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Charred Wooden Shingles and Natural Light Enhance Vertical Art Spaces in Urban Redevelopment

Authors:
Liang Qiao, Shuting Guo, Anhua Cao
Charred Wooden Shingles and Natural Light Enhance Vertical Art Spaces in Urban Redevelopment
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Incorporating charred wooden shingles and expansive glass façades, this architectural endeavor revitalizes an existing structure into a vibrant urban art market that promotes community engagement and creative collaboration.
5 key facts about this project
01
Incorporates charred wooden shingles to enhance weather resistance and aesthetic appeal.
02
Utilizes cross-laminated timber panels for structural efficiency and sustainability.
03
Features a bent A-frame design to optimize natural light and ventilation.
04
Retains the original mall facade, preserving historical context while modernizing the space.
05
Design includes multiple public terraces to facilitate community interaction and outdoor events.

**Vertical Art Market Overview**

The Vertical Art Market is located in Bangkok, Thailand, within the framework of the city’s vibrant cultural landscape and historical context. This multifunctional structure repurposes the former Nightingale Shopping Mall into a dynamic space that accommodates various art-related activities, integrating contemporary urban design with respect for the site's heritage. The project aims to shift traditional horizontal urban interactions toward a more vertical integration, creating diverse art spaces that enhance community engagement and cultural expression.

**Preserved Heritage and Urban Interaction**

The design maintains key elements of the original mall to honor its historical significance while introducing features that encourage public interaction with art. Open and accessible areas are strategically integrated to dissolve barriers often found in commercial settings, thereby promoting community use. Distinct art spaces—encompassing studios, galleries, and shops—provide functional diversity and adaptability, allowing the market to serve multiple roles within the urban fabric.

**Material Choices and Structural Integrity**

The Vertical Art Market employs a thoughtfully selected palette of materials that reflects both aesthetic and practical considerations. Reinforced concrete provides structural durability, while extensive use of glass enhances transparency and connectivity between interior and exterior environments. Steel elements support the building’s circulation paths, ensuring open, unobstructed public areas. Additionally, the use of timber and ceramic tiles in decorative applications introduces warmth and local craftsmanship, complementing the modern architectural language while reinforcing cultural ties. Integrating green terraces and vertical gardens further enriches the urban experience, merging natural elements with artistic endeavors throughout the design.

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The Next House: USA — A Global Call to Reimagine the American Suburb

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Competition organisers

Buildner is launching The Next House: USA, a global architecture competition that challenges architects, designers, and thinkers to reimagine the American suburban home for the 21st century. For decades, the suburban house has symbolized comfort and stability, but today it often reflects excess, isolation, and environmental strain. This competition asks: how can the American home evolve to address climate urgency, economic pressures, and shifting social values?

Participants are tasked with designing a prototype home of no more than 1,500 sq ft (≈140 m²) for a household of two adults and one child. The design should be compact yet generous, adaptable, sustainable, affordable, and replicable across diverse U.S. contexts. More than a design exercise, the competition aims to spark a conversation about how homes can support healthier, smarter, and more connected communities.

The total prize fund is $20,000 USD. The final registration deadline is May 20, 2026, and winners will be announced on September 22, 2026. The Next House: USA invites architects, students, and visionaries worldwide to redefine what the American home means today—and what it should mean tomorrow.

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