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      The Hoxton Vienna offers “contemporary take on the Wiener Werstätte arts and craft movement”

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      AIME Studio’s interiors for the latest outpost of The Hoxton hotels, in a renovated marble-clad 1950s office building in Vienna, celebrate arts and crafts and post-war modernism.

      Creative studio AIME Studio has converted the former administration building of the Chamber of Commerce in Vienna, which was originally designed by architect Carl Appel, into The Hoxton Vienna.
      The building now features 196 rooms, a rooftop bar and swimming pool, a restaurant, cocktail bar, a private apartment and an auditorium for events and programming.
      The lobby of the hotel, which was previously an office building, features original travertine wallsBy focussing on mid-century Austrian design, the hotel aims to show guests a less classical side of what is often considered a traditional European city.
      Appel was known for shaping the “Second Ringstrasse” style of the post-war reconstruction period, which the studio referenced in its design.

      “Our aim was to create a design that respected the building’s history and to preserve the architectural style of the 1950s,” AIME Studios’ Aaron Gibson told Dezeen.
      The Hoxton Vienna is filled with mid-century design details”We visited buildings in Vienna designed by Carl Appel and renowned Austrian architects of the early 20th-century – like Adolph Loos and Otto Wagner – which inspired the interiors for The Hoxton Vienna,” Gibson added.
      The double-height lobby of The Hoxton Vienna preserves key features and details from Appel’s original 1950s design.
      The bedroom’s feature geometric patterned fabrics and soft furnishingsThe mid-century finishes of stones and metals in the original office building set a neutral and semi-industrial context for the renovation.
      “We deliberately used the key features and details from Carl Appel’s original design for the architecture and the interior as a basis for our decision-making throughout the ground floor,” the studio said.
      The hotel has a ground-floor restaurant that continues the design themesAIME Studios also worked with The Federal Monuments Authority Austria, which enforces the Monument Protection Act in order to explore, protect and maintain Austria’s cultural heritage.
      Together they selected furniture items for the hotel which reflect the 1950s, including light fittings, armchairs, sofas, and even the fabrics and textiles used in the space.
      Just off the main lobby there is a small cafe bar”We inherited amazing existing features like the large format terrazzo flooring, travertine walls and corrugated aluminium columns, which are all great examples of 1950s architecture,” AIME told Dezeen.
      The interior scheme complements the existing restrained colour palette of the natural stones’ soft hues of green-grey, beige and blue tones.
      The rooftop bar and pool area adopts a more contemporary designThe studio also took inspiration from the Wiener Werkstätte (Viennese workshops), one of the longest-lived design movements of the 20th century and a key organisation for the development of modernism.
      Centred in the Austrian capital, it bridged traditional methods of manufacture and avant-garde aesthetics.
      In the bedrooms, geographic patterned curtains are influenced by iconic Werkstätte fabrics and ruched headboards are inspired by Loos’ style.
      The auditorium is The Hoxton’s largest events space to date”We selected Viennese fabrics with restrained colours and quiet and small-scale patterns, demonstrating a contemporary take on the Wiener Werstätte arts and craft movement,” Gibson explained.
      Besides the usual hotel program of rooms and restaurants, The Hoxton Vienna features a large auditorium designed in a 1950s palette of pale yellow and blue with mid-century wood panelling, furniture and fittings.

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      The auditorium will host events like stand-up comedy, gigs and conferences, as part of the wider cultural programming of The Hoxton Vienna.
      The hotel also has a private “apartment,” which is an open-plan series of rooms across different levels, including kitchen, dining, sitting and meeting spaces.
      There is a speakeasy-style bar in the basementThe interiors of the apartment distil the essence of AIME Studios’ interior design at The Hoxton, with Wiener Werstätte patterns and colours, mid-century modernist furniture and light fittings, and artwork referencing the period.
      Other hotels from The Hoxton that have recently featured on Dezeen include their first opening in Germany with The Hoxton Charlottenburg in Berlin and the Ricardo Bofill-inspired The Hoxton Poblenou in Barcelona.
      Photography is by Julius Hirtzberger.

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      Jane Withers picks five projects that don’t “take water for granted” from MK&G exhibition

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      An exhibition at Hamburg’s MK&G museum examines the global water crisis and what architects and designers can do to help. Here, curator Jane Withers selects five highlights from the show and explains the stories behind them.

      Water Pressure: Designing for the Future is the result of several years of research by Jane Withers Studio, which involved compiling a broad range of ideas on how to confront water scarcity from the fields of design, science and activism.
      “The current water crisis is largely the result of mismanagement and overconsumption, so there is potential to rethink the systems,” Withers told Dezeen. “A multidisciplinary approach is required and architecture and design are strong components within this.”
      A new exhibition at MK&G (top image) deals with issues of water scarcity (pictured above in Cape Town)The exhibition, on show at MK&G until 13 October, is organised around five themes: Water Stories, Bodily Waters, Invisible Water – Agriculture and Industry, Thirsty Cities, and Ecosystems – Land and Ocean.
      Each theme explores water as a life force and a common medium that unites humans, plants, animals and the landscape.

      “We take water for granted in every way and we need to rekindle our psychological, physiological and spiritual understanding of it,” Withers said.
      The projects on show range from the CloudFisher system, which harvests water from fog or clouds, to a proposal for low-cost floating schools by architecture studio NLÉ and a mural by Slovenian architect Marjetica Potrč calling for the recognition of water as a living being.

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      While some reflect on water’s poetic and mythical associations, others offer more scientifically-led solutions to specific problems associated with water scarcity, human-induced climate change and water justice.
      Withers said she hopes visitors to the exhibition will leave with a better understanding of water and the challenges we face, as well as recognising that there are things we can all do to help shape a different future.
      “We need policy change but also individual changes of mindset and a new water consciousness,” she added. “We’re very keen that the exhibition is a starting point for conversations and for campaigning about water culture.”
      Below, Withers outlines five key projects featured in Water Pressure:
      Graphic by Marjetica PotrčTime on the Lachlan River by Marjetica Potrč
      “The first room in the exhibition is framed by two wonderful works by artist and activist Marjetica Potrč. The mural Time on The Lachlan River illustrates the campaign by Australia’s Aboriginal Wijaduri people to prevent the enlargement of a damn that could have deprived the land downriver of water.
      “On the other side, the visual essay The Rights of a River tells the story of a water referendum in Slovenia in 2021, when an overwhelming majority of people voted against a law that would have allowed private businesses to exploit the country’s rivers for profit.
      “This shift in thinking about rivers and how we view them not as objects to be exploited but as subjects with their own rights is fundamental to creating a more equitable water culture and sets the tone for the exhibition.”
      Photo courtesy of NLÉMakoko Floating System by NLÉ
      “Architectural practice NLÉ has been researching the potential for floating architecture in African cities affected by rising sea levels for over a decade. Their prototype floating building was a low-cost school for the Makoko community in Lagos inspired by their vernacular floating structures.
      “The Makoko School became something of a poster project for floating architecture through photographer Iwan Baan’s alluring images of kids clambering over an ark-like wooden building. It could have stopped there but NLÉ has gone on to develop a scalable prefabricated floating building system for the development of waterfronts amid the challenges of climate resilience.
      “The studio is currently working on a regeneration plan for the Makoko area based on this technology, and recently published the book African Water Cities that examines the potential for waterborne living in other African cities.”
      Photo by Ugo CarmeniDeath to the Flushing Toilet by The Dry Collective
      “Death to the Flushing Toilet is a campaign by The Dry Collective that provokes a rethink of the waterborne sewage systems we take for granted. It’s madness that wealthier regions of the world use vast quantities of freshwater to flush away human waste, while two billion people still lack basic sanitation.
      “In urban areas, as much as 30 per cent of freshwater is used to flush toilets and often this is drinking quality water. The Dry Collective aims to persuade architects and designers to use alternative systems.
      “Taking the traditional Finnish huussi – a composting dry toilet used in rural areas – as a model, they produced a film set in 2043 that imagines a global shift where water is no longer wasted on flushing and human waste is recycled as fertiliser. The technology for circular sanitation systems already exists so the real issue is overcoming prejudices and the ‘yuck factor’.”
      Photo by Merdel RubensteinEden in Iraq
      “Eden in Iraq is an incredibly inspiring project that has gotten off the ground against the odds in Iraq’s Mesopotamian Marshes, where the discharge of untreated sewage has polluted the fragile marsh ecosystem and led to disease.
      “The wetland garden is designed to use plants to clean the local community’s wastewater. The garden’s ornate symmetrical design takes inspiration from the embroidered wedding blankets of Marsh Arab tribes and their tradition of reed construction for buildings.
      “The first construction phase, completed in 2023, demonstrates the potential for nature-based wastewater systems to work at a community level.”
      Drawing by OOZE ArchitectsRe-imagine Water Flows by Ooze Architects
      “Re-imagine Water Flows is a special commission for the Water Pressure exhibition using the MK&G Museum as a case study to understand the water challenges Hamburg faces and how the building’s water ecosystem could be made more resilient.
      “A mural by Ooze Architects shows two versions of the museum – one with its current situation marooned between massive roads and Hamburg’s main railway station and the other illustrating how it could be transformed into a shady green oasis.
      “In the studio’s proposal, rainwater and wastewater are recycled to be reused for non-drinking water use inside the building, as well as for irrigating the landscape and recharging the Hamburg aquifer.
      “The mural expands to show how Hamburg is threatened by drought and increased risk of flooding that could also affect the river Elbe watershed. It invites us to think about the importance of these common water flows linking countries and cities.”
      The top image is by Henning Rogge and the image of the Newlands municipal swimming pool in Cape Town is by Bloomberg via Getty Images.
      Water Pressure is on show at MK&G Hamburg from 15 March to 13 October 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for all the latest architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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      Eight creative guest rooms that accommodate visitors in style

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      In this lookbook, we’ve collected eight guest rooms from China to Spain that provide visiting friends and family a space to call their own.

      Guest accommodations come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Ranging from a sofa during our younger years to full-blown guesthouses later on, putting up friends and family is made better when we have a place to put them – no matter how small.
      The houses and apartments below showcase the myriad ways an extra bedroom can be integrated into an interior, often doubling as an office, storage space or – in the case of a Beijing apartment – a place to enjoy some tea.
      Read on below for fresh ideas on how to provide space for visitors.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring brightly-framed windows, tactile and organic living rooms and mezzanines that maximise usable space.

      Photo by Jack LovelWeeties Factory home, Australia, by Spaceagency
      A deep red carpet defines this guest room in a single-family Australian home, which consists of three consolidated apartments that once were part of a heritage-listed cereal factory.
      The same red was carried into a curtain – which provides privacy from the living room below – and a corner chair, while built-in shelving sits at the entrance.
      Find out more about Weeties Factory home ›
      Photo by Eva Cotman and Maria CeballosBarcelona apartment, Spain, by Eva Cotman
      Guests sleep atop a platform in this Barcelona apartment, which also doubles as a storage area.
      Croatian architect Eva Cotman sought to renovate the apartment to provide more open space. To optimize its functionality, she placed a bookshelf staircase in front of the guest bed.
      Find out more about Barcelona apartment ›
      Photo by Ewout HuibersCanal house, The Netherlands, by i29
      To accommodate guests in this renovation of a canal house in Amsterdam, architecture studio i29 inserted a forest-green volume off the kitchen.
      The guest suite also contains its own bathroom and access door to a garden, while a built-in bed and shelving provide rest and storage.
      Find out more about Canal house ›
      Photo by Weiqi JinBeijing apartment, China, by Rooi
      Plywood units were inserted into this 1950s Beijing apartment to organize and provide more space in its tight interior, which was created during an influx of people moving to urban areas when apartments were often compact.
      A linear volume inserted along the kitchen and dining room can be used for storage, as a tea-drinking room, or as guest accommodations with a mattress placed on the floor. A bubble in the ceiling also provides a relaxing space for feline roommates.
      Find out more about Beijing apartment ›
      Photo by David MaštálkaRounded Loft, Czech Republic, by AI Architects
      An attic in Prague was converted into a two-storey apartment, with living spaces, a kitchen and primary bedrooms located on the first floor and a guest suite located in a mezzanine.
      In the mezzanine, a bed sits at the end of a long hall, while a bathroom sits adjacent to the stairs. A terrace in between the two spaces and skylights lining the roof provide a connection to the outdoors.
      Find out more about Rounded Loft ›
      Photo by Tim BiesFalse Bay Writer’s Cabin, USA, by Olson Kundig
      This cabin in Washington doubles as a study for its owners, as well as a bedroom for visiting guests when a bed is folded out of the wall.
      The space is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass, which is protected by doors that fold up and enclose the entire cabin and fold down to create multiple porches.
      Find out more about False Bay Writer’s Cabin ›
      Photo is courtesy Rubén Dario Kleimeer and Lagado Architects.Workhome-Playhome, The Netherlands, by Lagado Architects
      The founders of Lagado Architects revamped their own Rotterdam apartment by inserting a bright blue staircase and colourful storage units.
      An open loft-style room sits on the second floor. This has minimal furniture so that it can be quickly turned into an exercise room or used as guest accommodations for visitors.
      Find out more about Workhome-Playhome ›
      Photo by Iñaki Domingo of IDC StudioMadrid apartment, Spain, by Leticia Saá
      A wash area sits outside a guest bedroom in this Madrid apartment to physically and visually separate the space from the remaining house.
      The guest area, which sits directly in front of the primary bed, also faces an interior courtyard which separates both sleeping areas from the living room and kitchen.
      Find out more about Madrid apartment ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring brightly-framed windows, tactile and organic living rooms and mezzanines that maximise usable space. 

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      Studio Gameiro draws on hues of Caparica cliffs for Arriba apartment

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      Studio Gameiro has designed the interior of the Arriba apartment in the coastal town of Caparica, Portugal, using local stone and drawing on wooden fishing huts for inspiration.

      The fit-out of the two-bedroom apartment, located inside a building from the 1980s, was designed to reference the coastal area of Caparica.
      The interior of the Arriba apartment is decorated in sandy colours”The interior colour palette and texture was inspired by the beautiful coastline of Caparica, a unique fossil-rock formation along the coast with sandy and terracotta hues,” studio founder Joāo Gameiro told Dezeen.
      “This natural and protected area south of Lisbon has a particular and playful way of changing with light, and it is also almost poetically embedded in our childhood memories of long summer holidays, as it was the first seaside area close to the big city.”
      Studio Gameiro wanted the interior to reference its surroundingsThe sandy hues of the Caparica cliffs influenced the colour palette of the apartment, which is filled with beige and tan hues and named Arriba for the Portuguese word for cliff.

      Studio Gameiro also referenced the 70-square-metre apartment’s surroundings through its choice of materials, designing wooden kitchen cabinets in a nod to local fishing boats.
      The two-bedroom apartment has an open-plan kitchen”The use of wood for the low kitchen cabinets relates to the [area’s] fishing huts, which are characterised by vertical or horizontal lines of wooden planks,” Gameiro said.
      “The texture found in the upper cabinets also finds inspiration in the same source, resembling the straw utilized in the construction of these huts.”

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      As with its interior scheme for the Austa restaurant in Almancil, the practice designed much of the furniture for the apartment, which it made from wood.
      “Following the same input as in other Studio Gameiro projects, we always tend to design bespoke furniture as an extension of the ability to manipulate textures and materials and celebrate the craftsmanship we are very fortunate to work with,” Gameiro explained.
      “The use of Kambala wood was important, as a reference to the durable wood used at the fabrication of the fishing boats, for example.”
      Lioz marble was used for the sinkIn the kitchen, the studio added an L-shaped kitchen counter made from marble.
      “We used Lioz marble, a type of stone extracted locally that has been used in kitchen counters for centuries due to its hard and extremely resistant surface,” Gameiro said. “We also loved how it resonated with the sandy and terracotta hues of the hills nearby.”
      The apartment features an unusual bathroom, organised around a shower base that was designed to have an organic shape reminiscent of “shapes found on the beach”, the studio said.
      The bathroom has an organically shaped showerIt was made from Moleanos stone – a type of Portuguese limestone set with the remains of sea shells – and was inspired by the coastal erosion that has affected the area.
      “As in most of these coastal formations, it has previously suffered from erosion, which in this case was eventually stopped by the pro-active planting of the Caparica pine forest,” Gameiro said.
      “This is now considered a natural protected area and what is left is a coastal outline of ins and outs to and from the beach, which inspired the organic shape of the shower wall.”
      Custom-made wooden furniture decorates the flatIn the study, the studio added a bespoke desk and wooden shelving, while the bedroom has a custom-made make-up desk and a bespoke wooden bed.
      Other recent Portuguese interior design projects featured on Dezeen include a Lisbon home by Fala Atelier and a boutique hotel by designer Christian Louboutin.
      The photography is by Tiago Casanova.

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      Almost Studio designs Loft for a Chocolatier in Brooklyn

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      Brooklyn practice Almost Studio has completed an apartment renovation inside a former chocolate factory, retaining an open layout while adding level changes to demarcate functional spaces.

      The Loft for a Chocolatier occupies part of a 1947 industrial building along Myrtle Avenue, in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn.
      The loft’s kitchen revolves around an island that’s anchored by a structural column surrounded by corrugated metalThe apartment boasts many features typical of loft-style living, including high ceilings, large windows, and exposed pipes and ductwork.
      In one sense, Almost Studio founders Anthony Gagliardi and Dorian Booth aimed to retain this character through an open floor plan, adding powder-coated white mesh boxes and metallic accents.
      Exposed ductwork and white powder-coated mesh boxes highlight the industrial character of the spaceIn another, the pair chose to denote or separate some of the functional areas using changes in angle or elevation.

      They looked to artists like Kazimir Malevich and Josef Albers for ways to honour the original spatial composition while organising the various spaces.
      The kitchen counter integrates a work-from-home area, where pale wood panels are contrasted by lime-green storage niches”It became a way for us to distinguish different areas – such as entry, kitchen, living room, dining room, and office – through these subtle rotational moves in a space that was otherwise entirely open,” said Gagliardi and Booth.
      “In many lofts, every space is equally capable of hosting any activity, and is therefore equally inadequate to host any activity,” the duo continued. “If a dining room can also be an office, gym, and workshop – is it the best place to have dinner?”
      A lounge area is located in the middle of the open-plan spaceThe apartment’s dining room is therefore located on a raised platform at the end of the space, where the ceiling is also lowered using the mesh boxes.
      This set-up aims to create “a closer relationship with the high loft windows, and light, as well as a smaller, more intimate space for conversations”, Gagliardi and Booth said.
      The dining area is raised on a platform to differentiate it from the rest of the apartmentThe raised area is accessed via a short staircase that’s covered in green carpet and flanked by sculptural pale pink screens.
      These elements – covered in Shirasu Kabe plaster – are indicative of the studio’s approach to softening the industrial architecture, along with cork flooring and wainscoting, and upholstered seating.
      Shutters can be opened to connect the mezzanine bedroom and the main living areaPale millwork fronts the pill-shaped kitchen island and curved cabinets behind, while other niches are left open and lined in chartreuse.
      The kitchen counter integrates an area for a desk, used as a home office, where the shelving also continues overhead.

      Another Seedbed is a Brooklyn apartment that doubles as a performance space

      Meanwhile, corrugated metal surrounds a structural column that anchors the island, and the dining chairs have tubular steel frames.
      At the opposite end from the dining room, another elevated portion of the space houses a bedroom, which is closed off from the rest of the apartment.
      The light-filled bedroom features cork wainscoting and plenty of built-in storageThis space is more intimate, and features cream walls, built-in storage, and an arched niche beside the bed that’s lined with more green carpet for the owner’s cats to nap in.
      A fritted glass door slides across for privacy, and a series of shutters that offer views between the bedroom and the main living area can be closed when desired.
      An arched niche lined with green carpet provides a spot for cat napsBrooklyn has many former industrial buildings that have been converted for residential use over the past decade.
      Others include a 19th-century hat factory in Williamsburg that is now home to an apartment that doubles as a performance space and a warehouse in Dumbo where one loft features a book-filled mezzanine.
      The photography is by Jonathan Hokklo.

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      CitizenM aims for “differentiation through massing” at Downtown Austin location

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      Architecture studio Concrete has designed a hotel block for Dutch chain CitizenM in Downtown Austin, which is the brand’s first Texas location and features artwork created in partnership with locals.

      CitizenM worked with long-time collaborator architecture studio Concrete to purpose-build a 16-storey structure at the top of a slope in the city’s downtown.
      CitizenM has opened a location in AustinWorking with US architecture studio Baskervill to create the symmetric facade, which features wide spans of black steel interspersed with wide windows, with a stretch of aluminium panelling above the entrance.
      The brand said that the modern form was meant to stand out from the surrounding buildings – a mix of historical stone buildings and contemporary glass-clad skyscrapers.
      It is housed in a 16-storey building”Downtown Austin is quite a dynamic urban environment with many new constructions gradually changing the character of this part of the city,” CitizenM told Dezeen.

      “We are surrounded by lower, older buildings as well as some of the new office towers. While CitizenM is standing out as one of the new additions to the neighborhood we try to add character and interest to our buildings by creating differentiation through massing, materials and facade design.”
      It features a mix of local and international artThe double-height entrance space features a floor-to-ceiling glass wall that wraps the corner of the block. It has been set back from the street with an overhang created by a cantilever on the lobby level.
      CitizenM placed its signature red staircase at the entrance. It leads up to the lobby floor past built-in shelving cluttered with Pop Art pieces, many of which were gathered from local artists and sources.
      The eclectic collection of art continues in the lobby and the 344 guest rooms, which have works selected with the help of Austin Contemporary Museum.
      Large windows characterise the facadeThe lobby was divided into a variety of spaces separated by built-in shelving and furnished with brightly coloured editions of modern furniture, most of which was supplied by Vitra.
      The bar and social area feature banquette seating placed under the glass walls.

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      In the hallways of the upper floors, the mix of standardisation and localisation continues. Red carpets have been printed with the black outline of an aerial view of the Austin city grid.
      Each room has a large king bed wedged under a window with blinds remote-controlled from a bedside iPad, which also controls the lights. A wrapped polycarbonate pane separates the shower from the rest of the room and a small sink sits opposite.
      It sits among a mix of historical and modern buildingsAmenities include a workout room that includes an AI fitness instructor that operates through video feedback and a rooftop pool adorned with a mural by Mexican artist Hilda Palafox.
      CitizenM was founded to give contemporary travellers a sense of “affordable luxury”, according to the brand, and has recently opened in Miami.
      The photography is courtesy of CitizenM.

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      Christian de Portzamparc wraps Dior flagship store with “resin shells” in Geneva

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      Six interweaving “petals” encase the facade of Dior’s store in Geneva, Switzerland, which has been designed by Pritzker Architecture Prize-winner Christian de Portzamparc.

      The Dior store’s expressive facade elements echo those of its Seoul flagship store – also designed by French architect De Portzamparc – that similarly draws on fabrics used for Dior’s creations.
      Six interweaving “petals” wrap around the store’s facade”Between these veils, the glass walls let the sun’s rays penetrate in a captivating interplay of light and shade, a poetic dialogue between the inside and outside,” Dior said.
      “At night, the lighting appears to filter – through the elegant resin shells – transforming the building into a majestic urban lantern.”
      Display cases line the facade at street level. Photo by Serge de PortzamparcThe facade elements rise up from the building’s base widening at their centres before tapering towards the building’s roof.

      Behind them, floor to ceiling openings wrap around the building – revealing the building’s six floors and providing views into the interiors. Additionally, a series of display cases decorate the facade at street level.

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      Inside, the spaces were finished with neutral-toned surfaces and wood panelling, which is set off by the colours and patterns of Dior’s spring-summer 2024 collection.
      Built in display cases fitted with sleek shelves and glass cabinets line the interior spaces and are illuminated by gallery-style lighting fixtures.
      Plush seating decorates the boutique’s interior and is coupled with consoles made by Berlin-based Stefan Leo Atelier and tables by Anglo-Brazilian designer Hamrei.
      Neutral-toned surfaces and wood panelling feature on the interior”The rooms combine airy dimensions with the intimacy of hushed cocoons and reveal artisanal finishes,” said the brand.
      “Adorned in touches of ivory and gold, with hints of white and blue enhanced by the naturalness of the wood.”
      Floor to ceiling openings wrap around the buildingDe Portzamparc was awarded the Pritzker Prize in 1994 and became the first French architect to receive the prestigious architecture award.
      Other recently completed flagship stores include a marble “immersive experience” for APL’s flagship store in New York City and Huawei’s store in Shanghai with a “petal-like” facade.
      Other fashion brand stores that have recently opened include a “sensual” boutique in Milan designed by Vincent Van Duysen for fashion house Ferragamo and a boutique decorated with hand-painted murals by Cúpla for fashion brand Rixo in central London.
      The photography is by Jonathan Taylor unless otherwise stated.

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      “I think my work stands out because I follow my gut” says Kelly Wearstler

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      Kelly Wearstler is often hailed as contemporary interior design’s most recognisable name. In this interview, she tells Dezeen about crafting her textured and eclectic style.

      American interior designer Wearstler has been dressing rooms since her mid-twenties, rising to become one of the discipline’s most significant names.
      “I’m obsessed with nuance,” she told Dezeen. “I view design as boundless and undefined, but if I had to choose a single word to describe my approach it would be ‘mixology’.”
      Top: Kelly Wearstler designed the interiors for the Austin Proper hotel. Photo by Ingalls Photography. Above: she started her eponymous studio in 1995. Photo by Joyce ParkHigh-end interior design has been dominated by minimalism and sleekness in recent years, but Wearstler’s projects are known for their eclectic grandeur.
      Her studio is responsible for the interiors at a slew of luxury hotels, including four locations across North America for the Proper Hotel Group.

      For example, she created an Austin branch with a sculptural oak staircase that doubles as a ziggurat of plinths for individual ceramic pots. Meanwhile, The Downtown LA Proper features 136 unique types of vintage or custom-made tile.
      “Luxury is more of a feeling than a specific quality”
      “To me, luxury is more of a feeling than a specific, tangible quality,” Wearstler said. “It’s all about texture and sensation, but also storytelling and considered curation.”
      “The most luxurious spaces bring together unique objects that each have their own history, essence and character, and encourage an elegant conversation between them,” she added.
      “A technique I always like to use when pursuing a sense of luxury is mixing vintage and antique items with more contemporary pieces. The history and character that come with vintage furniture help to create a ‘luxurious’ experience.”
      This approach is also reflected in Wearstler’s residential and retail projects, which she tends to fill with unlikely combinations of pieces – a habit she traces back to visiting antique shows and auctions with her mother, who was an antique dealer, as a young girl.
      Wearstler also created her own Malibu holiday home. Photo by Ingalls PhotographyAmong these projects is the designer’s own 1950s beachfront cottage in Malibu, California, furnished with objects chosen to be “hand-crafted, rustic and raw”.
      Wearstler also replaced the home’s existing shag carpet with seagrass as a nod to the surrounding coastal setting.
      “My design philosophy is rooted in a firm commitment to juxtaposition and contrast, whether this be in relation to textures and colourways, materials or even eras in time,” said Wearstler.
      “For me, contrast is what brings a sense of soul to a space. It creates interest, lets the space take on a life of its own and imbues it with a feeling of genuine authenticity.”
      “AI has exponentially enriched our creative process”
      Wearstler says her design philosophy was partly shaped by working in the film industry early on in her career.
      Before forming her eponymous studio in California in 1995, she worked in various roles including set decoration and art direction – an experience she claims shaped her appreciation of the “emotion and atmosphere” of a space.
      “My time working as a set designer definitely impacted my approach to interior design,” Wearstler told Dezeen.
      “Working on film sets taught me the importance of dramatic intent, and that’s remained a key element of my work throughout my career.”

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      Despite her penchant for vintage pieces, Wearstler stressed the importance of rising to contemporary challenges – not least artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on design.
      Wearstler’s studio has been using generative AI – which she calls an “ally” – since 2021, citing image-generating platforms including DALL-E and Midjourney as tools to generate ideas.
      The same year, the designer created a virtual garage, playfully imagined as a home for basketball player LeBron James’s electric Hummer, decked out with renderings of Wearstler-designed furniture including the studio’s Echo bench and Monolith side table.
      “Many people see the introduction of AI as a challenge, but I think of it as one of the greatest tools for growth,” said Wearstler. “AI has exponentially enriched our creative process.”
      “As designers, it’s our responsibility to push the boundaries of our craft and to create spaces that elegantly and artistically reflect the world around us,” she added. “AI is a vital tool in allowing us to do this in new and extraordinary ways.”
      Wearstler’s projects include a virtual garage for LeBron JamesWearstler has published six books and with 2.2 million Instagram followers, she is often considered interior design’s most recognisable name.
      “I think my work stands out because I follow my gut,” she reflected. “Whether I’m designing a hotel, a private residence or a product, I give its emotional and physical attributes equal consideration.”
      “Most importantly, I strive to bring my clients and customers joy through my designs. I’m not sure if that’s what makes me the ‘most recognisable name’, but if you design with the person who will be living in a space, or with a light fixture or chair, in mind, your work will resonate.”
      Dezeen In DepthIf you enjoy reading Dezeen’s interviews, opinions and features, subscribe to Dezeen In Depth. Sent on the last Friday of each month, this newsletter provides a single place to read about the design and architecture stories behind the headlines.

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