Different personalities mean different decor styles, and with so many aesthetics fighting for attention, it can be hard to pinpoint the ‘house style’ in any share house. Fear not, though, we’re here to help you. In some share houses, a makeshift bar takes pride of place on the mantle while stilettos explode out of wardrobes. In others, you’ll find mouldy cheese next to a slab of beer in the fridge, and all furniture facing the TV. Some can feel like a living jungle with fiddle leaf figs next to macrame and rattan furniture, and others have more of an ‘IKEA showroom’ vibe.

Watch now: Share house living room overhaul. So, where does your share house fit in? We’ve summarised six common share house styles below. Find the category you best fit into, and take cues from the starter packs.

The hot mess share house is pretty, but in a dishevelled way. There are hints of her sparkly personality in metallic homewares – think rose gold candelabras and a Gatsby-style bar cart. She’s got expensive taste (on the walls you might find a highly-valued artwork or three) but it’s all compromised somewhat by the piles of glasses piling up in the sink. Somehow, though, the hot mess always looks fabulous and is always good for a hang.
Hot mess starter kit:
* Neon wall art
* Fashionable floordrobe
* Vintage bar cart with cheap-as-chips gin

The beached-as share house may not have any serious surfers living in it, but you’ll definitely find a longboard or two gracing the living room. It’s all part of the aesthetic. All homewares are rattan, woven or crocheted and the colour scheme is all blues and sunny yellows. Sure, your butt might get a bit sandy sitting on the beached-as couch, but you don’t care ’cause it’s all about those laid-back vibes, brah.
Beached as starter kit:
* Hammock
* Macrame decor
* Sand… everywhere

Not unlike its inhabitants, the hippy dippy share house is full of surprises. A visit inside is always a bit of an experience, and you’ll probably find yourself questioning ‘what the hell is that?!’ in regards to some item or another in its ever-growing collection of eclectic homewares.
Hippy dippy starter kit:
* Paper lanterns
* Dream catchers
* Fairy lights

You might be mistaken for thinking the yo pro (young professional) share house is not a share house at all… but a real, grown-up home. Everything inside is new, albeit from IKEA, but new nonetheless. You won’t find any Gumtree seconds around these parts. There are always clean towels in the bathroom and the kitchen never has crumbs on the floor. And you better believe if you open the cupboard you’ll find those fancy stemless wine glasses staring back.
Yo pro starter kit:
* Pristine kitchen
* IKEA everything
* Cleaning roster

Travelling to the time warp share house feels like what we can only imagine a trip in the time machine from the second Austin Powers film must feel like – a trippy, psychedelic dream. The shag rug is cosy underfoot, the orange kitchenware is retro-tastic and the couch is well-worn and comfy, like only a velvet couch from another decade can be.
Time warp starter kit:
* Psychedelic prints
* Corduroy couch
* Gumtree everything

The bro house definitely has its downsides (sticky floor, questionable toilet state, and a lack of real glassware) but it still has its own style… you know, the discarded KFC bag and empty beer bottle look. We kid, but there is something a little scruffy in all the homewares choices – like, what is it about bro houses and black furniture? There’s no beating around the bush, the bro house could use a feminine touch.
Bro house starter kit:
* Black furniture
* Black bedding
* Black TV… at the centre of everything

In conclusion, every share house has its unique style, reflecting the personalities and preferences of its inhabitants. From the hot mess to the bro house, each style has its own charm and character. Whether you’re looking to decorate your own share house or simply want to appreciate the diverse aesthetics out there, understanding these different styles can be a fun and inspiring experience. So, which category does your share house fit into? Take cues from the starter packs and make your space your own. Read this next: 7 worst bathroom share house habits.

This article was originally published on 2 Sep 2019 at 9:00am but has been regularly updated to keep the information current.

A House Shaped by the River

Finnish studio Pirinen & Salo designs a new residence, dubbed The Cliffhanger, not just to sit on the land, but to embed itself into the raw calm of the Nordic country’s far north. Perched on a curve of the Ivalo River, this newly completed residence reads like a landscape painting one might accidentally walk into. Its name might evoke tension, but the project’s ambitions are grounded: to dissolve the boundary between dwelling and wilderness.

The architecture is orchestrated around the terrain, using the bend in the river as both setting and structure. With glass walls that mirror the site’s natural curves and a palette echoing the forest and sky, the villa becomes an extension of its surroundings. Every design move — whether a framed view or a carefully selected material — tightens the bond between inside and out.

images © Marc Goodwin / Archmospheres

Pirinen & Salo Designs Threshold as Pause

The Cliffhanger by Pirinen & Salo follows the L-shaped bend of the Ivalo River, granting parallel views of sunrise and sunset across two kilometers of unbroken horizon. Living spaces and sleeping quarters are at once adjacent to and aligned with nature, channeling light and motion from the wilderness beyond. The result is a constant conversation between architecture and the land it occupies.

The architects manipulate procession as a storytelling tool. Visitors are first met by a quiet garage that screens the villa from view. Only as they round the corner does the main residence appear, its sculptural form commanding the riverbank. The entry sequence isn’t a grand reveal — it’s a controlled build-up, emphasizing contrast, restraint, and rhythm.

the team uses modest materials on its exterior and an arctic-inspired palette facing the river

Inside the Cliffhanger: A Dream in Blue

With the Cliffhanger, Pirinen & Salo embraces a dual material identity — modest at first glance, glacially expressive upon approach. While the outer forms are sheathed in everyday finishes to soften the villa’s complexity, its river-facing facades are pure theater: glass, untreated aluminum, and white metal frame an arctic tableau. The contrast feels both elemental and deliberate.

The experience starts not with spectacle, but with silence. A low, dark, windowless hallway — echoing traditional Finnish mudrooms — acts as a liminal pause between forest and home. It’s a spatial breath, a place to shed the outdoors before the reveal. And what a reveal it is.

A soaring double-height hall invites sunlight to cut through a massive skylight while deep blue walls saturate the space. Here, walls peel away, and the view rushes toward you like the river outside. Kitchen, hearth, and staircases anchor the space, while the forest-inspired ceiling calms and envelops.

The Cliffhanger follows the bend of the Ivalo River to maximize panoramic views of the sunrise and sunset

Ceiling as Forest Floor

Pirinen & Salo uses the home’s ceiling as a forest floor turned upside down — a multicolored plane that connects the architecture to its wooded context. It’s not literal mimicry but an emotional one, bridging the intensity of the blue hall with the tranquility of nature. Between timber, tile, and glass, the ceiling becomes a guide.

Upstairs: A Chromatic Narrative

The chromatic narrative is extended upstairs, where deep blue corridors lead to bedroom suites sculpted like tents pitched beneath the stars. Each room offers riverside views and subtly warped ceilings, blending shelter with exposure. The master suite is pure cinematic stillness — framed sunrises to the east, golden sunsets to the west.

Pirinen & Salo conceals its main volume behind a garage to create a dramatic sense of arrival

interiors open with a double height main hall with a skylight and immersive views of the river

Conclusion

The Cliffhanger by Pirinen & Salo is a masterful example of how architecture can blend seamlessly into its surroundings while still making a bold statement. The house’s design, which follows the bend of the Ivalo River, creates a sense of harmony with nature and provides breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. The use of natural materials, clever manipulation of light and space, and attention to detail all come together to create

The new range of furniture and homewares landing at IKEA in October are designed to embrace the brand’s Scandinavian roots and help you furnish your abode in a minimalist, functionalist way.

Just when you thought you’d finally gotten your home to a place where it feels complete, IKEA comes in hot with yet another dreamy drop of products that make you want it all. This October, the Swedish furniture giant is blending traditional and modern styles with bold colours for a collection that pays homage to the brand’s Scandi roots.

Textiles play a big role in the drop, with a handful of cushions and quilt covers donning Swedish handicraft patterns. The Kratten cushion cover, shower curtains and bedding sets feature graphic floral patterns that bring a festive feel to any space.

The Sporup rug ($99) is made from recycled PET bottles. Picture: IKEA

The Sanela room darkening curtains, available in red and dark blue, are another way to bring a punch of colour to your home. Whether used as a room divider or to block the light out in your bedroom, the textural curtains are a welcome addition to any space lacking personality.

Kratten, Malarborste and Stjarntulpan cushion covers, from $7.99. Picture: IKEA

We’re also crushing hard on the chairs in the range, which include the Kyrre three-legged stool. With a modern silhouette, tapered legs and triangle seat, the piece is ideal for stacking and bringing out when extra guests come by.

Sanela curtains, $99 for a pair. Picture: IKEA

The Odger swivel chair is another item perfect for the study or even the dining room. Available in grainy beige or black, it’s a comfortable and ergonomically sound chair with arms, a rounded back, and bowl-shaped seat for long study sessions or candlelit dinners.

Kyrre stool made from sustainably sourced birch, $19.99.

Renovators are no doubt going to go nuts for the Bodarp kitchen front. In an on-trend, green-grey hue with a matte finish, you can build yourself a kitchen that appears straight out of the pages of an interior design mag. But why stop there? We think the design would be a fabulous addition to any study or living room, too.

Odger swivel chair, $149.

The product uses recycled PET bottles and was made using 100% renewable electricity.

The collection is easy on the eyes, but equally as kind to the environment; the materials in the range were also chosen to be environmentally responsible. In line with IKEA’s mission to become fully circular by 2020, the collection uses recycled PET bottles, sustainably-sourced woods, and sustainable cotton.

Check out the gallery for some of our favourite pieces.

In conclusion, IKEA’s new range of furniture and homewares is a must-see for anyone looking to furnish their home in a minimalist, functionalist way. With its blend of traditional and modern styles, bold colours, and environmentally responsible materials, this collection is sure to impress. Whether you’re a fan of Scandinavian design or just looking for some inspiration for your next home renovation, this collection is definitely worth checking out.

El Departamento Brings Hollywood to Madrid with Nude House

At 28 Fuencarral Street, in the center of Madrid, El Departamento completes the latest flagship store for fashion brand Nude Project named Nude House. Designed by studio founders Alberto Eltini and Marina Martín, the 195-square-meter space channels the glamorous spirit of vintage Hollywood mansions, fusing laid-back hedonism with urban energy. With nearly four meters of ceiling height and a fluid, barrier-free layout, the flagship operates more like an open house than a conventional store.

With other locations already established in Barcelona, Lisbon, Valencia, Ibiza, Bilbao, and Milan, the Madrid store cements El Departamento and Nude Project’s shared vision of a network of immersive spaces.

all images by Miguel Fernández-Galiano

Introduction to Nude House

Stepping inside the Valencia-based El Departamento team’s flagship store design, a circular counter in wood and steel, illuminated with the backlit logo of the ready-to-wear label Nude Project, greets the visitors. The entrance space doubles as a lounge, outfitted with low sofas and a curved library shelf stocked with books and branded memorabilia. A soft terrazzo floor in white and green tones underlines the vintage mood, while technical lighting by Ilumisa draws attention to the streetwear collections of the brand.

Music and Game Rooms

As the journey continues, a hallway inspired by retro Hall of Fame designs leads to the music room, a cozy space wrapped in dark wood. Floor-to-ceiling shelves host curated vinyls, while sculptural Aurefect speakers and green leather armchairs rest atop a vintage Persian rug from Home Carpets. A velvet ceiling in emerald green sets the atmosphere, and a glowing Tekio lamp by Santa & Cole casts a warm, domestic light that reinforces the store’s residential feel.

The final stop is the game room, where a poker table doubles as a product display, surrounded by softly curved wood shelving and the brand’s signature baby blue flooring. Stainless steel details and a backlit coffered ceiling create cinematic reflections, turning the space into a stage for expression, self-discovery, and community.

El Departamento completes the latest flagship store for fashion brand Nude Project

a circular counter in wood and steel, illuminated with the backlit logo of Nude Project, greets the visitors

the 195-square-meter space channels the glamorous spirit of vintage Hollywood mansions

a hallway inspired by retro Hall of Fame designs leads to the music room

a stage for expression, self-discovery, and community

April 26, 2025

We all want to personalise our space with a few colourful artworks, and just because you’re renting doesn’t mean you should miss out.

Artwork on the walls can provide the focal point for your room and really bring everything together. Here are a few tips for hanging art – and you’ll still get your bond back. Whether you’re a seasoned renter or a first-time tenant, these tips will help you decorate your space without damaging the walls or losing your security deposit.

Tip 1: Use picture-hanging strips and hooks

Picture-hanging strips and hooks with sticky backs are a renter’s best friend. They come in lots of different sizes and can accommodate different weights. Just peel them off on moving day. This is a simple and effective way to hang your artwork without damaging the walls. As seen in the image,

Picture-hanging strips make for the ideal friend when renting if you love your art! Picture: Erinna Giblin

, using picture-hanging strips can add a touch of personality to your room.

Tip 2: Use string or wire to hang art

Stretch a piece of wire or string from one point to another and use it to display postcards, paper artwork or photos. Use mini pegs or paper clips to attach the items to the wire. This is a great way to add a personal touch to your room without making any permanent changes. For example,

Light-weight artworks or installations can be hung using string or wire. Picture: Erinna Giblin

, you can hang a collection of postcards or photos to create a unique piece of art.

Tip 3: Lean artwork up against the wall

This gives a casual vibe to the room and you can easily change the artwork around when you want to refresh the decor. Leaning artwork is a great way to make use of extra wall space, as seen in

Leaning artwork is a great way to make use of extra wall space. Picture: Erinna Giblin

. This method also allows you to move the artwork around easily, so you can experiment with different layouts and styles.

Tip 4: Use Japanese washi tape

Hang posters or lightweight artworks on your walls using Blu Tack or Japanese washi tape. These both peel off easily without leaving holes in the walls or tearing the paint. As shown in

Japanese washi tape peels off easily making it the perfect partner for an artwork in a rental property. Picture: Erinna Giblin

, Japanese washi tape is a great alternative to traditional hanging methods.

This is an edited extract from Keeping House by Emma Blomfield, published by Hardie Grant Books, $29.99, and is available in stores nationally.

Keeping House by Emma Blomfield, published by Hardie Grant Books, $29.99. Picture: Juliet Sulejmani / The Juliet Project 2019

This article was originally published on 13 Sep 2019 at 10:08am but has been regularly updated to keep the information current.

In conclusion, decorating a rental property doesn’t have to be daunting. With these tips, you can hang your artwork and personalise your space without damaging the walls or losing your security deposit. Whether you’re using picture-hanging strips, string, leaning artwork, or Japanese washi tape, there’s a method to suit every style and budget. So go ahead, get creative, and make your

Introduction to Amator

A fresh addition to Copenhagen’s Østerbro district, Amator is a design-driven, cozy hybrid of café, restaurant, and private dining venue envisioned by Polish chef Mateusz Sarnowski, widely known as Mati Pichci. The interior is brought to life by Adam Wierciński of wiercinski-studio, marking his first project in the Danish capital, and is rooted in the idea of hjemme spisested (a home dining place). At its heart is a jagged communal oak table, designed to shift from individual settings to a unified dining surface. The raw materiality and the warm, earthy palette mirror Mati’s vegetable-focused cuisine, while bespoke details introduce a domestic charm that feels deeply personal.

all images courtesy of wiercinski-studio

Smart Tabletops and Spatial Demands

The spatial constraints of the compact venue shape Amator’s design by turning limitation into opportunity. Polish designer Wierciński responds with a system of interlocking oak tabletops that subtly mimic a gathering of small tables, while steel rings allow them to connect into one long form, ideal for the candlelit private dinners hosted in the evening. The angled tabletops create a serrated silhouette down the room’s center, echoed by sleek oak stools, which are the first objects of the upcoming wiercinski-objects line. Raw steel frames and handcrafted joints lend the furniture an unfinished charm that complements the chef’s open kitchen, separated by a mirrored, steel-clad bar.

Amator is a design-driven dining destination in the Danish capital

Bespoke Furnishings and Vinyls

Throughout the interior, the furniture is custom-designed by Wierciński and produced in Poland by skilled artisans before being transported to Copenhagen. Natural oak, stainless steel, and raw linen compose the palette, brought to life through floating wall shelves, sculptural sconces, and a steel washbasin. A slice of a Polish tree trunk welcomes visitors by the entrance, rooting the project in Mati’s origins. Meanwhile, bold yellow plywood shelving, a nod to home interiors, brings a burst of playful color and points to the quiet centerpiece of the space: a single yellow dot that appears throughout.

Sound is also central to the Amator experience. Beneath the rear window sit a vinyl shelf and a pair of custom Arda Audio speakers, forming a mini soundscape zone curated by Mati. Here, guests are invited to linger, enjoy music on a turntable, and absorb the space’s thoughtful layers.

rooted in the idea of ‘a home dining place’

a jagged communal oak table is designed to shift from individual settings to a unified dining surface

the raw materiality and the warm, earthy palette mirror Mati’s vegetable-focused cuisine

Conclusion

Amator, designed by wiercinski-studio, is a unique dining experience that combines the coziness of a home with the sophistication of a restaurant. The use of natural materials, bespoke furnishings, and thoughtful details creates a warm and inviting atmosphere, perfect for a night out in Copenhagen. The modular oak table

Triennale Milano’s ‘Voce’ A Space Dedicated to Sound and Music

Opening on May 13, Voce is a fresh permanent installation at Triennale Milano dedicated to exploring sound as a spatial and architectural element. Conceived by architect Luca Cipelletti as a ‘cathedral of sound,’ the 330-square-meter room transforms a historic wing of Giovanni Muzio’s Palazzo dell’Arte into a minimalist, image-free environment designed for focused listening. Industrial designer Philippe Malouin’s green modular furniture makes the space flexible and easy to adapt. The deep, comfortable chairs can transform into elongated seating and help control how sound moves through the room.

As the furniture can be rearranged, the space can be set up in different ways to suit various sound-focused events. At its core, the project treats sound as structure, an element capable of shaping spatial experience, perception, and use. Voce operates through a synthesis of disciplines, with acoustic design by Giorgio Di Salvo defining the room’s sonic behavior, and lighting by Anonima Luci introducing subtle shifts in tone without competing for attention. Materials are selected for their acoustic response, spatial neutrality, and sensory clarity.

The design team rejects visual primacy, proposing instead a form of spatial culture rooted in silence, vibration, and resonance. The space is free of visual stimuli, reorienting attention toward the intangible, allowing sound to become the medium through which architecture is felt and understood. A band of technical panels wraps around the space and lines the ceiling, revealing the architecture of acoustics. Sixteen kilometers of cable run invisibly throughout the structure, while the sound remains rich yet contained.

Philippe Malouin’s Modular Furniture Makes the Space Flexible

Voce unfolds like a modern-day chapel, its spatial logic echoing the layout of a church nave. A grid of rectangular columns divides the hall into three asymmetrical aisles, directing movement and framing the experience. Where an altar might traditionally sit, a sculptural wall of modular acoustic panels rises, a shrine to sound. Across the room, designer Joseph Cipelletti introduces a ‘counter-altar’ in the form of a cocktail bar, injecting a social pulse into the otherwise contemplative space.

Color is used purposefully, with white structural elements, deep green upholstery, and matte black tables keeping the room neutral and focusing attention on the sound. Furniture becomes the tool that unlocks Voce’s versatility. Designed by Philippe Malouin and produced by Meritalia, the bespoke seating system is made from deep-green stitched felt. Modular lounges and listening stations are arranged with the intimacy of a high-end club, but they’re flexible and ready to be reconfigured for concerts, dance floors, spoken word performances, or listening sessions.

Stefano Boeri’s Piano Parco Project Continues

Positioned between Viale Camoens and the internal halls of the Triennale, Voce reconnects previously inaccessible areas of the building while offering its own independent infrastructure complete with dual entrances, a private garden, a cloakroom, and direct connections to kitchen and staff zones. The project is part of a broader transformation of the Piano Parco, an ongoing 9,600-square-meter renovation of the Palazzo dell’Arte’s interior and gardens spearheaded by Italian architect Stefano Boeri and general director of the Triennale Carla Morogallo, and architecturally directed by Cipelletti since 2019.

The Voce space is the result of a multidisciplinary approach, with acoustic design by Giorgio Di Salvo and Lucio Visintini, and lighting design by Anonima Luci. The photographer, Delfino Sisto Legnani, has captured the essence of the space, showcasing its unique features and attention to detail. The project’s team has successfully created a space that prioritizes sound and music, providing a unique experience for visitors.

Project Info:
– Name: Voce
– Architect: Luca Cipelletti
– Original Architect: Giovanni Muzio
– Furniture Design: Philippe Malouin
– Location: Triennale Milano, Milan, Italy
– Area: 330 square meters
– Acoustic Design: Giorgio Di Salvo, Lucio Visintini
– Lighting Design: Anonima Luci
– Photographer: Delfino Sisto Legnani

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Voce space at Triennale Milano is a groundbreaking project that explores the relationship between sound, architecture, and spatial experience. The careful consideration of acoustic design, lighting, and materials has resulted in a unique and immersive environment that prioritizes sound and music. The space’s flexibility and versatility make it an ideal venue for a wide range of events and activities, from concerts and performances to listening sessions and social gatherings. As a part of the larger Piano Parco project, Voce contributes to the ongoing transformation of the Palazzo dell’Arte, solidifying Triennale Milano’s position as a hub for innovation and creativity.

Introduction to Casino Royal Palm

Within the newly completed Palm Beach complex along the coastline of Cannes, France, the Casino Royal Palm has reopened its doors, reimagined by Caprini & Pellerin. Once a glamorous landmark of Riviera nightlife, the nearly century-old venue has been reworked into a vivid homage to the golden age of gaming and cinema. Now, with theatrical and geometric expressions, the project is the result of a fluid blend of Art Deco references with Mediterranean influences and contemporary craft. Meanwhile, embracing a dramatic scenography that creates an immersive experience, a play of textures, materials, and moods that nod to the building’s heritage winds through and lend the space a renewed vitality.

all images © Alexis Armanet unless stated otherwise

History of the Palm Beach Complex

Originally inaugurated in 1928, the Palm Beach complex has long been an integral facet of the cultural mythology of the Côte d’Azur. Through this recent collaboration between Partouche Casino and the Palm Beach Group, the venue’s casino is brought back into the spotlight by Cannes-based architecture studio Caprini & Pellerin. Stepping inside the space unfolds across a central gaming hall, two intimate side rooms, and a flexible entertainment zone complete with a bar and stage.

Design and Layout

The layouts are fluid and adaptable, accommodating everything from blackjack tables to live music enlivened by a palette of peach, pastels, and warm neutrals drawn from the building’s historical archives. These hues connect the interiors to its coastal context, while textile patterns inspired by fashion and cinema layer the space with a sense of visual choreography.

Casino Royal Palm reopens its doors | image © Jade Quéré

Influences and Style

With intention, Caprini & Pellerin reinterprets Art Deco through a Mediterranean lens, intertwined with Jean-Michel Frank’s minimalism, the monumentality of American Bauhaus, and the irreverent spirit of Dadaism and Surrealism. ‘The ambition was to create a space where timelessness and experimentation could co-exist,’ the duo notes. Elements such as inverted tin-cone stage curtains, parchment-patina bar finishes, and a custom Botticino marble countertop are balanced against vintage furnishings and Guy Bareff’s sculptural wall lights, celebrating the contrasts between matte and gloss, and softness and geometry.

Immersive Experience

Two distinct entrances set the tone, each leading into a curated world. Reception desks curve like sculpture; draped elements and pastel walls evoke the cinematic worlds of Wes Anderson without resorting to parody. The design throughout is deliberate, playful, and immersive. Tulip lamps, curved sofas, and floral benches soften the geometries of the space, while a monumental curtain in pleated hessian and Brescia Fantastica marble discreetly zones the room, separating slot machines from table games.

set within the recently completed Palm Beach complex along the coastline of Cannes

Materials and Details

Throughout Casino Royal Palm, materials engage the senses, from textured plasterwork and waxed concrete to bronze detailing, with each surface tuned for both acoustics and atmosphere. A large fresco, dedicated to the artist Israel Rubinstein, spans the gaming hall, reinforcing the dialogue between place and artistic legacy. All gaming furniture, including the oak tables and the upholstered seating, has also been custom-designed by Caprini & Pellerin.

the nearly century-old venue has been reworked into a vivid homage to the golden age of gaming and cinema

April 25, 2025

Xirang Hotel: A Juxtaposed Maze

The newly completed Xirang Hotel by Vector Architects unfolds like a quiet maze in Jiangsu’s watery countryside, bridging the elemental and the urban with a choreographed sequence of spaces. Surrounded by the soft, vaporous Taihu Lake to the east and a lively market to the west, the hotel stands at the intersection of civilization and remote nature. In response to this multidirectional context, Vector Architects orchestrates a project that is at once outwardly receptive and inwardly introspective, offering guests a deeply spatial experience rooted in vernacular traditions and sensorial nuance.

The hotel is structured around a modular courtyard concept that anchors its design language. Each courtyard is tailored to a specific program — be it circulation, gathering, or quiet contemplation — and shaped by natural elements such as light, water, and vegetation. These courtyards are not isolated but aggregated into a loosely gridded cluster, with volumes of varying scales and characters gently colliding and coexisting, creating an intimate architectural topography that feels both spontaneous and deliberate.

image © Luo Canhui

Cascading Forms in Dialogue with Landscape

At ground level, Vector Architects’ Xirang Hotel is unified by a continuous covered verandah that threads through all nine courtyards. This passageway forms a spine of movement, guiding visitors eastward down the site’s natural slope. The architects leave the terrain intentionally uneven, with a gentle descent that culminates in a pond, aligning the built environment with the existing landforms. Sloping eaves and tiered rooflines accentuate this gradient, composing a visual rhythm that cascades from Zhushan Mountain to the canal’s edge.

The spatial language is perhaps most palpable in the way each courtyard is crafted as a distinct atmosphere. One is dappled with golden daylight that filters through foliage; another is centered on a sculptural bronze funnel — the Raindrop Atrium — that channels rainfall in a spectacle of sound and motion. These microcosmic environments harness natural elements to evoke sensations of calm, wonder, and even play. The shifting interplay of light and dark, compression and release, amplifies bodily perception and reinforces the tactile quality of the architecture.

the Xirang Hotel responds to four contrasting site conditions in Jiangsu | image © Luo Canhui

A Tower of Light by the Canal

To the east, the Xirang Hotel by Vector Architects opens onto the Camphor Courtyard, a broad garden space that gazes out to Taihu Lake. Guest rooms here are sheltered behind a delicate double-height copper mesh that glows warmly at sunrise and sunset. Along the canal, a striking glass-brick tower, 24 meters tall, serves as a lighthouse-like beacon, its translucency catching the changing sky and offering a vertical counterpoint to the otherwise horizontal layout.

Sightlines are never accidental. Every aperture, canopy, and wall segment is orchestrated to frame a specific view: the curve of a hillside, the shimmer of rippling water, or the movement of boats in the distance. These framed vistas are not static but evolve with the time of day and the weather, generating a dynamic montage of impressions that guests move through — each moment delicately composed, yet always fleeting.

the layout is based on a modular courtyard system, each with a unique theme and function | image © Luo Canhui

nine courtyards are connected by a continuous covered verandah that traces the site’s slope | image © Luo Canhui

the descending ground plane creates subtle level changes that integrate with the topography | image © DONG

Conclusion

In its layered procession of spaces, Xirang Hotel by Vector Architects resists grand gestures in favor of architectural restraint. What emerges is a poetic balance of enclosure and openness, of structure and scene — a living maze where body, memory, and environment intermingle in quiet dialogue. The hotel’s design weaves together the contrasts of its surroundings, embracing the complexities of the site to create a unique and immersive experience for its guests. As a result, the Xirang Hotel stands as a testament to the power of thoughtful and nuanced design, one that not only reflects the beauty of its context but also enhances it.

Introduction to the Rietveld Schröder House

David Altrath photographs the Rietveld Schröder House

German photographer David Altrath delivers a visual narrative of one of architectural modernism’s most radical dwellings—the Rietveld Schröder House in Utrecht, Netherlands. Designed in 1924 by Gerrit Rietveld for the Dutch socialite Truus Schröder-Schräder, the home stands as a three-dimensional manifesto of the De Stijl movement. Through Altrath’s crisp compositions, the series offers a fresh perspective on a house that, over a century later, still feels like it belongs to the future.

all images by David Altrath

De Stijl’s Legacy Lives On in Utrecht

Altrath’s images reveal the innovative structure of the residence, drawing attention to the relationship formed by the lines, planes, and bold primary colors that compose its visual language. With no fixed corners, sliding panels, and jutting planes, Rietveld dissolves the divide between inside and outside. Altrath casts his lens on this interplay of openness with precision, letting light and shadow animate the architecture’s geometric rigor.

The adaptable interior layout of the Rietveld Schröder House, where walls move and rooms shift to accommodate daily life, comes alive through Altrath’s series. His shots focus on the architectural decisions that challenged the rigid domestic norms of the 1920s, instead proposing a flexible, living architecture rooted in abstraction, freedom, and clarity. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, the dwelling is one of the few built expressions of De Stijl principles in architecture.

David Altrath delivers a visual narrative of one of architectural modernism’s most radical dwellings

the Rietveld Schröder House in Utrecht was designed in 1924 by Gerrit Rietveld

the home stands as a three-dimensional manifesto of the De Stijl movement

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Rietveld Schröder House, as captured by David Altrath, is a testament to the enduring legacy of De Stijl and its principles of abstraction, freedom, and clarity. The house, with its innovative structure and adaptable interior layout, continues to inspire architects and designers to this day. Through Altrath’s images, we are able to experience the house in a new and fresh way, appreciating its radical design and its contribution to the development of modern architecture. As a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Rietveld Schröder House remains an important cultural and historical landmark, and Altrath’s photographs serve as a powerful reminder of its significance and beauty.