Munich – Bavaria’s capital since 1506 – is a city with layers and layers of history. Its many years as a rising architectural epicentre have left an interesting and unique mix of buildings. From Middle Age churches and cathedrals to contemporary synagogues. From skyscrapers to small pavilions. Brutalism to Art Nouveau. Munich’s architecture is truly extensive … 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
Earlier this year, my friend and photographer Philipp Heer and I explored Munich. We were fascinated by its museums, contemporary religious architecture and U-Bahn stations – to name a few. Simply Munich had invited us to spend a couple of days exploring and capturing the city from its many angles, and thanks to the brilliant … Continue reading
Travelling – remember that? An archaic PC (Pre-Covid) ritual where individuals went from one place to another, typically over a distance bigger than someone’s living room. I know, I know, dear globetrotter, you’re itching for the day you can travel again. With the days getting colder and the nights getting longer, leaving the house looks a lot … Continue reading
Vietnam’s emerging architecture can be best seen in Ho Chi Minh city and Hanoi, two beautiful cities that I explored in 2016. Because the capital is experiencing so much growth, I’ll be updating this map constantly with its new structures. This guide covers everything interesting in terms of architecture. If you find any mistakes, or have any … Continue reading
While working on London’s Guide I had the chance to visit UK’s most charming cities and towns, being Edinburgh one of my favourites. There’s something magical about its hills, cobblestone streets and vernacular architecture that will make you want to visit the city over and over. This guide covers everything interesting in terms of architecture. If … Continue reading
Neoclassical architecture proudly standing next to Communist buildings. Massive governmental structures which have been finished in the wrong period. Long avenues, vintage cafés and buildings with high risk for a collapse. A lot of personality within an emerging city of which I have high hopes. Anything interesting in terms of architecture is here. If you find … Continue reading
If your plan is to eventually travel the world, this article will inspire you on your 2017 trips. The good thing about being open to visit every country in the world is that you can choose the best moment to make your visit. Obviously, traveling can be very expensive. However, if you plan your destinations … Continue reading
Visiting a city with a local makes it all so special. Thanks to my friend Alex for showing me around, it felt as if I was guided by Tintin himself around the city, getting to know its secret spots and most amazing stories – all covered in the guide. Anything interesting in terms of architecture is … Continue reading
What if you could only have one main goal on this upcoming year? A goal that could be able to change the way you look at things. Which would it be? Mine was to travel 12 countries in 12 months and I managed to visit 14 beautiful countries, but so much more happened along the way. You must … Continue reading
Amsterdam is all about practical urban planning, amazing cycling infrastructure, tulip-lined canal bridges and old merchant houses tilt at impossible angles. I visited Amsterdam for the first time this year and fell in love with it on day one. Discover secret spots, new buildings and the most amazing places to photograph the city among other things. If you find any mistakes, or … Continue reading
Paris is one of the most magical cities you’ll ever visit. The massive amount of iconic buildings, museums and art galleries is just a small part of what will make you fall in love with this city. Discover secret spots, new buildings and the most amazing places to photograph the city among other things. If you find any … Continue reading
I visited Boston for the first time two years ago. Its buildings, primarily low-rise, the city layout, based on narrow and winding streets and its parks, part of the urban grid, made me like Boston immediately. In my opinion, Boston has every good thing about European architecture without losing the distinctive touch of Northern America. Anything interesting … Continue reading
Very few people will leave Lisbon without falling in love. Beautiful and unexpected details such as a picturesque street, a magnificent viewpoint at the turn of a street and singular tiled façades will make you slowly fall in love. Its people, among the most friendly in Europe in my opinion, will make you feel at … 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
Shanghai, 18.30. I had 30 minutes before the city became a neon light explosion. I entered the Hyatt’s lift up to the 92nd floor feeling kind of nervous. The same type of nervous when you wait for someone at the airport or when you concentrate on smelling the rain. My stomach felt like falling due to the … Continue reading
I had never been to China before this summer. I was very fortunate to have been awarded a full scholarship for Tongji’s summer program on sustainability and green practices and got the chance to visit Shanghai for the first time. I was deeply impressed by their culture, their philosophy and their construction methods. I had time to discover the … Continue reading
Everyone agrees on Istanbul’s magical charm, which still has some grandeur of the Byzantine Empire. When I first visited this summer, I was very impressed by its architecture: mosques, hidden baths and its unique skyline. Anything interesting in terms of architecture is here. If you find any mistakes, or have any suggestions please let me know. My … Continue reading
If you have a pair of sunglasses and a sketch book, you’ll need nothing else in Spain. In addition to the sunshine and its (amazing) food, Spain is also widely known for its architecture. Influenced by the Romans, the Visigoths and the Muslims among others, Spain has a beautiful mixture of architectural styles that have remained or have … Continue reading
If you love photography, you’ll be quite impressed by Chema Madoz, a Spanish photographer who won The National Photography Prize in 2000. But what is it exactly that makes his photographs so unique? He always shoots with natural light and uses a medium format Hasselblad. However, the extreme sensibility of his photographs go beyond technicism. … Continue reading
Miami is an amazing North American city where you can find anything you want. If you want sun and sand, you’ll have it. But if you wanted a 12th-century monastery brought stone by stone from Spain you could have it too. Impressed? Continue reading… The clear blue water and the white sand beaches are a … Continue reading
Miami is the kind of city not many people visit for its architecture, unless you aren’t the average traveler. In that case you’ll be amazed by its colorful Art Deco buildings from the very first minute you step on Ocean Drive. This kind of architecture reminds us of better times in Cuba, when ladies wore … Continue reading
Architectural photography is one of the most beautiful types of art, and also my favourite. Its goal is to capture the philosophy and essence of a building into a single image- not an easy task at all. However, when done correctly, it looks as if no effort was needed. The greatness of some of the … Continue reading
London is one of the most interesting European cities in terms of architecture. Besides its history, some of the most relevant towers of the 21st century have been built recently, making it a beautiful city full of contrasts. Anything interesting in terms of architecture is here. If you find any mistakes, or have any suggestions … 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
Winter 1970, Madrid If you love concrete you’ll love this piece, built between 1960-1990. The Spanish cultural heritage building, “Instituto del Patrimonio Cultural” is the most unusual concrete building in Madrid. Building: Instituto del Patrimonio Cultural de España Architects: Fernando Higueras (1930-2008), Rafael Moneo (1937- ), Antonio Miró (1931-2011) Year built: 1960-1990 Location: Calle del … Continue reading
A few days ago, while updating the The Free Architecture Guide of Rome, something drew my attention, there were barely no new buildings after the 1960s. So I went through every single building of the map to check my suspicion and that was it, no major constructions in nearly 40 years! I wondered if it had to … Continue reading
Sometimes handmade gifts make us the happiest people on Earth. Not only from the point of view of the person receiving this present, but also from the creator’s side, who puts so much love into every detail. When we’re building our handmade gift we tend to imagine the other person’s reaction and the smile on … Continue reading
Two weeks ago I visited Berlin for the first time. Despite having heard it was amazing, it turned out to be even better than I thought. Berlin is a strange mixture of past and present full of architectural contrasts. One of the most interesting cities I’ve ever visited, that’s for sure. Along with North Rhine-Westphalia, … 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
Virginia Duran 