Interiors

Subterms

    More stories

    • 125 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Tiny exhibition centre on remote Chinese farm features timber interiors

      by

      SHAW Architecture & Design Studio has created a modest exhibition centre for an organic farm in Loudi, a secluded village in China’s Shanxi province.The exhibition centre sits beside an eco-farm in Loudi called Huo-shui-yuan. Presided over by the village collective, the farm focuses on cultivating organic produce and educating locals about the natural environment.

      The interior of the exhibition centre is almost entirely lined with timber
      SHAW Architecture & Design Studio wanted the centre to pay homage to the surrounding landscape, which forms part of the Loess Plateau – an arid area of highland in northern China that’s distinguished by its crumbly, yellow-grey soil that has been deposited by the wind throughout the ages.
      “In two to three million years, this land changed from forest into broken valleys, wrinkled like an old man’s skin,” explained the studio, which is based in Shanghai.

      Visitors can rest on built-in seating nooks at the peripheries of the room

      The interior of the centre has therefore been made deliberately dark in order to steer visitor sightlines towards the outdoors. Timber beams – some of which are slightly charred – line the walls, while the floor has been inlaid with large black tiles.

      Red mesh shades the interior of a farm visitor centre by Vector Architects

      Only a few pendant lamps have been suspended from the ceiling. Gridded or slanted window frames that the studio crafted from wooden twigs, salvaged from the farm’s broken fences, also filter the natural light seeping through to the centre.

      There are a couple of long tables for community workshops
      Seating nooks for visitors have been built-in around the periphery of the room, along with a series of cabinets and shelves where agricultural objects will be put on display. The only freestanding furnishings in the centre are two long tables and a handful of stools, which are used for community workshops.
      One of the tables balances on chunky rammed-earth legs, which the studio included as a nod to the materiality of yaodongs, or “house caves” – earthen shelters which are carved out of hillsides in the Loess Plateau region.

      One of the tables balances on chunky rammed-earth legs
      SHAW Architecture & Design Studio was founded by Xu Zhifeng in 2013. Similarly to this project, Vector Architects created a visitors centre for a farm in Kunshan, China.
      The centre occupies a restored outhouse and is externally clad with louvres of weathered steel.
      Photography is by Shuyin Wu.
      Project credits:
      Interior design: SHAW Architecture & Design StudioLead designer: Shuyin WuClients: LSM Rural Reconstruction Center, Beijing Common Justice FoundationLocal project coordinator: Lixia YanConstruction team: Hongwei Mei, Qingfeng Kong, Yongkang Bai, Long Li, Weixing WangLighting installer and painter: Yuanping LiRe-used wood manufacturer: Xinliang FengRam earth consultant: Zengfei LiangIllustration: Shuyin Wu

      Read more: More

    • 138 Shares119 Views

      in Rooms

      Ola Jachymiak Studio brightens Beam cafe in London with orange hues

      by

      Tangerine-coloured walls and terracotta-tile floors help enliven the formerly gloomy interior of Beam cafe in west London, designed by Ola Jachymiak Studio.Beam is nestled amongst a parade of shops in the affluent Notting Hill neighbourhood and serves up a menu of Mediterranean-inspired brunch dishes.

      The exterior of Beam cafe in London’s Notting Hill neighbourhood
      Locally-based Ola Jachymiak Studio was brought on board to design the cafe, tasked with creating an inviting interior that would be able to comfortably accommodate just over 90 customers.
      There was just one key issue – the cafe unit had an awkwardly long and narrow plan that allowed in very little sunlight. The studio therefore decided to utilise a colour and material palette that would foster a sense of brightness and warmth.

      Arched niches in the walls display amber-hued ornaments

      At the front of Beam is a casual seating area dressed with egg yolk-yellow armchairs and a couple of tropical potted plants.
      The black gridded windows that previously featured on the cafe’s facade have also been swapped for expansive panels of glazing. During the warmer summer months, these can be pushed back to let in more light and fresh air.

      A burnt-orange seating banquette is set against an exposed-brick wall
      Just beyond lies a more formal dining area. The wall on the right-hand side has been painted white and punctuated with arched niches that display amber-hued glass ornaments.
      On the left-hand side is an exposed brick wall. Along its lower half runs a curvaceous seating banquette upholstered in burnt-orange velvet.

      Tangerine-coloured paint covers the middle section of the cafe
      Tangerine-coloured paint has been applied to the walls in the middle section of the cafe, where the coffee and pastry bar is located.
      Customers who are getting their orders to-go can flick through the books and magazines displayed here on wall-mounted shelving units.

      The central coffee bar is made from oak and white Calacatta marble
      The base of the bar is lined with strips of oak, while the countertop is crafted from white Calacatta marble. Hanging directly overhead is a Bubble lamp by American designer George Nelson.

      10 visually striking cafes to visit in cities all around the world

      This section of the cafe also features flooring clad with terracotta tiles. The same tiles appear again in the bathrooms, covering the toilet cubicles and the arched panels that the sinks back onto.

      A lighting installation illuminates the dining area at the back of the cafe
      Additional dining tables and bistro-style chairs with orange seat cushions have been placed at the rear of Beam, which was once the darkest area of the cafe.
      To counter this, Ola Jachymiak Studio has created a light installation across the ceiling. It comprises several spherical pendant lamps from Danish brand New Works that have been suspended at different heights.
      Sheer white curtains have also been draped around the room’s periphery.

      More arched niches appear in the cafe’s bathrooms, which are lined with terracotta tiles
      Ola Jachymiak Studio was established in 2013. Its Beam project joins a number of trendy eateries in west London’s Notting Hill neighbourhood.
      Others include Cha Cha’s, a Latin-fusion restaurant that’s set within the three-floor HQ of fashion label Sister Jane.
      Photography is by Simon Carruthers.

      Read more: More

    • 138 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      Embers restaurant in Taipei features a “vortex” of cedar wood planks

      by

      Bowed panels of cedar form a chaotic vortex-like structure in Embers, a restaurant in Tapei’s Da’an district designed by local practice Curvink Architects.The structure, which Curvink Architects says could also be likened to a bird’s nest or whirlpool, sits over the bar of Embers. It’s shortlisted in the restaurant interior of the year category in the 2020 Dezeen Awards.

      The focal point of Embers is a vortex-like structure that sits above the restaurant’s bar
      To build the structure, Curvink Architects called on the help of designer and maker En-Kai Kuo. He sourced three 25-metre-high cedar trees from the forested mountainsides of Hsinchu, a city in northern Taiwan.
      The trees were being felled as part of thinning – a process where a select number of trees are purposefully removed in order to improve the health and growth rate of those remaining.

      Cedar planks were used to make the structure

      After being transported to a nearby timber factory, the three cedar trunks were sliced into thin layers and steam-bent. This formed arched panels which each span three metres in diameter.
      The panels were then set aside for several weeks to allow their curved form to stabilise.
      When the panels were brought on-site to Embers, Kuo haphazardly arranged them in a clockwise direction to create the final vortex-like structure. One cedar beam has been partially embedded into one of the restaurant’s structural columns to act as a counter where guests can rest their drinks.
      It’s illuminated by a striplight which has been fitted in the grooves of another beam hanging directly above.

      During the construction process, the cedar trunks were sliced into thin layers
      Beneath the structure sits a chunky serving island crafted from a further 64 cedar beams, which are stacked in an eight-by-eight formation.
      One end of the island has undergone shou sugi ban or yakisugi – a traditional Japanese method of wood preservation, where the surface is lightly charred to become waterproof and overall more durable.
      Inside, the island accommodates a small fridge, freezer and storage for tableware.

      Neri&Hu draws upon Taipei’s urban landscape for design of Kimpton Da An Hotel

      To keep diners’ attention on the sculpture, the restaurant’s fit-out is otherwise kept simple.
      Walls are loosely rendered with sandy-beige plaster, while the floor is finished with concrete. Pendant lamps made out of recycled glass have also been suspended from the ceiling.

      Some cedar beams have been inset with striplights
      Embers will go head-to-head against four other projects in this year’s Dezeen Awards. Among them is DooSooGoBang in South Korea, which is designed to reflect the humble practices of Buddhist monks.
      There’s also Voisin Organique in China, which features soaring ceilings and shadowy dining areas to make guests feel as if they’re “wandering in a valley”.
      Photography is courtesy of En-Kai Kuo.
      Project credits:
      Design: En-Kai Kuo with Yu-Hao Huang, Curvink ArchitectsAdditional cooperators: Wes Kuo, Kit-Chen, Your Kitchen Ally, Yule Space, Weihsun Chen, Zhēnzhēn Lab

      Read more: More

    • 125 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      Retroscena is a colourful apartment renovation by La Macchina Studio

      by

      Italian architecture office La Macchina Studio has renovated a 1950s apartment in Rome, revealing original terrazzo floors and adding bold colours.Set in the Italian capital’s Appio Latino quarter, the mid-century one-bedroom apartment already had Venetian stone floors.

      The original terrazzo floors have been restored
      La Macchina Studio uncovered them and enlisted local craftsmen to restore the terrazzo, while the apartment was transformed into a “surreal set where reality and fiction coexist in a quasi-theatrical scene”.
      “With Retroscena, we wanted to enhance the irreverent and surreal nature of the architectural story,” said studio founders Gianni Puri and Enrica Siracusa.
      “It is inextricably linked to its photographic alter-ego by playing with colour contrasts, graphic motifs and unexpected incursions.”

      Pops of primary colour stand out against white walls

      Walls and certain elements have been painted bright white, to create a neutral backdrop for the graphic pops of colour.
      An arched doorway and a low, midcentury-style cabinet in the living area are painted a matching bright blue.

      A blue-painted wooden doorway leads to the bedroom
      A pair of zesty lemon-yellow fabric curtains can be pulled across to separate the living area from the kitchen diner and screen off the door to the balcony.
      The arching doorway juts out almost a metre from the wall, screening the kitchen furniture from the view of the hallway. The blue-lacquered wood marks the entrance to the bedroom.

      Yellow curtains can screen the living room off
      A red wall-hanging placed above the sofa marks another splash of primary colour.
      Another doorway set flush to the wall opens to reveal the two-room bathroom. In the first room, a bath and shower are all surrounded by square ceramic white tiles, set in dark grouting to create a graphic check mosaic.

      White square tiles form a check mosaic in the bathroom
      A pointy arched doorway leads to the second half of the bathroom, where a toilet and a bidet face each other across a sink, which is framed by the arch.

      Studio Strato creates cosy reading den in renovated Rome apartment

      Peacock-blue enamelled walls and a dimmable ring light mirror above the sink add to the theatrical styling of the bathroom.

      An arched doorway frames the sink
      In the bedroom, the floor has a ruddy hue, the result of a brick-red micro cement treatment applied by La Macchina Studio. A low-hanging orb-style pendant light and peach velvet curtains create a softer aesthetic.
      Pinkish cement flooring also differentiates the entryway. Built-in white wardrobes in the hallway conceal a hidden room that is used as a study.

      The bedroom has a micro cement floor
      La Macchina Studio was founded by Puri and Siracusa in 2013 and is based in Rome.
      More exciting Roman apartment renovations include a flat with terracotta-coloured walls and an apartment with a reading den visible through a porthole-style cutout.
      Photography is by Paolo Fusco.

      Read more: More

    • 175 Shares159 Views

      in Rooms

      AHEAD Middle East and Africa 2020 awards winners announced in video ceremony on Dezeen

      by

      AHEAD is announcing the best new hotel designs in the Middle East and Africa region today, in a video ceremony broadcast by Dezeen for the hospitality awards programme.The ceremony will be broadcast in two parts from 2:00pm Dubai time, which is 12:00pm South Africa time and 10:00am UK time, and can be viewed in order below. The most recent part of the ceremony is also included at the top of this story.
      The event is hosted by Sleeper Magazine’s editor-at-large Guy Dittrich, and will feature exclusive video content from the AHEAD nominees, as well as from the judges and sponsors of the awards programme.

      The AHEAD awards celebrate striking hospitality projects from across the world and is split into four different regions: Middle East and Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe.
      The 2020 Middle East and Africa leg of the competition will review projects that have opened, reopened or launched in the continent between January 2019 and February of this year.
      In June this year, Dezeen broadcast a ceremony announcing the winners of the AHEAD Americas awards winners 2020 as part of Virtual Design Festival.
      Dezeen also broadcast a ceremony in March announcing the winners of the Asia leg of the competition.
      [embedded content]

      AHEAD MEA 2020 – part one2:00pm Dubai time / 12:00pm South Africa time / 10:00am UK time
      In the first part of the ceremony, the winners will be announced for categories including Bar, Club or Lounge, Landscaping & Outdoor Spaces, Renovation, Restoration & Conversion, Spa & Wellness, Guestrooms, Lobby & Public Spaces, Hotel Newbuild and Lodges, Cabins & Tented Camps.
      [embedded content]

      AHEAD MEA 2020 – part two3:00pm Dubai time / 1:00pm South Africa time / 11:00am UK time
      The second part of the ceremony will see the winners of the Resort, Suite, Restaurant, New Concept and Visual Identity categories, and the AHEAD MEA Hotel of the Year will be revealed.

      Read more: More

    • 200 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      MW Works uses dark wood and sandy walls for interiors of Ocean Drive apartment in Miami

      by

      American studio MW Works has converted and refurbished a large beachside apartment on Ocean Drive in Miami, Florida, using tropical hardwood and sand-coloured plaster.The studio knocked together two units in a new high-rise building to create a home for a family of six relocating from Seattle.

      Living areas feature plaster walls and concrete floors
      Materials were chosen to make the most of the quality of light and views of the seashore.
      “The irregular surface of the plaster highlights the changing quality of light throughout the day and lends a softness to private spaces,” said MW Works.

      Dark tropical hardwood in the dining area

      The Ocean Drive apartment’s five bedrooms are placed around the perimeter and decorated in a paler palette, while the kitchen and dining areas in the middle are darker and moodier.
      “Bedroom volumes are treated in pale, sandy tones of hand-troweled plaster reflecting natural light deep into the floor plate,” said the studio
      “The heart of the unit is clad in dark tropical hardwood with careful detailing emphasising mass and craft.”

      Plaster and dark wood in the kitchen
      Wide wooden planks form the floors. Handles and light switches are set into the doors and walls to create an uncluttered atmosphere.
      In the living room and media room, pale concrete floor slabs and a plastered ceiling bounce light around from the floor to ceiling glazing. Balconies overlook a stretch of beach with Miami’s signature lifeguarding huts.

      The home is for a family of six
      Gauzy curtains and earthy-coloured rugs continue the highly textured, refined yet beachy aesthetic of the apartment on Ocean Drive.
      “Woven baskets and patterned floor coverings add a layer of softness,” said MW Works. “Amongst the neutral canvas varied shades of blue, orange and red respond to the native flora and fauna of southern Florida.”

      Bas relief texture in the master bedroom
      In the master bedroom, the headboard wall dividing the bed area from the bathroom has a detailed geometric pattern in bas relief.
      “This design opportunity grew out of the client’s extensive travel in the middle east and their interest in mathematical patterns,” said MW Works.
      “Working with the craftspeople who would install it, we developed a pattern and a fabrication procedure to create an abstracted surface to catch the morning light.”

      The Miami apartment has ocean views
      In the ceilings, an LED lighting system is programmed to track with the sun and change across the course of the day. At night, one of the bathrooms lights up with an approximation of moonlight.
      Based in Seattle, MW Works was founded in 2007 by Steve Mongillo and Eric Walter. The studio often works with natural textures, cladding a cabin in Washington with blackened cedar and using reclaimed timber for a home in Seattle.
      Project credits:
      Architecture and interiors: MW WorksGeneral contractor: DowbuiltLocal contractor: WoolemsEngineer (MEP): Shamrock EngineeringEngineer (low volt): Visual AcousticsEngineer (structural): PCS Structural SolutionsLighting: NiteoFurnishings: Studio DIAA; Matt Anthony DesignsCarved Countertops: The Vero StonePlaster (walls, master headboard): Cathy Connor Studio CWood (casework, floor, ceiling): DowbuiltMetal (casework, hardware, patinas): DowbuiltInterior landscape garden: FormanetaCustom concrete: John DietrichMetals: Argent

      Read more: More

    • 175 Shares159 Views

      in Rooms

      Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe designs Utrecht care facility like a boutique hotel

      by

      Domstate Zorghotel is a rehabilitation centre in Utrecht, the Netherlands, designed by Dutch studio Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe to give patients a hotel experience.Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe deliberately approached the interiors of the 84-bed health facility like they were creating a 4-star hotel to give patients a more comfortable stay.
      “Unlike similar ‘healing environments’, this care hotel is designed from the user’s perspective,” said the studio.
      “The interior actively participates in the rehabilitation process of the patients,” they added. “From small interior accessories to large spatial gestures, everything is focussed on the process of healing.”

      Top: the care facility has 84 bedrooms. Above: a grand piano sits in the lobby

      In the patients’ rooms elements such as a mirror, a shelf and a headboard hang from a curved rail on the wall on thick leather straps. As well as providing a striking visual element, the rail can be used for rehabilitation exercises.
      Straps on handles and peepholes placed at different levels cater to patients with different levels of mobility.

      Door handles have accessible straps
      To add to the boutique hotel vibe, each floor of rooms has a different colour scheme.
      Colour is a central part of making the interiors feel less institutional. The lobby features a grey-blue curving reception desk and rounded seating with a mustard-yellow base.

      Parking for mobility walkers and plants
      Fabric curtains on rails can be used to screen areas off and a grand piano can be used for practices and performances.
      Graphic markings on the floor mimic different floor finishes and change colour according to the area, such as blue in the lobby, green in the dining room and pink in staff areas.

      Staff areas are also colourful
      In Domstate Zorghotel’s restaurant, a curving green unit provides a discreet place to park wheelchairs and walkers. Rooms such as this are designed to subtly encourage guests to practise for real-world situations when they leave.
      Plants spill out of boxes in the built-in dividers and seating areas.

      Colourful patterns cover the floors
      Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe were careful to make sure the staff areas are fun and comfortable too.
      A pink curved multi-level banquette screened by plants in pink planters forms an attractive place for employees to sit outside of their desks. Geometric markings in the pink floor add interest to another staff area.

      Integrated Field decorates children’s hospital in Thailand with slides and a pool

      “In the areas of the building where employees work, it’s OK for them to colour outside the lines,” said Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe.
      “The design for these areas is aimed at making the most of innovation and diversity in day-to-day work.”

      Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe designed the facility to be fun
      Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe was founded in 1998 by Dutch designers Miriam van der Lubbe and Niels van Eijk. Their previous work includes a mirrored concept car and the refurbishment of a concert hall in Eindhoven.
      Domstate Zorghotel has been shortlisted for Dezeen Awards 2020 in the leisure and wellness interior category, alongside a children’s hospital in Thailand and an underground spa in New York.

      Read more: More

    • 113 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      Residence for Two Collectors is an art-filled Chicago penthouse

      by

      An extensive art collection is complemented by industrial detailing, a walnut floor and earthy, muted colours in this Chicago penthouse flat that local studio Wheeler Kearns Architects designed for two art collectors.Working together with Sharlene Young of Symbiotic Living, Wheeler Kearns Architects created the interior of Residence for Two Collectors for a couple who wanted a home that would have space for their family, art and furniture.

      The foyer features wooden accessories and earthy colours
      Located in a Chicago high-rise, the penthouse flat measures 6,350 square feet (590 square metres) and was gutted to a shell condition ahead of Wheeler Kearns Architects’ refurbishment.
      Designed for a couple and their dog, the residence is intended to be a welcoming space for family and friends. The owners, who are actively engaged in the community, also wanted room to host philanthropic events for up to 75 people.

      In the living room, floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the Chicago skyline

      “As such it is a bit of a transformer, with a series of perforated metal partitions that open and close to adjust to the needs of the day,” Wheeler Kearns Architects principal Dan Wheeler told Dezeen.
      “Acoustics and lighting systems were carefully integrated into the shell to attend to the technical demands.”

      The guest room has sliding doors for privacy
      The apartment has a master bedroom and a kids’ room as well as a guest room, family room, living room, dining room, a sitting room and two offices.
      A kitchen and a laundry room complete the residence, which also features a terrace and has its own service entrance in addition to the main foyer.

      The dining room is located between the living room and kitchen
      As all rooms are on one floor and many are open-plan, the walnut flooring and muted wall colour are intended to keep the design consistent throughout.
      One of the owner’s father was a machinist, which informed a steel and wood material palette that runs through the apartment.

      Pieces from the owners’ art collection decorate the walls
      “This led to a use of metals, patinated plate and perforated sheet steel,” Wheeler explained. “[The owner’s] focus was down to the selection of the profile of a screw head, something that we could all love.”

      The large, custom-made bookshelf with a dedicated spiral staircase
      “She was drawn to the end-grain walnut block flooring inspired by factory flooring, but here softer, warmer, each milled squared, laid in a grid to purposely bely directionality in the residence,” he added.
      “Those two elements, steel and walnut, drove the project home.”

      Chainmail curtains let light into the living room
      To design the interior the studio worked together with Young, who is the founder of Symbiotic Living, an interior architecture and design firm.

      Vladimir Radutny overhauls industrial Michigan Loft apartment in Chicago

      The owners’ extensive art collection played a big part in her choices for the interior design with key pieces including a George Nakashima bench, Harry Bertoia sculptures and furniture by Paul Evans.

      A green custom-cast glass table adds warmth
      Even the bathrooms, of which there are two as well as an additional powder room, are filled with art. The master bathroom features a lighter colour scheme with pale blue-grey walls and a marble floor.
      Other details include a custom-made loft and bookshelf with a spiral staircase that takes up one side of the living room, which opens up into the dining room; and drapery that resembles chainmail.

      Sculptures decorate the master bathroom
      “Chainmail, a material used historically in both Eastern and Western cultures, conveys strength and endurance, yet it also bears the surprising qualities of visual softness and ability to diffuse sunlight,” she explained.
      Also in Chicago, Vladimir Radutny overhauled an industrial loft on the city’s Michigan Avenue inside a century-old structure that was built for automotive assembly and display.
      Photography is by Tom Rossiter Photography.
      Project credits:
      WKA Team:​​ Dan Wheeler, FAIA, Principal, ​​​Janette Scott, AIA, Project ArchitectConsultants ​General Contractor: JDL Development CorporationOwners Construction Advisor/Manager: Peter SeigelStructural Engineer: Halvorson and PartnersMillwork: Glazebrook WoodworkingAcoustical Consultant: Threshold AcousticsLighting Design: Mitchell Cohn LightingMEP: BES Engineering SystemsInteriors: Sharlene Young with Wheeler Kearns Architects (founder of Symbiotic Living)

      Read more: More