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      “I love mid-century modern but it makes me sad”

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      Mid-century modern design may meet our needs even more now than when it first appeared, but that doesn’t mean we should idolise the style, writes John Jervis.

      I love mid-century modern, but it makes me sad. In its beauty and simplicity, it speaks of postwar optimism, and a belief in a better world – one of prosperity and peace, with large homes and larger pay packets. It’s not the fault of a bunch of attractive designs that this proved to be a mirage, even a fraud. But mid-century modern was wrapped up in that delusion, even contributed to it. And the design industry enjoyed, and continues to enjoy, the ride just a little too much.
      In the 1950s, mid-century modern design promised a lifestyle free from markers of wealth and privilege, free of decorative excess, of clutter and dirt, free from the past. In reality, there were few progressive ideals involved. Before the war, modernist designers had struggled to bring their ideas to mass production, but still sought to raise living standards in cities, designing ‘minimum dwellings’ with floorplans, kitchens and furnishings calculated to maximize space and improve lives.
      Their postwar successors – all those heroic, big-name designers we celebrate as prophets of a modern, democratic future – turned out to be less public-spirited. When mass production of modernist designs became a reality, they chose lucrative careers working, almost exclusively, for high-end manufacturers.
      Then, as now, class was deeply embedded in design’s power
      And those manufacturers rarely considered, pursued or achieved affordability or accessibility, and still don’t. There may well be perfectly justifiable arguments – and realities – around balancing profitability, quality and investment, and achieving sustainability. Yet it is fair to say that most such companies have never sought a mass consumer market – the sort of market that would erode the cachet and returns of their intellectual property. Then, as now, class was deeply embedded in design’s power, even as its pioneers proclaimed the advent of a classless era.

      To be fair, that worked both ways. The golden age of mid-century modern design barely stretches a couple of decades, partly because it was never that popular. Even when incomes grew, and aspirational furnishings became just about affordable, most consumers turned not to sanctioned ‘good design’, but to products with other, perhaps more important, meanings – nostalgia, craft, ornament, community, warmth.
      To the despair of critics, heavy ‘baroque’ furniture remained the preferred choice of consumers during the German economic miracle, while Americans showed a similar predilection for colonial styles. In the heyday of the Italian furniture industry, many manufacturers stuck to an aesthetic decried by Domus editor Ernesto Rogers as ‘Cantu Chippendale’.

      “There was a profound belief in the power of the polymath during the mid-century period”

      Just as tellingly, when the wider population of mid-century modern poster child Finland was finally able to afford the country’s furniture, the new ‘Tower’ suite was the immediate bestseller. Released in 1971, this three-piece sofa-armchair combo – a typology anathema in design circles – adopted a traditional ‘English style’, with comfortable upholstery and oak veneer over foam and chipboard. It turned out that imported British TV shows were more influential than lecturing from design’s great and good about a modernist canon.
      In the postwar era, that great and good – a pale, male and privileged elite – secured its status rapidly, with a raft of government- and industry-backed organizations such as Britain’s Council of Industrial Design and the Industrial Designers Society of America, all dedicated to imposing universal standards of ‘good design’.
      Soon, even receptive audiences – including many young designers – began to find both the discourse and the results tedious, turning to Victoriana, pop and eventually postmodernism as the 1960s progressed. Some rejected ‘design’ in its entirety, looking to alternative culture instead, epitomised by the success of the Whole Earth Catalog.
      Why has mid-century modern now become the default style for contemporary interiors?
      The reasons behind changes in taste are always hard to pinpoint, but in this instance, it seems many were looking for a richness, diversity, vibrancy and meaning in their lives that mid-century modern was failing to provide – an opportunity to express their personality and creativity through their home decor. So why has mid-century modern now become the default style for contemporary interiors? As with Victorian design’s comeback in the 1960s, or art deco in the 1980s and brutalism in the 2000s, such revivals are far from unusual, but it’s still curious that mid-century modern meets our needs more than during its heyday.
      Some of that may be practical. As more and more of us are crammed into ever smaller homes, squeezing a spindly faux-mid-century modern desk into a bedroom is more realistic than some glorious art deco behemoth. And, as we constantly move from space to space, its lightness and modularity make perfect sense. Other reasons are less tangible, less knowable – perhaps mid-century modern offers a clarity, calm and sense of control that is hard to find in the rest of our lives.

      Mid-century modern design “embraced a more human aesthetic while remaining aggressively forward-looking”

      The financial equation hasn’t changed over the decades, though. Manufacturers still have a tight grip on their ‘originals’, leaving the vast majority of us buying knock-offs, or flat-packed imitations, as we attempt to Marie Kondo our existence.
      But how long will everyone want to live in these ranks of pristine waiting rooms? My aspirations for a mid-century modern bachelor pad – a Julius Shulman photo on the cheap – have long since fallen away. Leaving behind that quest for a lifestyle that never existed in the first place has improved my lot considerably. It is the (slightly mannered) accumulation of battered paperbacks in the Penguin donkey and the coffee stain on the Aalto stool that give them their charm. And their submersion in the general detritus of life gives them context and meaning.
      Maybe we just don’t need another generation of Eames loungers
      And there is another thing that might speed up a mid-century modern rethink. In promotional literature, its timelessness and durability have long been trumpeted as the route to a sustainable future. Perhaps this claim is no longer quite so convincing. Regenerative and circular design requires us to instead embrace age, imperfection, decay, decomposition, even odour – to view products as a passing moment in the life of a material, with longevity as a potential drawback. So maybe we just don’t need another generation of Eames loungers.
      In this context, mid-century modern’s ‘timeless perfection’ can seem a cold quality, one throwing a harsh light on our own imperfections and frailties – our human nature – while overlooking our concern with and capacity for joy. The obsessive repetition of this mantra, and of outdated concepts of ‘good design’, invites the backlash that brought mid-century modern design to a shuddering halt last time round, viewed as sterile, inflexible, lifeless.
      Certainly, like so many others, I will always find mid-century modern beautiful, even sublime, and I’ve got my eyes on a few more alluring examples. But I wouldn’t want too much of it in my life.
      Main photography by Joe Fletcher.
      John Jervis is a writer, editor, project manager and ghost writer across a range of media, including Icon, Frame, RIBA Journal, Apollo, ArtAsiaPacific, Thames & Hudson, ACC, WePresent, Laurence King and others. He has just published his first book, 50 Design Ideas You Really Need to Know, with Greenfinch Books.
      Illustration by Jack BedfordMid-century modern
      This article is part of Dezeen’s mid-century modern design series, which looks at the enduring presence of mid-century modern design, profiles its most iconic architects and designers, and explores how the style is developing in the 21st century.
      This series was created in partnership with Made – a UK furniture retailer that aims to bring aspirational design at affordable prices, with a goal to make every home as original as the people inside it. Elevate the everyday with collections that are made to last, available to shop now at made.com.

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      Funamachi Base cafe and sweet shop designed as “extension of the park”

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      Timber pillars and PVC pipes were left bare to blur the boundaries between the interior and exterior of cafe and sweet shop in Funamachi, Japan, designed by Schemata Architects.

      Named Funamachi Base, the combined sweet store and cafe is located next to a park in the centre of Funamachi, a riverport town in central Japan.
      The cafe is located close to a riverThis location inspired the design of its three buildings, which house a restaurant, sweetshop and a structurewith an office, kitchen and workshop.
      “We envisioned the facility as an extension of the park, including the courtyard connected via flowerpots, so that the boundary between the inside and outside of the site would disappear and one would be gradually drawn inside,” the studio said.
      Part of the foundation of the building forms a counterSchemata Architects’ founder Jo Nagasaka told Dezeen that the aim was also for people to wander into the space as they walk along the river.

      “The main idea was to incorporate the greenway along the river into the facility,” he said. “The design is based on the expectation that people will find themselves entering into the shop as they walk along.”
      Schemata Architects designed the cafe and sweet shop with large overhanging roofsLarge roofs extend out from the buildings of the 326-square-metre Funamachi Base, creating sheltered spaces where visitors can sit and enjoy the cafe’s bean buns.
      “The distance between each building is taken and a roof is placed between them to create a semi-outdoor space, but to avoid clear boundaries between the inside and outside, the idea was to use the same materials inside and out,” Nagasaka said.
      The same materials were used for the interior and exterior of Funamachi BaseMade from concrete and Douglas fir wood, Funamachi Base also features visible PVC pipes, a design choice that Schemata Architects made to underline the interaction between the interior and the exterior.
      “The same materials were used inside and outside: calcium silicate board and putty coating, PVC pipes generally used for outdoor gutters were sandblasted and placed across the inside and outside of the building, and the eaves extended to create a space where the inside and outside are interchangeable,” the studio said.

      Schemata Architects transforms 145-year-old townhouse into Le Labo flagship

      The foundation of the building was designed to bulge out, forming a counter from which to sell the sweets.
      It was also used to create a bench for visitors to rest on and a well, as water is needed to create Japanese sweets.
      A light-brown pattern decorates the facadesThe facades of the buildings have a light-brown pattern, adding to their industrial feel.
      “White walls would make it look like a stylised Japanese building, so we dared to deviate from that,” Nagasaka explained. “We have chosen this so that the construction process is reduced and the finish is unusual.”
      Schemata Architects recently designed the Komaeyu bathhouse in Tokyo, which was shortlisted for a Dezeen Award 2024 in the interiors category.
      The photography is by Yurika Kono.
      Project credits:
      Architect: Jo Nagasaka / Schemata ArchitectsProject team: Yuko YamashitaConstruction: GikenCollaboration: Monochrome (solar panel integrated roof), Fukushima Galilei (kitchen)

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      Trauma of Ukraine war “was crucial for me as an architect” says Tallinn Architecture Biennale curator Anhelina Starkova

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      Anhelina L Starkova explains how her experience of living through the Ukraine war has shaped her approach to curating the 2024 Tallinn Architecture Biennale in this interview.

      Starkova, who was chief curator of this year’s biennale, is from Kharkiv in north-east Ukraine – a city that has suffered heavy bombardment since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022, coming close to being captured early on in the conflict.
      According to the curator, she experienced something close to an epiphany not long after the war began, while taking refuge in the bunker in her house as bombs fell around it
      Anhelina L Starkova is chief curator of this year’s Tallinn Architecture Biennale. Photo by Helen Shets”I remember that planes were flying around, and the building was shaking, and it was really the moment when you understand that it’s probably your last minutes,” she recalled.
      “I was standing with this wall, and I was thinking that this wall was a continuation of my body – this is me,” she continued.

      “It was, for an architect, [a] very interesting feeling. Because I finished university, I had my 10 years in practice, and I still was not really immersed in architecture.”
      “You always think it intellectually, but when I was in this bunker I started [to] think, ‘oh my god, this is the only one thing that can really save me – this wall is the only one thing that I need’. It was a very existential experience.”
      Titled “Resources for a Future”, the exhibition explores innovative ways of using materials in architectureLater, while spending some time in Bucharest, visiting a shopping mall made her reconsider the value of architecture.
      “There’s all this commercial architecture, and I feel such a disgust,” she told Dezeen. “Like it’s a cartoon, it’s not real. I felt it not with my brain but with all my body: we live in a world of complete illusion.”
      In other words, Starkova said, the traumatic experience of the war has given her a new sense of clarity about what really matters in architecture.
      “When the war started in the Ukraine, that was crucial for me as an architect,” she explained. “I didn’t expect that it would influence me so much personally.”
      “Everything kind of started to be very clear: many, many things that we add to architecture – these addictive visions – are extra things, and they are not making buildings in a total way.”
      “If I would like to continue [in architecture] then I would need to isolate myself from all this gallery of thinking, which I can’t stand anymore.”

      Eight highlights from Dundee Design Festival 2024

      Instead, Starkova, who as well as running her own studio lectures at the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons and Kharkiv School of Architecture, has become more interested in the bare essentials of architecture.
      “Really great architecture, it’s about durability factors, the functionality, but also giving people a kind of stability and safety,” she said. “In the end, it’s mostly about our immersion.”
      Starkova has applied this back-to-basics philosophy to her curation of the seventh Tallinn Architecture Biennale, which opened in the Estonian capital last week.
      Pihlmann Architects presented a proposition for changing the function of a building by changing parts of its floorplates into rampsAt the centre of this year’s biennale is an exhibition exploring the theme of Resources for a Future, hosted by the Estonian Centre for Architecture.
      Featuring 14 exhibits from studios including Gus Wüstemann Architects, KAMP Arhitektid, Déchelette Architecture and Pihlmann Architects, it examines different approaches to using local resources for creating new buildings and prolonging the life of existing ones.
      “I had conversations with each architect that you have to look at the basics and the fundamental, real feel of what you are doing,” Starkova said.
      “And even asked each architect, when you’re talking about resources, what really fosters you to do architecture, what supports you? And each installation showed the answers.”
      For instance, Denmark-based Pihlmann Architects created a large model of a stripped-back building shell where part of each floor had been cut out and sloped downwards to form a ramp up from the floor below.
      “It was really about this idea of purification,” said Starkova. “You see an old building and you just do not add anything. You see the nature of the building and you’re trying to heal it or to reformulate its elements.”
      Déchelette Architecture’s exhibit showcased rammed-earth pillars using material dug locally to TallinnThat, she said, is a lesson she learned while working on repairs to damaged buildings in Kharkiv during the war.
      “You’re trying to compose it again, to heal it, and then it gets another conceptual environment – another feeling, and it’s already architecture.”
      “Architecture is the constant process of thinking of your relation to materials, different elements, and assemblage of them in a holistic way.”
      At the centre of the exhibition are a series of pillars erected by rammed-earth specialist Emmanuelle Déchelette of Paris studio Déchelette Architecture, with the material dug locally to Tallinn.
      “It’s about doing a lot with nothing, that complete purification,” said Starkova. “To avoid this ideological or even social architecture.”

      Cobe set to transform “treasure box” steelworks site into Tallinn neighbourhood

      The participating architects were given a deliberately open brief, because Starkova felt the exhibition was “not about dogmas”. As a result, the exhibits are highly varied in form and approach.
      They range from a huge chunk of a restored traditional Estonian log house by Apex Arhitektuuribüroo (pictured top) to an abstract proposal for a public space created only by digging by Romanian architect Laura Cristea and Swiss architect Raphael Zuber.
      In another, Estonian studio KAMP Arhitektid presented research on the surprising breadth of potential building materials that can be found on one specific 15 square-kilometre piece of land in the country.
      “Each project was a surprise because I didn’t know them personally before the exhibition, none of them,” said Starkova.
      A research project by KAMP Arhitektid demonstrated potential building materials found on a single plot of landThat effect was only heightened by the fact that Starkova managed the whole project remotely, only arriving in Tallinn a few days before the exhibition opened.
      She began with a list of more than 500 architects whose work she admires, eventually selecting those who she felt “were the most radical in their thinking”.
      The Ukraine war is referenced in one installation, produced by Elina Liiva and Helena Manna in collaboration with PAKK, composed of a series of images of apartment living rooms printed on translucent fabric and placed in a line, with chunk of concrete lying nearby that corresponds with a hole cut into the scene.
      But beyond that, Starkova deliberately avoided making the conflict a direct focus of the exhibition, believing that it may detract from a sense of immediacy.
      “During the war, it’s not a place for architecture – mostly a place for thinking,” she said.
      “And yes, architects are trying to think, with the support of international world architecture, what could be done [after the war]. But I just wanted to stay honest and not be futuristic.”
      The only exhibit to directly reference the Ukraine war looked at approaches to changing buildings damaged in the conflictOverall, Starkova hopes the exhibition will enable visitors “to learn from architects that architecture is simple to do, and that the formulas are quite simple”.
      As well as leading curation of the exhibition, Starkova was also head judge for the biennale’s customary pavilion commission competition, this time for a bus shelter at Tallinn’s Balti Jaam transit hub.
      Out of more than 80 entries, the winner was No Time to Waste by Belgian architecture duo Brasebin Terrisse.
      The central concept of the pavilion, which is still completing construction, was that the design would be led by whatever construction off-cut materials could be sourced in Tallinn.
      “This was the only project who said that we have an open end – we do not propose [a] form of the installation, we prepare that we come to Tallinn, we test a local situation and after we will develop a form given when doing the work on it,” said Starkova.
      A competition to design a pavilion for the biennale was won by Brasebin Terrisse’s project No Time to Waste (front)”So the rendering of the project itself is just a library of technology that they would like to use, but the form must be made later during the working process,” she added. “It followed the course of the biennale.”
      With the biennale’s opening-week programme complete, Starkova has now returned to Kharkiv, where many buildings lie in ruins in a city that was previously celebrated for its rich and varied architectural heritage.
      “It’s all so difficult,” she reflected. “Kharkiv is changing, it is in constant change.”
      “It’s absolutely impossible to live, because you live in that mode of always existential crisis – on the edge, always. You go to bed, you don’t know you’re going to wake up. You go outside, you don’t know you’re coming back.”
      “Maybe it brings some beauty, because we actually live in this way, all of us – right on the edge.”
      The photography is by Tõnu Tunnel unless stated otherwise.
      Resources For A Future will run until 1 December 2024 at the Museum of Estonian Architecture, Ahtri tn 2, 10151 Tallinn, Estonia. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world. 

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      Gustaf Westman hosts Brooklyn pop-up modeled on “museum experience”

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      Swedish designer Gustaf Westman displayed existing and new objects including a colourful “puzzle” shelf during a three-day pop-up event in New York City.

      Named Gustaf Westman in New York, the show was located in an industrial storefront in Williamsburg and displayed the designer’s colourful objects and furniture on a meandering pink and orange pathway.
      Swedish designer Gustaf Westman held a New York City pop-up that gave nod to a museum experienceSmall descriptions were placed on the ground in front of the objects, as “a nod to a museum experience”, while printed pamphlets similar to museum guides were available to visitors.
      “The decision was very organic,” Westman told Dezeen. “When we came here, it was like a gallery space. It’s also a bit ironic, because I’ve only been doing this for four years and I’m not really ready to do a museum.”
      A brightly coloured pathway weaved through the space, which was divided by Westman’s screens and a larger display wall towards the front.

      Gustaf Westman and Swedish Stockings transform nylon tights into “terrazzo-like” tables

      Among the new objects displayed was Puzzle Shelf, a shelving unit made of interlocking, stackable rectangular forms that conclude in puzzle-shaped feet. Westman noted that the shelf is 3D-printed and processed to resemble the material qualities of his other ceramic and metal objects.
      “I have an obsession with trying to test all different materials and trying to make them look the same,” said Westman. “Even if I work with wood or ceramics or glass, I want to keep the same finish, so [3D printing] is the next step.”
      The shelf was made in a host of bright colours such as red, pink, cream, and dark blue.
      Existing and new objects from the designer were displayedThe remaining space was filled with pedestals and shelving outfitted with existing glassware and objects such as a spiralling book stand and flower-shaped mirrors, along with furniture such as a coffee table that pinches wine glasses in place.
      The designer previously used nylon tights to create “terrazzo-like” tables and displayed his objects during Day Two from Stockholm Design Week 2024.
      The photography is by Kate Fatseas unless otherwise stated
      Gustaf Westman in New York was on show at 25 Fillmore Place, Brooklyn from 10-13 October. For more events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design visit the Dezeen Events Guide.

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      Dezeen Awards 2024 reveals 35-strong sustainability shortlist

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      Dezeen has announced the sustainability shortlist for this year’s Dezeen Awards, which includes designs by Mater, Tengbom, Kvadrat and Kirkby Design.

      The 35 shortlisted studios, in the running for awards in six different sustainability project categories, are located across 19 countries, including Brazil, Thailand, Spain, Poland and Switzerland.
      Shortlisted projects include a modular seating system made from old cork wine stoppers by Paul Crofts for Isomi and a spiral installation made of algae bricks for Chicago Architecture Biennial.
      A collaboration between Dutch studio’s MVRDV and Hirschmüller Schindele Architekten saw firms retrofit an office building into a bright yellow workplace with a zigzagging outdoor staircase in Berlin, is also shortlisted.
      Dezeen Awards 2024 shortlists revealed this week

      Dezeen Awards 2024, in partnership with Bentley, will reveal all shortlisted projects this week. The architecture, interiors and design shortlists were announced earlier this week.
      This year’s nomination-based Designers of the Year and Bentley Lighthouse Award shortlists will be announced tomorrow and next Monday respectively.
      “The calibre of this year’s sustainability shortlist demonstrates the invaluable and pioneering work that is pushing the industry forward,” said Chris Cooke, head of design collaborations at Bentley.
      “The breadth of innovation is fantastic,” he continued, “ranging from hyper-local to industry-wide solutions that address key issues around waste.”
      Aesop Diagonal by Mesura. Photo by Maxime DelvauxThe shortlisted projects were scored by our sustainability jury which includes Henrik Taudorf Lorensen, Noella Nibakuze, Mina Hasman and Jonas Pettersson.
      All shortlisted sustainability projects are listed below, each with a link to a dedicated page on the Dezeen Awards website, where you can find an image and more information about the project.
      The winner of each project category will be announced live at our annual Dezeen Awards party on 26 November at Hackney Church in London. All six winners will then compete for the title of sustainable project of the year.
      Buy your Dezeen Awards party tickets now!
      Tickets for the Dezeen Awards 2024 party are now on sale! The event will be a chance for everyone who entered this year’s Dezeen Awards to celebrate their achievements alongside fellow nominees, winners and our esteemed Dezeen Awards judges.
      Click the link here to find out more and secure your tickets before they sell out!
      Read on for the full sustainability shortlist:
      Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion by Chat Architects. Photo by W WorkspaceSustainable building
      › Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion, Angsila, Thailand, by Chat Architects› Praia JK Sports Complex, São Paulo, Brazil, by Soek Arquitetura› Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture, Gashora, Rwanda, by MASS Design Group› Sporthallenprovisorium Gloriarank, Zurich, Switzerland, by Itten+Brechbühl AG› Tuusula High School and Cultural Centre, Tuusula, Finland, by AOR Architects› Zhengxiangbaiqi Grassland Community Center, Hohhot, China, by Inner Mongolia Ger Culture and Technology
      This category is sponsored by Urban Future.
      Browse all projects on the sustainable building shortlist page.
      Maison Melba by Atelier L’Abri. Photo by Alex LesageSustainable renovation
      › Alsterschwimmhalle, Hamburg, Germany, by Architekten von Gerkan, Marg und Partner› Haus 1, Berlin, Germany, by MVRDV› Maison Melba, Frelighsburg, Canada, by Atelier L’Abri› Park Street, Melbourne, Australia, by Breathe Architecture› The Blue by Just Inn, Taipei City, Taiwan, by Tszwai So› Wuzhen Rural Brewery Renovation and Renewal, Tongxiang, China, by Lichao Architecture Design Studio
      Browse all projects on the sustainable renovation shortlist page.
      Plantonia Vegan Aparthotel by Kreatina. Photo by ONI StudioSustainable interior
      › Aesop Diagonal, Barcelona, Spain, by Mesura› AWM Münster, Münster, Germany, by Urselmann Interior› Gachard 88, Brussels, Belgium, by Ncbham› Plantonia Vegan Aparthotel, Krakow, Poland, by Krea.tina› Sustainable Workspaces, London, UK, by Material Works Architecture› Tengbom’s Office, Stockholm, Sweden, by Tengbom
      Browse all projects on the sustainable interior shortlist page.
      Alder Collection by Patricia Urquiola for Mater. Photo by Nicklas HemmingSustainable design (consumer)
      › Alder Collection by Patricia Urquiola for Mater› Aloe by Kirkby Design› Circular Ceramics by Sara Howard Studio and Kevala Ceramics› Ibuju Collection by Side Gallery› Monc Mycelium Packaging by Monc› Tejo by Paul Crofts for Isomi
      Browse all projects on the sustainable design (consumer) shortlist page.
      Heritage Portland Stone Bricks and Darney Heritage Natural Stone Bricks by Albion Stone. Photo by Ivan JonesSustainable design (building product)
      › Airiva wind energy system by Airiva Renewables› Bio-Block Spiral by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill› Heritage Portland Stone Bricks and Darney Heritage Natural Stone Bricks by Albion Stone› iQ Loop by Note Design Studio and Tarkett› Luna by Harvest Moon› Tea-earth Brick by Kooo Architects
      Browse all projects on the sustainable design (building product) shortlist page.
      Bio-Based Tiles by StoneCycling and Biomason. Photo by StoneCyclingMaterial Innovation
      › AI Timber by Maestro Technologies› Ame by Teruhiro Yanagihara Studio and Kvadrat› Bio-Based Tiles by StoneCycling and Biomason› CornWall by StoneCycling and Circular Matters› Other Matter Decals by Other Matter
      Browse all projects on the material Innovation shortlist page.
      Dezeen Awards 2024 in partnership with Bentley
      Dezeen Awards is the ultimate accolade for architects and designers across the globe. The seventh edition of the annual awards programme is in partnership with Bentley as part of a wider collaboration to inspire, support and champion design excellence and showcase innovation that creates a better and more sustainable world. This ambition complements Bentley’s architecture and design business initiatives, including the Bentley Home range of furnishings and real estate projects around the world. More

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      Patricia Urquiola and Keiji Ashizawa among judges to decide Dezeen Awards 2024 winners

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      Eighteen leading architects and designers met this week to decide the winners of Dezeen Awards 2024, which will be revealed at the Dezeen Awards 2024 party in November.

      The Dezeen Awards master jury took place at the One Hundred Shoreditch hotel in London and included architect Keiji Ashizawa and designers Patricia Urquiola and Lee Broom.
      Designers Peter Mabeo and Pilar Zeta, as well as interior designer Claudia Afshar and architect Alexandra Hagen also joined to finalise the 46 award winners.
      A dedicated panel of industry experts including Mina Hasman and Pooran Desai met to determine the winner of the Bentley Lighthouse Award, a special award supported by Bentley that rewards an individual whose work has had an overwhelmingly beneficial impact on social and environmental sustainability.
      Winners will be announced in November 

      Winners will be announced at the end of November at the Dezeen Awards 2024 party in London with shortlist announcements made in October. Guests at the party will be the first to find out who has won the prestigious project of the year awards across architecture, interiors, design and sustainability.
      Also unveiled at the ceremony will be this year’s Designers of the Year, where we asked readers to put forward designers for consideration who have been finally shortlisted and selected by Dezeen’s editorial team.
      White Arkitekter CEO Alexandra Hagen was on the architecture master jury panelThe master jury discussed 225 shortlisted entries selected from 4,000 projects from just under 100 countries around the globe.
      Joining Ashizawa and Hagen on the architecture master jury panel were Saudi-based architect Sumaya Dabbagh, Spacon & X co-founder Nikoline Dyrup Carlsen and Reddymade founder Suchi Reddy.
      Hagen was joined by Japanese architect Keiji Ashizawa”Design is a powerful tool to achieve change and it’s clear much of the creativity in architecture today is directed towards building more sustainable societies,” said Hagen.
      “It gives me hope for the future.”
      Patricia Urquiola was one of the master jury judgesUrquiola and Afshar were joined by Carolina Maluhy + Partners founder Carolina Maluhy, and Bentley head of design collaborations Chris Cooke.
      On judging the interiors winners, Urquiola remarked “we were all connected to interior design but with very different perspectives”.
      “Yet, in the end, there was a shared sensitivity”, she continued, “it confirmed that we are a community with diverse ways of exploring, driven by a shared vision, even where our approaches differ.”
      Lee Broom discussing a design project with Pilar ZetaBritish industrial designer Tej Chauhan, who was part of the panel to decide the winners of the design categories, concurred.
      “Evaluating the unique sensitivities of each was incredibly interesting,” he said. “While our perspectives differed at times, we all came to a joint decision on very deserving winners.”
      “A really enjoyable day of judging”
      Chauhan continued, “we had to wrap our minds around some exceptional projects across a wide range of sectors. It was a really enjoyable day of judging projects that ultimately left us feeling nourished and inspired.”
      Deliberating alongside Chauhan to decide the winners of the design categories were Broom, Mabeo and Zeta and Parisian designer Inga Sempé.
      Botswana-based designer Peter Mabeo joined the design master jury panelHenrik Taudorf Lorensen, founder and CEO of Copenhagen-based furniture design studio Takt, and Malin Orebäck, design strategist and senior advisor at the Research Institutes of Sweden’s (RISE) Circular Business Lab, were on the sustainability panel alongside Hasman and Desai.
      “The imagination this year’s entries embody is truly an inspiration,” said Desai.
      “It is exactly what we need to put our society back on a track to build a better world for us all.”
      Dezeen Awards judge Alessio Nardi and Human Nature chief impact officer Joanna Yarrow, joined for dinnerFollowing the day of judging, an exclusive drinks reception and dinner took place on the night of the master jury day in the One Hundred Room at One Hundred Shoreditch, where the master jury was joined by the Dezeen Awards community including judges past and present.
      These included product designer Jasper Morrison, Design, Bitches co-founder Rebecca Rudolph and multidisciplinary designer Bethan Laura Wood.
      Dezeen Awards winners’ party tickets on sale
      Following the shortlist announcements in October, the next big date in the Dezeen Awards calendar is the pinnacle of this year’s programme – the Dezeen Awards winners’ party, which will take place on Tuesday 26 November at Hackney Church in London.
      The event will be a chance for everyone who entered this year’s Dezeen Awards to celebrate their achievements alongside fellow nominees, winners and our esteemed Dezeen Awards judges. We also invite the wider architecture and design community to join us for this special occasion.
      Guests will be treated to a night of drinks, food, live entertainment and music, and Dezeen Awards winners will be able to collect their trophies and certificates on stage.
      Tickets are available at a 20 per cent discounted rate of £216 for all studios that entered this year’s Dezeen Awards, and £270 for everyone else. Plus, save an additional 10 per cent on the standard ticket price when you book a package of five or more tickets. Subscribe to the Dezeen Awards newsletter to keep up to date with the latest announcements on the party.
      The photography is by Mark Cocksedge.
      Dezeen Awards 2024 in partnership with Bentley
      Dezeen Awards is the ultimate accolade for architects and designers across the globe. The seventh edition of the annual awards programme is in partnership with Bentley as part of a wider collaboration to inspire, support and champion design excellence and showcase innovation that creates a better and more sustainable world. This ambition complements Bentley’s architecture and design business initiatives, including the Bentley Home range of furnishings and real estate projects around the world. More

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      CLB Architects takes “residential” approach for Jackson Hole Airport

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      Fireplaces, warm lighting and large windows offering views of the Teton Range are among the features at the renovated and expanded Jackson Hole Airport in Wyoming, which is the only commercial airport within an American national park.

      Located in the mountainous Grand Teton National Park in the western part of the state, the airport dates to the 1930s and has undergone various changes over the decades.
      Jackson Hole Airport dates back to the 1930sAround 2009, it received a major update by the Denver office of global studio Gensler, with Jackson-based CLB Architects serving as the local associate architect.
      In more recent years, CLB has served as the design architect for a series of renovations and additions spanning five phases. Miller Dunwiddie, a Minneapolis firm, served as executive architect.
      The project was designed to tie into the landscapeThe project was designed to tie into the landscape and “facilitate the flow of 21st-century travelers”, while also adhering to strict area and height limits imposed by the national park.

      The facility is the only commercial airport located within a US national park, according to the federal agency that oversees the parks.
      A new restaurant/bar was included in the renovationThe work included a new restaurant/bar, an expanded holding area, two additional gates, a gift shop and an updated baggage claim area with retail space — all held within the L-shaped terminal totalling 125,000 square feet (11,613 square metres).
      “Design decisions facilitate an easy and stress-free travel experience, with open floor plans and clear sight corridors, as well as abundant glazing that frames the airplane runways and Teton Mountain range beyond,” said CLB Architects.
      Interior finishes are a mix of earthy and industrial materialsInterior finishes are a mix of earthy and industrial materials, including polished concrete, quartzite and timber – all meant to stand up to heavy use, as 800,000 travelers pass through the airport each year.
      For the structural system, the team paired lightweight steel with Douglas fir glue-laminated beams and rough-hewn log columns. The structural supports are meant to have “an elegant and minimal presence”.
      Fireplaces were incorporated to make the airport feel like a “residential space”In addition to the natural light that flows in through large windows, the terminal has downlights, uplights and LED accents that create a feeling of warmth.
      “Indirect up-lighting creates an evocative, atmospheric quality that contrasts with the usual cold, fluorescent lighting of institutional airport spaces,” the team said.
      CLB Architects created a “living room” for travellers awaiting their flightsThroughout the facility, the team blended elements of residential design into the travel hub.
      “It was our intent to make the experience feel more like a residential space rather than a commercial one,” the team said.

      CLB Architects creates trio of “tectonic structures” for Wyoming residence

      On the northern side of the terminal, where passengers wait to board their planes, the studio created a “living room” with comfy furniture, commissioned artwork and a monumental fireplace.
      Glazed walls are lined with polished concrete benches with leather seat cushioning, where visitors can watch aircraft take off and land. The waiting area also features a grab-and-go concessions counter and a casual restaurant with a fireplace.
      The terminal is designed to be highly flexibleThe terminal is designed to be highly flexible, so rooms can be reconfigured as needed. To that point, the airpot has an underground area of approximately 3,000 square feet (279 square metres) that was envisioned as a “versatile flex space”.
      CLB had two additional projects underway at the airport – a private terminal and three hangar structures.
      Other US airport projects include the ZGF-designed expansion to the Portland International Airport, which features a massive timber roof, and plans for a highly sculptural air-traffic-control tower in Columbus, Indiana, designed by Marlon Blackwell Architects.
      The photography is by Matthew Millman.
      Project credits:
      Design architect and architect of record for phases 3-7: CLB ArchitectsCLB team: Kevin Burke (partner), Cary Lakeman (senior project manager), Steve Jakub (project manager)Executive architect for phases 3-7: Miller DunwiddieInterior design: TruexCullins (restaurant and hold room)Contractor: Wadman CorporationCivil consultant: JviationGeotechnical engineer and well design: Nelson EngineeringStructural engineer: KL&AMechanical, electrical, plumbing, technology engineer: Michaud, Cooley, EricksonLighting: Helius Lighting DesignFood service: The Marshall AssociatesLife, safety, accessibility: Jensen HughesAcoustic engineer: Wave EngineeringClient: Jackson Hole AirportOwner’s representative: KLJ Engineering

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      Trahan Architects restores Superdome to be “microcosm” of New Orleans

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      Local studio Trahan Architects has finished an interior renovation of the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, completing a series of renovations launched after Hurricane Katrina that it claims will extend the stadium’s life by 25 years.

      Trahan Architects’ work on the interior is the latest upgrade since the studio was engaged on the Superdome restoration in 2005, after it was damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The building sheltered as many as 20,000 thousand people fleeing the storm.
      The Superdome was originally completed in 1975 by Curtis and Davis Associated and featured a dome and concave cylindrical facade clad with aluminium panels.
      Trahan Architects has completed the renovation of the Superdome stadium in New OrleansAfter Hurricane Katrina, Trahan Architects implemented an overhaul of the exterior, replacing all the panels with a rainscreen system made from anodized aluminium metal panels.
      The current phase of the renovation, which was completed in time for its first game of the NFL season, included the removal of the ramp circulation system on the concourse.

      This allowed for concessions to be pushed to the outside of the structure, as well as for the installation of atriums in the entry programs and for lounges to be installed.
      In total, the renovation opened up more than 100,000 square feet (9,290 square metres), according to the studio.
      It is the latest in a series of renovations undertaken after the stadium was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005The removal of the ramps allowed for more shared spaces and circulation, according to the studio, which modelled the concessions and circulation on the community-oriented streetscapes of New Orleans.
      “With this interior overhaul, we wanted the building to feel like a microcosm of our city,” Trahan Architects founding principal Trey Trahan told Dezeen.
      “We thought of the design as a series of stacked neighborhoods or ‘faubourgs’ as we call them, all connected by generous circulation spaces that served them – aka ‘the street’.”
      Also important to the renovation was bringing the materiality used for the original facade inside.
      Both Trahan and studio partner Brad McWhirter told Dezeen that the original innovativeness of Superdome, structurally and materially, was important throughout the redesign process.
      Anodized aluminium similar to that found on the exterior was used to clad the atriums”The rich material language they worked with, having the exterior skin of anodized aluminum which ages beautifully over time, along with its elegant form, made us see it as a sculpture that needed to be expressed both inside and out,” said McWhirter.
      “Before, you never got to experience the shape of the building from the interior – they were treated as two completely separate elements.”
      This move is most obvious in the atriums placed at three corners of the structure, which are the most visually apparent interventions.
      Here, express elevators move up through the voids. The voids have walls clad with anodized aluminium rods and are crossed by thick metal-clad beams that reveal the structure.
      Trahan Architects removed the circulation ramps and added additional seating and concessionsPlanning for resiliency and bringing the structure to compliance with codes around ventilation and accessibility were also important in the redesign process.
      Trahan Architects worked with engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti to ensure the building could stand up to high winds – it was during this 3D modelling process that the voids covered by the circulation ramps were discovered, which led to their removal.

      Intuit Dome basketball stadium set to open its doors in Los Angeles

      “You would walk up the ramps from floor to floor with an eight-foot (2.4 metre) ceiling height, to small, cramped concourses until you finally got to your seat for some relief,” said Trahan.
      “With the model, we could see the full breadth of the voids and wasted space that could be more useful for the public, building operations, and for incorporating new mechanical systems.”
      These processes all happened while keeping the stadium in use for the American football season. The studio also had to install accessible decks for movement-impaired people, all while making sure that new mechanical systems did not interfere too much with the aesthetic of the exterior.
      “This, and from a design standpoint, implementing universal accessibility within a 50-year-old building was very difficult.  We had to make up for a lot of lost time to bring the building up to today’s standards and go the extra mile to prepare for the future,” added Trahan.
      Escalators and elevators now provide the primary circulation to the upper levelsThese future-looking improvements included the aforementioned facade replacement and the inclusion of new emergency generators, as the loss of power during Hurricane Katrina created harsh conditions for those sheltering inside.
      The architects also lauded some of the original features of the structure, which were maintained.
      Accessibility decks were also added as part of the renovation”For instance, the ‘gutter tubs’ of the roof, hidden behind the lip of the facade at the top, manage stormwater such that draining a 10-acre roof doesn’t overload the city’s system,” said McWhirter.
      “This continues to work very well to this day – even with the incredible amount of development that’s occurred since the building first opened.”
      According to the studio, the total of the renovations since 2005 will drastically extend the lifespan of the stadium.
      “This comprehensive renovation is expected to extend the building’s lifespan by 25 years, allowing future generations to enjoy the same sense of community and excitement the New Orleans landmark has fostered for nearly half a century,” it said.
      Other restorations of iconic buildings include Foster + Partners’ interior overhaul of the Transamerica Pyramid skyscraper in San Francisco.
      Meanwhile, natural disasters worsened by climate change continue to be an impetus to design buildings better. In light of that, Dezeen launched a series last year called Designing for Disaster to highlight the different problems and solutions architects and designers face in the face of extreme weather events.
      The photography is by Tim Hursley.

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