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    Ten eclectic eateries that showcase the potential of terrazzo

    From a pink-hued Ottolenghi restaurant in London to a muted pizzeria in Beijing, our latest lookbook rounds up 10 eateries from around the world that feature terrazzo elements.

    Terrazzo is a flooring material that consists of uneven pieces of marble or granite set in concrete, which is then polished to give it a smooth finish.
    Architects and interior designers often use the sturdy material in their projects to create practical floors, but also to give walls or other surfaces a speckled and decorative appearance.
    We have collected 10 eateries that use terrazzo, such as on the tabletops of a fish and chip shop in Australia and to make up the floors of a Chinese teahouse.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing steely kitchens, green bedrooms and gardens with swimming pools.

    Photo is by Niveditaa GuptaRosie and Tillie, India, by Renesa
    Local architecture studio Renesa set terracotta tiles against smooth terrazzo surfaces at Rosie and Tillie, an all-day cafe in New Delhi.
    Squat curved booths create sculptural seating throughout the eatery, which is located within a former Indian restaurant at a shopping mall in the Indian capital’s Saket neighbourhood.
    Find out more about Rosie and Tillie ›
    Photo is by David SieversSmallfry Seafood, Australia, by Sans-Arc Studio
    Smallfry Seafood is a chip shop in Adelaide, Australia, that takes cues from the aesthetics of Japanese seafood markets.
    Sans-Arc Studio created a communal bar and curved tables from narrow slabs of light blue terrazzo. For the rest of the interiors, the studio chose mottled grey travertine and stained wood accents that are illuminated by globular pendant lights.
    Find out more about Smallfry Seafood ›
    Photo is by Oculis ProjectDrop Coffee, UAE, by Roar Studio
    A decorative terrazzo floor mirrors a mural created from broken ceramic tiles at this Dubai cafe that was designed by Roar Studio at the city’s Dar Al Wasl Mall.
    Drop Coffee has a colour palette of greys and whites, chosen to maintain focus on the cafe’s mix of industrial materials such as stainless steel and concrete.
    “We aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel by using broken tiles – our idea was to form a counterpoint to the terrazzo effect porcelain flooring as though the chips of the broken tiles were used in the flooring,” Roar Studio founder Pallavi Dean told Dezeen.
    Find out more about Drop Coffee ›
    Photo is by Jovian LimOdette, Singapore, by Universal Design Studio 
    Mosaic-like terrazzo floors formed from pale pink and white take centre stage at Odette, a restaurant in Singapore created by British practice Universal Design Studio.
    A range of soft and smooth materials make up the interiors, from plush grey velvet benches and chairs to sleek nickel fixtures and statement planters.
    Find out more about Odette ›
    Photo is courtesy of Alex MeitlisOttolenghi Chelsea, UK, by Alex Meitlis
    London deli and restaurant chain Ottolenghi has opened a branch in Chelsea that features interior styling by designer Alex Meitlis, who created exposed plaster walls interspersed with pink terrazzo tiles.
    The eatery includes slinky banquettes in red upholstery and low-slung rattan chairs, which are arranged around sculptural white tables.
    Find out more about Ottolenghi Chelsea ›
    Photo is by Tom BlachfordPenta, Australia, by Ritz&Ghougassian 
    Terrazzo was used to create subtle geometric seating at Penta, a minimal cafe in Melbourne designed by local architecture studio Ritz&Ghougassian.
    Jet black cushions and chairs contrast the grey speckled benches, while delicate native ferns add a touch of greenery to the otherwise monochrome interiors.
    Find out more about Penta ›
    Photo is by Jonathan LeijonhufvudLievito Gourmet Pizza, China, by MDDM Studio
    Another eatery with a muted atmosphere, Lievito Gourmet Pizza by MDDM Studio features blocky custom-made tables and a central bar formed from powdery grey terrazzo.
    The Beijing restaurant was designed with this layout in order to incorporate both open and more intimate dining spaces, which are arranged across three subtle levels.
    Find out more about Lievito Gourmet Pizza ›
    Photo is by Dirk WeiblenTingtai Teahouse, China, by Linehouse
    Situated inside an old factory space in Shanghai, Tingtai Teahouse is characterised by its intimate seating areas contained in elevated boxes positioned above a multi-level landscape of green terrazzo.
    “We paired smoked oak and brushed darkened stainless steel with the green terrazzo to bring warmth into the space,” explained Linehouse founder Alex Mok.
    Find out more about Tingtai Teahouse ›
    Photo is by Samara ViseB-Natural Kitchen, USA, by Atelier Cho Thompson 
    A rounded bar and service counter with a multi-coloured terrazzo top and tamboured wood siding features in B-Natural Kitchen, a pastel-hued restaurant in New Haven, Connecticut.
    Atelier Cho Thompson juxtaposed soft and bold finishes for the interiors, which include plant-themed graphic wallpaper that nods to the eatery’s menu of fresh ingredients.
    Find out more about project B-Natural Kitchen ›
    Photo is by Tom BlachfordMiddle South East, Australia, by Biasol
    Design studio Biasol took cues from Middle Eastern architecture for this Melbourne restaurant that juxtaposes deep blue and terracotta tones.
    A tiled water station with terrazzo shelving features in the centre of the room, while clusters of dining tables and a bar are topped with the same speckled material.
    Find out more about Middle South East ›
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing white bathrooms, light-filled extensions and homes with statement windows.

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    Form Us With Love designs perforated steel furniture for its Stockholm studio

    As part of Stockholm Design Week, Swedish design firm Form Us With Love has opened the doors to its new studio space featuring modular furniture informed by pegboard walls.

    Perforated steel units are dotted throughout Form Us With Love’s (FUWL) Stockholm studio, which is housed in a former travel agency.
    Form Us With Love’s Stockholm studio has furniture made from perforated steel”We’ve been dealing with this space for a good year and a half, and thinking about it for a good ten years,” FUWL co-founder John Löfgren told Dezeen.
    “It’s definitely a place that is a catalyst for what we’re doing – and we’re doing quite a lot of different things, so we need a really flexible space and we need a mobile space,” he added. “We tried to be smart about how you store things and logistics in general, really being economical with each square metre.”
    Large hangar doors can be used to divide the interiorThe 200-square metre studio space, which was created in collaboration with architecture studio Förstberg Ling and branding studio Figur, was designed to suit the needs of the FUWL team.

    Large floor-to-ceiling hangar doors hide an office area, workshop and kitchen while allowing the front of the studio to be sectioned off from the remainder of the space.
    The studio is showcasing material experiments on wheeled cabinetsThis allows the area to be used as an exhibition space, where FUWL is displaying some of its ongoing projects during Stockholm Design Week.
    Among these is a project that explores how toxic glass – a waste material from the glass industry – can be treated to separate the toxins from the glass.
    Five low, wheeled cabinets made from perforated steel were used to display the projects.
    FUWL has created multiple different storage unitsThese are just some of the storage units and room dividers that FUWL has made for the studio, drawing on materials found in its own workshop.
    “We have these boxes that were derived from the workshop, like ones you would have in the garage,” Löfgren said.
    “We started wondering what would happen if we move these things out in the open,” he added. “It started off as dividers and walls, but add some wheels and all of a sudden we are in the open space.”

    Form Us With Love launches Forgo soap brand in response to “extremely wasteful” cosmetics industry

    The studio is currently using the modular units as a material library, a tool wall and storage for personal and studio use, as well as experimenting with new functionalities.
    Produced by Tunnplåt – a company that normally supplies lockers to schools, gyms and other public-sector interiors – the containers have a pattern of symmetrical holes.
    A material library is housed in their drawersThis was designed to make the reference to pegboard walls immediately recognisable.
    “We definitely experimented with patterns,” Löfgren said. “We still wanted people to have a smile on their face like: I can see where it derives from.”
    The pegboard-style furniture was informed by tool wallsRealising that the perforated steel units could be used to create a flexible interior was just a coincidence, Löfgren said.
    “I think it’s definitely a tool that incorporates how we want to work in the interior,” he said. “And I think that’s just been a coincidence.”
    “We were always looking for something that would help us have this kind of full flexibility, and still be able to do something both fun and functional,” he added.
    The studio was designed to be both practical and flexibleIn the future, the studio said it might also create the units in other colours. For its own office, soft grey tones were chosen to aid concentration.
    “We worked with tones of grey as a backdrop throughout the space to put focus on the creative processes taking place within,” architecture studio Förstberg Ling said.
    Form Us With Love has previously launched products such as Forgo, a soap designed to minimise carbon emissions and an IKEA chair made from recycled wood.
    The photography is by Jonas Lindström Studio.
    Form Us With Love’s studio is open to the public between 5 September and 9 September 2022 as part of  Stockholm Design Week. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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    Bernard Dubois incorporates nightclub references into Courrèges' Paris store

    Thick carpets, mirrored panels and fabric-covered walls populate this clothing store in Paris designed by Belgian architect Bernard Dubois.

    The 232-square-metre boutique is located near the Champs-Élysées and belongs to Courrèges – a Parisian label that was launched by fashion designer André Courrèges in 1961.
    Courrèges’ second store in Paris was designed by Bernard DuboisOptimistic and full of energy, the late designer’s creations placed emphasis on structured lines and featured a predominantly white colour palette.
    For the brand’s flagship store, Courrèges’ artistic director Nicolas Di Felice asked Dubois to create an interior that blends this distinctive visual language with subtle references to nightclubs.
    Its interior is lined in fabric and thick carpetThe result is a monochrome space with fabric-lined walls and ceilings, thick carpets and rows of mirrors that are set at an angle in a nod to the perspective-bending decor often found in nightlife venues.

    “White has always been part of the Courrèges universe,” Dubois told Dezeen. “We decided to embrace this and make it our own, by making it warm, intimate, silent, plush.”
    Other references to the brand’s history include shelves and cabinets that were part of a store interior designed by Courrèges in 1967 before being redesigned to match the proportions of the new store.
    Upside-down arches frame the way to the changing roomsCurved U-shaped elements resembling upside-down arches feature alongside the mirrors towards the back of the store in a homage to classical architecture and space travel.
    “I always like to play with classical elements of architecture in my projects, sometimes placing them in different contexts, at different scales than their usual size or context,” Dubois said.

    Bernard Dubois channels childhood memories into Aesop interior in Brussels

    “In this case, placing them upside-down is also a reference to spaceships, where the absence of gravity naturally places things upside down and creates different structural constraints,” he added.
    In some areas of the Courrèges store, Dubois deliberately exposed the raw concrete walls, creating a contrast with the softness of the fabric and the carpet.
    The interior is rendered almost entirely in beigeThe mirrored panels were added to provide perspective and direct the eye to the dressing rooms at the back of the store.
    “I always like to structure spaces,” Dubois explained, “give them some depth, play with perspectives, create relationships between different shapes of spaces, giving the impression that the visitor enters into a coherent world.”
    Only clothing displays provide a colourful contrastThe store is the larger of two Courrèges outposts in Paris. The other store in the Marais neighbourhood was also designed by Dubois.
    Bernard Dubois set up his eponymous firm in 2014 after graduating as an architect from La Cambre in Brussels in 2009. Other projects from the studio include a store for Aesop featuring distinctive yellow bricks and a narrow “runway-like” sneaker store for APL.
    The photography is by Romain Laprade.

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    Nameless Architecture creates “artificial valley” at base of Gyeryongsan Mountain

    Architecture studio Nameless Architecture has completed the Café Teri bakery in Daejeon, South Korea, in a pair of buildings that flow into a central courtyard.

    Located at the foot of the Gyeryongsan Mountain in Daejeon, Nameless Architecture designed the two buildings to frame the entrance to a hiking trail that continues up the mountain.
    The cafe’s courtyard leads onto a hiking trailThe two rectangular buildings were angled, creating an outdoor space that narrows towards the mountain path. The three-storey building contains a cafe and the two-storey building opposite is a bakery.
    “The artificial valley, where the distinction between the wall and the floor is blurred, creates a flow towards the forest and becomes the yard to the cafe and a path for walkers,” Nameless Architecture co-principal Unchung Na told Dezeen.
    “We intended the building to become a path and courtyard that guides the flow of nature and visitors rather than blocking the promenade.”

    Concrete brick walls slope down into the floor of the courtyard at Café TeriThe 900-square-metre project was finished in concrete bricks, creating a rough texture on the exterior walls.
    “The concrete bricks used to construct the architectural topography emphasise the continuity of the flowing space,” said Na.
    “On the other hand, the facade wall made of rough broken bricks creates a difference of boundaries through the change of light, shadow, and time.”
    Nameless Architecture used concrete brick for the interior of the cafe as well as the exteriorThe flowing exterior walls of the project are replicated inside the ground floor of a cafe, where the back wall of a double-height space curves down into stepped seating.
    The floor, curved wall and stepped seating inside the cafe were finished in concrete bricks, and the remaining walls were finished in polished concrete.

    Stacked felt sheets create seating inside South Korean cafe

    “The fluid wall is continuous not only in the yard but also in the interior space, connecting the inside and outside scenery through a stepped space,” Na explained.
    A backyard area features uplifted terrain that mimics the curved concrete brick walls of the cafe and bakery, which Nameless Architecture designed to provide a spatially interesting place for people to enjoy food outside.
    Nameless Architecture used curved walls to create a distinct “architectural topography”The architecture practice designed the curved elements that appear to emerge from the ground with the aim of blurring the lines between what is wall and floor.
    “The basic elements of architecture can be reinterpreted to induce various experiences and actions of people,” said Na.
    “In particular, the two elements, wall and floor, are defined as fundamentally different architectural elements, but we tried to reconsider this strict relationship.”
    The project aims to reinterpret how walls and floors are used as architectural elements”The mutual relationship in which the wall becomes the floor, and the inside becomes the outside can be interpreted in various ways through the experience of the place,” Na continued.
    Other projects recently completed in South Korea include a department store in Seoul with an indoor waterfall and skyscrapers with red-painted steel columns designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.
    The photography is by Kyung Roh.
    Project credits:
    Architect: Nameless ArchitecturePrincipals-in-charge: Unchung Na and Sorae YooProject team: Taekgyu Kang, Changsoo Lee and Jungho Lee

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    Dezeen reveals the world's 57 most striking interiors shortlisted for Dezeen Awards 2022

    Dezeen has announced the interiors shortlist for this year’s Dezeen Awards, which includes interiors by Kelly Wearstler, Cox Architecture and Studio MK27.

    The 57 shortlisted projects, which are in the running for awards in 11 different interiors project categories, are located in 24 different countries including Ukraine, Japan, Canada, South Korea, and Sweden.
    The top three represented countries are UK with 12 shortlisted entries followed by China with seven and both USA and Australia with four.
    Five projects are shortlisted in each interiors category except the small workspace interior and apartment interior categories, which have six, including a multi-storey skatepark in a seaside town in Kent and a refurbished cinema with pistachio-green arches in the heart of Berlin.
    The shortlist also includes a renovated hotel in a Beijing hutong, a micro-apartment in Belsize Park wrapped in translucent panels and a restaurant with a granite gravel floor in São Paulo.

    All shortlists announced this week
    The shortlists were scored by our interiors jury which includes London-based interior designer and creative director Charlotte Taylor, French architect India Mahdavi and Arianna Lelli Mami and Chiara Di Pinto of Milan-based Studiopepe.
    The architecture shortlist was announced yesterday, the design shortlist will be revealed tomorrow, the sustainability and media shortlists on Thursday and the studio shortlist on Friday.
    Above: The Hideaway Home by ACOS has been shortlisted. Top: The Hoxton Poblenou by Ennismore was also shortlistedAll shortlisted architecture projects are listed below, each with a link to a dedicated page on the Dezeen Awards website, where you can find an image and more information about the project. All shortlisted projects will also feature in their own dedicated Dezeen post.
    The winner of each project category will be announced online in November. All 11 winners will then go on to compete for the title of interiors project of the year.
    Vote for your favourite project next week
    For the third year running, Dezeen Awards is holding a public vote after the shortlist announcements, meaning readers will be able to choose their favourite projects from 12 September onwards.
    Projects with the highest number of votes in their category will win a public vote award. Winners will be announced in mid-October, ahead of the Dezeen Awards event in November.
    Continue reading for the full interiors shortlist:
    West Bend House by Brave New EcoHouse interior
    › Barwon Heads House, Melbourne, Australia, by Adam Kane Architects› West Bend House, Melbourne, Australia, by Brave New Eco› House in Marutamachi, Kyoto City, Japan, by Td-Atelier› Twentieth, Los Angeles, USA, by Woods + Dangaran› Clear Oak, Los Angeles, USA, by Woods + Dangaran
    Browse all projects on the house interior shortlist page.
    Flat 6 in São Paulo by Studio MK27Apartment interior
    › The Hideaway Home, Gdańsk, Poland, by ACOS› Tribeca Loft, New York City, USA, by Andrea Leung› Iceberg, Tel-Aviv, Israel, by Laila Architecture› Shoji Apartment, London, United Kingdom, Proctor and Shaw› Earthrise Studio, London, United Kingdom, by Studio McW› Flat 6, São Paulo, Brazil, by Studio MK27
    Browse all projects on the apartment interior shortlist page.
    Koffee Mameya Kakeru by Fourteen Stone DesignRestaurant and bar interior
    › Koffee Mameya Kakeru, Tokyo, Japan, by Fourteen Stone Design› Spice & Barley, Bangkok, Thailand, by Enter Projects Asia› Dois Tropicos, São Paulo, Brazil, by MNMA Studio› Connie-Connie at the Copenhagen Contemporary, Copenhagen, Denmark, by Tableau and Ari Prasetya› Terra, Vynnyky, Ukraine, by YOD Group
    Browse all projects on the restaurant and bar interior page.
    Schwan Locke by LockeHotel and short-stay interior
    › The Hoxton Poblenou, Barcelona, Spain, by Ennismore› Well Well Well Hotel Renovation, Beijing, China, Fon Studio› Inhabit Queen’s Gardens, United Kingdom, by Holland Harvey› Schwan Locke, Munich, Germany, by Locke› Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel, Los Angeles, USA, by Kelly Wearstler Studio
    Browse all projects on the hotel and short-stay interior page.
    Design District Bureau Club by Roz Barr ArchitectsLarge workspace interior
    › Midtown Workplace, Brisbane, Australia, by Cox Architecture› Victoria Greencoat Place, London, United Kingdom, by Fora› Dyson Global HQ St James Power Station, Singapore, by M Moser Associates› Design District Bureau Club, London, United Kingdom, by Roz Barr Architects› Generator Building, Bristol, United Kingdom, by MoreySmith
    Browse all projects on the large workspace interior page.
    Samsen Atelier by Note Design StudioSmall workspace interior
    › Alexander House, Sydney, Australia, by Alexander & Co.› The F.Forest Office, Linbian, Taiwan, by Atelier Boter› Asket Studio, Stockholm, Sweden, by Atelier Paul Vaugoyeau› HNS Studio, Nanjing, China, Muhhe Studio Institute of Architecture› Samsen Atelier, Stockholm, Sweden, by Note Design Studio› OTK Ottolenghi, London, United Kingdom, by Studiomama
    Browse all projects on the small workspace interior page.
    XC273 by Dongqi DesignLarge retail interior
    › Proud Gallery Gotanda, Gotanda, Japan, by Domino Architects› XC273, Shanghai, China, by Dongqi Design› Kolon Sport Sotsot Rebirth, Cheju Island, South Korea, by Jo Nagasaka / Schemata Architects› Deja Vu Recycle Store, Shanghai, China, by Offhand Practice› An Interactive Spatial Design and Scenography for Jacquemus at Selfridges, London, United Kingdom, by Random Studio
    Browse all projects on the large retail interior page.
    Aesop Yorkville by OdamiSmall retail interior
    › Haight Clothing Store, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, by Aia Estudio› The Market Building, London, United Kingdom, by Holloway Li› Durat Showroom, Helsinki, Finland, by Linda Bergroth› Monc, London, United Kingdom, by Nina+Co› Aesop Yorkville, Toronto, Canada, by Odami
    Browse all projects on the small retail interior page.
    Wan Fat Jinyi Cinema by One Plus PartnershipLeisure and wellness interior
    › Barlo MS Centre, Toronto, Canada, by Hariri Pontarini Architects› Wan Fat Jinyi Cinema, Shenzhen, China, by One Plus Partnership› Patina Maldives Spa, Fari Islands, Maldives, by Studio MK27› Self Revealing, Taipei City, Taiwan, by Studio X4› Bath & Barley, Brussels, Belgium, by WeWantMore
    Browse all projects on the leisure and wellness interior page.
    F51 Skate Park by Hollaway StudioCivic and cultural interior
    › Yorck Kino Passage, Berlin, Germany, by Batek Architekten› Stanbridge Mill Library, Dorset, United Kingdom, by Crawshaw Architects› Designing Ecole Camondo Méditerranée’s Interior, Toulon, France, by Émilieu Studio› F51 Skate Park, Folkestone, United Kingdom, by Hollaway Studio› The Groote Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands, by Merk X
    Browse all projects on the civic and cultural interior page.
    A Private Reading Room by Atelier Tao+CSmall interior
    › OHL Cultural Space for the Arts, Lisbon, Portugal, by AB+AC Architects› A Private Reading Room, Shanghai, China, by Atelier Tao+C› Fatface Coffee Pop Up Shop, Shenyang, China, by Baicai Design› Sik Mul Sung, South Korea, by Unseenbird› Relaxing Geometry with Pops of Yellow, Antwerp, Belgium, by Van Staeyan Interior Architects
    Browse all projects on the small interior page. More

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    Atelier38 reworks furniture store into home for Czech Radio

    Architecture studio Atelier38 has converted a former furniture store in Olomouc, Czech Republic, into a broadcast centre arranged around a light-filled atrium. 

    Atelier38 refurbished the building, which was built in 1911, to give it the necessary technical and acoustic fixtures needed for a modern radio broadcaster.
    The original building dates from the early 20th centuryThe Czech Radio broadcast centre occupies a narrow plot in the middle of Olomouc and is characterised by its exposed reinforced concrete frame and long skylight window than can both be seen in the cavernous central atrium that spans four storeys.
    Throughout the 20th century, the building remained a furniture store, but the skylight was closed off with mineral wool to keep the building insulated.
    The atrium’s pitched skylight floods the interior with natural lightThe studio reopened this central atrium and made it the heart of the building. It added additions that highlighted the existing concrete structure to avoid detracting from the original fabric of the building.

    “We tried hard to preserve the visible supporting structure and not to destroy the integrity and sculptural quality of the central space,” said Atelier38.
    Original balustrades line the walkways and that span the void in the atriumA monochromatic scheme was chosen for both the circulatory and private areas to unite the interior – regardless of function and era – and highlight the building’s unique original structural details.
    Glass partition walls allow the ample natural light from the atrium to reach into the side rooms, which contain meeting and conference spaces, studios, offices and editing rooms as well as archives and storage facilities.
    Original details sit beside modern conveniences”The shape and proportions of the broadcast studios, control room, and self-service studios arose from the possibility of building into the existing skeleton structure,” the studio explained.
    “[The installed elements] form an artistic technological dialogue with the original supporting structure without suppressing it.”
    Recording studios are equipped with audiovisual and acoustic technologyThe studio also upgraded the thermal, sanitary and electrical services needed to meet contemporary standards and to ensure the smooth running of broadcasts.
    Other adaptive reuse projects published on Dezeen include a retreat for professionals inside an abandoned girls’ school by Artchimboldi and Emma Martí, and a former prison in Berlin converted into a hotel by Grüntuch Ernst Architects.
    The photography is by BoysPlayNice.

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    Ten atriums that brighten and expand residential spaces

    A Montreal home with a trapeze net, a warehouse conversion in London and an Indian home with a monolithic marble facade are among the residences in this lookbook, which feature atriums as a central aspect of their design.

    Atriums – large spaces, surrounded by a building, that are either open-air or feature skylights – were originally used in Roman homes, where they functioned more like a courtyard.
    Modern atriums typically feature in larger buildings and are cavernous spaces that stretch up for stories.
    For residential architecture, architects who want to include atrium spaces have to scale down the size, but that doesn’t mean that homes can’t have the loft ceilings and ample light provided by atriums.

    In these homes, the central space is open, with skylights and glass ceilings bringing light into the heart of the structure.
    Atriums provide an option for airiness when confronted with constructing homes on busy city streets where exterior views are not always desirable.
    Often, the other rooms and spaces are all accessed from the atrium space, and many times trees feature in these lofty spaces.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing floating staircases, calm green bedrooms and organic modern interiors.
    The photo is by Adrien WilliamsAtrium Townhome, Canada, by Robitaille Curtis
    When dealing with limited space in city buildings, an atrium can open up the inside of the home. For this Montreal Townhome, Canadian studio Robitalle Curtis oriented the white-walled interiors around a triple-height atrium.
    The atrium is in the centre of the house and extends up from the open-layout kitchen upwards. A skylight brings light into the void and the open space is punctuated by a trapeze that forms a children’s play area on the top floor.
    Find out more about Atrium Townhome ›
    The photo is by Yohei SasakuraMargin House, Japan, by Kohei Yukawa
    Kohei Yukawa of Yukawa Design Lab designed this home for himself in Ibaraki City, north of Osaka. The corrugated-metal-clad home features a central atrium with a small tree.
    Instead of being completely topped by a skylight, the atrium fits into the slanted volume of the home. A wall of glass accompanies it on one side and at the top two clerestory windows bring light into the void.
    Find out more about Margin House ›
    The photo is by Glen GeryLa Clairière, USA, by Studio PHH
    Brooklyn-based Studio PHH connected two wood-and-brick-clad volumes with a double-height atrium that serves as the living room for this New Jersey home.
    The space has floor-to-ceiling glass on two sides where it faces the outdoors and is filled by a central staircase that leads to a mezzanine. Two large circular skylights brighten the space from above.
    Find out more about La Clairière ›
    The photo is by Rory GardinerBethnal Green warehouse apartment, UK, by Paper House Project
    UK studio Paper House Project’s design for this London home saw the studio turn an open-office space in an old warehouse into a residence. In order to add bedrooms to the space while still maintaining natural light on the first floor, the studio incorporated an atrium topped by skylights.
    The double-height atrium is lined with gridded windows that also bring light into the bedrooms above. Instead of a tree, the void of the atrium is filled by a sculptural chandelier.
    Find out more about this warehouse conversion ›

    Tawainese home, Taiwan, by KC Design Studio
    KC Design Studio was tasked with bringing extra light into this 50-year-old home in Tawain. In order to do so, an atrium-like central void was created.
    A metal stairway follows the atrium up three levels, creating a central flow through the home and bringing in plenty of natural light. Plants have been hung from the exposed structural rafters to take advantage of the sunlight and add life to the design.
    Find out more about this Taiwanese home ›
    The photo is by Hiroyuki OkiHouse for Daughter, Vietnam, by Khuôn Studio
    This house in Ho Chi Min City by Khuôn Studio features a massive triple-height atrium that splits the two sections of the home, one of which is used by the full-time residents and one by their daughter.
    The atrium features public spaces, a tree and a series of skylights that bring in light to the cavernous volume. The edges of the rooms on either side protrude into the area and are rounded, adding a softness to the atrium space.
    Find out more about House for Daughter ›
    The photo is by Photo André Jeanpierre Fanthome and Suryan//DangCleft House, India, by Anagram Architects
    This New Delhi house by Anagram Architects features two monumental marble blocks that are split by a massive atrium. The four-storey atrium is topped by a glass ceiling and even has a glass-lined elevator shaft on one wall.
    A massive spiral staircase fills the void and plant-filled public areas are arranged throughout the space. Balconies for rooms on the upper floor have been positioned to look out over the atrium, giving the impression of an open-air space.
    Find out more about Cleft House ›
    The photo is by Andres Garcia LachnerJungle Frame House, Costa Rica, by Studio Saxe
    Studio Saxe oriented this steel-framed home in Costa Rica around a “tropical atrium”. The three-storey atrium is lined by glass and wooden louvres so that the jungle is visible from much of the home.
    Because of the wooden slats, the ground floors have shadows similar to the floor of the jungle with the shadows of the overstory. At the bottom of the atrium space is the living room, which extends outside into a wrap-around patio.
    Find out more about Jungle Frame House ›
    The photo is by Hey!CheeseHouse H, Taiwan, by HAO Design
    The atrium was achieved in this home in Kaohsiung by removing the interior staircase and putting it outdoors. HAO Design decided that orienting the home around an atrium was the best way to take advantage of the space left by the staircase.
    A skylight at the top illuminates the kitchen and a variety of other living spaces are positioned as mezzanines on the upper floors. The home now serves as a cafe and furniture store.
    Find out more about House H ›
    The photo is by Albers StudioThe Lomas House, Mexico, by Arqueodigma Studio 
    Because of the busy area of Guadalajara where this home is located,  Arqueodigma decided to orient it inwards. The central public areas of the home are arranged around a triple-height atrium covered by a skylight.
    In the space are trees that rise up into the open area left open in the wooden ceiling. The public spaces on the ground floor were left mostly open so that the atrium can diffuse light through much of the home.
    Find out more about The Lomas House ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing floating staircases, calm green bedrooms and organic modern interiors.

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    Bill Amberg Studio creates ribbon-like leather ceiling for London office lobby

    Padded leather panels twist their way across the ceiling in the lobby of the 22 Bishopsgate skyscraper in London as part of an installation developed for the office building by leather specialist Bill Amberg Studio.

    The atrium spans the ground and first floor of the 62-storey skyscraper, which was designed by PLP Architecture and completed in 2020.
    This lobby, known as The Library, serves as the centre point between the building’s two entrances and doubles as a gallery showing temporary art exhibitions.
    Bill Amberg Studio has created a ceiling installation for the 22 Bishopsgate lobbyThe brief called for an installation with visual impact to draw people into the space from outside of the building.
    Working closely with PLP Architecture over the course of three years, Bill Amberg Studio created a ceiling installation made from twisted leather panels that resemble pieces of ribbon.

    The padded panels rise up from the escalator soffit at ground level and twist across the ceiling before returning to floor level on the opposite side of the entrance hall.
    It consists of flat and twisted leather panelsBacklit by a Barrisol ceiling system, the installation was designed to add a “warm heart” to the building, the studio says.
    Its construction consists of a two-part shell that was designed and developed at the studio, with the leatherwork carried out by specialist craftspeople in the Bill Amberg Studio workshop in Park Royal, north London.

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    The studio developed a heavily drummed and naturally grained leather especially to upholster the installation and complement the office’s internal finishes of stone and steel.
    Its soft tan finish has natural tonal and textural variations, helping to create a sense of warmth while differentiating the panels.
    Leather-clad panelling was also added to the walls of the atrium across both the ground floor and the first floor, creating a sense of continuity within the building.
    Leather panelling was added to the walls to create a cohesive look”It was a challenging project but immensely satisfying to see the final installation, showing that leatherwork can enhance and bring warmth to large open spaces on a grand scale,” commented Bill Amberg, founder and director of Bill Amberg Studio.
    Previously, the specialist leather studio has teamed up with well-known designers including Marcel Wanders and Timorous Beasties to digitally print cowhides with close-up fractal patterns and colourful splatters resembling Rorschach tests.

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