The remote village of Mulegns in the Swiss Alps has welcomed the dubbed tallest 3D printed white tower in the area, Tor Alva. Unveiled on May 20th, 2025, it is the Origen cultural foundation that led the work in collaboration with ETH Zurich. From May 23rd onwards, the 3D printed white tower is open every day for guided tours. Then, starting July 2025, the space can host staged performances. Tor Alva plans to stay in Mulegns for around five years. After that, it can be dismantled and re-erected elsewhere, but there’s no news yet on where it can head next.

The construction of the White Tower in the remote village of Mulegns in the Swiss Alps began on February 1st, 2024, with the introduction of 3D printed columns of the Tor Alva architecture. The first 8 columns of the lower floor were 3D printed by a robot that extruded soft concrete into multilayered print paths at ETH in Zurich, resulting in a series of joint-based, twisting hollow columns for the White Tower. The 3D printed architecture requires no framework, while the necessary steel reinforcement was inserted in the robotic production process.

all images courtesy of Michael Hansmeyer and Benjamin Dillenburger | photo by Birdviewpicture

Inside the process of the 3D printed white tower

The White Tower, or Tor Alva in Mulegns, Swiss Alps, is designed by architects Benjamin Dillenburger and Michael Hansmeyer. The Digital Building Technologies group of ETH Zurich is developing the tower’s technology in collaboration with the Institute of Structural Analysis and Design (CSBD) and the Institute of Building Materials (PCBM) in the context of the National Competence Center Digital Fabrication. Based on the timeline that Michael Hansmeyer detailed, the 3D printed White Tower had its columns assembled in May 2024.

3D printing became the main tool that realized the architecture of the White Tower. Soft concrete emerged as the key ingredient, and as the robot extruded thin layers of soft concrete through a nozzle, it instinctively directed itself to form geometric, hollow columns until it reached a certain height. The material, being soft concrete, was malleable enough to bond to form homogeneous components. As soon as it hardened, which it did quite quickly, it supported the successive freshly layered extrusion. The design team says that by saving mass and cement, the 3D printing process can also entail a reduction in the carbon emissions generated during production.

the remote village of Mulegns in the Swiss Alps has welcomed Tor Alva | photo by Birdviewpicture

3D printed Tor Alva as an artistic and cultural space

At 30 meters high, including the base, the White Tower may take home the crown for being the tallest 3D printed building in the world. Another feature that the design team highlights comes through the absence of the formwork, given that the concrete is not poured in 3D printing but rather layered in extruded strips by a robot. Adding to this, dismantling the 3D printed White Tower can be easy. In fact, the design team has this in their minds since they might think of rebuilding Tor Alva someplace else after serving its five-year life in the Swiss Alps. It helps that the architecture has a modular design that allows the individual components to be easily assembled and dismantled, and be connected using removable screws instead of adhesives.

Diving into the project’s background, the 3D printed White Tower, or Tor Alva, rises at 30 meters along the Julien mountain in the remote village of Mulegns, Switzerland. It is designed for Fundaziun Origen, functioning as a space for art installations, music, and theater performances. The recently printed hollow columns echo the central interior of the architecture, with the facade being windowless and open, adorned by the criss-cross structure natural to the 3D printing process. The White Tower presents itself as the byproduct of computational design, digital fabrication, structural engineering, and materials science, gradually emerging from the use of soft concrete extrusion.

the tower was unveiled on May 20th, 2025 | photo by CheWei Lin

From the get-go, the 3D printed White Tower already embodies an installative character. If this springs as the first thought, then treating it as a venue for intimate concerts, art affairs, and cultural mediation becomes complementary. Glancing at its design, Tor Alva consists of 32 branching columns that wrap around a series of abstract and atmospheric rooms. From the ground, visitors ascend through the vertical stairs, and once they reach the top floor, the vaulted concert venue greets them alongside the panoramic horizon across the Julier valley. The design team says that the White Tower’s characteristics are reminiscent of the craftsmanship of the master builders of the Baroque era in Grison, brought to life again by 3D printing.

The story was updated on May 21st, 2025, to announce the opening of the tower.

the soft concrete, was malleable enough to bond to form homogeneous components | photo by Benjamin Hofer

view of the 3D printed columns | photo by Nijat Mahamaliyev

inside the Tor Alva | photo by Benjamin Hofer

the 3D printed architecture requires no framework | photo by Nijat Mahamaliyev

view of Tor Alva during wintertime | photo by Michael Hansmeyer and Benjamin Dillenburger

view of the White Tower in village of Mulegns | photo by Benjamin Hofer

the tower can change its lighting color | photo by Michael Hansmeyer and Benjamin Dillenburger

at night, the tower lights up | photo by Michael Hansmeyer and Benjamin Dillenburger

project info:

name: White Tower / Tor Alva

architects: Benjamin Dillenburger, Michael Hansmeyer

technology: Digital Building Technologies of ETH Zurich, Institute of Structural Analysis and Design, Institute of Building Materials

location: Mulegns, Switzerland, on the Julier Pass

The post tor alva, the tallest 3D printed tower in the world, opens in the swiss alps appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

In Zurich’s Seefeld district, Draft. Coffee by RDZ Studio draws from Scandinavian clarity and combines it with Swiss precision. From the moment visitors approach the facade, marked by a naive-style cloud sketch logo on the front window, it’s clear this café is shaped with design intention. The cloud motif sets the tone for a space where soft geometry, minimalism, and tactile materiality converge. Inside, RDZ Studio founders Ida Héritier and Konrad Roslak unfold a design narrative of brushed steel, beeswax-coated surfaces, and sculptural furnishings, centered by a cloud-shaped bar. 

images courtesy of RDZ Studio

cloud bar and beeswax plaster walls complete Draft. Coffee

The centerpiece of the café is a bespoke, cloud-shaped coffee bar fabricated entirely in brushed stainless steel. It anchors Draft. Coffee, echoing the geometry of the accompanying stools whose fluted forms contrast with the sharp linearity of the tables. Wall plaster made from beeswax warms up the industrial coolness of the space, a detail that speaks not just to the RDZ Studio’s commitment to low-impact, sustainable materials.

Bespoke furniture pieces, part of the Zurich-based studio’s Cloud Collection 2024, are paired with curated vintage finds, adding a timeless quality to the café while subtly nodding to reuse as a design ethic. An expressive bench rendered in a woodgrain pattern reminiscent of marbled ash adds visual movement, softening the otherwise industrial material language. Overhead, the lighting casts gentle halos that harmonize with the café’s circular motifs, most strikingly displayed in the graphic wall installation of concentric, glowing discs that seem to hover like portals.

Large street-facing windows invite a generous wash of daylight, activating the nuanced textures and material junctions across the sci-fi retro-futuristic interior. The modulation of light and surface transforms Draft. Coffee into a spatial experience, one that invites lingering, observation, and sensory immersion.

Draft. Coffee by RDZ Studio draws from Scandinavian clarity and combines it with Swiss precision

this café is shaped with design intention

the cloud motif sets the tone for a space where soft geometry, minimalism, and tactile materiality converge

a design narrative of brushed steel, beeswax-coated surfaces, and sculptural furnishings

the lighting casts gentle halos that harmonize with the café’s circular motifs

bespoke furniture pieces are part of the Zurich-based studio’s Cloud Collection 2024

the facade is marked by a naive-style cloud sketch logo on the front window

project info:

name: Draft. Coffee | @draft.thecoffee

architect: RDZ Studio | @rdz_studio

location: Seefeld, Zurich, Switzerland

lead designers: Ida Héritier | @idaheritier, Konrad Roslak | @konradro_

The post RDZ studio sculpts soft futurism into zurich café with floating cloud bar and tactile interiors appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Lightning Symphony by Swiss artist Claudia Comte is a 52-meter inflatable sound sculpture on Basel’s Messeplatz, created for the Eurovision Song Contest. Shaped like giant undulating sound waves, it invites visitors to walk through a glowing, rhythmic corridor where music becomes a physical and visual experience. Located next to the ESC Village, the installation celebrates sound, movement, and community as a universal language.

From the outside, the flowing black contours trace the iconic waveforms of popular classics and modern anthems, giving shape to what would otherwise remain invisible. Inside, LED lights pulse in rhythmic waves outward, animating the structure with a glowing heartbeat, a luminous, meditative encounter with music in motion.

all images courtesy of Claudia Comte unless stated otherwise

Lightning Symphony celebrates rhythm, community, and sound

As the artistic centerpiece of the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Lightning Symphony is a vibrant celebration of rhythm, community, and the unifying power of sound. ‘For the Eurovision Song Contest, I wanted to create an immersive installation that pays tribute to the deep interaction between sound, movement, and contemporary art. This installation, called Lightning Symphony, transforms the fairground into both a stage and a place of refuge. It is a symbol of community and invites all people, regardless of origin, language, or background, to experience music as a universal language that transcends borders,’ shares Swiss artist Claudia Comte.

Lightning Symphony spans 52 meters as an inflatable sound sculpture on Basel’s Messeplatz

the installation invites visitors to walk through a glowing, wave-shaped corridor

the form visualizes music as a physical, spatial experience | image by Maris Mezulis

positioned beside the ESC Village, the sculpture connects sound, space, and community | image by Maris Mezulis

black contours trace iconic sound waveforms from music classics | image by Maris Mezulis

undulating waveforms give shape to the normally invisible patterns of sound

visitors move through a space where sound becomes both seen and felt | image by Maris Mezulis

the piece transforms the fairground into an interactive sonic landscape | image by Maris Mezulis

glowing curves create a meditative atmosphere in motion

rhythmic lighting immerses visitors in a sensory interpretation of sound

the project transforms sound into a shared visual and physical journey

project info:

name: Lightning Symphony
designer: Claudia Comte | @claudiacomte

production, technical conception, manufacturing & installation: Digital Inflatables | @digitalinflatables

support: Christoph Merian Foundation | @christophmerianstiftung

location: Basel, Switzerland

photographer: Maris Mezulis | @mariocee, Claudia Comte

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

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

The post inflatable sound wave installation stretches along basel’s messeplatz for eurovision appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Ibrahim Mahama conceals the Kunsthalle Bern in Switzerland behind a veil of jute sacks, marking a moment of transition for the historic gallery. The installation coincides with the Kunsthalle’s upcoming reopening and its shift toward a broader institutional reinvention, while echoing one of the most iconic moments in its history: the translucent 1968 wrap by Christo and Jeanne-Claude celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Mahama’s intervention transforms the building’s exterior into a textured, earth-toned skin, layering global histories of labor, trade, and material exchange onto the facade. The historic jute sack, laden with connotations of colonial legacies and economic networks, becomes his primary medium, assembled to introduce a rough presence that embeds the structure within larger social conversations. The installation will remain on view through June 1st as the Kunsthalle moves toward a full reopening with an ambitious program featuring exhibitions by artists including Melvin Edwards and Tuli Mekondjo, alongside events and performances.

all images courtesy Cedric Mussano

ibrahim mahama questions flows of labor, value, and power

This new commission arrives at a pivotal moment for Kunsthalle Bern. As the institution undergoes renovations to improve safety, accessibility, and environmental performance, it has embraced the opportunity to rethink its mission. Under the leadership of director iLiana Fokianaki, the institution has been engaged in a yearlong process of what it has termed  ‘fermentation’, referring to a radical rethinking of its operational, curatorial, and administrative practices by drawing from the ecological principles of permaculture. As the building transforms physically, so too does the institution’s vision: toward a more inclusive, model that considers its social and ecological responsibilities in the context of the environment and global cultural shifts — ‘A ‘work in progress’ where our new vision for an institution of the future emerges: permeable and with access for all,’ as the team notes.

For Ibrahim Mahama, the opportunity to design a veil that marks this moment of transition signaled a chance to interrogate the flows of labor, value, and power that shape global histories, while situating the Kunsthalle within those networks. Known internationally for his large-scale installations made from found and repurposed materials, the Ghanian artist works with the histories embedded in everyday objects. His signature material, the jute sack, carries particular resonance in this project. Used in his native country to transport cocoa, the sacks bear the marks of a context deeply intertwined with Swiss economic history. Manufactured in Southeast Asia, shipped to Ghana by the Ghana Cocoa Board, used first for cocoa, then sold on to local rice and corn traders and ultimately recycled for charcoal transport, the sacks here become an archive of labor, trade, and environmental change.

Ibrahim Mahama’s intervention at the Kunsthalle Bern in Switzerland

a record of collective labor

Where Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s wrap was a formal exploration of concealment and transformation, Ibrahim Mahama’s version layers in histories of colonialism, global capitalism, and ecological crisis through this material. The work also asks viewers to consider how institutions are shaped by the legacies they inherit, whether in architecture, art history, or trade, and how those legacies might be opened up to critical reflection.

The jute sack, as Mahama explains, becomes a record of collective labor, ‘scarred’ by its passage through global circuits of commerce. The material’s own vulnerability, including its susceptibility to insect infestations that threaten up to 40% of harvest value, points to larger systems of extraction, overproduction, and ecological collapse. Seen in this light, even the smallest actors — insects — become agents in disrupting the flows of global capital, reframing how we understand agency and resistance in the context of environmental degradation.

concealed behind a veil of jute sacks

The Kunsthalle’s upcoming program, culminating in a full relaunch in spring 2025, will continue to develop these questions. Fokianaki’s curatorial approach, too, supports this by foregrounding the institution as a site of permeability and public accountability. The renovation phase has been used as an active chance to reconsider why the institution exists, for whom it operates, and how it can become a ‘home’ in an era marked by ecological and social uncertainty.

used in Ghana to transport cocoa, the sacks bear a context deeply intertwined with Swiss economic history

the installation coincides with the Kunsthalle’s upcoming reopening and its shift toward an institutional reinvention

project info:

name: Kunsthalle Bern wrap

artist: Ibrahim Mahama

location: Switzerland

photographer: Cedric Mussano

The post ibrahim mahama wraps kunsthalle bern in jute sack veil, confronting histories of labor & trade appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

The headquarters of the construction company Blumer Lehmann in Gossau, Switzerland, illustrate the possibilities of contemporary timber architecture. Designed by K&L Architekten, the building accommodates 180 office workspaces, a conference hall, and a cafeteria, yet its defining feature is the sculptural atrium crafted from curved cross-laminated timber. Developed by the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD) at the University of Stuttgart, this freeform structure integrates a spiraling staircase that mediates between levels, frames views, and defines alcoves, transforming circulation into a whole experience. Synthesizing computational design, digital fabrication, and expert craftsmanship, the atrium demonstrates how timber can be used structurally and architecturally.

image courtesy of ICD

Blumer Lehmann HQ Frames Movement with curved surfaces

The collaboration between the Stuttgart-based team at ICD and timber construction specialist Blumer Lehmann builds upon extensive research into curved timber structures. In contrast to the orthogonal grid of the overall building, the tapering surfaces of the atrium articulate two distinct spatial expressions. Convex outward-facing walls offer a textile-like softness, while concave intersections generate sweeping ridges that extend vertically through the structure, modulating light and perspective. These elements simultaneously act as a spatial enclosure and a load-bearing system, transferring forces across five floors with a slender 130-millimeter-wall thickness.

The stairway of the atrium is integrated within this timber composition, guiding movement while creating balconies and alcoves. The structural efficiency is optimized through the use of two distinct radii for the curved timber elements and repetitive stair modules, ensuring material economy and precision in fabrication. This balance between form, function, and construction constraints is achieved through an advanced computational design approach that dynamically adapts to evolving insights throughout the development of the project.

the sculptural atrium is crafted from curved cross-laminated timber

this freeform structure integrates a spiraling staircase

transforming circulation into a whole experience

the stairway of the atrium is integrated within this timber composition

synthesizing computational design, digital fabrication, and expert craftsmanship

the atrium demonstrates how timber can be used structurally and architecturally

the tapering surfaces of the atrium articulate two distinct spatial expressions

convex outward-facing walls offer a textile-like softness

guiding movement while creating balconies and alcoves

concave intersections generate sweeping ridges that extend vertically through the structure

project info:

name: Blumer Lehmann Headquarters | @blumerlehmannofficial

architect: K&L Architekten AG | @klarchitekten

atrium design & development: Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD) | @icdstuttgart, University of Stuttgart | @unistuttgart

location: Gossau, Switzerland

design team: Thomas Lehmann, Johanna Deinet

engineer: SJB Kempter Fitze AG (Stefan Rick)

client: Blumer Lehmann AG

ICD team: Prof. Achim Menges, Martin Alvarez, Laura Kiesewetter, David Stieler, Dr. Dylan Wood

support: Edgar Schefer, Lena Strobel, Alina Turean

The post spiraling timber atrium by ICD connects floors at blumer lehmann HQ in switzerland appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Swiss architecture studio Camponovo Baumgartner breathes new life into the historic Sihlhölzli Music Pavilion in Zurich, converting the nearly century-old structure into a calisthenics facility. Originally designed in 1932 by city architect Hermann Herter and renowned engineer Robert Maillart, the pavilion was once home to orchestral wind performances. After decades of disuse, it is repurposed as an open-air fitness space.

A monolithic yet fully demountable sports platform extends from the historic shell, constructed from wood and steel and finished with a fiery red-orange speckled rubber granulate. Metal calisthenics equipment rises in rhythmic choreography, enclosed by slender dark-green posts topped with stainless steel spheres and salmon-red elliptical grilles—an intentional nod to the historic parapet. 

all images by Sven Högger, unless stated otherwise

Sihlhölzli Music Pavilion turns into sports facility

Bern-based Camponovo Baumgartner aims to balance historical preservation with adaptability through this renovation. The iconic shell-like concrete structure, once described as a ‘splendid famous mussel shell’ by the local newspaper Wiediker Post, retains its architectural integrity while embracing a bold new identity. Vertical wall panels with textured surfaces, whitewashed lime plaster, and steel-framed lockers integrate into the architectural composition. By translating Herter’s and Maillart’s design language into a contemporary sports facility, the architects ensure that the Sihlhölzli Music Pavilion remains relevant. 

Camponovo Baumgartner breathes new life into the historic Sihlhölzli Music Pavilion

sculptural spaces below the surface

Two steel pergola-like structures extending outward like feelers, finished in hot-dip galvanized metal that naturally weathers over time, guide the way to the underground changing rooms of the Sihlhölzli Music Pavilion. Inside, visitors are surprised by Camponovo Baumgartner’s sculptural spatial design in the basement. A hand-painted salmon-red metal installation spreads radially to define the shower and toilet cubicles, introducing a contemporary layer to the shell-like floor plan. The cubicles themselves feature a sea-green lower finish, referencing the oxidized copper roof from the original construction, while pivoting arched doors and 3D-printed light fixtures inspired by historical models further bridge old and new.

the nearly century-old structure becomes a calisthenics facility

the pavilion was once home to orchestral wind performances

after decades of disuse the pavilion has been repurposed as a public sports venue | image by Anja Wille Schori

a monolithic yet fully demountable sports platform now extends from the historic shell | image by Anja Wille Schori

the interventions preserve the character of the original structure

visitors are surprised by Camponovo Baumgartner’s sculptural spatial design in the basement

salmon-red metal installation spreads radially to define the shower and toilet cubicles

a contemporary layer adds to the shell-like floor plan | image by Anja Wille Schori

3D-printed light fixtures are inspired by historical models| image by Anja Wille Schori

originally designed in 1932 by Hermann Herter and Robert Maillart | image courtesy of Baugeschichtliches Archiv Zürich

project info:

name: Sihlhölzli Music Pavilion

architect: Camponovo Baumgartner | @camponovobaumgartner

location: Zurich, Switzerland

photographers: Sven Högger | @svenhoegger, Anja Wille Schori | @anja_wille_schori

The post camponovo baumgartner transforms nearly century-old pavilion into fitness space in zurich appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Lionel Ballmer Architectes’ Wandering House is a tranquil residence in Switzerland, designed to harmonize with its pastoral surroundings. Located at the edge of the village of Baar, surrounded by the foliage of Valaisan orchards, the project reconsiders the relationship between an existing family barn and others like it in the village, and their engulfing landscape.

With a compact footprint, the new structure seemingly floats above the land, respecting the site’s natural ecology by limiting significant artificial interventions.  The Wandering House is raised and supported by stilts, paying homage to traditional raccards — historic Valaisan storage houses. Clad in charred wood that mimics sunburnt timber, and set on a recycled concrete base, it bridges the aesthetics of the past with a contemporary architectural language that embraces its secluded woodland location. 

all images by Rory Gardiner

lionel ballmer architectes crafts luminous, adaptable interior

The barn’s historical presence is also leveraged, its ground floor transformed into a cellar and the upper floor into a sheltered reception area. Adjacent to this, the new residence encircles a private garden that fosters intimacy as it connects the two buildings. Internally, the Wandering House’s spaces are designed for adaptability, organized around a central core for service and circulation. Lionel Ballmer Architectes places large sliding glass windows at either end to frame views of the mountains, garden, and barn, strengthening the connection between indoors and the surrounding environment.

The south wing accommodates interconnected living spaces over three levels, while the north hosts a multifunctional outdoor shelter for vehicles, dining, or recreation. Sustainability is also integral to the Swiss architects’ approach, with all structural elements crafted from regionally sourced cross-laminated timber (from spruce) and windows made of local larch wood. Photovoltaic panels and a rainwater collection system also enhance the house’s environmental performance, preserving the area’s natural resources.

Lionel Ballmer Architectes completes The Wandering House

a tranquil residence in Switzerland

located at the edge of the village of Baar, surrounded by the foliage of Valaisan orchards

the project reconsiders the relationship between an existing family barn and others like it in the village

with a compact footprint, the new structure seemingly floats above the land

clad in charred wood that mimics sunburnt timber

set on a recycled concrete base

the new residence encircles a private garden that fosters intimacy as it connects the two buildings

Lionel Ballmer Architectes places large sliding glass windows to frame views of the mountains, garden, and barn

a natural material palette within

the program centers on adaptability

project info:

name: The Wandering House

architect: Lionel Ballmer Architectes | @lionel.ballmer

location: Nendaz, Switzerland

photographer: Rory Gardiner | @arorygardiner

The post lionel ballmer architectes’ charred wood house echoes traditional barns of rural switzerland appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Interior design workshop balbek bureau reveals a multifunctional office for Dynamic Frame, a film production company in central Zurich. Designed to offer varied spaces to support each facet of the company’s work, the office includes editing studios, a small cinema, a warehouse, a kitchen and dining area, and an open workspace for 14 team members.

Inspired by the name of the company, Dynamic Frame, the design concept plays on the dual meaning of a frame— the foundation in construction and the final cinematic image that conceals intricate work behind it. To evoke this idea, the team used an architectural frame that reveals the inner workings of the office, akin to peering into the film production process itself. The layout is structured into a grid that mimics the classic 4:3 aspect ratio, with glass-enclosed functional spaces separated by visible ceiling beams. The cube-like rooms do not touch the ceiling and have no adjacent walls, enhancing the sense of transparency. 

all images by Ivan Avdieienko, courtesy of balbek bureau

ticket booth cloackroom welcomes visitors in the workspace

Working remotely on the Dynamic Frame office project, Kyiv-based balbek bureau faced significant challenges due to the complexities of logistics during a time of full-scale war and closed airspace. However, the involvement of numerous Ukrainian contractors enabled the client to reduce costs without compromising on quality. Located on the ground floor of a newly constructed building in Zurich’s Binz district—an area with an industrial history—the project adopts the characteristic round windows and exposed concrete beams of the dwelling.

Upon entering the office, a galvanized steel cloakroom welcomes the visitors, evoking the charm of a retro cinema ticket booth. Beyond a traditional coat check, the adaptable structure doubles as a display for event invitations, tickets, and souvenirs, and its foldable design can transform into a showcase. This element is also enhanced with elastic bands, shelves, and a built-in RGB lamp for adjustable backlighting. The adjacent kitchen, complete with a HAY dining table, vintage chairs, and film posters with Dynamic Frame’s work, caters to the team’s interest in cooking. Warm ocher tones and green accents throughout the space take cues from the short film People on Saturday from Dynamic Frame’s portfolio, adding a cinematic warmth to the space.

visitors are welcomed by a galvanized steel cloakroom

soundproofing and lighting complete the dynamic frame project

Natural light floods the main open space, where balbek bureau balances collaboration with the need for soundproofing. Starting with an unfinished space, the architects teamed up with a Kyiv-based acoustic specialist to add perforated plasterboard cubes that allow sound control. Ukrainian company Expolight developed a dynamic lighting system that allows users to adjust warmth, color, and intensity, adapting to the needs of tasks such as editing, presenting, and film screening. Acoustic partitions divide the desks, while a wooden floor square differentiates the lounge area. A central gathering point is the custom plywood amphitheater, featuring integrated bookshelves, inviting team members to meet, relax, or brainstorm.

the design concept plays on the dual meaning of a frame

each space features thoughtful visual elements

Inside the editing rooms, balbek bureau integrates equipment racks for the workstations and unique visual elements, including glass blocks that let in diffused daylight. The larger editing room allows for collaborative reviews around a TV screen, while seating on comfortable podiums. Artworks from Ukranian painters like Viktor Barbara’s Peaceful Sky and Igor Nekraha’s Pink Cloud bring warmth and inspiration. The meeting room, set within a glass-partitioned block, is centered around an irregularly shaped bespoke table and equipped with a TV and acoustic panels. 

The screening room can be used for final presentations and a place to view rough cuts of films on the big screen. It features a separate workspace with screens for individual tasks, ensuring the team can collaborate efficiently. Custom-designed sofa units by Ukrainian furniture brand propro furniture provide comfort, while the room’s round windows echo the architecture of the industrial building. These windows can be covered with hatches during screenings to create an immersive experience and opened during discussions or work. 

the adaptable structure doubles as a display for event invitations, tickets, and souvenirs

a central gathering point is the custom plywood amphitheater

natural light floods the main open space

perforated plasterboard cubes allow sound control

acoustic partitions divide the desks

cube-like rooms do not touch the ceiling and have no adjacent walls

set within a glass-partitioned block, the meeting room is centered around a table

film posters from Dynamic Frame’s work adorn the wall

the screening room can be used for final presentations and to view rough cuts of films

Expolight developed a dynamic lighting system that allows users to adjust warmth, color, and intensity

project info:

name: Dynamic Frame

architect: balbek bureau | @balbekbureau
area: 497 sqm
location: Zurich, Switzerland

client: Dynamic Frame

architect team: Nata Kurylenko, Yelyzaveta Schastlyvtseva, Viktoriia Savchenko, Anastasiia Partyka
creative supervision: Slava Balbek
project manager: Anna Viktorova
project supervision: Borys Dorogov
tech support: Anastasiia Vinidiktova, Kateryna Denysenko
photographer: Ivan Avdieienko | @ivanavdeenko_photography

The post balbek bureau envisions multifunctional workspace in zurich as cinematic frame appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

BARAKI Architecture and Engineering transforms the public toilets at the Gruyère rest area in Fribourg, originally built in the late 1980s, in the Merya project. Designed in the spirit of post-modernism, the original complex reinterpreted vernacular materials and architectural elements, featuring a masonry base of reinforced concrete with an exterior facing of local river pebbles. A laminated timber frame supports the two-sloped roof, resulting in a triangular volume with an offset that forms a covered square at the entrance. This space offers views of the Lac de Gruyère lake and the Fribourg Pre-Alps, with four oblique beams anchoring the structure. BARAKI’s approach introduces a large mirrored stainless steel surface that conceals the WC cubicle joints while reflecting the surrounding landscape, creating an impression of infinite space. The reflective material blends the building into its environment, minimizing the visual impact of new materials.

all images by Matthieu Croizier, courtesy of BARAKI architecture and engineering

Merya features metal and stainless steel furniture

Merya responds to the client’s desire to renovate outdated sanitary facilities and improve their functionality. Swiss studio BARAKI replaced the internal circulation with direct access from the covered entrance square to individual WC cubicles to make maintenance easier and ensure safety and user comfort. Though the client sought practical upgrades, they allowed architectural freedom, enabling the design team to integrate the design with the existing structure in a creative way.

Inside, the cubicles feature a clean, modern aesthetic with stainless steel walls and automated features, contrasting with the abstract exterior. At the front, urban furniture, designed in collaboration with Elie Fazel and Valentin Sieber of multidisciplinary design office Work Matter, enhances the covered square, encouraging visitors to linger. The metal and stainless steel furniture is integrated into prefabricated concrete blocks, adding functionality and comfort. 

BARAKI Architecture and Engineering transforms the public toilets at the Gruyère rest area in Fribourg

the stucture was originally built in the late 1980s

designed in the spirit of post-modernism, the original complex reinterpreted vernacular materials

featuring a masonry base of reinforced concrete with an exterior facing of local river pebbles

a laminated timber frame supports the two-sloped roof

urban furniture, designed in collaboration with the multidisciplinary design office Work Matter

Merya offers views of the Lac de Gruyère lake and the Fribourg Pre-Alps

a triangular volume with an offset forms a covered square at the entrance

metal and stainless steel furniture is integrated into prefabricated concrete blocks

project info:

name: Merya
architect: BARAKI architecture and engineering | @baraki.ch
location: Gruyère, Fribourg, Switzerland
furniture design: WORK MATTER | @workmatter, Elie Fazel | @eliefazel,  Valentin Sieber | @valentin_sieber
photographer: Matthieu Croizier | @matthieucroizier

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: thomai tsimpou | designboom

The post mirrored surfaces extend swiss landscapes in BARAKI’s public toilet renovation appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Villa Montasser by Leopold Banchini explores minimalist design through reflections and simple geometric forms. Located on the shores of Lake Geneva, the house draws inspiration from the Swiss painter Ferdinand Hodler, who was known for depicting the reflection of mountains on lakes, a theme central to his work. The architecture echoes this motif, emphasizing the horizontal line where water and mountains meet.

The villa’s design features a long, plain facade that mirrors the surface of an adjacent water basin. A single elongated window opens onto a floating terrace that extends over the water, reinforcing the sense of horizontality and reflection. The reflection of the chimney is cleverly used as a visual element, turning into stairs leading down to the pool. An erratic block, carried by ancient glaciers from the Alps to the lake shore, rests on the water’s surface, grounding the minimalist structure in its natural surroundings. The main facade is a symmetrical composition, a tribute to the horizontal line separating the looming mountains and reflective lake in Hodler’s work.

all images by Rory Gardiner

Villa Montasser’s Design Integrates Light, Water, and Landscape

The building’s layout is a rectangular plan spread over three levels, a response to strict building regulations. The ground floor, designed as an open living space, offers expansive views of the surrounding landscape, while the lower level houses bedrooms that face an enclosed patio. This patio collects rainwater from the roof, creating another reflective surface. The light bounces off the two basins before entering the house, casting dynamic shadows and patterns on the wooden interior walls and ceilings, creating an interplay between light, water, and structure. For Villa Montasser, Leopold Banchini Architects focuses on symmetrical design and reflection to pay homage to the landscape the structure inhabits, using simplicity and water to integrate it into its natural surroundings.

Leopold Banchini settles Villa Montasser on the shores of Lake Geneva

Villa Montasser explores minimalist design through geometric forms and reflections

inspired by Ferdinand Hodler’s lakescapes, the villa emphasizes the reflection of mountains on water

the lower level bedrooms face an enclosed patio that collects rainwater, creating a reflective surface

the ground floor living space opens out to expansive views of the surrounding landscape

the three-level rectangular layout responds to strict building regulations in the area

the long, plain facade mirrors the adjacent water basin, reinforcing the theme of horizontality

light from the water basins reflects into the house, casting dynamic shadows on the wooden walls

the villa’s interior plays with the interplay of light, water, and structure

the villa’s design focuses on the connection between water, light, and landscape

Villa Montasser echoes the themes of nature and reflection central to Hodler’s work

Banchini uses symmetry and simplicity to integrate the villa into its natural surroundings

project info:

name: Villa Montasser
architect: Leopold Banchini | @leopoldbanchini

location: Mies, Switzerland

photography: Rory Gardiner | @arorygardiner

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

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

The post villa montasser’s reflections dance on water creating symmetrical geometric compositions appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.