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    San Francisco exhibition features “off-center” Bay Area furniture design

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    Stools from local designer Caleb Ferris and design firm Prowl Studio were among the works displayed at a San Francisco exhibition centred around contemporary Bay Area design.

    The Works in Progress show displayed stools, chairs and other furniture from local designers to highlight the diversity in methods and backgrounds of an evolving Bay Area design scene.
    The recent Works in Progress exhibition held in San Francisco highlighted Bay Area designers”As the Bay Area creative scene evolves in real-time, there are boundless possibilities for how it might bloom,” said curators and designers Kate Greenberg, Kelley Perumbeti, and Sahra Jajarmikhayat in a statement. 
    “For now, we are here to acknowledge its depth and say: it’s a work in progress.”
    Caleb Ferris showed a duck-footed poplar stoolThe team distributed the exhibition’s pieces across metallic platforms supported by foundations of bricks.

    Pieces ranged from a curvacious, duck-footed poplar wood stool marked with paint and silver leaf by Caleb Ferris, to Prowl Studio’s cubic stainless steel stool wrapped in a 3D knit cover.
    Prowl Studio wrapped a stainless steel stool in a 3D knit cover”Across a range of materials, forms, and functions, the participants have found a groove in the original, the introspective, and the off-center,” said the team. 
    Designer Ido Yoshimoto displayed a sculptural side table made of old-growth redwood and finished in a dark red textured hue. The table consists of a geometric, curved corner that runs into a darkened raw edge.
    Designer Ido Yoshimoto showed a sculptural old-growth redwood side table with a raw edgeStudio Ahead created a fuzzy Merino wool stool informed by northern California rock formations, which contrasted with the smooth surface of a glass stool by curators Jajarmikhayat and Greenberg.
    Other works included a baltic plywood side table with grooved sides and small, chunky sky blue legs by NJ Roseti and a white oak chair topped with a wild fleece and suede cushion by Rafi Ajl of studio Long Confidence.

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    Office of Tangible Space showed a flat-legged chair designed in collaboration with CNC design studio Thirdkind Studio, while Duncan Oja of Oja Design displayed a charred white oak stool with an organic, rough-sawn profile.
    Fyrn Studio showed a charcoal-black hardwood stool with aluminium hardware created with replaceable parts and studio Medium Small and designer Yvonne Mouser both displayed chairs made of ash, one blackened and the other not, supported by bases of elegant, simple lines.
    Studio Ahead and Kate Greenberg and Sahra Jajarmikhayat made stools with rock-like forms”As simple as it sounds, the soul of this exhibition is in the representation of physical craft and the people behind it. It’s important to shine a light on this vibrant slice of the Bay Area that is not always as visible amidst a city focused on the digital realm,” said Perumbeti.
    “There’s something really exciting brewing in this community that is just beginning to get teased out,” said Greenberg.
    NJ Roseti created a baltic plywood side table supported by light blue cubic legsWorks in Progress was part of the wider San Francisco Art Week, which highlights art and design from the city and took place from 13-21 January.
    Other recent furniture exhibitions that highlighted California designers include INTRO/LA with pieces by Adi Goodrich and Sam Klemick and the first Miami edition from Milan-based design exhibition Alcova held in a motel during Miami’s art week.
    Works in Progress took place at the American Industrial Center in San Francisco from 18 to 23 January 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.
    The photography is by Sahra Jajarmikhayat unless otherwise stated. 

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      SFMOMA furniture exhibition features “conversation starters”

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      Designers including Bethan Laura Wood and Maarten Baas have contributed a range of “sometimes jarring” chairs and lighting to an exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

      Called Conversation Pieces: Contemporary Furniture in Dialogue, the exposition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) features 45 pieces of furniture and decor “that prioritise meaning and material choice over function and practicality”.
      Jay Sae Jung Oh presented an otherworldly chair”The works on view are sometimes jarring, often bold and always conversation starters,” said the museum.
      Drawn entirely from the SFMOMA collection, some of the pieces were chosen purely for their alternative appearance, such as an otherworldly leather and plastic armchair by South Korean designer Jay Sae Jung Oh.
      Uneasy Lies the Head that Wears the Crown was designed by Germane BarnesOther pieces of furniture were selected for their commentary on social issues. For example, a piece by American architect Germane Barnes is a porch chair topped with an oversized backrest shaped like a milled wood comb.

      Called Uneasy Lies the Head that Wears the Crown, the piece was described by Barnes as a representation of Black hair, meant to highlight how Black hair “is often policed and frowned upon instead of celebrated as it should [be]”.
      Maarten Baas’ contribution features a bright blue clay chairDutch designer Baas and Italian architect Gaetano Pesce were also included in the exhibition.
      Baas created a bright blue chair covered with clay while Pesce contributed an organic-looking fabric and resin chair called Seaweed, which resembles clumps of tangled algae.
      A series of lighting designs accompanied the furniture. British designer Bethan Laura Wood created a spindly glass and metal chandelier called Criss Cross Kite.
      Gaetano Pesce contributed a fabric and resin chair called Seaweed”A chandelier is normally a very fancy-pantsy centre light,” said Wood, reflecting on her work.
      “I definitely want to play with this idea of fantasy within the thing.”
      Unique Girl is a playful lamp by Katie StoutAmerican designer Katie Stout’s ceramic lamp Unique Girl was also on display. The lighting piece is characterised by an abstract figure that the designer said is meant as a commentary on domesticity and femininity.
      All of the furniture in the exhibition was arranged across a deep red carpet interspersed with amorphously shaped plots of floor space to form a meandering pathway.

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      “Sparking dialogue throughout the gallery, Conversation Pieces presents chairs and lamps that surprise and garner attention unapologetically,” said SFMOMA.
      Last year, the San Francisco museum showcased an exhibition of work by architect Neri Oxman, while it recently became the first museum to acquire a module from the Japanese Nakagin Capsule Tower.
      The exhibition was curated within a winding spaceConversation Pieces: Contemporary Furniture in Dialogue was on display at the SFMOMA from 20 August 2022 to 25 June 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
      The images are courtesy of SFMOMA.

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      ASA Studio Albanese references mid-century offices for Thom Browne store in San Francisco

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      American fashion label Thom Browne has opened its first retail location in San Francisco, designed by ASA Studio Albanese to feature dramatic marble against white slatted blinds.

      The flagship store is situated at 432 Jackson Street in the historic Yeon Building, which dates back to 1855, in the heart of the city’s luxury shopping district.
      Thom Browne’s San Francisco store pairs decorative marble walls with white slatted blindsIts interior is the latest collaboration between Thom Browne’s eponymous founder and architect Flavio Albanese of Italy-based ASA Studio Albanese, who has designed over a dozen stores for the brand since 2017.
      Like its counterparts around the world, the 1,250-square-foot (116-square-metre) space is outfitted to look like a Mad Men-era workplace.
      A selection of mid-century furniture pieces was curated for the spaceThis is achieved by pairing highly decorative marble surfaces with strips of white slatted blinds and tube lighting.

      “Behind Thom Browne’s signature slat blind-covered windows is a minimalist mid-century style office with rows of fluorescent tube lighting, polished with white Calcutta and Carrara marble floors, and banker grey Bardiglio and Carrara marble walls,” said the Thom Browne team.
      The store’s desaturated colour palette is reflective of the brand’s clothingAmong the furniture pieces curated to embellish the theme are a glass-topped desk placed in the centre of the room at one end and chairs that form a small seating area at the other.
      “Thom continues to outfit this space with mid-century furniture by American and French designers — including seating and lamps by Jacques Adnet, a desk by TH Robsjohn-Gibbings, office chairs by Knoll, benches by McCobb, coffee tables by Mathieu Mategot, and display etagere’s by Maison Jansen,” the team said.
      Accessories are displayed on minimalist shelving unitsThe largely desaturated colour palette – reflective of the brand’s clothing – is interrupted by brass accessories and details on the furniture, as well as a few camel-toned garments.
      A black band wraps around the rooms at floor level, separating the grey marble on the walls from the lighter toned stone underfoot.

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      Clothes are presented on metal rails mounted on wheels, while bags, shoes, eyewear and fragrances are displayed on minimalist freestanding shelves.
      The fitting rooms are hidden behind doors covered in the same material as the walls so that they blend in seamlessly when closed.
      The store is located in the historic Yeon Building on Jackson SquareThom Browne founded his label in 2001 with five suits in a small by-appointment shop in New York City’s West Village, and eventually expanded to include ready-to-wear and accessories lines for both men and women.
      Browne’s Autumn Winter 2022 collection was an ode to toys and featured sculptural tailoring, presented at New York Fashion Week in front of an audience of 500 teddy bears.
      The photography is courtesy of Thom Browne.

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      Studio Terpeluk renovates Albert Lanier-designed Noe Valley home

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      San Francisco-based Studio Terpeluk has renovated and expanded Redwood House in Noe Valley with redwood interiors and terraces.

      The three-storey Redwood House was originally designed by American architect Albert Lanier – husband to sculptor Ruth Asawa – in a hilly  San Francisco neighbourhood characterised by Victorian and Edwardian houses.
      Studio Terpeluk renovated an interior in Noe ValleyStudio Terpeluk was selected to expand the 1976 house from 2,260 square feet (210 square metres) to 3,218 square feet (299 square metres) with a new guest room suite, home office, wet bar and media room.
      The renovation “surgically modified the house in an architecturally non-aggressive manner,” the studio said.
      Western red cedar was used for the walls and ceilingWrapped with irregular western red cedar planks, the narrow house cascades down the hillside with exterior courtyards that mitigate the grade change.

      One enters the house through an intimate courtyard off the street into an open-plan upper level with a sloping ceiling and dark-knotted Douglas fir flooring made from local reclaimed pier pilings.
      Many of the walls and ceilings were updated with vintage rough-sawn redwood veneered plywood maintained from the original build.
      “Redwood surfaces and structural elements complete the warm interior landscape: from the sloping roof beams to partition walls and built-in shelves,” the studio said.
      The renovation expanded the homeTo the left of the entrance is the kitchen with custom-gloss cabinets and a Carrara marble backsplash. It opens to a dining room that features a Saarinen table and Hans Wegner wishbone chairs.
      To the right is the library where sunlight from the large window brightens the dark panelling and sculptural furniture.
      Bright panelling contrasts the rich wood tonesThe living room is oriented around a pink sculpture by American artist Wanxin Zhang.
      Padded seating wraps the corner under a large window looking out to the San Francisco skyline.
      The living room has wrap-around seating and views of San FranciscoThe house is centred around a staircase illuminated by a skylight.
      “The sculptural blackened steel stair with vintage rough-sawn redwood plywood walls anchors the house, weaving together the three floors and their diverse spatial character,” the studio continued.
      The home is oriented around a central staircaseThe middle level features guest suites with direct access to the entry courtyard.
      The primary suite is softened by light pink terrazzo tile and a micro mosaic of Indian red recycled plastic tiles.
      The home’s colour complements the art collection of the owners”Color was a recurring theme in the exquisite and eclectic art collection of the owners,” studio founder Brett Terpeluk said.
      “This went perfectly hand in hand with my interest in mid-century Italian design and its bold use of color.”
      A series of terraces connect the home with the sloping site”We collaborated with our friend and designer Beatrice Santiccioli to enrich the project with a dedicated and bespoke color language,” he continued.
      At the lowest level, a media room, home office and kitchenette open to an abundantly landscaped garden.

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      The outdoor areas were designed by Terpeluk’s wife and longtime consultant, Italian landscape designer Monica Viarengo.
      The terraces shift from curated gardens to wild vegetation as one moves through the property, while the plantings reference California coastal landscapes with yellow roses, espaliered fruit trees and a variety of thymes.
      A guest suite connects to the central courtyardStudio Terpeluk was founded in 2008 by Brett Terpeluk, after he finished a tenure working with Italian architect Renzo Piano.
      Other Noe Valley renovations include the Gable House by Edmonds + Lee, a renovated Victorian townhouse by Fougeron Architecture and an industrial home for a tech entrepreneur by Levy Art and Architecture and Síol Studios.
      Photography is by Joe Fletcher.
      Project credits
      Project team: Brett Terpeluk, Huy NguyenLandscape design: Monica ViarengoColor consultant: Beatrice SanticcioliContractor: Saturn ConstructionStructural engineering: Strandberg EngineeringFurniture: Santiccioli ArredamentiOrama sliding window systems: CooritaliaWindows: BonelliWood reclaimed wood flooring: ArboricaMetal fabrication: Upper Story DesignDrapery/upholstery: Malatesta & CoArt: Catharine Clark Gallery

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      Penthouse of SOM-designed tower transformed into collectible design gallery

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      Seminal furniture designs by Brazilian modernists sit alongside contemporary art in a shoppable exhibition within the 40th-floor penthouse of a recently-opened San Francisco residential tower by architecture firm SOM.Travelling French-Lebanese gallery Gabriel & Guillaume has decorated the interior of the penthouse of the new Fifteen Fifty building in bright colours and patterns, and furnished it with a mix of new and mid-century pieces, all of which are for sale as part of the showcase.

      Top: An open living space is at the centre of the penthouse. Above: The apartment’s office features a sofa by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
      The exhibition, which will run through summer 2021, is a collaboration between the gallery, the building’s developers Related California and branding agency FrenchCalifornia, which specialises in creating exhibitions within model apartments.
      The team was tasked with decorating the three-bedroom, three-bathroom penthouse – with interior architecture designed by Los Angeles firm Marmol Radziner – to create a scheme that is “livable and approachable”.
      “We always work to conceptualise and execute spaces that help visitors see that collectible design can be attainable and fun, so this project came very naturally to us,” FrenchCalifornia told Dezeen.

      The master bedroom features almond green walls and a hand-knotted wool and silk rug by Marguerite le Maire

      Pieces on show hail from Italy, France and Brazil, dating from the 1940s to present day.
      They sit alongside a contemporary art collection curated by gallerist Jessica Silverman, which includes works by American sculptor Davina Semo, multi-media artist Julian Hoeber, painter and photographer Ian Wallace, Israeli artist Amikam Toren and Berlin-based Claudia Wieser.

      A Jacaranda wood and marble dining table by Sergio Rodrigues sits in the dining room area alongside dining chairs by Martin Szekely
      Vivid paint colours such as the deep blue in the open kitchen, almond green in the bedroom and 1980s-style graphic green wallpaper in the office were chosen to reflect the spirit of the city while complementing the furniture and helping to define the different rooms.
      Describing their style as “eclectic”, Gabriel & Guillaume pulled together a diverse selection of furniture from different countries and eras.
      Pieces designed in the 1980s by French designer Martin Szekely sit alongside work by Brazilian modernists such as Martin Eisler and Carlo Hauner, who founded illustrious furniture brand Forma, and Jorge Zalszupin.

      The living space opens up into a dining room
      Contemporary furniture pieces include designs by Beirut-based Ranya Sarakbi and Niko Koronis, who is known for his work with resin. Rugs by Iwan Maktabi and textile designer Marguerite Le Maire, as well as pieces by ceramicist Maloles Antignac were chosen to complement the furniture.
      “When we buy pieces, we don’t think of how they will go together,” Nancy Gabriel and Guillaume Excoffier of Gabriel & Guillaume told Dezeen. “Most great pieces usually go together if proportions work – and when one piece looks uneasy with another one, just add a third one.”

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      In the past decade, an increasing number of galleries and art shows have moved their showcases from traditional gallery spaces to domestic settings.
      “Buyers, designers and decorators alike prefer to see pieces in situ and visualise a piece in a lived-in space, and the model residence is obviously the perfect platform to do this,” said FrenchCalifornia.

      The living room features ballet slipper pink walls
      “With retail moving fast online, when you want to actually bring people to an exhibition, you need to offer them an experience,” Gabriel & Guillaume added.
      “The coldness of a white cube does not do that. In comparison, getting into a home is always a more special moment. While you can see the pieces, you can also discover the way they go together and the curation of the space. The homely format definitely has more soul.”

      Tall windows in the bathroom offer views of the city beyond
      This sentiment is echoed by the founders of Nomad, a travelling art fair founded in 2017 that showcases collectible design in exclusive villas and apartments.
      Speaking about the fair’s residential context, Nomad co-founder Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte told Dezeen: “What is good is that you can relate on a domestic scale with the objects. Most design collectors don’t buy for their storage for investment, they buy pieces to live with them. So to have them in a domestic environment is definitely perfect because you can relate to them.”
      Photography by Douglas Friedman.

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      Greek islands inform design for Monastery Studio facial spa

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      A pale green lacquer table and dried plants are among the references to Greek architecture and “Californian freshness” in this spa in San Francisco designed by Jacqueline Sullivan.Monastery Studio is a spa and retail space in San Francisco, founded by Athena Hewett, that offers a range of facial and body services.
      The light-filled space is designed to take cues from Hewett’s Greek heritage and her time spent in the Cyclades.

      “Monastery Studio is inspired by Athena’s Greek heritage and memories of summers in the Cyclades – sun bleached architecture, ancient pottery, soft stones, the salty sea, diffused sunlight,” Sullivan told Dezeen.

      “Though the space has an old world feel it also has a distinctly Californian freshness and sensibility,” she added.
      Walls and flooring in the space are painted white to provide a neutral backdrop for the custom-built furnishings, ceramics and dried floral sculptures.

      At the centre of the shop there is a chartreuse-coloured lacquer table with chunky circular legs and rounded edges designed by Shin Okuda of Los Angeles furniture studio Waka Waka. The surface forms a display area for the spa’s range of oils and serums.

      Bottles of products and other trinkets, including dried flowers, rocks and pottery, are arranged across the thin boards that comprise a massive built-in shelving unit.

      Proem Studio uses muted shades to design Cheeks & Co facial spa

      To add texture to the space Sullivan installed a curving sculpture of brown and red plants that extends from the ground to the ceiling onto one of the walls.

      “We played with shape, texture, colour and scale in a way that feels informed by the past but simultaneously very contemporary,” the designer added.
      “Ultimately, we wanted the space to feel soft, special and thoughtfully considered, just like the Monastery oils themselves.”

      Curved archways lead into the treatment rooms which are also painted white and flooded with natural light from a row of windows. The rooms are outfitted with a wood chair for patients, wooden stools and potted plants.
      The exterior of the spa and store is clad with planks of black wood and fronted with three large windows.

      Other facial spas include a skincare studio in Los Angeles with light pink accents designed by Proem Studio and a skincare store in England with cane and ash wood cabinets.

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      Brinkworth suspends wooden skateboarding bowl inside San Francisco's Supreme store

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      London design studio Brinkworth has built an elevated skateboarding bowl inside this Supreme store in San Francisco that reverberates sounds “like a huge speaker”. The Supreme store is in the city’s Mid-Market neighbourhood, in a retail space on the ground floor of an industrial building renovated by UK practices Brinkworth and Wilson Brothers. The duo […] More