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Industrial culture meets commercial ruin

Gate M West Bund Dream Centre in Shanghai by MVRDV

Located on the west bank of the Huangpu River, MVRDV has transformed the remains of an old cement factory and the ruins of a failed revitalisation project into the city's latest cultural and entertainment hub. The architectural firms Schmidt Hammer Lassen and Atelier Deshaus assisted them in this endeavour.

Experimental Research Building

PAKK Pavilion in Tallinn

Run by the Estonian Academy of Arts, the PAKK Pavilion in Tallinn is an experimental laboratory. It focuses on research into timber construction, structures, and facades.

Experiment in hybrid timber construction

Boarding House in Mexico City by CRB Arquitectos

An eight-storey hybrid timber building on Avenida Álvaro Obregón is an eye-catching addition to Mexico City's townscape. Its regular facade gives an indication of the nearly 60 one-bedroom apartments inside, some of which are offered as holiday flats for overnight guests.

Confident dialogue

Apartment in Prague by Formafatal

In Prague's Smíchov district, Studio Formafatal has converted an attic into a two-storey apartment with a gallery.

Protective shell made of stamped concrete

Espalion Nursery School in South-West France

The four-group nursery school in Espalion in south-west France has two radically different faces: on the outside, metre-high tamped concrete walls protect the open spaces and interior rooms. Inside, however, floor-to-ceiling glazing dominates the impression of space.

Abstract waffle pattern

Loacker Galaxy by MoDusArchitects

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Loacker wafer, MoDusArchitects completely redesigned the flagship store in Heinfels, Austria.

Careful restoration

Pierre and Colette Soulages Primary School by NAS Architecture

NAS Architecture has transformed the former Montpellier Conservatory into a primary school, combining history with modernity through the use of a light-flooded patio and exposed structures.

Tour de force in timber construction

University Building in Arkansas by Grafton Architects and Modus Studio

Grafton Architects' first timber construction is located at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. In collaboration with the local firm Modus Studio, they designed a transparent building that brings together workshops, a lecture hall, and design studios under one roof.

Preserving historical heritage

Revitalisation of the Church of Sant Esteve near Barcelona

Targeted interventions by Santamaria Arquitectes have secured and revitalised this Romanesque church.

Wooden house with brick rotunda

Villa Bjorland in Stavanger by Vatn Architecture

Espen Vatn and his architectural firm, together with Laura Sæther Architecture, have renovated a residential building dating from 1955 in a suburb of Stavanger. The striking entrance area is inspired by the grain silos in the area.

Landscape bridge in the floodplain forest

National Museum in Zhengzhou by gmp Architekten

Zhengzhou is one of the largest cities on China's lifeline, the Yellow River. In the forests on its banks, gmp Architekten has now completed a new 100 000 m² museum building, which will showcase the cultural and natural features of the river once it opens.

Renovation brings clarity and cohesion

Collège Maryse Bastié in Dole by Tectoniques Architectes

During the renovation of the secondary school, Tectoniques Architectes unified the disparate buildings in terms of structure and design. The labyrinthine layout was reorganised and the building was raised and clad in a new, largely uniform exterior. 

Lightweight construction on solid foundations

Residential Building in the Basque Country by BeAr

The La Nanihuena residential building in Gorliz, northern Spain, plays with contrasts: four large concrete supports hold up a delicate wooden structure. Red and light green facades envelop the interior, which is largely decorated in wood tones.

Building bridges to nature

Santiago de Compostela Railway Station by Estudio Herreros

The extension of the historic railway station in Santiago de Compostela builds bridges in two ways: it links different modes of transport and it connects the city centre with the southern suburbs surrounding the Ciudad de la Cultura. 

The tree in the house

Boathouse in Scotland by Barboza Blanco Office

On the banks of the Firth of Tay, the Portuguese firm has renovated a dilapidated boathouse and transformed it into a retreat for the client. A single tree trunk supports both the roof and floor of the house. 

Venice Architecture Biennale 2025

The Biennale, A Construction Site?

High-tech, low-tech, and AI: The 19th Architecture Biennale doesn’t refuse to showcase architecture – but does it meaningfully engage with the pressing realities its audience faces? 

Metal workshop becomes gourmet temple

Camaraderie Restaurant in Houston by Schaum Architects

Schaum architects have converted a former metal workshop in the Houston Heights district into a 75-seat restaurant. While retaining the corrugated iron aesthetic and supporting structure of the old building, the space has been given a completely new atmosphere.

Cultural and Learning Center

Third Space in India by Studio Saar

One of Studio Saar’s latest project reimagines the third space as a dynamic cultural center rooted in Indian heritage.