Author: Pooja Khanna Tyagi

Designed by Byben, the Offset ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) transforms compact residential living through a carefully crafted balance of architecture, landscape, and flexibility. Built on the footprint of an existing garage, the 79-square-meter accessory dwelling unit was conceived as a standalone structure instead of a direct addition to the main house. This strategy allowed the project to introduce a bold sculptural presence while transforming the backyard into a more dynamic and usable environment. Created for a family seeking additional living space, including a media room and flexible bedroom-office, the project demonstrates how thoughtful design can maximize both indoor functionality and…

Nestled within a lush 1.38-acre site in Samut Prakarn, Thailand, Baan Saikhoo by Anonym transforms a forgotten family land into a deeply personal sanctuary shaped by nature itself. Instead of clearing the wetlands and dense vegetation, architects Phongphat Ueasangkhomset and Parnduangjai Roojnawate allowed two majestic banyan trees to become the emotional and spatial heart of the project. The result is a home that feels less like a constructed object and more like an extension of the landscape. Designing Around the Twin Banyan Trees The defining gesture of the house is its relationship with the two enormous banyan trees standing at…

Lisbon’s abandoned mall has been transformed into the vibrant Oriente Green Campus by Kohn Pedersen Fox, Saraiva+Associados, and landscape studio LJ-Group. Once a stalled commercial project left untouched since 2012, the massive structure now serves as a forward-thinking innovation hub filled with offices, laboratories, academic facilities, and collaborative workspaces. The project stands as one of Lisbon’s most ambitious examples of adaptive reuse and sustainable urban regeneration. Adaptive Reuse of Lisbon’s Abandoned Mall Shapes a Sustainable Future Instead of demolishing the abandoned structure, the design team preserved an impressive 91 percent of the existing building. This strategic approach significantly reduced embodied…

On the edge of the Wuyuan River National Wetland Park in Haikou, the Hainan Science Museum has opened as a major new cultural landmark in China. Developed by MAD, the 46,528-square-meter museum has already drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors within months of opening. Designed as a continuous journey instead of a traditional exhibition building, it transforms science into an immersive spatial experience shaped by movement, nature, and discovery. A Civic Landmark Rooted in Education and Public Life The Hainan Science Museum is positioned within a dense educational zone surrounded by more than 30 schools and kindergartens. This location defines…

Planned for San Diego’s iconic waterfront, the new Navy SEAL Museum by ZGF Architects is designed as a landmark dedicated to preserving the history, sacrifice, and legacy of the United States Navy SEALs. More than a traditional museum, the project combines immersive storytelling, public gathering spaces, youth education programs, and civic engagement. Positioned among some of San Diego’s most visited cultural destinations, the museum is envisioned as a tribute to service and a dynamic public destination connected to the city’s maritime identity. A Waterfront Landmark Rooted in Military Heritage The Navy SEAL Museum’s location reflects the deep relationship between San…

In Kolkata, India, the ITC Green Center by Morphogenesis redefines the modern mixed-use campus through climate-responsive architecture, public art, and sustainable urban planning. Spread across 17 acres in Rajarhat’s rapidly expanding IT district, the development combines corporate offices, hospitality spaces, residences, and a knowledge center within a pedestrian-focused environment inspired by Bengal’s climate and cultural identity. Rather than treating sustainability as an added feature, the project integrates passive cooling, natural ventilation, adaptable workspaces, and large-scale artistic interventions directly into its architectural language. The result is a high-performance campus that balances environmental responsibility with regional storytelling, setting a new benchmark for…

Located within Shenzhen’s rapidly regenerating Longhua District, the Fucheng Campus of Shenzhen Longhua Foreign Languages School transforms the idea of the contemporary urban school into a dynamic and interconnected educational environment. Designed by Z&Z STUDIO, the nine-year campus carefully responds to its dense urban village context through layered green spaces, flexible learning zones, and community-oriented planning. Accommodating 2,520 students across primary and middle school levels, the project combines architecture, landscape, and public accessibility into a cohesive campus experience shaped by light, movement, and interaction. Urban Regeneration Shapes a Community-Centered Campus Situated within a high-density neighborhood, the Shenzhen Longhua Foreign Languages…

Designed by MIA Design Studio, the Lotus Clubhouse is conceived as a living organism or an architectural expression that breathes in harmony with its terrain and surrounding ecology. The design steps beyond a standalone design and appears to emerge from the land, shaped by natural slopes, vegetation, and its orientation toward the lake. The project establishes a dialogue between architecture, landscape, and cultural context, dissolving boundaries between built form and nature. An Architecture That Emerges from the Land The Lotus clubhouse is organized as a series of smaller volumes dispersed beneath the forest canopy across a 2,000-square-meter site. These structures…

Designed by von Gerkan, Marg and Partners Architects, the Qingdao Science & Technology Museum stands on Hong Island as a major cultural and scientific landmark overlooking Jiaozhou Bay. The project reflects Qingdao’s position as one of China’s leading centers for marine research while also acting as a catalyst for future waterfront development. Rooted in themes of water, marine science, and public engagement, the museum combines exhibition spaces, conference facilities, public circulation paths, and panoramic sea views within a compact yet expressive architectural form. Expanding Qingdao’s Scientific and Cultural Waterfront Since the 1980s, Qingdao has steadily expanded around Jiaozhou Bay, evolving…

New construction images from Andenes, Norway, reveal The Whale by Dorte Mandrup taking shape along a raw Arctic coastline. The project does not impose itself on the landscape but grows out of it, following the fractured edge where land dissolves into the Norwegian Sea. The structure reads as a low, continuous ripple pressed into the rocky islets, an architectural gesture that feels closer to terrain than building. With the lighthouse and coastal settlement of Andenes still present in the background, the intervention remains grounded within a living, working shoreline shaped by wind, water, and time. A Coastal Form Shaped by…