Níall McLaughlin is awarded the 2026 Royal Gold Medal for architecture, conferred by the Royal Institute of British Architects. The medal recognizes the Irish architect’s three-decade-long contribution to architectural practice, education, and critical thinking, marking a body of work defined by continuity, care, and a sustained attention to how buildings are made, used, and inhabited over time.

The RIBA Honours Jury highlighted McLaughlin’s work at Darbishire Place for Peabody in London (2014) as a particularly significant contribution to contemporary architecture in the UK. Shortlisted for the 2015 Stirling Prize, the project rethinks one of London’s oldest housing estates through urban repair, demonstrating how social housing can be both environmentally responsible and spatially generous. Critics observed that if new housing were designed with similar care, the green housing agenda would already be far more advanced.

Responding to the announcement, McLaughlin described the award as both an honor and a challenge, acknowledging architecture as a shared practice across generations. ‘At a time of accelerating technological change in design and construction, we continue to insist on the human rituals and material practices at the heart of our discipline.’ he shares. ‘Building is an act, not an object. Architecture lies in its making and the way that it shapes learning, culture, and communal life.’  

Níall McLaughlin portrait | image by NMLA

A practice defined by restraint, material intelligence, and making

Founded in London in 1990, Níall McLaughlin Architects has developed a portfolio that spans education, culture, housing, healthcare, and religious architecture. Across wildly different typologies and budgets, McLaughlin’s work is united by a sensitivity to place, material, craft, light, and form, and by an insistence on the quality of space rather than architectural authorship. From the cloud-like Bandstand at Bexhill (2001), to the calm orthogonal pavilions of the Alzheimer’s Respite Centre in Dublin (2011), to the latticed timber oval of the Bishop Edward King Chapel in Oxford (2013), his buildings favor clarity and restraint over overt formal expression.

This ethos reaches a clear articulation in The New Library at Magdalene College, Cambridge, completed in 2021 and awarded the 2022 Stirling Prize. Composed of simple brick volumes, the project exemplifies McLaughlin’s belief that architecture emerges through making rather than image. ‘Architecture is not the production of singular objects, but an ongoing performance of development, alteration, and reinvention through lived experience,’ he notes. Building, in this view, is an act embedded in time, shaped by rituals, materials, and communal use rather than fixed outcomes.

Limerick | image by Nick Kane

education as a parallel practice

Teaching has run alongside practice from the beginning of McLaughlin’s career. For over 25 years at The Bartlett School of Architecture, as well as teaching roles at Oxford Brookes, UCLA (2012–2013), and Yale as Lord Norman Foster Visiting Professor of Architecture (2014–2015), he has argued for practice, study, and teaching as a single continuum. His advocacy for transparency in working hours and pay, alongside openness around mental health, positions education not as an adjunct to practice but as an ethical framework for the profession’s future.

RIBA President Chris Williamson, who described him as a ‘humble visionary,’ whose work combines care, grace, and intellectual depth without diminishing its modesty. A public lecture by Níall McLaughlin will take place in London on April 30th 2026, marking the formal celebration of a career that has consistently resisted spectacle in favor of thought, craft, and collective responsibility.

Goleen | image by Nick Kane

Faith Museum | image by Nick Kane

Salt Marsh | image by Nick Kane

Bishop Edward King Chapel | image by NMLA

Darbisher Place | image by Nick Kane

Magdalene Library | image by Nick Kane

Deal Pier | image by Crispin Hughes

project info:

architect: Níall McLaughlin Architects | @niallmclaughlinarchitects
awarding body: The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) | @riba

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Mona Hatoum brings a constellation of hand-blown glass spheres and a motorized metal tower sculpture to her exhibition at Fondazione Prada in Milan. Named ‘Over, under, and in between,’ the site-specific project is on view from January 29th to November 9th, 2026, divided into three parts comprising a web, a map, and a grid. These installations find a temporary home in the reactivated Cisterna building, once located on Fondazione Prada’s compound and which housed the silos and tanks of a former alcohol distillery. The space accommodates the height, volume, and shape of the three large-scale installations, enveloping the viewers in a physical spatial experience.

When visitors enter the Cisterna building at Fondazione Prada, they find delicate, transparent, hand-blown glass spheres suspended above their heads. They form the shape of a spider’s web, a recurring theme in Mona Hatoum’s repertoire, as a means for her to delve into the topics of familiar ties and connectedness as well as entrapment, idleness, and neglect. For the artist, a web can provide a home or a safe place, but it can also suggest entrapment. ‘To me, the large web overhead also has poetic, even cosmic significance. The beautiful, delicate glass spheres are an apt reference to dew drops, evoking their fragility and sparkling quality. They also resemble a celestial constellation. I personally like to see it as an allusion to the interconnectedness of all things,’ says Mona Hatoum.

all images courtesy of Fondazione Prada | photos by Roberto Marossi, unless stated otherwise

Glass and metal installations in ‘Over, under, and in between’ 

In the central room of the exhibition space, Mona Hatoum covers the concrete floor with translucent red glass balls arranged in the shape of a world map. These spheres are carefully arranged but without borders, the artist hinting at the absence of any political and geographical barriers aside from underlining the continents. More than 30,000 spheres may roll around, as they’re not fixed in place. It’s their identity of being a loose and undefined territory, one that Mona Hatoum desires to highlight in her Fondazione Prada exhibition in Milan. She also makes a subtle reference to the Gall-Peters projection map, which renders Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia disproportionately smaller than their actual size, alluding to the political power and its dynamics across the world.

The last installation, a kinetic metal structure, ends the exhibition of Mona Hatoum at Fondazione Prada in Milan. Nine levels of open, stacked cubes form the gridded metallic structure, which mimics scaffolding or the skeleton of a building. At first, it rests on the floor, feigning immobility. Soon, viewers see it dance, oscillating between downward collapse and re-erection using installed motors. The sounds of creaking and clanking accompany the sways and zigzags of the structure as it moves like a human body, bending and rotating. Once it reaches a certain level, it returns to its original 8.6-meter-tall height, ending its performance. For the artist, the open cubes gesture to unease, claustrophobia, and a sense of no escape. The installation embraces an endless sensation of opposing human conditions, standing tall first before it slowly collapses then reforms back. Mona Hatoum’s Over, under, and in between exhibition at Fondazione Prada in Milan remains on-site until November 9th, 2026.

the kinetic metal structure ends the exhibition

Mona Hatoum, all of a quiver, 2022

the structure uses aluminum square tubes, steel hinges, electric motor, and cable

Mona Hatoum, Web, 2026

the installation comprises a series of hand-blown glass spheres

the round glass hangs above the visitors’ heads as they explore

Mona Hatoum, Map (red), 2026

Mona Hatoum covers the concrete floor with translucent red glass balls arranged in the shape of a world map

these spheres are carefully arranged but without borders

portrait of Mona Hatoum | photo by Marta Marinotti

project info:

name: Over, under, and in between

artist: Mona Hatoum 

institution: Fondazione Prada, Milan | @fondazioneprada

location: Largo Isarco, 2, 20139 Milan, Italy

photography: Roberto Marossi, Marta Marinotti | @robertomarossi, @marta.marinotti

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Estudio Veintidós’ Emptied House sees the transformation of a former rural stable into a seasonal dwelling located on the edge of a depopulated territory in the Riaza Mountains of Segovia, Spain. The project is developed within the remains of a stone and rammed earth structure whose roof and interior partitions were largely ruined. Rather than reconstructing the original volume, the intervention retains the existing perimeter walls and introduces a new spatial strategy based on subtraction, consolidation, and selective addition.

The design is structured around the creation of a central void, formed by emptying the interior of the existing envelope. This open space is configured as a courtyard that organizes domestic life while ensuring access to daylight, ventilation, and outdoor space. Positioned over the trace of an original water trough, a small longitudinal pool occupies the courtyard and contributes to the regulation of the microclimate. The courtyard also safeguards future environmental quality by maintaining light and air access in the event of new construction on adjacent plots to the west and south.

New architectural elements are arranged around the courtyard as three gabled pavilions. The volumes are visually linked by skylights and accessed from the street through an open-air passage leading to the first wing containing the living space. The new construction is assembled on top of the existing walls, generating varying setbacks on each façade that reveal the internal organization from the exterior. Each pavilion terminates in a skylight linked to the under-roof spaces, while the third volume takes the form of a hollow tower that functions as a viewpoint toward the surrounding landscape. This vertical element references the nearby Romanesque church bell tower, establishing a visual dialogue with the village context.

all images courtesy of Estudio Veintidós

light, climate, and landscape shape Estudio Veintidós’ refuge

Circulation is organized through a permeable ambulatory surrounding the courtyard, equipped with large-format joinery that distributes access to the rooms and, via retractable staircases, to the attic spaces. Within the living area, a large opening cut into the rammed earth wall creates a visual connection between the interior courtyard and the distant landscape. To preserve the existing fabric, the most deteriorated areas of the rammed earth were stabilized and finished with lime mortar.

Material continuity between old and new construction forms a central aspect of the project. The existing stone and rammed earth walls are consolidated using lime-based pointing techniques characteristic of the region, which are extended to the new thermal clay facades. This approach produces a homogeneous surface in which differences between construction phases are legible as layers rather than contrasts. The new architectural elements are supported by a mixed structural system of concrete, timber, and steel, designed to work in conjunction with the preserved walls and to address issues of settlement, deformation, and material loss.

The designers at Estudio Veintidós address environmental performance through a series of passive bioclimatic strategies. These include a radiant floor system in contact with the ground, a continuous insulated interior envelope, rainwater harvesting, and the use of stack ventilation generated by the double-height bedroom volumes and the open courtyard. The courtyard pool further contributes as a hygrothermal regulator, moderating temperature and humidity while reinforcing the seasonal character of the dwelling. Through selective emptying, material continuity, and calibrated openings, Emptied House reinterprets a rural ruin as a seasonal refuge. The project positions the dwelling as an observation structure oriented toward climatic phenomena and the surrounding mountain landscape, establishing a domestic environment shaped by light, air, and seasonal change.

Emptied House by Estudio Veintidós transforms a former rural stable into a seasonal dwelling

the original interior volume is emptied to create a central courtyard

a hollow tower functions as a viewpoint toward the surrounding landscape

a longitudinal pool traces the footprint of a former water trough

a mixed structure of concrete, timber, and steel supports the new architecture

the courtyard organizes domestic life while providing daylight, air, and outdoor space

lime mortar stabilizes and preserves deteriorated rammed earth surfaces

material continuity between old and new construction forms a central aspect of the project

existing stone and rammed earth perimeter walls define the limits of the intervention

the house operates as a seasonal refuge shaped by light, climate, and landscape

new volumes sit atop existing walls, creating variable facade setbacks

project info:

name: Emptied House
architect: Estudio Veintidós

location: Segovia, Spain

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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New images reveal David Chipperfield Architects‘ Arena Milano, the centerpiece of the Santa Giulia redevelopment in south-east Milan, delivering a 16,000-seat venue designed to host sports, concerts, and major cultural events, including the Winter Olympic Games in February, 2026 (find designboom’s previous coverage here). Developed in collaboration with Arup, the arena translates the elliptical geometry of Milan’s ancient Roman amphitheater into a contemporary civic building, anchoring a new district just a few kilometers from the city center and directly connected to high-speed rail and motorway infrastructure.

all images by Noshe

a contemporary amphitheatre for a new district

Set within Milano Santa Giulia, one of the city’s most ambitious regeneration projects, the arena is conceived as an urban condenser. Through its elliptical form, the team at David Chipperfield Architects references historical precedents while accommodating the demands of large-scale events, from international concerts to sporting tournaments. Outside event hours, the project extends its role beyond spectacle, opening its surrounding outdoor spaces to everyday use by residents and visitors from across Milan.

The building sits on a vast raised podium that occupies almost the entire site, slightly rotated to address arrivals from the west. A broad flight of steps draws visitors upward, culminating in a 10,000-square-meter piazza that functions as an extension of the public realm. This elevated platform is not only an entry sequence but also an event space in its own right, capable of hosting outdoor gatherings independently of the arena’s internal program.

the arena is organized around a parterre level topped by two seating tiers

floating rings and material contrast

Above the podium, three concentric rings of increasing height wrap the arena, appearing to float one above the other. Their metallic skin is formed by shimmering aluminum tubes that shift with daylight, while integrated LED strips transform the building into a large-scale media surface after dark. This precise, industrial materiality is deliberately offset by landscaped elements: trees and planting spill down the stepped podium, softening the mass of the structure and introducing a hilly, green counterpoint to its monolithic base.

The arena is organized around a parterre level topped by two seating tiers, with an upper level dedicated to lounges and sky boxes. Circulation is handled through generous lobbies at every level, ensuring clear access to seating, catering, and service facilities. Parking is accommodated discreetly within the podium itself and in a separate multi-story car park to the north, keeping the surrounding public spaces largely free of vehicular congestion.

Environmental performance is addressed through a combination of resource-efficient strategies and on-site energy production. Photovoltaic systems integrated into the roof are designed to cover a significant portion of the building’s energy needs, contributing to reduced CO₂ emissions over their lifecycle. By remaining active outside ticketed events, the arena is positioned as a permanent piece of civic infrastructure rather than a single-purpose venue.

the arena translates the elliptical geometry of Milan’s ancient Roman amphitheater

the building sits on a vast raised podium that occupies almost the entire site

floor plan by David Chipperfield Architects

section by David Chipperfield Architects

project info:

name: Arena Milano

location: Milan, Italy

architect: David Chipperfield Architects | @davidchipperfieldarchitects, Arup

client: CTS Eventim Group

capacity: 16,000 (12,000 seats, 4,000 standing)

partners: David Chipperfield, Harald Müller, Alexander Schwarz

project architect: Guido Porta; Leander Bulst

project team: Guido Porta, Luigi Serra, Michael Ahlers, Moritz Grabmayr, Simpert Hafenmaier, Frank Jödicke, Theresa Rauch

competition team: Annette Flohrschuetz, Julijana Steimle, Lucas Fricke

visualisation: Dalia Liksaite

engineering: Arup, Milan

quantity surveyor: Global Assistance Development, Milan

project coordination: Consorzio Stabile Eteria, Rome

fire consultant: Arup; Studio Mistretta & Co., Milan

acoustic consultant: Arup; Studio MRG, Turin

civil works consultant: Studio AGN, Locate di Triulzi

landscape consultant: Studio Laura Gatti, Milan

photographer: Noshe | @nosheberlin

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The Hart Island Tumulus is an architectural work of fiction by Wrot Studio that proposes a rammed-earth burial mound and memorial to the lives lost in the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City’s public cemetery on Hart Island. The project explores the concept of an architecture openly vulnerable to the elements, embracing the impact of time and change, while protecting the memory of those it is erected to honor. Constructed above a mass burial plot for Covid victims, it places a marker on the earth to honor both those entombed below, and to memorialize the greater toll exacted on humanity by the virus.

Four large pillars rise just beyond the shore. Within the interstitial gaps, four distinct passages invite visitors to choose their route, each path providing a unique route to traverse the structure. At inception its edges are sharp, well defined, and familiar. Two opposing materials principally make up the entirety of the tumulus. The primary material is rammed earth, found in two use cases: solid walls (interior) and brick/blocks (with grout). Varied amounts of cement added to the different typologies of rammed earth create a designed hierarchy of strength and longevity. Tension builds in the weak zones where surfaces meet, influencing paths for erosion. The opposing material is a thick gauge steel plate. Subject to the elements it is prone to corrosion, but the loss of material is far slower than the rammed earth construction. These steel walls provide relative stasis when contrasted to the weaker rammed earth elements.

four pillars at the ferry landing for the memorial | all images @wrot.studio

wrot studio embrace changing materials with time 

The strength of the materials used gives the illusion of stability, but change is ever present and unavoidable. The intent of WROT Studio’s  Hart Island Tumulus design is how it returns to the earth. With the passage of time, the studio‘s minimalist form gives way to those more commonly found in nature. As steep surfaces lose their pitch, vegetation takes root. Details are lost, but the overall mass remains. Stepping into the central memorial chamber visitors view what appears to be an endless expanse of vertically strung steel cables. Over 45,000 cables vanishing into the distance, one for every death attributed to COVID-19 in New York City fill the volume. Passing nearly 200 cables with each step, if this memorial represented the estimated 1.2 million lives lost in the United States in the first 3 years of the pandemic, it would extend 2.7 miles.

The Tumulus, even as an unrealized concept, can provide a place for reflection and mourning. The studio describes conceiving and developing this concept as a cathartic act, used as a means of expression to come to terms with a personally unresolved chapter. While life moves forward and the years continue to pass, WROT puts emphasis on revisiting the past; reflecting on how lives were forever changed and taking the time to remember.

ramp ending at the water’s edge

long wall detail

within interstitial gaps, four distinct passages invite visitors to choose their route

with the passage of time, minimalist form gives way to those more commonly found in nature

memorial’s edge water entry 40 years after construction

hart island tumulus 80 years after construction

a submerged section of the memorial five years after construction

long wall detail after 10 years of erosion

long wall detail after 80 years of erosion

memorial gallery section after 80 years of erosion

the covered passage after 80 years of erosion

a rear view of the memorial gallery at night

project info:

name: Hart Island Tumulus
architects: WROT Studio | @wrot.studio
location: New York City, United States

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: claire brodka | designboom

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Korg’s phase8 acoustic synthesizer resembles a kalimba with the lifted resonators that users can touch, pluck, strum, and tap to produce sounds. It doubles as an interactive sound sculpture because instead of just tapping buttons and rotating knobs to make music, users physically engage with the device with the tools available to them.

By that it means they can scratch a rock over the resonator or use a pencil as a drumstick, and Korg’s phase8 acoustic synthesizer still produces layered sounds. There’s also a slider that boosts or softens the acoustic response so that the sounds coming out of the device can be modulated when the users touch it.

all images courtesy of Korg

Steel resonators produce sounds by touching them

The brand describes the device as an eight-voice acoustic synthesizer, allowing producers to use envelope shaping, sequencing, analog wavefolding, and pitch-dependent modulation. It even vibrates as users interact with the device, a subtle reference to the kalimba, where players have to thumb through the resonators. In fact, these eight independent electromechanical voices with steel resonators form the heart of Korg’s phase8 acoustic synthesizer.  Alongside, the instrument features 13 chromatically tuned resonators, with 8 of the user’s choice that can be installed at any one time. Using the envelope control, these resonators can produce short or long percussive sounds as well as long, drawn-out sustained notes. 

The design of Korg’s phase8 acoustic synthesizer lets producers easily swap and tune these steel resonators, so they can customize the scale and personality of their device. On the sides, there are MIDI/USB-MIDI and CV that can be used to externally control the knob parameters, and external MIDI devices can also be connected to trigger the notes in Korg’s phase8 acoustic synthesizer. A shift knob is present too, so users can add delayed triggers to the sounds, relative to the selected or matched tempo. The brand adds that all controls on the instrument’s panel are able to be automated over a sequence using the record function.

the steel resonators have different shapes and designs, too

there’s a delay knob to add triggered delays to the sounds

an intuitive sequence supports programmed and live recordings

side profile of the device

users strum, tap, and pluck the resonators to make music, too

the instrument features 13 chromatically tuned resonators in total

project info:

name: phase8 Acoustic Synthesizer

brand: Korg | @korgofficial

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Powerhouse Company’s Muziekwerf is the adaptive reuse of Rotterdam’s last Mennonite church into a permanent rehearsal and concert venue for youth-focused music programs. Commissioned by the philanthropic foundation Droom en Daad, the project transforms a sober post-war church building from 1951 into a multifunctional cultural space located behind Hofplein. The intervention introduces facilities for youth orchestras, pop choirs, and emerging musical talent while retaining the architectural identity of the original structure.

The project builds on the cultural and historical significance of the former Mennonite church through a strategy of preservation and selective intervention. Key architectural elements were retained, including the original plastered concrete cassette ceiling, which now forms the structural and spatial basis of the main music hall. The 1954 Flentrop organ was preserved and integrated into the program, extending its use to rehearsals and performances. New lighting elements, including large chandeliers, articulate the height and volume of the former church hall without altering its primary structure.

A circular design approach informed both material reuse and sustainable construction strategies. Original church pews were repurposed into seating and wall paneling in the foyer, while slate tiles from the former hall were reused in the entrance area and as baseboards. Existing wooden window frames were restored rather than replaced, maintaining the building’s material continuity. Additional sustainable measures include the use of recycled PET for seating, restored Bakelite hardware and lighting fixtures, climate-positive marmoleum flooring, and recyclable PVC roofing. New tiles were introduced in ton-sur-ton compositions that align with the existing finishes.

all images by Sebastian van Damme, courtesy of Powerhouse Company

Muziekwerf’s Layered Interiors Support Performance

Interior spaces were individually designed to respond to varying acoustic, spatial, and functional requirements. The concrete structure necessitated targeted acoustic interventions, integrated without concealing the building’s original materiality. A restrained palette of soft colors and exposed concrete surfaces emphasizes the layered history of the building. Design elements such as plaster ceiling clouds, concrete window frames, original tiles, and references to 1950s detailing establish continuity between old and new.

Environmental comfort was addressed through integrated building systems. Underfloor heating was installed in music studios to eliminate radiators along the windows, maintaining unobstructed daylight access. In larger spaces, ceiling-mounted radiant panels allow the concrete trusses to remain visible. Light oak flooring and sound-diffusing wall panels introduce warmth and acoustic control, referencing the former church benches through material continuity. Natural light is enhanced through the use of blue velvet curtains and reflective glazing along the balcony, directing light into the upper portions of the structure.

Urban connectivity was strengthened through the introduction of a new front entrance, the only newly constructed element in the project. Positioned between surrounding buildings and a nearby waterway, the entrance features an undulating reflective ceiling inspired by water reflections. This transitional space connects the exterior public realm with the interior foyer, offices, and music studios. Enlarged window openings and the reuse of church benches support visual and physical engagement with the adjacent public square. The design team at Powerhouse Company collaborates with Droom en Daad on the project, repositioning the former church, previously concealed within the urban fabric, as a public cultural facility. Muziekwerf demonstrates how adaptive reuse, material continuity, and carefully calibrated interventions can transform a heritage structure into an accessible space for contemporary cultural production, supporting new forms of collective use while preserving architectural identity.

Muziekwerf adapts Rotterdam’s last Mennonite church into a youth-focused music venue

the 1951 post-war church is transformed into a multifunctional cultural space

the plastered concrete cassette ceiling defines the main music hall

new chandeliers articulate the scale of the former church hall

original architectural elements guide the adaptive reuse strategy

interior spaces are tailored to specific acoustic and functional needs

recycled PET chairs and restored Bakelite fixtures support sustainable design

a new entrance introduces an undulating reflective ceiling inspired by water

the former church is repositioned as a public cultural facility for youth

restored wooden window frames preserve the building’s material continuity

material reuse follows a circular design approach throughout the project

light oak floors and acoustic panels introduce warmth to the interiors

original church pews are repurposed as seating and wall paneling

Powerhouse Company repositions the former church as a public cultural facility

project info:

name: Muziekwerf
architect: Powerhouse Company | @powerhousecompany

location: Rotterdam, Netherlands

area: 930 sqm
client: Droom en Daad

partner in charge: Nanne de Ru

photographer: Sebastian van Damme | @svd_fotografie

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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Chanel’s Spring Summer 2026 haute couture show transforms the Grand Palais into a pale, immersive landscape of oversized mushrooms, cascading pink foliage, and gently curving pathways. Following his celestial debut for the house (find designboom’s coverage here), Matthieu Blazy continues to frame his Chanel era through world-building, shifting from a cosmic universe to an intimate, dreamlike terrain. 

Scattered across the pale pink floor, monumental mushroom structures rise at varying heights and diameters. Their sculptural forms act as spatial markers that guide movement and perception. Ribbed undersides, softly rounded stems, and glossy caps introduce a tactile quality that contrasts with the vast iron-and-glass volume of the Grand Palais. The mushrooms scale the space down to the human body, punctuating the openness of the hall with moments of intimacy.

all images courtesy of Chanel

mushroom structures scale the grand palais

Seen from above, the scenography is organized as a series of concentric paths that spiral across the floor. Guests are seated along curved benches that trace these routes, embedding the audience within the spatial diagram, and movement unfolds continuously, transforming the runway into a navigable topography.

A perimeter of cascading pink foliage establishes a porous boundary that softens the monumental architecture of the Grand Palais. This vegetal curtain extends the logic of the dream world beyond pure scenography, aligning with the show’s wider visual language. In the accompanying campaign imagery, animated birds and woodland creatures appear alongside the hands of the French house ateliers, observing the work of stitching, pinning, and shaping fabric. Blazy’s universe frames transformation as a process, recalling a Cinderella-like narrative of patience, care and magic.

giant mushroom structures punctuate the pale pink runway

cascading pink foliage softens the monumental architecture of the grand palais

mushroom forms scale the vast exhibition hall down to an intimate, human dimension

the scenography transforms the runway into an immersive, non-linear landscape

soft curves and muted tones establish a calm, suspended atmosphere

the dreamlike environment dissolves distinctions between architecture, stage, and audience

the set design frames the show as a navigable garden

sheer layers and soft silhouettes move through the dreamlike forest set

the scenography relies on a tightly controlled palette of blush pinks, milky whites, and muted reds

the set reframes the show as an experience of proximity

garden, fairytale, and atelier merge into a single environment

softness and tactility replace excess

project info:

name: Chanel | @chanelofficial Spring Summer 2026 Haute Couture 

designer: Matthieu Blazy | @matthieu_blazy

location: Grand Palais, Paris, France

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Studio Rossettini revitalizes House LB into a contemporary single-family residence with playful spaces that puts functionality and quality of life at its center. The home from the early 1960s in Padua, Italy, reimagines the existing structure through its renovation, freeing up the perimeter walls and creating a fluid sequence of spaces that flow between the kitchen, dining room, and living room, with furnishings integrated into architectural niches.

Without altering the original volume, the project respects the existing footprint, working through subtraction and reconstruction, with a new rational distribution and a tailored interior design. The design aims to create a neutral box that can be personalized by the client with artwork and furnishings, striving to maintain a good balance between formal clarity and a domestic atmosphere. The distribution is completely redesigned rationally, starting from the structural constraints of the existing structure.

front view of the house | all images by Andrea Ceriani

1960s home IN ITALY benefits from personalized renovation

Studio Rossettini takes a personalized approach to the renovation of the brutalist home. The architects keep the living area on the ground floor, extending from the entrance into the kitchen, dining room, and living room, separated by niches that integrate the furnishings. The walls separating the main spaces of the home are removed from the perimeter. This allows for the sequence of spaces to be interpreted right down to the last room and frees up circulation around the spaces while maintaining the intimacy of each space. The main facade remains sober and balanced, with contrasting volumes defining the home and garage, connected by a portico that in turn links the two portions of the garden. The south elevation, on the other hand, opens completely to the inner garden through large fixed windows that frame the outdoor green space.

view of the internal garden with porch

House LB prioritizes a minimalist aesthetic

Natural lighting is key, as is the minimalist palette of whites, blacks, and thoughtful natural wood inserts for furnishings, lighting, bathroom accessories, and the concrete flooring. Large southern openings frame the garden and draw natural light deep into the home, while a suspended reading net on the upper floor becomes a playful, unexpected moment that reveals the project’s domestic soul. Domestic warmth is ensured by the inclusion of artworks, distributed throughout the rooms as two twin solid blocks—one as a pedestal at the entrance, the other as the first mobile step of the staircase—the staircase handrail, and the porch skylight intrados. On the first floor, between the bedrooms, a retractable shelf leads to a suspended net, an intimate space designed for play and reading for the little ones.

the walls separating the main spaces of the home are removed

an outdoor kitchen adds more entertainment space

large southern openings frame the garden and draw natural light deep into the home

the double-height entrance to the house with a solid wooden block as a pedestal for a sculpture

the home maintains a balance between formal clarity and domestic atmosphere

the living area extends from the entrance into the kitchen, dining room, and living room

furnishings are integrated into architectural niches

large fixed windows frame the outdoor green space

natural lighting is key, as is the minimalist palette

the suspended reading net on the upper floor becomes a playful and unexpected space

black is used for furnishings, lighting, and bathroom accessories

project info:

name: House LB
architects: Studio Rossettini Architettura | @studio_rossettini

location: Padua, Italy

photographer: Andrea Ceriani

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: claire brodka | designboom

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about designboom

Our mission is to bring together the worlds of design, architecture, art, and technology, fostering creative thought and global dialogue. We are driven by a philosophy of ‘Utopian Optimism’ and a ‘What If’ mindset, believing in the power of design to shape a better future.

Core beliefs and ethos

The successful candidate will be an active embodiment of our core philosophy. We are a catalyst, a movement of makers, believers, and optimists. We believe that design is not decoration, but transformation. It is how we learn to see, connect, and rise. Our approach is Utopian Optimism: a belief that one idea, one spark, can outshine the noise and move us forward. We believe in building the light, turning energy into beauty, and chaos into clarity. This movement begins with the thought: What if!

designboom values (what we seek)

We expect the designboom lab Senior Editor to champion our three core values in their leadership and execution:

• Intentionally Curious: They ask the right questions during the production phase to ensure we aren’t just hitting a deadline, but actually answering the client’s core need.
• Disrupt Playfully: They find creative ways to solve logistical problems. When a timeline is tight, they find the “playful disruption” that makes it work without compromising quality.
• Fearlessly Meaningful: They are the guardian of quality. They are unafraid to push back on content that feels flat or corporate, ensuring every published piece carries the designboom mission.

the role: lab senior editor

As we evolve into a consultancy model, the lab Senior Editor acts as the day-to-day anchor of the studio.

While the lab Director focuses on high-level strategy, client acquisition, and training the Business Development team, you are responsible for the execution and delivery of those promises. You ensure the studio machine ticks along flawlessly day-to-day.

You will transition from purely editing text to managing the lifecycle of complex campaigns. You are the traffic controller, the quality guardian, and the lead that, together with our Partner Success Team, ensures that our Tier 1 campaigns are delivered on time, on brief, and with the signature “Utopian Optimism” voice.

key responsibilities

1. Tier 1 Campaign Execution 

• Execution Lead: Once the lab Director and BDs have sold a Tier 1 strategy, you take ownership of the delivery. You translate the concept into a production schedule, assignment list, and final output.
• Editorial Oversight: direct the editorial angle of campaigns. While you may delegate writing, you are responsible for the final polish, ensuring the tone matches the strategy defined by the Director.
• Client Delivery: Act as the primary editorial touchpoint for Partner Success Managers during the production phase. You ensure that client feedback is incorporated without diluting the designboom voice.

2. Studio Operations & Workflow

• Pipeline Management: You are the owner of the production calendar (ClickUp). You manage traffic, assign tasks to the Visual Designer, PSMs and Editors, and ensure no deadlines are missed.
• Resource Allocation: Together with the lab director, you identify bottlenecks before they happen. If the team is overloaded, you flag and propose solutions (e.g., freelance support or timeline adjustments).
• Process Discipline: You enforce the “rules of engagement.” You ensure that BDs and PSMs provide complete briefs and assets before production begins, protecting the creative team from administrative chaos.

3. Quality Assurance & Reporting

• The Final Gatekeeper: No Tier 1 content leaves the studio without your approval. You check that all deliverables (articles, social captions, newsletters) meet the high editorial standards of designboom.
• Campaign Wrap-Ups: Together with DAAily Reporting and Data Team, you oversee the compilation of designboom’s data and editorial sentiment for Post-Campaign Reports. You provide the lab Director with the “Success Story” details needed to secure client renewals.

goals and KPIs (annunal 2026)

Operational Efficiency

• On-Time Delivery: Maintain a 100% on-time delivery rate for Tier 1 campaigns.
• Workflow Optimization: Reduce the “Time to Publish” cycle by streamlining production, and Clients’ review and approval processes.

Quality & Client Satisfaction

• Brief Accuracy: Ensure 95% of first drafts meet the strategic brief set by the lab Director (minimizing internal revision rounds).
• Execution Quality: Contribute to client retention by ensuring the day-to-day handling of their content is professional, smooth, and high-quality.

Team Management

• Resource Utilization: effectively manage the workload of junior editors to prevent burnout while maximizing output.

requirements

• Experience: 4+ years in digital publishing, managing editorial calendars, or studio/agency project management.
• Managing Editor Skillset: You are an excellent editor, but you are an even better organizer. You find satisfaction in a perfectly organized schedule.
• Tools: Mastery of Adobe Creative Suite as well as Project Management software (ClickUp) and CMS platforms.
• Communication: Clear, concise, and authoritative. You can manage expectations with internal teams and keep projects moving.
• Industry Knowledge: A genuine passion for design, architecture, and art. You understand the content of the design world.

application

Are you interested in learning more? Please send your detailed application, including CV, availability and salary expectations to job@designboom.com

The post designboom job position available: lab senior editor appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.