New images document the Snøhetta–led Shanghai Grand Opera House as it approaches completion along the Huangpu River, with an opening anticipated in the second half of 2026. Following its winning proposal in the 2017 international competition, Snøhetta joined forces with East China Architectural Design & Research Institute, Theatre Projects, and Nagata Acoustics in 2019 to deliver the project as a consortium from concept through construction.

Positioned on the convex bank of the river, the opera house occupies a prominent site within Shanghai’s emerging cultural masterplan. Its spiraling, climbable rooftop traces a continuous sweep around the perimeter, rising from the ground in a broad arc that draws visitors upward. The gesture echoes the movement of water along the Huangpu while establishing a civic presence visible from across the waterfront.

images © Tian Fangfang, Honne Dang

snøhetta’s contextual design motifs

The roof is conceived by the architects at Snøhetta as an accessible public landscape. A helical stair links plaza and skyline to guide visitors along a steady ascent toward elevated platforms overlooking the city and riverbanks. Open throughout the day and night across the year, the roof operates as an urban stage and gathering ground, and extends the institution’s reach beyond ticketed events.

Inside, the building pairs monumentality with motion. Glazed facades introduce daylight deep into the public halls, while sculptural volumes finished in deep red curve through the interior. These forms define circulation routes and shape the sequence of arrival, framing views between foyers, stairs, and auditoriums. The experience begins well before any performance, with the dynamic architecture setting the tempo.

the Shanghai Grand Opera House rises along the bank of the Huangpu River as construction nears completion

a translucent and white material palette

The program accommodates a wide spectrum of productions, from traditional opera and orchestral repertoire to contemporary and experimental work. Multiple auditoriums of varying scale allow the institution to address different audiences and formats, reinforcing its ambition as a cultural destination across genres.

Landscape design mirrors the building’s geometry. A radial layout radiates outward from the opera house, reinforcing visual continuity between structure and site. Planting and surface treatments align with broader ecological goals within the district, contributing to a low-carbon development strategy that supports Shanghai’s long-term urban ambitions.

a spiraling roofline sweeps around the site as a continuous public promenade above the waterfront

the helical stair connects plaza and skyline to guide visitors toward elevated river views

a radial landscape layout mirrors the building’s geometry and supports low carbon goals

deep, red sculptural volumes shape circulation routes through the interior

soaring glazed facades draw daylight deep into the public halls

multiple auditoriums accommodate opera, orchestral, and experimental performances

project info:

name: Shanghai Grand Opera Hall

architect: Snøhetta | @snohetta

location: Shanghai, China
collaborators: East China Architectural Design & Research Institute (ECADI), Theatre Projects, Nagata Acoustics, schlaich bergermann partner, Meiss Architecture & Engineering Office
area: 146,786 square meters

previous coverage: April 2019, November 2023, July 2025

photography: © Tian Fangfang, © Honne Dang

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In the heart of Shanghai, along the most iconic pedestrian corridor of the city, Benedetta Tagliabue – EMBT completes the renewal of Century Square on East Nanjing Road (find designboom’s previous coverage here). The architects reimagine this civic and commercial landmark as an ecological and interactive public space, anchored by a central kaleidoscopic structure that reframes the cityscape. Long associated with large-scale events and luminous commercial displays, the square operates as a green urban living room that links People’s Square to The Bund, a protected historical district, while foregrounding climate responsiveness and public life.

The project draws on the literal meaning of Shanghai, ‘upon the sea,’ translating this origin into spatial and material metaphors. The design imagines the square as a shell opening to reveal a pearl, the central Kaleidoscope, which reflects and reframes fragments of the city like shifting water surfaces. Underfoot, a new paving pattern evokes an undersea world. By night, integrated lighting transforms the ground into a glittering field, reinforcing the maritime narrative while maintaining the historic association of the square with luminous display. 

all images by Runzi Zhu, unless stated otherwise

maintaining spectacle, expanding use

Century Square has always occupied a strategic position in Shanghai’s urban sequence, acting as a hinge between major civic and waterfront destinations. Historically characterized by night lights, shows, and commercial presentations, the site demanded a redesign that could maintain its performative identity while broadening its social and environmental role. The proposal by the team at EMBT retains the capacity of the square for spectacle but shifts its emphasis toward flexibility and daily use.

Event zones, exhibition areas, and generous public seating coexist within a more permeable landscape. The space is conceived to accommodate large gatherings as well as moments of pause, extending its relevance beyond programmed events into the rhythms of everyday urban life.

Benedetta Tagliabue – EMBT completes the renewal of Century Square on East Nanjing Road

the kaleidoscope as environmental device

Beyond its visual impact, the Kaleidoscope incorporates advanced ecological systems that filter air and contribute to microclimate regulation, positioning the architectural centerpiece as both symbolic and performative. The renewal introduces substantial green areas into what was previously a predominantly hard-surfaced urban plaza. Vegetated gradients, shadow roofs, and rain protection elements buffer the open space from surrounding high-rise buildings, softening the edge conditions and mitigating heat. This strategy aligns the transformation of the square with broader ecological awareness in dense city centers, where open public ground must increasingly balance social intensity with environmental responsibility.

Lights and audiovisual systems continue to support performances and seasonal programming, yet they now operate within a greener and more climate-conscious framework. In one of Shanghai’s most trafficked corridors, EMBT’s intervention reframes the square as a cultural and ecological landmark.

the square operates as a green urban living room that links People’s Square to The Bund

the expansive plaza accommodates daily pedestrian flow along East Nanjing Road

a planted pedestrian path introduces greenery and shaded seating into Century Square

brick paving and geometric inserts define a flexible surface for events and everyday use

the Kaleidoscope pavilion reflects the cityscape in faceted mirrored surfaces

creating an immersive viewing chamber at the heart of the square

the design imagines the square as a shell opening to reveal a pearl

Integrated lighting transforms the ground into a glittering field

maintaining the historic association of the square with luminous display

the Kaleidoscope incorporates advanced ecological systems that filter air and contribute to microclimate regulation

detail of the blue-toned paving pattern | image by Liu Songkai 

linear grooves and tonal variation produce a shimmering, water-like effect | image by Liu Songkai

project info:

name: Renewal of Century Square in East Nanjing Road

architect: Benedetta Tagliabue – EMBT | @embtarchitects

location: Shanghai, China

client: New World Group

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Drawing Architecture Studio presents The Clock House No.2 at the 7th Shenzhen Bay Public Art Season in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, on view until April 19th, 2026. Commissioned for the public art program, the Beijing-based practice reinterprets the historical automaton clock as architecture, using low-cost industrial components to construct a structure that chimes and glows every fifteen minutes.

Where the clocks once gifted to emperors represented technical virtuosity and expensive craftsmanship, this installation adopts a deliberately rough and economical construction. It is assembled from corrugated PVC panels, ventilation fans, lightning rods, wind-driven bird deterrents, plastic insulation anchors, and LED light strips, all mass-produced industrial elements sourced online at low cost.

By cutting and recombining corrugated sheets in varied configurations, the architects work directly with the inherent texture, color, and visual rhythm of the material. Ventilation fans signal the position of the clock face, lightning rods and bird deterrents operate as ornamental extensions, and LED strips glow from within the structure, visible through openings in the facade.

all images by Shangqi Art

The Clock House No.2 frames timekeeping as cultural exchange

In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Western missionaries introduced automaton clocks to China, mechanical devices capable of marking time with precision and theatrical movement. Known as Zì Míng Zhōng, meaning ‘the clock that rings automatically,’ these objects entered the imperial court as diplomatic instruments before gradually embedding themselves in domestic life.

Guangdong Province, historically Canton, served as one of the Qing dynasty’s principal maritime gateways. European clocks arrived through this region along global trade routes, positioning Shenzhen within a layered history of technological transfer and cultural exchange. The Beijing-based team at Drawing Architecture Studio situate their project precisely at this intersection, linking mechanical timekeeping, architecture, and trade.

Drawing Architecture Studio presents The Clock House No.2 at the 7th Shenzhen Bay Public Art Season

from utensil to building

The project draws on Aldo Rossi’s reflections on architecture and ordinary utensils, objects that accumulate ‘forms of memory’ through repeated use and cultural continuity. For Rossi, the boundary between the domestic object and the architectural artifact is porous. The Clock House No.2 extends this thinking by turning the clock into a building and the building into a clock, collapsing scale distinctions between furniture and facade.

The structure references the layered organization and tiled facades typical of everyday dwellings in Guangdong, while adopting the ornamental and structural logic of historical automaton clocks, retaining the recognizable silhouette of a mantel clock while expanding it into an inhabitable scale.

the Beijing-based practice reinterprets the historical automaton clock as architecture

ceremonial time, translated

Although it contains no intricate mechanical movement, The Clock House No.2 incorporates a contemporary interpretation of timekeeping through sound and light. Every fifteen minutes, an automated musical chime is triggered while LED strips illuminate the structure in shifting hues. In doing so, the installation preserves the ceremonial quality of traditional automaton clocks, translating it into a contemporary sensory language that relies on electrical rhythm.

Through this symbolic reversal, imperial craftsmanship is set against contemporary industrial standardization. The project examines how different eras of production and consumption shape architectural form, aesthetic taste, and material culture. Drawing Architecture Studio proposes low-cost architecture as a framework for rethinking how memory, ornament, and time can be constructed in the present.

low-cost industrial components construct a structure that chimes and glows every fifteen minutes

 the architects work directly with the inherent texture, color, and visual rhythm of the material

ventilation fans signal the position of the clock face

lightning rods and bird deterrents operate as ornamental extensions

the project draws on Aldo Rossi’s reflections on architecture and ordinary utensils

the structure merges two spatial and tectonic languages

retaining the recognizable silhouette of a mantel clock while expanding it into an inhabitable scale

project info: 

name: The Clock House No.2
architects: Drawing Architecture Studio | @drawingarchitecturestudio

location: Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China

design team: Li Han, Hu Yan, Zhang Xintong

photographer: Shangqi Art | @shangqiart

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Prism Shelter is a viewing pavilion by Space10 Studio located at the foot of Changbai Mountain, conceived as an inhabitable optical installation within a winter landscape defined by snow, wind, and low temperatures. Positioned to frame views of the mountain massif, the structure provides a sheltered point from which visitors can pause and observe the surrounding terrain. The project combines the typology of a small timber cabin with a calibrated visual device that alters the perception of the distant ridgelines. While the exterior reads as a compact black volume, the interior introduces a contrasting spatial condition centered on a red chamber and an optical mechanism that refracts and reconfigures the mountain view.

The design draws on the regional tradition of raw timber cabins once common in the forests around Changbai Mountain. Although large-scale logging has ceased for environmental protection, timber construction remains embedded in the area’s building culture. Prism Shelter references this context through a direct construction logic and the use of reclaimed wood sourced from nearby cities. The timber cladding is treated through charring, increasing its resistance to moisture, snow, and low temperatures. The resulting blackened surface forms a durable outer shell suited to harsh climatic conditions. Its coarse texture and linear grain reinforce the building’s orientation toward the mountain, visually directing attention to the landscape beyond.

all images courtesy of Space10 Studio

a small timber cabin turns into a calibrated optical device

Inside, the pavilion shifts from dark exterior enclosure to an intense red interior chamber. This chromatic contrast establishes a distinct spatial atmosphere within the compact volume. At the center of the installation, a calibrated optical device refracts the view of Changbai Mountain. The mechanism fractures and recomposes the distant ridgelines, transforming a familiar panorama into a dynamic visual field. Through this system, the act of viewing becomes mediated and spatially embedded. The shelter functions simultaneously as refuge and perceptual instrument, structuring both bodily occupation and visual engagement.

Prism Shelter forms part of the participatory art experiment site for the Yuxing MARIE DALGAR Nature Theater. Installed within a snow-covered environment, it operates as a small-scale architectural intervention within a broader artistic and environmental context. Through this project, Space10 Studio explores the relationship between human presence and natural cycles under extreme climatic conditions. By situating a compact, materially grounded structure within the expansive landscape of Changbai Mountain, the pavilion frames seasonal change and encourages direct, embodied interaction with the environment.

Prism Shelter by Space10 Studio stands at the foot of Changbai Mountain as a compact viewing pavilion

the black timber volume is positioned to frame views of the surrounding mountain massif

the structure provides shelter from snow, wind, and low winter temperatures

from the outside, the building reads as a compact, darkened volume in the landscape

the charred timber cladding forms a weather-resistant outer shell

inside, the dark exterior gives way to an intense red chamber

the coarse blackened surface directs attention toward Changbai Mountain

the red interior establishes a contrasting spatial atmosphere within the compact volume

a calibrated optical mechanism refracts the mountain view

the device fractures and recomposes the distant ridgelines

vhe device fractures and recomposes the distant ridgelines

the pavilion operates as both refuge and perceptual instrument

the structure forms part of the Yuxing MARIE DALGAR Nature Theater site

the shelter explores the relationship between human presence and natural cycles under extreme climate conditions

project info:

name: Prism Shelter – Seeing the Mountain, Seeing the Self

architect: Space10 Studio

location: Huamei Shengdi Resort, Changbai Mountain, China

area: 98 sqm

lead architect: Yuan Jiang
design team: Zhou Chenhao, Wang Yuehui, Sang Maosen, Gao Pengfei

implementation: Shandong Senwei Exhibition & Display Co., Ltd.

curators: Masa Cui & Jiang Jian

photographers: Penn; Wang Wei; space10; MARIE DALGAR；

commissioned by: MARIE DALGAR; JV Communication

video music song: Weiwei WU Music ‘Silver Wings Symphony’ – Chen Mulian, Zhang Jiangfu

video music vocals: Ling Xi

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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MAD completes the 2,267-hectare Lishui Airport in China, set within the foothill valleys of Lishui’s ‘forest city,’ and defined by a vast silver-white roof that reads as a white-feathered bird poised for flight. The roof absorbs nearly 100 meters of elevation change and embeds the terminal into the surrounding mountains (see designboom’s previous coverage here).

The architectural language of the airport embodies a deep connection to its environment. A feather-like shell, composed of lightweight aluminum panels, is supported by 14 umbrella-shaped columns, inspiring a sense of lightness and flow. Extending 30 meters, a dramatic cantilever frames the entrance, creating a spacious and naturally illuminated concourse that welcomes travelers with openness.

all images courtesy of MAD

fluid, feather-like roof in harmony with contours of the land

MAD’s terraced design, shaped by leveling nearly 100 meters of elevation, organizes the terminal, parking, and office areas into descending platforms, respecting the natural contours of the land. A central skylight floods the interior of the Lishui Airport with natural light, while the silver-white roof features bold characteristics that embrace fluidity. Inside, wood-toned finishes and a ‘one-and-a-half-story’ layout create a human-scaled, efficient space. Passenger areas transition from 4.5 meters to 13 meters in height, offering options for intimacy and spaciousness, with the compact arrangement integrating arrival and departure zones for facilitated movement.

a feather-like roof, composed of lightweight aluminum panels

future expansion to accommodate up to five million passengers

A landscaped walkway connects the parking area with the terminal, enhancing accessibility and maintaining the airport’s dialogue with its natural surroundings. Lishui Airport is equipped with three boarding bridges, five remote stands, and an initial capacity to serve one million passengers annually. It is conceived as a domestic regional airport, prioritizing convenience and human-centered design over monumental scale. ‘As a feeder airport, Lishui Airport shows another attitude as a public transportation facility in the city: not greedy for big, but pursuing convenience and humanity, and pursuing a dialogue with the natural environment,’ Ma Yansong, founder of MAD explains.

Future expansion is embedded in the structure of the airport, anticipating growth to accommodate 1.8 million passengers by 2030 and up to five million by 2050. Provisions for an international terminal ensure that Lishui Airport can evolve alongside the development of the region.

the architectural language of the terminal embodies a deep connection to its environment

the roof is composed of lightweight aluminum panels

a dramatic cantilever frames the entrance

a spacious and naturally illuminated concourse that welcomes travelers with openness

a central skylight floods the interior of the Lishui Airport with natural light

wood-toned finishes create a human-scaled, efficient space

a landscaped walkway connects the parking area with the terminal

project info:

name: Lishui Airport

architect: MAD architects | @madarchitects

location: Lishui, Zhejiang Province, China

site area: 2,267 hectares

building area: 12,100 square meters

building height: 23.95 meters

principal partners in charge: MA Yansong, DANG Qun, Yosuke Hayano

associate partners in charge: LIU Huiying, Kin Li

design team: SUN Shouquan, ZHANG Xiaomei, LEI Lei, YANG Xuebin, SUN Mingze, YIN Jianfeng, Punnin Sukkasem, ZHU Yuhao, ZHANG Yaohui, Alan Rodríguez Carrillo, Pittayapa Suriyapee, WANG Xinyi

client: Lishui Airport Construction Headquarters

executive architects: CAAC NEW ERA AIRPORT DESIGN INSTITUTE COMPANY LIMITED 

facade consultant: RFR Shanghai

interior design/lighting consultant: Shanghai Xian Dai Architectural Decoration & Landscape Design Research Institute CO., Ltd

landscape consultant: Z’scape Landscape Planning and Design
photography: JK Wang, Liu Yongwei, Hello Lishui, MAD Architects
video: JK Wang

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The Hangzhou Empathy Museum by TAOA Studio stands along a riverfront corridor in Hangzhou, where a former construction site has been reworked into a compact community arts institution. The project begins with an unfinished condition, an underground parking garage already complete and a planned structure above, and turns that fragment into a civic space with a distinct architectural presence.

TAOA approaches the museum from the inside outward, with its original massing described as a cube truncated by a cylinder. Exhibition halls carved from the basement drive the organization of the floors above, and each program presses outward to adjust the structure and facade. 

images © TAOA Studio

a facade as a ‘peeled shell’

Facing a river on one side and a major road on the other, the envelope of TAOA’s Hangzhou Empathy Museum reads as a peeled shell. The city-facing elevation opens and curves away, creating a surface that stands slightly apart from the inner volume while allowing air and light to pass between. The building gains depth through this layered construction, with exterior skin and interior rooms held in measured tension.

The architects wrap the entire exterior in a facade of curved stainless steel panels. Their inherent stiffness allows wide spans without secondary purlins, giving the surface a continuous rhythm. Under changing daylight the metal carries a soft sheen. Reflections shift with passing clouds and traffic, lending the volume a sculptural tenderness that tempers its compact form.

TAOA transforms an unfinished parking structure into the Hangzhou Empathy Museum

the perforated skin blurs views and diffuses light

Along the Hangzhou Empathy Museum’s north facade, TAOA employs perforations to temper the brightness of the sky. From inside, the city appears as a blurred field of movement and color, similar to an abstract drawing. The effect supports the galleries, where artworks receive steady, diffuse illumination and outside distractions recede into a gentle background presence.

The second floor lifts at a calculated angle to brace the canopy below. This move introduces a profile that recalls the protective depth of traditional eaves. The overhang creates shade at the ground plane and establishes a sheltered zone where visitors gather before entering, a subtle gesture that strengthens the building’s relationship with the street.

a peeled facade forms a layered shell between the museum and the city

The entrance sits within a semi circular concavity that draws visitors inward. The geometry suggests a pull toward the doorway, easing the transition from sidewalk to interior. Above, a narrow crevice admits daylight, which falls through a three story void. This tall space, described by the architects as a spatial canyon, sets the scale for the visit and frames the first encounter with the museum.

At ground level, the plan opens toward the north and extends into a cantilevered platform. The edge between interior and exterior softens as paving and floor align. At one corner, a vertical void links all floors, transforming an awkward angle from the earlier structure into a luminous core. Light drops from above and washes the walls, giving the junction a quiet, contemplative character.

curved stainless steel panels create a continuous skin with subtle reflections

A staircase runs along the sidewall and becomes visible in fragments through the perforated metal. From the street, silhouettes of movement animate the facade, offering glimpses of activity within. The path upward feels direct and legible, and encourages visitors to easily move between levels.

Connections to the underground galleries are designed with the same level of care. Portions of the structural slabs were removed to draw daylight and planted views down into the basement. Exhibition rooms below ground gain a surprising sense of openness, and the sequence between above and below reads as one continuous environment.

perforated metal filters daylight and softens views toward the surrounding streets

a recessed entrance draws visitors into a three story canyon filled with light

vertical voids and a side stair reveal movement and connect all levels

exhibition spaces carved from the basement shape the building from the inside outward

project info:

name: Hangzhou Empathy Museum

architect: TAOA Studio | @taoarchitecture

location: Hangzhou, China

completion: 2025 

photography: © TAOA Studio

design team: Tao Lei, Chen Zhen, Cui Xiang, Tao Ye, Meng Xiangrui, Wang Shuchen, He Xiaotian
lead architect: Tao Lei
construction: Hangzhou Jingyi Decoration Engineering Co., Ltd.
lighting consultant: TS Lighting
landscape design: Hangzhou Musan Landscape Design
structure design: Zhejiang Institute of Architectural Design and Research

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Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) is selected to design key cultural buildings within the Qiantang Bay Cultural District, a major canal-side regeneration project in Hangzhou, China. Anchored by the Qiantang Bay Central Water Axis in Xiaoshan district, the scheme transforms former industrial land along the Zhedong Canal into a continuous landscape of parks, gardens, and civic spaces.

Conceived as a green corridor threading through the city, the Central Water Axis reorganizes the canal basin into a sequence of landscaped terraces and waterfront promenades. New bridges and pedestrian paths stitch together both sides of the canal, reconnecting surrounding neighborhoods to the water while establishing a network of plazas and performance spaces designed for everyday use as well as large gatherings. Cultural and educational buildings line this axis, each oriented toward the public realm and shaped by views, circulation patterns, and seasonal solar exposure.

library at Qiantang Bay Cultural District | all renders by Atchain, unless stated otherwise

the library as civic anchor of the regeneration project

Within this setting, ZHA’s library proposal becomes both an architectural and symbolic anchor. Its structure is organized around a series of inhabitable columns that function simultaneously as load-bearing elements and spatial containers. The team conceived these columns as assembled ‘stones of knowledge,’ housing book collections, archives, reading rooms, and community spaces, while allowing the structural logic of the building to directly express its civic role.

Materially, the library draws from Hangzhou’s regional history, referencing the area’s 5,000-year tradition of jade craftsmanship. Precision-crafted masonry tiles echo the tonal depth of jade, while folded glass elements are embedded within the facade to diffuse daylight deep into the interior. 

youth centrer at Qiantang Bay Cultural District | render by Proloog

youth, exchange, and climate-driven urban infrastructure

Complementing the library, the International Youth Centre extends the cultural focus of the district toward exchange and collaboration. Defined by its waterfront position, the geometric composition of the building responds to the canal’s edge and continues inward through a carved interior of interconnected auditoriums, studios, and flexible spaces for seminars, exhibitions, conferences, and performances. Canal-facing terraces expand this program outdoors, supporting informal gatherings and public events along the water.

Across the wider development, environmental performance is integrated at both architectural and landscape scales. Energy-efficient systems and on-site power generation are combined with strategies shaped by local ecology and climate. The Central Water Axis landscape forms part of Hangzhou’s established sponge-city infrastructure, using permeable surfaces, planted swales, and water-retention features to manage stormwater and reduce flood risk. 

youth centrer at Qiantang Bay Cultural District | render by Proloog

library at Qiantang Bay Cultural District | render by Proloog

the scheme transforms former industrial land into a landscape of parks, gardens, and civic spaces

the library columns are conceived as assembled ‘stones of knowledge’ | render by Proloog

referencing the area’s 5,000-year tradition of jade craftsmanship

project info:

name: Qiantang Bay Cultural District

architect: Zaha Hadid Architects | @zahahadidarchitects

location: Hangzhou, China

principal: Patrik Schumacher

competition project directors: Lei Zheng, Simon Yu

competition associate: Jinqi Huang

competition project architect: Yenfen Huang

competition project leads: Yenfen Huang, Charles Harris, Sonia Magdziarz

competition team: Joshua Anderson, Nils Fischer, Charles Harris, Jinqi Huang, Yenfen Huang, Yvonne Huang, Ruzena Maskova, Sonia Magdziarz, Svenja Siever, Yaobin Wang, Ke Yang, Simon Yu, Lei Zheng

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The LuxeRivers café sits at the intersection of mountainous terrain, waterfront edges, and elevated urban infrastructure in Chongqing, China. The project by Wide Horizon + Epiphany Architects inserts a small, carefully calibrated building into a highly charged urban landscape shaped by the constant interplay of mountains and water. The building responds to these conditions by mediating between urban systems, natural geography, and everyday public life through a light and restrained spatial intervention. LuxeRivers café takes shape through two folded triangular roof planes. Set at an angle of approximately thirty degrees, the roofs face one another while remaining formally independent, creating a clear and concise silhouette. On the park-facing side, the roof slopes down toward the ground, adopting a low, inward posture that echoes the scale and direction of the surrounding metasequoia trees. On the lakeside, the roof opens outward toward the birdwatching tower and river, engaging a broader and more expansive landscape view including a water curtain integrated into the southern facade.

an aerial shot shows the main entrance and its relationship to the architectural composition | all images by Arch-Exist

Wide Horizon + Epiphany Architects showcase folded roof planes

Between the two roof planes, a semi-outdoor transitional space emerges, functioning as a threshold between interior and exterior while offering multiple possibilities for sitting, pausing, and viewing the surroundings. Through the most fundamental geometric operations, Wide Horizon + Epiphany Architects generates layered and dynamic spatial relationships. The interior continues its lightweight architectural logic. By organizing the enclosure through perimeter walls, the architects minimize the presence of interior columns, allowing the space to remain continuous and visually uncluttered. A combination of glass and solid walls provides the necessary enclosure while softening the boundary between inside and outside.

The surrounding landscape within the LuxeRivers mixed-use development permeates the interior naturally, enabling light and views to flow freely and establishing a direct connection between everyday activities and the natural environment. The interior is organized into two primary zones. Along the road-facing side is the reception and service counter, arranged parallel to the street. On the riverside, the seating area runs parallel to the water, accommodating a variety of seating configurations. These two zones are connected by a central glazed corridor that links them while maintaining a subtle spatial separation. From this corridor, access is provided to outdoor spaces formed between the two building volumes, allowing interior and exterior spaces to extend seamlessly into one another.

a glass corridor connects different spaces, maintaining visual continuity with the exterior environment

water curtain design responds to surrounding river context

Through the building’s volumetric response to its surroundings, a rich spatial sequence emerges naturally. Material choices further reinforce the project’s restrained and lightweight expression. The structure is composed of steel, with a standing-seam aluminum-magnesium-manganese roof system and an ultra-clear glass curtain wall enclosure. The interior floor is finished in white terrazzo, while walls are clad in vertical white panels. The ceiling is treated with silver aluminum panels that echo the geometry of the folded roof, extending its structural tension into the interior. A water curtain integrated into the southern facade provides passive cooling when in operation and introduces a dynamic surface layer across the glass, allowing the space to shift between transparency and translucency.

Despite its modest scale, LuxeRivers café seeks to achieve a broader architectural resonance. It functions both as a complementary node within the public life of Luyue Jiangcheng and as a quiet response to Chongqing’s distinctive mountain-and-water urban context. Through a light yet precise architectural language, the building establishes both contrast and dialogue with the surrounding rugged terrain and infrastructural systems, offering a place where people can pause and experience the relationship between the city and nature in everyday life.

the interplay between openings and solid walls defines the architectural rhythm and spatial enclosure

the coffee-making area is designed as a functional and transparent workspace

the café roof extends to shelter an outdoor seating area, offering shade while framing views of the river

the outdoor space is shaped by the architecture, creating a fluid transition between built form and nature

the indoor relaxation area offers a calm and immersive atmosphere

a water curtain is integrated into the southern facade, adding both climatic function and visual identity

the water curtain provides passive cooling when in operation and introduces a dynamic surface layer across the glass

the café sits between the city, a surrounding mega-structure, and the natural river landscape

an evening aerial view captures the entire site as architecture, landscape, and light merge together

project info:

name: LuxeRivers Café
architects: Wide Horizon + Epiphany Architects

location: Chongqing, China

photography: Arch-Exist | @archexist

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: claire brodka | designboom

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Located in a small town in Zhejiang, China, Café On-Site (开场 Kai-Chang) by aptdotapt is conceived as a gathering point for the neighborhood. The café explores how energy circulates through space, bodies, and everyday actions.  Across the project, a consistent set of geometric elements links brand identity to architectural form. Dynamic curves, circular metal components, four-point star racks, and inverted triangular linear lights recur throughout the interior and facade in different scales and materials, establishing a coherent spatial language that connects two-dimensional graphics with three-dimensional experience. 

Set within a dense commercial district, the café’s front and rear facades respond to very different surroundings. The front faces a neighboring barbecue restaurant, lively but visually and environmentally challenging. Instead of relying on transparent glazing or graphic signage alone, the architects assemble five hollow semi-cylindrical volumes to form a semi-enclosed frontage. Their repetition establishes rhythm and identity while filtering smoke, noise, and visual clutter. At a human scale, horizontal surfaces embedded within the cylinders invite leaning and sitting. At night, warm light escapes through the curved gaps, offering partial views of the animated interior beyond. In contrast, the rear facade opens fully toward an adjacent park lawn. Here, boundaries dissolve as interior tracks extend outward, allowing furniture to slide directly into the landscape. With minimal effort, the café expands into public green space, shifting from enclosed room to outdoor social field.

all images by Zhu Yumeng

a name that frames presence, place, and local culture

The project was developed holistically, from brand strategy and naming to visual identity and interior design. The Chinese name 开场 (Kai-Chang) carries multiple layers of meaning. It refers to the opening moment of a performance, the setting of a stage, and the idea of a site or field, extending toward atmosphere and spirit of place. Phonetically, it also recalls 厂 (factory), a nod to Wenzhou’s entrepreneurial culture and its legacy of small-scale manufacturing. The English name On-Site reinforces this emphasis on presence and locality, grounding the café in its immediate social and urban context.

Rather than relying on a single linear layout, the interior plan introduces subtle rotations across major zones. These angular shifts are paired with four formally distinct columns that organize circulation and sightlines while breaking spatial uniformity. The result is a sequence of open and compressed moments that encourage movement, pause, and informal occupation. Visitors are drawn either toward more expansive areas or into sheltered corners, allowing multiple social scenarios to unfold simultaneously. This becomes the first, spatial layer through which the idea of energy that underpins the project is made perceptible.

The concept of spatial energy is further translated into a series of mechanical elements embedded throughout the café. Entry becomes a performative act as a curved door slides into a recessed circular track. Behind the counter, baristas lock fittings into grooves to pass drinks through the takeaway window. A planter-centered table anchors the space, while a red curtain at the far end can be drawn by guests to frame photos or create a temporary enclosure. A four-point star display rack allows staff to present seasonal pastries by rolling them directly toward customers. On pleasant days, tables glide along embedded tracks, extending coffee rituals outdoors. These mechanisms turn routine actions into spatial events, allowing the concept of energy to be experienced through use rather than symbolism.

the architects assemble five hollow semi-cylindrical volumes to form a semi-enclosed frontage

the interior plan introduces subtle rotations across major zones

the interior plan introduces subtle rotations across major zones

a sequence of open and compressed moments that encourage movement, pause, and informal occupation

multiple social scenarios unfold simultaneously

the concept of spatial energy is translated into a series of mechanical elements embedded throughout the café

the English name On-Site reinforces the emphasis on presence and locality

the café explores how energy circulates through space, bodies, and everyday actions

visitors are drawn either toward more expansive areas or into sheltered corners

washing area tucked between red plastered walls

the rear facade opens fully toward an adjacent park lawn

project info:

name: Café On-Site
architect: aptdotapt

location: Zhejiang, China

photographer: Zhu Yumeng | @yumeng_zhu_coppakstudio

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: thomai tsimpou | designboom

The post row of circular red panels lines the facade of café on-site by aptdotapt in china appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

The Volcano-In Visitor Center by PLAT ASIA is conceived as an architectural intervention that develops in close relationship with its geological context. The project is based on the idea of co-growth between architecture and the volcanic cone, establishing a spatial dialogue with the surrounding steppe and emphasizing movement around the volcano as a primary experiential component. The building is designed to respond to environmental conditions while reinforcing the physical and perceptual connection between people and the volcanic landscape.

PLAT ASIA completed the first phase of the Baiyinkulun Steppe & Volcano Tourism Resort in December 2025, which includes the Volcano-In Visitor Center and the Volcano-In Hotel of Arrivals. The project is located within a C-shaped extinct volcano formed approximately 150,000 years ago during the Pleistocene Epoch. It is part of the Baiyinkulun Steppe & Volcano Area in China, which contains 108 volcanoes and is situated approximately 380 kilometers north of Tian’anmen Square. The site lies on the southern edge of the Xilingol Steppe, bordered by the Otindag Sandy Land to the south, Dali Lake to the east, the Yanshan Mountains and the Greater Khingan Range farther east, and the Baiyinkulun Relict Gull Nature Reserve to the west. The surrounding environment includes a range of ecosystems such as wetlands, forests, lakes, steppes, sandy lands, and seasonal snowfields.

all images by Arch-Exist

Volcano-In Visitor Center Follows the Geometry of the terrain

PLAT ASIA began working in the Baiyinkulun Steppe & Volcano Area following an initial site survey in July 2021. During this process, the design team identified a large excavated area located west of the volcanic cone, which local herders indicated had remained exposed for approximately a decade. The decision was made to locate the visitor center on this disturbed ground, using architecture as a means to limit further erosion and stabilize the terrain. The project adopts a strategy of integrating the building with the volcanic form, positioning the visitor center as part of a broader effort to protect the site and support ecological recovery.

The design concept is based on positioning the volcano as the dominant formal reference. The architecture follows the existing topography through a curved roof structure and three circular volumes arranged at varying elevations. Together, these elements outline a conical silhouette that echoes the geometry of the volcanic landform. A continuous, winding corridor connects the three volumes along a 274-meter path, forming a loop that allows visitors to circulate around the volcanic ash ring. This route frames views toward the surrounding steppe, sandy land, lake, and nearby volcanoes. From the roof corridor, inward-facing spaces define a crater-like enclosure that houses the programmatic functions, including visitor services, a café-bookstore, exhibition spaces, administrative offices, and a restaurant.

Outdoor spaces are integrated into the architectural layout. The visitor service courtyard is designed to accommodate temporary events such as art fairs, while the open square between the exhibition and restaurant volumes functions as an outdoor theater. Eco-bleachers embedded along the eastern slope provide seating oriented toward the roof structure and the wider volcanic landscape.

the Volcano-In Visitor Center is embedded within the geological structure of an extinct volcanic cone

local Materials visually merge the center with volcanic ground

The Baiyinkulun region experiences a temperate continental climate, with strong winds and frequent snowdrifts during winter and spring. To address these conditions, the building adopts a curved profile that reduces wind pressure and shear forces. Extended roof eaves provide protection from snow accumulation, shelter outdoor courtyards, and frame views of the surrounding landscape. Glass curtain walls reflect the volcanic terrain while allowing visual continuity between interior and exterior spaces.

Cold temperatures present an additional challenge, with winter lows in Xilinhot reaching –43°C. The building envelope incorporates weather-resistant metal panel cladding to improve thermal performance and maintain interior comfort. In line with a low-intervention approach, locally sourced volcanic stone is used throughout the site. Natural stone slabs, laid at a depth of approximately 5 centimeters, define pathways and public squares, while weathering steel platforms are embedded into the terrain. These elements allow the architecture to visually and materially integrate with the volcanic ground over time.

Through its form, circulation strategy, and material choices, the Volcano-In Visitor Center establishes a spatial framework that responds to geological conditions, climate, and landscape. The project positions architecture as an extension of the volcanic environment, supporting public use while maintaining a restrained physical footprint within the site.

the architecture develops through a strategy of co-growth with the volcanic landscape

glass curtain walls reflect the terrain while maintaining visual continuity

curved building forms follow the geometry of the volcanic terrain

the project emphasizes movement around the volcano as a primary spatial experience

the building sits on the southern edge of the Xilingol Steppe in northern China

the design responds to a temperate continental climate with strong winds and snowdrifts

a curved architectural profile reduces wind pressure and shear forces

extended roof eaves protect outdoor spaces from snow accumulation

roof overhangs frame views of the volcanic landscape and surrounding steppe

material choices allow the architecture to integrate visually with the volcanic ground

weather-resistant metal panels improve thermal performance in extreme cold

the project positions architecture as a restrained extension of the volcanic environment

the visitor center is located within a C-shaped volcano formed approximately 150,000 years ago

the site is part of the Baiyinkulun Steppe & Volcano Area, home to 108 volcanoes

project info:

name: Volcano-In Visitor Center

architect: PLAT ASIA | @platasia

location: Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia, China

site area: 2187 sqm

building area: 3532 sqm

building materials: steel, metal panel, concrete, glass, volcanic rock, micro-cement

principal architect: Bian Baoyang

project architect: Liu Xinwei, Yang Lu

site architect: Su Lede

architecture & interior design team: Nandin, Guo Lulu, Dong Zijuan, Ma Xuan, Chu Jianwei, Yan Xinran

landscape design team: Zhang Xiaozhan, Wang Xiaochun

construction design: HUACHENGBOYUAN Engineering Technology Group

interior construction design: PLAT ASIA

landscape construction design: PLAT ASIA

steel structure design and construction: Beijing Jinshengjie Membrane Structure Technology Ltd., Co.

glass curtain wall and roof construction: TONGCHUANGHUAJIAN Group

lighting consultant: Beijing Wuse International Lighting

construction contractor: Inner Mongolia TianLong Construction Co., Ltd.

clients: Inner Mongolia Da Meng Shen Zhou Tourism Development Co., Ltd.

photographer: Arch-Exist | @archexist

video: Nandin-PLAT ASIA

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

The post like a steel ribbon, volcano-in visitor center by PLAT ASIA undulates over steppe in china appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.