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    Tigg + Coll Architects moves studio into converted Victorian mission church

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    Tigg + Coll Architects has converted part of an abandoned mission church in west London into a flexible studio, with the rest of the building set to be turned into homes.

    The studio, led by architects David Tigg and Rachel Coll, has completed the first phase of a redevelopment project that will see all of the Victorian church building in Brook Green brought back into use.
    The Victorian building was previously a mission churchTaking up a third of the building volume, the two-storey Addison Studios features a first-floor workspace for the Tigg + Coll team and a ground-floor space that can be used for meetings or events.
    This ground floor has a flexible layout that can function as a single space or separate zones. It includes a kitchen with an island counter, a materials library on wheels, meeting tables and pin-up areas.
    A first-floor workspace features a restored rose window”We wanted to find a permanent home for our studio that could showcase our ethos and skill sets,” Tigg told Dezeen.

    “When we heard on the grapevine that this local landmark was up for sale and looking for someone to come in and bring it back to life, we were smitten.”
    Original steel trusses are now highlighted in turquoiseLocated in a residential area, the building is believed to be 125 years old. It had been adapted many times, with numerous extensions added, and had fallen into disrepair.
    “It had great bones but sadly had been slowly left to deteriorate, with ramshackle extensions and other alterations that took away from the simple and robust beauty of the existing building,” said Tigg.
    The ground floor is a flexible meeting and events spaceTigg + Coll’s approach was to strip the building back to its original structure and find clever ways of highlighting its history and architectural features.
    Glazing was replaced including a previously concealed rose window that is now the focal point of the building’s gabled end wall.
    It includes a kitchen with a terrazzo island counterBrickwork walls were exposed but only repaired where necessary, while decorative steel trusses were uncovered and painted turquoise to stand out against the white-washed timber ceiling boards.
    “We wanted to allow the reality of the existing building and its materiality to be central to the final finish,” said Tigg.

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    “The principle was to pair it back and make the accents very clear,” he continued. “Nothing was to be covered up if we could help it.”
    “Any existing features not being restored were either relocated to replace damaged or missing elements or left in place and infilled to create a visible collage or quasi memorial of the building’s history.”
    The new mezzanine is built from glulam timber, blockwork and steelA new mezzanine was installed to provide the first-floor workspace with an exposed structure formed of blockwork, glulam timber joists and steel I-beams coloured in a slightly paler shade of turquoise to the trusses above.
    The floor is set back from the windows, creating a clear divide between old and new while new skylights increase the overall level of daylight that enters.
    The first floor is set back from the windowsSeveral new materials are introduced on the ground floor. The pin-up wall is formed of cork, while the kitchen counter is a custom terrazzo made using some of the site’s demolition waste.
    This space allows the Tigg + Coll team to come together for group lunches, presentations or collaborative work. It also provides opportunities for both video calls and formal meetings and could be used for events.
    A cork wall provides a pin-up space”We wanted a calm office that was uplifting, inspirational and unlike a typical work environment,” said Tigg.
    “You can spend time conscientiously working on the mezzanine and then get away from the screen time with a break downstairs. It really helps with mental balance throughout the day.”
    The design aims to celebrate the building’s historyTigg and Coll founded their studio in 2008. They specialise in residential projects, across private homes, housing developments, student living and co-living.
    Past projects include House for Theo + Oskar, designed to support the needs of two children with a rare muscular disorder, and Chapter Living King’s Cross, an innovative student housing project.
    The rest of the building is set to be converted to residentialNow that they have moved into Addison Studios, the architects are set to move forward with the rest of the conversion.
    “We are in an age where it is more important than ever to showcase how the principle of retrofit can not only be a pragmatic and cost-effective choice, but also create immensely warm, characterful and beautiful spaces for working, living and just generally enjoying,” Tigg concluded.

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      Collcoll hides stairs and seats in pixellated wooden structure at Pricefx office

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      Thousands of wooden cubes inspired by the computer game Minecraft conceal utilities and create casual seating areas at this office in Prague designed by architecture studio Collcoll.

      Having previously designed one floor in the Meteor Centre Office Park for pricing software company Pricefx, Collcoll was tasked with outfitting the floor below as part of the client’s commitment to flexible and creative working practices.
      Collcoll has added a pixellated wooden structure to the Pricefx office in Prague”The management and employees of Pricefx use their offices primarily for meetings that stimulate creative dialogue,” said Collcoll.
      “By their very nature, they are an open space for variable use, not subject to the stereotypes of work cubicles or traditional open space.”
      The wooden feature was informed by the computer game MinecraftThe need to link the two levels presented an opportunity to do something interesting with the circulation and service core at the centre of the floor plan.

      Collcoll chose to enclose the staircase with a wooden structure that conceals staff lockers, changing rooms and utility spaces. It also contains a slide that can be used as an alternative to the stairs.
      Collcoll concealed utilities behind the “pixels” and created casual seating areas”Vertically connecting two floors tends to be problematic if the natural flow of the space is to be maintained,” Collcoll explained.
      “The two floors are tectonically connected by a structure composed of thousands of wooden pixels, which modulates the space around it and becomes its internal landmark.”
      A slide can be used instead of the stairsThe composition of 40-centimetre-wide cubes references the blocky, pixellated world of the video game Minecraft. Its external surfaces form semi-enclosed alcoves and amphitheatres that can be used for informal work and presentations.
      The cubes are wrapped in wood veneer that intentionally does not align so the pixels can be arranged in a completely random configuration.

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      The pixel motif is continued by a lighting grid that covers the entire office ceiling and by a projection screen incorporated into a bar counter that also functions as a reception desk.
      The LED light fixtures, which are clearly visible from the street, can be dynamically adjusted to provide optimal lighting during working hours or create a party atmosphere for events.
      The pixel motif continues into the office’s lighting gridThe entire office floor can operate like an open conference hall containing pockets of dedicated functional space such as the cafe with its professional kitchen, bar counter and informal seating.
      A large conference room at one end of the space is equipped with a long table that can seat up to 50 people. The table and the room itself can be divided to form smaller hot-desking spaces or meeting rooms.
      Lighting can be adjusted to create a party atmosphere for eventsA sliding acoustic partition enables the space to function as a recording studio, while transparent walls along one side can be turned opaque to provide privacy.
      The office has no corridors and instead includes various unprescribed zones and circulation areas containing casual seating or lounges with amenities such as a pool table and a punchbag.
      A large conference room integrates with a table for up to 50 peopleA range of presentation spaces are scattered throughout the floorplan. These include dedicated conference rooms and tiered amphitheatres with retractable screens.
      Collcoll chose a neutral material palette comprising concrete, grey carpet tiles, light-grey plasterboard and black-painted ceilings to lend the office a modern, industrial aesthetic.
      Collcoll chose a neutral material palette for a modern and industrial aesthetic”The heavy black-metal tubular furniture corresponds with the concept of technological wiring,” Collcoll suggested.
      “In contrast, the ephemeral changing grid of light chips and sensor systems embodies the direction of industrialism towards the world of software and information.”
      The studio added amenities such as a pool table and a punchbagCollcoll’s name stands for “collaborative collective” and reflects the collaborative approach of its team of architects, designers and researchers.
      Other recently completed office interiors featuring wooden structures include a workspace in Edinburgh by Kin and a design office in Melbourne that aims to be zero-waste by using recycled materials.
      The photography is by BoysPlayNice.

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      Isern Serra completes “serene” office for Spanish eyewear brand

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      Sculptural custom-made furniture adds artistic flourishes to this otherwise minimal showroom and head office, designed by Spanish interiors studio Isern Serra for eyewear brand Gigi Studios.

      Isern Serra was tasked with creating a holistic scheme for the 900-square-metre headquarters, occupying one floor of a building in the town of Sant Cugat del Vallès just north of Barcelona.
      Isern Serra has filled the Gigi Studios headquarters with custom furnitureThe brief called for a design that creates a sense of spaciousness and comfort while reflecting founder Patricia Remo’s vision of Gigi Studios as a brand.
      “It is also serene, warm and elegant and conceptually close to the idea of a studio and away from the concept of a traditional office, without losing the practicality and functionality,” Isern Serra explained.
      Rows of desks were replaced with more intimate work areasThe building’s rectangular floor plan features a central service core housing the lifts and toilets, with the workspaces, meeting rooms, kitchen and showroom occupying the surrounding O-shaped open space.

      Serra and his team positioned the kitchen and showroom at one end of the plan and placed the meeting rooms and client areas at the other, leaving the longer sides open to optimise circulation.
      Concrete bases for the work tables were cast in situVarious bespoke furniture pieces, conceived by Isern Serra as “small works of art”, bring a distinct personality to the different formal and informal spaces.
      These interventions were designed to embody Gigi Studios’ design ethos while standing out against the warm and minimal backdrop.
      “The project aims to experiment with the limits of the workspace and seek a new concept that goes hand in hand with the idea of domus and museum,” Isern Serra explained.
      Curtains can be used to cordon off the lounge areaA large circular sofa framed in stainless steel provides a bold statement in one of the reception areas.
      The sculptural piece fulfils a dual function as a seating area and a space for working, with tables and book storage integrated into the backrest around the perimeter.

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      Similarly, the building’s central core is wrapped in a layer of built-in storage units including circular stainless-steel niches that incorporate shelves for displaying books and materials.
      Rather than a typical office layout with rows of workstations, the large open spaces are separated into more intimate zones with a more domestic scale.
      A Boa Pouf by Sabine Marcelis provides informal seatingNext to the lobby is a design area featuring tables made from concrete that was cast in situ. Task seating surrounds the work table and a taller table is accompanied by stools, while lenses for the different glasses are stored in a custom-made unit.
      The second workspace features a large C-shaped sofa with a concrete base that was also cast in situ. Custom-made tables and one of Sabine Marcelis’s Boa Poufs complete this lounge-style space, which can be visually separated from the rest of the office using curtains on either side.
      The showroom is visible from the office through a circular windowA circular window with rounded edges provides a glimpse of the showroom, which is dominated by two sculptural tables with concrete tops supported by rough chunks of travertine stone.
      A built-in tiered display is used to highlight different Gigi Studios’ eyewear. The rest of the collection is housed in a backlit cabinet, while a mirror-fronted unit conceals a large screen used for presentations.
      The kitchen is located next to the showroom so that the two spaces can easily be used together for events. Here, a homely, Mediterranean feel is created via a five-metre-long sharing table, custom-made alongside the accompanying stools.
      Display tables in the showroom are held up by rough chunks of travertineThe sizeable kitchen island is finished in micro-cement and features a curved base that enhances its sculptural presence.
      A curved corridor incorporating a sofa niche on one wall provides access to offices and a meeting room positioned to have the best views of the surrounding countryside.
      Internal columns are used to support one end of concrete tables built in each of the workspaces, furnished with classic designs including Marcel Breuer’s Wassily and Cesca chairs.
      Large sharing tables allow for communal eating in the kitchenInterior designer Isern Serra founded his self-titled studio in Barcelona in 2008 and works across architecture, interiors and industrial design.
      Previous projects including a rose-coloured shop for Barcelona’s Moco Museum that was based on a computer-generated image and a minimalist office for digital artist Andrés Reisinger, which was named small workplace interior of the year at the 2023 Dezeen Awards.
      The photography is by Salva López with art direction by Aasheen Mittal.

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      Gensler redesigns its own LA office to have “warmth and comfort” of home

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      The team at global architecture firm Gensler’s Los Angeles office has redesigned a floor of its workspace with a hospitality approach, as a pilot for the remaining spaces.

      The Gensler LA team’s renovated its space to give it more of the “warmth and comfort” that its staff became used to during its time working from home.
      The team at Gensler LA redesigned the third floor of their offices to better suit their current workplace needsThe studio’s return to the office post-pandemic came seven years into a 15-year lease of its spaces in Downtown Los Angeles, the firm had converted from an empty bank building in 2011 then expanded to two floors in an adjacent, connected structure.
      With a growing workforce and a desire to rethink the layout, functionality and appearance of the office, a group of the studio’s “next generation” of designers and strategists led an effort to redesign the interiors of the third floor.
      The pilot project incorporates several products from Gensler collaborations, including open shelving and communal tables”The look and feel of our space, though contemporary, lacked the warmth and comfort of the hospitality touches we integrate for our clients’ workspaces and that we had become accustomed to while working from home,” Gensler senior strategist Sarah Koos told Dezeen.

      “Coupled with the changing nature of hybrid work, the space necessitated a transformation that would support a renewed sense of a work-lifestyle.”
      A warm aesthetic that captures the essence of Los Angeles was chosen for the interiorsThe group spent a year listening and learning from surveys, workshops and feedback sessions in which each of the 500-plus employees was able to have a say about their future work environment.
      Many team members had been highly mobile even before hybrid working became popular, so the previous dedicated desk system seemed redundant.
      “Working from home for two years effectively rewired peoples’ expectations of their work environments, a sterile, single-use corporate office no longer spoke to the warmth, variety, and comfort they were afforded in their own homes,” said Koos.
      Plenty of lounge areas with comfy seating were created for employees to useThey therefore set about redesigning the offices with a focus on flexibility, communal work areas and presentation spaces.
      “Rather than confine our designers to a desk or a conference room, we developed a kit-of-parts inclusive of typical sit-stand workstations, communal tables, focus pods, booths, material layout islands, and more,” said Gensler senior designer Kirk Bairian.
      “Gensler is built on a studio system which is critical to our design culture, and each studio was able to use this kit-of-parts to customise their space to reflect the specific ways in which they work.”
      The team devised a “kit of parts” for the different studios to customise their own workspacesA warm, hospitality-forward aesthetic that mirrors the “informal but elevated, casual but curated” essence of Los Angeles was chosen.
      Materials including maple plywood, blackened metal and subtle textiles provide a backdrop for more colourful additions in the form of ever-changing pin-up display boards, styled shelving, artwork by local students and books from local creative businesses.

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      Lounge-style furniture and jewel-toned textiles are placed in the co-working areas to evoke a hotel lobby or coffee shop vibe.
      Several of Gensler’s furniture and fixture collaborations were also introduced, among them the communal tables and open shelcves from a product line created with Fantoni and custom focus pods from a partnership with Tangram’s Studio Other.
      Traditional conference rooms are available alongside more flexible spaces for group workSince the project completed in 2023, the data from badges suggest that employee office attendance has increased by 35 per cent for the studios located in the renovated pilot space, according to the firm.
      “Studios in the new space shared that they felt that working in the renovated space made them more productive, enabled more effective collaboration, and overall, greatly improved their in-office experience,” the team added.
      Maple plywood and blackened metal were among the materials chosen to give the space more of a hospitality feelGensler is the world’s largest architecture firm and has locations 53 locations globally. Its European head offices in Wapping, London, was longlisted in the business building category of Dezeen Awards 2020.
      In 2022, co-CEO Andy Cohen told Dezeen in an exclusive interview that architecture should abandon “top-down” management to improve working conditions.

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      Co-working members’ club The Malin opens wood-filled Nashville location

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      The Malin has designed its work-oriented member’s club in Nashville, its first outside of New York City, with an earthy colour palette and a mix of vintage and contemporary furniture to give it a hotel-like feel.

      Located in the Wedgewood Houston neighbourhood, The Malin is one of a number of creative businesses within the Nashville Warehouse Co, which claims to be the city’s “first large-scale mass-timber building”.
      The mass-timber structure of the Nashville Warehouse Co building is visible throughout The Malin’s interiorsThe building’s timber structure is highly visible throughout the interiors, and the pine ceilings and deep beams add to the warm, earthy palette of the various work areas.
      Designed by The Malin’s in-house team, the club encompasses 16,000 square feet of space that encompasses 48 dedicated desks, seven private offices, five meeting rooms and two libraries.
      Wood varieties including light oak and dark walnut are used throughout the member’s clubAll of these rooms feature rich colours and an eclectic mix of vintage and contemporary furniture, intended to feel more like a hotel than a co-working space.

      “We’re in the hospitality business, so we carefully tailor each location of The Malin to fit the needs of the neighbourhood and professional community,” said The Malin founder and CEO Ciaran McGuigan. “Not only are we providing the highest level of hospitality, but we’re doing it in a refined and beautiful space that contributes to a productive workflow.”
      The club offers both dedicated workspaces and casual areas for members to meet and relaxThe design team decorated The Malin Wedgewood Houston with deep-toned Benjamin Moore paints, Schumacher wallpapers and glazed zellige tiles, while bespoke millwork is executed in dark walnut and white oak.
      A variety of formal and casual seating areas are available for members to utilise as desired, either for individual or group work, or entertaining guests.
      Sofas, communal tables and banquettes are all available for use as desiredLarge communal tables accompanied by cushioned tubular metal chairs, sofas and armchairs with brightly coloured velvet upholstery, and cafe tables beside leather banquettes are among the options available.
      Surfaces of limestone, travertine and multiple varieties of marble – including Giallo Siena, Irish Green, Onice Brecia and Aresbecator Oribico – complement the wood tones and colourful furniture.
      Private meeting rooms are similarly designed to look more like a hotel than an officeMembers also have access to an acre of outdoor community park space for hosting events, and receive discounts and perks at several neighbourhood hotspots.
      “The Malin is committed to providing an environment equipped with personalised services and high-touch amenities,” said the team. “In catering to a tight knit community with a finite number of members, The Malin is able to provide tailored lifestyle management services while offering both the comforts of a home and the resources of an office.”

      The Malin is designed as a vibrant but homely New York co-working space

      The Malin’s first location in Manhattan’s Soho, which opened in 2022, was longlisted in the small workspace interiors category of Dezeen Awards 2022.
      The company has since added spots in Williamsburg and the West Village to its portfolio, making The Malin Wedgewood Houston its fourth.
      The colour scheme throughout the club is warm and earthy, aided by richly toned upholstery and deep paint huesLong-known for its thriving music scene, Nashville is now quickly growing as a destination for other creative industries.
      Recent openings in the city include an outpost of members’ club Soho House – just down the street from The Malin – and a multi-venue dining and drinking destination designed by AvroKO and owned by Sam Fox and Justin Timberlake.
      The photography is by Sean Robertson.

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      Oskar Kohnen fills “well-curated” London office with mid-century modern furniture

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      London studio Oskar Kohnen has outfitted a Mayfair office with mid-century modern furniture and contemporary pieces, which “are so well curated that no one would ever dare to throw them away”.

      Spread across three floors, the office is housed within a rectilinear building in London’s Mayfair neighbourhood with a gridded facade.
      Oskar Kohnen designed the office in London’s Mayfair area”It has a townhouse feeling,” studio founder Oskar Kohnen told Dezeen of the office, which he designed for developer Crosstree Real Estate.
      At its ground level, Kohnen clad the entrance hall with dark-stained wooden panels and added sconce lights to subtly illuminate the space.
      A cream Djinn sofa was placed in the entrance hallAn amorphous Djinn sofa, created by industrial designer Olivier Mourge in 1965, was placed in one corner.

      “We worked a lot with vintage furniture, and as for the new pieces we sourced, we hope they are so well curated that no one would ever dare to throw them away,” said Kohnen.
      The first floor features a living room-style space”Warm and inviting” interiors characterise a living room-style space on the first floor, which was created in direct contrast to the industrial appearance of the exterior.
      An L-shaped velvet and stainless-steel sofa finished in a burnt orange hue was positioned next to white-stained brise soleil screens and a bright resin coffee table.
      Terrazzo accents were chosen for the kitchen”The social spaces have an earthy and calm colour palette – yet they are lush and dramatic,” explained Kohnen.
      A pair of low-slung 1955 Lina armchairs by architect Gianfranco Frattini also features in this space, while floor-to-ceiling glazing opens onto a residential-style terrace punctuated by potted plants.
      Oskar Kohnen added a bright gridded ceiling to one of the meeting roomsSimilar tones and textures were used to dress the rest of the rooms on this level.
      These spaces include a kitchen with contemporary terrazzo worktops and a meeting room with a red gridded ceiling that was set against cream-coloured panels and modernist black chairs.

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      The second floor holds the main office, complete with rows of timber desks and an additional meeting room-library space characterised by the same reddish hues as the low-lit entrance hall.
      “The idea was to create an office space that had soul to it and would offer a more personal take on a work environment, rather than the usual corporate spaces we are so familiar with in London,” Kohen concluded.
      The second floor holds the main officeFounded in 2011, Kohnen’s eponymous studio has completed a range of interior projects, including a mint-green eyewear store in Berlin and a pink-tinged paint shop in southwest London.
      The photography is by Salva Lopez.

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      Method Architecture outfits its Houston office with vibrant mural

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      Texas studio Method Architecture has completed an office for itself in Houston with maximalist design, vibrant colours and a mural at its centre.

      The 8,612-square foot (800-square metre) studio was completed in 2023 with a reception area, open office plan, private and collaborative meeting spaces and staff lounges.
      Method Architecture has completed its self-designed studioLocated in the mixed-use East River development, designed by architecture studio Page, the office was designed to serve as an inspiration source for the studio’s clients.
      “Our approach was to pursue maximalism with the goal of creating an environment where our clients would feel safe expressing their bold and innovative ideas with us,” Ashley Bettcher, Research and Design Specialist with Method Architecture told Dezeen.
      The office was designed to serve as an inspiration source”Creativity has no limits and great design doesn’t necessarily need to cost more. Method’s new Houston office perfectly encapsulates that mantra.”

      The “ego-free” focus of the design is a nearly 50-foot multi-wall mural by local artist David Maldonado, known for creating nearly 20 pieces of public artwork throughout Houston.
      David Maldonado created a multi-wall mural for the studioWith pops of magenta, cobalt, and yellow, the mural features icons from the city and state like the skyline, a rocket for Johnson Space Center, a bluebonnet as the Texas state flower, and the neighbouring Buffalo Bayou.
      The artwork also slips in custom motifs representing the studio, such as Method’s rubber duck mascot.
      Light grey flower-like acoustic baffles hang from the ceiling”This feature piece of artwork helps set the tone for the remainder of the office including bold colors, geometric patterns and shapes and a secondary mural designed and installed by Maldanado featuring drip paint in mirroring colorways located at the back of the office,” the team said.
      The mural is complemented by a 3D-printed wall installation behind the reception desk composed of the studio’s signature “M” logo and the raw ceiling with exposed mechanical lines all painted a vibrant shade of fuchsia.
      Clients pass through a half-arched portalLight grey flower-like acoustic baffles hang from the ceiling adding to the maximalist design. Light blue bicycles are mounted on one wall as another unique installation.
      From the reception area lounge, clients pass through a half-arched portal – created with custom millwork and embedded lights – into the main office space which includes rows of desks over custom greyscale carpet.
      Hotel desk stations accommodate hybrid work stylesHotel desk stations accommodate hybrid work styles for both in-office and at-home work.
      “Cozy architectural work booths are nestled amid the bustling breakroom and office areas, offering a quiet refuge for more private work, private conversations or meals with coworkers,” the team said.

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      The workspace is flanked by six meeting rooms: a large creative conference space, three medium-sized conference rooms and two smaller huddle spaces.
      The all-white conference room was left intentionally blank to showcase the client’s material selections with tunable white lights to adjust the light temperature for each project.
      An M-shaped window cutout opens the conference room to the rest of the officeAn M-shaped window cutout opens the conference room to the rest of the office.
      In the break room, bright blue suede fabric adorns the walls to provide an unexpected texture and pale blue lamp shades – reminiscent of the shape of inverted cupcake liners – serve as a geometric juxtaposition to the rounded banquette boxes.
      Bright blue suede fabric adorns the walls in the break room”Plush, psychedelic-inspired fabrics in meeting booths and distinctive light fixtures keep the space feeling light and fun to inspire creative design,” the studio said.
      In addition to being designed for flexible workflows and teams, the space features multiple sustainable and WELL features like ample daylighting, repurposed materials and ergonomic furniture.
      Other recently completed projects in Houston include Nelson Byrd Woltz’s grassed park that bridges a six-lane highway and Modu’s design for a wellness building with a self-cooling exterior.
      The photography is by Ana Larranaga, Method Architecture.
      Project credits:
      Architecture: Method ArchitectureMEP: Telios EngineeringGeneral contractor: Burton ConstructionFurniture: AGILE Interiors, MDI, OP,Flooring: Interface, Shaw ContractTile: Trinity Surfaces, La NovaTextiles: Knoll TextilesMasonry: Upchurch KimbroughDemountable partitions: DIRTTCountertops: CAMBRIAMural: David MaldonadoLighting: Lighting Associates Inc.Signage: ARIA Signs

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      Michael Hsu converts 1900s Austin house into luxury office

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      Texas studio Michael Hsu Office of Architecture adapted a 110-year-old bungalow into an office for technology and bio-science investment firm 8VC in Austin.

      Completed in 2023, 8VC’s new Austin headquarters are located on a half-acre lot along South Congress Avenue, a busy entertainment district of the Texas capital.
      Michael Hsu Office of Architecture renovated an early 20th-century house in AustinOriginally constructed in 1912, the home was once a brothel and had many renovations, becoming the first building south of the city’s Colorado River to have power.
      “This project preserves one of the few remaining stately houses on South Congress,” Michael Hsu, founder of his eponymous studio, told Dezeen. “The design takes cues from its past by providing a fresh take on vintage inspirations and opens up the space to accommodate modern uses.”
      The design preserved many original detailsUsing the client’s desire for “an office that felt like a home,” the team revamped the two-storey house into a 4,845-square foot (450-square metre) workspace with multiple production, meeting, and gathering spaces — including a 557-square feet (52-square metre) clubhouse tucked at the back of the property.

      The preserved exterior of the building draws on the home’s original stately design but was updated and sealed in a dark matte finished stucco with low-profile dark window frames.
      The ground floor is oriented around hearth spacesRelocating the entry around the side of the property with a grand wrap-around plaza, the home’s original screened porch was traded for a glazed exterior corner that connects the exterior and interior spaces.
      The ground floor consists of multiple indoor and outdoor gathering spaces. The interior is organized around a central enfilade and two hearth spaces inspired by the original brick chimneys.
      The clients wanted a home-like feel to the interiorThe rich, warm-toned interior has a “sophisticated study-like atmosphere is achieved through the careful selection of materials and color-mapped palettes, including walnut wood floors, lime wash paint, striking wall coverings, plaster arches and marble finishes,” the team said.
      Plaster arched openings pass from the white central lounge to jewel-toned gathering spaces – one of which features a ribbed black fireplace that appears to melt into the floor in front of a marble coffee table.
      A mix of modern and antique furniture was used”The furnishings, a mix of vintage and modern pieces with luxe fabrics and textures, create a sense of intimacy.”
      Designed to be “luxurious but not ostentatious”, the office features textured and sculptural accents like a leather-wrapped reception desk by David Ambrose and a grand chandelier by Karen Hawkins that hangs in the centre of the staircase.

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      Above, the plan was reorganised with a large open desk layout in the southern corner along the glazed wall and private offices lining the northwestern and northeastern walls.
      “The interior was inspired to feel fresh but like it was original to the house,” the team said with “multiple moments of surprise and intrigue depending on where you are in the space”.

      Between the main office and the separated clubhouse is a large outdoor gathering area shaded by the heritage tree canopy that the team preserved during construction.
      “It was important to us that the building and its design reflect the values of our company and our mission,” 8VC founder Jake Medwell told Dezeen. “It took years to find and build out the right place and we are very happy with the outcome.”
      Recently, Michael Hsu Office of Architecture adapted a 1930s church in Austin into a studio for argodesign.
      The photography is by Chase Daniel.
      Project credits:
      Landscape: MHOAGeneral contractor: The Burt GroupMEP: AYSStructural: StructuresOwner’s rep: Darrell Arevalo, Urban TerraWaterproofing: ActonCivil: WGISignage: BIG

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      Civilian draws on “grandeur” of early cinemas for Sandbox Films offices

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      New York studio Civilian has designed the headquarters for a documentary production company in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, which includes an art deco-influenced screening room.

      The offices for award-winning Sandbox Films are located in a landmarked 1920s neo-gothic skyscraper, and provide the company with its first dedicated workspace.
      Civilian’s interiors of the Sandbox Films offices draw upon multiple references, from old movie theatres to colours used by Danish modernist Poul HenningsenSpread across 4,200 square feet (390 square metres) of space, the program includes an open-plan reception area that doubles as an events space, a conference room, private and open offices, and production and editing suites.
      There’s also a 22-seat screening room with a Dolby Atmos sound system, in which the team and their visitors can preview the completed or in-progress cuts.
      In the centre of the reception area is a custom, double-sided sofa upholstered in velvet and boucle fabricsThe non-profit documentary production company makes cinematic science films, many of which have won or received nominations for prestigious awards.

      Among them are Fire of Love, which was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 95th Academy Awards in 2022; Emmy-winning Fathom; Sundance winner All Light, Everywhere; and Fireball, co-directed by Werner Herzog.
      Another custom design is the meeting room table, which has ash legs and a white lacquered top”Inspired by [our] clients’ love for the craft of storytelling, the space was informed by the grandeur of the amenity-rich yet intimate early movie houses of Stockholm and Amsterdam, art deco cinemas, the architectural colour gestures of Danish modernist designer Poul Henningsen, and the vanished world of interwar New York conjured by the project’s Broadway address,” said Civilian.
      The reception area revolves around a circular stone-topped bar, which demarcates a staff pantry area by day, and can be used for serving food and drinks for events.
      Vintage pieces sourced for the space include a pair of swivelling Milo Boughman chairs”With an active roster of screenings, events and a residency program for independent filmmakers, the space acts as an office as well as a dynamic center of gravity for New York’s nonfiction film community at large,” the team said.
      A custom double-sided, Pierre Chareau-inspired boucle and velvet sofa sits opposite a pair of refinished Milo Boughman swivel chairs.
      A bar area in reception acts as a pantry by day and is used for hosting events in the eveningMarquee lights are installed in rows along the sides of the existing ceiling beams, with additional sconces mounted on the plastered pantry wall.
      Structural columns have been wrapped in travertine cladding to highlight thresholds between the different spaces.
      Wood panelling and film posters hark back to art deco movie theatresOn either side of the reception, acoustic partitions with glass panels and mint-green frames cordon off the bright conference room and a private office.
      Furnishing the conference room is a custom-designed meeting table that combines a solid ash frame and a high-gloss curved lacquer top, surrounded by vintage Tobia Scarpa Sling Chairs.
      A communal workspace features sit-stand desks, oak dividers and plenty of ledges for plantsFrom reception, a neon-lit burgundy door leads into the screening room, where three tiers of seating face the large screen like in a mini movie theatre.
      The cushioned seats are upholstered in soft powder-blue fabric, which contrasts with walnut wainscoting, and sound-absorbing brown wool wall panels that conceal the equipment.

      Gensler and Civilian transform 1930s Detroit post office into workspace and technology centre

      Each chair has an individual armrest table for placing drinks or writing notes, complete with a small light created in collaboration with Lambert et Fils.
      More private offices, sound-proofed editing suites and an open workspace are accessed via a short L-shaped corridor.
      A 22-seat screening room allows the team and their visitors to preview documentary filmsIn the communal work area, sit-stand desks feature white oak divider panels and are topped with a stone ledge for displaying objects and plants.
      “This project has given us an opportunity to draw from so many inspiring references, from its iconic Broadway location to historic theatre architecture, to create an elevated and layered space that supports the work Sandbox is doing to uplift documentary film talent,” said Civilian co-founder Ksenia Kagner.
      The screening rooms boasts a Dolby Atmos sound system, and includes chairs with individual armrest tables for drinks or note-writing”We also felt it was important to be responsive to the changing priorities of the modern workplace, creating open, multipurpose spaces that nurture interaction and foster a sense of community,” she added.
      Civilian was founded in 2018 by Kagner and Nicko Elliott, and the designers have since completed projects ranging from the transformation of Detroit’s historic Book Depository into a headquarters for tech company Newlab, to the renovation of a historic Bed-Stuy townhouse for themselves.
      The photography is by Chris Mottalini.
      Project credits:
      Client: Sandbox Films (Simons Foundation)Client rep: Cushman and WakefieldCivilian scope: Interior design, creative direction, furniture designArchitect of record: LB ArchitectsMechanical engineer: WB EngineersAV engineer: SpectraAcoustic engineer: WSDGProduction studio consultant: Tom PaulContractor: L&K Partners

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