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    Marcante-Testa blends “unique characteristics of Venetian identity” for Ca’ Select bar and distillery

    Italian studio Marcante-Testa has turned an industrial building in Venice into the canal-side Ca’ Select bar, visitor centre and production facility.

    Set alongside a small canal in the Cannareggio district of Venice, the bar and distillery belong to the company behind Select Aperitivo – the main ingredient of a Venetian Spritz.
    Ca’ Select bar is located on a canal in Venice”The history of Select is closely tied to that of Venice, where the brand was founded in 1920,” said Marcante-Testa.
    “Starting from this awareness, the mother company Gruppo Montenegro commissioned the architects Andrea Marcante and Adelaide Testa to formulate a reinterpretation of the unique characteristics of Venetian identity, reviving one aspect of the city’s past.”
    The space includes a Select Aperitivo barMarcante-Testa led the conversion of the former metal workshop into a bar and events space, spanning 690 square metres. Throughout the bar and production spaces, glass and ceramic details were chosen to highlight traditional Venetian crafts.

    The elongated space was split linearly into three zones, with the bar placed at the front of the building so it can be accessed from the canal by a corridor clad in white and red Zellige tiles made by Mosaic Factory.
    The bar is wrapped in blue wavy glassAt the centre of the space is a freestanding bar wrapped in blue wavy glass “in the Murano tradition”, created by the Wonderglass company to recall the waves of the nearby lagoon.
    The space features three handmade mosaics made from tiles fired in the historic Fornace Orsoni and informed by the sketches of Spanish designer Mariano Fortuny, who was a long-term resident of Venice.

    Cocktail bar “suspended between sea and sky” draws upon nearby Mediterranean

    Venetian seminato terrazzo flooring with red glass and blue sodalite marble inlays was used to unify the spaces, running from the entrance through the bar to the production area.
    Separated from the bar by a large curtain is a seating area furnished with steel-framed sofas alongside armchairs upholstered in reds and pinks as a nod to the aperitivo’s colour. This area will also be used as an events space.
    An events space is located next to the barThe event space has views through a red-tinted glass wall to the production facility at the rear of the building.
    Here, the maceration of the herbs and spices used to make the distinctive aperitivo takes place.
    The distillery is separated from the public areas by a glass wallThe final space in Select Aperitivo’s building is nestled above the entrance corridor. Accessed by steps to the side of the entrance is a small visitor centre with exhibits curated by Turin-based Studio Fludd.
    It contains seating and exhibits that aim to tell the story of the aperitivo brand, which was established in 1920.
    An exhibition space is located above the entranceSelect Aperitivo hopes that the bar and visitor centre will continue to reinforce the brand’s historic links to the city.
    “Ca’ Select represents a fundamental step in our multi-year plan to consolidate the brand and aims to strengthen the link with the city of origin,” said Marco Ferrari, CEO of Gruppo Montenegro, which owns the brand.
    “It is no coincidence that we have decided to bring the heart of Select’s production here, to enhance the local culture starting with the valuable architectural elements that enrich the space.”
    The building also houses a Select Aperitivo production facilityOther recently completed bars that have been featured on Dezeen include a brewery in a former Copenhagen slaughterhouse and a bar in Calgary topped with plywood barrel vaults.
    Project credits:
    Architectural project: Marcante-TestaInterior design project: Marcante-TestaProject and content management: Mindthegap StudioPlants and facilities design: Pgs Ingegneria – Studio AssociatoContent of the exhibition design: Studio FluddProduction coordination and executive production: Epica filmVisual identity project: Studio FluddBuilding works director: Valter Camagna, Andrea marcanteLocal architect: Stefano RomagnaProject manager: Roberta MiniciSafety manager and coordinator: Sebastiano CibienBuilding construction: Steelwood EngineeringPlant engineering work: Gruppo Frassati, Vem SistemiSet-up arrangements: Steelwood Rngineering, Gruppo Frassati, Amap, WonderglassLight design: Marcante-Testa with FlosDecorative lighting supplier: FortunyTechnical lighting supplier: FlosSystem integrator: Acuson, Red Group

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    Five key projects by interior designer and Dezeen Awards China judge Alex Mok

    Shanghai-based interior designer Alex Mok has joined Dezeen Awards China 2023 as a judge. Here she selects five projects that best reflect her work.

    Mok and Briar Hickling are the co-founders of architecture and interior design practice Linehouse. The female duo’s work has been recognised internationally and won a number of international design awards, including Emerging interior designers of the tear at Dezeen Awards 2019.
    “Linehouse’s approach is purposeful, creating poetic concepts through research of cultural, urban and historic contexts that respond to the program, site and function,” Mok told Dezeen.
    “Each project has a strong narrative, a focus on craft and unique spatial experience with a dynamic intersection between disciplines,” she continued.
    Currently, Mok is working on hotel projects in Hangzhou and Hong Kong, a food market in Shanghai, and a series of retail projects in Bangkok.

    Alex Mok among Dezeen Awards China 2023 judges
    Dezeen Awards China 2023 launched in June in partnership with Bentley Motors. It is the first regional edition of Dezeen Awards, celebrating the best architecture, interiors and design in China.
    We have announced 10 out of the 15 Dezeen Awards China judges, including architects Ma Yansong and Rossana Hu, furniture designer Frank Chou and interior designer Andre Fu, who will be joining Mok on the interior design judging panel.
    Entries close on Thursday 24 August. Submit your entry before midnight Beijing time on 24 August to avoid late entry fees.
    Read on to find Mok’s views on the five projects that best represent her work.
    Photo is by Jonathan LeijonhufvudWework Weihai Road, Shanghai, 2016
    “Linehouse worked with Wework in 2016 to create their headquarters in a spectacular turn of the century brick building in Shanghai. Linehouse celebrated the grandeur of the former opium factory and artist residence, encapsulating the feeling of a grand hotel, transporting guests and members on an unexpected journey of whimsy, voyeurism and festivity.
    “The heritage facade surrounds the central atrium. A curved terrazzo tray was inserted to define the space, and pastel diagonal strips in blue, green, pink and grey wrap the floor and wall, creating a hardscape carpet.
    “A bespoke lighting installation is suspended in the triple-height space. A new sculptural staircase was inserted to connect all three levels of the main public areas.”
    Photo is by Dirk WeiblenTingtai Teahouse, Shanghai, 2018
    “Tingtai Teahouse was completed in 2018 in a former factory space and art gallery in Shanghai’s Moganshan Road art district. We stripped the space completely to reveal the beautiful patina of the original factory with concrete beams and columns as well as the brick walls.
    “The teahouses are modern architectural responses to the raw factory interior. They read as singular insertions that contrast with the rough brick and concrete interior and reflect the surroundings. The upper rooms in particular have strong relationships with the existing building in the way they connect to the original clerestory windows.
    “With each of these rooms bookended with full-height glazing, guests become spectators to the activities below. Each room has a different roofline, which forms modern architectural puzzle spaces where tea drinkers can enjoy this age old drink with a new perspective. ”
    Find out more about Tingtai Teahouse ›
    Photo is by Wen StudioCoast, Shanghai, 2022
    “The Coast restaurant in Shanghai recalls a deep connection with coastal elements and Mediterranean soul. Linehouse transformed a three-storey building into a vertical journey of refined rusticity.
    “Colours and materials across the three floors change, telling different parts of the story. Green earthy tones on the ground floor link the garden to the open cafe space, while the red fire tones on the first floor reflect the dining room centred on the parrilla grill. On the second floor black yakisugi wood contrasts against the whitewashed flanked stone walls and the existing traditional timber trussed ceiling.”
    Find out more about Coast ›
    Photo is by DOF Sky|GroundCentral World, Bangkok, 2023
    “Central World is our largest architectural project to date; a renovation project of an existing shopping centre called Isetan in Bangkok. Linehouse was commissioned to design the exterior facade and seven floors of retail space including a food court.
    “The project was located in an area once abundant in lily pads. Linehouse examined the stemming, radiating and circular profile of the lily pads, translating this into a spatial narrative of the exterior and interior condition.
    “The exterior is a double-layered, arched facade. The front layer was defined by concrete form and the back layer rendered in black. The arches stem in various heights and widths shifting on the two planes, creating interesting intersections which operate as framed views through to the interior.
    “Linehouse punctuated the arches to allow green terraces, providing a depth to an otherwise flat elevation, and blurring the exteriors and interiors.”
    Photo is by Jonathan LeijonhufvudYing’n Flo, Hong Kong, 2023
    “Aiming to break the traditional hotel narrative of serious spaces and strict boundaries, Ying’n Flo is a lifestyle guesthouse for modern day travellers in Hong Kong.
    “The spaces were designed to have a warm, welcoming and familiar feel, emphasising functionality and quality. Against this backdrop of curated simplicity is an edge of youthful attitude and local context, with vibrant elements giving the hotel its own unique flavour.”
    Find out more about Ying’n Flo ›
    Dezeen Awards China 2023
    Dezeen Awards China is the first regional edition of Dezeen Awards, to celebrate the best architecture, interiors and design in China. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent in China.

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    Plantea Estudio designs intentionally unfinished Veja store “to look like we didn’t do anything”

    Raw finishes and brutalist interventions feature in footwear brand Veja’s first dedicated shop in Madrid, complete with an in-house shoe repair workshop and interiors designed by local firm Plantea Estudio.

    The retail space is housed in a building in the centre of Madrid, which has functioned as a shop, a restaurant and a bank office since its construction around the turn of the 20th century.
    Plantea Estudio has completed Veja’s Madrid storeBy the time Veja took on the space, it had been stripped back to a shell and the team at Plantea Estudio immediately saw the potential in the raw, rough interior.
    “That kind of brick structure brings you to the origins of architecture, to a temporal language,” the studio said. “It comes from always and goes forever, it will never be out of time or fashion.”
    “For us, there was no better option than to work from there, to leave it exposed.”

    Monolithic concrete blocks serve as displaysThe decision to work with the existing architecture rather than introducing unnecessary new materials also mirrors Veja’s idea of having in-house repair shop, encouraging customers to fix rather than simply replace their run-down trainers.
    However, the shell required much more active intervention from Plantea Estudio than the store’s unfinished interior suggests.
    The shop also houses a repair workshop”We had to work a lot for it to look like we didn’t do anything,” the studio said. “We brought the structure to its best version.”
    Plantea Estudio made the windows taller and brought the internal openings back up to their original height. The internal walls were cleaned up, exposing more of the brick and removing countless additions and coverings that remained from previous fitouts.
    Graphic strip lights are integrated into the ceilingWhere the materials were low-quality and couldn’t be removed, Plantea Estudio spray-coated the walls in a mix of plaster and Perlite mortar, “which accentuates the irregularity of the base”.
    The floor was coated uniformly with cement mortar, creating a continuous surface throughout the interior while providing a contrast with the chunky cobblestones laid in the entrance hall.

    Plantea Estudio creates cosy cave-like room within bar Gota

    The building’s functional pipes and pinewood supports were left exposed while the ceilings are clad in roughly textured sound insulation and embedded with graphic rows of strip lighting.
    To form display areas, benches and counters, Plantea Estudio opted for stepped blocks of concrete – a favourite material of the brutalist movement – cast in situ using moulds made from old wooden boards.
    Vintage Joaquim Belsa armchairs were used to furnish the spaceAs a clear contrast to the heavy solidity of these pieces, the store’s shelving is made of folded sheets of white-lacquered steel.
    “The main collection is displayed on these steel shelves, illuminated by a light that’s brighter than the general light in the store,” the studio said.
    A ficus tree stands near the entranceThe space is accentuated by large-format mirrors, applied to the building’s brick pillars, where Plantea Estudio says they work at “multiplying the cross views”.
    A large ficus tree marks the entrance while furniture was sourced from vintage design retailer Fenix Originals and includes 1960s armchairs by Catalan designer Joaquim Belsa.
    Simple metal shelves provide additional storagePlantea Estudio, which was founded by brothers Luis and Lorenzo Gil in 2008, has completed a number of interior projects in the Spanish capital.
    Among them is the neutral-toned Hermosilla restaurant, as well as a bar serving wine and small plates, where a cosy red “cave” room is hidden behind the main dining space.
    The photography is by Salva López.

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    Whittaker Parsons crowns North London mews house with “bolthole” extension

    Using a combination of copper, larch and structural insulated panels, architecture firm Whittaker Parsons has added an additional storey to a contemporary mews house in Stoke Newington to house a bedroom suite.

    Originally built in 2005, the property belongs to a couple with two older children, who have lived here for the last decade.
    Whittaker Parsons added an additional storey to a London mews houseThe family asked Whittaker Parsons to provide more space with the addition of a loft, as well as to revamp the lower floors including the studio on the second floor, which was reconfigured to create a well-proportioned workspace complete with its own library.
    Daylight floods the new third storey, bouncing off lime-plastered walls while carefully positioned windows provide views of tree canopies and across rear gardens from window seats and the bespoke bed.
    “We set out to design a beautiful, healthy, serene retreat, in which the homeowners could immerse themselves in the beauty of natural materials, a bolthole in the middle of north London,” Whittaker Parsons told Dezeen.

    The extension is accessed via a larch-clad staircaseWith efficiency and quality in mind, the studio used prefabricated structural insulated panels (SIPs) to construct the additional storey, with the aim of minimising waste and saving time.
    “Compared to standard timber construction, it is simpler to control the quality of onsite workmanship and achieve a more robust, air-tight building envelope,” the team explained.
    Generous windows provide views of the surrounding areaExternally, the extension is set back from the street elevation and finished in materials that mirror the surrounding architecture, including black-stained timber cladding, brick slips and patinated copper to tie in with the copper facade on the second floor below.
    Internally, the triangular arrangement of the larch beams was developed to work with the load path of the existing building and the irregular form of the loft.
    “The intention was to make visible and celebrate the structural effort that went into creating this new space,” Whittaker Parsons explained.
    Integrated window seats provide a place to restThe practice created a tranquil master bedroom with a larch-clad and lime-rendered interior, bespoke larch bed frame and walk-in wardrobe made from low-formaldehyde furniture board.
    As the unsealed lime plaster wall finish cures, the lime will absorb almost as much carbon as was emitted in its production, the studio claims.
    “Lime render is a calming tactile material, characterful and soft,” said Whittaker Parsons. “It is a low-carbon alternative to gypsum plaster. It’s also a hygroscopic material, so it naturally moderates the moisture level in the bedroom.”

    Architecture for London uses natural materials to renovate studio founder’s home

    Used alongside the render, white oiled larch panelling spans the spaces between the exposed larch beams, improving acoustic absorption.
    “Often in bedrooms, the ceiling is the most important yet neglected surface,” the studio said. “The larch adds a sense of warmth, calm, and character to the space, creating an articulated ceiling at the top of the house – almost a reward for climbing all those stairs.”
    Whittaker Parsons also created a custom larch-wood bed for the interiorIn the adjoining skylit shower room, fluted travertine tiles line the walls, enveloping the shower area and complementing the travertine floor tiles.
    “The roof light to the shower oversails the fluted travertine tiles, creating the impression that one is showering outside under the sky,” said Whittaker Parsons.
    The basin, splashback and vanity unit are formed from unsealed Calacatta Rosato marble, which according to the studio provides a lower-carbon alternative to fired tiles.
    The vanity in the adjoining bathroom is formed from Calacatta Rosato marbleOverall, Whittaker Parsons says the project is “exceptionally low-carbon”, with the bulk of its embodied emissions coming from the triple glazing, thermal insulation and a single steel beam used to create the opening for the staircase.
    Founded by Matthew Whittaker and Camilla Parsons in 2015, Whittaker Parsons has completed a number of projects in the British capital including The Naked House, which was longlisted for sustainable interior of the year at the 2021 Dezeen Awards.
    The marble is paired with fluted travertine tilesOther sustainably-minded extensions in London include Low Energy House in Muswell Hill, designed by local studio Architecture for London founder for its founder Ben Ridley.
    The photography is by Jim Stephenson.

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    Norm Architects uses “natural forms” and steel details for Chancery House interior

    Danish studio Norm Architects has worked with pale wood, red bricks, sandstone and stainless steel to create the interior of The Office Group’s Chancery House workspace in London.

    Located above the subterranean Silver Vaults market in London, the 1953 building was given a retrofit by dMFK Architects with a new interior by Norm Architects for The Office Group (TOG).
    It now houses workspaces as well as a gym, a yoga studio, a cafe, a library, event spaces and saunas in an 11,612-square-metre space.
    The interior features brick detailsNorm Architects drew on the building’s existing design when creating the interiors, which it says are rooted “in the spirit of the building”.
    “In this effort to draw in what was already there, we have integrated the traditional red bricks of the facade in the interior in a modern way,” Norm Architects’ Sofie Thorning told Dezeen.

    “This way, the chosen materials are more accentuated than the ones we normally work with, but still with our usual focus on creating comfortable and calm spaces through the use of natural materials,” she continued.
    Wood was used throughout the spaceThe ground floor was reconfigured by dMFK Architects to improve the flow of the building, with the entrance to Chancery Lane made larger.
    This level holds the cafe as well as lounge areas, which were decorated by Norm Architects using mainly wood and brick materials.
    Floor-to-ceiling glazed walls offer views and access to two interior courtyards, which also let light into the building.
    Norm Architects played with natural materials”By working with natural forms, materials and colors we create spaces that feel good, look good and that last,” Thorning said.
    “When combining soft and hard materials like textile and bricks, the space feels stimulating to the user, while also exuding this warmth that is so important in order to both work and relax in the spaces of the house.”
    Workspaces are located on the upper floors of the buildingThe same material palette was used for the workspaces, which are located from the first floor and up in the eight-storey building.
    Norm Architects also restored some existing materials in the building’s communal spaces.

    Waugh Thistleton Architects designs “visibly sustainable” mass-timber office in London

    “The dominant materials, colours and patterns of the space all stem from the existing building, [which is] why red bricks, sandstone, concrete, and stainless steel are at the center of attention,” Thornig explained.
    “Moreover, we have preserved existing terrazzo elements in staircases and hallways, while mirroring the green elements of nearby parks within the internal courtyards.”
    Silvery steel details nod to the Silver Vaults below the buildingIn addition, the studio wanted to nod to Chancery House’s location above the Silver Vaults by using silver-coloured materials.
    “Since the London Silver Vaults are a big part of the building’s history and will continue to be so, we knew right away that we wanted to pay homage to it in the interior,” Thorning said.
    “We decided to introduce both brushed and polished stainless steel to the material palette as a representation of silver, carrying it out as details and joinery throughout the building.”
    A jute rug contrasts a patterned-stone coffee tableThe pale wood and red brick used throughout the building were matched with rustic textures, jute rugs and bobbled pillows to add to the natural feel of the interior.
    The building’s exterior was clad in WasteBasedBricks, which incorporate a minimum of 60 per cent recycled building waste. On Chancery House’s roof terrace, warm rust-red steel garden furniture matches the red hue of the brick walls.
    “We wanted to create a project that was mindful of the character of the area, capturing the spirit of the place in the hope that it will serve the neighborhood as a hub grounded in its context,” Thorning concluded.
    Steel and brick decorate the interiors of Chancery HouseNorm Architects often works with natural materials. Other projects by the studio include a “hotel in the sky” in Japan and an inside-out-greenhouse restaurant.
    The photography is by Jake Curtis.

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    Snøhetta creates Holzweiler store informed by Norwegian coastline

    Architecture studio Snøhetta has completed a shop for fashion and lifestyle brand Holzweiler in Chengdu, China, informed by its Norwegian heritage.

    Located in Taikoo Li mall in central Chengdu, the 130-square-metre store is Norwegian brand Holzweiler’s first outpost outside of Scandinavia.
    The exterior of the store is covered with LED screen”The store features recurring themes of currents, reflections and contrasts inspired by landscapes and coastal movements, a bespoke concept of the forces of norwegian nature playing on our shared heritage,” Snøhetta explained.
    “With the aim of transporting Holzweiler’s love and deep respect for its origins, there is an immediate and consistent reference to the natural world that harks to the brand’s home country.”
    The interiors nod to the Norwegian coastal linesThe exterior of the store features a full-size LED screen, which will be used to display campaigns that showcase that brand’s connection to nature.

    A glass wall framed with wavy lines divides the LED screen into two parts, revealing the store’s warm clay-toned interiors to visitors.
    The reflective surface of the ceiling resembles sky and oceanThe entrance of the store was crafted from floor-to-ceiling sand-blasted stone that extend to the product display area where mechanical arms present Holzweiler’s signature silk, lambswool and cashmere scarf designs.
    Wavy lines were widely adopted inside the store, as a nod to to the shorelines along Norway’s extensive coastline. A series of hanging lights were suspended from the reflective surface of the ceiling, which was clad in steel with a sandblasted finish.

    Snøhetta combines clay and oak in minimalist Holzweiler store

    The clothing racks made with the same steal material run along the curved wall, while the forms of the display tables placed in the centre of the space were designed to evoke coastal rock formations.
    Natural materials were used throughout the store, sourced locally from China. Meanwhile, all fixtures within the store were designed to be flexibly dissembled and repurposed in the future.
    A hero wall with mechanical arms is used to present Holzweiler’s signature productsThe point of sale area is tucked away at the back of the store separated from the main shopping area to provide privacy for customers.
    Snøhetta is a long-term collaborator of Holzweiler’s, having designed the company’s flagship store and showroom in Oslo, as well as its first international outpost in Copenhagen.
    The Studio has recently completed a planetarium in France, featuring two domes surrounded by sweeping wooden walls and a shingle-clad viewing tower in Austria.
    The photography is courtesy of Holzweiler.

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    Chipboard and recycled denim define spaces inside Microloft in Melbourne

    Australian architecture practice Studio Edwards has completed an exercise in contemporary small-space living with this 24-square-metre micro apartment in Melbourne’s Fitzroy district.

    The clients, a young couple, approached Studio Edwards to remodel the tiny studio apartment on the top floor of a 1980s apartment block.
    Microloft is a 24-square-metre apartment in Melbourne”They asked for a home that felt unified and clutter-free, with ample storage, an efficient kitchen with space for cooking and dining, a comfortable lounge and quiet sleeping zones,” founder Ben Edwards told Dezeen.
    “Microloft provides a solution for inner-city living that navigates the constraints of limited space and ageing housing stock through an interior that provides the clients with a functional and coherent dwelling.”
    Aluminium was used to form kitchen counters and shelvesRather than using partitions or walls, spaces are defined by custom furniture pieces that provide visual connections.

    A horizontal raw aluminium surface forms angled countertops in both the kitchen and dining area before extending through an existing double archway into the sleeping area beyond.
    Chipboard forms several other storage units throughout Micoloft”Angled elements act in a similar way to room dividers, nothing extends higher than the datum line, helping the space to remain open,” said Edwards.
    “The kitchen melds seamlessly into a dining space via the angled countertop, while triangular storage shelves make use of the corners of the room.”

    Studio Edwards conceals “jewel-like” eyewear store behind perforated aluminium facade

    The angular wedge shape of the aluminium counters is mirrored in a wall-mounted console and a custom-made sofa with bookshelves integrated into its base, both made from oriented strand board (OSB).
    Above the datum line, one wall is clad in grey mirrored panels to make the apartment appear larger while creating a visual link to the grey-painted exposed brick walls and the heavily patinated concrete floor.
    The bed sits on a raised chipboard plinth to maximise bedroom storage, while the sliding door of the wardrobe, as well as the apartment’s front door, are wrapped in recycled denim to provide further textural interest as well as acoustic softening.
    Among them is the wardrobe in the bedroom”Use of raw aluminium surfaces, along with the OSB plinth that elevates the bed, provide creative storage solutions while delivering refined aesthetic appeal,” said Edwards.
    Simple IKEA stools were customised to fit in with the apartment, with a bedside stool wrapped in recycled denim to further soften the acoustics in this space.
    In the dining area, the same stools were extended with aluminium legs to create high seats for bench-top dining.
    A recycled denim panel forms the wardrobe’s sliding doorMicro homes are among a number of solutions being explored by architects and interior designers in response to Melbourne’s worsening housing crisis, as the city saw record rent increases last year.
    Others have explored creating multi-generational homes where family members can split both spaces and costs, as seen in this house on a narrow infill site by Matt Gibson and this adaptable suburban home by Austin Maynard Architects.
    Maynard also recently self-funded the construction of an “ethical housing” block in inner-city Melbourne, accommodating 20 low-cost, eco-conscious apartments with enough room for young families.
    The photography is by Peter Bennetts.

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    Jenny Bukovec draws on “soulful” local heritage for Kentucky hotel

    American designer Jenny Bukovec has looked to Kentucky’s heritage for the interiors of a hotel in Lexington, a city famed for bourbon production and horse racing.

    Described by the hotel team as “the first high-end hotel in the horse and bourbon capital of the world,” The Manchester sits on the site of the historic Ashland Distillery – the city’s first registered bourbon producer, which was established in 1865.
    The lobby bar at The Manchester hotel features vaulted ceilings and eclectic lounge furnitureIts location in the heart of Manchester Street’s historic Distillery District places guests within close proximity to a host of bourbon distilleries, breweries, bars, restaurants and event spaces.
    Hoteliers Nik Feldman and Hank Morris tapped New York City-based Bukovec to design “soulful” interiors for the public areas and 125 guest rooms that draw upon the region’s heritage.
    The equestrian-themed main restaurant, Granddam, is designed with walnut wainscoting and green accentsIn the lobby, a wall of hit-and-miss brickwork is modelled on the neighbourhood’s historic rickhouses – structures used for storing and distilling spirits.

    Corbelled arches within the brick wall lead through to a bar with vaulted plaster ceilings, eclectic lounge furniture, and details that include handmade bejmat tiles and amber-toned fluted glass.
    Geometric patterned tiles and wicker furniture decorate the Lost Palm rooftop barThe hotel’s main restaurant is named Granddam “after a wise, figurative matriarch racing horse” and serves a contemporary take on traditional Appalachian cuisine.
    Seating 140 covers, the space is encircled by square-panelled walnut wainscoting, huge floor-to-ceiling windows and teal-hued leather banquette seating.
    The rich hues in the guest rooms evoke those associated with Kentucky’s Bluegrass music tiesGreen floor tiles and cushions match the ceiling colour and complement the taupe tones of the walls and furniture upholstery.
    “The 140-seat dining room follows the hotel’s equestrian aesthetic and is designed as a modern reinterpretation of nearby stables, featuring rich walnut walls and horse saddle-inspired woven leather seating,” said the hotel team.
    Among the room categories are five with wooden bunk beds that sleep four guestsA very different aesthetic was chosen for Lost Palm, a rooftop bar and lounge that takes cues from art deco nostalgia while repeating the same arched forms found in the lobby.
    Bukovec combined wicker furniture, rattan panels, geometric patterned floor tiles and tropical planting as a nod to 1960s South Florida and its horse racing culture – for which Lexington is also famed.

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    The dark woods and rich hues used in the guest rooms evoke those commonly associated with Bluegrass music, another regional specialty.
    Room categories range from standard kings and double queens up to one- and two-bedroom penthouse suites with clawfoot tubs, as well as five bunk-bed rooms that each sleep four guests.
    The 7th-floor gym is kitted out with tanned leather equipmentA gym located on the 7th floor features herringbone parquet flooring and tanned leather equipment.
    The Manchester also offers a variety of guest experiences, including distillery tours, bourbon tastings, fly fishing, polo lessons and trail riding.
    The hotel occupies a brick building on the site of a historic bourbon distilleryMany visitors to Kentucky come for its whisky heritage and industry, which has ties to several big-name architecture firms.
    In 2018, Shigeru Ban unveiled a proposal to build a trio of mass timber pyramids for the Kentucky Owl distillery, and more recently, RSHP unveiled its design for Horse Soldier Bourbon’s new home in the state.
    The photography is by Matt Kisiday.

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