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    Five key projects by interior designer and Dezeen Awards China judge Alex Mok

    Shanghai-based interior designer Alex Mok has joined Dezeen Awards China 2023 as a judge. Here she selects five projects that best reflect her work.

    Mok and Briar Hickling are the co-founders of architecture and interior design practice Linehouse. The female duo’s work has been recognised internationally and won a number of international design awards, including Emerging interior designers of the tear at Dezeen Awards 2019.
    “Linehouse’s approach is purposeful, creating poetic concepts through research of cultural, urban and historic contexts that respond to the program, site and function,” Mok told Dezeen.
    “Each project has a strong narrative, a focus on craft and unique spatial experience with a dynamic intersection between disciplines,” she continued.
    Currently, Mok is working on hotel projects in Hangzhou and Hong Kong, a food market in Shanghai, and a series of retail projects in Bangkok.

    Alex Mok among Dezeen Awards China 2023 judges
    Dezeen Awards China 2023 launched in June in partnership with Bentley Motors. It is the first regional edition of Dezeen Awards, celebrating the best architecture, interiors and design in China.
    We have announced 10 out of the 15 Dezeen Awards China judges, including architects Ma Yansong and Rossana Hu, furniture designer Frank Chou and interior designer Andre Fu, who will be joining Mok on the interior design judging panel.
    Entries close on Thursday 24 August. Submit your entry before midnight Beijing time on 24 August to avoid late entry fees.
    Read on to find Mok’s views on the five projects that best represent her work.
    Photo is by Jonathan LeijonhufvudWework Weihai Road, Shanghai, 2016
    “Linehouse worked with Wework in 2016 to create their headquarters in a spectacular turn of the century brick building in Shanghai. Linehouse celebrated the grandeur of the former opium factory and artist residence, encapsulating the feeling of a grand hotel, transporting guests and members on an unexpected journey of whimsy, voyeurism and festivity.
    “The heritage facade surrounds the central atrium. A curved terrazzo tray was inserted to define the space, and pastel diagonal strips in blue, green, pink and grey wrap the floor and wall, creating a hardscape carpet.
    “A bespoke lighting installation is suspended in the triple-height space. A new sculptural staircase was inserted to connect all three levels of the main public areas.”
    Photo is by Dirk WeiblenTingtai Teahouse, Shanghai, 2018
    “Tingtai Teahouse was completed in 2018 in a former factory space and art gallery in Shanghai’s Moganshan Road art district. We stripped the space completely to reveal the beautiful patina of the original factory with concrete beams and columns as well as the brick walls.
    “The teahouses are modern architectural responses to the raw factory interior. They read as singular insertions that contrast with the rough brick and concrete interior and reflect the surroundings. The upper rooms in particular have strong relationships with the existing building in the way they connect to the original clerestory windows.
    “With each of these rooms bookended with full-height glazing, guests become spectators to the activities below. Each room has a different roofline, which forms modern architectural puzzle spaces where tea drinkers can enjoy this age old drink with a new perspective. ”
    Find out more about Tingtai Teahouse ›
    Photo is by Wen StudioCoast, Shanghai, 2022
    “The Coast restaurant in Shanghai recalls a deep connection with coastal elements and Mediterranean soul. Linehouse transformed a three-storey building into a vertical journey of refined rusticity.
    “Colours and materials across the three floors change, telling different parts of the story. Green earthy tones on the ground floor link the garden to the open cafe space, while the red fire tones on the first floor reflect the dining room centred on the parrilla grill. On the second floor black yakisugi wood contrasts against the whitewashed flanked stone walls and the existing traditional timber trussed ceiling.”
    Find out more about Coast ›
    Photo is by DOF Sky|GroundCentral World, Bangkok, 2023
    “Central World is our largest architectural project to date; a renovation project of an existing shopping centre called Isetan in Bangkok. Linehouse was commissioned to design the exterior facade and seven floors of retail space including a food court.
    “The project was located in an area once abundant in lily pads. Linehouse examined the stemming, radiating and circular profile of the lily pads, translating this into a spatial narrative of the exterior and interior condition.
    “The exterior is a double-layered, arched facade. The front layer was defined by concrete form and the back layer rendered in black. The arches stem in various heights and widths shifting on the two planes, creating interesting intersections which operate as framed views through to the interior.
    “Linehouse punctuated the arches to allow green terraces, providing a depth to an otherwise flat elevation, and blurring the exteriors and interiors.”
    Photo is by Jonathan LeijonhufvudYing’n Flo, Hong Kong, 2023
    “Aiming to break the traditional hotel narrative of serious spaces and strict boundaries, Ying’n Flo is a lifestyle guesthouse for modern day travellers in Hong Kong.
    “The spaces were designed to have a warm, welcoming and familiar feel, emphasising functionality and quality. Against this backdrop of curated simplicity is an edge of youthful attitude and local context, with vibrant elements giving the hotel its own unique flavour.”
    Find out more about Ying’n Flo ›
    Dezeen Awards China 2023
    Dezeen Awards China is the first regional edition of Dezeen Awards, to celebrate the best architecture, interiors and design in China. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent in China.

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    Eight interiors that embrace the principles of wabi-sabi

    In this lookbook, we collect eight interiors informed by the Japanese design philosophy of wabi-sabi, which celebrates imperfection and impermanence.

    Notoriously difficult to define, wabi-sabi is a concept rooted in Zen Buddhism that author Beth Kempton describes as helping us “to see beauty in imperfection, appreciate simplicity and accept the transient nature of all things”.
    In interiors, it is often associated with the blending of rustic and minimalist elements as well as natural, earthy tones and raw surfaces. Below are eight interpretations of the aesthetic from around the world.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring Japandi living rooms, bedrooms with earthy colour palettes and calming organic-modern interiors.
    Photo by Roberto RuizPalau apartment, Spain, by Colombo and Serboli Architecture

    Barcelona studio Colombo and Serboli Architecture sought to highlight the “imperfect” features of this apartment in a renovation project.
    Rough-textured wooden beams were left exposed, with the contemporary elements prioritising sturdy, simple shapes like circles and squares.
    Find out more about Palau apartment ›
    Photo by Harold De PuymorinImperfect Residence, Hong Kong, by NC Design & Architecture
    Grainy wood and veiny marble come together as symbols of nature’s flaws at Imperfect Residence in Hong Kong.
    NC Design & Architecture also introduced finishes such as oxidised bronze and textured plaster to heighten the feeling of a sanctuary in the city.
    Find out more about Imperfect Residence ›
    Photo by Andrey AvdeenkoKyiv apartment, Ukraine, by Sergey Makhno
    Ukrainian architect Sergey Makhno is among the key European practitioners of the contemporary wabi-sabi style.
    He applied the concept at his own apartment in Kyiv (top and above), installing oak beams in the living room alongside furniture specifically designed for the home to complement his collection of ancient Eastern European ceramics.
    Find out more about this Kyiv apartment ›
    Photo by Koji Fujii/TOREAL, Takashi YasuiC4L House, Japan, by Cubo Design Architects
    Traditional Japanese materials sit alongside contemporary finishes at this house in  Tokyo designed by Cubo Design Architects.
    “We believe houses that are rooted in an understanding of Japan’s cultural context and a respect for the skills and innovations of our ancestors, which can nevertheless be passed onto future generations, are the kind of houses we should be building in Japan today,” said founder Hitoshi Saruta.
    Find out more about C4L House ›
    Photo by Daniel MulheranButterfly House, Australia, by Dane Taylor Design
    This home on the coast of New South Wales was designed to have a therapeutic effect for its owner, who lives with multiple sclerosis.
    Dane Taylor Design interpreted accessible design principles through a wabi-sabi lens, using a warm material palette and understated furniture pieces.
    Find out more about Butterfly House ›
    Photo courtesy of Tilden HotelTilden Hotel, USA, by Studio Tack
    Brooklyn design firm Studio Tack decided to evoke wabi-sabi in its revival of this art-deco hotel in San Francisco.
    In a subtle nod to the philosophy, clean lines were mixed with organic textures throughout the distinctly modernist interior.
    Find out more about Tilden Hotel ›
    Photo by Soar Design StudioWabi-Sabi House, Taiwan, by Soar Design Studio and Chen-Tien Chu
    Taiwanese practice Soar Design Studio and architect Chen-Tien Chu created an open-plan layout when renovating this house in Taichung, allowing all the spaces to have a connection to the outdoors via a series of garden terraces.
    In the lounge area, the wooden deck extends from the outside into the room, enhancing the feeling of nature being invited in.
    Find out more about Wabi-Sabi House ›
    Photo by Piet Albert GoethalsSilo apartment, Belgium, by Arjaan De Feyter
    Belgian interior architect Arjaan De Feyter is another prominent proponent of wabi-sabi design, as seen in his renovation of this apartment that occupies the former silos of a distillery outside Antwerp.
    Here, he left the structure’s curving concrete walls exposed and applied a micro-topping surface to the floors while installing bespoke oak furniture designed in collaboration with Tim Vranken.
    Find out more about Silo apartment ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring Japandi living rooms, bedrooms with earthy colour palettes and calming organic-modern interiors.

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    Eight interiors where Barbiecore pink adds a playful touch of colour

    As the upcoming Barbie film has created a shortage of pink colour and launched a real-life dollhouse in Malibu, we gathered eight pink interiors to exemplify the Barbiecore aesthetic for this lookbook.

    The pink hues that are usually associated with Barbie, a children’s toy first launched by manufacturer Mattel in 1959, are influencing both clothes and interiors ahead of Great Gerwig’s live-action Barbie film.
    The style, which has become known as Barbiecore, can add a joyful touch of colour to otherwise pared-back interiors, or be used as a hyper-bright nod to 1980s opulence.
    Here, we have gathered eight interiors where pink was used to give interiors additional warmth and a touch of whimsy.
    This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rustic interiors, Wes Anderson-style interiors and welcoming wood-panelled dining rooms.

    Photo by JC de MarcosMinimal Fantasy, Spain, by Patricia Bustos Studio
    The Minimal Fantasy apartment is anything but minimalist – instead, Patricia Bustos Studio aimed to create an “aesthetic madness” for the interior of this Madrid rental in a 1950s residential building.
    The holiday home features 12 different shades of pink, with the entire living room covered in a pastel bubblegum pink.
    “Pink vindicates the fall of stereotypes – everything is possible, nothing is planned or established and that’s the beauty of it,” the studio told Dezeen.
    Find out more about Minimal Fantasy ›
    Photo by Matthew MillmanSan Francisco house, US, by Jamie Bush
    A more discrete take on adding pink to an interior can be found in this San Francisco house by architect Jamie Bush, who gave it an overhaul using an eclectic array of furniture.
    Bush added pink walls to the dining room, where they contrast against dark-wood vintage furniture and white details including a lamp and sheer curtains to create a playful, yet elegant atmosphere.
    Find out more about San Francisco House ›
    Photo by Hogwash StudiosBarbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse, US, by Ken
    The most Barbiecore interior of them all can naturally be found in the Barbie Malibu Dreamhouse, which is being rented out by the doll’s boyfriend Ken on Airbnb.
    Inside the California mansion, located beachside in Malibu, guests can enjoy pink rooms including the bright-fuchsia bedroom that has been decorated with cowboy hats, boots and cowhide rugs to add more “Kenergy”.
    Find out more about Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse ›
    Photo by Luis Díaz DíazMixtape apartment, Spain, by Azab
    A dusky baby-pink kitchen decorates the Mixtape apartment in Bilbao, which was designed by architecture studio Azab.
    The white and pink cupboards are boarded by light timber strips, and the appliances in the room have also been painted pink. A multicoloured floor with pale green and yellow as well as darker red herringbone tiles give the space a vibrant feel.
    Find out more about Mixtape apartment ›
    Photo by Rei Moon of Moon Ray Studio130-square-metre-house, UK, by Studiomama
    “London’s smallest house”, a conceptual design by Studiomama, features an abundance of pink details throughout, including in its plywood-clad kitchen.
    Here, the clever fold-out seating has been decorated with blush-pink cushions and pillows, with a pink cushion also forming a cosy backrest.
    Find out more about 130-square-metre house ›
    Photo by Salva LopezMoco Barcelona, Spain, by Isern Serra
    A computer-generated image was transformed into a real-life interior for the Moco Barcelona store, a rose-coloured shop inside the city’s Moco Museum.
    Designer Isern Serra used pink micro-cement to achieve the same uniform, ultra-smooth surfaces as those of the computer-generated image, creating a dream-like interior filled with rounded corners and arches.
    Find out more about Moco Barcelona ›
    Photo by Lorenzo ZandriPigment House, UK, by Unknown Works
    London studio Unknown Works went all in on the pink for Pigment House, a Hampstead home that was renovated to add a pink-toned patio area.
    While not technically part of the interior, it adds a splash of colour to the ground floor area, and is used for indoor-outdoor living in the summer months. The choice of pink was a reference to the colourful buildings of Mexican architect Luiz Barragán.
    Find out more about Pigment House ›
    Photo by Hey! CheeseCats’ Pink House, Taiwan, by KC Design Studio
    This holiday home in Taiwan got its name, Cats’ Pink House, as it includes cat ladders, a rotating carousel-shaped climbing frame and a fluffy pink cat swing.
    KC Design Studio used a mineral-based paint to create the pink walls throughout the home, which also features a pink bathroom – with a pink cat litter box.
    Find out more about Cats’ Pink House ›
    This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rustic interiors, Wes Anderson-style interiors and welcoming wood-panelled dining rooms.

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    Eight retro interiors that capture the mood of a Wes Anderson film

    Following the release of American filmmaker Wes Anderson’s eleventh motion picture Asteroid City, we have collected eight interiors that embody his distinctive cinematic style for our latest lookbook.

    Anderson is known for his retro pastel colour palettes and use of symmetry, as seen in the sets from his latest feature film that are currently the subject of an exhibition at London’s 180 the Strand.
    From a Milanese cafe designed by the director himself to a quirky makeup store in China that was styled to mimic 1970s offices, here are eight interiors that were either directly influenced by Anderson or look as if they are taken straight out of one of his films.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring bedrooms with bathtubs, Parisian apartments and striking art gallery interiors.
    Photo is by Ye Rin MokBoisson, USA, by Studio Paul Chan

    Local firm Studio Paul Chan took cues from the opening scene of Anderson’s 2021 film The French Dispatch when designing the interiors for this bottle shop by non-alcoholic drinks brand Boisson in Los Angeles.
    Elements of mid-century Hollywood design and art deco were combined in a space that includes walnut-stained wooden wall panelling, dusty green accents and a bespoke glass-block counter.
    Find out more about Boisson ›
    Image is courtesy of AIM ArchitectureHarmay store, China, by AIM Architecture
    A colour palette of muted yellow, orange and brown characterises this shop by makeup brand Harmay, which is set across the renovated second floor of a business park in Hangzhou.
    Chinese studio AIM Architecture designed the space to mimic a 1970s office by using rows of yellow desks to display stock and incorporating a retro woollen carpet and frosted-glass sliding “meeting room” doors.
    “Creating an ‘old fashioned’ physical retail experience in an actual office space just seemed a fun way to translate this duality of space and time,” the studio’s founder Wendy Saunders told Dezeen.
    Find out more about this Harmay store ›
    Photo is by Alex LysakowskiThe Annex, Canada, by Superette
    The vivid colour palettes and geometric shapes often associated with Anderson’s cinematography also feature at The Annex, a marijuana dispensary in Toronto that was modelled on Italian delis.
    Green and beige checkerboard flooring was paired with deli props, tomato-red stools and hanging pendant lights while various cannabis paraphernalia was laid out like groceries.
    Find out more about The Annex ›
    Photo is by Roland HalbeBar Luce, Italy, by Wes Anderson
    Created by Anderson himself, Bar Luce is located within the OMA-designed Fondazione Prada in Milan.
    Pastel colours and veneered wood panelling were applied to the space, which was designed to reference iconic city landmarks and cafes – particularly those dating back to the 1950s and 60s.
    “I tried to make it a bar I would want to spend my own non-fictional afternoons in,” said the filmmaker, who stressed that the bar was not designed as a set but rather as a “real” place.
    Find out more about Bar Luce ›
    Photo is by Mikael LundbladCafe Banacado, Sweden, by ASKA
    Cafe Banacado is an all-day breakfast cafe in Stockholm designed by local architecture studio ASKA.
    ASKA followed “a strong symmetry” when creating the interiors, which feature checkerboard flooring, arched mirrors and a sunny colour palette that was specifically chosen to evoke the dreamlike atmosphere of Anderson’s films.
    Find out more about Cafe Banacado ›
    Photo is by Derek SwalwellThe Budapest Cafe, Australia, by Biasol
    Local studio Biasol designed this salmon-hued cafe in Carlton, Melbourne, to reference Anderson’s 2014 feature film The Grand Budapest Hotel – in particular its symmetrical compositions and “nostalgic” colour palettes.
    Stylised steps to nowhere decorate the walls, while a curved archway frames a glossy point-of-sale counter with a tubular base finished in terracotta.
    Find out more about The Budapest Cafe in Melbourne ›
    Photo is by James MorganThe Budapest Cafe, China, by Biasol
    Biasol also designed another outpost for The Budapest Cafe in Chengdu, China, that references the titular film.
    Here, Biasol combined pastel shades and marble surfaces with similar chunky elevations to those found in the Melbourne cafe. The centrepiece of the room is a tiered terrazzo seating area topped with a pink ball pit and an original Eero Aarnio Bubble chair.
    Find out more about The Budapest Cafe in Chengdu ›
    Photo is by Romain LapradeHotel Palace restaurant, Finland, by Note Design Studio
    When Note Design Studio renovated a restaurant within Helsinki’s Hotel Palace, the Swedish firm set out to honour the history of the modernist building, which was opened in time for the city’s 1952 Summer Olympics.
    Teak panelling, luxurious teal carpet and expansive windows lend themselves to a cinematic atmosphere, while white tablecloths add a touch of glamour to the space, where visitors can imagine Anderson’s characters dining.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring bedrooms with bathtubs, Parisian apartments and striking art gallery interiors.

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    Eight welcoming wood-panelled dining rooms

    For our latest lookbook, we’ve selected eight dining rooms from the Dezeen archive where wooden panelling was used to create cosy, earthy environments with an organic feel.

    From South America to Europe, these wood-panelled dining rooms serve as focal points in the interiors and create social spaces for residents and guests.
    Whether they’re made from timber, pine or plywood, the wooden finishes on these statement walls and ceilings have been used to create welcoming environments with peaceful atmospheres.
    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 focal point wardrobes, statement headboards and homes with pergolas.
    Photography is by Fran Parente and image production is by Victor CorreaER Apartment, Brazil, Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos

    This apartment in São Paulo has an exposed concrete ceiling and uses natural materials, such as walnut, bronze, onyx and stone in its furnishings and finishes.
    Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos used vertical timber cladding, local art and furniture by Brazilian architects and designers Oscar Niemeyer and Claudia Moreira Salles in the dining room to make the space “deeply Brazilian and vividly cosmopolitan”.
    Find out more about ER Apartment ›
    Photography is by Eric PetschekCarroll Gardens Townhouse, US, Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design
    Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design combined two units in a Brooklyn townhouse to create this family home. The townhouse features Belgian white oak on the flooring and along the corridor, stairs, mudroom, kitchen and dining area.
    The New York-based studios used neutral tones to decorate the five-story house. In the dining room, wooden cabinets and decorative lamellas match the floor and ceiling.
    Find out more about Carroll Gardens Townhouse ›
    Photography is by Tim CrokerDragon Flat, UK, Tsuruta Architects
    Artificial intelligence (AI) was used to design the patterns engraved on plywood panels that decorate the dining room of the Dragon Flat in London’s Notting Hill. Tsuruta Architects used a CNC router – a computer-controlled cutting machine – to engrave a pattern of the River Thames on the wall.
    The architecture studio also updated the two-level maisonette to include a walk-in wardrobe and tatami room, which features an engraved design on its panelled walls.
    Find out more about Dragon Flat ›
    Photography is by David GrandorgeHomerton College, UK, Feilden Fowles
    Homerton College at the University of Cambridge includes a dining hall by London architecture studio Feilden Fowles made from concrete, timber and 3,200 faience tiles.
    The building, which was constructed with chestnut-laminated timber frames and clerestory windows, features a larger eating space, a smaller eating room, the kitchen and staff amenities.
    It was designed to celebrate handcrafting techniques and contemporary construction and engineering.
    Find out more about Homerton College ›
    Photography is by Roland HalbeHouse in El Peumo, Chile, Cristián Izquierdo Lehmann
    This house, designed by Cristián Izquierdo Lehmann, centres around an open-plan kitchen and dining room with a vaulted ceiling that is used for cooking, dining and socialising.
    A minimalist decor compliments the dramatic ceiling, with red stools used for dining and a bookcase lining the wall.
    Located in El Peumo, Chile, the house was clad with laminated pine and features concrete floors and large windows for the owners to enjoy the green exterior.
    Find out more about House in El Peumo ›

    Another Seedbed, US, Future Projects
    The Another Seedbed loft in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, serves as both a home and performance space for its owner. To function as both, the space is predominately open, with hidden rooms located around the apartment.
    Warm pine walls mark the dining space, which features a complementary red angular table and wooden sculptural chairs.
    Other walls in the loft are covered in hand-troweled earthen clay plaster, blue penny-round tiles and floor-to-ceiling shelving.
    Find out more about Another Seedbed ›
    Photography is by Art GrayStone Creek Camp, US, Andersson-Wise Architects
    US-based Andersson-Wise Architects designed the Stone Creek Camp in Big Fork, Montana, as a family retreat of cabins and cottages.
    While it is wood-clad, the kitchen and dining area does not feature traditional panelled walls. Instead, one wall is made from wooden logs that have been assembled to create an unusual wall with a highly textured surface.
    The ceiling was clad in wooden panels that match the floorboards in the home.
    Find out more about Stone Creek Camp ›
    Photography is by Marc GoodwinGeilo Valley Cabin, Norway, Lund Hagem
    Panelled with blackened timber, this Norwegian ski cabin shelters residents from harsh weather conditions and offers panoramic views of the Geilo Valley. The cabin’s exterior concrete walls have also been tinted black to reflect the interior panels.
    The walls and ceiling of the dining room use the same timber cladding, matching the kitchen island to create a cosy, coherent atmosphere.
    “The dark tone allows the nature outside to come closer and creates a darkness that contrasts with the white winter landscape,” said the project’s architects Lund Hagem.
    Find out more about Geilo Valley Cabin ›
    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 focal point wardrobes, statement headboards and homes with pergolas.

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    Eight pared-back kitchens with minimalist storage solutions

    Sometimes the simple solutions are the best, as seen in this lookbook featuring tidy kitchen interiors where minimalist closed cabinets are combined with decorative materials.

    In these kitchens, found in homes from Sweden to Mexico, architects and designers largely chose simple storage solutions but added material interest in the form of marble, steel and brick details.
    By hiding utensils and crockery away, benches and kitchen islands are freed up to use for food preparation. In some of these kitchens, open shelves above the work areas also provide spaces to hold decorative plates, bowls and cookbooks.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes where the wardrobe is the focal point, bedrooms with statement headboards and homes with pergolas.
    Photo by Lorenzo ZandriSteele’s Road House, UK, by Neiheiser Argyros

    The original brickwork was uncovered in parts of this London flat, including in the kitchen where it forms the backdrop to the room’s minimalist cabinets.
    Pale-wood cupboards sit underneath the brick wall, which also features shelves to add more storage.
    Designers Neiheiser Argyros added a curved window seat, as well as a wooden kitchen table and stool to match the cabinets and give the room a more natural feel.
    Find out more about Steele’s Road House ›
    Photo by Giulio GhirardiHausmann apartment, France, by Rodolphe Parente
    This Parisian apartment in a 19th-century Haussmann building in Paris was given an overhaul by interior designer Rodolphe Parente, who took cues from the owner’s art collection.
    In the kitchen, stainless steel cabinets were used to form storage and workspaces, creating an industrial feel that is tempered by pastel-pink walls.
    “The kitchen is a deconstructed block sitting in the Haussmanian environment,” Parente told Dezeen. “It is connected to the historical elements through its composition.”
    Find out more about the Hausmann apartment ›
    Photo by Scott NorsworthyHouse M, Canada, by Studio Vaaro
    Studio Vaaro used oak cabinetry for the kitchen of this home in Canada, while matching oak shelving provides additional storage above the workspaces.
    To contrast the warm wood, the studio chose grey marble for the countertops and splashbacks, which gives the kitchen an organic feel. Additional storage can be found in the pale grey cabinets that frame the kitchen.
    Find out more about House M ›
    Photo by Edmund DabneyLondon apartment, UK, by Holloway Li
    A kitchen clad in circle-brushed stainless steel clads one wall in this London flat by local studio Holloway Li. Designed in reference to the city’s many fish-and-chip shops, it features a striking curved splashback.
    Above the workspaces, a built-in open shelf provides space to store glasses and cooking utensils, with the rest of the storage is hidden behind patterned-steel cabinet doors.
    Find out more about London apartment ›
    Photo by Ronan MézièreMontreal apartment, Canada, by Naturehumanie
    Fresh minty hues decorate the kitchen of this Montreal apartment, which was given a modern update while retaining many of its traditional details.
    The green colour matches that of the apartment’s existing stained glass doors. And the kitchen island and cabinets both have inviting curved forms, finished in a glossy paint that complements the rougher tiles above the counters.
    Find out more about the Montreal apartment ›
    Photo by Gareth HackerHighbury House, UK, by Daytrip
    Located in Highbury in north London, this home juxtaposes a gallery-like minimalism with more organic forms.
    This is evident in the kitchen, where pared-back storage cabinets in an unusual rectangular shape sit underneath a decorative marble countertop.
    Sculptural vases, plates and cooking utensils decorate the matching marble kitchen island as well as a small ledge that functions as both storage and display counter.
    Find out more about Highbury House ›
    Photo by Yoshihiro MakinoEastern Columbia Loft, US, by Sheft Farrace
    Architecture studio Sheft Farrace renovated this flat, which is located in the iconic art deco Eastern Columbia building in Los Angeles, creating minimalist interiors that draw on the building’s exterior.
    In the kitchen, this can be seen in the curved corners of the counters and the elongated cabinet hardware, which reference 1930s design. Florida Brush quartzite was used to cover much of the kitchen, adding a striking decorative detail that is complemented by white oak.
    Find out more about Eastern Columbia Loft ›
    Photo courtesy of Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm ArchitectsArchipelago House, Sweden, by Norm Architects
    Danish studio Norm Architects designed this home on the west coast of Sweden to embody both Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics.
    In the white-walled kitchen, a stainless-steel kitchen island offers both a practical workspace and cupboards for storage. Open wood shelving was decorated with black ceramics to create an art installation-style feature on one wall.
    Find out more about Archipelago House ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes where the wardrobe is the focal point, bedrooms with statement headboards and homes with pergolas.

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    Ten Foster + Partners-designed Apple Stores

    With Apple opening its latest Foster + Partners-designed store in the newly renovated Battersea Power Station, our latest roundup spotlights 10 Apple Stores designed by the British architecture studio.

    Apple has been working with Foster + Partners since 2014, when the technology company and architecture studio initiated its almost decade-long relationship to complete a retail location in Istanbul, Turkey.
    Apple describes its first stores as looking “like nothing else”, but is now more focused on renovating and restoring buildings such as its Los Angeles store, Champs-Élysées store and Rome flagship.
    “I think that the evolution of retail for Apple is really interesting – starting with very bold statement with stores that look like nothing else,” said Bill Bergeron Mirsky, a global retail design lead at Apple, at the opening of the brand’s Battersea Power Station store.
    “And then over time, you move to the Apple Store being very ubiquitous. And now it’s come around to being a responsibility approach,” he continued. “As we see the rise of Apple in the world and the importance people place on the brand and the values that it represents.”

    With Apple now having stores in 526 locations across the world Dezeen has selected 10 striking recent stores from its archive:

    Battersea Power Station, UK, 2023
    Apple’s most recently opened store is located within the newly renovated Battersea Power Station in London, which marks the technology company’s 40th UK store.
    The store is set on the ground floor of the shopping centre within the power station’s 1930s Turbine Hall A. The interior was organised around four original brick columns and beneath steel roof supports that were left exposed.
    Find out more about Battersea Powerstation Apple store ›

    Mumbai, India, 2023
    India’s first flagship Apple Store contains a wooden canopy made from 450,000 hand-crafted oak elements that form 1,000 triangular ceiling tiles.
    The walls of the store were made from stone sourced from Rajasthan and have a fine grain that is meant to convey the texture of Georgette fabric. It was enclosed by two eight-metre-high glass walls that allow light to flood the double-height interior.
    Find out more about Mumbai Apple store ›
    Photo by Nigel YoungBrompton Road, UK, 2022
    An arched timber ceiling with seven-metre tall interiors defines the Brompton Road Apple store in west London. The arched timber ceiling mirrors the profile and shape of the window bays located at the facade of the building.
    The studio removed a mezzanine level from the shop interiors and incorporated six Castagna stone columns, four Ficus trees and a terrazzo floor made from castor oil resin, aggregate and recycled glass.
    Find out more about Brompton Road Apple store ›
    Photo by Nigel YoungAbu Dhabi, UAE, 2022
    Apple’s Abu Dhabi store on Al Maryah Island was built on top of a raised podium and surrounded by a stepped waterfall around all of its four sides.
    The podium the building is set on is pyramid shaped and constructed from black granite stone. The store is accessed via two bridges that extend over the water feature from a waterfront promenade.
    Find out more about Abu Dhabi Apple store ›
    Photo by Nigel YoungLos Angeles, US, 2021
    In Downtown Los Angeles, Foster + Partners worked with Apple to renovate a historic 1920s, baroque revival-style movie theatre that was designed by American architect S Charles Lee in 1927.
    The sensitive renovation of the formerly abandoned theatre saw the studio restore its corner clock tower, terracotta facade, exterior canopy, and grand entry hall that is complete with bronze handrails and marble columns.
    Find out more about Los Angeles Apple store ›
    Photo is by Nigel YoungIstanbul, Turkey, 2021
    Two large travertine walls flank the interior of Istanbul’s Bagdat Caddesi Apple store. Benefitting from a column-free interior encompasses two levels with a sunken double-height space at its rear.
    The building is set back from the street and appears to be a single-storey structure as a result of its sunken lower level. The structure was topped with a large overhanging roof.
    Find out more about Istanbul Apple store ›

    Via Del Corso, Italy, 2021
    Another restoration project saw Foster + Partners convert and restore a historic palazzo in Rome, which is located in the centre of the Italian city.
    Palazzo Marignoli was constructed between 1873 and 1878 and served as a home for Italian politician Marquis Filippo Marignoli. Foster + Partners wanted to celebrate the building’s history by restoring and highlighting its grandeur and historic features. Hand-painted patterned ceilings and frescos were restored throughout.
    Find out more about Rome Apple store ›

    Singapore Apple, Singapore, 2020
    Noted as Apple’s “most ambitious retail project”, its Marina Bay Sands store in Singapore is a spherical glass structure that is completely surrounded by water and accessed via a 45-metre-long underwater tunnel.
    The store’s interior is an open-plan space that measures 30 metres wide beneath a self-supporting glass and steel dome, which is made from 114 pieces of glass with 10 steel vertical mullions that provide structural support.
    Find out more about Singapore Apple store ›
    Photo by Bear and TerryBangkok Apple, Thailand, 2020
    Named Apple Central World, this Bangkok store is organised around a timber-clad column and a large overhanging roof that was designed to resemble the canopy of a tree.
    The store has a 24.4-metre diameter with a timber column that is clad in 1,461 slats of European white oak at its centre. The column fans out at ceiling level and adjoins the roof and extends past the glass perimeter of the store, forming a three-metre cantilever over the glazing.
    Find out more about Bangkok Apple store ›

    Miami, US, 2019
    An undulating white concrete roof, which draws on Miami’s art deco buildings, tops the Apple Aventura store that is located in Aventura Mall in the north of Miami.
    The structure is a boxy, two-storey building with glass walls and indoor trees. The roof of the store is made up of seven, precast six-metre-wide white concrete arches to form a barrel-vaulted ceiling.
    Find out more about Miami Apple store ›

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    Eight homes where wardrobes are used as a focal point

    Statement wardrobes with red-leather doors and bright yellow shelving feature in this lookbook, which proves clothes storage does not have to be a blight on the interior.

    It’s not unusual for wardrobes to be pared-back and concealed in residential interiors, often in an attempt to hide clutter and retain focus on other furnishings and finishes.
    However, this lookbook spotlights the works of architects challenging this idea and using essential clothing storage as an opportunity to create a focal point in a home.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring pergolas, guesthouse interiors and bedrooms with bathtubs.
    Photo by Nick WorleyLeather Dressing, UK, by Simon Astridge

    Rust-coloured leather lines the floor and sliding wardrobe doors of this dressing room, which architect Simon Astridge designed as an eye-catching centrepiece in a refurbished London house.
    “The best part of the leather tunnel is the lovely fresh leather smell you get every time you get out of bed to get dressed,” said Astridge.
    Find out more about Leather Dressing ›
    Photo by Studio NojuCasa Triana, Spain, by Studio Noju
    This vivid yellow wardrobe is among the brightly coloured spaces in Casa Triana, an open-plan apartment by Studio Noju in Seville.
    Its bright shelves and surfaces pop against its white surroundings and form a striking backdrop to the owner’s clothes. While forming a feature of the home, it also helps to create the illusion of having separate spaces within its open plan.
    Find out more about Casa Triana ›
    Photo by José HeviaThe Magic Box Apartment, Spain, by Raúl Sánchez Architects
    This shiny brass wardrobe at the centre of an apartment near Barcelona in Spain was intended to resemble a precious jewellery box. It also acts as a partition between two rooms, featuring a “secret passageway” in its middle.
    “I love brass, and in this precise project it gave that magic look, that look of a precious object,” said architect Raúl Sánchez.
    Find out more about The Magic Box Apartment ›
    Photo by José CamposYellow Apartment Renovation, Portugal, by Pedro Varela & Renata Pinho
    Yellow was also used by architects Pedro Varela & Renata Pinho to colour this wardrobe, which is located in an apartment in Portugal.
    The wardrobe forms part of a wall of storage that divides the apartment. Finishing touches include different-sized circular openings for use as handles and a step that is pulled out of the wall with a smiley-face cut-out.
    Find out more about Yellow Apartment Renovation ›
    Photo by Salem MostefaouiWood Ribbon, Paris, by Toledano + Architects
    This Parisian apartment is named Wood Ribbon after the sinuous plywood wall that snakes through its interior.
    While dividing the residence into three zones, the structure also incorporates several doorways, a dressing room and storage areas for clothes, including one in the hallway.
    Find out more about Wood Ribbon ›
    Photo by Jan VranovskyNagatachō Apartment, Tokyo, by Adam Nathaniel Furman
    A sugar-sweet colour palette fills every corner of the Nagatachō Apartment, which designer Adam Nathaniel Furman created for a retired expat couple in Tokyo.
    This includes the bedroom, where a built-in wardrobe is outlined by bright baby-blue doors and yellow semicircular motifs that stand out against the white and green walls on either side.
    Find out more about Nagatachō Apartment ›
    Photo by Filippo PoliGalla House, Spain, by Cavaa
    Though it sits seamlessly against the wall, the detailed design of this wardrobe ensures makes it a standout feature of the Galla House in Spain.
    It features wooden drawers for shoes and taller blue-painted cupboards for hanging clothes, alongside a deep window seat that is enjoyed by the home’s feline occupants.
    Find out more about Galla House ›

    Versailles Studio Apartment, Australia, by Catseye Bay Design
    Catseye Bay Design designed the wooden wardrobe of Versailles Studio Apartment to double as a privacy screen for the bed.
    Projecting diagonally from one of the bedroom walls, the two-metre-high structure incorporates clothes storage and shelving on the other side. Alongside the bed, it conceals an upholstered bench that looks out to a window.
    Find out more about Versailles Studio Apartment ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring pergolas, guesthouse interiors and bedrooms with bathtubs.

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