Weekly Picks

This project is a contemporary pavilion that reinterprets the traditional Islamic muqarnas, transforming it from a decorative ceiling form into a spatial, ecological structure. Built as a semi-dome from digitally modeled, interlocking ceramic pieces fabricated by Gorbon Ceramics, the pavilion’s textured surfaces create microhabitats for small species. See more here.

MERCADO is a crafts market and cultural center designed for local artisans and producers while the region’s growing tourism industry near the Mayan archaeological sites grow. Built with an 8×8-meter structural grid, the building uses a lightweight steel frame and clay brick cladding to create a resilient, low-maintenance structure. Its vaulted roof is formed like an inverted umbrella, encloses 50 stalls around two green courtyards.

The Zayed National Museum is the new national museum of the UAE. Its form is defined by five lightweight steel wings that function as a natural ventilation system, drawing hot air upward while cooled air flows into the atrium. Inside, pod-shaped galleries, triple-laminated glazing, and electrochromic roof lights create a controlled environment for sensitive artefacts, while materials throughout the building bring in the warm-white tones of Saadiyat Island’s desert landscape.

The project is a family center made from timber nestled among mature maples and pines. The elongated structure is divided into four smaller wooden volumes featuring arched windows and ash-lined interiors.

The new Doris Duke Theatre is built primarily from spruce-pine-fir CLT panels and wrapped in textured, thermally treated pine cladding. Inside, the double-height performance space continues this material language with integrated acoustic panels that create a warm and resonant environment for dance.

Root Square is a mixed-use cultural complex that incorporates hydroponic greenhouses, aquafarms, and public programs like cafés, restaurants, and an event space. Designed as a cluster of small, interconnected roof volumes, the project blends agricultural production with cultural activities.

Its defining feature is a sweeping 10,000 m² glulam timber canopy supported by timber columns anchored into existing concrete structures, filtering daylight like a walk through the woods. Inspired by historic train-station vaults and enriched with art referencing Pompeian imagery.