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ArchPulse: Global Architecture Weekly – Top Projects & Trends Around the World

Nothing beats seeing the world through the lens of architecture. Every week, new buildings, exhibitions, and innovations emerge that shape how we live, imagine, and interact with our environment. ArchPulse: Global Architecture Weekly brings you a curated, global view of architecture — from award-winning projects to emerging trends, technology, and cultural insights.

This week, we explore projects from London to Lagos, Tokyo to São Paulo, uncovering how architects balance design, sustainability, and social responsibility.

Architecture & Awards Around the Globe

Awards highlight projects that are pushing boundaries.

In London, Appleby Blue Almshouse won the 2025 RIBA Stirling Prize. Designed by Witherford Watson Mann, this housing complex redefines elder living.

With 57 flats, communal gardens, shared rooms, and social corridors, it creates a balance between privacy and community.

In China, Liu Jiakun received the 2025 Pritzker Prize for socially oriented architecture.

West Village, Chengdu

The Tianbao Cave District

His work focuses on everyday neighborhoods, enhancing community life rather than creating monumental statements.

In Mexico, Mario Schjetnan won the 2025 Oberlander Prize for landscape architecture, blending ecological intelligence with public spaces such as parks and urban systems.

Museum of the Northen Cultures, Paquime, Mexico

These awards emphasize human-scale, socially conscious, and environmentally aware design.

Landmark Openings & Announcements

Zayed National Museum, Abu Dhabi

Set to open in December 2025, Foster + Partners designed this museum with five wing-shaped towers inspired by falcons. Passive cooling, solar chimneys, and daylight management create a climate-responsive environment while showcasing UAE heritage.

Seoul Architecture Biennale 2025 – “Radically More Human”

Curated by Thomas Heatherwick, this Biennale emphasizes emotion and sensory experience. The Humanise Wall twists steel to engage the public dynamically.

Lisbon Architecture Triennale 2025 – “How Heavy is the City?”

Explores the weight of infrastructure and urban life, blending physical exhibits with conceptual ideas to provoke public participation.

Title:Lisbon Architecture Triennale 2025: How Heavy is a City?

Type:Festival / Biennial

Organizers: 7th Lisbon Architecture Triennale

From: October 02, 2025 09:00 AM

Until: December 08, 2025 06:00 PM

Venue: LisbonAddressVarious locations, Lisbon

British Embassy Renovation, Brasília

Merges Brasilia’s modernist DNA with British design. Interiors are modernized while respecting the building’s proportions.

Tashkent Architecture Revival

In Uzbekistan, projects like the Tashkent Circus and updated metro stations blend modern design with Soviet-era modernist heritage.

State Circus by Genrikh Aleksandrovich and Gennady Masyagin, 1976

Metro station Prospekt of Cosmonauts by Spartak Ziganshin, 1984

Asia: Emerging Trends & Projects

Asia is showcasing innovative approaches to density, climate, and culture.

House Valley, Taichung, Taiwan uses modular stacking to create open, sunlit spaces.

The Philippine Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2025 - Thematic Exhibition as a Living Laboratory

explores indigenous building methods and ecological identity.

Taking on Water Designing for Too Much & Too Little (Left) / Out of this World Design in Speculative Spaces (Right)

Elephant Chapel / Boonserm Premthada

Elephant dung to form a 4 meter tall vaulted structure - Light yet resilient, minimal yet durable.

The continent emphasizes sustainable, context-driven design rather than copying Western styles.

Africa & Middle East: Climate & Community Focus

African and Middle Eastern architecture responds to climate and social needs.

African architects are designing resilient housing with clay, shading, and passive ventilation under tight budgets. AZA2025 Urban Festival in South Africa showcases collaborative urban solutions. In the Middle East, desert-adapted projects combine climate-smart strategies with cultural identity.

The AZA2025 Urban Festival, an architecture and urban development event, took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, from August 29–31, 2025. The festival, officially named ArchitectureZA (AZA) Meets 2025, was held at the University of Johannesburg's Kingsway Campus and explored themes like "Where Architecture Meets Us/Planet/Future". It featured interactive presentations, debates, masterclasses, film festivals, and exhibitions.

Latin America & South America: Public Space & Identity

Latin American architecture blends modernism, vernacular traditions, and public engagement.

MALHA (Former Storage Warehouse) Tavares Duayer Arquitetura

New Spaces for the Municipal Lyceum (Former Marconetti Mill) Subsecretariat of Architecture Works, City Government of Santa Fe

Adaptive reuse projects transform industrial spaces into cultural hubs.

Xochimilco Ecological Park, Mexico City, Mexico

Mario Schjetnan’s landscapes integrate ecological sensitivity with urban life.
British Embassy in Brasília modernizes heritage while retaining character.

Europe & Nordics: Sustainability & Circular Design

Europe and the Nordics lead in sustainability and circular construction.

Carbon-neutral neighborhoods, modular buildings, and recycled materials are prevalent.
Scandinavian housing combines minimalist aesthetics with climate-responsive strategies.
Lisbon Triennale encourages thoughtful consideration of materials, energy, and social responsibility.

Technology, Education & Innovation

Architecture is evolving through AI, VR, AR, and digital twins.

AI supports rapid design iteration, while human architects refine forms.
VR/AR immerses clients in unbuilt spaces.
Universities integrate real-world projects, including climate adaptation and community design.

Projects to Watch & Hidden Gems

Small projects are redefining impact:

Chicken Hero Pavilion, Jakarta – bamboo and reclaimed materials for urban public art.

Dong Na Community House, Vietnam – small-scale bamboo architecture responding to climate.

House Valley, Taiwan – modular residential design prioritizing light and greenery.

Reflections & Debates

Architecture provokes questions:

Emotion vs efficiency: Can algorithmic design evoke human warmth?
Scale & accessibility: How can high-budget innovations reach affordable housing?
Heritage & futurity: How to respect history while innovating?
Technology & authorship: How do architects maintain creative responsibility with AI?
Climate justice: How can high-profile projects balance ambition with sustainability?

What to Watch Next Week

Upcoming awards across Asia and Africa
South Asian climate-resilient housing projects
Venice Architecture Biennale updates
Student competitions on urban regeneration, water, and cultural architecture
Reports linking architecture to mental wellbeing and health

Final Thoughts

Architecture is powerful when it listens, adapts, and cares. From Appleby Blue Almshouse to small-scale community projects, this week’s stories emphasize dignity, climate awareness, and human-centered design.

ArchPulse: Global Architecture Weekly shows us that architecture is more than buildings — it’s culture, community, and imagination in practice.