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    Alexander May launches Sized Studio creative space in Los Angeles

    Alexander May, the founder of creative advisory Sized, has opened a flexible studio space in a former industrial building in Hollywood that will host photoshoots, events, exhibitions and more.

    Sized Studio was designed over 5,000 square feet (465 square metres) in a former industrial space. The space will host commercial projects, events, dinners, performances and other experiential marketing, as well as public-facing programming.
    Sized Studio offers a variety of bookable spaces, including a loading bay with built-in lounge seating”Sized Studio is an exciting step in the development of the Sized brand,” said May. “It’s designed to create strong collaborations with designers, brands, and creatives. Sized Studio gives another layer of access to the environments that Sized creates.”
    A variety of spaces in the former industrial building can be booked for photographers to shoot campaigns, galleries to put on exhibitions and brands to host activations.
    Located in Hollywood, Los Angeles, the venue is designed to be a blank canvasCeiling heights in the different rooms range from 10 to 30 feet (three to nine metres), and the majority of spaces are white-washed to provide a blank canvas.

    Of the larger spaces is a 1,612-square-foot (150-square-metre) loading bay, which features exposed beams and built-in lounge seating with black cushions.
    Flexible rooms in a variety of sizes are offered to clientsAnyone who rents a space will have the opportunity to enlist Sized’s advisory services, which encompass creative direction, set design, site activation and curatorial consultation.
    “There’s no limit to what kind of activations can be realized within Sized Studio,” May said. “What’s unique about Sized Studio is that it’s adjacent to Sized, which allows the people who use it to become closer to the larger culturally conscious community that Sized embodies.”

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    Although the studios officially open on 17 October 2022, Kim Kardashian’s underwear brand Skims has already utilised the studio, while upcoming public progamming includes a planned showcase of Andy Warhol photography.
    May founded Sized in 2021, following a career in creative direction across a wide variety of locations and industries.
    The majority of the former industrial building interior is white-washedHis collaborators have ranged from interior designer Kelly Wearstler to fashion house Rick Owens.
    Prior to this venture, May founded and provided creative direction for art non-profit Fondazione Converso in Milan from 2017 to 2020.
    Ceiling heights vary from 10 to 30 feet (three to nine metres)Similar creative hubs to Sized Studio elsewhere include Spring Studios in New York, located in a Tribeca telephone exchange building converted by AA Studio.
    Brooklyn venue A/D/O by MINI hosted multiple creative events and installations before it was shuttered due to the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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    Fabric arches divide Jonathan Simkhai store in SoHo by Aruliden

    Design agency Aruliden has created a retail space for fashion brand Jonathan Simkhai in New York City, translating cut-out shapes from its clothing into architectural partitions and furniture.

    For New York-based womenswear brand Jonathan Simkhai, Aruliden designed a temporary installation within the space on Mercer Street in SoHo – a prime shopping area in Lower Manhattan.
    A series of metal structures wrapped in translucent fabric divide the Jonathan Simkhai storeThe geometric shapes and signature cut-outs of the brand’s clothing were translated into a variety of spatial interventions and furniture pieces, creating a store in which the brand can present new collections and host events.
    “Translating Simkhai’s identity into a vision for a spatial environment required a clear and strategic idea that was not just shoppable, but also memorable and visually iconic,” said Aruliden’s senior director of industrial design Erik Kreider.
    “We wanted visitors to be fully immersed in this world, but at the end of the day it was also important that we celebrated and showcased the products the right way.”

    The fabric partitions are installed to fit around existing architectural elementsTowards the front of the building, a double-height space is painted entirely white and further brightened by the glass facade.
    This long, narrow room is divided by a series of tall structures, comprising translucent fabric stretched over metal frames.
    Mannequins flank a staircase that leads to the store’s lower levelFitted around existing architectural elements, the temporary walls wrapped in white, peach and pink fabric are punctured with archways that curve asymmetrically at the top, forming a passage from one end of the store to the other.
    Shoppers are led through the archways and down a flight of stairs, flanked by mannequins positioned on larger steps along one side.
    Units of a flexible display system are shaped similarly to the arched openings in the partitionsOn the lower level, where the ceiling height is considerably lower, podiums for displaying products and decorative accessories are shaped similarly to the archway cut-outs.
    At various sizes and heights, these beige-toned units form a flexible display system that can be moved around when needed.

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    “Clothing and products break the cadence of the fabric arches,” said Kreider.
    “Together with the graphic cutouts, this creates a natural flow to the back area where more products, seating and changing rooms are located,
    The archways, furniture and podiums are based on the cut-out shapes of Jonathan Simkhai’s clothingThroughout the store, garments are presented on identical sets of hangers along minimal white rails.
    The minimalist interior is also enlivened by simple floral displays, presented in a variety of crafted vases.
    The minimalist interior is enlivened with simple floral decorationsAruliden, which was founded in 2006 by Rinat Aruh and Johan Liden, is headquartered in New York City with offices in San Francisco and Amsterdam.
    The agency has several products shortlisted for this year’s Dezeen Awards, including the Whoop 4.0 fitness wearable and the Series One Desk 27 video-conferencing device. It has also designed a series of mirrored structures to be built in a forest in Ontario, Canada.
    The photography is by Sharon Radisch.

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    In Common With opens lighting studio and showroom in Brooklyn warehouse

    Lighting brand In Common With has opened a studio, showroom and production facility inside a Brooklyn warehouse.

    The 3,500-square-foot (325-square-metre) space is located in a former industrial building in Gowanus, which was recently renovated by Morris Adjmi Architects and is home to a variety of creative companies.
    In Common With founders Nick Ozemba and Felicia Hung gave their showroom a residential feelBringing all of In Common With’s operations under one roof, the set-up allows founders Nick Ozemba and Felicia Hung to assemble and showcase their products in a residential-style setting.
    The opening of the space also coincides with the launch of In Common With’s 20-piece glass lighting collection, Flora, which was created in collaboration with French-American designer Sophie Lou Jacobsen.
    Lighting from the brand’s Flora collection join vintage and contemporary furniture”Five years ago, Felica and I set out to create a different kind of lighting brand based on a collaborative model with other makers and centered around material exploration,” said Ozemba.

    “Our new space will allow us to push this approach further, grow our team and take on more ambitious projects.”
    Plastered walls and custom millwork contribute earthy tones to the interiorThe showroom presents new and previous lighting collections – designed with ceramicists, glassmakers and metalworkers from around the world – amongst a mix of vintage and contemporary furniture.
    A Mario Bellini sofa and a Tapestry Chair by Giancarlo Valle anchor a living room area, lit by a chandelier and a floor lamp from the Flora range.

    In Common With launches lamps with handmade clay shades

    Plastered walls and custom millwork join the exposed wooden ceiling, uniting a selection warm earthy tones.
    Artworks by Charlotte Hallberg, Al Svaboda and more were also commissioned for the showroom.
    The studio and production space features custom workstations”Highly tactile and hand-crafted details create an immersive environment while celebrating the architectural details, generous proportions, and ample light of the industrial building where they are based,” said the team.
    In the studio, custom work tables, oak shelving, storage and technical lighting were all installed to aid production.
    There’s a dedicated area for prototyping new productsComponents for In Common With’s modular Up Down Sconce and Alien Orb Pendant are arranged by colour on the shelves. There’s also a dedicated area for the team to prototype new products.
    Ozemba and Hung met while studying at RISD, and founded their brand in 2017 before debuting a range of handmade clay designs a year later.
    Components for In Common With’s Up Down Sconce are arranged by colour on oak shelvingBrooklyn is home to a thriving creative community, with many artists and designers living and working in the New York City borough.
    Other workspaces that have opened there recently include a series of historic factory buildings converted by Worrell Yeung, and retailer Radnor’s studio and showroom in another former factory.
    The photography is by William Jess Laird.

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    Home Studios adds soft seating to Italian restaurant Bar Enza

    Brooklyn-based Home Studios has filled an Italian restaurant close to Harvard University with plush booths and banquettes to introduce colour and texture to the space.

    Bar Enza is situated in a prime spot on Harvard Square next to the Ivy League college in Cambridge, Massachusetts – just across the Charles River from Boston.
    Home Studios revamped Bar Enza to include a variety of soft seatingThe project involved the revamp of an existing restaurant on the ground floor of The Charles Hotel.
    To complement chef Mark Ladner’s menu, Home Studios pulled references from a range of regions and styles across Italy – from Rome’s trattorias to Milanese villas – and combined them to create interiors that feel elevated yet cosy.
    The restaurant’s original floors and ceiling were kept intactUpon request of the client, the original ceilings and floors were retained. Meanwhile, brick walls were plastered and painted white to match the ceiling and to help brighten the space.

    Freestanding tables and chairs were mostly swapped for soft seating, in the form of booths, banquettes and sofas covered in five different upholstery types to add variety.
    Five different fabrics were used to upholster the booths and banquettesThe building’s zig-zag glazed facade, which brings in plenty of light, creates niches that are filled with high-top tables surrounded by curved, pale pink booths.
    Forming a row through the centre of the dining area, pairs of high-backed red sofas face each other across marble tables.
    Brick walls were painted white to help brighten the interiorOther booths and banquettes feature sage green or beige fabrics, accompanied by cane-backed cafe chairs, while bar stools are topped with red leather cushions.
    “Unexpected details include plush seating, reminiscent of stately libraries and studies,” Haslegrave said. “Essentially we mixed mid-century architectural details with more traditional upholstered seating to achieve a confluence and diversity of designs.”

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    The service areas were kept largely intact, but custom millwork was added to refresh the materiality.
    Shelving was also clad in warm woods, while textured glass and brass hardware were introduced as accents.
    Cane-baked cafe chairs accompany the booths and freestanding tables”The very elevated level of service meant for very specific requirements on the service area millwork and shelving,” said Haslegrave.
    Time and budget restrictions meant that lighting was sourced. The selection of sconces, pendants and table lamps was chosen to create a “warm and sexy” feeling in the evening.
    The Italian restaurants draws references from Rome’s trattorias and Milanese villasDuring the day, sheer curtains allow natural light to wash over the interior and allows the fabric hue to pop.
    Home Studios’ previous bar and restaurant projects across the US include the Laurel Brasserie and Bar in Salt Lake City, The Harvey House in Madison, Wisconsin,and Bibo Ergo Sum in LA.
    The photography is by Brian W Ferry.

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    At the Rose House is a design showcase at the home of famed landscape architect

    An exhibition of hand-crafted art and design pieces, including a seminal sculpture by Charles and Ray Eames, is on display at the former New Jersey home of 20th-century landscape architect James Rose.

    At the Rose House is on show at the Ridgewood home that the late American modernist landscape architect designed and hand-built for himself and his family in 1953 and lived in for almost 40 years.
    Pieces in the exhibition are displayed throughout the home as if they belong thereOrganised by curatorial platform Object & Thing and furniture and interior design studio Green River Project LLC, the exhibition stemmed from Rose’s appreciation for craft and materials.
    The show “emphasises the hand-made, beauty in nature and a sense of timelessness” according to the curators.
    Rose self-designed and hand-built the house, which features several Japanese design elementsGreen River Project LLC founders Aaron Aujla and Benjamin Bloomstein, who have admired the landscape architect for some time, have produced a series of new designs based on his work.

    Created in collaboration with a group of designers, these pieces include a side chair by both Bloomstein Industrial and Luck Carpentry, rice paper lamps from Preziosi Lighting and carved grooming items on shelves in the bathroom by Teague’s Path.
    Artworks and designs were selected to reflect Rose’s appreciation for craft and materials”The ease in which Rose expanded the home using ready-made materials was an early point of reference for our practice,” said Aujla.
    “In particular, there is a kitchen with mahogany shelves and pegboard that we must have spent over 100 hours dissecting and referring back to over the last five years.”
    Green River Project’s products are presented alongside the work of mid-century and contemporary designers, including Alvaro Barrington, Bode, Charles and Ray Eames, Louis Eisner, Hugh Hayden, Nancy Holt, Kiva Motnyk, Michele Oka Doner, Johnny Ortiz-Concha and Anne Truitt among others.
    Clothing based on Rose’s personal style is hung in closetsThe works are installed as if they belong in the rooms and garden, which – like many of Rose’s later projects – feature elements of Japanese design, including the exposed timber structure and shoji screens.
    “[Rose] spent considerable amounts of time in Japan and became a Zen Buddhist,” said the curators. “This influence is evident in the Ridgewood house, especially on the upper floor, which contains a room for his daily mediation practice that The James Rose Center is currently restoring.”
    An edition of the 1943 Plywood Sculpture by Charles and Ray Eames is being presented in the US for the first time. Photo by Michael BiondoPieces on display include the Eames’ seminal 1943 Plywood Sculpture – the first time that this edition, which was made and released by Eames Office, is being presented in the US.
    Among the designs created for the showcase are leather Adirondack chairs by Hugh Hayden, wood-fired micaceous pots by Johnny Ortiz-Concha and naturally-dyed framed textile works by Kiva Motnyk.

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    A selection of clothing by New York brand Bode, based on Rose’s “eccentric” personal style, is hung in the closets throughout the house.
    Landscape paintings, rice paper drawings, flower vases, terracotta sculptures, and a screening of Nancy Holt’s 1975 film Pine Barrens that “portrays the New Jersey wilderness” also feature.
    The house in Ridgewood, New Jersey, is preserved by The James Rose Center. Photo by Michael BiondoGreen River Project LLC is also producing new editions of one of Rose’s lanterns to coincide with this exhibition.
    These will be sold to benefit The James Rose Center – a non-profit landscape research and study foundation, which is based at the house and has preserved Rose’s legacy since his death in 1991.
    The exhibition, curated by Object & Thing and Green River Project LLC, runs until 2 October 2022. Photo by Michael Biondo”Rose was an impossible maverick, called by one author, ‘The James Dean of Landscape Architecture,’ but I think he would be very happy with the vision Green River Project LLC and Object & Thing have brought to his house,” said foundation director Dean Cardasis.
    At the Rose House runs until 2 October 2022. This is the latest in a series of exhibitions organised by Object & Thing within the homes of notable 20th-century artists and architects, following presentations at the houses of Gerald Luss, Robert Dash and Eliot Noyes.
    Other exhibitions that showcase the work of modernist designers include an exhibition of Le Corbusier’s tapestries in Manhattan.
     See our Dezeen Events Guide for information about other exhibitions, installations and talks.

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    Johnston Marklee installs villas inside industrial LA building for Holly Hunt Showroom

    Architecture studio Johnston Marklee has installed a pair of villas inside an industrial building in Hollywood to create display spaces for design brand Holly Hunt.

    The LA-based studio collaborated with Holly Hunt’s executive creative director Jo Annah Kornak to create the showroom on North Highland Avenue.
    A vaulted villa is one of two volumes installed inside Holly Hunt’s LA showroomLed by Johnston Marklee partner Sharon Johnston, the project involved the overhaul of a two-storey, 1940s building into a flagship location for the brand to showcase its furniture and home products.
    Holly Hunt’s design aesthetic and the city’s “characteristic industrial grit” were combined through the use of rich finishes and raw surfaces.
    Furniture from the brand’s Vladimir Kagan and Holly Hunt Studio collections are displayed in the north villaTwo villas were created inside the showroom to present the designs in residential-scale spaces, surrounded by a “promenade” that shows off the building’s tall ceilings and exposed concrete beams.

    “The raw concrete shell frames an interior street,” said Johnston.
    “A double-height promenade space around the villas, together with the villa interiors, creates an atmosphere and experiential narrative for the display of elegant domestic furniture for house and garden.”
    The second villa includes interior vignettes on the lower levelThe villa to the north features a vaulted ceiling and wall niches and is used to display the brand’s Vladimir Kagan and Holly Hunt Studio collections.
    At the other end of the building, a two-level structure is arranged around a large circular atrium at the centre.
    A circular atrium is located at the centre of the second villaThe lower floor comprises a series of interior vignettes, while rooms upstairs house a library of textiles, leather, trim and rugs, along with wallcoverings from a variety of affiliate brands.
    “The visitors’ journey through the spaces reflects a spatial dialogue between exterior and interior, linked through richly finished in-between spaces,” Johnston said.
    A taller space named the promenade surrounds the building’s interiorLight-grey oak flooring runs through both villas, while terrazzo, concrete walls and hand-troweled plaster are all executed in a matte finish in the promenade.
    Bronze details also feature throughout the showroom, including the entry vestibules, stairwell and lighting gallery.

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    Although most of the interior is decorated in neutral tones, a 24-foot (7.3-metre), mustard-coloured sofa follows a curved corner of the building.
    “We approached the interior architecture in the same way that we would design a new product, being very thoughtful with our use of scale, proportion and materials,” said Kornak.
    The concrete of the 1940s industrial building is left exposed”We were very intentional about incorporating elements that celebrate LA’s signature urban aesthetic, like the original exposed concrete walls, beams, and other details throughout the space,” she added.
    Holly Hunt was set up in 1983 by its eponymous founder in Chicago.
    The brand previously operated two spaces within LA’s Pacific Design Center, but has scaled down to just the sixth-floor showroom now that the North Highland Avenue flagship has opened.
    Matte finishes and bronze details are used throughout the showroomJohnston and partner Mark Lee established their studio in 1998, and have since completed many private residential projects in Southern California – including the Vault House and Knoll’s West Hollywood showroom – as well as around the world.
    Lee is also chair of the Department of Architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design.
    The photography is by The Ingalls.

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    Denniston Architects converts 1920s skyscraper into Aman New York hotel

    Denniston Architects has converted New York City’s Crown Building in the heart of bustling Midtown into a space for the Aman Resorts luxury hotel group.

    Aman New York hotel opened in August 2022 in a beaux-arts building at 57th Street and Fifth Avenue completed in 1921 by Warren & Wetmore – the architecture studio behind Grand Central Station.
    Fabric umbrellas cover the Aman New York’s outdoor terrace bar, which enjoys views of ManhattanJean-Michel Gathy and his studio Denniston Architects, which is frequently tapped for Aman locations, restored and converted the 25-storey tower to create 82 suites and 22 residences.
    To create a feeling of quiet and relaxation in the middle of New York City, elements like glass soundproofing were combined with a muted, minimalist colour and material palette throughout the building.
    The hotel is designed to capitalise on its location at the corner of 57th Street and Fifth AvenueGold details were also added throughout as a nod to its ornamental spire.

    “Every detail of the design effortlessly contributes to Aman New York’s aura of rarefied calm,” said Aman Resorts.
    A circular fire pit sits within a square reflecting pool on the garden terraceOak, walnut and cinnamon woods are used for finishes, floors, doors and custom furnishings, while bronze, brass, and stainless and blackened steel add warmth.
    Japanese influences are found in elements including textured stone floors laid in a pattern reminiscent of woven rattan baskets.
    Suites feature pivoting doors that allow guests to open and close off their spacesEach suite features a large mural inspired by the 15th-century Japanese artwork Pine Trees by Hasegawa Tōhaku.
    Pairs of pivoting louvre doors with backlit rice-paper panels can be angled by guests to open up or contain the spaces within their rooms.
    A minimalist colour and material palette is used throughout the hotelThese doors envelop the bathrooms, which are fitted with free-standing oval bathtubs, marble rain showers and twin vanities.
    All of the guest rooms and residences also have a working fireplace to help occupants feel cosy.
    The pivoting doors wrap around the suite bathrooms, which include freestanding tubsHotel guest amenities include a 20-metre swimming pool on the 10th floor, a fitness centre, and a 650-square-metre outdoor terrace that can be covered with a retractable glass roof.
    An atrium on level 14 hosts a series of giant paper and bamboo sculptures by Peter Gentenaar that float between four stone columns.
    Double vanities are also provided in the bathroomsOf the two restaurants within the building, Italian-influenced Arva is arranged around a central open kitchen and surrounded by floor-to-ceiling wine cabinets.
    Meanwhile, Nama serves traditional Japanese cuisine and features a hinoki wood counter for omakase-style dining, as well as staggered ceilings and pendant lights influenced by the work of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
    Asian influences seen in the decor and artwork nod to the Aman brand’s rootsThe Aman Spa is open to the public and is spread over three storeys and 2,300 square metres.
    “Active spaces including the pool and fitness centre feature light timbers and grey tones, while passive spaces where treatments are enjoyed at the very core of the building are more nurturing, with curves and warmer hues,” said the Aman Resorts team.

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    Founded by Indonesian hotelier Adrian Zecha in 1988, the Swiss-headquartered company operates 34 properties in 20 countries.
    All are known for offering privacy and seclusion, and each is designed as a unique experience that pays homage to its location.
    The Aman Spa is open to the public and includes a retail spaceOthers in the portfolio include Amanyangyun near Shanghai, which was created by moving an area of threatened historic houses and forest 800 kilometres, and Aman Kyoto, named Hotel of the Year at the AHEAD Asia 2021 awards.
    The Aman New York joins myriad hotels in Midtown Manhattan, with high-end options including the Edition Times Square, and more affordable alternatives like the AC Hotel and Moxy Times Square.

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    Crosby Studio and Zero10 launch fashion pop-up that lets people “try on” virtual clothes

    Design firm Crosby Studios has teamed up with augmented reality technology company Zero10 for a pop-up store in Manhattan that aims to provide a virtual retail experience.

    The pop-up, which is located in Manhattan’s SoHo neighbourhood, lets visitors digitally try on a selection of outfits in interiors designed by local studio Crosby Studios.
    Crosby Studio designed a store oriented around AR fashion technologyThe physical space of the pop-up was designed to complement the augmented reality (AR) experience and be a “physical entrance into the metaverse”, according to the team.
    “This is my first experience working with digital clothes and rather than try to blend the digital with the physical — to soften the virtual reality aspect of it if you will — I instead sought to celebrate the digital nature of the collection,” said Crosby studio founder Harry Nuriev.
    The interiors are covered with a pixelated designThe facade of the store features a classic pillared SoHo storefront painted over with grey-and-white checkers to suggest the integration of the physical and virtual.

    Visitors enter the space into a stark-white antechamber that leads into a hallway covered with a checkered fluorescent “pixel” pattern that features in many of Crosby Studios’ designs.
    The entrance hallway leads to a large lounge areaOn one side of this hallway is a bar area where the team provides boba tea to visitors.
    At the end of the hallway is a large lounge area with booths lining the walls, as well as plush stools and cocktail tables. The same pixelated pattern continues in almost every aspect of this room, and ceiling tiles have even been removed to suggest the pattern.
    The space is geared towards the digital fashion experienceFrom here, visitors can enter “changing rooms” equipped with QR codes that streamline the digital retail experience.
    A digital-only fashion collection featuring five different was also developed by Crosby Studios together with Zero10.
    The space has no physical clothingVisitors try the clothes on by downloading an app on their smartphones and then point the phone at themselves in the mirror to see how the clothes would look on them, or at another person to project the clothes onto them.
    The collection features a series of glossy, futuristic outfits that change size depending on the body type of the wearer.

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    The goal of the project was to make consumers more comfortable with digital fashion by integrating it with the familiar routine of visiting a physical storefront, according to the team.
    “Our project with Crosby Studios is a showcase of how the design and technology could co-exist in both physical and digital worlds that merge more and more,” said Zero10 CEO George Yashin.
    Changing rooms with QR codes allow visitors to “try on” the clothing”We wanted to create a new concept of pop-up space responding to retailers’ needs to attract a new generation of consumers but also evolving the format of pop-ups that are not about product display any longer,” said Yashin.
    Crosby Studios is based in New York City. Other of its design projects include a couch upholstered with Nike jackets and an apartment with industrial details and purple couches created for the founder.
    The images are courtesy of Crosby Studios.
    The pop-up is open to visit from 7 to 18 September in SoHo. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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