"Perennial: Architecture’s Timeless Dimensions". Journal: Dearq - Journal of Architecture Universidad de los Andes.
Publication Date: September 2026

The notion of “modernity” carries with it the assumption that there is a correct way to operate in the present—anything else risks being labeled outdated or obsolete. Professional discussions are frequently framed within an uncompromising interpretation of this belief: everything is undergoing rapid transformation, we face increasingly complex challenges, and urgency has become the norm. Having defined key aspects of twentieth century architecture, this mindset continues to influence contemporary discourse.

While there is certainly some truth to this perception, there is also ample evidence to support the opposite view. As George Kubler suggests, everything we create in the present is essentially a variation of something from the past. By tracing different evolutionary processes, we begin to see that everything around us changes at its own pace: some objects and ideas become obsolete almost instantly, while others endure for centuries. Some situations demand immediate attention; others are relentless and continually return.

Even from an unapologetically progressive stance, Gropius recognized the value of preserving what is “essential” to architecture in both technical and material terms. Alexander rooted his thinking in the belief that there is a “timeless way of building,” while Giedion confronted the rise of a “new tradition” with the concept of an “eternal present.” Along similar lines, architects like Salmona and Souto de Moura have shared a commitment to, in Apollinaire’s words, “prepare[ing] for ivy and passing time, a ruin more beautiful than any other.”

Building on these premises, this issue of Dearq seeks to explore architecture beyond the core assumptions of modernity—liberated from the urgency that so often shapes it in our time. Instead, we are drawn to examine distinct aspects of buildings and cities (as much as the processes that give rise to them) that may be considered perennial or timeless.

The issue is particularly interested in the relationships between materials, architectural elements, spatial and formal arrangements, as well as the instruments and methods we use to describe and classify these connections in order to better understand what stands the test of time and what does not. In this sense, this issue resonates with the focus on architectural materiality explored in Dearq 10 (2012), while also expanding on themes introduced in Dearq 39 (2024).

The editors of this issue of Dearq invite researchers and authors to share analytical or reflective investigations into architectures that, by virtue of their timeless or perennial nature, lead us to reconsider the technological, formal, utilitarian, and conceptual roots of our discipline and remind us of the shared human essence behind every act of designing, building, and dwelling.

To help shape a more cohesive editorial voice, we encourage all authors to identify potential connections between their work and the content of previous Dearq issues. To submit your research article, please follow the submission preparation guidelines and upload it through the journal’s OJS platform. For more information, please visit the Dearq official website: https://revistas.uniandes.edu.co/index.php/dearq/article-prep.

Article Submission: June 2nd, 2025 - August 31st, 2025.

Guest Editors:

Jorge Mejía Hernández
Delft University of Technology, Netherlands

Adelaida del Puerto García
Universidad de Castilla - La Mancha, Spain

Óscar Andrade Castro
Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile