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      Tile-clad Tokyo toilets are drenched in bright green and yellow light

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      Local studio I IN has renovated two toilets in a Tokyo shopping centre, using lights that “propose new colours for genders” to create vivid interiors.

      The interior design studio completely renovated the two toilets, which are located on the restaurant floor of the shopping centre Shin-Marunouchi in Chiyoda City, Tokyo.
      It began by wrapping both restrooms in white tiles to give them a clean feel that would also function as an unobtrusive background for the coloured lights.
      The bathrooms are marked by bright green and yellow light”We used a mosaic tile by Dinaone that is made in the Tajimi area, which is famous for tile-making in Japan, and it has a special non-slip treatment on its surface,” I IN told Dezeen.
      “We wrapped the space in tiles to express the feeling of cleanliness; we think public restrooms need to offer a sense of purity so that this whole space can be cleaned easily,” the studio continued.

      “Our aim was also to create a continuous floor, wall and ceiling using one material so that people can experience entering an unrealistic space.”
      Stainless-steel sinks contrast white tiles insideThe all-white interior was then enhanced by hidden light fixtures that colour the female bathroom entirely yellow, while the male bathroom is all green.
      “The main aim was to propose new colours for genders,” the studio said.
      “The universal toilet signage is usually red and blue – we wanted to bring them closer together. In rainbow colours, which define diversity, yellow and green are next to each other.”
      The bathrooms are located in the Shin-Marunouchi buildingThe colours of the toilets can be changed for seasonal events, but will otherwise remain yellow and green.
      The studio also designed sinks especially for the toilets, in which almost all the functions are hidden away to help create tidy spaces with a futuristic feel.

      I IN overhauls 80s Tokyo apartment to change perception of renovations in Japan

      “We used silver metal – stainless steel – to create original sink designs for both the women’s and the men’s room,” I IN said.
      “Here, you do not see typical equipment such as faucets, soap dispensers and hand dryers; these are designed inside the counters but you can easily find and use them,” it added.
      “As the space is all about new restroom experiences, we designed a new experience for washing hands as well.”
      The spaces were designed to be “extraordinary”I IN collaborated with architecture and engineering studio Mitsubishi Jisho Design on the design.
      The studio hopes that the washrooms will create a memorable experience for visitors.
      “The sensation of being saturated by the color of light transforms all elements of the restroom experience into something extraordinary, leaving a powerful lasting impression on the visitor,” the studio concluded.
      I IN was longlisted for emerging interior design studio of the year at Dezeen Awards 2022 and has previously overhauled a 1980s apartment in Tokyo to give it an understated luxury feel.
      The photography is by Tomooki Kengaku.

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      AI-generated engravings feature in Dragon Flat by Tsuruta Architects

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      UK-studio Tsuruta Architects has combined artificial intelligence with CNC cutting in a revamp of a home in London’s Notting Hill.

      Dragon Flat features engraved wall panels and joinery incorporating AI-generated images, including a map of the River Thames and a graphic floral motif.
      AI-generated engravings feature on both floors of the homeA CNC router – a computer-controlled cutting machine – allowed these designs to be directly transferred onto wooden boards, which have been used for surfaces within the interior.
      Taro Tsuruta, founder of Tsuruta Architects, said that he decided to experiment with AI because there wasn’t room in the budget to collaborate with a graphic designer.
      A map of the River Thames features in the living spaceUsing DALL-E 2, an AI program that transforms text instructions into high-quality images, he was able to create bespoke designs for the kitchen and bedroom space.

      “I typed a series of prompts and ran a series of variations, then came up with an unexpected yet expected result,” he told Dezeen. “It was like sculpting a form with a keyboard.”
      Upstairs, a tatami room features a row of engraved peoniesTsuruta’s clients for Dragon Flat were a young Asian couple who moved to London five years ago. The property they bought was a two-level maisonette in a 1950s council block.
      The renovation sees the home subtly reconfigured.

      Tsuruta Architects incorporates 27,000 cat faces into five homes in Catford

      The lower level is opened up, allowing the kitchen to become part of the living space, while the upper level has been adapted to create more storage.
      This revamped upper level includes a walk-in wardrobe and a tatami room – a typical space in traditional Japanese homes – as well as a main bedroom.
      The designs are etched into OSB wall panelsThe River Thames image features in the new living and dining room. Engraved plywood panels front a grid of cupboards, creating an entire wall of storage.
      The floral pattern, designed to resemble “an army of peonies”, can be found in the tatami room.
      Images of these flowers are etched into white-washed oriented strand board (OSB), which forms wall panels. This creates a colour contrast that allows the design to stand out.
      Whitewashed surfaces allow the floral design to stand out”We did quite a few sample tests, changing the needle size of the CNC router to get it right,” said Tsuruta.
      The aim here, he explained, was to create a design that playfully references Arts and Crafts, a movement that embraced floral imagery but rejected the technological advances of its time.
      “Arts and Craft was very labour-intensive,” said the architect. “Our process is the opposite, but we share a common goal of enriching the lives of occupants.”
      The addition of a walk-in wardrobe frees up space in the bedroomCNC cutting has played a pivotal role in many of Tsuruta’s projects. Examples include The Queen of Catford, a group of five flats filled with cat faces, and Marie’s Wardrobe, a home with a highly intricate custom staircase.
      Dragon Flat is his first completed project to incorporate AI, a process he said provides infinite options but requires human input in order to achieve a successful result.
      A floating timber staircase allows light to filter through”This process is pretty much the same as with any tool,” he said. “At the end of the day, we were the ones to select and move on to the next variation or stop there.”
      The interior also features other playful details, including a floating timber staircase. Built in the same position as the original stairwell, this perforated volume allows more light to filter between spaces.
      OSB and marble contrast in the bathroomThe bathroom combines marble with OSB, creating an intentional contrast between luxury and low-cost materials, and also includes some small motifs showing bats.
      “The symbolic meaning of peonies, dragons and bats, together with the Thames River, is ambiguous,” added Tsuruta.
      “We want people to keep thinking and talking about them, but overall they are believed to bring prosperity and a happy life.”
      The photography is by Tim Croker.

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      Get listed in Dezeen’s digital guide for London Design Festival 2023

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      If you are hosting an event during the 2023 edition of London Design Festival, you can be listed in Dezeen Events Guide’s digital guide to the festival.

      The guide covers the 21st annual design festival’s key events, including exhibitions, installations, open showrooms, tours, talks and workshops.
      London Design Festival 2023 takes place from 16 to 24 September 2023 at various locations across the city.
      One of the largest events taking place during the nine-day festival is the Design London trade show, which hosts an exhibition, talks and networking events.
      Last year, 12 districts across the London took place in the festival, which was attended by 600,000 visitors.

      Get listed in Dezeen’s digital guide to London Design Festival
      Get in touch with the Dezeen Events Guide team at [email protected] to book in your listing or to discuss a wider partnership with Dezeen. There are three types of listings:
      Standard listing: For only £100, we can include the event name, date and location details plus a website link. These listings will also feature up to 50 words of text about the event. Standard listings are included at the discretion of the Dezeen Events Guide team.
      Enhanced listing: For £150, you will receive all of the above plus an image at the top of the listing’s page and an image in the listing preview on the London Design Festival festival guide page. These listings will also feature up to 100 words of text about the event.
      Featured listing: For £300, your listing will feature everything as part of an enhanced listing plus inclusion in the featured events carousel and social media posts on our @dezeenguide channels. This includes one post per channel: Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and up to 150 words of text about the event. This text can include commercial information such as ticket prices and offers, and can feature additional links to website pages such as ticket sales, newsletter signups etc.
      The London Design Festival guide follows the success of our digital guide for Milan design week 2023, which received over 75,000 page views.
      About Dezeen Events Guide
      Dezeen Events Guide is our guide to the best architecture and design events taking place across the world each year.
      The guide is updated weekly and includes virtual events, conferences, trade fairs, major exhibitions and design weeks.
      For more details on inclusion in Dezeen Events Guide, including in our guide to London Design Festival, email [email protected].
      The illustration is by Justyna Green.

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      &Tradition designs entire apartment in takeover of Copenhagen townhouse

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      Danish furniture brand &Tradition has opened the doors to a four-storey showroom in Copenhagen, featuring a complete apartment and rooms designed by Jaime Hayon and Space Copenhagen.

      Unveiled during 3 Days of Design in an exhibition titled Under One Roof, &Tradition’s design team has transformed the interior of a century-old townhouse on the historic Kronprinsessegade.
      The Apartment takes over the top floor of the townhouseThe top floor has become The Apartment, an entire home interior that is described by Els Van Hoorebeeck, creative and brand director for &Tradition, as “the cherry on the cake”.
      Despite being completely kitted out in the brand’s products, it was designed to have the feel of a lived-in space rather than a showroom.
      Designed by &Tradition’s in-house team, the spaces combine classic and contemporary”When you enter, you feel this balance between colours and neutrals, between wood tones and glass or metal, and between classic and contemporary designs,” Van Hoorebeeck told Dezeen.

      “There’s a lot of product in there, but you don’t notice it,” she said.
      The bedroom showcases a quilted bedspread by Swedish-Danish duo All the Way to ParisSpanish designer Hayon has created two rooms on the first floor, which give an insight into the creative process behind products he has developed for &Tradition.
      The first, called Cabinet of Curiosities, features a glass display case filled with objects and drawings, revealing the forms and images that inspire Hayon’s designs.
      Jaime Hayon has created a room called Cabinet of CuriositiesThe second presents new works by Hayon – including the Momento vessels and a limited edition of his Formakami pendant lamp – in a scenography framed by large silhouette characters. This room is called Teatro Surreal.
      “We felt it was important to show the world that his products come out of,” said Van Hoorebeeck.
      Jaime Hayon’s Teatro Surreal creates a scenography for his new productsThe two rooms by Danish interiors studio Space Copenhagen can be found on the second floor.
      These spaces include a studio and, building on the studio’s experience in hotel and restaurant design, a dining room. Here, shades of green and brown combine with fresh herbs and plants to bring a sense of nature.

      Pine furniture and future-facing sofas among top trends from 3 Days of Design

      New products are peppered throughout these two rooms.
      They include the Trace storage cabinets, which are filled with kitchen utensils and tableware, and the Collect rugs.
      Space Copenhagen has created a dining room in shades of green and brownFounded in 2010 by Martin Kornbek Hansen, &Tradition combines contemporary and classic design in its collections.
      The brand has been based at 4 Kronprinsessegade since 2018, but the building primarily served as a headquarters, with offices located on the upper levels.
      Verner Panton’s Flowerpot lamps feature in several roomsThe company has now moved its offices to another nearby location, which made it possible to open the entire townhouse up to the public for the first time during 3 Days of Design.
      Other spaces revealed in Under One Roof include the Verner Panton Lounge, which is dedicated to mid-century pieces by the late Danish designer such as the 1968 Flowerpot lamps.
      An archive room is filled with original drawings and vintage samplesThere are also rooms designed to appeal to the senses. These include the Listening Lounge, a relaxed space filled with music, and Mnemonic, which centres around a range of scents.
      Other key spaces include a “workshop” showcasing the possibilities of the modular workspace furniture, an archive filled with original drawings and vintage samples, a cafe and a shop.
      A cafe and shop are located on the ground floorVan Hoorebeeck hopes the spaces will help tell the stories behind the products.
      “What we wanted to do here is to create a whole universe,” she said. “Every room is based on showing a different atmosphere between contemporary and classic designs.”
      “Now the layout of the house is set and every year we’ll just adapt it,” she added.
      The photography is courtesy of &Tradition.
      3 Days of Design took place in venues around Copenhagen from 7 to 9 June 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for information, plus a list of other architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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      Studio Wok designs Milan bakery Pan as contemporary take on Japanese culture

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      Architecture practice Studio Wok has created a matcha-green counter and Japanese-style fabric panels for bakery and wine bar Pan in Milan’s Acquabella district.

      The studio created the eatery, which is led by Japanese chefs Yoji Tokuyoshi and Alice Yamada, to have an interior that would represent a meeting between Japan and Milan.
      “There are references to Japanese culture, non-literal and far from stereotypes,” Studio Wok said. “The intention was for a deeper understanding, working on the concept of quality, both in materials and in details.”
      A fibreglass counter sits at the centre of the bakeryA central bread counter is the “protagonist piece” in Pan’s interior design.
      The counter was constructed from panels of fibreglass grid and its eye-catching colour was informed by the vivid green of matcha, an ingredient widely used in Pan’s food, the studio said.

      Fibreglass was also used to create an external bench, linking the bakery with the wider neighbourhood.
      Fibreglass was also used for an external bench”We did a lot of research looking for a ‘poor’ material that could be ennobled by being used in an innovative way,” Studio Wok told Dezeen.
      “Fiberglass grating is a material used in industry but little used in interiors and it seemed perfect to us.”
      Fabric hangs from the ceilingThe green of the fibreglass is echoed in vertical fins of hanging fabric that define the ceiling, creating a dialogue between hard and soft elements within the space.
      These suspended sheets of fabric are a contemporary update of the traditional Japanese design element of ‘noren’, meaning curtains or hanging divider panels.
      Wooden seats have views of the street”The ceiling sheets have the main function of creating a three-dimensional covering to make the environment more welcoming and also to work from an acoustic point of view,” the studio said.
      “They create a suspended three-dimensional world, both continuous and ephemeral. Furthermore, they dialogue with natural light during the day and with artificial light in the evening.”
      The bathroom has a decorative stone sinkIn the bathroom, the green theme continues with a wall and sliding door featuring translucent panels of pressed cellulose, which have been fixed onto a wooden grid frame.
      “We were looking for a translucent material to allow natural light to pass through the anteroom. It also reminded us of the rice paper walls, typical of Japan,” Studio Wok said.

      Studio Wok designs cavernous pizza restaurant to recall rocky coves of Sardinia

      The effect of these materials is to create “a green monochromatic box from which the monolithic element of the sink emerges,” Studio Wok said.
      The sink was made of a grey-tinted natural stone called Moltrasio.
      In the main space, light grey walls and floors in hand-trowelled cementitious resin amplify the sense of light, while chestnut was used in both its pale natural form and stained black across integrated and freestanding furniture.
      Black-stained chestnut was used for the bar areaThe bar area has a more serious, less playful atmosphere, informed by the black-stained chestnut wood of the counter and cabinetry.
      Here, a rough-hewn natural stone boulder serves as a water counter, introducing a freeform, sculptural element to the space.
      Studio Wok designed the bakery and wine bar with references to JapanTo anchor the space in the local neighbourhood, Studio Wok designed large windows with pale chestnut frames that open the bakery up towards the street.
      Seating in the window areas “project the interiors of the venue outwards, creating a hybrid threshold space between the domestic and the urban,” the studio said.
      “Our vision for the material palette at Pan was to seek a balance between elements with a contemporary and industrial flavour, with others that are more natural and timeless,” said Studio Wok.
      “It’s a celebration of Japan and its dualism between innovation and wabi-sabi spirit.”
      Studio Wok has previously designed a cavernous pizza restaurant and transformed a barn into a country home.
      The photography is by Simone Bossi.

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      Eight homes with pergolas where residents can make the most of summer

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      An oak pergola that protrudes from a glazed extension in a conservation area and a concrete pergola covered in shrubbery are included in our latest lookbook.

      A pergola is a structure that is attached to a home to protect and shelter it from the elements. Pergolas can provide shade to the interior or outdoor area they cover, as well as create some protection from rain.
      Outdoor spaces covered by pergolas are often used as dining or lounge spaces, which means residents can spend time outside while being less exposed to the sun.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cherry red interiors, lavish bedrooms with bathtubs and concrete kitchens.
      Photo is by Rory GardinerPergola House, UK, by Will Gamble Architects

      British architecture studio Will Gamble Architects renovated this Georgian home in a conservation area in Leicestershire that now includes a glass-walled extension surrounded by a wooden pergola.
      When designing the extension, the studio looked to garden pergolas to create a contemporary contrast to the existing Georgian structure. The oak framework extends past the perimeters of the extension to form a shaded pergola.
      Find out more about Pergola House ›
      Photo is by Hèlén BinetMonticello house, Italy, by Di Gregorio Associati Architetti
      Concrete pergolas covered in overgrown shrubbery were added to this brick home in northern Italy, completed by architecture studio Di Gregorio Associati Architetti.
      The concrete pergola shields and surrounds an extension that was added to the house, as well as an outdoor seating area that sits at the centre of the new building. Floor-to-ceiling windows line the interior of the home.
      Find out more about Monticello house ›
      Photo is by Magi GalluzziCasa di Confine, Italy, by Simone Subissati Architects
      Italian architecture firm Simone Subissati Architects designed this home in Le Marche that aims to immerse its residents in the surrounding landscape.
      The studio created a fragmented frame that follows the long and narrow profile of the home. A void at the centre of the building sees the fragmented frame carried over to form a pergola between two volumes of the home. The pergola-covered courtyard leads out to a pool.
      Find out more about Casa di Confine ›
      Photo is by Yiorgis YerolymposNCaved, Greece, by Mold Architects
      On the island of Serifos in Greece, Mold Architects built a partially submerged home on a rocky hillside that features large glazed openings, walled terraces and a large swimming pool.
      The terraces are flanked by stone walls that follow the topography of the landscape and partially covered by slatted pergolas that cantilever from the main structure and help to shade the interior.
      Find out more about NCaved ›
      Photo is by Cesar BelioAvándaro 333, Mexico, by Zozaya Arquitectos
      Located in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, this home is part of a 27-house complex that was named after a nearby lake.
      Architecture studio Zozaya Arquitectos used masonry and clay across the exterior of the home, which was then contrasted with contemporary additions such as wood and steel pergolas.
      A balcony on the upper levels of a home is accessed through retractable glazed walls and sits beneath a wooden pergola.
      Find out more about Lake Avándaro ›
      Photo is by Claus Brechenmacher and Reiner BaumannVilla Mandra, Greece, by K-studio
      A latticed chestnut-wood pergola covers an outdoor dining area Villa Mandra, a holiday home on the Greek island of Mykonos that was designed by Greek architecture practice K-studio.
      Alongside covering an outdoor dining area, the large pergola also shades a lounge area. Metal pendant lights were fixed to the pergola and provide the shaded area with light at night.
      Find out more about Villa Mandra ›
      Photo is by Felix MooneerThe Weathered House, UK, by Selencky Parsons
      Architecture studio Selencky Parsons extended a Victorian home in south London and added a steel-framed structure and large sliding doors that better link the interior with the outdoors.
      The extension is characterised by the weathered-steel structure. This begins at the kitchen area and forms a pergola over an outdoor dining space that is directly accessed via glass sliding doors from the interior.
      Find out more about The Weathered House ›
      Photo is Masao NishikawaPergola House, Japan, by Apollo Architects & Associates
      Designed by Apollo Architects & Associates and located in Kawaguchi, a city just north of Tokyo, Pergola House is a two-storey home that has an L-shaped plan with courtyards covered by pergolas.
      The pergolas are formed of wooden ceiling beams that extend beyond the walls of the interior. Expanses of glass line the walls and double-height spaces help to create an open-plan design and blur the boundaries of the interior.
      Find out more about Pergola House ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cherry red interiors, lavish bedrooms with bathtubs and concrete kitchens.

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      Checkerboard walls wrap Awake NY store by Rafael de Cárdenas

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      Local architect Rafael de Cárdenas referenced lost landmarks of New York for the interiors of this streetwear store in the city’s Lower East Side.

      De Cárdenas worked with Angelo Baque, the former brand director of streetwear brand Supreme, on the design of a retail location for Awake NY, which Baque founded in 2012.
      Large sculptures are placed throughout the store, including a replica of the Flushing Meadows Corona Park UnisphereThe new home for the men’s clothing line at 62 Orchard Street is a homage to New York City’s fashion meccas of the 1980s and 90s, many of which have since shuttered.
      “Both De Cárdenas and Baque grew up in New York around the same time, which informed their design direction,” said a joint statement from the duo. “They built upon shared memories of lost landmarks in New York design and youth culture: Canal Jean, Antique Boutique, and Unique — and used them as reference points for the store identity.”
      Several elements leftover from the store’s previous occupants were retained, including carved wooden frames above the clothing racksThe store retains some of the features leftover from the family-owned suiting business that formerly occupied the space.

      Logos of brands carried by the previous tenants are still visible on the glass vitrines on either side of the entrance.
      The walls at the back of the space are covered in a checkerboard patternThese display cases now carry bright blue carpets and colourful portraits by local artist Alvin Armstrong.
      Other remnants from the store’s past include the original exterior signage, which reads “Mens Clothiers”, and carved wooden frames above the clothing racks inside.
      Other large sculptural elements include a giant plywood ‘A’New elements include the flooring, sourced from a school gym in Cleveland, and wood shelving affixed to the walls with ratchet straps.
      At the back of the boutique, the walls are covered in a checkerboard pattern that is repeated on a display stand closer to the centre.

      Space-age design informs Nodaleto shoe store by Rafael de Cárdenas

      Some of the industrial-style columns and areas of the metal-panelled ceiling are left exposed, while other structural elements are painted white or wrapped in mirrors.
      Murals by Larissa De Jesús Negrón adorn the fitting room area, and checkered chairs were sourced from B&B Italia.
      Plywood is also used to form storage and display casesThere are also several large sculptural pieces placed on the shop floor, helping to create a flow for shoppers.
      “The store is anchored by a replica of the Flushing Meadows Corona Park Unisphere, originally built for the 1964 World’s Fair in Baque’s hometown of Queens, and a floor-to-ceiling Awake NY ‘A’ built from plywood in the centre of the store,” said the design team.
      The flooring was sourced from a school gym in ClevelandDe Cárdenas, who is one of the judges for this year’s Dezeen Awards, has designed a variety of retail projects during his career.
      His studio recently completed the Miami store for French shoe brand Nodaleto, with sci-fi-influenced interiors, and previously created a split-level bar in Nordstrom’s flagship store in Midtown Manhattan.
      The photography is by Adrian Gaut.

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      Eight guesthouse interiors designed for peace and escapism

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      A one-room hotel kitted out with a miniature nightclub and twin dwellings with labyrinthine staircases informed by MC Escher are among the guesthouses featured in our latest lookbook.

      Guesthouses are accommodations for travellers, including cabins, rental cottages and private rooms, sometimes located in close proximity to permanent structures such as homes or offices.
      Despite their temporary nature, guesthouses can feature distinctive designs created to be remembered for longer than just during their occupants’ stay.
      From a bird nest-style retreat in Namibia to a micro dwelling in South Korea, here are eight guesthouses with impactful interiors from across the globe.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring gardens with swimming pools, cave-like interiors and striking accent walls.

      Top image: Trunk House in Tokyo features a miniature nightclub. Above: Photo by José HeviaLa Hermandad de Villalba, Spain, by Lucas y Hernández-Gil
      Spanish studio Lucas y Hernández-Gil sought to honour the original architecture of this eighteenth-century building, which was renovated to feature decorative doorways and original arched ceilings.
      Nestled in a wine-growing town in Spain’s Extremadura region, the guesthouse takes visual cues from its site, with hues of deep red and pale green that nod to the town’s natural terrain and surrounding vineyards.
      Find out more about La Hermandad de Villalba ›
      Photo is courtesy of Den OutdoorsDen Cabin Kit, USA, by Den Outdoors
      Prefabricated in New York, Den Cabin Kit is a flat-packed kit-of-parts for a steeply pitched cabin that is designed to be assembled in a few days.
      Cabin-design company Den Outdoors created the structure to cater to a guesthouse, study or yoga studio. Slanted wooden walls and a single triangular window create a cosy atmosphere inside.
      Find out more about Den Cabin Kit ›
      Photo is by Katinka BesterThe Nest at Sossus, Namibia, by Porky Hefer
      The Nest at Sossus is an off-grid guesthouse in Namibia with a thatched facade informed by the amorphous shape of bird nests.
      Thatching also features on the interior, which South African designer Porky Hefer created with bulbous protrusions and built-in furniture to mimic the stacked components of a nest.
      Pieces include a sunken Chesterfield-style sofa upholstered in oxblood-coloured leather.
      Find out more about The Nest at Sossus ›
      Photo is by Chao ZhangDream and Maze, China, by Studio 10
      Shenzhen-based Studio 10 designed a pair of guest rooms in Guilin, China, which take cues from the optical illusions of the seminal Dutch graphic artist MC Escher.
      Called Dream and Maze, the rooms feature colour-coded arched doorways and disorientating anti-gravitational staircases built within a seven-metre-high structure with a pitched roof.
      “The challenge was in keeping the balance between the practical need of a hotel suite and the illusionary, spatial effect we wanted to achieve,” the studio told Dezeen.
      Find out more about Dream and Maze ›
      Photo is by José HeviaAlfondac, Spain, by Aixopluc 
      Catalan studio Aixopluc filled a guest apartment above its offices with modular furniture that can be assembled using DIY techniques.
      Named after an Arabic word describing a place for both guests and for storing goods, Alfondac features various exposed appliances and living areas amalgamated into one space.
      “This iteration is an exploration of the potential benefits of having different activities and their smells – shit, lavender soap, pee, escudella [a type of Catalan stew], incense, linen sheets after sex, hyacinth flowers, baby’s poo and half-full glasses of Priorat wines – coexist rather than being segregated,” said Aixopluc.
      Find out more about this apartment ›
      Photo is by Texture on TextureNuwa, Korea, by Z_Lab 
      Nuwa is a tiny guesthouse in northern Seoul that measures under 30 square metres. Local studio Z_Lab renovated a traditional Korean home, known as a hanok, to create the apartment out of a single room.
      A porthole window inserted next to the bed provides views of the surrounding garden, while a sunken bath and walnut and stone accents define the rest of the space.
      Find out more about Nuwa ›
      Photo is by Tomooki KengakuTrunk House, Japan, by Trunk and Tripster
      Hailed by its designers as containing Tokyo’s smallest disco, this one-room hotel in the city’s Kagurazaka neighbourhood features a miniature nightclub with a bright red interior, a curved bar and an illuminated dance floor.
      Hotel brand Trunk collaborated with design studio Tripster to create the interiors within a traditional 70-year-old geisha house. Living spaces are characterised by muted palettes, including a tearoom with tatami mats arranged around a sunken fireplace.
      Find out more about Trunk House ›
      Photo is by Piet Albert GoethalsThe Olive Houses, Mallorca, by Mar Plus Ask
      Architecture studio Mar Plus Ask designed a pair of guesthouses in the Mallorcan mountains to celebrate the craggy boulders that jut through their walls.
      The Olive Houses are off-grid dwellings created for solo creatives as a silent refuge. Sloping cave-like walls were rendered exclusively in blush-pink stucco to complement the pale green shade found on the underside of an olive tree leaf.
      “To us, the [boulders] became a piece of art – suddenly the house was more about sculpting its backdrop and being its lightbox,” explained the studio.
      Find out more about The Olive Houses ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring gardens with swimming pools, cave-like interiors and striking accent walls.

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