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      Dishoom Canary Wharf recalls 1970s Irani cafes near Bombay Stock Exchange

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      Prolific restaurant Dishoom has opened its first new London venue in five years, featuring an interior designed around a “financial fraudster from the 1970s”.

      As with previous venues, restaurant co-founders Shamil and Kavi Thakrar teamed up with architecture studio Macaulay Sinclair on the design of Dishoom Canary Wharf.
      Dishoom Canary Wharf is the restaurant’s sixth venue in LondonReferencing its setting near many of London’s banking headquarters, the design imagines an Irani cafe near the Bombay Stock Exchange in 1970s India.
      “When we create a Dishoom, we always start with a story,” explained Shamil Thakrar.
      The entrance leads into a double-height bar”We imagined the fictional owner of the restaurant to be a financial fraudster from the 1970s who owns a cafe on Dalal Street, close to the Bombay Stock Exchange,” he told Dezeen.

      “This story gave us an opportunity to experiment with the aesthetic and feeling of the 1970s in Bombay, which, as you can imagine, has a rich history of financial intrigue.”
      The backdrop to this space is a high-gloss teal wallKey to the design is the retro furnishings that feature throughout the 750-square-metre restaurant.
      Vintage chairs, lighting fixtures and ornaments were sourced from antique dealers in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), carefully restored and shipped back to the UK.
      “The procurement process for each Dishoom starts with the sourcing trip,” said Ian Roome, associate director at Macaulay Sinclair.
      A vintage clock provides a focal point within the bespoke joinery of the barOne of the most important finds was a vintage diamond-shaped clock, which is set into bespoke joinery as the focal point of a grand bar that greets guests when they first arrive.
      According to Roome, this element draws inspiration from the lobby clock in Mumbai’s West End Hotel, which is located in the same neighbourhood as the Bombay Stock Exchange.

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      “The position of the 10-metre bar servery is, in our opinion, the key component in the restaurant,” he told Dezeen.
      “It creates an impressive focal point in the Permit Room bar, engaging with guests from all angles and viewpoints.”
      Restored vintage furniture features throughout the dining spacesThis double-height arrival space is naturally divided into zones by different furniture types that include low-slung lounge seats, banquette booths and cushioned leather bar stools.
      Rotating ceiling fans and rattan panelling – both Dishoom staples – also feature here, while the backdrop is a glossy teal wall that takes its cues from the Bombay Gymkhana.
      “We researched 1970s Bombay extensively,” said Roome, before reeling off a list of places in Mumbai’s Fort area that were visited as part of the design process.
      “They guide every single detail of the design aesthetic and tone,” he said.
      Retro wallpaper infills timber wall panellingThe dining spaces are more intimate in scale, set beneath a mezzanine-level kitchen.
      These spaces are filled with texture, thanks to parquet and patterned-tile floors, panelled walls infilled with retro wallpaper, and a mix of wood and marble tabletops.
      Seating upholstery comes in patterned fabric and leather in shades of green, yellow, brown and red. A family room sits off to one side, with colours that reference the stairwell of the Parsi Lying-In Hospital.
      The family room features green leather seating upholsteryThe Dishoom restaurants, which first launched in 2010, are based on the Irani cafes that were once widespread in Bombay but are now increasingly rare.
      There are now six Dishooms in London, including one in a former transit shed near King’s Cross station, plus outposts in Edinburgh, Birmingham and Manchester.
      Shamil Thakrar explained the concept in a 2010 interview with Dezeen founder Marcus Fairs.
      Old photographs hang on the wallsWith Dishoom Canary Wharf, Thakrar hopes to have created a stronger sense of 1970s glamour than in any of the restaurants.
      “It feels like one of the richest designs we’ve created,” he said. “The room furthest back feels to me like the Air India first class lounge circa 1973, although I’m too young to remember this of course.”
      “I also love the artwork, which works again to reinforce the character and the time setting of the protagonist in our story.”

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      Maison Lune gallery in California showcases art and design in residential setting

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      This art and design gallery in Venice, California occupies a former private house where interiors by designer Gabriella Kuti provide a warm, neutral backdrop for the works on show.

      Maison Lune was co-founded by French artist and designer Sandrine Abessera and Ukrainian fashion designer Lubov Azria, who set about creating a “dream home, where beauty rules”.
      Maison Lune is presented as a collector’s house, where all the art and design pieces are for sale”We want to build an alternative to traditional galleries, which are often perceived as too elitist and intimidating,” said Abessera and Azria.
      The duo worked closely with interior designer Gabriella Kuti to turn what was a private house in a protected historical building into a space to showcase a rotating series of exhibitions.
      The house has various terraces and balconies used to display works outdoorsThe gallery is organised like a collector’s home, with artworks and design pieces spread across multiple rooms that total 4,000 square feet (371 square metres).

      Their intention was to allow visitors to journey through the different rooms and floors, which are designed to exude a warm atmosphere.
      The interiors were designed to provide a warm and neutral backdropThe team didn’t need to alter too much of the existing interiors but added storage and lighting to help better display the works.
      “The space was already an amazing canvas for this purpose: high ceilings, lots of lights and skylight, white limestone floors,” the co-founders told Dezeen. “We created more shelving with LA artisans and added more lights.”
      The gallery’s debut exhibition is titled Transcendence and is curated by Gaia Jacquet MatisseArchitectural features like circular windows, spiral staircases and marble bathrooms all bring character to the gallery.
      The house also has a terrace with a small swimming pool and balconies for displaying pieces outdoors.
      The team added shelving created by LA-based artisans for displaying smaller objectsEverything displayed through the various styled vignettes, from artworks to collectible design pieces, is for sale.
      The aim is to spotlight a wide range of both established and emerging artists and designers, who work across mediums and techniques including painting, sculpture, photography, furnishings, ceramics, lighting, textiles and objects.

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      “The pieces showcased represent the varied and changing cultural landscape of identities, values and beliefs,” the pair said.
      Inaugurating the gallery is a group exhibition titled Transcendence, curated by Gaia Jacquet Matisse and including work by her mother, Sophie Matisse, along with artists Bobbie Olivier, Jeannie Weissglass, Edson Fernandes, James Fischetti, Angela Damman and Santiago Martinez Peral.
      Existing architectural features like a circular bathroom window add character to the galleryTogether, the show aims to “examine the concept of duality within our existence as humans inhabiting the earth, alongside nature” according to the team.
      This debut exhibition will continue until the Frieze Los Angeles 2023 art fair, which takes place 16-19 February, then the gallery is scheduled to host four showcases per year.
      Maison Lune is located in a historic part of Venice, California, next to one of the city’s canalsPresenting art and collectible design in a residential setting has become a popular way for gallerists and fairs to contextualise the objects, and make them more appealing to potential buyers.
      Galleries like The Future Perfect, which operates showrooms in LA and New York under the moniker Casa Perfect, and the Nomad Circle series of travelling design fairs are among those that have found success through this format.

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      Aurelien Chen retains references to China's “Red Era” in renovated cultural centre

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      Architect Aurelien Chen has transformed a former miners’ canteen in Handan, China, into a multipurpose cultural centre featuring interventions that respond to the building’s communist heritage.

      The canteen was built in the 1970s to serve workers at the Jinxing coal mine in China’s Hebei Province.
      It is surrounded by office buildings dating back to 1912 that were built by German architects and feature a distinctly Western aesthetic.
      The canteen was built to serve coal mine workersThe local government engaged China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) to oversee the sustainable renovation of the site, with Beijing-based Chen asked to head up the design team.
      The site is designated as a tourist destination with a focus on representing China’s evolution during the “Red Era”, beginning with the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1921 and culminating in the Cultural Revolution that took place from 1966-1976.

      Following a historical survey of the site, it was determined that the early 20th-century buildings should be restored to their original condition.
      It was renovated and refurbished by CSCEC and Aurelien ChenChen told Dezeen that he felt the canteen building should also be preserved as it complements the masterplan and style of the earlier structures.
      He explained that the brief for the refurbishment was to emphasise and recreate architectural elements that had been lost over time or were in need of significant restoration.
      The interior was developed around existing historical features”Instead of recreating a fake Red Era atmosphere, I preferred to keep the few historical traces that already existed within the building,” said Chen.
      “I developed the design and the space around them, attempting to subtly evoke the colours, materials and furniture of that time.”
      Vaults in the building were preservedOne of the most significant interventions is a flower-shaped, multipurpose furniture element located at the centre of the main hall.
      The outline of this space, which can be used as an information desk, exhibition space, stage or relaxation area, evokes a typical Red Era pattern that was painted on the original ceiling.

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      Other furniture in the versatile central hall includes wave-shaped benches and circular reading booths that are intended to provide a sense of fluidity and flexibility of use.
      The circular reading spaces are inspired by the hall’s original ceiling lights and incorporate integrated bookshelves to minimise their visual impact on the space.
      A flower-shaped multipurpose furniture piece sits in the middleExisting dilapidated internal walls were retained and became key features within the renovated spaces. A linear partition wall that was once the canteen’s serving counter was transformed into a reading desk with lamps and high stools.
      The bar area is located in a corner of the space and flanked by a concrete wall displaying Communist slogans painted in Chinese characters.
      The canteen serving counter is now a reading deskChen wanted to incorporate arches into the design to echo details found on a neighbouring historic building. This was achieved by adding a row of booths with arched canopies to the restaurant area.
      The booths also reference arched brick openings uncovered during the renovation process, as well as stone vaults discovered in the basement.
      A glass floor connects the vaults with the public areas aboveThe vaults were preserved in their original state, with minimal interventions helping to transform them into reading corners and exhibition areas. A glass floor maintains a visual connection between these spaces and the public areas above.
      Stairs leading to the basement were moved into an arch-shaped, metal-clad volume added to the facade. The external window openings were reshaped into arches that reference details found on the historic buildings nearby.
      Booths were given miniature arches in a nod to surrounding buildingsChen explained that, although the number of significant heritage details within the building were limited, each one was carefully restored and used as the basis for additions that enhance the link to the past.
      “I would say that new interventions tend to blend with the existing conditions, sometimes in a very immaterial way,” the architect added. “Their shape and space derive directly from original elements, revealing them; the materials, however, are more in contrast.”
      The interior also features undulating seatingOther recent cultural and leisure projects in China include a visitor centre with spiralling tiled roofs and the country’s biggest library, which was designed by Danish studio Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects.

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      Ten colourful and comfortable 1970s-style interiors

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      Featuring wood-panelled walls, plushy seating and soft fabrics juxtaposed with glossy finishes, this lookbook collects 10 interiors that recall the 1970s.

      Having been out of favour for much of the past five decades, the 1970s re-emerged as a design trend in 2022.
      The interiors listed below draw on a range of motifs borrowed from the era of glam rock, roller discos and Star Wars, with low-slung, upholstered furniture in earthy tones filling multi-use spaces.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with Eames chairs, living rooms in Victorian homes and open-plan modernist living areas.
      Photo by Mariell Lind HansenPrimrose Hill townhouse, UK, by Studio Hagen Hall

      Architecture office Studio Hagen Hall channeled 1970s Californian modernism with its transformation of this north London townhouse.
      Classically 1970s materials such as velvet, elm and fluted glass were deployed alongside subtle contemporary elements including micro-cement flooring.
      Find out more about this Primrose Hill townhouse ›
      Photo by Anson Smart PhotographySRG House, Australia, by Fox Johnston
      SRG House was designed in 1972 by Stuart Whitelaw and was once the home of Australian modernist architect Sir Roy Grounds.
      Fox Johnston retained this heritage in its renovation of the building, installing wood panelling and thick carpet while also leaving parts of the building’s concrete fabric exposed.
      Find out more about SRG House ›
      Photo by Michael SinclairHelios 710, UK, by Bella Freud and Maria Speake
      Set inside the former BBC Television Center in London, Helios 710 is a penthouse apartment designed by architect Piercy & Company with interiors by creative duo Bella Freud and Maria Speake that seeks to capture the most vibrant aspects of the 1970s.
      Aiming for “bold colour, eclecticism and glamour”, the main living room sees glossy black sofas with burnt orange seat cushions contrast an emerald green carpet and hessian-covered walls.
      Find out more about Helios 710 ›
      Photo by Martin GravgaardSubstans, Denmark, by Krøyer & Gatten
      Local studio Krøyer & Gatten designed this Michelin-starred restaurant in Aarhus to feel like a Danish home from 50 years ago.
      The architects opted for retro-but-humble materials, such as simple brown tiles in the kitchen and white-painted brickwork for the bar.
      Find out more about Substans ›
      Photo by James Balston6 Babmaes Street, UK, by Fathom Architects
      The 1970s are often associated with a relaxed, comfortable aesthetic, and so the decade was referenced by Fathom Architects in its post-pandemic design for this London office.
      Warm colours are paired with tactile materials to create a cosier atmosphere than the traditional office, as a response to the increased prevalence of working from home.
      Find out more about 6 Babmaes Street ›
      Photo by Brooke ShanesyPalm Heights, Grand Cayman, by Gabriella Khalil
      Creative director Gabriella Khalil sought to mimic a 1970s-era Caribbean mansion with the design of this boutique hotel in the Cayman Islands.
      Sandy yellows mix with bold blues in each room, while collectible design pieces like Mario Bellini sofas, Ingo Maurer wall lamps and a chequered Ettore Sottsass rug feature in the guest lounge.
      Find out more about Palm Heights ›
      Photo by Timothy KayeYouth Lab 3.0, Australia, by Nickolas Gurtler
      This experimental space for cosmetic clinic Youth Lab takes on the daring task of balancing the brand’s minimalist identity with a retro style reminiscent of 1970s Milan.
      Designer Nickolas Gurtler paired a cooler overall colour palette and mirror wall with plentiful soft textures and shades of gold and olive green.
      Find out more about Youth Lab 3.0 ›
      Photo courtesy of HarmayHarmay Hangzhou, China, by AIM Architecture
      While it may look just like a 1970s office, this interior by Shanghai studio AIM Architecture is actually a retail store for cosmetics brand Harmay.
      It features a wool carpet by German brand Findeisen and suspended ceiling tiles, with a colour palette of muted yellows, oranges and browns.
      Find out more about Harmay Hangzhou ›
      Photo courtesy of StudiopepeClub Unseen, Italy, by Studiopepe
      During Milan design week in 2018, local studio Studiopepe opened a temporary private venue in a 19th-century warehouse that attempted to capture the spirit of 1970s nightclubs.
      “Those years are fascinating to us – the colours and materials were very glamorous,” the studio’s Arianna Lelli Mami told Dezeen. The interiors combined graphic shapes, grid patterns, pastel colours and metallic finishes.
      Find out more about Club Unseen ›
      Photo by David DworkindVesta, Canada, by Ménard Dworkind
      This pizza joint in Montreal, designed by local studio Ménard Dworkind, takes cues from the decor of 1970s New York pizzerias with funky colours and bold use of textures, as well as a smattering of vintage objects.
      White wall panelling, dark green ceiling paint, rich oak panelling and red leather seating come together to capture “the spirit of Italian family restaurants” from times gone by.
      Find out more about Vesta ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with Eames chairs, living rooms in Victorian homes and open-plan modernist living areas.

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      Michael Hsu completes cosy Japanese restaurant Uchiko Houston

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      Hearths found in Japanese farmhouses informed the interiors of this restaurant in Houston, designed by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture.

      Michael Hsu Office of Architecture used chunky timber batons to create a deep partition that frames the tiled reception area, creating the impression of a central hearth.
      A wooden lattice frames the entrance to Uchiko Houston”Inspired by the central hearth of Japanese farmhouses, Uchiko presents a sense of intimacy with a central focal point, which feels both old and new,” said the studio.
      “The rough material is manipulated in a refined manner to create an unexpected arrival experience.”
      Warm-toned materials create a cosy atmosphere in the dining roomsThe studio created this latest location for the Uchi brand as a sister concept – Uchiko meaning “child of Uchi” – after designing its space in Miami earlier this year.

      Some of the design elements used in the South Florida restaurant were adapted for this counterpart, including a latticed screen around the entryway.
      Booths are lined with blue patterned wallpaper by Camille WarmingtonThroughout the restaurant, warm tones of timber and Venetian plaster are found alongside cooler blues as in the banquette upholstery and patterned wallpaper by artist Camille Warmington behind the booths.
      The same colour was used by local muralists Alfredo and Vera Montenegro to draw the eye up to double-height portions of the ceiling, which gently curve at the top.
      Murals that echo the wallpaper patterns draw the eye up to the mezzanine levelA mezzanine level overlooking the murals includes a private dining space with a bar and sushi bar inhabiting opposite walls.
      Reclaimed walnut flooring runs through the two main dining spaces, positioned on either side of the hearth-like entryway.
      A chef’s table sits at the centre of the restaurantThe room is also punctuated by a large private dining area, as well as a chef’s table featuring a large, blue fringe light fixture.
      White oak and cedar furniture, including custom banquettes influenced by the work of Brazilian modernist designer Jose Zanine Caldas, are enhanced with bronze and brass details.

      Michael Hsu converts 1940s Houston church into Asian smokehouse

      A long sushi bar stretches the back of the space, with a linear light fixture above highlighting the performances of the chefs behind.
      Custom-designed, cast concrete light shades by sculptor Brandon Mike feature in the entryway and above the dining tables.
      A long sushi bar runs below a linear light fixture”Bold design moves work with layered materiality to create a cosy dining experience,” said the studio.
      Uchiko Houston also has an outdoor patio and bar that adds to the already lively atmosphere of the Post Oak neighbourhood.
      Uchiko Houston’s outdoor patio adds to the lively atmosphere of the Post Oak neighbourhoodMichael Hsu founded his studio in Austin in 2005 and opened a second office in Houston in 2018.
      His team converted a 1940s church into an Asian smokehouse earlier this year and has previously completed projects that range from a Texas Hill Country house to Shake Shack’s headquarters in New York.

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      Dezeen's top 10 staircases of 2022

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      As part of our review of 2022, we have selected 10 eye-catching staircases published on Dezeen this year, including stairs that turn, twist or double as seating.

      This year’s roundup of staircases features a children’s library in China with two intertwining timber stairs, a 25-metre-tall staircase in the Netherlands and a plywood spiral staircase in a barn conversion.
      Read on for Dezeen’s top 10 staircases of 2022:
      Photo by Leonardo FinottiCasa Thomé Beira da Silva, Brazil, by Marcos Bertoldi Arquitetos
      This helical wooden staircase anchors the large living space in Casa Thomé Beira da Silva, a Brazilian house designed by Marcos Bertoldi Arquitetos.

      The winding staircase leads to the bedrooms on the first floor of the home, which features a screen of chevron-patterned wooden planks wrapped around the exterior.
      Find out more about Casa Thomé Beira da Silva ›
      Photo by Ronan MézièreEscher House, Canada, by Naturehumaine
      Informed by the works of Dutch artist MC Escher, Canadian studio Naturehumaine inserted an angular staircase into this family home in Montreal as part of a renovation project.
      The centrepiece of the Escher House transformation, the new staircase is top-lit by a skylight and made up of wooden treads with black steel sides and guard rails.
      Find out more about Escher House ›
      Photo by Alex BaxterBarn at the Ahof, the Netherlands, by Julia van Beuningen
      Architectural designer Julia van Beuningen converted a late 19th-century barn into a residence with this plywood spiral staircase as the central focus.
      The staircase has a curved, swooping form designed to contrast with the barn’s rustic structure and leads from the open-plan living space on the ground floor to the newly added first floor, where bedrooms and bathrooms are located.
      Find out more about Barn at the Ahof ›
      Photo by Kenya ChibaKappa House, Japan, by Archipelago Architects Studio
      A series of staircases divide the spaces inside Kappa House in Kanagawa, Japan, designed by architecture practice Archipelago Architects Studio.
      The first two sets of stairs connect the house’s three floor levels, while the third staircase extends to the ceiling and is used as a place to sit, eat, drink or read.
      Find out more about Kappa House ›
      Photo by Lorenzo ZandriFarleigh Road House, UK, by Paolo Cossu Architects
      UK architecture studio Paolo Cossu Architects renovated the basement of Farleigh Road House in London, adding a chunky oak staircase to connect the floor with the rest of the house above.
      Designed to double as a place for the residents to sit and chat, wooden blocks were inserted on one side of the stairs to define the walking route, while deep steps that align with bookshelves on the adjacent wall provide seating.
      Find out more about Farleigh Road House ›
      Photo by Stijn PoelstraDe Niewe Herdgang, the Netherlands, by Architectuur Maken
      De Niewe Herdgang is a sculptural staircase designed by Dutch studio Architectuur Maken that rises 25 metres above the landscape to create a viewpoint overlooking the city of Tilburg in the Netherlands.
      Built from a galvanised steel frame with thin planks of Accoya wood, the watchtower aims to reconnect people with the landscape, which has been fragmented by roads.
      Find out more about De Niewe Herdgang ›
      Photo by Marcela GrassiLoft in Poblenou, Spain, by NeuronaLab
      This blue stair unit provides additional storage and a mezzanine bedroom in a compact Barcelona apartment renovated by local architecture studio NeuronaLab.
      The unit also divides spaces in the residence, transforming it from a studio loft to a two-bedroom apartment with separated work and living areas.
      Find out more about Loft in Poblenou ›
      Photo by Roberto RuizPalau Apartment, Spain, by Colombo and Serboli Architecture
      In another Barcelona apartment, Spanish studio Colombo and Serboli Architecture designed a multi-part staircase made up of micro-cement bottom steps with recessed shelving, timber box steps and suspended timber steps.
      The micro-cement base extends and dog-legs to form the backrest of the sofa on one side and a bench for the dining area on the other side.
      Find out more about Palau Apartment ›
      Photo courtesy of Kengo Kuma and AssociatesHisao & Hiroko Taki Plaza, Japan, by Kengo Kuma and Associates
      Japanese studio Kengo Kuma and Associates designed this student hub for the Tokyo Institute of Technology, which is built partially underground with a stepped roof made up of bleachers.
      The stepped roof is accessed by an external staircase that extends into the interior of the building, separated by glazing to blur the boundary between inside and out.
      Find out more about Hisao & Hiroko Taki Plaza ›
      Photo by Zhao SaiPingtan Book House, China, by Condition_Lab
      A double-helix staircase with deep treads and spacious landings provides space for children to read and play in this library located in China’s Hunan province, designed by architecture research studio Condition_Lab.
      Accessed from the ground floor, the two spiral timber staircases at Pingtan Book House intertwine around a square void before meeting again on the top level.
      Find out more about Pingtan Book House ›

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      OHLAB celebrates historical details at Can Santacilia apartments in Palma de Mallorca

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      Architecture office OHLAB has renovated a historical apartment building in Palma de Mallorca introducing contemporary elements including a meandering wooden walkway that contrast with the original features.

      Can Santacilia is a 3,300-square-metre residential development containing 15 apartments and common areas distributed across two adjoining buildings in the heart of Palma de Mallorca’s old town.
      A main central courtyard is included at Can SantaciliaParts of the existing building appear to date back as far as the 12th or 13th century, although the main building as it stands was erected in the 17th century and was subsequently modified in the 18th and 20th centuries.
      Local architecture and design office OHLAB was tasked with overseeing a modernisation project involving repairs to the existing structure, as well as the sensitive restoration of key original features including the main central courtyard.
      OHLAB oversaw a sensitive restoration process”The building was abandoned and in a really bad shape with some parts about to collapse, while the best parts did not meet the most basic living conditions,” OHLAB directors Paloma Hernaiz and Jaime Oliver told Dezeen.

      A carefully conducted restoration process placed emphasis on maintaining the historical integrity of the building whilst adapting it to meet the needs of its new occupants.
      A wooden coffered ceiling was uncovered during the renovation”We had to do a thorough and intensive renovation of the whole building,” the OHLAB architects explained.
      “The distribution was changed and reorganised, new partition walls and layouts were added to accommodate the housing proposal and new installations were required to adapt the apartments to contemporary comfort and energy-efficient standards.”
      An indoor pool is framed by arched openingsThe project preserves the original features that make the building unique, such as the wrought-iron balustrades, stone columns, traditional courtyard and a wooden coffered ceiling that was uncovered during the restoration.
      The courtyard was enclosed in the 20th century, with blank walls used to conceal a parking area. Based on other traditional buildings in the city, the architecture studio restored this space to how it might have looked in the early Baroque period.
      The courtyard’s typical staircase and porched gallery were retained and two arched openings were added – one alongside a new indoor pool and the other in front of the entrance, supported by a pair of ionic columns.
      A meandering wooden walkway contrasts with the original featuresInternally, the common areas of the two buildings are connected by a wooden walkway that mitigates a height difference of approximately 90 centimetres.
      The studio said the walkway was designed to take users on a journey, “as if discovering an archaeological ruin”, leading them past some of the building’s key historic features, including a fireplace, a stone arch, a tiled floor and ornate plaster mouldings on the ceiling.
      The same light oak forms a staircase elsewhereArchitectural interventions were implemented using a material palette that clearly separates them from the existing structure. The walkway was made from light oak that was also used for other circulation areas including a staircase and the lift interiors.
      “We added pieces that are always clearly new and contemporary,” explained Hernaiz and Oliver, “with shapes and materials that in no case want to imitate or hide the ancient ones.”
      Sculptural mirrored boxes act as partitions in the apartmentsThe contrast between old and new is also evident in the apartments, some of which feature modern mirrored volumes used to partition the existing spaces whilst maintaining their overall proportions.
      The mirrored boxes never reach all the way to the ceilings, ensuring the original wood-beam construction or decorative mouldings remain visible and uninterrupted.
      Wooden beams and decorative ceilings are left uninterrupted”The mirror box disappears in its reflection, giving back the space stolen by its presence and returning a complete image of the room,” the OHLAB architects added.
      “Only when you get closer, do you realise it’s a contemporary partition that lets you enter into another space, made of stone.”
      High-quality fixtures give the apartments a premium feelOne of the most surprising discoveries made while stripping back the dilapidated interiors was an ornate medieval ceiling made from painted wooden beams and coffers, supported by a central stone pillar.
      OHLAB claimed that this find prompted the redesign of 40 per cent of the total project, including six of the 15 apartments, in order to persevere the integrity of the coffered ceiling and incorporate it into one of the living spaces.
      The palette used throughout the public and private spaces favours natural, local materials chosen to emphasise the building’s history and Mediterranean character.

      White cut-out panels create displays at Miami boutique by OHLAB

      Stone and timber structural elements was combined with plaster and wood mouldings, mortar and lime coatings and floors in ceramic and wood finishes.
      High-quality fixtures and details in local stone, bronze, porcelain and textiles including local linen and cotton enhance the premium feel across the interior spaces.
      A palette of natural, local materials permeates throughoutHernaiz and Oliver originally founded OHLAB in Shanghai in 2007 before moving to Madrid and eventually settling in Palma de Mallorca, where they head up a team of 18 architects, interior designers and engineers.
      OHLAB’s previous projects include an apartment block in Palma de Mallorca covered with thin wooden slats that shade the interiors, and a standalone villa at a hotel on the island with a window designed to frame a panoramic view of the landscape.
      The photography is by José Hevia. 

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      Sleeper turns Kyiv shoe factory into eclectic headquarters

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      Ukrainian architects Veronika Arutunyan and Olga Malyshenko have transformed the interior of a former factory in Kyiv into meeting and manufacturing spaces for fashion label Sleeper.

      Sleeper completed the conversion of three floors inside the 1940s industrial at the end of 2021 – months prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
      The brand’s HQ is inside an old factoryUkrainian architects Arutunyan and Malyshenko worked with Sleeper founders Kate Zubareva and Asya Varetsa on the remodelling of the interior, which was geared towards both the productivity and well-being of the company’s team.
      “Sleeper’s vision completely animated this fading industrial building in the historical part of Podil,” said Arutunyan.
      The designers fitted out the interior to accomodate specialist machineryThe workspaces, breakout areas, meeting rooms, dedicated manufacturing rooms and specialist photography studio all contain homely touches, such as soft seating, coffee tables and mismatched chairs.

      “We’re not big fans of fast fashion or corporatised, artificially-created design,” explained Sleeper co-founder Zubareva.
      “Instead, we wanted to create a place where people would feel comfortable.”
      Interiors were furnished with assorted designer furnishings from a range of design periodsAntiques and retro items are scattered throughout, with notable examples including cantilevered Marcel Breuer-designed armchairs, a 1960s chair brought from a hotel in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, and a pair of red 1970s art nouveau chiclet armchairs designed by Ray Wilkes for Herman Miller.
      “The designers referenced the mid-twentieth-century aesthetic of celebration halls and scientific institutes, with their simple futuristic forms,” the brand commented.

      Sunnei transforms former recording studio into fashion brand HQ in Milan

      The adaptive reuse of the building allowed for original features – such as parquet floors and high ceilings – to be preserved, while providing the Sleeper team with necessary specialised facilities.
      Flexible layouts were designed to accommodate the brand’s growing team and allow for expansion, as well as its need for specialised amenities associated with clothing production.
      The interior has a neutral colour palette punctuated with pops of colourIn addition to aesthetic considerations, the designers ensured that the team was provided with ample facilities to carry out a wide range of tasks.
      A photo studio, meeting spaces, silent room, changing rooms and lounge spaces, in addition to manufacturing rooms, were created to ensure that each step of the creative process could be facilitated comfortably.
      Contrasting furniture was chosen to make the space feel more domesticSleeper is a fashion brand that designs and creates high-end sleepwear intended to be used both in the home and on the street, according to the label.
      The company has clothed notable actors, singers and celebrity personalities including Lily James, Katy Perry, Emma Roberts, Kendall Jenner and Kourtney Kardashian among others.
      Areas dedicated to garment production are clear-cutThe production of garments at the brand’s Kyiv atelier has been temporarily paused due to the war in Ukraine, which has damaged over 140 heritage sites in the country since the invasion by Russia in February 2022.
      Sleeper’s team has partially returned to their headquarters in the capital, with the remainder of its team working remotely in other parts of the world.
      “We have no doubts that the Sleeper’s home should be located in Ukraine, the country where the brand was born,” the brand told Dezeen.
      Glass walls allow natural light to enter all spacesOther reuse projects that feature on Dezeen include Chinese pastry brand Lao Ding Feng’s headquarters in a former warehouse by Neri&Hu, and a radio station in an old furniture store by Atelier38.
      The photography is by Andrey Bezuglov.

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