Architectural Cases

XYZ Integrated Architecture has unveiled an innovative eyewear concept called 'Water Glasses,' designed to address the common inconvenience of losing or misplacing sunglasses in aquatic environments. This unique design drastically simplifies traditional eyewear by removing frames, hinges, and rigid arms, opting instead for individual lenses secured with lengths of paracord. The result is a highly functional accessory that doubles as a wearable piece of art, perfectly suited for pools, beaches, and other water-centric activities.

Since 2019, the Tbilisi-based studio has been developing this architectural approach to eyewear, emphasizing structural integrity and material efficiency. Each lens is directly pierced and threaded onto the paracord, making the connection both integral and visible. This minimalist construction relies on precise proportions, optical quality, and meticulously placed knots to achieve a secure and comfortable fit, transforming the glasses into a seamless extension of the wearer.

Revolutionary Frameless Design for Water Activities

The innovative 'Water Glasses' by XYZ Integrated Architecture redefine conventional eyewear, offering a practical yet stylish solution for individuals enjoying aquatic environments. By stripping away cumbersome frames and hinges, the design focuses on essential components: individual lenses and durable paracord. This minimalist approach ensures that the eyewear remains securely attached to the user, either gracefully resting below the chin or comfortably suspended around the neck when not in use. This thoughtful design eliminates the frustration of constantly removing and storing glasses before entering water, allowing for an uninterrupted and carefree experience by the pool or at the beach. The paracord serves multiple functions, acting as both a fastening mechanism and a convenient storage solution, ensuring the glasses stay connected to the body rather than becoming easily misplaced under a towel.

This pioneering concept represents a significant departure from traditional sunglass design, which often overlooks the practical challenges associated with water-based activities. The integration of paracord not only enhances functionality but also contributes to the aesthetic appeal, making the 'Water Glasses' a versatile accessory that blends optical utility with modern jewelry. The various configurations available, including single, double, and triple lens arrangements, offer different levels of visual coverage and sculptural presence, transforming the eyewear into a customizable and expressive wearable item. The collaboration with optical lens manufacturer Divel Italia ensures that while the design is visually striking, the technical precision and optical quality of the lenses are not compromised, providing clear vision and protection in all aquatic settings.

The Fusion of Eyewear and Wearable Art

XYZ Integrated Architecture's 'Water Glasses' transcend the realm of mere functional accessories, evolving into distinctive pieces of wearable sculpture. The design, characterized by its frameless structure and vibrant paracord, integrates seamlessly with the body's contours, creating an organic and almost anatomical presence. These pieces are not just about protecting the eyes; they are about making a statement, with colorful lenses and contrasting cords adding a graphic element that enhances their visual impact. The intentional design choices, including irregular silhouettes and translucent surfaces, push the boundaries of conventional eyewear, inviting a fresh perspective on how sunglasses can be both practical and artistic, much like contemporary jewelry.

Captured at the Tbilisi Olympic Pool, the visual presentation of the 'Water Glasses' powerfully highlights their dual nature: their practicality in an aquatic setting and their sculptural aspirations. The way the rounded and rippled lens profiles interact with the lines of the body, coupled with the vivid paracords, transforms what might otherwise be a simple tether into a dynamic design feature. This integration of architecture and fashion, led by Levan Lominashvili and Ana Kachkachishvili, results in a compact object that can be worn, carried, and stored without altering its form. By eliminating the need for secondary items like cases, the design proposes that the most efficient and elegant solution for protecting and carrying eyewear is simply to keep it effortlessly accessible, suspended around the wearer's neck.

In southern Thailand, along the scenic Pattani River, HAS Design and Research has introduced a remarkable bamboo pier, conceived to integrate seamlessly with the daily rhythms of the area's fishing populations and the surrounding ecosystem. This coastal city, influenced by both Muslim customs and Malay-Thai narratives, possesses a rich, distinctive identity. The river has historically been central to this identity, providing sustenance and connecting the urban center to the vast ocean. This new Pattani Fishermen's Community Hub re-establishes this vital connection at the heart of the waterfront.

The project originated from a broader inquiry into how fishing infrastructure could benefit the city beyond mere boat access. Architects Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee meticulously examined both the local fishing practices and the river's ecological conditions. Their design materialized into a structure that gracefully combines functional workspaces with accessible public areas, allowing fishing vessels to berth alongside the platform while simultaneously offering communal space for families by the water's edge.

Elevated on a robust steel frame, the Pattani Fishermen's Community Hub is ingeniously designed to permit natural water currents and sediment flow beneath, while providing docking facilities. Locally sourced bamboo forms the primary construction material, integrating a familiar, renewable resource directly into the river environment. The designers intentionally transformed the bamboo's hollow sections into micro-habitats, applying durable protective coatings while preserving surfaces where algae and aquatic life can thrive. Large apertures in the platform maintain expansive views of the water within the structure. Submerged rocks offer shelter below, and additional bamboo elements encircle the waterline, collectively fostering fish and shellfish populations in harmony with human use. This architectural intervention minimally impacts the river, with much of its activity occurring through its open, shaded areas above the water. From dawn, the hub supports Pattani's fishing economy, offering space for crews to depart and return with their catches. As the day progresses, this same platform transforms, inviting swimmers and children to observe the aquatic life below. This fluid transition highlights the project's success in blending work and leisure, both unfolding at the river's edge, alongside the boats and the life-sustaining water. As evening approaches, the waterfront draws joggers and visitors, who utilize the platform for panoramic river views. The hub also hosts religious ceremonies and community events, serving as the starting point for Pattani's annual long-boat racing festival. These diverse applications transform a piece of functional infrastructure into a vibrant civic space, enriching community life without compromising its original purpose; the pier continues its essential operations while the city engages with it in myriad other ways.

Integrated within Pattani's wider urban context, the project aligns with the historical path of the river and the City Pillar Shrine, with an additional axis extending towards the Pattani Mosque. These connections position the hub within a landscape shaped by commerce and spirituality, with fishing activities woven into both. The building's open and permeable design encourages these diverse aspects to converge at the water, rather than being confined to a singular symbolic gesture. The Sabarang community actively collaborated with the architects during construction, imbuing the final structure with deep roots in local expertise and utility. Covering 148 square meters, the hub serves as both a working pier and an outdoor educational space, offering residents a serene spot to enjoy the river. Its most profound contribution lies at the waterline, where architecture gracefully accommodates public use while simultaneously creating a nurturing environment for aquatic species to flourish beneath its surface.