Author: Pooja Khanna Tyagi

Discover how contemporary architecture redefines brick through parametric design, crafted geometry, and climate-responsive architectural systems. Brick is one of the most familiar materials in architecture, yet its story is far from static. We have seen it in historic walls, load-bearing structures, and everyday buildings, often associated with repetition and permanence. But in contemporary practice, brick is being rethought in ways that feel surprisingly fresh and relevant. It is no longer just about stacking units but is about shaping experiences, controlling light, and responding to climate with intention. Today, architects approach brick with a different mindset, or one that blends tradition…

Nonhyeon 169 by See Architects is located at the intersection of a busy commercial street and a quiet residential alley in Gangnam, Seoul. The project sits within a first-class residential zoning area, where strict height and floor area regulations limit development intensity. Despite these constraints, the site demands a strong commercial presence due to its urban context and visibility. This contrast between restriction and expectation defines the design challenge. Instead of increasing volume, the architecture builds presence through layered façades, controlled transparency, and visual depth. The result is a compact building that feels taller, richer, and more dynamic than its…

Architectural education is being reshaped by new tools and technologies alongside redefining how architects are trained. As computational workflows, digital fabrication, and interdisciplinary collaboration become central to practice, traditional models of architectural education are beginning to feel increasingly limited. In response, a new wave of design education is emerging with one that prioritizes immersive learning, real-world workflows, and direct engagement with industry. Instead of separating academia from practice, these models attempt to bridge the gap by placing students in environments where design, technology, and production intersect. Transitioning from Studio Learning to Systems Thinking For decades, architectural education has revolved around…

Mies van der Rohe Award 2026 honors the transformation of Charleroi’s Palais des Expositions, highlighting adaptive reuse, structural clarity, and cultural renewal. The Mies van der Rohe Award 2026 underscores the value of reuse in contemporary practice. This year’s winner is Charleroi, which transforms a declining mid-century complex into a flexible public space while retaining its industrial identity. Award Winner: Charleroi Palais des Expositions The Mies van der Rohe Award, awarded biennially since 1988, the prize recognizes the renewal of the Charleroi Palais des Expositions in Belgium by AgwA and architecten jan de vylder inge vinck. Built in the 1950s…

Qapital Tower in Quito, Ecuador introduces a 32-storey residential skyscraper designed by Japanese studio Kengo Kuma and Associates in collaboration with Uribe Schwarzkopf. Rising 128.5 meters, it marks Kengo Kuma’s first project in the city and forms part of a broader wave of international architectural interventions shaping Quito’s central business district near La Carolina Park. The design merges compact urban living with nature-driven architecture and material experimentation, positioning the tower as a residential hub and a cultural statement, expected to be completed in 2029. High-Density Living and Urban Investment Vision Under developer Joseph Schwarzkopf, the project is structured around 509…

Luxury retail today is not just defined by interiors alone, as it is shaped by architecture that performs as branding, storytelling, and spatial experience at once. Flagship stores of global fashion houses are increasingly treated as urban landmarks, where façades behave like sculptural media and interiors unfold as curated narratives. Through fluid materials, kinetic surfaces, and immersive spatial planning, retail architecture transforms consumption into experience, positioning design as the primary language of luxury identity. In this shift, buildings are no longer passive containers for commerce but active cultural instruments that shape perception and behavior. Every surface becomes communicative, from reflective…

Nashville’s upcoming Tennessee Performing Arts Center brings four theaters, bold riverfront design, and a vibrant public space to the East Bank, strengthening the city’s cultural legacy. The new Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC), designed by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group and William Rawn Associates (WRA) with HASTINGS Architecture, is rising as a cultural anchor on a prominent riverfront site in Nashville’s revitalized East Bank. Spanning 307,000 square feet, the center is envisioned as a welcoming destination that draws the community in from every direction, extending the vibrancy of downtown across the Cumberland River. Four Venues at the Heart of the Design At…

Malaysia’s evolving architectural landscape explores coastal regeneration, vertical cities, and material innovation, where Malaysian architecture blends ecology, identity, and technology. Malaysia’s contemporary architecture is shaped by the overlap of city and coastline, tradition and technology, monument and infrastructure, all existing in a continuous state of negotiation. Therefore, what emerges is not a fixed style but a design culture built on hybridity, where meaning is generated through connection. Across different building types and scales, a clear architectural tendency emerges: Malaysia is using design to reconnect fragmented urban, cultural, and environmental systems into unified spatial narratives. Malaysian Architecture is Reclaiming the Waterfront…

These cutting-edge design ideas show how architecture shapes school design through nature, materials, and adaptive spaces. School design has moved beyond classrooms and corridors. Architecture is now understood as an active agent shaping how students think, interact, and grow. Across global projects, schools are evolving into spatial ecosystems where environment, material, and movement become integral to the learning process. This shift reflects a deeper understanding that space is not a passive backdrop, but it participates in education. From fluid classrooms to landscape-integrated campuses, contemporary school architecture merges pedagogy with spatial intelligence. The result is an emerging school design language where…

The Jan Michalski Foundation for Writing and Literature in Montricher, Switzerland, continues to expand its role as a leading international hub for literary creation, reading culture, and artistic exchange. Established in 2004 by Vera Michalski-Hoffmann in memory of her husband Jan Michalski, the Foundation reflects their shared dedication to supporting writers and promoting literature worldwide. A Vision Rooted in Culture and Nature Located at the foot of the Jura Mountains, the Jan Michalski Foundation was envisioned as a creative sanctuary immersed in nature. Since opening its first buildings in 2013, it has evolved into a dynamic cultural space where writers,…