spotlighting the top 10 public spaces of 2024 by our readers

As 2024 comes to an end, we continue our review of the projects that have been submitted over the past year by our readers, with designboom’s top 10 public spaces picks. This year, the world of architecture and design has once again showcased innovation in reimagining public spaces that bring communities together and redefine urban living. Through our submissions portal, we got to distribute thousands of projects that balance functionality, and cultural resonance. From a brick-laid spiral shell library residing in the rural landscape of Zhejiang Province, to post-modern-inspired public restrooms in Fribourg, and a huge sustainable urban surf pool in the heart of Rotterdam, these spaces demonstrate how thoughtful design can transform shared environments into meaningful experiences. Highlighting a diverse spectrum of design approaches, our roundup of the TOP 10 public spaces of 2024 captures some of the most intriguing BIG stories submitted by our readers. Read on to explore the designs that reshaped public interaction in 2024.

HCCH STUDIO STACKS HUNDREDS OF RED BRICKS FOR SPIRAL SHELL LIBRARY IN CHINA

image by Qingyan Zhu | courtesy of HCCH Studio

In the rural landscape of Zhejiang Province, China, HCCH Studio has crafted a brick spiral shell to serve as a conceptual library for the local community. Situated within a high grass field, the structure spans approximately 10 meters in diameter and rises 5 meters high. The project aims to merge contemporary formal expression with vernacular material culture. Constructed using red bricks cast in situ rather than through traditional masonry, the structure presents a continuous surface formed by two intersecting semicircles. This design choice intentionally blurs the boundary between the interior and exterior spaces. The interior is illuminated by natural light filtering through an opening at the top, while small holes in the walls allow visitors to read text inside acrylic balls, fostering a connection between the observer, the mind, and the natural surroundings.

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SNØHETTA’S REVISED LANDSCAPING ENCIRCLES ARCHED PETAL CANOPY IN AUSTIN’S BLANTON MUSEUM

image by Casey Dunn

Snøhetta unveils the redesign of the recently completed three-year transformation of the Blanton Museum of Art campus at The University of Texas at Austin. Announced in 2021, the 200,000 sqft (18,580 sqm) initiative revitalizes the museum‘s entryways, central courtyard, and landscape, creating a cohesive and visually compelling presence. The redesign includes updates to two existing buildings and the integration of Ellsworth Kelly’s ‘Austin’ within the museum campus. The new landscape and reimagined entrances establish a prominent connection between the Texas Capitol Complex and the university campus, enhancing the museum’s role as a public art hub in Austin.

The design, characterized by inclusive gathering spaces, links the civic core of the city to the historic university fabric. A canopy of petal-shaped sculptures, each rising 40 feet and spanning 30 feet in diameter, provides shaded areas with dappled light, creating a shaded microclimate with dappled light. Constructed from perforated panels, these petals manage drainage, allowing passive irrigation into the subgrade. Their curved outlines, inspired by the arched vaults of the museum’s loggia, frame dynamic views of Ellsworth Kelly’s Austin and the Capitol.

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SKYBOWL ROOFTOP AMPHITHEATER BY SOPA INTEGRATES QINGDAO’S URBAN FABRIC WITH THE BAYFRONT

image courtesy of Society Particular (SOPA)

The SKYBOWL project by Society Particular (SOPA) at Hisense Plaza in Qingdao‘s Fushan Bayfront transforms the mall’s rooftop into an accessible public space. Once inaccessible, the mall now engages with the city’s bay views and temperate climate. Originally conceived as an exclusive VIP lounge, the project evolved into an amphitheater that functions both as a communal hall and a public observatory. SKYBOWL aims to bridge commercial spaces with the public realm, fostering community and inclusivity. By integrating the amphitheater into the urban fabric, the design enhances the mall’s connection to its surroundings, enriching Qingdao’s cultural and social landscape, while demonstrating architecture’s role in urban vitality.

The amphitheater’s lightweight and transparent structure minimally intrudes on the existing architecture. It functions both as an independent volume and an integrating interface with the landscape. This design prioritizes programming and organization over mere form, incorporating elevation changes to introduce natural light into a previously dim interior. Featuring a spatial steel structure system, the design minimizes columns and employs a hyperbolic paraboloid shell for enhanced structural efficiency. Z-shaped beams reduce the need for secondary supports.

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CIRCULAR PATTERNS AND BRIGHT COLORS GUIDE VISITORS THROUGH 100ARCHITECTS’ PUBLIC HUB IN EGYPT

The Hub, a new entertainment destination designed by 100architects for Emaar Misr, spans 60,000 sqm in Marassi on Egypt’s North Coast. This project introduces a distinct approach to public space design, focusing on bold, colorful aesthetics and interactive experiences that engage visitors of all ages. Conceived as a central social space for adolescents and young adults, The Hub complements existing public facilities in the area with its vibrant atmosphere.

The project’s design revolves around the concept of a ‘Big Bang,’ symbolizing vitality and youth through vibrant colors, dynamic forms, and lights. This abstract theme manifests in the design with colorful lines embedded into the ground, guiding visitor movement and enhancing circulation. The layout is organized around three main zones—a multipurpose event space, a playground, and Kids Town—all gravitating around a Central Plaza. These elements are arranged to encourage social interactions and offer flexible spaces for various activities.

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IDEE ARCHITECTS’ QUIN PAVILION HOVERS ABOVE VIETNAMESE FOREST LIKE A STEEL CLOUD

image by Triệu Chiến

Quin Pavilion, designed by Idee Architects, draws inspiration from the afterglow of clouds, framing views of the Ba Vi Mountain range in Vietnam. Located near Hanoi, this serene retreat is nestled within a small forest, offering campers a picturesque vista.

The pavilion’s design embraces the natural terrain, incorporating a meandering wooden pathway that weaves through the woodland and an outdoor pool for relaxation. Bathing and restroom facilities are also included. The structure is attuned to its environment, with a delicate canopy supported by slender columns, ensuring unobstructed views of the surrounding landscape.

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THREE ECOLOGICAL PAVILIONS BY HCCH STUDIO CRAFT UNCONVENTIONAL FOLLIES ON SHANGHAI’S COAST

Lingang Coast Ecological Pavilions, part of the Shanghai Lingang Ecological Restoration Project, dot the 17-kilometer coastline, unctioning as both landmarks and educational spaces for the public. Designed by HCCH Studio, each of the three pavilions boasts unique characteristics, offering a blend of architectural intrigue and environmental consciousness. The pavilions aim to fulfill three key objectives: creating standout features within site constraints and budget limitations, maximizing spatial efficiency while adhering to floor area ratio restrictions, and incorporating marine science themes into their form and materiality. Set against Lingang’s expansive coastline, the pavilions interact with the landscape as architectural follies, employing unconventional volumes and materials to enhance the site’s otherworldly ambiance.

Designed as individual installations, the pavilions — ‘Membrane Sea Snail,’ ‘3D print Plastic Wave Breaker Splash,’ and ‘Recycled Brick Coral Reef’ — share common characteristics, including recognizable forms, porous structures, and educational exhibits. These distinctive features contribute to their unique identities while ensuring maximum visibility and impact.

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SUSTAINABLE URBAN SURF POOL RIF010 BRINGS OCEAN WAVES TO THE HEART OF ROTTERDAM

image by Adrienne Wildeman

Erik van Ettinger, from the wave technology pioneer Surf Loch, introduces RiF010, an urban surf pool located in the heart of Rotterdam, at Steigersgracht. The facility, spanning 125 meters in length and 25 meters in width, generates ocean-like waves up to 1.5 meters high, rolling toward the Wezenbrug Bridge before resting on the pebble beach. The project includes a concrete basin set within the old quay walls, a wave installation near the Markthal, and a newly constructed beach house that features a restaurant, surf bar, and shop. Notably, RiF010 is powered entirely by sustainably generated energy, supporting both the wave production and the beach house’s facilities.

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REFORM’S UNDULATING ROOF DOUBLES AS PEDESTRIAN PASSAGE AT SHENZHEN PEOPLE’S PARK

The redevelopment project of the Eastern Entrance of Shenzhen People’s Park, covering 380 square meters, has been undertaken by REFORM as part of the broader People’s Park Quality Enhancement Project. The design aims to improve pedestrian flow and enhance the appearance of the gateway. Positioned between a city street and the park’s eastern plaza, the site faces a 5.8-meter elevation difference. The project involves enlarging outdoor stairs, installing covered handrail elevators, and providing accessible vertical elevators to foster interactions between the entrance and the plaza, sparking a more diverse range of usage scenarios.

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HOLZER KOBLER INSERTS LARGE CUBES WITHIN TIMBER FRAMEWORK FOR COMMUNAL SPACE IN GERMANY

image courtesy of Jan Bitter

The Erlebnis-Hus in St. Peter-Ording, Germany, serves as a multi-functional gathering space welcoming people of various ages and backgrounds. Embracing the motto of ‘play within, on, next to, under, and around the house,’ this architectural project by Holzer Kobler Architekturen in collaboration with landscape architects Uniola integrates sustainability into the extended beach promenade. The architects drew inspiration from the traditional local pile construction methods while infusing it with a fresh perspective. The building features an exposed load-bearing structure crafted from laminated timber, while inside this framework, five large solid wood cubes are strategically arranged at different heights and locations. Each cube is dedicated to a specific function, hosting an analog playground, an information center, a store, a restaurant, an office, and sanitary facilities.

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MIRRORED SURFACES EXTEND SWISS LANDSCAPES IN BARAKI’S PUBLIC TOILET RENOVATION

image by Matthieu Croizier | courtesy of BARAKI

BARAKI Architecture and Engineering transforms the public toilets at the Gruyère rest area in Fribourg, originally built in the late 1980s, through the Merya project. Designed in the spirit of post-modernism, the original complex reinterpreted vernacular materials and architectural elements, featuring a masonry base of reinforced concrete with an exterior facing made of local river pebbles. A laminated timber frame supports the two-sloped roof, resulting in a triangular volume with an offset that forms a covered square at the entrance. This space offers views of the Lac de Gruyère lake and the Fribourg Pre-Alps, with four oblique beams anchoring the structure. BARAKI’s approach introduces a large mirrored stainless steel surface that conceals the WC cubicle joints while reflecting the surrounding landscape, creating an illusion of infinite space. The reflective material integrates the building into its environment, minimizing the visual impact of new materials.

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see designboom’s TOP 10 stories archive:

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