Articles by Rene Submissions

Around the globe, today’s architects face several rising challenges. The demand for affordable housing is increasing significantly, but so is the urgent need to save the planet’s resources and reduce carbon emissions. At first glance, these two goals might seem mutually exclusive. However, the history of architecture is one of great minds overcoming challenges through creativity and innovation. 

The Norman Foster Institute is now accepting applications for its Programme on Sustainable Cities, taking place in Madrid from January to December 2025.

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology and creativity, staying at the forefront is imperative. During its recent Chaos Unboxed Live virtual keynote, participants such as CEO Christian Lang and Co-founder and Head of Innovation Vladimir “Vlado” Koylazov showcased a plethora of advancements poised to redefine the creative process.

“We’re on the verge of one of the biggest revolutions that we’re going to face in the industry,” warns German Otto Bodenbender, Design Technology Manager at BIG Barcelona and Professor of ZIGURAT Institute of Technology.

If you were to make a list of requirements for your design software, an ability to be both efficient and accurate would certainly make an appearance. It may even make your top five. In order to cater to these demands, software developers are constantly striving to make their products more effective for their customers. In the case of Vectorworks, which was built to deliver absolute creative expression and maximum efficiency, this is no different. Below, we outline four main ways the software can be used by architects and designers.

In modern-day urban environments, green spaces such as gardens, home yards and public parks are becoming increasingly important to provide balance to our day-to-day lives. In the case of playgrounds, which are key public spaces for children, the question arises: if we make playgrounds for children to spend time and play in, why shouldn’t we extend this idea to serve adults as well? Adults need to be present in playgrounds, accompanying their children, so why not extend these areas to become interesting and inclusive for adults too?

In any architectural design project, the transition from conceptual design to schematic design typically marks the evolution from broad ideas and massing studies to more detailed and refined planning. While this transition may seem straightforward, architects often find themselves facing a bottleneck that complicates the seamless flow of the creative process- particularly due to siloed tools and workflows.

While mass timber and off-site construction remain in the foreground, the associated digital technologies for architects have had a quieter evolution. Aiming to bring these issues to the architectural forefront, QWEB (Quebec Wood Export Bureau) is now expanding its Offsite Wood BIM initiative by joining the non-profit BC Wood Specialties Association.

Since 2001, Days of Oris has brought together some of the world’s most interesting global architects, in Zagreb, Croatia. This year three global practices bring unique perspective from diverse geographies: Mary Anderson from Assemble (UK), a community oriented practice that does not only focus on the building, but rather on the social impact of their projects; Xu Tiantian from DnA Design and Architecture (China), with a focus on rural China and its communities, delivering an architecture with a strong identity; and Pritzker laureate Alejandro Aravena, whose practice ELEMENTAL (Chile) has brought new perspectives to social housing and public projects across the globe, focusing on the right answer that architecture should respond to.

The Italian Prize for Sustainable Architecture is part of the International Prize for Sustainable Architecture, founded and promoted since 2003 by Fassa S.r.l. (registered holder of the trademark “Fassa Bortolo”) and the Department of Architecture of the University of Ferrara. The Prize aims to reward and promote valuable architectural projects that are environmentally conscious and sustainable, minimizing anthropogenic impact and improving the resilience of buildings and cities towards current and future natural events and climate change, including through the reuse of existing structures.