November 2025 – MACDOLPHINS

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

The post vertical cuts split monolithic ‘cube within a cube’ suburban residence in cyprus appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

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.

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 structure represents one of the first permanent textile-based emergency shelters in the Alps

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

both refuge and observatory, the bivouac proposes a model of architecture that listens to its environment

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.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

The post red bivouac shelter in the alps becomes high-altitude base for bergamo’s modern art gallery appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

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