The Floating Neighborhood of Las Balsas / Natura Futura

Developed along the banks of the Babahoyo River in Ecuador. Two hundred years ago, the river was home to more than 250 floating houses; by 2010, over 80 families had been displaced to municipal housing developments located six kilometers away, disconnecting them from their commercial, social, and cultural ties, as well as from their traditional ways of life. Today, barely twenty-five homes remain afloat on the river, under conditions inadequate for community development. Given this situation, the project proposes a public and private space (for local inhabitants) that revalues the floating ecosystem by recovering traditional building techniques for the preservation of the river’s social and natural habitat.

Located in Tra Mai commune, Nam Tra My district, Quang Nam province – a remote mountainous area in Central Vietnam – Nuoc Ui School serves an ethnic minority community scattered across challenging terrain and harsh weather conditions, with storms and heavy rains occurring almost every year. The project is primarily funded by the Midas Foundation, with doors and windows sponsored by Tostem, and designed by Vo Trong Nghia Architects. Its goal is to provide a sustainable, friendly, and locally adapted learning environment.

As part of the experiential context, the concept of exhibition in architecture is closely tied to perception. Understanding the user's journey, recognizing the properties and characteristics of each element, and revealing the methodology behind their operation are all vital aspects of the design and development process for these spaces. From equipment, furniture, and artworks to construction materials and technologies, architecture and interior design demonstrate an increasingly significant creative potential to develop solutions that merge historical, landscape, and social perspectives.

"Merryda Wiki World • Secret Camp" is a forest retreat camp created by United Investment Merryda Hotel Management Group in collaboration with Wiki World. Located on Cihui Street in Dongxihu District, Wuhan, this project is set within a metasequoia forest inhabited by migratory birds, where over a dozen treehouses are discreetly nestled. It is a magical project—each treehouse seems to have evolved from the birds themselves, each one a friend to the birds perched among the treetops. On ordinary days, you can come here to chirp and chatter along with the birds, keeping them company. This project is also part of the "Wiki Building School" co-building with nature initiative, representing another attempt by our team to explore the diversity of living spaces.