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      Get listed in Dezeen's digital guide for London Design Festival 2022

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      Are you exhibiting at this year’s London Design Festival? Get your event listed in our digital guide to the week on Dezeen Events Guide, which will feature the festival’s key events.

      Taking place from 17 to 25 September 2022, London Design Festival features hundreds of events across the city, including the trade fair Design London and a programme of must-see events, exhibitions, talks and installations.
      Dezeen’s guide will go live one week before the London Design Festival. It will provide visitors with all the information they need to know about the festival.
      The digital guide will benefit from Dezeen’s high-ranking SEO and will sit on Dezeen Events Guide, which has received over 700,000 views since it launched in 2020.
      It follows the success of our digital guide for Milan design week 2022, which received over 40,000 page views.

      To be considered for inclusion in the guide, email [email protected]. Events will be selected by the Dezeen team to ensure that the best events are included.
      Get listed in Dezeen’s digital London guide
      For only £100, you can include your event in the list, which includes up to 75 words of text, the date, location, a link to your website and an image.
      For more information about partnering with us to help amplify your event, contact the team at [email protected].
      About Dezeen Events Guide
      Dezeen Events Guide lists events across the globe, which can be filtered by location and type.
      Events taking place later in the year include Tallinn Architecture Biennale 2022, Design Miami 2022 and Top Drawer S/S 2023.
      The illustration is by Rima Sabina Aouf.

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      “Homes manifest mechanisms of power via relationships of gender, class and age”

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      The way our homes are designed is intrinsically linked to domestic power struggles, write Charles Holland and Margaret Cubbage.

      What is the relationship between architecture and power? How can buildings – inert piles of stone and steel, glass and concrete – exert power over us?
      The obvious place to look might be examples that clearly aim to control or confine us, such as prisons. Alternatively, power may be found in buildings for political institutions or corporate HQs. There is, however a subtler realm in which architecture exerts control over our lives. That place is one that almost all of us experience: the ordinary domestic spaces that we inhabit every day.
      Our homes shape our lives and inform the dynamics of our social relations
      What can such spaces say about power? Surely the rooms in which we live, eat and sleep are an escape from the hierarchies of the workplace or our increasingly CCTV-controlled public spaces? The home is associated with being a place of refuge but also somewhere to connect, or disconnect from the outside world.

      As innocent as they may appear, our homes shape our lives and inform the dynamics of our social relations. They manifest mechanisms of power via relationships of gender, class and age. Why do we separate functions into separate rooms? Why are some spaces more private than others? These questions are of course culturally specific. Not all societies organise their houses in the same way. And what might seem like an ordinary convention to some might be an unimaginable luxury to others.
      Radical Rooms, an exhibition currently running at the Royal Institute of British Architects’ (RIBA) Architecture Gallery, explores this knotty subject, examining the micro-territories of our homes. It begins with the plan – the most basic of architectural drawings – and examines the way that the arrangement of rooms in our houses reflects the way that individuals, couples, groups and families organise themselves.

      Women-led studios create sculptural pavilions for Women in Architecture exhibition

      The exhibition focuses on a history of housing in the UK, mining the RIBA Collection of drawings to find examples where traditional power relations have been subverted and where new ways of living have emerged as a result.
      It also looks at the characters behind the buildings, revealing figures within architectural history that have not always been acknowledged or accurately documented.
      Gender relations are inscribed in the plans of our houses. This is a question of both how spaces are organised – think of traditional male preserves such as the study or the historic association of women with kitchens – and of who owns and authors them. The history of famous houses is often also a history of the famous men who designed them, or the men that wrote about them.
      Houses are innately collaborative ventures
      Radical Rooms shifts that focus instead onto houses that were designed, commissioned or curated (and sometimes all three) by women. In doing so it draws on the work of important historians including Lynne Walker, Elizabeth Darling and others.
      Houses are innately collaborative ventures. We share them and they are extended and added to over time. The history of architecture though is largely a history of individuals, of single authors and buildings preserved as static objects. Prior to the development of discrete roles for architects, clients and builders however, authorship was less clear. This ambiguity might well have allowed (admittedly wealthy) women who were otherwise formally disempowered from designing buildings to exert a powerful influence on the development of architecture.
      Take A La Ronde, an eccentric, sixteen-sided house built on the Devon coast in the late 18th century. The house was built for two female cousins, Jane and Mary Parminter, but its authorship has been the subject of much debate. Keen to find a male architect, historians have traditionally plumped for John Lowder, the son of a relative who would have been just 17 when the house was completed. It is more likely that the house was a collaboration between Lowder and the cousins, who had just returned from a Grand Tour of Europe’s classical architecture.
      Hopkins House uses Venetian blinds to distinguish between spaces for living and work. Photo courtesy of the Historic England ArchiveThe degree to which Jane and Mary Parminter designed the house might be unclear, but their unique way of occupying it wasn’t. Arranged in plan like a clock face, the cousins moved around the house during the day, following the path of the sun. When they died they stipulated that it be left only to unmarried women, an explicit rejection of the patriarchal system of male inheritance. A man eventually did come to live in the house and, revealingly, he was responsible for drastic changes to both its layout and appearance.
      The design of Hardwick Hall, an Elizabethan mansion in Derbyshire, is generally ascribed to Robert Smythson. The house was commissioned though by Bess of Hardwick, an immensely wealthy 16th-century aristocrat. Her involvement in the design of her house, the fourth that she commissioned, extended well beyond the role of client as it is currently conceived. Principles of the house’s layout, its material choices and decorative scheme reflect Bess of Hardwick’s intense involvement.
      Prejudices around authorship have continued into the current era. Take Team 4, a well-known but short-lived collaborative practice from the 1960s that consisted of three women and two men. The subsequent fame of the men – Richard Rogers and Norman Foster – has tended to eclipse the role of the women – Wendy Cheesman, Su Brumwell and Georgie Wolton.
      Field House pursued an interest in dissolving boundaries
      Wolton was the most short-lived member and the only fully qualified architect of the group at the time. She subsequently designed Field House, a radical, steel-framed, open-plan residence that has remained somewhat below the radar of architectural history ever since.
      Field House pursued an interest in dissolving boundaries within the home as well within the discipline of architecture. Its interior was conceived largely as a single, fluid space with minimal separation. The exterior walls were entirely made of glass so that the interior merged with the external landscape. Intriguingly, the house is currently described as dismantled rather than demolished, reflecting an interest in adaptability and moveability on the part of its designer.
      This blurring of uses and of the inside and outside also manifests itself in the Hopkins House in north London, designed in the mid-1970s by Patty and Michael Hopkins. Originally used as their office as well as their home, the house has no corridors and minimal separation of functions. The combination of its delicate steel structure and Venetian blinds helps to subtly delineate the different zones of family and work-life within the home.

      “The irresistible draw of Bridgerton reflects our need for a new aesthetic”

      Some 50 years before, in 1926, Eileen Gray designed an apartment in Paris that consisted solely of moving screens and metallic curtains. The remarkably innovative interior, designed for her sometime lover Jean Badovici, also rejected the discrete division of domestic space into separate functions in favour of a dynamic internal landscape that could be re-made every day.
      Radical Rooms looks not only at power within the plan but at who gets to design those plans. The exhibition provides a platform for the exposure of (mainly) overlooked women designers and architects, revisiting the ways in which women influenced design prior to formalised architectural education. It deconstructs the domestic plan and exposes it as something intimately bound up with the power structures in which we live.
      Radical Rooms: Power of the Plan is free to visit and will run throughout July and between 5-24 September at the 66 Portland Place in London. For more information, see Dezeen Events Guide.
      Charles Holland is a professor at the University of Brighton, the principal of Charles Holland Architects and a former director of London studio FAT. Margaret Cubbage has been curating design and architecture exhibitions for 15 years.
      The top photo is by Gareth Gardner, courtesy of the RIBA.

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      “Fake fruit is just as absurd as fake meat” says commenter

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      In this week’s comments update, readers are discussing a low-impact alternative to “unsustainable” avocados and other top stories.

      Central Saint Martins graduate Arina Shokouhi has invented an avocado alternative called Ecovado, which is meant to wean people off the resource-intensive imported fruit.
      “This could be one solution of many”
      Readers had mixed feelings about the Ecovado, which contains a pale green, creamy foodstuff made from a combination of local ingredients that has been packaged in a fake avocado skin fashioned from wax.
      Tabitha Poppins is keen to give it a go: “I hope they make it to a local market so I can try one,” she said. “If they taste good and cost similar or less, I’ll switch in a heartbeat.”

      However, others were unsure. “Why imitate the form when you can offer a totally new alternative to avocado?” said Indrė Butkutė. “Food is a culture, not a product.”
      “Fake fruit is just as absurd as fake meat,” added Lena Feindt.
      DesignGeek thought that the design could contribute to reducing the impact of our diets.
      “It’s sad to see how much time people have on their hands to sit their asses down and criticise. This could be one solution of many that takes into consideration current food trends and tries to re-make them more locally and sustainably.”
      Would you try Ecovado? Join the discussion ›
      Foster + Partners unveils “iconic” supertall skyscraper in Kuwait”The inside areas of the uppermost floors are quite astonishing”
      The distinctive supertall skyscraper that Foster + Partners has created for the National Bank of Kuwait Headquarters in Kuwait City has sparked conversation among readers
      “Actually quite like the look of it and the quality of execution seems to be on point,” said KLM. “Evil villain vibes? Maybe. But it could equally be a superhero HQ.”
      Bsl agreed: “This building embraces what it is: an edifice of corporate vanity, but an elegant one at that,” the reader added. “There are interesting interiors and the materials will age well.”
      “The inside areas of the uppermost floors are quite astonishing,” added Simply Indulgence.
      What are your thoughts on the building? Join the discussion ›
      Michael Maltzan Architecture completes Ribbon of Light bridge with swooping arches in LA”Reminds me of Terminator 2″
      Readers are discussing the new Sixth Street Viaduct in Los Angeles, also named the Ribbon of Light for its multiple concrete arches lit from below.
      John loves it: “I drove by it this morning and it is beautiful,” he said. “Once all the parks and landscaping are finished around/under it, this will be even more incredible.”
      [email protected] is not so sure: “I like the integral design of the stairs but I’m concerned that there’s no railing. The approach needs to be upgraded to match the now-beautiful viaduct.”
      “Reminds me of Terminator 2,” said Logorithm. “Terminator 7 should be shot here.”
      Do you think the bridge is a good addition to LA? Join the discussion ›
      Styles and eras mingle inside “unfinished” diplomat’s home in Rome by 02AUnfinished apartment in Rome is “exquisite” and “stunning” say commenters
      Readers are impressed with a diplomat’s intentionally unfinished one-bedroom flat, which is located on the ground floor of an early twentieth-century building in Rome’s Flaminio district.
      “Highly calibrated,” commented JZ. “Really well done spatial moves. The shower with the plants!” he added. “This feels like the architectural equivalent of tattooing your body: each tattoo represents an event, a memory, something unique, held together loosely because of the poetics of the body.”
      “Exquisite. I’m impressed,” said Zea Newland.
      “Stunning. Every corner has its very own strong personality, even within the same room,” agreed Lndcntmpry. “A treasure trove of an apartment.”
      Do you like it, too? Join the discussion ›
      Comments update
      Dezeen is the world’s most commented architecture and design magazine, receiving thousands of comments each month from readers. Keep up to date on the latest discussions on our comments page.

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      Hitzig Militello sets restaurant within historic Buenos Aires home

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      Repurposed materials and decadent accents come together in this Buenos Aires restaurant and bar that fits within a historic house overhauled by local studio Hitzig Militello Architects.

      Named Moshu Treehouse, the restaurant was built within a two-storey home in the Palermo neighbourhood, near the architecture studio’s main office.
      Moshu features raw materials and playful accentsThe neighbourhood is one of the older areas of the city and has a wealth of existing structures such as this one.
      According to the architecture studio, traditionally, these Argentinian houses are built around a courtyard, which becomes the main gathering area for socialising.
      Hitzig Militello designed the restaurant in Buenos AiresHitzig Militello Architects wanted to replicate this experience by creating a new courtyard area at the entrance that preserves the original facade of the home.

      In addition to marking the arrival into the restaurant, this feature is intended to facilitate carry-out orders and outdoor dining.
      A local Moshu tree planted in the courtyard gave the project its name.
      It features both indoor and outdoor dining”Our first major design strategy was to create an access courtyard immediately adjacent to the facade as both a symbol and shock effect,” said Hitzig Militello Architects.
      This new access courtyard allows visitors to enter the restaurant in two different ways: into the primary courtyard or up a set up stairs to access the second floor.
      “This allowed for a new facade with a language of its own, the core idea behind it being the preservation of the old style of the main facade,” it added.
      The facade is made up of a grid of windows with wooden shuttersPart of the courtyards facade is made up of a grid of windows with wooden shutters, which also cover the entrance to the indoor aspect of the restaurant. These are operable and can be opened up to capture the breeze, or closed in bad weather.
      They are slightly angled and offset from one another, creating a dynamic and irregular composition.

      Hitzig Militello Arquitectos combines two homes in one building in Buenos Aires

      The restaurant itself is laid out on two levels, with a cocktail bar upstairs and a terrace at the back of the building. The interiors preserve many of the raw finishes from the existing home.
      “The interior architecture language is one of vernacular composition of the typical demolished industrial style,” they explained. “Surrounding them is a run-down, abandoned house where the dry vegetation has taken over,” they added.
      Accent walls made of different sizes of tubes that form an archwayHitzig Militello Architects also added some playful features to the interiors, such as accent walls made of different sizes of tubes that form an archway.
      The ground floor contains a bar, and a variety of dining rooms set up inside or within small courtyards exposed to the sky.
      Upstairs is a large, decadent barIn total, the restaurant offers 240 square metres of interior space and 90 square metres uncovered.
      Upstairs is a larger bar, which spills out onto a terrace overlooking the front of the building.
      It spills out onto a terraceAn exterior stair leads from this upper patio directly to the street-facing entrance. Depending on the restaurant’s hours of operation, the upper floor can be reserved privately for events.
      Hitzig Militello Architects was founded in 2006 and also has offices in Miami.
      Buenos Aires has seen a number of renovations and additions to its existing building stock. Other examples include a home from the 1930s that underwent a “subtle” renovation by Torrado Arquitectos, and a self-designed office by Studio Nu that is set within a former auto mechanic’s shop.
      The photography is by Federico Kulekdjian.
      Project credits:Concept design: Arch. Vanik Margossian, Arch. Dolores GayosoConstruction documents: Arch. Vanik MargossianManagement: Arch. Marcela Bernat, Arch. Vanik Margossian

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      Diseño Norteño completes concrete apartments with lattices in Tijuana

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      Mexican studio Diseño Norteño has created a multi-storey residential building that features an earthy colour palette and frontal lattices that provide privacy.

      The project, called CLNS 12401, is located in Tijuana, a city located along Mexico’s border with the United States.
      CLNS 12401 is located in TijuanaThe building was constructed in a transitioning area, historically dominated by single-family homes, and it sits across from an abandoned park that is slowly returning to use.
      The building backs up to a steep slope, which led local firm Diseño Norteño to conceive the project sectionally, with the spaces becoming larger as the building reaches the higher floors.
      Diseño Norteño built the project across from an abandoned park”This resulted in a simple, four-level structure that is supported on its perimetral walls, generating a flexible, open floor plan,” the architecture studio said.

      “This building’s design allows higher density while maintaining a friendly, urban scale for the surrounding context,” it added.
      The staircase acts as a courtyardThe design comprises two blocks of habitations with an open stairwell between them. The staircase acts as a courtyard that helps promote neighbourly encounters.
      The architecture studio noted that the stairwell acts a pergola, regulating the amount of sun entering the public spaces and walkways.
      Concrete defines the apartment’s interiorThe building’s two bottom levels have concrete bearing walls, while the upper portion is made of concrete block.
      Facades are painted in hues of sage green and creamy white. Terraces are lined with metal lattices that provides privacy and a sense of safety.
      Facades are painted in hues of sage greenThe ground level contains the building entrance and garages, while the upper floors hold a total of six rental units. There are three different layouts, which are mirrored on each level.
      The first level’s units are 700 square feet (65 square metres), while the second and third levels are 1,00 and 900 square feet, respectively (93 and 84 square metres).
      “As the structure rises, the topography enables bigger units,” the architects noted.

      Rafael Pardo creates towering Zoncuantla Apartments from pigmented concrete

      In each unit, social spaces face the street and the park, while bedrooms are in the rear, next to the hillside. The uppermost unit has a spacious terrace that enables the public zone to flow outdoors.
      The architects said that simple materials, such as concrete and metal, helped keep costs down, which enabled the building to be accessible to younger residents in Tijuana.
      Simple materials helped to keep costs down”The building’s design breaks traditional urban development rules in favour of the people who actually live in the area,” the team said.
      Other projects in Tijuana include a house by Gracia Studio that has an exterior made of concrete and weathering steel, and a purple bridge by Legorreta that is meant to make crossing the Mexico-US border much quicker.
      The photography is by Lorena Darquea.

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      Jennifer Morden creates “aspirational” mid-century house with sinister dungeon for Fresh

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      Production designer Jennifer Morden created a mid-century house to reflect the personality of the flamboyant and misogynistic antagonist in comedy-thriller film Fresh.

      Morden and her team built two individual sets in a studio to represent the house for the film, which was directed by Mimi Cave and shot in Canada’s British Columbia.
      Fresh features a mid-century house that belongs to cannibal SteveThe sets were designed to portray the main floor and basement of a lavish mid-century house that forms a secluded lair for Steve – a seemingly-charming man who seduces women into dating him, after which he traps them in his basement and reveals that he is actually a psychopathic butcher of human meat.
      “We wanted to make as much as we could so we could customise it,” Morden told Dezeen in a video call from Canada, explaining the decision not to use a real house for the project.
      The dining room is positioned at the highest level on the main floorFresh tells the story of Steve’s relationship with Noa, who he briefly dates and subsequently lures to his house. The characters are played by actors Sebastian Stan and Daisy Edgar-Jones respectively.

      “The choice to go with a mid-century style house was partly because right now it’s really popular,” said Morden.
      “People love mid-century houses and they’ve had a big resurgence in modern design. It was also about Steve looking aspirational.”
      Dark wooden cabinetry was included in the kitchenOn-screen, the rooms on the house’s main floor are presented at subtly different levels from each other in what Morden called a “hierarchy of spaces”.
      A dining room is seen on the highest level, a kitchen slightly lower down, and then a living room and finally Steve’s bedroom.
      Plush furniture such as 1970s Camaleonda sofas by Mario Bellini and Eames-like armchairs decorated these spaces and were set against harsher accents including dark wooden cabinetry and built-in concrete seating.
      A curved basement informed by fallopian tubes holds women captiveThe other set representing the basement featured a concrete floating staircase dug out of rock, which leads to dungeon-like, teak-lined hallways that descend to cells with sunken beds where women are held captive.
      Steve’s operating room forms the basement’s lowest level, where he harvests the imprisoned women’s meat and body parts.
      “Wherever we see Steve in relation to his victims, he’s always at a higher level to them,” explained the production designer.
      Steve’s operating room is located at the bottom of the basementSteve’s house intends to reflect his complex and powerful persona, which quickly transforms from outwardly normal to sinister as the drama unfolds, according to Morden.
      “I was like, okay, everything we do needs to involve body parts, in some capacity. Every piece of artwork, every piece of furniture and the way the hallways are designed.”
      Imagery of body parts is repeated throughout the filmTo illustrate this idea, the production designer and her team placed a Michel Ducaroy “body chair” in Steve’s bedroom and created faux herringbone flooring from pieces of painted, hand-laid plywood, which Morden said she “really wanted to feel like ribs”.
      The curved, cave-like basement was informed by fallopian tubes and designed to be a grand auditorium for Steve – a “crazy” idea that Morden pitched in her interview for the project.
      An abstract painting conceals items belonging to Steve’s victimsAn abstract painting was placed on the living room wall, which actually included hair, teeth and nails on closer inspection. In an early scene, upon arriving at the house before she is drugged and trapped, Noa studies the artwork.
      It is later revealed that Steve hides personal items belonging to the captured women behind this painting in boxy cubby holes that mirror the basement cells below.
      Wooden and concrete accents feature on the main floor and in the basement”Mimi wanted to use the piece of artwork as a little Easter egg [a term for hidden messages in a film] for later because it’s the first thing Noa sees and she’s drawn towards it,” reflected Morden.
      “The idea was that if we can draw everything back to body parts then we can start to create the story’s subliminal messaging and foreshadow what’s to come as much as we can.”

      Seven houses that play a starring role in films including Parasite and The Power of the Dog

      The production designer said that it was important to visually connect the main floor to the basement, which was partly achieved by adding wooden elements to the mainly concrete basement and concrete elements to the largely wooden main floor.
      Eventually, Cave and cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski had the idea to add vivid and humorous sunset murals to the walls of the women’s cells.
      The decision to incorporate colourful carpets became natural after this, linking the basement to Steve’s opulent quarters above, according to Morden.
      Kitschy holiday-like murals were added to the cells to reflect Steve’s obnoxious nature”The idea was, what if we made the basement this space that Steve thought he was gifting to these people?” she explained, referencing Steve’s obnoxious and flamboyant character.
      “What if we use the idea that this misogynistic and unaware male was like, ‘I’m going to create a room that’s going to feel so nice for my victims?’ What would he put in there?”
      Each of the women’s rooms has a different coloured carpetCinematographically, Fresh also has a warm and fleshy colour palette of reds and oranges throughout, which nods to its graphic storyline.
      “I think for me, the biggest thing is just telling people to find all the Easter eggs in the film. There’s so much repeated imagery, especially around body parts,” concluded Morden.
      Other recent film and TV productions that feature architecturally-centred set design include Oscar-winning The Power of the Dog and BBC drama The Girl Before.
      The images are courtesy of Jennifer Morden.
      Project credits:
      Director: Mimi CaveWriter: Lauryn KahnProduction designer: Jennifer MordenSet decorator: Stephanie AjmeriaSet designers: Peter Stratford and Amanda De CastroCinematographer: Pawel Pogorzelski

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      Galerie Philia presents design exhibition informed by Le Corbusier at Cité Radieuse

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      Galerie Philia has unveiled Héritages, an exhibition at the Le Corbusier-designed Cité Radieuse building featuring work by designers such as Rick Owens that respond to the Swiss-French architect’s theories of modernism.

      Héritages presents work by eight international designers and seven visual artists that reference the modernist theories pioneered by Le Corbusier, whose designs are known for their functionality and minimalism.
      A daybed by Arno Declercq features in the “resonances” room. Photo is by Maison Mounton NoirGalerie Philia joined forces with the Parisian arts magazine Eclipse to curate the exhibition at Le Corbusier’s iconic Cité Radieuse building in Marseille, which includes a range of both design and art.
      Spread across two rooms in an apartment, the exhibited designers respond to the theme of “resonances” with work that is heavily influenced by Le Corbusier’s theories, while the artists are guided by the theme of “dissonances” and present work that opposes the theories.
      Fabrice Hyber created an oil painting for the “dissonances” space. Photo is by Maison Mounton NoirIn the first room, a brutalist yellow chair by Italian designer Pietro Franceschini is displayed alongside other work, including a geometric bronze candlestick crafted with clean lines by Californian fashion designer Owens.

      “For the ‘resonances’ room, I selected sculptural designers that are deeply influenced by Le Corbusier,” Galerie Philia co-founder Ygaël Attali told Dezeen.
      “Le Corbusier’s theory, especially in his writings published in the 1920s, was provocative and militant both in his refusal of decoration without functionality, his industrial-inspired aesthetic, and his clear and marked difference between fine arts and design.”
      A brutalist yellow chair by Pietro Franceschini features. Photo is by LodoclickAlso featured in this space are pieces such as a chunky daybed by Belgian designer Arno Declercq crafted from patinated and raw steel with sheep’s wool.
      Contrastingly, the “dissonances” room includes pieces by artists that intend to question Le Corbusier’s theories. For example, artist Flora Temnouche created three abstract oil paintings featuring organic or curved forms with soft lines.

      Marc Hagan-Guirey uses kirigami to recreate Le Corbusier’s buildings in paper

      “Le Corbusier’s theory almost denies a particular relationship with nature,” Temnouche told Dezeen. “My paintings show the inertia of the plant, diminished under the influence of humans.”
      “I was inspired by the idea of this meager relationship that persists despite everything in Le Corbusier’s work and theories.”
      Jojo Corväiá designed a table using volcanic clay. Photo is by Maison Mounton NoirOther works in this room range from an eclectic table by visual artist Jojo Corväiá crafted from volcanic clay and an ethereal, blown-glass light sculpture by Jérôme Pereira.
      “All of the works in one way or another are an answer to Le Corbusier’s theoretical and aesthetic heritage, either as a mark of resistance or a touching homage to his legacy,” concluded Attali.
      The exhibition intends to echo its location. Photo is by Maison Mounton NoirHéritages takes place until July at Le Corbusier’s modernist housing complex Cité Radieuse to coincide with the building’s 70th anniversary.
      Galerie Philia is an international contemporary design and art gallery with locations in Geneva, New York City and Singapore.
      Previous Galerie Philia exhibitions include a show that presented Latin American and European sculptural design and an exhibition of furniture by emerging Italian designers created in response to the work of Owens.
      The photography is by Lodoclick and Maison Mouton Noir.
      Héritages takes place at Kolektiv Cité Radieuse, Unité d’Habitation Le Corbusier, Marseille, France, until 2 July 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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      New Practice brings warmth and colour to Glasgow's century-old Kinning Park Complex

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      A historic community centre that was saved from demolition by activists – including Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon – has been given a new lease of life by architecture studio New Practice.

      New Practice founders Becca Thomas and Marc Cairns opted for a light-touch approach in the renovation of Kinning Park Complex, a century-old former school building in the southwest of Glasgow.
      A new roof dotted with skylights makes the building weather-proof againAlthough the building was in a poor state, with an extremely leaking roof, faulty electrics and a broken heating system, the Glasgow-based architects’ approach was to save as much of the existing structure and interior as possible.
      They adopted a reuse and recycle strategy, while also making subtle changes that improve the building’s functionality and accessibility.
      Pink denotes the community space on the first floorThe revamped interiors are animated by a system of colour-blocking, which helps to ensure the building can be easily navigated by people of all literacy levels.

      “One of our key aims was to keep the building feeling familiar,” explains Thomas in a video about the project.
      First-floor workspaces are picked out in yellow”Lots of people have hugely strong memories and love for the building and we didn’t want to change that too much. By taking this adaptive reuse approach, we just kept the building feeling like itself and tried to elevate that,” she said.
      “Every choice to remove something original has been taken only where we absolutely needed to remove that, for the safety and for the future of the building.”
      Kinning Park Complex was originally a school buildingKinning Park Complex first became a community centre after the school closed down in 1976, but looked set for demolition when the council announced plans to close it in 1996.
      Local residents and campaigners, including a then-25-year old Nicola Sturgeon, staged a sit-in to protest the closure. After 55 days, the council agreed to let the community take over the building’s running.
      The building stayed in use for another two decades, but over time its problems became hard to ignore.
      A reconfigured ground floor features a large community kitchenThe trustees, led by local resident Helen Kyle, approached New Practice after seeing Many Studios, a creative hub that the architects created in a converted Glasgow market hall.
      The challenge was not only to refurbish the building but also to help support the community’s ambition to buy the property, by improving opportunities for income generation.

      RCKa designs Nourish Hub to tackle food poverty in London

      Thanks to government and lottery funding, the architects were able to plan a full overhaul of the interior in collaboration with engineering firm Max Fordham.
      The roof was replaced as sensitively as possible, while the interior layout was gently adjusted to make room for a lift.
      A double-helix staircase, originally sub-divided, has been opened upThe atrium, which was once subdivided to separate boys and girls, is now opened up. The result is a space that feels generous and bright, thanks to the skylight overhead.
      Three floors of classroom and office spaces have been adapted for a range of uses. A community kitchen can be found on the ground floor, while the second level has become a co-working space.
      The building was taken over by the community following a sit-in in 1996″A key decision that we had to make was to ensure that the work that we were doing in the building didn’t sanitise this rich, abrasive history of activism and community-led dialogues and debates,” said Cairns.
      “We really tried to keep that at the forefront of our thinking.”
      Original wood floors have been rejuvenatedFlexible partitions allows the ground- and first-floor halls to be easily subdivided if required.
      Other spaces include a quiet room that could be used for anything from prayer to breast-feeding, and a series of small studios and workshops.
      The restored handrails are painted in the same burgundy they were in the pastRealising the project in the context of the pandemic proved a challenge. With the architects unable to be on site all the time, they found it difficult to fully realise their ambition to reuse as much as possible.
      Thomas and Cairns recall coming to site to find elements such as doors and balustrade railings had been thrown away by builders, despite their instructions.
      Nonetheless there are still plenty of recycled details to be found, including a framed patch of original wallpaper and a series of storage cabinets built into the walls.
      Original details, like a patch of ageing wallpaper, are celebratedThey hope the building can help to become a positive example of adaptive reuse, particularly in light of the COP26 environmental conference that recently took place in Glasgow.
      This sentiment is echoed by Sturgeon: “The challenge of refurbishing and imagining a building like this, for decades to come, is fantastically dynamic for the architecture and design industries,” she said.
      “We just took it for granted that buildings would reach the end of their natural life and then they would sort of fall into dereliction, and thankfully communities decided that that wasn’t going to happen. So we’ve learned how to reimagine things for the future and preserve for the future.”
      Photography is by Will Scott. Video is by Pretend Lovers.

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