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    Studio8 transforms 1930s Hangzhou villa into hotpot restaurant

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    Promotion: Chinese architecture practice Studio8 has renovated the interior of a 1930s villa in Hangzhou, China, transforming it into a hotpot restaurant and cocktail bar that celebrates the building’s history.

    The Gud restaurant and bar includes a roof terrace, dining space on the upper floors and bar on the ground floor.
    The 496-square-metre space occupies a three-storey building that was built in 1939, as well as a later-built extension and the ground floor of an adjacent property.
    Antique hotpots are displayed throughout the interiorAlthough the villa had previously undergone a number of renovations, when designing the restaurant Studio8 aimed to maintain the building’s original features, including the street-facing facade.
    Service areas, including the kitchen, restroom and staircase, are located in the extension and adjacent building, leaving the full space of the historic villa for restaurant dining and the cocktail bar.

    The cocktail bar features red velvet seatingThe Gud restaurant specialises in hotpots, which lead Studio8 to study the culture of the cuisine and introduce aspects of it into the interior design, creating a “museum-like experience”.
    The project’s design was informed by three stages of making and experiencing hotpots – the heat from the fire that cooks it, water as the main medium of the food, and the elevation of the flavour coming from the steam.
    Studio8 used the themes of “heat, medium and elevation of flavour” to influence the function, materials, textures and light used in each space.
    The restaurant interior was informed by hotpot cuisineThe cocktail bar on the ground floor of the historic villa was designed to be a lively space. It features a red floor, a fireplace, structural columns that display antique hotpots and red velvet sofas.
    Part of the original brick wall was left exposed and a recessed mirrored ceiling at the perimeter of the room makes the space feel larger and more luxurious.
    The interior nods to the building’s history”As the first element, heat is a fundamental design factor on the first floor, where human interactions were planned out accordingly,” said Studio8.
    “The aim was to create a warmer and more welcoming space at the beginning of the hotpot experience, where people and friends meet first, have a cocktail and wait for everyone to arrive.”
    The restaurant features glass-brick nichesOn the upper floor is the restaurant’s main dining area, which features glass-brick niches in the walls where windows used to be.
    At the sides of the dining area, Studio8 opened up the ceiling to expose the wooden roof structure.
    The third floor includes a private dining room”After passing through the heated cocktail bar, comes the second element, water – the medium that reunites all elements,” said Studio8.
    “Family and friends are seated together in groups around the round tables on the second floor for the food experience, a process that the architects relate to water reconstructing the atoms of the ingredients.”
    A roof terrace overlooks the cityThe building’s original timber staircase was removed and a new enclosed staircase that connects the three floor levels was added in the patio area.
    The staircase has double glazed U-shaped glass partitions along its floors with a “lighting system to represent the continuous energy flow transition”.
    A terrace and private dining room are located on the third floor of the villa.
    A new enclosed staircase that connects the three floor levels was added in the patio area.”Here, the customers are reconnected with the city and able to look at it from different heights and angles, corresponding to the last element, steam, the elevation of taste,” said Studio8.
    “The simply designed interior shows off the geometric shape of the attic, while benches on the roof allow customers to have a more exclusive interaction with the city.”
    The staircase has double glazed U-shaped glass partitions along its floorsStudio8 is currently working on a number of renovation projects that aim to respect the history of the building, including the transformation of hotels and restaurants.
    The photography is by Sven Zhang.
    Partnership content
    This article was written by Dezeen for Studio8 as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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      Design + Health exhibition in Valencia highlights importance of design in the health sector

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      Promotion: exhibited as part of World Design Capital Valencia 2022, the Design + Health exhibition showcases the influence of design on advancements in science and medicine.

      Presented at the Valencian Museum of Enlightenment and Modernity (MuVIM) in Spain, the exhibition aims to illustrate how design has been used in the health sector to improve people’s wellbeing.
      The exhibition takes place from 11 November 2022 to 16 April 2023, during Valencia’s tenure as the World Design Capital 2022.
      The exhibition is part of World Design Capital Valencia 2022The Design + Health exhibition combines research from various design industries, including architecture, interiors, industrial design, graphic communication and fashion.
      Organised into 25 themes, the display outlines the progression of science and medicine by reviewing past disciplines, analysing current practices and illustrating future possibilities.

      The exhibition examines the impact of design within the health sector”Design in itself cannot cure anything, but neither could a vaccine if we did not have a syringe to inject it with,” said exhibition curator Ramón Úbeda.
      “Designing is part of the solution, it is not an added value but rather intrinsic to the development of any innovation for the social good.”
      It covers designs from a range of industries, including architecture, interiors and fashionThe exhibition contains over 500 examples of design for health, including creations from renowned designers and architects such as Charles and Ray Eames, Barber Osgerby, Philippe Starck, Yves Béhar, Nendo, Piero Lissoni, Matali Crasset, Benjamin Hubert, Raw Color and Tokujin Yoshioka.
      On display for the first time in Spain is the Emergency Bike, an electric bicycle design currently being tested in Paris.
      The bike was created by creative agency Wunderman Thompson to allow doctors to cut through road traffic and reach medical emergencies faster.
      The exhibition contains over 500 examples of health product designsOne of the aims of the display was to promote design for the health sector, which is often overlooked compared to designs that are more prominently featured in magazines, such as furniture and lighting.
      “This is probably one of the most ambitious exhibitions in the entire programme of Valencia World Design Capital 2022,” said Xavi Calvo, general director of the year-long programme.
      On display is a medical electric bike”The open, witty and didactic nature of this exhibition will bring society as a whole closer to such familiar and vital issues as health and the search for wellbeing,” Calvo continued.
      The exhibition concludes with the screening of the documentary The Hospital of the Future, which was created by Dutch architecture studio OMA.
      Design + Health exhibition takes place at the Valencian Museum of Enlightenment and Modernity, Valencia, Spain from 11 November 2022 to 16 April 2023 as part of World Design Capital Valencia 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
      Partnership content
      This article was written by Dezeen for World Design Capital Valencia 2022 as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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      Shaw Contract announces the winners of its 2022 Design Awards

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      The winners of the Shaw Contract’s 2022 Design Awards, which include an orthopedic hospital in USA and a workplace in a restored building in Brazil, are revealed in this captioned video produced by Dezeen for the brand.

      Flooring company Shaw Contract recognised five winners in the 17th edition of its Design Awards, which celebrates impactful living, working, learning and healing spaces around the world.
      Each of the winners was awarded a $2,000 charitable donation in the name of their studio to an organisation of their choice.
      HGA’s design of the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Centre was noted in the awards.”The Shaw Contract Design Awards program is our chance to recognise the spaces that inspire new ways of living, working, learning, and healing through the design lens,” said Shaw Contract.
      “The awards place a spotlight on a diverse range of talents from across the globe, celebrating design in action and purposefully rewarding the innovative and truly inspiring work being done by the architecture and design community.”

      In total, five winners were chosen from 37 finalists, narrowed down from almost 600 project submissions from 37 countries by a panel of design professionals.
      The Hilton Singapore Orchard hotel was awarded in the hospitality categoryThe winners included architecture firm HGA , which won an award for its Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Centre in Akron, USA.
      Three workplace design projects were also recognised. These were the mining IGO offices in Perth, Australia, designed by Rezen + Templewel, the headquarters of Sede Insole Energia in Recife, Brazil, designed by Mobio Arquitetura and the EY Melbourn workplace in Australia by Gensler.
      EY Melbourn was recognised for workplace designThe final winner was the Hilton Singapore Orchard hotel in Singapore, designed by Avalon Collective, which won an award in the hospitality category.
      Read more about all of the winners on Shaw Contract’s Design Awards website.
      Partnership content
      This video was created by Dezeen for Shaw Contract as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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      Thermory wood cladding forms backdrop to Grand Emily Hotel in Ukraine

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      Promotion: design agency YOD Group has designed the interior for the Grand Emily Hotel Lobby and Terra restaurant near Lviv, opting for Thermory’s rustic wood cladding throughout.

      The hotel, which was completed this year despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, is located in the Ukrainian town of Vynnyky near Lviv. The hotel and restaurant form a part of the Emily Resort that YOD Group has designed with a natural, tactile aesthetic.
      YOD Group used Thermory products at the Emily Resort in UkraineIts aesthetic was achieved using a mix of natural and natural-looking materials, including material manufacturer Thermory’s range of Drift cladding.
      This saw YOD Group awarded the best interior project in the Thermory Design Awards Grand Prix competition, which was held by Thermory for its 25th anniversary.
      The agency created the interior for the Grand Emily Hotel LobbyIn the Grand Emily Hotel Lobby, the Thermory thermally modified Drift cladding is used across the walls.

      It was selected for its worn, rustic appearance, which is intended to evoke reclaimed wood without sacrificing quality or durability.
      Thermory’s Drift cladding was used throughoutSelected in shades of Black Pearl and Smoked Brandy, the cladding provides the lobby with “touchable surfaces” that form a natural backdrop to the space.
      “We aimed to get the visual lightness and tell the story about the morning breeze that passes on the lake surface and combs the reeds,” said YOD Group designer Volodymyr Nepiyvoda.
      The wood gives the interiors a natural aesthetic”We created this emotion by the structure of the boards that we used for the wall covering of the hall,” added Nepiyvoda.
      The cladding also forms a suitable yet contrasting backdrop to a large sycamore tree that is suspended through the Grand Emily Hotel Lobby, forming its centrepiece.
      YOD Group’s aim was to give the hotel “touchable surfaces””We rejected the idea of a massive chandelier in the atrium in favour of a strongly meaningful installation,” explained Nepiyvoda.
      “A tree means connection with roots and family values, growth, and development, strong bar, and flexible branches. It connects the earth and space.”
      YOD Group also designed the resort’s Terra restaurantOver in the Grand Emily Hotel’s Terra restaurant, Thermory Drift Cladding has also been used.
      YOD Group used the material to help blur the boundary between the restaurant interior and a terrace outside that is lined with American sweet gum trees.
      The Thermory wood is also used in the adjoining terraceAccording to Nepiyvoda, it is designed to encapsulate the landscape of western Ukraine.
      “We reflect all of that in the interior of Terra restaurant,” they said. “Vast expanses, rich colours, textures and flavours, generous nature, lust for life, and existential joy.”
      To find out more about Thermory products and how they are used, visit the brand’s website.
      Partnership content
      This article was written by Dezeen for Thermory as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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      Modern Age longevity clinic creates calm with 3form resin interiors

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      Promotion: longevity clinic Modern Age has opened its flagship studio in New York City, with an interior design featuring translucent 3form materials, which aims to create a welcoming environment.

      The Modern Age studio offers a wide range of treatments and products, including IV drip therapy, botox and wrinkle relaxers, vitamins and hormone therapy.
      The flagship clinic was designed in-house by the brand’s head of studio design Madelynn Ringo, who wanted to create a calm and welcoming environment for clients undertaking treatments.
      The Modern Age studio uses translucent 3form Chroma resin throughout its interiorTo achieve a futuristic look, 3form’s Chroma resin material was chosen to feature in several places to create consistency throughout the interior while conjuring the desired mood.
      Chroma is a thick resin that 3form describes as offering high clarity and light transmission, which is durable and cleanable enough to be used even for horizontal applications such as tables, benches, boxes and counters.

      Its look is highly customisable with an array of finishes, diffusions and effects, and a choice of more than 250 colours.
      A peachy coral hue of Chroma was chosen for the suite doorsRingo wanted to create private spaces within the studio without reducing the light transmission, so she used Chroma in a peachy coral hue to make translucent pocket doors for the suites, and then applied the material again as shelving in the retail area to tie the interior together.
      The material helps the space to look glowy and inviting and has the advantage of being easy to work with.
      “3form’s materials are similar to glass, but are much lighter weight,” said Ringo. “This allows us to fabricate it in other ways that would be too heavy if we tried to use glass.”
      “Sometimes we can send it to our fabricators to craft into different shapes, which is easier and safer to cut than glass onsite.”
      The same colour is echoed in the retail area’s resin shelvesModern Age was also keen to work with environmentally friendly materials, and 3form’s material has the GreenGuard Gold certification for being low in chemical emissions and the Declare Label disclosing all of the ingredients in the final product.
      Ringo completed the space with more textured materials and finishes that provide a contrast to Chroma. They are also meant to hint at the ageing process and the beauty of imperfections.
      “Everyone has their own imperfections and we highlight that through the materiality of the space,” said Ringo. “The veininess of the terracotta tiles represents signs of ageing. The walls have a painterly limewash, to not show something that was too refined.”
      3form is an American brand that manufactures a range of resin, glass and felt materials for various architectural applications. In addition to its environmental sustainability goals, it also holds a Just Label, which recognises its social justice and equity outcomes.
      Visit 3form’s website for more information on Chroma and its other products.
      Partnership content
      This article was written by Dezeen for 3form as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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      Fiandre covers Armenian church in porcelain slabs printed with 1.5 million unique motifs

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      Promotion: Fiandre Architectural Surfaces porcelain slabs, digitally printed with 1.5 million icons, cover the facade of an Armenian church in Texas designed by New York-based architect David Hotson.

      For the facade of Saint Sarkis Armenian Church in Carrollton, Texas, architect David Hotson and Yerevan-trained architectural designer Ani Sahakyan worked closely with Italian architectural surface manufacturer Fiandre to create a facade that works at a series of visual scales.
      The church is covered with Fiandre porcelain slabsThe church’s western facade that surrounds its entrance is clad with porcelain slabs depicting a traditional Armenian cross or “tree of life” with distinctive floral branching arms. This Armenian symbol of faith in the face of suffering and of resurrection and redemption serves as a memorial to the victims of the Armenian genocide.
      Viewed more closely, as the visitor approaches the church, the cross is composed of interwoven botanical and geometrical motifs drawn from Armenian art. These motifs represent the bonds of ancestry and tradition that have bound the Armenian community together across centuries of challenge and upheaval.
      Examined from even closer proximity, visitors will be able to see that the slabs are covered with individual icons or pixels, each one centimetre in diameter.

      Printed at a high resolution using Fiandre’s “Design Your Slab” or DYS printed porcelain slab system, the tiny icons – 1.5 million in total – cover the entire church facade. All of the icons are unique and derived from the circular emblems that recur throughout Armenian decorative arts.
      The ceramic slabs are printed with 1.5 million icons based on ancient Armenian motifsThe 1.5 million unique icons are designed to symbolise the individuals who were murdered in the Armenian genocide. The scale of the individual icons that are spread across the entire building facade is intended to make tangible the scale of this historical atrocity.
      To create the facade design, a computer script was developed by architectural designer Ben Elmer to generate the icons based on ancient Armenian ornamental motifs.
      These icons were scaled to fit a total of 1.5 million on the facade and were distributed according to density to form larger-scale patterns when viewed from a distance.
      The ceramic surfaces are also UV-resistantThe motifs were printed to the exact pixel modules required onto Fiandre’s large-format, exterior-grade, UV-resistant porcelain rain screen slabs.
      “The facade is believed to be the first use of this technology to optically engage the viewer in a series of visual scales nested inside each other, from the scale of an entire architectural facade to the scale of individual pixels each rendered in high-resolution at the threshold of visual perception,” said Fiandre.
      In addition to the memorial facade, Fiandre supplied the full range of porcelain interior and exterior floor, wall and soffit finishes used throughout the Saint Sarkis Campus.
      The Armenian church in Texas is designed by New York-based architect David HotsonNew York-based Hotson’s design for the new church building is modelled on the ancient church of Saint Hripsime, which stands near Armenia’s modern capital of Yerevan.
      Having withstood fourteen centuries of upheaval, Saint Hripsime serves as a symbol of the endurance, perseverance, and resilience of the Armenian people. The cornerstone of Saint Sarkis was laid in 2018, fourteen centuries after Saint Hripsime was completed in 618 AD.
      “From this brief, Hotson developed a design that looks forward as well as backward, marrying ancient architectural and artistic traditions reflecting Armenia’s cultural legacy as the world’s first Christian nation with contemporary digitally-driven design and fabrication technologies,” explained the manufacturer.
      To learn more about Fiandre Architectural Surfaces, visit the brand’s website.
      Partnership content
      This article was written by Dezeen for Fiandre as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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      Tristan Auer designs Blade Runner-inspired bathroom for Axor

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      Promotion: drawing on the aesthetic of the film Blade Runner, architect Tristan Auer has designed a neon-lit bathroom concept for Axor to suit an imagined male client.

      Auer created the concept as part of the German brand’s Distinctive project, which tasks some of the world’s leading architects with creating highly individual bathrooms.
      Auer was free to design whatever he wanted, but had his imagination sparked by a suggestion in the brief that the bathroom sit in a high-rise apartment in Hong Kong.
      Tristan Auer’s bathroom concept was partly inspired by the aesthetic of Blade Runner”You know Blade Runner from Ridley Scott? Hong Kong is like that — something that is building on top of itself. Different layers,” he said.
      “You have the crowd on the street level, and then, as you elevate, it’s more and more futuristic. It’s why I combine old antiques pieces with very modern textures.”

      From this starting point, Auer developed a dark bathroom that combines reflective stainless steel elements with neon lighting and a mix of different travertine stones.
      He wanted to give the bathroom a masculine feel with ’80s touchesAxor’s Edge faucets, designed by Jean-Marie Massaud, further fuelled his worldbuilding around the design, as he says their diamond-cut pyramidal pattern reminds him of an 80s icon, the ST Dupont lighter.
      “I don’t smoke, but I like to touch. So that sets the stage — Dupont, those colors, those ambiances,” he said, explaining that, in combination with the “masculine” travertine, it helped him to build a picture of his imagined client.
      “It’s for a man. Definitely selfish. The guy is only thinking about himself. He likes to collect. He’s a hedonist.”
      The pattern on the Axor Edge faucets fuelled Auer’s imaginationAs well as the Axor Edge washbasin faucet and freestanding bath faucet, Auer’s bathroom features the Axor ShowerHeaven and Axor Edge thermostat in the shower and Philippe Starck’s ultramodern Axor Universal rectangular accessories.
      They all have a polished gold optic finish, which adds to the bold and moodily space-age look of the bathroom.
      “Axor Edge is great, and not only because Jean-Marie is a good friend,” said Auer. “I would have liked to have designed it before him!”
      The Axor Edge tapware is by Jean-Marie MassaudAuer describes himself as an “interior and emotion” architect, because of how he reads and interprets his clients’ wishes, drawing inspiration from them rather than imposing his own style.
      He started his career with French interior designer and architect Christian Liaigre, who worked wholly bespoke at the time, and says he learned to design everything down to the door handle.
      Auer mixed layers of modern elements and antique pieces in the bathroom concept”I know the artisans,” he said. “I know the process. And individualisation is very interesting because, for me, that’s luxury, to have something made for you.”
      Individualisation of living spaces is the focus of Axor’s Distinctive project, for which Auer and fellow architects Sarah Poniatowski and Hadi Teherani have all designed highly personalised bathrooms.
      Axor sees individualisation as a growing trend, with people seeking more personal expressions of style following decades of globalisation and standardisation.
      To view more of Axor’s products, visit its website.
      Partnership content
      This article was written by Dezeen for Axor as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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      Attitude of “permanent renewal” drives retail success says Colette co-founder Sarah Andelman in Liganova talk

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      Promotion: Sarah Andelman, co-founder of Parisian concept store Colette, has discussed the unexpected approaches needed to succeed in the future retail landscape in a talk hosted by Dezeen and brand retail experts Liganova during Milan design week.

      Andelman was in conversation with Dezeen’s chief content officer Benedict Hobson at brand and retail experience company Liganova’s Salone Club, a live event held in a lounge overlooking the rooftops of Milan.
      The event explored the topic of the future of retail and how brands can create relevant and meaningful experiences in stores through curation and collaboration, with Andelman drawing on her decades of experience helming Colette alongside her mother, Colette Roussaux.
      The talk included Mathias Ullrich, Ben Hobson and Sarah AndelmanThe Paris boutique – opened in 1997 and widely considered one of the most influential stores in the world – brought together fashion, streetwear and beauty products. The space also included a gallery, bookshop, cafe and “water bar” serving more than 100 varieties of bottled water.
      Mother and daughter kept things fresh by changing the windows and displays every week, and Andelman said that it was the fact that they would always “renew ourselves” that meant people would come back to see what’s new.

      “We would always push and try to introduce things we haven’t seen yet, and this permanent renewal,” she said. “It was a mix of brands and mix of events. I think this energy helped create what Colette was.”
      Andelman is the co-founder of Parisian concept store ColetteColette closed in late 2017 when it was almost at the height of its popularity and Andelman says going out on a high when the time felt right was “the best decision we took”.
      The next year she founded her consulting agency, Just an Idea, which has worked with brands including Valentino and Nike to produce unique and tailored retail experiences.
      Andelman considers collaboration one of the keys to current and future retail success but says it has become harder than ever to make an impression in the space.
      Sarah Andelman was in conversation with Ben Hobson at Liganova’s Salone Club at Milan design week 2022″Now there are so many unexpected collaborations that you’re not surprised anymore,” she said. “It’s really everywhere.”
      “We had so many collaborations of brands with artists, brands with brands, I think now maybe we’ll talk to writers, to architects, to hospitality, to find new ways of developing a new format of collaboration to bring a new dimension to the classic collaboration,” she continued.
      Curation is also key according to Andelman, who urges curators to embrace their idiosyncracies without fear. It is something she and Roussaux were known for at Colette, which presented high-end labels alongside undiscovered emerging designers.
      Andelman spoke in front of an audience of Liganova partners, clients and friends”For a good curator I think you need knowledge, you need to know what exists, you need to be super curious, to have to go to multiple trade shows, showrooms, anything,” she said. “You hear, you read, you follow information, you really just follow your instinct, to not try to duplicate something you have seen somewhere else.”
      In the future, she believes the real world and metaverse will come to intersect in the retail space, requiring continuity of approach from brands.
      At the same time, there will continue to be a place for bricks-and-mortar stores, especially “retail experiences” that capture the senses and are almost museum-like in their approach.
      The live talk took place in a rooftop lounge looking out over Milan”I think bricks and mortar are here to stay if there is this extra touch to make it the opposite of the internet, this human service, maybe a drink, this extra service that you won’t find online,” she said.
      “I think it’s fantastic for brands like Jacquemus to have a concept like its pop-up at Selfridges,” she said. “It’s a focus on one bag. You feel the water, you hear the sound.”
      “In an experience, I think you need all of these: the sound, the smell, the touch and the fact that it’s not a system that they will duplicate in Tokyo, New York, but they really take the time to design something different for each market,” she continued. “The challenge is to keep it short and to renew and do something completely different next time.”
      To learn more about Liganova, visit its website.
      Milan design week 2022
      Salone Club took place on 8 June as part of Milan design week 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
      Partnership content
      This article was written by Dezeen for Liganova as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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      Sarah Poniatowski designs teal and teak indoor-outdoor bathroom for Axor

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      Promotion: interior designer Sarah Poniatowski has drawn on her connection to the French seaside to create a tranquil bathroom concept for Axor combining teal tiles, teak wood and bronze fittings.

      Poniatowski, the founder of Maison Sarah Lavoine, designed the concept as part of Axor’s Distinctive project, which presents personalised bathroom ideas from leading architects and designers.
      The Paris-based designer answered the brief with a coastal indoor-outdoor bathroom, referencing the place where she feels most connected with nature.
      Sarah Poniatowski’s seaside bathroom concept for Axor includes an outdoor shower”I have a deep connection with the south-west region of France,” Poniatowski said. “It’s so authentic, and nature is everywhere. It’s the most relaxing place in the world for me.”
      “The goal was to emphasise the surroundings with an indoor-outdoor bathroom and create a relaxing space with a summer holiday feeling.”

      Poniatowski’s concept includes an outdoor shower area that flows on from the main bathroom, where multiple doorways, large mirrors and louvre windows allow in plentiful light and enhance the feeling of being immersed in nature.
      The design combines raw pine and teak wood with a travertine stone washbasinWood floorboards and panelling along the walls and ceiling give the space a cabin-like feel, but one enlivened by Poniatowski’s material and colour combinations.
      Along with raw pine wood panelling and teak frames, the interior features a travertine bathtub and washbasin, teak tiling and, in the indoor shower, a feature section of multicoloured Zellige tiles that introduce blocks of deep purple and pale pink.
      Poniatowski describes it as “a place where you can daydream yet relax, be creative yet stand still, enjoy the outside while being in your very own bubble”.
      The indoor shower features multicoloured tiles”It’s all about balance,” she said. “Hence the choice to play with contrasts.”
      Poniatowski completed her bathroom concept with Axor’s Starck fittings, designed by Philippe Starck, in the brushed bronze FinishPlus surface finish.
      The fittings include the Axor Starck Nature Shower outdoors, another slender shower column indoors, two faucets on the washbasin and a floorstanding faucet at the tub.
      The bathroom is completed with Axor Starck fittings in brushed bronzePoniatowski sees the tapware as creating another opportunity to bring balance through contrast, with the Starck designs having linear, contemporary forms and smooth finishes that punctuate the organic-looking bathroom surfaces.
      “The design of the Axor Starck collection is very distinctive,” she said. “It was important to create a setting in line with it: emphasise it but don’t overwhelm it, and vice versa.”
      Poniatowski created her concept bathroom to suit an imagined personality who loves to travel and appreciates a fast-paced life while also knowing when to stand still and contemplate.
      The fittings provide a contrast to the raw and natural materialsShe designed it as part of Axor’s Distinctive project, which explores the rise of individualisation in personal living spaces via concept designs and discussions with experts and partners.
      The brand sees the trend as a response to decades of globalisation and standardisation, with people now seeking more personal expressions of luxury and style.
      “No one is the same, and this is what I love about my job — meeting people and creating something like nothing before,” said Poniatowski.
      To view more of Axor’s products, visit its website.
      Partnership content
      This article was written by Dezeen for Axor as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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