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      Paris duplex by Johanna Amatoury references architecture of Greek islands

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      Harnessing soft whites and gently curving plaster forms, interior designer Johanna Amatoury has brought a holiday-house feel to this apartment in the peaceful Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine.

      The duplex belongs to a couple who work in real estate and their three young children – a globetrotting family with a particular love for the Greek islands.
      Interior designer Johanna Amatoury has renovated a Paris duplexAmatoury designed their apartment as a homage to the region’s vernacular architecture.
      “Because of their love for this part of the world, we arrived in this apartment and imagined a holiday house feeling, using warm and textural materials – very unlike typical Parisian apartments,” she told Dezeen.
      “We worked with mineral materials, textures and raw colours in the apartment to provide depth and achieve the desired ambience.”

      Curving plaster-covered surfaces feature heavily in the entrywayThe design of the home was also shaped by its layout, arranged over the ground and first floors of a large 1980s building that opens onto a small garden.
      This encouraged Amatoury to model the apartment on a single-family house.
      The design draws on the vernacular architecture of the Greek islands”We wanted to imagine it as a house, to create a more outside-in atmosphere, increasing all the size of the windows,” she said.
      “The apartment is on the garden level, so my guideline was to open as much as possible to the outside and the planting there.”
      Violetta marble tables anchor the living roomThe apartment’s whole floorplan was reworked in order to create a living room, dining room and kitchen that all look onto the gardens outside.
      The staircase was relocated to a more logical location close to the entrance, while upstairs the space was completely reconfigured to create four bedroom suites.
      Artworks reflect the Grecian theme of the interiorAs a homage to Greek island architecture, Amatoury used Roman plaster to soften the forms within the apartment, particularly in the entrance hall.
      “We used warm, textural materials including lots of softly curving and tactile plaster finishes that give the space a sculptural look,” she said.
      “Roman plaster is a very ancient technique that has a mineral appearance with a smooth, soft and slightly glossy finish, which catches the eye and dresses the wall through classic mineral colours while also embracing brighter nuances.”

      Six renovated Parisian apartments in historical Haussmann-era buildings

      In the kitchen, smoked walnut timber cabinetry is paired with splashbacks and worktops made of Navona travertine.
      Set in an otherwise open-plan space, the area is enclosed in glazed panels.
      “The family entertains a lot and cooks a lot, both the parents and the children,” Amatoury said. “As a result, it was necessary to be able to close off the kitchen while maintaining this visual openness.”
      The kitchen is enclosed by glazed partitionsMuch like a window, the glazed panels feature curved grilles and are set on an oak base that creates a visual link with the built-in oak banquette upholstered in white boucle wool.
      “We create a lot of benches because they’re so practical, incorporating storage chests, but most importantly for their cosy appeal,” Amatoury said. “Benches introduce a mix of fabrics and through these fabrics, the space becomes more welcoming.”
      Amatoury fashioned an oak seating banquette for the dining area For Amatoury, the furniture edit was a balancing act between creating a “harmonious yet eclectic atmosphere” that blends sophistication and comfort.
      Taking a central role is the curving sofa in the living room, which is upholstered in off-white linen and paired with monolithic Violetta marble tables.
      A staircase leads up to the second floor”Its design not only provided a focal point but also added a touch of elegance and softness to the space,” she said.
      “The curving shape offered a sense of flow and organic grace, enhancing the room’s visual appeal. The choice of off-white linen contributed to a serene ambience here, promoting a feeling of openness and lightness.”
      The upper level houses four bedroom suitesAmatoury, who has worked on several residential and commercial interiors across Paris, says she was tasked with the project after the owners admired a home she had completed for friends of theirs.
      “They liked our work and especially the warmth we bring to our projects, almost like a cocoon,” she said.
      Other residential interiors in the French capital that have recently been featured on Dezeen include a loft apartment in a former textile workshop and a Haussmann-era flat that was restored to its “former glory”.
      The photography is by Pierce Scourfield.

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      Hauvette & Madani restores Haussmann-era Paris apartment to its “former glory”

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      Local design studio Hauvette & Madani drew on the Haussmannian history of this Paris apartment to create a gallery-like interior for its occupant’s vast art collection.

      Located in the city’s historic Triangle d’Or, the dwelling previously featured minimalist marble surfaces and gilding leftover from a recent renovation.
      Hauvette & Madani “re-appropriated” the apartment, originally designed as part of Georges-Eugène Haussmann’s famed reconstruction of the French capital during the mid-19th century, to reflect its architectural past.
      Hauvette & Madani added cornices and mouldings to the apartment to reflect the dwelling’s Haussmannian roots”The challenge was to completely revamp the apartment, which had just been refurbished,” said studio co-founder Samantha Hauvette, who designed the dwelling with Lucas Madani.
      “We carried out meticulous research to find the right motifs and decorations to restore the place to its former glory and Haussmannian charm,” she told Dezeen.

      The living room features various artworksThe designers recreated delicate white cornices and mouldings – hallmarks of Haussmannian design – within the apartment, which had been previously stripped of these details.
      This created a considered but neutral backdrop for the resident’s eclectic collection of artwork and a curated selection of furniture “mixing eras and styles,” according to Hauvette and Madani.
      Sarah Crowner designed a bold fireplace for the dining spaceVisitors enter at a small round vestibule clad in straw marquetry – a “common thread” that also features on a pair of curved sofas and a sleek coffee table as well as sliding doors, the main bedroom’s headboard and the dining table.
      The light-filled living room is characterised by sculptural furniture and art pieces, including rounded vintage armchairs finished in a dark green hue and metallic base.
      An amorphous ceiling work by Austrian artist Erwin Wurm was suspended above the sofas, while a deep blue painting by Swiss practitioner Miriam Cahn adds a bold hue to the room.
      “It’s a real living space, where the homeowner shares a lot with her artist and designer friends,” said the designers. “All the pieces have a strong identity.”
      The kitchen balances traditional elements with more alternative detailsFor the dining room, American artist Sarah Crowner created a striking turquoise fireplace, which was clad in a blocky mosaic of geometric tiles and positioned alongside a burnt orange vintage egg-shaped chair.
      “We wanted to take the codes of classicism and break free from them,” explained Hauvette and Madani, who aimed to balance traditional interior details with more contemporary colourful touches.
      A blocky drinks bar was finished in the same design as the kitchen tableContinuing this theme, the designers sandwiched a bright green stove between more subtle, light pink cabinets in the kitchen, which includes a patterned feature wall.
      Blocks of light-coloured timber were stacked by French furniture maker Hervé van der Straeten to create a singular lumpy leg for the kitchen table as well as the base of a drinks bar elsewhere in the apartment.

      Wood Ribbon apartment in Paris features an undulating timber wall

      Hauvette and Madani also constructed an in-house sauna for the home, finished in dark wooden slats and tucked behind a bespoke green-hued daybed, made by the designers themselves.
      “We have a strong belief that everything that you love independently will work perfectly once put together,” said Madani, who highlighted the power of trusting your instincts when curating eclectic interiors.
      Hauvette & Madani also added a home saunaSummarising the overall look and feel of the apartment, the pair declared, “it’s Paris Haussmannian style, with a hint of craziness!”
      Hauvette & Madani is not the first studio to renovate a traditional Parisian apartment with contemporary touches.
      Local studio Uchronia recently filled a home for jewellery designers with multifaceted furniture pieces crafted to mirror the appearance of precious stones. The studio also previously added a wine-red kitchen to an otherwise neutral flat in the French capital.
      The photography is by François Coquerel. 

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      Isabelle Heilmann converts Parisian textile workshop into loft apartment

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      Interior designer Isabelle Heilmann has used glazing and level changes to turn a former textile workshop in Paris into an open-plan apartment with a dedicated home office.

      The owners of the property on Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud asked Heilmann’s studio Epicène to rationalise the interior and create a space for home working while maintaining the apartment’s quirky layout.
      Isabelle Heilmann has completed the Timbaud apartmentThe existing loft featured several impractical and dilapidated spaces including a cramped bedroom and three mezzanines with low ceilings that were once used for storing rolls of fabric.
      Heilmann removed some of the existing structures and introduced changes in floor height to delineate the new spaces while adding internal windows that retain a visual connection between the rooms.
      A raised platform houses the home office”Using differences in level and glass partitions allows you to demarcate the different living spaces while allowing light to circulate,” the designer told Dezeen.

      “Now, from the moment you enter, you have a global vision of the volume of the apartment,” she added. “It’s a way to have a very open plan without the disadvantages of the loft.”
      A bright green door in the dining space conceals a WCThe partitions enclosing the existing bedroom were removed and a platform built in their place now contains a home office housing two workstations and a wall of library shelving.
      Two of the mezzanines were also demolished, leaving just one beside the entrance that was transformed into a room for gaming and accommodating overnight guests.
      Throughout the interior, Heilmann sought to preserve the spirit of the old workshop that had attracted the owners to this space. The raised platform recalls the height changes of the old mezzanines, while geometric sculptural elements evoke the original layout.
      The kitchen and living room are separated by a glass partition”The partitions and interlocking shapes of the old workshop have been simplified, but we find this play of asymmetrical cubes in the shape of the headboard or the glass partition between bedroom and living room,” she explained.
      “The industrial spirit is also suggested in the choice of lighting fixtures or the sobriety of the bathroom tiling.”
      Examples of the recurring geometric motif include a series of cubic volumes containing cupboards and storage niches on either side of the steps leading up to the platform.

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

      An asymmetric window creates a bold feature that connects the living room with the new bedroom, where a stepped headboard creates shelf space for books, paintings and objects.
      The kitchen is located opposite the office platform and features a simple L-shaped layout that slots in underneath the mezzanine and windows.
      A swing in the living room capitalises on the apartment’s tall ceilingsThe cupboard units have birch plywood doors and a marbled Corian worktop that complements the minimal, industrial look of the interior.
      A full-height glass-and-steel wall that was part of the original workshop was carefully preserved and now separates the living room on one side from the kitchen and dining area on the other.
      A door in the central glass partition leads into the living area, where a swing suspended from the ceiling makes the most of the room’s height.
      The owners wanted a blank canvas for showcasing their collection of vintage objects, so walls and floors throughout the apartment are painted white to provide a muted, minimal backdrop.
      A green bedspread catches the eye in the bedroomThe scheme also aims to create a playful, relaxed and creative atmosphere evocative of 1960s modernism, with classic pieces such as Achille Castiglioni’s Snoopy lamp and an Enzo Mari print providing pops of colour.
      In the bedroom, a yellow-painted door and green bedspread catch the eye, while a bright green door in the dining space conceals a WC with a sink set against punchy pink cement tiles.
      The bedroom features a large dressing area with cupboards made from birch plywood, which is housed in a space previously occupied by a bathroom.
      Curved tiles by Pop Corn clad the sinkThe main bathroom offers a playful take on the geometric theme used elsewhere in the apartment, with its geometric sink clad in rounded tiles from French firm Pop Corn.
      Isabelle Heilmann studied at the École Boulle in Paris before founding her agency Epicène in 2018. The studio designs public and residential spaces that combine a minimalistic sensibility with a love of colour and characterful statement pieces.
      Other Parisian home interiors that have recently been featured on Dezeen include an apartment with a wine-red kitchen and another that was designed to resemble a “chromatic jewellery box”.
      The photography is by BCDF studio.

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      Ten New York City loft interiors that make innovative use of open space

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      For our latest lookbook, we explore ten loft conversions and renovations in New York City where designers have inserted partitions, storage and other elements to cleverly organise open space.

      Characterised by spacious open floor plans, high ceilings and large windows, loft apartments are as synonymous with New York City as coffee and bagels – at least in popular culture.
      Loft apartments are housed in converted commercial, manufacturing or warehouse buildings, which informs their overall industrial feel as well as their wide-open floor plans, which have acted as a blank canvas for creatives for decades.
      In the New York lofts below, designers have organised and reorganised interiors by removing walls, reducing and adding mezzanines, inserting glass and wooden storage units or embracing original structures.
      From a Brooklyn residence that can be converted into an event space to a SoHo loft that now houses a sculptural partition wall, read on for ten examples of cleverly organised New York lofts throughout the city.

      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring kitchens with floor-to-ceiling cabinets, well-designed sheds and outbuildings and interiors created on a budget.
      Photo is courtesy of Future ProjectsAnother Seedbed, Williamsburg, by Future Projects
      Architects from New York studio Future Projects have converted an industrial space in a 19th-century cast iron building, which once served as a hat factory, into a unique loft apartment that serves as a residence and event space.
      To accommodate both the owner’s residential needs as well as public events, volumes covered in plywood and clay were inserted into an open floor plan to enclose private areas, while movable furniture including a sofa on wheels can be easily pushed out of the way for performances.
      Find out more about Another Seedbed ›
      Photo is by Seth CaplanDumbo Loft, Dumbo, by Crystal Sinclair Designs
      Interiors studio Crystal Sinclair Designs inserted a library mezzanine and a large glass partition to divide space in this Dumbo loft.
      The building’s original 14-foot ceilings accommodated the addition of the mezzanine, while the floor-to-ceiling glass partition was used to enclose the bedroom from the apartment’s remaining open floor plan.
      Find out more about Dumbo Loft ›
      Photo is courtesy of No ArchitectureThe Urban Tree House, West Village, by No Architecture
      No Architecture combined two units in a West Village skyscraper to create this double-height apartment, into which the studio inserted an extensive wooden structure with net beds that span over the living area.
      “We combined two units by first, redrawing all rooms into a cohesive ‘matrix plan’ and second, inserting a ‘garden folly’ that relates the interior to the adjacent Hudson River Greenway,” said New York-based No Architecture.
      Find out more about the Urban Tree House ›
      Photo is by Sarah ElliottTribeca Loft, Tribeca, by Andrea Leung 
      Architect Andrea Leung gut-renovated this loft in Tribeca for herself, opting to remove a mezzanine level and neatly organising private spaces in a linear row along the length of the space.
      Leung’s fascination with secret spaces – informed by her grandmother’s penthouse, which contained hidden rooms – prompted the architect to conceal all spaces but the living and dining room behind a mirrored wall.
      Find out more about Tribeca Loft ›
      Photo is by Isabel ParraManhattan loft, West Village, by Tala Fustok Studio
      A large glass and maple wood storage unit was used to divide the kitchen of this industrial West Village apartment from a living area, while a custom corten steel staircase leads to the second floor.
      London practice Tala Fustok Studio organised the interior to emphasise the apartment’s tall ceilings and oversized windows, as well as softening the space with limestone-washed walls.
      Find out more about Manhattan loft ›
      Photo is by Alan TanseyBroadway Loft, Madison Square North, by Worrell Yeung 
      New York architecture studio Worrell Yeung reorganised this NoMad loft to welcome more light, storage and an additional bedroom and bathroom for a growing family, who had lived in the space for over a decade.
      All of the apartment’s walls were removed to reveal the building’s structures and pipes while bookcase units and cabinetry were inserted to divide the space.
      Find out more about Broadway Loft ›
      Photo by Kevin KunstadtFrame Loft, Financial District, by Light and Air
      Located in a converted commercial building in the Financial District in Manhattan, this loft was cramped with internal walls before Brooklyn studio Light and Air removed the partitions to make the most of the generous floor area and large windows.
      The studio reduced the footprint of the overhead storage loft to allow for taller ceilings while inserting light wood shelving storage units, seating, a desk and cabinetry throughout the space.
      Find out more about Frame Loft ›
      Photo is by Daniel SalemiBrooklyn Loft, Clinton Hill, by Dean Works
      A volume made of Baltic birch plywood was inserted into this Clinton Hill loft to create more storage and section off a private sleeping area, which was further enclosed behind a glass partition.
      The adjusted floor plan places a living area towards the loft’s generous windows, the kitchen at its centre and the bedroom towards the apartment’s entrance.
      Find out more about Brooklyn Loft ›
      Photo is by Michael MoranSoho Loft, Soho, by Julian King
      To update this narrow apartment housed in a former silk warehouse, designer Julian King inserted a sculptural sleeping mezzanine at its centre, added a built-in bookcase and kept much of the remaining space completely open under its 13-foot ceilings.
      The mezzanine, which hosts just a bed, is concealed behind a partial wall that’s lined with integrated LED lighting.
      Find out more about Soho Loft ›
      Photo is by Eric PetschekChelsea Loft, Chelsea, by Worrell Yeung 
      Green paint covered the wood pillars of this Chelsea loft before Worrell Yeung updated the space, adding a large kitchen island and organising private areas towards the back of the apartment opposite its large windows.
      “The organising design strategy of this renovation was to maintain contiguous public living zones and extend daylight as far as it can reach by minimising partitions and concentrating private rooms on the north side of the apartment,” said the studio.
      Find out more about Chelsea Loft ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring kitchens with floor-to-ceiling cabinets, well-designed sheds and outbuildings and interiors created on a budget.

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      Plus One Architects uncovers original paintwork of 100-year-old Czech apartment

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      Prague studio Plus One Architects has restored the “original splendour” of this 1902 apartment in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, by reinstating some of its original features.

      Located in a turn-of-the-century apartment block, the two-bedroom flat was renovated by Plus One Architects, who exposed the original paintwork present on the walls and ceilings.
      The Karlovy Vary Apartment features minimal furnishingsThe studio also streamlined the circulation inside the apartment by removing doors to open up pathways, as well as undoing dated additions that had been installed over the top of the original walls and floors.
      “We think the first renovation was probably done in the late 70s,” architect Kateřina Průchová told Dezeen. “It was full of wooden cladding on the walls, a lot of doors and carpet that covered the original floors.”
      Transom windows let light flood through the roomsThe revamped interior has a bright, airy atmosphere, as natural sunlight comes in through the large unobstructed windows and continues deeper into the rooms thanks to the addition of transom windows on some of the interior walls.

      Remnants of colourful mottled paintwork appear on the walls and ceilings alongside brown and beige sections of plaster.
      Mottled blue and yellow paintwork decorates the primary bedroomNeutral-coloured paint and plasterwork feature in the kitchen and living room, where Plus One Architects retained the apartment’s original masonry heater clad in glossy brown tiles.
      Painted details are also apparent on the ceiling, with concentric bands of red, blue and yellow delineating the perimeter of the room.
      Doors were removed to improve the flow between spacesPink paint appears in the corridor and smaller bedroom while blue paintwork can be seen in the primary bedroom, complementing the restored wooden floorboards.
      In the bathroom, white tiling lines the walls, interspersed with iridescent tiles and sections of exposed paintwork.

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

      The rooms are sparingly furnished, allowing the paintwork to be the interior’s focal point.
      Plus One Architects brought in furniture with minimalist forms by Czech design studio Janský & Dunděra alongside decorative pieces from local design brand Todus.
      The bathroom is fitted with white flooring, tiling and fixtures”I hope we managed to return the apartment to the original splendour of the period, in which the house was built,” said Průchová.
      “You can feel how the building looks from the outside – it is an old house in the historic part of a spa town.”
      The kitchen and dining room overlook neighbouring rooftopsKateřina Průchová and Petra Ciencialová founded Plus One Architects in 2019. The studio is based in Prague and works on projects across the Czech Republic.
      Other apartment interiors that have recently been featured on Dezeen include a home in Milan centred around a monolithic green marble partition wall and a pastel-decorated apartment in Kraków.
      The photography is by Radek Úlehla.

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      Ideas of Order selects bright colours for New York apartment renovation

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      Bright hues define the different interventions that New York architecture studio Ideas of Order has made in this apartment at the northern tip of Manhattan.

      The 1,000-square-foot primary residence in Hudson Heights was partially renovated for a couple, who had been living in the space for several years before deciding to invest in making it better suited to their needs, rather than buying another apartment.
      One side of this Manhattan apartment was overhauled by Ideas of Order to make it function better for its owners”Their sons had been sharing a room, but were beginning to need their own spaces,” Ideas of Order told Dezeen.
      “They also wanted a space that could be designed for flexibility for when their children left for college.”
      In the newly created bedroom, a lime green built-in houses a bed, a desk and storageThe kitchen also needed updating, to make it more suitable for entertaining, and more efficient storage space was required in the entryway.

      So the architects reworked one side of the open living area, adding a bedroom on one side of the kitchen and refreshing the other areas.
      A new wall divides the bedroom from the kitchenThe husband is French, and the couple spent several years living together in France.
      During this period, they both became enamoured by the midcentury architecture and design in the country and wanted to apply this style to their own home.
      Raspberry and periwinkle cabinets surround the cooking area, which also features aluminium panels”Inspired by their stories and the history of how colour was used by French midcentury designers like Charlotte Perriand, we suggested a series of polychrome millwork pieces inspired by Perriand’s design language, but updated for a contemporary home,” said Ideas of Order.
      The different areas of the home were therefore given their own identities by applying bright hues.
      A porthole looks through from the bedroom into the kitchen, which has rubber flooringLime green is used in the bedroom across a full wall of built-ins that incorporate a single bed, a workstation and plenty of storage.
      Sliding doors with fritted glass panels pull across to enclose the slightly raised room, while a porthole window with double shutters looks through the new wall that separates the kitchen.
      Storage in the entryway was made more efficient by new pink and grey built-insThis adjacent space is denoted by raspberry and periwinkle millwork, which surrounds a small preparation area with an aluminium backsplash and matching panels above.
      The same metal also fronts the bar counter between an arched opening to the living area, which is topped with concrete.
      Archways between spaces throughout the apartment have curved cornersRubber flooring in the kitchen offers a practical alternative to the wood used through the rest of the apartment.
      Finally, in the entryway – which is again raised slightly higher than the living area – an L-shaped cabinet system was constructed in a corner beside the door.

      GRT Architects combines oak and mosaic tiles for East Village Apartment renovation

      Pale pink is applied to the frames, while the doors and drawer fronts are finished in light grey and walnut is used for the trim. Choosing the right hues was a challenge that took many iterations to find the right balance, according to the architects.
      “It was important that each pair of colours in the millwork work together, but that the colours also harmonise when viewed as a whole,” they said. “We wanted the colours to be bright, but not overpowering. And we wanted the colour pairings to feel timeless and not too trendy.”
      The architects went through many iterations to find the right balance of coloursAnother challenge was the budget, which was modest by New York City standards and required some conscientious spending – particularly on small details that would make a big impact.
      “We love the custom pulls for the millwork, the shutters for the circular window, and the rounded end to the partition between bedroom and kitchen, which reflects the rounded openings throughout the apartment,” the architects said.
      The couple had been living in the space for several years before deciding to invest in making it better suited to their needsIdeas of Order was founded by Jacob Esocoff and Henry Ng, who are both Fosters + Partners and WORKac alumni.
      Their renovation is one of the most colourful interiors we’ve featured in New York City of late, compared to a neutral show apartment inside the One Wall Street skyscraper and a loft in Dumbo with a subdued palette.
      The photography is by Sean Davidson.

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      Monolithic green marble forms “majestic wall” in Milan apartment

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      Italian studio AIM has designed a compact, multi-level apartment interior in Milan organised around a floor-to-ceiling Verde Alpi marble partition.

      Created in collaboration with local marble artisans Bianco67, AIM Studio used the wall to divide the various functions of Green Nest, aiming to create an elegant backdrop for a dynamic domestic experience.
      Monolithic green marble carves apartment interior by AIM Studio in Milan”The design challenge [for] Green Nest was to combine the compact size of the dwelling with the desire to create inviting, functional and representative spaces pleasant to live in at all times of the day,” AIM Studio told Dezeen.
      “We were looking for a single gesture to characterise the apartment [and were] inspired by the idea of a majestic wall [running] through the heart of the house,” the studio continued. “This massive element, both because of its solid presence and its intrinsic beauty, is the focal point on which the entire design revolves.”
      The fluid living spaces can be divided by an operable ribbed glass doorThe marble partition was constructed as a permeable threshold between the apartment’s lower level living spaces and a staircase leading to the habitable roof terrace above.

      Designed as a single, fluid area, the main living room and bedroom can be separated by full-height ribbed glass doors. 
      The studio used the marble wall system to host functional storage and compartment spacesAIM Studio sought to meet the practical requirements of small-footprint living by using the Alpi marble to conceal a series of deep storage compartments.
      “More than a monolith, the volume is an inhabited wall whose thickness is continuously perforated, crossed and interrupted to host the different functions of living,” AIM Studio said.
      “[It] was designed as a precious shell but [leaves] nothing to chance in terms of containment and management of the space. Every compartment, every opening, has been designed [for utility].”

      Antonino Cardillo designs Elogio del Grigio house as “miniature palazzo”

      Behind the marble partition, the staircase to the rooftop terrace was completed with a central lightwell to draw natural light into the space below.
      The studio also integrated large windows into the main living area to encourage an interplay of light on the reflective marble surface and to evoke a chiaroscuro-like effect.
      The compact kitchen was formed by suspended travertine joineryTucked into a corner of the living room, the kitchen was demarcated by suspended travertine joinery and an embossed mirror feature wall.
      Neutral-toned fixtures and restrained furniture pieces were selected to balance the apartment’s modern aesthetic and emphasise the drama of the green marble.
      An embossed mirror feature wall was connected to the kitchen nook”We conceived this project as a search for authenticity; a minimal but at the same time welcoming and functional design created through natural, precious [and] timeless materials.”
      “We hope that this search for authenticity will be perceived by those who will inhabit these spaces and that it will translate into family atmospheres and elegant, but convivial, environments.”
      The studio selected a neutral material palette to emphasise the green marble gestureFounded in 2012 by Claudio Tognacca in Milan, AIM Studio has projects spanning across architecture, interior design and product development both in Italy and internationally.
      Other recently completed projects in Italy include Antonino Cardillo’s design for “a miniature palazzo” residence near Lake Garda and Humbert & Poyet’s interior conversion of a 16th-century Milanese chapel into a Beefbar restaurant.
      The photography is by Simone Bossi

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      Ductus coats blocky apartment complex with red plaster in Switzerland

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      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.

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