The prestigious journal Cuaderno (335) from the University of Palermo (Buenos Aires) features a paper about Lab Patio 2.12

Cuadernos del Centro de Estudios en Diseño y Comunicación is an internationally recognized, peer-reviewed academic journal that has been published continuously by the School of Design and Communication at the University of Palermo since 2000.

It publishes original, unpublished works addressing contemporary issues in design, communication, and creativity from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Each issue is thematic and brings together contributions from authors with diverse perspectives, from various institutions and countries. Each issue is organized by an academic coordinator from the School of Design and Communication at the University of Palermo.

This is the University of Palermo’s description of the journal, often referred to as Cuaderno + [the journal’s issue number], in its digital publication. It is a journal published seven times a year and serves as a leading reference in academic research on architecture and urban solutions.

Issue No. 335 of the magazine, published freely and at no cost (like all its issues) last July, features as its lead article The courtyard house of the Mediterranean region as a bioclimatic space: improvements in thermal control and livability through the use of neo-artisanal ceramics (La casa patio de la región mediterránea como espacio bioclimático. Mejoras en el control térmico y habitabilidad a través del uso de la cerámica neoartesanal). It is authored by our colleague Pedro Guerrero Serrano, director of the Department of Biodiversity, Environment, and Circular Economy at todobarro; Enrique Salvo Tierra, director of the Chair of Climate Change at the University of Málaga; Ximena González Eliçabe, designer, design and crafts consultant, and professor and researcher at the School of Design and Communication at the University of Palermo; and Ferrán Ventura Blanch, Associate Director of Research and Graduate Studies at the Higher Technical School of Architecture of Málaga (the authors’ full CVs can be found on pages 39 and 40 of the magazine).

Mediterranean heritage as a source of bioclimatic knowledge: architectural reinterpretation as an environmental strategy

The paper summarizes the entire project process and explains both the properties of clay as a constructive material and the advantages of using it in the Mediterranean context, thanks to its thermal performance and other relevant qualities, such as its “durability and low maintenance, compatibility with vegetation, solar filtering capacity, aesthetic and heritage integration, and the possibility of local manufacturing with a low carbon footprint”.

Throughout the text, the authors explain how todobarro has been linked, through neo-craftsmanship, to research and development projects within the framework of bioclimatic design and the circular economy, reviving craft techniques and concepts that have been associated with our home province for centuries.

The article explores the various environmental strategies the project combines, as well as its social aspects—for example, the impact that the renaturalization of the space has had on university life, or the spontaneous, organic use the members of the educational community are making of it.

Yet another recognition that puts us on the path toward urban solutions based on bioclimatic design, the circular economy, and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS)

Being featured in this prestigious magazine—and as the lead article, no less—is a tremendous recognition of our work. The interest generated by the Casa Patio 2.12 project demonstrates that passive bioclimatic solutions go far beyond the niche of sustainability. The climate crisis, rising energy costs, European regulations, and the public demand for more livable cities all point directly toward a path of urban solutions paved by the principles of the circular economy, bioclimatic design, and Nature-Based Solutions.

Furthermore, research points to the Mediterranean cultural heritage as a rich source of architectural knowledge for addressing rising temperatures. As the article’s conclusions note, projects like Casa Patio pave the way toward an architecture that is not only more resilient and responsive but also preserves its regional roots and contributes to the legacy of vernacular architecture.

You can read the full issue of the magazine here.