Almost seven kilometers from the green of Uhuru Park in central Nairobi, lies the informal settlement of Kibera. It is an area whose urban character consists of corrugated iron roofs, mud walls, and a complicated network of utility poles. Kibera, at this point in time, is a well-known place. Much has been written and researched on this “city within a city,” from its infrastructural issues to its navigation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Architecture and Aid: Reframing Research on Informal Settlements
ArchDaily Chile Headquarters / SITE Oficinas
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Architects: SITE Oficinas
- Area: 287 m²
- Year: 2020
Totoral House / LAGAR Arquitectos
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Architects: LAGAR Arquitectos
- Area: 3832 ft²
- Year: 2021
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Manufacturers: Austral sur, Casa Mobili, Comercial Arratia
Mirador Barón Building / Mathias Klotz
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Architects: Mathias Klotz
- Area: 21300 m²
- Year: 2019
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Manufacturers: Atika, Concret Doctor, Grau, RGM, Rhona
AD 23 House / Apio Arquitectos
Punta Chilen House / Baltazar Sánchez
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Architects: Baltazar Sánchez
- Area: 400 m²
- Year: 2016
Open Air: New Ways We Can Live Together in Nature
“We need a new spatial contract." This is the call of Hashim Sarkis, curator of the Venice Biennale 2021, as an invitation for architects to imagine new spaces in which we can live together. Between a move towards urban flight and global housing crises, the growth of more low-rise, dense developments may provide an answer in the countryside. Turning away from single family homes in rural areas and suburbs, modern housing projects are exploring new models of shared living in nature.
Después del Domo / Claudio Torres Salazar + Yuji Harada + Clarita Reutter Susaeta + Emile Straub
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Architects: Clarita Reutter Susaeta, Claudio Torres Salazar, Emile Straub, Yuji Harada
- Area: 575 m²
- Year: 2017
House T+T / RLL Estudio Arquitectura
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Architects: RLL Estudio Arquitectura
- Area: 366 m²
- Year: 2020
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Professionals: De La Riva Ingenieros Ltda.
Red House / Panorama Arquitectos + dRN Arquitectos
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Architects: Panorama Arquitectos, dRN Arquitectos
- Area: 245 m²
- Year: 2011
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Manufacturers: AB Kupfer, Cerámica Santiago, KBE, Luxaflex, Melón Hormigones
The Beauty of Exposed Wooden Trusses
Timber trusses are wooden structural frameworks used to support roofs or other heavy structures. Fabricated from a series of triangles linked by a ridge beam and purlins, wooden trusses are structurally advantageous due to their high strength-to-weight ratios and corresponding ability to support long spans. However, these structural components can also be used for aesthetic ends, and when left exposed, can complexify, beautify, and open an interior space.
Houses with Side Patios: Bountiful Natural Light and Ventilation
Patios and gardens play a crucial role in a project's planning and layout. In some instances, they serve as organizing elements while in others, they improve the quality of life in a space by providing light, ventilation, and a connection to the outdoors while maintaining the privacy of the inhabitants.