Photo credit: Studio Link-Arc | Tian Fangfang
Deep within Yunlu Wetland Park in Shundes, south China, there’s a building that blends in with the trees and water, making it difficult to see from a distance, despite being right across from an island where thousands of egrets have made their home. Studio Link-Arc completed this museum a year ago, resulting in a space that serves as both a learning center for all things wetland as well as a great place to observe local wildlife.
Five years ago, Atari Hotels made a big splash about gaming-themed destinations planned throughout the United States. Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago, and Austin were at the top of the list, and the renderings were showcased sleek buildings bathed in a retro arcade light that would make you feel right at home if you were a kid who spent your afternoons playing Pong and Asteroids. As with so many games, delays emerged out of nowhere, owing mostly to the pandemic.
Photo credit: Max Touhey / Nigel Young for JPMorganChase, Foster + Partners
JPMorgan Chase’s new global headquarters in NYC, 270 Park Avenue, is a 1,388 foot copper-colored beast designed by Foster + Partners. This 60 story building was built on the foundation of the historic Union Carbide Building, and an engineering marvel that’s both environmentally conscious a well as human-centered, housing 10,000 people.
Matthew Perks, an inventor who often undertakes elaborate tech projects, has taken on a whimsical but practical project: building a Hobbit-inspired home in a backyard, all for under $5,000.
In the heart of Colorado’s Chaffee County, where wildfires threaten nearly half the state’s population, two homes have risen as an experiment in homebuilding. The VeroVistas, two 1,100 sqft homes in Buena Vista, were built with a giant 3D printer that lays down concrete walls layer by layer. One of these homes went from blueprints to finished home in 16 days.
Above the rolling hills of China’s Guangxi Province, near the peaceful village of Mianhua, is a secret heaven for those brave enough to climb high. Mianhua Library, one of the world’s weirdest places to read, isn’t hidden in a downtown corner or on top of a tower. It’s built into the side of a steep cliff, inside a massive cave with bookshelves attached to the rock walls and wooden walkways.
Shipping container homes have carved out a niche for compact living, but few do it with style like Sonic Steel’s Mark T. Nestled in the coastal hamlet of Port Neill, South Australia, this two-story beauty combines three steel containers into a home that’s far from industrial.
Johny, a superyacht captain used to sailing the world’s oceans, has dropped anchor in an unexpected place: a 43ft long, single level tiny home in the Australian rainforest. Built on a repurposed concert trailer, this home on Living Big in a Tiny House combines modern design with raw nature, a dream come true for some digital nomads.
Boxabl, the company making a name for itself in modular housing, has just released its latest creation: the Baby Box. This 120-square-foot home on wheels, priced at $19,999, is a complete living space that’s as practical as it is portable. After years of producing the 361-square-foot Casita, Boxabl has distilled its approach into something smaller, simpler and ready to roll.
In the heart of Jinan, a city in eastern China, something wild has appeared in the urban jungle: a 50-meter tall inflatable dome, covering 20,000 square meters, swallowing up an entire construction site. This isn’t a circus tent or a pop-up sports arena—it’s a new way to tame the chaos of city building. The world’s largest of its kind, it traps dust and hushes noise, changing how cities handle construction in crowded neighborhoods.