Urban Areas: The Latest Architecture and News

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.

As part of the 6th edition of “Time Space Existence”, the European Cultural Center (ECC) presented the “Reconceptualizing Urban Housing” exhibition. Taking place from May 20 to November 26, 2023, it brings together a diverse array of women-led architecture practices from around the world, each offering a unique perspective on collective housing, particularly within urban settings. The showcased projects feature approaches from Europe, North America, and more developing countries like Uganda, Malaysia, and Mexico.

+ 13

Titled "Trouble in Paradise", the Polish pavilion at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, will explore the countryside and observe how rural areas are an important element of building sustainable human environments, given the crises the world is surrounded with today. Curated by PROLOG +1 along with an international group of architects and artists, the national pavilion will be on physical display at the Giardini di Venezia, and online from May 22nd to November 21st, 2021.

+ 8

+ 59

Videos

In the past, cities were often constructed in the likeness the public--the built environment reflected citizens and local culture. It is questionable whether this can be said of the modern world. Much construction today is a product of capitalism, generating buildings and areas in which local people have no attachment or sense of agency over. Artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer believes this to be a fundamental crisis within our cities, and he is committed to reestablishing the relationship and representation of people within urban space. His work is examined in a new short film by PLANE-SITE, titled Public Interruptions.

A building today does not represent a citizen, a building today represents capital.