Consolidating functions

The Exeter Road Pavilion is an adaptive reuse of a modest Victorian garden outbuilding in northwest London, reimagined as a hybrid domestic and social space for an art collector and amateur DJ. Conceived as both a storage environment and a setting for leisure, the project consolidates diverse functions – archiving, display, gathering, and recreation – within a unified architectural gesture that extends from interior to landscape.

 

Design Philosophy

At the core of the proposal lies a continuous cabinet, operating as a contemporary cabinet of curiosities. Beginning within the refurbished structure and extending outward into the garden, this linear element accommodates an array of uses: art storage and display, shelving for books and vinyl records, a DJ station, a television, and personal artifacts. As it moves outdoors, it integrates recreational functions, including a ping-pong table, weights, and garden games, maintaining spatial continuity across interior and exterior domains.

Encased in a perforated stainless-steel screen, the cabinet oscillates between transparency and opacity. Its surface reflects and filters light, producing shifting visual conditions throughout the day. This duality allows the cabinet to simultaneously reveal and conceal its contents, reinforcing its role as both container and spatial mediator.

 

 

Structural Logic

The cabinet operates not only as storage but also as a structural system, supporting the canopy that extends over the outdoor space. The relationship between these elements introduces a deliberate tension, inspired by the precarious compositions of Fischli & Weiss. Rather than adhering to conventional structural logic, the design removes an expected column, redistributing forces through a counterbalancing system.

This equilibrium is achieved through a precisely milled marble mass embedded within a galvanized steel I-beam, paired with a tension rod anchored to a concealed concrete block below ground. The resulting configuration establishes a legible yet unconventional structural narrative, where balance is perceived as dynamic and contingent rather than fixed.

 

 

Materials & Sustainability

The canopy itself is composed of layered materials – marble, steel, and polycarbonate – articulated in a clear tectonic hierarchy. Stainless steel cladding on the cabinet mirrors the surrounding vegetation, while translucent roofing elements diffuse light into the space below. This material palette oscillates between raw and refined, grounding the project in both industrial precision and environmental responsiveness.

Through reflection, translucency, and spatial extension, the pavilion dissolves the boundary between interior and exterior. It becomes an instrument for observing seasonal and daily changes, where light, vegetation, and built form interact continuously. The project ultimately establishes a condition in which structure, storage, and landscape remain in constant and perceptible dialogue.

 

Spatial richness

To open up to a place and move beyond the boundaries of the ordinary. To allow a home to be infused with the rare experience of coexisting with nature. To uncover the beauty of simplicity and feel the quiet strength of life itself.

 

Design Philosophy

This residence combines simplicity with spatial richness, creating distinctive experiences at every turn. Born from the harmony between architecture and its setting, the house is both open and sheltered, enveloped by a green mantle that protects its intimacy and fragility. Perched among the trees and following the contours of the terrain, it establishes a constant dialogue with nature. Open yet private, it allows its inhabitants to live fully immersed in the jungle landscape, attuned to the rhythm of light, air, and sound.

 

 

Context Integration & Layout

The sloping terrain presented both a challenge and a guiding principle in the design process. The form of the house responds to the complexity of the land, adapting to its contours and preserving existing tree roots so that the surrounding vegetation becomes part of the architecture itself. The living areas open completely to the landscape, allowing light, sound, and air to dissolve the boundaries between interior and exterior space.

Designed as both a permanent home and a seasonal retreat, the villa unfolds over two levels. The main living area above opens to sweeping ocean views, while the lower level, containing the bedrooms, remains discreetly embedded in the landscape. A network of terraces, a pool, and connecting stairs create a fluid circulation between spaces, seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor living.

 

 

Material Palette

The home’s earthy palette harmonizes with the surrounding greenery. Rammed earth, concrete, steel, glass, and cedar wood are combined to express both strength and natural balance. Finishes are left raw and authentic, embracing the passage of time as a means to deepen their texture and character.

 

Vibrant hub

Walker Hall is an adaptive reuse of a 1927 building at the core of the University of California, Davis campus. The project transforms a vacant, seismically unsafe building into a graduate and professional student center with meeting rooms, a lecture hall, and active-learning classrooms that serve the entire campus.

 

Design Philosophy

Walker Hall exemplifies the power of revitalization by transforming an abandoned into a vibrant academic and social center. The project preserves the character of the 1927 structure while introducing modern learning environments, symbolizing continuity between the university’s history and its forward-looking academic vision.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The original two-story north wing now houses student lounges, meeting areas, and offices. The three southern wings, formerly used for agricultural engineering workshops, have been repurposed into a lecture hall and two flexible classrooms. The redesign establishes a clear hierarchy between community spaces and academic functions, ensuring seamless movement through the building.

The project supports graduate students’ academic and personal growth with spaces for mentoring, advising, and social interaction. The flexible learning rooms integrate advanced media technologies, turning former machine shops into dynamic “toolboxes” for contemporary, interdisciplinary education.

 

 

Materials & Sustainability

Original structural elements such as steel trusses, concrete columns, and finishes were retained and highlighted. New facades, solar collectors, and steel shading devices express a dialogue between the industrial heritage of the building and its new sustainable identity.

The design responds to the hot, dry climate of California’s Central Valley with shaded openings and efficient systems. The building connects to the campus through visible transparency and sustainable performance, achieving LEED Platinum certification and zero net electricity use.

 

Symbiosis of Epochs unfolds as more than a dialogue between past and future -it is a meditation on coexistence.

 

Conceptual Approach

Here, primeval stone and visionary form do not simply encounter one another; they enter into a silent conspiracy of creation. The canyon, carved by the slow persistence of geological time, becomes a natural amphitheater where architecture hovers like a whispered future -ethereal, reflective, and somehow inevitable. The monolithic sphere does not interrupt the landscape; it punctuates it, like the final cadence in a sentence that nature began to compose millions of years ago.

This is neither an act of nostalgia nor a projection of utopia. It is a spatial reconciliation between memory and imagination. The raw sediment of the earth embraces the precision of human craft, acknowledging the continuity between natural evolution and cultural invention. What once took eons of erosion to shape now coexists with structures conceived in the flicker of a digital instant. Yet there is no hierarchy here -no triumph of one era over another. Each form, ancient and new, becomes a mirror for the other’s essence.

In this choreography of epochs, architecture transcends its role as a container of space. It becomes a bridge between temporalities -a vessel through which past and future meet in the eternal present. Stone, steel, and light perform an unending dialogue, echoing through the canyon like the resonance of two worlds finally learning to speak the same language.

 

 

Prompts & Software

awarded design museum in the middle of an old marble quarry, made out of raw stone blocks, the building is shaped like wings spread wide and has angular geometry. iconic design, rough rock surface, inside the volume there is a black shiny futuristic sphere hanging in the middle, dramatic lights coming from inside, lit landscape, ground and landscape emerging design, glass and mirrors integrated, highly detailed, View from above. Photo-realistic. –chaos 20 –ar 13:16 –style raw –v 6 –stylize 250

Created with Midjourney.

 

Inhabiting a living stratum

Set within San Miguel de Allende, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the residence acknowledges the cultural and environmental richness of its context. The architecture establishes a dialogue with both geological and urban landscapes, creating a house that is simultaneously rooted in place and forward-looking. By merging geology, memory, and architecture, the project becomes a contemporary expression of belonging.

 

Design Philosophy

The residence arises from the intersection of architecture and geology, conceived as a living stratum embedded in the landscape. The project is inspired by the stratification of the earth, where time, memory, and material sedimentation shape its presence. Rather than imposing itself on the terrain, the house emerges as part of it, blurring the limits between natural and built environments.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The spatial configuration is determined by a sequence of horizontal layers that define both program and perception. These strata articulate circulation and frame views, guiding residents and visitors through an experiential journey of openness and shelter. Each level responds to topography and orientation, ensuring optimal integration with the site. In parallel, the program is organized into distinct yet interconnected zones. Public spaces flow effortlessly into the landscape, while private areas retreat into protected layers of the house. The design balances intimacy with collectivity, allowing for flexible occupation throughout the day.

 

 

Material Palette

The materiality of the house emphasizes continuity with the earth. Walls of compacted earth evoke geological processes, while exposed concrete and steel provide structural clarity and contrast. The tactile qualities of materials -textures, densities, and colors- reinforce the idea of inhabiting a living stratum.

 

Floating box

The project was designed as a floating residence for clients who desired a compact, functional, and contemporary living environment on Lake Union in Seattle. The proposal draws from Seattle’s tradition of floating homes, reimagined through a modern lens that emphasizes efficiency, light, and a strong connection to the water.

 

Design Philosophy

The design is firmly rooted in the cultural and physical context of Seattle’s floating communities. It balances innovation with tradition, embodying the adaptability required for life on the water. The project celebrates the city’s history of alternative housing while embracing modern design principles.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The boat is organized over two primary decks, with open-plan living spaces oriented toward large, glazed openings. The relationship between interior and exterior spaces was a guiding principle, ensuring constant connection to the water and views beyond.

The lower deck accommodates bedrooms and private areas, while the upper deck features a light-filled living room, kitchen, and dining space. An exterior stair leads to a rooftop deck, maximizing outdoor living and providing panoramic views across Lake Union. The layout balances compactness with openness, using efficient planning strategies to ensure comfort within a small footprint.

 

 

Material Palette

The material strategy combines marine-grade steel, durable cladding, and warm timber finishes. Steel construction ensures longevity in the marine environment, while wood elements provide domestic warmth. Large windows and skylights maximize natural light, emphasizing transparency and reflection.

 

Future vision

The tower’s design is a perfect example of modern architectural innovation, showcasing a harmonious blend of aesthetics, functionality, and environmental consciousness. This distinctive form is visually captivating and structurally impressive, representing a leap in engineering and design principles.

 

Design Morphology

The center of the structure is hollow, forming an open space that contrasts with the solid outer shell. This void enhances aesthetic appeal and allows for natural ventilation, reducing the building’s energy footprint. It also symbolizes openness to the sky, suggesting infinite possibilities and freedom.

The project embodies futuristic design inspired by water and wind, with a fluid and organic appearance. Its verticality conveys aspiration and progress, while its integration with greenery and water reflects a sustainable urban vision. It stands as both a landmark and a statement of harmony between modern architecture and the environment.

 

 

Functional Layout

The tower is surrounded by an urban landscape with trees, plants, and water features. The reflective water complements the smooth curves of the tower and doubles its visual impact. The integration of green spaces and water elements balances urban development with environmental sustainability, creating harmony between architecture and nature.

 

 

Material Palette

The outer shell is predominantly covered with reflective glass panels, giving the building a shiny appearance that mirrors its surroundings -cityscape, sky, and sunset. The reflective glass emphasizes natural light, sustainability, and energy efficiency. Steel structures and smooth, flowing lines align with futuristic design principles.

 

Privacy matters

Situated on a plot commonly referred to in Portuguese as a terreno de gaveta -a narrow, elongated site nestled between neighboring buildings with limited street frontage- this residence occupies a 10 by 18-meter lot, totaling 180m2. Due to the compact size and proximity to adjacent structures, ensuring privacy from both the street and neighbors was a key challenge. The residence itself spans 184m2 of built area, with an additional 70m2 dedicated to the rooftop.

 

Design Philosophy

To address privacy concerns while capitalizing on the sweeping coastal views, the design inverts the conventional layout. Private spaces, including bedrooms and a home office, are located on the ground floor, oriented toward a central courtyard. In contrast, social areas are elevated to the upper floors, establishing both visual and functional separation from the public street.

At the heart of the home is the staircase, a central vertical element that connects all levels while enhancing visual permeability throughout. On the ground floor, it begins with a masonry volume clad in the same flooring used outside, featuring clay brick steps. As it ascends, the staircase transforms: vertical steel cables extend the full height, supporting floating steps anchored to the wall, creating a striking architectural feature.

 

 

Material Palette

The residence is constructed with a mix of concrete and steel, materials that recur throughout the design in details such as bathroom partitions and stair finishes. Drawing from modernist influences prominent in São Paulo architecture, the design emphasizes proportion, verticality, and a rhythmic composition of horizontal volumes. The exposed concrete ceilings are a highlight, meticulously crafted with formwork designed by the architects to achieve a refined texture. Every detail -from the placement of lighting fixtures to the integration of embedded systems- was carefully pre-planned. Curtain tracks, for example, were embedded in the concrete slab during the formwork stage.

Expansive aluminum and glass openings frame coastal views, flood the interior with natural light, and encourage cross-ventilation, enhancing energy efficiency and reducing the need for artificial lighting and cooling. This integration of indoor and outdoor elements is central to the architectural concept, dissolving the boundaries between the two. Exterior-grade materials were intentionally brought indoors, reinforcing this seamless transition and creating a cohesive living experience.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The upper-level social spaces extend outward through deep overhangs with integrated benches that double as guardrails, giving the living areas a sense of openness and continuity. The kitchen, designed as a social hub, centers around a large island that facilitates circulation and interaction during gatherings. Furnishings include existing family pieces and new elements in wood and rattan, contributing to a relaxed and understated ambiance. Storage solutions are discreetly built into the staircase zone, with custom panels that blend seamlessly into the architecture.

On the ground floor, the bedrooms are shielded with wooden panels that ensure complete blackout and privacy. These are complemented by an Accoya wood brise-soleil, whose acetylation treatment enhances moisture resistance and durability. A soft, neutral palette defines the bedroom interiors, creating a tranquil atmosphere. Bathrooms feature metal-framed doors with textured glass panels, adding both privacy and aesthetic depth. The office, extending from the main volume, benefits from continuous daylight via generous glass frames and a skylight that highlights the floor textures. Its cabinetry mirrors the surrounding finishes, with concealed panels that create a clean, uninterrupted surface. The central table, supported by a single leg and cantilevered at the base, adds to the room’s light, minimal character.

 

 

Sustainable Design

Designed with local climate conditions in mind, the residence is protected from the strong northern winds common in Northern Portugal. This allows the interior to remain open and airy, even on blustery days. The rooftop terrace features a built-in pool that is sheltered from the wind and opens onto a secluded green area bordering the beach. Strategic ventilation openings- one on the rooftop and another at ground level -facilitate rapid cross-ventilation, reducing the need for mechanical cooling. During the colder months, underfloor heating throughout most rooms ensures warmth and energy efficiency.

 

Change of Use

The project aim is to transform a 25m2 garage into a 32m2 micro-residence, expanding the usable space through the new design and creating a quiet, tranquil apartment detached from the chaotic city scenery.

 

Social Footprint & Sustainability

The ‘micro-residence’ concept addresses the extensive housing problem many cities face. The rapid growth of short-term rentals makes the need for compact, smart solutions even greater. A major project advantage is its small energy footprint due to its size. This feature follows a global approach to social, economic, and environmental planning that addresses the current housing as well as energy crisis.

 

 

Architectural Design

The space spans in two floors, in which an internal balcony and a bespoke double-height bookcase visually connects the two levels. The living room and kitchen are situated on the ground floor level, while the staircase doubles as hidden storage space. To connect the interior with the exterior space, the entry hallway is transformed into a threshold between the residence and the street. In parallel, the new façade blends into the surrounding urban context, painted in subtle tones and lined with custom railing inspired from modernist buildings in the area and ensuring, at the same time, the safety and privacy of the user.

 

 

Material Palette

Steel is the primary material used for the renovation, acting both as a discrete structural component painted in white as well as an accent feature used for the construction of a metallic ladder and the beige railings in the façade. Warm oak wood is matched with white lacquer used for the kitchen surfaces along with carefully selected tiles that clad the bathroom walls and floor.

 

Permeable barrier

The project objective is to expand an existing property near Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The site sits on a north facing slope, looking down to the Martis Valley and up to Lookout Mountain through a dense forest comprised of 100-year-old Jeffrey pine trees.

 

Landscape Integration

The design philosophy is to create a residence that responds to its immediate context, employing natural, local materials as well as a sustainability approach that successfully integrates the building in the wild landscape. The color palette derives from the surrounding forest, filled with basalt boulders, sugar pines, and rust colored pine needles creating a sese of calmness and connection with nature.

 

Interior Organization

The bedrooms are organized around an exterior courtyard and maintain a high level of privacy, while the communal spaces connect the courtyard with the landscape and the distant forest views. Glazing is used throughout the space, maximizing the amount of natural light entering the building and adding a layer of transparency to the space. A series of double, 20cm thick, insulated walls made of concrete construct the residence’s exterior shell and extend upwards, reaching a sloped, thin steel roof. Clerestory windows close the gap between the walls and the roof and create a sense of lightness in the space.

 

Natural Materials

Native cedar cladding is used for the interior walls, while basalt tiles are chosen for the flooring. Metallic details made of exposed steel complement the natural materials. The kitchen is constructed from black and is placed at the center of the open-plan space. The furniture selection is discrete, following the same subtle tones and material textures of the residence.

 

Fire Prevention Strategy

Situated in a dense wild forest, the residence incorporates fire-prevention systems during its early design stage as well as its construction. More specifically, non-combustible materials such as concrete and steel-frame tempered windows form a fire resistive barrier, which results to an exterior shell that protects the interior spaces.