Crossboundaries

10/05/2026

For many years, Crossboundaries has explored the evolving role of schools — not only as places of learning, but as spaces that shape community, participation, and neighborhood life as integral parts of the urban fabric.
In this context, we are looking forward to the symposium "Educational Spaces – Democratic Urban Building Blocks" (Bildungsorte – Demokratische Stadtbausteine, Symposium 2026), initiated by Antje Voigt, Partner at Crossboundaries Frankfurt, and organized by the Association of German Architects Hessen (BDA Hessen e.V.), taking place on May 20, 2026 in Frankfurt am Main.
The symposium brings together perspectives from administration, planning, and practice to discuss how educational spaces can be conceived, designed, and integrated into the city today. Topics include campus development, participation, landscape and public space design, and the opening of schools toward the urban realm.
We look forward to the exchange.
More information here:
https://www.bda-hessen.de/events/symposium-bildungsorte/

31/12/2025

16/11/2025

In early November, Crossboundaries co-founder Hao D**g took part in BAU CONGRESS CHINA 2025 and the CADE “Gala Night of Architects” in Shanghai.
He moderated Panel 3: Min Mid Max, bringing together perspectives from healthcare, cultural, and community-focused architecture.
The speakers— Hieronimus Nickl (Nickl & Partner), Lin Jing (Perkins&Will), and Yu Hui (Alpha Asia)—reflected on how demographic shifts and changing social expectations are strongly influencing architectural practice.
Drawing on his experience, Hao D**g directed the discussion toward two core questions:
How must medical services evolve to reach residents more directly within future communities?
And in what ways can cultural facilities shift from stand-alone venues to true, everyday community anchors?

The following exchange explored how healthcare and cultural infrastructures could be more closely aligned with everyday community needs, highlighting perspectives that contribute to more connected and community-oriented urban settings.
A meaningful takeaway with implications for future practice. And of course, the event offered a welcome opportunity to reconnect with friends and long-standing colleagues, as well as to meet new professionals.

Read more here:
https://en.cade.bauchina.com/EventDetails?id=1805444019939905537

21/08/2025

And we’ve just wrapped up another summer workshop at the beginning of August– a week full of creativity, curiosity, and exploration children who joined us in our Crossboundaries studio in Beijing.
This time we used the contrasting characters of the movie Nezha 2 as the starting point for the class, inspiring the children to design a shared home for different characters.
From sketching and model making to hands-on building and AI-supported design, the workshop became a dynamic mix of imagination, technology, and teamwork.

Crossboundaries has been running design-thinking workshops for many years. They encourage the next generation to explore, experiment, and to focus on problem-solving.

20/08/2025

"Sie plant." – BDA Mentoring for Women Architects.
As part of the nationwide WIA Festival 2025 – Women in Architecture, the new mentoring program "Sie plant" was launched in Frankfurt at the end of June in cooperation of BDA Hessen e.V. and BDA Baden-Württemberg. It supports women architects on their path into self-employment, partnership, or leadership roles.
Among the initiators are Antje Voigt (Crossboundaries Frankfurt), Tanja Akkermann, Sabine Kölling, Eun-A Pauly, Astrid Wuttke, Bernita Le Gerrete, and Christian Holl.
The evening in the spaces of BDA Hessen offered an inspiring opportunity to exchange ideas, build networks, and celebrate the initiative.

Read more here:
https://www.bda-bund.de/2025/03/sie-plant/
https://www.bda-bund.de/events/sie-plant-opening-party/
https://wia-festival.de/event/sie-plant-bda-mentoring-fuer-architektinnen/

27/07/2025

Crossboundaries’ project Shenzhen Skypark received the design.educates Award 2025 (Silver Prize in Architectural Design).
The Design Educates Awards stand out by honoring architectural and design projects that go beyond aesthetics and function — they recognize works that generate lasting educational and social impact.
Crossboundaries' silver award celebrates our contribution to design that fosters awareness and change.
Thank you for this recognition!

Read more here:
https://gallery.designeducates.com/projects/3029
www.designeducates.com

12/07/2025

On July 9th, Hao D**g, co-founder and partner of Crossboundaries, took part in the 4th Luban Festival of Architecture & Interior in Guangzhou.

He shared recent work from the office, highlighting our ongoing commitment to people-centered design, and reflected on how AI is beginning to reshape the discipline - exploring its potential and growing influence on the design process. The day wrapped up with a roundtable discussion alongside Hong Jielian (Gensler) and Wang Pingzhong (PDS), discussing the future of the design practice in our rapidly changing context.

11/07/2025

We are very happy and grateful for the nomination of our school campus on Hainan Island for the DAM Prize 2026 by the Deutsches Architekturmuseum in Frankfurt.

Read all about the nominations here:
https://www.dam-preis.de/de/138/dam-preis-2026/nominierungen/
More about the DAM Prize and DAM
https://dam-online.de/en/program/architecture-prizes
https://dam-online.de

19/06/2025

Binke Lenhardt was invited by the Korean Institute of Female Architects (KIFA) to represent Crossboundaries in the International Exchange Exhibition for Women Architects 2025, held in May at the D**gdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). The event was supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Under the title “Arch of Inclusion – Architecture Bridging Worlds,” the exhibition brought together female architects from around the world to reflect on architecture as a cultural practice rooted in responsibility, equity, and transformation.
A total of 30 women architects from 19 countries were selected to showcase their proposals under the theme “Future Trends in Architecture and Urban Space from the Perspective of Women Architects.”
In addition, 50 works by members of the Korean Institute of Female Architects (KIFA) were presented through videos and models.

We are happy to see Crossboundaries work presented alongside internationally recognized practices such as SANAA, Grafton Architects, UN Studio and many more.

The exhibition marked the first international showcase of female architects in Korea in 15 years and served as a platform for inter-generational dialogue, discourse, and global exchange. It was complemented by a symposium that highlighted the evolving role of women in architecture and the diverse approaches they bring to shaping inclusive urban futures.

Many thanks go to KIFA and the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for initiating and supporting this meaningful event, bringing focus on the topic of women in the architecture field.

Read more here:
https://n.news.naver.com/article/310/0000125947?sid=103
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/lifestyle/people-events/20250520/women-architects-in-spotlight
https://www.ekoreanews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=80139

17/06/2025

Hao D**g, co-founder and partner of Crossboundaries, participated in the Future Learning Center’s “Design Marathon” (IDEAS education) on June 12, 2025, held at Joy Town in Aranya, Qinhuangdao.
As a guest expert, Hao introduced young participants to the fundamentals of architecture and spatial design, encouraging them to think beyond aesthetics and explore how space communicates, invites interaction, and creates meaning.
This engagement reflects Crossboundaries’ broader understanding of practice, where education is an essential extension of design.
We actively reach beyond traditional project work to engage with children and youth—encouraging the next generation to explore, question, and co-create the built environment.

26/05/2025

In the middle of May, Hao D**g, Co-founder and Partner of Crossboundaries, attended the 2025 Future Learners Conference in Aranya, hosted by CampEducation and the Aranya Learning Exchange Center.
As part of Crossboundaries’ long-standing interest in education and evolving learning models, Hao D**g joined a panel discussion titled “Space, Community, and Lifelong Learning Communities.”
The conversation focused on how spatial design and community-building can foster meaningful, lifelong learning experiences beyond traditional classrooms.
He was joined by:
– Feng Xuemei, Head of Commercial Management at Aranya
– Chu Yun, Executive Director of Looker Social Innovation Center
– Zang Feng, Co-founder of People’s Architecture Office
Together, they explored the intersection of space, community, and education in shaping future-ready learning ecosystems.

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