Wuzhou Elementary School is a public primary school located in central Shenzhen, designed by People’s Architecture Office (PAO) to support contemporary educational models that emphasize creativity, exploration, and experiential learning. The project responds to Shenzhen’s broader transition from an industrial economy to one oriented toward innovation by reconsidering how architectural space can support evolving modes of education.

The school is conceived as a three-dimensional ‘Learning Landscape,’ replacing conventional classroom-and-corridor arrangements with a continuous field of varied spatial conditions. Learning environments are organized as interconnected zones that support different forms of interaction, movement, and engagement. This spatial flexibility encourages student-centered learning while allowing the school to adapt over time as pedagogical needs change.

Interior and exterior learning environments are treated as equally important components of the educational experience. Covered outdoor areas, occupiable architectural elements, and classrooms that open directly to exterior spaces reduce the separation between indoors and outdoors. These conditions support learning beyond the desk, enabling hands-on activities and engagement with natural elements.

all images by Yumeng Zhu

People’s Architecture Office focuses on movement and flexibility

The design team at People’s Architecture Office (PAO) organizes the Learning Landscape around three primary spatial elements: the Mountain, the Valley, and the Beach. Located in the main courtyard, the Mountain houses the school’s theater and cafeteria. Its stepped exterior provides vertical circulation and seating, while a raised platform at its base functions as a stage for performances and events. The Valley, designed at a smaller scale for younger students, features terraced steps descending toward a central mound, creating seating for informal gatherings and group activities. Adjacent to the Valley, the Beach is composed of gently contoured terrain that supports physical play and motor development for younger children.

Large interstitial spaces distributed throughout the school facilitate cross-disciplinary learning, collaboration, and informal interaction. Additional terraced areas, including the green roof, library, and sports facilities, are connected across multiple levels, reinforcing visual and physical continuity throughout the campus.

Vegetation is integrated across the project to address Shenzhen’s tropical climate. Planted areas contribute to passive cooling, help filter air pollution, and reduce noise from surrounding streets. These landscapes also form part of the learning environment, allowing students to engage with plant care and environmental processes. At the urban scale, the school is conceived as an extension of the large public park located to the north, while its greenery contributes to mitigating the urban heat island effect generated by adjacent commercial development.

Wuzhou Elementary School is a public primary school located in central Shenzhen

the school supports contemporary educational models based on creativity and exploration

the campus is conceived as a three-dimensional ‘Learning Landscape’

interior and exterior environments are treated as equally important learning areas

classrooms open directly to outdoor spaces, reducing the boundary between inside and outside

covered outdoor areas support hands-on learning and informal activities

stepped surfaces provide seating, circulation, and performance areas

terraced elements connect the library, green roof, and sports facilities across levels

large interstitial spaces support collaboration and cross-disciplinary learning

vegetation is integrated throughout the school to support passive cooling

architecture is used as a tool to support evolving modes of learning

the school, developed by People’s Architecture Office (PAO), connects to the adjacent public park

project info:

name: Wuzhou Elementary School

architect: People’s Architecture Office (PAO) | @peoplesarchitecture

location: Shenzhen, China

photographer: Yumeng Zhu

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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Doca Linear Park is a landscape-led urban regeneration project by Natureza Urbana located in Belém do Pará, Brazil. The project occupies the former Igarapé das Almas, a 1.2-kilometer canal running along the central median of Visconde de Sousa Franco Avenue. The intervention addresses the historical disconnection between the city and its waterways by reintroducing water as a central element of public space and urban infrastructure.

Belém’s urban development progressively buried and fragmented its rivers and igarapés, prioritizing road infrastructure and reducing the presence of water in everyday life. The canal corridor was previously characterized by limited vegetation, low soil permeability, and a lack of public amenities, resulting in an underused and environmentally compromised urban space. Doca Linear Park forms part of a broader strategy to restore ecological and spatial continuity while improving environmental performance and public accessibility.

Designed as one of the key urban legacies for COP30, the project transforms the former canal into a continuous linear park structured around green infrastructure and water-sensitive urban design principles. The historic watercourse becomes the organizing element of the project, shaping a sequence of public spaces for leisure, sports, and everyday use. The design integrates nature-based solutions to improve water quality, reduce diffuse pollution, and support microdrainage, while resilient hydraulic systems address flood mitigation and public safety.

all images by Manuel Sá unless stated otherwise

Doca Linear Park builds A Continuous Network of Public Spaces

Increased soil permeability and the introduction of extensive native vegetation contribute to passive cooling, improved drainage, and the regulation of the local microclimate. The design team at Natureza Urbana follows these landscape strategies to support biodiversity and ecological connectivity within the urban fabric. Along its 1.2-kilometer length, the park incorporates viewpoints, elevated walkways, kiosks, playgrounds, a dog park, shaded seating areas, a continuous cycle path, and sports facilities, creating a varied sequence of spaces connected by pedestrian and cycling routes.

The design prioritizes universal accessibility, safety, and comfort, ensuring continuous use throughout the day. Community participation informed the development process through engagement with local residents, schools, and organizations, contributing to programmatic and spatial decisions aligned with local needs. Integrated within a wider framework of sanitation, drainage, and urban revitalization works in the Doca area, the project serves approximately 500,000 residents.

By converting a former canal into combined ecological and public infrastructure, Doca Linear Park reintroduces water into Belém’s urban experience and establishes a model for landscape-based regeneration within the Amazonian context.

Doca Linear Park occupies the former Igarapé das Almas canal in Belém do Pará

the 1.2-kilometer park runs along the central median of Visconde de Sousa Franco Avenue | image by Leonardo Finotti

landscape design replaces a previously underused canal corridor

nature-based solutions improve water quality and drainage performance

the project reintroduces water as a key element of public space

water-sensitive urban design supports flood mitigation and safety | image by Leonardo Finotti

elevated walkways provide views across the canal landscape | image by Leonardo Finotti

playgrounds and sports facilities activate the public realm | image by Leonardo Finotti

native vegetation contributes to cooling and ecological connectivity

Doca Linear Park combines ecological infrastructure with public space

shaded seating areas support everyday use of the park

kiosks and gathering areas support leisure and social interaction

the park integrates pedestrian and cycling routes along its length

the intervention addresses Belém’s historical separation from its waterways

project info:

name: Doca Linear Park

architect: Natureza Urbana | @naturezaurbana_br

location: Belém do Pará, Brazil

area: 40.080,24 sqm

project leader: Giulia Corsi
design team: Claudia Jaegerman, Julia Ximenes, Juliana Santos, Luan Neske, Nicollas Rangel, Yan Azevedo

coordination: Manoela Machado and Pedro Lira
partners: Vallenge Engenharia, Geasa Engenharia and Marcello Sanguinetti Estruturas Ltda

photographers: Manuel Sá | @omanuelsa, Leonardo Finotti | @leonardofinotti

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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Home Sweet Home is an exhibition at MAD Brussels curated by Connie Hüsser that examines the concept of home through the typology of the birdhouse. The project brings together more than 75 birdhouse designs by Belgian and international designers, including Sabine Marcelis, Muller Van Severen, Max Lamb, Philippe Malouin, Shishi San, and others. Through this collective body of work, the exhibition positions the birdhouse as a design object that connects architecture, care, and coexistence across species.

In uncertain times, when the world seems to be faltering on many levels, the idea of home takes on a deeper and more poignant meaning. A home is more than a physical place; it is a refuge, a space of safety, identity, and care. But what does ‘home’ mean today? And for whom does it truly exist? Home Sweet Home starts from these fundamental questions and focuses on a small yet meaningful object: the birdhouse. What initially appears to be a modest functional item is transformed into a powerful symbol of coexistence, care, and empathy. ‘A small object like a bird’s nest can evoke an entire world,’ says Dieter Van Den Storm, Artistic Director of MAD Brussels. ‘It is both fragile and strong at the same time, just like the idea of home itself. After all, there really is no place like home.’

Linde Freya Tangelder | all images courtesy of MAD Brussels

Exploring Home: Birdhouses as Objects of Care and Coexistence

The exhibition is curated by Connie Hüsser, a Swiss interior stylist, journalist, exhibition maker, and curator. Throughout her career, she has developed a sharp eye and an intuitive feel for the unexpected. For more than twenty years, she has been creating distinctive scenographies: bold collages in which objects, materials, and colors come together, often anticipating emerging cultural trends. Since 2018, Hüsser has been traveling the world with Objects with Love, an exhibition project presenting a carefully curated selection of original designs by contemporary designers, with particular attention to a younger generation. In 2019, Connie Hüsser was awarded the Swiss Grand Prix Award for Design. In addition, she has been working with Vitra since 2004 and designed the colorful Leo smiley sponge series for the Danish design brand HAY.

Birdhouses make it possible for humans and birds to coexist. They not only allow us to observe and study the lives of our feathered companions up close, but also function as artificial refuges carefully created by human hands. Within this context, the concept of home takes on a broader meaning. Each birdhouse bears witness to human care and engagement, inviting reflection on migration, ecology, and shared habitats. With Home Sweet Home, Connie Hüsser encourages us to rethink what living truly means. Not only for ourselves, but also for the many other forms of life with whom we share this world.

Ferréol Babin

More than 75 Interpretations of the Birdhouse Typology

Belgian artist Linde Freya Tangelder on her creation: ‘With A Notch, I wanted to create a shelter in which the bird feels safe, without being cut off from its surroundings. The design sits somewhere between a pavilion, a wall cabinet, and a chair: a kind of outdoor house with an open view. Wood was an obvious choice. The carvings refer to my Sculpting Archetypes series, which consists of gouged and lacquered wood, shaped into sculptural, primitive archetypes, with carvings that reveal the natural tulipwood beneath.’

For Home Sweet Home, Hüsser invited more than 75 designers to rethink the birdhouse. Each design is a unique treasure in its own right: an object in which material, form, and color reflect the designer’s unique identity. Ranging from ceramic and metal to wood and textiles, some birdhouses appear delicate and precious, others robust or playful, functional or distinctly sculptural. Belgian designer Bram Vanderbeke created a birdhouse in cast aluminum, while Linde Freya Tangelder explored her signature architectural language using tulipwood. French designer Maya Eline Leroy embraced color through air-drying clay, gouache, and acrylic paint. British designer Bethan Laura Wood, Dutch designers Sabine Marcelisand Roosje van Donselaar, and Korean designer Kwangho Lee also conceived birdhouses in their recognizable styles. In total, more than 75 leading Belgian and international designers will usher in spring at MAD Brussels. 

Bram Vanderbeke

Audrey Large

James Shaw

Roosje van Donselaar

project info:

name: Home Sweet Home

curator: Connie Hüsser | @objectwithlove

venue: MAD Brussels | @mad.brussels
location: MAD Brussels, Nieuwe Graanmarkt 10, 1000 Brussels, Belgium

dates: March 11th – April 25th, 2026

participating designers: Adrianus Kundert (NL), Akiko Mori (JP), Anna Zimmermann (CH), Andrin Bührer (CH) & Marko Peric (CRO), Antrei Hartikainen (FI), Arthur Vandergucht (BE), Atelier Fig (NL), Audrey Large (FR), Aurélien Veyrat (FR), Bertjan Pot (NL), Bethan Laura Wood (UK), BNAG / Oliver-Selim Boualam & Lukas Marstaller (DE), Bram Vanderbeke (BE), Bregje Sliepenbeek (NL), Carsten in der Elst (DE), Céline Arnould (CH), Chris Kabel (NL), Christian Neuenschwander (CH), Clara von Zweigbergk (SE), Daniel Rybakken (NO), David Taylor (SCT), Derek Wilson (IRL), Diego Faivre (FR), Elakform (SE), Fabien Cappello (FR), Fango / Francisco Jaramillo (CO), Ferréol Babin (FR), Flora Mano Lechner (AT), Fredrik Paulsen (SE), Germans Ermičs (NL), Hanna Whitehead (ISL), ​ Hyunjee Jung (KR), James Shaw (UK), Jenna Kaës (FR), Jenny Nordberg (SE), Jochen Holz (DE), Joseph Dupré (UK), Julien Renault (FR) & Levi Dethier (BE), Juri Roemmel (CH), Kajsa Willner (SE), Kiki van Eijk (NL), Klemens Schillinger (AT), Kristine Five Melvær (NO), Kuo Duo (KR), Kwangho Lee (KR), Lex Pott (NL), Linde Freya Tangelder (BE), Lukas Wegwerth & Corinna Dehn (DE), Marco Campardo (IT), Mark Braun (DE), Martino Gamper (IT), Max Lamb (UK), Maya Eline Leroy (SE), Michela Castagnaro (IT), Miguel Lauber (CH), Muller Van Severen (BE), Noelani Rutz (CH), Nicolas Zanoni (FR), Odd Matter (NL), Olga Flór (BE), Ori Orisun Merhav (BE), Pablo Francisco Figueroa (CL), Pettersen & Hein (DK), Philippe Malouin (UK / CA), Rasmus Nossbring (SE), Roosje van Donselaar (NL), Sabine Marcelis (NL), Sam Baron (FR), Seongil Choi (KR), Shigeki Fujishiro (JP), Silvio Rebholz (DE), Simon Klenell (SE), Soft Baroque (UK), Stephen Burks Man Made (US), Shishi San (BE), TAF (SE), Vormen (BE), Waltter Mahlberg (FI), Wang & Söderström (SE)

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Located in Kazole Village, Zanzibar, Lei Wa Lakom Library by PARALLEL STUDIO is conceived as a lightweight, climate-sensitive structure that prioritizes openness, adaptability, and human scale. The architectural language draws from Swahili principles of shaded spaces, cross-ventilation, and visual permeability, allowing the building to remain naturally comfortable while maintaining a strong relationship with its surroundings. Rather than separating inside from outside, the library blurs these boundaries, reinforcing a sense of belonging and accessibility. The envelope is defined by perforated opaque corrugated panels that filter daylight, creating a soft, ever-changing interior atmosphere while ensuring privacy, safety, and air circulation.

all images courtesy of PARALLEL STUDIO

PARALLEL STUDIO Adopts an Environmental Design Approach

The design team at PARALLEL STUDIO complements this environmental approach with an integrated water feature, which holds cultural and symbolic significance within an Islamic tradition, where water is associated with life. Timber framing and exposed structural elements express material honesty and ease of construction, reflecting locally familiar building techniques. The roof form extends beyond the walls to provide shade and protection from heavy rainfall, reinforcing the building’s environmental responsiveness. Internally, the space is deliberately flexible and non-hierarchical. Low furniture, open floor areas, and adaptable zones support reading, learning, discussion, and communal activities, particularly for children, allowing the library to function as both an educational and social space.

Lei Wa Lakom Library is part of the Parallel Gives program, an architectural initiative that explores how small-scale, socially driven projects can generate long-term impact through thoughtful, context-responsive design.

Lei Wa Lakom Library is located in Kazole Village, Zanzibar

an integrated water feature holds cultural and symbolic meaning

water references life within Islamic tradition

openness and adaptability define the building’s architectural language

exposed construction reflects locally familiar building methods

filtered daylight creates a soft and changing interior atmosphere

interior and exterior spaces are intentionally blurred

the library by PARALLEL STUDIO functions as both an educational and social space

project info:

name: Lei Wa Lakom Library

architect: PARALLEL STUDIO | @parallel_studio

lead architect: Mai Al Busairi

location: Kazole, Zanzibar, Tanzania

area: 94.5 sqm

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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Located in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, Sofitel Wuhan is conceived as a spatial interpretation of the city’s geographic, cultural, and historical identity. The interior design, led by Bei Yang, Design Partner of CIDA Shanghai, integrates local references with the brand’s contemporary design language, positioning the hotel as a point of connection between regional heritage and international hospitality. The project was awarded the Gold Award for Conceptual Design of Hotels & Resorts at the London Design Awards 2025.

The design concept draws from Wuhan’s role as the historic ‘Thoroughfare of Nine Provinces,’ a crossroads formed by the convergence of major rivers and trade routes. This idea is translated into the architectural and interior organization through a series of themed spaces that collectively form a spatial map of the city. The hotel podium functions as the primary conceptual framework, with each area referencing a specific landmark or cultural element, including the Yellow Crane Tower, Guqin Terrace, Wenjin Academy, the Yangtze River Bridge, Optics Valley, Han Opera, and Chu Embroidery. These spaces are designed as distinct yet interconnected zones, shaping the overall circulation and spatial logic of the hotel.

The lobby and lobby lounge are centered on the theme of the Yellow Crane Tower, which informs both the layout and the architectural expression of the interior. Natural light introduced through skylights plays a key role in defining the space, supporting a design approach that extends architectural concepts from the exterior into the interior environment. At the center of the lobby, a large-scale installation references Yuantong Hall at Gude Temple, a historical structure known for its synthesis of Eastern and Western architectural influences. This installation serves as a focal point within the atrium, emphasizing the dialogue between Chinese cultural references and Sofitel’s French design heritage.

a central skylight invites natural light, defining the interior design theme and style

hotel features Layered Contrasts and Water-Inspired Design

Contrasting design elements are used throughout the lobby to differentiate the space from conventional luxury hotel interiors. The juxtaposition of Chinese and Western architectural languages, along with variations in material, form, and scale, establishes a layered visual experience and encourages movement and interaction within the space. The atrium is further defined by a water curtain installation integrated into the surrounding glass walls. Programmable content allows the display to adapt to different operational and atmospheric requirements.

Water-related motifs are repeated across the interior, with ripple patterns applied to ceilings, floors, and wall surfaces. These elements reinforce the project’s conceptual link to Wuhan’s rivers while creating distinct visual conditions between daytime and nighttime. Through the integration of local cultural references, architectural symbolism, and contemporary interior strategies, Sofitel Wuhan presents a cohesive design narrative that aligns spatial experience with the city’s historical identity and global hospitality standards.

the installation was inspired by the Yuantong Hall of Wuhan’s Gude Temple

the lobby design blends soft, wave-like sculptural elements with textured surfaces & warm lighting

the lobby references traditional Chinese architecture while embracing Western influences

transparent columns and panoramic windows create an open and welcoming, refined space

the semi-transparent screen adds layering, while floor curves guide flow

project info:

name: Convergence of Waters, Crossroads of Cultures – Sofitel Wuhan

interior designer: Bei Yang

design team: Bei Yang, Kevin Sheng, Yvonne Lyu

location: Wuhan, Hubei, China

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Casa Ailes is a residential project by Jaime Guzmán Creative Group, located in an exclusive gated community in Mexico City. Conceived as a refuge, its proposal stems from the idea of developing a blind facade as an expressive element, defined by six extruded concrete volumes that protrude and shape playful spaces from the void created within. Its design responds to the immediate context with a dual strategy: a hermetic facade facing the street that ensures privacy, and a controlled openness toward the garden and city views. As a result, the architectural composition is characterized by the contrast between solidity and lightness, both in the spatial distribution and in the application of materials. At the main entrance, a reflecting pool frames the access and mirrors the concrete volumetry, creating a visual effect that accentuates the geometry.

all images by Rafael Gamo

Central Patio and Vertical Circulation Organize interior layout

The design process of Jaime Guzmán Creative Group begins with a methodological analysis of the client’s activities and needs, allowing the development of creative and specific solutions for each project. In the case of Ailes, the clients requested open, interconnected social spaces, as well as a gathering area completely independent from the private zones, where their teenage daughters could meet freely. To address this need, a basement was designed to house a speakeasy with direct street access, allowing guests to enter independently without interfering with family dynamics. This level also includes a large parking area and service spaces, whose distribution responds to the structure of the upper floors. Upon entering the ground floor, one arrives at a vestibule covered by smoked-glass bridges that connect the upper levels and reinforce a sense of vertical spaciousness. The horizontal connection follows a similar principle, with a series of social spaces intertwined around a central patio that acts as the organizing axis of the house, ensuring a balanced distribution of natural light and cross-ventilation. In this patio, which is positioned half a level above the living room, a vertical concrete block houses an elevator, integrated into the design to guarantee that the parents, now in their fifties, can comfortably inhabit the home for years to come. A corridor connects the entrance to the garden through subtle level changes, articulating the ground floor with vertical circulations and distributing access to the office, family room, living area, and kitchen. Wide-opening glazing dissolves the boundaries between indoors and outdoors, constantly integrating the social areas with the open-air space. The living room relates both to the central patio and the main terrace, the latter open to the garden and sheltered from Mexico City’s climate by a large concrete cantilever.

On the upper level, this element houses the master bedroom and is resolved with concrete wall-beams, a structural solution that ensures stability and formal continuity. The landscaping is carefully integrated, with vegetation framing access points and terraces, providing natural shade, improving air quality, and generating a sense of respite within the city. Access to the second floor is through a solid block of stairs clad in marble on both floor and ceiling, leading to the glass bridges supported by a steel structure. At the northwest end, the younger daughter’s room takes advantage of the extruded volume of the main facade to integrate storage spaces, bookshelves, and resting areas, while at the southwest end, the master bedroom opens onto the garden, featuring a large walk-in closet and a bathroom that allows exterior views from a ceramic bathtub. This level also includes a laundry room for the management of linens and clothing, optimizing household operations. The third floor functions as an independent apartment within the house, providing the eldest daughter with the degree of autonomy her parents envisioned. It is accessed via a staircase that, as it rises, brings in natural light and frames the western cityscape. The eldest daughter’s room is located on the main facade, while on the opposite end is the main family room, with access to a terrace surrounded by vegetation that offers a panoramic view. This space incorporates a steel lattice with a folding screen system, designed to flexibly modulate privacy, light, and temperature. Its mechanism allows it to be fully opened or closed, adapting to the desired interior atmosphere. The materials used in the project emphasize the contrasts of the architectural concept through a sober and timeless palette that conveys balance, modernity, luxury, and comfort.

Casa Ailes is a private residence designed by Jaime Guzmán Creative Group in Mexico City

Jaime Guzmán’s Holistic Approach to Material and Comfort

Exposed concrete dominates Casa Ailes, providing a rough yet expressive texture with a uniform tone in both interiors and exteriors, one of the project’s main challenges. This cold material contrasts with the warmth of wood applied to floors and ceilings, creating a homely feel. Steel forms part of the structural system and is integrated into interior details, contributing solidity while also imparting a sense of lightness and precision in visible elements. The interior design, led by Mariana Rivera, complements the architecture with a precise selection of furniture and art. Pieces by Mexican and Italian designers were incorporated, achieving a coherent chromatic and material balance. A central piece stands out in the living room: a Japanese kimono intervened with gold paint on a lead canvas by artist Mayte Guzmán. Beyond its artistic value, this work reinforces the zen and wabi-sabi influence in the home’s aesthetic.

Jaime Guzmán Creative Group’s Casa Ailes integrates advanced systems of energy efficiency and sustainability. Hydronic heating ensures an optimal indoor climate without drying the environment, while a smart home system allows lighting and entertainment to be controlled from mobile devices, simplifying the management of comfort. The residence also includes a rainwater harvesting system for reuse in reflecting pools, irrigation, and car washing, along with solar panels that help reduce electricity consumption, moving the house closer to energy self-sufficiency. These systems improve the home’s energy performance and reflect both the clients’ and the studio’s commitment to sustainability and environmental respect. Casa Ailes is a testament to the holistic design approach of Jaime Guzmán Creative Group, resulting in a work that transcends its residential function. The quality of its spaces, the meticulous attention to material transitions, and its profound connection to the lifestyle of its inhabitants make this residence a carefully executed architectural work, one that reflects a design philosophy valuing harmony with the environment and the well-being of its users.

the street-facing facade is defined by six extruded concrete volumes forming a blind exterior

solid concrete elements shape interior voids and create varied spatial conditions

a hermetic street facade contrasts with controlled openness toward the garden

the house is organized around a central patio that distributes light and ventilation

social spaces unfold continuously around the interior courtyard

smoked-glass bridges connect upper levels and emphasize vertical openness

marble-clad stairs lead to steel-supported glass bridges on the upper floors

exposed concrete is used consistently across interior and exterior surfaces

wood accents soften the concrete-dominated material palette

bedrooms incorporate storage and seating within the extruded facade volumes

concrete, wood, and steel emphasize the brutalist character of the residence

project info:

name: Casa Ailes
architect: Jaime Guzmán Creative Group | @arq.jaimeguzman

location: Mexico City, Mexico

photographer: Rafael Gamo | @rafael_gamo

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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Located on a stationary pontoon along the Sava River in Mačvanska Mitrovica, Serbia, Sava River House is a compact floating cabin designed by Studio MARSA for leisure use and weekend stays. Measuring eight by six meters, the project is conceived as a flexible open-plan structure that supports both everyday retreat and occasional gatherings.

The cabin’s architectural form is shaped by its orientation toward the river. A mono-pitch roof slopes toward the shoreline, allowing the interior volume to increase in height upon entry and enhancing the sense of spatial expansion. Views are carefully framed throughout the interior, ranging from broad river perspectives visible from the lounge to more controlled glimpses of the shoreline through smaller openings, such as the horizontal kitchen window.

Constructed on site, the cabin employs a timber skeletal structure with mineral wool insulation. The roof is formed using laminated teak beams, while the exterior is clad in wood. The structure is mounted on a 10-centimeter aluminum base welded to the pontoon, creating space for a double-layered insulated floor system. As a floating structure, the project required careful attention to load distribution, influencing both material selection and construction methods without altering the intended spatial or functional qualities.

all images by Ivona Petrov

Timber Floating River Cabin is Designed for Flexible Leisure Use

Material continuity between the exterior and interior reinforces the relationship between the building and its riverside setting. Wood and metal are used consistently throughout, referencing both the natural landscape and the site’s maritime history. Interior joinery adopts deep green tones drawn from the color of the river, while restrained red accents reference nautical navigation markers, further situating the cabin within its water-based context.

The interior layout is organized with service functions concentrated in the first third of the plan, accommodating the kitchen, bathroom, and utility space. The remaining area is dedicated to a combined lounge and dining zone, which opens directly toward the river. This spatial arrangement prioritizes openness while maintaining functional clarity within a limited footprint.

The project is situated in a town with a long shipbuilding tradition, including the historically significant Sava Shipyard. Drawing on this context, the design by Studio MARSA references the relationship between modernist architecture and nautical construction, combining principles associated with Corbusian open planning and functional clarity with the archetype of a river cabin. Nautical influences are reflected in the emphasis on clean-lined interiors, natural light, and direct engagement with the surrounding water.

cabin at day, as seen from the river

dining zone with the corner window to access water for downstream swimming

corner window in late afternoon

green tone of the kitchen joinery referencing the river hues

entrance area joinery

interior as a single, reconfigurable space

lounge corner window framing the view of the pedestrian bridge

‘service-zone’ joinery inspired by the riverside colors and pioneers of modernist design

atmospheric lighting in the lounge

cabin at night

cabin at night as seen from the river

project info:

name: Sava River House
architect: Studio MARSA | @studio__marsa

lead architect: Aleksandar Stanković

location: Sava River in Mačvanska Mitrovica, Serbia

photographer: Ivona Petrov

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 mono-pitch roof shields compact wooden cabin floating along river in serbia appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Set in the countryside of Ostuni, Italy, Casa nell’agro di Ostuni by Tela Architettura reinterprets an unfinished rural dwelling into a calm and continuous architecture. When the owners discovered the site, they found an abandoned concrete shell, an unfinished house that had never been completed. Instead of demolishing it, they decided to preserve what was already there and used its geometry as the foundation for a new project rooted in restraint and permanence.

The intervention reconfigures the interior spaces while extending the existing volume with subtle precision and wrapping it in materials of the surrounding landscape. The project draws its identity from the dialogue between construction and terrain. Large glazed openings dissolve the threshold between inside and out, pulling the countryside into the domestic space. Natural lime plaster and sand-colored microcement form a continuous, tactile skin that defines every surface.

all images by Nicolo Panzeri

Abandoned shell is transformed through texture and light

These materials, shaped into essential geometries by Tela Architettura, generate a sequence of offset planes that become steps, benches, and built-in furniture. The staircase leading to the pool doubles as seating for the outdoor lounge, the fireplace emerges from the living room wall, and the master bed rises from the floor in seamless continuity. The Italian architecture studio defines space mostly through material, but light completes it. Soft northern light spreads evenly across the pale walls, while the eastern side glows with warmer tones in the morning. Iron window frames trace a thin brown line against the plaster, guiding the gaze toward the monumental trunks of olive trees. Within this quiet geometry, walnut doors and joinery introduce warmth and texture, forming a tactile vocabulary immediate to the eye and to the touch.

The living room centers on the fireplace, around which low horizontal planes extend to shape circulation and furniture. A walnut screen filters the entrance without interrupting light, defining spaces through density rather than separation. The continuity of the microcement floor is softened by natural fiber rugs that define areas for rest and gathering. Wood maintains a muted brown tone in dialogue with the iron details, reinforcing the atmosphere of measured intimacy.

at the edge of the site, an infinity pool finished in anthracite microcement extends toward the sea

indoor-outdoor living highlights mediterranean vegetation

The sleeping quarters contain three bedrooms, each with its own bathroom and large openings framing the Apulian landscape. The windows, meanwhile, act as measured cuts in the thick envelope to bring in light while preserving privacy and shade. To the east, a slender pergola and the natural canopy of the olive trees temper the summer heat, creating pockets of filtered light. Outside, the house settles into the topography through dry-stone walls built with local stone. These layered terraces guide the movement of the visitor, articulating access through ramps and steps. Mediterranean vegetation wraps the perimeter with shades of green and grey. At the edge of the site, an infinity pool finished in anthracite microcement extends toward the sea, turning the water into a still mirror that reflects the tones of the surrounding land.

outside, dry-stone walls built with local stone and layered terraces guide the movement of the visitor

the staircase leading to the pool doubles as seating for the outdoor lounge

white stone and microcement delineate the pool area, creating a relaxation zone amidst Mediterranean plants

large glazed openings dissolve the threshold between inside and out, pulling the countryside into the domestic space

natural lime plaster and sand-colored microcement form a continuous, tactile skin that defines every surface

the master bed rises from the floor in seamless continuity

large openings frame the Apulian landscape in the en-suite bathrooms

the project draws its identity from the dialogue between construction and terrain

the continuity of the microcement floor is softened by natural fiber rugs that define areas for rest and gathering

natural materials and light punctuate the open space

wooden furniture acts as a natural anchor in the otherwise monochrome interior context

project info:

name: Casa nell’agro di Ostuni
architect: Tela Architettura | @tela_architettura

location: Ostuni, Italy

photography: Nicolo Panzeri | @nicolopanzeri

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: claire brodka | designboom

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DIVIDED is an illuminating installation by Spanish urban artist SpY presented during the Lighting Xi’an Festival 2025, China. The public artwork forms part of the artist’s ongoing investigation into the relationships between body, space, scale, and perception. The project examines how light and monumental form can reshape spatial experience and alter the reading of an urban environment.

The installation consists of a large luminous sphere rendered in red light and divided into two identical hemispheres that are positioned apart from one another. Each half is housed within a metal framework constructed from industrial scaffolding, a system commonly associated with temporary construction. In this context, the scaffolding operates as both a structural support and a visible component of the work, establishing a contrast between the rigid, cubic geometry of the frame and the smooth curvature of the spherical forms. This juxtaposition introduces a condition of containment, in which the sphere appears simultaneously revealed and restrained.

all images courtesy of SpY

in SpY’s DIVIDED installation, Light becomes the primary material

Monumental in scale, the installation establishes a direct spatial relationship with the surrounding environment and the human body. The work is experienced not only as an object in space but also as a spatial configuration that responds to proximity and movement. Visitors can pass between the two hemispheres, entering the gap created by the division of the sphere. This passage functions as a corridor of light, in which the viewer becomes positioned within the work rather than observing it from the exterior.

In DIVIDED, interaction is directed inward, emphasizing immersion and bodily engagement. The use of red light, recurrent in the artist’s recent projects, defines the atmosphere of the installation and contributes to a suspended spatial condition shaped by illumination rather than enclosure alone. The work reconfigures the site through light, scale, and movement, positioning perception itself as a central material. DIVIDED is part of SpY’s Earth series, which also includes Earth and Confronted. The series has been presented in multiple cities, including Madrid, Athens, Riyadh, and Ghent, and addresses themes of fragmentation, coexistence, and spatial confrontation through large-scale luminous installations.

DIVIDED by SpY at the Lighting Xi’an Festival 2025

a large red luminous sphere split into two identical hemispheres

the installation explores body, space, scale, and perception

monumental form and light reshape the surrounding urban environment

each hemisphere is supported by an exposed industrial scaffolding frame

red light defines the spatial atmosphere of the installation

light becomes the primary material defining space

scale blurs conventional references of distance and enclosure

project info:

name: DIVIDED
designer: SpY | @spy__studio

organizer: Xian Mixc
curator: Wavelength
event: Lighting Xi’an Festival

location: Xi’an, 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: christina vergopoulou | designboom

The post SpY’s monumental divided sphere installation illuminates xi’an in bright red light appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Cappella del Suono is a small-scale architectural installation located in the grain fields of Italy’s Marche region. Positioned on a hillside, the pavilion is designed as a lightweight wooden structure that maintains a close relationship with its surrounding landscape. Developed by Studio Carraldo, the project was realized independently in the summer of 2025 after being selected as the winning entry of the Festival di Microarchitettura. The pavilion is also among the twelve nominated projects for the Klimahouse Wood Architecture Prize 2025.

The structure is composed of a regular grid of vertical wooden slats that define the spatial enclosure while remaining visually permeable. The slats are suspended at varying lengths, forming an irregular lower edge that softens the boundary between architecture and landscape. Perforations integrated at the ends of selected elements introduce an acoustic dimension, allowing the pavilion to respond to wind conditions. As air moves through the structure, the wooden components interact to produce layered sound effects, which vary in intensity depending on wind strength and direction. Under certain conditions, the sound recalls the distant bells of the nearby Convento di Monte Illuminato.

all images by Jonas Zauels

Studio Carraldo’s Pavilion is Defined by Light and Landscape

Light and shadow play a central role in shaping the spatial experience. The open arrangement of the slats allows sunlight to pass through the structure, creating changing patterns throughout the day and reinforcing the pavilion’s temporal and environmental responsiveness. Structurally, the installation rests on slender vertical supports anchored directly into the ground, minimizing impact on the site and reinforcing the project’s temporary character. Studio Carraldo’s material choices further support this approach. The use of untreated wood allows the structure to weather naturally and visually integrate with the surrounding grain fields. Rather than asserting itself as an object, the pavilion maintains a low visual profile and reads as an architectural extension of the landscape.

Cappella del Suono is conceived as a permeable architectural space, defined enough to establish a place while remaining open to environmental forces. A built-in bench extends from the interior toward the exterior, supporting different modes of occupation and allowing visitors to engage with the pavilion through rest, observation, and listening.

participation with a local piano maker from Lunano

when the wind is calm, the Cappella del Suono reads like a monolith

dynamic interplay of light, shadow, and transparency

the structure appears to grow directly out of the surrounding grain fields

in interaction with the wind, the structure comes alive

the bench encourages resting and experiencing the surrounding field of slats

through varying lengths and precise perforations, the slats create a layered acoustic effect

the sound slats are suspended by delicate threads, letting them sway freely in the wind

the pavilion creates an permeable architectural space open to environmental forces

project info:

name: Cappella del Suono

architect: Studio Carraldo | @studio.carraldo
design team: Franka Ruhnau, Jonas Rosenfelder, Luis Navarro, Valentin Fick, David Zauels
location: Marche, Italy

photographer: Jonas Zauels | @blackbvrds

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 wind activates pavilion’s permeable wooden grid producing layered soundscapes appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.