A peak into the bookshelf of Sheffield Doc Fest director Cínta Gill

The recently appointed director talks us through the formative books on her shelves, referencing poetry, music, art and, of course, cinema.

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Nuwa is a micro guesthouse in Seoul with just one room

Design studio Z_Lab has included a huge porthole window and sunken bath inside this tiny guesthouse in northern Seoul, which measures under 30 square metres.

Nuwa is tucked down a narrow alley in Seochon, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Seoul's Jongno-gu district.

The guesthouse takes over a traditional Korean home – otherwise known as a hanok – that measures just 29.3 square meters.

It initially had poor insulation and waterproofing, meaning locally-based Z_Lab had to completely gut the structure to make it hospitable enough to host Nuwa.

The interior now plays host to serene living spaces finished in natural tones. One corner accommodates a sleeping nook, where a mattress is supported by a slightly elevated plinth.

An adjacent wall has been punctuated with a huge porthole, giving guests a view of the small landscaped garden outdoors.

The window was also included as a loose reference to wayu, a Korean term for "laying down and sightseeing".

"[Wayu] is a way of enjoying the spirit of entertainment and art," explained the studio.

"Figuratively, it means enjoying paintings or books describing the landscape or historical sites, or appreciating small gardens at home when the time to go out into nature is not possible."

"The round window is not an architectural vocabulary that's frequently used in traditional Korean architecture," said the studio's principal designer, Junghyun Park.

"It was used in the house of several the aristocratic class and women's house in palaces," he told Dezeen.

"We think that a small space like Nuwa is not meant to be a complicated mass design, but give a strong first impression."

Cream-coloured cushions have been placed on top of a timber bench seat to form a cosy reading area in the guesthouse.

There is also a long, walnut-wood table with a rough stone base where tea can be enjoyed.

It sits directly beside a sunken water bath in which guests can rest their feet. Additional wash facilities are hidden behind a door on the far side of the home.

As night falls, woven curtains can be unravelled from the ceiling to conceal guests from passersby.

Z_Lab was founded in 2014 by Noh Kyung Rok, Park Jung Hyun and Lee Sang Muk. Previous work by the studio includes a holiday home made from volcanic stone and a renovated farmhouse that's designed to resemble the body of a whale.

The studio's Nuwa project joins a growing number of single-room hotels that are popping up across the globe to offer more exclusive travel experiences to tourists.

Last year saw the opening of Trunk House in Tokyo – it takes over a 70-year-old geisha house and even has a tiny disco. Antwerp also has the One Room Hotel, which is set inside a skinny 17th-century residence that measures just 2.4 metres wide.

Photography is by Texture on Texture.

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Project credits:

Interior design: Z_Lab
Construction: GRIDS
Furniture: GRIDS
Fabric: Cotone, Ilsin, Sabi
Lighting: 1004 Lighting
Planterior and landscape: Anmadang the lab, Design Studio Dogam
Microtopping construction: Materia Syndrome
Tea and teaware: Sarubia Dabang

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With over 2000 hand painted frames, Cheng-Hsu Chung’s Adorable is “a voice for queer people” (NSFW)

For his final film at the Royal College of Art, the animator explores his journey as a queer person navigating society.

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Asterix illustrator and co-creator Albert Uderzo has died aged 92

The comic book artist who began the series in 1959 with writer René Goscinny has been an influence to countless illustrators ever since.

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Competition: win a copy of Where Architects Sleep by Sarah Miller

For our latest competition we're offering readers the chance to win one of three copies of Where Architects Sleep, The Most Stylish Hotels in the World.

Curated and edited by Sarah Miller, founding editor-in-chief of Condé Nast Traveller UK, the book is "the ultimate, global accommodation list", bringing together the expert opinions of more than 250 of the world's most esteemed architects.

Between them, they have given more than 1,200 recommendations from better-known destinations to secret spots. We've teamed up with publisher Phaidon to give away three hardback copies of the book.

We're offering readers the chance to win one of three copies of Where Architects Sleep

From luxury rooms to budget escapes, Where Architects Sleep showcases an extensive array of architects' favourite international places to stay for both work and leisure.

Desert, urban, countryside and island locations are all featured, including The Upper House in Hong Kong – a number one for Amanda Levete – and Villa Flor in Switzerland, chosen by Norman Foster.

"In the heart of an unspoiled village called S-Chanf, this is a simple but sophisticated guest house," says Foster about Villa Flor.

"Its corridors host exhibitions by artists, many of whom are frequent guests," he continues. "It is discreet and unpretentious without any signs to advertise its presence."

The book is curated by founding editor-in-chief of Condé Nast Traveller UK, Sarah Miller

Insightful reviews, specially-commissioned maps and essential information are included to offer easy-to-navigate pages, which are organised by geographical area.

As well as suggesting destinations, the contributing architects also detail places they wish they had designed themselves.

More than 100 countries are covered in the book, with the most recommended hotel being 7132 Hotel in Vals, Switzerland – the hotel most architects wished they had designed.

Designed by Japanese architect Kengu Kuma, if the top-floor presidential suite of this hotel is booked then the visitor's helicopter and limousine transfer will also be included.

A host of well-known architects have given over 1,200 recommendations

The winner of the "all-time favourite" category is Benesse House in Japan, while joint-winners Le Pavillon de la Reine in Paris and Das Stu in Berlin steal the prize for "best-kept secret".

The Connaught in London received the highest votes for "luxury", while Amangiri in Utah had the most votes for "worth the travel", and "eco-conscious" is won jointly by Hotel Whitepod in Switzerland and Heritance Kandalama in Sri Lanka.

Where Architects Sleep is "the ultimate global accommodation list"

Miller launched Condé Nast Traveller UK in 1997 and stayed at the title for 15 years. She went on to become European editor of travel and leisure and today runs Sarah Miller and Partners – an agency that creates brand strategies and content for a range of luxury and lifestyle brands.

The author also sits on the international advisory board of École hôtelière de Lausanne, a renowned hospitality institution.

Three readers will win a copy of Where Architects Sleep by Sarah Miller, first published by Phaidon in January 2020.

Competition closes 22 April 2020. Three winners will be selected at random and notified by email. Terms and conditions apply.

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