More stories

  • in

    Crafting the Present reveals manufacturing techniques behind mid-century furniture classics

    The 3 Days of Design exhibition from Danish furniture brand Fredericia reveals how iconic designs by Hans J Wegner and Børge Mogensen have been subtly adapted in line with today’s standards.

    On show at the Fredericia headquarters in Copenhagen, Crafting the Present showcases the craft processes, tools and makers behind the brand’s furniture.
    Crafting the Present is on show for 3 Days of DesignCurated by designer Maria Bruun, the exhibition shows how designs including Wegner’s Ox Chair and Mogensen’s Spanish Chair have been carefully reworked in line with modern manufacturing technologies and environmental standards.
    Rasmus Graversen, CEO of Fredericia, believes it is important for design classics to move with the times.
    The exhibition reveals the processes behind designs including Hans J Wegner’s Ox Chair”We sometimes need to challenge the way we do things; something that was good 50 years ago isn’t necessarily good now,” he explained during a tour of the show.

    “If you don’t have a culture of craft in your company, you might think the way that something was done in the past is the only right way.”
    Leather upholstery techniques are showcased in the exhibitionGraversen, who is also the grandson of brand founder Andreas Graversen, wanted the exhibition to highlight how this culture of craft is at the heart of Fredericia’s approach.
    The company has a specialist upholstery workshop in Svendborg, south Denmark, a facility that was established by Erik Jørgensen in 1954 and acquired by Fredericia in 2020.
    The show includes live demonstrations from makersThe exhibition includes live demonstrations from both the workshop production team and from artisans at leather manufacturer Tärnsjö Garveri.
    Crafting the Present also showcases the tools used in these production processes, alongside models that reveal how the furniture pieces are assembled.
    “We wanted to showcase the talented craftsmen and women whose hands touch every piece of furniture,” Bruun said.
    “Here, craft is not a marketing gimmick. It is not a layer added onto the furniture afterwards. It is the heritage of this company and has an influence on everything.”
    Tools are presented alongside models”All of the tools you see are used for real,” added Graversen. “Nothing was picked just because it’s pretty.”
    “These are all used in the actual production; it’s an extraordinary experience to see what happens.”
    Rasmus Graversen, CEO of Fredericia, wanted to celebrate the brand’s culture of craftTextile curtains suspended from the ceiling provide a scenography that divides the space into different sections.
    Metal trolleys create multi-level displays, while larger models are raised up on trestles.
    The Maria Bruun-designed Pioneer stool provides seatingThe Pioneer, a design developed by Bruun for Fredericia in 2023, is also featured.
    Dotted through, the stool provides seating so that visitors can spend time watching the artisans at work.
    Crafting the Present is on show for of 3 Days of Design, which takes place in Copenhagen from 12 to 14 June. For more events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Teki Design creates Kyoto cafe as hub to “learn about the future of coffee”

    2050 Coffee is a minimalist self-service coffee shop in Kyoto designed to raise awareness about sustainability issues surrounding the future of the drink.

    According to architecture and interiors firm Teki Design, the coffee shop aims to interrogate “the 2050 coffee problem” – the fact that there could be a global scarcity of coffee the year 2050.
    Teki Design created the interiors for 2050 Coffee in Kyoto”Climate change might lead to a decrease in areas suitable for coffee cultivation,” Teki Design founder Tatsuya Nishinaga told Dezeen.
    “The current practice of enjoying the drink at coffee shops may become more of a luxury,” added the designer.
    The cafe features self-service machinesIn response, Teki Design wanted to create a stripped-back interior for the cafe, where customers come and “learn about the future of coffee”.

    2050 Coffee is spread over two open-plan levels and features large rectilinear windows on its facade, which reveal a monochrome interior.
    Polycarbonate counters display the machinesInside, smooth grey walls create a backdrop for curved and illuminated counters made from corrugated polycarbonate sheets, chosen for their “inexpensive and familiar” qualities.
    “While this material is often used for shed roofs due to its low cost and accessibility, it reflects light beautifully,” said Tatsuya.
    A small seating area features at one end of the ground floorThe counters display brightly lit self-service screens connected to sleek silver taps that produce five types of “sustainable” drip coffee in around 10 seconds.
    Polycarbonate was also applied to the cafe entrance to create a large, rounded sign emblazoned with the 2050 Coffee logo, which acts as a beacon when seen from afar.
    Upstairs, shelves display various coffee paraphernaliaA small seating area at one end of the ground floor was formed from understated black benches.
    Upstairs, more dark-hued seating was arranged next to a series of low-lit, chunky frame-shaped shelves displaying various coffee paraphernalia.
    The shelves are reflected in floor-to-ceiling mirrors, selected to add to the coffee shop’s futuristic feel.

    Rosana Escobar finds new potential in the humble coffee bag

    As well as a cafe, 2050 Coffee is used as a space for various pop-up events that investigate coffee and sustainability.
    Tatsuya warned that despite these issues, drinking coffee is becoming more popular worldwide, adding to the problem.
    “As coffee consumption increases, particularly in Asian countries where tea has been the traditional choice, the balance between demand and supply may become disrupted,” he explained.
    “Creating a place where people can first learn and then think together is what we consider our approach to problem-solving.”
    2050 Coffee is positioned on a Kyoto street cornerPreviously completed coffee shops in Japan include a Tokyo cafe in a former warehouse and another in Kyoto clad in rapidly oxidised copper.
    The photography is by Kenta Hasegawa. 

    Read more: More

  • in

    Pirajean Lees draws on Japanese and Spanish design for Kioku restaurant and bar

    Studio Pirajean Lees paired oxblood tiles with intricate wooden joinery at the Kioku sushi restaurant and sake bar, within central London’s OWO hotel, to reference the head chef ‘s travels.

    Kioku consists of a bar on the ground floor and a restaurant on the top floor of the hotel within the Grade II*-listed Old War Office on Whitehall, which once housed the British government’s military departments.
    Pirajean Lees created Kioku, meaning “memory” in Japanese, to capture sushi master Endo Kazutoshi’s recollections of living and working in Japan and Spain.
    Kioku bar is located on the ground floor of The OWOLocated on the ground floor of the hotel, the single-room bar is accessed via a door framed with smooth timber joinery informed by the traditional Japanese carpentry technique Sashimono.
    Guests are greeted by a bespoke oak reception desk featuring embroidered floral textiles and mesh detailing as well as a light-controlled sake cellar clad with patchwork cork panels.

    All of Kioku’s furniture was custom-made by Pirajean Lees, explained studio co-founder James Lees.
    The bar features a light-controlled sake cellar”We share a passion for storytelling and an obsession with details, from the way your hand touches the backrest of a chair, to the height of the table,” said the designer.
    “From the outset, we knew that the level of attention to detail in the interior had to match that found in the food being served.”
    Japanese records can be played on a bespoke turntableThe bar’s floor plan was subtly stepped to provide “elevated views” for each of its intimate seating areas, rather than relegate guests to hidden corners of the room, said Lees.
    A wide selection of sake is served at an oversized and curved central bar designed with knobbly timber cladding.
    Kioku restaurant is located on the hotel’s rooftopHandcrafted tiles and a gridded carpet finished in oxblood red were used to create the flooring, while deep red dado and natural clay walls also nod to the space’s Spanish influence.
    In one corner, a bespoke turntable is positioned for guests to play a selection of Japanese records from Endo’s personal collection.
    Bow details were carved into the dining chairsThe Kioku restaurant is contained within a long room on the north side of the hotel’s rooftop, with panoramic views of central London. Entered through timber double doors, the eatery features similar design accents to the bar.
    Wooden frames and boxy mirrored “portals” were used to delineate spaces within the main dining area, which includes L-shaped banquettes and oak dining chairs upholstered with Japanese embroidered silk.
    The chef’s table was positioned opposite the open kitchenBow details were carved into the chairs to emulate the seating at Endo’s favourite hotel in the city of Yokohama. Subtle versions of the bow motif are echoed downstairs on the bar’s wooden tables.
    Pirajean Lees constructed a private dining room with a chef’s table at one end of the restaurant, built above an intimate outdoor cigar terrace that overlooks The OWO’s central courtyard.
    Panoramic views of central London can be seen from the main terraceEncased by a curved glass roof, the extension was positioned opposite the open kitchen to allow guests to watch their dishes being prepared. Retractable mesh screens were also fitted for privacy.
    The main terrace includes timber dining tables and chairs with Mediterranean-style terracotta and mustard upholstery surrounded by lush plants.

    Pirajean Lees channels 1920s Japan in ornate Dubai restaurant interior

    At the end of the terrace, a historic turret overlooking St James’ Park and Horse Guards Parade features another eight-seat private dining room with soft linen curtains and an oak table illuminated by an oversized rice paper pendant light.
    Pirajean Lees chose a striking yellow rug for the circular floor to reference the sun, while the round ceiling was hand-painted with an inky indigo mural by British artist Tess Newall in an ode to the contrasting moon – recognisable motifs found in Japanese mythology.
    A historic turret houses another private dining space”We design to create emotional spaces grounded in their story, rather than interiors purely driven by aesthetics,” reflected studio co-founder Clémence Pirajean.
    Founded in 2017 by Pirajean and Lees, the studio has applied its eclectic style to various other London projects – from the “timeless” interiors of music venue Koko’s members’ club to a Mayfair restaurant with an Arts and Crafts-style design.
    The photography is by Polly Tootal.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Venetian palazzo informs “elegant and unexpected” interiors of Hotel Bella Grande

    Bold red-and-white checkerboard tiles and colourful upholstered banquettes lend an Italian feel to the atrium of this Copenhagen hotel designed by local studio Tonen.

    Malene Bech-Pedersen and Mette Bonavent of Tonen oversaw the design of Hotel Bella Grande, which occupies a historic building close to Copenhagen City Hall.
    Constructed in 1899, the five-storey building retained many characterful features but was in need of refurbishment to maximise its potential and bring it up to modern standards.
    Tonen has refurbished a hotel informed by a Venetian palazzoTonen aimed to create interiors for the 109-room hotel that are timeless yet contemporary and combine a sense of nostalgic charm with modern sophistication.
    “For the interior of Hotel Bella Grande we had two important pointers,” said the designers. “First of all to create a design hotel that is a true treat to the eye, and second to highlight the historic and very classic architecture of the building.”

    “The hotel rooms should be luxurious, with high-quality materials and references to midcentury Italian design,” they added. “The interior design plays with a nostalgia that is utterly elegant, but also unexpected.”
    The hotel occupies a historic building close to Copenhagen City HallInspiration for the project came from a trip to Italy, where Bech-Pedersen and Bonavent were impressed by a Venetian palazzo with an open-air central courtyard and peach-coloured walls.
    The atrium at Hotel Bella Grande has a roof light that allows natural light to flood into a bright and welcoming space containing colourful furnishings, floral arrangements and marble-tiled floors that enhance the al-fresco feel.
    Marble tiled floors feature in the bright atrium”We went for ‘wow’,” said the designers of their approach to the interiors, and particularly the reception and courtyard areas that are the first guests encounter upon entering the building.
    “This should be a very one-of-a-kind experience, and nothing like you would normally experience in the centre of Copenhagen.”

    Necchi Architecture takes cues from retro nightlife at Hôtel Château d’Eau in Paris

    The atrium was previously a dark and underused space that required significant upgrades to become a prominent focal point within the scheme.
    Soundproof windows were added to all the rooms that overlook the courtyard. All four internal walls were covered in acoustic foam which, along with the soft furnishings, helps to reduce sound reverberation within the space.
    Tonen looked to give the hotel’s rooms and suites a calming atmosphere through the use of muted colours and sophisticated details, such as the coordinated upholstered armchairs and fabric lampshades from Danish brand Oi soi oi.
    The hotel also contains a restaurantThe hotel also contains an Italian restaurant called Donna, with a lively and vibrant interior defined by its use of moody red and pink hues.
    The dining room’s dark red ceiling is complemented by blood-red couches and pink curtains that were designed to create an atmosphere of romance, but have a touch of mystery for the space to take on a nightclub vibe later in the evenings.
    Guests can choose to dine in the main restaurant or in the atrium space, while a laid-back cocktail lounge provides a cosy spot for pre-dinner drinks or late-night conversations.
    An internal courtyard is overlooked by the hotel bedroomsTonen was involved in every detail of the hotel’s interior fit-out, sourcing vintage objects and artworks to sit alongside contemporary pieces including furniture from &Tradition, bedside lamps by Tom Dixon, side tables from Polspotten and bespoke vanities made by by Københavns Møbelsnedkeri.
    “Both Bella and Donna are very much unmistakable expressions of our style,” claimed Bech-Pedersen and Bonavent. “We love the historic references, mixing vintage with new design and the use of materials that age beautifully.”
    The restaurant interior is defined by red and pink huesHotel Bella Grande is owned by Copenhagen Food Collective, a Copenhagen-based group operating 18 restaurants around the city. Tonen has worked on interiors for several of Cofoco’s properties, including Coco Hotel and Restaurant Delphine.
    Other recent restaurant interiors on Dezeen include a steel-and-mirror space in London’s Mayfair area and a Frankfurt restaurant with lime-wash walls.
    The photography is courtesy of Tonen.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Crina Arghirescu Rogard adds “eccentric design” to historic penthouse in Tribeca

    Architect Crina Arghirescu Rogard has updated a penthouse apartment in a historic New York City building, injecting an array of designs into an already eclectic collection.

    Arghirescu Rogard was tasked by a friend, Mexican artist Claudia Doring Baez, to reimagine her family home in just six weeks.
    Located in the American Thread Building, the penthouse’s grand living room was formerly a ballroom for The Wool Club societySharing “a mutual passion for eccentric design pieces,” the pair set about finding and installing a mix of art, textiles and custom contemporary pieces that would add to the home’s assemblage.
    “The primary challenge was to establish a dialogue between the old and the new, the strong historical architectural shell of the apartment and a decidedly contemporary new interior,” said the architect, who has offices in both Paris and Brooklyn.
    Decorative black walnut panelling is contrasted by contemporary furnitureThe penthouse is located in Tribeca’s American Thread Building, built in 1890 in the Renaissance Revival style.

    Its grand living room was formerly the ballroom for The Wool Club, a society of fabric industry leaders who would gather on the building’s top floor.
    Custom-designed pieces for the apartment include the pale-blue dining table by Liz HopkinsOriginal details such as highly decorative black walnut panelling, ceiling mouldings and a large open fireplace form a backdrop for the contemporary furniture.
    Baez’s extensive collection of art, which includes works by Pablo Picasso, Robert Motherwell and Roy Oxlade, helped to inform the interior refresh.
    The eclectic mix of furniture and artwork continues in the kitchenPaintings, photographs and sculptures by her mother Lucero Gonzales, her brother Adolfo Doring and her daughter Alexandra Zelman also cover the walls of the kitchen and hallways.
    “A poetic assemblage of strong pieces that could stand on their own was what was needed to echo the spirit of the art,” Arghirescu Rogard said.
    For the primary bedroom, Crina Arghirescu Rogard custom-designed a curvaceous headboard wrapped in dark green velvetA large-scale triptych by Rose Wylie that hangs behind the custom dining table informed the colour palette and bold gestures chosen for the living space.
    Among the pieces added are the curved asymmetric sofa that separates the sitting and dining areas, and the pale blue Conversation chairs by artist Liz Collins that are tied together with draping fabric.

    Timothy Godbold adorns Tribeca loft with modernist relief panels

    Contrasting one another, a bi-colour Franco Albini Fiorenza lounge chair and a white Lympho Contemporary chair by Taras Zheltyshev are positioned by the fireplace.
    The bright yellow coffee table comprising stackable resin cubes was custom designed by Liz Hopkins, who also created the blue-tinted dining table – both taking their colours from Wylie’s paintings.
    Paintings, photographs and sculptures by the homeowner’s family line the corridorsFor the primary bedroom, Arghirescu Rogard custom-designed a curvaceous headboard wrapped in dark green velvet and added her yellow raku and bronze coffee table.
    With these pieces, the architect was able to “transform the Baez apartment into a poetic contemporary retreat that is audacious and yet warm and familial, in keeping with the owner’s own sense of life, creativity and whimsy”, she said.
    The updated interiors reflect the owner’s “sense of life, creativity and whimsy”Tribeca is a popular neighbourhood for artists and creatives, who reside in the spacious lofts and penthouses of former industrial buildings.
    Others that retain their historic features include an apartment with “secret spaces” that was renovated by Andrea Leung and a pied-à-terre that doubles as a showroom for Danish design company Vipp.
    The photography is by Chris Mottalini.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Eight interiors embellished with imperfect zellige tiles

    Our latest lookbook rounds up eight projects where handmade Moroccan tiles cover everything from chimney breasts to mini-bars, adding a sense of traditional craftsmanship to otherwise modern interiors.

    Zellige tiles are traditional glazed terracotta tiles, originating from the 10th century in Morocco, that are made using unrefined local clay that is kneaded, shaped and cut by hand.
    As a result, every tile is unique, with slight variations in shape and colour that reveal the hands of their maker.
    In recent years, interior designers have liberated zellige tiles from the confines of the kitchen or the bathroom and used them to bring depth and texture to modern interiors.
    Among the projects featured below are a members’ club in Nashville, the renovation of Ibiza’s first hotel and a Sydney penthouse belonging to a couple of empty nesters.

    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring platform beds, living rooms with 70s furnishings and bathrooms that combine colours and patterns.
    Photo by Karel BalasMontesol Experimental, Spain, by Chzon
    French interiors studio Chzon aimed to bring “a bohemian overtone” to her renovation of the 1933 Montesol Experimental in Ibiza, widely credited as being the island’s first hotel.
    A hand-made theme threads throughout the rooms, as seen in the irregular Moroccan tiles that wrap the mini-bars and the shell-patterned walls, created by pressing individual seashells into fresh lime plaster.
    Find out more about the Montesol Experimental ›
    Photo by Megan TaylorDesign House, UK, by 2LG Studio
    Pastel hues were mixed with whimsical details such as scallop-edged doors and a pale-pink tiled chimney in the London home and workspace of 2LG Studio, founded by Russell Whitehead and Jordan Cluroe.
    “The glaze is uneven and so the tiles create a stunning dappled light bouncing off them,” the duo said.
    Find out more about Design House ›
    Photo by German SáizConde Duque apartment, Spain, by Sierra + De La Higuera
    With many of the dividing walls in this apartment removed to usher in more natural light, Spanish architecture studio Sierra + De La Higuera relied instead on emerald, ruby and mustard-yellow tiles to define different spaces.
    The home in Madrid’s bohemian Conde Duque neighbourhood belongs to a well-travelled couple that wanted to fuse its Galician and Mexican heritage in the interior.
    Find out more about this Conde Duque apartment ›
    Photo by Prue RuscoeDream Weaver penthouse, Australia, by YSG
    Glossy off-white zellige tiles cover an entire wall inside this Sydney penthouse, helping to bounce light around the home belonging to a couple of empty nesters.
    Local studio YSG was brought on board to reflect the owners’ post-lockdown joie de vivre in the interior, incorporating an eclectic mix of references from surrealist artworks to tiled Spanish tapas bars.
    Find out more about the Dream Weaver penthouse ›
    Photo by Sean RobertsonThe Malin Nashville, USA, by The Malin design team
    The design team of The Malin designed the Nashville outpost of the work-oriented members’ club to feel more like a hotel than a traditional co-working space.
    The rooms feature an eclectic mix of vintage and contemporary furniture alongside a rich material palette including tasselled velvet upholstery, four different types of marble and Moroccan tiles offset with white grouting.
    Find out more about The Malin Nashville ›
    Photo by Francis AmiandBeefbar Milano, Italy, by Humbert & Poyet
    Interior design duo Humbert & Poyet created a new home for the Beefbar steakhouse inside the former chapel of a 500-year-old seminary on Milan’s Corso Venezia.
    Glossy oxblood-red tiles provide a subtle splash of colour atop the restaurant’s wooden wall panelling and a more dramatic focal point at the back of the space, where they clad a curved wall.
    Find out more about Beefbar Milano ›
    Photo by Megan TaylorRixo Marylebone, UK, by Cúpla
    Interiors studio Cúpla sought to reflect the hand-painted prints that decorate Rixo’s fashion collections when designing the London brand’s Marylebone boutique.
    This idea was realised via colourful murals and illustrations by artist Sam Wood and a mosaic of tiles, accentuating the interior’s classical archways and mouldings.
    “Every line of the mural or the ‘random’ coloured zellige tile layout was methodically composed to ensure a right balance between the colours was struck,” Cúpla founder Gemma McCloskey told Dezeen.
    Find out more about Rixo Marylebone ›
    Photo by The IngallsAustin Proper Hotel, USA, by Kelly Wearstler
    Different types of tiles, from simple to ornate, feature throughout the public spaces of the Austin Proper Hotel designed by Kelly Wearstler.
    This includes The Mockingbird cafe, where Moroccan tiles are arranged into a chequered pattern across the walls, providing a counterpoint to the dramatic stone counter.
    Find out more about the Austin Proper Hotel ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring platform beds,  living rooms with 70s furnishings and bathrooms that combine colours and patterns.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Studio Lotus wraps stone lattices around museum-cum-jewellery store in Jaipur

    New Delhi practice Studio Lotus has used stone lattices and frescoes depicting regional architecture to embellish the Museum of Meenakari Heritage and Sunita Shekhawat jewellery store in India.

    Designed as the flagship store for Sunita Shekhawat’s eponymous jewellery brand in Jaipur, the building contains a museum focused on the craft of Meenakari on its ground floor.
    Studio Lotus designed the museum-cum-store for the brandAccording to Studio Lotus, it aimed to “foster an environment where the act of purchasing jewellery is not the primary goal”, but instead becomes a “natural conclusion of a transformative experience”.
    “The underlying emotion behind the Meenakari museum – the first of its kind – becomes the client’s way of paying homage to the city that has given her so much, while also establishing a novel paradigm in luxury retail design,” the team explained.
    Multiple historic influences shape the design language of the buildingWorking within the structure of a partially complete building on the site, Studio Lotus created bevelled balconies to produce a form that “intricately layers patterns and details and draw from different periods, woven together into one cohesive image”.

    The details and lattices take cues from historic influences such as Rajputana, Mughal, and Art Deco – as a nod to the city’s architecture and Shekhawat’s approach to jewellery design.
    The store was place in on the lower ground floorShekhawat uses Meenakari, or the art of enamelling metal, as the foundation of her jewellery work.
    To reflect this, Studio Lotus convinced Shekhawat to create a museum or “storytelling space” that presents the history of Meenakari craftsmanship on the ground floor, in a space that was originally earmarked for the store.

    Studio Saar looks to Indian architecture for cultural centre in Rajasthan

    “We seized this challenge as an opportunity to create a narrative gallery,” Studio Lotus founder Ambrish Arora told Dezeen.
    “In collaboration with Usha Balakrishnan and Siddhartha Das Studio, we were able to create or, rather, open up the world of enamelling from different perspectives for the visitor.”
    The semi-vaulted ceilings feature frescoesThe store was placed below, on the lower ground floor, with a gallery space clad in an off-white araish lime stucco surrounded by private pods designed for one-on-one client interactions.
    Arora explained that the wide floorplate and tall ceilings of the lower ground floor “lends itself well to the exclusive, by-appointment-only, bespoke nature of the business, and of the product too — the lack of natural light being conducive to the controlled lighting necessary for jewellery display”.
    A curved staircase leads to the storeThe semi-vaulted ceilings of the pods are adorned with frescoes by artists specialising in miniature paintings, which depict the region’s architecture, flora and fauna.
    The practice commissioned CraftCanvas, a collective of artisan communities in India, to develop the frescoes. The scale and curved profile of the ceilings proved to be a challenge for the artists.
    “It took repeated trial and error and a commitment, collaboratively, to reach a certain benchmark,” said Arora..
    Individual rooms were designed for client meetingsAll of the floors within the building are connected by sculptural staircase at the centre of the building.
    Shekhawat’s office and design studio are located on the first floor, while a restaurant and bar is planned for the top floor, which has views across the city.
    This floor was wrapped in glazing and shaded by stone lattices, which was designed to “respond to the inward-looking program on the lower floors”.

    Folded stone lattices filter sunlight into the upper space that is planned as a restaurantThe exterior of the building was clad in Jodhpur red sandstone, paying homage to Shekhawat’s hometown and in line with the colour scheme of Jaipur’s – or the Pink City’s – buildings.
    According to the practice, it aimed to engage with local craftspeople throughout the construction process – from crafting the furniture inside the space to cladding the facade.
    Jodhpur red sandstone hand-carved by indigenous craftspeople features on the facadeStudio Lotus was founded in 2002 by Arora, Ankur Choksi and Sidhartha Talwar. The studio works on a wide range of cultural, residential, commercial and mixed-use projects – including a government building in India clad in intricate brickwork.
    Other Indian architecture projects recently published on Dezeen include a home in Hyderabad topped with a lantern-like roof and a set of six holiday homes in Goa defined by peach-toned walls and arched openings.
    The photography is by Ishita Sitwala

    Read more: More

  • in

    Mexico City boutique by MYT+GLVDK features double-conical staircase

    Mexico City studio MYT+GLVDK has designed a concept store in the south of the Mexican capital, featuring a staircase with both concave and convex portions beneath a vaulted ceiling.

    Uncommon Ground is a high-end fashion and accessories boutique situated in the Artz Pedregal shopping mall, close to the city’s southern periphery.
    The Uncommon Ground boutique is divided into a main floor and a mezzanine level at the backMYT+GLVDK, led by Andrés Mier y Terán and Regina Galvanduque, was commissioned to design the architecture, furnishings and interiors for the store that carries brands including Courrèges, Maison Kitsuné, Ami Paris, Officine Générale and Moscot.
    “The hallmark of Uncommon Ground is to display the latest tendencies in clothing and accessories based on a dedicated edition of trends and themes that capture the air du temps of the season,” said Mier y Terán and Galvanduque.
    The two levels are connected by a double-conical staircaseThe duo decided to create multiple display areas across the 246-square-metre main floor and a 40-square-metre mezzanine at the back.

    These two levels are connected by a circular staircase with concentric treads that splay outward in a semi-circle on its lower half and are set inward like an amphitheatre on the top half.
    A vaulted ceiling comprising tubes wrapped in recycled cowhide arches over the spaceBeneath the mezzanine, the conical form of the upper steps is expressed as bands of brushed brass, which are reflected in golden mirrored panels across the adjoining wall and low ceiling.
    More semi-circular steps below form a display for shoes within this back room, where other garments are hung in niches on either side.
    Beneath the mezzanine, the staircase is expressed as a series of brushed-brass bands above a stepped shoe displayThe main floor, where the ceiling is double-height, is covered by a vaulted ceiling made up of ribbed elements wrapped in recycled cowhide.
    In the centre of the space, a structural column and diagonal beam are incorporated “a focal point that continues with the rhythm of geometric shapes and lends character to the overall concept” according to the designers.

    MYT+GLVDK completes eclectic food court Cocina Abierta in Mexico City

    A colour scheme of yellow, beige and terracotta is applied across the architectural elements and the furniture, which is also designed in cylindrical and arc shapes.
    “The use of clean lines, tubular segments and curves can be seen in every direction as an organic sequence of impressive visual strength,” said MYT+GLVDK.
    Furniture throughout the store is designed in cylindrical and arc shapesThe lighting scheme includes a series of light boxes placed within display niches on both levels, to highlight the products, as well as track and spotlights that give the entire store a warm glow.
    The Uncommon Ground logo is illuminated vertically on the central column and horizontally above the fully glazed storefront.
    The boutique is located inside the Artz Pedregal shopping mall in the south of Mexico CityAlso in Artz Pedregal, MYT+GLVDK previously designed the Cocina Abierta food court that takes cues from Japanese and Mexican design traditions.
    Elsewhere in the city, the studio recently completed the interiors of fast-casual restaurant Órale Milanga, where exposed concrete walls are covered in wavy green metal mesh.
    The photography is by Alfonso de Béjar.

    Read more: More