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    Norway's remote Hotel Finse 1222 undergoes subtle update by Snøhetta

    Architecture firm Snøhetta has carried out a sensitive refurbishment of this hotel in Finse, a tiny mountain village in Norway that can only be reached by railway.

    Built in the shadow of Norway’s Hardangerjøkulen glacier, Hotel Finse 1222 sits 1,222 metres above sea level and started life as a humble lodge for railroad workers before becoming a fully-fledged hotel in 1909.
    Hotel Finse 1222 is located in a tiny Norwegian mountain villageOver the decades, the establishment attracted a steady stream of visitors but its interiors grew tired.
    When Snøhetta was tasked with bringing the hotel up to date, the firm steered away from major structural changes and instead settled for making a few aesthetic tweaks.
    Snøhetta introduced colour to the hotel’s reception and lounge”We wanted to ensure we preserved the historical qualities of the place by attentively adjusting and upgrading the existing building mass, only adding new elements where it was absolutely needed,” said Heidi Pettersvold Nygaard, senior architect at the firm.

    “Bringing back to life the long and diverse history of Finse’s heydays was a delight, ensuring that also new visitors could become aware of this completely unique nature and hotel experience.”
    Floral-print William Morris wallpaper covers surfaces in the dining roomThe firm wanted to foster a “warm and hearty” ambience in the hotel’s reception and lounge area so that arriving guests feel instantly at ease.
    Here, surfaces are painted tangerine orange while the soft furnishings are different hues of red.
    Just beyond the lounge, Snøhetta designed a new wooden terrace to match the building’s original carpentry.
    The room’s original ceiling was preservedIn the dining room, floral William Morris wallpaper now blankets the walls. This is a nod to some long-forgotten furnishings Snøhetta found in the hotel’s attic that were upholstered in a similar fabric by the prominent British textile designer.
    The room’s decorative plaster ceiling was preserved and complemented with ornate brass-stemmed lamps, which the studio says are historically appropriate.
    Photographs of famous guests that have passed through the hotel are mounted on the walls, including portraits of Prince Charles and Norwegian figure skater Sonia Hennie.

    Snøhetta designs library in Beijing to resemble a ginkgo-tree forest

    A moodier atmosphere reigns in the hotel’s lounge, where surfaces are rendered in a deep shade of indigo to amplify the dazzling blueish light of Finse’s winter sunsets.
    Guests can sit back and observe the day drawing to a close on the room’s plump blue sofas or bench seats lined with furry throws.
    The hotel’s lounge is filled with shades of blueThe most dramatic intervention made by Snøhetta as part of the refurbishment involved elevating the hotel’s roof to make way for two more guest suites beneath its peak.
    Both suites come complete with expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that offer uninterrupted views of the surrounding landscape. Even the bathtubs are positioned to overlook nearby mountain Lille Finsenut.
    Draped over the beds are bespoke woollen throws depicting an abstract image of the Hardangerjøkulen glacier.
    Two new guest suites were created beneath the hotel’s roofSnøhetta currently has a number of projects in the works.
    Earlier this month, the firm released plans to extend the Hopkins Centre for the Arts at Dartmouth. It is also erecting a library in Beijing that will feature a “forest” of pillars on its interior.

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    Esme Hotel in Miami draws on the “bohemian grandeur” of its past

    Saturated tones, Mediterranean patterns and decadent furnishings are found throughout this renovated boutique hotel in Miami with interiors by New York studio Jessica Schuster Design.

    Originally built in 1927 as a cultural hub for artists, the building, formerly known as Spanish Village, is located on Miami Beach’s pedestrian plaza, Española Way.
    Esme Hotel is located along Miami Beach’s pedestrian stripEvent planning and design company Infinity Hospitality Group collaborated with Jessica Schuster Design on the transformation of the hotel, which has 145 guest rooms.
    The architecture of Española Way resembles the Mediterranean villages of Spain and France. Schuster looked to the rich local architectural history as a starting point for the interiors.
    Jessica Schuster Design transformed the building into a boutique hotel”We wanted to create an artful collage of bohemian grandeur alongside Miami’s historic Española Way,” said Jessica Schuster, founder of Jessica Schuster Design.”We had fun playing with furniture, lighting and fabrics to create something timeless and exciting at the same time,” Schuster told Dezeen.

    The interior has Art Deco elementsGuests arrive at a lobby with plush velvet flooring and benches clad in a fabric that recalls the patterned ceramic tiles often seen in southern European countries. Plants potted in wicker pots add to the hotel’s bohemian theme.
    “We wanted to create something that spoke to the Mediterranean culture of South Beach, Miami,” said Shuster.
    “This was achieved using vibrant colours, fun textures and details that remained true to the historical aspect of the hotel’s original design.”
    Clashing patterns feature throughout the hotelAfter passing through the lobby, visitors can sip cocktails or sample Latin-inspired dishes at El Salón, a cocktail bar inside the Esme Hotel.
    Here, stools fringed with tassels are stationed around the edge of a circular mahogany bar. The adjoining, dimly lit dining area has a similar decadent arrangement, with candlelit tables spread across the checkered floor.

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    Schuster worked closely with the Historic Preservation Board of Miami to replicate some of the original building’s elements.
    The studio used materials such as the limestone travertine and plaster, which featured heavily in Mediterranean revival design in Miami.
    The rooms are coloured in saturated, rich hues associated with opulence”It was a historical property, so we worked to bring back the integrity of the original designs that are unique to South Beach, being that most buildings are from the Art Deco period,” Shuster explained.
    “We reused a lot of pecky cypress wood detailing on the ceilings and throughout the hotel. We also uncovered an original fireplace that we gave life to again and kept the original arches,” she added.
    The bathrooms incorporate gold elementsThe Art Deco aesthetic is continued upstairs in the hotel’s bedrooms and bathrooms where bath and skincare products by Grown Alchemist can be found.
    Many of the rooms have a rose and emerald colour scheme with gold accents and vibrant clashing patterns that create striking decorations for floors and walls.
    On the rooftop, there is a vintage bar and swimming pool with frilly red awnings and pinstriped seating.
    The rooftop has pinstriped furnishingsEsme Hotel isn’t the only interior that references the opulence of Miami’s past. American designer Ken Fulk styled The Goodtime Hotel to reflect the art deco architecture of the area.
    Fulk also decorated the interior of the Swan restaurant in Miami with soft, candy colours that remind diners of Miami’s 1920s heyday.
    Photography is by Christian Harder.
    Project credits:Client: Infinity HospitalityInterior design: Jessica Schuster Design

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    Ten kids' rooms with space-saving loft beds and bunk beds

    Our latest lookbook features 10 compact children’s bedrooms that use bunk beds to conserve precious space and make more room for play.

    By stacking two beds on top of each other to form a single unit, bunk beds can free up floor space and create a greater sense of privacy in shared rooms. Loft beds, which are raised high above the floor, can help to achieve a similar space-saving result.
    Examples in this lookbook include a three-tiered bunk bed in a rural Chilean cabin and a birch plywood unit in London’s Barbican that integrates not just two beds but also a fold-out desk for doing homework.
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing kitchens with social seating nooks, statement skylights and living rooms with sculptural furniture.
    Photo is by Ståle EriksenBirch and Clay Refugio, UK, by Rise Design Studio

    Rise Design Studio used bespoke birch plywood joinery to help maximise the space in this London garden flat, which the practice remodelled and extended to accommodate a family of four.
    In the kid’s room, the material was used to create an intricate bunk bed, which sits perched on a platform housing a small play area and numerous drawers.
    Find out more about Birch and Clay Refugio ›
    Photo is by Michael SinclairA Room for Two, UK, by Studio Ben Allen
    In this children’s bedroom, two beds are stacked on top of each other within an architectural plywood structure, which bisects the room to conserve both space and privacy.
    The result are two “miniature houses”, each with its own arched doorway and built-in desk, while the steps leading to the upper bed double as shelving.
    “Inspired by the painting St Jerome in His Study by Antonello da Messina, our departure point was to create an installation that is as much a small piece of architecture as it is a piece of furniture,” said Studio Ben Allen.
    Find out more about A Room for Two ›
    Photo is by Mariell Lind HansenAlbergo Miramonti hotel, Italy, by Boxx Creative
    Albergo Miramonti is a renovated 1950s hotel in the Alpine village of Corteno Golgi that was overhauled by London studio Boxx Creative to maximise the space provided by its poorly organised floorplan.
    Family suites now house roomy single and double bunk beds, designed to prove that compact living doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort or taste.
    Find out more about the Albergo Miramonti hotel ›
    Photo is by Bruce DamonteMylla Hytte, Norway, by Mork-Ulnes Architects
    Pinewood lines both the interior and exterior of this home, which overlooks a lake in the Nordmarka woodland north of Oslo and was designed to resemble a traditional Norwegian “hytte” cabin.
    The same plywood used to panel the walls and ceilings also forms a number of built-in furniture pieces, including a bunk bed for the family’s two children as well as benches, shelves and a dining table.
    Find out more about Mylla Hytte ›
    Photo is by Stephen Kent JohnsonOne Manhattan Square apartment, USA, by Jamie Bush
    American designer Jamie Bush made bold and liberal use of colour to help liven up an off-the-shelf bunk bed from Casa Kids in this mustard-hued room.
    This helps the interior blend in with the rest of the apartment and its sculptural 1970s furnishings, set on the 60th floor of the luxury residential skyscraper One Manhattan Square on the Lower East Side.
    Find out more about One Manhattan Square apartment ›
    Photo is by Felipe UgaldeBL1 and BL2, Chile, by Umwelt
    Chilean studio Umwelt designed this home with expansive windows for a young family that just moved from Santiago to the beach town of Cáhuil in order to help bring them closer to nature.
    The kid’s room houses a three-tiered bunk bed that looks out over the rolling countryside, while other rooms offer sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean.
    Find out more about BL1 and BL2 ›
    Photo is by French + TyeRoom For One More, UK, by Studio Ben Allen
    In order to add an extra bedroom to the beloved flat of a growing family in the Barbican estate in London, Studio Ben Allen inserted a full-height timber volume at the centre of the plan. This houses an office area with a fold-out desk on one side and a bunk bed on the other.
    The new kid’s bedroom can be separated from the rest of the apartment using a sliding door, and the teal-coloured steps leading up to its bed can be pushed back to form another small desk for doing homework.
    Find out more about Room For One More ›
    Photo is by Olivier-Martin GambierHouse for a Photographer, France, by Alireza Razavi
    All of the floor space in this kid’s room is designated for playing, as double-height ceilings allow the sleeping area to be raised up in the form of an oversized loft bed for two.
    Architect Alireza Razavi also installed a similar mezzanine level over the home’s dining area that houses a post-editing room for the owner, who is a professional photographer.
    Find out more about House for a Photographer ›
    Photo is by Jeff CateHudson Woods home, USA, by Magdalena Keck
    New York interior designer Magdalena Keck recruited a cast of American makers and artisans to design custom furniture pieces for this holiday home in the Catskill Mountains.
    Among them is a chunky timber bunk bed that blends in with the wood-panelled walls and pays homage to the property’s natural setting.
    Find out more about Hudson Woods home ›
    Photo is by Maxime BrouilletFahouse, Canada, by Jean Verville
    Jean Verville nestled a double-width loft bed inside the steep gable of this cottage, set in a forest near Quebec.
    Wooden ceiling beams are left exposed and matched to the light wooden bed and the floor, which stand in stark contrast to the home’s blackened steel cladding.
    Find out more about Fahouse ›
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing kitchens with social seating nooks, statement skylights and living rooms with sculptural furniture.

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    Bala's SoHo store by Ringo Studio features oversized fitness equipment

    Brooklyn-based Ringo Studio has created a pastel “playground” as the first retail space for fitness brand Bala in New York City, which includes scaled-up versions of its products.

    Founded by Natalie Holloway and Max Kislevitz, who appeared on reality TV show Shark Tank, Bala sells weights, bands and other fitness equipment in a range of candy colours.
    Bala’s New York City store includes giant versions of the brand’s fitness productsRingo Studio founder Madelynn Ringo, the former retail designer for cosmetics brand Glossier, cold-called the duo and asked them to keep her in mind when they opened their first physical retail space.
    So when the opportunity arose to take over a 1,300-square-foot (120-square-metre) space at 99 Spring Street in SoHo, Ringo was brought on to translate the brand’s aesthetic into interior design.
    A weighted ankle Bangle becomes a leather seat for customersThe products are typified by soft, rounded shapes, so these were replicated in features around the store.

    “The space invites visitors to work out amid scaled-up versions of Bala’s visually compelling products,” Ringo said. “These sculptural elements create nooks for testing, touching, and trying out in-person.”
    The entrance is via a black hoop that resembles Bala’s Power RingThe entrance to the store is under a black arch that resembles one of the brand’s signature products: The Power Ring.
    Beyond, a pale green counter displays a variety of weights in the same hue as its curved top. Further areas are also colour-matched with the items on show.
    Products are colour-coordinated with their display areas”Organised chromatically, distinct zones immerse visitors in the colour space of the band, heightening the sense of place and identification with the brand,” Ringo said.
    A giant 12-foot-tall version of the Bala Beam is propped up against a mirrored wall that is divided by vertical light strips.
    Mirrored walls allow customers to test out the products as if they were in a gymOn the opposite side, an oversized replica of a Bangle – used as ankle weight – swoops down from the ceiling to form a squishy leather seat.
    Through a pale blue arch is another space decorated entirely in pink, from the walls, ceiling and counter, to velvet fitting-room curtains and a furry carpet.

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    The space was fabricated by New York-based Konduit, which specialises in scenic design, curved surfaces and custom finishes.
    The team worked with Ringo Studio to match the distinct matte sheen and exact colours of the Bala products across the scaled-up design elements.
    At the back is an entirely pink room, hosting more products and fitting roomsOutside of retail hours, the store is also intended to host fitness programs that incorporate the various products.
    “It’s a Balacise playground to introduce customers to their innovative products and encourage them to test and experiment,” Ringo said.
    The back room is lined with a furry pink carpetPastels have been a popular choice of palette for stores and boutiques over the past few years, particularly in New York City.
    Brands like Everlane, The Arrivals, and of course, Glossier, all chose similarly soft shades for their shop interiors in the city.
    The photography is by Anna Morgowicz.

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    Ten living rooms that use floor-to-ceiling glazing to bring the outdoors in

    In our latest lookbook, we spotlight 10 homes with living rooms enclosed by floor-to-ceiling glazing and window walls that create seamless connections to their natural surroundings.

    The use of large panes of glass on the exterior of a dwelling is a popular trend in residential architecture as it is an effective way to make living spaces feel bigger and brighter.
    Another major benefit of using expanses of glazing and floor-to-ceiling windows is maximising outward views, which can help connect occupants to the outdoors and, in turn, boost wellbeing.
    This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing statement skylights, welcoming terraces and living rooms with sculptural furniture.
    Photo is by Miranda KimberlinThe Watchman Cabin, USA, by Imbue Design

    Sweeping views of the Utah desert are enjoyed through the window wall of this living room in The Watchman Cabin, a remote home created by Imbue Design for a nature-loving client.
    The interior is finished with a restrained grey palette, helping to retain focus on the colours of the dramatic vista beyond.
    Find out more about The Watchman Cabin ›
    Photo is by Rory GardinerBilgola Beach House, Australia, by Olson Kundig
    Architecture studio Olson Kundig used floor-to-ceiling glazing and sliding doors to provide the living spaces of this house with fresh air and sightlines over Sydney’s Bilgola Beach.
    Outside, the glazed areas incorporate retractable louvres, allowing the dwelling to be sealed off from the beachfront in inclement weather.
    Find out more about Bilgola Beach House ›
    Photo is by David BarbourNedd, UK, by Mary Arnold-Forster Architects
    Mary Arnold-Forster Architects designed two floor-to-ceiling windows for the lounge of Nedd, a house built from cross-laminated timber in the Scottish Highlands.
    According to the studio’s founder, the goal was to “avoid a wall of glass” but to frame the expansive undulating landscape that surrounds the rocky site.
    Find out more about Nedd ›
    Photo is by Kevin ScottWhidbey Island Farm, USA, by MW Works
    Views of woodland through floor-to-ceiling windows animate the pared-back living spaces of Whidbey Island Farm, a country retreat in the Pacific Northwest by MW Works.
    The home is divided into three volumes that are positioned across the gently sloping site, providing each room with unique viewpoints of the surrounding landscape.
    Find out more about Whidbey Island Farm › 
    Photo is by Adrià GoulaCalders House, Spain, by Narch
    Glazed panels slide wide open to create seamless links between the lounge and the park on the doorstep of this concrete family home in Spain.
    According to the studio, these large portions of glazing are intended to make the residence feel “more like exterior garden than interior, a space in which furniture and plants are placed directly under the blue sky”.
    Find out more about Calders House › 
    Photo is courtesy of Aidlin Darling DesignHigh Desert Retreat, USA, by Aidlin Darling Design
    High Desert Retreat’s living room has floor-to-ceiling windows that Aidlin Darling Design incorporated to celebrate the home’s elevated vantage in California’s Palm Desert.
    Some portions of glazing also open up the room to the outside, leading down to a swimming pool that runs almost the entire length of the house.
    Find out more about High Desert Retreat › 
    Photo is by Markus LinderothSommarhus H, Sweden, by Johan Sundberg
    Giant panes of glass were used by Johan Sundberg to break up the simple exterior of Sommarhus H, a Swedish house lined with larch battens.
    On one side of the living room, the glazing is opened to create a link to a decked area outside. Minimal furniture and finishes retain focus on views towards the Baltic sea.
    Find out more about Sommarhus H › 
    Photo is by Ivar KaalVilla Aa, Norway, by CF Møller Architects
    This window wall forms the main facade of the Villa Aa dwelling that CF Møller Architects sunk into the ground on a Norwegian farm.
    In the living room, the doors provide access to a large terrace that is built from concrete to match the internal flooring and “blur the boundaries between inside and outside”.
    Find out more about Villa Aa › 
    Photo is by Alex Shoots BuildingsTerrace With a House by the Lake, Poland, by UGO
    Giant windows in the lounge of this Polish holiday home disrupt the otherwise blank exterior, which architecture studio UGO clad in corrugated metal.
    The living room is finished with materials chosen to reflect the colours and textures of the adjoining terrace and adjacent woodland, establishing a connection to the outside.
    Find out more about Terrace With a House by the Lake ›
    Photo is by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenPavilion House, UK, by Norm Architects
    Pavilion House is a holiday home in rural Suffolk that has almost entirely glazed walls, including those in its pared-back living room.
    According to its designer, Norm Architects, this is to acknowledge “that the big-ticket item in the setting is indeed the countryside” and ensure views of it throughout the dwelling.
    Find out more about Pavilion House ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing statement skylights, welcoming terraces and living rooms with sculptural furniture.

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    Yinka Ilori gives London studio colourful revamp

    Designer Yinka Ilori has collaborated with British architect Sam Jacob to give his London studio and office a bright revamp.

    Ilori worked with Jacob to transform the standard industrial-style unit into a bright and lively flexible workspace.
    Yinka Ilori collaborated with Sam Jacob to redesign his studio”We wanted to rethink what an artists’ studio is and look at how we could experiment with space to create a flexible and multifunctional environment that could respond to the different needs,” Ilori told Dezeen.
    “Yinka’s brief at the outset was a really great question about what a designer’s studio could be: how it could be a place to create but also a place to share, to host and to communicate,” added Jacob.
    Ilori’s office space is largely pinkEntirely painted in the bright tones often used within Ilori’s installations, furniture and artworks, the space is divided into three distinct zones.

    These areas, which will be used as an office, exhibition area and archive with a kitchen, are divided by curtains and sliding doors so that they can be combined into a large space.

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    “The aim was to create distinct areas in the space, and we did this using different materials from solid walls, sliding doors, felt and translucent curtains so that there is a flexibility in the way the space can be arranged,” explained Jacob.
    “Plus the way Yinka uses colour has a real effect on the definition, organisation and feel of space.”
    A transparent curtain divides two spaces”We wanted the studio to have distinct zones but at the same time be able to open or close spaces to create privacy,” explained Ilori.
    “We’ve used a number of translucent and solid curtains as well as large sliding doors to my office which means all the spaces can feel connected or we can separate different areas out,” he continued.
    “We’ve also used colour to define the function of the space so my team and my work area is dominated by pink, while the communal spaces and display spaces use blues and yellows.”
    Ilori’s office is accessed through a pair of sliding doorsOverall, Ilori believes that the collaboration with Jacob has resulted in a unique office that makes the most of the space.
    “Sam and I have quite a lot of common ground in terms of our design aesthetic so it was a really interesting experience to be able to share our ideas,” he said.
    “We were both able to see things through the others’ perspective and specialism which is what has resulted in us creating something really quite unique.”
    Furniture is stored in the archive space”We spent a lot of time discussing the space together to see how we could make it work for me,” he continued.
    “It was through those discussions that we were able to shape the design to make sure it was as practical as possible and could really function as a contemporary studio.”
    Ilori recently created a colourful maze-like installation for the V&A Dundee and designed a rainbow-coloured basketball court in Canary Wharf.
    Jacob’s recent projects include London’s Cartoon Museum, an events space for the ArtReview magazine and a contemporary neolithic shelter in Shenzhen.
    The photography is by Lewis Khan.

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    Balenciaga wraps London store in pink faux fur to celebrate its Le Cagole “it-bag”

    Fashion brand Balenciaga has transformed its Mount Street store in London, creating a maximalist look to launch its Le Cagole collection by blanketing the interior in bright pink faux fur.

    To celebrate its popular Le Cagole bag, which references Balenciaga’s maximalist It Bags of the past, and launch the line’s collection of accessories and shoes, the entire interior of the store has been covered in fur.
    Balenciaga’s Mount Street store was lined in faux furThe brand removed its accessories, ready-to-wear collections and permanent shelving from the store and installed temporary, metal fixtures – taken from the brand’s previous projects and installations – throughout.
    Balenciaga wrapped these temporary fixtures and displays in a fluffy, bright pink faux fur chosen for its maximalist look to tie with the Le Cagole bag identity.
    Pink faux fur was used across the walls, floors and surfaces”The line, which now includes multiple bags, wallet, and shoe styles, reinvents Balenciaga codes in the tradition of maximalist It Bags of another era,” said Balenciaga.

    “Le Cagole pop-ups are in keeping with this spirit, covered entirely with bright pink fake fur. Shelves, displays, floors, seating, and even racks in the open-plan kiosks are lined in pink.”
    Le Cagole bags were placed across the fur-lined temporary displaysThe Le Cagole, which Vogue has dubbed the “new it-bag”, was designed by Balenciaga’s creative director Demna, who reinvented one of the house’s most iconic bags – the Balenciaga Motorcycle bag.
    First released in 2001 by Nicholas Ghesquiere, who led a 15-year tenure as creative director at the house from 1997 to 2012, the Motorcycle bag quickly became a staple of the 2000s.

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    Demna’s Le Cagole collection, which was first launched as a collection of handbags, has now extended into a number of different bags, shoes and purses. It takes its name from French slang that refers to an “over-the-top attitude”.
    The pieces employ the same detailing, hardware and rivets as Ghesquiere’s 2001 Motorcycle bag, which have been applied across a number of accessories including knee-high stiletto boots, mini-purses and oversized rhinestone-embellished handbags.
    The fur-lined Le Cagole pop-up is open at Balenciaga’s Mount Street store in London from April through until June 2022.
    The pop-up offers limited edition bagsBalenciaga told Dezeen that the metal fixtures and displays would be reused for future projects, and it is looking into ways in which the fur can be repurposed and reused in different contexts.
    “Each Le Cagole pop-up fixture base was made of reused metal from previous projects. After the faux fur is removed, the metal will be reused again for future projects,” it said.
    “We are currently researching the best way in which we can donate the faux fur so that it can be reused in manufacturing toys, for example.”
    The pop-up is open until JuneFor the fashion brand’s Autumn Winter 2022 collection, the house created a “snow globe” where models walked the runway in a blizzard as a comment on both the climate crisis and the Ukraine war.
    In late 2021, Balenciaga renovated its flagship store in London and debuted its “raw architecture” store aesthetic.
    Photos are courtesy of Balenciaga.

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    Pirajean Lees and Olly Bengough design “timeless” interiors for House of Koko members' club

    Low-lit bathrooms informed by dressing rooms and a stage-kitchen-like restaurant feature in a members’ club at iconic music venue Koko, which pays homage to its theatrical past. 

    Local studio Pirajean Lees and owner and creative director of Koko Olly Bengough collaborated to create a members’ club within the London venue, which has been renovated over the past three years.
    Top: soft furnishings in Ellen’s bar control its acoustics. Above: Modular furniture that is easy to move features throughout the clubNamed The House of Koko, the members’ club consists of numerous bars, dining areas, lounges and a speakeasy arranged over several floors in a space alongside the public areas of the venue.
    The members’ club is directly connected to the refurbished 122-year-old, Grade II-listed theatre, which was renovated by architecture firm Archer Humphryes Architects.
    “The heart of the whole project is the theatre,” Bengough told Dezeen.

    A 1970s-style private dining room sits close to the main theatrePirajean Lees and Bengough took cues from Koko’s history as a music venue when designing the members’ club interiors, which intend to playfully reflect how traditional theatres used to run.
    On the first floor, The Battens Bar is a cocktail lounge that features a central banquette with punk-era red leather trim and a ceiling canopy crafted from cloth by Richmond Design Inc that has previously only been used to make speakers.
    Next to this space, there is a minimalist restaurant featuring Japandi interiors and an open-plan kitchen and dining area that was informed by the simplicity and community of old stage kitchens.
    Vinyl-listening, train-like booths create a sense of intimacyAnother bar is Ellen’s – an intimate 1940s-style speakeasy named after actor Ellen Terry, who opened Koko when it officially started as The Camden Theatre in 1900.
    The space is defined by soft furnishings that control its acoustics and a one-of-a-kind carpet with quirky illustrations of cigarettes.
    A bespoke bar in the penthouse by Pirajean LeesA private dining room with a geometric glass chandelier has panelled walls that hint at the main theatre located next to it, while dedicated vinyl-listening rooms with under-seat record storage give occupants the feeling of being in a vintage train carriage.
    “Because we inherited such a rich history of Koko, I don’t think anything contemporary or very modern would’ve allowed everything to carry on as if it had never closed and as if we had always been here,” explained Pirajean Lees co-founder Clémence Pirajean.
    The rooftop restaurant includes a funnel-like fireplaceAlso included in the members’ club is a piano room and library that are designed in the same eclectic material palette as the rest of its spaces.
    There is also a penthouse with a recording studio and a lounge with numerous hidden microphones to allow artists to record music all over the room.
    An airy roof terrace and restaurant lead to The House of Koko’s final space, an attic-like bar hidden in the venue’s famous dome, which was restored after a fire in 2020 destroyed it and extended Koko’s closure.

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    Deep olive doors informed by those that were located backstage throughout Koko in the 1920s run through the entire building and feature bespoke handles designed by Pirajean Lees.
    Bathrooms with illuminated, angular mirrors intend to give visitors the feeling of getting ready for a performance backstage in a hair and make-up room.
    Wooden joinery in various rooms also intends to reference the main theatre’s fly tower, which is a 360-degree stage and shaft formerly used to store props and scenery that was discovered during Koko’s renovation.
    A curved staircase leads to the dome bar”The thinking was let’s really go back to the past and get the past right, which sets you up to do the future in quite an interesting way,” said Bengough, describing the designers’ process.
    “Because if you make it beautiful, and timeless, and classic and all connected, then you’re like, wow, part two is as interesting and as beautiful as part one,” added Pirajean Lees co-founder James Michael Lees.
    The dome features an attic-like bar with views of the rooftop restaurantAs well as the members’ club, Pirajean Lees and Bengough also designed the interiors for two public spaces at the music venue.
    These are Cafe Koko, a pizzeria featuring a bar that doubles as a small stage for live performances and a shop selling Koko merchandise.
    Koko will officially reopen to the public on 30 April, with live streaming capabilities installed throughout the venue so that artists can reach audiences all over the world.
    Previously, Pirajean Lees also created the interiors for a jazz-age-style restaurant in a converted Dubai nightclub.
    The images are courtesy of Pirajean Lees and Olly Bengough. 

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