Articles by Fabian Dejtiar

Bruno Stagno from Costa Rica not only reflects on how responses to the environment can be the main foundation for the inspiration and identity of architecture but also suggests going a step further, envisioning architecture for an entire latitude.

There are reasons to visit the city of Mendoza: it serves as both the gateway to Argentine wine tourism and a diverse collection of historically and architecturally significant buildings. From the Museum of the Foundational Area to the renowned Faculty of Architecture at the University of Mendoza, this guide invites you to explore a cultural and scenic richness reflected in every facade and every street. The city’s public spaces not only blend with the natural surroundings of the vast Andes but also harmonize with a system of irrigation channels and urban greenery that can be appreciated at every moment of the journey.

In the context of global initiatives to promote energy efficiency and the decarbonization of buildings, Latin America is at the center of the debate. The International Seminar on Sustainable and NetZero Buildings 2023, held in Bogotá and organized by CCCS, IEA, UNIANDES, CAF, and CEELA, aimed primarily to create a space for the exchange of experiences, such as Oliver Schütte’s No Footprint House, while simultaneously conducting a review of government policies and the implementation of norms and standards in the region.

If the past few years were a perfect occasion for reflecting and debating on well-being, digitalization, and democratization in architectural design, this 2023 has been a tremendous opportunity to delve deeper and comment on other urgent topics: The climate crisis and the natural environment have unquestionably entered the global agenda of architecture and construction, alongside circularity, energy efficiency, and decarbonization. It’s time to engage in dialogue about these matters to conscientiously build for the future.

“Architecture, city, and activism” are the words that define Taller ACÁ, an emerging practice led by Jorge Villatoro and Hans Schwarz in Guatemala City. Among their projects are the Tiny House Quinn and the Community Center Plantando Semillas, which were recently selected as the winners of the Danta Awards at the 2023 Guatemala Architecture Biennial. In the following conversation, Villatoro and Schwarz provide detailed insights into their inspirations, working processes, and future projections for architecture, both in the country and in Central America.

In 2021, the Government of Catalonia recognized Casa Gomis, designed by the architect Antoni Bonet Castellana for the Gomis-Bertrand family between 1949 and 1956, as a Cultural Heritage of National Interest in the category of Historical Monument.

Emilio López is an architect from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador and holds a Master’s degree in History and Theory of Architecture from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. He has been involved in several design projects that have an interesting connection with the territory, such as Muta House and Don Juan House. Recently, he was recognized for this work in Pamplona during the 2023 Latin American Architecture Biennial.

The world has just witnessed the hottest months in recorded history, and the outlook is far from optimistic. Rising temperatures are driving greater cooling demands, threatening to trigger a vicious cycle of higher electricity use and carbon emissions. In a planet simultaneously facing unprecedented urbanization and a climate crisis, the intersection of building energy efficiency and cooling technologies has never been more crucial.

Alsar Atelier, led by Alejandro Saldarriaga, is an architecture and design studio based in Boston and Bogotá. Their practice focuses on the planning and creation of public facilities with an emphasis on social benefit, as well as small-scale residential projects. The studio employs a design approach that prioritizes the use of sustainable materials, cost-effective strategies, and active community collaboration.

Sports architecture on the Iberian Peninsula is undergoing a transformation. While in Barcelona, the transformation of Camp Nou is being carried out by the offices of IDOM, Nikken Sekkei, and b720, in the capital of Spain, the renovation works at Santiago Bernabéu, led by L35 Architects in collaboration with GMP Architekten and Ribas & Ribas, are nearing their final stages.