Commenter calls Dubai Expo pavilion "scandalous"

In this week's comments update, readers are confused by the UK's contribution to the Dubai Expo 2020 and debating other top stories.

British designer Es Devlin has unveiled a cross-laminated timber pavilion, which is the UK's contribution to the Dubai Expo 2020.

The UK Pavilion has been designed to display a series of AI-generated poems during the international event, which opened in Dubai this week.

Poems created from words submitted by visitors and generated by AI are written in English and Arabic using LED lights on the facade.

"A giant ice cream cone spouting gobbledygook"

Commenters are baffled. "The poem in these photos is an utterly nonsensical list of words," said Rupert. "Surely the UK could have come up with something a bit more dynamic and engaging than a giant wooden ice cream cone on its side spouting gobbledygook."

"Another classic example of an 'Instagram' project," added Daniel Pex. "A superficial project devised purely so it looks good on social media."

Guy continued: "It reportedly cost £44 million! It's scandalous. Who oversaw this and allowed taxpayers to be so misled? Heads most definitely need to roll!"

"What are the chances a single visitor will ever stand there, read the 'poem', and be emotionally moved by its machine-generated content?" asked Ali March.

"Slim to zero I'd wager. This pavilion is pointless and meaningless, a cacophony of random shapes and awkward spaces that promise to confuse and underwhelm."

Are readers missing the point? Join the discussion ›

BIG and Castro Group plan "urban fashion village" with hill-like roof

"How would you know the building is in Porto?" asks commenter

Readers aren't sold on BIG's design for the Fuse Valley development in Porto, which will house the headquarters of luxury fashion platform Farfetch.

"At what point did we stop building cities?" asked Jane.

"Would you know it's Porto?" continued Jacopo. "I love modern architecture, but this is so anonymous – it could be anywhere. Where are the bright contrasting colours? BIG probably had this idea for Vancouver or Seattle but it got refused and reused for Porto."

JOM agreed: "A missed opportunity for having a great project from a great Portuguese architect."

What do you think of the Fuse Valley development? Join the discussion ›

Volvo latest car brand to reveal flat logo

Reader says Volvo's new logo is "disingenuous" 

Commenters are debating Swedish car manufacturer Volvo's logo redesign, which has been revealed as a flat, less colourful version of its longstanding Iron Mark logo.

"I prefer the new version," said Pleez Donsumi. "The old looked a bit tacky."

"The old logo was dated," continued Marc Sicard, "but who made the circle and arrow drawing? That's an awful combination of thicknesses, bad proportions, etc. In this kind of work, execution is key, and this execution is really bad."

Darin Kirschner agreed: "The traditional slab serif type isn't harmonious with the very simple circle and arrowhead. The thicks and thins of the font aren't represented in the surround and make this logo unbalanced. Volvo cars are very meticulous, so to rebrand their identity in this way is disingenuous."

Are you impressed by the logo? Join the discussion ›

Gensler unveils redesigned lobby in Philip Johnson's AT&T building

Commenters think redesign of the AT&T's lobby is "James Bond-ish"

Readers are debating Gensler's redesign of the lobby inside the postmodernist AT&T building in Midtown Manhattan. It aims to pay homage to the existing structure, but commenters aren't convinced.

"Anonymous, sterile and derivative," said Enter Ranting. "The original space had so much character. This is basic. The ominous Ball of Damocles looks like it's ready to slip out of its chains at any second."

"That ridiculous sphere really pretty much kills it," added Vead F. "No idea what anyone, client, artist, or architect was thinking with that one. It looks like something that belongs in a Bond villain's headquarters, like a world in chains."

"The one saving move is this astonishing piece of stone hanging in what almost could be a space designed for it alone," replied Frank. "There is something special about it that is both James Bond-ish and profoundly experiential all at the same time."

Do you think commenters are being harsh? Join the discussion ›

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Three vaulted volumes form remote Chilean retreat by Edward Rojas Arquitectos

A trio of vaulted wooden structures connected by an exterior walkway make up this house on the island of Chiloé, Chile, by local firm Edward Rojas Arquitectos.

Casa Abovedada, which means "Vaulted House", sits on a sloped site in Nercón – a small community outside the city of Castro, the capital of Chiloé province and the architect's home base.

Casa Abovedada comprises three wooden volumes with vaulted roofs

The island of Chiloé is known for its unique style of wooden buildings, known as Chilotan architecture, and is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The style is influenced both by indigenous Chilean buildings, and the wooden houses and churches built by Jesuit missionaries as early as the 17th Century.

Corridors connect the house's three volumes

In reference to this vernacular, Edward Rojas Arquitectos separated Casa Abovedada into three similar volumes, each of which is topped by a vaulted roof and covered in wooden shingles typical to the region.

To make the most of the home's picturesque setting, the blocks are splayed out to face in different directions.

Arched windows add a contemporary twist to the island of Chiloé's traditional architecture style

"Abovedada House is located on a high-rise terrain with good sun and extraordinary views of the landscape," said the firm.

"[Its] volumes are interconnected by corridors – galleries and terraces that look at the landscape that draws on the horizon the Chilean Patagonia."

Wood is also used throughout the interior, also referencing the local Chilotan architecture

Each end of the home contains bedrooms, with the parents' quarters in the northern block while their children sleep on the opposite side.

The central space is occupied by the communal areas, offering an intermediate area for the family to come together.

The vaulted tops of the blocks are each used for different purposes.

Above the owners' bedroom, the architects included a library and home office. In the children's wing, there are two guest bedrooms on the upper floor.

Stained glass windows enliven the home's central area

"In the central area, enriched by stained glass windows, a mezzanine emphasises the height and the vault as protagonists of the house," said Edward Rojas Arquitectos.

Although the home draws heavily from the influence of the area's traditional architecture, its simplified shape and details like arched or even circular openings lend the project a contemporary appearance.

The central volume acts as a family gathering space, between the bedrooms on either side

The home is almost entirely built of wood, including its structure, exterior cladding, and interior finishes.

According to Edward Rojas Arquitectos, the use of wood and traditional building materials is a central focus of the studio.

The upper level of each volume is designated for a different use

"The architecture that we make, must be born from the context of the work, interpreting the ancestral values of the architecture of the South, and through them projecting contemporary works," the firm said.

Other projects on the remote and rugged island of Chiloé include a self-built retreat for architect Guillermo Acuña with striking red interiors and a hotel by Mobil Arquitectos.

The photography is by Antonella Torti.

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Project credits:

Lead architects: Edward Roja Vega, Esteban Uribe Mansilla
Project team: Carolina Vidal, Valentina Riquelme Quintanilla, Andrea Mansilla Barra

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Eone offers early-bird discount on its latest customisable watch

Dezeen promotion: Dezeen has teamed up with watch brand Eone to offer its readers the chance to get an early-bird discount on the brand's latest model, which features interchangeable dial surrounds.

Launching on 15 October 2021, the Eone Switch comes with interchangeable dial surrounds that twist on and off to allow users to easily switch the look and feel of their watch to suit their style and mood.

The watch is intended to appeal to both visually impaired and sighted users

Dezeen readers who want to be the first to get in-depth development updates, prototype information, free wallpapers, and early-bird access to the launch of the Switch are invited to sign up to the Eone Switch pre-launch page.

Signing up will also enable readers to save upwards of $65 USD on the watch's launch price.

Designed to appeal to both visually impaired and sighted users, Eone's tactile timepieces are distinguished by a face with a ball bearing that gives wearers the option to tell time by using their sense of touch or sight.

The watch will launch on 15 October 2021

One ball bearing glides around a recessed track on the outer edge of the face, indicating hours, while another circles a track on the surface of the dial, indicating minutes.

"The ball on the outer edge is the hours, and the one on the face – minutes," explained Eone of its new design. "Reason being, when we did the original focus group testing in 2013, blind users found it more useful and important to tell the minutes first, as the hours change less frequently."

Dezeen readers will get an early-bird discount on the brand's latest model

The brand was launched by MIT graduate Hyungsoo Kim in 2012. Its first braille timepiece, the Eone Bradley, won a Red Dot Design Award and the Design Basis 77. It was nominated for the Design Museum's Design of the Year Award and was also awarded the Da Vinci prize.

The brand has also created an exclusive limited edition watch in collaboration with Dezeen.

The new Eone Switch follows in the Eone Bradley's footsteps, retaining the accessibility, quality and style of the original but with plenty of new features.

"The team collected extensive feedback from their community, taking note of what people love about the design and where it could be improved," said Eone. "These insights raised questions that fuelled a meticulous and challenging redevelopment process, and this is how the Switch evolved."

The watch has a ball bearing that gives wearers the option to tell time by using their sense of touch or sight

The team looked specifically at how improvements could benefit both blind and sighted users, and how the level of quality and innovation could be improved while still producing a product that represents value for money.

The new Eone Switch – available in silver, black and rose gold – features an interchangeable "Ring", which becomes the outer section of the dial. By switching Rings, the look and feel of the timepiece can be customised to suit the wearers' style and mood.

The watch comes in three colours

The two Rings included with the Switch match the colour of its stainless steel mesh bracelet, which will initially be available in black, silver and rose gold.

One Ring features minimal 12-hour markings, reminiscent of those found on the earlier Eone timepieces.

The second features a contemporary, interlaced, guilloche-style design inspired by patterns found in ancient architecture – guilloche is a mechanical engraving technique, produced by a special lathe that dates back to the 17th century.

Its Rings can be switched out to suit the wearer's mood

Inspired by the way camera lenses are attached, a patent-pending twist-lock mechanism for switching the Rings makes the process quick and easy and doesn't require any tools. Eone said that more Ring designs are in the pipeline for next year.

The Switch also comes with an improved case in a soft hexagonal shape with an increased number of touchpoints to make it even easier to feel the time. Its outer walls taper inwards to improve the visibility of the "minutes ball", without compromising its tactile function.

One ring features minimal 12-hour markings

In addition, the ball bearing system now features improved tracks for increased durability and even sleeker styling.

Those that sign up to the Eone Switch pre-launch page will be able to save upwards of $65 USD upon the timepiece's launch, when the expected MSRP will be $360 for the silver and rose gold finishes and $375 for the black.

The Eone Switch will launch on Kickstarter on 15 October 15. To find out more about the collection visit the Eone website.

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Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Eone as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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Monash University spotlights ten student architecture projects

A project that addresses the lack of public space in Beirut and an urban care home designed to enhance dementia patients' quality of life are included in Dezeen's latest school show by students at Monash University.

Also featured is a project that explores transforming glass waste into construction materials for new schools and another examining the reuse of Melbourne's underutilised high streets.

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Monash University

School: Monash Architecture, Monash University
Courses:  Bachelor of Architectural Design, Master of Architecture
Tutors: Professor Mel Dodd and professor Ari Seligmann

School statement:

"Monash Architecture is all about the bigger picture and how architecture integrates with urban design and urban planning.

"Examine buildings within their larger urban or regional environment and in the context of a changing planet. Develop future-forward skills and knowledge to contribute to the common good and to a sustainable and equitable world.

"You'll be trained as an integrated urban professional with the vision to design progressive architecture that responds to the dynamic needs of contemporary society and speculates about the future of our built environment."

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Between the Lines by Amy Tung

"Historically a social centre, the high street shopping strip has become underutilised with the rise of malls and online shopping.

"Sandwiched between two railway bridges, this small, multi-storey tower is a new community hub, taking advantage of the 'leftover' space on one of Melbourne's oldest shopping streets.

"The project suggests a rethinking of the high street, adapting it for the present. For example, the restaurant at ground level is designed specifically to serve delivery couriers over direct customers.

"By offering services to the overlooked users of the city, the proposal hopes to highlight the opportunities in these small pockets of space found throughout the urban landscape."

Student: Amy Tung
Course: Master of Architecture
Tutor: Nigel Bertram
Email: amytung6[at]gmail.com

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Wearing the Blast by Bader Rizk

"'Wearing The Blast' responds to the events preceding the deadly 2020 Beirut explosion destroying over 70,000 homes, leaving even more people displaced.

"The project utilises the body as part of the architecture, protecting its wearers from the immediate after-effects of the blast.

"The Mylar blanket-like garment is constructed using soft fabrics sourced from destroyed Beirut homes. It can be transformed into a series of soft tents providing temporary refuge and security for the Lebanese people.

"The tents can then undergo a hardening process, where they are fused with leftover building debris and contents found in the home to form structured informal settlements.

"The garments and their evolved transient settlements represent the ongoing geo-specific political struggles that Lebanon has endured, providing freedom of movement and an opportunity for the Lebanese people in re-establishing their cultural identity and individual agency."

Student: Bader Rizk
Course: Master of Architecture
Tutor: Eduardo Kairuz
Email: bmriz1[at]student.monash.edu

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Reconstructing Beirut by Ayden Fiore

"Existing as an urban strategy, 'Reconstructing Beirut' operates in the city's turbulent social context and addresses the lack of public space brought upon by recurring conflict.

"The project materialises as a suite of six ambiguous follies moulded around elements extracted from the semi-public threshold and material waste generated by the blast.

"Ultimately suggesting a post-blast approach to architecture in Beirut through exploring possibilities of remaking and assemblage."

Student: Ayden Fiore
Course: Master of Architecture
Tutor: Eduardo Kairuz
Email: afio0001[at]student.monash.edu

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Building Biodiversity in the Sand Belt by Francesca Sanguinetti

"Urban development of the sandbelt region of Port Phillip Bay has come at the expense of natural ecosystems endemic to the area.

"As global glass-quality sand declines, more of it and other construction waste ends up in landfills every year.

"This project aims to divert glass waste from landfills for use in the construction of new school buildings while also increasing biodiversity in the area.

"Making use of the infinite customisation of 3D printing, structures can be shaped around existing trees while incorporating nesting hollows into the facade design for local fauna."

Student: Francesca Sanguinetti
Course: Master of Architecture
Tutor: Laura Harper
Email: frsan1[at]student.monash.edu

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(Em)Powering Mallacoota by Haroula Karapanagiotidis and Sith Cooray

"This is a speculative proposal for a coastal town, Mallacoota, prototyping a model for fuel and food security.

"This closed-loop small energy proposition grows out of the town's coffee shop, Origami Coffee, which offered locals a sense of familiarity during the 2019/2020 bushfire crisis.

"Building a culture around small energy is essential to its integration and value within communities of place; so how can architecture facilitate this prototyping?

"This locally-led system seeks to be expanded and adapted across Mallacoota to sustainably power and empower the town."

Students: Haroula Karapanagiotidis and Sith Cooray
Course: Master of Architecture
Tutor: Nikhila Madabhushi
Email: rinaldicooray[at]hotmail.com and haroula.kara[at]hotmail.com

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Triple Frontedness by Jacob Cutri

"Triple Frontedness interrogates the corners and edges of the home and the space in between.

"It modifies them to cater for all members of the community irrespective of their abilities while significantly benefitting and improving the experience, use and function of the home for all its occupants.

"The project leverages off the existing make-up of the home and suburb, peeling back and retaining parts of existing carport structures, facades, fence lines and driveways.

"Small, yet purposeful interventions aim to retain character while reimagining and reactivating the urban home through means of access, occupation, social engagement, passive design, seasonality and ritual."

Student: Jacob Cutri
Course: Master of Architecture
Tutor: Nigel Bertram
Email: jacobcutri[at]gmail.com

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Moruya Versatile Arkbridge System by Kelvin Tsang

"Moruya, located in New South Wales, is a post-industrial town struggling economically and ecologically.

"The Moruya Versatile Arkbridge System addresses the environmental issues concerning the industrial and socioeconomic profile of the region.

"The architectural intervention is a system that functions as part of an urban plan, revitalising the town to draw tourists for economic sustainability while providing infrastructural support to the smaller neighbouring towns that depend on its services.

"The project acts as a cautionary speculative future, exemplifying an alternative architectural response to a near-dystopian Australian setting devastated by human-induced climate change."

Student: Kelvin Tsang
Course: Master of Architecture
Tutor: Virginia Mannering
Email: ktsang92[at]gmail.com

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A Familiar Site by Liam Ware

"Dementia in the city. Dunn Place care housing and urban walk to the Hobart Wharf is a dual proposal in response to the theme of care in Hobart.

"A proposal split into a care-housing development and urban walk provides care by supporting the needs of those living with dementia at home and out on the streets.

"A sensitive architectural response utilised for the primary purpose of providing shelter and guidance in response to a particular and highly complex user group.

"It is designed to cater for the most vulnerable in the Hobart community, whilst providing an opportunity for those in care to engage with the activity and life of the street."

Student: Liam Ware
Course: Master of Architecture
Tutor: Alysia Bennett
Email: lwar0005[at]student.monash.ed

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Retro-Fit Kit

"RetroFit Kit is an exhibition that is part of a research project that is a partnership between the Monash Urban Lab and the Australian Human Rights Commission Disability Discrimination Commissioner Ben Gauntlett.

"This project aims to find ways to increase the supply and quality housing for the 4.4 million Australians with a disability, many of whom live in housing within the community that is not suited to their needs.

"The exhibition demonstrates how particular types of housing that are commonly found in Melbourne, such as weatherboard and brick veneer houses, walk-up flats, townhouses and garage houses can be systematically modified to achieve seamless and dignified home environments for people with disabilities, their families and carers and future occupants.

"This is communicated through a series of architectural principles, strategies and architectural parts and components that combine as a tool kit for accessible conversions."

Students: Amanda Jap, Alexandria van Domburgh, Annabelle Low, Ashleigh Carp, Ca Kheng Lot, Chee Chuah, Cheng Lee, Cyndy Li, Edward Chan, Georgia Rose, Georgius Hindarko, John Tsitouridis, Lenore Whiteside, Olivia Basile, Scott Rowe, Sylvanna Dong, Taylar Stanton
Course: Master of Architecture
Tutors: Nigel Bertram, Maryam Gusheh and Catherine Murphy
Email: alow0017[at]student.monash.edu

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Deconstructive Genoa by Xinyu Mu

"The redevelopment of the old Genoa School site is located on the edge of Victoria-NSW border as part of the post-2019 bushfire recovery, with the primary goal to improve Genoa’s social fluidity and its relationship with surrounding regions and visitors from urban centres.

"The overarching design principle is to mix the activities for adults and children, combining play and the passing of knowledge to promote a shared experience of discovery.

"The deconstructive form-making generates an architecture of storytelling, threading and connecting the old Genoa town hall with the new buildings by dissecting and rearranging the town hall's structure and volume."

Student: Xinyu Mu
Course: Master of Architecture
Tutor: Nikhila Madabhushi
Email: xmuu0002[at]student.monash.edu

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Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and Monash University. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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Reebok unveils Eames trainer collection

British sportswear brand Reebok has partnered with Eames Office to design a range of trainers informed by Charles and Ray Eames work and paintings.

Named the Reebok x Eames Club C collection, the trainers celebrate the legacy of the 20th-century designers and reinterpret two artworks produced by Ray Eames.

Top: the Reebok x Eames Club C collection has been unveiled. Above: the shoes come in four designs

"Known for their ground-breaking furniture creations for Herman Miller and Vitra, the husband-and-wife team redefined post-war American design and shaped the 20th century with their playful yet purposeful sensibility," said Reebok.

"Eames design represents a belief that the objects in our everyday life should enrich our existence and transcend utilitarian function to connect with people on a personal level."

Eames' Case Study House No. 8 informed the shoebox design

To create the collection, which initially contains four designs, the designers drew on the Club C silhouette, a tennis shoe first released in 1985.

The Ray Eames Signature Pack consists of two shoes emblazoned with patterns designed by Ray Eames.

One pair is decorated with the Dot Pattern, designed by Ray Eames in 1947, while the other is covered in a reproduction of her Composition painting from 1939.

All of the shoes in the Reebok x Eames Club C Collection will be packaged in a shoebox informed by the iconic Eames house — also known as Case Study House No. 8 in Los Angeles.

An example of post-war suburban architecture, according to the brand it is "a tribute to the couple's design ethos and an exemplar of sustainable building".

The trainers are a revised version of the classic Club C Reebok shoe

Like the original Reebok sneaker, the shoes have a soft leather and lightweight midsole cushioning.

The trainers in this collection have been updated with Eames logos on the tongue, outer side and laces. Inside the shoe, the insole is illustrated with a colourful triangle print, as "a tribute to the Eameses' sublime mastery of detail".

Alongside the trainers decorated in patterns, Reebok and Eames Office designed a pair of white and a pair of black trainers called the Reebok x Eames Black & White Club C.

"Made for everyday wear, the Reebok x Eames Black & White Club C is pure and essential," said Reebok.

"In line with Charles and Ray's commitment to accessible design that responds to the needs of the user," it continued.

"The collection highlights the rebellious spirit and optimism of the Reebok Club C while complementing the Eameses’ vision of accessible design."

The monochrome trainers will be released on 15 October

The Reebok x Eames Club C Monotone Pack is available online from 15 October. The Reebok x Eames Club C Collection will be available shortly after.

Charles and Ray Eames are considered to be two of the most influential designers of the 20th century, having produced some of the most famous furniture pieces in modern design history. The pair are responsible for the Eames Lounge chair which was given a Vitra update in 2016.

The Conran shop also released a version of the chair which had an updated shell and upholstery. Today, the Eames Office is run by the third generation of the Eames family.

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