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    Isabelle Heilmann converts Parisian textile workshop into loft apartment

    Interior designer Isabelle Heilmann has used glazing and level changes to turn a former textile workshop in Paris into an open-plan apartment with a dedicated home office.

    The owners of the property on Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud asked Heilmann’s studio Epicène to rationalise the interior and create a space for home working while maintaining the apartment’s quirky layout.
    Isabelle Heilmann has completed the Timbaud apartmentThe existing loft featured several impractical and dilapidated spaces including a cramped bedroom and three mezzanines with low ceilings that were once used for storing rolls of fabric.
    Heilmann removed some of the existing structures and introduced changes in floor height to delineate the new spaces while adding internal windows that retain a visual connection between the rooms.
    A raised platform houses the home office”Using differences in level and glass partitions allows you to demarcate the different living spaces while allowing light to circulate,” the designer told Dezeen.

    “Now, from the moment you enter, you have a global vision of the volume of the apartment,” she added. “It’s a way to have a very open plan without the disadvantages of the loft.”
    A bright green door in the dining space conceals a WCThe partitions enclosing the existing bedroom were removed and a platform built in their place now contains a home office housing two workstations and a wall of library shelving.
    Two of the mezzanines were also demolished, leaving just one beside the entrance that was transformed into a room for gaming and accommodating overnight guests.
    Throughout the interior, Heilmann sought to preserve the spirit of the old workshop that had attracted the owners to this space. The raised platform recalls the height changes of the old mezzanines, while geometric sculptural elements evoke the original layout.
    The kitchen and living room are separated by a glass partition”The partitions and interlocking shapes of the old workshop have been simplified, but we find this play of asymmetrical cubes in the shape of the headboard or the glass partition between bedroom and living room,” she explained.
    “The industrial spirit is also suggested in the choice of lighting fixtures or the sobriety of the bathroom tiling.”
    Examples of the recurring geometric motif include a series of cubic volumes containing cupboards and storage niches on either side of the steps leading up to the platform.

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    An asymmetric window creates a bold feature that connects the living room with the new bedroom, where a stepped headboard creates shelf space for books, paintings and objects.
    The kitchen is located opposite the office platform and features a simple L-shaped layout that slots in underneath the mezzanine and windows.
    A swing in the living room capitalises on the apartment’s tall ceilingsThe cupboard units have birch plywood doors and a marbled Corian worktop that complements the minimal, industrial look of the interior.
    A full-height glass-and-steel wall that was part of the original workshop was carefully preserved and now separates the living room on one side from the kitchen and dining area on the other.
    A door in the central glass partition leads into the living area, where a swing suspended from the ceiling makes the most of the room’s height.
    The owners wanted a blank canvas for showcasing their collection of vintage objects, so walls and floors throughout the apartment are painted white to provide a muted, minimal backdrop.
    A green bedspread catches the eye in the bedroomThe scheme also aims to create a playful, relaxed and creative atmosphere evocative of 1960s modernism, with classic pieces such as Achille Castiglioni’s Snoopy lamp and an Enzo Mari print providing pops of colour.
    In the bedroom, a yellow-painted door and green bedspread catch the eye, while a bright green door in the dining space conceals a WC with a sink set against punchy pink cement tiles.
    The bedroom features a large dressing area with cupboards made from birch plywood, which is housed in a space previously occupied by a bathroom.
    Curved tiles by Pop Corn clad the sinkThe main bathroom offers a playful take on the geometric theme used elsewhere in the apartment, with its geometric sink clad in rounded tiles from French firm Pop Corn.
    Isabelle Heilmann studied at the École Boulle in Paris before founding her agency Epicène in 2018. The studio designs public and residential spaces that combine a minimalistic sensibility with a love of colour and characterful statement pieces.
    Other Parisian home interiors that have recently been featured on Dezeen include an apartment with a wine-red kitchen and another that was designed to resemble a “chromatic jewellery box”.
    The photography is by BCDF studio.

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    The Rebello Hotel occupies former factory along Porto’s riverside

    This hotel by architecture studio Metro Urbe occupies a series of former industrial buildings on the banks of the River Douro in Porto, Portugal, and features interiors by Quiet Studios.

    The Rebello Hotel is spread across several 19th-century buildings, which have been overhauled and adapted with new additions by Metro Urbe, in Vila Nova de Gaia – across the river from the city proper.
    At The Rebello Hotel, nods to the site’s industrial past and Porto’s nautical history can be found in artworks and decor choicesOperated by Bomporto Hotels, which has two properties in Lisbon, the new addition to its portfolio was designed with a local approach and to take full advantage of its prime riverside location.
    The Rebello is named after Porto’s famous rabelos – wooden boats that used to transport barrels of port wine down the river – and located beside the city’s only remaining boatyard.
    The lobby bar and cafe was designed for digital nomads to work and relaxThe collection of buildings was once a kitchen utensil factory and had been unoccupied for some time before work began to reconfigure the site.

    The team restored two long buildings that face onto the river, preserving their historic stone facades, and constructed two new volumes in the centre of the site that incorporate smaller original structures and resolve the sloping topography.
    A variety of soft seating options enliven the industrial-style interiors of the hotel’s communal spacesPresented with a blank canvas, Spanish interior designer Daniela Franceschini – founder of Lisbon-based Quiet Studios – worked with local artists and creatives to transform the industrial spaces into warm and comfortable guest facilities.
    Using vintage and contemporary objects, she based the interiors around four key elements: water, wine, wood and industry.
    Bedrooms are bright and neutral, with splashes of colour introduced through contemporary furniture”There’s a nautical feel to the colours, materials and textures,” said Franceschini. “That also comes through in the lighting, which is suggestive of floating and sailboats, and in the lamps with chains, the wooden shelves by Tomaz Viana, the ceramic nets by Fig Studio and the undulating mirrors that evoke the movement of the sea.”
    Above the retro-style reception counter, fronted by a metal lattice, is an artwork crafted using reclaimed materials from the rabelos, which was designed by Studio Ther in collaboration with a local artisan.
    Guest room types vary from studios to three-bedroom penthouse apartmentsThe lobby lounge and bar was designed for digital nomads to work or relax on a variety of comfortable soft seats, within a bright space that features polished concrete floors and exposed ceiling ductwork.
    As a nod to the site’s history, the ground-floor Pot&Pan restaurant serves family-style dishes in large pots and pans within a space decorated with dark-toned walls and plants to create a casual atmosphere.

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    There’s also a cafe and store selling local produce and crafts, and meeting rooms that can be hired separately or combined for private events.
    The Rebello Hotel’s 103 guest rooms and apartments are split into 11 different types, ranging from studios to three-bedroom penthouses that span 37 to 195 square metres.
    The hotel’s spa is modelled on ancient Roman bathsThe interiors of its light-filled suites have been decorated with walnut, steel, concrete and tiles, along with contemporary furniture that introduces splashes of bright colour to the otherwise neutral palette.
    The bedrooms also include “tailor-made pieces influenced by nautical and industrial design, such as the sinks inspired by old water tanks and the organically styled bed headboards that resemble the rippling waters of the Douro”, according to the design team.
    The fourth-floor rooftop bar offers views across the Douro River to the Porto skylineThe Rebello Hotel guests can enjoy a spa, modelled on ancient Roman baths and encompassing a heated pool, sauna, fitness centre and treatment rooms.
    Finally, the Rooftop Bello bar on the fourth floor offers a spot for al fresco cocktails overlooking the river, with a view of the city’s terracotta-tiled skyline beyond.
    The riverside site, a former kitchen utensil factory, was converted and extended by architects Metro UrbeOther interior design projects in Porto include a rustic restaurant interior designed by Space Copenhagen, which features a ceramic mural by Álvaro Siza, and a sushi bar by Paulo Merlini where 8,000 wooden chopsticks hang above diners.
    The photography is by Francisco Nogueira.

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    Soba restaurant Kawamichiya takes over century-old townhouse in Kyoto

    Japanese studios Td-Atelier and Endo Shorijo Design have transformed a townhouse in Kyoto into a noodle restaurant that combines traditional residential details with modern geometric interventions.

    Kawamichiya Kosho-An is an outpost of soba restaurant Kawamichiya, which can trace its history of creating dishes using buckwheat noodles back more than 300 years.
    Diners enter Kawamichiya Kosho-An via a small gardenIt occupies a 110-year-old property in the downtown Nakagyo Ward that retained several features typical of traditional Japanese houses, including a lattice-screened facade and an alcove known as a tokonoma.
    Architect Masaharu Tada and designer Shorijo Endo collaborated on the townhouse’s conversion into a 143-square-metre restaurant, restoring some of the original elements while adapting others to suit its new purpose.
    Changes in floor height delineate different dining areas”Originally it looked like a townhouse with an elaborate design, but various modifications were made for living and those designs were hidden or destroyed,” said Tada.

    “Therefore, we tried to restore the elements of the townhouse such as hidden or lost design windows and alcoves and add new geometry to them to revive them as a new store.”
    Guests can sit on floor cushions in the traditional Japanese parlourA lattice screen at the front of the building was restored to help preserve its residential aesthetic, while renovations were carried out on walls, pillars and eaves within the open-air entrance passage.
    The entryway leads to a small genkan-niwa garden, where paving stones are laid to create a path using a traditional technique known as shiki-ishi.

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    Customers enter Kawamichiya Kosho-An through a small retail area containing freestanding partitions that allow the original wooden ceiling structure to remain visible.
    Built-in bench seating is positioned along one wall and a window seat offers a view of the street outside. Customers here can eat with their shoes on, while beyond this space they are required to remove footwear as is customary when entering a Japanese house.
    Many of the building’s traditional lattice screens were retainedThe use of different materials and changes in floor height help to delineate areas within the restaurant and create a range of experiences. Guests can choose to sit on chairs in a porch-like space known as a doma or on floor cushions in the traditional Japanese parlour.
    The kitchen is positioned at the centre of the building and is set slightly lower than the surrounding floors, allowing staff working behind the counter to have a clear view of each diner.
    “We control the line of sight to the audience, the garden and the street by the height of each floor,” Tada said. “As a result, it is an original townhouse element […] and a new design that fuses old and new.”
    One of the upstairs rooms features a curved funazoko-tenjo ceilingSome of the existing features that help to preserve the building’s character include the tokonoma alcove in a room on the first floor, which also has a curved wooden ceiling known as a funazoko-tenjo.
    In Kawamichiya Kosho-An’s main dining area, a tokonoma was replaced with a low decorative shelf while the original screened window in this space was retained. Traditional wooden doors and paper shoji screens were also adapted and used to partition the space.
    The restaurant is set in a converted townhouse in KyotoTada studied at Osaka University before founding his studio in 2006. He has collaborated on several projects with Endo, who completed a master’s in plastic engineering at the Kyoto Institute of Technology before establishing his studio in 2009.
    The pair’s previous work includes the renovation of a typical machiya townhouse in Kyoto, which they modernised to better suit the living requirements of its occupants.

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    Historic sanatorium in Greek mountain forest transformed into Manna hotel

    Greek architecture offices K-Studio and Monogon have converted the abandoned Manna Sanatorium in Arcadia, southern Greece, into a luxury forest hotel.

    Originally built in the 1920s to give tuberculosis patients access to the healing power of nature, the historic structure is now a five-star wellness retreat.
    Manna offers 32 rooms fitted out with natural materials and neutral tones, plus gym and spa facilities and a restaurant focused on local produce.
    Manna hotel is housed in a former sanatorium for tuberculosis patientsThe building sits within a fir forest on Mount Mainalo, the tallest peak in the mountainous region.
    The design vision set out by Athens-based K-Studio was to amplify the sense of sanctuary offered by the remote location and enhance the feeling of connection to nature.

    Manna owner Stratis Batayas, a Greek entrepreneur who had spent his childhood summers in the area, wanted to create a year-round destination that stayed true to the building’s history.
    The building is set in a fir forest in Arcadia, a mountainous region of Greece”The client’s ambition was to reinterpret the concept of a sanctuary in the mountains with contemporary terms,” reads K-Studio’s design statement.
    “The hotel would have to be a place for isolation, as well as community-making and participation in the primary activities of everyday living.”
    Design details include columns with curved corner reveals and ornate gridded ceilingsThe renovation was overseen in collaboration with Athens-based Monogon and involved significant building work, including the reconstruction of a derelict rear wing and the installation of a new roof.
    When the sanatorium closed – made obsolete following the introduction of penicillin in 1938 – the building had been emptied to prevent looting. Stone window sills were stripped out and relocated, while the original roof was removed and repurposed on a hospital in nearby Tripoli.
    Concrete was used to replace the old sills, while the new timber roof was installed over rendered brickwork.
    The bar features neatly crafted joineryA reconfigured layout provides a new entrance on the side of the building.
    This leads through into a series of elegant reception and lounge spaces where details include columns with curved corner reveals, ornate gridded ceilings and a herringbone-patterned fireplace.

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    Manna’s bar can also be found here, featuring neatly crafted joinery. Elsewhere, the restaurant run by chef Athinagoras Kostakos has a more casual feel thanks to an open kitchen.
    Art is present throughout, with works by Greek artist Nikos Kanoglou, painter Joanna Burtenshaw and ceramicist Diane Alexandre.
    Attic bedrooms feature dormer balconiesBedrooms are located on the upper floors of the main building, including a new attic level, and on all levels of the rebuilt northern wing.
    Attic rooms offer the most modern feel, extending out to balconies set within large gable-ended dormers.
    Interiors feature natural materials and neutral tonesThe materials palette combines brushed timber with earth-toned textiles. Standout features include the elaborate privacy screens that form a backdrop to the beds.
    Terrazzo flooring is inlaid with marble to define different zones, matching the stone used for wash basins. Room numbers are carved into the floor surfaces in front of each room entrance.
    “Local craftsmen were involved in all construction phases, as they bear the knowhow of stoneworks, joinery and even the characteristic engraved grouting of the exterior stonewalls,” said K-Studio.
    Terrazzo flooring is inlaid with marble to define zonesManna opened its doors in the summer of 2023 and is represented by Design Hotels, a booking company that specialises in design-led retreats.
    K-Studio co-founder Dimitris Karampataki presented the project at the 2023 edition of The Lobby, an annual hospitality conference in Copenhagen.
    Manna’s restaurant features an open kitchenHe said the design for Manna “embraces the wear and tear, embraces the natural patina”.
    “When we first arrived we saw something, which took about a century to make,” he said. “We didn’t want to clean it too much, to be selective of its heritage. It was more important for us to embrace the whole story.”
    The design aims to reconnect people with natureOther destination hotels to open recently include the Six Senses Rome, designed by Patricia Urquiola, and the Sanya Wellness Retreat in Hainan, China, designed by Neri&Hu.
    The photography is by Ana Santl.
    Project credits
    Architectural concept: K-StudioTechnical design: Monogon, CS ArchitectureOn-site supervison: Monogon, K-StudioFF&E: K-Studio, MonogonArt curation: Joanna BurtenshawBranding design: MNPSurveyor: Ioannis CharbilasStructural engineer: Niki PsillaMechanical engineer: Gerasimos Vasilatos/Alexandra Zachopoulou & PartnersLighting design: Eleftheria Deko and Associates Lighting DesignSound consultant: Alpha AcoustikiKitchen consultant: XenexLandscape architects: H Pangalou & AssociatesMain contractor: CT Construction

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    Studio NAAW uncovers Soviet-era details in Almaty restaurant interior

    Local practice NAAW Studio has converted a former Soviet railway workers’ housing block into the Fika restaurant in Almaty, Kazakhstan, retaining original features of 1950s building.

    According to NAAW Studio, the restaurant re-examines the TurkSib Workers’ House’s social context by contrasting the original ornamentation with playful, contemporary details informed by Almaty’s surroundings.
    Studio NAAW uncovered Soviet-era details in a Kazakhstan restaurant interior”We wanted to ensure that the interior did not romanticise the legacy of the colonial era, but at the same time did not deny it,” NAAW co-founder Elvira Bakubayeva told Dezeen.
    “When we found the original ceiling mouldings and capitals in a dilapidated state underneath the suspended ceiling panels from the past owners, we made the decision to preserve and give them visibility without a thorough restoration.”
    A monolithic counter and timber shelves frame the cafe entranceFollowing the client’s brief for a cafe that also acts as an urban space, the studio opened up the interior to reduce friction with the streetscape.

    “The key feature of the place is its openness,” Bakubayeva explained. “We wanted to make it an extension of the city through a lack of unnecessary walls, an open bakery, spacious seating and large windows.”
    “To support this, the floor material enters from the outside, from the porch, and passes through all the rooms and flows seamlessly into the bar.”
    The studio followed the building’s original apertures for large feature windowsFinishes consist primarily of light grey terrazzo, white walls and bare structural concrete against accents of cedar wood and pops of colour.
    Following the geometry of the original openings, angular windows with nook seating run the length of the restaurant and were fitted with undivided panes of glass to further dissolve the interior-exterior boundary.
    The feature arched windows were carved with nook seating, cushions and matsThe studio placed a monolithic counter and timber display shelves in front the cafe entrance between the open bakery and primary dining space.
    Tables, stools and cabinets were produced by local craftsman using regionally-sourced karagach wood, while upholstered chairs informed by Kazakh yurts and imported fixtures from &Tradition and Hay complete the “spatial tapestry”.

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    Towards the back of the restaurant, a secondary seating zone was defined by a bold, yellow-painted dado wall.
    “Half-painting the walls is a technique that was used in all entrances and municipal establishments during the Soviet era,” Bakubayeva said.
    “This was used consciously; we wanted to reinterpret this ascetic technique and give it a cosy touch by adding elements such as striped textiles, artistic lamps and tables made of recycled plastic with ‘confetti’ patterns.”
    NAAW Studio used a yellow-painted dado wall to reference Soviet-era interior stylesThe bathroom corridor was lined with bright chequerboard tiles as a vibrant counterpoint to the rest of the restaurant.
    “The chequerboard pattern on the floor, walls and ceiling of the bathroom was originally invented as a visual effect to dissolve the planes of a disproportionately narrow and tall space,” Bakubayeva said.
    “The corridor to the toilets wanted to be like a brightly coloured ‘jacket lining’: not immediately visible, but pleasing to the eye of the user who went deep into the space.”
    The bathroom corridor was lined in vibrant chequerboard tilesTwo key art pieces were selected for the project, the first being a painted depiction of Almaty city by Nurbol Nurahmet and the second an abstract work by Assel Nussipkozhanova reinterpreting Kazakh patterns.
    “We wanted the art to reflect the idea of urban public space and tell the story of the building,” Bakubayeva explained.
    “The walls also feature photographs from the building’s construction and a recreated drawing of the original facade, which pay tribute to the building itself as an architectural object, a physical witness to history.”
    Fika restaurant in Kazakhstan by NAAW StudioNAAW Studio is a female-led Kazakhastani architectural practice based in Almaty, founded in 2019 by Elvira Bakubayeva and Aisulu Uali.
    Other restaurant interiors recently featured on Dezeen include a restaurant in Portugal with a bench made from ancient rock salt by Studio Gameiro and a collection of hospitality venues within a 1920s Detroit skyscraper by Method Co.
    The photography is by Damir Otegen

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    Side Angle Side transforms mid-century Austin post office into restaurant

    Texas architecture studio Side Angle Side has adapted a 1960s post office into a food market and restaurant in Austin.

    Opened in October 2023 in the Hyde Park area, Tiny Grocer serves as a speciality market, bar and cafe while Bureau de Poste is a modern French bistro led by celebrity chef Jo Chan.
    Side Angle Side has transformed a 1960s post office into a food market and restaurantAustin-based commercial and residential architecture firm Side Angle Side renovated the 3,500-square foot (325-square metre) 1967 US Post Office building and added a 1,500-square foot (140-square metre) outdoor dining patio.
    “The Hyde Park U.S. Post Office was an important neighborhood hub in the 1960s – so we were especially careful to keep the integrity and spirit of the mid-century-utilitarian design,” Arthur Furman, founding partner of Side Angle Side, told Dezeen.
    The team sought to preserve the building’s history as a community hub”As the anchor tenant in the space, Tiny Grocer continues to be the centre of the community, a place to gather, shop, eat and drink.”

    The shell of the white brick building was left intact, but the street-facing facade was previously used as a loading dock so the team transformed the back-of-house edge into a welcoming patio for the neighbourhood by removing the asphalt and adding two large live oak trees and a steel trellis and planters.
    The exterior of the building was kept intactA cast-in-place concrete banquette holds the edge of the patio that is paved with antique red brick.
    The steel planter forms a boundary between the parking area and the dining space, while the other edge is held by a light grey-coloured stucco restroom building. White metal furniture from Isimar and Portofino was used to furnish the patio.
    “The patio and wine garden is the real heart of the project,” the team said, mentioning that it wasn’t within the original scope of the project but added later when its larger value was realized. “This is where all the care and thought of the interior spills to the outside, creating a lively environment.”
    The renovated building has exposed concrete floors from the original buildingOn the interior, Side Angle Side complemented the original ceiling and open web joists with metal decking and industrial warehouse pendants by AQ Lighting. The polished concrete floors expose the weathered imperfections and show the history of the building.
    Upon entering, shoppers take in the colourful selection of curated products displayed on white oak mercantile shelving. Green millwork hugs one wall and the space widens to an open interior plan.
    A patio and wine garden is at the heart of the projectA central deli and coffee bar floats in the middle of the room and creates a transition from the market to the bistro. The bar is wrapped in Seneca terracotta tile and topped with grey and white quartz countertops. Wooden Soule barstools are tucked under the waterfall counter.
    The back-of-house spaces hold a kitchen office, storage, and bar equipment.

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    “Working closely with the owner, design finishes hint at the building’s midcentury past,” the team said, referencing the custom, built-in leather banquette by Undercover Austin Upholstery that lines the bistro’s back wall.
    Above the banquette and Second Chance Custom wooden dining tables hang black cone light pendants by All Modern.
    The patio features brick flooring and white metal furniture”The single biggest sustainable feature of this project is one that is often overlooked,” the team said, noting the adaptation of the structure. “The ‘loose fit, long life’ style of these old buildings leads to more reuse and far less waste.”
    Recent adaptive reuse projects in Austin include a 1900s house converted to a luxury office by Michael Hsu and commercial units converted to an architecture studio by Baldridge Architects.
    The photography is by Likeness Studio and Mackenzie Smith Kelly.
    Project credits:
    Structural engineer: Creative EngineeringMEP engineer: ATS EngineersBuilder: Archive PropertiesCommercial interior design: Side Angle SideArchitects: Side Angle SideBuilding shell: Thought Barn StudioLandscape design: Side Angle Side & Wild Heart DirtOwner: Steph Steele

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    Ibiza Interiors turns dry-stone stables into flexible guesthouse Campo Atelier

    A 200-year-old stable building in the mountains of Ibiza has been converted into a vacation home by local studio Ibiza Interiors.

    The Atelier is one of four dwellings that make up Campo – a group of rentable guesthouses set in a finca, or farmstead, in the island’s Morna Valley.
    Campo Atelier is located in a renovated dry-stone stable buildingIbiza Interiors founder Jurjen Van Hulzen has renovated these buildings one by one to enhance their original features and create a series of tranquil getaway spots.
    “Nestled between carob and orange trees, the Atelier […] appears at the end of the path as a haven of peace,” said the Dutch architect, who founded the studio in 2014.
    The main space is designed for flexible useThe single-storey dry-stone structure is typical of the local vernacular but now features a large retractable glass wall across its front.

    A polished concrete patio continues inside, where exposed timber ceiling beams and wooden doors complement the neutral colour palette.
    “Textures and styles are not afraid to cohabit and the emphasis is on the interplay between old and contemporary, elegant and rustic,” said Van Hulzen.
    A small kitchenette with wood-panelled cupboards matches the doors on either sideThe main space contains a small kitchenette on one side and a dining table that doubles as a workspace on the other.
    A seating area comprising low, comfy sofas is positioned towards the back.
    The minimally furnished bedroom includes built-in storageThe interior is designed to be as flexible as possible, with all of the furniture except the kitchen counters moveable to provide space for exercise or meditation.
    Equally, the linen curtains can be drawn and the sofas reoriented for watching movies on a projected screen.

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    The bedroom is minimally furnished but guests can store their belongings within built-in closets while another glass door opens to the exterior.
    In the bathroom, lit from above by a skylight, a large tub made of dark stone is accented with matte black hardware.
    In the bathroom, a grey stone tub is illuminated by a skylightThe landscaping around the Atelier was designed by Ibiza Exteriors, a new offshoot of Ibiza Interiors created by Van Hulzen and Alicia Uldall.
    The pair chose local flora attuned to the island’s climate that requires minimal maintenance such as stipa grasses, aloe, rosemary and mastic trees.
    The 200-year-old building sits on a hillside, with its flat roof accessible via stairsDeep steps lead up to the flat roof that serves as a picnic or sunbathing spot overlooking the valley. The dining table and chairs can also be brought outside for al fresco dining among the vegetation.
    “Like the Atelier, the garden preserves the wild essence of this land and its genuine beauty,” Van Hulzen said.
    The dining table can be brought outdoors for al fresco mealsBetter known for its party scene, Ibiza is becoming ever more popular as a wellness and relaxation destination – particularly away from its coast.
    Many of the island’s historic fincas have been converted into secluded accommodations including the remote Aguamadera resort and the members-only retreat La Granja.
    The photography is by Ariadna Puigdomenech.

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    Cox Architecture celebrates heritage features of its own Sydney studio

    A brick, steel and timber structure is left exposed in this office interior in Sydney, which local firm Cox Architecture has revamped to house its own studio.

    Cox Architecture removed previous alterations to the structure, which occupies five floors of the heritage-listed Metcalfe Bond Stores warehouse in Tallawoladah, to highlight its original features and complement them with pared-back, flexible workspaces.
    Cox Architecture has designed its own studio in a Sydney warehouse”Our objective was to do more with less, balancing the poetic with the pragmatic,” explained the studio.
    “Restrained interventions allow the heritage to be the hero and minimise the project’s embodied energy,” it continued. “Our starting point was a process of reduction, removing non-heritage elements to create clarity.”
    The studio exposed its existing structureThe interior is defined by the original steel and timber structure’s columns and beams that have been painted white, and the brickwork of the outer walls that are left exposed.

    New elements such as glass doors and walls, room dividers, curtains and furniture were chosen to touch the existing structure “as lightly as possible”, and feature alongside dark-wood carpentry and gallery-style lighting tracks.
    Dark-wood carpentry features throughoutThe workspaces themselves are designed to be flexible and “hackable”, allowing areas to be reconfigured and subdivided easily by staff.
    This includes a forum space on the fifth level of the building, which has a wall lined with magnetic whiteboards and can be used as anything from a collaborative workshop space to a presentation area for 200 people.

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    Alongside it is a kitchen with a backdrop of exposed brickwork and two long counters topped with unsealed brass that will patinate over time.
    A black-steel stair leads up to a mezzanine level above containing further desk spaces. This sits at the top of the building, lit by skylights in the apex of the pitched roof.
    The workspaces are designed to be flexible”Anchored by a generous kitchen, a flexible forum space is a magnet for serendipitous exchange between Cox’s own people and the wider design community,” said the studio.
    “The majority of elements within the space are movable, creating an experimental, nimble workspace allowing teams the autonomy to control their space and future-proofing the studio as the workplace evolves,” it continued.
    The presentation space is lined with magnetic whiteboardsFacing the street, Cox Architecture created a “shopfront window”, giving staff the opportunity to populate vitrines with the studio’s work.
    Cox Sydney Studio has recently been shortlisted in the large workplace interior category of Dezeen Awards 2023. Another office interior completed by the studio is the Midtown Workplace in Brisbane, which features a large, plant-filled atrium with by a weathered-steel staircase.
    The photography is by Nicole England and Cameron Hallam.

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