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watch: charles and ray eames’ 1975 vision to reimagine the metropolitan museum of art

a film and scale model reveal charles and ray eames’ proposal

 

In 1975, The Metropolitan Museum of Art invited Charles and Ray Eames to rethink how people could experience its vast collection. As a result, they produced Metropolitan Overview, a nine-minute film reimagining the museum as a more accessible, intuitive, and emotionally generous space. This layered work had long been stored away until it was newly restored by the Library of Congress, and it has just been released to the public for the first time through The Met’s new archival initiative, From the Vaults.

 

Commissioned by the Museum’s director at the time, Thomas Hoving, at the dawn of its second century, the film was part of a two-part proposal by the Eames Office. Alongside a scale model of the museum’s galleries and additions, the film was envisioned as a documentation and a means of storytelling to reframe The Met as a welcoming cultural host beyond its established institutional presence, reimagining how it could welcome, orient, and engage visitors in the 21st century. Using collage-like juxtapositions of scale models, archival footage, speculative tech, and symbolic moments such as fountains, flutes, and children walking, the film maps out a museum in which every visitor, from the scholar to the tourist, would feel personally invited into dialogue with the art on view.

video and all images © Eames Office, LLC unless stated otherwise | via The Metropolitan Museum of Art

 

 

a new vision for the metropolitan museum of art

 

Whether through films, exhibitions, or architecture — or the furniture the designers are largely celebrated for — Charles and Ray Eames were always deeply invested in how people learn, feel, and find meaning. Metropolitan Overview carries that same spirit, imagining the museum as a place that anticipates the needs of each of its visitors. The film opens with miniature museumgoers moving through redesigned halls, navigating galleries aided by computer terminals and personalized digital guides, which were subtly radical proposals for their time. The Information Hall was at the core of this vision, a space where guests could generate custom routes through the collection, screen short films, read about global events in art and archaeology, and interact with archival material once hidden in storage. These tools were intended to deepen the emotional and intellectual connection between visitor and object, echoing the Eameses’ belief that good design was always rooted in empathy and understanding.

 

Timelines, layered displays, and scale-model vignettes carried this thinking further. Inspired by the Eameses’ earlier exhibition work such as Mathematica and The World of Franklin and Jefferson, the museum’s proposed reconfiguration emphasized collage as both a spatial and conceptual strategy. Visitors would chart their own paths through timelines, layered displays, and screening rooms, echoing the logic of a well-set table or storybook. A highly detailed architectural model of The Metropolitan Museum of Art also accompanied Metropolitan Overview. Though now lost to time, it was said to be remarkably detailed, so lifelike that some visitors thought it was real. The film preserves this vision, depicting an ambitious, human-centered museum that links knowledge and emotion while echoing the Eameses’ belief in design as a public tool, and in museums as places for reorientation amid the noise of urban life.

in 1975, the museum invited Charles and Ray Eames to rethink how its collection could be experienced

the nine-minute film reimagining the museum as a more accessible, intuitive, and emotionally generous space

objects of the museum as photographed by Charles, Ray, and the Eames Office staff during the making of the film

the film has been released to the public for the first time through The Met’s new archival initiative, From the Vaults

the film was accompanied by a scale model of the museum’s galleries and additions

the proposed reconfiguration emphasized collage as both a spatial and conceptual strategy

though now lost to time, the model was said to be remarkably detailed that some visitors thought it was real

the film depicts an ambitious, human-centered museum that links knowledge and emotion

 

 

project info:

 

name: Metropolitan Overview

designers: Charles and Ray Eames | @eamesoffice

institution: The Metropolitan Museum of Art | @metmuseum

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rider in the sky: kuickwheel releases flying tricycle that can hover on its own

Kuickwheel’s flying tricycle Skyrider X6 for land and air

 

Kuickwheel introduces Skyrider X6, a flying electric tricycle for land and air that can take off, hover, and touch down on its own. Unveiled on June 16th, 2025, the enterprise put it up for bidding on the e-commerce platform JD.com, and the event lasted for over four hours before it got sold. So far, the flying tricycle, which the company describes as a motorcycle, can take off and land on its own and also features automatic route planning and cruising, which allow the rider to just enjoy the views from above. For those who want to control it, the manual mode and joystick control are still present, with the wheel inspired by the ones found in car-racing arcade games.

 

Kuickwheel’s flying tricycle Skyrider X6 has a reversed three-wheel design. Instead of the typical two wheels at the front and one at the rear, it’s the opposite for this model, combined with a mid-mounted rear-wheel drive power that stabilizes the personal aircraft when it lands. The company says that because of this design, the eVTOL-like vehicle can also take sharp turns at high speeds, all the while maintaining a stable posture while cruising on land. For the body of the vehicle, the design team uses carbon fiber and aviation-grade aluminum, making the personal aircraft lightweight and robust enough for land and air. 

all images courtesy of Kuickwheel

 

 

Parachute that deploys automatically in case of emergencies

 

Some of the safety features included in Kuickwheel’s flying tricycle Skyrider X6 are the power redundancy and backup systems. For the former, the multiple exposed rotors work together, and if one of them stops working mid-flight, the others can keep the personal aircraft floating without crashing. For the latter, these are in the flight controls, helping the hovering motorcycle be stable even if the rider cruises through bad weather conditions. In this case, when a system fails, another one can take over to keep the flight going. During crucial times, there’s also an emergency parachute on board, which will automatically be deployed to bring the aircraft down safely on land.

 

Kuickwheel’s flying tricycle Skyrider X6 runs on a large battery, around 10.5 kilowatt-hours. The owner can charge it using the same fast chargers made for electric cars, and the company says that it only takes an hour for the hovering motorcycle to be fully charged. When not used in the air, the personal aircraft works like a motorcycle on land, equipped with an electric motor that can go up to 70 km/h and travel up to 200 kilometers on a single charge. When the user needs to take off, Kuickwheel’s flying tricycle Skyrider X6 uses six exposed rotors to lift the vehicle off the ground and start cruising in the air. It can fly at speeds up to 72 km/h and stay in the air for about 20 minutes. So far, one model has been sold during the bidding event, and there’s no news yet on its commercial availability.

the personal aircraft has exposed rotors to lift it off the ground

it features two wheel at the front and a single rear tire

the flying vehicle also features automatic route planning and cruising

the vehicle can stay in the air for about 20 minutes

the steering wheel next to the digital screen for controls

 

 

project info:

 

name: Skyrider X6

company: Kuickwheel

platform: JD.com | @jd_corporate

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a holiday home in valldal by office inainn responds to norway’s dramatic terrain

a holiday home embedded in the Slope

 

A new holiday home designed by Office Inainn occupies a steep fjord landscape of Valldal, Norway. The 127-square-meter house is situated high above the waterline and built without leveling the terrain, allowing its form to emerge through close observation of the site.

 

The project’s approach is defined by its refusal to flatten or clear the land. Instead, a pair of subtly offset volumes follows the natural incline, stepping down with the hillside and creating spatial variation through section rather than partition. A concrete plinth raises the structure above the rocky ground, providing both stability and separation while leaving the landscape intact.

 

Each timber-clad volume plays a specific role. A taller, narrow structure contains the entry sequence and a corridor lit from above, while the adjoining lower volume houses the living spaces and bedrooms, cantilevered outward to frame the fjord below. 

images © ONI studio

 

 

office inainn’s Procession of Light and Views

 

Arrival at the house by Office Inainn begins along a narrow footpath hemmed by the rocky site and the holiday home’s timber facade. This experience extends inside, where the corridor becomes an interior continuation of the architects‘ compression of the vast site. Clerestory glazing and polished concrete floors lead visitors through a series of intimate spaces before the full fjord panorama is revealed at the living room.

 

Framed views are a central element. Each room engages the terrain differently — some take in the steep forested slopes, others the open water. Glazing is expansive yet recessed, preserving privacy and minimizing visual noise while capturing the scale and movement of the landscape.

a holiday home by Office Inainn is set high above a fjord in Valldal, Norway

 

 

norwegian materials and furnishings

 

Office Inainn defines the holiday home’s material palette by restraint and locality. Dark timber cladding wraps both volumes, allowing the house to recede into its context, particularly under changing light. Inside, wood floors, muted olive walls, and cabinetry by Limstrand create a warm, quiet atmosphere. Furnishings by Fjordfiesta echo the same principles of minimalism and regionally sources.

 

Window frames are painted dark and matched with top-hung curtains that extend the verticality of the openings. Across the interior, detailing remains tight and precise. Where contrast exists, it is gentle, used to draw out depth rather than distinction.

 

The project was developed in close collaboration with a client who maintains longstanding ties to Valldal. Their brief, to let nature lead, was not treated as metaphor but as instruction. In practice, this meant holding back where possible, patiently calibrating the architecture through subtraction and alignment.

the house is designed with minimal alterations of the rocky slope below

two offset volumes follow the natural incline of the hillside

the client requested that nature lead every design decision

dark timber cladding helps the home recede into the environment

 

project info:

 

name: 18-07 Holiday Home

architect: Office Inainn | @inainn.eu

location: Valldal, Norway

area: 127 square-meters

completion: April 2025

photography: © ONI studio | @onistories

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transforming roofscape expands over timber farmhouse in yunnan, china

dynamic roof defines the Ridge Farmhouse’s spatial character

 

The Ridge, a timber prototype by Olivier Ottevaere and University of Hong Kong students, explores how the natural environment and its physical forces can invigorate the interior living through its dynamic roof design. Sited in the high mountains of rural Yunnan, China, the project makes full use of its sloped terrain and expansive vistas to delineate a varied timber structure mainly comprising eleven evolving trusses. The house spans one to three levels, with the roofscape’s gradual transformation most dramatically expressed through the pronounced ceiling plane experienced from within. The design is carefully tuned to its cardinal orientations. Each facade differs in shape and size to capture the unique natural sunlight specific to its direction, energizing the interior spaces, living areas below, and sleeping quarters above, throughout the day’s progression.

all images courtesy of The University of Hong Kong

 

 

Ridge doubles as a farmhouse and a community gathering space

 

Beyond its residential function, the farmhouse also serves as a community center where local villagers gather socially and, as seasons go by, deliberate on crop selections, farming distribution to enhance their collective agricultural production, and local economy. The Ridge project originated as an educational program in design and construction, led by designer Olivier Ottevaere. The taught hands-on course exposes students to the physical act of making architecture through on-site construction experience at a scale impossible in the classroom, one that they can inhabit while building. Working alongside local carpenters and construction workers, students embark on a building journey that addresses a real site, a critical program, and a unique local culture through knowledge exchange and experiential learning.

a dynamic roofscape defines the building’s spatial character

the house spans between one and three levels across sloped terrain

roofline opens up to the expansive landscape while providing shade to the outdoor terrace

timber prototype ‘The Ridge’ sits in the high mountains of rural Yunnan, China

eleven evolving timber trusses form the structure’s core

interior ceilings reveal the roof’s gradual transformation

local villagers use the space to plan agricultural activities

sunlight animates the living spaces throughout the day

sleeping quarters are positioned above, oriented for light and view

the bedroom mezzanine opens towards the double-height living space

‘The Ridge’ project blends architectural learning with cultural exchange

 

project info:

 

name: The Ridge – Roofing in Motion.
architects: Olivier Ottevaere – The University of Hong Kong, the Human Intelligence Master program of Architecture, HKU | @hkuarchitecture

local contractor: Chengdu Xingcun Construction Engineering Co., Ltd. (成都行村建筑工程有限公司)

area: 240 sqm

location: Yiliang, Zhaotong, Yunnan Province, China

 

 

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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VCUarts qatar’s matter diplopia evolves memories at london design biennale 2025

‘Matter Diplopia’ arrives in london design biennale 2025

 

Making its landmark debut at London Design Biennale 2025, Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) presents Matter Diplopia. This research-led exhibition draws from collective memory, contemporary challenges, and cultural hybridity, and is set within Somerset House. Matter Diplopia is open to the public from June 5 to 29 with the pavilion showcasing nine immersive projects created by the school‘s faculty, students, and alumni. Each work prompts audiences to ‘look again’ at the material world, uncovering the deep connections between heritage, innovation, and environment. As part of the Biennale’s Surface Reflections theme, the exhibition invites reflection on how local traditions and global influences intersect to shape the landscapes, both natural and cultural, of a rapidly evolving Qatar.

 

‘We’re excited to present the work of our VCUarts Qatar creative research teams at the London Design Biennale. Through the efforts of nine research teams, we’ve investigated how materiality can express the complex, layered narratives that shape Qatar…a place where ancient culture and rapid modernization exist side by side,’ begins Amir Berbić, Dean, VCUarts Qatar, in an exclusive video interview with designboom.

Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) presents Matter Diplopia exhibition at the 2025 London Design Biennale (El Zaffah) | all images courtesy of VCUarts Qatar

 

 

how VCUarts qatar shapes creative practice

 

VCUarts Qatar is the overseas campus of the prestigious Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Richmond, Virginia, established in 1998 through a pioneering partnership with Qatar Foundation. Situated in Doha’s Education City, the school offers undergraduate and graduate programs across design, fine arts, and art history, and is home to the only academic Materials Library in the region. With state-of-the-art media and fabrication labs and a thriving culture of cross-disciplinary collaboration, the university supports globally oriented research through its Institute for Creative Research, launched in 2022 as a platform for innovative inquiry that now underpins the Matter Diplopia exhibition.

 

‘VCUarts Qatar is truly a gem within the Virginia Commonwealth University ecosystem. Through their bold creative approach and spirit of innovation, they’ve built an environment where art, design and creative research thrive,’ adds Dr. Rao, President, Virginia Commonwealth University.

El Zaffah offers an immersive audiovisual exploration of Arab wedding traditions, highlighting regional variations and shared cultural practices

 

 

exhibition’s interplay of sustainability and memory

 

At its core, Matter Diplopia positions design as a means of examining cultural identity through material form. The exhibition unfolds through three thematic pathways — Material Innovation, Cultural Narrative + Tech, and Observing Environments — each exploring how materials tell stories and adapt across time and context. From speculative environmental architecture to reinterpreted craft traditions, the projects consider how cultural narratives, sustainability, and technological engagement converge to shape our world. In line with the exhibition’s conceptual anchor—diplopia, or double vision—the works call on viewers to embrace multiple perspectives and deeper interpretations of place.

 

‘We’ve investigated how materiality can express the complex, layered narratives that shape Qatar… Matter Diplopia is about seeing from more than one perspective it’s an invitation to look again, to see differently and to discover how design can reveal connections we might otherwise miss. The exhibition powerfully reflects our vision, showing how art and design can break down barriers, spark new perspectives, and inspire meaningful global conversations,’ explains Amir Berbić.

Chrysalis is a kinetic air-cleaning sculpture that transforms fabric and structure into a dynamic, ‘breathing’ system

 

 

Each of the nine projects emerged through collaborative research by faculty, alumni, and students at VCUarts Qatar, reflecting the institution’s commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry and cultural engagement. Chrysalis is a kinetic air-cleaning sculpture that transforms fabric and structure into a dynamic, ‘breathing’ system, drawing in and purifying air through its rhythmic movements. While Tatreez Unbroken employs immersive media to honor the embroidery traditions of displaced Palestinian women, preserving and celebrating their cultural heritage, DUBDOUBT stands as a multisensory, dub-inspired installation that interrogates cultural appropriation through sonic and tactile experiences.

Tatreez Unbroken employs immersive media to honor the embroidery traditions of displaced Palestinian women

 

 

Project Greener Greenhouse Goes GMT is a bamboo architectural installation inspired by London’s Crystal Palace, constructed in Kenya using locally sourced materials and sustainable joinery techniques. El Zaffah on the other hand offers an immersive audiovisual exploration of Arab wedding traditions, highlighting regional variations and shared cultural practices. Drawing inspiration from role-playing games, Dunes and Dugongs examines the impact of human choices on climate change, urging reflection on environmental responsibility.

 

Meanwhile, Discursive Instrumentation of Urban Rhythms captures Doha’s cultural and migratory landscape through interactive instruments that blend elements into a unique urban soundscape. Similarly, Nature’s Alchemy delves into the cyclical essence of nature by exploring the significance of the date palm in the region’s cultural and religious contexts. Last but not least, Stone Plus is presented as a distinctive furniture collection that reimagines fragile Qatari stone through adaptive design, merging traditional materials with contemporary aesthetics

 

‘Research is a big part of who we are. Since 2022, our Institute for Creative Research has been our way of bringing that to life— it’s how we come together to explore ideas across disciplines. The works in Matter Diplopia explore a wide range of themes, from sustainable materials to digitally reimagined traditions. Some respond directly to the challenges of climate change and the resilience of nature,’ continues Berbić.

Discursive Instrumentation of Urban Rhythms captures Doha’s cultural and migratory landscape through interactive instruments that blend elements into a unique urban soundscape

 

For VCUarts Qatar, international platforms like the London Design Biennale represent both a showcase and a conversation—an opportunity to engage diverse audiences in dialogue with design voices from the Global South. Previous appearances at events such as Ars Electronica and the Venice Biennale have laid the groundwork for this growing global presence.

 

‘VCUarts Qatar’s presence in London marks another meaningful step in our ongoing international engagement’ highlights Berbić. ‘Having participated in renowned platforms like Ars Electronica in Linz, for example, and the Venice Biennale, we’re proud to continue contributing to global creative conversations.’

Nature’s Alchemy delves into the cyclical essence of nature by exploring the significance of the date palm in the region’s cultural and religious contexts

 

 

The university’s impact is reflected in its alumni network, many of whom lead cultural institutions, creative startups, and design firms across Qatar and the Gulf. More than 90 percent are currently working in creative fields or pursuing advanced studies, helping to shape the region’s design economy.

 

‘VCUarts Qatar is a leading voice in the country’s vibrant art and design scene. Its alumni are making their mark across fields from new media arts to fine arts, interior design, graphic design, and art history. More than 90 percent are working in the field, pursuing advanced studies, or running their own businesses. You’ll find them leading museums, launching startups, and driving the creative economy across Qatar and the Gulf,’ concludes Dr. Higginbotham, Dean, VCUarts and Special Assistant to the Provost for the School of the Arts in Qatar, to designboom.

DUBDOUBT stands as a multisensory, dub-inspired installation that interrogates cultural appropriation through sonic and tactile experiences

Greener Greenhouse Goes GMT is a bamboo architectural installation inspired by London’s Crystal Palace, constructed in Kenya using locally sourced materials and sustainable joinery techniques

 

 

project info: 

 

institute: VCUarts Qatar | @vcuqatar

exhibition title: Matter Diplopia

theme: Surface Reflections

location: Somerset House, London

dates: June 5 – 29, 2025

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mosaics, ironwork, and pergolas of gaudí’s casa batlló in barcelona restored after a century

revitalizing one of atoni’s Gaudí’s most emblematic works

 

Casa Batlló, one of Antoni Gaudí’s most emblematic residential works, has been undergoing an ambitious process of restoration over the past year, led by architect Xavier Villanueva. The project, now set to open to the public on June 19th, focuses on returning the vivid intricacy of the building’s rear facade, private courtyard, and garden to their original condition as first designed in 1906. This period marked Gaudí’s mature phase within the Catalan modernisme movement in which he began synthesizing structural experimentation, ornamental craft, and spatial poetry into unified architectural compositions.

 

Over the years, the iconic dragon-scaled elevation has continued to draw crowds as it animates the Passeig de Gràcia in Barcelona, while also becoming a platform for key cultural initiatives, from Sofia Crespo’s projection-mapped facade to Kengo Kuma’s shimmering staircase and Refik Anadol’s digital interventions. While that elevation has evolved into an icon of modern Barcelona, the lesser-seen rear facade remained largely hidden from view as its character gradually faded with time and became obscured by later additions over the past century. Now, as Casa Batlló marks 20 years as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the concealed domestic spaces are set to reemerge with the clarity and vibrancy Gaudí intended.

 

Restoration teams uncovered the original hues of the stucco, ironwork, and carpentry hidden beneath layers of pale repainting, while discovering previously unseen spatial and structural features such as a spiral-shaped vaulted support system of brick and iron beneath the balconies. Mosaic patterns, parabolic pergolas, handcrafted planters, and original Nolla tilework were also reassembled with the help of skilled artisans, bringing back texture, rhythm, and intention. ‘When we discovered the original colors, we couldn’t believe it, The facade as it stands is now like the photographic negative of the original by Gaudi,’ says Villanueva. ‘The discoveries we made relate in shapes, colors, and materials to the rest of Casa Batlló.’

pergola after restoration | image © Claudia Mauriño

 

 

hidden Color, craftsmanship, & structure return to Casa Batlló

 

Casa Batlló was designed as a private garden space for the Batlló family, and its courtyard was conceived as a place of retreat from the city’s bustle, amid tiled paths, parabolic pergolas, and handmade planters. This restoration is the first full intervention on the courtyard and back facade since its completion, recovering lost elements while reinterpreting them through an exacting study of archival drawings and photographs, stratigraphic testing, and material research.

 

The interventions seem to foster a dialogue between the building’s past and present through a particular focus on materiality. Over 85,000 pieces of Nolla mosaic, originally laid at the start of the nineteenth century in the courtyard, have been restored or replicated by hand, using enhanced materials to ensure durability outdoors. The trencadís mosaics, Antoni Gaudí’s signature patchwork of ceramics and glass, were largely preserved in situ where possible, or carefully reproduced using 3D scans and high-resolution archival imagery, keeping their original patterns intact.

facade after restoration | image © Claudia Mauriño

 

 

Ironwork, including railings and pergola structures, has been restored by Enric Pla Montferrer’s workshop in Alpens. Where previous repairs had introduced welds, the team reinstated Gaudí’s original bolted modular system that was discovered thanks to original construction markings found on site. During the restoration, the team found that even the hidden structure supporting the balconies revealed surprises, such as a spiraling system of brick and reinforced vaults, radical for its time, and undocumented until this recent intervention.

 

Wooden elements, from the original muntins to balcony doors, were restored or recreated by heritage carpenter Josep Bartolí. Crucially, the original hues — long buried under decades of repainting — were uncovered through stratigraphic analysis, revealing a palette that echoes the green tones of Casa Batlló’s main facade. The stucco too revealed a dramatic shift from a bold black that had faded to a warm cream, reshaping how the entire rear facade is perceived in contrast to the theatrical flourish the building is otherwise celebrated for.

courtyard after restoration | image © Claudia Mauriño

 

 

the landmark celebrates 20 years as UNESCO heritage site

 

For the restoration team, the project forms part of a broader five-year initiative to reframe Casa Batlló as a living cultural space. Now marking its 20th anniversary as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the building is celebrated as an architectural landmark — a pivotal work within Gaudí’s built legacy — as well as an evolving site of public engagement. This approach stretches the impact of conservation beyond historical fidelity, and considers it in the context of public access, education, and craft.

 

To realize this vision, the team brought together a multidisciplinary group of artisans including ceramicists, carpenters, ironworkers, and glaziers, who worked collaboratively to recover Gaudí’s original materials and techniques. Their work is being documented and shared through a short film and accompanying on-site exhibitions, allowing visitors to understand the process and labor behind the final restoration. These efforts speak to a broader goal to make the house more accessible and legible, inviting the public into Gaudí’s world by illuminating the layers of experimentation, technique, and creative labor that continue to define it more than a century on.

ironwork after restoration | image © Pere Vives

trencadís after restoration | image © Casa Batlló

mosaic restoration process | image © Casa Batlló

trencadís restoration process | image © Casa Batlló

ironwork restoration process | image © Óscar Rodbag

 

project info:

 

name: Casa Batlló restoration | @casabatllo

location: Barcelona, Spain

lead restoration architect: Xavier Villanueva

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