ArchDaily 8: The Latest Architecture and News

Yesterday, ArchDaily celebrated 8 years online. And, while every birthday is a special occasion, this year feels to us to be particularly special: in the past year we've achieved many milestones, including the launch of both ArchDaily China and ArchDaily Perú, a move to a new platform and a new design and so many other steps forward; at the same time, in the Pritzker Prize, the Venice Biennale, and other organizations around the world, we're seeing the acceptance of a type of architecture that has always been a key part of our mission statement.

With those things in mind, now seems like a very good time to look back at how we got here - in particular, to look at some of the most notable architectural projects that have defined our time so far on the web. Our selection of 50 projects includes buildings by Pritzker Prize winners (and a number of architects who are sure to be future Pritzker Prize winners), it includes Building of the Year award winners and runners-up, and of course it includes projects that have inspired architects around the world.

This collection of projects also demonstrates the power of ArchDaily's database - an immense library of over 21,000 projects which we are adding to every day, but one which we are also working hard to give you the tools you need to make use of. With our My ArchDaily platform and our faceted search, these and many, many other projects are always at your fingertips for your inspiration, education and enjoyment.

In the past eight years the world has seen important changes – stemming from natural catastrophes, global warming, war, diseases, political and economic crisis among other things – all of which have a direct impact on the way we inhabit our planet and therefore how architects and planners are managing context-related designs for community living.

The importance of socially engaged architecture was highlighted by this year's Pritzker Prize winner Alejandro Aravena, whose work appeals to the idea of an active, committed architect who seeks for a democratic urban environment. This development also resonates strongly with ArchDaily's mission statement "to improve the quality of life of the next 3 billion people that will move into cities in the next 40 years, by providing inspiration, knowledge and tools to the architects who will have the challenge to design for them."

Therefore, in celebration of ArchDaily's 8th birthday, our Projects Team curated a selection of 24 exemplary projects divided into 3 categories. Each of these projects published over the past 8 years dedicate their design to find greater social, community, civil and humanitarian needs.