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    Eight homes with pergolas where residents can make the most of summer

    An oak pergola that protrudes from a glazed extension in a conservation area and a concrete pergola covered in shrubbery are included in our latest lookbook.

    A pergola is a structure that is attached to a home to protect and shelter it from the elements. Pergolas can provide shade to the interior or outdoor area they cover, as well as create some protection from rain.
    Outdoor spaces covered by pergolas are often used as dining or lounge spaces, which means residents can spend time outside while being less exposed to the sun.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cherry red interiors, lavish bedrooms with bathtubs and concrete kitchens.
    Photo is by Rory GardinerPergola House, UK, by Will Gamble Architects

    British architecture studio Will Gamble Architects renovated this Georgian home in a conservation area in Leicestershire that now includes a glass-walled extension surrounded by a wooden pergola.
    When designing the extension, the studio looked to garden pergolas to create a contemporary contrast to the existing Georgian structure. The oak framework extends past the perimeters of the extension to form a shaded pergola.
    Find out more about Pergola House ›
    Photo is by Hèlén BinetMonticello house, Italy, by Di Gregorio Associati Architetti
    Concrete pergolas covered in overgrown shrubbery were added to this brick home in northern Italy, completed by architecture studio Di Gregorio Associati Architetti.
    The concrete pergola shields and surrounds an extension that was added to the house, as well as an outdoor seating area that sits at the centre of the new building. Floor-to-ceiling windows line the interior of the home.
    Find out more about Monticello house ›
    Photo is by Magi GalluzziCasa di Confine, Italy, by Simone Subissati Architects
    Italian architecture firm Simone Subissati Architects designed this home in Le Marche that aims to immerse its residents in the surrounding landscape.
    The studio created a fragmented frame that follows the long and narrow profile of the home. A void at the centre of the building sees the fragmented frame carried over to form a pergola between two volumes of the home. The pergola-covered courtyard leads out to a pool.
    Find out more about Casa di Confine ›
    Photo is by Yiorgis YerolymposNCaved, Greece, by Mold Architects
    On the island of Serifos in Greece, Mold Architects built a partially submerged home on a rocky hillside that features large glazed openings, walled terraces and a large swimming pool.
    The terraces are flanked by stone walls that follow the topography of the landscape and partially covered by slatted pergolas that cantilever from the main structure and help to shade the interior.
    Find out more about NCaved ›
    Photo is by Cesar BelioAvándaro 333, Mexico, by Zozaya Arquitectos
    Located in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, this home is part of a 27-house complex that was named after a nearby lake.
    Architecture studio Zozaya Arquitectos used masonry and clay across the exterior of the home, which was then contrasted with contemporary additions such as wood and steel pergolas.
    A balcony on the upper levels of a home is accessed through retractable glazed walls and sits beneath a wooden pergola.
    Find out more about Lake Avándaro ›
    Photo is by Claus Brechenmacher and Reiner BaumannVilla Mandra, Greece, by K-studio
    A latticed chestnut-wood pergola covers an outdoor dining area Villa Mandra, a holiday home on the Greek island of Mykonos that was designed by Greek architecture practice K-studio.
    Alongside covering an outdoor dining area, the large pergola also shades a lounge area. Metal pendant lights were fixed to the pergola and provide the shaded area with light at night.
    Find out more about Villa Mandra ›
    Photo is by Felix MooneerThe Weathered House, UK, by Selencky Parsons
    Architecture studio Selencky Parsons extended a Victorian home in south London and added a steel-framed structure and large sliding doors that better link the interior with the outdoors.
    The extension is characterised by the weathered-steel structure. This begins at the kitchen area and forms a pergola over an outdoor dining space that is directly accessed via glass sliding doors from the interior.
    Find out more about The Weathered House ›
    Photo is Masao NishikawaPergola House, Japan, by Apollo Architects & Associates
    Designed by Apollo Architects & Associates and located in Kawaguchi, a city just north of Tokyo, Pergola House is a two-storey home that has an L-shaped plan with courtyards covered by pergolas.
    The pergolas are formed of wooden ceiling beams that extend beyond the walls of the interior. Expanses of glass line the walls and double-height spaces help to create an open-plan design and blur the boundaries of the interior.
    Find out more about Pergola House ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cherry red interiors, lavish bedrooms with bathtubs and concrete kitchens.

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    Eight bedrooms with bathtubs that make a lavish statement

    A steel bathtub in a grey carpeted bedroom and a marble bath positioned on a wooden plinth are included in Dezeen’s latest lookbook, highlighting luxurious bedrooms with bathtubs.

    Typically confined to bathrooms with splash-safe surfaces, a bathtub in a bedroom has an air of grandiosity and indulgence.
    It is often seen as an impractical design trend due to ventilation considerations, the need for a strengthened floor and the transition of moving from a soapy bath soak to fresh bed sheets, but this roundup showcases different ways baths in bedrooms have been achieved in homes and hotels.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cherry red interiors, minimalist bedrooms and concrete kitchens.
    Photo by Antoine HuotNicolai Paris, France, by Network of Architecture

    Architecture studio Network of Architecture added curved lines and custom oak furniture to this Parisian apartment, including a curved wooden plinth for a Botticino Fiorito marble bathtub in the main bedroom.
    Located in the former Hotel Nicolai, the studio transformed the interior into a two-level family home that “reflects the elegance of the Parisian ambience in the flat”.
    Find out more about Nicolai Paris ›
    Photo by Piet-Albert GoethalsApartment A, Belgium, by Atelier Dialect
    For the Apartment A residence in Antwerp, Belgian design studio Atelier Dialect placed a shiny steel rectangular bathtub in the carpeted open-plan bedroom, offsetting the surrounding green walls.
    Behind the tub is a partition wall covered in white and black subway tiles, creating a graphic backdrop and concealing a walk-in shower.
    Find out more about Apartment A ›

    Lundies House, UK, by Groves-Raines Architects
    Scottish studio Groves-Raines Architects combined Scottish vernacular and contemporary Scandinavian design when converting a former clergy living quarters into the Lundies House guesthouse, complete with a slipper bath in the main bedroom.
    With views out the nearby window of the Scottish highlands, the freestanding tub is a luxurious addition to the calming neutral-toned interior.
    Find out more about Lundies House ›
    Photo by Gaudenz DanuserConcrete Cabin, Switzerland, Nickisch Sano Walder Architects
    A deep polished concrete ledge with a sunken bath stretches the width of this holiday cabin bedroom, which is sunken into a rocky site in the Swiss Alps.
    Architecture studio Nickisch Sano Walder Architects designed the Concrete Cabin as a stark hideaway for up to two people. Timber salvaged from a log cabin previously on the site was used as the formwork for the cast concrete walls.
    Find out more about Concrete Cabin ›
    Photo by Mariell Lind HansenPrimrose Hill townhouse, UK, by Studio Hagen Hall
    The owners of this refurbished London townhouse can draw a pink curtain to separate the cork-tiled bathtub from the rest of the bedroom, designed by architecture office Studio Hagen Hall.
    The pastel-toned bedroom has a paired-back appearance compared to the rest of the home, which features elm, velvet and fluted glass surfaces informed by 1970s Californian modernism.
    Find out more about the Primrose Hill townhouse ›

    Amsterdam canal house, the Netherlands, by Standard Studio
    Local firm Standard Studio converted a canal house in Amsterdam into an apartment with rooms arranged around a central courtyard, including a bedroom with an oval bath and freestanding bath tap.
    Large glazed doors open the bedroom and bath area to the courtyard, and both interior and exterior spaces were finished with polished concrete floors.
    Find out more about the Amsterdam canal house ›
    Photo by Ricardo Oliveira Alves Open Hearts, Portugal, by AB+AC Architects
    Open Hearts is a wellness centre in Lisbon that doubles as an artists’ residence, designed by Portuguese practice AB+AC Architects.
    The studio added terracotta tiling to a corner of the white bedroom, visually separating the bath area from the rest of the space.
    Find out more about Open Hearts ›
    Photo by Ana SantlMona Athens, Greece, by House of Shila
    Located in a former 1950s textile factory, design studio House of Shila created luxurious open-plan rooms with freestanding baths for the Mona Athens hotel.
    A change in floor level and translucent drapes separate sleeping and bathing areas, creating a “certain balance of comfort and drama” according to the studio.
    Find out more about Mona Athens ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cherry red interiors, minimalist bedrooms and concrete kitchens.

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    Ten bathrooms with double sinks for couples who prioritise personal space

    Nobody likes knocking elbows while brushing their teeth. In this lookbook, we collect 10 bathrooms with interesting takes on double sinks from the Dezeen archive.

    Sometimes called his-and-hers sinks, double sinks immediately introduce a luxurious feel to the bathroom. The 10 examples below feature varying contemporary interpretations of this classic design flourish.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring bathrooms with colourful toilets and sinks, timber cladding and lots of concrete.
    Photo by Megan TaylorLouisville Road apartment, UK, by 2LG Studio
    London design firm 2LG Studio fitted a bespoke coral-orange vanity unit with luted-lacquer-coated doors to form the double sink in this house in Tooting.

    The unit contrasts with baby-blue taps that match the floor tiles and the bordering around the large bathroom mirror, as well as the shower screen.
    Find out more about this Louisville Road apartment ›
    Photo by Mel Yates/24mm PhotographyHouse in York, UK, by Studio Ben Allen
    A utilitarian theme pervades Studio Ben Allen’s extension to a Victorian terraced house in York, including in the first-floor bathroom.
    Twin basins feature taps stripped back to their base brass and exposed copper piping, while the two curving mirrors above them continue an arch motif used throughout the project.
    Find out more about this house in York ›
    Photo by Jeremie WarshafskyCandy Loft, Canada, by StudioAC
    The double sink in this Toronto loft conversion by local firm StudioAC is housed inside a wood-clad unit that is fixed to the wall and lit from underneath.
    It features in a minimalist bathroom with borderless shower screen and mirrors, white walls and subtly patterned tiling.
    Find out more about Candy Loft ›
    Photo by Alex Forsey PhotographyThe Triangle extension, UK, by Yellow Cloud Studio
    A free-standing bathtub separates two sinks in the en-suite bathroom of this Victorian house in Hackney, extended and renovated by London practice Yellow Cloud Studio.
    The bath fits into what was formerly a fireplace, with the original chimney stack providing a symmetrical layout for the concrete basins and pastel-green vanity units.
    Find out more about the Triangle extension ›
    Photo by Youri ClaesensCasa Campo, Ibiza, Spain, by Standard Studio
    Casa Campo is an off-grid home nestled in a mountain range in northern Ibiza by Amsterdam firm Standard Studio.
    In the bathroom, a concrete partition forms a low wall around the double sink, contrasting with the rustic stone walling and timber counter.
    Find out more about Casa Campo ›
    Photo by Felipe FontecillaCasa Hualle, Chile, by Ampuero Yutronic
    Pale plywood walls and a dark concrete floor give the bathroom in this house in Chile’s volcanic Araucania Region a rustic feel.
    Architecture studio Ampuero Yutronic raised a pair of circular sinks on a simple wooden stand in line with a window above the bathtub.
    Find out more about Casa Hualle ›
    Photo by Evan Joseph130 William show apartment, USA, by David Adjaye
    British architect David Adjaye used serrated grey marble tiling to line the walls and floors of the bathroom in this model apartment for his first Manhattan skyscraper.
    This extends to the bathtub and double sink, contrasted with black tap fixtures and a black wooden vanity unit.
    Find out more about this 130 William show apartment ›
    Photo by Matthew WilliamsWorkstead House, USA, by Workstead
    This home in Charleston, South Carolina was created through the renovation of a building formerly used as a store for selling blockaded goods during the US Civil War.
    In the darkly painted en-suite bathroom next to the master bedroom, design studio Workstead built a pair of sink units standing independently of each other and looking out through large double-sash windows.
    Find out more about Workstead House ›
    Photo by Pedro KokAML Apartment, Brazil, by David Ito Arquitetura
    David Ito Arquitetura put a different spin on the double sink inside this apartment in São Paulo.
    The two vanity units face each other from opposite walls, their wooden cupboards contrasting with the black fittings and floor tiles and the white wall tiles and marble in the sinks and the two-person bathtub.
    Find out more about AML Apartment ›
    Photo courtesy of VoraVallirana 47 apartments, Spain, by Vora
    A more modest approach to the double sink is on display in these Barcelona apartments designed by Architecture studio Vora.
    The pale marble sink is divided into two basins, sharing the same white vanity unit and grey marble counter.
    Find out more about these Vallirana 47 apartments ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring bathrooms with colourful toilets and sinks, timber cladding and lots of concrete.

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    Eight calming bedrooms with minimalist interiors

    For our latest lookbook, we’ve gathered ten minimalist bedrooms with peaceful designs, ranging from a Mexican bedroom with a concrete bed to a cosy space in a former girls’ school in Puglia.

    Natural materials including wood and stone were used to finish these eight bedrooms, which also feature muted colour palettes and little in the way of decoration.
    Leaving walls bare and keeping the amount of artworks and personal items to a minimum can help create a more soothing and clutter-free bedroom.
    Beige, grey and warm brown hues, meanwhile, make for relaxing spaces free from eye-catching colours.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring terraces and balconies, marble-lined bathrooms and cave-like interiors.

    Photo by Fabian MartinezCasa Tres Árboles, Mexico, by Direccion
    Designed to resemble a “monastic sanctuary”, this weekend retreat in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, aims to celebrate the contrast between shadow and light in its interior.
    In the pared-down bedrooms, the walls were painted in dark colours to contrast the warm wooden ceiling beams. A wooden bench at the end of the bed and tactile linen textiles give the room a slightly rustic feel.
    Find out more about Casa Tres Árboles ›
    Photo by Aaron ChapmanCabin House, India, by Taliesyn
    Cabin House’s interior was informed by the vernacular architecture of its location in south Bangalore’s Jayanagar neighbourhood.
    Earthy finishes were used for the home, which features bare concrete walls and plenty of wood details. A wooden bedframe and flowers create a friendly atmosphere in the mezzanine bedroom.
    Find out more about Cabin House ›
    Photo by Anson SmartPacific House, Australia, by Alexander & Co
    Australian studio Alexander & Co aimed to create contemplative spaces inside Pacific House in Sydney.
    In the minimalist bedroom, walls were rendered in concrete and matched with carpet in a darker grey colour. Sculptural bedside lamps and transparent floor-to-ceiling curtains add a softer feel to the spartan interior.
    Find out more about Pacific House ›
    Photo by Tomooki KengakuHiroo Residence, Japan, by Keiji Ashizawa
    Custom-made wooden furniture and art pieces are dotted throughout Hiroo Residence. Designer Keiji Ashizawa used muted tones to make the most of the sunlight in the central Tokyo apartment, which has several large windows.
    In the bedroom, wood panels cover entire walls and hide away technical functions behind the beds. Organically shaped ceramics add discrete decorative touches.
    Find out more about Hiroo Residence ›
    Photo by Gavin GreenFisherman’s Cottage, Australia, by Studio Prineas
    The bedroom in this Australian home is located inside a concrete extension to an old fisherman’s cottage.
    Here, a solid-stone bath doubles as a bedhead and mirrored walls were used to make the small room feel bigger. To not clutter the space, accessories were restricted to a few glass trays and vases as well as a striped throw.
    Find out more about Fisherman’s Cottage ›
    Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
    A bedside nook sits underneath a high window inside this brutalist holiday home, which features wooden floors and walls made of board-formed concrete.
    Architect Ludwig Godefroy also designed built-in concrete furniture for the house, including a concrete bed. A pale grey version of designer Verner Panton’s classic Flowerpot lamp adds a glossy detail to the room’s rough texture.
    Find out more about Casa Alférez ›
    Photo by Salva LópezCasolare Scarani, Italy, by Studio Andrew Trotter
    Architecture practice Studio Andrew Trotter converted a girls’ school in Puglia that dates back to 1883 into a grand family home with plenty of decorative arches.
    In the cosy minimalist bedroom, a jute rug covers the stone floor made from crushed rocks and mortar, while the colour palette was kept to creamy whites as well as warm brown and tan hues.
    Find out more about Casolare Scarani ›
    Photo by Roberto RuizPalau apartment, Spain, by Colombo and Serboli Architecture
    “Imperfect” original features were highlighted during the renovation of this apartment in Barcelona, which features white-washed walls and wooden floors.
    In the mezzanine-level bedroom (above and top image), wicker doors front an entire wall and cover the closet. An organically shaped mirror and an orange chair make the calm space feel more playful.
    Find out more about Palau apartment ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring terraces and balconies, marble-lined bathrooms and cave-like interiors.

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    Eight airy terraces and balconies that become extensions of the interior

    From a plant-enclosed terrace in Mexico to a large rooftop garden set beneath a metal pergola in Tokyo, Dezeen’s latest lookbook highlights eight interiors with impressive balconies and terraces.

    Each of these balconies and terraces is accessed via glazed walls or floor-to-ceiling glass and provides their homes with not only a physical but also a visual extension of the interior that merges the in- and outdoors.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cave-like interiors, gallery interiors, and garden swimming pools.
    Photo is by Alex Shoots BuildingsTerrace With a House by the Lake, Poland, by UGO
    This summer holiday home was created by Poznań architecture studio UGO and is located near a lake in Wielkopolska, Poland.

    From the home’s main living area, a large 120-metre-long wooden terrace is accessed via expanses of floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors and double-height glazed walls. The studio described the terrace as an additional room for the home.
    Find out more about Terrace With a House by the Lake ›
    Photo is by César BéjarHouse in Xalap, Mexico, by Lopez Gonzalez
    House in Xalap is a 528-square-metre residence that was built on a slight slope. The exterior of the home was rendered in cement which was painted black to mimic the look of a rock formation.
    From a dining area, which was clad in black marble and wooden panels, maroon-framed glass doors lead out to a volcanic stone-tiled patio that is walled by lush and tropical planting and geometric sculptures.
    Find out more about House in Xalap ›
    Photo is by Masao NishikawaEspirit House, Japan, Apollo Architects & Associates
    A large roof terrace tops Espirit House in Tokyo, which was designed by Apollo Architects & Associates. The terrace is covered by a metal pergola that transforms the open-air space into an additional room of the home.
    The terrace is accessed on the third floor of the home from behind a fully glazed wall. A sectional sofa, dining table and large planters filled with local shrubbery decorate the terrace.
    Find out more about Espirit House ›
    Photo is by Niveditaa GuptaVilla KD45, India, by Studio Symbiosis
    This concrete home in Dehli was designed by Studio Symbiosis for a large family of eight. As a result of thinly framed floor-to-ceiling windows and the home’s exterior concrete floors carrying through to the interior, the boundaries of the indoors and outdoors are blurred.
    Studio Symbiosis also nestled small terraces between both of the home’s floors. Decorative seating provides residents with relaxing outdoor areas that are shaded from the Indian sun.
    Find out more about Villa KD45 ›
    Photo is by Dapple PhotographyRescobie Pavilion, Scotland, by Kris Grant Architect
    A cantilevered balcony wraps around the exterior of the two-storey Rescobie Pavilion in rural Scotland. The structure was created as a free-standing extension of a nearby home so that its residents could immerse themselves in the landscape.
    The structure was topped with a mono-pitched roof that orients the interior to the landscape, and is enveloped in expanses of glass that provide the pavilion with unobstructed panoramic views of the hamlet.
    Find out more about Rescobie Pavilion ›
    Photo is by Rory Gardiner835 High Street, Australia, by Carr
    At 835 High Street, a residential apartment block in Melbourne, Australian architecture studio Carr looked to play with feelings of openness within the interior.
    It added large wrap-around floor-to-ceiling windows that lead out to covered balconies, which aim to complement and juxtapose the relationship between the interior and exterior. The interiors feature a paired-back scheme and were decorated with designer furniture, including a Mario Bellini Camaleonda sofa.
    Find out more about 835 High Street ›
    Photo is by Pedro VannucchiMoenda House, Brazil, by Felipe Rodrigues
    This split-level home in southeastern Brazil was designed by Brazilian architect Felipe Rodrigues and has undisrupted views of the Mantiqueria mountains.
    The ground floor of the home contains shared living spaces, which have an open-plan design. The open-plan kitchen, living and dining room are surrounded by a cantilevered wrap-around balcony that is covered in grey tiles similar to those used throughout the interior.
    Find out more about Moenda House ›
    Photo is by Jonathan LeijonhufvudYing’nFlo, Hong Kong, by Linehouse
    An angular balcony protrudes from the interior of the Ying’nFlo guesthouse in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. The guesthouse was designed by Chinese interior design studio Linehouse, which looked to create the feeling of an inviting home.
    One of the rooms at the guesthouse features a neutral palette and incorporates hand-rendered walls, timber panelling and linen cabinetry. From here, glass sliding doors lead out to a beige tiled balcony that was fitted with a built-in bench and an olive tree at its centre.
    Find out more about Ying’nFlo ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cave-like interiors, gallery interiors, and garden swimming pools.

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    Five highlights from Zaha’s Moonsoon: An Interior in Japan

    The Zaha Hadid Foundation has opened an exhibition about Zaha Hadid’s Moonsoon restaurant in Sapporo, Japan. Here, exhibitions officer and curator Johan Deurell selects five highlights from the show.

    Zaha’s Moonsoon: An Interior in Japan is a case study of architect Hadid’s first built project outside of the UK – the Moonsoon Bar and Restaurant in Sapporo, Japan, which was constructed in 1989.
    The exhibition offers a journey from the conception of the venue  – conveyed through a series of archival models, presentation documents and sketches – through to its built form, presented through images and one-to-one recommissioned furniture from the bar’s interior.
    “Our latest exhibition showcases the creative processes behind one of Zaha Hadid’s earliest and less well-known projects,” said Zaha Hadid Foundation director Paul Greenhalgh. “Moonsoon was created at the time of the incredible explosion of the Japanese economy, and the design boom that accompanied it.”
    “Japan provided opportunities for emerging architects to work on experimental projects. For the foundation, it is a chance for us to dive deep into the archives and highlight works rarely seen before.”

    Zaha Hadid’s first building in the Arab World photographed by Julien Lanoo

    Monsoon’s design referenced some of the early 20th-century avant-grade movements that emerged out of Russia, such as the works of Russian abstract artist Kazimir Malevich.
    Angular, twisting and geometric shapes were translated into functional architectural volumes and layers. Additional design references include the works of sculptor Alexander Calder, French liquor commercials from the 1950s and imagery of orange peel and pasta.
    Zaha’s Moonsoon: An Interior in Japan takes place at the Zaha Hadid Foundation headquarters in Clerkenwell, London, which functioned as Hadid’s headquarters from 1985 until her death in 2016.
    Read on for Deurell’s five highlights:

    Presentation case, acrylic and aluminium by Zaha Hadid Architects, 1989-90
    “The idea of our exhibition came about with the discovery of a Perspex briefcase in the archive. This briefcase was made by Daniel Chadwick as a container for the Moonsoon design concept.
    “It carried elements of model as well as 14 paintings, six perspective drawings and 13 collages shown in this exhibition. The case would be taken to the clients as a form of presentation strategy, where the works on paper would be laid out and the model assembled.”

    Presentation model, acrylic by Zaha Hadid Architects, 1989-90
    “This model, made by Daniel Chadwick, was created to illustrate a concept, rather than as a replica of the restaurant’s final form. Here an ‘orange peel’ shape swirls through the two floors, and the colourful shards represent the furniture and interior elements. At the time it was made, the interior and furniture designs had yet to be finalised.
    “Zaha Hadid Architects embraced the transparency of acrylic to make the relationship between interior and spatial elements in the model easier to view. In the future, digital models would provide the transparent layering effects that Hadid sought to achieve through the early use of acrylic.”

    Interior concepts, acrylic paint on black cartridge paper by Zaha Hadid Architects, 1989-90
    “This painting belongs to a suite of 14 paintings originally stored in the Perspex briefcase. Moonsoon’s concept was partially inspired by fire (for the first-floor bar) and ice (for the ground-floor restaurant), which is illustrated through the reds and blues in this painting. A swirling ‘orange peel’ shape represents the central furnace penetrating through the two floors, whereas splintered ‘ice shards’ symbolise tables.
    “Zaha Hadid Architects used paintings to explore concepts that could not be shown through conventional perspective drawings. Various team members contributed to the paintings. The works were derived from sketches, which had been transferred to tracing paper and then onto cartridge paper, and subsequently coloured in, often by Hadid herself. Their warped shapes and layering anticipated the possibilities later offered by CAD software.”
    [embedded content]
    Zaha’s Moonsoon, by Marwan Kaabour, 2023
    “Not everything in the show came from that briefcase. There were boxes upon boxes of archival material too. During the research phase, colleagues at Zaha Hadid Architects told me: ‘go find the little doodle’. That turned out to be a sheet of Arabic letterforms spelling out Zaha and Moonsoon, and the recurring swirly shape, which you see in the model and paintings.
    “With some help from Marwan Kaabour, who designed the graphic identity for the exhibition, I learnt that the swirl is a stylised version of the letter H in Zaha. Marwan has done some amazing work for Phaidon and V&A before and runs the Instagram account Takweer on queer narratives in the SWANA region. I asked him to make a video based upon the archival material we had found.
    “This snippet is taken from that video. It charts the development of Moonsoon’s ‘orange peel’ structure, from the brief to its final built form. Beginning with sketches of the words مونسون [Moonsoon] and زها [Zaha] based on Arabic letterforms, through references to orange peel, pasta, and the works of Alexander Calder, it concludes with their eventual translation into the technical drawings informing the construction, as well as images of the construction and built.”
    Photo by Paul WarcholSofa and tray table by Zaha Hadid Architects, 1989-90 (remade in 2014)
    “Finally, the exhibition includes a boomerang-shaped sofa from the bar. The furniture for Moonsoon employed intersecting curves and diagonal planes to create an interior landscape. Designed by Michael Wolfson, the differently sized sofas have interchangeable plug-in backrests and tray tables, which came in different colours and finishes.
    “Waiters could set the tables on their stands when delivering the drinks to guests. I am not sure how well this waiting method worked in practice, but it is interesting to think about this furniture as part of a design historical tradition of flexible seating landscapes. We know that Zaha was a fan of Verner Panton’s work, for example.”
    Zaha’s Moonsoon: An Interior in Japan is on show at the Zaha Hadid Foundation in London from 20 April until 22 July 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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    Ten gallery interiors that are artworks in their own right

    A subterranean gallery carved into a sand dune and a treehouse-style art museum feature in our latest lookbook, which collects striking gallery interiors from around the world.

    Art galleries are specifically designed as spaces for showcasing artworks such as sculptures and paintings. As a result, they are often characterised by neutral and minimalist interiors so as not to divert attention from the objects on display.
    However, some galleries are defined by statement designs that not only complement the artworks they house, but transform their interiors into masterpieces themselves.
    From a converted Iranian brewery to a Milanese basement, read on for 10 galleries with memorable interior designs.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring inviting entrance halls, terracotta kitchens and Crittal-style windows.

    Top: Helsinki’s Amox Rex museum. Above: image is courtesy of IK LabIK Lab, Mexico, by Jorge Eduardo Neira Sterkel
    Curving cement walls and undulating vine floors provide an alternative backdrop for artwork within the gallery at the Azulik resort in Tulum.
    The gallery, which visitors must enter without shoes via a winding walkway, is elevated above the ground and reaches the height of the surrounding tree canopy. Circular windows of various sizes flood the space with natural light.
    The gallery was opened by the resort’s founder and designer, Jorge Eduardo Neira Sterkel, after the great-grandson of the famed American art collector Peggy Guggenheim and a Tulum local suggested the idea.
    Find out more about IK Lab ›
    Photo is by Wen StudioTaoCang Art Center, China, by Roarc Renew
    TaoCang Art Center is comprised of two disused granaries located in the village of Wangjiangjing in China’s Zhejiang province. Shanghai studio Roarc Renew connected the volumes with a pair of sweeping brick corridors that are lined with arches.
    Functioning as distinct gallery spaces, the granaries are characterised by striking arrangements of lotus flowers on their floors – an ode to the village’s lotus-flower industry and a pond adjacent to the site.
    Find out more about TaoCang Art Centre ›
    Photo is by Ye Rin MokMaison Lune, USA, by Sandrine Abessera, Lubov Azria and Gabriella Kuti
    Designers Sandrine Abessera and Lubov Azria, founders of the contemporary art gallery Maison Lune, worked with interior designer Gabriella Kuti to set it within a former private house in California.
    Spread across rooms in neutral hues, the gallery is laid out like a collector’s home featuring a varied cluster of artworks and design pieces. Multiple terraces and internal stepped areas provide plinth-like display units for the objects throughout the property.
    “We want to build an alternative to traditional galleries, which are often perceived as too elitist and intimidating,” explained Abessera and Azria.
    Find out more about Maison Lune ›
    Photo is by Tuomas UusheimoAmos Rex, Finland, by JKMM Architects
    Finnish studio JKMM Architects designed the Amos Rex art museum in Helsinki with a series of domed subterranean galleries, which bubble up through the ground to create a sloping outdoor playground.
    While a portion of the museum is housed in the renovated Lasipalatsi, a functionalist 1930s building at street level, Amos Rex was also extended underground to include the domed galleries. These subterranean spaces feature minimalist monochrome interiors illuminated by large round skylights.
    Find out more about Amos Rex ›
    Photo is by Sergio LopezStudio CDMX, Mexico, by Alberto Kalach
    A multi-purpose artist residency and gallery come together at Studio CDMX, a space in Mexico City designed for Casa Wabi founder Bosco Sodi in which to work and exhibit his pieces.
    Constructed on the site of a former warehouse, the building reflects its location’s industrial roots with concrete, metal and brick elements arranged in chunky formations. Sodi’s sculptural works, finished in materials including stone and ceramic, also influenced the interiors.
    Find out more about Studio CDMX ›
    Photo is by William Barrington-BinnsPrivate gallery, Thailand, by Enter Projects Asia
    A winding rattan installation traces an overhead route through this private gallery in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
    Architecture studio Enter Projects Asia used an algorithm to design the structure, which snakes in and out of the gallery’s various indoor and outdoor spaces.
    “We sought to create an immersive experience, giving the space a warmth and depth uncharacteristic of conventional art galleries,” said studio director Patrick Keane.
    Find out more about this private gallery ›
    Photo is by Duccio MalagambaFondazione Luigi Rovati Museum, Italy, by Mario Cucinella Architects
    Layered stone walls line the new basement of the Fondazione Luigi Rovati Museum, an art gallery housed within a 19th-century palazzo in Milan that was both preserved and expanded by Italian studio Mario Cucinella Architects.
    The basement walls were created from overlapping layers of limestone ashlar, which curve upwards to form domed ceilings. Free-standing and wall-mounted cases designed by the architecture studio display two hundred Etruscan artifacts, including ancient jewellery and cinerary urns.
    Find out more about Fondazione Luigi Rovati Museum ›
    Photo is by Ahmadreza SchrickerArgo Factory Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre, Iran, by Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North
    US studio Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North renovated a 1920s brewery in central Tehran to create the Argo Factory Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre, preserving many of the factory’s original industrial features.
    Designed without middle supports, a curvilinear concrete staircase was inserted into the building to connect the museum’s lobby and its six galleries above. The staircase is one of a number of new elements with a rounded shape, created to contrast the uniform brick architecture.
    Find out more about Argo Factory Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre ›
    Photo is by Wu QingshanUCCA Dune Art Museum, China, by Open Architecture
    Carved into a dune on a beach in Qinhuangdao, this coastal art museum is comprised of a network of subterranean concrete galleries.
    Beijing-based firm Open Architecture took cues from caves for the interlinked spaces, which are illuminated by organically shaped openings and feature an irregular texture.
    “The walls of ancient caves were where art was first practiced,” Open Architecture co-founder Li Hu told Dezeen.
    Find out more about UCCA Dune Art Museum ›
    Photo is by Kevin ScottMini Mart City Park, USA, by GO’C
    Mini Mart City Park is a community arts centre with a gallery built on the site of a former 1930s petrol station in Seattle.
    Local studio GO’C referenced the location’s history when creating the design for the centre, opting for classic signage, an overhanging roof and divided metal windows.
    Inside, the gallery space is characterised by exposed wooden rafters and smooth grey-hued floors, providing a neutral backdrop for the exhibition of artwork.
    Find out more about Mini Mart City Park ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring inviting entrance halls, terracotta kitchens and Crittal-style windows.

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    Eight cave-like interiors that celebrate curved forms

    A spa with a spherical swimming pool and holiday homes with sloping plaster walls feature in our latest lookbook, which showcases eight cavernous Greek interiors.

    Cave-like interior designs are becoming increasingly popular, as seen in the Gilder Center by Studio Gang – a recently completed museum extension in New York with a large grotto-like atrium.
    In Greece, which is known for its caves, there is a wide variety of cave-like architecture either built from existing geological structures or designed to mimic these natural dugouts. Thick, curved walls are often chosen to protect interior spaces from the country’s Mediterranean climate.
    As the weather becomes warmer in the northern hemisphere, here are eight cave-like interiors from Greece that are defined by their curved shapes.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with striking bookshelves, outdoor showers and offbeat bakeries.

    Photo is by Yiorgos KordakisSummer houses, Santorini, by Kapsimalis Architects
    Local studio Kapsimalis Architects converted two underground caves at an old property in Santorini into summer houses with bright white facades.
    Inside, the homes are characterised by smoothed-out interiors finished with earthy-hued plaster, while arched doorways and niches nod to the property’s history.
    Find out more about these summer houses ›
    Image is courtesy of Greg Haji JoannidesSterna Nisyros Residences, Nisyros, by Greg Haji Joannides
    Designer Greg Haji Joannides renovated the interior of an earthquake-damaged house on the island of Nisyros using historic photographs as a guide.
    On the ground floor, wide brick archways create an open-plan layout that allows the space to double as an exhibition site for artists in residence.
    “The inspiration behind this design was to keep as much as possible of the original way the Nisyrians would build houses,” Joannides told Dezeen. “They would use the ground floor as a storage or working space.”
    Find out more about this island house ›
    Photo is by Spyros Hound PhotographyWooden Cave, Trikala Korinthias, by Tenon Architecture
    Wooden Cave is a timber-clad suite that forms part of Hyades Mountain Resort – a hotel in the mountainous village of Trikala Korinthias.
    Tenon Architecture split the suite into two sections that intend to mirror the appearance and experience of entering a cave. The front half features ashy black tiles arranged in a linear formation, while the rear half is made from almost 1,000 pieces of curved hand-cut spruce.
    “This division intends to create a clear distinction between the hard, ‘protective’ shell and the curved, ‘inviting’ interior, reminiscent of the form of a cave,” explained the architecture studio.
    Find out more about Wooden Cave ›
    Photo is by Giorgos SfakianakisSaint Hotel, Santorini, by Kapsimalis Architects
    Kapsimalis Architects converted a cluster of former homes, barns and cellars in Santorini into the Saint Hotel – the volumes of which are arranged in a stepped formation down a sea-facing cliffside.
    Inside, smooth cavernous walls were finished in white plaster that creates a subtle backdrop for minimal fittings and amorphous furniture.
    Find out more about Saint Hotel ›
    Photo is by Sylvia DiamantopoulosRetreat in Tinos Island by Ioannis Exarchou
    Retreat in Tinos Island is a 100-year-old stable that was transformed into a cosy holiday home for two by architect Ioannis Exarchou.
    Exarchou set large stones and thick tree branches into the dwelling’s ceiling, clad the walls in smooth white plaster and covered the floors in coloured concrete.
    “My main objective was to retain and preserve the cavernous unique feeling of the space,” the architect told Dezeen.
    Find out more about Retreat in Tinos Island ›
    Photo is by Yiorgos KordakisHoliday home, Santorini, by Kapsimalis Architects
    The cave-like subterranean spaces and vaulted rooms within this Santorini holiday home were renovated by Kapsimalis Architects to retain the building’s existing architecture.
    The studio worked to simplify the complex interior layout, which features a labyrinthine arrangement of spaces that are brightened by all-white plaster walls.
    Find out more about this holiday home ›
    Image is courtesy of DecaArchitectureEuphoria Spa, Mystras, by DecaArchitecture
    Carved into the base of a mountain in Mystras, Euphoria Spa is made up of differently scaled elliptical spaces that are connected by a web of catacomb-style passages.
    One of these areas contains an indoor spherical pool that is characterised by a dark central structure that can be accessed via curved archways.
    “Floating in the centre of this dark orb there is a sense of being suspended in the void of a platonic volume, but also a sense of womb-like calmness,” said DecaArchitecture.
    Find out more about Euphoria Spa
    Photo is by Julia KlimiHoliday apartments, Santorini, by Kapsimalis Architects
    Arched niches and grey cement plaster floors create neutral living spaces within these four holiday apartments, which were built near Santorini’s highest point.
    The complex’s terraces and retaining walls were formed from rocks excavated from the site to create a continuity between the architecture and the surrounding mountains.
    Find out more about these apartments ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with striking bookshelves, outdoor showers and offbeat bakeries. 

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