Connection with nature has become increasingly important in architectural theory and practice in recent years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, which emphasized the role of natural environments in healing. During this time, many scientific studies highlighted the positive effects of green spaces on human well-being, whether in workplaces, homes, or urban areas. With these proven benefits, it is clear that incorporating natural elements into hospital designs is crucial, creating spaces that provide vital support for patients facing physical or mental challenges.
Camilla Ghisleni
Green Therapy: How Does Nature Contribute to Healing Hospitalized Patients?
Between the Sacred and the Profane: The Story Behind the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Lisbon
As a landmark of contemporary religious architecture in Portugal, the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus stands in contrast to traditional models, representing a work free from historicist stigmas. Resulting from a design competition organized in 1960, the church is notable for its civic dimension, urban role, and its anti-monumental and social significance. Integrated into the regular grid of the Avenidas Novas neighborhood, this example of the Movement for the Renewal of Sacred Art is part of a larger parish complex that often goes unnoticed by passersby. Its external street creates an unexpected public space, inviting people to enter and engage in a courtyard where architecture and the city merge. Finely crafted in terms of spatiality, detail, and light, the church holds many surprises for those who venture inside.
Retrofitting Brazilian Buildings: Sustainability and Innovation in Downtown São Paulo
The term "retrofit," unlike rehabilitation or restoration, has been adopted by the market to address technological upgrades in existing buildings. These projects focus on aligning constructions with local technical standards and adapting spaces to be more functional and sustainable, meeting current demands.
Retrofit has become a key practice in contemporary architecture, standing out for its ability to revitalize existing buildings without the need for demolition while offering significant economic and social benefits. This approach is gaining ground in the architectural field, driven by iconic projects and public and private initiatives.
The New Stone Age: 12 Contemporary Houses in Latin America and the Diversity of Their Natural Stones
Latin American architecture is rich and diverse. This is reflected in the various stones used across different regions over the centuries. These materials highlight the varied geology of Latin America and illustrate how local cultures have adapted their construction methods to natural conditions, resulting in unique and meaningful architecture. In contemporary architecture, stone aligns with sustainability principles due to its durability, low carbon footprint, and local availability. Additionally, stone's aesthetic appeal enhances the creation of timeless spaces that strengthen the connection with nature and the surrounding landscape.
Designing the School of the Future: Multifunctional Spaces for Dynamic Learning
The 21st century has dramatically transformed school architecture, driven by new educational philosophies, technological progress, and social values emphasizing sustainability and inclusion. This change goes beyond mere aesthetics, deeply reshaping how physical spaces contribute to education. Traditional narrow hallways and rows of desks have been replaced by dynamic, flexible spaces that are well-integrated with their surroundings and the community. These modern designs prioritize versatility and multifunctionality.
Beyond Sports: 10 Reversible and Multifunctional Olympic Villages
The first Olympic village was built for the 1924 Summer Games in Paris. Before this, athletes stayed in hotels, hostels, schools, headquarters, and even on the ships that brought them to the host cities. Pierre de Coubertin, co-founder of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), proposed the idea of an Olympic village. He realized it would be more cost-effective to house athletes in temporary structures rather than hotels. He believed the village would also create a sense of community among the international competitors.
Reimagining an Abandoned Urban Landmark: The Story Behind the Piraeus Tower in Athens, Greece
The landmark of Piraeus, located in the heart of the largest passenger port in Europe, began construction in 1972 but remained unfinished and vacant for decades. Finally completed in 2023, after an international competition, it now stands as Greece's first green and digital skyscraper. The architectural firm PILA took on the design of the facades, while the office ASPA-KST designed the commercial spaces, and the new general architectural study was entrusted to Betaplan. After over four years of renovation, Piraeus Tower officially opened its doors to tenants and visitors on June 4th with a night of celebrations, establishing itself as a bustling hub and injecting vitality into the area.
How to Improve Energy Efficiency in Modernist Buildings?
Throughout the history of architecture, energy efficiency, and CO2 emissions were considered marginal issues until the late 20th century. The low scores of some iconic modernist buildings in the Energy Star certification program illustrate this situation. The MetLife/PanAm Building (designed by Walter Gropius and Pietro Belluschi in 1963) received a dismal score of 39 (on a scale of 0 to 100), while the Lever House (designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in 1952) scored 20. The worst performance was by Mies Van der Rohe's iconic Seagram Building, constructed in 1958, which received only 3 points. On the other hand, two revered Art Deco buildings from the 1930s, the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building achieved scores of 84 and 80, respectively, as a result of extensive upgrades to their mechanical and insulation systems.
Urban Spaces for an Overheated Planet: 12 Projects that tackle this Global Challenge
Due to climate change, heat waves are becoming increasingly frequent and intense, and they present a critical challenge for the design of urban spaces. Elevated temperatures exacerbate public health issues, increase energy consumption, and diminish cities' overall quality of life. Urban design must adopt strategies that promote resilience to mitigate these effects rather than merely replicating traditional formats that do not address the thermal stress experienced by many.
For quite some time, we have recognized the positive effects of urban green spaces, interaction with nature, water, and soil, and the associated health and well-being benefits for residents living next to parks. The significance of this matter has been further underscored, particularly in the aftermath of the panic induced by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the present moment once again highlights the influence of our urban models on modern life, now grappling with unprecedented extreme temperatures.
How Are Super Tall Buildings Aging?
In 1853, at the New York World Expo, a man climbed onto a suspended platform and ordered the rope supporting it to be cut. He dropped a few inches, but the safety system activated, and the platform remained stable, to the delight of the watching crowd. At that moment, perhaps not even Elisha Graves Otis realized how his invention would permanently change the course of architecture.
With the invention of the elevator, the sky became the limit, and buildings of 7 to 10 stories began to appear. Mosette Broderick, Director of Architectural and Urban Studies at New York University, explains that the Equitable Life Assurance Building that opened in 1870 with seven stories inspired both fascination and fear.
From Silos to Iconic Spaces: 15 Projects That Repurpose Industrial Structures
Silos hold a significant place among the remnants of the industrial era, distinguished by both their technological innovations and their iconic presence in urban landscapes. Typically cylindrical and made of reinforced concrete, these structures effectively addressed the demands and challenges of industrialization, providing a robust and economical solution for storage. However, throughout the 20th century, with the advent of new logistics and the relocation of activities from some urban centers to expanding areas, many of these silos were decommissioned.
However, despite their enclosed design appearing to be an obstacle for new uses, recent decades have seen initiatives that embrace and repurpose these structures. These projects integrate silos into the urban environment, emphasizing their significance as part of the local collective memory.
Overcoming Barriers: 4 Residential Projects with Accessibility Strategies in Latin America
According to the United Nations (UN), over 1 billion people worldwide live with disabilities, whether physical or intellectual, with 80% residing in Global South countries. Despite advancements in their rights, they still encounter significant barriers and remain among the most marginalized in accessing essential services like healthcare, education, and employment. In this context, architecture is crucial for ensuring safety and spatial independence, enabling their full and effective participation in society.
Perfect Days: An Ode to Tokyo's Public Toilets
"A bathroom is a place where everyone is equal—there is no rich or poor, no old or young; everyone is part of humanity." This reflection was shared by Wim Wenders, exponent of New German Cinema and director of the film Perfect Days (2023) when asked about the striking sets of his most recent work. Wenders selected Tokyo's public restrooms to craft a narrative that deeply explores themes of solitude, simplicity, and the beauty of everyday life.
The story follows Hirayama, a middle-aged man working as a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo. His life is simple and routine, yet filled with small pleasures and moments of reflection. This modest lifestyle contrasts with the technological, colorful, and innovative designs of the public restrooms he cleans every day.
Dystopian Disneyland: The Story Behind Turkey’s Castle Ghost Town
Most of us have probably imagined living in a castle at some point, whether during childhood, enchanted by fairy tales, or as adults studying European monarchies. Considering this fascination, what would you think if you had the chance to buy your castle? In mid-2014, you could make that dream a reality in Turkey for just $370,000. Each luxurious 325-square-meter castle came complete with blue turrets and spiral staircases. The only catch? Your castle would be one of 731 identical ones. But who cares about exclusivity when you have the chance to live in a Disney fairy tale?
Urban Landscape as an "Art of Survival”: An interview with Kongjian Yu, the Advocate of the Sponge Cities Concept
Alarming cases of climate disasters are a constant presence in world news. Last month's floods in southern Brazil gained special attention from heat waves and forest fires to droughts and cyclones. This tragedy, which left over half a million people homeless, was understood to be the result of a combination of factors, including human actions that have devastated ecosystems to create environmentally irresponsible cities.
In this context, the work of Beijing-based architect Kongjian Yu, founder of the landscape architecture firm Turenscape, has gained international visibility and recognition, which included receiving the 2023 Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize (“Oberlander Prize”). His "sponge cities" concept, designed to address and prevent urban flooding in the face of accelerated climate change, was adopted as national policy in China in 2013. This approach prioritizes large-scale nature-based infrastructures such as wetlands, greenways, and parks.
What Are Vernacular Technologies?
Vernacular architecture has been gaining more and more space in theory and design practice, with its characteristics being studied and revised. An impulse related to different factors, but mainly to the context of climate change that we are experiencing, which calls for more sustainable and context-connected construction solutions.
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.
7 Latin American Architecture Firms that Achieve More with Less
Young Latin American architecture firms are changing paradigms in the field by promoting a new approach to the profession's role in society. Their innovative explorations, driven by risk-taking, emerge from a deep emotional connection and thorough understanding of their context. They draw inspiration from local elements like geography, materials and available resources. With their unique identities, these firms move away from the still-prevalent modernist legacy, presenting authentic and innovative solutions to tackle contemporary challenges.
Architecture for Glamping: Embracing Nature with Comfort
Camping, as defined in dictionaries, involves temporarily staying outdoors, setting up makeshift accommodations, and settling in natural surroundings. In architecture, tents symbolize these aspects, representing a typology that has endured across centuries and cultures, often linked with notions of impermanence and vulnerability.
In light of this common understanding, the term 'glamping' emerged in the early 2000s, blending 'camping' with 'glamour,' suggesting a fusion of camping with luxurious amenities. However, despite its recent popularization, the concept is far from original. Camping has not always been seen as the antithesis of luxury.