Articles by María Francisca González

The incorporation of the human figure is one of the most effective tools used in architectural photography: it helps the viewer decipher the scale of work and assess its amplitude. While it successfully communicates a rough idea of the measurements of the elements in the picture, it also helps architecture become more relatable and accessible. People engage better with the built environment when it is populated, mainly because the human sense of society and community is the cornerstone of our civilization. With this in mind, we are showcasing a selection of our favorite photographs where the human figure takes center stage, enhancing our reading of architecture.

Single family homes are undergoing a quiet transformation in recent years. Increasing land costs, the growth of urban settlements, and the lack of available space for construction have triggered an increase in the development of mixed-use housing. The result is that architects have begun to incorporate more community programs within private residential projects. We can now find homes that integrate commercial, cultural, educational, or industrial uses. This not only provides diversity and efficiency, but also allows surrounding neighborhoods to be revitalized through mixed programs that foster social engagement, interaction and connection.

To celebrate World Photography Day, we’ve gathered a list of 10 BIPOC architectural photographers from around the world who are worth knowing – and following on Instagram.

Nowadays bicycles are not only used for sports or as a recreational activity, as more and more people are choosing bicycles as their main means of transportation.

Can Sau house was located in the old city centre of Olot, where nowadays demolitions are not unusual. Given that half of the building was affected by street alignment, it was demolished, leaving an urban void characterized by a party wall and four stepped buttresses that faced the side façade of the church of the patron saint of Olot. For different reasons, the same consequences: abandoned lots, loss of urbanity, disfigurement of the street, destruction of the ordinary landscape.

“Inhabitants are spared the boredom of following the same streets every day… the network of routes is not arranged on one level, but follows instead an up-and-down course of steps, landings, cambered bridges, hanging streets. Combining segments of the various routes, elevated or on ground level, each inhabitant can enjoy every day the pleasure of a new itinerary to reach the same places.”
– Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities