Poppins Nursery School Karuizawa Kazakoshi, designed by NIKKEN SEKKEI, is a single-story wooden nursery school in Japan. Located in a highland resort area of Karuizawa, near Lake Shiozawa and Kazakoshi Park, the structure overlooks Mount Asama. The building is positioned diagonally at the center of the site to naturally separate the south-facing playground from the north-facing parking area, making use of the site’s existing slope and minimizing the need for new barriers along the western retaining wall.

The project is defined by two leaf-shaped roofs of different heights. Childcare rooms are placed beneath the lower roof, while the higher roof covers the hall and staff facilities. The floor plan is designed so that all childcare rooms face the outdoor garden, and the hall functions as the central gathering space where children engage in group activities. Large windows introduce daylight and provide views of the surrounding landscape throughout the year.

Spatial divisions rely on wooden columns rather than enclosed walls, creating a continuous interior environment that supports movement and visual connection across age groups. The six nursery rooms, grouped into zones for ages 0-2 and 3-5, feature lower ceiling heights and a smaller spatial scale suited to young children. Each room connects to the hall through column-defined openings, allowing for gradual transitions between spaces and enabling interaction between different age groups.

all images by Norihito Yamauchi

NIKKEN SEKKEI employs Timber framework and Dual Roof Planes

The design team at NIKKEN SEKKEI opts for material and environmental strategies that emphasize wood as the primary interior finish. This approach aims to create a unified atmosphere across childcare rooms, circulation zones, and the hall. High-side windows located between the two roofs supply natural light and support gravity-based ventilation during mild seasons, reducing dependency on artificial lighting and mechanical cooling.

Structurally, the project employs two simple, untwisted roof planes cut into organic, leaf-like geometries that taper toward the eaves. These roof surfaces were constructed using standard laminated timber without special curved components. Columns are slightly angled along the curve of the plan so that their intersections with beams remain nearly vertical, allowing the use of common connection hardware and reducing the need for custom structural fittings. Double timber columns (120 × 240 mm European red pine) are arranged at regular 1,820 mm intervals, corresponding to plywood module dimensions and creating a rhythmic structural grid reminiscent of loosely defined forest-like zones.

By standardizing short-span joint details and optimizing material use, the project maintains a clear structural expression while remaining efficient to construct within a limited schedule and budget. The spatial volume beneath the high roof accommodates the hall, kitchen, and staff areas, while mechanical equipment is placed in the ceiling space under the low roof to maximize usable interior area.

a leaf-shaped roof defines the low, child-scaled volumes of the nursery

the building sits on a highland site overlooking Mount Asama

organic roof geometries taper toward the eaves

wooden columns replace walls to create an open interior flow

large windows bring natural light into the hall

laminated timber is used to form the untwisted roof planes

column-defined openings allow gentle transitions between spaces

wood surfaces unify the childcare rooms and circulation areas

double timber columns create a rhythm across the interior grid

all childcare rooms face the outdoor garden

nursery rooms are divided into zones for ages 0-2 and 3-5

structural spacing corresponds to standard plywood module dimensions

mechanical equipment is placed beneath the low roof to maximize space efficiency

high-side windows between the two roof levels channel light in and out of the interior

project info:

name: Poppins Nursery School Karuizawa Kazakoshi
architect: Nikken Sekkei Ltd | @nikkensekkei_global
location: Karuizawa, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano Prefecture, Japan

site area: 2699.04 sqm

total floor area: 494.46 sqm

contractor: Seibu Construction Co., Ltd.

photographer: Norihito Yamauchi

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

The post twin leaf-shaped roofs unfold atop nursery school by NIKKEN SEKKEI in japan appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Pavilions are architecture’s fast, experimental structures that test ideas long before they scale up to cities. This year’s highlights push that spirit further, blurring the lines between sculpture, shelter, ritual space, and ecological device. From bamboo vaults rising in flood-prone villages to inflatable dream temples, from wind-driven feather structures on remote islands to LEGO-built playscapes in London, the pavilion becomes a tool for storytelling.

Across the ten projects, a set of shared themes emerges: material reinvention, circular design, and a renewed focus on community. Bread waste becomes structure, bamboo becomes climate infrastructure, and woven rattan becomes a water-harvesting system. Some pavilions introduce new behaviors, gathering, dreaming, resting, learning, while others revive old rituals like bathing or communal reading. What ties them together is their willingness to ask what a temporary space can do, and how it can shift our relationship to place, resources, and each other. Here are ten pavilions reshaping how we think about space.

LINA GHOTMEH’S EXPO PAVILION TAKES GOLD IN OSAKA

image courtesy of Lina Ghotmeh—Architecture

Lina Ghotmeh—Architecture designs the Bahrain Pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka, crafting a timber-and-aluminum structure inspired by the nation’s traditional dhow boats and its long maritime history. Positioned along the waterfront in the Expo’s Empowering Lives zone, the pavilion bridges Bahraini boat-building heritage with Japanese wood craftsmanship, expressing cultural exchange through material and form. The structure reinterprets millennia-old construction techniques with a lightweight wooden frame, an aluminum outer layer, and passive cooling strategies that reduce mechanical energy use.

Designed for disassembly and reuse after the Expo, the pavilion embodies Bahrain’s commitment to sustainability and craft-driven innovation. The structure received the Gold Award for Best Architecture and Landscape in the Self-Built category, recognizing Ghotmeh’s precise, contextual approach and the pavilion’s refined expression of Bahrain’s cultural and environmental heritage.

read more here

SIR PETER COOK’S LEGO PLAY PAVILION FOR THE SERPENTINE

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

Serpentine and the LEGO Group’s Play Pavilion by Sir Peter Cook, installed in London’s Kensington Gardens, is a bright, bowl-shaped structure wrapped in orange and animated with LEGO-built topographies. The exterior walls of the pavilion rise and dip like a shifting landscape, inviting visitors to touch the tactile brick formations before stepping inside.

Sunlight filters through gaps between the roof and base, filling the interior with natural light while maintaining a breezy, open feel. A towering central pillar, assembled from LEGO bricks, anchors the space like a watchful robotic figure. Visitors are encouraged to play, build, and modify the pavilion in real time through an interactive brick wall and a trove of LEGO pieces. Multiple openings frame views of the garden, while a yellow slide offers a playful exit route.

read more here

SIX-SEAT FOREST BAR PAVILION BY ELMGREEN & DRAGSET 

images by Andrea Rossetti, courtesy of Khao Yai Art

Elmgreen & Dragset unveil K-BAR, a six-seat cocktail pavilion tucked deep within Thailand’s Khao Yai Art Forest, inserting an urban typology into a remote natural setting. Appearing most days as a charcoal-gray sculptural object amid dense foliage, the pavilion occasionally comes to life: visitors arriving at the right moment are guided through the forest to find the bar glowing from within.

Inside, stainless steel surfaces, dark wood, red leather stools, terrazzo flooring, and a backlit display channel the intimacy of classic metropolitan bars. A permanently installed 1996 painting by Martin Kippenberger, visible even when the bar is closed, anchors the installation, paying homage to the artist’s legacy and echoing Elmgreen & Dragset’s long-standing interest in ‘denials,’ functional forms that resist predictable use.

Open only once a month, K-BAR plays with visibility, access, and displacement, placing a European artwork in a Southeast Asian forest as a subtle inversion of museum repatriation debates. As part of the newly launched Khao Yai Art Forest, the pavilion underscores the initiative’s mission to merge contemporary art with ecological immersion, offering an unexpected moment of encounter in one of Thailand’s most pristine environments.

read more here 

LEOPOLD BANCHINI INSTALLS TIMBER BATHHOUSE IN SPAIN

image by Gregori Civera

Leopold Banchini Architects installs Round About Baths at the Concéntrico Festival in Logroño, Spain, transforming the center of a traffic roundabout into a temporary public bathhouse. The circular timber structure reclaims an overlooked urban void, introducing cold-water basins, steam rooms, and changing areas that revive the communal spirit of historic public baths.

Built with a standard timber frame and clad in uncut wooden panels intended for reuse, the pavilion emphasizes material efficiency and circularity. High perimeter walls provide privacy while clearly marking the intervention within the car-dominated landscape, prompting visitors to reconsider how urban land is allocated and who it serves. By situating a shared bathing environment at the heart of a vehicular crossroads, Round About Baths challenges conventional urban hierarchies and highlights the potential of underutilized spaces. Once dismantled, the site returns to its previous state, but the project leaves behind a conceptual proposal.

read more here 

TOGUNA WORLD’S NOMADIC PAVILION LANDS IN ATHENS

all images courtesy of Toguna World

Toguna World’s immersive nomadic pavilion, The Sanctuary of Dreams, combines film, ritual, and collective storytelling within an inflatable structure presented as part of Plásmata 3 | We’ve met before, haven’t we? in Athens. Rooted in African philosophies of cyclical time and ancestral memory, the space invites visitors to enter barefoot and step into a meditative environment where a 44-minute, three-channel art film brings together animation, collage, soundscapes, and archival textures.

After the screening, participants join a guided reflection circle, contributing their visions to The Global Mapping of Dreams, a growing archive of future imaginaries from across Africa and its diaspora. Designed by Pierre-Christophe Gam, the pavilion functions as a contemporary ritual space, featuring dimmable lighting, scent, modular cushions, and spatial audio that shape an intimate environment for collective visioning. 

read more here

MERO STUDIOS BUILDS A PAVILION FROM 780 LEFTOVER BAGUETTES

all images by Paul Kozlowski

MERO Studios builds Paysage de Pain, a public pavilion made from 780 salvaged baguettes, turning surplus bread into a tactile, aromatic structure within the courtyard of Montpellier’s Hôtel de Lunas. Developed with the nonprofit Pain de L’Espoir, the installation reframes food waste as a spatial material, highlighting the staggering amount of unsold bread discarded daily in France.

Visitors move through warm, dough-scented walls that crack and age under the sun, transforming the pavilion into a living metaphor for nourishment, excess, and decay. Through its texture, smell, and temporal fragility, Paysage de Pain becomes a sensory monument to resourcefulness.

read more here

FEATHER-BLADE SEASIDE PAVILION SWAYS ON CHAISHAN ISLAND 

image by Liang Wenjun

GN Architects’ Seaside Pavilion brings new life to the abandoned pier of Chaishan Island, introducing a wind-driven structure whose long white blades sway gently above the water. Designed as part of the Hello, Island revitalization initiative, the pavilion acts as a symbolic arrival point, a contemporary echo of traditional village entrances where large trees once anchored community gatherings.

Suspended from a prefabricated steel frame, 36 seven-meter blades move with the sea breeze, creating a rhythmic, feather-like choreography that mirrors the quiet landscape of the island. The installation repurposes the old cargo pier into a resting and meeting place for the elderly residents. Built with corrosion-resistant materials and high-strength fishing ropes for durability, the pavilion balances engineering precision with a sense of lightness. Its movement shifts from subtle to visible depending on the wind, transforming the site into a landmark that reconnects Chaishan’s past, present, and future through motion and placemaking.

read more here

MARINA TABASSUM’S 2025 SERPENTINE PAVILION OPENS IN LONDON

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

Marina Tabassum Architects’ A Capsule in Time was the 2025 Serpentine Pavilion, a modular timber structure that explores impermanence, light, and temporality within London’s Kensington Gardens. Composed of four translucent capsules aligned with Serpentine South’s historic bell tower, the pavilion filters daylight into shifting patterns, echoing the hydrologic landscapes of Bangladesh, where land continually forms, dissolves, and reappears.

A kinetic capsule allows sections of the pavilion to expand for public programs, while a ginkgo tree anchors the interior as a living symbol of resilience. Built entirely from wood and translucent polycarbonate, materials chosen for their reuse potential, the project embraces dry construction and adaptability, ensuring the pavilion continues its life beyond the summer season. Integrated bookshelves house a curated selection of texts spanning Bengali literature, ecology, and identity, including works banned in Bangladesh. Tabassum frames the pavilion as a place of quiet resistance and shared knowledge, offering a contemplative environment where ideas can circulate freely. 

read more here 

BAMBOO PAVILION ANCHORS YASMEEN LARI’S PONO VILLAGE

all images courtesy of Nyami Studio

Nyami Studio and Jack Rankin complete the Juliet Center in Sindh, Pakistan, a bamboo pavilion that anchors Yasmeen Lari’s zero-carbon Pono Village, a prototype community built in response to the devastating 2022 floods. The lightweight vaulted structure is shaped from bamboo, mud, lime, and thatch, translating vernacular forms into a modular, climate-resilient space designed for communal use. The pavilion offers an open, flexible environment for workshops, gatherings, and training programs, supporting Lari’s mission to empower local residents, particularly women, through hands-on construction and craft skills.

Two interlocking vaults span widely without internal columns, creating a breathable interior that can be adapted or expanded as the village evolves. Built using a combination of digital precision and traditional techniques, the project demonstrates how low-carbon materials can achieve structural complexity and durability in extreme climates. Hand-made mud tiles line the floor, and a woven thatch roof of locally harvested grass provides protection from heat and monsoon rains. 

read more here 

RAD+AR BUILDS WOVEN-BAMBOO CHICKEN COOP IN JAKARTA 

images courtesy of RAD+ar

RAD+ar designs the Chicken Hero Pavilion in Urban Forest Jakarta, carving a low, hill-like form into the landscape to house an educational chicken coop disguised as part of the terrain. The pavilion merges ecological performance with community engagement, inviting visitors through a tunnel-like opening into a space that promotes backyard poultry farming as a sustainable household practice. Inside, reclaimed bamboo forms a ventilated, daylight-filled structure optimized for animal comfort and waste management.

The pavilion processes organic waste from nearby restaurants, turning leaves and food scraps into compost and closing the loop by distributing fresh eggs daily, a live demonstration of a micro circular economy. As a temporary installation, the project functions both as a prototype for low-impact chicken coops and as a public learning space. It addresses Indonesia’s significant food waste challenges while breaking stigmas around small-scale poultry keeping. Blending into the park’s topography, the Chicken Hero Pavilion shows how simple construction and local materials can support inclusive education, environmental stewardship, and community-led sustainability.

read more here 

see designboom’s TOP 10 stories archive:

2024 — 2023 — 2022 — 2021 — 2020 — 2019 —  2018 — 2017 — 2016 — 2015 — 2014 — 2013

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A synthesis of traditional woodcraft and silent robotics, Phantom reimagines the chessboard as a self‑playing heirloom. Phantom is the world’s first robotic chessboard crafted from solid wood. A masterful blend of engineering, design, and woodwork has re‑engineered one of the oldest strategic objects: the chessboard. Phantom Chess features a hidden, silent drive system that allows pieces to move autonomously, while its exterior remains pure walnut and maple, eliminating the visible motors and toy‑like aesthetic that have defined automated chess until now. Drawing on precision sensor grids and ultra‑quiet linear actuators, Phantom turns the board itself into an intelligent interface, creating an entirely new category of connected chess experience.

where tradition meets innovation | all images courtesy of Phantom Chessboard

Phantom chessboard introduces patented layered architecture

Unlike conventional electronic boards, Phantom Chessboard uses a patented layered architecture that conceals all technology beneath a veneer of natural wood. The playing surface is a matrix of magnetic sensors that detect piece movement, while an array of sub‑18dB linear actuators provides autonomous motion with no audible mechanical noise. The system requires only a single Bluetooth‑pairing step, after which the board operates as a silent physical terminal for digital chess.

In addition to its mechanical innovation, Phantom integrates seamlessly with the digital chess ecosystem. Through its companion app, the board syncs in real time with Lichess and Chess.com, allowing online matches to be played out physically move‑for‑move. It also hosts adaptive AI opponents, from the tactical precision of Stockfish to the human‑like intuition of the Maia neural network, and features a Sculpture Mode that autonomously replays historic games or personal analyses. Four pending patents cover the sensor‑actuator array, the silent drive mechanism, the magnetic piece‑recognition system, and the software architecture that ties physical play to digital platforms.

a natural wood chessboard where pieces glide autonomously, powered by a completely hidden mechanism

By dissolving the boundary between the tangible tradition of wood and the limitless potential of connected play, Phantom does not replace the chessboard; it completes it. The first production units are shipping now, marking the first time a robotic chess system has been conceived not as a gadget, but as a crafted object meant to last generations.

crafted from solid American Dark Walnut and Maple, each board is a unique piece of natural craftsmanship

Phantom is the result of a philosophy that respects materiality while embracing silent technology

in sculpture mode, the board autonomously replays historic games or personal analyses as a kinetic sculpture

the board syncs in real time with Lichess and Chess.com, allowing online matches to be played out physically

the CNC‑milled pieces come in tournament dimensions, designed for balance and tactile satisfaction

a masterful blend of engineering, design, and woodwork has re‑engineered the chessboard

hidden architecture introduces a magnetic sensor grid and silent linear actuators beneath the wooden surface

project info:

name: Phantom Chess | @phantom_chess
designer: Eduardo Cano, Osmar Martinez

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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KASPAR is a wooden object designed by aequo.design that takes the form of a squirrel and is completed by the user through the addition of a found branch. The branch, collected during a walk in the forest, becomes an integral part of the object, extending the design through a simple act of interaction with the surrounding landscape.

The object is part of the ‘animal branché’ collection, a term that in French refers both to ‘plugged-in’ and ‘trendy.’ KASPAR is produced from softwood sourced from the Northern Vosges Mountains and manufactured in the Bitcherland region. Its design allows the added branch to naturally change color over time, gradually developing a russet tone that reflects the material’s aging process.

KASPAR was conceived in relation to seasonal practices linked to the use and disposal of fir trees after the winter holidays. By reintroducing a branch into a new context, the object reframes a familiar material and extends its use beyond its original function. This approach aligns with broader considerations around resource use, material longevity, and forest stewardship.

all images by Benjamin Helle

KASPAR reflects on resource use and forest stewardship

The project by studio aequo.design is closely connected to the Pays de Bitche, a territory located between Alsace and Moselle with a strong tradition in craft and manufacturing. The region has a long history in glass and crystal production and continues to support wood-related trades such as carpentry, cabinetmaking, basket weaving, and clog making. Through initiatives such as the ‘Design of Forest Worlds’ program at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, as well as collaborations with professional design studios including aequo.design, local authorities encourage the transmission and reinterpretation of regional know-how.

KASPAR is developed under the MAGIQUEB!TCHLERLAND brand, created by the Pays de Bitche Community of Municipalities. The brand promotes forest preservation and local expertise, particularly in glass, crystal, and woodworking. It operates both as a tool for regional representation and as a complementary designation associated with locally designed and manufactured products. Within this framework, KASPAR and Les Pampilles are among the first objects developed to support the emerging wood industry and reinforce local production networks.

KASPAR is a wooden object designed by aequo.design in the form of a squirrel

the object is completed by the user through the addition of a found branch

a branch collected during a forest walk becomes part of the final design

the added branch extends the object through direct interaction with the landscape

the object is produced from softwood sourced in the Northern Vosges Mountains

the branch gradually develops a russet tone as it dries, reflecting considerations of forest stewardship

Arthur Lenglin & Tim Defleur, aequo.design studio

LaHo création (manufacturer) & aequo.design

project info:

name: KASPAR
designer: aequo.design | @aequo.design

manufacturer: LaHo création

photographer: Benjamin Helle | @studio.b.helle

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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Nest Chapel is a small-scale contemporary chapel designed by Felipe Caboclo Arquitetura in the countryside of São Paulo, Brazil. Conceived as an intimate space for contemplation and religious gatherings, the project occupies a separate plot adjacent to Nest House, a rural residence completed for the same family in Itu. While modest in size, the chapel is developed as an autonomous architectural intervention, defined by its relationship to landscape, material expression, and controlled movement through space. The chapel is located on a vacant 2,000-sqm lot originally left undeveloped during the construction of the main residence. As the residential project progressed, the client expressed the desire for a dedicated place for prayer and reflection. Rather than incorporating this function within the house, the design team proposed a standalone structure, allowing the chapel to operate independently while maintaining a close spatial and symbolic connection to the domestic environment.

The architectural concept is organized around two exposed concrete walls that curve and twist gently as they rise from the ground. These walls define both the structure and the circulation path, guiding visitors through a gradual sequence of compression and release. In plan, the walls follow a hyperbolic geometry, while in elevation, they vary in height and inclination, shaping a slow, processional movement toward the interior space. The approach emphasizes the act of walking as part of the spatial experience, framing arrival as a deliberate transition rather than a direct entrance. Concrete is the project’s primary material and plays a central role in shaping atmosphere and perception. The exposed surfaces retain the imprint of five-centimeter timber formwork boards, producing a fine horizontal texture across the walls. This material treatment references Varvito, a sedimentary stone native to the Itu region, known for its layered geological formations. The formwork was crafted manually, allowing slight irregularities to remain visible and reinforcing the tactile quality of the surfaces.

all images by Fernando Guerra

Simple geometries by Felipe Caboclo emphasize material presence

At the center of the composition is a compact prayer space of approximately ten square meters. This volume is defined by laminated timber elements that rise from the floor and rest against the curved concrete walls, forming an oval enclosure. Above, a slightly inclined timber roof is finished internally with Freijó wood slats and externally with a waterproof membrane. The roof geometry directs rainwater outward while subtly guiding views toward the altar. The material palette is limited to concrete, wood, and stone, consistent with the adjacent residence. The floor is finished in brushed São Gabriel black granite laid in a broken-stone pattern, extending from the exterior into the interior to reinforce continuity between landscape and built form. Fixed glass panels enclose the prayer space while maintaining visual connection to the surrounding garden, and two operable panes set at an angle enable cross ventilation.

The design team at Felipe Caboclo Arquitetura crafts interior elements with the same restraint as the architecture. Benches, the pulpit, and a totem for religious iconography are carved from solid wood, with simple geometries that emphasize material presence over ornamentation. The landscape design is equally reduced, consisting primarily of a lavender path that encircles the chapel. The single-species planting establishes chromatic consistency while contributing scent, texture, and seasonal variation. Nest Chapel is defined by controlled form, limited material choices, and a clear spatial sequence. Rather than relying on symbolic imagery or monumentality, the project frames the sacred through proportion, movement, and the interaction of light, material, and landscape.

Nest Chapel is a small-scale contemporary chapel set in the countryside of São Paulo, Brazil

the project was designed by Felipe Caboclo Arquitetura as an intimate space for contemplation and prayer

the chapel occupies a separate plot adjacent to Nest House in Itu

conceived as an autonomous structure, the chapel maintains a close spatial relationship with the residence

the building is organized around two exposed concrete walls that rise from the landscape

gently curved walls define both structure and circulation

the plan follows a hyperbolic geometry that shapes a gradual processional route

varying wall heights guide movement toward the interior prayer space

exposed concrete surfaces retain the imprint of timber formwork boards

arrival is framed as a slow transition rather than a direct entrance

the textured concrete references Varvito stone native to the Itu region

a compact ten-square-meter prayer space forms the core of the chapel

solid wood furniture follows a restrained and elemental design language

the material palette is limited to concrete, wood, and stone

fixed glass panels maintain visual connection with the surrounding garden

a lavender path encircles the chapel, linking architecture and landscape

laminated timber elements create an oval enclosure within the concrete walls

project info:

name: Nest Chapel
architect: Felipe Caboclo Arquitetura | @felipecabocloarquitetura

location: Itu, SaoPaulo, Brazil

area: 10 sqm

design team: Felipe Caboclo, Oswaldo Pessano, Bianca Monti, Amana Roveri, Sylvia Pinheiro

timber structure: Rewood

concrete structure: Leão e Associados Engenharia de Estrutura

structural concrete consulting: Gabriel Regino, Topseal

construction company: Seripierri Engenharia

lighting design: Lightworks

window frames: Lumisystem

stonework: Bellas Artes

furniture: Atelier Pedro Petry

communications: Matheus Pereira Comunicação

photographer: Fernando Guerra | @fernandogguerra

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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MVRDV completes Pujiang Platform, a timber event pavilion and viewing structure embedded into the hills east of Pujiang, southwest of Chengdu, China. Conceived as an architectural extension of the terrain itself, the 414-square-meter pavilion uses earth-covered timber arches to reconstruct the silhouette of a hill that was previously flattened, while framing panoramic views toward the growing town below and the Qionglai Mountains beyond.

Set within a landscape that is rapidly transforming as Pujiang develops into a new sustainable town, the project aims to offer residents and visitors a place for gatherings, ceremonies, and civic use, and to do so with minimal visual and environmental impact. MVRDV shapes the building as a telescopic form that appears almost geological when seen from afar, while becoming legible as a civic structure through its large viewing window and projecting balcony. At night, light spilling from this opening turns the pavilion into a landmark, visible from the plains below without dominating the landscape.‘The hills of this region are truly a spectacular sight, so one of the challenges we faced was to make the most of those views while reducing the impact on the landscape. By adding a hill-shaped pavilion with a green roof we not only minimise our own impact, but we recreated the hill that was there before,’ MVRDV founding partner Jacob van Rijs notes. ‘This act of preserving and respecting nature is the essence of the design, which is continued in the construction approach, using bio-based materials such as wood that are more sustainable and thus have less impact on natural environments such as this one.’

all images © Arch-Exist

rebuilding a flattened hill in Chengdu, China

MVRDV’s design originates from a site-specific observation. The original viewpoint had required cutting into the hill, erasing part of its natural profile. The architects’ response was to reverse that by recreating the missing mass as architecture. An arched timber structure is wrapped in an earth berm and planted roof, restoring the hill while housing an interior space beneath. The pavilion is entered discreetly through a glazed facade embedded into the berm, leading into an interior that slopes with the terrain. The floor descends as the ceiling rises, forming a stepped tribune oriented toward a 10-meter-tall glass facade. Oversized sliding doors allow the interior to open fully onto the balcony, enabling the space to shift between enclosed events and open-air gatherings.

Circulation and landscape are treated as integral parts of the architectural experience. The team retains and extends existing paths on the site, forming a loop that leads visitors through multiple approaches to the viewpoint. A twisting staircase connects these routes and culminates in a secondary circular viewing platform, offering 360-degree views across both the distant mountain range and the immediate hillside environment. Planting strategies reinforce continuity with the surrounding ecology, using species that reflect the existing biodiversity.

MVRDV completes Pujiang Platform in China

timber construction and passive environmental strategies

The green roof, with a soil depth of approximately 10 centimeters, supports grasses, flowers, and small shrubs, while existing waterways are incorporated into rainwater collection and irrigation systems. Material choice plays a critical role in both the environmental and cultural positioning of the project. The timber structure is intended to reduce embodied carbon and also to act as a built demonstration within a context where wood construction remains underutilized. Operational performance is supported through a combination of passive and active strategies. The earth berm provides insulation and thermal mass, layered ceilings enable natural ventilation, and the north-facing orientation of the main façade minimizes unwanted solar gain. Additional energy demands are partially met by a geothermal heat pump, contributing to the project’s China Green Building Label 2-star certification. 

a timber event pavilion and viewing structure

embedded into the hills east of Pujiang, southwest of Chengdu

conceived as an architectural extension of the terrain itself

uses earth-covered timber arches form the pavilion

reconstructing the silhouette of a hill that was previously flattened

set within a landscape that is rapidly transforming

framing panoramic views toward the growing town below and the Qionglai Mountains beyond

the project aims to offer residents and visitors a place for gathering

MVRDV shapes the building as a telescopic form that appears almost geological when seen from afar

a twisting staircase connects routes and culminates in a secondary circular viewing platform

offering 360-degree views

the team retains and extends existing paths on the site

planting strategies reinforce continuity with the surrounding ecology

oversized sliding doors allow the interior to open fully onto the balcony

an arched timber structure wrapped in an earth berm and planted roof

project info:

name: Pujiang Platform

architect: MVRDV | @mvrdv

co-architect: Sichuan Provincial Architectural Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd. – SADI

location: Pujiang, China

area: 414 sqm

client: Pujiang County Planning and Resources Bureau

sustainability certification: China Green Building Label – 2 Stars

contractor: Chengdu Third Construction Engineering of CDCEG

founding partner in charge: Jacob van Rijs

partner: Wenchian Shi

director MVRDV Shanghai: Peter Chang

design team: Kyo Suk Lee, Olga Marelja, Geert Folmer, Guido Boeters, Cai Zheli, Shanshan Wu, Alexander Forsch, Ilaria Furbetta, Yihong Chen, Jiamen Li, Shing Yat Tam, Yifei Zhang, Cai Huang, Seunghan Yeum, Gioele Colombo, Xinyuan Zhang

MVRDV climate: Alexander Forsch

photographer: © Arch-Exist| @archexist

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In Kuhmo, a small timber-industry town in eastern Finland, Aalto University’s Wood Program installs Kide, a crystalline outdoor stage that doubles as a civic gathering point. The pavilion responds to the need of the town for a flexible cultural venue by translating the fractal geometry of snow into an inhabitable wooden canopy. Suspended lightly on two corners, the structure offers a sheltered space for performances, markets, and everyday meetings, contributing to the social and cultural life of a community of 8,000 residents.

Formed by eight interwoven glulam trusses wrapped in a translucent metal mesh and topped with prefabricated LVL (laminated veneer lumber) roof panels, the pavilion reveals its structural logic openly, lending the square a new visual identity while maintaining a remarkably light footprint.

image courtesy of Aalto University’s Wood Program

a timber canopy shaped by snow and forest

The team grounds the project in the crystalline logic of snow and the spatiality of the forest, two defining elements of Finnish nature. The name Kide, Finnish for ice crystal, captures the geometric clarity shaping the form of the pavilion. Inside, filtered daylight, slender timber members, and a sense of enclosure evoke the calmness of woodland interiors, creating an atmosphere that shifts with the seasons and the events hosted beneath it.

Eight interwoven glulam trusses form the pavilion’s square footprint. These elements are mechanically connected in a sequence that generates both rigidity and a visual rhythm, their geometry becoming legible through a translucent metal mesh that wraps the outer surface. The mesh reveals rather than hides: it turns the structure’s anatomy into part of the architectural experience, emphasizing depth and shadow without adding visual heaviness.

All primary timber components, the glulam trusses and the LVL (laminated veneer lumber) roof panels, are prefabricated at Aalto University, then transported to the Kuhmo site for assembly. This workflow reflects long-standing pedagogical priorities within the Wood Program that include precision, economy of material, and hands-on construction experience. Prefabrication also operates as a sustainability strategy. Controlled workshop conditions reduce waste, improve structural accuracy, and shorten on-site building time. The project relies almost entirely on renewable, bio-based materials, particularly timber sourced from the region’s forests, aligning the pavilion with local identity as well as environmental responsibility. 

The sustainable approach is embedded not only in its materials but also in its restrained construction logic. The minimalist assembly, durable timber species, and honest detailing ensure longevity while keeping maintenance low. 

Aalto University’s Wood Program installs a crystalline outdoor stage that doubles as a civic gathering point

a snow-inspired structure that transforms the town square

Kuhmo is known for its annual music festivals and its rich history of timber architecture, yet it lacked a dedicated outdoor venue capable of supporting cultural events and everyday use. Kide fills this gap with its elevated pine-wood stage and timber backdrop frame performances ranging from folk music and choirs to dance, rock bands, and award ceremonies. Just as importantly, the pavilion hosts local markets, informal gatherings, and seasonal celebrations.

Residents embrace Kide and invite people to gather under the warm wooden canopy, and by reactivating the town’s central square, the structure contributes to cultural tourism, reinforces community identity, and enhances daily life. Its impact extends beyond aesthetics or performance programming; it creates a durable civic infrastructure that supports a wide range of public rituals.

the pavilion responds to the need of the town for a flexible cultural venue

translating the fractal geometry of snow into an inhabitable wooden canopy

suspended lightly on two corners

the structure offers a sheltered space for performances, markets, and everyday meetings

contributing to the social and cultural life of a community of 8,000 residents

formed by eight interwoven glulam trusses

wrapped in a translucent metal mesh

topped with prefabricated LVL roof panels

the pavilion reveals its structural logic openly

the name Kide captures the geometric clarity shaping the form of the pavilion

project info:

name: Kide 

architect: Aalto University’s Wood Program | @woodprogram_aalto

location: Kuhmo, Finland

instructors: Pekka Heikkinen, Laura Zubillaga, Dario Vidal, Mauri Kontilla (structure)

architectural design: Ayato Hokkyo, Daniel Sars, Darya Belaya, Dimitris Kalogridis, Ishrat Tabassum, Johanna Saarela, Juri Kikuchi, Keitaro Tsubata, Kota Kawakami, Matej Požega, Meina Kobayashi, Nao Fujimoto, Olle Björkebaum, Simón Herrera Arévalo, Ville Mujunen, Wakana Ito, Yume Suzuki

structural design: Ghada Al-Adulrazzaq, Jakub Sołtysiński

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Ujizono Architects has completed Kasamabi Sauna in Kasama City, Japan, a region historically recognized for Kasama ware and ceramics production. The sauna facility is situated within a mixed urban context that includes ceramics schools, art museums, golf grounds, and densely arranged residential buildings. As a program requiring privacy, the site is treated as an enclosed condition bordered by surrounding structures and open fields.

The project considers architecture as a combination of places for lingering and places for circulation, aligning these with areas that preserve cultural context and areas that introduce movement. Its overall concept references the climbing kilns dispersed throughout Kasama, using them as a formal and spatial model to connect the building to its setting. The design allows air and people to move through the spaces while also creating points of pause.

The exterior walls are finished in charred cedar, and the building is topped with a single-sloped roof constructed from flat-laid metal sheets. The roof pitch follows a locally prevalent 3:5 proportion, further linking the design to regional construction practices. An approach path of Inada stone gravel surrounds the structure, establishing a visual boundary for the site. Approach steps in black concrete create continuity between the charred cedar facade and the stone paving.

all images by Yosuke Ohtake

Natural Elements Shape Kasamabi Sauna’s Interior Experience

Inside, the plan integrates horizontal circulation routes and vertical axes, organizing the changing rooms, indoor air bath, and toilets/showers. The arrangement produces a clear layout in which the sauna is visible upon entering from the approach path. The open-air bathing area includes a square atrium that shields views from the adjacent hillside while permitting wind and daylight to enter. On either side of the sauna, a cold plunge pool and a warm bath are symmetrically positioned. A ceramic bathtub beneath the stairs uses well water, ensuring stable year-round temperatures for the cold bath.

The design incorporates natural elements through the light admitted by the atrium, the presence of well water, and the flow of outdoor air within the open bathing zones. These features are paired with the flame of the wood stove, establishing sensory conditions distinct from the surrounding urban environment. Similar to the spatial sequence of a tea house, the building introduces a linear axis that leads toward the sauna, framing the transition from warming to cooling zones.

Through the kiln-inspired roof form, material palette, and spatial organization, Kasamabi Sauna by Kyoto-based firm, Ujizono Architects and interior design practice bench, aims to create a unified architectural environment that aligns with its regional context and facilitates a clear, structured experience for users.

Kasamabi Sauna sits within Kasama City’s mixed cultural and residential context

charred cedar cladding defines the building’s exterior expression

a single-sloped metal roof follows a regional 3:5 pitch

black concrete stairs echo the tones of the charred cedar facade

the project references the region’s long history of Kasama ware and ceramics

interior circulation is organized through horizontal paths and vertical axes

a square atrium brings daylight and airflow into the open-air bath area

the sauna remains visible from the approach, reinforcing spatial clarity

the atrium shields views from the hillside while maintaining openness

natural elements, light, air, and water, shape the interior atmosphere

the design connects cultural heritage with contemporary spatial organization

the kiln-inspired form and material palette create a unified architectural environment

project info:

name: Kasamabi Sauna
architect: Ujizono Architects | @ujizono_architects

interior designers: Shota Ueno – bench | @benchdesign_team

location: Kasama City, Ibaraki, Japan

area: 81 sqm

photographer: Yosuke Ohtake | @yosukeohtake_archiphoto

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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Studio Aditya Mandlik (SAM)’s Factory 5.0 is a timber structure that positions biological intelligence as a genuine collaborator, co-authored by 10,000 king worms metabolizing Styrofoam in real time. ‘When we design built environments, we’re reshaping the planet’s outermost skin, one that has always supported complex, multi-species life,’ the architect tells designboom. ‘My instinct is to design in dialogue with that broader ecological knowledge system.’

Founder of the studio, Aditya Mandlik, frames the work as a call to rethink architectural authorship in the context of the Fifth Industrial Revolution, a moment defined by the convergence of human and non-human intelligence. ‘Making is no longer a linear, directive process; it becomes a co-evolution shaped by multiple intelligences operating simultaneously across material, biological, and spatial scales,’ the architect notes.

At the core of the project is plastic, the defining material of the First Industrial Era, reframed through decomposition ‘Plastic became a lens to understand how drastically our intentions and consequences can diverge,’ Mandlik tells us. ‘Working with worms revealed that nature already holds pathways for metabolising what we consider irreversible problems.’ Speaking to designboom, Mandlik positions Factory 5.0 as a framework for rethinking material futures, using decomposition to expand architectural imagination.

all images courtesy of Studio Aditya Mandlik

how worms reshape the geometry of the structure in real time

Factory 5.0 is a composite system of 546 digitally fabricated timber components interlaced with 200 Styrofoam plates housed in transparent acrylic chambers. These interiors become operational terrains where worms, approached as collaborators of the project, actively reshape the geometry of the pavilion. ‘Their behavior resembled that of micro-sensors, always recalibrating in response to temperature, light, and moisture,’ Mandlik explains. ‘These feedback loops began to dictate the pavilion’s evolving porosity.’ This procedure results in a continually transforming architectural section, revealed in various ways as visitors move around and through it.

Unexpected behavioral patterns soon become part of the design language. Worms clustered for warmth below 20°C, migrate toward darkness, and even metamorphose when isolated, behaviors that influence spatial rhythm and material decay rates. ‘Designing with decomposition demanded accepting that anything we create should ultimately be able to return to natural systems,’ the Mumbai-based architect tells designboom. This approach shapes decisions from assembly logic to the portability of the pavilion. Factory 5.0 was already in its second life at DDW, having been flat-packed, transported, and reconfigured from its Mumbai debut.

This adaptability extends into its afterlife. ‘Disassembly is not the end of a project, but the beginning of its next metabolic phase,’ Mandlik notes. After the exhibition, timber components are repurposed, while worm-transformed Styrofoam plates, sensitive to light, sound, and human presence, are preserved as memory objects and later used as molds for casting metal lights. The project becomes a living model for regenerative architecture in a world where biological and technological intelligence co-author space. Dive into the full Q&A below.

a timber structure that positions biological intelligence as a genuine collaborator

Interview with Aditya Mandlik

designboom (DB): Factory 5.0 introduces worms as active co-creators. What first prompted you to explore biological intelligence as a design partner?

Aditya Mandlik (AM): For me, collaborating with non-human intelligence has always felt like a natural extension of architectural thinking. When we design built environments, we’re effectively reshaping the planet’s outermost skin, a layer that has long supported complex, multi-species life. So my instinct is to design in dialogue with that broader ecological knowledge system. With Factory 5.0, this became particularly critical. Since the installation was conceived as a prototype for architecture in the Fifth Industrial Revolution, we chose to work with natural decomposers to break down single-use plastic, the defining material of the First Industrial Era. That act of decomposition became both method and message, positioning architecture as a metabolic, co-authored process rather than a purely human-driven one.

co-authored by 10,000 king worms

DB: As you mentioned, the project sits within the theme of the Fifth Industrial Revolution. How do you define ‘non-human intelligence’ in an architectural workflow, and what does it contribute to the act of making?

AM: Architecture becomes truly contextual, geographically, socially, culturally, and ecologically, only when every actor present on a site is allowed to perform. I’ve always believed that the planet operates through a dense web of behaviors, where each entity, human or non-human, contributes its own role to a constantly unfolding system. These behaviors are not passive; they are forms of intelligence that shape, negotiate, and adapt the environments we share. So when I speak of ‘non-human intelligence’ in architecture, I’m not thinking of it as an add-on to the design workflow. Instead, I see it as an existing field of entangled, cooperative interactions that we must learn to work with rather than override. In that sense, making is no longer a linear, directive process; it becomes a coevolutionary act, shaped by multiple intelligences operating simultaneously across material, biological, and spatial scales.

the worms metabolize Styrofoam in real time

DB: Why did you choose plastic as the primary site of decomposition, and what did the worms reveal to you about its future?

AM: Plastic is, in many ways, the great material triumph of the First Industrial Revolution. It reshaped human behaviour, accelerated production, and became inseparable from modern life. What interested me was this contradiction: a material originally engineered with ecological intent has, within a single generation, shifted into the category of ‘waste.’ Plastic became a lens through which to examine how drastically our intentions and their consequences can diverge over time. Working with worms made this contradiction even more compelling. Their ability, together with the bacteria in their microbiome, allows to break down complex molecular structures like single-use plastics, revealed something deeply optimistic. It suggested that nature already holds pathways for metabolising what we perceive as irreversible problems. This collaboration points toward a future where small-scale worm farms could become decentralized systems for decomposing not only single-use plastic but other organic waste as well. It reframes the issue from one of disposal to one of co-evolution, where natural intelligence and human design actively negotiate the lifecycle of materials.

rethinking architectural authorship in the context of the Fifth Industrial Revolution

DB: How did you approach designing a structure whose form and meaning emerge through processes of decomposition?

AM: The pavilion was conceived as an active dialogue between space and matter, its form articulated as a vector, a directional force urging us to rethink the foundations of how we build. If we are to imagine alternative futures, we must first intervene in the material realities we currently inhabit. In this sense, the afterlife of single-use plastic became a crucial point of departure, not merely as a problem to be managed, but as an ecological agent capable of reframing architectural imagination. Designing with decomposition demanded an acceptance that anything we create should ultimately be capable of returning to natural systems. This principle shaped every aspect of the project—from embracing material deterioration to defining the pavilion’s assembly logic. Factory 5.0 was therefore conceived as a fully disassemblable structure, enabling its components to be repurposed or reintegrated long after it’s exhibition in Mumbai. The pavilion itself was already in its second life at Dutch Design Week 2025, having been transported, reconfigured, and re-adapted specifically for the climate and conditions of Eindhoven. In this way, the pavilion’s form, meaning, and visitor experience were never intended to be fixed. Instead, they were designed to evolve through cycles of breakdown, transformation, and return, mirroring the metabolic processes that animated the project from within. Factory 5.0 ultimately positions decomposition not as an endpoint, but as a generative force shaping both architectural expression and ecological imagination.

at the core of the project is plastic

DB: What were some of the most unexpected behaviors or feedback loops you observed during the worms’ metabolic process?

AM: One of the most unexpected insights came from observing how socially and environmentally responsive the worms were. Across experiments with multiple species, we studied how they reacted to variations in temperature, light, moisture, and even sound. Their behavior resembled that of micro-sensors, constantly adjusting and recalibrating in response to subtle environmental shifts. When temperatures dropped below 20°C, the worms instinctively clustered together to exchange body heat. In contrast, a worm left alone for two to three days often initiated metamorphosis, cocooning and transforming into a darkling beetle within a week. Their strong preference for darkness was equally revealing; exposure to light compelled them to migrate toward shaded areas, often resulting in higher aperture densities in those regions of the styrofoam panels. These feedback loops became foundational to understanding how the pavilion would behave, transform, and ultimately decompose over time. They also directly informed our preparations for installing the pavilion in the city centre. To help the worms acclimate to the Eindhoven’s weather, each acrylic container was equipped with insulation film, containers holding moisture-absorbing gels, and external UV-A/UV-B thermal lamps. Adjusting these parameters allowed us not only to support their metabolic processes but also to intentionally mediate aperture densities in specific zones of the panels, shaping the pavilion’s evolving porosity as an active design tool.

plastic is reframed through decomposition

DB: Factory 5.0 can be flat-packed, reconfigured, and repurposed, extending its material life after exhibitions. How does this design-for-disassembly strategy align with your vision of metabolic architecture?

AM: Design for Disassembly, for me, emerges directly from the intelligence embedded within the informal urban fabric of Mumbai, a landscape that is continually dismantled, reconfigured, and reinhabited across generations. It is not only an ecologically sensitive strategy but also a culturally attuned one, acknowledging the fluid, intergenerational patterns of occupation shared by both human and non-human actors. Within the broader framework of metabolic architecture, Design for Disassembly becomes a means of embracing uncertainty. It enables structures to adapt, mutate, and respond to conditions that neither designers nor other participants can fully anticipate. In this sense, Factory 5.0’s ability to be flat-packed, reassembled, or repurposed is therefore not just a logistical choice. It extends the material life of the pavilion while situating it within a continuous cycle of transformation, reuse, and reintegration. In that sense, disassembly is not the end of a project, but the beginning of its next metabolic phase.

Factory 5.0 is a composite system of 546 digitally fabricated timber components

DB: Looking ahead, what potential do you see for architects to collaborate with other biological systems, and how might this shift the profession toward a truly post-anthropocentric future?

AM: I believe architecture has remained deeply human-centric for most of its history, shaped first by our evolutionary instincts and later by the pressures of rapid urbanization. In constructing the modern city, we have often produced hyper-sanitized environments that separate us from the ecological systems we are inherently part of. What we tend to overlook is that humans themselves are complex biological beings; recognizing ourselves as nature is the first step toward reframing how we design. Looking ahead, I see enormous potential for architecture to collaborate not only with biological systems but with the dense fabric of behaviors, patterns, and intelligence already present on every site. These living interfaces, microbial, botanical, geological, atmospheric etc., continuously negotiate and transform the environments we inhabit. Engaging with them allows architecture to shift from being an imposed, static form to becoming an entangled and co-evolving process. Also, for this shift to meaningfully unfold, architects cannot operate in isolation. Policymakers, engineers, industries, and communities must also acknowledge these biological systems as co-residents and co-authors of the built environment. Only then can we move toward a truly post-anthropocentric future, one in which architecture is created not just for humans, but with and alongside the intelligence of the broader living world.

the structure incorporates 200 Styrofoam plates housed in transparent acrylic chambers

worms actively reshape the geometry of the pavilion

a continually transforming architectural section

unexpected behavioral patterns soon become part of the design language

worms clustered for warmth below 20°C migrate toward darkness

Aditya Mandlik observing the worm behavior

project info:

name: Factory 5.0

architect: Studio Aditya Mandlik (SAM) | @studioadityamandlik

biological agents: 10,000 king worms

The post aditya mandlik on turning decomposition into design in a pavilion built with 10,000 worms appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Architect Jainika Shah’s work centers on wellness-driven spatial design, bringing together technology, tradition, sustainability, and environmental awareness. Her practice approaches architecture as an interaction between human experience and ecological systems, a principle that shapes Adhyatma, a conceptual wellness retreat envisioned for Sedona, Arizona. Named after the Sanskrit term for ‘higher soul,’ the project integrates itself into the red-rock landscape through material selection and passive strategies. Recycled wood forms the primary wall surfaces, while open-air meditation pavilions are oriented to filter sunlight and encourage natural ventilation. Shallow reflective pools further connect the built environment with the surrounding desert context. The retreat is organized as a sequence of sensory zones designed to support reflection, sound-based practices, and solitude.

Alongside Adhyatma, Shah explores material research through ‘Mycelium Maison,’ a project based on the biological characteristics of mycelium. Here, the architectural system considers living, regenerative material behavior as a substitute for extractive construction methods. The study examines how mycelium-based components could grow, decompose, and reintegrate into natural cycles, merging material innovation with organic architectural forms.

all images courtesy of Jainika Shah

Jainika Shah’s Cross-Disciplinary Design Practice

Jainika Shah’s portfolio also includes contributions to large-scale scientific, pharmaceutical, and healthcare facilities. These projects require strict environmental control, spatial organization, and technical precision. Her approach links operational performance, such as airflow, safety protocols, and equipment planning, with spatial clarity and user well-being, demonstrating how scientific environments can be shaped through both functional and human-centered considerations.

Her work has been recognized by the Loop Design Awards, BLT Built Design Awards, Design Skills Award, and International Design Awards. Beyond project work, Shah contributes to industry leadership and advocacy. The designer serves on the American Institute of Architects’ Equity and the Future of Architecture Committee, as well as acting as a Regional Lead for Women in BIM, supporting global dialogue on digital innovation and gender equity in the profession. She also participates in mentorship initiatives aimed at strengthening inclusive design leadership. Shah’s projects have been exhibited internationally, including at the AIGA International Design Celebration, Museum of Outstanding Design, SAB Gallery, The Holy Art Gallery, and Streeters Gallery. Across her work, she positions architecture as a field where environmental research, material experimentation, and spatial wellbeing intersect.

wellness-focused spatial design guiding Jainika Shah’s architectural approach

architecture shaped by the interaction between human experience and ecology

Adhyatma envisioned as a wellness retreat embedded in Sedona’s red-rock terrain

recycled wood used as the primary structural and surface material

sensory zones arranged to encourage reflection and quiet immersion

functional environments shaped with attention to user wellbeing

reflective pools connecting the retreat to the surrounding desert atmosphere

open-air meditation pavilions designed to filter sunlight naturally

spaces organized to support sound-based practices and solitude

project info:

name: Adhyatma – Spiritual Spa
designer: Jainika Shah

location: Sedona, Arizona

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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