
PARA TY prototype
This month, the AF Group had a virtual meeting with Brazilian researchers. The aim of the meeting was to discuss the PARA TY prototype which was designed by them at the International Virtual Architectural Design Studio (IVADS), a one week workshop organized by the Projetar Research Group (Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte).
Their proposal (a shelter for natural disasters, sanitary crises, or accidental catastrophes) investigates convergences between vernacular strategies of adaptation to water bodies and systematic design methods based on adaptability concepts proposed by the AF Group.
Participants of the meeting – AF Group: Robert Schmidt III; José Evandro Henriques; Mila Lima /
Brazilian Researchers: Haziel Lobo; Robson Canuto; Nicole Hagemeister; Luiz Felipe Silveira.
The work was publised in the Projetar Magazine and it can be downloaded here (only in Portuguese/PT): https://periodicos.ufrn.br/revprojetar/article/view/27780
- Understanding Adaptability through Layer Dependencies 01.11.11 in publications
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Marysville Getchell Campus
13.11.11 in case studies -
Adapting Peckham
01.11.11 in student work

AHRA 2021 Conference
We recently joined the 18th Annual International Architectural Humanities Research Association Conference (AHRA 2021), an online event hosted by Loughborough University, in which the main theme was ‘Region’. People from different countries participated and brought diverse discussions involving the topic.
In the context of COP26, we have been frequently questioned about the future of our planet, in specific, how the construction sector will respond to the objectives for 2030 to reduce its impact on climate change. With this in mind, our group developed an incoming article exploring traditional design features of Northeast Brazilian Architecture towards the Design for Adaptability and Sustainability (DfAS) in the context of Critical Regionalism. We discuss how these traditional features integrated with contemporary strategies can be a path for present and future architecture. We had the pleasure to write the article with Dr. Fernando Diniz Moreira from the Federal University of Pernambuco, in Brazil.
During the event we had the opportunity to present an overview of this paper in Parallel Section 3 (Adaptation 1) with two excellent researchers: Larissa Garrido and Professor Blaine Brownell. Larissa’s paper focused on Tactical Urbanism in the specific case of …

The ultimate flexible building
The Possible – The Art and Science of Buildings & Cities (Image 1: Artwork by Hunky-dunky).
More than ever, we need buildings that can bend to whatever the future brings. But flexibility itself has always been a malleable concept. Can it be pinned down?
Also check it out – Flexible Buildings: the problem with mixing layers (different parts of a building evolve at different speeds, so it makes sense to keep them separate).
Download the full PDF edition of issue 07 of The Possible (see Pages 62 and 74).
- 14.05.21
Pensou em Obra Magazine
- 14.05.21
Menu of Opportunities
- 26.07.16
Book Adaptable Architecture
- 20.11.12
AF exhibition
- 22.08.12
FlexiRents
- 29.07.12
Proactive Resistances
- 20.07.12
Reflections on DAF2012