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    Vote for your favourite home interior of 2023!

    For our review of 2023, we take a look back at the year’s 10 most interesting home interiors and invite our readers to pick their favourite.

    With more than 500 interior stories published on Dezeen in 2023 so far, there is a wide variety of beautiful and unusual homes to choose from.
    Among the 10 most interesting we’ve published are a lodge in South Africa, an apartment in Spain’s Torres Blancas tower and a tiny Scottish flat.
    The winner will be announced in a post on Dezeen on New Year’s Eve.
    Read on for this year’s home interior highlights, then vote here or by using the form at the bottom of the article.

    Photo by René de Wit and Pim TopDomūs Houthaven apartment, The Netherlands, by Shift Architecture Urbanism
    This home in Amsterdam residential complex Domūs Houthaven features a bedroom cupboard with built-in shelves and under-bed drawers. It can be closed off from the living space with folding doors made from perforated steel.
    Shift Architecture Urbanism used striking colour-blocked modular units in pastel hues to give the apartment a playful feel. The home also has untreated concrete ceilings and pale laminate floors that contrast with the colourful furnishings.
    Vote for Domūs Houthaven apartment ›
    Photo by Fabian MartinezCasa Tres Árboles, Mexico, by Direccion
    “Monastic sanctuaries” inspired this weekend home in Mexico’s Valle de Bravo, which was designed to celebrate light and shadows. Natural materials and an earthy colour palette were used throughout.
    Mexican studio Direccion, which designed the interior, removed a number of walls and adjusted the split-level floor to connect the home’s social spaces and open it up more. Artworks and artisan craft pieces were dotted throughout the house.
    Vote for Casa Tres Árboles ›
    Photo by Lorenzo ZandriHouse by the Sea, UK, by Of Architecture
    Designed for an artist and a surfer, House by the Sea is located by the sea in Newquay, Cornwall, and has an understated colour palette of off-white and grey hues.
    Its sitting area has expansive sliding windows that directly overlook Newquay’s picturesque Pentire Steps beach. A long L-shaped sofa was dressed in beige marl fabric, while a classic Eames lounge chair offers another space for relaxation.
    Walls were mostly kept clear, while green plants were scattered throughout the space to liven up the minimalist spaces.
    Vote for House by the Sea ›
    Photo by José HeviaTorres Blancas apartment, Spain, by Studio Noju
    This two-storey apartment in the curvy Torres Blancas apartment in Madrid was renovated by local firm Studio Noju to remain “in constant dialogue” with the original apartment design.
    The studio added terraces with curved floor-to-ceiling glazing and slatted crimson shutters, as well as gleaming sea-green floor tiles. Curves were used throughout the interior in a nod to the facade of the tower, which has cylindrical, bulbous balconies.
    Vote for the Torres Blancas apartment ›
    Photo by Jack LovelCity Beach house, Australia, by Design Theory
    This 1960s house in the City Beach suburb of Perth was given an update by interiors studio Design Theory.
    “The brief was, on the surface, simple: to update the home while keeping its considerable mid-century charm,” said the studio.
    The resulting home features warm, earthy materials, including Forbo Marmoleum flooring, exposed brick in terracotta tones and native Blackbutt timber. The furniture and decorations also reference the house’s mid-century modern origins.
    Vote for City Beach house ›
    Photo by Adrien DirandTembo Tembo Lodge, South Africa, by Studio Asaï
    Tembo Tembo Lodge, which won home interior of the year at Dezeen Awards 2023, is a family lodge made from rammed earth and located close to the Kruger National Park.
    Designed by Paris-based Studio Asaï, the living room features a “bush”-green sofa to evoke the colour of the foliage outside the house, as well as a stone table decorated with stone vases and a selection of small side tables in dark wood and steel.
    Vote for Tembo Tembo Lodge ›
    Photo by José Hevia10K House, Spain, by Takk
    Russian Matryoshka dolls, which are stacked inside each other, informed the interior of this apartment in Barcelona that was designed with a material budget of just 10,000 euros.
    Spanish studio Takk designed the home to be as sustainable as possible, nestling rooms inside one another to maximise insulation. The bedroom was raised on white recycled table legs and clad in gridded frames of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) that are enveloped by slabs of local sheep’s wool.
    Vote for 10K House ›
    Photo by Pierce ScourfieldGlasgow apartment, Scotland, by Lee Ivett, Simon Harlow and Duncan Blackmore
    Designed by its owner, developer Duncan Blackmore, together with architect Lee Ivett and designer Simon Harlow, this flat in Glasgow’s Govanhill area measures just 25 square metres.
    It was designed without any freestanding furniture. The designers removed internal walls and raised its existing structural openings closer to the ceiling, before inserting a number of 3D-volumes with built-in functions.
    “The main space is entirely unprogrammed and uncluttered and has almost nothing in it,” Blackmore told Dezeen.
    Vote for Glasgow apartment ›
    Photo by Seth Caplan (above and main image)Dumbo loft, USA, by Crystal Sinclair Designs
    An eye-catching book-lined mezzanine was among the solutions created by Crystal Sinclair Designs for this loft apartment in Brooklyn, which was renovated in a way that would expose its concrete shell.
    The studio also created a bedroom behind a glass partition for the home and filled it with furnishings intended to introduce European flair against the industrial backdrop. In the living space, wooden furniture adds an organic touch and contrasts with the concrete walls and white floor.
    Vote for Dumbo loft ›
    Photo by Tomooki KengakuHiroo Residence, Japan, by Keiji Ashizawa
    Architect and designer Keiji Ashizawa filled the Hiroo Residence in central Tokyo with wood, using the material for furniture pieces as well as panelling and artworks.
    To underline how light-filled the open-plan flat is, he used muted, subtle tones of grey and beige instead of bright white. The 200-square-metre apartment, which overlooks the Arisugawanomiya Memorial Park, also features decorative stone sculptures and Shaker-informed furniture.
    Vote for Hiroo Residence ›

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    Studio Edwards adopts zero-waste strategy for Today Design office in Melbourne

    Melbourne-based Studio Edwards has completed a workspace for creative agency Today Design using recycled and off-the-shelf materials that could be reused in the future.

    Located on the 12th floor of an office block in Melbourne’s Collingwood neighbourhood, the Today Design Workspace features partition walls made from OSB (oriented strand board) and translucent corrugated fibreglass.
    The office provides a workspace for creative agency Today DesignFurniture was built from scaffolding poles and timber boards, while sheets of recycled denim and sail cloth help to improve acoustics.
    Ben Edwards, architect and co-founder of Studio Edwards, said the project was designed for disassembly.
    Partition walls and tables are mounted on castors for flexibility”The goal was to create a workspace that leaves zero waste in its wake, constructed entirely from readily available materials without applied finishes,” he stated.

    “This means no plasterboard, no laminate and no MDF.”
    Another key aspect of the design is flexibility. The layout incorporates spaces for individual focus work, collaboration and meetings, but it can be reconfigured if required.
    Scaffolding poles provide furniture and screensMost of the partition walls and tables are mounted on castors so that they can be easily moved around, while a track system provides flexible lighting overhead.
    The layout of the Today Design Workspace is deliberately non-linear, organised around a looping circulation route that largely follows a diagonal trajectory through the 900-square-metre space.
    Despite its irregularity, the layout was planned to ensure that all partitions match the standard material sheet size, minimising the need for cutting.
    Built-in seats feature quilted denim cushionsCasual seating areas were built into some of the partition walls.
    These were formed of custom-made quilted denim cushions rather than upholstery, which makes them easier to recycle.

    Terroir revamps 1960s Tasmanian office “using no new resources at all”

    “The arrangement of spaces within the workspace is intentionally informal, creating a contrast with the building’s rigid rectilinear column grid,” explained Edwards.
    “Circulation pathways between these spaces are purposefully designed to encourage interaction and collaboration among teams,” he said.
    Rolls of denim form a semi-circular reception deskThe colour blue is a recurring theme throughout the space.
    Much of this comes from the use of denim. Sheets of this textile cover much of the building’s exposed concrete shell, held in place by magnets, while rolls of denim form a semi-circular reception desk.
    Blue is a recurring colour throughoutA blue stain was also applied to the timber beams that provide the structural framework.
    This colour contrasts with the warm, earthy shades of the OSB and the sisal flooring that features in some of the meeting rooms.
    Two-tone project tables feature built-in “toolboxes”Studio Edwards designed furniture to suit the collaborative nature of Today Design’s workflow.
    Two-tone project tables have built-in”toolboxes” filled with pens and sticky notes, while a large kitchen table integrates a continuous task-lighting channel. These are accompanied by cast aluminium chairs.
    The kitchen includes a table with a continuous task-lighting channelOther highlights include a kitchen with a stainless steel worktop, a magazine library with a neochrome effect and a flexible gallery and events space.
    “Today Workspace stands as a testament to sustainable design and collaborative ingenuity, a space where creativity thrives in harmony with the environment,” added Edwards.
    Translucent fibreglass screens are fixed to a blue-stained timber frameworkStudio Edwards is co-directed by designer Nancy Beka. Other projects by the studio include the modular NTS Space office, also in Collingwood, and the “jewel-like” Vision Studio eyewear store in Glen Waverley.
    The photography is by Peter Bennetts.
    Project credits
    Architect: Studio EdwardsBuilding contractor: McCormackServices contractor: Aston ConsultingStructural engineer: FORM EngineersProject management: Facilitate CorporationFurniture fabrication: James McNab DesignLighting: Sphera Lighting

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    Kelly Wearstler designs Ulla Johnson store to capture the “spirit of southern California”

    American interior designer Kelly Wearstler has paired a towering tree with speckled burl wood panelling and vintage furniture by Carlo Scarpa at the Ulla Johnson flagship store in West Hollywood.

    Wearstler created the light-filled, two-storey shop as the flagship Los Angeles location for Johnson’s eponymous clothing brand.
    Kelly Wearstler has designed the interiors for Ulla Johnson’s LA flagshipThe duo worked together to envisage the sandy-hued interiors, which Wearstler described as “something that really speaks to LA”.
    “A priority for me and Ulla was to ensure that the showroom encapsulated the quintessence of the West Coast, firmly grounded in both the surrounding environment and local community,” the designer told Dezeen.
    The “Californian idea of merging indoor and outdoor” permeates the interiorVisitors enter the store via a “secret” patio garden lined with desert trees and shrubs rather than on Beverly Boulevard, where the original entrance was.

    “This Californian idea of merging indoor and outdoor is evident from the moment you approach the store,” said Wearstler, who explained that her designs tend to nod to the “natural world”.
    Wearstler designed textured interiors to reflect Johnson’s collectionsInside, three interconnected, open-plan spaces on the ground floor were dressed with textured interiors that mirror Johnson’s similarly rich collections, which hang from delicate clothing rails throughout the store.
    Standalone jewellery display cases by Canadian artist Jeff Martin feature in the cavernous accessories space. Clad with peeling ribbons of grooved, caramel-coloured tiles, the cases echo floor-to-ceiling speckled burl wood panels.
    The mezzanine includes a double-height treeThe other living room-style area was designed as a sunroom with a pair of boxy 1970s Cornaro armchairs by modernist Italian architect Carlo Scarpa, as well as parquet flooring with Rosa Corallo stone inlay.
    “Vintage pieces are infused into all of my projects and I enjoy experimenting with the dialogues created by placing these alongside contemporary commissions,” explained Wearstler.
    A lumpy resin table features in an upstairs loungeThe largest of the three spaces, the mezzanine is illuminated by skylights and houses a double-height Brachychiton – a tree that also features in the designer’s own Malibu home.
    A chunky timber staircase leads to the upper level, where another lounge was finished in burnt orange and cream-coloured accents including a lumpy marbelised resin coffee table by LA-based designer Ross Hansen.
    “We collaborated with a variety of local artisans to imbue the spirit of Southern California into every facet of the project,” said Wearstler.

    Kelly Wearstler and Masastudio design California home as a “modern ruin”

    Ribbed plaster walls and textured flooring line a fitting room close by, which was created to evoke a residential feeling, according to the designer.
    “We wanted people to feel at home in the store so we prioritised warm and inviting elements,” she said.
    Another striking display cabinet made from wavy burl wood evokes “a touch of 1970s California nostalgia”.
    Wavy burl wood evokes “a touch of 1970s California nostalgia”The Ulla Johnson store is also used as a community space, which hosts rotating art installations, talks with guest speakers and other events.
    Wearstler recently designed an eclectic cocktail bar at the Downtown LA Proper hotel, which she previously created the wider interiors for. Her portfolio also features a 1950s beachfront cottage renovation in Malibu.
    The photography is by Adrian Gaut. 

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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.

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    “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”.

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    “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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