The Loire Valley – and France in general – is full of historical and picturesque castles. Some of these monumental structures date as far back as the 12th century and are well-known and easily accessible. Others will require thorough research and a detour. After doing exhaustive mapping, and visiting many of them with a half … Continue reading
On Saturday 27th of August 2022, Charlie and I tied the knot after being engaged for more than 2 years. What we lived that day – and the week leading to it – were some of the most magical days of our lives. Charlie is English and I am Spanish, so the first question was … Continue reading
The architect who gave the capital of Slovenia its modern identity was idealistic, successful and highly empathic ▴ Žale Cemetery by Jože Plečnik (1940) Jože Plečnik (1872–1957) had the career that the 20th century inflicted on Communist Europe. A visionary of the same generation in Slavic-speaking lands, Ivan Vurnik, would invite Plečnik to found the Ljubljana … Continue reading
The Cotswolds, a delightful area in England, is where I recently spent my birthday. Fast-forward two weeks later, a world pandemic struck, making those couple of days seem like a dream buried in the past. The picturesque, honey-coloured towns and villages of the Cotswolds look as if they have strayed into the 21st century from … Continue reading
Nobody can resist the charm of Barcelona. Especially us architects. In Barcelona, the cradle of contemporary urbanism, the landscape is enriched with endless layers of history. Since its first settlers, Roman colonists, generation after generation built here, one on top of another. Romans, Visigoths and a brief Islamic period are still embedded within the city’s … Continue reading
New York is full of gorgeous, and sometimes secret, Instagram-worthy spots. I’ve picked out the 15 prettiest and most photogenic places to visit in town. Planning a trip to New York soon? Great news, I have some sights to delight your eyes. All of them are special, pretty and even romantic. If you love architecture, … Continue reading
Last week I visited Turkey as part of a month of birthday celebrations. I took the chance to visit new buildings as well as to revisit some of my favourite locations of Istanbul. And eat lots of baklavas in the meantime. Oh God, I am obsessed with baklava. Istanbul is one of the most interesting … Continue reading
After a biiiiiig blogging break I come back with a story worth sharing. The story of a dream come true 🙂 Two years of intense work have led to creating the world’s best architecture guide of London. The books have been published about a week ago and I had some time these past days to … Continue reading
Dance schools are simultaneously one of the most poetic and difficult spaces to create. The extensive range of styles and disciplines added to the sound, lighting and ventilation requirements make them complex projects. However, the program offers rich opportunity to make the most out of view points, improvising spaces, stunning staircases and dramatic entrances. This is … Continue reading
Almost two years ago I visited Bucharest for the first time and the more I walked its decadent streets, the more I liked it. The honesty of this city is brutal as the contrast is perceptible in every single area. You will find old and new, poor and rich and captivating and ill-flavored coexisting so … Continue reading
Stairs, like bridges, connect two different points in space. Its purpose is both functional and symbolic. Among the many types of stairs, those found in open urban spaces are the most interesting. This list is a collection of some of the most thoughtful urban interventions around the world that use steps as the medium to link … Continue reading
In vino veritas – in wine there is truth – says the Latin proverb. If you love wine and architecture, this post is for you. Wine is produced under very strict conditions, therefore, wineries are challenging pieces of architecture. Factors such as light and temperature are key to the fermentation, aging and bottle maturation processes. … Continue reading
Happy 2016 everyone! If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen how hectic 2015 has been. It’s been a year of travels, dreams and challenges. As a personal exercise of review and self-meditation, I want to share with you my journey through this past 2015 and my hopes and goals for this exciting 2016 … Continue reading
Updated 2019 Paris, the city that was born on the banks of the Seine, grew from being a small island – Île de la Cité – to the vast metropolis that nowadays extends beyond Ménilmontant, the vingtième arrondisement. The French capital has so much to offer. Centuries of history have left behind meaningful structures which also have … Continue reading
When we have something precious to keep, we usually find a very precious container. We put it in a safe place and enjoy watching it from time to time. However, some of us end up appreciating the container more than what it contains, right? A museum is a space that conserves a collection of artifacts. Therefore, a museum is a container. Sometime ago, … Continue reading
Among all types of infographics, maps are my favourite kind. It’s really fascinating how much information a well-designed map is able to communicate. And this makes subway maps both a challenge and a nightmare to designers. Long before cars became our primary means of transport, the use of interurban transit provided commuters a way of … Continue reading
Despite the use of color in architecture throughout history, modern constructions seem to be a bit skeptical of this design aspect. Contemporary architecture tends to avoid color in general and there are only a few buildings who manage to use tones in the right way. Architects don’t want their buildings to look like a kindergarten … Continue reading
Among the many art items architects have designed, timepieces hold a prominent position. If architecture is a perfect balance between “form” and “function” then it makes sense to say that watches are architecture you can wear. I have a special passion for watches and it is in fact the only piece of jewellery I wear. … Continue reading
Sometimes we try to find inspiration in big art/architecture magazines while there are many unknown artists publishing their amazing work online. It’s been nearly a year since I started blogging with WordPress and during this time I came accross many outstanding blogs. This is a selection of WordPress sites that I find amazing in all … Continue reading
We live in a globally connected world. We are able to communicate from one side of the planet to the other, with ease. We share information with no limits. Our travel connects cities and countries and even continents. But how does this connected society impact architecture? Well, It’s impossible not to think about bridges. Bridges … Continue reading
Name: Notre Dame du Haut Architect: Le Corbusier Year: 1950-55 Location: Ronchamp (France) Camera: Nikon D60 Time: 16.02 pm Motive: Architecture Photography If you like Architectural Photography check Architecture From Another Planet Continue reading
The Great Wave of Kanakawa (1760 – 1849) Author: Hokusai Katsushika Location: Hakone Museum (Japan) The composition of his woodblock print is made out of three items: the waves, the boats and Mount Fuji. There were 46 Mount Fuji paintings on the collection. It is one of the most copied art pieces of all times, … Continue reading
As a matter of fact, good movies are remarkable in all aspects. However, this selection of twelve are specially spectacular in terms of architecture. In my opinion, the way composition, light and scenarios are treated make them extremely interesting to watch. 1. “How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr. Foster?” (2010) Directors: Carlos Carcas, Norberto … Continue reading
Virginia Duran 