By now, most people in the construction industry know that addressing the carbon emissions that come from the built environment is key to solving the climate challenge. Yet, knowing where to start can be a challenge for many professionals. That's why education and upskilling across the value chain—from architects to urban planners, and real estate developers to engineers—are essential to fostering sustainable construction practices.
Urban apartments are frequently praised for their clever use of space, but what of their approach to color? Thoughtfully incorporating color is more than an aesthetic decision; it has the potential to shape emotional responses, influence mood, and create spatial illusions. Research in color psychology shows that colors affect our social, cultural, and psychological reactions, making them powerful design tools. Variations of blue, for instance, have been shown to slow melatonin production, keeping people more awake and alert, while shades of green relieve strain on our nervous systems, helping us feel calmer and more grounded. Color in architectural spaces can even alter our perception, creating illusions of depth, movement, and texture that influence how we experience space. Warmer hues like oranges and reds tend to make a room feel more intimate and cozy, while cool whites and blues lend a sense of openness, making spaces appear taller and more expansive.
Art and architecture go through a series of interpretive processes before their creation that involve recognizing a capacity for wonder, experimentation, communication, and imagination. Sharing sensitivities and creative quests, they can transform the experience of the world by responding to a collective set of ideas that, at times, design, paint, and write about themes related to the connection with nature, the role of society in the built environment, the sensations conveyed by spaces, and more.
Traditionally, architecture's role has been to create a barrier between inhabitants and the elements, providing protection and security. Even with material and technological advances over time, this function remains fundamental. We still rely on our building envelopes to keep us dry, safe, and comfortable, allowing us to live our daily lives with ease. Nowadays, high-performance building envelopes expand this protective function by using advanced materials and technology, transforming into essential elements of sustainable and resilient design. They not only protect interiors from external factors—such as heat, humidity, and pollutants—but also contribute directly to the building's energy efficiency, durability, and aesthetics. Consisting of facades, solar shading systems, and windows, these envelopes define the building's character and play an essential role in its overall performance.
With a longstanding dedication to empowering designers and beautifully bringing their ideas to life, SketchUp software offers an intuitive, comprehensive 3D modeling toolset straight out of the box. Still, users can supercharge its capabilities with a range of powerful extensions.
SketchUp's Extension Warehouse features hundreds of plugins for everything from animation and urban planning to interior design and architecture. These tools eliminate repetitive tasks, improve accuracy, and streamline workflows, allowing designers to customize and enhance their SketchUp experience. But with so many extensions to choose from, diving in can feel daunting. Get started with this list of the top 11 SketchUp extensions to extend and customize your workflows.
In the mid-twentieth century, a set of South Asian countries collectively experienced a catharsis from colonizers' rule. The period that followed sparked an era of ideas and philosophies for a new future. During this time, architects were pivotal in creating modernist structures that defined the countries' post-colonial, post-partition and post-imperial identities. South Asian architects used design as an expression of hopeful societal visions, most of which have been actualized. With this success in nation-building, there has been a lack of accreditation for women architects in shaping South Asian histories.
Women have played a pivotal role in the evolution of landscape architecture, overcoming the constraints of a male-dominated profession to introduce groundbreaking ideas and fresh perspectives. From early pioneers to contemporary leaders, their work has reshaped how we interact with public and private spaces, intertwining aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability in innovative ways.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, female landscape architects carved out their place in the profession, emphasizing harmony between built structures and natural landscapes. Their projects showcased a deep commitment to community and ecological balance, setting the stage for an inclusive and thoughtful approach to design that continues to inspire the field today.
New York City is a place of constant transformation. Since the late 18th century, when it became one of the world's largest ports, it has established itself as a hub of innovation, commerce, and cultural diversity, attracting immigrants from all over. The rapid industrialization of the 19th century spurred a proliferation of factories, warehouses, and working-class neighborhoods, like Brooklyn and the Lower East Side, which shaped the city's urban and economic growth.
Carl Pruscha, an Austrian architect who mainly dedicated his professional career to investigating and working closely in the field of regional architecture in the Eastern world, a territory that was being overlooked at a time when the modern movement in architecture and in the rest of the world was booming. Through an overview of his life, we will highlight some of his most relevant works in Nepal and Sri Lanka and understand how Pruscha managed to stamp his unique visions of architecture and cities into his built projects.
Honduran architect Angela Stassano is contributing to Central America's architectural landscape with her applied research regarding bioclimatic designs. Based in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, her projects draw from local heritage techniques to address the needs of hot, humid tropical environments. Stassano has developed her expertise through over 30 years of hands-on research, culminating in a bioclimatic architecture guide that outlines her methods for construction in this region. One of her most notable projects, Las Casitas, is a residential complex that embodies this research. The project includes multiple energy-efficient tropical houses that harness the local climate, resulting in low energy and operational costs.
The evolution of bathrooms into their modern configuration traces back to ancient civilizations like the Ottoman and Roman, where sanitation held significant cultural importance. During the Middle Ages, however, personal hygiene practices declined, setting back developments in sanitation until the Renaissance revived interest in cleanliness. This shift paved the way for key innovations in the 18th century, including modern plumbing systems that enabled the widespread adoption of modern sanitation spaces. Today, it's unimaginable to design an architectural project without incorporating these facilities, highlighting the essential role of hygiene and well-being, now closely tied to technological advancements.
In the productivity-driven dynamics of contemporary cities, playful interventions in public spaces offer an innovative way to reclaim urban environments. These interventions encourage new ways of thinking and acting, temporarily breaking the monotony of everyday life and redefining the concept of play. Once confined to childhood and separate from daily activities, play has begun to intertwine with routine paths, becoming an integral part of urban life even outside traditional leisure times. In this way, reintroducing the swing—the most iconic children's toy—becomes particularly significant. As a symbol of childhood, pleasure, and joy, the swing contrasts sharply with the rigid appropriations of most public spaces, inviting a more relaxed and playful engagement with the urban environment.
"One of the first hits I got when I was googling about female architecture was a high-rise building in Australia, whose architects said that they had been inspired by Beyoncé's curves when they built it," exclaimed the Dutch architect Afaina de Jong in her last talk for TEDxAmsterdamWomen in 2021. "I mean, really? Her body? Beyoncé? Of course, she is amazing, but to translate her body literally in a building… Is that female architecture?", she continued indignantly.
De Jong is the founder of AFARAI studio, where she works with an interdisciplinary methodology combining theory and research with design. She considers her studio as "a feminist practice that encourages change on social and spatial issues and that accommodates differences," so Afaina is likely familiar with the concept of 'intersectionality'.
Cultural centers are vibrant places where art, community, and innovation intersect—each uniquely crafted to embody and celebrate its local character. This month's projects, submitted by the ArchDaily community, showcase a diverse array of cultural spaces, from the transformation of a historic townhouse in Montreal to a dynamic creative hub in Riyadh and an eco-conscious visitor center in Tennessee's mountains. Each design offers a new perspective on what a cultural center can be, whether a hub for creativity, a sanctuary for nature, or a bridge to the past.
Water and daylight? At first glance, they seem like distant concepts: one is tangible, while the other, —though intangible—, manifests itself through its effects and perceptible qualities. Both are powerful and recurring resources in architectural design, often employed only for compositional purposes. However, in the context of indoor pools, this combination is frequently functionally oriented, prioritizing 'protection' from external stimuli. This one-dimensional approach can restrict the dynamic interaction between water and natural light, leading to aesthetic, functional, and operational challenges.
Global conferences, events, and exhibitions have profoundly influenced the evolution of architecture and design, serving as catalysts for innovation, new ideas, and pivotal debates. Some gatherings, like the historic Congrès International d'Architecture Moderne, have impacted the field. In contrast, others, such as the Venice Biennale and the World Design Capital (WDC), continue shaping the architectural landscape through periodic editions. Initiated in Turin, Italy, the WDC celebrates a different city every two years as a hub of design reflection and creativity. In the latest edition, the binational region of Tijuana-San Diego made history as the first cross-border WDC, emerging as a creative epicenter with a rich, innovative program that warrants special attention.
Buildner has announced the results of the Kharkiv Housing Challenge, the first competition in a two-part series focused on rebuilding Ukraine. Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, has been deeply affected by the ongoing conflict, and this competition is part of a broader effort to rebuild its housing and public spaces.
Superstorm Sandy inundated Lower Manhattan, causing billions in property and infrastructure damage. To protect against future flooding, storm surges, and sea level rise, landscape architects are developing an innovative mix of green and grey solutions along the southern coast of Manhattan.
These are not nature-based solutions but forms of armor. And designers are showing how this armature can be woven into the public realm, creating new kinds of infrastructure. Smart design is resulting in retractable gates and walls, landscaped berms, and raised platforms. No concrete walls separating communities from each other or the waterfront here.
Colors, materials, lighting, and textures are the foundational pillars that shape the mood and atmosphere of an interior space. These elements should work in harmony to create environments that deeply influence how we feel and interact with the space around us. From serene, tranquil homes to dynamic offices or welcoming hospitality spaces, design trends have evolved to meet the specific needs of each setting, while the market offers an abundance of product combinations.
Recent years have seen a transformative shift in these trends, with a growing focus on flexibility, biophilic design, and sustainability. These three approaches are reshaping the way spaces are designed—not just in terms of aesthetics, but also with respect to functionality, well-being, and environmental impact. Mastering the interplay of these elements has become essential to create spaces that resonate with purpose and functionality, offering immersive and meaningful experiences for their intended audience.
India is often recognized for its thriving technology industry, with a reputation for producing a substantial number of skilled tech professionals each year. This has attracted a dynamic technology ecosystem that increasingly draws global companies to establish operations in the country. The rise of tech parks has become a key strategy for harnessing this talent and resources, cultivating an environment conducive to innovation. What impact do these tech parks have on the urban landscape of Indian cities?
Over the past two decades, the Holcim Foundation Awards has committed USD 20M to spotlight transformative projects by architects, designers, and engineers who pioneer sustainable design and construction practices. To capture these stories, the Foundation launched a short film series titled Words with Winners.
This series provides an in-depth look at award-winning sustainable design projects through exclusive interviews with their creators. It includes one of the first films to showcase the BIG U, also known as the DryLine, in its built form, featuring an exclusive one-on-one with Bjarke Ingels, Creative Director and Founder of Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG).
Office ParkScheerbarth, selected as one of ArchDaily's 2024 Best New Practices, was founded in Berlin in 2019 by principals Moojin Park and Benjamin Scheerbarth. Together, they create a synthesis between architecture, urban planning, and social science, drawings on cultural and educational contexts from Korea, the US, and Germany. Their work creates spaces that welcome versatility, challenges, and growth. The duo embodies a fusion of cultures, nationalities, and diverse disciplines, approaching each project from multiple perspectives and emphasizing adaptability, respect for ownership, and the continuous pursuit of knowledge and innovation. Challenging norms and regulations of the built environment, Moojin Park and Benjamin Scheerbarth share a commitment to pushing and exploring design boundaries. They met during their Master's studies in the US, where their shared vision took shape and marked the beginning of their journey together.
For centuries, burial practices across various cultures have connected honoring the deceased to the earth, with cemeteries firmly grounded in the soil as a symbol of eternal peace. Yet, as discussed in one of our articles, No More Room for the Living or the Dead: Exploring the Future for Burials in Asia, land shortages in densely developed urban areas present significant challenges to traditional burial practices, especially as societies like Japan face an aging population. Given these spatial constraints, how can above-ground cemeteries and columbariums be designed to provide a dignified, tranquil resting place while respecting cultural values?
