architecture-and-art-history-studies

María’s House was born without a budget, in an adverse context, but with a clear purpose. Located in the working-class neighborhood of La Gatazo, in southern Quito , it emerged in the aftermath of the pandemic as a response to the neglect and vulnerability of an elderly woman whose home was on the verge of collapse. The project was conceived as an exercise in empathy, understood not only as desig…

Saddleback Mountain House is the result of eight years of planning and construction to fulfill a family's dream for a home that would support their growing children and a lifestyle strongly connected to the outdoors. From the beginning, the clients asked for a house that responded directly to its landscape, using robust materials and passive design principles to create a sustainable home that wou…

This renovation project in Madrid arises from a simple idea: to surprise. The client had a clear vision: they wanted the home to have a fragmented layout, with independent spaces that provided intimacy to the different areas of the house.

Michael Taylor Architecture + Design was asked to build a quiet rural retreat for a couple the firm already knew, having earlier completed their condominium interior in busy downtown Toronto. The new site could not be more different: a heavily treed slope rising steeply above a calm lake, with a private beach below dotted with old tree stumps. The property occupies the shoreline of Percy Lake, cl…

A large apartment in the city centre was to be renovated. The original plan, inefficient and deeply segregated, was hastily erased, leaving behind only a handful of columns, technical risers, and the peculiar outline of the perimeter. Within such an irregular boundary, any conventional orthogonal arrangement seemed inadequate. The project therefore adopts a different strategy: a fluid, deliberate…

The evolution of the idea for this project began back in 2013-2015 at Caroline Chisholm College in Braybrook, where we designed the first iteration of a flyover typology for our then and now client, Principal Marco De Cesare. This project became a new and highly celebrated visual identity for the college. Seen on public billboards in wider Braybrook and Footscray, school publications, and publish…

Denmark's ARoS Aarhus Art Museum has unveiled As Seen Below – The Dome, a new Skyspace by American artist James Turrell that completes The Next Level, the museum's approximately 4,000-square-metre underground expansion designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen . Opened to the public on 19 June 2026, the project marks the culmination of more than two decades of collaboration between the City of Aarhus , A…

As the overview of the FIFA World Cup 2026 cities continues, we move on to what is currently the most livable city in North America , Vancouver . Dubbed the city of glass by artist Douglas Coupland, who was referring to the downtown's dominant steel-and-glass architectural aesthetic, the city actually boasts diverse architecture, from 20th-century Edwardian buildings to unique 21st-century modern…

Building on a forested hillside means confronting the same questions again and again: how do you settle into a sloping terrain without disrupting what is already there? Most houses in the area answer by occupying the largest possible footprint, reshaping the land to suit the building rather than the other way around. Casa 144º starts from a different position entirely. It rejects the familiar aes…

Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino is a destination resort that upholds the standards of a global luxury brand while remaining deeply rooted in its context. Set above the bay of Navarino in the Peloponnese, the resort was to feel expansive yet intimate, luxurious yet grounded—offering not only amenities but a meaningful connection to land, culture, and climate.

Nestled in the wilderness beside Zhouluo Grand Canyon in Liuyang, Yunxi Valley is embraced by mountains, valleys and woods with a mild and inclusive vibe. In modern life, people drift away from nature and lose the perception of authentic life. We hold reverence for nature instead of reshaping the land. The buildings grow naturally along the terrain just like local plants. Old houses are renovated…

The Steel House is a contemporary residential design that integrates cutting-edge materials and prefabrication techniques to create modern architectural expression while maintaining a connection to its natural surroundings.

Located in Dongguan within the Greater Bay Area of southern China's Pearl River estuary, the new Songshan Lake Exhibition and Performance Centre is at the heart of a mixed-use masterplan to revitalize the Yuehe Lake waterfront. Designed by ZHA to serve as a civic and cultural anchor of the growing community, the Songshan Lake Exhibition and Performance Centre (SSLEPC) will host a variety of natio…

Coastal landscapes often determine far more than views. Steep slopes, fragmented rock formations, dense vegetation, hidden coves, and limited accessibility can shape how privacy, movement, and occupation unfold before architecture enters the site. Their proximity to water and climate make coastal territories highly desirable for habitation, yet their ecological sensitivity and limited geography o…

This week 's coverage brought together a range of news, projects, and announcements from across the architectural world. Stories included conversations ahead of the UIA World Congress 2026, where architects, critics, and award organizers are set to discuss the evolving role of architectural recognition, alongside BIG's proposal for a new university campus in Bentonville , Arkansas. The week also …

Concéntrico , the large-scale laboratory for architecture, design, and urban experimentation, has officially inaugurated its six-day calendar of activities. The festival is transforming the Spanish city of Logroño from June 18 to 23, 2026, with a series of collective, festive, and performative practices in public space. The program includes 24 installations by international practices and creators…

Two rammed-earth pavilions emerge from the dunes at Te Arai . Offset in plan and section to reconcile sun path and sea view, the courtyards within each pavilion create distinct atmospheres, generating a house both sheltered from and continuous with the broader coastal landscape.

An impromptu tour of Mozambique's capital city reveals a unique imprint left by architect Amâncio "Pancho" Guedes.

Villa CORA explores a way of living in close relationship with the tropical environment of Tulum , incorporating light, climate, and the sounds of the Maya jungle as an integral part of the architectural experience.