I have this shader in Unity which basically consists of a texture linked to UV channel 1however, if I try to use the Texture sheet animation module with UV0 it still affects the textures linked to different UV channelsand when I select the channel that should be affected nothing happensso what exactly is the problem here, Im assuming it works in a different way than Im thinking aboutbasically, I need this for when I have a sprite sheet with different variations of lets say flame so I want to split it, but I dont want the mask/erosion texture to be affected with that

When Covid meant having in-person music lessons was breaking the law, teachers quickly adapted to lessons online. Now, there are tech platforms expanding his opportunity for them.Due to the urgency of finding new ways to provide music lessons, while people were not allowed physical contact, online lessons skipped the concept phase. Teachers just turned to their phones and video communications when facing the loss of their work.But it wasnt long before tech entrepreneurs were taking this to the next level. Icelandic entrepreneur Margrt Sigurdardottir, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music in London, had already founded and led a gamified music learning app, known as Musilla, when she got the idea for Moombix, a website that connects teachers and professional musicians from anywhere in the world to people seeking lessons.We started with trying to get teachers or professional musicians on board and connecting them with potential students, she said.The customers dont have to be trained teachers, but must be professional-level musicians to join.And then we have the students coming in to browse the web community and find the teachers that suit them best, said Sigurdardottir.A professional musician herself, she said that after leaving Musilla, she was contemplating about 10 ideas for another startup.Sigurdardottir told Computer Weekly that the idea for Moombix came to her when her daughter was learning to play the violin. It was 2020 and I was contemplating what to do next, she said. Then along came Covid and my daughter was doing a lesson in the living room with her teacher on the iPhone.I never thought that it would be possible to teach a musical instrument remotely because music is so delicate, and you really have to hear the nuances, said Sigurdardottir. She was playing the violin in the living room and her teacher was on her iPhone, and it just sounded like the teacher was in the living room as well. I thought, this actually works.This was at a time when ways of working were changing, with a shift in the way people communicated already taking place.Everyone has realised that the shift we saw in Covid was a simple one, with things like online meetings, but I think its a much bigger cultural shift, she said.Established in Icelands capital, Reykjavk, Moombix is in its early stages after launching only a matter of weeks ago. It has three members of staff, CEO Sigurdardottir, a chief technology officer and a marketing boss. The company has already received 230 million Icelandic krna (1.3m) in early stage investment.The Moombix learning platform is currently web-based with desktop and mobile versions, with an app planned. A few weeks from launch, it has 150 teachers on the platform, mainly from the UK, but it can expand globally, according to Sigurdardottir.We are in the early days and will make major improvements over time, she said. We are still figuring out what our customers like and what we need to do to get people on board.Sigurdardottir said the biggest challenges Moombix faces stem from its roots in music, including getting teachers to join and catering for demand for many different styles. A traditional music lesson is very non-digital and there is a lag in the take-up of a fully digital offering, so I think its time to step up, she added.To this end, Moombix offers a booking and payments platform, and a comprehensive learning tool that allows lesson planning, progress updates, the sharing of music sheets through video clips, audio or notes, and homework.Iceland is a small country. About 130,000 people live in its capital, and Sigurdardottir said this has been an advantage for her gaining knowledge due to its close-knit community, as well as the flair for tech innovation in the city.I think the small size of our community is very helpful, and that means we adapt quickly to new things, she said. I was a professional musician myself, and when I transitioned to become an entrepreneur and form a tech company, I was very low-tech.Read more about IT in IcelandSigurdardottir said she had to learn basic programs, and used the community for support. It helped that the country is so small, she said. I remember, I called up an old school friend of mine who was a CEO and he reviewed my concept, which was very helpful. Everyone was just a phone call away. You can meet people, including the funders.However, Icelands size can also be a limiting factor for investment. Its good being in a small country, but its also troublesome because there are only three of four local investors and many projects, said Sigurdardottir.She added that the company got quite generous funding from the governments Technology Fund Iceland, along with angel investors who believed in the project.

Google has blocked more than 2.3 million apps.SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesGoogles security updates usually come in the form of patches fixing vulnerabilities in Chrome, new security features for Android devices, or even the arrival of a brand new web store. Sometimes, however, those updates are less physical yet more literal in nature. Such is the case with the latest Android and Google Play security ecosystem update, which has confirmed the blocking of more than 2.3 million apps. Heres what you need to know.Google Says It Has Blocked 2.36 Million AppsLooking at Android and Google Play as a single ecosystem, and a massive one at that with billions of users, Google has conceded that it attracts its share of bad actors. Thats the bad news, and its not exactly a shock to anyones system, to be honest. The good news is that Google is fighting back by investing in AI-powered threat detection measures and more. A newly published ecosystem security update explained just how successful these defenses have been. Across 2024, Bethel Otuteye and Khawaja Shams from the Android Security and Privacy Team, and Ron Aquino from Google Play Trust and Safety, said, We prevented 2.36 million policy-violating apps from being published on Google Play and banned more than 158,000 bad developer accounts that attempted to publish harmful apps. Theres more good news for Google Play users, the update also said that the security teams have prevented 1.3 million apps from obtaining excessive or unnecessary access to sensitive user data.Google Employs A Multi-Layered Approach To Dealing With Bad AppsThe latest Google security update revealed how the security teams use the SAFE principle as a template:Safeguard usershelping them to discover apps that they can trust.Advocate for developer protectionbuilding platform safeguards to enable developers to focus on growth.Foster responsible innovationunlocking value without compromising on user safety.Evolve platform defensesstaying ahead of emerging threats with the evolution of Google policies, tools and technology.These protections start with the developers themselves, who play a crucial role in building secure apps, Google said, we provide developers with best-in-class tools, best practices, and on-demand training resources for building safe, high-quality apps.MORE FOR YOUAs such, the report continued, all apps are put through a painstaking review and testing process before approval for release to the Play Store. Once there, of course, Google Play Protect kicks in for further security protection. Integrated with Android, this shields users from malicious behavior using a continuous real-time scanning process.

LAS VEGAS, NV - March 4: Dana White meets with the press following the fights at T-Mobile Arena for ... [+] UFC 285 -Jones vs Gane : Event on March 4, 2023 in Las Vegas, NV, United States.(Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesWere seeing a lot of rematches in the UFC, and thats not necessarily a bad thing.The most recent fighting sequel reportedly set will have UFC mens flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja defending his title against No. 4 Kai Kara France in the co-main event of UFC 314 in Miami on April 12.This fight news was originally reported by Australian MMA insider Benny P.While this fight is technically a rematch, Pantoja and KKF havent faced each other recently. The met in what was technically an exhibition on an episode of The Ultimate Fighter in July 2016. Pantoja won the fight by split decision.LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 16: Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil poses for a portrait after his victory ... [+] during the UFC 296 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 16, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesPantoja has been on an impressive run.Hes won seven fights in a row, and that streak includes dethroning Brandon Moreno in July 2023 at UFC 290 and defending the title three times. Most recently, Pantoja scored a second-round submission victory over newcomer Kai Asakura in the main event of UFC 310 in December 2024.MORE FOR YOUAfter the fight, Pantoja unsuccessfully attempted to lure former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson out of retirement. Mighty Mouse made it clear he had no interest in competing in MMA again.That declaration sent Pantoja and the UFC back to the drawing board to find the Brazilians next challenger. They have seemingly landed on KKF following his impressive first-round KO win over Steve Erceg at UFC 305.PERTH, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 18: Kai Kara-France of New Zealand prepares to face Steve Erceg of ... [+] Australia in a flyweight fight during the UFC 305 event at RAC Arena on August 18, 2024 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)Zuffa LLCThe win snapped a two-fight losing streak for KKF, which might make some wonder how hes in a position to challenge for a championship. However, Pantoja has already beaten No. 1 Brandon Royval and No. 2 Brandon Moreno twice apiece. Moreno just defeated No. 3 Amir Albazi in his last fight.Royval defeated No. 5 Tatsuro Taira in his last fight. Pantoja has also beaten No. 6 Manel Kape, though Kape could be next in line for a title shot if he defeats Royval on March 1.In any case, Pantoja has essentially cleaned out his division, and more chips need to fall before there are some completely fresh matchups with title implications.As it is, the UFC 314 card is looking solid so far.If Pantoja-KKF is the co-main event and Bo Nickals leak of the UFC 314 main event (Ilia Topuria vs. Alexander Volkanovski 2) is accurate, fans will have something to look forward to this spring.UFC 314 Potential Card(c) Ilia Topuria vs. Alexander Volkanovski - UFC Featherweight Championship (145 lbs) - ???(c) Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France - UFC Mens FlyweightChampionship (125 lbs)Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales - Welterweight (170 lbs)Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes - Light Heavyweight (205 lbs)Virna Jandiroba vs. Xiaonan Yan - Womens Strawweight (115 lbs)Chase Hooper vs. Jim Miller - Lightweight (155 lbs)It will be interesting to see how the UFC fills out the rest of the card. If the six fights above are officialand Nickal also finds his way onto the card as he plansit looks like the entire PPV portion of the event is already secured. The UFC just needs a few more compelling prelims, and itll have an April banger headed to Miami.

Highly anticipated: Sony's silence regarding the PC port of Spider-Man 2 just days before its release raised concerns among fans. Now, only hours before launch, PC conversion studio Nixxes has released the system requirements, coinciding with Sony's reversal of its policy that mandated PlayStation Network logins for certain PC titles. Sony and Nixxes have published the PC system requirements for Marvel's Spider-Man 2. Users will be pleased to discover that PlayStation Network logins for Insomniac's superhero sequel and three other Sony titles are now optional.The PC version of Spider-Man 2 enhances the PlayStation 5 edition's extensive use of ray tracing with higher-quality geometry, more detailed reflections, Nvidia DLSS ray reconstruction, and the option to extend the distance at which objects are ray traced.Click to enlargeAdditionally, Spider-Man 2 might receive improved image quality from DLSS4's transformer model. Nvidia doesn't list it among the first DLSS4-supported titles, and Nixxes doesn't specifically mention the feature. However, the studio confirms that the game includes an optional improved ray reconstruction model designed for RTX 40 and 50 series GPUs that sounds a lot like DLSS4's transformer update.Furthermore, gameplay and cutscenes support 21:9, 32:9, and 48:9 ultra-widescreen. // Related StoriesSpider-Man 2 isn't Steam Deck verified, but 720p 30fps gameplay requires at least an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 or AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT and 16GB of system RAM, so it might be playable on handheld gaming PCs. To play at high settings in 1440p at 60fps without ray tracing, Nixxes recommends an RTX 3070 or RX 6800. Setting ray tracing to high at high resolutions requires high-end RTX 40 series or RX 7000 graphics cards. The SSD storage requirement is also quite heavy at 140GB.As Nixxes outlined its latest PC port, Sony announced that Spider-Man 2, God of War Ragnark, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, and Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered won't require logging into PlayStation Network. The company's prior decision to require sign-ins for games like Helldivers 2 and Ragnark drew intense backlash from players in the many countries where PSN isn't available. Logins are now optional, with cosmetic items and free in-game experience points as the primary incentive.Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is slated for a January 30 launch on Steam and the Epic Games Store, joining other former PlayStation 5 exclusives receiving PC ports in early 2025. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was released last week, and Rise of the Ronin launches on March 10. Sony's next PC conversion is The Last of Us Part II Remastered, which launches on April 3.

A Canadian startup called Xanadu has built a new quantum computer it says can be easily scaled up to achieve the computational power needed to tackle scientific challenges ranging from drug discovery to more energy-efficient machine learning. Aurora is a photonic quantum computer, which means it crunches numbers using photonic qubitsinformation encoded in light. In practice, this means combining and recombining laser beams on multiple chips using lenses, fibers, and other optics according to an algorithm. Xanadus computer is designed in such a way that the answer to an algorithm it executes corresponds to the final number of photons in each laser beam. This approach differs from one used by Google and IBM, which involves encoding information in properties of superconducting circuits. Aurora has a modular design that consists of four similar units, each installed in a standard server rack that is slightly taller and wider than the average human. To make a useful quantum computer, you copy and paste a thousand of these things and network them together, says Christian Weedbrook, the CEO and founder of the company. Ultimately, Xanadu envisions a quantum computer as a specialized data center, consisting of rows upon rows of these servers. This contrasts with the industrys earlier conception of a specialized chip within a supercomputer, much like a GPU. But this work, which the company published last week in Nature, is just a first step toward that vision. Aurora used 35 chips to construct a total of 12 quantum bits, or qubits. Any useful applications of quantum computing proposed to date will require at least thousands of qubits, or possibly a million. By comparison, Googles quantum computer Willow, which debuted last year, has 105 qubits (all built on a single chip), and IBMs Condor has 1,121. Devesh Tiwari, a quantum computing researcher at Northeastern University, describes Xanadus progress in an analogy with building a hotel. They have built a room, and Im sure they can build multiple rooms, he says. But I dont know if they can build it floor by floor. Still, he says, the work is very promising. Xanadus 12 qubits may seem like a paltry number next to IBMs 1,121, but Tiwari says this doesnt mean that quantum computers based on photonics are running behind. In his opinion, the number of qubits reflects the amount of investment more than it does the technologys promise. Photonic quantum computers offer several design advantages. The qubits are less sensitive to environmental noise, says Tiwari, which makes it easier to get them to retain information for longer. It is also relatively straightforward to connect photonic quantum computers via conventional fiber optics, because they already use light to encode information. Networking quantum computers together is key to the industrys vision of a quantum internet where different quantum devices talk to each other. Auroras servers also dont need to be kept as cool as superconducting quantum computers, says Weedbrook, so they dont require as much cryogenic technology. The server racks operate at room temperature, although photon-counting detectors still need to be cryogenically cooled in another room. Xanadu is not the only company pursuing photonic quantum computers; others include PsiQuantum in the US and Quandela in France. Other groups are using materials like neutral atoms and ions to construct their quantum systems. From a technical standpoint, Tiwari suspects, no single qubit type will ever be the winner, but its likely that certain qubits will be better for specific applications. Photonic quantum computers, for example, are particularly well suited to Gaussian boson sampling, an algorithm that could be useful for quickly solving graph problems. I really want more people to be looking at photonic quantum computers, he says. He has studied quantum computers with multiple qubit types, including photons and superconducting qubits, and is not affiliated with a company. Isaac Kim, a physicist at the University of California, Davis, points out that Xanadu has not demonstrated the error correction ability many experts think a quantum computer will need in order to do any useful task, given that information stored in a quantum computer is notoriously fragile. Weedbrook, however, says Xanadus next goal is to improve the quality of the photons in the computer, which will ease the error correction requirements. When you send lasers through a medium, whether its free space, chips, or fiber optics, not all the information makes it from the start to the finish, he says. So youre actually losing light and therefore losing information. The company is working to reduce this loss, which means fewer errors in the first place. Xanadu aims to build a quantum data center, with thousands of servers containing a million qubits, in 2029.

Rents have soared in some major cities as return-to-office mandates go into effect.However, buying isn't an option for many young people since mortgage rates are high.Here are 11 cities with falling rent and plenty of entertainment options.Scoring an enticing deal on an apartment doesn't have to mean settling for a boring city.Many of the most popular spots among young people, from the New York City metro area to the Bay Area, are already astonishingly expensive and prices only seem to be going higher.New York, San Francisco, Jersey City, and San Jose were all among the five most expensive cities for renters in January, real-estate site Zumper recently found. Rents surged 5.9% from early 2024 in New York and between 7.1% and 11% in the Bay, though Jersey City's rent fell.There are several reasons millennials and Gen Zers have flocked back to expensive cities since the pandemic. Some crave social connections, while others are increasingly required to by their employers after years of remote work. This latter reason may be the best explanation for why rents are surging in these major cities, which happen to be home to top tech companies."With the growing popularity of hybrid work among employers, as well as many large tech companies enforcing return-to-office policies of up to five days a week, many tech workers who may have previously left the Bay Area have likely made their way back," Zumper researcher Crystal Chen wrote in a late-January report.Although the winter rental market is often quieter, as shown by slight rent declines from late last year, Zumper found that nationwide rents rose 2.5% and 3.2% for one- and two-bedroom units, respectively. Rents rose in 63 of the 100 largest US metropolitan areas that Zumper tracks, and a startlingly high 39 of those cities saw rent take off by more than 4%."The US has a ton of rental demand," Chen said in an interview, noting that high mortgage rates have sidelined many homebuyers. "Although we did have that 50-year-high of new supply last year, the demand will probably catch up to the amount of new supply that hit the market."11 appealing cities for young workersHowever, living in a large city with a bustling social scene won't necessarily break the bank.While some may associate cheaper rent with sleepy towns that aren't in high demand, there are a number of cities well-suited for young professionals where rent is on the decline.Business Insider analyzed Zumper's rental data and found 11 cities where one-bedroom rents have fallen 5% or more from early 2024. Eight are cheaper than the US median price of $1,534.Each has a median age below the US-wide level of 38.5 years old, based on the latest US census data, and got an "A+" or "A" score in reviews site Niche's "good for young professionals" ranking. These cities have a slew of bars, restaurants, and other social hubs, and 10 of the 11 are home to at least one major professional sports team.Below are each of those cities top cities for young people, along with the median rent and year-over-year rent growth for one- and two-bedroom apartments, as well as the median age and ranking in the "good for young professionals" category from Niche.

Alex Acker became a professional basketball player when he was selected in the 2005 NBA draft.He said basketball helped him financially support relatives but that he struggled with overspending.To address the issue of athletes going bankrupt, Acker started an alternative investment fund.This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with 42-year-old Alex Acker, based in Como, Italy, about managing wealth as a professional athlete. The following has been edited for length and clarity.My dad taught me the fundamentals of basketball when I was growing up.I can remember playing the game with an orange instead of a basketball. That's how poor we were. We'd have to shoot the orange and catch it before it hit the ground.Basketball got me a college scholarship. I met some elite NBA athletes who came to my college one summer and played pickup ball with us. I held my own and they took my name over to the NBA. In the 2005 NBA draft, I was selected by the Detroit Pistons.When I got my first check, I understood that I was a professional athlete and had to take it seriously. I was with the big boys and had to bring it every day.I was never playing for the money. I loved the sport and knew money would come. But I wanted to serve my family. They were struggling, and I knew I could be a breadwinner.Looking back, I can see I made mistakes when managing my finances early on in my career. Hearing the stats about athletes going broke pushed me take steps and improve things.Basketball helped me to financially support my familyDuring college, I lived off the stipends that I received as a collegiate athlete, and some of my relatives would live with me in my apartment for months at a time.I'd ask my coaches to help me make money on the side with a job, but they didn't really understand how serious our situation was.I was the youngest among my siblings, but once I got drafted, they all looked at me like I was the one in charge. They didn't realize that my contract wasn't guaranteed because I was a second-round pick, so I still had to work for a spot on the team.I was able to get a contract with the team, but my family and I didn't have the financial education to understand what would happen with the money. From the amount I was paid, taxes were deducted, and some was allocated to my pension plan. I wasn't seeing the full amount that my relatives thought I was seeing.During my first year with the Pistons, my family lived with me in a three-bedroom apartment in Detroit. Some people think athletes have a crazy spending limit, but I was a pretty normal individual with one car, paying rent and providing for my family.I made mistakes with my moneyI think a lot of athletes don't understand they have the power to vet the individuals who handle their finances. Especially at an early age, athletes tend to just go with the flow and can get taken advantage of.I remember thinking everyone around me had my best interests in mind and I allowed others to handle payments for things like watching my house and gardening without paying much attention to the details.Initially, my family members could see all the details about what I was spending money on and how much I had. This negatively affected some relationships, and I wish I had told them I had it from here so they weren't burdened by trying to advise me financially.I also had some issues with friends. I had to check my circle and understand I couldn't keep paying for everything when I was with them. I can't throw all the blame on them for this. As Kevin Hart once pointed out, it's lonely when you're the only one who can afford the things you want to do. But I had to learn that I couldn't keep up those spending behaviors.I've taken steps to learn more about financial marketsI received a wake-up call when I heard statistics about athletes going broke, which said that 60% of NBA athletes and 78% of NFL players experience severe financial issues after leaving their leagues.It spurred me to think harder about my wants versus my needs. I asked myself questions like, "Do I need to buy another car, or do I need 10 pairs of shoes?"I made lifestyle changes. Instead of indulging in partying, I used my free time to educate myself about financial markets, learning how to ask the right questions and prepare for life's uncertainties.I retired from basketball in 2021. I wanted to do something about the problem of athletes going broke, so in 2024, I launched an alternative investment fund called Amongst Elite Capital for athletes, entertainers, and others, with two co-founders.For athletes who are thinking of trying entrepreneurship after retirement, my advice is not to be scared of taking losses. I had to take small L's to get to this point, and it all lined up to where I am today.Do you have a unique story about wealth management that you'd like to share with Business Insider? Email the reporter at ccheong@businessinsider.com

Tegucigalpas Modernist Revolution: Metroplan and the Shift in the Urban Identity of 1970s HondurasSave this picture!Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Image josuef3r via ShutterstockIn 1975, Honduras was under a military regime that had been in power for over a decade, led at the time by General Juan Alberto Melgar Castro. During this period, Tegucigalpa underwent several big and unprecedented changes. The influx of people from various parts of the country due to rural migration transformed the city from a compact urban area into an expanding metropolis. This unexpected growth prompted the government to implement a municipal development and planning scheme, a project that would define the city's future and the evolution of its old town. This article was developed with the collaboration of the Honduran architect Lisandro Caldern, who specializes in Urban Planning and is currently a professor at the Central American Technological University (UNITEC), located in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.The Creation of the MetroplanSave this picture!In the 1930s, Tegucigalpa merged with the neighboring city of Comayagela (Tegucigalpa D.C.). By the 70s, Tegucigalpa was not a municipality but rather a district controlled by the central government. Caldern explains that during that time, the figure of city government was performed by a metropolitan council known as "Consejo Metropolitano del Distrito Central" which had a president who acted as mayor. It was under this political entity that the city's development scheme, the Mertroplan, was originally proposed, as a response to a massive rural migration of people that peaked during the 1960s. Related Article The Urbanism of Tegucigalpa: How Modernist Planning Shaped Honduras Capital According to Daniela Navarrete in her book on the subject from 2020, the idea of the plan is conceived with financing from the Interamerican Development Bank. The government then names the Honduran architect Henry Merriam Weddle as director and gives him the task of putting together a team. During that time, Honduras didn't have an architecture school yet, and most of the local architects like himself had been educated abroad, in architecture schools from Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. This is what probably prompted Merriam to collaborate with two Argentine architects: Edgardo Roberto Derbes and Osvaldo Roberto Ramacciotti, both holding a master's degree in urbanism from MIT and Yale in the United States respectively. Ramacciotti had already been working in Central America years prior, elaborating a similar plan for the capital of Guatemala in 1971. Before that, he had also been the Urban Planning Director in the City of Cordoba in Argentina, where he had participated in the design of the first pedestrian promenade in the city in 1969.Save this picture!The Influence of MetroplanIn 1975, this team implemented a metropolitan planning project. This, according to Caldern, took the form of a publication composed of 6 books detailing each part of the plan, that later became known simply as the "Metroplan". The scheme presented a vision for the city extending to the year 2000 with an initial phase covering up to 1980. Its concept focused on decentralizing functions from the old town, which at that time was functioning as a multipurpose urban center.Save this picture! The city's biggest stores were located in the old town. All the government's functions were there too: The Presidential House, Congress, the Central Bank, all of the Ministries and other institutions were there and in its adjacent areas. It was even a transportation hub. All the intercity buses arrived at the Morazan Plaza and there, people would change to other parts of the city Lisandro Caldern Save this picture!Given the educational background of Merriam's team, it is no surprise that the plan was conceived under the influence of urban theories from the United States and Europe, as Navarrete explains in her 2018 article. This can be corroborated through a textbook written by Ramacciotti for the University of Cordoba in 1980. Under those influences, the team looked at the city from a national, regional, and local perspective. They identified possible industrial hubs in the city's neighboring areas such as the Amarateca Valley. They also designated tourist-agricultural centers in towns next to Tegucigalpa such as Ojojona, Santa Luca and Valle de ngeles, and identified other service centers such as the Zamorano Valley.Save this picture!Within the metropolitan area, they prioritized highways as primary determinants of city design and designated specific zoning regulations. The old town would now be an area exclusively for commerce, relocating governmental functions to a new Civic Center situated on a hill on the south of the city, between Miraflores and El Pedregal, along the Fuerzas Armadas Boulevard. Additionally, markets such as "El Jacaleapa" and "El Manchn" were built to relieve the old town from the intense commercial activity. The old Spanish Plaza Morazan was remodeled and extended. In an interview with architect Merriam in 2018, he also added that along with the expansion, a pedestrian street was created to promote commerce and the exploration of the old town's historic monuments. There was also a proposal to relocate Toncontin Airport to an area near "La Laguna" in the northwest of the city, although this plan was never realized.Save this picture!At the same time, according to Ricardo Caceres in his article from 2018, the National Housing Institute (INVA) contributed to all these changes. Founded in 1957, it developed residential neighborhoods with social housing such as "La Kennedy" and "La 21 de Octubre". However, after Metroplan was implemented, neighborhoods such as "San Jose del Pedregal" were some of the first to follow the regulations proposed in the scheme. The creation of all these new settlements further promoted the creation of multiple urban centers. These new residential areas were originally far from the old town and were later connected by highways to provide access to modern services. These boulevards created empty land along their edges which later contributed to the construction of more convenient shopping centers that gradually replaced the old town.The Transformation of Tegucigalpa's Old TownIn that regard, it was the area of the old town that was most affected by all the urban restructuring. Since Spanish times up to the early 1970s, the area displayed civic monumentality with three-story buildings, ornate facades, and an architectural profile that gave the city an identifiable character. The old Spanish Plaza was the heart of it all, with the Cathedral and its dome as its focal point, surrounded by buildings that fostered neoclassical facades. Iconic cafs like "El Jardn de Italia" or "Caf de Paris" encouraged community engagement, while neighboring streets were hubs of economic and social activity. However, after 1975 this character started to change as the old town became just one of the centers, the historic one.Save this picture! Back then, there was no heritage legislation, but the buildings were well kept, no matter how old, because they were in constant use. But with the appearance of several shopping centers along the newly created boulevards, many stores start to migrate, dislocating the commercial activity in the area. But what starts the process of decline is moving the Presidential House to the new Civic Center. It created a big exodus of government functions which significantly reduced the flow of people to the old town. Lisandro Caldern Save this picture!In fact, it is possible to start looking at the transformation of the Historic Center linking it to the lack of legislation to protect urban heritage. While the concept of a "historic monument" existed, it was limited to Spanish churches and governmental buildings from the 1800s, excluding private properties and other architecturally valuable structures. That was enhanced by the lack of architectural awareness in the country. Honduras just started having an architecture school in UNAH until 1981, and the country's first regulation regarding heritage preservation, didn't officially appear until 1984.The absence of awareness led to the demolition of classic buildings, which were replaced by modern constructions that in most cases disregarded the scale and aesthetics of their surroundings. The Architecture Guide of Honduras published by CAH in 2013, mentions one of the earliest examples is from the 60s. A building known as "Los Corredores" which hosted the "Caf de Pars", was Replaced by the Midence Soto Building, a 9-story modernist tower that blocked the view of the Spanish cathedral's dome as the main architectural reference in the area.Save this picture!Save this picture!Other prominent examples happened after 1975. Promoters, taking advantage of economic activity happening in the old town, took down the former "La Samaritana" store and the "Bank of Honduras" Building, replacing them with a tower complex, illustrating this loss of architectural identity. The phenomenon was not unique to Honduras though. Cities like Montreal in Canada also faced similar issues in the 1970s, when urban renewal prioritized modernism and brutalism over historical preservation. For Montreal, figures such as Phyllis Lambert played an important role in saving this heritage, but Tegucigalpa had no such figure advocating for the protection of its monuments.Save this picture!Parallel to that, the relocation of the central government created less movement of people. According to Arely Rivera in her article from 2018, it forced commercial activity in the area to gradually relocate to the new shopping malls. Some authors such as Leticia Salomon and Betania Galo in a city analysis from 1988, argue this was a great contributor to the beginning of the area's decline. They say that by 1974, the old town including both Tegucigalpa and Comayagela only held 10% of the total housing in the city, suggesting that the Metroplan's classification of the area as reserved for residential and commercial use was not able to keep it active. This decline worsened in the 1990s due to the appearance of informal commerce, paired with hindered pedestrian traffic and rising levels of insecurity.Save this picture!However some government functions remained in the area, such as the Congress, a modernist building designed by Mario Valenzuela, which itself replaced an old wooden house in the same location. Some of the historic buildings have also been restored. These include the Cathedral and the Museum for National Identity. With the appearance of architecture guides, books and content on social media, there is also more conscience today about the area's value. However, commercial activity like during the 1970s has not yet returned.Save this picture!Today, Tegucigalpa's Historic Center is a living testament to the city's transformations. While it has lost part of its architectural legacy, it still retains buildings that help tell the history of Honduras. These spaces invite reflection on how contemporary life in Tegucigalpa came to be and on the importance of preserving cultural and architectural heritage. It gives testimony of the effects that modernist ideas had in the city, and ultimately serves not just as a reminder of the past but as a guide to building a future with greater awareness and respect for the city's identity.References: O. Ramacciotti (1980), "194 notas sobre urbanismo, planeamiento y diseo urbano", Tome II, Argentina: Universidad Nacional de Crdoba, Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo. D. Navarrete Calix (2018) "De Metroplan a la (de) Construccin Postmoderna de Tegucigalpa 1972-1944", Revista Arte y Cultura , Volume 9, Number 2, pp-8-27, Honduras: Centro de Arte y Cultura UNAH, ISSN 2520-9779. D. Navarrete Calix (2020), "Tegucigalpa: Laboratorio Urbano de las Modernidades Hondureas, siglos XIX y XX", pp.365-374, Spain: Editorial Acadmica Espaola, ISBN 978-620-0-42057-2 UNAH (2018), "Entrevista al Arquitecto Henry Merriam", Revista Arte y Cultura , Volume 9, Number 2, pp-28-33, Honduras: Centro de Arte y Cultura UNAH, 2018 ,ISSN 2520-9779. A. Rivera Dala (2018), "Arquitectura Urbana de Uso Pblico Comercial en Tegucigalpa: Pasajes Comerciales, Calle Peatonal y Centros Comerciales", Revista Arte y Cultura , Vol. 9, No 2, pp 34-47, Honduras: Centro de Arte y Cultura UNAH, ISSN 2520-9779. R. Cceres (2018), "El Desarrollo Urbano del Distrito Central: Situacin Socio-espacial y Funcional de la Ciudad", Revista Arte y Cultura , Volume 9, Number 2, pp74-89, Honduras: Centro de Arte y Cultura UNAH, ISSN 2520-9779. L. Salomn and B. Galo (1988), "Expansin y Estructuracin Urbana de Tegucigalpa" in "La Estructuracin de las Ciudades Capitales Centroamericanas", edited by R. F. Vsquez and M. Lungo Ucls, First Edition, pp. 289318, Costa Rica: Editorial EDUCA,ISBN:9977301174. AECID-CAH (2013), "Honduras: An Architectural and Landscape Guide", pp. 141-273, Spain: Junta de Andaluca, ISBN: 978-84-87001-26-0. Related Article The Urbanism of Tegucigalpa: How Modernist Planning Shaped Honduras Capital Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorMoises CarrascoAuthorCite: Moises Carrasco. "Tegucigalpas Modernist Revolution: Metroplan and the Shift in the Urban Identity of 1970s Honduras " 30 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1026205/tegucigalpas-modernist-revolution-metroplan-and-the-shift-in-the-urban-identity-of-1970s-honduras&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Join me on a short walk through the game world to see how it was designed and brought to life. From detailed ruins to snowy landscapes and immersive lighting, this demonstration gives you a closer look at the techniques and workflows that shaped this environment.