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    Luca Guadagnino transforms Roman palazzo “steeped in history” into boutique hotel

    Film director Luca Guadagnino’s interior design studio has turned a historic palazzo in Rome, Italy, into a luxury hotel.

    The hotel, named Palazzo Talia, is the first hospitality project from Guadagnino’s Studiolucaguadagnino.
    Originally built in the 16th century, the palazzo was previously a school for children from less privileged backgrounds.
    Studiolucaguadagnino has converted a 16th-century palazzo in Rome into a hotelThe institution, called Nobile Collegio del Nazareno, eventually became more prestigious and taught children of aristocrats. It closed down in 1999, but is now being restored by the Federici family of real estate development firm Gruppo Fresia.
    The firm brought on board Studiolucaguadagnino to create its public spaces to guide the look and feel of the hotel.

    “The most exhilarating aspect was pondering how to intervene in a place so steeped in history and tailor it to a completely different, bespoke garment to breathe new life into the palace,” Studiolucaguadagnino project manager Pablo Molezun said.
    A floral carpet leads to the Magna HallAt the forefront of the hotel’s public spaces is a 248-square-metre hall called the Magna Hall, decorated with 18th-century frescoes. These frescoes were originally painted by Italian artist Gaspare Serenario.
    The studio installed a “monumental” floral carpet in the reception lobby. The carpet leads guests to a central staircase and the frescoed hall.
    The hotel features 18th-century frescoes painted by Gaspare SerenarioThe design of the hotel relied heavily on the use of a wide range of colour hues to achieve a “balanced decorative effect”, Molezun said, describing this as “chromaticism”.
    “Chromaticism guides the entire project, as does our close collaboration with artisans,” he told Dezeen.
    “This aspect allowed us to experiment with various techniques. The project itself is the result of a process aimed at achieving this balanced decorative synthesis.”

    Archiloop converts 12th-century Italian monastery into hotel Vocabolo Moscatelli

    Centuries-old frescoes also adorn the ceiling of the Bar della Musa, the hotel’s own bar. Its walls are clad in textured blown-mirror panels, which reflect the frescoes.
    Along with the public programme, Studiolucaguadagnino also designed the Terrace Suite on the top floor. The suite, capped with a sloping roof, is lined with peach wood panelling and features an alcove bed.
    The walls of the bar are covered in textured mirror panelsA 66-square-metre terrace extends from the suite, overlooking the inner courtyard of the hotel.
    Landscape artist Blue Mambor curated a selection of tropical foliage for the inner courtyard, transforming it into an “urban oasis”.
    Studio Luca Guadagnino also designed the Terrace SuiteThe remaining 25 rooms and suites were designed by architect Marianna Lubrano Lavadera, founder of MIA Home Design Gallery and designer Laura Feroldi.
    Each room features unique furniture pieces that were designed to blend classic and contemporary styles.
    Tropical foliage lines the inner courtyardStudiolucaguadagnino was founded in 2017. The studio previously created an interior design exhibition at the 2022 Milan design week to mark its public launch.
    Elsewhere in Rome, designer Patricia Urquiola has transformed a palazzo into the Six Senses hotel and American entrepreneur Ian Schrager has converted a bank into The Rome Edition.
    The photography is by Giulio Ghirardi.

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    World’s 49 most striking interiors shortlisted for Dezeen Awards 2024

    Dezeen has announced the interiors shortlist for this year’s Dezeen Awards, which includes interiors by Keiji Ashizawa, India Mahdavi, Mesura and Unknown Works.

    The 49 shortlisted studios, which are in the running for awards in nine different interior project categories, are located across UAE, Sweden, Hong Kong, Canada and Portugal.
    The top five represented studio countries are Japan with eight shortlisted entries, followed by the United Kingdom with five and the USA, Spain and Australia tied with four shortlisted entries.
    The shortlist featured several projects with tile-clad interiors, including a cafe utilising an earthy colour palette with pink-coloured tiles in Japan and a public bathhouse featuring turquoise tiling in the suburbs of Tokyo.
    Other shortlisted projects include a restaurant with striking concrete arches in Spain, a menswear store sprayed with recycled newspaper pulp in London and a minimalist showroom featuring sculptural furniture in Barcelona.

    Dezeen Awards 2024 shortlists revealed this week
    Dezeen Awards 2024, in partnership with Bentley, will reveal all shortlisted projects this week. The architecture shortlist was announced yesterday and the design shortlist will be announced tomorrow followed by sustainability on Thursday.
    This year’s nomination-based Designers of the Year and Bentley Lighthouse Award shortlists will be announced this Friday and next Monday respectively.
    “This year’s interiors shortlist displays incredible quality,” said Chris Cooke, head of design collaborations at Bentley, who is one of this year’s interiors judges. “Innovative, contemporary designs which are smart, impactful and timeless top this year’s list.”
    “There also continues to be a focus on sustainability and it’s encouraging to see designers embrace this responsibility,” he continued.
    Top: Austa Restaurant by Studio Gameiro. Photo by Daniel Schäfer. Above: Naïve Bookstore by Atelier Tao+C. Photo by Wen StudioThe shortlisted projects were scored by our interiors jury which includes interior designer Bobby Berk, Patricia Urquiola and Brigette Romanek, architect Shushana Khachatrian and product designer Amechi Mandi.
    All shortlisted interiors projects are listed below, each with a link to a dedicated page on the Dezeen Awards website, where you can find an image and more information about the project.
    The winner of each project category will be announced live at our annual Dezeen Awards party on Tuesday 26 November at Hackney Church in London. All nine winners will then compete for the title of interior project of the year.
    Buy your Dezeen Awards party tickets now!
    Tickets for the Dezeen Awards 2024 party are now on sale. The event will be a chance for everyone who entered this year’s Dezeen Awards to celebrate their achievements alongside fellow nominees, winners and our esteemed Dezeen Awards judges.
    Click the link here to find out more and secure your tickets before they sell out!
    Read on for the full interiors shortlist:
    Capitan Arenas by Miriam Barrio Studio. Photo by Salva LópezResidential interior
    › Casa France, Paris, France, by Dechelette Architecture› Capitan Arenas, Barcelona, Spain, by Miriam Barrio Studio› Mia’s Apartment, London, UK, by Studiomama› Mo Jacobsen, Melbourne, Australia, by YSG Studio› The Green Machine, London, UK, by SUPRBLK› The Lighthouse, Paris, France, by Toledano + Architects
    This category is sponsored by Graff.
    Browse all projects on the residential interior shortlist page.
    Daphne by Studio Paolo Ferrari. Photo by Joel EspositoRestaurant and bar interior
    › Austa Restaurant, Algarve, Portugal, by Studio Gameiro› Blue Bottle Coffee Nagoya Sakae Cafe, Nagoya, Japan, by Keiji Ashizawa Design› Daphne, Toronto, Canada, by Studio Paolo Ferrari› Early Bird, Berlin, Germany, by About Space› Restaurant MMC, Madrid, Spain by Zooco Estudio
    Browse all projects on the restaurant and bar interior shortlist page.
    Locke at East Side Gallery by Grzywinski + Pons. Photo by Nicholas WorleyHotel and short-stay interior
    › Ennea Hotel, Oaxaca, Mexico, by Comité de Proyectos› Hotel Elysee Montmartre, Paris, France, by Policronica› Locke at East Side Gallery, Berlin, Germany, by Grzywinski + Pons› Mollie Aspen, Colorado, USA, by Post Company› The Medallion Extended Stay Hotel, Wisconsin, USA, by Arno Hoogland› Trunk Hotel Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, Japan, by Keiji Ashizawa Design and Norm Architects
    Browse all projects on the hotel and short-stay interior shortlist page.
    Orato Offices lobby by The Invisible Party and Maarten Baas. Photo by Wouter van der SarWorkplace interior (small)
    › Cave Office, Mexico City, Mexico, by Senosiain Arquitectos› Land Over Water Office, Hoofddorp, the Netherlands, by Firm Architects› Link Lab Creative Offices, Kortrijk, Belgium, by Stay Studio› Orato Offices lobby, Amsterdam, Netherlands, by The Invisible Party and Maarten Baas› Today Design, Melbourne, Australia, by Studio Edwards
    Browse all projects on the workplace interior (small) shortlist page.
    Food52 Flagship Headquarters by Float Studio. Photo by William Jess LairdWorkplace interior (large)
    › Chancery House, London, UK, by Norm Architects› Edelman’s Francis House, London, UK, by Gensler› Food52 Flagship Headquarters, Brooklyn, USA, by Float Studio› Gigi Studios Headquarters, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain, by Isern Serra› Intermain, Alexandria, Australia, by BVN Architecture› Knotel at The Old Sessions House, London, UK, by Knotel and Acrylicize
    Browse all projects on the workplace interior (large) shortlist page.
    Tojiro Knife Gallery by Katata Yoshihito Design. Photo by Masaaki InoueRetail interior (small)
    › Aesop Diagonal, Barcelona, Spain, by Mesura› Aesop Kichijoji, Tokyo, Japan by Jo Nagasaka / Schemata Architects› Natalino Mortimer Street, London, UK, by Mooradian Studio› théATRE Concept Store, Beijing, China, by Kooo Architects› Tojiro Knife Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, by Katata Yoshihito Design
    Browse all projects on the retail interior (small) shortlist page.
    Melt Season Flagship by Mlkk Studio. Photo by MeltseasonRetail interior (large)
    › Jaipur Rugs, Dubai, UAE, by Roar› Marsèll Flagship Store, Milan, Italy, by Lotto Studio› Melt Season Flagship, Shanghai, China, by Mlkk Studio› Naïve Bookstore, Hebei, China, by Atelier Tao+C› Unmaking for IZA Tokyo, Japan, by Office Shogo Onodera
    Browse all projects on the retail interior (large) shortlist page.
    Massage & More by Atelier d’More. Photo by Linshan FilmHealth and wellbeing interior
    › Docrates Cancer Center, Helsinki, Finland, by Kohina› Hair Room Toaru, Saitama, Japan, by Ateliers Takahito Sekiguchi› Komaeyu, Tokyo, Japan, by Jo Nagasaka / Schemata Architects› Massage & More, Shanghai, China, by Atelier d’More› The Mineless Heritage, Taipei, Taiwan, by Divooe Zein Architects
    Browse all projects on the health and wellbeing interior shortlist page.
    Hydro 100R by Atelier Paul Vaugoyeau. Photo by Einar AslaksenExhibition design (interior)
    › 2023 Melbourne Winter Masterpieces, Melbourne, Australia, by India Mahdavi› Contemplative Spaces: The El Lissitzky Exhibition, Hannover, Germany, by Next Enterprise Architects› Energy Revolution Gallery, London, UK, by Unknown Works› Hydro 100R, Milan, Italy, by Atelier Paul Vaugoyeau› Modern Guru and the Path to Artificial Happiness, France, by ENESS› Temporary Storage Garden, Shanghai, China, by Semester Studio
    Browse all projects on the exhibition design (interior) shortlist page.
    Dezeen Awards 2024 in partnership with Bentley
    Dezeen Awards is the ultimate accolade for architects and designers across the globe. The seventh edition of the annual awards programme is in partnership with Bentley as part of a wider collaboration to inspire, support and champion design excellence and showcase innovation that creates a better and more sustainable world. This ambition complements Bentley’s architecture and design business initiatives, including the Bentley Home range of furnishings and real estate projects around the world. More

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    Weiszblüth & Brown designs tiny Thai eatery in LA that “packs a punch”

    Diners pack tightly into this informal Thai restaurant in Los Angeles, which local studio Weiszblüth & Brown has designed to echo the intense flavours of the food served.

    Holy Basil Market has 16 seats within just 90 square feet (8.4 square metres) of space in Atwater Village, following a highly successful first location Downtown.
    Holy Basil Market has space for just 16 diners, who are accommodated thanks to flexible furnitureChefs and partners Wedchayan “Deau” Arpapornnopparat and Tongkmala “Joy” Yuons tasked Weiszblüth & Brown with maximising the compact unit so that the restaurant would feel as bustling as a Bangkok street market.
    “Weiszblüth & Brown took cues from the chef’s tendency for bright, intense flavors and hard-edge branding,” said the studio. “The space, like the food, packs a punch.”
    The stainless steel service counter has a low shelf for guestsDue to the lack of floor area, the designers removed the visual barrier between back and front of house, continuing the stainless steel from the kitchen into the dining space.

    A metal service counter has a lower shelf for diners to perch against, while the same material appears as small chairs and stools.
    Red baskets are stacked to create bases for tables that can easily be moved or put awayBright red rectangular baskets are stacked along the wall to form shelving and act as bases for flexible tables that can easily be rearranged.
    Tops for these ad-hoc tables were specially designed to slot neatly over two boxes and are wrapped in vinyl that’s covered with imagery of food laid on a tablecloth.
    Stainless steel storage containers and utensils add to the restaurant’s informal vibeThe baskets can also be upturned and used at extra stools during busy periods, or stored to the side if more floor area is required.
    Additional seating is provided in a partially covered area outside the entrance, under a neon sign that spells out the restaurant’s name.

    Studio Tarea creates “90s fever dream” inside pink Richmond eatery

    Glass panels and doors fill an arched opening that provides views into to brightly lit space from the alley.
    “Eater LA described the space as ‘almost suffocatingly intimate’, and it’s a feat of hospitality that Deau and Joy are able to welcome so many into such a small space,” said Weiszblüth & Brown.
    The table tops are wrapped in vinyl that’s covered with imagery of food laid on a tableclothA trend for more intimate dining spaces appears to be gaining popularity in the US, evident in the launch of several restaurants that can seat just a handful of guests.
    An all-pink restaurant with 18 covers recently opened in Richmond, Virginia, while an omakase spot with room for only eight in New York began welcoming diners earlier this year.
    Additional seating is provided outside the entrance, which is via glass doors within an arched windowCeramicist Alex Reed and architectural designer Dutra Brown founded Weiszblüth & Brown after Dezeen published their Harvest Shop pop-up designed for lifestyle brand Flamingo Estate in 2020.
    The project was shortlisted in the small retail interior category of Dezeen Awards 2021, and the duo then formalised their collaborative practice that works from product to architecture scale.
    The photography is by Patcha.

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    Eight soothing cabin interiors to retreat to this autumn

    Our latest lookbook collects eight cabin interiors united by their calming timber accents and escapist settings, ranging from an English conservation area to a private Norwegian island.

    Typically constructed with wood, cabins are common in rural locations and are often designed as temporary living quarters to provide calming retreats.
    As temperatures begin to drop in the northern hemisphere, we have rounded up eight examples of cosy cabins 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 self-designed homes by architects and designers, members’ clubs and conversation pits.
    Photo by Tom AugerCabin, Norway, by Rever & Drage

    Local architecture studio Rever & Drage designed this timber cabin in Norway’s forested Nordmakka region.
    A large angular window cuts through its otherwise traditional form, creating an illuminated interior dressed with simple wooden furniture and steel-topped kitchen counters.
    Find out more about this cabin ›
    Photo is by Raphaël ThibodeauLa Cime, Canada, by Naturehumaine
    La Cime, or The Top, is a woodland holiday cabin in Lanaudière, Québec.
    Canadian studio Naturehumaine designed the one-bedroom “micro chalet” with white-pine panelling on the walls and ceilings, which complements built-in plywood furniture.
    Find out more about La Cime ›
    Photo by Efe OnikinciMonocoque Cabin, UK, by Peter Markos
    Wrapped by an external skin similar to an eggshell, Monocoque Cabin is a self-build off-grid timber structure by architect Peter Markos.
    The cocoon-like Shropshire cabin is punctuated by translucent polycarbonate openings that draw daylight into the interior and illuminate simple but cosy living spaces.
    Find out more about Monocoque Cabin ›
    Photo by Raphaël ThibodeauFarouche Tremblant cabins, Canada, by Atelier l’Abri
    Four rental micro-cabins were built by Canadian studio Atelier l’Abri at the Farouche Tremblant agrotourism site in Québec’s Mon-Tremblant National Park.
    Characterised by traditional A-frame structures that nod to 1950s and 60s architecture, the cabins feature minimalist and neutral interiors.
    Find out more about Farouche Tremblant ›
    Photo by Einar Aslaksen Kjerringholmen, Norway, by Line Solgaard Arkitekter
    Also defined by minimalist, sandy hues, Kjerringholmen is a raised and ash-clad cabin on a small private island in Hvaler, Norway.
    Line Solgaard Arkitekter designed the cabin, which has a pared-back, wood-lined interior and features large rectilinear windows for taking in the dramatic surrounding landscape.
    “The basic concept was to create an escape from city life – a retreat into nature,” explained the studio’s founder Line Solgaard.
    Find out more about Kjerringholmen ›
    Photo is by Jim StephensonThe Hat House, Sweden, by Tina Bergman
    Spruce panels on the walls and end-grain spruce blocks for the floor were applied to the living spaces of this cosy but tall-ceilinged cabin in Tänndalen, western Sweden.
    A boxy, cushioned window seat provides a connection to the forested setting outside. Called The Hat House, the project was designed by London-based architect Tina Bergman.
    Find out more about The Hat House ›
    Photo by Tom BirdLooking Glass Lodge, UK, by Michael Kendrick Architects 
    Located in a conservation area in East Sussex, Looking Glass Lodge is a modestly sized cabin set on a sloping site and built without felling any existing trees.
    Inside, a wood-burning stove was designed with timber sourced from fallen trees nearby. A plump L-shaped sofa and low-slung armchair were positioned to take in floor-to-ceiling views of the wooded site.
    Find out more about Looking Glass Lodge ›

    Bruny Island Cabin, Tasmania, by Maguire + Devin
    Baltic pine lines almost every surface of this off-grid Tasmanian cabin, designed by architecture studio Maguire + Devin to feature only built-in furniture.
    Apart from a freestanding low table and a mattress, every element in the cabin is part of its frame. This highly crafted minimalist design was chosen to reference traditional Japanese houses.
    Find out more about Bruny Island Cabin ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring self-designed homes by architects and designers, members’ clubs and conversation pits.

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    Gachot Studios refreshes lounge at The Metropolitan Opera in New York

    New York-based Gachot Studios has redesigned the patrons lounge at The Metropolitan Opera, imbuing the space with rich materials like textured wallpaper, black granite and brass accents.

    Gachot Studios transformed the Keebler J Straz Lounge while keeping the 1,861-square-foot space aligned with its ornate surroundings.
    The bar at the refreshed Keebler J Straz Lounge features a matte brass front and black stone topStudio founders and opera lovers John and Christine Gachot have a personal connection to the venue, which is part of the Lincoln Center complex designed by American architect Wallace K Harrison and opened in 1966.
    “Our son, who attended LaGuardia High School, would walk past The Met Opera every day on his way to school,” said the couple. “As New Yorkers, we value city institutions like The Met with its incredible history and cultural influence.”
    Wall-to-wall carpet in a rust hue complements the palette chosen for furnitureThe lounge was originally designed by late American decorator Billy Baldwin, and Gachot Studios referenced his layout and some of the furnishings as part of the redesign.

    “It had an intimate residential feel with various deep sofas defining seating areas,” said Gachot Studios. “The new furniture layout draws inspiration from Baldwin’s thoughtful arrangement with four lounge seating groups.”
    Brass accents including bar-top lighting are found throughout the patron’s loungeA series of upholstered screens that were once used to delineate the different lounge areas were reinterpreted as walnut-framed panels that direct guest flow from the entrance and conceal the back-of-house door.
    The arc-shaped bar is fronted by matte brass panels and topped with a curved slab of black granite.
    Seating and tables from Roche Bobois were customised to accommodate guests of all agesBronze-tinted mirrors in the back bar area reflect the room’s gold-painted ceiling and provide a mount surface for delicate shelving and a vintage clock.
    Sheer drapes are hung across the windows, and the wall are covered in textured wallpaper between vertical bands of polished brass.

    Gachot Studios creates cosy New York neighbourhood bar

    Rust-coloured wall-to-wall carpet provides a plush finish underfoot, and complements the palette of furniture pieces in cream, blush, caramel, oxblood, and various brown and black tones.
    The seating and tables from French brand Roche Bobois were customised “to accommodate for patrons of all ages” Gachot Studios said.
    Textured wallpaper sits between vertical strips of polished brassA dining area behind the bar is also provided for those wanting to sit more formally or use the space for meetings.
    Architectural lighting is kept to a minimum so as not to detract from the ceiling, while sconces, floor lamps and table lamps by Hudson Valley Lighting offer a warm glow.
    Black and white photos from The Metropolitan Opera’s history adorn the wallsThe majority of the furniture and decor can be rearranged to accommodate events beyond the use of the space before performances or during intermissions.
    “In a building that requires a balance between grandeur and practicality, the lounge is no different,” said the studio.
    Gachot Studios reinterpreted the screens originally designed for the lounge by Billy BaldwinElle Décor magazine collaborated with the opera and the studio to secure furnishings and fittings for the project.
    Founded in 2012, Gachot Studios has completed several hospitality and commercial projects across the US.
    These range from boutique hotels in Detroit and Washington DC, to the New York flagship store for cosmetics brand Glossier.
    The photography is by William Jess Laird.

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    Shaw Contract spotlights its top “sustainable and inclusive” interiors of 2024

    Promotion: the interiors of a pet-friendly office and a wood-fired restaurant are among the five winning projects in this year’s Shaw Contract Design Awards.

    The winners of the 19th edition of the award programme, hosted by flooring manufacturer Shaw Contract, feature entries from around the world, also including a minimalist workplace in China to a nature-inspired apartment block in Canada.
    Top image: a wood-fired restaurant is among the winners of this year’s Shaw Contract Design Awards. Above: it features a corridor lined with firewoodThe Shaw Contract Design Awards programme takes place annually to “celebrate the optimism of design and its ability to positively impact our communities and our planet”.
    It focuses specifically on interiors that make use of Shaw Contract’s products and services, as well as those the brand believes embody its own ethos and sustainability focus.
    Another is a pet-friendly office in the US”These projects showcase the pinnacle of regional design excellence and align with Shaw Contract’s four core People Together Planet Forever ambitions: material health, circular economy, carbon impact, and diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Shaw Contract.

    “These criteria reflect our commitment to creating spaces that are not only beautiful and functional, but also sustainable and inclusive.”
    It was celebrated by Shaw Contract for its “unique pet-first amenities”This year’s top projects have each been awarded a prize called Best of Globe Winner. They were selected from almost 700 entries from 36 countries, whittled down to a shortlist of 43, each of which was named Best of Region Winners.
    The first winning project is the workspace of pet food company Hill’s Pet Nutrition in the US, designed by Perspective Architecture + Design for employees to enjoy with their furry companions.
    It was celebrated by Shaw Contract for its “unique pet-first amenities”, including an indoor dog park and snack stations, as well as its range of workspaces designed to cater to the different work styles of its employees.
    The office also participated in the Shaw Contract Reclamation programme, which involved removing the building’s existing carpet and sending it to the company for recycling.
    A minimalist office in China was another winnerNext is Kasian Architecture’s workplace in Calgary for Canadian law firm Stikeman Elliott, designed to encourage its employees back to the office after the pandemic.
    It was hailed by Shaw Contract for its “focus on sophistication” but also the use of durable finishes, reflecting a desire to adopt the principles of a circular economy. This included the use of the brand’s flooring ranges, including its carpet tiles.
    Another winning project in Canada is Upper West Side Condos, a 14-storey residential building designed by II By IV Design.
    Shaw Contract said it was selected for the way it seeks to blend “nature with contemporary luxury”, and for the use of the brand’s Mist carpet, which it described as being “reminiscent of a country lane on a rainy day”.
    Shaw Contract also recognised Upper West Side Condos in CanadaBar Kar is a small wood-fired restaurant in Malaysia by Spacemen, awarded for its cave-like interior that is dominated by warm terracotta tones and finished with wooden, metallic and stone details.
    In particular, the brand enjoyed a corridor lined with firewood, which the chef uses as storage for the wood that they use to cook inside the kitchen.
    “Its a locally natural material which can be replenished and reused at all times, which we have turned into a building material,” said Shaw Contract.
    Another Canadian winner was a workplace for law firm Stikeman ElliottThe last project is a small workplace interior in China by Guangzhou Jenmehome Design, selected for its clean-cut minimalist design.
    Guangzhou Jenmehome Design was praised for its use of “eco-friendly” materials, which Shaw Contract said included its carpet ranges.
    Each Best of Globe Winner is awarded a $2,000 (£1,497) donation in their name to the organisation of their choice in addition to a handmade trophy by Singapore crochet artist Kelly Limerick.
    To find out more about Shaw Contract and its design awards, visit its website.
    Partnership content
    This article was written by Dezeen for Shaw Contract as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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    Paris apartment merges “minimalism with the grandeur of Napoleon-era architecture”

    French architect Joris Poggioli has renovated his Paris apartment, aiming to preserve its historic features while integrating modern design elements.

    Poggioli sought to renovate the apartment located in a mansion that was once Napoleon Bonaparte’s office, while preserving its “historic soul”.
    Joris Poggiolio has renovated his apartment in Paris”It was an opportunity to merge my passion for minimalism with the grandeur of Napoleon-era architecture,” Poggioli told Dezeen.
    “The goal was not just to restore but to allow these historical elements to shine once more in a contemporary context, while also bringing forth the voice of our generation, our era, through my intervention.”
    The apartment is located in a mansion where Napoleon Bonaparte had an officePoggioli aimed to restore the 90-square-meter apartment’s original features, which had been obscured by years of modifications.

    “When I first stepped inside, it was like entering a fortress with layers of flooring, insulation, and makeshift walls,” explained Poggioli.
    “Slowly, I peeled away these layers, revealing original parquet, mouldings, and architectural details that had been hidden for decades”.

    Studio Est adds “brutalist elements” to Battersea Power Station apartment

    Influenced by Napoleon’s historical connection to the building, he sought to honour its heritage while introducing a modern touch.
    To achieve this, Poggioli focused on subtly highlighting features of the apartment, including the grand proportions, the flow of light through large windows, and the overall sense of space.
    “I wanted my design to feel like it was embracing the historical skeleton of the building, enhancing its spirit rather than competing with it”.
    It has high ceilingsThe 4.2-metre-high ceiling, a focal point of the apartment, heavily influenced his design choices.
    Elements like an oversized headboard in the bedroom and a mezzanine-like upper floor were introduced to accentuate the tall ceiling.
    “The soaring ceiling height was one of the most striking features of the apartment,” explained Poggioli. “It immediately influenced how I approached the design, giving me room to think on a grander scale”.
    “The void, the space itself, became necessary for thought—it allows mental images to escape and flow freely,” he continued.
    The bedroom features an oversized headboardThe apartment also features sculptures borrowed from a client, a collector of Amerindian art, whose pieces have been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
    Puiforcat also lent a series of bowls designed by American artist Donald Judd, while the other pieces come from Joris’ collection.
    “These pieces were selected because they represent a bridge between tradition and modernity, much like the apartment itself,” said Poggioli.
    “Amerindian art brings a sense of deep-rooted culture and craftsmanship, while the Puiforcat bowls, with their sleek, timeless design, add a layer of refinement,” he continued.
    “Together, they create a balance that reflects the overall philosophy of the space—a harmonious coexistence of the past and the present, each enhancing the other.”
    Various sculptures can be found in the apartmentOther apartment renovations recently featured on Dezeen include an apartment in Barcelona by architect Raúl Sánchez and a brutalist apartment in Canada by architect Jean Verville.
    The photography is by Alice Mesguich.

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    Neri Oxman launches New York practice in Foster + Partners-designed studio

    Designer Neri Oxman has unveiled a studio in Midtown Manhattan designed with architecture studio Foster + Partners that houses a production workshop and wet lab.

    Oxman unveiled the lab for her studio, Oxman, in a building originally designed by American architect Albert Kahn as a car manufacturing plant and renovated by Rafael Viñoly Architects to house shops and offices.
    Neri Oxman has unveiled a studio designed with British architecture studio Foster + PartnersOxman’s team worked with Foster + Partners to design a two-storey studio on the 9th and 10th floors of the building.
    The 36,000-square-foot space (3,345 square metres) is characterised by white-painted walls and columns, and is largely open – most of the dividing walls are glass. The lower floor features design offices, a library, kitchen and lounge, while the upper floor holds the wet lab and production studio.
    “Every detail of this project has been developed in conjunction with Neri and her team, reflecting Oxman’s holistic approach that spans scales and disciplines,” said Foster + Partners founder Norman Foster.

    “Both levels of the new studio have their own distinctive characters and contain a range of highly adaptable workspaces and labs, which enhance creativity and will become an epicenter of world-leading research.”
    The studio is located in a building designed by Louis Kahn and renovated by Rafael Viñoly ArchitectsOxman said that the design of the studio was meant to be open, flexible and technical to enable collaboration between the designers, scientists, architects and other employees who work there.
    She said that the space was meant to facilitate the actualisation of her The Krebs Cycle of Creativity – a rendition of German-British scientist Hans Krebs’ diagram depicting stages of energy generation in organisms.
    It is two storeys and contains a wet lab and central glass staircase”The dream for this building, this lab was to embody the diagram,” said Oxman.
    “The lab looks clean and nice on the inside, but inside, packed in the ceiling and in the ground, are conduits that are embedded for insert allowing access to data, to power, to gasses that feed the workstations – there’s 70 miles worth of Ethernet and an optical cable for cloud computing.”
    It is characterised by white-painted walls, glass dividers and wooden furnitureThe entrance space for the studio is a central atrium lit from above by panel lights in the ceiling that conceal the complex mechanical systems, including over 100 miles of colour-coded cabling to enable high-speed data.
    One side of the first floor holds the design studio where rows of custom-produced wooden desks run perpendicular to the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlook the high-rises of Hell’s Kitchen. A garden terrace with walkways and plants runs outside the windows.
    Conduits in the walls allow for access to data, power and gasses according to OxmanOpposite the windows run a series of private offices, completely lined in glass, with vitrines featuring samples of Oxman’s work, serving as visible dividers between each wood-backed space.
    On the other side of the first level, past a central stair, is a long conference table used for displaying work and models, and behind that a series of enclosed spaces for respite.
    It is meant to foster collaboration between employeesThe floating staircase was custom-designed for the space and has a single stringer at the top of the space and interlocking glass panels.
    The second storey holds a production workshop with robotic arms and 3D printers to fabricate shoes made from polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) – plastic-like molecules derived from bacteria.
    The interior is largely openAcross an atrium is a wet lab with custom Krion benches. Opposite the windows are a series of “capsules” that are heavily mechanized and can be used to simulate natural environments.
    According to Oxman, the studio is currently working on three primary areas: urban design and architecture, product design and molecular biology.
    The space was meant to facilitate the actualisation of The Krebs Cycle of CreativityOne of the biology products is a device called ALEF, which uses sensors to monitor biodiversity by training it to intake biogenic volatile organic compounds – described as “smells” – to provide data about environments.
    “From a biodiversity chamber designed to study and heal a struggling ecosystem to a ‘scent computer’ designed to concoct a functionalized fragrance with no harm to the environment, we seek to advance our understanding of the natural world while offering alternatives to methods of designing molecular goods that rely on monocropping,” said Oxman.
    “In fact, one of the most ecologically biodiverse environments in New York City currently thrives in our lab.”

    Neri Oxman and Bill Ackman told to alter Norman Foster design for their New York penthouse

    The opening of the studio corresponds with the announcement of this endeavor, as well as the bioplastic shoes and a series of modelling systems for urban design based on what Oxman calls “ecological programming” – AI-driven modelling programs used to make planning decisions to optimise for nonhuman, as well as human, life.
    “The Lab’s organizational ‘parti sketch’ perfectly mirrors the organizational and operational logic of the company, enabling tight physical and visual connectivity across zones dedicated to hardware, software, and wetware design,” said Oxman. “In other words, one can design, build, and deploy a bioreactor in a matter of hours.”
    “We are a design and innovation company,” she said. “We operate across scales, across disciplines and application domains, to target and to heal three broken industries.”
    The opening corresponds with a biology product called ALEFOxman, who is a former tenured professor at MIT and led The Mediated Matter Research Group, is known for her experiments in novel materials for construction such as melanin and silk.
    Earlier this year Oxman was caught up in an academic plagiarism row with Business Insider reporting that her dissertation was “marred by plagiarism”. She responded to allegations in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, saying she “omitted quotation marks for certain work that I used”.
    The photography is by Nicholas Calcott
    Project credits: 
    Collaborators: Foster + Partners, Adamson Associates Architects, Sciame HomesConsultants: Benchmark Woodworking, Cosentini Associates, Front Inc., Hollander Design, Jacobs Associates, Pentagram, Percival Scientific, Inc., Persak & Wurmfeld, Shen Milsom & Wilke, LLC, Silman, Spiralis, Syzygy 3, Inc., Tillotson & Associates, TKO Project Management

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