Chiangmai Life Architects unveils its latest bamboo creation, The Bull at Zabb e Lee, a pavilion set amidst the rice paddies on the outskirts of Chiang Mai in Thailand. Designed for a traditional Thai cooking school founded by a young local couple, the structure brings together food, architecture, and the expressive qualities of natural materials. The structure marks the third collaboration between the architects and Zabb e Lee Cooking School, following the popularity of their previous bamboo ‘sala’ buildings. 

The pavilion sits in a tight corner of the property, with a large tree on one side and a small pond on the other. It wasn’t an easy spot to build on, but the architects treated it as an opportunity. They came up with a U-shaped layout that wraps neatly around the edges of the site, making the most of the space without blocking the view of the surrounding rice fields. As they worked with the curves and flow of the design, a distinctive shape began to appear, one that resembled a bull’s head, complete with raised ‘horns’. These upward arches became the entrances to the building, giving the structure a strong, energetic presence.

images courtesy of Chiangmai Life Architects

domed bamboo vaults hosts The Bull at Zabb e Lee

Inside The Bull at Zabb e Lee, the layout supports the three main parts of the cooking school experience – food preparation, cooking, and communal dining. The Thai team of Chiangmai Life Architects arranges activities across three distinct yet interconnected spaces, which transition smoothly beneath a continuous vaulted roof. Overlapping arches made from bundled bamboo rods shape the structure and cross at its top, forming domed interiors with rhythm and lift.

This construction method allows the space to breathe, creating a light and open environment that feels more generous than its compact footprint suggests. With natural ventilation and framed views of the surrounding fields, the interior becomes a calm setting where students can focus, learn, and enjoy the process.

The use of raw bamboo, one of the studio’s signature materials, gives the pavilion a distinct warmth and character that connects it to local tradition and its natural surroundings. During the day, the pale tones and curved forms allow the building to blend into the rice field landscape. In the evening, soft lighting reveals the textures and details of the structure, turning it into a glowing presence that quietly anchors the site. 

the pavilion sits in a tight corner of the property

the pavilion is set amidst the rice paddies on the outskirts of Chiang Mai in Thailand

designed for a traditional Thai cooking school

the structure brings together food, architecture, and the expressive qualities of natural materials

making the most of the space without blocking the view of the surrounding rice fields

the layout supports the three main parts of the cooking school experience

Chiangmai Life Architects arranges activities across three distinct yet interconnected spaces

the spaces transition smoothly beneath a continuous vaulted roof

upward arches became the entrances to the building

overlapping arches made from bundled bamboo rods shape the structure

the pavilion resembles a bull’s head, complete with raised ‘horns’

the construction method allows the space to breathe

project info:

name: The Bull at Zabb e Lee Cooking School

architect: Chiangmai Life Architects | @chiangmailifearchitects

location: Chiang Mai, Thailand

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Heimat Architects (previously Atelier Heimat) unveils Under the Same Eaves, a demountable timber pavilion designed for the 2025 Aranya Theatre Festival in Qinhuangdao, China. Completed in just 14 days — 7 days for design and 7 for construction — the project serves as the festival’s main baijiu tasting station and a key node in Migratory Birds 300, a 300-hour continuous art experiment on the beach. Both intimate and open, the pavilion becomes a social anchor amid a landscape of ephemeral installations, celebrating fleeting encounters through architecture built to vanish.

bird’s eye view of the site | all images © Lv Xiaobin, unless stated otherwise

HEIMAT ARCHITECTS CREATES TIMBER COURTYARD OF SHARED MOMENTS

Situated in the Sand City zone of the festival, Under the Same Eaves by Heimat Architects forms a quiet courtyard composed of three tasting corridors and a compact bar unit. Each corridor is made of modular timber platforms arranged under repeating eaves that suggest both rhythm and rest. Through this design, the architecture team encourages spontaneous social interaction, offering visitors a variety of ways to sit, recline, or simply linger — all under a canopy that frames the sea breeze and passing conversations.

More than just a tasting station, the pavilion acts as a spatial ritual for enjoying baijiu, China’s traditional spirit. The architecture invites visitors to move slowly: entering low eaves, stooping gently, then emerging into a central space of light and laughter. Its sculpted sections offer moments of openness for mingling and pockets of seclusion for reflection.

Under the Same Eaves: a demountable timber pavilion for the 2025 Aranya Theatre Festival

MODULAR DESIGN ENABLES ZERO-WASTE CONSTRUCTION

Simplicity and sustainability guided every decision. The entire structure uses just two sizes of locally sourced timber in a modular ‘sandwich truss’ system. These repeating units offered both structural strength and rapid assembly. The pavilion’s hipped roof shelters a service bar and storage space, while waterproof polyester fabric wraps the timber eaves, providing light shelter and visual softness against the coastal backdrop.

Part of the Migratory Birds 300 series, Heimat Architects’ pavilion is built with impermanence in mind. Like the performance art it accompanies, the structure is made to be disassembled, reused, and ultimately disappear — a poetic parallel to the transient nature of festival encounters. As the designers return ‘like migratory birds’ each year, the act of building becomes both a rehearsal and a ritual: a meditation on time, place, and the emotional weight of temporary space.

the pavilion forms a quiet courtyard composed of three corridors

each corridor is made of modular timber platforms

the entire structure uses just two sizes of locally sourced timber

waterproof polyester fabric wraps the timber eaves | image © Bai Rubing

the structure is made to be disassembled, reused, and ultimately disappear

the design offers pockets of seclusion for reflection

the pavilion is both intimate and open | image © Liu Guowei

Under the Same Eaves becomes a social anchor amid a landscape of ephemeral installations | image © Bai Rubing

the architecture team encourages spontaneous social interaction | image © Bai Rubing

project info:

name: Under the Same Eaves
architects: Heimat Architects
design team: Zhang Dong Guang, Liu Wenjuan, Ma Tianyang, Zhang Wenjing
site support: Sun Zhiwei
construction team: Yan Chuanwei, Yan Xuli, et al. Curators: Liu Chang, Zhu Sha

location: Qinhuangdao, China 
client: GUOJIAO 1573, Aranya Theatre Festival 

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: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom

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MORF designs the Colombia Pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka as a temporary national exhibition space that combines narrative-driven design with modular, sustainable construction. The design draws conceptual inspiration from the opening lines of One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez. Referencing the moment a young boy encounters ice for the first time, the design interprets this narrative through an architectural motif titled ‘ICE CUBE.’

The pavilion’s facade is composed of numerous translucent cubes, oriented in varying directions to create a sense of motion and texture. These cubes are constructed from semi-transparent polycarbonate panels and equipped with programmable lighting. This feature enables the facade to shift in appearance over the course of the day and night, serving as both a visual marker and a platform for presenting Colombian culture within the Expo context.

all images by Forward Stroke Inc., Koji Okumura, Susumu Matsui

adaptive design and visual storytelling define Colombia Pavilion

MORF’s design team organizes the structure around a prefabricated light steel frame system, selected to accommodate the short construction timeline and environmental considerations typical of Expo buildings. The frame sits on a floating foundation system, allowing construction to adapt to the site’s soil limitations. Excavated portions of this foundation are utilized to create a mezzanine level for back-of-house operations, optimizing the spatial configuration within the pavilion’s limited footprint.

Visitors enter through a central hall that includes a Colombian coffee bar, highlighting a key cultural product. The open and adaptable interior space supports various exhibition layouts, ensuring flexibility throughout the event duration. The exhibition narrative presents Colombia as ‘the Country of Beauty’ through the conceptual lens of Magical Realism. The Yellow Butterfly, drawn from García Márquez’s novel as a symbolic bridge between reality and imagination, acts as a guiding motif throughout the pavilion’s immersive environments. In addition to its role during Expo 2025, the pavilion has been designed with a post-event lifecycle in mind. Its modular steel structure allows for easy disassembly and reconstruction in a new context. Discussions are currently underway regarding its future use after the Expo concludes.

translucent cubes form the dynamic facade of the Colombia Pavilion

the ‘ice cube’ concept organizes the pavilion’s outer skin into shifting geometries

polycarbonate panels allow light to transform the building throughout the day

a prefabricated steel frame system supports fast, efficient construction

programmable lighting animates the facade with subtle color transitions

a layered facade conveys movement and complexity in form

the structure’s light steel components can be reused after the Expo

the pavilion demonstrates how storytelling informs architectural form

sustainable materials and modular planning shape the pavilion’s life cycle

project info:

name: Colombia Pavilion Osaka Expo 2025

architect: MORF Inc. | @a.morf.jp

location: Osaka, Japan

client: ProColombia

site area: 875,89 sqm

footprint area: 513,42 sqm

total floor area: 584,44 sqm

project director: Karim Chahal

principal architect: Ko Oono

lead architect: Masaki Suzuki

project architects: Won Sungmin, Gen Kurokawa

assistant project manager: Maki Nomura

associate architect: AA-DC

project architect: Nicole Del Santo

structural design: Ando Imagineering Group (AIG)

lead structural designer: Kosaku Ando

structural designer: Toshiki Tanabe

general contractor: Sakane Sangyou Inc.

construction manager: Tsunehiko Muroi

modular structure contractor: NS Hi-Parts

representative director: Atsushi Morioki

landscape design & construction: 1moku Landscape Design & Research

lead landscape architect: Hirofumi Suga

exhibition design & construction: Sigongtech

general managers: Junseok Kang, Karen Ko

lead designer: Hansol Lee

senior designers: Hanna Lee, Sohee Jang

photographer: Forward Stroke Inc., Koji Okumura, Susumu Matsui

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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At the 19th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice, MAD presents Chinese Paper Umbrella, an outdoor installation at the China Pavilion that reflects the theme ‘Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective.’ The soft, splaying structure brings the delicate form of the traditional Chinese oil paper umbrella to architectural scale, transforming it into a performative pavilion that offers rest and shelter.

The work situates itself between ancient knowledge and contemporary experimentation. It provides a microclimate within the gardens of the China Pavilion, and a demonstration of how traditional materials can evolve when paired with environmental sensing and adaptive design strategies. In this way, the installation demonstrates MAD’s interest in the emotional and experiential qualities of space, and its broader efforts to humanize technological systems through architecture.

The project remains on view at the China Pavilion through November 23rd, 2025, as part of the Venice Architecture Biennale.

images courtesy MAD

ancient chinese craft arrives in venice

Positioned in the garden near the terminus of the Arsenale exhibition route, MAD’s Chinese Paper Umbrella is at once a sculptural intervention and a space for pause. The umbrella is constructed with Xuan paper — an absorbent, fibrous material traditionally used for calligraphy — treated with multiple layers of tung oil. This process renders it both water-resistant and translucent, enabling it to withstand the maritime conditions of Venice while filtering light in ever-changing ways.

Visitors stepping beneath the Beijing-based architects‘ canopy encounter a shift in atmosphere from the Biennale beyond. Light is softened, shadows stretch and contract with the time of day, and the sensation of temperature alters as air circulates through the permeable seams of the paper. The structure’s scale retains an intimacy, inviting individuals to linger, reflect, or simply observe the rhythms of weather and daylight as they pass through the space.

the project is installed in the garden of the China Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale

a paper umbrella with Responsive Technology

Beyond its material craftsmanship, MAD incorporates contemporary environmental technologies into its Chinese Paper Umbrella. A misting system embedded at the apex of the umbrella activates in response to high temperatures, cooling the shaded area beneath and subtly amplifying the sensory qualities of the space. The integration of OPPLE Lighting’s Smart Dynamic Light (SDL) system allows the canopy to adjust to changes in light and weather. This dynamic interplay between natural and artificial systems highlights the structure’s sensitivity to its environment.

The paper surface, though treated for durability, is designed to change with time. As sun, moisture, and wind weather the material, the umbrella will gradually yellow and soften. This slow transformation is not concealed, but rather embraced as part of the design. MAD’s intention is to foreground impermanence not as decay, but as a condition of coexistence with the natural world.

MAD draws from traditional Chinese oil paper umbrellas, scaled to create a public shelter

Xuan paper is coated with tung oil to produce a durable and translucent surface

smart lighting responds to environmental changes using OPPLE’s dynamic light technology

the umbrella structure breathes through its seams while maintaining shade and shelter

a misting system cools the air in response to high temperatures during dry weather

the pavilion creates a gentle shift in light, air, and temperature for visitors below

project info:

name: Chinese Paper Umbrella

architect: MAD | @madarchitects

event: 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale Di Venezia

location: Arsenale – Magazzino Delle Cisterne, Castello 2169/F, 30122 Venice, Italy

on view: May 10th — November 23rd, 2025

photography: courtesy MAD

design team: Ma Yansong, Dang Qun, Yosuke Hayano, Jiang Yunyao, Zhou Rui, Yang Xuebing, He Linxi, Huang Juntao, Pan Siyi, Valentina Olivieri
lighting partner: OPPLE Lighting
structural consultant: RFR Shanghai
fabrication: Far East Façade

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Frankie’s Summer Club, a pop-up bar and gathering space designed by Scout and ISA Architects, is set to open on June 20th in the courtyard of the Frank Furness building in Philadelphia. Located on the site of the former University of the Arts campus, the open-air venue offers a temporary transformation of this storied urban block, all with inspiration from an unrealized proposal by legendary architect Louis Kahn.

Set against the carved stone and ornamental ironwork of Furness Hall, the intervention marks the beginning of Scout’s broader redevelopment of the South Broad Street campus. The courtyard has been reshaped as a convivial urban room, welcoming visitors with a palette of curved wooden seating, light metal canopies, and tactile materials. A soft network of paths and perches guides circulation through the space and creating a lush, fluid atmosphere.

images © Bre Furlong

Echoes of an Unrealized Proposal by louis kahn

Frankie’s Summer Club draws direct inspiration from an unbuilt 1964 proposal by Louis Kahn for an expansion of the University in Philadelphia. Though never realized, Kahn’s concept was radical in its use of form to harvest northern light — monolithic structures with flared bases surrounding a central light shaft. That sense of sculptural clarity and atmospheric intent shapes Frankie’s Summer Club in spirit if not in material.

Rather than recreate Louis Kahn’s monumental massing, Scout and ISA Architects reinterpret its spatial logic as a network of low-slung forms, organized to modulate light and invite pause. The result is a space that channels the unrealized past into a lively present, offering a setting that invites discovery without spectacle.

Frankie’s Summer Club opens in the courtyard of Philadelphia’s historic Frank Furness building

the Collaborative Vision Between Scout and ISA

To carry out the design of Frankie’s Summer Club pop-up, Scout partnered with Interface Studio Architects (ISA), a Philadelphia-based practice known for projects that balance experimentation with contextual sensitivity. The installation at Frankie’s reflects ISA’s ongoing interest in adaptive reuse and interim programming — architecture that engages urban life through phases, with responsiveness built into its structure.

ISA’s approach supports Scout’s broader vision for the former UArts campus as a site of generative reuse. Their collaboration honors the lineage of figures tied to the space — from Frank Furness and Louis Kahn to generations of students and artists who shaped its creative legacy — while reintroducing the site as a setting for contemporary cultural life.

For Scout, Frankie’s is the first public-facing gesture in what will become a broader cultural district rooted in making and convening. ‘This is an invitation,’ says Scout Managing Partner Lindsey Scannapieco. ‘An invitation to reconnect with this historic space, to celebrate Philly’s creative energy, and to get a glimpse of what’s coming next.’

the pop-up bar is part of a phased redevelopment of the former UArts campus

the project reclaims a disused courtyard as a welcoming and flexible public space

its design is inspired by Louis Kahn’s unrealized 1964 proposal for a University of the Arts expansion

soft curves wooden seating and open frameworks define the space

Scout and ISA reinterpret Kahn’s ideas of daylight and sculptural form through site-specific interventions

archival photograph of a preliminary model by Louis Kahn for the Philadelphia College of Art, 1965 | image courtesy Scout

project info:

name: Frankie’s Summer Club

architect: Scout, ISA Architects

location: 355 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, USA
fabrication: North Standard
food, beverage: Michael Ferreri

opening: June 20th

hours: Wednesday 4pm – 9pm, Thursday – Saturday 4pm – 10pm, Sunday 2pm – 8pm

photography: © Bre Furlong

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‘100 colors no.53,’ the latest installment in Emmanuelle Moureaux’s ongoing ‘100 colors path’ series, has opened at Takanawa Gateway City in Tokyo. Composed of 2,400 vertical lines, each rendered in one of 100 precisely selected colors, the work is both a spatial structure and a temporal map, charting a century’s worth of imagined futures.

The piece is installed in the newly developed Gateway Park by East Japan Railway Company, and marks the launch of Takanawa Gateway City, an urban complex built around a central transport hub in Minato Ward. As the first public installation unveiled with the complex’s debut, ‘100 colors path’ sets the tone for a neighborhood defined by openness and movement. ‘100 colors no. 53’ will be open to the public until July 21st, 2025.

images © Daisuke Shima

emmanuelle moureaux’s map of Color and Time

While Emmanuelle Moureaux’s ‘100 colors no.53,’ reads as a shifting gradient from across the Tokyo plaza, its internal logic is revealed up close as an accumulation of numbers layered within a calibrated spectrum. This way, the Tokyo-based French architect‘s characteristic use of color is an architectural material rather than surface treatment. Each line is inscribed with a year, beginning in 2025 and continuing sequentially through 2124.

The structural rhythm of the work is defined by uniform spacing and repetition. Lines are suspended vertically to create a passage that is simultaneously transparent and immersive. The numbers printed on the lines come in and out of view as visitors move through the piece, a kinetic effect heightened by the optical interference patterns of overlapping colors.

Emmanuelle Moureaux installs ‘100 colors path’ in Tokyo’s Takanawa Gateway City

a pathway carved through immersive color

At the heart of Tokyo’s ‘100 colors path’ installation is a central corridor which cuts through the colored grid. Emmanuelle Moureaux carves this passage to invite entry, allowing visitors to become momentarily absorbed in the spectrum of time. As people walk through the corridor, the visual rhythm shifts with their movement. It is a simple gesture, but one that transforms the installation from an object to inhabit into an environment to experience.

Inside, the work offers a tactile proximity to each color and year. The vertical density flattens at certain angles and deepens at others, underscoring the relationship between time and space in architectural perception. The effect is neither theatrical nor didactic — it is precise, open-ended, and responsive to movement.

the installation consists of 2,400 vertical lines arranged in 100 precisely selected colors

Beyond the park installation, the concept of ‘100 colors path’ has been extended throughout the station district. Moureaux designed related graphics for both north and south ticket gates of Takanawa Gateway Station, as well as the surrounding street flags. A complementary augmented reality experience titled 100 colors city allows visitors to engage with the installation digitally, activating the concept through smartphone interaction.

During the exhibition period, a public workshop invited participants to search for color in their everyday surroundings — an approach that reinforces the project’s central theme of color as a framework for observation and time. This alignment between physical installation and public programming strengthens the architectural relevance of the work in its urban setting.

a central corridor invites visitors to walk through the immersive color field

Moureaux’s 100 colors path continues her exploration of how color can be used to shape physical space and collective imagination. The numbering of each line, paired with a clear chronological arc, gives structure to what could otherwise be a purely aesthetic field. This linking of color and time brings a conceptual framework that is visually inviting, but also conceptually complex.

The installation references both the future and the present. The decision to begin during Takanawa Gateway City’s inaugural year of 2025 grounds the piece in its immediate context. Meanwhile, the choice to extend one hundred years forward transforms the project into a durational meditation on memory and urban growth.

each line is engraved with a year from 2025 to 2124, creating a spatial timeline of 100 years

the numbers appear and disappear as viewers move for a dynamic, perspective-led experience

an AR extension called ‘100 colors city’ invites digital interaction via smartphones

the installation uses color as an architectural material to organize time and space

project info:

name: 100 colors no.53 ‘100 colors path’

architect: Emmanuelle Moureaux | @emmanuellemoureaux

location: Gateway Park, Takanawa Gateway City, Tokyo, Japan

on view: March 27th — July 21st, 2025

photography: © Daisuke Shima | @daisuke_shima_photography

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Serpentine and the LEGO Group unveil the Play Pavilion designed by Sir Peter Cook in London’s Kensington Gardens. The public art project coincides with World Play Day on June 11th, 2025, and rightfully so with the playful and vibrant flair of the pavilion. It is on view from June 11th to August 10th, 2025. The only orange on the horizon, the Play Pavilion by Sir Peter Cook partially comes to life with the use of LEGO bricks. Outside, these colorful blocks create protruding, tactile installations resembling topography. A kaleidoscopic roof shaped like a small bowl cocoons the architecture, colored in orange to match the similar shade of the base. Around the pavilion, the walls have slopes and peaks, mimicking the waves crashing onto the shore while creating different openings and exits. 

Anyone can run their hands along them and feel the LEGO-brick installations on the walls before they step inside the Play Pavilion. Here, sunlight passes through the openings because Sir Peter Cook didn’t join the roofing to the base. Air and light, then, flow in and out, and people can see the outside from inside. The use of LEGO bricks continues inside. The central pillar is reminiscent of a towering robot, a quiet sentry that surveys the space to check if everyone’s enjoying their time. To exit the structure, visitors can either walk towards one of the openings or use the yellow slide on the other side. On one of the walls, there’s a brick-built board and a treasure of LEGO blocks just below it, so visitors can pick up pieces, pin them onto the interactive structure, and shape them into how they want them to be. It’s the essence of the LEGO-built Play Pavilion, an intentional design by Sir Peter Cook.

The Play Pavilion, designed by Peter Cook (Peter Cook Studio Crablab), in collaboration with Serpentine and the LEGO Group © Peter Cook (Peter Cook Studio Crablab) | images courtesy of Serpentine; photos by Andy Stagg, unless stated otherwise

live activations throughout the summer of 2025

Sir Peter Cook describes the Play Pavilion with LEGO brick designs as a piece of theater, but the structure can recall the form of an observatory, too. From afar, the geometric roof already announces the presence of the orange playground. As visitors walk up closer to it, they then see the partly obscured body that completes it. In a location full of greenery, the Play Pavilion breathes in a refreshed life, luring in the visitors to come closer and find out more within. In the words of the architect, ‘a child might pop out on a slide, another may crawl through a hole on the ground, mystifying conventional entrance routes. Another mouth-shaped opening reveals an orator, performer, or singer entertaining eavesdroppers beyond.’

The LEGO-built Play Pavilion by Sir Peter Cook continues the series of programs presented by Serpentine. In 2022, Serpentine, the London Lions Basketball Club, and artist Alvaro Barrington partnered with CONSUL, Tower Hamlets Council, and Weavers Adventure Playground in Bethnal Green to create a basketball court. Today, it’s an orange pavilion that doubles as public art, with walls that present a series of tactile installations. For the gallery, these new initiatives bring together artists, designers, architects, and creatives to champion the spirit of play and community. The LEGO-built Play Pavilion by Sir Peter Cook is a platform for live activations throughout the summer of 2025.

view of the slide at the pavilion

the roof has a geometric design and a similar shade of the base

the walls present a series of tactile installations

inside, there’s a board where visitors can pin the LEGO bricks

portrait of Sir Peter Cook | photo by Gary Summers

Sir Peter Cook designs the pavilion commission for Serpentine and the LEGO Group | photo by Gary Summers

project info:

name: Play Pavilion

architect: Sir Peter Cook | @sirpetercook

team: Pablo Wheldon, Cong Ding

program: Serpentine Galleries | @serpentineuk

collaborator: LEGO Group | @lego

on view: June 11th to August 10th, 2025

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MVRDV’s Winy Maas sits down with designboom to discuss the making of the kinetic Sombra Pavilion and the 3D printed Biotopia installation at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025. Before the exhibition’s public opening on May 9th 2025, the Dutch architect, and the M of MVRDV together with Jacob van Rijs and Nathalie de Vries, explained the making and thinking behind the SOMBRA pavilion and the Biotopia installation. ‘It’s nice that the pavilion is not solar. In this case, it’s only the air pressure. What we use is our knowledge of the sun. We work a lot on shadow and light, and create and research complex solar programs. For Biotopia, I imagine a fully recyclable, biological world that combines all the properties we need: energy, oxygen, animals, shelter, light, flexibility, and changeability,’ the architect tells designboom during the interview.

One project uses physics to create shade without electricity, while the other imagines a future where buildings grow like living organisms. The SOMBRA pavilion – designed by a team led by MVRDV founding partner Jacob van Rijs – is at the European Cultural Centre’s Giardini Marinaressa, part of the Time Space Existence show. The Biotopia installation is at the Arsenale, part of the main exhibition curated by Carlo Ratti. Both of them are on view until November 2025. For the pavilion, built in collaboration with with Metadecor, Airshade, and Alumet, the structure turns reused beams into large arches, supported by metal ribs. This frame holds triangular panels fitted with perforated metal screens. The pavilion operates without electricity or motors. It relies on physics: when direct sunlight heats small air canisters located within the structure’s ribs, the air pressure inside increases. This pressure inflates small airbags attached to the panels. As an airbag inflates, it contracts, pulling its corresponding panel closed to create shade. When the sun moves and the canisters cool, the pressure decreases, and the panels reopen.

portrait of Winy Maas | image © designboom

Progress to building a biotopic world

Heading to the Arsenale of the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025, Winy Maas and his think tank The Why Factory collaborate with visual artist Federico Díaz to sculpt and present BIOTOPIA. The installation is in two parts. First, the 3D printed sculpture made of polymer. The second is an accompanying film documenting the Dutch architect’s research and how he imagines biotopia will be, which brims with self-sustaining systems. The kind of future here makes biology the foundation for all design. It reimagines cities as forests and architecture as something that grows like a tree. The core concept is a global Sponge, or a type of dynamic biomatter architecture. This Sponge would perform functions like cooling the air, filtering water, and generating energy, all while adapting like a living thing.

The sculptural installation with Federico Díaz, called Propagative Structures, gives physical form to the idea of living matter, of architecture built from living organisms. The work emerges from research into biomimicry, or a field of design that takes inspiration from natural systems. The installation’s forms draw on the structure of mangrove root networks, a suggestion of a future where habitats are not built but cultivated like plants. In our interview with the architect, Winy Maas discusses the future of urbanism, our progress to a biotopic world, the use of computational designs and algorithms in architecture, and what lies ahead for MVRDV, to name a few.

all images courtesy of MVRDV | photos by Federico Vespignani, unless stated otherwise

Interview with Winy MaAs at Venice Architecture Biennale 2025

Designboom (DB): It’s wonderful to see you here in Venice, Winy. We saw the Sombra Pavilion in the garden on our way here. We also read that it’s kinetic?

Winy Maas (WM): It’s a kinetic structure, yes. It doesn’t need energy. Air pressure is generated by a heat difference within the structure itself. That helps to close or open panels, cooling the building at certain corners or not. That, of course, depends on the sun. It’s good to see it in the afternoon too because they placed it next to a tree, so it stands out. The film will be made in the coming months, so we can see the functioning of this air-driven structure. It’s nice that it’s not solar. In this case, it’s only the air pressure. 

What we use is our knowledge of the sun. We work a lot on shadow and light. We create and research complex solar programs. After that, we can start working on the solar panel industry. Sun Rock, for example, which is our project in Taipei for the Taipower Electricity company, is a building covered with solar panels. It’s an example of how we use the sun. It’s a nice project too, and I love it. 

the project uses physics to create shade without electricity

DB: So, the Sombra Pavilion is one project of MVRDV here at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025. In the Arsenale, you have another titled Biotopia under The Why Factory, which is the think tank and research institute that you lead. Here, it comes in two parts. The first a 3D printed model with the visual artist Federico Diaz that explores the idea of living matter in continuous transformation. The other is a movie that documents and visualizes this future. First off, how do you see a biotopic world?

WM: Biotopia is a dream. Imagine a fully recyclable, biological world that combines all the properties we need: energy, oxygen, animals, shelter, light, flexibility, and changeability. There’s a huge list of properties we demand from our materials and surroundings. Biotopia philosophizes and speculates on the idea that if we create a material or combination of materials that can facilitate these needs precisely when desired by humans, nature, or animals, that will lead to a city you can’t yet imagine. I’m pursuing a few things with my Utopia concept. 

First, I’m trying to paint a sketch. The seven-minute accompanying film visitors see needs improvement, so it will progress over time, to the next step. Second, I’m creating a timeline sequence of materials, an interesting research project I’ll publish in a book. This timeline will detail all the properties we need, measured in time per second, for an average population density. That’s a crucial part. We calculate what we can do with current materials and what’s possible if certain material innovations occur. 

the pavilion is at the European Cultural Centre’s Giardini Marinaressa | photo by Jaap Heemskerk

WM (continued): There are three epochs in these steps, with the current epoch of innovation per technology, like improved 3D printing. The entire MVRDV group is part of this research. A lot is already happening; we have old materials and new materials emerging. We see this more and more, with layers of wood combined with glue, like glulam and CLT. We also have more types of sandwich constructions. Materials are becoming collaborative.  But what if this collaboration becomes more intense?

Materials could help provide light, others energy, and perhaps they could even move. That’s what this timeline aims to explore, too: what kind of collaborations are needed. We’ll depict these in the final timeline, the Blend, where everything is so interactive and active. It could lead to a completely different type of architecture or urbanism. Finally, we’re developing prototypes. These are diverse. One is 3D printing, aiming to move beyond current prefabrication methods. While prefab is fine, 3D printing offers more flexibility.

the structure turns reused beams into large arches, supported by metal ribs | photo by Jaap Heemskerk

DB: We were told that the sculptural installation at the Arsenale was supposed to be made of living organisms instead of 3D printed from polymer. 

WM: Yes, and I’m still completely open to it, but that’ll most likely be after the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025. There’s this dream of using 3D printing that involves two components, or three elements, that are not currently part of 3D printing. The first is what we call the material bank. Carlo Ratti adopted this idea, which involved a machine design where you have various materials. You feed these materials into the 3D printer, which could have multiple nozzles – one for concrete, one for stone, one for glass, one for steel, one for minerals, and one for wood. 

This allows you to select the desired material as you print, changing nozzles along the printing line. This is part of the design. The second component is the printer itself, which is a mixed printer and an ‘un-printer.’ This allows materials to be changed and adapted. To achieve this, an analyzer scans the surface, determines its composition, and then initiates a destruction operation. This process varies depending on the material. For example, 100% glass is easy to break and can be burned in two steps. 

when direct sunlight heats small air canisters, the air pressure inside increases | photo by Jaap Heemskerk

WM (continued): You remove the material, burn it, and the burner sends it to the material bank, from which it can be returned to the printer. This applies to all types of materials. So, we have the mixer, the printer, the ‘un-printer,’ and the material bank. The final component is the monitor, where you design and input data. This input isn’t just for design; it’s also a control mechanism. During printing, you need to monitor the process to prevent cracking. 

This can involve adding more water because the printing material is like a pudding that needs to be as fluid as possible for adhesion. Adding more water helps with the drying period, and you can also use other polymers. I can provide the diagram, but I should patent it first. This is the dream, so far. There’ll also be these robots that would be there to help construct these. I also have a sequence of mycelium tests that I want to do with the school in Jakarta.

the frame holds triangular panels fitted with perforated metal screens | photo by Jaap Heemskerk

DB: That was our follow-up question: the use of biomaterials. It seems that you’ve already used them in your recent projects. In line with this, you’ve also had a talk discussing computational design and algorithms in architecture and design. In what ways have you and MVRDV adopted them into your workflow?

WM: We have our specialties as an office and research group. I cannot do everything, so we need to collaborate extensively. I’m proficient in scripting; our office was one of the first to adopt it, and now our department excels in it. Our team is well-trained in computation and computer science, which I believe is a significant asset. We are skilled in space design, like any architect, and we are also strong in visualization.

DB: What do you think is our progress towards a biotopic world?

WM: There’s a wide range of research I’m trying to gather and collect. We have the example of 3D printing and mycelium. I’m also looking into the lignification of lignin from trees to accelerate this process in the farming industry. This would make the material more fluid, more like willow. I’m also incredibly interested in the electrical changeability of materials, like electrical rubber, for instance. In short, it’s a long process, but the beauty of it is fantastic.

view of the Biotopia installation at the Arsenale | all exhibition photos by Celestia Studio

DB: Are there other materials you want to work or experiment with? What’s next for you?

WM: I like the lignin and the washing-stone technology. This is a new technique we’re developing with Eindhoven. You add a layer of stone, which washes away, and then it assembles into soil. So, it’s essentially accelerating soil creation through erosion and its distribution. This helps plants grow, especially in shadowy areas. We’ve already applied this concept in Dubai for a new pavilion. 

Let’s go back to what you said before we started the interview. We’re sitting in a park, and you asked if I have a relationship with nature. My background already explains it, and I think our architecture is involved in that, meaning nature. I think we make it possible to reconnect people with nature. I like your question about what’s next because that’s the topic of the book we’re making. My lectures are always about what’s next, and they include slides. There are many subjects. I can dream about utopia as a kind of end result, if that’s possible. 

Then, I also have to study mobility. I need to consider when I move and what makes sense, so we’re doing a new study on velocity with different industries. We’re checking how the city would look with a certain kind of mobility: if I walk only, or if I have horses, or if I have three types of mobility. I also want to add properties to drones. It’s not about sending packages, which we can already do. We have a drone skycar in Shenzhen, and surveying is another use. But you can also construct. So I ask my collaborators and clients, ‘What can I do if I want to build a house in the sky?’ Just as a hypothesis. We’ll see.

the installation comes with an accompanying film documenting the building of Biotopia

the first part of the installation is the 3D printed sculpture made of polymer

Winy Maas and his think tank The Why Factory collaborate with visual artist Federico Díaz for the sculpture

the installations are on view in Venice until November 2025

project info:

architect: Winy Maas

firm: MVRDV | @mvrdv

Biotopia

lead architect: Winy Maas

think tank: The Why Factory

artist: Federico Díaz | @federico_diaz_hands

location: Arsenale

event: Venice Architecture Biennale 2025

dates: May 10th to November 23rd, 2025

photography: Celestia Studio, The Why Factory | @celestiastudio

SOMBRA Pavilion

lead architect: Jacob van Rijs

collaboration: Metadecor, Airshade Technologies, MVRDV, Alumet, Van Rossum Raadgevend Ingenieurs, Arup, Kersten Europe, the AMOLF Institute | @metadecor, @airshadetechnologies, @mvrdv, @alumet_nl, @vanrossumbv, @arupgroup 

exhibition: Time Space Existence

location: Giardini Marinaressa

address: Riva dei Sette Martiri, 30122 Venice, Italy

photography: Federico Vespignani, Jaap Heemskerk | @federico_vespignani

The post MVRDV’s winy maas on kinetic sombra pavilion and biotopia installation at venice biennale appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Within the Forest of Tranquility at Expo 2025 Osaka, SANAA’s Better Co-being Pavilion appears as a delicate field of white columns and overlapping roof plates that hover just above the landscape. Designed by the Japanese Pritzker Prize–winning duo Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, the pavilion is composed of slender steel supports topped by a constellation of thin, translucent canopies, some circular, others irregular, recalling clouds or tree branches.

The columns are positioned in a seemingly organic arrangement, creating soft porous pathways, gathering points, and transitional moments within the wooded clearing. This unenclosed architecture, defined by natural rhythms, porosity, and light, echoes its organic context. New photographs by William Mulvihill document its early stages of assembly, capturing how SANAA’s architectural language of lightness and ambiguity is resolved through precise material detailing and structural calibration.

all images by William Mulvihill unless stated otherwise

sanaa’s expo osaka pavilion appears as a field of white canopies

Curated by art critic and curator Yuko Hasegawa, and produced by Hiroaki Miyata, a professor and lead researcher for the thematic project Resonance of Lives, the pavilion is one of several projects at Expo 2025 Osaka exploring how architecture can facilitate new forms of coexistence. Miyata’s framework centers around the idea that we are entering a global turning point, spanning economics, health, education, human rights, and environmental practice. SANAA conceives this to act like a social interface in this context, a place where people can gather, interact, and imagine alternative models for living together.

This ethos is embedded in the physical language of the project. Better Co-being embraces the idea of ambiguity and openness. The architects have selected materials that are almost diagrammatic in their simplicity — from lightweight steel columns to translucent roof panels — somewhat recalling data networks or cellular structures. Without any harsh boundaries, the pavilion then allows the landscape to almost entirely flow through it. Light filters down through the layered roof elements in constantly shifting patterns, changing with the weather and time of day. Photographed during construction, William Mulvihill’s photo series emphasizes this transitional quality, framing the pavilion from different perspectives as it appears mid-formation with geometries only partly resolved.

SANAA’s Better Co-being Pavilion

on view at Expo 2025 Osaka’s Forest of Tranquility

appearing as a delicate field of white columns and overlapping roof plates that hover just above the landscape

William Mulvihill captures the structure under construction

the organic arrangement creates soft porous pathways, gathering points, and transitional moments

the series captures how SANAA’s language of lightness is resolved through precise material detailing

without any harsh boundaries, the pavilion then allows the landscape to almost entirely flow through it

image © designboom

image © designboom

project info: 

name: Better Co-being

architect: SANAA | @sanaa_jimusho

photographer: William Mulvihill | @williamulvihill

location: Osaka, Japan

event: Expo 2025 Osaka | @expo2025japan

dates: April 13th — October 13th, 2025

The post closer look at the making of SANAA’s ethereal ‘better co-being pavilion’ at expo 2025 osaka appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Opening to the public on June 6th and on view through October 26th, the 2025 Serpentine Pavilion by Marina Tabassum Architects is now complete in London’s Kensington Gardens. Marking the 25th anniversary of the Serpentine’s architectural program, the pavilion, titled A Capsule in Time, explores themes of impermanence, tactility, and light through a modular, timber-built structure designed to move, adapt, and ultimately disappear. Ahead of the opening, Marina Tabassum discusses with designboom the ideas that shaped this year’s design.‘The pavilion is called A Capsule in Time for many reasons,’ Tabassum tells us during our interview. ‘One is that I find the connection between architecture and time quite intriguing (…) pavilions have a temporality, which is not about time but about a moment—to embrace and enjoy it.’

Aligned with Serpentine South’s historic bell tower, the elongated north-south structure is composed of four translucent capsules that dapple the space with shifting light. Tabassum draws inspiration from the hydrologic landscapes of Bangladesh, where ‘land constantly moves—it’s a situation where sand beds form, water takes the land away, and then it recreates it.’ This ephemerality is echoed in the building’s material choices. The architect works entirely in wood for the first time, not only for its dry-construction potential and future reuse, but also for its local availability. ‘We haven’t worked entirely with wood before because wood is not a material in Bangladesh as such… but here, it made sense,’ she explains.

Serpentine Pavilion 2025 A Capsule in Time, designed by Marina Tabassum, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA). exterior view. © Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA) | image by Iwan Baan, courtesy of Serpentine

inside ‘a capsule in time’, knowledge can be shared freely

A kinetic capsule embedded within the Serpentine Pavilion structure allows parts of the pavilion to shift and expand for public programming. ‘It’s a movable part of the structure that can shift and connect with another section to create a larger, covered space. That’s where the kinetic element comes in.’ Marina Tabassum notes. At the heart of the pavilion stands a ginkgo tree—a resilient species dating back to the Jurassic Period. ‘That tree gives life to the whole pavilion,’ the architect shares with designboom. ‘Even though it’s within a park and surrounded by nature, having a tree inside the pavilion really changes the atmosphere.’

Tabassum also sees the pavilion as a place of quiet resistance, an antidote to rising global censorship. Bookshelves built into the capsules host a curated selection of texts in Bengali literature, poetry, ecology, and identity. ‘Some of them are by writers whose works have been banned in Bangladesh,’ she reveals during our discussion. ‘In a time when many books are being banned and education is being questioned (…) the very notion of knowledge feels under threat. So it felt important to bring that idea of books and knowledge into the pavilion—a space where knowledge can be shared freely.’ Continue reading to explore our full conversation with Marina Tabassum, this year’s Serpentine Pavilion architect.

marking the 25th anniversary of the Serpentine’s architectural program | image by Iwan Baan, courtesy of Serpentine

interview with Marina Tabassum 

designboom (DB): The Pavilion is called A Capsule in Time. What does that mean to you? What kind of histories, moments, or personal elements were you hoping to capture in this structure?

Marina Tabassum (MT):  The pavilion is called A Capsule in Time for many reasons. One is that I find the connection between architecture and time quite intriguing. We started architecture as a discipline with the notion that it would last forever. It’s almost like a continuity—when you’re not there, your architecture remains. So it continues through time. Timelessness has also been a way of looking into architecture—how you can make your buildings timeless, which is about defying time. At the same time, pavilions have a temporality, which is not about time but about a moment—to embrace and enjoy it. In the case of the Serpentine, it’s there for a five-month period—nice summer days, a beautiful sunny day like today—and then it’s gone. But it has a presence in the virtual realm, which is our new reality.

Where I come from, in Bangladesh, we have this notion of land as temporal. Land constantly moves—it’s a hydrologic situation where sand beds form, water takes the land away, and then it recreates it. So this idea of land being eroded and re-emerging also carries temporality. Architecture is associated with that, because people keep moving their houses from one place to another. I also bring in my way of practice. I come from a place defined by temporality, but I’ve always been very interested in light. A nice summer day in London can be really beautiful. That light can be celebrated if we create a space that lets it through. Light is an important element in this design. It also connects to pavilion structures in Bangladesh—ones we create for weddings or religious occasions, called shamiyanas. These shamiyana structures are made of cloth and bring in beautiful light. Bringing that sense, that atmosphere, into this space was also very important to me.

exploring themes of impermanence, tactility, and light | image by Iwan Baan, courtesy of Serpentine

DB: The translucent facade creates a play of light and shadow. What was the process behind achieving that dappled effect? Was it intentional from the start, or something that evolved along the way?

MT: The decision to bring in this very sort of translucent light into the space was intentional. That was one of the design intents. From the very beginning, that’s what we wanted for that space. But achieving that effect was a process. Initially, we were thinking of using jute and laminated jute; we looked into it and did some research.

But jute is a material that is not fire-rated, so it would not be allowed in the pavilion.

Then we had to look for something we could source locally here in London. So we settled for polycarbonate sheet with a translucent film on it. That actually helped us bring in the quality of light that we wanted. The building is maybe initiated in the Serpentine in Kensington Gardens, but it has an afterlife. That means there will be a continuity of this building in another location. So it will be used again—it won’t go into a landfill. That’s why we opted for a material of that nature.

Tabassum draws inspiration from the landscapes of Bangladesh | image by Iwan Baan, courtesy of Serpentine

DB: And what about working with wood for the first time entirely? What drew you to this material for the pavilion and how did it shape your approach?

MT: We haven’t worked entirely with wood before because wood is not a material in Bangladesh as such. The reason we used this material is because it’s something we could source locally here. And that’s one of our practice’s ethos—we like to source materials locally, where there’s also local knowledge of building. So using wood for the structure made more sense.

It’s also a dry construction. As you can imagine, it’s only here for a short period of time. That was another reason we chose a wooden structure, it can be dismantled and taken to a different location later on.

Serpentine 2025 Pavilion A Capsule in Time, designed by Marina Tabassum, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), design render, interior view | rendering © Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), courtesy Serpentine

DB: The pavilion also features a kinetic element that moves and transforms the space. What inspired that idea? Were there any technical or design challenges in making it work?

MT: Not really. No, not in that sense. There was a budget challenge, but that’s always the case—nothing unusual. The main idea was to create a capsule-like form—sort of a half capsule—but we wanted it to feel more connected to the natural surroundings of the park. That’s why you see these openings or cuts in the structure: they’re designed to bring in elements of nature and create a balance between inside and outside.

The Serpentine Pavilion also serves a practical purpose. It hosts various events throughout the summer, so it was important to design a space that could accommodate around 200 people—even in rainy weather. That’s where the kinetic element comes in. It’s a movable part of the structure that can shift and connect with another section to create a larger, covered space. This allows the pavilion to expand when needed and provide shelter for bigger gatherings. So the kinetic feature had a functional reason behind it, but it also became an exciting design element—because no one had done something like that before in the Serpentine Pavilion. It adds a new and interesting layer to the experience.

the architect works entirely in wood for the first time | rendering © Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), courtesy Serpentine

DB: You’ve built the pavilion around a ginkgo tree, which feels like a really meaningful choice. What led you to center the tree in the design, and how does that reflect your approach to climate-responsive architecture?

MT: Well, you know, the tree—I think that tree gives life to the whole pavilion. Otherwise, it’s a very archaic structural form. But the moment we brought in the tree, it transformed the space. Even though it’s within a park and surrounded by nature, having a tree inside the pavilion really changes the atmosphere. It brings life, and it gives the space a more intimate scale. That became one of the essential elements of the entire design. We really wanted to incorporate nature—not just to serve people, but to create a space that also celebrates nature. We were thoughtful about what kind of tree it should be. The idea was that once the pavilion is dismantled, the tree would be replanted somewhere in the park so it can continue to live.

We needed a tree that was strong and rugged, something that could withstand being transported and replanted. At the same time, it needed to be compatible with the plant community already in the park. So we looked for something that could meet all of those needs—but also something beautiful and light, that would sit harmoniously inside the pavilion. That’s how we chose the ginkgo tree. It has a beautiful, fan-shaped leaf—very sculptural, which I really loved. And towards the end of the season, in September or October, the leaves turn this beautiful yellow. So we’ll hopefully see that transformation as the pavilion nears its end. It’s poetic in a way—sustainability and poetry coming together in one gesture.

the structure allows parts of the pavilion to shift and expand | rendering © Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), courtesy Serpentine

DB: In times of rising censorship, you’ve spoken about knowledge-sharing. How does the pavilion become a tool for resistance, if at all?

MT: Well, knowledge sharing is an important part of our practice—especially wherever we build. In the houses we’re building now, we try to work closely with the community. We share building knowledge with people so they’re able to eventually build on their own. That’s a core part of our approach. And the way we wanted to bring that idea of knowledge sharing into the pavilion was by introducing a small library alongside the café. We’re bringing in a range of books—different kinds of books.

Some of them are by writers whose works have been banned in Bangladesh. So you’ll see some of those there too. The idea is that, in a time when many books are being banned and education is being questioned or restructured in different parts of the world, the very notion of knowledge feels under threat. So it felt important to bring that idea of books and knowledge into the pavilion—a space where knowledge can be shared freely. We also want it to be a space for dialogue, where people can come together and, despite all our differences, celebrate our uniqueness.

Marina Tabassum portrait | image © Asif Salman

project info: 

name: A Capsule in Time
architect: Marina Tabassum, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA) | @marinatabassum
location: Serpentine South, Kensington Gardens, London, UK

event: Serpentine Pavilion | @serpentineuk
dates: June 6th – October 26th 2025

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