#local-materials

#local-materials

Located in the Kilimanjaro region, where approximately 8% of children are orphaned, the village provides accommodation for 60 children. The masterplan is organized around six domestic-scale cottages, each overseen by a live-in caregiver, and a central social building that accommodates dining, study, games, laundry, and kitchen functions. The spatial arrangement balances private living units with communal areas for education, sport, and play.

Casa La Vista is a residential project by MEDEZA CDQ and VERTEBRAL located on a cliff within the desert landscape of Baja California Sur, . Positioned among dunes and overlooking the coastline of San José and Punta Gorda, the house is oriented toward the southeast to frame the horizon where sea and sky meet. The project responds to the region's extreme climatic conditions through a spatial and tectonic strategy that prioritizes orientation, shading, and material performance.

The Zando Central Market redevelopment in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, designed by THINK TANK architecture, has been selected among the 20 winning projects of the 2025 Holcim Foundation Awards in the Middle East and Africa region. Originally designed for 3,500 traders and now accommodating more than 20,000 vendors, the market has long operated under conditions of severe overcrowding and infrastructural strain.

Stone House is situated on a rocky oceanfront slope in , where its design is integrated into the topography to preserve the natural terrain and maintain unobstructed views of the Atlantic. The residential project organizes and exterior spaces to support a quiet, uninterrupted relationship with the surrounding landscape. The architecture reflects SHOVK Studio's restrained and minimalist approach. The material palette incorporates local , , warm , and large glass openings that reduce the visual divide between the interior and the outdoor environment.

MA.DE Bistro is a contemporary complex by AN NAM Design and Build located within the pine forest of Mang Den in Central Highlands. The restaurant design incorporates regional cultural references, drawing from the traditional Rông house to establish its architectural identity. A composed of three interlinked peaks forms the primary visual element, creating a rhythmic profile that echoes the surrounding mountain landscape.

The $2,500 Vernacular Home sits in Para Dash, a bamboo village in Modonpur, Bangladesh, and it's basically a masterclass in working with what you've got. Built for a multigenerational family of four (parents, their son, and his wife), this isn't some stripped-down minimalist box. We're talking two bedrooms, a kitchen, toilet, two cow sheds, a future child's room, a weaving space, and even a roadside teahouse and shop. All for under $2,500. That includes materials and labor.

BaleBio, a bamboo pavilion designed by Cave Urban for Bauhaus Earth's ReBuilt initiative, pioneers a new paradigm of carbon-negative architecture in Bali. Rising gracefully above the sands of Mertasari Beach in Denpasar, the 84-square-meter structure transforms what was once a disused car park into a vibrant communal hub, an open meeting space that merges ecological innovation with social purpose. In a landscape where coastal development is often driven by tourism and concrete infrastructure,

Arch-Exist + 34 Design Director: Zhe Yang (Partner) Technical Director: Renzhen Chen (Partner) Design Team: Rui Yang, Qinmei Hu, Yaxian Zhao, Yuanjun Gou, Yuting Huang Client: Xuyong Town People's Government, Xuyong County Copywriting: Youcai Pan, Xiangxin Ge Materials Used: Straw paint, copper-aluminum composite panels, ultra-clear insulated glass, wood grain paint, small blue tiles (mixed), lava panels, micro-cement, spruce wood panels Construction Drawing Team: Chengdu Meixia Architectural Design Co., Ltd.

The new market hall integrates with its urban context, creating a peaceful space that connects to the church square and revitalizes the area.

The design emphasizes flexibility and a strong connection to nature, using raw and local materials to express the personality of the homeowners.