Every week we highlight the FRAME Awards submissions which have been frequented by our readers and jury. Below are the five most-viewed projects between 5 and 12 April 2024, shared with feedback left by the jury.

EMPTINESS MUJI ECO PAVILION

Shanghai Tan Gen Cultural Communication

For the China International Import Expo trade fair, Shanghai Tan Gen Cultural Communication designed a stand for Muji (Trade-Fair Stand, 8.25). Designed with 7,524 interlocking wooden components, visitors of the pavilion were encouraged to help disassemble it piece by piece throughout the six-day fair. After it was dismantled, the wooden components could be reassembled into a set of storage systems suitable for home use. ‘The interlocking wooden pieces are the star of this design and I appreciate the portability and reusability of the components that comprise the structure,’ says Ronnie Belizaire, studio practice leader and principal at HKS Inc.

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PRESENT & CORRECT SHOP

Architecture for London 

Architecture for London completed the design and construction of the Bloomsbury, London, location of stationary retailer Present & Correct (Multi-Brand Store, 7.81). Situated in a heritage building, the brief called for a demountable interior that would allow for its use beyond the lease of the location. The designer created bespoke joinery and storage throughout, even drawing inspiration from the neighbouring British Museum for product displays that resemble a series of ‘wunderkammer’. ‘It is a small space with a clever division and I like the idea that the project relates to the neighbourhood,’ says Andrea Zickhardt, managing director and Holzer Klober Architekturen. 

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COME FLY WITH ME

Jixi Design Studio

The 126-sq-m Come Fly With Me apartment in Taiwan was designed by Jixi Design Studio for two aerospace enthusiasts and their family (Large Apartment, 6.17). Inspiration from the history of aeronautics is present throughout from walls and ceilings modelled after the shell of an aircraft to rivets and faux metal plates paying tribute to the construction of aircraft. A hand-painted mural on the wall of the children’s bedroom, marks a space for imaginative play, a further materialization of the occupants’ love and appreciation for aviation.

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GU WU XUAN BOOKSTORE

Tsing-Tien Making

A former government residence and office was transformed into a bookstore and museum in Suzhou, China, by Tsing-Tien Making (Colour, 7.40). Gu Wu Xuan Books Publishing opens parts of the nearly century-old building for use by the public, drawing on elements of typical Suzhou gardens to do so. Book storage areas and new wayfinding paths were designed to allow for the building’s communal use while also its heritage elements. ‘Beautiful redevelopment of a listed building while aligning with the essence of the new museum,’ says Anne-Laure Pingreoun, founder at Alter-Projects.

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KAMAGAYA ART CLINIC

Joke.

Taking advantage of the site’s lack of tall buildings in its surroundings, the Kamagaya Art Clinic is a fertility clinic in Kamagaya, Japan, built to maximize sunlight and airflow for occupants (Healthcare Centre, 4.84). Opting for a look and feel that mirrors a sacred site, the sanctuary-like clinic is intended to be empathetic to the emotions of its users undergoing treatment. Materials like beech wood and marble were employed because of their significance in Greek mythology, another nod to the spirituality of the clinic’s patients. ‘Nice detail that the material has meaning,’ says Zickhardt.

 See more here.