Andanzas y visiones españolas is the book in which Miguel de Unamuno collects his experiences during excursions through Spain's cities and countryside, accompanied by friends and colleagues. More than a precise geographical description, the text consists of narratives in which each region and every feature of the territory leaves a deep imprint on his thought. The literary discourse actively weaves the diversity of setting, climate, and contextualism as foundational threads, presenting the territory not only as a physical place but also as a space for reflection and contemplation. This attentive engagement with the landscape—so diverse within Spanish architecture—also resonates in the built environment, fostering in contemporary practice a sensitive adaptation to the country's varied climatic conditions, both through design strategies and material choices.
https://www.archdaily.com/1031789/context-responsive-architecture-in-spain-7-projects-highlighting-material-strategiesEnrique Tovar
How does the design of contemporary interiors create different experiences through its materials? How does the adaptability and reuse of certain materials make it possible to generate contrasting and/or complementary atmospheres within a single space? According to each material's textures, proportions, colors, or properties, interior architecture currently recognizes the opportunity to create environments where materiality plays more than just an aesthetic role. With special attention to the final experience of its users, El Equipo Creativo aims to combine designs where landscape, nature, culture, and art stand out in interior compositions that accommodate broad programs and audiences.
According to several recent studies, noise in cities has become an increasing hazard to health. Environmental noise, that is, noise from traffic, industrial activities, or amplified music, which reaches internal spaces, is not merely an annoyance. It has been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia, and mental health. As the world urbanizes, more people are exposed to excessive levels of noise. How can urban design and architectural strategies help to prevent this?
Garcés de Seta Bonet and MARVEL Architects' proposal won the competition to adapt and expand the Tres Xemeneies/Three Chimneys, a former power plant set to become the Catalunya Media City hub in Barcelona, Spain. With their winning design, the two studios sought to preserve the site's historical legacy while creating a space that can evolve and shape future possibilities. Scheduled to begin in the summer of 2025 and expected to be completed by 2027/2028, the project is planning to offer a range of features and services designed to foster innovation, creativity, technology, training, and digital culture exhibitions.
As educational institutions around the world adapt to shifting societal needs, the architecture of learning is also evolving. This curated selection brings together projects submitted by the global ArchDaily community, highlighting how architects are rethinking the future of schools and universities through design. These proposals reflect pressing global concerns: the importance of community-centerededucation, the revitalization of historical buildings and neighborhoods, the integration of natural systems, and the search for spatial expressions that accommodate both formal instruction and informal exchange. Whether situated in dense urban centers, rural villages, or coastal landscapes, these projects respond to specific cultural and environmental contexts while engaging with broader architectural questions about sustainability, access, and identity.
The housing crisis, the need for effective land management policies, and the growing demand for housing aid are global challenges, and Spain has taken significant steps to address these issues in recent years. While this effort is closely tied to rehabilitating obsolete buildings, it also tackles the challenges of densification and gentrification. These factors have prompted the exploration of new housing models and ways of living, leading to the development of affordable residential buildings designed to accommodate large numbers of inhabitants while maintaining high-quality living standards.
The International Day of Cooperatives, celebrated on the first Saturday of July each year, is an opportunity to raise awareness and celebrate the cooperative movement. Celebrated on this day by the United Nations since 1992, the cooperative movement is a social and economic movement empowering individuals and communities by creating enterprises that are collectively owned and democratically controlled by members. This year's theme is "Cooperatives: Partners for Accelerated Sustainable Development." Underscoring the critical role cooperatives play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, it also emphasizes the unique typology of cooperatives in exploring new ways of living together. With a belief in community growth, cooperatives believe in communal development, prioritizing people and supporting them to improve collective well-being.
Modulus matrix -85 social housing in Cornellà, Barcelonaby Peris + Toral Arquitectes. Image Courtesy of RIBA
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) awarded its 2024 International Prize to Modulus Matrix, an 85-unit social housing development in Cornellà, near Barcelona. Designed by Peris + Toral Arquitectes, the six-story timber-framed building is a notable example of innovative social housing design. Its modular structure, based on a 3.6m x 3.6m grid inspired by traditional Japanese homes, creates a flexible and adaptable living space. The design prioritizes cross-ventilation, dual orientation, and a central communal courtyard, fostering social interaction and community building.
Cultural centers are vibrant places where art, community, and innovation intersect—each uniquely crafted to embody and celebrate its local character. This month's projects, submitted by the ArchDaily community, showcase a diverse array of cultural spaces, from the transformation of a historic townhouse in Montreal to a dynamic creative hub in Riyadh and an eco-conscious visitor center in Tennessee's mountains. Each design offers a new perspective on what a cultural center can be, whether a hub for creativity, a sanctuary for nature, or a bridge to the past.
