Architectural Cases

The city of The Hague has been dramatically reimagined as an expansive open-air art gallery, thanks to the ongoing “BlowUp Jubilee 2026” exhibition. This special anniversary event, celebrating five years of the BlowUp Art Den Haag initiative, is currently enchanting residents and visitors alike from May 29th to June 21st. It features a diverse collection of large-scale inflatable artworks by talented artists from both the Netherlands and around the globe. These striking installations are strategically placed across the city’s historic landscape, including the picturesque Museum Quarter and along the tranquil Hofvijver, offering a fresh and playful perspective on familiar urban spaces.

The Hague Embraces Whimsical Inflatable Sculptures

From May 29th to June 21st, 2026, the city of The Hague, Netherlands, is experiencing a remarkable transformation with the arrival of the "BlowUp Jubilee" exhibition. Curated by Mary Hessing, this special event commemorates five years of BlowUp Art Den Haag, showcasing an expanded collection of inflatable artworks throughout the city's public spaces, most notably around the historic Lange Voorhout and Hofvijver. Artists such as Steve Messam, Raw Color, John Körmeling, Studio Ossidiana, Sigrid Calon, Marcel Wanders, and Studio Job are among those contributing to this vibrant display. Their creations, including Messam's "Tunnel" and "Crested" headdress, Raw Color's "Compressed Cylinders," Körmeling's "The Ever-Beating Calendar" donut, Studio Ossidiana's "Softshell" pink shells, and Studio Job's "Like a Pan in the Water," redefine the urban environment. These pieces, crafted from materials like fabric and air, interact playfully with the surrounding architecture, offering novel perspectives on the city's historical facades and waterways. The exhibition's free entry encourages widespread public engagement, upholding its core mission of bringing art beyond traditional gallery walls and directly to street level.

This unique art installation serves as a reminder of how temporary interventions can profoundly alter our perception of public spaces. By introducing light, playful elements into historic settings, the BlowUp Jubilee sparks a dialogue between the old and the new, inviting us to reconsider the boundaries of art and urban design. It demonstrates that art doesn't always need to be confined within galleries but can flourish in unexpected places, enriching daily life and fostering a sense of community through shared aesthetic experiences.

Arup has unveiled Dajti Village, an innovative residential and aparthotel project in Albania, strategically positioned on the Dajti plateau overlooking Tirana. This development exemplifies a harmonious integration of modern living spaces within a challenging yet breathtaking natural environment. Instead of imposing grand, unyielding structures, the design philosophy focuses on a nuanced spatial fragmentation that mirrors the natural slopes and contours of the forested landscape.

The Dajti Village complex is composed of two primary buildings, carefully designed to house both apartments and aparthotel accommodations. Arup's architectural team skillfully avoids the appearance of bulky, uniform blocks by meticulously articulating the facades and roofscapes. This design choice effectively breaks down the overall mass into smaller, more approachable units, fostering a sense of human scale. The result is a development that not only respects but enhances its forested surroundings, achieving architectural clarity without compromising the natural beauty.

A central platform serves as a vital link between the two main structures, simultaneously functioning as the project's primary communal hub. This elevated space facilitates seamless circulation and provides abundant opportunities for social interaction and gathering. Concealed beneath this platform lies a partially embedded parking level, an ingenious solution that minimizes the visual footprint of the infrastructure, allowing the natural landscape to remain largely undisturbed above ground.

The material palette chosen for Dajti Village thoughtfully combines a robust concrete framework with a lightweight, tactile timber envelope. This dual-system approach ensures both structural longevity and a warm, inviting aesthetic. Expansive balconies and verandas extend from each dwelling, dissolving the distinction between interior and exterior spaces. These outdoor extensions offer residents uninterrupted panoramic vistas of the dense woodland and distant mountains, forging a deep connection with nature.

Drawing inspiration from the architectural principles of traditional mountain villages rather than typical alpine design, Arup Architecture Group has crafted a geometric language characterized by pitched roofs and a restrained material application. The arrangement of the buildings reflects the organic growth patterns of vernacular settlements, where incremental volumes adapt harmoniously to the terrain, scale, and proximity. This contemporary reinterpretation of mountain-built typologies results in a development that feels intrinsically woven into the forested landscape. Dajti Village is slated for its public debut at the Bread & Heart Festival on June 3rd, 2026.

This pioneering project by Arup showcases a thoughtful and respectful approach to developing residential spaces in sensitive natural environments. By prioritizing adaptation over imposition, Dajti Village sets a new benchmark for integrating modern architecture with its natural context, creating a living experience that is deeply connected to the serene beauty of the Albanian mountainscape.