iF DESIGN and AIA new york discuss designing culture and community for urban life

IF DESIGN HOSTS PANEL TALK ON DESIGN & URBAN LIFE

 

On October 28, 2025, iF Design and AIA New York came together at the Center for Architecture for Designing Culture and Community, an evening of cocktails, conversation, and cross-disciplinary insight into the ways design shapes urban life. Moderated by Lisa Gralnek, Managing Director and Global Head of Sustainability at iF Design, the panel featured Samara Karasyk (President & CEO, Hudson Square Business Improvement District), Joseph Shatoff (Capital Projects Advisor and former COO, The Frick Collection), and Anthony Evrard (Co-Founder & CEO, Court 16 – Tennis Remixed). Hosted as part of Archtober, New York’s month-long celebration of architecture and design, the event explored how design, culture, and community intersect across the city’s evolving public realm.

on October 28, 2025, iF Design and AIA New York came together at the Center for Architecture for ‘Designing Culture and Community’ | all images courtesy of iF Design

 

 

STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES IN THE MOST COMPLEX CITIES

 

As part of Archtober, New York City’s month-long celebration of architecture and design, the discussion organized by iF Design and AIA New York examined how ‘third spaces,’ cultural infrastructure, and design-led placemaking can strengthen communities in one of the world’s most complex cities. 

 

With the Center’s current exhibition Searching for Super Publics as a backdrop, panelists shared insights from business, cultural, and community perspectives on building inclusive, sustainable, and people-centered environments for the future of New York.

from left to right: Joseph Shatoff, Anthony Evrard, Samara Karasyk, and Lisa Gralnek

 

 

WHAT DEFINES A SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY

 

What defines a successful community or cultural space?

 

Samara Karasyk (SK): My work is entirely focused on public open spaces – so for me, it’s a design that is welcoming to all users and gets plenty of use. I also think a lot about the space being appealing to our local population as well as people who may be passing through the neighborhood.

 

Anthony Evrard (AE): At Court 16, success means serving diverse needs while fostering connection and belonging. It’s about creating an environment where people of all ages and abilities—from young children to vision-impaired adults—feel welcome. A strong reputation built on trust and consistent experiences is key. Success isn’t just measured by foot traffic, but by how the space contributes to the social and cultural fabric of the neighborhood.

 

Joseph Shatoff (JS):  My experience is mainly with cultural spaces, which serve both paying visitors and casual passersby. A successful cultural space has distinction, not necessarily being unlike any other, but featuring elements that create a sense of place and connect people to memories. At the Frick, for example, it’s the Garden Court or our art-filled café – you might forget the Cobb salad, but you’ll remember the mural. Above all, the space must feel comfortable, inviting, and encourage people to linger, much like a public park.

hosted as part of Archtober, the event explored how design, culture, and community intersect across the city’s evolving public realm

 

 

We hear a lot of talk these days about third spaces. What is a third space? 

 

SK:  A third space is where people feel they are getting some sort of human interaction and can spend time comfortably with others, even when they want to be by themselves. It’s not just transactional in nature.

 

AE:  A third space is a neutral, welcoming environment outside of home and work where people can gather, socialize, and engage in activities. Court 16 functions as a third space by combining athletic, social, and cultural offerings under one roof. People come for tennis or pickleball, but they stay for the community, the programs, and the sense of belonging it provides. In a city like NYC, third spaces are essential because they offer social connection in an otherwise fast-paced and isolated urban life.

 

JS:  In my mind it’s a space that lets us relax into something other than our obligations to work or family, or what have you. For me, that’s a tennis court…I play at a place that is flanked by sitting areas where we can talk and relate, about our games, and our lives, that’s a third space to me.

with the Center’s current exhibition ‘Searching for Super Publics’ as a backdrop, panelists shared insights from business, cultural, and community perspectives on building people-centered environments for the future of New York

 

 

What role do they play in bringing people together in urban environments?

 

SK:  As our retail environment changes, these third spaces are hugely important in creating a vibrant retail corridor. People need a reason to go into a store or restaurant/café instead of purchasing something online or making a drink at home. And vibrant retail corridors are critical in having a dynamic and engaging urban environment. In our recent Neighborhood Survey, some of our respondents wrote in the request for “third spaces” instead of just checking a box for more grab and go lunch spots or coffee shops.

 

AE:  Third spaces act as community hubs, bridging gaps between different neighborhoods and demographics. At Court 16, for example, kids, teens, and adults share the same facilities in ways that encourage cross-generational interaction. These spaces create opportunities for learning, mentorship, and casual social interaction, which are often missing in a dense urban environment where people may not naturally connect with neighbors or coworkers.

’People need a reason to go into a store or restaurant/café instead of purchasing something online or making a drink at home,’ says Samara Karasyk

 

 

Let’s talk about the power of place: how and by whom does a neighborhood or a community get defined?

 

SK:  Neighborhood identity is a shared process between locals and anchor organizations. In Hudson Square, we’ve spent 15 years raising awareness of our neighborhood. Some hotels still say they’re in West Soho or the West Village, but about 80% of residents and workers proudly call it Hudson Square. Our identity comes from being a bit off the beaten path  – we don’t want to be Soho or the West Village.

 

AE:  Neighborhoods are defined by a combination of residents, local businesses, cultural institutions, and community stakeholders. At Court 16, we engage directly with local organizations, schools, and city partners to understand community needs. We actively seek input to ensure the space serves our community the best.

 

JS:  This is a thorny subject in cultural sites because there are so many stakeholders. Decisions may come from a cultural or visitor perspective, but in New York, money often prevails. Influence usually lies with those closest to the patrons. Great designers understand this dynamic—they either build consensus among stakeholders or hold firm to what the design needs to achieve.

’Decisions may come from a cultural or visitor perspective, but in New York, money often prevails,’ exclaims Joseph Shatoff

 

 

How do you ensure a space is welcoming? Safe? Inclusive?

 

SK: Greenery, trees, and art make a huge difference in making people feel welcome. Hudson Square can be congested due to proximity to the Holland Tunnel, so we focus on streets, sidewalks, and open spaces that prioritize pedestrians. For instance, a mural on the back of a toll sign is visible to pedestrians walking north while drivers see the toll side. We’re also expanding work on lighting, as perception of safety is crucial.

 

AE: We approach inclusivity through intentional programming, design, and operations. Our spaces serve diverse ages and abilities, from children to vision-impaired adults, with clear safety protocols and accessible facilities. We foster a culture of hospitality and respect among staff and users, and we actively listen to community feedback to improve. While we can’t satisfy everyone all the time, our goal is for most people to feel seen, heard, and included.

 

JS:  I think that’s all about the partnership between a design and client team. Both have to agree and be willing to listen and make decisions. A great space is for everyone, the challenge is getting people there in the first place.

’Neighborhoods are defined by a combination of residents, local businesses, cultural institutions, and community stakeholders,’ says Anthony Evrard

 

 

How important is design to the overall vision and execution of a cultural and/or community space? Practically speaking, how does this come to life?

 

SK:  Good design attracts people, encourages exploration, and invites repeat visits. Shade is critical in outdoor spaces, as is a balance of seating types. At Freeman Plaza West, we provide games like cornhole separate from café tables so everyone can enjoy the space. Spring Street Park has shaded areas that draw diverse users, from workers on lunch breaks to students after school.

 

AE:  Design is critical. It influences flow, safety, accessibility, and how people feel within a space. At Court 16, this takes shape through multi-purpose courts that accommodate kids, adults, and adaptive sports; social areas such as lounges and cafés that encourage interaction; and thoughtful lighting, signage, and accessibility features that enhance comfort and usability.

 

JS: I believe design is the pivot around which everything occurs. There may be an idea first, but clients need designs and proposals to respond to. Each project is different, so maintaining an active, engaged approach and fostering healthy tension between designer and client is essential. We’re in it together, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have arguments and debates along the way. 

’Each project is different, so maintaining an active, engaged approach and fostering healthy tension between designer and client is essential,’ mentions Shatoff

 

 

What are the unique complexities &/or considerations of building community and culture in NYC?

 

SK:  Communities are not monolithic; no design will please everyone. Engaging widely with residents, organizations, and programs helps create solutions that meet as many needs as possible. Long-term partnerships for open spaces, art, and programming are hard to find, which is where BIDs and local organizations play a crucial role. Focusing on the hyperlocal environment allows us to build and maintain strong relationships.

 

AE:  New York City’s complexity stems from its dense and diverse population with varying needs, a challenging regulatory environment with zoning, permits, and construction constraints, and intense competition for space and resources. To succeed, Court 16 must constantly adapt, balance commercial viability with social benefit, and maintain credibility in a city where expectations are exceptionally high.

 

JS:  This has been the focus of a lot of my work over the past 20 years. The design and construction process is commercial – and it has to be that way. But cultural institutions don’t behave in a commercial way, and that creates all sorts of gaps and leads to issues in terms of scope, cost, and schedule. Just that awareness is the first step. Once we understand our interests, we can begin to align.

Karasyk says that ’Communities are not monolithic; no design will please everyone’

 

 

In the culture business specifically — how does one balance commercial imperatives with community and learning benefits?

 

SK: Commercial and community interests can complement each other. For example, a new plaza next to a public high school and nearby offices accommodates both students and workers. Seating is designed for outdoor classrooms, solo breaks, or small groups, with areas for activity and areas for quiet respite. This approach comes from extensive public outreach.

 

AE: At Court 16, balancing revenue and public benefit means creating programs that serve a social mission while attracting engagement. Our Sound of Tennis program, launched in 2015, supports visually impaired athletes with adaptive equipment, modified courts, and a safe, skill-appropriate environment. It strengthens Court 16’s reputation as a community-focused space.

 

JS:  In my experience it is very dependent on the client. There is a structural deficit (financially) for most cultural institutions. So revenue is important to most. Lots to talk about on this subject, as no one has really cracked this problem yet, because revenues are still lower than what is needed. One might ask the taboo question if more partnership with the private sector is worth exploring.

in the culture business specifically – how does one balance commercial imperatives with community and learning benefits?

 

 

What’s the state of public space design right now? What are some major trends you’re seeing? What gives you the most hope for the future of NYC?

 

SK:  New Yorkers give me the most hope for New York City! There are so many talented, creative, and passionate people here. As the world feels more fragmented and people feel more isolated, the physical world is what brings us together. I think people are hungrier than ever to have a community around them – and that’s why public spaces have been and will continue to be something that unites us in New York.

 

AE:  Emerging trends include multi-use, flexible spaces, accessibility and inclusivity as core principles, and integrating social programming. At Court 16, these trends are reflected in multi-functional courts, inclusive programs, and community-centered design. The future of New York City is hopeful, as spaces prioritizing connection, accessibility, and inclusion gain momentum, showing that even in a fast-paced city, people deeply value culture and community.

‘as the world feels more fragmented and people feel more isolated, the physical world is what brings us together,’ concludes Samara Karasyk

 

 

 

event info:

 

name: Designing Culture and Community
organization: iF Design | @ifdesign with AIA New York
speakers: Samara Karasyk, President/CEO, Hudson Square Business Improvement District; Joseph Shatoff, Capital Projects Advisor and Former Chief Operating Officer, The Frick Collection; and Anthony Evrard, Co-Founder/CEO, Court 16 – Tennis Remixed
moderator: Lisa Gralnek, Managing Director, US & Global Head of Sustainability, iF Design
location: Center for Architecture for Designing Culture and Community, NY, USA
date: 28 October, 2025

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atelier nagara + permanent co. top office in hashima, japan with rippling rooftop

an office among the rice fields of hashima

 

Located in Japan‘s Hashima City, this new office by Atelier Nagara Architectural Design Office + Permanent Co. stands with a sculptural rooftop and rises from a calm expanse of rice fields. The rural setting, defined by the steady rhythm of agricultural life and the shifting light from nearby mountains, guided the architects toward a design that honors the beauty of the everyday.

 

Commissioned as the headquarters for a company engaged in civil engineering and real estate, the office was built as a long-term presence in the community. The design team sought to create an environment that encourages awareness of the subtle qualities of its surroundings.

images © Kenta Hasegawa

 

 

a rippling rooftop by Atelier Nagara + Permanent Co.

 

The office in Hashima is recognized as once by its rippling rooftop, designed by Atelier Nagara and Permanent Co. Rising sharply toward the east, its bold incline cuts a sharp silhouette against the horizon before tapering down to meet the ground. This shifting geometry draws the eye along its gentle undulation, allowing the light of the day and the colors of the sky to play across its surface. The result is an architectural form that enhances, rather than competes with, the landscape’s quiet drama.

 

Rainwater and shadow animate the roof’s surface, drawing attention to the changing conditions of the environment. In this way, the roof becomes both a shelter and an instrument of perception, heightening awareness of natural rhythms often overlooked each day.

the Office in Hashima stands amid rice fields in Gifu Prefecture

 

 

breezy workspaces between inside and out

 

The spatial composition extends this awareness inward. Beneath the raised roofline, a tall volume holds the entrance and meeting rooms, opening the interior to views of the fields. Courtyards and verandas are positioned strategically beneath the lower eaves, creating a sequence of thresholds that mediate between indoors and outdoors.

 

Small pauses in the plan — areas with stones, plants, or filtered light — encourage moments of stillness. These subtle interventions dissolve the boundary between architecture and landscape, allowing the building to feel both grounded and open. The interiors, though refined, carry traces of the outside world through their materials and arrangement.

 

The southern elevation introduces large openings shaded by low eaves. This careful balance between openness and protection allows sunlight to filter deep into the rooms while maintaining a sense of intimacy with the garden. Wind moves freely through the structure, carrying with it the scents and sounds of the surrounding fields.

Atelier Nagara designed the building as a headquarters for a civil engineering company

a sharply rising roof defines the building’s distinctive silhouette

the architecture draws attention to subtle shifts in light, air and water

courtyards and verandas link the interior to the surrounding landscape

 

project info:

 

name: Office in Hashima

architect: Atelier Nagara | @atelier_nagara_iwt, Permanent Co. | @permanent.co.ltd

location: Hashima, Japan

area: 302 square meters
completion: 2025
photography: © Kenta Hasegawa | @kentahasegawa

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transparent keycaps shaped like retro TV take design cues from 1984 apple macintosh 128k

handmade, transparent keycaps in the form of retro TVs

 

Jelly Key releases a series of handmade, transparent keycaps shaped like retro TVs, taking design cues from the 1984 Apple Macintosh 128K. Dubbed the Art Toy x32 and x77, the collection is made of resin and all crafted by hand, from the smallest detail to pouring and casting. Inside each keycap, there are miniature parts that look like the components of an old computer or a small TV, including circuit boards, power units, capacitors, bulbs, and small wires. Each part is made separately using colored resin, and the wires and circuits are thin, with only 0.3 millimeters thick. After each layer is cast, the resin needs about 23 hours to cure completely, and once the base is ready, the outer TV shell is added, which takes another 24 hours to finish.

 

The result is a series of artisan-made transparent keycaps that revive the days of retro TV. The front of the piece has small design elements such as a floppy disk slot and a circular power switch, which are not functional but serve as recognizable visual cues from older computers. The screen area is tilted at a 65-degree angle, which makes it easier to see when it is placed on a keyboard or display surface. The back panel of the keycap is translucent so the user can see all the internal parts, especially when the keyboard glows. The transparent resin is polished by hand, and the design uses a harder type of resin to create clearer or more visible pieces per cap.

all images courtesy of Jelly Key

 

 

Finishes in crystal clear and frosted translucent

 

The outer case of the transparent keycaps shaped like a retro TV comes in five finishes: crystal clear, frosted translucent, tinted transparent, colored frosted, and vintage-toned. Each case can be combined with different screen designs, resulting in twelve possible versions. The design of the TV case is inspired by early personal computers, especially the Macintosh 128K from 1984, as the designer of the Art Toy series wanted to capture the feeling of early computer design and translate it into a miniature art object. The screen content of each keycap shows small digital scenes or messages. Some designs are carried over from earlier collections, such as ‘How Are You,’ ‘I Am Great,’ ‘Milky Way Greetings,’ and ‘From the Other Side.’ New designs include ‘Space Odyssey,’ ‘HAL Eye,’ ‘Galactic Intro,’ and ‘First Lander.’ Each one represents a small visual story related to space or technology.

 

To make the screen, the process starts with casting the picture tube bulb. Then, the tiny characters and elements are placed inside the bulb before a layer of clear resin is poured to make the curved screen surface. Once the resin is hardened, the surface is sanded and polished before being assembled into the case. The entire process is repeated for each individual piece. The assembly process combines all parts together. The screen is attached to the front of the case, and the miniature circuit and internal components are placed behind it. Wires connect the screen to the base, and every connection must be exact since all pieces must fit without gaps. The transparent back panel is fixed last, sealing the TV completely. Before it is closed, each part is cleaned to remove dust since any small particle can be seen through the clear resin, making the retro TV-shaped transparent keycaps a record of craftsmanship.

Jelly Key releases a series of handmade, transparent keycaps shaped like retro TVs

the design takes design cues from the 1984 Apple Macintosh 128K

the collection is made of resin and all crafted by hand

inside each keycap, there are miniature parts that look like the components of an old computer or a small TV

each part is made separately using colored resin

the transparent resin is polished by hand

the back panel of the keycap is translucent so the user can see all the internal parts

 

project info:

 

name: Retro TV series: First Frame artisan keycaps

company: Jelly Key | @jelly.key

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wallmakers wraps its suspended ‘bridge house’ in skin of thatched scales

a house designed as a bridge

 

The Bridge House by Wallmakers, led by architect Vinu Daniel, stands in Karjat, India, where a natural gorge divides the land. A natural stream has carved a seven-meter-deep channel through the site, creating both a challenge and an opportunity. The two parcels of land required a connection, yet no foundations could be placed within the 100-foot width of the spillway. As a result, the dwelling is suspended across this divide as an occupiable bridge.

 

The structure’s form emerged from constraint. Designed as a 100-foot suspension bridge composed of four hyperbolic parabolas, it uses minimal steel pipes and tendons for tensile strength, while a thatch-mud composite provides compressive resistance. The dialogue between these materials lends a structure that is both taut and flexible.

images © Studio IKSHA

 

 

wallmakers learns from the pangolin

 

Set amid dense vegetation, the Bridge House is built by Wallmakers as a natural extension of its surroundings. The thatched surface — layered in overlapping scales reminiscent to the skin of a pangolin — offers thermal insulation and gentle cooling, allowing the structure to rest lightly on the site. Only four footings anchor the bridge so as to minimize disturbance to the terrain and preserving the contours of the gorge.

 

The mud plaster coating serves a practical purpose as much as an aesthetic one. It prevents pests from entering the thatch and fortifies the shell against compression, maintaining the stability of the bridge without the need for vertical suspension pillars. What results is a dwelling that blends technical efficiency with organic tactility, forming a habitat where architecture and environment coexist without hierarchy.

Wallmakers’ Bridge House spans a natural gorge in Karjat, India

 

 

organic interiors of reclaimed ship-deck wood

 

Inside, Wallmakers’ Bridge House maintains a measured openness. The plan centers around an oculus that frames the sky and channels rain into the courtyard, turning weather into an architectural event. Light filters through the circular void and across surfaces of reclaimed timber and jute. This establishes a rhythm of shadow and air that shifts throughout the day.

 

The four bedrooms open toward the forest canopy or overlook the stream below. Reclaimed ship-deck wood lines the floors, while jute and mesh screens filter light and air, preserving a sense of continuity with the landscape beyond. 

 

For Wallmakers, the Bridge House represents an ongoing inquiry into material intelligence and site-responsive construction. In Karjat’s humid and forested terrain, the project demonstrates how local resources, however limited, can be transformed into structural innovation.

four hyperbolic parabolas form a suspension bridge made from steel tendons, thatch, and mud

an oculus at the center opens interiors to the sky and rain

only four footings anchor the house to preserve the surrounding landscape

the thatched exterior takes cues from pangolin scales and lends thermal insulation

 

project info:

 

name: Bridge House

architect: Wallmakers 

location: Karjat, India

lead architect: Vinu Daniel | @ar.vinudaniel

design team: Preksha Shah, Ramika Gupta

completion: 2025

photography: © Studio IKSHA | @iksha.in

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the art hoax that fooled everyone: manfredi lucibello unravels the tirana biennial’s deception

MANFREDI LUCIBELLO REVISITS CONTEMPORARY ART’S GREATEST HOAX

 

In his latest documentary, The Tirana Conspiracy (Il complotto di Tirana), director Manfredi Lucibello dissects one of the most outrageous and revealing hoaxes in the history of contemporary art, the real-life episode that exposed the art world’s blind faith in provocation and its vulnerability to manipulation. Produced by Small Boss with the support of Regione Emilia-Romagna, the 71-minute film brings together photographer Oliviero Toscani, artist Marco Lavagetto, and a cast of art-world insiders to revisit the events that shook the first Tirana Biennial 25 years ago, in December 2000.

 

The film unpacks how, in an age before social media but already steeped in digital illusion, a young artist managed to deceive one of Europe’s most powerful critics and an entire institutional ecosystem. In 1999, Flash Art magazine published a ranking of Italy’s top fifty artists. Toscani, famed for his boundary-pushing Benetton campaigns, appeared second to last, just above Marco Lavagetto, dubbed ‘the poor man’s Cattelan.’ A year later, Lavagetto struck back with what he would later describe as ‘one of the biggest media hoaxes of contemporary art.’ Pretending to be Toscani, he began an email exchange with Flash Art’s editor Giancarlo Politi, who soon invited the supposed photographer to curate a section of the inaugural Tirana Biennial.

images courtesy of Clara Vannucci

 

 

THE TIRANA CONSPIRACY: four fake artists and one real scandal

 

For the exhibition, the ‘fake Toscani’ proposed four equally fake artists, designed to stretch the moral and conceptual limits of the art world: Dimitri Bioy, a self-declared pedophile; Bola Ecua, a Nigerian activist allegedly pursued by her government; Carmelo Gavotta, a pornographer (and an anagram of Lavagetto’s own name); and Hamid Picardo, Bin Laden’s ‘official photographer.’ These characters formed a grotesque mirror of contemporary art’s appetite for scandal and shock value.

 

The deception that director Manfredi Lucibello’s documentary unravels extended beyond the artwork, as Lavagetto also offered to design the Biennial’s poster free of charge, producing an image of the Albanian flag modified into that of the Kosovo Liberation Army, a deeply provocative gesture at a moment when the region was still torn by post-war tension. When Politi printed the official catalogue and sent it to the real Toscani, the photographer finally discovered that his name had been hijacked.

Manfredi Lucibello dissects one of the most outrageous hoaxes in the history of contemporary art

 

 

questioning what’s real in art and in film

 

Even after Lavagetto’s confession, many continued to believe the four artists actually existed. The real Toscani filed a complaint for identity theft, and Italian police eventually traced the emails back to Lavagetto’s computer. The trial ended with Lavagetto’s acquittal on criminal charges but a civil conviction. He was ordered to pay €30,000 in damages, the same amount Toscani had already received from Flash Art. The verdict, Lucibello notes, symbolically shared the guilt between those who created the deception and those who ‘took the bait.’

 

Through interviews, archival material, and reenactments, The Tirana Conspiracy reconstructs how this elaborate hoax not only humiliated key figures but also revealed the art system’s fragile underpinnings, its market-driven narratives, dependence on reputation, and willingness to sanctify controversy as depth. As Lucibello frames it, the operation became a mirror for an industry that had ‘plunged the knife into its own weak points.’ Yet, 25 years later, the director observes, little seems to have changed. ‘The Tirana Conspiracy,’ he notes, ‘had the merit of exposing the sickness of the system but the shortcoming of failing to cure it.’

 

Lucibello uses the story not only to probe the nature of art but also to question his own medium. Citing the Treccani definition of documentary, a film based on an ontological relationship with reality, the director wonders what happens when reality itself is a fabrication. ‘My camera will be at the service of reality,’ he concludes. ‘But what if there is no reality? I will have no choice but to represent it for what it is: a lie.’ The Tirana Conspiracy becomes a meta-documentary, a film about deception that doubts the truthfulness of its own form. Lucibello turns the hoax into an ethical question for both artists and viewers. What if the greatest artwork is the lie we choose to believe?

the 71-minute film brings together Oliviero Toscani, Marco Lavagetto, and a cast of art-world insiders

revisiting the events that shook the first Tirana Biennial 25 years ago

the film unpacks how a young artist managed to deceive one of europe’s most powerful critics

 

 

project info:

 

name: The Tirana Conspiracy

director: Manfredi Lucibello | @manfredilucibello

producer: Matteo Pecorara

cinematography: Matteo Ferrarini

editing: Diego Berrè

color grading: Emilio-Maria Costa

sound design: Francesco Rabaglia

prosthetic make-up: Valentina Visintin

visual effects: Ignacio Herr

artwork: Mattia Donati

production: Small Boss | @smallbossproduction, with the support of Regione Emilia-Romagna

country: Italy
year: 2024
length: 71 minutes

language: Italian
subtitles: English
format: DCP (16:9, Dolby 5:1)

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from chicken-like shelters to spiky wooden huts, hello wood’s cabin fever lands in czechia

Cabin Fever 2025 explores architecture as Shared Social Act

 

Cabin Fever 2025, organized by Hello Wood, took place in Česká Kamenice, Czech Republic, on the grounds of a former textile factory and wartime labor camp. The event combined an international summer school and design-build festival under the theme ‘Quality Time – Connection to Each Other.’ Participants from across the world collaborated with Arthur Mamou-Mani [UK], Geoffrey Eberle – Entropic [ES], Mjölk architekti [CZ], and Hello Wood [HU] to construct experimental cabins exploring how spatial design can support intimacy, dialogue, and collective experience. Powered by VELUX, the event marks the first phase of a three-year program dedicated to architectural collaboration and education. Each edition investigates the intersection of material experimentation, craftsmanship, and social engagement, framing the act of building as both a technical and cultural practice.

all images by BoysPlayNice

 

 

Hello Wood promotes hands-on architectural education

 

Founded in 2010, Hello Wood is a Hungarian architecture studio recognized for its emphasis on hands-on learning and community-based projects. Cabin Fever summer school and festival extends this approach internationally, merging architectural education with socially oriented design. The 2025 edition, developed in partnership with VELUX, focused on the role of light and spatial quality in shaping human interaction. The collaboration reflects a shared design philosophy between Hello Wood and VELUX, that architecture should integrate environmental responsibility, material awareness, and sensory experience. The program encourages participants to consider how built environments can generate meaningful social and spatial relationships through thoughtful use of structure, material, and light.

 

Held from July 23rd – July 31st 2025, the event was hosted in Česká Kamenice, a site of layered industrial and historical significance. Participants were invited to investigate the site’s physical and cultural context, translating it into architectural responses that address both memory and renewal. Students, emerging designers, and architects worked alongside established studios, including Arthur Mamou-Mani x FAB.PUB [UK], Geoffrey Eberle – Entropic [ES], Mjölk architekti [CZ], and Hello Wood [HU], to design and construct cabins and small-scale installations. Three winning proposals from an international open call were also realized during the workshop, expanding the dialogue between design, construction, and collective learning.

The Chicken and The Splinter

 

 

Hello Wood’s Cabin Fever 2025 lands in Česká Kamenice

 

Hello Wood’s arrival in Česká Kamenice follows the studio’s earlier initiatives in Csóromfölde, Hungary, where the Project Village program (2015–2017) transformed an abandoned rural site through collaborative building. Similar international workshops in Argentina and San Francisco later extended the model, reinforcing Hello Wood’s interest in connecting design education with site-specific cultural and environmental contexts. In partnership with local architects, Hello Wood identified Česká Kamenice as a location suited for a new cycle of long-term collaboration. The town’s historical background, natural setting, and local revitalization goals provided the foundation for the next three-year program. Through Cabin Fever, Hello Wood continues to develop a framework for architecture as a collective and situated practice, one that prioritizes cooperation, shared learning, and the capacity of design to foster social connection.

The Splinter

 

 

Eclosion

 

Eclosion invites visitors to connect to inner spaces and distant places. Like the warp and weft of woven fabric, this project recollects the complex histories of the site and interweaves them into a pavilion where people and place meet. The installation pulls inspiration from various layers of the site’s histories, textile craft, aerospace manufacturing, and the cocoon of the Meta menardi spider. Interwoven layers of natural and human history in one space. Upon visiting this site, the audience is constantly being woven through the fabric of space and time, becoming part of the ever-changing fabric of the site, emerging transformed, an eclosion of new perspectives and shared memories.

The Chicken

 

 

The Chicken

 

The Chicken, a playful yet functional structure, reimagines one of the world’s most familiar birds as both shelter and observation point. Designed to reflect the life of the forest’s birds, it invites visitors to lie back inside its chicken-shaped neck, using an internal mirror to watch the canopy and nesting birds in comfort. The moss-covered exterior doubles as a living habitat for insects and birds, merging architecture with nature. Its whimsical form is a reminder that design is not only about straight lines; it can also bring joy, curiosity, and a deeper connection to the world around us.

Eclosion, The Chicken, and The Splinter

 

 

The Splinter

 

Like a piece of wood that’s broken off from the forest itself, this slender, vertical cabin stands sharp and distinct among the treetop canopies. From the outside, The Splinter shows a bold, spiky character, unique and striking against the natural backdrop. But step inside, and it reveals a warm, inviting space designed to bring people together, where natural materials and cozy design create the perfect setting for quality time. On and above the ground, this sheltered retreat balances solitude and connection, ruggedness and comfort, offering a place to unwind, share stories, and truly connect with both nature and each other.

Eclosion

 

 

Živa

 

Like a seed stirring beneath the forest floor, Živa awakens as a living pod where nature and learning meet. Its intricate geometric form mirrors the balance and harmony found in the wild, while its mossy surroundings invite quiet reflection. Step inside, and the space transforms into a classroom in the trees, a warm, collaborative haven where ideas take root. Živa is more than shelter; it’s a shared act of creation, a symbol of growth, and a place where people, craft, and nature flourish together.

Eclosion

 

 

LOOM

 

LOOM pays tribute to the site’s textile-making heritage, reimagining the mechanics of a loom in architectural form. Vertical timber columns and horizontal beams echo the warp and weft of woven fabric, while stretched textile threads create a raised platform for rest and reflection. Set on the grounds of a former factory, LOOM becomes both shelter and symbol, a tactile reminder of craft, memory, and transformation.

LOOM and Živa

Živa

Živa and LOOM

LOOM

LOOM

 

project info:

 

name: Cabin Fever 2025

organizer: Hello Wood | @hellowood

location: Česká Kamenice, Czech Republic

photographer: BoysPlayNice | @boysplaynice

main sponsor: VELUX

 

Eclosion:

designers: Dorottya Kiss [HU], Matthew McArthur [CA]

workshop leaders: Dorottya Kiss [HU], Matthew McArthur [CA]

builders: Balázs Csépi [RO], Caroline Mann [AT], Dániel Attila Bedrossian [HU], Ella Kullered [SE], Eszter Bärnkopf [HU], Marta Bautista Useros [ES], Steeven Isaac Pilla Barroso [EC]

 

The Chicken:

designer: Mjölk architekti [CZ]

workshop leaders: Jan Mach – Mjölk architekti [CZ], Igor Nesterov – Mjölk architekti [CZ]

builders: Ábel Fenyvesi [HU], Adam Schwarz [CZ], Anna Maršálková [CZ], Daniela Ondřejová [CZ], David Haňkovský [CZ], Ester Moretto [IT], Filip Cerha [CZ], Filip Thuma [CZ], Jolana Dubová [CZ], Marieke Béroff [FR], Marina Pyzhianova [CZ], Martina Thýnová [CZ], Nikola Žuchová [CZ], Tereza Podzimek [CZ], Tobiáš Hrabec [CZ], Veronika Richterová [CZ], Vilmos Hermann [HU]

 

The Splinter:

designer: Entropic [ES]
workshop leaders: Geoffrey Ebere – Entropic [GB], Magdalena Mróz – Entropic [PL], Jan Dobeš [CZ]
builders: Boglárka Fábián [HU], Dylan Joel Jacome Castillo [EC], Evangelia Kalevea [GR], Fernando José Valle Proaño [EC], Idil Kocak [TR], Jan Ptáček [CZ], Martin Zima [CZ], Merlin Summers [GB], Omarian Millings [GB], Petr Jahelka [CZ], Petr Zeronik [CZ], Sara Vasilj [HR], Sebastian Salijević [CZ]

 

Živa:

designer: Arthur Mamou-Mani [GB]
workshop leaders: Giovanni Panico – Arthur Mamou-Mani x Fab.Pub [UK], Rae Woods [GB]
builders: Eliska Fuentes Pérez [EC], Jose Julian Salas Celleri [EC], Martín Alberto Montero García [EC], Natálie Demuthová [CZ], Natálie Dvořáčková [CZ], Saif Bashir [GB], Santiago Arroyo [EC], Tomáš Kadaňka [CZ], Zoe Mirkovic [CH]

 

LOOM:

designer: Zak Underwood [GB]
workshop leader: Zak Underwood [GB]
builders: Emma Szász [DE], Isabel Monserrath Quisingo Gaibor [EC], Kristýna Matýsková [CZ], Måns Sjöwall [SE], Marcos Israel Fiallos López [EC], Sofía Carolina Chávez Ortega [EC], Sohye Yeom [KR], Vendula Zíková [CZ]

 

lecturers and workshop leaders: Arthur Mamou-Mani x FAB.PUB [UK], Entropic [ES], Mjölk architekti [CZ], Hello Wood [HU], Dorottya Kiss [HU], Matthew McArthur [CA], Jan Dobeš [CZ], Rae Woods [GB], Zak Underwood [GB]

 

workshop participants:

Hello Wood board: András Huszár, Dávid Ráday, Krisztián Tóth

project leader: Dávid Nagy

project coordinator: Sára Lőrincz

project architect: Maja Balogh

lead carpenter: István Komjáthy

organization partner: Martin Šolc

workshop team: Attila Sztankovics, Kinga Németh, Katalin Kitti Kiss, Bálint Pörneczi

procurement manager: Zsolt Hodgyai

electrical safety: Norbert Verpulácz

content & press: Dávid Nagy

kitchen: Zsolt Dunszt, Ildikó Dunsztné Pataki

graphic designer: Bercel Hegyessy

 

 

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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recycled 3D printed rooftop homes explore adaptable urban living at 2025 venice biennale

Tiny Penthouses: adaptive Architecture by Hedwig Heinsman

 

Tiny Penthouses is an ongoing art and architecture project by Hedwig Heinsman that investigates how recycled materials and additive manufacturing can generate adaptable forms of housing. Presented at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, curated by Carlo Ratti, the project remains on view until November 23rd, 2025.

 

Developed as a prototype for compact, 3D printed rooftop homes, Tiny Penthouses proposes a model for urban densification through reuse and circularity. Each unit is fabricated from recycled materials, including sawdust and consumer plastics, which can be shredded and reprinted into new configurations. This process enables buildings to evolve over time in response to changing social and spatial needs, positioning architecture as a renewable and regenerative practice. The exhibition includes scale models, facade sections, and full-size mock-ups that demonstrate the spatial and material logic of the design. The pieces operate as both architectural research and sculptural installation, emphasizing light, texture, and structural geometry. The project frames architecture as a temporal medium, something that can adapt, transform, and return to material origin without loss of value.

all images courtesy of Hedwig Heinsman unless stated otherwise

 

 

3D printed rooftop homes that ‘reincarnate’ into new designs

 

Tiny Penthouses also examines underused urban sites as potential host locations for new housing typologies. One proposal envisions student residences installed within the truck lift of Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum, testing how overlooked spaces can accommodate small-scale, flexible living environments.

 

The project builds on architect Hedwig Heinsman’s broader exploration of circular construction. As co-founder of Aectual, a platform specializing in large-scale 3D printed architecture made from recyclable materials, and former co-founder of DUS Architects, she has developed multiple structures designed for disassembly and reprinting. These precedents inform Tiny Penthouses as a continuation of material research and sustainable design methodology. Following its presentation in Venice, Tiny Penthouses is set to tour cultural institutions and European cities through 2026, contributing to the ongoing discourse on adaptable architecture and circular urban growth.

Tiny Penthouses by Hedwig Heinsman explores adaptability through recycled materials and 3D printing

Tiny Penthouse visualization reimagines Stedelijk Amsterdam Museum’s entrance

 

the project is presented at the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale, curated by Carlo Ratti

3D printed forms can be shredded and reprinted into new configurations

scale models demonstrate spatial logic and material precision | image by © Francesco-Russo

full-size mock-ups showcase light, texture, and geometry

material reuse becomes both a design strategy and research method | image by © Francesco-Russo

each unit is fabricated from sawdust and recycled consumer plastics

underused urban sites are reimagined as potential housing locations

3D print in process

 

project info:

 

name: Tiny Penthouses – Reincarnating Architecture
architect: Hedwig Heinsman | @hedwigheinsman

proposal location: Amsterdam, Stedelijk

exhibition: 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale Di Venezia | @labiennale

curator: CRA–Carlo Ratti Associati | @crassociati

photographer: Hedwig Heinsman, Francesco-Russo | @francescorussophoto

 

 

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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electric bubble car for kids drives them to places on its own and without adults on board

Toyota unveils mobi at japan mobility show 2025

 

Toyota reveals mobi during Japan Mobility Show 2025, an electric bubble car for kids that takes them anywhere on its own and without adult supervision on board. On view at the event between October 30th and November 9th, the prototype forms part of the company’s Mobility for All project, which aims to create vehicles that can transport anyone, regardless of age or ability. In this case, it’s the children with the concept vehicle’s playful colors, micro size, and LED blinking eyes at the front to make it look as if it were interacting with them firsthand.

 

The electric bubble car for kids is shaped like a small, spaceship-inspired pod. The adults come in when they open the door, which swings upward, and let their child step in and sit. The prototype uses AI to drive itself, and the system controls the direction, speed, and movement in the traffic. As soon as the child is strapped in, they can talk to the AI assistant called UX Friend, which gives the young driver friendly instructions on how to ‘drive’ the autonomous pod as well as talk to them throughout the ride.

Toyota’s Kids mobi car at Japan Mobility Show 2025 | image © designboom

 

 

No adults on board for electric bubble car for kids

 

Parents who would like to entrust their kids and their safety on the road to AI can try Toyota’s electric bubble car, mobi. As the company shows it during the Japan Mobility Show 2025, the round and closed shape of the vehicle can allow it to protect the child inside it during the ride. The seat is covered with fuzzy material to make the child feel at home, and the interiors are wide enough to accommodate them comfortably. 

 

While the company has yet to state the complete specs, the outer likely uses lightweight plastic or composite materials, while the sensors and cameras are placed around the electric bubble car so it can detect motion and obstacles nearby and guard the kids on the road. At the event in Japan, visitors can roam around and study the prototype of Toyota’s Kids mobi car, which they can do between October 30th and November 9th, 2025. So far, the company has yet to announce when it will conduct road or driving tests for the prototype with a kid in it.

the door swings upward | image © designboom

the seat is covered with fuzzy material to make kids feel comfortable | image © designboom

there are LED blinking eyes at the front | image © designboom

the outer shell of the electric bubble car for kids has a matte skin | image © designboom

rear view of the micro vehicle | image © designboom

the roof has ‘ears’ for a playful look

the vehicle is driven by an AI system

rear view of the vehicle

 

project info:

 

name: mobi

company: Toyota | @toyota_jp

event: Japan Mobility Show 2025 | @jama_jpn

dates: October 30th and November 9th, 2025

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galerie philia activates two brutalist landmarks in grand paris for its 10th anniversary show

Design meets brutalism in Galerie Philia’s tenth-anniversary show

 

To celebrate its tenth anniversary, Galerie Philia presents STRATES, a large-scale exhibition staged across two of France’s most emblematic brutalist landmarks: Jacques Kalisz’s Mont d’Est car park and Ricardo Bofill’s Espaces Abraxas in Noisy-le-Grand, Grand Paris. On view until November 30th, 2025, the show reflects on a decade of curatorial exploration that has seen the gallery bring contemporary design into conversation with architecture, philosophy, and civic life.

 

Since its founding in 2015, Galerie Philia has become known for situating contemporary design within charged architectural settings, from Le Corbusier’s Cité Radieuse in Marseille to Oscar Niemeyer’s MAC Niterói in Brazil. STRATES continues this approach by transforming Kalisz’s monumental car park into an experimental exhibition space, reinterpreting the raw concrete geometry of the site through design. ‘Our curatorial approach has always been to place contemporary design in dialogue with charged architectural sites rather than neutral white cubes,’ says Philia’s co-founder Ygaël Attali. ‘When we encountered Jacques Kalisz’s Mont d’Est car park, we felt the same shock of recognition: an extraordinary piece of brutalist architecture, at once monumental and fragile, whose latent potential could be reactivated through design.’

all images by studio brinth

 

 

STRATES reimagines grand paris’s ruins as living narratives

 

Originally conceived as a vision of futuristic living on Paris’s periphery, Noisy-le-Grand continues to reflect the remnants of its post-war utopian ideals, lending symbolic weight to Philia’s decision to situate the STRATES exhibition there. ‘Our aesthetic often oscillates between brutalist geometry and wabi-sabi imperfection,’ Attali comments. ‘Noisy-le-Grand embodies this duality in a unique way: Ricardo Bofill’s Espaces Abraxas, just next door, are monumental, almost operatic — a vision of the future as a utopian theater. Jacques Kalisz’s Mont d’Est parking, by contrast, is raw, infrastructural, and today in a visibly fragile state. That fragility makes it even more compelling to us: the cracks, stains, and erosion of the concrete are not defects but traces of time, revealing the human destiny of the structure.’

 

Far from treating the site as a neutral container, STRATES uses its imperfections as material. ‘For us, beauty lies not only in form but in narrative,’ Attali explains. ‘The Mont d’Est car park offers both: its helicoidal ramps and raw textures are visually powerful, but equally important is the story it tells of collective ambition, decline, and potential rebirth.’ This approach continues the gallery’s long-standing refusal of the white cube model. ‘We do not mute or mutilate the site; we embrace it as part of the proposition itself,’ he adds. ‘In Noisy-le-Grand, this means that the traces of time on Kalisz’s structure are not erased but activated, allowing the works of design to resonate within a larger reflection on modernity, fragility, and continuity.’ Across the street, Bofill’s Abraxas ensemble, still layered with cinematic mythology, forms a counterpoint. ‘It offers a different yet complementary vision — monumental, theatrical, and still inhabited — forming a dialogue across the neighborhood that amplifies the resonance of the exhibition,’ Attali notes.

Galerie Philia presents STRATES, a large-scale exhibition staged across two brutalist landmarks

 

 

Site-specific commissions and dialogues with architecture

 

While the exhibition retraces Philia’s decade-long journey through key works from its roster of artists, several new commissions respond directly to the architecture. ‘Morghen Studio has developed a monumental light installation echoing the spiral geometry of the ramps, transforming circulation into a luminous journey,’ shares Attali. ‘Lucas and Tyra Morten have created seating elements that directly engage with the car park’s structural language. And Milla Vaahtera has designed a lamp that departs from her typically poetic and enchanted vocabulary, embracing instead a colder and more geometric expression.’

 

STRATES also forms part of a wider civic and cultural shift in Noisy-le-Grand, where the city and local public development company SOCAREN are rethinking how its monumental modernist fabric can evolve. ‘Noisy-le-Grand is emblematic of the late-20th-century ambition to create self-sufficient urban satellites around Paris,’  Attali points out. ‘Today, it is undergoing a process of revaluation: local officials are seeking to revitalise these iconic but underused spaces, making them more accessible to cultural and civic life.’

 

The exhibition is also rooted in community, involving local residents in its organization and guided visits. ‘We wanted the show not to be parachuted in from outside but truly integrated into the local fabric,’ Philia’s co-founder reflects. ‘In five years, I imagine this neighborhood as a place where architectural heritage is not demolished but reactivated, where the extraordinary vision of architects like Kalisz and Bofill becomes the foundation for new forms of urban vitality.’

Bofill’s Abraxas ensemble is still layered with cinematic mythology

the show reflects on a decade of curatorial exploration

Silver Light by Henry Wilson

transforming Kalisz’s monumental car park into an experimental exhibition

Nautile by Elsa Foulon

Folds by Laura Pasquino

the exhibition is also rooted in community, involving local residents in its organization and guided visits

STRATES also forms part of a wider civic and cultural shift in Noisy-le-Grand

 

 

project info:

name: STRATES – Galerie Philia’s 10th Anniversary Exhibition

dates: October 28th – November 30th, 2025

locations: Espaces d’Abraxas & Parking Jacques Kalisz (Mont d’Est), Noisy-le-Grand, Grand Paris, France

curation: Galerie Philia | @galerie.philia (Ygaël and Yaïr Attali)

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in aristides dallas architects’ residence, terraces open like petals toward the aegean horizon

ARISTIDES DALLAS sculpts residence BORN FROM THE EARTH in greece

 

On the sun-bleached island of Schinousa, Greece, Aristides Dallas Architects crafts Maison Cheval as a residence inseparable from the ground it inhabits. Conceived as a structure drawn out of the land, the project follows the undulating topography of the island with stone walls and sinuous paths that unfurl like ribbons across the hillside. Partially embedded into the terrain, the dwelling reinterprets Cycladic tradition through flowing curves, tactile materials, and a deep sensitivity to the rhythms of light, sea, and soil.

 

The architects describe the project as emerging from the earth itself, its form guided by the natural contours of the landscape. Dry-stone walls rise and bend in response to the terrain in a sequence of intimate and open spaces. Concave gestures create sheltered living zones reminiscent of the island’s coves, while convex terraces and pools extend outward like petals toward the horizon.

all images courtesy of Aristides Dallas Architects

 

 

maison cheval moves with the island’s contours

 

The name Maison Cheval, French for ‘Horse House’, anchors the project in metaphor as much as material. The Greek architects imagined the residence as a creature of balance and grace, standing composed against the slopes, leaving only the faintest imprint on the earth. This image becomes a guiding principle in this composition as the building aims to move with the contours of the island and dissolve into its light.

 

Earth-toned materials, soft transitions, and diffused daylight create a calm continuum between architecture and landscape. The curved stone walls and sculpted roofs cast alternating bands of shadow, reflecting the Schinousa’s rhythm of exposure and shelter.

Aristides Dallas Architects crafts Maison Cheval as a residence inseparable from the ground it inhabits

the Greek architects imagined the residence as a creature of balance and grace

conceived as a structure drawn out of the land

unfurling like ribbons across the hillside

the dwelling reinterprets Cycladic tradition through flowing curves

dry-stone walls rise and bend in response to the terrain

a sequence of intimate and open spaces

concave gestures create sheltered living zones reminiscent of the island’s coves

convex terraces and pools extend outward like petals toward the horizon

soft transitions and diffused daylight create a calm continuum between architecture and landscape

 

project info:

 

name: Maison Cheval

architect: Aristides Dallas Architects | @aristidesdallasarchitects

location: Schinousa, Greece

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