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      Finnish Design Shop creates forest-set logistics centre to enable “a more sustainable future”

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      Avanto Architects and Joanna Laajisto have designed a logistics centre for retailer Finnish Design Shop that features warm timber, a foraged-food restaurant for staff and visitors, and views of the surrounding forest.

      Located on the outskirts of Turku, west of Helsinki, the logistics centre is the hub for storage, management and dispatch of products from the Finnish Design Shop, which says it is the world’s largest online store for Nordic design.
      The company needed a new logistics centre after a period of high growth, but founder and CEO Teemu Kiiski also aimed for it to be a meaningful place for employees and visitors.
      The Finnish Design Shop logistics centre is located in the Pomponrahka nature reserve in Turku. Photo is by KuvioEmployees of the logistics centre can enjoy plenty of light and forest views as well as warm timber environments and a restaurant run by Sami Tallberg, an award-winning chef who specialises in foraging.
      The Finnish Design Shop had first explored whether it could convert an existing building in the Turku area, but, finding nothing suitable, chose to build on a site in the Pomponrahka nature reserve, where the surrounding forest would provide a calming work environment and reflect the appreciation for wood in Nordic design.

      To undertake construction there responsibly, the Finnish Design Shop says the builders saved as many trees as possible and landscaped the area with natural forest undergrowth and stones excavated from the site.
      The entrance features glass curtain walls that connect the interior and exterior. Photo by KuvioAvanto Architects designed the 12,000-square-metre building to blend into the forest as much as possible — a challenge given its massing, a product of the warehouse layout.
      The layout was created beforehand by specialist consultants to maximise the efficiency of operations, which are carried out by robots in an automated system.
      The centre includes a showroom. Photo by Mikko RyhänenThe architects opted for a dark facade with a vertical relief pattern that becomes visible on approach and echoes the tree trunks in the surrounding woodlands.
      “The pattern forms a more human scale to the large facade surfaces,” Avanto Architects co-founder Anu Puustinen told Dezeen. “We also used warm wooden accents in the main entrance vestibule, balcony and windows.”
      There is also a restaurant that specialises in foraged food. Photo by Mikko RyhänenThe architects gave the office spaces large windows so the employees could enjoy frequent views of the forest and lots of light, and included a balcony for access to the outdoors on the first floor.
      The entrance to the centre is through the showroom, which features glass curtain walls that showcase the use of the building and a long, straight staircase made from two massive glulam beams.
      The first-floor offices have a view of the warehouse floor. Photo by KuvioThe interior was designed by Laajisto and her studio, who aimed to make the space feel well-proportioned and comfortable despite its size and to create a good acoustic environment by liberally applying sound-absorbing materials.
      She kept the colour and material palette neutral and natural, with lots of solid pine and ash wood to continue the forest connection, but used furniture from the Finnish Design Shop in bright colours to punctuate the space.

      Formafantasma and Artek’s Cambio exhibition explores Finnish design’s link to forestry

      “The aim was that every aspect in the interior should be done well and beautifully,” Laajisto told Dezeen. “Attention to detail was embraced in things that typically are overlooked, such as doors, plumbing fixtures and electrical hardware selections and applications, acoustic ceiling panels and ceramic tiles.”
      The project is the first logistics building in Finland to be certified BREEAM Excellent, the second highest level.
      Special attention has been paid to creating a good acoustic environment with sound-dampening materials. Photo by Mikko RyhänenKiiski, who positions the company as the opposite of multinational e-commerce players such as Amazon, aimed for the new centre to be the most socially and environmentally sustainable online store.
      “The values that life in the Nordic countries is based on include transparency, equality and respect for nature,” said Kiiski. “It would have been impossible to create this company and our new logistics centre without unwavering respect for these values.”
      Wood is featured throughout the interiorHe believes that global online shopping can be socially and environmentally sustainable when issues in supply chains, logistics and operations are addressed.
      “Many studies show that online shopping can have a lower carbon footprint as compared to in-store shopping,” said Kiiski. “This is due to the more efficient logistics in e-commerce and the fact that in-store shopping usually involves private transport.”
      “We want to push the whole industry towards a more sustainable future,” he continued.
      The hub is meant to offer employees a healthy and humane working environment. Photo by Mikko RyhänenPast work by Avanto Architects includes the Löyly waterfront sauna in Helsinki, which has a multifaceted exterior that visitors can climb, and the Villa Lumi, a house with a sculptural white staircase.
      Laajisto’s previous projects include office interiors for service design company Fjord and the Airisto furniture collection for Made by Choice, which was inspired by Scandinavian holiday culture.

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      Julia van Beuningen adds spiral stair in Dutch barn conversion

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      A spiral staircase made from plywood is the showpiece of this thatched barn in Gelderland, the Netherlands, which architectural designer Julia van Beuningen has converted into a residence.

      Van Beuningen has overseen a complete transformation of the late 19th-century building, named Barn at the Ahof, turning it into a rental home with four bedrooms and a large open-plan living space.
      The plywood staircase was produced by manufacturer EeStairsThe plywood staircase, produced by manufacturer EeStairs, sits at the heart of the floor plan. With its precise curved geometry and slender components, it offers a playful contrast with the barn’s rustic wooden columns and beams.
      “We thought, if we’re going to do something, we have to do it properly,” Van Beuningen told Dezeen.
      The staircase leads up to a new first floor within the converted barn”This is very different and very unusual in a barn like this,” Van Beuningen added. “It’s something you either love or hate, but it’s definitely a statement.”

      Barn at the Ahof is one of several buildings on an ancient farming estate named Landgoed Appel that Van Beuningen inherited from her family.
      She is planning to overhaul the entire site through a mix of rebuilds and refurbishments and create a series of low-energy houses that can be used for either long-term or holiday rentals.
      An open-plan living space occupies the ground floorAs the barn had been previously renovated approximately 10 years ago, it didn’t require as much work as some of the other properties on the estate.
      Van Beuningen is not a qualified architect – she is primarily a cellist and works in architecture part-time – so she enlisted local studio Flip Wentink Architecten to oversee the planning stages.
      However, she decided to manage the detailed-design phase herself, adding in extra details like the spiral staircase and some built-in joinery elements.
      The first floor provides two bedrooms and bathroomsOn the ground floor, the staircase creates a divide between a dining area and a lounge with a wood-burning stove. A minimal steel kitchen island runs along the side of this space.
      Also on this storey is an accessible bedroom and bathroom suite.
      The newly added first floor, which is much smaller in size, accommodates two additional bedrooms and bathrooms.
      Bespoke joinery provides in-built storageVan Beuningen tried to use simple natural materials wherever possible.
      As well as the plywood staircase and joinery, the renovated barn features walls of flax and lime plaster.

      Alibi Studio cuts slice through disused barn to frame sky views

      “It’s quite a proud building,” said the designer, “and it’s quite strong and industrial.”
      “I wanted to respect this industrial nature, which is not easy when adding in a new floor that is quite a heavy element. So I thought we should be quite humble in terms of materials.”
      Glazing skirts the edge of the first-floor bedroomsClever glazing details help to elevate the design.
      Highlights include large glass doors that can be concealed behind stable-style shutters, tall and slender skylights, and a narrow strip of glazing that skirts the edge of the first floor.
      A third bedroom is located on the ground floorExternally, the building has a more traditional appearance thanks to its thatched roof and red brick walls.
      Barn at the Ahof is the second completed building at the Landgoed Appel estate, following the refurbishment of the former bakehouse. Still to come is the overhauled farmhouse, revamped sheep shed and a new-build barn.
      Large glass doors are fronted by stable-style shuttersEnvironmental sustainability is a key concern for Van Beuningen, so all of the buildings are being designed to incorporate solar panels and ground-source heat pumps.
      Some sections of the estate have been rewilded, while ancient wetlands have been reinstated.
      Skylights puncture the traditional thatch roofVan Beuningen hopes the project can pave the way for more sustainable tourism in Dutch rural communities. At a time when the government is restricting the farming industry, in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, she hopes to show farmers can explore other revenue streams.
      “It’s really a long-term project in that sense,” she added.
      Other recent barn conversions featured on Dezeen include the stone Woodthorpe Stables in Surrey by Delve Architects and North River Architecture’s extension of an 18th-century farm building in New York.
      The photography is by Alex Baxter.
      Project credits
      Client: Landgoed AppelArchitect: Flip Wentink ArchitectenInterior architect: Julia van BeuningenStructural engineer: Peter Rommers/Luuk van Doeveren ArchitektuurM&E consultant: Peter RommersQuantity surveyor: Peter RommersLighting consultant: Julia van BeuningenStaircase engineering/fabrication: EeStairs

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      Antti and Vuokko Nurmesniemi's “common design philosophy” showcased at Helsinki Design Museum retrospective

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      A vivid orange Helsinki subway seat and an iconic timber sauna stool are among the pieces in this exhibition of work by design duo and couple Antti and Vuokko Nurmesniemi.

      Various works by the late interior architect Antti Nurmesniemi and textile designer Vuokko Nurmesniemi are presented in this eponymous exhibition at Helsinki Design Museum, which charts the pair’s work from the 1950s to the 2000s.
      An orange Helsinki subway seat is included in the exhibition. Photo is by Mari KallionpääFrom kitchen crockery to colourful textiles, the Nurmesniemis created a broad range of designs together and individually over their solo and shared careers before Antti’s death in 2003.
      “The exhibition is important because there has never been a joint retrospective exhibition about this central designer couple in Finnish design history,” curator Susanna Aaltonen told Dezeen.
      Colourful garments by Vuokko also featureArranged across a gallery at Helsinki Design Museum, the show includes a striking orange subway seat that Antti created in 1982 in collaboration with industrial designer Börje Rajalin – a model that is still in use on Helsinki transportation today.

      Visitors can also find an extensive cluster of garments featuring bright hues and geometric patterns, designed by Vuokko for her fashion label Vuokko Oy, which she founded in 1964.
      Antti’s red Pehtoori coffee pot is well-known in Finland. Photo is by Mari KallionpääA red Pehtoori coffee pot from 1957 by Antti is also on display – described by Aaltonen as a product that is “often highlighted as Finland’s early industrial design item” – as well as elegant models of electricity pylons created with interior architect Jorma Valkama in 1997.
      Also central to the exhibition are photographs of and furniture from Studio Home Nurmesniemi, the couple’s live-work home and atelier in Kulosaari, Helsinki, which was completed in 1975.
      Lounge chairs by the couple are defined by black, white and red pinstripesThese pieces include signature wooden sauna stools and 1980s geometric lounge chairs designed by Antti and upholstered in Vuokko Oy pinstripe fabrics.
      This furniture is displayed alongside archival imagery of the designers in their modernist house – a setting still used for Vyokko Oy photoshoots.

      Fyra celebrates bohemian history of Helsinki’s Hotel Torni in contemporary revamp

      “All in all, the couple’s shared home and studio house is the finest example of the [their] lifestyle dedicated to design,” reflected Aaltonen.
      “I hope that the exhibition will increase people’s understanding of Finnish cultural heritage and that people will also learn to cherish and preserve objects better, especially interiors.”
      Artefacts on display vary from furniture to pylon scale modelsOther shows at Helsinki Design Museum include a recent exhibition by design studio Formafantasma and furniture brand Artek and a temporary “insect hotel” installation that is currently on display outside the museum.
      Previous retrospectives at the museum include one centred on the plastic furniture and chairs of Finnish designer Eero Aarino.
      The exhibition is held at Helsinki Design MuseumAntti + Vuokko Nurmesniemi is on display at Helsinki Design Museum from 28 October 2022 to 9 March 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
      The photography is by Paavo Lehtonen unless otherwise stated. 

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      No Architecture inserts “garden folly” into New York duplex apartment

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      Wooden structures supporting net hammocks rise up through the two-storey interior of this apartment in New York’s West Village, designed by No Architecture.

      The Urban Tree House residence comprises two units in a skyscraper overlooking the Hudson River called 165 Charles Street, designed by Richard Meier & Partners and completed in 2005.
      A spiral staircase connects the pair of timber towers added into the double-height living space”We combined two units by first, redrawing all rooms into a cohesive ‘matrix plan’ and second, inserting a ‘garden folly’ that relates the interior to the adjacent Hudson River Greenway,” said New York-based No Architecture.
      Spanning 3,512 square feet (326 square metres), the apartment’s new double-height living space is surrounded by 22-foot-tall (6.7-metre) glass walls on three sides.
      Net hammocks are suspended above seating areasTo reduce the scale of this volume without blocking the light from entering, the architects added two “tree houses” constructed from vertical, horizontal and diagonal timber beams.

      One of the structures aligns with the home’s floor plan, while the other is rotated to face the park and the river beyond.
      One structure is aligned with the floor plan and the other is angled to face the park and river beyondBoth incorporate elevated hammocks made from black netting stretched between the beams, which are accessed via a spiral staircase between the two towers.
      “Like inhabitable diagrams, these installations can be read as two fragments of a 3D gridded matrix – the timber framework expressing x-, y- and z-lines of interconnecting spatial relations,” said No Architecture.
      Rooms are made flexible thanks to operable walls, like a bookshelf that rotates 360 degreesUnder and around these structures, tall plants add to the tree house aesthetic, and furniture is coloured in grey and neutral shades to match the exposed concrete columns and ceilings.
      This palette continues throughout the apartment, which includes four bathrooms and four bedrooms that the architects refer to as “chambers” due to their multi-functional capabilities.

      No Architecture arranges Flower House in the Berkshires around hexagonal courtyard

      The flexibility is made possible by a series of operable walls that can be shifted to control levels of privacy or connectivity.
      For example, giant moveable bookshelves divide the open living space and adjacent chambers. One slides sideways on tracks, while the other rotates 360 degrees.
      Douglas fir panelling is used throughout the apartmentThe same concept is applied to several of the doors, which are detailed to match the full-height Douglas fir panelling found in many of the rooms.
      “Across these multiple iterations, the architectural question of the ‘wall’ no longer functions primarily as separation, but also –through the added quality of motion – as connection,” No Architecture said.
      A neutral and grey palette complements the exposed concrete structureThe studio was founded by Andrew Heid in 2014, and has completed projects across the US – from a family nature retreat in rural Massachusetts to a house designed around a glazed garden in Oregon’s wine country.
      The Urban Tree House is one of many homes that incorporates net hammocks as playful furniture to occupy spare space – see six examples here.
      The photography is courtesy of No Architecture.
      Project credits:
      Team: Andrew Heid, Chengliang Li, Chuhan Zhou, Feng Zhao, Kun Qian, Nadya Mikhaylovskaya, Theo Dimitrasopoulos, Trendelina Salihu, Wanpeng Zu, Xiangxiang Wang, Zhe Cao, Ziwei DengCollaborators: GMS, Gallon Engineering, Blueberry Construction

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      AMO experiments with materials for Stone Island store in Chicago

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      Fashion brand Stone Island has debuted a retail concept by Dutch studio AMO, which includes surfaces made from compressed shredded paper, burnt cork and sand-coated steel.

      The research studio, affiliated with architecture firm OMA, created the store concept to celebrate Stone Island’s 40th anniversary.
      Stone Island’s Chicago store features a digital chandelier at its entranceAs well as an update to the look and feel of the interiors, AMO has designed the spaces to host a program of public presentations, salons, workshops and private events beyond store opening hours.
      For the store’s architecture, the studio referenced the “innovative” approach taken by the Italian brand to transforming materials for its products, particularly outwear.
      The interior was designed by AMO to reflect the brand’s experimental approach to materials”Research and innovation are at the core of Stone Island,” said AMO director Samir Bantal, who worked with Natalie Konopelski, Giulio Margheri and Mateusz Kiercz on the project.

      “The space, materiality, and program of the stores underpin the brand’s ethos, and reinforce a sense of belonging of its community of like-minded people,” he continued.
      Walls are lined in cork that has been burnt, sandblasted and coatedThe inaugural store to be designed based on this direction is the 180-square-metre space in Chicago, Stone Island’s first in the city.
      The space features altar-like niches for displaying archival pieces and prototypes to highlight Stone Island’s focus on technology and development.
      A niche at the back of the store displays archival products and prototypesSurfaces throughout the store are intended to look like stone, though none are actually made from it. Instead, off-the-shelf materials have been treated in a variety of ways to replicate the same visual qualities.
      Shredded paper and resin were compressed under high pressure to produce durable panels that mimic concrete, and used to create sculptural displays for products.
      Sculptural display stands are formed from shredded paper and resin that’s compressed to look like concreteCork – which is a staple in existing Stone Island stores – was burnt, sandblasted and coated to create a dark texture. Applied to the walls, the material helps to both absorb sound and control humidity, while the ceiling is covered with a sawtooth arrangement of translucent light boxes.
      Corrugated steel panels were sand-coated to create a softer finish and used to form a curved partition around the fitting rooms.
      The fitting rooms are surrounded by sand-coated corrugated steelAt the store’s entrance, which has a bright orange floor, a digital chandelier is suspended from the ceiling and broadcasts messages to shoppers.
      Following the opening of the Chicago store in October 2022, plans are in place to roll out the concept at locations including Seoul, Munich and Stockholm.

      AMO cocoons Jacquemus store in pillows to create “bedroom-like” interior

      “Stone Island and AMO share values of innovation, functionality, and passion,” said Stone Island creative director and president Carlo Rivetti.
      “I am very happy to begin this important partnership, a new visual approach for our stores, to speak to our communities.”
      Stone Island’s research is explained through displaysAMO was founded as the research arm of OMA, and has developed long-standing relationships with several fashion brands.
      One of its most frequent collaborators is Prada – the studio has designed a number of environments for the Italian brand’s runways shows over the years.
      The Chicago store is the first iteration of the concept by AMOMost recently, AMO worked with French brand Jacquemus to create a Paris boutique with a “bedroom-like” interior and a terracruda-clad shop-in-shop at London’s Selfridges.
      The photography is by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of Stone Island and OMA/AMO.

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      Ten lounge areas with fireplaces suspended from the ceiling

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      Suspended fireplaces that are used as the centrepiece of contemporary but cosy living rooms are the focus of this lookbook, which includes a mix of rural residences and urban dwellings.

      Also described as hanging or floating, suspended fireplaces are stoves and log burners that are mounted on ceilings and unsupported from beneath.
      They are a popular choice with architects and interior designers in lounge areas, as they can add warmth to a space and transform unused ceiling space into an opportunity for a focal point.
      As demonstrated by this roundup, they come in different shapes but are most popular with a bold black finish that is suited to a variety of homes.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cottage interiors, converted warehouses and Bauhaus-informed interiors.

      Photo is by Denilson Machado of MCA EstúdioHygge Studio, Brazil, by Melina Romano
      Brazilian designer Melina Romano suspended a statement black fireplace within the lounge of this São Paulo apartment, which she designed with a “rustic charm”.
      The structure stands proudly against its tactile surroundings, which include tan brick walls and a decorative cobogó screen, as well as a sculptural wooden chair, woven rug and sofa.
      Find out more about Hygge Studio ›
      Photo is by Marià CastellóCa l’Amo, Spain, by Marià Castelló
      At the heart of the living room of Ca l’Amo on the Spanish island of Ibiza is a pivoting log burner, around which fold-out wood and leather chairs are arranged.
      The sculptural finish of the black fireplace juxtaposes the home’s lightweight and geometric structure, which is crafted from cross-laminated timber left exposed inside.
      Find out more about Ca l’Amo ›
      Photo is by Richard John SeymourVaratojo House, Portugal, by Atelier Data
      The sleek interior of the Varatojo House in Lisbon forms an ideal backdrop to this floating stove, which Atelier Data has incorporated into the open-plan living and kitchen area.
      While acting as a centrepiece around which to gather, its design and placement ensure it does not detract from the views of the valley framed through the surrounding windows.
      Find out more about Varatojo House ›
      Photo is by Rory GardinerMarramarra Shack, Australia, by Leopold Banchini Architects
      An inconspicuous shack-like dwelling overlooking a creek in New South Wales unexpectedly opens into a lofty, wood-lined interior with a tall floating fireplace.
      Surrounded by tiered seating, the metal flue acts as the centrepiece for the living area and is complemented by an industrial-looking, north-facing window that is opened with hoists and weights.
      Find out more about Marramarra Shack ›
      Photo is by Jomar BragançaValley House II, Brazil, by David Guerra
      Architect David Guerra used a suspended fireplace to subtly demarcate the sitting and dining areas in the open-plan living room of Valley House II in southeast Brazil.
      The verticality of the fireplace emulates the structural columns dotted throughout the room, as well as those on the adjoining veranda that is accessed by sliding glass doors.
      Find out more about Valley House II ›
      Photo is by Peter BennettsTowers Road House, Australia, by Wood Marsh
      This fireplace is an ideal accompaniment to the snug conversation pit at the Towers Road House, which Australian studio Wood Marsh created in Melbourne’s Toorak suburb.
      Its conical flue overhangs a circular, chunky firepit, which is complemented by the curved forms of the retro setup that also includes a concrete plinth, polychromatic carpet and sofas.
      Find out more about Towers Road House ›
      Photo is by Nacasa & Partners IncShell, Japan, by ARTechnic
      Within this holiday home in Karuizawa, ARTechnic has hidden a cosy, winding seating area that centres around a floating fireplace.
      The curves of both the room and the sculptural log burner complement the form of the house, aptly named Shell and composed of two tubes with oval sections crafted from concrete.
      Find out more about Shell ›
      Photo is by Tiago CasanovaCork House, Portugal, by Inês Brandão Arquitectura
      Inês Brandão Arquitectura arranged the open-plan living, dining and kitchen space of the Cork House in Portugal around a suspended fireplace.
      The burner’s black finish is echoed by furnishings including a sculptural Maisons du Monde table and a dark grey sofa, but stand out against the white walls and sliding doors that surround it.
      Find out more about Cork House ›
      Photo is by Tiia EttalaVilla K, Finland, by Mer Architects and Ettala Palomeras Architects
      This log burner hangs between the living room and dining room of this Finnish house, which perches on bedrock in a forest near Helsinki.
      It helps bring warmth and a sense of cosiness to the dwelling while also tying in with its minimalist aesthetic of exposed pre-cast concrete elements and monochrome furnishings.
      Find out more about Villa K ›
      Photo is by Marc GoodwinGeilo Cabin, Norway, by Lund Hagem
      In the lounge of a blackened-timber holiday cabin in Norway, local studio Lund Hagem hung a fireplace from its sloped ceiling to create a striking focal point.
      Its bold black colouring tones with black concrete floors and dark oak panelling all work in tandem to provide the occupants with an intimate, sheltered feel.
      Find out more about Geilo Cabin ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cottage interiors, converted warehouses and Bauhaus-informed interiors.

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      Bosco Sodi unveils remodelled Tokyo residence as family home and Casa Wabi extension

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      Studio Wasabi Architecture and Satoshi Kawakami Architects have created a home and artist residency in Tokyo for Mexican artist Bosco Sodi, founder of the arts foundation Casa Wabi in Mexico.

      Occupying a corner plot in the Sendagi district of Tokyo, Casa Nano 2.0 is a renovation of a postwar house constructed in the late 1950s.
      Casa Wabi founder Bosco Sodi has unveiled a home and artist residency in Tokyo”The house has a very simple facade system to protect the windows, a system called amado, where you can slide some metal windows and close them when there is a typhoon,” said Studio Wasabi co-founder Rafael Balboa.
      The 68-square-metre home has a simple facade with a gabled roof and ridges that jut out to create small awnings.

      The home renovated a post-world war two home in Tokyo”For the exterior, we only applied one material – which is called Excell Joint – so it looks similar to the original house in order to make it more natural and coherent with the neighbourhood,” said Balboa.
      Studio Wasabi worked with Satoshi Kawakami Architects to completely revamp the interiors for use as an extension of the Casa Wabi artist residency in Puerto Escondido, Mexico or as a home for founder Bosco Sodi and his wife interior designer Lucia Corredor.
      The home’s original cedar beams were maintained in the redesignAfter sponsoring 13 Mexican artists in the original Casa Nano at another location, Sodi needed more space and decided to move the residency into a larger space – Casa Nano 2.0.
      The architecture studios worked with Sodi and Corredor to open up the space, creating an open-concept kitchen, adding furniture and moving the original staircase.
      In order to open up floorplan, the architecture studio included a floating staircaseThe first floor of the two-storey, cedar-framed structure is concrete, and the second storey’s floor is made of cedar.
      The designers and construction company Washin Architects kept all of the old cedar beams and columns, as well as the windows from the original house to preserve the essence of the original building.
      The original windows were maintained”For us, it was also very important to be able to have blackout windows so we kept the original pocket metal windows of the facade of the old house to be able to close the windows completely,” explained Corredor.
      The team had to move the original staircase to open up the ground floor, so a floating steel staircase was placed against the wall at the middle of the structure, suspended from the existing beams.
      There are three living spaces on the second floor”This house, besides being part of the art residence of Casa Wabi, was designed to fit our family needs,” said Corredor.
      Storage space was another important factor in the design process, so the architecture studios created a shelf unit that hangs from the existing beams that stretch around the entire house.
      A shelving system surrounds the homeOn the second floor, three separate spaces were included to accommodate a family of five. The primary bedroom has a simple layout and connects to a small terrace.
      A central living area has a bench with a small reading nook and the seating area was furnished with a vintage French sofa from the 1950s and an old wood table from a local flea market.
      The spaces are divded by sliding panel doorsThe bunk bedroom at the end of the second floor was built for the kids or as another area spot an artist in residence and has access via a ladder to a small outdoor terrace.
      The three spaces are divided by Japanese paper sliding doors with overlaying glass thick enough to maintain privacy and let the light flow into the space.

      Read: Five Casa Wabi pavilions include Álvaro Siza ceramics studio and Kengo Kuma chicken coop

      Five Casa Wabi pavilions include Álvaro Siza ceramics studio and Kengo Kuma chicken coop

      The doors and built-in furniture as well as the ceiling of the second floor were made using Lauan wood.
      Corredor used furniture from the previous residence and items that were locally sourced to furnish the home.
      “We brought all the furniture we already had in the former Casa Nano,” she said.
      “Like our old wood table that we found in the flea market in UENO and our beloved Noguchi lamp to give warmth and light to the space.”
      The home’s exterior blends into the style of the neighbourhoodCasa Nano 2.0 will continue with its residency program, inviting four Mexican artists every year, each for a period of one month.
      “Japan has been life-changing for the artists that have been already,” Sodi said.
      “As it was for me when I was invited to an art residence in Tokyo almost 20 years ago.”
      Casa Wabi’s headquarters in Puerto Escondido was designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando and features yearly pavilions by international architects including a red brick chimney by Mexico City-based architect Alberto Kalach and a ceramics workshop by Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza.
      The photography is by Nao Takahashi. 

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      Axel Arigato rejects “McDonald's approach” to interiors with Berlin flagship store

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      Travertine displays that double as DJ podiums feature alongside glistening butter-yellow columns in Axel Arigato’s Berlin outpost, which the streetwear label has designed together with longtime collaborator Halleroed.

      The brand’s flagship boutique is set in the central Scheunenviertel neighbourhood, across the ground floor of a prefabricated concrete Plattenbau building typical of post-war East Germany.
      Axel Arigato has opened a flagship store in BerlinStockholm design studio Halleroed was tasked with conceiving the interior scheme for the space, reviving some of the key visual themes the practice has established across all of Axel Arigato’s other stores.
      Rather than simply copy-and-pasting these elements, Halleroed mixed and matched them to create something new.
      Travertine was used to cover the floors and form chunky shelvesThis is illustrated in the store’s pale yellow columns, which effectively merge the glossy lacquered-metal surfaces seen in the London boutique with a muted version of the distinctive yellow accents that were used in the pop-up Stockholm shop.

      “We don’t have a McDonald’s approach where each store looks the same,” explained Axel Arigato’s creative director Max Svärdh.
      “We treat them as contemporary galleries and focus less on the transactional element, whilst staying true to our blueprint that keeps coming back in new shapes and materials.”
      Yellow-lacquered metal was used to envelop columns and form clothes railsRoman travertine, which features heavily across the brand’s Paris boutique, was used to cover the entire expanse of the floor, as well as forming chunky shelves and the plinths that encircle the interior columns.
      Rendered in various shapes, sizes and textures, these sculptural plinths can be used to display different trainers or act as counters and curved seating nooks when Axel Arigato is hosting an event in the store, which can comfortably accommodate up to 250 people.
      “The podiums – and in a way all the surfaces – are multipurpose in that we use them for displaying the weekly rotation of product drops, DJ decks at parties or pop-up merchandise when we hand over the space to other creatives,” Svärdh told Dezeen.

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      The raw natural texture of the travertine is contrasted against the lacquered metal, which was used to envelop the pillars and form a series of clothing rails curved around the perimeter of the room.
      “The glossy finish lends a highly visual element to our spaces and creates a nice contrast to the very organic materials and softer characters of the stone and the store’s generally muted character,” Svärdh explained.
      Mirrored pillars bookend a huge LED screenTogether with the floor-to-ceiling mirrors flanking a huge LED display, the shiny metal surfaces also help to reflect the illumination that is provided by the rows of strip lights running all the way across the ceiling.
      The flagship is Axel Arigato’s second bricks-and-mortar store in Germany, following the opening of its Munich outpost last November.
      Axel Arigato joins Hay, Acne Studios and a growing number of international brands that have moved into the Scheunenviertel in recent years. The area is rapidly being expanded into an alternative shopping destination tucked away behind the more touristy destinations of Berlin’s central Alexander Platz.
      Other businesses in the Scheunenviertel neighbourhood include Sofi – a bakery set in the courtyard of a restored brick factory.

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