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      Shortlist revealed for AHEAD MEA 2020 hospitality awards

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      Dezeen promotion: a cluster of luxurious tents in the Namibian desert and a hotel set amongst verdant gardens in Marrakech are some of the projects shortlisted in the Middle East and Africa heats of this year’s AHEAD awards.The AHEAD MEA awards give praise to outstanding hospitality projects that have launched, opened or reopened across the Middle East and Africa between January 2019 and February of this year.

      Zannier Hotels Sonop, a group of guest tents in Namibia, is on the shortlist
      Entries were initially organised into 15 categories, which acknowledge everything from a project’s guest suites to its landscaping and outdoor spaces.

      A shortlist was then composed by a judging panel of leading experts from the hotel industry. This year it includes figures such as Leila Abdul Rahim, design director of Hilton Worldwide, and Pallavi Dean, founder of studio Roar.

      Another project on the AHEAD MEA awards shortlist this year is Dubai’s Opus hotel
      Among the projects on the shortlist is Zannier Hotels Sonop, a group of 10 tents that perch over huge granite boulders in the Namibian desert.
      Decadently designed to evoke old-world safari charm, inside the tents have been decorated with vintage maps, binoculars and telescopes.

      Also on the shortlist is The Oberoi Marrakech, which is surrounded by lush gardens
      Other projects on the shortlist include the Opus hotel in Dubai designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, which is set inside a cuboid glass building that’s punctuated by an irregularly shaped void.
      Also on the shortlist is The Farmstead at Royal Malewane, an intimate lodge that looks out over the tree canopies of a national park in South Africa, and The Oberoi Marrakech, which is nestled amongst 28 acres of Mediterranean gardens and citrus trees.

      Additionally on the AHEAD MEA 2020 shortlist is The Farmstead at Royal Malewane
      This year – due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic – the final stages of judging will take place over a series of video calls between 30 September to 1 October, where those on the panel will review projects one last time before deciding on their favourites from each category.
      Winners will then be announced on 9 November at the awards’ inaugural “hybrid” event, which will involve a digital screening for overseas audience members and a localised on-the-ground ceremony for people part of the AHEAD MEA community.
      See the full shortlist below:
      Bar, Club or Lounge
      Archer Bar & Eatery at Marriott Hotel Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, South AfricaTwenty Three Rooftop Bar at Grand Plaza Mövenpick Media City, Dubai, UAESiddharta Lounge by Buddha Bar at W Muscat, OmanSt. Trop at Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre, UAE
      Guestrooms
      Four Seasons Hotel Doha, QatarLekkerwater Beach Lodge, De Hoop Nature Reserve, South AfricaThe Farmstead at Royal Malewane, Hoedspruit, South AfricaThe Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, UAE
      Hotel Newbuild
      Marriott Hotel Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, South AfricaME Dubai at Opus, UAEThe Museum Hotel Antakya, TurkeyThe Social House Nairobi, Kenya
      Landscaping & Outdoor Spaces
      Anantara Sahara Tozeur Resort & Villas, TunisiaLe Palais Ronsard, Marrakech, MoroccoThe Farmstead at Royal Malewane, Hoedspruit, South AfricaThe Oberoi Marrakech, Morocco
      Lobby & Public Spaces
      Le Palais Ronsard, Marrakech, MoroccoMarriott Hotel Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, South AfricaME Dubai at Opus, UAEVida Hotel Emirates Hills, Dubai, UAE
      Lodges, Cabins & Tented Camps
      Abelana River Lodge, Phalaborwa, South AfricaandBeyond Ngala Treehouse, Timbavati Private Game Reserve, South AfricaHabitas NamibiaKing’s Pool, Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, BotswanaLepogo Lodges’ Noka Camp, South AfricaPuku Ridge, South Luangwa National Park, ZambiaZannier Hotels Sonop, Namibia
      Renovation, Restoration & Conversion
      andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, Namibrand Nature Reserve, NamibiaFour Seasons Hotel Doha, QatarLe Palais Ronsard, Marrakech, MoroccoLong Lee Manor, Shamwari Private Game Reserve, South Africa
      Resort
      Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Abu Dhabi, UAEAnantara Sahara Tozeur Resort & Villas, TunisiaThe Oberoi Marrakech, MoroccoW Muscat, Oman
      Restaurant
      Bull & Bear at Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre, UAEKeystone at Marriott Hotel Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, South AfricaMina’s Kitchen at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, UAENammos Restaurant at Four Seasons Resort Dubai, UAE
      Restaurant
      Bull & Bear at Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre, UAEKeystone at Marriott Hotel Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, South AfricaMina’s Kitchen at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, UAENammos Restaurant at Four Seasons Resort Dubai, UAE
      Suite
      Anantara Sahara Tozeur Resort & Villas, TunisiaFour Seasons Hotel Doha, QatarLe Palais Ronsard, Marrakech, MoroccoMarriott Hotel Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, South Africa

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      Blue Bottle Coffee cafe in Yokohama spotlights natural materials

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      Oak chairs sit amongst paper yarn-wrapped columns within this Blue Bottle Coffee cafe in Yokohama, Japan created by Keiji Ashizawa Design and Norm Architects.The Blue Bottle Coffee cafe occupies a glass-front building in Yokohama’s bustling business district, Minatomirai, and looks out across a leafy public park.
      This setting became a key point of reference for Tokyo-based studio Keiji Ashizawa Design, which has exclusively decked out the interiors of the cafe with natural materials.

      Top image: Paper yarn wraps around the cafe’s columns. Above: A curved bar is at the centre of the floor plan
      “We have aimed to create an atmosphere which welcomes the local community by mainly using wood, inspired by the park located by the Blue Bottle Coffee Minatomirai,” said the studio’s eponymous founder, Keiji Ashizawa.

      “The building acts as the main character of the park and provides a feeling of kindness with the natural materials in the industrial-looking landscape.”

      A local park inspired the natural material palette of the cafe
      The open floor plan of the cafe is dominated by a huge half-moon service bar, behind which staff prepare drink orders. Its base is clad with slats of light-hued timber, while its countertop is made from flecked grey stone.
      Pale timber has additionally been used for the cafe’s flooring and its circular tables. Timber also forms smaller decorative elements like the menu board and a couple of oversized, ring-shaped lights that have been suspended from the ceiling.

      Norm Architects designed the seating throughout the cafe
      A series of white, spherical pendant lamps that hang above the cafe’s high counter provide extra light as evening falls.

      Keiji Ashizawa Design and Norm Architects pare back Tokyo apartments

      In keeping with the natural material palette, braided paper yarn has been wound around the lower half of the grey support columns that run along the periphery of the room.

      Some of the chairs are upholstered in creamy leather
      Keiji Ashizawa Design asked long-term collaborators, Copenhagen-based practice Norm Architects, to devise a range of seating for the project.
      The practice designed three chair models made from Japanese oak wood: a traditional cafe-style chair, a tall bar stool and a slightly more formal dining chair that’s partially upholstered in creamy leather – its low, curving backrest is meant to draw subtle reference to the cafe’s architecture.

      The frames of the chairs are made from Japanese oak
      All of the pieces were produced by Karimoku Case Study, the sister brand of Japanese manufacturer Karimoku which collaborates with architects across the world to design furnishings.
      Norm Architects and Keiji Ashizawa Design had first worked with Karimoku Case Study back in 2019 on the launch of its inaugural Kinuta collection.

      The facade of the cafe is made from glass
      “For us, there couldn’t be a better partner to team up with than Karimoku,” explained Frederik Werner, partner at Norm Architects.
      “They uphold a unique quality and approach to the manufacturing of wooden furniture, maintaining a focus on the craftsmanship combined with the latest robotics, making sure that their philosophy of ‘high-tech, high-touch’ is truly embedded in each furniture piece leaving the factory.”

      Customers can spill out onto an outdoor seating area
      This is one of several Blue Bottle Coffee cafes in Japan, with others located in Tokyo, Kyoto and Kobe.
      The coffee brand was founded by James Freeman in 2002, starting out as a small roastery in Oakland, California before growing into a network of cafes across the US and Asia.
      Last year saw Blue Bottle Coffee open its first branch in South Korea, which was designed by Schemata Architects. The cafe is situated in the artsy neighbourhood of Seongsu and features sparse interiors dotted with timber furniture and red-brick display plinths.
      Photography is by Tomooki Kengaku.
      Project credits:
      Design: Keiji Ashizawa & Norm ArchitectsConstruction: #TankFurniture: Karimoku Case Study

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    • 225 Shares139 Views

      With two weeks left to vote, see the interiors projects winning in the Dezeen Awards 2020 public vote

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      There are now less than two weeks left for you to vote for your favourite Dezeen Awards projects and studios, here is an update on votes cast so far in each of the 12 interiors categories.The voting progress for the architecture categories was shared yesterday and we’ll be sharing the progress for design and studio categories tomorrow and Thursday.
      Closing on 12 October, the public vote allows readers to vote for projects and studios shortlisted in the architecture, interiors and design categories, as well as architects and designers in line for the studio of the year awards. Winners will receive a special certificate.
      Voting is open for another two weeks so get started today!
      Click here to vote ›
      Public vote winners announced in October
      Public vote winners will be announced 19-22 October. The public vote is separate from the main Dezeen Awards 2020 judging process, in which entries are assessed by professional judges.
      We’ll be announcing the Dezeen Awards 2020 winners online at the end of November.
      Who’s ahead in the voting
      With 28,985 votes received so far, here is a snapshot of which projects and studios have received the most support. There’s still time to influence the results so keep voting!

      Kew Residence by John Wardle Architects, Breezeway House by David Boyle Architect, Art Villa by Formafatal, House in Kyoto by 07Beach, and Bismarck House by Andrew Burges Architects, David Harrison and Karen McCartney
      House interior

      29% – Kew Residence by John Wardle Architects22% – Breezeway House by David Boyle Architect20% – Art villa, Puntarenas by Formafatal19% – House in Kyoto by 07BEACH10% – Bismarck House by Andrew Burges Architects

      The Gymnasium by Robbert de Goede, Jaffa House 4 by Pitsou Kedem, The Melburnian Apartment by Edition Office, La Nave by Nomos, and Apartment Block by Coffey Architects
      Apartment interior
      35% – The Gymnasium by Robbert de Goede29% – Jaffa House 4 by Pitsou Kedem Architects19% – The Melburnian Apartment  by Edition Office10% – La Nave by NOMOS7% – Apartment Block  by Coffey Architects

      Tori Tori Santa Fe by Esrawe Studio, Voisin Organique by Various Associates, DooSooGoBang by Limtaehee Design Studio, % Arabica, West Jianguo Road by Blue Architecture Studio, and Embers Restaurant by Curvink Architects
      Restaurant interior
      35% – Tori Tori Santa Fe by Esrawe Studio23% – Voisin Organique by Various Associates15% – DooSooGoBang by Studio Lim14% – %Arabica Coffee by B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio13% – Embers Restaurant by Curvink Architects

      Dongshang by Imafuku Architects, The Berkeley Bar and Terrace by Bryan O’Sullivan Studio, Mercantile Wine Bar by Islyn Studio, The Flow of Ecstatic by Daosheng Design, and A Secret Bar in a Lively Downtown by Atelier Xy
      Bar interior
      29% – Dongshang by Imafuku Architects26% – The Berkeley Bar & Terrace by Bryan O’Sullivan Studio18% – Mercantile Wine Bar by Islyn Studio17% – The Flow of Ecstatic by Daosheng Design10% – A secret bar by Atelier Xy

      Casa Palerm by OHLAB, Maana Kamo by Uoya Shigenori, Capsule Hostel and Bookstore by Atelier Tao+C, Escondido Oaxaca Hotel by Decada and Carlos Couturier, and Trunk House by Trunk
      Hotel and short-stay interior
      34% – Casa Palerm by OHLAB26% – Maana Kamo by Maana Homes19% – Capsule hostel in a rural library by Atelier Tao+C16% – Escondido Oaxaca Hotel by Decada Muebles5% – Trunk House by Trunk

      Les Capucins by Atelier L2, Office In Cardboard by Studio VDGA Weinmanufaktur Clemens Strobl by Destilat Design Studio, The Audo by Norm Architects, and KCC Office by KCC Design
      Large workspace interior
      38% – Les Capucins by ATELIER L225% – Office In Cardboard by Studio_VDGA16% – Weinmanufaktur Clemens Strobl by Destilat Design Studio15% – The Audo by Norm Architects6% – KCC Office by KCC – Design

      Grain Loft Studio by Richard Parr Associates, Tiny Offices by Dutch Invertuals, Office for DDB Prague by B² Architecture, CODO by Loftwork and Shuhei Goto Architects, and 12 by Ortraum Architects
      Small workspace interior
      34% – Grain loft studio by Richard Parr Associates23% – Tiny Offices by Dutch Invertuals17% – Office for creative advertising agency DDB Prague  by B² Architecture13% – CODO  by Loftwork and Shuhei Goto Architects13% – 12 by ORTRAUM Architects

      Grupo Arca Design Center by Esrawe Studio, The Webster by Adjaye Associates, PSLab London by JamesPlumb, Supreme San Francisco by Brinkworth, Reigning Champ by Peter Cardew Architects and Issey Miyake Semba by Noma
      Large retail interior
      31% – Grupo Arca Design Center by Esrawe Studio29% – The Webster by Adjaye Associates18% – PSLab London by PSLab14% – Supreme San Francisco by Brinkworth5% – Reigning Champ by Peter Cardew Architects3% – Issey Miyake Semba by NOMA

      Glossier Seattle by Glossier, Sweat-Yourself-Shop by Freitag Lab, Aesop Shinjuku by Case-Real, Small Icon by I IN, and Freitag Store Kyoto by Freitag Lab
      Small retail interior
      33% –Glossier Seattle by Glossier31% – FREITAG Sweat-Yourself-Shop by FREITAG lab16% – AESOP Shinjuku by CASE-REAL13% – small ICON by I IN7% – FREITAG Store Kyoto by FREITAG lab

      En Skincare by Archiee, Vikasa by Enter Projects Asia, EKH Children’s Hospital by IF, Bathhouse by Verona Carpenter Architects, and Domstate Zorghotel by Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe
      Leisure and wellness interior
      36% – En skincare by ARCHIEE27% – Vikasa by Enter Projects Asia19% – EKH Children’s Hospital by IF11% – Bathhouse by Verona Carpenter Architects7% – Domstate Zorghotel by Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe

      MuseumLab by Koning Eizenberg Architecture, Church of Pope John Paul II by Robert Gutowski Architects, Coca-Cola Stage at the Alliance Theatre by Trahan Architects, Crematorium Siesegem by Kaan Architecten, and Models in Model by Wutopia Lab
      Civic and cultural interior
      29% – MuseumLab by Koning Eizenberg Architecture25% – Church of Pope John Paul II by Robert Gutowski Architects22% – Coca-Cola Stage at the Alliance Theatre by Trahan Architects14% – Crematorium Siesegem by KAAN Architecten10% – Models in Model by Wutopia Lab

      Project #13 by Studio Wills + Architects, Writer’s Studio by Eric J Smith, Single Person Gallery by Offhand Practice, Basic Coffee by Office AIO, and Smart Zendo by Sim-Plex Design Studio
      Small interior
      26% – PROJECT #13 by Studio Wills + Architects23% – Writer’s Studio by Eric J. Smith Architect19% – Single Person Gallery by Offhand Practice17% – Basic Coffee by Office AIO15% – Smart Zendo by Sim-Plex Design Studio
      Subscribe to the Dezeen Awards newsletter
      If you have any questions or you want more information about entering Dezeen Awards 2021, please subscribe to our newsletter or email awards@dezeen.com. More

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      Studio VDGA lines office in India with curving walls of honeycomb cardboard

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      Architecture practice Studio VDGA has renovated an office in Pune, India, with partition walls made from cardboard and MDF.Located in the Pimpri Chinchwad district, the four-storey office for 100 people has been given a recyclable fit-out.

      Partition walls are made from cardboard and medium-density fibreboard (MDF)
      Called Office in Cardboard, the project has been shortlisted for Dezeen Awards 2020 in the large workspace interior category.

      “We devised an innovative concept to replace the solid partition walls with more functional and textured material,” said Studio VDGA.
      “It also serves as a low-cost material since it does not require polishing or painting as it is kept raw.”

      Honeycomb cardboard is light, strong and low cost
      Studio VDGA’s paper-based design was made for an electric-components manufacturing company that is in the process of moving away from its previous work of making petrol and diesel vehicle components.
      The cardboard’s recyclable properties are intended to symbolise this shift towards a more environmentally-friendly industry.

      Cuts in the cardboard create patterns of shadow
      Sheets of honeycomb cardboard – a kind of paper packaging with an internal hexagon structure for strength – form divider walls, doors and a backdrop for the reception area.
      “Honeycomb board was first introduced in the aeronautical industry in the form of aluminium honeycomb boards,” said Studio VDGA.
      “In paper form, it is used extensively in Japan since being a lightweight material, it does not cause harm to life in the case of earthquakes,” added the studio. “IKEA is using it in abundance to create light modular furniture.”

      The cardboard has been left raw rather than painted
      In some areas, the cardboard elements wrap around the external walls and connect to form dividers between different zones of the office floors.
      Curving elements formed from the cardboard make sections of wall that billow into the room or wrap around supporting columns.

      Curving cardboard elements wrap around columns
      Sections of the sheets’ exterior have been cut away to reveal the internal honeycomb in order to create an interesting texture.

      Nudes creates cafe in Mumbai entirely from cardboard

      “What interested us was the cross-section through the board rather than the material itself,” said the studio.
      “Transverse cuts through the nodes of the hexagon reveals sharper fins, whereas longitudinal cuts through the board reveals uneven wider bands. This combination of sharper fins and wider bands, used in combination with bands of MDF, creates interesting patterns and shadows.”

      Paint tins have been turned into a plant display
      Cardboard absorbs sound, so the portion walls double as baffles to keep the background noise of the office low and grant employees more privacy.
      Slim horizontal slots form windows to allow light through in some areas. An installation of plants and electrical components displayed in white paint tins left over from the refurbishment hangs from the ceiling.

      Tins filled with plants and electronic components hang from the ceiling
      Ceilings have been left open, with the air ducts visible, so as to create as much height as possible.
      The reception area’s floor is tiled with different kinds of dark stone, and black metal railings bracket the stairs, with brass rings designed to look like an abacus.

      Railings on the stairs are designed to look like an abacus
      Based in Pune, Studio VDGA was founded by husband and wife team Deepak and Varsha Guggar in 2004.
      Cardboard was also the material of choice for this school office in Melbourne, a collection of colourful and corrugated furniture, and the entirety of this cafe in Mumbai.
      Photography is by Hemant Patil.

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      Old nylon factory converted into “cathedral-like” office space

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      HofmanDujardin and Schipper Bosch have inserted a steel frame into the expansive production hall of an old nylon factory in Arnhem to create the KB Building offices. The office is housed within one of several 1940s factories on a 90-hectare chemical-industry plant in the Netherlands, which local developer Schipper Bosch is transforming into a campus
      The post Old nylon factory converted into “cathedral-like” office space appeared first on Dezeen. More

    • 138 Shares99 Views

      Four Pillars Laboratory in Sydney is a “sanctuary” for gin enthusiasts

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      Juniper berry-blue furniture sits against blackened walls inside this cosy bar, laboratory and store that design studio YSG has created in Sydney for gin brand Four Pillars. Four Pillars Laboratory occupies a two-storey corner building in Sydney’s buzzing Surry Hills neighbourhood. It was originally built in 1939 as premises for a tea company, but has
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      The Maker Hotel in Hudson channels “old-world bohemian glamour”

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      Original decor features and vintage treasures helped Lev Glazman, Alina Roytberg and Damien Janowicz create an eclectic sense of old-world charm inside this boutique hotel in Hudson, New York.Host to just 11 rooms, The Maker Hotel is the brainchild of Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg, the co-founders of skincare brand Fresh, and hospitality specialist Damien Janowicz.

      The Maker Hotel takes over three historic buildings in Hudson
      This isn’t the first time that Glazman and Roytberg have ventured out of the beauty industry – back in 2016 they also worked with Janowicz to open the doors to Bartlett House, a bakery-cum-cafe serving seasonal dishes in the town of Ghent, New York.

      When it came to creating The Maker Hotel, Glazman wanted to focus on “celebrating the world of makers”, utilising different forms of craftsmanship to foster unique spaces for guests.

      A newly built conservatory houses the hotel’s restaurant
      “During my travels, I always felt there was an opportunity to expand the hospitality experience – one that inspires and allows you to dream,” he explained. “We knew we could execute The Maker concept in Hudson because the area was so rich with artisans, history and design, and it was the perfect location.”
      “Moving away from standardized design, The Maker fuses different periods, and builds a home where this eclectic design can exist harmoniously,” Glazman added.

      Inside The Maker Hotel are just 11 guest rooms
      Construction works were first carried out to connect the various rooms throughout the 14,000-square foot (1,300 square metres) hotel, which is composed of three different buildings – a Georgian mansion, a Greek revival-style property and a carriage house that dates back to the early 1800s.
      New structural additions were also made, including a central courtyard filled with lush greenery and a “jewel box”-like conservatory that now accommodates The Maker Hotel’s main restaurant.

      The design team worked to keep as many original features as possible throughout the rooms
      Attention was then turned to the interiors, which were largely designed by Glazman – Roytberg focused on the hotel’s branding, while Janowicz worked on refining guest experience.

      The Hoxton crosses the pond and opens hotel in Williamsburg

      Glazman and the design team sought to keep to as many original features as possible, preserving the ornate fireplaces, hand-painted ceilings, stained-glass windows and tiled mosaic flooring that already existed across the three buildings.

      One room includes bookshelves and an oak fireplace
      Over 70 per cent of the decorative pieces are antique or were made bespoke by combining salvaged objects. Some of the artworks even come from Glazman’s personal collection.
      “The result is unexpected; an old-world bohemian glamour that fuses a worldly design ethos shaped by decades of travel,” he concluded.

      Most of the decor elements are antiques
      This same eclectic style seeps through to the guest suites, of which there are five typologies: The Bedrooms, The Terrace Lofts, The Corner Studio and The Maker Studios.
      The Maker Studios are each inspired by four different creative figures – an architect, artist, gardener, writer – and have been styled accordingly. For example, The Artist room includes a vintage easel, while The Writer room sees book-lined shelves arranged around an oak fireplace.
      When not in their rooms, guests can then enjoy the hotel’s pool, cafe or intimate cocktail bar.

      The Maker Hotel also includes an intimate cocktail bar
      The Maker Hotel joins a growing number of getaway spots in New York that are situated away from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. Others include The Hoxton in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which sits on the site of an old water tower.
      Photography is by Francine Zaslow.

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      Rattan yoga pods create “space of captivating calmness” for studio in Bangkok

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      Thai architecture studio Enter Projects Asia has used rattan to enclose a series of studios for yoga brand Vikasa at its headquarters in Bangkok.Enter Projects Asia used rattan – a type of climbing plant with a flexible woody stem – as the main material to break up a 450-square-metre space in a triangular-shaped block in downtown Bangkok into a series of yoga studios.
      The studio is shortlisted for leisure and wellness interior of the year at Dezeen Awards 2020.

      Rattan was used to enclose private yoga studios
      Supported on a frame of Thai timber, the material was used to partition two public yoga studios and fully enclose two smaller, private studios.

      The architecture studio wrapped the spaces in the natural material to create “an urban oasis in the chaos of Bangkok – a retreat from the grind”.

      Rattan was chosen as it can be found on the island of Koh Samui of the east coast of the country, where yoga brand Vikasa had a retreat.
      “All elements of the project were made from natural, local materials to be a hub or a portal for their existing location, which is based on a hillside in Koh Samui: Thai hardwood, local black slate, bamboo and most notably, rattan,” said Enter Projects Asia design director Patrick Keane.
      “The result is a space of captivating calmness, cloaked in quiet contentment – an oasis of tranquillity amongst the chaos of Bangkok,” he told Dezeen.

      The studio’s reception has a rattan desk and light feature
      Along with the pods, rattan was used to create light fittings in the studios and a large, sinuous desk that dominates the reception area.
      The desk becomes a bench for those waiting for classes and turns into a light feature that winds its way above the reception area,  ending in a woven lampshade above the main staircase.

      The rattan light feature hangs above the stairs
      The three-dimensional rattan forms were created in collaboration with specialist furniture designer Project Rattan by combining traditional weaving techniques with digital design.

      CO-LAB Design Office creates bamboo yoga pavilion in Tulum

      “We facilitated the fusion of 3D technologies with local Thai craftsmanship to bring nature to an urban context,” explained Keane.
      “We worked using 3D software, special effects modelling namely Maya and Rhino. Frames and templates were all printed on giant templates for the craftspeople to use as guides for their weaving techniques.”

      The rattan desk turns into a bench
      Overall, Enter Projects Asia hopes that it has created a space that communicates a sense of spirituality
      “It embraces all five senses, with soft geometry to counter hard urban edges, tactile materials that are touchable and natural, the smell of nature, and the technical acoustics – as good as a radio station – and the food and beverage Vikasa provides,” said Keane.

      Rattan forms are visible from outside the building
      The studios occupy the first floor of Vikasa’s headquarters, which has a cafe area on the ground floor, with the rattan forms designed to be visible through large glass windows from the street.
      Previous yoga studios on Dezeen include a bamboo pavilion nestled in the jungle in Tulum designed by CO-Lab Design Office and a muted studio with a textured sisal ceiling in Melbourne.
      Photography by Edmund Sumner.
      Project credits:
      Interiors architecture and design: Enter Projects AsiaDesign director: Patrick KeaneDesign team: Tomas Guevara, Azul Paklaian, Archana Ramesh, Sergio LissoneLocal craftsmanship: Project RattanBuilders: Enter Projects, Ian SykesEngineer: Lincoln ScottConsultants: Ian Sykes BuilderCollaborators: Project Rattan

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