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    Ten white bathrooms that are far from boring

    Our latest lookbook explores contemporary takes on traditional white bathrooms, proving that monochrome doesn’t have to be monotonous.

    White bathroom interiors are an enduring household trend, typically chosen for being practical but also for their connotations of cleanliness.
    Yet, their simplicity is often seen as being sterile, traditional or devoid of design.
    The ten examples listed below challenge this notion, demonstrating that with the right choice of tiles, plants and layers of texture, a white bathroom can still be an inviting sanctuary.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing colourful staircases, living rooms with stone surfaces and light-filled glass extensions.

    Photo is by Maxime BockenThe Euclid Residence, Canada, by Ancerl Studio
    Wall lights, curtains and a framed print make the white bathroom at The Euclid Residence feel more like a living room than a purely practical space.
    Located off of the house’s main bedroom, the room also features a softly curved tub that grants its user views out onto an adjoining balcony.
    Find out more about The Euclid Residence ›
    Photo is by Fernando GuerraHouse in Fontinha, Portugal, by Manuel Aires Mateus
    To add visual interest to the clean-cut washroom at House in Fontinha, architect Manuel Aires Mateus embedded a bathtub within its floor.
    The level change is demarcated by polished concrete that also helps to break up the space. Beside it, a low-lying window introduces splashes of colour into the room.
    Find out more about House in Fontinha ›
    Photo is by Ben HoskingThe Melburnian Apartment, Australia, by Edition Office
    Skinny white tiles envelop the bathroom at The Melburnian Apartment, covering its curved walls, floor and walk-in shower that is hidden and accessed through a large opening.
    Designed by Edition Office, the tiles are teamed with a large mirror and a vanity cabinet that has a marbled finish and monolithic washbasins on top.
    Find out more about The Melburnian Apartment ›
    Photo is by Hey! CheeseXS House, Taiwan, by Phoebe Sayswow Architects
    Phoebe Sayswow Architects gave this white bathroom a graphic quality by using bright pink grout between its glazed white tiles instead of the traditional grey or white options.
    To add depth to the room, which is located in a small one-bedroom apartment in Taipei, a matching vanity unit projects from the wall. The space is finished with black bathroom products and a suitably-bold begonia maculata plant.
    Find out more about XS House ›
    Photo is by Christoph RokittaBerlin Mitte apartment, Germany, by Atheorem
    Local architect Atheorem brought a serene and ethereal quality to the wetroom of this apartment in Berlin using all-white finishes and minimal fittings.
    A pair of floor-to-ceiling curtains provide privacy for the owners when showering, while also adding a layer of texture and filtering soft natural light into the space.
    Find out more about Berlin Mitte apartment ›
    Photo is by Kevin ScottThe Portage Bay Float Home, USA, by Studio DIAA
    Studio DIAA used square tiles to create the all-white interior of this shower room, located in a floating house in Seattle’s Lake Union.
    Fixed with pale grey grout, the tiles bring a textured appearance to the room that contrasts with its smooth metal accessories. On sunny days, treetops framed through a skylight overhead cast shadows across their surface.
    Find out more about The Portage Bay Float Home ›
    Photo is by Luis ViegasCasa da Volta, Portugal, by Promontorio
    The deliberately simple interior of this ensuite washroom helps to draw attention to three large cactus plants in the white-walled courtyard outside.
    Maximising the sense of lightness and openness in the room, a large mirror lines one wall and the ceiling joists are left exposed overhead, painted white to match the rest of the space.
    Find out more about Casa da Volta ›
    Photo is by Shannon McGrathAlfred Street Residence, Australia, by Studio Four
    One of the most minimalist bathrooms on the list is this all-white interior designed by Studio Four as part of the Alfred Street Residence in Victoria.
    Large white tiles run across its floor and walls, framing a freestanding tub that is illuminated by a skylight above. To add an element of texture, a white-painted wooden stool sits in the corner.
    Find out more about Alfred Street Residence ›
    Photo is by José HeviaPalma Hideaway, Spain, by Mariana de Delás
    Plants, tiles and marble have been used to animate the white-walled bathroom at the Palma Hideaway, designed by Mariana de Delás in Mallorca.
    The floor is raised to accommodate a sunken bath on one side, which is lined with dark-green tiles that also feature elsewhere in the home – helping the room act as an extension to the living spaces.
    Find out more about Palma Hideaway ›
    Photo is by Rafael SoldiHillside Midcentury, USA, by SHED
    This spacious white bathroom and walk-in shower by SHED is sheathed in hundreds of tiny circular tiles and lit by a frosted-glass window that stretches from floor to ceiling.
    The size of the tiles and window help to emphasise the openness of the room, while wood elements and a potted plant help bring an element of cosiness.
    Find out more about Hillside Midcentury ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing colourful staircases, living rooms with stone surfaces and light-filled glass extensions.

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    Arquitectura Nativa creates rammed-earth retreat for retired archaeologist

    Arquitectura Nativa has completed a home in Mexico for a retired archaeologist and their partner, using “rudimentary and artisanal techniques” that help the home blend into its surroundings.

    Casa Martha is located on a steep and rocky site facing the ocean in La Misión, a small village situated roughly halfway between the cities of Tijuana and Ensenada, in the Baja California region of Mexico.
    The La Misión home by Arquitectura Nativa stretches across three levelsThree levels step down a hill, forming the living spaces for a couple and their guests.
    Local architect studio Arquitectura Nativa laid out the most public areas of the home on the lowest level. On this floor, there are two guest bedrooms, a dine-in kitchen and a generous outdoor patio facing the street.
    Many of the materials used in the home, such as the artisanal wooden shutters and rammed-earth walls, were chosen for their hand-made qualities and appropriateness to the building’s context.

    The public spaces can be accessed through the folding doors on the house’s lowest level”Casa Martha is modelled with deep sensitivity and respect for its surroundings,” Arquitectura Nativa principal Alfredo Navarro Tiznado explained.
    “The main construction element is compacted earth. In this way, the site and its topography are consolidated as the raw materials of the project,” he added.
    An open-plan living space takes up the second floor”The first level is divided into two areas, the visitor area made up of two rooms and the study area that can function as a painting and carpentry workshop or as a garage,” Tiznado explained.
    A breezeway open to the elements separates the two halves of the home. At the back of the property, two smaller courtyards ensure that every space gets natural ventilation and daylight.

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    A flight of stairs flanked by rammed-earth walls leads to the intermediate level, which the architect described as the “heart” of the home. This is where the main living space is located.
    An open-concept kitchen, living and dining room are flanked by glass walls, which open out towards the landscape and are shaded by an overhanging concrete slab.
    The home is surrounded by a sheltered walkwayA walkway surrounds the home that can be closed off with wooden shutters.
    “This lattice generates protection from the prevailing winds, as well as a component of privacy towards the interior,” Tiznado explained.
    Outdoor terraces can be accessed from the upper floorsThese handcrafted panels also create a “play of light and shadows,” Tiznado added.
    The studio also laid out two terraces on the roof of the spaces below, offering the occupants a variety of places to enjoy the outdoors.
    Walls of rammed earth and doors made from wood let the building blend in with the siteThe topmost level is significantly smaller than the two lower floors and is reserved for the owners.
    The second-storey perch offers the best views of the surrounding landscape and is separated from the guest rooms to give all occupants plenty of privacy when using the 310-square-metre home.
    “The main chamber has a view of the context’s landscape — in this space, the interior is blurred with the exterior,” said Tiznado.
    Wooden shutters help modulate the sunOther recent buildings in the Baja California area include a private residence that was converted into a hotel by Paolo Sarra and studio Punto Arquitectónico, and a hotel that combines modern design with traditional influences by Max von Wertz.
    The photography is by Oscar Hernández Rodríguez.
    Project credits:Architect: Alfredo Navarro TiznadoDesign team: Kenia Esmeralda García Rosas, Hanna Appel Hernández, Giancarlo Reyes OlguinConstruction: Pedro Luis Curiel Bojórquez, José Francisco Ramírez García, Alfredo Navarro Tiznado,

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    Fyra celebrates bohemian history of Helsinki's Hotel Torni in contemporary revamp

    Finnish interiors studio Fyra has fostered a “bohemian ambience” in this hotel in Helsinki by layering different styles, colours and historical references within its public spaces.

    Hotel Torni was originally built in 1931 based on designs by architects Jung & Jung, with its 14 storeys making it the tallest building in Finland at the time.
    Fyra has overhauled Hotel Torni’s public spaces including its restaurant OROver the years, it became a base for spies during world war two and a favourite meeting place for artists, journalists and other cultural figures including Finnish composer Jean Sibelius and writers Mika Waltari and Frans Eemil Sillanpää.
    Now, Finnish architecture firm Arco has undertaken a complete renovation of the building for hotel chain Sokotel. Fyra was tasked with overhauling Hotel Torni’s public spaces including its lobby, restaurant and two bars, while local Studio Joanna Laajisto tackled the guest rooms.
    Playful wallpaper and B&B Italia’s Up 50 armchair feature in the lobby”The aim was to create surprising but elegant elements that respect the building’s original architecture and historic values,” said Fyra.

    “Although most of the building’s original art deco features had been removed over the years, the marble walls and floor in the entrance, a grand fireplace in the Cupola Room and a pair of doors in the restaurant were still intact.”
    The Ateljee bar stretches across floors 12 and 13″In our design, we did a modern interpretation of that era,” Fyra told Dezeen. “But we did use some typical features of art deco.”
    This includes coloured ceilings, tubular chrome furniture and graphic floor tiles, as well as bespoke light fixtures with glass orbs in the lobby.
    Reflective surfaces dominate the bar’s interior schemeThe historic Ateljee bar on the 13th floor offers views over Helsinki’s rooftops in four different directions and was originally only accessible via a narrow spiral staircase.
    But as part of the renovation, the bar was extended onto the 12th floor with its two levels connected by an elevator to improve accessibility and expand capacity.
    Fyra’s design team, led by Emma Keränen, Silja Kantokorpi and Eva-Marie Eriksson, furnished the space using reflective surfaces such as stainless steel counters so that the interior would maximise the panoramic views instead of competing with them.

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    Hotel Torni’s restaurant OR is located at street level. Here, the design team layered different styles of furniture, bold colours and artworks to create a “bohemian ambience” that would reflect the building’s history.
    Meanwhile, tubular steel chairs and sofas with upholstered leather seats nod to the building’s 1930s roots.
    The American bar is located under the hotel’s central domeThe American Bar was restored to its original location under the hotel’s central dome. At its heart sits a circular bar counter, atmospherically lit from above, that echoes the shape of the dome.
    For this space, the designers chose a palette of dark green and marble, complemented by lamps from Finnish industrial designer Paavo Tynell.
    Original details such as marble fireplace mantels were retainedFounded in 2010, Fyra specialises in designing work environments, hotels, restaurants and retail spaces such as this stylised bright-pink parcel collection point in Helsinki.
    Last year, the studio was named interior design studio of the year at the Dezeen Awards.
    The photography is by Riikka Kantinkoski.

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    Formafantasma and Artek's Cambio exhibition explores Finnish design's link to forestry

    Design duo Formafantasma has collaborated with furniture brand Artek to explore the relationship between the timber and design industries in Finland through an exhibition at Helsinki Design Museum.

    Called Cambio: On Finnish Forestry, the exhibition is part of Formafantasma’s wider Cambio project – an ongoing investigation into the global impact of the extraction, production and distribution of wood.
    The exhibition takes place at Helsinki Design MuseumThe duo teamed up with Finnish company Artek to create the show, which features a mixture of work shown in previous Cambio exhibitions in the UK, Italy and Switzerland, as well as new works specific to Finland.
    Featuring original films and installations as well as supporting archival material, On Finnish Forestry examines how the country’s timber industry has evolved over time, with a focus on design.
    Formafantasma created an installation of interlocked Stool 60s”This exhibition clearly links furniture design to a specific biome: forests,” Formafantasma founders Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin told Dezeen.

    “At the end of the day, it isn’t about products but about ideas.”
    An installation made up of stacked 1933 Stool 60 models by the late Artek co-founder Alvar Aalto intends to communicate the iconic product’s lasting legacy by mixing both vintage and recently produced pieces.
    One installation features aerial images capturing tree canopy density over OrivesiThe stools are crafted from silver birch, a tree species commonly found in Finland. Trimarchi and Farresin explained that Artek’s local production habits influenced their desire to collaborate with the furniture brand.
    “The majority of trees used in the production of Artek furniture are from Finnish forests, specifically from an area within a 200-kilometre radius from a sawmill close to Jyväskylä,” explained the designers.
    “We don’t see Artek just as a design company producing beautiful furniture, but as a case study on how to relate production to a specific ecosystem.”
    Under the Yoke includes a postcard of artwork by Eero JärnefeltAnother installation presents wooden boards featuring infrared aerial images of Finland’s Orivesi municipality, which document recent tree canopy cover in its peatlands area.
    Formafantasma overlaid the large-scale images with smaller, historical black-and-white snapshots comparing the habitat in previous years.
    A contemporary model of Aalto’s Screen 100 is also on showUnder the Yoke is an installation comprising a postcard of an 1893 artwork of the same name by Finnish painter Eero Järnefelt that depicts a traditional scene of slash-and-burn agriculture, which is framed by chunky pinewood sourced from contemporary clearcutting.
    Among the work presented in the exhibition, other pieces by Aalto include a 2022 version of his 1936 flexible room divider Screen 100 and deconstructed chair legs featured in an investigation into the designer’s renowned L-leg design for furniture.
    The specific qualities of birch wood was a significant influence on Aalto’s desire to create an alternative to the then-popular metal tubular legs, according to Helsinki Design Museum.

    “It’s not enough to ask designers to be sustainable” says Formafantasma

    Trimarchi and Farresin explained that the exhibition attempts to use different media to unite audiences over the same ideas about the impact of the timber industry.
    “It might sound banal, but what we want is to shift the focus from ‘things’ to ‘context’,” concluded the designers.
    “We would like people to see chairs like pieces of forests and design as the outcome of political decision-making and not exclusively as the fruit of the creativity of a designer.”
    The exhibition also explores Aalto’s renowned L-leg designKnown for an interest in climate change, Formafantasma has completed a number of other projects that explore the environmental impact of design.
    These include the first Cambio show in London, which was commissioned by the Serpentine Gallery. Last year, the duo also redesigned its website to try and reduce “pollution connected to the internet”.
    The photography is by Paavo Lehtonen Photography.

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    Ciguë imagines car-free city inside Cowboy's electric bike shop in Paris

    Limestone blocks and crushed earth feature in this electric bike shop in Paris, designed by local studio Ciguë to visualise how a car-free city of the future might look.

    The store belongs to Cowboy, an e-bike brand aimed at urban cyclists, and is located in the department store Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche.
    Ciguë has designed an e-bike store for Cowboy in ParisFor its interior, Ciguë designed a minimalist landscape that is “organic and fluid, free from the angst-inducing presence of cars”.
    Walls and ceilings throughout the space are covered in raw earth while on the floor, a winding concrete walkway reminiscent of a cycle path is surrounded by crushed earth. Roughly hewn blocks of limestone serve as seating.
    Tooled waxed concrete forms a winding pathway through the interiorOne of Cowboy’s bikes is suspended above a circular pit of crushed earth in the centre of the store, so it is visible from the street through one of the store’s three street-facing windows.

    Overhead, a screen shows footage of clouds streaking across the horizon to create the impression that the bike is “suspended between earth and sky”.
    An e-bike hangs over a pit of crushed earth in the centre of the storeAs the outpost in Le Bon Marché is Cowboy’s first shop without direct access from the street, Ciguë wanted to create an immersive interior that makes customers feel as if they are outdoors.
    “We had to reconnect the shop with the exterior,” said Ciguë founder Alphonse Sarthout.
    “Videos of the sky conjure up the idea of movement and the passage of time. Similarly, suspending the bike in mid-air contributes to the idea of speed and effortlessness associated with electric bikes.”

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    The bike is suspended using subtle wires while other models are displayed throughout the space using narrow aluminium stands, which create the impression that the bikes are standing upright of their own accord.
    These pared-back displays were intended to reflect the seamless design of Cowboy bikes.
    “The absence of visible welds and the materials used for the bike are embodied in Ciguë’s display,” said Cowboy founder Tanguy Goretti. “The interplay of textures on the walls, the benches and the aluminium rack reflects this tactile technology.”
    Blocks of limestone serve as seatingThe warm-toned earth used throughout the interior was sourced from the Oise region of northern France.
    This could become a consistent feature across other Cowboy stores in the future, according to Ciguë, with different earth tones being used for different locations.
    Other retail environments designed by the Parisian studio include a bamboo-covered boutique for Isabel Marant in Bangkok and five different Aesop shops, among them an outpost above a record store in Nottingham.
    The photography is by Maris Mezulis.

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    Muted material palette defines monochrome Chinese restaurant by StudioAC

    Canadian firm StudioAC combined micro cement, stainless steel and vinyl to form the interiors of a Chinese restaurant in Ontario designed to “respond to the context of the strip mall” in which it is located.

    Called Bao, the restaurant is located in the city of Markham, Ontario. It is positioned between a convenience store and a pharmacy along a strip of suburban shops.
    Bao is positioned along a strip of suburban shopsStudioAC’s aim was to create an interior that would provide an efficient dining experience as well as easy takeaway and delivery access, while also promoting Bao’s distinctive visual style.
    To do so, the studio arranged the interior around two angled tangent lines drawn from large street-facing windows to an open kitchen positioned at the back of the restaurant.
    StudioAC designed the eatery with monochrome interiors”These lines skew the visual perspective into the store to dramatise food preparation,” StudioAC told Dezeen.

    While Bao’s interior design stands out from the traditional shops that flank it, the restaurant’s facade was kept deliberately simple to blend into its suburban environment.
    Tables and seating were created in microcement”On the one hand, the project embraces the banal nature of the strip mall as we haven’t really done anything to the exterior,” explained the designers.
    “But on the other hand, the project’s interior responds to the context of the strip mall by introducing a unique visual terminus along an otherwise mundane facade made up of repetitive box stores.”

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    StudioAC chose to use a minimal palette of three materials throughout the monochrome interior design to let the restaurant’s statement layout speak for itself.
    Rectilinear grey microcement tables, benches and stools are positioned on each side of the restaurant, while the open kitchen was finished in stainless steel that was chosen for its striking reflective design as well as its durability.
    Two tangent lines were drawn from the windows to the open kitchenAbove the seating, the team built chunky bulkheads that are positioned parallel to one another. Below these hang contrastingly delicate banners made from vinyl vertical blinds, which were designed in a nod to traditional Chinese lanterns.
    Chosen as a material partly for their cost-effectiveness, the backlit blinds also aim to introduce “moments of softness and intimacy” to the otherwise harsh and muted interiors.
    “We considered all of the furniture as part of the architecture,” explained the designers, who created the custom tables and seating for the project.
    Vinyl backlit “banners” create playful lightingStudioAC has completed numerous other interior designs that are led by a minimalist approach. These include a Toronto house with a pair of timber-clad bedrooms and a luxury cannabis dispensery with faceted walls.
    The photography is by Jeremie Warshafsky Photography.

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    “No one wants a sea of desks anymore” says WeWork's global head of design

    WeWork is designing a more grown-up form of co-working, says global head of design Ebbie Wisecarver, as the brand reacts to the pandemic and puts greater focus on large enterprise clients.

    Wisecarver told Dezeen that the workspace provider, which has 756 locations in 38 countries, is moving away from the traditional co-working model in response to the changing demands of its clients.
    “A lot of our older spaces had a sea of desks and no one wants that anymore,” she said.
    Ebbie Wisecarver is global head of design for WeWorkWeWork’s current workplace model is more centred around flexibility and collaboration, with a wide variety of meeting spaces, more lounge-style seating and different types of lighting.
    “In some of our larger offices we might have had 10 per cent soft seating or collaboration-type furniture, and now it’s moving upward of 50 per cent,” Wisecarver explained.

    “The reality is, as we’re moving forward, everyone’s grabbing at the solution for the post-pandemic workstyle. What we’re trying to do is offer space that can transform based on different needs.”
    An alternative to corporate headquarters
    This change of approach has been partly fuelled by Covid-19, which has ushered in a new working culture that involves more remote working and virtual meetings.
    However it also reflects the changing business model of WeWork, which launched as a start-up in 2010 and enjoyed a decade of major investment and rapid expansion before suffering near-collapse after a failed IPO bid in 2019.
    WeWork’s new London properties at St Helen’s Place (pictured) and 10 York Road (main image) offer various spaces for collaborationIn the early years, WeWork’s primary focus was on providing desk space for small-scale entrepreneurs. More recently, it has shifted towards serving larger businesses and organisations.
    In 2019, large enterprises (LEs) represented approximately 40 per cent of WeWork’s clients, but today it’s closer to 50 per cent and likely to continue growing.
    WeWork offers these companies an attractive package; instead of having to maintain a corporate headquarters, they can rent a state-of-the-art space in a prime location, then equip their staff with All Access membership passes that give them access to any other WeWork around the world.
    WeWork’s has significantly increased the volume of soft seating at its properties. Pictured here is 6001 Cass Ave in DetroitWisecarver names British electronics retailer Currys – which recently moved its headquarters to the WeWork at 10 York Road, next to London Waterloo station – as an example.
    “They have a central hub where everyone can get together and collaborate, but they can also go and meet up in different satellite offices,” she said.
    “I think that’s definitely what companies are gravitating towards.”
    A new design approach
    In designs terms, this has led WeWork to adopt a more neutral and grown-up aesthetic, departing from the playful and youthful style that defined its workspaces in the past.
    “While a co-working member might like the liveliness, enterprise members often want a different feel. They might something more formal, or spaces that can be more easily branded,” said Wisecarver.
    WeWork has developed a catalogue of design palettes to offer its large enterprise clients. Pictured here is Friedrichstraße 76 in BerlinA trained architect, Wisecarver previously worked at Steven Holl Architects and Diller Scofidio + Renfro before joining WeWork in 2015. She was appointed global head of design in 2019.
    Under her steer, WeWork has developed a catalogue of design palettes that it can offer to LE clients – with names like New York Loft and By The Sea – to help them create spaces that feel appropriate for their brand.

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    It has also created a template called Collaboration Hub, which is geared towards companies whose staff primarily work from home and only need to come into the office for teamwork activities.
    “As we go through the pandemic, it has been a question of how our spaces can continue to be a destination,” she said. “How can our members feel like they’re coming in with purpose, and that they have a level of flexibility?”
    Read on for the full interview:
    Amy Frearson: What is WeWork’s design strategy?
    Ebbie Wisecarver: WeWork has always been about creating a homey, comfortable environment. That can mean many things, but what we want to create is a high performance space. We want good acoustics and quality space, we want the materials to be soft and inviting, with plants and art, and we want to create a wow factor.
    Amy Frearson: How to you achieve that?
    Ebbie Wisecarver: You don’t only create comfort through the materials, but also through different types of space. We try to capitalise on flexibility. We know that some people want to be able to work in one space but be able to hop into a phone booth to have a private conversation. And they might not want to be there all the time. People need to know that there are various space types for them to work in and that the choice is on them. It’s a new way of working for a lot of people and I have certainly seen that in China and Japan, where the work culture is quite different.
    Staircases are often designed as social spaces, like at Plaza Real Cariari in San JoséAmy Frearson: Do you have a formula that you apply to every location or do you create bespoke designs for every space?
    Ebbie Wisecarver: We have a very clear set of standards for our office spaces, meeting rooms and even phone rooms. A lot of it is around lighting, power, data; we need to make sure the spaces function. We’re able to be more bespoke in our common areas, and draw from the building and neighbourhood. We want a member to walk into a space and understand it’s a WeWork, but not feel that it’s a replica of another WeWork.
    Amy Frearson: What is your process for ensuring you don’t simply replicate what you’ve done elsewhere?
    Ebbie Wisecarver: We make sure we do our due diligence when we walk into new buildings. If it’s an older building that has character, we make sure we draw from that. It’s also about adding in unique spaces that we don’t have anywhere else. And while our meeting rooms are very much the same, they might have a different look and feel.
    Amy Frearson: Do you apply the same approach to the furniture you select?
    Ebbie Wisecarver: We have standardised sizes with furniture, to make sure they function well. So we do repeat a lot of our meeting room tables, desks and chairs. We want to make sure the tables have integrated power and that we have certain types of chairs and sofas. Where we try to have more fun is with the accessories, the textiles and the feature elements. Like in Japan we designed a kotatsu that is very unique to that country and it’s fun, but I don’t think it would fit anywhere else. It’s about letting that local flavour come through special elements.
    An in-house lighting team ensure lighting levels are appropriate for workingAmy Frearson: How does this design approach compare with the early days of WeWork, before the pandemic and before the failed IPO in 2019?
    Ebbie Wisecarver Early on, WeWork was very much focused on small-scale entrepreneurs wanting desks and the spaces were really designed around that. The early concepts from Miguel and Adam were using a lot of glass, having transparency so that you would run into people and be able to spark up conversations. But the original WeWorks didn’t have the amenities, so from a design perspective some of the older spaces were a bit moody. We also tried some things that didn’t necessarily work out; there was a phase when there was a lot of layering and materials, and some of that stuff hasn’t really held up.
    In and around the IPO, we started thinking more about how our design decisions can be driven by data. We wanted to ensure that spaces were sufficient, and that the new spaces we were designing and building were actually what members needed. Being able to pull data from a specific neighbourhood or market meant we could build the right product instead of just guessing.
    From an aesthetic standpoint, this led to our spaces becoming much lighter and brighter. Our original locations probably didn’t have the appropriate lighting for an office. Now we have an in-house lighting team who really focus on elevating and layering the light, which wasn’t a big part of our design in the beginning. We make sure spaces feel light and fresh, with that more Scandinavian feel.
    Now we’ve moved on from the IPO, our growth has become less focused on co-working and more about serving large enterprise clients, who want something very different. While a co-working member might like the liveliness, enterprise members often want a different feel. They might something more formal, or spaces that can be more easily branded. We’ve done a lot of these single-member full floors.
    All Access members can work in any WeWork worldwide. Pictured here is Salesforce Tower in San FranciscoAmy Frearson: So a lot of the design shifts have been fuelled by this shift towards more larger enterprise clients?
    Ebbie Wisecarver Yes, it was almost like we were having to meet the needs of a new member type, which became an interesting challenge. They wanted to design spaces in their own way but they needed some guidance and strategy. We actually developed a series of palettes – we have By The Sea, Modern Executive, New York Loft, and so on – so that when they came to us, we actually could give them options to design their space in a way that made them feel like it was theirs.
    Amy Frearson: How has the pandemic influenced this approach?
    Ebbie Wisecarver As we go through the pandemic, it has been a question of how our spaces can continue to be a destination. How can our members feel like they’re coming in with purpose, and that they have a level of flexibility?
    A lot of our older spaces had a sea of desks and no one wants that anymore. No one is coming back to sit in a giant room with a bunch of desks. That has been one of the biggest shifts. In some of our larger offices we might have had 10 per cent soft seating or collaboration-type furniture, and now it’s moving upward of 50 per cent. We have some great examples of members that have taken regular office space and we have transformed it into this thing that we’re calling the collaboration hub. The reality is, as we’re moving forward, everyone’s grabbing at the solution for the post-pandemic workstyle. What we’re trying to do is offer space that can transform based on different needs.
    We’ve also introduced All Access membership, which means we’re bringing members into other locations. They might be only coming in for two hours, so we have to think about that from a design perspective. How are we improving our wayfinding? Are we providing them appropriate areas with power and comfortable seating?
    WeWork has 756 locations in 38 countries. Pictured here is 4 Rue Jules Lefebvre in ParisAmy Frearson: What other design shifts have you made since the pandemic?
    Ebbie Wisecarver: There was a period of time where everyone was saying, ‘no one’s going back to the office’. So our first priority was really making our spaces safe. That didn’t just mean sanitiser and fresh air, but also looking at our HR systems and ensuring that we had protocols and rules.
    What we also started to see, when our sales team would go out and meet clients, was that it would no longer just be their head of real estate or their CFO. All of a sudden their head of HR or head of talent was joining them. It became less about efficiency and packing people in, and more about providing space, amenities and strategy. That’s where we started to see our advantage. We have such a big footprint but also the flexibility at a portfolio level. We’re able to look at commute time and potentially set up offices in a way that that is more convenient for their people.
    We started strategising with a lot of different companies about why people come in to the office. It didn’t have to be about head-down work – that could be done at home, or at a local WeWork. But you do need to come in for training and mentoring, and for team events. A lot of ideas came out of that, in terms of flexible space. Could prefab rooms become an option? Can we leverage different furniture types? That helped us think about how we could repurpose some of our offices to be these kind of touchdowns for companies, then pair them with All Access or On Demand memberships to give staff the flexibility they need. We want people to come in with purpose and meaning, and to feel energised.
    Amy Frearson: Since the pandemic, it seems that more co-working spaces are being created in residential areas than before. Has your strategy for choosing locations shifted at all?
    Ebbie Wisecarver: It hasn’t really changed. We have thought about the suburban market as a possibility but we still see our strength as being in core cities, in busy locations that are accessible by train.
    What’s interesting about having large global enterprise clients is that they often help us make these decisions. We had an enterprise client get in touch to ask if we had a space in Lisbon, which we didn’t, so we’re now working with them to open a space there. In the past we were growing at such an aggressive pace that, in a lot of ways, it was just numbers. Now, as we get back into growth, we’re being a little bit more organic and allowing our members to drive that.
    WeWork’s ambition is to be as convenient to its members as possible. Pictured here is Wynwood Garage in MiamiAmy Frearson: Can you give any other examples of enterprise clients that have informed your strategy?
    Ebbie Wisecarver: A great example is Currys. They left their headquarters in Acton and took a whole floor in 10 York Road, then equipped their whole corporate workforce with All Access passes, which give them access to any WeWork in the world. They have a central hub where everyone can get together and collaborate, but they can also go and meet up in different satellite offices. I think that’s definitely what companies are gravitating towards.
    Amy Frearson: What’s next for WeWork? What are you ambitions for the future?
    Ebbie Wisecarver: Growth is in our future and part of our strategy for growth is through acquisition. We recently acquired Common Desk, which is a small co-working company that originated in Texas. Common Desk is an amazing company that has beautiful spaces and has built a following that is uniquely theirs. We’re not trying to take over, we want them to still be Common Desk. Our objective is simply to be as in as many places and as convenient to our members as possible.
    The photography is courtesy of WeWork.

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    Studio Modijefsky favours clean lines in renovation of Dutch dyke house

    Amsterdam interior design firm Studio Modijefsky has created a contemporary family home inside of a local dijkhuis – a traditional Dutch dwelling set next to a dyke.

    Located in the north of Amsterdam, the house was originally built for a middle-class family in the 1800s. But the building suffered substantial fire damage while serving as a kindergarten in the 1980s and had to be completely rebuilt in the same style.
    Home Dijkhuis is a renovated dyke house in AmsterdamStudio Modijefsky was asked by the new owners to create an interior that would respect the building’s heritage while introducing modern touches.
    Spread across 260 square metres, the home features an entrance, living area and study on the same level as the dyke. A spacious kitchen, dining area and garden are set a level down at the back of the house, while four bedrooms occupy the first floor under the gabled roof.
    Its low timber-beam ceiling is left exposed in the kitchenThe Netherlands has a long history of building next to its vast network of dykes – the embankments stretching thousands of kilometres along its coastlines and riverbanks to protect the low-lying country from flooding.

    As these dykes raise the ground level, a dijkhuis is often split across storeys of different heights and lighting conditions, which creates both challenges and creative opportunities according to Studio Modijefsky.
    “To create an interior that fits the original architecture while freshening it up, the spatial qualities of each living area were assessed and the properties of height, light and each building structure and window shape were maximised,” explained the studio.
    A green corduroy sofa and a walnut cabinet dominate the loungeIn the downstairs kitchen and dining area, a low timber-beam ceiling creates an intimate space anchored by a large table, where the family can come together for meals or enjoy views over the garden through the wide French windows.
    In the kitchen, a terrazzo-topped island is complemented with dark wooden door fronts, a backlit glass display cabinet and terracotta tiles on the floor.
    Marble detailing features throughout the house in fireplaces and splashbacksUpstairs, on the level of the dyke, the house’s entrance hallway leads into a bright living room, which the design team describes as “the most lavish space in the house”.
    It features tall arched windows and a high curved ceiling with art deco ornaments, giving the room a spacious and welcoming feel.

    Rainforest foliage and mirrors feature inside Amsterdam bar by Studio Modijefsky

    The walls and ceilings are painted in three different hues of white, strategically placed to enhance the room’s architectural features.
    “In a room with so much natural light, darker colours could be used to dramatic effect such as on the dark herringbone floor,” said Studio Modijefsky. “But all eyes will here be drawn to a monolithic walnut cabinet, whose shape mirrors the windows opposite it.”
    A built-in bar is set in one corner of the loungeIn addition to the walnut cabinet, the room is furnished with an olive-green corduroy sofa and a built-in cocktail bar with a terrazzo top.
    Across the hallway is a toilet decorated with off-white tiles that are glossy on the walls and matt on the floor. Other furnishings include wooden plinths, a purple marble splashback and an oak-wood cabinet with brass details.
    The study, which doubles as a guest room, has built-in storage cabinets and an en-suite bathroom with travertine instead of marble detailing.
    The curved ceilings of the dijkhuis create a sense of being envelopedFour bedrooms, two bathrooms and a separate toilet are squeezed onto the dijkhuis’s first floor. To create enough space for these living arrangements, the design team installed two dormer windows that run along two-thirds of the roof’s length.
    The floors and walls here are lighter compared to downstairs, with parts of the original beamed roof left exposed.
    Bathrooms on this floor feature rectangular tiles arranged in a herringbone pattern, which is echoed in the parquet of the bedrooms. In the corridors, the studio switched the pattern to straight planking in order to emphasise the vertical dimensions of the house.
    Four bedrooms are housed on the first floor under the home’s gabled roofStudio Modijefsky, which was founded by interior architect Esther Stam in 2009, has completed a number of projects in the Dutch capital in recent years.
    Among them is a travel-themed eatery with swampy purple ceilings and yellow-tiled walls that recall grassy meadows, as well as the renovation of a 119-year-old restaurant.
    The photography is by Maarten Willemstein. 

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