White-metal fins form abstract exterior of Büro Ziyu Zhuang's Chamber Church

White aluminium church

German-Chinese architecture practice Büro Ziyu Zhuang has completed a church in Qingdao, China, featuring walls and a tower made from dozens of spaced-out aluminium ribs.

Büro Ziyu Zhuang designed the Chamber Church as part of Chinese property developer Sunac‘s Aduo Town project in the Qingdao Zangma Mountain Tourism Resort.

White church in Qingdao
The church stands out against a mountainous backdrop

The church is positioned at the edge of a public plaza connecting it with other nearby amenities. When viewed from the plaza, the forested mountains form a dramatic natural backdrop.

The architects claimed that the building combines a religious experience with secular attitude, explaining that the church “aims to create a spatial container that both respects the past and looks towards the future.”

Church by Büro Ziyu Zhuang
Its design draws on classic church architecture

The design borrows familiar elements from classical church architecture, such as the bell tower with its spire and rose window, the basilica layout, and the repeating interiors arches.

These features are translated into simplified forms made up of vertical ribs.

White church made from sliced arches
Vertical ribs make up the form of the Chamber Church

“To create a modern icon, we needed to create a pure shape that still evokes the archetype of a church,” claimed Büro Ziyu Zhuang.

“Therefore, during the design process, we integrated different vernacular facade images of traditional churches. The derived base volume is then expressed through a series of slices.”

Back of Chamber Church in China
A manmade lake surrounds the building

The building is oriented east to west and is positioned at a point where the site slopes upwards, allowing the church to be raised above the plaza in front of it.

A manmade lake that surrounds the building provides privacy on all sides. Steps leading from the plaza to the entrance are flanked by terraced water features that enhance the sense of connection with the local nature.

Büro Ziyu Zhuang's white Chamber Church
The church is raised above a plaza in Qingdao

A semi-sunken podium level beneath the lake contains auxiliary spaces for the main auditorium, including a reception area and preparation room. A VIP entrance on the northwest side of the plaza leads directly to the lower floor.

The church was built using a series of steel portal frames clad with glazing. Sixty aluminium fins uniformly distributed along the building’s length form the walls, roof and tower.

Chamber Church with sliced aluminium exterior
Chamber Church is made from sixty aluminium fins

Internally, sheets of glass-reinforced gypsum are individually shaped to enclose an organic, cave-like hall.

The gentle curves lend the space a fluid feel that contrasts with the rigid, geometric appearance of the exterior.

“The cavernous space of the assembly hall attempts to give people a sense of peace and shelter in the form of an enclosure, just as the cave once did,” the studio said.

“It provides a frame for the ritual and sacredness desired by the people holding the ceremony, thereby triggering a connection between the real and spiritual dimensions,” it added.

Interior of Chamber Church
The church’s interior has a cave-like feel

Gaps between the ribs allow daylight to filter through and illuminate the interior with a soft glow. The sun’s movement throughout the day alters the brightness of the space and the patterns of shadow cast on the floor.

“The cascading white slices soften the interior light while wrapping the main frame and construction system of the building, giving the entire assembly a concise and austere atmosphere which is both a contemporary aesthetic tendency and an echo of tradition – a fusion of heritage and contemporaneity,” said the architects.

Wooden lectern in Chamber Church
Chamber Church is laid out like a traditional basilica

The building’s floor plan borrows from the traditional basilica layout, with a nave extending towards a wooden lectern placed in front of an arched window.

The arch frames a view towards the manmade lake, where an island planted with a tree emerges from the water in front of the mountain range behind.

Back of Chamber Church, Qingdao
It is oriented east to west

Büro Ziyu Zhuang’s previous projects include a high-end hotel in Chengdu, China, featuring a complex roof form that resembles a Chinese scroll painting. The Cropland Loop Resort was longlisted for Dezeen Awards 2020 in the hospitality building category.

The architectural firm has partners in Berlin, Beijing and Shanghai, lending its projects a unique design vocabulary that fuses Asian and European influences. It was longlisted for Dezeen Awards 2020 designer of the year.

The photography is by Shengliang Su.


Project credits:

Architectural and interior design: BUuzz/Büro Ziyu Zhuang
Principal designer: Ziyu Zhuang, Fanshi Yu, Fabian Wieser, Na Li
Design team: Mengzhao Xing, Jialin Song, Yingliu (Intern), Yi Liu, Dongdong Chen, Weihong Dong, Yubing Chen, Zhendong Chen, Di Tian, Ruoyi Song, Nan Zhou (Intern), Lingwei Meng (Intern)
Construction drawings: Qingdao Tengyuan Design Institute Co., Ltd.
Construction: Qingdao Jiuan Construction Groups
Interior construction drawings: Gold Mantis Construction Decoration
Interior construction: Ganghua International
Landscape design: Aspect Studios
Landscape construction: Guangzhou Yayue Landscape Construction Co., Ltd
Structure consultant: Hejie Architectural Consultant
Lighting consultant: Puri Lighting Desgin (Fang Hu, Yanhui Li)
Curtain call consultant: Forcitis
Steel structure and curtain wall construction: Shenyang Lidong Curtain Wall Decoration Co., Ltd.
Main materials: Alucobond Plus Aluminum Composite Material-Alucobond; GRG-Beijing Yongxinsheng International Architecture and construction Co., Ltd.; Low-E Glass-Tianjin Nanbo Energy-saving Glass Co., Ltd.

The post White-metal fins form abstract exterior of Büro Ziyu Zhuang’s Chamber Church appeared first on Dezeen.

The James Hunter Six: Never

Out from Daptone Records, The James Hunter Six’s soulful new single “Never” precedes the Grammy-nominated English artist’s forthcoming album, With Love (out 14 February). A ballad of heartfelt lyrics and enveloping melodies, the smooth track exists outside of time or place—allowing anyone with an affection for love songs to appreciate it.

World’s first electric Batmobile shouts out loud for Matt Reeves attention

While the upcoming Robert Pattinson starrer movie is going to portray Batman as someone who creates his own muscle car-like set of wheels from car components, this monstrous electric Batmobile could raise the bar up high on Batman’s vehicle crafting skills.

Bat fans are eagerly waiting for The Batman movie’s release in the first week of March 2022. The upcoming superhero flick depicts Batman as a loner and motorhead, crafting his own set of wheels in the Batcave on a secret underground railway that in reality exists till this date in New York. That plot has semblance with the 25-year-old Nguyen Dac Chung’s exploits of an electric Batmobile he’s built in his garage.

Designer: Nguyen Dac Chung

The Hanoi-based architecture student crafted the life-sized replica of the Batmobile from The Dark Knight capable of reaching speeds of 100 kmph. Blueprint of the badass EV comes from the original one in the blockbuster movie, and Nguyen reconstructed the 3D components of the car and then separated the kit parts to put together the exterior. It took him more than 10 months to just make the frame and electric lines, install the tire components. In fact, he had to import some parts from the United States and South Korea. With able help from a team of designers, architects, mechanics, and engineers – the project came to life and is constantly being improved upon.

Nguyen’ fully functional two-seater Batmobile measures 3.6 meters long, 2.6 meters wide, and 1.5 meters high. The frame was crafted first by the team from materials including ABS, composite, steel, and carbon fiber. Some parts of the behemoth weighing less than 600 kg have been handcrafted too. The tech influence comes in the form of automatic hydraulic doors, and 4 tactical cameras for a near 360 view.

Although it has difficulty in maneuvering around in the tight corners, we expect future improvements to address that too. That doesn’t take away the laurel of his creation being the one and only electric Batmobile in the world for the eco-conscious crime-fighting hero. Just for the records, the electric Batmobile will be on show at the Van Daryl Gallery in Vietnam where fans can see this stunning creation in real!

The post World’s first electric Batmobile shouts out loud for Matt Reeves attention first appeared on Yanko Design.

Transformable flying AirCar awarded airworthiness certificate

AirCar by Klein Vision

A flying car capable of converting from a road to an air vehicle has been granted an airworthiness certification in Slovakia, as its makers eye mass manufacturing.

The Slovak Transport Authority awarded the AirCar by Klein Vision a Certificate of Airworthiness earlier this week, after the vehicle completed more than 70 hours of successful flight testing.

The AirCar is a dual-mode vehicle with a petrol engine that can convert from a car to an aircraft at the push of a button.

White AirCar vehicle in sportscar mode drives on a highway
The AirCar is capable of driving on the roads like an ordinary car

In its testing it has performed steep 45 degree turns, reached maximum speeds of 190 kilometres per hour and flown a 35-minute inter-city journey between airports in Nitra and Bratislava.

Slovak company Klein Vision said its flight testing was in line with European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards, and that the certification aids its plans to introduce a version of the AirCar onto the market for commercial travel.

“AirCar certification opens the door for mass production of very efficient flying cars,” said Klein Vision founder and CEO Stefan Klein. “It is official and the final confirmation of our ability to change mid-distance travel forever.”

AirCar sits on the tarmac while its wings deploy from the sides of the vehicle
Wings deploy to turn the car into an aircraft

A representative of the Transport Authority of Slovakia, Civil Aviation Division director René Molnár, described the AirCar as defining “a new category of a sports car and a reliable aircraft”.

“Its certification was both a challenging and fascinating task,” said Molnár.

Klein Vision flew a 1,000-kilogram two-seat prototype with a fixed propeller and a 1.6-litre BMW engine for the airworthiness certification. It has wings and a tail that deploy and retract on demand.

AirCar takes off from an airport runway
The AirCar takes off in the same way as a conventional aeroplane

The company is now working on a production model, which will be equipped with an ADEPT Airmotive engine and a variable pitch propeller.

Klein Vision says it will be capable of speeds of 300 kilometres an hour and have a range of 1,000 kilometres. It expects it to be certified in 12 months.

Unlike many of its competitors in the urban air mobility space, it does not have an electric engine or vertical take-off and landing – technologies known as EVTOL.

It would need to takeoff and land at conventional airstrips and could not use helipads or ports.

AirCar flies over fields in Slovakia
The AirCar has completed more than 70 hours of successful test flights

Among the companies developing vehicles in the EVTOL space is Hyundai, whose European chief executive has said he expects flying cars to be in cities by 2030.

Other companies at the forefront in this space include Lilium, which has said that its seven-seater Lilium Jet is “on the path to certification” with the EASA and its US equivalent, the Federal Aviation Administration.

American company Kitty Hawk has previously been granted airworthiness approval by the US Air Force in order to conduct flight testing under its auspices, and is now working on a commercial air taxi model.

The photography is courtesy of Klein Vision.

The post Transformable flying AirCar awarded airworthiness certificate appeared first on Dezeen.

Georgia O’Keefe was also an Excellent Photographer !

Georgia O’Keeffe était principalement connue pour ses peintures à grande échelle de fleurs et de paysages, souvent empreintes d’une énergie sexuelle. Pourtant, elle fut également une grande photographe : l’artiste prolifique était constamment entourée par le médium, ayant été mariée au photographe Alfred Stieglitz. Georgia O’Keeffe, photographe est la première exposition consacrée au travail d’O’Keeffe en tant que photographe. Près de 100 photographies provenant d’archives récemment examinées révèlent l’approche moderniste de l’icône américaine. Les photographies sont complétées par des peintures et des dessins qui représentent toute l’étendue de sa carrière. Aux Etats-Unis, jusqu’au 12 juin, une exposition sera donc consacrée à Georgia O’Keefe en tant que photographe. Cette exposition est organisée par le Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, avec la collaboration du Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Santa Fe.

Todd Webb. Georgia O’Keeffe with Camera, 1958. Gelatin silver print, 9 7/16 x 7 5/8 inches. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of The Georgia O’Keeffe Foundation. © Todd Webb Archive.





A compact, countertop-friendly dishwasher is inspired by elephant bathing rituals

Elle is a compact dishwasher shaped like an elephant that’s designed to clean the dishes used during a small family meal.

Even if you’re one of the few who enjoys doing the dishes, cleaning up after a big meal can get tiring. In a perfect world, we’d take care of the dishes as soon as we’re finished using them. But following a big meal, all we want to do is cozy up on the living room couch and enjoy the consequences of our food comas.

Designer: Stalin Jr.

Alas, the dishes still pile up in the sink and we must tend to our most human of responsibilities. To help make the chore feel a bit more approachable, industrial designer Stalin Jr. conceptualized Elle, a miniature dishwasher shaped like an elephant that scales down dishwashing to its most compact size.

Inspired by the bathing rituals of elephants in the wild, Stalin Jr. designed Elle’s silhouette to resemble the shape of an elephant’s rump. Scaled-down from the size of an actual elephant’s rump to around the same size as an air dryer, Elle is compact enough to fit right on any kitchen countertop.

In conceptualizing Elle, Stalin Jr. explored the possibilities of what a dishwasher could look like in regards to its unique shape and compact size. Primarily conceived for the nuclear family, Elle is compact enough to remain out of the way when not in use and big enough to clean all of the dishes and utensils needed for an intimate family dinner in one wash.

Elle functions as the go-to appliance in between meals, when there aren’t enough dirty dishes to use the full-size dishwasher, but you still want to keep the sink free of dirty dishes. Equipped with all of the functions needed for a thorough cleaning, Elle comes with a touch-automated control panel and wall-mountable water inlet valve.

The post A compact, countertop-friendly dishwasher is inspired by elephant bathing rituals first appeared on Yanko Design.

Architecture for London uses natural materials to renovate studio founder's home

Kitchen inside Low Energy House designed by Architecture for London

Wood, stone and lime plaster pervade the minimal interior of this energy-saving home in Muswell Hill that Architecture for London has created for its founder, Ben Ridley.

Architecture for London renovated and extended the three-floor Edwardian home that had gone untouched for close to 40 years and was in a less than favourable condition when purchased by Ridley.

Kitchen inside Low Energy House designed by Architecture for London
The interiors of the home are finished with natural materials

“It was very tired, with bright floral carpets and textured wallpaper,” he told Dezeen.

“There were some severe issues with damp where non breathable renders and plasters had been used in the past,” he continued. “It was also quite dark as the orientation of the property isn’t ideal – the rear reception room in particular had very little natural light.”

Kitchen inside Low Energy House designed by Architecture for London
Oak cabinetry and grey limestone fixtures feature in the kitchen

Although Ridley and his team at Architecture for London carried out extensive renovation work they aimed to using natural materials and only make sustainably minded interventions.

For example, in the ground floor kitchen, the studio preserved a couple of structural masonry walls to evade having to replace them with supportive frames made from energy-intensive resources such as steel.

Living room inside Low Energy House designed by Architecture for London
The house’s original timber roof has been preserved

Walls here, and throughout the rest of the home, have been coated with lime plaster to form an airtight layer, mitigating any heat loss.

The cabinetry is lined with oak wood, while the floor, worktops, prep counter and chunky window seat are crafted from pale grey limestone, which the studio preferred to use instead of cement-based products.

In celebration of the house’s “modest beauty”, the studio has also left the original timber roof exposed.

Garden of Low Energy House designed by Architecture for London
A rear extension offers views of the garden

A short flight of stairs leads up to the living room, where wood fibre insulation has been added behind the walls; fitting the insulation internally meant the studio was able to leave the house’s Edwardian facade completely undisturbed.

The space otherwise features a couple of muted-pastel chairs, oak storage cupboards and a handful of potted plants.

At the back of the house, the studio has constructed an extension from structural insulated panels (SIPS).

The rectilinear volume accommodates a dining area and is fronted by a full height, triple-glazed window, to give views through to the lush foliage of the garden.

More wood fibre insulation has been incorporated here, and in the house’s peripheral walls.

Bedroom inside Low Energy House designed by Architecture for London
A Douglas fir bed frame has been included in the master bedroom

Natural materials go on to appear upstairs in the master bedroom, where the flooring and furnishings – including the bed frame – are made from Douglas fir wood.

Oak has then been used to fashion the bathroom’s vanity unit, which backs onto a fluted limestone wall.

Bathroom inside Low Energy House designed by Architecture for London
Fluted walls add textural interest in the bathroom

Ben Ridley set up Architecture for London in 2009.

The studio has since gone on to complete a number of projects around the British capital – this includes Tower Hamlets Tandem, a pair of extensions made for adjoining residences, and House for a Stationer, which is designed to reflect the occupation of its owner.

Photography is by Lorenzo Zandri and Christian Brailey.


Project credits:

Architects: Architecture for London
Structural engineer: Architecture for London
Services engineer: Green Building Store
Main contractor: Construction Hub

The post Architecture for London uses natural materials to renovate studio founder’s home appeared first on Dezeen.

Conrad Architects completes marble-clad home overlooking Melbourne skyline

Marble-clad house

A roof terrace and pool with views over Melbourne‘s skyline feature at the Grange Residence, a marble-clad house by Australian studio Conrad Architects.

Located in the suburb of Toorak, the four-bedroom dwelling was commissioned by interior designer Lauren Tarrant, who also created the home’s interiors.

Marble-clad exterior of the Grange Residence
Conrad Architects has completed the Grange Residence in Melbourne

Melbourne-based Conrad Architects described the Grange Residence as a “split form of minimalist stone blocks”, which are clad in acid-etched marble.

Its design was informed by local planning regulations that required different elevation heights on each boundary.

Marble-clad entrance to Grange Residence
The house is clad in acid-etched marble

Inside, the living spaces are organised to create an “intuitive and rhythmic journey”, with a gradation from private spaces to bright, open areas with outward views via the home’s central stair.

This staircase, designed as a “sculpted element suspended within the otherwise rectilinear arrangement of spaces,” has been finished in polished plaster and is illuminated by a skylight.

Grange Residence staircase by Conrad Architects
The house is planned around a central stair illuminated by a skylight

“Much of the planning was dictated by the topography, yet we sought to accentuate the experience of entering the house, moving through it, and the view being revealed,” explained the studio’s founder Paul Conrad.

At the entrance, a small stair leads to the upper ground floor, immediately framing views out across a large living and dining area that opens onto a terrace with an infinity pool.

Sculptural staircase by Conrad Architects
The staircase is designed with a sculptural aesthetic

“The home’s entry floor level is intentionally raised to generate a sense of ‘stepping up’ to a lookout,” explained the studio.

Below this is the lower ground floor, which contains the home’s bedrooms, and the basement level that comprises a garage, gym and utility room.

“Bedrooms are nestled below the entry level, creating a quiet sanctuary of private spaces, each opening of the landscape,” added the studio.

The home’s upper floors are given over to large living, dining and office spaces that open onto a pair of stepped roof terraces.

Roof terrace overlooking Melbourne
An infinity pool and roof terrace looks out over Melbourne

Bronze-coloured metal has been used for the frames and shutters of the upper-level openings and is also used to surround the rotating glazed doors that lead out onto the terraces.

Internally, concrete, stone and polished plaster have been used to create sleek and minimal spaces, complemented by pale furnishings and brass hardware.

Pivoting door to a roof terrace
Bronze-coloured metal frames the windows and doors

Conrad Architects is an architecture studio founded by Conrad in Melbourne in 2008. Previous projects by the studio include a Melbourne townhouse that has been divided into distinct living spaces for different times of the day.

Other marble-clad residences on Dezeen include a London house extension by Alexander Owen Architecture and Casa ZTG in Mexico by 1540 Arquitectura.

The photography is by Timothy Kaye and the styling is by Marsha Golemac.

The post Conrad Architects completes marble-clad home overlooking Melbourne skyline appeared first on Dezeen.

boAt Lifestyle and Yanko Design team up for a Rendering Challenge. Participate to win audio gear + free design courses

We’re thrilled to announce that Yanko Design is teaming up with boAt Lifestyle, India’s #1 Earwear brand, to flag off the #DoWhatFloatsYourboAt Design Challenge on Instagram. The #DoWhatFloatsYourboAt challenge’s brief is simple – Render the boAt Stone 1200F Wireless Speaker in your own imagination. The most creative entry stands a chance to win up to INR 10,000 worth of boAt Products, a KeyShot 10 Pro license (with a free upgrade to KeyShot 11), as well as access to offsite courses with Advanced Design and Hector Silva, and online lifetime access to Creator Club Master Classes. The contest is open and free to all, and here’s a secret perk – the best student entry even gets a paid internship at boAt.

Use this link to download the 3D files of the boAt Stone 1200F Wireless Speaker.
Click Here to Participate Now! Hurry, Contest closes on February 20th, 2022.

The boAt Stone 1200F has the aura and audacity of a boombox in a smaller, handy avatar. It boasts 14W of sheer audio power with a passive bass radiator for rich, foot-tapping, heart-thumping sound, and RGB LEDs on either side to add visual dynamism to your audio experience. The speaker comes with a wireless, portable design that can be carried in one’s hand or even strung along the shoulder using an accompanying strap. With 9 hours of playback time, the Stone 1200F lets the party go on into after-hours, and the fact that it’s IPX7 water and splash resistant lets you easily take the party outdoors too!

To participate in the #DoWhatFloatsYourboAt Design Challenge, upload your renders/animations/designs to Instagram and tag + follow the @yankodesign and @boat.nirvana accounts while also using the #YDxboAt hashtag. The renders can be images or even videos, and the brief is to render the boAt Stone 1200F’s design in your unique expressive style. Go absolutely wild!

The #DoWhatFloatsYourboAt rendering challenge will be judged by Ayush Singh Patel – Lead Industrial Designer at boAt Lifestyle, Katharina Stärck – Designer & 3D Visualizer at KRB.Berlin and Sarang Sheth – Editor in Chief at Yanko Design. To read about the competition details, read below. The competition ends on February 20th, 2022, 11:59pm PST. Disclaimer – Participants in this rendering challenge must be above the age of 18.

Here’s all the information you need:

The Brief
Render the boAt Stone 1200F Wireless Speaker in your own unique expressive style.

How to Participate
Step 1: Download the boAt 1200F 3D assets
Step 2: Upload your design to Instagram + Follow @yankodesign and @boat.nirvana
Step 3: Tag @yankodesign and use the hashtag #YDxboAt in the caption.

Contest Opens: January 31st, 2022
Contest Closes: February 20th, 2022, 11:59 PST.

Gold Prize: INR 10,000 boAt Products + KeyShot 10 Pro License (free upgradable to KeyShot 11) + Offsite Courses by Hector Silva
Silver Prize: INR 10,000 boAt Products + KeyShot 10 Pro License (free upgradable to KeyShot 11) + $10,000 worth Lifetime Access to Creator Club Master Classes on How to Succeed at Crowdfunding.
Bronze Prize: INR 5,000 boAt Products + KeyShot 10 Pro License (free upgradable to KeyShot 11)
Student Prize: Best Student Design Submission will get Paid Internship at boAt

Click Here to Download the boAt Stone 1200F 3D Assets

“With #DoWhatFloatsYourboAt, boAt Lifestyle is becoming a bold voice for the Gen-Z, a generation that is seeking a purpose in every passion. We are excited to extend this conversation to the eclectic design community with the #DoWhatFloatsYourboAt Design Challenge. So, if you are ready to let your imagination run wild, hop on the creativity wagon, and get rolling!”

boAt is India’s #1 Earwear brand (as per IDC India Monthly Wearables Tracker, November 2021 release).

The post boAt Lifestyle and Yanko Design team up for a Rendering Challenge. Participate to win audio gear + free design courses first appeared on Yanko Design.

Off-grid treehouse style villas make up this eco-resort that takes inspiration from Mobula Rays

Playa Viva is an ecoresort in Juluchuca, Mexico made up of off-grid treehouse-style villas with roofs shaped like the wings of Mobula Rays.

The beauty of biophilic architecture is that nature provides the blueprint. In environments with dense foliage and rough terrain, integrating the natural landscape into the lay of the building helps define the floor plan’s parameters and the building’s structural shape. Immersing guests in nature, biophilic architecture artfully dissolves the barrier between the outdoors and interior spaces. Atelier Nomadic, a Rotterdam-based architecture firm that specializes in biophilic architecture, designed Playa Viva, an eco-resort village of treehouse-style villas that plants guests right on the surf of the Pacific Ocean in Juluchuca, Mexico.

Designer: Atelier Nomadic

Unlike their usual approach, Atelier Nomadic had to meet with the client behind Playa Viva online as a result of the pandemic restricting travel. From these virtual workshops, the architects with Atelier Nomadic envisioned Playa Viva’s structural shape to replicate the flexed wings of a Mobula Ray. A familiar sight to the shores of Mexico, Mobula Rays seem to encapsulate Atelier Nomadic’s mission for integrating nature into their designs, as well as the spirit of Playa Viva. Functioning like a gigantic umbrella, the hyperbolic and paraboloid-shaped roof offers total coverage from the blazing sun and heavy rain. On the opposite end, each treehouse villa is propped up on a collection of wooden stilts that support the larger bamboo dwelling.

Chosen for its speedy regenerative process, Guadua bamboo comprises the build of each villa’s main living volume, roof structure, facade louvers, and ceiling. In the main living volume, guests can find the main bedroom and untouched views of the ocean, while enjoying natural cross-ventilation from the bamboo louvers. Besides Guadua, fishpole bamboo was used to give rise to Playa Viva’s annex building’s walls and facade panels. In each structure, Cumaru timber was chosen for the flooring. In the annex structures, Atelier Nomadic placed the bathroom and additional sleeping accommodation, or a lounge area.

As part of Playa Viva’s eco-resort appeal and mission, each villa is entirely self-sustained, garnering energy from the sun to power each facility and amenity. In close collaboration with the local community, Playa Viva supports health and education services for locals and works on a year-round basis to restore the surrounding land. Offering access to the rugged, unspoiled beauty of Mexico’s land, Playa Viva also works hard to protect it through the La Tortuga Viva Turtle Sanctuary, a nonprofit organization rooted in sea turtle conservation.

The post Off-grid treehouse style villas make up this eco-resort that takes inspiration from Mobula Rays first appeared on Yanko Design.