Book Review: A Call to Return

A Call to Return by Lakshmi Swaminathan offers a tender and reflective portrayal of the renowned architect Didi Contractor. The narrative unfolds in an intimate and vivid style, where Lakshmi gracefully assumes the role of a sutradhar1 or narrator, though she wisely steps back to allow Didi’s voice and thoughts to take centre stage. It […]

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Didi Contractor

Architectural sage Didi Contractor devoted the later part of her life to designing environmentally conscious buildings while living in the small village of Sidbari in India’s Himachal Pradesh. Renowned for her use of natural building materials and designs deeply rooted in sustainability, she inspired countless students with her visionary approach. Lakshmi Swaminathan, her dedicated mentee, […]

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Sustainable Design: Balancing Environmental Concerns and Users’ Well-being

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In bustling Hong Kong, architects grapple with the perils of upgrading aged high-density buildings and infrastructure while advocating new design approaches that are environmentally friendly and people-centred. Dr Tony Ip is a leading voice amongst seasoned architectural practitioners. As founder of Tony Ip Green Architects (TiP), he has carved a unique niche combining his expertise […]

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Sustainable Finance: Future-proofing the Built Environment

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As climate change is no longer a distant threat but a present reality, the built environment must evolve to meet the challenges of sustainability and resilience. Sustainable finance emerges as a crucial tool in this transformation, guiding investments towards projects that not only promise financial returns, but also deliver environmental and social benefits. To delve […]

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Harnessing Uheat: Can a Digital Tool Combat Urban Heat Island Effect?

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“Urban heat is not just a discomfort; it’s a serious issue affecting our health and social fabric,” says Tony Chan, an Associate Principal and Planning Business Leader in Arup, overseeing the multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy’s Southeast Asia urban planning projects. In densely populated cities like Singapore where Tony is based, UHI effect poses a significant challenge. […]

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How Can Academia Help the Urban Poor Facing Climate Change?

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Associate Professor Sigit Dwiananto Arifwidodo, or Sigit to friends, is a distinguished academic at the Department of Landscape Architecture, Kasetsart University in Bangkok. His research primarily focuses on sustainable urban development and climate change, particularly within the context of Asian cities. Sigit’s journey into urban heat island (UHI) research began in 2014 when he started […]

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Tempering Temperatures

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Dear FuturArc readers, In some warm-weather countries, taking a siesta or nap in the midday or early afternoon is a common tradition. “In places such as Spain or Mexico, people traditionally didn’t work during the hottest part of the day. Instead, they were more active at night when it was cooler… this is where the […]

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‘Primitive’ materials, modern solutions: Lo-Hi Tech by Studio SKLIM

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Lo-Hi Tech: The New Primitive Hut is the latest installation of Studio SKLIM’s research project, which explores ‘primitive’ building materials such as terracotta and plant fibre composites to foster climate-appropriate sustainable materials. It was inspired by the work of architects and philosophers like Viollet-le-Duc, Laugier and Vitruvius, who rooted architecture in Nature. This project poses […]

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AGS Burrow by MuseLAB: Repurposing a former warehouse into an ‘experience centre’

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AGS Burrow is a centre to showcase and experience products by a water heater and filtration company, located on a 7-by-11 feet plot inside Mumbai’s bustling Lakda Bazaar. The narrow, utilitarian space was formerly an inventory warehouse. “Historically, the bazaar has been a place for carpentry and timber, and it holds an artisanal charm … […]

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KLABU sports clubhouse in M’bera refugee camp: Supporting communities through the joy of sports

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Installed within refugee camps, this series of modular, scalable and multifunctional hubs offers communities with a welcoming and inclusive space to gather and access sports equipment, Wi-Fi and TV broadcasts. More than just a social space, it aims to support refugees in rebuilding their lives through the joy of sports. The design was developed by […]

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