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    EBBA references modernist architecture at WatchHouse coffee shop

    Architecture studio EBBA has completed a store for coffee brand WatchHouse that draws on modernist design to provide a calming environment in the heart of the City of London.

    Situated in the 30 Fenchurch Street building of the Square Mile financial district, the store was designed by EBBA for coffee company WatchHouse, which has several cafes around London and also sells its own roasts.
    The store interior references modernist architectureHaving previously completed several other stores for the brand, EBBA was tasked with transforming an empty unit in the landmark office development into an inviting space aimed at attracting visitors from the adjacent lobby.
    “This store offered the opportunity to think carefully about how to make a high quality and calming retail environment that also caters to the flexible operation of the visitors and the building in which it sits,” EBBA founder Benni Allan told Dezeen.
    The space aims to offer a calming environmentThe project brief called for a space focused on retail that also integrates a bar for serving customers. The interior has a more open and relaxed feel than the brand’s other locations, which operate more like typical coffee shops.

    With ample comfortable seating available in the adjacent atrium, EBBA chose to incorporate different settings where customers can rest while waiting for their coffee.
    Furniture including lounge chairs arranged around a coffee table and bar stools at the counter allow the space to be used in a variety of ways.
    Wooden seating is provided in an adjacent atriumElements of the shop’s design are informed by European modernist architecture. In particular, Allan drew on the large lobbies of banks and civic buildings such as libraries, which he said seem to “carry a particular feeling of calmness”.
    Referencing the work of architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, EBBA used grid patterns and clean lines to bring order to the interior, while sculptural objects help to partition the space.
    “The overall concept was to create the sense of a box within a box,” Allan added. “The reference to Miesian buildings can be understood in wanting to establish a clear logic to the space through its grid and making objects that help to demarcate space.”

    Bottega Veneta creative director Matthieu Blazy combines glass bricks and walnut for first store

    EBBA designed and built all of the furniture for the store, including the eight-metre-long stainless steel counter that forms the centrepiece of the space. This monolithic element is used for coffeemaking as well as providing a communal workspace.
    The large coffee table made from blocks of solid oak is intended to resemble stacked timber. Its construction echoes the grid of slatted timber panels cladding the ceiling.
    EBBA chose a material palette that reflects WatchHouse’s goal to create places people want to spend time in. Warm and natural tones and textures offer a respite from the busy urban setting.
    An eight-metre stainless steel counter centres the space”We opted for warm oak panelling, which gracefully cocoons the space, and a unique Ceppo stone floor, which enhances the store’s gridded pattern whilst complementing the feeling of civic grandeur,” said the architects.
    The rear wall is lined with full-height cabinets that conceal the necessary utility spaces, adding to the store’s sense of cohesion and simplicity.
    Minimalist shelving used to display WatchHouse’s simply packaged produce blend in with the relaxed setting.
    All of the furniture was designed and built by EBBAEBBA has worked with WatchHouse on several of its venues, including another site within the 30 Fenchurch Street building that also looks to balance contemporary aesthetics with nods to the City of London’s heritage.
    The studio, founded in 2017 by Spanish architect Benni Allan, has completed a number of projects in London including a temporary education centre built using only reusable components and a residential extension that combines brutalist-style materials with details inspired by a Roman villa.
    The photography is courtesy of EBBA. 

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    Dubrovska Studio uses “leftovers” in Kyiv to furnish local dance studio

    Local architecture practice Dubrovska Studio has created a fitness studio lined with curtains and outfitted with custom furniture made from materials sourced from around Kyiv in the face of wartime shortages.

    Located in Kyiv, Stan will host barre and yoga classes for up to 15 people in its main space and includes a reception area and locker area across 1,290 square feet (120 square metres).
    Dubrovska Studio has created a barre and yoga studio in Kyiv”In our situation, when we initiated the project, there was virtually nothing available. We literally pieced the project together from leftovers we found around Kyiv,”  said Dubrovska Studio founder Natalie Dubrovska. 
    Visitors first walk into a curtain-lined reception and welcome area, which contains a custom, semi-circle sofa, reception desk and “little tables” made of stone.
    The studio is lined with curtains to soften the spaceThe curtains lining the space follow a curved track at the corners in order to soften the space and “smooth” out the interior.

    Many furniture pieces were custom-made from locally sourced or reused materials, which the studio says was a “primary concept” for the studio’s design – in part due to difficulties faced when ordering abroad during the ongoing Ukraine war.
    Furniture was made from locally sourced or reused materialsThe tables were crafted from scraps found at a warehouse, while the sofa was upholstered in a neutral, multicoloured fabric from the 1970s.
    “The quest for the right fabric turned into a humorous journey, with many Gobelins featuring unappealing cat face illusions,” said Dubrovska. “Almost giving up, we lucked out, discovering a fabric from the 1970s that closely mirrored our initial design.”
    The curtains follow a curved trackA reception desk sits to one corner, and was made from cast concrete. Rough edges line the top to contrast with the softness of the surrounding curtains, while its smooth base runs into the concrete floor.
    A standing mirror sits across from the desk, mounted into a stone to create “magic and special charm” and next to it, a sink and countertop are concealed behind a curtain.
    White drapes and mirrors line the studioThe same white drapes cover large windows along the studio, which sits in front of the welcome area. Ballet barres and mirrors also line the space.
    A locker and changing room sits to the other side of the welcome area, with wooden storage created by Dubrovska Studio “in the absence of a minimalistic and soft solution” in contrast to standard metal lockers. 

    Anastasiia Tempynska designs futuristic interior for laser clinic in Kyiv

    A bench made of the same light-coloured wood sits in the centre of the space, while a line of showers was clad in small white mosaic tiles as a nod to public restrooms.
    According to the studio, there were frequent electricity black outs during construction, but despite the challenges, Stan is a “sanctuary”.
    Wooden lockers were created as a “soft solution” for storage”Stan encapsulates the spirit of feminine strength, elegance, and individuality, inviting to embark on a transformative journey within its carefully curated space,” said the studio. “It is not just a studio; it is a sanctuary for self-expression and holistic well-being.”
    Stan studio was founded by professional dancer Mariia Dreihaupt. The word “stan” is the Latin translation of the Ukrainian word “ctah”, meaning “physical posture”. 
    Small, white mosaic tiles line a shower area as a nod to public restroomsDubrovska Studio is based in Kyiv and was founded in 2018 by designer Natalie Dubrovska. It focuses on bringing “calmness, harmony and self-connection” to projects. 
    Another project recently completed in Ukraine includes a holiday cabin in the Carpathian mountains. Recently architecture and design studios shared how they are coping at the two-year mark of Russia’s invasion.
    The photography is by Yevhenii Avramenko.
    Project credits:
    Team:  Natalie Dubrovska, Katerina Bandura, Daria Shmyrko

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    Partisans sculpts limestone facade for Rolex boutique in Toronto

    Toronto architecture studio Partisans has used parametric modelling to create an undulating stone storefront for luxury watch brand Rolex.

    Partisans’ latest application of its digital modelling and fabrication technique resulted in a sculptural facade that wraps the ground floor of a high-rise on Bloor Street in Downtown Toronto.
    The flowing lines of the Rolex store’s limestone facade emanate from the building’s existing architectural featuresThe studio worked with Italian architect Arturo Tedeschi on the project, which is intended to give the store presence and allow it to stand out from others in the busy shopping district, as well as reflect the high-precision of Rolex timepieces.
    Limestone panels affixed to the building’s exterior are shaped to echo the forms and textures of the brand’s watches.
    The stone panels are shaped to curve around windows and emulate the brand’s watch designsThe material was chosen for its luxurious appearance and longevity, according to Partisans founder Josephson, who said: “Stone is future heritage, it’s having a renaissance.”

    The panels continue the geometry of the existing building features, such as the rigid vertical mullions, but flow into softer shapes that curve around large windows and over the entrance awning.
    More stone appears in the boutique’s interior. Photo by Robert Lowdon Photography”Each stone bay was cut according to measurements found through 3D scans of the existing building,” said Partisans designer Ian Pica-Limbaseanu.
    Niches are integrated into the stonework to house cove lighting that washes over the curvaceous forms at night, yet the junctions between the stone and the glass were trickiest to detail, according to Pica-Limbaseanu.
    Dark green seating matches a glass artwork, while walnut panelling and furniture contrast the paler stone. Photo by Robert Lowdon Photography”The window detailing, specifically, had a tall order of requirements to satisfy,” he said.
    “Not only did it need to meet the exterior stonework at exact locations accurate to within a quarter of an inch, but it also needed to allow for easy maintenance and proper energy performance for what was otherwise an utterly unprecedented look to glazing on Bloor Street.”

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    Tedeschi applied his computational design skills to create an algorithm for the parametric compositions etched into the limestone across the east facade.
    These forms follow the geometries of engravings seen on watch-face dials while also responding to the unique qualities of the structure’s elevation.
    Niches in the limestone facade house cove lights that wash over the facade at nightThe store interiors feature plenty more stone, whose creamy tone is contrasted with dark walnut panelling and furniture.
    Dark green seating matches a glass wall artwork that bears the Rolex logo, which separates the main shop floor with a more intimate lounge area tucked behind.
    The facade was designed to reflect the high-precision of Rolex timepieces and to stand out on Toronto’s high-end Bloor StreetPartisans has previously used parametric design tools to create a rolling, pixellated brick facade for a single-family home, and a high-rise informed by architectural “revision clouds” – both in Toronto.
    The firm was founded by Josephson in 2012, and has since completed a pool house in Ontario with an undulating timber roof and a lakeside sauna designed as a cavernous wooden grotto.
    The photography is by Doublespace Photography, unless stated otherwise.

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    Eight homes where internal windows and partitions maximise light

    In this lookbook, we have collected eight projects that use internal glazing and partitions to create brighter home interiors and increased connectivity between spaces.

    While the primary use of windows is for daylight access and ventilation, they can also play a key role in visually connecting spaces within the home.
    Adding internal windows enables more interaction between adjacent rooms, while allowing light to penetrate further into the home – creating bright and spacious interiors.
    While similar, internal partitions offer a unique opportunity to simultaneously increase connectivity and enhance privacy through the demarcation of a home’s internal spaces.
    Below are eight examples that showcase the versatility of internal openings and partitions, ranging from a colourful home extension featuring playful, circular windows in London to an open-plan kitchen punctuated with brass-lined portals in Toronto.

    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring creative guest rooms that accommodate visitors in style, home interiors brightened with colourful window frames and hotel interiors characterised by eclectic designs.
    Photo by BCDF studioTimbaud, France, by Isabelle Heilmann
    Converted from a textile workshop, this open-plan apartment in Paris offers a bright, spacious interior equipped with a dedicated home office, mezzanines and a loft.
    Designer Isabelle Heilmann used internal windows and glazing in order to retain visual connections between the rooms, as well as demarcate the living spaces and enable a flow of light through the interior.
    Find out more about Timbaud ›
    Photo by Megan TaylorCurve Appeal, UK, by Nimtim Architects
    Multifunctional partitions built from plywood joinery were used to define the interior of this 1920s house in Southwark, London, renovated by local studio Nimtim Architects.
    Addressing a need for improved connectivity and daylight, the studio used curved, glazed openings within the partitions to encourage visual connection between the different spaces.
    Find out more about Curve Appeal ›
    Photo by Scott NorsworthyPortal House, USA, by Svima
    Renovated by architecture and art studio Svima, this residence in Toronto features asymmetrical portals lined with brass ribbons.
    Aptly named Portal House, the home’s open-plan kitchen and dining area are connected via two portals – with one used as a doorway and the other as a pass-through for food, drinks and tableware.
    Find out more about Portal House ›
    Photo by José HeviaMediona 13, Spain, by Nua Arquitectures
    Nua Arquitectures revamped this house in the historic centre of Tarragona, Spain, using pastel-coloured steel to reinforce its structure.
    Internal windows overlook the home’s large entrance, which features a staircase lined with pastel blue balustrades, to allow light to travel into the home.
    Find out more about Mediona 13 ›
    Photo by Nick DeardenAR Residence, UK, by DeDraft
    A kitchen extension clad in green aluminium panels was used by architecture studio DeDraft to update this home in east London.
    Also overseeing the remodelling of the home’s upper floors, the studio implemented large windows and skylights along with an internal window to allow light to permeate the interior.
    Find out more about AR Residence ›
    Photo by Jim StephensonA House in East London, UK, by Charles Holland Architects
    This colourful extension completed by Charles Holland Architects features a trio of aligned, circular windows that connect the ground-floor spaces.
    Creating “unexpected views between rooms”, these internal openings form a series of interconnected interior spaces, as opposed to a large open-plan layout.
    Find out more about A House in East London ›
    Photo by Megan TaylorFruit Box, UK, by Nimtim Architects
    Also completed by Nimtim Architects is an extension added to a 1970s townhouse in Forest Hill, London, which is divided by adaptable partitions.
    These plywood partitions are designed to be filled in for increased privacy between spaces, but are also non-structural to allow for easy removal to maximise interior space if needed.
    Find out more about Fruit Box ›
    Photo by Alex Shoots BuildingsHouse in Kutná Hora, Czech Republic, by Byró Architekti
    Byró Architekti restored and renovated this 19th-century house in Kutná Hora using colourful joinery and playful openings.
    Aiming to improve the connection between the home’s spaces, internal windows and glass-block walls were added to each level of the centralised spiral staircase.
    Find out more about House in Kutná Hora ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring creative guest rooms that accommodate visitors in style, home interiors brightened with colourful window frames and hotel interiors characterised by eclectic designs.

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    Tutto Bene references Streamline Moderne in tiny New York eyewear store

    Curved metallic surfaces influenced by early 20th century American industrial design form displays at this compact store in New York City, designed by London studio Tutto Bene for eyewear brand Cubitts.

    Tutto Bene was briefed to create an elegant and meticulously crafted space for Cubitts’ first store outside of the UK that evokes the past century of New York’s history.
    Cubitts has opened a store in New York CityThe store at 103 Mercer Street has a total floor area of just 25 square metres, which the designers claimed makes it possibly the smallest retail site in all of SoHo.
    Felizia Berchtold and Oskar Kohnen of Tutto Bene told Dezeen that they set out to create an experiential and intriguing interior with “the ornate precision of a jewellery box”.
    The interior was designed by London studio Tutto Bene”Within the retail landscape of SoHo there is a pop-up feeling and one sees a lot of set-design quality fit-outs,” the designers said.

    “We wanted to counterbalance this trend by creating a space made to last for a decade and to communicate the value that is put into the product inside it.”
    Charlotte Perriand’s LC8 stool is among the vintage furnishingsThe functional and precisely detailed design of Cubitts’ spectacles provided the main inspiration for the store, which also references the streamlined forms of Streamline Moderne – an aerodynamic offshoot of art deco that emerged in the 1930s.
    “We took that engineering aspect of spectacle-making and interpreted it in kinetic elements throughout the store, like the rotary mirrors and the sculptural steel curve, reflecting hues of light like the sparkling towers we know New York for,” the duo said.
    The dominant colour is a brick-red hue borrowed from New York’s streetscapeAn S-shaped metal display at the centre of the space helps to define the flow of movement whilst echoing the smooth silhouettes of the brand’s eyewear.
    Walls clad in black ebonised ash create a dark backdrop, against which soft lighting and pops of colour create a theatrical effect reminiscent of the paintings of American artist Edward Hopper.

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    “Areas of glamorous darkness are peppered with light,” said Tutto Bene. “Shimmering reflections, reminiscent of city lights, emphasise the store’s meticulous detailing and represent the care and attention put into the products it encloses.”
    The main colour used is a brick-red hue borrowed from the New York streetscape, which according to the studio adds “some playfulness and art deco glamour, contrasting the muted black with dramatic warmth and texture”.
    Tutto Bene also created custom hand-shaped mirrors for the storeThe geometric forms used throughout the store recall the works of artist Donald Judd, who once lived and worked across the street. The artistic tributes continue in the restroom, which is papered with aluminium foil as an homage to Andy Warhol’s Silver Factory.
    Carefully chosen vintage pieces including wall lights from Austrian brand Kalmar, Charlotte Perriand’s LC8 stool and an Opalino vase by Tommaso Buzzi complement the store’s colour and material palette.
    The bathroom was papered with aluminium foil Tutto Bene also created bespoke mirrors, which customers can use when trying out different frames. The marble objects were hand-crafted at a stone workshop in Florence, Italy.
    “In the pared-back store, these hand-carved glove-like marble sculptures draw attention through their surrealist appearance,” the designers added.
    “When you pick them up, they lie heavy in the hand. The weight sharpens one’s consciousness and gives the gesture of looking in the mirror a considered quality.”
    The wallpaper is an homage to Andy Warhol’s Silver FactoryTo celebrate the store’s launch, Cubitts released a collection of seven frames inspired by New York landmarks including the Flatiron Building and Radio City Music Hall.
    The opening follows a series of new Cubitts stores in the UK including one in a former jellied-eel restaurant and another in a 19th-century London townhouse.

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    Ivy Studio combines retro colours at Ottawa restaurant Buvette Daphnée

    The colorful retro diners of Quebec influenced the interiors of this restaurant in Ottawa, designed by Montreal-based Ivy Studio.

    Buvette Daphnée wine bar and fine dining restaurant sits in a 1,500-square-foot commercial space within an old industrial building in the city’s historic ByWard Market district.
    The Buvette Daphnée restaurant in Ottawa’s ByWard Market district takes cues from colourful retro diners”The establishment, led by a head chef with deep roots in Quebec and years of experience in Ottawa, aims to showcase a blend of both cultures through the eyes of a nostalgic francophone residing in the country’s capital,” said Ivy Studio.
    The studio therefore looked to Montreal’s vibrant retro diners for design references, pairing a caramel, brown and cream palette with contrasting blue and burnt orange accents.
    The restaurant is divided into two areas, including a space with lower ceilings on one side of the entranceHighly visible from the street, the dining area at the front is divided into two main sections.

    A lower, more intimate space with eight-foot ceilings is to the right of the entrance, while a loftier 15-foot-high space where the open kitchen, a 36-foot-long U-shaped bar and high-top counters can be found to the left.
    Exposed brickwork, natural walnut and cognac-toned upholstery all feature in the restaurantIn the taller portion, the ceilings are painted black to obscure the extra height and the walls are clad in cream-coloured, v-board panelling that continues overhead in the lower area.
    Both the bar stools and the semi-circular seats tucked into tambour-lined booths are wrapped in blue velvet, while vintage dining chairs feature orange seats and banquettes are cognac and chocolate-toned.
    Semi-circular booths with blue velvet seats are lined with tambour panellingNatural walnut was used for the majority of the millwork, and portions of the building’s original brickwork were left exposed.
    In front of the entrance, a lacquered server station with a pill-shaped plan and tiered shelves draws the eye to the restaurant’s centre.

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    “To tie everything together, a vibrant custom-designed mosaic with the main colours covers the entire restaurant floor,” Ivy Studio said.
    “Various light fixtures in the space each tell their own story,” added the team, which installed a 30-foot-long bespoke tubular piece by Montreal-based Hamster above the bar.
    A burnt orange host stand catches the eye, while mosaic floor tiles combine all of the hues used across the interiorMeanwhile, frosted globe-shaped pendants that are recycled by Studio Botté from Montreal’s 1960s street lamps hang from the black ceiling.
    “Much like its celebrated menu based on locally grown ingredients, Buvette Daphnée’s design offers Ottawa an authentic taste of Montreal’s rich culinary culture,” the studio concluded.
    Bespoke lighting fixtures created for the space include a tubular design by Hamster that follows the shape of the barIvy Studio has completed several restaurant interiors in its home city of Montreal, including the recently completed Middle Eastern eatery Hayat, which features a colour palette based on “the earthy tones of the Syrian deserts”.
    Earlier examples range from Piatti, an Italian spot that the studio renovated after fire damage, to the tropical-themed Jack Rose in a former auto body shop.
    The photography is by Alex Lesage.

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    Ten kitchen design ideas from Dezeen

    Working on a kitchen as part of a construction or renovation project but not sure where to start? Here are 10 kitchen design ideas taken from Dezeen’s archive of lookbooks, featuring tips for colour, materials and layout.

    Since 2020, Dezeen has published more than 300 lookbooks providing visual inspiration for all kinds of interiors based on the stories we publish.
    Below, we organise 10 recent lookbooks into a useful guide that captures several of the key contemporary trends in kitchen design.
    Read on for 10 ideas and tips for designing a standout kitchen:
    Photo by Megan TaylorClad it in wood

    If you want to avoid the kitchen feeling sterile, wood is a reliable way to introduce a sense of cosiness and homeliness.
    Our lookbook on kitchens with wooden panelling and cabinetry features examples that use birch plywood, pale oak, salvaged cypress and pine – each providing a different level of warmth.
    Pictured is Curve Appeal, a 1920s house in London renovated by Nimtim Architects that combines wood with decorative arches.
    See more wood-clad kitchens ›
    Photo by Giedrius MamavičiusMake it pink
    While it’s not to everyone’s taste, pink always adds personality to functional spaces.
    Dezeen’s pink kitchens lookbook highlights various approaches to using the colour, from splashing rosy shades across all surfaces to more restrained pops on tiles and cupboards.
    Pictured is House and the River in northern Lithuania, where Vilnius-based studio After Party punctuated the monochrome cooking area with a salmon-coloured kitchen island topped in complementary terrazzo.
    See more pink kitchens ›
    Photo by Prue RuscoeBuild a breakfast nook
    If you have space to play with, squeezing in a casual nook for eating breakfast in can give the kitchen some coffee-shop charm.
    As our breakfast nooks lookbook demonstrates, they are usually tucked into a corner with banquette seating – though the concept can be adapted to work in a range of setups depending on room layout and size.
    Pictured is Budge Over Dover in Sydney by interior design studio YSG.
    See more kitchens with breakfast nooks ›
    Photo by Ralph FeinerUse metal
    If cosy isn’t the desired look, metal is an alternative material choice that affords a chic industrial feel.
    Gleaming stainless steel is tried-and-tested, but our collection of metal kitchens also features units made from black iron and weathered reclaimed sheets.
    In the project pictured, Berlin architecture studio Baumhauer chose to juxtapose a Swiss farmhouse’s vaulted ceiling with the clean, modern lines of a steel L-shaped kitchen with built-in appliances.
    See more metal kitchens ›
    Photo by Fionn McCannFit floor-to-ceiling cabinets
    Often employed to complement a minimalist aesthetic, floor-to-ceiling cabinets can represent an effective way to maximise storage space and reduce clutter in the kitchen.
    Our lookbook collects eight elegant examples in kitchens of various sizes.
    Pictured is a residential extension in Dublin by Scullion Architects, where tall oak-panelled cupboards conceal appliances and a pantry.
    See more kitchens with floor-to-ceiling cabinets ›
    Photo by Pion StudioInclude a waterfall-edged island
    Kitchen islands have become a staple of contemporary interior architecture – but the most sophisticated examples tend to a feature a surface that flows seamlessly from the countertop to the floor.
    Dezeen selected eight kitchen islands where waterfall edges create an impactful yet sleek focal point for the room.
    The image above shows Botaniczna Apartment, where Agnieszka Owsiany Studio formed a kitchen island out of travertine draped over oak cupboards.
    See more kitchens with waterfall-edged islands ›
    Photo by Benjamin HoskingEmbrace constrast
    Don’t be afraid to combine clashing materials to create a kitchen that really makes a statement.
    We collected eight rich-palette kitchens that juxtapose the rough with the smooth, the glossy with the grainy and the warm with the cool.
    Pictured is the pistachio-green units and red marble surfaces of the kitchen in a Melbourne apartment designed by architect Murray Barker and artist Esther Stewart.
    See more kitchens with colour and texture contrasts ›
    Photo by Lorenzo Zandri and Christian BraileyCombine wood and stone
    For a less ambitious but no less effective material combination, the natural textures of wood and stone are a practical and pleasing partnership.
    Dezeen put together a lookbook showing various ways to pair wooden units with stone surfaces, from demure limestone to dramatic marble.
    Shown above is Architecture for London’s kitchen extension to an Edwardian house in Muswell Hill.
    See more kitchens that combine wood and stone ›
    Photo by Nicole FranzenTile the worktops
    Tiles are a staple of many kitchens – particularly for splashbacks and flooring – but some designers go further and use them to add personality to surfaces.
    Our lookbook of kitchens with tiled worktops explores how the technique can create an eye-catching focal point or be more utilitarian.
    Pictured is a kitchen island covered in glossy oxblood-coloured tiles in an East Village apartment designed by GRT Architects.
    See more kitchens with tiled worktops ›
    Photo by Denilson MachadoAdd a touch of terracotta
    Rusty-shaded terracotta can be a handy tool for making the kitchen a more welcoming environment with a touch of Mediterranean warmth.
    In our lookbook on kitchens with terracotta tiling, we collect projects that use the earthenware material to create pleasingly textured floors and walls.
    At Hygge Studio in São Paulo, designed by Melina Romano, terracotta flooring teams up with tan brick walls to soften monochrome kitchen units.
    See more kitchens with terracotta tiling ›
    Dezeen’s lookbooks series provides visual inspiration from our archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring light-filled kitchens, kitchens with minimalist storage solutions and Scandinavian-style kitchens.

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    “Less is more is back” says panel during Gaggenau talk at Milan design week

    Dezeen teamed up with kitchen appliances brand Gaggenau to host and film a talk about reduction in design with representatives from Zaha Hadid Architects, SOM and Industrial Facility during Milan design week 2024.

    Moderated by Dezeen’s editorial director Max Fraser, the talk explored how principles of reduction and essentialism in architecture and design can be employed to improve our lives.
    Titled Design by Reduction, the panel gathered contributors from different industries, with Zaha Hadid Architects associate director Johannes Schafelner representing architecture, Industrial Facility founder Kim Colin discussing industrial and product design, and SOM interiors lead Francesca Portesine representing interior design.
    Dezeen teamed up with Gaggenau to host a talk about reduction in design during Milan design week 2024Amongst the topics discussed by the panel was how the process and aesthetics of reduction in design can improve well-being through fostering simplicity in people’s day-to-day lives.
    Explaining the role of reduction in interior design, Portesine stated: “Generally, it is a very good thing that there is less rather than more to look at, to feel, to concentrate, to give importance to one element at a time.”

    “The balance of a space is created by simplicity, by reduction of materials,” she continued.

    Gaggenau launches nearly invisible cooktop that “allows the architecture to breathe”

    These comments were mirrored by Colin, who suggested that the role of the designer is to counter the complexity of the world by making a complicated world simple.
    “I don’t think we need to build in complexity – complexity is there in everything,” she said. “We really try hard to simplify things and make things easier. We deserve for things to be made more easily and more easily accessible.”
    She went on to describe how, in the field of industrial design, reduction can be used as a means to create products that fit holistically into the lives of users.
    “Often we try to quiet the noise. You can imagine a room full of products that are in the marketplace, shouting for your attention for you to buy them,” she explained.
    “They want you to buy them,” she continued. “But then what happens when you live with them? You’re living with a bunch of things that are shouting at you.”
    The talk coincided with the launch of Gaggenau’s new Essential Induction cooktopSchafelner described how reduction in architecture allows architects to design and build more efficiently, mitigating both the cost and environmental impact of buildings.
    “When we talk about reduction, it’s all about efficiency,” he said. “It’s really minimising the design, minimising the structure to have a better product.”
    He went on to describe how artificial intelligence (AI) can assist the architect in working more efficiently.
    “AI will also help us,” he stated. “There are now new tools which automatically give you realistic images in one second.”
    “It’s a much more intuitive workflow. And in the future, this will definitely help us to be more efficient.”
    Gaggenau exhibited new products in an installation at Milan’s historic Villa Necchi CampiglioAddressing the question of how principles of reduction can help to build a more sustainable future, Colin posited the return of the principle of “less is more.”
    “Using less material, less time, less effort, less shipping – less is more is back,” she claimed.
    “It should be easy to make as well as easy to live with. They should go hand in hand.”
    The talk took place in the conservatory of Milan’s historic Villa Necchi Campiglio, where the brand created an immersive installation called Elevation of Gravity to showcase its appliances.
    The panel featured representatives from Zaha Hadid Architects, SOM and Industrial FacilityAmongst the brand’s new launches was the Essential Induction cooktop, which has been designed to integrate into a kitchen worktop seamlessly.
    Covertly integrated induction hobs are integrated into a conductive Dekton stone countertop, indicated by a small LED light. The only other visible element of the cooktop is a performance dial located on the side of the countertop.
    The Essential Induction cooktop was designed to break down barriers between spaces used for cooking and living in the kitchen, and the principle of reduction at play in its design informed the topic of Dezeen’s talk.
    The photography is by Giovanni Franchellucci.
    Partnership content
    This video was produced by Dezeen as part of a partnership with Bentley. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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