Thousands of years ago, a chain of volcanoes and hills formed a valley that became home to five lakes. According to indigenous mythology, this area served as a key reference point for the founding of the ancient Tenochtitlan, marked by the signal of an eagle perched on a cactus, devouring a snake. At the height of its splendor, the city was organized within an intricate system of causeways, many of which still serve as main thoroughfares, along with canals connecting the five water bodies. Over time, events such as colonization, independence, revolution, and modernization transformed its structure and name, leading to what is known today as Mexico City.
https://www.archdaily.com/1022469/mexico-city-a-bustling-evolving-metropolis-built-above-five-lakesEnrique Tovar
Danish architecture firm Cobe has announced a new project to transform the historic 'Krulli' steelworks, a large-scale former industrial site in Estonia's capital, into a mixed-use city district. The strategy for the project is developed to optimize for material reuse, as materials, components and even entire buildings have been evaluated for their potential to be reintegrated into the scheme. This way, the decommissioned industrial area provides the foundation for an innovation hub, maintaining its history while adapting to the necessities of modern workspaces and city life.
Snøhetta has announced a project to rebuild the Refuge de Barroude, a mountain refuge located in a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Pyrenees Mountain range of France. The old building, destroyed in an accidental fire ten years ago, is set to be revived as a stop-off point for hikers on the Haute Route des Pyrénées and as a support center for the staff of the National Park. The next phase of the project is due to begin in 2025.
The Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (MCHAP) has announced the winner of the fifth MCHAP.emerge award: the Community Production Center Las Tejedoras in Guayas, Ecuador, designed by Natura Futura architect José Fernando Gómez and architect Juan Carlos Bamba. The project offers a hub for local women artisans, providing them with spaces to learn, create, and showcase their textile creations. The winner announcement was made at the Conference on Critical Practice held at Mies van der Rohe's S. R. Crown Hall, an inaugural event that brought together the four MCHAP.emerge finalists to open up conversations about the future of the architecture profession across the Americas.
Copenhagen-based multidisciplinary studio BIOSIS has revealed the design for a new housing complex in Nuuk, Greenland. The project aims to create a minimal-impact and climate-driven design by integrating the intervention in the area's natural terrain and adapting the solutions to the local conditions. The Qullilerfik housing project consists of five prism-shaped residences created to complement the sloped site, initially considered unsuitable.
Landscape architecture has traditionally been associated with lush greenery, rooted in the historical development of gardens and parks as spaces that bring nature into urban areas. This connection to greenery is deeply ingrained in the origins of the field, where the creation of verdant retreats was seen as both aesthetically pleasing and beneficial to human well-being. However, in regions like the Middle East, where water scarcity and harsh climates are more prevalent, there is a growing trend toward using local materials such as sand, stone, minerals, and indigenous plants. This shift reflects a more sustainable approach, reimagining landscape architecture to align with the environmental and cultural contexts of the region.
According to the United Nations, indigenous people are "place-based" ethnic cultures that have not migrated from their initial homeland. In today's world, with human-caused climate change driving extreme weather events and a growing demand for authenticity and cultural diversity, architects are increasingly turning to indigenous knowledge systems not only as sources of inspiration but as viable solutions to adapt and respond to local and global challenges. As traditional custodians of the land, Indigenous communities possess a profound understanding of their ecosystems, locally available materials, cultural norms, and social constraints. This knowledge holds insights valuable for shaping contemporary architecture, helping it adapt to both the people and their environments.
Vernacular and indigenous practices are emerging as a foundation for architectural reimagining, informing spatial lays, the choice of materials, and building techniques while also allowing for the integration of innovation and contemporary expression. This careful blend of tradition and modernity can have a significant impact in terms of sustainability, as architects who adopt the indigenous approach to harnessing available resources can not only create structures rooted in their context but also minimize the ecological impact of the construction. Additionally, collaborating directly with Indigenous communities leads to projects that prioritize community participation, cultural sensitivity, and sustainable development.
“Embodied carbon accounts for 75 to 95 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions from landscape architecture projects,” said Chris Hardy, ASLA, PLA, senior associate at Sasaki, during the third in a series of webinars organized by the ASLA Biodiversity and Climate Action Committee. But by selecting locally made low-carbon materials, landscape architects can significantly reduce the climate impacts of their work.
Embodied carbon emissions are generated from the extraction, manufacturing, transportation, and construction of landscape materials. The other share of project emissions come from operating and maintaining a landscape.
https://www.archdaily.com/1017789/climate-action-is-about-choosing-local-low-carbon-materialsJared Green
Within this scope, much is said about the different vernacular techniques employed in architecture, whether it is the production of adobe bricks, thatched roofs, woven bamboo walls, among many others. However, while vernacular technique focuses on specific actions or skills, its meaning differs from vernacular technologies.
On May 4, 2024, cultural center Grace Farms opened a new long-term exhibition that aims to shed light on the inner workings of the building industry, offering insights into the methods of producing and distributing building materials, as well as the pervasive practices of forced labor happening in the materials supply chain worldwide. The exhibition also presents the work of “Design for Freedom,” a collaborative global movement launched in 2020 at Grace Farms. The initiative aims to change architecture by raising awareness of these issues and helping disrupt forced labor in the construction industry. Titled “With Every Fiber,” the exhibit is free to visit both at its physical location in New Canaan, Connecticut, and online as a virtual exhibition.
Google Earth and Maxar Technologies, organized by Adriano Liziero (@geopanoramas)
The world has its eyes on the Amazon. Geographical data about this vast territory, spanning 6.74 million square kilometers across eight countries in Latin America, is constantly featured in national and international media. Headlines often highlight its sheer magnitude as the largest tropical rainforest in the world, home to 10% of the planet's biodiversity, and responsible for 15% of the Earth's freshwater. However, little attention is paid to what transpires beneath its canopy, on the ground where people live.
The 3rd edition of Shaping the City, a forum on sustainable urban development, took place in Venice between November 24-25, following successful events in Chicago and New Orleans. Organized by the European Cultural Centre, this forum was running in parallel to the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennial exhibition, Time Space Existence. The event, hosted at Palazzo Michiel del Brusà in Cannaregio, brings together global urban planners, architects, academics, and politicians. Notably, Japanese architect Kengo Kuma was among the experts invited to explore the intersection of nature and the built environment in Japanese architecture.
Over two days, the conference set out to explore crucial themes such as education, urban commons, displacement, nature integration, and the future of architecture media, a subject discussed during a panel talk attended by ArchDaily’s managing editor, Christele Harrouk. While on-site in Venice, the ArchDaily team sat down with Kengo Kuma to discuss his unique approach to nature-inspired and site-specific designs.
The recently released “Abijo Mosque Documentary” explores the journey of designing and building the Abijo Mosque in Lagos, Nigeria. The documentary provides a detailed narrative of the design process and the cultural context around the new structure. Designed by Patrickwaheed Design Consultancy (PWDC), the mosque is a testament to the integration of traditional materials and contemporary architecture. The Abijo Mosque design also helps “build the case for a Nigerian architectural language.”
Modular homes are houses either partially or fully constructed in a factory. This process involves creating a series of three-dimensional 'modules' delivered to a site in a predetermined spatial pattern and assembled into a complete product. These homes have become popular solutions to housing crises as they can be produced 50% faster and emit half as much pollution.
However, the locality of the materials used is a significant factor that gives homes their character. It conveys a sense of place, culture, construction history, and local craftsmanship. This raises questions about its role in modular housing: Can local materials be used in the factory production of homes? Can they be combined with a modular framework and temporary connections? What are the limitations of building modular homes in the local contexts of the Global South?
Alero Olympio (1959-2005) was an architect and builder known for an intimately ecological approach to architecture. Born in Ghana, she divided her practice between Ghana and Scotland. She focused on work that prioritized people and was sincerely committed to social and environmental sustainability, prioritizing using locally sourced materials.
Her work legacy includes physical buildings like the Kokrobitey Institute, her advocacy for earthen constructions, research on sustainable forestry products, and so much more. However, a gap exists in the institutionalized archives of her work, leading to the current ongoing efforts to build a comprehensive archive of her contributions. The 2024 Womxn in Design and Architecture (WDA) annual conference organized by Princeton University School of Architecture made a significant contribution. It featured exhibitions, seminars, and panel discussions that reflected on Alero Olympio's legacy and examined the architectural insights her work continues to offer.
The idea of a community or public playground is about creating an accessible recreational space for all. However, in many cases, initiating a playground project might fail due to insufficient funds or regulations/restrictions. The first challenge is largely to set the project in motion and, most importantly, get the community’s positive reception and, if possible, its involvement, thus ensuring the project's success and sustainability.
The early 20th century marked a pivotal era in Brazilian architecture with the advent of the modernist movement. Architects like Oscar Niemeyer or Lúcio Costa introduced avant-garde designs characterized by sleek lines, reinforced concrete, and a focus on functionality. What's more: residential projects of the era, in particular, blurred the lines between indoor and outdoor, flawlessly merging interior and exterior spaces to reflect a lifestyle that harmonizes with nature. Fast forward to the present day, and contemporary architects and designers in Brazil continue to embrace the challenge of creating indoor-outdoor homes that nod to the country's tropical climate. These residences often feature open floor plans, expansive glass walls, and strategic positioning of courtyards, gardens, or terraces with a design philosophy that emphasizes natural light, ventilation, and the incorporation of greenery for increased well-being. We take a detailed look at four recently completed residential projects in Brazil that fuse contemporary architecture, sustainable living, and a deep appreciation for their natural surroundings.
The Feynan Ecolodge project. Image Courtesy of Dongola DAS 01 | Notes on Formation and Ammar Khammash
Ammar Khammash is a Jordanian architect, designer, and artist best known for his approach that focuses on the preservation of cultural and natural heritage while crafting an architecture that engages with its surroundings. With deep admiration for nature and its ecosystems, Khammash trusts that "the site is the architect”, a statement for which he is renowned that underscores the profound influence of context on his architectural design. With over three decades of experience spanning various disciplines and across several Middle Eastern countries such as Jordan, Oman, Palestine, Egypt, Syria, and the UAE, Ammar Khammash has consistently attempted to preserve and enhance the symbiosis between human constructions and the natural environment. His contributions include the Royal Academy for Nature Conservation, the Wild Jordan Center, and the restoration of the Church of Apostles.
In 2022, he was featured in the first edition of the Dongola Architecture Series, a biannual publication that offers unique perspectives into Arab culture by highlighting prominent contemporary architects. The issue, titled “Notes on Formation: Ammar Khammash,” written by Raafat Majzoub, explores "architecture as a transdisciplinary tool of expression, and as a method of imagining and reimagining the future," encapsulating the ethos of the publication. ArchDaily had the opportunity to talk to Ammar Khammash and Sarah Chalabi, founder of Dongola Limited Editions, to delve into the architect’s perspectives on site, materiality, and culture, along with his philosophy, notions on academia, and insights into the future of the profession.
