We talked to Sarah Choudhary, the Emerging Interior Designer of the Year at the LIV Hospitality Design Awards 2022 for her work on Hotel Cirque, a boutique hotel inspired by Cirque du Soleil. Sarah shared her design philosophy, her inspiration behind the project, and the challenges and joys of working on it. She also discussed how winning the LIV Award has impacted her and her plans for the future.

Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your professional journey? How did design come to have such an important role in your life?

A significant aspect of my identity has been shaped by my upbringing, which was heavily influenced by the world of art and design. My father is an architect, and my mother a fashion designer – and as a result, I spent a considerable amount of time immersed in the world of construction sites and fashion shows.

This dual exposure sparked my interest, and I decided to pursue my studies in both. I studied fashion in a foundation school and went on to study architecture in my undergraduate years. As my education progressed, I realized that interior design was the perfect amalgamation of both fields, allowing me to combine my passion for fashion and architecture into a single profession. Hence, I pursued a career in interior design, which seemed like a natural choice.

Is there a philosophy, a vision, or a special process that influences how you approach design? Would you say that you apply it to your life as well?

My design approach revolves around crafting a spatial narrative that draws in the occupants and leads them through a story conveyed by the design. I strive to meticulously curate all aspects of the space, ensuring that every detail works in harmony to convey the overall narrative, while also meeting the practical requirements of the space. This balance between storytelling and human function is a core idea that I strive for in every project.

Why did you choose Cirque du Soleil as an inspiration for the project?

I selected Cirque du Soleil as the inspiration for my project, because of their bold and innovative approach to celebrating the diversity of human expression through their immersive performances. I was particularly drawn to their emphasis on creating unique experiences that are distinct from one another, as it aligned with my vision of a boutique hotel that would offer guests a truly personalized experience. Drawing from Cirque du Soleil’s commitment to creativity and imagination, I infused my project with a sense of adventure and wonder that I believe will resonate deeply with guests and leave a lasting impression.

What did you learn from designing Hotel Cirque, which is currently helping you in your new position?

Cirque du Soleil has such a distinctive identity that I had to push myself outside my comfort zone. To capture the expressive spirit at the heart of Cirque, I explored the use of vibrant hues to create a series of immersive spaces. This experiment in using color to create a narrative, and the visceral impact that different hues can have on the experience of a space, greatly helped my design process.

What did you find most challenging while working on the project and what did you enjoy the most?

The desire to embrace the colorful eccentricities of Cirque and experiment with bold forms and colors is what I enjoyed most during the design process. It led me to treat each space with a vibrant palette and celebrate the confluence of colors and forms. However, balancing this vibrancy while designing a cohesive space with a clear narrative pushed me to my creative limits. I had to rework and redesign the spaces multiple times, as I strove to create a balance between the individual elements and the whole design.

Could you share with us which designer you take the most inspiration from and how their work influences your own creative process?

One of the designers I took inspiration from is Sabyasachi Mukherjee. What I find particularly inspiring about Sabyasachi’s work is his use of bold colors and luxurious textiles to create a sense of opulence and grandeur, while his attention to detail and craftsmanship ensures that each piece is of the highest quality. I believe that a good design should engage all the senses, and Sabyasachi’s work is a testament to this belief.

Another aspect of Sabyasachi’s work that I admire is his ability to create a sense of timelessness. His designs have a classic elegance that transcends trends, and I strive to create interiors that have the same enduring quality.

What does winning the LIV Award mean to you in terms of validation and recognition of your work in the interior design industry?

Winning the LIV Award has given me a sense of pride in my design skillset and confirmed my commitment to excellence in everything I do. Receiving this prestigious award has given me a tremendous confidence boost, inspiring me to continue pushing the boundaries of interior design and exploring new ideas in my future projects. I am excited to see where this achievement will take me in the future and look forward to continuing to create beautiful, innovative designs that inspire and delight.

In the future, would you like to repurpose the idea behind this project?

As a designer, I am constantly exploring new ideas and approaches, and I believe in adapting my design concepts to the needs of the project. Therefore, depending on the context and the project’s requirements, repurposing the idea behind this project is something that I am open to.

VIEW PROJECT.

Patina hotel in the Maldives is designed to provide guests with an immersive experience of nature while still encouraging social interactions. The architecture is respectful of the surroundings, and the buildings are visually permeable, creating a dreamy atmosphere that celebrates life and nature. The hotel is designed to provide a kaleidoscope of atmospheres, starting from private spaces to public areas, from isolation to belonging, from simplicity to sophistication. The textures and emotions gradually increase from soft shadows to overwhelming light, creating a rhythm of contrast, pauses, and transparencies.

7. SOORI Bali by SCDA

Lead Designer: Soo Chan

This hotel in Bali is designed with sustainability and environmental consciousness in mind. The architecture is responsive to the local climate and community, with a minimal built footprint and minimal environmental impact. The villas are characterized by the interplay of materials, which flow seamlessly from interior to exterior spaces. The smooth terrazzo walls and floors are combined with handbrushed natural timber screens, soft silk upholstery, and custom-designed dark-stained timber furniture, creating a serene internal space. The use of timber flows into the external spaces, where timber screens wrap a private bale overlooking a private plunge pool lined with Sukabumi stone. The hotel design embraces the nostalgia of mid-century tropical design and combines it with a minimalist aesthetic, creating a retro-chic look.

8. SEEN Beach Club Samui by SOHO Hospitality, Thailand

Discover the Winners of the LIV Hospitality Design Awards 3rd Edition: Honoring Exceptional Architectural Ventures and Interior Design Projects Shaping the Future of the Global Hospitality Industry.

Zurich, Switzerland – The LIV Hospitality Design Awards has announced the winners of its highly anticipated third edition recognizing exceptional architectural ventures and interior design projects that are shaping the worldwide hospitality industry today.

The program, which is an inclusive platform for exceptional projects within living and eating spaces, received over 450 professional and student applications from 53 countries. The submissions were evaluated by a panel of 41 experienced architects, designers, and developers in hospitality, who went through a multi-round voting process to select the winners in each category.

The LIV Awards celebrates the quality and diversity of projects from co-living spaces, boutique hotels, and beach resorts, to fine dining restaurants, lounges, and pop-up bars. Each project was evaluated on its own merit, rewarding the most striking designs and properties that stood out with new concepts, uniqueness, and design stories.

“Celebrating the best in hospitality design is more than just acknowledging outstanding work – it’s about inspiring and empowering designers to push the boundaries of creativity, sustainability, and innovation. At LIV Hospitality Design Awards, we strive to foster a global community of forward-thinking designers who are committed to shaping the future of hospitality design. With a record number of applications in the third edition, we are proud to be at the forefront of this exciting and dynamic industry, recognizing the designs that elevate the guest experience,” said Astrid Hébert, Founder.

The range of work was astounding with honorees in Architecture including Olson Kundig for the design for Comedor, a modern Mexican restaurant in downtown Austin, Pure Design Studio for Avana Retreat set on a mountainside in northern Vietnam, emerging young talent from Savannah College of Art and Design, Tony Wu for Green Booster and Mansoor Al Harbi from American University of Dubai for Areesh Retreat.

In terms of interior design, the program awarded Ukranian design studio Yod Group for Terra Restaurant capturing the essence of Western Ukraine’s natural beauty and cultural richness, Not a Number Architects for MonAsty Autograph Collection drawing inspiration from the byzantine heritage of Thessaloniki, emerging interior designer Hyojung Cha from Pratt Institute for Mad For Garlic and Sarah Choudhary from New York School of Interior Design for Hotel Cirque in Montreal.

The third edition of the LIV Awards saw an array of distinguished honorees, including Kerry Hill Architect for Anantara Chiang Mai, Wilmotte & Associés for Maybourne Riviera, NELSON Worldwide for W Philadelphia Hotel, Faci Leboreiro for Green Grass Masaryk, Stickman Tribe for Ambros – The Ritz Carlton Amman, YANG & Associates Group for Qinhuangdao Marriott Resort, Emily W Design for Bussey Rooftop Bar, Yodezeen architects for Native House, and many more. For a complete list of winners, please visit livawards.com.

The LIV Hospitality Design Awards are delighted to announce that the winners of the 2020 – 2021 and 2022 awards will be honored at an exclusive ceremony to be held at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace in Budapest, Hungary, on the 14th of April 2023.

The Four Seasons Gresham Palace, located in the heart of Budapest, is a magnificent example of Art Nouveau architecture and a true testament to the city’s rich cultural heritage. Built in 1906, the palace has played an important role in the city’s history, serving as a symbol of Hungary’s prosperity and modernization during the early 20th century. The palace’s unique blend of Hungarian and European elements, along with its rich cultural heritage, makes it an ideal setting for the LIV Awards ceremony, which recognizes excellence in the hospitality design industry.

The ceremony will be an occasion to celebrate the achievements of the winners, as well as to network with industry peers and press representatives. The ceremony will feature presentations of the “Design of the Year” winning projects, followed by a cocktail reception, providing an opportunity for attendees to meet the winners, jury members, press representatives, and the organizing team, network and build new professional connections.

In addition, the ceremony serves as a valuable PR opportunity for all participants. The LIV Awards have a reputation for recognizing the industry’s most innovative and talented designers, and being recognized as a winner or finalist can be a significant boost for any design firm or individual.

Zurich, Switzerland – The LIV Hospitality Design Awards is pleased to announce the judging panel of the third edition of the program, celebrating Hospitality Architecture and Design Excellence. The selection of winners and honorable mentions of the award is entrusted to an impressively diverse jury panel of 42 top hospitality design experts from 23 countries.

Jurors include Najee Syriani, Corporate Vice President – Projects at Rotana Hotels; Melissa Messmer, Global Head of Design for InterContinental and Regent Hotels; Antonio Sancho the Business Development Director, Design & Technical EMEA at Radisson Hotel Group, Eelco Böhtlingk, Senior Director, Food & Beverage Development, Americas at Hilton Worldwide, Tina Norden, Partner at Conran and Partners; Bittor Sanchez Monasterio, Global Vice President Design Economy & Midscale Brands at Accor remain part of the jury along with Eric Leong, Vice President – Design & Technical Services at Minor Hotels and Karen Comber, Director of Interior Design at PIF projects – Luxury Hospitality.

Joining the panel for the LIV Awards 2022, Monika Moser, Chief Operating Officer of Campbell House; Luis Galofre, Director of F&B Design & Development for the Caribbean and Latin America region and Marc Ledesma, the Director of F&B Design & Development MEA both working for Marriott International; Ivo Christow, Head of Design, Member of the Management Board at Krucker Partner AG in Switzerland and many more. All members of the grand jury panel can be viewed at livawards.com/jury.

“The 2022 jury was selected with sustainability and innovation in mind, and each member is considered a visionary in their respective field. We are proud to have such an outstanding jury for our 2022 International Design edition,” said Astrid Hébert, founder of the LIV Awards.

The professionals and emerging talents “Architectural Design of the Year” and the “Interior Design of the Year” winners receive the coveted LIV Awards Trophy; their projects are presented to the worldwide audience and published in the annual catalogue.

Registration for the LIV Design Awards is currently open to students and professionals in the fields of hospitality architecture, interior design and guest experience. Submissions will be accepted until January 31st, 2023. For more information, visit livawards.com.

We sat down with Ivo Christow, Head of Design at Krucker Partner AG and a member of the Management Board; an Interior Architecture Firm that specializes in Hotel and Gastronomy design, to talk about the challenges of a career in the hospitality industry, influences, and passions.

Could you tell us a little about your professional journey? Where are you from and when did you discover that you wanted to work in design?

I grew up in a Housing Estate in East Germany. As children, we didn’t have much to play with, so we were forced to be creative. My favourite thing to do was to build small huts in the forest with my friends, which we then furnished in our own way. Maybe this was the starting point of my professional career. I was already an art lover as a child and loved to paint, but I only came to design much later. 

When I moved with my family from Leipzig to Munich in 1986, I got to know a completely new world, full of compulsive consumerism and pressure to perform. A world in which you had to learn to assert yourself and prove yourself, or you were left behind. As a teenager, I always dreamed of having my own cool bar and later running a small hotel – to be honest, I still dream of that today. But instead of going to hotel management school, I preferred to study interior design. After graduating, I realized relatively quickly that classic interior design wasn’t enough for me, everything was far too stiff and too oriented toward standards. So I decided to start a second-degree course, which took me to Switzerland in 2003, to Zurich to be precise, because there was a completely new course on offer.

Scenography is a mixture of architecture, interior design, and stage design. It was a kind of fusion of different disciplines, dealing with staging in urban, theatrical, and museum spaces. I was then lucky enough to be able to work in one of the most renowned scenography offices directly after my studies and gain valuable experience. After spending a few years there, I embarked on the path of self-employment, alongside various other stations. In 2018, I received an offer from Krucker Partner to take on a leading role in design and operations, which I gratefully accepted. I’m back in interior design and even if I don’t own a bar or hotel, at least I get to furnish them. The only difference is that I now incorporate scenography and storytelling into interior design.

Miss Miu, Zug, Switzerland. LIV Award Winner in Interior Design – Restaurant Theme

What is your main priority when starting projects? Is there something that is fundamental to your practice- your philosophy and your process?

This varies greatly from project to project and especially from client to client. I think the most important thing is to understand the clients and exceed their needs or expectations. Many of my clients have understood the importance of offering the guest an experience, and that includes interior design. Instagramability has long become a “must” and one of the best and cheapest ways to advertise. What started with food bloggers continues today in interior design. A well-staged location has become as important today. This works best with storytelling.

When I start a project and have captured ideas and needs from the client, I start writing a story. This can be completely fictional or have references to the location or people. I write a kind of scripts like a film, where 3 factors play an important role: place, time and person. The place describes where I am, for example in which country, which city, at someone’s home, or in a factory. The time tells me when the whole thing took place, so it is current, 20 years ago or a whole century ago. This all has an influence on the design of the space. The third factor is the person, to give the room the necessary personality. The more precisely and excitingly such a script is written, the more suitable it is as a basis for the design of the space.

Nooch, Westside, Bern, Switzerland.

If you had to choose just one of your projects at Krucker Partner, which project would it be and why?

Always the next one. Because honestly, when a project is finished, no matter how great it turned out and how much praise you get, I always only see the little mistakes and what you could have done better. And so for every project, I make a resolution to myself, “You’ll do better next time”.  However, I am very satisfied with the projects and I don’t want to single out one that is particularly important to me or that I particularly like, because, in the end, each project stands on its own. Each had different conditions and different challenges and above all, a different budget.

Nooch, Westside, Bern, Switzerland.

Nooch, Westside, Bern, Switzerland.

What do you feel is the most challenging part of working in Hospitality Design today?

Hospitality design is a wonderful field, more versatile than almost any other field in interior design. And the challenges are just as varied. We live in difficult times. Corona, War and Climate change have not been and are not exactly conducive to the hospitality industry. In the current situation, we are faced with many challenges. Be it delivery times or rising prices, the most important thing is to be proactive and remain flexible. We certainly have to learn to rethink our methods in many areas.

Which interior designer most influences your work or your work habits?

My attitude is never to be influenced by anyone else and, to be honest, I don’t know that many interior designers. I have always gone my own way. You are influenced by so many people and experiences throughout your life, which makes you who you are and I am quite happy the way I am. On my path through life, I have met many exciting people, both professionally and privately, who have shaped and influenced me.

The Butcher, Dietlikon, Switzerland.

Last, what are your passions outside of the design world?

Basically, I am interested in many things, but my professional life has had a big influence on my private life. I love to travel and try out as many hotels and restaurants as possible. This has even developed into a real tic. It can happen that I stay in 5-6 different hotels on a seven-day trip, but my greatest passion in life is certainly my wife.

Mrs. Mao Hua is a professional designer with an international vision driven by modernistic design concepts. Combining artistic flexibility and life inspirations, Mao strives to discover a new world of “perfect design”. Her design is characterized by theatrical and dramatic aesthetics, which brings fun and multi-facet experiences to the space, thus enriching one’s spirit with contemplation. We talked to the founder of EK Design and PP Design Gallery/Design Director of YuQiang & Partners Interior Architects Studio to learn more about her background and the inspiration behind her work.

Can you tell us a bit about your background? Where are you from?

I studied and worked in London for four years, during which I met many people from diverse backgrounds and experienced different cultures, which has inspired me a lot. Currently, my design practice is based in Shenzhen, a young, inclusive, and creative city that has incubated many design firms with a global vision.

Dongguan HappyLand Sales Office ©Ingallery

What is your main priority when starting projects?

My priority consideration is to satisfy the client’s needs. Every project has its advantages and disadvantages. When starting a project, my first step is to dig into the client’s background, lifestyle, and deepest needs. Besides, I try to figure out how to maximize the advantages of the space in the simplest way possible, which I think is the key to interior design.

Is there something that is fundamental to your practice, your philosophy and your process?

Interior Design needs to take into account the existing conditions of the architecture and its logical relationship with the outside surroundings. Based on this idea, I then shift to the interior — to figure out how to approach the space and how to express creativity and aesthetics. This is my fundamental design process and approach.
In my design practice, I tend to incorporate a “dramatic” aesthetic to interpret conflicts and contrasts, hoping every spatial scene I conceive will tell a story while presenting contrasts.

Can you tell us more about your new company, EK Design?

To approach more diversified project typologies and create some “different” designs, I established EK Design in 2021. At EK, we have more freedom to fully unleash imagination, and creativity, express different cultures in diversified ways and tend to express “conflicts” and “integration” in design.
Besides interior design, EK’s business scope also involves art, architectural design, product design, graphic design, brand planning, etc. A multidisciplinary team plays a key role at EK. Currently, we have involved architects in our team, and will further bring in landscape designers and product design professionals in the future. In this sense, EK Design has gone beyond interior design.

You also founded the PP Design Gallery in 2010. Can you please share more about this initiative?

The original intention of founding the PP Design Gallery was to support our interior decoration projects. Back then, there was a lack of quality international home furnishing products and relevant purchasing channels in the Chinese market. We hoped to apply more stylish and tasteful products to our projects, to create a more holistic interior decoration effect. This sparked our idea of “looking for good products,” so we established the PP Design Gallery.
It is the first design gallery in southern China that focuses on international modern designs. It’s more like a bridge that introduces creative design brands from around the world to the Chinese design community and the public.

If you had to choose only one project you have been involved in, which one would it be and why?

Recently, we completed an art-filled private penthouse in Zhejiang for a female client who adores fashion and a free lifestyle. She hopes her third residence will be an art space that combines multiple functions, such as a private vacation home, a place to receive and gather guests, and a venue for communication and entertainment.

Zhejiang Private Penthouse © Zhudi SHADØO PLAY

The project is a large single-floor apartment formed by removing the partitions of two existing ones. For this reason, the layout of the new place appeared somewhat rigid, fragmented, and scattered, which posed a challenge for the design. We arranged varied asymmetric and free forms in the space, to divert attention from the spatial structure. For instance, we applied deconstruction methods to add curves to the columns and walls, designed a structural spiral staircase to connect 1F and 2F, and created a large atrium in 2F to bring daylight in.

We recreated the spatial order by various techniques, such as superposition and reorganization. Throughout the project process, we also repeatedly adjusted our design based on balancing aesthetic intuition and model verification. In the end, we created an art-filled private vacation home that went beyond a specific theme and real life.

Zhejiang Private Penthouse © Zhudi SHADØO PLAY

Last, what are you working on at the moment, and do you have any upcoming projects or collaborations you can tell us about?

Currently, we are working on PUER LAB, a tea house located in C Future City, Futian, Shenzhen. In recent years, traditional Chinese culture has been fostering new consumption trends. As PUER LAB is a new type of hospitality project, we intend to adopt fresh forms and fashionable design languages to convey traditional Chinese teahouse culture. EK works on both brand positioning and spatial design for PUER LAB. We utilize traditional Chinese mortise-and-tenon joints to shape spatial structures and, in the meantime, deconstruct and reorganize various geometric forms. Those ingenious and flexible structures link the overall space and create a unique spatial experience. The interior adopts the typical red soil color of Xishuangbanna—the production area of PUER tea, as the main tone. Besides, we reinterpreted the cultural symbols of the famous ancient Chinese painting “Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival” and translated them into a decorative wall painting in the space to produce an aesthetic contrast between tradition and fashion.

We talked to Luis Galofre, Director of Food & Beverage Design and Development for the Caribbean and Latin America region at Marriott International and jury member of the LIV Hospitality Design Awards. Luis brings 17+ years of experience in the F&B industry and his journey has taken him around the world – from managing a top local restaurant to leading an entire region.

Can you tell us a bit about your background? Where are you from? How did you start working in the Hospitality Industry?

I’m from Barranquilla, Colombia, where I lived my first 25 years. I started my career working in various industries, from leather manufacturing to Embassies. My first hospitality job was front desk agent at a local hotel in my hometown and immediately I fall in love with this industry. Later, I worked in multiple departments such as reservations, housekeeping, and banquets. 

You worked for some iconic venues like the W Hotel in Washington DC, Buddha Bar DC… How working in Food & Beverages Operations is helping you now as Director of Design & Development at Marriott International? 

It’s all about understanding how the Food & Beverage spaces operate. In my 16+ years working in this discipline, I have understood the importance of providing a well-organized space to our associates so they can work efficiently and take great care of our guests. From restaurant and hotel openings to working in high-volume venues, I always looked at operations from the receiving area to the last table/bar stool of our Food & Beverage outlets, and asked the following questions: Do we have an efficient service flow in our BOH? Does storage support a total number of outlets? How many steps is my bartending team taking to make one cocktail? Having the structure defined, then I had to focus on ensuring the restaurant concepts make sense for our guests and associates.  

What are the main challenges you are facing, when working on projects in the Caribbean and Latin America in general?

The challenges that this region gives me are unique and exciting! We have 330+ hotels operating and 150+ hotels in the pipeline, in a region that has 33 countries (and dependencies) and each of them comes with its own culinary traditions. This gives us the opportunity to create authentic dishes that truly represent our gastronomy diversity, creating experiences that represent and elevate our brands. 

Is there something that is fundamental to your design vision, philosophy and processes?

There are critical steps in the Restaurant and Bar Development Process that build on and depend on each other and it is imperative that each step is completed before moving into the next phase. Analyze, conceptualize, design and execute! 

If you have to choose only one project/concept you have been involved in, which one’s would it be and why?

I left Colombia and my Food & Beverage career started… 15 years later, I went back home to open our first Marriott hotel in my hometown Barranquilla, a project that I worked on for about 4 years. The F&B programming designed and created for this hotel was uniquely curated by a local for the locals. Participated in a 10-day countdown where I had the opportunity to share my career path to the associates, and presented the restaurant concept to ensure they live, breathe, and share the storytelling every day. I’m extremely proud of this product, and the team hired to operate the space is one of the best in the region. 

What do you think are the biggest challenges and opportunities in your career/industry now?

We have a wonderful opportunity of designing and conceptualize restaurants located in our hotels that connect with the local community. Thinking of sustainable products, concept authenticity aligned with design direction and an independent mentality; staying away from massive buffet setups. Every project only has one chance to make a restaurant great, the design must align with the functional needs of the operation to ensure the effective realization of high-performing venues. The experience of Food & Beverage designers is critical, it is all about details, memorable elements and service delivery that make the concepts relevant, bringing the venue to life.

Last, which Architects and Interior Designers most influence your work?

It has been a pleasure to work and learn from many companies during the past years, such as: ChapiChapo, Streetsense, EDG, Raimundo Morales & Associates, Ellis Adams Group, HBA, Office134, Meyer Davis and Arquitectura de Interiores. 

The LIV Hospitality Design Awards recognize the excellence in Hospitality Architecture, Interior Design enhancing exceptional Guest Experiences globally. The yearly catalog showcases The LIV Awards winners in the Architecture and Interior Design categories as well as the interviews of the professionals and students’ grand prize winners.

You can view and download the PDF version freely below or buy it on your favorite Amazon online store.

Amazon.com      Amazon.ca     Amazon.fr     Amazon.de    Amazon.co.uk   Amazon.jp  and more …

While extravagant, vast houses may have previously set the bar for aspirational luxury, the tiny house movement has proven that size doesn’t necessarily matter. With no sacrifice to aesthetics, functionality, and wellness, residing in smaller spaces means maximizing resources all the while limiting the impact of the built environment. 

Thanks to strategic designs and inspirational settings, living big in a tiny home is no longer an impossible dream. Take inspiration from these six award-winning tiny home designs in the LIV Hospitality Awards of 2021. 

The Hut

Prize: Winner in Architectural Design Tiny House
Company/Firm: 23o5 Studio
Lead Designer: Ngo Viet Khanh Duy
Lead Designer(Other): Hue Tran
Photo Credit: Hiroyuki Oki
Location: Thu Duc, Ho Chi Minh City

A seamless architectural translation of the vernacular Vietnam home that captures the perfect relationship between man and nature. 

Situated in Thu Duc, Ho Chi Minh City just away from the hustles and bustles of city life, the Hut is designed to provide young couples a much-needed quiet and peaceful atmosphere. Combining the seamless narrative of the traditional Vietnamese dwelling and modern architecture, the design allows light, space, and living things to integrate harmoniously into the built environment. 

Like traditional Vietnamese homes, natural light and ventilation are an integral theme. The ceiling opening reaches the outdoors bringing in an ethereal atmosphere. Integrating the angled structure of walls allows one’s visual enjoyment of the changes of the lights and shadow as the sun moves along the home. 

Freedom – Blurring away the division between the outdoor nature and interior space. The captivating experience starts as one travels toward the entryway greeted with a garden frontage. In view are iron shelves defining the living area and porch areas but without shutting off the natural ventilation, light, and vistas. The result is a continuous and connected space. 

Utilizing natural light and vegetation the kitchen is defined with an arm’s length of fresh vegetables for cooking. The garden provides the perfect space to capture natural ventilation and vent through the entire home. 

Flowing through, the bedroom is situated at the tip of the edge of the house. Inspired by its vernacular roots, the double door casement window with louvered panels opens up to a pocket garden. Framed in time the gorgeous view continues to connect the indoor and outdoor spaces. 

Inspired by the image of flickering campfire wood, the Tiny Club House located in Da Lat; Vietnam, addresses the real needs of the space while keeping in context with the location. The design concept thus transpires into a symbol that designing with respect to the context can bring profound human values in the age of modern architecture and construction. 

The majority of the site’s other buildings are low-rise colonial structures and flower nurseries. The problem is that there hasn’t yet been a distinctive, iconic structure in the neighborhood. This borne the design solution of having the Tiny Club House higher than the rest of the surrounding buildings. With the height and beautifully lit structure, it isn’t hard to miss even during the nighttime. The two-level space also satisfies the need for a sleeping quarter for the manager at the upper level. Like many tiny home designs, the advantage of limited spaces is it brings better communication between people and the spirit of togetherness. The ground level serves as a space for community activities, camping, talking and sharing, and connection between people and nature. 

A House within Thirteen Steps

Prize: Winner in Interior Design Tiny House
Company/Firm: L&M Design Lab
Lead Designer: Liu jinrui
Photo Credit: Hu Yijie
Location: Shanghai, China

As interesting as its project title, this tiny home utilizes the diagonal space where three rooms are connected diagonally, which gives the sequence of rooms more space whether used separately or when combined. The diagonal configuration at the same time frees up more space and transforms the limited space into a flexible and efficient residence for five people from three generations. 

Taking design strategies from Jade and Exquisite Study a visiting spot in the Surging Waves Pavilion in Suzhou, the tiny home of 34 square meters utilizes visual perception. For instance, the living room, entrance hall, and kitchen sight distance are extended from 3.5 meters to 7.4 meters. 

By combining the narrow areas, the horizontal distance is extended maximizing the available space, the design was able to fit a living room, two kitchens, a game area, two bedrooms, and a singing hall. Other than combining areas with the diagonal configuration, depth perception is extended by having the exposed beams covered with wood skin harmoniously with wardrobes in the grand room. 

In Shanghai, there is a severe housing shortage. A family of five can barely fit in this ancient flat, which is smaller than 34 square meters in size. This family deserves to have a complete life free from bitterness in child rearing, just like the thousands of other suffering regular families in Shanghai. This example of a home makeover among hundreds of homes creates a lyrical Garden of Eden in the busy world. Truly an architectural design that makes it possible to live big in a tiny house.  

House in Minohshinmachi

Prize: Winner in Architectural Design Tiny House
Company/Firm: YASUYUKI KITAMURA
Lead Designer: Yasuyuki Kitamura
Location: Osaka, Japan

A modern take on your ranch-style house, the one-story home for a young couple is set among the gorgeous mountains in Minoh city, Osaka Japan. While there is fast development in the area, you could still spot deer walking on the streets. The architecture aims to highlight man’s harmonious coexistence with the rich natural surroundings while showcasing local character that is lacking in most of the surrounding houses. 

Situated on the northern hill of the city, the structure with deep eaves and concrete walls in a maze-like design provides privacy and protection from the elements. While it strategically provides the needed obscurity from specific sections of the building the translucent and open skylight vaguely provides a boundary between the exterior and interior spaces. 

With deep eaves, the gabled roof is structured with a low profile to keep harmoniously with the surrounding landscape. 

The project was built with a relatively small construction budget utilizing typical timber building techniques. The wooden pillars are 105 mm square and made of common structural metals. To guarantee strong seismic performance and drastically shorten the building duration, a straightforward symmetrical frame structure with columns placed one pitch apart, a single longitudinal climbing beam inside and outside, and rafters with narrowing ends are employed.

Stokkøy Food Studio

Prize: Winner in Architectural Design Short-term Rental
Company/Firm: Agraff Arkitektur AS
Lead Designer: Yashar Hanstad
Lead Designer(Other): Andreas Gjertsen, Ørjan Nyheim from FUR Arkitekter
Location: Stokkøya, Åfjord, Norway

From catch through cooking and serving – From an old, rundown boathouse rebuilt to a small yet impressive home on stilts, the Stokkøy Food Studio in Åfjord, Norway offers customers a unique experience among the breathtaking seaside. You can rent the boathouse and enjoy the scenic seafront of Stokkya together with a chef.

While creating a modern boathouse, the design stays with the Norwegian coastal building tradition of building boathouses while integrating modern architectural features. 

The sea-oriented front opens up in big windowpanes, filling the inside with a light and providing a breathtaking perspective of the sea, while the other facades are kept basic. One enters at a half level, observing the openly arranged sleeping plateaus hung from the roof below and the living areas below. The kitchen has direct access to the pier outside and is visible from the sitting and dining spaces.

Using the previous boathouse’s features as a model provided the project with a neat, classically styled appearance. The interior’s design was influenced by the preservation concept, which encouraged imagination and free thought.

The modern boathouse was designed for social and culinary functions while adhering to Norwegian coastal building tradition. The original size, shape, and docking scheme of the old boathouse were retained. Its wooden construction was recreated using bound timber, with junctions precision cut by CNC, and assembled using only dowels.

Aurora Lodge

Prize: Winner in Architectural Design Lodge
Company/Firm: Snorre Stinessen Architecture
Lead Designer: Snorre Stinessen
Location: Lyngen, Norway

Like the mesmerizing northern lights, Aurora Lodge located in the remote Lyngen Alps functions as a part private retreat and a tiny lodge. With the such enamoring site, the design aims to respect the natural setting. The tiny home’s reverence for the space starts by having the structure built along the terrain rather than going against the plateau. While the building’s high ceilings and unbroken glass walls open up the sky and outside scenery within. 

The outdoor scenery from the bedroom is simply amazing with a rather simple architectural concept of opening the space with large windows and 

The simple A-frame construction resembles a basic shelter; however, this one is set back from the coast so that the roof lines up with the landscape there, offering solitude on one side and expansive vistas on the other. The main apartment has two lofted bedrooms with a huge, common bath, three bedrooms with private, en-suite bathrooms, and a totally autonomous communal living area. The main kitchen and eating area are located in the northernmost apartment, which was built to resemble a “winter garden” observatory and offers stunning views of both the nearby terrain at your feet and the far horizon.

A second annex/suite follows the same architectural philosophy as the main home and is accessible from the walkway. The sauna is located in a separate structure across the stream, with its interior completely devoted to views of the ocean, the Northern Lights, or the setting sun.

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