ArchDaily.com

As one of the host cities of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Toronto is preparing to welcome fans from across the globe. The Canadian city, the fourth largest in North America, has become a cosmopolitan center with its renowned business district and cultural venues that come alive during the summer and early fall nights. Toronto offers a beautifully diverse urban setting, with shimmering high-rises and smaller brick houses, intertwining residential and vibrant commercial areas, public parks, and even beaches. All become part of the city's striking skyline, crowned by the iconic CN Tower.

This small building is nestled quietly within a forest near the headquarters of a timber company in Ehime, Japan. The client had long been drawn to the distant mountain views from this location and envisioned building something there. Although the site contained only a small area of level ground, it was constrained by the steep slope rising behind it, requiring careful study to determine what kind of architecture could appropriately inhabit the terrain.

Can architecture shape comfort before mechanical systems enter the equation? As buildings account for nearly 40% of global energy consumption and people spend close to 90% of their time indoors, thermal performance has become one of architecture's most urgent concerns. Yet despite often being associated with insulation values, energy ratings, or mechanical systems, thermal performance begins with spatial decisions made long before technical equipment is introduced. Orientation, airflow, daylight, and the placement of openings all influence how a building absorbs, retains, and releases heat throughout the day.

The Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU), in collaboration with HNTB and HOK, has been selected as the design team for the redevelopment of New York City's Penn Station. The project is part of an ongoing effort to reorganize and expand one of the busiest rail transportation hubs in North America, aiming to improve passenger circulation, increase capacity, and upgrade the station's existing infrastructure. Des

The library for the Luanda Technology Park is conceived as a cultural landmark and a place of refuge within the intensity of the city. Located within a dynamic urban environment marked by intense activity and constant movement, the building and its surrounding landscape create an atmosphere of calm and retreat. In contrast to the noise and pace of its surroundings, the library establishes a civic space dedicated to learning, encounter, and contemplation, serving both the technology park and the wider community.

Covering a broad array of subjects, this week's headline stories have reflected the wide scope of architecture's practice: its potential to respond to the climate crisis, the construction and renovation of cultural infrastructure around the world, and events that promote contemporary disciplinary reflection. This does not preclude questions about the contradiction between the technical and creative skills demanded by the discipline and the role it has come to occupy in today's market. Alongside these reflections, this week we feature projects that reinforce architecture's cultural significance in preserving knowledge, hosting co

In 2025, the global animal health market was valued at approximately $70 billion, and projections suggest it could double by 2033. Behind this figure, however, lies a quieter transformation of the built environment, exemplified by the veterinary hospital. A building type that for decades occupied the back rooms of improvised clinics and pet shops is increasingly developing its own architectural language and identity. It is the spatial consolidation of a bond that has endured for more than 15,000 years.

The Jugnoo (fireflies) is an extension of an existing resort, largely developed on flatter portions of the land where construction was easier. A steeply sloping section of the site, with gradients reaching nearly 30 degrees, had remained untouched. For the resort's expansion, the client initially envisioned a series of treehouses placed upon a few specific trees within this part of the resort. However, after closely studying the site and the trees, it became evident that constructing directly above them was not structurally feasible, as the trees could not safely support such an intervention. Instead, the units were carefully positioned in between the trees, allowing the landscape to remain largely undisturbed.

Mount Martha House is a cost-effective timber family home inspired by the vernacular of the Mornington Peninsula; a contemporary interpretation of Australian coastal architecture. Its L-shaped layout embraces an established pin oak tree, creating a private outdoor space with a pool and deck that integrates with the natural surroundings.

Between the moment a material is specified in a project and the moment it is installed, there is an invisible layer that plays a decisive role in the final outcome: fabrication, logistics, and coordination. These factors shape timelines and costs, but more critically, determine whether the original design intent is preserved or diluted in execution. Cladding systems, especially those that function as visible and expressive components of the building envelope, make this gap particularly evident, as they are the most outward-facing layer of a project.