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      Yuko Nagayama & Associates creates trapezoidal glasses shop and community hub

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      Tokyo studio Yuko Nagayama & Associates has completed a copper-clad eyewear store for brand JINS in Maebashi, Japan, which contains a cafe and rooftop terrace.

      Named JINS Park, the shop in Gunma Prefecture was designed to act as a space for the community to gather whether they are shopping in the store or not.
      Yuko Nagayama & Associates has created a glasses shop in Maebashi”We proactively created public spaces that are not part of the sales floor, which encourages community members to come for reasons other than shopping,” the studio explained.
      “In stores of this type, the second floor is typically not open to customers, [we] utilised it as a terrace and also included a bakery-cafe in the store.”
      The shop contains a cafeYuko Nagayama & Associates envisions the space being used as an indoor community plaza with food and coffee served along with glasses being sold.

      A large triangular staircase divides the space in two, with the glasses store located on one side and the cafe on the other.
      The large central stairs lead to a first floor terraceThe widening staircase, under which the cafe’s servery and the shop’s consultation rooms are located, leads to an additional seating area and a triangular, outdoor terrace.
      This space is intended as another community area, offering benches and a generous amount of open space where children can run around.
      Timber units were used to display glassesBroadly lit by floor-to-ceiling windows with the roof supported by angled columns, the interior is broken up by a number of freestanding timber units.
      For the eyewear shop, these are used to display the glasses on sale, while for the cafe they contain pastries and other food
      The trapezoidal building is topped with a roof terraceThe trapezoidal building is topped with a sulphurised-copper facade that was designed to mimic the reddish-brown Mount Akagi that can be seen from the shop.
      Visitors approach JINS Park through a neatly landscaped garden, before being greeted by the central fan-shaped staircase which provides seating with views of the store, garden, and street.

      Stephanie Thatenhorst bedecks kid-friendly optician in graphic patterns

      “We began by reversing the typical layout of roadside stores, with a parking lot located in front, and instead located the parking lot behind the building,” said Yuko Nagayama & Associates.
      “As the landscaping matures and the copper facade blends more fully into its surroundings, we hope the store will become part of everyday life in the neighbourhood,” said the studio.
      The ground level opens onto relaxed outdoor spacesRecent glasses shops featured on Dezeen include Stephanie Thatenhorst’s playful pattern-filled interior for a children’s opticians in Munich and a shop clad in colourful sheets of locally sourced plastic waste by sustainable materials company Plasticiet and Amsterdam eyewear company Ace & Tate.
      Other recent developments include eyewear stores by Child Studio for Cubitts, a company that asks for each shop to be designed in a unique style that reflects the history of its local neighbourhood. The studio’s Leeds store is inspired by Victorian joinery, whilst another store is based on Soho’s colourful postwar reputation.
      The photography is by Daici Ano and Tomoyuki Kusunose.

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      Child Studio transforms 19th-century London townhouse into Cubitts eyewear store

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      London practice Child Studio has created an “intimate and domestic atmosphere” inside this store by local eyewear brand Cubitts, which occupies a townhouse in Belgravia.

      Taking over the building’s basement and ground floor, the shop was designed to draw on both the modernist aesthetic of Cubitts’ frames and the history of Belgravia.
      Cubitts Belgravia has a front room with a cast iron fireplace (top and above)The central London neighbourhood was first established in the 1830s in line with plans by Georgian master builder Thomas Cubitt, who also gave the eyewear brand its name.
      “It was important for us to build a layered narrative for this project and to connect the townhouse architecture with the modernist ethos of the brand,” said Child Studio founders Alexy Kos and Che Huang.
      The store’s display stands are designed to look like room dividersThe studio reinstated many of the building’s Georgian design features, which had disappeared over years of renovation works.

      The original wooden floorboards were uncovered and restored, while the walls were painted a chalky yellow hue that was typical of the period.
      Most of the doorways were either extended to reach three metres in height or adorned with ornate architraves that complement the interior’s wall mouldings and cornices.
      Some of the doorways reach three metres in heightIn the store’s front room, the studio installed a cast iron fireplace that is meant to foster an “intimate and domestic atmosphere”.
      “We imagined a contemporary interpretation of a classic drawing room – an elegant living room where guests may be welcomed and entertained,” explained the studio.
      “We were particularly inspired by the pioneering designer Eileen Gray, who lived in this part of London in the early years of her career in the 1900s.”

      Child Studio transforms 60s London post office into Maido sushi restaurant

      On the other side of the space is a custom concertina display stand that’s meant to resemble a traditional room divider.
      This stand is lined with creamy linen-like wallpaper while another stand at the rear of the store was crafted from mahogany and finished with brass edging.
      Domestic decorative items like lamps and armchairs were placed throughout the storeOther homely design features like mirrors and upholstered armchairs were dotted throughout the store as decoration.
      There are also a number of antique light fixtures including Gray’s domed Jumo lamp and a golden leaf-shaped desk light by 1970s Italian designer Tommaso Barbi.
      This includes a leaf-like brass lamp by Italian designer Tommaso BarbiChild Studio has designed several of Cubitts’ eyewear stores across the UK.
      Among them is a branch in Leeds that takes cues from different design periods through history and an outpost in London’s Soho, which draws inspiration from the neighbourhood’s infamous sex shops.
      The photography is by Felix Speller.

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      Rockwell Group blends Japanese and Spanish design in Nobu Hotel Barcelona

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      New York studio Rockwell Group has mixed references to traditional Japanese crafts and the work of Catalan architect Antonio Gaudi in its interior design for this hotel in Barcelona by American hospitality brand Nobu.

      Located in the former Gran Hotel Torre de Catalunya near Barcelona’s main train station, the 250-room hotel is topped with a Nobu sushi restaurant on the 23rd floor as well as incorporating a pool, spa, meeting rooms and event spaces.
      The Spanish outpost marks the thirteenth hotel opening from Nobu, which started as an upscale Japanese fusion eatery in New York in 1994 but quickly expanded into a celebrated chain of restaurants and hotels spanning five continents.
      Above: guests enter Nobu Hotel Barcelona through a lobby with a lounge area. Top: among the hotel’s 250 rooms are a number of suitesArchitecture and design firm Rockwell Group has worked with the hospitality chain for almost 30 years, designing its first location in Manhattan followed by another 25 restaurants and eight hotels.
      In Barcelona, Nobu sought to create a location that blends the best design features of its restaurants with nods to the city’s architectural heritage.

      In response, Rockwell Group created a “collage of materials, textures and spaces” within the hotel, paying homage to the colourful mosaics in Gaudi’s Park Güell as well as the traditional Japanese craft of kintsugi, which involves mending broken pottery using metallic lacquers.
      A woven screen snakes its way from the facade into the double-height lobby”The fusion of these two arts felt natural and makes the property feel truly unique and grounded in its place,” Rockwell Group principal Eva Longoria told Dezeen.
      “We envision the environment as an abstract landscape, in which every element and detail is crafted in an unusual and unexpected way, much like Nobu’s cuisine,” added the firm’s partner Greg Keffer.
      From the street, the hotel’s entrance is framed by tall bamboo trees set behind a wall of rammed earth.
      A grand spiral staircase connects all of the hotel’s public areasA bright orange woven screen designed to evoke Japanese Shinto gates wraps the entry vestibule and continues inside to create a connection between the hotel’s interior and exterior.
      The screen leads guests into a double-height lobby lined with textured limestone and wood. The space is anchored by a dramatic brushstroke artwork – a recurring feature in Nobu’s interiors – that hangs behind the check-in desk.
      Off to the side, a grand spiral staircase connects all of the hotel’s public areas including the ballroom, lobby and meeting rooms.
      Millwork features heavily in the guest rooms. Photo is by Cristina GarciaIn the lobby bar, a monumental stone counter is lined in pale gridded wood reminiscent of traditional Japanese joinery, while a pair of central columns is clad in cracked stone with gold-coloured infill in a reference to the kintsugi mending technique.
      The lounge is framed by a gridded wooden structure similar to the one found in the bar. But here, it is stained a deep indigo blue.

      Nobu opens Japanese-influenced oceanside hotel in Malibu

      In the guest rooms, Rockwell Studio combined millwork pieces with leather and bronze-coloured detailing, while slabs of stone and travertine with bronze inlays feature in the bathrooms alongside frameless glass-panelled showers.
      A moodier atmosphere reigns in the suites, where sofas sit on plinths and millwork is finished in saturated lacquer colours. The presidential suite is organised around a sculptural Japanese tea hearth made of roughly carved stone.
      Bathrooms in the suites also include a traditional ofuro soaking tub, which is separated from the shower by screens clad in ceramic tiles.
      Bronze-coloured detailing accentuates the rooms’ built-in storage. Photo is by Cristina GarciaThe hotel’s meeting rooms feature views down into the lobby for a casual, connected feel, while sliding wood panels can be used for conjoining or separating different spaces.
      A Nobu sushi restaurant sits at the top of the building with panoramic views of the Catalan capital. Its kintsugi-influenced ceiling consists of live-edge walnut panels intersected by gold-coloured veins.
      Over the backlit onyx bar, a cracked blue ceramic ceiling complements columns clad in kintsugi sculptures made from blue and white ceramics.
      Millwork details also show up in the bathrooms. Photo is by Cristina GarciaNobu opened its first hotel in Malibu in 2017, with the aim of bringing the atmosphere of a traditional Japanese inn to the coast of California.
      Since then, Nobu Hotels has opened 12 more outposts including a beachside resort in Mexico made from locally sourced stone.
      The photography is by Ricardo Labougle unless otherwise stated.

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      Ten interiors with textured cork-covered walls

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      From an artist’s studio in Devon to a coffee bar in a Beijing hutong, this lookbook rounds up ten interiors with tactile walls that are clad or built with cork.

      Cork is a natural and renewable material sustainably harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree.
      In architecture and interiors, it is commonly used in the form of cladding panels or building blocks. These are typically formed by heating cork granules, triggering the release of natural resins that bind them together.
      Cork is an increasingly popular material for exterior and interior walls as it is biodegradable, durable and insulating, and when left exposed, it adds warmth and tactility to a space.
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing multi-generational homes, residential corridors and homes filled with decorative ceramics.

      Photo by Jim StephensonArt Barn, UK, by Thomas Randall-Page
      Cork cladding gives a sense of cosiness to this freestanding “winter studio”, which architect Thomas Randall-Page designed for his father and sculptor Peter Randall-Page.
      Elevated on timber supports with stone feet, it forms the centrepiece of a wider open-plan workspace and archive created for the artist within an old barn in Devon.
      Find out more about Art Barn ›
      Photo by Megan TaylorCork House, UK, by Nimtim Architects
      Nimtim Architects paired cork with bright pink window frames at this playful house extension in London.
      Exposed inside and out, the material was chosen to create a continuous textured surface that offers “a subtle counterpoint to the original brickwork” of the existing dwelling.
      Find out more about Cork House ›
      Photo by Eric Zhang and Yu ChengBig Small Coffee + B&B, China, by Office AIO
      Cork panels are among several materials that decorate this small coffee bar, nestled in one of Beijing’s hutong districts.
      Office AIO used the wall coverings to add comfort and tactility to the interior while absorbing sound, preventing disturbance to an adjoining guesthouse.
      Find out more about Big Small Coffee + B&B ›
      Photo courtesy of Matthew Barnett Howland with Dido Milne and Oliver WiltonCork House, UK, by Matthew Barnett Howland with Dido Milne and Oliver Wilton
      Lego-like blocks of cork were used to build this modular house in Berkshire.
      Left exposed throughout the interior, they provide a snug and earthy aesthetic for the house and also ensure its structure is easily recyclable at the end of its life. The material was decorated with brass, oak, spruce and black-stained Accoya wood details.
      Find out more about Cork House ›
      Photo by José HeviaThe Day After House, Spain, by Takk
      In this 110-square-metre Madrid apartment, several of the walls, ceilings and columns are covered in charred cork chosen for its heat-retaining and low-carbon properties.
      The front door is also covered by the blackened panels, disguised as part of a storage wall with built-in pinewood shelving.
      Find out more about Day after House ›
      Photo by Ioana MarinescuOlive+Squash, UK, by Neiheiser Argyros
      Neiheiser Argyros used the material in the dining space at the Olive+Squash cafe in London, which is concealed by a gridded metal structure dotted with potted plants.
      The cork visually separates the eating area from the white-walled serving counter below, while creating an inviting atmosphere that encourages visitors to “gather and linger over their meal”.
      Find out more about Olive + Squash ›
      Photo by Andrin WintelerHeart clinic, Switzerland, by Dost
      A 1960s restaurant was overhauled to create this heart treatment centre in Zurich, within which architecture studio Dost installed a series of cork-lined cubicles.
      The earthy tones of the cork juxtapose the more clinical white finishes in the rest of the space, avoiding the sterile appearance of a typical healthcare environment.
      Find out more about the heart clinic ›
      Photo by Hufton & CrowBiju Bubble Tea Rooms, UK, by Gundry & Ducker
      Cork cladding extends down from the walls to form tiered seating and flooring at the Biju Bubble Tea Rooms in London, creating a playful internal landscape for visitors.
      Architecture studio Gundry & Ducker selected the material for the fit-out as it is naturally occurring and echoes the cafe’s use of fresh ingredients for its drinks.
      Find out more about Biju Bubble Tea Rooms ›
      Photo by Richard ChiversSelencky Parsons office, UK, by Selencky Parsons
      Timber pegs that support models and hanging plants slot into this cork-covered pod in Selencky Parsons’ self-designed studio space in London.
      The workspace was designed to give a cosy character to the irregularly-shaped commercial unit while also providing privacy for staff from passersby.
      Find out more about the Selencky Parsons office ›
      Photo by Fernando GuerraEcork Hotel, Portugal, by José Carlos Cruz
      Architect José Carlos Cruz overlapped a series of different-sized cork slabs to create the feature wall of this restaurant in a hotel in Portugal’s Alentejo region.
      It matches the exterior of the building, which the architect designed “to promote cork as a cladding material” because it is insulating and recyclable.
      Find out more about Ecork Hotel ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing multi-generational homes, residential corridors and homes filled with decorative ceramics.

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      Home Studios refreshes Daunt's Albatross motel in Montauk

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      Brooklyn-based Home Studios has turned a dated motel into a boutique hotel near the beach in Montauk, New York, using vintage furniture to make it feel like a “remote family home”.

      The revamped Daunt’s Albatross has 23 guest rooms located two blocks back from the sand in the Long Island beach town.
      Home Studios has renovated the guest rooms at Daunt’s Albatross, including the hotel’s Koda SuiteA family-run establishment since 1977, the hotel was last fully renovated in 1982, so proprietor Leo Daunt decided it was time to make improvements while retaining the family-friendly layouts.
      “The story of Daunt’s Albatross is one rooted in a family’s passion for sharing Montauk’s natural beauty with visitors and locals alike, welcoming them to a space that feels like home, even if just for a short stay,” said Home Studios founder Oliver Haslegrave.
      Pale colours and wooden furniture feature in the space”Our guiding design principles included three overarching themes: the rugged beauty of untouched nature; the collected warmth and family history; and the comforts of a modern sanctuary,” he continued.

      The complex comprises two buildings separated by a narrow courtyard, populated with Adirondack chairs arranged around fire pits on areas of gravel.
      Deluxe Double rooms were furnished with only the essentialsIn the lobby, a patchwork of flagstones across the floor and reclaimed oak ceiling beams complement a custom limestone-and-alder wood reception desk.
      Bright and airy Deluxe Double and Standard Queen bedrooms are sparingly furnished with an assortment of vintage and antique pieces from multiple eras, “as if a the hotel were a remote family home” according to Haslegrave.
      An assortment of vintage and antique pieces are used through all of the spacesThe hotel’s Koda Suite includes a living area with a wood-burning fireplace, a kitchenette with a small dining area and a daybed tucked behind a linen curtain.
      In all of the guest rooms, there are pastel blue doorways and cabinets, dark blue tile backsplashes, wooden furniture and woven textile artworks.
      Black fixtures add a contemporary twist to the green-tiled bathrooms”The furniture, lighting and decor are handpicked antique pieces and unique, custom elements that prioritise function, simplicity, and materiality,” said Haslegrave.
      “Layers of art and decor – from paintings of the original owner, Grandma Daunt, to handmade textiles – add a layer of sentimental warmth throughout the lobby and guest rooms.”

      Montauk hotel takes its sand-coloured palette from its beachy surroundings

      Bathrooms are lined in pale green tiles and accented with black fixtures and hardware that provide a contemporary touch.
      The site also includes a swimming pool and terrace area at the western end, and guests are encouraged to go out and explore the area’s clifftop walks and state parks.
      A custom reception desk sits upon flagstones in the lobby”The Albatross represents a modern and charming haven where guests can enjoy Montauk’s surrounding natural beauty with a sense of comfort and relaxation that only an intimate and regionally inspired hospitality experience can provide,” Haslegrave said.
      At the far eastern tip of Long Island and nicknamed The End of the World, Montauk is a popular summer vacation spot for New York families, surfers, party-goers and wealthy homeowners alike.
      The property has been run by the Daunt family since 1977Typically more affordable than the Hamptons down the coast, the town has a mix of relatively inexpensive and luxury accommodation.
      One such luxury hotel is the Marram Hotel, which opened in 2019 following renovations by Studio Tack.
      The courtyard is populated with Adirondack chairs and fire pitsDaunt’s Albatross is Home Studios’ third hotel project to date, following The Hu Hotel in Memphis and the Mediterranean-influenced Alsace in LA.
      Founded by Haslegrave in 2009, the studio has also recently completed a brasserie in Salt Lake City, a townhouse overhaul in Brooklyn and a restaurant in a Wisconsin.
      The photography is by Brian W Ferry.

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      Ten home interiors framed by impressive shutters and louvres

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      From windows framed by slatted aluminium fins to colourful metal panels that wrap around a building’s facade, our latest lookbook showcases 10 homes with shutters and louvres.

      Made from slats, fins and blades, shutters can be used to control the amount of sunlight that enters a home, provide privacy, open the house up to scenic views and protect against extreme weather conditions such as wind or humidity.
      They can be adjusted electronically or via hand with pulleys and levers to change the amount of light and regulate the airflow that comes into a room.
      In a similar fashion, architects and designers typically add horizontal or vertical louvres to the outside of a building to shade it from the sun or decorate its facades.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks on bedrooms with balconies, decorative ceramics and bathrooms with statement tiles.

      Photo courtesy Nishizawa ArchitectsHouse in Chau Doc, Vietnam, by Nishizawa Architects
      This multi-generational home in the Vietnamese city of Chau Doc is shared by three separate families. Renovated by Ho Chi Min-based studio Nishizawa Architects, the airy structure features moveable corrugated metal panels instead of walls.
      Occupants benefit from unspoiled views of the surrounding rice fields as well as plenty of sunlight, greenery and natural ventilation that filters throughout the three floors.
      Find out more about House in Chau Doc ›
      Photo by Cristiano BauceCasa Ventura, Brazil, by Arquitetura Nacional
      Casa Ventura, a house situated in a gated residential community in Xangri Lá, has reinforced white concrete shutters punctured by cylindrical openings across its facade.
      Brazilian studio Arquitetura Nacional added the panels to shade the upper level of the house, which contains four minimalist bedrooms, a massage room and a sparsely decorated room in neutral shades for watching television.
      Find out more about Casa Ventura ›
      Photo by Gonzalo ViramonteObra Luyaba, Argentina, by Barrionuevo Villanueva Arquitectos
      Córdoba-based studio Barrionuevo Villanueva Arquitectos paired creamy floor tiles with warm wooden furniture, shelves and battens in the living space of this property in a remote spot in Traslasierra Valley.
      A terrace with operable full-height wooden shutters wraps around the project and gives the homeowners unparalleled views of the mountainous surroundings.
      Find out more about Obra Luyaba ›
      Photo courtesy of Bates Masi ArchitectsAmagansett Dunes House, US, by Bates Masi Architects
      Kaleidoscopic patterns of dappled light decorate the interior of Amagansett Dunes House, a four-bedroom home that backs onto a wooded nature preserve in Amagansett, New York.
      The sunlight filters in through the louvres on the building’s western facade. As well as creating intricate patterns, the louvres are designed to allow breezes to pass through which keeps the occupants cool.
      Find out more about Amagansett Dunes House ›
      Photo courtesy of Jinnawat BorihankijananForest House, Thailand, by Shma Company
      Containing 120 trees and 20 different plant species, the aptly named Forest House is situated in a dense, urban spot in the Thai capital of Bangkok.
      Narrow balconies nestled between white steel louvres fringe the house and are populated with a variety of potted plants, trees and evergreens.
      “The house is designed to maximise natural ventilation and sunlight,” Shma Company’s director Prapan Napawongdee told Dezeen. “The interplay between solids and voids, which is present throughout the three storeys, brings the greenery close to every room in the house.”
      Find out more about Forest House ›
      Photo by Amit GeronLE House, Israel, by Bar Orian Architects
      Built for a couple and their three children by Israeli architecture studio Bar Orian Architects, LE House was designed to pay homage to Brutalist architecture.
      On the ground floor, polished concrete flooring is set off against an exposed concrete wall that separates the kitchen, living and dining room from the library and master bedroom.
      The occupants can rotate or slide open the dark red louvres – which are made from strips of aluminium and Corten steel – electronically to adjust the amount of sunlight depending on the time of day.
      Find out more about LE House ›
      Photo courtesy of Smart Design StudioBrougham Place, Australia, by Smart Design Studio
      Travertine stone floors, timber stairs and concrete walls and ceilings create a neutral backdrop throughout Brougham Place, a three-storey home by Sydney architecture studio Smart Design Studio.
      Splashes of colour and strips of daylight punctuate the otherwise muted interior through the multicoloured vertical wooden louvres on the front facade.
      Find out more about Brougham Place ›
      Photo by Federico CairoliWoven House, Colombia, by Santiago Pradilla and Zuloark
      Woven screens made from a natural fibre called Yaré divide this long, cabin-like home designed for the owners of a coffee plantation in Colombia.
      Shutters made from the same material frame the double-height living area, dining and kitchen spaces, allowing the house to be opened up to the outside.
      Woven furniture that matches the shutters and screens is dotted throughout the two-storey home while a fabric hammock hangs from its timber beams.
      Find out more about Woven House ›
      Photo by Amit GeronSea of Galilee House, Israel, by Golany Architects
      Israeli studio Golany Architects wanted to maximise views over the Sea of Galilee in this newly built family home set on the slopes of the Jordan Rift Valley.
      Floor-to-ceiling glass glazing on both the ground and upper level offers panoramic views over the garden, nearby village and the freshwater lake.
      To help keep residents cool during the hot summer months, the studio added rolling linear shutters which filter the sun and double as a privacy screen.
      Find out more about Sea of Galilee House ›
      Photo by Harshan ThomsonKsaraah, Bangalore, by Taliesyn
      Furniture and fittings inside Ksaraah were made from materials and crafts local to Bangalore, with tables made from local stone, bedding made from “khadi” cloth and “kansa” metal crockery.
      Architecture and design studio Taliesyn wanted the 487-square-metre house to create a connection with nature.
      Living spaces are either fully open to the outside or able to be opened up via sliding and folding shutters so that residents can enjoy the tropical surroundings. Some rooms are also elevated to take full advantage of the views.
      Find out more about Ksaraah ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing residential bathrooms, dining areas anchored by sculptural pendant lights and homes with French doors.

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      Artist Anouska Samms crafts “dysfunctional” pots from human hair

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      Artist Anouska Samms created pots from clay and donated human hair to playfully explore her family’s matrilineal relationship, which were recently on show as part of an exhibition in London.

      Called This Myth We Make, the exhibition by Samms included a collection of pots displayed on rugged wood and plaster plinths as well as an accompanying film and a large hanging tapestry.
      Samms created lopsided pots with human hairThe various pots are formed from lopsided shapes made out of coloured clay but are defined by the many strands of human hair that decorate them.
      Samms received the hair from a range of strangers from around the world including Mexico, Australia and Japan after inviting volunteers to offer up their hair through a call-out on her Instagram.
      She sourced the hair from strangers on InstagramThis was achieved during national lockdowns when people were cutting their hair at home as they could not access salons, according to the artist.

      “The combination of hair and clay and the different varieties of each that are used merge in an unusual way,” she told Dezeen.
      “This subverts the more traditional pots – particularly the hand-thrown ones – into what I think of as unstable vessels or dysfunctional containers. Using hair is also just a bit cheeky at times,” she added.
      The pots were presented as part of a London exhibitionAs well as hair from strangers, Samms used hair donated by her mother and grandmother, which she explained links to the meaning behind her work.
      This Myth We Make intends to playfully explore the matrilineal relationship between five generations of women in Samms’ family who all dyed their hair red as an intimate family tradition.

      10 designs made from the human body that will make you squirm

      As a natural redhead herself, the artist described how she poetically continues the tradition without needing to dye her hair.
      “This body of work reflects a deeper unconscious – I would even call it an obsessive illustration of matrilineal connection – and the familial ‘myths’ we consciously or unconsciously adopt to communicate our love for others,” said Samms.
      This Myth We Make explored a hair-dyeing tradition in the artist’s familyIn line with this theme, the artist bleached and dyed the donated hair different shades of auburn, which was also used to form Big Mother – a large tapestry presented in the exhibition.
      Her design process involved tying the hair into bunches before it was coloured, after which she washed it in her own bathtub and eventually sewed or shaped it onto pots or into the tapestry.
      “Sometimes just preparing the hair alone took a couple of days,” reflected Samms.
      A tapestry and an accompanying film were also included in the showWhile the artist chose to incorporate hair into her pots in reference to her family’s unique tradition, she explained how she crafted the vessels from clay due to the material’s similar malleability and organicness.
      “There is also potential for disgust and bodily horror in the use of disembodied human hair – another humorous nod at the purity and absurdity of mother and daughter exchange,” concluded Samms.
      Clay was used for its malleabilityThe exhibition was curated by the V&A museum’s curator of digital design Natalie Kane while the show’s technical producer Greg Bradlaugh created the plinths from abandoned wood that he found and covered in white plaster.
      Other designs that are made from human hair include a textile by research studio Pareid that was created to measure urban pollution and a biodegradable stool by Oksana Bondar called Wiggly.
      The photography is by Benjamin Swanson.
      This Myth We Make took place at SET Studios in Lewisham, London, from 20 May to 1 June 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
      Project credits:
      Artist: Anouska SammsCurator: Natalie KaneTechnical Producer: Greg Bradlaugh

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      Projekt Praga incorporates mid-century references into Polish dumpling restaurant

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      Polish architecture firm Projekt Praga has blended modern and mid-century features inside the Syrena Irena bistro in Warsaw, which serves traditional pierogi dumplings.

      Syrena Irena is located in an early 1950s building in the centre of the city that originally functioned as a hotel cafe.
      Syrena Irena is a pierogi restaurant in WarsawAside from handmade boiled pierogi, the restaurant’s “cheerful and honest” menu contains classic Polish dishes from the 50s and 60s such as sour rye soup and herring in flax and hemp oil, which have been updated for modern tastes.
      To add to the homely and casual atmosphere, Projekt Praga created an interior with a self-service set-up that uses mid-century design references to pay homage to both the building’s architecture and the bistro’s nostalgic menu.
      Wooden stools by Buck Studio surround the restaurant’s tablesThese include terrazzo-style tabletops, mosaic tiles, neon signs, milky glass sconces from Polish lighting brand Aqform and wooden stools with triangular seats by Wroclaw-based Buck Studio.

      In particular, Projekt Praga said it chose details, shapes and materials associated with the “prudent design” of Poland’s communist era.
      Spherical glass sconces by Aqform decorate the wallsThe terrazzo-style tabletops with their simple black bases were custom made, as were most of the metal elements in the space.
      Bar counters were powder-coated in bold colours to complement the building’s original 1950s wall mouldings and arches.
      The interior’s colour scheme mixes blue and coral tonesA large window at the front of the restaurant allows passersby to observe the chefs at work – kneading, stuffing and folding the pierogi.
      In the afternoon, sun shines through the windows and illuminates the dining room, while neon lights bring the space to life in the evening.

      Mateusz Baumiller converts warehouse into homely offices for Clay.Warsaw

      The colour scheme mixes aquatic blue with pink, peach and coral tones in line with the restaurant’s mermaid-themed branding, which was developed by Polish graphic design agency Mamastudio and illustrator Ola Sadownik.
      Both this and the restaurant’s name, Syrena Irena, are a nod to Syrenka Warszawska – the mermaid that acts as a symbol for the city of Warsaw and can be found in its coat of arms, as well as on monuments and buildings throughout the capital.
      Black tables with terrazzo-style tops were custom made for the space”The alternating personality of Syrena Irena gave us a chance to use geometrical forms and colours,” explained Projekt Praga.
      “The classical aesthetic of the existing space was balanced by less profound features like wall drawings, railings imitating a mermaid scale pattern and distinctive neon signs,” the studio added.
      “Despite this duality in the bistro’s persona, varied details like neon signs, lettering and murals all come together harmoniously.”
      A monochrome rendition of a Herbert James Draper painting decorates the wallsAt Mamastudio’s suggestion, Projekt Praga used a monochrome print of Ulysses and the Sirens – an oil painting created by English artist Herbert James Draper in 1909 – to cover two of the walls.
      The restaurant’s illuminated signeage was designed in collaboration with local artisan Jacek Hanak, who is responsible for reviving many of the city’s old neon lights.
      Neon signs were made in collaboration with Jacek Hanak. Photo is by Zuza Kozerska”We were influenced by the aesthetics of the jazzy Warsaw of the 1960s when this part of town was a vibrant destination for night owls and barflies,” said Mamastudio of the restaurant’s branding.
      “There were bright neon signs, music was everywhere, colourful artsy types and thrilling energy. With that, we decided that the mermaid logo should bear resemblance to a retro cut-out. The typography is expressive and slightly clumsy on purpose.”
      Other dumpling restaurants featured on Dezeen include a bao restaurant in Valencia that was designed to resemble a sunset and a small Chinese eatery in New York, where stainless steel, brass and polycarbonate are combined to create a futuristic interior.
      The photography is by PION studio unless otherwise stated.

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