päivä architekti’s medník house extends and revives a rural czech dwelling

Medník House: bridging forest and garden

Medník House by Päivä Architekti extends a century-old dwelling on a rocky slope above Czech Republic‘s Sázava River. The new volume sits at the meeting point of forest and garden, shaped by the wedge-like terrain and framed by mature trees. From the garden, the renovated structure aligns with long views toward the valley and the top of Medník Hill, which serves to maintain the sense of openness that defines the character of the site.

The addition takes the form of a freestanding studio linked to the original home by a covered terrace. This connecting space wraps around an existing oak, allowing the tree to remain an anchor in the composition. A covered walkway stretches toward the garden, softening the transition between interior and landscape and extending the rhythm of daily movement outdoors.

images © Radek Úlehla

päivä architekti brings modern design to the czech countryside

Inside, the studio of Päivä Architekti’s Medník House unfolds as an open, double-height volume flooded with daylight through sliding glass walls that face the valley. A compact gallery hangs within the space, forming a quiet retreat above the work area. The restrained geometry of the new building mirrors the morphology of the original house, though expressed by the architects through a more contemporary lens.

The project’s structural logic reflects both craftsmanship and practicality. Resting on micropile foundations installed by specialists, the steel frame and timber superstructure were completed by the client through self-construction. This approach lends the house a sense of authorship, and an intimate understanding of how the building meets the ground and receives light

Externally, the extension is wrapped in tanned larch cladding whose surface will continue to weather and deepen in tone, echoing the surrounding trunks. The interior finishes in spruce bioboard convey warmth and precision, with integrated storage and furniture that sustain the clarity of the plan.

Päivä Architekti’s Medník House extends a century-old dwelling in the Czech Republic

the new volume stands at the edge of forest and garden in Luka pod Medníkem

a covered terrace connects the existing home to the new studio space

sliding glass walls open the studio toward the valley and Medník Hill

a simple hanging gallery introduces a sense of vertical calm to the interior

project info:

name: Mednik House

architect: Päivä Architekti | @paiva_architekti

location: Luka pod Medníkem, Jílové u Prahy, Czech Republic

completion: 2024

photography: © Radek Úlehla | @radek.ulehla

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kinetic wooden panels run across residential tower’s facade by perkins&will in são paulo

dynamic Facade defines Perkins&Will’s Figueira Leopoldo Tower

Perkins&Will develops Figueira Leopoldo for MPD Construtora and Helbor Empreendimentos, located in the Itaim Bibi district of São Paulo. The residential tower combines architectural clarity with a kinetic-inspired facade system that establishes a dialogue between art, movement, and the urban environment.

The project draws inspiration from the kinetic art of Brazilian artist Abraham Palatnik, translating his exploration of light, rhythm, and perception into a dynamic architectural form. Wooden panels and movable brise-soleil run across the facades, allowing residents to control light and privacy while creating shifting patterns visible from the street. These mobile elements contribute both to environmental performance, through solar and ventilation regulation, and to the building’s visual identity, as their movement alters the facade’s appearance depending on time of day and viewing angle.

all images by Pedro Mascaro

Figueira Leopoldo Reimagines High-Rise Living Through Openness

Standing 115 meters tall, the building contains 32 residential units, including garden and duplex apartments. The structure is organized to promote openness and spatial flexibility, with floor plans designed to accommodate multiple configurations. Large openings enhance cross-ventilation and daylight access, while interior gardens introduce greenery and natural materials into the living spaces, reinforcing comfort and connection with nature. To maximize efficiency and views, the tower is divided into two functional zones, social and service areas, allowing uninterrupted 360° perspectives in living spaces. The ground level extends this openness to the urban fabric, where a stone and wood base combined with landscaped areas establishes a visual and physical connection between the building and the street.

Common spaces include landscaped gardens, a lounge, a playroom, a swimming pool, a spa, and a fitness center, with interiors designed by Carlos Rossi and landscaping by Benedito Abbud. Native plant species were selected to enhance environmental integration and reduce maintenance needs. Each apartment is provided with four parking spaces, with garden and duplex units featuring an additional spot. Through the interplay of kinetic facade systems, natural materials, and flexible spatial planning, studio Perkins&Will’s Figueira Leopoldo project reinterprets high-rise living as a dialogue between environmental performance, artistic expression, and urban continuity.

Figueira Leopoldo by Perkins&Will stands in São Paulo’s Itaim Bibi district

the tower explores the intersection of architecture, movement, and urban rhythm

the design draws from the kinetic art of Brazilian artist Abraham Palatnik

wooden panels and movable brise-soleil define the building’s dynamic facade

he building rises 115 meters, containing 32 residential units

shifting patterns on the facade change with time of day and perspective

the mobile screens enhance both environmental performance and visual identity

the kinetic-inspired system allows residents to adjust light and privacy

interior gardens introduce greenery and a sense of continuity with nature

project info:

name: Figueira Leopoldo

architect: Perkins&Will | @perkinswill_br

design team: Douglas Tolaine, Fernando Vidal, Lara Kaiser, Adriana Barbosa, Adriana Collet, Fatima Oliveira, Fernando Afonso, Renan Kadomoto, Daniel Falcão, Gabriel Freitas, Leticia Piza, Carlos Arthur Souza, Leticia Andreasi, Daniel Boer, Marcos Zeitoune, Rodrigo Gianoni, Cris Marques, and Mariana Vico

location: São Paulo, Brazil

photographer: Pedro Mascaro | @pedro.mascaro

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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ring with trackpad uses finger as mouse to control computers, smartphones and TVs

Wearable computer mouse ring gives full cursor control

Prolo Ring is a wearable computer mouse with a trackpad designed to control computers, smartphones, TVs, and other gadgets. It allows the user to control a screen without using a traditional mouse or touchscreen and gives full cursor control, shortcuts, and over forty gestures. With these gestures, users can point, click, scroll, take selfies, play and pause music, adjust volume, move through slides, or run preset commands.

The wearable computer mouse ring connects through Bluetooth and works directly with computers, tablets, smartphones, and smart TVs. Because it supports major operating systems such as Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, it can work with almost every device and can run without software or installing drivers. The device is said to use a patented technology called Modtouch, which combines a two-zone touch surface and a motion sensor. The touch surface includes a Trackpad and a Modstrip, allowing finger movements to control the cursor and gestures. Then, the six-axis motion sensor detects hand movements and helps translate them into screen actions.

all images courtesy of Prolo Team

Users can change gestures and assign keyboard shortcuts

The trackpad, the one easily reachable by the thumb, is made with high-resolution capacitive sensors that give the wearable computer mouse ring precise cursor control. Around the device, the sensors and integrated circuits help detect finger pressure and direction for accurate response. The Prolo Ring also acts as a smart power system, which means it goes into sleep mode when not in use and wakes up within 0.2 seconds when the user moves or touches it to save battery power. The device is designed to be ambidextrous, meaning it can be used on either hand, and the software inside the ring automatically adjusts the control direction when worn on the opposite hand.

The ring works right out of the box, but there is an optional desktop app called Prolo Studio, an app that lets users customize how the accessory behaves. Through the app, users can change gestures, assign keyboard shortcuts, and create macros. A macro is a sequence of commands that can be run with a single motion, so, for example, a user can create a macro to open an app, type a command, and play music. The wearable computer mouse ring’s physical design is minimal and button-free, and the band is wide and smooth to fit comfortably on the finger. It is made in three finishes: Champagne Gold, Future Silver, and Carbon Black. During a presentation at Google Devfest 2025 in New York City, the Prolo Ring was shown to the public for the first time, and the team says that after the ongoing campaign, the first batch of the wearable computer mouse ring is set for December 2025 shipping.

there are three finishes: Champagne Gold, Future Silver, and Carbon Black

the wearable computer mouse ring’s physical design is minimal and button-free

Prolo Ring is a wearable computer mouse designed to control computers, smartphones, and other gadgets

it gives full cursor control, shortcuts, and over forty gestures

users can point, click, scroll, take selfies, play and pause music, adjust volume and more

project info:

name: Prolo Ring

design: Prolo Team

campaign: here

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neon signs and retro rooms: ellie seymour’s book maps mid-century motels across the US

ellie seymour traces the revival of america’s roadside icons

Luster Publishing releases Vintage Motels: America’s Most Iconic Motels, Beautifully Restored, a new book by Ellie Seymour that takes readers on a nostalgic road trip across the United States. Seymour documents 40 mid-century motels, once symbols of freedom, anonymity, and the golden age of American car travel, revamped into contemporary boutique hotels while preserving the character of the past.

The Pearl in Florida, the Skyview in California, Hotel Lucine in Texas, and The Dive in Nevada are among the 40 motels presented. Whether it’s through restored neon signs glowing once more at sunset or minimalist reimaginings that reinterpret classic Americana, these projects show how design celebrates a design era when every roadside lodge was a small architectural experiment, shaped by the optimism of postwar America.

Ace Hotel & Swim Club, Palm Springs, California | © Stephen Kent Johnson / OTTO

the book celebrates the Iconic Motels of a bygone era

The story of America’s motels begins, as travel journalist Ellie Seymour reminds readers, exactly a century ago in 1925, when architect Arthur Heineman opened the Milestone Mo-Tel in San Luis Obispo, California. The term ‘motel’ itself was born out of necessity, as ‘Milestone Motor Hotel’ simply didn’t fit on the rooftop sign. Offering private garages and hot showers, it catered to the rise of automobile tourism and set the blueprint for a phenomenon that would flourish after World War II.

The premise of the book was sparked by a passage from Bill Bryson’s Notes from a Big Country (1998), in which the author declares, ‘I love everything about motels. I can’t help myself. I still get excited every time I slip a key into a motel room door and fling it open.’ For Seymour, this sentiment opened the door to a deeper fascination with America’s roadside culture. Growing up in England, her understanding of motels came from cinematic archetypes, Psycho, Thelma & Louise, Pulp Fiction, and Schitt’s Creek, which portrayed them as both seedy and strangely alluring. But her own first road trip across California, Nevada, and Arizona shifted that perception entirely.

Blue Swallow Motel, Tucumcari, New Mexico © courtesy of Blue Swallow Motel

design, nostalgia, and the spirit of the open road

By the 1960s, over 60,000 motels lined American highways, each distinguished by its own signage, architecture, and character. Yet, as the Interstate Highway System expanded and air travel became accessible, many of these independent motels fell into decline, abandoned, demolished, or left to crumble into noir backdrops for crime and melancholy.

Seymour’s book captures the motels’ revival, showing how a new generation of owners, architects, and designers is restoring mid-century motels across the country. Some remain time capsules, keeping their kidney-shaped pools, wood-panelled interiors, and retro furniture intact. Across 256 pages, Vintage Motels brings together storytelling, archival materials, and contemporary photography to document this shift from decay to rediscovery. Each motel is featured across four to six pages, accompanied by the history of its original construction and the creative strategies behind its rebirth.

Cuyama Buckhorn, New Cuyama, California © courtesy of Cuyama Buckhorn

Skyview, California © courtesy of Nomada Hotel Group

The Pearl, San Diego, California © courtesy of The Pearl

Madonna Inn highway sign © courtesy of Madonna Inn

Madonna Inn-steakhouse ©courtesy of Madonna Inn

The Dive, Nashville © Ben Fitchett

Ojai Rancho Inn © Yoshihiro Makino

Hotel Lucine © Johanna Andruchovici

Vintage Motels: America’s Most Iconic Motels, Beautifully Restored by Ellie Seymour

project info:

name: Vintage Motels: America’s Most Iconic Motels, Beautifully Restored

author: Ellie Seymour | @ellieseymourwriter

publisher: Luster | @lusterbooks

design: doublebill.design | @doublebill.design

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studio museum in harlem set to open with the message that ‘black art matters’

studio museum: a lighthouse on 125th street

The Studio Museum in Harlem officially opens its purpose-built new home to the public on Saturday, November 15th. Today, November 6th, designboom attended a preview of the building and heard presentations from Studio Museum team Thelma Golden and Raymond J. McGuire, along with architects Pascale Sablan and Erin Flynn.

From the moment visitors approach the new museum on West 125th Street in New York, the design signals the meeting of its mission with its urban context. The project replaces the earlier commercial structure adapted in 1982 for the institution, and marks the first time the museum has had a home created expressly for its program.

Raymond J. McGuire, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Studio Museum in Harlem, describes the spirit of the museum and its programming: ‘This building says to the world, Harlem matters. Black art matters. Black institutions matter.

‘It will stand as a lighthouse on 125th Street. A space where creativity and community meet, where young people can see themselves reflected, and orders of African descent can continue to shape our history. This new chapter was not inevitable. It was earned through decades of vision, stewardship and belief.’

exterior view of the Studio Museum in Harlem’s new building, 2025. courtesy Studio Museum in Harlem. photo: © Albert Vecerka/Esto

architect pascale sablan draws from the streets of harlem

The Studio Museum in Harlem intentionally draws from the ‘street, the stage, the sanctuary, and the stoop.’ Across the city, these are familiar typologies of gathering, expression and belonging. Architect Pascale Sablan of Adjaye Associates echoed this when she said: ‘It is our hope that every surface, every light-filled space, and every moment of this building will speak to you of this mission.’ The museum occupies the same footprint as the earlier museum but is re-imagined for the twenty-first century.

At street level a double-height window opens the museum to the sidewalk: visitors can sense daylight passing through the gallery interior, while the broad frontage activates the pedestrian flow of Harlem. The facade, composed of dark-grey precast concrete with sand-blasted and polished finishes, interleaves glass and bronze-toned curtain wall with vertical fins. This material palette references the masonry architecture of the neighborhood while giving the building a refined presence.

exterior view of the Studio Museum in Harlem’s new building, 2025. courtesy Studio Museum in Harlem. photo: © Albert Vecerka/Esto

a museum as a ‘reverse stoop’

Inside, the ‘reverse stoop’ greets visitors as a stepped area leading downward from the street into the museum lobby. The architects describe this gesture as an invitation to connect. It’s a spatial threshold that brings visitors from the city into the institution with little impedance.

The Studio Museum in Harlem offers 82,000 square feet of interior space, which represents an increase of more than fifty percent in exhibition area and almost sixty percent more public spaces. The gallery volumes are laid out across multiple floors: second and third floors host exhibition galleries and the education center; the fourth floor accommodates studios for the Artist-in-Residence program and a reading room; the fifth floor offers flexible event space; the roof terrace on the sixth floor opens toward sweeping views of Harlem and beyond.

Vertical circulation is anchored by a monumental stair clad in terrazzo, located in the central vertical gallery and connecting the lower level to the fourth floor. Corridor galleries and stairs from the fourth floor to the roof are executed in precast concrete with satin-brass railings, aligning material consistency throughout the building.

exterior view of the Studio Museum in Harlem’s new building, featuring David Hammons’s Untitled flag (2004), 2025. courtesy Studio Museum in Harlem. photo: © Albert Vecerka/Esto

Public spaces are designed to feel porous. The café at the lower level, the welcome centre, the lecture and performance hall, retail, and project spaces are all intertwined with exhibition areas. The design teams emphasized accessibility, with two elevators (one shared visitor and freight) and barrier-free routes throughout. Thelma Golden, Ford Foundation Director and Chief Curator of the Studio Museum in Harlem, notes: ‘this building is a reflection of all that‘ — the institution’s mission, the community’s energy, the artists’ aspirations.

In her remarks at the preview event, Erin Flynn, RA, LEED AP, Partner, Cooper Robertson, emphasizes: ‘we aim to cultivate a sense of engagement among the many different users of the building… Whether someone is discovering the art, participating in educational programs, creating in the artist studios, or simply enjoying a coffee.’

the ‘reverse stoop’ is a stepped area leading down from the street into the lobby. image © designboom

Daylight filters from skylights and double-height spaces deep into the building. The gallery in the third floor includes a barrel-vaulted double-height space to accommodate large-scale works. Educational workshops and studios are positioned adjoining the gallery spaces so that production and display co-exist. Four art niches on the street facade provide places for outdoor sculpture and installations.

The roof terrace, whose gardens are curated by landscape design firm Studio Zewde, offers planting around the perimeter and views across Harlem’s skyline. It allows events and informal gatherings to take place in open air as an extension of the gallery into the city.

During the presentation, Golden asks attendees: ‘Think about what it took for us to get here… our resilience, our longevity, our continuing relevance in this moment.’

‘From the Studio: Fifty-Eight Years of Artists in Residence’ (installation view) in the Museum’s artist in Residence Studios, 2025. courtesy Studio Museum in Harlem. photo: © Albert Vecerka/Esto

More than a landmark work of architecture, the Studio Museum’s new home in Harlem is a commitment to an expanded program. The exhibition spaces, the studios for artists in residence, the educational workshops, the rooftop terrace, all aim to widen the museum’s role in the neighborhood and beyond. The building is designed to host temporary exhibition spaces, a permanent collection, public programming, and spaces for community engagement.

Pascale Sablan says: ‘From the very beginning, our team was profoundly aware of the responsibility we carry to create a building worthy of this extraordinary museum of the Harlem community of New York City and of the global world of the arts. This design was born out of the Studio Museum’s vision to translate the culture of Harlem into building more.

‘Through many deep and inspiring conversations between Thelma Goldman and David Adjaye, this vision evolved into a reimagining of Harlem’s own vernacular architecture. It is our hope that every surface, every light-filled space, and every moment of this building will speak to you of this mission, the courage, and the aspirations of the Studio Museum.’

interior view of the Studio Museum in Harlem’s new building featuring the Grand Stair. courtesy Studio Museum in Harlem. photo: © Albert Vecerka/Esto

project info:

name: Studio Museum in Harlem

design architect: Adjaye Associates | @adjayeassociates

executive architect: Cooper Robertson | @cooperrobertsonpartners

location: 125th Street, Harlem, New York

landscape designer: Studio Zewde | @studio_zewde

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translucent facade of multicolored steel louvers unfolds along seoul’s dokkaebi market

vibrant steel facade links Dokkaebi Market and Seoul’s city fabric

The Dokkaebi Market Customer Support Center, designed by YZA, is a public complex supporting the traditional Dokkaebi (Goblin) Market in Nowon-gu, Seoul. Positioned at the entrance to the market, the building occupies a transitional site, where a quiet residential alley to the south meets the dense commercial activity of the market to the north. Within this dual context, the project was developed as an architectural gateway connecting two distinct urban conditions.

The program integrates several public functions, including a parking tower for market visitors, a customer support office, public restrooms, a community space, and a neighborhood café. These functions are organized along the site’s length: the parking structure to the south, market-related facilities to the north, and a vertical circulation core positioned centrally as a mediator between them. The design also utilizes the site’s east–west elevation change to create a pilotis space on the ground floor, enhancing permeability and pedestrian access. Above, a series of stepped terraces offers views toward the marketplace and provides outdoor rest areas for visitors. The building’s facade employs a multicolored steel screen that references the symbolic palette of the Dokkaebi Market. Acting both as a visual marker and a privacy filter, the screen softens views from surrounding residential streets while projecting a shifting play of color and light. 

all images by Kyungsub Shin

Colorful facade symbolizes transformation and playfulness

The facade unifies the different programmatic elements, like parking, public facilities, and circulation, into a cohesive volume. Fabricated from PosMAC® steel louver panels, the facade system was developed through digital manufacturing processes that eliminate the need for welding. Techniques such as precision bending, automated folding, and full-scale mock-up testing informed the design’s structural performance and finish quality. This approach reflects design studio YZA’s interest in material experimentation and the potential of industrial fabrication in public architecture.

The project draws conceptual inspiration from the dokkaebi, a figure from Korean folklore associated with transformation and playfulness. Through its translucent facade, adaptable spatial layout, and integration of public amenities, the building translates this spirit into a contemporary architectural form. Situated at the intersection of city and market, it functions as both infrastructure and urban landmark, reinterpreting the identity of the Goblin Market within Seoul’s evolving neighborhood landscape.

Dokkaebi Market Customer Support Center by YZA stands at the entrance to Seoul’s traditional Goblin Market

the project occupies a transitional site between a quiet residential alley and the bustling market streets

a multicolored steel facade references the symbolic hues of the Dokkaebi Market

shifting tones of color and light animate the facade throughout the day

the screen provides privacy from nearby residences while filtering light into the interior

the facade unites parking, public, and circulation zones within a continuous volume

the elevated terraces above offer outdoor seating and views toward the marketplace

the project draws inspiration from the dokkaebi, a Korean folklore figure symbolizing transformation

the translucent facade and adaptable layout translate the goblin’s playful spirit into spatial form

project info:

name: Along the Market
architect: YZA | @yza_official_

location: Seoul, Korea

photographer: Kyungsub Shin

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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levitask vision chair’s open hip angle design challenges 50 years of flawed ergonomics

Vision Chair rethinks how the human body interacts with seating

The Vision Chair by Levitask and designer Klaus Kummer represents the outcome of over forty years of research into posture and ergonomics. The chair challenges the conventional 90-degree seating position by proposing a dynamic alternative defined as Elevated Seating, a posture concept that distributes body weight more evenly and supports natural spinal alignment.

Kummer, originally trained as a cabinet maker before moving into industrial design in Germany and Scandinavia, combines traditional craftsmanship with ergonomic engineering. His approach prioritizes the body’s natural movement rather than constraining it to fixed angles. The Vision Chair is the latest expression of this philosophy, translating decades of experimentation and prototyping into a functional, movement-oriented design.

elevated seating promotes a natural spinal alignment through an open hip angle | all images courtesy of Levitask

Vision chair challenges the traditional 90-degree sitting posture

At the center of the design is the T-Mech mechanism, a patent-pending system that allows the chair to move in sync with the user’s body. By opening the hip angle beyond 90 degrees, it reduces pressure on the lower back and improves circulation. The position encourages a gentle forward rotation of the pelvis, maintaining the spine’s natural S-curve and enabling balance through motion, an effect inspired by the posture of a horse rider.

Structurally, the Vision Chair combines polished aluminum for the frame and base with recycled ABS shells. The seat and armrests use natural cotton upholstery and organically tanned leather, selected for durability and breathability. Biodegradable TPU wheels allow quiet and smooth mobility, aligning with the company’s focus on longevity and responsible material use.

The result is a chair designed to accommodate continuous movement rather than static sitting, offering a balance between comfort, posture, and mechanical precision. The Vision Chair extends Levitask’s and designer Klaus Kummer’s broader mission to reconsider everyday ergonomics through thoughtful material selection and motion-based design.

the posture supports the spine’s natural S-curve and relieves lower back pressure

function, posture, and design converge in a chair built for balance and motion

by cradling the pelvis and preventing forward slide, the chair preserves natural posture and stability

the polished aluminum frame provides both strength and stability

founded by Klaus Kummer, Levitask builds on over 40 years of craftsmanship and ergonomic research

project info:

name: Levitask: Vision Chair

brand: Levitask | @levitaskofficial
designer: Klaus Kummer

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 levitask vision chair’s open hip angle design challenges 50 years of flawed ergonomics appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

human washing machine splashes water and blasts air to clean you up on its own

human washing machine appears at expo 2025 osaka

There’s a human washing machine at Expo 2025 Osaka that splashes water and blasts air around the user’s body to clean them up on its own. A project by Science Corporation, the bathing capsule is designed to automatically clean a person while they sit inside. The concept is to wash the entire body using micro- and ultrafine bubbles, all the while measuring the user’s physical condition using the embedded sensors. 

Inside the Future Human Washing Machine, the official name of the project presented at Expo 2025 Osaka, the lower part of the body is covered with microbubbles, each about 3/1000 of a millimeter wide, while the upper body and head are washed with ultrafine bubbles, which are even smaller, around 1/10,000 of a millimeter. These help remove dirt, oil, and odor-causing substances from the skin and pores. Then, a sensor on the backrest measures the user’s heart rate and electrocardiogram during the bath, shown on a screen in front of the user.

all images courtesy of Science Corporation Ltd.

Bathing capsule that washes users on its own

The system installed in the human washing machine at the Expo 2025 Osaka fair also includes an automatic visual response: when the sensor detects tiredness, it shows calm or positive images to help the user feel more relaxed. After washing, the water drains automatically, and the drying process begins, blasting air around the person’s body while they’re sitting down. The full cycle lasts about 15 minutes, which may be shorter than an average human shower time. During the Expo 2025 Osaka, which ran from April 13th to October 13th, visitors had the chance to experience the Future Human Washing Machine.

Science Corporation’s chairman, Yasuaki Aoyama, said that the inspiration came from the 1970 Osaka Expo, which featured an early concept of a human washing machine that used ultrasound but was never realized for practical use. The new version updates that vision using modern sensor systems and fine bubble technology. The design was developed by engineer Eiji Yamatani and designer Manatsu Ueda, who both worked on the original concept from 1970. The current model keeps the same idea, which is washing the body automatically and autonomously, but adds digital monitoring, AI-based health visualization, and data collection functions. Outside of the Expo 2025 Osaka, there’s no confirmed news yet on the commercial production of the upgraded human washing machine, but the company aims to also bring the project to nursing care facilities. 

there’s a human washing machine at Expo 2025 Osaka that cleans up users on its own

Named Future Human Washing Machine, the capsule washes the entire body using micro- and ultrafine bubbles

the full cycle lasts about 15 minutes

a sensor on the backrest measures the user’s heart rate and electrocardiogram during the bath

project info:

name: Future Human Washing Machine

company: Science Corporation | @science_mirable

event: Expo 2025 Osaka | @expo2025japan

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swiss-made zuriga E2-S espresso machine masters precision in a compact, A4-sized footprint

ZURIGA SIMPLIFIES HOME ESPRESSO WITH TWO-BUTTON INTERFACE

From its inception in 2016, ZURIGA was driven by the idea of creating a home espresso machine, designed to be compact, fast, durable, and above all, easy to use. The resulting ZURIGA E2-S strips away any unnecessary complexity, featuring just two buttons: one to power the machine, and the other to start the espresso shot. This focus on the essentials also ensures speed, making it ready for the first espresso in just 90 seconds. Countering the market of oversized, elaborate devices, the compact design is small enough to fit on an A4 sheet, proving that high-quality design can perfectly fit any kitchen countertop.

ZURIGA E2-S strips away any unnecessary complexity for creating home espresso | all images courtesy of Zuriga

 A COMMITMENT TO DURABILITY AND REPAIRABILITY

The company‘s journey began when founder Moritz Güttinger took apart his home espresso machine and decided he could improve it. After two years of development, ZURIGA launched with a successful crowdfunding campaign, selling out all available machines within just five minutes. The company grew to a 40-person team that develops, designs, and builds high-quality machines in the heart of Zurich, Switzerland, in a manufactory situated in an industrial site once used to repair locomotives.

Committed to a philosophy of ‘Design for Repair,’ the connections inside a ZURIGA machine are exclusively screwed, never glued, ensuring that every single component can be individually repaired or replaced. To guarantee a long life, the company keeps spare parts in stock for at least 20 years. This dedication extends even to products with minor cosmetic flaws, which are sold under the ZURIGA:re label to ensure functionally new devices remain in circulation.

the espresso machine is designed to be compact, fast, durable, and easy to use

STAINLESS STEEL ESPRESSO MACHINE HANDMADE IN ZURICH

The ZURIGA E2-S draws inspiration from the classic archetype of a small espresso machine. The shape avoids additive details, instead it is presenting a continuous, curved casing that gives it a volumetric presence. This signature housing is crafted from a single piece of stainless steel shaped to wrap around the machine’s inlay. Complemented by anodized aluminum on the top and front, the machine gains a protective golden tone from a special process that guards against espresso splashes. Additional materials, sourced from local production partners, include walnut for the portafilter and laboratory glass for the water tank. Each machine is handmade in Zurich, consisting of 318 individual parts.

the first espresso is ready in just 90 seconds

Beyond material durability, the engineering prioritizes precision over industry convention. ZURIGA deliberately moved past older technology, using its own advanced system to achieve the same professional, commercial-grade temperature stability. The Z2 heating unit regulates water temperature by measuring it over ten times every second. Crucially, the system does not preheat water, and combined with thermal insulation and an intelligent shut-off, it guarantees maximum energy efficiency, setting a new standard for a top energy rating. 

This focused engineering was applied to introduce a steam function. The high-performance unit heats up in just 20 seconds to deliver unlimited steam for beverages like cappuccinos and lattes. Notably, the machine’s exterior silhouette is kept unchanged, with no new switches — only the discreet steam wand reveals the new function. ZURIGA also extends its exacting standards to its in-house grinder, a separate, complex device requiring maximal precision for burr adjustment. It adheres to the same ZURIGA design principles — durable and repairable — and substitutes a glass container for the industry-standard plastic.

ZURIGA also extends its exacting standards to its in-house grinder

this separate, complex device requiring maximal precision for burr adjustment

project info:

name: E2-S

company: Zuriga | @zuriga.coffee

The post swiss-made zuriga E2-S espresso machine masters precision in a compact, A4-sized footprint appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

ghana’s first precast rammed earth project by deroche projects hosts community tennis court

DeRoche Projects completes rammed earth tennis court in ghana

Backyard Community Club in Accra, Ghana, designed by DeRoche Projects, introduces a model for community space in a city with limited access to green and recreational areas. Centered on a clay tennis court, the project combines sport, learning, and ecological practice within a compact urban site. It also represents Ghana’s first use of a precast rammed earth system, adapting a traditional building material for contemporary, scalable construction.

The most significant technical leap of the project lies in the pioneering use of precast rammed earth panels, developed specifically for Ghana’s climatic and labor conditions. Traditional rammed earth, while sustainable, is typically slow and weather-dependent, limiting its use in large-scale projects. The architects introduce off-site fabrication, which allows for controlled production, precision, and faster delivery. Panels are modular, easily transported, and adaptable to future sites, presenting a replicable model for sustainable construction in the region. ‘We wanted the architecture to carry the same sense of purpose as the programming, grounded, expressive, and innovative,’ adds Glenn DeRoche.

all images by Julien Lanoo

in Backyard Community club, training meets togetherness

Set within a compact urban plot in Osu, the Backyard Community Club includes spaces for training, gathering, and cultivation. A clay tennis court at its heart provides a professional-standard environment for athletes under 18, while free lessons open access to the sport for local children. A floating bench embedded along the shaded perimeter doubles as both seating and an observation deck, encouraging informal exchange between players and community. Around the court, simple ancillary spaces, changing rooms, showers, outdoor counters, and barbecue areas integrate into the landscape, designed with natural light and cross-ventilation rather than mechanical systems.

Wrapped in a 4-meter-high rhythmic enclosure of precast rammed earth panels, the modular structure filters wind and casts intricate shadows. ‘Backyard is about more than tennis, it’s about creating a platform for youth, for mentorship, and for community,’ says Glenn DeRoche, creative director of the team at DeRoche Projects. ‘We developed a custom precast system that acts as both structure and expression, pushing construction to meet the ambition of a purpose-built community space. The architecture is deliberately open-ended, where lines between sport, gathering, learning, and rest are blurred.’

Backyard Community Club in Ghana introduces a model for community space

A Living Landscape of Nourishment and Sustainability

Extending from the court, a 230-square-meter sustenance garden cultivates more than twenty species of edible and medicinal plants, including guava, banana, lemongrass, peppermint, soursop, and coconut. Its purpose is practical rather than ornamental, as it nourishes young athletes while teaching ecological responsibility. Youth also learn to tend and harvest alongside training. Ingredients are used for juices, snacks, and community meals prepared on site, while the garden itself becomes a social ground for exchange and self-reliance. When not in use for matches or training, the court transforms into a multipurpose community space for exercise, produce markets, outdoor screenings, and evening gatherings.

Sustainability operates at both material and systemic levels. The project prioritizes low-carbon, locally sourced materials, using rammed earth to enclose the clay court while reducing reliance on imported or energy-intensive components. Because clay courts require consistent moisture, the team implemented a borehole system and stormwater harvesting strategy to irrigate both the playing surface and the surrounding vegetation, minimizing use of municipal water. An earth slurry finish replaces conventional cement render, allowing the walls to breathe while lowering embodied carbon. Passive ventilation and natural daylighting eliminate the need for air conditioning, ensuring low operational energy across all structures.

centered on a clay tennis court, the project combines sport, learning, and ecological practice

Ghana’s first use of a precast rammed earth system

the modular structure filters wind and casts intricate shadows

adapting a traditional building material for contemporary, scalable construction

precast rammed earth panels are developed specifically for Ghana’s climatic and labor conditions

a 230-square-meter sustenance garden cultivates more than twenty species of edible and medicinal plants

the court transforms into a multipurpose community space for exercise, produce markets and more

project info:

name: Backyard Community Club

architect: DeRoche Projects | @derocheprojects

location: Osu, Accra, Ghana, West Africa

photographer: Julien Lanoo | @julienlanoo

The post ghana’s first precast rammed earth project by deroche projects hosts community tennis court appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.