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      Restored historic paintings cover walls of converted Frescohallen restaurant

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      Swedish studio Claesson Koivisto Rune has converted a listed room in Norway into a restaurant, adding an angular mirrored bar and restoring the building’s historical frescoes.

      Designed to highlight the history of the building, Frescohallen restaurant was added to the former Norwegian Stock Exchange in Bergen, replacing a rundown food hall that previously occupied the space.
      Claesson Koivisto Rune has created the Frescohallen restaurantBuilt in 1862, the space features walls coated in large historic paintings that had become dirty and damaged.
      “The space hosted a dreadful and rundown kind of food court,” Claesson Koivisto Rune co-founder Eero Koivisto told Dezeen. “The frescoes were quite dirty and not looked after since decades.”
      It occupies a listed room in NorwayThe studio aimed to complete a sensitive renovation of the space, keeping the existing artworks at the centre of the room and restoring them to their original quality.

      “The ten giant frescoes describe the daily life and businesses of Norway at the time, and were completed in 1923 by the Norwegian artist Axel Revold,” said Koivisto. “The artworks are now restored and lit with state-of-the-art lighting.”
      The studio added a mirrored barAs well as showcasing the original artworks, the studio preserved the existing features of the room, including a rhythmic arrangement of olive green columns that extend through the space and branch into a groin-vaulted ceiling, which is decorated with red, green, and gold paintwork.
      The renovation involved a range of minimal changes, including the removal of modern elements that had been added to the facades and the addition of new signs and flooring.
      The building’s historical frescoes were restored”New interventions were required to touch lightly and be reversible,” the studio explained. “Apart from removing some later additions to the facades, the most significant addition was new lighting and signage.”
      Inside, the addition of a bar area marks the largest change to the space. Located at the centre of the room, the bar is finished with a mirrored coating designed to provide guests with wide views of the restaurant.
      A mezzanine-level dining area sits on top of the mirrored bar”Using mirrors allowed for the possibility to let all guests view the famous frescoes and the magnificent space,” said Koivisto.
      A mezzanine-level dining area features on top of the mirrored bar, acting as an elevated viewing area that offers a closer view of the surrounding artworks.
      Arched windows illuminate the dining areasAround the central bar, the studio divided the restaurant into a series of dining spaces separated by granite steps and changes in flooring.
      The spaces include dining areas dramatically lit by large, arched windows, as well as more private areas that have been recessed into nooks bordered on multiple sides by large paintings.
      A spotty carpet lines one dining areaStretching through one dining area is a large carpet, which is decorated with a pattern of large dots and was designed by Claesson Koivisto Rune to reflect the colours in the surrounding paintings.
      “The large dot pattern on the carpeting is inspired by coins – a nod to the building’s previous life,” the studio explained. “All the dots, in various blue hues, reference the frescoes. In fact, all colours introduced, including the furnishings, are referenced from the frescoes.”

      Note Design Studio creates “unexpected” restaurant in historic Stockholm food hall

      The studio also designed a series of furniture for the space, including blue wooden chairs and ring-shaped, fabric-coated benches that wrap around the columns.
      To improve the acoustics in the restaurant, the studio added a strip of sound-absorbing panels at eye level. Nestled just below the paintings, the material is hidden by a continuous, dark-coloured curtain.
      Original olive green columns have been retained”In order to alter the original ‘cathedral-like’ character of the space and create an ambience suitable for a restaurant and bar, modern sound-absorbing material hidden behind a new, continuous curtain running along all the walls have been installed, with upholstered sofas directly beneath,” the studio explained.
      “Custom-designed, wall-to-wall carpeting also adds to the gentle ambience and improves the acoustics.”
      The mirrored bar was designed to provide guests with wide views of the restaurantFounded in 1995 by Koivisto with Mårten Claesson and Ola Rune, Claesson Koivisto Rune is an architecture and design studio based in Stockholm.
      Recent architectural projects completed by the studio include a Swedish home clad in red-painted planks of local pine and a boutique hotel that was converted from a 1920s bank building in Tokyo.
      The photography is by Sigurd Fandango.

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      Chain curtains enclose prayer room inside Abu Dhabi government office by Agata Kurzela Studio

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      Interiors firm Agata Kurzela Studio has reworked the top floor of a heritage building in Abu Dhabi to create offices for an Emirati government bureau, which oversees major public architecture projects.

      Located in the capital’s waterfront area of Khor Al Maqta, the workspace is housed inside the former Armed Forces Officers’ Club with its distinctive concrete shell designed by French architect Roger Taillibert.
      A steel volume next to the entrance of this Emirati government office (above) leads up to a mezzanine level (top image)Recently redeveloped and rebranded as the Erth complex, the development now houses a hotel with sprawling sports facilities as well as several offices in its central building, called The Club.
      On the very top level of this building, Dubai-based Agata Kurzela designed a workspace for an Emirati government bureau that works on “the most prestigious developments in the UAE”, although the designer says she “cannot reveal” its name.
      Workspaces are housed on the lower floorHer studio added a mezzanine level under the roof to house exhibition spaces, where upcoming architecture projects can be presented, while workspaces are located on the floor below.

      Kurzela says this was necessary as the bureau experienced an unprecedented period of growth as the project unfolded, meaning the space had to be adapted to accommodate 120 people rather than 88 as originally planned.
      “Once the ambitions outgrew the available space, we expanded vertically by adding functional platforms interconnected by staircases,” Kurzela told Dezeen.
      The steel unit houses two staircases and a women’s prayer roomPreviously inaccessible gravelled roofs were resurfaced and opened up to serve as breakout areas. The practice also added spaces for prayer rooms, nursing rooms and ablution areas for performing ritual cleansing before prayer.
      In the entrance area, a bold new volume made of recycled mild steel houses two converging staircases to create a connection to the exhibition level above.
      The men’s prayer room is surrounded by metal chains instead of walls”We needed to provide a reception space open to the main building while providing privacy to the main office,” says Kurzela. “The volume was a response to both compositional and functional needs.”
      “This bold sculptural element creates a beacon that signals the entrance and brings order to multiple competing geometries of the original building.”

      Adjaye Associates unveils Abrahamic Family House interfaith complex in Abu Dhabi

      The steel cube also houses a women’s prayer room and an office on the lower level while the men’s prayer room takes the form of a smaller cube that is perched on top.
      This second prayer room was carefully proportioned to be half the size and half of the opacity as the steel volume below, with its walls made of suspended aluminium chains instead of solid metal.
      “It has volumetric qualities when seen from the outside while bringing a sense of privacy to the space it contains,” the designer said. “The daylight that filters through adds lightness and mysticism.”
      Designer Agata Kurzela created a bespoke foldable boardroom table for the officeThe practice sought to celebrate and restore to prominence the building’s original features, including the dramatic undulating roof.
      “The building’s floating roof shelters a structure that originally had a very clear order, visible on the original plans,” says Kurzela.
      “That logic was at times obscured by random subdivisions and often lost to the visitor through the sheer volume of the building. We felt our opportunity lay in providing visual guidance and clarity, and for the space to feel like a natural part of the building.”
      Reconfigurable tables allow narrow and curved spaces to be maximisedThe designer took the decision not to add ceilings above the open offices, helping to minimise material waste and allow daylight to permeate these spaces.
      “Before the refurbishment, the space felt murky, but now it benefits from the skylights and panoramic window, with views towards the Grand Mosque,” she said.
      The studio also used super-thin LED light strips designed by Davide Groppi, which measure up to 17 metres long, to bring illumination to areas where recessing lights in walls, floors or ceilings were impossible.
      Much of the furniture was locally producedThroughout the project, there was an emphasis on locally produced elements including acoustic glass partitions, furniture in the executive areas and cushions woven by a collective of Emirati artisans using a traditional technique called sadu.
      The material palette brings together contrasting textures including rough plaster, patinated mild steel and woven palm mats, known as safeefah.
      “It brings about a sense of familiarity, mixed with a sense of awe found in Ken Adams’s movie sets for the James Bond series,” says Kurzela.
      Bespoke vanity mirrors in the bathrooms combine matte and translucent surfacesThe government office has been shortlisted in the large workspace interior category of this year’s Dezeen Awards alongside 210 Euston Road by Universal Design Studio.
      The photography is by Sebastian Böttcher.

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      Xokol restaurant by ODAmx and Rubén Valdez celebrates “collective ritual” of eating

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      Mexican architects ODAmx and Rubén Valdez have designed a restaurant with an ash-coloured interior inside a former mechanic’s workshop in Guadalajara.

      Now located in the Mexican city’s Santa Tere neighbourhood, Xokol began in 2017 within a small space that housed just four tables and room for 16 diners.
      Xokol occupies a former mechanic’s workshop that has been converted into a restaurantIn 2020, the restaurant relocated to this larger building, where the aim was to preserve as much of the intimacy and connection between the diners and chefs as possible.
      “Xokol is a restaurant in which the act of eating becomes a collective ritual,” said ODAmx and Rubén Valdez in a joint statement. “The architecture of the space acts a catalyst for the reinterpretation of Mexican culinary traditions and a communal dining experience in which the boundaries between diners, staff and food preparation are non-existent.”
      The interior is lined with dark grey stucco to create an intimate atmosphere, while corn cobs suspended above add the only colourThe restaurant’s interior has a minimalist, monastic quality thanks to the dark grey stucco covering the walls and ceiling, and the black clay comal ovens on full display in the open kitchen.

      “These muted tones foreground the naturally rich colour palettes of the dishes,” the architects said.
      The 15-metre-long dining table creates a communal setting for guests to share the experienceThe concrete workshop building’s exterior was left largely unchanged, aside from the layers of tall panels of steel added across the garage-door entrance to guide guests inside.
      A 15-metre-long oak table runs the length of the double-height interior, enabling 48 covers to be seated at once and share the experience.
      Traditional comal ovens made from black clay are on full display in the open kitchenSuspended above the table is an industrial pendant light that stretches its entice length, emitting a soft glow over the place settings.
      Over the centre of the dining area, a large skylight is covered by a metal grill from which hundreds of corn cobs hang – providing the only hint of colour in the otherwise monochrome restaurant, besides the dishes served.
      At the back, a grid of shelves hold glass jars for fermenting ingredientsThe kitchen runs alongside the table on the other side of the building, towards the back where a grid of shelves contains jars for fermenting ingredients.
      A staircase winds around a totemic stone sculpture by local artist José Dávila, up to a mezzanine level that overlooks the dining area.

      Ceiling inside Guadalajara’s Veneno restaurant resembles an archeological site

      All of the materials used for the project were sourced locally, and the dining table, pendant light and shelving were fabricated by Guadalajaran artisans.
      “Since its beginnings, Xokol has aimed to conserve and recover the Mazahua culinary traditions and share them with a broader public in a contemporary manner,” said the architects.
      The dark, minimalist interior has a monastic quality”The architectural project acts as an enabler for such goal where every design decision has been thought to achieve it,” they added.
      Xokol is shortlisted in the restaurant and bar interior category of Dezeen Awards 2023, along with a Toronto seafood restaurant by Omar Gandhi Architects, a vaulted brick brewery taproom in Poland by Projekt Praga and three more projects.
      A staircase up to a mezzanine level winds around a totemic sculpture by José DávilaGuadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest city, is a hotbed for architectural talent and has a thriving food scene.
      Other restaurants with impressive interiors in the city include Veneno, designed by Monteon Arquitectos Asociados to resemble an archeological site, and Hueso, which Cadena + Asociados lined with thousands of animal bones.
      The photography is by Rafael Palacios.
      Project credits:
      Architecture: ODAmx and Rubén ValdezCarpenter: Joselo MaderistaArtwork: José Dávila

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      Five interiors with furry walls that beg to be touched

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      Faux fur is liberated from the realm of fashion and used to cover entire walls in this lookbook, which rounds up five interior projects including an igloo-shaped children’s room and a surreal Prada set by AMO.

      Rendered in grabby colours, furry textiles are increasingly being used by interior designers to make retail environments feel more enticing, as seen below in the all-pink makeover of Balenciaga’s London store and the monochrome grey fit-out of Chinese womenswear boutique SND.
      But in colder climes – like the ski town of Aspen – fake fur can also serve a practical purpose by providing some much-needed cosiness.
      Read on for five examples of interiors that are using this unconventional material on an architectural scale.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring subway-tiled bathrooms, chequerboard floors and rustic Italian interiors.

      Photo by Billal Baruk TarightSant Ambroeus Coffee Bar Aspen, US, by Giampiero Tagliaferri Studio
      Cosy Alpine touches meet midcentury Italian glamour inside this coffee bar that designer Giampiero Tagliaferri has completed in the ski town of Aspen.
      Here, the walls are clad in alternating panels of walnut wood, deep green Verde Alpi marble and faux fur that was designed to resemble shaggy Mongolian lamb wool.
      Find out more about the Sant Ambroeus Coffee Bar Aspen ›

      Mount Street store, UK, by Balenciaga
      Every surface inside Balenciaga’s London store – from the walls and floors to the columns and shelves – was wrapped in furry bright pink textile as part of a temporary installation last April.
      The intervention was designed to celebrate the brand’s popular Le Cagole bag and its maximalist spirit, with the materials used now set to be reused for future projects.
      “We are currently researching the best way in which we can donate the faux fur, so that it can be reused in manufacturing toys for example,” Balenciaga told Dezeen.
      Find out more about the Mount Street store ›
      Photo by José HeviaWinter Bedroom (for a Big Grrl), Spain, by Takk
      This winter-themed bedroom belongs to the young daughter of Spanish designers Mireia Luzárraga and Alejandro Muiño and is topped with a 3.5-metre-high dome designed to resemble an igloo.
      Fuzzy white carpet clads almost every inch of the space to create the impression that the all-white interior is covered in a blanket of snow.
      Find out more about Winter Bedroom (for a Big Grrl) ›
      Photo by Agostino OsioPrada AW21 2021 menswear show, Italy, by Rem Koolhaas and AMO
      For Prada’s Autumn Winter 2021 menswear presentation, research studio AMO created a sequence of four geometric rooms designed to create “the illusion of a never-ending route”.
      Each room inverts the material arrangements of the one that came before, with white marble walls and fluffy sky-blue carpet making way for glossy stone flooring and furry walls in a moody magenta colour.
      Find out more about the Prada AW21 menswear show ›
      Photo by Shao FengSND boutique, China, by Various Associates
      In the absence of colour, Chinese studio Various Associates relied on contrasting textures and dramatically slanted walls to provide aesthetic interest inside this womenswear store in Chongqing, China.
      The interior combines furry changing-room pods will full-height mirrors to make the store feel more “visually magical and spacious”.
      Find out more about SND boutique ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring subway-tiled bathrooms, chequerboard floors and rustic Italian interiors.

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      Eight sculptural wooden staircases that bring warmth to the home

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      Our latest lookbook features eight sculptural staircases made of wood that make a statement and bring warmth to apartments from Hong Kong to Boston.

      Often the organizing principle in the planning of any space, a staircase can either blend in or stand out.
      The eight gathered in this lookbook lean into the latter – showcasing both the structural abilities of wood like larch, birch and plywood and demonstrating how circulation need not be boring.
      From a completely pre-fabricated staircase in a Boston apartment to a plywood spiral staircase twisting from the loft of a renovated barn in the Netherlands, these sculptural stairs create a visually striking centrepiece, as well as a fun way to traverse a house.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rustic Italian interiors, autumnal bedrooms and show-stealing dining room tables.

      Photo by James LengHairpin House, USA, Studio J Jih and Figure
      Located in Boston’s South End neighbourhood, this historic townhouse renovation sees a four-storey interior plan wrapped around a white oak staircase that spirals around a 40-foot-high (12-metre-high) atrium.
      “Aptly named Hairpin House, the project takes the tight, unpredictable, and ultimately poetic switchback turns of a mountain road as inspiration for the overall renovation – and in particular a new unravelling central stair,” said the design team.
      Find out more about Hairpin House ›
      Photo by Jonathan LeijonhufvudCape Drive Residence, Hong Kong, Linehouse
      Just a short walk from the beaches of Hong Kong’s south side, this three-storey house channels “coastal essence” through natural materials and light, Chinese studio Linehouse told Dezeen.
      An “easy flow” was also imbued into the design, created in part by a timber stairwell that’s tucked to the side and – save for a white metallic screen – is open to the living spaces.
      Find out more about Cape Drive Residence ›
      Photo by Frank FrancesMass Timber House, USA, Schiller Projects
      According to design studio Schiller Projects, this renovated carriage home in Brooklyn is the borough’s first single-family residence that uses mass timber construction.
      Besides repurposed wooden elements like timber panels and floorboards used for the project, the house features a pre-fabricated glue-laminated timber (glulam) staircase that can be completely disassembled.
      Find out more about Mass Timber House ›
      Photo by Alex BaxterBarn at the Ahof, the Netherlands, Julia van Beuningen
      Architectural designer Julia Van Beuningen converted this Gelderland barn into a holiday home complete with a spiral staircase made out of plywood at the heart of the floor plan, which contrasts the more rustic materials of the surrounding building.
      “This is very different and very unusual in a barn like this,” said Van Beuningen. “It’s something you either love or hate, but it’s definitely a statement.”
      Find out more about Barn at the Ahof ›
      Photo by Eric PetschekCarroll Gardens Townhouse, USA, Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design
      New York studios Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design merged a two-family dwelling into one for the owner’s growing family.
      White oak running throughout the two units unifies the project, which includes the addition of a new wooden staircase covered by a slated screen made of the same material.
      Find out more about Carroll Gardens Townhouse ›
      Photo by Jim StephensonStoke Newington loft, UK, Whittaker Parsons
      Architecture firm Whittaker Parsons was tasked with adding a loft to a house in Stoke Newington, London, as well as updating spaces throughout the lower floors.
      With efficiency and quality in mind, the studio used prefabricated structural insulated panels (SIP) to construct the new loft. The space is accessed by a spiral staircase made of larch that’s topped with a skylight.
      Find out more about Stoke Newington loft ›
      Photo is by Tim CrokerDragon Flat, UK, Tsuruta Architects
      A floating timber staircase features in this flat in London, which is outfitted with walls CNC-etched with images of peonies, dragons, bats and the Thames.
      The central staircase allows light to filter into the kitchen and living room below, while solid timber bricks act as landings on either side.
      Find out more about Dragon Flat ›
      Photo by Rory GardinerElsternwick penthouse, Australia, Office Alex Nicholls
      The timber staircases in this Melbourne house were integrated into its “library spine” an organizing corridor that contains the family’s collection of books, art and artefacts.
      “From a practical standpoint, it allowed everything to be easily accessible and displayed but it also helps to draw people through the apartment and celebrate the two staircases to the roof garden at either end,” said Office Alex Nicholls founder Alex Nicholls.
      Find out more about Elsternwick penthouse ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rustic Italian interiors, autumnal bedrooms and show-stealing dining room tables.

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      ICRAVE unveils sci-fi interiors of MSG Sphere Las Vegas

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      US studio ICRAVE has revealed images of the public spaces inside the world’s largest spherical structure in Las Vegas.

      Chosen through an international competition, ICRAVE was tasked with designing the interiors of the public spaces within the MSG Sphere Las Vegas by Sphere Entertainment – the giant venue’s operator.
      Upon entering the MSG Sphere Las Vegas, visitors are ushered through an arched passagewayThe scope included the building’s entry bridges, lobby and guest welcome areas, the main concourse, food and beverage outlets, as well as private artist dressing rooms, and VIP clubs and suites.
      The 20,000-person venue, designed by architecture firm Populous, was unveiled over the summer.
      In the main atrium, the building’s curves continue across the intersecting balconies and bridges. This photo and top are by Rich Fury / Sphere EntertainmentWhile the building’s exterior is covered with 580,000 square feet (53,900 square metres) of programmable LED panels, the inside glows with bands of coloured indirect lighting.

      “The spectacle that is Sphere on the outside sets the stage and bar for how magical the designed experience ICRAVE was tasked with must be on the inside,” said the studio, which has offices in New York City and Miami and is led by Lionel Ohayon.
      The colourful indirect lighting throughout the public spaces can be customised for different performancesUpon entering the venue, visitors are ushered through a series of repeated illuminated archways before arriving in a vast eight-storey atrium.
      Here, the building’s curved form is continued through a series of sweeping balconies and bridges, which intersect at different points across multiple levels to create “a sense of continuous motion”.

      MSG Sphere in Las Vegas opens with bespoke artworks by Es Devlin and John Gerrard

      Thresholds and doorways are also shaped as either circles or ovals, while beside the escalators, a 160-foot-tall (49-metre) scrim wall hanging acts as a huge lenticular light installation.
      Reflective black terrazzo flooring creates a sci-fi feel within the public spaces, which is further enhanced by the coloured lighting.
      Thresholds and doorways are shaped as circles and arches, while black terrazzo flooring reflects the light”The lighting sets the tone and ‘performs’ as part of the Sphere experience from entry, to Atrium activation, to showtime, and as you transition out of Sphere and back to the bustle of Vegas,” ICRAVE said.
      The studio also designed the various food and beverage spaces within the venue, each carrying a distinct character.
      Each of the food and beverage outlets features a different designTucked into areas where the ceiling height is lower, these bars and food vendor spots include fluted panels, dark counters, and more indirect lighting.
      Throughout the building, mathematical graphics added to surfaces are derived from the equations used in the Sphere’s construction.

      Michael Gove places Populous’ spherical music venue on hold

      In the dressing rooms, artists can enjoy lounge areas and massage chairs, as well as makeup stations, private bathrooms and showers.
      Meanwhile, the VIP viewing suites feature a mix of absorptive and reflective materials intended not to distract from the performances.
      The venue can accommodate up to 20,000 visitors”In an effort to create a transformative entertainment space that takes artists and fans out of the mundane and into the future, ICRAVE sought to bring life to every inch of Sphere, not just the stage,” said the studio.
      “With a sophisticated mix of lighting, soundscape, visuals, ambiance and tactile elements, audiences and the artists will have a captivating experience like nowhere else in the world.”
      A huge scrim wall behind the escalators acts like a lenticular lighting installation. Photo by Rich Fury / Sphere EntertainmentThe Sphere began its programming in October with a concert by U2, featuring visuals by designer Es Devlin, artist John Gerrard and more on an enormous wrap-around screen.
      A similar venue was also planned for London, but the government put the project on hold earlier this year to give the Secretary of State more time to review the proposal.
      The photography is by ICRAVE unless stated otherwise.
      Project credits:
      Owner and developer: Sphere EntertainmentArchitect: PopulousInterior designer: ICRAVELighting designer: JourneyAudio engineer: ARUPAudio tech / manufacturer: Holoplot

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      Dezeen Awards 2023 party tickets now on general release

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      Remaining tickets for the Dezeen Awards 2023 party in London on Tuesday 28 November are now available to buy on general release. Book your tickets now before they sell out!

      Early-bird ticket sales ended last night, Tuesday 31 October, at 11:59pm London time. All remaining tickets are now available at our general release price of £175 + VAT. You can also save a further 10 per cent if you book a package of 10 tickets or more.
      Taking place at Shoreditch Electric Light Station in London on 28 November, we will celebrate the winners of Dezeen Awards 2023 with food, drink, live entertainment and music throughout the night.
      The winners of all 39 Dezeen Awards project categories will be revealed, as well as the overall architecture, interiors, design and sustainability projects of the year.
      We will also be announcing the six Designers of the Year and revealing the winner of the inaugural Bentley Lighthouse Award.

      The party will be a chance for everyone to come together to celebrate their achievements with fellow nominees and winners, as well as our illustrious Dezeen Awards 2023 judges.
      Judges this year include Patrik Schumacher, Patrizia Moroso, Giulio Cappellini, Sabine Marcelis, and Tola Ojuolape. See who they crowned as winners when they collect their trophies, and join in the celebrations.
      Tickets selling out fast
      With three quarters of all tickets already sold for this year’s glamorous event, make sure to grab the final few tickets before they are gone. Don’t miss out on this year’s celebrations!
      Book your ticket now via Eventbrite: dezeenawards2023.eventbrite.co.uk
      Email [email protected] if you have any questions. Sign up to our Dezeen Awards newsletter to get updates on the winners party and future editions of Dezeen Awards. More

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      Barde vanVoltt draws on Japanese zen gardens for Calico Club interior

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      Dutch studio Barde vanVoltt has used rippled mirrored glass, boulders and pebbles to create the interior of Calico Club, a retail store located in a century-old farmhouse in the Netherlands.

      The studio aimed to combine Dutch heritage with Japanese tradition to create an “unexpected” but never overwhelming interior for the store, which is located in the village of Nistelrode.
      Pebbles decorate the floor in Calico Club”The main objective was to pay respect to the monumental 100-year-old farmhouse that Calico Club moved into,” Barde vanVoltt co-founder Valérie Boerma told Dezeen.
      “The challenge was to find ways to add materials we could remove easily to keep the original state of the construction as it was,” she added.
      Barde vanVoltt added plants to the interiorBoerma and her co-founder Bart van Seggelen added several organic details to the space, which has been divided into different sections.

      “The floor plan is shaped like a Japanese zen garden and its traditional elements of rock, water, and plants have been interpreted in more modern and abstract ways,” Seggelen explained.
      Boulders are scattered throughout the spaceOn polished concrete flooring, the studio placed whitewashed boulders that are used as retail displays and created elevated pebble islands above which garments are hung.
      Barde vanVoltt also designed matching islands made from walnut wood. The same warm wood is also used for the fitting rooms, cabinets and counters.
      Walnut wood is used for the counters inside the storeMateriality is an important aspect of the project, with rippled mirrored glass added in a nod to the water features that are often included in zen gardens.
      “Rippled mirrored glass and silver colour was to create contrast and depth,” Boerma said.

      Barde + vanVoltt transforms dingy Amsterdam garage into family home

      “The rippled glass keeps changing from wherever you look at it, this added an extra layer to the space, much like water, that is always changing,” she added.
      The aim was for the interior to “nourish creative flow, harmony and support it with a screen-free store policy to create calm in an unpredictable world,” the studio said.
      A large tree adds a touch of nature at the back of the storeAt the back of the store, a tree sits inside a round glass bench behind a metal wall divider.
      “Encased in a circular glass bench, the tree and the fashion collection opposite is given its moment thanks to a sheet of curved, rolled metal to separate it from the fitting rooms,” Seggelen said.
      “And at the front of the store, customers are shown the best of the collection with floating glass display cylinders filled with hay.”
      Calico Club is located in a red-brick former farmhouseThe pared-back designs and shiny materials inside the store contrast against its exterior, a rustic red-brick farmhouse.
      “With every project we do, we feel the responsibility to search for high quality, natural materials that are produced in a sustainable way,” Boerma said.
      “These materials and heritage come with earthy tones and it suited well with our Japanese reference,” Seggelen added.
      Rippled glass references the water in zen gardensCalico Club has been shortlisted in the retail interior (large) category of Dezeen Awards 2023.
      Previous projects by Barde vanVoltt include a former garage in Amsterdam that was transformed into a family home.
      Other recent projects in the Netherlands include an underground house and a wood-lined home in Zwaag.

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