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    Ivy Studio renovates fire-damaged Piatti restaurant in Montreal

    Dark green marble, glossy black tiles and sculptural lighting contrast the rough stone walls of this Montreal restaurant that has been resurrected by local Ivy Studio.

    Located in Rosemère, on Montreal’s north bank, Piatti opened 15 years ago in an old stone building that was previously extended to accommodate a larger commercial space.
    A pizza oven wrapped in green marble forms a focal point at PiattiAfter a fire ripped through the Italian restaurant over a year ago, damaging the roof and the interior, the owners chose to renovate and update the space.
    “From this tragedy rose the opportunity to give the space a much-needed facelift,” said the Ivy Studio team, who took on the project.
    Entrance to the kitchen is through an arch set into a pistachio-coloured wall”While the overall aesthetic is very contemporary, the decor was inspired by traditional Italian design and includes textures, materials and colours that project clients directly to the Mediterranean,” the studio added.

    The two-storey building is entered on the lower level, where the preparation kitchen, a private event room and the washrooms are situated.
    A sienna-toned banquette is installed beneath a mirrored wallUpstairs are the dining areas, each with a distinct atmosphere. When entering past courses of glossy black tiles, customers are met by a “monumental” pizza oven wrapped in green Saint-Denis marble.
    A black stained-wood and marble structure in front acts as a dining and service area, across from a hand-plastered pistachio wall with an arch that leads to the closed kitchen.
    The bar area is located in the old stone buildingAbove a sienna-toned velvet banquette, a mirrored wall helps to make the dining space feel larger – reflecting its cream walls and sheer curtains.
    Bistro chairs with green seats and caned backs are placed around tables.
    Lighting and stools were custom designed for the barA circular wood-topped table sits on zig-zag black and white tiles below a central bespoke chandelier.
    The bar occupies the old stone aspect of the building. Here, a U-shaped counter is clad with vertical oak boards and topped with a four-inch-thick travertine slab.

    Jack Rose is a grungy “tropical themed” restaurant in Montreal

    Custom stools made from velvet, steel and wood are lined up against the bar, colour-matching the banquette upholstery in the dining room.
    Minimal, custom cream-painted lamps are spaced along the length of the counter, while a steel structure suspended above holds bottles behind fritted glass panels.
    A pendant light hangs above a table in the corner of the bar area”The entire room has recessed lighting going around the ceiling to properly highlight the original stone walls in the evening,” said Ivy Studio.
    Montreal is home to a wealth of Italian restaurants with notable interiors, several of which have opened over the last few years.
    Ivy Studio based the contemporary decor on traditional Italian designThey include pizza spot Vesta and Tiramisu at the city’s Hilton hotel – both designed by Ménard Dworkind.
    Among Ivy Studio’s other hospitality projects in the Quebec capital is Jack Rose, an eatery in a former auto body shop.
    The photography is by Alex Lesage.
    Project credits:
    Team: Gabrielle Rousseau, David Kirouac, Guillaume B Riel, Philip StaszewskiConstruction: Groupe Firco

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    Studio Terpeluk renovates Albert Lanier-designed Noe Valley home

    San Francisco-based Studio Terpeluk has renovated and expanded Redwood House in Noe Valley with redwood interiors and terraces.

    The three-storey Redwood House was originally designed by American architect Albert Lanier – husband to sculptor Ruth Asawa – in a hilly  San Francisco neighbourhood characterised by Victorian and Edwardian houses.
    Studio Terpeluk renovated an interior in Noe ValleyStudio Terpeluk was selected to expand the 1976 house from 2,260 square feet (210 square metres) to 3,218 square feet (299 square metres) with a new guest room suite, home office, wet bar and media room.
    The renovation “surgically modified the house in an architecturally non-aggressive manner,” the studio said.
    Western red cedar was used for the walls and ceilingWrapped with irregular western red cedar planks, the narrow house cascades down the hillside with exterior courtyards that mitigate the grade change.

    One enters the house through an intimate courtyard off the street into an open-plan upper level with a sloping ceiling and dark-knotted Douglas fir flooring made from local reclaimed pier pilings.
    Many of the walls and ceilings were updated with vintage rough-sawn redwood veneered plywood maintained from the original build.
    “Redwood surfaces and structural elements complete the warm interior landscape: from the sloping roof beams to partition walls and built-in shelves,” the studio said.
    The renovation expanded the homeTo the left of the entrance is the kitchen with custom-gloss cabinets and a Carrara marble backsplash. It opens to a dining room that features a Saarinen table and Hans Wegner wishbone chairs.
    To the right is the library where sunlight from the large window brightens the dark panelling and sculptural furniture.
    Bright panelling contrasts the rich wood tonesThe living room is oriented around a pink sculpture by American artist Wanxin Zhang.
    Padded seating wraps the corner under a large window looking out to the San Francisco skyline.
    The living room has wrap-around seating and views of San FranciscoThe house is centred around a staircase illuminated by a skylight.
    “The sculptural blackened steel stair with vintage rough-sawn redwood plywood walls anchors the house, weaving together the three floors and their diverse spatial character,” the studio continued.
    The home is oriented around a central staircaseThe middle level features guest suites with direct access to the entry courtyard.
    The primary suite is softened by light pink terrazzo tile and a micro mosaic of Indian red recycled plastic tiles.
    The home’s colour complements the art collection of the owners”Color was a recurring theme in the exquisite and eclectic art collection of the owners,” studio founder Brett Terpeluk said.
    “This went perfectly hand in hand with my interest in mid-century Italian design and its bold use of color.”
    A series of terraces connect the home with the sloping site”We collaborated with our friend and designer Beatrice Santiccioli to enrich the project with a dedicated and bespoke color language,” he continued.
    At the lowest level, a media room, home office and kitchenette open to an abundantly landscaped garden.

    Jeff Svitak builds blackened Redwood House with private studio for himself in Southern California

    The outdoor areas were designed by Terpeluk’s wife and longtime consultant, Italian landscape designer Monica Viarengo.
    The terraces shift from curated gardens to wild vegetation as one moves through the property, while the plantings reference California coastal landscapes with yellow roses, espaliered fruit trees and a variety of thymes.
    A guest suite connects to the central courtyardStudio Terpeluk was founded in 2008 by Brett Terpeluk, after he finished a tenure working with Italian architect Renzo Piano.
    Other Noe Valley renovations include the Gable House by Edmonds + Lee, a renovated Victorian townhouse by Fougeron Architecture and an industrial home for a tech entrepreneur by Levy Art and Architecture and Síol Studios.
    Photography is by Joe Fletcher.
    Project credits
    Project team: Brett Terpeluk, Huy NguyenLandscape design: Monica ViarengoColor consultant: Beatrice SanticcioliContractor: Saturn ConstructionStructural engineering: Strandberg EngineeringFurniture: Santiccioli ArredamentiOrama sliding window systems: CooritaliaWindows: BonelliWood reclaimed wood flooring: ArboricaMetal fabrication: Upper Story DesignDrapery/upholstery: Malatesta & CoArt: Catharine Clark Gallery

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    Andrea Leung conceals “secret spaces” within renovated Tribeca Loft

    A dividing wall that’s part transparent, part mirrored separates the public and private spaces of this loft apartment in Manhattan, which architect Andrea Leung has renovated for herself.

    New York-based Leung discovered the 1,600-square-foot (150-square-metre) Tribeca Loft within a historic building, and gut-renovated its interiors to suit her needs and tastes.
    The Tribeca Loft is divided by a partition that runs the full length of the space”One look at the raw space, and I knew exactly the sort of refuge I wanted to create,” said Leung. “One that unfolds and reveals itself slowly, that wows you initially with its grandeur and then capitalises on your curiosity.”
    The architect used the hidden spaces of her grandmother’s Vancouver apartment as a precedent for the project, which she completed during the Covid-19 pandemic while living in the space throughout.
    The building’s original cast-iron columns contrast white walls and oak floors”Secret spaces fascinate me,” she said. “My grandmother’s penthouse pied-à-terre was full of them. Push on the correct mirror, and it opened into a hidden tatami room. Lean on the right bookcase, and a dimly lit hallway led you to her own personal oasis of calm.”

    Work to update the tall, sun-drenched corner unit involved removing a mezzanine level to relieve areas squashed below.
    Leung custom designed several pieces of brass and walnut furniture for her apartmentIn its place, the private rooms were grouped and neatly organised along one side, leaving the public space for entertaining completely open.
    An entrance hall, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a closet and a bedroom are now enclosed behind a partition that stretches the full width of the apartment, and can be accessed through swinging and folding panels.
    The bedroom is visible from the living area through transparent panels, while the primary bathroom is only revealed when mirrored doors are folded backWhile the bedroom remains visible through floor-to-ceiling, transparent glass panes, the other smaller rooms are concealed by mirrors and reduced in height to help with spatial proportions.
    “The wall of mirrored doors allows the main living space to transcend its physical limitations and appear to double in size, while the generous windows with their original wavy glass are also reflected, bathing the walls with soft refracted light,” Leung said.
    A freestanding oval tub is surrounded by pale grey stoneThe building’s original cast-iron Corinthian columns remain exposed and stand out against the minimalist colour scheme of white walls and wide-plank oak floors.
    In the living area, the furniture includes several brass and walnut pieces that Leung custom designed, including the dining table, credenza and console.

    Raad Studio turns two Tribeca lofts with exposed arches into huge apartment

    Brass accents are continued in Lee Broom’s Eclipse Chandelier and a custom coffee table designed by Leung while an associate at Steven Harris Architects for the now-shuttered Barneys Chelsea Flagship.
    The kitchen is lined with marble and patinated brass millwork, while the primary bathroom features a freestanding oval tub framed by surfaces of softly-veined grey stone.
    The kitchen features marbled walls and patinated brass millworkDecor in the bedroom is also restrained by a greyscale palette, whereas the second bathroom accessed from the entryway is enveloped in veined marble with bright metallic accents.
    Tribeca, a Lower Manhattan neighbourhood defined by and named after the triangle below Canal Street, has an abundance of loft spaces in formerly industrial and warehouse buildings.
    Bright metallic accents enliven the otherwise minimal second bathroomA large number of these have been converted into residences and later renovated, with examples including an apartment where walnut cabinetry and sliding doors replace walls, and a duplex connected by a hanging, blackened steel spiral staircase.
    Leung’s Tribeca Loft is shortlisted in the Apartment Interior category for the 2022 Dezeen Awards – see the full Interiors shortlist here.
    The photography is by Sarah Elliott.

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    OEO Studio adds Nordic influences to Japandi-style apartment in Tokyo

    Copenhagen-based OEO Studio combined muted colours and textured materials to create the interiors for this renovated Tokyo apartment that is characterised by its Japandi design.

    Located within the Opus Arisugawa housing complex in central Tokyo, the apartment’s interior was renovated to combine design influences from Japan and Scandinavia – a trend known as Japandi.
    The apartment’s interiors take cues from Japanese and Scandinavian designOEO Studio intended to create a serene atmosphere by adopting minimalist interior design and mainly natural materials throughout, both of which are hallmarks of the Japandi style.
    The apartment’s entryway includes a rammed-earth wall surrounded by a slatted rectilinear wardrobe that was custom-made in calming honey-hued wood.
    Curvy sofas feature in the living roomLow-slung concrete seating is also built into the hallway, which doubles as a sculptural plinth for a ceramic vase by Christian Bruun.

    A mixture of deep indigo tiles and paper yarn rugs made from Finnish birch but embroidered with Japanese textile-style patterns cover the floors.
    Wooden cabinetry lines the kitchen”The interiors reflect the studio’s cross-pollination of Japanese and Scandinavian design ideas, drawing inspiration from both cultures and reinterpreting them in new ways,” said the firm.
    The hallway leads to an open-plan living room filled with interiors in neutral tones, including cool stone floors and sleek furniture finished in smoked oak, oiled pinewood and soft wool.

    OEO Studio creates colourful cantina for Copenhagen eatery Hija de Sanchez

    Curvy Taylor sofas by Shanghai brand Stella Works are arranged around an organically shaped timber coffee table, while artworks by Jaakko Mattila line the walls.
    Japanese Ōya stone was used for the columns that divide the living area and brightly lit kitchen, which includes tactile wooden cabinetry.
    A minimal dining space with black-stained ash chairs also features alongside the kitchen.
    The bedrooms are defined by the same refined styleThe apartment’s three bedrooms also have a mixture of refined textures and shapes, while the singular pared-back bathroom displays a statement wooden bathtub at its centre.
    “We worked carefully with the zoning and the transitions between the rooms in the apartment to create an evocative yet calm, welcoming and comfortable atmosphere,” said OEO Studio.
    A light wooden bathtub features in the bathroomFounded in 2003, OEO Studio has created a number of similar projects including a Tokyo restaurant that references both Danish carpentry and Japanese gardens in its interiors.
    The firm recently created a cafe and shop at Designmuseum Denmark that pays homage to architect Kaare Klint’s original design.
    The photography is by Michinori Aoki.

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    Memola Estudio leaves concrete structure exposed for Gale Apartment in São Paulo

    Balancing natural and industrial materials was a key focus during Brazilian studio Memola Estudio’s renovation of this São Paulo apartment.

    The gut renovation of the Gale Apartment for a couple in the western area of the city involved creating connections between the various rooms and updating it to better match the owners’ “cosmopolitan” tastes.
    Memola Estudio stripped back walls in the apartment to reveal the concrete structureOther goals for the overhaul included highlighting their art collection, creating better connections with views of greenery outside and generally refreshing the atmosphere inside.
    To contrast the wooden floors Memola Estudio removed walls and parts of the ceiling, and stripped back finishes to expose the building’s concrete structure, piping and ductwork.
    A Portuguese mosaic stone wall was painted white in the double-height living areaAmong the partitions demolished was one between the entry hall and the main living space, so that a direct line of sight now connects the two.

    Coming off the elevator in the centre of the apartment, visitors are now offered a view straight through to floor-to-ceiling windows beyond the dining table, and out to the balcony accessed from the lounge.
    Walls were removed to allow views directly from the entryway to the windowsThe dining area was extended to fill in part of the balcony area, forming an extra indoor space for casual seating.
    “Now transformed into a mix of lounge and bar, a low wooden table at its centre and the comfortable armchairs around it invite long conversations,” said the studio of this space.
    Part of the balcony was converted into a bar and seating areaThe more formal seating area is double-height, with the end wall covered in a Portuguese stone mosaic that was repainted white, and another acting as a gallery wall that displays the clients’ contemporary artworks.
    Furniture in this room is mixed and matched in terms of both style and material, but all items carry earthy tones.
    In the kitchen, the ceiling was removed and pharmacy-style cabinets were added”Old and new share neutral hues and the furniture has been reupholstered to match the new color palette, inspired by the autumn and the sunset colors found in the horizon,” Memola Estudio said.
    Particular attention was paid to the usability of the kitchen, where the ceiling was again ripped out and new cabinets and counters were installed.
    Custom, freestanding metal units based on vintage pharmacy counters are placed along one wall, providing an open surface for appliances, as well as cabinet storage above and below.
    In reconfiguring the layout of this corner of the apartment, a wood-topped kitchen island and a pantry were built and a storeroom was formed in part of the old laundry room.
    Another balcony was turned into a TV and music room”The kitchen’s renovation promotes the sharing of experiences around meal preparation and its everyday enjoyment,” said Memola Estudio.
    The home has three bedrooms, all located at the back of the apartment and decorated in neutral shades.
    A neutral colour palette was used to refresh the bedroomsEach has an ensuite bathroom with walls tiled or wood-lined in a slightly different shade of green.
    There’s also a TV room, created within a space that previously functioned as a second balcony, featuring a deep, green sofa and a drum kit beside the window.
    Bathrooms were also updated in different shades of greenMemola Estudio is based in São Paulo, where apartment living is extremely common in the dense urban environment.
    Other renovations in the city that aim to add personality to the interiors include a home enlivened with green tiles, a residence for a fashion designer decorated in vivid hues, and an apartment where exposed pipes are painted in pastels tones.
    The photography is by Fran Parente.

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    Caged wooden galleries feature in Puzzle Link apartment by Gheorghe

    Architecture and research studio Gheorghe has inserted two triangular cross-laminated timber structures into a loft in Vienna as part of its renovation of the apartment.

    Set within a historic building in Vienna’s 13th district, the top level of the apartment was designed to encourage interaction between a couple and their children.
    Two cross-laminated timber (CLT) structures, which dominate each end of the space, were designed to provide the occupants with places to work, play and look down onto the open-plan living and dining area below.
    Made up of 698 planks the structures incorporate shelves, storage space, seating areas and tables. They are both be accessed by a set of timber stairs.
    Puzzle Link is a loft apartment in a historic building in Vienna”Through the wooden structure the built-in attic becomes a place of approach by enabling visual relationships, warmth through used materials and a hybrid zone between different spatial functions,” said Gheorghe co-founder Andrei Gheorghe.

    “We wanted to create an aesthetic and practical connection, to gain additional spatial functions and to make the spacious intermediate space multifunctional and to make it a meeting place,” Gheorghe told Dezeen.
    Two wooden galleries dominate each end of the spaceThe Vienna-based studio redesigned the attic floor for the family who required a “sustainable, unique and functional” space to live. According to Gheorghe, the warm-toned timber was used for its ability to be reused if needed.
    “The inspiration for the design was marked by the fact that it needed to be sustainable, unique and functional,” Gheorghe explained.
    “This is the perfect material for us, on one hand offering the necessary structural strength and dimensions but also the possibility of being reused,” he added.
    “This is a sustainable material because all the leftovers after the milling process could be further processed towards wood pellets.”
    They are made from 698 planks of cross-laminated timberEach two-by-five plank was CNC-milled by a local carpentry company. The planks were then constructed using 3D-modelling techniques and scripting technology to give the structures their unusual, jigsaw-like shape.
    This is also what led the studio to name the project Puzzle Link.

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    While transforming the space, the studio also looked to maintain its original historical features.
    The Viennese tiles that lined the building’s original staircase, which had been saved and stored by the client, were cleaned and reused for the floor of the raised platform that runs inside alongside the terrace.
    Although the apartment has been sparsely decorated, a few key pieces of furniture that the family collected while travelling abroad are placed around the space.
    The apartment is sparsely furnishedA minimalist Shaker hearth by German fireplace manufacturer Skantherm sits underneath the timber stairs while a floor-to-ceiling bookcase can be found inside one of the timber structures.
    A black storage unit made from coated MDF, paper and acrylic resin in the open plan area provides contrast to the otherwise whitewashed wooden furnishings.
    Elsewhere, a skylight punctuates the slanted roof and along with several smaller windows, floods the space with natural light.
    Other Viennese apartments include Beletage Apartment by British architect Alex Graef, an apartment with restored oak flooring and clean white walls.
    Meanwhile, Slovenian architecture studio Kombinat renovated an apartment in the Austrian capital into a hybrid living space with room for both cooking and working.
    The photography is by Frame9.

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    Michael Hsu converts 1940s Houston church into Asian smokehouse

    US firm Michael Hsu Office of Architecture aimed to preserve the character of a gabled church in Texas while transforming it into a lively Asian smokehouse called Loro Heights.

    The project – located in Houston’s Heights neighbourhood – involved the conversion of a red-brick church dating to 1948 into a restaurant with an “active and casual atmosphere”, the team said.
    Michael Hsu has converted a gabled church into a restaurant named Loro HeightsRoughly L-shaped in plan, the building consists of gabled volumes that are set around outdoor space. Original elements included a sanctuary with a vaulted ceiling and exposed wooden trusses.
    Local firm Michael Hsu Office of Architecture wanted to honour the building’s history while incorporating features that align with Loro’s style and character.
    The building’s features include exposed wooden trusses and gabled roofs”It was important for us to preserve the existing character of the church,” said architect Michael Hsu, who founded his studio in 2005.

    “The design celebrates the vast sanctuary space and maintains the existing wooden trusses, while other elements relate directly to the Loro brand.”
    The smokehouse was informed by old Texan dance hallsIn addition to Houston, Loro restaurants are found in Austin and Dallas. The eateries offer barbecue fare with an Asian twist, such as char stew pork belly with a hoisin sauce and smoked beef brisket with Thai herbs.
    In terms of ambiance, the restaurants are designed to evoke old Texan dance halls and the “welcome feelings of socializing around a family table”, the team said.
    A lighting installation by Fibrous hangs from the ceilingWith these factors in mind, Hsu and his team re-conceived the building’s exterior and interior.
    On the front elevation, the team clad one side of the building in Western red cedar and Douglas fir, and cut away a portion of the wall to form an opening partly covered by a wooden lattice.
    Dining tables were added to the front porch and the former church sanctuaryJust behind the opening is a “front porch” with dining tables. Suspended overhead is a custom lighting installation by Fibrous, a studio in Austin.
    “The piece consists of massive ropes knotted together to form a delicate network akin to a chandelier, which grounds the high ceiling,” the team said.

    Wooden ceiling curves over restaurant in Austin by Michael Hsu

    The porch connects to the former church sanctuary, which has been transformed into a dining hall and bar.
    In addition to the vaulted celling and trusses, the space features newly added windows and skylights, which bring in daylight and brighten up the formerly dark space.
    White-oak furnishings complement the dark-stained cedar interior wallsInterior walls are clad in dark-stained cedar that mimics the appearance of charred wood. Wall pegs offer a clever spot for hanging coats and potted plants.
    Seating options include booths and long, communal tables, along with counter tables in the bar area.
    Woven chandeliers created by the architects with León León Design are suspended above the tablesThe white-oak dining furniture, along with other decor, was custom designed and fabricated for the space. Woven chandeliers were created by the architects in collaboration with Mexico City’s León León Design.
    Beyond the main dining hall, there is a kitchen, an outdoor beer garden, and a smoker yard for the preparation of meat. A portion of the building has a second level, which holds mechanical equipment.
    The studio preserved the church’s exposed wooden detailsOverall, the adaptive reuse project has provided a welcoming space for diners while also preserving the community sprit of the church building, the team said.
    “Today’s Loro restaurant serve as a space for neighbourhood gatherings and community connection,” said Hsu.
    Michael Hsu Office of Architecture is based in Austin and has an outpost in Houston. Other projects by the studio include the conversion of a former Manhattan printing house into Shake Shack’s headquarters, and a Miami sushi restaurant that embodies the “perfect contrast” between the materials, techniques and styles of Japan and Florida.
    The photography is by Chase Daniel.

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    Konishi Gaffney converts 1950s garage into artist's studio with a sense of “civic grandeur”

    Architecture studio Konishi Gaffney has overhauled a 1950s garage in an affluent Edinburgh suburb, adding a rhythmic facade made up of wooden battens.

    The Scottish studio was challenged with turning the existing concrete garage into a functional artist’s studio, while being sensitive to the existing Georgian property in The Grange.
    The converted garage sits beside the original stone Georgian houseKonishi Gaffney devised a scheme that involved filling in the existing garage door, raising the structure’s roof to match the height of the house’s ground floor and incorporating the property’s side gate into the facade.
    These changes unified the structure’s appearance from the road creating a sense of contemporary “civic grandeur”, as well as facilitating secure side access to the back garden.
    The grid of battens frame a window and conceal a side gate”As a practice we’ve been exploring ways of expressing the structure of cladding in projects,” said Konishi Gaffney.

    “We started by setting up the vertical timber battens and horizontal cladding in a rhythm of fins across the facade.”
    Windows and skylights allow plenty of natural light to enter the studioTimber was selected for its affordability, sustainability and its capacity to weather appealingly.
    The battens were carefully orientated to allow water to drain off them and prevent water from pooling, as well as to catch light and form interesting shadows across the facade.

    Konishi Gaffney repurposes church into versatile community hub

    The existing structure was insulated and the walls and ceiling punctuated by two aluminium clad windows and a skylight, providing the studio space with ample natural light for the artist to work in during all seasons.
    The creative function of the structure’s interior is referenced in the facade, which was intended to read “like a musical score,” and “continue beyond, separated from the house, like a stage-front.” according to the architects.
    Wooden elements feature in the studio’s interior as well as on its exteriorThe wooden composition of the frontage continues on into the garage’s interior, which has a ceiling clad in dark stained wood with protruding beams.
    Other garage-related projects featured on Dezeen include an orange-painted timber-framed garage extension by McCloy + Muchemwa and a garage in Amsterdam that was transformed into a family home by Barde + VanVoltt.
    The photography is by ZAC and ZAC.
    Project credits:
    Architect: Konishi Gaffney ArchitectsStructural engineer: EntuitiveJoiner: Andrew MacdonaldCladding supplier: RusswoodWindows: VelfacPhotographer: ZAC and ZAC

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