Libraries are among the best possible public investments. They promote knowledge, education, culture, and community engagement, while also serving as democratic spaces that empower individuals, foster learning, and contribute to the overall well-being of communities. In Haruki Murakami’s surrealist masterpiece novel Kafka on the Shore, this is how the 15-year-old protagonist who lives in a library describes the experience of opening […]
There’s only one material in the world that can be used in cooking, making musical instruments, cosmetic products or textiles, and making wind turbines: Bamboo. It’s described by the iconic Japanese architect Kengo Kuma as “the material of the future”. Bamboo is booming as a construction material, and for a good reason: By far the fastest-growing plant in […]
Due to the skyrocketing urbanization, industrialization, and population growth globally, our planet is losing its biodiversity at an alarming rate, faster than at any time in human history. Since the beginning of the 20th century, as the cities kept booming, the average population of indigenous species in the majority of significant ecosystems has declined by […]
From the plains of Central Asia to the hills of Southern Spain, Islamic architecture made a mark on particularly the so-called ‘old world’. It significantly impacted the development of architectural styles worldwide, and its influence can be seen in various structures across different cultures and time periods. Islamic architecture exhibits regional variations based on local […]
While climate change is a colossal threat to all humanity, women suffer from its consequences most disproportionately and dramatically — and many of these consequences interact with our built environments in some way. According to the United Nations, women make up approximately 80 percent of the people who are displaced from their homes by climate […]
“The conscious principle in [design] has been to achieve forms that could create experiences, and that could at the same time welcome everyone’s experiences with the serenity of an effortless development,” said Gae Aulenti, summarizing her philosophy and approach to architecture and design. Nicknamed the “Grand Dame of Italian architecture”, Aulenti was born in 1927, in Palazzolo […]
“Fog everywhere. Fog up the river where it flows among green airs and meadows; fog down the river, where it rolls defiled among the tiers of shipping, and the waterside pollutions of a great (and dirty) city … Chance people on the bridges peeping over the parapets into a nether sky of fog, with fog […]
After homes, schools are arguably the most important buildings to shape children’s development. The design and architecture of educational institutions significantly influence children’s physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and creative progress. By providing conducive environments for learning and growth, school buildings contribute to the holistic development of students, supporting their academic achievements, well-being, and preparation for the future. Long after children graduate, […]
Without a doubt, music is the most common universal language of humanity, and there’s nothing that unifies people as music does. Modern music halls, which have their roots in taverns and coffee houses in Europe in the 18th century, kept evolving for the last 300 years to meet the changing needs of the musical zeitgeist, larger crowds, and […]
As digital healthcare technologies advance daily, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly sophisticated at doing what humans can do, but with more efficient, cost-effective, and quicker outcomes. As a result, AI in healthcare is one of the fastest-growing markets in the digital revolution: It’s forecast to grow by nearly fifty percent annually, with an expected jump from a market […]
“It’s surely our responsibility to do everything within our power to create a planet that provides a home not just for us, but for all life on Earth,” says the legendary natural historian and broadcaster David Attenborough. However, as cities claim an increasing amount of land and resources, rapid urbanization is one of the significant drivers of biodiversity loss […]
“You can’t really call it land. It’s wetness. It belongs to the river,” says Marina Tabassum, talking to The Guardian about the Ganges Delta of her native Bangladesh, widely recognized as being acutely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Architecture has come to symbolize durability and stability for most of the world’s cities and towns. But in Bangladesh, […]