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snøhetta & benthem crouwel reveal undulating design for house of culture in the netherlands

a first look at the house of culture and governance in Delfzijl

Benthem Crouwel Architects and Snøhetta have teamed up to complete a hybrid civic complex in the Netherlands, recently revealing its gently sloping design. The upcoming House of Culture and Governance in Delfzijl will bring together a theater, library, and town hall under one roof. Its form is conceived to respond directly to its urban and cultural context. A soft curve along the facade embraces the public square, while the structure gently tapers into the existing street pattern on the opposite side. The roofline also traces a rhythmic silhouette against the sky, undulating ‘like a piece of music,’ says Saartje van der Made, architect and partner at Benthem Crouwel.

The aim, she notes, is to create a building that feels ‘rooted in the landscape and community of Eemsdelta.’ In line with this, the project is the result of a fast-paced but deeply participatory design process, taking into consideration input from future users, local residents, council members, and youth groups.

all images courtesy of Benthem Crouwel Architects and Snøhetta

Snøhetta & Benthem Crouwel Architects consider local identity

The teams at Snøhetta (see more here) and Benthem Crouwel Architects (see more here) looked closely at Delfzijl’s historical and urban fabric when shaping the building’s massing and material expression. The final design aims to fit seamlessly into its surroundings while also standing out as a contemporary civic landmark. The surrounding area will also be significantly upgraded as part of the project, continuing the municipality’s recent efforts to revitalize the urban fabric, extending from the city beach and boulevard to Damsterkade and Vennenplein.

The House of Culture and Governance is intended to function as a civic and social hub, designed with and for the community. This focus was integral to its identity, as its program has evolved from an initial plan for a theater and library into a multifunctional facility where people can meet, learn, and engage with culture and government. Notably, the heart of the building will be a shared central space, where the library is prominently located and conceived as an open and accessible environment. While the first phase of the design has been completed, the City Council of Eemsdelta is expected to finalize the structural design by October 2025.

a soft curve embraces the public square, while the structure gently tapers into the street pattern on the other side

the roofline also traces a rhythmic silhouette against the sky, undulating ‘like a piece of music,’

project info:

name: House of Culture and Governance
architect: Snøhetta | @snohetta, Benthem Crouwel Architects | @benthemcrouwelarchitects
location: Molenbergplein, Eemsdelta region, the Netherlands

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meet corcelain, a series of ceramic cups with customizable 3D printed feet and screws

mountable legs, handles, lids, and more under homeware

Kosuke Takahashi and 224 Porcelain release Corcelain, a series of ceramic cups and vessels with mountable 3D printed feet and screws. Dubbed the world’s first customizable porcelain vessel, each object comes with a screw hole at the bottom, so users can add vibrant legs, handles, lids, and more under every homeware piece. The design is inspired by a term in traditional Japanese ceramics called Kodai, which is the raised circle shape on the bottom of cups and bowls that allows the homeware to be more stable. In Corcerlain, the ceramic cups and vessels make use of Kodai for the 3D printed feet and parts, raising the objects while giving them a more playful yet functional look.

Because the parts are 3D printed, the users can customize the kind of mountable objects for their ceramic cups and vessels. ‘As a maker and 3D printer user myself, it’s hard to make things safe for food or drink,’ Kosuke Takahashi shares with designboom. ‘Standard materials like PLA and ABS aren’t food-safe, and even with safer filaments, the layered surfaces trap food particles. That’s where the idea of a modular vessel came from. You could mix and match ceramic bases with whatever extensions you dream up. That way, we solve the hygiene issue and, at the same time, give anyone the power to customize everyday objects like cups and plates. Corcelain became a reality thanks to a collaboration with 224 Porcelain, which is a traditional kiln in Yoshida – Saga, Japan.’

all images courtesy of Kosuke Takahashi/ootori

corcelain’s ceramic cups come with custom 3D printed parts

There’s a backstory to why the maker Kosuke Takahashi started Corcelain with pottery manufacturer 224 Porcelain. He tells us that traditional craft industries in Japan are facing a crisis, so he wants to bridge this with the use of current technologies like mountable 3D printed parts for the ceramic cups. He worked with a craftsman named Mr. Tsuji, who has been trained in traditional porcelain techniques that have been around for 400 years. ‘The idea of adding a screw hole to the base only worked because of Tsuji-san’s touch, combining technology with delicate, hands-on adjustments from his artisanal intuition,’ Kosuke Takahashi explains.

This is how he conceived the name Corelain for the series of ceramic cups and vessels with 3D printed feet and screws. It is a blend of ‘co-creation’ and ‘porcelain’, a hint at the use of traditional craftsmanship techniques with present technologies. The manufacturer 224 Porcelain steps in here, too, through its use of machines like CNC and 3D printers in their pottery works, which has allowed Kosuke Takahashi to realize his series. For Corcelain, the inventor also draws inspiration from the Japanese word ‘utsuwa’ which translates to ‘vessel’ or ‘container.’ But this word has its roots in the term ‘utsuho’ which means ‘emptiness’, but one that is waiting to be used. At the bottom of the Corcelain’s ceramic cups, it comes through as the kodai, the hollow bottom, allowing the users to bolt in the custom 3D printed feet, screws, and parts they have designed in varying colors.

Kosuke Takahashi and 224 Porcelain release Corcelain, a series of ceramic cups with 3D printed feet

the design is inspired by a term in traditional Japanese ceramics called Kodai

each object comes with a screw hole at the bottom, so users can add vibrant legs

in Corcerlain, the ceramic cups and vessels make use of Kodai for the 3D printed feet and parts

because the parts are 3D printed, the users can customize the mountable objects for the ceramic cups

users can also add handles

detailed view of the handle with circular bottom plate

project info:

name: Corcelain

design: Kosuke Takahashi | @ootori_t

pottery: 224 Porcelain | @224porcelain

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: matthew burgos | designboom

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steel canopies and vibrant courts by amasa estudio reclaim public plaza in mexico city

Rehabilitation of public plaza at CTM Culhuacán by AMASA Estudio

At UH INFONAVIT CTM Culhuacán, one of Mexico City’s largest housing developments, AMASA Estudio has completed the rehabilitation of a deteriorated public plaza. The intervention addresses long-standing spatial and maintenance challenges common to mid-20th-century housing typologies, focusing on programmatic clarity, material efficiency, and community-responsive design.

Located in the southeast of the city within the borough of Coyoacán, CTM Culhuacán comprises approximately 15,000 housing units built beginning in 1974. Initially intended to serve over 100,000 residents from Mexico’s working and middle classes, the development reflects the social housing strategies of the era. However, as in many large-scale complexes of its kind, shared public areas have since suffered from insufficient maintenance, largely due to jurisdictional ambiguity and administrative complexity. These conditions have led to a fragmented landscape of informally appropriated, neglected, or underutilized spaces. One such space, a plaza near the complex’s tenth section, became the site for a targeted intervention. In June 2023, INFONAVIT launched a design-build tender across four sites in Mexico City. AMASA Estudio, led by Andrea López and Agustín Pereyra, submitted a winning proposal for the Culhuacán location.

rehabilitation of a public plaza at CTM Culhuacán by AMASA Estudio | image by © Andres Cedillo

Reclaiming Urban Common Space Through Programmatic Zoning

The pre-existing site featured aging recreational infrastructure: worn courts, obsolete gym equipment, and peripheral spaces with low visibility. The area was bounded by perimeter walls of two adjacent schools, creating residual zones vulnerable to informal and antisocial use. The design centers on a gabled roof structure positioned at the site’s core. This architectural element introduces spatial order and visual identity while preventing potential future encroachments and maintaining clear sightlines across the plaza. Around this organizing spine, AMASA Estudio reconfigured the site into a series of clearly defined zones: two multipurpose courts, a calisthenics area, a covered forum with seating, a children’s play area, and a 600-meter running track embedded within the pedestrian paths. These components respond to the original brief and were refined through community consultation.

Key to the project was the strategic optimization of resources. The design team’s collaboration with Desarrolladora de Ideas y Espacios enabled cost-effective implementation without compromising design intent. Shared elements, such as structural steel profiles, pigmented concrete, and corrugated metal roofing, were coordinated across all four INFONAVIT commissions, allowing for material standardization and streamlined construction. Landscape improvements integrate permeable surfaces for rainwater infiltration and align with existing pedestrian flows. Accessibility was prioritized by avoiding grade changes and using material contrasts to define circulation and program areas. Color, paving texture, and modular curb transitions help delineate functional zones and improve legibility across the site. This intervention re-establishes the public plaza as a usable and maintained civic space within a historically significant housing development. By addressing spatial neglect through design, the project demonstrates a model for reclaiming underused public infrastructure in similar urban contexts.

new program includes courts, calisthenics area, and children’s play zone | image by © Andres Cedillo

the intervention reorders circulation and visibility across the site | image by © Zaickz Moz

covered forum with lateral seating enables shaded community use | image by © Zaickz Moz

central structure introduces spatial definition and visual identity | image by © Zaickz Moz

design prioritizes legibility through color and material contrasts | image by © Gerardo Reyes Bustamante

modular curbs and paving textures articulate spatial boundaries | image by © Gerardo Reyes Bustamante

site reconfigured to discourage encroachment and enable openness | image by © Andres Cedillo

project info:

name: UH INFONAVIT CTM Culhuacán

architect: AMASA Estudio | @amasa__estudio

location: Culhuacán, Mexico City

lead architects: Andrea López | @androide08, Agustín Pereyra | @a_pereyra

design team: Luis Flores, Gerardo Reyes, Roxana León, Cesar Huerta, Yanahi Flaviel

client: INFONAVIT | @infonavitoficial

construction: Desarrolladora de Ideas y Espacios, Alberto Cejudo | @tallercd_mx

structural engineer: Juan Felipe Heredia | @jfheredia

engineering: Germán Muñoz

lighting: Gabriel Briseño

landscape: Maritza Hernández | @maritzahernandez1413

photographers: Zaickz Moz | @zaickz.moz, Andrés Cedillo | @pavelin, Gerardo Reyes Bustamante | @gerardorbustamante

video: Virgilio Cortés

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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spin it to win it: deadline extended for the global winDesign challenge

enel’s windesign contest for new wind turbines

Enel, a global leader in renewable energy, launched ‘WinDesign,’ an international contest where talented professionals and students, in the domain of engineering, architecture and design, are invited to imagine and design new wind turbines. The goal is to develop turbines projects that blend more seamlessly into the landscapes that host them, thereby supporting a wider role for them in the energy transition.

A Contest for Win(d)-designers

Wind turbines are widely recognized as a symbol of clean, renewable energy; nevertheless, there is growing interest in reimagining their design to further harmonize with the surrounding landscape. In response to this challenge, Enel is launching a forward-thinking initiative aimed at transforming the visual and functional design of next-generation wind turbines. The WinDesign contest seeks to engage top-tier talent from around the world, offering financial incentives to encourage innovative solutions. The competition is open to seasoned professionals in architecture, engineering, and design, as well as to companies, start-ups, research institutions, universities, and students.

The Quest for “Innovability®”

The current competition is being managed through the Open Innovability Enel’s website, a platform specifically set up to attract innovative ideas from outside the company. The word Innovability®, combines innov-ation and sustain-ability, thereby highlighting the two essential ingredients to build tomorrow’s energy world.

Tech specs, and more

The competition calls for wind turbines that of course comply with the industry’s technical regulations and standards: three-blade rotor turbines, combining the most efficient and suitable solution with the least environmental impact. But the contest asks for more: in addition to their innovation and sustainability, proposals will be evaluated in terms of their design, technical and economic feasibility.

running tor rewards

The competition will be divided into two phases.

In Phase 1, participants-whether individuals or teams-are invited to submit their preliminary ideas on the Open Innovability platform by August 30, 2025. In September, Enel will announce the selected participants who will advance to Phase 2. Each shortlisted proposal at this stage will receive a reward of €5,000.

Phase 2 will remain open until November 29, 2025, and will focus on more detailed submissions, including full technical and economic feasibility studies. A jury-composed of academic experts and Enel representatives-will evaluate the final proposals, with winners to be announced between December 2025 and January 2026.

The first-place winner will receive €250,000, the second-place entry €150,000, and the third-place project €50,000. There will also be special awards of €15,000 for the best projects in terms of Design, Technical and Economic Feasibility, and, needless to say, Innovation and Sustainability. However, it is not possible for any single proposal to receive more than one award.

Beyond the contest

In addition to looking for brilliant, innovative ideas for the wind turbine of tomorrow, Enel is also keen to highlight innovation as the driver of the energy transition, to show that technology and sustainability must go hand in hand, and to demonstrate that global challenges, like the decarbonization process, can only be met by working together.

Enel SpA generates, delivers, and sells energy in 28 countries on five continents, serving 55 million customers, while 72% (63 GW out of 87 GW) of its installed capacity comes from renewable sources: not only wind, but also hydroelectric, photovoltaic, geothermal power plants, and storage plants. Enel is also leading the way in electric mobility, with some 29,600 public charging stations worldwide.

Guest Feature by Tatevik Avetisyan / ArchDaily

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SOLUM studio shapes its coastal ‘patio house’ as a maze of thick walls in sicily

Walls as Spatial Framework

Located on a coastal stretch in Sicily, the Patio House by SOLUM Studio is set within a narrow, elongated plot that extends toward the sea and ends on a rocky cliff. The house fully occupies the buildable area of the site, responding with a compact yet layered architecture that privileges privacy and orientation over outward display.

At the heart of the project is a series of thick, continuous walls that define both interior and exterior spaces. These structural elements serve to organize movement and visual rhythm along the building’s length. Five independent bedrooms and a sea-facing living area are spaced along the perimeter, each arranged to maximize autonomy and visual quiet.

Full-height walls form intimate patios adjacent to each bedroom, introducing natural light while shielding the interiors from direct views. The living spaces, in contrast, are defined by openness. At the end of an internal open-air corridor, large sliding windows retract fully into the masonry, giving the living room a direct and unobstructed relationship with the horizon.

images © Nicolò Panzeri

solum studio curates A Sequence of Outdoor Rooms

Circulation throughout the Patio House unfolds through a narrow, uncovered corridor conceived by the architects at SOLUM Studio as a private alley. This outdoor path connects the bedrooms to the shared living spaces in a progression of tight passages and wider moments of pause. The route ends at the sea, turning movement into a spatial narrative that is at once choreographed and visually understated.

Adjoining the kitchen, another patio and flooded with daylight and houses a staircase that leads to the roof terrace. From above, the plan reveals itself as a maze of solids and voids, a geometric interplay that modulates openness and enclosure across the floor-plate. The roof terrace offers panoramic views of the Sicilian landscape and draws attention to the relationship between the house and its cliffside context.

the Patio House is located in the province of Syracuse on the coast of Sicily

an intricate floorplan realized with simple materials

The material palette by SOLUM Studio reinforce the sense of groundedness throughout the Patio House. Walls are rendered in textured earth-toned plaster, while warm-toned concrete floors extend the chromatic language indoors. The outdoor terraces are constructed from dry-stacked Noto stone, a traditional local material, and the pool is finished in lava stone, visually anchoring it in the region’s volcanic geology.

The landscape design reinforces this continuity, allowing native vegetation to grow in a restrained but intentional way. The green areas act as buffers between built elements, strengthening the sense of a secluded compound while avoiding the appearance of manicured artifice.

Patio House reads as an abstract interpretation of vernacular forms. Its façade, largely closed and windowless, reveals little of the spatial richness inside. This reticence is deliberate, a way of engaging with the landscape through orientation, materiality, and inner openness rather than panoramic gesture.

it occupies a narrow plot that stretches from the access road to a seaside cliff

the design is structured by a sequence of thick walls that shape both rooms and patios

each bedroom opens onto a private patio enclosed by full-height walls

a second patio adjacent to the kitchen includes a stair to the panoramic rooftop

project info:

name: Patio House

architect: SOLUM Studio | @solum.studio

location: Avola, Sicily, Italy

design team: Lorenzo Campagna, Filippo Gismondi, Mattia Agates y Lorenzo Loda.
completion: 2025
photography: © Nicolò Panzeri | @nicolopanzeri

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