2020 Best Architecture: 12 great stories from Dubai to the Arctic

Asif Khan's ethereal portals for Expo 2020 Dubai - Photo by Helene Binet, courtesy of Asif Khan design studio.

2020 Best Architecture: an Arctic whale watching facility, a pitched-roof garden house in Beverly Hills and a sustainable micro-library in Indonesia are among our favourite architectures of the year.

Asif Khan designs monumental ethereal portals for Expo 2020 Dubai

Asif Khan's ethereal portals for Expo 2020 Dubai - Photo by Helene Binet, courtesy of Asif Khan design studio.

The British design studio reveals first photographs of three ethereal portals that will welcome visitors of Expo 2020 Dubai which will inaugurate on the 20th of October 2020. The 7 storey tall carbon fibre structures are inspired by ‘mashrabiya’, a latticed design element in traditional Islamic architecture which allows to control light and airflow with see-through intricately geometric patterns.

8 innovative designs and technologies at Pyeongchang Winter Olympics 2018

Winter Olympics 2018 - Opening ceremony with drones show - Photo by @Pyeongchang_2018

A demountable roofless stadium (at -25° blankets are provided), a legion of over 1.200 drones creating a floating light-show and a pavilion absorbing light for you to look into the deep darkness of the universe. Winter Olympics 2018 kicked off in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Check the most innovative designs, architectures and technologies on show.

Asif Khan’s super-black pavilion frames glimpses from outer space at PyeongChang Winter Olympics 2018

Asif Khan's super black pavilion @ PyeongChang Olympics 2018 - Photo: © Luke Hayes

Outer space might sneak a peek on planet Earth, through Asif Khan’s super-dark Vantablack pavilion at PyeongChang Winter Olympics 2018. The “darkest building on earth” features also a hydrophobic water installation recalling cities viewed from other planets.

Asif Kahn and Brian Eno explore the origin of energy for the UK Pavilion at Kazakhstan Expo

The Origin of energy, UK Pavilion @ Astana Expo 2017 - Photo by Luke Hayes - courtesy of theUK Pavilion.

A 40,000 pixels wide 360° panorama, a high-tech structure inspired by Kazakh nomadic tents and an immersive soundscape. Asif Khan and Brian Eno invite visitors of Kazakhstan Expo to the UK Pavilion exploring the origin of energy and the history of British innovation from the light bulb to future wonder materials.