An architect's training requires a wide range of knowledge. Various disciplines, such as art, mathematics, history, and sociology, enrich their cultural background, providing the tools and knowledge necessary to make the world around us a better place. Books are an essential resource for this learning process, and thanks to the internet, there are no longer any excuses to stop expanding our knowledge base.

We have searched the web to curate a unique selection of architecture books in Spanish that you can read on your computer or download directly to a tablet. The list includes classics of Vitruvian architecture, drawing manuals, and universal accessibility design guides, along with references to the work of inspiring architects.

We hope you enjoy reading these books!

Arquia/social, an initiative by Arquia Banca managed by the Arquia Foundation, is mindful of the economic impact of the crisis on families. Committed to fostering education and supporting architecture students and architects, the foundation has launched the Student Aid program. This second call for applications offers architecture students enrolled in public universities the opportunity to receive tuition assistance based on criteria of equality, merit, and aptitude. The program aims to provide the necessary means for students to begin or continue their architectural studies if they are currently facing financial difficulties in paying tuition or have special needs.

The 4th Call for Applications for the 2018 Research Grant has opened. This grant is aimed at architects who have graduated from a school of architecture in Spain and wish to develop a research project in New York City.

The Research Grant, organized by the Arquia Foundation in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, aims to promote the execution of an architecture research project by providing opportunities for its creation, development, and dissemination. It offers candidates the necessary conditions and resources to support their efforts and initiative.

According to a recent study titled "Digital Transformation in Architecture," conducted by RIBA in partnership with Microsoft, 87% of architecture firms agree that digital technologies are transforming the way they work, and the majority have already embarked on their digital transformation journey. The study shows that architectural professionals have readily embraced digitization through systems like 3D computer-aided design, rapidly advancing toward Building Information Modeling (BIM) and the Internet of Things (IoT).

The appearance and long-term maintenance of a work of architecture or interior design are heavily dictated by its materiality and the products used. If the selection of materials and products is not precise, the project can be compromised both aesthetically and functionally. 

This is why specification is essential to achieving the desired result, and the professionals responsible for this stage must have a broad knowledge of the materials and products available in their region. But is material specification done similarly across all architecture firms? Do the initial and final stages of the project receive the same attention? How close is the relationship between architects and materials, really?

Last March, we announced the winners of the 2020 Building of the Year award, which has celebrated the best of architecture built in Latin America and Spain since 2008. As is our tradition, we called upon our expert jury—our readers—to select their favorite buildings published throughout 2019.

In the coming weeks, we will announce the 2021 Building of the Year award. As a prelude to this new chapter, we have organized a series of virtual meetings with each of the 2020 Building of the Year winners to take an in-depth look at the three projects chosen by our readers. We will host the 2020 Building of the Year awards ceremony through a fully digital experience, made possible by the collaboration of our partners, Crest and Fundermax.

How a work of architecture or interior design looks and ages over time is heavily determined by its materials and the products used. If the choice of materials and products is inaccurate, both the appearance and the performance of the project could be compromised.

This is why specification is essential to achieving the desired outcome at a project's completion, and the professional in charge of this stage must have an extensive knowledge of the materials and products available in their region. But is material specification the same across all architecture firms? Is this project phase given the same importance as the initial design phase? How close is the relationship between architects and materials really?

The Technological Development Center (CDT), BIM Forum Chile, and ArchDaily invite all architecture and construction industry professionals to the webinar "Why Validate My BIM Objects with the National Library Standard?" to be held on Tuesday, October 6, at 11:00 AM.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which now affects more than 180 countries worldwide, has changed how we relate to everything. Our social and consumption practices are limited, and we have had to rely on digital tools to maintain distance while attempting to remain operational. In light of this new landscape, concepts like "home office" and "e-commerce" are becoming commonplace.

A few weeks ago, we reviewed how architects are adapting to remote work, seeking to maintain adequate production levels from home. It is easy to imagine that the initial stages of the design process can be carried out easily from home, but what happens in the later phases, when the architect must work on-site or select and specify the materials and products necessary for construction?

The COVID-19 pandemic, which is now affecting more than 180 countries worldwide, has changed how we relate to everything. Our social and consumption practices are limited, and we have had to rely on digital tools to maintain distance while attempting to remain operational. In light of this new landscape, concepts like home office and e-commerce are becoming common.

A few weeks ago, we looked at how architects are adapting to remote work, seeking to maintain adequate production levels from home. It is not hard to imagine that the early stages of the design process can be easily carried out from home, but what happens in the later phases, when the architect must work on-site or select and specify the materials and products necessary for construction?

Three months ago, the 20th Chilean Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism opened in Valparaíso. Titled "Diálogos Impostergables" (Urgent Dialogues), the 2017 edition was an invitation to understand the design and construction of our cities through a broad lens—one that incorporates aspirations and knowledge from outside the discipline.

As the most important event in Chilean architecture, this year's biennial served as a platform for projects reflecting on what we consider urgent in architecture and urbanism. Simultaneously, it examined how the profession can engage with those living on the margins, whose needs and aspirations have long been neglected in urban development. 

At FITUR, the Logroño City Council presented LA CALLE ES UN MUSEO (The Street is a Museum), a project aimed at revitalizing tourism and cultural visits in the city by showcasing public artworks and their creative processes, narrated by the artists themselves.

Ever since we announced the results of the competition for the “New Biobío Regional Theater,” an initiative led by the Regional Government and the Architecture Area of the Council of Culture and the Arts, we had been eagerly looking forward to seeing the winning proposal finally built.

Yesterday, the citizen forum "Modern Landscape, Transforming Territories" began in Chillán, an event that aims to reflect on the city's architectural and cultural heritage through various actions in the city.

Three main venues have been chosen to host all of the event's activities: the Municipal Theater, the Escuela México, and the iconic Copelec building, a landmark of modern Chilean architecture.

From January 24 to 26, the citizen forum on art, architecture, and the city, Chillán: Modern Landscape/Territories in Transformation, will take place at various locations throughout Chillán. The event includes lectures, free workshops, and a grand closing celebration featuring folk singers and other cultural expressions at the iconic COPELEC building.

The event aims to bring together the community with international artists, architects, and intellectuals in a gathering focused on revaluing the human, artistic, and territorial heritage of the newly formed Ñuble region.

On Wednesday, January 24, the Municipal Theater of Chillán will host the opening of the Chillán Citizen Forum: Modern Landscape/Transforming Territories, a three-day event that will reflect on the architectural, cultural, and artistic heritage of the locality and the new Ñuble Region. At 6:30 p.m., project curators Paul Birke and Pablo Brugnoli will present the initiative, which seeks to connect and integrate artists, thinkers, and professionals from various disciplines with local communities in an open dialogue regarding Chillán’s modern landscape.

The inaugural event will also feature the panel discussion “The Utopia of Latin American Architecture and the Case of Chillán,” which will center on honoring the distinguished architect Osvaldo Cáceres, who has had an extensive career not only as an architect but also in the research, documentation, and dissemination of national architectural history and heritage.

A new commemoration of the 1939 earthquake will take place throughout the city on January 24. The meeting point is the Plaza de Armas at 9:00 PM, where registered attendees will receive a complimentary reflective backpack.

Following this, a heritage bicycle tour will visit significant sites associated with the event that changed the city forever. At each stop, an archival photograph showing the site at the time of the earthquake will be projected, accompanied by commentary from the guides. The bike tour will pass by the San Francisco Church, the Los Carmelitas Church, the Old Normal School, the San Juan de Dios Chapel, and the Market.

Santiago, January 5, 2018 – Chilean architect M. Pilar Pinchart presents an exhibition at Galería Pan Am showcasing the inquiries that have shaped her work over the last 10 years, synthesized into a conceptual installation on high-rise housing. The exhibition opens on January 11 and will remain on view for three weeks.