Kosuke Takahashi and 224 Porcelain release Corcelain, a series of ceramic cups and vessels with mountable 3D printed feet and screws. Dubbed the world’s first customizable porcelain vessel, each object comes with a screw hole at the bottom, so users can add vibrant legs, handles, lids, and more under every homeware piece. The design is inspired by a term in traditional Japanese ceramics called Kodai, which is the raised circle shape on the bottom of cups and bowls that allows the homeware to be more stable. In Corcerlain, the ceramic cups and vessels make use of Kodai for the 3D printed feet and parts, raising the objects while giving them a more playful yet functional look.

Because the parts are 3D printed, the users can customize the kind of mountable objects for their ceramic cups and vessels. ‘As a maker and 3D printer user myself, it’s hard to make things safe for food or drink,’ Kosuke Takahashi shares with designboom. ‘Standard materials like PLA and ABS aren’t food-safe, and even with safer filaments, the layered surfaces trap food particles. That’s where the idea of a modular vessel came from. You could mix and match ceramic bases with whatever extensions you dream up. That way, we solve the hygiene issue and, at the same time, give anyone the power to customize everyday objects like cups and plates. Corcelain became a reality thanks to a collaboration with 224 Porcelain, which is a traditional kiln in Yoshida – Saga, Japan.’

all images courtesy of Kosuke Takahashi/ootori

corcelain’s ceramic cups come with custom 3D printed parts

There’s a backstory to why the maker Kosuke Takahashi started Corcelain with pottery manufacturer 224 Porcelain. He tells us that traditional craft industries in Japan are facing a crisis, so he wants to bridge this with the use of current technologies like mountable 3D printed parts for the ceramic cups. He worked with a craftsman named Mr. Tsuji, who has been trained in traditional porcelain techniques that have been around for 400 years. ‘The idea of adding a screw hole to the base only worked because of Tsuji-san’s touch, combining technology with delicate, hands-on adjustments from his artisanal intuition,’ Kosuke Takahashi explains.

This is how he conceived the name Corelain for the series of ceramic cups and vessels with 3D printed feet and screws. It is a blend of ‘co-creation’ and ‘porcelain’, a hint at the use of traditional craftsmanship techniques with present technologies. The manufacturer 224 Porcelain steps in here, too, through its use of machines like CNC and 3D printers in their pottery works, which has allowed Kosuke Takahashi to realize his series. For Corcelain, the inventor also draws inspiration from the Japanese word ‘utsuwa’ which translates to ‘vessel’ or ‘container.’ But this word has its roots in the term ‘utsuho’ which means ‘emptiness’, but one that is waiting to be used. At the bottom of the Corcelain’s ceramic cups, it comes through as the kodai, the hollow bottom, allowing the users to bolt in the custom 3D printed feet, screws, and parts they have designed in varying colors.

Kosuke Takahashi and 224 Porcelain release Corcelain, a series of ceramic cups with 3D printed feet

the design is inspired by a term in traditional Japanese ceramics called Kodai

each object comes with a screw hole at the bottom, so users can add vibrant legs

in Corcerlain, the ceramic cups and vessels make use of Kodai for the 3D printed feet and parts

because the parts are 3D printed, the users can customize the mountable objects for the ceramic cups

the series’ name is a portmanteau of ‘co-creation’ and ‘porcelain’

users can also add handles

detailed view of the handle with circular bottom plate

view of the parts’ printing process

project info:

name: Corcelain

design: Kosuke Takahashi | @ootori_t

pottery: 224 Porcelain | @224porcelain

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: matthew burgos | designboom

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The modular Fairphone Gen 6 comes with changeable backplates so users can replace the rear with a card holder, lanyard, finger loop, and protective case. Dubbed integrated accessories, the device’s owners unscrew the two tiny bolts at the back of the modular Fairphone Gen 6 and screw on the chosen backplate, like the one with a card holder. Aside from the backplates, the other components of the device are modular, too. 

A feature that the brand highlights is that nothing is glued shut inside the casing, so users can swap any of the twelve modular parts in minutes and ‘keep it going for years,’ the brand adds. This means that the device is repairable, which is unlike the modern phones where some parts, like the battery, are glued into the phone. With the modular Fairphone Gen 6, the battery pops out when pulled, bringing back the days of the removable cells.

all images courtesy of Fairphone

Repairable Parts made of recycled and fair materials

Aside from the built-in storage, the modular Fairphone Gen 6 comes with a memory card slot at the bottom of the device, so users can expand the storage to up to 2 terabytes. The brand adds that in terms of materials, they’ve used more than 50 percent fair and recycled materials, which include aluminum, copper, steel, tin, indium, magnesium, nickel, plastics, rare earths, zinc, fair trade gold, fairmined silver, cobalt, and tungsten. The design is also minimalist, with the rear part having just a solid color and the cameras being embedded into the device to have almost no bumps at the back, unlike the bulgy ones found in modern smartphones.

Speaking of minimalist, the modular Fairphone Gen 6 has a lime-colored switch on the side of the device that, once the users clicks it, the smartphone’s screen only show the essential apps in monochromatic display. In this mode, the owners can only use five apps of their choice in hopes of reducing their screen time. The brand also says that the body of the device uses a recycled matte composite body, while the screen adopts Gorilla Glass 7i. The smartphone has an IP55 rating against heavy rain and has been subjected to military-grade drop testing to make sure it is robust. So far, the modular Fairphone Gen 6 is available, but the changeable backplates are sold separately.

view of the protective case

view of the backplate with a finger loop

view of the rear with lanyard

view of the case with a cardholder

no parts are glued for easy repair

even the battery is removable

users can swap any of the twelve modular parts in minutes

the phone has solid color blocks

so far, the accessories are sold separately

project info:

name: Fairphone Gen 6

brand: Fairphone | @fairphone

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Æ Motion’s tilting electric motorcycle comes with four wheels that can bend when the vehicle turns corners. First introduced in late 2024, the team brought the ride to the annual technology conference VivaTech in Paris, France, between June 11th and 14th, 2025. Visitors then were able to see Æ Motion’s tilting electric motorcycle in person, which resembles a microcar because of its enclosed frame and four wheels. The doors swivel upward, which makes the entry and exit spacious, and inside the vehicle, there’s enough seating for two people, just like a two-wheeled motorcycle. The first seat folds down so the rear passengers can sit at the back.

The rear seat is modular, too. If there’s no other passenger, the rider can ‘stow’ the back seat, meaning push it forward and then push it down a bit, to allow for storage space at the rear, enough for grocery bags and a small piece of luggage. The neon seatbelts attach to both sides of the rider and passenger, similar to those in a pilot’s seat. Inside Æ Motion’s tilting electric motorcycle, the crash boxes are located at the front and rear, and for the model, the team installs removable batteries, positioned just under the front seat and between the rider’s feet.

all images courtesy of Æ Motion

‘Thin’ vehicle to navigate traffic and tight roads

Æ Motion says that its tilting electric motorcycle lasts long in a way that owners can take it to an authorized garage for easy swaps and repairs of its sub-assemblies. The main feature that the team highlights the most is the bending chassis, which tilts up to 35 degrees when the vehicle turns or takes a sharp turn. The user naturally manages the angling using the handlebar, which is the same dynamics as a two-wheeler. The team adds that the electric powertrain installed in the model delivers immediate torque, so the speed is consistent even after a turn.

Another evident feature of the ride is how thin it is. The vehicle’s width is 79 centimeters, sort of similar to a standard motorcycle or scooter, which means it’s easy for the rider to navigate traffic, narrow streets, and tight roads. It helps that the entire frame is covered, so there’s a reduced risk of road accidents, especially with impacts. Specs-wise, Æ Motion’s tilting electric motorcycle can run up to a maximum speed of 115 km/h, and the swappable batteries offer up to 70 kilometers of autonomy. So far, there’s no news yet on the commercial availability of Æ Motion’s tilting electric motorcycle, but the pre-order pool has already opened for interested riders.

the doors of the vehicle swivel upward

rear view of the four-wheeler

the vehicle’s width is 79 centimeters

the bending chassis tilts up to 35 degrees when the vehicle turns or takes a sharp turn

there’s enough seating for two people, just like a two-wheeled motorcycle

the vehicle resembles a microcar because of its enclosed frame and four wheels

the headlights are around the square-shaped front

detailed view of the wheel

vehicle’s side view

project info:

name: Tilting electric motorcycle

startup: Æ Motion | @aemotion.official

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Sonic artist Ash Fure collaborates with two architecture studios, stock-a-studio and T+E+A+M., to open the Warehouse, at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, US. The architects transform a former administration building into a flexible performance venue dedicated to spatial sound, designed to support Dartmouth’s new Master of Fine Arts in Sonic Practice. The 232-square-meter space combines advanced sound technology, adaptable architecture, and modular furniture to create a space where students, artists, and audiences can experiment with how sound is made and shared.

The design of the Warehouse makes the infrastructure of the building visible and part of the experience. Ducts, pipes, cables, and lighting are left exposed, while the metallic-painted ceiling highlights the raw identity of the space. A network of steel rigging points allows artists to hang speakers, lights, or materials from above, turning the structure into an active part of the performance. At its center is a 24.2-channel Meyer sound system, which can support a wide range of sonic practices, from loud, bass-heavy events and dance parties to subtle multichannel compositions, live improvisation, and deep listening sessions. ‘Whether it’s dance parties or deep listening sessions,’ says Fure, ‘The Warehouse is designed to be a generative engine of sound.’

all images by Brooke Holm

modular systems make the warehouse flexible and adaptable

The architectural design of the Warehouse builds on long-standing creative relationships between Ash Fure and the two design studios involved. Xavi Aguirre, founder of stock-a-studio and director of the Future-Flex Lab at MIT, is known for creating modular systems that allow for flexibility and sustainable reuse of materials. Adam Fure, Ash’s brother and a partner at T+E+A+M architecture practice, has collaborated with her on several past projects that combine architecture and performance. These ongoing partnerships made it possible to develop an architectural language that responds to both artistic experimentation and educational use. ‘Designing a permanent home for Ash’s multifaceted work was a unique opportunity to translate the scenographic architecture of performance into brick and mortar,’ notes Adam Fure.

custom furniture that can be reconfigured to fit various modes of performance

exposed materials and rough textures shape the interior

Rather than aiming for a polished or finished look, the design embraces a sense of openness and ongoing transformation. The ceiling is painted metallic silver to highlight exposed materials and the rough textures left behind after demolition. Many surfaces are left intentionally unfinished so they can be adapted or reused in the future. A set of bespoke furniture pieces can be easily moved or reconfigured, allowing the space to shift quickly between different uses, such as a classroom, a rehearsal studio, a concert venue, or a setting for late-night events. ‘We wanted to create a space of total adaptability, one ready for action, experimentation and play,’ Aguirre comments.

Ash Fure sees the Warehouse as a space for people to come together. ‘I think of sound as a sensory and social technology,’ she shares. ‘It works on the body and the body politic. My hope is that The Warehouse helps open people up to the visceral richness of sonic experience and the simple, profound power of listening together in our fractured age.’

Sawtooth acoustical foam is placed throughout the venue to provide selective sound absorption.

plastic curtains line the entryway, producing a natural orange glow

three size of speakers are hung from the steel structure or moved on mobile carts to ‘tune’ the spatialized audio

a steel and polycarbonate wrapper lines the outer walls

7. View from the central glass room into the main space in Warehouse mode

audio equipment is stored in small glass rooms on both sides of the main workspace

flexible seating including aluminum bleachers allows for different audience configurations

a suite of custom furniture provides flexibility in seating, teaching, storage, and sound

a central glass room on one end of the venue serves as dedicated work and performance space

Teaching mode is accommodated by moveable desks and podiums that allow flexibility in format of instruction

project info:

name: The Warehouse

architect: T+E+A+M | @tpluseplusaplusm, stock-a-studio | @stock_a_studio

location: Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA

area: 232 square meters (2,500 square feet)

creative direction: Ash Fure

T+E+A+M’s lead architect: Adam Fure
stock-a-studio’s lead architect: Xavi Aguirre

photographer: Brooke Holm | @brookeholm

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On Ecuador’s flood-prone coast, where rural communities like Babahoyo have long depended on distant urban centers for opportunity, La Panificadora timber bakery by Natura Futura emerges as a self-managed catalyst for local autonomy. This compact, modular project reclaims the everyday act of baking bread, an Ecuadorian dietary staple, as a tool for economic empowerment, education, and community cohesion. Initiated with support from the Ammodo Architecture Award, the 100-square-meter structure is led by women and youth, enabling skills training, production, and commercialization under one roof.

La Panificadora is built from locally available teak wood and responds to the humid climate through permeable facades, lattice doors, and generous open galleries for cross-ventilation and light. Horizontal floating beams secure the modules above ground, ensuring resilience against coastal flooding. While minimal in size, the space is conceived as a hybrid of infrastructure, school, market, and gathering place.

all images by Jag Studio

La Panificadora combines bakery, library, and retail

La Panificadora sets a replicable model for regenerative development in satellite territories across the Global South. Despite the presence of shared public areas in Babahoyo, such as sports courts and small plazas, few have succeeded in activating local productive forces. The Ecuador-based studio Natura Futura flips this script. Instead of another underused civic gesture, it proposes a phased structure that begins with education and ends in enterprise. The program is split into two timber modules raised on pilings: to the right, a bakery and library; to the left, a communal kitchen, retail point for bread and tea, and an open link to the rural landscape via a collective staircase. A central patio anchors the project, bridged between both blocks, evoking passive architectural systems once typical of Ecuador’s coastal vernacular.

La Panificadora timber bakery by Natura Futura acts as a self-managed catalyst for local autonomy

this compact, modular project reclaims the everyday act of baking bread

bread-making becomes a tool for economic empowerment, education, and community cohesion

the 100-square-meter structure is led by women and youth

La Panificadora is built from locally available teak wood

enabling skills training, production, and commercialization under one roof

responding to the humid climate through permeable facades, lattice doors, and generous open galleries

a phased structure that begins with education and ends in enterprise

project info:

name: La Panificadora
architect: Natura Futura | @naturafuturarq

location: Babahoyo, Pimocha, Ecuador

area: 100 square meters

collaborators: Kevin Araujo, Eduardo Carbo, Bamba Studio, Roswhel Suarez, GAD Parroquial Pimocha, Airton Alvarez, Janina Carbo

illustration: Jaime Peña

drawing: Kevin Araujo

photographer: Jag Studio | @jag_studio

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: thomai tsimpou | designboom

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A sea of translucent plastic straws, precisely 41,415 of them, forms A+U LAB’s temporary installation in Busan, South Korea. Designed as a traveling structure, the modular piece, aptly titled 41,415 Straws, reimagines one of the most familiar disposable objects. Arranged in a square-on-diagonal grid, red, yellow, orange, white, and clear plastic straws transform into a vibrant, porous volume measuring 3 meters wide, 2.75 meters high, and 11.4 meters long. As viewers move around it, the installation shifts in transparency and color, creating a spatial experience from an unexpected everyday material.

images courtesy of A+U LAB

A+U LAB conceives the structure as a nomadic exhibition

In this project, Korean studio A+U LAB investigates material reuse and modular design through a playful system. Each straw, identical in length at 25 centimeters, is slotted into custom-fabricated acrylic connectors—laser-cut components that allow the entire structure to come apart and be transported with ease. The installation is fully recyclable, reflecting an underlying critique of the ubiquity of plastic while simultaneously embracing its potential for spatial experimentation.

From a distance, the structure appears as a luminous field, with density and porosity fluctuating depending on angle and light. Up close, the straws oscillate between order and chaos, forming a mesh that is both delicate and monumental. There’s a constant push and pull in the installation—between fragility and scale, order and randomness. The closer you look, the more it plays with your perception. As sunlight passes through the layers of color and clear plastic, the structure seems to shift and shimmer, balancing moments of symmetry with bursts of irregularity. It’s both precise and unpredictable, all at once. Conceived as a nomadic exhibition, 41,415 Straws is designed to activate public spaces and invite new readings of material culture. 

the modular piece is composed of 41,415 straws

A+U LAB reimagines one of the most familiar disposable objects

arranged in a square-on-diagonal grid

red, yellow, orange, white, and clear plastic straws transform into a vibrant, porous volume

the structure measures 3 meters wide, 2.75 meters high, and 11.4 meters long

as viewers move around it, the installation shifts in transparency and color

a dynamic spatial experience

a sea of plastic straws forms A+U LAB’s temporary installation in Korea

A+U LAB investigates material reuse and modular design

project info:

name: 41,415 Straws

architect: A+U LAB

location: Busan, Korea

lead designer: Lawrence Kim 

project team: Eunji Choi, WooJin Choi, DaeUn Gam, SeungGu Kang, JongO Kim, BeomJun Lee, HeonJu Lee, WonSeok Lee, Jiho Paeng, JuYeon Ryu, Sevde Sevinc Seo, SungCheul Shin, JungHo Yeom, JuHae Yu

institution: Pusan National University

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: thomai tsimpou | designboom

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OZRUH and ETH Zurich regenerate marble dust waste into 3D printed stone installation at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025. On view between May 10th and November 23rd, 2025, the project attempts to look into how architecture can address waste using modular structure and regenerative materials. It’s a two-part project for the design teams. The first one is the modular 3D printed marble dust, located at the Pavilion of Türkiye. The next, a documentary film in the Artificial section of the Arsenale curated by Carlo Ratti, where the robots are present, too.

A focus on the 3D printed marble dust: it’s called Anti-Ruin. OZRUH and ETH Zurich use the byproduct of the marble extraction processes at the Lasa Marmo Quarry in South Tyrol for the installation. The teams process the dust using a binder jetting method developed by Dr. Pietro Odaglia at Digital Building Technologies, ETH Zurich. It adopts a liquid binder to solidify the dust. The process, then, doesn’t need molds or formwork. As a result, the teams have two columns and a horizontal slab, all of which are modular. They form the ensemble of the 3D printed marble dust.

all images courtesy of OZRUH | all photos by Lloyd Lee

Stone installation at the Venice architecture biennale 2025 

One of the columns isn’t connected to the slab; the user can adjust or move it. The structural engineering team at formDP turns to computational tools to produce it like this. The software helped them calculate the center of gravity and internal load paths of the slab. The reason it is adjustable is because OZRUH and ETH Zurich want to explore the boundaries of architectural completeness at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025. Instead of viewing buildings as either finished or unfinished, Anti-Ruin lets each construction phase and piece function independently and be modular, a growing trend in recent architecture. The 3D printed marble dust installation forms part of the ‘Grounded / Yerebatan’ exhibition at the Pavilion of Türkiye, curated by Bilge Kalfa and Ceren Erdem, commissioned by İKSV.

Since the project integrates recycled materials from quarry waste, it can be disassembled and reused. The accompanying film at the Arsenale by Troy Edige and Beyza Mese documents the design, printing, and construction stages. It includes footage from ETH Zurich and the Lasa Marmo Quarry. The next stop of Anti-Ruin is at the World Design Congress at the Barbican in London, between September 9th and 10th, 2025. This phase applies the same system to alternative construction waste, including crushed brick and demolition dust. In this way, the 3D printed marble dust continues as an installation that focuses on recycling and making modular components for architecture.

3D printed installation at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 from marble dust and recycled components

the project, led by OZRUH in collaboration with ETH Zurich, looks into how architecture can address waste

it’s a two-part project, with the first one being the modular 3D printed marble dust

the installation by OZRUH and ETH Zurich is inside the Pavilion of Türkiye

OZRUH and ETH Zurich use the byproduct of the marble extraction processes at the Lasa Marmo Quarry

the teams process the dust using a binder jetting method

the process doesn’t need molds or formwork to function or be produced

detailed view of Anti-Ruin

there’s an accompanying documentary film in the Artificial section of the Arsenale

the movie documents the teams’ process

project info:

name: Anti-Ruin

design: OZRUH | @ozruh_official

institution: ETH Zurich | @ethzurich

engineering: formDP | @form_dp

photography: Lloyd Lee

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: matthew burgos | designboom

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Meet oncue, a couple of modular keyboards with wearable cuffs designed for people with Parkinson’s disease. Showcased during Milan Design Week 2025, designer Alessandra Galli has developed the device to aid the user’s motor challenges caused by tremors and bradykinesia. It includes two main parts: a compact keyboard split into two and a pair of wearable wrist cuffs. They use vibration and visual cues to help users while they type. The modular keyboard is in two halves to accommodate the position of the hands and arms. The keys are arranged in straight lines called an ortholinear layout, which can make it easier to move from one key to another with less finger strain.

When a user presses a key, the modular keyboard and wearable cuffs vibrate. This helps users stay in rhythm while typing, which can be difficult for people who experience tremors or slow movements, known as bradykinesia. If a finger stays on a key for too long, the vibration increases, a signal to lift the finger. The user can adjust the strength of the vibration depending on their preference. The modular keyboard with wearable cuffs also lights up when the user presses a key. Then, the installed AI system can also predict the next key that the user might press, letting it glow in advance so they know where to press. The system also learns and saves the typing habits of the user.

all images courtesy of Alessandra Galli

Customizable settings depending on the user’s needs

Designer Alessandra Galli hopes that with oncue, people with Parkinson’s disease are able to type fluidly and with less strain. The modular keyboards and wearable cuffs aim to reduce the shaking hands and slow hand movement of the users. They both vibrate to tell the users they’ve had their fingers on a key for too long. This also helps prevent ‘freezing,’ which is a symptom where movement suddenly stops. The users can wear the cuffs on different parts of the arm. Oncue also includes software that allows users to adjust vibration patterns and other settings.

Since Parkinson’s symptoms can change daily, users can customize the system to match what they need each day. They can use only the features they want, such as just the cuffs, just the lights, or both. Design-wise, the designer applies a bright orange palette for the case of the modular keyboards and a watch-like style for the wearable cuffs. For the keys, the gray color indicates the letters, while the dark blue is for the command buttons. The keys glow in yellow when they’re pressed, while they light up in green for the predictive text. So far, the designer has presented oncue during Milan Design Week 2025 and collaborated with the Parkinson’s Association in Treviso, Italy. As for the timeline of its rollout, there’s no news yet when the modular keyboards and wearable cuffs can be available.

meet oncue, modular keyboards with haptic cuffs designed for people with Parkinson’s disease

the modular keyboard is in two halves to accommodate the position of the hands and arms

the designer applies an orange color for modular keyboards and a watch-like look for the wearable cuffs

if a finger stays on a key for too long, the vibration increases

the keyboard lights up when the user presses a key

at the present time, there’s no news yet on the devices’ commercial availability

project info:

name: oncue 

design: Alessandra Galli | @alessandragalli_design

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During the Green Design Days 2025, Mario Cucinella Architects (MCA) unveils A Flower in San Servolo, a 3D printed amphitheater in Venice’s San Servolo Island. Designed as a space for dialogue, performance, and community, the open-air structure blossoms like a flower, melding poetic form with a low-impact construction process. Created in collaboration with local innovators and built using sustainable, lime-based modules produced directly on the island, the amphitheater stands as a symbol of environmental and cultural synergy, timed to coincide with this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale. ‘Thanks to 3D printing and the use of sustainable materials, the structure integrates into the landscape with an organic form that, like a flower, emerges from the ground,’ shares the architect. ‘It is not just a stage space but a place for meeting and dialogue, where tradition and innovation merge in harmony with the environment.’

all images by Niccolò Baccega

750 dry-assembled blocks compose the structure

The project stems from a shared vision between architect Mario Cucinella and San Servolo srl, the public company managing the island. The goal is to create an inclusive, reversible structure available to students, residents, and visitors. Set against the cinematic backdrop of San Lazzaro degli Armeni, the amphitheater is conceived as an architectural gesture that grows from the earth and belongs to the lagoon.

Built from approximately 750 dry-assembled blocks across 62 unique types, each module is 3D printed from a certified sustainable material composed primarily of natural lime. An on-site printer ran for nearly 200 hours, reducing transport emissions and enabling precise, high-quality production. The structure was built using a dry assembly method, making it easy to take apart and reuse. Its modular design uses one interlocking piece, giving the amphitheater strength and a uniform look.

the open-air structure blossoms like a flower from the Venetian landscape

created in collaboration with local innovators and built using sustainable, lime-based modules

the amphitheater stands as a symbol of environmental and cultural synergy

built from approximately 750 dry-assembled blocks across 62 unique types

each module is 3D printed from a certified sustainable material composed primarily of natural lime

a dedicated printer operated on-site for nearly 200 hours

the modular design guarantees structural integrity and visual harmony

project info:

name: A flower in San Servolo

architect: Mario Cucinella Architects | @mario_cucinella_architects, @mariocucinella

location: San Servolo Island, Venice, Italy

lead architect: Mario Cucinella, Lori Zillante, Lapo Naldoni

event: Green Design Days 2025, in conjunction with the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia

client: San Servolo srl

3D printing partner: Erratic srl

collaborators and supporters: 7Solutions, Abet Laminati, Erre Costruzioni, Global Power Service, Infinityhub, Kubee, Pieces of Venice

photographer: Niccolò Baccega

The post mario cucinella 3D prints flower-shaped sustainable amphitheater in venice’s san servolo appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

With a radical new proposal by Danish maritime architecture studio MAST, Rotterdam’s Spoorweghaven neighborhood is poised for a transformation. In the heart of a disused dock just southeast of the city center, the team envisions a floating community. Together with locally-based contractor BIK bouw, the prefabricated, modular project will bring over one hundred apartments supported by public green space, moorings, commercial units and a new harbor for leisure. It’s a plan informed by its local context and scaled to continental ambition, making Spoorweghaven the largest floating housing development ever proposed in Europe.

The proposal reflects the spatial pressures faced by cities throughout the Netherlands. Confronted with the need to produce a million new homes within the decade, and with little vacant land left to build on, the country is turning to its most abundant resource: water. MAST’s design responds with a flexible model for growth that bypasses the ecological cost of dredging or land reclamation. In Spoorweghaven, can expand its housing stock without erasing the harbor’s identity.

visualizations © Slimstudio

A porous and participatory landscape

MAST’s floating community at Spoorweghaven will blend into Rotterdam’s existing fabric by bicycle and by boat. The site plan extends local cycling routes and introduces new blue corridors of transport, creating seamless links between land and water. The design incorporates bridges at both ends of the dock, enabling pedestrian access to floating walkways, public piers, and bicycle storage. These threads reweave the harbor into the city’s daily flow, restoring continuity to a once-isolated stretch of waterfront.

The project is imagined as a layered civic space. Communal gardens, floating parks, and shared roof terraces are arranged to encourage both quiet retreat and spontaneous gathering. The architecture withdraws in places to give room for the harbor to remain visible and accessible. Rather than cordon off the water, the project draws it in, inviting it to become part of the everyday social fabric.

Rotterdam will see the construction of Europe’s largest floating housing development

Prefabrication for low-impact urbanism

MAST’s plans for Spoorweghaven will also support aquatic life of Rotterdam. In collaboration with Biomatrix, MAST will install over 900 square meters of floating reedbeds along the harbor’s perimeter. These islands act as natural filters, removing pollutants from the water while forming habitats for birds, fish and invertebrates. The design contributes to the city’s broader ecological network, showing how architecture on water can become an engine for environmental repair.

Once underway, construction will take shape off-site. MAST’s floating structures will be built of CLT and assembled away from the dock before being floated into place. This prefabricated method drastically reduces construction noise, traffic and material waste in the neighborhood. It also allows for reversibility: the homes can be relocated or dismantled entirely if the conditions of the site change. Such adaptability is at the core of MAST’s strategy for circular design.

the project will bring over 100 apartments with public and commercial spaces

Spoorweghaven addresses the housing crisis with a water-based urban solution by MAST

the design includes floating gardens, walkways, and shared terraces

floating reedbeds will enhance biodiversity in Spoorweghaven

project info:

name: Spoorweghaven

architect: MAST | @MAST_denmark

location: Rotterdam, The Netherlands

contractor: BIK bouw | @bik_bouw

visualizations: © Slimstudio | @slimstudio.eu

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