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      Studio Terpeluk renovates Albert Lanier-designed Noe Valley home

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      San Francisco-based Studio Terpeluk has renovated and expanded Redwood House in Noe Valley with redwood interiors and terraces.

      The three-storey Redwood House was originally designed by American architect Albert Lanier – husband to sculptor Ruth Asawa – in a hilly  San Francisco neighbourhood characterised by Victorian and Edwardian houses.
      Studio Terpeluk renovated an interior in Noe ValleyStudio Terpeluk was selected to expand the 1976 house from 2,260 square feet (210 square metres) to 3,218 square feet (299 square metres) with a new guest room suite, home office, wet bar and media room.
      The renovation “surgically modified the house in an architecturally non-aggressive manner,” the studio said.
      Western red cedar was used for the walls and ceilingWrapped with irregular western red cedar planks, the narrow house cascades down the hillside with exterior courtyards that mitigate the grade change.

      One enters the house through an intimate courtyard off the street into an open-plan upper level with a sloping ceiling and dark-knotted Douglas fir flooring made from local reclaimed pier pilings.
      Many of the walls and ceilings were updated with vintage rough-sawn redwood veneered plywood maintained from the original build.
      “Redwood surfaces and structural elements complete the warm interior landscape: from the sloping roof beams to partition walls and built-in shelves,” the studio said.
      The renovation expanded the homeTo the left of the entrance is the kitchen with custom-gloss cabinets and a Carrara marble backsplash. It opens to a dining room that features a Saarinen table and Hans Wegner wishbone chairs.
      To the right is the library where sunlight from the large window brightens the dark panelling and sculptural furniture.
      Bright panelling contrasts the rich wood tonesThe living room is oriented around a pink sculpture by American artist Wanxin Zhang.
      Padded seating wraps the corner under a large window looking out to the San Francisco skyline.
      The living room has wrap-around seating and views of San FranciscoThe house is centred around a staircase illuminated by a skylight.
      “The sculptural blackened steel stair with vintage rough-sawn redwood plywood walls anchors the house, weaving together the three floors and their diverse spatial character,” the studio continued.
      The home is oriented around a central staircaseThe middle level features guest suites with direct access to the entry courtyard.
      The primary suite is softened by light pink terrazzo tile and a micro mosaic of Indian red recycled plastic tiles.
      The home’s colour complements the art collection of the owners”Color was a recurring theme in the exquisite and eclectic art collection of the owners,” studio founder Brett Terpeluk said.
      “This went perfectly hand in hand with my interest in mid-century Italian design and its bold use of color.”
      A series of terraces connect the home with the sloping site”We collaborated with our friend and designer Beatrice Santiccioli to enrich the project with a dedicated and bespoke color language,” he continued.
      At the lowest level, a media room, home office and kitchenette open to an abundantly landscaped garden.

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      The outdoor areas were designed by Terpeluk’s wife and longtime consultant, Italian landscape designer Monica Viarengo.
      The terraces shift from curated gardens to wild vegetation as one moves through the property, while the plantings reference California coastal landscapes with yellow roses, espaliered fruit trees and a variety of thymes.
      A guest suite connects to the central courtyardStudio Terpeluk was founded in 2008 by Brett Terpeluk, after he finished a tenure working with Italian architect Renzo Piano.
      Other Noe Valley renovations include the Gable House by Edmonds + Lee, a renovated Victorian townhouse by Fougeron Architecture and an industrial home for a tech entrepreneur by Levy Art and Architecture and Síol Studios.
      Photography is by Joe Fletcher.
      Project credits
      Project team: Brett Terpeluk, Huy NguyenLandscape design: Monica ViarengoColor consultant: Beatrice SanticcioliContractor: Saturn ConstructionStructural engineering: Strandberg EngineeringFurniture: Santiccioli ArredamentiOrama sliding window systems: CooritaliaWindows: BonelliWood reclaimed wood flooring: ArboricaMetal fabrication: Upper Story DesignDrapery/upholstery: Malatesta & CoArt: Catharine Clark Gallery

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      Jennifer Morden creates “aspirational” mid-century house with sinister dungeon for Fresh

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      Production designer Jennifer Morden created a mid-century house to reflect the personality of the flamboyant and misogynistic antagonist in comedy-thriller film Fresh.

      Morden and her team built two individual sets in a studio to represent the house for the film, which was directed by Mimi Cave and shot in Canada’s British Columbia.
      Fresh features a mid-century house that belongs to cannibal SteveThe sets were designed to portray the main floor and basement of a lavish mid-century house that forms a secluded lair for Steve – a seemingly-charming man who seduces women into dating him, after which he traps them in his basement and reveals that he is actually a psychopathic butcher of human meat.
      “We wanted to make as much as we could so we could customise it,” Morden told Dezeen in a video call from Canada, explaining the decision not to use a real house for the project.
      The dining room is positioned at the highest level on the main floorFresh tells the story of Steve’s relationship with Noa, who he briefly dates and subsequently lures to his house. The characters are played by actors Sebastian Stan and Daisy Edgar-Jones respectively.

      “The choice to go with a mid-century style house was partly because right now it’s really popular,” said Morden.
      “People love mid-century houses and they’ve had a big resurgence in modern design. It was also about Steve looking aspirational.”
      Dark wooden cabinetry was included in the kitchenOn-screen, the rooms on the house’s main floor are presented at subtly different levels from each other in what Morden called a “hierarchy of spaces”.
      A dining room is seen on the highest level, a kitchen slightly lower down, and then a living room and finally Steve’s bedroom.
      Plush furniture such as 1970s Camaleonda sofas by Mario Bellini and Eames-like armchairs decorated these spaces and were set against harsher accents including dark wooden cabinetry and built-in concrete seating.
      A curved basement informed by fallopian tubes holds women captiveThe other set representing the basement featured a concrete floating staircase dug out of rock, which leads to dungeon-like, teak-lined hallways that descend to cells with sunken beds where women are held captive.
      Steve’s operating room forms the basement’s lowest level, where he harvests the imprisoned women’s meat and body parts.
      “Wherever we see Steve in relation to his victims, he’s always at a higher level to them,” explained the production designer.
      Steve’s operating room is located at the bottom of the basementSteve’s house intends to reflect his complex and powerful persona, which quickly transforms from outwardly normal to sinister as the drama unfolds, according to Morden.
      “I was like, okay, everything we do needs to involve body parts, in some capacity. Every piece of artwork, every piece of furniture and the way the hallways are designed.”
      Imagery of body parts is repeated throughout the filmTo illustrate this idea, the production designer and her team placed a Michel Ducaroy “body chair” in Steve’s bedroom and created faux herringbone flooring from pieces of painted, hand-laid plywood, which Morden said she “really wanted to feel like ribs”.
      The curved, cave-like basement was informed by fallopian tubes and designed to be a grand auditorium for Steve – a “crazy” idea that Morden pitched in her interview for the project.
      An abstract painting conceals items belonging to Steve’s victimsAn abstract painting was placed on the living room wall, which actually included hair, teeth and nails on closer inspection. In an early scene, upon arriving at the house before she is drugged and trapped, Noa studies the artwork.
      It is later revealed that Steve hides personal items belonging to the captured women behind this painting in boxy cubby holes that mirror the basement cells below.
      Wooden and concrete accents feature on the main floor and in the basement”Mimi wanted to use the piece of artwork as a little Easter egg [a term for hidden messages in a film] for later because it’s the first thing Noa sees and she’s drawn towards it,” reflected Morden.
      “The idea was that if we can draw everything back to body parts then we can start to create the story’s subliminal messaging and foreshadow what’s to come as much as we can.”

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      The production designer said that it was important to visually connect the main floor to the basement, which was partly achieved by adding wooden elements to the mainly concrete basement and concrete elements to the largely wooden main floor.
      Eventually, Cave and cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski had the idea to add vivid and humorous sunset murals to the walls of the women’s cells.
      The decision to incorporate colourful carpets became natural after this, linking the basement to Steve’s opulent quarters above, according to Morden.
      Kitschy holiday-like murals were added to the cells to reflect Steve’s obnoxious nature”The idea was, what if we made the basement this space that Steve thought he was gifting to these people?” she explained, referencing Steve’s obnoxious and flamboyant character.
      “What if we use the idea that this misogynistic and unaware male was like, ‘I’m going to create a room that’s going to feel so nice for my victims?’ What would he put in there?”
      Each of the women’s rooms has a different coloured carpetCinematographically, Fresh also has a warm and fleshy colour palette of reds and oranges throughout, which nods to its graphic storyline.
      “I think for me, the biggest thing is just telling people to find all the Easter eggs in the film. There’s so much repeated imagery, especially around body parts,” concluded Morden.
      Other recent film and TV productions that feature architecturally-centred set design include Oscar-winning The Power of the Dog and BBC drama The Girl Before.
      The images are courtesy of Jennifer Morden.
      Project credits:
      Director: Mimi CaveWriter: Lauryn KahnProduction designer: Jennifer MordenSet decorator: Stephanie AjmeriaSet designers: Peter Stratford and Amanda De CastroCinematographer: Pawel Pogorzelski

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      OWIU creates tranquil environment in renovated LA home

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      California studio OWIU has revamped the interior of a 1950s home, adding elements that were inspired by traditional Japanese inns to create a peaceful environment.

      The 1,516-square-foot (141-square-metre) house, called Palmero, sits within the San Rafael Hills in LA’s Mount Washington neighbourhood.
      On the exterior, OWIU applied smooth, tan stuccoThe single-storey residence was bought as an investment property by actor Kane Lim and was sold last month following a renovation by local studio OWIU, which stands for The Only Way Is Up.
      Originally built in 1955, the dwelling looks toward the city skyline in the distance.
      OWIU designed the home, which overlooks the city skyline”We were drawn to the home’s seclusion from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles,” said Joel Wong, who leads OWIU with Amanda Gunawan.

      When the designers embarked on the mid-century renovation project, the house was in rough shape, with soiled carpets, degraded flooring and broken windows, among other issues.
      It is a mid-century renovation projectThe designers aimed to transform the neglected home into “a refuge of calm” by drawing upon the landscape and using neutral elements that would help quiet the mind.
      “If you go in strong with design, it energizes you quickly and then promptly dies out,” said Gunawan.
      Palmero takes cues from traditional Japanese inns”Much of our design leans toward the ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, enabling us to achieve a visceral effect,” she added.
      On the exterior, the designers applied smooth, tan stucco. To create a more open atmosphere within, they removed several non-load-bearing walls and false ceilings and reconfigured part of the layout to create a main bedroom suite.
      Earthy colours give the home an organic feelEarthy colours like terracotta and beige – and materials such as light-toned oak flooring – give the home an organic feel.
      In certain rooms, walls are clad in Venetian plaster. The designers said that this material “brings the delicate texture of the surrounding mountains into the home”.
      Original wooden beams and panels were sanded down, revealing the natural colour.
      The kitchen has quartzite countertopsIn the kitchen, one finds quartzite countertops and oak cabinets, along with an island made of glass blocks. The same material was used for a partition separating the living area from a bathroom, creating privacy without obstructing flow.
      The designers noted that the glass bricks – which are structurally strong while still enabling the passage of light – are often associated with “a period of garish flash from the ’80s”.
      Retro glass bricks feature in the interior design”OWIU sought to restore the material to its original glamour and refigure what might otherwise be considered obsolete,” the team said.
      To furnish the house, the designers worked with the vintage collector Jullie Nguyen of LA’s Ban Ban Studio.
      Vintage collector Jullie Nguyen assisted on the projectNotable pieces include a modular sofa by Vladimir Kagan and a 1980s Hexa coffee table by Bernard Vuarnesson, both of which date to the 1980s.
      Lighting fixtures include three lamps by Isamu Noguchi and several George Nelson pendants.

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      “These pieces brought a distinctly modern-yet-practical touch to the home while remaining in harmony with the existing architecture and new design elements,” the team said.
      Beyond the interior, the studio reimagined the backyard by creating a sculptural, poured-concrete terrace and a custom bench around a fire pit.
      A small wooden desk takes cues from a platform in a Zen gardenMoreover, the studio added a small wooden deck off the main bedroom that is meant to evoke a platform in a Zen garden. It also takes cues from tea ceremony rooms found in ryokans.
      “The step down leads, almost imperceptibly, into the garden, easing the home dweller into the natural space,” the designers said, noting that the yard features bonsai and maple trees.
      “The action is so unassuming that one might forget this step after the routine of living, but this is precisely the goal: a ritualized transition into calming spaces.”
      Japanese ryokans informed the design of Palmero houseOther projects by OWIU include a renovated apartment in an old factory in downtown LA, which features Japanese design elements that encourage “a mindful lifestyle”.
      The photography is by Justin Chung.
      Project credits:
      Designer and builder: OWIUDesign team: Joel Wong, Amanda Gunawan, Claudia Wainer, Nathan Lin, Bonnie Wong and Leo Yang

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      MAWD revamps lobby and atrium of Denver tower designed by IM Pei

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      Design studio MAWD has redone the interiors of an IM Pei tower in Denver, Colorado, including the lobby and an adjoining Philip Johnson-designed atrium.

      The London and US-based interiors studio redesigned aspects of the interiors at the 23-storey commercial tower 1700 Broadway in downtown Denver for Beacon Capital.
      MAWD updated the 27,000-square-foot (250-square-metre) lobby and atrium – the latter attached in 1983 by architect Philip Johnson, almost 30 years after the tower’s completion.
      MAWD redesigned both the lobby of the IM Pei tower and the attached atriumRebranded as the Atrium Campus, the extensive redesign of 1700 Broadway – which was the first skyscraper in the city – includes an update to the security desk, a lounge, and updates to the streetscape.
      Influenced by the mid-century architecture of the original design, MAWD included a massive communal fireplace with travertine accents. The coherence with the original was achieved through using repurposed stone from other parts of the building.

      The front desk was placed back and out of the way, and is surrounded by wooden louvres”We drilled into the mid-century details that were prevalent, authentic and ‘of-the-moment’,” said Elliot March, design lead on the project.
      The designers surrounded the fireplace area with long and short tables for gathering, as well as booths along the walls. Wooden louvres were placed over the welcome desk to highlight the green wall behind it.
      The seating around the lobby looks out into the atrium “streetscape”The lobby is framed by the black colonnades that define the structure from the street, which open up to the atrium.
      Johnson’s sloping atrium, which wraps around the lobby, was redesigned as an extension of the “streetscape” indoors. From the entrance is a walkway between the walls of the atrium and the open lobby, where benches, greenery and fixtures that imitate street lamps were placed.
      Steps were added in the atrium to increase social spaceThese elements lead up to an addition that the designers refer to as “Spanish steps”.
      This structure is pyramidal and works with the changes in elevation of the site to create more sitting and social areas in the atrium.

      “With IM Pei’s death, the last of the modern monument makers has passed”

      The steps climb towards a mezzanine that connects the atrium to a covered walkway over Broadway, as well as to the second floor of the building.
      On the second floor, MAWD revamped 9,300 square feet (863.9 square metres) for amenities including a gym, yoga studio, and conference rooms.
      MAWD added a lounge space on the second floorThe purpose of the design, according to MAWD was “to attract leading companies during the area’s tech boom, providing flexible and responsive spaces for the future of work”.
      The legacy of Chinese-American architect IM Pei, who died in 2019 aged 102, continues to draw interest; the Mesa Lab in nearby Boulder, Colorado, has become a focal point for architectural photographers. His structures that have received updates in recent years include Eskenazi Museum in Bloomington, Indiana, renovated by Ennead Architects.
      The photography is by Robert Benson.

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