Saturday in the park, I think it was the Fourth of July People dancing, people laughing A man selling ice cream Singing Italian songs Everybody is another Can you dig it (yes, I can) And I've been waiting such a long time For Saturday Chicago sings Saturday in the park, a song that recalls a day in a city park in the United States. There are people … [Read more...]
Passivhaus standard in the Mediterranean climate
By Marta Lozano, architect at AGi architects, Polytechnic University of Madrid. Existing since Antiquity, passive architecture is that which adapts to the climatic conditions of its environment. Throughout the 20th century the focus placed on the energetic component in the architectural project was diluted due to the disassociation from local conditions proclaimed by the … [Read more...]
The courtyard house, domestic paradise
Atlas of Architecture The courtyard house is a type of dwelling in which the rooms are organized around a central private courtyard. The courtyard is an architectural form with its own rules that has generated multiple variations over time. The 20th century, with its high buildings and urban expansion, has perhaps distanced us from this unique space. Despite this, … [Read more...]
The poetics of water
The meanings of water in the Nasrid architecture of the Generalife and the romantic painting The Journey of Life Water has been widely depicted in the history of art. It has also been the protagonist of many architectural designs, since it is an essential element for living. We have already discussed water in architecture from an infrastructural point of view in this article … [Read more...]
We read Gordon Matta-Clark. Entrevistas e Hyperspaces. Two books in between art and architecture
This article introduces two readings, a book of interviews to Gordon Matta-Clark published by Puente Editores, and the catalogue of the exhibition Hyperspaces, at Bombas Gens art centre. In his interviews, Gordon Matta-Clark insisted on his interest in exploring boundaries. In occupying the architectural limits. But Matta-Clark also placed himself on other frontiers: the one … [Read more...]
Houses and Zodiac signs: which one are you?
Which would your house be if it belonged to the same Zodiac sign as you? Houses and Zodiac signs: we went through twelve amazing homes, marked by the horoscope. Aries Aries, a fire sign, is driven to action. Aries is strong-willed, a leader. The Sheats-Goldstein House, designed by American architect John Lautner, would surely be an Aries. We may remember this house … [Read more...]
Which urbanism to build what kind of houses in coronavirus times
«I'm looking for a 2 or 3 bedroom apartment with a terrace or a patio». Confinement during this time of health crisis has led many people, perhaps almost all of us, to think more often about how to improve our current home. Houses and corona virus: prices, quality and the variety of housing offered by the city are all factors that determine our choice. Meanwhile, the home is … [Read more...]
Three interiors to inspire us during quarantine at home
In these days of quarantine at home, the importance of domestic space is even more obvious than ever. No built space is as essential as the home. That's why we wrote this article, thinking of homes that inspire us. Houses whose design solutions can teach us something during these days of quarantine at home. What small gestures we can use now or what big ideas for future … [Read more...]
Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich at the International Exhibition in Barcelona: Beyond the German Pavilion
The international exhibition of Barcelona 1929 left for later times one of the most important works of modern architecture, the famous German pavilion signed by Mies van der Rohe and made in collaboration with the designer Lilly Reich. However, this was not the only work carried out by the German architect and the designer at the exhibition held in the city. In addition to the … [Read more...]
Ten modern lamps that made their mark on the 20th century
With the advent of electricity in homes, lighting changed and modern lamps became uniquely important in the home. Functional devices but at the same time light sculptures, we travel through the 20th century through 10 lamps that never lost their validity. 1. Germany, 1900 The HL99 ceiling lamp was one of the first modern lamps to operate with electric bulbs. … [Read more...]