Argentine Architecture

Combining experience, knowledge, tradition, innovation, and experimentation, Estudio Planta, based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, focuses on fostering the relationship between architecture and nature by using vegetation as a building material and integrating outdoor spaces into daily life. Addressing the unique characteristics of each site, programmatic innovation, sustainability, care for noble materials, and construction details, the practice defines its identity by proposing ways of living in harmony with its inhabitants and understanding the legacy that architecture can leave for society.

The Latin American Architecture Biennial (BAL), which has gained significant relevance in the contemporary architectural scene, will celebrate its ninth edition next year. This meeting gathers emerging Latin American architecture studios in Pamplona, Spain, to share their work, fostering dialogue and debate about the current state of the discipline, as well as acting as a bridge between the Latin American continent and the Spanish context. In this edition, Costa Rica will be the guest country, accompanied by Honduras, El Salvador, Panama, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. As part of this invitation, there will be an exhibition and specific seminars dedicated to analyzing the situation of architecture in these countries.

A look at most of the cities within Latin America reveals striking commonalities across countries, from Mexico down to Argentina: most cities have a well-defined area known as "El Centro" (The Center), anchored by a main plaza (Plaza Mayor), flanked by a church on one side and key buildings like the city hall on another. This is no coincidence, as it can be traced back to an urban planning system established during the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 17th and 18th centuries. It gave standardized guidelines for city design across its viceroyalties. Unlike French and English colonies, Spanish settlements adhered to regulations that contributed to the emergence of a shared urban identity, with cities displaying similar spatial logic and architectural cohesion despite differing scales and contexts.

Architectural Classics featured on ArchDaily serve as a record of significant works that have influenced the evolution of architecture and design. These projects represent a range of styles, purposes, and contexts, offering insight into how architecture responds to cultural, social, and environmental factors. By revisiting these influential works, one can better understand the principles and ideas that have shaped the built environment globally over time. These classics highlight moments of design innovation while also providing a broader perspective on architecture's role in reflecting and shaping the world around us.

Creating spaces for social interaction involves design processes aimed at countering the individualization of people by fostering bonds and connections between them. While advancements in information and communication technologies provide new tools that optimize the development of certain activities and functions, their societal impact often tends to increase individual practices, such as remote work, virtual fitness activities through apps, or the digital consumption of goods, services, and events, among others. From architecture and interior design to urban planning, many emerging practices face the challenge of consolidating spaces for social interaction through design strategies, uses, and natural connections that prevent the replacement of physical space with virtual alternatives.

IR Arquitectura is not just a studio; it defines itself as a platform for exploration that integrates architectural practice with tangential topics such as the city, landscape, technology, and sustainability. Founded by Luciano Intile and Enrico Cavaglià, and based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, IR Arquitectura is an interdisciplinary collective comprising architects, designers, and professionals from various fields. Together, they tackle projects of varying scales and natures, seizing each opportunity to explore new solutions and strategies for contemporary living, particularly in urban contexts and in close connection with the environment.

On October 24, 2024, the Rogelio Salmona Latin American Architecture Prize award ceremony took place, honoring works that have significantly created meaningful, open, and collective spaces for the public in the region. During the event, held at the Virgilio Barco Public Library auditorium in Bogotá, Colombia, the winners of this prestigious award were announced. This year marked the fourth cycle, titled "Open Spaces/Collective Spaces," with participation from 47 projects.

Latin America's natural landscape is incredibly diverse, featuring everything from majestic mountains to expansive deserts. In this varied geography, many architectural projects are noteworthy for their seamless integration with their surroundings, blending subtly into the landscape. This is accomplished by carefully choosing materials, colors, and shapes that reflect the natural environment.

Spanning over 20 million square kilometers and featuring nearly all the climates of the world, the Latin American region is home to endemic biological wealth and geographical diversity that ranges from some of the most significant rivers in the world to the mountain range of the Andes, the Amazon rainforests, the plains of Patagonia, the coasts of the Caribbean Sea, and more. In light of a collective effort involving local communities and new generations, the construction of installations and structures in these natural environments is aimed not only at meeting functional needs but also at educational, research, and environmental conservation purposes.

Selected as one of ArchDaily's Best New Practices 2024, Estudio Rare defines itself as an interdisciplinary experimental space. Based in Córdoba, Argentina, its three founding partners, Agustín Willnecker, Iván Ferrero, and Mateo Unamuno, met while studying at the Faculty of Architecture of the National University of Córdoba. With a young but notable trajectory, the Rare team offers a free and dynamic perspective on design, architecture, and construction. Their works, regardless of scale or commission, demonstrate a close relationship with art, reflecting the diverse interests and personal backgrounds of each team member and their collaborators.