2005: My Graduation Research on a Site That Became Part of the Grand Mosque Courtyards
This archival study examines the vertical development of Jabal Turk, a mountain formerly located near Makkah’s Grand Mosque. Originally a…
Cities
Cities: Architecture, Urban Life, and Cultural Geography
This section explores the architecture of cities through the lenses of planning, tourism, mobility, and spatial identity. From walkable neighborhoods and green infrastructure to heritage preservation and urban resilience, ArchUp highlights how architecture shapes and is shaped by urban life.
Explore case studies in city-based projects, dive into research on megacities and sustainability, and discover news and events from cities transforming the built environment. Our stories extend across planning disciplines, including infrastructure development, eco-conscious design, and architectural photography.
We invite architects, planners, designers, and city enthusiasts to follow urban trends and contribute to documenting how cities think, evolve, and inspire. Learn more on our About page or reach out via Contact Us.
When Makkah Looked to the Sky and Jeddah Looked to the Sea
Stand on the mountains above Makkah four hundred years ago and you would not have seen a single ship. Stand…
The Kingdom of the Stone Markers
From an aircraft, or from a satellite, the oldest human decision in Arabia is still visible. Across the black lava…
La Défense: Twenty Years Later
An architectural return to the La Défense district in Paris reveals the physical and social shifts occurring over twenty years….
The City That Speaks to the Victim
The frequent pickpocket warnings in the Paris Métro reflect a specific approach to urban authority and security. By addressing passengers…
The Day Paris Closed
The final stage of the 2026 Tour de France transformed Paris from a vehicle-dominated space into a pedestrian-oriented commons. The…
The Other Face of La Défense: A District That Was Never on the Postcard
The Les Damiers and Les Miroirs complexes near Paris’s La Défense district represent an ambitious Brutalist effort to integrate residential…
The Peak Generation: What Architecture Does When Humanity Stops Growing
Global population projections indicate growth will likely peak this century, driven by declining fertility rates rather than increased mortality. This…
World Cup Jet Lag
The 2026 World Cup triggered global social jet lag, disrupting the biological rhythms of fans and cities in distant time zones. By prioritizing North American broadcast schedules, the tournament forced populations to override daily routines, impacting energy and infrastructure. This highlights the need for temporal urbanism, accounting for how global events manipulate a city’s collective clock.
Green FIFA, Grey Reality
Criticism of FIFA’s leadership regarding private flight emissions overlooks the systemic environmental impact of hosting the World Cup across three…
From Football to Super Bowl
The 2026 World Cup reflects a significant shift in sports architecture, where stadiums function as multi-purpose entertainment complexes rather than…
A Place of Worship, a School, or a Hospital?
A question posed by an architecture student — whether to build a place of worship, a school, or a hospital…
Who Really Builds Our Cities? The Conflict and Integration of Roles Between the Planner, the Developer, and the Financier
ArchUp Desk — The word “planning” often conjures images of rigid, top-down state control and centralized bureaucracy. However, modern urban…
The Driver’s Room: Architecture’s Forgotten Space
Ibrahim Fawakherji — ArchUp There is a room that appears in almost every Gulf villa built in the last four…
Tersane-i Amire: Independent Structures in the Ottoman Shipyard
Spatial Configuration and Dialogue of Independent Structures The architectural proposition of the project is based on creating a deconstructive dialogue…
Penetrating Urban Density: Śhālā Twam’s Spatial Deconstruction
Penetrating Urban Density and Deconstructing Boundaries The spatial experience in this architectural composition begins at the moment of transition from…
The Architecture of Influence: How Infrastructure and Urban Spaces are Weaponized in Cognitive Warfare
Modern conflicts increasingly rely on “cognitive and subversive” warfare rather than physical destruction, with urban infrastructure and spatial memory becoming…
Trnava School Campus Renewal: Functional & Ecological Design
Urban Context and Site Condition The site is located within the cadastral zone of the city of Trnava on parcel…
O-day’min Park Edmonton: Urban Transformation and Public Space
Land Use Transformation in the Warehouse Campus District O-day’min Park is located in the Warehouse Campus district in downtown Edmonton,…
Freiham Project: Urban Massing and Spatial Reconfiguration
Urban Expansion in Freiham within the Munich Context The Freiham district in the city of Munich is considered one of…
15 de Outubro Environmental School, Teresina
Integration between Educational Facilities and the Surrounding Environment The “15 de Outubro – Mayor Firmino Filho” Environmental Municipal School is…
