The Moebius house was built in Het Gooi, The Netherlands, not far from Amsterdam between 1993 and 1998. Its layout is a continuous surface with a double loop that creates an indoor circulation route and the home’s different functions. The design brought international attention to UNStudio (United Network Studio) founded in Amsterdam by Ben van Berkel (Utrecht, 1957) and Caroline Bos (Rotterdam, 1959) in 1988. This experiment in tectonics is paradigmatic of that era’s search for the fluidity of shapes, where there is a new marriage between indoors and out; form and function.

Now, 30 years, 200 employees and 4 offices (Amsterdam, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Frankfurt) later, UNStudio is investigating a concept it calls “superliving” with experts from other disciplines, working on new sensorial and adaptive technology, accessibly priced dwellings, small living units and designs that define the future of single-family housing.

Two examples are Raffles City in Hangzhou, China (2008-2017) and Lane 189 in Shanghai (2013-2017), both of which show the attentive channelling of the flow of people, functions and infrastructure in an ecological way by applying innovative technology and superseding the concept of architectural style for its own sake.

In parallel, the four UNStudio offices have established an internal research and innovation unit called UNSKnowledge, which makes use of a database containing 30 years of design projects to offer consultancy regarding engineering, strategic positioning, technology and sustainability. The external unit called UNFutures collaborates with partners including the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Microsoft, the Hardt group, USM and Mitsubishi to study user-centric design solutions that are adaptable to the future.