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      Patricia Urquiola turns Michigan’s Haworth Hotel into a “design showcase”

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      European brands intermingle with furniture from US company Haworth in a Michigan hotel that has been reimagined by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola.

      The Haworth Hotel is housed within a multi-level brick building in downtown Holland, a small city along Lake Macatawa. The hotel sits within the campus of the private school Hope College.
      The historic Haworth Hotel in Michigan was renovated by Patricia UrquiolaThe renovation was backed by the Haworth family, which owns the office furniture brand by the same name. The hotel is meant to accommodate visitors to the company’s global headquarters in Holland, along with visitors to the college.
      “The hotel was completely redone as part of a large initiative to turn a campus hotel into a design showcase while enhancing the guest experience,” the company said.
      The staircase is made of bent metal and oakTo revitalise the hotel, the company turned to Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola, who runs a studio in Milan. Urquiola has created several products for Haworth, including a sofa and pouf, and has a knack for balancing “warmth, playfulness, sophistication and multiple brand experiences”.

      For the hotel project – Urquiola’s first in the US – the designer was charged with creating a distinctive space that is both durable and comfy.
      The hotel lobby has furniture brands like CappelliniThe property contains 48 guest rooms, a range of meeting spaces, a fitness centre and a newly added coffeeshop that is open to the public. There also is a ballroom that doubles as a student dining space.
      Guests step into a bright lobby featuring pale wooden flooring and white walls. Daylight streams in through street-facing windows.
      The accent wall of the dining room is clad in white oakA centerpiece of the lobby is a wide, spiral staircase made of bent metal and oak. The stair rises up from a podium with geometric tile designed by Urquiola for Mutina.
      Just off the entrance is a lounge space fitted with furniture from Cappellini, Cassina, Poltrona Frau and Haworth. Underfoot is a grey rug from Gan, a division of Gandia Blasco.

      Palisociety and North 45 Projects return grand Portland hotel to its original use

      Similar brands are featured in other areas of the hotel.
      For instance, a room with powder blue walls is fitted with poufs and stools from Haworth, Cappellini tables made of terrazzo and faux marble, and a modular sofa system designed by Urquiola for Haworth. Affixed to the walls are disc-shaped lighting fixtures from Pablo Designs.
      Meeting rooms were part of the renovation of the Haworth HotelIn a dining area, the designer placed tables and chairs from Cassina and a Big Shadow lamp by Marcel Wanders for Cappellini. An accent wall is clad in white oak.
      Guest rooms are intended to foster relaxation. Furnishings include Haworth poufs and chairs, bedside sconces by Louis Poulsen, and millwork designed by Urquiola and fabricated by Cassina Contract.
      The rooms include millwork designed by Urquiola”The Haworth Hotel is a blend of residential and commercial solutions – durable enough to withstand years of accommodating guests and with a vibe that feels like home,” the team said.
      Other interior design projects by Patricia Urquiola include a Maggie Centre for cancer care in Barcelona that has a bright and homely atmosphere. The building was designed by Benedetta Tagliabue of EMBT.
      The photography is by Haworth Hotel.
      Project credits:
      Interior design: Studio UrquiolaArchitectural design: GMB Architecture + EngineeringGeneral contractor: Owen-Ames-Kimball

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      Nintendo's former HQ to reopen as hotel designed by Tadao Ando

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      Japanese architect Tadao Ando has transformed a building that was once home to video game giant Nintendo into a boutique hotel.

      Due to open on 1 April, Marufukuro Hotel will be located in Kyoto in a building that was occupied by Nintendo between 1933 and 1959, when the company was called Yamauchi Nintendo.
      At the time, the company was a manufacturer of Japanese playing cards called “hanafuda” and Western-style playing cards called “karuta” and “toranpu”.
      The building was home to Nintendo from 1933 to 1959Located in the Kagiyacho neighbourhood, just north of Kyoto railway station, the building has been unoccupied ever since Nintendo vacated it.
      Ando has renovated and extended the old structure, converting it into an 18-room hotel including a restaurant, bar, spa and gym.

      The building’s exterior has remained largely unchanged, retaining elements such as old Yamauchi Nintendo entrance plaques and window grilles patterned with details from the old playing cards.
      Ando’s task was to reimagine the building’s interior but incorporate many of its original 1930s details, which include decorative tiling and art-deco lighting fixtures.
      Art-deco details are retained in the renovationFor the annex, the architect has adopted a more modern approach with floor-to-ceiling windows and elements in raw concrete, the material he is famous for.
      Photos of the completed Marufukuro Hotel have so far been kept under wraps, but the hotel is already taking bookings and has released some visuals showing layout and furniture details in the guest rooms.

      Ace Hotel Kyoto reveals interiors designed by Kengo Kuma and Commune

      Guests can choose to stay in either the old or new parts of the building, in rooms ranging in size between 33 and 79 square metres.
      The project is backed by property developer Plan Do See.
      Tadao Ando converted the existing building into an 18-room hotelAndo is among Japan’s most prolific architects. Awarded the Pritzker Prize in 1995, his best-known projects include Church of the Light and Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum.
      Recent projects include the renovation of the Bourse de Commerce building in Paris, which proved controversial, and art centre Casa Wabi in Mexico.
      It was recently announced that Ando is designing a Palm Springs home for reality TV star Kim Kardashian.

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      Nordic functionalism informs Stockholm beauty clinic by ASKA

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      Swedish architecture studio ASKA has drawn on the existing 1930s architecture for its refurbishment of Stockholm beauty salon MBS by Malika, adding arched shapes and oak veneer panelling.

      The beauty clinic in central Stockholm is located in a building designed in the Scandinavian modernist style known as Nordic functionalism – or simply funkis in Swedish.
      Doorways were given subtle arched shapesASKA, which is led by Polina Sandström and Madeleine Klingspor, made a number of structural changes to the space as part of the refurbishment, but wanted to keep the interior design both functional and stylish.
      The studio tore down most of the interior walls in the 70-square-metre salon to make more space for private rooms for its beauty therapists.
      The designers used oak veneer in reference to modernist designsAdditional walls were designed with the building’s modernist architecture in mind.

      “The new walls were designed in a way so they would go hand in hand with the rest of the architecture with oak detailing and structured glass, which also helps the daylight to get through the whole space,” Klingspor told Dezeen.
      “The centrally-placed dividing wall with the pseudo three arch was also an addition by us,” Sandström added.
      “From a functional aspect, it helps separate the public part of the clinic from the more private one.”
      A pale blue shade lines doorways and skirting boardsWood was used throughout the space, with oak veneer chosen as it was popular during the era when the building was constructed.
      The material added “the right nostalgic association” to the interior, while balancing out the otherwise clinical aesthetics and the salon’s cool colour scheme.
      ASKA aimed to create a light, clean atmosphere for the salon and chose to work with blue and white hues, with a pale blue shade lining the wooden skirting boards and door frames for a stylish contrasting detail.
      Colour was used to contrast against the abundant wood”We chose to add the popping blue colour because it works as a good contrast against the warm oak adding a fresh and clinical touch, while at the same time being a somewhat unusual choice for a beauty salon – adding a surprising element to the design,” Klingspor explained.
      In addition to changing the layout of the space, the studio also created a new showpiece for the salon, a tile-clad reception desk that greets visitors and references Finnish modernist architect Alvar Aalto.

      ASKA draws on Wes Anderson films for pastel-coloured Cafe Banacado design

      “The reception desk is something of a key element that captures the essence of the concept in one piece – a homage to the functionalist era with a modern twist,” Sandström said.
      “The white tiles were inspired by Aalvar Alto’s interior designs and help define the shape of the desk-corners thanks to their slightly rounded aesthetic.”
      A tiled desk with a contrasting laminate tabletop was designed for the receptionBoth the shape of the desk and the materials were also chosen to evoke the era.
      “The compact laminate was also a material choice that is true to the mid-century design era, whilst the blue colour and dark blue grout add a bold, unique element to the expression,” Sandström added.
      “The different heights of the desk helps to create two different areas in a true ‘form follows function’ manner.”
      Cream-coloured manicure tables are dotted throughout the spaceASKA also designed cream-coloured lounge tables and nail manicure stations for the salon.
      The studio has previously created a hair salon in Stockholm that features an undulating ceiling installation that looks like dripping shampoo, as well as a pastel-coloured cafe that references Wes Anderson’s film aesthetic.
      The photography is by Mikael Lundblad.

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      Toronto beach house by Odami resolves “contradictory” context between waterfront and city

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      Canadian studio Odami has completed the interiors of a split-level home in Toronto, using light tones that nod to the nearby beaches of Lake Ontario.

      The Beaches House was completed for a client living near the city’s waterfront, which is lined with long stretches of sandy beaches.
      Odami’s design for the interiors drew inspiration from typical beach homes, while also offering a contemporary living environment in Canada’s largest city.
      The Beaches House takes cues from typical beach homes”Toronto’s Beaches neighbourhood presents a peculiar condition within the city,” said the studio, led by Aránzazu González Bernardo and Michael Norman Fohring.
      “To experience the area is to seamlessly transition between a natural and calm landscape, and an urban and lively atmosphere,” they added.

      The split-level home is located in TorontoOdami’s interior palette features typical beach-inspired finishes, such as textured wall panels of varying widths, sand-hued countertops, and plenty of tropical plants throughout the home.
      Throughout the living space, light wooden floors and creamy tones offer a tranquil environment.
      A skylight illuminates the steel-and-wood staircase”Responsible for the interior design, our goal was to create a home which would reflect this contradictory context: a house which would belong as much to the city as it would to a beach far removed from it,” Odami explained.
      At the centre of the house, a skylight illuminates the steel-and-wood staircase, helping to brighten the interiors and draw visitors upstairs as they move through the home.

      Oak staircase links split levels of Canadian house by Omar Gandhi

      “The central staircase, which winds its way up through the split levels of the house, was detailed with thin steel pickets and floating treads, continuing the rhythmic language of the paneling,” said the designers.
      This calmer palette contrasts some darker materials that were used in circulation spaces, such as a grey stone in the entrance hallway, and a bathroom where the walls and floors are lined with a dark terrazzo.
      Odami added dark terrazzo elements to the bathroom”In the bedrooms and bathrooms of the last floor, the sequence comes to rest, as light, repetitive elements give way to moments of stillness, calm, and dense materiality,” the studio explained.
      Odami was founded in 2017 in Toronto. Other projects from the Canadian studio include a collection of wooden furniture that was crafted from the same dying tree, and a restaurant where the walls are lined with roughly troweled plaster.
      The darker tones contrast with the home’s lighter elementsAlso in Toronto, the Winter Stations design competition recently unveiled the pavilions for its 2022 edition.
      The photography is by Doublespace Photography.

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      Ten well-organised bedrooms with clever storage solutions

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      For our latest lookbook, we have rounded up 10 bedrooms from the Dezeen archive that make use of smart storage solutions, including custom-made headboards and floor-to-ceiling wall units.

      From basement one-bedroom apartments that use bookshelves as room partitions, to a plywood insertion in a children’s bedroom that combines work, play and sleep, these interiors all feature clever storage.
      Small cupboards inserted into headboards, below stairs and even within bed frames are also used to provide discreet additions to traditional storage units.
      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 interiors by Ukranian designers, coastal hotel interiors and self-designed homes by architects and designers.
      Photo is by Yiannis Hadjiaslanis and Point SupremeAthens apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme

      Greek architecture firm Point Supreme transformed a basement storage space in a suburban neighbourhood in Athens into a one-bedroom home.
      The 56-square-metre sunken space only receives light from above on one side. In order to make the space to feel as bright and big as possible, Point Supreme used curtains, sliding doors and open shelving units as wall partitions.
      The studio also added smart shelving below the ceiling of the bedroom, making full use of the height of the room.
      Find out more about Athens apartment ›
      Photo is by French+TyeTwo and a Half Storey House, UK, by Bradley Van Der Straeten
      Bradley Van Der Straecten Architects added a half-storey extension to this home in London’s Stoke Newington.
      The studio lined the interior of the extension in plywood and incorporated built-in wardrobes, bookshelves and a platform bed frame to maximise the space in this children’s bedroom.
      Find out more about Two and a Half Storey House ›
      Photo is by Draper WhiteGammel Dam, US, by CCY Architects
      This holiday home in Colorado by CCY Architects features floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the hilly terrain.
      The interiors are lined in pale wood and include clever storage solutions throughout. Wooden cupboards were built into the bed frames to maximise the use of the space, while keeping the minimalist feel of the interior.
      Find out more about Gammel Dam ›
      Photo is by Rafael SoldiWhidbey Dogtrot, US, by SHED
      Named after its location on Whidbey Island, which is just north of Seattle, this single-storey home was designed by American firm SHED for a couple that is soon to retire.
      In the bedroom, a large reading nook, fitted with rows of shelving, opens to the sleeping area and offers views across the serene landscape. Fixtures and architectural elements were painted black and provide a striking contrast against the white walls.
      Find out more about Whidbey Dogtrot ›
      Photo is by Ståle Eriksen.London apartment, UK, by Jonathan Tuckey Design
      Architecture studio Jonathan Tuckey Design overhauled this Marylebone apartment in London, adding pastel storage walls that curve and dip between each room.
      Instead of standard shelving, the studio opted to use built-in furniture throughout the space in the form of MDF storage walls.
      The primary bedroom was divided in two by storage walls to house a walk-in closet and sleeping area, which is now accessed through a pistachio-hued arch.
      Find out more about London apartment ›
      Photo is by Michael SinclairA Room for Two, UK, by Studio Ben Allen
      Studio Ben Allen built a wooden structure inside a London flat to create a shared bedroom for two children.
      The structure, which was constructed using pale birch plywood, features arched openings, steps fitted with shelving beneath, a fold-down desk and a desk-cum-platform.
      The plywood insertion provides the children with a place for sleep, work and play, without compromising on tidy storage.
      Find out more about A Room for Two ›
      Photo is by Shannon McGrathCentral Park Road Residence, Australia, by Studio Four
      Australian practice Studio Four used dark surfaces and large storage volumes throughout this Melbourne family home.
      In the primary bedroom, a full-height storage unit doubles as a headboard and includes a horizontal opening that serves as a shelf for a single row of books.
      The dark-painted volume, which was placed in the centre of the room, conceals a walk-in wardrobe as well as an ensuite bathroom.
      Find out more about Central Park Road Residence ›

      Smolenka Apartment, Russia, by Peter Kostelov
      Russian architect Peter Kostelov renovated this apartment in Moscow, adding a raised living room in a wooden capsule as well as built-in furniture units.
      The bedroom was finished in oak and divided into sections that have smooth, rounded passages between the ceiling, floor and walls forming shelves, closets and a bed. A television was neatly tucked into the wall unit opposite the bed.
      Find out more about Smolenka Apartment ›
      Photo is by Lisbeth GrosmannFlinders Lane Apartment, Australia, by Clare Cousins
      Clare Cousins Architects inserted a timber box and mezzanine platform into this one-bedroom apartment in Melbourne to create three additional sleeping areas.
      The 75-square-metre flat includes a hoop-pine plywood volume that houses two small bedrooms – each the length of a bed.
      Inside the volume, recesses in the walls form shallow shelves for small items, while hooks are spread across the panels for hanging clothes and personal items.
      Find out more about Flinders Lane Apartment ›
      Photo is by João Morgado.Musico Iturbi, Spain, by Roberto Di Donato
      London-practice Robert Di Donato used a large pair of wooden storage units in this Valencian apartment to complement the aged and weathered interiors.
      One wooden unit divides the bedroom from the main living area and extends to the full height of the space. It features sliding doors that can be closed to provide the sleeping area with complete privacy.
      Find out more about Musico Iturbi ›
      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 modernist living rooms, interiors by Ukranian designers and homes designed by architects and designers.

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      Swedish forest retreat by Norm Architects is “designed for a simple life”

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      Norm Architects has converted a traditional timber cabin, hidden away amongst pine trees in a forest in Sweden, into a pared-back holiday home for families.

      The Copenhagen-based studio took a “back-to-basics” approach when it came to remodelling the two-floor building, which is positioned on top of a ridge.
      Norm Architects has converted a traditional cabin into a minimalist holiday home”Creating homes is often an exercise in restraint,” explained Norm Architects co-founder Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen.
      “And while the creation of a simple, authentic and welcoming space might seem effortless and natural once completed, the journey to simplicity and the exercise of finding essence is often rather complex and not an easy task.”
      The ground floor houses an open-plan living and dining areaOn the home’s ground floor, a cosy sitting room is dressed with a couple of plump greige sofas and a sheepskin-covered lounge chair, created by the practice in collaboration with Danish furniture brand Menu.

      One corner of the room is occupied by a wood burner in the same off-white colour as the walls, which were coated in dolomite plaster.
      Oakwood was used to craft the flooring and cabinetryOn the other side of the ground floor lies a dining area, anchored by a large timber table. Just behind is the kitchen, housing a series of handleless low-lying cupboards crafted from oakwood.
      Oak was also used to form the flooring and all of the doors throughout the cabin, which were designed by Norm Architects to act more like slender cabinet fronts so they don’t take up too much space.
      The doors are finished with circular brass knobs and extend all the way up to the ceiling, in a bid to make the rooms appear loftier.

      Norm Architects conceives Xiamen’s Basao tea parlour as an oasis of calm

      A number of new windows were inserted into the cabin’s facade to allow more natural light into the interiors and reveal views of the towering pine trees outdoors.
      Distributed across the rest of the holiday cabin are enough bedrooms and wash facilities to accommodate two families, as well as a small sauna.
      Slim oak doors lead through to the bedroomsFor larger groups, the project also saw Norm Architects build a new self-contained annexe that can house a third family.
      Here, a raised daybed-cum-window seat was set up directly next to a vast wall of glazing, providing occupants with a place to recline and take in the scenery.
      “Designed for a simple life during both summer and winter months, the cabin is rustic yet refined, only equipped with the necessities when opting for a slow living,” the studio said.
      A large window with an integrated daybed provides views of the forestSweden’s lush natural landscape makes it a popular location for holiday homes.
      Dezeen has previously featured a number of other cabins in the country including Sommarhus T by Johan Sundberg, which takes cues from traditional Japanese architecture, and a seaside villa by Studio Holmber with serene plywood-lined living spaces.
      The photography is by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm Architects.

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      Ten escapist holiday homes with peaceful interiors

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      Cavernous summer houses in Santorini, a minimalist Canadian ski chalet and a Cape Town clifftop dwelling are among the tranquil holiday homes we have collected for our latest lookbook.

      Holiday houses are designed to provide a relaxing getaway and often located in remote settings, such as peaceful countryside villages or coastal locations.
      These 10 examples highlight how designers have tried to reflect the relaxing nature of the homes’ locations within their interiors, incorporating details such as retractable walls that flood sunlight into living spaces and soothing Japandi-style furniture.
      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 retro eateries, modernist living rooms and decorative parquet wooden flooring.

      Naia I and Naia II, Costa Rica, by Studio Saxe

      Architecture firm Studio Saxe designed a pair of beach houses in Costa Rica with rustic wooden screens and overhanging roofs, which intend to integrate the surrounding jungle into the homes’ interiors.
      Called Naia I and Naia II, the latter house features a double-height living space that is left mostly open to the elements, except for a minimal kitchen tucked within a geometric alcove.
      Find out more about Naia I and Naia II ›

      Falcon House, UK, by Koto
      British studio and prefab specialists Koto created this black timber-clad Cotswolds holiday home formed from twisted and stacked volumes that result in cantilevering canopies.
      Falcon House’s upper storey is a single, open space with a wood-burning stove in one corner, which also includes a delicate, olive-green sofa framed by exposed cross-laminated timber walls that integrate the home with its peaceful outside views.
      Find out more about Falcon House ›

      Bundeena House, Australia, by Tribe Studio Architects 
      Retractable walls were inserted into this New South Wales weekend beach retreat to connect its U-shaped rectilinear volumes with the outdoors.
      The founder of Tribe Studio Architects took cues from the area’s modernist fisherman cottages when designing Bundeena House for herself, using “durable and honest” finishes.
      Open-plan interiors include a mixture of materials, such as structural plywood and statement colourful chairs. Concrete flooring was purposefully left unpolished to allow for post-beach wet and sandy footprints.
      Find out more about Bundeena House ›

      La Fraternelle, Canada, by Atelier Pierre Thibault
      La Fraternelle – or The Brotherly – was designed by Quebec City-based Atelier Pierre Thibault as a shared weekend house for two brothers in Charlevoix, a popular Canadian ski destination.
      The architecture firm chose a palette of minimalist, built-in or custom furniture, which was subtly inserted into the project in order to draw more attention to the surrounding landscape than the interiors.
      “The large glazed openings and restrained interior furnishings facilitate contemplation,” explained Atelier Pierre Thibault.
      Find out more about La Fraternelle ›

      Summer houses, Greece, by Kapsimalis Architects
      Two underground caves of an old property in Santorini were converted into summer houses by smoothing out and finishing their interiors in earthy tones that contrast with the houses’ bright white facades.
      Kapsimalis Architects added elegant furniture made by local craftsmen to the cavernous rooms, which also feature minimalist light fittings and built-in storage framed by vaulted ceilings and arched doorways.
      Find out more about these summer houses ›

      La Extraviada, Mexico, by Em-Estudio
      Mexico City-based firm Em-Estudio chose “materials thought of as elements that blend with the mountain” for La Extraviada, a holiday home made up of volumes that perch on a steep hillside in Oaxaca.
      Inside, a dining and living space designed by Gala Sánchez-Renero is flanked by sliding doors that open out onto a patio, while black rattan pendant lights are suspended over a low-slung wooden dining table.
      Find out more about La Extraviada ›

      Bowen Island House, Canada, by Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects + Designers
      Described as a “contemporary cabin in the woods” by Vancouver studio Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects, Bowen Island House is a black-stained cedar and glass holiday home in British Columbia.
      Hemlock wooden floors match the ceilings, which frame open-plan living spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows that are designed to allow the dwelling to recede into the surrounding rainforest.
      “The house is made from a palette of local materials primarily, all chosen for their inherent beauty, toughness and refinement,” said project leader Steve McFarlane.
      Find out more about Bowen Island House ›

      Archipelago House, Sweden, by Norm Architects
      Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics blend together in Archipelago House on the coast of Sweden, an interior trend known as Japandi design.
      Danish studio Norm Architects and Japanese brand Karimoku Case Study dressed the home’s double-height lounge with minimal furniture that adheres to the style, including a pebble-grey sofa, curvy cream armchairs and a muted stone-topped coffee table.
      Find out more about Archipelago House ›

      Rural House, Portugal, by HBG Architects
      A staircase with steps that double as a bench, table and fireplace takes centre stage in a converted granite community oven turned into a holiday home in Portugal, which is located in the village of Aldeia de João Pires.
      Inside, HBG Architects left the dwelling’s granite walls exposed to maintain the house’s history and contrast with the space’s more contemporary interiors. The home is defined by a material palette of concrete and timber and was described by the studio as “loft-like”.
      Find out more about Rural House ›

      Icaria House, South Africa, by Antonio Zaninovic Architecture Studio and Tara Bean
      Icaria House is a four-storey holiday home on a clifftop in Cape Town, which was renovated by local office Antonio Zaninovic Architecture Studio and interior designer Tara Bean.
      Originally built in the 1960s, the house’s interiors fuse eclectic elements such as a red Berber rug from Morocco with soothing white walls and large windows that provide views of the surrounding sea.
      Find out more about Icaria House ›
      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 coastal hotel rooms, kitchen extensions and homes centred around interior courtyards.

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      Studio Nor scatters chunky stucco walls throughout Qinhuangdao hotpot restaurant

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      Thickset stucco walls hide unsightly structural panels inside this branch of restaurant chain Jin Sheng Long, which Studio Nor has designed in Qinhuangdao, China.

      Jin Sheng Long is a historic eatery known for serving hotpots and baodu – a traditional tripe dish. Since opening its first outpost in Beijing in the late 19th century, the restaurant has expanded into a chain with a number of outlets nationwide.
      Structural panels found throughout Jin Sheng Long are now enclosed by stucco wallsIts latest outpost in the port city of Qinhuangdao occupies a trio of former retail units on the ground floor of a residential tower.
      As a result, the interior is plagued by a number of awkwardly placed structural panels, which Chinese practice Studio Nor chose to retain and turn into key design features by encasing them within chunkier stucco-coated walls.
      The walls demarcate cosy dining nooksThese walls now form a labyrinth of cosy dining nooks that diners can explore, mimicking what Studio Nor describes as the “intricate and meandering” arrangement of stalls in a Chinese food market.

      Even the restaurant’s wooden tables and benches were chosen to resemble the furniture found in these markets.
      The restaurant’s tables and chairs resemble those found in a food market”We got inspiration from Jin Sheng Long’s history,” the studio said.
      “Back in the late Qing Dynasty, the founder of the restaurant started his business by setting up street stalls in Beijing’s famous old Dong’an Market – a then-popular destination full of dazzling attractions and bustling with life and activities.”
      The structural panels located in the centre of the room also serve a decorative function, with their enclosing walls set at unexpected angles and finished with curved niches for displaying bonsai trees, vases and other ornaments.

      BLUE Architecture Studio erects rocky columns inside Zolaism cafe in Aranya

      A bar is located towards the rear of Jin Sheng Long’s Qinhuangdao restaurant, in the only part of the room that is uninterrupted by structural panels.
      This area is anchored by an eight-metre-long counter, which is raised up on a stage-like brick plinth to highlight the theatricality of the drinks preparation process.
      Walls at the centre of the restaurant feature curved nichesStudio Nor expanded the restaurant’s windows to bring in more natural light and lined their inner frames with copper in a nod to the traditional cookware used to serve hotpot.
      Artificial lighting, on the other hand, was kept to a minimum in a bid to draw attention to the few illuminated areas that pop up throughout the interior.
      A brick plinth raises up the bar counterElsewhere in Qinhuangdao, BLUE Architecture Studio found another clever way of concealing unattractive structural elements when designing the Zolaism cafe.
      Here, the studio disguised the building’s support columns as huge craggy boulders.
      The photography is by Songkai Liu.
      Project credits:
      Architecture firm: Studio NORLead architects: Boyuan Jiang, Jingwen WangDesign team: Zhongyuan Liu, Wenxuan Xu, Yiming Lu, Shuo YangLighting consultant: Chloe ZhangConstruction team: QX GroupConstruction documents consultant: Shanghai C-Yuspace Design

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