The RA House / Fernandes Atem Arquitetos

The RA house was designed for clients who wanted to build their permanent home away from the urban center. The family, though large, had shrunk to its core when the adult children grew up and became independent. Therefore, the house needed to simultaneously focus on the couple's practicality while also providing ample space for frequent family gatherings around the kitchen and adjacent areas.

Baoshan, a prominent global coffee-producing region, has witnessed a surge in boutique cafes amid its thriving industry. Scented Coffee, a longstanding local brand with deep roots in the area, has selected a 40-year-old heritage residence as the location for its third outlet. Covering an area of less than 300 square meters, the residence is a classic example of contemporary southwest Chinese architecture. It features a two-story wooden frame structure, with an open eastern facade, while the other three sides rely on brick walls for shear resistance and vertical load bearing. Adjacent to the south side of the main building is a trapezoidal brick concrete auxiliary structure.​

Situated in a distinguished urban context, Cleft House emerges as a refined architectural response to its surroundings, engaging with the city's density and scale while deeply responding to the local climate. The design leverages light, voids, and materiality as foundational elements, shaping both the spatial experience and the house's relationship to the environment. The voids are not merely aesthetic but serve as dynamic spaces that mediate between the interior and exterior, between privacy and openness, while also playing a crucial role in environmental regulation.

From Heidi to high-tech: a showcase of Swiss collaborative innovation. The Swiss pavilion takes visitors on an immersive and interactive journey through collaborative innovation. Twenty years after the country's impactful participation in Aichi, the same commissioner general will inaugurate a fresh and dynamic programme under the title From Heidi to High-Tech. This narrative reflects Switzerland's evolution from its iconic Alpine heritage to a globally recognised hub of cutting-edge technology and innovation. Beloved by generations in Japan, the timeless figure of Heidi will serve as the pavilion's official mascot, embodying the spirit of friendship between the two nations. The Swiss Pavilion presents a unique opportunity to deepen the already strong bilateral ties, particularly as Japan stands as Switzerland's most significant partner in Asia for science and technology. This collaboration aims to inspire new exchanges with a forward-looking perspective.