Pavilions are architecture’s fast, experimental structures that test ideas long before they scale up to cities. This year’s highlights push that spirit further, blurring the lines between sculpture, shelter, ritual space, and ecological device. From bamboo vaults rising in flood-prone villages to inflatable dream temples, from wind-driven feather structures on remote islands to LEGO-built playscapes in London, the pavilion becomes a tool for storytelling.

Across the ten projects, a set of shared themes emerges: material reinvention, circular design, and a renewed focus on community. Bread waste becomes structure, bamboo becomes climate infrastructure, and woven rattan becomes a water-harvesting system. Some pavilions introduce new behaviors, gathering, dreaming, resting, learning, while others revive old rituals like bathing or communal reading. What ties them together is their willingness to ask what a temporary space can do, and how it can shift our relationship to place, resources, and each other. Here are ten pavilions reshaping how we think about space.

LINA GHOTMEH’S EXPO PAVILION TAKES GOLD IN OSAKA

image courtesy of Lina Ghotmeh—Architecture

Lina Ghotmeh—Architecture designs the Bahrain Pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka, crafting a timber-and-aluminum structure inspired by the nation’s traditional dhow boats and its long maritime history. Positioned along the waterfront in the Expo’s Empowering Lives zone, the pavilion bridges Bahraini boat-building heritage with Japanese wood craftsmanship, expressing cultural exchange through material and form. The structure reinterprets millennia-old construction techniques with a lightweight wooden frame, an aluminum outer layer, and passive cooling strategies that reduce mechanical energy use.

Designed for disassembly and reuse after the Expo, the pavilion embodies Bahrain’s commitment to sustainability and craft-driven innovation. The structure received the Gold Award for Best Architecture and Landscape in the Self-Built category, recognizing Ghotmeh’s precise, contextual approach and the pavilion’s refined expression of Bahrain’s cultural and environmental heritage.

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SIR PETER COOK’S LEGO PLAY PAVILION FOR THE SERPENTINE

The Play Pavilion, designed by Peter Cook (Peter Cook Studio Crablab), in collaboration with Serpentine and the LEGO Group © Peter Cook (Peter Cook Studio Crablab) | images courtesy of Serpentine; photos by Andy Stagg, unless stated otherwise

Serpentine and the LEGO Group’s Play Pavilion by Sir Peter Cook, installed in London’s Kensington Gardens, is a bright, bowl-shaped structure wrapped in orange and animated with LEGO-built topographies. The exterior walls of the pavilion rise and dip like a shifting landscape, inviting visitors to touch the tactile brick formations before stepping inside.

Sunlight filters through gaps between the roof and base, filling the interior with natural light while maintaining a breezy, open feel. A towering central pillar, assembled from LEGO bricks, anchors the space like a watchful robotic figure. Visitors are encouraged to play, build, and modify the pavilion in real time through an interactive brick wall and a trove of LEGO pieces. Multiple openings frame views of the garden, while a yellow slide offers a playful exit route.

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SIX-SEAT FOREST BAR PAVILION BY ELMGREEN & DRAGSET 

images by Andrea Rossetti, courtesy of Khao Yai Art

Elmgreen & Dragset unveil K-BAR, a six-seat cocktail pavilion tucked deep within Thailand’s Khao Yai Art Forest, inserting an urban typology into a remote natural setting. Appearing most days as a charcoal-gray sculptural object amid dense foliage, the pavilion occasionally comes to life: visitors arriving at the right moment are guided through the forest to find the bar glowing from within.

Inside, stainless steel surfaces, dark wood, red leather stools, terrazzo flooring, and a backlit display channel the intimacy of classic metropolitan bars. A permanently installed 1996 painting by Martin Kippenberger, visible even when the bar is closed, anchors the installation, paying homage to the artist’s legacy and echoing Elmgreen & Dragset’s long-standing interest in ‘denials,’ functional forms that resist predictable use.

Open only once a month, K-BAR plays with visibility, access, and displacement, placing a European artwork in a Southeast Asian forest as a subtle inversion of museum repatriation debates. As part of the newly launched Khao Yai Art Forest, the pavilion underscores the initiative’s mission to merge contemporary art with ecological immersion, offering an unexpected moment of encounter in one of Thailand’s most pristine environments.

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LEOPOLD BANCHINI INSTALLS TIMBER BATHHOUSE IN SPAIN

image by Gregori Civera

Leopold Banchini Architects installs Round About Baths at the Concéntrico Festival in Logroño, Spain, transforming the center of a traffic roundabout into a temporary public bathhouse. The circular timber structure reclaims an overlooked urban void, introducing cold-water basins, steam rooms, and changing areas that revive the communal spirit of historic public baths.

Built with a standard timber frame and clad in uncut wooden panels intended for reuse, the pavilion emphasizes material efficiency and circularity. High perimeter walls provide privacy while clearly marking the intervention within the car-dominated landscape, prompting visitors to reconsider how urban land is allocated and who it serves. By situating a shared bathing environment at the heart of a vehicular crossroads, Round About Baths challenges conventional urban hierarchies and highlights the potential of underutilized spaces. Once dismantled, the site returns to its previous state, but the project leaves behind a conceptual proposal.

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TOGUNA WORLD’S NOMADIC PAVILION LANDS IN ATHENS

all images courtesy of Toguna World

Toguna World’s immersive nomadic pavilion, The Sanctuary of Dreams, combines film, ritual, and collective storytelling within an inflatable structure presented as part of Plásmata 3 | We’ve met before, haven’t we? in Athens. Rooted in African philosophies of cyclical time and ancestral memory, the space invites visitors to enter barefoot and step into a meditative environment where a 44-minute, three-channel art film brings together animation, collage, soundscapes, and archival textures.

After the screening, participants join a guided reflection circle, contributing their visions to The Global Mapping of Dreams, a growing archive of future imaginaries from across Africa and its diaspora. Designed by Pierre-Christophe Gam, the pavilion functions as a contemporary ritual space, featuring dimmable lighting, scent, modular cushions, and spatial audio that shape an intimate environment for collective visioning. 

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MERO STUDIOS BUILDS A PAVILION FROM 780 LEFTOVER BAGUETTES

all images by Paul Kozlowski

MERO Studios builds Paysage de Pain, a public pavilion made from 780 salvaged baguettes, turning surplus bread into a tactile, aromatic structure within the courtyard of Montpellier’s Hôtel de Lunas. Developed with the nonprofit Pain de L’Espoir, the installation reframes food waste as a spatial material, highlighting the staggering amount of unsold bread discarded daily in France.

Visitors move through warm, dough-scented walls that crack and age under the sun, transforming the pavilion into a living metaphor for nourishment, excess, and decay. Through its texture, smell, and temporal fragility, Paysage de Pain becomes a sensory monument to resourcefulness.

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FEATHER-BLADE SEASIDE PAVILION SWAYS ON CHAISHAN ISLAND 

image by Liang Wenjun

GN Architects’ Seaside Pavilion brings new life to the abandoned pier of Chaishan Island, introducing a wind-driven structure whose long white blades sway gently above the water. Designed as part of the Hello, Island revitalization initiative, the pavilion acts as a symbolic arrival point, a contemporary echo of traditional village entrances where large trees once anchored community gatherings.

Suspended from a prefabricated steel frame, 36 seven-meter blades move with the sea breeze, creating a rhythmic, feather-like choreography that mirrors the quiet landscape of the island. The installation repurposes the old cargo pier into a resting and meeting place for the elderly residents. Built with corrosion-resistant materials and high-strength fishing ropes for durability, the pavilion balances engineering precision with a sense of lightness. Its movement shifts from subtle to visible depending on the wind, transforming the site into a landmark that reconnects Chaishan’s past, present, and future through motion and placemaking.

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MARINA TABASSUM’S 2025 SERPENTINE PAVILION OPENS IN LONDON

Serpentine Pavilion 2025 A Capsule in Time, designed by Marina Tabassum, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA). exterior view. © Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA) | image by Iwan Baan, courtesy of Serpentine

Marina Tabassum Architects’ A Capsule in Time was the 2025 Serpentine Pavilion, a modular timber structure that explores impermanence, light, and temporality within London’s Kensington Gardens. Composed of four translucent capsules aligned with Serpentine South’s historic bell tower, the pavilion filters daylight into shifting patterns, echoing the hydrologic landscapes of Bangladesh, where land continually forms, dissolves, and reappears.

A kinetic capsule allows sections of the pavilion to expand for public programs, while a ginkgo tree anchors the interior as a living symbol of resilience. Built entirely from wood and translucent polycarbonate, materials chosen for their reuse potential, the project embraces dry construction and adaptability, ensuring the pavilion continues its life beyond the summer season. Integrated bookshelves house a curated selection of texts spanning Bengali literature, ecology, and identity, including works banned in Bangladesh. Tabassum frames the pavilion as a place of quiet resistance and shared knowledge, offering a contemplative environment where ideas can circulate freely. 

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BAMBOO PAVILION ANCHORS YASMEEN LARI’S PONO VILLAGE

all images courtesy of Nyami Studio

Nyami Studio and Jack Rankin complete the Juliet Center in Sindh, Pakistan, a bamboo pavilion that anchors Yasmeen Lari’s zero-carbon Pono Village, a prototype community built in response to the devastating 2022 floods. The lightweight vaulted structure is shaped from bamboo, mud, lime, and thatch, translating vernacular forms into a modular, climate-resilient space designed for communal use. The pavilion offers an open, flexible environment for workshops, gatherings, and training programs, supporting Lari’s mission to empower local residents, particularly women, through hands-on construction and craft skills.

Two interlocking vaults span widely without internal columns, creating a breathable interior that can be adapted or expanded as the village evolves. Built using a combination of digital precision and traditional techniques, the project demonstrates how low-carbon materials can achieve structural complexity and durability in extreme climates. Hand-made mud tiles line the floor, and a woven thatch roof of locally harvested grass provides protection from heat and monsoon rains. 

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RAD+AR BUILDS WOVEN-BAMBOO CHICKEN COOP IN JAKARTA 

images courtesy of RAD+ar

RAD+ar designs the Chicken Hero Pavilion in Urban Forest Jakarta, carving a low, hill-like form into the landscape to house an educational chicken coop disguised as part of the terrain. The pavilion merges ecological performance with community engagement, inviting visitors through a tunnel-like opening into a space that promotes backyard poultry farming as a sustainable household practice. Inside, reclaimed bamboo forms a ventilated, daylight-filled structure optimized for animal comfort and waste management.

The pavilion processes organic waste from nearby restaurants, turning leaves and food scraps into compost and closing the loop by distributing fresh eggs daily, a live demonstration of a micro circular economy. As a temporary installation, the project functions both as a prototype for low-impact chicken coops and as a public learning space. It addresses Indonesia’s significant food waste challenges while breaking stigmas around small-scale poultry keeping. Blending into the park’s topography, the Chicken Hero Pavilion shows how simple construction and local materials can support inclusive education, environmental stewardship, and community-led sustainability.

read more here 

see designboom’s TOP 10 stories archive:

2024 — 2023 — 2022 — 2021 — 2020 — 2019 —  2018 — 2017 — 2016 — 2015 — 2014 — 2013

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Vo Trong Nghia Architects – VTN has completed Nuoc Ui School in Tra Mai commune, Nam Tra My district, a remote mountainous region in Central Vietnam. The project provides an educational facility for an ethnic minority community living across steep terrain and a climate characterized by frequent storms and heavy rainfall. Funded primarily by the Midas Foundation, with windows and doors sponsored by Tostem, the school is conceived as a durable and locally adapted structure. The design prioritizes the preservation of the existing landscape and establishes a clear relationship between the built environment and the surrounding forested mountains. Classrooms and supporting buildings are arranged to open toward these natural views, while a central courtyard is oriented to overlook the valley. The architectural layout emphasizes openness, natural light, and environmental responsiveness.

Built from rammed earth and bamboo, the project embraces local materials and the surrounding forested landscape, opening its classrooms toward sweeping valley views. Simple yet robust, the architecture forms a sheltered courtyard and a semi-indoor playground that support learning in all seasons. With passive ventilation, deep eaves, and a layout shaped by nature, the school stands as a quiet but powerful response to place, a modest structure with an enduring spirit.

all images by Trieu Chien

Nuoc Ui School Establishes Nature-Connected Educational Space

Architectural practice Vo Trong Nghia Architects – VTN positions locally sourced materials at the foundation of the school project. Rammed earth walls and bamboo roofing reduce transportation demands and environmental impact while maintaining a direct connection to regional building traditions. These materials also support the structural requirements of the sloped site and provide resilience against heavy rainfall. Deep roof eaves are incorporated to protect the earthen walls and extend the building’s lifespan. The school is organized around an internal courtyard, with classrooms connected to a forecourt through a semi-indoor playground. This arrangement forms a continuous sequence of spaces for learning, play, and group activities. The semi-indoor playground, located between two classrooms, offers a sheltered play area that remains usable during rainy periods.

Large, symmetrically placed windows provide natural ventilation and daylighting, reducing reliance on mechanical systems. Combined with buffer zones such as covered corridors and deep eaves, the ventilation strategy helps maintain a stable indoor environment suited to the region’s humid tropical climate. These transitional spaces also function as areas for informal activities and interaction. Nuoc Ui School presents an architectural approach grounded in local materials, climatic conditions, and community needs. Its modest scale and clear structural system support long-term durability, while its arrangement of interconnected indoor and outdoor spaces establishes a learning environment closely aligned with its natural context.

Nuoc Ui School sits within a remote mountainous region of Central Vietnam

the school is designed to withstand frequent storms and heavy rainfall

classrooms open toward surrounding forested mountains

rammed earth and bamboo define the project’s material approach

a central courtyard is oriented to capture expansive valley views

deep eaves protect earthen walls from rain and extend the structure’s lifespan

local materials reduce environmental impact and support regional building traditions

large, symmetrical windows provide daylight and natural ventilation

the design responds directly to the region’s humid tropical climate

project info:

name: Nuoc Ui School
architects: Vo Trong Nghia Architects VTN | @vtnarchitects_votrongnghia

lead architect: Vo Trong Nghia

location: Nam Tra My, Quang Nam, Vietnam

area: 295.5 sqm

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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Located along the Zhujia River in Jiang’an District, Wuhan, LuxeIsland Farm, designed by Various Associates, forms the core of the 230,000-sqm LUXEOASIS development. Positioned between northern hillsides and a southern pier, the project is conceived as a small-scale retreat that combines ecological recreation, educational programs, retail, and cultural activities within a unified landscape framework. Commissioned for both architectural and interior design, Various Associates developed LuxeIsland Farm as a spatial experiment in community interaction and environmental integration. The project explores the themes of ‘Future, Fun, and Interaction’ through an architectural language that juxtaposes geological massing with craft-based detailing.

The farm masterplan adopts a circular layout that connects animal enclosures, creative workshops, retail spaces, and dining areas. New structures are embedded within the terrain, creating a continuous rhythm across the valley. Volumetric forms resembling scattered stones or meteorites emerge from the ground, interwoven with misting systems and vegetation. Semi-submerged animal enclosures with green roofs reduce visual impact while enhancing the sense of immersion in the landscape. Each building is characterized by the use of natural materials such as bamboo, timber, and stone. Bamboo weaving, referencing local craft traditions, is reinterpreted as a structural and aesthetic device, forming roofs and facades that mediate light and shadow across the site.

all images by SFAP

Bamboo pavilions and earthen forms shape LuxeIsland Farm

Set against the hillside, the animal enclosures are designed with minimal intervention to preserve the existing terrain. Their partially earth-sheltered configuration blends the farm into its surroundings, while open paddocks and shaded frameworks create varied environments for alpacas, deer, and other animals. The design emphasizes both safety and proximity, encouraging educational and recreational interaction between visitors and animals.

The creative workshop is a lightweight bamboo-woven pavilion composed of a domed canopy and stone-like supports. Triangular perforations in the bamboo surface allow filtered daylight to create dynamic shadow patterns. The open layout functions as a café, rest area, and flexible workspace, with operable facades connecting directly to surrounding greenery. A secondary pavilion, a ‘silver disc,’ houses an ice cream and donut station. Its metallic surface contrasts with the earthy tones of adjacent structures, serving as a visual focal point within the site. A nearby feed house encourages closer interaction between visitors and animals, reinforcing the site’s social and experiential role.

The feed barn and washroom are designed as a paired composition, characterized by bamboo-and-metal roofs that appear to float above textured stone and cement finishes. The design team at Various Associates uses artisanal coatings and muted color palettes to emphasize material honesty and spatial coherence across programmatic functions. At the Forest Star Stage, a flexible outdoor area supports events and performances. Defined by sawdust flooring, hay bale seating, and ambient lighting, it transforms from a daytime resting area into an evening gathering space.

LuxeIsland Farm by Various Associates anchors the LUXEOASIS development along Wuhan’s Zhujia River

LuxeIsland Farm integrates ecology, leisure, and rural urbanism

Material selection reflects ecological awareness and formal precision. Bamboo, timber, and red earth establish a connection with the regional landscape, while metal and concrete articulate a contemporary contrast. Through these combinations, LuxeIsland Farm demonstrates how natural materials and constructed form can coexist within a performative and educational setting.

By blending architectural form, environmental design, and cultural programming, Various Associates positions LuxeIsland Farm as both a functional agricultural environment and an evolving social landscape, an example of how contemporary rural architecture can integrate ecology, leisure, and urban experience.

the project integrates ecology, recreation, and cultural activities within a unified landscape framework

Various Associates designed both the architecture and interiors as a spatial experiment in environmental integration

the masterplan adopts a circular layout linking animal enclosures, workshops, and dining spaces

scattered, stone-like structures emerge from the terrain, blending architecture with the valley landscape

semi-submerged animal enclosures reduce visual impact while enhancing immersion in nature

natural materials such as bamboo, timber, and stone define the farm’s architectural language

set against the hillside, the animal zones preserve the existing topography with minimal intervention

open paddocks and shaded frameworks create diverse environments for alpacas, deer, and other animals

bamboo weaving is reinterpreted as a structural and aesthetic device throughout the project

a silver disc pavilion houses an ice cream and donut station, contrasting with the site’s earthy tones

the creative workshop features a lightweight bamboo-woven dome supported by stone-like columns

the design encourages close, educational interaction between visitors and animals

material choices reflect ecological awareness, combining bamboo, timber, and red earth with concrete and metal

triangular perforations in the bamboo canopy filter natural light into dynamic shadow patterns

the feed barn and washroom pair share bamboo-and-metal roofs that appear to float above stone surfaces

artisanal coatings and muted materials create a consistent and tactile interior palette

LuxeIsland Farm operates as both an agricultural landscape and a social environment rooted in ecology and design

project info:

name: LuxeIsland Farm
architect: Various Associates | @various_associates

location: Wuhan, China

area: 500 sqm

interior area: 150 sqm

client: Luxelake’s Cultural Tourism

lead designers: Lin Qianyi, Yang Dongzi

design team: Hou Jinwang, Li Min, Zhang Junbiao, Pan Baizhen, Li Zebing, Lin Liangji, Huang Yongliang

structural design: UDG

landscape design: WTD

photographer & videographer: SFAP

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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Located in Shima Park, Xiaobantian, Nantou, Bamboo Theater by Taiwanese artist Cheng Tsung FENG reinterprets the traditional bamboo theater, a once-common feature of temple festivals and community celebrations across Taiwan. Constructed from bamboo scaffolding, these temporary theaters historically served as cultural gathering points, combining craft, performance, and social exchange. Today, such structures have largely disappeared, replaced by modern frameworks and standardized materials.

In this project, FENG revisits the typology through contemporary stage design. The installation employs materials familiar to contemporary theater-making, including bamboo, wood, metal, rope, and tape, bridging historical craftsmanship with present-day construction techniques.

all images by FIXER Photographic Studio

Interwoven Bamboo Framework Shapes the theater in Nantou

The form of Bamboo Theater is defined by a radial arrangement of bamboo poles of varying lengths. Emerging from the central rear of the stage, the poles intersect and fan outward to create an open semicircular backdrop. Thick and slender bamboo members are interwoven and bound with rope, forming a net-like structure that recalls traditional scaffolding systems while maintaining structural clarity and visual rhythm. The woven density of the rear wall provides both support and texture, enhancing the depth and atmosphere of the performance space. At the front of the platform, bamboo poles are aligned in a linear formation, complemented by strips of white tape extending outward on the ground. This graphic treatment continues the stage’s radiating geometry, visually integrating the installation with its surroundings.

Beyond its symbolic reference, Bamboo Theater operates as an active public space. It accommodates community performances, cultural events, and everyday use, offering seating and shade within the park setting. By merging vernacular construction methods with contemporary materials and spatial language, artist Cheng Tsung FENG demonstrates how traditional building culture can adapt to modern contexts, preserving continuity while allowing for reinterpretation.

Bamboo Theater stands in Shima Park, Xiaobantian, Nantou, Taiwan

the installation reinterprets Taiwan’s disappearing tradition of bamboo theaters

the structure employs bamboo, wood, metal, rope, and tape in its construction

interwoven bamboo members create a net-like structural framework

a radial arrangement of bamboo poles defines the theater’s open form

bamboo poles extend outward in a fan-like pattern from the rear of the stage

rope bindings recall the logic of traditional bamboo scaffolding systems

traditional craftsmanship meets contemporary stage-building materials

the woven backdrop provides both structural stability and visual depth

varying pole thicknesses produce rhythm and texture within the design

white tape on the ground highlights the stage’s radial geometry

the theater merges vernacular building methods with modern construction

the installation operates as a functioning stage for community events

project info:

name: Bamboo Theater

artist: Cheng Tsung FENG | @chengtsungfeng

location: Shima Park, Nantou, Taiwan

organizer: Agriculture Department, Nantou County Government
curator: Chitiansky Co., Ltd.
project designer: Ching Chen CHANG, Hong Lin LIU, Chan Wei HSU
structural analysis: Chien Chuan Engineering Consulting Co
surveying: Yuhui Surveying Engineering
woodwork: Weige Interior
metalwork: Wen-Chin HSU
bamboo structure: Quan Sheng Bamboo Scaffolding
lighting design: Oude Light
lighting engineer: Beamtec Lighting

photographer: FIXER Photographic Studio | @fixer_photographic_studio

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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At Danongdafu Forest Park in Guangfu Township, Hualien, Taiwan, artist Cheng Tsung FENG designs Nesting Plan VII: Formosan Wild Boar. The outdoor installation translates the nest-building behavior of the native Formosan wild boar into architectural form. The project is part of FENG’s ongoing Nest Plan series, which investigates the construction practices of animals and reinterprets them through human craftsmanship and building materials. By studying the boar’s instinctive nesting methods, FENG develops a structural system that reflects both the animal’s habits and its spatial logic.

Constructed from locally sourced Japanese cedar and Makino bamboo, the installation draws from two behavioral patterns: the piling of dry grass and branches to form a protective enclosure, and the animal’s tendency to rest inside the nest while facing the entrance, a posture of alertness to the external environment. These observations are translated into a series of interlocking pentagonal and hexagonal frames that overlap from front to back, forming a semi-spherical enclosure reminiscent of a curled body at rest.

all images by FIXER Photographic Studio

Layered bamboo and wood structure shapes FENG’s installation

Around the wooden framework, bamboo branches wrapped in white tape create a layered surface that references the texture of wild grasses. The interplay between the rigid geometric structure and the loose, fibrous exterior gives the work both architectural order and organic fluidity. Inside, a circular arrangement of benches defines a shared central space. The interior provides shade and seating, while encouraging visitors to experience the sense of concealment and attentiveness found in the animal’s nest. The installation serves as both a small gathering point for outdoor activities and a quiet resting place within the forest park. Through Nesting Plan VII, artist Cheng Tsung FENG continues his exploration of how natural behaviors can inform spatial design, positioning the work as a study in coexistence between human architecture and animal habitats.

Nesting Plan VII: Formosan Wild Boar by Cheng Tsung FENG at Danongdafu Forest Park, Hualien

the installation translates the nest-building behavior of the Formosan wild boar into architectural form

the work is part of FENG’s ongoing Nest Plan series exploring animal construction and spatial intelligence

constructed from locally sourced Japanese cedar and Makino bamboo

interlocking pentagonal and hexagonal frames form the structure’s geometric framework

inside, circular benches define a central space for gathering and reflection

the form is inspired by the way wild boars pile grass and branches to build protective enclosures

overlapping layers create a semi-spherical enclosure resembling a curled body at rest

reflecting the boar’s instinct to rest inside its nest while facing the entrance in alertness

visitors experience the spatial logic of concealment and attentiveness found in the animal’s nest

the bamboo exterior is wrapped in white tape, evoking the texture of wild grasses

the layered bamboo skin softens the precision of the wooden framework

the design creates a dialogue between rigid geometry and organic material expression

project info:

name: Nesting Plan VII Formosan Wild Boar

artist: Cheng Tsung FENG | @chengtsungfeng

location: Danongdafu Forest Park, Hualien, Taiwan

adviser: Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Hualien Branch
curator: Sen Shen Studio, Kao Kung Chi Studio

project designers: Ching Cheng CHANG, Chan Wei HSU
structural analysis: Jian Quan Engineering Consultants
woodwork: Yi Chuang Timber Structure
metal work: Rui Yang Laser
lighting design: OuDe Light
lighting engineer: Beamtec Lighting

photographer: FIXER Photographic Studio | @fixer_photographic_studio

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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BaleBio, a bamboo pavilion designed by Cave Urban for Bauhaus Earth’s ReBuilt initiative, pioneers carbon-negative architecture in Bali while reimagining the traditional communal spaces of the island for a changing climate. Rising above the sands of Mertasari Beach in Denpasar, the 84-square-meter structure transforms a disused car park into a living community hub, an open meeting space that merges environmental performance with social purpose.

In a city where coastal construction is often driven by tourism, BaleBio serves as a prototype for buildings that store carbon instead of emitting it and that house collective needs. Its design draws on the Bale Banjar, the traditional village hall central to Balinese social life, reinterpreting its open and inclusive layout through contemporary engineering and a new understanding of ecological responsibility.

all images by Iwan Sastrawan for Bauhaus Earth

barrel-vaulted roof shades the BAMBOO PAVILION

The sweeping, barrel-vaulted roof of the pavilion rises 8.5 meters above the beach. Crafted by the multidisciplinary design studio Cave Urban for the Bauhaus Earth research institution from slender bamboo rafters and clad in pelupuh (flattened bamboo), the canopy offers natural ventilation and passive cooling. Beneath it, a structural frame of laminated petung bamboo, locally sourced, resin-bonded, and compressed, delivers the strength and precision of steel or timber without the associated carbon cost.

All components were grown, processed, and assembled in Indonesia, establishing a circular supply chain. Construction combined traditional joinery techniques with precision-engineered fittings. Locally sourced volcanic rock, lime plaster, and repurposed terracotta roof tiles contribute to thermal mass and reduce embodied energy, integrating bio-based, geo-based, and reused materials into a coherent system.

designed by Cave Urban for Bauhaus Earth’s ReBuilt initiative | © Bas Princen for Bauhaus Earth

from cradle to construction: beyond zero emissions

A life cycle assessment conducted by environmental engineering consultancy Eco Mantra confirmed BaleBio as verifiably carbon-negative from cradle to construction. The project records an 110% reduction in embodied carbon compared with a conventional build, saving over 53 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to planting more than 2,400 trees. In quantitative terms, its carbon outcome stands at –5,907 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent against a baseline of nearly 60,000 kg.

This rigorous evaluation extends the impact of the project beyond aesthetics or symbolism. By treating the building itself as a test case for a new value chain, Bauhaus Earth and its partners demonstrate the feasibility of carbon-negative construction at an architectural, social, and industrial scale.

this bamboo pavilion pioneers carbon-negative architecture in Bali

a regenerative anchor for local life

Since opening, BaleBio has become a gathering point for residents and visitors alike. What was once a neglected urban plot has turned into a public stage, classroom, and meeting place, reactivating local participation through design. The project’s collaborative process, with contributions from Warmadewa University, community organizations, and local artisans, makes sure that the pavilion remains rooted in its cultural context even as it experiments with global standards of sustainable construction.

For its combined achievements in material innovation, carbon performance, and civic value, BaleBio received three major international distinctions in 2025: the Australian Good Design Award for Social Impact, a commendation from the Built by Nature Prize, and Gold in Excellent Architecture at the German Design Award in the Circular Design and Fair & Exhibition categories.

These accolades highlight the broader ambition of the project to redefine what good design means in an age of climate urgency. BaleBio is part of Bauhaus Earth’s ReBuilt initiative, which seeks to catalyze systemic change in the construction industry through applied research, bio-based materials, and the development of cities as natural carbon sinks.

the sweeping, barrel-vaulted roof of the pavilion rises 8.5 meters above the beach

the design draws on the Bale Banjar

reimagining the traditional communal spaces of the island for a changing climate

crafted from slender bamboo rafters and clad in pelupuh

the project records an 110% reduction in embodied carbon compared with a conventional build

BaleBio positions itself as a prototype for buildings that store carbon instead of emitting it

a structural frame of laminated petung bamboo delivers the strength and precision of steel or timber

all components were grown, processed, and assembled in Indonesia

Bauhaus Earth and its partners demonstrate the feasibility of carbon-negative construction

locally sourced volcanic rock, lime plaster, and repurposed terracotta roof tiles contribute to thermal mass

integrating bio-based, geo-based, and reused materials into a coherent system

project info:

name: BaleBio Pavilion

concept: Bauhaus Earth | @bauhaus_earth

design: Cave Urban | @caveurban

location: Mertasari Beach, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia

area: 84 square meters

structural engineering: Atelier One

project management: Bamboo Village Trust

community engagement: Kota Kita, Warmadewa University

government engagement: Gamalaw

LCA analysis: Eco Mantra

manufacturing: Indobamboo, Kaltimber, Bhoomi, Bamboo Pure, Wedoo, Rothoblaas

funding: German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN)

photographer: Iwan Sastrawan 

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In the heart of Mandalay, Myanmar, a cluster of 26 bamboo houses designed by Yangon-based studio Blue Temple has become an unexpected emblem of resilience. When a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar in March 2025, leveling much of the region, the lightweight Housing NOW units, built for families displaced by conflict, stood firm. Not a single home collapsed. What began as an experimental effort to provide dignified, low-cost shelter in one of the world’s most fragile contexts has now proven itself as a field-tested, earthquake-resistant housing system.

all images by Aung Htay Hlaing and Raphaël Ascoli

Housing NOW’s units are built alongside their tenants

Each modular home by Blue Temple can be assembled in under a week using a bundled small-diameter bamboo system. The technique transforms an overlooked, abundantly available material into a structurally interlocking frame that absorbs seismic shocks. Families participate in the assembly alongside the technical team of the Yangon-based practice, learning construction techniques that strengthen community resilience while reducing dependency on external aid.

The earthquake became the ultimate proof of concept for Housing NOW, a socially driven construction project that has been developing quietly since 2019 across conflict-affected regions of Myanmar. In total, 79 units have been built to date, with 500 printed DIY Bamboo Manuals distributed nationwide to empower communities to construct safe homes with local tools and materials. The initiative also experiments with cash-for-shelter upgrades, providing technical advice to improve existing self-built homes.

the resistant cluster of 26 bamboo houses designed by studio Blue Temple

the lightweight Housing NOW units are built from bamboo

families participate in the assembly alongside Blue Temple’s technical team

the housing units are built for families displaced by conflict

when a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, the units stood firm

each modular home can be assembled in under a week using a bundled small-diameter bamboo system

the construction uses an overlooked, abundantly available material

bamboo is transformed into a structurally interlocking frame that absorbs seismic shocks

the earthquake became the ultimate proof of concept for Housing NOW

project info: 

name: Housing NOW | @housingnow.designs
architects: Blue Temple | @bluetempledesigns
location: Mandalay, Myanmar
construction manager: Ko Zin
unit cost: USD $1,000–$1,300
photography: Aung Htay Hlaing, Raphaël Ascoli

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Bamboosaurus Studio designs Satimi.sook, an ice cream shop located on Thailand’s Koh Phangan, to reinterpret the site’s former coconut grove through architecture that integrates with its natural and cultural context. The project emphasizes continuity between built form and landscape, using local references to shape both structure and atmosphere. The design concept originates from the geometry and rhythm of the coconut palms that once occupied the site. Structural columns are placed in alignment with the original tree positions, maintaining a spatial rhythm that connects the new structure to its ecological history. A low-gable roof, derived from local vernacular architecture, responds to the tropical climate by reducing wind pressure during monsoon seasons while reinforcing the building’s contextual identity.

Bamboo defines the project’s architectural character, appearing in columns, partial walls, and roof detailing. The material’s tactile quality and local availability establish a visual and material link to the island’s environment. To ensure long-term durability in a tropical setting, bamboo is paired with steel framing, cement board, insulated metal sheets, and glass blocks. This combination allows for efficient construction and improved resistance to humidity and weather exposure.

Satimi.sook ice cream shop is located on Thailand’s Koh Phangan | all images by Sarawin Kawin

Bamboosaurus blends timber, bamboo, and steel for the design

Inside, the structural system merges a steel framework with timber framing and overlapping wood cladding to create a warm, cohesive environment. The street-facing facade, composed of timber, bamboo grids, and glass blocks, reflects the vertical rhythm of nearby trees and introduces filtered natural light into the interior. To reduce environmental disruption, the design team at Bamboosaurus Studio employs galvanized helical piles instead of traditional concrete foundations. This lightweight system is well-suited to the island’s sandy soil, allowing for quick installation without vibration or heavy excavation, thereby preserving nearby tree roots. The foundation system can also be dismantled and reused, minimizing construction waste and extending the building’s sustainability lifecycle.

Through its structural rhythm, material composition, and adaptive foundation, Satimi.sook demonstrates how small-scale commercial architecture can engage with landscape and tradition. The project translates the character of Koh Phangan’s coconut groves into a built environment that prioritizes ecological sensitivity, structural clarity, and local identity.

the low-gabled roof mitigates monsoon winds while reinforcing a sense of place

the design draws inspiration from the rhythm and geometry of coconut palms

the site is a former coconut grove, interspersed with various native trees

structural columns align with the original tree positions on the site

bamboo defines the project’s structural and visual character

the combination of bamboo, steel, and glass ensures strength and transparency

bamboo appears in columns, walls, and roof detailing

timber framing and wood cladding create a cohesive interior atmosphere

bamboo connects the architecture to local craftsmanship and landscape

the design maintains spatial continuity with the grove’s natural rhythm

project info:

name: Satimi.sook Ice Cream Shop

architect: Bamboosaurus | @bamboosaurus.studio
lead architect: Jirapong Thongseeon
location: Koh Phangan, Surat Thani, Thailand
area: 96 sqm

photographer: Sarawin Kawin

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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In Batuan, south of Ubud, RF Studio completes a residence for Yayasan Bali Purnati, a foundation dedicated to the performing arts in Bali. The project expands the foundation’s grounds with three villas and nine guest rooms designed to host artists-in-residence and support public programming. The architects conceive the form as an extension that integrates into the landscape with minimal intervention, merging with rice fields, native vegetation, and the rhythms of daily life on the island.

The design draws inspiration from the existing features of the site, including trees, volcanic stone, bamboo, salvaged wood, and terracotta, and weaves around the site’s contours to create a series of interconnected living spaces.

all images by Tommaso Riva

local artisans collaborate with the architects for the interiors

The collaboration between the lead designer of RF Studio’s team and artist Rafael Freyre and Yayasan Bali Purnati began in 2002, when the Peruvian architect first arrived on the island with drawings in hand, accompanied by the late theater director Robert Wilson after a summer at the Watermill Center in New York. 

The residence complements the foundation’s amphitheater and stage, framing architecture as part of a living system. Interiors were realized in close collaboration with local artisans, with all furniture and fixtures crafted specifically for the site. ‘It’s not about building something new. It’s about uncovering what is already here. The spirit of the place is older than us. The architecture just listens and reacts,’ Freyre notes.

in Batuan, south of Ubud, RF Studio completes a residence for Yayasan Bali Purnati

the project is designed to host Yayasan Bali Purnati artists

Yayasan Bali Purnati is a platform where Balinese traditions intersect with contemporary experimentation, founded in 2000 by dancer Restu Imasari, writer Leonard Lueras, journalist and cultural organizer Justin B. Smith, Willem Eisenbeis, and Christopher Frank. Since its inception, it has welcomed artists across performance, dance, music, design, and visual arts, maintaining a strong connection to the local cultural fabric. Its artist-in-residence program, established in 2005, invites practitioners to spend extended time on the compound developing projects and often culminates in free public presentations.

With the new residence, the foundation strengthens its capacity to host international artists and offers an alternative to the rapid overdevelopment of the island. Daily acts like resting, bathing, watching the moon, and tending to gardens become part of a broader performative experience. ‘Rafael has created an architectural artwork in the heart of Bali’s leading international arts foundation, renewing a tradition that started 26 years ago in the rice fields south of Ubud,’ co-founder Justin B. Smith reflects.  

the foundation is dedicated to the performing arts in Bali

expanding the foundation’s grounds with three villas and nine guest rooms

designed to host artists-in-residence and support public programming

an extension that integrates into the landscape

the design draws inspiration from the existing features of the site

trees, volcanic stone, bamboo, salvaged wood, and terracotta shape the project

a series of interconnected living spaces

the buildings weave around the site’s contours

stage area of the Yayasan Bali Purnati

framing architecture as part of a living system

the residence complements the foundation’s amphitheater and stage

since its inception, Yayasan Bali Purnati has welcomed artists across performance, dance, music, design, and visual arts

inviting practitioners to spend extended time on the compound

project info:

name: Nine-room residence for Yayasan Bali Purnati

architect: RF Studio | @rfstudioperu

location: Batuan, Bali, Indonesia

lead architect: Rafael Freyre

client: Yayasan Bali Purnati (The Bali Purnati Center for the Arts) | @balipurnati

photographer: Tommaso Riva | @tommasorivaphotography

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Shanghai-based studio Archi-Union designs this landmark Linpan Cloud Eye as a community center in Qingxia Town, a rural village of China‘s Sichuan Province. The three-level building can be found about an hour’s drive from Chengdu. Surrounded by bamboo forest and mountain streams, the project serves as a cultural and community health hub while embracing the site’s natural topography.

The center is tucked into a hillside clearing where a stream enters from the east. Archi-Union retained the dense bamboo grove and arranged the program around a small courtyard that steps upward with the slope. Activity spaces occupy the lower two floors, and a third-floor terrace opens to mountain views. This vertical layering creates a parallel relationship with a nearby cliffside and frames distant fields through roof apertures, inspiring its name, ‘Cloud Eye.’

images © Ke Wang

archi-union’s digitally-designed rooftop

Visitors enter along a bamboo-lined path, which the team at Archi-Union designs to conceal the Linpan Cloud Eye until the last turn. A flowing roof canopy guides them into a series of outdoor platforms that link interior and exterior spaces. Three primary courtyards — a bamboo entry, a central green, and a roof terrace — are open for community gatherings and everyday use. Wide openings and covered walkways reflect traditional Sichuan typologies while maintaining clear circulation.

The building can be recognized by its dramatic rooftop, whose sculptural construction is supported by three curved steel beams. The precise geometries of these beams were generated through digital modeling, then rationalized into straight segments for efficient fabrication. A skin of locally-crafted bamboo finishes the ceilings and handrails, bringing an element of regional craft to the contemporary architecture. These natural textures soften the concrete and steel structure and reinforce the center’s dialogue with its environment.

Linpan Cloud Eye sits within a bamboo forest in China’s Sichuan Province

robotic craft for a rural site

A key interior feature of the Linpan Cloud Eye is its ‘water wall,’ a 3D-printed element created by Archi-Union to capture the movement of nearby creek water in sculpted folds. The architects used algorithmic design to translate the water’s shifting surface into machine-readable code, allowing robots to fabricate the panels with precision. The result brings a digital logic to a project otherwise defined by its handcrafted bamboo work and rural design language.

Elevated ground-floor areas hover over the bamboo grove, while upper levels offer quieter spaces and panoramic platforms. By combining advanced construction methods with vernacular forms and local craft, the project establishes a contemporary precedent for rural development that honors its landscape and lends a space for the community.

the building follows the natural slope with three vertically-stacked levels

the flowing rooftop guides visitors through courtyards and terraces

traditional bamboo weaving softens the concrete and steel structure

three curved steel beams, generated by digital modeling, support the continuous roof

a 3D-printed water wall echoes the motion of nearby creek water

the project hybridizes advanced fabrication methods with regional craft

project info:

name: Linpan Cloud Eye

architect: Archi-Union | @archi_union

location: Chengdu, China

area: 868 square meters

completion: 2022

photography: © Ke Wang

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