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    PW Architecture Office brings “a little excitement” back into mid-century Australian home

    Australian firm PW Architecture Office has revived the fortunes of this mid-century house in Orange, New South Wales, with a sensitive renovation that respects the original building while taking design cues from its material palette.

    Park Lane house was originally designed by noted Australian architect Neville Gruzman for the 1962 Carlingford Home Fair before being built in 1964 by construction company Kell & Rigby – known for its work on Sydney’s landmark Grace Building.
    PW Architecture Office has renovated a 1960s house by Neville GruzmanWhen Paddy Williams, founder of PW Architecture Office, discovered that the house was on the market in 2022, the team went to take a look out of architectural curiosity.
    The studio was immediately seduced by the sense of flow between the indoor and outdoor spaces of the 1964 house and the quality of the design, construction and materials, despite the fact that it had been through several unsympathetic renovations.
    Pergolas frame the entrance to the house”We loved the sense of arrival created by the pergolas and colonnade that lead you past the garden and pond into the entrance hall,” Williams said.

    “Pavilion-style wings separate the shared spaces from the private and we loved the way the pergolas wrap around the house and terraces, framing different spaces in the garden.”
    The home’s original Oregon timber beams were exposedThe practice ended up buying and renovating the house as a short-term rental for other modernist architecture lovers.
    “We felt a real sense of responsibility to do the project justice and retain the elements of the plan and materials as they were intended,” Williams said.
    “We wanted to bring a little excitement back into this mid-century marvel, as it would have had when it was first built.”
    A double-sided fireplace divides the living and dining areasFeeling that the floorplan still worked successfully, PW Architecture Office (PWAO) left it unchanged and set out to revive and celebrate the house’s original character while bringing it up to 21st-century living standards.
    “We’ve designed it to be a modern take on the mid-century aesthetic, with an immediate sense of relaxation and peace through a refined palette and connection between house and gardens,” Williams told Dezeen.
    Textural wood wool panels clad the walls in the living roomRemoving the worn-out carpets revealed the home’s original Australian cypress floorboards, which were sanded and polished to freshen them up.
    Elsewhere, PWAO replaced vinyl flooring with “durable and low-maintenance” micro-cement in the smaller living room, kitchen and some bathrooms.

    Eight renovated mid-century homes that marry period and contemporary details

    In the main living room, false ceilings were taken out to expose the original Oregon timber beams, now infilled with hardwood timber and tiled bulkheads.
    “When we pulled down the badly damaged plasterboard, the beams were in such great condition and had a beautiful texture so we decided to keep them on show,” Williams said.
    “This also allowed us to increase the height of the ceiling and play with the scale and rhythm of the beams.”
    Micro-cement was used to finish some of the floorsIn the panelled entrance hall, the original native blackbean timber needed only a little care to restore its rich varied tones, also seen on the doors throughout the house.
    Elsewhere PWAO used acacia as a feature timber for panelling and detailing across headboards, stair treads and integrated shelving.
    “We’ve used these acacia elements in a playful pattern,” the studio said. “They’re in an ongoing conversation with the original blackbean timber used around the house.”
    Terracotta tiles nod to the home’s original material paletteIn the larger living space, a double-sided fireplace helps to zone the living and dining areas, while the walls were clad in textural wood wool panels – a composite made from recycled timber fibres.
    “It is actually a thermal and acoustic panel, typically used for ceilings,” Williams said. “We thought it was a fabulous opportunity to provide texture on the walls.”
    Similar warm terracotta tones also feature in the bedroomThroughout the house, terracotta tiles add to the sense of warm earthiness established through the material palette.
    “The mosaic tiles were influenced by the original terracotta tiles in the entrance foyer,” the architect explained. “The smaller grids we’ve used are in contrast to the larger original terrace tiles, as well as the grid of the house itself, creating a play on scale.”
    When the wiring was replaced, PWAO also had the opportunity to integrate the house with smart home technology, allowing the lights, heating, fans and irrigation to be controlled via an app, balancing modernist aesthetics with modern convenience.
    The bathroom was designed to matchDezeen recently rounded up eight other mid-century home renovations that marry period and contemporary details.
    Among them was another 1960s Australian house with interiors updated by local studio Design Theory for a young client and her dog.
    The photography is by Monique Lovick.

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    Eight textural kitchens that combine stone and wood surfaces

    For this lookbook, we’ve collected eight kitchen interiors that marry the natural textures of wood and stone to create visual interest while remaining practical.

    Stone is a hardwearing and durable material, making it a popular choice for kitchen worktops, while wood adds a sense of warmth to interior spaces when applied to walls, floors or kitchen cabinets.
    In these kitchens, the natural grain of wood is complemented by striking stone surfaces, including cool-toned limestone, travertine, and a range of dramatically veined marble.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring mid-century home renovations, interiors centred around dining tables and spaces finished in reclaimed materials.
    Photo by Lorenzo Zandri and Christian BraileyMuswell Hill house, UK, by Architecture for London

    English studio Architecture for London renovated and extended this Edwardian home in London using natural materials in a bid to keep embodied emissions to a minimum.
    In the kitchen, cabinets were lined with oak wood while pale grey limestone was used for the floors, worktops, prep counter and a chunky window seat.
    The studio also exposed the original timber roof beams and complemented the minimal material palette with lime plaster on the walls, forming an airtight layer to mitigate heat loss.
    Find out more about the Muswell Hill house ›
    Photo by Daniëlle SiobhánZwaag family home, Netherlands, by DAB Studio
    For the kitchen renovation of this home in Zwaag, the Netherlands, Dutch interiors practice DAB Studio covered the walls and cabinets in Afromosia wood, and the floors and ceilings in smoked black-oiled oak.
    The Afromosia wood was quarter-sawn to reveal a decorative grain pattern and add a sense of playfulness to the space, while an Arebescato Orobico marble kitchen island acts as the room’s centrepiece.
    Find out more about Zwaag family home ›
    Photo by David Dworkind1980s Quebec home, Canada, by Ménard Dworkind
    A sculptural travertine island sits at the centre of the kitchen in this 1980s home in Quebec, which was renovated by Canadian architecture studio Ménard Dworkind.
    The studio also used a travertine slab to create a sliding backsplash, inserted into the warm oak cabinetry to conceal additional storage space.
    Find out more about the 1980s Quebec home ›
    Photo by Joe FletcherTwentieth, USA, by Woods + Dangaran
    For this kitchen in a Santa Monica home, Los Angeles studio Woods +Dangaran used a dark grey marble with bold white veining to form the island worktop and the surrounds of a recessed space in the wall units.
    White oak lines the floors, while a darker shade of walnut was used for wall panelling, cupboards and the sides of the island.
    Find out more about Twentieth ›

    Sydney Palm Beach house, Australia, by YSG
    Informed by the rustic beach clubs of Ibiza and Cancun, Australian interiors studio YSG overhauled a holiday home in Palm Beach, Sydney, with a mix of sunny colours and textures.
    In the kitchen, the studio sanded down the wooden floorboards to achieve a warmer tone and added an island made from two types of stone – Giallo Siena marble and travertine – to recall “the ombre shades of a freshly poured tequila sunrise”.
    Find out more about the Sydney Palm Beach house ›
    Photo by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm ArchitectsForest cabin, Sweden, by Norm Architects
    Danish studio Norm Architects kept the material palette minimal and rustic for this holiday cabin in a Swedish forest.
    Handleless kitchen cupboards are finished in oak to match the floors, complemented by a stone worktop that extends up into a short backsplash.
    Find out more about the forest cabin ›
    Photo by Daniel SalemiBrooklyn Loft, USA, by Dean Works
    White marble with grey-and-blue veining provides an eye-catching worktop, backsplash and shelving in the kitchen of Brooklyn Loft, an apartment designed by local studio Dean Works.
    Surrounding the marble is a large Baltic birch plywood storage unit that doubles as a room divider to separate the kitchen from the bedroom. A dark stone kitchen island was added to contrast the otherwise light-toned interior.
    Find out more about Brooklyn Loft ›
    Photo by Megan TaylorForest Hill house, UK, by 2LG Studio
    Playful pastel colours characterise the interior of this Edwardian home in London, which was renovated by 2LG Studio.
    The local firm aimed to balance Italian influences – in the form of the marble backsplash and kitchen island – with Scandinavian design elements such as the arched cabinets and grooved wood siding.
    Find out more about the Forest Hill house ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring mid-century home renovations, interiors centred around dining tables and spaces featuring reclaimed materials.

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    Five key projects by interior designer and Dezeen Awards judge Little Wing Lee

    Interior designer Little Wing Lee has joined Dezeen Awards 2023 as a judge. Here, she selects five projects that best reflect her work.

    Lee’s interior design practice Studio & Projects creates spaces and products for cultural, commercial and residential clients, taking a “narrative approach to design”
    “My designs are always informed by context, location and function,” Lee told Dezeen. “I always think about the project’s story and connect that to the design decisions I make.”
    Lee is also the founder of Black Folks in Design, an organisation which raises awareness and promotes the culture and importance of Black designers. She was named the first winner of the Female Design Council and NicoleHollis Grant recognising women of colour-led interior design firms located in the US.
    “The grant was an investment in my talent and skill and helped me sustain my momentum to build and invest in future projects,” said Lee.

    Lee is currently working on a collection with Mexican rug brand Odabashian and the launch of a new lighting collection as well as several museum and restaurant projects.
    Lee among Dezeen Awards 2023 judges
    Dezeen Awards 2023, in partnership with Bentley Motors, is closed for entries. The longlists will be published on Dezeen in two weeks.
    Other judges joining Lee this year include architects Jason Long and Zhu Pei, interior designers Diana Radomysler, Colin King and Martin Brudnizki, and designers Yves Béhar, Ineke Hans and Lani Adeoye.
    Read on to find Lee’s views on the five projects that best represent her work:

    National Black Theatre
    “National Black Theatre is a unique project as it combines public, performance, and residential spaces.
    “It is a historic major capital redevelopment project that will transform the current property into a 21st-century destination for Black culture through theatre.
    “This project will anchor and recapitalise the institution with a 250-seat flexible temple space and a 99-seat studio theatre.
    “As part of the same project, the developer Ray is also working on National Black Theatre Way, a building on 2033 5th Ave which will house residential, event and retail spaces.”

    OKRA for Odabashian
    “OKRA was the first design by Studio & Projects from our upcoming rug collection with manufacturer Odabashian.
    “The collection will be carried by Verso with additional designs exhibited this summer in their Bridgehampton gallery.”

    Ace Hotel Toronto
    “Ace Hotel Toronto opened in July 2022 and is the brand’s first location in Canada.
    “The 123-room hotel was designed by revered Toronto firm Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, led by Brigitte Shim and Howard Sutcliffe, in collaboration with Atelier Ace with me as the Atelier Ace/Ace Hotel Group present design director.”

    Black Folks in Design
    “Black Folks in Design (BFiD) is a network that connects Black designers within and across disciplines to support each other and share professional opportunities.
    “We help people understand the excellence, contributions and importance of black designers to create economic and portfolio-building opportunities for Black designers.”

    National Museum of African American History and Culture exhibitions
    “The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history and culture.
    “The museum helps all Americans see how their story, their history, and culture are shaped and informed by global influences. It explores what it means to be an American and shares how values like resiliency, optimism and spirituality are reflected in African American history and culture.”
    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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    Uchronia conceives Haussmann-era Paris apartment as “chromatic jewellery box”

    Multifaceted furniture pieces crafted to mirror the appearance of precious stones feature in this opulent Parisian apartment, which was renovated by local studio Uchronia for a pair of jewellery designers.

    Located on Paris’s Avenue Montaigne, the one-storey apartment is housed within a building designed as part of Georges-Eugène Haussmann’s famed reconstruction of the French capital during the mid-19th century.
    Uchronia renovated a Haussmann-era apartment in ParisUchronia maintained the apartment’s original boiserie, mouldings, parquet flooring and tall ceilings, which are hallmarks of Haussmann-era architecture.
    This quintessentially Parisian backdrop was updated to include bright and textured furnishings designed to mimic pieces of jewellery.
    The dining room features a modular resin table”The space had great bones – a classical Haussmanian layout,” said Uchronia founder and architect Julien Sebban. “That being said, it felt cold, pretentious and beige.”

    “For a change, we avoided structural work and focussed on the decoration,” he told Dezeen.
    A trapezoid lacquered cabinet was positioned in the living roomCreated as a home for two jewellery designers, the apartment features an amorphous resin table in the dining room that is divided into seven modular parts and patterned with a motif informed by the green gemstone malachite.
    “The table’s custom-designed, beaten steel legs echo the principle of claws holding a solitaire diamond to its ring,” explained Sebban.
    Coloured light refracts from a squat stained-glass chairMulticoloured light refracts from a squat stained-glass chair in the sizeable living room, which features a trapezoid lacquered cabinet and curvy jewel-like furniture finished in vivid hues and contrasting textures.
    Uchronia suspended a milky blue Murano glass chandelier overhead and wrapped the room’s floor-to-ceiling windows in sheer ombre curtains.
    Uchronia created a bespoke bed frame for the apartment”The walls echo the curtains and are also treated – and this is a technical feat – in gradations of colour,” the architect said.
    Tucked into an alcove, towering silvery shelves display a selection of ornaments and were designed to give the impression of an open jewellery box.
    “If the apartment’s shapes are reminiscent of the jewellery world, its materials and colours are also borrowed from it,” Sebban said.

    Six renovated Parisian apartments in historical Haussmann-era buildings

    In the single bedroom, the studio took cues from the undulating striations of onyx when creating a bespoke bed frame, finished in plush upholstery to blend in with the room’s patterned carpet while alabaster lamps were positioned atop its two posts.
    Elsewhere in the room, Uchronia paired a dramatically carved Ettore Sottsass dressing table in book-matched marquetry with an egg-shaped chair defined by gleaming red plastic and “space-age lines”.
    An Ettore Sottsass dressing table was also included in the bedroom”It’s very hard to pick a favourite place in this flat because each space has its own identity and colour,” Sebban said. “But if there’s one thing I really love about this apartment, it’s the vitrail that leads to the kitchen.”
    The curving window was an existing feature of the apartment, which the studio customised with candy-coloured glass panes.
    “It creates a place of passage that is quite timeless, like a little sanctuary,” said the architect.
    Coloured glass appears throughout the apartmentColoured glass is a motif that appears throughout the apartment, including the asymmetrical pastel-hued wine and cocktail glasses that look like precious stones.
    “Playful and contradicting combinations of colour, organic and geometric lines and a rich combination of textiles and glass come together to form a chromatic jewellery box filled with gems,” said Sebban. “Every detail has been thought out, polished and cut.”
    Asymmetrical pastel-hued glasses looks like precious stonesElsewhere in Paris, French architect Sophie Dries previously renovated a Haussmann-era apartment for clients who are “really into colour”, while Hauvette & Madani added a sumptuous wine-red kitchen to a dwelling in the city’s République area.
    The photography is by Félix Dol Maillot. 

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    Graduate Hotels spotlights its diverse interiors with new book

    Promotion: Nashville-based hospitality brand Graduate Hotels has launched a self-titled book spotlighting its hotels in university towns and cities across the world.

    Titled Graduate Hotels, the publication covers the company’s more than 35 hotels throughout the US and UK, each individually designed to reflect its location’s history, culture and university campus.
    Graduate Hotels has more than 30 hotels across the US and UK. Photo and photo above is by Steve FreihonThe hotels span from the East to West coast – from Charlottesville, Virginia, to Seattle, Washington, and across the Atlantic to Oxford and Cambridge in the UK.
    The book presents how Graduate Hotels’ design team sources decorative pieces by local artists and brings “the stories of the dynamic local communities to life” through hand-crafted interiors.
    Graduate Hotels was founded by Benjamin Weprin in 2014. Photo is by Steve FreihonWritten by the company’s founder and CEO, Benjamin Weprin, the 272-page book outlines how the brand’s interior design styles vary from retro-futurism at Graduate Hotels’ Cincinnati, Ohio, to neo-classical in Evanston, Illinois.

    Each hotel aims to incorporate the charm of its local university and town. The brand’s newest hotel – Graduate Palo Alto in California – is a historic renovation of Palo Alto’s iconic Hotel President. The new design blends the original 1929 design details with new elements informed by Stanford University and the Bay Area.
    The 272-page book explores traditional and modern interior design. Photo is by Steve FreihonFollowing the brand’s motto “we are all students”, Graduate Hotels aims to evoke nostalgia for alumni and travellers alike, providing an insight into student life and incorporating the local university’s ethos.
    Alongside the book, Graduate Hotels has launched its Generation G campaign, which aims to not only unite students and graduates but people from all generations.
    “Generation G is emblematic of Graduate’s motto, embracing the idea that there is always more to learn and discover,” said Graduate Hotels. “Whether you are a foodie, adventurer, current college student or parent, we’re all Generation G.”
    The hotels span from the East to the West coast of the USA and the UK. Photo is by Digital Love StudioTo celebrate Generation G, Graduate Hotels partnered with producer DJ White Shadow to create a playlist to play across its hotels and has organised a number of fringe events, including live storytelling events with New York’s The Moth.
    As part of the campaign, Graduate Hotels has launched a competition to win free hotel stays for a year and is offering up to 30 per cent off its bookings.
    Graduate Hotels was founded in 2014 by Benjamin Weprin and has since grown to 31 hotels in the US, two in the UK, and an additional four in development in Princeton, Auburn, Austin and Dallas, Texas.
    To view more about Graduate Hotels’ book, visit its website.
    Partnership content
    This competition is a partnership between Dezeen and Graduate Hotels. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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    Burberry draws on minimalism at New Bond Street store

    British luxury brand Burberry has renovated its New Bond Street store, which has been decorated with a minimalist scheme that is populated with striking contemporary furniture.

    Set on a prominent spot on the corner of New Bond Street and Conduit Street in central London, the 22,000-square-metre store is split across three levels.
    Burberry’s flagship store is located on New Bond StreetThe flagship store has a minimal open-plan interior that is characterised by stark white floor, walls and ceilings which are offset by pops of gold, blue and tones of brown.
    The fixtures of the store such as its pillars, staircase, wall displays and mirrors bring a rigid and strict geometry to the space that is complemented by a panelled ceiling which was designed to mimic the brand’s iconic check.
    It has a minimalist interior”The minimalist interior is punctuated with an eclectic mix of contemporary furniture, creating a stripped-back setting designed to spotlight key Burberry pieces,” said Burberry.

    “Overhead lighting has been crafted to replicate the iconic Burberry Check – a pattern introduced in the 1920s, referencing the brand’s rich heritage.”
    Burberry’s check was incorporated across the ceilingCeiling panels were organised in a gridded formation with spotlights set between each. Lighting strips were added to the panels at various intervals throughout the store and reference the multiple lines of the signature check.
    Throughout the store, slivers of checkered tiles punctuate the stark white floors. A classic black-and-white checkered tile covers multiple areas of the interior, zoning numerous different spaces including ready-to-wear and accessory sections.
    Other combinations of tiling include a dark brown and black rectangular tiles that are similarly organised in a checkerboard formation.

    Tom Atton Moore reinterprets imagery of knights and flora with hand-tufted Burberry installations

    In contrast to the rigid lines of the store’s more permanent fixtures, furniture brings a softer and more playful look.
    Curving sofas and armchairs were upholstered in bold shades of beige, brown and vibrant blue and placed on top of matching area rugs and carpets.
    Areas of the store were decorated with pops of colourDisplay tables in blocky shapes are carried throughout each of the store’s floors and sit alongside glass, metal and mirrored vitrines.
    Clothing rails draw on an industrial look, with the floor-to-ceiling structures reminiscent of scaffolding systems, however, set apart by their polished and reflective finish.
    Polished metals were paired with glass”We are excited to open the doors of our newly refurbished flagship store on New Bond Street in one of London and the world’s premier luxury shopping destinations,” said Burberry’s chief executive officer Jonathan Akeroyd.
    “The store showcases our beautifully crafted products in a luxury setting that connects our customers with our brand and unique heritage.”
    Blocky display units were placed throughoutIn 2022, British designer Daniel Lee was announced as Burberry’s creative director following a shock exit from Bottega Veneta. Soon after his appointment, Lee revealed the “first creative expression” under his direction in the form of an archive-inspired charging knight logo and serif logo font.
    Earlier this year, British artist Tom Atton Moore was commissioned to create a series of hand-tufted textile installations for Burberry’s Paris showroom and Rue Saint Honoré store.
    The photography is courtesy of Burberry.

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    Yinka Ilori imbues Courvoisier bar with natural beauty of Cognac region

    A wavy canopy emerges like a fountain from this pop-up cognac bar inside Selfridges in London, designed by local designer Yinka Ilori to mimic the glistening waters of the Charente river in France’s Cognac region.

    The bar belongs to cognac brand Courvoisier and was designed to capture its hometown of Jarnac and the surrounding region, where cognac brandy is made using white grapes from one of six designated “crus” or areas.
    Courvoisier has opened a pop-up bar at SelfridgesIlori wanted to bring this bucolic setting to London’s Selfridges department store, using it to inform the colours and patterns featured throughout the space.
    “I aimed to capture the essence of Jarnac – the warmth of the sun, the rippling of water, the beautiful wildflowers and the natural beauty in the surroundings,” he told Dezeen.
    “The design pays homage to the magic and nature of Jarnac, creating a space that embodies its spirit.”

    The interior was designed by Yinka IloriThe town’s location on the Charente river is the most prominent influence, seen across the pale-blue floors, the sinuous rippling pattern on the walls and, most importantly, in the bar itself.
    Here, a circular counter was topped with a wavy blue canopy that seems to pour out of a central pillar, with the same pattern continuing down onto the base.
    Ilori also designed a limited-edition VSOP bottle for the brand”I wanted people to feel like they were surrounded by water, with it flowing both above and below them, creating a sense of immersion and tranquillity,” Ilori said.
    “The design of the canopy aims to reference the effortless flow of water, making visitors feel as though they are in the midst of a serene river.”
    The bar’s scalloped countertop picks up on the sinuous shape of the waves but provides a colourful contrast thanks to its lacquered red finish.

    Yinka Ilori draws on “unapologetic” architecture of Burkina Faso for debut pop-up shop

    Another reoccurring feature throughout the space is a cartoonish flower shape that nods to Jarnac’s wildflower fields and is found across drinks stands and upholstered benches in the seating area.
    To create a visual connection between the blue waves and the buttercup-coloured flowers, Ilori incorporated a sunset gradient that fades from yellow to soft lilac and envelops several cylindrical display stands as well as the base of the bar.
    “I was struck by the gradients in the sky in Jarnac and wanted to capture this unique visual,” Ilori said.
    A wavy pattern features across the wallsThese three repeated motifs, spanning earth, sky and water, also feature in the limited-edition bottle design that Ilori created for Courvoisier’s Very Superior Old Pale (VSOP) cognac.
    The bottles are available in four different ombre colours and displayed throughout the bar, which will stay open for three weeks until 11 September.
    The same pattern is picked up in the canopy of the barThe project forms part of Ilori’s ongoing collaboration with Courvoisier as the brand’s “ambassador of joy”.
    Last year, the designer created an immersive dining for Courvoisier in New York, designed to transport diners into a surrealist interpretation of Jarnac.
    Ilori’s colourful work is often considered as part of the New London Fabulous movement and includes a colourful skate park in Lille and The Colour Palace pavilion at the London Festival of Architecture.

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    Transparency “one of the biggest beasts that we battle” says Apple retail sustainability lead

    Apple is pushing for carbon transparency in the supply chain as it aims to reduce the impact of its stores, claims the tech company’s retail sustainability lead Rebecca Cully in this interview.

    Created as the latest “evolution of the Apple Store”, Apple’s recently opened location in Battersea includes several material innovations aimed at reducing the shop’s carbon impact. These were sourced with transparency in mind, according to Cully.
    “That transparency piece is one of the biggest beasts that we battle on a regular basis,” she told Dezeen.
    “I think that’s a big reason why finding the right partners, not only in the design space but the construction space and the entire value chain, is just so critical.”
    Apple seeking partners “absolutely committed to transparency”

    Cully explained that Apple is seeking a commitment to transparency from all its construction partners as it aims to meet the company’s wider commitment of becoming carbon neutral by 2030, which will mean not only reducing the impact of its stores, but also its products.
    “There’s so many brilliant products out there in the world, and so many incredible companies that are doing some really interesting things, but as far as innovation is concerned, if we can’t identify a partner who’s absolutely committed to transparency it’s a no-go,” said Cully.
    The Battersea Apple Store incorporated new floor materials and roof bafflesApple is working on building record-keeping of impact and transparency into all its contracts. However, Cully acknowledged that evaluating the full of the impact of all components and materials in its stores is still not possible.
    “Evaluating products by manufacturer for carbon is still very early,” she said. “And so contractually obligating our supply chain manufacturers to disclose that information as a result of award is certainly something that we are focused on right now.”
    “The entire store? I think that’s a little ambitious right now, based on where industry is at,” she continued. “Frankly, we have not gotten to the point where we’re able to control that entire supply chain.”
    “You have to prioritise. For instance, the the nuts and bolts that go into the store are not as significant as our avenues and our ceilings.”
    “Industry is pretty slow to move”
    The recently opened Battersea store, along with the reopened Tysons Corner store in the USA, are the first to use an updated set of fixtures and fittings that will be rolled out across other stores.
    These include a timber framework for its walls and room dividers, flooring bound with a bio-polymer and acoustic baffles made from biogenic material.
    “These are very visible, very large components within the store that we knew if we focused on in the original design intent were going to result in a superior outcome from a carbon perspective,” said Cully.
    The store is the latest “evolution” of Apple’s retail designs.Apple’s current strategy with its stores is to focus on the most impactful, often physically largest areas that have traditionally been the most carbon-intensive.
    “So it’s really important that we are giving clear instructions to the folks that are sourcing for us to achieve particular outcomes,” said Cully.
    “That being said, the industry is pretty slow to move in a lot of these cases. So I would say that we are targeting certain elements within the store that are traditionally very high-carbon and very resource-stressed.”
    “We are targeting those manufacturers to make sure that they understand there is an obligation to deliver on transparency that is absolutely accurate.”

    Apple reveals Battersea Power Station store as latest “evolution of the Apple Store”

    Cully also highlighted that one major way that the carbon impact was reduced at its Battersea store was the decision to locate within the redevelopment of Battersea Power Station.
    Along with the Apple Store within the former turbine hall, the technology company has placed its UK offices within the former power station.
    “Partnering on a redevelopment project of a brownfield site in and of itself has a tremendous value from the standpoint of carbon emissions avoided as a result of the existing structure,” said Cully.
    “Certainly the partnership that we have with the landlord, was highly strategic in terms of positioning Apple to locate and operate as environmentally considerate as we possibly could.”
    Apple “certainly interested in pushing industry”
    According to Cully, Apple wants to push the construction industry to be more sustainable and noted that the company’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, Lisa Jackson, has said she “intends to create a playbook that other organisations can follow”.
    “We are certainly interested in pushing industry,” said Cully. “And because of scale, we have an ability to do that and hopefully pave the way to make it a little bit easier for other companies to follow suit – or at least start normalising conversations with manufacturers and industries so that you know, these things become a little bit easier or a little bit more cost effective for other folks to follow suit.”
    “There are a few organisations around the world, I think, that have the ability to invest in this space the way we have, because the market just doesn’t exist.”
    In the past Apple stores have been focused on aesthetics, but Cully believes that the refocus on sustainability and accessibility means the shops align closer with the brand’s values.
    “This evolution of the store is so much more intrinsically linked to our values – it really is approaching the epitome of Apple’s values realised through the retail store space,” said Cully.
    “We have evolved the store from kind of looking like a product, to now fully representing our values in every way that we can, within the context of the built environment itself.”
    However, store fit-outs are far from being Apple’s biggest challenge in the race for carbon neutrality. Currently, 65 per cent of the company’s emissions from its products so this thinking will also need to be replicated in it production supply chains.
    The first Apple Store opened in 2001 and there are now more than 500 around the world. Dezeen recently rounded up 10 of the latest to open.
    The photography is courtesy of Apple.
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