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    AHMM to transform office into co-living space next to London’s Barbican estate

    Developer HUB and investor Bridges Fund Management have revealed plans to convert a 1950s office building in London into Cornerstone, a co-living residential scheme designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris.

    Located on the edge of the Barbican estate, the Cornerstone project will draw from the iconic Barbican architecture to transform 45 Beech Street into 174 co-living residences along with street-level commercial spaces and amenities.
    “Building on the success of our previous London projects with HUB, we are joining forces again to transform an underloved office building in the heart of the city,” Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) director Hazel Joseph said.
    AHMM has revealed plans for a co-living retrofit next to London’s Barbican estateAHMM’s proposal aims to re-use as much of the building’s existing structure and facade as possible, taking a “retrofit-first approach” to minimise the need for new building works.
    The studio will also primarily work within the geometric parameters defined by the original envelope, while updating the rectilinear language to create uniform apertures for each co-living apartment.

    Referencing the Barbican estate, a series of arched, double-height extrusions will be introduced across the crown of the building to house additional co-living apartments.
    The design will adapt the existing building’s form and insert a series of arched spaces at the top”The architectural approach has been carefully considered, responding sensitively to the much-loved Barbican context, completing the northern frontage of the estate,” Joseph said.
    The arches will be partially set back from the building’s facade and lined with an asymmetric patchwork of glazed and tile panels underneath the curved overhangs.

    Plans for Barbican concert hall by Diller Scofidio & Renfro axed

    At street level, warm red panel accents will contrast against the building’s neutral concrete finishes to highlight commercial and collective functions.
    The scheme will integrate a public cafe, a co-working space and community-focused amenities at its lower levels to improve the public realm for those who live and work in the area.
    “The existing structure of 45 Beech Street will be re-used and extended, creating a new residential community with shared amenities and breathing new life into the local streetscape,” Joseph explained.
    At street level, new commercial and public amenities will seek to activate the ground planeAccording to HUB and Bridges Fund Management, AHMM’s proposal was developed in collaboration with the community – including Barbican residents – who were consulted through a series of workshops and events.
    A website was also established to solicit viewpoints about the redevelopment, reiterating the design vision to establish a “vibrant community” that will adapt the original building and holistically contribute to the neighbourhood.
    AHMM was established in 1989 by Simon Allford, Jonathan Hall, Paul Monaghan and Peter Morris in London. The studio has previously converted a 1930s block into New Scotland Yard’s headquarters in London and completed a mixed-use building in Southwark with interlocking flats.
    Also adjacent to the Barbican estate, Diller Scofidio & Renfro’s proposal for a pyramidal music centre was recently scrapped when the City of London Corporation revealed its plans for a “major renewal” of the Barbican.
    The images are courtesy of HUB and Bridges Fund Management.

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    IKEA unveils “powerful” first photos by artist-in-residence Annie Leibovitz

    Swedish furniture brand IKEA has released two images from a series of photographs taken by Annie Leibovitz, its first-ever artist-in-residence, showing people in their homes across the world.

    The American photographer, who is best known for her portraits, travelled to twenty-five homes around the globe to take photos of people in their residences. She visited houses and apartments in Sweden, India, Italy, Japan, Germany, England and the US.
    “The home has always been important in my work,” Leibovitz said when appointed artist-in-residence in 2023.
    “I’ve been photographing people in their homes since I began,” she added. “It’s a way to understand who a person is. The advice I give to young photographers is to photograph their families. It’s one of the best ways to start.”
    Annie Leibovitz photographed 25 homes for IKEA, including this one in GermanyLeibovitz’s photos for IKEA show a variety of different interiors in seven different countries.

    “The result is a powerful photographic document that illuminates the nuances of life at home – across borders, ethnicities and professions,” the furniture brand said of the project.
    The series, which comprises 25 photos in total, was commissioned by IKEA after its IKEA Life at Home Report showed that 48 per cent of people globally don’t feel the media represents their home.
    The first two images released by IKEA, show the homes of Yusuke Onimaru in Japan and Maria Arrechea in Germany – specifically Onimaru’s ceramic workshop and Arrechea’s living space filled with friends.

    IKEA and H&M’s design incubator unveils products by 22 emerging London studios

    Leibovitz’s photos will be shown as part of the IKEA+ exhibition in Paris, which will take place during Paris Fashion Week.
    It will also feature a collaboration with online radio station Rinse and showcase the Tesammans collection made by IKEA together with Eindhoven-basd design duo Raw Color.
    Six emerging designers from the Casa93 fashion education program are also taking part in the IKEA+ showcase. They worked with “home furnishing mentors” from IKEA to create designs that focus on upcycling and sustainable design.
    The photography is by Annie Leibovitz for IKEA.
    IKEA+ will take place on 28 Rue de Lappe, Paris, from 29 February to 3 March. For more worldwide events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design, visit Dezeen Events Guide. 

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    Australia bans engineered stone due to silicosis risk

    Australia has become the first country in the world to ban engineered stone, following rising cases of silicosis among workers who handle the material.

    The ban was agreed at a meeting of Australian federal and state workplace ministers on Wednesday, and will come into place across the country from 1 July 2024.
    The ban targets engineered stone, also known as agglomerated stone – a type of material made by mixing crushed stone with a resin binder.
    “This is a dangerous product”
    While it is valued as a durable and affordable alternative to natural stone for kitchen benchtops, the material can be dangerous while being cut because it releases a fine silica dust into the air.

    Australia has recorded rising cases of the lung disease silicosis in stonemasons who have handled the product, leading it to be dubbed “the asbestos of the 2020s” by union leader Zach Smith.
    “This is a dangerous product that’s known to cause the potentially fatal disease silicosis, and it has no place in our workplaces,” said Queensland industrial relations minister Grace Grace in a statement following the meeting.
    “The rate of silicosis illness in Australia for those working with engineered stone is unacceptable,” said her Western Australian counterpart Simone McGurk. “This prohibition will ensure future generations of workers are protected from silicosis associated with working with engineered stone.”
    Ban follows report finding no safe level of silica in engineered stone
    The move comes nine months after an investigation by three Australian news outlets accused supplier Caesarstone of not doing enough to warn people of the dangers of working with the material and the country’s construction union launched a campaign calling for the ban.
    A subsequent report by the national policy body Safe Work Australia found that engineered stone workers were significantly over-represented in silicosis cases and were being diagnosed with the disease at much younger ages than workers from other industries, with most being under the age of 35.

    Australia moves to ban engineered stone due to silicosis danger

    It also found that the risk from engineered stone was distinct from that of natural stone due to the material’s physical and chemical composition, and that this was likely contributing to more rapid and severe disease.
    The report concluded that no level of silica was safe in engineered stone and that the material should be prohibited in its entirety.
    Silicosis is caused by tiny particles of silica becoming embedded in the lining of the lungs and manifests in symptoms such as shortness of breath, cough, weakness and fatigue.
    The condition is life-altering and potentially fatal, with many formerly healthy young sufferers describing being unable to work or play with their kids.
    Caesarstone commits to supplying Australia with “alternative products”
    In response to news of the ban, Caesarstone commented that while it disagreed with the decision, it is taking the necessary steps to ensure supply of alternative materials to Australian consumers.
    “The Caesarstone brand is well known in Australia and its products have earned tremendous success over the years,” said Caesarstone CEO Yos Shiran. “We are already taking steps to supply our Australian market with alternative products while maintaining our strong market presence.”
    It has previously argued that its material is safe if handled correctly and that the silicosis danger was the fault of employers and work safety bodies.
    Other companies including Ikea and Bunnings had already committed to phasing out the material in the Australian market.
    The ban will apply to the manufacturing, supplying, processing and installing of engineered stone but not its removal, repair, disposal or minor modifications.
    Australia’s workplace ministers will meet again in March 2024 to finalise details of the ban, including the transition period for contracts that have already been implemented and the precise definition of engineered stone.
    The country’s Model Work Health and Safety Regulations currently exclude concrete and cement products, bricks and pavers, porcelain, ceramic tiles, roof tiles, grout, mortar and render, and plasterboard from the definition of engineered stone, but ministers have indicated that additional products would be added to the exemptions.
    This may allow future engineered stone products to be exempted from the ban if there is “compelling evidence” that they can be used safely.

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    Shrek and Donkey invite guests to stay in mud-laden Shrek’s Swamp

    Rental website Airbnb has designed Shrek’s Swamp, a grass-and-mud-covered hut underneath a tree in the Scottish Highlands.

    The small house, which has a bare-earth floor, is described as “a stumpy, secluded haven fit for a solitude-seeking ogre”.
    The holiday home is located underneath a tree trunkIt is being hosted by Donkey, Shrek’s best friend, who is swamp-sitting while Shrek himself is away for Halloween, according to an Airbnb description written as if by Donkey himself.
    In it, he says: “I love everything about the swamp: the boulder out front, the modest interiors, the seclusion (ideal for singing karaoke late into the night), you get the picture”.
    It features rough-hewn wooden furnitureThe holiday home, which sleeps up to three guests, has an open-plan design, with a sturdy wooden bed leaning against one wall.

    A matching table and two wooden chairs sit in front of an open fire on the opposite side of the house, which is held up by large tree trunks.
    A fish-shaped lamp decorates the bedside tableShrek’s Swamp Airbnb also features decorative touches, including a green “earwax candle” – a nod to a scene in which Shrek pulls out a stick of earwax from his ear and lights it.
    It also has a bedside lamp that looks like a stuffed pufferfish.
    The dining table sits in front of an open fireVisitors can also make use of Shrek’s outhouse, a well-known location from multiple Shrek films, which is located about 20 metres away from the swamp itself.
    Located in a forest in the Scottish Highlands, the hut is surrounded by signs reading “Stay out”, “Beware Ogre” and “Danger!” though these are “probably for decoration”, according to Donkey.

    Barbie and Ken unveil bright-pink lifesize dollhouse in Malibu

    The home will be available to book from 13 October for a two-night stay between 27 and 29 October and comes with an on-site concierge who will arrange meals for the guests – including morning waffles and parfaits.
    “This mud-laden, moss-covered, murky-watered oasis is a perfectly snug spot to escape from village life and embrace the beauty of nature,” Airbnb said.
    The home has a bare-earth floorThe company will make a one-time donation to the HopScotch Children’s Charity as part of the project.
    Airbnb also recently helped Ken rent out Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse and listed a 1970s wood cabin located in the iconic Sea Ranch development in California.
    The photography is courtesy of Alix McIntosh.

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    Barbie and Ken unveil bright-pink lifesize dollhouse in Malibu

    Rental website Airbnb has unveiled Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse, an all-pink California mansion with an outdoor disco, infinity pool and Western-themed bedroom.

    Located on the oceanfront in western Malibu, California, the lifesize dollhouse is being rented out by Barbie’s partner Ken via an Airbnb listing written as if by the doll himself.
    “Kendom Saloon” welcomes beach house guestsThe house, which was previously listed by Airbnb for Barbie’s 60th anniversary in 2019, has had a recent update to give it more “Kenergy” and mark Barbie making her live-action debut in the Barbie film starring Margot Robbie.
    “We all have dreams, and Barbie is lucky enough to have a house full of them,” Ken said. “But now, it’s my turn, and I can’t wait to host guests inside these one-of-a-kind – dare I say, one-of-a-Ken? – digs.”
    A cowboy-themed bedroom nods to Ken’s styleThe large oceanfront house features a pink bedroom decorated with cowhide rugs, cowboy hats and horse-printed throws as well as a closet from which guests can borrow Ken’s fringed cowboy shirts and his guitar.

    Some of Barbie’s clothing, including the iconic high-heeled pink shoe with a fluffy feather decoration from the movie, also hang in the closet.
    Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse is located by the beach in CaliforniaAt the centre of the building, on one of the house’s many terraces, guests can make use of an outside disco dance floor in pink, purple and yellow with its own DJ deck.
    “I’ve added a few touches to bring some much-needed Kenergy to the newly renovated and iconic Malibu DreamHouse,” Ken said.

    Barbie lists Malibu Dreamhouse on Airbnb

    The Dreamhouse also has a bright-pink outdoor lounging area, an outdoor gym – complete with a barrel filled with “beefy body brine” –  a pink outdoor kitchen with a barbecue and an infinity pool.
    Other details that nod to Ken’s takeover include a Western-style swing door, decorated with an image of a horse and the words “Kendom Saloon”, and a crossed-out “Barbie” sign above the outdoor kitchen that now reads “Ken”.
    Guests can disco outdoorsGuests can enjoy nearby activities such as shopping, surfing and roller blading on the boardwalk, and will also get to take home their own set of yellow-and-pink Impala skates and surfboard.
    Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse will be available to book for up to two guests each on July 21 and July 22, 2023, with bookings opening on 17 July.
    An outdoor gym features weightlifts and “body brine””All stays will be free of charge – because Ken couldn’t figure out how to put a price on Barbie’s Malibu DreamHouse – after all, Ken’s thing is beach, not math!” Airbnb said.
    The company will make a one-time donation to the charity Save the Children in celebration of the Barbie movie.
    The film was recently in the news as it made “the world run out of pink”, while a recent book explored Barbie’s Dreamhouse through the ages.
    The imagery is by Hogwash Studios.

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    “The world ran out of pink” due to Barbie movie production

    The sets of Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Barbie movie required such vast amounts of pink paint, they swallowed up one company’s entire global supply, according to production designer Sarah Greenwood.

    Speaking to Architectural Digest, Gerwig revealed that the team constructed the movie’s fluorescent Barbie Land sets almost entirely from scratch at the Warner Bros Studios Leavesden – all the way down to the sky, which was hand-painted rather than CGI rendered.
    Barbie Land sets were built from scratch in a movie lot”We were literally creating the alternate universe of Barbie Land,” she told the magazine. “Everything needed to be tactile, because toys are, above all, things you touch.”
    To recreate the almost monochromatic colour palette of Barbie’s Dreamhouses, the set design team had to source a bottomless supply of pink paint to cover everything from lampposts to road signs.
    Almost everything from lamp posts to sidewalks is rendered in vibrant pinkIn particular, the production used a highly saturated shade by US manufacturer Rosco to capture the hyperreality of Barbie Land.

    “I wanted the pinks to be very bright, and everything to be almost too much,” Gerwig told Architectural Digest.
    So much paint was needed, in fact, that Greenwood says the movie’s production caused a worldwide shortage of that particular hue.
    “The world ran out of pink,” she joked.

    Six Barbie Dreamhouses that chart the evolution of the American home

    Rosco later told the LA Times that the company’s supply chain had already been disrupted when the movie began production at the start of 2022, due to the lingering aftereffects of the coronavirus pandemic and the winter storm that shocked Texas the previous year.
    “There was this shortage and then we gave them everything we could – I don’t know they can claim credit,” Rosco’s vice president of global marketing Lauren Proud told the LA Times, before conceding that “they did clean us out on paint”.
    Margot Robbie plays the movie’s main characterSince stills for the upcoming movie were first released a year ago, the all-pink hyper-feminine “Barbiecore” aesthetic has infiltrated the design world, with Google searches skyrocketing and the term accumulating more than 349 million views on TikTok.
    Earlier this year, Barbie manufacturer Mattel collaborated with Pin-Up magazine to release a monograph on the architecture and interiors of Barbie’s Dreamhouse to mark its 60th anniversary.
    “There have been so many books and entire PhDs on Barbie, but never really on her many houses and her furniture,” Pin-Up founder Felix Burrichter told Dezeen.
    “So we thought it would be a good idea to make one and treat it as a serious subject, in the same way that Barbie has been treated as a serious subject over the years.”
    The image is by Mattel.

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    Farrell Centre opens with exhibition showcasing mycelium and fake fur

    An architecture centre founded by British architect Terry Farrell has opened in Newcastle, England, with an exhibition exploring building materials of the future and “urban rooms” for local residents.

    The Farrell Centre is an exhibition gallery, research centre and community space that aims to provoke conversation about architecture and planning, both in the city and at a global scale.
    The project was instigated by Farrell, who donated his architectural archive and put £1 million towards the build.
    The Farrell Centre occupies a former department store building in NewcastleThe inaugural exhibition, More with Less: Reimagining Architecture for a Changing World, looks at how buildings might adapt to the climate crisis.
    Fake fur, mycelium and wool insulation feature in a series of installations designed to challenge traditional methods of producing architecture.

    Elsewhere, three urban rooms host workshops and other events where locals can learn about the past and future of Newcastle and voice their opinions on development plans.
    The ground floor is designed to encourage people in, with glazed facades on two sides”The centre is here to bring about a better, more inclusive and more sustainable built environment,” said Farrell Centre director and Dezeen columnist Owen Hopkins during a tour of the building.
    “The belief that underpins everything we do is that we need to engage people with architecture and planning, and the transformative roles that they can have,” he told Dezeen.
    “Architecture and planning are often seen as something that’s imposed from above. We need to shift that perception.”
    Seating bleachers create an informal space for talks and presentationsForming part of Newcastle University, the Farrell Centre occupies a four-storey former department store building in the heart of the city.
    Local studios Space Architects and Elliott Architects oversaw a renovation that aims to make the building feel as open and welcoming as possible.
    The exhibition More with Less includes an installation by HBBE made from mycelium, sawdust and woolThe ground floor has the feel of a public thoroughfare, thanks to glazed facades on two sides, while bleacher-style steps create a sunken seating area for talks and presentations.
    A colourful new staircase leads up to the exhibition galleries on the first floor and the urban rooms on the second floor, while the uppermost level houses the staff offices.
    McCloy + Muchemwa’s installation is a table filled with plantsAccording to Hopkins, the launch exhibition sets the tone for the type of content that visitors can expect from the Farrell Centre.
    The show features installations by four UK architecture studios, each exploring a different proposition for future buildings.
    “We wanted to create something that expands people’s understanding of what architecture is, beyond building an expensive house on Grand Designs,” Hopkins said, referencing the popular television show.
    Dress for the Weather has created a mini maze of insulationNewcastle University’s Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE) has created Living Room, a cave-like structure made by cultivating a mixture of mycelium and sawdust over a giant wool blanket.
    Next, a mini maze created by Glasgow studio Dress for the Weather aims to showcase the thermal and experiential qualities of building insulation, with varieties made from low-grade wool and plastic bottles.
    Office S&M’s installations include a silhouette of the head of Michelangelo’s David made from pink fur and a chaise longue covered in expanding foamLondon-based Office S&M proposes low-tech but fun solutions for making buildings more comfortable.
    These are represented by a silhouette of the head of Michelangelo’s David made from pink fur, a metallic space blanket, a chaise longue topped covered in expanding foam and a dichroic-film window covering that casts colourful reflections onto the floor.

    OMA stacks green glass boxes to create BLOX architecture centre on Copenhagen waterfront

    “This whole room is about actually doing really simple mundane stuff, but in a way that is joyful and tells a story,” said Hopkins.
    In the final room, an installation by London-based McCloy + Muchemwa brings nature indoors with a boardroom table covered in plants.
    The urban rooms host events where people can learn about the development of the cityOn the floor above, the three urban rooms have been fitted out by Mat Barnes of architecture studio CAN with custom elements that make playful references to building sites.
    They are filled with historic maps, interactive models, informal furniture, display stands made from scaffolding poles, and architecture toys that include building-shaped soft play and Lego.
    In one of the rooms, planning proposals are displayed on stands made from scaffolding polesThe idea of setting up an urban room in Newcastle was the starting point for the creation of the Farrell Centre.
    A decade ago, Farrell was commissioned by the UK government to produce a report on the state of the UK’s architecture and planning system.
    One of the key recommendations in the Farrell Review, published in 2014, was to create an urban room in every major city, giving local people of all ages and backgrounds a place to engage with how the city is planned and developed.
    One urban room contains a model of a Terry Farrell-designed masterplan for NewcastleAs Farrell grew up in the Newcastle area and studied architecture at the university, he became keen to make this concept a reality in this city.
    Although the Farrell Centre is named in his honour, Hopkins said that Farrell is happy for the facility to forge its own path in terms of programme and approach.
    “He established the idea and vision for the centre, but he is happy for us to build out that vision in the way that we think is best,” added Hopkins.
    The Farrell Centre forms part of Newcastle UniversityThe director is optimistic about the centre’s potential to engage with the community.
    “Newcastle is a city like no other,” he said. “The civic pride here is off the scale. People have such a deep-rooted love of where they live.”
    “It’s amazing to be able to tap into that as a way of creating a better built environment.”
    More with Less: Reimagining Architecture for a Changing World is on show at the Farrell Centre from 22 April to 10 September 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.

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    Curtains for minimalism as John Pawson goes maximalist

    Minimalist British designer John Pawson has ditched his pared-back aesthetic in favour of full-blown maximalism, Dezeen understands.

    Pawson, who is not an architect, had become famous for his minimalist designs and was awarded a CBE in 2019.
    But a source close to Pawson informed Dezeen that he has now embraced bold colours, clashing patterns and animal-print furnishings after a dramatic change-of-heart.
    British designer Pawson has historically been known for his minimalist designs”I went to the Pawsons’ place in the Cotswolds recently and it’s like night and day,” the source said. “They’ve wallpapered over the white-brick walls and stuck some garish curtains over the windows.”
    “And the soft furnishings, my god. You can barely move for patterned rugs and blankets.”

    Possible social-media link
    However, not-an-architect Pawson appears to have chosen to maintain a minimalist approach in his relationship with the media.
    Asked if he could explain his reversal in tastes, he replied: “No.”
    The source speculated that Pawson’s shift in style may be linked to social media.
    Pawson has now transformed his Cotswold home into a maximalist colour-festIn 2018, he surprised some by releasing a book of vivid photographs, telling Dezeen at the time that he had discovered a love of colour through Instagram.
    “Maybe he’s moved on to TikTok,” the source said.
    Maximalism has been a re-emerging trend over the past couple of years, partly driven by its popularity on the video-gallery platform.
    His studio declined to answer questions about whether Pawson – who, again, is not an architect and Dezeen would never suggest anything to the contrary – will apply his new-found personal partiality to maximalism to commercial projects.

    John Pawson designs his own minimalist rural retreat

    However, a spokesperson said: “When are you doing another Hot List? John would really like you to do another Hot List.”
    Pawson, whose most high-profile projects include the Novy Dvur monastery in the Czech Republic and the Design Museum in London, ranked at number six on Dezeen’s Hot List of newsworthy designers and brands in 2017.
    Last week, a Deyan Sudjic-authored biography of Pawson’s life and work was published, but did not mention his switch to maximalism.
    The photography is by Gilbert McCarragher, with additional input from Studio Merlin.

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