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    Tutto Bene uses silk and glass details to create “artist’s loft” Cubitts store

    Design studio Tutto Bene looked to surrealist artworks and Italian modernist exhibition design when creating the interior for this eyewear store in Islington, north London.

    Set in the Angel area, the 60-square-metre store belongs to eyewear brand Cubitts and features an interior concept conceived by Tutto Bene based on the architecture of the space itself.
    A 1960s glass and chrome chandelier decorates Cubitts’ Angel store”It’s a long, slim room with an atelier atmosphere due to the strong contrasts of light and shadow,” the studio’s co-founder Oskar Kohnen told Dezeen.
    “The atelier feeling immediately evoked a sense of being at an artist’s loft, this feeling of residential elements mixed with workshop-like rawness is what we wanted to embrace.”
    Design studio Tutto Bene referenced art movements and artworks for the interiorTo underline this feeling, the studio added decorative pieces that nod to different art movements throughout the space.

    “The individual elements of the store design reference surrealist artworks and Italian modernist exhibition design from the 1940s and 50s through play on perspective, rational spatial composition and painterly use of colour,” Kohnen said.
    Green silk panels were placed along an entire wallA skylight lets plenty of light into the Cubitts shop, which Tutto Bene reflected via glass details placed inside the store.
    “We didn’t want to over-complicate the dynamic of the space,” the studio’s co-founder Felizia Berchtold told Dezeen.

    Tutto Bene references Streamline Moderne in tiny New York eyewear store

    “Instead we placed monolithic elements within it that offer points of interest and grounding,” she added.
    “Each element speaks a clear material language. There are hues of greens and yellow, the transparency of the nile glass, as well as areas of black that balance the space’s abundance of natural light.”
    Glass details reflect light in the storeThe slim, rectangular store features glass shelves set against a backdrop of sage-green silk from fabric house Holland & Sherry along the entire right-hand wall, in another reference to art and artworks.
    “The long shelf stretching the entire length of the space represents an artist’s easel, as well as exhibition tableaus,” Berchtold explained.
    “The natural slubs and beautiful colour variation that the silk brings provide a reverent backdrop for the frames displayed on it, whilst being a quiet artwork in itself.”
    A black volume stores custom-made framesAlong the left-hand side, Tutto Bene placed black storage and display volumes, as well as Cubitts’ eye-examination room.
    Kohnen and Berchtold designed many of the furniture pieces personally for the interior, among them an undulating orange seat.
    The store is located in Angel, Islington”Most elements are bespoke pieces we designed, including the Uovo chaise,” Berchtold said.
    “Then there’s some vintage treasures such as the 1960s glass and chrome chandelier and a group of FontanaArte prism-like pieces that complement and contextualise our fixture designs,  as well as photographic works by Lee Miller, casting the store through her surrealist lens.”
    Tutto Bene has previously designed the interior of Cubitts’ first New York store as well as the steel-and-mirror Nightingale restaurant in London’s Mayfair.

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    Design by 83 completes “simple and contemporary” Buddhist meditation centre in Busan

    Architecture office Design by 83 combined traditional references with modern forms and finishes when designing this Buddhist temple and education space in the South Korean city of Busan.

    The Bohyun Buddhist Meditation Centre was created as an urban outpost of the Bohyunseonwon temple in the mountains of South Gyeongsang Province, which was hard to reach for many devotees.
    Design by 83 has designed the Bohyun Buddhist Meditation CentreDesign by 83 was tasked with creating a facility containing a religious shrine along with spaces for teaching about Buddhism and living quarters for two Bhikkhuni monks.
    The studio looked to borrow from the history of Korean architecture while introducing a contemporary design language that feels appropriate to the urban setting.
    Clean-lined forms and pared-back materials introduce a modern design languageThe building features clean-lined forms punctuated by carefully positioned windows alongside a pared-back material palette that nods to traditional temple architecture.

    “The exterior retains the classic image of a temple constructed in traditional East Asian wooden architecture but modernises it by employing metal materials that mimic the colour of wood for the windows and doors,” the architects pointed out.
    “It is finished with monolithic tiles and granite, achieving a simple and contemporary look without elaborate decorations.”
    Detachable paper lanterns are incorporated across the building’s ceilingsThe basement level contains a dining hall used by monks and devotees. Its simple decor pairs traditional wooden window frames with modern grey tiles.
    Visitors entering from the street immediately encounter a wall with a circular opening that frames a view through to a Buddha statue in a matching circular alcove.
    The main hall features an altar dedicated to BuddhaA reception desk is positioned to the right of the entrance and the main space is used as the education area.
    A wall clad with vertical timber panelling conceals the doors to service spaces including a store room and WCs.

    Yussef Agbo-Ola creates jute and hemp temple for Sharjah Architecture Triennial

    The main hall on the first floor was designed in collaboration with a master carpenter who specialises in building traditional Korean hanok houses.
    The space features an altar dedicated to Buddha, along with matching furniture and an intricate mural known as a taenghwa.
    A dining hall in the building’s basement level features simple decorThe hall’s ceiling incorporates recesses filled with coloured paper lanterns that devotees can hang names from or use to make wishes.
    “The prayer lanterns are designed to be regularly spaced and easily detachable, reflecting the concept of creating new from the old,” Design by 83 said.
    The monks’ living quarters are intentionally pared-backA set of traditional Korean sliding doors lining one side of the room conceal a small kitchen area that can be used for preparing light refreshments.
    A simple brick-lined staircase leads up to the living quarters on the second floor, which are intentionally minimalist to ensure a comfortable and calming environment for the two monks residing there.
    Other Buddhist temples that have recently been featured on Dezen include one set in a valley next to the ruins of the Great Wall of China and a stepped concrete design in Tokyo.
    The photography is courtesy of Design by 83.

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    Tile mural fronts Cult Gaia Miami boutique by Sugarhouse

    A hand-painted tile mural covers the front of this Miami Design District boutique designed by New York studio Sugarhouse Design and Architecture for fashion brand Cult Gaia.

    Sugarhouse Design and Architecture designers Jess and Jonathan Nahon followed up their New York City store for Cult Gaia founder Jasmin Larian Hekmat with a flagship in Miami intended to align with the brand and the location.
    The gabled front of the Cult Gaia boutique in Miami is covered in a hand-painted tile muralThe duo “sought inspiration from temple architecture, Larian Hekmat’s Persian heritage and iconic historical archetypes” for the 1,502-square-foot (140-square-metre) retail space, and also modelled the building on local casitas.
    To cover the gabled front facade, Design and Architecture commissioned artist Michael Chandler to create a mural using ceramic tiles.
    The mural by artist Michael Chandler is titled Tree of Life and references Henri Rousseau’s painting The DreamThe resulting 1,800-piece Tree of Life mural is based on French post-impressionist artist Henri Rousseau’s painting The Dream.

    “The hand-painted ceramic mural depicts a silhouetted tree with its branches extending across the storefront, featuring stylised vegetation, birds and flower-crowned nymphs,” said Sugarhouse Design and Architecture.
    In the centre of the store’s first space is a concrete sculpture by Angela LarianPainted in blue “lapis lazuli” hues, similar to those that decorate Persian mosques, the artwork references everything from Indian textiles to botanical illustrations.
    A trio of arched openings in the facade contain windows and a larger, recessed entryway that holds wood-framed glass doors and aligns with the store’s central axis.
    The 12-foot sculpture of the Greek goddess Gaia stands below an oculusThe first in a series of interiors spaces is an open room decorated in creamy Bianco Avorio limestone and Bianco Santa Caterina travertine.
    Unlacquered brass rods, designed to mimic Cult Gaia’s jewellery, drop from behind ceiling coves to display garments and custom amorphous mirrors by New Vernacular Studio hang on the walls.

    BoND’s PatBo Miami boutique features soft curves and floral touches

    On both sides of the central axis, sandstone blocks are stacked into vertical checkerboard grids that allows accessories to be displayed in the gaps.
    These partitions enclose the fitting rooms, which can be illuminated from within so that light glows through a translucent membrane and the grid holes.
    “Designed to reference rock-cut cave temples, the structures provide privacy while also allowing merchandise to be displayed within their illuminated niches,” said the team.
    In the second space is a banyan tree that grows from a pale-green sofaA second space identical to the first is reached past the threshold created by the fitting rooms, and a bar is hidden beyond a brass door on the far wall.
    Over each of the two main rooms presides a domed ceiling and a seven-foot-wide oculus, based on the roof of the Pantheon in Rome.
    Brass rods drop from behind ceiling coves to display garments and custom amorphous mirrors hang on the wallBelow the first is a 12-foot-tall concrete sculpture of the Greek goddess Gaia – after whom the brand is named – by Larian Hekmat’s mother, artist Angela Larian.
    “An elongated, Giacometti-like female nude that soars toward the heavens, the work is a foil to the nymphs from the facade and her angularity is intentional: like the brand, this is a fully composed, confident, and in control Gaia,” said the team.
    The banyan tree also sits below a domed ceiling and oculus, which are based on the roof of the Pantheon in RomeIn the second room, a large banyan tree reminiscent of the facade decoration is planted within a serpentine sofa designed by Brandi Howe.
    “Like the sacred tree from Buddhism, it invites visitors to sit and achieve their own awakening within this temple of fashion,” the team added.
    Sandstone blocks are stacked around the fitting rooms, which glow from within, and are used to display accessoriesMiami Design District is home to a host of luxury fashion brands, which have each taken a unique approach to designing their stores both inside and out.
    Brazilian brand PatBo recently opened a flagship in the neighbourhood with a pink slatted facade by BoND, while Kengo Kuma and Associates is set to create a sculptural block of buildings nearby that will also serve as retail locations.
    The photography is by Kris Tamburello.

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    Eight stylish living rooms where board-marked concrete adds character

    For our latest lookbook, we’ve collected eight living rooms from Dezeen’s archive where architects have used board-marked concrete walls and ceilings to add textural interest.

    As its name suggests, board-marked concrete, or board-formed concrete, is concrete that has been created using timber boards in its casting.
    This imprints the pattern of the wood onto the concrete, giving it a more organic look and making it feel less industrial than smoother concrete.
    As seen in the eight interiors below, board-marked concrete can add tactile interest and function as a stylish backdrop to living rooms across the globe.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring kitchens brightened by skylights, exposed structural ceiling beams and clerestory windows.

    Photo by Francisco NogueiraCasa Meco, Portugal, by Atelier Rua
    A large living room with windows on three sides is at the heart of this Portuguese holiday home designed by Atelier Rua.
    Its walls and ceiling were made from board-marked concrete, which is contrasted by a stone floor. Furniture and textiles in earthy hues add to the room’s natural feel.
    Find out more about Casa Meco ›
    Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
    Mexico City-based architect Ludwig Godefroy created this brutalist holiday home entirely from board-formed concrete, with the material taking centre stage throughout the house.
    In the living room, it was used to create a double-height living space that surrounds a cosy green conversation pit.
    Find out more about Casa Alférez ›
    Photo by Edmund SumnerPedro Reyes House, Mexico, by Pedro Reyes
    A staircase and library were rendered in coarse concrete for the living room in this Mexico City home.
    Designed by architect Pedro Reyes for himself, his wife and their children, the house also features an irregularly paved stone floor and plenty of green plants.
    Find out more about Pedro Reyes House ›
    Photo by Tomaz GregoricVilla Eternal Way, Slovenia, by OFIS Arhitekti
    The entire entrance floor of this Slovenian house is one large living room, with walls and ceiling made from board-formed concrete.
    Local studio OFIS Arhitekti contrasted the grey concrete with floor-to-ceiling black cupboards and added tactile details in the form of a boucle sofa and leather dining chairs.
    Find out more about Villa Eternal Way ›
    Photo by Ooki JinguBuilding Frame of the House, Japan, by IGArchitects
    Designed for both living and working, Japanese studio IGArchitects conceived Building Frame of the House as “one big room” that would let its clients work anywhere.
    The home’s exposed board-marked concrete walls hold stepped mezzanine levels, creating overlapping spaces that the owners can configure into different rooms as needed.
    Find out more about Building Frame of the House ›
    Photo by Onnis LuqueAT House, Mexico, by Laurent Herbiet
    Architect Laurent Herbiet designed the AT House in Oaxtepec, Mexico, as 10 glazed sections divided by board-marked concrete walls.
    The concrete was left visible in the living room, which has a muted yet warm colour palette. Wooden furniture adds to the cosy atmosphere.
    Find out more about AT House ›
    Photo by Ishita Sitwala, The Fishy ProjectGujarat house, India, by Design ni Dukaan
    This “citadel-like” house in India was designed to wrap around a central courtyard space, creating an indoor-outdoor feel.
    In its formal living and dining room next to the courtyard, a tactile ceiling made from board-formed concrete sits above a glossy, polished floor, with a sculptural wood-and-marble coffee table completing the room.
    Find out more about Gujarat house ›
    Photo by Daniela Mac AddenCasa Golf, Argentina, by Luciano Kruk
    A pale grey colour palette dominates the living room of this stacked-volume holiday home in a seaside resort in Argentina.
    Board-marked concrete was used for its ceiling and walls and matched with a polished stone floor. A delicate Isamu Noguchi coffee table and wooden Eames chairs lend the room an air of mid-century modern elegance.
    Find out more about Casa Golf ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring kitchens brightened by skylights, exposed structural ceiling beams and clerestory windows.

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    Niceworkshop applies artificial wood grain texture to Seoul cafe interior

    South Korean studio Niceworkshop has designed a pared-back interior for a cafe in Seoul, where concrete walls and stainless-steel furnishings are finished to mimic wood.

    Set in the city’s multicultural Itaewon district, HaHouse Cafe operates alongside an exhibition space on the floor above, designed by Niceworkshop founder Hyunseog Oh in 2022.
    Niceworkshop has given Seoul’s HaHouse Cafe a pared-back makeoverThe initial demolition phase revealed a pair of concrete walls that informed the spatial arrangement of both the gallery and the cafe, as well as influencing the raw material palette applied across both interiors.
    Oh used concrete, metal and wood to reference the project’s urban setting, adding natural textures to the manmade materials to create a sense of visual cohesion.
    The studio etched a wood grain pattern onto stainless-steel furnishings”The wood inside HaHouse Cafe serves as the basis for the texture that expresses nature,” the designer explained. “It bridges the modern urban environment with nature, symbolising their coexistence.”

    The interior applies the same principles as Oh’s Neo-Naturalism furniture series, which features a wood grain pattern etched onto geometric stainless-steel seats and tables.
    Hand-sanded doors with opaque framing lead to a storage area and restroomThe use of concrete for the walls and ceiling was informed by the two existing walls that delineate the space. Concrete applied to the surfaces was stamped with wood to create a natural texture.
    The serving counter and utility spaces along one wall are clad in aluminium with a subtly reflective satin finish.

    Teki Design creates Kyoto cafe as hub to “learn about the future of coffee”

    A pair of doors leading to a storage area and restroom feature reflective surfaces that Oh sanded by hand to create an opaque frame around the edges.
    “Through the opaque reflective surface, I wanted to show both the artificial nature inside the space and the real nature outside the window,” he told Dezeen.
    Individual NN stools combine to create a larger bench with a concave seatMuch of the furniture used in the cafe was created especially to complement the interior’s pared-back material palette.
    Expanding on the Neo-Naturalism furniture series from 2023, the chairs and lights were engraved using a Dremel tool to create a wood grain pattern.
    The tactile Neo-Naturalism tables are made from solid ash and red oakThe NN tables are made from solid ash and red oak, bringing warmth and tactility to the otherwise austere space. The legs and tops are joined at the corners using simple nuts and bolts.
    Other furniture items include the NN stools, which are informed by standard-sawn timber logs. Four of the 20-by-20 centimetre sections are combined to create a stool with a concave seat.
    Niceworkshop also created a series of custom lights for the cafeAccording to Oh, the main objective with the HaHouse project was to create a cultural space that appeals to a variety of people and provides them with a new spatial experience.
    Previous experimental projects from Niceworkshop include a furniture collection made using skyscraper formwork salvaged from construction sites that was presented at this year’s Milan design week.
    Oh founded his studio in 2021 after completing a bachelor’s degree in interior architecture at Soongsil University. He works alongside Sangmyeong Yoo, who manages the office’s business affairs.
    The photography is courtesy of HaHouse Cafe.

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    Touch Architect shapes French patisserie like “the curve of a croissant”

    Bangkok studio Touch Architect has created French Kitsch III, a patisserie in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, with a design that references French cathedrals and pastries.

    The 360-square-metre board-marked concrete building was informed by an idea of Frenchness that drew on many different sources, including religious architecture.
    French Kitsch III is located in Nakhon Ratchasima”French cathedrals have an architectural identity dating back to ancient times; they are merely one of the initial inspirations when thinking of Frenchness, aligned with the concept of the ‘French Kitsch’ brand,” Touch Architect co-founder Parpis Leelaniramol told Dezeen.
    In addition to cathedrals, the studio also looked to another French icon when designing the patisserie – the croissant.
    Touch Architect referenced different French symbols for its designThe studio used the shape of a croissant to create French Kitsch III’s interior, which features a number of arches with slightly uneven shapes.

    “The architectural space is formed by rhythmic arches, with the shape of four different arches created by the curve of a croissant in cross-sectional cut,” Leelaniramol said.
    “Moreover, the board-formed concrete material used throughout the building serves as a metaphor for the croissant stripes,” she added.
    Its interior has arches modelled on the shape of a croissantTouch Architect also used concrete for the structure to add to the “concept of imperfection”.
    “Not only croissant stripes, using concrete as the material also strengthens the concept of perfection of imperfection where the wall is not completely smooth, but it reflects the authenticity of the material, which can be beautiful by itself,” Leelaniramol said.
    The board-marked concrete was intended to resemble a croissant’s stripesSome of French Kitsch III’s curved forms double as solar shades, helping cool the building in Nakhon Ratchasima’s hot climate, which can reach 37 degrees in spring.
    “Thick walls and the inverted curves on the upper floor act as shading devices and reduce heat from direct sunlight,” Leelaniramol explained.

    Baobab tree grows through curving cafe in Thailand by IDIN Architects

    Inside, the arched concrete walls are lit by slender LED lights that emphasise their shape, while arched windows provide views of the exterior.
    “When light passes through the arched window, it creates reflections on the floor, similar to that of cathedral glass,” the studio said.
    LED lights illuminate the interior and emphasise its shapeA long counter is placed along one wall on the ground floor and can be seen from the second floor. Here, the studio carved voids into the concrete to let in more light.
    Touch Architect also added spaces for greenery inside, creating contrasts against the grey concrete.
    “Due to the limited size of the site, the building needs to maximise space to accommodate all functional requirements, leaving no room for an outdoor landscape,” Leelaniramol said. “Therefore, green areas are integrated inside the architecture.”
    Green plants and pink dogs feature inside the French Kitsch III patisserieDecorative pink bulldogs, the symbol for the French Kitsch brand, have been placed throughout the cafe.
    “A local sculptor created the pink bulldog sculpture based on our design, which analysed and integrated its placement into each space to create a livable atmosphere and truly connect with customers,” Leelaniramol concluded.
    Other recent Thai projects on Dezeen include a community building formed of rammed earth and a curving cafe with a Baobab tree growing inside.
    The photography is by Metipat Prommomate and Anan Naruphantawat.
    Project credits: 
    Architect: Touch ArchitectOwner: Chanon Jeimsakultip and Anuchit VongjonPrincipal architect: Setthakarn Y and Parpis LDesign team: Pitchaya T, Tanita P, Matucha K and Nutchapol ChInterior: Thanunya DCivil engineer: Chittinat WongmaneeprateepM&E engineer: Yodchai Kornsiriwipha x Isarapap RattanabumrungContractor: Samma Construction Part., Ltd.Narrator: Methawadee Pathomrattanapiban

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    Eight cosy living rooms illuminated by paper lamps

    From simple spherical hanging lights to lighting sculptures by designers Isamu Noguchi and Ingo Maurer, this lookbook rounds up living rooms enhanced by the organic texture and warm glow of paper lamps.

    The versatile appearance of paper lights, which come in various geometric shapes and often have neutral warm-toned shades, makes them a popular choice for creating cosy living rooms.
    Drawing upon traditional Japanese rice paper lanterns, some of the rooms in this roundup use paper lamps to evoke the serenity of minimalist Japanese interiors.
    Other lounge spaces featured below use modernised paper lamp designs in angular shapes, popularised by Noguchi in the 1950s, to complement mid-century modern furnishings.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring contemporary kitchens with skylights, interiors with exposed ceiling beams and interiors with clerestory windows.

    Photo by Eric PetschekAmagansett Beach House, US, by Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design
    US studios Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design suspended a large spherical paper lamp over a double-height living room for the Amagansett Beach House in the Hamptons.
    Illuminated by the warm light, the home’s exposed glue-laminated Douglas fir timber structure and white oak surfaces contrast the dark timber exterior, which was treated with the Japanese blackening technique Shou Sugi Ban.
    Find out more about Amagansett Beach House ›
    Photo by Felix Speller and Child StudioMayfair home, UK, Child Studio
    Two Lampampe table lamps by industrial designer Maurer were placed on marble plinths in the living room of this London Mayfair home, which was designed by local practice Child Studio to have a mix of mid-century modern and custom-made decor.
    Designed by Maurer between the late 1970s and early 1980s, the lamps have the shape of traditional lampshades, but their entire form is crafted from slightly creased Japanese paper.
    Find out more about the Mayfair home ›
    Photo by Justin ChungBiscuit Loft, US, by OWIU Studio
    Architecture and design studio OWIU Studio added Japanese elements to the industrial interior of the Biscuit Loft apartment, located in a former factory in Downtown Los Angeles.
    Informed by ryokans, traditional Japanese inns, a living space-cum-guest-bedroom features a spherical and an elliptical paper lamp suspended over an area intended for tea ceremonies.
    Find out more about Biscuit Loft ›
    Photo by Roberto RuizPalau apartment, Spain, by Colombo and Serboli Architecture
    This apartment in Barcelona was renovated by local studio Colombo and Serboli Architecture to highlight some of its “imperfect” original features, informed by the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi.
    A round paper lamp hangs from the ceiling beams in the corner of a built-in sitting area, which extends from the micro-cement base of the staircase.
    Find out more about the Palau apartment ›

    Photo by Mikkel MortensenVilla Wienberg, Denmark, by Wienberg Architects
    Architects Mette and Martin Wienberg overhauled this 1940s cottage in Denmark, lining the living areas with oil-treated oak boards and adding cosy furnishings.
    A paper light hangs above built-in seating that wraps the main living room and adds textural variety to the timber interior, along with fabric cushions and a furry throw.
    Find out more about Villa Wienberg ›
    Photo by Leslie Schwartz and Joshua WhiteEames House, US, by Charles and Ray Eames
    A more traditional-looking Japanese paper lantern is one of the hanging lamps that illuminate the living room in Eames House, a modernist Californian residence completed by US designers Charles and Ray Eames in 1949.
    Maintained by the nonprofit Eames Foundation, the home’s mid-century modern decor closely matches the way the Eames lived in it until their deaths.
    Find out more about Eames House ›
    Photo courtesy of Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenArchipelago House, Sweden, by Norm Architects
    A conical paper lamp hangs above the lounge space in Archipelago House, a holiday home on the coast of Sweden designed by Danish studio Norm Architects.
    Aiming to embody both Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics, the home was dressed with furniture designed by the studio in collaboration with Japanese manufacturer Karimoku Case Study.
    Find out more about Archipelago House ›
    Photo by Jake Curtis and Elliot SheppardPowerscroft Road townhouse, UK, by Daytrip
    Perched atop a wood burner in the living room of this London home is the 27N lamp from Noguchi’s Akari range, a series of handmade lighting sculptures made from washi paper and bamboo frames.
    Design studio Daytrip renovated and extended the home and loosely lime-washed the walls, aiming to create a calm and serene interior that showcased craftsmanship.
    Find out more about Powerscroft Road townhouse ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring contemporary kitchens with skylights, interiors with exposed ceiling beams and interiors with clerestory windows.

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    James Shaw’s light-filled London home is almost entirely underground

    Lumpy recycled plastic furniture and circular skylights characterise this sunken London house, which designer James Shaw concealed on a 60-square-metre plot for himself and his family.

    Located in a conservation area in east London, the two-storey dwelling was constructed by Shaw and his friend, architect Nicholas Ashby.
    James Shaw built himself a sunken but light-filled homeThe neighbourhood’s planning restrictions required the pair to build all but 2.7 metres of the building out of sight from the street level, resulting in a sunken home with a large basement invisible from the outside.
    An open-plan kitchen, living and dining area feature in this underground space, which has exposed concrete walls interrupted by large, floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open onto a small terrace with a dinky plunge pool.
    The designer squeezed a bespoke sofa into one of the irregular cornersShaw and his writer-curator wife Lou Stoppard chose eclectic interiors for the home they share with their baby daughter – a collaboration that began with the duo’s 2022 London Design Festival installation of clashing furniture, created to poke fun at the tensions that arise when couples move in together for the first time.

    Made by Shaw, the pear-shaped walnut table from the installation features in the living area, surrounded by spindly stacking chairs first designed by furniture brand Blå Station founder Börge Lindau in 1986.
    Veneered MDF defines the kitchen cabinetsA custom aluminium bookshelf stretches across the wall opposite the table, built by Shaw to fit the unusual space. The designer also squeezed a bespoke burnt orange sofa into one of the irregular corners, illuminated by a large circular skylight.
    Known for his Plastic Baroque furniture made from recycled and extruded HDPE, Shaw placed a lumpy two-tone blue lounge chair next to the sofa – another piece that featured in his previous installation.
    The bathroom features Anni Albers-style mosaic flooringOpposite the living and dining area, the rectilinear kitchen cabinets were finished in veneered MDF, while the fridge was also fitted with a knobbly plastic handle.
    Stainless steel and pale blue HIMACS make up the worktops – one of which is on wheels to allow for flexibility when hosting.
    Squiggly pear-shaped sculptures top the bedpostsAcross the basement, a combination of oak finger parquet and raised-access metal tiles were used to create contrasting flooring. The silver-hued tiles can be lifted to reveal extra storage.
    Also underground, the bathroom was designed with a playfully patterned mosaic floor informed by the work of Bauhaus artist Anni Albers, including an abstract illustration of the couple’s cat, Rupert.
    The mirrored bathtub reflects and enhances the intricate flooring, while another rounded skylight adds natural light to the space.

    WillemsenU submerges house under the ground in the Netherlands

    An extruded blue plastic bannister snakes up the staircase to the bedroom – the only street-level room in the house.
    The Shaw-designed oak and brass bed features bedposts topped with squiggly pear-shaped sculptures, while the thin timber wardrobe was hand-painted with decorative panels by artist Marie Jacotey, who completed the project on-site.
    The bedroom is the only street-level roomStoppard’s vast art collection features throughout the sunken home, including delicate paintings by emerging artists Lydia Blakely and Mary Stephenson and antique artefacts from various travels.
    Elsewhere in London, Shaw’s trademark plastic furniture has also been used for retail projects. Footwear brand Camper’s Regent Street store includes bumpy yellow shelving by the designer, and a Traid charity clothes shop in Shepherd’s Bush has a wiggly bench upholstered in unsold clothes salvaged from the Traid warehouse.
    The photography is courtesy of James Shaw and Lou Stoppard. 

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