6 January 2026
Open Buildings in Practice: A New Commons for the Built Environment in Africa
Google Research’s “Open Buildings” is an open, large-scale geospatial dataset that maps where buildings are (and what their footprints look like) across much of the Global South. Practically, it gives you machine-generated building outlines (polygons) and centroids (points) derived from satellite imagery, plus a confidence score per detection so you can choose how strict you […]
2 January 2026
The Global Housing Crisis: An Architectural Perspective on Solutions & Leadership
The housing crisis is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, exacerbated by rapid urbanization, population growth, increasing longevity, climate change, and socioeconomic inequalities. As of 2025, UN-Habitat estimates that approximately 2.8 billion people worldwide—about 40% of the global population—lack access to adequate housing, secure land tenure, or basic services like water and […]
2 January 2026
Ghana Through the Lens, Space Through the Archive: The Willis Bell Photographic Archive
Some websites are simply brochures: a neat front door, a few pages, and a polite invitation to click “Contact.” The Willis Bell Photographic Archive is the opposite. It is a working repository—part museum, part library, part research instrument—built to hold a nation’s visual memory across a decisive period and to make that memory searchable, teachable, […]
31 December 2025
Global Architectural Discourse 2025: Top Trends & Themes for 2026
Architecture at the midpoint of the 2020s stands at a crossroads of urgent challenges and creative renaissance. As we enter 2026, the field is marked by renewed experimentation, urgent environmental reflection, and an expanded global dialogue on the built environmentarchdaily.com. Architects worldwide are grappling with climate change imperatives, rapid technological advances, and evolving social expectations. […]
16 December 2025
South African Construction Action Plan (SACAP) – A New Era for the Construction Industry
The South African construction sector has experienced significant change and turbulence since the end of apartheid in 1994. Major turning points and policy reforms include: Through these decades, the industry’s trajectory has been one of highs and lows – from early post-apartheid reforms and a 2000s boom, to scandal, decline, and ongoing struggle with inefficiency […]
8 December 2025
Corruption in Johannesburg’s Building Control Department
Historical Overview: From Inception to 2015 The City of Johannesburg’s Building Control Department (City’s (Planning) Development Management Department) – responsible for building plan approvals, inspections, and enforcement of bylaws – has long been plagued by mismanagement and corruption. Since the department’s inception under the city’s planning administration, there have been recurring allegations of officials abusing […]
14 November 2025
Urban Decline and Resilience in South African Cities (1994–2025)
South Africa’s major cities have experienced sharply divergent trajectories in the post-1994 democratic era. While Johannesburg, Pretoria (Tshwane), Durban (eThekwini), and Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) have grappled with declining infrastructure, faltering services, and social strains, Cape Town has stood out for sustained growth and relative excellence. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of these trends, focusing […]
7 November 2025
“You’re Registered. Now What?” The No-Nonsense Job Guide for New Architects
Are you a newly qualified architect wondering how to break into the professional world—or how to take your next big step after registration? Whether you’re fresh from grad school or just passed your SACAP professional practice exam, this guide is your launchpad. Inside, you’ll find a real-world example of what your cover letter and CV […]
16 October 2025
Popular Digital Tools in Architecture: Global Usage and Market Position
Modern architects utilize a broad spectrum of digital tools to design, document, visualize, and manage projects of all scales. These tools can be grouped into key categories, including CAD (computer-aided drafting) software for drawing and detailing, BIM (Building Information Modeling) platforms for comprehensive 3D modeling and data management, visualization and presentation tools for renderings and […]
29 September 2025
Impact of BRICS+ Membership on South Africa’s Construction Industry
Download this report in PDF format South Africa’s participation in the BRICS alliance (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) – now expanding into BRICS+ with new members – has far-reaching implications for its construction industry. As a BRICS member since 2010 and the only African economy in the bloc, South Africa gains a platform […]