If you’re redecorating, you’re probably conscious of sticking to a budget. The trick is prioritising where to splash and where to save.

When it comes to renovating or buying new home furnishings, it’s essential to distribute your hard-earned cash wisely. The key is picking items of quality that you’ll be able to keep with you for a long time – regardless of whether or not you move or your tastes change.

Here are some timeless pieces that deserve a few extra dollars in your budget. Investing in these items will not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of your space but also provide long-term functionality and durability.

The Perfect Lounge

A lounge is the hero piece in any living room and is truly an investment. The right lounge needs to be functional, not just aesthetic, ticking all the boxes – the right size, comfort level, and look.

A lounge like Jasper II from King can be customised in terms of size, shape, colour, and comfort. Its modular components can be configured to suit any space, changing seamlessly into numerous configurations that include storage and shelving.

The Jasper II is the kind of couch you can sink your money – and then yourself – into. Picture: King

This flexibility is ideal long-term, as the lounge can adapt to your changing lifestyle. So, when you move, the couch can definitely come with you. Remember, don’t play to trends; consider a lounge that comes in a neutral colour palette, ensuring it will last the test of time.

Artworks

With plenty of inexpensive, mass-produced wall art available, people tend to forget that a quality artwork is actually an investment. Buying from a reputable gallery means your work may appreciate in value, and even if this isn’t a guarantee, there are clear pathways to resell a reputable artwork down the track.

Buying art can be an investment if you know where to look. Picture: Pexels

The only downside is that you have to be willing to fork out the initial cost, which is likely to be at least $3000-$10,000. However, buying from a reputable small gallery, like Michael Reid in Sydney or Anna Schwarz Gallery in Melbourne, is a good place to start. You can also take advantage of schemes like Art Money, which provides interest-free loans to support the art industry.

A Large Rug

The best items to invest in are ones that serve both a functional and aesthetic purpose. Rugs, for instance, help insulate rooms or protect flooring but can also add a bit of flare and interest to your space with exciting colours, patterns, or textures.

A good quality rug can last many years. Picture: King

Rugs can be quite expensive, especially if you’re opting for a hand-woven piece or woollen fabric. However, a good quality rug like the King Rug Collection can stay with you for 20 years or more if you treat it properly, making it worth the investment.

A Statement Chair

If your living area or bedroom calls for an armchair, feel free to get a little creative with form or colour. This piece can easily be a decorative accent as well as a comfy spot to sit. The Tub Chair, for example, offers an elegant style and doesn’t occupy a lot of space.

The Tub Chair is both stylish and comfortable. Picture: King

Feel free to experiment with materials too. For instance, if you love Hamptons style, you can explore this via an armchair without having your entire living suite made of rattan. Similarly, you may not want a large velvet couch, but a couple of armchairs in this lush fabric will add an edge without being overwhelming.

April 5, 2025

Crosby Studios Completes Debut Paris Flagship for CAMPERLAB

CAMPERLAB, the experimental offshoot of Camper, has set down roots in Paris with its first dedicated flagship store at 15 rue Debelleyme in Le Marais. The space reflects the brand’s raw, industrial aesthetic through a striking interior concept by Crosby Studios founder Harry Nuriev. This concept features crushed concrete as a design element for product display, introducing a fresh way of showcasing products that aligns with CAMPERLAB’s experimental spirit.

The use of crushed concrete as a design element is a radical departure from conventional retail environments. Shoes are embedded within its rough, uneven texture, contrasting with the clean lines of the footwear and ready-to-wear collections. This approach not only showcases the products in a unique way but also reflects the brand’s commitment to innovation and experimentation. The debut of sunglasses for Spring/Summer 2025 further pushes this vision, reinforcing the brand’s boundary-pushing aesthetic.

The Paris store embraces the designer’s signature Transformism philosophy, which captures the essence of how everyday materials and objects can be reimagined and repurposed in unexpected ways to reshape perceptions of the world around us. This philosophy is evident in the store’s design, where crushed concrete is transformed into a design element, challenging traditional notions of beauty and functionality.

In addition to its physical presence, CAMPERLAB is also making a digital leap with the launch of its website. Developed with Giga Design Studio, the website features a Brutalist design approach, with bold, stripped-down aesthetics paired with functionality. This approach reflects the brand’s independent identity and translates its avant-garde vision into a digital space that is minimal and innovative.

The integration of physical and digital spaces is a key aspect of CAMPERLAB’s strategy, allowing the brand to reach a wider audience and showcase its products in a unique and innovative way. With its debut Paris flagship store and new website, CAMPERLAB is poised to make a significant impact in the fashion industry, pushing the boundaries of design and experimentation.

In conclusion, the debut Paris flagship store of CAMPERLAB, designed by Crosby Studios, is a testament to the brand’s commitment to innovation and experimentation. The use of crushed concrete as a design element, the embracing of the Transformism philosophy, and the integration of physical and digital spaces all contribute to a unique and immersive brand experience. As CAMPERLAB continues to push the boundaries of fashion and design, it will be exciting to see how the brand evolves and continues to challenge traditional notions of beauty and functionality.

Winter is just around the corner. Find out what you can do to update your home for the cooler times ahead.

Some aspects of your home don’t have to stay the same all year round. In fact, a few small changes can go a long way towards making your home more energy efficient, less expensive to run and more comfortable during the winter months.

Here are a few tips to help dress your home for the cold.

Choose blockout curtains

Preparing your home for winter is all about insulation. It’s officially time to layer up!

Your window coverings do more than control light filtration. Up to 40 percent of your home’s heat can be lost through the windows. Therefore, when it gets colder outside, it’s a smart idea to invest in blockout curtains for added warmth.

Blockout curtains help with energy efficiency and reducing draughts. Picture: Spotlight

A good option is Spotlight’s range of blockout curtains which not only help block out light, but they also provide insulation to keep the warmth in and the cold out.

Spotlight also has options for thermal insulated curtains, which come with an acrylic backing layer for added thermal protection. With a range of colours and sizes, you can also find the best fit for each space.

Change your bedding

Most of us are well aware that we can add blankets for warmth, but have you thought about the role of your bedding?

Linen bedding can still be an asset in winter. Picture: Pexels

First of all, you may need to swap to a heavier duvet if you’ve been using a lightweight style for summer.

Next, consider warmer quilt covers and sheets. Flannelette is a popular option given its higher thread count. However, for something more breathable try a natural fabric such as linen. You just need to ensure you top it all off with something heavy and insulating on top, like a woollen blanket.

Block draughts

While blockout curtains can help reduce draughts around your windows, you should assess any gaps that create potential draughts and allow heat to escape and cool air to enter.

Draught protection may include re-caulking around windows and doors to seal any cracks. Even non-invasive, simple solutions like door snakes placed at your door to prevent air leakage can have an effect.

Moveable door seals are also an option for under-door gaps. However, nothing quite does the job like a door snake!

Add a rug

Rugs are also another layer of insulation, especially if you have hard flooring. While a looser weave or polyester fabric rug may do the job in summer, consider something heavier for winter. Think of it like a coat: you need quality materials to keep warm.

Put an underlay under your rug for extra insulation and comfort. Picture: Unsplash

However, if you don’t want to invest in a new rug entirely – or children or pets prevent you from opting for something pricey and harder to clean – consider adding an underlay to improve insulation and provide a cushier feeling.

Extra padding

While it might not revolutionise the temperature of your room, adding extra fabric items – like throws and cushions – can improve insulation and provide added warmth. Cool air can blow right through a room and even more so if it’s slicking off timber, tiles or across the surface of your leather couch.

Cushions and throws can make your place feel cosier in an instant. Picture: Spotlight

Draping a throw over your couch and layering a few plush cushions will not only keep you warm while nestling in to watch a movie at night, but will also create a warm look and feel to a room – which never hurts! Load up on wool, velvet and chunky knits to really capture that winter vibe.

This article was originally published on 12 May 2021 at 9:13am but has been regularly updated to keep the information current.

Conclusion

By implementing these simple and effective tips, you can keep your home warm, cozy, and energy-efficient during the winter months. From choosing blockout curtains to adding extra padding, there are many ways to prepare your home for the cold weather. So, take the time to assess your home’s needs and make the necessary changes to ensure a warm and comfortable winter season.

Introduction to Kid Cabin

Imaginary Objects crafts a Tiny Thai Treehouse Without the Tree

Somewhere between a backyard fort and a modernist miniature, the Kid Cabin by Imaginary Objects is like a dream treehouse in Thailand. Recently completed in Chonburi, the playful project is not perched in the trees but rooted in the landscape, striking a balance between groundedness and imagination. Like a micro-retreat for children, the cabin is designed with an element of wonder while maintaining an architectural sensitivity.

Found in a sweeping field alongside an RV, the Kid Cabin is at once a hideaway and a station for watching the horizon. Inspired by the informal magic of treehouses but opting for a firmly grounded foundation, the cabin leans into ideas of simplicity, tactility, and open-air living. The lightweight teak structure is a nod to traditional Thai housing vernaculars, yet it’s refreshingly unburdened by nostalgia. It contains just two small bedrooms, a shared bathroom, and a breezy open deck that acts as the de facto living room — a liminal zone where inside and outside trade places.

images © Jinnawat Borihankijanan

Design and Features

The Kid Cabin is a study in permeability by the design team at by Imaginary Objects. The bedrooms feature windows that open wide , turning walls into nothing and making nature an immediate house guest. The deck extends outward with a cantilevered table that dares you to dine, draw, or daydream at the very edge of the cabin’s footprint. Every gesture of the architecture encourages immersion. This is not a space that keeps its inhabitants separate from the outdoors — it insists them step into it.

Kid Cabin by Imaginary Objects Scales Everything to Kid Logic is designed at a child’s scale. Steps, ladders, and even the bathroom door are all sized to child-sized dimensions, subtly teaching young inhabitants that space can respond to them, not the other way around.

By including a large communal sink front and center, Imaginary Objects anticipates the chaos and curiosity that kids bring with them. Whether rinsing off muddy finds from the field, washing paintbrushes, or prepping for a science experiment, the space is primed for play and process. The project is not afraid of mess. Rather, it symbolizes an invitation to make one.

Kid Cabin is a grounded treehouse-inspired retreat for children in Chonburi, Thailand

Architectural Details

the lightweight teak structure draws from traditional Thai houses while feeling fresh and contemporary

a cantilevered table extends from the deck, encouraging dining creativity and connection to the landscape

Kid Cabin blurs the line between interior and exterior with wide, openable windows

Conclusion

The Kid Cabin by Imaginary Objects is a unique and imaginative space that encourages kids to explore, play, and connect with nature. With its lightweight teak structure, cantilevered table, and large communal sink, the cabin is designed to foster creativity and curiosity. By scaling everything to kid logic, the design team has created a space that is both fun and functional, perfect for children to grow and learn. The Kid Cabin is a great example of how architecture can be used to inspire and educate, and it is sure to delight both kids and adults alike.

Introduction to House in Minami-Senri

FujiwaraMuro Architects’ House in Minami-Senri isn’t sprawling by any stretch — but it doesn’t need to be. Tucked into a residential nook of Osaka’s Hokusetsu district, the home demonstrates that when an architect is dealt a long and narrow plot, the best response is to weave and dig. Rather than viewing the awkward footprint and uneven terrain as limitations, the team treated the constraints like raw ingredients, folding them into a home that unfurls in quiet, poetic layers.

The project began with a personal request from the client, a Japanese cuisine chef who asked that traditional materials be incorporated into the home’s finishes. That guiding principle became the starting point for a design that leans into Japan’s architectural DNA, without slipping into nostalgia. At the same time, the architects took full advantage of the site’s sloping topography, letting changes in elevation define views, zones, and movement through the space. The result is a home where verticality means fluidity rather than hierarchy.

FujiwaraMuro Architects designs the home on a narrow, sloped site in Osaka | images © Yoshikawa Naoki

Garden Pockets and Intimate Spaces

With the entry sequence of its House in Minami-Senri, the team at FujiwaraMuro Architects takes cues from Japanese gardens, an approach that fits a chef-owner with a reverence for ritual. Visitors ascend along a stepping stone path edged with plants, eventually climbing a staircase that appears to cut through the heart of the home. This theatrical moment gives way to more intimate ones, like a garden strip that tucks into a 1.5-meter setback — the type of dead zone most developers write off. Instead, the architects turned this margin into a visual buffer for the open-plan living, dining, and kitchen areas. The narrow slice of green gives the sense of breathing room, without sacrificing privacy or square footage.

Inside, the layout subverts conventional compartmentalization. A sunken living room — used to host guests — offers direct views into the aforementioned garden, which flows beneath a bridge-like corridor. The greenery acts as a visual connector between moments in the house. Looking out from the living area, the garden appears to stream away into the distance, a trick of perspective that blurs the boundary between domestic and natural, interior and exterior.

the entrance path mimics a garden approach with stepping stones and integrated greenery

Courtyards and Layered Spaces

FujiwaraMuro Architects employs two small courtyards to further divide and define the House in Minami-Senri. Positioned between the living area and the kitchen-dining space, they provide moments of pause and pockets of light. These modest voids act like buffers, creating gentle transitions between the social and private zones of the home. It’s a spatial choreography that prioritizes flow over formality, and still allows for solitude when the chef-owner isn’t entertaining.

The upper level is reached via a corridor that bridges over the garden, drawing comparisons to a garden path raised into midair. As one walks across it, the experience is less hallway and more promenade — offering open sky above and curated greenery below. The passage leads to the more private rooms, all the while inviting residents to linger and gaze outward.

the home is commissioned by a Japanese cuisine chef who requested traditional materials

changes in ground level are used to create layered spaces and varied perspectives

the sunken living room provides a guest space with views into a stream-like garden

Conclusion

In conclusion, the House in Minami-Senri by FujiwaraMuro Architects is a testament to the power of creative design in transforming constraints into opportunities. By embracing the challenges of a narrow and sloping site, the architects have created a home that is not only functional and beautiful but also deeply connected to its surroundings. The use of traditional materials, garden pockets, and courtyards all contribute to a sense of harmony and balance, making this house a true haven for its inhabitants. As a work of architecture, it demonstrates that even the most unlikely sites can be turned into stunning spaces with imagination, innovation, and a deep understanding of the interplay between built and natural environments.

Introduction to the Wasl Tower

Set to become one of Dubai’s most impressive new landmarks, UNStudio‘s Wasl Tower is nearing completion and continues to transform the city’s skyline with its sinuous form and advanced facade of ceramic fins. With structural design by Werner Sobek, the supertall tower rises 302 meters and draws on classical art’s ‘contrapposto’ stance — its twisted form suggesting a figure mid-stride. Currently in the final stages of construction, the project has been photographed by Nils Koenning, offering a unique glimpse into the next generation of mixed-use skyscrapers in the UAE.

Located on Sheikh Zayed Road, the project sits at a critical urban intersection in Dubai, linking the world-famous Burj Khalifa with the newer City Walk development. Its prominent placement along Sheikh Zayed Road ensures high visibility, especially as it stands opposite the Burj Khalifa without any other tall structures to compete with. A new pedestrian bridge connects the building to the Burj Khalifa metro station, extending accessibility while reinforcing its role as a node within Dubai’s ever-evolving infrastructure network.

images © Nils Koenning

The High-Performance Facade of Ceramic Fins

With one of the tallest ceramic facades in the world, the Wasl Tower in Dubai pushes the limits of facade design by blending tradition with performance. The architects at UNStudio and engineers at Werner Sobek cloak the tower in a lace-like grid of ceramic fins, crafted from low-tech glazed clay. This surface works to both reduce heat gain and enhance interior daylighting. Each fin is precisely angled at 12.8 degrees, a figure determined through parametric modeling to optimize shading and light diffusion. This outer skin is thus a passive cooling system which responds to the desert climate and offers a tactile visual identity that reads as both futuristic and traditional.

The Wasl Tower in Dubai introduces an unusual vertical seam that functions as a ‘vertical boulevard’ — a stacked procession of outdoor balconies and green terraces that run up the spine of the building. Crowned by a series of rooftop infinity pools, this seam brings a new level of permeability to high-rise living in a desert context. It also forms a crucial axis for public engagement, with programmatically rich zones that house dining, entertainment, and hospitality functions suspended far above the city.

Dubai’s Wasl Tower is a 302 meter skyscraper designed by UNStudio with structure by Werner Sobek

UNStudio’s Classical Inspiration

With its Wasl Tower in Dubai, UNStudio draws inspiration from classical sculpture, rotating along its vertical axis in a dynamic contrapposto pose. Its complex geometry is supported by three massive 300-meter shear walls, which are linked by four strategic outriggers. This structural system enables an open and adaptable floorplate, meeting the demands of its mixed-use program — including office spaces, apartments, and a hotel — while allowing the building to gracefully twist and face multiple directions.

The project becomes a living element within the nightscape through its responsive lighting system designed by Arup. Hidden behind the ceramic fins, the system pulses with light patterns that mimic the tempo of urban life. During the day, the same ceramic system moderates solar exposure. At night, the tower becomes a glowing presence powered in part by PV panels integrated into the adjacent car park structure. The lighting concept flows from exterior to interior, especially in the tower’s public areas and sky lobby.

the building’s sculptural form is based on contrapposto and rotates along its vertical axis

Vertical Transport Strategy

To navigate its complex, multi-functional interior, UNStudio and Werner Sobek employ a layered vertical transport strategy. A total of seventeen elevators — including five for services — support the distinct programs within the tower. Express lifts connect major hubs like the ground floor, spa, sky lobby, and rooftop, while separate lift groups serve office workers, hotel guests, and residents. While streamlining circulation, this system enhances user experience by lending direct, efficient access between public and private zones.

Conclusion

As the Wasl Tower nears its anticipated completion later this year, Dubai prepares to welcome a new icon which actively engages with its climate, culture, and infrastructure. With its ceramic cloak, kinetic silhouette, and environmentally responsive features, the tower signals a forward-thinking future for high-rise design in the desert metropolis.

it features one of the world’s tallest ceramic facades made from low-tech glazed clay

April 2, 2025

Tao Celebrates the Duality of Ocean and Forest

The Tide’s Echo Hall in Rongcheng, China, is a new landmark by Trace Architecture Office (TAO), positioned between the Yellow Sea and a sweeping ecological shelterbelt. Situated within the city’s Coastal Park, the project is described as a spatial bridge between human activity and natural rhythms. The peninsula-like setting, flanked by dense greenery on three sides and open to the sea on the fourth, allows the building to function as a hinge between land and water, culture and ecology. Designed to host conferences, exhibitions, banquets, and dining, the project sets out to be a vibrant public forum woven into the coastal landscape.

The project sits at the heart of the Coastal Park on an 11,200-square-meter site that straddles a coastal ecological promenade. Gently sloping terrain provides the foundation for a design that responds to two very different natural cues: the forested calm of a black pine grove to the west and the infinite openness of the sea to the east. This ecological duality inspired a sensitive and multifaceted architectural approach, one that frames shifting views and moods within a single cohesive composition. The result is a complex that unfolds across three zones, each tailored by TAO to its specific environmental context.

The main exhibition and conference hall anchors the eastern edge closest to the sea, where its form opens up to embrace ocean views. The architects tuck a restaurant into the western pine forest, creating a quieter, more contemplative setting, centered around a secluded courtyard. Between them, a food court runs in a clean horizontal line along the coastline, maximizing exposure to natural light and sea breezes. Throughout the complex, spaces blend and overlap, establishing porous transitions between interior and exterior, and between architecture and topography.

Echoing the Sea with Sail-like Lightness

At the heart of the project, the Tide’s Echo Hall reveals itself as a poetic gesture to the maritime setting. Facing the sea, the building’s undulating white roof becomes its most distinctive feature — evocative of a sail caught in motion. From the inland side, the structure bows modestly toward the forest, while from the coast, it opens fully, offering sweeping views from a rooftop platform that seems to float above the shoreline. Ultra-thin roof planes supported by slender columns amplify this lightness, creating a structure that balances mass and movement with elegant tension.

The restaurant, nested in the pine woods, offers a contrasting experience. Here, architecture retreats and listens. Its red concrete walls, cast with timber formwork, blend into the natural palette of the forest. The roof dips lower, its contours echoing — but never mimicking — the sail-like gesture of the Hall. Together, these buildings choreograph a visual and spatial conversation: forest to sea, grounded weight to airborne lift. The food court draws a literal and figurative line along the coast, a 170 meter (558 foot)-long form that stretches between beach and forest. Its zigzagging roofline introduces rhythm and variation, while long-span folded plate structures frame the ocean in a continuous panoramic sweep.

A Zigzagging Roof Extends Along the Coast

Beneath the soaring roof of the Tide’s Echo Hall, the architects deploy a strategy of fragmentation. The monumental is made human through a composition of staggered, rock-like volumes that echo the irregularity of coastal geology. Each geometric form houses a distinct function — conference rooms, halls, and support spaces — while collectively, they form a sculptural landscape of built space. Their shifting forms and overlapping edges generate both intimacy and openness, offering visitors a layered spatial experience that unfolds like a walk among boulders. The interior architecture of the Tide’s Echo Hall amplifies the sense of movement and multiplicity. Multi-layered ceilings segment volumes into varied spatial pockets, while generous circulation paths act as urban corridors that connect diverse programs.

Circulation becomes choreography in the Tide’s Echo Hall, especially through the carefully crafted promenade that links forest and sea. A ramp gently rises to a public viewing platform on the second floor, guiding visitors along a sequence of shifting thresholds — some narrow and enclosed, others expansive and open to the elements. The architecture intentionally frames and disrupts the view, alternating between compression and release. This journey, rather than any static destination, becomes the core architectural experience. The Tide’s Echo Hall acts as a coastal threshold, dissolving boundaries between people and place. The promenade becomes a liminal space between land and sea, indoor and outdoor, city and nature.

In conclusion, the Tide’s Echo Hall is a masterpiece of modern architecture that not only celebrates the duality of ocean and forest but also creates a new public forum that is deeply rooted in the local context. The project’s innovative design, which combines functionality with aesthetics, has resulted in a unique and captivating space that invites exploration and interaction. As a spatial bridge between human activity and natural rhythms, the Tide’s Echo Hall sets a new standard for coastal architecture, one that prioritizes harmony with the environment and creates a sense of community and connection among its users.

Introduction to Art House

Design firm Kallos Turin completes Art House, a monolithic residence in Athens’ Filothei neighborhood, where strict zoning codes dictated the cubic form of the structure. Carved in poured concrete, the four-level dwelling emerges as a dense, sculptural volume that balances its solidity with movement—both in circulation through the house and in the lush landscape, which acts as a soft counterpoint to the rigid geometry.

The home is conceived as a sanctuary for an extensive art collection while also serving as a family gathering space. To maximize its limited footprint, the architects extend the program underground, embedding a gallery and garage below the house, with light wells filtering in air and natural light. Meanwhile, the upper floors connect to a cascading landscape.

all images by Ricardo Labougle, unless stated otherwise

Curved Corners Define the Residence

Positioned at the edge of a protected hillside, international design firm Kallos Turin’s Art House dissolves its cubic mass through curvilinear interventions. A gently winding pathway leads from the street to the main entry, weaving through plantings to obscure the house from direct view. The front facade curves inward, drawing visitors toward a bespoke bronze and brass door punctuated by circular motifs. Once inside, the geometry continues to unravel—a striking ovoid staircase spirals through all four levels, warping the perception of the rigid concrete shell. Even the gallery defies convention with its softly rounded corners, allowing the art to be experienced without the interruption of harsh linear edges.

The uppermost level of the residence opens to sweeping views of Athens on one side and a private garden on the other, extending the interior space outdoors. A second exterior stair echoes the fluidity of the interior circulation, ascending to a rooftop pool that crowns the residence. Throughout the home, organic curves gently subvert the imposing cubic mass, appearing in lightwells, staircases, and even in the detailing of custom elements such as the entry door and furnishings.

the design emerges as a dense, sculptural volume | image by Giorgios Sfakianakis

Curated Gardens and Interiors

Inspired by the untamed Mediterranean flora, the Art House garden is planted with myrtle, lentiscus, rosemary, savory, and thyme, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem that requires minimal irrigation. Planters are embedded within the concrete at various levels, allowing vegetation to spill over the structure, further softening its presence. In a nod to Filothei’s origins as a garden city, the design envisions a future where nature could ultimately overtake the built form.

The interior of Art House is equally curated, featuring a selection of contemporary and vintage furniture, including a Mangiarotti Eos table, Joseph Andre Motte chairs, Gaetano Pesce seating, and lighting by Achille Castiglioni and Michael Anastassiades. The kitchen—designed for culinary pursuits—centers around a 5.5-meter La Cornue island and tall cabinetry by Boffi, extending into an outdoor barbecue area.

Art House is conceived as a sanctuary for an extensive art collection | image by Giorgios Sfakianakis

lush landscape acts as a soft counterpoint to the rigid geometry | image by Giorgios Sfakianakis

Conclusion

Art House, designed by Kallos Turin, is a masterful blend of form and function, where the rigid concrete structure is softened by the lush landscape and curved interventions. The residence is a true sanctuary for art and family, with its carefully curated interiors and exteriors creating a unique and breathtaking space. The project showcases the firm’s ability to balance solidity and movement, creating a dense, sculptural volume that is both imposing and inviting. As a testament to the power of thoughtful design, Art House is a must-see destination for anyone interested in architecture, art, and the beauty of the Mediterranean landscape.

A New Era for São Paulo’s Museu de Arte

In São Paulo, museum architecture just took a daring leap forward with the completion of a long-anticipated expansion. The Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand, known as MASP, sees the opening of its new Pietro Maria Bardi Building, which rises alongside the iconic floating volume designed by Italian-born Brazilian architect Lina Bo Bardi in 1968. Rather than attempting to overshadow the original building, it expands the institution’s capacity and preserves its radical spirit. The tower’s final design is the result of a collaboration between Júlio Neves and METRO Arquitetos Associados.

Since 2019, the project, dubbed MASP em Expansão, has been steadily unfolding, culminating in the completion of the Pietro Building in November 2024. This addition significantly increases MASP’s capacity for exhibitions, education, and conservation. The fourteen-story, 7,821-square-meter building doubles the museum’s total footprint and allows for a more ambitious program that reflects the institution’s growing prominence in the global art scene.

images courtesy Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP)

Expansion and Reverence for Origins

The expansion of Museu de Arte São Paulo by Júlio Neves and METRO Arquitetos Associados carries a deep reverence for its origins. By naming the original structure after architect Lina Bo Bardi and the new building after the museum’s first artistic director, Pietro Maria Bardi, the institution completes a symbolic tribute to its founding trio, alongside its namesake, Assis Chateaubriand. It’s a thoughtful gesture that embeds history into the very fabric of the museum’s built environment.

While the Pietro Building celebrates the inauguration of its new galleries in March 2025, its construction reached a major milestone in November 2024. With its unveiling, MASP’s total operational space jumps from 10,485 to 21,863 square-meters. ‘MASP grew and became bigger than its building,’ said CEO Heitor Martins, noting that expansion wasn’t just desired — it was necessary. It’s not only a spatial shift but a philosophical one, signaling the museum’s role as an anchor institution on what may be Brazil’s most culturally important boulevard.

the expansion doubles MASP’s size with the addition of the 14-story Pietro Building

Enhanced Capabilities and Access

With São Paulo’s museum expansion comes a bevy of new capabilities: enhanced educational facilities, modern restoration labs, and an infrastructure tailored to a more inclusive and diverse range of programming. These aren’t cosmetic upgrades — they’re structural affirmations of MASP’s mission to be plural, global, and contemporary.

One of the most transformative effects of the expansion is its impact on access. With only one percent of MASP’s 11,000-piece collection previously on view, the Pietro Building unlocks new gallery space, allowing long-term exhibitions in the original Lina building and dynamic temporary shows in the Pietro building. This reorganization, according to artistic director Adriano Pedrosa, will offer ‘breathing space’ in the calendar and more thoughtful narrative arcs in curatorial programming.

A museum is not just confined to its galleries. São Paulo’s museum expansion also strengthens operational infrastructure, expanding back-of-house areas like storage, loading docks, and technical facilities. These unsung spaces are essential for managing a growing collection and ambitious schedule.

the expansion allows for more exhibitions, public programs, and art restoration facilities

A Subterranean Link

Perhaps the most literal connection between the old and the new with the expansion of Museu de Arte São Paulo is the underground passage being constructed beneath the museum and Rua Prof. Otavio Mendes. This subterranean link allows visitors to move easily between the two buildings. Meanwhile, the ticket office moves to the Pietro Building, liberating the famed vão livre — the open span under Lina’s building — as a true civic plaza, just as she originally envisioned.

The lower floors of the Pietro Building are transparent, echoing the openness of the original structure. The upper floors are wrapped in perforated and corrugated metal sheets, lending a monolithic visual identity that balances presence with permeability. Natural light filters in through carefully positioned apertures — subtle interventions that acknowledge the needs of both art and architecture.

In dialogue with Heitor Martins, the museum’s CEO, and other museum leaders, the late, Pritzker Prize-winning architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha emphasized that MASP should design a new building that would bring all the necessary functionalities for what is done at the museum, but following an architecture that would highlight that developed by Lina without competing with it.

the original building is named after Lina Bo Bardi, while the expansion honors Pietro Maria Bardi

April 1, 2025

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Final Residential Design Completed in Ohio

Frank Lloyd Wright’s final residential design is brought to life in Willoughby Hills, Ohio, with the realization of RiverRock—a home originally conceived as The Penfield House in 1959 but only now emerging from the archives. Long thought to be lost to history, this project is the last unbuilt Wright design still tied to its original site. Central to Wright’s vision, a specific poplar tree still stands where he once imagined it.

Two years ago, in 2023, owners Marika and Don Dykstra took on the formidable task of constructing the stone house precisely as Wright intended, making sure every visible detail matches the original blueprints while discreetly adapting to today’s building codes beneath the surface. The home is situated on a 30-acre wooded property along the Chagrin River, providing a tranquil retreat for those who visit.

The Journey of RiverRock, from Blueprint to Reality

The story of the RiverRock residence traces back to Wright’s long-standing relationship with Louis Penfield, who commissioned him to design the Penfield House in 1953. However, when plans for Interstate 90 threatened to claim the property, Penfield sought a new home design from the legendary architect. Though Wright had officially stopped designing residences, he made an exception for Penfield, drafting a second home just before his passing in April 1959.

Months later, the Penfield family received an unexpected delivery—a mailing tube from Taliesin West containing the finalized drawings. Listed as Project #5909 in the Taliesin Archives, this would be Wright’s final residential commission. An integral part of the home’s identity comes from its name, RiverRock, inspired by the locally quarried stone that Frank Lloyd Wright’s original specification book dictated should be used. This material, personally gathered by Penfield from the Chagrin River throughout the 1960s, was rediscovered by the Dykstras in the woods and incorporated into the construction, solidifying the connection of the residence to both its past and landscape.

A Rare Opportunity to Stay Inside a Wright Residence

Unlike many of Frank Lloyd Wright’s homes, which are preserved as museums, RiverRock offers an immersive experience, one where guests can live within his architecture as he intended. The residence is available for private stays, allowing visitors to appreciate the design philosophy without barriers or crowds. With three bedrooms, a working wood fireplace, and all modern comforts discreetly integrated, RiverRock can accommodate up to six guests.

The home is situated just outside Cleveland, with easy access to cultural landmarks such as the Cleveland Museum of Art and Severance Hall, as well as nearby parks and walking trails. Guests can enjoy the tranquility of the wooded acres along the Chagrin River, experiencing the essence of Wright’s design in a unique and personal way.

Conclusion

RiverRock stands today as both a tribute to Wright’s legacy and an extraordinary realization of a long-unbuilt masterpiece. The meticulous attention to detail and commitment to Wright’s original vision have resulted in a home that not only honors the architect’s design philosophy but also offers a unique opportunity for immersion into his work. As a rare example of Wright’s residential design available for private stays, RiverRock provides an unparalleled experience, allowing guests to live within the American architect’s building as he intended.