bjarke ingels group unveils ‘the row saadiyat’, a residential district for abu dhabi

bjarke ingels group’s residential quarter for abu dhabi

The Row Saadiyat, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group for Aldar Properties, introduces a new residential quarter within Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District. Positioned beside the Zayed National Museum and within walking distance of Louvre Abu Dhabi and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, the development engages directly with the city’s emerging cultural landscape.

Comprising seven buildings, each rising to nine stories, which will bring 315 contemporary residences, The Row Saadiyat establishes a horizontal rhythm that mirrors the surrounding museums and coastal topography. Its plan is defined by shaded walkways and air-conditioned bridges that link residents to Saadiyat Grove’s retail precinct and Mamsha Beach. This connective structure brings a walkable, social environment while offering protection from the desert heat.

The Row Saadiyat is a new residential quarter designed by BIG for Aldar Properties | images © Aldar Properties

a masterplan of luminous homes at The Row Saadiyat

In composing The Row Saadiyat, Bjarke Ingels Group’s design approach privileges proportion, material restraint, and clarity. The architects plan curving facades, which are expressed through a consistent grid of deep balconies and fine metal fins that filter light and frame views toward the museum’s sculptural wings.

Light-toned cladding and pale metal detail contribute a quiet material palette suited to the desert-edge context. Inside, apartments wrapped in interiors by Kettle Collective feature a restrained selection of finishes — deep wood flooring, pale stone surfaces, and floor-to-ceiling glazing that frames the cultural landscape beyond.

seven mid rise buildings form a composition of curving residences

Spatial Balance and Material Calm

Bjarke Ingels Group designs The Row Saadiyat to balance civic life with private retreat. Ground floors are animated by cafés, wellness studios, and community venues, while the residences above open onto private terraces and horizon views. Circulation is placed at the edges, allowing open living areas oriented toward natural light. Throughout, Bjarke Ingels Group’s design prioritizes measured exposure: shading and depth modulate the desert sun, maintaining comfort without isolating interiors from their surroundings.

By day, light moves across facades in slow gradations of tone. By evening, glass surfaces absorb the muted reflection of sea and sky. The quarter’s rhythm of solids and voids gives it an understated coherence, lending the district a sense of continuity rather than contrast.

facades of pale cladding and fine metal fins filter light and frame museum views

Sustainability and Well-being

The Row Saadiyat development targets a 3-Pearl Estidama rating and 2-star Fitwel certification, integrating passive strategies such as orientation, shading, and daylight optimization. Smart systems manage energy use and climate comfort. Communal spaces — a wellbeing club, co-working lounge, children’s facilities, and a pet spa — extend the architecture’s focus on balance and shared living.

interiors by Kettle Collective use natural materials and soft tones to extend the building’s quiet character

project info:

name: The Row Saadiyat

architect: Bjarke Ingels Group | @big_builds

location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

developer: Aldar Properties | @aldar

interior designer: Kettle Collective | @kettlecollective

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yong ju lee grows bio-integrated pavilion from mycelium using robotic 3D printing in seoul

yong ju lee pioneers bio-grown architecture through mycelium

Designed by Yong Ju Lee Architecture, Mycelial Hut is an experimental pavilion in Seoul that investigates the potential of mycelium, the dense fungal network that binds and regenerates organic matter, as a large-scale building material. The project explores how architecture can be cultivated through a hybrid process that combines robotic 3D printing with biological growth.

Structurally, the pavilion consists of a wooden frame that provides stability and a series of mycelium panels that form its enveloping skin. Each panel was grown inside a customized 3D printed mold, shaped by industrial robotic arms and filled with a selected substrate. Before this phase, the research team tested multiple types of mycelium mixtures, assessing their growth rates, density, and structural behavior.

images courtesy of Yong Ju Lee Architecture

Mycelial Hut Grows, Breathes, and Decomposes with Nature

In an era when architecture and construction remain the largest global sources of carbon emissions, Mycelial Hut proposes a fundamental material shift. For much of the modern period, concrete and steel symbolized progress and economy, yet their environmental cost has become untenable. Seoul- and New York-based firm Yong Ju Lee Architecture’s pavilion turns toward organism-based composites, materials that are biodegradable, recyclable, and regenerative, to question the very premise of what makes a building sustainable.

Developed in collaboration with the Robotic Fabrication Studio (RFS) at Seoul National University of Science and Technology and installed in the open landscape of SeoulTech’s campus, Mycelial Hut embodies a vision of bio-integrated architecture that grows out of its environment. It makes the notion of eco-friendly design tangible, inviting visitors to imagine a future in which buildings are not manufactured but cultivated, alive, decomposable, and deeply entangled with the ecosystems that sustain them.

designed by Yong Ju Lee Architecture and developed in collaboration with the Robotic Fabrication Studio

Mycelial Hut is an experimental pavilion that investigates the potential of mycelium

the project explores how architecture can be cultivated through a hybrid process

the pavilion consists of a wooden frame that provides stability

each panel was grown inside a customized 3D printed mold

a series of mycelium panels that form its enveloping skin

the molds are shaped by industrial robotic arms and filled with a carefully selected substrate

Mycelial Hut proposes a fundamental material shift

the pavilion turns toward organism-based composites

these materials are biodegradable, recyclable, and regenerative

Mycelial Hut embodies a vision of bio-integrated architecture that grows out of its environment

project info:

name: Mycelial Hut

architect: Yong Ju Lee Architecture | @yongjulee.arch

location: Campus of Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea

fabrication: Robotic Fabrication Studio (RFS), SeoulTech

team: Dachan Oh, Hakjoon Kim, Yejun Kim, Heon Lee, Wonseok Lee, Jeonggi Kim, Seonwoo Kim, Jaegong Choi, Seongmin Hong, Songju Yi, Seoyeon Bae, Thin Haythi Aung, DongUk Sohn, Yunjin Kim, Suhyeong You

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meet the KINGPIN: ringbrothers’ newest restomod, once a 1969 ford mustang

A New Presence for the mustang, an American Icon

At this year’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Ringbrothers unveils a reimagined 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1, the KINGPIN. The car emerges from the Ringbrothers workshop in Wisconsin and stands as the result of over 5,500 hours of work. Each panel and surface has been redesigned, aligning a 20th-century silhouette with the engineering and image of a contemporary performance vehicle.

The transformation begins beneath the skin, as the Mach 1’s original unibody has been reconfigured using a Roadster Shop FAST TRACK Stage III chassis. The body is widened — two inches at the front, three and a half at the rear — and its wheelbase extended forward.

images © Ringbrothers

ringbrothers reinterprets a classic muscle car

While Ringbrothers‘ KINGPIN remains recognizable as a Mustang, its surfaces read as newly drawn. The bodywork, sculpted with Ragle Design, carries an even tension, with crisper lines and a heavier volume. The handcrafted panels are finished in BASF’s Bootleg Black, a tone that absorbs light rather than reflecting it, allowing the car’s geometry to define its presence. Accents in ‘Grab-Her Green’ punctuate the dark shell as a subtle revision of Ford’s classic Grabber Green hue.

Carbon fiber can be found integrated throughout, from the rear diffuser, hood, grille surround, and lower valance. Each piece exists to refine flow and reduce mass, contributing to a visual consistency that matches the car’s technical performance. The details, often 3D-printed or machined from billet, demonstrate the Ringbrothers’ approach to design as both an aesthetic and mechanical pursuit.

Ringbrothers unveils KINGPIN, a 1969 Ford Mustang reborn for the 21st century

Performance as Design Expression

Ringbrothers’ Mustang KINGPIN is guided by the single intent to match its visual authority with equal dynamic presence. A Wegner Motorsports 5.0-liter Coyote V8 paired with a Whipple supercharger delivers more than 800 horsepower through a six-speed manual Bowler gearbox. The drivetrain transmits its force through Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires and an independent suspension tuned with Fox RS coilovers. Brembo brakes, meanwhile, are sized for endurance racing.

From every angle, KINGPIN embodies the Ringbrothers’ belief that performance is a form of design. The engine bay reads like an industrial sculpture, its symmetry intact despite the power within. The Flowmaster Super 44 exhaust carries the car’s deep and mechanic tone, and amplifies the visual weight of the build through sound alone.

over 5,500 hours of metalwork and fabrication shape the reimagined Mach 1

inside the ‘kingpin’ restomod

Inside, the cabin extends the car’s disciplined composition. Upholstery, brightwork, and carbon elements are balanced across the interior surfaces. The custom ENYO crushed-carbon hoop steering wheel fronts Dakota Digital gauges and a Vintage Air Gen IV system. All together, the interior is unified by a commitment to tactility and material honesty.

‘Everything was cued off the Mustang’s original design,’ say co-owner Jim Ring. ‘We sharpened the lines and created a darker presence that still honors the car’s history.’ His brother Mike Ring echoes the sentiment, emphasizing the team’s pursuit of proportion and precision over novelty.

custom BASF Bootleg Black paint and Grab Her Green accents define the exterior

the body is widened and lengthened for a more balanced and modern stance

a Wegner Motorsports Coyote V8 and Whipple supercharger deliver over 800 horsepower

project info:

vehicle: Ringbrothers 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 | @ringbrothers

vehicle name: KINGPIN

designer: Ragle Design | @ragledesign

build hours: 5,500

engine: Wegner Motorsports 5.0-liter Coyote V8 with Whipple supercharger, developing over 800 horsepower
transmission: Bowler Carbon Edition six-speed manual

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pyramidal volumes with wood strip patterns frame luxeisland restaurant by DL atelier

DL Atelier sets waterfront sculptural restaurant on LuxeIsland

LuxeIsland Restaurant, designed by DL Atelier, forms part of the newly developed LuxeIsland project in Wuhan, China. Conceived within a children’s playground, the building occupies a prominent position at the island’s gateway and was alternatively titled The Brave Cabin, a name that reflects its location among climbing structures intended to encourage exploration and courage. With an interior area of less than 200 sqm, the restaurant emphasizes open, shaded spaces that extend the dining experience into the landscape.

The project builds on a long-standing collaboration between DL Atelier and LUXELAKES, following previous work such as Dotsss Children’s Museum, Edenland Architectural, and The CAPE Commercial District. The design approach for LuxeIsland Restaurant centers on the idea of creating a compact but visually expressive structure that operates as both a dining venue and a landmark visible from across the river. Formally, the building takes the shape of a small mountain composed of interlocking, angular volumes that appear to rise from the ground. Its massing curves gently along the island’s shoreline, while its height and scale ensure visibility through surrounding trees. The structure invites exploration as visitors approach along the open lawns and wooded paths.

all images by ©Zhu Yumeng – Coppak Studio

interlocking angular Volumes outline LuxeIsland Restaurant

The final design adopts an efficient system of flat planes clad entirely in solid wood strips. The architectural team at DL Atelier selected this design approach for construction due to its feasibility and visual coherence. The wooden exterior gives the building a warm, tactile character while maintaining a sculptural form that integrates with the natural setting. The building’s roof structure employs a steel space frame, enabling large cantilevers, some exceeding ten meters, and accommodating the restaurant’s open plan. Four clusters of composite steel columns, clad in black stone panels, support the main volume. Portions of this cladding extend outward to create functional elements such as outdoor seating, takeout counters, and wash stations. The triangular openings embedded in the roof serve both as visual apertures and as housings for interior lighting and mechanical systems.

Internally, the restaurant and water bar are enclosed by full-height glass walls, establishing visual continuity between indoor activity and the surrounding park. Large mechanical and kitchen systems are concealed within the roof volume to maintain the purity of the form. The roof’s multi-layered geometry is central to the overall composition, enhancing spatial hierarchy and providing a dynamic profile to the site. As one of the first standalone structures to open on LuxeIsland, the restaurant acts as a showcase for the development’s architectural identity. It combines structural precision with an expressive silhouette that interacts with its recreational setting. The project demonstrates how compact architecture can operate simultaneously as infrastructure, landmark, and social space, inviting both play and pause along the island’s waterfront.

LuxeIsland Restaurant by DL Atelier sits at the entrance of LuxeIsland in Wuhan

a sculptural landmark designed within a children’s playground

shaded semi-outdoor spaces extend the dining area into the landscape

the form resembles a small mountain composed of angular, interlocking volumes

composite steel columns clad in black stone anchor the main volume

the structure’s height ensures visibility through the surrounding trees

solid wood strips clad the exterior, enhancing texture and warmth

a wooden and glass facade gives the building a lightweight, natural presence

full-height glass walls connect the interior to the surrounding park

triangular roof openings integrate lighting and ventilation systems

the layered roof geometry defines the building’s distinctive silhouette

combining structure, landscape, and play, LuxeIsland Restaurant serves as both dining space and landmark

project info:

name: LuxeIsland Restaurant

architect: DL Atelier
design team: Liu Yang, Xu Dan, Hu Yiwei

location: Wuhan, China

photographer: Zhu Yumeng – Coppak Studio | @Yumeng_Zhu_coppakstudio

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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microphone with sound effects by teenage engineering gives singers robotic and fairy voices

teenage engineering unveils handheld microphone ‘ting’

Teenage Engineering releases handheld microphone EP–2350 Ting that gives singers a robotic or fairy voice. Built-in with sound effects, the compact device allows performers to modify their voices in four ways. The first is echo, which repeats their sounds. Then, there’s echo + spring, or a combination of the echo effect with a spring-like tone. The next is the pixie, which adds a high-pitched modulation to the users’ voice as if they were fairies, and lastly, the robot to give them a mechanical sound while performing live.

The body of the handheld microphone by Teenage Engineering includes a lever and motion sensor that control how the effects change in real time, meaning users can tilt or move the mic to adjust the intensity of the effect. On the side, there are four buttons that trigger preloaded sound samples such as air horns and lasers, which are commonly used in reggae and dancehall sound systems. Ting works as both a vocal mic and a simple sampler for live shows and can connect directly to a sampler through a line input or to any sound system.

all images courtesy of Teenage Engineering

Sampler ‘riddim’ makes reggae, dub, and dancehall tracks

Speaking of samplers, the handheld microphone isn’t the only recent release from Teenage Engineering. In fact, the team reveals its sibling in the name of EP–40 Riddim, which is based on earlier Teenage Engineering models, such as the EP–133 K.O. II and the EP–1320 Medieval. This time, the sampler, as well as the mic, is designed to make reggae, dub, and dancehall tracks. Riddim introduces a new play mode called LOP, which lets users control loops and create live remixes. The interface includes pads that can mute or unmute sounds during playback, allowing the DJs and producers to build and rearrange rhythms quickly during performance. Inside, the sampler includes a built-in synth engine called Supertone, the mastermind behind the bass and lead sounds with adjustable parameters. It also has three pressure-controlled dub siren tones, and the soundbank includes more than 300 samples. 

These consist of drums, percussion, bass, keys, melodica, guitars, and vocal shouts, samples made specifically for reggae, dub, and dancehall. Riddim also includes music and samples made by reggae and dub artists, who provided sound files such as bass lines, melodies, drum parts, and effects. The list includes King Jammy, Mad Professor, Mafia & Fluxy, Dre Skull, MPC, Rigo Fuego, Mighty Crown, and Baby G. Both the sampler and handheld microphone by Teenage Engineering are designed to connect and work together, with the Riddim handling the loops, samples, and rhythms, while the Ting adds vocals and live sound effects. The two units can be linked with cables for synchronized use. Riddim has ports for line input, line output, power, and MIDI control. Ting connects through a standard audio jack and draws power directly from the device it connects to.

there are four buttons that trigger preloaded sound samples

the compact device allows performers to modify their voices in four ways

Teenage Engineering also releases the sampler EP–40 Riddim for reggae and dancehall tracks

rear view of the sampler

the handheld microphone can be connected to the sampler

the mic includes a lever and motion sensor that control how the effects change in real time

the sampler interface includes pads that can mute or unmute sounds during playback

project info:

name: EP–2350 Ting, EP–40 Riddim

company: Teenage Engineering | @teenageengineering

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common integrates microbakery and pizzeria within flexible hybrid interior in berlin

Common blends microbakery and pizzeria inside a hybrid space

Located in Berlin’s Neukölln district, Common is a hybrid hospitality space that functions as a microbakery by day and a pizzeria by night. Designed by Thalea Schmalenberg, the interior supports the project’s dual identity through adaptable spatial organization, natural materials, and a subdued tonal palette.

Founded by Maximilian Korrenz Lemke, Common merges craft, community, and design into a single environment. The concept draws on Lemke’s experiences in Naples, Copenhagen, and Berlin, combining traditional baking methods with a focus on slow processes and local sourcing.

Common is located in Berlin’s Neukölln district | all images by Clemens Poloczek

Warm monochrome shades of burgundy envelop the interior

During the day, the space operates as a bakery offering long-fermented rye bread made from two types of rye flour and seven seeds, alongside Scandi-inspired cardamom buns and Berlin-roasted coffee. In the evening, it transitions into a pizzeria centered on slow-fermented sourdough. The menu features seasonal combinations such as blood sausage, Käsekrainer and Brussels sprouts, or fermented potatoes with wild garlic capers. Locally sourced flours and produce link the culinary offering to the regional context.

The interior concept by designer Thalea Schmalenberg accommodates this daily transformation. In daylight, the bakery emphasizes openness and the sensory presence of fresh pastries and bread. As night falls, lighting and materials create a warmer, more intimate atmosphere suited to dining. The design employs warm monochrome tones, handcrafted woodwork, and lighting elements from Danish and German manufacturers, establishing a cohesive environment that balances functionality and comfort.

the space functions as a microbakery by day and a pizzeria by night

designed by Thalea Schmalenberg, the interior adapts to shifting daily uses

the project combines hospitality, craft, and design in one setting

Common explores the connection between tradition, locality, and slow production

natural materials and subdued colors define the spatial atmosphere

handcrafted woodwork and warm monochrome tones define the design language

Danish and German lighting fixtures contribute to the evening atmosphere

the design balances openness, intimacy, and daily adaptability

the layout supports fluid transitions between daytime and evening service

coffee roasted in Berlin complements the daytime offering

as night falls, lighting and materials transform the mood of the interior

Common presents a cohesive environment where food, design, and community intersect

project info:

name: Common | @common.berlin
interior designer: Thalea Schmalenberg | @thaleaschmalenberg
location: Karl-Marx-Straße 176, 12043 Berlin, Germany

founder: Maximilian Korrenz Lemke
press & marketing: Courtney Allis
photographer: Clemens Poloczek | @clemenspoloczek

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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watch how populous built the RC strasbourg stadium out of decommissioned aeroplanes

parts from 30 retired aircraft shape Populous’ stadium facade

Populous introduces a striking environmental innovation to Strasbourg’s Stade de la Meinau, repurposing sections of decommissioned Airbus A340 fuselages to form the facade of the stadium’s new south stand. The project marks a world first in sustainable architecture, transforming aviation waste into a sun-shading system that glimmers across the 4,050-square-meter surface of the stand.

Located in the city’s La Meinau district, the 11,712-seat South Stand, designed by Populous in collaboration with local architect Rey-de-Crécy, incorporates fuselage panels sourced from 30 retired aircraft. These are cut and adapted into 196 aluminum segments, arranged as a continuous brise-soleil to temper sunlight and lend the structure a shimmering skin. In use since September 2025, the stand is already hosting Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace matches while the rest of the stadium continues its phased transformation. ‘The idea for the facade sunshade was originally conceived during the Covid-19 pandemic, when planes were almost entirely grounded and airlines resized their fleet and flight operations,’ says François Clément, President of Populous France. ‘Our design concept sought to make use of decommissioned aircraft, using upcycled architecture to deliver the innovative concept at the heart of an environmentally sustainable design for the revamped stadium.’

all images courtesy of credit Rey de Crecy and Populous, unless stated otherwise

stade de la meinau in strasbourg embraces circular design

The project aligns with Strasbourg’s broader goals for climate-conscious urban development. ‘Faced with the challenges of climate change, we must develop a circular economy that respects the resources at our disposal,’ notes Pia Imbs, President of the Eurométropole of Strasbourg. ‘The reuse of the fuselages was decisive in our choice of project—it is a world first of which we are proud; it is the signature of the new face of the stadium.’

Expected for completion in August 2026, the full renovation will expand Stade de la Meinau’s capacity from 26,000 to 32,000 seats. For the south stand, the French team of Populous introduces a glass-fronted five-story atrium with bars, lounges, and two open ‘party decks’ overlooking the pitch. Future phases will redevelop the north, east, and west stands and introduce a public fan zone, another first for a French stadium, intended for community use throughout the week.

Populous repurposes sections of decommissioned Airbus A340 fuselages | image courtesy of Populous and Getty Images

incorporating fuselage panels sourced from 30 retired aircraft

transforming aviation waste into a sun-shading system

the stand is already hosting Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace matches

expected for completion in August 2026

the project aligns with Strasbourg’s climate-conscious urban development | image courtesy of Populous and Getty Images

future phases will redevelop the north, east, and west stands | image courtesy of Populous and Getty Images

project info:

name: Stade de la Meinau renovation

architect: Populous | @wearepopulous

location: Strasbourg, France

local architect: Rey-de-Crécy | @reydecrecy

client: Eurométropole of Strasbourg with Ville de Strasbourg, Région Grand Est, Collectivité Européenne d’Alsace, and Racing Club Strasbourg Alsace

completion: expected August 2026

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solar-powered backpack with sleeping bag and pillow supports individuals looking for shelter

Homemore project creates solar-powered backpack with pillow

This is the Makeshift Traveler, a solar-powered backpack by HomeMore Project that comes with a sleeping bag and pillow and supports individuals looking for permanent housing. An initiative by the HomeMore Project, the accessory is tailored to the needs of the individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness, allowing them to sustainably navigate their situation until they obtain permanent shelter. For the team, the Makeshift Traveler should be the last backpack that the user will carry on their back, the mark that signals the end of their journey on the streets.

Looking at the design of the solar-powered backpack, the hardshell exterior allows for a weatherproof surface so the individuals’ personal belongings are safe and stashed inside regardless of the environmental conditions. On top of it lies the solar panel that stores the energy within the accessory’s battery bank, letting the individuals charge their devices using a USB port. The latter part also features cables to charge the backpack as soon as the user has access to a wall charger. At the bottom of the MakeShift Traveler, the HomeMore Project team embeds a urethane-coated nylon pillow in their solar-powered backpack. In this way, users can rest without needing to bring an extra pillow, lockable using a double zipper system to ward off thieves and protect the individuals’ personal belongings, too.

all images courtesy of HomeMore Project

Makeshift traveler includes useful kits in the accessory

The pillow and panel aren’t the only ones individuals have when they carry the solar-powered backpack by the HomeMore Project. The Makeshift Traveler also includes an FM/AM radio and a pair of headphones, a rechargeable LED flashlight with three modes, a 24-ounce water bottle, a rain pocket coat, a hygiene kit, a security lock, and a pair of bombas socks. There’s also a foldable tent included to temporarily shelter the individuals from extreme weather conditions, and outside, strapped at the bottom of the solar-powered backpack, the team from HomeMore Project even adds a sleeping bag with a nylon outer and a fuzzy inside to keep the users warm day and night.

The HomeMore Project worked on developing the Makeshift Traveler for 18 months after gathering first-hand feedback and observations in the Tenderloin Neighborhood of San Francisco, California, where many individuals seek shelter on the streets. On October 1st, 2022, the team launched the solar-powered backpack, delivering more than 1,200 models to individuals experiencing homelessness across 25 cities in California. In 2025, they’re set to launch the fourth and upgraded design of the accessory, anticipating a delivery of over 2,000 models in 2025 alone. The team has also set up a contribution page to allow readers to donate a Makeshift Traveler to those who need it.

HomeMore Project’s solar-powered backpack comes with a rolled-up sleeping bag

the kit includes a hygiene pack, a rechargeable LED flashlight, some socks, and more

detailed view of the solar panel on top of the accessory

view of the embedded weatherproof pillow

in 2025, the team is set to launch the fourth and upgraded design of the accessory

project info:

name: Makeshift Traveler

initiative: HomeMore Project | @thehomemoreproject

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ariostea’s mūra surfaces translate concrete into a unified porcelain stoneware system

CERAMIC SURFACES FOR THE MID CENTURY STYLE

Ariostea, part of the Iris Ceramica Group, brings the raw visual language of concrete to ceramic surfaces with Mūra,  a porcelain stoneware project for contemporary architecture. The surfaces are conceptually rooted in a tribute to the mid-20th-century artistic current — a movement that recognized and utilized basic construction elements like cement and iron rods as key sculptural components. Offering complete aesthetic and functional continuity, Mūra provides versatile solutions for both high-end residential and demanding commercial spaces. The project unites three technical format lines, from expansive Ultra slabs and traditional Classics sizes through to robust CM2 Outdoor, creating a monolithic system across any scale.

Mūra perfectly fits the mid-century style with raw aesthetics | all images courtesy of Ariostea

ARIOSTEA MASTERING MATERIAL AUTHENTICITY

Ariostea has mastered the process of translating raw material authenticity into durable technical ceramic surfaces. The three deep tones — Lunara, Sankira, and Ramia — avoid superficial artifice, instead intensifying the subtle tactile details honed by the brand over three decades of experience. The surface features fine veining that precisely mimics the characteristic bubbles that emerge and burst during the natural concrete drying cycle. This technical precision results in a vital quality that offers an honest, unfiltered engagement with the material’s aesthetic.

the project translates the raw visual language of concrete into ceramic surfaces

MŪRA OFFERS DESIGN FLEXIBILITY IN THREE DIMENSIONS 

The versatility of the Mūra project is reflected in its three main formats, designed to ensure a flawless transition between different architectural applications, indoors and out. The Ultra line, with a minimal 6 mm thickness, is expressed through large slabs up to 270×120 cm in the Natural Plus finish. These grand dimensions are crucial for spaces demanding visual continuity and minimal disruption, and are particularly well-suited for creating custom furniture such as counters, tables, and vanity tops in the hospitality and retail sectors.

For interiors, the Classics sizes including 100×100 cm and 120×60 cm are available in 6 mm and 8 mm thicknesses. The Natural Plus finish gives the surface a tactile softness, recalling a polished concrete style. This line is enriched by the unique Tessura decoration, a discrete graphic element that mimics the footprint left by formwork, generating a refined, metallic-grey texture.

avoiding superficial imitation, the Lunara, Sankira, and Ramia tones intensify the authentic character of cement

Finally, the CM2 Outdoor solution features an increased 20 mm thickness and an Antislip finish to guarantee maximum safety and durability in external environments. Suitable for terraces, poolsides, and walkways, the 100×100 cm size is designed to withstand continuous stresses and can be installed dry on gravel, sand, or as raised flooring, ensuring high-performance continuity in any outdoor space. Mūra’s flexibility ensures it is perfectly compatible with the other references in the Ariostea catalogue, offering designers endless possibilities in composition.

details of fine veining that mimic the characteristic air bubbles of the natural concrete drying cycle

the Classics sizes, featuring the Natural Plus finish, introduce a tactile softness for high-end interiors

with its expansive Ultra slabs, Mūra addresses any architectural scale

Mūra represents Ariostea’s expertise in translating material authenticity into durable technical ceramic surfaces

project info:

name: Mūra

brand: Ariostea | @ariosteahightech

tones: Lunara, Sankira, and Ramia

sizes: 270×120 cm, 120×120 cm, 100×100 cm, 120×60 cm, 60×60 cm

thicknesses: 6 mm, 8 mm, 20 mm

finishes: Natural Plus and Antislip

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kong xiangwei’s art museum is a rolled concrete shell-structure in the woods

kong xiangwei sculpts a Threshold to the Forest

At a bend along the mountain road in Jiuxian, China, the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Art Museum by Kong Xiangwei Studio occupies a narrow site shaded by oaks. The building marks the entrance to the Xi Valley Scenic Area’s forest art initiative — an open-air museum that threads artworks through the woods. Modest in scale yet deeply connected to its surroundings, the structure serves as both gallery and gateway, its form revealing itself gradually to those who arrive on foot.

From the road, the building appears as a folded concrete shell drawn inward by concave surfaces. Narrow openings along the base allow light to seep in and out, hinting at the valley beyond. Entering feels like passing through a small mountain opening into another realm, echoing the vision described in Tao Yuanming’s The Peach Blossom Spring. Inside, filtered light, the scent of oak, and the sound of wind combine to produce a calm, transitional atmosphere as a prelude to the larger landscape.

images © Kong Xiangwei Studio

an art museum from Local Construction and Living Craft

Kong Xiangwei Studio’s practice often favors ‘local construction,’ a method grounded in collaboration and site responsiveness which can be seen through this art museum. Here, the process began not with finalized drawings but with an open-ended experiment in form. The architect and his team used twelve-millimeter deformed steel bars as the framework, which are flexible enough to be bent and bound by hand, yet strong enough to define space.

Three villagers from nearby Maojiahe joined the construction, including a seasoned lathe operator whose mechanical intuition became essential to shaping the curves. Together they twisted and tied the steel into a three-dimensional sketch, gradually finding the building’s form through action. The process carried a sense of discovery, with each adjustment revealing new spatial possibilities. 

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Art Museum stands at a mountain road bend in China

a cavity from rolled paper

The initial idea for the art museum, described by both the client and architect Kong Xiangwei, was ‘a cavity from rolled paper.’ This image guided the design’s pursuit of lightness and continuity. As the frame took shape, thin layers of concrete — just three to four centimeters thick — were cast over it to create a delicate shell. Achieving this level of precision in a rural setting demanded patience and ingenuity from the craftsmen, particularly Master Wang, who led the plasterwork with quiet skill.

Although the finish bears traces of hand and tool, the imperfections enhance the building’s tactile quality. Slight irregularities in the surface read as evidence of process rather than flaw. The resulting texture, somewhere between polished and rough, absorbs shifting light and allows the building to sit comfortably among the trunks and branches.

Kong Xiangwei designed the building as both gallery and forest gateway

its narrow site is shaded by oaks and opens toward the valley

the structure is formed through local construction with village craftsmen

the three- to four-centimeter shell carries traces of handmade precision

project info:

name: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Art Gallery

architect: Kong Xiangwei Studio

location: Xi Valley Scenic Area, Jiuxian Mountain, Wulian County, Rizhao, Shandong
design team: Kong Xiangwei, Cui Jun, Gao Zhuojian

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