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      Ten Adam Štěch photographs of “one-of-a-kind” architecture and interior designs

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      Architecture historian Adam Štěch highlights ten images from his recent exhibition Elements: Unique Details of the 20th Century Architecture and Interior and explains the stories behind them.

      The exhibition brought together an edited selection of nearly 3,000 photographs from Štěch’s archive of buildings and interiors and their bespoke details.
      Elements: Unique Details of the 20th Century Architecture and Interior was created for Milan design week and provided a welcome respite from the week’s influx of new products.
      It was displayed in one of the previously abandoned warehouse tunnels behind Milan Central Station, as part of the Dropcity series of exhibitions.
      Over more than 15 years, Štěch estimates he has photographed about 7,000 projects in 45 countries, capturing buildings and interiors that were completed between 1910 and 1980.

      “It’s hard to count them all,” Štěch told Dezeen when asked how many photographs are in the ever-evolving archive.

      Eight Alastair Philip Wiper photographs that turn architecture into fantasy

      For this exhibition, he focused on ten specific elements from his archive, grouped according to certain details ranging from entrances, windows and handrails to furniture, lighting, fireplaces and surfaces.
      “All of these elements were created by architects as one-of-a-kind and bespoke design solutions for specific houses and buildings all around the world,” Štěch said.
      “The ultimate selection of elements celebrate the modernist idea of the total work of art, the so-called Gesamtkunstwerk, and tell stories about the versatile skills of modernist architects from Art Nouveau to modernism and beyond.”
      The paper-printed photos in the exhibition were folded simply over an aluminium construction, making the show quick to assemble and lightweight and compact to transport.
      “The images were freely divided into typological sections in which visitors could explore various formal similarities and analyse modernist architecture in its differences and transformations,” explained Štěch.
      “My ambition for this project is to create the biggest database of one-of-a-kind designs from specific buildings and interiors captured by a single person and survey a never before seen chapter in the history of applied art.”
      Below, Štěch highlights ten featured photographs, one from each of the typological sections of the exhibition:

      Schlegel and Brunhammer Apartment by Valentine Schlegel, Paris, France, 1970s
      “Valentine Schlegel’s vases from the 1950s are among the pinnacle of French post-war artistic ceramics. Despite the fact that her work was largely forgotten, interest in her has increased again recently.
      “I visited her own apartment and studio in Paris, which she shared with her friend Yvonne Brunhammer, writer, curator and director of Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. I was there just a few weeks before its interior was completely emptied and sold at auction.
      “Designed during the 1970s, her apartment and studio were conceived as an artificial cave, organically modelled by plaster. It was created at the time when she specialised in designing private apartment interiors, which she transformed into organically shaped spaces. I was amazed by the leather-covered door she designed for the space.”

      Grand Hotel Minerva by Carlo Scarpa and Edoardo Detti, Florence, Italy, 1957-1964
      “If you talk to architects, many are celebrating Carlo Scarpa as an ‘architect of the detail’. It is also why I focused on his work and have visited almost all of his projects.
      “The one which is not so well known is the Grand Hotel Minerva in Florence, which he designed together with the architect Edoardo Detti. The hotel is located in the historical building close to Santa Maria Novella church.
      “The architects created public spaces spread around the external patio which you can look at through this exceptional double window. I enjoyed an amazing breakfast there while photographing this great detail of Scarpa’s.”

      Chamber of Commerce, Work and Industry by Jože Plečnik, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 1925-1927
      “Two years ago I was commissioned to photograph a collection of Jože Plečnik’s buildings in Ljubljana.
      “This was an amazing opportunity to experience the work of Plečnik who I find to be one of the most important European architects for his ability to combine all historical architectural styles together with absolutely original results.
      “This staircase and metal handrail is located inside Plečnik’s first project after he came back to Ljubljana from his stay in Prague. This robust metal handrail beautifully shows Plečnik‘s sensitive approach to details and his skills with metal craft.”

      Casa Carcano by Ico and Luisa Parisi, Maslianico, Italy, 1949-1950
      “It took me more than two years before I was finally able to arrange a visit to the unique Casa Carcano designed by my absolutely favourite Italian architects and designers Ico and Luisa Parisi.
      “They built it near the famous Lake Como in 1949-1950 at the beginning of their rich career. Parisi was born in Palermo, Sicily in 1916 and settled in Como in the 1930s. Together with his wife Luisa, they designed exceptional houses from the late 1940s to the 1970s.
      “I have already visited five of them since 2011. Casa Carcano is their early masterpiece with much bespoke furniture including this wonderful built-in sofa in the middle of the stairs, which is housed in the spectacular entrance hall.”

      Former Czechoslovak Embassy in New Delhi by Karel Filsak, Karel Bubeníček, Zdeněk Dvořák, Jan Kozel, Karel Filsak and Zbyněk Hřivnáč, India, 1966-1974
      “As my diploma project at the Art History department at the Charles University in Prague, I focused on the work of interior designer Zbyněk Hřivnáč. He collaborated with the best of Czech architects during the socialist time from the 1950s to 1980s, designing mostly bespoke interior furnishings.
      “These projects included Czechoslovakian embassies all around the world. Back in my student years, I did not have any chance to travel to see these buildings. Finally, now I have resources that allow me to travel worldwide.
      “I was finally able to visit two of the Czechoslovakian embassies (now divided into Czech and Slovak) in Cairo and New Delhi. The one in India is an amazing brutalist building with all of the original furnishing details still preserved.
      “Hřivnáč also designed this series of wooden lamps including balloon shades.”

      The Box by Ralph Erskine, Lovön, Sweden, 1941-1942
      “Not far from the Drottningholm Royal Castle on the island of Lovön near Stockholm, there is a miniature house that Ralph Erskine built as a starter home in the early 1940s. Its architecture is synonymous with frugality and minimalism.
      “If you want to see Ralph Erskine’s house, you must first pick up the keys at the reception of the ArkDes architecture centre in Stockholm. After paying the deposit, they will entrust you with the keys and you have nothing else to do but go to the island of Lovön and open this unique house yourself.
      “I did the same to visit this masterpiece by the famous Swedish-British architect who was a pioneer of Scandinavian modernism. He designed this organic fireplace as a centrepiece of the minimal functional interior.”

      Bossard House (Kunststätte Bossard) by Johann Michael Bossard, Jesteburg, Germany, 1911-1950
      “One of my many specific interests with 20th-century architecture is totally-designed interior environments. These are spaces where all the surfaces are given the attention of the designer.
      “This kind of interior can often be found in Germany. They were created by artists influenced by the expressionist movement, very often by painters or sculptors and not architects.
      “This is also the case of Johann Michael Bossard who created his own world in the middle of forests in Jesteburg, close to Hamburg. His own house is completely painted inside by mixing mythology and his original visions of the future. I called these interiors ‘3D paintings’.”

      Maison Wogenscky by André Wogenscky and Marta Pan, Saint-Rémy-Lès-Chevreuse, France, 1952
      “I was desperate to visit this house, built near Paris by Le Corbusier’s disciple André Wogenscky and his wife, sculptor Marta Pan.
      “Despite the house only opening to the public a few times a year, it was one of the most challenging visits because I did not get any answer from the foundation for years. Finally, I made it there in 2022.
      “The bathroom, with the beautiful mosaic-clad curve, presents the essence of postwar French interior design.”

      Girard House by Wolfgang Ewerth, Casablanca, Morocco, 1954
      “Casablanca boasts a rich collection of art deco architecture, as well as modernist and brutalist. That’s why I decided to go there in 2019. With the help of architects from preservation group Mamma, I was able to visit some exceptional houses.
      “Originally German architect Wolfgang Ewerth was a follower of progressive modernist tendencies after the second world war and built several remarkable villas in Casablanca. I was lucky enough to visit House Girard, which Ewerth completed in 1955.
      “The spacious terraces, glass facades and open living space stand in bold comparison with the best contemporary examples of Californian modernism by Richard Neutra, Raphael Soriano or Craig Elwood, who, like Ewerth, used simple steel frames to allow for freely articulated interiors.
      “But unlike his American colleagues, Ewerth also designed more sculptural features including this massive boomerang-like planter.”

      University Library by Henry Lacoste, Leuven, Belgium, 1948
      “Last summer I had the chance to stay for three weeks in Belgium, supported by the Czech Centre in Brussels. I took advantage of this and visited dozens of Belgian modernist houses and interiors. Every day I woke up very early, travelling to different Belgian cities and documenting marvels of Belgian architecture and design.
      “Hidden behind the historical neo-Renaissance facade of the monumental Leuven University Library is the main reading room, which was one of my intended destinations.
      “It is a perfectly carved interior treasure, created by Belgian architecture legend Henry Lacoste after the second world war when the library was completely destroyed for the second time. The space is full of sculptural details and symbolic motives carved into oak, including this monumental wall clock.”
      The photography is by Adam Štěch. Main image by Piercarlo Quecchia.
      Elements: Unique Details of the 20th Century Architecture and Interior was on show as part of Dropcity during Milan design week from 12 to 21 April 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for all the latest architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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      Working Holiday Studio adds hacienda-style twist to midcentury LA house

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      The founders of LA-based Working Holiday Studio have renovated a midcentury home for themselves and their growing family, transforming the interiors to echo a Mexican hacienda.

      Designers Carlos Naude and Whitney Brown chose to move from their previous ranch-style home to a larger dwelling after having a second child, knowing they would need more space.
      Working Holiday Studio added arched openings and handmade brick floors to the midcentury homeThe couple found another midcentury home built in 1962 in the Granada Hills neighbourhood of Los Angeles, which they set about remodelling in “an eclectic hacienda style with Mexican and Scandinavian influences”.
      “We renovated the house because it hasn’t been updated since the first owners bought it and was in much need of a refresh,” the duo told Dezeen. “The layout didn’t make sense for modern living and the house felt dark, cold and outdated.”
      Details like iron railings with wavy balusters add a “hacienda vibe” to the interiorsThe biggest change involved opening up the wall between the dining room and kitchen, creating a large space for the family to gather and entertain under the dark-stained, mono-pitched ceiling.

      The kitchen was reimagined with swing-out French doors, dark green plaster across the walls, and warm millwork for cabinets and the central island.
      The kitchen was completely transformed with dark green plaster walls and warm millworkBricks across the floor in this space and the hallways were handmade in Tijuana, Mexico, and imported across the border.
      Together with arched openings that Working Holiday Studio added throughout the home, they add a “hacienda vibe” to the property.
      A formal living room features a variety of sculptural seats arranged around a marble coffee tableBeige plaster walls, iron railings with wavy balusters and various wooden furniture pieces also lend to the contemporary Mexican aesthetic, with hints of Scandinavian minimalism.
      “We always start with a palette of colours and materials,” said Naude and Brown. “We wanted [the interiors] to feel neutral, earthy, and warm with a few pop accents.”

      Los Angeles ranch house becomes Zen Den by Working Holiday Studio

      Also on the ground floor is a space for the family to watch TV together, which features a large cushioned sectional.
      A formal living room off the dining area has a whitewashed brick fireplace in the corner, and a variety of sculptural chairs arranged around a marble coffee table.
      Bedrooms are decorated with natural materials in neutral tones”We spend a lot of time in the family and TV room because it’s very cosy and comfortable, but love looking into the formal living room because each piece feels like an artwork or sculpture,” the couple said.
      Upstairs, the bedrooms are decorated with natural materials in neutral tones, while the bathrooms are playfully lined with checkerboard or thin straight-stack tiles.
      Playful touches in the bathrooms include checkerboard tilingAcross the exterior, the house was rendered in mid-grey stucco and black-framed windows and doors were added.
      A large covered veranda stretches almost the full length of the building and is used for outdoor lounging and dining in front of the backyard swimming pool.
      The house has a large veranda for outdoor lounging and dining in front of the backyard swimming poolOther properties designed and owned by the couple – the ZenDen in LA’s Woodland Hills and Casa Mami near Joshua Tree National Park – are available as vacation rentals for guests.
      The photography is by Carlos Naude.

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      Eight neutral-hued homes patterned with intricate herringbone flooring

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      From a 1970s apartment renovation in Lisbon to a converted shop in Montreal, our latest lookbook collects eight residential interiors characterised by decorative herringbone parquet flooring.

      The herringbone pattern is made of rectangles or parallelograms, arranged to resemble the bones of a herring. It is often used for wallpaper, textiles and floors.
      Herringbone is a type of parquet flooring, the umbrella term for wooden battens slotted together in various geometric and mosaic arrangements to create decorative surfaces – a trend that emerged in the 1600s.
      Each of the eight homes in this lookbook showcases herringbone parquet, either preserved as a period feature or created to emulate the age-old flooring style.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring converted barns, zellige tiles and bathroom design ideas.

      Photo by Oni StudioWarsaw apartment, Poland, by Dawid Konieczny
      Polish architect Dawid Konieczny maintained the original herringbone flooring in this 20th-century Warsaw building, which houses a petite studio apartment he designed to echo “the ease of a good hotel room”.
      Dark oak-panelled walls were chosen to match the timber floors, while veiny Palomino quartzite was applied to the open-plan kitchen countertop.
      Find out more about this Warsaw apartment ›
      Photo courtesy of Aurora ArquitectosLisbon apartment, Portugal, by Aurora Arquitectos
      Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves characterise this Lisbon apartment renovated by local studio Aurora Arquitectos to illuminate its interior.
      Three wood-lined skylights were added to the 1970s home, which features a mix of marble and pine herringbone flooring to delineate public and private spaces.
      Find out more about this Lisbon apartment ›
      Photo by Janis NicolayVancouver townhouse, Canada, by Falken Reynolds
      Canadian firm Falken Reynolds transformed the ground floor of this 100-year-old townhouse in Vancouver.
      While the team added significant contemporary design details, they also preserved historic accents including oiled oak herringbone floors and an exposed red brick wall.
      Find out more about this Vancouver townhouse ›
      Photo by Alex JamesCourtyard House, UK, by De Rosee Sa
      Local architecture studio De Rosee Sa had to follow strict planning regulations when creating Courtyard House, a London home built to mirror the exact height of the old timber store it replaced.
      A trio of internal courtyards separate the floor plan into three light-filled spaces, which feature minimalist interior design such as herringbone-patterned parquet flooring and bright white walls.
      Find out more about Courtyard House ›
      Photo by Radek BruneckyZurich house, Switzerland, by Rafael Schmid
      Swiss architect Schmid overhauled his 1920s home in Zurich to combine period and contemporary details.
      Schmid maintained the open-plan living space’s original herringbone floors, but chose a contrasting pale grey surface made from mineral anhydrite for the adjacent kitchen.
      Find out more about this Zurich house ›
      Photo by Fernando AldaPanama City apartment, Panama, by Sandra Robles Boesler
      Located in the capital city of Panama, this concrete apartment was stripped out by architect Robles Boesler to make way for softer details including oak flooring arranged in a herringbone pattern.
      The architect also chose pastel-hued furniture to add warmth to the spaces, which are split between two levels accessed via a wood-lined staircase.
      Find out more about this Panama City ›
      Photo by Maxime DesbiensRésidence Villeneuve, Canada, by Atelier Barda
      Local architecture office Atelier Barda converted a Montreal shop into a two-storey house and a separate, rentable flat.
      Wooden herringbone flooring creates a backdrop for the understated ground floor characterised by light timber furniture and sandy-hued drapes.
      Find out more about Résidence Villeneuve ›
      Photo by Luuk KramerThe Hague townhouse, the Netherlands, by Antonia Reif
      Oak parquet was laid in a herringbone pattern across the floor of this early 20th-century townhouse in The Hague.
      In contrast with the honey-hued flooring, a grey kitchen island was placed in the centre of the home’s atrium. The bespoke feature was created from a type of composite stone called Silesto.
      Find out more about this townhouse in The Hague ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring converted barns, zellige tiles and bathroom design ideas.

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      Twelve scenes froms America’s “hidden” industrial world

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      Pencil production in New Jersey and the fabrication of massive turbines for wind power in North Dakota feature in this roundup of American industrial facilities photographed by Christopher Payne.

      Payne has spent the last decade exploring factories in America, ranging from “traditional industries” like wool carders to the production of contemporary technological machines that he says are often “hidden from view”.
      His reasons for creating Made in America stem from the lack of awareness of where products come from, and from American manufacturing “making a comeback” after Covid-19.
      “Most people I know have never set foot in a factory,” said Payne. “Decades of global outsourcing and a flood of cheap imports have decimated sectors of American manufacturing and hollowed out once-thriving communities.”
      “Yet, we still live in a physical world, and we surround ourselves with material things, and many of these things are still made in America. As environmental concerns and the pandemic have become urgent wake-up calls for us to rethink global supply chains, US manufacturing is making a comeback.”

      Nine municipal buildings in North America that reject bland utilitarianism

      The book includes close-up photography gathered from Payne’s personal exploration and editorial commissions and has an introduction from British author Simon Winchester.
      Payne said that he wanted to preserve the legacy of certain industries while showing the continued innovation and skill of workers – many of whom are featured in the photography.
      “All of these places share a commitment to craftsmanship and quality that can’t be outsourced,” he said.
      “There is, for sure, a certain romance in the idea of making our own goods here in the US, but it is no longer entirely nostalgia; it is also necessity and opportunity.”
      Read on for Payne’s commentary on scenes from twelve industrial facilities in the United States:
      Wool carders at the S & D Spinning MillS & D Spinning Mill, Millbury, Massachusetts
      “In 2010 I discovered an old yarn mill in Maine that reminded me of the state hospital workshops that I photographed for my book Asylum. While most such places had long been abandoned, this mill was fully operational, a scene from the past miraculously coexisting with the present.”
      “I learned of other mills around New England, remnants of a once-dominant industry that had moved south long ago, and then overseas, in search of cheap labor. I befriended mill owners, who, in addition to opening their doors, would inform me of a colorful production run, an invaluable tip that transformed a drab, monochromatic scene into something photogenic and magical.”
      A tipping machine adds metal ferrules and erasers to pencils General Pencil Company, Jersey City, New Jersey
      “General Pencil is one of two remaining pencil companies in the US, and it took five years to win the trust of the owners and gain access to the factory.”
      “I focused on essential steps in the manufacturing process to reveal a fresh look at this humble, everyday object.”
      Wafer (a thin slice of semiconductor material used to make microchips) sorterGlobal Foundries, Malta, New York
      “There is a familiarity to traditionally made objects like pianos and pencils that makes them easier to photograph than tiny microchips [featured above] or complex, one-of-a-kind spacecraft; they’re recognizable in all stages of production and we know exactly what they do.”
      “Whenever possible, I try to include people in my pictures to humanize a subject that might otherwise seem incomprehensible.”
      Vertical assembly of a CFM LEAP jet engine core
      GE Aerospace, Lafayette, Indiana
      “From the window of a plane, it is impossible to appreciate the size and complexity of a jet engine.”
      “Seen up close and uncovered, it becomes an intricate, dazzling work of art, the perfect balance of form and function.”
      Inspection of a low-pressure steam turbine rotorGE Gas Power, Schenectady, New York
      “Gaining access to modern factories is never easy. There are concerns about safety and intellectual property that didn’t exist in the 1940s and 50s, when American companies spent lavishly on annual reports and were eager to pull back the curtain for popular magazines like LIFE and Fortune.”
      “Sometimes I’ll make a beautiful picture only to find out later that I can’t use it, prompting me to look elsewhere for a replacement, like this one, which was my second – and successful attempt – at photographing a turbine rotor.”
      A technician tracing a part template for optimized glass utilization on a boule of Corning HPFS fused silica Corning Inc, Canton, New York
      “Glass is an ancient material continually being pushed to new limits, but it is not easily photographed. It’s transparent, reflective, and often quite thin and fragile.”
      “Finding this technician hovering over a massive circle of glass, lit up like an ice sculpture, was something I had never seen before, and it remains one of my favorite pictures.”
      An R1 vehicle hood in the closures area of the body shopRivian, Normal, Illinois
      “Car factories are so vast that a golf cart is needed to get around. The environment is visually overwhelming and everything beckons the camera.”
      “I never have enough time to show even a fraction of the production process so I search for quiet, simple moments that serve as stand-ins for the larger story.”
      Workers weld parts to the steel frame of an electric public transit busBuild Your Dreams (BYD) factory, Lancaster, California
      “I approach industrial subjects and busy, cluttered factories the same way I do buildings: I try to find an underlying order within the visual chaos.”
      “Here, I was able to use the bus frame as a geometric backdrop upon which the action could unfold, like a stage set.”
      Gathering yarn to be fed into a carpet tufterInterface, LaGrange, Georgia
      “New technologies are often integrated seamlessly into everyday products in ways that are indiscernible, as is the case here, where captured carbon dioxide will be fused into the backing of a commercial carpet.”
      “Even though the product is ‘high tech’, the manufacturing process still requires the deft touch of the human hand.”
      Sanding infused fiberglass inside a wind turbine blade shellLM Wind Power, Grand Forks, North Dakota
      “Clean energy is another booming sector in manufacturing. Wind turbine blades are 200 to 300 feet long (60 to 91 metres), so there’s no elegant way to show their length without including a lot of distracting context.”
      “Seen in section, though, the half circle of a blade shell becomes a pleasing composition that fills the frame.”
      Inside Stargate, the world’s largest metal 3D printer, prints a Terran 1 rocketRelativity Space, Long Beach, California
      “Essential technologies like aerospace have been reenergized by the private sector and new technologies, like 3D printing, and some factories I visited had the buzz of tech startups.”
      “Relativity Space 3D prints rocket engines, reducing the time to do so from years to months. To work around the UV light of the laser we had to wear protective gear to avoid a nasty sunburn.”
      American flags in production on a rotary screen printerAnnin Flagmakers, South Boston, Virginia
      “Even in its unfinished state the American flag is instantly recognizable, a whole greater than the sum of its parts.”
      “I like to think that a factory is similar, a whole that is only complete when everyone works together as a team. These are the people who make the stuff that fuels our economy, and in this time of social polarization and increasing automation, they offer a glimmer of hope.”

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    • 88 Shares99 Views

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      Twelve scenes from America’s “hidden” industrial world

      by

      Pencil production in New Jersey and the fabrication of massive turbines for wind power in North Dakota feature in this roundup of American industrial facilities photographed by Christopher Payne.

      Payne has spent the last decade exploring factories in America, ranging from “traditional industries” like wool carders to the production of contemporary technological machines that he says are often “hidden from view”.
      His reasons for creating Made in America stem from the lack of awareness of where products come from, and from American manufacturing “making a comeback” after Covid-19.
      “Most people I know have never set foot in a factory,” said Payne. “Decades of global outsourcing and a flood of cheap imports have decimated sectors of American manufacturing and hollowed out once-thriving communities.”
      “Yet, we still live in a physical world, and we surround ourselves with material things, and many of these things are still made in America. As environmental concerns and the pandemic have become urgent wake-up calls for us to rethink global supply chains, US manufacturing is making a comeback.”

      Nine municipal buildings in North America that reject bland utilitarianism

      The book includes close-up photography gathered from Payne’s personal exploration and editorial commissions and has an introduction from British author Simon Winchester.
      Payne said that he wanted to preserve the legacy of certain industries while showing the continued innovation and skill of workers – many of whom are featured in the photography.
      “All of these places share a commitment to craftsmanship and quality that can’t be outsourced,” he said.
      “There is, for sure, a certain romance in the idea of making our own goods here in the US, but it is no longer entirely nostalgia; it is also necessity and opportunity.”
      Read on for Payne’s commentary on scenes from twelve industrial facilities in the United States:
      Wool carders at the S & D Spinning MillS & D Spinning Mill, Millbury, Massachusetts
      “In 2010 I discovered an old yarn mill in Maine that reminded me of the state hospital workshops that I photographed for my book Asylum. While most such places had long been abandoned, this mill was fully operational, a scene from the past miraculously coexisting with the present.”
      “I learned of other mills around New England, remnants of a once-dominant industry that had moved south long ago, and then overseas, in search of cheap labor. I befriended mill owners, who, in addition to opening their doors, would inform me of a colorful production run, an invaluable tip that transformed a drab, monochromatic scene into something photogenic and magical.”
      A tipping machine adds metal ferrules and erasers to pencils General Pencil Company, Jersey City, New Jersey
      “General Pencil is one of two remaining pencil companies in the US, and it took five years to win the trust of the owners and gain access to the factory.”
      “I focused on essential steps in the manufacturing process to reveal a fresh look at this humble, everyday object.”
      Wafer (a thin slice of semiconductor material used to make microchips) sorterGlobal Foundries, Malta, New York
      “There is a familiarity to traditionally made objects like pianos and pencils that makes them easier to photograph than tiny microchips [featured above] or complex, one-of-a-kind spacecraft; they’re recognizable in all stages of production and we know exactly what they do.”
      “Whenever possible, I try to include people in my pictures to humanize a subject that might otherwise seem incomprehensible.”
      Vertical assembly of a CFM LEAP jet engine core
      GE Aerospace, Lafayette, Indiana
      “From the window of a plane, it is impossible to appreciate the size and complexity of a jet engine.”
      “Seen up close and uncovered, it becomes an intricate, dazzling work of art, the perfect balance of form and function.”
      Inspection of a low-pressure steam turbine rotorGE Gas Power, Schenectady, New York
      “Gaining access to modern factories is never easy. There are concerns about safety and intellectual property that didn’t exist in the 1940s and 50s, when American companies spent lavishly on annual reports and were eager to pull back the curtain for popular magazines like LIFE and Fortune.”
      “Sometimes I’ll make a beautiful picture only to find out later that I can’t use it, prompting me to look elsewhere for a replacement, like this one, which was my second – and successful attempt – at photographing a turbine rotor.”
      A technician tracing a part template for optimized glass utilization on a boule of Corning HPFS fused silica Corning Inc, Canton, New York
      “Glass is an ancient material continually being pushed to new limits, but it is not easily photographed. It’s transparent, reflective, and often quite thin and fragile.”
      “Finding this technician hovering over a massive circle of glass, lit up like an ice sculpture, was something I had never seen before, and it remains one of my favorite pictures.”
      An R1 vehicle hood in the closures area of the body shopRivian, Normal, Illinois
      “Car factories are so vast that a golf cart is needed to get around. The environment is visually overwhelming and everything beckons the camera.”
      “I never have enough time to show even a fraction of the production process so I search for quiet, simple moments that serve as stand-ins for the larger story.”
      Workers weld parts to the steel frame of an electric public transit busBuild Your Dreams (BYD) factory, Lancaster, California
      “I approach industrial subjects and busy, cluttered factories the same way I do buildings: I try to find an underlying order within the visual chaos.”
      “Here, I was able to use the bus frame as a geometric backdrop upon which the action could unfold, like a stage set.”
      Gathering yarn to be fed into a carpet tufterInterface, LaGrange, Georgia
      “New technologies are often integrated seamlessly into everyday products in ways that are indiscernible, as is the case here, where captured carbon dioxide will be fused into the backing of a commercial carpet.”
      “Even though the product is ‘high tech’, the manufacturing process still requires the deft touch of the human hand.”
      Sanding infused fiberglass inside a wind turbine blade shellLM Wind Power, Grand Forks, North Dakota
      “Clean energy is another booming sector in manufacturing. Wind turbine blades are 200 to 300 feet long (60 to 91 metres), so there’s no elegant way to show their length without including a lot of distracting context.”
      “Seen in section, though, the half circle of a blade shell becomes a pleasing composition that fills the frame.”
      Inside Stargate, the world’s largest metal 3D printer, prints a Terran 1 rocketRelativity Space, Long Beach, California
      “Essential technologies like aerospace have been reenergized by the private sector and new technologies, like 3D printing, and some factories I visited had the buzz of tech startups.”
      “Relativity Space 3D prints rocket engines, reducing the time to do so from years to months. To work around the UV light of the laser we had to wear protective gear to avoid a nasty sunburn.”
      American flags in production on a rotary screen printerAnnin Flagmakers, South Boston, Virginia
      “Even in its unfinished state the American flag is instantly recognizable, a whole greater than the sum of its parts.”
      “I like to think that a factory is similar, a whole that is only complete when everyone works together as a team. These are the people who make the stuff that fuels our economy, and in this time of social polarization and increasing automation, they offer a glimmer of hope.”

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      Halleroed contrasts colour and texture inside Boygar’s Tbilisi store

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      Design studio Halleroed has combined rustic, earthy tones with bold colours and glossy finishes for online retailer Boygar’s first store in Tbilisi, Georgia.

      Set across three floors in a historic building on Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue, Halleroed worked within the framework of the building’s existing features when designing the store.
      Halleroed has designed a three-storey retail space for Boygar’s in TbilisiCharacterised by a series of tall arched doorways and openings, the ground floor space features circular bronze-toned chandeliers, decorative wall and ceiling elements and Versailles parquet flooring.
      To preserve the existing ceiling details, chandeliers designed by Cristian Miola were hung with minimal intervention.
      Bronze ring-shaped chandeliers hang from the ceiling on the ground floor”The inspiration for the chandeliers was from the Greek Orthodox Georgian churches that we visited during our stay in Tbilisi,” Halleroed told Dezeen.

      To create a striking visual contrast against the more neutral tones and materials, Halleroed added a velvet green sofa and a matching curved green screen with a high-gloss finish.
      “For the ground floor and first floor, we had a decorative, old, existing environment which we wanted to be the backdrop to the new additions,” Halleroed explained.
      A high-gloss green screen divides the ground floor spaceHalleroed also incorporated half-height curved partition walls that weave through the ground floor space. These have integrated mirrors, as well as floating shelves to display Boygar’s products.
      “The walls and ceiling of the existing building have a darker beige tone while the new, lower, curved walls are in a textured bright wallpaper to create a contrast between old and new,” said Halleroed.
      Burgandy, ochre, green and black contribute to the colour palette on the first floorA marble staircase leads up to the first floor, where the material and colour palette echo that of the ground floor.
      “The colours and fixtures are from a more earthy, in our eyes, Georgian palette with burgundy, ochre, green and black accents,” said Halleroed.
      Halleroed juxtaposed elements including oak window and door frames with a burgundy lacquered side table and a curved glossy black screen.
      Seating units by Gaetano Pesco add colour to the lower-ground floor spaceThe store’s lower level is a “more contemporary area”, according to Halleroed.
      Here, modular seating by Italian designer Gaetano Pesce stands out in bright pops of solid colour against the neutral palette used for the walls and carpet.

      Halleroed mixes French and Japandi influences inside L/Uniform’s Paris boutique

      “Downstairs we used a more modern approach since the space didn’t contain any decorative elements,” Halleroed explained.
      Work by contemporary Georgian artists including Ketuta Alexi-Meskhishvili and Shota Aptsiauri line the walls.
      Tubular lighting contained inside circular niches illuminates the spaceGarments presented on mannequins and minimal clothes rails are illuminated by tubular lighting contained in circular niches in the ceiling.
      “Tubular lighting is very typical for art galleries and we wanted that feeling downstairs but in a more interesting, spatial way,” said Halleroed.
      A coral-coloured shoe display area takes cues from paintings by Georgian artist PirosmaniA bright red archway frames a women’s shoe display area, with the same gloss finish used elsewhere.
      “The strong coral red colour was inspired by the famous Georgian artist Pirosmani’s paintings,” Halleroed explained.
      A local Georgian marble features in the bathroomsIn the bathrooms, a green-hued local Georgian marble was used, which matches the building’s facade.
      “We always try to work with local materials where possible,” Halleroed said. “We played with the stone and illuminated ceiling to create a visually intense, almost scenographical effect.”
      Other store interior projects recently published on Dezeen include a flagship store for fashion brand Totome in London and a boutique in Paris for French bag brand L/Unifirm.
      Photography is by Ludovic Balay.

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      Sabine Marcelis creates colour-blocked scenography for VitraHaus loft

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      A mint-green lounge pit and custard-yellow home office are among several colourful set pieces installed by designer Sabine Marcelis on the top floor of Vitra’s Herzog & de Meuron-designed flagship store in Weil am Rhein, Germany.

      Marcelis, who is known for her work exploring colour, translucency and reflection, was invited to create a series of domestic scenes within the VitraHaus loft that feature some of the furniture company’s most iconic products.
      The scenography immerses visitors in a world of colour, with the various spaces providing a vision of domestic life that aims to be both practical and imaginative.
      Sabine Marcelis has transformed the VitraHaus loft showroom in Germany”The philosophy behind the design closely mirrors how we created our family home,” said Marcelis, who organised Vitra Design Museum’s archive into a colour-coordinated exhibition called Colour Rush in 2022.
      “It features a large open space divided into functional zones, delineated by colour. We then blended my creations with those of other designers, artists and, of course, Vitra furniture to create a cohesive whole.”

      A series of domestic scenes showcases colour-blocked furnitureMarcelis worked closely with Vitra to transform the loft of the flagship store on the Vitra Campus, also home to Zaha Hadid’s dynamic Fire Station and Frank Gehry’s swirling museum building.
      The loft, with its gabled openings framing views of the surrounding countryside, has a domestic scale that is accentuated through the choice of furnishings and the layering of colour and materials.
      Marcelis is known for her experiments with translucency”The VitraHaus loft is the perfect canvas to display the diversity of Vitra furniture,” said Till Weber, the company’s creative director of interiors and scenography. “It provides a collage where we can mix and match furniture for the characters that live within it.”
      “The tones and hues Sabine has used are recognisable from the natural, organic world and they have a rich interaction with the various spaces – things are connected but do not all perfectly match,” he continued.
      Limited edition food-inspired colours of the Panton Chair are displayed throughoutVisitors arriving via a lift enter a cool-green living area featuring a large lounge pit created using Jasper Morrison’s Soft Modular Sofa. The sofa is complemented by a green rug and Marcelis’s floor-standing Curve Light.
      “The original sofa system is generally used to create L shapes and we’ve just merged it all to form this enveloping pit,” the designer said.
      “I think it’s so important to have a good lounge. It can be really fun – I have a lounge pit at home as well and it’s the core of the house. It’s so good to just jump in there.”
      Reflective surfaces are another hallmark of Marcelis’s workThe lounge space is one of seven distinct areas, each designed to celebrate a different colour. These include a soft-pink bathroom with a custom onyx tub, sink and vanity.
      Other zones include a small seating area with caramel-coloured carpeting that matches the leather upholstery on a pair of George Nelson’s Coconut Chairs, as well as a minimalist kitchen with shelving and stools in a plum hue.
      A custard-yellow home office is also among the colour-blocked set pieces”The colours used in the VitraHaus Loft are personal favourites,” Marcelis said.
      “I like these colours and never tire of them, which makes them timeless for me. I think this attitude is important for anyone creating their own home.”
      The bathroom features a soft-pink onyx tub and vanity unitIncorporated within the scenography are iconic pieces from Vitra’s archive including two of Verner Panton’s midcentury furniture designs, which Marcelis has updated in seven new colours.
      The limited edition versions of the Panton Chair Classic and the Visiona Stool are produced in food-inspired hues including bubble gum, butter, honeydew and plum that match the colour scheme used in the VitraHaus Loft.
      Along with upholstery in the seven new colours, Marcelis specified different types of finishes for the cylindrical Visiona pouf, including faux fur and untreated leather.
      Also on show are Marcelis’s own designs including the Candy Cube side tableThe designer also selected artworks by friends and collaborators that help to create a homely feel throughout the spaces.
      Pieces by Maria Pratts, Johnny Mae Hauser and Carolijn Jacobs feature alongside printed bedsheets by Ehsan Morshed, which were created for the VitraHaus Loft and are available to purchase at the VitraHaus.
      Caramel-coloured carpeting matches Coconut Chairs in one seating areaMarcelis has worked on numerous projects in recent years that display her innovative take on colour and materiality.
      Most recently, she created colourful plinths for the match balls of the Euro 2024 football tournament and designed a conceptual version of the Renault Twingo car featuring a semi-transparent exterior and raspberry-coloured interior.
      The photography is by Clemens Poloczek.

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      “I don’t think we should put celebrity designers on a pedestal” says Bobby Berk

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      Queer Eye star Bobby Berk recently quit the hit show to run his interior design studio full-time. In this exclusive interview, he discusses how his TV experiences have shaped his approach.

      Having announced in November 2023 that he would be leaving his role as the Netflix reality series’ interior design expert after eight seasons, Berk has since leaned full-time into work through his eponymous studio – as well as being a Dezeen Awards judge.
      “I think the show really did make me more confident in using colour”
      “Designing for TV is very different from designing for a ‘real world’ project,” Berk told Dezeen. “The timeline is so much quicker [in TV], and you’re also creating a space that has to work in person and translate on screen.”
      Berk described how his work on Queer Eye – which sees the five expert presenters make positive changes to an ordinary person’s lifestyle – required him to adapt his usual design style in order to satisfy the needs of the show’s makeover subjects.

      “Design-wise, my work on Queer Eye often featured much more colour and pattern than I typically use,” he explained. “I wanted to reflect the personalities and desires of the inhabitants, and that often meant going bold.”
      Berk appeared in eight seasons of Netflix’s hit reality show Queer EyeIn contrast, Berk describes his personal style as a “mix of organic, modern, classic, Spanish, and minimal with a mostly neutral colour palette” that leans towards working with natural materials and geometric shapes.
      He cites his LA-based studio, in a recently renovated 1970s Spanish-style home, as the project that most accurately reflects his own style.
      Rooms filled with a palette dominated by black, white, marble and wood detailing house the designer’s headquarters and various home products.
      Nevertheless, he reports that Queer Eye has opened him up to experimenting with bolder tones and patterns.
      “I believe we should let the work speak for itself”
      “I’ve brought in hits of colour in a handful of projects since then, and I think the show really did make me more confident in using colour – especially in wallpaper, unique paint treatments, and murals,” he said.
      Berk argues that his style isn’t definable in a single term or phrase – but acknowledges that certain aspects of his taste were cemented by moving from New York to California, after a childhood spent in the Bible Belt.
      “It really all developed over time, there wasn’t an exact moment my style all came together,” he said. “Rather, I feel all my past experiences and influences blended into a more discernible look and feel when I moved to California.”
      The interior designer says working on TV pushed him to be more confident in experimenting with colourLos Angeles continues to have the greatest influence on his work, ahead of the various locations Queer Eye filmed – including Atlanta, Philadelphia, New Orleans and a spin-off season in Japan – or Portugal, where the designer now lives part-time.
      “Of all the places I’ve lived and travelled, Los Angeles is the city that continues to drive my creativity and help me to see through fresh eyes,” he said.
      “It’s a very inspiring place on many different levels, and there is such a legacy of incredible architecture and design.”

      Five key projects by interior designer and Dezeen Awards judge Bobby Berk

      Design as a tool for improving well-being has remained at the centre of Berk’s work before, during and after Queer Eye, and he explored the theme further in his book Right at Home: How Good Design Is Good For The Mind, published last year.
      “From the very beginning of my career, I’ve known the power that design can have to change your life,” he said.
      “That will always be the throughline of my work, to use design as not just a way to make a beautiful room, but as an invaluable tool for improving wellness and mental health.”
      Berk’s LA office exemplifies his “organic” and “minimal” styleWhile he admits being in the spotlight can be both “challenging” and “flattering”, Berk is keen for his design work to be judged on its own merits.
      “Being cast on a television show has obviously changed my life in incredible ways and afforded me so many amazing opportunities,” he said. “Part of that also means being a public figure and having people be interested in more than just your design work.”
      “Sometimes it’s challenging, sometimes it’s flattering, but it’s what I signed up for,” he added. “I also don’t think we should put celebrity designers on a pedestal or value their work above other working designers who may not have had the same exposure.”
      “I believe we should let the work speak for itself, and give space to anyone that is talented and creating compelling design.”
      The photography is by Sara Ligorria Tramp.
      Dezeen In DepthIf you enjoy reading Dezeen’s interviews, opinions and features, subscribe to Dezeen In Depth. Sent on the last Friday of each month, this newsletter provides a single place to read about the design and architecture stories behind the headlines.

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