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    Zooco Estudio resurrects “vestige of the past” for brutalist restaurant

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    Madrid-based Zooco Estudio has created a striking restaurant within the Cantabrian Maritime Museum in Santander, Spain, that celebrates the building’s brutalist architecture.

    The restaurant is set within a dramatic vault of concrete paraboloids that were unearthed during the renovation, while a slatted timber ceiling pays homage to the area’s shipbuilding legacy.
    Zooco Estudio added a restaurant to the second floor of the Cantabrian Maritime MuseumOverlooking the tranquil waters of Santander Bay, the restaurant is located on the second floor of the landmark Cantabrian Maritime Museum, which was designed in the mid-1970s by architects Vicente Roig Forner and Ángel Hernández Morales.
    The paraboloids were an original fixture of the structure and supported the roof of what was once the museum’s patio.
    Oak details were designed to contrast the restaurant’s concrete archesThe studio focused on restoring the historic fabric of the space and reviving the paraboloids, which had been concealed for around 20 years, as “a vestige of the past”.

    “In 2003, the building was renovated and as part of this intervention, the paraboloids were covered with a new roof and the space between them and the perimeter of the building was closed with glass, generating a covered space where there was previously a terrace,” Zooco Estudio co-founder Javier Guzmán told Dezeen.
    “We wanted the concrete paraboloids to be the absolute protagonists of the space and by removing the paint and the coating, the paraboloids are visible again and regain their full prominence.”
    The renovation exposed the raw concrete surface of the paraboloidsThe previous renovation also altered the dimensions of the space and reconfigured the volume as a square.
    To promote symmetry, four additional concrete triangles were added to balance out the original paraboloids in the brutalist restaurant.
    Slatted wooden ceiling panels bridge the gaps between the archesOverhead, a false ceiling of slatted timber panels frames the concrete arches.
    The studio designed theses triangular boards to reference the arrangement of timber across the hull of a boat, a nod to the museum and the area’s nautical past.

    Two-storey bookshelf rises inside renovated Madrid house

    The panels also serve the purpose of concealing the restaurant’s mechanical systems.
    “The wooden slats bring warmth and friendliness to the space while allowing us to solve all the technical needs for air conditioning, heating and lighting, leaving them hidden,” Guzmán said.
    “In this way, we ensure that all these elements do not interfere with the dialogue of concrete and wood, which are presented as continuous and clean elements.”
    Walls of floor-to-ceiling glazing offer views across the bayThe interior layout was largely dictated by the low arches of the elliptic paraboloids that dominate the brutalist restaurant.
    “The geometry of the existing structure conditions the space, because its height in its lower part is impractical, so a large bench is arranged around the entire contour that allows us to take advantage of that space and organise the distribution of the rest of the floor plan,” added Guzmán.
    Grey porcelain floors mirror the concrete paraboloidsLike the ceiling panels, the interior finishes and furnishings allude to the maritime history that the building commemorates.
    “The use of wood and steel for all the furniture is reminiscent of the materials used in shipbuilding – the furniture has slight curvatures that are reminiscent of the aerodynamic shapes of boats,” explained Guzmán.
    “Likewise, the lamps are inspired by the masts for ship sails.”
    Zooco Estudio also designed the restaurant’s curved timber furnitureAnother key change was the replacement of the perimeter glass wall.
    The inclined glazing was swapped for vertical glass, a decision that reclaimed external space for the patio, which stretches the length of the restaurant and overlooks the harbour below.
    “When we are inside, the feeling is the same as when we are inside a boat, there is only water around, and that is why we used clean glass from floor to ceiling, generating a perimeter terrace as happens on boats,” said Guzmán.
    The terrace features green curvilinear outdoor furnitureOther projects by Zooco Estudio include a renovated house in Madrid and a co-working space with a kids’ play area in California.
    The photography is by David Zarzoso.
    Project credits:
    Architect: Zooco EstudioConstruction: Rotedama Constructora SLLighting: Zooco EstudioFurniture: Zooco Estudio

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      Commoncraft draws on “beauty in imperfection” for New York cafe

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      Distressed concrete, rowlock bricks and worn plasterwork create an intentionally unfinished appearance at this cafe in New York City’s East Village neighbourhood, designed by Brooklyn studio Commoncraft.

      For its expansion into Manhattan, New Jersey-based Kuppi Coffee Company secured a 350-square-foot space on bustling St Marks Place – its second location.
      Textured concrete plaster envelops the interior of Kuppi Cafe in the East VillageThe compact interior has just enough space for a customer area and the cafe counter, plus a prep area and a WC for staff at the back.
      Commoncraft approached the front-of-house space with an ethos akin to wabi-sabi, the Japanese art of “flawed beauty”.
      Commoncraft chose materials for the space that appear purposefully rough and unfinished”Employing a range of rough and raw materials, Commoncraft’s design of Kuppi Cafe seeks out the beauty in imperfection,” said the studio, which was founded by Zach Cohen and Tony-Saba Shiber.

      Textured concrete plaster curves up from two perpendicular walls and over the ceiling, enveloping the room together with the concrete floor.
      The compact space features a small bench for customers awaiting their ordersWhere these walls meet, a vertical element is wrapped in bluish plaster that’s peeling away to reveal a whitewash beneath.
      The Kuppi logo is applied faintly at the top, and stainless-steel shelves for displaying merchandise are cut into part of the pillar’s corner.
      The cafe counter is faced in bricks stacked on their sides to expose their “guts”Zones for customer interaction – including the service counter and a small bench – are defined by terracotta bricks, which are stacked on their sides in rowlock courses “to expose their core and mortar ‘guts’.”
      “Each terracotta volume is terminated by a course of cut bricks, further revealing the rough, imperfect cores,” Commoncraft said.

      Commoncraft designs whimsical Gertie cafe in Williamsburg

      In such a compact space, the designers have ensured that their concept carries through each of the cafe’s elements.
      “The material honesty of the space is further reinforced by a number of small details,” said Commoncraft.
      A corner element is wrapped in bluish plaster that’s distressed to reveal a whitewash underneathThese include floating stainless steel shelves behind the counter, a freestanding glass splash guard for baked goods and spherical concrete pendant lights suspended at different heights above the bench.
      The cafe is highly visible from the high-traffic street through its fully glazed facade.
      The counter is terminated by a course of cut bricksNew York City is home to thousands of cafes and coffee shops, including many independent establishments with unique interiors intended to entice customers inside.
      Among them is another Commoncraft project: a Williamsburg eatery named Gertie designed as a playful tribute to the owner’s grandmother.
      The photography is by Andrew Fu.
      Project credits:
      Client: Kuppi Coffee Company (Kevin and Vivian Kim)Architecture and interior design: CommoncraftPlumbing engineer: Alan R SchwartzGeneral contractor: LTI Construction Corp

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      Keiji Ashizawa Design and Norm Architects create “honest” Trunk Hotel in Tokyo

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      An exposed raw concrete facade fronts the Trunk Hotel Yoyogi Park, which Japanese studio Keiji Ashizawa Design and Danish firm Norm Architects conceived as a minimalist retreat in the heart of the city.

      Marking the third location in a trio of Trunk hotels in Tokyo, the design of the boutique hotel was rooted in the concept of “urban recharge”, according to Trunk chief creative officer Masayuki Kinoshita.
      Trunk Hotel Yoyogi Park features a raw concrete facadeThe hotel group said the idea was to balance the opposing elements of tradition and modernity as well as nature and the city and the melding of both Japanese and European craft.
      Keiji Ashizawa Design created a textured concrete aggregate facade for the seven-storey building, which is punctuated with steel-lined balconies and overlooks Yoyogi Park’s lush treetops.
      Guest rooms feature a muted colour and material paletteThe studio worked with Norm Architects to design the minimalist interior, accessed via a copper-clad entrance.

      A total of 20 guest rooms and five suites were dressed in a muted colour and material palette featuring hardwood flooring and plush Hotta Carpet-designed rugs informed by traditional Japanese architecture.
      Paper-cord chairs and tapered washi pendant lights contribute to the minimalist designDelicate rattan partition walls delineate spaces within the rooms, which open out onto the building’s balconies that were fitted with slanted ceilings in order to encourage sunlight into each room “as if mimicking the gentle transitions of a day”.
      “It’s been an interesting journey for us to find the right balance between a space that is relaxed and vibrant at the same time,” said Norm Architects co-founder Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen.
      The interiors were designed to be both “relaxed and vibrant”The rooms are also characterised by paper-cord chairs and tapered washi pendant lights as well as abstract artworks, amorphous vases and grainy floor-to-ceiling bathroom tiles.
      On the ground floor, oak seating designed by Norm Architects for Karimoku features in the hotel restaurant, which includes a striking copper-clad pizza oven and the same rattan accents that can be found in the guest rooms.
      Rattan accents can also be found in the hotel restaurant”It is a very unique and gratifying experience in the sense that the architecture, interior and furniture, as well as the attention to detail, have created a space with such a strong sense of unity,” said Keiji Ashizawa Design.
      An open-air pool club is located on the sixth floor of the hotel.

      Keiji Ashizawa and Norm Architects design tactile interiors for “hotel in the sky”

      Sand-blasted concrete flooring was paired with thin bluey-green tiles that make up the infinity swimming pool, which overlooks the park below.
      A “glowing” firepit can also be set alight after dark, intended to create a soothing contrast with the bright Tokyo skyline.
      The Trunk Hotel features a rooftop infinity poolThe city’s first Trunk Hotel opened in Shibuya in 2017, while the second location is an offbeat one-room hotel in the metropolis’s Kagurazaka neighbourhood featuring its own miniature nightclub.
      The photography is by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen.

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      Seven cosy living rooms with industrial material palettes

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      Living rooms with tactile brick, concrete and wood surfaces feature in this lookbook, which shows that opting for industrial materials doesn’t have to sacrifice cosiness.

      Typically informed by old and unrefined factories, lofts and warehouses, industrial-style interiors are a go-to for many contemporary designers.
      Homes of this style are often characterised by a combination of man-made and natural materials, including brick, wood, concrete and metal, and the exposure of details that are usually concealed, such as ductwork.
      While, for some, the image of industrial spaces can conjure up feelings of being cold and unwelcome, this list of living rooms proves that with the right finishes, the style can actually be warm and inviting.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with furry walls, sculptural wooden staircases and rustic Italian interiors.

      Photo by Mariell Lind HansenSt John Street, UK, by Emil Eve Architects
      Emil Eve Architects retained the raw aesthetic of this former warehouse while transforming it into a warm and inviting home.
      In the living room, old brick walls, metal window frames and a rough concrete ceiling form a tactile backdrop to contemporary wooden furnishings and an abundance of tall plants.
      Find out more about St John Street ›
      Photo by Mike SchwartzMichigan Loft, USA, by Vladimir Radutny Architects
      A suspended black-metal fireplace is the centrepiece of this lofty apartment, which is located in Chicago and dotted with floor furnishings including a Toga sofa.
      The fireplace is complemented by exposed black ducting and hanging lights, which pop against the surrounding brick, warm wood and concrete elements.
      Find out more about Michigan Loft ›
      Photo by Fran ParenteGale Apartment, Brazil, by Memola Estudio
      Exposed services, ducting and concrete help achieve an industrial look in this living room, which is located in a Brazilian apartment designed by Memola Estudio.
      To add warmth to the space, these finishes are balanced with natural details including dark wooden floorboards and furniture, suede chairs and a textile wall tapestry.
      Find out more about Gale Apartment ›
      Photo by Andrey Bezuglov and Maryan BereshRelogged House, Ukraine, by Balbek Bureau
      This living room belongs to a Ukrainian cabin, designed by Balbek Bureau with a utilitarian aesthetic that aims to challenge conventional cabin interiors.
      Concrete is the predominant material, but stainless steel and wooden elements such as horizontally stacked logs also feature throughout. To add warmth, a giant fireplace takes centre stage and is positioned opposite a modular sofa on which visitors can cosy up.
      Find out more about Relogged House ›
      Photo by Casey DunnSouth 5th Residence, USA, by Alterstudio Architecture
      In this lounge, the stripped-back material palette helps to draw attention to the “dramatic vistas” over a valley in Austin, Texas.
      Rough-textured concrete forms the walls of the space, while polished concrete lines the floor. Window frames made of wood and steel add to the room’s industrial look, and colour is introduced through furnishings including a tubular pink-metal armchair.
      Find out more about South 5th Residence ›
      Photo by JAG studioA Forest House, Ecuador, by Aquiles Jarrín
      Aquiles Jarrín married dark Chonta wood with black-steel beams and rough concrete for the design of this textural living room, found in A Forest House in Quito.
      The wooden elements help break up the open-plan interior, carving out cosy nooks and storage spaces for the owner. The seating area is warmed by a cowhide rug and tan butterfly chairs.
      Find out more about A Forest House ›
      Photo by Joe FletcherAnalog House, USA, by Olson Kundig Architects
      A tactile material palette of metal, concrete and glass tones was used for the living room of Analog House, a home in a Californian forest created by Olson Kundig Architects with the ​​founder of Faulkner Architects – the client for the project.
      In the lounge, these materials are paired with light wooden floors and minimalist furnishings including hanging lights, a sleek black sofa and tubular chairs.
      Find out more about Analog House ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with furry walls, sculptural wooden staircases and rustic Italian interiors.

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      Eight concrete kitchens with raw and tactile surfaces

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      Kitchens with exposed concrete surfaces take centre stage in this lookbook, which includes homes in Mexico, Japan and Ireland.

      Concrete is a ubiquitous material in architecture, but it is less commonly used in interiors – particularly in residential spaces such as kitchens.
      However, its durability and impermeability make it an ideal surface material for cooking and food preparation, while its raw aesthetic can create a striking backdrop for dining and entertaining.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. Other recent editions showcase airy balconies, marble bathrooms and gallery interiors.
      Photo by Toshiyuki YanoHouse in Jiyugaoka, Japan, by Airhouse Design Office

      Airhouse Design Office created this kitchen as part of its renovation of an apartment for a fashion fanatic in Nagoya, Japan.
      Like the rest of the home, the kitchen’s walls, floor and ceiling have been stripped back to expose the concrete beneath. While some areas were left with chipped edges and plaster, others have been polished for a smooth finish.
      Find out more about House in Jiyugaoka ›
      Photo by Daniela Mac AddenCasa H3, Argentina, by Luciano Kruk
      This open-plan kitchen and dining room sits on the ground floor of a holiday home by architect Luciano Kruk in Mar Azul.
      Blending seamlessly into the home’s concrete structure, it features geometric shelving and kitchen counters that extend from the walls and floor. Its industrial look is complemented by an enamel pendant light and a pair of wireframe chairs.
      Find out more about Casa H3 ›
      Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
      In a pine forest in Mexico, architect Ludwig Godefroy created a brutalist cube-shaped home that is built from concrete cast in situ.
      This includes its kitchen, where the shelving and worktops are also all cast from concrete. Here, their raw finishes are juxtaposed with delicate ceramics and Danish designer Hans Wegner’s Wishbone chairs, visually softening the space.
      Find out more about Casa Alférez ›
      Photo by João FerrandFlower House, Portugal, by Ezzo
      The concrete worktops of this sunken kitchen double up as a smooth floor for the dining room at Flower House, a renovated dwelling in Porto.
      Wood-fronted cabinets slot in beneath the flooring, which was hand-poured on site and has been covered with a waterproof coating to give it a polished look.
      Find out more about Flower House ›
      Photo by Onnis Luque and Fabian MartinezToad’s House, Mexico, by Espacio 18 Arquitectura
      Throughout the minimalist Toad’s House on Zapotengo Beach in Oaxaca, architecture studio Espacio 18 has left the concrete structure unfinished and exposed.
      In the bar-style kitchen, the board-marked walls are teamed with glass ornaments and woven baskets, while a central island has been topped with a wooden countertop.
      Find out more about Toad’s House ›
      Photo by Toshiyuki YanoHouse T, Japan, by Suppose Design Office
      This concrete kitchen is among the purposely dark and cave-like living spaces in the monolithic home that Suppose Design Office designed for its founder in Tokyo.
      Its concrete walls and worktops have tactile finishes, which stand against a backdrop of large stone floor tiles and wooden furnishings.
      Find out more about ›
      Photo by Aisling McCoyHollybrook Road, Ireland, by TOB Architect
      Irish studio TOB Architect designed this concrete kitchen extension to evoke the feeling of “being a child under a very robust table”.
      It was cast in situ as one geometric form with the goal of creating a seamless and cavernous look inside. The architect chose an otherwise restrained material palette of terrazzo, walnut and Accoya wood in an effort to retain focus on the texture of the concrete.
      Find out more about Hollybrook Road ›
      Photo by Daniela Mac AddenCasa Golf, Argentina, by Luciano Kruk
      Another concrete kitchen by architect Luciano Kruk is found in Casa Golf, a holiday home on the Argentinian coastline.
      Paired with black cabinets and extractor ducting, its dark-grey surfaces add texture to the space without distracting from the outward views framed by the variety of windows that line the space.
      Find out more about Casa Golf ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. Other recent editions showcase airy balconies, marble bathrooms and gallery interiors.

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      Eight brutalist Mexican interiors that prove concrete doesn’t have to feel cold

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      Raw concrete surfaces are softened by timber and plenty of daylight inside these Mexican houses, rounded up here as part of our latest lookbook.

      Many of these brutalist interiors leave their concrete shells exposed and their cavernous rooms largely unadorned.
      But freed of the constraints posed by frigid temperatures, they also create a greater connection to the outside, whether overlooking Puerto Escondido’s wave-swept beaches or nestled in the bustling metropolis of Mexico City.
      Here, concrete surfaces help to create a sense of seamlessness between indoor and outdoor spaces – often separated only by removable partitions – while unfinished natural materials, such as wood or stone, are brought into the interior.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with exposed services, primary-coloured living spaces and houses with outdoor showers.

      Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Alférez, Cañada De Alferes, by Ludwig Godefroy
      Tucked away in the forest outside Cañada De Alferes near Mexico City, this brutalist holiday home has a board-formed concrete shell.
      This is left on display throughout its entire interior, all the way down to the bedrooms (top image) and the double-height lounge (above).
      To bring a sense of homeliness to its otherwise spartan living spaces, architect Ludwig Godefroy added warm wooden floors and lush pops of green – as seen across upholstery and lighting fixtures.
      Find out more about Casa Alférez ›
      Photo by Onnis Luque and Fabian MartinezLa Casa del Sapo, Playa Zapotengo, by Espacio 18 Arquitectura
      The kitchen of this seafront home – set right on Oaxaca’s Zapotengo beach – can be merged with its neighbouring patio using a wide wooden folding door.
      All-around concrete helps to underline this fusion, while also serving a practical function in the form of a kitchen island and matching shelves.
      Find out more about La Casa del Sapo ›
      Photo by César BéjarThe Hill in Front of the Glen, Morelia, by HW Studio
      Reminiscent of the Hobbit houses in JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, this sunken home is nestled into a hillside in the forests of Michoacán in central Mexico.
      The building’s interiors are defined by its concrete vaulted ceilings, which can be seen in every room, while log benches and full-height glazing provide a visual link to the woodland outside.
      Find out more about The Hill in Front of the Glen ›
      Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Mérida, Mérida, by Ludwig Godefroy
      Mayan architecture and craftsmanship informed the design of this otherwise brutalist house in Yucatán state, which is considered the capital of the indigenous civilisation.
      The home’s perimeter walls, for example, have joints covered in stone splinters that take cues from the design of Mayan pyramids and temples. These are left exposed on the interior alongside the concrete ceilings, creating a rich medley of architectural references.
      Find out more about Casa Mérida ›
      Photo by Rafael GamoPachuca Apartments, Mexico City, by PPAA
      Concrete slabs pave both the patio and living spaces in this Mexico City house to create a sense of continuity, only separated by a full-height glass wall that can be completely pushed open.
      On the interior, the rough concrete finishes are contrasted with details in American white oak, among them a long dining table as well as a staircase with treads that slot into a huge bookshelf.
      Find out more about Pachuca Apartments ›
      Photo by Dane Alonso and Mariano Renteria GarnicaCasa UC, Morelia, by Daniela Bucio Sistos
      Neutral colours and tactile materials are found throughout this home in the city of Morelia, including raw concrete ceilings and floors finished in a honey-toned tropical timber called caobilla.
      In the library, the same wood was also used to form integrated shelves and a huge porthole window that can be pivoted open and closed like a door.
      Find out more about Casa UC ›
      Photo by Sandra PereznietoCasa Aguacates, Valle de Bravo, by Francisco Pardo
      Mexican architect Francisco Pardo repurposed the pinewood formwork used in the process of constructing this concrete house to form a series of partition walls throughout the home.
      The resulting interior layout is simple and fluid and centres on an open-plan kitchen, dining area and living room that open up onto a sunken garden.
      Find out more about Casa Aguacates ›
      Photo by Rory GardinerZicatela, Puerto Escondido, by Emmanuel Picault and Ludwig Godefroy
      Set in the small surf town of Puerto Escondido, this weekend home accommodates its main living areas inside a covered patio and is made almost entirely of concrete.
      The only exceptions are the doors and sliding louvred wood screens that can be used to open the space up to the gardens on either side, as well as a few sparse furnishings such as the low-slung dining table, which is made from a cross-sectioned tree trunk.
      Find out more about Zicatela ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with exposed services, primary-coloured living spaces and houses with outdoor showers.

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      Eight practical and beautiful concrete bathrooms around the world

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      Our latest lookbook explores eight bathrooms with striking concrete interiors, ranging from a Mexico City bathroom that also features a rough-hewn stone bathtub to a UK bathroom built around a “concrete sculpture”.

      Concrete is a practical choice for bathroom interiors since the material is water-resistant, hardwearing and easy to clean. It can also be a decorative option – the material has a rugged, industrial look that gives bathroom interiors a brutalist feel.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors that prove beige doesn’t have to be boring, tidy kitchens with slick storage solutions and save-saving pocket doors.
      Photo by Nicholas WorleyUntitled House, UK, by Szczepaniak Astridge
      This residential extension in south London was designed around a “concrete sculpture”, a concrete-walled void that travels through the house from the kitchen up to the bathroom.

      Here, concrete was poured in situ to form the foundations, floors, walls and ceilings. A monolithic bathtub, also made from concrete, adds to the brutalist feel of the bathroom.
      Find out more about Untitled House ›
      Photo by Givlio AristideCloister House, Australia, by MORQ
      The almost-windowless Cloister House in Perth surrounds a plant-filled courtyard and was designed to have a sense of privacy.
      Made from thick concrete, its interior walls only have thin, arrow-slit openings. In the home’s bathroom, the rammed-concrete finish of the walls was left exposed and softened with a floor made from wooden slats and a red hardwood ceiling.
      Find out more about Cloister House ›
      Photo by Radu PalicicaSunken Bath, UK, by Studio 304
      Sunken Bath is a glazed bathroom that local studio Studio 304 designed for a London flat to create space for Japanese ritual bathing – a relaxation practice.
      The shower and toilet are separated from the concrete bathtub, which is enclosed by glass walls and a glass roof and offers views of the peaceful bamboo-filled garden.
      Find out more about Sunken Bath ›
      Photo by Gilbert McCarragherHouse and Studio Lambeth, UK, by Carmody Groarke
      Architecture office Carmody Groarke designed House and Studio Lambeth to slot inside the fabric of an old warehouse. Its design combines a brick “skin” with a smooth concrete interior.
      A concrete bathroom unit finished with a large shadow gap underneath the ceiling divides one of the home’s four bedrooms. This is contrasted with a decorative marble sink and copper-hued taps and details.
      Find out more about House and Studio Lambeth ›
      Photo by Maxime BrouilletUnit 622, Canada, by Rainville Sangaré
      Moshe Safdie’s famous brutalist Habitat 67 in Montreal is home to this apartment, which is one of 158 homes in 354 stacked, prefabricated concrete “boxes”.
      Its bathroom features a shower fronted by dichroic glass that changes colour depending on which angle it’s viewed from. Vertical concrete wall tiles were designed in a nod to the brutalist building’s structure.
      Find out more about Unit 622 ›
      Photo by Edmund SumnerPedro Reyes House, Mexico, by Pedro Reyes and Carla Fernandez
      This Mexico City home was made primarily from concrete, applied in varying degrees of coarseness, and was designed for and by a Mexican sculptor and fashion designer.
      In the bathroom, the sink was moulded into a shape that resembles pottery and the bathtub is made from stone to look like a rock pool. The rough-hewn shapes match the rough feel of the concrete walls and ceiling.
      Find out more about Pedro Reyes House ›
      Photo by BoysPlayNiceArt Villa, Costa Rica, by Formafatal and Refuel Works
      The Art Villa is nestled into the Costa Rican jungle and was designed to reference the tropical landscape and buildings by architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha, which are known for their monolithic concrete forms.
      The concrete walls and ceilings in its bathroom match the large stone bathtub and contrast the wood used for the floor. Large floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of the verdant countryside.
      Find out more about Art Villa ›
      Photo by Amy Barkow S-M-L Loft, US, by BC–OA
      Located in a cast-iron building dating from 1880 in New York’s Soho district, the S-M-L Loft draws on its past as a warehouse.
      The functional, industrial vibe of the flat can also be seen in the bathroom, which has solid walnut millwork paired with raw concrete panels and white porcelain tiles.
      Find out more about S-M-L Loft ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors that prove beige doesn’t have to be boring, tidy kitchens with slick storage solutions and save-saving pocket doors.

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      Isern Serra creates pared-back office “with seemingly surreal details” for Andrés Reisinger

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      Spanish architecture and interior design studio Isern Serra kept to a material palette of concrete, quartz and stainless steel to create this pared-back office for Reisinger Studio

      Located in the Poblenou neighbourhood in Barcelona, digital artist Andrés Reisinger’s studio is surrounded by several other creative’s offices and is designed to reflect the artist’s minimalist, dreamlike style.
      The Studio Reisinger office is designed to reflect the artist’s minimalist aesthetic”The concept behind the interiors of my studio was to create a space that complements and doesn’t compete with the uplifting spirit of my work,” Reisinger told Dezeen.
      “I wanted the studio to be like a canvas, with a kind of identity that I could play with,” he added. “The space is inspired by my work’s aesthetic, with seemingly surreal details amidst the light and bright studio.”
      Isern Serra left its raw concrete pillars intactPurchased as an empty shell, the Barcelona-based team decided to leave parts of the original space intact such as the concrete pillars while the ceiling was left exposed.

      Natural tones and textures were introduced through paint and flooring to create an airy and monochromatic yet soothing feel.
      A stainless steel kitchen is on the ground floor”First the colour and texture of the walls were chosen,” Isern Serra told Dezeen. “They are finished with a quartz-based paint in the form of a paste,” he added.
      “A natural finishing of micro-cement for the flooring was chosen to have the same tone and textured effect,” Serra said.
      A concrete table can be used for dining and workingThe team then went about filling the space with office equipment and furnishings, paying close attention to sourcing locally made items that reflect the sculptural work of Reisinger Studio.
      A large concrete table, which functions as a workspace and dining table was made on-site and stands in the middle of the studio.
      It was produced in a hue that sits between millennial pink and beige – a colour that has become synonymous with Reisinger’s work. A similar shade can be seen throughtout Reisinger and architect Alba de la Fuente’s virtual residence Winter House.

      Barcelona’s Orvay bar takes design cues from winemaking

      Around the table is a set of chrome metal stools custom-made by designer Julia Esque that complement the stainless steel staircase which curls up the floor above.
      Also in the area below the mezzanine, is a kitchen made entirely of stainless steel that features an integrated hydraulic push-to-open storage system.
      A millennial pink colour palette was used throughoutOn the upper floor, which is fronted by glass, Andrés Reisinger has a private office with a wooden desk for meetings. Plush pink seating here adds a touch of warmth. A separate shower and toilet are also situated on this floor.
      “The goal was to create a space that would inspire, rather than distract, from the work being produced,” explained Reisinger.
      “I imagined the studio as a blank canvas, a place where my team and I could come to experiment, evolve and grow our ideas and projects.”
      The office has a separate meeting roomArgentinian designer Andrés Reisinger founded Reisinger Studio in 2018. The artist is best known for the Hortensia chair, a bulbous pink armchair made with CGI that went viral on Instagram.
      He also made headlines for his collection of “impossible” virtual furniture, which sold for $450,000 at auction.
      The photos are courtesy of Reisinger Studio.

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      Reflecting pool centres XC273 fashion boutique in former Shanghai towel factory

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      Chinese studio Dongqi Design has turned a disused factory in Shanghai into a multi-brand fashion and lifestyle store, adding glossy marble and metal surfaces to offset its exposed concrete shell.

      Set across three floors, the XC273 retail space houses designer showrooms and pop-ups alongside a small cafe, as well as providing spaces for temporary exhibitions and events.
      Dongqi Design has turned a former factory into a fashion boutiqueFormerly a state-owned towel factory, the building had already been changed several times before the latest round of renovations.
      Dongqi Design strived to preserve and emphasise these different layers of history, which are contrasted against shiny new finishes to create a kind of “nostalgic futurism”.
      “All the differences of the space were kept as part of the building’s history so that people walking in could feel that the boundaries between the past and the present are blurred, as if they had walked into a timeless space,” the studio explained.

      The XC273 store houses a cafe alongside designer showrooms and pop-upsThe building is organised around three voids, which now form the basis of the store’s circulation routes.
      The largest of these voids consists of a double-height space at the core of the building, where Dongqi Design added a small reflecting pool surrounded by a collonade.
      Glossy surfaces are contrasted against the building’s raw concrete shellThe collonade’s raw concrete columns are left exposed where they face the pond, while their other three sides are wrapped with either marble, wood or metal.
      This approach is replicated across the store’s display fixtures to create a sense of spatial continuity. It can also be seen on the first floor, where new paving was added to enhance the existing geometric flooring.

      Offhand Practice designs second-hand bookshop in Shanghai to mimic greengrocer

      A sound tunnel that provides visitors with an experimental music experience was placed near the cafe on the ground floor.
      The second floor is accessed via a metal staircase, which is suspended above the reflecting pool and winds its way up through a small hole in the ceiling.
      A reflecting pool was installed at the core of the building”The key element connecting all the spaces is the stairs,” the studio explained.
      “The stairs are designed in their purest metallic form, further enhanced by the details of the balustrade where the fence becomes a simple element sliding into the structural beam at the bottom while having a profile on the top to allow visitors to grab the handrail comfortably.”
      Concrete paving was added to complement the geometric flooring on the first floorOn the second floor, Dongqi Design selected a bright white finish to emphasise the old wooden structure of the building’s pitched roof. A series of square windows let light into the space and offer views out across the city and toward the sky.
      To balance out the otherwise all-white interior, the VIP room is finished in a darker palette. During spring and summer, these darker shades also contrast with the colour of the trees outside.
      Dongqi Design gave the second floor a bright white finishXC273 has been shortlisted in the large retail interior category of this year’s Dezeen Awards.
      Other projects in the running include a second-hand bookshop in Shanghai that uses supermarket-style crates to display its wares and a reusable sales showroom with fabric walls.
      The photography is by Raitt Liu.

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