More stories

  • in

    Ductus coats blocky apartment complex with red plaster in Switzerland

    Architecture studio Ductus has designed an apartment complex coated with a monochrome red plaster facade into a sloping site in Schwarzenburg, Switzerland.

    Located on the outskirts of the village of Schwarzenburg in eastern Switzerland, the complex was designed by Ductus to have the appearance of a series of intersecting blocks of various heights that protrude and recede throughout the design.
    The red plaster-covered block was has a blocky appearanceAccommodating 16 apartments, the complex comprises two buildings sat perpendicular to one another that are connected by a shared garden.
    Balconies constructed from pressure-impregnated white fir and green columns contrast with the red plaster facade and overlook the garden and neighbouring buildings.
    Adjoining balconies are constructed from pressure-impregnated white fir, which contrast with the red facadeFlat roofs lined with untreated copper top the apartment complex, which distinguishing it from the surrounding more traditional pitched-roof buildings.

    On the exterior, untreated copper was also used for downpipes, while red-toned window frames and mechanical shutters match the plaster’s colour.

    PSLA Architekten tops urban townhouse with cascading roof terraces

    Within the apartments, textured white walls were set off by wooden flooring, while stylish bathrooms were characterised by red-toned fittings and decorative tiles to match the facade.
    Bright living spaces are lit by floor-to-ceiling doors that also provide access to the adjacent balconies.
    The complex contains 16 apartments split across two buildings”All 17 apartments were designed as condominiums,” Ductus partner Marcel Hauert told Dezeen.
    “The client’s desire was for all buyers to determine the interior finishes themselves. We provided a basic concept that could be adapted virtually without restrictions.”
    Red-toned fittings and tiles feature in the bathroomDuctus is an architecture studio operating between Sweden and Switzerland.
    Elsewhere in Switzerland, BE Architektur recently used intersecting sculptural blocks to form a barn-like house and Enrico Sassi has transformed a wood store into a micro home.
    The photography is by Rasmus Norlander.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Furora Studio designs Kraków rental apartment Pops with “very sugary interior”

    Bespoke scalloped edges and a Verner Panton S-Chair feature at the Pops holiday apartment in Kraków, which Furora Studio designed to be more playful than a permanent home.

    Named Pops after lollipops, the dwelling was conceived by Diana Żurek and Gutek Girek of Polish firm Furora Studio.
    “The project is a temporary apartment for anyone who wants to spend time in an attractive and very sugary interior,” said the designers.
    Pops is a holiday apartment in central KrakówSpread across one level of a multi-storey building in central Kraków, the rental home includes an open-plan kitchen and living room.
    This space was dressed with a velvety salmon-pink curtain, which stretches the length of one of two of the walls, and a central display cabinet finished in pistachio green and “crowned with frills”.

    Furniture including a decorative display cabinet was custom-made by Furora StudioMuch of the furniture and other design elements were custom-made by Furora Studio and follow the same toy-like geometry as the cabinet – a combination of round and wavy motifs created in pastel pinks, greens and creams.
    For example, a white and turquoise pendant light with scalloped edges was suspended above a circular dining table, while a ribbed half-moon alcove was created as a backdrop for the wall-mounted television.
    Pastel hues define the apartment”First and foremost, we aimed to find suitable forms,” said Żurek, describing the studio’s starting point for the project.
    “Most of the elements were custom-made because we wanted to maintain the coherence of the interior while ensuring proper functional arrangement,” she told Dezeen.
    “Essentially, each element was its own small project. The selection of shapes, milling, small details, and perfecting the form – all of these were important considerations.”
    A ribbed, half-moon alcove was created as a backdrop for the televisionAn olive-hued, L-shaped sofa was tucked into one corner of the living space and echoed by the kitchen splashback, finished in the same green colour.
    Żurek described the apartment’s double bedroom as “a pink box with a whimsical headboard and an abundance of pillows”.
    Designer Diana Żurek described the bedroom as “a pink box”In one corner, a light green built-in desk was positioned in front of a sculptural Verner Panton chair.
    The iconic S-shaped seating was originally designed by Panton in the early 1960s and recently influenced the furniture created for the Dreamhouse at the centre of the set design in this year’s Barbie film.
    “We rarely have the opportunity to be in interiors that evoke memories of earlier years, when as children, we had few responsibilities and sought joy and playfulness,” noted Żurek.
    “But this is not about returning to preschool or infantilising the space,” stressed the designer.
    “It’s about positive energy. We sought solutions that would more literally create a colorful space, full of rounded patterns, light colours and a sense of relief,” she added.
    The studio added a Verner Panton chair to the apartmentThe bathroom is also awash with pattern, featuring a jumbo scalloped-edged cabinet and pink and brown terrazzo tiles.
    Bulbous pendant lighting illuminates the space, which contains a walk-in shower.
    Summarising the holiday apartment, Żurek called it a place to “have fun and cuddle”.

    Ten interiors with pastel colours that freshen up the home for spring

    “Certainly, there are many enthusiasts of such candy-like solutions, but this interior may not be for everyone, especially for long-term use, such as in the case of a private home,” reflected the designer.
    “For short-term rentals, I believe most people would be tempted to experience how it feels to be in such a vibrant interior,” she added.
    “These projects allow for the use of [design] solutions that might be somewhat tiring on a daily basis, but spending a brief moment in such a place opens us up to new experiences, feelings of peace and relaxation.”
    A jumbo scalloped-edged cabinet features in the bathroomElsewhere in Kraków, London-based office Studio Mills transformed an apartment at a converted monastery into a family home. Polish practice Projekt Praga created a bar with a self-service beer fountain within the taproom of a centuries-old brewery just outside of the city.
    The photography is by ONI Studio. 

    Read more: More

  • in

    Pascali Semerdjian creates Aurora Apartment to hold “two universes” in Brazil

    Gut-renovating this São Paulo apartment has allowed Brazilian studio Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos to incorporate the personalities of it occupants, particularly in the bedrooms of the family’s two children.

    The Aurora Apartment is home to a family of four, and sits on a private street in the Alto de Pinheiros neighbourhood to the west of the city.
    Renovating the Aurora Apartment involved opening up the living spacesA total overhaul of the residence was needed to open up its spaces, bring in more light, and incorporate new materials and decor that reflect the owners’ tastes.
    Without complete structural plans of the apartment or building, the demolition process revealed multiple hidden elements.
    The dining room is sometimes used for business meetings and dinnersOnly when the apartment had been fully stripped back to its bare bones was Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos able to design the floor plan to work around the structure.

    “When we saw the remaining columns and slabs, we were able to continue sketching the client’s necessities as well as our ideas onto paper,” said the studio.
    A wall panel opens to reveal a hidden home barOnce the layout was “settled”, the architects began to examine the walls and space volumetrically to discover ways to add interesting design moments that would reveal more about the family.
    “One of the most important things about this project is how every single space, both social and private, has the family personality, with a unique design that results in harmony with the whole,” said Pascali Semerdjian Architects.
    Close to the entrance, a gridded cabinet houses a coat closetThe apartment is divided into a large, open social space that’s occasionally used for hosting business meeting and dinners, and a private area that contains the bedrooms and bathrooms.
    “We wanted to create two universes in the same apartment: an intimate and cozy one, and another minimalist and social,” the studio said.
    Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos has played with volumes and materials throughout the apartmentDark wood panelling lines the entryway, concealing a storage area for keys and shoes, and the same floor-to-ceiling wood panels are used in the corner of the dining room. Here, a hidden door swings open to reveal a bar, and a brass container built into a plastered counter serves as a cooler for bottles.
    Stone flooring in the living area is laid in thin planks to match the pattern of the wooden boards that run through the private spaces.
    Designed during the pandemic, the apartment contains several multifunctional spacesSeveral classic midcentury designs were chosen for the living space, including Jean Prouvé dining chairs and a pair of salmon-coloured Ondine armchairs by Jorge Zalszupin.
    These are mixed in with contemporary furnishings like the Thin Black side tables by Nendo and a leather chaise by Studiopepe.

    Pascali Semerdjian exposes concrete ceiling for São Paulo apartment overhaul

    A variety of furniture and lighting pieces custom-designed by Pascali Semerdjian also feature in the apartment, such as the main sofa, the office chairs, and the bar sconces.
    There’s also a coat closet housed within a gridded cabinet, which is affixed to a mirror and features a cluster of square lights in its top right corner.
    In the home’s private section, the primary bedroom is minimally decoratedIn the private quarters, the primary suite is minimally finished in white and wood surfaces, while the children’s rooms are much more expressive.
    For example, the younger son’s room is designed to resemble a small house, formed from wood panelling that covers the walls and is pitched on the ceiling.
    Natural light floods the primary bedroom when its sliding wooden doors are openedHis bed and a sofa are raised to create space for a “hide-and-seek” tunnel underneath, while the older daughter’s room includes arched white closets.
    “We seek to bring originality to all rooms, with special attention to the children’s room, where we’ve pursued solutions that are close to playful, without exaggeration,” Pascali Semerdjian said.
    The bedroom of the family’s younger son is designed like a houseThe renovation work began during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, so special attention was paid to creating multifunctional spaces.
    “The project seeks to balance and bring fluidity between the different possible uses of a house, allowing residents to experience moments together as well as the possibility of having privacy, including the couple,” said the architects.
    The son’s bed and a sofa are raised to accommodate a hide-and-seek tunnel underneathPascali Semerdjian Arquitetos was founded by Domingos Pascali and Sarkis Semerdjian in 2010, and the studio has renovated many apartments across São Paulo.
    They include a residence imbued with a “deeply Brazilian and vividly cosmopolitan” flavour and a home organised around a semi-circular wooden library.
    The photography is by Fran Parente.
    Project credits:
    Project and interiors: Pascali Semerdjian ArchitectsTeam: Sarkis Semerdjian, Domingos Pascali, Ana Luisa Cunha, Fernando SpnolaProduction: VC ArtworkExecution: S Macedo Engenharia

    Read more: More

  • in

    Mesura furnishes Casa Vasto apartment and gallery with “constellation of objects”

    Local studio Mesura has designed a live-work home for a gallery owner that combines exhibition space with living quarters in a former factory in Barcelona.

    Casa Vasto is situated in the city’s seaside neighbourhood El Poblenou, characterised by its 18th-century industrial buildings that were deindustrialised in the 1960s and 70s.
    Unfurnished areas serve as exhibition spaceThe apartment is located in one of these former factories and comprises two spaces – the public living and kitchen area that also houses gallery exhibitions, and the private bedroom and bathroom that are reserved solely for the owner’s use.
    A service core made from birch wood divides the space without being attached to the walls or to the ceiling, which has an unusual vaulted design characteristic of factories built in Barcelona in the 19th century. This channels services to the kitchen and bathroom components and contains a toilet, shower and storage.
    Bespoke furniture sits alongside design classicsOn one side of the core is the living and gallery space. This has plenty of space to hold exhibitions and is filled with monolithic furnishings that create functional zones, including a long dining table with cylindrical legs and a blocky stainless-steel kitchen island.

    A low, sprawling sofa defines the lounge area, which centres around a coffee table fashioned from waste material created during the apartment’s construction by designer Sara Regal.
    Low-lying furnishings underline the height of the space and the unique ceilingArtworks and furniture have been arranged throughout the space, which was curated in collaboration between the owners and Mesura.
    “The project’s interior design is reinterpreted as a constellation of unique objects detached from the apartment’s limits,” said Mesura.
    “These elements contrast with the white-washed walls and light-wood furnishings to emerge as accents of colour and form, weaving a cohesive and contemporary identity throughout the project, drawing focus to the pieces and artwork.”
    The minimalistic kitchen unit shares the central core’s oblong profileBespoke pieces custom-made for Casa Vasto are flanked by iconic design classics, such as architect Mies van der Rohe’s MR10 Chair and architect Mario Botta’s Seconda Chai.
    “Some of the interior pieces were specifically designed for the space – kitchen, dining table, service core, bathtub – and the others – sofas, chairs, lighting – were more of a process with the clients, who had their own preferences and interests,” Mesura told Dezeen.

    Auba Studio converts 1980s bakery in Spain into industrial NZ10 Apartment

    Frames are hung on the walls in the bedroom, which also contains two sinks and a bathtub encased in blocky concrete volumes.
    As in the rest of the space, rectangular windows extend from floor level to let natural light into the space.
    The bed, bath and sink unit are all custom-made for the project”We think the pieces selected for the interiors create a comfortable and unique atmosphere when in touch with the bespoke furniture we designed for the project,” the studio told Dezeen.
    Other adaptive reuse apartment projects on Dezeen include an apartment in a converted bank office by Puntofilipino and a flat in a former chocolate factory by SSdH.
    The photography is by Salva López.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Eight basement apartments that are subterranean sanctuaries

    In this lookbook, we select eight apartments that prove basements are the new penthouses, from an art deco flat in Paris to a sci-fi-style hideaway in Madrid.

    Often associated with limited space and poor natural light, basement homes have not always been particularly coveted.
    But as the world’s cities get more expensive, busier and hotter, below-ground living can be a relatively affordable, private and temperate option.
    Below are eight of the best basement apartments previously featured on Dezeen.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cave-like interiors, residential entrance halls and pocket doors.

    Photo by Jim StephensonUnearthed Vault, UK, by Daab Design
    Architecture studio Daab Design turned a former art storage vault in London into a two-bedroom basement flat.
    Georgian period features were meticulously restored as part of the renovation and paired with a soothing colour palette of creams, greens and blues, turning what was previously a dark and cramped interior into a modern living space.
    Find out more about Unearthed Vault ›
    Photo by Simone BossiThe Whale, France, by Clément Lesnoff-Rocard
    The Whale takes its name from the huge structural elements that punctuate this home in the basement of a Parisian apartment building, which reminded architect Clément Lesnoff-Rocard of being inside an enormous animal.
    Lesnoff-Rocard stripped back the apartment to reveal the chunky concrete beams, while extensive mirrored glass, brass and geometric shapes inject an understated sense of art deco.
    Find out more about The Whale ›
    Photo by José HeviaYurikago House, Spain, by Mas-aqui
    Architecture studio Mas-aqui used half-levels in its renovation of this semi-basement apartment in Barcelona to maximise space.
    The previously unused bottom level was excavated to create a staircase down to a new guest bedroom featuring a structural arch above the bed and an exposed-concrete retaining wall.
    Find out more about Yurikago House ›
    Photo by by Yiannis Hadjiaslanis (also top)Ilioupoli Apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme
    Sunken into the ground at the bottom of an apartment building in Athens, this small, one-bedroom flat was previously a storage space.
    Point Supreme sought to retain the interior’s “magical-cave-like” feeling by leaving raw concrete surfaces exposed and using floor finishes, curtains and sliding partitions rather than walls to separate the space.
    Find out more about Ilioupoli Apartment ›
    Photo by Hey! CheeseHouse H, Taiwan, by KC Design Studio
    The basement of House H in Taipei leans into its underground setting with a dark and moody colour palette provided by concrete flooring, loosely rendered grey plaster walls and black or grey fixtures and fittings.
    To filter more natural light and fresh air into the basement, KC Design Studio carved several openings into the ceiling, accommodating a staircase and an indoor courtyard.
    Find out more about House H ›
    Photo by José HeviaApartment Tibbaut, Spain, by Raúl Sánchez
    Architect Raúl Sánchez converted a vaulted basement beneath a house in Barcelona into a subterranean apartment using curving panels of laminated pine.
    The partition curls around a central living area, separating each of the rooms but stopping short of the ceiling to ensure the building’s original architecture remains visible, as well as allowing natural light to spread throughout the space.
    Find out more about Apartment Tibbaut ›
    Photo by José HeviaCasa A12, Spain, by Lucas y Hernández-Gil
    This semi-basement Madrid apartment features fun, Stanley Kubrick-esque features such as shiny silver curtains, cobalt-blue accent walls and an indoor courtyard with orange grass.
    Lucas y Hernández-Gil designed the space to be a “world of work and leisure” where the homeowners can escape from the street above.
    Find out more about Casa A12 ›
    Photo by Jérôme FleurierStudio LI, France, by Anne Rolland Architecte
    A secret room sits beneath this sunken studio apartment created by Anne Rolland Architecte in a long-abandoned space in a 17th-century Parisian townhouse.
    Accessed via a mechanical trapdoor and granted natural light by a window in the kitchen floor, the former slurry pit was restored to create a music room and home cinema.
    Find out more about Studio LI ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cave-like interiors, residential entrance halls and pocket doors.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Uchronia conceives Haussmann-era Paris apartment as “chromatic jewellery box”

    Multifaceted furniture pieces crafted to mirror the appearance of precious stones feature in this opulent Parisian apartment, which was renovated by local studio Uchronia for a pair of jewellery designers.

    Located on Paris’s Avenue Montaigne, the one-storey apartment is housed within a building designed as part of Georges-Eugène Haussmann’s famed reconstruction of the French capital during the mid-19th century.
    Uchronia renovated a Haussmann-era apartment in ParisUchronia maintained the apartment’s original boiserie, mouldings, parquet flooring and tall ceilings, which are hallmarks of Haussmann-era architecture.
    This quintessentially Parisian backdrop was updated to include bright and textured furnishings designed to mimic pieces of jewellery.
    The dining room features a modular resin table”The space had great bones – a classical Haussmanian layout,” said Uchronia founder and architect Julien Sebban. “That being said, it felt cold, pretentious and beige.”

    “For a change, we avoided structural work and focussed on the decoration,” he told Dezeen.
    A trapezoid lacquered cabinet was positioned in the living roomCreated as a home for two jewellery designers, the apartment features an amorphous resin table in the dining room that is divided into seven modular parts and patterned with a motif informed by the green gemstone malachite.
    “The table’s custom-designed, beaten steel legs echo the principle of claws holding a solitaire diamond to its ring,” explained Sebban.
    Coloured light refracts from a squat stained-glass chairMulticoloured light refracts from a squat stained-glass chair in the sizeable living room, which features a trapezoid lacquered cabinet and curvy jewel-like furniture finished in vivid hues and contrasting textures.
    Uchronia suspended a milky blue Murano glass chandelier overhead and wrapped the room’s floor-to-ceiling windows in sheer ombre curtains.
    Uchronia created a bespoke bed frame for the apartment”The walls echo the curtains and are also treated – and this is a technical feat – in gradations of colour,” the architect said.
    Tucked into an alcove, towering silvery shelves display a selection of ornaments and were designed to give the impression of an open jewellery box.
    “If the apartment’s shapes are reminiscent of the jewellery world, its materials and colours are also borrowed from it,” Sebban said.

    Six renovated Parisian apartments in historical Haussmann-era buildings

    In the single bedroom, the studio took cues from the undulating striations of onyx when creating a bespoke bed frame, finished in plush upholstery to blend in with the room’s patterned carpet while alabaster lamps were positioned atop its two posts.
    Elsewhere in the room, Uchronia paired a dramatically carved Ettore Sottsass dressing table in book-matched marquetry with an egg-shaped chair defined by gleaming red plastic and “space-age lines”.
    An Ettore Sottsass dressing table was also included in the bedroom”It’s very hard to pick a favourite place in this flat because each space has its own identity and colour,” Sebban said. “But if there’s one thing I really love about this apartment, it’s the vitrail that leads to the kitchen.”
    The curving window was an existing feature of the apartment, which the studio customised with candy-coloured glass panes.
    “It creates a place of passage that is quite timeless, like a little sanctuary,” said the architect.
    Coloured glass appears throughout the apartmentColoured glass is a motif that appears throughout the apartment, including the asymmetrical pastel-hued wine and cocktail glasses that look like precious stones.
    “Playful and contradicting combinations of colour, organic and geometric lines and a rich combination of textiles and glass come together to form a chromatic jewellery box filled with gems,” said Sebban. “Every detail has been thought out, polished and cut.”
    Asymmetrical pastel-hued glasses looks like precious stonesElsewhere in Paris, French architect Sophie Dries previously renovated a Haussmann-era apartment for clients who are “really into colour”, while Hauvette & Madani added a sumptuous wine-red kitchen to a dwelling in the city’s République area.
    The photography is by Félix Dol Maillot. 

    Read more: More

  • in

    Eight renovated mid-century homes that marry period and contemporary details

    From a modernist villa in Beverly Hills to a flat in one of Brasília’s iconic Superquadra apartment blocks, the mid-century renovations in this lookbook are a masterclass in updating a period home while retaining its distinctive character.

    Originally constructed in the post-war period between 1945 and 1969, mid-century homes have proved enduringly popular due to their prescient emphasis on natural light, clean lines, open floor plans and humble materials such as wood, stone and concrete.
    The renovations below see many of these original features retained and restored, supplemented with contemporary additions such as double-height ceilings and furniture by the likes of Tadao Ando and Mario Bellini.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring art deco homes, sunny yellow interiors and serene bedrooms with striking natural views.
    Photo by Jack LovelCity Beach Residence, Australia, by Design Theory

    Australian studio Design Theory looked to preserve the “considerable mid-century charm” of this home on the coast of Perth during its renovation (top and above), remaining true to the rich palette of natural materials found in the original design.
    Contemporary furniture and lighting with gently curving forms were chosen to soften the rigorous lines of the original architecture and prevent the interiors from feeling like a period pastiche.
    Find out more about City Beach Residence ›
    Photo by An PhamBrandaw Residence, US, by 180 Degrees Design + Build and CBTWO Architects
    A new double-height living room with a pitched roof and full-height glazing was added to modernise this 1960s home in Phoenix, creating sightlines up and out towards nearby Camelback Mountain.
    Modernist touches remain on the interior in the form of plentiful wood panelling alongside finishes and furnishings in muted primary colours ranging from teal to mustard-yellow.
    Find out more about Brandaw Residence ›
    Photo by James O DaviesHampstead House, UK, by Coppin Dockray
    This house in Hampstead was originally designed by British architect Trevor Dannatt in 1960 as London’s answer to the post-war Case Study Houses built by the likes of Richard Neutra and the Eameses in California.
    When renovating and extending the property for a growing family, local studio Coppin Dockray contrasted vintage and contemporary furniture for a “domestic, lived-in” feel, with pieces ranging from a Togo chair to Mia Hamborg’s Shuffle table for &Tradition.
    Find out more about Hampstead House ›
    Photo by Gerhard HeuschBeverly Hills villa, US, by Heusch
    Historical images helped architecture firm Heusch to restore this Beverly Hills villa to its former glory and reverse some of its “unfortunate transformations” over the years.
    Existing terrazzo floors on the ground floor were restored and complemented with fluted glass details and dark timber furnishings, both new and old, including Ando’s cantilevered Dream Chairs and a bookshelf by Italian architect Augusto Romano from the 1950s.
    Find out more about Beverly Hills villa ›
    Photo by Justin ChungPalermo house, US, by OWIU
    California studio OWIU retained several original elements during the renovation of this 1955 home in LA’s San Rafael Hills, among them the glass-block walls and wooden ceiling beams, which were exposed from under false ceilings and sanded down to reveal their natural colour.
    These were contrasted with more neutral contemporary elements such as pale oak flooring and walls coated in Venetian plaster, with assorted lights by Isamu Noguchi and George Nelson – one of the founding fathers of American modernism.
    Find out more about Palermo house ›
    Photo by Joana FranceBrasília apartment, Brazil, by Debaixo do Bloco Arquitetura
    This apartment is located inside Brasília’s historic Superquadra 308 Sul, the first “superblock” apartment complex constructed as part of architect Lucio Costa’s 1957 master plan for the new Brazilian capital.
    Local studio Debaixo do Bloco Arquitetura cut open the building’s exposed concrete walls, opening up its layout to meet the needs of a modern family while preserving period details such as the building’s distinctive white breeze-block screens and its granilite flooring.
    Find out more about Brasília apartment ›
    Photo by Ingalls PhotographyMalibu Surf Shack, US, by Kelly Wearstler
    When interior designer Kelly Wearstler turned this 1950s beachfront cottage in Malibu into a bohemian retreat for herself and her family, she retained the original wood-panelled walls and selected finishes that were “hand-crafted, rustic and raw” to match the existing material palette.
    The interiors feature abundant planting, alongside an eclectic mix of period-agnostic furnishings including a 1980s green marble table by Bellini, paired with a plaster-covered Caféstuhl chair by contemporary Austrian designer Lukas Gschwandtner.
    Find out more about Malibu Surf Shack ›
    Photo by Rafael SoldiGolden House, US, by SHED
    Seattle architecture firm SHED had to make several aggressive interventions when renovating this 1950s building in nearby Shoreline, which was originally constructed as a family home but had previously been divided up to serve as a retirement home.
    Working around the existing post-and-beam structure, the studio updated the interior to maximise views of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound while enlarging the kitchen and reorganising it around a central island.
    Find out more about Golden House ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring art deco homes, sunny yellow interiors and serene bedrooms with striking natural views.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Puntofilipino brings noble materials to apartment in former bank office

    Design studio Puntofilipino has created a richly layered interior full of texture and patina for this Madrid apartment, designed to offer an unexpected take on the client’s passion for Danish art and furniture.

    Set in a former bank office building in the Salamanca neighbourhood that dates back to 1929, the one-bedroom apartment was conceived as a refuge for the client.
    Puntofilipino has completed the Radikal Klassisk apartment”He was looking for a space of relaxation, silence and solitude,” Puntofilipino founder Gema Gutiérrez told Dezeen. “Madrid is a very fast city and his need was to find a place where time stopped.”
    Puntofilipino set out to design a space that reflects the client’s love of Danish style without resorting to Scandinavian design cliches.
    Instead, the studio sought to foster a sense of timelessness by balancing modern and historical influences, calling the apartment Radikal Klassisk.

    The interior features natural materials such as stone and wood”It’s a very modern design and yet also with a slightly historical bent,” she said. “There is a perpetual link between the past and the present.”
    “I wanted to show the client the coexistence and communion between classic and contemporary Danish brands,” Gutiérrez added.
    “Pieces by designers such as Hans J Wegner, father of modern Danish design, coexist with contemporary Danish brands such as Overgaard & Dyrman – both free of passing trends, timeless.”
    Layered textiles add depth to the spaceWhile the lines and forms are clean and modern, Gutiérrez says the materials themselves, which range from natural stone to terrazzo and wood, “are historically recognised noble materials, used in palaces throughout the centuries”.
    The work of Danish painter Ebba Cartensen was another influence on the apartment’s aesthetic.
    The late artist’s cubist compositions informed the heavily patinated finishes seen in each room, from the clay-rendered walls to the marbled tiles.

    Studio Noju renovates curvy apartment in brutalist Torres Blancas tower

    “I looked for the pictorial representation of Ebba Carstensen’s painting,” said Gutiérrez.
    “The patinated finishes express time, distance, and memory – a ground-breaking, elegant and sober aesthetic that goes beyond the concept we have of Danish design.”
    Dark botanical wallpaper frames the bedroomIn the bedroom, Puntofilipino used a darkly immersive botanical wallpaper by Instabilelab with a mural-like scale.
    “The client has a predilection for bucolic painting,” the studio said. “In addition, the plant motifs give depth to the space.”
    Here, as elsewhere, the colours are rich and intense, taking their cues from the tonal variations in the stone, metal and wood used in each room.
    A monolithic tub forms the centrepiece of the roomIn the open-plan bedroom-bathroom, a monolithic stone tub takes on a sculptural quality as the central focal point within the space.
    “I considered breaking with architectural patterns and giving more prominence to the centre of the room,” Gutiérrez said. “The inside of the bathtub, metaphorically, reflects a bench where you could see any work of art in a museum.”
    The sofa fulfils a similar function in the living room, this time with an emphasis on curves rather than straight lines.
    The living room is centred by a curvy NORR11 sofaProduced by Danish design brand NORR11, it consists of three distinct elements, each upholstered in a different fabric progressing from off-white bouclé to olive green leather.
    “I studied the soleo, the path of the sun, and how it affects colours and materials in the interior,” Gutiérrez said. “The gradual transition gives depth and makes you look around the space, a dance through the senses.”
    Furnishings include Danish design classics such as this Hans J Wegner chairNearby in Salamanca, locals studio Lucas y Hernández-Gil recently completed JJ16 – a compact family home filled with colour blocking and clever storage solutions.
    Also in the Spanish capital, Studio Noju has renovated a curvy two-storey apartment in the city’s brutalist Torres Blancas tower.
    The photography is by Polina Parcevskya and Julie Smorodkina.

    Read more: More