Japan, one of the places known for its high longevity, is critically facing a demographic shift. As the aging population continues to grow, so too does the demand for thoughtful, well-designed spaces that support elderly care. Traditionally, caregiving was woven into the fabric of family life, often falling on the shoulders of female members in a patriarchal society. However, as a traditional big family structure largely dissolves and the nuclear family becomes the norm, elder care increasingly relies on social welfare services and specialized facilities.
This situation presents a profound, growing architectural challenge: How can care environments not only accommodate medical and nursing needs but also foster individual dignity, comfort, and human and nonhuman interactions? The ideal design of elderly care facilities balances clinical functionality with the nuances of daily life—for the elderly themselves, for those experiencing challenges and difficulties such as dementia, for their families, and for the caregivers who support them.
Paradoxically, the bathroom is usually both the most compact room in a house and the one with the greatest technical complexity: it's where electricity, cold and hot water networks, sewage, ventilation, and often gas converge. As such, its design must be optimized to accommodate pipes, valves, drains, and connections without compromising aesthetics or functionality. The strategic placement of plumbing points, accessories, cabinets, and lighting should aim to make the space efficient and functional, ideally transforming these typically compact areas into comfortable and visually appealing sanctuaries. Every decision matters — from product selection to the installation height of a shower tray.
The Global Award for Sustainable Architecture, created in 2006 by architect and scholar Jana Revedin, annually recognizes five architects—or offices—from around the world whose practices are grounded in the principles of sustainable development, participatory design, and a community-oriented approach. This recognition aligns with the global urgency surrounding today's pressing issues—the ecological and climate crises, as well as social, cultural, and economic challenges. Acknowledging architecture's critical role in shaping the built environment, the award seeks to highlight the work of creators who address these challenges with innovative and creative solutions.
Hotels are increasingly being designed as more than just places for accommodation. As expectations around travel shift, architects are approaching hospitality projects as opportunities to explore ideas of context, experience, and identity. Whether integrated into remote landscapes or inserted into dense urban environments, these proposals examine how architecture can shape the guest experience through spatial organization, material selection, and connection to place. The hotel becomes a framework not only for rest, but for interaction with the surroundings, with others, and with the design itself.
Each month, ArchDaily's editors curate a selection of unbuilt projects around a shared typology or theme. Submitted by firms of all scales from around the world, these proposals represent the diversity of approaches within our global architecture community. This month's selection focuses on hotels, ranging from the sculptural Pistachio Villas in Ubud to the modular Dubai Edition Hotel and the vineyard-rooted Terra Dionysia in Santorini. Together, they reflect a wide spectrum of architectural thinking around hospitality, from landscape integration and cultural references to questions of density and public space. Submissions are open to everyone.
As architecture navigates a rapidly changing world shaped by ecological urgency, social transformation, and technological acceleration, the notion of intelligence is shifting. No longer confined to individual cognition or artificial computation, intelligence can emerge from cultural memory, collective practices, and adaptive systems. In this broader sense, architecture becomes a field of convergence, where natural, artificial, and social intelligences intersect to offer new ways of designing and building.
Vernacular traditions embed generations of environmental knowledge, often transmitted through materials, construction techniques, and spatial logics finely tuned to local conditions; participatory platforms expand decision-making to wider communities to take part in shaping their environments, redistributing agency in the design process; and computational processes simulate and respond to complex data in real time bringing the capacity to analyse, simulate, and respond to complex variables — whether environmental, social, or behavioural — offering new forms of adaptability.
Buildner is pleased to announce the results of its third annual Architect's Chair Competition, which received excellent ideas from around the globe. Buildner has published two books on the topic, highlighting key ideas and outstanding projects from its past editions. With registration now open, we invite you to share your vision of the ideal chair by September 18th—submit your entry here.
Chair design exemplifies the interdisciplinary nature of architecture, showcasing architects' ability to adapt skills and sensibilities across scales and contexts, blurring the lines between architecture, design, and art. This versatility empowers architects to explore new ideas and challenge conventional notions of chair aesthetics, materials, and technology.
New Academic Building at ACT by PILA. Image Courtesy of PILA
PILA, an architecture studio based in Athens and New York, has released its design for a new educational building at Anatolia College, located in Thessaloniki, Greece. The project, which serves the institution's tertiary-level programs, was the result of an invited architectural competition. The project is part of the institution's long-term campus master plan and is intended to accommodate evolving academic needs while incorporating sustainable design strategies. The building is scheduled for completion by fall 2027 and is part of Anatolia College's broader efforts to expand its academic infrastructure and engage with the evolving landscape of higher education in Greece.
What is enough light? The question is difficult enough but when faced with having to calculate how much LED lighting you need to create a well-lit space, it can become a bit more complicated.
Whether it's architectural LED lighting for commercial applications or residential applications, here's how to determine how many LED Lumens you'll need to properly light your space.
https://www.archdaily.com/897277/how-to-determine-how-many-led-lumens-youll-need-to-properly-light-your-spaceDavid Hakimi
Barcelona-based architecture studio Bofill Taller de Arquitectura was commissioned to design the Royal Arts Complex (RAC) by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City in 2019. Currently under construction, the 320,000-square-meter building complex comprises thirteen structures, each contributing to the promotion of artistic expression. The project is located within King Salman Park, a 13.3-square-kilometer park being developed on the site of Riyadh's former airport. The broader development includes mixed-use projects to transform the area into a major recreational district. The overall masterplan also features a stadium by Populous, planned for the FIFA 2034 World Cup.
The 2025 edition of the VeniceArchitecture Biennale is hosting a total of 65 National Pavilions. Among them, four countries, Azerbaijan, Oman, Qatar, and Togo, will be participating for the first time. The exhibition will unfold across three main locations: 26 pavilions at the Giardini, 22 at the Arsenale, and 15 spread throughout Venice's city center. The exhibition will bring together over 750 participants, forming interdisciplinary and multi-generational teams, and is anticipated to be the largest in the Biennale's history.
The twentieth century marked a definitive shift in the realm of architecture, as the Modernist movement broke from traditional building styles and encouraged experimentation and innovation. With the help of new materials and technologies, these times represent a crucial moment in the history of architecture as both cities and building styles evolved at an unprecedented rate. The structures that stand testament to this day are, however, nearing the age of a hundred years old. Their stark design features are not always embraced by the public, while the functionalist principles often hinder the adaptability of their interior spaces. Given that they also often occupy central positions within the city, there is increasing pressure to demolish these structures and redevelop the area in its entirety.
For decades, technological evolution was driven by the exponential growth in computer processing power—a trend famously predicted by Moore’s Law. From rudimentary mechanical devices to highly sophisticated microprocessors, this trajectory fueled the miniaturization and popularization of personal computers, laptops, and smartphones. Now, with the advent of quantum computing, a new leap is on the horizon. Unlike classical bits, which represent only one value at a time—either 0 or 1—qubits can simultaneously represent a combination of both states. This means that while a traditional computer tests one possibility at a time, a quantum computer can explore many at once, dramatically accelerating the resolution of complex problems. Molecular simulations, logistical optimizations, and advances in cryptography are just a few of the areas transformed by this new frontier.
In the construction industry—a sector historically resistant to abrupt changes—the evolution of materials also has its breakthrough moments. From carved stone to reinforced concrete, from raw timber to high-performance composites, each new material has expanded the structural, aesthetic, and functional boundaries of architecture. In recent years, however, researchers have been testing a new generation of materials that transcend the traditional idea of passivity. These are intelligent materials, capable of sensing, reacting to, and even interacting with their environment and users, challenging the very concept of inert matter.
As one of the most important and visited contemporary architecture exhibitions worldwide, the Venice Architecture Biennale extends beyond the grounds of the Giardini and the Arsenale, aiming to engage the entire city in discussions on relevant issues, challenges, and opportunities within the architectural profession. This year's Biennale, curated by Carlo Ratti, explores the theme "Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective," inviting visitors to consider how architecture, technology, and nature intersect to shape the future.
As part of this year's event, 11 collateral exhibitions organized by various national and international institutions offer a range of perspectives on topics such as sustainability, cultural landscapes, and adaptive architecture. These exhibitions, spread throughout Venice, contribute to the broader conversation on the evolving role of architecture in addressing global challenges and promoting a more sustainable and interconnected future.
Material intelligence refers to how materials perform, adapt, and interact with ecological and cultural systems. It considers how stone, steel, or timber respond to intertangled forces, how those materials are sourced and assembled, and how they persist after demolition. Designers are centering material intelligence in constructing our cities in a generation of environmental uncertainty and strained supply chains.
The Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (MCHAP) has just announced the winners of the fifth MCHAP Americas Prize award: Thaden School, designed by EskewDumezRipple, Marlon Blackwell Architects, and Andropogon Associates. Located in Bentonville, Arkansas, on a 30-acre site, the campus explores the relationship between architecture, landscape, and community within the educational context. The announcement was made after a daylong celebration at S.R. Crown Hall on the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) campus. The event featured Masterclass presentations by students from IIT and regional universities, along with a roundtable discussion with the finalists and jury during the MCHAP Symposium.
Traditional building development follows a risky model - design, build at full scale, and hope everything works as planned. Sustainable housing prototypes flip this script by creating functioning micro-versions of larger visions. This methodical approach allows designers to experiment with new materials, technologies, and systems without the enormous financial and environmental risks associated with full-scale development. Sustainable building prototypes serve as compact laboratories where theories can be tested before wider implementation.
The Master's Programme on Sustainable Cities blends hands-on experience with academic insights from the Norman Foster Foundation's global network of experts. Co-directed by Norman Foster, President of the Foundation, and Professor Kent Larson, Director of the City Science Group at MIT Media Lab, the programme places students at the forefront of urban innovation. Each year, students immerse themselves in three pilot cities, engaging directly with local planners and managers to address urgent urban challenges.
Following the success of this year's pilot cities in Africa, the 2026 edition of the programme expands its geographical horizons to span three continents: Asia, Europe and Latin America. The pilot cities will be announced in the upcoming months.
Humans and pets have long shared a deep and inseparable bond—and today, how we live alongside them is becoming increasingly important. Beyond offering companionship, pets are now often regarded as life partners, providing powerful support for mental health and emotional well-being. Yet it is not only the emotional connection that matters: the way we design and curate spaces for cohabitation with them plays a critical role in shaping meaningful spatial relationships between humans and their animal companions.
Whether through custom-designed furniture or more seamlessly integrated solutions like wall cavities and built-in nooks, an increasing amount of attention is being paid to how we can better coexist with pets in our homes. This shift reflects more than just affluence or pet ownership; it signals a broader evolution of companionship—one rooted in mutual support, emotional health, and shared environments.
