From high-tech hoverbikes to solar-powered two-wheelers, our TOP 10 Motorcycles of 2025 show an updated in personal mobility, where form, systems, and user experience drives the new designs. Engineers and designers are rethinking vehicles not just as machines, but as transport experience, similar to James Bruton’s omnidirectional bike with circus balls as rotating wheels as well as Jake Carlini’s wearable electric motorcycle transforms the rider into part of the vehicle, with a rear-wheel motor strapped to his leg. Energy independence and thinking of environmental impact are also recurring themes on this list, with MASK Architects’ SOLARIS that uses retractable photovoltaic wings and a lithium storage unit to operate entirely on solar power.

Volonaut Airbike uses jet propulsion and carbon-fiber structures for its personal mobility, relying on stabilization and compact design to allow its aircraft to hover. Then, cultural references shape other vehicles, as seen in Ichiban’s electric motorcycle that channels Akira’s anime, complete with a Godzilla mode. There’s also Kaminari Superbike, which combines cyberpunk and anime with mechanical structures reminiscent of robot arms, vertical handlebars, and neon displays. The Honda Pokémon Koraidon motorcycle, on the other hand, shows a play between character-inspired forms and interactive surfaces. Across all these projects, a pattern emerges: designers fuse technology, mobility, and identity, turning vehicles into extensions of user’s preferences, needs, and imagination, experimenting modern capabilities for what a motorcycle, hoverbike, or concept vehicle can be.

DRIFT BIKE WITH WHEELS MADE OF CIRCUS BALLS GLIDES

image courtesy of James Bruton

James Bruton builds a bike that moves in all directions using three wheels instead of two. Each wheel uses a plastic circus ball as the contact point with the ground, replacing the normal tires, as they allow sliding, rotation, and sideways movement. The three wheels sit under the frame to let the bike, which made it to our top 10 motorcycles of 2025, move forward, backward, sideways, and rotate in place. Only two wheels connect to motors, and the third wheel stays free and supports balance. Small rollers sit around the wheels to create sideways motion while the ball rolls on the ground. Together, the ball and rollers act as a flexible tire system that can balance itself.

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WEARABLE MOTORCYCLE MAKES USERS RIDE WHILE PLANKING

image courtesy of Jake Carlini

Jake Carlini creates a wearable electric motorcycle suit by reusing parts from his broken electric bike. The rider moves in a planking position, close to the ground, without a seat. The rear wheel has the electric motor, and the designer removes it from the bike frame and attaches it directly to his legs. He uses painter’s stilt straps to hold the wheel forks against his shins to lock his lower legs into the motor assembly. The wheel then provides forward motion through a leg-mounted drive. Power comes from the original bike battery that the designer places into the back pocket of a vest. Since the pocket is too small, he cuts openings and reinforces the fabric with glue. The vest becomes the housing for the battery and wiring, and cables run from the vest along his arms to the controls.

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SELF-CHARGING SOLAR MOTORCYCLE FREES RIDERS FROM FUEL

image courtesy of MASK Architects

MASK Architects presents SOLARIS, a self-charging solar motorcycle developed under the studio’s ‘Invent and Integrate’ design method. It is built to study mobility systems that do not depend on fuel stations, power grids, or charging points, as the motorcycle, which forms part of our top 10 motorcycles of 2025, produces and uses its own energy. The core of the project is the solar charging system. SOLARIS uses circular photovoltaic wings mounted on the body that fold out when the motorcycle is parked. In this position, they collect sunlight and send energy to an onboard lithium battery. When riding, the wings retract, and the vehicle runs as an electric motorcycle powered by stored solar energy. In this way the motorcycle acts as both a vehicle and a charging unit.

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MOTORCYCLE FOR THE SKIES GLIDES FOR THE FIRST TIME

image courtesy of Volonaut

Volonaut Airbike is a personal flying vehicle developed by Tomasz Patan, known for Jetson ONE. The project tha’s on our top 10 motorcycles of 2025 focuses on a single-rider air vehicle that lifts from the ground and moves forward in open air. The first public flight took place on May 1, 2025, and the demonstration showed vertical lift, forward motion, and controlled hovering. The Airbike uses a structure based on carbon fiber and 3D-printed parts. The design removes a surrounding frame and places the rider in an open position, who leans forward, similar to a motorcycle posture. There is no cabin, no cage, and no enclosure to give the rider a full field of view in all directions.

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FLYING TRICYCLE CAN HOVER ON ITS OWN

image courtesy of Kuickwheel

Kuickwheel presents Skyrider X6 as a vehicle that moves on land and in the air. The project combines an electric tricycle with a vertical takeoff and landing system, with a structure that follows a three-wheel layout. The design places one wheel at the front and two wheels at the rear. The rear wheels connect to a mid-mounted electric drive system, and it supports balance when the vehicle moves on roads and when it lands after flight. On land, the vehicle operates like an electric tricycle. The body structure uses carbon fiber and aviation-grade aluminum. These materials support flight loads and road use. The vehicle includes six exposed rotors for lift, enabling vertical takeoff, hovering, and vertical landing. The flight system also supports automatic takeoff, route planning, cruising, and landing. 

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ICHIBAN MOTORCYCLE FEATURES A GODZILLA RIDING MODE

image courtesy of Ichiban Motorcycles

Ichiban Motorcycles introduces an electric motorcycle inspired by Shotaro Kaneda’s bike from the anime Akira. The team also draws ideas from 1980s motorcycle designs and full-wheel-drive models. The vehicle has a feature called Godzilla mode. Riders can twist the throttle to activate it, which temporarily increases torque and power for 10 seconds. This boosts acceleration and top speed during short bursts. The exterior design follows the Japanese principle of Kanso, which means simplicity or purity so the two-wheeler, which is on our top 10 motorcycles of 2025, has two gray panels covering the engine and geometric shapes defining the body and seat. 

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HONDA RELEASES POKÉMON KORAIDON MOTORCYCLE

image courtesy of Honda

Honda presents the Pokémon Koraidon motorcycle, a vehicle designed to resemble the character Koraidon from Pokémon Scarlet. The motorcycle was displayed at Honda Welcome Plaza Aoyama in Tokyo from March 7th to March 9th, 2025, as part of the Honda Koraidon Project and is supervised by The Pokémon Company. The main technological feature of the motorcycle is balance control through Honda Riding Assist, a system that was first shown at CES 2017. It allows the motorcycle to remain upright without a kickstand, and it can balance itself if the rider briefly removes their hands from the handlebars. This makes the vehicle stable during slow speeds or stops. The Honda Pokémon Koraidon motorcycle also has moving parts that bring the character to life. Its hands, feet, neck, face, eyes, and eyelids move, replicating the character’s animation from the video game.

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KAWASAKI UNVEILS FOUR-LEGGED ROBOT THAT WALKS

image courtesy of Kawasaki

Kawasaki introduced CORLEO at Expo 2025 Osaka in its pavilion, Mobile Instincts. The project is a hydrogen-powered off-road mobility concept that moves on four robotic legs instead of wheels, designed to combine the riding experience of a motorcycle with the ability to navigate rugged terrain, including mountains, slopes, and steps. The chassis of CORLEO is shaped to let the rider sit in a forward posture similar to a motorcycle. Each of the four legs has a swing arm that absorbs shocks and adjusts to uneven surfaces. At the end of each leg, there is a hoof made from split, slip-resistant rubber. These hooves can conform to surfaces such as grass, gravel, and rock, and this system, as seen on our top 10 motorcycles of 2025, keeps the vehicle stable even over complex terrain.

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ROTATABLE YAMAHA MOTORCYCLE CAN TWIST 180 DEGREES

image courtesy of Yamaha Motor Corporation

Yamaha introduces the MOTOROiD:Λ, an electric motorcycle that can rotate its rear section 180 degrees while moving. This concept follows the MOTOROiD2 project from 2023 and was shown at the Japan Mobility Show 2025 in Tokyo. The motorcycle has an arch-like frame connecting its front and rear sections and allows the rear part to twist sideways and then return to its original position automatically. The system also uses AI to control movement, balance, and turning without help from the rider. The MOTOROiD:Λ learns from both its own behavior and the riding habits of its owner. The AI adjusts speed, braking, and tilt to maintain balance while turning, and this machine learning allows the vehicle to make decisions in real time. The frame is lightweight and bendable, helping the motorcycle handle stress during movement tests and maintain stability when standing or moving without a rider.

read more here

KAMINARI SUPERBIKE REFERS TO CYBERPUNK FOR ITS SCI-FI DESIGN 

image courtesy of Braz de Pina

The Kaminari Superbike, which is part of our top 10 motorcycles of 2025 is a concept motorcycle inspired by cyberpunk, anime, and metal hero designs. Brazilian designer Braz de Pina created two 3D models, one in silver called Silver Arrow and another in white with red accents. The engine design is unusual: it stretches like a robot arm and anchors the front and rear wheels. Large screws are placed along the engine and near the tires, giving a mechanical, sci-fi feel. The wheels differ by colorway. The silver model uses sleeker tires, while the white model has chunkier wheels, which suggests more aggressive cruising. The upper body of the bike does not have conventional support. The front part hangs above the engine and balances using the seat trunk, which is connected at the rear of the engine. This upper section has shapes that resemble stairs or futuristic devices.

read more here

2024 — 2023 — 2022 — 2021 — 2020 — 2019 

2018 — 2017 — 2016 — 2015 — 2014 — 2013

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Inspired by the perceptual play of a kaleidoscope, Fumi Aso Architect & Associates has completed a single-story family residence that explores how light and seasonal conditions can continually reshape interior experience. The Kaleidoscape home sits on a flagpole-shaped plot in downtown Tajimi, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, a commercially zoned area now characterized by population decline and underused land. Although the generous site could have supported a far larger structure, the architects honored the client’s wish for a modest, ground-hugging dwelling. The design arranges a cylindrical main volume intersected by a secondary wing, creating a simple and climate-responsive composition that quietly transforms as natural light and daily life interact with its form.

all images by Yousuke Ohtake courtesy of Fumi Aso Architect & Associates

SHIFTING LIGHT BRINGS MOVEMENT TO SIMPLE VOLUMES

The T-shaped site offered many possible arrangements, but Fumi Aso Architect & Associates chose a streamlined strategy in response to rising construction costs during the COVID-19 period. Within this clarity of form, the cylindrical volume becomes the experiential core of the project, with carefully placed openings that frame shifting fragments of sky, sunlight, and surrounding views. As light moves across the white interior surfaces, the atmosphere drifts between softness and intensity, giving the home a quiet sense of motion.

Along the southern edge, a deck and deep eaves establish a versatile zone that is warm and sheltered in winter and comfortably shaded in summer when a tarp is hung. A nearby veranda, designed for a family who enjoys outdoor living, extends daily activities into a semi-outdoor space where meals, play, and rest can unfold with ease. To the north, a freestanding wall creates a shaded terrace that protects the exterior from direct sun, an essential consideration in Tajimi, a city known for some of the highest summer temperatures in Japan. The Kobe-based practice also left the northwest corner open for future gardening and connected it to a wide corridor outside the children’s room.

the home sits on a flagpole-shaped plot in downtown Tajimi

A HOME SHAPED BY APPROACH, FORM, AND CLIMATE

A long approach path gradually shapes the experience of arrival, and the western side of this entry sequence has been reserved for the planting of fruit trees that will mature over time. Inside, the high ceiling and triangular roof enhance gravity ventilation, easing the demands of the region’s extreme heat. From the street, the broad roof surface becomes a defining feature, its gentle slope toward the town giving the building a soft and welcoming presence. Through its simple geometry, climate responsiveness, and sensitive attention to light, the residence settles into the neighborhood with an understated yet expressive character.

the simple and climate-responsive composition quietly transforms as natural light interacts with its form

carefully placed openings that frame shifting fragments of sky, sunlight, and surrounding views

the high ceiling and triangular roof enhance gravity ventilation

as light moves across the white interior surfaces, the atmosphere drifts between softness and intensity

the residence settles into the neighborhood with an understated yet expressive character

the veranda is designed for a family who enjoys outdoor living

the architects honored the client’s wish for a modest, ground-hugging dwelling

daily activities extend to a semi-outdoor space where meals, play, and rest can unfold with ease

the open-plan core of the residence features vaulted ceilings

exposed timber beams create a dynamic living space

the openings allow light to pour in and interact with the wooden flooring

project info:

name: Kaleidoscape
architects: Fumi Aso Architect & Associates | @fumiaso
location: Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan
photography: Yousuke Ohtake | @yosukeohtake_archiphoto

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Poppins Nursery School Karuizawa Kazakoshi, designed by NIKKEN SEKKEI, is a single-story wooden nursery school in Japan. Located in a highland resort area of Karuizawa, near Lake Shiozawa and Kazakoshi Park, the structure overlooks Mount Asama. The building is positioned diagonally at the center of the site to naturally separate the south-facing playground from the north-facing parking area, making use of the site’s existing slope and minimizing the need for new barriers along the western retaining wall.

The project is defined by two leaf-shaped roofs of different heights. Childcare rooms are placed beneath the lower roof, while the higher roof covers the hall and staff facilities. The floor plan is designed so that all childcare rooms face the outdoor garden, and the hall functions as the central gathering space where children engage in group activities. Large windows introduce daylight and provide views of the surrounding landscape throughout the year.

Spatial divisions rely on wooden columns rather than enclosed walls, creating a continuous interior environment that supports movement and visual connection across age groups. The six nursery rooms, grouped into zones for ages 0-2 and 3-5, feature lower ceiling heights and a smaller spatial scale suited to young children. Each room connects to the hall through column-defined openings, allowing for gradual transitions between spaces and enabling interaction between different age groups.

all images by Norihito Yamauchi

NIKKEN SEKKEI employs Timber framework and Dual Roof Planes

The design team at NIKKEN SEKKEI opts for material and environmental strategies that emphasize wood as the primary interior finish. This approach aims to create a unified atmosphere across childcare rooms, circulation zones, and the hall. High-side windows located between the two roofs supply natural light and support gravity-based ventilation during mild seasons, reducing dependency on artificial lighting and mechanical cooling.

Structurally, the project employs two simple, untwisted roof planes cut into organic, leaf-like geometries that taper toward the eaves. These roof surfaces were constructed using standard laminated timber without special curved components. Columns are slightly angled along the curve of the plan so that their intersections with beams remain nearly vertical, allowing the use of common connection hardware and reducing the need for custom structural fittings. Double timber columns (120 × 240 mm European red pine) are arranged at regular 1,820 mm intervals, corresponding to plywood module dimensions and creating a rhythmic structural grid reminiscent of loosely defined forest-like zones.

By standardizing short-span joint details and optimizing material use, the project maintains a clear structural expression while remaining efficient to construct within a limited schedule and budget. The spatial volume beneath the high roof accommodates the hall, kitchen, and staff areas, while mechanical equipment is placed in the ceiling space under the low roof to maximize usable interior area.

a leaf-shaped roof defines the low, child-scaled volumes of the nursery

the building sits on a highland site overlooking Mount Asama

organic roof geometries taper toward the eaves

wooden columns replace walls to create an open interior flow

large windows bring natural light into the hall

laminated timber is used to form the untwisted roof planes

column-defined openings allow gentle transitions between spaces

wood surfaces unify the childcare rooms and circulation areas

double timber columns create a rhythm across the interior grid

all childcare rooms face the outdoor garden

nursery rooms are divided into zones for ages 0-2 and 3-5

structural spacing corresponds to standard plywood module dimensions

mechanical equipment is placed beneath the low roof to maximize space efficiency

high-side windows between the two roof levels channel light in and out of the interior

project info:

name: Poppins Nursery School Karuizawa Kazakoshi
architect: Nikken Sekkei Ltd | @nikkensekkei_global
location: Karuizawa, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano Prefecture, Japan

site area: 2699.04 sqm

total floor area: 494.46 sqm

contractor: Seibu Construction Co., Ltd.

photographer: Norihito Yamauchi

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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Drawing Architecture Studio has completed a large-scale, site-specific rolling ball installation in Chengdu, China, commissioned by Taikoo Li Chengdu, an open-air, low-rise commercial and cultural district in the city center. Installed for the holiday season in a central plaza facing a thousand-year-old temple, the installation titled Fun Palace transforms the site into an immersive landscape of movement, combining five looping ball-track systems with five sculptural architectural forms. Drawing on Aldo Rossi’s ideas of architecture as a repository of collective memory and echoing the spirit of Luna Luna, the 1987 Hamburg art amusement park that turned works by artists such as Keith Haring and Salvador Dalí into playful public experiences, the public installation frames architecture as a tool for joy, participation, and everyday wonder.

2025 winter public art installation at Taikoo Li Chengdu | all images © Arch-Exist Photography unless stated otherwise

‘fun Palace’ Weaves Kinetic Landscape into Chengdu plaza

The Fun Palace installation occupies a plaza framed by ginkgo trees and a shallow reflecting pool, a space that becomes the setting for a temporary artwork each holiday season. Drawing Architecture Studio fills the site with overlapping tracks that weave around five miniature buildings, creating a layered environment that visitors can walk through, observe, and inhabit. Each building functions both as an independent sculpture and as a key node within the kinetic system, redirecting the rolling balls and altering their speed as they pass through.

At ground level, the curved outline of the installation echoes the fluid geometry of the tracks above, while parts of the system extend into the surrounding tree clusters, visually integrating architecture and landscape. Colorful metal balls and custom benches are scattered throughout the plaza, encouraging visitors to pause and watch the choreography of movement unfold.

the Stage, echoing the forms of Sichuan opera headpieces

Everyday Rituals Transformed into Playful Architectural Forms

The five sculptural forms reinterpret familiar local activities, eating hotpot, visiting teahouses, playing mahjong, watching Sichuan opera, and skiing in nearby mountains, into fictional ‘architectural sculptures.’ These memories shape both the appearance of the structures and the specific routes of the rolling balls, turning cultural references into spatial and kinetic experiences.

Constructed from ordinary corrugated PVC panels, the installation maintains an everyday material language while achieving a precise and carefully crafted finish. Fun Palace ultimately proposes a lighter, more playful role for architecture in public space, one that invites curiosity and shared experience within the contemporary urban fabric. 

the Mahjong Building, referencing both mahjong tables and the zigzag staircases of the locally well-known Yuanyang Building

the Teahouse | image © UNIQ Energy

the Hotpot City, drawn from the image of a hotpot

the Teahouse, inspired by Sichuan’s long-neck teapots

the Ski Tower, reinterpreting the watchtowers of Qiang villages outside Chengdu

the Hotpot City within the track network | image © UNIQ Energy

the rolling ball track network | image © UNIQ Energy

the installation titled Fun Palace transforms the site into an immersive landscape of movement

the Stage interwoven with the track network

the installation combines five looping ball-track systems with five sculptural architectural forms | image © UNIQ Energy

project info: 

name: Fun Palace
architects: Drawing Architecture Studio | @drawingarchitecturestudio
design team: Li Han, Hu Yan, Zhang Xintong

curation & track structure design: UNIQ Energy

location: Chengdu, China

The post playful rolling ball installation by drawing architecture studio transforms chengdu plaza appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Stratos Beer’s concept spider-like MK1 drone delivers canned drinks anywhere and drops them on-site using individual mini parachutes. Comprising a central keg-looking body for storage and a series of foldable propeller arms, the beer delivery drone with parachutes can land on different types of surfaces using the controlled electric motors powered by a rechargeable battery system. Since it is a drone, sensors for navigation and automatic stabilization during flight are included to make sure that users safely receive their cans of beers and drinks.

The beer delivery drone with parachutes works using the dedicated Stratos App, which lets users place orders. It locates them using GPS and sends flight instructions to the drone. Once a location is confirmed, the flying device departs from a distribution point carrying either cans or a mini keg. The app also includes tracking and status updates so the user can see when the drone is approaching, and the navigation is based on autonomous drone mapping systems that calculate flight paths and avoid obstacles. The beer delivery drone with parachutes is made of aerospace-inspired materials and carbon fiber, and its parts are molded and combined with aluminum joints. The internal cooling system inside the storage bay keeps the cans of beer cold during flight.

all images courtesy of Stratos Beer

Autonomous flying device with foldable propeller arms

The MK1 flying device by Stratos Beer can deliver canned drinks in two formats. The first option is for individual cans, with each drone able to carry up to eight cans at once. These containers are held in a custom-built internal compartment that releases them one by one. When the drone reaches the delivery point, the cans are dropped using mini parachutes, slowly coming down to allow the cans to land without damage. The system also includes sensors that calculate height and wind direction before release to make sure each lands near the user. The second delivery format is designed for events or gatherings. In this case, the drone carries a 5-liter mini keg instead of cans.

The barrel is locked into a circular mount that keeps it steady during flight. When it arrives, the device lands instead of dropping the keg, then the folding arms of the beer delivery drone with parachutes adjust to form a stable base so it can rest on uneven surfaces. The keg itself is cylindrical and includes a small internal pump and rotating handles for easy pouring, made from stainless steel with reinforced side brackets for secure attachment during flight. Once on the ground, the keg can be detached and used immediately. After the event, the drone is programmed to collect the empty keg and return it to the distribution point. So far, there’s no news yet on the commercial and prototype production of Stratos’ beer delivery drone with mini parachutes.

the central body follows the shape of a keg

there are four foldable propeller arms installed

surface view of the flying device

the foldable arms double as a stand when the device is not in use

detailed view of the device

the beer delivery drone with parachutes can land on different types of surfaces

there’s a handle on top so users can carry it

the flying device can also deliver a keg for parties

so far, there’s no news yet on the device’s prototype or commercial production

project info:

name: MK1 Drone

design: Stratros Beer | @stratosbeer

designers: Benjamin Miller, Mason Watson, Tyler Bask

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: matthew burgos | designboom

The post spider-like drone made to deliver beer cans drops them using mini parachutes appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

‘I don’t really agree with the idea of utopianism,’ Sir Peter Cook tells designboom editor-in-chief, Sofia Lekka Angelopoulou, during our live conversation at the stage of the Basque Country International Architecture Biennial, Mugak/2025.

Curated by architect, researcher, and curator María Arana Zubiate, the biennial unfolds under the theme of Castles in the Air, or How to Build Utopia Today, exploring whether visionary thinking still has a place in an age dominated by pragmatism. The legendary architect and co-founder of Archigram participates in the exhibition with two projects – Plug-in City from 1964 and the more recent Filter City – presented as part of the section Escape Utopias alongside New Babylon by Constant, and Exodus and Hyperbuilding by Rem Koolhaas. 

Although many of his projects, including the Kunsthaus Museum in Graz, Austria, and the Drawing Studio for Arts University Bournemouth, have been realized, Cook’s most important tool remains drawing. Through fantastical, colorful drawings that express his visionary ideas of what cities could look like, he has influenced and inspired architecture and architectural thinking over the past six decades.

Sir Peter Cook and Sofia Lekka Angelopoulou at the stage of Mugak/2025

from ‘pie-in-the-skY SCHEMES’ to architectural reality

The British architect does not perceive the imaginary visions of his drawings as something separate to what might be buildable. ‘It is usual to say that there is the utopian world, and put a box around it, and then there’s the real world,’ he explains during our conversation. ‘In a lot of architecture schools, the professor will say, don’t look at that, it’s just a utopian idea, it has nothing to do with what can be done. And I think professors are often the worst offenders, because the fact that it might be buildable makes them slightly nervous. What do we tell the kids then?’

‘I don’t think there’s any dividing line. One day, I was chatting in the street with Rem Koolhaas, who used to live near me, and we were going through all the people we remembered at the Architectural Association who had been dismissed, including ourselves, as drawers. Drawing people who made these pie-in-the-sky schemes. And we listed about 20 of them, including ourselves, who had built. But it was very comfortable to say there’s utopia, and then there’s proper building.’

Here, Cook returns to a recurring theme in his thinking, that the distance between speculation and construction is far thinner than most assume.‘Had something like the Kunsthaus Museum in Graz been shown as a drawing, people would say, ah, yes, but it’s not a real building. And then it’s there, you can walk inside it, have a pee inside it, and put an exhibition inside it. It’s a building, like buildings are.

You can say that there are certain parts of it that are very normal, but there is no dividing line. And I still feel that quite vehemently. Just as it amused me to do the drawing that showed the Play Pavilion in London as a piece of Instant City. Because you could have taken that pavilion, put it in the Instant City drawing and say, oh, yes, that’s just a piece of it. I‘m not saying absolutely every drawing is 100% buildable, but it’s a bloody sight more buildable than people like to give it room for. And I think the connection is important.’ 

Kunsthaus Graz, bird’s-eye view | image Zepp-Cam. 2004/Graz, Austria

DRAWING AS CONTINUUM, NOT ESCAPE

Cook repeatedly returns to the danger of isolating speculative work from architectural practice. ‘If you categorize it as utopian and then declare that this is one thing and that is another, it becomes very, very dangerous,’ he warns. History, he observes, is full of ideas once dismissed as fantasy that eventually materialized. ‘There’s a whole history throughout civilization of things that were dreams that suddenly somebody was surprised by and said, oh, bloody hell, it’s there,’ he adds.

For Cook, the value of speculative work lies precisely in its proximity to reality. ‘Most of the buildings, even the sort of weirder things or imaginative things, have an arrangement of parts,’ he mentions. Whether inserting structures into a hillside or drawing something nearly abstract, he insists he always carries a clear sense of ‘the size of it and how you would access it and what you would make it from.’ His refusal to separate visionary thinking from architectural logic is consistent: ‘There is no dividing line.’

Plug-In City versus Kunsthaus Graz, drawing versus pavilion – for Cook, these are variations of the same continuum. Even projects that appear whimsical are rooted in architectural intent. This attitude extends to how he approaches teaching. He sees drawing as a space for testing architectural thinking. ‘We’re investigators,’ he tells us. ‘And you can investigate with a paintbrush or with a computer or with a measuring rod… we’re still in the doing-it business.’

Kunsthaus Graz, view from the Schlossberg | image Universalmuseum Joanneum/N. Lackner

OPTIMISM, COMPUTATION, AND THE FUTURE

When the conversation shifts to the future and whether optimism is still relevant, Cook’s response is immediate: ‘Oh, absolutely.’ But he is careful to distinguish optimism from naivety. He describes the pandemic as having become ‘a great excuse for gloomers,’ fuelling a culture of resignation he finds unhelpful. Instead, he places his hopes in the emerging generation of computational designers. ‘The people who are doing wonderful things with computational architecture do have the fire in their eyes. They still have the fire in their eyes.’ Geographically, he sees momentum shifting away from Europe. ‘I think the new architecture is coming from the far East,’ he suggests. ‘Not because of cultural ideology, but because they seem not quite so nervous.’

In response to the question about whether his works reflect escapism, Cook resists the idea. ‘There might be, but I would see that as a weakness,’ he replies. For him, these drawings are probes into alternative ways of living. His reflections drift toward the in-between spaces of the urban fabric, suburbs, valley towns, and industrial sheds threading through landscapes. ‘There are many forms of utopia… many forms of the device directed towards a notion,’ he notes.

What fascinates him is how environments stitch themselves together: ‘The notion of how you knit a city interests me tremendously.’ He describes flying over Spain, observing towns splintering into ‘shed, shed, shed,’ and becomes animated about the hidden intelligence within Chinese shophouses: ‘Is it a shop? Is it an industry? Is it family? Is it extended?’ These hybrid conditions, he argues, are not utopias at all but the material of architecture itself: ‘We’re in the let’s-see-how-you-do-it business.’

Filter City (2020s) | ink, color pencil, watercolor on paper, 50 x 50 cm | © Peter Cook

‘LOOK, LOOK, LOOK’: advice for the next generation

Invited to share what guidance he would offer to a younger generation intent on imagining beyond the ordinary, Cook answers without hesitation: ‘Look. I always say look.’ He illustrates the point with an anecdote about a talented AA student designing a bus station from an American reference rather than her own daily commute. ‘Do you remember getting off the bus?’ he had asked her, a question that, for him, exposes how easily designers rely on ‘packaged information’ instead of lived experience.

True understanding, he insists, comes from attentive observation, noticing how ‘the houses on the cliff’ shift into ‘a smart town,’ where ‘the tourists don’t go,’ and ‘where the backyard industry’ hides. ‘It has to do with looking,’ he emphasizes. ‘The keyword is look. Look, look, look. Watch how you get out of the bus if you’re going to design a bus station. Not what it tells you in a manual.’

Listening to Cook, it becomes clear that utopia isn’t elsewhere. It sits in the sketchbook, in the act of looking, in the split second when a drawing becomes a proposition. The future of architecture is all about staying curious enough to keep on drawing. 

Sir Peter Cook revolutionized modern architecture with visionary projects

installation view: Peter Cook, Cities, Richard Saltoun Gallery London, 2023 © the artist | image courtesy Richard Saltoun Gallery London and Rome

Plug-in City (1970/2012) | ink, color pencil, watercolor on board, 79 x 164 cm | © Peter Cook

colorful drawings express his visionary ideas of what cities could look like

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) | image by Andy Stagg

Filter City (2020s) | ink, color pencil, watercolor on paper, 50 x 50 cm | © Peter Cook

his vision aligns with the theme of the Mugak/ Biennial

Drawing Studio for Arts University Bournemouth | image courtesy of CRAB Studio

installation view: Peter Cook, Cities, Richard Saltoun Gallery London, 2023 © the artist | image courtesy Richard Saltoun Gallery London and Rome

for Cook, the value of speculative work lies precisely in its proximity to reality

WU Department of Law and Central Administration | image courtesy of CRAB Studio

sir Peter Cook continues to inspire generations of architects

Filter Cities (2023) | VR | © Peter Cook

project info:

name: Designboom in conversation with British architect | @sirpetercookatchap

event: Mugak/ International Architecture Biennial 2025 | @mugakbienal

location: Basque Country, Spain

theme: Castles in the Air, or How to Build Utopia Today

curator: María Arana Zubiate

The post ‘I don’t agree with the idea of utopia’: sir peter cook on optimism and the power of drawing appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Atelier RUA arquitectos’ single-family house in Galamares, Portugal, is defined by a light pink exterior that gives the project a clear and memorable identity. Located around 30 minutes from Lisbon with open views over the Serra de Sintra, the project dubbed Casa Galamares is organized across two above-ground floors and a basement, structured around a central courtyard and complemented by a panoramic wraparound terrace that frames the surrounding landscape.

atelier RUA’s single-family house in Galamares

Pink Envelope Shapes Space and Light

The pale pink tone envelops the entire exterior, transforming the house into a singular architectural volume set against dense greenery. Rather than acting as a decorative finish, the color softens the building’s mass and heightens the perception of light and shadow, allowing the architecture to shift subtly throughout the day while remaining distinct within its natural context.

The building takes the form of a near-square volume, from which the northern corner is cut along a diagonal defined by the site boundary. This subtraction introduces a key opening toward the garden and breaks the otherwise inward-looking character of the ground floor. Entry is made from the southern corner, leading directly into the central courtyard, which becomes the spatial and social heart of the house.  Arranged around this courtyard, the kitchen, living room, and dining room form a continuous open-plan environment. Structural elements such as exposed beams and the staircase subtly articulate different areas without interrupting visual continuity, reinforcing a fluid relationship between interior spaces and the outdoor core. Privacy from the surroundings is largely achieved through this inward-facing organization.

a light pink exterior gives the project a clear and memorable identity

Terraces and Light-Filled Basements Extend Living Spaces

The first floor adopts an L-shaped layout and accommodates four bedrooms oriented east and west, with the corner rooms opening onto a shared terrace. Wrapping around the building to the east, south, and west, this elevated outdoor space offers continuous sunlight and panoramic views of the Serra de Sintra, including the Pena and Monserrate palaces. Integrated seating, planting beds, wooden shutters, and a steel pergola supporting climbing vegetation enhance both comfort and use.

Below ground, the basement mirrors the upper floor’s footprint and opens onto two patios to the east and west, bringing natural light and ventilation into the lower level. Through its consistent use of color, compact geometry, and carefully choreographed indoor–outdoor spaces, Casa Galamares presents a restrained yet expressive approach to contemporary domestic architecture in the Sintra landscape.

the structure is complemented by a panoramic wraparound terrace

the house is located around 30 minutes from Lisbon with open views over the Serra de Sintra

the pale pink tone envelops the entire exterior

elevated outdoor spaces offer continuous sunlight and panoramic views

playful features complete the pink residential project

the color heightens the perception of light and shadow

the light pink tiled exterior wraps walls, ceiling, and door

the house is structured around a central courtyard

the light pink exterior contrasts with the greenery

rather than acting as a decorative finish, the color softens the building’s mass

a fluid relationship between interior spaces and the outdoor core is reinforced

the building takes the form of a near-square volume

entry is made from the southern corner, leading directly into the central courtyard

project info: 

name: Casa Galamares
architects: atelier RUA arquitectos
design team: Francisco Freitas, Luís Valente, Paulo Borralho, Rui Didier, Ana Tomé, Sandra Imaz, Ana Carvalho, Fabrizia Della Penna, Cláudia Ribeiro, Marianna Angelucci
landscape architecture: Oficina dos Jardins – Sónia Caldeira, Inês Bordado 
engineering: Acribia Projetos de Engenharia
general contractor: Sampir Engenharia
construction supervision: Ana Santos
location: Galamares, Portugal
area: 420 sqm
photography: Francisco Nogueira

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As 2025 draws to a close, we’re once again looking back at the stories that shaped the intersection of architecture, art, design, and technology. This year, fashion delivered its own share of striking moments: unexpected, imaginative, and sometimes delightfully bizarre. These are the creations that twisted familiar garments and accessories into something entirely new, earning their place under our fashion design phenomena tag. Because for every piece that gets it perfectly right, there’s always one curious outlier that gets everyone talking.

From Iris van Herpen’s haute couture illuminated by reactive bioluminescent algae and Vollebak’s virus-killing copper jacket to Gustaf Westman’s viral spiral baguette holder and a wearable AirPod backpack by Bravest, here are the top 10 fashion stories that captured our attention and defined the past 12 months.

REACTIVE BIOLUMINESCENT ALGAE DRESS BY IRIS VAN HERPEN

image courtesy of Chris Bellamy of Bio Crafted

Surrounded by darkness, Iris van Herpen’s dress came to life with the glow of reactive bioluminescent algae during Paris Haute Couture Week 2025. Co-created with biodesigner Christopher Bellamy, also known as Bio Crafted, the piece features 125 million bioluminescent algae, illuminated against a runway set designed with light sculptures by artist Nick Verstand. In an interview with designboom, Bellamy explains that he initially developed the technique for encapsulating the microalgae in collaboration with indigenous artists and scientists in French Polynesia. ‘A bespoke 35-step process was developed, which encapsulates the algae in a nutrient gel and protective coating, allowing them to survive for many months,’ he says.

Once encapsulated, the algae require only regular sunlight to photosynthesize and maintain their circadian rhythm. The biomaterial can thrive for months, even in hot conditions, and Bellamy notes that some samples have survived for over a year. ‘However, as this material is still highly experimental, we are continuing to study its behavior and understand exactly how it functions,’ he adds.

read more here 

VIRUS-KILLING COPPER JACKET BY VOLLEBAK

image courtesy of Vollebak

From illuminating the runway with millions of living microalgae in Iris van Herpen’s couture to actively defending against invisible threats, fashion this year explored the power of the microscopic in bold new ways. Vollebak’s Full Metal Jacket takes this concept from spectacle to protection, using copper to neutralize viruses and bacteria before they can even grow. The technical garment features three layers of textile woven with 11 kilometers of copper wire, transformed from industrial rods into fine, uniform yarns using precision lasers.

Each strand is carefully measured for softness and consistency, coated with a thin layer of lacquer to prevent corrosion, and then woven through a six-day curing process that includes scouring, heat-setting, and drying. The copper layer is paired with Vollebak’s c_change membrane, a waterproof and breathable barrier that adapts to temperature and humidity. In hot conditions, the jacket opens to release heat and moisture; in cold weather, it closes to retain warmth, offering both protection and comfort.

read more here

UNIFORMS WITH BUILT-IN ELECTRIC FANS BY ANREALAGE

image courtesy of Anrealage

Just as Vollebak used copper to defend wearers from microscopic threats, Anrealage turned to airflow and cooling to help humans adapt to their environment. At the NTT Pavilion during  Expo 2025 Osaka, the brand decided to equip staff uniforms with built-in electric fans, keeping wearers comfortable in the heat while pushing the boundaries of functional fashion. Inspired by the concept of parallel travel, the clothing uses wind to evoke the sensation of moving through time and space. Hundreds of blue dots across the white fabric symbolize connection with distant beings.

The staff uniforms consist of five pieces: outerwear, a polo shirt, a bag, a hat, and a logo badge. It’s the outerwear that houses the electric fans, allowing staff to stay cool while moving through the Expo. The fans are positioned on the lower-left side of the jacket, with protective grilles to prevent any contact with the spinning rotors. When activated, the airflow causes the outerwear to balloon, giving the wearer the ethereal appearance of a floating ‘cloud.’

read more here

ZZZN PUFFER JACKET FOR SLEEP

photo by Yusuke Maekawa courtesy of ZZZN SLEEP APPAREL SYSTEM

While Anrealage focused on external comfort and climate adaptation, other designers explored clothing that responds to our internal rhythms. ZZZN’s Sleep Apparel System takes this concept to the next level, transforming a puffer jacket into wearable sleepwear that helps users rest anywhere, anytime. It uses biometric data monitoring as well as headphones that play two types of music with frequency bands to help people fall asleep. The ZZZN puffer jacket for sleep modernizes Yagi, which is a traditional Japanese winter or nightwear. The apparel has drawstrings on the sleeves and hem, all adjustable to fit the user’s body type. The wearer can also adjust the cuff tabs to their fit, making sure that they’re comfortable when they’re about to sleep.

The ZZZN puffer jacket for sleep uses photoelectric fiber as its padding. With this in mind, the sleepwear is lighter than it looks. It also keeps the internal temperature warm for the users, especially during cold and extreme weather conditions.

read more here

RICE STRAW-MADE RAINCOAT AND MICRO-SHELTER BY FABULISM

photo by David Carson courtesy of Fabulism

The piece is shaped to provide shelter, forming a dome-like silhouette that covers the wearer’s upper body. Its elongated, rounded top fits comfortably over the head without adding weight, allowing the raincoat to function as both an expressive fashion statement and a lightweight, wearable umbrella.

read more here

HARIBO GUMMY BEAR CROCS

image courtesy of Crocs

From natural‑materials protection to pop‑culture delight, fashion doesn’t just serve function; it also indulges in fun. Enter Crocs’ gummy-inspired collaboration with Haribo, turning the classic clog into eye‑candy footwear. The upper is made from a translucent material that mimics the look of the candy, giving the shoe a playful appearance. The design comes with Jibbitz charms, including oversized Goldbears, one of Haribo’s most recognizable symbols. Even the sole of the clog features embossed Goldbears, making the Crocs Haribo Classic Clog a novelty footwear piece.

In addition to its themed design, the footwear is water-friendly and buoyant, so users can wear it in various settings, including wet or outdoor environments. It is lightweight, weighing only a few ounces, which enhances comfort and reduces strain during prolonged wear. 

read more here

HAVAIANAS’ FIRST-EVER 3D PRINTED FLIP-FLOPS BY ZELLERFELD

image courtesy of Zellerfeld and Havaianas

Staying in the world of clogs and sandals, Zellerfeld and Havaianas have introduced the brand’s first-ever 3D printed flip-flops, featuring a rounded toe cap for added comfort and protection. The footwear’s top still has a Y-shaped strap, a familiar design of the sandals company’s products. It connects between the big and second toe and extends along the sides of the foot.

The brand’s name is printed on the strap, along with a textured pattern, which is a prominent part of the 3D printed design. The toe area is covered with a rounded front piece, wrapping over the front of the foot and linking it to the base. This toe covering helps to hold the foot in place and protect it from being exposed. 

read more here

SANDALS SHAPED LIKE ZIGZAG PAVER BLOCKS BY PDM BRAND

image courtesy of PDM Brand

Continuing in sandal territory, PDM Brand took things a step further with unisex sandals shaped like zigzag paver blocks, designed so that wearers ‘fill in’ gaps on the sidewalk as they stroll. Chunky like the real blocks but made from a cushiony, rubbery material instead of stone or concrete, the sandals maintain a concrete-gray color, helping the wearer blend in while staying safe on uneven surfaces. The sandals feature a matching toe strap, and even the packaging mirrors the design of real concrete bricks. 

read more here

SPIRAL BAGUETTE HOLDER BY GUSTAF WESTMAN

image courtesy of Gustaf Westman

From rethinking how we walk to reimagining how we carry, Gustaf Westman has designed a spiral baguette holder that carries a loaf of bread like a handbag. The playful accessory is designed to fit a baguette snugly around three loops and is part of a summer-long pop-up experience, in which the designer takes over private residences across different European cities instead of traditional exhibition spaces.

read more here

AIRPODS WEARABLE BACKPACK BY BRAVEST

image courtesy of Bravest

If Gustaf Westman made bread portable in style, Bravest makes gadgets wearable in the most literal way. The streetwear brand’s AIRPACK is a backpack shaped like Apple AirPods, featuring removable ‘earbuds’ interior pouches. The backpack stays faithful to Apple’s original design: the white AirPods shape is scaled up, and instead of a magnetic lock like the AirPods case, it has a zipper that runs around the bag. Unzipping the top reveals two removable interior pouches shaped like the iconic earbuds themselves. 

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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At the Morris Houses in the Bronx, an underutilized concrete bleacher has been transformed into a vibrant hub of activity known as the Common Corner. Co-designed by multidisciplinary studio The Urban Conga in collaboration with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and, most importantly, the residents themselves, the project breathes new life into a space that had fallen into disuse over decades. This community-led revitalization serves as a flexible gathering place designed to foster multigenerational connection and open-ended play.

the installation encourages social connection within the space

community-led design process in the bronx

The Urban Conga facilitated the design through a series of workshops using play methodologies, creating a safe environment for residents to share their dreams and stories. This participatory process ensured the final design was a direct reflection of the community’s identity. The site is now organized into three interconnected zone — social, active, and fantasy play — each catering to different needs. From accessible seating with grab bars to a stage-like platform for storytelling and performance, the space balances physical exercise with social rest and imaginative expression.

the project is intended to spotlight the space and catalyze further investment in the surrounding space

art and design playscape

Visually, the Common Corner is tied together by a forced-perspective mural that wraps around the structure, signaling a growing and evolving vision for the development. The upper section features reflective, color-changing mirrors and perforated panels for community-created paracord art, making the environment dynamic and shifting. Adding a layer of local pride, the risers are inscribed with affirmations chosen by the residents, such as ‘Dream Big’ and ‘Stronger Together,’ turning the site into a permanent source of encouragement.

an open-ended design allows the space to adapt to a range of activities

Part of NYCHA’s Connected Communities program, the Common Corner is a testament to the power of resident-led design. By transforming a static piece of infrastructure into a social landmark, the project demonstrates how public-private partnerships can modernize open spaces while strengthening the social fabric of the neighborhood.

‘Common Corner represents what we can achieve when residents’ voices are truly heard,‘ said Regina Carter, President of the Morris Houses Residents Association. ‘For years, these bleachers sat empty, but through this project, they’ve been transformed into something beautiful and meaningful for everyone. A place where young people, older adults, and families alike can meet and play. For us, this is more than a space to sit; it’s a space to come together, to play, and to celebrate our community.‘

zones for active play, including a climbing wall

the installation is organized into zones that encourage social, active, and imaginative play

reflective color-changing mirrors reflect and refract the surrounding environment

phrases of affirmations chosen by the community line the work

perforated panels wrap the existing fence, creating a framework for future paracord artworks

the mural guides movement across the steps, encouraging varied paths and ways of experiencing it

the space serves as an entryway into the Morris House community

the design wraps up and over the existing steps to encourage more is to come to the space

project info:

name: Common Corner
designer: The Urban Conga

The post the urban conga revitalizes common corner playscape in bronx, NYC appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Polish-French artist Nicolas Grospierre presents Heliograms, a photography-adjacent series currently on show in the Salle de Salomon at the Royal Łazienki Palace in Warsaw, on view until August 30, 2026. The project, also presented at the Paris Photo Fair at Grand Palais, centers on a singular technique: images formed not by camera, lens, or chemical development, but through the direct, months-long exposure of velvet to sunlight. Created both in the countryside of northern Poland and, for this exhibition, directly on site at the historic palace, the works reveal how the sun itself becomes a recording instrument.

Heliograms in the Salle de Salomon, Royal Łazienki Palace, Warsaw, 2025 (exhibition view)

solar light shapes velvet into delicate images

At the core of the process is a deliberately minimal setup. Sheets of velvet are masked with constructed forms or architectural silhouettes and then placed outdoors for four to five months. Over time, ultraviolet radiation gradually bleaches the textile, allowing an image to emerge through slow chromatic change. While the Polish-French artist determines the orientation, mask, and duration of exposure, the outcome remains partly unpredictable. Light intensity, shifting weather, and micro-variations in the environment contribute to a result that is guided yet never fully controlled.

This interplay between precision and contingency gives Nicolas Grospierre’s Heliograms their ambiguous aesthetic, poised between photography and painting. They follow a photographic logic (images produced by exposure) yet sidestep its familiar apparatus. Instead of capturing a moment, each work grows into the fabric, its contours shaped by atmospheric conditions. The resulting forms often appear like soft halos, spectral silhouettes, or faint architectures, suggesting presence through absence.

Heliograms in the Salle de Salomon, Royal Łazienki Palace, Warsaw, 2025 (exhibition view)

A slow dialogue between light and fabric at Royal Łazienki Palace

Conceptually, the series foregrounds a direct material encounter with the sun, a force vast, distant, and immeasurable at the human scale. The works do not portray this star but index its physical contact, marking the passage of time and the exposure of a vulnerable surface to an overwhelming energy. The gesture becomes both scientific and poetic: an attempt to register something that far exceeds human control.

For the Royal Łazienki Palace, originally the Enlightenment-era summer residence of King Stanisław August Poniatowski, Grospierre created two new site-specific Heliograms, aligning the process with an architectural context historically shaped by ideas of light as clarity, order, and knowledge. Installed in the Salle de Salomon, the works enter into conversation with a space designed around the interplay of structure, landscape, and illumination.  

Heliograms in the Salle de Salomon, Royal Łazienki Palace, Warsaw, 2025 (exhibition view)

Heliograms in the Salle de Salomon, Royal Łazienki Palace, Warsaw, 2025 (exhibition view)

Heliograms in the Salle de Salomon, Royal Łazienki Palace, Warsaw, 2025 (exhibition view)

Nicolas Grospierre and Heliograms in the Salle de Salomon, Royal Łazienki Palace, Warsaw, 2025 (exhibition view)

Nicolas Grospierre and Heliograms in Royal Łazienki Palace, Warsaw, 2025 (exhibition view)

Nicolas Grospierre, Heliogram (Cerulean Clouded Moon), 2025, Velvet, oak frame, 90 x 100 x 7 cm

Nicolas Grospierre, Heliogram (Red Planet), 2025, Velvet, oak frame, 90 x 100 x 7 cm

Nicolas Grospierre, Heliogram (Golden Sun Blade), 2025, Velvet, oak frame, 150 x 125 x 8 cm

Nicolas Grospierre, Heliogram (Crimson Twin Vanishing Gradient), 2025, Velvet, oak frame, 90 x 100 x 7 cm

Nicolas Grospierre, Heliogram (Harmonic Regression), 2023, Velvet, oak frame, 90 x 100 x 7 cm

Nicolas Grospierre, Heliogram (Haloed Nebula), 2023, Velvet, oak frame, 90 x 100 x

project info: 

name: Heliograms
artist: Nicolas Grospierre | @ngrospierre
location: Royal Łazienki Palace, Warsaw

The post nicolas grospierre’s velvet heliograms are made by months of direct sun exposure appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.