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    Eight quiet luxury interiors from Biarritz to Stockholm

    Our latest lookbook focuses on quiet luxury and features projects including a French hotel and a Swedish Grace apartment that exemplify the trend for discrete, yet sumptuous interiors.

    Classic, hardwearing materials and simple, neutral colour palettes characterise these eight quiet luxury interiors, which convey an elegant feeling without being over-the-top.
    Gleaming marble decorates bathrooms and hallways, while polished wood and soft, tactile textiles add an exquisite touch to bedrooms and living rooms.
    To create these quiet luxury interiors, designers have focused on the contrast and texture of different materials and added details such as sprigs of flowers and timeless designer furniture pieces.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring airy loft conversions, kitchen islands with waterfall countertops and art-filled living rooms.

    Photo is by Gokul Rao KadamClermont residence, India, by FADD Studio
    This multi-generational home in Bangalore, India, is a prime example of how the right material choice can make an apartment feel sophisticated without needing to splurge on many additional features.
    Designer FADD Studio clad the bathroom in veiny marble for a striking effect, underlined by the contrast with the dark wood floor of one of the six bedrooms.
    Find out more about Clermont residence ›
    Photo is by Yannick LabrousseRepublique apartment, France, by Hauvette & Madani
    While this Paris apartment has a striking wine-red kitchen, the rest of the colour palette was kept neutral, but clever material use has given it a decidedly upmarket feel.
    In the dining room, chromed cantilevered dining chairs have been combined with a marble table. A lustrous herringbone parquet floor adds a natural feel, while a playful modern chandelier in smoke-coloured glass completes the interior.
    Find out more about Republique apartment ›
    Photo is by Mr TripperRegina Experimental, France, by Dorothée Meilichzon
    Located in a Belle Epoque-era hotel in the French seaside town of Biarritz, the Regina Experimental hotel has a number of luxurious touches.
    In this bathroom, combining the colour of the doorframe and shelving with tiles in the same hue creates a coherent, stylish interior.
    Fluted panelling at the top of the walls, classic porcelain sinks and shell-shaped soap holders add a nautical vibe.
    Find out more about Regina Experimental ›
    Photo is courtesy of Note Design StudioHabitat 100, Sweden, by Note Design Studio
    A calm hallway with patterned marble floors welcomes visitors into Habitat 100 in Stockholm, which was designed to resemble the original interior of the 1920s apartment.
    Note Design Studio also used greyed wood and stained oak to create a quietly luxurious feel inside the flat, which is located in a building built during the Swedish Grace era, a romantic, refined style movement.
    Find out more about Habitat 100 ›
    Photo is by Felix Speller and Child StudioMayfair residence, UK, by Child Studio
    The interior of this Mayfair house was informed by fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent’s home and features a number of custom-made pieces.
    These are combined with mid-century modern furniture, including a glassware cabinet and coffee table in dark, glossy wood. A marble side table and a brass wall sconce add more interesting material contrasts.
    Find out more about Mayfair residence ›
    Photo is by Joe FletcherTwentieth House, US, by Woods + Dangaran
    Twentieth House, a three-storey home in California, features a bedroom with a material mix that conveys a sense of restrained elegance.
    Soft brown velvet seating along with a rug colour match the panelled wooden wall, creating a cohesive and relaxing interior. A modern chandelier adds a frivolous touch.
    Find out more about Twentieth House ›
    Photo is by Seth CaplanDumbo loft, US, by Crystal Sinclair Designs
    Interiors studio Crystal Sinclair Designs renovated this loft apartment in Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighbourhood (above and main image) to retain its industrial look while adding some “European flair”.
    The result is a home that feels both cosy and elegant, with a practical mezzanine floor and stylish details, including a rough-hewn vase and a classic mushroom-shaped Artemide Nessino table lamp.
    Find out more about Dumbo loft ›
    Photo is by Gavin GreenFisherman’s Cottage, Australia, by Studio Prineas
    This former fisherman’s cottage in Sydney was extended with a concrete tower. Inside the home, a mirrored bathroom feels both industrial and upmarket at the same time.
    Veined green marble was used for the deep bath, while minimalist white sinks and chrome taps add a modernist touch.
    Find out more about Fisherman’s Cottage ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring airy loft conversions, kitchen islands with waterfall countertops and art-filled living rooms.

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    Studio FB creates gallery-like interior for Frame store in Marylebone

    French interior design Studio FB and the co-founder of fashion brand Frame, Erik Torstensson, have designed a California-informed store for the brand in London.

    The store’s concept draws from the brand’s Californian origins as well as European influences, which is reflected in the lighting, furniture and materials.
    Studio FB designed a minimalist store for Frame”The Californian universe with these modernist architectures with a free plan, skylights and the opening of spaces to the outside was our inspiration basis,” Studio FB told Dezeen.
    “We imagined this new concept design layout as open as possible, which can be compared to a gallery.”
    The store is arranged round a large central pillarTo create a greater connection with the street, the studio redesigned the facade by adding a curved, full-height glazed wall, which was set behind the original piers.

    “We designed a long-curved glass like a contemporary insert which contrasts radically with the classic London pillars preserved,” said the studio.
    The studio aimed to create a gallery-like atmosphereWithin the store, the studio aimed to mimic the atmosphere of an art gallery with a polished concrete floor serving as a base for a central pillar constructed from stained birch wood veneer.
    The store’s rails were custom-designed with a distinctive hand-moulded abstract-shaped end-piece serving as the highlight
    With in the fitting room, the ceiling, walls and doors were upholstered in fabric by textile company Kvadrat.
    Custom-designed rails were created for the store”The rounded central wooden element was designed as a sculptural object, which gives a residential feeling from the 50s,” the studio explained.
    “The backspace invites the cabins and lounge area becomes more intimate all-in fabric and brings sophistication to the space. Pieces of furniture and artwork sublimate the atmosphere,” the studio continued.
    “The general atmosphere is similar to an art gallery with raw materials such as concrete on the floor and white walls.”
    The stores changing areas have fabric wallsFB Architects and Torstensson worked together to acquire artwork and collectable design pieces to reinforce the gallery atmosphere.
    “It was a thorough process to ensure the most unique response possible to Frame,” said the studio.
    “Erik had a precise vision of his brand, so we exchanged a lot together on many artistic fields to build the brand’s architectural DNA.”

    Traditional Korean pavilions inform open-sided Aesop store in Seoul

    A sculpture by Serbian visual artist Bojan Šarčević crafted from wood and limestone sits in the display window. Also in the store are two original 1950s Gio Ponti stools, crafted from wood and textiles.
    The store was decorated with wall-mounted fixtures designed by French lighting designer Jean Perzel, as well as geometric fixtures created by French architect Pierre Chareau, to create a soft and gentle lighting ambience.
    Artworks feature throughout the storeTorstensson used AI as a sketching tool to design custom objects for the space, such as large brutalist stone tables and chrome custom-made sculptures that were then realised by architecture studios including Bucktron Studio Sweden.
    “I’ve been learning and expanding my skills with AI for the last year, it creates a superpower when it comes to speed, as it allowed me to generate the visual concept at a greater pace and scale,” said Torstensson.
    “This creates exciting results and provides a new outlook on design. I simply use it to visualise my initial ideas in greater detail in order to bring my ideas to life.”
    The store is Frame’s second in the UKOther retail interiors recently featured on Dezeen include a stationery store interior made from white-oiled wood by Architecture for London and a store interior for Ms MIN in Shanghai, China, by Neri&Hu.
    The photography is courtesy of Frame.

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    Five days left to book early-bird tickets to Dezeen Awards 2023 party

    There are just five days left to save on tickets for the Dezeen Awards 2023 party. Book now to secure your place at our reduced early-bird rate and see this year’s winners announced.

    Early-bird tickets will be on sale until 23:59 London time on 31 October 2023. Save 20 per cent and book your ticket for the special early-bird price of £145 (excluding VAT) if you order before 23:59 on 31 October 2023.
    You can also save a further 10 per cent if you book a package of 10 tickets or more.
    Buy your early-bird tickets now!
    Taking place at Shoreditch Electric Light Station in London on 28 November, we will celebrate the winners of Dezeen Awards 2023 with food, drink, live entertainment and music throughout the night.

    The winners of all 39 Dezeen Awards project categories will be revealed, as well the overall architecture, interiors, design and sustainability projects of the year.
    We will also be announcing the six Designers of the Year and revealing the winner of the inaugural Bentley Lighthouse Award.
    Stay at One Hundred Shoreditch
    If you are travelling to London for Dezeen Awards 2023 you can save further on your stay with our hotel partner, One Hundred Shoreditch. Located just under a 10 minute walk away from the venue in the heart of Shoreditch, it is the ideal spot for your stay in London.
    Use the code Dezeen23 as a “rate access/corporate code” when booking to save an extra 20 per cent off the best available price.
    Book your Dezeen Awards 2023 party ticket now via Eventbrite: dezeenawards2023.eventbrite.co.uk
    Email [email protected] if you have any questions. Sign up to our Dezeen Awards newsletter to get updates on the winners party and future editions of Dezeen Awards. More

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    Tembo Tembo lodge hides among landscape of South African game reserve

    Rammed earth walls and an organic colour scheme help this South African family lodge designed by architecture practice Studio Asaï to blend into its natural surroundings.

    Tembo Tembo sits close to the Sabie River on the western edge of Kruger National Park – a sprawling game reserve that’s home to a wide array of flora and fauna, including what’s known as the “big five”: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalo.
    Tembo Tembo’s rammed earth walls blend into the landscape of the game reserveThis setting was a large point of inspiration for Paris-based Studio Asaï, which decided to construct the home from rammed earth, emulating the materiality of towering termite nests that can be seen across the reserve.
    “More locally, [rammed earth] is only used for singular walls in the house, thought of as a decorative object,” explained the studio. “For Tembo Tembo, we decided to use it as the main material for the entire house.”
    Dark wood lines the home’s moody entrancewayTo ensure the stability of the home, Studio Asaï worked alongside local architect Nicholas Plewman to develop a structural skeleton that could support the roof and walls.

    Locally sourced rammed earth was then applied to the structure, mixed with a sealant to make the material less porous and crumbly.
    A green sofa in the living area is meant to emulate the colour of the foliage outdoorsThe house was also built atop an 80-centimetre-high concrete platform to keep away lizards and other critters while minimising flooding from the heavy downpours that frequently occur in the region from September onwards.
    The property’s flat steel roof is meant to give the home a lower, more discrete profile.
    The dining area opens onto a shaded terraceInhabitants access the home through a moody entryway lined with dark wood panels. A papery, three-tier pendant light hangs from the centre of the space directly above a white marble table.
    The home’s rammed earth walls were left exposed in the adjacent living area, which is anchored by a modular green sofa that nods to the foliage of the South African bush.
    Cream plaster walls and a coffered ceiling can be seen in the home’s libraryTo the side of this space is a contemporary kitchen complete with dark wood cabinetry and a blocky breakfast island crafted from black Zimbabwean granite.
    In the corner of the room is a travertine marble dining table surrounded by chairs with woven seats. This is positioned directly next to an expansive glazed panel that, when slid back, lets inhabitants step onto a shaded terrace.
    Curtains help give the principal bedroom a tented safari-camp feelCreamy plaster walls appear in the home’s library, complementing the rustic beige fabric that was set into the room’s coffered ceiling.
    Studio Asaï revived the “bush” green of the sofa but this time in the form of a glossy work desk.
    The house’s rammed earth walls are revealed again in the guest bedroomDesigned to feel akin to a “modern safari camp”, the principal bedroom features a large bed that can be enclosed with gauzy curtains on all sides.
    There’s a cosier feel in the guest bedroom where Studio Asaï has once again left the rammed earth walls bare and installed a black metal fireplace for use in the cooler months.
    There’s also a striking bathroom that’s almost entirely lined in a flecked Namibian stone.
    Namibian stone covers surfaces in the bathroomTembo Tembo has made the shortlist of the home interior category at this year’s Dezeen Awards.
    It will compete against other projects such as Prior Barraclough’s Union Street House, which is entirely lined in Australian hardwood, and Keiji Ashizawa Design’s Hiroo Residence, which is decked out in muted tones to amplify the space’s sense of light.
    The photography is by Adrien Dirand.
    Project credits:
    Interior design and architecture: Studio AsaïArchitecture: Nick Plewman ArchitectsLandscape design: Green Inc

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    Customers exchange urine for soap at Het Nieuwe Instituut pop-up shop

    Cultural centre Het Nieuwe Instituut is rethinking the archetypal museum shop with a pop-up at Dutch Design Week, designed to encourage more ethical, resource-conscious consumption.

    Instead of offering a straightforward exchange of wares for money, New Store 1.0 gives patrons the opportunity to trade their urine for a piece of Piss Soap and encourages them to place their phones on specially designed fixtures to provide lighting for the venue once the sun goes down.
    Het Nieuwe Instituut has launched its debut pop-up shop at Dutch Design WeekTaking over Residency for the People – a hybrid restaurant and artist residency in Eindhoven – the pop-up also serves up two different versions of the same seabass dish, one made using wild locally caught fish and the other using fish that was industrially farmed and imported.
    The pop-up is the first of two trial runs for the New Store, aimed at helping Rotterdam’s Nieuwe Instituut work out how to design its own museum shop to prioritise positive social and environmental impact over mere financial gain.
    Arthur Guilleminot’s Piss Soap is among the projects on offerIn collaboration with the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR) and research consultancy The Seeking State, the second trial will take place at next year’s Milan design week, with the aim to open the first dedicated shop in the museum’s Rotterdam location in 2025.

    “It all started out with the idea that we don’t have a museum shop per se,” Nieuwe Instituut’s programme manager Nadia Troeman told Dezeen. “A museum shop, as we know, has books and trinkets and gadgets. And it’s not really doing well for the planet or the environment.”
    “So we were like, how can we make the act of consuming better? How can we consume differently to help not just ourselves but the environment as well?”
    Visitors are invited to donate their urine via a poster in the toilet. Photo by Jennifer HahnFor the Dutch Design Week (DDW) pop-up, Nieuwe Instituut found the three featured projects by Dutch designers Arthur Guilleminot, Brogen Berwick and Arnout Meijer via an open call.
    The aim was to help the designers trial their ideas for how the exchange of goods could be less extractive and transactional in a real-world scenario.
    This can then be placed on a shelf outside the bathroom. Photo by Tracy Metz”The project is part of a broader institutional agenda of ours to become more of a testing ground,” explained the museum’s director Aric Chen. “It’s part of rethinking the role of cultural institutions as being places that can do more than host debates, discussions and presentations.”
    “So our aim is to take some of these projects that try to think about how we can do less damage, take them out of the graduation shows, take them out of the museum galleries, take them out of the biennales and put them into the real world, with real consumers, audiences and real people to see what we can learn from it,” he continued.

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    Guilleminot used the opportunity to expand his ongoing Piss Soap project, with a poster in the venue’s toilet inviting visitors to donate their pee by relieving themselves into designated cups and discreetly placing them on a newly added shelf outside the bathroom window.
    This can then be exchanged for a piece of soap, made using urine donated by previous participants and other waste materials from human activities such as used cooking oil.
    The soap takes three months to cure and is entirely odourless, helping to break up dirt and grease thanks to the urine’s high ammonia content.
    Those who are eating at the New Store can choose between two kinds of fishThe aim of the project is to find a new application for an underutilised waste material and engage people in a kind of circular urine economy.
    “The idea was to revive the ancient tradition of using pee to make soap, which was done for many centuries, including in ancient Rome,” said Guilleminot.
    “Could I make a modern product using this ingredient and, in the meantime, also change our feelings of disgust about our golden organic liquid?”
    The shop’s interactive lighting fixtures were designed by Arnout MeijerThose having dinner at the New Store can choose between two iterations of the same fish dish.
    The first uses wild seabass that was caught locally by fishers Jan and Barbara Geertsema-Rodenburg in Lauwersoog while the other was farmed in Turkey and imported by seafood market G&B Yerseke.
    Devised by Berwick, who is a design researcher and “occasional fisherwoman”, the project challenges diners to ask themselves whether they are willing to pay the higher price associated with locally caught fish in exchange for its environmental benefits.
    “With the fish, they get a receipt of transparency,” Troeman added. “And one is obviously longer than the other.”
    The shop is open until 29 OctoberDiners were also asked to provide their own illumination as the sun goes down, in a bid to make them aware of our overconsumption of energy and the adverse effects our light pollution has on the natural rhythms of other animals.
    For this purpose, Meijer designed two wall-mounted fixtures inside the New Store that have no internal light source and are simply composed of discarded glass shards topped with wooden shelves made from old beams.
    If they require more light, guests have to place their phone on this ledge with the flashlight on, funnelling light onto the glass shard through a narrow slit in the wood.
    It takes over Eindhoven’s artists’ residency and restaurant Residency for the PeopleThis reflects and refracts light around the space while revealing various crescent moon shapes engraved into the glass in a nod to the circadian rhythm.
    “It’s really about our dependence on the constant supply of energy,” Troeman said. “Can we embrace the dark and hence be more environmentally friendly? It has benefits for everyone and everything.”
    Exploring more circular forms of exchange was also on the agenda at last year’s Dutch Design Week, when designer Fides Lapidaire encouraged visitors to trade their own poo for “shit sandwiches” topped with vegetables that were fertilised with human waste.
    The photography is by Jeph Francissen unless otherwise stated.
    Dutch Design Week 2023 is taking over Eindhoven from 21 to 29 October. See Dezeen Events Guide for information about the many other exhibitions, installations and talks taking place throughout the week.

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    Linehouse adds tactile textures and warm tones to coastal home in Hong Kong

    Chinese studio Linehouse has designed the interiors of Cape Drive Residence in Hong Kong to respond to the surrounding coastal views.

    Located on the south side of Hong Kong Island, the three-floor home is a short walk from the beaches of Stanley and Chung Hom Kok and has panoramic ocean views to the east and west from its elevated position.
    “The design harnesses a costal essence through materiality, light and an easy flow, seamlessly connecting the interior and exterior spaces,” Linehouse explained.
    The home is located on the south side of Hong Kong Island with expansive ocean viewsAn open living area on the ground floor connects to the kitchen and dining space while an internal courtyard was inserted between theses areas and includes a centralised tree and surrounding seating.
    The living area extends to the main terrace with full-height windows that frame the expansive ocean views.

    Clad in stone, the terrace forms a sunken seating area with pockets of greenery surrounding it, which shelters the sea wind.
    A timber staircase framed by a shuttered screen connects all three floorsWhite timber louvers were used as a continuous ceiling plane in the living area which also extends to the terrace as a canopy.
    “The design of the home reflects the relaxed and laidback lifestyle of a beach setting,” said the studio. “Warm tones, tactile surfaces and textures, a clean and simple material palette, and a seamless flow between inside and out.”
    An outdoor terrace was clad in stone with a sunken seating area”Cape Drive Residence offers the fitting backdrop for coastal living,” it continued.
    A warm oak timber staircase was punctuated by a shuttered screen that runs vertically through all levels of the home while arranging more private areas such as bathing and dressing.

    Linehouse designs Hong Kong guesthouse to evoke the comfort of home

    The whitewashed timber material of the screen echoes the coastal location and reflects light through the spaces.
    A white metal rod screen can be slide open at each level, offering transparency and light through different spaces.
    An internal courtyard was inserted between the dining and kitchen areaBedrooms, a second living area and a study were placed on the upper two levels, all with coastal views.
    The same whitewashed timber material used on the shuttered screen was adopted to form storage, seating and shelving in these private spaces, providing a textural contrast to the hand-raked plaster walls.
    The bathrooms add a fresh moment of colour into the space, using patterned tiles handmade in Portugal by Elisa Passino.
    Shelving and storage spaces were created from whitewashed timber materialLinehouse was founded by Alex Mok and Briar Hickling in 2013 and the duo went on to win emerging interior designer of the year at the 2019 Dezeen Awards.
    The studio has recently completed a guesthouse in Hong Kong that evokes the comfort of home and a Mediterranean restaurant in Shanghai with natural, tactile materials.
    The photography is by Jonathan Leijonhufvud.
    Project credits:
    Design: LinehouseDesign principal: Briar HicklingDesign team: Ricki-Lee Van Het Wout, Cindy Pooh

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    Figure and Studio J Jih perform “stair gymnastics” inside Boston rowhouse

    American firms Studio J Jih and Figure have overhauled a historic house in Boston, which now revolves around a sculptural “hairpin” staircase influenced by the twists and turns of mountain roads.

    Locally based Studio J Jih and San Francisco studio Figure collaborated on the transformation of the four-storey rowhouse in the city’s South End.
    Studio J Jih and Figure have renovated Hairpin HouseThe owner, a Boston native, desired more useable space in the 15-foot-wide (4.6-metre) home, which was only achievable by entirely reorganising the floor plan.
    The hefty existing staircase took up a third of the building, so it was removed and redesigned to be more efficient and help define the remaining programme while adhering to Boston’s strict building codes.
    A new staircase cuts a diagonal path through the houseThe result is a new white oak staircase that “unspools diagonally through the home” around a 40-foot-high (12-metre) atrium, increasing the useable floor area by 20 per cent.

    “Aptly named Hairpin House, the project takes the tight, unpredictable, and ultimately poetic switchback turns of a mountain road as inspiration for the overall renovation – and in particular a new unravelling central stair,” said the team.
    Lime plaster was applied to the walls throughout the homeOther rooms were adjusted around this new element so that the most-used ones – like the dining room, living room and primary bedroom – were increased in size while ancillary spaces such as the foyer, powder room and bathroom shrunk.
    “We performed a sort of stair gymnastics where each flight was distinct from the others, because of its necessary interface with the unique programmatic and circulatory conditions on each floor,” said James Leng, partner at Figure.
    Windows on the south facade were enlarged by 200 per cent to let in more light”Like how a mountain road derives its form from the slope it rests on, this central stair was truly shaped contingently through the pressures of its interior context,” he added.
    The stair flights were fabricated by hand individually off-site before being assembled into a singular element, connected by a continuous rounded handrail.
    The kitchen and dining room on the ground floor are anchored by a travertine islandMaterials throughout the rest of the house were chosen to match or complement the staircase.
    White oak and French limestone cover the floors while lime plaster is applied directly onto the brick walls.
    The dining area opens onto a bluestone patio enclosed with cedar panelsThe main entrance to the home is on the second of its four floors, where the main living room is also located.
    Downstairs, on the ground floor, the open-plan kitchen and dining area are organised around a monolithic island carved from a single piece of travertine – similar to the fireplace on the level above.

    OverUnder renovates landmarked Boston building to create single-family residence

    A trio of French doors open onto the bluestone back patio enclosed with cedar panels and enlarged windows continue up this south-oriented facade to bring in the maximum amount of natural light.
    “Each was increased in scale by over 200 per cent, creating a rear facade graced with daylight, views and which elegantly blends into the age-old brick of Boston’s historic architecture,” the team said.
    Large windows run up the south facadeThe building’s third floor is occupied solely by the primary suite – comprising a bedroom, bathroom and closet – and the uppermost storey accommodates an additional bedroom, bathroom and lounge area.
    “A great deal of the joy we found in this project was in the process of shaping it from so many dizzying constraints,” said Leng. “But it also needs to be said that the project could only have been sculpted from the intensely productive collaboration between our two firms.”
    The rowhouse is located in the South End of BostonBoston has no shortage of historic brick houses, many of which have undergone significant renovations to make them more suitable for modern living.
    Examples include a heritage-listed Victorian home that was extended and updated with minimalist interiors by local architecture studio OverUnder.
    The photography is by James Leng.
    Project credits:
    Design architect: J Jih (principal: J Jih) and Figure (principals: James Leng and Jennifer Ly)Structural engineer: Team EngineeringLandscape design: Pate Landscape ArchitectureGeneral contractor: Evergreen Group CompanyMillworker: Kenyon WoodworkingStair fabricator: Stairworks of BostonPlastering: Trowel Inc. Plastering

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    Gym Town in Hong Kong was “inspired by Elon Musk’s vision of colonising Mars”

    In Hong Kong’s fast-paced Central District, local practice MR Studio has modelled this fitness studio on a futuristic Martian dwelling to offer members an escape from their busy lives.

    Gym Town’s entryway and reception are finished entirely in an an earthy shade of orange, chosen to reflect the colours of Mars, while moody black workout areas were designed to allow visitors to focus on their individual health goals.
    Gym Town is entered via a dramatic escalator”We wanted to create a unique and immersive experience for gym-goers,” MR Studio founder Myron Kwan told Dezeen. “The concept of Mars was chosen to represent escapism and a sense of adventure.”
    “Inspired by Elon Musk’s vision of colonising Mars, we wanted to create a space that felt futuristic and cutting-edge.”
    The gym’s reception doubles as a loungeThe studio created a bespoke sculptural lighting piece that can be seen from the street to create a sense of intrigue about the gym.

    From the entrance, members are taken up to the lobby by an escalator. In a bid to make this ascent feel like an event, MR Studio turned the space into a tunnel-like “portal” that provides a sense of voyage.
    Bespoke lights were modelled on satellite dishesAround the escalator, the walls undulate to create a series of vertical ridges, designed to add depth and visual interest while suggesting walls that have buckled under the heat of the red planet.
    “By using the tunnel-like form, we wanted to create a visually striking feature that would set the tone for the entire space,” Kwan said.
    “The tunnel creates a sense of anticipation and excitement as guests enter,” he added. “The design itself aims to transport visitors to another world.
    Decorative rocks are fixed to the ceilingThe escalator delivers members into a large reception area, arranged as a lounge with various seating areas.
    One of the challenges of the project was the absence of natural light, which MR Studio addressed with a feature ceiling light.
    Composed of concentric circles with an illuminated core, it suggests both a natural skylight and the crater-studded terrain of Mars.

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    Curves and circles feature heavily throughout Gym Town, from wavy walls and rounded furniture to lights inspired by the form of a satellite dish.
    “Custom-made table lamps adorned with sleek metal finishes and cracked glass details capture the silhouette of high-gain antennas used in space exploration,” the studio explained.
    The room is centred on a semi-circular brass-wrapped reception desk, which doubles as a bar during events or after-hours gatherings.
    Rooms get progressively darkerThe walls here feature the same dusty red-orange finish as the entrance tunnel, while decorative rocks are fixed to the ceiling.
    “Envisioned as a modern Martian house, the space is painted in a textured monochromatic palette of tangerine, referencing the iconic red planet’s signature colour and rough terrain,” said Kwan.
    “It adds vibrancy and warmth to the space, creating a visually intriguing element that complements the overall design theme.”
    The workout areas are finished in muted black and grey tonesProgressing into the changing rooms, workout areas and studios, the colour palette shiftsto more sober greys and blacks.
    “To encourage members to fully devote to their fitness routines, the workout area is grounded in an organic and unpretentious style,” the studio said.
    Orange accents delineate different areasGym Town has been shortlisted in the health and wellbeing interior category at this year’s Dezeen Awards.
    Also in the running is the dusty-pink welfare centre of a boys’ school in Melbourne and a pediatric clinic in Seattle with “no blank walls”.
    The photography is by Steven Ko.

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