A funny thing happened as we were putting together AZURE’s Jan/Feb 2026 issue: We noticed that, without planning to, we were talking a lot about courtyards. They were present in two projects – the Sloped Roof House in South Korea by Byoung Cho and Dash Marshall’s Detroit work-live space. They were also in the background, if not in the actual home reno, of Studio VAARO’s project in Toronto’s Rathnelly neighbourhood; the firm’s latest work coincides with its co-authorship of Impossible Toronto, a design and research book that posits a future in which European-style mid rises, with their glorious courtyards, could be part of Toronto’s urban fabric.

All of the houses have this in common as well: They are innovative and considerate of their social and physical contexts. This is as true for Santiago’s Centipede House as it is for Toronto’s Montague House.

Alongside these houses, we also look at multi-unit developments, namely those that are transforming malls — Shawn Micallef dives deep into the urbanization of these sprawl-adjacent projects to see what their future holds. Plus, we provide a first look at the architectural wonders that will compete for viewers’ attentions during the Winter Games in Milan, and how those buildings, too, will become high-density housing post-Games.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Fondation Cartier in Paris

Jean Nouvel’s sleight of hand transforms a department store into a work of art.

Lights that Illuminate

Our Spotlight features the latest products, as well as projects that make lighting a prime material.

Reports from the Fall Shows

Our editors are back from Bologna and Valencia to report on the best in tiles and home furnishings from the best Italian and Spanish brands.

Let’s Eat!

Furniture and appliances for hospitality — inside and outside the home.