Architecture News

The Fondation Beyeler in Riehen, near Basel, is undergoing a transformative expansion designed by acclaimed architect Peter Zumthor. This comprehensive project, which began its phased public opening in September 2026 and will be fully unveiled in January 2027, introduces three new buildings, significantly enlarges the public parkland, and meticulously restores existing historical structures. The expansion transcends Renzo Piano's original museum design, creating an expansive complex that harmoniously blends art, architectural innovation, natural beauty, and communal engagement. Zumthor's core philosophy for this endeavor was to ensure the new elements felt intrinsically connected to the site, as if they had always been present, fostering an intuitive and seamless experience for visitors.

The strategic distribution of the expansion's functions across the Wyss Museum, Ammann Pavilion, and Erlen Torhaus reflects Zumthor's deep respect for the existing topography. Each structure is thoughtfully positioned to interact uniquely with the landscape, avoiding a monolithic extension. Furthermore, a previously private section of the historic park, spanning nearly 10,000 square meters, has been opened to the public, enriching the museum grounds with diverse gardens, meadows, mature trees, and serene water features. This integrated approach ensures that the new architecture not only serves its purpose but also enhances the inherent character and beauty of the location, providing a holistic and immersive environment for art and nature enthusiasts.

The Thoughtful Design of the Wyss Museum and Ammann Pavilion

The Wyss Museum, a central component of the Fondation Beyeler's expansion, introduces approximately 1,500 square meters of new exhibition space spread across three levels. Its distinctive Y-shaped layout was meticulously crafted to encircle existing mature trees, including a ginkgo, a redwood, and a cluster of plane trees, transforming these natural constraints into fundamental organizing principles for the building. Large windows strategically frame picturesque vistas of the surrounding verdant landscape, offering glimpses of the distant Jura Mountains and Black Forest on clear days. An upper-level terrace, accessible via an external staircase, seamlessly reconnects the museum with the park, extending the visitor's journey beyond the confines of the galleries. This design philosophy underscores a desire to integrate the natural environment directly into the art-viewing experience.

The museum's construction predominantly features Jura limestone, a material extensively utilized by Zumthor throughout the building, appearing in benches, staircases, terrazzo floors, ceiling aggregates, and mineral plaster. The rammed-concrete facade, crafted by hand over nearly a year by a dedicated team, exhibits a warm yellow hue derived from local limestone, with subtle variations and construction traces deliberately left visible to highlight the building's artisanal creation. The interior circulation of the Wyss Museum is conceived as a continuous spiral, guiding visitors upward from the street through a sequence of dynamic spaces before returning them towards the garden, ensuring the landscape remains an integral part of the museum experience. This design contrasts with Renzo Piano's existing structure, which relies on industrial construction and top lighting, as Zumthor's vision prioritizes natural side light and framed views, fostering a profound connection between art and its natural setting.

Expanding the Public Realm: Park Integration and Revitalized Historic Structures

The architectural expansion of the Fondation Beyeler is complemented by a significant transformation of its landscape, with almost 10,000 square meters of previously private parkland now accessible to the public. This new section, characterized by its more enclosed and informal atmosphere, complements the existing 19th-century English landscape gardens by Jean-François Caillat. It features diverse species-rich meadows, native orchids, wooded areas, and water features, and is directly linked to the Landschaftspark Wiese nature reserve, thereby enhancing the ecological footprint around the museum. This deliberate integration of natural elements provides visitors with an expanded realm to explore, where art and nature converge seamlessly, encouraging a deeper appreciation for both the curated and wild aspects of the site.

A graceful bridge designed by Zumthor gracefully spans the pond, inviting visitors to a leisurely stroll through the landscape, offering curated views of artworks strategically placed amidst the trees, meadows, and water. This artistic landscape features pieces by prominent artists such as Alexander Calder, Jenny Holzer, and Louise Bourgeois, among others, with new installations enriching the experience. The new structures by Zumthor thoughtfully frame these views, establish clear pathways, and create a public square that connects the Erlen Torhaus, the museum, and the Ammann Pavilion. This square subtly traces the path of a former village brook, incorporating historical traces into the contemporary design. Beyond the new constructions, several historic buildings have been carefully restored and repurposed. The Orangerie, reimagined by India Mahdavi, now serves as a greenhouse and plant shop, focusing on native species and climate-resilient plants. The Ammann Atelier hosts art education programs, and the Salon provides a listening room with an extensive vinyl collection, offering a diverse range of cultural engagement opportunities within this revitalized ensemble.

Innovate, Engage, Transform: Shaping Tomorrow's Sustainable Design Landscape

The Seoul Design Award 2026: Unveiling Innovation and Global Participation

The Seoul Design Award 2026 has meticulously selected its top ten finalists from a vast pool of over 1,200 submissions spanning 91 countries. These distinguished projects stand as beacons of sustainable daily living, each committed to nurturing a delicate equilibrium among humanity, society, and the environment. The competition seeks to spotlight designs that actively confront urgent social and ecological dilemmas. Breaking away from conventional closed-door judging, the 2026 iteration will feature live, on-stage evaluations for the ten shortlisted teams at Seoul's Dongdaemun Design Plaza on October 14th. Complementing this, the organization has initiated an online global public voting phase, inviting worldwide audiences to contribute their perspectives alongside a panel of esteemed experts. This fusion of real-time jury assessment and widespread public engagement transforms the award into an open, interactive forum for exploring the future trajectory of sustainable design.

Expert Panel and Collaborative Vision at the Forefront of Design Excellence

As a cornerstone initiative within Seoul's designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Design, the award meticulously assesses projects based on their societal utility and ecological footprint, rather than mere commercial viability. The live competition features a distinguished nine-member international jury, comprising influential figures such as Mauro Porcini (President & Chief Design Officer at Samsung Electronics), Sungwon Jee (CMO & Executive Vice President at Hyundai Motor Company), Andrea Cancellato (Director of ADI Design Museum), and Martin Zelger (CEO of DAAily platforms AG / designboom). This year, an exciting addition includes the recognition of three designboom Special Prize recipients, who will receive dedicated editorial coverage to amplify the global visibility of their projects and designers. This announcement coincides with the Seoul Design Conference 2026: THINK · MAKE · CHANGE, a comprehensive full-day event at DDP. The conference delves into how creative disciplines are responding to global shifts, featuring presentations from the inaugural ESG Design Impact Award honorees, including Hyundai Motor Company, Patagonia, athome, and RHINOSHIELD, with a focus on corporate sustainability frameworks. A specialized session, co-hosted with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), will scrutinize policies and global paradigms for circularity within the electronics sector. The event will conclude with an initial glimpse into the World Design Congress Seoul 2027, culminating in the revelation of its official brand identity. This visual identity is crafted to encapsulate dynamic interconnectedness and circular thinking, charting Seoul's course as a premier global design hub and illustrating how compelling visual communication and strategic initiatives can foster enduring transformation.

Pioneering Community-Driven Resilience and Circularity Through Design

The array of top 10 finalists powerfully illustrates a discernible shift towards community-led resilience and sophisticated circular design methodologies. With a profound emphasis on social impact, several pivotal projects are dedicated to supporting vulnerable populations and catalyzing local action. The Otter Newborn Warmer, for instance, presents a portable conductive device specifically engineered to combat neonatal hypothermia in resource-constrained healthcare environments. Concurrently, WheeLog! operates as a crowdsourced accessibility platform, enabling wheelchair users to comprehensively map urban mobility obstacles. Within urban and cultural landscapes, Kampung Mrican Phase 1 employs targeted interventions to rejuvenate a densely populated riverfront village in Yogyakarta. The Na-Eh Karen Cultural Market establishes a communal forest food hub that proudly celebrates Indigenous Karen heritage, while Suber Design masterfully transforms recycled cork into circular furniture, produced by marginalized communities. These initiatives collectively underscore design's potent capacity to address social inequities and empower communities.

Advancing Industrial and Material Innovation for a Sustainable Future

Concurrently, the finalists showcase remarkable industrial and material innovations that underscore the scalable potential of circularity across manufacturing, waste management, and marine conservation. Lavazza Group's Tablì offers a groundbreaking reinterpretation of capsule coffee, utilizing a single-serve system that employs pure coffee without generating plastic or aluminum waste. Similarly, LAKAT Sustainable Sneakers ingeniously repurposes pineapple agricultural by-products and natural rubber into a circular footwear solution. On a broader systemic level, the Process-Controlled Waste Sorting Rear Module | ET35 directly links public recycling drop-off points with frontline sanitation operations, thereby enhancing both worker conditions and waste management efficiency. SMALLrevolution introduces a closed-loop tracking mechanism that transforms plastic waste into meticulously documented raw materials, fundamentally altering the material lifecycle. Finally, Reef Tiles by ReefCircular harnesses region-specific computational design in conjunction with sustainable materials to facilitate underwater installations aimed at restoring delicate marine ecosystems. These diverse projects collectively highlight the transformative power of design in fostering environmental stewardship and resource optimization.