Projects & Inspiration.
What got built, what’s in it, and who made it, from hotel case studies to the apartment ideas readers take home.
Aedas Completes New Huanggang Port With Metal Fin Facade
The nine-storey immigration hub by Aedas, featuring 25,000 square meters of public space, opened this month, replacing the original 1989 facility between Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
New Book Traces Hong Kong Villa Evolution, Urban Impact
A new publication traces the evolution of residential design and its impact on urban development across Hong Kong from the 1930s to the 1980s.
OMA Designs Good Times Store, Bali, Thatch, Recycled Plastic
The Good Times General Store in Seminyak, Indonesia, features rammed earth walls and terrazzo floors with recycled bamboo offcuts, alongside furniture from waste plastics.
Ryue Nishizawa designs 4m orange cone for Setouchi Art festival
The 4-meter-tall structure, part of the Setouchi Art and Industry 2026 festival, is situated at a recycling complex on Shikoku island.
Xianning Zi Museum uses pale concrete, rammed earth for cultural cluster
Büro Ziyu Zhuang designed the 3,000-square-meter main museum and three other buildings to integrate with parkland along Zishan Lake in Hubei Province, China.
V Taller Completes 712.3 m2 Merida Residence with Chukum
The 2023 Casa Dragones project in Yucatan, Mexico, uses a porous assembly of concrete arches and chukum-clad volumes to create climate-responsive living spaces tailored for tropical heat and humidity.
RIBA Stirling Prize Champions Sustainable Adaptive Reuse
The UK's top architecture award for Lion Green Road in Croydon signals a shift toward projects integrating sustainability and adaptive reuse, moving beyond purely aesthetic judgments.
DAGA Architects completes Jishou heritage workstation with CSG, Egger materials
The 677 m² Beijing Capital Xiangxi Intangible Heritage Workstation in Jishou, China, completed in 2020, transformed an abandoned carpentry site into a cultural hub using materials from CSG, FRITZ EGGER, and Hebeixinya.
Shanghai Grand Opera House Opens: 4,200-Seat Venue Features Snøhetta Design
Designed by Snøhetta, the 1.6 million square foot Shanghai Grand Opera House officially opened on October 17, 2026, offering 4,200 seats across three distinct performance halls.
Terracotta Roof Defines Ho Chi Minh City's Four-Meter-Wide Roof House
Trung Nguyen Architects designed the 77-square-meter Roof House in District 7, Vietnam, to prioritize spatial quality with pocket gardens and terraces for a young family.
Vienna's Red Emma Housing Delivers 360 Timber-Hybrid Units
Designed by AllesWirdGut Architektur and GERNER GERNER PLUS, the 2026 project combines untreated timber facades with a terracotta plinth across its eight- and nine-story blocks.
Say Architects, LuosLab Ceramics for Guangzhou Store
Designed by say architects, the new retail interior features specialized ceramic production by LuosLab and construction by Shanghai Jielu Decoration Design Engineering Co., Ltd.
Kengo Kuma-designed Romeo Massa Lubrense hotel opens May 2027
The new Italian property, reimagined from a 1963 hotel, will feature a design palette using local tuff, travertine, American walnut, and matte ceramics.
A’ Design Awards 2026: Asian Steel & Corten Projects Win
The 2026 A’ Architecture, Building and Structure Design Awards recognized 22 projects globally, with Asian winners in South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and China.
I IN Designs Bangkok's First Blue Bottle Cafe, Teak Focus
Japanese studio I IN completed the first Blue Bottle Coffee cafe in Bangkok, a 178-square-meter space featuring locally sourced teak wood for fixtures and furniture, alongside a central “Blue Lantern” installation.
Snøhetta, ECADI's Shanghai Grand Opera House Opens, 4,200 Seats
The 146,786 square-meter cultural venue along the Huangpu River features three distinct performance halls and public spaces, designed in collaboration with ECADI.
XU Studio Completes Beijing 1733 Public Space for ByteDance
XU Studio completed the 9000 m² Beijing 1733 Public Space Renovation for ByteDance in 2025, transforming commercial areas within an office park.
Shanghai Grand Opera House by Snøhetta Completes at 146,786 m²
The cultural venue along the Huangpu River, completed in 2026, features specialized acoustics design by Nagata Acoustics for its performing arts functions.
Tui Studio completes 175 m2 Half Solid House in Ho Chi Minh City
The 2024–2025 project in Vung Tau Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, uses a layered metal louvre system to manage tropical sun exposure and urban privacy on its 100 m2 corner plot.
Snøhetta completes 146,786 m2 Shanghai Grand Opera House
The cultural landmark on the Huangpu River features a spiral staircase leading to a public rooftop and three auditoriums seating 4,200 people.
ITESO Pavilion Uses Mirror Acrylic, Timber in 36 m² Design
The Sfumato Pavilion at ITESO in Tlaquepaque, Mexico, uses mirror acrylic and timber to transform a 6 x 6 x 6 meter steel frame into a temporary installation for 2026.
Haikou Workers’ Center Uses Steel, Timber for 57,411 m2 Complex
The cultural and sports facility in Hainan, China, designed by CADG, features a stepped structure and photovoltaic roof, adapting to its tropical coastal climate.
St Regis Singapore Finishes USD44 Million Renovation, Updates 299 Guestrooms
The refurbishment, led by FBEYE International, introduced eco-composite flooring with up to 50% recycled material and smart room technology across 299 guestrooms and event spaces.
Iñigo Artigas Completes Charred Oak Sauna in Valle de Bravo
The Sauna Los Batanes project in Mexico utilizes oak recovered from fallen trees on site and river stone supports for a low-impact lakeside structure.
Edition Ginza, Trunk Hotel Specify Upcycled Wood, Washi Paper
New Tokyo hotels, including The Edition Ginza and Trunk Hotel, integrate traditional Japanese craft with modern design, with rooms starting from US$605 per night as of September 2026.
Thai Students Build Suphanburi Toilet with Reclaimed Wood
Forty-one architecture students spent eleven days in Suphanburi Province, Thailand, constructing a sanitary facility for Song Phi Nong Primary School using timber from a 60-year-old classroom.
UNStudio, Zaha Hadid Projects Fuel HK Finishes, FF&E Demand
Recent and upcoming projects in Hong Kong, including the UNStudio-designed WestK Performing Arts Centre and Zaha Hadid's The Henderson tower, are fueling demand for specialized building materials, interior finishes, and FF&E across the city's commercial and hospitality sectors.
Sunjin Vietnam Designs Nghia Do Kindergarten with Louvers, Green Roof
Sunjin Vietnam Joint Venture Company designed the Nghia Do Kindergarten in Hanoi for 600 children, integrating a central courtyard and external louvers.
BDP Delivers 186,000 m2 Research Campus in Shanghai for CTTQ
The new pharmaceutical headquarters in Shanghai's Hongqiao CBD features interconnected structures and glass bridges, drawing design inspiration from cellular division.
Italian Glulam, Austrian Timber Feature in Australian Design Awards
The Sydney Fish Market and the A$135 million Adelaide Aquatic Centre are finalists in the 27th Australian Timber Design Awards, showcasing European-sourced engineered timber structures.
Dezeen Awards 2026 Interiors Shortlist Features 112 Projects
The shortlist spans 14 categories, including residential, hotel, and restaurant interiors, with winners to be announced on 16 November in London.
I IN Unveils Andersson Bell Tokyo Store, Concrete & Colour
The flagship retail space in Aoyama features custom furniture and a three-story color progression from red to yellow, set against a 1993 brutalist concrete structure.
Andersson Bell Tokyo Flagship Uses Microcement, Lacquer in 1990s Concrete Shell
Tokyo studio I IN designed the three-level Aoyama store for the Seoul-based fashion brand, integrating new finishes and custom FF&E with the building's existing Brutalist structure.
Tato Architects completes 108-square-meter charred timber home in Japan
Kobe-based Tato Architects has finished House in Mibu, a 108-square-meter residence in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, featuring charred timber cladding and plywood-lined interiors.
Tojiro Opens 30 m² Tokyo Knife Gallery Designed by L/O
The new “Hanare” gallery in Tokyo, completed this year, focuses on custom knife commissions and the long-term ownership experience of Japanese blades, moving beyond a typical product comparison retail model.
Maros' Common Days: Andesite, Terracotta for Climate Response
The three-story Common Days project in Maros, Indonesia, designed by INS Studio, integrates locally sourced andesite stone and perforated terracotta brick screens to create a community hub with natural ventilation.
CCDI Dongxiying Studio Finishes 35,985 m² Shenzhen School
The Futian Lvzhou Primary School, completed in 2024, features interior design by Shenzhen Zhuoyi Construction Decoration Engineering Co., Ltd and curtain wall design by Fang Zhijiang and team.
TEKI Design redefines Osaka’s Midosuji axis for 2050 Coffee
The new 2050 Coffee branch in Osaka’s Shinsaibashi district, designed by TEKI Design, introduces diagonal geometries and vertical movement to contrast with the historic Midosuji boulevard’s linear character.
Bali’s Kaymana Fire Villa Features 271 m² Bamboo Structure
Completed in 2026, the Uluwatu hospitality project by Pablo Luna Studio integrates a honey-colored bamboo facade designed to optimize natural light.
NOT A HOTEL unveils spherical Pokémon retreat in Hokkaido
Japanese hospitality brand NOT A HOTEL, in collaboration with Pokémon Sleep, has launched a human-sized Poké Ball-themed retreat in Hokkaido, featuring a compact interior with a circular bed for two guests.
AHEAD Asia 2026 Awards: Shangri-La, Soori Honoured
Shangri-La Kunming, Soori Penang, and Park Hyatt Tokyo among projects honored for excellence in newbuilds, conversions, and renovations across the region.
LUO Studio Completes 84 m² Timber Florist Pavilion in Beijing's Haidian Park
LUO Studio designed the West Garden Florist, an 84 m² timber pavilion completed in 2025 within Beijing's Haidian Park. The structure integrates a flower shop and refreshment counter, using a slatted timber system adapted for the park environment.
Moon Gang Ubud Hotel by YSG Studio: Adaptive Reuse, Local Artisans
YSG Studio completed the Moon Gang Ubud hotel in Bali in June, converting a 512-square-meter derelict residence. The project focused on adaptive reuse, integrating local Indonesian artisans and materials like recycled earth-based render, tessellated terracotta, and plant-dyed textiles.
AIA South Korea Announces Second Annual Design Awards for 2026
AIA South Korea has launched its second annual Design Awards for 2026, recognizing outstanding built works and promoting Korean architecture internationally across three project scales.
Alaïa Shanghai Plaza 66 Reopens with Carrara, Macassar Ebony
The recently reopened Alaïa boutique at Plaza 66 in Shanghai features an interior design that incorporates Carrara marble, Macassar ebony wood, and stainless steel. Nude-toned leather finishes are also used.
Tsukumo Kiln, Kobe: Rotated Timber Frames, Translucent FRP Panels
The 80.32-sqm Tsukumo Kiln ceramic studio in Kobe, Japan, designed by Dept. + OAAA, features a structural system of three timber portal frames, each rotated 60 degrees. Translucent FRP panels form a continuous envelope, assembled on site.
XBTW Office Unveils 'Coral' Stainless Steel Art in Yantai
XBTW Office completed "Coral," a public art installation in Yantai, China, featuring twelve oversized white stainless-steel cylinders. Located at the Longfor Puti peninsula, the structure includes two west-facing swings and incorporates 2,000 to 4,000 perforations per cylinder, ranging from 4 to 25 millimeters in diameter, creating varied light effects.
Portman, SOM, KPF Crown Shanghai Skyscrapers as Landmarks
Architects John Portman & Associates, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and Kohn Pederson Fox designed distinctive crowns for Shanghai skyscrapers, serving as key urban identifiers in the city's dense metropolitan area.
Studio Valle de Valle Completes Vintage FF&E for Singapore Duplex
Studio Valle de Valle completed a residential duplex in Singapore, integrating a range of international and vintage FF&E pieces. The project, designed for a family relocating from New York, was managed remotely with local oversight.
STUDIO 4/301 unveils Yeyeland Shanghai store: Fiberglass, resin
STUDIO 4/301 has completed the 240 m² Yeyeland Mineral & Dessert Concept Store on South Wulumuqi Road in Shanghai. The project integrates translucent fiberglass panels into the facade and throughout the interior, alongside resin flooring with embedded minerals and stainless steel fixtures. This design approach creates a commercial environment for mineral retail and dessert service by translating geological processes into spatial organization and material language.
A' Design Award: 1,664 Winners for 2025-26, 2026-27 Entries Now Open
The A' Design Award & Competition announced 1,664 winners from 115 countries for its 2025-2026 cycle. Entries are now open for the 2026-2027 edition across 196 design categories, including architecture, interiors, and landscape design.
Bollywood Set Construction Shapes India's Architectural Identity
Indian cinema constructs detailed architectural worlds for film sets, influencing public perception of urban identity and architectural aesthetics across India. These temporary constructions, designed with attention to scale and spatial relationships, often become reference points for how cities, wealth, and specific neighborhoods are understood by millions of viewers.
Kengo Kuma Wins Andrée Putman Lifetime Achievement Award 2027
Japanese architect Kengo Kuma will receive the Andrée Putman Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2027 Créateurs Design Awards. The award recognizes his three-decade career and consistent focus on architecture, nature, materials, and Japanese tradition.
M+ Hong Kong to Host Herzog & de Meuron China Projects Exhibition
M+ Museum in Hong Kong will present an exhibition on September 12, 2026, reviewing ten projects by Herzog & de Meuron across China. The display includes over 200 process materials donated by the architectural firm.
Wutopia Lab completes aluminium-clad Whale Gate entrance for Jinsha Golden Island complex
Shanghai-based Wutopia Lab designed the 242-square-meter Whale Gate, an entrance structure for Jinsha Group’s Jinsha Golden Island residential complex in Shangqiu, Henan province. The project uses custom-fabricated aluminum honeycomb composite panels and a steel frame to create its biomorphic form.
CAAM Completes 11-Unit Suuel Living Apartments in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca
CAAM has completed the 11-unit Suuel Living Apartments in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico this year. The three-story residential building occupies a 719.50 m² gross area on a compact 298.5 m² site, utilizing a material palette of cast-concrete, lime-plaster, timber, and steel.
B Nesta Residence in Denpasar Specifies Toto Sanitary for 2,400 m² Complex
UOS Architecture Studio completed the B Nesta Residence in Denpasar, Bali, in 2025. The 2,400 m² residential complex includes 20 apartment units and five private-pool townhouses, with Toto Sanitary products specified. Shared facilities include a 25-meter swimming pool.
Pablo Luna Studio Completes 125 m² Lotus Yoga Shala with Petung Bamboo Roof in Bali
Pablo Luna Studio has delivered the 125 square meter Lotus Yoga Shala in Ubud, Bali. The pavilion features a lotus-shaped roof constructed from petung and split bamboo, designed to integrate with the surrounding river valley landscape and serve as a space for yoga and meditation.
François Prost Documents Japan Love Hotel Facades in New Photo Book
Photographer François Prost releases a 230-page photo book, “Love Hotel,” detailing the distinctive facades of Japan’s roadside love hotels. The series, captured during a 2023 road trip from Tokyo to Shikoku Island, examines architectural typologies that reflect Japanese popular culture and privacy needs.
Supra-Simplicities + KCCS Design Kaohsiung MOM House with Prefabricated Steel, Aluminium
The MOM House in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, replaces an older concrete dwelling with a lightweight steel residence. Designed by Supra-Simplicities + KCCS, the project uses a prefabricated steel construction system with eight modular sections and matte-finished aluminum facade panels, enabling rapid assembly and future expansion on a compact urban site.
Jia CURATED 2026 Bali Festival: 250+ Designers Champion Sustainable Materials
The Jia CURATED 2026 festival in Bali hosted over 250 designers, architects, and brands across five days in August, focusing on sustainable design under the theme 'Nature Weave'. The event highlighted material innovation, recycled products, and regional design collaborations.
Hilton Debuts First Southeast Asia Canopy Hotel in Bangkok; AvroKO Designs Interiors
Hilton launched Canopy Bangkok Sukhumvit, marking the Canopy Hotels brand's initial property in Southeast Asia. Interior design studio AvroKO designed the hotel's public spaces and 174 guest rooms, drawing inspiration from Bangkok's Asoke neighborhood.
Cheng Chung Design finishes St Regis on the Bund Shanghai suite refurbishment
St Regis on the Bund, Shanghai, has completed the refurbishment of its luxury suites, with Cheng Chung Design leading the interior architecture. The project reinterprets Shanghai's Art Deco heritage through a modern design lens, emphasizing materiality, proportion, and precision craftsmanship over historical ornamentation.
Anonym Studio Completes Pridi41 House in Bangkok, Addresses Urban Privacy and Comfort
Anonym Studio designed Pridi41 House on an 800-sqm corner plot in Bangkok, focusing on privacy, natural ventilation, daylight, and thermal comfort. The design elevates main living areas and uses passive strategies like aluminum laths and northern orientation to counter dense urban conditions.