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      Mixed Seats aims to show “what a chair could be”

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      Designer Ali Shah Gallefoss invited 15 creatives to design their own interpretation of a chair that is suitable for a public space, all of which were presented as a recent exhibition in Oslo, Norway.

      Called Mixed Seats, the exhibition was curated by Shah Gallefoss and exhibition platform Pyton.
      Mixed Seats featured a series of concrete chairs including one by Henrik ØdegaardIt featured an installation of concrete chairs from Norwegian creatives including designers Henrik Ødegaard and Maja Pauline Bang Haugsgjerd, which were arranged in a cluster outside at a square next to Oslobukta shopping centre.
      The project stemmed from Pyton inviting the participants to a dinner party for which they were asked to design and bring their own chairs.
      Tron Meyer designed a blue chair while Jonas Løland made a stoolArchitect, designer and artist Tron Meyer created a textured blue seat with a chunky backrest while architect Jonas Løland offered a sandy-hued stool with three-pronged legs.

      “The chairs are individual suggestions for what a chair could be,” Shah Gallefoss told Dezeen.
      “They’re fun, bold, weird, serious, and playful, just like the group of individuals that made them.”
      Maja Pauline Bang Haugsgjerd created a swirling stoolWhile the creatives were free to add additional materials to their chairs, they were instructed to use concrete as their base material. The furniture was made at a collective workshop held in Drammen.
      Some of the offerings feature colour while others were kept simple, such as an ambiguous, rough concrete stool in the shape of a star or flower by designer Christoph Boulmer.
      Spindly wooden legs make up Kevin Kurang’s abstract stool”The variation in shapes and sizes made an appealing composition,” reflected Shah Gallefoss.
      “When they arrived at the square at Oslobukta they looked like small ants, with the huge Munch museum in the background.”
      Christoph Boulmer designed a flower-shaped chairShah Gallefoss himself contributed a chair design to the exhibition with a squat concrete seat attached to a sculptural metal backrest.
      After the exhibition was dismantled, the curator explained that each of the chairs has travelled to a new location to be repurposed in various ways.
      Shah Gallefoss contributed his own design to the exhibitionIndustrial designer Falke Svatun created seating made from two abstract cylindrical concrete components that has now been placed in Oslo’s Sentralen restaurant while product designer Bjørn van de Berg’s stool featured at Stockholm Design Week.
      “It is [often said] that Norwegians don’t like to sit next to another person on the bus,” joked Shah Gallefoss.
      “But the majority of outdoor furniture [created] is benches that invite people to sit down and disturb your peace and quiet. That made me think about personal space in a public setting.”

      Primary school children design wooden seats in Grade Three Chairs project

      As well as exploring suitable seating for public spaces, another key objective of Mixed Seats was to showcase and encourage multidisciplinary creativity across Norway, according to Shah Gallefoss.
      “I hope that by introducing fifteen creatives [to each other], the exhibition will plant a seed that will grow and strengthen collaborative efforts between the different disciplines, and in the end, build a stronger design industry,” he concluded.
      Two cylindrical components make up Falke Svatun’s chairOther recent chair designs include a chubby furniture collection by Holloway Li and Uma Objects that was presented at London Design Festival and a chair made of plastic rubbish by design studio Space Available and DJ Peggy Gou.
      Mixed Seats was on display as part of Oslo Runway in Norway, which took place from 23 to 28 August in Oslo, Norway. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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      Ten beautiful brutalist interiors with a surprisingly welcoming feel

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      For our latest lookbook, we’ve collected 10 brutalist interiors from the UK to Brazil and Indonesia that show how textiles, plants and colours can be used to soften monolithic concrete spaces and create a cosy atmosphere.

      Brutalism as an architectural style often makes use of concrete to create large, sculptural buildings. These interiors in brutalist buildings feature plenty of concrete and hard angles but still manage to feel both warm and welcoming.
      Colourful tiling, wooden details and tactile textiles as well as an abundance of green plants were used to create inviting living rooms, bathrooms and even workspaces in these brutalist buildings, which include the Barbican in London and Riverside Tower in Antwerp.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring granite kitchens, terrazzo eateries and atriums that brighten up residential spaces.
      Photo is by Tommaso RivaA Brutalist Tropical Home, Indonesia, by Patisandhika and Dan Mitchell

      Designer Dan Mitchell worked with architecture studio Patisandhika to create this brutalist home in Bali, which features a double-height living room filled with books, records and green plants.
      The house has a split-level design that was modelled on modernist architect Ray Kappe’s Kappe Residence. Inside, colourful objects, textiles and furniture draw on the work of Clifford Still, Ellsworth Kelly and the Bauhaus movement to make the house feel homely.
      Find out more about A Brutalist Tropical Home ›
      Photo is by Niveditaa GuptaHouse of Concrete Experiments, India, by Samira Rathod
      As the name suggests, House of Concrete Experiments features sculptural concrete walls. Warm wood detailing offsets the grey hues, while the concrete floor has been inlaid with black stones to create an interesting pattern.
      Large windows and geometric skylights help make the room feel bright and inviting.
      Find out more about House of Concrete Experiments ›
      Photo is by Olmo PeetersRiverside Tower Apartment, Belgium, by Studio Okami Architecten
      Studio Okami Architecten stripped the walls of this flat in Antwerp’s Riverside Tower to let its original structure take centre stage.
      Colourful details such as a turquoise table and baby-blue spiral staircase and a playful, sculptural lamp make the home feel contemporary, while plenty of green plants give more life to the otherwise grey interior.
      Find out more about Riverside Tower Apartment ›
      Photo is by PhotographixBeton Brut, India, by The Grid Architects
      Designed as a “neo-brutalist” house, Beton Brut in India has a number of dramatic features, including a skylit atrium that extends through the home.
      The Grid Architects described the home as “typified by bare concrete, geometric shapes, a monochrome palette and a monolithic appearance”. Wooden flooring and furniture and plenty of textiles soften the house’s brutalist interior and potentially stern appearance.
      Find out more about Beton Brut ›
      Photo is by Anton GorlenkoBarbican flat, UK, by Takero Shimakazi Architects
      This flat in the Shakespeare Tower of London’s brutalist Barbican estate was overhauled by Takero Shimakazi Architects in a nod to the client’s strong ties to Japan.
      Details such as gridded timber panels and timber joinery were added throughout the flat, which also features Japan-informed details including an area lined with tatami mats.
      Find out more about the Barbican flat ›
      Photo is by Joana FrançaConcrete home, Brazil, by Debaixo do Bloco Arquitetura
      Debaixo do Bloco’s design for this sculptural house in Brazil is divided into three sections to provide a clear distinction between the various programmes.
      Inside, the interior has a mid-century modern feel, with gleaming wood parquet flooring and a glass PH table lamp by Danish designer Louis Poulsen decorating a side table.
      Find out more about the concrete home ›
      Photo is by Lorenzo ZandriSmithson Tower office, UK, by ConForm
      The brutalist Smithson Tower in Mayfair is the location for this “homely” office designed by ConForm Architects. The studio split the space into eight zones defined by the strong structural grid of the existing building, and added low-level joinery.
      The result is a design that softens the stark office spaces and makes the rooms feel more intimate.
      Find out more about the Smithson Tower office ›
      Photo is courtesy of The StandardThe Standard London, UK, by Shawn Hausman
      Designer Shawn Hausman created the colour-drenched interior of hotel The Standard in London, which is located in a brutalist building, to contrast “the greyness of London”.
      “I would say with this property we were a bit more colourful than usual, and I think part of that is acting in contrast to the brutalist building that the hotel’s in,” explained Hausman.
      In the bathrooms, stripy pink-and-black tiled walls and pops of pale mint green give the room a fun, playful feel.
      Find out more about The Standard London ›
      Photo is by Casey DunnPreston Hollow, US, by Specht Architects
      The long corrugated concrete volumes of Preston Hollow in Dallas were designed to reference brutalist Texan architecture from the 1950s and 60s, but the house was built to wrap around courtyards, creating a lively, open impression.
      Inside the low-slung buildings, mid-century modern-style furniture nods to the home’s architectural references but the interior is brought up-to-date with the addition of modern art.
      Find out more about Preston Hollow ›
      Photo is by Gilbert McCarragherBarbican apartment, UK, by John Pawson
      British architect John Pawson created this flat in London’s Barbican building using his signature minimalist aesthetic.
      The flat, which overlooks central London and has a small concrete balcony, has been kept almost empty with just a smattering of furnishings and pale wooden surfaces. Three artworks, a Buddha sculpture and a grandfather clock are the only decorative elements in the space.
      Find out more about the Barbican apartment ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring granite kitchens, terrazzo eateries and atriums that brighten up residential spaces.

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      Ten homes that make decorative use of board-formed concrete

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      A board-formed concrete staircase that leads to a double-height library and a bathroom with irregular concrete walls are among ten home interiors with board-formed concrete showcased in this lookbook.

      Board-formed or board-marked concrete is a method of concrete construction that involves pouring concrete into temporary volumes or moulds, typically made from wooden boards.
      As a result of the mould’s wooden board-formed construction, once set the cast concrete is left with a board-marked surface that imprints the pattern of the material it was cast within, creating a decorative effect.
      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 cork-covered walls, residential corridors and homes with shutters.
      Photo is by Read McKendreeSag Habor 2, US, by KOS+A

      New York practice Kevin O’Sullivan + Associates built a waterfront timber-clad home in the Hamptons village of Sag Harbor that was designed specifically to overlook the sunset.
      The home’s living areas were organised around a board-formed concrete fireplace that conceals a staircase to the bedrooms and upper levels. The concrete fireplace becomes the focal feature of the living area and contrasts against the greenery seen through its windows.
      Find out more about Sag Habor 2 ›
      Photo is by Ivo TavaresCork Oak House, Portugal, by Hugo Pereira
      This home in Portugal was completed by architect Hugo Pereira. The structure was designed to respond to the topographic conditions of the hilltop site, while also immersing and surrounding its occupants in the undisturbed surroundings.
      Constructed using concrete, the home features decorative board-formed concrete walls that stretch from the exterior to the interiors to create a textural tonality throughout.
      Find out more about Cork Oak House ›
      Photo is by Edmund SumnerPedro Reyes House, Mexico, by Pedro Reyes and Carla Fernandez
      A board-formed concrete staircase zones a double-height library at the home and studio of Pedro Reyes and Carla Fernandez. The Mexico City home was constructed primarily from concrete and takes cues from the brutalist and modernist buildings in the city.
      The interior incorporates exposed concrete, which was stacked and placed together to create irregular shapes and forms, throughout.
      Find out more about Pedro Reyes House ›
      Photo is by Daniela Mac AddenCasa L4, Argentina, by Luciano Kruk and Ekaterina Künzel
      Architect Luciano Kruk and his partner Ekaterina Künzel designed a concrete holiday home for themselves that is located on the Argentinian coast and set between a collection of maritime pine trees.
      Board-formed concrete walls were used for the entire interior of the home, including in a bathroom. A skylight in the bathroom funnels light above a shower area and illuminates the irregular concrete walls.
      Find out more about Casa L4 ›
      Photo is by Taggart SorensenThe Sundial House, US, by Specht Architects
      This Santa Fe home by Specht Architect, titled The Sundial House, is located on a typical northern New Mexico terrain with undulating surroundings. Specht Architects built the home within a sunken plane in order to comply with the area’s height regulations.
      Inside, board-formed concrete walls support wooden beams above. Along one of the home’s corridors, a skylight stretches above the beams and creates sun-dial-like shadows across the interior.
      Find out more about The Sundial House ›
      Photo is by Manolo Langis and Paul VuGetty View Residence, US, by Abramson Architects
      Located in Los Angeles, Getty View Residence is an 8,000-square-foot (743-square-metre) house. The home is comprised of a collection of rectilinear volumes stacked three levels tall.
      The upper levels of the home were decorated with a bright white interior scheme, while its basement and lower levels have board-formed concrete walls.
      Find out more about Getty View Residence ›
      Photo is by Andre MortattiConcrete home, Brazil, by Luciano Basso
      Luciano Basso built this home in the forests of southern Brazil around a mature Paraná pine tree. The building has a concrete construction and incorporates full-height windows that overlook the forested surroundings.
      Board-formed concrete stretches across almost every surface in the home, including the ceilings in its bedrooms. Tones of grey also run through the home’s interior scheme, covering walls, floors and furnishings.
      Find out more about the concrete home ›

      Tea House, China, by Archi-Union
      At this home in China, Archi-Union created contorting board-formed walls that lead to a library and studio. The twisted walls provide the space with a cave-like look, which is further enhanced by a floor-to-ceiling window and a terrace area at the rear.
      A collection of books line the walls on angular shelving behind a trio of leather-upholstered lounge chairs and a sofa.
      Find out more about Tea House ›
      Photo is by Will PryceNorth London home, UK, by Paul Archer Design
      London-based studio Paul Archer Design added an extension to this north London home, incorporating coarse concrete walls that contrast against expanses of glazing.
      A concrete wall with a board-marked surface extends through the middle of the extension from the kitchen and out to the garden. Over the kitchen, the concrete wall reduces to structural beams that span across the dining and work areas.
      Find out more about the north London home ›
      Photo is by Daniela Mac AddenCasa H3, Argentina, by Luciano Kruk
      The walls of this summer home in Buenos Aires by Argentinian architect Luciano Kruk were cast using planks of pine, resulting in a textural wood grain across the home’s surfaces.
      Kruk chose to use a board-formed construction to tie the concrete home to its wooden surroundings. Large glass sliding doors open out to decking and provide Casa H3 with indoor-outdoor living.
      Find out more about Casa H3 ›
      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 multi-generational homes, cork-covered walls and homes with shutters.

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      Concrete dominates INC Architecture & Design's offices in NYC

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      The offices of INC Architecture & Design in New York City’s SoHo are filled with eclectic furniture and plants that contrast the primarily concrete interiors.

      INC, founded by architects Adam Rolston, Gabe Benroth and Drew Stuart, moved to a 1930s building on Varick Street after scaling up from its previous location on 19th Street.
      INC’s offices are located in a 1930s building on Varick StreetThe new space is dominated by concrete, which forms the walls, floors, ceilings, and nine mushroom columns that form square bays across the plan.
      “The space was peeled back to its essential architectural shell,” said the studio, which sandblasted the concrete to a raw finish.
      A grand marble-topped desk greets visitors upon arrivalMeanwhile, the flooring was polished to a soft sheen, to reflect the light pouring in from large windows along the west facade.

      Collaborative work areas are arranged along these windows. They range from a long communal table to informal lounges comprising an eclectic mix of vintage furniture.
      The studio stripped back the space to its concrete bones”The furnishings are decidedly residential in character and include antiques, custom upholstery, custom casegoods, custom raw silk rugs, polychrome raw leather, polished stainless steel, solid ash and polychrome marbles,” the team said.
      Upon entering the offices, a grand marble-topped desk supported on two polished-chrome cylinders is positioned in front of a dark green wall.
      Desks are lined up through the centre of the officeTo the right are conference rooms, divided by partition walls painted pale pink and lined with acoustic panels.
      A circular aperture provides a view from one meeting to a communal lounge on the other side.

      BIG moves New York office to bright space in Dumbo

      “Simple secondary architectural elements were developed to provide for the more private functional requirements of the studio, and to define spatial subdivisions which break down the space but that maintain the open studio format so critical to our way of working together,” INC said.
      Wooden desks are lined up in rows through the centre of the office, running from the collaborative areas to an expansive material bank on the opposite side.
      An expansive material bank is displayed towards the back of the spacePlants are used abundantly throughout the space, adding life and offering a contrast to the grey and brown tones.
      “Our space is filled with greenery, collected materials, prototypes, objects and details drawn from our projects, our wanderings and our passions,” said the INC team.
      Polished concrete floors reflect the light entering from large windowsOther offices of architecture firms in NYC include BIG’s bright space in Dumbo, while we rounded up 10 self-designed studios by architects and designers in a recent lookbook.
      The photography is by Eric Laignel.

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      Norm Architects designs spa-like dental clinic modelled on art galleries

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      Warm oak and smooth concrete are among the materials that Danish studio Norm Architects used to create the interiors for this Antwerp dental surgery, which aims to defy traditional, more clinical designs.

      The clinic, called Dentology+, is spread over a cavernous basement area and a ground-floor level. Both have been clad in a neutral material palette that was designed to evoke a sense of calm.
      The dental clinic was designed to defy traditional medical interiorsThe private dental clinic’s basement is made up of a set of dusty grey corridors, which Copenhagen-based Norm Architects designed to make it look as if the rooms were carved from a block of concrete.
      These concrete volumes are interrupted only by carefully selected minimal design elements such as geometric alcoves, pared-back black pendant lights and an earthy-hued circular artwork by Sara Martinsen.
      A cavernous basement area defines half the surgeryA low-slung sofa finished in a light-coloured textile also features in the basement, which was designed by Norm Architects’ longtime collaborator Keiji Ashizawa for Japanese brand Ariake.

      “The need to dwell and retreat to intimate nooks is a basic human requirement that we cannot dismiss when shaping living spaces,” Norm Architects co-founder Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen told Dezeen.
      Circular artwork by Sara Martinsen hangs above a low-slung sofaDentology+’s upper level was designed to be brighter and airier than its basement, while maintaining the clinic’s overall neutral theme.
      Cubes of light oak create walls and doors that are interspersed with objects including a pebble-like vase on a plinth, in a design that takes cues from the interiors of an art gallery.
      Translucent curtains line the windows of the operating rooms.

      i29 creates colour-block interiors for Amsterdam dental clinic

      The choice to design Dentology+’s interior using materials that might be considered unusual for medical spaces was made in an attempt to enhance patients’ wellbeing, according to architect Sofie Thorning.
      “In many ways, we looked more to beautiful spa resorts than classic white dental clinics for inspiration,” she told Dezeen.
      Operating rooms exist within light oak walls”Material translucency and soft, warm light paired with carefully considered, crafted materials work to reshape the patient experience and perception,” she added. “The space is nothing like an ordinary dental clinic.”
      “What we surround ourselves with simply has a great impact on our mood and behaviour, which is why working with natural materials in architecture and design is a simple way to enrich our surroundings and enhance our quality of life,” added Bjerre-Poulsen.
      Afteroom chairs by Menuspace feature on the upper levelFounded in 2008, Norm Architects is a multidisciplinary design studio based in Copenhagen. Other projects by the practice that celebrate neutral and calming interiors include a minimal Chinese tea parlour and a jewellery store in Copenhagen informed by modernist artists’ studios.
      The photography is by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen.
      Project credits:
      Architect & Partner: Sofie ThorningArchitect: Qing YeClient: Dentology+

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      Studio Okami Architecten exposes brutalist skeleton of Antwerp apartment

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      Belgian studio Studio Okami Architecten has renovated a duplex apartment in the brutalist Riverside Tower in Antwerp, allowing its original concrete structure to take centre stage.

      The project was led by and designed for Bram Van Cauter, founding partner of Studio Okami Architecten, who lives there with his partner, art collector Doris Vanistendael.
      Studio Okami Architecten has renovated a duplex apartment in AntwerpRiverside Tower is a 20-storey apartment building positioned in the bend of the river Scheldt, completed by architects Leon Stynen & Paul De Meyer in the 1970s.
      The 230-square-metre apartment is on the thirteenth and fourteenth floors of the building, three storeys above the Studio Okami Architecten office. The couple also owns a duplex in the same building, which contains a guest suite and Vanistendael’s art gallery named Soon.
      The apartment is located in the brutalist Riverside TowerStudio Okami Architecten’s first step of the renovation was to tear down the walls of the apartment and strip away all the surface coverings.

      While revealing the concrete structure of the apartment, this transformed its layout from a five-bedroom dwelling to a lofty open-plan space with a single bedroom.
      All of its concrete surfaces were exposed”With the Riverside Tower being a brutalist building, it seemed logical to strip the apartment to the bare concrete, showing the space in its most honest and raw form,” Van Cauter told Dezeen.
      “Removing the walls allows for unobstructed views over the city,” the architect added. “Being childfree, an open-plan space was a logical choice.”
      A sculptural kitchen island was added. Photo is by Matthijs van der BurgtA few brick walls in the dwelling were retained but covered with cement mixed with small stones, creating a finish that matches the original concrete structure.
      To counterbalance the rough concrete surfaces, a peach-hued resin floor has been added alongside plants and artworks hung from existing holes in the concrete.
      A pastel blue staircase links the two floors of the duplex”The aim was to balance out the rough concrete by adding colourful elements to the space,” Van Cauter explained. “The artworks, furniture and plants all combine to create a homey atmosphere.”
      Double-height pivoting windows also brighten the space by providing natural light and views out over the river and a neighbouring forest.
      Pops of colour contrast with the concreteOn the lower floor of the apartment is an open-plan kitchen and dining area. Above it is the living room, bedroom and home office.
      The apartment’s upper level, which is intended to feel more secluded than the floor below, is arranged around a technical block containing the bathroom, storage and utility facilities.
      The upper level contains more private spaces”The duplex setup creates a special division between the downstairs entertainment area and the more private upstairs functions like a home office, living and bedroom,” Van Cauter explained.
      Linking the two levels is a pastel blue spiral staircase, chosen to stand out against the concrete. It was welded and painted in place due to the limited size of the tower’s circulation areas.

      Studio Goss exposes concrete shell of converted Melbourne apartment

      The pastel colour palette continues in the bathroom, which is lined with smooth peach pink surfaces.
      These surfaces ensure the bathroom is watertight, but they also create a sharp contrast with the rough concrete beams overhead.
      Rietveld Crate Chairs are among the furnishingsStudio Okami Architecten chose a mixture of contemporary vintage furnishings to complete the apartment. Among the classic furniture are the patchwork De Sede DS88 sofa and Rietveld Crate Chairs, while contemporary pieces include a Long Table by Muller Van Severen and a red Bold chair by Big-Game.
      There are also a series of bespoke elements, including the kitchen island, designed by Studio Okami Architecten to resemble “a sculpture in the room when out of use”. This is teamed with cabinetry that references the work of American artist Donald Judd.
      A pastel pink bathroom features upstairsOther apartment renovations featured on Dezeen that are located in brutalist buildings include a New York residence by General Assembly in a 1970s tower block and a flat at the Barbican estate in London that Takero Shimazaki Architects infused with Japanese details.
      Alongside the Riverside Tower apartment renovation, Studio Okami Architecten also recently completed a brick and concrete home that is embedded into a sloping hillside in Belgium.
      The photography is by Olmo Peeters unless stated.

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