Articles by Valeria Montjoy

How many times have you heard the old claim that “Email is dead”? Surely, more than once. To the surprise of many, and despite the rise of new messaging tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams during the pandemic, Email remains by far the most widely used communication tool in many businesses. Every day, more than 300 billion emails are sent and received globally, and employees spend an average of 5 hours checking their online correspondence. This trend is only expected to rise in the upcoming years, especially within project and client-based industries – like architecture, engineering and construction – that heavily rely on this means of communication.

Textile forms of habitation are far from new; in fact, humans have been using fabric to create shelter for thousands of years, becoming an archetypal form of building. Today, contemporary architecture has rediscovered the principle of the tent and taken its development further, implementing new technologies to generate more advanced and durable fabrics which allow larger areas to be spanned. Becoming a highly specialized sector within the construction industry, multiple textile forms have become common in a wide range of architectural applications – not just for temporary structures, but also for permanent buildings. Apart from their use in facades, these can be utilized in interiors to create highly functional spaces with unique sensory experiences.

Among the many factors that can impact the character, style, and functionality of a living space, doors are certainly important in setting the tone. Besides their decorative function, they protect rooms from weather and noise, delimit spaces, define circulations, and provide privacy. As recent design trends continue to move towards clean, modern lines, the pivot door has never been more in style – being applied not only in main entrances, but also appearing more frequently in interior design. Apart from being bigger, heavier, and offering a dramatic contemporary look, pivot doors allow for a beautiful, elegant movement with nearly invisible hardware that rotates on a vertical axis, setting them apart from regular hinged doors.

As much as walls, ceilings, and furniture pieces define the character and perception of an architectural project, doors play a critical role in building that style. Among all the doors used in houses, the front door is the first tangible element that homeowners and visitors will encounter, acting as the pivotal point where architecture greets the user. After all, first impressions are always important; and the entrance door is certainly one that can set the tone for the rest of the interior. However, choosing the right front door for a contemporary house can be difficult, especially with so many design possibilities. Therefore, before making that decision, it is crucial to know what those possibilities are – and how these can transform the front door into a design statement.

Even though white minimalism remains the norm, retro trends are making a serious comeback in modern bathroom designs, with homeowners incorporating pops of color, classic fixtures, and patterned surfaces. Despite often being static and traditional spaces in homes, bathrooms have certainly undergone significant transformations throughout the years. While those of the outspoken 1970s brought vibrant colors like avocado green and mustard yellow, the ‘80s introduced ceramic tiles in more muted, pastel shades. On the other hand, this century has set the ideal on white and marbled surfaces, slick gloss finishes, and silver fixtures. However, even as this all-white look continues to be the protagonist, bold retro enhancements are reviving and blending in with contemporary elements to create elegant, yet lively atmospheres with a strong character.

The popularity of pre-designed and pre-fabricated homes is growing, moving much of the construction process from the building site into factories. While countries like Singapore, Australia and the United Kingdom are increasingly adopting modular buildings to meet labor and housing shortages, Nordic countries like Sweden already build 90% of residential single-family houses in prefab wood. Despite the recent surge in interest, off-site building is by no means a new concept. In fact, the construction method has been present throughout history in many attempts to consolidate its use in construction: as far back as A.D 43, the Roman army brought with them prefabricated forts to Britain, while Japan has been building in wood off-site and moving parts in pre-assemblies for at least a thousand years.

Although an architectural project comes to life with palpable materials, it is also defined by intangible qualities that give it richness, dynamism, and liveliness. Among them, the interplay of light and shadow can transform environments and affect their perception, determining the user’s spatial experience. Besides providing natural ventilation, privacy, and thermal comfort, lattices allow this duality by filtering the entry of sunlight while projecting repetitive figures on the surface. In this way, perforated walls and ceilings can create multiple geometric patterns of light and shadow that become design elements capable of generating unique atmospheres.

Concrete and sustainability are two words that are often considered incompatible. Used as early as the Roman era, concrete has shaped much of our built environment, being the most widely used manufactured material in the planet thanks to its resistance, versatility, cost-effectiveness, and accessibility, among other inherent benefits. Its popular use in buildings and infrastructure forms the foundations of cities, connects communities, and will continue to play a vital role in providing solutions to the challenges of the future – especially as cities must respond to a growing global population. But with cement as its key ingredient, it also comes with several environmental costs, being responsible for at least 8% of the world’s carbon emissions in a climate-change context. However, it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way. With the rise of innovative technologies and products, there are many ways to make concrete greener.

Since its inauguration in the 1960s, every year more than 10 million tourists visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame in hopes of experiencing the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles’ most famous attraction. To this day, its 18 blocks of terrazzo floors remain in a good state, revealing the longevity and durability of a material able to withstand heavy foot traffic over the course of the century.

By 2025, Dubai plans for a fourth of its buildings to be printed in 3D construction methods, demonstrating the potential of a fast-growing technology capable of redefining and pushing the limits of traditional architecture. As the technique emerges as a viable solution in the construction, engineering, and architecture areas, its popularity is quickly increasing. In fact, just between 2021 and 2028, the global 3D construction market is expected to grow by 91%, according to a July 2021 report by Grand View Research. Why this rapid growth? Besides being a faster alternative and having lower construction costs, it can also provide affordable housing solutions and allow countless design possibilities, among many other benefits. Thus, as architects must adapt to a new technological era, where speed and efficiency have become key factors in design and execution processes, the rise of 3D printing shows enormous promise. It could even help reshape construction as we know it.