Video

The Eiffel Tower and the beginning of architecture as spectacle

The Eiffel Tower is usually seen as a landmark of engineering and a symbol of Paris. But that reading only scratches the surface of what it really represents.

Built in 1889, the monument was not just an impressive structure. It was part of a much larger movement. Linked to industry, politics, and the way cities began to communicate with the world, architecture took on a new role beyond simply serving a function: it began to exist to be seen.

What we now call a tourist attraction was born out of a heavy industrial process, with high energy consumption and intense human labor. None of this was hidden. On the contrary, the effort of industry and technique was turned into a public image, a symbol, a national showcase.

At the same time, the tower did not serve a traditional purpose. It was not a house, a temple, or an administrative building. Its main function was to be seen by everyone, even from far away or from different points in the city. In this way, architecture began to operate as media.

This model emerged at the end of the 19th century, and it helps explain many urban decisions today. Megaprojects, global events, and designs focused on visual impact rather than real use still follow the same logic—especially at a time when environmental limits are becoming increasingly clear.

Want to learn more about the Eiffel Tower?

Watch the full video on the topic and discover the full story behind the most famous monument in the City of Light!

Disclaimer: The video is in Brazilian Portuguese, but simultaneous translation and subtitles are available in multiple languages.

UGREEN

Make sustainability your competitive advantage!

Sustainability has become part of professional decision-making, and applying it involves data, criteria, and technical choices, and without proper training, it becomes trial and error.

With this purpose in mind, UGREEN Pass was created to organize this learning process.

It offers continuous training in applied sustainability, designed for those who want to understand what to analyze, how to decide, and why to choose.

You gain access to content that treats sustainability as part of real work.

Environmental impact, cost, and feasibility are addressed together, just as they appear throughout your project stages.

If you want to learn sustainability with method and clarity, get to know UGREEN Pass.

👉 Unlock your access and make sustainability your competitive advantage!

News

Aranyani Pavilion 2026 turns an invasive species into an ecological manifesto

Inaugurated in the gardens of Sunder Nursery in New Delhi, the project presents a practical approach to regenerative architecture and environmental education.

The pavilion was conceived by British conservation scientist Tara Lal, in collaboration with the studio T_M.space. Its central proposal is to use architecture as a tool to address ecological problems shaped by historical and environmental processes.

The main structural material is Lantana camara, an invasive plant introduced to India during the colonial period. Today, it occupies large forest areas and generates high control costs. In the pavilion, lantana is reused as a structural lattice combined with bamboo.

The building’s form follows a spiral based on the sequence of the Italian mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci. The internal path is continuous and encourages slow movement. In this way, the structure allows for natural ventilation and controlled daylight. At the center, there is a monolith made of reused stone, positioned over a shallow reflecting pool.

The green roof brings together more than 40 native and climate-adapted species, helping with thermal regulation and attracting pollinating insects, while also turning the pavilion into an active micro-habitat within the urban park.

Between February 4 and 20, 2026, the space will host lectures, debates, and educational activities focused on environmental conservation, sustainability, and the responsible use of natural resources.

After this period, the pavilion will be dismantled and transferred to the Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. In its new location, it will be used as a classroom for environmental education for girls from the region.

The Aranyani Pavilion shows how discarded materials and invasive species can be integrated into low-impact construction solutions. The project reinforces the role of architecture as a technical tool for environmental regeneration and education.