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bülk distance velomobile with removable shell lets rider pedal out of cities in any weather

Bülk Distance velomobile for long-distance travels

Velomobile World releases Bülk Distance, a human-powered vehicle that lets the rider pedal out of the cities in any weather. Building on the previous Bülk MK1, the design of the recent velomobile is closer to the ground compared to the other models, and it also needs more space to turn because of its larger turning radius, so it can’t make tight turns so easily. The Bülk Distance velomobile, then, is ideal for long-distance travels, especially away from cities and on roads where there aren’t many corners. In terms of size, its body is longer and narrower than the previous models, which allows the air to flow more easily around it, reducing the drag and making it stable during cruising.

For the exterior design of the Bülk Distance velomobile, the team uses computer simulations to design the shell so that it can move through the air with less resistance, no matter which direction the wind comes from. They also shape the bottom of the vehicle in a way that creates downforce to push the human-powered vehicle gently to the ground, keeping it stable regardless of the cruising speed. The body of the vehicle is also symmetrical on both sides for balance, and the front wheels hide under the frame, which can help with the aerodynamics as well as allowing for easy repair and maintenance, especially if the owner uses tubeless tires for the recent model.

all images courtesy of Velomobile World

removable top shell for open-air cruising

For the Bülk Distance velomobile, the cockpit has a wide opening so the rider can enter and exit with ease, and since the vehicle is ideal for long-distance travels, the seating has soft cushioning for extended reclining positions. The top shell is removable. When it’s raining or during extreme weather conditions, the rider can pop it back in place to shield themselves, but if it’s sunny or they feel like riding with the wind, they can just detach it before cruising. The team designs the rear hatch to be larger so the repair person can easily maintain the chain, derailleur, and gears.

The model can also be fitted with either an e-bike motor or just a regular pedal crank, switching between being a human-powered vehicle or an electric-assist velomobile. The latter is more ideal for long-distance travel, too. Since the frame’s shape focuses on the aerodynamics, it can weather strong winds when the rider wants to cruise fast. The design was created with help from Prof. Dr. Eric Helter, an expert in aerodynamics who has worked on high-performance cars like the Porsche GT3, KTM, and Lamborghini race cars. So far, the vehicle weighs around 25 kilos, and riders can configure their Bülk Distance velomobile.

Velomobile World releases Bülk Distance that lets the rider pedal out of the cities in any weather

the design of the recent velomobile is closer to the ground compared to the other models

its body is longer and narrower than the previous models, too

the top shell is removable for open-air cruising

it needs more space to turn because of its larger turning radius, so it can’t make tight turns so easily

the cockpit has a wide opening so the rider can enter and exit with ease

the model can also be fitted with either an e-bike motor or just a regular pedal crank

project info:

name: Bülk Distance

company: Velomobile World | @velomobileworld

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open structural steel grid by estudio BNAA reinterprets barn typology in argentina

ESTUDIO BNAA reinterprets barn architecture

Located in Potrero de los Funes, San Luis, Argentina, Barn House by ESTUDIO BNAA (Bravo Nieto Arquitectos Asociados) presents a contemporary reinterpretation of the traditional barn structure. Designed as a peripheral and adaptable system rather than a closed typology, the project proposes an open framework that supports multiple modes of habitation and challenges conventional residential models.

The design is based on a modular and flexible approach, moving away from fixed spatial hierarchies. Instead of assigning static functions to defined spaces, the dwelling operates as a field of transformable possibilities, where users actively shape the configuration and use of the interior over time.

all images by ESTUDIO BNAA (Bravo Nieto Arquitectos Asociados)

Barn House unfolds around a structural grid

At its core, the project utilizes a regular structural grid and a low-cost industrial construction system. Prefabricated in a workshop, the house is built using 140 mm IPN steel profiles. These elements serve multiple functions: structural support (beams and columns), infrastructure for lighting and electrical systems, support for interior partitions, and anchor points for domestic accessories such as hammocks and planters. The exposed steel structure defines the architectural language, emphasizing both function and clarity.

The design team at ESTUDIO BNAA (Bravo Nieto Arquitectos Asociados) creates interior divisions using movable partition systems made of curtains suspended from calibrated magnets. This method avoids permanent fixtures and perforations, allowing for a flexible and reversible spatial layout. The configuration supports a variety of uses without compromising material efficiency or spatial order.

Barn House reinterprets a rural typology through flexible design

Modular design allows for future expansion

A compact central core houses all wet areas. Above it, a loft space is constructed, an enclosed, windowless area illuminated indirectly from below. This upper level is suited for resting or studying, offering an efficient use of vertical space and enhancing the three-dimensional quality of the interior.

Provisions for future expansion are integrated into the initial design of Barn House. South-facing openings, dimensioned to match standard door sizes, allow sections of the envelope to be removed to extend the structure. This extension process maintains the original architectural language and adheres to the same structural and construction principles.

an open structural framework replaces traditional spatial hierarchy

the house operates as a transformable field, not a fixed layout

magnetic curtains allow for non-invasive spatial flexibility

modular openings allow for phased structural growth

beams and columns double as supports for lighting and accessories

future expansions are built into the design logic

a regular steel grid forms the core of the construction system

project info:

name: Barn House

architect: ESTUDIO BNAA (Bravo Nieto Arquitectos Asociados) | @estudio.bnaa
lead architects: Arq. Ralph Tomas Bravo Nieto, Ana Paula Amieva
location: San Luis, Potrero de los Funes, Argentina

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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autodesk fusion and revit help aviate ESA’s lunar training facility FLEXHab into reality

autodesk’s integrated cloud platform powers flexhab

In a significant stride towards lunar exploration, the European Space Agency (ESA) and with DLR (Deutsche Luft und Raumfahrt), have introduced FLEXHab, a cutting-edge modular habitat designed for astronaut training ahead of the Artemis missions. Behind its futuristic shell lies an equally innovative digital foundation: Autodesk’s Fusion program, which was instrumental in bringing this complex space habitat to life. Situated within the newly constructed LUNA facility at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany, FLEXHab offers a realistic simulation of lunar living conditions, preparing astronauts for extended stays on the Moon. This 28-square-meter habitat, developed by SAGA Space Architects, marks a pivotal development in Europe’s contribution to human space exploration.

Autodesk’s Fusion 360 platform brings FLEXHab habitat from concept to reality | all images courtesy of Autodesk

autodesk pushed material, spatial, and performance boundaries

Established in 2018, SAGA Space Architects has rapidly gained recognition for its innovative approach to designing habitats for extreme environments. With a portfolio that includes analog habitats tested in the Arctic and underwater, SAGA emphasizes human well-being and adaptability in confined spaces. Co-founder Sebastian Aristotelis, who personally tested previous habitat designs, leads the team in integrating advanced technologies such as circadian lighting systems and smart environmental controls, ensuring that FLEXHab not only supports life but enhances the psychological health of its occupants.

The Copenhagen-based architecture studio partnered with Autodesk to design the habitat using Fusion 360’s integrated cloud platform. The toolset allowed the team to manage complex design data, prototype rapidly, and simulate structural performance in one cohesive environment. Autodesk’s influence went beyond software — it enabled the kind of fluid collaboration and iteration that space architecture demands. With FLEXHab expected to support four astronauts for up to 30 days, every cubic centimeter mattered, and Autodesk’s design tools helped SAGA push material, spatial, and performance boundaries with agility and precision.

situated in Cologne, Germany, FLEXHab offers a realistic simulation of lunar living conditions

fusion’s tools that made real-time collaboration possible

FLEXHab serves as a multifaceted training environment, replicating the conditions astronauts will face during lunar missions. The habitat includes private sleeping quarters, a galley, a laboratory, and an airlock designed for extravehicular activity simulations. Innovative features such as circadian lighting mimic Earth’s day-night cycle, aiding in maintaining astronauts’ biological rhythms. Its construction combines lightweight materials and space-grade engineering with sustainability features like 3D-printed wood-based composites. Autodesk’s design platform allowed the architects to test these materials virtually and optimize their use — crucial for a structure intended to mirror the constraints of lunar habitats.

Using Autodesk’s generative design tools, the team explored multiple layout iterations quickly, balancing ergonomics with mechanical constraints. The software’s cloud-based structure allowed for real-time collaboration across teams and time zones, significantly accelerating the design timeline. As the FLEXHab needed to interface with both the Moon simulator and future mission analogs, Autodesk’s interoperability with other engineering platforms ensured all systems aligned precisely.

this 28-square-meter habitat, developed by SAGA Space Architects, marks a pivotal development in Europe’s contribution to human space exploration

Human factors were central to FLEXHab’s design — a core philosophy at SAGA. The team incorporated circadian lighting technology, currently in use aboard the ISS, to regulate astronaut sleep cycles and well-being. Autodesk tools supported this approach by enabling precise environmental simulations within the habitat, from light distribution to interior flow and psychological comfort. For a mission requiring extended isolation in confined quarters, these design nuances are critical — and Autodesk helped ensure nothing was left to chance.

In addition to Autodesk, SAGA’s collaborators include Bosch and Sony, contributing to the habitat’s integrated systems and immersive visual displays. But Autodesk’s early and continuous involvement made it a cornerstone of the project’s design DNA. From early conceptual sketches to detailed CAD models, the program supported every stage of development. Without tools like Fusion 360, designing something this intricate, under time pressure and with strict mission specs, would have been impossible.

SAGA Space Architects partnered with Autodesk to design the habitat using Fusion 360’s integrated cloud platform

Alongside Fusion, the SAGA team relied on Autodesk Revit to handle documentation and ensure regulatory compliance, allowing them to move seamlessly from initial concept to final execution within a single software ecosystem.

‘For the first time, we have one family of software that allows us to go from zero to 100,’ they note, underscoring how this integrated workflow is essential to maintaining precision and meeting complex standards. Sebastian Aristotelis reflects on how this technology has transformed what’s possible for a small, independent studio like SAGA: ‘We can now take on incredibly ambitious projects because of the tools at our fingertips. A decade or two ago, this simply wouldn’t have been feasible. Today, I walk into the studio knowing that if I dream something up overnight, my team has the means to bring it to life the next day. That kind of capability and creative freedom is everything I ever hoped for.’

Autodesk’s toolset allowed the team to manage complex design data, prototype rapidly, and simulate structural performance in one cohesive environment

FLEXHab’s construction combines lightweight materials and space-grade engineering with sustainability features like 3D-printed wood-based composites

using the platform, the architects were allowed to test these materials virtually and optimize their use

from early conceptual sketches to detailed CAD models, the software supported every stage of development

as FLEXHab needed to interface with both the Moon simulator and future mission analogs, Autodesk’s interoperability with other engineering platforms ensured all systems aligned precisely

Autodesk tools enabled precise environmental simulations within the habitat

simulations by the software program ranged from light distribution to interior flow and psychological comfort

Fusion 360 was crucial in achieving something this intricate under time pressure

the SAGA team further relied on Autodesk Revit to handle documentation and ensure regulatory compliance

Autodesk provided all the tools needed to execute the entire development process within a single software ecosystem

project info:

name: FLEXHab 

agency: European Space Agency (ESA) | @europeanspaceagency; DLR (Deutsche Luft und Raumfahrt) | @dlr.en

partners: Autodesk, Bosch, Sony | @autodesk, @boschglobal, @sony

design: SAGA Space Architects | @saga_space_architects

location: LUNA facility at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC), Cologne, Germany

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UBS digital art museum opens in 2026, bringing europe’s largest teamLab show to hamburg

hamburg launches UBS Digital Art Museum in 2026

In 2026, Hamburg debuts the UBS Digital Art Museum, a cultural landmark set to become the largest institution in Europe dedicated exclusively to digital and immersive art. Founded by tech entrepreneur Lars Hinrichs and led by Artistic Director Ulrich Schrauth, the museum is backed by UBS as naming sponsor and lead partner. Nestled in the city’s HafenCity district, the 7,000-square-meter space launches with the most expansive permanent teamLab exhibition in Europe, marking a major milestone for the cultural scene of Hamburg and the international evolution of digital art.

teamLab, Forest of Flowers and People: Lost, Immersed and Reborn © teamLab

teamLab Borderless Hamburg realizes a vision born in tokyo

The opening exhibition of the museum, teamLab Borderless Hamburg, introduces a monumental, interactive art environment by the acclaimed Japanese collective. It is teamLab’s third major permanent museum worldwide, following Tokyo and Shanghai. Spread across the entire building, Borderless in Hamburg will be a seamless, immersive ecosystem where digital artworks move freely between rooms and transform with human interaction. Ceilings soar to 10 meters, offering a cathedral-like canvas for teamLab’s algorithmic landscapes, animated waterfalls, and responsive light forms.

The origin story of the UBS Digital Art Museum began in Tokyo, when Hinrichs visited teamLab Borderless for the first time. ‘Since then, one thing has been clear to me: I want to bring this to Hamburg, Germany and Europe,’ he explains. That vision took shape in 2019, culminating in the selection of HafenCity, a waterfront development known for its experimental architecture and cultural ambition, as the ideal location. Positioned between the Elbphilharmonie and the future Elbtower, the site situates the museum within Hamburg’s new axis of innovation and public life.

teamLab, Universe of Water Particles on a Rock where People Gather, Courtesy teamLab Borderless Tokyo © teamLab

where art is meant to be touched, felt, and co-created

While UBS lends its name and strategic support, the UBS Digital Art Museum remains a private initiative – artist- and audience-driven, rather than corporate-owned. According to Schrauth, the museum will serve as a ‘platform for digital and immersive art that makes this new genre accessible and tangible for everyone.’ Breaking with traditional museum models, teamLab Borderless Hamburg will invite visitors of all ages to explore without physical or conceptual barriers. No ‘do not touch’ signs here, as photography, interaction, and even co-creation are integral parts of the experience.

Beyond its inaugural exhibition, the museum will operate with the long-term mission to showcase the full spectrum of digital art, support emerging practices, and foster public dialogue around art and technology. The initiative also aims to become the first climate-neutral museum in the world, embedding sustainability and fairness into every level of its operations, from carbon offsetting to transparent ticket pricing and fair wages.

teamLab, Crows are Chased and the Chasing Crows are Destined to be Chased as well: Cosmic Void, Courtesy teamLab Borderless Jeddah © teamLab

teamLab, The Way of the Sea Crystal World © teamLab

teamLab, Light Vortex, Courtesy teamLab Borderless Tokyo © teamLab

a milestone for the cultural scene of Hamburg | image © Thorsten Bauer

set to become the largest institution in Europe | image by Maximilian Pohlmann

visitors of all ages can explore without physical or conceptual barriers | image by Maximilian Pohlmann

the museum’s long-term mission is to showcase the full spectrum of digital art | image courtesy of UBS Digital Art Museum

project info:

name: UBS Digital Art Museum

location: HafenCity, Hamburg, Germany

founder: Lars Hinrichs

artistic director: Ulrich Schrauth | @uschrauth

lead partner / naming sponsor: UBS | @ubs

inaugural exhibition: teamLab Borderless Hamburg

artist: teamLab | @teamlab, @teamlab_borderless

opening year: 2026

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tadao ando carves subterranean concrete dome for antony gormley’s exhibition in korea

Tadao Ando & Antony Gormley create a subterranean dome

Antony Gormley’s largest Korean exhibition to date opens this summer at Museum SAN amid the forested hills of Wonju. Titled Drawing on Space, the showcase spans 48 works ranging from large-scale sculptures and immersive installations to drawings and prints, while introducing Ground, the artist’s first permanent intervention in Asia created in collaboration with Japanese architect Tadao Ando. This new work marks the first time a space has been conceived specifically to house the British sculptor’s work on a permanent basis.

Buried beneath the museum’s flower garden, Ground takes the form of a 25-meter-wide subterranean dome. A single oculus at its peak draws natural light into the circular void, evoking the architectural spirit of the Pantheon while channeling Ando’s minimalism and Gormley’s spatial consciousness. Descending into the space, visitors first encounter seven cast-iron figures from Gormley’s Blockworks series through a panoramic glazed wall, with each sculpture seated, standing, or crouching in moments of stillness within the cavernous space. Further inside, the spatial experience becomes more immersive as viewers step into the sensorial concrete dome itself which brings in glimpses of the surrounding nature. A final cast-iron figure stands outside, visible through the aperture, aligning the space to the mountains beyond.

all images courtesy of Museum SAN

drawing on space explores body, architecture, and the senses

Drawing on Space surveys Antony Gormley’s decades-long inquiry into the human body and its relationship to space. Spread across all three galleries of the Cheongjo wing, the works question how we might represent the body, and how we sense, move through, and perceive space through it. One of the largest developments exploring these ideas is Ground, a permanent architectural installation that anchors the exhibition and redefines the museum’s, and its works’, relationship to its landscape. Designed by Tadao Ando and hosting works by Gormley, the underground dome becomes a contemplative environment that heightens spatial awareness through light, material, and bodily movement. As visitors descend into the space and move among the cast-iron figures, the work asks them to reconsider their own presence in the world as physical, sensing beings in tune with the architecture and elements around them.

Museum SAN’s long-standing mission to integrate art, architecture, and nature finds full expression here, following earlier architectural projects such as the James Turrell Pavilion and Space of Light. ‘The idea of this exhibition is to allow physical and imaginative space to come together,’ notes the sculptor. ‘The works will activate rather than occupy space, and explore the enclosures of architecture and the body as sensate.’ With Ground, the museum deepens this trajectory, offering a contemplative, sensory-driven space in which light, shadow, sound, and temperature become part of the artwork, just as much as sculpture and concrete

gormley’s largest exhibition in korea at museum san

Gallery 1 introduces Liminal Field, a group of seven sculptures composed of cellular geometries that form airy, porous structures suggestive of the body as a threshold. These human-scale voids echo the fragility of bubbles and the impermanence of form. In Gallery 2, drawings and prints on paper extend these ideas in two dimensions as Gormley explores light, darkness, mass, and void, returning often to the dialogue between body and built form, architecture and interiority.

Orbit Field II in Gallery 3 culminates the show with an immersive installation composed of interlocking aluminum rings suspended and anchored throughout the space. Some connect to floor and ceiling, others float freely, encouraging visitors to duck, turn, and weave through the matrix. Movement becomes part of the work, echoing the Eamesian notion of the viewer as an active participant and underscoring Gormley’s belief that sculpture is less about objecthood than embodied experience.

project info:

name: Drawing on Spac

artist: Antony Gormley 

architect: Tadao Ando

location: Museum SAN, South Korea

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DMAA transforms kellogg’s silos into waterfront hotel in bremen, germany

Urban transformation in Bremen’s harbor district

In Bremen, Germany, a cluster of 1970s grain silos once used by Kellogg’s has been transformed into the John & Will Silo Hotel by Delugan Meissl Associated Architects (DMAA). The site, located on the Überseeinsel peninsula within the larger redevelopment of Überseestadt, forms part of one of Europe’s most ambitious urban renewal projects. With the River Weser on one side and Bremen’s city center nearby, the intervention repositions industrial heritage as a civic and cultural landmark.

The former Kellogg’s site, now a mixed-use complex, maintains the prominence of the original silos while introducing new programs across its perimeter. DMAA’s response preserves the visual identity of the site while subtly threading it into the changing rhythm of the waterfront.

images © Piet Niemann

Silos reimagined as hotel architecture

The concrete silos in Bremen, once capable of storing up to 5,000 tons of Kellogg’s grain, are now occupied by 117 uniquely configured guest rooms for the John & Will Silo Hotel. The architects at DMAA plan each room with a circular or semi-circular floorplan, following the geometry of the original silo forms. Vertical window slits have been carved through sixteen-centimeter-thick concrete walls to frame narrow, cinematic views of the Weser. These minimal apertures maintain the visual weight of the structures while admitting natural light deep into the cylindrical spaces.

The original red Kellogg’s logo remains emblazoned atop the tallest silos, asserting continuity with the past even as the interior is radically repurposed. Below, a low-rise annex formerly used as a vitamin store has been adapted into five levels of office and conference spaces, with a new rooftop pavilion serving as an event venue.

the Kellogg’s silos in Bremen have been transformed into a hotel by DMAA

Cutting through concrete, connecting new volumes

To adapt the Kellogg’s silos for hospitality use in Bremen, DMAA introduced new interior corridors and openings that connect the cylinders. Access routes were carefully threaded through the concrete mass, and 3,500 cubic meters of concrete were excavated and removed by hand. The hotel lobby incorporates the silos’ original funnel-shaped bases, allowing the building’s industrial function to remain legible within the new program.

The architectural intervention extends beyond the hotel. The adjacent rice store has been adapted into a market hall and restaurant cluster, while new terraces and an in-house brewery activate the waterfront with public life. These spaces contribute to a broader strategy for integrating communal amenities within the former industrial fabric of Bremen.

the project is located on the Überseeinsel within Bremen’s larger harbor redevelopment

DMAA preserved the industrial character of the original 1970s concrete structures

the complex includes restaurants, a brewery, and a market hall within the adjacent rice store

3,500 cubic meters of concrete were excavated to enable circulation within the silos

project info:

name: Kellogg’s Bremen Germany

architect: Delugan Meissl Associated Architects | @deluganmeissl

location: Bremen, Germany

client: John & Will | @johnandwill.hotel

address: Auf der Muggenburg 30, 28217 Bremen, Germany
completion: 2024

photography: © Piet Niemann | @_piet_niemann

project manager: Eva Schrade
project team: Birgit Miksch, Julia Oblitcova, Klaudia Prikrill, Martin Schneider,
executive planning: dt+p, Gruppe GME Architekten
structural engineering: Wittler Ingenieure
lighting design: Die Lichtplaner
building services engineering: Schweigatz Heizungsund Sanitärbau
building physics: Wittler Ingenieure

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