Hugo Vallejo’s Post

As we redefine urban landscapes, the power of architecture extends beyond aesthetics. Well-designed buildings and public spaces cultivate community pride, enhance social interactions, and elevate the economic vitality of our cities. They are not mere structures; they embody cultural significance and foster inclusivity. However, failure to embrace this vision risks irrelevance. The architects of the future must champion beauty and sustainability, weaving innovation into the fabric of urban life. It is not just an opportunity; it is a necessity for thriving communities.

Just launched a blog post that dives into the powerful role of architecture in strengthening community life, featuring insights from Alan Valadez, the director of Diagrama Arquitectos. In today’s fast-paced world, thoughtful design is more crucial than ever. Alan emphasizes that well-designed spaces can become more than just buildings—they're the heartbeat of social connection and cohesion. From parks to residential areas, each space has the potential to enhance community life when built with human interaction in mind. He explores innovative models like “co-housing,” where shared spaces foster relationships and create support systems among residents, and highlights examples like Latitude Margaritaville International Lake Chapala, which was designed to cultivate a deep sense of belonging. The takeaway? Engaging residents in the design process is key to creating spaces that reflect their needs and aspirations. Curious to learn more about how architecture can shape community bonds? Check out the full article at https://lnkd.in/giQ2ZNKh.

As part of last month’s London Festival of Architecture, LFA founder and NLA co-founder, Peter Murray OBE, shared his views on what makes London a standout metropolis. He was joined in conversation by Beatrice Galilee, a renowned British curator and international design and architecture writer. Peter drew on his experiences and insights of a career in the built environment spanning more than 50 years, to inform his unique perspective on what makes a great city. The conversation provided a deeper understanding of what truly makes London the greatest city in the world, highlighting its rich history, innovative design, transport, vibrant cultural scene, and evolving skyline. Lecture highlights: ● The remarkable current boom in the city of London is bringing more towers into the construction pipeline.  ● Affordable housing is really tricky. The capital needs available funding to deliver the numbers - 300,000 homes annually -  to meet current levels of demand.  ● Affordable housing is a critical issue in many urban areas - rising property values and rents make it difficult for low to moderate-income families to find affordable places to live. ● Today, we need to find more space, infill it, and densify suburban areas. This makes better use of land, supports public transportation, and creates more vibrant, walkable communities.  ● City architects are needed now more than ever; cities need a powerful voice that brings a high-profile, creative, holistic, and strategic approach to urbanism. This is a voice that London is currently lacking. Peter finished with: “Those of us in the built environment sector must take great responsibility for areas where we are currently underperforming, compared to other cities. A large focus on livability, quality of life, well-being, health, sustainability, and housing is essential.” As we reinvent our urban environment, shaped by social, economic, and technological changes, our buildings need to adapt. The key to London’s resilience will be its ability to adapt. It’s fair to say there is still much to be reckoned with, and the journey toward shaping an even better city requires clarity, passion, and drive to create an equitable, sustainable, and prosperous city. NLA’s mission to bring people together to shape a better London is setting this agenda and supporting the future of our beloved city. #UrbanLandscape #Insight #History #Culture #GrowingCity #Architecture #Comms

Fantastic to see Glasgow City Council's A Vision for Glasgow Golden Z announced as the winner in this year's Scottish Design Awards masterplanning category.   Threesixty Architecture Ltd and a team that included Stantec and Kevin Murray Associates supported Glasgow City Council in creating this 20/30 year Vision for the traditional retail core of Glasgow city centre, known as the Golden Z. Comprising Argyle Street, Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall Street, the ‘Z’ is the architectural, cultural and employment epicentre of a region that serves 35% of Scotland’s population- over two million citizens. This vision is a roadmap demonstrating the key moves to ensure the city centre is relevant and meets the needs of the whole community to create place that leverages the authenticity derived from its rich heritage, culture and shared stories to fulfil the real promise of a city centre - to create opportunity and distraction.     In scope, depth and detail, this is the only study of its type in the UK and is an exemplar of how to embed greater socio-economic resilience and sustainability in a city core. More than a statement of ambition and reiteration of policy, the masterplan vision is an in-depth, granular analysis of the health of the city core and a detailed ‘care plan’ to create a vibrant, resilient city centre. The opportunity for physical and spatial interventions is shown in carefully considered volumetric studies with proposals based on a deep-dive townscape analysis and embodying the shared values and ambitions of a city for scale and quality. You can read the full document here: https://lnkd.in/ef5uPSvF

I saw some statistics earlier in the week about the huge number of people that are feeling desperately lonely. The article said, because we’ve become so focused on making cities practical and we’ve neglected to see the importance of community and connection. Towns used to be built around the places where community gathered but now it's become more about convenience, getting to work and shopping.  Then this popped up on my phone before I went to bed https://lnkd.in/ekyjhkkS  The winner of the Riba international prize is this social housing in Barcelona  “The housing development comprises of 85 equally-sized apartments that are each organised around the central kitchen, which doubles as a main circulation space”    I thought it was a really brave, it makes me nervous too, but doing something different is always going to involve risk.  I just wondered if anyone knows of other examples of architecture/town planning that is focused on combating loneliness and bringing people together again?      #inspirationalarchitecture #tacklinglonliness #innovativedesign #architecture #worldarchitecture #thefutureofarchitecture #townplanning 

Human-centered design isn’t a trend—it’s a necessity for building #resilient, vibrant, and #inclusive cities. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gehbWvZs #FM #FacilityManager #PropertyManagement #RealEstate #CRE #Architecture #BUILDINGS #BuildingsMagazine #BuildingsMedia

The International Day of Cooperatives celebrates the cooperative movement, empowering individuals and communities through collectively owned enterprises. This year's theme was "Cooperatives: Partners for Accelerated Sustainable Development." Co-living models, inspired by the cooperative movement, have become successful in architecture, promoting community engagement and sustainability. Read on to discover four colliding European projects that challenge the traditional understanding of residential architecture. https://ow.ly/51it50SPHxY

Aggressive forms of “hostile architecture” can be highly problematic contributing to social exclusion and enclaves. Marcus Foth, Nick Kelly and Skye Doherty argue that urban designers need to broaden their understanding of creativity if they are to design liveable, sustainable and equitable places to live and work. #urbandesign #creativedesignprudence #hostilearchitecture https://lnkd.in/gxSkkj4V

The design of cities should reflect the diverse needs of their inhabitants through human-centered design. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gehbWvZs #FM #FacilityManager #PropertyManagement #RealEstate #CRE #Architecture #BUILDINGS #BuildingsMagazine #BuildingsMedia

More on gentrification In the realm of architecture, there have been successful gentrification projects that managed to balance revitalization with community preservation. One notable example is the High Line in New York City. The High Line is an elevated linear park built on a historic freight rail line on Manhattan's West Side. The project transformed a disused railway into a vibrant public space that incorporates greenery, art installations, and gathering areas, revitalizing the surrounding neighborhood while preserving its industrial heritage. Another example is the Tate Modern in London. The Tate Modern is a contemporary art museum housed in a former power station on the banks of the River Thames. The adaptive reuse of the industrial building into a cultural hub has not only revitalized the area but also integrated the local community through art and exhibitions, creating a space that is accessible to a diverse audience. These projects demonstrate how thoughtful design and community engagement can lead to successful gentrification projects in architecture, where new developments enhance the urban fabric while respecting the history and identity of the neighborhood.