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The ancient Berber village of Matmata in South Tunisia, located between the Eastern coast and the desert, is characterised by settlements of dwellings dug into the clay-gypsum layers of the ground. The dating of the first inhabitations is uncertain. In these dwellings, vaulted rooms surround a central pit or courtyard that is usually circular or […]
over a year ago

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Preserving Common Food as a Defensive Strategy: the Ghorfas of Southern Tunisia

The ghorfas (in arab غرفة [ghurfa], meaning “room”) are common granary chambers found mostly in southern Tunisia and certain areas of Libya and associated with Berber populations. In more recent times, they have also been used as dwellings. They consist of barrel-vaulted rooms measuring 4 to 5 metres in length and 2 metres in height, […]

3 weeks ago 18 votes
From Videogame Landscapes to Embrodery Canvas: La Sentinelle by Marine Beaufils (2022-24)

Marine Beaufils is a French embroidery artist whose meticulous work draws on the analogy between pixels and needlepoints, as she translates scenes from her favorite video games, movies, or scientific imagery from screen to embroidery canvas. This process freezes a fragment of a larger narrative, converting backlit scenes into a familiar medium that evokes a […]

5 months ago 63 votes
The Permanence of Form from Vernacular to Rationalism: Giuseppe Pagano’s “Architettura Rurale Italiana” at Milan Triennale (1936)

Giuseppe Pagano was a central figure in Italian architecture of the first part of the 20th century. Along with his practice as a rationalist architect and his political engagement, which led him to leave the Fascist Party, join the Resistance, and later be deported to Mauthausen, he devoted part of his life to documenting Italian […]

10 months ago 68 votes
“I called them Ghosts”. Visual Poems and Sequences by George Wylesol

George Wylesol is a Baltimore-based artist who primarily produces illustrations and comic-like sequences of drawings, often accompanied by written text in the form of short poems. His works blend mundane objects and settings with surreal plots and visual associations, resulting in poetic yet slightly disturbing scenarios. The meticulous attention to everyday objects translates into a […]

a year ago 86 votes
90-Degree Axonometric’s by Auguste Merle (Late 19th – Early 20th C.)

Auguste Merle was an Art Brut artist living in France at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. His works depict imaginary buildings with meticulous detailing, using graphite on notebook paper. The rigorous yet inventive forms are depicted in 90-degree axonometric projections, resonating with the paintings of Fernand Léger, Le Corbusier, with the architectural […]

a year ago 80 votes

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Episode 3: Our Buildings, Our Selves, With Guests Paul Goldberger and Zach Mortice

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2 days ago 4 votes
One-Nil to the Arsenal

When Arsenal striker Kai Havertz stepped up to take a penalty against Bournemouth last season, it felt like his career was a crossroads. The German forward had joined Arsenal from their London rivals Chelsea for a hefty £60 million transfer fee, but he still hadn’t found the back of the net. And critics were questioning

2 days ago 2 votes
As Los Angeles Burned, Architects Stepped Up

To mark National Volunteer Week 2025, we reflect on the overwhelming response by the architectural community who volunteered time and resources during and after January’s devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. In particular, we speak with Jessica Orlando of AIA Pasadena & Foothill Chapter, whose Ask an Architect program continues to match architects with homeowners seeking guidance as they rebuild homes, communities, and livelihoods.

2 days ago 4 votes
Reports of his death were greatly exaggerated…

A friend and colleague turned me onto AI obituaries. Think of them as interesting and amusing rather than morbid or morose. This one is from AI Copilot. John Massengale AIA CNU Celebrating a Visionary Mind in Urban Design and Architecture … Continue reading → The post Reports of his death were greatly exaggerated… appeared first on There are two types of architecture—good architecture, and the other kind.

2 days ago 4 votes
Broken Plexus (1 of 3): Designing a Recovery Workbook to Work Out Optimal Routines

Severe brachial plexus injuries (BPI) are relatively rare, which can make it difficult for sufferers to find useful resources. Broken Plexus is a three-part micro-series on assistive design, centered on (but not limited to) people with serious BPIs facing long-haul recoveries. The brachial plexus is a critical network of nerve pathways running between the spinal

3 days ago 2 votes