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      Anacapa Architecture converts historic building into Drift Santa Barbara hotel

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      US studio Anacapa Architecture has transformed an early 1900s, stucco-clad building that was formerly closed off to the public into a welcoming hotel filled with compact rooms and handcrafted decor.

      Located in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara in central California, the 45-key hotel is the second outpost from Drift, with the first located in San José del Cabo, Mexico.
      Anacapa Architecture has renovated an early 1900s building to create the Drift HotelThe hotel occupies a three-storey, Italian Mediterranean-style building that totals 15,617 square feet (1,451 square metres).
      Guest rooms are spread across all three levels, and a penthouse suite is found on the top floor. The ground level contains a coffee shop and a bar.
      It is located in a three-storey, Italian Mediterranean-style buildingWhile the building’s original architect is unknown, the firm Soule, Murphy & Hastings performed a renovation following a 1925 earthquake. The building has served various uses over time.

      “One of the only downtown survivors of the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake, the building has stood for well over 100 years and has had many lives,” said local firm Anacapa Architecture.
      Guestrooms and a penthouse occupy the top floors, while a coffee shop and bar are located on the ground levelA hotel operated in the building from 1901 to the 1980s. More recently, it served as a home for the Church of Scientology, which took over in the 1990s and kept the building closed off from the community.
      Making the building more welcoming and honouring its original character were key concerns for the design team. The project was envisioned as a “modern reincarnation” of the hotel that once operated on the site.
      The building’s original arched windows, stucco walls and terracotta roof were kept intact”As part of a restoration, the challenge was to work within the historic context while creating experiences that are appealing to the modern traveler,” the team said.
      The exterior facades, featuring white stucco and arched windows, were kept largely intact. The building’s terracotta tile roof was retained, as well.
      The hallways are darkly clad and feature wooden crossbeamsOn the ground level, the team added folding glass doors on the front wall, which faces a pedestrian promenade. Behind the doors are the coffeeshop and a bar, called Dawn and Dusk, respectively.
      The large openings draw in passersby and help reconnect the building to the neighbourhood.

      Anacapa Architecture creates minimalist residence for entrepreneur in Santa Barbara

      “Space for both locals and travelers is accommodated, returning the building to its roots as a true hospitality venue,” the team said.
      While the exterior has a historic look, the interior is much more modern.
      Local goods from California and Mexican makers were used throughout the designThe team incorporated materials such as concrete and wood. The hotel brand’s Mexican property inspired much of the contemporary furnishings and decor.
      “The hotel is dressed with goods from Californian and Mexican makers, paying homage to the brand’s Baja roots while celebrating its coastal Californian locale,” the team said.
      Soft beige and greys were used throughout the projectThe guest rooms, which range from 145 to 165 square feet (13 to 15 square metres), are compact in comparison to average hotel rooms in the area. Creative solutions, such as under-bed storage, help maximize space.
      Overall, the project has revitalized a building that has long been a fixture in downtown Santa Barbara.
      The building was once closed to the public”The team brought modern life to a building inaccessible to most of the community for so long, bringing a breath of fresh air to downtown, and catering to all,” the team said.
      Anacapa Architecture has offices in Santa Barbara and Portland, Oregon. Additional work by the studio includes a minimalist residence for a California entrepreneur and a glamping resort in Sonoma County that features customised tents and Airstream trailers.
      The photography is by Erin Feinblatt.
      Project credits:
      Architecture and interior Design: ANACAPA ArchitectureContractor: Parton + Edwards ConstructionCivil and structural engineering: Ashley VanceMEP engineering: Consulting WestKitchen, bar, and coffee shop consultant: New School

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      Gensler and Sterling Bay design Chicago laboratory to resemble a hotel

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      Light-filled spaces, neutral-toned furniture and a sculptural spiral staircase bring a hospitality feeling to this life sciences building in Chicago, designed by architecture studio Gensler and developer Sterling Bay.

      The eight-storey 1229 W Concord Place building is located at the Lincoln Yards development, northwest of Downtown Chicago and beside the north branch of the Chicago River.
      The building’s double-height lobby features comfy lounge areasIntended to bring much-needed lab spaces to this part of the city, which has a growing scientific community, the building’s developer Sterling Bay hopes it will foster collaborative research and new medical breakthroughs.
      “The new lab space will house world-class innovators and industry-leading companies that seek to develop groundbreaking medical solutions in Chicago and create a sense of community within their workplace,” said the project team.
      A spiral staircase connects the lobby with the floor aboveGensler’s Chicago office worked with Sterling Bay’s in-house design studio on both the architecture and interiors, with a focus on natural light and “bright, airy, open spaces”.

      The building is clad almost entirely in glass, which wraps around its curved corners, while terraces are cut into the side facing the river and the skyline.
      Neutral-toned wood panelling and furniture create a hospitality-style aestheticIn the double-height lobby, the stark white interiors are warmed by brass accents and soft, neutral-toned furniture.
      Several seating areas comprising comfy sofas and accent chairs are arranged on large textured rugs, and dotted with planting.
      The warm material palette continues in the elevator bankPanels of vertical wooden louvres and shelving provide a backdrop to these lounges, creating a scene that looks more like a hotel lobby than a science centre.
      A sculptural spiral staircase connecting the ground and first floors is loosely based on a DNA helix.
      Open floor plans and dedicated conference rooms are filled with natural lightThis feature provides another focal point in the lobby, which also doubles as a large meeting space and a reception area for events.
      “With warm hospitality-inspired interiors, sophisticated communal spaces, and a robust amenity selection centred around wellness, the design provides future tenants the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research in a space that prioritises the wellbeing of scientists,” Steph Geronimo Smothers, vice president of design at Sterling Bay, told Dezeen.

      Geodes inform design of Arizona research building by Grimshaw and Architekton

      The amenities offered to tenants include a fitness centre, a cafe and conference spaces, while flexible floor plans allow tenants to customise their workspaces to suit their needs.
      The building also features Circadian rhythm lighting, which mimics changing daylight conditions to improve mood and sleep cycles.
      Staff can utilise the expansive terraces accessible from each of the building’s eight storeysStaff are encouraged to spill out onto the large outdoor terraces, accessible from every floor, and make the most of the fresh air.
      “1229 West Concord’s panoramic city views and expansive riverside terraces create a deep connection to nature, bringing in natural light and fresh air and pushing the boundaries of modern lab space to encourage blue-sky thinking and collaboration,” said Geronimo Smothers.
      The glass-wrapped building overlooks the Chicago River and the city skyline beyondOther laboratory buildings with unconventional architecture and interiors include the Walton Center of Planetary Health at Arizona State University, which Grimshaw and Architekton based on natural elements such as rocks and saguaro cacti.
      Gensler’s Chicago office also recently completed a series of renovations to the city’s sprawling 1930s The Merchandise Mart.
      The photography is by Hal + Merick + McCaugherty.

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      Alp Bozkurt creates “calming” interior for Brooklyn tattoo parlour

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      Arched niches provide stations for tattoo artists at Atelier Eva, located in a former Brooklyn hardware store transformed by designer Alp Bozkurt.

      The Atelier Eva Grand Street parlour is the second in Brooklyn run by tattoo artist Eva Karabuda, who is renowned for her detailed, micro-realism tattoos.
      Polycarbonate panels punctured by arched niches line the interior of Atelier Eva’s Grand Street studio”Created with an ambitious vision to reimagine tattoo culture following Eva’s own experiences feeling uncomfortable and unsafe as a woman in her early work environments, Atelier Eva offers a new kind of tattooing experience with the goal of providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all people,” said the studio.
      While her first location on Havemeyer Street was designed in house, Karabudak turned to Alp Bozkurt for the Grand Street space – which at 3,000 square feet (280 square metres) is almost twice the size.
      The arches reveal details of the original building, which was formerly a hardware storeThe building dates back to 1895 and was originally constructed as a hardware store, occupying a single story space that extends 115 feet back from the street facade.

      Original features such as large roof trusses, skylights and brick walls were all restored and highlighted during the renovation work.
      A pink-concrete table used for tattoo consultations is shrouded by a sheer curtainThe trusses are painted black, drawing the eye up to the ceiling, while the remaining structural elements are whitewashed for a clean look.
      “A distilled material palette is deployed to create a warm and calming environment from otherwise industrial materials retaining the building’s original ethos,” said Bozkurt.
      In the main space, the arched niches provide areas for the tattoo artists to store their equipmentWrapping the perimeter of the interior are translucent polycarbonate panels that sit a few inches in front of the brickwork, unifying the sequence of spaces.
      All the way around, arches puncture the panels to frame original corbeling, and reveal other historic elements.
      A planter is positioned in the centre of the otherwise sparsely populated spaceIn the front of the studio, beside the floor-to-ceiling glass facade, one arch provides a backdrop for a seating area with boucle-covered chairs, and pendant lights by Apparatus above.
      Behind a pink-concrete reception counter is a consultation area, shrouded by a sheer curtain suspended from a curved metal track.

      Williamsburg tattoo parlour Atelier Eva is designed to feel like a spa

      “Visitors are offered glimpses of activity in the studio flooded by natural light while the artists and their clients maintain privacy,” Bozkurt said.
      The group of artists offering a range of tattoo styles and piercings work in the large space beyond, where each is allocated a station aligned with an arch.
      Pink concrete is also used for the reception counter and other furnitureFoldable padded tables for clients to lay on, stools for the artists and cabinets for storing equipment all tuck neatly into these niches when not in use.
      The open space – which also hosts creative gatherings and events – is sparsely populated, other than a central pink-concrete planter that matches the consultation table and the counter.
      The location on Grand Street is Atelier Eva’s second in BrooklynTogether, Bozkurt’s interventions create “a carefully choreographed sequence of experiences through varying degrees of transparency offered by various design elements”.
      Other tattoo parlours with unconventional interiors include a minimalist space in Kyiv with holes slashed through its walls, a stark monochromatic space in New York and a studio in Paris featuring curtains printed with Hieronymus Bosch paintings.
      The photography is by Atticus Radley.

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      Light and Air opens up Z House in Brooklyn to the outdoors

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      Local studio Light and Air has introduced a light-filled void at the centre of a Brooklyn townhouse as part of a major reconfiguration and extension project.

      The home in the leafy Clinton Hill neighbourhood was bought by a family of four with roots in India and required a complete gut renovation to open up the spaces to the outside.
      The overhaul of Z House involved a significant rear extension, comprising cube volumes clad in pale brick”They wanted a house that exhibited a strong connection to nature, featuring a more seamless integration between inside and out,” said Light and Air.
      The project involved extending the building one level vertically, bringing its total number of storeys to four, as well as pushing it out significantly at the back.
      The brick continues into the kitchen and dining area on the lower floorWhile the historic front facade was carefully restored, the rear elevation now presents as a contemporary stack of pale-brick cube volumes.

      The interior was completely reorganized to allow sightlines between the original spaces, the new extensions and the outdoors.
      Oak millwork in the kitchen continues through the minimal interiorsThe most dramatic change involved swapping the stacked staircase with a switchback configuration – a similar approach taken by the studio at another Brooklyn townhouse in 2018.
      This arrangement allows for improved visual connections between the levels and gave the project its name, Z House.
      Reconfiguring the house involved swapping the stacked staircase for a switchback arrangement from the parlour level to the top floorIn addition, an angled skylight was added above the staircase void, bringing in light all the way down to the parlour 40 feet (12 metres) below.
      “Filled by light and air, the stair’s drama is heightened by the placement of large windows punctuating the rear facade, allowing the vertical space to open to the exterior,” said the studio.
      A skylight over the staircase void brings light down into the homeOf the home’s four storeys, the lower levels are occupied by the public spaces including the kitchen, dining, living and media rooms.
      The top two levels are reserved for the children’s rooms and the primary suite respectively. The uppermost floor also accommodates a home office and provides access to a roof terrace created by the rear extension.

      Light and Air Architecture transforms Brooklyn row house with “switchback” staircase

      “This private, elevated, exterior space offers a unique domestic experience not typically found in most Brooklyn rowhouses,” Light and Air said.
      Interiors throughout are clean and minimal, with white walls and custom oak millwork, built-ins and furniture.
      The primary bedroom on the top floor features a custom oak bed and built-insThe pale brick of the rear facade is also expressed inside the double-height kitchen and dining area, which is open to the back patio.
      “Located above the garden level addition is a green roof that buffers sightlines from the parlor floor, creating the effect of a floating garden beyond,” said Light and Air.
      The historic street facade of the Clinton Hill townhouse was also restored as part of the renovationFounded by Anne Diebel in 2018, the studio has completed many staging and interior design projects across New York City.
      These include a Brooklyn apartment retrofitted with ample custom cabinetry and a spiral staircase and a Financial District loft where partitions were removed to create an open, inviting space.
      The photography is by Kevin Kunstadt.

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      Studio Becky Carter creates “distinctly New York” interiors for Cecchi’s restaurant

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      Brooklyn-based Studio Becky Carter has pulled varied references, from Bauhaus luncheonettes to comedic characters, for the interiors of a bistro in Manhattan’s West Village.

      Art deco dining rooms, 1960s Milanese architecture and “a distinctly New York feel” are all evoked at Cecchi’s, the first establishment from veteran restaurant maitre d’ Michael Cecchi-Azzolina.
      At the entrance to Cecchi’s, pistachio leather banquettes sit below a mural by Jean-Pierre VillafañeStudio Becky Carter was given creative control to produce an environment that felt distinctively New York, but also presented a departure from the typical bistros.
      “My style is retro-futurist, so I take strong cues from historic design narratives and process them through the lens of an imagined future society,” Carter told Dezeen. “When people enter Cecchi’s, I want them to feel like they’ve stepped into old-school, underground, NYC exclusivity, only this time everyone is invited.”
      Elements retained from the space’s previous iteration as Café Loup include a marble lectern used as a host standA starting point for the design was the whimsical murals of artist Jean-Pierre Villafañe, who was brought on early in the process to create scapes for the restaurant’s walls.

      His “transportational” depictions of lively party scenes helped to inform the colour palette for the rest of the space, a mix of reds, blues and tonal browns.
      Villafañe’s murals informed the colour palette for the restaurant’s interiorsSome of the dancing figures appear as historic European comedic characters, so Carter also looked to these for influences.
      The spheres placed within dividing screens, for example, are reminiscent of those found on a Pierrot costume, a figure in French pantomime theatre, while mosaic floor tiling at the entrance is adapted from Harlequin patterns.
      Large columns and louvred dividers break up the space into different yet visually connected areas”The beautifully finished spheres are just so tactile,” said Carter.”I can’t not touch them every time I’m in the restaurant.”
      The long, narrow space posed several challenges, such as the lack of natural light towards the rear and large structural columns that interrupted the flow.
      The mahogany bar top was also retained, while high-gloss burgundy lacquer was added to the frontCarter’s approach involved dividing up the restaurant into multiple areas, demarcated by the wood-wrapped columns, louvred dividers and built-in seating – all at different heights to allow visual connections across them.
      At the entrance, pistachio green leather banquettes occupy the bright window niches, then the mood shifts to darker and cosier as guests venture further inside.
      Soft lighting around the bar adds to the mood in the spaceSeveral elements from the space’s previous iteration as Café Loup were retained or refinished as part of the new design, including the mahogany bartop and the restored caned bistro chairs.
      The marble lectern that serves as the host stand and a chrome cash register were also saved, while 1970s Czech lighting was introduced overhead.

      GRT Architects references “vacation Italian” at New York bar and restaurant

      White tablecloths lend to the classic, old-school atmosphere, while contemporary details like custom wall sconces and the burgundy lacquered bar front add a more casual twist.
      “Michael envisioned the servers being able to pull up a chair and have a conversation about the menu in a convivial manner, and the style was to reflect this,” Carter said.
      A private dining room for parties is located at the back of the restaurantA private room for parties at the back features another Villafañe mural, as well as a rust-coloured ceiling and sci-fi lighting.
      Overall, Cecchi’s offers a fine-dining experience that still feels approachable, warm and not too serious.
      The private room features another Villafañe mural, as well as a rust-coloured ceiling and sci-fi lightingCarter founded her eponymous studio in 2016 and has completed a mix of residential and hospitality spaces on both coasts.
      Other recently completed restaurants in the US that feature retro-futurist interiors include 19 Town, a Chinese eatery in Los Angeles by Jialun Xiong, while new openings in the West Village include the worker-owned Donna designed by Michael Groth.
      The photography is by Joseph Kramm.

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      ATRA outfits Olson Kundig-designed house in West Hollywood

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      This townhouse in Los Angeles by US firm Olson Kundig is outfitted by furniture brand ATRA with “the best that Mexico has to offer”.

      The Garden House, which sits between West Hollywood and Beverley Hills, was designed as one of eight single-family homes that form the Rosewood Houses development.
      The interior of the Garden House is divided into two areas by a central void, which contains the staircaseEach of the two-storey residences was designed by Olson Kundig with a unique look and layout while retaining a cohesive language across the set.
      For this particular house, which is decorated for a fictional future client, Mexico City-based design studio and furniture brand ATRA used many of its own products to create an environment that complements the architecture.
      To decorate the house, ATRA used several of its own products including the dining table, along with pieces by Mexico-based artists and designers”We wanted to sublime the minimalist architecture and the simplicity of the volumes by keeping the home versatile – imagining that the owner could be a young family as well as a Hollywood actor or a tech entrepreneur and that the design should not only fit but inspire all the above,” said the ATRA team.

      From the street, the house presents as austere – comprising dark cladding materials and emphasised horizontally by an extended flat roofline and porch cover.
      The volcanic stone desk in the study is also designed by ATRAThe building is entered into a double-height space from the side, effectively splitting the plan into north and south areas.
      A staircase with open risers and glass balustrades rises up through the central void, its transparency allowing views from one side of the house to the other.
      Earth tones are used throughout the ground floor, including in the kitchenThe living room to the north is anchored by a large bronze feature that frames a fireplace, while ATRA’s Egge velvet sofa and pair of armchairs face one another across a low stone coffee table.
      On the other side of the staircase is the dining room, where the brand’s sculptural Pebble dining table sits below a branch-like chandelier by Isabel Moncada, and beside a highly textured artwork by Julio Rizhi.
      Upstairs, bolder colours are used to appear like “happy accidents””We curated the best that Mexico has to offer to enhance this house with unexpected artworks and thoughtful designs,” said Gabriella Kuti, ATRA’s lead designer.
      Earth-toned furniture and textured finishes are used prominently throughout the ground floor, including a volcanic stone desk in the study and warm wood cabinetry in the kitchen.

      One Wall Street skyscraper completes conversion from offices to apartments

      A slightly different colour palette was employed upstairs, where grey sheen walls and burgundy-hued chairs are found in the primary bedroom.
      “Some unusual warm and vibrant colors were introduced like a happy accident,” said ATRA.
      Works by international artists in the home include a wall piece by Ghanaian artist Serge Attukwei Clottey made from a patchwork of yellow gallon containers, and bold-striped paintings by French artist Edouard Ng.
      A private patio at the back of the house features a plunge poolTucked out of view at the back of the property, a small outdoor patio features a square plunge pool and sculptures by Pablo Arellano.
      The eventual owners of the house will also have access to the amenities of the adjacent residential tower 8899 Beverly, including a pool, a covered dining area and gardens, an indoor fitness centre and a yoga studio.
      The architecture by Olson Kundig comprises dark materials and exaggerated horizontal planesATRA also provided furniture and decor for a show apartment in New York’s One Wall Street designed by FrenchCalifornia, and launched its Nerthus-Sofa modular system in 2020.
      The company was founded by Alexander Díaz Andersson, who is also its creative director and works across furniture, sculpture, interiors and hospitality projects.
      The photography is by Michael Clifford and Nils Timm.

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      Chicago exhibition by Norman Kelley includes Frank Lloyd Wright building fragments

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      Fragments of buildings by American architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan have been displayed at a new exhibition in Chicago by US design studio Norman Kelley

      A variety of fragments from iconic buildings are on display at the Art Institute of Chicago as part of a permanent exhibition called Architectural Fragments from Chicago.
      Norman Kelley has created an exhibit of architectural fragmentsNorman Kelley mounted multiple pieces of demolished or renovated Chicagoan buildings onto square grey panels measuring eight feet by eight feet (2.4 metres by 2.4 metres) with stainless steel, mirrored trim in the museum’s Henry Crown Gallery.
      The exhibition includes approximately 27 architectural fragments and three lightboxes.
      The exhibit features pieces of notable Chicago buildingsThe pieces displayed are sourced from local, architecturally significant buildings in order to illustrate and preserve Chicago’s built history.

      “Architectural fragments are part of a material history that speaks to past building practices, changing neighbourhoods, and evolving ways of life,” said the studio.
      “Recuperated from demolished or renovated buildings, these pieces of facades or interiors help preserve the memory of architecturally or culturally significant structures long after their physical presence has been erased.”
      Cornices, gates and other architectural stone and ironwork were mounted on grey panelsArchitectural elements such as sections of cornices, wall panels, an elevator grille and a column are displayed.
      The fragments were mounted across the space from a large stained glass window that is a part of the same exhibit.

      Norman Kelley remodels Chicago apartment to showcase chair collection

      Also among the pieces are an ornate circular ventilator grille and entrance door from Frank Lloyd Wright’s four-storey Francis Apartments, built in 1895 and demolished in 1971.
      Both fragments display Wright’s early use of organic forms, informed by his mentor Louis Sullivan.
      The displays include work by Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan. Top right: Facade Panel from the National Pythian Temple by Walter T. Bailey. Top left: Facade Panel from the Jordan Building by John N Coleman. Bottom right: Floor Tiles from the Mecca Apartment Building by Edbrooke and Burnham. Bottom left: Balcony Railing Section from the Mecca Apartment Building by Edbrooke and BurnhamA cast iron cornice section and spandrel panel from Sullivan’s Gage Building, one of his last to be commissioned in Chicago, are also included. Both feature plant shapes and organic, curving lines.
      Works from other architects include a facade panel from the National Pythian Temple by Walter T Bailey and a colourful section of floor tiles from the Mecca Apartments by Edbrooke and Burnham.
      The fragments were “recuperated” from historical buildings. Top left: Frieze Section from the Rothschild Store by Adler and Sullivan. Top Right: Newel Post from the Morris Selz House by Adler and Sullivan. Bottom left: Spandrel Panel from the Rosenfeld Building by Alder and Sullivan.Lightbox installations include a geometric stained glass window from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Coonley Playhouse and the Tiffany Studios 1917 Hartwell Memorial Window that depicts a sprawling landscape of over 48 panels.
      “While this installation represents many works by Chicago’s celebrated modern architects, other fragments come from buildings by lesser-known designers who were equally important in shaping spaces of activism, community, creativity and labor in our dynamic metropolis,” said the studio.
      The fragments have been catalogued as part of the museum’s permanent collection.
      An iron gate and ventilator grille from Wright’s Francis Apartments were includedNorman Kelley is based in Chicago and New Orleans and was founded by Thomas Kelley and Carrie Norman in 2012.
      Elsewhere in Chicago, the studio recently completed an apartment renovation for a diverse collection of chairs and refreshed the lobby of a postmodern skyscraper.
      The photography is by Nathan Keay.
      Architectural Fragments from Chicago is on show at the Art Institute of Chicago permanently. For more exhibitions, events and talks in architecture and design, visit Dezeen Events Guide.

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      GRT Architects references “vacation Italian” at New York bar and restaurant

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      New York studio GRT Architects has designed a light and airy Italian restaurant and adjacent cocktail bar at the base of Thomas Heatherwick’s Lantern House in Manhattan.

      The new dining and drinking destinations face the corner of West 18th Street and 10th Avenue through the distinctive bay windows of the building, which straddles the popular High Line park in Chelsea.
      The bright and airy Cucina Alba was designed to transport diners to ItalyThe 3,000-square-foot (278 square metres), 90-cover Cucina Alba offers a full brunch and dinner menu, while Alba Accanto is half the size and serves cocktails and bites next door.
      Both are operated by Prince Street Hospitality, whose partner Cobi Levy collaborated with GRT Architects on the interiors of both spaces.
      Alternating yellow and white fabric panels are draped above the dining spaces”Cucina Alba and Alba Accanto are two distinct yet complementary spaces that instantly transport guests to Italy, capturing the polish of the north with the brightness of the south,” said the group.

      Cucina Alba is designed to embody a “vacation Italian” aesthetic, evoked by light terrazzo floors, tubular metal Knoll Cesca chairs, and pale oak millwork.
      Oak millwork, light-toned terrazzo flooring and tubular metal chairs all add to the ambienceAlternating yellow and white fabric panels were draped overhead, forming a parachute-esque ceiling that matches the striped awnings over the entrances.
      Thin metal chains hung from red railings act as space dividers, defining and partially enclosing a section of the dining area.
      Hints of coral red stand out against the pale colour paletteHigh-gloss, oxblood-coloured tables nestle into semicircular booths or line up along the bench that follows the windows.
      At the other end of the L-shaped space, the open-air kitchen is denoted by a colourful mural by artist Alex Proba that covers the end wall and part of the ceiling.
      A colourful mural by Alex Proba denotes the open kitchen areaIn the bay windows, an assortment of plants and random paraphernalia – from inflatables to plastic lemons and disco balls – are visible to passersby, while outdoor seating along 10th Avenue is offered under scallop-edged parasols that continue the white and yellow theme.
      Next door, Alba Accanto has a similar “Italian holiday bar” aesthetic, but with a slightly moodier ambience for evenings.

      GRT Architects uses “riot” of materials for Bad Roman restaurant in New York

      The bar counter is built from stacks of pale stone that form striations across the front, while the top and the bar back are made from continuous expanses of a single stone type.
      Arched niches behind the bar emanate a golden glow, and display glassware and liquor bottles alongside figurative sculptural vases that were custom-made in Italy.
      Next door, the Alba Accanto bar has stone detailsThe ceiling is covered in fabric that features thin ticking stripes, from which brass chandeliers with pale blue glass globes are suspended.
      At the back is a private dining room that can be booked for large parties of up to 45 guests, and the table configuration can be adapted depending on the event.
      The bar area features a striped fabric ceiling and a painting by Alex KatzBuilt-in bench seating wraps the perimeter, and patterned wallpaper and matching curtains are reflected in the glossy ceiling.
      In both spaces, works by renowned artists including Alex Katz and Ethan Cook were sourced with the help of art advisor Elizabeth Margulies, and hand-painted tableware from Puglia adds an authentic touch.
      Behind the bar is a private dining room that can accommodate up to 45 guests”The design of Alba Accanto is exuberant and maximalist in style, utilizing bright colors to reflect the vibrance of Italian coastal cities like Positano,” said Levy, “while the design of Cucina Alba is polished, contemporary, and warmly inviting with wood accents, embodying the soul of Milan.”
      “We wanted to capture the distinct atmosphere of each city, and with Accanto, we achieved that same sense of vitality but with a maximalist approach,” he added.
      Both Cucina Alba and Alba Accanto occupy the ground floor of Thomas Heatherwick’s Lantern House building in ChelseaGRT Architects has completed the interiors for two other Italian restaurants in New York City: the Michelin-starred Don Angie in the West Village, and the recently opened Bad Roman at Columbus Circle.
      Founded by Tal Schori and Rustam-Marc Mehta in 2014, the studio has amassed a portfolio that extends from Brooklyn townhouse renovations to ground-up builds in the Hudson Valley.
      The photography is by Peter Murdock.

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