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      Eight warm and natural restaurant interiors popular on Pinterest

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      Restaurant interiors with natural finishes have been popular on Pinterest this week, including a beach club restaurant in London and a Japanese restaurant in Canada featuring paper lanterns. Follow Dezeen on Pinterest and read on to find out more about the projects.

      Pinners have been predominantly drawn to the Dezeen’s boards that feature restaurant interiors. The most popular have soft, warm lighting schemes and make use of natural materials and wooden furniture.
      A sushi restaurant in Dubai stood out due to its black tiles, grey plaster and dramatic lighting.
      Scroll down to see eight popular projects pinned on Dezeen’s Pinterest and browse our restaurants Pinterest board to see more projects.

      Ikoyi restaurant, UK, by David Thulstrup

      Copenhagen-based designer David Thulstup carried out a complete renovation of the interiors of London’s Ikoyi restaurant.
      Informed by spices from sub-Saharan Africa, he created a warm and earthy colour palette featuring a variety of materials including copper and oak.
      Find out more about the Ikoyi restaurant ›

      Milk Beach Soho, UK, by A-nrd
      Natural materials feature in this eatery designed by London design office A-nrd to resemble an Australian beach club.
      The restaurant’s seating is made from timber and rattan, while sandy-hued Palladian terrazzo covers the floor.
      Find out more about Milk Beach Soho ›

      Hello Sunshine, Canada, by Frank Architecture
      Japanese design elements like paper lanterns and ceiling-hung textile artworks feature in the interiors of the Hello Sunshine bar and restaurant in Alberta, Canada.
      The studio incorporated plaid curtains, stone and wood to suit the restaurant’s mountain location.
      Find out more about Hello Sunshine ›

      Sahbi Sahbi, Morocco, by Studio KO
      Influenced by female chefs and Morrocan cuisine, Studio KO used earthy colours and natural materials like wood to create a warm and inviting space for guests at Sahbi Sahbi (above and top).
      Finer details include rust-coloured ceramic urns, clay pots and pans and orange-brown paint used for an alcove above a sink.
      Find out more about Sahbi Sahbi ›

      Saga Hirakawaya restaurant, Japan, by Keji Ashizawa
      Materials “with a sense of simplicity” including wood and concrete were used to create minimalist interiors for a tofu restaurant in Japan’s Saga prefecture.
      Wood was used for the entrance, windows and undersurface of eaves to match the wood from Ariake, a furniture brand also based in Saga. To complement its stripped-down interior, Japanese designer Keji Ashizawa added wooden furniture and pale grey walls.
      Find out more about The Saga Hirakawaya restaurant ›

      Bao Express, France, by Atelieramo
      Traditional Hong Kong diners informed the design of Bao Express, Paris.
      To recreate the 1970s Hong Kong urban atmosphere, the studio included celadon-green walls and curvaceous wooden booths. Pastel colours and neon lights also feature.
      Find out more about Bao Express ›

      Bacchanalia London, UK, by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio 
      Martin Brudnizki Design Studio was informed by classic Greek and Roman mythology when designing the interiors of this London restaurant.
      Sculptures more than 2,000 years old can be found at the bar and five specially-commissioned monumental statues by Damien Hirst dominate the main dining room.
      Find out more about Bacchanalia London ›

      Origami, Dubai, by VSHD Design
      A moody and dark interior was created for a sushi restaurant in The Dubai Mall, United Arab Emirates.
      To replicate the atmosphere of Japanese underground sushi bars, VSHD Design used textured grey plaster, matte-black tiles and dramatic low lighting.
      Find out more about Origami ›
      Follow Dezeen on Pinterest
      Pinterest is one of Dezeen’s fastest-growing social media networks with over 1.4 million followers and more than ten million monthly views. Follow our Pinterest to see the latest architecture, interiors and design projects – there are more than four hundred boards to browser and pin from. Currently, our most popular boards are Apartments and Concrete houses.

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      Eight bathrooms with colourful toilets and sinks

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      For our latest lookbook, we’ve gathered eight bathrooms where the sanitary ware adds a splash of colour, ranging from a green Portuguese “shower tower” to a bathroom with pink marble washbasins.

      Although white toilets and basins are still the default choice, increasingly interior designers are experimenting with adding colourful sanitary ware to bathrooms.
      Among the designs in this lookbook are stylish black toilets that add a graphic touch to the bathroom, as well as basins in a range of pastel hues including pale blue and avocado green.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with split-level living areas, mix-and-match flooring and homes with cleverly hidden lifts.
      Photo by Benoit LineroLes Deux Gares, France, by Luke Edward Hall

      British designer Luke Edward Hall’s design for this Parisian hotel features plenty of patterns, bright colours and printed furnishings.
      This can also be seen in the bathroom, where a green toilet and matching green sink stand out against the mustard-yellow wall and zigzag floor tiles. Above the sink, a mirror in a darker green hue complements the interior.
      Find out more about Les Deux Gares ›

      Annabel’s, UK, by Martin Brudnizki
      The bathroom at London members’ club Annabel’s is an explosion of pink, from the pink marble sinks to the pale-pink flowers that line the ceiling.
      “It’s really about fantasy – this is a club, you don’t come here for reality, you come to be transported somewhere else,” studio founder Martin Brudnizki told Dezeen.
      Find out more about Annabel’s ›
      Photo is by Denilson Machado of MCA EstúdioHygge Studio, Brazil, by Melina Romano
      Terracotta tiles decorate this apartment in Brazil and were used in the bathroom alongside red bricks that were formed to create a vanity.
      Next to it, a black toilet adds a dramatic contrast against the forest-green wall, while green plants and tan towels match the interior.
      Find out more about Hygge Studio ›
      Photo by French + TyeHouse Recast, UK, by Studio Ben Allen
      House Recast, a refurbished Victorian terraced home in north London, was finished with coloured concrete throughout.
      In the bright green bathroom, the colour is contrasted with brass details, which were used for the tap and temperature controls by the small, circular sink.
      Find out more about House Recast ›
      Photo by The Fishy ProjectVS House, India, by Sārānsh
      A black toilet almost blends into the veiny green marble backdrop in the bathroom of VS House in India, which was designed to focus on “the nature of the materials used to finish the insides”.
      Grey Kota stone, a variety of limestone that is quarried in Rajasthan in the north of India, was used on the floor and walls.
      Find out more about VS House ›

      Nagatachō Apartment, Japan, by Adam Nathaniel Furman
      Colour is everywhere in the Nagatachō Apartment by designer Adam Nathaniel Furman, which is located in Tokyo and has a dreamy pastel bathroom.
      In the bathroom a pink toilet sits next to a baby blue sink unit contrasted with a bright, sunny yellow tap.
      Find out more about Nagatachō Apartment ›
      Photo by Ricardo LoureiroSmall House with a Monumental Shower, Portugal, by Fala Atelier
      Architecture studio Fala Atelier created a “shower tower” to house the bathroom and shower in this home in Amarante, Portugal.
      Inside the tower, minty green tiles clad the walls while a matching sink surround in a pale green marble hue adds material interest.
      Find out more about Small House with a Monumental Shower ›
      Photo by Maxime BrouilletUnit 622 in Habitat 67, Canada, by Rainville Sangaré
      Design studio Rainville Sangaré’s design for an apartment in architect Moshe Safdie’s brutalist Habitat 67 building mostly features discrete colours, but in the bathroom, colourful sinks and a matching mirror break up the monochrome surroundings.
      The washbasins have black Corian tops and the smaller of the two is used to wash calligraphy brushes.
      Find out more about Unit 622 ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with split-level living areas, mix-and-match flooring and homes with cleverly hidden lifts.

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      Fourteen homes where exposed cross-laminated timber creates cosy interiors

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      Our latest lookbook features cross-laminated timber interiors, including a colourful German vacation home and a tenement-style housing development in Edinburgh, and is part of Dezeen’s Timber Revolution series.

      Architects looking to offset the carbon emissions of a building often choose cross-laminated timber (CLT), a type of mass-timber made from laminated timber sections that can be used as structural building materials.
      The material, which is normally made from larch, spruce or pine, absorbs atmospheric carbon as it grows and subsequently retains it during its life in a building.
      In interiors, CLT can create a luxurious effect even for projects with a tight budget and gives rooms a light, modern feel.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with split-level living areas, mix-and-match flooring and homes with cleverly hidden lifts.

      Photo is by Jeremy Bitterman / JBSAOctothorpe House, US, by Mork-Ulnes Architects
      The natural forms, custom furniture and organic colours and textures that appear throughout Octothorpe House were selected by studio Mork-Ulnes Architects for their resemblance to the surrounding Oregon desert landscape.
      The cabin-cum-house was built using American-made CLT for a client that wanted an “environmentally progressive” and flexible design.
      Find out more about Octothorpe House ›
      Photo is by Christian FlatscherBert, Austria, by Precht
      Hidden in the woodland surrounding the Steirereck am Pogusch restaurant in the rural village of Pogusch, this playful tubular guest dwelling was informed by cartoon characters.
      It was designed by Austrian architecture studio Precht to feel dark and cosy inside, with the structural CLT walls providing contrast against the black flooring and dark textiles.
      Find out more about Bert ›
      Photo is by Rasmus NorlanderHaus am Hang, Germany, by AMUNT
      German architecture office AMUNT was drawn in particular to CLT’s sustainability credentials when creating this hillside vacation home in the Black Forest.
      Designed for a client who wanted to promote sustainable travel, the home features surfaces and joinery finished in shades of green inspired by local tree species and its layout was organised to make the most of natural light.
      Find out more about Haus am Hang ›
      Photo is by Marc GoodwinKynttilä, Finland, by Ortraum Architects
      Structural CLT was used to form the floor walls and angled roof of this 15-square-metre cabin on Lake Saimaa in Finland.
      Its gabled form encloses a bedroom and a small kitchen, which feature natural CLT walls. A large bedroom window provides views of the forest outside the cabin.
      Find out more about Kynttilä ›
      Photo is courtesy of Unknown WorksCLT House, UK, by Unknown Works
      Named after its spruce CLT structure, CLT House is a semi-detached house in east London that architecture studio Unknown Works remodelled and extended to open up and improve its connection to the back garden.
      On the ground floor, the timber walls, storage and seating areas create a minimal backdrop for the family’s musical and creative pursuits, parties and family gatherings.
      A combined kitchen and dining space are housed in a bright yellow rear extension that opens onto the garden’s brick-paved patio.
      Find out more about CLT House ›
      Photo is by Jack HobhouseRye Apartments, UK, by Tikari Works
      The four-storey Rye Apartments block in south London was designed by local studio Tikari Works, which used CLT for the structure and left it exposed across the majority of the apartments’ gabled walls and ceilings.
      This was combined with spruce wood kitchen cabinetry, storage units and shelving. Terrazzo-style flooring with amber and cream-coloured flecks was added to compliment the timber finishes.
      Find out more about Rye Appartments ›
      Photo is by Brigida GonzálezR11 loft extension, Germany, by Pool Leber Architekten
      The R11 loft extension is a two-storey CLT extension that Pool Leber Architekten added to a 1980s housing block in Munich, creating a series of loft spaces.
      Inside the lofts, the structural timber was left visible on the walls, ceilings and floors. The material was also used to create sculptural storage cabinets that double as window seating.
      Find out more about Pool Leber Architekten ›
      Photo is by Tim SoarBarretts Grove, UK, Amin Taha Architects
      Amin Taha Architects created this six-storey CLT block, which contains six apartments, between a pair of detached brick buildings in Stoke Newington, London.
      “The ability of the CLT to serve as structure and finish removed the need for plaster-boarded walls, suspended ceilings, cornices, skirtings, tiling and paint; reducing by 15 per cent the embodied carbon of the building, its construction cost and time on site,” the studio said.
      Find out more about Barretts Grove ›
      Photo is by Markus LinderothTwelve Houses, Sweden, by Förstberg Ling
      The CLT structure that forms the foundations of Twelve Houses by Förstberg Ling has been left exposed throughout the walls, floors and ceilings of the interior living areas, giving the space a warm and inviting feel.
      A back bedroom on the first floor overlooks a double-height area of the living room, which has a concrete floor and reddish-brown wall panelling.
      Find out more about Twelve Houses ›
      Photo is by Gabrielle GualdiVilla Korup, Denmark, by Jan Henrik Jansen Arkitekter
      A CLT structure made from Baltic fir was used to construct this home on the Danish island of Fyn, which features exposed CLT panels throughout the interiors.
      Designers Jan Henrik Jansen Arkitekter, Marshall Blecher and Einrum Arkitekter treated the material with soap and lye to lighten and protect the timber inside.
      Find out more about Villa Korup ›
      Photo is by Fredrik FrendinSimon Square, UK, by Fraser/Livingstone
      Comprised of six flats set within a mass-timber tenement-style housing development in Edinburgh, Simon Square has a structural timber frame that has been left exposed internally.
      Architecture studio Fraser/Livingstone hoped that the presence of CLT indoors would improve the residents’ well-being. Potted plants and a neutral interior colour scheme provide an added sense of calm.
      “When solid timber is exposed internally, the D-limonene the timber gives out has been shown to produce calm environments, with occupants’ hearts beating slower, and stress reduced,” project architect Ayla Riom told Dezeen.
      Find out more about Simon Square ›
      Photo is by Nancy ZhouBiv Punakaiki, New Zealand, by Fabric
      In an attempt to balance the high carbon levels of the cabin’s concrete floor and aluminium cladding, architecture studio Fabric chose to use CLT for the cabin’s structure, which was left exposed inside.
      From the double-height living room, the residents can look up through large skylights that punctuate the ceiling and gaze at the stars above.
      Find out more about Biv Punakaiki ›
      Photo is by José HeviaMAS JEC, Spain, by Aixopluc
      Catalan architecture office Aixopluc used lightweight materials for this CLT extension, which it added to a traditional Catalan house in the city of Reus.
      The building was prepared off-site and erected in just two weeks. Another advantage of using CLT is that the thermal mass of the exposed CLT interiors helps to ensure a comfortable internal temperature when the afternoon sun hits the building.
      Find out more about MAS JEC ›

      IJburg Townhouse the Netherlands, by MAATworks
      This Amsterdam townhouse was designed to reference wooden Scandinavian homes.
      Architecture studio MAATworks arranged it around an angular staircase made from cross-laminated pine wood, which was also used to create the wall and ceilings of the home.
      Find out more about IJburg Townhouse ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with split-level living areas, mix-and-match flooring and homes with cleverly hidden lifts.
      Illustration by Yo HosoyamadaTimber Revolution
      This article is part of Dezeen’s Timber Revolution series, which explores the potential of mass timber and asks whether going back to wood as our primary construction material can lead the world to a more sustainable future.

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      Tampa “about to explode” as a destination, says Edition hotels founder Ian Schrager

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      American entrepreneur Ian Schrager’s hospitality group The Edition has opened the first five-star hotel in Tampa, Florida, which includes a “jungle” lobby and a party room with 350 disco balls.

      The Tampa Edition, which started taking bookings in October 2022, is housed in a new 26-storey building that includes 172 rooms and 38 private residences.
      A focal point in the lobby of The Tampa Edition is a snaking marble staircaseIt forms part of the Water Street development, a huge urban mixed-use expansion project just south of Downtown and a couple of blocks from the waterfront.
      “[Tampa] has established its time is now, and I think it’s about to explode on the scene,” said Schrager, the hospitality mastermind who co-founded the legendary New York nightclub Studio 54, and is also behind the Public hotels chain.
      Between the tropical plants, the tall lobby features a custom travertine pool table“It’s got a good quality of life and a great food scene,” he continued.

      “It’s a city in the sun, but it’s not a vacation-only spot, it’s a real living breathing city and that’s what I think is so special about it.”
      Bright yellow carpet and seating contrast the greenerySchrager’s team at ISC Design Studio designed the new Edition property, along with Morris Adjmi Architects, Nichols Architects, Bonetti Kozerski Architects, and Roman and Williams.
      The white and glass building features art deco-influenced curves, which wrap the hotel on the larger lower floors and the residences in the tower portion above.
      A scalloped walnut bar serves Mediterranean-influenced cocktails and light bitesThe hotel’s lobby features 20-foot ceilings and full-height glazing along the front facade.
      A large stainless-steel lilac orb greets guests as they enter the travertine-clad space, which is filled with tropical plants.
      The Lilac restaurant features bright green seating that matches the tiles lining the semi-open kitchen”I put the landscaping in the lobby,” Schrager told Dezeen. “I wanted to have a jungle, and I kept saying ‘more, more’ plants. At night they’re lit from below and you get the shadows of the leaves on the ceiling. It’s almost all green.”
      Among the greenery are areas of lounge seating and a custom travertine pool table with a bright yellow top.
      Entertainment spaces on the second floor include the Punch Room, decorated with walnut panelling and jewel-toned sofasThe same colour is repeated in the carpet and seat upholstery in the bar area, which is arranged around a scalloped walnut counter from which Mediterranean-influenced cocktails and small plates are served.
      “Using really bright colors – the yellows and blues and greens – or putting plants in the lobby, were not additive,” said Schrager. “Those things will surprise you.”
      A party room with 350 disco balls on the ceiling forms part of the Arts ClubThe restaurant, Lilac, features bright green seating that matches the tiles lining the semi-open kitchen, which offers a Mediterranean menu from chef John Fraser.
      At the other end of the lobby, a white marble staircase provides a focal point as it snakes up to several more entertainment spaces.
      The Arts Club also includes an entirely black room with lounge seatingThese include the Punch Room, a cosy walnut-panelled space with chartreuse sofas, and royal blue velvet banquettes and curtains.
      The Arts Club, intended for late-night events, comprises a series of rooms – one is completely black, while 350 disco balls cover the entire ceiling in another.
      The guest bedrooms are designed to look understated, with a focus on materialsThe spa is also located on the second floor, while another bar and restaurant can be found on the ninth, which opens onto a roof terrace where guests can also enjoy an outdoor pool, sun loungers and cabanas.
      Guest rooms and suites have an understated aesthetic, with particular attention paid to lighting and materials, including marble bathrooms, walnut panelling and white oak furniture.

      The secret to creating a great hotel is “one plus one equals three” says Ian Schrager

      “The design is simple and pure,” said Schrager. “There isn’t anything superfluous or gratuitous, nor a wasted gesture.”
      “Leonardo da Vinci said ‘simplicity is the ultimate sophistication’. It’s supposed to be restful and peaceful,” he added.
      A bar and restaurant on the ninth floor, named Azure, opens onto a roof terraceThe Edition now has 15 locations around the world, with West Hollywood, Tokyo and Madrid – which was longlisted for the Dezeen Awards 2022.
      “I’m selling a visceral emotional experience, and it’s hard to pull that off,” Schrager said of the Edition as a brand. “Because you can’t take it out of a brand book or a rule book. It’s got to be balanced between refinement and being raw and edgy, so it can all come together in some mystical way.”
      The roof terrace includes a swimming pool, loungers and cabanas for guests to relax inThe Tampa Edition is a major draw for the $3.5 billion Water Street development project, which encompasses nine million square feet and will form a new neighbourhood in a previously neglected corner of the city.
      Tampa, as with other Floridian urban centres, has seen a boom in interest from tourists and new residents over the past few years, and therefore a need has grown for more homes, hotels and restaurants.
      The photography is by Nikolas Koenig.

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      Emily Sandstrom builds Sydney home extension from recycled materials

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      Australian architect Emily Sandstrom has transformed a run-down 1930s bungalow in Sydney by adding an extension that was partly built from demolition materials.

      Sandstrom aimed to restore the home, which had been left untouched for decades, and celebrate its original features including picture rails and ceiling mouldings.
      The extension has a U shape with glass doors that let in lightThe architect demolished a small rear kitchen, outhouse and sunroom and reused the bricks and materials from the demolition to construct a 45-square-metre U-shaped extension, which accommodates an open-plan kitchen and dining space.
      Two large sliding glass doors open out to a courtyard and let natural light into the kitchen extension.
      Demolished bricks were reused to build the extensionThe U-shaped extension and courtyard were designed to provide a connection between indoor and outdoor entertainment areas.

      According to Sandstrom, concrete flooring and overhanging eaves help to passively heat the home in winter and cool it in summer. Solar panels were also added to the home, meaning no additional heating or cooling systems were needed.
      Sandstrom aimed to create a connection between indoor and outdoor entertainment spaces”The U shape in combination with the wide and curved eaves provides passive heating to the home during the winter months and shade during the summer,” Sandstrom told Dezeen.
      “This in combination with a concrete floor for thermal mass, double glazing and high windows located for cross ventilation, means there is no need for additional heating and cooling systems.”

      Brave New Eco applies cosy colours and materials to Melbourne “forever home”

      A large island with a countertop made from recycled Australian hardwood is the focal point of the kitchen, where a step down in floor level separates the “work zone” on one side of the island from the rest of the room.
      “The kitchen was a particular focus in the design, and a strong central point of the home,” said Sandstrom.
      A change in floor level separates the kitchen from the dining spaceInformed by Japanese design and bathing rituals, the bathroom features a sunken bathtub that sits below floor level.
      Timber decking covers the floors and conceals the drainage points for an overhead shower. Glass sliding doors lead to a small garden with an additional outdoor shower.
      “[The bathroom] was designed to achieve an atmosphere of calm and seclusion, and the design captures many different outlooks into the garden and directs the eye away from the less ideal views,” said Sandstrom.
      The bathroom features a sunken bathtub that overlooks a gardenThroughout the home, the architect removed carpets to uncover the original floorboards and restored original features, including stained glass windows, ornate ceiling mouldings, dark timber doors, trims and architraves.
      Newly added joinery was designed to preserve the home’s skirting boards, picture rails and ceiling mouldings, as well as maintain the original scale and layout of the rooms.
      The home’s original features such as ceiling mouldings and picture rails were maintainedOther homes recently completed in Australia that have been featured on Dezeen include an oceanside residence in Sydney that was transformed to suit a family of five and a home in Melbourne with interiors finished in timber, terracotta and rich jewel tones.
      The photography is by Rohan Venn.

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      Pihlmann Architects creates sleek brewery in former Copenhagen slaughterhouse

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      Bulbous steel tanks hang from where carcasses used to be suspended at the ÅBEN brewery in Copenhagen, which local studio Pihlmann Architects transformed from a slaughterhouse into a restaurant and bar.

      Located in Copenhagen’s Meatpacking District, the brewery is housed in a 1932 butchery that has been used for various commercial activities since the early 1990s.
      Visitors enter ÅBEN through the building’s original blue-rimmed doorsPihlmann Architects maintained and restored many of the slaughterhouse’s original features as part of the renovation for Danish beer company ÅBEN.
      “Turning the space back into a food production facility, with all the pragmatic measures we had to keep in mind, generated our ideas from the very beginning,” studio founder Søren Pihlmann told Dezeen. “Bringing back the authentic character of the space was key.”
      Conical steel fermentation vessels were suspended where carcasses used to hangArranged across one open-plan level, the brewery features the original gridded rail system from which 980 carcasses used to hang when the space was a slaughterhouse.

      Pihlmann Architects replaced the carcasses with conical fermentation tanks that are reached via a low-hanging galvanised steel walkway – also suspended from the listed building’s original sawtooth roof.
      Pihlmann Architects was led by the building’s industrial historyGeometric clusters of white wall tiles that have been preserved since the 1930s were also kept in place, echoing the brewery’s original purpose.
      “Bringing the key elements back to a worthy condition was more of a task than deciding on which [elements] to keep,” noted Pihlmann.
      Semitransparent curtains divide spaces and control acousticsSpaces are delineated by slaughterhouse-style semitransparent curtains, which cloak various dining areas that are positioned around the restaurant’s central open kitchen where visitors can experience the brewing process up close.
      Furniture was kept simple and “unfussy” in order to emphasise the restaurant’s industrial elements, including angular chairs and bar stools finished in aluminium and wood.
      “The [material and colour] palettes are true to function on the one hand and [true to] history on the other,” said Pihlmann.

      Crimson red flooring runs throughout the brewery, which was in place when the building was purchased. It was maintained to add warmth to the otherwise clinical interiors.
      At night, the restaurant’s electric light absorbs this colour and reflects from the fermentation tanks, creating a more intimate environment.
      A central open kitchen is flanked by bar stoolsMaking the food production processes visible was at the core of the design concept, according to the architecture studio.
      “It’s not only about the preparation of the food, it’s more about the brewing taking place,” continued Pihlmann.
      “The space which produces thousands of litres every day is open for everyone to step into, and actually see how and where the product they consume is produced.”

      Óscar Miguel Ares Álvarez converts Spanish slaughterhouse into community centre

      “Today, we are so detached from what we consume, we just go to the supermarket and pick it up from the cold counter having no clue where it’s coming from,” he added.
      “I’m not that naive to think that ÅBEN alone will change anything, but I’m convinced that it’s important to change this detachment.”
      The slaughterhouse’s original white tiles were preservedPihlmann described his favourite aspect of the project as “how the elements we’ve added both submit to and utilise the existing space, not just visually but also through their structural function”.
      “The building is built to carry a huge load,” he reflected. “Back then, it was tonnes of dead meat. Today, it’s enormous serving tanks from the ceiling.”
      Founded in 2021, Pihlmann Architects was included in our list of 15 up-and-coming Copenhagen architecture studios compiled to mark the city being named UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture for 2023.
      Previous slaughterhouse conversions include a training school for chefs in Spain that was once used to butcher meat and a cultural centre in Portugal that is currently being developed by Kengo Kuma and OODA.
      The photography is by Hampus Berndtson.

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      Ma Yansong picks six highlights from his Blueprint Beijing exhibition

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      Architect Ma Yansong, the curator of Blueprint Beijing, a feature exhibition exploring the future of the Chinese capital at the 2022 Beijing Biennial, shares six of his highlight installations from the show.

      Ma, the founding partner of Chinese architecture studio MAD, invited 20 architects and artists of different generations from around the world to present their visions for the future of the city of Beijing in a variety of mediums including architectural models, installations, photography and videos.
      Blueprint Beijing is the feature exhibition at the inaugural 2022 Beijing Biennial curated by MAD’s founding partner Ma Yansong”Blueprint Beijing is a comparative study of history and the future of Beijing and the world,” Ma told Dezeen.
      “We compiled a compendium of seminal events, people and ideologies from around the world that have vividly explored the theme of ‘the future’, such as Archigram, Oscar Niemeyer and many more, that have had a significant impact on current architects, and have influenced changes in Beijing’s urban planning in relation to major events.”
      “The works of several creators selected here traverse the dimensions of time, space and geography, and their personal creative imagination has brought distinct significance to the exhibition,” he added.

      Twenty architects and artists from around the world are invited to re-imagine the future of the cityThe exhibition also presents material taken from historic archives about eight architects and collectives that have showcased visionary ideas, as well as four Chinese science fiction films with historic significance.
      Here, Ma has selected six of his highlights from Blueprint Beijing for Dezeen:

      Restaurant Inside the Wall, by Drawing Architecture Studio, 2023
      “The Restaurant Inside the Wall installation is presented as a graphic novel, with a restaurant hidden inside the wall as the protagonist. Drawing Architecture Studio (DAS) transformed the graphic novel into a spatial experience in order to strengthen the absurd and suspenseful atmosphere of the story, by collaging and connecting the real elements of various street stalls.
      “Drawing from the observation of urban spaces in China, DAS has discovered a lot of unexpected pockets of wisdom embedded in everyday urban scenes, and roadside ‘holes in the wall’ are an example of this. This installation adds a microscopic daily footnote to the grand avant-garde urban blueprint for the future.”

      Filter City & City as a Room, by Peter Cook from Cook Haffner Architecture Platform, 2020-2022
      “In this installation, Peter Cook dissects two of his drawings – Filter City (2020) and City as a Room (2022) – into elements that concentrate on sequences.
      “Cook utilizes his signature strategy of creating concept drawings that remain connected to the built environment, while also moving towards a new future-looking ‘hybrid’, particularly interiors, that can be created from fragments of drawing and images.
      “As a result, viewers can transcend from distant observers into participants.”

      Liminal Beijing, by He Zhe, James Shen and Zang Feng from People’s Architecture Office, 2022
      “The installation of Liminal Beijing, created by People’s Architecture Office, connects the city of Beijing in different time and space. It features a knot of radiant, winding, and rotating tubes that can be interpreted as pneumatic tubes transporting documents in the 19th century or the hyperloops developed today, representing the link between the future and the past.
      “Modern life would not be possible without the hidden system of ducts that deliver heating, cooling, and clean air. Air ducts in Liminal Beijing are made visible so they can be explored and occupied, and are presented as missing fragments of space and time.”
      Photo is by Jerry ChenAstro Balloon 1969 Revisited x Feedback Space, 2008, by Wolf D Prix from Coop Himmelb(l)au, 2022 edition
      “This installation was realized by combining two of Coop Himmelb(l)au’s previous works: Heart Space – Astro Balloon in 1969 and Feedback Vibration City in 1971, which were first shown in this form at the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2008.
      “The resulting installation is a cloud-like, semi-transparent and reflective floating space that translates visitors’ heartbeats into a lighting installation.
      “Throughout its practice, Coop Himmelb(l)au has presented numerous futuristic ‘architectural’ prototypes of dwellings which are responsive to the sensibilities and activities of their inhabitants.”

      Beijing In Imagination, by Wang Zigeng, 2023
      “Chinese architect Wang Zigeng illustrates two city models that were informed by visual imagery of mandalas on the floor and ceiling of the exhibition space, expressing the tension between the ideal city and the chaos of the real world — a parallel reality of both the present and the future.
      “He believes Beijing is the embodiment of ancient cosmologies and an ideal city prototype through the ritualization of urban space – the establishment of political and moral order as a highly metaphorical correspondence between human behavior and nature.”

      Pao: A Dwelling for Tokyo Nomad Women II, by Toyo Ito, 2022 Beijing edition
      “This installation explores what living means for city dwellers in a consumerist society. Even today, half of the population living in Tokyo are living alone, and having a place to sleep is all one needs. Pao is a light and temporary structure that can be dissolved in the buzz of the metropolis.
      “This is a new edition of Toyo Ito’s previous work Pao: A Dwelling for Tokyo Nomad Women. By recreating the installation in Beijing while coming out of a global pandemic, Ito hopes to provide a space for visitors to reflect on the excessive consumerism that has continued to dominate the present.”
      The Photography is by Zhu Yumeng unless otherwise stated.
      Blueprint Beijing is on show at the 2022 Beijing Biennial Architecture Section at M WOODS Hutong in Beijing until 12 March 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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      MEE Studio creates wood-and-copper interior for cafe in former church in Copenhagen

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      Architecture firm MEE Studio has designed the interiors and bespoke wooden furniture for a cafe and boutique in the Nikolaj Kunsthal art gallery within an old church.

      The municipality-run gallery, which is set in a deconsecrated church in central Copenhagen, asked MEE Studio to design a “lively and functional” space.
      Before designing the interior spaces, which feature warm and tactile materials such as copper and wood, the rooms in Nikolaj Kunsthal first had to be restored.
      The gallery is located in a former church”The spaces had been used for various purposes since the 1980s including art installations and other changing uses,” MEE Studio founder Morten Emil Engel told Dezeen.
      “This has left the spaces with remnants of ad-hoc electrical wiring, bricked-up arches, blocked-off windows and arbitrary lighting. Additionally, there was no water supply or plumbing in the spaces that now have the cafe.”

      The studio reestablished the grand door and window openings in the space and replaced the old acrylic paint with breathable lime-based paint, while also adding acoustic plaster to improve the acoustics of the spaces.
      Untreated copper was used as a backsplash for the barAt the centre of the cafe, Engel created a long bar that also functions as a ticket counter and is made from solid oak wood.
      Wood was also used for all the other furniture, including benches, tables and sculptural shelves, which Engel designed specifically for the project using European oak from sustainable forestry.
      “I wanted the benches to reference church benches – a bit chunky and heavy,” he said. “The church architecture is very robust with the church tower having two-metre thick walls. So the furniture had to have some substance to them.”
      The furniture complements the “robust” church architectureEngel also aimed to give the pieces a contemporary feel by fusing their “heavy look” with more contemporary elements.
      “All the furniture has visible joinery and tectonics in fumed oak, which allows the user to see how they are made and assembled,” he said.
      “I added some decorative inlays in the bar counter and boutique shelves. Inlays were traditionally used as a way of repairing wood and I wanted to symbolise that repair can be beautiful and sustainable,” he added.
      “In this way, it is sending the message that the furniture should have a long life and be repaired if it ages.”
      Artworks decorate the walls, here Pull by Martha HviidBehind the central bar, a copper backsplash adds an eyecatching material detail together with the matching sink and worktops, which were designed in reference to the roof of the old church.
      “As many traditional buildings in Copenhagen, the roof of St Nikolaj Church is made with traditional copper roofing, which has aged to a rich green patina over time,” Engel said.
      “I wanted to reference the existing material palate of the church but use it in a new way. So the kitchen features worktops, sinks and backsplash in raw untreated copper, which will evolve beautifully with time.”
      Lime-based paint was used for the wallsThe white walls of the cafe and store were contrasted with not just the copper and wood but also a burgundy red fabric designed by fashion designer Raf Simons for Kvadrat, which was used for the cushions and backs of the sofas and chairs.
      The colour was a nod to some of the space’s original colour but could also help disguise red wine spills in the cafe.
      “Oakwood was already used throughout the church so it seemed natural to use oak as a material,” Engel explained.

      OEO Studio uses materials in a “playful way” for Designmuseum Denmark cafe and shop

      “There was also the burgundy red paint which had been used originally for some woodwork, for instance, the stairs in the tower and the ceiling in what is now the cafe,” he added.
      “So it seems natural to work with an interpretation of the burgundy red for the color of the cushions. I matched the burgundy red to a fantastic Kvadrat textile designed by Raf Simons and it worked in providing vibrancy, but also as a practical colour in a cafe where red wine is served.”
      Red fabric was used for the seating, with the artwork Mercury (socks) hanging aboveAs well as the bespoke furniture pieces, the space was also decorated with carefully chosen artworks that have ties to the city of Copenhagen.
      “Mercury (socks) is a photograph by the famous Danish/Norwegian artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset from a series of classical sculptures by the world-famous Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen,” Engel explained.
      “The Thorvaldsen Museum is located only a few minutes away from Nikolaj Kunsthal, so the work relates both to art from the 19th century and contemporary art from the 21st century which is what you find in Nikolaj Kunsthal.”
      Other recent interior projects in Copenhagen include Space10’s headquarters, which has a kiosk-like design library, and the cafe and shop design for Designmuseum Denmark by OEO Studio.
      The photography is by Paolo Galgani.

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