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    Yinka Ilori draws on “unapologetic” architecture of Burkina Faso for debut pop-up shop

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    Modular display stands modelled on buildings in Burkina Faso feature in the first brick-and-mortar shop that London-based designer Yinka Ilori has created for his self-titled homeware brand.

    Taking over a compact retail space in Shoreditch in the leadup to Christmas, the pop-up shop features a colour-block interior designed to match the products on sale, as slime-green walls clash with pink and orange flooring.
    Yinka Ilori has opened a pop-up shop in LondonThis “more is more” philosophy to colour also extends onto the store’s glossy lacquered product displays, designed by Ilori to reference the construction of mosques and homes in Burkina Faso.
    “I am really obsessed with their design language which is very African, very rich and very unapologetic,” he told Dezeen.
    “There is a recurring use of squares and triangles and you sometimes also see poles sticking out of the structures. I found these poles fascinating. They are structural but also used to make it easy for people to climb up and repair the building.”

    Products are displayed in modular colour-block storage unitsIn the store, these shapes are reflected in the modular storage units, which are constructed from medium-density fibreboard (MDF) and each topped with a stepped pyramid.
    Strategically placed holes can be used much like those on a pegboard to add poles of different sizes and provide storage for a changing array of products.
    Longer rails can be slotted in to hang T-shirts and throws, while smaller pegs can hold umbrellas or prop up shelves for presenting mugs, notebooks and other lifestyle items.
    The units end in stepped pyramidsBulkier items such as the designer’s collection of tableware and limited-edition basketballs are displayed on counters panelled in ribbed MDF that is sprayed in a gradient of colours to emphasise their sinuous shapes.
    At the store’s entrance, six of Ilori’s hand-painted Square Stools are arranged into a towering window display that shows off their stackability.

    “I use colour as a way of starting a conversation” says designer Yinka Ilori

    The opening of the pop-up also coincides with Ilori’s latest product drop. Themed around “memory-making, togetherness and play”, this includes everything from notebooks and basketballs finished in sunny, childlike patterns to a collectible version of the traditional Yoruban strategy game Ayo.
    In line with this idea, the shop will also host different events for the local community, from an Ayo tournament to a tasting of Nigerian palm wine.
    The counters have slatted legs painted in a gradient of coloursOpening his first physical store is “an absolute dream come true”, Ilori said.
    “My public projects are all about interaction both between audiences and with the work itself but I don’t often get to interact directly with people and I feel it’s time for me to do that,” he added.
    “Through the store, I’m able to get their feedback on my work and also see how they interact with each of the products and the stories I’m trying to tell through these pieces.”
    The shop’s floor was finished in a vibrant colourIlori started his homeware brand in 2020 with the aim of reworking “unexpected, functional household items as artworks” by imbuing them with bold colours and patterns that reference his British-Nigerian heritage.
    The products feature many of the same patterns he previously developed for his large-scale installations, such as The Colour Palace pavilion he created for the London Festival of Architecture together with local studio Pricegore.

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      “We've developed a movement towards silence” says Still Room designer

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      Hotels and offices could improve the well-being of occupants by introducing “still rooms” says Cédric Etienne, co-founder of Belgian design office Studio Corkinho.

      The Still Room concept developed by Antwerp-based Studio Corkinho imagines a type of room where people go specifically to enjoy the benefits of silence.
      Etienne believes hospitality brands can use these rooms to offer a new type of well-being experience to their guests, while employers could use them to provide a greater level of care to their staff.
      Cédric Etienne is co-founder of Antwerp-based Studio Corkinho”A still room offers a place to do just nothing,” he said, “a space where you can welcome silence or just the luxury of not being distracted.”
      Etienne – who co-founded Studio Corkinho with creative director Klas Dalquist – made the comments at The Lobby, a hospitality design conference held in Copenhagen in August.

      The interior designer was there to present Studio Corkinho’s pilot still room, created in 2020 when the designers converted a room in the former Noorderpershuis power station in Antwerp into a space for meditative contemplation.
      Studio Corkinho created its first still room in Antwerp in 2020The room hosts individual visits, but also yoga practice, tea ceremonies and study groups from the University of Antwerp.
      “We’ve developed a movement towards silence in our city,” Etienne said.
      Studio Corkinho has since been consulting with hotel brands on how to create still rooms for hospitality.
      The studio has been working with brands to design still rooms for hotels and resortsEtienne said still rooms could become a typical amenity in luxury hotels and resorts, just as you might find a gym or a library. These rooms could host yoga, meditation and other well-being activities, he suggests.
      “A still mind is actually more important today than ever before,” he said.
      “There’s a huge opportunity for the hospitality experience to redefine how we care about guests and how we offer them something more valuable than just a brand experience.”
      The studio has created a library of design templatesStudio Corkinho has developed a library of still-room design templates, along with a palette of appropriate materials and textures. It also advises brands on how to integrate a sense of ritual into the guest experience.
      “It’s not just thinking about the design and the aesthetics, but also how to activate the space,” said Etienne.
      “We’re trying to create awareness about the opportunities there are for hospitality,” he continued. “We could create a network of these kinds of still places.”
      Studio Corkinho is also exploring how still rooms can be created in officesSpeaking to Dezeen after the conference, Etienne said that the studio had received positive feedback from hospitality clients and was now being approached by employers looking to improve well-being in the office.
      He suggested that meeting rooms could be transformed into still rooms, to give employees a space where they can take time out from their work and recharge their batteries.

      Still Room in Antwerp is designed to be a “shelter for the mind”

      “Considering the overload of distraction, still rooms help employees to step away from distraction and travel inward in order to perform better in their daily work challenges,” he said.
      “From the employer’s side, this shows a positive message to their teams, to generate a more stable work-life balance. Improving productivity at work means more happiness and more time out of the office.”
      Still rooms can be used for meditative activities like tea ceremonies or yoga practiceThe concept draws on Etienne’s own experiences of visiting Buddhist monasteries and traditional teahouses in Japan, and the impact these experiences had on his personal well-being.
      He believes these experiences are increasingly important in a world where digital devices and social media create a constant stream of information.
      “The core aspect of the still room is to learn how to shut out the world, in order to connect on a deeper level with ourselves, a project or an experience,” he added.
      The photography is by Piet Albert Goethals. Visualisations are by Studio Corkinho.

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      Ukrainian studio Bogdanova Bureau's Kyiv office damaged in missile attack

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      Kyiv architecture studio Bogdanova Bureau has vowed to make its office “even more beautiful than before” after it was damaged in a Russian missile attack.

      Staff at Bogdanova Bureau arrived at the office on Monday to find the windows blasted into the room and debris and broken glass scattered across the floor.
      Windows were smashed into the room by the blastRussian forces had fired a barrage of missiles into the Ukrainian capital and other cities early that morning, killing 19 people and injuring many more.
      None of Bogdanova Bureau’s employees were harmed, though some of their possessions were destroyed, the studio told Dezeen. By Tuesday, the team had cleaned up the office and returned to work in the studio.
      The team cleaned up the office and returned to work the following day”In some time we will repair all that is broken and make our place even more beautiful than before,” said studio spokesperson Nadia Sheikina. “As designers, we know how to do it.”

      “As well, we are going to rebuild all the destroyed cities and villages, all the schools, homes and ambulatories that were ruined in Ukraine,” she continued. “We already had started working on it.”
      Broken glass and debris was scattered through the office”We were scared on February 24 when the war started, now we are not,” she added. “We know that the mean enemy wants to invade our land and appropriate our culture, but it will never happen.”
      Bogdanova Bureau only recently refurbished its office, completing the project five months before the Russian invasion began.
      The office, pictured before the blast, was refurbished five months before the war began. Photo by Yevhenii AvramenkoThe office is in the heart of Kyiv next to Shevchenko Park, and is surrounded by a university, libraries, museums, and a cultural centre, as well as apartments and office buildings.
      A missile struck the middle of the park close to a children’s playground, with the blast wave destroying windows across the building housing the studio’s office.
      The missile struck a park outside the office building next to a playgroundThe bombardment of central Kyiv was part of a series of attacks launched in retaliation after a key bridge linking Russia to the annexed region of Crimea was heavily damaged by an explosion.
      In April, Bogdanova Bureau spoke to Dezeen for a piece about how Ukrainian design and architecture studios were dealing with the war.

      Russian shelling destroys constructivist landmark in Ukraine

      At the time, its founder Olga Bogdanova urged international clients to trust Ukrainian studios to deliver despite the turmoil of the conflict.
      “We thank the international society and especially the international design community for all their support and all their attention,” Sheikina said this week.

      Windows of the building were left damaged”But after eight months of the war, we feel that some of you got used to the war. Please do not be! It is understandable, no one can be stressed for such a long time and everyone deserves to experience their own life and focus on some normal things around them,” she continued.
      “We ask you not to get used to war and pay your precise attention to Ukrainian designers, architects, and artists. Please raise your voice and stand with Ukraine. It can make things different!”
      The photography is by Yulia Bevzenko unless otherwise stated.

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      See who's ahead in the Dezeen Awards 2022 interiors public vote

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      After 6,000 votes, projects by Adam Kane Architects and Hollaway Studio are ahead in the Dezeen Awards 2022 public vote interiors categories. Vote now for your favourite!

      Other studios in the lead include Random Studio for its blue pop-up installation for Jacquemus in London’s Selfridges and Ennismore for its hotel inspired by the late architect Ricardo Bofill in Spain.
      The public vote, which closes on 10 October, gives readers the chance to vote for projects shortlisted in the architecture, interiors, design, sustainability and media categories, as well as architects and designers who are battling to be named studio of the year.
      ​​Voting is open for another two weeks, so you still have time to vote for your favourite interiors!
      Click here to vote ›

      Public vote winners crowned in October
      Public vote winners will be published 17 to 21 October on Dezeen. The public vote is separate from the main Dezeen Awards 2022 judging process, in which entries are assessed by our jury of renowned industry professionals.
      We will be unveiling the Dezeen Awards 2022 winners in late November.
      Who is in the lead?
      Of almost 30,000 votes that have been cast and verified across all categories so far, the interiors categories received over 6,000 verified votes.
      Continue reading on to see which projects and studios are ahead in the public vote.

      House interior
      › 26 per cent – Barwon Heads House, Melbourne, Australia, by Adam Kane Architects› 23 per cent – West Bend House, Melbourne, Australia, by Brave New Eco› 22 per cent – Twentieth, Los Angeles, USA, by Woods + Dangaran› 16 per cent – Clear Oak, Los Angeles, USA, by Woods + Dangaran› 14 per cent – House in Marutamachi, Kyoto City, Japan, by Td-Atelier and Endo Shojiro Design
      Browse all projects on the house interior shortlist page.

      Apartment interior
      › 28 per cent – Tribeca Loft, New York City, USA, by Andrea Leung› 23 per cent – Earthrise Studio, London, United Kingdom, by Studio McW› 18 per cent – Shoji Apartment, London, United Kingdom, Proctor and Shaw› 13 per cent – Flat 6, São Paulo, Brazil, by Studio MK27› 11 per cent – The Hideaway Home, Gdańsk, Poland, by ACOS› Seven per cent – Iceberg, Tel-Aviv, Israel, by Laila Architecture
      Browse all projects on the apartment interior shortlist page.

      Restaurant and bar interior
      › 31 per cent – Spice & Barley, Bangkok, Thailand, by Enter Projects Asia› 24 per cent – Connie-Connie at the Copenhagen Contemporary, Copenhagen, Denmark, by Tableau and Ari Prasetya› 22 per cent – Terra, Vynnyky, Ukraine, by YOD Group› 13 per cent – Dois Tropicos, São Paulo, Brazil, by MNMA Studio› 11 per cent – Koffee Mameya Kakeru, Tokyo, Japan, by Fourteen Stone Design
      Browse all projects on the restaurant and bar interior page.

      Hotel and short-stay interior
      › 25 per cent – The Hoxton Poblenou, Barcelona, Spain, by Ennismore› 23 per cent – Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel, Los Angeles, USA, by Kelly Wearstler Studio› 21 per cent – Inhabit Queen’s Gardens, United Kingdom, by Holland Harvey› 16 per cent – Schwan Locke, Munich, Germany, by Locke› 15 per cent – Well Well Well Hotel Renovation, Beijing, China, Fon Studio
      Browse all projects on the hotel and short-stay interior page.

      Large workspace interior
      › 47 per cent – Dyson Global HQ St James Power Station, Singapore, by M Moser Associates› 24 per cent – Victoria Greencoat Place, London, United Kingdom, by Fora› 16 per cent – Midtown Workplace, Brisbane, Australia, by Cox Architecture› Eight per cent – Design District Bureau Club, London, United Kingdom, by Roz Barr Architects› Six per cent – Generator Building, Bristol, United Kingdom, by MoreySmith
      Browse all projects on the large workspace interior page.

      Small workspace interior
      › 30 per cent – Alexander House, Sydney, Australia, by Alexander & Co.› 19 per cent – OTK Ottolenghi, London, United Kingdom, by Studiomama› 15 per cent – HNS Studio, Nanjing, China, Muhhe Studio Institute of Architecture› 14 per cent – Samsen Atelier, Stockholm, Sweden, by Note Design Studio› 13 per cent – The F.Forest Office, Linbian, Taiwan, by Atelier Boter› Nine per cent – Asket Studio, Stockholm, Sweden, by Atelier Paul Vaugoyeau
      Browse all projects on the small workspace interior page.

      Large retail interior
      › 33 per cent – An Interactive Spatial Design and Scenography for Jacquemus at Selfridges, London, United Kingdom, by Random Studio› 29 per cent – Deja Vu Recycle Store, Shanghai, China, by Offhand Practice› 15 per cent – XC273, Shanghai, China, by Dongqi Design› 12 per cent – Kolon Sport Sotsot Rebirth, Cheju Island, South Korea, by Jo Nagasaka / Schemata Architects› 11 per cent – Proud Gallery Gotanda, Gotanda, Japan, by Domino Architects / HAKUTEN / Nozomi Kume (Studio Onder de Linde)
      Browse all projects on the large retail interior page.

      Small retail interior
      › 33 per cent – MONC, London, United Kingdom, by Nina+Co› 20 per cent – Aesop Yorkville, Toronto, Canada, by Odami› 18 per cent – Durat Showroom, Helsinki, Finland, by Linda Bergroth› 15 per cent – Haight Clothing Store, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, by Aia Estudio› 13 per cent – The Market Building, London, United Kingdom, by Holloway Li
      Browse all projects on the small retail interior page.

      Leisure and wellness interior
      › 39 per cent – Patina Maldives Spa, Fari Islands, Maldives, by Studio MK27› 24 per cent – Self Revealing, Taipei City, Taiwan, by Studio X4› 16 per cent – Barlo MS Centre, Toronto, Canada, by Hariri Pontarini Architects› 13 per cent – Bath & Barley, Brussels, Belgium, by WeWantMore› Nine per cent – Wan Fat Jinyi Cinema, Shenzhen, China, by One Plus Partnership
      Browse all projects on the leisure and wellness interior page.

      Civic and cultural interior
      › 40 per cent – F51 Skate Park, Folkestone, United Kingdom, by Hollaway Studio› 34 per cent – Stanbridge Mill Library, Dorset, United Kingdom, by Crawshaw Architects› 12 per cent – The Groote Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands, by Merk X› Eight per cent – Yorck Kino Passage, Berlin, Germany, by Batek Architekten› Five per cent – Designing Ecole Camondo Méditerranée’s Interior, Toulon, France, by Émilieu Studio
      Browse all projects on the civic and cultural interior page.

      Small interior
      › 34 per cent – A Private Reading Room, Shanghai, China, by Atelier Tao+C› 22 per cent – OHL Cultural Space for the Arts, Lisbon, Portugal, by AB+AC Architects› 19 per cent –Relaxing Geometry with Pops of Yellow, Antwerp, Belgium, by Van Staeyan Interior Architects› 14 per cent – Fatface Coffee Pop Up Shop, Shenyang, China, by Baicai Design› 11 per cent – Sik Mul Sung, South Korea, by Unseenbird
      Browse all projects on the small interior page. More

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      Wild Wonder named Colour of the Year 2023

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      Paint brand Dulux has revealed Wild Wonder, a pale yellow paint colour that it described as “a soft gold with hints of green” as its Colour of the Year for 2023.

      Wild Wonder was selected for its close association with nature. The brand said this echoes the global shift toward sustainability, reconnecting with the outdoors and wanting to be more grounded, particularly following the recent period of uncertainty.
      Wild Wonder is a golden green paint colour”Our relationship with the natural world feels more precious and precarious than ever,” said Dulux UK.
      “Wild Wonder is a soft gold with hints of green inspired by fresh seed pods and harvest grain,” the brand added.
      The colour was selected for its association with natureAs well as its affiliation with nature and raw materials, Wild Wonder is also intended to capture the collective quest for better mental health, which has become increasingly important in light of global events such as the climate crisis and coronavirus lockdowns.

      “As people search for support, connection, inspiration and balance in the world today, they’re diving into the wonders of the natural world to find it,” said the brand.
      “Wild Wonder is a positive, natural tone that, by connecting us with the natural world, can help us feel better in our homes,” it continued.
      “As well as understanding the value of nature more keenly, with climate change becoming a reality for all of us, we also feel the urgency of reconnecting with nature and the necessity of working with rather than against it.”

      Bright Skies named Colour of the Year 2022

      According to the brand, the colour can be used to add colour to areas in the house, such as living rooms, that require warmth and light. The brand also said that the hue is suitable for commercial spaces across all sectors including schools and hospitals.
      “Wild Wonder and four complementary, versatile colour palettes can be used to create stunning spaces across all sectors,” explained Dulux.
      The paint colour is suitable for all commercial sectors as well as residential interiorsDulux’s parent company AkzoNobel decided on the shade, which is the 20th colour to be chosen as a Dulux Colour of the Year, after a three-day workshop with a panel of industry experts from across the globe and months of researching with the paint company.
      Wild Wonder is a slightly more upbeat hue than Brave Ground, an earthy beige that Dulux selected as its colour of the year for 2021 against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic.
      The colour is a marked change from last year’s sky blue colour Bright Skies, which the brand said captured collective desires for a fresh start.
      The images are courtesy of Dulux.

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      “Fake fruit is just as absurd as fake meat” says commenter

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      In this week’s comments update, readers are discussing a low-impact alternative to “unsustainable” avocados and other top stories.

      Central Saint Martins graduate Arina Shokouhi has invented an avocado alternative called Ecovado, which is meant to wean people off the resource-intensive imported fruit.
      “This could be one solution of many”
      Readers had mixed feelings about the Ecovado, which contains a pale green, creamy foodstuff made from a combination of local ingredients that has been packaged in a fake avocado skin fashioned from wax.
      Tabitha Poppins is keen to give it a go: “I hope they make it to a local market so I can try one,” she said. “If they taste good and cost similar or less, I’ll switch in a heartbeat.”

      However, others were unsure. “Why imitate the form when you can offer a totally new alternative to avocado?” said Indrė Butkutė. “Food is a culture, not a product.”
      “Fake fruit is just as absurd as fake meat,” added Lena Feindt.
      DesignGeek thought that the design could contribute to reducing the impact of our diets.
      “It’s sad to see how much time people have on their hands to sit their asses down and criticise. This could be one solution of many that takes into consideration current food trends and tries to re-make them more locally and sustainably.”
      Would you try Ecovado? Join the discussion ›
      Foster + Partners unveils “iconic” supertall skyscraper in Kuwait”The inside areas of the uppermost floors are quite astonishing”
      The distinctive supertall skyscraper that Foster + Partners has created for the National Bank of Kuwait Headquarters in Kuwait City has sparked conversation among readers
      “Actually quite like the look of it and the quality of execution seems to be on point,” said KLM. “Evil villain vibes? Maybe. But it could equally be a superhero HQ.”
      Bsl agreed: “This building embraces what it is: an edifice of corporate vanity, but an elegant one at that,” the reader added. “There are interesting interiors and the materials will age well.”
      “The inside areas of the uppermost floors are quite astonishing,” added Simply Indulgence.
      What are your thoughts on the building? Join the discussion ›
      Michael Maltzan Architecture completes Ribbon of Light bridge with swooping arches in LA”Reminds me of Terminator 2″
      Readers are discussing the new Sixth Street Viaduct in Los Angeles, also named the Ribbon of Light for its multiple concrete arches lit from below.
      John loves it: “I drove by it this morning and it is beautiful,” he said. “Once all the parks and landscaping are finished around/under it, this will be even more incredible.”
      [email protected] is not so sure: “I like the integral design of the stairs but I’m concerned that there’s no railing. The approach needs to be upgraded to match the now-beautiful viaduct.”
      “Reminds me of Terminator 2,” said Logorithm. “Terminator 7 should be shot here.”
      Do you think the bridge is a good addition to LA? Join the discussion ›
      Styles and eras mingle inside “unfinished” diplomat’s home in Rome by 02AUnfinished apartment in Rome is “exquisite” and “stunning” say commenters
      Readers are impressed with a diplomat’s intentionally unfinished one-bedroom flat, which is located on the ground floor of an early twentieth-century building in Rome’s Flaminio district.
      “Highly calibrated,” commented JZ. “Really well done spatial moves. The shower with the plants!” he added. “This feels like the architectural equivalent of tattooing your body: each tattoo represents an event, a memory, something unique, held together loosely because of the poetics of the body.”
      “Exquisite. I’m impressed,” said Zea Newland.
      “Stunning. Every corner has its very own strong personality, even within the same room,” agreed Lndcntmpry. “A treasure trove of an apartment.”
      Do you like it, too? Join the discussion ›
      Comments update
      Dezeen is the world’s most commented architecture and design magazine, receiving thousands of comments each month from readers. Keep up to date on the latest discussions on our comments page.

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      IKEA designs “safe spaces” for children and at-risk refugees fleeing Ukraine

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      Furniture company IKEA has donated its products and design services to create a series of refugee support centres in Eastern Europe, set up by the United Nations to offer aid and sanctuary to the most vulnerable groups displaced by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

      The Swedish furniture brand created interiors with a homely, comforting atmosphere inside several recently established Blue Dot centres, which are run by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR to offer specialist support to children, families and other at-risk refugees.
      Top: numerous Blue Dot shelters have been established in Eastern Europe since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began. Above: IKEA designed the interiors for the sheltersSet alongside major border crossings and transit routes, the centres supply legal aid, mental health support and family reunification services, as well as food and temporary shelter.
      “The work calls for a whole new set of skills because we’re designing spaces that can support people who are experiencing trauma,” said Martyna Pater, who is an interior design specialist for IKEA in Kraków, Poland.
      “We’re using walls made of Kallax shelving units and thick curtains to create a quieter and more comfortable environment, to make it feel more like a home, and we’ve also used decorations and picture frames, to make the space feel as cosy and calm as possible.”

      6.9 million people have fled Ukraine
      Out of the 36 Blue Dot centres that UNICEF and UNHCR have established across seven European countries since the start of the Ukraine war, IKEA has helped to design 10 in Romania and five in Poland.
      Three more are currently in development and plans are in the making for IKEA to help set up of additional outposts in Hungary and Slovakia.
      The initiative forms part of a wider €1 million donation that IKEA has pledged to UNICEF and UNHCR’s emergency relief efforts for the Ukraine war, with an additional €30 million going to other selected organisations.
      The furniture company previously joined a number of brands and studios in pausing its operations in Russia, closing its stores and halting imports and exports from the country.
      The shelters are run by UN agencies UNICEF and UNHCRSince the war started in February, more than 6.9 million people have fled Ukraine – 90 per cent of which are women and children, who UNICEF says are especially at risk of abuse, exploitation and trafficking.
      Blue Dot centres, which were first established in 2016, are designed to provide “safe spaces” for these vulnerable groups, containing playrooms for children, private areas for mental health counselling and safe places to sleep.
      “By far, most of the refugees who have fled unimaginable loss and devastation in Ukraine are women, children and older people or people with disabilities, in need of dedicated support,” said Marin Din Kajdomcaj, Poland’s representative at the UN Refugee Agency.
      “Thanks to our great collaboration with IKEA, we can design comforting Blue Dot spaces where refugees at greater risk can find a moment to rest, feel safe and protected again, access reliable information, counselling and psychological support, all in an effort to have them start healing and recovering from traumatising events.”
      Shelters designed to be convenient, child-friendly and site-specific
      For IKEA’s design teams, this involved creating interiors that are easy to navigate and tailored to both adults and children alike.
      “We’re designing spaces for children that are cosy and playful, but we use low furniture so their parents can see them when they are speaking to advisors,” Pater explained.
      “With thousands of people coming to the hubs, you also have to think about crowd control and creating good signage that helps people move through the space so they can find the right support they need.”
      Since Blue Dot shelters are temporary, they occupy a wide range of settings from tents to repurposed arenas.
      As a result, IKEA’s designers developed tailored interiors schemes that respond to specific sites and scales, rather than coming up with a universal template.
      Martyna Pater is an interior design specialist for IKEA Poland”It’s all about a fast response and providing a comfortable safe space,” said Laurentiu Stefan Serban, a visual merchandiser and shop designer for IKEA in Bucharest, Romania. “The aim is to create an environment where people can recover and find their strengths again.”
      A number of architects have applied their expertise to creating temporary shelters for those displaced by the Ukraine war.
      Kyiv practice Balbek Bureau developed a concept for a modular refugee village, which was picked up by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and is now set to be constructed in the country’s Ternopil region.
      Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban focused instead on creating more privacy in existing shelters by making use of his modular Paper Partition System, which can be constructed from cardboard tubes and strips of fabric in around five minutes.
      The images are courtesy of IKEA.

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      Park Slope condo becomes New York City's “largest mass-timber building”

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      Local studio Mesh Architectures has completed Timber House, a condominium in Brooklyn that developer The Brooklyn Home Company claims is “the largest mass timber building in New York City.”

      Timber House is made of glue-laminated timber, a type of structurally engineered wood used to make mass timber structures, and is the largest mass-timber project in New York City in terms of square footage and height, according to The Brooklyn Home Company.
      It is also the first condominium project in the city to be built using mass timber, the developer said.
      The building has 14 condos”Timber House started with the simple notion of creating a sense of life in a building, which engages, stimulates, and at the same time, calms us,” said Eric Lifton, founder and principal of Mesh Architectures.
      “The way we do that here is by using a plant as the primary building material.”

      The building’s columns, beams and floor plates are all mass timber, while the core had to be made of concrete masonry because of city restrictions, the studio said.
      The apartments stretch across the length of the structureTimber House is located in the residential Park Slope neighbourhood in Brooklyn and comprises 14 condos that stretch from the street-side to the back of the building.
      According to Mesh Architectures, the building was “constructed with passive house principles”.
      While not passive-house certified, it was built with solar photovoltaic panels on the roof to provide energy, and mineral wool and polyisocyanurate insulation to reduce the need for air conditioning.
      Heating and air conditioning is provided by air-source heat pumps.
      The building was developed in collaboration with The Brooklyn Home CompanyIt also features passive house-quality windows with triple glazing, and the 10 parking spaces in its ground-floor garage each have an electric charging station.
      The building’s facade is characterized by a flat face made with Danish brick that, according to the team, was chosen to integrate the building into the mostly brownstone neighbourhood.
      On the upper levels, the envelope is sculpted into jutting windows and recessed balconies with glass railings. The balconies’ undersides are wooden, giving the exterior palette a touch of the timber within.
      The floors are also made of woodA rooftop terrace provides views of Downtown Brooklyn and Manhattan.
      Inside, wooden walls and ceilings line the corridors, which have hexagonal tiling on the floor that was designed custom by Mesh and produced in Turkey.
      The condos have 11-feet-tall (3.3 metres-tall) ceilings and feature exposed timber beams with LED lights that are integrated directly into the wood.

      The Dezeen guide to mass timber in architecture

      The timber beams also extend down from the ceiling to frame some of the walls and windows, providing insight into the building’s structural makeup.
      “The exposed wooden beams present in the home create a style reminiscent of city living in the 1960s and ’70s when we picture those large loft-style residences, which is really special,” said Bill Caleo of The Brooklyn Home Company.
      “As a city, if we want to lower our carbon footprint we need to prioritize mass timber.”
      In addition to the ceiling and beams the condos have wooden accentsFlooring in the living areas is wood, while the kitchen is floored with white tile to match the white cabinetry – accented with natural wood tones – and a long, white island.
      Other recently-announced designs for mass timber structures include the world’s tallest timber building designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen and a Henning Larsen-designed Volvo experience centre in Sweden.
      The photography is by Travis Mark. 

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      Meta to open first physical retail shop for virtual reality products

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      Social media brand Meta, formerly the Facebook Company, is opening its first permanent Meta Store for customers to purchase its virtual reality products as a “gateway to the metaverse”.

      The 1,550-square-foot shop will open on 9 May in Burlingame, California, near the company’s Reality Labs campus – a research and development hub for virtual reality products.
      Meta Store is the social media company’s first physical storeHead of Meta Store Martin Gilliard said that the shop will demonstrate how the brand’s products are a “gateway” to the metaverse” – a parallel virtual world where people operate as avatars.
      “The Meta Store is going to help people make that connection to how our products can be the gateway to the metaverse in the future,” he said.
      It is located in California close to the company’s Reality Labs campusIn the shop, which will be open Monday to Friday, customers will be able to try out and play games on Oculus Quest 2, an updated version of the virtual reality headset Oculus Go, in a dedicated demo area.

      A large, floor-to-ceiling LED screen will project what is being seen in the headset.
      Meta’s video-calling device Portal will be displayed on backlit wooden shelves on the main shop floor. Customers will be able to try out Portal in another demo area, as well as place video calls to retail associates to see the gadget in action.
      Customers will be able to try virtual reality productsA separate cubicle with glass walls is reserved for Meta’s selection of Ray-Ban Stories, smart glasses that allow wearers to record videos via in-built 5MP cameras. Visitors will be able to try a range of style, colour and lens variations.
      Unlike the other products in Meta Store, the glasses will not be available to purchase in-store. Customers will have to order them directly from sunglass retailer Ray Ban’s website.

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      Other accessories such as headphones, earphones and charging cables will also be on show and available to purchase in the store.
      “We’re not selling the metaverse in our store, but hopefully people will come in and walk out knowing a little bit more about how our products will help connect them to it,” explained Gilliard.
      “Once people experience the technology, they can gain a better appreciation for it.”
      The store will house virtual reality headsets, smart glasses and Meta’s video calling deviceMeta’s first physical store represents the company’s move further into what it calls a “social metaverse company” and away from its origins as a social media company. Last year the brand changed its name from Facebook to Meta.
      Gilliard also said that the Burlingame store marks Meta’s expansion further into the retail sphere.
      “Having the store here in Burlingame gives us more opportunity to experiment and keep the customer experience core to our development,” said Gilliard. “What we learn here will help define our future retail strategy.”
      The minimalist store displays products on wooden shelvingA number of brands are working on real-life and metaverse cross-over products, such as shoe brand Giuseppe Zanotti, which has released a digital edition of its Cobras trainers in the metaverse.
      Design studio Layer recently unveiled a pair of smart glasses for tech company Viture that lets the user play games or stream media via a virtual screen.
      Photos are courtesy of Meta.

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