Humans have always been fascinated by reflections. Although they are no more than light bouncing back after striking a surface, there will always be something mystical and fascinating about them –whether it be a lake mirroring a beautiful landscape or a small hand mirror reflecting our face. This explains why some ancient cultures considered mirrors to be sacred objects with magical powers, while others associated them with portals leading to an unknown world. Since then, mirrors have evolved to adopt many valuable functions that are indispensable in everyday life, being found in cars, medical equipment and, of course, in countless architectural applications, especially in interiors. Experimenting with the reflection and perception of space has become an easy way for architects, designers and homeowners to transform any room. And when looking to maximize this impact, the power of exceptionally large mirrors is unparalleled. After all, the bigger the mirror, the bigger the impact.
Nanaimo Cruise Ship Terminal. Image Courtesy of Checkwitch Poiron Architects & HA Photography
Design confidence is crucial to the team at Checkwitch Poiron Architects. If they can be confident in their design, then it becomes much easier to advocate for it with clients. The team builds that confidence with flexible software and cultural awareness.
Nowadays, we spend over 90% of our time indoors, and it is becoming increasingly evident that architecture has a profound influence on our brains and bodies. The interest in comprehending how the environment affects human well-being is on the rise, with a growing number of new studies on this subject emerging each year. Moreover, architecture firms are increasingly enlisting the expertise of researchers and human experience design consultants to explore and optimize these effects.
Synonyms for ‘dark’ read like a who’s who of negativity. Words like ‘gloom’, ‘murk’, and ‘despair’ are a world away from the light and airy interiors we’re told to covet by magazines and influencers. But for many people who look for tranquillity in the bathroom, there is comfort to be found in the dark.
Many of us tend to close our eyes while searching for peace and mindfulness. In turning off the sense of sight we can retreat inside of ourselves, and focus on our own self-care. These four dark bathrooms from the ArchDaily catalog use this theory of peaceful darkness to create calming bathrooms with low, ambient lighting; natural materials, and dark surfaces.
In the last three years, we have gone from asking ourselves how we will live together to doubting if we can ever live together.
Despite the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, the anticipated urban transformations resulting from it have yet to materialize. Global polarization and geopolitical unrest have us fixated on immediate issues, overshadowing our outlook for the future.
https://www.archdaily.com/1009691/the-supporters-newsletter-issue-number-6ArchDaily Team
Chris Bosse started LAVA, Laboratory for Visionary Architecture, with his partners Tobias Wallisser and Alexander Rieck the year Watercube, the Aquatics Centre for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics was completed. Bosse was one of the leading designers of Watercube when he worked at PTW Architects in Sydney. Now LAVA employs about 100 people in four offices in Ho Chi Minh City,Sydney, Stuttgart, and Berlin. There are also two satellite offices in Honduras and Parma, Italy, led by former associates. Projects range from furniture to houses and hotels to master plans, urban centers, and airports in the Middle East, Central America, Europe, Australia, and Vietnam.
Bradbury Works / [Y/N] Studio. Image Courtesy of [Y/N] Studio
In the contemporary context, global warming has marked a turning point in the way we think about architecture. We are witnessing record temperatures on our planet and a challenging panorama in many large cities, characterized by heatwaves and, in some cases, more severe winters. These circumstances have triggered a cycle in which the demand for heating and cooling systems increases, which, in turn, translates into higher energy and operating costs for buildings.
Given this situation, it becomes imperative to design energy-efficient buildings to reduce both the environmental impact and the associated costs. One of the strategies to achieve this is to properly plan the facade, which, serving a function similar to the building's skin, can help reduce the energy required for heating and cooling. In this context, the polycarbonate panels developed by Rodeca contribute to the energy efficiency of buildings, in addition to their lightweight, slender construction, and translucent aesthetics.
https://www.archdaily.com/1009134/ecological-lightweight-and-slender-energy-efficient-architecture-with-translucent-polycarbonateEnrique Tovar
Moving away from top-down approaches, contemporary practices embrace more inclusive and participatory models and design processes. Participatory planning, a notion that prioritizes involving the entire community in the decision-making process, has earned widespread recognition and popularity globally. Cities across the world have interpreted participatory planning to fit their unique needs, using technology and government resources to expedite and enhance the process.
Representing a fusion of innovation and convenience, a smart home can be defined as an environment in which one or more devices are connected and can be controlled remotely, either through a smartphone or voice commands. Automation, or home automation, is an advanced technology that has become increasingly accessible and popular. It enables tasks ranging from efficiently controlling lighting and room temperature to managing security devices, entertainment systems, and voice-activated personal assistants. Smart homes empower residents with continuous and user-friendly control over their environment. This dynamic synergy of automation and connectivity not only promotes efficiency and resource conservation but also opens new horizons in customization and comfort, envisioning a future where homes adapt to the needs and preferences of their occupants, making life simpler and more enjoyable. However, these systems often require the installation of new cables and wiring to build the necessary infrastructure, as well as the hiring of highly specialized labor, which can often make their implementation impractical.
A home is a sacred realm, a place that embraces and honors a variety of emotions and sensations. As Gaston Bachelard asserts, it serves as our refuge in the world, our initial universe, a true cosmos in every sense of the term. Its intricate symbolism transcends mere functional aspects like room count or bathroom size. Entire universes find their place within its walls.
Let’s be honest. There’s been a certain amount of speculation over the past while about the future of imm cologne, the international furniture fair that’s traditionally kicked off the calendar year, acting as a compass to the design landscape of the following twelve months. Like every physical trade fair, it has had to navigate white waters: pandemic strictures, turbulent macroeconomics and the continued expansion of alternative channels.
Pink Floyd's song “Another brick in the wall” criticizes an alienating and demotivating educational system. People, or children, are portrayed as bricks due to their homogeneity, whether in the way of living or thinking in a society that is not very fond of opposition. Bricks work very well in this comparison, having changed very little throughout history and around the world in their rectangular shapes. But that's not true of their colors. Although we tend to think of red when we talk about bricks, there are infinite possibilities of shades, depending on the composition and manufacturing process of the pieces.
Today, architecture has become - or is in the process of becoming - more flexible and individualistic to accommodate people's diverse lifestyles and spatial needs. With this adaptation, the residential typology has changed and living rooms have become endangered. Many insist on the need of having a space dedicated to relaxation and leisure, while others claim it is simply a waste of space and money. This debate raised an important question: do we still need living/sitting rooms? In this interior focus, we will look at how living rooms evolved through the years, and how architects readapted and integrated the concept of “gathering space” in contemporary residential architecture.
The fabric of our cities is shaped by millions of small decisions and adaptations, many of which have become integral to our experience. Nowadays taken for granted, some of these elements were revolutionary at the time of their implementation. One such element is the curb cut, the small ramp grading down the sidewalk to connect it to the adjoining street, allowing wheelchair users and people with motor disabilities to easily move onto and off the sidewalk. This seemingly small adaptation has proven to be unexpectedly useful for a wider range of people, including parents with strollers, cyclists, delivery workers, etc. Consequently, it lends its name to a wider phenomenon, the “curb cut effect”, where accommodations and improvements made for a minority end up benefiting a much larger population in expected and unexpected ways.
Since the advent of Modernism, architects have become schizophrenic in dealing with the reality of time. This is a problem, because time and gravity are two universal forces. Architects are exquisitely good at dealing with gravity—it is present in everything we design. We study it and engineer its unrelenting requirements. Gravity does a symbiotic dance with structure. No matter how a design feigns weightlessness, its mass cannot be denied. Architects must deal with gravity, whether it’s Frank Lloyd Wright’s sagging balconies at Fallingwater or today’s steroidally enhanced parametric buildings.
Architecture is a unique field that combines equally constant aesthetic and functional needs, while immersed in dynamic technological environments. At this juncture, design processes and buildings are becoming increasingly intricate, requiring architects to manage projects efficiently while fostering multidisciplinary and multi-level collaboration throughout workflows. Additionally, the new technologies and tools we employ in the process must evolve at the same pace —sometimes even faster— by embracing aspects such as sustainability and efficiency, all while keeping an eye on the future.
The tools available in the multidisciplinary architectural environment have evolved significantly quickly. Both students and experienced architects have now nearly completely transitioned from manual methods to computer-aided drafting software. Today, we find ourselves immersed in the era of architecture driven by technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), artificial intelligence, and digital processes. At the same time, the fundamentals of BIM and its historical background trace back to the early days of computing, research, and new technologies, which sparked a rapid evolution within the AEC industry and among its professionals.
https://www.archdaily.com/1008860/bim-and-the-future-of-architecture-accelerating-design-processes-with-archicad-27Enrique Tovar
In 2021, the Government of Catalonia recognized Casa Gomis, designed by the architect Antoni Bonet Castellana for the Gomis-Bertrand family between 1949 and 1956, as a Cultural Heritage of National Interest in the category of Historical Monument.
Designed from a distance in Argentina, 'La Ricarda,' as the residence is also known due to its proximity to the eponymous pond, which recently became the center of debate over the expansion of Barcelona Airport, stands out for its vaulted roof and glazed enclosures that engage with the surroundings of Prat de Llobregat.
Image created using AI under the prompt: An emotive and detailed illustration of the texture of various types of architectural insulation. Image via DALL.E 2
Although more related to evolutionary aspects than to architecture itself, the inherent physical fragility of human beings has required, since prehistoric times, that we protect our bodies and our buildings from external elements. As an example, beginning with the primitive huts used in the earliest forms of domestic architecture, furs were employed as an exterior covering to restrict the flow of air and, consequently, regulate the interior environment.
Subsequently, we have observed an evolution that clearly shows advances in insulation techniques, going from vernacular materials such as adobe to an increase in the thickness of walls using stone or brick, finally reaching the cavity walls developed in the 19th century, which left a small air chamber between an exterior and an interior face of the wall. Its later popularization led to the introduction of insulation between both faces, a system that is widely recognized and used today and has laid the foundations for further developments in this field.
https://www.archdaily.com/1008656/a-glimpse-into-the-evolution-of-insulation-materials-in-architectureEnrique Tovar
Today, most architects are used to the complex workflow of using multiple tools during the design process. These traditional legacy tools can be bulky and slow, hamper creativity, and often do not talk to each other nor let architects collaborate with their teams. This limits their ability to design, as they spend most of their time getting 3D models BIM-ready.
Snaptrude is aiming to solve these issues by establishing itself as a powerful, browser-based, collaborative 3D design tool. It combines smart, parametric modeling, live building information, easy real-time collaboration and strong interoperability with BIM tools like Revit. Below, a comprehensive list of how these features can make 3D modeling easier.
A mirage can refer to an optical phenomenon caused by the refraction of light on certain surfaces, creating the illusion of a liquefied appearance. It can also represent an illusion, where something appears to be different from what it actually is. Paul Clemence capitalizes on this dual interpretation in his photographic essay, Modern Mirage, which features Casa do Baile (now the Reference Center for Architecture, Urbanism, and Design), the Art Museum, and the Church of Pampulha. He captures these iconic structures as they are reflected in the water mirrors of the modern complex designed by Oscar Niemeyer in Belo Horizonte, MG.
Sharjah, the captivating territory in the United Arab Emirates, is a cultural hub that blends tradition with contemporary modernity. Situated on the Arabian coastline, the city is known for its commitment to preserving its rich history, promoting the arts and culture, and providing a platform for creative and intellectual pursuits. In fact, the 2023 Sharjah Architecture Triennial (SAT) will take place from November 11, 2023, to March 10, 2024, under the theme "The Beauty of Impermanence: An Architecture of Adaptability." The Triennial is curated by Tosin Oshinowo, exploring innovative design solutions emerging from conditions of scarcity in the Global South.
With a deep-rooted connection to its cultural heritage, the emirate is home to an array of museums that showcase a journey through multiple timelines, from Islamic civilization to traditional lifestyles. Now a hotspot for emerging designers, the city has taken a leading role as a patron of fine arts. In the contemporary city, attractions are designed by many architects, from Foster + Partners, Zaha Hadid Architects, 51-1 Arquitectos, to Hopkins Architects. In addition to this emerging cultural scene, old Sharjah is a valuable embodiment of historical tradition, having been transformed into useable attractions and art facilities. The old Sharjah also flaunts landmarks such as the modernist King Faisal Mosque, the Museum of Islamic Civilization, and the Sharjah Art Museum.
By converting the unused areas hidden in the roofspace, homeowners are able to add extra bedrooms, games rooms, or simply give themselves easier-to-access storage space, without having to move house or apply for planning approval. And with more of our lives now occurring under our own roofs, the additional space provided by an attic conversion is more popular than ever.
Without the ability to alter the roof’s pitch, however, the low-height areas of an attic room often remain unusable, and the resulting usable space is restricted by how low its functions can go. By positioning low-height features and activities in these nooks and crannies, attic rooms can make the best of the space they’re given.
The rights to reconstructKisho Kurokawa's iconic Nakagin Capsule Tower are currently sold on one of the largest NFT sites. While the tower’s demolition has begun earlier this year, the auction sells the right to rebuild the structure, in both the metaverse and in real space. The idea of recreating the Metabolic building in a virtual space seems natural. It could allow a larger community to explore an iconic piece of architecture and encourage them to experiment with it, an initiative in line with Metabolist ideals. On the other hand, the idea of reconstructing a demolished historical building in the physical world raises a different set of conflicting emotions. Architectural replicas are not the norm, but their existence raises questions regarding the identity and authenticity of works of architecture.
