Housing at its Best

When I went to Barcelona for vacation, I didn’t know much about its architecture, nor visual appearance—but once I visited some places, I had to look further. The city itself seemed like a living thing, full of energy; but what struck me most was the extent to which a single person had shaped the city’s core. Before I arrived, I had heard his name and seen some photos on the web, but I could never have been ready for the raw imagination and detail of his work in person. You don’t see Antoni Gaudí’s buildings—you feel them.

One of the most vivid experiences was going inside the Sagrada Família. Even though it still isn’t finished, the size and amount of thought put into it showcased Gaudí’s vision and the work he put into this masterpiece. The interior felt like a living forest—tree-trunk-sized columns, stained-glass windows casting rainbow light—like the heavens were reaching down on us. It’s impossible not to be amazed at the size and symbolism that covers every inch. Learning that Gaudí spent the latter years of his life working only on this one project—and even had a house on the site—made the whole experience spiritual.

A second highlight was Casa Batlló. Outside, it looks like something out of a dream: swirling curves, bright colors, mask-faced balconies, and a dragon-shaped roof. Passing through it was passing through something that seemed like art, not a building. Gaudí clearly didn’t care much for straight lines or being conventional. All of it—even doorknobs—was designed to be functional, as well as pleasing to the eye. It made me remember that architecture can be whimsical, fanciful, and deeply profound all at once.

The best part of seeing Gaudí’s work with my own eyes is the way in which it is inseparable from nature and Catalan culture. His buildings do not dominate the landscape—they grow out of it naturally, as if they have always been there. And underneath all the curves and vibrant colors, there is a feeling of deep purpose and faith. Gaudí didn’t just design structures; he constructed experiences, stories, and spaces that reflect what he saw in the world. I departed from Barcelona inspired—and with a new foundation for my architecture journey.

AI has shown to become more and more prominent within our lives; however, for certain fields like architecture, it still needs to improve in areas before it becomes a bigger deal. At the moment, AI can only fulfill repetitive tasks in the early stages in design, ultimately making it a less valuable tool in architecture. Due to its lack of real-life reasoning skills, like spatial reasoning, material knowledge, and etc., it proves to be a nuisance when tasked with creating full models.

In the field of architecture, AI is mainly used for inspiration instead of the creation of designs, so having this in mind, people argue that AI would not be able to replace the cognitive and overall abilities of architects, due to all the factors that AI has shown is lacking. In conclusion, AI might improve some parts of the field; however, it will most likely never fully replace human architects. It was found that it is really hard to find gaps in architecture because of its vast history. Stretching all the way back to the Enlightenment, architecture has been alive and flourishing with multiple types of building and designing procedures that would be hard for something like AI to comprehend, since it is new technology.

With new advances, AI still cannot grasp context, adapt to new scenarios, or accept legal liability, which emphasizes the significance of human architects. Architects design buildings, and while doing that, they must consider the aesthetic appeal, functionality, accessibility, longevity, community integration, and more. These factors require imagination, ethics, and professional judgment — AI currently lacks all of these.

To summarize, AI will not be able to replace human architects, as it solely aims towards improving efficiency and assisting in technical tasks. Since the Enlightenment, architecture has been enriched and shaped by diverse techniques, cultures, humanism, and multi-layered traditions. A field so deeply entwined with humanity and tradition — nearly impossible for a machine to replicate its intricacies and nuances.

Barcelona, known for its vibrant culture and their outstanding architectural buildings such as the Sagrada Familia. However, the city is also renowned for their sustainability within their efforts of architecture. Rooting from a famous Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudí, the city utilizes methods like Supermanzanas and Green facades to enable it to create significant environmental change for the good, redefining what it means to build for the future.

Supermanzanas are an urban planning concept that combines several blocks together to allow for a reduction of cars/pollution and more of a free area to roam around in. These blocks ultimately lower the amount of greenhouse emissions that are produced by cars, and not only does it make the area more livable, but it also grants a healthier, more vibrant zone that’s pedestrian-friendly. Then, building off of this liveliness, Green facades, another huge factor in the contribution to the sustainability of Barcelona, are plants that grow on the side of buildings. These tall walls of greenery are what allow solar radiation to reach the walls. The amount of environmental benefits these walls are able to sustain are beneficial in improvements to solar radiation and air quality levels.

These methods and many more were implemented into buildings in Barcelona such as The Blood and Tissues Bank of Catalonia and Media-TIC. Not only do these buildings save the environment, but also, financially, these buildings save tons of money per year through their resourcefulness and natural elements they implement. These together prove that even though the initial price of these changes is significantly more than if you were to use non-sustainable methods of building, eventually the outcome would become more beneficial for the environment and us.

If we all start today, implementing these new modifications into our designs and existing buildings, we can change the world as we know it. With carbon emissions increasing, drastically affecting the climate, there is no better time than now to act and think like Antoni Gaudí to ultimately build for the future.

Kengo Kuma, a Japanese architect, who helped design the stadium for the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

It all started with a competition, where the winner’s design for the new stadium would be built and showcased during the games. During this contest, Kengo Kuma actually did not get first. Initially, the winner of the contest was an architect named Zaha Hadid, whose design actually won. However, through closer examination, the design required too much money and was, overall, over their budget. Due to these constraints, Kengo Kuma’s design was declared victorious in round 3.

After 36 months, Kengo Kuma’s design was built. Throughout his design, you can notice the amount of greenery and sustainable materials that Kuma used. He had a total of 47,000 trees that surround the area, as well as the main material in the build being wood. Kengo Kuma wanted the stadium to be the most sustainability-conscious in the history of the games, by basing his concept off of a living tree. In the build, he utilized materials like wood, and because of its lightness, it made building such a large building easy, due to the fact that the supports for the building didn’t have to be as strong.

Now, going back to the #47, throughout the stadium, you notice that Kuma implemented the #47 in many different ways. He used 47,000 trees that surround the area, the height of the building is 47 meters, and the wood that was used in the construction was from each of the 47 prefectures of Japan.

Despite not winning the initial competition, Kuma’s blend of nature showcased the potential of sustainability by being able to use simple materials like wood to create a masterpiece. He took this opportunity to inspire our society to take action, ultimately displaying his quote: “Building for the future means being in harmony with the Earth.”

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We all know about the travesty of the LA fires, but some of the damage could have been avoided. In the article “These Homes Withstood the LA Fires. Architects Explain Why,” we see that this house survived in an area of thousands of destroyed homes because it was built for this type of event. However, without precautions like opening gates to prevent the fire from spreading along the fence, removing flammable objects from around the house, and avoiding attic vents to keep fire from entering, who knows if the house would still be standing?

Now besides the homeowner’s strategies to make his house as safe as possible, if it was a normal house, surely the house will still get some damage, but this house was spotless. What really made this house fire-resistant? The house was built with concrete garden walls that acted as a barrier against the flames, a metal roof with fire-resistant underlayment, and tempered glass windows that could withstand high temperatures. Its simple, compact structure also reduced vulnerable points where fire could take hold.

By using simple precautions, homeowners can significantly decrease the risk of their beloved homes crumbling down. Chasen has proved that you don’t need to be an architectural expert—you just need to know certain steps that everyone can take to ultimately prevent widespread destruction. Let us take action to protect our communities and homes, so that we can decrease the damage of future moments like these.

https://apple.news/AYYWG4_DpSxa08fxB9MxltQ

AI’s potential in the architectural workplace could revolutionize and shape our future as we know it. Normally it takes months or even years to come up with good ideas for housing projects and designs, but with the power of AI, it could take only a few hours for it to come up with a fully functional design that could be used in the actual world. However, this isn’t just a “silver bullet”, AI can’t change the fundamental issues of zoning, funding, and regulatory hurdles that often hold up new housing projects.

https://www.maket.ai/post/exploring-the-potential-of-generative-ai-to-support-the-creation-of-homes-that-are-affordable-accessible-and-sustainable

Did you know that nearly 40% of families in the US struggle to afford their rent? A home is more than a roof over your head; it’s a foundation for a better future. Affordable housing offers a simple yet powerful solution.

Mobile Loaves & Fishes, a nonprofit-based organization in Austin, Texas, has pioneered an innovative solution to homelessness and housing insecurity through their Community First! Village. This visionary community provides affordable, sustainable housing in tiny homes, specifically to individuals experiencing homelessness. The initiative not only addresses the immediate need for shelter but also promotes a supportive environment where residents can rebuild their lives without hopelessly wandering the streets. By prioritizing community and sustainability, these homes not only offer a place to live but also bring up a sense of belonging and resilience among residents.

Beyond providing housing, Community First! Village offers residents access to supportive services, job opportunities, and a vital social network. Each tiny home is meticulously designed to maximize space and efficiency. By empowering residents to participate in community life and contribute to their neighborhood, Community First! Village illustrates how small, affordable homes can become crucial for personal transformation and community recovery.

Affordable housing stands not just as a necessity but as a fundamental right that shapes the well-being of individuals and the resilience of communities. These homes not only provide shelter but also foster community, sustainability, and economic opportunity. Together, we can build communities where housing is not a burden but a source of stability and hope for generations to come.

https://www.architectmagazine.com/design/small-houses-big-impact_o