Infinite Machine unveils Olto, an e-bike with an aluminum body, magnetic foldable pedals, and an automatic lock that prevents outsiders from stealing or moving it. From afar, it resembles a scooter because of its frame, but riders can take it on bike lanes with no issues. It runs on an electric motor, but if the riders need an assist, they can swivel and start using the pedals. Design-wise, it can accommodate two people while still carrying objects using the underseat handles. The footpegs, other than the pedals, are hidden and can be pulled out for the rear passenger.

Instead of the conventional softly rounded seat, the one on Infinite Machine’s Olto e-bike has a square shape, allowing for a wider space. Under the seat, the boxy stem hides the swappable battery. When riders need to change it, they pull up the seat, pull out the battery, and insert a newly charged one. At the front, the headlamps are positioned at the lower frame, just above the tire, to flash both high and low beams. Around Infinite Machine’s Olto e-bike are modular components, too. Aside from the optional accessories, riders can also attach a child carrier, a rear rack, a basket, and a center panel around and on the two-wheeler.

all images courtesy of Infinite Machine

Automatic steering and wheel lock to avoid thefts

A minimal design marks the modest style of Infinite Machine’s Olto e-bike. It’s clean to look at because, unlike conventional e-bikes, and even scooters, it only has two hues, and one of them is its aluminum material. There aren’t any designs splashed across the frame too, which helps with it looking stainless. The two-wheeler is also high-tech and theft-proof, as the company says. Riders of Infinite Machine’s Olto e-bike can connect it to the internet so they can track their vehicle via GPS using its app. There’s also a dedicated AirTag slot, so users can pair it up with Apple’s Find My Network. When parked, the ride locks the steering and wheels on its own.

In this case, it’s difficult for non-owners to move or steal it. If someone tries to, the e-bike goes off with an alarm sound, and the owners receive an instant notification on their smartphones. Riders can also use the app to monitor the mileage, battery percentage, and tampering alerts of the vehicle as well as to unlock and lock it. Specs-wise, Infinite Machine’s Olto e-bike has 40 miles of range, can run a top speed of 20 miles per hour on bike lanes, and cruise up to 33 miles per hour off-road. It comes with a dual-suspension frame and a 750-watt rear hub motor, while the battery is charged at 50 percent in an hour. The e-bike’s delivery begins in Fall 2025.

Infinite Machine unveils Olto, an e-bike with an aluminum body

the two-wheeler comes with an automatic lock that prevents outsiders from stealing or moving it

the front headlamps are just above the wheel

if the riders need an assist, they can swivel and start using the pedals

Instead of the conventional softly rounded seat, the one on the e-bike has a square shape

the delivery of the vehicle starts in Fall 2025

project info:

name: Olto

company: Infinite Machine | @infinitemachine

The post infinite machine releases olto, an aluminum e-bike with magnetic foldable pedals appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Elmaghraby Design House, in collaboration with Professor Dr. Gamal El-Kholy, takes over the rehabilitation of a disused lecture hall at Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt. The project has resulted in a significant addition to the campus, a multi-functional theater that introduces a new architectural identity through adaptive reuse. The architecture demonstrates a sustainable approach by reactivating an existing structure rather than initiating new construction, aligning with broader goals of resource efficiency and architectural preservation.

At the center of the design concept is the metaphor of the theater curtain, which informs both the programmatic transition and the architectural expression. The new facade, composed of a transparent glass curtain wall system and a series of parametric aluminum louvers, embodies this idea. The louvers, configured to respond dynamically to light and perspective, modulate transparency and shadow, giving the building a variable presence depending on time and viewpoint. This facade system also provides environmental performance by offering solar shading while maintaining visual openness. The glass curtain wall establishes visual continuity with the campus environment, reflecting adjacent structures and reinforcing contextual integration. Simultaneously, the parametric aluminum elements introduce a contemporary architectural language that distinguishes the theater from its more conventional surroundings.

contextual view blending new and existing elements | all images courtesy of Elmaghraby Design House

Ain Shams University Theater stands as the campus landmark

Internally, Elmaghraby Design House’s architectural team reorganizes the program to support dual academic and cultural functions. A fully equipped theater with a 550-seat capacity has been introduced, designed to accommodate a wide range of performances and events. In addition, two-tiered lecture halls, with a combined capacity of 1,200 students, extend the building’s usability for educational purposes. This hybrid configuration enables the structure to serve as both a learning environment and a cultural venue, fostering interdisciplinary interaction and community engagement.

By retaining the original structure and reimagining its function, the project minimizes material waste and conserves embedded energy. The intervention reinforces the role of architecture in evolving institutional identity, where form, function, and context are reassessed to meet contemporary needs. The Ain Shams University Theater now stands as a campus landmark, articulating a renewed commitment to cultural expression, academic versatility, and sustainable transformation through architectural design.

revitalized landscape creating vibrant campus edges

main entrance framed by dynamic aluminum fins

louver detail contrasting with soft landscape elements

the facade design draws from the metaphor of a theater curtain

vertical louvers animate the facade with movement

glass reflects the surrounding buildings, bridging old and new

close-up of louvers revealing layered depth and texture

aluminum louvers modulate shadow and light based on orientation and time of day

detail of parametric louvers casting rhythmic shadows

elevation reflecting the new architectural identity

at night, the facade opens like a stage curtain

project info:

name: Ain Shams University Theater Rehabilitation
architects: Elmaghraby Design House | @designed.by.elmaghraby

lead architect: Ahmed El-Maghraby

collaborator: Prof. Dr. Gamal El-Kholy

client: Ain Shams Government
location: Cairo, Egypt

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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On the outskirts of Gradačac, a town in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, The House for Five Women, a vibrant residence by architecture studio TEN, rises from the countryside to defy conventional housing models through an architecture of care, resilience, and collective authorship.

Designed in collaboration with local activist Hazima Smajlović, NGO Naš Izvor, Engineers Without Borders, and the Gradačac municipality, the project provides a permanent home for five single women who have survived war, displacement, and systemic neglect. Positioned between privacy and solidarity, the house proposes a new paradigm for cohabitation with five individual living units clustered around communal spaces for gathering, working, and growing food.

Artist Shirana Shahbazi shaped the striking facade of the building, composing a vibrant arrangement of large, colored aluminum panels in shades of pink, red, green, and deep blue. Though seemingly spontaneous, the composition is carefully calibrated, with each panel being custom-made in a local car painter’s workshop. Their rippled, high-gloss surfaces catch and distort reflections, transforming the shell into a shifting, almost liquid canvas that responds to light, weather, and movement.

all images by Maxime Delvaux, Adrien de Hemptinne

Shirana Shahbazi composes colorful aluminum facade

Rather than imposing an external vision, the project, developed by Zurich-based collective TEN, emerged through years of on-site dialogue and intergenerational exchange. Each design decision, down to the textures of the floors and the species of trees planted, was made in close collaboration with local tradespeople, volunteers, and craftspeople, embedding the house deeply into both its physical and social context. Working in parallel with TEN, landscape architect Daniel Ganz orchestrated the integration of the site with the topography, planting trees sourced from the area and designing a garden meant not only for food production but also as a space of care, ritual, and shared activity.

One of the most striking elements of The House for Five Women is its facade, a lively surface orchestrated by Iranian photographer Shirana Shahbazi using vibrant color compositions and material contrasts. Shahbazi’s interventions turn the building into a living tapestry, changing with the light, the seasons, and the daily rhythms of its inhabitants. This visual dynamism signals the presence of life, creativity, and shared purpose in a landscape marked by both beauty and historical trauma.

The House for Five Women, a vibrant residence by architecture studio TEN

collaborating with local workers for solidarity design

Beneath this expressive crown, the ground level contrasts with radical clarity. A continuous band of vertically aligned glass doors and fixed windows runs the length of the elevation, framed by raw concrete volumes at either end. This transparency anchors the building to the ground and opens the communal interior to the outside world.

The process of building the house, as much as the final structure, reflects TEN’s ethos. The team approaches design as a relational practice. Collaborations with local metalworkers, car painters, and carpet repairers brought knowledge and resources together across social and cultural divides. In doing so, the project acts as a micro-institute where design, art, and social work converge to imagine new infrastructures of care. TEN sees this as a prototype for what design can become when it abandons spectacle in favor of solidarity.

The House for Five Women builds a foundation for dignity, autonomy, and interconnected living. In a region where the aftermath of war still shapes daily life, the project reclaims the built environment as a site of healing. 

a vibrant arrangement of large, colored aluminum panels fronts the building

the composition is carefully calibrated, with each panel being custom-made in a local car painter’s workshop

each design decision was made in close collaboration with local tradespeople, volunteers, and craftspeople

the project emerged through years of on-site dialogue and intergenerational exchange

the project provides a permanent home for five single women who have survived war and displacement

concrete, wood and tiles clad the interior

The House for Five Women builds a foundation for dignity, autonomy, and interconnected living

reclaiming the built environment as a site of healing

the project acts as a micro-institute where design, art, and social work converge

project info:

name: The House for Five Women

architect: TEN | @ten_studio

location: Gradačac, Bosnia and Herzegovina

collaborators: Hazima Smajlović, NGO Naš Izvor, Engineers Without Borders, Municipality of Gradačac, Bessire Winter (initial phase)

structure: Dr. Miodrag Grbić

landscape architect: Daniel Ganz

facade artist: Shirana Shahbazi | @shiranashahbazi

supporter: foundation Naš Izvor

photographer: Maxime Delvaux | @maxdelv, Adrien de Hemptinne | @adriendehemptinne

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Airstream partners with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation to release the Usonian Limited Edition Travel Trailer, a 28-foot mobile living space inspired by Wright’s architectural principles. Only 200 units are scheduled to be produced until 2027, each one merging Airstream’s traditional riveted aluminum shell with design elements drawn from Wright’s Usonian vision—compact, efficient homes built with a strong connection to nature. Developed collaboratively between Airstream’s design team in Jackson Center, Ohio, and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation at Taliesin West in Arizona, the trailer combines mid-century modern aesthetics with adaptable interiors suited for travel, camping and everyday use.

all images courtesy of Airstream

Usonian Principles Applied to Mobile Living

Wright coined the term Usonian to describe a distinctly American architectural approach: modest, well-crafted homes with open layouts, built-in furniture, and a strong relationship to the surrounding environment. This design philosophy shaped the interior layout of the Usonian Limited Edition trailer, a collaboration between the Ohio-based team at Airstream and the Arizona foundation dedicated to Frank Lloyd Wright.

The result is a highly adaptable living space that reflects Wright’s principles and Airstream’s emphasis on efficient, mobile design. A rear sleeping area features twin beds that convert into a king-sized bed at the push of a button, with custom slipcovers and bolsters that transform the room into a daytime lounge. At the front of the trailer, a modular lounge serves as a dining area, workspace, or secondary sleeping area. Chairs and a stool collapse and stow within custom cabinetry, maximizing use of space without sacrificing comfort.

Airstream’s traditional aluminum shell meets design elements drawn from Wright’s Usonian vision

Design Details: Materials, Light, and Layout

The trailer interior emphasizes natural light and open views. A total of 29 windows, including two skylights and circular portholes, offer more glass surface than any other Airstream model to date. Overhead storage was reduced to make room for windows at sitting and standing height, reinforcing the indoor-outdoor connection central to Wright’s designs.

The color palette is based on Wright’s 1955 Martin-Senour Paint Collection, featuring earthy reds, mustard yellows, ochres, and turquoise tones drawn from the American desert. Floating shelves, open floor plans, and a custom slatted ceiling light fixture—inspired by a Taliesin West design—contribute to the trailer’s visual continuity and mid-century atmosphere.

only 200 units are scheduled to be produced until 2027

Historic Patterns and Limited Edition Features

Wright’s influence appears not only in the layout but also in the detailing. The Gordon Leaf Pattern, a geometric motif originally created by Wright associate Eugene Masselink, is used throughout the trailer—in lighting, cabinet panels, and doors. Each trailer is numbered and features special edition badging, including Wright’s signature Taliesin Red tile on the exterior. Interior furnishings also reflect Wright’s style, including deep, high-back lounge cushions and shelves designed for displaying books or travel keepsakes. USB charging ports are discreetly built into shelving for convenience.

The trailer has a GVWR of 7,600 lbs, making it towable by many full-size SUVs and trucks. It is available through Airstream dealers nationwide, with pricing starting at $184,900.

Wright’s influence appears not only in the layout but also in the detailing

the unit features a total of 29 windows, including two skylights and circular portholes

the highly adaptable living space reflects Wright’s principles and Airstream’s emphasis mobile design

the trailer interior emphasizes natural light and open views

overhead storage was reduced to make room for windows

the color paletter includes earthy reds, mustard yellows, ochres, and turquoise tones

interior furnishings also reflect Wright’s style

project info: 

name: Usonian Limited Edition Travel Trailer
company: Airstream | @airstream_inc
in collaboration with: Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation | @wrighttaliesin

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Automobili Pininfarina releases Battista Novantacinque (95), a Hyper GT with rotary controls machined from aluminum. Debuted at the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile (MAUTO) in Turin, Italy, the vehicle is a tribute to the 95th anniversary of Pininfarina SpA. The Hyper GT also marks the last bespoke Battista from the car manufacturer, as it concludes producing such at the end of 2025. In this case, the Battista Novantacinque, which is also a one-off commission, secures the spot of being a collector’s vehicle since the company isn’t producing it in limited quantity.

The model, then, is an homage to the design history of Pininfarina. It begins with the exterior using the material named exposed signature carbon. It has a glossy, deep shade of red, a color that’s connected to Italy, the birth country of the car manufacturer. The design team uses a tailored paint scheme for the Pininfarina Battista Novantacinque Hyper GT. It includes the shiny PURA Vision Gold paint as well as the Nero Torino black paint, still with a glossy finish. There’s a gold line accenting and complementing these three colors around the exterior.

all images courtesy of Pininfarina

Anodized and machined aluminum for the knobs

The Automobili Pininfarina team adds the name Novantacinque on the back wing of the Battista Hyper GT. It seals the car’s status, restating that this is the last of its kind. For the wheels, the spokes resemble starfish, and the tires have a polished, uncolored finish. They also have black details in the channels to match the black brake calipers. Now for the aluminum parts. These elements have undergone a process called anodizing, which creates a hard and protective layer around them to protect them from scratches and make them sturdy. 

For the Battista Novantacinque Hyper GT, Automobili Pininfarina designs rotary controls machined from aluminum. These are the knobs that turn to adjust the vehicle’s settings. Because of the machined aluminum, these controls subtly stand out inside the cabin. They’re also only made for this final Battista variant. As part of the tribute, parts of the cabin refer to Italy, whether by design or material, including the floor mats as well as the chassis and door plates.

Automobili Pininfarina releases Battista Novantacinque, a Hyper GT with controls machined from aluminum

A celebration of Pininarina’s 95 years

For the seats, the design team uses black leather and black Alcantara, a synthetic material that feels like suede. The seats have stitching in two colors: black and gold. This style matches the car’s exterior colors, with the gold line around the lower panel of the doors as well as the exposed signature carbon. Even the knee pads use black Alcantara, and they bear the logo ‘95’ engraved in gold to recall the name of the model.

In light of the last Battista production model, Paolo Dellachà, CEO of Automobili Pininfarina, says that the Hyper GT represents ‘the pinnacle of bespoke luxury and performance. It is a tribute to Pininfarina’s past, present, and future—a timeless masterpiece created to honor 95 years of design excellence. It is only befitting that the Novantacinque is the final expression of the Battista line. With the window to secure a place in this rare chapter of automotive history drawing to a close, the Novantacinque stands as an icon to be treasured for generations.’

the exterior has a glossy, deep shade of red, a color that’s connected to Italy

the frame uses the material named exposed signature carbon

the design team uses a tailored paint scheme for the Pininfarina Battista Novantacinque Hyper GT

there’s a gold line accenting and complementing the exterior colors

view of the butterfly doors

for the seats, the design team uses black leather and black Alcantara

as shown above, even the knee pads use black Alcantara, and they bear the logo ‘95’

the cabin evidently shows two colors: gold and black

as seen, view of the knob machined from aluminum

project info:

name: Battista Novantacinque Hyper GT

car manufacturer: Automobili Pininfarina | @automobilipininfarinaofficial

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De Tomaso P72 reveals its production-ready model, and it revives the analog dials of the 1960s sports cars. First introduced as a concept vehicle at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the final form of the automobile comes through with a carbon fiber structure. It steps away from the digital world. In the cabin, there are no digital screens: no infotainment, no overlays, no eye glares. Instead, the design team places analog dials, switchgear, and a cockpit, all of which are handcrafted, hand-brushed, and hand-polished in rose-gold aluminum.

In the middle, there’s an exposed linkage shifter, suspended like a sculpture, polished in metal. It connects the driver to the six-speed gearbox. To still adapt to the modern world, the design team adds a discreet phone holder. Here, at least, drivers can affix their smartphones while they’re on the road, their minimal connection to the digital world. Made by hand is the ethos that De Tomaso sees for the P72 sports car. The design team says that they work on every surface inside manually, from hand-stitched leather to the finishing of machined metal. For both the exterior and interior, artisans have milled the aluminum components, treating them with bead-blasting for a final touch.

all images courtesy of De Tomaso Automobili

Singular carbon-fiber structure from front to rear

For the P72 sports car, De Tomaso forges the frame from carbon fiber, completely redesigned from scratch. The structure uses a weaving technique called 4×4 twill weave, giving it a diagonal pattern. The numbers refer to the over-under pattern of the fibers. The carbon fiber structure continues forward and backward to include the front and rear subframes. Then, there are no bonded sections of the components around the frame. It’s singular, formed as it is without pieces or parts. The team tailors the final structure to support the sports car’s low-slung driving position. Under the carbon monocoque, there’s a a push-rod suspension system, developed for a classical driving feel. 

Specs-wise, the De Tomaso sports car runs on a hand-assembled 5.0L supercharged V8. It helps the P72 produce 700 hp and 820 Nm of torque. There are no drive modes installed in the automobile. As the company describes it, it’s just the road, the engine, and the driver. The De Tomaso P72 sports car production specification unit represents the model’s final design, engineering, and build. There are only 72 units produced for this series, each of which are individually commissioned and crafted with tailored finishes and designs. Custodian deliveries start in late 2025.

De Tomaso P72 reveals its production-ready model

the design team says that they work on every surface inside manually

for both the exterior and interior, artisans have milled the aluminum components

the team forges the frame from carbon fiber, completely redesigned from scratch

a view inside the automobile

there are no digital screens; instead, there are analog dials

the custodian deliveries start in late 2025

project info:

name: P72

company: De Tomaso | @detomaso_official

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The Quartet – Songzhuang Z Museum, designed by TEAM_BLDG, repurposes a 1990s concrete house into China‘s first contemporary rural art museum dedicated to weaving. Positioned in the mountain village of Songzhuang, Zhejiang, within the landscape’s traditional rammed-earth homes, the museum’s design embraces the contrast with its surroundings while resonating with the rural village’s spirit. The building is composed of four vertically staggered volumes, creating a dynamic composition that serves as a ‘quartet’ of forms.

The design draws inspiration from traditional textile weaving, using red-and-white aluminum lattices to form a delicate facade that shifts in hue throughout the day. The aluminum square tubes, arranged to simulate the warp and weft of fabric, allow for a changing visual effect that shifts from translucent pink to ghostly white depending on the weather and time of day. This approach transforms the building’s mass into something lighter and more ephemeral, adding depth and texture to the structure.

Z museum is nestled in a 600-year-old ancient village | all images by Jonathan Leijonhufvud

TEAM_BLDG’s design draws from traditional Chinese weaving

Internally, the museum emphasizes clarity and connection between interior and exterior spaces. A ‘light well’ cuts through the building, providing natural light and warmth while connecting the three levels visually and physically. The architectural team at TEAM_BLDG organizes the layout of the exhibition halls around this central shaft, offering views of other visitors and of the surrounding landscape. Reconfigured window openings frame the views of the village, enabling interaction between the interior artwork and the external environment. The museum’s rooftop terrace offers panoramic views of Songzhuang, further blending the museum with the natural landscape.

The interior also features a custom ‘LOOM’ furniture series for the museum’s café and shop, inspired by traditional weaving forms. Constructed with red woven straps and square steel tube frames, these pieces echo the exterior latticework, continuing the theme of weaving throughout the interior design. The overall design balances contemporary architectural interventions with the preservation of the building’s original character, creating a space that resonates with both modernity and tradition.

the colors of each facade shift and transform with the changing light

four staggered volumes form the core of the museum’s composition

foliage of peach blossoms interacts with the weaved facade

the height difference of the terrace provides more possibilities for various activities

the rooftop embodies the ‘Four Waters Returning to the Courtyard’ essence from traditional architecture

divided into four volumes, the structure comes closer to the scale of the village

Z museum aims to weave itself into the village environment

Z Museum seen through the age-old alleyways

aluminum lattices mimic textile weaving with red and white square-cut tubes

each grille on the facade has a white front, while the other three sides are earth red

the external skin’s grilles filter mountain views

the staircase on the third floor serves as a semi-outdoor space

the grilles cast shadows on the flower bed booths

project info:

name: The Quartet – Songzhuang Z Museum
architect: TEAM_BLDG | @team__bldg

location: Songyang, Zhejiang, China

area: 472 sqm

lead architects: Xiao Lei, Deng Caiyi, Shen Ruijie

operator: Mountain Creations

curatorial team: CSC Communis 

structure: GongHe Architecture Design Group Co.,Ltd.

custom furniture, lighting design: TEAM_BLDG

VI design: TEAM_BLDG

photographer: Jonathan Leijonhufvud | @jonathan_leijonhufvud

photography assistant: Wai Wai

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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Oman’s inaugural pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale considers how traditional communal space can be adapted for contemporary urban life. Titled Traces and curated by young architect Majeda Alhinai, the exhibition addresses this intersection of the local and the universal by drawing from the spatial and social logic of the Sablah — a customary Omani gathering space that has long embodied practices of hosting, dialogue, and collective presence. She frames the pavilion as a generative and adaptable site that encourages informal encounters and invites new modes of shared use within a new context. ‘Our intention was not simply to showcase heritage, but to explore how architecture can embody values of togetherness, adaptability, and memory,’ Alhinai tells designboom.

A sinuous form anchors the exhibition, shaped from bands of folded raw aluminium stitched together into a silhouette that ambiguously presents itself as a host and a threshold while remaining uncontained by fixed boundaries. As it twists and contorts, the structure forms an unbound shelter and a surface that produces moments of compression and openness. Without a formal interior or exterior, the structure offers no single point of entry or prescribed use, inviting visitors to pass through, gather, or remain. A directional sound installation overhead, referred to by the team as a sound shower, diffuses fragments of daily life, including Arabic conversations, rhythmic chanting, and motion. Encircling its base and in contrast with its sleek materiality are a series of natural benches woven from palm fronds, inspired by the earth of Oman.

all images courtesy of Oman Pavilion

adapting traditional civic spaces for contemporary contexts

This ambiguity of form and function reflects the Sablah’s informality. Frequently seen throughout Oman’s rural villages and urban settings, from intimate interiors to shaded public spaces outdoors, the Sablah has traditionally continued to absorb the rhythms of everyday social life. Majeda Alhinai’s Traces draws from this adaptability, translating it into a sculptural architectural language that follows a logic of modular precision marked with light, ornamental gestures. ‘The Sablah is used not as a symbol,’ Alhinai tells designboom,‘but as a methodology: its open circulation, shared presence, and inherent hospitality are translated into architectural strategies for a new kind of civic space.’

Each aluminum panel of the structure is custom-cut and perforated with patterns derived from Omani craft and vernacular infrastructure, including palm frond weaving, carved wooden doors, and the branching geometries of the falaj irrigation system. While a nod to the decorative motifs of these crafts, these references soften the industrial finish of the pavilion and structure the experiential element of the space. ‘These references go beyond ornament; they function as spatial tools that shape light, structure, and atmosphere,’ the curator adds.

Oman debuts at the Venice Architecture Biennale

a modular structure rooted in social responsibility

Beyond its conceptual grounding, the Oman Pavilion works as a proposition that foregrounds architecture as a medium of social responsibility, aligned with the 19th Architecture Biennale’s curatorial theme: Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective.. As the pavilions and exhibitions on view throughout Venice spark important conversations around architectural innovation, critical discourse, and creative exchange, Traces begins by looking to one of Oman’s most traditional civic traditions and materializes it into a contemporary architectural strategy.

‘In response to Carlo Ratti’s theme,’ curator Majeda Alhinai shares with us, ‘Traces engages architecture as an intelligent medium that connects the Natural, Artificial, and Collective. It demonstrates how cultural memory and local intelligence can generate contemporary forms that are both context-specific and globally resonant, offering a civic architecture that is as much about reuse and responsibility as it is about identity and presence.’

Traces considers how traditional communal space can be adapted for contemporary urban life

The structure’s role as a host and a fluid space of representation will continue throughout the run of the Biennale as it will become activated by a series of planned talks and informal gatherings. Its material construction also reinforces this ethic, as the structure is entirely modular and designed for full disassembly without waste. All of its components have been developed with reuse in mind, and after the Biennale concludes, the pavilion will be transported back to Oman and permanently reinstalled as a public space.

the structure draws one the spatial and social logic of the Sablah — a customary Omani gathering space

shaped from bands of folded aluminium stitched together into a sinuous silhouette

marked with light, ornamental gestures

‘Traces engages architecture as an intelligent medium that connects the Natural, Artificial, and Collective’

the structure is entirely modular and designed for full disassembly without waste

after the Biennale concludes, the pavilion will head to Oman and be permanently reinstalled as a public space

project info:

name: Oman Pavilion — Traces

curator: Majeda Alhinai | @majedaalhinai

exhibitors: Majeda Alhinai, William Virgil, Jalila Almamari, Abdullah Alrashdi, Ben Elmer, Ian Fennimore

location: Arsenale, Venice, Italy

program: Venice Architecture Biennale | @labiennale

dates: May 10th — November 23rd, 2025

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COSMOPLAST by Marcela Coppari is a modular design system developed using recycled plastic and aluminum components. The project addresses the environmental impact of plastic waste by incorporating it as a structural and aesthetic element in functional, adaptable furniture. The system integrates principles of reuse, modularity, and flexible assembly. The design consists of a set of geometric plates, like semicircles, circles, rectangles, and squares, in two different sizes. These are connected using aluminum tubes of varying heights (4.5, 20, 30, 42, and 72 cm) and 5 cm-diameter connector pieces made from recycled plastic. The system supports vertical and horizontal expansion, allowing multiple configurations such as tables, seats, and shelves.

Connections between elements are made through a press-fit system, which simplifies assembly and disassembly using a rubber mallet. Plates are perforated on their faces and edges to support multidirectional assembly. The connector elements define spatial joints and enable further extension in any direction, offering adaptable solutions for varied functional needs.

all images by Juan B. Arnaudo

Marcela Coppari’s COSMOPLAST follows Circular Design Approach

Each COSMOPLAST kit includes a plate module, aluminum tubes, and connectors, packaged in a compact, portable format using a textile bag and flat cardboard box. The materials used are R-PEAD recycled plastic and aluminum, both fully recyclable. The plastic components are CNC-machined, and aluminum parts are laser-cut and finished with epoxy paint. All components are handcrafted in Argentina, with plastic plate manufacturing by Necológica in Necochea. Designer Marcela Coppari’s approach emphasizes the integration of geometry, structure, and material reuse to create scalable, customizable objects that address sustainable design and responsible material use.

modular furniture system made from recycled plastic and aluminum

COSMOPLAST combines structural function with sustainable materials

geometric plate modules include circles, squares, rectangles, and semicircles

aluminum tubes in varying heights provide structural flexibility

press-fit connections simplify assembly without mechanical fasteners

each module connects using 5 cm recycled plastic joints

all elements are recyclable and locally produced in Argentina

system supports furniture forms such as tables, benches, and shelving

perforated plates enable connections in any direction

assembly is portable, modular, and reconfigurable

modular furniture components promote experimentation with spatial forms

COSMOPLAST explores geometry, adaptability, and environmental responsibility

each COSMOPLAST kit comes in a flat-pack textile and cardboard package

project info:

name: COSMOPLAST
development and creative direction: Marcela Coppari | @marcelacoppari.studio

manufacturing of recycled plastic plates: Necológica. Necochea, Argentina

photographer: Juan B. Arnaudo | @jb.arnaudo

The post recycled plastic plates compose marcela coppari’s cosmoplast modular furniture series appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Fernando Romero reveals the design for a new medical facility in Los Cabos, Mexico, developed for Christus Muguerza and Christus Health. Positioned just 300 meters from the coast and visible from the nearby airport, the Christus Muguerza Hospital Los Cabos aims to become a regional landmark that addresses complex environmental and clinical demands. A double-skin facade wraps around the hospital, with aluminum louvers that mitigate heat gain, preserve outward views, and withstand the corrosive coastal climate. Biophilic design principles are also applied throughout, including integrated greenery and framed views to reduce the clinical atmosphere often associated with healthcare spaces.

A radial plan defines the form and program, organizing the hospital into three primary arms and with three distinct access points — public, emergency, and service — that minimize conflict between circulation paths. One arm is rotated to create direct access to planted rooftop terraces from each patient wing. This layout, rooted in historical hospital typologies, has been reinterpreted to maximize ocean and mountain views, bring natural light into all inpatient rooms, and integrate planted rooftop terraces into each patient wing. Construction has just begun, with completion targeted for 2028.

all images courtesy of Fernando Romero

fernando romero adapts historic typologies

To begin with, Fernando Romero’s studio conducted research into hospital design history, finding recurring examples of circular and radial organization across centuries. This informed the architects‘ approach, which adapts these typologies to the local context through rotation and elevation. The resulting design reduces wind resistance, a critical consideration in a hurricane-prone region, and enhances spatial clarity through a central light-filled atrium. A series of terraces enhances this as they wrap around the Christus Muguerza Hospital’s curves, intended as part of a broader therapeutic strategy that incorporates landscape and open air into the healing environment.

On the ground level, the architects have organized key clinical functions for efficiency, with emergency, radiology, obstetrics, and surgical services arranged to streamline operations. Inpatient rooms span the upper two floors, with provisions for family members and direct access to outdoor terraces. A chapel is positioned above the main entrance, forming a visual and symbolic anchor, marked by a cross articulated in the facade. Public services such as a café, pharmacy, and outpatient consultation areas are placed on the entry level for intuitive access.

a radial plan defines Christus Muguerza Hospital

a double-skin facade wraps around the facility, with aluminum louvers that mitigate heat gain

project info:

name: Christus Muguerza Hospital

architect: Fernando Romero | @free_fernando_romero

location: Los Cabos, Mexico

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