Markus Andrews

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    Sella designs “post-pandemic” offices for Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners in Brooklyn

    London studio Sella has created office interiors for tech company Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners in Dumbo, New York City, with a focus on flexible and collaborative space to entice employees back to the workplace.

    The 3,000-square-foot (280-square-metre) office has a prime waterfront location at 10 Jay Street, inside a former sugar refinery overhauled by ODA Architecture in 2019.
    Sella designed the Sidewalk Infrastructure Projects offices with a focus on communal spaceDesigned during the coronavirus pandemic, the workspaces for Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners are open and flexible — more akin to a members club than a traditional office.
    “Sella sensitively evolved the design to create the first-generation post-pandemic office space, championing the merge of the workspace and membership culture within private office environments,” said the studio.
    The interiors are more akin to a members club than a tech startup officeTravel restrictions also meant that Sella had to execute the project from the UK, in collaboration with the New York office of architecture firm Gensler.

    Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners is a startup backed by Google’s parent company Alphabet, and a spin-off of smart cities initiative Sidewalk Labs.
    A kitchen area is arranged around a curved plaster wallAt its offices, the building’s industrial heritage is celebrated through exposed brick columns and poured concrete floors.
    A large area in the centre of the plan, for both employees and guests to congregate, is arranged around a tree.
    Taps are built into the wall for a minimal effectCustom banquettes, upholstered in fabrics by Dedar and Maharam, offer casual seating against the wall and beside the greenery. Opposite, the kitchen area is set against a gently arced partition between two brick columns.
    The curve is continued in the shape of walnut-fronted cabinets and a white, oval island that reaches bar height. Beer and kombucha taps and other hardware are plumbed directly into the wall for a clean, minimalist finish.
    Another curved wall leads to private work areasAnother new textured-plaster wall curves behind the kitchenette, leading employees to the more private work areas.
    “These casual break-out spaces linking with the more private, formal moments within the office were sensitively considered by Sella to push the brief of an office based on connection, born out of the pandemic,” said Sella.

    Sella Concept applies “cocoon of rich materials and colour” to interiors of east London office

    Meeting rooms are positioned along the glazed facade, overlooking the East River.
    An engineered bronze conference table with a leather-like top can be rolled along a track in the concrete floor, to facilitate larger board meetings when needed.
    Meeting rooms overlook the East RiverWarm neutral colours in all of the spaces are complemented by lighting from American brand Allied Maker, while quirky details include cabinet handles by UK-based Swarf Hardware.
    “With the ease of working from home, an office now needs to work harder to entice employees to connect with each other and with clients – thereby Sella’s design aims to incentivise behaviour with connectivity at its heart,” the studio said.
    A brass floor track allows conference tables to be joined together for large meetingsSella was founded by Tatjana von Stein and Gayle Noonan, and works across interiors, furniture, branding and set design.
    Interchangeably known as Sella Concept, the studio has also completed the London headquarters for fashion brand Sister Jane, a co-working space in the UK capital and a collection of curvaceous furniture.
    The photography is by Sean Davidson.

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    Sulkin Askenazi arranges yellow school interiors around wooden tree

    Splashes of bright yellow, round openings and a giant timber tree are among the playful touches Mexican design studio Sulkin Askenazi has included in Ikigai Sisu, a school in the Dominican Republic.

    Sulkin Askenazi arranged the elementary school around a central wooden tree in the lobby, which provides a playful feature for the children to sit on when learning indoors.
    Sulkin Askenazi has added yellow hues inside Ikigai SisuCalled Ikigai Sisu, the 500-square-metre school opened in September 2021 and is located in the town of Punta Cana on the eastern coast of Dominican Republic.
    Sulkin Askenazi was informed by Finnish schools, where shared recreational areas are given par with traditional learning spaces such as classrooms. The school is designed to encourage learning through play and exploration.
    Rooms are arranged around an artificial tree in the lobby”The origin of the project is aligned with the Finnish educational model, where recreational spaces play an important role in the development of children by providing a stimulating and inclusive place that fosters ties, curiosity and interaction,” said Jack Sulkin, co-founder of Sulkin Askenazi.

    “We wanted to design a school where the entire space felt connected and flexible and not too divided or fractioned into isolated spaces,” he told Dezeen.
    An area for physical education is at the back of the buildingAt the heart of Ikigai Sisu is a trunk made from locally sourced white oak slats that children can sit on. Also in the lobby is a reception desk, a climbing wall and soft stools clad in yellow and grey fabric.
    Classrooms with wooden tables and chairs line the front of the building while at the back there is a soft play area for physical exercise lessons. A kitchen can also be found in one of the main classrooms.
    Classrooms are coloured in the same yellow schemeSulkin wanted the colour yellow, which is the school’s colour, to act as a sensory stimulus. Yellow tiles are found in the bathrooms while sunny hued paint continues the colour theme in the classrooms.
    The yellow is countered with grey accents which appear on soft furnishings such as rugs, pouffes and activity mats.

    Walls with integrated furniture and yellow nooks encourage play in Madrid school

    “We wanted the project to have a more vibrant monochrome look and feel; an aesthetic that alludes to the school’s philosophy,” Sulkin explained.
    “The vibrancy of yellow, applied to our ever-flowing spaces through the school design, unquestionably triggers imagination and the ever changing minds of young children who roam the space.”
    Cubby holes and rounded openings are dotted throughoutAccording to Sulkin, the other “main character” in the school is the use of wood.
    “The project has two main characters, the first one is the colour yellow, and the second is the low thick wooden ribbon that organically flows throughout the project,” Sulkin explained.
    “We tried to instil a free-flowing, interactive, energy invigorating space with Ikigai,” he added.
    The bathroom is clad in bright yellow tilesDotted throughout the low slung school are little wooden cubby holes set at different heights and cushioned nooks that allow children to hide and peek through.
    This same wood forms an array of shelving units to display learning material and cabinets for storage.
    Bright colours are a popular feature in contemporary educational architecture around the world.
    Dezeen rounded up 10 colourful kindergartens that encourage kids to crawl, jump and learn including a pastel coloured learning centre in Melbourne by Danielle Brustaman and a hot pink kindergarten in China by Crossboundaries
    Photography is by Thiago da Cunha.

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    Yinka Shonibare and India Mahdavi bring “a warm feel of Africa” to London restaurant Sketch

    British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare and architect India Mahdavi have redesigned the Gallery dining room at London venue Sketch, adding site-specific artworks, warm golden colours and textured materials to its interior.

    The project, which is the latest in a string of artist collaborations from Sketch, features a series of 15 artworks by Shonibare dubbed Modern Magic. These were designed specifically for the space.
    The Gallery at Sketch is now covered in warm yellow huesMahdavi incorporated sunshine-yellow and golden colours to the interior alongside textured materials informed by Shonibare’s installation, including a copper skin on one of the walls.
    “Yinka’s artwork was a real inspiration and enticed me to work differently,” Mahdavi told Dezeen. “Textures have transcended colours by using a strong palette of materials.”
    “I used elements that have allowed me to extend Yinka’s artistic exploration of culture and identity, and bring a warm feel of Africa to the space and furnishings.”

    Artworks by Yinka Shonibare decorate the wallsMahdavi was also responsible for choosing the colour that previously dominated the interior of Sketch’s Gallery – a pale pink hue that became an Instagram favourite and remained in the room for eight years.
    “The Gallery at Sketch has been linked to the colour pink for such a long time that it was very challenging for me to overcome this success,” she said.
    This time, Mahdavi aimed to change the focus away from just the colour.
    “I didn’t want everybody to ask me what the new colour at the gallery is and therefore, I really worked on textures and materials that are evocative of the richness of Africa,” she explained. “Warmth is the new colour at Sketch.”
    Designer India Mahdavi worked with different textures for the interiorShonibare’s Modern Magic installation includes five hand-carved wooden masks as well as 10 framed quilts, which replicate African masks collected by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso.
    “Picasso was interested in appropriating from another culture and I also appropriate from European ethnic art,” Shonibare explained.
    “Cultural appropriation can be a two-way street,” he added. “This collaboration with Sketch has given me an opportunity to expand my creative process – creating a different environment to encounter and experience my art in a fun and relaxing setting.”
    Pieces were designed especially for the spaceThe artworks are complemented by tactile furniture pieces and accessories designed for the Gallery.
    “I chose yellow fabrics and leather to cover the banquettes,” Mahdavi said. “It is the colour of sun and happiness.”
    “The subtle shades of yellow vary from one piece to another carrying different patterns of weaved raffia, which were chosen within Aissa Dione’s collection of fabrics and specially woven for the project in Senegal.”

    Lore Group creates seafood restaurant with “playful sense of nostalgia” within One Hundred Shoreditch hotel

    “The walls are covered in metallic copper paper by De Gournay to radiate the room and the wall lights are made in Ghanaian wicker by artist Inès Bressand,” she continued.
    “It was my way of helping Yinka take over the room without interfering with his work.”
    A copper wall reflects the lightMahdavi believes the new Sketch interior is more suitable for a post-Covid world.
    “The pink Gallery at Sketch lasted eight years instead of the two years initially planned,” she said.
    “I really believe that the pink room belonged to the pre-Covid era,” Mahdavi added. “It was fun, feminine and there was a certain lightness to it. The new Gallery at Sketch has more depth, the textures imply the feeling of togetherness.”
    “Textures have transcended colours,” Mahdavi said of the designSketch’s most recent artist collaboration was with UK artist David Shrigley, whose black-and-white drawings stood out against the pale pink colour of the Gallery and were also emblazoned on a collection of ceramics.
    Mahdavi, who is one of this year’s Dezeen Awards judges and will sit on the interiors design jury, was recently among a group of designers who reinterpreted Dior’s Medallion Chair at Salone del Mobile.
    Among Shonibare’s recent work is a set of bespoke stamps designed for the Royal Academy’s 250th anniversary.
    The photography is by Edmund Dabney.

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    Amity Street Residence is a “minimal but warm” New York apartment

    Interior design studios Rawan Muqaddas and Selma Akkari have renovated an apartment in a 20th-century building in Brooklyn, New York, adding warm and natural materials to the residential space.

    Amity Street Residence is located on the fourth floor of a stone building that was built in 1910, overlooking a quiet but central corner of the city at the intersection of Amity and Clinton street.
    Amity Street Residence has been renovated into an open plan apartment. Photo by Clement PascalNew York studio Selma Akkari collaborated with London studio Rawan Muqqadas on the 1,400 square-foot interiors, which have been updated from a “neglected” apartment into a space filled with warm colours.
    As part of the renovation, the studios rearranged the rooms to create space for an additional third bedroom if required.
    Rawan Muqaddas collaborated with Selma Akkari to create a warm interior”A dialogue of opposites was the main theme behind the creation; minimal but warm, understated yet rich,” said Rawan Muqaddas, founder of eponymous studio Rawan Muqaddas.

    “We wanted to retain the essence of the 1910 building by reinterpreting the original traditional details, which we were excited to build on,” she told Dezeen.
    “The previous owners of the apartment called this their home for decades, leaving behind layers of history and some areas that were left neglected.”
    Stained oak shelves line the back of the dining areaThe two studios transformed the single floor apartment into an open-plan living, kitchen and dining area. A handful of original features, such as the decorative cornice and bold skirting, were preserved.
    The living space now boasts views across the street from the two large bay windows, which had previously been obscured.
    Cream coloured paint lines the walls. Photo by Clement Pascal”The first thing that caught our eye was the 30-foot apartment frontage composed of the width across both bay windows,” recalled Muqaddas.
    “As it stood, the windows felt shy and in hiding; we wanted to do the opposite and celebrate the curve.”
    Large bay windows were made into a focal pointFloors in the apartment have been covered in warm wood, while the walls were painted in a creamy neutral colour. A couple of contemporary chairs frame the window and let the inhabitants enjoy the street views.
    “A warm colour palette was deployed to unify the spaces by way of gentle oak floors, cream-hued walls that contrasted with dark stone, and stained wood inset bookshelves,” said Selma Akkari, founder of Selma Akkari.
    A study area sits at the back of the room and could easily be swapped for a third bedroom if necessary, the designers said.

    Rawan Muqaddas designs Sloane Street Deli to be a “classic neighbourhood spot”

    The studios also retained the apartment’s curved interior arches that run through its core. These openings help create a feeling of space.
    “To encourage a dialogue between the interior and exterior, we wanted to carry through the historic curved facade into the curved interior arches,” Akkari told Dezeen.
    “This was the guiding theme throughout the process: opening up the front area as the living and dining space and dedicating the quieter area to the more private spaces at the back.”
    The apartment has oak flooringThe apartment now has an airy aluminium-clad kitchen with an island counter and a long marble shelf in place of overhead storage cabinets.
    “We were very attracted to contrasting and unexpected colours and textures, in particular, the brushed metal counter topped with a veiny marble, with a backdrop of dark smoked oak shelving,” said Akkari.
    The same warm palette is continued in the bedrooms. Photo by Clement PascalThe warm material palette continues in the master bedroom and second bedroom, where the same flooring and beige furnishings can be found.
    More Brooklyn interiors include a townhouse with a striking staircase by New York studio Space4Architecture and a family-friendly townhouse called Bed-Stuy by Brooklyn studio Civilian.
    Photography is by Sean Davidson unless stated otherwise.

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    Small Space Storage Tips + Making Room for What You Love

    One of the most important space considerations for me in our kitchen remodel is addressing our need for dish and hospitality storage. Our house isn’t huge (nor is it teeny!) so I need to be mindful of how we will use our space. I don’t like clutter, but I do love pretty objects to enjoy and use for hospitality.
    To me, clutter is defined as stuff you don’t use or love. If you don’t have room for it, it gets lost and starts to feel like clutter and you don’t use it.
    When we moved into our last house, our movers called us “book and decor” people. Ha! Apparently some people are decor folks. Some are book lovers. And we are the special ones who happen to love BOTH! Don’t I know it! Had he looked in our boxes, I might also have been called a DISHES person! 🙂 I don’t have as many as some people do, but I definitely love to have a few sets of mix and match dishes and serving pieces like cake plates, vases, platters, pitchers, etc.

    Think of a smaller space as FREEING, not limiting!
    Honestly I would probably keep a lot more if I had a bigger house :). With a smaller space, I have to make peace with the fact that I don’t have room for all of the things I *might *enjoy. Those thoughts probably sound limiting, but for me having less space can be freeing. Having less is actually one of the reasons I like having a smaller home.
    Perhaps you have a small house right now, or a small kitchen or are thinking of downsizing. I will say it can feel limiting if you decide to dwell on not having “enough” room for all of the things, but it’s also so FREEING to have some boundaries and priorities around how you’ll use your time, budget and space.
    Don’t get me wrong, I loved having bigger houses in the past for different reasons as well. Love whatever home you have and embrace what it is! Having less space gives you the opportunity to live differently, not necessarily better or worse! It’s all what you make of it and how you use the space you have.

    With a smaller space, you have come up with creative ideas to use your space really well. You are more likely to assess what you really need and love, versus what would be just fun or convenient.
    I find a smaller space gives me some helpful boundaries to focus on what I love the most, so that is exactly what I’m doing as I’m planning my kitchen remodel! I won’t have EVERYTHING I could ever want, and yet, I love that. It brings me peace to have less.
    Let your space help you define what you keep!
    Defining the space you have available or are able to use for certain activities or belongings can help you decide what to keep! When you don’t have room for it, you can’t keep it! It’s as simple as that if you don’t want clutter. Sometimes letting go of stuff seems so hard until you make peace with the fact that you simply do not have room. The more space we have, the more we might tend to hold onto even if we don’t use it very often. So having limited space isn’t necessarily a bad thing, use that mindset to help you pare down to what you really love and need.
    I’ve given away a lot in the past year, but we still have more than our new house can currently hold with the storage we have. Therefore, I will definitely need to pare down, especially once we have remodeled! The remodel will help us define more boundaries as far as what I can keep. Either I will have room for it, or I won’t. I don’t want to store things we don’t love or use regularly.

    Out of sight, out of mind can turn into more clutter
    Create storage that is useful and accessible so you can stay organized without getting overwhelmed by, losing or forgetting what you have! Having a basement or garage or storage room can feel like a blessing, but also a curse. Storing a lot of things means I don’t use things because I either forget I have them or don’t want to go on a hunt for them even if I love them!
    Of course, particularly in a smaller space, you also can’t keep everything accessible or out in the open or your house will also feel messy and cluttered. So the trick is to decide what storage you need or have that is easily available and to be honest with yourself about how much you are able to use and keep track of.
    Case in point, I still have lots of things in storage boxes right now from the move. It’s too much, so right now it both overwhelms me and I know I won’t use things because I can’t get to them easily. If we cannot create specific useful easy to locate places for the contents of the boxes in our remodel, they’ll have to go!

    Plan for a mix of open and closed storage
    Knowing I want to keep my dishes easily accessible, I’m planning to add lots of dish drawers and even some glass front cabinets and/or open shelves in or near my new kitchen so I can enjoy some of my favorites as decor. Having a mix of open and closed storage is important to make sure your spaces don’t feel cluttered, but still allows some you room to display the pretty things you love!

    Better utilize the space you have!
    I’m also planning to find ways to better organize and utilize our current mudroom (see more of our mudroom here) as well as to create storage in our new dining room. We won’t necessarily have room for everything I want to keep right in our kitchen, but we can use spaces nearby for them so they are still accessible. I can’t wait to show you some of the ideas we want to incorporate!

    Use freestanding cabinets for extra storage and charming display
    Right now we use the white freestanding glass cabinets that are really helpful. I’ve often used them in our homes to keep items accessible without creating clutter. If you don’t have enough storage or built ins, freestanding cabinets can be so handy! You’ll find a recent post on freestanding cabinets and similar sources HERE.

    Click HERE for cabinet sources above.

    So if you feel limited by a small space or overwhelmed by too much stuff, remember it can be so freeing to have less and to let go of what you don’t really need!
    More storage isn’t always a good thing if you end up with too much stuff.
    Less stuff is always a good idea, but you don’t have to be a minimalist to have a tidy house! Simplifying is rewarding, so make the process a gift to yourself.
    I wrote a book on simplifying your home called Make Room for What You Love and in it I talked about some of my own struggles with stuff as well as how I have learned to create more order in my house. It’s an ongoing process, especially if you are book and decor people AND are downsizing or changing your lifestyle like we are as empty nesters now :). Believe me, it’s not about doing it all perfectly! But it really is rewarding to feel in control of your home. If you haven’t read it, you can find it here. I hope it will encourage you to make more room in your home for what you really love.

    Looking for more ideas? You’ll find lots of organization posts HERE, and small space inspiration posts HERE! More

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    Four-storey spiral staircase forms focal point of BSP20 House in Barcelona

    A towering spiral staircase and a golden kitchen are some of the features that Raúl Sánchez Architects has introduced in its renovation of this townhouse in Barcelona’s Borne neighbourhood.

    BSP20 House has been in the making since 2013, when Raúl Sánchez Architects was approached by the building’s owners to turn it into a live-work space where they could stay during visits to the city.
    A white spiral staircase rises up from the ground floorHowever, due to regulatory issues, construction works didn’t begin for another seven years. During this period the already dilapidated building fell into further ruin, and at one point was even used as a squat.
    When the renovation finally got underway in August 2020, Raúl Sánchez Architects decided to completely gut the building, only leaving behind the four exterior walls and roof.
    This level of the home also features a brass kitchen suiteAs a result, three new floor levels have been inserted, each installed in such a way so that they don’t touch the building’s front or rear facades.

    Some of the resulting gaps have been filled with panes of glass, allowing residents to steal glimpses of different levels of the home.
    The staircase grants access to each of the home’s four levelsA huge void on the right side of BSP20’s interior now accommodates a white spiral staircase that winds up through the ground, first, second and third floors, all the way to the decked terrace on top of the building.
    Positioned directly above the stairs is a glazed opening that lets natural light filter deep into the plan.
    Rooms have largely been left empty so they can be used for different purposesSeeing the building in such a bare state at the beginning of the renovation process encouraged Raul Sanchez Architects to keep its rough, time-worn brick walls.
    “Those four walls, over 15 metres high, are a museum of the building’s history, where any trace of its construction, and of its use, will be left unaltered, exposed in all its crudeness,” said the studio.
    Raúl Sánchez Architects has preserved the building’s original brick wallsA similarly hands-off approach has been taken with the rest of the interior; most rooms have been largely left without fixtures and fittings so that, if necessary, they can be used for different purposes in the future.
    On the ground floor there is a kitchen, its cabinetry crafted from lustrous brass.
    “In terms of materiality, a certain refinement has been pursued in the new elements to be implemented, in opposition to the crude expressiveness of the existing walls, conscious that the space must house a home,” explained the studio.
    Natural light seeps in from a glazed opening above the staircaseOn the second floor there is only a bathroom lined with cream-coloured lacquered wood, finished with gold-tone hardware.
    The electrics, air-conditioning system and telephone wires have also been concealed within six steel tubes that run upwards through the home.
    Pale lacquered wood lines surfaces in the bathroomWhen it came to restoring BSP20’s facade, the practice had to follow strict heritage guidelines – but it was granted more freedom in the appearance of the front door.
    It’s now clad with three different types of aluminium, and features a graphic rhomboidal design that nods to the patterned hydraulic floor tiles seen inside the house.
    The home was given a new geometric-print front doorRaúl Sánchez Architects has completed several residential projects in its home city of Barcelona.
    Others include The Magic Box Apartment, which features a huge gold wardrobe, and Atic Aribau, which has bright, stripped-back interiors.
    Photography is by José Hevia.
    Project credits:
    Architecture: Raúl SánchezArchitecture team: Valentina Barberio, Paolo BurattiniStructure consultant: Diagonal ArquitecturaEngineering: Marés Ingenieros

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    Sibling creates pop-up creative hub in Melbourne's soon-to-be-demolished Hanover House

    Australian studio Sibling Architecture has used repurposed materials and mobile furniture to revamp Hanover House in Melbourne, allowing creatives to occupy the building before it is demolished.

    The studio created a variety of spaces within the seven-storey building, which is set to be torn down to make way for STH BNK by Beulah – a 356-metre tower that is set to become Australia’s tallest building.
    Three floors of Hanover House are being used for a creative programmeIn the two-year before demolition, developer Beulah initiated a creative programme called BETA by STH BNK and asked Melbourne-based Sibling to develop an interior design strategy to make this possible.
    Sibling’s approach was developed around the ambition of minimising waste. This meant reusing as much of the existing interior elements as possibvle and only introducing new materials if they could easily repurposed in the future.
    Reused glazing panels frame designer ateliers on the fourth floor”Over a third of waste in Australia goes to landfill, while nearly half of waste worldwide comes from construction and demolition,” explained Timothy Moore, one of Sibling’s four founding directors.

    “So we were really in this idea of a project where there was a lot of stuff to strip out,” he told Dezeen. “We saw it as an opportunity to explore the process of making in architecture.”
    Thanks to mirrored film, the ateliers are only visible when lights are on insideSibling’s project extends to three storeys of Hanover House – the ground, fourth and fifth floors. Here, the architecture studio stripped back all the materials available and sorted them.
    Old ceiling tiles were transformed into mobile benches, while the glazed panels of former office cubicles were rescued to divide the fourth floor into a series of designer ateliers.
    The ateliers are hosting a series of designers in residenceMirrored film was applied to the glass; when the lights are on you can see the ateliers inside, but when they’re off the space becomes private.
    Other recycled elements include office furniture, lighting, carpets and gypsum walls.

    Revival Projects’ Zero Footprint Repurposing hub saves construction waste from landfill

    Moore said the approach is similar to that of the Zero Footprint Repurposing hub that launched at the recent Melbourne Design Week, an event that the architect is the curator of.
    “We stripped back everything and kept it on site, then reused as much as we could,” he said.
    Sibling created mobile furniture using prefabricated steelTo support BETA by STH BNK’s varied programme, Sibling also designed a series of mobile furniture elements that could be made from sheets of pre-fabricated steel.
    These pieces, known as Taxonomy of Furniture, include a bar, tables, seats, planters and storage elements.
    Mounted on castors, they can be easily moved around the building for different events and uses. They just as easily wheeled into the lifts and moved out ahead of the building’s demolition.
    “The design intent of the taxonomy was to provide a family of joinery that allow for a variety of uses, including unforeseen uses,” said Moore.
    The ground floor features retail concepts, including The Future From Waste LabIn its new form, Hanover House is hosting a series of creative individuals and organisations.
    The ground floor has been reimagined as a platform for innovative retail concepts. Highlights include The Future From Waste Lab, curated by designer Kit Willow, which is testing a more sustainable approach to fashion production.
    The fifth floor previously hosted a restaurant pop-up called Higher OrderThe fourth-floor ateliers are hosting designers in residence, including algae expert Jessie French, Ella Saddington of craft studio Cordon Salon, and DNJ Paper, which makes clothing from traditional Japanese paper.
    The fifth floor is being used for a range of events. The first was a restaurant pop-up called Higher Order, hosted by chef Scott Pickett. Upcoming events include a holistic health experience called The Future of Wellness.
    The Taxonomy of Furniture includes flexible seats and tablesBeulah executive director Adelene Teh said the aim was to “go beyond the expected and give new meaning to the future of retail”.
    “The dynamic BETA By STH BNK hub of innovation and experimentation promises to ignite Melbourne, and indeed Australia’s, curiosity and imagination of what has become possible,” she said.
    Before the building is demolished, these elements can be easily wheeled outSibling Architecture is led by Moore along with Amelia Borg, Nicholas Braun and Qianyi Lim.
    Previous projects include a collaboration with Adam Nathanial Furman at the NGV Triennial, Squint/Opera’s Melbourne office and the interior of Kloke’s Melbourne store.
    For Moore, BETA By STH BNK resonates strongly with his recent PHD thesis, which explores the topic of temporary use and “meanwhile strategies”.
    “I’m quite supportive of developers who are interested in interim use, because you can test out design moves,” he said.
    “There is a rhetoric that we have to be careful of,” he added, “but it can add value, creating affordable workspace and places for people to come together.”

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    Patch opens first “work-near-home” venue in former Essex brewery

    Workspace brand Patch has converted the former Gray & Sons Brewery in Chelmsford, Essex, into a co-working space that aims to offer its members a positive work-life balance.

    Patch’s creative director, architect Paloma Strelitz, has overseen a renovation that turns the Victorian building into both a workspace and a cultural venue.
    As the brand’s first location, it is the prototype for its “work-near-home” concept, which offers people workspaces close to where they live, so they don’t have to work from home or commute.
    Patch Chelmsford is designed to celebrate the history of the building. Photo is by Philipp Ebeling”I think there has been a big shift in what people want from work and life through Covid, with people reevaluating their career paths and deciding that now is the time to set up on their own,” said Strelitz in an interview with Dezeen.
    “We’re saying to people, we are an exciting alternative to your kitchen table.”

    Co-working venture Patch offers “an exciting alternative to your kitchen table” says Paloma Strelitz

    Patch Chelmsford is designed to celebrate the history of the building, but to also feel welcoming.
    Structural elements – including timber ceiling beams, brick walls and steel columns – are left exposed, but paired with vibrant colours and graphics, plus plenty of plants.
    Ali Hanson designed Patch’s visual identityStrelitz enlisted designer Ali Hanson to develop a graphic identity that references the original Gray & Sons. This extends into the interior in the form of hand-painted signage, posters and vinyl graphics.
    “Our approach to the building is to celebrate its history as a thriving local brewery and its new purpose – as a centre for local enterprise and community activity,” she said.
    The reception is set up as a public library and learning space. Photo is by Philipp EbelingThe ground floor of Patch Chelmsford incorporates a suite of spaces that are accessible to the public, to support local businesses and culture.
    The reception is a generous, lounge-type space designed to function as a public library. A curated collection of books is displayed on a pair green-topped plywood trestle tables, encouraging visitors to stop and take a look.
    Patch Academy is a flexible events spaceNext door is Patch Academy, a flexible events studio that can be used for a range of different activities by both Patch members and the local community.
    A glazed facade is intended to encourage public interest in this space. Other features include durable blue flooring, a translucent curtain, a projection screen and lightweight furniture, to offer flexibility of use.
    Patch Market is a cafe and bar, that doubles as a talks venue. Photo is by Philipp EbelingAlso on the ground floor is Patch Market, a cafe and bar, that doubles as a venue for informal talks and events.
    The space features banquet seating and a bar lined with chevron-patterned tiles.
    These elements draw on Strelitz’s previous experience of creating successful cultural venues; prior to joining Patch, she was a co-founder of Turner Prize-winning architecture collective Assemble.
    “We think of Patch as a local cultural venue – from a teenager attending a coding workshop at Patch Academy to a public talk in Patch Market and to the person launching a business from Open Studio,” said Strelitz.
    Workspaces occupy the first and second floors. Photo is by Georgia RandupWorkspaces are located on the first and second floors, including communal lounges, hot-desking studios, dedicated desks and private offices.
    Members also have access to a library where plywood desks are framed by plants and a member’s lounge overlooking the yard, which provides a venue for lunches, meetings and networking.
    A members lounge offers a venue for meetings and networking. Photo is by Philipp Ebeling“At Patch, we’re home to a community of freelancers, businesses, and local organisations,” explained Patch’s founder and CEO, Freddie Fforde.
    “We’ve created a place to support their different working rhythms, from quiet corners for focused work, to lively areas for collective workshops and events.”
    The building was originally the Gray & Sons Brewery. Photo is by Philipp Ebeling”We believe that work near home supports a better work-life balance, combatting both the isolation of working from home and the time and expenses of commuting,” he continued.
    “That’s why we are creating high-quality work environments on local high streets, enabling people to have a productive and enjoyable workday, and to spend more time with friends, family, and in their community.
    Patch Chelmsford launched with a programme of events that included the Festival of Ideas, a series of locally focused events with titles including Crafting a Sense of Place and Reimagining The Future of Work.
    Other recently opened co-working spaces include architect Caro Lundin’s second branch of her affordable workspace ARC Club in south-east London and a monochrome co-working space for creatives in Brooklyn, New York.
    The photography is by Philipp Ebeling and Georgia Randup.

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