Initiated by Architects: Two Very Different Housing Models

Two radically different apartment buildings are currently being completed only meters apart in Barcelona’s Poble Sec neighborhood. What makes them … More

Revisit: Casa Batlló

[Originally published in The Architectural Review December / January 2026] The year 2026 marks 100 years since the death of … More

Who are the Terrorists?

The people of Minneapolis are not cowering before their fascist president and his brutal ICE police. No, unlike the many … More

Tabula Gaza II

The plan for the reconstruction of Gaza is looking like a tabula rasa project indeed. We know there are very … More

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 … More

Yes, Ban Housing Speculation!

The government of Catalonia wants to ban housing speculation. It is currently studying the constitutional legality of banning the ownership … More

Digitization and its Discontents

Is it just me, or is the digital universe getting worse by the day? I find many apps and web … More

United We Stand

Demonstrations are a weekly occurence in Barcelona. Usually, they are organized well in advance, as permits must be issued by … More

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, … More

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” … More

Revisit: La Fábrica

[Originally published in The Architectural Review August 2025] Ricardo Bofill lived and worked in La Fábrica until his death in … More

Stuff

George Carlin once said: “A house is just a place to keep your stuff, while you go out and get … More

Two-Timing Tower

[Originally published in Bauwelt 15.2025] The new training tower recently completed at Barcelona’s Vall d’Hebron fire station, designed by local … More

Mountain Hut Essentials

Mountain huts, when situated far from any infrastructure such as a road or a ski lift, cannot afford to be … More

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 … More

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 … More

Pseudo-Vanguardism

When I was an architecture student in 1980s Southern Ontario, Canada, I was taught that the “good” architects were the … More

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. … More

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 … More

Shady Initiative

Barcelona City Council has initiated a city-wide program to shade public spaces. The reason: it is getting hotter every year. … More