oak

Subterms

    Latest story

    138 Shares129 Views

    Figure and Studio J Jih perform “stair gymnastics” inside Boston rowhouse

    by

    American firms Studio J Jih and Figure have overhauled a historic house in Boston, which now revolves around a sculptural “hairpin” staircase influenced by the twists and turns of mountain roads.

    Locally based Studio J Jih and San Francisco studio Figure collaborated on the transformation of the four-storey rowhouse in the city’s South End.
    Studio J Jih and Figure have renovated Hairpin HouseThe owner, a Boston native, desired more useable space in the 15-foot-wide (4.6-metre) home, which was only achievable by entirely reorganising the floor plan.
    The hefty existing staircase took up a third of the building, so it was removed and redesigned to be more efficient and help define the remaining programme while adhering to Boston’s strict building codes.
    A new staircase cuts a diagonal path through the houseThe result is a new white oak staircase that “unspools diagonally through the home” around a 40-foot-high (12-metre) atrium, increasing the useable floor area by 20 per cent.

    “Aptly named Hairpin House, the project takes the tight, unpredictable, and ultimately poetic switchback turns of a mountain road as inspiration for the overall renovation – and in particular a new unravelling central stair,” said the team.
    Lime plaster was applied to the walls throughout the homeOther rooms were adjusted around this new element so that the most-used ones – like the dining room, living room and primary bedroom – were increased in size while ancillary spaces such as the foyer, powder room and bathroom shrunk.
    “We performed a sort of stair gymnastics where each flight was distinct from the others, because of its necessary interface with the unique programmatic and circulatory conditions on each floor,” said James Leng, partner at Figure.
    Windows on the south facade were enlarged by 200 per cent to let in more light”Like how a mountain road derives its form from the slope it rests on, this central stair was truly shaped contingently through the pressures of its interior context,” he added.
    The stair flights were fabricated by hand individually off-site before being assembled into a singular element, connected by a continuous rounded handrail.
    The kitchen and dining room on the ground floor are anchored by a travertine islandMaterials throughout the rest of the house were chosen to match or complement the staircase.
    White oak and French limestone cover the floors while lime plaster is applied directly onto the brick walls.
    The dining area opens onto a bluestone patio enclosed with cedar panelsThe main entrance to the home is on the second of its four floors, where the main living room is also located.
    Downstairs, on the ground floor, the open-plan kitchen and dining area are organised around a monolithic island carved from a single piece of travertine – similar to the fireplace on the level above.

    OverUnder renovates landmarked Boston building to create single-family residence

    A trio of French doors open onto the bluestone back patio enclosed with cedar panels and enlarged windows continue up this south-oriented facade to bring in the maximum amount of natural light.
    “Each was increased in scale by over 200 per cent, creating a rear facade graced with daylight, views and which elegantly blends into the age-old brick of Boston’s historic architecture,” the team said.
    Large windows run up the south facadeThe building’s third floor is occupied solely by the primary suite – comprising a bedroom, bathroom and closet – and the uppermost storey accommodates an additional bedroom, bathroom and lounge area.
    “A great deal of the joy we found in this project was in the process of shaping it from so many dizzying constraints,” said Leng. “But it also needs to be said that the project could only have been sculpted from the intensely productive collaboration between our two firms.”
    The rowhouse is located in the South End of BostonBoston has no shortage of historic brick houses, many of which have undergone significant renovations to make them more suitable for modern living.
    Examples include a heritage-listed Victorian home that was extended and updated with minimalist interiors by local architecture studio OverUnder.
    The photography is by James Leng.
    Project credits:
    Design architect: J Jih (principal: J Jih) and Figure (principals: James Leng and Jennifer Ly)Structural engineer: Team EngineeringLandscape design: Pate Landscape ArchitectureGeneral contractor: Evergreen Group CompanyMillworker: Kenyon WoodworkingStair fabricator: Stairworks of BostonPlastering: Trowel Inc. Plastering

    Read more: More

    More stories

    • 150 Shares179 Views

      in Rooms

      DAB Studio lines kitchen of Dutch home with oak and Afromosia wood

      by

      Dutch interior design practice DAB Studio has transformed the kitchen of a family home in Zwaag, the Netherlands, by covering the floors and ceiling in one type of wood and the walls and cabinets in another.

      DAB Studio aimed to create a “calm yet soulful” interior with an earthy colour palette made up of tan and neutral shades.
      Quarter-sawn Afromosia wood lines the walls and kitchen unitsThe floors and ceiling were covered in hand-scraped oak with a smoked and black-oiled finish, laid in a pattern of side-by-side plank pairs.
      Afromosia wood, a tropical hardwood native to west Africa, was applied to the walls and cabinets. The wood was quarter sawn to create a decorative grain pattern and add a sense of playfulness to the interior.
      Oak planks were laid in side-by-side pairs on the floors and ceilingDAB Studio co-founders, Lotte and Dennis Bruns, designed the interior to be a space that would balance “feminine and masculine elements” and reflect both of the owners’ design tastes.

      According to the duo, the repeating wood choices for the different surfaces give the space a sense of completeness.
      Marble worktops extend down the sides of the kitchen units”Per the client’s request, we wanted to merge the feminine and masculine vision of their new home, balancing each other out in one curated space,” the co-founders told Dezeen.
      “This allowed us to create unique areas in line with our client’s habits and interests while imbuing the space with a sense of spaciousness and lightness.”
      “In order to merge all elements of the design, it felt important to prioritise the theme of consistency,” the duo added.
      “For that particular reason, the wood of the floor is repeated on the ceiling, and the wood used for cabinetry is continued into the walls of the room.”

      Julia van Beuningen adds spiral stair in Dutch barn conversion

      The centrepiece of the kitchen is the island, which features Afromosia wood cabinet doors and a waterfall countertop made from Arebescato Orobico marble.
      Wood cabinets along one kitchen wall were also topped with a marble worktop, which extends down one side to frame the unit.
      The studio balanced “masculine and feminine” elements in the interiorDAB Studio added a dining nook below a window, designed to be a space flooded with natural light where the family can gather.
      Seating with rounded corners wraps the three walls of the nook. The seating base was covered in the same wood as the interior walls, while the seat and backrest are covered in plush upholstery.
      The quarter-sawn Afromosia wood creates a decorative grainAt the centre of the nook, a rectangular table with two blocky legs made from Arebescato Orobico marble contrasts the rounded seating.
      “The dining nook is where the family can spend time together, welcome new conversations, and create core memories,” said Lotte and Dennis Bruns.
      “The asymmetrical built-in banquette seating feels inviting with its round edges, and adds a dynamic feel to the space.”
      The dining nook sits below a windowDecorative items and free-standing furniture were introduced to the interior to add more rounded elements, including a Wiggle Chair by Frank Gehry.
      Elsewhere in the Netherlands, Francois Verhoeven Architects has created a bungalow clad in vertical timber slats and Julia van Beuningen added a plywood staircase to a barn conversion.
      The photography is by Daniëlle Siobhán.

      Read more: More

    • 100 Shares99 Views

      in Rooms

      Piles of green-hued books characterise London Aesop store

      by

      The interior of London’s most recent Aesop store in Marylebone was organised to reference a bookshop and features bespoke timber cabinetry by furniture designer Sebastian Cox.

      Skincare brand Aesop’s in-house design team created the concept for the Marylebone store, which recently relocated from its original home in the London neighbourhood to Marylebone High Street.
      The Marylebone store features piles of green booksThe team took “material references” from the British Library on Euston Road and attempted to emulate the layout of traditional bookshops by choosing warm timbers and towering piles of pale green books to decorate the interior.
      Divided into a main shop and an area for personal skin consultations, the L-shaped store features handmade cabinetry by Cox throughout.
      Olivier Cousy added frescos to the ceiling troughsThe shelving is defined by gently rounded edges, which Cox crafted from lime-washed oak and stained with linseed oil to enhance the timber’s warm appearance.

      He designed the cabinetry with flexible joinery that would allow the furniture to be disassembled and transferred elsewhere if needed.
      Sebastian Cox designed timber cabinetry throughout the interiorOversized rattan lampshades were also chosen for the main shop area, which displays uniform rows of Aesop products and includes large, metallic communal sinks built into the timber cabinetry.
      The store’s also features ceiling troughs with custom-made geometric frescos by artist Olivier Cousy.

      Brooks + Scarpa recycles cardboard tubes and paper for Los Angeles Aesop store interior

      Cousy was informed by Marylebone’s many green squares when painting the designs, which are geometric arrangements of autumnal colours – compositions that take cues from expressionist artist Paul Klee’s 1922 work Tower in Orange and Green.
      “Architecturally, our design method is to connect to the context of the locale, weaving ourselves into its fabric,” said Aesop chief customer officer Suzanne Santos.
      Wooden sinks characterise the skin consultation areaIn the skin consultation area, a sandy-hued, floor-to-ceiling curtain can be pulled to give customers privacy while geometric timber sinks were built into the space’s cabinetry.
      Known for its array of stores that pay homage to their individual locations, Aesop’s other outlets include a branch in London’s Piccadilly Arcade with marble fixtures that filmmaker Luca Guadagnino designed to reference the area’s jewellery boutiques, and a Cambridge store by British studio JamesPlumb with hemp and bulrush accents that nod to the nearby River Cam.
      The photography is by Alixe Lay. 

      Read more: More

    • 138 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      Oak panels and slatted screens adorn Carroll Gardens Townhouse in Brooklyn

      by

      New York studios Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design have renovated a Brooklyn townhouse for a young family, combining two units into a single home and unifying them through the use of white oak.

      The Carroll Gardens Townhouse was previously laid out as a two-family dwelling, but the owners needed more room for their growing kids, so decided to connect the units.
      White oak acts as a unifying element throughout the renovated townhouseStarling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design were initially briefed to convert and cosmetically upgrade the townhouse, and add spaces such as a mud room, work-from-home and living areas, and a large dining room.
      Once the project was underway, the scope expanded to include a complete overhaul of the layout, a new staircase, an extensive millwork package, and the replacement of the furniture and artwork.
      A large dining area was created to accommodate group gatherings”Aside from giving everyone a little more space to work, live and grow, we also quickly focused on bringing in more light and connection between the various levels,” said Starling Architecture founder Ian Starling.

      Spanning five storeys, the building has a total living area of 3,700 square feet (344 square metres), with four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms.
      Oak millwork continues in the kitchen, which was relocated from the centre of the houseRearranging the program involved moving the second-floor kitchen from the centre of the plan to the south facade, where it received much more light.
      The dining room occupies the adjacent space, enveloped in European white oak panels that extend from a long built-in bench seat, across the ceiling, and down to a slatted screen in front of the stairs.
      Cool hues offset the warm oak flooring throughout the home, including in the lounge areaA walnut table with rounded corners provides enough space for hosting friends and extended family.
      White oak is continued on the staircase across all levels and the flooring throughout, to a corridor and the mudroom, powder room, office and wet bar at garden level.
      Oak panels define a corridor at garden level”All wood for the house was sourced from the same mill in Belgium, where they custom fabricated and finished it to our exact specifications,” said Starling.
      “All of the panels were CNC cut, so we were able to specify exact panel sizes based on as-built dimensions and each panel was divided into equal veneer widths.”
      A mud room was created as part of the renovation scopeThe earthy tones of the wood helped to guide the remaining decor choices, which include cool blue undertones offset by family-friendly materials like purple slate and clay brick.
      Cork lines the office space, while the children’s playroom in the cellar features brighter colours without feeling too juvenile.

      Studio Vural reinterprets Japanese interiors for Warren Street Townhouse

      “With a new layout overall, the clients were in an ‘out with old in with the new’ mentality, going forward with some bold splashes of color along the way,” said Starling.
      “There is a purity about much of the palette, working with organic texture and form rather than applied pattern,” added Lindberg.
      Cork covers the walls in a room used as an officeStarling Architecture is based in Brooklyn, while Emily Lindberg Design has a presence in both New York City and Providence, Rhode Island.
      The two studios previously collaborated on a similar project for friends of the Carroll Gardens Townhouse owners, who recommended them for this job.
      Brighter colours are introduced in the children’s playroom, located in the cellarBrooklyn’s townhouses are in high demand, and new owners waste no time in renovating these historic buildings to meet their needs.
      Recently completed examples include a property on Warren Street, for which Studio Vural used Kyoto merchant houses as a reference point, and a home in Park Slope that was designed to meet Passive House standards.
      The photography is by Eric Petschek.
      Project credits:
      Architecture: Starling ArchitectureInterior design: Emily Lindberg DesignContractor: Euro Art ConstructionWood surfaces: Madera Surfaces

      Read more: More

    • 113 Shares99 Views

      in Rooms

      Cruciform cabinet anchors The Loma Residence by Esrawe Studio

      by

      An oak “skin” wraps the interior of living spaces at this apartment in Mexico City, renovated by locally based Esrawe Studio.

      The two-bedroom Loma Residence in the neighbourhood of Lomas de Chapultepec faces sunset views over the forest, so Esrawe Studio reconfigured the layout to optimise this orientation.
      The Loma Residence was reconfigured so that living spaces could enjoy west-facing vistas and lightWalls and partitions were removed to create a more open living and dining space, where low furniture is arranged so as not to obstruct the vista or prevent the golden-hour light from reaching far into the apartment.
      To deal with a column and create separation from the rest of the apartment in a single gesture, the studio wrapped the structural element in oak and extended low consoles from both sides — forming a cross shape.
      Oak panels wrap a structural column and extend out to form low consoles”Its sculptural expression triggers the operative relationship of the space, defining the leading gesture of the project, and becoming the element that houses books, vinyl records, and a space for a turntable,” said Esrawe Studio, which was founded by Héctor Esrawe.

      Storage cabinets at the same height are continued along a nearby wall, forming part of a much larger expanse of millwork that extends to the ceiling and wraps around the living room.
      A granite island sits in the centre of the minimalist kitchen”The oak wood skin that runs through the space embraces the perimeter of the apartment,” the studio said. “This same skin integrates all doors and entrances to the service areas, creating a visual, warm, and tactile continuity that travels all the way to the master bedroom.”
      The kitchen can also be hidden from the living area by sliding partitions in the same material.

      Chloé Mason Gray utilises “masculine” elements for Mexico City renovation

      When open, these operable panels sit flush within the millwork, which curves in on both sides to also conceal the refrigerator and the access to the pantry, linen closet and wine cellar.
      In the centre of the kitchen sits a green-toned granite island that incorporates four gas burners, and the sink faces a long window that frames the verdant landscape.
      Oak wraps the perimeter of the apartment and continues into the bedroomsSurfaces that aren’t oak are marble, to “provide the space with a sober and contemporary atmosphere” according to the design team.
      The exception is the guest bathroom, which is lined in green quartizite and features a sculptural Tikal marble washbasin designed by EWE Studio — founded by Esrawe with gallerist and curator Age Salajõe, and designer Manuel Bañó to promote Mexico’s craft heritage.
      EWE Studio designed a sculptural Tikal marble washbasin for the guest bathroomEsrawe Studio was named Interiors Studio of the Year at the 2020 Dezeen Awards, and operates from a converted dancehall with an “honest industrial aesthetic” in the Mexican capital.
      The studio’s completed interior projects have ranged from a glossy bar at the city’s Auditorio Nacional to a restaurant informed by Samurai armour and Kanji characters.
      The photography is by Fabián Martinez.
      Project credits:
      Interior design and furniture: Esrawe StudioCreative direction: Héctor EsraweDesign team: Ángel Campos, Javier García-Rivera, Raúl Araiza, Jair Rocha, Viviana Contreras.Visualizations: Madián Alvarado

      Read more: More

    • 125 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Oak furniture and parquet flooring feature in Scandi-style Asket office

      by

      Swedish studio Atelier Paul Vaugoyeau worked closely with fashion label Asket to design its minimalist office in Stockholm, which features oak wood tables, parquet floors and soft white furnishings.

      Atelier Paul Vaugoyeau has transformed a 450-square-metre space on a high street in Södermalm into an office and workshop for fashion retailer Asket.
      Asket has transformed an office space in StockholmThe single-story space, which is located within an 18th-century building, was previously occupied by two separate offices that had been divided up into several small rooms.
      The aim of the renovation project was to celebrate the character of the existing building and pay homage to its “industrial roots”.
      The designers referenced minimalist Scandi design”We wanted to ensure that the design honoured the building’s original industrial roots,” said co-founder of Asket August Bard-Bringeus.

      “The new headquarters is located in an old industrial building from the 18th century which is typical for the district of Södermalm – the former working-class quarter of Stockholm,” he told Dezeen.
      Large oak wood tables are dotted throughout to encourage collaborationBard-Bringeus decided to create a workspace where the fashion label’s employees could meet but also work on new designs for its clothing range.
      The renovated open-plan office consists of a meeting room, a small kitchenette and a designated workspace, which is stocked with tools such as sewing machines and materials to help them design and develop new garments.
      The office has a small kitchenetteIn an effort to embrace the building’s original features, the team chose to strip back the interiors, leaving the original parquet flooring and metal pipes exposed.
      “I’ve always been drawn to the functionalist design movement,” Bard-Bringeus explained. “The work of Dieter Rams was a formative influence – and especially his approach to involve as little design as possible. ”
      “So we followed this doctrine and stripped back the space, consisting of two offices with different identities, to its structural foundation.”
      Soft furnishings were chosen in muted tonesLarge tables custom made by Paul Vaugoyeau were installed in the middle of the main office space, as well as in the meeting rooms and dining area.
      Designed to promote collaboration, the tables are made from oak wood that was sourced in Nyköping – a municipality south of Stockholm.
      The studio hoped that the material, which is commonly used in Scandi interiors, would make the office feel timeless.

      Amos and Amos takes cues from Scandinavian design for AKQA’s new Gothenburg studio

      “What has proven to stand the test of time is the tactile beauty of natural materials,” said Bard-Bringeus.
      “We worked with a lot of wood which lends a natural warmth to the industrial features, balancing out the lustre from metallic fixtures,” he continued.
      “Instead of changing the given space, we worked with what was here and used natural, long living materials, such as metal and oak wood for a timeless design that will last and last.”
      Light enters through multiple generous windowsThe Asket office benefits from plenty of natural light through multiple large windows that provide generous views of the nearby Baltic Sea and the town.
      To amplify this and make the space appear larger, Bard-Bringeus and Atelier Paul Vaugoyeau cast the walls in muted tones such as brown and beige, while translucent cream curtains provide privacy in the two large working areas.
      Metallic tones contrast the warm wood furnitureScandi is a term used to describe designs from Denmark, Sweden and Norway – but has also become a buzzword for minimalist interior design that uses plays with tactile, natural materials.
      Other offices that exemplify Scandi design include Danish brand Menu’s showroom, office cafe and in Copenhagen, which was designed by Norm Architects and Norm Architects’ stripped-back workspace for Kinfolk magazine in Copenhagen.
      The photography is by Erik Lefvander.

      Read more: More

    • 150 Shares129 Views

      in Rooms

      Pitsou Kedem covers Hiba restaurant in Tel Aviv with geometric timber latticework

      by

      Gridded oakwood panels sit alongside rough slabs of granite inside Hiba, a restaurant in Tel Aviv designed by local architecture practice Pitsou Kedem.

      Located in the city’s midtown area, Hiba serves a menu of Arab-Israeli fusion food.
      The restaurant’s use of fresh local ingredients influenced Pitsou Kedem to curate an equally raw, natural material palette for its interior.
      A gridded oak partition runs along Hiba’s entrance corridorGuests are guided into the venue via a narrow corridor with a gridded oak divider on one side.
      Some of the partition’s rectangular slots are blocked off while others are left open, allowing visitors to get brief glimpses of the hubbub happening in the restaurant proper.

      Hiba’s facade and ceiling feature the same latticework, loosely informed by the mashrabiya window screens that are traditional to Islamic architecture.
      The restaurant can seat up to 40 guestsThe corridor opens up into an intimate dining room, which accommodates just 40 guests.
      Dotted throughout are a series of circular oak tables, each accompanied by curved-back oak chairs with woven seats.
      The dining room features oak tables and chairs alongside granite countersSome of the tables back onto a powdered concrete bench that runs along one side of the room.
      Concrete was also applied to the restaurant’s floor, where it was polished to reveal the aggregate within.

      Aluminium screens shield the interiors of Pitsou Kedem’s MA House

      At the back of the room, the practice created what it describes as an “inverted bar”, where liquor bottles are displayed inside a backlit niche in the wall rather than a typical bar counter that projects out into the room.
      Drinks can be prepared here or on the chunky slab of granite that forms a counter at the centre of the room.
      Diners can also sit on a curved concrete benchAnother craggy block of granite forms the base of an oak-topped dining counter that extends directly into Hiba’s kitchen in the corner of the restaurant.
      The kitchen was intentionally left open so that diners can watch the chefs at work and get an insight into the culinary process.
      A niche in the restaurant’s rear wall doubles up as a drinks barPitsou Kedem was founded by Israeli architect Pitsou Kedem in 2000.
      Hiba joins a number of trendy eateries across Tel Aviv including the minimalist vegan restaurant Opa and Bana – a cafe where fresh fruit and produce are arranged into colourful eye-catching displays.

      Read more: More

    • 125 Shares119 Views

      in Rooms

      Norm Architects designs spa-like dental clinic modelled on art galleries

      by

      Warm oak and smooth concrete are among the materials that Danish studio Norm Architects used to create the interiors for this Antwerp dental surgery, which aims to defy traditional, more clinical designs.

      The clinic, called Dentology+, is spread over a cavernous basement area and a ground-floor level. Both have been clad in a neutral material palette that was designed to evoke a sense of calm.
      The dental clinic was designed to defy traditional medical interiorsThe private dental clinic’s basement is made up of a set of dusty grey corridors, which Copenhagen-based Norm Architects designed to make it look as if the rooms were carved from a block of concrete.
      These concrete volumes are interrupted only by carefully selected minimal design elements such as geometric alcoves, pared-back black pendant lights and an earthy-hued circular artwork by Sara Martinsen.
      A cavernous basement area defines half the surgeryA low-slung sofa finished in a light-coloured textile also features in the basement, which was designed by Norm Architects’ longtime collaborator Keiji Ashizawa for Japanese brand Ariake.

      “The need to dwell and retreat to intimate nooks is a basic human requirement that we cannot dismiss when shaping living spaces,” Norm Architects co-founder Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen told Dezeen.
      Circular artwork by Sara Martinsen hangs above a low-slung sofaDentology+’s upper level was designed to be brighter and airier than its basement, while maintaining the clinic’s overall neutral theme.
      Cubes of light oak create walls and doors that are interspersed with objects including a pebble-like vase on a plinth, in a design that takes cues from the interiors of an art gallery.
      Translucent curtains line the windows of the operating rooms.

      i29 creates colour-block interiors for Amsterdam dental clinic

      The choice to design Dentology+’s interior using materials that might be considered unusual for medical spaces was made in an attempt to enhance patients’ wellbeing, according to architect Sofie Thorning.
      “In many ways, we looked more to beautiful spa resorts than classic white dental clinics for inspiration,” she told Dezeen.
      Operating rooms exist within light oak walls”Material translucency and soft, warm light paired with carefully considered, crafted materials work to reshape the patient experience and perception,” she added. “The space is nothing like an ordinary dental clinic.”
      “What we surround ourselves with simply has a great impact on our mood and behaviour, which is why working with natural materials in architecture and design is a simple way to enrich our surroundings and enhance our quality of life,” added Bjerre-Poulsen.
      Afteroom chairs by Menuspace feature on the upper levelFounded in 2008, Norm Architects is a multidisciplinary design studio based in Copenhagen. Other projects by the practice that celebrate neutral and calming interiors include a minimal Chinese tea parlour and a jewellery store in Copenhagen informed by modernist artists’ studios.
      The photography is by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen.
      Project credits:
      Architect & Partner: Sofie ThorningArchitect: Qing YeClient: Dentology+

      Read more: More