At the Edge of the Arctic

Discover How Architecture Works in the Extreme Climate of the World’s Largest Island

Author

Yagmur Baydır
January 27, 2026

Dear PA reader,

In Greenland, architecture becomes a lesson in survival, with buildings shaped by permafrost, wind, and limited daylight, while Chongqing turns urban navigation into a vertical puzzle where streets, bridges, and towers overlap in unexpected ways. Kuala Lumpur’s Merdeka 118 Merdeka 118 examines how supertall architecture in Southeast Asia layers national symbolism, advanced engineering, and skyline-driven urban identity. Meanwhile, Shin Takamatsu’s Earthtecture Sub-1 explores architecture as sculptural and psychological space, using bold form and material intensity to push beyond conventional building typologies.

The rebuilt 270 Park Avenue reframes the corporate tower through sustainability and scale, Oscar Niemeyer’s Itamaraty Palace shows how modernism became a tool of diplomacy, and Cube Berlin pushes buildings into the digital age with smart systems that adapt in real time to users and energy demands.

🚀 If you are looking to learn about computational design, PAACADEMY offers everything you need under one Full-Access membership. Be sure to check it out!

How Architecture Works in Greenland’s Extreme Climate

Chongqing, a Case Study of a City Where Urban Orientation Breaks Down

Access all PAACADEMY’s January workshops in one bundle and explore AI-parametric workflows, robotic fabrication, data-driven urban design, and AI-powered retail architecture! 🚀

Case Study of Merdeka 118 Skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur

Earthtecture Sub-1 by Shin Takamatsu: Underground Office Architecture in Tokyo

Advanced Grasshopper 3.0: NURBS, Mesh & Volumetric Design Systems

This workshop explores advanced Grasshopper workflows using parametric logic, data control, and hybrid modeling to create complex, performance-driven geometry. The workshop is scheduled for February 21 & 22, 2026.

AI-Powered Interior Design in Architecture

This workshop is designed to provide custom & professional workflows for applying AI across different interior design stages. Participants will learn to accelerate the process from early concept and mood development to actual design variations, material exploration, and high-quality visualizations. The workshop is scheduled for March 14 & 15, 2026.

Barcelona 2026: A City Built as the World Architecture Capital

270 Park Avenue: A Case Study in Sustainable Skyscraper Design by Foster + Partners

Itamaraty Palace Case Study: A Modernist Icon of Brazilian Diplomacy

Berlin’s Smartest Building: Case Study of Cube Berlin’s Intelligent Design