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      Floral installations decorate Atrium bar in Atlanta by Smith Hanes Studio

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      Handmade fluted ceramic tiles, pink blown-glass lighting and tropical patterned fabrics all feature in this Atlanta bar and restaurant by local architecture firm Smith Hanes Studio.

      Atrium opened earlier this year inside Ponce City Market, located in the city’s Old Fourth Ward neighborhood northeast of Downtown.
      Atrium is split into two main sections, one of which is called The ParlorThe mixed-use development contains a variety of restaurants and retailers, and occupies a converted, historic Sears building.
      Atrium’s interiors by Smith Hanes Studio combine rich tones of green, pink and gold to create spaces that feel simultaneously moody, whimsical and tropical.
      The Parlor features a long bar fronted with handmade ceramic tiles”The design was inspired by colorful French cafes and Art Deco buildings,” said studio founder Smith Hanes. “The lines, colours, shapes and patterns are fascinating, unafraid and daring.”

      The establishment is split over two main rooms: The Parlor and The Bistro.
      A mural of tropical ibis birds accompanies pink seating and a floral installation in the fireplaceThe Parlor accommodates a 1,200-square-foot (110-square-metre) cocktail lounge, where the front of the bar counter and a large column behind are clad in emerald green ceramic tiles handmade by local artisan Charlotte Smith.
      “Similar to the name Atrium, the tiles were inspired by Roman columns and architecture,” she said. “A translucent glaze was applied to accentuate dimension with the pooling of rich colour.”
      A casual lounge area separates The Parlor from The BistroLiquor is displayed in open cabinets with decorative rounded tops, also painted green to contrast the pink shade that covers the remaining walls, ceiling, ductwork and pipes.
      The terrazzo bar countertop, also flecked with pink, curves around to a seating area where banquettes tuck into each corner on either side of a fireplace that has a floral installation.
      The Bistro dining room also features a green and pink colour schemeA hand-painted wall mural by Savannah-based artist Kipper Millsap depicts a flock of ibis birds in flight and is lit by fringed sconces imported from Spain.
      “When I heard that Kipper was painting murals of these glossy ibis from South Africa, I designed a mossy landscape at the fireplace to abstractly house these cool birds,” said floral designer Skye Lind.
      Curtains patterned with tropical plants cover an entire wallFrom The Parlor, arched openings lead through to a bright lounge that is populated by soft, casual seating atop green and white floor tiles.
      More arches on the other side provide access into The Bistro — a dining area with mottled green walls and a striped diagonal pattern applied over its wood flooring.
      Pink banquettes sit atop wooden floors painted with diagonal stripesDusty-pink banquettes and deep-teal love seats surround dark wooden tables, which are also paired with matching chairs for smaller parties.
      Hand-blown pink glass sconces supported by brass arms cantilever over the tables, giving off a warm glow. Further lighting is provided by green cloche-shaped pendants with bronze undersides.

      Five restaurants and bars worth going out for in Atlanta

      These are suspended from the 12-foot (3.7-metre) ceiling among an installation of vines and hanging plants, also by Lind, who founded local florist Pinker Times.
      “Thousands of pieces of florals and foliage are suspended in the air,” Lind said. “Composed like a piece of music, the art installation moves harmoniously around the room to celebrate the culinary experience at Atrium.”
      Tables are illuminated by the glow of pink blown-glass lightsThe verdant theme is also continued in patterns across floor-to-ceiling curtains that drape across the entire back wall.
      “The dining experience at Atrium is reminiscent of a garden party where you’re free to enjoy yourself among the unique natural beauty of each petal and branch,” said the team.
      Atrium is located in Ponce City Market, northeast of Downtown AtlantaSmith Hanes Studio was founded in Atlanta in 2004, then opened a New York office in 2020. Best known for its hospitality projects, the firm also collaborated with R&A on the Woodlark Hotel in Portland.
      Atlanta’s culinary scene has been on the rise for some time. In 2019, we rounded up five bars and restaurants with impressive interiors in the city, including a snug club by Workstead and a cocktail lounge by Tom Dixon.
      The photography is by Tim Lenz.

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      Ten home interiors animated by sculptural winding staircases

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      Sculpture-like concrete steps and a curving stair suspended above ground feature in this lookbook, which spotlights ten residential interiors with standout spiral or helical staircases.

      Winding stairways are found in two styles known as spiral or helical stairs. Though they appear similar and both make use of tapered treads, spiral staircases are arranged around a central column, while helical staircases encircle voids.
      Spiral staircases are also typically round in shape and used in interiors with limited space because they require less space than traditional linear stairs.
      Meanwhile, helical stairs require a larger floor area and are therefore more suitable when making a staircase the focal point of a room. These systems commonly have wider elliptical shapes than the spiral versions.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing bedrooms with clever storage solutions, homes with decorative vaulted ceilings and offices with wooden bleachers.

      Photo is by Cristiano BauceLoft Diego, Brazil, by Arquitetura Nacional
      Arquitetura Nacional suspended this sculptural black staircase from the upper floor of an apartment in Porto Alegre so that its base doesn’t touch the floor.
      Crafted from folded steel and finished with plastic covering, the helicoidal structure helped the studio to transform the duplex into a more “fluid space”.
      Find out more about Loft Diego ›
      Photo is by Olmo PeetersRiverside Tower apartment, Belgium, by Studio Okami Architecten
      While renovating a duplex apartment in the brutalist Riverside Tower in Antwerp, Studio Okami Architecten introduced a pastel blue staircase between its two levels.
      The position and form of the spiralling stair were chosen to help maximise floor space in the dwelling, while its bright finish creates a striking contrast to the exposed concrete behind it.
      Find out more about Riverside Tower ›
      Photo is by Leonardo FinottiCasa Thomé Beira da Silva, Brazil, by Marcos Bertoldi Arquitetos
      Wooden panels line this helical staircase, which Marcos Bertoldi Arquitetos created as a sculptural centrepiece for the double-height living room at Casa Thomé Beira in the south of Brazil.
      Visible from the outside of the home, the staircase leads up to a series of bedrooms and is complemented by a wooden material palette that runs throughout.
      Find out more about Casa Thomé Beira da Silva ›

      Haus JJ, Germany, by NOWlab
      Colourful flooring and a rope balustrade animate this compact spiral staircase, which NOWlab designed to save valuable floor space in a small two-storey apartment in Berlin.
      Enclosed by walls at the centre of the dwelling, the structure has slender wooden treads that fan out from a central column and complement the surrounding herringbone floors.
      Find out more about Haus JJ ›
      Photo is by Juan SolanoCasa Blanca, Peru, by Martin Dulanto
      This self-supporting, fluorescent orange staircase twists up through the centre of the Casa Blanca residence in Lima to connect all three of its levels.
      Made from reinforced concrete with a concealed iron core, it is designed by Martin Dulanto Sangalli as the focal point of the house that has an otherwise muted colour scheme.
      Find out more about Casa Blanca ›
      Photo is by Mia MortensenTommy Rand’s House, Denmark, by Tommy Rand
      More than 600 pieces of CNC-cut plywood were glued together by hand to build this spiral staircase, located in the house that architect Tommy Rand designed for his family in Denmark.
      Visible from the exterior of the dwelling, the curved form has been placed against a concrete backdrop that draws attention to the intricacy of its design and adds warmth to the home.
      Find out more about Tommy Rand’s House ›
      Photo is by Ben HoskingOgimachi House, Japan, by Tomoaki Uno Architects
      A helical staircase with petal-shaped wooden treads breaks up the gridded layout of this skylit house in Japan.
      Resembling a flower when viewed from above, its form helps to save floor space while also providing access to four private rooms on the top floor.
      Find out more about Ogimachi House ›
      Photo is by Tim Van de VeldeHouse Dede, Belgium, by OYO Architects
      This wood-lined staircase sits at the heart of the cross-shaped plan of House Dede, which OYO Architects completed on the site of an old barn in Drongen.
      Winding upwards through a circular hole that punctures a board-marked concrete ceiling, it forms a sculptural yet functional centrepiece for the house.
      Find out more about House Dede ›

      Sacha, France, by SABO Project
      Thin slats of plywood and a bespoke baby gate that can be easily removed are key features of this cylindrical staircase, which is located in a refurbished apartment in Paris.
      It was designed as part of a quirky yet “child-proof” renovation project that was carried out by SABO Project for a young couple expecting their first child.
      Find out more about Sacha ›
      Photo is by Kazunori FujimotoHouse in Akitsu, Japan, by Kazunori Fujimoto
      This guardless staircase juxtaposes the cubic concrete forms of the House in Akitsu, which overlooks a seaside spot near the city of Higashihiroshima.
      The twisting form, which links the home’s bedrooms and living spaces, was engineered to negate the need for a central pillar and in turn, offers a sculptural look.
      Find out more about House in Akitsu ›
      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 bedrooms with clever storage solutions, homes with decorative vaulted ceilings and offices with wooden bleachers.

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      Fettle designs apartment block The Gessner to resemble a private members' club

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      Interiors studio Fettle took cues from hospitality spaces when fitting out this contemporary residential block in London, which houses 164 apartments alongside a co-working area and an in-house cafe.

      Managed by property developer Way of Life, The Gessner is set in a former pencil factory in the rapidly regenerating industrial area of Tottenham Hale.
      The Gessner’s lounge doubles up as a workspace for residentsFettle created refined and cohesive interiors for the development, informed by its experience in designing hotels such as The Hoxton in Boston and Schwan Locke in Munich
      “Most of our work as a company currently is hotel-based, so we have a strong understanding of what makes these kinds of spaces special,” co-founder Andy Goodwin told Dezeen.
      There’s also a cafe inside the apartment block”A lot of the other commercial clients we work with are aiming to achieve a very layered, somewhat residential feel to their spaces so there is a lot of overlap,” he continued.

      “We utilised many of the same suppliers we use within members clubs, hotels and restaurant projects.”
      As well as apartments, The Gessner includes guest suites for temporary visitorsAfter coming through the ground floor entrance of The Gessner, residents arrive at a lobby that’s richly furnished with sofas, patterned armchairs and a mix of vivid artworks curated by art consultant Kate Anniss.
      During the day this area serves as a communal workspace, while in the evenings it can be used as an oversized living room where residents can convene and chat.
      Nearby, there’s a cafe with wood-lined walls, tan leather seating and a terrazzo service counter inlaid with orange aggregate.

      Fettle designs Schwan Locke Hotel in homage to early German modernism

      Furnishings and fabrics found on The Gessner’s ground floor are also incorporated throughout the apartments, which are available furnished or unfurnished, as well as in a pair of guest suites located on the building’s 13th floor.
      These can be reserved by residents who have friends and family coming to visit, or by other travellers hoping to stay in the area.
      Residents can make meals in the building’s communal kitchenThe 13th floor plays host to a number of other communal facilities, which were designed to encourage socialising among residents.
      This includes a large dining room and kitchen with wooden cabinetry and a greenery-filled gantry that stores pots and pans.
      The kitchen adjoins a private dining roomThere’s also a lounge and a spacious outdoor terrace complete with sun loungers, beach-style umbrellas and a BBQ station set beneath a shady pergola, where residents can while away the warmer summer months.
      “One of the key things with both hotels and apartment buildings is having some synergy between the public and private spaces, which was successful at The Gessner as they feel like a continuation of each other,” Goodwin said.
      Residents can also make use of The Gessner’s roof terraceFettle was established in 2013 by Andy Goodwin and Tom Parker.
      The Gessner isn’t the only project to come from the studio this year. Last month, the duo finished work on The Malin, a homely co-working space in New York with loft-style interiors.
      The images are courtesy of Way of Life. 

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      Watch Open House Worldwide's Housing and the People festival explore extraordinary housing

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      Dezeen is teaming up with Open House Worldwide to livestream its festival exploring the future of housing and neighbourhood planning. Tune in to the broadcast from 7am-7pm UK time on 9 April 2022.

      Called Housing and the People, the virtual festival is a 12-hour livestream featuring live tours of pioneering housing and critical debates about the future of housing.
      It will also showcase films and podcasts exploring historic and contemporary residential schemes and local approaches to housing issues.
      The festival features over 50 contributions from the global Open House network, from locations including London, Lagos, Melbourne, New York, Taiwan, Seoul and more. It is organised by London-based architecture charity Open City.
      Featured speakers and tour guides include architects Antonio Cortés Ferrando, Johannes Eggen and Farshid Moussavi among other renowned designers.

      The festival includes a live tour of Karakusevic Carson Architects’ redevelopment of the Colville EstateThis year’s instalment of the festival will explore the various ways that architects and city planners are trying to advance housing models and residential areas in line with the acceleration of technology, climate change and the evolving nature of how we live and socialise with one another since the coronavirus pandemic.
      Other topics include how to build low-carbon housing to accommodate growing populations, what can be learnt from indigenous and vernacular architecture and how to retain the character of local townscapes when building on a larger scale.
      Highlights of the festival include a live tour of Karakusevic Carson’s ongoing redevelopment of the Colville Estate in east London, which comprises over 900 new residences as well as improved community facilities and public spaces.
      Also featured is a presentation and panel discussion led by Studio Bright director Mel Bright exploring the complex economic, political and cultural implications that affect access to affordable and safe housing for women in Victoria, Australia.
      Studio Bright director Mel Bright will present the studio’s affordable housing project for women in MelbourneEstablished in 2010, Open House Worldwide is a network of over fifty organisations in cities across the globe that present festivals, events and open a dialogue focusing on architecture, design and cities.
      The first edition of the Open House Worldwide festival took place in November 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The 48-hour virtual festival was broadcast to a global audience of over 40,000 viewers and was named one of Dezeen’s top events of 2020.
      The full lineup of talks and more information about the festival can be found here.
      Housing and the People will take place from 7am-7pm UK time on 9 April 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
      Partnership content
      This article was written as part of a partnership with Open House Worldwide. Find out more about our partnership content here.

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      Archmongers uses eco-friendly materials in colourful Bakken & Bæck office

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      Materials like cardboard and recycled rubber are paired with softly contrasting colours in the London office of Bakken & Bæck, designed by local architects Archmongers.

      The ambition was to create a distinct identity for the Norwegian tech design agency’s London team, but to achieve this in the most eco-friendly way possible.
      A red conference table contrasts with mint-green wallsArchmongers founders Margaret Bursa and Johan Hybschmann felt the best way to make a bold statement was to develop a playful palette of colours, similar to Bakken & Bæck’s offices in Oslo, Amsterdam and Bonn.
      They selected muted shades of red, yellow and green, creating subtle but memorable colour contrasts.
      Cardboard tubes create a scallop wallpaper effect”The space is flooded with daylight, which helped us choose strong colours to work against the neutral background,” Bursa told Dezeen. “We worked with various combinations until we arrived at the right one.”

      To minimise the carbon footprint of the design, the architects chose some natural and recycled materials.
      Fast-growing Douglas fir provides the frames of glazed partition walls, while recycled rubber was chosen for the flooring. Cardboard tubes were also used, to create an unusual scalloped wallpaper effect.
      Recycled rubber provides an acoustic flooring”We found some cardboard tubes that are used for concrete formwork, but we used them to give parts of the space definition and warmth,” said Bursa.
      The studio occupies two floors of De Beauvoir Block, a workspace community in east London.
      The lower level offers conference and lounge spaces, while the upper level contains an office and three smaller meeting rooms.
      Ceiling beams and surfaces are painted the same colour as the wallsCurtains and colour-blocking help to create definitions between different zones.
      On the lower level, the red conference table stands out against the mint-green walls, while the two lounge spaces are characterised by deep purple tones.

      Kvistad creates tonal workspaces inside Oslo office

      Upstairs, the same shade of red draws attention to the meeting rooms. The effect was achieved using natural wood stains.
      In the office, ceiling beams and surfaces are all painted the same shade as the walls, while a small kitchen features dark fronts and a monochrome terrazzo surface.
      Glazed screen made from red-painted Douglas fir define meeting rooms”We focused our efforts sourcing a materials palette that is sustainable and hardwearing, but also enduringly beautiful,” said Hybschmann.
      The Archmongers duo often use colour to add an extra layer of interest to their projects, with examples including a renovation in the modernist Golden Lane Estate and a tile-clad house extension.
      Here, acoustics were also an important consideration. The rubber floor and textile wall panels help to dampen sound.
      Textile panels improve acoustics in meeting roomsOther details include angled ceiling mirrors, which provide visual connections between spaces, and furniture by designers including Alvar Aalto, Verner Panton, Barber Osgerby, and the Bouroullec brothers.
      “Our design evokes a homely environment rather than a conventional workspace,” added Hybschmann.
      “We were mindful of the need to coax people back from their home offices, through providing attractive, comfortable spaces that encourage collaboration.”
      The office houses the London studio of tech design agency Bakken & BæckBakken & Bæck describes the space as “our shared home-away-from-home”.
      “It plays a huge role in how we socialise,” said the team. “We gather daily for lunch around the bespoke table on the ground floor, use the snug as a place to connect with other BB offices over a game of Mario Kart, and on the first floor we are lucky to have a plant-filled space with a lot of natural light where we get the work done.”
      Photography is by French + Tye.

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      Kelly Wearstler renovates swimming pool for suite in Downtown LA Proper Hotel

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      American designer Kelly Wearstler has refurbished a pool for a suite in the Downtown LA Proper Hotel, which opened earlier this year.

      As part of her studio’s extensive refurbishment of the building, Wearstler took the 35-foot (10.6-metre) pool from its previous use as a YWCA and turned it into a feature for the Pool Suite on the seventh floor.
      Kelly Wearstler remodelled the swimming room as part of a standalone suiteWith Omgivning as the project architect, the 2,777-square-foot (258-square-metre) room is one of 148 that she renovated for the launch of the hotel in February 2022. It is the only location in the Proper Hotel group chain thats feature an in-suite swimming pool.
      The room’s interior takes art deco influences from the club that the building was originally designed for in the 1920s.
      The Italian marble tile continues into the kitchen”During our initial research into the landmark building, we discovered this pool room originally shared a floor plate with guest rooms and so thought it would be a novel idea to transform it into an iconic suite with a private pool,” said Wearstler.

      Over the pool is an ivory ceramic mirror mural that covers the whole wall, created by artist Ben Medansky, who also worked with Wearstler on the Proper hotel in Santa Monica.
      The bedroom has a Kelly Wearstler-designed Matador bed”It was important to me to avoid a repeating pattern and instead treat each tile as its own canvas – no two are exactly alike,” said Medansky.
      “I drew inspiration from my Los Angeles-to-Arizona road trips over the years, and incorporated motifs of tire treads, traffic signs, and cacti, which were then minimized, abstracted, and put back together in a puzzle formation.”
      A mustard yellow shade covers the bedroom wallsIn the pool room, there is also an expressive wooden statue that sits in front of a window that naturally illuminated the space. Against the mosaic, Wearstler has placed a thin black metal bench.
      The floors surrounding the pool comprise multicoloured marble tiles – contributing to the 136 unique types of tile used across the hotel.

      Kelly Wearstler’s “fiercely local” Santa Monica Proper Hotel named AHEAD Americas Hotel of the Year

      A small lounge area with pink chairs by Michael Felix is placed in the entryway that separates the pool from the rest of the suite.
      The pool deck leads into an open kitchen, with similarly tiled floors and pink plaster walls by Studio One Plaster.
      The bathroom tile design was completed in houseA marble backsplash, custom millwork made with light wood, and an island with Lostine barstools also feature in this space.
      Meanwhile, a small dining table is accompanied by a set of Kelly Wearstler Martel Chairs.
      Much of the furniture in the suite was sourced from vintage outlets in the US and EuropeA bedroom and lounge area have dark-stained wood floors and walls painted a rich yellow colour that surround windows overlooking Downtown LA.
      The bathroom was lined with bronze and black tile made in house by Wearstler’s team.
      The LA-based designer is also behind a third Proper hotel in California, located in San Francisco and featuring an as the “eclectic” interior filled with vintage and European furniture.
      The photography is by The Ingalls.
      Project credits:
      Design: Kelly WearstlerArchitect: OmgivningCompany: McGuire BuildersHospitality: Group Proper HospitalityDeveloper: The KOR Group

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      The New Work Project is a monochrome co-working space in Brooklyn

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      A shared workspace for creatives has opened in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with minimalist black and white interiors and gold-toned accents.

      The New Work Project is the brainchild of The New Design Project, a studio founded by Parsons graduates Fanny Abbes and James Davison.
      The stark colour scheme of The New Work Project becomes apparent upon entering the reception areaHaving worked in finance for a time, the duo returned to their design roots to set up the co-working space in a converted foundry building, and craft its interiors.
      They describe it as “a place for like-minded people to come together in an environment that is personal and intimate, and designed for collaboration”, adding that the space is “individually designed to inspire, stimulate, promote creativity and facilitate fluid working”.
      Members can choose from a variety of seating options in the open-plan spaceA largely monochrome theme is followed through the space — from walls and door frames to furniture to artworks — with light fixtures, flooring and decorative plants adding some colour.

      “Bold accents of black and gold are carried throughout the space with an overall modern approach to the design,” said the founders. “Clean lights are beautifully accentuated with track lighting against the white interiors.”
      Caned modernist chairs accompany a large meeting tableThe stark palette is evident immediately upon entering into a vestibule painted black on its three sides and ceiling.
      A reception desk has a pale marble top cut into an angular shape, and is lit by a thin linear fixture that runs up the wall and across the ceiling to form a 90-degree angle.
      Desks are arranged in U-shape configurations opposite a marble barBeyond is a lounge area, where four black-framed modernist chairs with caned backs and seats face a large upholstered ottoman.
      The dark central seating sits on a pale grey rug, as do a pair of styled coffee tables on either side.
      Private conference rooms can be booked for meetingsA larger meeting table surrounded by the same caned chairs is positioned in front of a series of private conference rooms, which are available for members to book for meetings.
      There’s also a trio of phone booth-style rooms from which individuals can take calls.
      Phone booths offer privacy for individual calls”The intimate ’boutique’ space creates a community environment while also creating a place for work and productivity,” the founders said.
      The remainder of the co-working space is open plan, with light wood flooring throughout and white on all of the walls except those painted black at each end.

      The Malin is designed as a vibrant but homely New York co-working space

      Tables are laid out in U-shape configurations, divided by black-tinted glass partitions where they face one another.
      Three-branched brass lights hang overhead, while lamps with globe-shaped bulbs are placed on each desk.
      Gold-toned accents are found throughout the spaceA marble bar, accompanied by a line of black stools, separates this work area from a kitchen for members to prepare and eat food.
      Some of the building’s original steel columns are left exposed, their rough surfaces contrasting with the white walls and marble counters.
      The monochrome scheme continues down to artworks and stylingNew York City has no shortage of co-working spaces. Many are similarly using design to entice members, like The Malin that recently opened in Soho.
      Our latest lookbook rounds up 10 shared workspaces around the world that offer a reprieve from the home office.

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      Ten basement conversions that make use of subterranean space

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      Our latest lookbook features 10 homes where basement conversions create extra rooms and more liveable space underground.

      Basement conversions can be a practical way of providing homes with additional space. They are often found in UK townhouses where floor space is at a premium, such as in Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian homes in London that were often built with basements to accommodate house staff.
      While their subterranean setting means these spaces run the risk of becoming dark, damp and unpleasant, smart solutions such as light wells and excavations can help to bring light into the space and turn them into useful extra living areas.
      In this lookbook, we’ve taken a closer look at a range of different basement conversions, including basements that are now host to swimming pools, kitchen diners and even entire apartments.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing bedrooms with clever storage solutions, interiors that use mirrors to maximise space and compact bedrooms.

      Casa Fernandez, Argentina, by Adamo-Faiden
      This 1970s townhouse in Buenos Aires was refurbished by local studio Adamo-Faiden to include a large glazed enclosure at the rear. It extends to the home’s lowest level, which was converted into additional living space.
      The basement is connected to the home’s outdoor space by a gravelled patio that bridges the indoors and outdoors and forms an interior extension of the garden.
      Find out more about Casa Fernandez ›
      Photo is by Jake Curtis and Elliot SheppardPowerscroft Road townhouse, UK, by Daytrip
      Before a renovation that was completed by design studio Daytrip, the basement of this London townhouse was dark, damp and “unloved”. The studio excavated the lower level of the home to raise the basement’s ceiling height and added an open-plan kitchen-diner in its place.
      The interior walls of the converted basement were painted white to match the walls of the sunken garden, in order to create continuity and visually extend the interior.
      Find out more about Powerscroft Road townhouse ›

      Caroline Place, UK, by Amin Taha Architects
      Amin Taha Architects extended the basement level of this 1950s brick terraced home in London’s Bayswater neighbourhood, incorporating the home’s rugged concrete soffit within the design.
      Prior to the renovation, the home’s layout had been adapted and changed to reconfigure the original floor plan, which was informed by typical Edwardian homes.
      Amin Taha Architects updated the home to include open-plan living area framed by a number of different materials and finishes.
      Find out more about Caroline Place ›
      Photo is by Alexandria HallRydon Street, UK, by Moxon Architects
      A rear basement extension was added to this Victorian townhouse in London, which was gutted and renovated by British architecture studio Moxon Architects.
      The studio created a full-width white interior that opens up onto a similarly crisp-white sunken, split-level garden. White concrete brick walls and white resin floors were implemented across the lower level of the home to achieve a clean, minimalist look.
      Find out more about Rydon Street ›
      Photo is by Jim StephensonHouse in Primrose Hill, UK, by Jamie Fobert Architects
      Travertine-lined walls are host to a basement swimming pool, lit by a lightwell, that forms part of the two-floor concrete basement of a Primrose Hill home.
      Jamie Fobert Architects maintained the north London home’s traditional Victorian exterior, but completely renovated the interior using travertine, concrete and wood to create an open plan contemporary interior. The studio added an additional floor to the basement, which now hosts the stone-lined swimming pool.
      Find out more about House in Primrose Hill ›
      Photo is by Hey! CheeseHouse H, Taiwan, by KC Design Studio
      A dark and gloomy aesthetic was channelled by KC Design Studio when overhauling the formerly neglected basement of this apartment in Taipei.
      The studio carved several openings into the ceiling of the basement to filter light into the interior. One large rectangular opening at the front of the apartment allows light to funnel from the ground floor’s facade while also hosting a staircase, while an L-shaped opening at the rear was topped with gridded sheets to circulate air between the ground and basement floor.
      Plants were added below to create pops of colour.
      Find out more about House H ›
      Photo is by Jose HeviaApartment Tibbaut, Spain, by Raúl Sánchez
      Circular pine walls were used to divide and zone rooms in this vaulted basement of a Barcelona home that was converted into a subterranean apartment.
      Architect Raúl Sánchez fitted a stone and pine staircase at the entrance to the subterranean, 55-square metre space. Circular laminated pine walls weave between the vaults of the ceiling, while structural octagonal columns were used to separate and form the living areas and create a monumental look.
      Find out more about Apartment Tibbaut ›
      Photo is by Noortje KnulstMatryoshka House, the Netherlands, by Shift Architecture Urbanism
      Formerly a derelict four-storey residence, Matryoshka House was overhauled by Shift Architecture Urbanism after neighbours of the home were troubled by its neglected condition. The studio divided the home into two flats, one of which occupies the two lower levels.
      Shift Architecture Urbanism removed the rear walls of the home and replaced them with a full-height glazed wall that opens the basement level living areas onto the garden.
      It used industrial and raw materials throughout the renovation, incorporating concrete across the floors and unstained wood panels across the walls and inserting steel-wrapped volumes.
      Find out more about Matryoshka House ›
      Photo is by Alexander SeverinPaulus Hook Residence, US, by Fogarty Finger
      Located within a defunct industrial building in New Jersey, this single-family home was converted by New York studio Fogarty Finger.
      The studio transformed the home while preserving its original character which previously housed a propellers workshop. It converted the basement into a bright and liveable space fitted with a tranquil pool that adjoins a small courtyard.
      Find out more about Paulus Hook Residence ›
      Photo is by Ed ReeveMole House, UK, by Adjaye Associates
      This home in north London was once owned by a retired civil engineer, who was dubbed the Mole Man by the press for digging a labyrinth of tunnels and burrows beneath it. It underwent an extensive renovation by Adjaye Associates.
      The architecture practice converted the home into a live-work space for artist Sue Webster, which included a double-height basement artist’s studio.
      Find out more about Mole House ›
      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 bedrooms with clever storage solutions, interiors that use mirrors to maximise space and compact bedrooms.

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