A surface does more than simply cover a space—it transforms it, infusing personality, rhythm, and soul. It evolves from being a mere backdrop to becoming an active element that shapes the atmosphere through the interplay of material, form, and light. The balance of the touch, the thickness, incisions, tones, and luminous reflections can transform surfaces into sensory experiences. Textures can evoke stability or lightness, grooves introduce dynamism, colors define moods, and light sculpts depth and movement. Ceramic, with its aesthetic and functional versatility, is particularly well-suited to this role, offering architects a broad palette of creative possibilities.
The 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 10 to November 24, 2024, amid a backdrop of escalating climate challenges. For cities, the epicenters of population growth, economic activity, and climate vulnerability, the outcomes of COP29 are particularly significant. As urban areas contribute over 70% of global carbon emissions and housing more than half of the world's population, their consideration is pivotal in shaping global responses to the current crisis. In fact, cities are on the frontlines of the crisis, facing record-breaking heatwaves, catastrophic floods, and increasing economic losses from extreme weather events. In 2024 alone, urban areas worldwide experienced devastating climate impacts: flooding displaced millions in Africa, droughts crippled urban economies in South America, and storms caused widespread destruction in North America and Europe. The outcomes of COP29 directly affect urban planning, architecture, and sustainability efforts. From commitments to climate finance and carbon markets to renewable energy and resilience-building, the summit's decisions provide a roadmap for transforming cities into hubs of climate innovation and adaptation. Below are the key takeaways from COP29 for the built environment and urban spaces.
The 2024 Beta Architecture Biennial, in Timișoara, Romania, marks the tenth anniversary of this influential event. Curated by Oana Stănescu, this year's biennial, titled "cover me softly," explores the nuanced relationship between originality and influence, challenging conventional notions of copying, imitation, and appropriation. In addition to the Beta Awards, aiming to highlight significant contributions to architecture from across Romania, Hungary, and Serbia, the main exhibition offers a distinctive interpretation of recurring themes of the architectural field.
Accessibility in architecture is essential for creating built environments that accommodate of all ages, from young children to the elderly. In both public and private buildings—whether residences, infrastructure, or facilities—the design of internal pathways, circulation areas, and entrances and exits must prioritize safety, clarity and efficiency. This approach enhances daily activities and ultimately improves quality of life. ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems offers a wide range of products, including automatic, industrial, and commercial doors, as well as digital solutions, to meet user needs.
The Villa Cavrois stands as a powerful testament to early modernist architecture and the vision of architect Robert Mallet-Stevens. Built between 1929 and 1932 in Croix, France, this landmark residence was commissioned by Paul Cavrois, a prominent textile industrialist, to embody modern values and house his growing family. Mallet-Stevens' design merges Modernist ideals with a luxurious, functional aesthetic that breaks sharply from traditional styles, creating a space defined by clean lines, balanced proportions, and innovative materials.
More than just a family home, Villa Cavrois was designed as an architectural manifesto, presenting bold new ideas in residential design that would inspire generations. Its meticulously crafted layout, advanced technological features, and harmonious connection to the surrounding landscape positioned it as a symbol of modern living.
Buildner has announced the results of its competition, the Last Nuclear Bomb Memorial No. 4. This competition is held each year to support the universal ban on nuclear weapons. In 2017, on the 75th anniversary of the 1945 bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, which claimed the lives of over 100,000 people, the United Nations adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
In recognition of this treaty, Buildner invites conceptual designs for a memorial to be located on any known decommissioned nuclear weapon testing site. The conceptual memorial is intended to reflect the history and ongoing threat of nuclear weapons, aiming to promote public awareness of nuclear disarmament.
1180 - The Gothic Choir. Image Courtesy of Histovery
Ahead of the official reopening of Notre Dame de Paris, scheduled for December 8, a series of exhibitions are happening worldwide, aiming to use immersive technologies and augmented reality to bring to a wider audience both the restoration efforts and the wider story of the beloved monument. The event aims to present significant chapters of the history of the iconic structure, from its medieval origins to its witnessing of historical events such as the coronation of Napoleon or the marriage of Henri IV, the 19th-century restoration which added the spire designed by French architect Viollet-le-Duc, and the devastating 2019 fire.
MAD Architects has provided an exciting update on the construction of Lishui (LIJ) Airport in China, now in its final stages. The project, which emphasizes harmony with nature, is scheduled to open by the end of 2024. Nestled within the foothill valleys of Lishui, the airport is designed to embody the city's reputation as a "forest city."
Architect Jørn Utzon, globally recognized for projects like the Sydney Opera House, introduced an innovative design featuring its iconic shell-shaped roofs. Though he achieved great fame in Oceania, Utzon was born in Denmark, and it was in his childhood city that his final project was realized. Inaugurated in 2008, the Utzon Center, which hosted the 2024 Obel Award ceremony, not only honors the culmination of his distinguished career but also marks the beginning of his enduring legacy.
Modulus matrix -85 social housing in Cornellà, Barcelonaby Peris + Toral Arquitectes. Image Courtesy of RIBA
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) awarded its 2024 International Prize to Modulus Matrix, an 85-unit social housing development in Cornellà, near Barcelona. Designed by Peris + Toral Arquitectes, the six-story timber-framed building is a notable example of innovative social housing design. Its modular structure, based on a 3.6m x 3.6m grid inspired by traditional Japanese homes, creates a flexible and adaptable living space. The design prioritizes cross-ventilation, dual orientation, and a central communal courtyard, fostering social interaction and community building.
Playtime movie (Jaques Tati 1967) . Image via screenshot
Architecture criticism and journalism are often expected to announce "the good, the bad, and the ugly" in architecture and the built environment. Its purposes go however further than that. As Michael Sorkin put it, "seeing beyond the glittering novelty of form, it is criticism's role to assess and promote the positive effects architecture can bring to society and the wider world". In other words, by telling us what they are seeing, critics are also showing us where to look in order to identify and address the issues plaguing our built environment.
The field of architecture journalism has been led by female writers even in times when the pursuit of a career in architecture was discouraged and inaccessible for women. Ada Louise Huxtable established the profession of architecture journalism by holding the first full-time position of architecture critic at a general-interest American newspaper. In 1970, she also received the first-ever Pulitzer Prize for criticism. Esther McCoy started her career as a draughtswoman at an architecture office, yet, because of her gender, she was discouraged from training as a professional architect despite her ambitions to study the field. Through her writings, she managed to bring attention to the overlooked architectural scene of the American West Coast and advocate for the values of regional Modernism.
“Women in Architecture” documentary: Tosin Oshinowo. Image Courtesy of SkyFrame
Architecture is a discipline where theory and practice meet, transforming abstract ideas into spaces that shape and respond to human lives and identity. For Nigerian architect and curator Tosin Oshinowo, this dynamic is at the core of her work. As the founder of Oshinowo Studio and curator of the 2023 Sharjah Architecture Triennial, she has carved a unique path in contemporary architecture by blending cultural specificity, climate consciousness, and global relevance.
For some, the perfection of nature reveals the signature of a divine force, something that defies rational explanations. The result of millions of years of adaptation and evolution, natural structures and organisms operate with an efficiency that is hard not to admire. Every form seems to have a precise purpose, showcasing ingenuity where functionality and beauty harmoniously coexist. From leaves to the smallest organisms, nature follows an impeccable logic of economy and precision, eliminating waste. It demonstrates that simplicity is often the purest expression of sophistication. Trees, for instance, grow to maximize strength and stability while minimizing resource use. This structural efficiency is achieved by aligning fibers along paths of maximum tension and shaping trunks and branches to optimally distribute loads. It's a testament to the fact that nature, above all, is a masterful engineer.
The "Garden Futures" exhibition, currently showing at the Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam until April 13, 2025, explores the multifaceted history and future of the modern garden. Curated by Maria Heinrich and spatially designed by Frank Bruggeman, the exhibition presents the garden not only as a personal refuge, but also as a site reflecting broader political and commercial forces. The show's structure, divided into four thematic chapters, allows for a comprehensive exploration of the garden's evolution and its potential for future development.
KCAP has been chosen to design two new skyscrapers in Bratislava, Slovakia. Respectively standing at 260 meters and 180 meters tall, these towers will become key additions to the city's skyline and contribute significantly to its urban landscape by providing over 1,100 residential units with extensive city and landscape views. This district, once an industrial zone, has undergone substantial redevelopment, transforming into a mixed-use urban hub that combines residential, commercial, and leisure spaces. The new towers support this ongoing urban renewal, offering easy access to public transport and nearby cultural landmarks.
Two museums in Africa built in the mid-twentieth century carry the name 'National Museum.' They reflect the story of their respective nation's history and are tied to notions of national identity. Both are also examples of fine architecture built on the principles of Modernism, a movement associated with nation-building in Africa. However, their inception and purpose followed very different paths. This article explores the under-reported architecture of the National Museum of Ghana in Accra and the Sudan National Museum in Khartoum.
La Valiente Focaccería + Maíz / OHIO Estudio. Image Cortesía de OHIO Estudio
Creating spaces for social interaction involves design processes aimed at countering the individualization of people by fostering bonds and connections between them. While advancements in information and communication technologies provide new tools that optimize the development of certain activities and functions, their societal impact often tends to increase individual practices, such as remote work, virtual fitness activities through apps, or the digital consumption of goods, services, and events, among others. From architecture and interior design to urban planning, many emerging practices face the challenge of consolidating spaces for social interaction through design strategies, uses, and natural connections that prevent the replacement of physical space with virtual alternatives.
The world has lost 60 percent of animal populations since 1970. This staggering decline reflects the growing pressures on ecosystems, from habitat destruction to climate change. And 1 million species now face threats of extinction. As these problems continue to escalate, the importance of preserving biodiversity and restoring ecosystems becomes clearer.
Ancient Indian civilizations once thrived along the banks of the country's many rivers, solidifying a connection between water and culture that endures to the present. Rivers have been integral to India's diverse communities, serving as essential resources for daily life and spiritual practice. Historically, these water bodies experienced an entrenched sense of custodianship; being cared for collectively by the communities that depended on them. Today, responsibility for the rivers shifts between the hands of multiple stakeholders, calling for a joint endeavor that acknowledges their cultural significance.
In a rapidly evolving urban landscape, the new residential building redefines the concept of community living. Gardea Residencial stands in one of the city of Zaragoza's 15 neighborhoods, Miralbueno, an area where residential developments have been built. The project exemplifies functional, sustainable design, realized through two linear blocks, each optimizing available space with a basement level, a ground floor, and additional two storeys—two in one block and three in the other. With its sleek design, this building brought to life by Tash&Partners features a ventilated façade made of extruded porcelain tiles by Faveker. These tiles, in addition to being recyclable, enhance sustainability and efficiency.
Büro Ole Scheeren has revealed their design for an 800,000 sq ft development following the concept of live-work-lay in Hangzhou, China. Titled Urban Glen, the project situated between West Lake and the Qiantang River comprises two towers connected by a central plinth. This feature, inspired by Hangzhou's hilly landscapes, becomes a built topography of terraces and exterior environments, aimed at optimizing natural light and the quality of both indoor and outdoor spaces. The Glen will house a variety of amenities, including ballrooms, meeting spaces, restaurants, and retail, all interwoven with public art from New World Development's extensive collection.
London-based Woo Architects, in collaboration with Japanese contractor ES Global, has revealed its design for the UK Pavilion at the Expo 2025 in Osaka. Built on the principles of a circular economy, the pavilion features a modular, 10-by-10-meter gridded structure designed that prioritizes ease of assembly, disassembly, and relocation. Ultimately, the pavilion's design reflects the Expo's theme, "Come Build the Future," embodying sustainability and reuse.
Air rights transactions have become essential in urban development, allowing cities to grow vertically while preserving limited land resources. Typically defined as the right to use or sell the space above a property, air rights enable property owners to transfer unused floor area ratio (FAR) to neighboring parcels, creating increased density and financial gain opportunities. As urban centers face mounting pressures from limited land supply and population growth, air rights continue to offer a creative solution that fosters architectural innovation and economic efficiency.
