Interiors

Subterms

    More stories

    • 125 Shares99 Views

      in Rooms

      RCKa designs Nourish Hub to tackle food poverty in London

      by

      Architecture studio RCKa has transformed a row of vacant shop units in west London into a community kitchen and learning space that hopes to reduce dependency on food banks.

      Located on the Edward Wood Estate in Hammersmith, Nourish Hub provides the first permanent home for UKHarvest, a charity that uses food as a tool for social impact.
      Nourish Hub is designed to feel open and accessibleWith Hammersmith & Fulham the London borough with the highest dependency on food banks, Nourish Hub’s ambition is not only to provide food for vulnerable local residents. It offer opportunities for people to practice cooking skills, learn about nutrition and access jobs in the food industry.
      The space includes a commercial kitchen, a teaching kitchen and a flexible space that can be used as a dining room, workspace, classroom or event venue.
      A flexible interior can be used as a dining room, classroom, workspace or event venueRCKa’s role was not only to plan the interior, but to find ways of empowering the local community to get involved in the facility and make it their own.

      The design strategy focused on making the space – which previously housed a post office and a supermarket – feel as accessible as possible.
      Vibrant colours and bold signage make the space more welcomingThe facade can be opened up, thanks to sliding glass doors and a serving hatch, while bright colours and bold signage create a friendly feel throughout.
      “Getting people through the door is the first challenge, so the Hub had to seem open and welcoming to the entire community,” said RCKa director Dieter Kleiner.
      The facade integrates a serving hatch and large sliding doorsWhen developing the design, the architects decided against a traditional community engagement programme. Instead, they hosted a range of pop-up activities to attract the interest of local residents and learn about their experiences.
      They started by painting a graphic mural over the old shutters. They also set up an outdoor kitchen, created playful questionnaire cards and hosted workshops with children.

      London youth centre by RCKa features a translucent polycarbonate facade

      “It wasn’t about co-designing the space with local people; that wasn’t what we needed,” explained project architect Anthony Staples during a press tour.
      “We had three aims: to raise awareness of the project, to test ideas and to establish a local identity.”
      A ceiling mural design came out of a children’s workshopIn one children’s workshop, participants created graphic designs out of raw fruit, vegetables and grains.
      One of these designs is now painted on the ceiling, while another has been turned into ceramic wall tiles.
      The training kitchen includes wheelchair-accessible surfacesFor the interior layout, RCKa took cues from Victorian kitchens. The teaching kitchen takes the form of a large island, while open cabinets display tableware and cookbooks.
      “We were really inspired by old-fashioned kitchens, which are very performative,” said Staples.
      “Everything is on display, so when you go in, you feel like you want to touch and grab things.”
      Open shelving was favoured over cupboardsThe space is furnished with wooden tables, and chairs in bold shades of red and yellow.
      There are also various details added in to make the space accessible to a wide range of users. These include lowered surfaces that cater to wheelchair users and a curtain that supports those with specific privacy needs.
      The children’s design workshop also provided graphics for ceramic wall tilesYvonne Thomson, the CEO of UKHarvest, believes the concept can help to tackle issues of food poverty and insecurity, which impact an estimated 8.4 million people in the UK.
      The project was realised with funding support from the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund, as well as the borough, but the target is for Nourish Hub to become financially self-sufficient within three years.
      “Great care has been taken to create a versatile space that enables us to facilitate positive change and meet the needs of different community groups,” Thomson said.
      The architects began the community engagement process by painting the old shuttersRCKa compares the project with its previous work on The Granville, a community centre with the purpose of providing accessible workspace for local startups.
      Staples believes these types of projects could easily be replicated across the UK, to bring change at a large scale.
      “This project is totally replicable,” he said. “We could roll them out in a lot of London boroughs and beyond.”
      Photography is by Francisco Ibáñez Hantke.

      Read more: More

    • 100 Shares129 Views

      in Rooms

      Ten cavernous interiors that swap corners for curves

      by

      A nursery by Junya Ishigami and MAD’s Cloudscape of Haikou feature in our latest lookbook, which highlights 10 softly contoured interiors from the Dezeen archive that were modelled on the sinuous shapes of clouds and wind-smoothed caves.

      Whether crafted from plaster, concrete or wooden panels, undulating walls can help to bring a sense of intimacy to otherwise large, impersonal spaces.
      Beyond just looking pretty, they can also be a practical solution to integrate everything from seating to storage into the fabric of the interior, while concealing unsightly mechanical and electrical systems.
      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 bright-white kitchens, cosy conversation pits and self-designed homes by architects and designers.
      Photo is by Joe FletcherSoftie, USA, by OPA

      Design studio OPA subverted the rational modernist grid of this house near San Francisco by overlaying a series of cloud-like architectural features on top of its existing structural shell.
      Its load-bearing columns are now enveloped by bulging white walls, while ceilings droop down to form a series of intimate seating nooks as well as a cove that surrounds the freestanding circular tub in the bathroom.
      Find out more about Softie ›
      Photo is by Paola PansiniFerrari flagship, Italy, Sybarite
      Going down a sleeker, more space-age-style route, London studio Sybarite carved out a sinuous display area at the centre of Ferrari’s lifestyle concept store in Maranello to house the carmaker’s debut fashion collection.
      The otherwise open-plan interior is cast in shades of glossy red and white and also incorporates touches of mahogany, which was used to make Ferrari’s original Enrico Nardi steering wheels of the 1950s and 1960s.
      Find out more about the Ferrari flagship ›
      Photo is by Lars Petter PettersenCabin at Norderhov, Norway, by Atelier Oslo
      Curved birchwood panels engulf the walls and ceilings of this cabin, turning it into a cosy refuge on the banks of Norway’s Lake Steinsfjorden while sweeping windows provide panoramic views over the natural landscape.
      Like a winding tunnel, the interior was designed as one continuous space, with the bedroom cordoned off from the open floor plan by a heavy grey curtain.
      Find out more about the Cabin at Norderhov ›
      Photo is by Yiorgos KordakisTwo Holiday Houses in Firostefani, Greece, by Kapsimalis Architects
      Three rocky vaulted caves, which once provided additional storage space for a traditional dwelling on Santorini, were smoothed out and finished with earthy-hued plaster to create this summer house by local practice Kapsimalis Architects.
      Colours, finishes and fittings throughout the interior were designed to reflect the building’s humble origins, incorporating arched niches and doorways, flush built-in storage and furniture made by local craftsmen.
      Find out more about Two Holiday Houses in Firostefani ›
      Photo is by CreatAR ImagesCloudscape of Haikou, China, by MAD
      Designed to evoke “a wormhole that transcends time and space”, the interior and exterior of MAD’s library on Hainan Island were cast as one continuous vessel without any right angles.
      On the inside, the sinuous white concrete shell forms small reading nooks and bookcases recessed into the walls, while concealing all of the building’s electrics and plumbing.
      Find out more about Cloud of Haikou ›
      Photo is by Tom FergusonNational Museum of Qatar gift shop, Qatar, by Koichi Takada Architects
      Around 40,000 slabs of wood were stacked on top of each other and assembled by hand to form the soaring walls and built-in shelves of the gift shop in the National Museum of Qatar.
      The interior, much like the Jean Nouvel-designed building, pays homage to Qatar’s desert landscape – particularly the crystal-crusted cavern of Dahl Al Misfir, which tunnels deep into the earth outside Doha.
      Find out more about the gift shop ›
      Photo is by Simone BossiMyrto, Sardinia, by Studio Wok
      Studio Wok looked to the way that the wind carves granite rocks on the Sardinian coast into sinuous, almost architectural structures when designing this pizzeria, set in the island’s port town of Porto Cervo.
      This erosive process is referenced in the restaurant’s curved, sandy pink plaster walls and arched windows, which are complemented by custom furnishings including a tiled counter in varying shades of green that echo the colours of local shrubs.
      Find out more about Myrto ›
      Photo is by Edmund SumnerCloud Garden, Japan, by Junya Ishigami
      Rather than covering up the bulky columns found in this high-rise office block in Atsugi, Junya Ishigami converted its former cafeteria into a nursery by inserting wiggly concrete partitions, creating archways and pathways as well as various spaces for play.
      “There are crevices that only children can pass through, and absent spaces that are considered large even for adults,” Ishigami said. “It is a space that softly ties in various objects and scales.”
      Find out more about Cloud Garden ›
      Photo is by 1988 Photography StudioTT Pilates, China, by Wanmu Shazi
      Designer Wanmu Shazi used micro-cement to cover up not just the walls but also most of the windows in the TT Pilates studio, which is located in a typical high-rise office building in Xiamen.
      Only a few organically-shaped openings allow visitors to catch glimpses of the sky while letting light dapple into the interior, in a bid to shut out the usual hustle and bustle of the Chinese port city.
      Find out more about TT Pilates ›

      Grotto, Canada, by Partisans
      Cedarwood panelling creates an undulating terrain inside this sauna in Canada, curving up from the floor to form stepped seating and skewed porthole windows as well as enveloping the wood-burning stove.
      Set on a craggy outcrop on the shore of Lake Huron, it was designed to resemble a seaside grotto carved out by the water, while its exterior was moulded perfectly to the rock formation using a 3D scanner.
      Find out more about Grotto ›
      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 bright-white kitchens, cosy conversation pits and self-designed homes by architects and designers.

      Read more: More

    • 163 Shares189 Views

      in Rooms

      GS Design repeats arch motifs throughout Sumei Skyline Coast hotel on Hainan Island

      by

      Cresting ocean waves served as a blueprint for the arched forms found on the interior and exterior of this beachside hotel that GS Design has created in Sanya, China.

      Located on the tropical island of Hainan, the Sumei Skyline Coast hotel was designed to reference its immediate environment.
      Arches feature on the interior and exterior of the Sumei Skyline Coast hotelThe building’s facade is punctuated by curved windows and balconies that suggest rolling waves, and is painted in a crisp shade of white to contrast the rich blues of the surrounding sea and sky.
      “We worked to craft the space into a timely and sophisticated art piece with a long lifespan of usage by adopting this classic colour,” explained Chinese architecture firm GS Design.
      Sculptural white furnishings decorate the lounge areaOn the ground floor, a series of upside-down arches runs along the wooden decking adjoining the infinity pool.

      More spots for swimming are found on the expansive roof terrace as well as in the first-floor lounge, where stepping stones lead over a curvy-edged indoor pool.
      The light-filled room is otherwise dressed with a couple of potted plants and an array of sculptural white armchairs with matching side tables.
      Stepping stones lead over the curvy-edged poolThe curved shapes seen on Sumei Skyline Coast’s exterior are echoed throughout its guest rooms, which are accessed via vaulted corridors.
      Some rooms have circular skylights or huge round headboards that project over the beds. Others feature arched recesses accommodating cushioned bench seats or vanities.

      Anonimous and JAHS repurpose historic Querétaro villa as a boutique hotel

      All bathrooms come complete with a standalone tub, positioned next to the windows to give guests optimum views of the island beyond.
      In keeping with the rest of the hotel, the guest rooms are finished completely in white with textural interest provided by tufted beige decorative cushions that are scattered over the soft furnishings.
      Arched or rounded forms are incorporated into the guest roomsGS Design was established in 2014 and is based in Shenzhen.
      The studio’s Sumei Skyline Coast project joins a number of hotels that have recently opened across China. Among them is BAN Villa, which was designed to look like a “floating village”, and Grotto Retreat Xiyaotou, a hotel modelled on ancient cave dwellings.
      The photography is by Ao Xiang.
      Project credits:
      Architecture, interiors and furnishing: GS DesignDesign directors: Liangchao Li, Yuanman HuangDesign team: Chao Li, Zigeng LuoFurnishing director: Yu Feng

      Read more: More

    • 125 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Linehouse designs Shanghai restaurant informed by New Wave art movement

      by

      Design studio Linehouse has filled a restaurant in a Shanghai art museum with mirrors and arched details informed by eastern and western art and design.

      Located inside the UCCA Edge museum, the New Wave by Da Vittorio restaurant was named after the original UCCA museum’s opening exhibition The New Wave Art Movement, which also set the tone for its interiors.
      Arched shapes are used throughout the restaurantNew Wave, a 20th-century art movement in China, is renowned for its bold experimentation that brought Chinese art into the modern art world.
      “The concept for the restaurant comes from the collision of these opposing elements and the process of change,” said Shanghai-based Linehouse.
      New Wave by Da Vittorio is located inside Shanghai’s UCCA Edge museumTo enter the restaurant, guests pass through a narrow passage that leads from the public museum space into a more intimate dining area.

      The restaurant, which measures 620 square metres, also holds a bar, private dining rooms and an outdoor terrace.
      Mirrors create an illusion of more spaceA sequence of arches was added to the restaurant in reference to the use of colonnades in classical architecture, while matching arched mirrors create an illusion of spatial progression.
      New Wave by Da Vittorio also features a ceiling installation formed by arches designed in a more eastern style.
      Hanging fabric was cut into curved shapes to match the arches in the interiorThe installation consists of hanging fins made from a Japanese triaxle fabric with a woven texture, which has been cut into vaulted shapes to create a softness that evokes floating clouds.
      The sheets of fabric are placed in a repetitive order with a pattern that only emerges once you see through one sheet to the next. The studio hoped this would evoke the contradiction between order and chaos.

      Linehouse designs space-themed cafe in Shanghai for creator of “Australia’s most Instagrammed dessert”

      “Throughout the restaurant, we seek contradiction in materiality to create qualities of soft and hard, rough to smooth, order to unordered and solid to transparent,” Linehouse co-founder and lead designer Alex Mok told Dezeen.
      The studio used stone for the main bar counter, which it sculpted into a curved, fluid shape to further explore the juxtaposition between soft and hard surfaces.
      Linehouse deliberately chose a stone with a smaller repetitive pattern to create a continuous piece.
      A stone bar is decorated with mirrorsThe bar area also has a floor patterned with different kinds of stone while in the private dining rooms, precision-machined stainless steel and curved lacquered timber were paired to create another form of contradiction.
      “Materials are manipulated as a catalyst for creating disorder, dissipation, fragmentation and surprise,” Mok said.
      Different types of stone create a polka-dot pattern on the floorLinehouse also recently finished a space-theme cafe for Australian chain Black Star Pastry’s first Chinese outpost.
      The studio was named emerging interior designer of the year at the 2021 Dezeen Awards.
      The photography is by Jonathan Leijonhufvud.
      Project credits:
      Architect: LinehouseDesign lead: Alex Mok, Briar HicklingDesign team: Jingru Tong, Inez Low, Aiwen Shao, Leah Lin, Jiabao Guo, Cherngyu Chen
      Dezeen is on WeChat!
      Click here to read the Chinese version of this article on Dezeen’s official WeChat account, where we publish daily architecture and design news and projects in Simplified Chinese.

      Read more: More

    • 150 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      Kelly Wearstler makes “bold and eclectic choices” for Downtown LA Proper hotel

      by

      American interior designer Kelly Wearstler paired the rich history of Downtown Los Angeles with other colourful global influences when creating this hotel, which features 136 unique types of tile.

      Part of the Proper hotel group, Downtown LA Proper sits between Downtown Los Angeles’ South Park District and the city’s Fashion District.
      Kelly Wearstler designed the eclectic interiors of Downtown LA ProperThe 148-room hotel is located within a former private club that was designed by architecture studio Curlett & Beelman in the 1920s.
      Real estate developer The Kor Group teamed up with Wearstler to transform the building into Downtown LA Proper, with Wearstler spearheading the interior design.
      Morgan Peck created a chunky graphite reception deskAccording to Wearstler, the hotel’s interiors take cues from LA’s “creative scene”, as well as the colours and forms of Mexican, Moroccan, Spanish and Portuguese design.

      “My point of reference for the Proper Hotels is always the location, so Downtown LA Proper really called for bold and eclectic choices,” she told Dezeen.
      Guest rooms feature patterned headboards”As the design of the hotel was greatly inspired by the community and history of the area, I used a deep, warm, colour and feel throughout to speak to this rich culture and history,” added Wearstler.
      “The [hotel’s overall] design comprises 136 unique types of tile, from vintage to custom.”
      Wearstler used a colourful palette throughout the hotelVisitors enter the hotel via the building’s original ornate archway, which is flanked by column-like cacti in rustic pots, where they are met with a graphite reception desk designed by ceramicist Morgan Peck.
      The original pink and white checkerboard floor tiling was retained in this area, while the ceiling is decorated with a hand-painted multicoloured mural designed by Abel Macias, which drew on the flora and fauna of Mexican folktales.
      Caldo Verde includes a bespoke stained-glass doorwayThis eclecticism is also reflected in Downtown LA Proper’s guest rooms. Wearstler blended contrasting elements such as chunkily-patterned headboards with smooth wooden floors, while the walls vary within a spectrum of charcoal, mauve, dusty blue, umber and ecru.
      The building contains three eateries including the lobby-level Caldo Verde restaurant and bar, which Wearstler designed to reflect the rest of the hotel’s interiors.

      Kelly Wearstler creates sculptural oak staircase for hotel in Austin

      A collection of vintage rugs and seating, cocoa and sandstone tiles and jungle-like plants are set against a bespoke stained-glass installation by Judson Studios that makes up the restaurant’s doorway.
      Other design elements that create Downtown LA Proper’s bright and bold atmosphere include Mexican brutalist hand-carved chairs, woven pendant lights from the south of France and stone mosaic tables.
      Brutalist hand-carved chairs add to the project’s eclecticism”The building itself is a historic-cultural monument, so we wanted to maintain some of the original integrity and fabric, like the window casing and brickwork, while elevating it with contemporary jewel tones, patterns and plasterwork,” said Wearstler.
      “I truly wanted to embark on a spirited exploration of materiality, colour and form, to share with guests a hyper-localised flavour of the city and create a hub for local creatives.”
      The work of emerging artists features throughout the hotelWearstler founded her eponymous interior design studio in 1995 and is responsible for the eclectic interiors of several other Proper hotels including its San Francisco and Santa Monica outposts.
      The designer also recently transformed a 1950s beachfront cottage in California into a bohemian retreat for her family.
      The images are courtesy of Kelly Wearstler.

      Read more: More

    • 113 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      NOA creates tailor-made interior for pied-à-terre in Le Marais

      by

      Network of Architecture has used curved lines, custom oak furniture and marble details to heighten the character of an apartment in a converted hotel in Le Marais, Paris.

      NOA has created a completely custom interior for Nicolai Paris, located in the former Hotel Nicolai, which serves as a pied-à-terre for an Italian family.
      Nicolai Paris is located in a converted hotelThe renovation involved designing the layout of the two-level home, then adding playful furniture elements that help to optimise the functionality of each space.
      “We started by defining the final atmosphere of the future apartment,” explained architect and NOA co-founder Lukas Rungger.
      The Le Marais apartment has a completely custom interior”It was essential that the space would feel cosy, ‘hyggelig’, and convey a feeling of wellbeing,” he told Dezeen.

      “The choice of interior layout, materials and geometry all serve this purpose.”
      A mix of terrazzo and parquet flooring helps to define different zonesBuilt in the 17th century, the property has plenty of quirks. What’s particularly unusual about this apartment is that it has an L-shaped layout, with most of its windows located at one end.
      As a result, it made sense to locate the family living spaces here, nearest the entrance, and two large bedrooms in the back.
      A curved line is defined by flooring, walls, lighting and furnitureA staircase in the centre of the floor plan leads up to a snug and a third bedroom on the smaller attic floor, which are both lit by skylights rather than windows.
      To avoid creating wasteful corridors, NOA used two different floor surfaces to subtly mark the distinction between rooms and the connecting spaces in between.
      Custom oak furniture pieces include an in-built window seatA strong curve of terrazzo cuts through the living space, which is defined by bleached oak parquet in a chevron pattern, known as French herringbone. This divides the room into two “islands”.
      The larger island contains a lounge, dining area and kitchen, while the smaller one is occupied by a single piece of in-built furniture, providing a window seat and shelving nooks.

      Wood Ribbon apartment in Paris features an undulating timber wall

      The terrazzo curve is emphasised by other elements, including a screen wall beside the entrance and a partition wall that encloses a cloakroom, laundry room and toilet.
      It is also matched by lighting fixtures overhead and the organically-shaped staircase.
      A double-curved staircase leads up to the attic”The layout of the interior spaces was definitely the biggest challenge,” said Rungger.
      “We wanted to create a space of comfort within a bigger space,” he explained. “Each island is a space within a space, intimate in itself but in dialogue with the rest.”
      Beds are set on oak platforms and defined by oak wall panellingCustom oak furniture features in every room. The beds are set on tiered platforms, continuing the islands concept, while the dining table is framed by an upholstered L-shaped bench.
      Marble is also dotted throughout. A grey-blue Bardiglio Imperiale features in the kitchen and around the fireplace, and the main bedroom boasts a bathtub carved from a single block of Botticino Fiorito.
      An attic room can be used as a snug, study or home cinema”We wanted to reflect the elegance of the Parisian ambience in the flat,” said Rungger.
      “The colours of the Parisian rooftops influenced the choice of fabrics and marble colours, especially in the living area.”
      Bathrooms and washroom feature mosaic tiles in varying shades of grayNOA has offices in Berlin and Turin, so typically works on projects in other parts of Europe. The studio recently completed a hotel and wellness centre and a glacier-top viewing platform, both in South Tyrol.
      With this project, they hope to show a more craft-focused side to their practice.
      “From the furniture’s roundness to the staircase’s double curvature, we have consistently drawn a line that fluidly touches the whole flat,” added Rungger.
      The photography is by Antoine Huot.

      Read more: More

    • 113 Shares109 Views

      in Rooms

      Henley Halebrown creates Bauhaus-informed offices in converted London warehouse

      by

      The colours and craft techniques of the Bauhaus movement were the inspiration behind Laszlo, a century-old warehouse building transformed into workspaces by London studio Henley Halebrown.

      Located in north London, the renovated building now contains five floors of flexible offices, ranging from 482 square metres up to 647 square metres.
      Structural elements are left exposed through Laszlo’s interiorsHenley Halebrown approached the project differently to a standard office conversion.
      Instead of a “shell and core” approach, where tenants have no choice but to complete a fit-out, the architects have made spaces that can be occupied simply as they are.
      They did this by exposing the building’s internal structure – its concrete floor slabs and steel I beams – and bringing order to the elements around. Services are neatly organised, while low-tech materials like concrete and timber are used to make adjustments.

      Offices are designed to require minimal additional fit-outStudio founders Simon Henley and Gavin Hale-Brown describe the approach as seeking “to illustrate how elementary the construction of an office might be”.
      The idea is that companies would only need to add their own branding, plus furniture, which would significantly reduce the amount of waste generated when tenants move out.

      Waugh Thistleton Architects creates fully demountable office block next door to Dezeen

      “Working on adaptive reuse buildings like Laszlo is second nature to us as a practice,” said Henley.
      “It builds on our interest in how you create new layers of life within a city while celebrating both its past and future, and of course, the great thing is that the huge environmental benefits that come through reuse are now more widely understood.”
      Geometric graphics signal the building’s change of useOriginally known as Batavia Mills, Laszlo was built in the early 20th century as a facility for manufacturing and printing, although it also served as storage for gas masks during the second world war.
      The Bauhaus become an obvious point of reference for the renovation; not only does it date from the same period, but its core ethos was about being true to materials and finding beauty in craft.
      A steel and timber joisted roof is now exposed on the fourth floorA painting by Bauhaus artist Laszlo Moholy Nagy – who the building is named after – provided the cues for repairs made to the concrete floors.
      There were various gaps created where partition walls had been removed. Instead of infilling these with concrete, Henley Halebrown chose an earth-coloured screed that highlights these marks as traces of history.
      Doors throughout the interior borrow tones from Josef Albers’ colour studiesThe building refers to the colour studies of Bauhaus teacher Josef Albers with a series of doors painted in bold but complementary shades of green, yellow, grey and blue.
      Another Bauhaus reference can be found on the exterior, where the brickwork and glazing have been subtly decorated with the same graphic shapes and lettering that give the building its brand identity.
      The reception features a desk shaped like an I beamLaszlo offers various amenities to its tenants, including a large outdoor seating area, bicycle parking and showers. There are also shared spaces on the ground floor, including a reception and an area known as the living room.
      Furniture in these ground floor spaces is designed to feel like part of the structure, with highlights including a reception desk and bookshelf that both look like giant I beams.
      A living room with kitchen is shared by all tenants”Within the framework of the original structure, we composed a series of unconventional spaces with conventional building materials, mostly blockwork, lintels and paint,” said Jack Hawthorne, an associate at Henley Halebrown.
      “These spaces are occupied with pieces of furniture that are imagined and made as oversized elements of structure, ‘furniture as structure’, placing them in playful dialogue with the building’s newly exposed frame.”
      One of the office floors has already been furnishedPhotos of the project show one of the office floors already fitted out.
      The light-touch approach includes glazed meeting rooms, a wooden kitchen and mobile shelves that function as room dividers. Desks and seats integrate bold flashes of colour that feel at home with the rest of the building.
      Each floor is similar in layout and finish, although the fourth floor features an exposed steel and timber joisted roof and a balcony terrace.
      The space features colourful desks, open shelves and glazed meeting roomsLaszlo is one of several innovative offices designs recently completed in London, as companies adapt to more flexible working policies following the impact of the pandemic.
      Other recent examples include a co-working office that doubles as a “town hall” and an office with more meeting areas than desks.
      The photography is by David Grandorge.

      Read more: More

    • 150 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

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

      by

      Danish practice Norm Architects has created an understated interior for the Basao teahouse in Xiamen that was designed to offer a “clear antidote” to the hustle and bustle of the Chinese port city.

      Basao takes its name from Baisao, a Japanese monk who lived during the Edo period and spent the latter part of his life wandering around Kyoto and selling tea.
      The Basao tea lounge is arranged around a Chinese stone counterHis Zen Buddhist writings were a key reference point for Norm Architects in the design for the “tea lounge”, which is meant to evoke a sense of tranquillity.
      “With room for quiet contemplation, the space is a clear antidote to our fast-paced on-the-go culture, instead immersing its visitors in the calming sounds of tea being prepared, poured and enjoyed,” the studio said.
      Seating around the counter provides views of the brewing processAt the heart of the store is a chunky counter crafted from speckled Chinese stone that is positioned beneath a coffered oak ceiling.

      Here, customers can order drinks and observe them being prepared from a couple of high stools.
      A wider variety of seating is assembled on one side of the room, incorporating different tactilities and shapes from suede poufs to wooden benches and a long banquette upholstered in chestnut-brown leather.
      More seating lies at the room’s periphery”Carefully considering the sense of touch, the experience of the space becomes an interplay of textures and temperatures in combination with contrasting polished and raw surfaces,” Norm Architects explained.
      To the other side of the lounge is a retail space, where Basao merchandise is showcased on black steel shelves.

      Norm Architects designs New Mags bookstore in Copenhagen to reference old libraries

      More products can be presented on slim metal ledges and pivoting displays built into the tea parlour’s oak-panelled walls.
      Oakwood also covers the building’s facade, which was modified so that its walls are sloped invitingly towards the entrance.
      Black steel shelves display Basao’s products in the retail spaceThe facade is punctuated by huge windows that can be pushed up concertina-style to let fresh air and natural light into the interior.
      Alternatively, customers have the option of sitting outdoors on the terrace, which is decorated with a number of leafy plants.
      A large window allows the tea parlour’s interior to be opened up to the outdoorsBasao is Norm Architects’ first project in China.
      The Copenhagen-based practise has recently completed a number of interiors in its hometown including Notabene, a shoe store with warm industrial interiors, and a bookstore that takes design cues from old-school libraries.
      The photography is by Jonathan Leijonhufvud.

      Read more: More