Architecture: Research Guide

Adult and sculptural trees fill the central portion of this 14,000 m² plot of land in the Fazenda Boa Vista condominium, in the countryside of São Paulo. The drop, which at first glance is delicate, assumes important proportions when we consider the entire extension of the territory.

Acacia is a small café and wine bar designed by A-Malysheva studio, situated in a quiet residential neighborhood of Odesa, Ukraine, just a short walk from the Black Sea. With a total area of 47 square meters, the space accommodates just 10–12 guests, creating an intimate and personal atmosphere.

Casa PI is a single-family residence located in the urban area of Porto, designed to both harmonize with its urban surroundings and stand out as a significant corner element, concluding a row of terraced houses. The proposal addresses the client’s wishes while also integrating seamlessly into the architectural context.

The genesis of the project arose from a fascination with the geometry of the spiral. A shape that has inspired humanity for centuries, it appears in nature at all scales: from protein molecules to the structure of galaxies.

Suspended high above in an office tower in Nanjing's Xinjiekou district, a spiritual vessel engages in quiet dialogue with the city. The moment you push open the glass door, the city's roar is instantly stripped away, revealing an organic system woven from birch wood, fabric, and light. Atelier d'More reconstructs the learning space of the contemporary urbanite through an architectural lens, composing a symphony of spatial narrative and bodily perception in the sky, over a hundred meters above ground.

The project for the third SOLO brand café in Copacabana, RJ, which stands for Sustainable, Organic, and Local, originated from a space consisting of two adjacent street stores in the block by Copacabana beach. The first step of the project involved the initial revealing and peeling away of the entire robust visible structure of the Art Deco building.

A Dialogue Between Heritage and Contemporary Design in the Heart of Brussels - On the Street Grande Haie in Etterbeek, in a neighborhood that is both urban and green, a pair of residential buildings from 1924–1925 have been given a new lease of life through a carefully balanced architectural intervention. Comprising 50 social housing units, the project represents a respectful reinterpretation of the existing built fabric, combined with a clear intent to pursue thoughtful densification and enhance the overall living environment.

Remodel of fashion designer's new family home unlocks hidden potential of historic estate. A major renovation reimagines a historic 3-acre country estate in Minnesota. A new floor plan layout and interiors modernize the home with a contemporary look and flow for a young California family.

What if the best kind of play isn't the safest? For decades, cities have built playgrounds to be clean, colorful, and easy to supervise. Yet these spaces—designed more for adult peace of mind than for children's curiosity—often strip away what makes play truly transformative: risk, unpredictability, and self-direction. Rising safety standards, shrinking public space, and the commercialization of play equipment have only further narrowed the possibilities for children's independent exploration. From a junkyard in 1940s Copenhagen to the concrete landscapes of postwar Amsterdam, a handful of architects, planners, and activists have challenged the idea that play must be neat and controlled...

The Miradora is a dwelling located in the central highlands of Ecuador, in the páramo ecosystem at 3403 meters above sea level. The elongated plot has access on one end from a local road and, on the other, a large ravine. On either side, neighboring prairies and large volcanoes define the location of the house. It sits at the highest point of the lot and takes advantage of a slight slope to open up to all views and organize its interior.

Two students sit one desk apart. One excels in science. The other struggles. One receives praise, the other criticism. One gains confidence, the other slowly loses it.It's easy to assume the difference comes down to effort, parenting, or natural ability. But what if the real factor was the classroom itself?Imagine the student who fell behind sat at a desk flooded with glare from poorly placed windows every single day. With fixed homeroom seating, they couldn't move. Over time, that small but constant distraction turned into disengagement, and disengagement eroded their confidence. A chain reaction triggered not by effort, but by design.

Snøhetta has unveiled plans for Jesselton Docklands, a tropical waterfront master plan in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. The development reimagines the city's former port as a civic and cultural hub, strengthening its connection to the waterfront and positioning it as a new gateway to Sabah and the wider Southeast Asian region. Situated near Kota Kinabalu International Airport, the development includes a new ferry and cruise terminal, integrating infrastructure with the island's ecological and cultural context to position the city as a key point of connection within the region.

Noirhaus stands boldly at the intersection of strength and elegance, a brutalist Mediterranean home, dark in tone yet gracefully bathed in vibrant, playful light. Nestled on a compact site alongside a lush green belt, the architectural challenge was clear: optimize limited space while preserving a profound connection to the surrounding natural environment.

For the Hakka people, the oil-paper umbrella carries profound cultural meaning. It is seen as a symbol of wholeness, reunion, and destiny, a reminder that life's encounters are guided by both chance and connection. Even within the Chinese character for "umbrella" (傘), one finds the repeated presence of the character for "person" (人), suggesting the gathering, reliance, and interdependence between people.

The atelier AJC - François Chochon and David Joulin have completed the regional theater of the Beauvaisis. This project, a cultural beacon, is now part of the historical continuity of post-war reconstruction, marking the city of Beauvais. The "Théâtre du Beauvaisis" was conceived as a "secular nave" reaching towards the sky. Rising from 10 to 27 meters in height, the project thus earns ipso facto the status of a major new participant in the urban dialogue. The aim is to gracefully sustain the dialogue with Beauvais's two emblematic monuments: the Saint-Étienne Church, nearby, and the Saint-Pierre Cathedral, standing a little further away.

MVRDV revealed the design of rock-like tourist facilities and infrastructure for the Taiwanese coastal area of Jialeshui, a scenic destination in the southernmost part of Taiwan. The Pingtung County Government recently selected the design proposal submitted by MVRDV in collaboration with HWC Architects for the transformation of an area known for its rock formations shaped by wind and water, including a series of structures inspired by these natural forms. The project, a masterplan titled Nature Rocks, introduces a network of new pathways and public spaces and adds small-scale buildings, including a central visitor centre and three lookout points, within the existing built footprint.

In contemporary architecture, hotel design is no longer defined solely by luxury and accommodation. Instead, it is becoming a platform to explore questions of identity, ecology, and cultural meaning. Beyond providing rooms and amenities, hotels today aim to create immersive experiences that connect travelers to local traditions, landscapes, and communities. In this curated selection of unbuilt hospitality projects, submitted by the ArchDaily community, speculative and competition-winning proposals offer a glimpse into the future of hospitality, where sustainability and storytelling are as central as comfort and style.

From the Desire for a Borderless Classroom to an Architecture Intertwined with Nature – Cheewit Cheewa Home of Nature or The Sikhio Natural Agriculture Learning Center was conceived by Dr. Mavin Dankul, who envisioned expanding the Project Approach model of learning through outdoor classrooms at Prasarnwittaya School. Its primary mission is to cultivate life skills and foster environmental awareness among children and youth. At its core, the program embraces an integrated learning philosophy, "From Seed to Table," encompassing soil restoration, water management, renewable energy, and a zero-waste system. The ultimate aim is to encourage sustainable self-reliance, guided by the principles o..

This project is an expansion of one already dear to both the client and our team. The client approached us with an elongated site that housed the existing 'Jetvan' residence, crafted a few years ago. The intent was to accommodate another home for the extended joint family within the same plot.

수십 년 동안 서울을 기반으로 잘 아는 사람들 속에서 있다 보니 어느 순간 쳇바퀴 안에 있는 듯한 느낌이 들더군...

9월호는 일제 식민지기에 신도시의 일부로 만들어져 흥망성쇠를 거친 일련의 일식 가옥군을 재생한 ‘프로젝트 리...

This residence, located in a condominium in São José do Rio Preto, in the interior of São Paulo, had its architecture and interior design project completed in 2024. Situated on a plot of approximately 700m², with 600m² of built area distributed over two floors, it was conceived to enhance conviviality with family and friends. The proposal seeks to balance integration and privacy through ample and connected spaces that comfortably and practically meet daily demands.

Throughout history, apothecaries have acted as spaces of both curiosity and care. Traditionally defined by dark wood, elaborate detailing, and a plethora of small drawers containing unseen intrigues, these service-forward spaces offered intimate consultations conducted on either side of a counter. Living Beauty boldly reinvents this bygone but invaluable typology, defining an impactful interior design identity for the luxury beauty retailer.

The house is located on a narrow, deep plot between party walls, only 3.6 meters wide. Due to its depth, a central courtyard and a double-height space open up to bring natural light into the ground floor. Because of spatial constraints, the staircase is placed longitudinally in the center, paired with the courtyard. It connects levels at mid-height directly from the landings, avoiding corridors. As a result, the ground floor features two different interior heights: a regular height on the street side and a one-and-a-half-level height opening onto the garden at the rear.

Kindergarten architecture has long stood apart as a realm where design and imagination converge. Unlike most building typologies, these spaces are conceived not only to shelter and function but to shape the earliest experiences of curiosity, play, and social interaction. Throughout history, the design of kindergartens has evolved alongside pedagogical shifts, moving from modest, utilitarian beginnings to highly intentional environments that stimulate both learning and wonder. In this context, architecture becomes more than a backdrop — it becomes a silent educator, capable of nurturing emotional, cognitive, and physical development.

Located at the western edge of Mexico City, the project developed by AMASA Estudio in the INFONAVIT Santa Fe Housing Unit faced one of the most complex contexts within the set of interventions carried out in 2024. This unit presents a particular condition: having been built on a ravine area, the buildings are situated on uneven terrain, with considerable slopes that hinder both connectivity and accessibility among them.

Italy is preparing to host its third Olympic Winter Games as Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo welcome Milano Cortina 2026, seventy years after Cortina staged the 1956 edition and two decades after Torino 2006. The Games will take place from February 6 to 22, 2026, marking the first time the Winter Olympics are organized across two cities, two regions, Lombardy and Veneto, and two autonomous provinces, Trento and Bolzano. Covering a territory of 22,000 square kilometers, Milano Cortina 2026 will become the most geographically extensive Winter Games to date, with over 90% of venues already existing or designed as temporary facilities.

This house was meant to be a refuge, a place to return to, a space for preserving mementos and memories from distant journeys. It was with this request that the travelers approached architect Wojciech Kotecki, co-founder of BBGK Architekci, and architect Katarzyna Mach. The result was the Sadowski House, "a home of one's own": deeply personal, slightly introverted, yet open to its surroundings. A single-storey dwelling organized entirely on the ground level, nestled among pine trees. Hidden beneath a wide-spanning roof of tent-like geometry. Designed so that its inhabitants would always remain together.

In the quiet streets of Itabashi, Tokyo, a modest two-storey house from 1976 has been given a new lease on life through a renovation carried out by Roovice. Through their Kariage Project, they renovate and reuse akiya (vacant houses) at no cost to the owners, transforming them into rental properties. The house had originally suffered from a fragmented layout and dim interiors that no longer suited contemporary living.

The project is located in the eastern part of Sichuan, approximately 35 kilometers from the county center. The site is nestled against a mountain with steep slopes at the back and enjoys an open view at the front, where rolling distant mountains create superior landscape resources. The current building is built in three terraces with a height difference of 1.5m. The left side is an idle area, the middle section serves as a residential zone for daily living and farming activities, and the far right is designated for livestock breeding.