Interiors

Subterms

    More stories

    • 88 Shares109 Views

      in Rooms

      Twelve scenes froms 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.”

      Read more: More

    • 88 Shares99 Views

      in Rooms

      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.”

      Read more: More

    • 113 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      Halleroed contrasts colour and texture inside Boygar’s Tbilisi store

      by

      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.

      Read more: More

    • 100 Shares189 Views

      in Rooms

      Sabine Marcelis creates colour-blocked scenography for VitraHaus loft

      by

      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.

      Read more: More

    • 175 Shares109 Views

      in Rooms

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

      by

      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.

      Read more: More

    • 125 Shares139 Views

      in Rooms

      Feature in Dezeen’s digital guide for London Design Festival 2024

      by

      London Design Festival is on the horizon. Make sure you don’t miss out on featuring in this year’s Dezeen Events Guide’s digital guide for the festival, which takes place from 14 to 22 September.

      The nine-day festival hosts a series of events across 11 districts, including exhibitions, open showrooms, talks, tours, product launches, pop-up shops and parties.
      This year marks London Design Festival’s 22nd edition, with hundreds of events expected to take place across the city attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees.
      Get listed in Dezeen’s digital guide to London Design Festival
      Get in touch with the Dezeen Events Guide team at [email protected] to book in your listing or to discuss a wider partnership with Dezeen. There are three types of listings:

      There are three types of listings:
      Standard listings cost £125 and include the event name, date and location details plus a website link. These listings will also feature up to 50 words of text about the event.
      Enhanced listings cost £175 and include all of the above plus an image at the top of the listing’s page and an image in the listing preview on the Dezeen Events Guide homepage. These listings will also feature up to 100 words of text about the event.
      Featured listings cost £350 and include all elements of an enhanced listing plus a post on Dezeen’s Threads channel, inclusion in the featured events carousel on the right hand of the homepage for up to two weeks and 150 words of text about the event. This text can include commercial information such as ticket prices and offers and can feature additional links to website pages such as ticket sales, newsletter signups etc.
      About Dezeen Events Guide
      Dezeen Events Guide is our guide to the best architecture and design events taking place across the world each year.
      The guide is updated weekly and includes virtual events, conferences, trade fairs, major exhibitions and design weeks.
      For more details on inclusion in Dezeen Events Guide, including in our guide to London Design Festival, email [email protected].
      The illustration is by Justyna Green.

      Read more: More

    • 150 Shares129 Views

      in Rooms

      Isern Serra designs Barcelona modelling agency as a “landscape” for taking photos

      by

      Pale walls, sculptural furnishings and sunken plant features provide a striking backdrop to photoshoots taking place inside this Barcelona modelling agency, devised by Spanish studio Isern Serra.

      The Blow Models office occupies the ground floor of a 1920s building and its adjoining warehouse in Barcelona’s Sant Martí neighbourhood.
      Isern Serra designed its pared-back interior as “a landscape where the models can take pictures”.
      The Blow Models office centres around conversation pits and a sunken plant featureThe studio began by knocking through the building’s false ceiling and most of the partition walls to make the interior appear more open and airy.
      A long, rectangular skylight was carved out of the ceiling to allow for more natural lighting, and all surfaces were painted in a pale buttermilk hue.

      A long concrete desk accommodates staff computersAs the building doesn’t sit above a basement or car park, the studio took the opportunity to dig down into the site’s foundations.
      At the heart of the office, the floor is now punctuated by three holes. Two of these were turned into cushioned conversation pits while the third overflows with leafy tropical plants.
      “Light and vegetation becomes the centre from which the project is structured,” explained the studio. “[The] unusual and beautiful background is intended to encourage photography.”
      Steel stools were placed around another concrete tableTwo large concrete tables were placed on either side of the office – one functioning as a communal work desk while the other can be used for general staff gatherings, surrounded by steel stools.
      Steel was also used to create a sculptural prep counter in the office’s kitchen.
      The counter in the staff kitchen is also made from steelThe only rooms that are closed off are those used for meetings or by the accounting department.
      Plain white curtains were installed around their perimeter so that they, too, can serve as spaces to photograph models if necessary.
      Formal meeting rooms are closed off from the rest of the floor planTo maintain the office’s open plan, the toilets were tucked away beside the building’s stairwell. Here, an expansive picture window overlooks the street, bisected by a chunky concrete washbasin.
      There’s also a floor-to-ceiling mirror where visiting models can do their makeup.
      Picture windows in the toilets offer views of the streetThis isn’t the only workspace that Isern Serra has devised in Barcelona. Earlier this year, the studio designed a calming, minimalist office for eyewear brand Gigi.
      Back in 2023 the studio also created an office for digital artist Andres Reisinger, finishing its interior with quartz and stainless steel details.
      The photography is by Salva López.

      Read more: More

    • 113 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      Electric Bowery renovates Big Sur house overlooking California’s coastline

      by

      The co-founder of California studio Electric Bowery has renovated a redwood-clad house in Big Sur for her family, preserving its iconic features and adding custom furniture.

      The house, originally designed by well-known local architect Mickey Muennig, is perched high up on a bluff overlooking the dramatic coastline – famous for the scenic Route 1 that runs along it.
      The house was built in 1993 by renowned local architect Mickey MuennigCommissioned in 1993, the building features a curved copper roof and redwood exterior cladding that Electric Bowery co-founder Cayley Lambur and director of interiors Stephanie Luk used as the foundation for the remodel.
      After speaking to her neighbour, the original owner, Lambur delved into Muennig’s legacy and the property’s history for clues to approach the project.
      Electric Bowery co-founder Cayley Lambur’s updates to the property included reconfiguring the compact kitchen”Inspired by this connection, Lambur began to breathe new life into the residence while honouring its organic architectural roots,” said the studio.

      The house benefits from large windows and expanses of glazing that capitalise on the views across the landscape to the ocean.
      Custom furniture in the living room includes a curved sofa designed to “hug views into the canyon”Keeping these vistas top of mind, the renovation involved reconfiguring the internal spaces, and respectfully upgrading some of the outdated decor and fixtures.
      An entirely new custom kitchen was added within the tight existing space, designed to maximise counter space and celebrate the views of the garden and ocean.
      Vintage leather chairs surround an impressive stone hearthThe redwood millwork was created in collaboration with American furniture company Henrybuilt to blend with the rest of the interiors, while raw steel, warm-stained concrete floors and leathered natural quartzite complete the contemporary look.
      Where the roof slopes to its lowest point, the living room is furnished with custom pieces such as a curved channel-tufted sofa that “hugs views into the canyon” and an oversized claro walnut coffee table by Dusk.
      Redwood panelling continues in the bedrooms, with are decorated with a warm and earthy paletteBehind, an impressive stone hearth is accompanied by vintage black-leather armchairs and a variety of textured rugs and pillows.
      The redwood panelling continues in the bedrooms and bathrooms, where it’s complemented by custom beds dressed in deep red and green textiles.

      Electric Bowery arranges steel and wood cabins for Hudson Valley hotel

      “The consistent use of redwood paneling throughout the home offers the experience of bringing the outside inwards, contrasted and complemented by the incorporation of colour through art, tile and textiles,” said Electric Bowery.
      “A warm and earthy palette is carried through the home, layering textures and natural materials, old and new.”
      One of the bathrooms is tiled entirely in thin, straight-stacked, teal-glazed tilesOne of the bathrooms is tiled entirely in thin, straight-stacked teal glazed tiles, while another features a shower lined with square tiles in tones of blue.
      Also as part of the scope, a trailer on the property was restored and renovated for use as additional guest accommodation and an office for remote work.
      The house overlooks the dramatic Northern California coastline from its lofty perchLambur founded Electric Bowery with fellow architect Lucia Bartholomew in 2013, and the studio is based between Venice, Big Sur and Santa Barbara in California, and New York City.
      Other projects by the studio include the Wildflower Farms resort in Upstate New York, where a series of wood or Corten steel-clad cabins are nestled among meadows and woodland, and a house in Venice Beach that features an askew pitched roof.
      The photography is by Chris Mottalini.

      Read more: More