Archi News

A Very High Bar - During the very first visit to an abandoned venue in the heart of Warsaw, we came across nothing but old racks scattered around the former tailor's workshop. The place was almost empty, yet filled with an indescribable aura, something almost tangible, something you'd never experience in a modern building. We knew from day one that we would do anything to retain the spirit of that place. Our investors approached us with a request to design a cocktail bar right next to Bibenda – their restaurant, a popular spot frequented by both locals and tourists. It was a big deal for us to be working with such successful restaurant owners, and we knew the bar had been set very high. Although creating a follow-up to a popular spot might have been tempting, it wasn't enough for us. We wanted to create something unique that would stand on its own and win people's hearts simply by being what it is. And we did so – after long, exciting months of intense work, Barbara came to life.

The project involves the construction of a single-family home in a residential neighborhood near Bassano del Grappa. The building is organized around a large horizontal "plate" that encloses the interior spaces and shields them from outside view through the use of green patios and brick membranes of varying permeability.

With deep roots, sturdy trunks, and the ability to withstand extreme temperatures, date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) are among the species best adapted to the arid desert environment. It is no coincidence that in many local indigenous cultures they are known as the "tree of life," as their fruits, leaves, and trunks have provided food, shelter, and building materials for thousands of years. Without them, much of human settlement in desert regions would not have been possible. Today, widely cultivated across desert regions around the world, the species continues to sustain traditional agricultural  practices, yet its potential can be further enhanced and expanded through the efforts of contemporary researchers.

Hiwali is a small rural settlement of about 25 farming households, located deep in the Satmala mountain range, around 70 km from Nashik city. Set in the hilly terrain of the Western Ghats, it is one of the remote communities. The existing primary school currently operates in a temporary shelter. Give Welfare Organization and Armstrong Robotics & Technologies have initiated building a school. The site, at the top of terraced farmland, is accessible via a 50-foot hike from the village road. The site is a narrow strip, bordered by a mountain on the northwest and terraced farming slopes on the southeast.

Utopian Hours returns to Turin as Europe's leading festival dedicated to city making and urban innovation. Three days packed with inspiration: masterclasses, talks, workshops, roundtables, and exhibitions. Recipes and case studies from around the world show how urban (and social) innovation happens — and how the very idea of city-making is being stretched in bold new directions. More than 40 international guests, the most influential media, leading urban gurus, and Europe's sharpest city officials are all gathering in Turin to exchange ideas, tools, experiences, solutions, desires, and passions.

The Korean Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia marks its 30th anniversary with "Little Toad, Little Toad: Unbuilding Pavilion," an exhibition commissioned by Arts Council Korea (ARKO) and curated by Curating Architecture Collective (CAC), composed of Chung Dahyoung, Kim Heejung, and Jung Sungkyu. Bringing together architects and artists Kim Hyunjong, Heechan Park, Young Yena, and Lee Dammy, the exhibition critically revisits the pavilion as both a physical structure and a symbolic space, tracing its trajectory since its completion in 1995 while speculating on its possible futures.

The project is based on total prefabrication in reinforced concrete. Modular panels make up all the building elements: façades, roofs and interior partitions. The typification of elements made it possible to speed up and simplify the construction, while emphasising the building's image.

Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, the British architect known for advancing high-tech architecture and for founding the practice Grimshaw, has died at the age of 85. Over a career spanning more than five decades, he delivered public and infrastructure projects that emphasized structural clarity, advanced engineering, and utility. His major works include Waterloo International, the original Eurostar terminal in London; the Eden Project in Cornwall; the Financial Times Printworks; and major transport hubs around the world. Knighted in 2002 for his services to architecture, he helped define an era of British and international design. He served as President of the Royal Academy of Arts from 2004 to 2011 and was awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects' Royal Gold Medal in 2019.

Blending vernacular techniques with contemporary experimentation, Mexico's architectural landscape is shaped by a continuous dialogue between tradition, materiality, and modernity. As the fifth most biodiverse country in the world, Mexican architecture seeks to respond to its vast range of natural environments, climates, and cultural traditions, all within a territory marked by striking contrasts. Reflecting a visible duality, it can embody both exclusivity and act as a catalyst for social transformation.

The ZKU, Center for Art and Urbanistics, was established in 2012 with the conversion of a former freight station in Berlin Moabit. Its highly diverse program includes not only art, urban research, and various music events but also urban strategies, lectures, cinema, neighborhood markets, and much more. The available space soon became insufficient for the growing range of activities.

This project involves a four-unit apartment building in a suburban area. The site is a narrow, irregularly shaped, and almost triangular lot flanked by two roads intersecting at an acute angle. The northern road is a legally recognized road under the Building Standards Act, while the southern path is a culvert, so the road setback regulations only apply to the northern road.

In Plato's allegory of the cave, light symbolizes knowledge: it is what guides the human being out of the shadows of ignorance and toward truth. In many religions, light is also associated with divinity, as a manifestation of the sacred. Over time, light ceased to be merely a symbol of reason and became an instrument of sensitivity, a living material capable of shaping atmospheres, influencing perception, and revealing meaning.

The project is located on the banks of the Tiegang River in Longtan Town, Huizhou City, Guangdong Province. A thousand years ago, the renowned Northern Song literary giant Su Shi was banished to Huizhou and might have paced back and forth along this very river, drawing on the Lingnan landscape and customs to pen his "Sixteen Joys of Life in Huizhou." A millennium has passed, and people today have drawn inspiration from Su Shi's "Sixteen Joys of Life in Huizhou" to build sixteen pavilions along the circuit road between Nankun Mountain and Luofu Mountain. These pavilions form a collection entitled the "Nankunshan-Luofushan Rim Pioneer Zone Architectural Art Project". Our project "Floral Wander Loop", is one of these pavilions—the Tiegang River Pavilion.

Omah Tanah House at Lodji Beach, Sukabumi. This house is located near Lodji Beach in Pelabuhan Ratu Sukabumi, West Java. The site is unique in that the beach is immediately connected to the community's rice fields. And the contour of the land slopes upwards to the main road, and from the major road, the land slopes towards the hills. The forest is visible in the hills, so we can draw a diagram of hills and rice fields between the road, sandstone, and the beach. As far as the eye can see, there is a wonderful view of a coal-fired electrical processing complex that constantly releases smoke.

Located in the countryside of São Paulo, Casa Oásis, designed by Shinagawa Arquitetura, was conceived as a residence adapted to the region’s hot climate and deeply connected to its surroundings. The project is guided by three main principles: thermal comfort achieved through passive strategies, continuous integration between architecture and landscape, and the expressive use of materials. Water, greenery, and carefully filtered natural light become central elements, transforming the house into a contemporary refuge of balance and well-being.

Bestsecret, an online members-only club for luxury fashion, adds an office in the center of the Bavarian capital to its new headquarters in the Munich area. HENN translated the company's identity as a platform for curated luxury brands into a corresponding interior design, creating a place that strengthens the brand's identity while providing a pleasant, modern work environment for about 125 employees.

This apartment in Poznań is a refined example of contemporary urban living, designed with clarity, elegance, and a subtle sense of intimacy. The layout embraces both openness and privacy, creating a home that feels spacious yet thoughtfully zoned.

For most architecture enthusiasts, mentions of the city of Copenhagen will prompt images of pedestrian-friendly streets, suspended bike lanes, quaint water canals, and overall happy residents. The capital of Denmark has many accomplishments to boast: over 60 percent of its residents commute to work by bike, it was among the first cities to set up a strategic plan to achieve carbon neutrality, resulting in an 80% decrease since 2009, and it has become one of the most cited study cases for its urban planning and infrastructure. This reputation was officially cemented when UNESCO named Copenhagen the 2023 World Capital of Architecture, recognizing the city's enduring role as a laboratory for innovative contemporary design and people-centered urbanism. This September, the inaugural Copenhagen Architecture Biennial transforms the city into a global platform for dialogue under the theme "Slow Down," exploring how architecture can respond to global pressures by rethinking the pace of change. The occasion is also marked by the launch of ArchDaily's 5th edition of Next Practices Awards, solidifying the city's status as a nexus for contemporary architectural thought.

British architecture practice McLean Quinlan has completed Bay House, a low-energy new-build home set in a coastal village in North Devon. The five bedroom dwelling balances light, warm interiors and custom-designed furniture within a resilient stone facade to weather the rugged seaside setting.

The earliest stages of ideation can be both the most exciting and the most challenging part of the design process. Ideas flow quickly, but they can be abstract and difficult to communicate. This can lead to frustration and waste precious time.