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      Friedman Benda showcases furniture pieces with a story to tell

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      A mirror-cum-observatory and a lockdown lounge chair with an integrated bar feature in an exhibition at New York’s Friedman Benda gallery that explores the value of design objects beyond just their practical use.The show, titled Split Personality, was curated by Alice Stori Liechtenstein and features furniture and homewares from 17 different designers.
      Each piece was chosen because it has a symbolic value beyond what meets the eye, exploring topics from immigration to biodiversity loss through different materials and production methods.

      Top image: Split Personality is on view at Friedman Benda until 6 February. Above: Toomas Toomepuu contributed to the show

      The exhibition focuses on the stories the objects have to tell, Liechtenstein told Dezeen, using chairs as an example.
      “There are thousands of chairs and the most comfortable chair has already been invented and reinvented 100 times,” she said.
      “So a lot of the time, what we want when we’re looking for a chair is not just something to sit on. But what makes an object particularly interesting are the stories it is able to tell once you have the time to discover them.”
      In this way, Liechtenstein explains, the exhibition rejects the strict Bauhausian ideal of form over function. “We’re over it,” she said. “I see the message as a form of function.”

      Limited grasses table by Mischer’Traxler
      Several of the projects on show are the culmination of extensive research projects, among them a coffee table from Viennese duo Mischer’Traxler. Protruding from its gridded frame are brass effigies of a near-extinct grass species known as agropyron cristatum, of which only around 200 specimens remain in Austria.

      Tour of design exhibition at historic Austrian castle with curator Alice Stori Liechtenstein as part of VDF

      “They are only making five editions of this table because on each table there are 40 brass stems. So it’s a way of representing the number of plants that really exist in nature,” Liechtenstein explained.
      “I think this kind of exercise is very useful because a lot of the time, we don’t realise what a number means until we see it visualised.”

      Christien Meindertsma grew the flax for this rug herself
      Disillusioned with the fact that she couldn’t trace a piece of linen yarn back to the flax field where it originated, Dutch designer Christien Meindertsma decided to acquire a piece of land and grow the crop herself.
      From her yield she created a chair and a series of textiles, including a shaggy rug on show at the gallery.
      “For her, it’s not just about one rug,” said the curator. “The real design project is about making sure that she knows where the material is coming from, that it’s treated properly, that there are no damages to the environment.”

      Commonplace Studio’s Observatorium Mirror shows images of space
      A more abstract exploration of our relationship to nature is the Observatorium Mirror by Commonplace Studio – an obsidian screen in which Liechtenstein says you can see yourself “just well enough to put lipstick on”.
      Simultaneously, the mirror also shows NASA images of far-flung galaxies that visitors can zoom in and out of using a focus pin.
      “We’re so used to seeing ourselves in the mirror and the mirror is all about you. Whereas in this instance, you’re really confronting yourself with the immensity of the universe and reflecting on the larger world,” added the curator.

      Arnaud Eubelen’s designs make use of abandoned building materials
      Other designs subvert function in a literal way by repurposing objects for new uses, with Belgian designer Arnaud Eubelen assembling a light and side table from discarded building materials.

      Jonathan Trayte turns the American landscape into fantastical furniture

      Similarly, Eindhoven-based Ismaël Rifaï made a bench by taping blankets and plastic bottles to an iron trolley frame, inspired by the inventive ways that goods are transported across the border in the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta in Morocco.

      Ismaël Rifaï’s bench uses rugs as upholstery
      A small room off the main exhibition space is covered from floor to ceiling with checkered, plastic mesh bags, as is the furniture within it, creating the claustrophobic impression of stepping inside one of the bags themselves.
      The installation by South African photographer Nobukho Nqaba is based on her Umaskhenkethe photo series and explores how these bags have come to act as emblems of migration, known by different names around the world – such as Ghana Must Go bags in Nigeria.

      Nobukho Nqaba created her installation especially for the exhibition
      “They are always associated with immigrants and the people who use them are seen as homeless. And at the same time, the bags are a symbol of home because their home, most of the time, is carried in these bags,” said Liechtenstein.
      “Although Nobukho is not a classic furniture designer, I think she really has a sense for what the symbology of an object can be.”

      Jonathan Trayte’s Kula Sour was another commission
      Several pieces were commissioned especially for the exhibition, including a lounge chair by British designer Jonathan Trayte that can help to create a sense of escapism for its user during lockdown.
      It features a built-in lamp, a bar with an icebox and a side table on which to prop a laptop, creating a kind of island onto itself that allows the user to pretend they’re somewhere more exotic.

      Wieki Somers also contributed to the show
      Also taking part in the exhibition are Wieki Somers, Rich Aybar, Thomas Ballouhey, Emma Fague, Fernando Laposse, Chris Schanck, Brynjar Sigurðarson, Katie Stout, Soft Baroque and Toomas Toomepuu.
      Split Personality is on view at Friedman Benda Gallery in New York until 6 February 2021. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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      Chengdu reveals “futuristic” stations for its first fully-automated metro line

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      J&A and Sepanta Design have created a series of station interiors based on forms and patterns found in nature for the first unmanned metro line in Chengdu, China.Designed to provoke emotion among their visitors, the 13 stations feature fluid forms and cellular patterns informed by the local tradition of silk weaving as well as the flora and fauna found in surrounding parks.

      Above: Jincheng Avenue Station features lilac-coloured columns. Top image: Cuqiao Station is one of 13 stations designed by J&A and Sepanta Design
      The fully‐automatic, 22-kilometre line has been under construction since 2016 and forms an extension to the existing Chengdu Metro system.
      Called Line 9, it runs between the southeast and northwest of the Sichuan Province’s capital and is the first unmanned metro line in the west of China. Instead of drivers, Chengdu’s new trains communicate with each other using the 5G mobile network.

      Four “standard artistic stations” feature a similar design

      All of the line’s 13 stations are designed by Shenzhen firm Jiang & Associates Design (J&A) in collaboration with London-based studio Sepanta Design.
      According to the designers, their ambition for the project was to create spaces that would “entirely change people’s expectations” of what metro stations could be like.

      Four “feature stations” including Cuqiao, each have a unique concept
      “Chengdu metro stations are not going to be merely points of transit,” said Reza Esmaeeli, founder of Sepanta Design and Design Director at Chetwoods Architects. “They are going to be memorable spaces that offer their passengers an artistic and futuristic expression of their own culture.”
      The stations’ interiors were designed to reflect points of local, cultural interest, with the line passing through the birthplace of Sichuan silk and embroidery culture as well as a number of urban ecological parks.

      The station interiors are designed to look futuristic
      The designers divided the 13 stations into two categories: feature stations and standard artistic stations.
      The four feature stations — Incubation Park, Jincheng Avenue, Cuqiao and Jitouqiao — each have a unique concept, reflecting their local environment.

      The design for Jincheng Avenue Station nods to lotus flowers
      These themes are explored through distinct colours and materials, alongside bespoke furniture.
      At Jincheng Avenue Station, for example, the ticket hall is illuminated by curved, lilac-coloured columns reminiscent of lotus flowers in a nearby lake, while lights that resemble silkworm cocoons are installed across walkway ceilings at Cuqiao Station.

      Cuqiao Station’s lighting was designed to resemble silkworm cocoons
      The other nine “standard artistic stations” have a more uniform design, based on an abstract interpretation of embroidery techniques.
      These techniques are translated into flowing, continuous lines and patterns made up of interconnecting, cell-like forms, which are repeated across ceilings, walls, floors, columns and furniture.

      The standard artistic stations are colour-coded

      Wuchazi Bridge creates “infinite meandering path” over river in Chengdu

      Chengdu’s Line 9 follows in the footsteps of other Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Guangzhou, which introduced driverless metro lines in 2010.
      Beijing opened its driverless Yanfan line in 2017, while Taiyuan, the largest city of Shanxi province, opened its first fully automated line just eight days after Chengdu, on 28 December last year.

      All the stations’ interiors are informed by forms found in nature
      In Hong Kong, Ponti Design Studio has created a concept for an autonomous, double-decker tram with a radial interior design that encourages a safe return to public transport after the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
      Photography is by CHAPA.

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      Five architecture and design events this February from Dezeen Events Guide

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      Stockholm Design Week, a live-streamed talk with Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg and MoMA’s exhibition about systemic racism in the built environment are among the physical and digital events listed in Dezeen Events Guide taking place in February.

      Above: Norwegian Presence is hosting a series of online events. Top image: Amanda Williams is among the artists and designers contributing to MoMA’s Reconstructions exhibition
      Madrid Design Festival1 to 28 February
      Spain’s preeminent design festival is putting on a hybrid programme this year, with four production units set to produce more than 100 pieces of audiovisual content to be shared online. This includes interviews and live shows, as well as a series of behind-the-scenes films showcasing the creative and production processes of 45 local designers.
      Meanwhile, a series of showrooms and exhibitions will open their doors in real life, and IKEA is set to host an event called Redesigning Tomorrow, where basque filmmaker Pedro Aguilera will debut a documentary exploring how we must change our cities and homes to save the planet.
      The film will feature Parley for the Oceans founder Cyrill Gutsch, architect Stephanie Chaltiel and IKEA’s deputy managing director for products and supply chains Jeanette Skjelmose among others. The premier will also act as a jumping-off point for a series of in-depth talks and roundtables.
      It’s Freezing in LA! IGTV Interview Series4 to 25 February
      Every Thursday in February, independent climate change magazine It’s Freezing in LA! is hosting talks on Instagram TV (IGTV) that will explore different approaches to climate activism.
      Designer Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg is set to discuss her latest project, an algorithm-designed garden in Cornwall that is optimised for pollinators rather than humans and explores possible solutions to biodiversity loss.
      And on 11 February, London mayoral candidate and co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales Sîan Berry will discuss how we can solve the capital’s housing crisis while still reducing CO2 emissions.

      Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg “trying to evoke emotion” with Better Nature show

      Stockholm Design Week8 to 14 February
      While the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair was cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the city’s design week that takes place concurrently every year is still going ahead.
      A socially distanced “digital and city edition” will see visitors avoid the crammed Stockholmsmässan exhibition centre on the outskirts of Stockholm in favour of a pared-back programme of exhibitions, showroom presentations and online talks in the centre of town.
      Highlights include a presentation of work from the winners of this year’s Young Swedish Design awards, created in collaboration with the IKEA Museum, and an exhibition by Misschiefs – a platform dedicated to female, trans and non-binary creatives working at the intersection of craft and design.
      Circular design vs mass production: Norwegian Presence 202118 February
      The Norwegian Presence showcase, which is a much-anticipated part of Salone del Mobile every year, is championing some of the country’s most noteworthy designers and manufacturers through a programme of online events this year.
      The first of three half-day events, taking place on 18 February, will bring together young, up-and-coming designers like Poppy Lawman with major industrial producers such as contract furniture manufacturer NCP, which makes Snøhetta’s S-1500 chair from old fishing nets.
      Through a series of round tables, panel talks and newly-released films, the event will explore the circular economy and how a closed-loop philosophy and sustainable material sourcing can be integrated into production processes of any scale.
      The remaining two events will take place in March and April, with a focus on craftsmanship and the merging of homes and workspaces as a result of the pandemic.

      The Museum of Modern Art will release an exhibition catalogue to go along with the exhibition

      Reconstructions: Architecture and Blackness in America20 February to 31 May
      An upcoming exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York will look at how systemic racism and discrimination have influenced the design of American cities and their architecture.
      With the help of ten newly commissioned projects by the likes of Amanda Williams, Olalekan Jeyifous and landscape artist Walter Hood, the show will look at how these conditions have impacted the black community and how black cultural spaces can act as sites of liberation and resistance.
      The show marks the fourth instalment in MoMA’s Issues in Contemporary Architecture series, which focuses on pressing current issues such as rising sea levels, population growth and the foreclosure crisis.
      About Dezeen Events Guide
      Dezeen Events Guide is our guide to the best architecture and design events taking place across the world each year.
      The guide is updated weekly and includes virtual events, conferences, trade fairs, major exhibitions and design weeks, as well as up-to-date information about what events have been cancelled or postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
      Inclusion in the guide is free for basic listings, with events selected at Dezeen’s discretion. Organisers can get enhanced or premium listings for their events, including images, additional text and links, by paying a modest fee.
      In addition, events can ensure inclusion by partnering with Dezeen. For more details on inclusion in Dezeen Events Guide and media partnerships with Dezeen, email eventsguide@dezeen.com.

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      Threefold Architects unveils a model for post-Covid co-working

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      Threefold Architects has completed Paddington Works, a co-working and events space in London that was designed around wellness principles.Paddington Works combines a mix of spaces that include private studios, shared co-working spaces, meeting rooms and a multi-purpose auditorium, all arranged over two storeys.

      Paddington Works includes a mix of private studios and shared workspaces
      Workspaces are designed to be agile, providing different spaces to suit various activities. There are also a range of health-conscious building services, such as fresh air filtration and adaptive lighting systems.
      At a time when many co-working offices are trying to adjust to the changes in work habits prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic, this project offers a model for the future of shared workspaces.

      Wellness principles influenced the layout, material choices and building systems

      “I think co-working spaces could thrive if they adapt following the pandemic,” said Matt Driscoll, one of the three co-founders of Threefold Architects.
      “So much time spent working at home has brought into sharp focus the simple things we take for granted that are vital to our wellbeing,” he told Dezeen.
      “A moment to gaze out the window, an escape from Zoom for a walk in the park, impromptu chats with our neighbours; we will attribute far greater importance to these small things.”

      Spaces incorporate fresh air filtration and adaptive lighting systems
      Paddington Works builds on Threefold’s research into how incorporating wellness principles into architecture can create healthier and happier environments, which has previously fed into workspace designs for Airbnb and Pocket Living.
      These principles were central to the design brief, even though Paddington Works was designed long before the pandemic.

      Threefold Architects completes Airbnb’s latest London office

      The air circulation system, which includes anti-viral filtration, is designed to bring 25 per cent more fresh air into the building than is typical.
      Meanwhile the lighting system uses intelligent LEDs to adjust the colour temperature of the light throughout the day, to suit circadian rhythms.

      The workspaces are divided into clusters
      The layout of the interior, organised over two storeys, was also designed with occupants in mind. Spaces are divided up into clusters to allow small communities to form within the building.
      Each cluster has its meeting rooms and breakout spaces, organised around a kitchen and social space.
      “I think many of the principles of wellness are intuitive to architects – providing good natural light, visual amenity, excellent acoustics, and air quality,” said Drisscoll.

      Each cluster has its own meeting rooms and breakout spaces
      “Beyond how the spaces feel, we are also interested in how they will be used and how people move around them and interact with each other,” he continued.
      “There should be quiet places to be alone, vibrant places to collaborate, and everything in between. We’ve always put generous social spaces at the heart of our schemes, for people to come together in their downtime, spaces to support, create and promote a culture within a business.”

      A flexible auditorium can be used for both events and casual working
      At the heart of the scheme is a flexible auditorium, designed as a huge set of wooden steps. The space can be used to host lectures, screenings and presentations, but it can also be a day-to-day informal work or meeting space.
      Each step incorporates a series of pull-out “drawer desks”, which can be used for laptops or notebooks. There are also power points for charging devices.
      “It doubles as a staircase between the levels and becomes a type of forum, a public space within the building,” explained Drisscoll.

      The materials palette includes rough-sawn oak and terrazzo
      The materials palette responds to the industrial heritage of the Paddington Basin area, with steel fabrications that recall the structure of the Brunel-designed train station. These are paired with textural materials like rough-sawn oak and terrazzo.
      Many of the industrial elements of the design are concealed, for instance, perforated metal screens cover the air filtration units.

      Steel fabrications reference the area’s industrial heritage
      Paddington Works is a joint venture between co-working operator Space Paddington and Westminster Council, aimed at startups in the creative and technology industries.
      As a result of its wellness-focused design, the building was able to adopt social distancing and hygiene measures brought in by the pandemic. Contactless hand sanitisers and anti-microbial fittings were among features already included in the design.
      Drisscoll believes co-working spaces like this one will continue to become more common in the future, as companies look to adopt more flexible working models for their staff.

      Paddington Works is aimed at startups in the creative and technology industries
      “I think flexible working is here to stay,” he said. “Previously reticent organisations have seen it can work and work well; people enjoy more control of what they do.”
      “We may see a trend towards decentralisation – large organisations with acres of office and fields of desks could shift towards smaller workplaces,” he added.
      “This could see an increase in local work hubs, with co-working spaces in residential areas providing excellent places for work closer to home, and spaces close to major transport hubs allowing people to easily travel to from distance to get together.”
      Photography is by Charles Hosea.

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      Kingston Lafferty Design incorporates wellness spaces into Belfast co-working office

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      Dublin interiors firm Kingston Lafferty Design has incorporated green walls, a yoga studio and rooftop terrace across the eight floors of this co-working office in the centre of Belfast, Northern Ireland.Commissioned by property developer Magell, Kingston Lafferty Design (KLD) was asked to create warm and welcoming interiors for the 2,787-square-metre office — called Urban HQ — which breaks the traditional office mould.

      Above: a custom pendant is suspended in the walnut-clad boardroom. Top image: green walls feature throughout the office
      Informed by how the boundaries between work and leisure have become increasingly blurred in the past decade, the firm said it wanted the complex to provide workers and visitors with relaxed and informal spaces as well as areas for focused work.
      In addition to the more traditional private working booths, open offices and meeting rooms, Urban HQ also features dedicated wellness and focus rooms, co-working areas, coffee docks and a central lounge and event space that employees can move freely between.

      Curtains help to separate spaces

      “Psychologically, it is beneficial to have a completely different environment to escape to from the desk,” KLD founder Róisín Lafferty told Dezeen.
      “For us it was about the details, creating interesting nooks and crannies throughout that provide that varied experience and cater to people’s unique behaviours throughout the day.”

      TP Bennett retrofits 1970s office building with Manchester’s largest living wall

      “We wanted to create spaces that are as warm and welcoming to one person working alone as they are for large groups of people working together,” she added.

      A collaborative space can be closed off from the main kitchen with partitions
      To support this relaxed atmosphere, the firm selected a palette of inviting, homely materials — such as stone, leather, slatted wood, velvet and brass — that vary throughout the building to give each area a distinctive feel.
      The ground floor, for example, is designed to be an adaptable space that can accommodate a variety of different activities from collaborating to socialising.

      A timber walkway guides guests to the reception desk
      To provide a visual distinction between these functions, KLD used different flooring finishes and lighting as well as subtle variations in colour tones.
      Visitors to the building are welcomed into a double-height lobby space clad in timber and anchored by a custom floating light installation. From here, a set of doors leads to the ground floor reception area, where a timber walkway guides them to a cube-shaped mirror and stainless-steel desk that appears to levitate above the blue marble floor.

      The desk is clad in mirror and stainless-steel
      Another set of double glass doors leads guests through into the canteen, which Lafferty describes as the “main hub” of the building. Resembling an open kitchen in a restaurant, it features a central bar made from mirrored brass and terrazzo surrounded by upholstered bench seating.
      “The ground floor is where the energy is in the building,” Lafferty said. “It is the place where all the different people can mix and mingle, chill out, catch up and socialise. The layout plays a big part in this. One of the key things I wanted to do from the start was create a central hub that draws people in.”

      The canteen space is anchored by a central bar made from mirrored brass and terrazzo
      Other ground floor spaces include a walnut-clad boardroom and a series of collaborative and social spaces. Green walls, ceilings and planters are integrated throughout.
      “Psychologically, the link to nature enhances the feeling of tranquillity,” Lafferty explained. “It is also proven to stimulate productivity and positive thinking.”

      Booths line the walls around the central bar
      The upper floors are accessed through secret doors concealed within the entrance lobby, leading to the stairwell, lifts and additional toilets.
      Each floor offers a range of different kinds of offices – from small, two-person set-ups to full-floor office expanses with their own reception.
      Each floor also has a series of spacious meeting rooms, meeting pods, four-person meeting and lunch booths, and colourful kitchen spaces designed to contrast with the surrounding offices.

      One large wellness room is located on the first floor
      The wellness room is located on the first floor and can be used for yoga classes, meditation and other tech-free activities to help members unwind.
      “The wellness room is a forward-thinking approach to office design as it provides a calming space where members are encouraged to disconnect and recharge away from their desk,” said Lafferty.
      “The design was kept minimal, incorporating tactile finishes through cork flooring and suspended planting combined with a mirror to fill the room with natural light – all proven to contribute to overall workplace wellbeing.”

      The rooftop offers rare views across Belfast
      “One of the biggest treats in the building is located on the top floor,” she added. “The rooftop garden looks out over Belfast city with the historic copper roofs. With ample seating and tables, this is a perfect spot for an after-work drink, a special party or an event. It is rare to get this in Belfast.”
      Elsewhere in the UK, TP Bennett recently retrofitted a 1970s office building in Manchester with the city’s biggest living wall.
      Photography is by Mariell Lind Hansen.

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      Seven “Japandi” interiors that blend Japanese and Scandinavian design

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      This Dezeen Lookbook presents seven interiors that combine design influences from Japan and Scandinavia in a style that has become known as “Japandi”.A hybrid of east and west, the style is increasingly popular as a way to create interiors that are minimal without being cold. Japandi makes clever use of craftsmanship and tactile materials, such as textured wood and handmade ceramics, to add comfort and warmth.
      It features pared-back styling, precise craft and natural materials – qualities that have long been central to the design traditions of Japan, and the Nordic countries, particularly Denmark and Sweden.
      This is the latest lookbook in a series providing visual inspiration for interior designers and design lovers. Previous lookbooks in the series have showcased bathrooms with views, calm living rooms and peaceful bedrooms.

      Archipelago House, Sweden, by Norm Architects
      Norm Architects’ Archipelago House is a pine-clad holiday home that was designed to embody Swedish and Japanese aesthetics, a theme that comes through most clearly in the double-height living room.
      Here, the owners can lounge on furniture that Norm Architects designed together with Karimoku Case Study – the sister brand of Japanese manufacturer Karimoku.
      Creamy white and pale grey hues complement the light wood furniture in the room, where the main light source is a bespoke cone-shaped lantern. This was designed in washi paper by Japan’s Kojima Shouten, which has been making lanterns for over 230 years.
      Find out more about Archipelago House ›

      A Quiet Reflection show, Sweden, by Ariake
      An exhibition by Japanese furniture producer Ariake at Stockholm Design Week showcased the label’s wooden furniture, which was designed in collaboration with a number of designers from all over the world (above and top).
      Set in the dilapidated former Mexican embassy in Stockholm, the clean lines of the furniture stood out against the crumbling walls and stuccoed ceilings, creating a mix of texture and colour and an appreciation for older craftsmanship that perfectly embodies Japandi.
      Find out more about A Quiet Reflection ›

      Pantechnicon, UK, by Farrells
      Pantechnicon, located in a 19th-century building in London’s Belgravia neighbourhood, is home to both shops and restaurants that focus on Japanese and Nordic culture. Tenants include a cafe by French-Japanese cult record label Kitsuné and a Nordic restaurant called Eldr.
      While Pantechnicon’s interiors are pared-down, plenty of wood detailing gives the space an inviting feel, and lantern-like lights and green plants have been added to soften the minimalist aesthetic.
      Find out more about Pantechnicon ›

      Upstate New York Home, US, by Magdalena Keck
      A family with Japanese and American heritage live in this home in the Catskill Mountains, which has an interior that draws on both their backgrounds and adds plenty of Scandinavian style.
      In the open-plan living room, dining room and kitchen, a table and chairs by Danish designer Finn Juhl share the spotlight with Japanese pottery and woven mats sourced from Tokyo. Mid-century design and American crafts also feature in the house, balancing out the Japanese minimalism.
      Find out more about Upstate New York Home ›

      Izumi, Denmark, by Pan-Projects and Mok Architects
      A Japanese restaurant in Copenhagen is the perfect setting for an interior style that mixes the two cultures.
      Izumi, in the city’s Charlottenlund suburb, draws on both Japanese restaurant interiors, with translucent screens that reference traditional paper sliding doors, and Scandinavian design. This can be seen in the curving oak panels that surround the open kitchen.
      “Japan and the Nordic countries have a rich history of cultural interactions,” explained Pan-Projects’ founders Yurioko Yaga and Kazumasa Takada. “Especially in the field of design, there are many examples that are rooted originally in Japanese culture yet developed uniquely in the land of the Nordic region.”
      Find out more about Izumi ›

      K5 Tokyo Hotel, Japan, by Claesson Koivisto Rune
      A converted bank building in Tokyo, bombed during world war two, was turned into a boutique hotel by Swedish studio Claesson Koivisto Rune. The studio created a warmer interior style than is usually associated with Japandi, using tactile details and saturated hues.
      Thin blue ombre curtains evoke the traditional craft of Japanese indigo-dyeing, or aizome, while sturdy wooden room dividers nod to Scandinavian mid-century modern design. The studio based K5’s interior around the Japanese notion of “aimai”, which is used to describe things that are ambiguous or unclear.
      Find out more about K5 Tokyo Hotel ›

      Powerscroft Road townhouse, UK, by Daytrip
      As part of the renovation and expansion of this London townhouse, London-based Daytrip loosely lime-washed the walls and added polished concrete floors to create a “calm and serene home”.
      The Scandinavian influence can be seen in the warm wood details used throughout the flat – as in this dining room, where a dark-wood chair complements a dainty table underneath the window – while elegant lighting fixtures add an East Asian feel.
      A Japanese paper lamp from designer Isamu Noguchi’s Akari range stands on a wood-burning stove stacked with logs, Scandinavian-style.
      Find out more about Powerscroft Road townhouse ›
      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 peaceful bedrooms, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

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      Office S&M injects bold colours into renovated Mo-tel House in London

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      An abundance of bright hues and recycled materials were used by London studio Office S&M to renovate a Georgian townhouse in Islington.

      Mo-tel House now has a kitchen at the front
      The Mo-tel House project involved remodelling the lower ground floor of a home owned by the founder of online fashion rental service On Loan and her family.
      The company promotes reusing garments rather than buying new, so the architects took a similar approach when selecting materials for the renovation.

      Rearranging the layout created a space for dining to the rear

      These include melted, discarded milk bottles and chopping boards for bathroom counters; leftover marble chips for kitchen worktops; and crushed bricks for ceramic pendant lamps.
      “Mo-tel challenged us to see reuse as a design tool for bold new ideas, and we found value and opportunities in materials that would otherwise have been overlooked,” said Office S&M founding partner Catrina Stewart.

      Custom furniture pieces include a seating nook for the dining area, which also incorporates storage
      Overhauling the terraced north London home began with opening up the dark and cramped space at the home’s entrance level.
      Removing the internal dividing wall allowed light to enter the living area from both front and back elevations, and also afforded a change of layout. The kitchen was moved to the front of the building, and a dining and seating area inserted towards the rear.

      A wide variety of colours are applied across the open-plan space
      Larger design elements were treated like scaled-down architectural features. For example, a pale pink structure with a double-pitched “roof” was added to provide a dining bench, seating nook and storage unit.
      In the kitchen, a light blue volume with a rounded top forms a pantry and acts as a visual anchor for green terrazzo countertops made from the recycled marble.

      Pink and green house designed by Office S&M to offer antidote to London’s “dire rental market”

      An apple-green shade was applied to the ceiling, window recesses and a band around the upper walls, complementing the surface of a pill-shaped dining table.
      Office S&M, founded by Stewart and partner Hugh McEwen, is no stranger to colour. Its previous projects in London include a house extension with bright yellow accents and a property painted Millennial pink.

      A ground floor bathroom pairs pale pink and dark tiles
      At Mo-tel House, the studio also chose teal cupboards, a pink tile kitchen backsplash, and tinted mirrors throughout the home.
      Pale timber floorboards are laid diagonally and contrast with the brightly coloured surfaces, which extend to hardware like radiators, light switches, electrical outlets and door handles.

      A colourful staircase leads up to another bathroom
      The renovation, totalling 55 square metres, also encompassed bathrooms on two levels that are stacked at the back of the building.
      On the lower ground floor, the first is reached through a pink utility room and is lined with dark tiles.

      The ground-floor bathroom features yellow accents and recycled plastic counters
      The second bathroom is reached by climbing a staircase decorated in pink and yellow. This washroom was reconfigured to fit a shower as well as a bathtub, and now features the recycled plastic surfaces made from recycled plastic.
      Yellow tile grout was chosen to match the bathroom’s window frame and shower curtain, while the rest of the space is white.
      Photography is by French + Tye.
      Project credits:
      Architect: Office S&MEngineer: Foster StructuresContractor: McEllingott BuildingFurniture build: McEllingott BuildingKitchen surfaces: In OperaRecycled plastic surfaces: Smile Plastics

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      New Dezeen Lookbooks section presents curated picks of home interiors from Dezeen's archive

      by

      Dezeen has launched Dezeen Lookbooks, a new section featuring roundups of home interiors and decor trends to help designers and design lovers plan their projects.

      Published each Saturday, the visually driven Dezeen Lookbooks present roundups of images of contemporary interiors selected from our vast archive of over 750,000 images.
      Each roundup is curated by the Dezeen editorial team and addresses a different room and theme.

      Top: an image from our cosy living rooms lookbook. Above: a project from the peaceful bedrooms lookbook

      Lookbooks published so far feature living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms.
      Dezeen Lookbooks is a response to the surge of interest in home design since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen people spending much more time at home.
      As a result, web traffic to Dezeen posts about home interiors has soared.

      This Barcelona apartment features in our colourful kitchens lookbook
      Popular Lookbook stories we’ve published over the last few months include our showcases of living rooms with calm interiors, bold bathroom designs and thirty kitchens designed by architects.
      We’ll be adding more image-led roundups over the coming weeks and plan to expand the section to include other types of interiors plus trend reports in future.
      Interior design fans can also check out our sections on residential interiors, apartments and houses.

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