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    Insulation made of discarded sheep wool used for Argentina guest house

    Local studio DUB Arquitectura has created a metal-clad house called Casa La Escocesa, which features “insulating blankets” made of sheep wool that otherwise would have been incinerated.

    The 150-square-metre project is located on a farm in Argentina’s subtropical Pampas region, which consists of agricultural fields that stretch over flat plains. The building site is surrounded by crops, sheep and polo horses.
    DUB Arquitectura has designed a metal-clad house with insulation made of sheep’s woolLong and rectangular in plan, the building sits atop a platform and is covered with a gabled roof. The house was designed by DUB Arquitectura, a studio based in Buenos Aires, to follow the site conditions and to allow for future expansion.
    The interior is divided into four main areas: a kitchen and dining room, a bedroom, a bathroom, and a multi-purpose attic space. A breezeway lies at the centre of the plan.
    Plywood was used abundantly within the house”The central patio serves as an outdoor distribution hall and a space for meeting and contemplation of the surrounding and eternal landscape,” the team said.

    When choosing the building’s materials, the team opted for low- or no-maintenance options, to minimise the project’s operational energy.
    The insulation thickness varies around the houseFacades are clad in corrugated metal sheets, and plywood was used abundantly within the house.
    Discarded sheep wool was used for insulation, making use of a local product. The team said 4,000 tons of sheep wool are discarded yearly in the province of Buenos Aries.
    Solar panels line the gabled roofThe insulation thickness varies around the house, depending upon the orientation to the sun.
    “The house was used as a case study to implement the first insulating blankets made from discarded wool from this particular region, which is usually burnt,” the team said.

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    “Now, the house is measured every season to test the evolution of the material, which is showing great performance.”
    Glazing was minimised in certain areas, yet the home remains filled with natural light. Above the bathroom and the main corridor, the team introduced skylights to reduce reliance on artificial light.
    Special vents provide ventilation in the atticAll rooms feature cross-ventilation and sun protection on windows, including the attic, where special vents provide ventilation during warm months.
    Other projects involving sheep wool include an English sauna by Architects Holiday that has red shingles and insulation made of recycled plastic and wool, and a Chilean house by Team Citic that consists of three gabled volumes with sheep wool insulation.
    The photography is by Fernando Schapochnik.
    Project credits:
    Architect: DUB ArquitecturaArchitect in charge: Angie DubCollaborators: Belén Butler, Tabatha Walter

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    Niceworkshop applies artificial wood grain texture to Seoul cafe interior

    South Korean studio Niceworkshop has designed a pared-back interior for a cafe in Seoul, where concrete walls and stainless-steel furnishings are finished to mimic wood.

    Set in the city’s multicultural Itaewon district, HaHouse Cafe operates alongside an exhibition space on the floor above, designed by Niceworkshop founder Hyunseog Oh in 2022.
    Niceworkshop has given Seoul’s HaHouse Cafe a pared-back makeoverThe initial demolition phase revealed a pair of concrete walls that informed the spatial arrangement of both the gallery and the cafe, as well as influencing the raw material palette applied across both interiors.
    Oh used concrete, metal and wood to reference the project’s urban setting, adding natural textures to the manmade materials to create a sense of visual cohesion.
    The studio etched a wood grain pattern onto stainless-steel furnishings”The wood inside HaHouse Cafe serves as the basis for the texture that expresses nature,” the designer explained. “It bridges the modern urban environment with nature, symbolising their coexistence.”

    The interior applies the same principles as Oh’s Neo-Naturalism furniture series, which features a wood grain pattern etched onto geometric stainless-steel seats and tables.
    Hand-sanded doors with opaque framing lead to a storage area and restroomThe use of concrete for the walls and ceiling was informed by the two existing walls that delineate the space. Concrete applied to the surfaces was stamped with wood to create a natural texture.
    The serving counter and utility spaces along one wall are clad in aluminium with a subtly reflective satin finish.

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

    A pair of doors leading to a storage area and restroom feature reflective surfaces that Oh sanded by hand to create an opaque frame around the edges.
    “Through the opaque reflective surface, I wanted to show both the artificial nature inside the space and the real nature outside the window,” he told Dezeen.
    Individual NN stools combine to create a larger bench with a concave seatMuch of the furniture used in the cafe was created especially to complement the interior’s pared-back material palette.
    Expanding on the Neo-Naturalism furniture series from 2023, the chairs and lights were engraved using a Dremel tool to create a wood grain pattern.
    The tactile Neo-Naturalism tables are made from solid ash and red oakThe NN tables are made from solid ash and red oak, bringing warmth and tactility to the otherwise austere space. The legs and tops are joined at the corners using simple nuts and bolts.
    Other furniture items include the NN stools, which are informed by standard-sawn timber logs. Four of the 20-by-20 centimetre sections are combined to create a stool with a concave seat.
    Niceworkshop also created a series of custom lights for the cafeAccording to Oh, the main objective with the HaHouse project was to create a cultural space that appeals to a variety of people and provides them with a new spatial experience.
    Previous experimental projects from Niceworkshop include a furniture collection made using skyscraper formwork salvaged from construction sites that was presented at this year’s Milan design week.
    Oh founded his studio in 2021 after completing a bachelor’s degree in interior architecture at Soongsil University. He works alongside Sangmyeong Yoo, who manages the office’s business affairs.
    The photography is courtesy of HaHouse Cafe.

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    Tabitha Isobel gives London townhouse a “surprising and bold” makeover

    Designer Tabitha Organ combined natural materials with metal details to transform this London townhouse into a home with a “slightly futuristic” feel for a client who loves entertaining.

    The five-storey property on St Pauls Road had recently been renovated by a developer using poor-quality finishes, so the client – a young tech entrepreneur and first-time homeowner – asked Organ’s studio Tabitha Isobel to create a more bespoke interior.
    The brief called for a scheme that retains the Victorian house’s original features, whilst layering vintage pieces and contemporary design to create spaces with a distinct character.
    Tabitha Isobel transformed the Victorian north London townhouse”The client wanted a home that would be surprising and bold but also timeless,” Organ told Dezeen. “Amongst his peers, he is a frequent host of parties so he wanted an interior that would be a backdrop to these and bring a certain entertaining ‘vibe’.”
    Some of the original details that survived the previous renovation included detailed mouldings and the wooden window shutters in the living areas.

    Organ sought to emphasise these elements by introducing a carefully chosen palette of complementary colours and materials. Other spaces received a more expressive treatment, including the golden-toned cinema and DJ room in the basement.
    The five-storey property’s renovation adopts a “slightly futuristic” feelThe main architectural interventions occurred on the first floor, where previously disjointed spaces were reorganised to create a large bedroom with an adjoining bathroom and dressing area.
    The bedroom, which has windows on two sides due to the property’s end-of-terrace location, is connected to the bathroom by a walk-through wardrobe containing bespoke cabinetry built from naturally patterned burr walnut.
    New bespoke features include an adjoining walk-through wardrobeThe house’s main living areas are unified by the consistent application of green hues and metal details, which featured in an image of a kitchen given to Organ by the client as inspiration at the beginning of the project.
    “As the living and dining area is open plan with the kitchen, we introduced a Verde Guaco Green fireplace surround that sits on the same elevation as the kitchen so the tones speak to each other,” Organ explained.
    “We also chose a green velvet sofa from Maison Dara that is positioned in line with the kitchen, helping the spaces to feel connected.”
    Green hues and metal details inform the house’s living areasThe designer added that the combination of natural materials and metal surfaces contributes to the scheme’s sense of timelessness while creating a juxtaposition of textures and finishes that adds visual interest to the design.
    “As part of the concept, we wanted the spaces to have a slightly futuristic feel to them,” she pointed out. “Metals are timeless materials and I find they lift palettes, bringing them to life and creating a richness through reflection and depth.”

    Unknown Works brightens Victorian townhouse with dusty pink extension

    Metal and wood combine in a bespoke solution designed to conceal the television above the fireplace. Eight hand-carved wooden panels are set within a brushed aluminium frame that incorporates bi-fold doors that open to reveal the TV.
    Throughout the home, textiles provide a further textural contrast to the hard metal surfaces. This approach is encapsulated by a vintage metal-framed armchair in the living room that was reupholstered in a boldly patterned fabric by UK brand Schumacher.
    A reupholstered metal-framed armchair provides textural contrastWhile the living area and bedroom are predominantly monochrome, there are moments of bright colour elsewhere in the home – particularly in the en-suite shower room.
    Organ chose terracotta tiles with different scales to bring a sense of richness and warmth to the space. The walk-in shower is lined with cobalt blue tiles intended to introduce a surprising element.
    Terracotta tiles in the en suite shower room provide a sense of richness and warmthA cinema room located on the basement level was designed to resemble a moodily lit members’ club, with a cotton moire wall covering matched to a high-gloss painted ceiling and mid-gloss cabinetry.
    The room is used for hosting parties and includes a concealed home bar with stainless steel shelves set in front of a bronze-tinted mirror.
    Marble and metal wall lights illuminate the textured walls as well as a velvet sofa with oversized cushions, a vintage coffee table and a bespoke walnut DJ console crafted by furniture maker Spinback.
    The cinema room conceals a stainless steel home bar in front of a bronze-tinted mirrorOrgan founded Tabitha Isobel in 2023 after working for a decade as an interior designer for London-based studios Conran + Partners and Sella Concept.
    The designer’s approach focuses on combining historical and contemporary elements to create timeless spaces driven by authenticity rather than trends.
    Other creative townhouse transformations include a Brussels home with a skylit atrium and a London home that was given a 1970s-style makeover.
    The photography is by Genevieve Lutkin.

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    Eight living spaces that go heavy on metal furniture

    Although more commonly associated with industrial applications, furnishings made of cool-toned steel, aluminium and chrome are infiltrating every room of the home. This lookbook rounds up eight living spaces that show how it’s done.

    In recent years, a growing cohort of young designers has been experimenting with humble, industrial metals – often using only one material, which is left raw and unfinished to promote recycling.
    Among them are Paul Coenen, Annie Paxton and David Taylor, whose Knuckle light made of bent aluminium tubing was crowned lighting design of the year at the 2023 Dezeen Awards.

    Paul Coenen folds single sheet of steel to form furniture “that can last a generation”

    Contrasted against natural materials like timber and stone, these pieces can add a raw, industrial edge to interiors while still feeling refined.
    Read on for eight living spaces from around the world that are toughened up with steely metal furnishings, including a Ukrainian log cabin, a flat in Antwerp’s brutalist Riverside Tower, a Melbourne residence set in a former chocolate factory and two separate São Paulo apartments.

    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more examples, see previous lookbooks featuring homes with slides, colourful renovations and New York City lofts.
    Photo by Andrey Bezuglov and Maryan BereshRelogged House, Ukraine, by Balbek Bureau
    Balbek Bureau set out to offer a modern interpretation of a traditional log cabin in this renovation, contrasting the building’s warm timber panelling with an industrial palette of concrete and metal.
    The Ukrainian studio created several custom furniture pieces for the cabin, including a trio of sleek stainless-steel consoles that frame the low-lying bed.
    Find out more about Relogged House ›
    Photo by Gareth HackerHighbury House, UK, by Daytrip
    A vintage zinc-plated lamp stands atop a brushed aluminium console by American sculptor Jane Manu in the hallway of this renovated Victorian terrace house in London.
    The home was designed by interiors studio Daytrip and furnished by Sophie Pearce, founder of design gallery Béton Brut, to contrast a “gallery-like minimalism” with organic materials and forms.
    Find out more about Highbury House ›
    Photo is by Fran ParenteFrederic Chopin Apartment, Brazil, by Tria Arquitetura
    Brazilian studio Tria Arquitetura went beyond furniture and enveloped an entire column in this São Paulo apartment in sheets of stainless steel to offer a cool, sharp-edged contrast to the wood and other warm tones in the living room.
    The home belongs to an art-loving couple and was designed to accommodate their collection of art and collectible design.
    “The main concept in the choice of finishes and architectural solutions was to bring comfort but still leave a big void so that the works could dress the house,” said Tria Arquitetura.
    Find out more about Frederic Chopin Apartment ›
    Photo by Matthijs van der BurgtRiverside Tower apartment, Belgium, by Studio Okami Architecten
    Metals in different finishes meet inside this duplex apartment in Antwerp’s brutalist Riverside Tower, where local firm Studio Okami Architecten exposed the building’s original concrete structure.
    Sleek metal surfaces provide a counterpoint to the rough finish of the walls, painted baby blue in one instance to form a spiral staircase and elsewhere left raw in the form of cabinets and a sculptural kitchen island.
    Find out more about Riverside Tower apartment ›
    Photo by Pier CarthewKerr Street, Australia, by SSdH
    Eclectic metal furniture takes centre stage in Melbourne’s Kerr Street apartment, which is housed in a former chocolate factory.
    Among them are folded aluminium stools, a two-seater armchair with an undulating frame and a chainmail-fringed side table by local designer Annie Paxton.
    Find out more about Kerr Street ›
    Photo by Piet-Albert GoethalsApartment A, Belgium, by Atelier Dialect
    Apartment A in Antwerp delivers a more pared-back take on the theme, pairing a chromed metal floor lamp from Reggiani with a steel-bottomed velvet-upholstered daybed by Belgian designer Jonas Van Put.
    In the bedroom, Belgian studio Atelier Dialect went a step further and installed a bathtub wrapped in panels of mirrored steel in the middle of the minty-green room.
    Find out more about Apartment A ›
    Photo by Giulio GhirardiCanal Saint-Martin apartment, France, by Rodolphe Parente
    Metal covers almost all of the surfaces in the kitchen of this Haussmann-era apartment in Paris, as well as spilling over into many of the other rooms.
    In the living room, there is Axel Chay’s unlacquered aluminium Septem stool, while the bathroom is brightened up by the Morgans chair – created by French designer Andrée Putman for Emeco – whose aluminium frame is polished to such a high shine it basically functions as a mirror.
    Find out more about Canal Saint-Martin apartment ›
    Photo by Fran ParenteGale Apartment, Brazil, by Memola Estudio
    Part of the balcony in this São Paulo apartment was converted into a bar and lounge area as part of a renovation by local practice Memola Estudio.
    The practice designed a custom metal bar for the space that matches the nearby kitchen cabinetry while adding an industrial edge to the seating area with its low-slung soft furnishings.
    Find out more about Gale Apartment ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with slides, colourful renovations and New York City lofts.

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    Ten steely kitchens that use metal as their primary material

    A black steel island fitted between original cast-iron columns, a gleaming stainless-steel kitchen and one with reclaimed metal cabinetry are among the kitchen interiors featured in our latest lookbook.

    Metal kitchens can make for a stylish addition to a residential interior, often lending the heart of the home an industrial and restaurant-style look.
    These types of kitchens are said to have risen to popularity during the 1950s, after the steel factories that were formerly used to manufacture weapons pivoted to produce domestic goods.
    Though they went out of favour in the 1960s, by the turn of the millennium sleek, stainless steel kitchens were popularised in residential homes as the result of a futuristic, technology-driven outlook.
    They have since come to represent a modern kitchen look. Here, Dezeen has spotlighted ten homes that make use of metal in residential kitchens in different ways.

    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing relaxing hammocks, white bathrooms and minimalist interiors with natural palettes.
    Photo is by Ioana MarinescuFrame House, UK, by Jonathan Tuckey Design
    British studio Jonathan Tuckey Design renovated this Grade-II listed building in west London, creating a two-storey home that features open-plan living solutions and skeletal partitions.
    Its kitchen, which was positioned behind an intentionally incomplete wall, was clad in stainless steel to provide the home with a cool metallic distinction against the exposed brick walls and plywood carpentry that surround it.
    Find out more about Frame House ›
    Photo is by Ralph FeinerFarmhouse, Switzerland by Baumhauer
    Set within a vaulted room in a traditional barn house in the Swiss hamlet of Florins, architecture studio Baumhauer used clean lines and modern finishes to juxtapose against the home’s farmhouse look.
    An L-shaped kitchen, comprised of two stainless steel counters and rows of cabinetry, was placed beneath the curving ceiling. The metal countertop has a seamless look and features a built-in sink and electric hob, with appliances incorporated within the steel cupboards below.
    Find out more about the farmhouse ›
    Photo is by Nieve, Productora AudiovisualCasa Roc, Spain, by Nook Architects
    Fitted along the edge of an open-plan living and dining room, a glossy metal-lined kitchen adds a modern look to the interior of this Barcelona apartment, which was renovated by Spanish studio Nook Architects.
    The renovation saw the studio maintain the Gothic Quarter apartment’s original mosaic floors and wooden beams while applying shades of grey and white across the walls and ceiling.
    Find out more about Casa Roc ›
    Photo is by Salva LópezBarcelona apartment, Spain, by Isabel López Vilalta
    Several partition walls were removed in architecture and interior design studio Isabel López Vilalta’s overhaul of this penthouse apartment in Barcelona’s Sarrià-Sant Gervasi.
    Afterward, the studio fitted a black iron island that anchored the kitchen, and its appliances, within the now open-plan kitchen, dining and living area.
    “Life in the kitchen was very important to the family, they felt more comfortable in a lively, gathering space than in a strictly traditional and functional kitchen,” said Vilalta.
    Find out more about Barcelona apartment ›
    Photo is by Paul WarcholThe Photographer’s Loft, US, by Desai Chia Architecture
    Aptly named The Photographer’s Loft, this minimal loft apartment in New York was renovated by US studio Desai Chia Architecture for a photographer local to the city. It occupies a 5,000-square-foot former industrial space and is complete with cast iron columns that line the interior.
    Within the home’s main living space, the studio fitted a long black steel kitchen island that runs parallel to a stark white row of kitchen cabinetry and also a dining table.
    The island’s dark steel construction ties to the apartment’s existing iron columns, creating the impression that it existed alongside its original industrial features.
    Find out more about The Photographer’s Loft ›
    Photo is by Justin Clemons and Robert TsaiCCR1 Residence, US, by Wernerfield
    With a material palette consisting of concrete, steel, teak and glass, this kitchen has a stainless-steel finish that covers its worktops, appliances and below- and overhead cabinetry.
    The kitchen has a U-shaped design that backs onto its living and dining area, creating a social yet practical space. The home was designed by Dallas studio Wernerfield and occupies a lakefront setting in a rural location 60 miles southeast of Dallas.
    Find out more about CCR1 Residence ›
    Photo is by Claudia Muñoz KarigCasa Ocal, Ecuador, by Jorge Ramón Giacometti Taller de Arquitectura
    Reclaimed metal was used across the kitchen of this home designed by architecture studio Jorge Ramón Giacometti Taller de Arquitectura in northern Ecuador.
    The textural weathered material was used across its cupboards, countertops and splashback and contrasts against the home’s light timber walls. Positioned above the single row of cabinets, and with a sink at its middle, a rectangular window provides views across the hilly surroundings.
    Find out more about Casa Ocal ›

    House in Tokushima, Japan, by FujiwaraMuro Architects
    Fitted in a home in Tokushima, a city on the Japanese island of Shikoku, a metallic kitchen flanks a living and dining room between its split-level living arrangement.
    Designed by Japanese studio FujiwaraMuro Architects, the kitchen comprises an open-plan design, with its countertops and sink looking out to an adjoining breakfast bar that lines the border of the home’s dining room.
    Find out more about House in Tokushima ›
    Photo is by French+TyeEast Dulwich house extension, UK, by Alexander Owen Architecture
    London studio Alexander Owen Architecture added a marble-clad extension to this Victorian mid-terrace in East Dulwich, London, which houses a kitchen fitted with poured concrete floors, shot-blaster pewter brick walls, a timber ceiling and a stainless steel kitchen.
    The L-shaped kitchen stretches the width of the home and extends across the adjoining length of the extensions pewter brick walls. Stainless steel clads the tops of the kitchen’s worksurfaces and the sides of an island placed at the centre of the space.
    Find out more about East Dulwich house extension ›
    Photo is by Anton GorlenkoShakespeare Tower apartment, UK, by Takero Shimazaki Architects
    Metal countertops top wooden cabinetry at this Japanese-style apartment located within London’s Barbican Estate by London-based studio Takero Shimazaki Architects.
    The apartment comprises a primarily wooden interior that is complemented with cooler materials, such as glossy-black subway tiles organised across the floors of the kitchen, steel worksurfaces and appliances that run parallel in the galley-style space. An exposed concrete ceiling provides a finishing touch.
    Find out more about Shakespeare Tower apartment ›
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing relaxing hammocks, white bathrooms and minimalist interiors with natural palettes.

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