[Originally published in The Architectural Review December / January 2026] The year 2026 marks 100 years since the death of…
Who are the Terrorists?
The people of Minneapolis are not cowering before their fascist president and his brutal ICE police. No, unlike the many…
Tabula Gaza II
The plan for the reconstruction of Gaza is looking like a tabula rasa project indeed. We know there are very…
And the Nobel War Prize Goes to…
He has provoked an assault upon the US Capitol. He delivers arms and technology to Israel so its “defense” forces…
Yes, Ban Housing Speculation!
The government of Catalonia wants to ban housing speculation. It is currently studying the constitutional legality of banning the ownership…
Digitization and its Discontents
Is it just me, or is the digital universe getting worse by the day? I find many apps and web…
United We Stand
Demonstrations are a weekly occurence in Barcelona. Usually, they are organized well in advance, as permits must be issued by…
Well-Rounded Well-Being: The Low-Carbon Bioclimatic Architecture of the Balearic Housing Institute
[Originally published in Kuroishi, Izumi, ed. Post-War Public Housing and Well-Being: Modernity, Economic Recovery, and Social Change. New York: Routledge,…
Down with High-Rise, Up with Mid-Rise
From 2005 to 2013, I taught a seminar in the Metropolis Masters Program in Architecture and Urban Culture titled “LandSpec”…
Revisit: La Fábrica
[Originally published in The Architectural Review August 2025] Ricardo Bofill lived and worked in La Fábrica until his death in…
Stuff
George Carlin once said: “A house is just a place to keep your stuff, while you go out and get…
Two-Timing Tower
The new training tower recently completed at Barcelona’s Vall d’Hebron fire station, designed by local architect Carles Enrich, plays a…
Mountain Hut Essentials
Mountain huts, when situated far from any infrastructure such as a road or a ski lift, cannot afford to be…
Tax the Rich
All those who voted for and signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” just lowered taxes for the USA’s wealthiest. What sense…
Happy 4th of July to my US Readers
Having grown up in Canada, I have visited the USA on countless occasions. I loved visiting your country as it…
Pseudo-Vanguardism
When I was an architecture student in 1980s Southern Ontario, Canada, I was taught that the “good” architects were the…
The Mediterranean Corridor
Spain’s much-lauded high-speed rail network is based on a hub-and-spoke model with Madrid, the Spanish capital, at its very centre.…
Airport versus Penis Enlargement
Barcelona airport is going to be enlarged, it’s finally been decided. What for? So even more tourists can come and…
Shady Initiative
Barcelona City Council has initiated a city-wide program to shade public spaces. The reason: it is getting hotter every year.…
Radiotherapy and Hemodialysis Center
[Originally published in The Architectural Review, April 2025] While hospitals naturally require particular sanitary conditions, they must also accommodate people…
Criticalista 