wutopia lab’s prefabricated waterfront pavilion in shanghai wraps in aluminum & ceramic skin

the lake house is conceived as a ‘house within a house’

Wutopia Lab’s The Lake House – Life Experience Pavilion sits on the site of a former water base along a bayfront park in Shanghai, China. Developed as a design-build project with an accelerated timeline, the project integrates architecture, structure, interiors, signage, and curatorial display into a single modular strategy, transforming two existing buildings into a unified spatial journey. The pavilion, realized within a mere 40 days, reuses curtain wall ceramic panels from earlier residential developments and combines them with a lightweight metal skin system to create a dual-layered enclosure that distinguishes formal expression from climate performance.

The process began with chief architect Yu Ting surveying three potential sites and selecting one located directly on the water. The brief involved addressing that the park mandated that the original structures be preserved without disturbing even a millimeter of surrounding greenery, including two trees abutting the facades. The client requested integration of recycled materials and an architectural design that could be completed in just a couple of weeks. That same evening, Yu proposed a ‘house within a house’ concept, with two volumes clad respectively in metal and ceramic skins, both layered over the retained structural shells. Developed with structural consultant Miao Binhai, they shaped a metal skin that would form the functional climate envelope, while the ceramic would remain purely visual. Prefabricated modules, repeatable systems, and prefixed materials formed the core of Wutopia Lab’s fast-build strategy.

all images courtesy of Wutopia Lab

wutopia lab completes the pavilion within just 40 days

A modular coordination session followed, where every component was streamlined to meet the deadline. 150×150 millimeter steel profiles were integrated directly into the facade system, and cantilevered foundations on the waterfront were used to create a raised platform for rapid assembly. The resulting envelope blended aluminum cladding, vertical greenery, glass partitions, and ceramic panels into a single layered construction, blurring the boundaries between structure and skin.

Inside, the spatial journey of the Lake House unfolds as a horizontal composition, drawing from the metaphor of Chinese landscape scrolls. Wutopia Lab arranged a sequence of elements — preserved trees, vertical gardens, an entry lobby, exhibition halls, three individually themed VIP rooms, a willow colonnade, a terrace, and a waterside café — as a continuous and immersive path. Interior and exterior thresholds dissolved as a result, and orientation became intuitive through shifting materials, dappled daylight, and the calibrated interplay of solidity and openness.

Wutopia Lab completes The Lake House – Life Experience Pavilion

the prefabricated volumes inserts industrial textures in nature

Throughout the space, repurposed and unconventional materials create a quiet undercurrent, suggesting a more reflective engagement with sustainability. Marine plastic plaster, mushroom leather, recycled tiles, and glazed ceramics perform as tactile evidence of a material logic rooted in sensorial awareness. In one of the VIP rooms, a skylight was retained even after its accompanying stair was removed due to park restrictions. That improvised void now takes on a new reading, echoing old Shanghai tiger windows or mirroring the shape of a nearby tree hollow, and marking a moment of alignment between contingency and intention.

Despite its compressed timeline, Wutopia Lab’s Lake House resists the aesthetics of fast architecture and creates space for measured experience. In the final days before opening, a passerby stopped to run his hand across the pearlescent ceramic wall, pausing silently before walking away. For Yu Ting and the design team, that quiet gesture marked the real completion of the project.

a multifunctional pavilion

the project integrates architecture, structure, interiors, signage, and curatorial display into a single modular strategy

the pavilion reuses curtain wall ceramic panels from earlier residential developments

combined with a lightweight metal skin system

the client requested integration of recycled materials and a design that could be completed in just a couple of weeks

blending aluminum cladding, vertical greenery, glass partitions, and ceramic panels into a single layered construction

orientation became intuitive through shifting materials, dappled daylight, and the calibrated interplay of solidity and openness

the spatial journey unfolds as a horizontal composition, drawing from the metaphor of Chinese landscape scrolls

developed with structural consultant Miao Binhai

project info:

name: The Lake House – Life Experience Pavilion
architect: Wutopia Lab | @wutopia.lab

location: Shanghai, China

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: ravail khan | designboom

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garden café and wellness studio ‘casa símera’ brings soft pink interiors to mexico city

casa símera: A garden Retreat in Mexico City

Casa Símera is a multifunctional project by architecture studio WORC, located in Mexico City. Combining a café, wellness studio, and communal gathering spaces, the architecture guides visitors through a gradual sequence of thresholds and atmospheres, each tuned to different rhythms of activity and rest.

Set back from the street and partially veiled by foliage, the entrance to Casa Símera feels more like the beginning of a garden path than a commercial storefront. A stone walkway leads to a shaded terrace where low seating and planter beds establish a sense of calm before entry. This open threshold softens the transition between public and interior life, allowing for a pause.

Inside, the café is carved into a series of sculptural alcoves. Curved benches nest individual tables along the walls, while a marble service bar runs through the center. Materials are tactile and warm, with clay tiles underfoot, earthy pink-toned plaster walls, and soft ambient lighting. Acoustic treatments are integrated, preserving a sense of quiet even during the most active hours of the day.

images © Zaickz Moz

worc curates a warm Material palette

The spatial core of Mexico City’s Casa Símera is an open vertical atrium, topped by a four-story skylight that draws light deep into the plan. Tiered concrete platforms offer informal gathering points, while a vertical garden climbs the surrounding walls, gradually enclosing the space in greenery. This courtyard anchors the project spatially and conceptually, acting as both a social hub and a visual conduit that links the café below to the wellness studio above.

Throughout Casa Símera, the material palette by the design team at WORC remains consistent and deliberate. Clay flooring, stainless steel accents, smooth natural fabrics, and live plants work together to create balance. Marble and steel offer moments of contrast, but nothing feels excessive. The result is an architecture that recedes just enough to let activity shape the space without disruption.

the entrance is framed by greenery and a stone path leading to a shaded terrace

the Wellness Studio Above

On Casa Símera’s upper level, WORC situates a wellness studio for a quiet counterpoint to the garden below. This windowless room is free of visual distractions, with a controlled environment engineered for hot pilates and slow movement practices. Lighting is diffuse and warm, with a focus on directional control to guide attention inward. Integrated climate and acoustic systems maintain comfort across a range of temperatures and intensities.

The studio’s architecture supports inward focus. Enclosed, softly lit, and thermally regulated, it invites users to disconnect and realign. While the lower levels are designed for interaction and social rhythm, this upper sanctuary encourages solitude and presence. WORC designs Casa Símera as a continuous spatial experience rather than a set of discrete zones. Circulation unfolds naturally from one space to the next, and each room is defined less by enclosure and more by atmosphere.

the café features curved benches, clay tile flooring, and sculpted alcoves for quiet gatherings

a marble bar and stainless steel details add subtle contrast to the earthy material palette

the upper floor wellness studio brings a quiet counterpoint to the garden below

this windowless room suits hot pilates and slow movement practices

 project info:

name: Casa Símera

architect: WORC | @worc.studio

location: Polanco, Mexico City, Mexico

lead architects: Ricardo Martínez, Camila Ureña

architects: Ricardo Martínez, Camila Ureña, Isabel Ortega, Ivana Dominguez

area: 240 square meters

photography: © Zaickz Moz | @zaickz.moz

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elevated concrete truss frame forms vocational school for construction trades in zurich

Gunz & Künzle Architekt*innen’s Multi-Functional School

Located in central Zurich, Switzerland, the new vocational school for construction trades was designed by Gunz & Künzle Architekt*innen to serve both educational and civic functions. The building maximizes classroom space while also contributing public areas to the surrounding neighborhood. The building’s elongated form follows the street edge, establishing a spacious courtyard that provides access to communal programs located on the first floor. This elevated level, designed as a truss frame structure, is suspended over the gymnasiums, which span from the basement to ground level.

Internally, the building is organized with a rational grid system on the upper levels, supporting classroom layouts that prioritize spatial efficiency. The first floor features a flexible, open-plan space intended for multiple functions. This space incorporates robust materials, curtain partitions, and multifunctional modular furniture to accommodate exhibitions, events, and hands-on construction workshops.

all images by Federico Farinatti

Exposed Concrete structure as Educational Tool in Architecture

The exposed concrete structure acts as a durable framework designed for long-term adaptability. This system-oriented approach by Gunz & Künzle Architekt*innen Studio supports sustainability goals by allowing the building to evolve through future modification and reuse. Rather than presenting a fixed architectural image, the project foregrounds construction processes and user appropriation as key components of its identity. By integrating building systems into both the function and appearance of the structure, the vocational school becomes an active teaching tool, demonstrating construction techniques and architectural logic to its users.

project info:

name: Vocational school for construction trades
architect: Gunz & Künzle Architekt*innen | @gunzkuenzle

location: Zurich, Switzerland

photographer: Federico Farinatti | @federicofarinatti

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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from kinetic pavilions to indigenous intelligence: inside ‘time space existence’ in venice

Time Space Existence returns for its seventh edition

The seventh edition of Time Space Existence, the biennial architecture exhibition organized by the European Cultural Centre (ECC), returns to Venice through 23 November 2025. Spread across four historic venues — Palazzo Mora, Palazzo Bembo, Palazzo Michiel, and the Marinaressa Gardens — the show brings together 207 participants from over 52 countries, reaffirming its role as a global platform for architectural dialogue and experimentation. This year’s theme, Repair, Regenerate, Reuse, invites architects, designers, artists, and researchers to respond with works that span speculative proposals, academic research, and built interventions. Highlights include a net-zero housing prototype by HOLCIM and ELEMENTAL, and Sombra, a kinetic, light-responsive pavilion by MVRDV, both installed at Marinaressa Gardens. Notable contributions also come from Zaha Hadid Architects, Adjaye Associates, Korean architect Moon Hoon, and many more.

Elemental and Holcim Basic Services Unit installation view at Marinaressa Gardens | all images © Celestia Studio

REPAIR, REGENERATE, REUSE

This year’s exhibition invites tangible responses to climate and social crises. Instead of posing hypothetical questions, participants present real-world solutions: architecture studio Vuild addresses rural decline in Japan using local forestry and digital fabrication, while Semillas empowers Amazonian communities through participatory architecture. Canadian firm Blouin Orzes blends traditional Inuit knowledge with modern techniques to respond to harsh northern climates.

The exhibition also includes speculative futures: Collectif Carré Noir imagines a utopian territorial reorganization, and Delft University showcases Indigenous-led design methodologies through film. These works question architecture’s conventional limits, embracing regeneration and equity as central design imperatives.

Semillas installation view at Palazzo Mora

HIGHLIGHTS across venetian venues

The Marinaressa Gardens become a laboratory of environmental dialogue. HOLCIM and Alejandro Aravena’s ELEMENTAL unveil a scalable housing prototype using low-carbon materials. MVRDV’s Sombra, a kinetic installation responsive to sun and shade, explores architecture’s adaptive potential. Meanwhile, Virginia Tech and Cloud 9’s PolliNATION pavilion reintroduces pollinators to the Venetian lagoon, turning ecological restoration into spatial form.

Meanwhile, across venues, many projects foreground material reuse, vernacular methods, and local identity. Coburg University constructs a pavilion from regional ‘waste timber’; GRAS and Huguet experiment with terrazzo made from recycled fragments. Zaha Hadid Architects and University of Calgary explore modular systems designed for disassembly and reuse, advancing circular construction logic.

Others engage history and place: Materia (Mexico) reimagines cultural heritage buildings in harmony with the landscape, while A Interiors blends desert tradition with contemporary living in Riyadh. María Isabel Paz preserves endangered textile techniques through urban storytelling in handmade rugs.

MVRDV, Airshade Technologies, Metadecor, Alumet, ARUP, Van Rossum Engineering, AMOLF Institute SOMBRA installation view at Marinaressa Gardens

A LIVING LAB FOR FUTURE ARCHITECTURE

With projects ranging from activist landscapes to modular prototypes and speculative utopias, Time Space Existence 2025 offers a cross-section of how architecture can regenerate rather than extract, reconnect rather than divide. As ECC’s Rachele De Stefano notes, the exhibition doesn’t just ask what architecture is, but what it could become — a driver of systemic change rooted in repair, resilience, and responsibility.

Enter Projects Asia Interwoven, 2025 installation view at Marinaressa Gardens

Juan José Castellón xmade Rice University Impluvium Redux installation view at Palazzo Mora

Moon Hoon installation view at Palazzo Bembo

Coral Gallery – Roberto Vivo The Human Tribe Totem, 2024 installation view at Marinaressa Gardens

Henriquez Partners Architects Symplasma, 2025 installation view at Palazzo Bembo

Adjaye Associates International Children’s Cancer Research Centre, 2025 installation view at Palazzo Bembo

Pfeifer Jones Architecture Organ Drone Dome, 2025 installation view at Palazzo Mora

project info: 

name: Time Space Existence 2025
organized by: European Cultural Centre (ECC) | @ecc_italy
location: Palazzo Mora, Palazzo Bembo, Palazzo Michiel, Marinaressa Gardens in Venice, Italy 
dates: 10 May – 23 November 2025

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ASWA’s riverside wedding venue shapes continuous curves into ring formation in bangkok

Rarin Wedding Venue forms a ring enclosing an oval courtyard

Located along the Chao Phraya River in Thailand, the Rarin Wedding Venue by ASWA (Architectural Studio of Work – Aholic) presents a circular architectural design that references the symbolic form of a wedding ring. The structure employs continuous curves to unify two adjacent courtyards, creating a spatial loop that links indoor and outdoor elements.

The primary entrance opens onto an enclosed oval courtyard that receives direct daylight through an open void extending vertically through the building. This design strategy enhances natural ventilation and illuminates the central space without mechanical systems. A spiral staircase situated in this courtyard provides vertical circulation, connecting guests to the second level while acting as an architectural focal point.

all images by SkyGround

ASWA’s design balances open and intimate spatial configurations

Programmatically, the second floor accommodates an engagement room and an adjacent restaurant. The restaurant has a seating capacity of approximately 80 and offers panoramic views of the river through a 180-degree glazed facade. This area can also be reconfigured for alternative event functions as needed.

On the ground floor, access to the main hall is defined by a path lit with linear ceiling lights, subtly guiding movement. The hall is designed to host both dining and dance events, balancing open spatial requirements with an intimate configuration. Toward the rear of the site, a large outdoor courtyard provides additional space for ceremonies or receptions. The design team at ASWA integrates landscape elements, including soft lawns and modular seating, to support various event setups and seasonal conditions.

the venue’s circular form evokes the symbolism of a wedding ring

The venue’s spatial planning allows for phased usage and future adaptation. A rooftop after-party bar is currently under development and scheduled for completion by the end of 2025. Overall, the design emphasizes circulation, flexibility, and the integration of indoor and outdoor environments, making the venue suitable for a range of event formats while maintaining a coherent architectural identity.

continuous curves unify the building’s two main courtyards

the venue sits along the banks of Thailand’s Chao Phraya River

the wedding-ring-shaped structure connects the two open courtyards

a centrally located, spiral staircase ascends to the second floor

upon arrival, guests enter through the main entrance outlined by an enclosed oval courtyard

at ground level, guests navigate through the ring-shaped entrance, guided by a ceiling lighting pattern

natural ventilation and daylight shape the core spatial experience

natural sunlight from the void brightens the engagement space

second floor includes an engagement room and river-view restaurant

a restaurant can be converted into additional event space, offering panoramic views of the Chao Phraya River

project info:

name: Rarin Wedding Venue

architects: ASWA (Architectural Studio of Work – Aholic) | @aswa_bangkok

design team: Phuttipan Aswakool, Chotiros Techamongklapiwat, Puwan Wattanajarungrat, Ananya Rakaphai, Peerada Porkaew, Napasorn Luengkiattikhun

area: 2,000 sqm

location: Bangkok, Thailand

photographer: SkyGround architectural film & photography | @dofskyground

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translucent drapes encircle forest floor for nami nami’s concéntrico installation in spain

nami nami studio’s wildlings encourages urban, elemental play

At the 2025 edition of the Concéntrico festival in Spain, Nami nami studio presents Wildlings, a spatial installation that reconsiders how urban environments can host instinctive, tactile forms of play. Installed within a quiet plaza, the work forms a sensory-rich playground as it loosely defines a circular zone treated as a mutable forest bed filled with pine cones, pebbles, soil, and branches. The materials are left only casually arranged to foreground their sensory and spatial properties as they elementally ground the structure in the urban setting, and encourage active engagement for rearrangement through touch and motion.

Architect Klára Koldová and designer Eduard Herrmann articulate the perimeter through a lightweight frame constructed from aluminum rods and telescopic fishing poles, anchored by eight large stones collected from the surrounding landscape. A translucent fabric shroud encircles the site, filtering light and air as it ripples with the wind, allowing gentle glimpses through.

all images by Vojtěch Veškrna

a sensory-rich playground at Concéntrico in Logroño, spain

Each year, Concéntrico invites architects and designers to rethink the public realm through temporary architectural gestures in Logroño. For Czech practice Nami nami studio, whose work under the Nami Play label has recently focused on developing new typologies for exploratory play, the intervention continues an evolving inquiry into how spatial design can supportthe intervention continues an evolving inquiry into how spatial design can support early cognitive and emotional development without overdetermining it. cognitive and emotional development without overdetermining it. Wildlings defines a boundary condition that is spatially legible but materially open for this playground which enables informal and spontaneous exploration to unfold. The structure can be assembled and disassembled quickly, and the apparent fragility of its structure reinforces its responsiveness to context.

The installation also stems from the studio’s broader interest in how sensory experience can shape our understanding of space. They frame play as a form embodied research, where the act of engaging with natural materials becomes a way to explore atmosphere, texture, and one’s orientation within the environment. The design then creates conditions that support many forms of interaction and raw encounters; someone might sit quietly on a cool stone, or walk barefoot across the soil, or rearrange branches into new patterns. Each encounter remains open-ended, shaped by presence and attention in the moment.

Nami nami studio presents Wildling at Concéntrico

the spatial installation reconsiders how urban environments can host instinctive, tactile forms of play

Nami nami articulates the perimeter through a lightweight frame constructed from aluminum rods and telescopic fishing pole

a circular zone treated as a mutable forest bed filled with pine cones, pebbles, soil, and branches

the translucent fabric shroud filters light and air as it ripples with the wind, allowing gentle glimpses through

anchored by eight large stones collected from the surrounding landscape

the work forms a sensory-rich playground

the structure can be assembled and disassembled quickly

project info:

name: Wildlings

architect: Nami nami | @nami_nami_studio

photographer: Vojtěch Veškrna | @vojtechveskrna

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skewed meeting room bends the grid in shanghai office revamp by atelier siyu

Atelier Siyu adds angular volumes to workspace in Shanghai

In Shanghai’s Changning District, Atelier Siyu breathes new life into a former industrial shell with the renovation of Kaixuanfang Studio, a 760-square-meter workspace that has served as the client’s headquarters for nearly a decade. Without altering the basic layout, the design team undertakes a strategic reprogramming of the two-level interior.

The architects revamp this hybrid creative workspace, part photography studio and part office, introducing new volumes, angular geometries, and adaptive design gestures to improve circulation and help things run more smoothly. The project explores contrasts by combining logical planning with expressive design gestures, where rectilinear forms transition into dynamic alignments that frame views, connect spaces, and introduce moments of surprise.

A key intervention on the ground floor is a skewed meeting room, what Atelier Siyu calls a ‘box’, placed at a 15-degree angle within the orthogonal shell. This move sets off a ripple of indirect circulation routes and spatial overlaps that break up the previously straightforward floor plan. With dimensions of 4.2 by 7.2 meters, the box holds a 12-person conference space and acts as a spatial hinge, connecting the public-facing reception and photo studio with a series of more private functions, including a theater, sample room, and equipment storage.

images by Chenhao, unless stated otherwise

angular staircase and brick cladding redefine the entrance

By intentionally misaligning new and existing planes, the designers at Atelier Siyu introduce a sense of motion and spatial depth. Subtle lighting interventions further amplify this layered geometry, playing off the angled surfaces to create an atmosphere that shifts throughout the day.

One of the most striking design features appears right at the entrance, where Atelier Siyu reworks the existing staircase to directly connect the entryway with the reception area. By removing and repositioning part of the stair, they improve how people move through the space and turn the stair into a standout vertical element. The area beneath it now hosts a small pantry, visually tied to the front desk and kitchen with light brick cladding laid out in angular patterns. The stair itself, painted black, framed in red steel, and set on a grey concrete base, brings a bold, industrial feel to the space. Openings between the stair and reception are carefully placed to maintain visual connections while still offering a sense of privacy.

a key intervention on the ground floor is a skewed meeting room

walls that think: integrating utilities into structure

Along the window-facing wall on the first floor, the studio found a thick, 600-millimeter wall made of concrete and added steel. Instead of tearing it down or covering it up, Atelier Siyu decided to work with it in a practical way. They neatly fitted things like air conditioners, fire extinguishers, and trash bins into the wall at just the right heights, creating a smart, multi-use area that frees up floor space and helps organize the studio better. To balance light and privacy, parts of the wall are covered with glass bricks, which not only fit the building’s industrial look but also gently soften the light inside.

Atelier Siyu breathes new life into a former industrial shell with the renovation of Kaixuanfang Studio

navigating low ceilings with geometry and light

Upstairs, the ceiling drops to just 2.3 meters under the original beams, a challenge that the architects embraced with bold, geometric shapes. They added irregular metal structures between work areas to create clear boundaries, change how the space feels, and open up certain spots. Private offices for administration, finance, and management are enclosed with slanted glass walls that line up with these metal shapes, creating overlapping crystal-like effects that make the space feel bigger than it is.

To handle electrical wiring on the second floor, where running cables under the floor wasn’t an option, Atelier Siyu used vertical columns that quietly carry wires from the ceiling down to the desks, turning necessary infrastructure into part of the design.

The renovation of Kaixuanfang Studio turns a straightforward, practical space into a flexible, creative place to work by thinking through how people move, how light flows, and how each area is used. It’s a workspace that shapes how people navigate the space and connect with each other, thanks to angled lines, smartly placed walls, and framed views that reveal new ways of seeing the building.

the area beneath the staircase now hosts a small pantry

introducing new volumes, angular geometries, and adaptive design gestures | image by Atelier Siyu

introducing moments of surprise

the design team undertakes a strategic reprogramming of the two-level interior

pops of color complete the interior | image by Atelier Siyu

upstairs, the ceiling drops to just 2.3 meters under the original beams | image by Wangke

irregular metal structures between work areas create clear boundaries | image by Wangke

private offices are enclosed with slanted glass walls | image by Atelier Siyu

project info:

name: Renovation of Kaixuanfang Studio
architect: Atelier Siyu | @atelier.siyu

location: Changning District, Shanghai, China

area: 760 square meters

photographer: Chenhao, Wangke, Siyu

contractor: Shanghai Idea Mechanics Interior Designers Contractors

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reisarchitettura’s L-shaped extension completes traditional stone house with six trulli in italy

olive groves surround Trullo GR in the hills of Fasano

REISARCHITETTURA’s Trullo GR renovation and expansion project of a typical Apulian structure in Puglia, Italy, creates two independent residences for owners and guests. Located in the hills of Fasano, the traditional stone structure is surrounded by 8,000 sqm of olive groves. A pathway bordered by dry stone walls and two monumental oaks leads to a semicircular courtyard, providing access to the residence. The original building, dating back to the early 1900s, consisted of three ‘casedde’ and six ‘trulli,’ structures with sloping and conical roofs, traditionally used as dwellings and tool sheds by local farmers, as well as a flat-roofed section added in the 1960s.

The renovation included demolishing the newer part and replacing it with a perpendicular extension, forming an ‘L’ shape with the existing structure, housing the main residence’s living area, and featuring large windows that open to the garden and pool to the north. The new volume is connected to the existing structure by a recessed glass passage that serves as the main entrance, reducing its visual impact. The sleeping area is in the first two trulli and three ‘casedde’ to the south, with three independent bedrooms. The four trulli to the north house the guest residence, with a living room, kitchen, and two en-suite bedrooms. In the garden and around the pool, there are two gazebos, one large for the owners and a smaller one for guests, along with an outdoor shower and oven.

all images by Alessandra Bello

REISARCHITETTURA’s renovation respects Apulian tradition

The designers at REISARCHITETTURA opted for materials and finishes that respect Apulian tradition, with contemporary details. Minimal interventions were made on the existing structure: the stone walls were cleaned, sealed, and, where necessary, supplemented, while the exterior was repainted with white lime, and the interior plaster was restored. The new volume, made of exposed tuff stone, is also whitewashed for continuity. The original flooring in the first two trulli was preserved, while in other rooms, where more recent flooring was present, it was replaced with smooth, minimal concrete, as in the new extension. The external windows and interior doors are made of natural oak, and the outdoor flooring includes local stone, washed concrete for the perimeter walkway, and wooden decking around the pool, comfortable for walking barefoot.

The focus on traditional materials is combined with sustainability and energy efficiency. Climate control is provided by a heat pump powered by solar panels installed above the new extension, while a cistern beneath the external flooring collects rainwater for reuse. The lighting is LED-based for low consumption and long life, and a smart home system allows remote control of installations, optimizing energy use and comfort. Finally, an integrated sound and outdoor lighting system enhances the poolside atmosphere.

Trullo GR sits in the hills of Fasano, surrounded by 8,000 sqm of olive groves

a dry stone path flanked by oaks leads to a semicircular courtyard entrance

the new volume houses the main living area and opens northward to the garden and pool

outdoor finishes include local stone, washed concrete, and wooden decking

minimal intervention preserved and restored original stonework

a recessed glass passage connects the new and historic structures

project info:

name: Trullo GR
architect: REISARCHITETTURA | @reisarchitettura

lead architects: Nicola Isetta, Paola Rebellato

location: Puglia, Italy

photographer: Alessandra Bello | @ab_alessandrabello_fotografia

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open structural steel grid by estudio BNAA reinterprets barn typology in argentina

ESTUDIO BNAA reinterprets barn architecture

Located in Potrero de los Funes, San Luis, Argentina, Barn House by ESTUDIO BNAA (Bravo Nieto Arquitectos Asociados) presents a contemporary reinterpretation of the traditional barn structure. Designed as a peripheral and adaptable system rather than a closed typology, the project proposes an open framework that supports multiple modes of habitation and challenges conventional residential models.

The design is based on a modular and flexible approach, moving away from fixed spatial hierarchies. Instead of assigning static functions to defined spaces, the dwelling operates as a field of transformable possibilities, where users actively shape the configuration and use of the interior over time.

all images by ESTUDIO BNAA (Bravo Nieto Arquitectos Asociados)

Barn House unfolds around a structural grid

At its core, the project utilizes a regular structural grid and a low-cost industrial construction system. Prefabricated in a workshop, the house is built using 140 mm IPN steel profiles. These elements serve multiple functions: structural support (beams and columns), infrastructure for lighting and electrical systems, support for interior partitions, and anchor points for domestic accessories such as hammocks and planters. The exposed steel structure defines the architectural language, emphasizing both function and clarity.

The design team at ESTUDIO BNAA (Bravo Nieto Arquitectos Asociados) creates interior divisions using movable partition systems made of curtains suspended from calibrated magnets. This method avoids permanent fixtures and perforations, allowing for a flexible and reversible spatial layout. The configuration supports a variety of uses without compromising material efficiency or spatial order.

Barn House reinterprets a rural typology through flexible design

Modular design allows for future expansion

A compact central core houses all wet areas. Above it, a loft space is constructed, an enclosed, windowless area illuminated indirectly from below. This upper level is suited for resting or studying, offering an efficient use of vertical space and enhancing the three-dimensional quality of the interior.

Provisions for future expansion are integrated into the initial design of Barn House. South-facing openings, dimensioned to match standard door sizes, allow sections of the envelope to be removed to extend the structure. This extension process maintains the original architectural language and adheres to the same structural and construction principles.

an open structural framework replaces traditional spatial hierarchy

the house operates as a transformable field, not a fixed layout

magnetic curtains allow for non-invasive spatial flexibility

modular openings allow for phased structural growth

beams and columns double as supports for lighting and accessories

future expansions are built into the design logic

a regular steel grid forms the core of the construction system

project info:

name: Barn House

architect: ESTUDIO BNAA (Bravo Nieto Arquitectos Asociados) | @estudio.bnaa
lead architects: Arq. Ralph Tomas Bravo Nieto, Ana Paula Amieva
location: San Luis, Potrero de los Funes, Argentina

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DMAA transforms kellogg’s silos into waterfront hotel in bremen, germany

Urban transformation in Bremen’s harbor district

In Bremen, Germany, a cluster of 1970s grain silos once used by Kellogg’s has been transformed into the John & Will Silo Hotel by Delugan Meissl Associated Architects (DMAA). The site, located on the Überseeinsel peninsula within the larger redevelopment of Überseestadt, forms part of one of Europe’s most ambitious urban renewal projects. With the River Weser on one side and Bremen’s city center nearby, the intervention repositions industrial heritage as a civic and cultural landmark.

The former Kellogg’s site, now a mixed-use complex, maintains the prominence of the original silos while introducing new programs across its perimeter. DMAA’s response preserves the visual identity of the site while subtly threading it into the changing rhythm of the waterfront.

images © Piet Niemann

Silos reimagined as hotel architecture

The concrete silos in Bremen, once capable of storing up to 5,000 tons of Kellogg’s grain, are now occupied by 117 uniquely configured guest rooms for the John & Will Silo Hotel. The architects at DMAA plan each room with a circular or semi-circular floorplan, following the geometry of the original silo forms. Vertical window slits have been carved through sixteen-centimeter-thick concrete walls to frame narrow, cinematic views of the Weser. These minimal apertures maintain the visual weight of the structures while admitting natural light deep into the cylindrical spaces.

The original red Kellogg’s logo remains emblazoned atop the tallest silos, asserting continuity with the past even as the interior is radically repurposed. Below, a low-rise annex formerly used as a vitamin store has been adapted into five levels of office and conference spaces, with a new rooftop pavilion serving as an event venue.

the Kellogg’s silos in Bremen have been transformed into a hotel by DMAA

Cutting through concrete, connecting new volumes

To adapt the Kellogg’s silos for hospitality use in Bremen, DMAA introduced new interior corridors and openings that connect the cylinders. Access routes were carefully threaded through the concrete mass, and 3,500 cubic meters of concrete were excavated and removed by hand. The hotel lobby incorporates the silos’ original funnel-shaped bases, allowing the building’s industrial function to remain legible within the new program.

The architectural intervention extends beyond the hotel. The adjacent rice store has been adapted into a market hall and restaurant cluster, while new terraces and an in-house brewery activate the waterfront with public life. These spaces contribute to a broader strategy for integrating communal amenities within the former industrial fabric of Bremen.

the project is located on the Überseeinsel within Bremen’s larger harbor redevelopment

DMAA preserved the industrial character of the original 1970s concrete structures

the complex includes restaurants, a brewery, and a market hall within the adjacent rice store

3,500 cubic meters of concrete were excavated to enable circulation within the silos

project info:

name: Kellogg’s Bremen Germany

architect: Delugan Meissl Associated Architects | @deluganmeissl

location: Bremen, Germany

client: John & Will | @johnandwill.hotel

address: Auf der Muggenburg 30, 28217 Bremen, Germany
completion: 2024

photography: © Piet Niemann | @_piet_niemann

project manager: Eva Schrade
project team: Birgit Miksch, Julia Oblitcova, Klaudia Prikrill, Martin Schneider,
executive planning: dt+p, Gruppe GME Architekten
structural engineering: Wittler Ingenieure
lighting design: Die Lichtplaner
building services engineering: Schweigatz Heizungsund Sanitärbau
building physics: Wittler Ingenieure

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