OMA completes Harajuku Quest, a commercial complex in the heart of Tokyo set to open on September 11th, 2025, when the first stores welcome visitors, followed by a phased rollout from November onwards (find designboom’s previous coverage here). Designed within NTT Urban Development Corporation’s wider strategy for Harajuku, the 4,300-square-meter project bridges the two distinct contexts of the grand, tree-lined Omotesando Avenue and the dense, intimate Oku-Harajuku district.

The redevelopment, which began construction in October 2022, shapes its volume differently in each side. Toward Omotesando, the volume is pinched and pulled within its zoning envelope, resulting in a monolithic, transparent facade that recedes at both ground and roof level. The setback at the street creates a funneling passage into Oku-Harajuku, while the upper recess brings daylight deep into the block. On the opposite side, the mass steps and fans out into terraces facing Harajuku, offering open-air platforms where programs spill outward. 

images by Forward, unless stated otherwise

reinterpreting Harajuku’s Legacy Through Hybrid Hub

Since its original debut in 1988, the former Harajuku Quest has been closely tied to the evolution of the area, adapting to the shifting currents of fashion, youth culture, and urban change. The reconstruction by the team at OMA, led by Shohei Shigematsu, seeks to update the complex, reinterpreting that legacy for the present, proposing a hybrid form that mediates between globalized retail architecture and the human-scaled fabric of backstreets known for independent shops and creative subcultures. The building acts as a gateway, drawing flows of people between Omotesando’s flagship-lined boulevard and the winding alleys of Oku-Harajuku for the first time.

A second-level public plaza centers the design, conceived as a new civic datum within the district. This elevated space expands the conventional retail experience into a stage for cultural programs and gatherings, weaving local life into the site and blurring the threshold between commerce and community. Along with alleys, squares, and casual meeting spots, the project builds on NTT’s With Harajuku (2020) by extending the pedestrian network and strengthening Harajuku’s identity as a meeting and exchange point.

OMA completes Harajuku Quest

a monolithic, transparent facade that recedes at both ground and roof level

former Harajuku Quest has been closely tied to the evolution of the area | construction images by Ko Tsuchiya

the reconstruction by the team at OMA, led by Shohei Shigematsu, seeks to update the complex

the building acts as a gateway

drawing flows of people between Omotesando and Oku-Harajuku for the first time

project info:

name: Harajuku Quest

architect: OMA | @oma.eu

partner: Shohei Shigematsu | @shohei_shigematsu

location: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan

gross floor area: 4,300 square meters

client: NTT Urban Development Corporation

associates: Takeshi Mitsuda, Fernan Bilik, Tetsuo Kobayashi, Kohei Sugishita, Yuzaburo Tanaka, Timothy Tse, Chiao Yang

executive architect: NTT Facilities

structure: NTT Facilities

MEP: NTT Facilities

landscape architect: Landscape Plus

lighting design: Lighting Planners Associates

graphics, signage, wayfinding: Daikoku Design Institute, Bikohsha

general contractor: Kumagai Gumi

The post OMA completes harajuku quest in tokyo, unveiling stepped terraces and transparent facade appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

This October, The ReefLine will unveil its first installation by Leandro Erlich off Miami Beach, beginning a seven-mile underwater public sculpture park, snorkel trail, and hybrid reef. Conceived by Founder, Ximena Caminos, The ReefLine will restore a section of the Florida Reef Tract while creating a site for public engagement with art and climate resilience. OMA and Shohei Shigematsu were brought on to put together the master plan for the project.

The first deployment, Concrete Coral by Leandro Erlich, features twenty-two full-scale cars submerged fifteen to twenty feet underwater at 4th Street. Cast in marine-grade concrete from 3D-printed molds, the sculptures evoke an underwater traffic jam while providing structure for coral growth. Using Coral Lok, a patented attachment system, live corals are seeded onto the cars to accelerate reef development.

The ReefLine to deploy its first installation by Leandro Erlich this October | visualization courtesy The ReefLine

leandro erlich Hybridizes infrastructure and fabrication

While Leandro Erlich’s ReefLine installation will be sculptural, it will also support biodiversity and act as a breakwater to protect Miami’s shoreline from erosion and rising seas. 2,200 corals are being cultivated at The ReefLine’s Miami Native Coral Lab under marine biologist Colin Foord.

Concrete Coral marks the first step in a multi-phase cultural corridor. Upcoming installations include The Miami Reef Star by Carlos Betancourt and Alberto Latorre, and Heart of Okeanos by Petroc Sesti. Each work is designed as both art and reef infrastructure, advancing The ReefLine’s goal of planting one million corals over its lifespan.

The Reefline’s Miami Reef Star prototype displayed during Miami Art Week 2024 | image © designboom

project info:

name: The ReefLine | @thereefline

artist: Leandro Erlich | @leandroerlichofficial

fabricator: Madco3D | @madco3d

coral cultivation: Miami Native Coral Lab (Colin Foord)

artistic director, founder: Ximena Caminos
master planner: OMA / Shohei Shigematsu
curatorial advisors: Brandi Reddick (Cultural Affairs Manager, City of Miami Beach), Jérôme Sanz (Independent Curator)

previous coverage: November 2020, December 2024

The post miami reefline to submerge first hybrid reef: leandro erlich’s 3D-printed concrete cars appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

OMA’s Mangalem 21 occupies a steep site in eastern Tirana, Albania, shaped by a 27-meter elevation change from top to bottom — roughly the height of a nine-story building. Framed by communist-era housing blocks to the north and informal developments to the south, the residential masterplan responds to this layered context with a rhythmic and vibrant sequence of buildings and courtyards. Developed with Kontakt, the complex adopts a checkerboard layout that balances urban density with green, communal space.

The entire ground level is pedestrian-only, with parking and vehicular access placed below ground. This frees up 70% of the surface area for public plazas, gardens, and circulation, resulting in a calm and accessible urban setting. As the slope steps down, buildings are arranged so that each looks over the one below, allowing for open views and sunlight across the site.

all images courtesy of Kontakt

oma’s tirana masterplan introduces porosity into the grid

At the architectural scale, Mangalem 21’s design transforms the regular grid into a more spatially active fabric. Tangent corners and overlapping volumes are articulated through three new typologies: the straddle core, where circulation is shared between buildings; the straddle apartment, which spans two structures; and the kissing corner, where two volumes meet. These configurations introduce porosity and variation across what might otherwise be a rigid plan.

A carefully curated color palette further animates the development’s façades. Referencing Tirana’s 2000s city-wide mural initiative led by then-mayor Edi Rama, international practice OMA introduces color through standardised openings, shifting patterns, and selective accents across walls, window frames, and shutters. The resulting visual language is diverse yet cohesive. With the stepped arrangement revealing multiple elevations at once, rooftops are treated as fifth facades — visible from above and woven into the spatial rhythm. Together, these elements aim to establish a new model of urban living in Tirana that integrates high density with visual diversity, open space, and a flexible architectural framework that evolves with its residents’ needs. The project builds a walkable, inhabited landscape that ties individual experience to a collective urban form.

Mangalem 21’s facades emerging from the urban edge

colorful residential blocks

the residential masterplan responds to its layered context with a rhythmic sequence of buildings and courtyards

the interplay between vibrant facades, arcades, and planted courtyards

the design references Tirana’s 2000s city-wide mural initiative led by then-mayor Edi Rama

framed by communist-era housing blocks to the north and informal developments to the south

project info:

name: Mangalem 21
architect: OMA | @oma.eu, Kontakt

location: Tirana, Albania

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: Ravail Khan | designboom

The post OMA’s mangalem 21 masterplan steps checkerboard of homes down slope in tirana, albania appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Louis Vuitton: Visionary Journeys is now open at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art in Osaka, Japan. Designed by Shohei Shigematsu of OMA, the exhibition occupies 2,200 square meters of the museum and is organized into eleven thematic galleries. These are grouped into four interconnected zones — history, codes, process behind the craft, and cultural dialogue — that together express the enduring identity of the House.

The exhibition design celebrates spatial variety, with each room conceived as a unique set within a continuous narrative. Shigematsu explains that the scenography aims to translate Louis Vuitton’s legacy into an architectural journey, one that goes beyond objects to explore ideas. Osaka’s long-standing role as a center of trade and craftsmanship in Japan underscores the choice of venue, bringing a contextual layer to the Maison’s exploration of heritage and innovation.

the exhibition spans 2,200 square meters at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art | images courtesy Louis Vuitton

Monumental Interventions in the Museum Atrium

Visitors to Louis Vuitton: Visionary Journeys first encounter eight monumental lanterns, which the team at OMA suspends from the Osaka museum’s five-story atrium. Each 12.5-meter-tall column stacks trunk-like forms wrapped in Monogram washi paper, arranged in six unique configurations. The lanterns emphasize the verticality of the atrium while casting a soft, diffuse glow, creating a welcoming transition into the exhibition.

Beyond the atrium, the entrance gallery is anchored by a hemispherical installation composed of 138 authentic Louis Vuitton trunks. Mirrored by the glass floor below, the self-supporting structure forms a complete globe, referencing themes of exploration and global exchange. The trunks’ structural integrity alone holds the piece together, exemplifying the balance of strength and lightness that defines the House’s craftsmanship.

a hemispherical globe is built from 138 Louis Vuitton trunks

a celebration of Japanese influences

Speaking to its context in Osaka, Louis Vuitton and OMA prominently feature Japan as both subject and context throughout the exhibition. A dedicated gallery, Louis Vuitton and Japan, examines artistic and cultural exchanges between the brand and the country. The display spans centuries, from traditional garments and samurai armor to contemporary pop culture, all arranged on modular platforms evocative of tatami mats.

Other rooms trace the evolution of Louis Vuitton’s creative codes. In the Origins room, a hand-woven bamboo armature carries the timeline of the Maison’s six historic eras, reflecting a shared respect for craftsmanship. Two galleries are devoted to the Monogram canvas, charting its development from early influences, including Japanese motifs, to its use in contemporary designs.

hand-woven bamboo structures and archival materials highlight LV’s craftsmanship legacy

The Expeditions gallery immerses visitors inside a full-scale inflatable hot-air balloon that doubles as a display structure and projection surface. In the Materials gallery, a dense arrangement of foundational components is presented in a way that appears weightless, giving visitors the sense of peering into an infinite archive. Atelier Rarex, a selection of exceptional pieces, is displayed along a boulevard backdrop modeled on the mansard roofline of Louis Vuitton’s Paris flagship.

The Workshop gallery incorporates arched windows, sawtooth roofs, and workbenches modeled after the House’s Asnières atelier, where craftspeople conduct live demonstrations. Mirrored ‘skylights’ allow these processes to be observed from anywhere in the room. Meanwhile, the Testing gallery introduces visitors to the machinery and protocols behind product durability, bringing the brand’s laboratory into the museum context.

In the Collaborations gallery, four mirrored domes house works by artists and brands such as Stephen Sprouse, Supreme, Yayoi Kusama, and Takashi Murakami. The reflections create a kaleidoscopic environment that reconstitutes each partnership as part of Louis Vuitton’s broader creative ecosystem.

an inflatable hot-air balloon and mirrored displays offer immersive environments for storytelling

a gallery dedicated to Japan explores the brand’s cultural exchanges using tatami-inspired platforms

live workshops and testing galleries recreate the Asnières atelier within the museum

Shohei Shigematsu organizes four zones focused on history, craft, codes, and cultural dialogue

mirrored domes reflect key collaborations in a kaleidoscopic environment of contemporary design

project info:

name: Visionary Journeys

designer: Louis Vuitton | @louisvuitton

exhibition design: Shohei Shigematsu / OMA | @shohei_shigematsu @omanewyork
museum: Nakanoshima Museum of Art | @nakkaart2022

location: Osaka, Japan

dates: July 15th — September 17th, 2025

photography: courtesy Louis Vuitton

The post OMA explores japanese craft and culture through louis vuitton exhibition in osaka appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

OMA wins an international competition to design a new bridge in Lyon, France. The project, led by Reinier de Graaf with associate Gilles Guyot and project architect Anton Anikeev, will form a key part of the TEOL (Tram Express de l’Ouest Lyonnais) initiative by SYTRAL Mobilités, connecting the Confluence district on the eastern bank of the Saône with the steep, green slopes of La Balme to the west.

The proposal combines a tramway with a pedestrian and cyclist path in a single integrated structure. The bridge addresses both practical infrastructure needs and urban accessibility while paying close attention to its topographical and ecological context. The steep western terrain, which has historically limited development, is now the focus of densification and improved connectivity.

The OMA design avoids grand gestures and instead blends into the natural environment, offering what de Graaf describes as ‘an elegant connection between the urban waterfront and the river’s natural edge.’ Rather than asserting itself as an icon, the bridge calibrates its expression in response to the surrounding landscape, subtly different on each side of the river.

the bridge combines tram infrastructure with a pedestrian and cyclist path | visualizations © OMA & hism

oma Shapes the Crossing Experience

On the Confluence side, OMA designs the Lyon bridge to float above the water gardens, supported by a light and narrow deck that frames views of the river. The passage here acts as both a thoroughfare and a public promenade, with the space underneath reimagined as an open civic area around the historic harbormaster’s building.

Across the river, the project calls for the restoration of a forgotten path along the La Balme hillside. This former route, which once offered a natural vantage point over the Saône, will be reintroduced as part of the bridge’s integration into the landscape. The tram line, which must pass through this hilly terrain, is designed as a discreet incision into the hillside, minimizing impact on the surrounding environment.

The team at OMA is collaborating with WSP, Devaux & Devaux architectes, and Marco Rossi Paysagiste to develop the scheme. The office has prior experience in the region through its work on the Vallée de la Chimie masterplan and recently completed the Simone Veil Bridge in Bordeaux, awarded the Équerre d’Argent in 2024.

OMA avoids landmark posturing in favor of contextual precision

project info:

name: Lyon Bridge

architecture: OMA | @oma.eu

location: Lyon, France
status: ongoing
visualizations: © OMA & hism (Diego Iacono, Stefania Trozzi)

partner: Reinier de Graaf
associate: Gilles Guyot
project architects: Anton Anikeev, Yasemin Parlar, Francois Riollot, Suet Ying Yuen
engineering: WSP
heritage specialist: DDA
landscape architects: MRP
lighting design: Les Eclaireurs

The post OMA wins competition to design anti-iconic bridge in lyon, france appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

In Xiamen, China, OMA completes a new headquarters for JOMOO, the country’s largest sanitaryware manufacturer. Marking the transition of the company from national supplier to global brand, the project redefines the conventional office typology through a sculptural volume that bridges city and nature. On one side, dense high-rises of the emerging central business district press in, while on the other, forested hills rise above the coast. Responding to these contrasts, OMA’s design combines a multi-functional base with a 230-meter tower, anchoring JOMOO’s identity. White vertical ceramic stripes compose the facade, a detail that references both the company’s industrial roots in ceramics and traditional window patterns found in Fujian’s vernacular houses. These stripes shift orientation across the surface of the building, creating a pattern that gives the headquarters a distinct presence. 

Led by OMA partner Chris van Duijn, with project architects Chen Lu and Lingxiao Zhang, the building is the firm’s first realized high-rise in China, a precursor to several ongoing commissions in Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and beyond. ‘Located in rapidly growing cities,’ van Duijn notes, ‘these projects explore new connections to their immediate urban context, reinterpreting the prevailing tower typology that has shaped much of China’s recent urban expansion.’

images courtesy of OMA

rocky topography inspires the irregular form of the tower

The OMA-designed structure houses JOMOO’s offices and showroom, along with public-facing spaces like a lobby, multipurpose hall, and recruitment and conference rooms. The design team embeds all these areas within a monolithic base volume, whose irregular form draws from the rocky topography of the surrounding landscape. This base anchors the campus in its natural setting, while establishing a civic presence along the urban front.

The system of the facade eliminates the need for interior columns, allowing flexible and open floor plans throughout the tower, an architectural choice aligned with JOMOO’s modular, future-oriented production ethos. The project is the result of a close collaboration between OMA and local architect Huayi Design, which also handled structural and mechanical engineering. 

OMA completes a new headquarters for JOMOO

the project redefines the conventional office typology through a bold sculptural volume

OMA’s design combines a multi-functional base with a 230-meter tower

vertical ceramic stripes compose the facade

the detail references the material expertise of the company and traditional window patterns

these stripes shift orientation across the surface of the building

the OMA-designed structure houses JOMOO’s offices and showroom

project info:

name: JOMOO Headquarters

architect: OMA | @omanewyork

location: Xiamen, China

client: JOMOO | @jomoointer

partner-in-charge: Chris van Duijn

project architects: Chen Lu, Lingxiao Zhang

design team: Mark Bavoso, Slava Savova, Sebastian Schulte, Ricky Suen, Gabriele Ubareviciute, Yue Wu, Adisak Yavilas, Pu Hsien Chan, Alan Lau, Cecilia Lei, Kevin Mak, Connor Sullivan

local architect: Huayi Design

structural & mechanical engineering: Huayi Design

facade consultant: VS-A

photographer: Xia Zhi, Chen Hao

The post OMA completes JOMOO headquarters in china with sculptural white-striped tower appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Louis Vuitton unveils The Louis, a monumental structure moored in Shanghai’s central business district. Resembling a modernist ship at anchor, the boat-like building brings together a multi-story flagship store, Le Café Louis Vuitton, and the brand’s Visionary Journeys exhibition, housed within a surreal facade of metallic Monogram hulls and stacked trunks. Located on Wujiang Road, The Louis honors Louis Vuitton’s maritime roots while anchoring itself in Shanghai’s historic identity as a port city.

Visionary Journeys, the multi-room exhibition spanning two floors, is conceived by Shohei Shigematsu of OMA. It opens with Trunkscape, an installation composed of Monogram canvas trunks that curve into an archway, evoking architecture and dreamscape. Originally shown in Bangkok and Osaka (find designboom’s previous coverage here), this iteration draws visitors into a cinematic voyage through Louis Vuitton’s intertwined history with design, innovation, and travel, from the 1859 workshop in Asnières to high-seas regattas and couture-bound steamer trunks. ‘Our installation uses iconic Louis Vuitton trunks in a playful display that intuitively and instantly communicates the Maison’s heritage and spirit of innovation,’ shares Shohei Shigematsu. ‘Conceived to fit the central atrium of the temporary store, the four trunk towers are part structural and part sculptural, familiar in materiality yet foreign in shape, height, and slenderness, created by their distinctly stacked forms. Together, they become a spatial amplifier that feels surreal yet rooted to Louis Vuitton’s origins.’

all images courtesy of Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton draws from transoceanic journeys

The Louis is a space created by Louis Vuitton that encapsulates the spirit of travel and the deep connection of the french house to movement, craftsmanship, and culture. Its design draws inspiration from transoceanic journeys, the kind once made by ocean liners, combining the shape of a ship’s prow with the form of a classic Louis Vuitton steamer trunk. The outside is covered in shimmering metallic Monogram patterns that reflect light like the surface of the sea, making the structure itself a symbol of travel and timeless design.

Inside, visitors are taken on a journey that includes food, shopping, and storytelling through exhibition. Each room is themed to reflect a different chapter in Louis Vuitton’s evolution through historic pieces and creativity.

Louis Vuitton unveils The Louis, a monumental structure moored in Shanghai’s central business district

an oma-designed journey through objects

This journey begins with Origins, a space that features the early designs of the house, reimagined with a contemporary touch. This room sets the tone for the rest of the experience, one that honors tradition while embracing innovation. Next is Voyage, which explores the more whimsical and personal aspects of travel through archival patents, stories from famous clients, and custom-made items. Olfactive Exploration focuses on fragrance and puts on display rare perfume bottles from as far back as 1927 alongside scents crafted by in-house perfumer Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud.

Moving on, Books and Sport shows how the brand functions as both storyteller and companion across many worlds. From Gaston-Louis Vuitton’s love of literature and publishing to its role in creating elegant trophy trunks for global events like Formula 1 and the Olympics. In Fashion & Leather Goods, the house’s creative metamorphosis takes center stage, spotlighting classic bags reinterpreted by artistic directors including Marc Jacobs, Virgil Abloh, and Pharrell Williams. Workshop and Testing pull visitors into the behind-the-scenes world of Louis Vuitton craftsmanship, where tools nicknamed Louise and Louisette help make sure that each piece meets rigorous standards. Perched on the third floor, Le Café Louis Vuitton brings a refined take on Shanghai-style dining, a fusion of East and West shaped by chefs Leonardo Zambrino and Zoe Zhou.

The opening of The Louis in Shanghai ties Louis Vuitton’s roots in travel to the role of the city as a longtime port of exchange, reflecting on how objects carry meaning over time.

resembling a modernist ship at anchor, the boat-like building brings together multiple uses

a surreal facade of metallic Monogram hulls

The Louis honors Louis Vuitton’s maritime roots

the project anchors itself in Shanghai’s historic identity as a port city

the design draws inspiration from transoceanic journeys, the kind once made by ocean liners

Visionary Journeys is the multi-room exhibition spanning two floors

the exhibition’s design is conceived by Shohei Shigematsu of OMA

Trunkscape is composed of Monogram canvas trunks that curve into an archway

Olfactive Exploration puts on display rare perfume bottles

Books and Sport shows how the brand functions as both storyteller and companion across many worlds

Origins features the early designs of the house

the behind-the-scenes world of Louis Vuitton craftsmanship

Origins sets the tone for the rest of the experience

project info:

name: The Louis

brand: Louis Vuitton | @louisvuitton

architect: Shohei Shigematsu / OMA | @omanewyork, @shohei_shigematsu

location: Wujiang Road, Jing’an district, Shanghai, China

The post louis vuitton ship brings flagship and OMA-designed exhibition to shanghai appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

For Prada’s Spring/Summer 2026 menswear presentation in Milan, Rem Koolhas’ AMO has transformed the showspace into a carpeted terrain punctuated by giant black-and-white floral silhouettes that appeared like graphic blooms. Scattered across the concrete floor, each motif is rendered as a soft shag-pile carpet, with monochrome petal-shaped contours punctuating the industrial space with a playful tactility, and functioning as scenography, runway, and stage for the collection recently unveiled by Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons.

Staged within the Deposito of Fondazione Prada, a recurring home for Prada’s fashion shows, the installation embraces the space’s industrial bones, defined by exposed concrete, steel columns, and orange-framed clerestory windows. Seating is arranged around the edges, drawing attention to the irregular field of carpets that spiral loosely in the center.

all images courtesy of Prada

an ongoing architectural dialogue between oma and prada

This understated staging continues Prada’s long-standing collaboration with OMA and its research arm AMO, whose interventions for the fashion house have consistently remained spatial explorations in their own right. Since 2004, the studio has approached show design as a testing ground for architectural ideas, with past seasons including kinetic partitions, mirrored rooms, and scaffolding-based sets layered with theatrical curtains or archival imagery. Earlier this year, the FW25 menswear show featured a runway suspended over deep-pile green carpet and lined with warm pink walls, created in collaboration with production designer Catherine Martin. The FW24 edition stripped the venue back to a stark office typology, populating the room with rows of desk fans and institutional floor tiles.

The motifs at the Spring/Summer 2026 show are also not the first time Prada has experimented with such patterning, which was also previously featured in the Spring 2013 womenswear collection, where Miuccia Prada layered kimono silhouettes with abstract flower forms and platform sandals. At SS26, AMO materializes and recontextualizes the ornamental forms as carpeted interventions underfoot, for the show’s theme titled A Change of Tone.

Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons introduce the new Men’s collection for Spring Summer 2026

Rem Koolhas’ AMO has transformed the showspace into a carpeted terrain

the industrial space is punctuated by giant black-and-white floral silhouettes that appeared like graphic blooms

staged within the Deposito of Fondazione Prada, a recurring home for Prada’s fashion shows

each motif is rendered as a soft shag-pile carpet

the flowers were also previously featured in the Spring 2013 womenswear collection

the fashion showcase and installation embrace the space’s industrial bones

the show’s theme is titled A Change of Tone’

looks from SS26

project info:

name: Prada SS26 Menswear collection

fashion brand: Prada | @prada

set design: AMO/OMA | @oma.eu

The post flower carpet islands by AMO bloom across prada’s SS26 menswear showcase in milan appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Museums offer a singular way to experience architecture as a living record. Across the world, new cultural institutions and thoughtful transformations continue to shape how we engage with artwork, historical artifacts, and civic life. In this context, architecture becomes a means of orientation, framing memory and revealing histories. This year, major museum projects have been unveiled and completed. From subterranean expansions to open-air installations, the physical frameworks of these institutions reflect shifting curatorial values and public expectations. Some buildings stretch across city streets or rise from the forest floor, while others embed themselves carefully within existing heritage, expanding through deliberate restraint.

To celebrate International Museum Day, held on May 18th each year, designboom rounds up a selection of recently unveiled and anticipated museums. These projects move beyond the boundaries of the traditional gallery, inviting new modes of participation and perception. What emerges is a deeper consideration of structure and story — each museum offers its own response to the evolving role of architecture in public life.

The Frick Collection, New York, NY | image © Nicholas Venezia

Hungarian Natural History Museum

In Debrecen’s Great Forest, the Hungarian Natural History Museum designed by Bjarke Ingels Group with Vikár és Lukács Építész Stúdió, Museum Studio, and TYPSA rises from the ground in a trio of landscaped ribbons that weave through the trees. The mass timber structure is partially embedded into the terrain, its charred wood facade drawing material cues from the forest while supporting the ecological rhythms of the site.

Conceived as both architecture and landscape, the building folds together exhibition halls, public spaces, and research facilities in a continuous spatial flow, anchored by a central atrium and topped with native-planted green roofs. Viewed from above, the museum appears as an extension of the forest floor, its geometry clear but softened by its interaction with the natural surroundings. Passive design systems and on-site renewables help stabilize the interior climate, reinforcing a broader vision of cultural and environmental restoration.

Hungarian Natural History Museum, Debrecen, Hungary | visualization © BIG

FENIX MUSEUM OF MIGRATION

Fenix, the new museum of migration designed by MAD and led by architect Ma Yansong, has opened its doors within a transformed 1923 warehouse in Rotterdam’s Katendrecht district. The project anchors itself in a place once defined by departures, reimagining the monumental port structure as a civic space where personal histories and collective memory converge. At its core rises the Tornado, a spiraling double-helix staircase that cuts through the historic building and culminates in a rooftop observatory. This gesture of upward motion becomes a sculptural expression of passage, both physical and symbolic.

Inside, exhibitions unfold across immersive installations and contemporary artworks, interweaving photography, found objects, and oral histories to chart the human experiences of migration. At ground level, a freely accessible public plaza with food offerings and performances reflects the city’s multicultural spirit. For Ma Yansong, Fenix is at once an architectural milestone and a vessel for encounter and memory. It is an idea brought to life as visitors ascend through light, shadows, and shared stories.

Fenix Museum of Migration, Rotterdam, The Netherlands | image © designboom

Shenzhen Science & Technology Museum

In Shenzhen’s Guangming District, the newly opened Science & Technology Museum by Zaha Hadid Architects stands as a bold focal point at the edge of the city’s emerging Science Park. The spherical structure anchors the site with a deep blue stainless-steel skin that subtly shifts in color and reflects the sky. Terraces unfold to the west, connecting the building to the park and extending the experience of the galleries outdoors.

A vast central atrium serves as the spatial core, with exhibition spaces branching outward in layered, shifting planes that invite movement and exploration. The design merges civic architecture with sustainable ambition, incorporating passive ventilation, solar energy, and water recycling while using a digital twin to navigate its intricate geometry. Designed as a cultural and research hub, the museum brings together education and technology into a single fluid form.

Shenzhen Science & Technology Museum, Shenzhen, China | image courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects

the frick Collection

After nearly five years of renovation, The Frick Collection has reopened in New York with a renewed sense of architectural continuity, guided by Selldorf Architects in collaboration with Beyer Blinder Belle. The design navigates the delicate balance between preservation and intervention, with subtle alterations that honor the original 1914 Carrère and Hastings mansion while expanding its spatial and programmatic possibilities.

Key additions include the Ronald S. Lauder Exhibition Galleries, a subterranean auditorium, and public access to the residence’s second floor, where private rooms have been carefully restored. The architecture is thoughtful in tone and quiet in execution, from the oak floors to the glass-and-bronze bridge connecting the museum to the Frick Art Reference Library. With expanded facilities and newly integrated sightlines, the building deepens its role as both a cultural landmark and a site of ongoing scholarship.

The Frick Collection, New York, NY | image © Joseph Coscia Jr.

British Museum, Western Range galleries

Lina Ghotmeh—Architecture has been selected to lead the redesign of the Western Range galleries at London‘s British Museum, marking a defining chapter in the institution’s ongoing Masterplan. Known for her context-driven and materially sensitive approach, Ghotmeh proposes a reconfiguration that responds both to the museum’s architectural fabric and its layered historical collections. Her design draws from archaeological thinking, using excavation as metaphor and method, particularly in the reimagined space for the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.

The project, slated for completion in 2026, will unfold through a multidisciplinary collaboration with specialists in conservation, engineering, and curatorial practice. As a result, the Western Range will become a renewed site of encounter — architecturally measured and intellectually charged — where history is at once preserved and reinterpreted.

Western Range galleries at the British Museum, London, England | visualization courtesy Lina Ghotmeh

Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

As construction on the David Geffen Galleries nears completion, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art prepares for a transformative chapter shaped by Peter Zumthor’s sweeping concrete design. Elevated above LA‘s Wilshire Boulevard, the new building stretches across both sides of the thoroughfare, reorienting the museum’s campus with a fluid, sculptural presence. 

Accessed by floating stairs and elevators, the structure will offer new public spaces, shaded plazas, and the East West Bank Commons beneath the elevated galleries. Educational and cultural programs will be anchored by the W.M. Keck Education Center and the Steve Tisch Theater, while large-scale works by Mariana Castillo Deball, Sarah Rosalena, and others will be embedded across the 3.5-acre landscape. The David Geffen Galleries will open to the public for the first time in April 2026 as LACMA’s entirely new home for its permanent collection. Meanwhile, the public will be able to begin exploring multiple features of and around the new David Geffen Galleries in summer 2025 including installations of outdoor sculptures, and special preview events.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California | image via @LACMA

TEAMLAB PHENOMENA

Set to open in April 2025 within Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District, teamLab Phenomena introduces a permanent space for immersive, interactive installations that evolve in real time. Conceived by the Tokyo-based art collective and designed in collaboration with MZ Architects, the 17,000-square-meter structure is shaped around teamLab’s philosophy of environmental phenomena, where artworks emerge through changing conditions of light, air, and water. The architecture facilitates a fluid relationship between visitor, artwork, and atmosphere, transforming each encounter into a distinct sensory event. As part of Abu Dhabi’s cultural vision, the venue invites open-ended exploration across art and technology while positioning itself as a catalyst for continuous discovery.

teamLab Phenomena, Abu Dhabi, UAE | visualization courtesy © teamLab

Museo Egizio, Gallery of the Kings

At Turin’s Museo Egizio, OMA has completed the renovation of the Gallery of the Kings as part of its broader reimagining of the institution, set for completion in 2025. Working with Andrea Tabocchini Architecture, the team transformed a once shadowed interior into a luminous sequence of vaulted halls, where natural and artificial light reflect off aluminum walls to heighten the presence of monumental statuary.

The design draws on ancient Egyptian associations between light and divinity, aligning spatial experience with curatorial intent. Visitors now enter through a darkened threshold before emerging into two galleries that restore the architectural clarity of the 17th-century building and stage the statues of Karnak in a newly choreographed order. The interplay of material and history offers a renewed encounter with the museum’s core collection, shaped by light and grounded in time.

Gallery of the Kings, Museo Egizio, Turin, Italy | image © Marco Cappelletti, courtesy OMA

The Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain

During the 2025 Architecture Biennale, the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain presents an exhibition by Jean Nouvel at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice, offering a preview of the institution’s forthcoming transformation in Paris. Following his celebrated 1994 design for the glass-and-steel building on Boulevard Raspail, Nouvel now turns to a Haussmannian structure at Place du Palais-Royal, reimagining it as a dynamic exhibition space attuned to the needs of contemporary art.

In Venice, the exhibition traces this evolution through sectional models, large-scale imagery, and kinetic design elements such as movable ceilings and adjustable platforms that reflect the adaptable nature of the new venue. The architecture is presented in dialogue with its surroundings, with views of San Giorgio Maggiore reinforcing the show’s themes of spatial and cultural continuity. As the Fondation prepares to open its new Parisian home in autumn 2025, the exhibition foregrounds architecture as a living practice shaped by decades of collaboration.

The Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain by Jean Nouvel, Venice, Italy | image © Jean Nouvel/ADAGP

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

Los Angeles‘ Exposition Park is undergoing a significant transformation as the MAD Architects-designed Lucas Museum of Narrative Art continues to take shape. Spearheaded by filmmaker George Lucas, the curving volume is sculptural and complex as it rises from the ground in stark contrast to the traditional structures that surround it.

An important aspect of the overall masterplan is its commitment to creating a shaded, green oasis. Previously dominated by parking lots, the area will be reborn as a walkable, landscaped gathering place amongst the car-centric city. Over two-hundred new trees have already been planted on the site surrounding the museum, overseen by landscape architect Mia Lehrer, with a focus on native and drought-tolerant species. This transformation prioritizes people over cars, creating a much-needed green space for the community of South LA. The museum is set to open in 2026, with content direction led by George Lucas.

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Los Angeles, California | image courtesy Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

The post international museum day: 10 must-see museums that just opened (or will soon) appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

After nearly a decade of operation, the OMA–renovated Fondaco dei Tedeschi in Venice shuts its doors (find designboom’s previous coverage here). Duty Free Shoppers (DFS) Group, the LVMH-owned travel retailer that runs the department store, posts a quiet notice on its website: ‘As of May 1, 2025, our store will be closed.’ The news is followed by a farewell post on Instagram, thanking friends and customers for the years of shared experiences.

Venice was home to DFS’s only store in Europe, a space that regularly hosted art installations, exhibitions, concerts, and cultural events, particularly on its rooftop and in the central courtyard. Locals often used the historic building as a shortcut between Campo San Bartolomeo and the Rialto, while tourists were drawn in as much for the panoramic views as for the luxury shopping.

all images by Delfino Sisto Legnani and Marco Cappelletti © OMA, unless stated otherwise

the history behind the 800-year-old building

The closure, announced in November 2024, ends a project that aimed to rewire a 13th-century monument for 21st-century life. Located at the foot of the Rialto Bridge, across from the fish market, the Fondaco started life as a trading hub for German merchants, later became a customs house under Napoleon, and under Mussolini, a fascist post office. Over the centuries it burned down twice, was rebuilt, stripped of its towers, filled in with concrete, and altered so heavily that by the time the international design practice OMA stepped in, little of its original structure remained untouched. Still, in 1987, it gained protected monument status, freezing further transformation in place.

OMA’s approach, led by Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli, Rem Koolhaas, and Silvia Sandor, treated the building as a palimpsest, layered and messy. Their renovation, commissioned by the Benetton family in 2009, carved out new public paths through the mass, added a hovering steel-and-glass floor over the central courtyard, and revived the rooftop by transforming a 19th-century pavilion into a wooden terrace with panoramic views over Venice. 

the OMA–renovated Fondaco dei Tedeschi in Venice shuts its doors

as DFS departs, a new chapter begins

Inside, they opened up vertical circulation with new escalators, retained key historic rooms, and reinstated the gallerias as surfaces for frescoes, this time in contemporary form. The courtyard, once closed to the city, became a kind of indoor campo, a public piazza at the heart of the structure. 

DFS operated the space as a luxury department store, but that is only part of the story. OMA’s design was also about public access, civic energy, and rethinking what a monument can be. It avoided nostalgia and challenged the idea that heritage buildings must be static or sacred. With DFS gone, the future of the building is uncertain. Its protected status severely limits what can be altered, but its history shows that the Fondaco always adapts.

the space that regularly hosted art installations, exhibitions, concerts, and cultural events

locals often used the historic building as a shortcut between Campo San Bartolomeo and the Rialto

Venice was home to DFS’s only store in Europe

tourists were drawn in as much for the panoramic views as for the luxury shopping

OMA treated the building as a palimpsest, layered and messy

the courtyard became a kind of indoor campo

a steel-and-glass floor hovers over the central courtyard

transforming a 19th-century pavilion into a wooden terrace with panoramic views over Venice

OMA’s revamp carved out new public paths through the mass

its history shows that the Fondaco always adapts | image courtesy of DFS

project info:

name: Fondaco dei Tedeschi (DFS Venice) | @tfondaco

renovation architect: OMA | @oma.eu 
operator: DFS Group 

location: Venice, Italy 

date of closure: May 1, 2025

lead architects: Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli | @ippopeste, Rem Koolhaas | @rem.koolhaas, Silvia Sandor | @silviasandor

renovation completed: 2016

The post OMA-designed fondaco dei tedeschi store in venice closes its doors appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.