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    Eight minimalist bathrooms with peaceful pared-back interiors

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    For our latest lookbook, we have collected eight minimalist bathrooms that combine tactile materials and organic details to create a relaxing and tranquil environment.

    Next to the bedroom, the bathroom is often the place in the home that is reserved for relaxation and pampering. Keeping interiors here free of unnecessary clutter while adding organic materials such as wood and stone can help to create a tranquil feel.
    Below, we’ve showcased minimalist bathrooms in eight homes from around the world from Mexico to Belgium that show creative and beautiful solutions for this important room.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring Mexican holiday homes, interiors with dramatic full-length curtains and living spaces with swings.
    Photo by by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenHeatherhill Beach House, Denmark, by Norm Architects

    This beach house on the Danish coast was created as “a getaway from everyday life in Copenhagen”, according to its designers Norm Architects.
    The home’s two minimalist bathrooms were informed by Japanese traditions and feature simple wooden details and brick floors.
    “The spaces are rather small and should still feel comfortable and spacious,” architect Sophie Bak told Dezeen.
    Find out more about Heatherhill Beach House ›
    Photo by Radek ÚlehlaSculptor’s Apartment, Czech Republic, by Neuhäusl Hunal
    Translucent glass panels were used throughout this apartment in Prague, designed by Czech architecture studio Neuhäusl Hunal as a workspace for a sculptor.
    A centralised, curved bathroom features a walk-in shower that is raised on a small platform and clad in white ceramic tiles.
    Find out more about Sculptor’s Apartment ›
    Photo by Givlio AristideCloister House, Australia, by MORQ
    Architecture studio MORQ designed this rammed-concrete house in Perth, Australia, to surround a plant-filled courtyard.
    The interiors also feature visible rammed concrete combined with red hardwood ceilings. In the bathroom, these materials create textural interest and are contrasted with steel fixtures and a wooden floor.
    Find out more about Cloister House ›
    Photo by Mariell Lind HansenCanyon House, UK, by Studio Hagen Hall
    The minimalist bathroom in Canyon House was given a warm feel through the use of cork tiles, which clad both the floor and the bathtub.
    Like the rest of the house, the interior was informed by 1970s California modernism. Pale lavender-coloured curtains and globe-shaped bathroom lamps add simple decorative touches to the space.
    Find out more about Canyon House ›
    Photo by Fabián MartinezLoma Residence, Mexico, by Esrawe Studio
    Local firm Esrawe Studio wrapped the whole interior of this Mexico City apartment in an oak “skin” – save for the stone-clad bathroom.
    Here, the all-stone walls and floor create a striking interior with their natural patterns, while an oval washbasin and built-in shower add interesting geometries.
    Find out more about Loma Residence ›
    Photo by Salva LópezCasolare Scarani, Italy, by Studio Andrew Trotter
    This 19th-century school in Puglia, Italy, was turned into a home by architecture practice Studio Andrew Trotter, which aimed to “bring it back to life without destroying its essence”.
    In the bathroom, the studio kept the traditional stone flooring and added calming lime-plaster walls. Geometric glass lamps, a jute rug and a copper tap and soap holder give the minimalist bathroom a rustic touch.
    Find out more about Casolare Scarani ›
    Photo by Tim Van de VeldeKarper, Belgium, by Hé!
    Clay plaster clads the walls of the bathroom in this Brussels home (above and main image) designed by Belgian studio Hé! While the colour palette was kept simple – held mostly in pale beige and white – plenty of green plants give the space life.
    The apartment is located in a former industrial building on Karperstraat, to which the studio added a timber-framed rooftop extension.
    Find out more about Karper ›
    Photo by Lorenzo ZandriNelson Terrace, UK, by Paolo Cossu Architects
    This minimalist apartment in London, which local studio Paolo Cossu Architects designed “almost like a blank canvas”, features an equally minimalist bathroom.
    Here, a chunky white bathtub sits next to a geometric steel stool – a decorative piece that functions almost like an artwork in the pared-back space. A fabric shower curtain and wooded towel rack give the room a more organic feel.
    Find out more about Nelson Terrace ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring Mexican holiday homes, interiors with dramatic full-length curtains and living spaces with swings.

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      Karimoku Case lines minimalist Tokyo apartment with local wood

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      Japanese brand Karimoku Case has redesigned an apartment on a hilltop in Tokyo, using wood and a neutral colour palette to create a “calm and serene atmosphere”.

      Named Azabu Hills Residence, the project was designed by Karimoku Case – a studio developed by Karimoku Furniture in collaboration with design studios Keiji Ashizawa and Norm Architects.
      The studio used the project as an opportunity to optimise the use of local zelkova wood which is increasingly underutilised.
      The apartment features furniture made from zelkova wood”We sympathized with the story of how zelkova used to be a common material in Japan, but is now being chipped and discarded, and wished to explore the possibilities of zelkova through this project,” lead designer Keiji Ashizawa told Dezeen.
      “When I first saw the sample of it, I felt that its gentle reddish hue, along with its story, was a good match for the project,” he continued.

      “We decided to create the interior using zelkova that would come in harmony with the gentle light from the north side.”
      A neutral material palette creates a “calm and serene atmosphere”The 226-metre-square apartment was centred around a spacious, open-plan living area and dining room illuminated by floor-to-ceiling windows.
      A small workspace nestled behind a wall in the living space makes use of the spacious interior, and is furnished with a desk, chair and shelving made from zelkova wood.
      White plaster walls and wooden floors define the living spacesThe minimalist interior is defined by textured white walls and wood used for flooring, window frames and fittings, which are tied together by cream furnishings, paper lighting fixtures and decorative artwork.
      In the living space, lattice wooden screens were used to separate programmes as well as provide cross ventilation through the space to create airy interiors.

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      “With the residence being located in the middle of a large city like Tokyo, it was important to have a home-like atmosphere that makes you feel at ease,” Ashizawa said.
      “We were conscious of the calmness and tranquility needed to achieve this, and designed the interior with well-curated furniture, lighting, and art to create an environment for this purpose.”
      Wooden, lattice screens allow ventilation through the homeA counter made from zelkova wood divides the living space and adjacent kitchen, while also serving as an additional seating and dining space.
      Within the kitchen, cabinets built from gridded wooden frames were finished with concrete countertops, complemented by tiled terrazzo flooring that also features in the home’s entryway.
      Furnishings, paper lighting fixtures and pieces of artwork tie the interior togetherGridded wooden frames are repeated for both storage in the living area and a wall in the main bedroom where the home transitions into a cosy-feel with carpet flooring.
      A circular chair and marbled table sit in front of the bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling windows, with a study desk nestled into the corner.
      Gridded wooden frames feature in the kitchen, living space and bedroomOther recently completed projects with minimalist interiors include a dental clinic in Montreal designed to feel like “someone’s home” and a London pub converted into a pared-back jewellery showroom.
      The photography is by Tomooki Kengaku. 
      Project credits:
      Architect: Keiji Ashizawa DesignProject architect: Keiji Ashizawa / Ryota MaruyamaClient: reBITA / NTT Urban Development Coperation TokyoConstruction: TamarixFurniture collaboration: Norm ArchitectsFurniture: Karimoku CaseLighting: Kojima Shoten / Saito ShomeiLighting plan: AURORA / Yoshiki IchikawaInterior styling: Yumi Nakata

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      Halleroed references Swedish Grace and Carlo Scarpa for Toteme flagship store

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      Stockholm studio Halleroed has designed fashion brand Toteme’s flagship store in London, which features a sculpture by artist Carl Milles and a steel sofa by designer Marc Newson.

      Halleroed designed the store, located on Mount Street in the upmarket Mayfair area, together with Toteme founders Elin Kling and Karl Lindman. The duo wanted its third flagship to feature nods to the brand’s heritage.
      “We like the idea of keeping certain elements that we find in our Swedish heritage,” Lindman told Dezeen at the store’s launch event.
      “It can be by using certain vintage pieces, or like in [the brand’s Mercer Street store] in New York, we had a collaboration with Svenskt Tenn,” he added. “It’s about lifting this notion of Scandinavian design or Swedish design.”
      A metal sofa by Marc Newson is among the sculptural details in the storeHalleroed drew on the space itself when designing the interior, focussing on how the light falls.

      “We were inspired by the space itself with beautiful original windows letting the daylight in,” Halleored co-founder Ruxandra Halleroed told Dezeen.
      “The upper part of the windows was partly hidden, which was a shame, so we redesigned the ceiling with a half vault towards the front to show the full height of the windows.”
      A piece by sculptor Carl Milles sits by the entranceThe design also references the work of Italian architect Carlo Scarpa as well as the Swedish Grace movement.
      “We were also inspired by the Swedish Grace period – around 1920-30s – that has an elegant and pure design, something we think works well for Toteme as a brand,” Halleroed co-founder Christian Halleroed told Dezeen.
      “Also the work of Carlo Scarpa we find interesting, more as a mindset on how to work with details and textures to create a subtle elegance and luxury.”
      A black mirrored cube features at the rear of the storeKling and Lindman wanted to keep the feel of “very posh” Mount Street where the store is located, while also underlining the space’s minimalist feel.
      To do so, a lot of effort was put into the colour palette and different textured materials used for the flagship store.

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      “We worked with an off-white palette in different tones and different textures,” Ruxandra Halleroed said.
      “The textures are as important as colour and materials. For walls, we have a glossy, off-white stucco, ceiling in same colour but matte. The floor is in a beige, honed limestone with a so-called Opus pattern.”
      Halleroed chose to redesign the store’s ceiling to reveal its windowsIn the middle of the Toteme shop, Halleroed created a stone-clad cube that holds shelves, vitrines and niches filled with artworks.
      “The volume in the middle is clad with the same limestone, but in three different textures: honed, bush hammered and spiked texture, combined with oxidised dark brass,” Christian Halleroed said.
      The store also features a square black volume in the back made from high-gloss stucco and dark brass.
      The minimalist interior has a beige, white and black colour paletteTo contrast the minimalist interior, the store is decorated with multiple artworks, including a sculpture by Milles and Newson’s intricately woven steel Random Pak Twin sofa, which Lindman found online.
      “He’s a slave to auction houses,” Kling told Dezeen.
      “So he found it and sent it to me and I loved it, and we also have a Marc Newsom piece in every store,” she added. “So we thought, ‘this one’s for the Mount Street store’. At that time we only had the signed contract, nothing else.”
      The store is located on Mount Street in central LondonThe two founders and Halleroed decided on the gypsum Milles sculpture for the Toteme store together, with Halleroed designing a custom niche to place it in that is made from black high-gloss stucco to contrast the pale artwork.
      Halleroed also added vintage Swedish Grace furniture to the store, including armchairs and a coffee table by furniture designer Otto Schulz, a daybed and a mirror in pewter made for the Stockholm Exhibition 1930.
      The studio has designed a number of other store interiors, including a Paris boutique for French brand L/Uniform and an Acne Studios store in Chengdu that aimed to combine the futuristic and primitive.

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      Cake Architecture draws on Bauhaus principles for Hoxton bar

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      Cake Architecture has renovated A Bar with Shapes for a Name, an east London cocktail bar featuring “utilitarian” interiors.

      A Bar with Shapes for a Name owes its title to the yellow triangle, red square and blue circle that are emblazoned on its facade in a nod to the primary colours and understated geometry commonly associated with the Bauhaus.
      Tall tubular chairs feature on the ground floorWhen creating the bar’s minimalist interiors, Dalston-based Cake Architecture took cues from the influential German art and design school that was established in 1919 and advocated for an emphasis on functionality, among other similar principles.
      Located at 232 Kingsland Road in Hoxton, the cocktail bar was renovated by the studio to serve as a multipurpose venue.
      Cake Architecture created a smooth ground-floor bar from reddish plywoodCake Architecture doubled the bar’s capacity by adding a basement, which acts as a “kitchen-bar” room, and refurbished the ground floor’s existing seating area as well as a classroom-style space that offers a location for rotating events or workshops.

      “These spaces have specific functional requirements and we selected colours and materials to suit,” studio director Hugh Scott Moncrieff told Dezeen.
      It was positioned opposite a rectilinear light installationUpon entering the bar, visitors are greeted by the main seating area or “showroom”, which was designed to be warm and inviting.
      Tall tubular chairs finished with neutral rattan were positioned around chunky geometric tables made from birch ply stained to a rich, reddish-brown hue.
      The renovation included the addition of a new basementThe team also used the same timber to create the space’s curving bar, which is illuminated by a squat, cordless table lamp by lighting brand Flos.
      Opposite the bar, a glowing rectilinear light installation by photographer Steve Braiden was fitted to the wall underneath bench-style seating reminiscent of early Bauhaus furniture designs.
      A steel, glass-topped table sets an industrial tone”We looked in particular at projects by the Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius,” reflected Scott Moncrieff.
      “Gropius is a master of this elegant zoning through the application of colour and form,” he added.
      The “classroom” includes steel-framed tablesDownstairs, the low-lit basement was created to house additional seating as well as “all of the crazy machinery they use to prepare the drinks,” the designer said.
      The basement is characterised by a bespoke central table by Cake Architecture and furniture designer Eddie Olin.
      Red, yellow and blue accents define a sculptural lampConsisting of a steel frame that “floats” over a central leg, the table was topped with a glass surface and its base was clad in phenolic-coated plywood to match the floor and walls.
      “This new basement is predominantly a production space – so the palette reflects this with hardwearing, utilitarian and industrial materials,” said Scott Moncrieff.

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      A thick, felt curtain in ultramarine adds a pop of colour to the otherwise pared-back space.
      With its pale blue walls and Valchromat-topped, steel-framed tables, the ground-floor “classroom” pays homage to the Bauhaus as an educational institution.
      A tall blackboard provides space to learn in the classroomBrighter blue vinyl covers the floors while a sculptural lamp featuring red, yellow and blue circles echoes the bar’s logo.
      A tall blackboard and overhead strip lighting add to the classroom feel of the space, which is used for various group events.
      Thin vertical lights frame the bathroom sinkCake Architecture worked closely with the bar’s founders Remy Savage and Paul Lougrat when creating the interiors, which were primarily informed by the duo’s way of working.
      “The team has a conceptually driven ethos drawn from the theory and practice of Bauhaus embedded in everything they are doing. We found that incredibly exciting,” explained Scott Moncrieff.
      A Bar with Shapes for a Name is located on London’s Kingsland Road”The Bauhaus phrase ‘party, work, play’ was pertinent to some early ideas and this carried through all our design discussions,” noted the designer.
      “The space enables these three things. Separately as individual functions and simultaneously as a representation of the overall atmosphere of a bar!”
      Cake Architecture previously worked with interior designer Max Radford to create a curtain-wrapped speakeasy in London’s Soho. The studio also designed a workspace for London agency Ask Us For Ideas in the same part of the city.
      The photography is by Felix Speller. 

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      Appareil Architecture designs Montreal dental clinic to feel like “someone’s home”

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      The minimalist interior of this Montreal oral surgery clinic by local studio Appareil Architecture “adopts a residential aesthetic” to help patients and employees feel relaxed.

      The Maxillo Tandem clinic in the city’s Technopôle Angus neighbourhood provides maxillofacial surgery, which deals with diseases, injuries and defects of the mouth, teeth and jaws.
      Appareil Architecture designed the dental clinic to feel more like a home than a medical facilityThe clinic’s founder, surgeon Anne-Frédérique Chouinard, gave Appareil Architecture a “carte blanche” to design the space differently to typical medical facilities.
      “The clinic adopts a residential aesthetic with durable materials to create an inviting, refined space that centers on well-being,” said the studio.
      Built-in seating wraps around the perimeter of the reception areaUpon entering, patients are met by a reception desk clad in vertically laid, off-white ceramic tiles that also cover the wall behind.

      “Their vertical positioning adds texture and rhythm to the wall, bringing the space to life, while remaining functional and easy to maintain,” Appareil Architecture said.
      Pale upholstery, linen curtains and beige walls all add to the serene atmosphereThe waiting area to the left is furnished with built-in seats that form a U shape around the perimeter and under a large window, while a double-sided island in the central adds additional seating.
      Polished concrete flooring and beige walls complement the pale upholstery and linen curtains, together creating a serene atmosphere.
      Off-white tiles clad the reception counter and the wall behind, adding texture and rhythm”All lend a reassuring character to the space,” said the architects. “In addition to a soft, peaceful colour palette, these materials contribute to the soothing, comforting ambiance.”
      On either side of the symmetrical reception counter, oak-framed doors with fritted glass panes both lead through to the treatment area.
      Oak-framed doors with fritted glass panes lead from reception to the treatment areasA central block of rooms for staff – also wrapped in the off-white tiles – runs back from the reception area, dividing the clinic into two sides.
      “This central structure naturally delineates the space, creating an efficient traffic flow that allows people to move easily in both directions,” the studio said.
      A U-shaped corridor connects the dentists’ offices, operating rooms and staff areasThe corridors continue the white and wood material palette and provide access to the dentists’ offices on the left side and operating rooms along the right.
      All of these rooms are also sparsely furnished and have a clean aesthetic, and are purposefully placed away from the reception area for patient privacy.

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      At the back of the clinic is a space with a communal kitchen for employees to take breaks, which is oriented to enjoy afternoon light.
      “In the morning, the dentist’s offices, positioned on the window side, are flooded with natural light,” said Appareil Architecture.
      A minimalist approach was also taken in the consultation rooms”In the afternoon, this light pours into the staff areas and illuminates the central structure,” the team added.
      A wood-panelled wall topped with clerestory windows incorporates the staff kitchen facilities and storage, while a concrete island with rounded ends incorporates a cylindrical structural column.
      A communal kitchen for staff is located behind a wood-panelled wall at the back of the clinicSince Maxillo Tandem is part of an ecological real-estate project, the architects had to comply with strict energy efficiency targets, on top of meeting the medical operating standards.
      Overall, the clinic has been well-received by both patients and staff, according to Chouinard. “The customer feedback is very positive,” she said. “They feel like they’re in someone’s home, rather than a clinic. That was my intention.”
      A kitchen island with rounded ends incorporates a structural concrete columnAppareil Architecture has applied its minimalist style to many residential projects in and around Montreal, including an updated 1960s home, a stark dining extension to a city residence and a black metal cabin hidden in the forest.
      The studio has also designed a handful of more colourful interiors for hospitality spaces, such as a cafe and artist workshop in the city, and a restaurant inside a former factory.
      The photography is by Félix Michaud.
      Project credits:
      Client: Anne-Frédérique ChouinardContractor: Hub ConstructionWoodworking: Blitz DesignReception counter lighting: Lambert & FilsKitchen island: Béton Johnson

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      Studio FB creates gallery-like interior for Frame store in Marylebone

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      French interior design Studio FB and the co-founder of fashion brand Frame, Erik Torstensson, have designed a California-informed store for the brand in London.

      The store’s concept draws from the brand’s Californian origins as well as European influences, which is reflected in the lighting, furniture and materials.
      Studio FB designed a minimalist store for Frame”The Californian universe with these modernist architectures with a free plan, skylights and the opening of spaces to the outside was our inspiration basis,” Studio FB told Dezeen.
      “We imagined this new concept design layout as open as possible, which can be compared to a gallery.”
      The store is arranged round a large central pillarTo create a greater connection with the street, the studio redesigned the facade by adding a curved, full-height glazed wall, which was set behind the original piers.

      “We designed a long-curved glass like a contemporary insert which contrasts radically with the classic London pillars preserved,” said the studio.
      The studio aimed to create a gallery-like atmosphereWithin the store, the studio aimed to mimic the atmosphere of an art gallery with a polished concrete floor serving as a base for a central pillar constructed from stained birch wood veneer.
      The store’s rails were custom-designed with a distinctive hand-moulded abstract-shaped end-piece serving as the highlight
      With in the fitting room, the ceiling, walls and doors were upholstered in fabric by textile company Kvadrat.
      Custom-designed rails were created for the store”The rounded central wooden element was designed as a sculptural object, which gives a residential feeling from the 50s,” the studio explained.
      “The backspace invites the cabins and lounge area becomes more intimate all-in fabric and brings sophistication to the space. Pieces of furniture and artwork sublimate the atmosphere,” the studio continued.
      “The general atmosphere is similar to an art gallery with raw materials such as concrete on the floor and white walls.”
      The stores changing areas have fabric wallsFB Architects and Torstensson worked together to acquire artwork and collectable design pieces to reinforce the gallery atmosphere.
      “It was a thorough process to ensure the most unique response possible to Frame,” said the studio.
      “Erik had a precise vision of his brand, so we exchanged a lot together on many artistic fields to build the brand’s architectural DNA.”

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      A sculpture by Serbian visual artist Bojan Šarčević crafted from wood and limestone sits in the display window. Also in the store are two original 1950s Gio Ponti stools, crafted from wood and textiles.
      The store was decorated with wall-mounted fixtures designed by French lighting designer Jean Perzel, as well as geometric fixtures created by French architect Pierre Chareau, to create a soft and gentle lighting ambience.
      Artworks feature throughout the storeTorstensson used AI as a sketching tool to design custom objects for the space, such as large brutalist stone tables and chrome custom-made sculptures that were then realised by architecture studios including Bucktron Studio Sweden.
      “I’ve been learning and expanding my skills with AI for the last year, it creates a superpower when it comes to speed, as it allowed me to generate the visual concept at a greater pace and scale,” said Torstensson.
      “This creates exciting results and provides a new outlook on design. I simply use it to visualise my initial ideas in greater detail in order to bring my ideas to life.”
      The store is Frame’s second in the UKOther retail interiors recently featured on Dezeen include a stationery store interior made from white-oiled wood by Architecture for London and a store interior for Ms MIN in Shanghai, China, by Neri&Hu.
      The photography is courtesy of Frame.

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      Branch Studio Architects designs student welfare space for Melbourne college

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      Branch Studio Architects has created a dusty-pink student welfare centre at an all-boys school in Melbourne to provide a space for discussing mental health.

      Marcellin College principal Marco Di Cesare saw a need to offer a space where students could come together and seek help for mental health issues, particularly after Australia’s state of Victoria experienced some of the strictest lockdowns during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
      The creation of the student welfare centre involved renovating an “undercroft” spaceThe faculty therefore decided to renovate a 387-square-metre space for this purpose inside the existing Placidus Building on campus, instead of knocking it down.
      “Marco came to us with a brief for a refurbishment to a lower-ground space within an existing building, which – under previous management – was flagged for demolition,” said Brad Wray, co-founder of Branch Studio Architects and the project’s design architect.
      The majority of the centre is occupied by a common space for studentsThe space had previously been used as a series of nondescript classrooms and staff offices, with a lack of natural light.

      “Given the poor amenity and general dark ‘undercroft’ feeling of the existing space, it was a space that not many staff or students particularly liked to use and saw any real value in,” said Wray. “Let alone, the potential of the space becoming a place for student welfare.”
      Multiple spaces for studying and relaxing are incorporated throughout the common areaThe brief called for a lighter, brighter area in which students could relax, study, contemplate and converse with one another, as well as provide offices for faculty members who specialise in student welfare and private rooms for one-on-one discussions.
      The smaller rooms were pushed to the edge of the floor plan, leaving a spacious common area to occupy the bulk of the centre’s footprint.
      Lightly textured, dusty-pink plaster was chosen as a unifying materialThis open space is partially divided by sculptural geometric partitions and fixed furniture elements into a series of seating areas, workspaces and hang-out niches.
      “We wanted to create an environment which embodied a sense of a ‘home away from home’, where students could feel more comfortable through direct visual associations with their own homes,” Wray said.
      A space for reflection is modelled on a chapelFor instance, a kitchen island – where many students might speak casually with family and friends – was integrated to encourage similar instances.
      Lightly textured, dusty-pink plaster was chosen to highlight the architectural interventions, while a burgundy hue was selected for seat-cushion upholstery and cabinetry in the kitchen area.
      Branch Studio Architects chose to translate elements from The Hermitage”Given Marcellin College is an all-boys school, there was a keen interest from early on in pushing the boundaries of gender-based colour stereotypes,” said Wray.
      The team also used the college’s associations with Marist Catholic history to inform the design.
      Sculptural furniture pieces are based on features found at the Marist pilgrimage siteEstablished in the 1950s, Marcellin College is named after Saint Marcellin Champagnat, who built The Hermitage community on a property near Lyons, France, in 1824.
      Wray and his team translated multiple references from this pilgrimage site into architectural elements through the welfare centre.

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      Most prominent is the enclosed reflection space in the middle of the common room, which is modelled on the original chapel that sat on The Hermitage site.
      Landscape features, archways, a cabinet, a fireplace and a relic found at the site in France were reinterpreted as minimalist curved walls and sculptural furniture pieces that appear to be carved from the welfare centre’s interior.
      Tiered seating is based on the amphitheatre built into the landscape at The Hermitage”We are under no illusions architecture will solve student mental health, but we hope it facilitates a positive experience – a calm and relaxing place to open up a dialogue between students and staff,” said Wray.
      The Placidus Student Welfare Space is shortlisted in the health and wellbeing interior category for this year’s Dezeen Awards, along with a children’s clinic in Seattle, a high-end dental practice in Toronto and two more projects. See the full interiors shortlist here.
      The minimalist interior is intended to help the students focus and contemplateFounded in 2012 by Wray and Nicholas Russo, Branch Studio Architects has seen previous Dezeen Awards success – having won interior project of the year in 2019 for a school administration office in Melbourne.
      The firm’s portfolio of completed education projects in Australia also includes an arts centre at another college in Victoria, a weathering steel bridge for a secondary school and a wooden extension to a school library.
      The photography is by Peter Clarke.
      Project credits:
      Branch Studio Architects team: Brad Wray, design architect; Nicholas Russo, project realisation; Jax Lam, project architect; Arun Lakshmanan, graduate architectBuilder: MDC Building GroupBuilding surveyor: Michel Group Building SurveyorsStructural engineer: OPS EngineersServices engineer: BRT Consulting

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      Note Design Studio enriches Stockholm apartment with “cloudy” ceiling stucco

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      Note Design Studio has updated this formerly characterless apartment in Stockholm to feature bespoke Douglas fir joinery and curvy stucco ceilings designed to suggest cloud formations.

      Although the Cloudy Outlines apartment sits within a building dating back to 1842, Note Design Studio says the interior had been stripped of any historic charm and “traces of craftsmanship” during previous renovations.
      Douglas fir joinery appears throughout the Cloudy Outlines apartmentIt also had a poor layout, with a living area that could only be accessed via a dark, lengthy corridor snaking around the back of the apartment while the remaining rooms were awkwardly shaped and difficult to furnish.
      The studio decided to redesign the home from scratch, knocking down all of its internal walls to form a more cohesive floor plan.
      The apartment’s corridor was repositioned to allow for more natural lightThe corridor was repositioned to run parallel to the building’s window-lined facade and, as a result, is now flooded with natural light.

      Rooms were classically finished with white-painted walls and Douglas fir flooring.
      Curved stucco gives the ceilings a soft, cloud-like qualityBillowy stucco moulding was added throughout to give a soft “cloudy” quality to the ceilings and provide a contrast with the “rationality and material robustness” of the apartment, the studio explained.
      “With the previous interior and finishes removed, a new holistic design was developed with a limited amount of design principles, all with a timeless ambition,” Note Design Studio said.

      Note Design Studio draws on Swedish Grace style for Habitat 100 apartment

      In the kitchen, Douglas fir was used again to create simple cupboards and a striking circular cover for the extractor fan.
      The countertop, on the other hand, is overlaid with a sleek metallic finish.
      Furnishings in pastel hues disrupt the otherwise neutral colour schemeAll of the apartment’s doors, as well as its window sills, are also made from Douglas fir.
      The material palette only deviates slightly in the bathroom, which features grey-tile surfaces and flecked terrazzo-like flooring.
      The stucco effect can also be seen in the bedroomThe Cloudy Outlines apartment is one of several residential renovations that Note Design Studio has completed in the Swedish capital, where the firm is based.
      Among them is Habitat 100 – an apartment littered with references to the Swedish Grace movement – and the Mantelpiece Loft, which is distinguished by its colour-block bedrooms.
      The photography is courtesy of the studio.

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      Eight serene bedrooms with striking natural views

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      Far-flung homes from New Zealand to Patagonia feature in this lookbook that showcases bedrooms with calm interiors where glazing has been maximised and clutter minimised to keep the focus on the views.

      Installing huge floor-to-ceiling windows is a no-brainer when a house is set in a prime location, whether overlooking Lake Tahoe or Chile’s craggy coastline.
      But the real key is to create pared-back interiors that don’t detract from the natural vistas, using minimal furnishings and a natural material palette that brings the outside in.
      Read on for eight minimalist bedroom interiors that make the view their protagonist.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring bedrooms with bathtubs, statement headboards and wood-panelled dining rooms.

      Photo by Patrick ReynoldsKawakawa House, New Zealand, by Herbst Architects
      A clerestory window wraps all the way around this home in the surf town of Piha, New Zealand, allowing light to filter through a canopy of pōhutukawa trees and into the bedroom.
      This dappled effect is mirrored in the interior through the use of dark birch on the walls and light plywood on the ceilings, which help to draw sun into the living spaces.
      Find out more about Kawakawa House ›
      Photo by Javier Agustin RojasEstancia Morro Chico, Argentinia, by RDR Architectes
      Wood, leather and wool help to add warmth to this otherwise spartan bedroom, which belongs to a family of sheep farmers in remote Patagonia.
      A floor-to-ceiling window makes the most of the region’s vacillating sunlight while providing views across the surrounding 27,000-hectare ranch and the wild steppe beyond.
      “The general aesthetics of the project were inspired by the traditional architecture of the region, which demonstrated extreme austerity and an almost primitive simplicity,” said RDR Architectes.
      Find out more about Estancia Morro Chico ›
      Photo by Marc Goodwin, ArchmospheresNiliaitta, Finland, by Studio Puisto
      In the absence of bedside tables, most of the space inside this cabin near Finland’s Salamajärvi National Park is occupied by a custom-made bed, placed directly in front of a glazed wall.
      Local practice Studio Puisto kept furnishings to a minimum and covered nearly all of the surfaces in the same pale wood, so as not to compete with the natural spectacle.
      “The interior is done purposefully so that it would only serve as a neutral blank canvas, second to the nature outside,” Studio Puisto said.
      Find out more about Niliaitta ›
      Photo by Felix ForestMatopos, Australia, by Atelier Andy Carson
      When Atelier Andy Carson renovated the home of gallerist Judith Neilson, the Sydney studio set out to provide a minimalist backdrop for her personal collection of art and furniture.
      Meanwhile, finishes and window placements throughout the house were chosen to honour nearby Freshwater Beach, with the best views provided by the window seat in the primary bedroom.
      “Thoughtfully placed windows frame vistas of the sea, while polished plaster interior walls reflect views of the blue and yellow hues of ocean and sand back into the home,” the studio said.
      Find out more about Matopos ›
      Photo by Cristobal PalmaHouse in Los Vilos, Chile, by Ryue Nishizawa
      This bedroom was carved out of a cliffside on Chile’s Pacific coast, with a glass front and private terrace opening it up to views of crashing waves and craggy rocks.
      The building’s board-marked concrete slab roof is left exposed throughout the interior, paired with pared-back wooden furnishings and floors.
      Find out more about House in Los Vilos ›

      Shelter, Sweden, by Vipp
      A huge skylight stretches across the ceiling of this compact loft bedroom, set in a prefabricated cabin on the banks of Lake Immeln in Sweden, to create the impression of sleeping under the open sky.
      To keep attention on the stars, the monochrome interior features moody lighting and slate grey felt panels that cover both the walls and the floors.
      Find out more about Shelter ›
      Photo by Joe FletcherLookout House, USA, by Faulkner Architects
      A huge bed is placed diagonally at the centre of this room, effectively displacing all other furniture but taking full advantage of the home’s sweeping Lake Tahoe panorama.
      For the interior, Californian studio Faulkner Architects brought together local materials including volcanic basalt, concrete made using local sand and walnut wood sourced from orchards in the nearby Sierra foothills.
      “Consistent through the house, the quiet built environment is muted in colour and tonality, which allows the landscape outside to be the focus,” said the studio.
      Find out more about Lookout House ›
      Photo by Peter ClarkeCasa X, Australia, by Branch Studio Architects
      Dramatic sloped ceilings finished in pale wood panelling envelop the bedrooms of this house on Phillip Island near Melbourne, with bedside pendant lights suspended from their highest point.
      Glazing covers the better part of one wall, looking out over the trees that encircle the property to provide privacy despite the home’s beachfront location.
      Find out more about Casa X ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring bedrooms with bathtubs, statement headboards and wood-panelled dining rooms.

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