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    Martin Brudnizki draws on “gritty glamour” for colourful Broadwick Soho hotel

    Interior architect Martin Brudnizki has used Italian maiolica tiles and bespoke furniture from India to give London’s Broadwick Soho hotel an eclectic look.

    The eight-floor hotel was designed by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio (MBDS) to evoke the history of Soho – the London neighbourhood that surrounds it.
    The hotel is located on Broadwick Street in London’s Soho area”Inspired by ‘gritty glamour’ and the diverse history of Soho, MBDS’s design influences range from 1970s disco pop elements to British eccentricity,” studio founder Martin Brudnizki told Dezeen.
    The hotel was also influenced by “the strong women who frequented Soho during the 1960s and 70s such as Mary Fedden, Molly Parkin and Muriel Belcher.”
    Maiolica tiles decorate the restaurant barBroadwick Soho is comprised of  57 rooms, which Brudnizki decorated in opulent colours and patterns. For the downstairs Italian restaurant, Dear Jackie, Brudnizki sourced materials and accessories that nod to its cuisine.

    “A split-level restaurant, the communal dining takes centre stage with long counter-style tables featuring 1970s Formica tops and Memphis-inspired chandeliers suspended from coral lacquered ceilings,” he said.
    Floral patterns cover the walls of the restaurant”The bar features maiolica tiles in traditional southern Italian patterns,” Brudnizki added. “This compliments the maiolica wall covering adorned with Sicilian folk motifs of grapes and flowers.”
    The handpainted ceramic tiles for the bar were developed by the studio itself together with a family business in Sicily.
    Rooms feature decorative elephant wallpaperIn some of the guestrooms, walls were decorated with marbled wallpaper with a pattern of tigers and elephants. The elephant was chosen as a symbol for the hotel and was also turned into mini bars in the hotel’s suites.
    “A huge amount of bespoke pieces were designed by the studio and produced by talented craftspeople across the world,” Brudnizki said.
    Martin Brudnizki Design Studio had elephant minibars crafted in India”The wonderful elephant mini bars in the suites were designed by the studio and crafted in India,” he added.
    “We actually travelled to India to work with the craftspeople directly, ensuring each detail was as we envisioned.”
    A vintage Murano glass chandelier hangs in The NookThe studio also sourced a number of vintage pieces for the hotel, including a 1970s Murano glass chandelier that hangs from the ceiling of The Nook – Broadwick Soho’s residents-only ground-floor lounge.
    MBDS also commissioned new Murano glass lamps that are scattered throughout the space.

    Monumental Damien Hirst sculptures feature inside Bacchanalia London restaurant

    “All of the Murano glass lights throughout the property have been made and developed by local artisans in the Venice region,” Brudnizki said.
    “Lastly, there is a collection of antiques throughout the hotel that have been sourced from independent Italian and British antique dealers, auction houses and shops.”
    Rooftop bar Flute features a variety of polished materialsBroadwick Soho’s rooftop dining bar – named Flute after a 19th-century flute maker on Broadwick Street – is an example of how Brudnizki played with multiple colours and patterns to create a space that he describes as combining “cocooned comfort with maximalist glamour”.
    Here, saturated green and pink pastel colours contrast gleaming marble and brass details, while contemporary art decorates the walls.
    The Nook has a cosy reading areaThe overall aim of the project was to create a hotel that would suit the context and history of Soho.
    “We were conscious of ensuring that what we were designing felt authentic and true to the Soho context and neighbourhood,” Brudnizki concluded.
    “It has such a strong and important cultural history, we were conscious we needed to draw this out and bring it to the forefront of our design concept.”
    Previous London projects designed by Brudnizki, who was one of the judges for Dezeen Awards 2023, include a mythology-informed restaurant and the redesign of members’ club Annabel’s.
    The photography is by James McDonald.

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    Furora Studio designs Kraków rental apartment Pops with “very sugary interior”

    Bespoke scalloped edges and a Verner Panton S-Chair feature at the Pops holiday apartment in Kraków, which Furora Studio designed to be more playful than a permanent home.

    Named Pops after lollipops, the dwelling was conceived by Diana Żurek and Gutek Girek of Polish firm Furora Studio.
    “The project is a temporary apartment for anyone who wants to spend time in an attractive and very sugary interior,” said the designers.
    Pops is a holiday apartment in central KrakówSpread across one level of a multi-storey building in central Kraków, the rental home includes an open-plan kitchen and living room.
    This space was dressed with a velvety salmon-pink curtain, which stretches the length of one of two of the walls, and a central display cabinet finished in pistachio green and “crowned with frills”.

    Furniture including a decorative display cabinet was custom-made by Furora StudioMuch of the furniture and other design elements were custom-made by Furora Studio and follow the same toy-like geometry as the cabinet – a combination of round and wavy motifs created in pastel pinks, greens and creams.
    For example, a white and turquoise pendant light with scalloped edges was suspended above a circular dining table, while a ribbed half-moon alcove was created as a backdrop for the wall-mounted television.
    Pastel hues define the apartment”First and foremost, we aimed to find suitable forms,” said Żurek, describing the studio’s starting point for the project.
    “Most of the elements were custom-made because we wanted to maintain the coherence of the interior while ensuring proper functional arrangement,” she told Dezeen.
    “Essentially, each element was its own small project. The selection of shapes, milling, small details, and perfecting the form – all of these were important considerations.”
    A ribbed, half-moon alcove was created as a backdrop for the televisionAn olive-hued, L-shaped sofa was tucked into one corner of the living space and echoed by the kitchen splashback, finished in the same green colour.
    Żurek described the apartment’s double bedroom as “a pink box with a whimsical headboard and an abundance of pillows”.
    Designer Diana Żurek described the bedroom as “a pink box”In one corner, a light green built-in desk was positioned in front of a sculptural Verner Panton chair.
    The iconic S-shaped seating was originally designed by Panton in the early 1960s and recently influenced the furniture created for the Dreamhouse at the centre of the set design in this year’s Barbie film.
    “We rarely have the opportunity to be in interiors that evoke memories of earlier years, when as children, we had few responsibilities and sought joy and playfulness,” noted Żurek.
    “But this is not about returning to preschool or infantilising the space,” stressed the designer.
    “It’s about positive energy. We sought solutions that would more literally create a colorful space, full of rounded patterns, light colours and a sense of relief,” she added.
    The studio added a Verner Panton chair to the apartmentThe bathroom is also awash with pattern, featuring a jumbo scalloped-edged cabinet and pink and brown terrazzo tiles.
    Bulbous pendant lighting illuminates the space, which contains a walk-in shower.
    Summarising the holiday apartment, Żurek called it a place to “have fun and cuddle”.

    Ten interiors with pastel colours that freshen up the home for spring

    “Certainly, there are many enthusiasts of such candy-like solutions, but this interior may not be for everyone, especially for long-term use, such as in the case of a private home,” reflected the designer.
    “For short-term rentals, I believe most people would be tempted to experience how it feels to be in such a vibrant interior,” she added.
    “These projects allow for the use of [design] solutions that might be somewhat tiring on a daily basis, but spending a brief moment in such a place opens us up to new experiences, feelings of peace and relaxation.”
    A jumbo scalloped-edged cabinet features in the bathroomElsewhere in Kraków, London-based office Studio Mills transformed an apartment at a converted monastery into a family home. Polish practice Projekt Praga created a bar with a self-service beer fountain within the taproom of a centuries-old brewery just outside of the city.
    The photography is by ONI Studio. 

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    Dezeen Awards 2023 winners announced at ceremony in London

    All 50 Dezeen Awards 2023 winners have been announced at this evening’s ceremony in central London.

    The winners were revealed at a party at Shoreditch Electric Light Station attended by shortlisted studios along with Dezeen Awards judges past and present including Nelly Ben Hayoun, Omar Gandhi, Patricia Urquiola, Sumayya Vally and LionHeart.
    All Dezeen Awards 2023 winners revealed
    The winning projects have been selected from more than 4,800 entries from 94 countries. The 39 project category winners were shortlisted for the architecture, interiors, design and sustainability project of the year awards. These projects went head to head to win the overall project of the year awards.
    The six Designers of the Year and the inaugural Bentley Lighthouse Award winner were also announced at the ceremony.

    View the winners on the Dezeen Awards website or read below:
    Simba Vision Montessori School in Tanzania was named architecture project of the year. Photo by Nadia ChristArchitecture
    Simba Vision Montessori School by Architectural Pioneering Consultants won the prestigious architecture project of the year award, sponsored by Material Bank. It was also named education project of the year.
    The judges said: “This exemplary building manages to do the most with the least. A truly sustainable project with a very limited budget, the building provides a much-needed educational space for the local community that is responsive to people, place and purpose.”
    The winning Montessori school with tactile qualities was up against projects that included a linear park with an elevated walkway in Mexico City, a copper-clad shelter constructed from bamboo in Bali and a timber-lined community centre made from salvaged local wood in east London.
    Read more about Simba Vision Montessori School and the architecture winners ›
    A restaurant in a former mechanic’s workshop in Guadalajara won interior project of the year. Photo by Gillian GarciaInteriors
    Restaurant Xokol in Guadalajara by studios Ruben Valdez Practice and ODAmx was named interior project of the year, sponsored by Moroso. It also won restaurant and bar interior of the year.
    “Xokol understands the place where it lives and the importance of designing in a specific way for a specific location,” commended the judges. “The result of this understanding is deep and poetic.”
    A palazzo with circular elements in Rome, a retail space defined by curved resin walls in the Art Gallery of New South Wales and an exhibition with shrink-wrapped blocks as scenography in Hanover were a few of the projects competing with the Mexican cross-cultural dining space.
    Read more about Xokol and the interiors winners ›
    Design project of the year was awarded to designer Yves Behar for his bionic leg wrapDesign
    The Cionic Neural Sleeve by Yves Behar’s Fuseproject and neuro tech startup Cionic was crowned design project of the year, sponsored by Solus Ceramics and Mirage Spa. It was also awarded product design (health and wellbeing) project of the year.
    “For the millions of people suffering from muscular degenerative diseases or injury, this product has the greatest potential to improve the user’s ability to walk and therefore their quality of life,” said the master jury.
    Projects vying with the winning bionic leg wrap included sunglasses that have adaptive focus lenses, a climate-change calculator that makes use of real-world data and a minimalist log-like perch designed for active waiting.
    Read more about Cionic Neural Sleeve and the design winners ›
    The latest phase of the redevelopment of Park Hill estate in Sheffield was crowned sustainable project of the yearSustainability
    London architecture studio Mikhail Riches won sustainable project of the year, sponsored by Brookfield Properties. Park Hill Phase 2 was also named sustainable renovation of the year.
    The judges said: “Mikhail Riches has taken the ruin of a concrete post-war mass housing project, which was an iconic building of its time, and shown how to care for its legacy while giving it dignity.”
    Other contenders for sustainability project of the year included an affordable housing block with pigmented precast concrete panels, a whiskey bar decked with oak from discarded distillery barrels and a chipless, paper-only version of a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag.
    Read more about Park Hill Phase 2 and the sustainability winners ›
    Photo by Måns BergDesigners of the Year
    Scandinavian practice White Arkitekter took home the architect of the year award and Sumayya Vally of Counterspace Studio was named emerging architect of the year.
    Interior designer of the year was awarded to Spanish architect Patricia Urquiola and emerging interior designer of the year was awarded to Paris-based studio Uchronia.
    London design duo Luke Pearson and Tom Lloyd won designer of the year for their practice Pearson Lloyd and Parisian Audrey Large was named emerging designer of the year.
    These categories are sponsored by Bentley.
    Read more about the Designers of the Year winners ›

    Bentley Lighthouse Award
    Natural Material Studio founder Bonnie Hvillum has been named the first winner of the prestigious Bentley Lighthouse Award.
    The inaugural award recognises designers who are curious and courageous in their approach, and whose work has had a beneficial impact on social and environmental sustainability, inclusivity or community empowerment.
    “The whole oeuvre is impressive and beautiful and demonstrates the path that our industry needs to take towards bio-based research, creating greater material diversity whether by repurposing waste or growing new materials,” lauded the master jury.
    This category is sponsored by Bentley.
    Read more about the Bentley Lighthouse Award winner Bonnie Hvillum ›
    Dezeen Awards 2023
    Dezeen Awards celebrates the world’s best architecture, interiors and design. Now in its sixth year, it has become the ultimate accolade for architects and designers across the globe. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent. More

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    Es Devlin reveals “miniature parallel practice” for New York exhibition

    Student drawings, scale models, and a life-size recreation of set designer Es Devlin’s London studio are on display at an exhibition exploring the designer’s 30-year archive at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

    Presented in conjunction with her debut monograph, An Atlas of Es Devlin, both exhibition and publication showcased sketches, paintings, small-scale work and more behind 120 projects spanning Devlin’s career in set design.
    An exhibit exploring Es Devlin’s career is on display at the Cooper Hewitt. Photo and top photo by Jason West”My craft is to imagine worlds that don’t yet exist, to invite audiences to practice ‘interbeing’ within psychological architectures they have not previously inhabited, to remind viewers that they are not separate but connected to one another and to the biosphere,” said Devlin.
    “For this exhibition, I have gathered the drawings, fragile paper sculptures and small-scale revolving cardboard models that I and my studio team have been making over the past three decades, a miniature parallel practice at the root of the large-scale public performance and installation works.”
    It coincides with the publishing of a monograph of the set designer’s workVisitors entered the exhibit via a recreation of Devlin’s London office, where they could sit at a central table scattered with paper and art tools representative of works in progress.

    Devlin’s voice narrated thoughts about early school days, belonging, and the intersection of creative disciplines as projections animate the space, with scribbles and writings appearing on the table’s pages and along the walls.
    The exhibit combines projections and audio recordings with scale models, sketches and notes from the designer’s life”The first thing I wanted to do was to invite visitors into my studio,” said Devlin. “Many of the people coming into this exhibition will not have a clue what it is I do or what are the processes that go into it at all.”
    “You come into the studio and already I hope you get the sense I had when I first walked into a room full of people making work like this.”
    Visitors enter through a replica of Es Devlin’s London studio before entering rooms displaying her creative process. Photo by Elliot Goldstein | Smithsonian InstitutionA projection of Devlin’s hands pulled an entryway open to the adjoining room, where Devlin’s Iris installation displayed the names of her many collaborators on a series of rings, a motif the designer often uses to “express the overlaid perspectives of creative partners and audiences”.
    The next installation displayed a wall covered in early sketches, paintings, collages, and diaries Devlin produced during her years at a music school and in her early career, which she noted were delivered to her later in life in “four big black beanbags” by an old boyfriend who had kept them.
    Both the exhibit and monograph showcase the creative process behind some 120 showsWhite, scale models of set and production designs made by Es Devlin Studio were displayed throughout succeeding rooms, accompanied by process sketches, documents and notes that include mark-ups on song lyrics by musicians Miley Cyrus, U2, The Weeknd, Beyoncé and more.
    Devlin noted that her work often begins with analyzing a “primary text” like pop-song lyrics or play before delving into further research.
    Scale models of set and production design are on display”I have spent 30 years translating words into images and spaces – transforming texts on a page into kinetic sculptures that encompass viewers with light and song and use magic to alter their perspective,” Devlin said.
    Another room contained a model theatre with a screen on its stage that displayed films of previous performances, while another displayed short films from Devlin’s various installations.

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    The last had a large table in which a number of Devlin’s monographs were displayed for visitors to thumb through, with pages of the recent book pinned along the walls.
    “The biggest challenge was to make the book,” Devlin told Dezeen “The book and the exhibit are kind of continuous of one another. Normally, my practice is a small group of people in my studio, resonating out to wider groups.”
    Unseen student work by Devlin also features”But this was the opposite centripetal force of drawing everything into a really small series of rooms, and a small object, the book. It’s the inverse of what I normally do.”
    According to the designer, the book-making process took nearly seven years and was edited by Cooper Hewitt associate curator of contemporary design Andrea Lipps, who also curated Devlin’s exhibit.
    Dezeen recently spoke with Es Devlin on her career, her work on the Sphere and more in an exclusive interview.
    The photography is courtesy Es Devlin Studio unless otherwise noted.
    An Atlas of Es Devlin will take place at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York from 18 Nov to 11 August 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
    Project credits:Exhibition design: Es Devlin StudioCurator: Andrea LippsCuratorial assistant: Julie PastoCuratorial interns and fellows: Madelyn Colonna, Bailey de Vries, Barbara Kasomenakis and Sophie ScottDesigners of record and fabrication: Pink SparrowGraphic design: Morcos KeyProjection and video design: Luke Halls StudioComposition and sound design: PolyphoniaLighting design: Bruno Poet and John ViestaAudiovisual production and integration: AV&C

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    Adean Studios overhauls High Country Motor Lodge with nods to astronomy

    An old roadside motel on America’s iconic Route 66 has been renovated by San Francisco-based Adean Studios to reflect the culture and enviromnent of Flagstaff, Arizona.

    Adean Studios worked with local architecture studio Synectic Design to overhaul the High Country Motor Lodge, which is operated by Marc & Rose Hospitality.
    Dark blue walls and amber lighting set the tone inside the High Country Motor Lodge lobby loungeThe mid-century property is accessed directly off the historic, cross-country Route 66 highway that runs through Flagstaff – the city that provides a base for visitors to the Grand Canyon, the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort and miles of hiking trails through the surrounding wilderness.
    Almost 7,000 feet (2,100 metres) above sea level, the city is also home to the Lowell Observatory where Pluto was discovered in 1930.
    The hotel was renovated by Adean Studios to reflect the landscape and history of FlagstaffAll of these elements were combined as influences for the hotel’s design, which lands somewhere between a mountain lodge and a retro motel.

    “Our goal was to incorporate the rich astronomical history of Flagstaff, while also creating an environment that blends elements of a retro 1960s lounge with modern mountain design,” said Adean Studios principal Alexa Nafisi-Movaghar. “The entire property showcases a darker colour palette accented with rustic woods and 1960s-inspired fixtures and furnishings.”
    Guest room interiors are a cross between mountain cabins and retro motel roomsPainted midnight blue, the hotel buildings form a U shape around a central lawn and a large swimming pool, which was also renovated as part of the project.
    The lobby, restaurant and other public areas face the highway, while the majority of guest rooms are located in perpendicular two-storey blocks behind.
    Low furniture and cassette players add to the nostalgic atmosphereOn the west side of the site, three new shingle-clad cabins were constructed to house larger suites, bringing the total number of keys to 123.
    The dark facade colours continue inside the lobby, lounge and bar areas, where a variety of seating types and configurations allow guests to dine or relax as they choose.
    Dark green and blue hues throughout the property nod to the forested surroundings and night skyAmber-hued glass light fixtures emit a soft, warm glow in these spaces, while velvet curtains and blankets were included.
    The bar and lounge opens onto a stepped outdoor terrace, where more dining tables and low chairs are arranged around a series of fire pits.
    The property is arranged around a central lawn, which public events are held, and a large renovated swimming poolA general store off the reception area sells a curated selection of snacks, merchandise and other locally sourced gifts.
    In the guest rooms, navy blue wainscoting wraps the lower portion of off-white walls, and dark wood floors and low furniture add to the mid-century aesthetic.
    Three shingle-clad cabins that house suites were built as part of the projectEach is equipped with a cassette player and a set of three tapes, which play tracks that evoke nostalgia for the road trip era.
    High Country Motor Lodge also boasts a Nordic spa, comprising two private wood-lined saunas that guests can reserve for one-hour sessions.

    Eight mid-century American motels reborn as boutique accommodation

    These cabins are accessed from an enclosed courtyard with an outdoor shower and fire pits, and have direct access to the hot tub for further relaxation, or the swimming pool for a cold plunge.
    “Inspired by the local lifestyle of adventure-seekers, day-sleepers, and night-watchers, the great lawn, private cottages, and the Nordic Spa have been designed to enhance the outdoor experience, constantly reminding guests of the beautiful nature that surrounds,” Nafisi-Movaghar said.
    The hotel has a Nordic spa that guests can book for private experiences. Photo by Landon KroegerThe hotel’s branding was created by Charleston-based SDCO Partners, and also plays up the retro and astronomy themes.
    “Nestled between the Grand Canyon and Barringer Crater, the High Country Motor Lodge is at once both celestial and earthly, and the brand design honors both,” said creative director and founding partner Amy Pastre.
    The sauna cabins are located close to the hot tub. Photo by Landon Kroeger”An eclectic family of hand-rendered typographic and illustrative graphic elements celebrate the motor lodge’s vintage style, contemporary design, and the love of high desert adventure.”
    A range of public programming is organised at the location throughout the year, including theatrical performances, and a folk music festival in the fall.
    The private saunas can be reserved for an hour. Photo by Landon KroegerMany former motels and motor lodges across the US have been bought up and renovated into boutique accommodations over the past decade.
    From Hotel Joaquin in Laguna Beach and The Drifter in New Orleans, to Scribner’s in New York’s Catskills Mountains and Tourists in the Berkshires, these hotels are often designed with a location-specific twist.
    The photography is by Werner Segarra, unless stated otherwise.

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    Medprostor stacks firewood for Ljubljana design biennial exhibition

    Firewood logs were used as modular stackable elements for the scenography of the BIO27 Super Vernaculars design biennial in Ljubljana, Slovenia, which has been shortlisted for a 2023 Dezeen Award.

    Curated by Jane Withers, the 27th edition of the city’s design biennial took place at the Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO) in the summer of 2022.
    Firewood was stacked in various ways to stage the BIO27 Super VernacularsThe four-month presentation explored how designers and architects are adapting vernacular traditions and value systems to respond to contemporary challenges like water scarcity, waste and declining biodiversity.
    Similarly, the brief for the exhibition design was to rethink classic parameters and consider sustainability in the context of a temporary show.
    The firewood bundles were used to display various design projects throughout MAOSlovenian architecture studio Medprostor chose to create the scenography from a readily available, locally sourced material that could be entirely reused at the end of the show.

    “Walls, planes, piles and lines of firewood are a part of the Slovenian visual landscape, as almost 59 per cent of the country is forested,” said Medprostor.
    “By only using the standard logs and non-invasive stacking and binding methods, all the material was returned to the supplier for further resale and use.”
    The logs were pre-cut to standard lengths so they could be reusedPre-cut to standard lengths, the logs were oriented vertically and bound together to create tables and platforms of varying heights and sizes throughout the exhibit areas.
    Some of the logs were notched in their tops to hold photographs and texts mounted on honeycomb cardboard sheets, which also formed flat horizontal surfaces for displaying items by participating designers.
    Photos mounted onto honeycomb cardboard were placed in notches on top of the logsBundles were also laid on their sides to act as low-lying display podiums for larger pieces.
    “The aim was to explore ways of stacking wood that are based in traditional techniques but can at the same time support new shapes and methods that evoke a sense of contemporaneity,” Medprostor said.
    Orange and grey straps recycled from the shipping industry were used to bind the logsThe grey and orange straps used to bind the wood and to hang cardboard panels from the ceiling were reused from the shipping industry.
    A few panels also incorporated video screens or served as a backdrop for projections, adding another medium through which the curated projects could be articulated.

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    Medprostor collaborated with graphic designers Studio Kruh and AA to continue the low-impact approach to the exhibition graphics and signage, which were primarily printed on-site at the museum.
    Additionally, the firewood was able to extend its drying process for the duration of the biennial, making it more energy-efficient when finally used as fuel, according to the studio.
    Hanging panels incorporated video screens and were used as projector backdrops”The drier the wood, the higher heating value and better environmental footprint it has,” Medprostor said. “While in the museum, logs can dry additionally and be returned to the supplier for further resale with a better ecological footprint.”
    “The museum becomes a part of the process of curing the wood.”
    All of the firewood was returned to the supplier when the exhibition endedThe BIO27 Super Vernaculars scenography has been shortlisted in the exhibition design category of the 2023 Dezeen Awards, along with a shrink-wrapped exhibition design by Didier Faustino and a showcase of recycled steel chairs by Daisuke Yamamoto.
    The awards will be presented during a ceremony and party in London on Tuesday 28 November 2023, with creative direction by The Unlimited Dream Company.
    The photography is by Ana Skobe and Klemen Ilovar.
    BIO27 Super Vernaculars took place at the Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO), Ljubljana, Slovenia from 26 May to 29 September 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
    Project credits:
    Location: Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO), Ljubljana, SloveniaExhibition design: Medprostor: Rok Žnidaršič, Jerneja Fischer Knap, Katarina Čakš, Teja GorjupGraphic design: Studio Kruh + AACurator: Jane WithersAssistant curator: Ria HawthornBIO27 director: Anja Radović

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    Eight homes with practical and stylish built-in window seats

    For our latest lookbook, we’ve collected eight window seats in homes across the world including clever custom-made solutions in wood and concrete.

    By installing a window seat, interior designers don’t just add extra seating to a room, they also create a peaceful space that can be used for contemplation and relaxation.
    Whether it functions as a small nook for reading, a sofa for socialising or even as a daybed, these projects showcase how the built-in furniture piece has been used in homes from Denmark to China.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors created on a budget, immersive saunas and light-filled kitchens.
    Photo by Antoine HuotNicolai Paris, France, by NOA

    This Network of Architecture-designed Marais apartment inside a converted hotel has been outfitted with a selection of custom-made oak furniture. In the living room, a stylish built-in window seat was designed to function as both seating and storage space.
    Its curved shape was enhanced by the addition of black-leather cushions and pillows, which contrast the unadorned white walls and the bleached oak parquet with its decorative chevron pattern.
    Find out more about Nicolai Paris ›
    Photo by Mikkel MortensenVilla Wienberg, Denmark, by Wienberg Architects and Friis & Moltke
    Together with studio Friis & Moltke, Danish architects Mette and Martin Wienberg gave this 1940s cottage an overhaul to turn it into a home for their own family.
    The house has wooden panelling throughout and in the living space, the material was also used to form a low-slung window seat that functions as a bench around the room. Cosy pillows and a sheepskin add comfort.
    Find out more about Ell House ›
    Photo by Manon VandenhoeckMaison Jericho, France, by Olivia Fauvelle Architecture
    This outbuilding in Marseille was refurbished and extended by French studio Olivia Fauvelle Architecture. In the living room, a concrete window seat was added to help create a connection between the indoors and outdoors.
    It overlooks a tiled terrace with a pool and is topped with a leather daybed to create a restful space. A wood-burning stove hangs above the window seat, adding warmth to the room.
    Find out more about Maison Jericho ›
    Photo by Do Mal o MenosPuppeteers House, Portugal, by REDO Architects
    REDO Architects was inspired by stage sets when designing Puppeteers House in Sintra, Portugal, which features wooden joinery constructions intended to evoke theatrical scenography.
    This includes a curved wooden bench that functions as a window seat on the first-floor landing, where it is matched by wooden panelling.
    “We used a precise quarter of a circle as a tool – like a compass – in different radii, orientations, combinations and materialities,” REDO Architects founder Diogo Figueiredo told Dezeen.
    Find out more about Puppeteers House ›
    Photo (above and main image) by Maxime BrouilletEll House, Canada, by Ravi Handa Architect and AAmp Studio
    The built-in window seat in the Ell House holiday home in Wellington provides its owners with a picturesque view of Lake Ontario.
    The exterior of the house was clad in cedar that was charred using the Japanese yakisugi method while the interior features contrasting light oak millwork.
    The same wood was also used to form a window seat in the bedroom, which features clean lines and has a cushion for additional comfort.
    Find out more about Ell House ›
    Photo by Lorenzo Zandri and Christian BraileyMuswell Hill home, UK, by Architecture for London
    British studio Architecture for London designed this home in north London for its founder Ben Ridley. Located in an Edwardian house that hadn’t been renovated for almost 40 years, it was designed to be energy-saving and constructed using natural materials.
    A cosy window seat made from grey limestone can be found in the kitchen, where it connects to a storage cabinet made from pale oak.
    Find out more about Muswell Hill home ›
    Photo by Tian Fang FangU-Shape Room, China, by Atelier Tao + C
    U-shaped window seats are more unusual than rectangular ones. But in this Chinese home, the architects had little choice as the building is dominated by a huge, rounded bay window.
    Studio Atelier Tao+C added a curved plywood seat that also has storage spaces. It matches a two-storey plywood volume that houses all the functional rooms of the apartment.
    Find out more about U-Shape Room ›
    Photo by Magnus Berger NordstrandThe Yellow House in the Apple Garden, Norway, by Familien Kvistad
    This renovated 1950s house in Oslo was given a colourful interior by locally based duo Familien Kvistad and also features “an abundance of wood”.
    While window seats are usually placed under large windows, here the designers chose to add one underneath the smaller, rectangular kitchen window. The long bench is made from ash and has practical storage space hidden underneath a dark green cushion seat.
    Find out more about The Yellow House ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors created on a budget, immersive saunas and light-filled kitchens.

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    REV Architecture decorates Carita Maison de Beauté with “translucent clouds”

    Local studio REV Architecture has completed an interior renovation of the Maison de Beauté in Paris, France, for L’Oréal Luxe skincare brand Carita.

    Surrounded by other luxury brands along the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, the studio aimed for the space, which houses a hair salon and skincare treatment rooms as well as a restaurant and eye studio, to be an embodiment of the brand’s identity.
    REV Architecture gave the Parisian beauty house an update”Our aim was to convert a commercial space into a cultural space,” REV Architecture said. “We wanted the Maison Carita to stand out as a new must-go-to destination in Paris, with all the legend that goes with it to reflect what these modern, timeless women were like.”
    Design efforts focused on the 2,000-square-metre building’s former courtyard, which was restored to its original proportions by removing recent additions and raising the height of the glass roof.
    A raised glass roof extends across the renovated atrium”To transcend this heritage, it was necessary to identify the logic of the space,” the studio explained. “The architecture becomes the singular experience that leads to the discovery of the brand’s culture.”

    Natural light is filtered through what the studio describes as a series of “translucent clouds” – circular glass panels that overhang the length of the restored atrium.
    The portico entryway is defined by a series of staggered archesTo draw visitors in from the street, REV Architecture introduced a series of staggered arches along a portico leading from the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
    “[The arches create] a subtly accelerated perspective that gradually reveals the vision of the atrium, the epicentre of the new Maison de Beauté,” the studio said.
    The studio incorporated a restaurant by French chef Amandine Chaignot into the designPublic spaces and private rooms are alternated throughout the layout, and are connected through the central atrium by a raised path network.
    “The different spaces of the Maison de Beauté are linked to the atrium by aerial paths, a unique architectural promenade [experienced] as a promise or souvenir of the visit,” the studio said.

    Remedy Place in Manhattan is designed to “bring back hospitality into healthcare”

    Materials were selected to reference the white-and-black colours of Carita’s most iconic products, as well as to evoke their fluid textures and its brand identity.
    “We have cultivated a sense of natural materiality [and] tactile surfaces where charm, contemporary purity and responsibility come together; the sensuality of gypsum, white and black marble warmed by touches of pink onyx and chromed metal,” the studio said.
    “Sensitive, natural, responsible [materials] made more beautiful by the passage of time.”
    The treatment rooms were informed by the clean lines of the Carita brand logoThe studio was further informed by the Carita brand logo and how it could be fused with the forms of the renovated rooms and treatment spaces.
    “It is the lines and the femininity of this simple and poetic monogram that we have chosen to define the overall expression of the new architecture,” REV Architecture said.
    The house of beauty includes a salon by John NolletREV is a Paris-based architecture and design studio founded by Cristiano Benzoni and Sophie Thuillier. The project has been shortlisted in the health and wellbeing (interior) category of Dezeen Awards 2023.
    Other recent beauty and well-being projects include a beauty store which takes its cues from underground factories in China and a spa embedded in the Mexican jungle by Soler Orozco Arquitectos and Javier Sánchez.
    The photography is by Benoit Linero.

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