Articles by Paula Pintos

Located on the rugged west coast of Cape Breton Island, overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence with tumbling sandy cliffs, and sweeping ocean views, Cabot Cliffs is among the most celebrated golf destinations in the world. Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw crafted this walking-only course in the dramatic landscape to experience the topography, views, vegetation, and wind, in tandem with the game itself. The design of such a course demands a profound sensitivity to the terrain; and the architecture at Cabot Cliffs echoes this sentiment with its relationship between landscape, building, and human play.

A holistic approach to design and architecture becomes apparent when we delve into the work of NO ARCHITECTURE, an architectural practice based in New York, founded by Andrew Heid in 2014. The firm’s portfolio and research showcase an integrative way of building, with projects demonstrating a close connection between the built environment and their immediate surroundings, whether in natural landscapes or urban contexts. Their programs emphasize flexibility, possibilities, and inclusion, prioritizing human well-being above all.

What defines the complete fusion of nature and human-created spaces? How can the timeless Cycladic tradition, untouched by architectural overdesign practices, be passed down through the ages? And what is the perfect ratio for modern living that aligns with the eternal principles of scale? Gundari not only exemplifies but also embodies the synergy between natural and built environments, all while preserving the core architectural proportions in its units.

The client’s wish was to design a family home on the site of an original holiday hut, which he used to go to since childhood. It was clear that the hut had to go, but its appearance partly influenced the appearance of the new building. The new zoning plan in the entire area is set for the construction of family homes, so the huts here are gradually disappearing. We agreed with the client that due to the character of the area and the sentimental relationship to the original building, it would be appropriate to take into account the appearance and shape of the old hut.

The site is a rectangular lot right on the beachfront in the central Pacific area of Costa Rica with a very gentle slope towards the ocean. The large grove of existing coconut palms, retained as an important foreground to ocean views, is often visited by sloths and macaws.

FLIM-FLAMS (Force-Lifted, Timber, Flat-Laminated Shells) are self-assembling timber shells made by etching radial cut patterns into flat sheet goods, which are then laminated together and stretched upward to create rapidly deployable wooden tents. The process utilizes advanced digital software to simulate the deformation of flat geometries cut with computationally optimized radial patterns when lifted from a central axis. Once that geometry is optimized digitally, the flat radial pattern is milled into standard plywood panels, thereby converting flat sheet goods into giant wooden springs, which, when lifted from their center, transform into doubly curved, bending-active vaults.

Located in an industrial estate in Paris, the transformation of a former furniture workshop into a graphic design studio is based on a rational post-and-beam structure.