Villa 49 by Kris Lin wins Gold A' Design Award

Villa 49, a riverfront residential renovation by Kris Lin, won a Gold A' Design Award in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category on August 31, 2026. The project stands out for bringing daylight, landscape and water into the home through a 12-meter acrylic pool and other design features.

Why it matters: - Villa 49 highlights a growing residential design focus on daylight, landscape connection and spatial openness. - The Gold A' Design Award places the project among a select group of architecture works recognized for design quality and technical execution. - The recognition may strengthen Kris Lin’s positioning around renovation projects that blend architecture, interiors and landscape.

What happened: - The A' Design Award named Villa 49 by Kris Lin a Gold winner in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category. - The award announcement was dated August 31, 2026. - Villa 49 is a renovated detached residence in Como, Italy. - The project page is available on the A' Design Award website: More information.

The details: - Villa 49 spans 1,000 square metres across three above-ground floors and one basement. - The property includes a 300 square metre garden in a riverfront setting surrounded by woodland. - A 12-meter transparent acrylic pool sits at the center of the design. - The pool uses 120-millimetre-thick panels. - Natural light refracts through the water and carries daylight into deeper interior areas, including the basement. - Reflections from the pool create changing spatial effects inside the home. - The home uses water filtration, an air source heat pump for stable temperature control and a motorised cover for safety and energy efficiency. - Large glazing and open corners maintain visual continuity with the surrounding environment. - The award criteria for the category include innovative use of space, structural integrity, aesthetic appeal, environmental impact, functional efficiency, material selection, technological integration, use of natural light, spatial harmony, safety measures and integration with surroundings.

Between the lines: - The project reflects a wider shift in high-end residential design toward homes that feel more connected to nature without sacrificing performance. - The pool is doing more than serving as an amenity; it is also a light-distribution device and a central organizing element. - The award suggests the renovation’s value lies as much in environmental and spatial experience as in visual form. - Kris Lin International Design Studio has framed its work around integrated architecture, interiors and landscape, and Villa 49 fits that approach.

What's next: - The Gold A' Design Award may serve as a reference point for future renovation projects from Kris Lin and the studio. - The recognition could support further work centered on nature integration and intelligent living. - The A' Design Award says winning projects can encourage additional innovation across art, science, design and technology.

The bottom line: - Villa 49 won because it turns a residential renovation into a study in light, water and landscape connection, not just form.