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    Fettle designs apartment block The Gessner to resemble a private members' club

    Interiors studio Fettle took cues from hospitality spaces when fitting out this contemporary residential block in London, which houses 164 apartments alongside a co-working area and an in-house cafe.

    Managed by property developer Way of Life, The Gessner is set in a former pencil factory in the rapidly regenerating industrial area of Tottenham Hale.
    The Gessner’s lounge doubles up as a workspace for residentsFettle created refined and cohesive interiors for the development, informed by its experience in designing hotels such as The Hoxton in Boston and Schwan Locke in Munich
    “Most of our work as a company currently is hotel-based, so we have a strong understanding of what makes these kinds of spaces special,” co-founder Andy Goodwin told Dezeen.
    There’s also a cafe inside the apartment block”A lot of the other commercial clients we work with are aiming to achieve a very layered, somewhat residential feel to their spaces so there is a lot of overlap,” he continued.

    “We utilised many of the same suppliers we use within members clubs, hotels and restaurant projects.”
    As well as apartments, The Gessner includes guest suites for temporary visitorsAfter coming through the ground floor entrance of The Gessner, residents arrive at a lobby that’s richly furnished with sofas, patterned armchairs and a mix of vivid artworks curated by art consultant Kate Anniss.
    During the day this area serves as a communal workspace, while in the evenings it can be used as an oversized living room where residents can convene and chat.
    Nearby, there’s a cafe with wood-lined walls, tan leather seating and a terrazzo service counter inlaid with orange aggregate.

    Fettle designs Schwan Locke Hotel in homage to early German modernism

    Furnishings and fabrics found on The Gessner’s ground floor are also incorporated throughout the apartments, which are available furnished or unfurnished, as well as in a pair of guest suites located on the building’s 13th floor.
    These can be reserved by residents who have friends and family coming to visit, or by other travellers hoping to stay in the area.
    Residents can make meals in the building’s communal kitchenThe 13th floor plays host to a number of other communal facilities, which were designed to encourage socialising among residents.
    This includes a large dining room and kitchen with wooden cabinetry and a greenery-filled gantry that stores pots and pans.
    The kitchen adjoins a private dining roomThere’s also a lounge and a spacious outdoor terrace complete with sun loungers, beach-style umbrellas and a BBQ station set beneath a shady pergola, where residents can while away the warmer summer months.
    “One of the key things with both hotels and apartment buildings is having some synergy between the public and private spaces, which was successful at The Gessner as they feel like a continuation of each other,” Goodwin said.
    Residents can also make use of The Gessner’s roof terraceFettle was established in 2013 by Andy Goodwin and Tom Parker.
    The Gessner isn’t the only project to come from the studio this year. Last month, the duo finished work on The Malin, a homely co-working space in New York with loft-style interiors.
    The images are courtesy of Way of Life. 

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    Archmongers uses eco-friendly materials in colourful Bakken & Bæck office

    Materials like cardboard and recycled rubber are paired with softly contrasting colours in the London office of Bakken & Bæck, designed by local architects Archmongers.

    The ambition was to create a distinct identity for the Norwegian tech design agency’s London team, but to achieve this in the most eco-friendly way possible.
    A red conference table contrasts with mint-green wallsArchmongers founders Margaret Bursa and Johan Hybschmann felt the best way to make a bold statement was to develop a playful palette of colours, similar to Bakken & Bæck’s offices in Oslo, Amsterdam and Bonn.
    They selected muted shades of red, yellow and green, creating subtle but memorable colour contrasts.
    Cardboard tubes create a scallop wallpaper effect”The space is flooded with daylight, which helped us choose strong colours to work against the neutral background,” Bursa told Dezeen. “We worked with various combinations until we arrived at the right one.”

    To minimise the carbon footprint of the design, the architects chose some natural and recycled materials.
    Fast-growing Douglas fir provides the frames of glazed partition walls, while recycled rubber was chosen for the flooring. Cardboard tubes were also used, to create an unusual scalloped wallpaper effect.
    Recycled rubber provides an acoustic flooring”We found some cardboard tubes that are used for concrete formwork, but we used them to give parts of the space definition and warmth,” said Bursa.
    The studio occupies two floors of De Beauvoir Block, a workspace community in east London.
    The lower level offers conference and lounge spaces, while the upper level contains an office and three smaller meeting rooms.
    Ceiling beams and surfaces are painted the same colour as the wallsCurtains and colour-blocking help to create definitions between different zones.
    On the lower level, the red conference table stands out against the mint-green walls, while the two lounge spaces are characterised by deep purple tones.

    Kvistad creates tonal workspaces inside Oslo office

    Upstairs, the same shade of red draws attention to the meeting rooms. The effect was achieved using natural wood stains.
    In the office, ceiling beams and surfaces are all painted the same shade as the walls, while a small kitchen features dark fronts and a monochrome terrazzo surface.
    Glazed screen made from red-painted Douglas fir define meeting rooms”We focused our efforts sourcing a materials palette that is sustainable and hardwearing, but also enduringly beautiful,” said Hybschmann.
    The Archmongers duo often use colour to add an extra layer of interest to their projects, with examples including a renovation in the modernist Golden Lane Estate and a tile-clad house extension.
    Here, acoustics were also an important consideration. The rubber floor and textile wall panels help to dampen sound.
    Textile panels improve acoustics in meeting roomsOther details include angled ceiling mirrors, which provide visual connections between spaces, and furniture by designers including Alvar Aalto, Verner Panton, Barber Osgerby, and the Bouroullec brothers.
    “Our design evokes a homely environment rather than a conventional workspace,” added Hybschmann.
    “We were mindful of the need to coax people back from their home offices, through providing attractive, comfortable spaces that encourage collaboration.”
    The office houses the London studio of tech design agency Bakken & BæckBakken & Bæck describes the space as “our shared home-away-from-home”.
    “It plays a huge role in how we socialise,” said the team. “We gather daily for lunch around the bespoke table on the ground floor, use the snug as a place to connect with other BB offices over a game of Mario Kart, and on the first floor we are lucky to have a plant-filled space with a lot of natural light where we get the work done.”
    Photography is by French + Tye.

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    Caro Lundin launches understated co-working space ARC Club in south-east London

    Architect Caro Lundin has opened the second branch of her affordable co-working chain ARC Club in London, which features a pared-back interior accented by colourful fixtures and furnishings.

    Set in the southeastern neighbourhood of Camberwell, the shared workspace was put together in just seven weeks and takes over a 223-square-metre commercial unit that previously sat empty for three years.
    The reception of ARC Club Camberwell doubles as a cafeThe latest ARC Club outpost follows in the footsteps of the company’s first location in Homerton, which opened a few months after the start of the pandemic.
    Much like its forebearer, it aims to provide a low-cost co-working space for hybrid workers, who don’t want to return to the office full-time but struggle to do their jobs effectively while working from home.
    Both spaces feature similarly simple interiors that prioritise functionality over frivolous decor.

    The collaborative work area features large group tablesLundin says this understated approach is key in a time when co-working is “a necessity and not a lifestyle accessory”.
    “Being Swedish, I’m very much in favour of the saying that good design and art should be available to everyone,” she explained. “Just because ARC Club is an affordable alternative doesn’t mean members should have to compromise on quality or design.”
    Furniture and artworks provide bursts of colourThe Camberwell co-working space is loosely divided into three different zones. Near the entrance, there’s a small cafe where members can drop in throughout the day to grab food and drinks.
    To the left is an area for collaborative work, complete with group desks and high counters that can accommodate two to three people and their laptops.
    The right side of the room is designated for more quiet, focused work. It features a plum-red seating banquette and a series of smaller tables for solo workers.

    ARC Club is a London co-working space for people wanting to escape working from home

    The different areas are separated by two boxy birch plywood volumes arranged into a rough T shape, with one containing meeting rooms and storage cupboards while the other houses six private booths where members can make video calls.
    The volume that sits towards the front of the plan delineates the cafe from the rest of the interior and is slightly shorter than the other in order to allow natural light to seep into the work areas at the rear.
    Otherwise, fixed partition walls and doors were omitted so that when office hours are over, ARC Club Camberwell is flexible enough to be used for other events.
    This area is dedicated to quiet workMost surfaces in the shared office are left raw or freshened up with a coat of white paint. But pops of colour are provided by the baby-pink booth doors and the orange-framed armchairs that are positioned around some of the tables.
    Vivid contemporary artworks loaned by local gallery Bosse & Baum help to liven up the walls.
    Baby-pink doors front the private phone boothsSeveral co-working spaces have opened in London in recent months to cater to locals who are opting to carry out their jobs remotely.
    Other examples include Paddington Works with its wellness-focused interiors and Bureau in Greenwich, which is designed to act as a “home for creatives”.
    The photography is by Andrew Meredith.
    Project credits:
    Architect: Caro Lundin of Studio Caro LundinContractor: Berry Interiors

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    Roz Barr designs co-working club Bureau in Greenwich Design District

    Roz Barr Architects has designed a co-working members’ club for London’s new design district, featuring a bright red salon, stairs you can sit on, and a workspace that doubles as a dinner table.

    Bureau offers a range of co-working and social spaces designed specifically for those working in the creative industries.
    It occupies two buildings in the recently opened Greenwich Design District: the concrete-framed D1 designed by Architecture 00 and the ripple-facaded C3 designed by HNNA.
    The ground-floor restaurant functions as a meeting space. Photo is by Ruth WardArchitect Roz Barr and her London-based team designed a series of playful interiors for Bureau, hoping to create a distinct identity that extends across both buildings.
    The buildings’ raw structures are left exposed but contrasted by bold flashes of colour, so that spaces feel characterful but open to adaptation. Bureau describes them as “elegantly utilitarian”.

    “The brief we developed was about offering a home for creatives, which allowed them to bring their own identity to how they occupied the spaces,” said Barr.
    “A language of elements and materials form a rhythm between both buildings,” she told Dezeen.
    Members have access to shared facilities including meeting rooms and phone booths. Photo is by Ruth WardThe C3 spaces were the first to open, as part of the Greenwich Design District’s official launch in September.
    Occupying four floors, the offer here includes private studios, a mix of fixed and hot-desk workspaces, plus a range of shared facilities that include a restaurant, a lounge, meeting rooms and phone booths.
    The salon is a red-toned lounge that doubles as an events space. Photo is by Joe HowardThe recent addition of D1 broadens the variety of space available. Its five floors include both indoor and outdoor workspaces, plus flexible spaces that can be used for a variety of events and group activities.
    In both buildings, the ground floor is designed to offer spaces where members can come together and share ideas.
    C3’s all-red salon can host talks and film screenings, while the restaurant functions as a gathering space.
    A long table offers opportunities for group collaboration or dining events. Photo is by Alex UptonMeanwhile, D1’s ground floor contains a 14-metre-long table that can be used for group collaboration or dining events.
    D1 also includes a space known as the forum, a lounge that can also be used for presentations. A staircase-like furniture element made from recycled plastic creates casual tiered seating.

    London’s Design District officially opens to the public

    “We understood we were creating a place for the creative industries to work, meet and relax,” said Barr.
    “Bureau is the centre of design district, so it was seen as a place where members of the community would join and form a sort of collective.”
    Felt screens help to improve the acoustics. Photo is by Alex UptonMaterial finishes throughout the interiors would be more typically be found in industrial workshops than offices, emphasising the creative nature of Bureau’s members.
    Floors are either bare concrete or covered in colourful marmoleum, while wall finishes include cement boards and corrugated metal, and perforated metal screens function as space dividers.
    Perforated metal screens allow light to filter through. Photo is by Ruth WardThese details are softened by textiles and lighting. Recurring elements includes globe lighting pendants, floor-to-ceiling curtains and digitally printed carpets and rugs.
    “We used a palette of materials that worked across both buildings, using metal stud walls that were clad in perforated metal sheets, acoustic felt, and doors and tables clad in furniture linoleum,” said Barr.
    “This language offers a soft backdrop for users to personalise however they want.”
    The terraces of D1 allow for outdoor working. Photo is by Alex UptonBarr chose contemporary furniture designs to accompany the custom elements, with designs from the likes of Richard Lampert and Philippe Malouin.
    With so many external terraces in D1, Hay’s Palissade outdoor furniture, designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, features both inside and out.
    “As ever, flexibility is key,” added Barr. “For larger events, rugs can be rolled up and furniture moved out onto the terraces.”
    Bureau occupies two buildings in the Greenwich Design District. Photo is by Taran WilkhuGreenwich Design District is London’s first dedicated design district.
    It includes 16 new buildings, including a transparent bubble-shaped canteen designed by Selgacano and an entrance building by David Kohn Architects with the words “design district” spelled out on the roof.
    Created by developer Knight Dragon, the district offers workspace for up to 1,800 people and a range of specialist facilities.
    Bureau members have access to other facilities in the design district, including photography studios, post-production suites, a sound studio and a pottery workshop.
    Photography is by Alex Upton, Joe Howard, Ruth Ward and Taran Wilkhu.

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    Rise Design Studio opts to “reuse and recycle” for Carousel restaurant interior

    London restaurant Carousel has moved to a new venue but taken many of its old fixtures and fittings with it, thanks to an environmentally conscious approach from Rise Design Studio.

    Founded seven years ago by brothers Ollie and Ed Templeton, the restaurant has moved into three converted Georgian townhouses in Fitzrovia, with dining rooms on two floors.
    Rise Design Studio designed the original Carousel restaurant in Marylebone, so the architects decided to be as resourceful as possible when repeating the formula in a new location.
    Carousel occupies three converted Georgian townhouses in FitzroviaSeveral design elements from the original restaurant have been repurposed in the new location.
    These include the tall metal-clad entrance door, which can now be found at the entrance to one of the dining rooms, and a copper light window that is now installed internally rather than externally. A set of Spanish wall tiles were also carefully removed and now serve as floor tiles.

    These are combined with new colours and textures, from materials such as painted brickwork and terrazzo-style tiles.
    A guest kitchen and dining room is lit from above by a large skylight”Carousel 2.0 was an opportunity to create new spaces which didn’t exist in the original Carousel,” said Rise Design Studio director Imran Jahn. “But we also did not want to lose the feel of the original.”
    “We wanted to re-use and recycle,” he told Dezeen. “We wanted previous customers and returning guest chefs to be reminded of Carousel 1.0, so we proposed to retain finishes, fixtures and fittings and use them again here.”
    Wall tiles from the previous Carousel venue have been reused here as floor tilesThe new property gives the restaurant enough space for several dining rooms and kitchens plus, for the first time, a wine bar.
    On the ground floor, the bar sits in between an all-day dining room and a space for Carousel’s ever-changing roster of guest chefs. The former faces the street, while the latter is lit from above through a lightwell.
    The all-day dining room features painted brickwork and terrazzo-style tilesThere’s also a separate diner-style restaurant space intended for new dining concept launches, which is currently occupied by Goila Butter Chicken.
    Upstairs, a subdividing lounge/events space leads through to a private dining room.
    A wine and cocktail bar is sandwiched between the two ground-floor spaces”Ed and Ollie had scoped out a draft layout of the various zones they wanted to create before we were introduced to the project,” said Jahn. “They needed our design expertise in interiors to help bring it all together.”
    A consistent element throughout the interior is the use of industrial-style Crittall screens and doors, which are infilled with fluted glass.
    Concrete counters feature slatted wooden frontsSeveral rooms feature walls finished with a type of Nordic plaster that comes in different colours and creates a smooth, durable and multi-tonal surface. The guest kitchen is a mid-grey shade, while the private dining room is soft green.
    Other details include concrete counters with wooden slatted fronts, exposed steel structural beams and formica tables.
    An events space leads through to a private dining room”The overall tone of the proposals brings together the distinct spaces but allows them to sit happily in their individuality,” said Jahn.
    “The use of Crittall screens throughout and reeded glazing provides for continuity but also an air of mystery for the viewer wanting to find out more about the partially hidden spaces within.”
    A special type of plaster gives a multi-tonal quality to the wallsThe new Carousel location welcomed its first diners in November 2021. The all-day menu, prepared by Ollie, includes a range of small plates including beef tartare toast, confit pumpkin with burrata and sage, and grilled mackerel flatbread.
    “We’ve been dreaming about this move for a long time,” said Ed. “We loved being a part of the Marylebone community, but we genuinely couldn’t have imagined a more exciting neighbourhood, or a more fitting home, to be moving into.”
    Carousel offers an all-day menu and also hosts a roster of guest chefs”You’ll find all the best bits of the old Carousel in the new space, with some fun additions like the neighbourhood wine bar, where you’ll finally be able to experience the kind of food that Ollie likes to cook, in an easygoing all-day setting,” he added.
    Other recent restaurant openings in London include Kol, a Marylebone eatery with a Mexican menu, and Maido, a sushi restaurant in St John’s Wood.
    Photography is by Joe Okpako. Video is by Henry Woide.

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    Neil Dusheiko transforms London fashion showroom into light-filled home

    Architect Neil Dusheiko has converted a showroom in west London into a bright, contemporary residence designed to meet the changing needs of its elderly owners.

    Nicknamed Danish Mews House for its minimalist Scandinavian furnishings, the home is tucked away in a quiet mews lane in the Lancaster Gate area.
    The mews house was once a showroom for the owner’s fashion companyAlthough in recent years the current owners repurposed the building as a showroom and warehouse for their clothing company, it was originally built as a Georgian coach house for storing horse-drawn carriages.
    Dusheiko’s primary concerns when converting the property into a home were bringing in more light, as well as making sure that the interior could support its inhabitants as they grow older.
    The main kitchen and sitting room are on the first floorFor this purpose, the house was fitted with a guest bedroom, kitchenette and toilet on the ground floor, which could ultimately be used by the inhabitants themselves in case their mobility becomes restricted.

    A lift was installed to provide easy access to the upper floors of the house, which can also be reached via a central staircase.
    Glazing in the stairwell brings light into the living spacesIn the stairwell, a newly installed skylight and a wall of gridded glazing on the first-floor landing allow sunlight to seep into the interior.
    Behind the glass partition lies a sitting room and a kitchen with oatmeal-coloured cabinetry as well as a small dining area.
    Light leaks in from a skylight at the top of the stairwell. Photo by Rachael SmithBoth here and throughout the rest of the home, several of the furnishings were sourced from well-known Danish design brands including Carl Hansen, Louis Poulsen and Montana.
    The second floor is illuminated by six new dormer windows and accommodates another two bedrooms plus their respective en-suite bathrooms.

    Neil Dusheiko creates home for his father-in-law featuring a wall of ceramics and glassware

    The principal bedroom is largely clad in wood, save for a section on the rear wall that is finished in chintzy floral wallpaper.
    Glazed doors with black metal frames run along one side of the room and can be slid open to access a sun terrace lined in Douglas fir battens.
    Floral wallpaper features in the principal bedroom. Photo by Rachael SmithThe space is decorated with a couple of folding director’s chairs and a built-in white-brick planter.
    Danish Mews House is one of several residential projects that Neil Dusheiko has completed in London.
    The room also has its own sun terrace. Photo by Rachael SmithPreviously, the architect created a home for his father-in-law in Stoke Newington, in which a striking wall of shelving is used to display ceramics and glassware.
    Dusheiko also overhauled a home in Hammersmith, introducing a curved brick extension and a cinema room.
    The photography is by Ståle Eriksen unless stated otherwise.
    Project credits:
    Architect: Neil Dusheiko ArchitectsStructural engineer: Price and MyersContractor: ABC LimitedQuantity surveyor: White and Lloyd

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    Alex Meitlis uses plaster and terrazzo to create pink tones in Ottolenghi Chelsea

    London deli chain Ottolenghi has taken a new approach with its latest venue, styled by interior designer Alex Meitlis with a palette of warm pink and red hues.

    Ottolenghi Chelsea features bare plaster walls, pink terrazzo tiles, red upholstered seating and rattan seats.
    The look is a departure from the other Ottolenghi delis, where the design is typically more bright and minimal.
    Pink and red tones feature throughout Ottolenghi ChelseaMeitlis has been behind the design of all the other delis, as well as sister restaurants Nopi and Rovi, which all feature the food of Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi and business partners Noam Bar and Sami Tamimi.
    Here the idea was to make more of a statement, using colours that match the Ottolenghi tableware collection recently launched by Serax.

    In the same spirit, the shopfront and exterior signage bring in vibrant shades of yellow, blue and turquoise.
    Clay plaster walls are left exposed”I take my approach from looking very closely at Yotam’s approach to his food,” said Meitlis, who has studios both in London and Tel Aviv.
    “It’s about taking very basic ingredients but using them in a slightly different way.”
    Pink terrazzo features on the walls and floorsThe clay plaster on the walls was made using recycled bricks, which provide the warm terracotta colour.
    The multi-tonal character of this material is emphasised by curving walls that offer a play of light and shadow.

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    Meitlis worked with artist Ivo Bisignano – who also designed the tableware collection – to create the restaurant’s distinctive floor, where pink terrazzo alternates with white tiles to create a striped effect.
    The same terrazzo also features on wall surfaces at the front of the space and behind the deli counter.
    Upholstered banquettes have a graphic feel, with cylindrical cushionsThe upholstered banquettes bring a geometric element to the design, combining blocky seats with cylindrical cushions. The choice of red fabric allows these to become the most eye-catching elements in the space.
    They are paired with white circular tables and Mies van der Rohe-designed MR Chairs, which introduce more curves.
    Curves are integrated in the wallsOther elements include the familiar deli counter, where the cakes, pastries and salads create an appetising display.
    “We usually start from scratch; almost all elements of the design are made specifically,” Meitlis told Dezeen. “The only items we bought were the iconic Mies chairs.”
    “Once again, it’s about mirroring the brand’s attitude; all the food is made in the kitchen, with few elements pre-prepared.”
    The facade features shades of yellow, blue and turquoiseOttolenghi Chelsea opened in January 2022 and is located on Pavilion Road, in a converted Victorian stable building that is now home to various independent retail brands.
    Dishes for Ottolenghi delis and restaurants are developed at the brand’s test kitchen in Holloway, which was recently overhauled by Studiomama with pops of saffron yellow and raspberry red.

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    McLaren Excell unveils minimalist London headquarters for Samsung Design Europe

    Only a handful of spruce partitions carve up the pared-back interior of this London office, which McLaren Excell has created for Samsung’s European design studio.

    Set inside a 21-storey tower known as the Can of Ham building, Samsung Design Europe is one of the tech company’s seven product design hubs across the globe, with other outposts located in the US, China, Brazil, India, Japan and South Korea.
    Local architecture studio McLaren Excell said it devised the minimalist interior for the London headquarters to “consign the formality of the workspace to the past”.
    Spruce wood partitions break up the Samsung Design Europe headquarters”[The office] instead embraces a more relaxed, informal and experiential place of work,” explained the firm’s co-founder Luke McLaren.
    “We want the Samsung office to have all the qualities that are enjoyable about your home – a softness, a sense of calm, a high degree of tactility, spaces to congregate, spaces to which one can withdraw – but all the while nurturing that sense of welcome, of belonging, of enjoyment.”

    As a result, the office features just a handful of glue-laminated spruce partitions that loosely split the floor plan into private meeting rooms and communal zones where staff members can engage in more collaborative work.
    Spruce fins also run along the office’s windowsSpruce glulam also forms a series of vertical fins, which appear at intervals along the office’s windows.
    In the breakout area, the same pale-toned timber was used to craft the dining table, counter and benches.
    Furnishings in the breakout area are made from spruceGrey linen curtains that hang from tracks on the ceiling can be used to further divide up the open-plan office while bringing a sense of tactility to the interior.
    In an effort to make the HQ seem more relaxed and inviting, planters overspilling with foliage were embedded into the top of the desk banks.

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    McLaren Excell also abandoned a traditional lighting grid in favour of fitted lamps, which illuminate pockets of the office in more targeted and intimate ways.
    The architecture studio was founded by Luke McLaren and Robert Excell in 2010 and is based in London’s Chelsea neighbourhood.
    Planters are embedded into the office’s desk banksRecent projects by McLaren Excell include a bathroom showroom in Los Angeles with arched doorways and altar-like tables reminiscent of a church.
    The photography is by Lorenzo Zandri.

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