AL House / Taguá Arquitetura

Designed by architects Thiago Benedetti Brugnolo and Mariana Rotta, partners at Taguá Arquitetura, the AL house was created with the aim of combining privacy, functionality and comfort on a 450 m² plot of land. With the social areas strategically placed in the center of the lot, the project was designed to encourage residents to spend time with their families, integrate indoor and outdoor spaces and make the most of natural light. “From the beginning, our intention was to ensure fluid circulation, while at the same time preserving moments of intimacy, with solutions that value both socializing and seclusion,” explain the architects.

Missillac Market Hall / LAUS architectes

In a recently vacated hollow space, the new market hall reweaves the urban fabric. It provides a peaceful breathing space that echoes the church square. By setting back 2 of its boundaries, the hall creates a forecourt facing the main street and opens up an alleyway linking it to the changing heart of the block. By thickening the 2 remaining boundaries, it offers enclosed serviced volumes. Enshrined in a gently sloping site, the hall proposes a significant, non-dominant and timeless presence: a retreat into the city that is open, lively, and welcoming.

Villa Bruksveien / R21 Arkitekter

The project addresses a program for a primary residence with a swimming pool and tennis court on the Snarøya Peninsula, in a maritime setting near the city of Oslo. The site is an elongated plot, extending from the adjacent parcel, with very defined zoning regulations. First, due to local regulations, the demolished pre-existing house is taken as the reference distance from the new house to the coast. Second, because of rising sea levels and strong winds, it was decided to elevate the house above sea level.

Understanding Soft Architecture: The Shift from Monument to Moment

In recent years, architecture has increasingly embraced adaptability, flexibility, and responsiveness as core design principles. This evolution reflects a shift from traditional notions of static, permanent structures to dynamic environments that can adjust to changing needs and conditions. Central to this transformation is the concept of "soft architecture", which leverages pliable materials and innovative systems to create spaces that are functional, sustainable, and user-centric. Soft architecture takes shape through membranes that breathe, façades that move, structures that inflate or fold, and surfaces that bend rather than break. It involves designing for transformation — not only in how a building performs environmentally, but also in how it can accommodate shifting functions, user interactions, or temporary occupations. This approach to building challenges traditional notions of durability and control, proposing instead a more responsive and open-ended architecture. It reflects a growing awareness that buildings, like the societies they serve, must be able to evolve.

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