The Architect as Mediator of Materials: Lessons from Hybrid Habitats

With deep roots, sturdy trunks, and the ability to withstand extreme temperatures, date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) are among the species best adapted to the arid desert environment. It is no coincidence that in many local indigenous cultures they are known as the "tree of life," as their fruits, leaves, and trunks have provided food, shelter, and building materials for thousands of years. Without them, much of human settlement in desert regions would not have been possible. Today, widely cultivated across desert regions around the world, the species continues to sustain traditional agricultural  practices, yet its potential can be further enhanced and expanded through the efforts of contemporary researchers.

Hiwali is a small rural settlement of about 25 farming households, located deep in the Satmala mountain range, around 70 km from Nashik city. Set in the hilly terrain of the Western Ghats, it is one of the remote communities. The existing primary school currently operates in a temporary shelter. Give Welfare Organization and Armstrong Robotics & Technologies have initiated building a school. The site, at the top of terraced farmland, is accessible via a 50-foot hike from the village road. The site is a narrow strip, bordered by a mountain on the northwest and terraced farming slopes on the southeast.

Utopian Hours returns to Turin as Europe's leading festival dedicated to city making and urban innovation. Three days packed with inspiration: masterclasses, talks, workshops, roundtables, and exhibitions. Recipes and case studies from around the world show how urban (and social) innovation happens — and how the very idea of city-making is being stretched in bold new directions. More than 40 international guests, the most influential media, leading urban gurus, and Europe's sharpest city officials are all gathering in Turin to exchange ideas, tools, experiences, solutions, desires, and passions.

The Korean Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia marks its 30th anniversary with "Little Toad, Little Toad: Unbuilding Pavilion," an exhibition commissioned by Arts Council Korea (ARKO) and curated by Curating Architecture Collective (CAC), composed of Chung Dahyoung, Kim Heejung, and Jung Sungkyu. Bringing together architects and artists Kim Hyunjong, Heechan Park, Young Yena, and Lee Dammy, the exhibition critically revisits the pavilion as both a physical structure and a symbolic space, tracing its trajectory since its completion in 1995 while speculating on its possible futures.