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    Destudio inverts day and night zones at redesigned Casa Inversa apartment

    Architecture office Destudio has remodelled an apartment in Valencia for a couple of empty nesters, swapping the positions of the living and sleeping areas so they perform better for the owners’ lifestyles.

    The clients, who recently worked with Destudio to design their pharmacy in the Spanish city, invited the studio to oversee the renovation of the 150-square-metre apartment that had been their home for two decades.
    The couple’s grown-up children no longer live with them and Destudio saw this change in circumstances as an opportunity to create an entirely new and more appropriate layout.
    Destudio swapped the positions of living and sleeping areas in Casa Inversa”We worked with the owners to convince them to make a ‘tabula rasa’ of how they lived in this house for the last 20 years and find a better distribution for their actual needs,” Destudio creative director Gabi Ladaria told Dezeen.
    “It was tough for the family to recognise that every wall had to be demolished,” he added, “but when they saw the first plans and 3Ds they realised there were better ways to live in their house, being more honest with their needs in the coming years.”

    An initial survey of how the existing spaces were used informed the decision to switch the position of the private and communal areas so the main living space receives the best of the available sunlight. This act gave the project its name, Casa Inversa.
    The dining area was positioned in the corner of the living roomConversations with the clients revealed that they wanted the kitchen to be the heart of the house as this is where they spend a lot of time preparing and eating meals throughout the day.
    This informed the decision to reduce the size of the dedicated dining area by incorporating it into a corner of the living room.
    The kitchen was designed as the heart of the homeA cantilevered bench minimises the floor area used so the adjacent lounge feels more generous.
    “We use this strategy in our restaurant projects to maximise the number of diners,” Ladaria pointed out, “but here it is used to maximise the space in the other part of the corner bench where the living room is located.”

    Tactile materials “accentuate the value of shadows” in Bolívar House

    The studio added that the table is likely to be used infrequently, mostly when friends or family come to visit, so it was designed like a restaurant booth to make the dining experience feel like eating out.
    The kitchen opens onto a terrace with outdoor seating, while on the opposite wall a wine display backed with semi-opaque glass provides a visual connection with the adjoining utility space. Sliding glass doors can be closed to separate the kitchen and the adjacent sitting room if required.
    Sliding glass doors separate the living area and kitchenThe apartment’s three bedrooms were relocated to the opposite end of the floor plan, where they overlook the building’s internal courtyards.
    The principal bedroom and one of the guest rooms are accommodated in an angular corner that previously housed the living room. The main bedroom’s dressing area features cupboards that extend along one wall, making the most of the space.
    A material palette consisting of clay-rendered walls, oak joinery and porcelain tiles acts as a warm backdrop for the clients’ art collection.
    Clay render covers the wallsWhere possible, Destudio specified furniture from local brands, including the sofa, armchairs and the living room’s library shelving.
    Destudio was founded in 2014 by architects Gabi Ladaria and Nacho Díaz, who studied together at Valencia’s Polytechnic University.
    Other recent residential projects in Valencia include the renovation of a former fisherman’s house using geometric blue-and-white tiling and a copper-toned home in an olive grove.
    The photography is courtesy of Destudio.

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    Portal House by Svima features brass details and curved oak ribbons

    Brass ribbons line the asymmetric portals that connect the kitchen and dining room of this Toronto residence, renovated by local architecture and art studio Svima.

    The Portal House was designed for a couple who had wanted to refresh their home for 10 years, but have very different aesthetic tastes.
    Two portals connect the renovated kitchen and dining areas of this Toronto homeToronto-based studio Svima found a compromise by combining his desire for “tenebrous minimalism” and her love of “bright French country kitchens” into the design.
    The resulting “denlike cosiness” pairs dark oak across the lower half of the ground-floor spaces and clean white surfaces on the upper half.
    The curved, asymmetric portal over the deep counter acts as a pass-throughThe snaked kitchen layout is tight, so Svima curved the corners of cabinetry and counter surfaces to steal extra space for circulation.

    This theme continues to the living room millwork: a bookcase is filleted at the corner and meets the wall at an angle, while a built-in sofa beneath the window also softly angles inward.
    The other portal, mirrored in shape, forms a doorway between the two spaces”The design hinges on ‘ribbons’ flowing through the space, guiding the motion through the rooms,” said Svima.
    “The ribbons curve in areas where sharp corners would not fit, or would stop the flow of movement.”
    Brass edges around the portals were artfully installed to perfectly fit the curved drywallIn the kitchen, the curved oak doors were handmade by a cabinetmaker who created a special jig to kerf-bend the oak into a radius.
    Tiles that offer a contemporary take on Dutch Delft porcelain form the backsplash, adding small touches of blue to the otherwise neutral space.
    To add touches of colour to the dark oak and bright white palette, tiles influenced by Delft porcelain were added to the backsplashTwo portals provide connections between the kitchen and adjacent dining room, both with a mirrored asymmetric shape and edged in brass.
    One acts as a doorway, while the other over the deep counter is used as a pass-through for food, drinks and tableware.

    Studio Vaaro reconfigures House M using built-in storage volumes

    “It was an artful process for the contractor to lay the brass into the wall, as it had to fit into the curved drywall perfectly with no tolerance for error,” the architects said.
    The living room, located at the front of the house, was furnished with mid-century pieces such as a chair, a coffee table and a media console.
    Dark oak flooring throughout the home’s ground floor matches the other millworkThe closed and open shelving unit organises the family’s books and possessions, and its shape allows more light to enter from a side window.
    Opposite, the built-in sofa helps to resolve an awkward space under a bay window and orients the sitter towards the TV to one side.
    In the living room, the curved kitchen cabinetry is translated as a storage unit with a filleted side”The custom sofa sweeps into the space to provide seating at precisely the right sideways angle for viewing the media unit, for lounge reading, and for gathering,” Svima said.
    The floors throughout the home match the other millwork, grounding the spaces with a rich dark hue.
    A built-in sofa under the living room’s bay window similarly features softly curved anglesSvima, founded by architects Anamarija Korolj and Leon Lai, is not the only studio that’s had to get creative with a tight Toronto floor plan.
    When Studio Vaaro overhauled a house in the city, the firm created a series of volumes with minimally detailed millwork to form kitchen cabinetry, the staircase and a feature bookcase in the living room.
    The photography is by Scott Norsworthy.

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    Eight chocolate-brown interiors that look good enough to eat

    In memoriam of the many chocolate eggs that will be consumed this Easter, our latest lookbook rounds up eight homes with tasteful cocoa-coloured interiors.

    Chocolatey brown might be the unofficial colour of Easter as the biggest driver of chocolate sales – second only to Christmas.
    But the rich, earthy hue is also proving increasingly popular among interior designers for its unique function as both a colour and a natural, able to bring a sense of warmth to otherwise minimalist spaces.
    Below are eight mouth-watering examples to feast your eyes on, including a rammed-earth house in Brazil and the renovation of a Shigeru Ban loft conversion in New York.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist bathrooms, breakfast nooks and compact garden studios with neat storage solutions.

    Photo by Jack LovelShadow House, Australia, by Grotto Studio
    Almost all of the surfaces in this Perth cottage extension by Grotto Studio are lined in sumptuous brown timber, from the walls and floors in the bedroom to the entire bathroom counter.
    “The choice of dark timber for the interior was motivated by a desire to create a rich, intimate and immersive atmosphere,” studio founder Craig Nener told Dezeen.
    “The dark tones add depth and character to the spaces, creating a warm and inviting ambience.”
    Find out more about Shadow House ›
    Photo by Syam SreesylamChuzhi house, India, by Wallmakers
    Soil, waste and debris were used to form the spiralling walls of Chuzhi house in Shoolagiri, India, giving the interiors a rustic, earthy feeling.
    To keep the focus on the architecture, the rooms themselves are finished in matching colours with reclaimed timber floors complemented by woven and wooden furniture.
    Find out more about Chuzhi house ›
    Photo by Fabian MartinezColonia Condesa house, Mexico, by Chloé Mason Gray
    Interior designer Chloé Mason Gray sought to embrace the lack of natural light in this bachelor pad in Mexico City’s Condesa neighbourhood, shaded by large trees from the avenue outside.
    Embracing the dark and moody atmosphere, the designer chose colours and textures that would make the spaces feel “masculine, rich, and interesting” including leather, linen and textured chocolate-brown plaster.
    Find out more about Colonia Condesa house ›
    Photo by Felix SpellerMayfair pied-à-terre, UK, by Child Studio
    Adolf Loos’s modernist Villa Muller informed the dining area in this London mews house, where mahogany joinery is backed by veiny dark red marble.
    Soft light filters into the space from a glass-brick partition, blocking out the kitchen and rounding off the intimate atmosphere created by Child Studio.
    Find out more about this Mayfair pied-à-terre ›
    Photo by Gareth HackerHighbury House, UK, by Daytrip
    A more pared-back take on the theme comes in the form of this vintage 1970s Gilda sofa by Michel Ducaroy, composed of multiple segments reminiscent of a Chocolate Orange.
    It serves as a focal point in the otherwise muted living room of London’s Highbury House, paired with a blackened oak armchair by EBBA Architects founder Benni Allan and one of David Horan’s delicate Paper lights.
    Find out more about Highbury House ›
    Photo by Federico CairoliCasa em Cunha, Brazil, by Arquipélago Arquitetos
    The rammed-earth construction of this house in Brazil’s mountainous Cunha region is left exposed on the interior, creating an organic striped finish across the walls.
    Matching brown finishes feature heavily throughout the rest of the home, where ceilings are covered in wooden slats while the bathroom is defined by coppery hardware and tiles the colour of bitter chocolate.
    Find out more about Casa em Cunha ›
    Photo by César Béjar StudioCasa Los Tigres, Mexico, by César Béjar Studio and Fernando Sánchez Zepeda
    Dark wood panelling helps to hide doors and storage inside the Casa Los Tigres beach house on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, designed by César Béjar Studio and Fernando Sánchez Zepeda.
    It encircles the lower portion of the living spaces and develops the bedrooms almost entirely, paired with pale stone flooring and pared-back accessories to create a calm refuge.
    Find out more about Casa Los Tigres ›
    Photo by David MitchellTribeca loft renovation, USA, by Timothy Godbold
    New York interior designer Timothy Godbold was responsible for renovating this loft in a historic Tribeca textile factory, originally converted by Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning Japanese architect Shigeru Ban in 2019.
    The former TV room now functions as a home office and bar, with a low-slung chestnut-brown sofa helping to warm up the otherwise neutral colour palette while wall reliefs informed by 1970s sci-fi spice up the walls.
    Find out more about this Tribeca loft renovation ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist bathrooms, breakfast nooks and compact garden studios with neat storage solutions.

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    Tigh Na Coille cottage receives “Scandi-Scot” makeover

    Hospitality company Wildland and Swiss designer Ruth Kramer have converted a former manse in the Scottish Highlands into a holiday cottage featuring a mix of classic Scandinavian furniture and traditional Caledonian details.

    Tigh Na Coille, which is Gaelic for “house in the forest”, is a four-bedroom property on a wooded hill overlooking Loch Ness in the Cairngorms National Park.
    Tigh Na Coille is a holiday home in a former manseThe 19th-century stone building was carefully restored and refurbished with help from Kramer, who has worked with Wildland on several of its historic properties.
    Kramer coined the term “Scandi-Scot” to describe the way these buildings seek to combine Scandinavian simplicity with a playful take on Scottish heritage.
    A Papa Bear armchair by Hans J. Wegner stands in the lounge”Scandi-Scot is about creating a clean and modern aesthetic that weaves in elements of Scottish craftsmanship,” she told Dezeen. “Everything is calm and natural, the colours don’t scream at you and the furniture is comfortable like you’re at home.”

    Tigh Na Coille was once a manse – a dwelling created for the Christian minister of a now-ruined church that stands on the grounds. The heritage-listed building was modernised by a previous owner and had lost much of its original character.
    Several fireplaces were uncovered during the renovationKramer preserved the layout of the rooms but the interiors were stripped back and redecorated, with original features reintroduced to bring an authentic feeling to the spaces.
    The house is located on the Aldourie Castle estate, which Wildland renovated at the same time.
    The interior scheme combines Scandinavian and Caledonian referencesThe refurbishment merges the Scandi-Scot aesthetic with nods to the castle’s more traditional decor. Modern carpets and softwood flooring were replaced with oak floorboards salvaged from the castle, which add warmth and tactility to the spaces.
    Several of the beds were also sourced from the castle and were refurbished by local joiners, who created new parts for the four-poster frames.

    Kyle House is a remote Scottish holiday home with a “monastically simple” interior

    All of the bathrooms were completely remodelled and the kitchen was brought up to modern standards, with a new island unit providing an additional worktop in the centre of the room.
    Fireplaces uncovered during the renovation were carefully restored along with the property’s existing doors and windows, which were redressed to preserve their original appearance.
    The bedrooms feature dramatic four-poster bedsOver the years, various sections of the cornicing and architraves around the rooms had been replaced, so new parts were produced using mouldings taken from the original plasterwork.
    According to Kramer, roughly half of the furniture was sourced second-hand and given a new life through bespoke joinery or reupholstery. The majority of the remaining pieces are vintage designs that add to the timeless feel.
    “The ambition is that people walking into the house shouldn’t be able to tell what is new versus what is original,” she added. “We’re going for an ageless look that will also become better over time rather than being fashion-led.”
    Many of the furnishings were salvaged from the nearby castleThe centrepiece of the dining room is a vintage wooden table surrounded by midcentury chairs that were sourced at an auction and reupholstered using linen fabric and leather for the armrests.
    Every Wildland property features one of Kramer’s favourite furniture designs, the Papa Bear armchair created in 1951 by Hans J. Wegner and produced by PP Møbler.
    At Tigh Na Coille, the chair sits in a corner of the living room where it has a view of the fireplace. A wall-mounted lamp provides gentle illumination for reading.
    The cottage is set on a wooded hill overlooking Loch NessKramer collaborated closely on the project with Wildland co-owner Anne Holch Povlsen, the wife of Danish businessman Anders Holch Povlsen who made his fortune in the fashion industry with brands such as Bestseller.
    Wildland owns three large estates in Scotland on which it operates hotels and self-catering accommodation as part of its 200-year vision to preserve the landscape and contribute to local communities.
    The group’s other properties include a formerly derelict cottage that was transformed into a pared-back holiday home by Edinburgh-based GRAS architects, and another converted manse that was converted into an art-filled guesthouse.
    The photography is by Fran Mart.

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    Rockwell Group creates “the cathedral of fried chicken” for New York restaurant

    Arches of light warmly illuminate this Korean fried chicken restaurant in New York’s Flatiron district, designed by Rockwell Group.

    Coqodaq is the brainchild of restauranteur Simon Kim’s Gracious Hospitality Management, the group behind the Michelin-starred and James Beard-nominated COTE Korean Steakhouse.
    At Cododaq, glass and bronze modules form arches of light over dinersThe new restaurant offers an elevated take on traditional Korean-style fried chicken, encouraging diners to indulge in nuggets topped with caviar and to pair its “bucket” dishes with champagne.
    “Designed by Rockwell Group as ‘the cathedral of fried chicken’, the restaurant design delivers a daring, yet refined dining experience that skillfully integrates Korean and American influences, placing them at the forefront of this enticing culinary adventure,” said the restaurant team.
    The restaurant’s moody material palette and warm lighting set the tone for an elevated take on Korean fried chickenTo create the right atmosphere for this experience, Rockwell Group opted for a dark and moody interior of rich materials and low, warm lighting.

    “Our goal was to capture the essence of this unique concept and innovative approach to fried chicken and translate it into a memorable dining experience,” said founder David Rockwell.
    Plaster wall panels feature a crackled effect akin to fried chicken skinUpon entry, guests are invited to wash their hands in leathered soapstone basins, above which a row of pill-shaped light bands glow within a bronzed mirror that also wraps onto the side walls.
    Past the host stand, an area with four high-top tables offers a space reserved for walk-ins in front of garage-style windows.
    The long bar is topped with black soapstone and fronted with tambour woodThe main dining area is formed by a series of green leather and dark walnut booths on either side of a central walkway.
    A series of illuminated arches soar overhead, formed from rippled glass and bronze modules that resemble bubbling oil in a deep-fat fryer.
    The restaurant’s extensive champagne collection is displayed in glass cases with bubble-like lightingAt the end of this procession, a mirrored wall reflects glowing arches and creates the illusion of doubled space. Meanwhile, plaster wall panels feature a crackled effect, nodding to the crispy skin of the fried chicken.
    “The material palette was driven by a desire to surround diners in an envelope of warmth, creating a joyful place to be at any time,” Rockwell said.
    Rockwell Group creates atmospheric interiors for Perelman Center in New York

    Additional booth seating to one side is followed by the long bar, topped with black soapstone, fronted by tambour wood and backed by a luminous black liquor shelf.
    The restaurant’s extensive champagne collection – which it claims is the largest in America – is displayed inside glass cabinets installed with globe-shaped lights that look like giant bubbles.
    At the front of the restaurant is an area with high-top tables reserved for walk-in diners”Simon and I share the belief that the most important thing about restaurants is how they ritualise coming together for a shared, celebratory experience and Coqodaq provides the perfect template for that,” said Rockwell.
    Since Tony Award-winning designer founded his eponymous firm in New York 40 years ago, the studio has grown to a 250-person operation with additional offices in Los Angeles and Madrid.
    Upon arrival, guests are encouraged to wash their hands in leathered soapstone basinsAmong Rockwell Group’s recent hospitality projects are the Metropolis restaurant and lobby spaces at the Perelman Arts Center (PAC NYC) and Zaytina inside the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
    We’ve featured a few fried chicken restaurants recently, including a 1960s-influenced spot in Los Angeles and a neon-illuminated eatery in Calgary.
    The photography is by Jason Varney.

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    Collcoll hides stairs and seats in pixellated wooden structure at Pricefx office

    Thousands of wooden cubes inspired by the computer game Minecraft conceal utilities and create casual seating areas at this office in Prague designed by architecture studio Collcoll.

    Having previously designed one floor in the Meteor Centre Office Park for pricing software company Pricefx, Collcoll was tasked with outfitting the floor below as part of the client’s commitment to flexible and creative working practices.
    Collcoll has added a pixellated wooden structure to the Pricefx office in Prague”The management and employees of Pricefx use their offices primarily for meetings that stimulate creative dialogue,” said Collcoll.
    “By their very nature, they are an open space for variable use, not subject to the stereotypes of work cubicles or traditional open space.”
    The wooden feature was informed by the computer game MinecraftThe need to link the two levels presented an opportunity to do something interesting with the circulation and service core at the centre of the floor plan.

    Collcoll chose to enclose the staircase with a wooden structure that conceals staff lockers, changing rooms and utility spaces. It also contains a slide that can be used as an alternative to the stairs.
    Collcoll concealed utilities behind the “pixels” and created casual seating areas”Vertically connecting two floors tends to be problematic if the natural flow of the space is to be maintained,” Collcoll explained.
    “The two floors are tectonically connected by a structure composed of thousands of wooden pixels, which modulates the space around it and becomes its internal landmark.”
    A slide can be used instead of the stairsThe composition of 40-centimetre-wide cubes references the blocky, pixellated world of the video game Minecraft. Its external surfaces form semi-enclosed alcoves and amphitheatres that can be used for informal work and presentations.
    The cubes are wrapped in wood veneer that intentionally does not align so the pixels can be arranged in a completely random configuration.

    Kin designs Dentons law firm office interior for more than “just a business meeting”

    The pixel motif is continued by a lighting grid that covers the entire office ceiling and by a projection screen incorporated into a bar counter that also functions as a reception desk.
    The LED light fixtures, which are clearly visible from the street, can be dynamically adjusted to provide optimal lighting during working hours or create a party atmosphere for events.
    The pixel motif continues into the office’s lighting gridThe entire office floor can operate like an open conference hall containing pockets of dedicated functional space such as the cafe with its professional kitchen, bar counter and informal seating.
    A large conference room at one end of the space is equipped with a long table that can seat up to 50 people. The table and the room itself can be divided to form smaller hot-desking spaces or meeting rooms.
    Lighting can be adjusted to create a party atmosphere for eventsA sliding acoustic partition enables the space to function as a recording studio, while transparent walls along one side can be turned opaque to provide privacy.
    The office has no corridors and instead includes various unprescribed zones and circulation areas containing casual seating or lounges with amenities such as a pool table and a punchbag.
    A large conference room integrates with a table for up to 50 peopleA range of presentation spaces are scattered throughout the floorplan. These include dedicated conference rooms and tiered amphitheatres with retractable screens.
    Collcoll chose a neutral material palette comprising concrete, grey carpet tiles, light-grey plasterboard and black-painted ceilings to lend the office a modern, industrial aesthetic.
    Collcoll chose a neutral material palette for a modern and industrial aesthetic”The heavy black-metal tubular furniture corresponds with the concept of technological wiring,” Collcoll suggested.
    “In contrast, the ephemeral changing grid of light chips and sensor systems embodies the direction of industrialism towards the world of software and information.”
    The studio added amenities such as a pool table and a punchbagCollcoll’s name stands for “collaborative collective” and reflects the collaborative approach of its team of architects, designers and researchers.
    Other recently completed office interiors featuring wooden structures include a workspace in Edinburgh by Kin and a design office in Melbourne that aims to be zero-waste by using recycled materials.
    The photography is by BoysPlayNice.

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    Gallery Collectional exhibition spotlights contemporary Asian craftsmanship

    Gallery Collectional, a collectible design gallery in Dubai, has presented its inaugural exhibition featuring furniture and lighting crafted by seven Asian designers.

    For Urban Fabric Series 001, Gallery Collectional invited seven designers to create designs informed by the urban settings from which they hail, including Tokyo, Seoul and Hangzhou.
    The Urban Fabric exhibition included recycled plastic seats by Kuo Duo. Photo by Mario Tsai StudioCurated by Yoko Choy, the collectible design exhibition features 28 pieces that showcase the diverse range of crafts honed by the designers.
    It includes 3D-printed chairs, woven sculptures, metal light sculptures and furniture made from reclaimed architectural elements.
    Teo Yang repurposed remnants of traditional Korean houses. Photo by Mario Tsai Studio”Since the inception of Gallery Collectional, its desire has always been to create a multicultural, cross-functional platform that fosters disruptive and worldly conversations across design and art,” the gallery said.

    “The 28 artworks commissioned and created for this inaugural series epitomise the juxtaposition between industrial precision and artisanal finesse, the nuanced interplay between vulnerability and resilience, and the seamless fusion of rationality and emotion,” Gallery Collectional continued.
    “They delve into the dynamic interplay of light and shadow, the relentless passage of time, and the subtle balance between ruggedness and sophistication, encapsulating the essence of contemporary urban life and inspiring our collective vision for the future.”
    Cutting Lines is a collection of 3D-printed chairsKorean designer Teo Yang used remnants of traditional Korean houses known as hanoks – including glass, rubble, marble and veneer – to create a series of furniture pieces.
    The collection, named Remaining Things, includes a room divider made from hanok panels and a table made from a repurposed column with a metal base and glass tabletop.

    StudioTwentySeven opens “monumental” flagship gallery in Tribeca

    Koren design studio Kuo Duo, founded by Hwachan Lee and Yoomin Maeng, is showcasing a pair of chairs with a matching ottoman made from recycled plastic.
    The Kerf Plastic seats were designed to showcase the “untapped potential” of the material to form three-dimensional objects, according to the duo.
    The Sparks pendant light moves from side to sideThe exhibition also featured the 3D-printed Cutting Lines chair by Korean designer Kwangho Lee, with textured surfaces inspired by the act of tying knots.
    Sparks is a pendant light created by Chinese designer Mario Tsai, comprising brass chimes that sway and collide.
    A woven sculpture by Tiffany Loy hangs from the ceiling”Within this kinetic light installation, the transformative power of collision becomes palpable,” said Gallery Collectional. “It is as if the energy from each collision is harnessed and channelled, manifesting as both visible light and audible sound.”
    Also in the Urban Fabric series were tables made from white, green and pink onyx by Japanese designer Kensaku Oshiro, neon light artworks by Tokyo-based Studio Swine and a pair of woven silk and cotton sculptures by Singaporean artist Tiffany Loy.
    Gallery Collectional is located in Dubai. Photo by Mario Tsai StudioOther furniture showcases that have recently been featured on Dezeen include a furniture exhibition in a converted Bogotá townhouse and StudioTwentySeven’s newly opened flagship gallery in Tribeca.
    The photography is courtesy of Gallery Collectional.
    Urban Fabric is on show at Gallery Collectional in Dubai from 2 to 31 March 2024. For more events, talks and exhibitions in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.

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    Sella Concept adds “classic theatrical flair” to Locke am Platz hotel

    London design studio Sella Concept has designed interiors to balance modern and classical elements for the latest Locke hotel in Zurich, Switzerland.

    Called Locke am Platz, the hotel in Zurich’s Enge neighbourhood is surrounded by parks and botanical gardens, with Lake Zurich nearby.
    Sella Concept co-founder Tatjana Von Stein aimed to reflect the area’s cultural identity through her design, which draws upon Swiss Riviera aesthetics combined with modernism.
    Sella Concept completed the interiors for Locke am Platz in Zurich”Zurich has so many layers, an old school elegance mixed with brutalist modernist architecture,” Von Stein told Dezeen.
    “Everything pointed towards a very layered concept, juxtaposing modernism with a classic theatrical flair.”

    Each studio apartment has its own living areaSet across six floors, Locke am Platz contains 80 units, including 40 hotel-style rooms for shorter stays as well as studio apartments, each with their own living area and kitchenette alongside a bedroom and en-suite.
    With warm red and yellow tones, strong patterns and rich upholstery, apartment interiors have been curated to resemble a series of boudoirs – the traditional term for a woman’s bedroom or interior space.
    Red bedspreads match velvet-lined decorative curtainsRed velvet bedspreads were paired with matching decorative curtains that frame the bed.
    “It is important to create a little sense of drama, moments of subtility to moments of indulgence,” Von Stein said.
    Kitchenettes are fitted with red cabinetsKitchenettes were designed with contrasting red cabinets and petrol-blue marble backs.
    Wooden shelves are decorated with books, sculptures and ornaments, while parquet wooden flooring is arranged in a mosaic-like pattern.
    Staircase walls are clad with stainless steel panelsDownstairs, the reception area continues the juxtaposing material palette with deep orange velvet drapes and carpets alongside stainless steel, wood and high gloss finishes. According to the designer, materials were chosen as part of a careful “balance between hard and soft”.
    “We clad the existing staircase walls in stainless steel in contrast to its warm terracotta-coloured carpet, traditional statues and marble plinths,” Von Stein described.
    Bespoke furniture designed by Sella Concept and manufactured by Parla features throughoutShared social spaces include a lounge, bar, restaurant and private dining area. Velvet-lined curtains wrap around the lounge area, which sits on a raised, carpeted platform overlooking the wider common area.
    “When planning the spaces on the ground floor, I introduced various apertures between the spaces, a typical modernist character trait,” said Von Stein.
    “My aim is always to create a sense of intimacy while still being connected.”
    A wood-panelled bar is paired with green velvet stoolsA central bar connects the lounge and restaurant spaces.
    Taking cues from the modernist era, the front of the bar was decorated with geometric wood panels and topped with a marble surface. It was paired with stools upholstered with green velvet.
    Yellow and green finishes by Yarn Collective appear in the hotel restaurantChoupette, the main hotel restaurant, echoes the wider interior scheme and includes yellow curtains and green velvet-skirted banquettes by London textile company Yarn Collective.
    The restaurant and lounge areas incorporate bespoke furniture designed by Sella Concept and manufactured by Parla.
    “Designing bespoke furniture makes it so unique to the project, allowing us to work perfectly into our space, and for our materials and forms to reflect the narrative set,” Von Stein explained.

    Grzywinski+Pons designs Locke at East Side Gallery to “capture the strange magic” of Berlin

    Connected to the restaurant, a separate private dining area was adorned with a classical mural on the ceiling by decorative painter Magdalena Julia Gordon.
    “We commissioned Magda to create the ceiling mural to bring this dark room to life through artistry and a little touch of humour,” said Von Stein.
    A mural by Magdalena Julia Gordon adorns the ceiling of the private dining roomSince its first location opened in 2016, Locke has expanded to include 15 sites across the UK and mainland Europe.
    Other projects by Sella Concept recently featured on Dezeen include office interiors for a tech company in New York and the London headquarters for fashion brand Sister Jane.
    Photography is courtesy of Locke and Sella Concept.

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