Md Al Amin Sohan

For several years now, the countryside has ceased to function merely as a picturesque counterpoint to the city and has instead become an active laboratory for new relationships between territory, landscape, and people. Here, environmental urgency meets collective memory; ancestral techniques converse with architectural experimentation; and local communities act as curators of their own territory. Contemporary rurality emerges less as a geography and more as a culture—inscribed in ways of life that care for the environment.

The Mountain Shelters are part of the “The Vagar Country House” development project in Belmonte, Portugal. The challenge was to create an object that would evoke the imagery of traditional Shepherds’ Shelters, taking advantage of the natural and untamed qualities of the land, which spans nearly 250 hectares.

Design of a house located on a 1-hectare rural property in Cunha, São Paulo, situated on a plot of land that had been previously cleared for sale, a common situation in rural subdivisions in São Paulo. In this context, in addition to the architectural design of the residence, an environmental analysis of the existing rural network and a study of the other programs located throughout the property were requested.

Johnnie Walker established its brand identity by tilting the gentleman on its label 24 degrees, diverging from the strictly horizontal and vertical norms of its time. This notion of “tilt” inspired the exploration of new architectural possibilities within Tokyo’s tightly regulated micro-lots.

LES, a project by Berlin-based studio RHO, is a versatile event location situated on an industrial campus in North Berlin. This 400-square-meter space is a dynamic environment that easily transforms from a campus canteen during the day to a corporate event location in the evening, meeting the varied needs of guests and the campus community. The design of LES is inspired by its industrial surroundings and combines functionality with contemporary materials and forms. The inclusion of a fully equipped kitchen on the underground level is a key aspect of the concept, with its design elements subtly reflecting the aesthetics of food production.

Located not far from Garosu-gil, “Triplet Code, Sinsa” is positioned directly facing a small neighborhood park with greenery at the very end of Serosu-gil. The site faces the park, has an elementary school right next to it, and is surrounded by neighborhood shops that extend from Garosu-gil, gradually activating even the back alleys. According to Clarence Perry’s Neighborhood Unit theory, the three core elements that promote physical convenience and pleasant living for residents — an elementary school, neighborhood shops, and a small park — are all present in the vicinity, so at first glance, it might seem that the conditions for residents are perfectly met. However, the recent excessive expansion of nearby commercial facilities is likely making the residential environment feel far from comfortable for existing residents. In fact, as Garosu-gil became more trendy and commercialized, gentrification reaching this area had already been anticipated for some time.

This increasingly complex project emerged from an interactive process and key breakthroughs by both the government and architects — through ongoing coordination and integration, architects drive the joint renewal of urban and educational spaces. It represents a process of architects’ proactive intervention and comprehensive resolution of urban architectural renewal needs. The project site features a narrow and elongated shape, with Kunshan Experimental Primary School to the east, adjacent to Kunshan Industrial Technology Research Institute to the west. And it connects two major urban green spaces, Dayu Lake Park and Kunshan Forest Park, at its north and south ends.

Beyond the village, along a road leading deeper into the majestic Bohemian Forest, stands a late 19th-century cottage. We propose a renovation that emphasises the joy of living in a house that has survived throughout and despite changing times. A house that is considerate of its surroundings rather than a loud neighbour.

The architecture design for Center Rog adds to the cultural revitalization of the city by rehabilitating a building that is listed due to its great heritage and historical value, in an urban location on the river embankment that needed a new lease of life and a makeover for use by citizens. 

Upon taking on the project and construction of the Village House, we encountered a building formed by the joining of two semi-detached houses, “regularized” by a superficial intervention that did not address the essential issues of the space. The initial diagnosis revealed a fragmented configuration, with compartments lacking a clear purpose, underutilized areas, and a staircase adapted to reach the upper floor, highlighting the lack of continuity between the parts. There were overlapping uses, unclear passages, and timid natural light that entered, unable to structure daily life. Our starting point was to restore logic and meaning to the whole, transforming two disconnected halves into a single organism.