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      The Dezeen guide to wood in architecture, interiors and design

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      Thinking of using timber in your architecture or design project? Our guide to 15 of the most popular types of wood and wood products has links to hundreds of examples for inspiration.

      Ash
      Ash is a deciduous hardwood that produces a beautiful pale timber with a grain similar to oak. Versatile, shock-resistant and with no odour, it is widely used for furniture and objects.
      Architect R2 Studio used solid ash to create a staircase with a perforated plywood bannister in a London domestic extension while Hannah clad an off-grid cabin in upstate New York with infested ash wood. In Valencia, Francesc Rifé Studio used ash throughout the interiors of a facial and dental clinic named Swiss Concept (above).
      See projects featuring ash ›

      Bamboo
      Bamboo is a type of grass rather than a tree but its fast-growing canes are widely used in architecture and design both in their natural state and processed into wood-like lumber and fibres.
      Bamboo canes are used for the structure, walls and doors of this clothing factory in Colombia by Ruta 4 (above), while designer David Trubridge has reissued his Cloud lighting collection using bamboo strips instead of plastic.
      See projects featuring bamboo ›

      Beech
      Native to Europe, beech is a hard, heavy, fine-textured hardwood widely used in furniture making and as a flooring material. It is also commonly used as a veneer and the timber is suitable for steam bending. Beech wood ranges from creamy white to pink or red in colour.
      Designer David Ericsson created the Madonna chair from solid beech for Swedish brand Gärsnäs while Peca designed cylindrical furniture with beech wood dowels (above.)
      See projects featuring beech ›

      Cedar
      This coniferous softwood is weather-resistant, making it suitable for cladding including shingles as well as outdoor furniture. It has a fragrant aroma and insect-repelling qualities.
      The wood comes from a handful of species of genuine cedar trees that grow at high altitudes including Lebanon cedar and Cyprus cedar.
      Additionally, there is a range of American conifers that are commonly described as cedars, including western red cedar and Atlantic white cedar, which are technically different species.
      Cedar-clad buildings are particularly common in America. Bates Masi Architects used oversized cedar shingles for the cladding of this home in the Hamptons (above and top) while HGA Architects and Engineers covered these Vermont dwellings in cedar boards.
      See projects featuring cedar ›

      Cherry
      The wood of the cherry tree has a warm reddish colour that darkens with age. It is fine-grained and easy to work, making it a popular choice for furniture and homewares as gives a rich tone to interiors.
      Azman Architects used cherry wood to create partitions in a London apartment while John Pawson paired the timber with limestone for his Jil Sander store in Tokyo (above.)
      See projects featuring cherry ›

      Chestnut
      The sweet chestnut tree produces timber with a brown or reddish-brown colour and a coarse texture. It is suitable for outdoor uses including cladding, shingles, decking and outdoor furniture, as well as for indoor furnishings and objects.
      Architect K-Studio used chestnut wood for the lattice of a Greek holiday home, (above,) while designer Mikyia Kobayashi built an electric mobility scooter from the timber.
      See projects featuring chestnut ›

      Cork
      The bark of the cork oak tree has come into favour in recent years as a material for both architecture and design projects. As well as having a pleasantly musty smell it has good insulation properties and is fire resistant, making it appropriate for internal and external cladding.
      Its noise reduction properties, sponginess and durability make it suitable for flooring as well while the sustainable way cork is harvested without damaging the tree gives it good environmental credentials. On top of this, cork can be recycled.
      Architect Matthew Barnett Howland demonstrated the versatility of cork by building a recyclable house from the material, (above,) while Jasper Morrison is one of the designers who has used cork conglomerate to make furniture.
      See projects featuring cork ›

      Douglas fir
      Native to western North America, Douglas fir is an evergreen conifer. A softwood, it is a type of pine rather than a true fir and is commonly grown as a Christmas tree. Its timber is pinkish to red in colour.
      Douglas fir, which is also known as Oregon pine, is widely used in construction. Architectural uses include the cladding on this barn-like house in England (above) by Elliott Architects and the exposed structure of this cabin in the Netherlands by Crafted Works.
      See projects featuring Douglas fir ›

      Larch
      Larch is a deciduous conifer that grows throughout the northern hemisphere. The heartwood is usually red or brown in colour. Tough and durable with waterproof qualities, larch is widely used outdoors for fencing and cladding as well as boat-building.
      Projects using larch include Arklab’s twin houses in Germany that are clad in untreated larch and a house in Scotland by Mary Arnold-Forster Architects that is clad in burnt larch (above.)
      See projects featuring larch ›

      Maple
      There are around 200 species of maple, ranging from shrubs to large trees identifiable by their pairs of winged seeds and five-lobed leaves.
      This deciduous hardwood is widely harvested for timber, which has a fine grain and ranges in colour from white to golden or red. The wood is used for a variety of indoor purposes including furniture and objects and is particularly prized as a flooring material for sports halls and dance venues.
      Designer Thomas Heatherwick created a modular desk with wooden planter legs made from maple (above), while architect Naturehumaine clad a staircase in angular panels of solid timber as part of a renovation of a Montreal apartment.
      See projects featuring maple ›

      Oak
      There are around 500 different species of oak tree, many of which produce hard, durable, versatile timber that can be used structurally, for external and internal cladding, for doors and windows and furniture and flooring.
      Architect Thomas-McBrien used oak to clad the interior of this kitchen extension in London (above), while this off-grid cabin by Out of the Valley has a structure of oak beams constructed using traditional joinery techniques.
      Oak furniture includes Cecilie Manz’s Workshop table for Muuto, which has a solid oak frame and an oak veneer top.
      See projects featuring oak ›

      Pine
      There are dozens of species of pine. It is a coniferous softwood, often with a yellow or reddish colour and containing many small knots that give pine objects and interiors a rustic look, plus a distinctive sharp scent.
      Many types of pine trees grow quickly, making their wood cheaper than other timbers. This partly explains pine’s widespread use in construction and joinery. More hardwearing than other softwoods, pine is also widely used for flooring and staircases.
      Architectural uses include the slatted cladding on this beach house in Chile by LAND Arquitectos (above), and this Swedish lakeside house by Dive Architects, while design projects that use pine include a furniture collection by Studio Sløyd that attempts to revive interest in a type of timber that has fallen out of fashion in recent years.
      See projects featuring pine ›

      Spruce
      Spruce is a genus of evergreen coniferous tree native to the northern hemisphere. One of the most widely used of all timbers, spruce wood is often confused with pine but is generally lighter and softer with a creamy white, pale yellow or red-brown colour.
      A softwood, spruce is easy to work with and is used extensively in construction, including structural elements and internal and external cladding, in the production of plywood and in carpentry.
      Architectural uses include the cave-like interior of this suite at a luxury resort in Greece designed by Tenon Architecture and the panelled interior of Kvadrat’s design studio in Copenhagen (above) by Caruso St John.
      See projects featuring spruce ›

      Sycamore
      Sycamore is the name given to a range of deciduous hardwood trees including the European sycamore, maple sycamore and American plane. It is often confused with maple and has similar-shaped leaves and winged seeds.
      The timber is white to light brown with a fine grain, sometimes featuring a speckled pattern.
      Susceptible to rot if it gets wet, the timber is not generally used for construction or outdoor purposes but as it has no odour and does not stain it is widely used for kitchen implements as well as furniture and objects.
      Designer Faye Toogood used sycamore for a range of furniture while architect Giles Reid used the timber for a bar in a Japanese restaurant in London (above).
      See projects featuring sycamore ›

      Walnut
      Walnut is a dense hardwood that polishes well and often has an attractive colour and an intricately patterned grain. It is particularly suitable for carving and furniture making while walnut veneers are prized by luxury car brands and cabinet makers.
      Popular varieties include European (also known as English) walnut and black walnut, which is native to the USA.
      Furniture that makes use of walnut includes the 50th-anniversary edition of Arne Jacobsen’s Lily Chair, which is finished in a walnut veneer, while architect Scott Whitby Studio designed a bedroom that features bespoke walnut furniture (above.)
      See projects featuring walnut ›

      Numerous material products are made from wood and there are many ways of treating wood to change its appearance and performance. Here are some of the best-known.
      Blackened wood
      Blackened wood is increasingly popular as a way of finishing natural timber, particularly for cladding and furniture. The surface of the timber is blackened by singeing it.
      Cross-laminated timber
      Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is an engineered construction product made of strips of wood bonded together with their grains at right angles to each other for rigidity. It can be used for small buildings like the woodland cabin by Otraum Architects (above), and is strong enough to use structurally, including for tall buildings such as the proposed 13-storey Dock Mill tower by Urban Agency.
      Plywood
      Plywood is made of thin veneers of wood glued together with crisscrossing grains to produce sheets that can be used for internal cladding, structures and even for external use when protected from the weather adequately, plus a wide range of products.
      Birch plywood is particularly prized due to its fine grain and silky appearance.

      Architects Diana Salvador and Javier Mera used plywood to build a cabin in Equador for themselves beside a river in Puerto Quito (above), while Toledano + Architects used steam-bent plywood to create a sinuous partition in this Paris apartment.
      Steam-bent timber
      Some types of wood can be formed into curves by subjecting them to steam, which softens the material and allows it to be bent in a mould. Steam-bent timber is widely used to produce furniture as well as cladding and features such as bannisters.
      Chipboard
      Chipboard, also known as particle board, is a cheaper engineered product consisting of small pieces of wood bonded together into boards and can be used for larger architectural projects like this house in Alicante, Spain (below).
      Oriented strand board
      Oriented strand board (OSB) is made of larger strands of wood arranged so their grains run in different directions and then compressed and bonded.

      Recent popular wooden projects on Dezeen include a cork and cross-laminated timber extension to a traditional Catalan house, a pair of timber-clad cabins on a coastal hillside in Chile, a cosy woodland cabin in Finland and a wooden tofu factory in the mountains of eastern China.

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      Noiascape brings variety and maturity to co-living with High Street House

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      Architects and developers Tom and James Teatum have launched a co-living building in west London where no two homes are the same, and residents can access spaces for working, learning and socialising.The brothers, who run both property company Noiascape and architecture studio Teatum+Teatum, designed High Street House in Shepherd’s Bush to offer flexible and sociable living to residents of all ages, not just young people.

      Every home in High Street House is different
      In line with the co-living model, the homes are small in size, but residents also have access to additional, shared facilities.
      These shared spaces include a co-working lounge that doubles as an events space, a spacious kitchen and dining room, a laundry, and a staircase that functions as a communal library.

      Skylights help to maximise natural light

      Meanwhile the homes – a mix of studios and micro-apartments – are designed to offer both quality and variety. They come in both single- and double-storey arrangements, and several have private outdoor terraces.
      Each one is also fitted out with custom-designed furniture elements, including a bed platform and a mobile storage closet, to ensure they are both space-efficient and high quality.

      Some units are arranged over two levels
      James Teatum told Dezeen that their residents include a mix of singles and couples, both pre- and post-family. What they usually have in common is that that are looking for an attractive place to live, but not a forever home.
      “Our members are typically coming to London for a specific period of three to twelve months, to work or learn,” he said.
      “They are able to work remotely and are very engaged in the cultural and social opportunities that cities provide. They want to live in modern spaces that are highly serviced, furnished and allow them to focus on living.”

      Each home features a Douglas fir kitchen and a mobile storage closet made from perforated metal
      The design for High Street House developed in response to learnings from previous rental homes that Noiascape has built and letted, including the smaller-scale Garden House and Hidden House.
      The founders observed that residents were increasingly looking to work from home – a trend that has only amplified following the Covid-19 pandemic – meaning that dedicated workspaces were becoming essential to residents.
      This led them to create the co-working lounge at ground level. It gives residents a regular workspace, but also a space that can host workshops, exhibitions, talks and other pop-up events that engage the local community.

      Beds are designed as multi-use platforms with surfaces and storage
      Another learning was that that the bed is no longer merely a place for sleeping, and is now used for relaxing and working too. Hence the bed in each High Street House home is a multi-use platform, integrating surfaces and storage.
      Likewise, the architects have created other multi-purpose furniture, including integrated benches and window seats.

      Spacious bathrooms are lined with geometric tiles
      “Flexible work patterns have changed the way members use spaces and what they need from the spaces where they live,” said James.
      “Lots of uses happen in parallel – working, cooking, reading, chatting, exercising – it all can happen in the same space. This was happening pre-Covid, but lockdown has amplified this transition. Therefore, we have simply expanded on the idea of home as a place not only to live, but to work, learn and socialise, all from one location.”

      A co-working lounge doubles as an events space
      The design aesthetic throughout is for bold colours, quality materials and simple, modern detailing.
      Floors are pigmented concrete in bright green and red shades, concrete and brick walls are left exposed, the bespoke kitchens and beds are built from Douglas fir, and the spacious bathrooms are lined in geometric tiles.
      There are also a number of furniture pieces created in collaboration with British designers.

      The main staircase also functions as a communal library
      “Modern urban renters want to turn up and start living straight away,” said James. “If we can provide fully integrated interiors with furniture it removes the need to buy flat pack furniture which is often then thrown out after a year.”
      “We will continue to invest in designing and making furniture with young British makers, it gives a clear identity to the interiors and allows us to work with emerging talent.”

      A large kitchen and dining room can be used by everyone
      The first High Street House residents moved in late 2020, and they include an 18-year-old music student and a couple in their 70s.
      As a result of Covid-19 restrictions, the building’s shared spaces haven’t yet been able to function as intended. But Noiascape plans to curate a diverse programme of events for them as soon as possible.

      Noiascape’s west London co-living space targets home-avoiding millennials

      One they do, Tom and James believes the building could become a model for how co-living developments can engage and contribute to their local communities, in a concept they call “hyper-local”.

      The aim is for High Street House to engage with the local community
      “Where higher local daily densities have been created during lockdown, we have seen some positive impact on local areas,” added James.
      “Co-living as a typology could be the catalyst to create this new density while providing the shared spaces to host a new type of public engagement.”
      Photography is by Nicholas Worley.

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      Krøyer & Gatten celebrates the 1960s and 70s in design for Aarhus restaurant Substans

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      Michelin-starred Aarhus restaurant Substans has moved to a new harbour-side location, designed by local studio Krøyer & Gatten to feel like a Danish home from 50 years ago.The new Substans, which opened in mid-2019, is located on the 11th floor of a new block in the docklands area of Aarhus, Denmark.

      Substans is a Michelin-starred restaurant in Aarhus
      The restaurant, owned by chef René Mammen and his wife Louise, serves Nordic-style cuisine. But there is no à la carte menu – diners are instead served tasting menus filled with highly technical dishes.
      Krøyer & Gatten, which specialises in both architecture and carpentry,  designed the interior of the new space with a similar approach, aiming to celebrate Danish design heritage but to give it a contemporary twist.

      The design takes its cues from residential interiors of the 1960s and 70s

      Studio co-founder Kristian Gatten said they did this by referencing interior design from the 1960s and 70s.
      “The idea behind the interior was to create a cosy intimate space,” he told Dezeen, “with inspiration from architects such as Friis and Moltke, Alvar Aalto and Jørgen Bækmark.”

      The simple materials palette includes oak, bricks and ceramic tiles
      Gatten and partner Philip Krøyer chose materials that are both retro and humble, with distinct references to traditional home interiors. For example, the kitchen features simple brown tiles, while the terrazzo-topped bar is made from white-painted brickwork.
      The dining room is designed to feel simple but homely, with oak flooring, pale curtains and wooden furniture.

      The aim was to create the right atmosphere to accompany the food
      “Visiting a Michelin restaurant should be a holistic experience,” said Gatten, “an experience with great food and wine, but also a great atmosphere and interior/spatial experience.”
      The key to achieving this, he said, was in “creating small stories and spatial experiences within the restaurant”.

      A shelving grid creates the feeling of a pantry in one area
      This meant that the dining space was divided into four zones, each with its own domestic-inspired design concept: the entrance, the pantry, the kitchen and the dining room.
      The entrance space is designed to feel welcoming, with the oak door and slatted wall offering a distinct change in material from the raw concrete of the lobby before it.

      Shelves are dotted with jars of food, wine glasses and plants
      The pantry, which forms the first section of the dining room, is flanked by a large wooden shelving grid, dotted with jars of dried and preserved food, wine glasses and plants.

      Moody interiors of Le Pristine restaurant by Space Copenhagen take cues from the Old Masters

      The kitchen area, which includes the bar and the tables in front, has an open and casual feel, because diners are able to see their food and drinks being prepared. By contrast, the dining room at the rear is more secluded.

      Krøyer & Gatten designed and built most of the solid oak furniture pieces
      Krøyer & Gatten designed and built many of the Substans furniture pieces, including round tables covered with blue linoleum, simple bench seats and curve-backed chairs.
      These solid oak pieces all have visible fixings, so that they could be easily repaired or disassembled in the future.

      Visible fixings allow these pieces to be easily repaired or disassembled
      These are complemented by classic pieces, including pendant lights designed by Poul Henningsen in the 1950s and a set of chairs designed by JL Møllers Møbelfabrik in 1962, which were manufactured locally.
      Photography is by Martin Gravgaard.

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      Echlin uses broken-plan layout to create spacious interiors within London mews house

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      A nearly six-metre-high green wall and a basement floor with a walk-on skylight are among the additions made by design and development firm Echlin to this remodelled mews house in Knightsbridge.The resulting design is described by the local firm as a “reinterpretation” of a classic London mews house, with plenty of useable and flexible space, an abundance of natural light and a strong connection to nature.

      The ground floor living space, top image, is separated from the dining area via an open shelving system, above
      Located on a quiet mews in easy reach of Hyde Park, the 225-square-metre family home is arranged across three floors and connected by a helical oak staircase, which was handmade in East Sussex.
      Entered through an oversized bronze door, the ground floor features an entrance hall cast in grey Pietra marble. This is separated from a generous living space, dining area and study via a sliding partition wall.

      The basement level features a sunken seating area and a kitchen

      The newly created basement level accommodates a large, split-level kitchen and living area while the first floor is occupied by three bedrooms, each with its own en-suite bathroom.
      A 5.5-metre-high living wall stretches between the lower ground and ground floors.

      The ground floor dining area features banquette seating
      Each floor follows a “broken-plan” layout, in which built-in furniture and level changes help to loosely demarcate different areas.
      “The vision was to transform a small mews with compromised rooms into a contemporary home with a great feeling of space,” explained Steve Clinch, Head Architect at Echlin. “This has been achieved by opening up the plan and providing views into other spaces, allowing the full width and length of the house to be experienced.”

      The ground floor also accommodates a small study
      Wide, sliding and pocket doors create views through the different spaces, as does bespoke joinery such as the open shelving that divides the dining, study and living areas on the first floor.
      On the lower ground floor, which was added in by the firm, a sunken seating area is located beyond the kitchen and dining area. The level change is intended to create a visual separation while allowing the spaces to remain connected to each other.

      The kitchen is made from walnut wood
      The walnut kitchen has been designed by Echlin so that all utilities can be concealed behind pivoting pocket doors when the owners are entertaining.
      A walk-on skylight on the ground floor terrace is located directly above the sunken seating area to maximise the amount of daylight in the basement. This is also helped by the fully-retractable, floor-to-ceiling glass door that leads out onto a small terrace and frames the view of the green wall.

      The basement’s ceiling is a walk-on skylight
      Three bedrooms are located on the first floor, where pitched ceilings create a feeling of spaciousness while skylights ensure the spaces get plenty of daylight.The sliding doors in the master bedroom create a visual connection all the way through from the dressing area into the en-suite.

      Sliding doors lead into the master bathroom
      Much of the furniture in the house is designed by Echlin and made in collaboration with a network of skilled craftsmen. Bespoke pieces include the pale timber table on the lower ground floor, which was handmade in Brighton, while the sofas on the lower ground and ground floors come from Oxfordshire.
      According to the studio, the home’s “sense of calm and tranquillity” was created through the use of natural materials, organic textures and a gentle colour palette informed by the nearby park. Meanwhile, the use of metallic surfaces and heritage colours nod to the home’s historic location.

      Ten mews houses that take advantage of London’s backstreets

      “The current climate has placed an even greater emphasis of the importance of how our homes are designed, how we use them and its impact on our moods,” said Sam McNally, who co-founded Echlin in 2011 with Mark O’Callaghan.
      “We recognise that mood, wellbeing and happiness are all shaped by what surrounds us and we are committed to making these spaces as stylish but also as user-friendly as we can.”

      A helical staircase connects the three floors
      In a thought piece written for Dezeen last year, design writer and TV presenter Michelle Ogundehin outlined 11 ways in which the pandemic will impact the home.
      As well as predicting a return to practical kitchens and more intimate room layouts, she believes there will be a desire for more human-centric homes, where natural materials are used to benefit the occupier’s wellbeing.
      Photography is by Taran Wilkhu.

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      Dezeen Awards 2021 is open for entries

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      Dezeen Awards 2021 is now accepting entries! Enter before 31 March to take advantage of discounted early entry fees.Dezeen Awards is the most popular and accessible celebration of the world’s best architecture, interiors and design projects and studios.
      Enter before 31 March to save 20 per cent
      Standard entry prices remain unchanged for the fourth year in a row, making Dezeen Awards the most affordable and accessible awards programme in architecture and design.
      It costs just £100 per category for small companies and £200 for large companies to enter before the standard entry deadline on 2 June. But studios can save 20 per cent by entering before 31 March.
      Create an account or log in to start your entry ›
      Categories for architecture, interiors and design
      There are 36 categories this year: 10 each for architecture, interiors and design projects and two categories in each sector honouring the best established and emerging studios.
      Find out about the categories ›
      New sustainability categories
      This year we’re introducing sustainability categories for architecture, interiors and design. These three categories, sponsored by design platform Dodds & Shute, will celebrate projects that strive to reduce their impact on the earth and which make positive social and environmental contributions.
      About our judges
      Entries will be judged by a diverse panel of influential industry professionals, made up of 75 architects, designers, journalists and academics from all over the world.
      Past judges have included Norman Foster, who described Dezeen Awards as an “extraordinary endeavour”.
      Other 2020 judges included Paola Antonelli, Farshid Moussavi and Issa Diabaté.
      Keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming announcements about our 2021 judges.
      Why enter Dezeen Awards?
      Dezeen Awards is organised by Dezeen, the world’s most popular and influential architecture and design magazine, and judged by a panel consisting of leading figures from the architecture and design world. This means that Dezeen Awards has unprecedented credibility and reach.
      Every longlisted entry will be published on the Dezeen Awards website and will get prestigious Dezeen Awards 2021 badges to share on social media and their own websites.
      All shortlisted entries will be featured in full in an article on Dezeen and get further badges.
      Shortlisted entries will also be entered into the Dezeen Awards 2021 Public Vote, through which the public can choose their favourite projects and studios.
      Winners will receive a hand-made trophy and a certificate.

      Winners received a bespoke, handcrafted trophy designed by AtelierNL

      Past winners have described how winning a Dezeen Award has transformed their careers. “This is one of the few awards I have won that I can associate with new opportunities arising directly as a result of winning,” said Joe Doucet, winner of seating design of the year in 2019 with his anti-terrorism public bench.
      Last year’s Dezeen Awards attracted over 4,300 entries from 85 different countries, making it one of the largest and most international awards programmes in the industry.
      Dates and prices
      Once you have paid for your Dezeen Awards entry, you do not need to make any further payments. The awards will be announced online. If we are able to hold a physical awards ceremony there may be a charge, but attendance is not obligatory.
      Our low entry prices are designed to attract smaller studios and avoid categories being dominated by large companies that can afford to enter multiple categories.
      Find out about dates and prices ›
      Join our mailing list
      Subscribe to our mailing list to receive reminders about deadlines and regular information about Dezeen Awards including news of judges.
      Sign up now ›
      Questions?
      If you have any questions, please email awards@dezeen.com and someone from the team will get back to you.
      Good luck with your entries! More

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      EBBA Architects remodels London apartment with bespoke joinery

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      Structural ash and pine joinery – including a staircase, mezzanine and double-height storage wall – delineate the space within this refurbished, open-plan apartment in London by EBBA Architects.Located in an old matchstick factory in the city’s East End, the one-bedroom, 80-square-metre apartment belongs to a young professional couple, who asked the emerging local firm to “completely reimagine” its layout.

      The apartment features a bespoke wooden staircase, top image, and a double-height shelving unit, above
      The former plan featured subdividing walls, which created a small kitchen and lounge area, and a dark bedroom upstairs. An enclosed staircase took up almost a quarter of the floor space.
      EBBA Architects began by removing most of the walls and the large, existing staircase to provide a more functional and flexible living space.

      A dining area is tucked under the mezzanine

      The remodelled apartment is split across a ground floor and mezzanine level, both finished in a palette of subdued neutrals. A double-height living area is located downstairs alongside a dining room and kitchen, which are tucked under the mezzanine.
      Upstairs, a bedroom and en-suite bathroom sit next to a desk area, dressing room and a snug that doubles as a guest bedroom and can be sectioned off with a curving curtain.

      The staircase is made from white-stained ash
      “Key to the brief was extending the mezzanine to add space upstairs and rearrange the bedroom from the dark corner of the flat,” EBBA Architects founding director Benni Allan told Dezeen.
      “The need to extend the floor upstairs prompted us to imagine the new stair and mezzanine as a large, functional piece of furniture.”

      New Affiliates renovates Bed-Stuy Loft with plywood mezzanine and rough materials

      Made from a slender framework of white-stained ash, the staircase helps to prop up the new joists to the mezzanine, which the architects left exposed.
      The apartment’s bespoke joinery also includes a double-height shelving unit made from white-stained pine that helps to emphasise the height of the main living space.

      The shelving system stands next to the open kitchen
      “We looked at the brief as a way of questioning how to provide a mix of spaces in the compact plan, including places to rest and work,” added Allan.
      “Budget was tight, so we maximised the potential to express features in the project through the joinery and exposing all the timber.”

      White-stained pinewood was used to create the storage unit
      According to the architects, the white-stained ash serves as a “soft background to the apartment”, which is in harmony with the interior’s other neutral-toned materials.
      This spans everything from the cement floor to the kitchen counter – a terrazzo-like slab made of translucent aggregate and fine black basalt – and is complemented by simple, unobtrusive lighting fixtures.
      Other interiors where furniture merges with structure include the Spinmolenplein penthouse in Ghent by Jürgen Vandewalle, where a “bed-cabinet”, kitchen island and boxed-in bathroom help organise the floor plan.
      Photography is by Benni Allan.

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      Friedman Benda showcases furniture pieces with a story to tell

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      A mirror-cum-observatory and a lockdown lounge chair with an integrated bar feature in an exhibition at New York’s Friedman Benda gallery that explores the value of design objects beyond just their practical use.The show, titled Split Personality, was curated by Alice Stori Liechtenstein and features furniture and homewares from 17 different designers.
      Each piece was chosen because it has a symbolic value beyond what meets the eye, exploring topics from immigration to biodiversity loss through different materials and production methods.

      Top image: Split Personality is on view at Friedman Benda until 6 February. Above: Toomas Toomepuu contributed to the show

      The exhibition focuses on the stories the objects have to tell, Liechtenstein told Dezeen, using chairs as an example.
      “There are thousands of chairs and the most comfortable chair has already been invented and reinvented 100 times,” she said.
      “So a lot of the time, what we want when we’re looking for a chair is not just something to sit on. But what makes an object particularly interesting are the stories it is able to tell once you have the time to discover them.”
      In this way, Liechtenstein explains, the exhibition rejects the strict Bauhausian ideal of form over function. “We’re over it,” she said. “I see the message as a form of function.”

      Limited grasses table by Mischer’Traxler
      Several of the projects on show are the culmination of extensive research projects, among them a coffee table from Viennese duo Mischer’Traxler. Protruding from its gridded frame are brass effigies of a near-extinct grass species known as agropyron cristatum, of which only around 200 specimens remain in Austria.

      Tour of design exhibition at historic Austrian castle with curator Alice Stori Liechtenstein as part of VDF

      “They are only making five editions of this table because on each table there are 40 brass stems. So it’s a way of representing the number of plants that really exist in nature,” Liechtenstein explained.
      “I think this kind of exercise is very useful because a lot of the time, we don’t realise what a number means until we see it visualised.”

      Christien Meindertsma grew the flax for this rug herself
      Disillusioned with the fact that she couldn’t trace a piece of linen yarn back to the flax field where it originated, Dutch designer Christien Meindertsma decided to acquire a piece of land and grow the crop herself.
      From her yield she created a chair and a series of textiles, including a shaggy rug on show at the gallery.
      “For her, it’s not just about one rug,” said the curator. “The real design project is about making sure that she knows where the material is coming from, that it’s treated properly, that there are no damages to the environment.”

      Commonplace Studio’s Observatorium Mirror shows images of space
      A more abstract exploration of our relationship to nature is the Observatorium Mirror by Commonplace Studio – an obsidian screen in which Liechtenstein says you can see yourself “just well enough to put lipstick on”.
      Simultaneously, the mirror also shows NASA images of far-flung galaxies that visitors can zoom in and out of using a focus pin.
      “We’re so used to seeing ourselves in the mirror and the mirror is all about you. Whereas in this instance, you’re really confronting yourself with the immensity of the universe and reflecting on the larger world,” added the curator.

      Arnaud Eubelen’s designs make use of abandoned building materials
      Other designs subvert function in a literal way by repurposing objects for new uses, with Belgian designer Arnaud Eubelen assembling a light and side table from discarded building materials.

      Jonathan Trayte turns the American landscape into fantastical furniture

      Similarly, Eindhoven-based Ismaël Rifaï made a bench by taping blankets and plastic bottles to an iron trolley frame, inspired by the inventive ways that goods are transported across the border in the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta in Morocco.

      Ismaël Rifaï’s bench uses rugs as upholstery
      A small room off the main exhibition space is covered from floor to ceiling with checkered, plastic mesh bags, as is the furniture within it, creating the claustrophobic impression of stepping inside one of the bags themselves.
      The installation by South African photographer Nobukho Nqaba is based on her Umaskhenkethe photo series and explores how these bags have come to act as emblems of migration, known by different names around the world – such as Ghana Must Go bags in Nigeria.

      Nobukho Nqaba created her installation especially for the exhibition
      “They are always associated with immigrants and the people who use them are seen as homeless. And at the same time, the bags are a symbol of home because their home, most of the time, is carried in these bags,” said Liechtenstein.
      “Although Nobukho is not a classic furniture designer, I think she really has a sense for what the symbology of an object can be.”

      Jonathan Trayte’s Kula Sour was another commission
      Several pieces were commissioned especially for the exhibition, including a lounge chair by British designer Jonathan Trayte that can help to create a sense of escapism for its user during lockdown.
      It features a built-in lamp, a bar with an icebox and a side table on which to prop a laptop, creating a kind of island onto itself that allows the user to pretend they’re somewhere more exotic.

      Wieki Somers also contributed to the show
      Also taking part in the exhibition are Wieki Somers, Rich Aybar, Thomas Ballouhey, Emma Fague, Fernando Laposse, Chris Schanck, Brynjar Sigurðarson, Katie Stout, Soft Baroque and Toomas Toomepuu.
      Split Personality is on view at Friedman Benda Gallery in New York until 6 February 2021. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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      Chengdu reveals “futuristic” stations for its first fully-automated metro line

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      J&A and Sepanta Design have created a series of station interiors based on forms and patterns found in nature for the first unmanned metro line in Chengdu, China.Designed to provoke emotion among their visitors, the 13 stations feature fluid forms and cellular patterns informed by the local tradition of silk weaving as well as the flora and fauna found in surrounding parks.

      Above: Jincheng Avenue Station features lilac-coloured columns. Top image: Cuqiao Station is one of 13 stations designed by J&A and Sepanta Design
      The fully‐automatic, 22-kilometre line has been under construction since 2016 and forms an extension to the existing Chengdu Metro system.
      Called Line 9, it runs between the southeast and northwest of the Sichuan Province’s capital and is the first unmanned metro line in the west of China. Instead of drivers, Chengdu’s new trains communicate with each other using the 5G mobile network.

      Four “standard artistic stations” feature a similar design

      All of the line’s 13 stations are designed by Shenzhen firm Jiang & Associates Design (J&A) in collaboration with London-based studio Sepanta Design.
      According to the designers, their ambition for the project was to create spaces that would “entirely change people’s expectations” of what metro stations could be like.

      Four “feature stations” including Cuqiao, each have a unique concept
      “Chengdu metro stations are not going to be merely points of transit,” said Reza Esmaeeli, founder of Sepanta Design and Design Director at Chetwoods Architects. “They are going to be memorable spaces that offer their passengers an artistic and futuristic expression of their own culture.”
      The stations’ interiors were designed to reflect points of local, cultural interest, with the line passing through the birthplace of Sichuan silk and embroidery culture as well as a number of urban ecological parks.

      The station interiors are designed to look futuristic
      The designers divided the 13 stations into two categories: feature stations and standard artistic stations.
      The four feature stations — Incubation Park, Jincheng Avenue, Cuqiao and Jitouqiao — each have a unique concept, reflecting their local environment.

      The design for Jincheng Avenue Station nods to lotus flowers
      These themes are explored through distinct colours and materials, alongside bespoke furniture.
      At Jincheng Avenue Station, for example, the ticket hall is illuminated by curved, lilac-coloured columns reminiscent of lotus flowers in a nearby lake, while lights that resemble silkworm cocoons are installed across walkway ceilings at Cuqiao Station.

      Cuqiao Station’s lighting was designed to resemble silkworm cocoons
      The other nine “standard artistic stations” have a more uniform design, based on an abstract interpretation of embroidery techniques.
      These techniques are translated into flowing, continuous lines and patterns made up of interconnecting, cell-like forms, which are repeated across ceilings, walls, floors, columns and furniture.

      The standard artistic stations are colour-coded

      Wuchazi Bridge creates “infinite meandering path” over river in Chengdu

      Chengdu’s Line 9 follows in the footsteps of other Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Guangzhou, which introduced driverless metro lines in 2010.
      Beijing opened its driverless Yanfan line in 2017, while Taiyuan, the largest city of Shanxi province, opened its first fully automated line just eight days after Chengdu, on 28 December last year.

      All the stations’ interiors are informed by forms found in nature
      In Hong Kong, Ponti Design Studio has created a concept for an autonomous, double-decker tram with a radial interior design that encourages a safe return to public transport after the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
      Photography is by CHAPA.

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