2022 has again resulted in diverse coverage on ArchDaily in an eventful year, from speculating on building materials of the future to analyzing the narrative role that architecture plays in literature. A selection of articles from this year is found below, organized into four over-arching topics.
Courtesy of Jujutsu Kaisen Wiki - Fandom
Materials: Exploration
The bamboo, rattan, and abaca found in the Philippines are integral elements of its vernacular architecture. In India and Egypt, earth has been a building material that has produced innovative, beautiful results. The materials that we build with have environmental, social, and aesthetic meanings.
Urbanism: Crafting Spaces
From observations of the importance of queer spaces in the United States to the segregation by caste that casts a shadow over India's public realm, gaining a richer understanding of urbanism necessitates the deep consideration of the socio-economic and socio-cultural aspects of our cities.
Urban Disparities: How Caste Shapes Cities
Virtual Worlds and Artificial Intelligence
2022 has seen the rise of Artificial Intelligence image generators such as MidJourney and DALL-E, together with ChatGPT, a chatbot launched by OpenAI that generates human-like text. From the still-uncertain real-life applications of the Metaverse to designers specializing in speculative worlds, the lines between virtual and physical spaces may continue to get even more blurred.
Clinging to Familiarity in the Metaverse: Are We More Likely to Accept Architecture When it Looks Familiar?
Housing
Multi-faceted conversations on housing have been a significant part of the architectural discussion in the past and present and will continue to be a key part of future architectural discourse. This year has seen reflections dissecting contemporary trends of small-footprint housing, in addition to much-needed explorations of the affordability of homes amidst global inequality.
Architecture in Graphic Novels
As a visual medium, graphic novels are often avenues of architectural storytelling, as authors and artists use illustrations of the built environment to construct rich, complex narratives, from the manga Jujutsu Kaisen to the graphic novels Berlin and Aya.
Courtesy of Jujutsu Kaisen Wiki - Fandom
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Year in Review presented by Randers Tegl.“When creating unique architecture, visionary ideas aren’t always enough. A unique look demands character, courage, and distinctive materials. And a format to achieve the extraordinary. At Randers Tegl, we aim to add a unique touch to exceptional brickworks by bringing premium bricks to life and into the world of architecture. Making the impossible possible. We are proud to be a part of unique architecture worldwide since 1911.”Every month we explore a topic in-depth through articles, interviews, news, and projects. Learn more about our ArchDaily topics. As always, at ArchDaily we welcome the contributions of our readers; if you want to submit an article or project, contact us.