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      Eight interiors that are stepped up by the addition of ladders

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      Our latest lookbook focuses on kitchens and living rooms that are elevated by their inclusion of ladders.

      In contemporary interior design, ladders can be specified as an alternative to staircases due to their space-efficient nature, their ability to be moved to access different areas and the sense of playfulness they foster.
      Old ladders also have a place in modern interiors – their statuesque nature occasionally sees them used as a sculptural focal point or accessory in interior styling.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with unique red-and-green colour schemes and bathrooms with striking and distinctive bathtubs.
      The photo is by Kate GlicksbergWarren Street Townhouse, USA, by Studio Vural

      Mounted flush against a whitewashed brick wall, this wooden ladder features in the Japanese-informed kitchen of a townhouse in New York’s Brooklyn neighbourhood, designed by local firm Studio Vural.
      The design of the interior scheme references the city of Kyoto in Japan, as requested by the owners, following a visit they made to the area in 2009.
      Find out more about Warren Street Townhouse ›
      The photo is by Alice MesguichCollectors Home, The Netherlands, by DAB Studio
      Interior design firm DAB Studio used this house’s bay window as a niche to display this green-painted fruit ladder, dating from the year 1890.
      It was rendered in the striking colour specifically for the project, in reference to the green panes of stained glass that surround it.
      Find out more about Collectors Home ›
      The photo is by Dave WattsKensal Rise house, UK, by The Mint List
      An Edwardian end-of-terrace house was renovated by interior design studio The Mint List with various mid-century modern design elements.
      High-up cupboards are reached via a ladder in the kitchen, which slides side-to-side to access different cabinets.
      Find out more about Kensal Rise house ›
      The photo is by BCDF studioTimbaud apartment, France, by Isabelle Heilmanne
      Interior designer Isabelle Heilmann propped a wooden ladder against a mezzanine level in this Parisian apartment, situated inside a former textile workshop.
      An old wooden dining table and chairs echo the materiality of the ladder, and a swing installed in the living room is another playground-esque furnishing in the apartment.
      Find out more about Timbaud apartment ›
      The photo is courtesy of JRKVCThe Lake House, Slovakia, by JRKVC
      In order to make efficient use of its 65-square-metre footprint, Slovakian studio JRKVC created mezzanine areas above enclosed cabin rooms in this lakeside house.
      A pair of light wooden ladders create access to the areas above the rooms, which function as bedrooms and a bathroom. They are painted green on one end of the space and clad in ridged brown tiles at the other.
      Find out more about The Lake House ›
      The photo is by Seth CaplanDumbo Loft, USA, by Crystal Sinclair
      Located in New York’s Dumbo neighbourhood, Crystal Sinclair Designs overhauled this loft apartment to include a mezzanine level housing a miniature library and seating area.
      It is accessed via a metal-and-wooden ladder that ascends through an arch-shaped cut-out in the floor, saving space by positioning the ladder directly beneath it.
      Find out more about Dumbo Loft ›
      The photo is by Cristobal PalmaPunta Chilen, Chile, by Guillermo Acuña Arquitectos Asociados
      Two rows of open shelving flank this kitchen in a Chilean beach house, and a pair of ladders on castor wheels provide access to even the highest shelves.
      All surfaces are made from pine timber, creating a warm interior in contrast to the sea visible from all of the windows.
      Find out more about Punta Chilen ›
      The photo is by Diana ArnauCasa Texcal, Mexico, by HGR Arquitectos
      A double-height bookcase with a platform halfway up it is the focal point of the living space in this Mexican home by local studio HGR Arquitectos.
      The platform is secured by black railings around its perimeter and is accessed by a matching ladder also featuring black metal handrails for safety.
      Find out more about Casa Texcal ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with unique red-and-green colour schemes and bathrooms with striking and distinctive bathtubs.

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      Eight eclectic self-designed homes by architects and designers

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      Our latest lookbook collects eight dwellings that were self-designed by architects and designers including Mexico-based Ludwig Godefroy and London studio Holloway Li.

      From a modernist-style house in South Africa to an American family residence characterised by a large interior crane, there are a range of materials and floor plans offered by each of these homes.
      The properties demonstrate the myriad ways architects and designers apply their knowledge to their own living spaces and push the boundaries of what is possible outside of client constraints.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring wooden kitchens, statement bathtubs and paper lamps.
      Photo by HANAAtwater House, USA, by Rebecca Rudolph and Colin Thompson

      Co-founder of Design, Bitches Rebecca Rudolph and her husband Colin Thompson of Gensler designed their own home in Atwater Village, Los Angeles.
      In the kitchen, the pair combined a polished marble splashback with a central stone island clad in bespoke concrete panels made by Thompson.
      Find out more about Atwater House ›
      Photo by Frances MaraisMossel Bay house, South Africa, by Yvette van Zyl
      Modernist and nautical influences come together at this three-bedroom home in Mossel Bay, South Africa, designed and owned by local architect Yvette van Zyl.
      Porthole-style windows illuminate the interior, which features a mixture of concrete ceilings and floors and walls of exposed or painted brick.
      Find out more about this Mossel Bay house ›
      Photo by Jim StephensonPeckham House, UK, by Surman Weston
      Peckham House is a self-designed and self-build project by architecture studio Surman Weston, where co-director Percy Weston currently lives with his family.
      Hit-and-miss brickwork clads the home’s striking facade, while lime plaster lines the walls inside. End-grain woodblocks, salvaged from offcuts of the ceiling’s wooden structure, were also used to create chunky flooring.
      Find out more about Peckham House ›
      Photo by Edmund DabneyLondon apartment, UK, by Holloway Li
      Local design studio Holloway Li sought to honour the utilitarian kitchens of London’s many fast food outlets when creating a “unique” circle-brushed steel kitchen for this Highbury apartment.
      Inhabited by studio co-founder Alex Holloway, the apartment features pops of colour in its resin dining table and chubby orange armchair. A bathtub was also placed in the open-plan living space, adding to the home’s unusual design.
      Find out more about this London apartment ›
      Photo by Edmund SumnerCasa SanJe, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
      Known for his brutalist-style buildings, architect Ludwig Godefroy and his partner renovated this house and home studio in Mexico for himself and his family.
      Integrated with an adjacent garden, Casa SanJe is characterised by a caste concrete interior with a mixture of warm wood panels and a wall covered in reddish volcanic stone.
      Find out more about Casa SanJe ›
      Photo by Jim StephensonBrighton house, UK, by Studiotwentysix
      Isabella and Dan Gray of architecture office Studiotwentysix created a birch plywood-lined loft extension for their family house in Brighton, England.
      Containing 55 square metres of additional living spaces, the loft includes an exposed red-oxide steel structure and is punctuated by geometric skylights.
      Find out more about this Brighton house ›
      Photo by Benny ChanJArzm House, USA, by John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects
      The founders of John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects inserted a giant yellow construction crane into the kitchen of their Los Angeles family home in the city’s Silver Lake neighbourhood.
      “Designing our own house was great because we didn’t have to ask permission,” John Friedman told Dezeen, explaining the unusual move. “We could do whatever we want.”
      Find out more about JArzm House ›
      Photo by Lorenzo ZandriOasis, UK, by Unknown Works
      Oasis is the home of architecture studio Unknown Works’ co-founder Theo Games Petrohilos, who wanted to renovate a terraced London house by adding a side and rear extension to create a flexible interior and maximise natural light.
      The studio placed a petite internal courtyard at the centre of the plan, which was informed by traditional Japanese stone gardens that provide cross ventilation throughout homes.
      Find out more about Oasis ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring wooden kitchens, statement bathtubs and paper lamps.

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      YSG creates “eccentric beats of nostalgia” in Byron Bay seaside home

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      Interiors studio YSG has updated a seaside home in Byron Bay, Australia, creating a series of retro spaces with colours and furnishings that evoke the 1970s.

      Byron Bay is known for its tropical climate and surf culture, so YSG director Yasmine Saleh Ghoniem designed a laid-back interior filled with period details to complement the lush environment.
      YSG has renovated a seaside home in Byron Bay, AustraliaResponding to the client’s love of deep brown hues and vintage furnishings, the 1970s theme informed details such as the use of chrome and the addition of a sunken lounge.
      “Despite tropical surrounds, the home’s gaze is now firmly fixed inwards to create sensory journeys heightened by the eccentric beats of nostalgia,” said Ghoniem.
      A chrome balustrade create a threshold between the kitchen and loungeThe existing kitchen was gutted to double its size, with a new galley kitchen partially enclosed by a wooden screen and a circular island that can be used for casual dining.

      A chrome balustrade informed by old-school skate parks provides an additional place to lean alongside the island. Fixed to a timber column, it helps to create a threshold between the kitchen and the sunken lounge.
      Vintage Italian dining chairs were reupholstered in chartreuse velvetThe island’s chrome footrest echoes the nearby barstools and vintage Italian dining chairs sourced in Paris, which YSG has reupholstered in chartreuse velvet.
      The project is titled Checkmate after the geometric patterned floors featured throughout the property.
      Terracotta pavers are arranged into a geometric grid across Checkmate’s living areasIn the living areas, YSG specified terracotta pavers arranged in a simple grid with wide grout lines that add tonal contrast.
      Checkered porcelain tiles used in the family bathroom extend across a balcony that wraps around the parents’ bedroom. The same pattern and hues were used for the bedroom’s cork flooring – another nod to the seventies.
      Checkered sandstone floor tiles feature in the guest bedroom downstairsThe raised bathtub in the main bathroom was retained and wrapped in mosaic tiles, while the guest bathroom downstairs features chunky sandstone floor tiles in a similar checkered pattern.
      YSG’s limited spatial interventions also included enclosing an internal balcony to create a hallway leading to the children’s enlarged bedrooms. A circular window on this level now looks onto the verdant balcony off the main bedroom.
      The home is furnished with a mix of new and vintage piecesAs in many of its previous projects, YSG used timber framing and slatted screens in the home to help provide visual cohesion while fulfilling practical functions.
      In addition to the screen installed in the kitchen, a latticed partition on the upper floor provides privacy for the children walking from the bathroom to their bedrooms.

      Pattern completes understated interiors for Locura bar in Byron Bay

      The balcony on this level already had a slatted ceiling and YSG added matching vertical battens to further shade the space and protect it from being overlooked by neighbours.
      To furnish the interior, Ghoniem sourced a variety of new and vintage pieces that reference aesthetic styles from the 1950s to the 1970s, including a limited edition denim Soriana chair from Cassina placed in the living room.
      The raised bathtub in the primary bathroom was updated with mosaic tilesThe dining chairs are complemented by cone-shaped bar stools upholstered in a tropical fabric from Kvadrat, while a pair of Italian armchairs purchased at vintage emporium Oda Paris feature a chocolate-and-spearmint harlequin pattern.
      Lighting and accessories add further layers of pattern and texture to the interior, with the various shades of brown providing a backdrop for more expressive elements.
      A circular window overlooks the balcony off the main bedroom”We steered away from deep shades, opting for warm caramel and toffee shades,” Ghoniem told Dezeen.
      “To this grounding tone, we added a gamut of colours from jolts of indigo and denim blues to watermelon pink and green stripes adorning the kitchen’s window treatments, and assorted coloured ceramic pulls to the primary suite’s wardrobes.”
      Timber screens shade the upstairs balconyA moon-like fibreglass light fixture was created as a custom piece to fill the large void above the sunken lounge, while bespoke timber handles used for the kitchen cabinets as well as the property’s front door add a whimsical detail.
      In the main bathroom, an LED artwork by local artist Jeremy Kay was installed on the ceiling to create a dynamic disco effect.
      An LED artwork by Jeremy Kay creates a disco effect in the main bathroomYasmine Saleh Ghoniem founded her eponymous design studio in 2020, having previously worked with landscape architect Katy Svalbe at their joint studio Amber Road in Sydney.
      YSG’s multidisciplinary projects are defined by a bold approach to colour, texture and pattern. Ghoniem draws on her background in music and dance to infuse her designs with elements of storytelling and staging.
      Other residential interiors completed by the studio include a suburban home in Sydney finished with sumptuous materials intended to evoke a luxury hotel, and a coastal home featuring maximalist patterns that reference the beach clubs of Ibiza and Cancun.
      The photography is by Prue Ruscoe.

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      Translucent and reflective surfaces ricochet light around Cologne apartment

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      German architecture studio Demo Working Group has removed all non-structural walls from this 1970s high-rise apartment in Cologne, creating a utilitarian open-plan interior.

      Named Kier after its address on Kierberger Straße, the apartment is set in a housing block built in 1972. Before the renovation, wallpaper covered its concrete shell and a myriad of dividing walls created dark, enclosed rooms.
      Demo Working Group has renovated a 1970s Cologne apartmentNow, a structural concrete wall in the middle of the floor plan is the only interior wall that remains, although Demo Working Group used a concrete saw to cut out a doorway and create a direct link between the living space and the bedroom.
      “We were interested in how these concrete structures can be transformed to enable new spatial options,” partner Matthias Hoffmann told Dezeen. “The new opening between the living and the sleeping area redefines the circulation in the apartment.”
      Soft furnishings and reflective finishes take the edge off the stark concrete wallsRaw concrete perimeter walls work together with the remaining central wall to create an industrial-looking backdrop, consistent throughout all areas of the apartment.

      “The high-rise structures of that era are typically built out of concrete,” the studio said. “We took off the wallpaper so that the building’s structure with its specific texture and character can be experienced inside the apartment.”
      Light is bounced around by glass and reflective surfacesThe newly liberated interior benefits from having windows on two sides, which the designers capitalised on by employing translucent, transparent and reflective surfaces throughout.
      Former internal walls were replaced with sheets of transparent and frosted glass, allowing light to penetrate further into the space and providing a contrast with the heaviness of the concrete.
      Like the rest of the apartment, the kitchen has a cool-toned colour schemeThis creates a free-flowing atmosphere in the space, which almost functions as a studio apartment as a result of the minimal, see-through divisions between the living space, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.
      Mirrors and reflective surfaces are applied to other spaces, too. In the kitchen, cupboards are tucked below a window that casts light onto a full-height mirrored backsplash on one side.

      Archmongers celebrates “raw beauty of brutalist concrete” in Trellick Tower apartment refresh

      The green kitchen counter also reflects light and is made from a heavy-duty plastic, which Demo Working Group says is usually reserved for use in laboratories.
      Glossy white tiles line the kitchen and bathroom area while a built-in storage unit in the living space is clad in sheets of aluminium to level up the brightness of the interior.
      Three purple-upholstered cantilevered chairs surround a metal dining tableFurnishings follow a colour palette of blues, greens and purples, with the sofa and window frame in the living area picked out in a deep blue, referencing the accent colour found throughout the wider apartment block.
      Metal continues to feature in the furniture and fittings, from the legs of the dining set and bookshelf to a horseshoe-shaped light fixture on the bedroom ceiling.
      The shower enclosure is transparent and contains white fittings and fixturesDemo Working Group was founded in 2019 and works on architecture and interior projects throughout northern Germany.
      Other apartment interiors that have recently been featured on Dezeen include a refurbished art deco-style apartment in Milan and a flat in Kyiv that features colourful furnishings and glass bricks.
      The photography is by Jan Voigt.

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      Studio Est adds “brutalist elements” to Battersea Power Station apartment

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      London interiors firm Studio Est referenced the industrial heritage of Battersea Power Station when creating the interiors for this apartment set within the redeveloped landmark.

      The apartment’s owner wanted to transform the empty shell into a space that would reflect both his personal tastes and the home’s setting within the former art deco power station.
      Studio Est has transformed the interiors of a Battersea Power Station apartmentKnown for its quiet luxury interiors, Studio Est applied a palette of subtle neutral shades to unify the apartment’s open-plan spaces and provide a consistent backdrop for various characterful furnishings and artworks.
      “We wanted to keep it simple but introduce subtle brutalist elements that evoke the building’s history,” founder Louise East told Dezeen. “These are complemented by softer textures that add a more feminine touch.”
      Mario Bellini and Charles Rennie Mackintosh chairs feature in the dining roomAlthough some areas of the redeveloped power station feature steel beams and other industrial details, East found the apartment entirely devoid of original elements.

      So the studio turned to furniture, artwork and accessories to introduce character and visual interest to the living spaces.
      A dramatic painting is set against the neutral wallsDramatic pieces, including a large painting in the dining room and a bespoke geometric sofa in the lounge area, were chosen to ground these spaces and introduce a masculine feel.
      East then layered these with textural details including cushions, lampshades and linen-wool blend curtains, all of which were custom-made for the project.
      The room also houses a metal reinterpretation of Gerrit Rietveld’s Zigzag chairAlongside the bespoke items, Studio Est sourced various vintage pieces including leather chairs by Italian designer Mario Bellini, which surround the dark wooden dining table.
      A Hill House Chair by Scottish art deco architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and a metal reinterpretation of Gerrit Rietveld’s seminal Zigzag chair also feature in the dining room.

      Archmongers celebrates “raw beauty of brutalist concrete” in Trellick Tower apartment refresh

      The two bedrooms display distinctly different approaches to colour and materiality. The principal bedroom is painted in a rich terracotta hue that lends the space a warm, enveloping atmosphere, while the second bedroom incorporates textures chosen to complement the adjacent gardens.
      “Although it’s an open-plan apartment, we didn’t want all the rooms to look the same,” said East, who established her studio in 2020 after 15 years of working for other architects and interior designers including Russell Sage and Martin Brudnizki.
      A bespoke geometric sofa centres the lounge area”It’s good to be able to move from one space to another and have a different look and feel,” she added. “The main bedroom is intentionally different to the living areas because we wanted to make this a space where the client can come after a day’s work and feel comfortable reading a book.”
      Throughout the apartment, the owner’s ceramics collection is displayed on characterful plinths, carefully positioned to emphasise specific views within the spaces and of the landscaped gardens outside.
      Cushions and curtains were made custom for the projectBattersea Power Station was designed by British architect Giles Gilbert Scott and built by the London Power Company in several phases between 1929 and 1955. It was decommissioned in 1975 and subsequently given Grade II listed status.
      A lengthy redevelopment of the site on the south bank of the River Thames introduced accommodation, hospitality, offices and retail space while preserving the building’s iconic chimney stacks and facades.
      The principal bedroom is painted in a rich terracotta hueLondon architecture firm WilkinsonEyre oversaw the restoration and conversion of the former power station, which now features a glass lift within one of its chimneys.
      UK studio Foster + Partners designed an office for technology brand Apple inside the building as well as a store for the company that retains four original brick pillars.
      The photography is courtesy of Studio Est.

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      General Assembly creates “comforting and quiet palette” for Manhattan apartment

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      Design studio General Assembly has used a wide material palette to transform an apartment on New York City’s Upper West Side, decorating it with marble and travertine stone and adding wood for a lighter feel.

      The studio completely transformed the layout of the 3,050-square-foot (284 square metres) flat, which was designed for a young family.
      Social spaces are located at the centre of the home”The floorplan has been completely reimagined,” General Assembly co-founder Sarah Zames told Dezeen.
      “We moved all the walls and most of the plumbing in order to better accommodate the needs and lifestyle of the clients – we felt it was important to organize the spaces based on the way they used the space.”
      A travertine side table contrasts a wooden table in the living roomOne side of the flat was designed to be quieter and family-focused and houses the bedrooms and family room, while social areas can be found at the centre of the apartment.

      Guest spaces are contained in a third area, which was designed using warmer materials and has a more intimate scale.
      The bedrooms are located on a “quieter” side of the flatLocated in an early 20th-century stone building by Italian-American architect Gaetano Ajello, the studio drew on the surrounding architecture when designing the apartment interior.
      “We were inspired by the grandness of the New York pre-war building,” Zames said.
      “We loved its deep columns and beams and wanted to work in a way that honored these kinds of details while balancing them with softer textures and quieter moments.”
      The kitchen features a marble islandGeneral Assembly worked with many different materials for the apartment, whose walls are clad in Venetian plaster in a nod to the fact that it’s the material that would have been used for the original walls.
      “We chose to finish many of the spaces with Venetian plaster because it created a subtle shadow and depth on the walls and ceilings,” Zames explained.

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      “We liked the way it reflected the natural and decorative lighting without overwhelming the space – the movement and texture of the wall is so minimal, that on first glance you may not realize that it is even plaster,” she added.
      “But, as you watch the day progress, the light shifting becomes more apparent.”
      Wood was used throughout the flatThe studio decorated the kitchen and bathrooms with dramatic marble surfaces and also placed a side table in solid travertine in the living room.
      “We felt that stone, a material that lends itself to the nature of the pre-war building, was such a natural choice for this project,” Zames said.
      “We wanted to emphasize its weight, designing voluminous pieces and detailing to emphasize these qualities.”
      Brass and metal details add texture to the living roomTo contrast the stone, wood was used for much of the furniture and for the sliding doors leading into the kitchen.
      “The wood was just as important in the design because it provided a counterpoint to the heaviness of the stone and the architecture of the building,” Zames said.
      “Not only was the wood lighter in color, but the details in the wood finishes feel lighter to the touch and slightly more delicate.”
      General Assembly added built-in features to the apartmentThroughout the flat, built-in shelves and cabinets maximise storage and reference the original design of the flat.
      To create the right ambience within the apartment, General Assembly used earthy colours for the interior.
      “We drew predominantly on earthy hues complimented by jewel-toned accents,” Zames said.
      “We wanted to go with a comforting and quiet palette that evoked feelings of permanence. We always use natural and living materials in our projects, wherever possible – so many of these finishes will patina over time and add further to the depth of the design.”
      Swirly marble clads one of the bathroomsPieces by independent designers were also used for the space to give it more character and personality.
      “The clients were really open to bringing in more independent designers, many of whom we also carry at our shop, Assembly Line,” Zames said.
      “That gave us the ability to do a lot of customization and freedom in how we designed and outfitted the space.”
      General Assembly has previously updated an apartment inside a brutalist Manhattan tower and decorated a Bergen Street apartment with brass.
      The photography is by William Jess Laird.
      Project credits: 
      General contractor: ALL ConstructionStructural engineer: Jim Moore and AssociatesA/V and lighting: Fiks Consultants for AV and Lighting InfrastructureUpholstery & window treatments: Fernando Guaman for Custom Upholstery and Window treatments

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      Marie & Alexandre takes over Appartement N°50 at Le Corbusier’s Cité Radieuse

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      French designers Marie Cornil and Alexandre Willaume have filled an apartment in Le Corbusier’s iconic Cité Radieuse housing block in Marseille with custom furniture, including a leather-and-metal armchair informed by the architect’s work.

      Marie & Alexandre is the latest design studio to create a scenography within Appartement N°50 after it was restored to its original condition by owners Jean-Marc Drut and Patrick Blauwart.
      Marie & Alexandre has taken over Appartement N°50 at La Cité RadieuseInfluenced by the creative salons hosted by the apartment’s original occupant – school teacher Lilette Ripert who lived there from 1952 to 2000 – Drut and Blauwart invited the likes of Jasper Morrison and Konstantin Grcic to transform the space and opened it up to the public during the summer.
      The duplex apartment, completed in 1952 and later classified as a historical monument, hosted installations by well-known designers every second year from 2008 to 2018.
      The duo created a series of custom furniture for the flatNow, the programme has returned after a six-year hiatus with an intervention by Marie & Alexandre, who created several bespoke pieces to be exhibited alongside some of their existing works.

      The duo is known for their collaborations with artisanal producers, and research into materials and making processes that inform their designs for unique or limited-edition objects.
      Among them is a desk formed from stacked glass boxes”We wanted this exhibition to combine our work from the past four years and for the pieces to highlight the numerous workshops and techniques we have worked with recently,” the duo told Dezeen.
      The designers met while working at Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec’s studio in Paris and subsequently began developing their own projects through a series of workshops and residencies.
      The same standardised boxes can also be used to form a shelving unitSince 2022 their work has been exhibited by Galerie Signé, whose founder Maxime Bouzidi helped to facilitate the collaboration with Drut.
      One of the pieces created specially for the exhibition is a series of coloured glass boxes developed with help from manufacturing company Glas Italia that responds directly to hues found in the apartment.

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      The use of glass was inspired by the orientation of apartments within the Unité d’Habitation complex, which receive both morning and afternoon light. Each piece incorporates two coloured strips that create a third colour where they overlap.
      Le Corbusier’s ideas about using modular elements to create harmonious proportions informed the design of standard-sized boxes that can be stacked to create totemic shelves or combined with a tabletop to form a desk.
      Marie & Alexandre’s rippled glass table was born from a residencyMarie & Alexandre developed further pieces for the exhibition during a residency at the Lycée Jean Monnet academy in Moulins, including a glass table and various furniture items made in wrought iron.
      Collaborations with staff and students at the school informed the creation of the rectangular table, which features a rippled surface made from industrial float glass.
      A sling-seat armchair was designed to respond to the weight of the sitterDuring the residency, the designers experimented with metal forging and designed an armchair with a leather sling seat, produced by Cressange metal workshop Flammes de Créations.
      The chair’s simple forms reference the furniture designed by Le Corbusier and frequent collaborator Charlotte Perriand. It features a metal framework with three detachable legs and a tensioned seat that responds to the weight of the sitter.
      The aluminium kitchen table is height-adjustableFor the kitchen, Marie & Alexandre created a height-adjustable aluminium table to fit the limited space. Made by Atelier BLAM in Nantes, the piece features subtle bumps where the legs attach to the top.
      The duo’s experiments with ceramics include a tile collection created in collaboration with the Alain Vagh factory in Salernes, as well as chairs with coloured backs that were produced for the exhibition by ceramicist Jean Marie Foubert.
      The designers said they were appreciative of the opportunity to display their work in such an iconic location, adding that they set out “to proceed with the same intention as the previous exhibitions as if visitors were coming to see an inhabited apartment”.
      Ceramicist Jean Marie Foubert helped to create a series of chairs with coloured backsThe exhibition will be on display until 15 August before travelling to Paris, where it will be adapted to occupy Galerie Signé from 5 September to 21 October.
      Marie & Alexandre follows six other design studios, whose work has been presented at Appartement N°50 following its restoration.
      These include Pierre Cardin, who added colourful furniture and artwork to the space, and the Bouroullec brothers whose scenography featured their SteelWood furniture and Clouds wall hangings.
      Marie & Alexandre at La Cité Radieuse, Apartement 50 is on show at La Cité Radieuse until 15 August. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world. 

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      Eight living rooms dominated by giant sofas

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      From a curving couch in a Parisian apartment to an extra-wide settee in São Paulo, our latest lookbook collects eight living rooms where oversized sofas take centre stage.

      The sofa may be most people’s favourite place to sit and relax, but it can also make a bold design statement.
      Below, we highlight eight living rooms where couches, which are significantly more substantial than standard furniture, serve as the focal point.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more, see previous lookbooks featuring living rooms with paper lamps, sculptural furniture and 1970s decor.
      Photo by Denilson Machado (also top)DN Apartment, Brazil, by BC Arquitetos

      An olive-green sofa in the shape of a broad sickle, courtesy of designer Jader Almeida, commands attention in the open-plan living room of this home in São Paulo.
      Part of a 1970s building, the apartment was renovated by local studio BC Arquitetos and filled with classic Brazilian art and furniture, including a Petala coffee table by Jorge Zalzupin bearing a bronze head sculpture by Florian Raiss.
      Find out more about DN Apartment ›
      Photo by Giulio GhirardiCanal Saint-Martin apartment, France, by Rodolphe Parente
      Interior designer Rodolphe Parente overhauled this classic Haussmann-era Parisian apartment to celebrate its original features while showing off the owner’s contemporary art collection.
      Nowhere is this juxtaposition of styles more pronounced than in the living area, where a sculptural vintage sofa wraps around a pearlescent coffee table in the centre of the room, with a black-and-white graphic rug beneath its feet.
      Find out more about this Canal Saint-Martin apartment ›
      Photo courtesy of Hotel Valley HoHotel Valley Ho, USA, by 3rd Story
      The suites at this mid-century hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona, feature generous U-shaped sofas with colourful upholstery.
      As part of its renovation, Anissa Mendil of architecture and interiors firm 3rd Story sought to introduce contemporary furniture that would complement the building’s modernist architecture.
      Find out more about Hotel Valley Ho ›
      Photo by Fran ParenteGale Apartment, Brazil, by Memola Estudio
      From the double-height ceilings to the mosaic wall and the extensive artwork collection, multiple elements compete for attention in the living room of this São Paulo apartment renovation by local firm Memola Estudio.
      Anchoring them all is a super-long sofa along one wall, which ensures that the room’s overall colour palette remains neutral despite the vibrant wall hangings above.
      Find out more about Gale Apartment ›
      Photo by Serena EllerG-Rough, Italy, by Gabriele Salini
      Italian hotelier Gabriele Salini wanted this Rome hotel in a 17th-century palazzo to have a rough-yet-refined feel, fusing historic elegance and Italian modernism.
      In entertaining spaces in the rooms, an extra-deep sofa that can also serve as a spare bed provides an intriguing focal point.
      Find out more about G-Rough ›
      Photo by Julie SmorodkinaRadikal Klassisk, Spain, by Puntofilipino
      Radikal Klassisk is a Madrid apartment conceived by local studio Puntofilipino as an unusual take on Danish design, with an intense colour and material palette that creates a brooding atmosphere.
      A curving couch from Danish brand NORR11, composed of three separate parts upholstered in different fabrics, dominates the sparsely furnished living room.
      Find out more about Radikal Klassisk ›
      Photo by Brett BoardmanBreezeway House, Australia, by David Boyle Architect
      A built-in sofa lines the living room wall in this holiday home on the Australian east coast designed by New South Wales studio David Boyle Architect.
      The generous seat is reminiscent of patio or garden furniture, playing into a theme of ambiguity between the indoors and outdoors that is continued throughout the house.
      Find out more about Breezeway House ›
      Photo courtesy of Design Space AlUla 2024Design Space AlUla 2024, Italy, by Sabine Marcelis and Cloud
      Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis and architecture studio Cloud created a lounge to promote Saudi city AlUla during this year’s Milan design week.
      At its centre was a massive modular seating area by French design studio Hall Haus that bears striking similarities to Pierre Paulin’s never-produced Ensemble Dune from 1970.
      It was not the only design of its kind in Milan this April. Another installation, which explored the future of the living room, featured a yellow sofa platform made specially by design studio Panter & Tourron.
      Find out more about Design Space AlUla 2024 ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring living rooms with paper lamps, sculptural furniture and 1970s decor.

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