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      Four-storey spiral staircase forms focal point of BSP20 House in Barcelona

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      A towering spiral staircase and a golden kitchen are some of the features that Raúl Sánchez Architects has introduced in its renovation of this townhouse in Barcelona’s Borne neighbourhood.

      BSP20 House has been in the making since 2013, when Raúl Sánchez Architects was approached by the building’s owners to turn it into a live-work space where they could stay during visits to the city.
      A white spiral staircase rises up from the ground floorHowever, due to regulatory issues, construction works didn’t begin for another seven years. During this period the already dilapidated building fell into further ruin, and at one point was even used as a squat.
      When the renovation finally got underway in August 2020, Raúl Sánchez Architects decided to completely gut the building, only leaving behind the four exterior walls and roof.
      This level of the home also features a brass kitchen suiteAs a result, three new floor levels have been inserted, each installed in such a way so that they don’t touch the building’s front or rear facades.

      Some of the resulting gaps have been filled with panes of glass, allowing residents to steal glimpses of different levels of the home.
      The staircase grants access to each of the home’s four levelsA huge void on the right side of BSP20’s interior now accommodates a white spiral staircase that winds up through the ground, first, second and third floors, all the way to the decked terrace on top of the building.
      Positioned directly above the stairs is a glazed opening that lets natural light filter deep into the plan.
      Rooms have largely been left empty so they can be used for different purposesSeeing the building in such a bare state at the beginning of the renovation process encouraged Raul Sanchez Architects to keep its rough, time-worn brick walls.
      “Those four walls, over 15 metres high, are a museum of the building’s history, where any trace of its construction, and of its use, will be left unaltered, exposed in all its crudeness,” said the studio.
      Raúl Sánchez Architects has preserved the building’s original brick wallsA similarly hands-off approach has been taken with the rest of the interior; most rooms have been largely left without fixtures and fittings so that, if necessary, they can be used for different purposes in the future.
      On the ground floor there is a kitchen, its cabinetry crafted from lustrous brass.
      “In terms of materiality, a certain refinement has been pursued in the new elements to be implemented, in opposition to the crude expressiveness of the existing walls, conscious that the space must house a home,” explained the studio.
      Natural light seeps in from a glazed opening above the staircaseOn the second floor there is only a bathroom lined with cream-coloured lacquered wood, finished with gold-tone hardware.
      The electrics, air-conditioning system and telephone wires have also been concealed within six steel tubes that run upwards through the home.
      Pale lacquered wood lines surfaces in the bathroomWhen it came to restoring BSP20’s facade, the practice had to follow strict heritage guidelines – but it was granted more freedom in the appearance of the front door.
      It’s now clad with three different types of aluminium, and features a graphic rhomboidal design that nods to the patterned hydraulic floor tiles seen inside the house.
      The home was given a new geometric-print front doorRaúl Sánchez Architects has completed several residential projects in its home city of Barcelona.
      Others include The Magic Box Apartment, which features a huge gold wardrobe, and Atic Aribau, which has bright, stripped-back interiors.
      Photography is by José Hevia.
      Project credits:
      Architecture: Raúl SánchezArchitecture team: Valentina Barberio, Paolo BurattiniStructure consultant: Diagonal ArquitecturaEngineering: Marés Ingenieros

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      MAWD revamps lobby and atrium of Denver tower designed by IM Pei

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      Design studio MAWD has redone the interiors of an IM Pei tower in Denver, Colorado, including the lobby and an adjoining Philip Johnson-designed atrium.

      The London and US-based interiors studio redesigned aspects of the interiors at the 23-storey commercial tower 1700 Broadway in downtown Denver for Beacon Capital.
      MAWD updated the 27,000-square-foot (250-square-metre) lobby and atrium – the latter attached in 1983 by architect Philip Johnson, almost 30 years after the tower’s completion.
      MAWD redesigned both the lobby of the IM Pei tower and the attached atriumRebranded as the Atrium Campus, the extensive redesign of 1700 Broadway – which was the first skyscraper in the city – includes an update to the security desk, a lounge, and updates to the streetscape.
      Influenced by the mid-century architecture of the original design, MAWD included a massive communal fireplace with travertine accents. The coherence with the original was achieved through using repurposed stone from other parts of the building.

      The front desk was placed back and out of the way, and is surrounded by wooden louvres”We drilled into the mid-century details that were prevalent, authentic and ‘of-the-moment’,” said Elliot March, design lead on the project.
      The designers surrounded the fireplace area with long and short tables for gathering, as well as booths along the walls. Wooden louvres were placed over the welcome desk to highlight the green wall behind it.
      The seating around the lobby looks out into the atrium “streetscape”The lobby is framed by the black colonnades that define the structure from the street, which open up to the atrium.
      Johnson’s sloping atrium, which wraps around the lobby, was redesigned as an extension of the “streetscape” indoors. From the entrance is a walkway between the walls of the atrium and the open lobby, where benches, greenery and fixtures that imitate street lamps were placed.
      Steps were added in the atrium to increase social spaceThese elements lead up to an addition that the designers refer to as “Spanish steps”.
      This structure is pyramidal and works with the changes in elevation of the site to create more sitting and social areas in the atrium.

      “With IM Pei’s death, the last of the modern monument makers has passed”

      The steps climb towards a mezzanine that connects the atrium to a covered walkway over Broadway, as well as to the second floor of the building.
      On the second floor, MAWD revamped 9,300 square feet (863.9 square metres) for amenities including a gym, yoga studio, and conference rooms.
      MAWD added a lounge space on the second floorThe purpose of the design, according to MAWD was “to attract leading companies during the area’s tech boom, providing flexible and responsive spaces for the future of work”.
      The legacy of Chinese-American architect IM Pei, who died in 2019 aged 102, continues to draw interest; the Mesa Lab in nearby Boulder, Colorado, has become a focal point for architectural photographers. His structures that have received updates in recent years include Eskenazi Museum in Bloomington, Indiana, renovated by Ennead Architects.
      The photography is by Robert Benson.

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      La Firme reorganises centuries-old Montreal loft with contemporary finishes

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      Montreal architecture studio La Firme has reorganised an apartment in a 1800s textile mill, using cabinetry to shape the new interior configuration.

      The Elmire Condo was completed for a young couple in Montreal’s Plateau Mont-Royal area.
      “This project took a space in a mid-19th century building that’s been a textile mill, a Campbell’s soup factory, and finally a condo complex,” said La Firme, a local studio whose name means simply The Firm.
      The apartment is located Montreal’s Plateau Mont-Royal areaLa Firme left much of the original structure exposed, including tall, rough-hewn timber beams and brick walls with structural arches as passages between rooms.
      According to the studio, these original elements serve as a “counterpoint” to their intervention, which consists of a series of white oak cabinets that delineate that redefine the rooms, while offering an abundance of storage for the owners.

      La Firme left structural arches and brickwork exposed”These contrasting elements organise the space into a rectangular area for the kitchen and salon, and an L-shaped loft for the master bedroom and bath, with a combination gallery, conservatory and meditative space,” said La Firme.
      The studio was able to include two bathrooms as part of the renovation: one for guests and the other within the primary bedroom. Plenty of stone is used throughout the apartment, reflecting the owner’s passion for geology.
      The apartment features a raised salonWithin the ensuite bathroom, a wall is finished in Calcatta marble that was bookmatched to create a subtle geometric pattern with the veins of the stone. “Natural light comes in from the gallery space through a band of glass blocks, in a wink to 1980s condo design,” La Firme explained.
      The long kitchen countertop sits partially at bar-height, then transitions to table height due to a step in the apartment floor. “The kitchen embodies [the client’s] love of minerals and culinary passion,” said La Firme.

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      “Quebec’s geological richness is brought inside with the island countertop, a slab of Labradorite granite that extends into a table on a raised platform,” they added.
      Beyond the kitchen is the salon, which is raised a few steps higher, and enjoys clear views of the city’s Mont Royal. Within these steps, the architects included a concealed pull-out bed for guests.
      Contemporary elements contrast with the centuries-old buildingOpposite the kitchen is a counter with drawers offering flexible storage or a place to work from home.
      Through the brick arches is the conservatory, a secondary living area separated from the combined living room and kitchen.
      Two bathrooms are included in the renovation”The gallery/conservatory is the loft area’s raison d’être,” La Firme explained. “Bright and open, it puts on display the clients’ other great loves: an impressive collection of contemporary art and a space for playing music.”
      Besides the white oak cabinets and occasional stone accents, the architects kept to a relatively limited palette for the intervention.
      Other apartment renovations in Montreal include a 1920s unit that Naturehumaine renovated with curved walls and pale green cabinetry, and a residential extension wrapped in galvanised metal.
      The photography is by Ulysse Lemerise Bouchard.

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      Jorge Almazán creates minimal broken-plan interior for House in Honjo

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      Suspended ceilings and unnecessary partition walls were removed in this minimalist revamp of a house in Japan’s Saitama Prefecture, designed by Jorge Almazán Architects.

      House in Honjo was previously divided into rooms and corridors, which made it feel small and cramped.
      Removing walls created a more open ground floorArchitect Jorge Almazán and his team designed a new ground-floor layout that removed as many partition walls as possible, creating a continuous living space that offers a greater feeling of spaciousness.
      The new layout is broken-plan rather than open-plan; the space is loosely divided up into different zones by the few remaining partition walls, and a few custom furniture pieces.
      The remaining partition walls create a broken-plan layoutAs well as creating extra head height, the removal of the suspended ceiling boards reveals the steel structural beams and wooden joists, giving the home a more utilitarian feel.

      House in Honjo is home to a fashion critic who recently relocated from Tokyo for work.
      Although the 163-square-metre property did not meet her requirements, the location was convenient for her job. She asked Almazán to redesign the 97-square-metre ground floor, leaving the rest of the building intact.
      A suspended ceiling was removed to reveal structural beams”Her home had to be spacious and filled with natural light, as well as a place where she could hold family and friend gatherings,” explained Jorge Almazán Architects.
      The new broken-plan living space incorporates an entrance hall, a lounge, a dining space and a kitchen organised around an island.
      Privacy can be created by placing more items on the shelvesInformed by the client’s interest in fashion, Almazán added different material textures to each space. The kitchen features a stainless steel worktop, the dining area centres around a marble table, and the lounge features white leather upholstery.
      “Each element is ‘dressed’ with a distinctive tactile and visual experience,” said the studio.
      A new window was added in the loungeWood features heavily throughout. The flooring is birch wood, while plywood lines the walls and provides furniture, including shelves and sideboards that act as space dividers.
      More or less privacy can be created by adding or removing elements from the shelving that separates the lounge and the dining area from the entrance hall.

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      Flexibility was considered throughout. The lounge furniture can be easily moved to create room for exercise or, in the future, children’s play space, while the dining table is designed to also function as a workspace.
      Underfloor heating ensures that the space will stay comfortable during Saitama’s notoriously cold winters, while the more open layout creates more opportunities for cross ventilation in the warmer summer months.
      A plywood sideboard creates a natural space dividerA new window was installed to increase the volume of natural light in the lounge space, with a window sill that is deep enough to allow space for pot plants, while a skylight was added in the hallway.
      A new toilet and utility room was also created as part of the renovation, which helps to rationalise the layout at the rear of the ground floor.
      Plywood also lines the walls of the renovated living spacesHouse in Honjo “has proved to be especially suited for the new domestic conditions imposed by the pandemic,” noted Jorge Almazán Architects.
      “The comfort of natural light and ventilation, the rich tactility of its surfaces, and the spatial openness and versatility have allowed this renovated house to become an enjoyable interior oasis.”
      Plants can be displayed on the deep window sillsHome renovations are less common in Japan than other countries, as rebuilding is usually the preferred option.
      Japanese real estate firm Goodlife recently set out to change this, with the renovation of a compact apartment in Tokyo. Other recent examples include a minimally furnished flat in Nagoya.
      Photography is by Montse Zamorano.
      Project credits
      Architect: Jorge Almazán ArchitectsDesign team: Jorge Almazán, Javier Celaya, Gaku Inoue, Rumi Okazaki.Contractor (interior and furniture): Shibata Kenchiku Design RoomElectricity: Uchimura DenkiKitchen manufacturer: Kitazawa Kitchen

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      Pastel colours and textured concrete decorate Stockholm hair salon

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      Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor has designed the interior for a minimalist hair salon that was informed by architect Carlo Scarpa’s geometric designs and the muted colours of 1920s swimming baths.

      Called Little Faktory, the salon was designed and renovated by the local architecture studio for hairdresser Sofia Geideby and is located in a former office in Stockholm, Sweden.
      Circle and square shapes define Little FaktoryWestblom Krasse Arkitektkontor overhauled the 220-square-metre basement space, which is over one hundred years old, to reveal its original textured concrete walls and exposed steel structure.
      As the salon is located underground, the studio explained that it also had to be “very careful working with artificial light”.
      Round mirrors hang above black chairsIts design for Little Faktory was intended to be minimalist and streamlined.

      “Our aim was to declutter the former office and create one big open space, making its four pillars the heroes of the main room again,” studio co-founder Jesper Westblom told Dezeen. “The challenge was to reduce, rather than to add things.”
      The salon features four original pillarsIn line with this pared-back approach, the firm painted the salon’s walls in a delicate, light yellow hue that intends to brighten its basement setting and maintain but soften the space’s industrial feel.
      Circles and squares are dotted throughout the salon in the form of mirrors and furniture. According to Westblom, they were informed by the geometric shapes seen in the late Italian architect Scarpa’s designs.
      The studio also drew on Scarpa’s use of contrasting colours.
      A washing station is located behind a perforated metal screenFreestanding haircutting stations are arranged in the centre of the salon’s main studio. These feature thick side tables shaped like plus-signs, as well as round mirrors mounted on powder-coated steel tubes.
      On one side of the main space, black leather chairs sit opposite a floating table that lines the concrete wall, above which embellished circular mirrors and square-shaped display shelves are positioned.
      Gustaf Westman recreated one of his mirrors in a bespoke colour for the projectA washing station can be found on the other side of the room, which is subtly separated from the rest of the area by a cloverleaf perforated metal screen that echoes the plus-shape used elsewhere.
      “The customer and the hairstylist represent one square each, on both sides, resulting in the plus shape,” Westblom explained.

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      A colour lab, VIP area and private office space are located behind bespoke, glazed double doors, while the entrance stairwell is illuminated with spidery neon lights by designer Josefin Eklund.
      Also among the salon’s bespoke elements is a rectilinear mirror with a bulbous blue frame by Gustaf Westman, a design that the Swedish artist recreated in a custom colour specifically for the project.
      LED lights illuminate the stairwell in neonAll of Little Faktory’s interiors are created in a muted combination of the primary colours of red, yellow and blue, which Westblom explained is an ode to the salon’s slogan, “the colourful kind”.
      “We looked at some early, inspirational images that set the tone of the project,” he said.
      “One image, in particular, was of 1920s public baths with beautiful cream-coloured tiles, orange and red details and, of course, a blue swimming pool. This ended up forming our main colour scheme.”
      Mirrors shaped like paint splashes liven up the customer toiletThe project’s emphasis on colour is repeated in the customer toilet, where playful mirrors shaped like paint splashes are arranged opposite each other in an attempt to create an infinity effect.
      Little Faktory’s material palette includes rubber flooring, reeded glass and dyed fibreboard, which intend to complement the salon’s existing elements and provide functional solutions to its customers’ needs.
      Little Faktory is a basement hair salonJesper Westblom and Robin Krasse founded their eponymous Stockholm-based architecture firm in January 2021.
      Other recent hair salon designs that have colour and texture at their core include Danielle Brustman’s Mitch Studio – a Melbourne salon that features yellow accents and glass partitions – and Mood, a hair studio by Casa Antillón in Madrid with bold mint-green ceilings sprayed with insulation foam.
      The photography is by Mikael Olsson.

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      Studio Okami Architecten exposes brutalist skeleton of Antwerp apartment

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      Belgian studio Studio Okami Architecten has renovated a duplex apartment in the brutalist Riverside Tower in Antwerp, allowing its original concrete structure to take centre stage.

      The project was led by and designed for Bram Van Cauter, founding partner of Studio Okami Architecten, who lives there with his partner, art collector Doris Vanistendael.
      Studio Okami Architecten has renovated a duplex apartment in AntwerpRiverside Tower is a 20-storey apartment building positioned in the bend of the river Scheldt, completed by architects Leon Stynen & Paul De Meyer in the 1970s.
      The 230-square-metre apartment is on the thirteenth and fourteenth floors of the building, three storeys above the Studio Okami Architecten office. The couple also owns a duplex in the same building, which contains a guest suite and Vanistendael’s art gallery named Soon.
      The apartment is located in the brutalist Riverside TowerStudio Okami Architecten’s first step of the renovation was to tear down the walls of the apartment and strip away all the surface coverings.

      While revealing the concrete structure of the apartment, this transformed its layout from a five-bedroom dwelling to a lofty open-plan space with a single bedroom.
      All of its concrete surfaces were exposed”With the Riverside Tower being a brutalist building, it seemed logical to strip the apartment to the bare concrete, showing the space in its most honest and raw form,” Van Cauter told Dezeen.
      “Removing the walls allows for unobstructed views over the city,” the architect added. “Being childfree, an open-plan space was a logical choice.”
      A sculptural kitchen island was added. Photo is by Matthijs van der BurgtA few brick walls in the dwelling were retained but covered with cement mixed with small stones, creating a finish that matches the original concrete structure.
      To counterbalance the rough concrete surfaces, a peach-hued resin floor has been added alongside plants and artworks hung from existing holes in the concrete.
      A pastel blue staircase links the two floors of the duplex”The aim was to balance out the rough concrete by adding colourful elements to the space,” Van Cauter explained. “The artworks, furniture and plants all combine to create a homey atmosphere.”
      Double-height pivoting windows also brighten the space by providing natural light and views out over the river and a neighbouring forest.
      Pops of colour contrast with the concreteOn the lower floor of the apartment is an open-plan kitchen and dining area. Above it is the living room, bedroom and home office.
      The apartment’s upper level, which is intended to feel more secluded than the floor below, is arranged around a technical block containing the bathroom, storage and utility facilities.
      The upper level contains more private spaces”The duplex setup creates a special division between the downstairs entertainment area and the more private upstairs functions like a home office, living and bedroom,” Van Cauter explained.
      Linking the two levels is a pastel blue spiral staircase, chosen to stand out against the concrete. It was welded and painted in place due to the limited size of the tower’s circulation areas.

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      The pastel colour palette continues in the bathroom, which is lined with smooth peach pink surfaces.
      These surfaces ensure the bathroom is watertight, but they also create a sharp contrast with the rough concrete beams overhead.
      Rietveld Crate Chairs are among the furnishingsStudio Okami Architecten chose a mixture of contemporary vintage furnishings to complete the apartment. Among the classic furniture are the patchwork De Sede DS88 sofa and Rietveld Crate Chairs, while contemporary pieces include a Long Table by Muller Van Severen and a red Bold chair by Big-Game.
      There are also a series of bespoke elements, including the kitchen island, designed by Studio Okami Architecten to resemble “a sculpture in the room when out of use”. This is teamed with cabinetry that references the work of American artist Donald Judd.
      A pastel pink bathroom features upstairsOther apartment renovations featured on Dezeen that are located in brutalist buildings include a New York residence by General Assembly in a 1970s tower block and a flat at the Barbican estate in London that Takero Shimazaki Architects infused with Japanese details.
      Alongside the Riverside Tower apartment renovation, Studio Okami Architecten also recently completed a brick and concrete home that is embedded into a sloping hillside in Belgium.
      The photography is by Olmo Peeters unless stated.

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      Patricia Urquiola turns Michigan’s Haworth Hotel into a “design showcase”

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      European brands intermingle with furniture from US company Haworth in a Michigan hotel that has been reimagined by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola.

      The Haworth Hotel is housed within a multi-level brick building in downtown Holland, a small city along Lake Macatawa. The hotel sits within the campus of the private school Hope College.
      The historic Haworth Hotel in Michigan was renovated by Patricia UrquiolaThe renovation was backed by the Haworth family, which owns the office furniture brand by the same name. The hotel is meant to accommodate visitors to the company’s global headquarters in Holland, along with visitors to the college.
      “The hotel was completely redone as part of a large initiative to turn a campus hotel into a design showcase while enhancing the guest experience,” the company said.
      The staircase is made of bent metal and oakTo revitalise the hotel, the company turned to Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola, who runs a studio in Milan. Urquiola has created several products for Haworth, including a sofa and pouf, and has a knack for balancing “warmth, playfulness, sophistication and multiple brand experiences”.

      For the hotel project – Urquiola’s first in the US – the designer was charged with creating a distinctive space that is both durable and comfy.
      The hotel lobby has furniture brands like CappelliniThe property contains 48 guest rooms, a range of meeting spaces, a fitness centre and a newly added coffeeshop that is open to the public. There also is a ballroom that doubles as a student dining space.
      Guests step into a bright lobby featuring pale wooden flooring and white walls. Daylight streams in through street-facing windows.
      The accent wall of the dining room is clad in white oakA centerpiece of the lobby is a wide, spiral staircase made of bent metal and oak. The stair rises up from a podium with geometric tile designed by Urquiola for Mutina.
      Just off the entrance is a lounge space fitted with furniture from Cappellini, Cassina, Poltrona Frau and Haworth. Underfoot is a grey rug from Gan, a division of Gandia Blasco.

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      Similar brands are featured in other areas of the hotel.
      For instance, a room with powder blue walls is fitted with poufs and stools from Haworth, Cappellini tables made of terrazzo and faux marble, and a modular sofa system designed by Urquiola for Haworth. Affixed to the walls are disc-shaped lighting fixtures from Pablo Designs.
      Meeting rooms were part of the renovation of the Haworth HotelIn a dining area, the designer placed tables and chairs from Cassina and a Big Shadow lamp by Marcel Wanders for Cappellini. An accent wall is clad in white oak.
      Guest rooms are intended to foster relaxation. Furnishings include Haworth poufs and chairs, bedside sconces by Louis Poulsen, and millwork designed by Urquiola and fabricated by Cassina Contract.
      The rooms include millwork designed by Urquiola”The Haworth Hotel is a blend of residential and commercial solutions – durable enough to withstand years of accommodating guests and with a vibe that feels like home,” the team said.
      Other interior design projects by Patricia Urquiola include a Maggie Centre for cancer care in Barcelona that has a bright and homely atmosphere. The building was designed by Benedetta Tagliabue of EMBT.
      The photography is by Haworth Hotel.
      Project credits:
      Interior design: Studio UrquiolaArchitectural design: GMB Architecture + EngineeringGeneral contractor: Owen-Ames-Kimball

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      Nintendo's former HQ to reopen as hotel designed by Tadao Ando

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      Japanese architect Tadao Ando has transformed a building that was once home to video game giant Nintendo into a boutique hotel.

      Due to open on 1 April, Marufukuro Hotel will be located in Kyoto in a building that was occupied by Nintendo between 1933 and 1959, when the company was called Yamauchi Nintendo.
      At the time, the company was a manufacturer of Japanese playing cards called “hanafuda” and Western-style playing cards called “karuta” and “toranpu”.
      The building was home to Nintendo from 1933 to 1959Located in the Kagiyacho neighbourhood, just north of Kyoto railway station, the building has been unoccupied ever since Nintendo vacated it.
      Ando has renovated and extended the old structure, converting it into an 18-room hotel including a restaurant, bar, spa and gym.

      The building’s exterior has remained largely unchanged, retaining elements such as old Yamauchi Nintendo entrance plaques and window grilles patterned with details from the old playing cards.
      Ando’s task was to reimagine the building’s interior but incorporate many of its original 1930s details, which include decorative tiling and art-deco lighting fixtures.
      Art-deco details are retained in the renovationFor the annex, the architect has adopted a more modern approach with floor-to-ceiling windows and elements in raw concrete, the material he is famous for.
      Photos of the completed Marufukuro Hotel have so far been kept under wraps, but the hotel is already taking bookings and has released some visuals showing layout and furniture details in the guest rooms.

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      Guests can choose to stay in either the old or new parts of the building, in rooms ranging in size between 33 and 79 square metres.
      The project is backed by property developer Plan Do See.
      Tadao Ando converted the existing building into an 18-room hotelAndo is among Japan’s most prolific architects. Awarded the Pritzker Prize in 1995, his best-known projects include Church of the Light and Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum.
      Recent projects include the renovation of the Bourse de Commerce building in Paris, which proved controversial, and art centre Casa Wabi in Mexico.
      It was recently announced that Ando is designing a Palm Springs home for reality TV star Kim Kardashian.

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