Mecanoo’s Doris Duke Theater has officially opened at Jacob’s Pillow in Massachusetts, marking a new chapter for the long-running dance center. The vast venue replaces the original studio theater destroyed by fire in 2020 and introduces a flexible, high-tech space equipped to host both live and digitally augmented performances. Designed in collaboration with Marvel and theater consultants Charcoalblue, the project combines a mass timber structure with advanced technical infrastructure. It accommodates up to 400 audience members and is engineered to support a wide range of performance staging formats, including immersive installations and multimedia-based choreography.

all images by Iwan Baan, courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow

mecanoo grounds the timber volume in its natural landscape

Mecanoo’s design takes cues from the surrounding Berkshire landscape and responds to the site through a natural material palette and integrated sustainable systems. Thermally treated pine cladding, a green roof, rainwater collection systems, and a deep veranda that frames the wooded setting all anchor the building in its context, with the latter also lending it its modular silhouette. Surrounding landscape interventions by Marvel, developed with Indigenous artists, extend the project’s engagement with place. Sculptural stone seating, a communal fire pit, and planted gathering spaces echo the site’s layered history while offering new spaces for reflection and interaction.

The Doris Duke Theatre is part of Jacob’s Pillow’s broader initiative to expand access to dance and support new forms of creative expression. The new space opens with a diverse program of performances and installations by artists including Shamel Pitts, Andrew Schneider, Elle Sofe Company, and Huang Yi, alongside an inaugural exhibition curated by Katherine Helen Fisher that explores dance and digital interaction. A new work by Indigenous artist Brenda Mallory is also installed in the lobby, continuing the effort to reflect broader cultural narratives within the venue.

Doris Duke Theater opebs at Jacob’s Pillow

the project combines a mass timber structure with advanced technical infrastructure

the venue replaces the original studio theater destroyed by fire in 2020

thermally treated pine cladding and a deep veranda lend the theater its character

introducing a flexible, high-tech space

Mecanoo’s design takes cues from the surrounding Berkshire landscape

responding to the site through a natural material palette and integrated sustainable systems

the venue can accommodate up to 400 audience members

the new space opens with a diverse program of performances and installations by artists

engineered to support a wide range of performance staging formats

surrounding landscape interventions extend the project’s engagement with place

aerial view of the Jacob’s Pillow campus

project info:

name: Doris Duke Theater

architect: Mecanoo | @mecanoo_

location: Massachusetts, USA

The post mecanoo’s high-tech, timber clad dance theater opens at jacob’s pillow in massachusetts appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

The new monograph Torrey: Private Spaces: Great American Design offers an expansive look into the work of architect and designer Andrew Torrey, whose practice has grown from a solo endeavor in New York City into a studio synonymous with polished, modern American interiors. Published as Torrey’s first book, the volume charts a path across residences in Manhattan, Miami, Los Angeles, London, and Cabo San Lucas, capturing how his spaces balance architectural clarity with expressive materiality.

Written by art historian and journalist Gay Gassmann and documented through the lens of photographers including Manolo Yllera, Douglas Friedman, and Tim Lenz, the book spans twenty-three projects that articulate Torrey’s evolving point of view. Each project reveals an interest in crafting environments that feel composed yet personal, often layering custom millwork, contemporary art, and vintage objects within precise geometries.

images courtesy Rizzoli

A Design Language of Opulence and Restraint

Growing up in Kansas before moving to New York at twenty-one, architect Andrew Torrey channeled a sensibility shaped by American optimism and the desire for transformation. The book situates his career within a broader narrative of self-made success, while also attending closely to the details that define his interiors: clean architectural volumes enriched by saturated color, textural contrast, and custom furnishings.

Torrey’s design philosophy emerges in subtle combinations: a high-gloss lacquered cabinet standing against raw plaster walls, or a polished brass light fixture set above matte travertine. Throughout the book, these pairings are documented with clarity, avoiding any sense of staging in favor of showing how clients inhabit the rooms. Celebrity residences — such as those belonging to Antoni Porowski and Alex Pall — are presented alongside lesser-known commissions, underscoring the consistent rigor of Torrey’s approach regardless of scale or prominence.

Andrew Torrey’s first book documents twenty-three private residences across the US and abroad

Typography, Form, and a Cohesive Visual Statement

The book itself reflects the character of Andrew Torrey’s design work. With art direction by London-based studio Atelier Dyakova, the object makes a deliberate statement through a deep red treatment that extends uninterrupted across cover, spine, boards, and endpapers. This chromatic saturation conveys both confidence and restraint, inviting readers to see the monograph as more than a catalog of spaces but as a study in material and form.

Typography reinforces this impression. The primary typeface, GT America, with custom Rs derived from Cartier’s archives, anchors the layout in Torrey’s brand identity. Bold letterforms mirror the architectural qualities of his interiors, communicating a visual language as resolved as the projects themselves.

the monograph highlights Torrey’s blend of modern design with rich materials and vintage details

In an era when design publications often pursue either a documentary neutrality or an overproduced aesthetic, Torrey: Private Spaces finds a measured middle ground. The book privileges direct observation and avoids excessive narrative framing, allowing the work to convey its own atmosphere.

At its core, the monograph affirms Andrew Torrey’s place among American designers who balance modernism with a tactile sensibility. It offers a resource for architects, stylists, and collectors who share his fascination with spaces that feel deliberate yet accommodating. As an object, it signals the same qualities as the interiors it chronicles: weight, clarity, and a sustained attention to detail.

photographers including Manolo Yllera and Douglas Friedman bring clarity to each interior

the book design by Atelier Dyakova uses saturated red to create a bold visual identity

GT America typeface with custom details connects the book to Torrey’s brand language

celebrity homes appear alongside more understated projects to show consistent vision

celebrity homes appear alongside more understated projects to show consistent vision

project info:

name: Torrey: Private Spaces: Great American Design

book design: Atelier Dyakova | @atelierdyakova

architect: Andrew Torrey | @torreyllc

author: Gay Gassmann

publisher: Rizzoli | @rizzolibooks

photography: © Manolo Yllera, Douglas Friedman, and Tim Lenz, among others

The post torrey: private spaces: an intimate retrospective of andrew torrey’s american design appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Peter Zumthor’s long-awaited redesign of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art takes a step forward as LACMA reveals the David Geffen Galleries, its new architectural centerpiece, before art installation begins ahead of the grand public opening in April 2026 (find designboom’s previous coverage here). Capturing the horizontal, elevated structure in glass and concrete, images by Iwan Baan offer the first interior look at the museum’s 10,220-square-meter exhibition level. LACMA is now preparing to welcome the public to select areas of the new building starting summer 2025, signaling a gradual activation of the most ambitious architectural transformation in its history. Later that year, the museum will also unveil Jeff Koons’s Split-Rocker, a towering 37-foot-tall sculpture covered in over 50,000 living plants, which will become a permanent outdoor landmark adjacent to the new David Geffen Galleries.

Before the galleries are filled with thousands of artworks from LACMA’s encyclopedic collection, the museum offers a series of ‘sonic previews’ to animate the raw architecture. Acclaimed saxophonist and composer Kamasi Washington led a more than 100-person ensemble in a performance of his work Harmony of Difference, spread across the full breadth of the empty exhibition spaces.

all images by Iwan Baan

iwan baan PHOTOGRAPHS the museum’s new era

Floating over Wilshire Boulevard like a contemporary bridge, Zumthor’s building replaces four aging museum structures with a single, unified gallery space. In newly released photographs by Dutch photographer Iwan Baan, the architecture’s flowing form is captured in its raw state, offering a first glimpse into the expansive, unoccupied interiors before art installation begins. The David Geffen Galleries are named after the media magnate whose contribution marked the campaign’s largest gift, while the north wing honors LACMA trustee and board co-chair Elaine Wynn, whose pledge helped launch the building initiative. A new state-of-the-art performance space, the Steve Tisch Theater, anchors the southern plaza level. 

Major construction of the Zumthor-designed structure was completed in late 2024, allowing key operational functions to move in. In summer 2025, the public will begin to access parts of the plaza level, including new dining and retail spaces. Ray’s and Stark Bar will reopen in a redesigned location, while a new LACMA Store, funded by trustee Kelvin Davis and his wife, Hana, will also debut. Across the boulevard, a second restaurant and a café will open in 2026, their spaces shaped by campaign gifts from Ann Colgin and Joe Wender, Ryan Seacrest, Ashley Merrill, and Marc Merrill.

a first look at the museum’s 10,220-square-meter exhibition level

outdoor sculptures to be installed in the following months

Below the gallery floor, shaded public spaces on both sides of Wilshire Boulevard are designed for outdoor dining, programming, and art. A highlight is the East West Bank Commons, an outdoor plaza with capacity for 500-person events. The W.M. Keck Plaza will also become home to a new education center and a full-scale commissioned artwork by Mariana Castillo Deball titled Feathered Changes, which spans the north and south sides of the building.

The new structure reconnects LACMA with the city through architecture and landscape to offer over 14,160 square meters of accessible public space. Outdoor sculptures by artists including Liz Glynn, Thomas Houseago, Shio Kusaka, Pedro Reyes, and Diana Thater will be installed in the coming months. Longtime favorites will also return, including Tony Smith’s Smoke (1967), Alexander Calder’s Three Quintains (Hello Girls) (1964), and a newly designed 743-square-meter Rodin garden, funded by the Cantor Foundation, showcasing some of the artist’s most iconic bronze works.

As the museum ramps up toward its 2026 opening, more previews will be announced, and the installation of LACMA’s permanent collection will begin later this year.

capturing the horizontal, elevated structure in glass and concrete

LACMA is now preparing to welcome the public to select areas of the new building

Zumthor’s building replaces four aging museum structures with a single, unified gallery space

the architecture’s flowing form is captured in its raw state

major construction of the Zumthor-designed structure was completed in late 2024

the installation of LACMA’s permanent collection will begin later this year

as the museum ramps up toward its 2026 opening, more previews will be announced

Peter Zumthor’s long-awaited redesign of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art

the new structure reconnects LACMA with the city through architecture and landscape

project info:

name: LACMA | @lacma

architect: Peter Zumthor

location: Los Angeles, California, US

photographer: Iwan Baan | @iwanbaan

The post first look inside LACMA’s peter zumthor-designed galleries through the lens of iwan baan appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

A rare opportunity to inhabit a piece of American architectural history arrives with the listing of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fountainhead residence in Jackson, Mississippi. Priced at €2.13 million ($2.5 million), the three-bedroom home is one of the few Usonian houses ever built and the only Frank Lloyd Wright property in the state, making it a remarkable example of organic architecture. Designed in 1948 when Frank Lloyd Wright was 81 years old, Fountainhead reflects his continued involvement in architectural work late in life. The design stays consistent with the ideas he had developed over decades, showing that his approach remained steady rather than changing to fit newer trends or outside pressures.

images courtesy of Crescent Sotheby’s International Realty

Fountainhead’s Diamond Shape Guides Every Aspect of the Design

Fountainhead sits at 306 Glenway Drive in Fondren, a lively mid-century neighborhood in Jackson. Wright designed the house specifically for its site, staying true to his belief that architecture should work with the landscape. The building’s diamond-shaped shell, based on a parallelogram, came directly from the shape of the lot. The shape carries through the entire design, appearing in the pattern of the concrete floors, guiding how the walls are positioned, and even influencing the scale of the doors, creating a quiet sense of cohesion that feels deliberate without drawing too much attention to itself.

Built in 1951, the 330-square-meter house was constructed without stud walls, drywall, or paint, a deliberate choice that leaves the materials exposed. The architect used Tidewater Red Cypress for the walls and ceilings, a durable wood with a rich, reddish color that brings warmth and texture to the interior. The original copper roof is still in place, a testament to the solid construction of the building and carefully chosen materials. Wide stretches of glass open the house to its surroundings, letting in daylight and views of the garden. Inside, built-in furniture and storage, a signature of Wright’s work, keep the spaces uncluttered and quietly functional.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fountainhead residence in Jackson, Mississippi hits the market for the first time

a name that reflects inspiration

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fountainhead holds a special place in Mississippi’s cultural history. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places and stands as both a private home and a reminder of the architect’s approach to how people live. The house sits on nearly 4,000 square meters of land, surrounded by lush greenery that provides privacy, yet it’s still just a short walk from Fondren’s mix of shops, restaurants, and art spots.

Wright is said to have named the house Fountainhead to reflect the idea of a source of creativity. Today, the home still feels like that, a wellspring of thoughtful design and clear vision. 

the three-bedroom home is one of the few Usonian houses ever built

Fountainhead is the only Frank Lloyd Wright property in the state

a remarkable example of organic architecture

designed in 1948 when Frank Lloyd Wright was 81 years old

the design stays consistent with the ideas the architect had developed over decades

Wright designed the house specifically for its site

built-in furniture and storage keep the spaces uncluttered and quietly functional

Tidewater Red Cypress clads the walls and ceilings

wide stretches of glass open the house to its surroundings

Wright is said to have named the house Fountainhead to reflect the idea of a source of creativity

project info:

name: Fountainhead

architect: Frank Lloyd Wright | @wrighttaliesin

location: 306 Glenway Drive, Jackson, Mississippi, 39216, USA

completion: 1951

interior space area: 330.55 square meters (3,558 square feet) 

site area: 3,926 square meters (0.97 acre)

listed with: Douglas Adams and David Abner Smith

real estate agency: Crescent Sotheby’s International Realty | @sothebysrealty

The post frank lloyd wright’s ‘fountainhead’ residence, a rare usonian, hits the market in mississippi appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

The famed Las Vegas Strip is expected to be the home of a new ballpark for the Oakland A’s by architecture firms Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and HNTB. Once complete, the project is set to be the future home of Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics. Taking inspiration from Las Vegas‘ vibrant atmosphere, the ballpark is an open-air space with panoramic views of the desert city’s skyline. This 33,000-seat covered stadium occupies a nine-acre plot on Las Vegas Boulevard between Tropicana and Reno Avenues. Scheduled to open in spring 2028, the project marks a renewed collaboration between BIG and the Athletics, following an earlier ballpark design proposed for Oakland, California in 2018 (see designboom’s coverage here).

UPDATE June 25th, 2025: The Oakland A’s officially break ground on their Las Vegas ballpark, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and HNTB. Dubbed ‘the Armadillo’ for its expressive, layered shell, the structure marks BIG’s first realized baseball stadium and redefines the typology with a dramatic cable-net glass facade framing the Strip.

Set to open ahead of the 2028 MLB season, the project brings together Thornton Tomasetti, Henderson Engineers, CAA ICON, Mortenson, and McCarthy Building Companies. The ballpark also builds on BIG’s previous collaboration with the Athletics on an earlier, unbuilt design in Oakland. ‘This groundbreaking is a great milestone for our almost decade-long collaboration with the A’s. It marks the end of a long journey to find the new home for the A’s, and on a personal note, the groundbreaking of our first baseball stadium,’ shares Bjarke Ingels. ‘The A’s Armadillo is unlike any other ballpark, and will not only be a great home for the team and the sport, but also a striking new architectural

character in the string of pearls along the Las Vegas Strip.’

all images courtesy of Bjarke Ingels Group, unless stated otherwise

a dome roof for ambient light and framed views

The architects at Bjarke Ingels Group collaborate with HNTB for the new ballpark in Las Vegas, instantly recognized by its sculptural roof. Five overlapping shells, are designed to resemble ‘baseball pennants,’ and provide shade for players while allowing indirect natural light to filter through clerestory windows oriented towards the north. The domed structure will feature an expansive cable-net glass wall, framing uninterrupted views of Las Vegas. The building’s exterior, wrapped in metallic panels, shimmers in the sunlight and reflects the city’s dazzling lights at night.

John Fisher, Managing Partner & Owner, Athletics comments: ‘BIG’s revolutionary design, created in collaboration with HNTB, represents a captivating ballpark concept, seamlessly blending innovation and technology with an enhanced fan experience. We are very excited to share the work of our design team with the entire Southern Nevada community.’

the project is set to be the future home of Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics

the breezy, climate controlled space

Fans enter the ballpark through an elevated outdoor plaza, which Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and HNTB connect with bridges spanning Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue. This entrance leads directly to the main concourse, where a large glass atrium opens toward the cityscape. This design ensures optimal navigation and will allow arriving fans to immediately take in the entire field and seating arrangement. Secondary entrances on the north and south sides feature ‘bouncing’ arches, promoting accessibility and a connection to the outdoors. Once inside, bright and airy atria greet the visitors, doubling as multi-purpose exhibition spaces that showcase local and international art.

Inspired by historic ballparks like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, the tiered seating design with split upper and lower bowls brings spectators closer to the action than in traditional stadiums. Every seat is designed to offer unobstructed sight lines. An innovative air-conditioning system ensures efficient and eco-friendly cooling by distributing cool air directly to the seats rather than from the ceiling.

the domed structure will feature an expansive cable-net glass wall

Bjarke Ingels comments: ‘Our design for the new Vegas home for the A’s is conceived in response to the unique culture and climate of the city. Five pennant arches enclose the ballpark – shading from the Nevada sun while opening to the soft daylight from the north. A giant window frames a majestic view of the life of The Strip and the iconic New York New York hotel skyline. All direct sunlight is blocked, while all the soft daylight is allowed to wash the field in natural light. The resultant architecture is like a spherical armadillo — shaped by the local climate — while opening and inviting the life of The Strip to enter and explore. In the city of spectacle, the A’s ‘armadillo’ is designed for passive shading and natural light — the architectural response to the Nevada climate generating a new kind of vernacular icon in Vegas.’

taking inspiration from Las Vegas‘ vibrant atmosphere

Daniel Sundlin, Partner, BIG, continues: ‘Our new A’s Ballpark in Las Vegas is designed to celebrate baseball and become a destination for fans from all over the world. The ballpark will be a climate-controlled, state-of-the-art facility that will house a variety of events and guest experiences. By opening up the roof structure, we’re capturing the energy of the iconic Las Vegas Strip and creating a unique synergy between its events and the surrounding city.’

this 33,000-seat covered stadium will occupy a nine-acre plot

scheduled to open in spring 2028

the project marks a renewed collaboration between BIG and the Athletics

metallic panels clad the exterior

bright and airy atria greet the visitors

the Oakland A’s officially break ground on their Las Vegas ballpark | image by the Athletics

the structure marks BIG’s first realized baseball stadium | image by the Athletics

BIG Team (L to R): Leon Rost, Tracey Coffin, Frankie Sharpe, Jan Klaska, Daniel Sundlin | image by BIG

project info:

name: Athletics Las Vegas Ballpark

architecture: Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), HNTB

location: Las Vegas, Nevada

size: 925,000 square feet

completion: expected 2028

client: Athletics

collaborators: Thornton Tomasetti, Henderson Engineers, CAA ICON, Mortenson, McCarthy Building Companies, Atelier Ten, RWDI, Kimley-Horn, Systematica, WJHW, Jensen Hughes, HKA, WSP, FP&C, Chicago Flyhouse, Duray Duncan, Ed Roether Consulting, Morean, Negativ, Mir

BIG team:
partner-in-charge: Bjarke Ingels, Daniel Sundlin, Leon Rost
project manager: Aran Coakley
design lead: Frankie Sharpe, Jan Klaska, Ricardo Palma Prieto
project architect: Tracey Coffin
team: Ahmad Tabbakh, Alan Maedo, Anders Holden Deleuran, Andreas Bak, Ashley O’Neill, Aya Mohamed Elhassan, Benjamin Caldwell, Chahn Sung, Changbin Kim, Cullen Yoshihiko Fu, David Iseri, Don Chen, Douglass Alligood, Dylan Hames, Ema Bakalova, Guillermo Romani, Hector Romero, Hongye Wu, Hudson Parris, Jaeho Park, Jan Leenknegt, Jeremy Jackson, Luca McLaughlin, Margaret Tyrpa, Matthew Lau, Minjung Ku, Norain Chang, Paul Heberle, Pauline Lavie-Luong, Qyuri Kim, Simon Scheller, Sung-hwan Um, Thomas Christoffersen, Thomas Guerra, Thomas McMurtrie, Vi Madrazo, Wesley Thompson, Yiling Emily Chen, Ziad Shehab

HNTB team:
principal-in-charge: Lanson Nichols 
project director: Brian O’Laughlin
design director, interiors: Emily Louchart
project leaders: Brad Albers, Jeff Goode 
team: Abagael Warnars, Rory Reynolds, Cruz Crawford, Ryan Halford, Chase Pitner, Sam Suh, Stephanie Schneidereit, Molly Qian, Jake Bandy, Tim Michael, Trevor Ricketts, Erin Heiden, Wendy Chenuh, Caroline Trinca, Michelle Curry, James Betancourt, Ben Garcia, Duart Duff

The post bjarke ingels group breaks ground on sculptural las vegas ballpark for oakland A’s appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Netflix is set to bring some of its most popular shows and films into the real world with Netflix House, a new kind of entertainment venue set to open in Philadelphia and Dallas by the end of 2025. Located inside the King of Prussia Mall and Galleria Dallas, respectively, the two permanent spaces will span over 9,290 square meters, offering fans a chance to step inside immersive environments inspired by the most iconic titles of the platform, including Stranger Things and Wednesday, as well as Squid Game and One Piece. A third venue is also confirmed for Las Vegas, slated to open in 2027.

The venues, designed to be more than themed attractions, combine physical storytelling with hospitality and retail. Netflix House invites visitors all year round to explore interactive sets, dine at a show-inspired restaurant called Netflix Bites, and browse exclusive merchandise tied to different Netflix universes. Each location will feature a rotating lineup of experiences and installations, allowing returning guests to discover something new with each visit.

Netflix House Philadelphia | all images courtesy of Netflix House

philadelphia and dallas locations coming by the end of 2025

In the Philadelphia Netflix House, guests will find a VR arcade based on Netflix shows, a nine-hole mini golf course called Top 9, and a screening space known as the Tudum Theater. The Dallas location will include Netflix RePLAY, a game-filled arena blending physical challenges with story-driven environments in an arcade-style setting. These activities are tied closely to familiar titles with obstacle courses inspired by Squid Game, moody walkthroughs set in the halls of Nevermore Academy, or adventures at sea with the One Piece crew, complete with snail phones and references to the Going Merry ship.

Netflix House Dallas

welcoming guests to explore and dine subscription-free

While the experiences vary by location, both venues aim to reflect the broader focus of the streaming platform on inclusion and global storytelling. According to the company, the goal is to create welcoming spaces that feel accessible to all, whether or not you’re a Netflix subscriber. Guests can simply walk in, explore the installations, or enjoy a themed meal, no membership required.

The retail side of Netflix House will offer exclusive apparel and collectibles, while Netflix Bites is expected to serve a menu influenced by scenes and characters from across its international catalog. Designed as permanent fixtures rather than pop-ups, both venues will operate year-round, evolving alongside the streaming platform’s changing lineup.

Following the launch of these first two locations, Netflix has confirmed plans to open a third Netflix House in Las Vegas in 2027. The venues shift how the company approaches fan engagement beyond screens to create destinations where people can revisit the stories they love. Fans can already sign up for early access to tickets via the official waitlist, which offers presale opportunities ahead of the general public, along with sneak peeks and exclusive content tailored to each fan community.

Netflix is set to bring some of its most popular shows and films into the real world

immersive environments inspired by the most iconic titles of the platform

the venues combine physical storytelling with hospitality and retail

each location will feature a rotating lineup of experiences and installations

Netflix House invites visitors all year round to explore interactive sets

a third venue is also confirmed for Las Vegas, slated to open in 2027

Netflix Bites is a show-inspired restaurant

project info:

name: Netflix House | @netflixhouse
company: Netflix

locations: King of Prussia Mall, Philadelphia and Galleria Dallas, Dallas, USA (opening late 2025), Las Vegas, USA (confirmed for 2027)

The post netflix house to bring stranger things, squid game and more to life in immersive US venues appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

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

The post metallic ceiling tops fully reconfigurable venue by T+E+A+M. and stock-a-studio in the US appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

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

The post philadelphia pop-up ‘frankie’s summer club’ reinterprets lost vision by louis kahn appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Tucked within the weathered coastline of rural Maine, OPAL Architecture’s Little House on the Ferry sidesteps the typical image of a single homestead set against a picturesque view. The project takes shape with three modest, prefabricated structures, nearly matching, positioned just so among the remnants of a former granite quarry. At first glance, the cabins appear to rest gently on the site, yet their placement reveals a more deliberate reading of place. Each sits in conversation with the stone around it, recognizing both the industrial past and the ongoing resilience of the recovering ground.

The guest house serves a family that travels from Austria to Maine each summer, joining an older main residence nearby. The new timber structures offer privacy for visiting friends and relatives, but they also deepen the experience of being in this particular landscape. Instead of dominating the site, the buildings register its scars and its softness. The design finds meaning in dispersion — each volume a fragment in dialogue with granite blocks and exposed bedrock.

images © Trent Bell Photography

cabins perch Lightly over rural maine landscape

OPAL Architecture’s cabins in Maine remain minimal in plan and expression, a gesture made possible by the use of prefabricated cross-laminated timber. Fabricated in Quebec from black spruce and ferried over to the island, these panels act as the full structural system, forming floor, walls, and roof. They arrive precut, slotting into place with precision. This construction method allowed the architects to ensure minimal disturbance to the fragile site, while producing a building envelope that is both strong and tactile. The grain of the spruce reads through the interiors, where the tone is kept pale and clear, letting the landscape carry the color.

Connection between the three buildings is managed by a series of decks that trace over the ground with lightness. These floating platforms act as thresholds, paths, and outlooks. They refuse any single axis or entry point. Instead, they reinforce the site’s inherent irregularity, allowing the architecture to feel both settled and momentary. Nothing is over-defined. The buildings are aligned more with the grain of the land than with each other.

each cabin responds differently to the contours and character of the quarry site

architecture in response to all seasons

OPAL Architecture designed the cabins to be used primarily in the warmer months of Maine, with large, operable windows ensuring natural ventilation. In the shoulder seasons, sliding wooden shutters temper the low sun and help insulate. When the owners leave for Austria in late fall, the shutters close the buildings up entirely. These movable elements add a quiet rhythm to the facades and offer subtle reminders of the life inside: one moment open to sea air and chatter, the next buttoned up and silent until next year.

Interior furnishings, drawn largely from the Thos. Moser collection, reflect a similar attitude toward restraint and care. Each piece is positioned as though placed thoughtfully and without hurry. The dining chairs, bedroom tables, and living room accents feel well suited to the project’s scale. Like the architecture itself, they support the experience of the site without distracting from it.

three micro-cabins are connected by a network of open decks

wooden shutters control sunlight and secure the house through the winter months

the elevated decks float over granite and brush, linking the buildings gently

interior finishes are kept pale and minimal allowing views to take center stage

the project is furnished with select pieces, created in Maine by Thos. Moser

the design reads the site carefully and builds lightly in response

project info:

name: Little House on the Ferry

architect: OPAL Architecture | @we.are.opal

location: Maine, USA

design partner: Riley Pratt

contractor: GO Logic

structural engineer: Albert Putnam Associates

photographer: © Trent Bell Photography | @trentbellphotography

The post OPAL architecture’s prefab CLT cabins float gently over quarry in rural maine appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

In Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, design studio Plan Plan transforms a 167-square-meter corner site into Nin Hao, a Fujianese restaurant infused with cultural memory. Bathed in daylight from its five-meter, south- and east-facing curtain walls, the dining room is defined by its layered transparency and its capacity to evolve. Translucent Austrian curtains diffuse sunlight across warm cement tiles and glowing polycarbonate surfaces, creating a luminous interior. With a rotating curatorial framework and spatial elements designed for touch, play, and community, Nin Hao restaurant becomes a cultural platform that embraces shared belonging.

images courtesy of Plan Plan

nin hao merges Chinese motifs with an adaptable spatial grid

New York-based Plan Plan’s design harnesses the raw spatial potential of the corner site, characterized by its natural light, height, and openness, to generate a soft atmosphere. Daylight filters through the curtains and lands on a tall wall of polycarbonate panels, transforming that surface into a glowing lantern at dusk. Beneath this ambient environment, warm-hued cement tiles echo traditional Chinese gray bricks, appearing as floors, seats, and even leaning surfaces. Meanwhile, linear planters with succulent greens and a delicate ceiling grid suspend floating sculptures and lighting, bringing layers of visual interest at multiple heights. 

Rather than fixing the space to a single visual identity, Nin Hao is built around a flexible framework that encourages transformation. A bold 3.7-meter-long red communal table and a round green table—convertible into a Mahjong table—invite social encounters, storytelling, and play. One wall remains intentionally minimal to accommodate rotating art installations, while a grid system overhead allows sculptural and lighting compositions to shift seasonally. This open-ended design approach enables the restaurant to grow and adapt, drawing in new audiences and interpretations over time.

Two themed bathrooms are lined with custom mosaics depicting historic Chinese and American landscape paintings—Qiu Ying’s Spring Morning in the Han Palace and George Henry Boughton’s Hudson River Valley from Fort Putnam. One bathroom includes a two-way mirror that offers a discreet view into the dining space, adding a note of theatrical surprise and reflecting the restaurant’s playful take on visibility and privacy.

design studio Plan Plan transforms a 167-square-meter corner site into Nin Hao restaurant

a Fujianese restaurant infused with cultural memory

the dining room is defined by its layered transparency

sunlight travels across warm cement tiles and glowing polycarbonate surfaces

bathed in daylight from its five-meter, south- and east-facing curtain walls

Nin Hao becomes a platform that embraces shared belonging

two themed bathrooms are lined with custom mosaics

depicting historic Chinese and American landscape paintings

project info:

name: Nin Hao
architect: Plan Plan | @planplan.nyc
location: Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, New York

area: 167 square meters (1,800 square feet)

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

The post translucent curtains drape over polycarbonate walls at nin hao restaurant in brooklyn appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.