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alterstudio’s net-positive ‘city park residence’ bridges sloping site in austin, texas

city park Residence is Shaped by Site and View

 

Alterstudio perches this City Park Residence along a slope overlooking downtown Austin, interweaving the architecture into its verdant surroundings. The rolling hills outside the Texan city frame the urban skyline, with the Pennybacker Bridge appearing in the mid-ground. The design mediates between expansive panoramas and the intimacy of a sheltered courtyard, balancing openness with moments of enclosure.

 

Approaching the home, visitors move along a bridge that skirts mature oak trees and spans a carefully reshaped section of terrain, repairing the scar left by the demolition of the site’s previous structure. At the threshold, glimpses of the view give way to a U-shaped upper level. A service wing leads to public living and dining areas, where floor-to-ceiling glazing frames the landscape and opens onto a balcony that reveals the full expanse of the vista. Below, a sloping garden connects to a covered terrace, pool, and lawn. Exterior materials such as profiled wood, native stone, and mahogany window walls anchor the house in its context.

images © Casey Dunn

 

 

alterstudio’s Environmental Design and Energy Strategy

 

The architects at Alterstudio incorporate hybrid energy systems into the 7,600-square-foot City Park Residence, taking advantage of the site’s natural elements. Breezeways and roof apertures channel prevailing winds through the home, while deep eaves and solar shades temper solar gain. Extensive glazing provides daylight without sacrificing energy performance, supported by a high-performance building envelope with continuous exterior insulation.

 

Active systems complement the passive design moves, including a VRF HVAC system with MERV 13 filtration, hybrid electric hot water, high-efficiency lighting, and a photovoltaic array that enables net-positive energy performance. These measures, integrated into the architectural form, address both environmental responsibility and the health of occupants.

the house is set on a hillside overlooking downtown Austin

 

 

Adaptability and Long-Term Use

 

Alterstudio designs the City Park Residence as an heirloom for the client family, adaptable to shifting needs over generations. The primary living spaces and garage are located on the main level, supporting aging in place. Offices are planned to convert into bedrooms, and bathrooms can be reconfigured to accommodate future family members.

 

The home also integrates a safe room for protection during severe weather events. This emphasis on flexibility extends the residence’s longevity while enhancing resilience against the increasingly variable climate of central Texas, from extreme heat to winter freezes and power grid disruptions.

a bridge entry weaves through mature oak trees

a U-shaped plan frames both views and a private court

floor-to-ceiling glazing opens living areas to the landscape

passive cooling uses breezeways, roof openings, and deep eaves

flexible layouts allow for aging in place and multigenerational use

 

project info:

 

name: City Park Residence

architect, interior designer: Alterstudio | @alterstudio

location: Austin, Texas

completion: 2025

photography: © Casey Dunn | @caseycdunn

 

design team: Kevin Alter, Ernesto Cragnolino, Tim Whitehill, Haifa Hammami, Daniel Shumaker, Matt Slusarek, Elizabeth Sydnor, Shelley McDavid

contractor: Rauser Construction 

structural engineer: M. Scott Williamson

mechanical engineer: Positive Energy

geotechnical engineer: Holt Engineering

civil engineer: Aeparmia Engineering, PLLC

landscape: Hocker

pool: Design Ecology

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hundreds of vertical untreated steel rebars shape maetherea’s kinetic installation in the UK

Iron Reef: A Submerged Mythology Emerges in Norfolk

 

Iron Reef is a permanent site-specific installation by Maetherea, the London-based studio led by Cristina Morbi, commissioned by Norfolk County Council for the Norfolk Way Art Trail. Located along the banks of the River Yare near the historic Reedham Ferry in Norfolk, UK, the project engages with the landscape through a kinetic, participatory structure shaped by environmental rhythms and local history.

 

The design draws from the chain-driven mechanism of the ferry, translating its industrial movement into a flexible field of hundreds of vertical untreated steel rebars. These rebars sway in the wind, recalling the movement of reeds, and establish a direct visual and material dialogue with Reedham’s industrial and nautical traditions. Visitors can move through the sculpture, where their presence influences subtle shifts in movement and sound.

image by Cristina Morbi

 

 

Maetherea’s design embraces natural and non-human forces

 

The work operates within Studio Maetherea’s concept of Design Phenology, a design approach that recognises time, weather, and non-human forces as active components of a work’s evolution. In Iron Reef, these forces are incorporated rather than resisted. Seasonal flooding submerges the lower sections of the structure, and over time, oxidation, patina, and microbial growth form a living surface. The piece becomes both a sculptural object and a habitat, linking biological processes with industrial form.

 

Integrated within the installation is a phosphorescent pathway, designed to absorb daylight and emit a soft glow at dusk. This feature guides visitors toward the water’s edge while maintaining a low visual impact. Like the surrounding reedbeds, the sculpture’s appearance shifts with the seasons, green in spring and summer, and golden or skeletal in autumn and winter.

permanent site-specific installation by Maetherea on the River Yare | image by Cristina Morbi

 

 

Iron Reef provides a space for observation and reflection

 

Through its open geometry and slow material transformation, Iron Reef provides a space for observation and reflection. It functions as an environmental and social interface, positioned at the intersection of art, ecology, and local infrastructure.

 

The project was supported by Broadland District Council, Reedham Parish Council, Reedham Ferry Inn + Campsite, the Broads Authority, and coordinated by Creative Giants. It contributes to the Norfolk Way Art Trail as both a sculptural landmark and a responsive structure that evolves alongside its setting, registering the passage of time and the changing conditions of the Broads.

minimal and raw, the materials are left exposed to the elements | image by Kristina Chan

hundreds of untreated steel rebars shape the sculpture | image by Cristina Morbi

oxidation and patina create a living surface over time | image by Kristina Chan

the work links biological processes with industrial form | image by Kristina Chan

Iron Reef serves as an observation device and amphibious structure | image by Kristina Chan

untreated steel rebars sway gently with the breeze, echoing the rhythm of reedbeds and ferry chains | image by Kristina Chan

open geometry invites observation and reflection | image by Kristina Chan

 

 

project info:

 

name: Iron Reef
designer: Maetherea | @maetherea

location: Reedham Ferry, Norfolk, UK

 

lead designer: Cristina Morbi

client: Norfolk County Council

fabrication: Other People’s Sculpture

engineering: Price & Myers

client’s agent: Creative Giants

project management: Aurora Destro

assistant: Cristina Brena

community engagement: Liz McGowan

partner: Broadland District Council, Reedham Parish Council

stakeholders: Reedham Ferry Inn + Campsite, Archer family, Broads Authority

photographer: Kristina Chan | @kristina_chan_, Cristina Morbi

part of: Norfolk Way Art Trail

 

 

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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inside this milan wine bar, studiomille creates a cozy gathering space rooted in filipino culture

wine bar in milan blends filipino heritage with a lived-in ambiance

 

Earthy-toned curtains drape over the storefront of Balay, a wine bar on lively Via Maiocchi in Milan, designed by architectural practice Studiomille. This bar, whose name means ‘home’ in several Filipino languages, acts as a cozy spot for the neighborhood, offering natural wines and small plates influenced by Mediterranean and Filipino cuisine that come together under owner Ray Ibarra’s vision.

 

The designers preserve many of the original elements of the space, including patterned tiled floors and distressed plaster walls that provide a textured base for their additions. Dark woods and warm textiles alongside raw metals and rough finishes reflect the richness of traditional Filipino interiors, evoking the heterogeneous urban environment of Manila. 

all images by Delfino Sisto Legnani / DLS Studio

 

 

balay feels like stepping inside a neighbor’s home

 

Led by Daniele Demattè and Luca Cozzani, the team at Studiomille organizes the interior around a conceptual horizontal split that divides the height into two distinct visual zones, guiding movement and sight lines throughout Balay.

 

A shelving system that displays Ray’s personal collection of objects lines one of the walls, while at the center, a large multifunctional counter serves as a communal table, bar surface, and platform for events such as DJ sets. The curtain next to the bar’s entrance filters the city noise, inviting passersby to feel welcome as if stepping into a neighbor’s home. The pendant light hanging above the bar references the geometric patterns found in traditional capiz shell windows, using reclaimed lighting optics salvaged from old office fixtures framed in dark wood. Opposite the bar, slender walnut shelves are mounted on a metal track system, so they can be moved and adjusted, while the street-facing shelves expose their plasterboard structure, lit to show off the raw material that is usually hidden.

 

Outside, the long curtains appear as sculptural forms during the day, and at night they glow from the light inside. Preserved surfaces, varied materials, and flexible furnishings make Balay feel personal and shared, like a welcoming home that brings memories of the Philippines.

Balay means ‘home’ in several Filipino languages

a cozy spot for the neighborhood, offering natural wines and small plates

a shelving system displays the owner’s personal collection of objects

evoking the heterogeneous urban environment of Manila

a large counter serves as a communal table, bar surface, and platform for events such as DJ sets

the pendant light hanging above the bar references the geometric patterns found in capiz shell windows

the long curtains appear as sculptural forms during the day

plastic crates repurposed as outdoor seating

at night the curtains glow from the light inside

 

 

project info:

 

name: Balay | @__balay

architect: Studiomille | @millestudiomille

location: Via Maiocchi 26, Milan, Italy

owner: Ray Ibarra

 

creative direction: Oneplus + Emanuele Abbondanza

visual identity: Oneplus

uniform design: Ascend Beyond

technical support: Pareschi Studio

sound system: Marco Livietti

photographer: Delfino Sisto Legnani / DLS Studio

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contemporary art meets balearic hospitality at gathering ibiza and MIRA’s 2025 reopening

GATHERING ibiza and mira reopen for 2025 season

 

For the 2025 season, London-based gallery GATHERING returns to its Ibiza outpost, continuing to explore how contemporary art, hospitality, and nightlife can coexist in a setting shaped by Mediterranean rhythms and countercultural histories. Located in the village of Sant Miquel de Balansat, the site brings together the gallery itself and MIRA, a courtyard restaurant that extends GATHERING’s ethos into food, conversation, and sound. The project aims to position itself as a long-term site for cultural exchange, shaped by the social texture of the island and international networks of the gallery. The venue enters its second full season with new programming, installations, and an expanded nighttime offering.

all images courtesy of GATHERING, unless stated otherwise

 

 

Sunset Strip exhibition Unpacks Island Myths and Tourist Dreams

 

GATHERING Ibiza gallery occupies a light-filled structure with mezzanine levels and generous ceiling height, designed to encourage slow movement and informal viewing. Its summer exhibition, Sunset Strip, on view until September 1st, is produced in collaboration with Berlin gallery SOCIÉTÉ and brings together works by 17 artists including Petra Cortright, Tai Shani, Wynnie Mynerva, Bunny Rogers, and Marianna Simnett. The show draws on motifs tied to island life – pool tiles, palm leaves, pastel tones, and sun-soaked surfaces – while also exploring the themes of tourism, solitude, and the construction of place. Referencing David Hockney’s West Coast imagery and the aesthetics of leisure, the exhibition asks how Ibiza might serve as a mutable context for contemporary practices, rather than a fixed idea of escape.

 

Next door, MIRA is conceived as part of GATHERING’s expansion, functioning as a social space where food, music, and art intersect without hierarchy. Artist Tai Shani, who participates in the Sunset Strip exhibition, collaborated on the design, shaping the interiors into a theatrical setting. Blown-glass lanterns shaped like abstracted breasts hang above a pink-hued bar, while outside, mirrored spray paintings by Stefan Brüggemann reflect the surrounding garden and visitors back at themselves. 

London-based gallery GATHERING returns to its Ibiza outpost

 

 

Aperitivos, Vinyl Sets, and Late-Night Lounges

 

On Sundays, the summer program at MIRA features Aperitivo Analogico, vinyl-only DJ sets, while Mondays shift toward a more introspective listening bar format. Throughout the week, artist talks, pop-up dinners, and chef residencies bring together contributors from Ibiza, Spain, Latin America, and elsewhere. Occasional fashion pop-ups also appear throughout the season, treating the venue as a place to test ideas through presence and participation.

 

New this year is a late-night concept that transforms MIRA after hours into a dimly lit lounge space shaped by 1970s aesthetics. This shift speaks to the aspiration of the venue to extend its hours and open up to different temporal modes for cultural activity. 

 

GATHERING’s Ibiza chapter continues this trajectory but adjusts the format, suggesting a model for cultural production that embraces hybridity and treats hospitality as part of the infrastructure for contemporary art.

the site brings together the gallery itself and MIRA

the courtyard restaurant extends GATHERING’s ethos into food, conversation, and sound

artist Tai Shani collaborated on the design

GATHERING Ibiza gallery occupies a light-filled structure | installation images by Maria Santos, courtesy of GATHERING and SOCIÉTÉ, Berlin

Sunset Strip is produced in collaboration with Berlin gallery SOCIÉTÉ

bringing together works by 17 artists

the show draws on motifs tied to island life

exploring the themes of tourism, solitude, and the construction of place

the exhibition asks how Ibiza might serve as a mutable context for contemporary practices

 

 

project info:

 

name: GATHERING Ibiza and MIRA | @mira.gathering.ibiza

restaurant designer: Tai Shani | @taishani

location: Sant Miquel de Balansat, Ibiza, Spain

exhibition: Sunset Strip (June 24th – September 1st, 2025)

featured artists: Petra Cortright, Tamara K.E., Wynnie Mynerva, Bunny Rogers, Tai Shani, Marianna Simnett, among others

curation: Gathering gallery | @gathering.london in collaboration with Berlin gallery | @societeberlin

site-specific works: Tai Shani, Stefan Brüggemann | @stefanbruggemann1975

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participate in the international design competition, open to all, launched by nissan and designboom

ELEVATE ALL-NEW NISSAN MICRA: THE SIGNATURE EDITION

 

Nissan, in collaboration with designboom, is launching an international design competition, seeking visionary designs to elevate the Nissan MICRA with a bold yet refined Signature Edition design. Titled ‘Elevate All-New Nissan MICRA: The Signature Edition’, the competition invites architects, designers, artists, students, and creative enthusiasts from around the world to submit bold and sophisticated designs. The challenge is to enhance the exterior presence of the All-New Nissan MICRA through a distinctive design that resonates with a premium, design-savvy audience, without altering its original form or structure. This is an opportunity to create a true signature style for the car, embracing its audacious personality. Moreover, the winning design will be brought to life as special edition: The Nissan MICRA, Signature Edition. The designer(s) will be credited and recognized as part of the Signature Edition campaign. Registration and initial submissions will be accepted until September 28, 2025, exclusively through designboom’s platform!

 

This is your chance to visualize Nissan MICRA’s new identity – submit your project today!

Nissan and designboom launch international competition ‘Elevate All-New Nissan MICRA: The Signature Edition’, calling designers, architects, and creative freelancers to showcase their talent | all images courtesy of Nissan

 

 

COMPETITION PHASES AND REGISTRATION

 

The 2025 contest invites designers to enhance the Nissan MICRA’s visual identity while preserving its original structure. Participants are asked to create a distinctive design that amplifies the car’s audacious character and modern appeal, with a clear focus on a premium, design-conscious audience. The Nissan MICRA’s exterior will serve as the primary canvas, and designers are encouraged to explore bold applications of color, graphics, patterns, and surface treatments. Creative use of the base colors ‘Mystery Black’ and ‘Nobe Marine’ is recommended, while interior accessories, such as carpets, may be proposed to complement the overall concept. The Nissan MICRA’s body shape, windows, wheels, and headlamps must remain unchanged. The goal is to craft an exclusive visual identity that is daring, elegant, and instantly recognizable as a true Signature Edition.

 

The competition runs in three phases . In the first phase, from August 11 to September 28, 2025, participants will register on the designboom website and submit up to ten examples of their previous work, along with a 250-word presentation describing their creative approach and motivation. All entries will be reviewed by a jury from Nissan and designboom. Around one hundred participants will be selected and notified by email on September 29, 2025.

 

In the second phase, from September 29 to November 7, 2025, the selected participants will develop their design proposals in line with the competition brief and submit them digitally through the contest platform. The jury will review these submissions and select up to ten finalists who will receive feedback to refine their designs.

 

During the final phase, from November 17 to December 8, finalists will submit their completed designs, incorporating the jury’s feedback. The final winner will be announced on December 15, 2025, with the results published on designboom’s website. Throughout the process, submissions will be evaluated on their alignment with the brief, the balance of boldness and elegance, the strength of their signature identity, the visual and technical quality of the presentation, and their overall emotional and aesthetic impact.

enter by September 28, 2025! 

 

 

NISSAN AND DESIGNBOOM’S FINAL WINNER SELECTION 

 

The competition is open to creatives from all countries, with no restrictions regarding training or professional status, provided they have reached the age of majority in their place of residence. Participation is free of charge, and all submissions must be original, respecting the competition’s creative and technical guidelines. Designs should be submitted in JPEG format, with each image at a minimum width of one thousand pixels and using RGB color mode. Participants must also provide a written statement and are allowed only one submission per entrant.

 

The winning design will be brought to life as special edition: The Nissan MICRA, Signature Edition. The designer(s) will be credited and recognized as part of the Signature Edition campaign. The prizes are non-transferable, and no cash alternative will be offered.

Full competition rules, submission guidelines, and detailed information on eligibility and intellectual property rights are available in the official competition documentation on the designboom website.

 

Register for the contest today – now open!

 

Founded in 1933, Nissan is a global automotive brand that connects drivers to bold, innovative design in the most exciting way possible. The company delivers advanced mobility solutions and distinctive vehicles known for their style, performance, and everyday appeal. The company offers easy access to smart, forward-thinking design across a wide range of models, from urban compact cars to electric mobility and beyond, including the All-New Nissan MICRA, the focus of this international design competition.

 

competition info:

 

contest name: Elevate All-New Nissan MICRA: The Signature Edition

collaborators: Nissan x designboom

contest launch: August 11, 2025

phase 1 deadline: September 28, 2025

phase 2 launch: September 29, 2025

phase 2 deadline: November 7, 2025

phase 3 launch: November 17, 2025

phase 3 deadline: December 8, 2025

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go-kart in the air: formula 1-inspired eVTOL flies in the sky as personal racing vehicle

Formula 1-inspired eVTOL AirKart for airborne racing

 

Meet AirKart, the single-person eVTOL that flies in the sky as a personal racing vehicle, inspired by Formula 1. Designed by the UK-based startup Elevate Racing, the concept hovers at a low height and can be used both for personal flying and racing. The team attempts to combine the features of a typical racing car with those of an aircraft so that the Formula 1-inspired eVTOL AirKart can fly as a personal vehicle for air transport and circuits.

 

The control system uses GPS and LiDAR, with the former helping track the vehicle’s location while the latter uses laser signals to measure its distances to objects. The flight computer runs safety programs, and there are two main flight modes. The EasyFly Mode is for beginners, where the controls are limited to avoid sudden or unsafe movements. The system can detect and avoid obstacles, and landing can be done by pressing one button. For experienced pilots, they can activate the Sport Mode, where there are no electronic limits on maneuvers, giving the pilot full manual control. This is the mode meant for racing or advanced flying.

all images courtesy of Elevate Racing

 

 

Personal vehicle made of natural flax fibers and bio-based resins

 

For the safety design of the Formula 1-inspired eVTOL AirKart, the design team uses eight electric motors, arranged in a ducted co-axial quadcopter design. This means each of the four positions has two motors stacked vertically and that the propellers are surrounded by protective ducts to avoid debris from entering and hitting the blades. The ducts also improve airflow efficiency and reduce noise.

 

The personal racing vehicle is fully electric and produces no emissions during flight, and the materials used include natural flax fibers and bio-based resins, combined with aerospace-grade alloys, carbon fiber, and Kevlar. The frame comes from carbon fiber monocoque so that the body and frame are formed as one single shell, similar to what is used in Formula 1 race cars. The propulsion system, called the Double Ducted Coaxial Propulsion System, has each propeller pair enclosed in ducts, the parts designed to improve thrust efficiency during flight and racing.

the concept hovers at a low height and can be used both for personal flying and racing

 

 

AeroKarting Tracks in US and EMEA Regions from 2027

 

The startup says that the Formula 1-inspired eVTOLAirKart’s design focuses on three main areas: safety, performance, and environmental impact. The safety comes from the redundant motors, ducted propellers, and monocoque structure. Performance is from the lightweight frame, aerodynamic ducts, and high-power electric motors, while the environmental considerations focus on using renewable materials and having zero emissions. Elevate Racing plans to position AirKart between traditional drones and larger eVTOL aircraft. 

 

It is small enough for single-person use and short flights, but large enough to carry a pilot with a strong safety system. So far, its top speed is 100 km/h, which is about 65 mph. The highest altitude is 400 meters, which is about 1,300 feet (both speed and altitude are limited by the electronics). The flight time is about 15 minutes on a full battery. AirKart is offered for use at tracks called AeroKarting Tracks. A person can rent the vehicle for about 15 minutes for 249 USD. The tracks are designed for low-altitude courses, and at the time of publishing, Elevate Racing plans to launch its AeroKarting Tracks across US, the Caribbean, and EMEA Region, from late 2027.

the team attempts to combine the features of a typical racing car with those of an aircraft

the design team uses eight electric motors, arranged in a ducted co-axial quadcopter design

the personal racing vehicle is fully electric and produces no emissions during flight

rendered view during air racing

 

 

project info:

 

name: AirKart

startup: Elevate Racing  

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in yuri suzuki’s UTOOTO, viewers build the sonic interactive installation using modular horns

sonic interactive installation by yuri suzuki in london

 

Yuri Suzuki introduces UTOOTO, a sonic interactive installation that the viewers collectively build using the modular sound parts onsite. On view at the Camden Arts Projects in London between August 7th and October 5th, 2025, the structure is made up of connected sections, with the white pipes forming a network for the colored horns at differing heights. Some horns face upward, some downward, and others face sideways, but all of the pipes are joined using connector pieces, allowing the installation to have many branches extending in different directions. The design then uses a modular system, allowing it to be assembled and altered in parts, depending on the space.

 

In Yuri Suzuki’s interactive installation, visitors use a set of pipes, horns, and easy-to-use tools to reconfigure the pavilion-looking structure. They can create and change the pathways of the horns, and in return, they alter the travel and echo of the sounds. The artist, who is well-known for his use of vibrant and interactive horns in his artistic practice and installations, says that the artwork serves as an acoustic device that underlines a collective play through the viewers’ participation. UTOOTO’s exhibition at the Camden Arts Projects follows after its showcasing at the Design Saint Etienne and as part of another exhibition titled Echoes of Nature.

all images courtesy of Yuri Suzuki | photos by Deniz Guzel, unless stated otherwise

 

 

UTOOTO lets visitors speak into horns and listen to them, too

 

Inside the Camden Arts Projects in London, visitors can walk among Yuri Suzuki’s interactive installation, speak into a horn, and listen to sounds from other horns. The arrangement of UTOTO at different heights allows people of different ages and heights to take part easily. Some horns are positioned near the ground level, while others are high above, requiring sound to travel vertically through the system. This vertical design gives the structure a tower-like shape that fills much of the space in the hall, or in any space it inhabits.

 

The connectors are designed to hold the pipes firmly while still allowing them to be taken apart for transport or reassembly, while the materials used appear to include rigid PVC for the molded horns and pipes. The artist says that UTOTO evokes the dreamy state of dozing off as well as the sacred Okinawan phrase ‘utouto’, which is used in prayer. Its design draws from utopian architectural visions, and Yuri Suzuki says that it particularly sources the interactive installation’s influences from Walt Disney’s original plan for EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow). In a similar spirit, then, UTOOTO encourages visitors to contribute building the sonic architecture, making them the co-creators of the temporary sound art inside the Camden Arts Projects.

Yuri Suzuki introduces UTOOTO, a sonic interactive installation that the viewers collectively build

the artwork is on view at the Camden Arts Projects in London between August 7th and October 5th, 2025

the structure is made up of connected sections, with the white pipes forming a network of colored horns

some horns face upward, some downward, and others face sideways

all of the pipes are joined using connector pieces, allowing the installation to have many branches

visitors use a set of pipes, horns, and easy-to-use tools to reconfigure the pavilion-looking structure

visitors can create and change the pathways of the horns, and in return, they alter the travel and echo of the sounds

 

project info:

 

name: UTOOTO

artist: Yuri Suzuki | @yurisuzukilondon

location: Camden Arts Projects | @camdenarts176

address: 176 Prince of Wales Road, London, NW5 3PT

dates: August 7th and October 5th, 2025

photography: Deniz Guzel, Chris Kidall | @deniz_gps, @kaaark

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italy approves plans for world’s longest suspension bridge across strait of messina to sicily

decades-long vision for record-breaking bridge revived

 

The government of Italy has approved the construction of a single-span suspension bridge connecting Sicily to the mainland over the Strait of Messina. If completed as planned, the project will claim the title of the longest span of its kind in the world, stretching 3,300 meters between two steel towers. The €13.5 billion infrastructure investment is scheduled to begin construction in 2026, with completion targeted for 2032.

 

The bridge will carry both road and rail traffic. This will include six lanes for vehicles flanking two central railway tracks, capable of supporting up to 6,000 vehicles per hour and 200 trains per day. The design is led by a consortium headed by Italy’s Webuild Group, with participation from international partners including Spain’s Sacyr and Japan’s IHI Corporation.

images © Stretto di Messina

 

 

structural scale and engineering challenges

 

The bridge spanning Sicily and mainland Italy will rise from two towers, each 399 meters tall, anchoring a suspension system of cables measuring over five kilometers in length. The deck will span 60 meters in width, with wind- and earthquake-resilient engineering adapted to one of the most seismically active regions in the Mediterranean. The team at Webuild reports the design can withstand winds up to 181 mph, far exceeding historical wind speeds in the area.

 

Materials have been selected for durability in a marine environment, where salt exposure accelerates corrosion. Fiber-reinforced components and specialized expansion joints are intended to extend the bridge’s operational lifespan while reducing maintenance demands. The engineering strategy builds on precedents from other high-seismic regions, such as Japan and Turkey, while adapting to the unique environmental pressures of the Messina Strait.

the Italian government approves plans for the world’s longest single span bridge to Sicily

 

 

expanding infrastructure of sicily and mainland italy

 

The Strait of Messina Bridge to Sicily is positioned as the centerpiece of a wider mobility network in southern Italy. Plans include more than 40 kilometers of new road and rail lines, three underground train stations, and ten viaducts across Sicily and Calabria. It will link directly to the Palermo–Catania–Messina railway as well as the high-speed corridor between Salerno and Reggio Calabria.

 

This integration is intended to reduce travel time between the island and mainland from thirty minutes by ferry (without accounting for lining up, embarking and disembarking) to a matter of minutes by train or car. Supporters of the project, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, have framed it as an infrastructural milestone and an economic catalyst for some of Italy’s least-developed regions.

the structure will cross the Strait of Messina with a 3,300 meter suspension span

 

 

The Messina bridge has been proposed and abandoned multiple times since the late 1960s, most often over concerns related to cost, environmental impact, and potential criminal interference in contracts. Its current approval follows an updated environmental impact assessment and a renewed political push from Rome.

 

Opposition remains strong among environmental groups and local residents. Critics cite the project’s footprint in a sensitive marine and coastal ecosystem, its high price tag, and the displacement of an estimated 4,000 residents. Drought-stricken communities have also questioned the water demand of large-scale construction. Legal challenges at both the national and EU level could still delay progress.

the bridge will carry six vehicle lanes and two railway tracks with high traffic capacity

two 399 meter steel towers will anchor the bridge with cables over five kilometers long

the project is part of a larger network of roads rail lines stations and viaducts

 

project info:

 

name: Strait of Messina Bridge

construction: Webuild | @webuildgroup

commissioner: Società Stretto di Messina

collaborators: Sacyr, IHI Corporation

status: construction expected to begin 2026

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apple files patent for ‘glass’ iPhone with screen that switches sides when the device flips

Electronic device by apple comes with flexible screen

 

Apple has filed a patent for a glass-made electronic device, or iPhone, with a display that switches sides when the user flips the device. Essentially, it’s a box-shaped gadget made of glass where its front, back, and all four rounded edges are part of a single, continuous touchscreen display. The glass enclosure can be built from either two glass pieces joined at the edges (with the front and sides as one piece, back as another).

 

Itcan also be a single hollow glass block with an opening to insert the device’s components. Inside, a flexible screen wraps around so the display is visible from all sides. In this case, users can tap anywhere on the glass to control it and squeeze certain thin side regions to trigger commands, as well as get sound and voice pickup that automatically switches to the best-positioned speaker or mic based on how they hold it.

image generated using Google’s Gemini with the prompt ‘transparent device shaped like iPhone’

 

 

Filed patent features gadget with glass casing

 

The glass-made electronic device, which is only one of the few patented devices from Apple based on the filed document, uses two major sides and four peripheral sides. The first piece makes up the front of the device and wraps around to form half of the edge (the edge of the glass gets very thin). The second piece forms the back and also wraps around to form the other half of the edge, still thin and tapered. When placed together, they create a hollow space inside, enough to fit a flexible and bendable screen. This display wraps around the entire inside of the body, so users can see pictures and videos on the front, the back, and even on all the edges of the phone. 

 

The screen is a flat, flexible sheet as light as a piece of paper. Even if it’s this slim, it can still light up and show images and the display. Because the case is made of glass, users can look through the device anywhere, as if the entire smartphone is the display. The team filed the patent on March 14th, 2025, and the US Patent and Trademark Office released the document on August 7th, 2025. So far, Apple has yet to make official announcements on the ‘electronic device,’ but in the filed patent, the team includes images shaped like an iPhone and a smartwatch.

image generated using OpenAI’s ChatGPT with the prompt ‘transparent device shaped like iPhone’

all graphics courtesy of Apple Inc., via United States Patent and Trademark Office file

the screen flips when the user rotates the device

it’s a box-shaped gadget made of glass with its front, back, and all four rounded edges

view of the apps following the curve of the glass case

 

 

project info:

 

name: Electronic Device with Glass Enclosure 

company: Apple | @apple

patent: here

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