Faiza Ansari

Faiza Ansari is an architect and urban planner who writes for Parametric Architecture, covering architecture, design, cities, and technology. Her work explores the stories behind the spaces we inhabit, with a focus on emerging ideas, urban culture, and the evolving relationship between people and the built environment.
94 Articles

Inside Snøhetta’s Global Portfolio: 10 Signature Projects

Snøhetta, founded in 1989 by Kjetil Trædal Thorsen and Craig Dykers, has grown from a…

World’s Next Tallest Tower: Rise Tower for Vision 2030

Rise Tower, a proposed two-kilometer-tall skyscraper in Riyadh, could soon become the tallest building in…

Parasitic Architecture: How New Buildings Grow on Old Ones

Cities are living, breathing organisms that expand, adapt, and reinvent themselves as people’s needs change.…

10 SOM Projects Leading the Way in Sustainable Architecture

Founded in Chicago in 1936 by architects Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel Owings, together with engineer…

Chongqing: The World’s Most Complex Vertical City Explained

Chongqing, unlike any other on Earth, is located at the meeting point of the Jialing…

Alhambra: A Living Tapestry of Power, Poetry, and Geometry in Islamic Spain

To enter Granada is to feel the gaze of the Alhambra, a citadel that has…

Lusail City: Qatar’s Mega Urban Project Built for the FIFA World Cup 2022

Lusail, a 38-square-kilometer masterplanned city rising just north of Doha, stands today as one of…

15 Iconic Castles Around the World

For as long as humans have built walls, we’ve dreamed of castles. They rise from…

Architect’s Guide to 30 Must-See Landmarks in New York City

New York is a city best understood by walking through it. Its architecture is not…

The Evolution of Architectural Photography: 5 Visionary Photographers

Julius Shulman captured Pierre Koenig’s Case Study House No. 22 hovering above the night lights…

From UFOs to Hobbit Holes: 10 Whimsical and Unique Airbnbs You Can Stay In

Imagine you wake to the hush of dawn in a forest cabin where walls spiral…

Homes in Trees, Gardens in the Sky: Architecture of Chris Precht

Chris Precht is an architect renowned for his approach to placing nature at the heart…

5 Mind-Bending Buildings Designed By Thomas Heatherwick

Thomas Heatherwick is a British designer known for his human-centric approach that bridges architecture, engineering,…

How to Plan an Architecture Gap Year: Travel, Build, Learn, Reflect

“Architecture is the learned game, correct and magnificent, of forms assembled in the light.”  —…

7 Iconic Movie Architecture Locations Every Architect Should Visit

Architecture often plays a subtle yet pivotal role in film, shaping worlds, evoking emotions, and…

Porto City Guide: Portugal’s Cultural Powerhouse

Porto is one of the few places that exemplify the conversation between the past and…

10 Sustainable Projects by Lake Flato Architects

One of the top sustainable architectural firms in the US is undoubtedly Lake Flato Architects.…

Glenstone Museum by Thomas Phifer: A Concrete Ode to Contemplation and Art

Glenstone, a collaborative monument of art, architecture, and environment, is tucked away in the undulating…

Rock-Cut Architecture of Petra: How an Ancient City Was Carved, Not Built

An ancient city that was carved and not constructed rises from the cliffs in the…

Samarkand: An Urban Study from the Silk Road Era

Why Is Samarkand a Key City on the Silk Road? Centuries of trade and conquest…

Lessons from Zaha Hadid

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