vertical cuts split monolithic ‘cube within a cube’ suburban residence in cyprus

Kyriakos Miltiadou sculpts an Introverted Concrete home

Situated near a sparse forest with intriguing vistas over the suburbs of Nicosia, Cyprus, stands AER, a suburban residence by Studio Kyriakos Miltiadou. Rather than adopting a conventional residential typology that opens outward to offer uninterrupted views of the surrounding landscape, it rises as an austere, introverted box.

The architectural proposal constitutes a systematic elaboration of the primordial dwelling-box and its reinterpretation in relation to contemporary modes of domestic living. The design begins with a three-dimensional grid, a lattice of points forming the rudimentary outline of a box with a 14×17-meter plan. Fragments of the natural landscape gradually infiltrate the box, triggering its progressive fragmentation. Through this systematic process of erosion, a complex prismatic composition of voids and solids emerges. Four vertical concrete walls, six meters high, wrap around the fragmented box, holding its split volumes within a coherent yet fluid whole. Carved with vertical cuts, these walls act as mediators between the inside and outside world: filtering, protecting, framing, and revealing, fostering in this way a dialectical relationship with the forest, the city, and the sky.

the residence rises within its surroundings as an austere, sculpted box

AER Residence unfolds in ‘A Cube Within a Cube’ formation

Acting as a ‘collector,’ the box absorbs both tangible and intangible layers of its surroundings, reinterpreting them in relation to the family’s domestic life. What emerges morphologically is at first unfamiliar and deeply primal: a cube nested within a cube. An austere yet perforated shell is encased within another, standing as an archaic stone within its context. A vertical slit on the east facade serves as the entrance, marking arrival and emphasizing the transition from the exterior to the inner world of the building, designed by Studio Kyriakos Miltiadou. The first encounter is with an open yet sheltered garden, a central space that becomes a key compositional element around which the family’s daily life unfolds. This focal point is part of a continuous network of outdoor spaces, passages, and courts that surround the built mass of the house vertically and horizontally. Planted with local vegetation and filled with abundant natural light from above, they form a unique inner ‘garden’ nestled within the broader landscape ‘garden.’

the building is monolithic, constructed entirely from exposed concrete

AER’s design Blurs Boundaries Between Living and Landscape

Internally, the house is organized across four distinct levels, always in relation to the surrounding network of outdoor spaces. On the ground floor lie the public areas, the kitchen, dining room, and living space. On the upper level, the private rooms unfold across two different planes. Intermediate spaces are used to provide a fluid arrangement between the functional units of the house, softening the boundaries between the public and private spheres of domestic life. A hidden external staircase leads to a small rooftop terrace above. Here, the roof dissolves into the intense Mediterranean blue of the sky, while much of its surface is planted with natural vegetation, fostering unique conditions for the creation of a microclimate. A horizontal aperture at the far end frames a captivating view of the forest and the distant mountain ranges.

The structural and architectural design operates as a unified entity. The building is monolithic, constructed entirely from exposed concrete. The sculpted surfaces envelop human activity, transforming it into a dwelling space. Over time, vegetation climbs and gradually softens the monolithic presence of the structure. The interplay between human activity, architecture, and nature becomes continuous and inseparable.

carved with vertical cuts, the concrete walls frame and highlight intriguing views of the surrounding environment

a continuous network of outdoor spaces and pathways surrounds the interior spaces of the building

an external staircase leads to a hidden rooftop terrace

part of the building’s roof is planted with native vegetation, enhancing its bioclimatic performance

an inner garden is planted with local vegetation and filled with abundant natural light from above

all functional areas of the residence are organized around a central atrium space

the interior spaces are organized on four distinct levels, in relation to the enclosed outdoor garden

large sliding glass doors blur the boundaries between the interior and exterior spaces of the residence

acting as a ‘collector,’ the box absorbs both tangible and intangible layers of its surroundings

four vertical walls surround the main volume of the building, creating a dialogue between the interior and exterior

project info:

name: AER

architect: Kyriakos Miltiadou | @kyriakos.miltiadou
design team: Kyriakos Miltiadou, Maria Tsoupani
location: Nicosia, Cyprus

photographer: Maria Efthymiou – Creative Photo Room | @creativephotoroom
drone photographer: Symeon Symeou

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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red bivouac shelter in the alps becomes high-altitude base for bergamo’s modern art gallery

Aldo Frattini Bivouac: high-altitude base for GAMeC in Orobie Alps

GAMeC – Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Bergamo and the Bergamo Section of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI) unveil the new Aldo Frattini Bivouac, designed by EX. for The Orobie Biennial: Thinking Like a Mountain. Located at around 2,300 meters above sea level along the Alta Via delle Orobie Bergamasche in Val Seriana, Bergamo, Italy, the structure acts as both a mountain refuge and a cultural outpost. It is not conceived as a gallery or exhibition space but as a permanent shelter that offers a place of protection and rest, while establishing a dialogue between architecture, landscape, and contemporary culture.

The project is part of a wider exploration of the relationship between art, territory, and ecological systems. Developed with the support of Fondazione Cariplo and Fondazione della Comunità Bergamasca, the bivouac extends GAMeC’s cultural network into the alpine environment, proposing architecture as a medium of presence and observation rather than display.

all images by Tomaso Clavarino, courtesy of GAMeC – Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Bergamo

a Lightweight, Reversible refuge Engineered for Alpine Conditions

Designed by EX., a design laboratory founded by Andrea Cassi and Michele Versaci working at the intersection of architecture, landscape, and technology, the bivouac adopts a lightweight and reversible construction system intended for minimal environmental impact. Its form recalls a classic alpine tent, referencing early mountaineering structures while integrating contemporary engineering and materials.

Developed in collaboration with Ferrino, a company known for outdoor equipment, the shelter features a technical textile skin engineered to withstand severe weather conditions. The structure is among the first permanent textile-based emergency shelters in an alpine setting, an experimental prototype combining sustainability, rapid assembly, and spatial efficiency. Weighing approximately 2,500 kilograms and occupying a footprint of around 2.5 sqm, the bivouac is compact (3.75 × 2.60 × 2.60 m) and optimized for ease of installation in remote contexts. The interior is lined with natural cork, offering thermal and acoustic insulation while maintaining a warm, tactile environment.

Aldo Frattini Bivouac sits at 2,300 meters in the Orobie Alps of northern Italy

Dual-Function Shelter: Refuge and Environmental Observatory

The layout accommodates up to nine people, with perimeter benches and foldable beds inspired by climbing portaledges that can also serve as emergency stretchers. This dual-purpose design underscores the bivouac’s functional flexibility as both a place of refuge and a survival station. A skylight and two porthole windows introduce natural light, while the cork surfaces and contained acoustics create a calm, introspective atmosphere. The design references Shelter (1973) by Lloyd Kahn and Bob Easton, a study of self-built and temporary dwellings, and applies the ‘shearing layers’ theory by Stewart Brand and Frank Duffy, viewing architecture as a dynamic system capable of adaptation.

Beyond its role as a refuge, the Aldo Frattini Bivouac also functions as a scientific monitoring station. Integrated sensors collect environmental data on local climatic and ecological conditions, transmitting real-time information to GAMeC’s headquarters in Bergamo. Through this dual function, as both a shelter and an environmental observatory, the project redefines the idea of permanence in high-altitude architecture. It proposes a form of construction that listens to the landscape rather than imposing upon it, aligning with Thinking Like a Mountain’s broader exploration of sustainability, cultural presence, and the fragile balance between human activity and the natural environment.

designed by EX. for The Orobie Biennial, the structure bridges art, architecture, and landscape

the bivouac acts as both mountain refuge and cultural outpost for GAMeC

the camp extends Bergamo’s contemporary art museum network into the alpine terrain

the design reinterprets the classic alpine tent through advanced material systems

a skylight and porthole windows frame the surrounding alpine landscape

integrated sensors collect data on local climatic and ecological conditions

the interior accommodates up to nine people on foldable beds and perimeter benches

convertible sleeping platforms can also function as emergency stretchers

natural cork lining provides both thermal and acoustic insulation

project info:

name: Aldo Frattini Bivouac
architect: EX. | @studioex.space

lead architects: Andrea Cassi, Michele Versaci

organizers: GAMeC – Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Bergamo | @gamec_bergamo, Bergamo Section of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI)

program: The Orobie Biennial: Thinking Like a Mountain

location: Alta Via delle Orobie Bergamasche in Val Seriana, Bergamo, Italy

photographer: Tomaso Clavarino | @tomasoclavarino

supported by: Fondazione Cariplo and Fondazione della Comunità Bergamasca

thanks to: Sacbo S.p.A.; Abitare Legno S.r.l.; Ferrino S.p.A.; Tecnosugheri S.r.l.

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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santiago calatrava sculpts haus zum falken in zurich with folded glass facade

santiago calatrava completes haus zum falken in zurich

In Zurich, Santiago Calatrava marks the completion of Haus zum Falken, a mixed-use building that breathes new life into the Stadelhofen Station area. Located at the eastern edge of Stadelhofer Platz, the project closes an architectural gap beside the historic main building that accommodates the station while introducing a public square, a large underground bicycle station, and light-filled interior spaces. The development (find designboom’s previous coverage here) continues Calatrava’s long-standing engagement with the area, which began in the 1980s when he designed the adjacent Stadelhofen Station. ‘The area around the Haus zum Falken is very familiar to me, as I was involved in the construction of the Stadelhofen Station here for eight years,’ he recalls. ‘That was followed by seven more stations that I had the opportunity to build in various locations.’

Calatrava describes Haus zum Falken as ‘an artistic event in the city.’ Its glass facade undulates across five levels, with vertical profiles and reflections shifting light and movement. Its articulated cornice and folded geometry lend the building a presence that changes with the time of day.

all images by Ingo Rasp

redefining stadelhofen’s urban landscape

Haus zum Falken anchors the east end of Stadelhofer Platz, completing a network of connected public spaces stretching from Lake Zurich to the Opera House and Sechseläutenplatz. Together with the Olivenbaum building to the west, it frames the historic structure of the station. A recessed ground floor creates Falkensteg Square, an open public area defined by the existing stair bridge that connects the station to the neighborhood above.

On Kreuzbühlstrasse, the eastern edge of the building introduces a small forecourt lined with greenery, offering views toward Zurich’s Grossmünster towers. One of the project’s most ambitious components lies beneath the surface. Responding to the City of Zurich’s initiative to reorganize bicycle traffic, Spanish-Swiss architect Santiago Calatrava integrated an underground bicycle station with capacity for more than 800 bikes. The three-level facility frees Stadelhofer Platz from open-air parking, returning its surface to pedestrians and urban greenery. Building this structure in the tight, waterlogged site presented major technical challenges, ultimately resolved through an intricate foundation system and waterproofing strategy. Now complete, the subterranean complex stands as a critical piece of Zurich’s sustainable mobility network.

in Zurich, Santiago Calatrava marks the completion of Haus zum Falken

light-filled interiors and environmental performance

The stone plinth of the structure extends material dialogues with Zurich’s traditional facades along Bahnhofstrasse. Slender stone pillars mark the entrances, while the facade above transitions to glass and metal. Inside, a four-story atrium and sculptural staircase form the spatial heart of the building, hosting a sinuous interior volume. The upper floors are conceived as column-free rental spaces, adaptable to varied uses. Large windows frame views toward the promenade and the city beyond, while the dense rhythm of the facade creates a sense of privacy within.

The building meets rigorous environmental standards, achieving LEED Gold certification and exceeding Minergie-P benchmarks. A photovoltaic roof generates on-site energy, and the building envelope is optimized for thermal and acoustic performance. Even with trams and trains running just meters away, interior noise remains minimal. Wood and gold-toned finishes complete the double-height foyer, echoing the rhythm of the exterior facade, creating a warm, luminous space that welcomes visitors from Stadelhofer Platz and the elevated promenade.

this mixed-use building that breathes new life into the Stadelhofen Station area

the project closes a key architectural gap beside the historic main building

introducing a public square, a large underground bicycle station, and light-filled interior spaces

the glass facade undulates across five levels

the upper floors are conceived as column-free rental spaces

the building envelope is optimized for thermal and acoustic performance

a four-story atrium and sculptural staircase form the spatial heart of the building

wood and gold-toned finishes complete the double-height foyer

welcoming visitors from Stadelhofer Platz and the elevated promenade

project info:

name: Haus zum Falken

architect: Santiago Calatrava | @calatravaofficial

location: Zurich, Switzerland

area: 2,275 square meters

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the architecture of fear: iconic horror movie sets and how they came to life

Revisit iconic horror movie sets for halloween

This Halloween 2025, we explore some of the iconic horror movie sets and architecture and revisit how they came to their production life. From Psycho, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Shining to Suspiria, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Exorcist, architecture plays a role in instilling fear into the viewers, but not all of them are shot organically. Some of them are fabricated, transformed by the production’s team specifically for the movie. For several landmark horror films, the primary ‘house’ was less a building. For Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960), the Bates House and Bates Motel that were built in 1960 inside Universal Studios in California were not full houses but were mostly facades, or outside walls made for the camera. The rooms inside were filmed in different soundstages, mainly Stage 28 for the house and Stage 18 for the motel. 

Behind the motel, the studio used a painted background called a matte painting to make the area look larger than it was. In the end, the house was moved three times within the Universal backlot to make space for other film projects. In the iconic horror movie The Shining (1980), the Overlook Hotel was realized with a mix of a real hotel and studio sets. Director Stanley Kubrick captured the exterior shots at Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood in Oregon, while the inside of the hotel, including the long hallways and main lobby, was built at Elstree Studios in England. The real Timberline Lodge is a working hotel and ski resort, and the hotel room used in the book, Room 217, is now known among guests. In the film, Stanley Kubrick changed the room number to 237 so the hotel could avoid too much attention. He also designed the interior sets to make the hotel look confusing. Rooms do not connect correctly, and windows appear where they should not to make the viewers feel lost.

Psycho (1960) | still image courtesy of Universal Pictures via Movieclips on Youtube

Horror cult classics that used existing residential homes

Then, there’s Beetlejuice (1988) by the filmmaker Tim Burton, which used East Corinth, a small town in Vermont, as the location for the town of Winter River. The main house of the Maitland family was not real but was a shell built on a hill to make it easier to control how it looked on screen. The interior scenes, including the Day-O sequence and the Neitherworld waiting room, were shot at Culver Studios in California. After filming, the house was taken down. Today, visitors to East Corinth can view the landscape and the hill where the house once stood, but the physical structure no longer exists. Other iconic horror movie sets, especially the ones from the 1970s and 1980s, used existing residential homes, referring as well to the familiarity of the American suburb. In Halloween (1978), the childhood home of Michael Myers in Haddonfield, Illinois, is, in reality, a dilapidated Victorian dwelling located in South Pasadena, California, built in 1888 and often called the Century House.

During production for John Carpenter’s 1978 classic, the film crew executed only minimal changes, primarily cosmetic: they fixed up the exterior and whitewashed the entire front and bottom right-hand side to achieve the desired appearance for the opening sequence. The film was shot entirely within this practical house, and the architecture later on was slated for demolition in 1987 to clear the way for a hospital project. Luckily, the structure was salvaged and physically moved from its original address at 709 Meridian Street to its current location at 1000 Mission Street. The house occupied by Nancy Thompson in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), supposedly located at 1428 Elm Street in Springwood, Ohio, is in reality a two-story Dutch Colonial in the Spaulding Square neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The exterior of this house has been featured in other productions as well, including John Carpenter’s Halloween, and after filming, it has been renovated, even repainting the recognizable blood-red door, a nod to the film’s theme, with a stately black color.

The Shining (1980) | still image courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment via Youtube

real-world events inspired the movie sets

In the final act of Scream (1996), Stu Macher’s house is a remote hilltop mansion known today as Spring Hill Estate, located in Tomales, California. Director Wes Craven chose the house specifically for its remote location in Sonoma County, which was essential for isolating the characters during the lengthy final sequence. The house’s architecture and layout were so integral to the film’s atmosphere that its design was replicated on soundstages for sequels, including Scream 3 and Scream 5. In the years since the film’s release, the Spring Hill Estate has been transformed into a highly successful commercial venture, with its owners converting the property into an event venue for weddings and specialized Scream-themed tours. The other iconic horror movie sets draw their design from real-world events. With The Amityville Horror (1979), for example, it is the mass murder site at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, Long Island, New York. For the 1979 film adaptation, the actual Long Island house was generally avoided for privacy so the exterior filming went for substitute locations across three different New Jersey towns. The Dutch Colonial house is distinctive for its attic windows, which resemble glowing jack-o’-lantern eyes.

For the MacNeil residence in The Exorcist (1973), the filmmakers used a real house at 3600 Prospect Street in Washington, D.C. They built an extra part on the side of the building and added a fake third floor so the story’s key scenes matched the layout shown in the film. The interior sets were built in New York City, and the crew used special cooling machines inside the studio to make the actors’ breath visible. The staircase next to the house became one of the most famous film landmarks, and in 2019, it was recognized as a historic site. The house itself remains private property. Then, there’s the Victorian-era farmhouse in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), which served as the primary setting for the film and was originally situated on Quick Hill Road in Round Rock, Texas. Like the Myers House, this structure faced demolition because of the suburban development, so it was moved to Kingsland for preservation. It now stands inside the Antlers Inn resort and was restored into a restaurant named Hooper’s, after the film’s director and a bench near the entrance includes an engraved line from the movie.

Beetlejuice (1988) | still image courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment via Youtube

One of the iconic horror movie sets focuses more on abstract, hyper-stylized design rather than the precise or practical locations. That’s Dario Argento’s Suspiria (1977), which was set around the fictional Tanzakademie (Dance Academy) in Freiburg, Germany. Inside the academy, the visual identity was characterized by lavish golden columns and vibrant pink walls, but the building itself was not real. It was a studio creation, a set built for the camera that no longer exists. The exterior facade was meticulously replicated on a soundstage, taking inspiration from the Neo-Gothic Haus Zum Walfisch (Whale House) located in Freiburg. 

The resulting set design used a highly saturated color palette to create an unsettling presence, and for this style of horror, the architecture is secondary to the psychology of visual design. Some parts of the movie were filmed in real German cities such as Munich, and one scene was filmed in Königsplatz square while another used the BMW Tower as a location. The set for the academy no longer exists, but Haus Zum Walfisch still stands and can be visited. The architect and iconic horror movie sets have different futures. Some stay on studio grounds, some become landmarks, and others turn into businesses. Whether they are facades on a backlot, remodeled homes, or themed venues, each demonstrates how architecture and cinema stay linked through ongoing design and function.

Halloween (1978) | still image courtesy of Compass International Pictures via Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers on Youtube

Scream (1996) | still image courtesy of Paramount Movies via Youtube

The Amityville Horror (1979) | still image courtesy of American International Pictures via Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers on Youtube

The Exorcist (1973) | still image courtesy of Hoya Productions via Movie Clips Classics on Youtube

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) | still image courtesy of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre via Youtube

project info:

movies: Psycho (1960), The Amityville Horror (1979), Halloween (1978), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), The Exorcist (1973), The Shining (1980), Beetlejuice (1988), Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), Scream (1996), Suspiria (1977)

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‘learning from the local’ book by piers taylor links locality with new era of sustainable design

Learning from the Local: architect Piers Taylor’s new book

An exploration of context-specific, locally sourced, and sustainable architecture, Learning From the Local is the new book by British architect and broadcaster Piers Taylor. As the world questions the sustainability of globalised design, a new architectural movement is gaining momentum—one that seeks not to replicate tradition but to reimagine the ‘local’ in radically contemporary ways.

Learning from the Local: Designing responsively for people, climate and culture, a new publication written by celebrated architect and broadcaster Dr Piers Taylor, and published by RIBA Publishing, brings together over 30 of the world’s most compelling architectural case studies to investigate this powerful shift. Far from nostalgic calls to restore lost traditions or imitate the vernacular, Learning from the Local explodes the myth that identity in architecture must be rooted in style. Instead, it focuses on how geography, geology, waste, ecology, community engagement and local making processes are shaping a new era of low-carbon, place-responsive design. These case studies, which span countries as diverse as Burkina Faso, Japan, Greece, Pakistan and Australia, represent some of the most innovative and best-resolved architectural responses to context and culture from across the globe. Featured architects include globally-recognised figures such as Frank Gehry, Glenn Murcutt, Kéré Architecture and Lina Ghotmeh, alongside a host of rising talents whose work champions new definitions of localism.

Takasugi-an by Terunobu Fujimori | image courtesy of © Edmund Sumner

Piers Taylor Redefines the Meaning of Belonging in Architecture

The author, Dr Piers Taylor, is an award-winning architect celebrated for his rugged, pared-back design aesthetic and hands-on approach to building. As founder of Invisible Studio, Taylor has led projects that challenge architectural conventions and embrace material experimentation. In parallel with his design work, Taylor has forged a distinguished career in broadcast media, co-presenting the acclaimed BBC Two series The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes and The House That £100k Built, among others—introducing audiences worldwide to architecture that is imaginative, resourceful and deeply contextual.

‘Architecture today is more plural, more situated, and more entangled than ever before. In the shifting terrain of the 21st century, the binary of local versus global has been destabilised. We inhabit a world where climate emergency, technological flux, geopolitical fragmentation, and social inequity demand new forms of architectural engagement. “Learning from the Local emerges from this context—not as a manual or doctrine, but as a set of overlapping investigations into what it means for architecture to ‘belong.’ The question is no longer ‘How should buildings speak of their place?’ but rather ‘How can they?’ This shift implies an openness to contingency, to process, and to the voices of others—human and nonhuman,’ shares Dr Piers Taylor, the author.

Ningbo Museum by Wang Shu of Amateur Architecture Studio | image courtesy of © Amateur Architecture Studio

Pritzker Prize-winning architect, Glenn Murcutt, adds ‘From the time I first met him in Sydney in 2001, Piers Taylor has always had a wonderful energy and yet his work is always beautifully simple and resolved. But his work is more than that. We share the restless search for an architecture generated by a responsibility to the land and a meaningful connection to place and its culture. He is experimenting with ideas. He is experimenting with materials that are local and unassuming. He understands how materials can be assembled; simply and without being too precious. There’s a magnificent inventive energy in what he does. Architecture must always be about experimenting with ideas, and moving them on—testing them and improving on them. When I’m asked which of my buildings is a favourite, I must always answer: the next one. I think Piers is also driven to make the next one really count.’

Stirling Prize-winning architect, Peter Clegg, comments ‘Piers Taylor is himself a living example of Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture. He often makes reference to the seminal 1966 text by Venturi and Scott Brown which changed the course of architectural theory and in this book the focus is on the contradiction between the global and the local. Inevitably, he concludes that we need to accept and rejoice in the ‘both/and’ rather than the ‘either/or.’ Visually rich with over 200 pages of full-colour photography, drawings and plans, Learning from the Local is both an inspirational resource for architects and a timely manifesto for how we might build more responsibly in an age of ecological and cultural complexity.

Gando Primary School by Kéré Architecture | image courtesy of © Erik-Jan Ouwerkerk

Sanjaynagar Slum Redevelopment Project by Community Design Agency | image courtesy of © Rajesh Vora

House in an Olive Grove by Invisible Studio | image courtesy of © Piers Taylor

Amateur studio by Invisible Studio | image courtesy of © Piers Taylor

Tecla House by Mario Cucinella Architects | image courtesy of © Iago Corazza

Collage House by S+PS Architects | image courtesy of © S+PS Architects

La Borda Lacol Aquitectura Cooperativa | image courtesy of © LLuca Miralles

Learning From the Local cover | image courtesy of © RIBA Publishing and Piers Taylor

project info:

name: Learning from the Local: Designing responsively for people, climate and culture
author: Piers Taylor – Invisible Studio | @invisible_studio

publisher: RIBA Publishing

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selgascano composes transparent seaside café from three parallel glass volumes in china

selgascano’s chiringuito café bridges pine forest and sea in china

Between a dense black pine forest and the vast shoreline of Rizhao, China, Chiringuito Café, also known as Coffee and Sea Cafeteria, by Selgascano offers a pause between two natural worlds. Conceived as a transparent bridge between forest and sea, the 690-square-meter structure distills the architects’ signature play with light, color, and permeability into a quiet, reflective space that almost vanishes within its setting.

Three elongated glass rectangles, slightly stepped and aligned parallel to the sea, compose the building, forming a sequence of open, transparent spaces suspended just above the sand. Each of the three volumes is elevated at different levels, rising in 70-centimeter increments from the forest side toward the water. This simple topographic gesture organizes the program of the café while preserving unobstructed views of both the pine canopy and the horizon line. At just 6.8 meters above the ground, the section maintains an intimate scale, framing the landscape. Sliding doors on both sides allow the interior to dissolve entirely into the beach, bringing in the salt air.

all images © Iwan Baan | @iwanbaan

reflections turn architecture into landscape

The client commissioned Selgascano to design a new venue that would anchor this coastal site in China, long cluttered by unplanned constructions. Apart from a new café, the brief called for a reorganization of the area, a visual and spatial cleanup that could restore the link between nature and architecture.

The ceiling and sunshades, crafted from recycled aluminum tubes painted in five colors, extend the chromatic rhythm of the building outward, filtering light and infusing the glass structure with a sense of play and vibrancy characteristic of the Madrid-based architecture duo’s work.

Viewed from the beach, the café nearly disappears, as its glass surfaces reflect the forest and sky until the landscape itself becomes the architecture. Only the soft hues of the aluminum sunshades and the movement of people within betray its presence. As the architects note, they affectionately called the project Chiringuito, recalling the informal beach bars found along the Spanish coast, simple, open-air structures that host seaside life.

Chiringuito Café, also known as Coffee and Sea Cafeteria, by Selgascano offers a pause between two natural worlds

elongated glass rectangles, slightly stepped and aligned parallel to the sea, compose the building

the 690-square-meter structure distills the architects’ signature play with light, color, and permeability

the reflective space that almost vanishes within its setting

a transparent bridge between forest and sea

the ceiling and sunshades are crafted from recycled aluminum tubes and painted in five colors

color infuses the glass structure with a sense of play

sliding doors on both sides allow the interior to dissolve entirely into the beach

at just 6.8 meters above the ground, the section maintains an intimate scale

project info:

name: Chiringuito Café

architects: Selgascano | @selgascano

location: Rizhao Beach, Shandong Province, China

site area: 1,200 square meters (12,917 square feet)

total floor area: 690 square meters (7,427 square feet)

principals: José Selgas & Lucía Cano

project team: Paolo Tringali, Ying Zhu, Justo Díaz, Inés Olavarrieta

client: Bailuwan Town Development

photographer: Iwan Baan | @iwanbaan

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atelier nagara + permanent co. top office in hashima, japan with rippling rooftop

an office among the rice fields of hashima

Located in Japan‘s Hashima City, this new office by Atelier Nagara Architectural Design Office + Permanent Co. stands with a sculptural rooftop and rises from a calm expanse of rice fields. The rural setting, defined by the steady rhythm of agricultural life and the shifting light from nearby mountains, guided the architects toward a design that honors the beauty of the everyday.

Commissioned as the headquarters for a company engaged in civil engineering and real estate, the office was built as a long-term presence in the community. The design team sought to create an environment that encourages awareness of the subtle qualities of its surroundings.

images © Kenta Hasegawa

a rippling rooftop by Atelier Nagara + Permanent Co.

The office in Hashima is recognized as once by its rippling rooftop, designed by Atelier Nagara and Permanent Co. Rising sharply toward the east, its bold incline cuts a sharp silhouette against the horizon before tapering down to meet the ground. This shifting geometry draws the eye along its gentle undulation, allowing the light of the day and the colors of the sky to play across its surface. The result is an architectural form that enhances, rather than competes with, the landscape’s quiet drama.

Rainwater and shadow animate the roof’s surface, drawing attention to the changing conditions of the environment. In this way, the roof becomes both a shelter and an instrument of perception, heightening awareness of natural rhythms often overlooked each day.

the Office in Hashima stands amid rice fields in Gifu Prefecture

breezy workspaces between inside and out

The spatial composition extends this awareness inward. Beneath the raised roofline, a tall volume holds the entrance and meeting rooms, opening the interior to views of the fields. Courtyards and verandas are positioned strategically beneath the lower eaves, creating a sequence of thresholds that mediate between indoors and outdoors.

Small pauses in the plan — areas with stones, plants, or filtered light — encourage moments of stillness. These subtle interventions dissolve the boundary between architecture and landscape, allowing the building to feel both grounded and open. The interiors, though refined, carry traces of the outside world through their materials and arrangement.

The southern elevation introduces large openings shaded by low eaves. This careful balance between openness and protection allows sunlight to filter deep into the rooms while maintaining a sense of intimacy with the garden. Wind moves freely through the structure, carrying with it the scents and sounds of the surrounding fields.

Atelier Nagara designed the building as a headquarters for a civil engineering company

a sharply rising roof defines the building’s distinctive silhouette

the architecture draws attention to subtle shifts in light, air and water

courtyards and verandas link the interior to the surrounding landscape

project info:

name: Office in Hashima

architect: Atelier Nagara | @atelier_nagara_iwt, Permanent Co. | @permanent.co.ltd

location: Hashima, Japan

area: 302 square meters
completion: 2025
photography: © Kenta Hasegawa | @kentahasegawa

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wallmakers wraps its suspended ‘bridge house’ in skin of thatched scales

a house designed as a bridge

The Bridge House by Wallmakers, led by architect Vinu Daniel, stands in Karjat, India, where a natural gorge divides the land. A natural stream has carved a seven-meter-deep channel through the site, creating both a challenge and an opportunity. The two parcels of land required a connection, yet no foundations could be placed within the 100-foot width of the spillway. As a result, the dwelling is suspended across this divide as an occupiable bridge.

The structure’s form emerged from constraint. Designed as a 100-foot suspension bridge composed of four hyperbolic parabolas, it uses minimal steel pipes and tendons for tensile strength, while a thatch-mud composite provides compressive resistance. The dialogue between these materials lends a structure that is both taut and flexible.

images © Studio IKSHA

wallmakers learns from the pangolin

Set amid dense vegetation, the Bridge House is built by Wallmakers as a natural extension of its surroundings. The thatched surface — layered in overlapping scales reminiscent to the skin of a pangolin — offers thermal insulation and gentle cooling, allowing the structure to rest lightly on the site. Only four footings anchor the bridge so as to minimize disturbance to the terrain and preserving the contours of the gorge.

The mud plaster coating serves a practical purpose as much as an aesthetic one. It prevents pests from entering the thatch and fortifies the shell against compression, maintaining the stability of the bridge without the need for vertical suspension pillars. What results is a dwelling that blends technical efficiency with organic tactility, forming a habitat where architecture and environment coexist without hierarchy.

Wallmakers’ Bridge House spans a natural gorge in Karjat, India

organic interiors of reclaimed ship-deck wood

Inside, Wallmakers’ Bridge House maintains a measured openness. The plan centers around an oculus that frames the sky and channels rain into the courtyard, turning weather into an architectural event. Light filters through the circular void and across surfaces of reclaimed timber and jute. This establishes a rhythm of shadow and air that shifts throughout the day.

The four bedrooms open toward the forest canopy or overlook the stream below. Reclaimed ship-deck wood lines the floors, while jute and mesh screens filter light and air, preserving a sense of continuity with the landscape beyond.

For Wallmakers, the Bridge House represents an ongoing inquiry into material intelligence and site-responsive construction. In Karjat’s humid and forested terrain, the project demonstrates how local resources, however limited, can be transformed into structural innovation.

four hyperbolic parabolas form a suspension bridge made from steel tendons, thatch, and mud

an oculus at the center opens interiors to the sky and rain

only four footings anchor the house to preserve the surrounding landscape

the thatched exterior takes cues from pangolin scales and lends thermal insulation

project info:

name: Bridge House

architect: Wallmakers

location: Karjat, India

lead architect: Vinu Daniel | @ar.vinudaniel

design team: Preksha Shah, Ramika Gupta

completion: 2025

photography: © Studio IKSHA | @iksha.in

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from chicken-like shelters to spiky wooden huts, hello wood’s cabin fever lands in czechia

Cabin Fever 2025 explores architecture as Shared Social Act

Cabin Fever 2025, organized by Hello Wood, took place in Česká Kamenice, Czech Republic, on the grounds of a former textile factory and wartime labor camp. The event combined an international summer school and design-build festival under the theme ‘Quality Time – Connection to Each Other.’ Participants from across the world collaborated with Arthur Mamou-Mani [UK], Geoffrey Eberle – Entropic [ES], Mjölk architekti [CZ], and Hello Wood [HU] to construct experimental cabins exploring how spatial design can support intimacy, dialogue, and collective experience. Powered by VELUX, the event marks the first phase of a three-year program dedicated to architectural collaboration and education. Each edition investigates the intersection of material experimentation, craftsmanship, and social engagement, framing the act of building as both a technical and cultural practice.

all images by BoysPlayNice

Hello Wood promotes hands-on architectural education

Founded in 2010, Hello Wood is a Hungarian architecture studio recognized for its emphasis on hands-on learning and community-based projects. Cabin Fever summer school and festival extends this approach internationally, merging architectural education with socially oriented design. The 2025 edition, developed in partnership with VELUX, focused on the role of light and spatial quality in shaping human interaction. The collaboration reflects a shared design philosophy between Hello Wood and VELUX, that architecture should integrate environmental responsibility, material awareness, and sensory experience. The program encourages participants to consider how built environments can generate meaningful social and spatial relationships through thoughtful use of structure, material, and light.

Held from July 23rd – July 31st 2025, the event was hosted in Česká Kamenice, a site of layered industrial and historical significance. Participants were invited to investigate the site’s physical and cultural context, translating it into architectural responses that address both memory and renewal. Students, emerging designers, and architects worked alongside established studios, including Arthur Mamou-Mani x FAB.PUB [UK], Geoffrey Eberle – Entropic [ES], Mjölk architekti [CZ], and Hello Wood [HU], to design and construct cabins and small-scale installations. Three winning proposals from an international open call were also realized during the workshop, expanding the dialogue between design, construction, and collective learning.

The Chicken and The Splinter

Hello Wood’s Cabin Fever 2025 lands in Česká Kamenice

Hello Wood’s arrival in Česká Kamenice follows the studio’s earlier initiatives in Csóromfölde, Hungary, where the Project Village program (2015–2017) transformed an abandoned rural site through collaborative building. Similar international workshops in Argentina and San Francisco later extended the model, reinforcing Hello Wood’s interest in connecting design education with site-specific cultural and environmental contexts. In partnership with local architects, Hello Wood identified Česká Kamenice as a location suited for a new cycle of long-term collaboration. The town’s historical background, natural setting, and local revitalization goals provided the foundation for the next three-year program. Through Cabin Fever, Hello Wood continues to develop a framework for architecture as a collective and situated practice, one that prioritizes cooperation, shared learning, and the capacity of design to foster social connection.

The Splinter

Eclosion

Eclosion invites visitors to connect to inner spaces and distant places. Like the warp and weft of woven fabric, this project recollects the complex histories of the site and interweaves them into a pavilion where people and place meet. The installation pulls inspiration from various layers of the site’s histories, textile craft, aerospace manufacturing, and the cocoon of the Meta menardi spider. Interwoven layers of natural and human history in one space. Upon visiting this site, the audience is constantly being woven through the fabric of space and time, becoming part of the ever-changing fabric of the site, emerging transformed, an eclosion of new perspectives and shared memories.

The Chicken

The Chicken

The Chicken, a playful yet functional structure, reimagines one of the world’s most familiar birds as both shelter and observation point. Designed to reflect the life of the forest’s birds, it invites visitors to lie back inside its chicken-shaped neck, using an internal mirror to watch the canopy and nesting birds in comfort. The moss-covered exterior doubles as a living habitat for insects and birds, merging architecture with nature. Its whimsical form is a reminder that design is not only about straight lines; it can also bring joy, curiosity, and a deeper connection to the world around us.

Eclosion, The Chicken, and The Splinter

The Splinter

Like a piece of wood that’s broken off from the forest itself, this slender, vertical cabin stands sharp and distinct among the treetop canopies. From the outside, The Splinter shows a bold, spiky character, unique and striking against the natural backdrop. But step inside, and it reveals a warm, inviting space designed to bring people together, where natural materials and cozy design create the perfect setting for quality time. On and above the ground, this sheltered retreat balances solitude and connection, ruggedness and comfort, offering a place to unwind, share stories, and truly connect with both nature and each other.

Eclosion

Živa

Like a seed stirring beneath the forest floor, Živa awakens as a living pod where nature and learning meet. Its intricate geometric form mirrors the balance and harmony found in the wild, while its mossy surroundings invite quiet reflection. Step inside, and the space transforms into a classroom in the trees, a warm, collaborative haven where ideas take root. Živa is more than shelter; it’s a shared act of creation, a symbol of growth, and a place where people, craft, and nature flourish together.

Eclosion

LOOM

LOOM pays tribute to the site’s textile-making heritage, reimagining the mechanics of a loom in architectural form. Vertical timber columns and horizontal beams echo the warp and weft of woven fabric, while stretched textile threads create a raised platform for rest and reflection. Set on the grounds of a former factory, LOOM becomes both shelter and symbol, a tactile reminder of craft, memory, and transformation.

LOOM and Živa

Živa

Živa and LOOM

LOOM

LOOM

project info:

name: Cabin Fever 2025

organizer: Hello Wood | @hellowood

location: Česká Kamenice, Czech Republic

photographer: BoysPlayNice | @boysplaynice

main sponsor: VELUX

Eclosion:

designers: Dorottya Kiss [HU], Matthew McArthur [CA]

workshop leaders: Dorottya Kiss [HU], Matthew McArthur [CA]

builders: Balázs Csépi [RO], Caroline Mann [AT], Dániel Attila Bedrossian [HU], Ella Kullered [SE], Eszter Bärnkopf [HU], Marta Bautista Useros [ES], Steeven Isaac Pilla Barroso [EC]

The Chicken:

designer: Mjölk architekti [CZ]

workshop leaders: Jan Mach – Mjölk architekti [CZ], Igor Nesterov – Mjölk architekti [CZ]

builders: Ábel Fenyvesi [HU], Adam Schwarz [CZ], Anna Maršálková [CZ], Daniela Ondřejová [CZ], David Haňkovský [CZ], Ester Moretto [IT], Filip Cerha [CZ], Filip Thuma [CZ], Jolana Dubová [CZ], Marieke Béroff [FR], Marina Pyzhianova [CZ], Martina Thýnová [CZ], Nikola Žuchová [CZ], Tereza Podzimek [CZ], Tobiáš Hrabec [CZ], Veronika Richterová [CZ], Vilmos Hermann [HU]

The Splinter:

designer: Entropic [ES]
workshop leaders: Geoffrey Ebere – Entropic [GB], Magdalena Mróz – Entropic [PL], Jan Dobeš [CZ]
builders: Boglárka Fábián [HU], Dylan Joel Jacome Castillo [EC], Evangelia Kalevea [GR], Fernando José Valle Proaño [EC], Idil Kocak [TR], Jan Ptáček [CZ], Martin Zima [CZ], Merlin Summers [GB], Omarian Millings [GB], Petr Jahelka [CZ], Petr Zeronik [CZ], Sara Vasilj [HR], Sebastian Salijević [CZ]

Živa:

designer: Arthur Mamou-Mani [GB]
workshop leaders: Giovanni Panico – Arthur Mamou-Mani x Fab.Pub [UK], Rae Woods [GB]
builders: Eliska Fuentes Pérez [EC], Jose Julian Salas Celleri [EC], Martín Alberto Montero García [EC], Natálie Demuthová [CZ], Natálie Dvořáčková [CZ], Saif Bashir [GB], Santiago Arroyo [EC], Tomáš Kadaňka [CZ], Zoe Mirkovic [CH]

LOOM:

designer: Zak Underwood [GB]
workshop leader: Zak Underwood [GB]
builders: Emma Szász [DE], Isabel Monserrath Quisingo Gaibor [EC], Kristýna Matýsková [CZ], Måns Sjöwall [SE], Marcos Israel Fiallos López [EC], Sofía Carolina Chávez Ortega [EC], Sohye Yeom [KR], Vendula Zíková [CZ]

lecturers and workshop leaders: Arthur Mamou-Mani x FAB.PUB [UK], Entropic [ES], Mjölk architekti [CZ], Hello Wood [HU], Dorottya Kiss [HU], Matthew McArthur [CA], Jan Dobeš [CZ], Rae Woods [GB], Zak Underwood [GB]

workshop participants:

Hello Wood board: András Huszár, Dávid Ráday, Krisztián Tóth

project leader: Dávid Nagy

project coordinator: Sára Lőrincz

project architect: Maja Balogh

lead carpenter: István Komjáthy

organization partner: Martin Šolc

workshop team: Attila Sztankovics, Kinga Németh, Katalin Kitti Kiss, Bálint Pörneczi

procurement manager: Zsolt Hodgyai

electrical safety: Norbert Verpulácz

content & press: Dávid Nagy

kitchen: Zsolt Dunszt, Ildikó Dunsztné Pataki

graphic designer: Bercel Hegyessy

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recycled 3D printed rooftop homes explore adaptable urban living at 2025 venice biennale

Tiny Penthouses: adaptive Architecture by Hedwig Heinsman

Tiny Penthouses is an ongoing art and architecture project by Hedwig Heinsman that investigates how recycled materials and additive manufacturing can generate adaptable forms of housing. Presented at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, curated by Carlo Ratti, the project remains on view until November 23rd, 2025.

Developed as a prototype for compact, 3D printed rooftop homes, Tiny Penthouses proposes a model for urban densification through reuse and circularity. Each unit is fabricated from recycled materials, including sawdust and consumer plastics, which can be shredded and reprinted into new configurations. This process enables buildings to evolve over time in response to changing social and spatial needs, positioning architecture as a renewable and regenerative practice. The exhibition includes scale models, facade sections, and full-size mock-ups that demonstrate the spatial and material logic of the design. The pieces operate as both architectural research and sculptural installation, emphasizing light, texture, and structural geometry. The project frames architecture as a temporal medium, something that can adapt, transform, and return to material origin without loss of value.

all images courtesy of Hedwig Heinsman unless stated otherwise

3D printed rooftop homes that ‘reincarnate’ into new designs

Tiny Penthouses also examines underused urban sites as potential host locations for new housing typologies. One proposal envisions student residences installed within the truck lift of Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum, testing how overlooked spaces can accommodate small-scale, flexible living environments.

The project builds on architect Hedwig Heinsman’s broader exploration of circular construction. As co-founder of Aectual, a platform specializing in large-scale 3D printed architecture made from recyclable materials, and former co-founder of DUS Architects, she has developed multiple structures designed for disassembly and reprinting. These precedents inform Tiny Penthouses as a continuation of material research and sustainable design methodology. Following its presentation in Venice, Tiny Penthouses is set to tour cultural institutions and European cities through 2026, contributing to the ongoing discourse on adaptable architecture and circular urban growth.

Tiny Penthouses by Hedwig Heinsman explores adaptability through recycled materials and 3D printing

Tiny Penthouse visualization reimagines Stedelijk Amsterdam Museum’s entrance

the project is presented at the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale, curated by Carlo Ratti

3D printed forms can be shredded and reprinted into new configurations

scale models demonstrate spatial logic and material precision | image by © Francesco-Russo

full-size mock-ups showcase light, texture, and geometry

material reuse becomes both a design strategy and research method | image by © Francesco-Russo

each unit is fabricated from sawdust and recycled consumer plastics

underused urban sites are reimagined as potential housing locations

3D print in process

project info:

name: Tiny Penthouses – Reincarnating Architecture
architect: Hedwig Heinsman | @hedwigheinsman

proposal location: Amsterdam, Stedelijk

exhibition: 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale Di Venezia | @labiennale

curator: CRA–Carlo Ratti Associati | @crassociati

photographer: Hedwig Heinsman, Francesco-Russo | @francescorussophoto

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