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    At the Rose House is a design showcase at the home of famed landscape architect

    An exhibition of hand-crafted art and design pieces, including a seminal sculpture by Charles and Ray Eames, is on display at the former New Jersey home of 20th-century landscape architect James Rose.

    At the Rose House is on show at the Ridgewood home that the late American modernist landscape architect designed and hand-built for himself and his family in 1953 and lived in for almost 40 years.
    Pieces in the exhibition are displayed throughout the home as if they belong thereOrganised by curatorial platform Object & Thing and furniture and interior design studio Green River Project LLC, the exhibition stemmed from Rose’s appreciation for craft and materials.
    The show “emphasises the hand-made, beauty in nature and a sense of timelessness” according to the curators.
    Rose self-designed and hand-built the house, which features several Japanese design elementsGreen River Project LLC founders Aaron Aujla and Benjamin Bloomstein, who have admired the landscape architect for some time, have produced a series of new designs based on his work.

    Created in collaboration with a group of designers, these pieces include a side chair by both Bloomstein Industrial and Luck Carpentry, rice paper lamps from Preziosi Lighting and carved grooming items on shelves in the bathroom by Teague’s Path.
    Artworks and designs were selected to reflect Rose’s appreciation for craft and materials”The ease in which Rose expanded the home using ready-made materials was an early point of reference for our practice,” said Aujla.
    “In particular, there is a kitchen with mahogany shelves and pegboard that we must have spent over 100 hours dissecting and referring back to over the last five years.”
    Green River Project’s products are presented alongside the work of mid-century and contemporary designers, including Alvaro Barrington, Bode, Charles and Ray Eames, Louis Eisner, Hugh Hayden, Nancy Holt, Kiva Motnyk, Michele Oka Doner, Johnny Ortiz-Concha and Anne Truitt among others.
    Clothing based on Rose’s personal style is hung in closetsThe works are installed as if they belong in the rooms and garden, which – like many of Rose’s later projects – feature elements of Japanese design, including the exposed timber structure and shoji screens.
    “[Rose] spent considerable amounts of time in Japan and became a Zen Buddhist,” said the curators. “This influence is evident in the Ridgewood house, especially on the upper floor, which contains a room for his daily mediation practice that The James Rose Center is currently restoring.”
    An edition of the 1943 Plywood Sculpture by Charles and Ray Eames is being presented in the US for the first time. Photo by Michael BiondoPieces on display include the Eames’ seminal 1943 Plywood Sculpture – the first time that this edition, which was made and released by Eames Office, is being presented in the US.
    Among the designs created for the showcase are leather Adirondack chairs by Hugh Hayden, wood-fired micaceous pots by Johnny Ortiz-Concha and naturally-dyed framed textile works by Kiva Motnyk.

    Galerie Philia presents design exhibition informed by Le Corbusier at Cité Radieuse

    A selection of clothing by New York brand Bode, based on Rose’s “eccentric” personal style, is hung in the closets throughout the house.
    Landscape paintings, rice paper drawings, flower vases, terracotta sculptures, and a screening of Nancy Holt’s 1975 film Pine Barrens that “portrays the New Jersey wilderness” also feature.
    The house in Ridgewood, New Jersey, is preserved by The James Rose Center. Photo by Michael BiondoGreen River Project LLC is also producing new editions of one of Rose’s lanterns to coincide with this exhibition.
    These will be sold to benefit The James Rose Center – a non-profit landscape research and study foundation, which is based at the house and has preserved Rose’s legacy since his death in 1991.
    The exhibition, curated by Object & Thing and Green River Project LLC, runs until 2 October 2022. Photo by Michael Biondo”Rose was an impossible maverick, called by one author, ‘The James Dean of Landscape Architecture,’ but I think he would be very happy with the vision Green River Project LLC and Object & Thing have brought to his house,” said foundation director Dean Cardasis.
    At the Rose House runs until 2 October 2022. This is the latest in a series of exhibitions organised by Object & Thing within the homes of notable 20th-century artists and architects, following presentations at the houses of Gerald Luss, Robert Dash and Eliot Noyes.
    Other exhibitions that showcase the work of modernist designers include an exhibition of Le Corbusier’s tapestries in Manhattan.
     See our Dezeen Events Guide for information about other exhibitions, installations and talks.

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    Ten colourful living rooms that make a statement with bold hues

    Flamingo pink walls in a Greek seaside apartment and a living space in Italy defined by primary colours feature in our latest lookbook, which collects colourful living rooms that are designed to stand out.

    From the pastel colour palette used in a Tokyo dwelling to the clash of reds and greens seen in an Athens apartment, these 10 living rooms from across the world are defined by their colourful interiors.
    While using strong colours in a living room can seem like an intimidating prospect, these examples show how even just a few splashes of colour can create a warmer atmosphere and work as a contrast against traditional white walls.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing brutalist interiors, terrazzo eateries and residential atriums.
    Photo is by Prue RuscoePolychrome House, Australia, by Amber Road and Lymesmith

    Pops of colour feature in every room of Polychrome House, a 1960s property in Sydney that was renovated by architecture studio Amber Road and colour consultants Lymesmith.
    “Bright primary colours, which were layered throughout the interior, became the heartbeat of the joyful experience we were all committed to creating,” Amber Road co-director Yasmine Ghoniem told Dezeen.
    Find out more about Polychrome House ›
    Photo is by Kim PowellWaterfront Nikis Apartment, Greece, by Stamatios Giannikis
    Flamingo pink walls and accents take centre stage in the living room of Waterfront Nikis Apartment, a Greek seaside dwelling set within a 1937 listed art deco building.
    Architect Stamatios Giannikis paired a neon-pink hammock with a soft fluffy rug and rosy plant pots in the living room that overlooks the sea.
    Find out more about Waterfront Nikis Apartment ›
    Photo is by Jan VranovskyNagatachō Apartment, Japan, by Adam Nathaniel Furman
    Designer Adam Nathaniel Furman used a sugar-sweet colour palette to liven up a Tokyo apartment he renovated for a retired expat couple.
    Located opposite the open-plan kitchen, the combined living space and dining area features a plush lilac carpet that was chosen to contrast a bold green and blue chair and footrest, which Furman said “has the feel of sponge cake and looks like icing”.
    Find out more about Nagatachō Apartment ›
    Photo is by Tim LenzConnecticut house, USA, by Hendricks Churchill
    American firm Hendricks Churchill sought to combine the aesthetic of a traditional farmhouse with more contemporary details at this Connecticut house.
    Dusty blue cabinetry meets reddy orange furniture in the home’s living room while a textured blue rug was placed on neutral wooden floorboards.
    Find out more about this Connecticut house ›
    Photo is by Michele BonechiTrevi House, Italy, by Studio Venturoni
    Thick bands of terracotta and sand-coloured paint wrap around the walls of Trevi House, a one-bedroom apartment in Rome that is defined by warm, earthy hues.
    The living room includes a contrasting rectilinear blue and cream rug, which is positioned underneath a statement oversized sculpture, reminiscent of traditional marble statues.
    Find out more about Trevi House ›
    Photo is by Maira AcayabaThe Karine Vilas Boas Apartment, Brazil, by Studio Julliana Camargo
    A large rug with a bright geometric pattern by Portuguese brand Punto e Filo features in the living space of this large apartment in downtown São Paulo.
    Studio Julliana Camargo placed a crescent-shaped pink sofa and vivid green armchairs around the rug, emphasising its bold, technicolour appearance.
    Find out more about the Karine Vilas Boas Apartment ›
    Photo is by Yannis DrakoulidisTrikoui apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme Architects
    Local firm Point Supreme Architects designed this vibrant Athens apartment to include a single open-plan space combining the living, dining and kitchen areas.
    To make up for the absence of partition walls, the apartment includes colourful built-in custom furniture to help delineate spaces, including a stained-green plywood storage wall and a table with a bright red top.
    Find out more about this Trikoui apartment ›
    Photo is by Francis DzikowskiHouse for Booklovers and Cats, USA, by BFDO Architects
    American studio BFDO Architects added splashes of pink, orange and blue to the living room of House for Booklovers and Cats, a Brooklyn home designed to include various nooks for a pair of shy cats to retreat to.
    A higgledypiggledy bookshelf featuring brightly painted alcoves was built into one of the room’s walls, which was designed to house the owners’ extensive reading collection.
    Find out more about House for Booklovers and Cats ›
    Photo is by Paolo FuscoRetroscena, Italy, by La Macchina Studio
    Retroscena is a distinctive 1950s apartment renovation in Rome, completed by Italian architecture office La Macchina Studio to reveal the home’s original terrazzo floors.
    Primary colours were celebrated in the interior design, where the living room can be screened off by a yellow curtain and is decorated with a circular red wall hanging and a squidgy blue sofa.
    Find out more about Retroscena ›
    Photo is by José HeviaMadrid apartment, Spain, by Husos Arquitectos
    Playful lime green deck chairs and bold yellow and orange accents feature in the large living room of this Madrid apartment by Spanish studio Husos Arquitectos.
    While its plywood-board cabinetry and pinewood floors mean that natural hues dominate in the room, the studio painted some of the shelves in vibrant colours to brighten up the wood.
    Find out more about this Madrid apartment ›
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing green bedrooms, gardens with swimming pools and homes with glass extensions.

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    Ten homes with walk-in wardrobes that store clothes in interesting ways

    In this lookbook, we pick out 10 home interiors that feature walk-in closets designed to provide bedroom storage that is both practical and appealing.

    Walk-in wardrobes create a bespoke storage solution that is hard to achieve with standard furniture.
    Often they are considered a luxurious feature used to declutter the bedroom in large houses, but as the 10 examples below demonstrate, they can also be a sleek solution for utilising dead space in smaller homes.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing well-organised bedrooms, interiors with built-in furniture and homes that make a feature of their corridors.
    Photo is by Jack LovelMarine, Australia, by David Barr Architects

    This walk-through wardrobe sits in a corridor between a bathroom and the master bedroom of a cottage near Perth.
    Birch-plywood storage units and concrete flooring define the wardrobe, a continuation of the materials used throughout the light and airy extension designed by David Barr architects.
    Find out more about Marine ›
    Photo is by Roehner + RyanO-asis, USA, by The Ranch Mine
    Warm-toned wood shelving and cabinetry was combined with terrazzo flooring in this enormous walk-in closet that sets out clothes like a boutique fashion store.
    It flows right off from the bathroom of a large house in Arizona designed for a musician by architecture studio The Ranch Mine.
    Find out more about O-asis ›
    Photo is by Pion StudioBotaniczna Apartment, Poland, by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio
    A linen-curtain screen tidily obscures the walk-in wardrobe in this Poznań apartment designed by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio.
    The elegant and delicate aesthetic of the curtains contributes to the calming atmosphere the studio sought to create, as well as helping to offset the adjacent burl-wood vanity desk that acts as the bedroom’s feature element.
    Find out more about Botaniczna Apartment ›
    Photo is by Studio NojuCasa Triana, Spain, by Studio Noju
    Studio Noju used a floor-to-ceiling curtain to create a walk-in wardrobe in the main bedroom of this renovated apartment in Seville.
    The studio used a bright yellow paint for the wardrobe that contrasts with the monochrome curtain and surrounding walls, adding to the sense of theatre and surprise when the drape is drawn back.
    Find out more about Casa Triana ›
    Photo by Do Mal o MenosApartment in Estrela, Portugal, by Aurora Arquitectos
    A small, triangular room in this old Lisbon apartment was converted into a walk-in closet as part of a revamp by Aurora Arquitectos.
    White curtains cover a storage unit that runs along the longest wall of the wardrobe, which is provided with natural light by glazing above an arched doorway.
    Find out more about Apartment in Estrela ›
    Photo is by Hey! CheeseHouse H, Taiwan, by KC Design Studio
    This basement apartment in Taipei was given a moody colour palette and raw textures in an overhaul by KC Design Studio.
    That theme was continued in the walk-in wardrobe off the master bedroom, which acts as a dressing area between an en-suite bathroom and a private lounge.
    Find out more about House H ›
    Photo is by David FoesselHubert, France, by Septembre
    Embedded within a modestly sized Paris apartment renovated by architecture studio Septembre, this walk-in closet is an example of clever utilisation of space.
    A wall behind the bed forms a partial division, allowing for generous clothing storage while retaining the room’s overall proportions.
    Find out more about Hubert ›
    Photo is by José HeviaThe Magic Box Apartment, Spain, by Raúl Sánchez Architects
    This apartment near Barcelona, designed by Raúl Sánchez Architects, takes the concept of a walk-in wardrobe to a new level.
    Aptly called The Magic Box Apartment, it features a shiny brass wardrobe that divides two bedrooms instead of a traditional partition wall, which can be passed through like a secret passageway.
    Find out more about The Magic Box Apartment ›
    Photo is by Pablo PachecoRL House Renovation, Spain, by Diego López Fuster Arquitectura
    Diego López Fuster Arquitectura opted to give the bedroom of this Alicante a generous walk-in wardrobe that acts as a full dressing area.
    Rather than being hidden or tucked away, its wide proportions help to make the relatively long and narrow bedroom feel more spacious.
    Find out more about RL House Renovation ›
    Photo is by José HeviaCasp21, Spain, by Bonba Studio
    Green-panelled wood boxing encloses a sizeable walk-in wardrobe in the corner of this bedroom in a converted office building in Barcelona.
    Through this intervention, Bonba Studio maximised the feeling of brightness and spaciousness in the room, as well as ensuring that the full impact of the traditional vaulted ceiling was maintained.
    Find out more about Casp21 ›
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing well-organised bedrooms, interiors with built-in furniture and homes that make a feature of their corridors.

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    Jan Hendzel tracks down “super special” London timbers to overhaul Town Hall Hotel suites

    Reclaimed architectural timber and wood from a felled street tree form the furnishings of two hotel suites that designer Jan Hendzel has revamped for London’s Town Hall Hotel in time for London Design Festival.

    Suites 109 and 111 are set on the first floor of the Town Hall Hotel, which is housed in a converted Grade II-listed town hall in Bethnal Green dating back to 1910.
    Each of the apartment-style suites features a living room with a kitchen alongside a bedroom and en-suite, which Hendzel has outfitted with bespoke furnishings. Like all of the furniture maker’s pieces, these are crafted exclusively from British timbers.
    Jan Hendzel has overhauled suites 109 (top) and 111 (above) of the Town Hall HotelBut for his first interiors project, Hendzel took an even more hyper-local approach with the aim of finding all of the necessary products inside the M25 – the motorway that encircles the British capital.
    “We started out with the idea that we could source everything within London,” he told Dezeen during a tour of the suites.

    “Some timbers have come from Denmark Hill, some are reclaimed from Shoreditch. And we used Pickleson Paint, which is a company just around the corner, literally two minutes from here.”
    The living area of suite 111 features green upholstery by Yarn CollectiveThe reclaimed timber came in the form of pinewood roof joists and columns, which Hendzel found at an architectural salvage yard.
    These had to be scanned with a metal detector to remove any nails or screws so they could be machined into side tables and tactile wire-brushed domes used to decorate the suites’ coffee tables.
    Rippled wooden fronts finish the kitchen in both suitesIn Suite 111, both the dining table and the rippled kitchen fronts are made from one of the many plane trees that line the capital’s streets, giving them the nickname London plane.
    “This London plane is super special because it has come from a tree that was taken up outside Denmark Hill train station in Camberwell,” Hendzel explained. “We couldn’t find timber from Bethnal Green but it’s the closest we could get.”
    The dining table in suite 111 is made from London planeFor other pieces, materials had to be sourced from further afield – although all are either made in the UK or by UK-based brands.
    Hendzel used British ash and elm to craft mirrors and benches with intricate hand-carved grooves for the suites, while the patterned rugs in the living areas come from West London studio A Rum Fellow via Nepal.
    “People in the UK don’t make rugs, so you have to go further afield,” Hendzel said. “Same with the upholstery fabrics. You could get them here but if they are quadruple your budget, it’s inaccessible.”

    Jan Hendzel explores potential of British hardwood in Bowater furniture collection

    Hendzel’s aim for the interior scheme was to create a calm, pared-back version of a hotel room, stripping away all of the “extra stuff” and instead creating interest through rich textural contrasts.
    This is especially evident in the bespoke furniture pieces, which will now become part of his studio’s permanent collection.
    Among them is the Wharf coffee table with its reclaimed wooden domes, worked with a wire brush to expose the intricate graining of the old-growth timber and offset against a naturally rippled tabletop.
    “It’s a genetic defect of the timber, but it makes it extra special and catches your eye,” Hendzel said.
    Grooves were hand-carved into the surfaces of mirrors and benches featured throughout the suitesThe coffee table, much like the nearby Peng dining chair, is finished with faceted knife-drawn edges reminiscent of traditional stone carving techniques. But while the table has a matt finish, the chair is finished with beeswax so its facets will reflect the light.
    Unexpected details such as loose-tongue joints, typically used to make tables, distinguish the Mowlavi sofa and armchair, while circular dowels draw attention to the wedge joint holding together their frames.
    Reclaimed architectural timber was used to bedside tables in room 109Alongside the bespoke pieces, Hendzel incorporated existing furniture pieces such as the dresser from his Bowater collection, presented at LDF in 2020. Its distinctive undulating exterior was also translated into headboards for the bedrooms and cabinet fronts for the kitchens.
    These are paired with crinoid marble worktops from the Mandale quarry in Derby, with roughly-hewn edges offset against a perfectly smooth surface that reveals the fossils calcified within.
    “It’s a kajillion years old and it’s got all these creatures from many moons ago that have fallen into the mud and died,” Hendzel said. “But then, when they get polished up, they look kind of like Ren and Stimpy.”
    A rippled headboard features in both suitesGoing forwards, the Town Hall Hotel plans to recruit other local designers to overhaul its remaining 94 rooms.
    Other installations on show as part of LDF this year include a collection of rotating public seating made from blocks of granite by designer Sabine Marcelis and an exhibition featuring “sympathetic repairs” of sentimental objects as the V&A museum.
    The photography is by Fergus Coyle.
    London Design Festival 2022 takes place from 17-25 September 2022. See our London Design Festival 2022 guide on Dezeen Events Guide for information about the many other exhibitions, installations and talks taking place throughout the week.

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    Chzon studio designs airport departure hall to reference Parisian life

    French design agency Chzon studio has added archways and fountains that reference iconic Parisian monuments to a departure lounge at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.

    Chzon studio redesigned the boarding gate area in Terminal 2G with the aim of creating a dynamic representation of Paris’ design and history in a typically utilitarian area of the airport.
    The vast space is punctuated by white columns and sculptural installationsThe 1,300-square-meter space is populated by rounded seating in dark blue and green upholstery, which takes aesthetic cues from the 1960s and 1970s, arranged in benches, booths and pairs.
    To zone the space and instill privacy, the studio added partitions and expressive white sculptures by artist studio Les Simonnets, which double as alternative bench seating.
    References to Paris are made at varying scales throughout the spaceThe studio made reference to iconic Parisian monuments by installing archways that nod to the Arc de Triomphe, as well as a fountain that is reminiscent of the water feature in the Jardin du Luxembourg and surrounded by green metal chairs similar to those found in Paris’ parks.

    Rows of wooden tables have been inlaid with chess boards in another reference to the parks of Paris. Passengers can use these as workspaces, to eat at, or to play games on while waiting for flights.
    The miniature fountain is a focal point within the terminalAs well as designing some of the lighting for the interior in-house, the studio also sourced and installed antique lighting and other decorative objects from the city’s St Ouen flea market, including giant wall lights and aluminium sunshades.
    To keep the space relevant to its function, Chzon also made references to aeroplane design by employing metallic details, patterned finishes and reclining plane-style seats designed by Italian architect and furniture designer Osvaldo Borsani.

    Marcel Wanders draws on Dutch history for overhaul of Schiphol airport lounge

    “[The design] dramatises the boarding lounge while keeping the passenger informed,” Dorothée Meilichzon, founder of Chzon studio, said of the interior design.
    “The departure lounge becomes a smooth transition between the Paris that we are leaving and the plane that is going to take off.”
    The mural is applied to perforated sheets and wraps around the walls above the windowsThe space also features a mural inspired by the work of French painter Sonia Delaunay that sits above the windows, which overlook the runways and allow views of planes taking off and landing.
    This fresco also references symbols used in airport signage and carries similar rounded motifs to the ones present in the retro-style seating and lighting.
    Rounded elements in furniture, lighting and decor reference the design of the 1960s and 1970sCharles de Gaulle Airport, also known as Roissy Airport, is the French capital’s principle airport.
    Other airport-related projects published on Dezeen include the cosy remodelling of an airport in Colorado, USA by Gensler and an airport that contains the world’s tallest indoor waterfall by Safdie architects.
    Images are courtesy of Chzon studio

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    University of the Arts London spotlights six interior and spatial design projects

    Dezeen School Shows: an app that makes use of disused car parks and a community cafe feature in Dezeen’s latest school show by students at the University of the Arts London.

    Also included is a museum that examines the role of female workers in the industrial revolution and a scheme that aims to integrate the physical and digital worlds to connect people to their surroundings.

    Institution: University of the Arts LondonSchool: Camberwell College of ArtsCourse: BA Interior and Spatial Design
    School statement:
    “Camberwell College of Arts is a renowned art and design college. We give students the space to explore their creativity. Staff will support and challenge you to rethink current practices. Our facilities embrace both traditional craftsmanship and digital technology.

    “Our design and fine art courses will make you think about your social responsibility, as well as develop your critical and making skills.
    “View our recent graduate’s work online at the Graduate Showcase website.
    “Join our online and on-site open days to learn more about Camberwell College of Arts and our courses. Click here for more information.
    “For the following projects, Camberwell’s BA Interior and Spatial Design students collaborated with students at IED Kunsthal, a design university located in Bilbao, Spain.
    “Students focused on the regeneration of Zorrotzaurre, a post-industrial area of Bilbao built on an artificial island.
    “The project’s aim was to design proposals for a former biscuit factory site, which required remote online working with students at IED Kunsthal as they researched and explored the area together.
    “Each student created a map of the urban landscape through a variety of media including textiles, projection and interaction.
    “Some Camberwell students also visited the site in Bilbao, where they exhibited their urban fabric mappings of the current condition of Zorrotzaurre and design proposals for the future of the island.
    “They also took part in a show at the university, as well as delivered presentations and workshops as part of the DRS2022.”

    Community and the Vernacular: Physical and Virtual by Lea Fakhouri
    “Community and the Vernacular is an expansion of my thesis around the idea that people in today’s society are considered inert consumers that only use the spaces that they inhabit, and are not actually part of the process of designing them.
    “My project explores the merging of the physical and digital world to help revitalise the connection between people and space.
    “The physical world houses six separate pavilions suspended across the site of the Artiach Cookie Factory in Bilbao, Spain.
    “The virtual world houses the united pavilions suspended together to represent the capabilities of the community to inform and transform its topography.”
    Student: Lea FakhouriCourse: BA Interior and Spatial Design

    Mobile Community Repair Cafes by Mia Bizard
    “Using my research on themes exploring accessibility, connection and communities, this project continues my investigation into the architecture of connection – connecting people, city, and environment.
    “Proposing a series of workshops and gallery spaces that essentially become repair cafes, all connected with foldable canopies, this project promotes the reduction of waste and sustainable, social community-focused lifestyles.
    “The idea is to bridge and connect these places – located around the island of Zorrotzaurre in Bilbao, Spain – as well as the local community through this fragmented series of spaces.
    “It aims to empower residents to take an active part in shaping their communities, as well as building on the legacy of the site by adding a participatory and engaging design that will help promote and attract people to the area.”
    Student: Mia BizardCourse: BA Interior and Spatial Design

    Zorrotzaurre’s Art District by Maya Mammoud
    “The project offers a unique experience to its visitors by taking them through a ‘designed walk’ across three spaces: a gallery, an auditorium and a multi-purpose social space.
    “The project is aimed at the local community and those with a common interest in Bilbao’s growing art scene.
    “The spatial layout explores the act of observing, using thresholds and viewports to make visitors see, experience and question their surroundings.
    “The aim of using viewports as a tool for observing fragments of other spaces, allowing sudden interactions to happen between visitors.
    “It also forms a deeper understanding of visitor experiences and how it is influenced by the creation of space.”
    Student: Maya MammoudCourse: BA Interior and Spatial Design

    Time Traveller by Qiao Wang
    “I created a temporary exhibition to promote local cultural heritage in Zorrotzaurre, Bilbao, Spain.
    “This solar-powered installation is based on the simplified shape of Zorrotzaurre, which is intended to provide visitors with a quick tour of the island.
    “To arouse the interest of visitors, they will feel as if they are exploring the maze while walking inside the installation, just like they are discovering and seeking knowledge in an unfamiliar city.
    “This project promotes the industrial heritage culture of the region to visitors from all over the world while boosting the local tourism economy and providing educational cultural dissemination.
    “In the installation, I used the pulley structure of the factory and woven fabric, which was inspired by my map. All materials used are sustainable.”
    Student: Qiao WangCourse: BA Interior and Spatial Design

    Fabric-Women-Museum by Shiyuan Liu
    “Fabric-Women-Museum aims to spatialise the inequalities suffered by women in the workplace during the industrial revolution.
    “The project is based on research into the history of Artiach during the industrial revolution when approximately 80 per cent of the workers were women.
    “Although Artiach offered work opportunities for women, their working conditions and treatment were poor.
    “The design translates the inequality of women in the workplace into four thematic rooms: control, inconvenience, isolation and vulnerability.
    “The interactive exhibition helps visitors understand the conditions suffered by women workers in workspaces during the industrial revolution.”
    Student: Shiyuan LiuCourse: BA Interior and Spatial Design

    (Junk)scape – Rethinking and Recycling Non-Places by Kiwi Chan
    “This project represents creative ways to transform car parks from non-place, anonymous spaces to ones with urban character.
    “The (Junk)scape app is a system and service that proposes efficient uses for ‘wasted’ spaces and energy around ‘non-places’ i.e. car parks.
    “This app rethinks and recycles underutilised parking lots by using a renting and scheduling system.
    “My primary design proposal for my rented ‘non- place’ explores ‘placeless’ people, in hopes to provide support for the local homeless community and raise awareness around this ‘invisible class’ through film.
    “This proposal also aims to incorporate responsible involvement with Bizitegi, a non-profit organisation that contributed to the construction of services for individuals from the worlds of exclusion and mental illness in Bilbao.”
    Student:Kiwi ChanCourse: BA Interior and Spatial Design
    Partnership content
    This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and the University of the Arts London. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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    Neri&Hu creates “nomadic” office interiors for Shanghai media company

    Chinese architecture studio Neri&Hu has designed a flexible office space in Shanghai for the changing needs of media company Red+Plus Studio’s employees.

    The Shanghai-based studio stripped back the 529-square-metre space, located on the second floor of a factory building within a former industrial campus, by removing numerous layers of previous renovations.
    The concrete structure is exposed in the office’s central spaceThe concrete structure of the building was left exposed throughout with a number of columns breaking up a large multi-use space at the centre of the office.
    Large steps within this space can be used as seating for presentations with a hidden projector placed in the roof.
    The existing skylights were used to light the desksTwo stainless-steel structures enclose meeting rooms alongside this main space, while private offices are arranged alongside it.

    A room with stainless-steel desks, which is lit by six pre-existing skylights in the sloping roof, stretches along one edge of the room.
    “With the strength of the building’s original character revealed, any additions to the space were carefully applied in layers that allow what is behind to coexist, inhabiting the liminal space between past and present,” explained the studio.
    A hidden projector can be lowered to create a screening roomThe studio used “nomad” as the design concept, based on the client’s request for flexible working spaces.
    Spaces were designed so that they can serve multiple functions, with several sliding doors created to provide flexibility and allow the company to alter the workspace dependent on future needs.

    Neri&Hu embody ethos of “reflective nostalgia” with own architecture studio in Shanghai

    “Much like the itinerant populations that move between cities to offer specialized services, the people working for and with this agency needed their spaces to transform according to various scenarios,” said the studio.
    Stainless steel and frosted glass were widely used throughout the space to contrast the concrete structure and reflect the changing usage. Galvanized steel and mesh were selected as they will change colour over time.
    Various office rooms are placed at the edge of the main spaceNeri&Hu’s other recent projects include a courtyard house in Singapore and a guesthouse wrapped in metal mesh in Shenzhen.
    The photography is by Zhu Runzi.
    Project credits:
    Partners-in-charge: Lyndon Neri, Rossana HuAssociate: Siyu ChenDesign team: Jerry Guo, Kenneth Qiao, Jinghan Li, Ath Supornchai, Kany Liu, Greg WuFF&E design and procurement: Design RepublicContractor: Shanghai Idea Mechanics Interior Designers Contractors

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    Vermilion Zhou Design Group opts for rich hues in revamp of Haidilao hotpot restaurant

    Shades of blue and green feature throughout this hotpot restaurant in Shenzhen, which has been updated by Chinese studio Vermilion Zhou Design Group.

    Haidilao, which was established in 1994, is the biggest hotpot restaurant chain in China, with overseas branches in cities such as London, New York and Sydney.
    When its Shenzhen location was in need of a revamp, Vermilion Zhou Design Group was brought in to lead on the design.
    Sky-blue seating lies at the centre of the restaurantFrom the outset, the Shanghai-based studio knew it wanted to avoid the red and black colour scheme that has previously been used in Haidilao restaurants.
    The space has instead been decked out in shades of blue and green that are meant to nod to the chain’s use of natural, fresh ingredients.

    At the periphery of the floor plan are jade-green dining cabinsAt the heart of the restaurant is a bank of sky-blue dining chairs accompanied by tables with flecked, terrazzo-style countertops.
    Bands of shiny brass panelling have been suspended from the ceiling overhead, inset with LED ticker boards that project interactive messages to diners.
    A large LED screen has also been integrated into Haidilao’s facade; it displays moving silhouettes of different people, hinting at the buzzing activity of the restaurant’s interior.
    Tables have terrazzo-style countertopsAround the periphery of the main dining room is a sequence of high-backed, jade-green booths that form intimate “cabins” where small groups can enjoy their meals.
    There are also a number of cosy nooks designed to accommodate solo diners.
    Jade-coloured fixtures and furnishings also appear in the private dining roomTowards the rear of Haidilao there is a drinks counter and a private dining room that can be hired out for special occasions. Tall pivoting doors help close the space off from the rest of the floor plan.
    In keeping with the rest of the restaurant, it features jade-coloured walls and brass-edged furnishings.
    In the bathrooms, terrazzo washbasins meet scalloped wallsVermilion Zhou Design Group has created a small manicure bar within the restaurant’s entryway – not only is it meant to lure in more passersby, but it also gives prospective diners a fun way to kill time while waiting for a table.
    The bar has been rendered blush-pink, boldly deviating from the restaurant’s colour scheme, and has a scallop feature wall.
    Scalloped surfaces go on to appear in the customer bathrooms, which have been finished with oblong mirrors and terrazzo-like washbasins.
    A pink nail manicure bar has been created in Haidilao’s entrywayThere are a number of visually striking hotpot restaurants across China.
    Examples include Jin Sheng Long in Qinhuangdao, where diners sit among thick stucco partitions, and Xinhua Nufang in Chengdu, which perches on the edge of a lotus pond.
    The photography is by Vincent Wu.
    Project credits:
    Creative director: Kuang Ming (Ray) ChouConcept design: Ting Ho, Ming ShiInterior design: Garvin Hong, Xudong Wang, Yuqin Chou, Dandan Guo, Jing Wu, Zihao Yao, Yuxuan Li, Changsong LiLighting design: Vera Chu, Chia Huang LiaoFF&E design: Ping Xue, Ruiping HeVideo: Ming Shi

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