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Spotlight: Building Envelope

Cladding and roofing to bolster the performance and visual identity of building envelopes, plus new insights from Productora and BDP Quadrangle.
Kymaia Hotel in Oaxaca at sunset
In Oaxaca, the Kymaia Hotel is One with the Landscape
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Made from bagasse, a waste product from sugarcane production, Sugarcrete blocks sequester more carbon than clay and concrete of equal volume.
Sugarcrete Harnesses Agricultural Waste to Build a More Sustainable Future
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Skyscraper under construction
Toronto’s BDP Quadrangle Creates a Tool Kit for Low-Carbon Design
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3 masonry options
3 Masonry Options for Durable Design
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Roofing Solutions
3 Roofing Solutions with Overhead Strength
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Spotlight: Building Envelope
Kymaia Hotel in Oaxaca at sunset

Mere steps from the ocean, and enveloped by mangroves, wetlands and gardens bursting with native flora, the newly opened Kymaia Hotel is at one with its surroundings just outside of Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca, Mexico. The latest hospitality venture by entrepreneur Ezequiel Ayarza Sforza is positioned as “an oasis where luxury and nature intertwine in a delicate balance” that celebrates sustainability, biodiversity and the cultural heritage of the region. To bring his holistic vision to life, Ayarza Sforza called on Mexico City–based architecture studio Productora, a firm known for context-appropriate
and timeless designs that incorporate tradition and emotion along with a touch of playfulness and the unexpected.

Sitting low on the landscape, the 22 guest suites at the Kymaia Hotel offer privacy through their pyramidal form. Large windows that face the ocean provide spectacular views, while shutters made from local wood and gauzy drapes help control the interior climate.
Sitting low...
Made from bagasse, a waste product from sugarcane production, Sugarcrete blocks sequester more carbon than clay and concrete of equal volume.

New artificial sweeteners keep being invented, but sugar remains one of the world’s most popular ingredients — an estimated 194 million tonnes were produced between 2023 and 2024. Manufacturing all that sweetness comes with a cost. Along with detrimental health implications, the global sugar production industry has significant impacts on the
environment, contributing to water and air pollution, land degradation and a massive amount of agricultural waste — a main component of that being bagasse, the fibrous material left over from sugarcane after it has been pulverized to extract its juices. While the low-carbon, renewable material is often upcycled into paper and packaging or used as a biofuel, bagasse is still a relatively...

Skyscraper under construction

Back in the late spring of 2023, Toronto became the first city in North America to implement new standards to limit upfront embodied carbon emissions in new municipally owned buildings through the use of lower-carbon construction materials. Mandated for all City buildings (and certain private developments), the standards require that upfront embodied carbon emissions — those generated from material extraction, manufacturing, and the transportation and assembly of structural and envelope systems — be capped at 350 kgCO2e/m2. In response, local architecture firm BDP Quadrangle, which made its own commitment that 100 per cent of its projects would be net-zero carbon–ready with a targeted embodied carbon intensity (ECI) of 250 kgCO2e/m2 by...

3 masonry options

For a striking brick-clad facade, try these three masonry choices that bring out the boldness of brick.

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Silver City Smooth by Glen-Gery

silver city glen-gery

Brick manufacturer Glen-Gery introduces Silver City Smooth, a greyish-white tone, as its signature finish for 2025. Designed as part of the Emporium+ Series (alongside Black Pearl, Belgian Grey and Aspen White), this smooth-faced brick features a slight extruded edge that offers a sophisticated architectural presence. Fabricated at the Pennsylvania-based Hanley plant, the standard brick is 20.3 centimetres long by 5.7 centimetres high and 9.2 centimetres thick.

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Handformed Brick by Dutch Quality Stone

3 masonry options

Looking for masonry with an artisanal touch? With slight...

Roofing Solutions

For stylish yet durable roofing ideas, check out these three solutions:

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The Zintek by Zintek

The Zintek by Zintek

The small village of Sella Nevea in Northeast Italy is renowned for its ski slopes and rugged beauty, but winter here is no joke, and the built environment must be solid and sturdy enough to withstand the harsh climate. At the Montasio Complex — a 1970s apartment building restored by Fulvio Caputo of C and C Architettura Ingegneria — the key was upgrading the roof. Made of sheet metal and zinctitanium laminate by Zintek, the ventilated roof (with snow guards and filters to protect the vents from icy particles) improves seismic resistance, bolsters thermal insulation and reduces energy consumption: The structure now consumes...