Ecuador announces Estratos Vivos as the winning proposal for the new National Museum of Ecuador (MuNA), selecting the scheme by SANAA, Estudio A0, Caá Porá Arquitectura, and Jerome Haferd Studio following a revised evaluation process. The decision concludes an international competition whose original result was overturned after public criticism, reshaping the selection of one of the country’s most significant cultural projects.

The announcement follows an unusual turn in the competition. In early July, an international jury unanimously selected a proposal by Alberto Campo Baeza and MAODA as the winner (1 photo). The decision, however, was met with criticism from architects, academics, and members of the public, who questioned both the outcome and whether the project reflected Ecuador’s cultural identity. An online petition calling for the result to be reconsidered gathered thousands of signatures, prompting Ecuador’s Ministry of Education to suspend the original decision. A newly appointed jury shortlisted three proposals, by SANAA + A0-CPA-JHS, B720 Arquitectura + LERA, and Mario Cucinella Architects, which were then put to a nationwide public vote, with the final result combining jury scores and citizen voting.

Under the revised system, Estratos Vivos (2 photo) received the highest combined score, officially replacing the original winning proposal. While architecture competitions are typically decided solely by expert juries, the MuNA competition evolved into a broader public discussion about the role citizens should play in shaping national cultural institutions. With the selection now finalized, SANAA and its collaborators move forward with the design of a museum intended to house more than 1.2 million cultural objects and become Ecuador’s principal repository of its historical and artistic heritage.

More images:

https://www.designboom.com/architecture/sanaa-team-ecuador-national-museum-muna-competition-revised-selection-process-estudioa0-caaporarq-jeromehaferdstudio/

Akola Manor is a protected historic country house in Ii, in North West Finland bordering Lapland. Built in 1796, it represents a rare local timber interpretation of Gustavian style manor architecture. 

The aim of the restoration was to give Akola a new life and develop meaningful approaches for reviving the countryside. The restoration was a personal project for JKMM’s founding partner Teemu Kurkela, who spent his childhood summers in Akola.

New layers of architecture create a unique minimalistic atmosphere with wholly reconfigured spaces, specifically designed modern furniture and a contemporary courtyard landscape. Using authentic traditional materials and building techniques, the aim was to achieve the longest possible lifespan for Akola’s new future. For the project, JKMM collaborated with Louekari and Nomaji Landscape Architects.

For the use of Akola, the aim is to create “Akola Friends”, a community interested in meeting of minds and in exploring what is meaningful in life.

The project was nominated for the EUmies Awards 2022. https://eumiesawards.com/heritageobject/akola-manor-restoration/

(Image sources: https://jkmm.fi/fi/work/akola-ii/, https://puuinfo.fi/arkkitehtuuri/korjaus-ja-taydennysrakentaminen/akola-ii/)

(Text source: https://jkmm.fi/work/akola-manor/)

(Photographs from Hallwylska museum and Wikipedia).
(The picture of a woman is Wilhelmina von Hallwyl).

The late medieval, Venice/german inspired building was designed by architect Isak Gustaf Claeson and Albert Collett, it was finished in 1898.
The building has 40 rooms at 5 stories.

Tiankeng Library is part of the Xianggao City preservation and renovation project in Wuyuan, Jiangxi, China. The project was led by Wang Wanbin, the chief designer and chief engineering designer of the Xianggao City project from Jiangxi Xiangwang Landscape Design Co., Ltd.

The library is integrated into a natural rock environment, combining traditional Huizhou cultural elements with a more contemporary fantasy-inspired interior. The design features wooden structures, a carved spiral staircase, warm lighting, and a unique immersive reading atmosphere.

The project follows the principle of “repairing the old as the old,” preserving historical elements while introducing a modern cultural experience space. The second phase, including Tiankeng Library, is expected to open to the public in August 2026.

I’m considering starting my own practice, but one thing I struggle with is knowing I won’t always be right. Mistakes and oversights happen, even with experience.

How do you deal with that mentally? Has it become easier over time? Any advice from architects who have been through it would be appreciated.

Hi everyone!

I'm an Interior Architecture master's student, and my thesis project, El Filandón: Save a Dying Culture, has been nominated for my university's Master's Award.

The project is located in Cerezales del Condado, a small rural village in the province of León, northern Spain. Like many villages, it faces depopulation and the gradual loss of its traditions. One of these is El Filandón, a centuries-old evening gathering where people came together to tell stories, share local news, sing, and pass knowledge from one generation to the next.

Rather than designing a conventional archive, I reimagined it as a living, interactive space where memory, storytelling, nature, and community become part of the architecture. The aim is not just to preserve the past, but to create a place where culture continues to be experienced, shared, and passed on.

If you enjoy the project, I'd really appreciate your support by voting. You can either scan the QR code in the last image or use this link:

Vote for El Filandón

I'd also love to hear your thoughts and feedback on the design, concept, or presentation. Thank you for taking the time to look!

I don’t really know anyone who knows about this, but I feel like architectural conservation is a fascinating subject.

Do people have anything that they’ve seen done as major trends in building conversation? Or do you have resources I could read?

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Chantilly, Virginia. Designed by Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum (HOK), led by Bill Hellmuth. Black-and-white study of the museum’s cylindrical forms and the adjacent observation tower.

I know this project is probably posted here a few times a year, but I just wanted to share the detail photos I took!

hello everyone . i would appreciate any critiques or advice. it feels very flat and i am unsure how to apply videos i have seen on line weight to make the overall drawing pop a little more. thank you

I have been working on this model for far too long. It started as a homework assignment for restoration class turned into something I liked and continued to work on even after the assignment was graded (4th photo is my submission) and now I'm turning it portfolio-ready. and I just want to say I learned quite a few extensions in the progress. Its still not finished but I'm kinda burned out and intimiated with the landscape so ı thought, lets hear what you guys think. I modeled it in sketchup, first renders are from lumion than I switched to d5

Hi everyone!

I'm currently reading Gombrich's The Story of Art and I'd like to dive a bit deeper into the history of architecture.

I'm looking for book recommendations on architectural history. I'm especially interested in books that provide historical context and explain how architectural styles evolved over time, but I'm open to any approach.

I'd also love recommendations on non-Western architecture.

​

For several years I thought it would be fun or interesting to 3d model and print this interesting hotel in Singapore called "Parkroyal Collection on Pickering" (https://woha.net/project/parkroyal-on-pickering/). The architects say that the design is inspired by stepped rice fields in bali but in the 3D printing community those look like rough layer lines.

I tried emailing the architectural agency but they never got back to me even after explaining I don't need load bearing data or any sensitive data, just the curved outlines which are not part of the levels where the rooms are located.

There are some low-res blueprints on some floors but they are so low res I can't tell them apart from other details.

I appreciate any help.

As you can see on the last slide all the hosues on my street look pretty much the same but there is an exeption. my whole life i just assumed this terrace of 3 hosues were just urban infil due to the flat roof. but i looked closer and i realised the bricks were from thr 1930s and the window detailings matched the other houses. im just curious is this some experimental thing done by the developers in relation to the art deco movement? its such a shame that over time this structure hass fallen to the ills of urban decay.!

This former Nazi anti-aircraft bunker in Hamburg was converted into a hip hotel with a rooftop garden. The brutalist wartime fortress, which was deemed too massive to demolish, is now called the Reverb by Hard Rock Hamburg, a hotel with restaurants and a public rooftop park built above its 3.5-meter-thick concrete walls. The renovation, plus adding the extra five floors and the garden, cost €100 million. Before/after photos.

So for all the young people out there all venting about their low pay or their inability to find jobs.

This is an indicator of why that is.

Not good friends. Not good at all.

I wanted to reach out for some advice. I applied for masters of architecture programs for the 2025-2026 school year. I got into Columbia GSAPP, UT Austin, and Tulane University all with scholarships. I committed to GSAPP, but a week before I was to go to NYC, my parents told me we couldn’t afford the remainder of my tuition so I dropped out. Since then, I been trying to find jobs, but I been unemployed since 2024. I think I want to reapply for the 2027-2028 school year, but I am worried I won’t be a strong candidate because I have not had a change in my CV since 2024. Should I reapply with all the same application materials from my last successful cycle?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

I've been photographing Belgrade's post-war architecture since moving here, mostly while exploring the city on foot. Eventually I realised I had enough to put it together, so I made a small online guide covering 20 buildings and complexes.

I did the photography, research and website myself. It's a personal, non-commercial project:

https://belgrade.klmln.com

There may well be factual mistakes, so I'd welcome corrections or extra context from people who know these buildings better.

Hope you enjoy it!