Production designer Ruth De Jong has installed a house modelled on her set design for director Jordan Peele’s film Nope at the Chicago Architecture Biennial as part of a series of installations exploring horror and architecture.

The installation is a life-size recreation of the facade and front porch of a ranch home featured prominently in the movie and explores “architecture’s cinematic function as a character of its own,” according to biennial curators The Floating Museum.

It consists of a facade facing a large screen depicting a looped landscape scene from the horror movie, in which a UFO descends upon a family ranch.

De Jong covered the house in a monochromatic white, save for red movie blood placed in buckets on the front steps.

The installation was placed on the third floor of the Chicago Cultural Center, where many of the biennial exhibitions were placed.

“Set designers think about imagined architecture versus the actual architecture,” said the Floating Museum.

“Horror and beauty are both aesthetic paradigms that attune your mind, and for Jordan Peele horror is not just the monster underneath the stairs or in the wall, but structural – which is why it doesn’t have a time of day and does not have a limited space.”

The unfinished facade plays on set design, in which architectural elements like houses or apartments are often incomplete and the viewer’s tendency to subconsciously fill in the gaps.

“Our minds actually finish out the architecture,” said the team.

The installation is part of a series that explores the horror of property ownership and expropriation. In an adjacent room, The Buell Center and architecture studio AD–WO created an installation called 100 Links: Architecture and land, in and out of the Americas.

100 Links features a canopy of surveyor chains that were used in the divvying up of land in the Americas, suspended from the ceiling and surrounded by troughs holding books that explore ideas of architecture and the methods of land expropriation.

Ruth De Jong is a production designer who has previously worked on movies such as Oppenheimer (2023, dir. Christopher Nolan) Us (2019, dir. Jordan Peele), and TwinPeaks (2017, created by David Lynch and Mark Frost).

Other installations on view at this year’s Chicago Architecture Biennial include an array of works in the postmodern Thompson Center and a spiral of bio-bricks made of algae by SOM.

De Jong’s installation will be on view from 1 November to 11 February at The Chicago Architecture Biennial. For more events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design around the world visit the Dezeen Events Guide.

The photography is by Tom Harris. 

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Dezeen School Shows: a women-only gym that uses virtual reality to create a unique workout experience is included in Dezeen’s latest school show by students at Ajman University.

Also included is a design for a school that takes cues from the De Stijl movement and a library that departs from conventional library designs.

Ajman University

Institution: Ajman University
School: College of Architecture, Art and Design – Interior Design department
Course: Interior Design Graduation Project I and II
Tutors: Dr Naglaa Mahmoud, Dina Ibrahim and Dr Gamal El Samanoudy

School statement:

“The Graduation Project in Interior Design is an integral part of the Interior Design programme at Ajman University, UAE, allowing students to engage in complex interior design projects that demand creativity, innovation and practical application of their accumulated knowledge and skills.

“In this course, students embark on a journey to tackle intricate spatial configurations, such as multi-functional spaces, open-plan layouts, or the adaptive reuse of existing buildings – all thoughtfully selected during the initial phases of the programme’s design process.

“Throughout the course, students will explore functional and aesthetic mastery, focus on a user-centric approach, develop contextual awareness and emphasize sustainability and ethics in their designs.

“They also enhance their real-world preparedness, presentation skills and conceptual sketching abilities, culminating in comprehensive project development.

“The graduation project equips students with the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to thrive in the dynamic world of interior design.”

Natural Connection by Yasmeen Mohammed

“In today’s fast-paced and interconnected world, universities must play a pivotal role in shaping not only student’s academic future but also their personal growth and mental wellbeing.

“One of the inherent complexities of this project was designing specialised spaces tailored for designers, ensuring an environment that fosters creativity and innovation while also serving educational needs.

“This project involves a concept design that weaves biophilic elements into a university’s interior to augment students’ creativity, productivity and engagement.

“Drawing inspiration from the five senses, biophilic design principles are skillfully integrated into the space, combining nature-inspired motifs, optimal natural lighting, ergonomic furnishings and eco-friendly building materials.

“The space is divided into two zones with 11 diverse limits to cater to distinct requirements, while the first zone is intricately crafted to amplify creativity, the latter is meticulously structured to fortify educational pursuits.”

Student: Yasmeen Mohammed
Tutors: Dr Naglaa Mahmoud and Omnia Altemnah
Email: yassiesmz[at]icloud.com

The Fingerprint by Joudi Mohammad

“Designing interiors for boats requires a meticulous approach, considering the unique challenges posed by the aquatic environment while ensuring functionality and aesthetics.

“Within this realm, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have unveiled a groundbreaking vision with the Arabian Gulf Research and Innovation Centre. Accessible by boat, this state-of-the-art facility is poised to be a beacon of innovation and sustainable design.

“Nestled within the heart of the Arabian Gulf, the interiors of this floating marvel have been thoughtfully planned. Above and below the sea’s surface, the layout encompasses dynamic research labs, comfortable bedrooms for scientists, a refreshing seawater pool, an aquatic garden library and a state-of-the-art auditorium.

“These spaces have been designed for functionality and to provide users with an immersive experience of the surrounding marine environment.”

Student: Joudi Mohammad
Tutors: Dr Naglaa Mahmoud and Omnia Altemnah
Email: joudymohammad10[at]gmail.com

Youth Centre by Zulaikha Thasnim

“The morph is an interior design proposal for a youth centre in UAE – it is designed to act as a one-stop place for the youth to feel accomplished and find direction in life.

“The centre provides spaces and activities to cater to the different needs of youth development and considers nurturing both their emotional and physical wellbeing, which is the base for positive improvement in young people.

“The centre also provides spaces equipped with skill developmental activities and a platform for youth to collaborate, collaborate and form startup ideas.

“The concept of metamorphosis is used to convey this ideology in the interior space as the development process of young people is comparable to that of stages of metamorphosis – not physically but psychologically – like a butterfly being nurtured in its cocoon to support its growth until it can finally fly.”

Student: Zulaikha Thasnim
Tutors: Dr Naglaa Mahmoud and Omnia Altemnah
Email: zulaikha.thasnim[at]gmail.com

The Power Within Her by Tasneem Fadi

“The Power Within Her is an ambitious project that aims to address the lack of proper recognition of women’s capabilities and potential in fashion design. Situated in a suburban villa, this establishment champions the art of fashion and serves as a beacon of empowerment for women.

“As a pushback against societal norms that often undervalue female prowess, this feminist-centric initiative offers women an invaluable chance to hone their skills in a supportive environment and earn a Certificate in Fashion Design.

“Structurally, the project transforms a two-story residential villa into an expansive hub for fashion creativity and learning.

“The Power Within Her stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of women, seamlessly integrating education with fashion in a setting that resonates with style and purpose.”

Student: Tasneem Fadi
Tutors: Dr Naglaa Mahmoud and Omnia Altemnah
Email: tasneem20021[at]hotmail.com

Zìrán – Dine à La Chinese by Rana Hakim

“Ziran is an avant-garde Chinese restaurant that masterfully intertwines natural and technological design elements. It showcases renowned forests from China in an unparalleled and innovative manner.

“At the heart of this project is the belief that no matter how advanced we become technologically, there’s a sophisticated way to indulge in nature and encapsulate the world in a singular space using cutting-edge methods.

“The intricate design considerations of Ziran revolve around representing Chinese culture with elegance and simplicity. Through the use of interconnected LED screens, the ambience transitions seamlessly between various scenes.

“Trees are strategically placed, while mirrors augment the spatial perception, giving patrons the sensation of being enveloped by an expansive forest. This is accentuated by a soaring ceiling, heightening the feeling of being amidst a vast Chinese forest.”

Student: Rana Hakim
Tutors: Dr Naglaa Mahmoud and Omnia Altemnah
Email: rana.hakim2[at]gmail.com

Public and Active Centre by Merna Yehya

“The club is considered one of the ultimate destinations, comprising a variety of recreational sport and active facilities, designed and dedicated for adults and children, where health and recreation are perfectly intertwined.

“Located in a prime spot overlooking the Arabian Gulf clubhouse compound, the public clubhouse aims to provide a safe and social place where women, men, youth and teenagers from diverse backgrounds can visit and experience a joyful and interactive environment, playing sports and having some activities or any similar purposes.

“Visitors are encouraged to be sociable, flexible and healthy – the project supports the idea of openness, athletics, activeness and communication.”

Student: Merna Yehya
Tutors: Dr Gamal El Samanoudy and Sohaila Nasr
Email: mernashaheen24[at]gmail.com

Photography Studio by Thuraya Mustafa

“This photography studio is dedicated to filming events and special occasions and acts as a hub for collaboration, hosting workshops that target hobbyists.

“The project comprises different photo studios, all using various types of technology and equipment and all with their own unique design.

“The overall design is informed by the anatomy of a camera – lenses, sensor, shutters, etc.

“Together, these elements make up the basic components of any camera – without it, it would be impossible to take pictures or function, like interior spaces will not succeed without proper distribution and division.”

Student: Thuraya Mustafa
Tutors: Dr Gamal El Samanoudy and Sohaila Nasr
Email: thuraya1mustafa[at]gmail.com

Me Space by Lujein Adel Zaino

“The project’s core aim is to instil hope for a brighter life by combining the principles of interior design and psychology. It emphasises the importance of healing our minds amid life’s stressors and seeks to broaden our understanding of psychology and mental health.

“The project envisions fostering an environment where individuals can seek help without stigma or guilt, using interior design as a powerful tool.

“The project endeavours to enhance cognitive resilience and wellbeing through this concept, enabling individuals to cultivate positivity in challenging situations.

“Guided by the philosophy of enhancing the quality of life and productivity, the project focuses on creating an adaptable and secure interior environment, where smart design principles work hand in hand with psychological well-being, ultimately defining the centre’s mission.”

Student: Lujein Adel Zaino
Tutors: Dr Naglaa Mahmoud and Omnia Altemnah
Email: lujeinzaino[at]gmail.com

A kindergartner, Not a usual one by Elie Boutros

“In this kindergarten design, the role of interior design transcends mere aesthetics – it manifests as a complex interplay of form, function and educational philosophy.

“The interior’s bold architectural vision, derived from the De Stijl art movement, represents a sophisticated translation of two-dimensional art into a three-dimensional educational experience.

“Each design element, from the strategic placement of furniture to the interactive wall treatments, the deliberate colour schemes, and the carefully chosen lighting fixtures, is a testament to the complexity of creating a space that is both a learning environment and an immersive piece of livable art.

“The design intricately weaves De Stijl’s distinctive geometric abstraction and primary colours into the fabric of the kindergarten’s environment, underscoring the complexity of interior design as a tool for cognitive and creative stimulation.”

Student: Elie Boutros
Tutors: Dr Naglaa Mahmoud and Omnia Altemnah
Email: elieboutros4[at]gmail.com

Sharjah Public Library by Heba Dwiek

“This library combines human nature, different beliefs, knowledge and diverse backgrounds to create a unified, rigid base that will be reflected and integrated through all design spaces.

“For the reception and lobby, the focus is on visitors’ social lives and physical activities, using lighting as a therapeutic tool in a modern combination of daylight and controlled artificial lighting – light tubes are incorporated into a large spiral steel structure to bring light from skylights into the central core.

“In addition to that, there are irregular wooden pods for different purposes, along with bookshelves.

“In the children’s area, the main focus was to improve the connection between kids in the library and get them to read, experience new things, and use most of their senses in learning, as well as making them more confident.

“In the reading area, it is essential to have a quiet space for reading and an inspiring design that can function for an extended period of time

“The concept aims to create a space that challenges traditional library concepts, inspiring individuals to break barriers and achieve their dreams, leveraging libraries’ wisdom and power to create a generation with ambition and a sky is the limit but more, and all starts with a book.”

Student: Heba Dwiek
Tutors: Dina Ibrahim And Akram Azmy
Email: hebadweik2001[at]hotmail.com

Ladies Fitness Club by Mai Tarek

“The project is about a ladies fitness club, which shows an attractive space with a simple design that offers high-quality activities and services, supporting women to have a pleasant and comfortable fitness environment.

“The project is located in Ajman Corniche Residences, a complex of seven interlinked residential towers. The concept is based around the idea of a ‘race against time’, which references the speed of technology toward creating a great future.

“Virtual Reality (VR) can place the user inside a 3D experience that provides an immersive unique workout.”

Student: Mai Tarek
Tutors: Dina Ibrahim and Akram Azmy
Email: maitarek15lo[at]gmail.com

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and Ajman University. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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Dezeen Showroom: Swiss design studio Atelier Oï has created an intricate, origami-like pendant light for Impact Acoustic out of sound-absorbing felt.

The Oloïd acoustic light has a pleated, folded form and shape reminiscent of a lantern.

It brings surprising delicacy to the acoustic felt material, which is usually associated with functionality and minimalist geometries.

“The innovative design, coupled with outstanding sound absorption, redefines the way light and sound interact, enhancing the ambience of any space,” said Impact Acoustic.

The Oloïd pendant is made of Impact Acoustic’s Archisonic material, a high-performance acoustic absorber that is made of post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

The lamp comes in a choice of two sizes and 32 colours.

Product: Oloïd
Designer: Atelier Oï
Brand: Impact Acoustic
Contact: connect@impactacoustic.com

Dezeen Showroom

Dezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen’s huge global audience. For more details email showroom@dezeen.com.

Dezeen Showroom is an example of partnership content on Dezeen. Find out more about partnership content here.

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A modernist house originally designed by Belgian architect Paul Neefs has undergone a restoration by architecture studio ISM Architecten in the town of Beerse, Belgium.

Named BEEV, the home has been reconfigured and extended to enhance its functionality and efficiency while preserving its original design from 1967.

ISM Architecten‘s intervention sees the addition of a rooftop volume clad in metal sheeting, chosen to reflect the colours of the area’s ever-changing weather.

“Ensuring that the transformation and addition paid homage to the original design’s strengths was an important element and led to several design choices,” explained studio founder Wim Van der Vurst.

“The addition was aligned with the original building whenever possible, maintaining a discreet presence at the rear while allowing the original design to take centre stage,” Van der Vurst continued.

The late architect Neefs is best known for his modernist houses, in which he expressed his love for pure geometry such as triangles, circles and squares in both form and layout, ISM Architecten said.

The original plan of BEEV consisted of a single-storey square, with two circle segments placed at opposite corners. A central living space runs diagonally between these two segments.

Meanwhile, the bedrooms and kitchen were placed along the outer perimeter of the house but were too cramped to meet today’s standards, according to the studio.

ISM Architecten’s proposal makes two subtle changes to the layout of the ground floor. The kitchen is enlarged and a bedroom is moved to a new location, freeing up one of the house’s characteristic curves to allow for a stair leading to the rooftop extension above.

Inside the extension, the studio aimed to establish a clear demarcation between old and new using a varied material palette of birch veneer, perforated metal and pastel hues.

“The extension comprises a scenographic collection of distinct spatial elements, each with its unique identity,” said Van der Vurst.

“The interior is divided into two zones. This functional dichotomy is accentuated by the materials and colours used for the finishing of walls, floor and ceiling.”

For example, mint green is used to define the wall separating the principal bedroom and bathroom from a wood-panelled anteroom.

Meanwhile, a “monolithic” integrated sink and bath unit in the bathroom has a lemon yellow hue and is paired with a grey polyutherane floor with a purple tinge.

Improving BEEV’s thermal performance was another priority in the project, and the home was brought up to current standards in terms of insulation, ventilation, energy consumption and comfort.

“This project is an ode to the modernist heritage, but also a lively and critical dialogue with the challenges of our time,” Van der Vurst told Dezeen.

“It is an invitation to think about the way we shape our built environment and how we can contribute to a resilient and sustainable future,” he continued.

ISM Architecten is a Belgian studio founded by Koen Pauwels and Van der Vurst in 2010. BEEV has been shortlisted in the house extension category of the Dezeen Awards.

Elsewhere in Belgium, Notan Office recently completed a series of homes positioned around a communal garden on an old industrial site in Brussels and Britsom Philips added a timber-clad extension to a small rural home in Flanders.

The photography is by Luis Díaz Díaz.

The post ISM Architecten expands modernist house BEEV with rooftop volume appeared first on Dezeen.

The Sharjah Architecture Triennial aims to show the positives of architecture created using scarce resources, says its curator Nigerian architect Tosin Oshinowo in this interview.

Titled The Beauty of Impermanence: An Architecture of Adaptability, the triennial focuses on the innovations and strategies of re-use and re-appropriation often driven by scarcity in the Global South.

“The triennial is looking at the under-celebrated building innovations and designs that tend to still exist within the Global South and that result from conditions of scarcity,” Oshinowo told Dezeen.

“There’s also re-teaching, or reminding people in the Global South, that what we may not have considered as valuable or essential or even positive, actually has been,” she continued.

“So it’s also making the Global South realise and re-evaluate itself and optimistically position that we’re not in a bad place.”

“I’m ultimately looking at what lessons we can learn”

Many of the installations, which have been designed by studios including Cave Bureau, Wallmakers, Asif Khan, 51-1 Arquitectos and Formafantasma, focus on architecture that was designed utilising the locally available materials and skills that constrained building practices.

However, Oshinowo was keen to find people working within contemporary situations where wider lessons can be learnt.

The majority of the participants are from the Global South with around 30 per cent from Africa, 30 per cent from South America and 15 per cent from the Gulf region.

“What’s been really exciting is finding people whose work resonates around these things, but who are existing within a modern context,” she said.

“I’m ultimately looking at what lessons we can learn from these circumstances, particularly as a lot of the locations where these practices exist are also able to work better with the environment – when you work with limited resources you can coexist in balance with ecology.”

“We need to rethink what we consider as progress”

Along with those in the Global South re-assessing the value of local processes, Oshinowo believes that we should reconsider what we think of as progress.

And that those in the Global North can also learn from the examples in the triennial.

“I think it’s important for us to now question what is what is seen as progress,” she said.

“Everyone’s model is this Global North attainment – this is how it’s done, this is how we need to develop, this is how we need to live, this is how we need to dress – but why this reference, this single reference? Maybe then we need to rethink what we consider as progress.”

“We need to think, what can we learn from these southern regions?” she continued. “How can we be in better balance with our environments?”

Through the installations, she hopes visitors to the triennial will rethink how they currently practice and see the potential of operating in a variety of ways.

“There are two things that I would really like people to take away,” she said. “One – to see the diversity of solutions that can exist or do exists, and functioning and thriving in specific locations.”

“And, I would like people to take away an awareness of the challenges that our current model of progress and consumption and the implication has on the climate,” she continued. “Within that, I hope people see the possibilities of how, as individuals and practitioners, we could potentially have a change of mindsets and how we practice and how we train.”

“We wanted to very obviously include architecture”

To convey this message, Oshinowo aimed to make the triennial as accessible as possible by including numerous, full-scale works built especially for the event, believing that “only architects read text”.

Asked if Zaha Hadid Architects principal Patrik Schumacher, who was very critical about the content of this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale, would be happy with what is included in the event, she said there was a conscious effort to include actual examples of architecture.

“We wanted to very obviously include architecture and very obviously include architecture that is about experimentation,” she said.

“The mediums that we are using to share information are about experience,” she continued. “There’s no project here that is pinned up drawings – we have quite a few installations, we do have some films, but we also have built projects and built projects that are about experience.”

She believes that this approach will mean that the triennial and its exhibits will be broadly understood by visitors and locals from Sharjah and the UAE.

For anyone who’s not an architect, the experience of being in the exhibit, how it makes you feel, what you see, how your senses are evoked, is very important, because that’s what you remember,” she explained.

“If a 15-year-old comes to this exhibition, there will be certain things that they will see that they will say, I really like Yussef Agbo-ola’s work – it’s a temple, which is in celebration of ecology and the natural environment.”

“We’ve created the problem, but we also part of the solution”

Overall she hopes that the triennial will send a positive message by drawing attention to practices that may offer some solutions to the climate crisis.

“Apparently, this year is the hottest in human history – so, you know, it’s not great, and it’s based on all the decisions that we all make,” she said.

“So I hope that by seeing some of the possibilities and solutions that exist and understanding the wider narratives that are based on limits where people are able to function and thrive, people can leave with an optimism – we’ve created the problem, but we are also part of the solution.”

The second Sharjah Architecture Triennial was originally scheduled to take place in 2022 but, like numerous design events, was delayed as a result of Covid-19 uncertainty. It follows the inaugural event in 2019 that saw installations from Marina Tabassum and Cooking Sections.

The photography is by Tom Ravenscroft.

Sharjah Architecture Triennial 2023 takes place from 11 November 2023 to 10 March 2024 at various locations across Sharjah. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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