Architectural Cases

Qbiss Notch, an innovative modular facade system, has garnered the prestigious Red Dot Design Award for its exceptional blend of architectural expression and construction efficiency. This system, a collaborative effort between Trimo and Pininfarina, redefines facade design by seamlessly integrating aesthetic flexibility with the practical advantages of prefabrication. Its recognition highlights a growing trend in architecture where building exteriors are no longer mere technical enclosures but dynamic elements that convey identity and character. By offering customizable patterns, integrated lighting, and modularity, Qbiss Notch exemplifies how advanced prefabrication can simultaneously achieve high performance and distinctive architectural appeal, setting a new benchmark for contemporary building envelopes.

This innovative facade solution addresses the evolving demands of modern architecture, where both efficiency and aesthetic impact are paramount. The collaboration with Pininfarina has imbued Qbiss Notch with a sophisticated design language, drawing inspiration from natural forms to create a visually rich and adaptable system. Its ability to support complex design visions while leveraging the speed and precision of prefabricated manufacturing positions it as a leading choice for future construction projects. The award signifies not just a design triumph but a practical advancement in how buildings are conceived and constructed, emphasizing the system's capacity to facilitate diverse and creative architectural outcomes.

Pioneering Facade Innovation and Design Excellence

The Red Dot Design Award acknowledges Qbiss Notch's groundbreaking approach to facade design, which successfully marries artistic expression with practical functionality and prefabricated construction techniques within a single modular system. In today's architectural landscape, where prefabricated methods are increasingly favored for their efficiency, there's a growing expectation for buildings to also project a distinct identity and character. Qbiss Notch fulfills this need by transforming the building envelope into a canvas for creative articulation, proving that industrial precision can coexist with profound architectural narratives.

Built upon Trimo's robust Qbiss prefabricated metal facade panels featuring mineral wool insulation, Qbiss Notch introduces an advanced architectural framework that interweaves pattern, illumination, and modular composition. Conceived in partnership with Pininfarina, its design draws aesthetic cues from the rhythmic verticality found in birch forests. This natural inspiration is translated into a versatile modular language, allowing for broad adaptability across diverse projects and scales. Here, decorative elements are not merely superimposed but are intrinsically woven into the facade system, with both pattern and light becoming integral components of the overall design.

Integrated Aesthetics: Identity, Pattern, and Light

Qbiss Notch is ingeniously constructed around three foundational elements: vertically oriented Qbiss panels, intricately engraved curves termed Glyphs, and discrete modular Notch lighting fixtures. These components collectively form facades distinguished by a compelling vertical rhythm, the subtle softening of their treated surfaces, and intelligently integrated illumination. This tripartite system offers architects a comprehensive toolkit to craft facades that are both visually captivating and performatively robust, extending the building's aesthetic influence beyond daylight hours.

The customizable engraved patterns of the Alphabet of Glyphs are central to the system's graphic vocabulary, offering the flexibility to be mirrored, rotated, or repositioned to generate an array of distinct facade compositions. This inherent adaptability empowers designers to forge unique, project-specific identities while seamlessly adhering to a consistent modular framework. Complementing this, the aluminum Notch elements, embedded with LED lighting, accentuate the system's vertical lines. As evening descends, this integrated lighting imbues the facade with a dynamic visual character, dramatically extending its architectural presence and impact into the night.

The Concéntrico Festival 2026 is poised to transform Logroño, Spain, into a dynamic laboratory of architectural and urban innovation from June 18 to 23. This year's event will feature over two dozen installations scattered throughout the city's squares, plots, streets, and iconic sites. Renowned international figures such as Smiljan Radić, the raumlabor collective, Matilde Cassani, AAU Anastas, and Sahra Hersi are among the creators participating. A distinctive aspect of this edition is its focus on collective, celebratory, and performative interactions within public spaces, highlighting auditory experiences and initiatives promoting accessibility, inclusivity, and urban revitalization. The festival's program is structured around three core themes: 'Identity and Fiction,' 'Urban Ecologies,' and 'Ephemeral Agents,' presenting projects that range from architectural designs enhancing public rituals to experimental explorations of materials, sound, and sustainable reuse practices.

Highlighting the 'Identity and Fiction' theme, Smiljan Radić will introduce an ephemeral, open, and communal structure inspired by traveling circuses, fostering interaction and play in a vacant lot. Matilde Cassani’s intervention at Arco de San Bernabé reimagines the arch using textiles and commemorative elements, celebrating local traditions and their role in shaping urban identity. Ofreia’s research at Cancha del Cubo delves into the historical uses of the Ebro River, particularly bathing, activating it as a communal space. BeAr’s “Temblores de superficie, vino y Smithson” offers a minimalist interpretation of Viña Lanciano’s wine-growing landscape, creating a field of sensory engagement. PPAA’s work at Plaza del Ayuntamiento will engage in a dialogue with Rafael Moneo’s building, using pillars to extend its structural logic and redefine the public space. CENTRAL and Maxime Delvaux’s “Architecture for Ritual” will convert Plaza del Mercado into a playful beach, culminating in a fire ritual on San Juan eve. Additionally, “Dancing on Architecture” at Paseo del Espolón aims to create a civic choreography using light and human movement, transforming the space into a collective, living monument.

Under the 'Urban Ecologies' axis, NOOF GROUP addresses urban heat islands with “Shade, Breeze, Cooling,” an artificial landscape in Plaza del Mercado that generates shade and cooling through a modular system. Raumlabor’s “Hot, Cool, Soft” at Plaza de la Diversidad features three experimental pavilions that create diverse microclimates using natural materials, inviting visitors to a physical and spatial climate experience. Sahra Hersi’s “The Potting Shed” at Biblioteca Rafael Azcona proposes a civic garden for cultivation and seed exchange, incorporating community-designed ceramics. Suomi-Koivisto & IC-98's “A Third of Life” at COAR site combines a drought-resistant garden with a space for collective sleep, echoing ancient incubation rituals. Boltshauser × Garbizu Collar’s project in the Santiago area explores the relationship between earth, architecture, and wine, creating a tasting chamber from compacted earth and reused barrels. Parabase’s “Transtation” at the Bus and train station site is a prototype of circular infrastructure, reusing elements and generating energy through biodigestion. Zeppelin Design’s “Zubía’s Laboratory” at La Glorieta transforms the space into an open-air laboratory for environmental discovery, linking scientific heritage with urban poetry. Faris Alossaimi’s “Bayn” at Plaza de los Derechos Humanos introduces a mobile courtyard inspired by architectural archetypes, creating a flexible space for connection and reflection. Finally, the 'Ephemeral Agents' theme includes 2050+'s “Frontones Danzantes” at Parking del Revellín, transforming a transit space into an active landscape for play. Amanda Pinatih + Gabriel Fontana’s “SIDELINED: A Game to Rethink Togetherness” promotes inclusive sports through workshops for primary school students. AAU Anastas’s “Catedral para Uno” at COAR Courtyard offers a stone architecture for solitary contemplation, transforming industrial waste into a culturally significant space. “Sounds of Architecture” by Sounds of Architecture Records involves producing a vinyl record capturing Logroño’s soundscapes, encouraging a mindful listening experience. TAELON 7’s installation at Calle Pilar Salarrullana – República Argentina is a lightweight, informal structure made from reused plywood, stained with grape pomace, embodying local connection. Future Firm’s intervention at Puente de Hierro explores how existing urban infrastructures can activate new relationships with their surroundings and the Ebro River. DF DC’s “A Soft Embassy” at Plaza San Bartolomé is a temporary pavilion for public interaction, transforming scaffolding into an open, permeable space. Tło’s “Los Sábados” at Pasaje Chimenea adapts a Polish vernacular archetype into a narrow street, offering shelter and hospitality through reused materials. Lastly, Ignacio G. Galán + Ozaeta Fidalgo Architects + Jordan Whitewood-Neal, with CERMI, will host an open workshop at Plaza de la Diversidad, exploring architecture, disability, and public space from a critical, inclusive perspective.

This festival transcends the mere display of architectural works; it is a profound testament to the power of creative expression in reimagining urban environments. By fostering community engagement and addressing contemporary challenges such as climate change and social inclusion, Concéntrico demonstrates that architecture is not merely about erecting structures but about crafting experiences that enrich lives and cultivate a sense of belonging. The installations encourage residents and visitors alike to interact with their city in new ways, promoting dialogue, reflection, and a shared appreciation for the spaces we inhabit, ultimately shaping a more vibrant, resilient, and inclusive urban future.