, Andrius Pukis, and Vika Pranaitytė, will be set within the Church of Santa Maria dei Derelitti. The audiovisual and light installation in the pavilion was designed by the interdisciplinary art duo Lina Pranaitytė and Urtė Pakers, while the sculptural component of the installation was created by Kęstutis Lanauskas.
Dutch architecture firm MVRDV has won the competition to design a new multifunctional market and food hall in Zhubei, Taiwan. Developed in collaboration with local firm EKUO, the project, referred to as the "Market Cube" or "River Bank 1," aims to redefine the traditional market building through a vertically layered, highly adaptable structure. Positioned along the Touqian River at a prominent gateway between Zhubei and neighboring Hsinchu, the building is set to become a major civic destination.
In 2021, the Municipality of Roosendaal began collaborating with MVRDV as an urban development consultant. The firm's partner, Winy Maas, was subsequently appointed as urban advisor, conforming a team that included MVRDV, Rebel Group, Transitiefocus, and other experts. Their task was to consolidate existing projects and initiatives into a unified strategic vision, seeking a mix of bottom-up and top-down planning approaches. The vision, also called "The Mosaic", was developed through a participatory process involving residents. It provides insight at multiple scales, from land-use adjustments across the municipality to over 40 potential projects aimed at harnessing the potential of specific locations. Published as a series of seven interconnected documents, the vision aims to provide Roosendaal with strategies to accommodate growth.
Contemporary cities are vibrant, complex, and constantly evolving. Above all, they are ever-changing, mutable, and diverse. What transformative changes are occurring, and where are they leading us? Urbanization continues to gain momentum in many regions of the world, generating visible and structural transformations. As this unfolds, data on the evolution of its configuration and the challenges we encounter begin to emerge. According to the World Bank, the urban population will continue to trend upward, with 90% of new urban residents concentrated in Africa and Asia. This growth raises essential questions: How can we consolidate a design approach that ensures equitable access to spaces, resources, and services? How can we make emerging and consolidated metropolises more inclusive and accessible?
https://www.archdaily.com/1028012/designing-inclusive-cities-the-role-of-universal-design-in-creating-accessible-urban-atmospheresEnrique Tovar
In March 2023, the AustinTransit Partnership (ATP) announced the selection of UNStudio, HKS, and Gehl to lead the architecture and urban design of Project Connect, an expansion of Austin's public transportation system in Texas, United States. Led by ATP, the system aims to connect communities, enhance public spaces, and integrate with the city's evolving urban fabric. The design framework, developed by the four entities, establishes the foundation for how the light rail will interact with Austin's neighborhoods. The design team states that the project's priorities are in people-first infrastructure and the creation of dynamic public spaces, which they seek to reflect in the newly unveiled images. As a voter-approved initiative, Project Connect actively encourages public participation, allowing Austin residents to provide feedback throughout its development.
To a first-time visitor, Mumbai presents itself as a kaleidoscope of sensory overload. Architecturally, the peninsula city is host to numerous styles. Mumbai's architectural identity emerges from centuries of cultural exchange and colonial influence. What makes the experience unlike that of other historical cities is the density and the proximity in which juxtapositions occur.
Architecture evolves, particularly in how it reflects the relationships between people, their behavior, and the environment. Even subtle variations in these dynamics can influence how we think and live in our communities. According to the World Bank, 56% of the population currently lives in urban environments, and it is estimated that by 2050 this number will reach 70%. This projection echoes the speed and magnitude of urban growth, posing challenges for architects and design firms, from the viability of buildings to the sustainability of the built environment, encompassing residential architecture and other typologies that influence daily life.
https://www.archdaily.com/1027788/case-studies-in-community-centered-living-innovative-residential-designEnrique Tovar
Overall Framework Render. Image Courtesy of Sasaki
Salalah is Oman's largest logistics port and its second-largest city. Located within a two-hour flight from Dubai and a 90-minute flight from Muscat, the city attracted over one million tourists in 2024. As part of the Oman Vision 2040 investment plan, Oman's Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning has commissioned Sasaki to develop a master plan for redesigning the city's waterfront. The plan includes renovating the city's coastal public spaces and constructing new housing and infrastructure to accommodate projected growth. The project is part of a broader initiative to double tourism's contribution to the nation's GDP by 2030, with on-site construction set to begin later this year, in 2025.
Portrait of Ricardo Scofidio. Image via Diller Scofidio + Renfro
Ricardo Scofidio, a distinguished figure in the world of architecture, passed away on March 6, 2025, at the age of 89. Born in New York City in 1935, Scofidio co-founded the influential architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) with his partner Elizabeth Diller in 1979. Together, they brought to the profession a conceptual art sensibility, influencing the design of globally recognized cultural landmarks and public spaces. Among their most notable projects are the High Line in Manhattan and the transformation of Lincoln Center, each reflecting the studio's ambition of challenging conventional architectural premises.
The United Center arena in Chicago, designed by HOK Sport (now Populous), Marmon Mok, and W.E. Simpson Company, was built between 1992 and 1994. With a capacity of over 20,000 seats for sports and general events, it includes more than 6,000 parking spaces in lots surrounding the arena. These parking lots span approximately 55 acres (over 22 hectares) in Chicago's West Side (1901 W. Madison Street). A new master plan, named the 1901 Project, aims to transform this space into a mixed-use neighborhood. Led by design collective RIOS, with contributions from landscape architecture studio Field Operations, this long-term, multi-phase project aims to connect neighborhoods by creating new public spaces and infrastructure on a metropolitan scale. The proposal recently received approval from the Chicago Plan Commission.
Design disciplines, like user experience (UX) design, have evolved to excel at devising experiences that make digital interfaces navigable. They accomplish this through a deep understanding of user needs and by mapping user journeys with meticulous attention to detail. The city represents a physical interface experienced by multiple users - residents, tourists, people of various ages and genders each experiencing it uniquely. In a time where digital interfaces are crafted for frictionless user experiences, why do many cities remain challenging to navigate?
