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Architecture studio Al-Jawad Pike drew on wabi-sabi design principles for the Holy Carrot restaurant on London’s Portobello Road, which features stone, timber and clay plaster. More
Luxury fashion brand Self-Portrait has opened a store in London with mirrored surfaces and Cornish clay walls that combines “minimalism, materiality and colour.”
Located on the corner of Kings Road and Duke of York Square in Chelsea, London, the 200-square-metre store was designed by Self-Portrait founder and creative director Han Chong in collaboration with New York-based architect Andreas Kostopoulos.
The store was designed by Self-Portrait founder Han Chong and architect Andreas Kostopoulos”Inspired by spatial design and the idea of self-reflection, features in a myriad of textures including chrome and mirror dominate the interior walls and reflect tonal surfaces in mint green,” Self-Portrait said of the interior.
“By leveraging on minimalism, materiality, and colour, we wanted to create an intimate, sensory and focused experience, free from any interferences or visually distracting architectural qualities and functions that can typically overwhelm retail environments,” said Kostopoulos.
Tonal surfaces were added to the interior of the storeThe store interior is characterised by natural materials. Mint-pigmented Cornish clay covers its walls and provides a textural quality through its visible markings, which are reminiscent of limewash.
Custom terrazzo flooring in hues of white, grey and mint blankets the majority of the floors while some areas, including fitting rooms, were decorated with plush carpets in matching colours to add a softer touch to the space.
Mirrors visually extended the space and blurred the boundaries of the storeBetween the textural clay walls, expanses of mirrored panels adorn the vertical surfaces and surround street-facing windows from floor to ceiling to visually extend and blur the boundaries of the retail space.
“I love the idea of spatial perception, blurring the lines between the interior and exterior, vertical and horizontal,” explained Chong.
AMO recreates “Provence atmosphere” with clay Jacquemus shop-in-shop
While using rich and textural materials, Chong and Kostopoulos also looked to create a space that was minimalist and free from distracting architectural elements by reducing the store to its bare essentials.
Overhead lighting throughout was subtlety concealed behind a gridded, drop ceiling that creates a contemporary and modernist look while also adding a contrasting textural quality.
Cornish clay was applied to the walls to create a textural finish”I am so proud of the space we have created – it’s the perfect blend of art and architecture, which provides a serene and minimalist home for our collections,” Chong continued.
“For me, this store has become the perfect physical manifestation of our brand – it’s a contrast of the effortless and the studied, with a focus on quality, materials and craft.”
Custom terrazzo covers the floor of the storeSelf-Portrait’s ready-to-wear collections were displayed on chrome-finished clothes rails in front of windows while accessories were organised across chrome display tables.
Antique furniture was combined with contemporary pieces throughout the store. A Max Lamb chair was neatly placed in a mirrored corner of the retail space, while wooden chairs were scattered throughout.
Antique furniture was combined with contemporary piecesSelf-Portrait is a contemporary luxury brand that was founded by Chong in 2013 after he graduated from womenswear design at Central Saint Martins.
Elsewhere in London, AMO created a terracruda-clad shop-in-shop at Selfridges that featured curving display areas and brutalist-style furniture for French fashion brand Jacquemus.
Design studio Perron-Roettinger recently unveiled its design for a pop-up store for Kim Kardashian’s homeware brand SKKN, which the studio clad in raw plaster and cement.
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Dutch studio AMO has created a terracruda-clad shop-in-shop with curving tiered shelving for French-fashion brand Jacquemus at luxury department store Selfridges.
The boutique was installed as a permanent retail space located on the ground floor of London department store Selfridges and is host to Jacquemus bags and accessories.
The permanent Jacquemus shop-in-shop was designed by AMODesigned by AMO, the research and design arm of architecture firm OMA, it incorporates curving, floor-to-ceiling display shelving clad in a clay-based material that is said to echo materials local to Provence.
Between rows of curving and tiered display shelving, plinths, totems, tables and chairs decorate the retail space’s interior and display the brand’s latest bags and accessories.
Terracruda clay was used across the interiorHidden compartments and cabinets were fitted within display units to create a sense of discovery while also tying the space to the trio of surrealist Jacquemus pop-up installations that ran through May in and around Selfridges and Oxford Street.
The permanent retail space follows as a result of the success of the Le Bleu surrealist pop-up installations that were created by Dutch experience design firm Random Studio and invited customers to explore and discover the brand’s products.
Jacquemus creates surrealist interpretation of his own bathroom for Selfridges pop-up
Terracruda clay was applied by hand across the interior of the store to create an uneven surface and natural look. The earthiness of the clay visually juxtaposes against the rigid and solid forms that are populated by colourful bags and accessories.
Seating areas set within the curving displays are framed by views out to Duke Street and the nearby David Chipperfield-designed entrance that was added to the store in 2018.
Terracruda clay was used to reference the South of France”The inspiration for the design of the Jacquemus space owes to the brand’s origins in the south of France,” said OMA partner Ellen van Loon.
“We wanted to capture the atmosphere of Provence through the materiality of the space, which led us to approach the design in a different way altogether,” she continued.
“Instead of working with form and deciding on the materials afterwards, we chose the materials at the outset and let them guide the shape of the space.”
Seating areas decorate the boutiqueSwedish streetwear label, Axel Arigato recently unveiled its “upside-down” pop-up sneaker store in the luxury department store that features an office-themed interior.
In Paris, Acne Studios opened a monolithic store on Rue Saint Honoré that is clad in Parisian limestone and references a Stockholm skatepark.
The photography is by Lewis Ronald.
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Artist Anouska Samms created pots from clay and donated human hair to playfully explore her family’s matrilineal relationship, which were recently on show as part of an exhibition in London.
Called This Myth We Make, the exhibition by Samms included a collection of pots displayed on rugged wood and plaster plinths as well as an accompanying film and a large hanging tapestry.
Samms created lopsided pots with human hairThe various pots are formed from lopsided shapes made out of coloured clay but are defined by the many strands of human hair that decorate them.
Samms received the hair from a range of strangers from around the world including Mexico, Australia and Japan after inviting volunteers to offer up their hair through a call-out on her Instagram.
She sourced the hair from strangers on InstagramThis was achieved during national lockdowns when people were cutting their hair at home as they could not access salons, according to the artist.
“The combination of hair and clay and the different varieties of each that are used merge in an unusual way,” she told Dezeen.
“This subverts the more traditional pots – particularly the hand-thrown ones – into what I think of as unstable vessels or dysfunctional containers. Using hair is also just a bit cheeky at times,” she added.
The pots were presented as part of a London exhibitionAs well as hair from strangers, Samms used hair donated by her mother and grandmother, which she explained links to the meaning behind her work.
This Myth We Make intends to playfully explore the matrilineal relationship between five generations of women in Samms’ family who all dyed their hair red as an intimate family tradition.
10 designs made from the human body that will make you squirm
As a natural redhead herself, the artist described how she poetically continues the tradition without needing to dye her hair.
“This body of work reflects a deeper unconscious – I would even call it an obsessive illustration of matrilineal connection – and the familial ‘myths’ we consciously or unconsciously adopt to communicate our love for others,” said Samms.
This Myth We Make explored a hair-dyeing tradition in the artist’s familyIn line with this theme, the artist bleached and dyed the donated hair different shades of auburn, which was also used to form Big Mother – a large tapestry presented in the exhibition.
Her design process involved tying the hair into bunches before it was coloured, after which she washed it in her own bathtub and eventually sewed or shaped it onto pots or into the tapestry.
“Sometimes just preparing the hair alone took a couple of days,” reflected Samms.
A tapestry and an accompanying film were also included in the showWhile the artist chose to incorporate hair into her pots in reference to her family’s unique tradition, she explained how she crafted the vessels from clay due to the material’s similar malleability and organicness.
“There is also potential for disgust and bodily horror in the use of disembodied human hair – another humorous nod at the purity and absurdity of mother and daughter exchange,” concluded Samms.
Clay was used for its malleabilityThe exhibition was curated by the V&A museum’s curator of digital design Natalie Kane while the show’s technical producer Greg Bradlaugh created the plinths from abandoned wood that he found and covered in white plaster.
Other designs that are made from human hair include a textile by research studio Pareid that was created to measure urban pollution and a biodegradable stool by Oksana Bondar called Wiggly.
The photography is by Benjamin Swanson.
This Myth We Make took place at SET Studios in Lewisham, London, from 20 May to 1 June 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
Project credits:
Artist: Anouska SammsCurator: Natalie KaneTechnical Producer: Greg Bradlaugh
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Rough clay walls, river-stone flooring and a seating topography formed from OSB panels feature in our latest lookbook, which rounds up 10 restaurant interiors that bring in natural elements. More
Chinese studio Atelier Right Hub created a cave-like spa in Hangzhou, China, with a network of interconnected, circular rooms and walls finished in white clay. More
Bumpy clay walls and rough concrete surfaces are tempered by smooth steel and polished stone in this Kyiv restaurant designed by local studio Yakusha Design . More
Bologna-based architecture studio Mario Cucinella Architects and 3D printing specialists WASP have collaborated to create a low-carbon housing prototype that is 3D printed using clay. More
In this special lookbook sponsored by natural finishes brand Clayworks, we’ve selected 10 interiors from our archives that feature walls finished with the brand’s clay plaster.Clay finishes are a healthy, breathable alternative to paints or wallpaper on internal walls and ceilings. Naturally pigmented and free of toxic ingredients, they are made of natural materials, do not require painting and are compostable.
Clayworks’ plaster finishes are manufactured in Cornwall, England. Here are 10 homes, restaurants and offices that showcase their products.
Porteous’ Studio, Edinburgh, by Izat Arundell
Design studio Izat Arundell converted this former blacksmith’s workshop in Edinburgh into a compact apartment with a muted material palette.
Clay-based plaster was applied to the walls to create a calm tone, with a simple palette of stone and wood used to create an overall natural feel.
Find out more about Porteous’ Studio ›
Birch and Clay Refugio, London, by Rise Design Studio
As its name suggests, this renovated and extended London flat called Birch and Clay Refugio makes extensive use of clay finishes.
The kitchen features light grey plaster walls, while a calming light grey-green shade was used for the master bedroom and a light pastel pink in the children’s bedroom.
Find out more about Birch and Clay Refugio ›
Sticks n Sushi, London, by Norm Architects
This London sushi restaurant by Danish studio Norm Architects was designed to have a series of spaces each with its own atmosphere.
Light clay finishes were used in the larger, more open restaurant spaces, with darker tones applied to create a more intimate feel in the private dining areas.
Find out more about Sticks n Sushi ›
Devon Passivhaus, Devon, McLean Quinlan
This low-rise Passivhaus home by McLean Quinlan is set behind a red-brick wall that obscures the textured interiors and art-filled hidden courtyard.
The studio aimed to create a “serene” environment inside the home by pairing rough sawn oak flooring with clay plaster walls and charred wood cabinetry.
Find out more about Devon Passivhaus ›
Dulong store, Copenhagen, by Norm Architects
Norm Architects combined natural materials to create a calm finish for this jewellery showroom in Copenhagen, which was informed by modernist artists’ studios.
The studio used a light clay plaster with a smooth finish as the backdrop for the store that has oak flooring and travertine furniture.
Find out more about Dulong store ›
Barbican apartment, London, by Takero Shimazaki Architects
Takero Shimazaki Architects was informed by a client with strong ties with Japan for the interiors of this apartment in central London’s Barbican estate.
Throughout the flat, the studio aimed to balance Japanese architectural language with the concrete structure of the brutalist Barbican complex. Walls finished with clay were combined with tatami mats and numerous timber finishes.
Find out more about Barbican apartment ›
Hoof cafe, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, by Bone
Design studio Bone used rustic clay plaster for the walls of this cafe in the United Arab Emirates as part of its design that aims to recall horse stalls.
Named Hoof, the spartan cafe was furnished with blocky hand-brushed steel counters to contrast the naturally finished walls.
Find out more about Hoof cafe ›
Highgate home, London, by House of Grey
Interiors studio House of Grey chose the furnishings and finishes of this London home with the health of its occupants and the health of the planet in mind.
Along with custom-designed timber furniture and a bed upholstered using coconut husk fibres, the home’s walls are finished with natural clay.
Find out more about Highgate house ›
Leaf House, London, by Szczepaniak Astridge
Designed to be a peaceful retreat in south London, this loft extension contains a master bedroom focused on a wooden bath with views across London.
Japanese interior design, as well as sustainability, was important for the choice of materials used in the loft, which has clay covering its roof and walls.
Find out more about Leaf House ›
Clay House, London, by Simon Astridge
Architect Simon Astridge uses layers of coarse clay to line the walls of this one-bedroom apartment on the top floor of a Victorian mid-terraced property in London.
Appropriately named Clay House, the material was used to give an unfinished appearance to the walls and ceilings of the open plan living space and create a calm atmosphere in the bedroom.
Find out more about Clay House ›
This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing green kitchen interiors, peaceful bedrooms, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.
This lookbook was produced by Dezeen for Clayworks as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
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