Residential

Subterms

    More stories

    • 138 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Ten homes where flooring enhances the connection between indoors and outdoors

      by

      Our latest lookbook explores homes where flooring details and materials help to create the impression that a living space extends out beyond a house’s exterior walls.

      A range of different techniques can be used to create the sense of a continuous floor surface.
      The most obvious is to use the same flooring material, or one that looks very similar, for both interior and exterior spaces.
      However, this isn’t always necessary. By combining level thresholds with floor-to-ceiling glazing, it’s also possible to create that sense of continuation by simply maintaining a consistent surface.
      Here, we look at 10 examples that use one or more of these methods to create different effects, ranging from a forest home in Mexico’s Valle de Bravo to a waterside villa in Denmark.

      Many of these examples use continuous floor surfaces to connect a living room with a garden or patio, but some explore other rooms where the effect can be applied.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring chocolate-brown interiors and minimalist bathrooms.
      Photography is by LGM StudioCasa Mola, Mexico, by Estudio Atemporal
      Mexico City-based Estudio Atemporal designed this house in a densely forested area of Valle de Bravo with the aim of allowing residents to live “more organically”.
      The large-format flooring tiles inside the house give way to brickwork paving outside, but sliding glass doors with level thresholds create a clean junction that allows the two spaces to feel connected.
      Find out more about Casa Mola ›
      Photo is by Agnese SanvitoThe Saddlery, UK, by Studio Octopi
      Terrazzo flooring features both inside and outside this extension to a Georgian house in southeast London, designed by architecture office Studio Octopi.
      Sourced from British manufacturer Diespeker, this material is speckled with colours that complement the mint-green tone of the building’s metal walls.
      Find out more about The Saddlery ›
      Photo is by Nick DeardonDulwich House, UK, by Proctor & Shaw
      Kitchen and terrace become a single space divided only by levels in this extension to a home in Dulwich, London, designed by architecture studio Proctor & Shaw.
      Glass doors slide open on two sides – with one disappearing into a wall – to completely open up the building’s corner. The sliding mechanism is set into a continuous porcelain tile floor surface, resulting in a flush threshold.
      Find out more about Dulwich House ›
      Photo is by Maxime DelvauxMaison Hercourt, France, Studio Guma
      Minimal glazing plays a key role in connecting the kitchen of this renovated stone farmhouse in Normandy with an adjoining patio.
      Designed by Paris-based Studio Guma, the renovation involved installing the kitchen in a space that previously functioned as a cart shed. Although the floor surface changes from concrete to stone from inside to outside, the slender-framed glass doors help the two surfaces to be read as one.
      Find out more about Maison Hercourt ›
      Photo is by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenFjord Boat House, Denmark, by Norm Architects
      Copenhagen-based Norm Architects chose handmade ceramic bricks for the flooring of this vacation house, built on the edge of a fjord just outside the city.
      They form stairs that lead down from the main house to a terrace, then continue inside to give the interior living spaces a casual, rustic feel. At the main entrance, the linearity of the brickwork pattern acts to draw the eye.
      Find out more about Fjord Boat House ›

      Ederlezi, Mexico, Práctica Arquitectura
      Using the same flooring surface for both indoors and outdoors can become costly, but this low-cost infill house in Monterrey offers a clever solution.
      Designed by locally based Práctica Arquitectura, the house features a stepped living space with an adjoining courtyard.
      Most of the courtyard is landscaped, but the edges are lined with the same square saltillo tiles that provide interior flooring. This helps to extend the living space outdoors without requiring quite as many tiles.
      Find out more about Ederlezi ›
      Photo is by Helen CathcartThe Maker’s Barn, UK, by Hutch Design
      Full-height glazing features in many of the rooms of this rural holiday rental on the outskirts of London, a former pig shed renovated by Hutch Design. This results in a strong connection with the surrounding patio.
      The effect is particularly effective in the primary bedroom, which features a bath set into the floor. Here, it’s possible to observe the clean line running between the end-grain timber flooring inside and the paving tiles outside.
      Find out more about The Maker’s Barn ›
      Photo is by Rory GardinerMossy Point, Australia, by Edition Office
      Melbourne-based Edition Office selected very different surfaces for the shower room of this house in Mossy Point, New South Wales, but they appear to merge thanks to the use of frameless glazing.
      A similar effect can be found throughout the house, but the contrast between the wooden decking and the blue tiles of this room is the most striking.
      Find out more about Mossy Point ›

      Shift House, Spain, by Nomo Studio
      Roughly polished white concrete flooring unites both the interior and exterior of this house on the island of Menorca, designed by Barcelona-based Nomo Studio.
      This creates a feeling of continuity from the building’s entrance, located on the uppermost storey, all the way across to a balcony terrace on the opposite side of the main living room.
      Find out more about Shift House ›
      Photo is by Brotherton LockA Modern Oasis, UK, by Richard Parr Associates
      The level thresholds of this house in Oxfordshire, England, create a visual connection between the polished concrete flooring inside and the paving tiles outside.
      Architecture office Richard Parr Associates carefully matched the colours of these two surfaces so that they appear to be made of the same material.
      Find out more about A Modern Oasis ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring chocolate-brown interiors and minimalist bathrooms.

      Read more: More

    • 138 Shares159 Views

      in Rooms

      Reflect Architecture balances “contemporary art with family life” in Toronto house

      by

      Canadian studio Reflect Architecture has renovated a home in Toronto for a new generation of the same family, while incorporating an extensive art collection.

      North Drive House was the childhood home of one of the owners. After stints living abroad and in Downtown Toronto, the couple were lured back to the two-acre property for the space to raise their young family.
      The home’s hallways and living spaces were renovated to feel like a gallery for the couple’s art collectionHowever, the residence’s traditional interiors were not to their taste, so Reflect Architecture principal Trevor Wallace was called in to undertake an extensive renovation.
      His approach was to create a deliberate “tension” between the need to display an extensive contemporary art collection – which includes pieces by Robert Mapplethorpe and Erik Madigan Heck – and fulfilling the needs of a family home.
      A sculptural staircase features layered bannisters, stepped profiles and curved forms”The idea of living in a gallery was always important to the owners, but the critical distinction is that they didn’t want to live in a museum,” said Wallace.

      “This is a family home above all. The owners have always imagined that their kids would one day look back on living here and think it was pretty cool that they were playing soccer or running around inside what felt like an art gallery.”
      The living room includes contemporary furniture and a ribbon-like fireplace by Brooklyn designer Leyden LewisThe team retained the existing layout and circulation while updating the spaces with fresh materials, colours and forms.
      Most in line with the gallery-like aesthetic, the living spaces, hallways and corridors feature stark white walls and minimalist detailing such as flush doors and entryways.
      A different approach is taken in the dining room, where the walls are painted dark tealAt the centre of the home is a staircase designed as if a piece of sculpture itself, comprising layered bannisters, stepped profiles and curvaceous forms.
      A similarly playful tactic was applied in the living room, which features a rippling, ribbon-like fireplace designed by Brooklyn-based designer Leyden Lewis.
      Doors and entryways throughout the home are designed to be flush with the walls”We had a lot of fun exploring and playing with the staircase’s shapes and orientations,” Wallace said. “We wanted it to feel organic and fluid, and that required being playful. That was true for the entire house from start to finish, it was important that we didn’t take the whole thing too seriously.”
      The spareness of these spaces is swapped in the cooking and eating areas, which feature darker, richer colours like the teal dining room.

      Blue slide is centrepiece of Walker house renovation by Reflect Architecture

      A knotted light fixture by Lindsey Adelman hangs over the large stone dining table, accompanied by chairs with ochre velvet upholstery.
      In the kitchen, tone-on-tone travertine cabinetry and surfaces include a new 15-foot-long (4.5-metre) kitchen island.
      Tone-on-tone travertine cabinetry and surfaces were added in the kitchenAn existing gabled skylight overhead was maintained, but its beams were updated with a copper hue to “complement the travertine”.
      The room is oriented towards a glass wall facing a Japanese maple tree in the garden, under which sits a large dining table by local furniture designer Mary Ratcliffe.
      A 15-foot-long (4.5-metre) island was also added beneath an existing skylightWallace founded Reflect Architecture in 2016, and the studio’s previous work includes a Toronto home renovation with a blue slide as its centrepiece.
      Other recently completed residential overhauls in the city include a residence connected by asymmetric brass-lined portals and a house where built-in storage volumes were added.
      The photography is by Doublespace Photography.

      Read more: More

    • 100 Shares99 Views

      in Rooms

      Eight home interiors where mezzanines maximise usable space

      by

      For our latest lookbook, we’ve rounded up eight home interiors that make clever use of mezzanines to optimise floorspace.

      Mezzanines, which are used as an intermediate level between the lower floor and a ceiling, have the ability to increase gross internal floor area by capitalising on extra ceiling height.
      These raised floors offer additional room to host a variety of spaces – including bedrooms, home offices and reading spaces, to name a few.
      Ranging from compact apartment renovations to newly-built, split-level holiday homes, this diverse collection of home interiors showcases how mezzanines can be used as a creative solution to maximise floorspace and create dynamic home layouts.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist bathrooms with peaceful interiors, compact garden studios with neat storage solutions and homes lit by central courtyards.

      Photo by David DworkindHickson Residence, Canada, by Ménard Dworkind
      Located on the south shore of Montreal, this 1980s house was renovated by local studio Ménard Dworkind and features rounded plaster details and a terracotta fireplace.
      The studio added a sculptural mezzanine to the 520-square-meter home, which hosts the bedrooms, bathrooms and an office overlooking the double-height living room below.
      Find out more about Hickson Residence ›
      Photo by Seth CaplanDumbo Loft, USA, by Crystal Sinclair Designs 
      Crystal Sinclair Designs renovated this loft apartment in Brooklyn to include a mezzanine hosting a book collection, as well as a bedroom accessed via a ladder.
      The studio retained the space’s existing industrial look but complemented it by adding wooden furniture and white and grey marble.
      Find out more about Dumbo Loft ›
      Photo by José Hevia 105JON, Spain, by Vallribera Arquitectes
      This renovation of a narrow terraced house in Spain by Vallribera Arquitectes saw the studio add a mezzanine level to increase the home’s limited floor area.
      Defined by its blue-painted steel and chipwood construction, the mezzanine level offers space for two children’s bedrooms, along with a bathroom and a small study.
      Find out more about 105JON ›
      Photo by Pier CarthewKerr, Australia, by SSdH
      Housed in a former chocolate factory, Kerr is a warehouse apartment in Melbourne designed by local studio SSdH to include a split-level layout.
      A mezzanine-style level wrapped by a white steel-mesh balustrade occupies the upper floor and contains an open-plan living space and kitchen.
      Find out more about Kerr ›
      Photo by JAG StudioHorno de Pan, Ecuador, by ERDC Arquitectos
      ERDC Arquitectos and Taller General used brick and glass to construct this arched roof home in Quito that features an open mezzanine level.
      Split across three levels, the lowest level offers living and kitchen areas, while an entry, bathroom, bedrooms and studio are provided on the upper floors.
      Find out more about Horno de Pan ›
      Photo by Pierce ScourfieldFerguson, Scotland, by Duncan Blackmore, Lee Ivett and Simon Harlow
      Brightly coloured walls decorate this tiny apartment in Glasgow designed by Duncan Blackmore, Lee Ivett and Simon Harlow, which contains no freestanding furniture.
      To maximise floor and height space within the 25-square-metre home, a small mezzanine level hosts a sleeping space that is accessed via built-in wooden steps.
      Find out more about Ferguson ›
      Photo by José CamposHouse in Rua Direita de Francos, Portugal, by WeStudio and Made
      Mezzanine levels feature throughout the living and bedroom spaces within this gabled, stone house in Porto designed by We Studio and Made.
      A staircase in the kitchen space leads up to a study on a mezzanine level, while ladders in the bedrooms lead up to mezzanines situated above en-suite bathrooms or storage cupboards.
      Find out more about House in Rua Direita de Francos ›
      Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
      Situated in a Mexican pine forest, this brutalist holiday home by Ludwig Godefroy is defined by concrete walls, built-in furniture and wooden floors.
      Composed of five half-levels organised around double-height spaces, the home’s compact arrangement was strategically designed to prioritise height over width.
      Find out more about Casa Alférez ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist bathrooms with peaceful interiors, compact garden studios with neat storage solutions and homes lit by central courtyards.

      Read more: More

    • 125 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      SODA offers model for office-to-residential conversions with Roca in Liverpool

      by

      London studio SODA has converted a 1970s office block in Liverpool city centre into a residential building that  includes co-working and wellness facilities.

      The adaptive reuse project sees the 10-storey block, which spent decades as an office for HM Revenue and Customs, transformed into rental homes managed by operator Livingway.
      Communal spaces take up most of the ground floorRoca contains 120 one- and two-bedroom apartments, plus two floors of co-living-style amenities for residents. These include workspaces, a large kitchen, cinema room, gym and treatment rooms and a planted roof terrace.
      Russell Potter, co-founding director at SODA, believes the project can serve as a model for office-to-residential conversions in city-centre locations.
      The design includes mix of flexible lounge and workspaces”The leaps that office design has made over the past decade or two have meant that certain period properties from the 1960s and 70s are perhaps not the most desirable from a commercial point of view,” he told Dezeen.

      “But if they occupy prime city-centre locations, they can offer amazing opportunities to adapt and re-use, to reinvigorate city centres with genuinely flexible and crafted spaces.”
      A timber “activity wall” provides surfaces, seating and storageLivingway’s model is a version of co-living. By offering Roca residents access to communal spaces, in addition to their apartments, it aims to foster a sense of community.
      Many of these shared spaces can be found on the ground floor. Here, various work, lounge and dining spaces are organised around a timber “activity wall” that provides surfaces, storage and seating.
      A communal kitchen is often used for cooking classes and demonstrationsOther interior details, such as folding screens, curtains and fluted glass windows, allow the space to be casually divided into different activity zones when required.
      Sometimes these spaces host workshops or classes, allowing residents to engage with local businesses.

      Chai Guys Portobello cafe interior evokes “the colour of spices”

      “We’re introducing an element of communal activity to act as a hub at ground floor, in a similar fashion to what’s been happening in other co-living arrangements,” said Potter.
      “It means you have the opportunity to create a genuine sense of community within a city centre.”
      The building was previously an office blockOn the apartment floors, the existing floorplates made it possible to create larger homes than typical co-living units, arranged on opposite sides of a central corridor.
      Apartments come fully furnished, with bedrooms and bathrooms separate from the living areas.
      The renovation provides 120 apartments in total”Office buildings typically have slim floor plates with decent floor spans and high proportions of glazing-to-floor area, so make ideal opportunities for residential conversion,” Potter explained.
      “Likewise, floor-to-ceiling heights don’t tend to pose an issue for residential,” he added. “Typically, commercial floor heights are higher than what you expect in residential, meaning that you get better aspects of light into the spaces.”
      The apartments are larger than is typical for co-livingLivingway offers five of these units as hotel rooms, available for short stay. But guests don’t have access to all of the communal facilities; most are reserved for residents.
      Technology plays an important role in the building management. An app allows residents to book certain rooms or sign up for workshops and classes, while digital locks allow access to be controlled.
      The communal spaces feature colours and patterns that reference the 1970sThe interior design approach reflects the building’s 1970s heritage, with furniture and finishes that don’t shy away from colour and pattern.
      Standout spaces include the cinema room, an all-red space featuring large upholstered chairs, tubular wall lights and art-deco-style mouldings.
      Across the rest of the ground floor, the exposed concrete waffle-slab overhead brings an industrial feel that contrasts with the warmth of the wood surfaces and soft furnishings.
      Standout spaces include a cinema screening roomThe homes feature a more subtle palette, with muted tones rather than white, to allow residents to bring their own personalities into the design.
      A similar level of care was brought to the outdoor spaces. These include an informal courtyard on the ground floor and the seventh-floor roof terrace, which incorporates a trio of hot tubs.
      A planted roof terrace includes three hot tubsThe project builds on SODA’s experience of designing shared spaces. The studio has designed various spaces for workplace provider The Office Group (TOG), including Liberty House and Thomas House.
      The collaboration with Livingway came about after the company reached out to the studio via Instagram.
      “It is amazing to see what a beautiful result has been produced and how much our residents truly enjoy calling Roco their home,” added Samantha Hay, CEO for Livingway.
      The photography is by Richard Chivers.

      Read more: More

    • 125 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      SODA offers model for office-to-residential conversions with Roco in Liverpool

      by

      London studio SODA has converted a 1970s office block in Liverpool city centre into a residential building that  includes co-working and wellness facilities.

      The adaptive reuse project sees the 10-storey block, which spent decades as an office for HM Revenue and Customs, transformed into rental homes managed by operator Livingway.
      Communal spaces take up most of the ground floorRoca contains 120 one- and two-bedroom apartments, plus two floors of co-living-style amenities for residents. These include workspaces, a large kitchen, cinema room, gym and treatment rooms and a planted roof terrace.
      Russell Potter, co-founding director at SODA, believes the project can serve as a model for office-to-residential conversions in city-centre locations.
      The design includes mix of flexible lounge and workspaces”The leaps that office design has made over the past decade or two have meant that certain period properties from the 1960s and 70s are perhaps not the most desirable from a commercial point of view,” he told Dezeen.

      “But if they occupy prime city-centre locations, they can offer amazing opportunities to adapt and re-use, to reinvigorate city centres with genuinely flexible and crafted spaces.”
      A timber “activity wall” provides surfaces, seating and storageLivingway’s model is a version of co-living. By offering Roca residents access to communal spaces, in addition to their apartments, it aims to foster a sense of community.
      Many of these shared spaces can be found on the ground floor. Here, various work, lounge and dining spaces are organised around a timber “activity wall” that provides surfaces, storage and seating.
      A communal kitchen is often used for cooking classes and demonstrationsOther interior details, such as folding screens, curtains and fluted glass windows, allow the space to be casually divided into different activity zones when required.
      Sometimes these spaces host workshops or classes, allowing residents to engage with local businesses.

      Chai Guys Portobello cafe interior evokes “the colour of spices”

      “We’re introducing an element of communal activity to act as a hub at ground floor, in a similar fashion to what’s been happening in other co-living arrangements,” said Potter.
      “It means you have the opportunity to create a genuine sense of community within a city centre.”
      The building was previously an office blockOn the apartment floors, the existing floorplates made it possible to create larger homes than typical co-living units, arranged on opposite sides of a central corridor.
      Apartments come fully furnished, with bedrooms and bathrooms separate from the living areas.
      The renovation provides 120 apartments in total”Office buildings typically have slim floor plates with decent floor spans and high proportions of glazing-to-floor area, so make ideal opportunities for residential conversion,” Potter explained.
      “Likewise, floor-to-ceiling heights don’t tend to pose an issue for residential,” he added. “Typically, commercial floor heights are higher than what you expect in residential, meaning that you get better aspects of light into the spaces.”
      The apartments are larger than is typical for co-livingLivingway offers five of these units as hotel rooms, available for short stay. But guests don’t have access to all of the communal facilities; most are reserved for residents.
      Technology plays an important role in the building management. An app allows residents to book certain rooms or sign up for workshops and classes, while digital locks allow access to be controlled.
      The communal spaces feature colours and patterns that reference the 1970sThe interior design approach reflects the building’s 1970s heritage, with furniture and finishes that don’t shy away from colour and pattern.
      Standout spaces include the cinema room, an all-red space featuring large upholstered chairs, tubular wall lights and art-deco-style mouldings.
      Across the rest of the ground floor, the exposed concrete waffle-slab overhead brings an industrial feel that contrasts with the warmth of the wood surfaces and soft furnishings.
      Standout spaces include a cinema screening roomThe homes feature a more subtle palette, with muted tones rather than white, to allow residents to bring their own personalities into the design.
      A similar level of care was brought to the outdoor spaces. These include an informal courtyard on the ground floor and the seventh-floor roof terrace, which incorporates a trio of hot tubs.
      A planted roof terrace includes three hot tubsThe project builds on SODA’s experience of designing shared spaces. The studio has designed various spaces for workplace provider The Office Group (TOG), including Liberty House and Thomas House.
      The collaboration with Livingway came about after the company reached out to the studio via Instagram.
      “It is amazing to see what a beautiful result has been produced and how much our residents truly enjoy calling Roco their home,” added Samantha Hay, CEO for Livingway.
      The photography is by Richard Chivers.

      Read more: More

    • 138 Shares179 Views

      in Rooms

      Uchronia founder designs own home as “love letter to French craft”

      by

      Glossy walls, ruched curtains and oversized flower-shaped cushions characterise this eclectic 1970s-style Paris apartment, designed and owned by Uchronia founder Julien Sebban.

      Called Univers Uchronia, the apartment is in the city’s 18th arrondissement, close to the Uchronia office – a Parisian architecture and interiors studio known for its bold application of shape, colour and reflective surfaces.
      Julien Sebban designed Univers Uchronia as his homeSebban designed the dwelling as his home, which he shares with his husband and Maison Royère artistic director Jonathan Wray.
      The Uchronia founder created the apartment as an extension of his studio – “it’s truly a manifesto of our universe,” he told Dezeen.
      Colourful interiors anchor the apartmentSebban worked with local studio Atelier Roma to create all the walls and ceilings, which are either lacquered and glossy or made of matte pigmented concrete, respectively reflecting or absorbing light throughout the day.

      Finished in hues ranging from cloud-like pale blue to lemony yellow, the walls and ceilings complement the poured-in-place resin floor that spans the apartment and features a bold motif that “waves and moves in relation to the architecture”.
      A metallic island features in the open-plan kitchenThe home is anchored by a predominantly pink living space, which includes Uchronia-designed pieces such as low-slung interlocking coffee tables made from walnut burl and orange resin.
      Translucent and gathered pink curtains were paired with a geometric vintage bookshelf and a blocky but soft sofa finished in purple and orange.
      A bespoke onyx dining table was created for the home”The apartment is very colourful with ’60s and ’70s inspirations and a mix of our contemporary pieces and vintage objects,” said Sebban.
      In the open-plan kitchen and dining room, a veiny Van Gogh onyx table was positioned next to a metallic kitchen island, illuminated by a blobby seaweed-shaped table lamp.
      Ornamental jellyfish decorate the home officeA portion of the otherwise orange wall was clad with tiny, mirrored tiles. Reflected in the gleaming ceiling, the tiles have the same effect as a shimmering disco ball.
      Opposite the dining area is Sebban and Wray’s home office, characterised by a bright orange, built-in day bed topped with silk flower-like cushions and a wave-shaped backrest.
      The dwelling’s bathrooms follow a similar designAbove the bed, ornamental jellyfish were suspended like planets against a constellation of gold stars, which decorate the ombre orange and yellow wall that nods to the colour-drenched interior of the city’s Cafe Nuances – also designed by Uchronia.
      The dwelling’s bathrooms follow a similar design. Accents include dusty pink alcoves and ceramic tiles depicting underwater scenes, as well as a lily pad-shaped rug and a mirror resembling a cluster of clouds.

      Ten self-designed homes that reflect the unique styles of their owners

      “The apartment defines the codes we have tried to develop at Uchronia over the last four years,” concluded Sebban.
      “It’s a play on colours, textures and materials, and a love letter to French craft.”
      Univers Uchronia is “a love letter to French craft”Uchronia was named emerging interior designer of the year at the Dezeen Awards 2023. The studio previously renovated a Haussmann-era apartment for a pair of jewellery designers with multifaceted furniture pieces created to mirror the appearance of precious stones.
      Various architects have designed their own homes, such as John Pawson, who created this minimalist second home in the Cotswolds in the UK.
      The photography is by Félix Dol Maillot. 

      Read more: More

    • 163 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Galerie Patrick Seguin blends VR with physical installation to recreate Jean Prouvé house

      by

      An exhibition at Galerie Patrick Seguin in Paris allows visitors to experience the Jean Prouvé-designed Maison Les Jours Meilleurs in both real life and virtual reality.

      The gallery is exhibiting the most significant element of the demountable prefabricated house, its load-bearing service core, in a full-scale installation that doubles as a virtual reality (VR) experience.
      The load-bearing service core is key to the design of the original Maison Les Jours Meilleurs (above and top image)Prouvé, the French architect best known for applying mass-production principles to both buildings and furniture, developed the design for the 57-square-metre house in 1956.
      Known as Maison Les Jours Meilleurs, or “better days house”, the house was designed to tackle a homelessness crisis in the French capital.
      This core is the centrepiece of the exhibition at Galerie Patrick SeguinIn the winter of 1954, temperatures dropped so low that a woman and child died from the cold.

      After being denied a request for funding to provide emergency housing, Abbé Pierre – a Catholic priest who was the founder of the Emmaüs movement against poverty – put out a plea on the radio for aid.

      Jean Prouvé’s designs “more relevant today” says daughter Catherine Prouvé

      Prouvé responded immediately and, in a few weeks, had developed a design he felt could offer the solution.
      The design centres around the service core, a steel cylinder painted olive green. This provides all the kitchen and bathroom services and carries the weight of the building’s roof.
      It is installed on a full-scale sketch floor planProuvé first exhibited a prototype of the Maison Les Jours Meilleurs on Quai Alexandre-III in February 1956.
      This was described by fellow architect Le Corbusier as “the handsomest house I know of, the most perfect object for living in, the most sparkling thing ever constructed”.
      However, the model never made it to production and only a handful were ever built.
      A VR headset transforms the scene into a 3D visualisation of the houseGalerie Patrick Seguin owns the world’s largest collection of Prouvé houses, which it has installed in exhibitions around the world. In 2015, it commissioned architect Richard Rogers to put a new spin on one.
      This exhibition marks the first time the gallery has allowed a Prouvé house to be experienced in virtual reality.
      It shows the house installed on the banks of the Seine in ParisThe installation places the service core inside a full-scale sketch floor plan that reveals the house’s layout.
      A VR headset transforms the scene into a visualisation of the house, placing it back on the spot where it was installed in 1956, on the banks of the Seine.
      The photography is courtesy of Galerie Patrick Seguin.
      Jean Prouvé, Maison Les Jours Meilleurs is on show at Galerie Patrick Seguin from 14 March to 20 April 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.

      Read more: More

    • 138 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Tigg + Coll Architects moves studio into converted Victorian mission church

      by

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

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

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

      Ten architecture studios that designed their own office buildings

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

      Read more: More