Architecture Article

olen is a composition of three morphological units: a point, a line, and a plane.

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They’re often called aging-in-place features, but things like curbless showers, nonslip flooring and wide walkways and doorways can benefit everyone, no matter their age or ability. “Regardless of aging in place, there is a place for these in day-to-d…

An off-grid cottage on a forested peninsula combines natural materials with elevated living spaces amid the trees. Located on a secluded peninsula along a pristine, motorboat-free lake in the Ontario wilderness, this off-grid retreat offers a serene escape for an urban couple with a deep love of nature—who spent weekends camping on the land for a year before deciding where and what to build. Their goal: a place deeply connected to nature, elevated among the trees, and designed to accommodate accessible multigenerational living—a welcoming year-round refuge for gathering with family and friends. Designed by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design, the two-level cottage maximizes views of the surrounding water and forest while maintaining a light touch on the environment it inhabits. Situated below a ridge of exposed bedrock, the lower half of the cottage is concealed from view on approach, while its upper floor is accessed via a bridge—an essential feature for a family member who uses a wheelchair. The main living spaces are located on this upper level to fulfill the clients’ vision of a living room that “floats above the forest floor.” Expansive wrap-around windows and sliding doors open onto a generous upper deck with west and south-facing exposures, blurring the boundaries between indoors and outdoors and deepening the experience of nature for both owners and guests. At the heart of the upper level is the open-plan living and dining area, where views of the lake are framed through the surrounding trees. A cast concrete hearth anchors the space, with generous seating arranged around it to encourage gathering. A built-in 17-foot-long window bench with integrated storage offers additional options for casual lounging or enjoying the view. The kitchen features white oak millwork paired with engineered stone counters and backsplash, while a long island with a bar sink and ample seating subtly defines the space. Overhead, a ceiling of continuous western hemlock boards softens acoustics and adds warmth and texture to the interior. On the lower level, five bedrooms each open directly to the forest through floor-to-ceiling windows and dedicated exterior entrances, offering guests privacy and a direct connection to the landscape. The primary bedroom faces west and opens fully to the outdoors, while the ensuite bathroom includes an outdoor shower—an homage to the family’s love of camping. A sixth bedroom and bathroom on the upper level that is fully accessible ensures that all family members can comfortably experience the cottage together. “We designed the cottage with the living spaces upstairs and bedrooms below to preserve the natural contours of the site and ensure accessibility for the entire family,” says principal Heather Dubbeldam. “This slightly unorthodox arrangement emphasizes the retreat’s connection to nature, with communal spaces in the tree canopy and private areas within the forest floor.” The two levels of the cottage are offset along their length to create a pair of generous outdoor spaces tucked into the building’s form. These decks extend the living areas outward into the natural surroundings, offering open-air lounging and dining opportunities. The main upper deck, adjacent to the living room, provides sweeping views of the forest and water on three sides. It features retractable screens for protection from bugs, and an outdoor wood-burning fireplace that echoes the hearth inside, extending enjoyment of the outdoors into the colder months. The lower deck, shaded beneath the projecting upper floor and nestled against a bedrock outcropping, stays cool in summer thanks to the cooling effect of the stone and cross-breezes off the lake. Built entirely off-grid, the cottage is powered by a large solar array and constructed from sustainably harvested wood species, including wood milled nearby. Wood is used throughout as both structure and finish: greyed cedar and charcoal-stained spruce clad the exterior, visually receding into the forest, while inside, a lighter palette of brush-finished oak flooring and oil-rubbed hemlock creates a warm, relaxed atmosphere. The hemlock ceiling boards continue uninterrupted from interior to exterior, reinforcing a sense of material continuity and connection to the landscape. Fully winterized, Long Lake Cottage is more than a summer escape—it’s a year-round retreat for slowing down and living in sync with nature, immersed in the shifting seasons, light, and sounds of the forest and lake.

Far from the perception of the exhibition space as a sterile and untouchable, almost sacred place, the contemporary technology museum has emerged as a performative participant in the systems it seeks to document. The architecture of these institutions has become increasingly fluid and bold, often mirroring the velocity and complexity of the systems it houses. They operate as mediators between the human, the ecological, and the technological realms, transforming from encyclopedic warehouses into active educational engines. By spatializing complex scientific data through immersive rooms, these structures make the technological networks of our world accessible, engaging, and tangible.

Far from the perception of the exhibition space as a sterile and untouchable, almost sacred place, the contemporary technology museum has emerged as a performative participant in the systems it seeks to document. The architecture of these institutions has become increasingly fluid and bold, often mirroring the velocity and complexity of the systems it houses. They operate as mediators between the human, the ecological, and the technological realms, transforming from encyclopedic warehouses into active educational engines. By spatializing complex scientific data through immersive rooms, these structures make the technological networks of our world accessible, engaging, and tangible.

In the Chaoshan region, “Cuò” refers to residential dwellings, a term that not only denotes the physical space of a house but also extends to social connections like “厝边” (Cuò-biān, neighborhood). Xikoucuò is located on the outskirts of Teochow, on a uniformly planned new rural construction site. The plot is not far from the old village, adjacent to a branching stream. The residential plot faces the stream to the south and backs onto a planned rural road to the north. There is a height difference of about 4 meters on the stream side.

In the Chaoshan region, “Cuò” refers to residential dwellings, a term that not only denotes the physical space of a house but also extends to social connections like “厝边” (Cuò-biān, neighborhood). Xikoucuò is located on the outskirts of Teochow, on a uniformly planned new rural construction site. The plot is not far from the old village, adjacent to a branching stream. The residential plot faces the stream to the south and backs onto a planned rural road to the north. There is a height difference of about 4 meters on the stream side.

In collaboration with building materials manufacturer Kingspan, Buildner has launched MICROHOME 2026, the eleventh edition of its annual competition, offering a €100,000 prize fund. This global competition invites architects, designers, and creative thinkers to redefine the concept of microhomes and develop cutting-edge, sustainable solutions for compact housing.

In collaboration with building materials manufacturer Kingspan, Buildner has launched MICROHOME 2026, the eleventh edition of its annual competition, offering a €100,000 prize fund. This global competition invites architects, designers, and creative thinkers to redefine the concept of microhomes and develop cutting-edge, sustainable solutions for compact housing.

The public observation deck at the top of the Tour Montparnasse, long considered one of the most debated additions to the Parisian skyline, is set to close on March 31, 2026, ahead of a major redevelopment of the tower and its surrounding complex. Completed in 1973, the 210-meter structure has remained the only skyscraper within central Paris for decades, frequently criticized for its scale and contrast with the historic cityscape. The closure of the Paris Montparnasse Observatory marks the beginning of a multi-year transformation aimed at modernizing the tower while rethinking its relationship with the surrounding Montparnasse district.