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      Trahan Architects restores Superdome to be “microcosm” of New Orleans

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      Local studio Trahan Architects has finished an interior renovation of the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, completing a series of renovations launched after Hurricane Katrina that it claims will extend the stadium’s life by 25 years.

      Trahan Architects’ work on the interior is the latest upgrade since the studio was engaged on the Superdome restoration in 2005, after it was damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The building sheltered as many as 20,000 thousand people fleeing the storm.
      The Superdome was originally completed in 1975 by Curtis and Davis Associated and featured a dome and concave cylindrical facade clad with aluminium panels.
      Trahan Architects has completed the renovation of the Superdome stadium in New OrleansAfter Hurricane Katrina, Trahan Architects implemented an overhaul of the exterior, replacing all the panels with a rainscreen system made from anodized aluminium metal panels.
      The current phase of the renovation, which was completed in time for its first game of the NFL season, included the removal of the ramp circulation system on the concourse.

      This allowed for concessions to be pushed to the outside of the structure, as well as for the installation of atriums in the entry programs and for lounges to be installed.
      In total, the renovation opened up more than 100,000 square feet (9,290 square metres), according to the studio.
      It is the latest in a series of renovations undertaken after the stadium was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005The removal of the ramps allowed for more shared spaces and circulation, according to the studio, which modelled the concessions and circulation on the community-oriented streetscapes of New Orleans.
      “With this interior overhaul, we wanted the building to feel like a microcosm of our city,” Trahan Architects founding principal Trey Trahan told Dezeen.
      “We thought of the design as a series of stacked neighborhoods or ‘faubourgs’ as we call them, all connected by generous circulation spaces that served them – aka ‘the street’.”
      Also important to the renovation was bringing the materiality used for the original facade inside.
      Both Trahan and studio partner Brad McWhirter told Dezeen that the original innovativeness of Superdome, structurally and materially, was important throughout the redesign process.
      Anodized aluminium similar to that found on the exterior was used to clad the atriums”The rich material language they worked with, having the exterior skin of anodized aluminum which ages beautifully over time, along with its elegant form, made us see it as a sculpture that needed to be expressed both inside and out,” said McWhirter.
      “Before, you never got to experience the shape of the building from the interior – they were treated as two completely separate elements.”
      This move is most obvious in the atriums placed at three corners of the structure, which are the most visually apparent interventions.
      Here, express elevators move up through the voids. The voids have walls clad with anodized aluminium rods and are crossed by thick metal-clad beams that reveal the structure.
      Trahan Architects removed the circulation ramps and added additional seating and concessionsPlanning for resiliency and bringing the structure to compliance with codes around ventilation and accessibility were also important in the redesign process.
      Trahan Architects worked with engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti to ensure the building could stand up to high winds – it was during this 3D modelling process that the voids covered by the circulation ramps were discovered, which led to their removal.

      Intuit Dome basketball stadium set to open its doors in Los Angeles

      “You would walk up the ramps from floor to floor with an eight-foot (2.4 metre) ceiling height, to small, cramped concourses until you finally got to your seat for some relief,” said Trahan.
      “With the model, we could see the full breadth of the voids and wasted space that could be more useful for the public, building operations, and for incorporating new mechanical systems.”
      These processes all happened while keeping the stadium in use for the American football season. The studio also had to install accessible decks for movement-impaired people, all while making sure that new mechanical systems did not interfere too much with the aesthetic of the exterior.
      “This, and from a design standpoint, implementing universal accessibility within a 50-year-old building was very difficult.  We had to make up for a lot of lost time to bring the building up to today’s standards and go the extra mile to prepare for the future,” added Trahan.
      Escalators and elevators now provide the primary circulation to the upper levelsThese future-looking improvements included the aforementioned facade replacement and the inclusion of new emergency generators, as the loss of power during Hurricane Katrina created harsh conditions for those sheltering inside.
      The architects also lauded some of the original features of the structure, which were maintained.
      Accessibility decks were also added as part of the renovation”For instance, the ‘gutter tubs’ of the roof, hidden behind the lip of the facade at the top, manage stormwater such that draining a 10-acre roof doesn’t overload the city’s system,” said McWhirter.
      “This continues to work very well to this day – even with the incredible amount of development that’s occurred since the building first opened.”
      According to the studio, the total of the renovations since 2005 will drastically extend the lifespan of the stadium.
      “This comprehensive renovation is expected to extend the building’s lifespan by 25 years, allowing future generations to enjoy the same sense of community and excitement the New Orleans landmark has fostered for nearly half a century,” it said.
      Other restorations of iconic buildings include Foster + Partners’ interior overhaul of the Transamerica Pyramid skyscraper in San Francisco.
      Meanwhile, natural disasters worsened by climate change continue to be an impetus to design buildings better. In light of that, Dezeen launched a series last year called Designing for Disaster to highlight the different problems and solutions architects and designers face in the face of extreme weather events.
      The photography is by Tim Hursley.

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      Bureau Tempo applies subtle tones and textures to renovated Brooklyn loft

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      Canadian studio Bureau Tempo has completed a “gentle redesign” of a loft space in Brooklyn, New York, which features a subtle pale green kitchen and fritted glass partition walls.

      The home faces the busy Atlantic Avenue thoroughfare that runs through the Brooklyn Heights neighbourhood and enjoys tall ceilings and large windows at either end.
      A mural depicting Prospect Park is painted above the loft’s den areaMeasuring 1,600 square feet (150 square metres), the loft is roughly divided into three sections.
      At the front are the primary bedroom – painted in a colour called Dead Salmon by Farrow & Ball – and an office space that is equipped with a foldaway Murphy bed that can be deployed for guests.
      The dining room features a large black table and matching Windsor chairsThis multifunctional space is separated from the living area by a partition of wood and fritted glass panels.

      Folding doors open to connect with the lounge and dining area, but the light can still reach these central spaces when closed thanks to the glass.
      The lounge is furnished with comfy sofas and armchairs, plus an oxblood-coloured coffee table”The addition of an operable wood and fluted-glass wall between the primary space and the Atlantic Avenue end of the home allows for an open office by day and an inviting and private quarters when hosting guests,” said Bureau Tempo.
      The lounge is furnished with comfy sofas and armchairs, plus an oxblood-coloured coffee table, all placed atop a rug by Armadillo.
      The office space can be opened up to the rest of the apartment with folding panelsBeyond is the dining area, where a large black table is accompanied by six Windsor chairs and a pair of stretched-fabric pendant lights that hang overhead.
      The final portion of the loft is raised up two steps, and contains a den area with more soft seating and the kitchen.
      A retractable Murphy bed allows the office to double as a guest roomAbove a section of bead-board panelling where the TV is mounted, a mural by artist and friend of the loft’s owners Melody Lockerman depicts nearby Prospect Park.
      “Painted in tones that compliment choices throughout, the mural adds a welcome touch of levity,” Bureau Tempo said.

      General Assembly exposes wooden beams inside revamped Brooklyn loft

      In the kitchen opposite, textured four-by-four-inch ceramic tiles create a subtle checkerboard pattern of pale pink and white across the floor.
      Millwork on the central island and lower cabinets was painted a very light shade of green and is accented with brass hardware.
      Fritted glass panels allow light from the front window to penetrate deeper into the apartment”These rooms share a direct connection with the intimate yet spacious and light-filled north facing terrace, which dramatically extends the perception of the home’s size,” the team said.
      The majority of the walls throughout the apartment are covered in a textured lime plaster finish by Bauwerk Colour, complementing exposed wooden ceiling beams in each room.
      The primary bedroom is painted in Dead Salmon by Farrow & Ball to contrast the lime plaster in other spacesMany of Brooklyn’s former industrial buildings now house chic apartments and lofts, many of which maintain nods to their past.
      At a residence in Gowanus, wooden structural elements were uncovered and retreated during renovations by General Assembly, while a home inside a former chocolate factory in Bedford-Stuyvesant has ductwork and services are left exposed.
      The photography is by Alex Lesage.

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      R & Company highlights seven “archetypes” of American collectible design

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      New York gallery R & Company has curated collectible design work by 55 contemporary artists and designers based throughout the United States.

      The exhibition Objects: USA 2024 is the second instalment in a series of triannual exhibits by the gallery surveying the current state of collectible design practices in the country.
      The show touches on topics such as revived craft traditions, material experimentation, political instability, environmental degradation, and cultural re-appropriation.
      R & Company has showcased 55 designers and artists from across the United States. Works by Dee Clements, Justin Favela, Luam Melake, and Coulter FussellDesigners that represent different generations and backgrounds are on show, including Minjae Kim, Chen Chen and Kai Williams, Roberto Lugo, Katie Stout, and Hugh Hayden.
      “In recent years, collectible design has increasingly entered popular consciousness, in part, thanks to the diversity of individuals embracing handmade processes and propelling them in new directions,” R & Company said.

      “Objects: USA offers an incisive exploration of the formal innovations and conceptual motivations that shape the distinct and varied landscape of today’s object-making.”
      It was organised according to seven “archetypes”. Works by Trey Jones, Nicole McLaughlin, and Kim MupangilaïAccording to the gallery, many of the artists and designers defy easy categorisation and challenge the understood boundaries between art and design.
      The show was guest-curated by writers and historians Angelik Vizcarrondo-Laboy and Kellie Riggs, who chose to present works thematically through several “archetypes.”
      “After a long period of examining what we believe to be some of the most compelling work being made today, we took on the daunting but exciting task of finding the throughline between 55 unique practices,” Vizcarrondo-Laboy said.
      “What emerged were seven archetypes that provide a dynamic way to explore object-making, not only within this group but also in the future.”
      Designers and artists working across the United States were represented. Works at centre by Brian Oakes, Matthew Szösz, Carl D’Alvia, and Hugh HaydenThe groupings are organised under the headings Truthseekers, Codebreakers, Betatesters, Doomsdayers, Insiders, Keepers and Mediators.
      Showcasing talents that uphold and find new purpose for long-established handicrafts, the Truthseekers section includes pieces by Los Angeles wood artist Nik Gelormino and New Mexico-based ceramicist Lonnie Vigil.
      The exhibition was curated by Angelik Vizcarrondo-Laboy and Kellie Riggs. Works by Cammie Staros, Ryan Decker, Liam Lee, and Francesca DimattioThe Betatesters grouping presents artists and designers who experiment with these techniques and push the limits of material.
      On view as part of this “archetype” is Houston designer Joyce Lin’s Wood Chair concept, which was created using MDF, epoxy, and oil paint. It shows her ongoing exploration of how the lines between what people think of as natural and artificial can be blurred.
      The Doomsdayers section touches on how talents are addressing today’s political polarisation and dystopian angst.
      The work under this dystopian heading includes Brooklyn-based designer Ryan Decker, who creates graphical works out of materials like fibreglass, resin, and aluminium – like Leaky Bladder – to comment on the rise of technologies like VR and the role video games play in our lives.
      The groupings were chosen to showcase the wide scope of the collectible design world in the US. Works by Minjae Kim and Jolie NgoThe Insiders grouping explores how design can address domestic space and how that impacts the human experience, especially during the lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic. Designers in this category included Hugh Hayden who presents “unexpected interventions” into everyday objects such as cribs.
      Brooklyn-based Congolese-Belgian designer Kim Mupangilaï’s Bina daybed was grouped under the Codebreakers section. It demonstrates how designers incorporate distinct forms from different cultural sources.
      “[Mupangilaï’s] distinct body of furniture is imbued with personal narratives, embracing materials symbolic of her Congolese heritage and childhood in Europe,” R & Company said. “Her elegant, organic forms reveal historical and contemporary complexities of identity and experience as the viewer revels in the details.”
      The Keepers section includes one-off designs, sculptures, and installations by artists and designers that utilise these mediums to explore how people establish cultural and interpersonal connections.
      The Mediator “archetype” highlights designs used to help people negotiate with their surroundings and heritage – such as those by Chicago-based Norman Teague.
      “Norman Teague’s multi-faceted practice [architecture, installation, and object design] is inspired by his Chicago South Side neighbourhood and broader African aesthetics,” R & Company said.
      The works range from futuristic to traditional. Works by Misha Kahn, Venancio Aragon, and Ryan DeckerMade using ebony-finished basswood and leather as well as traditional carving and stitching techniques, the Africana Rocking Chair combines references to both his Western and African upbringings but Teague distils them in a contemporary form.
      Also exhibited as part of the Mediator section, Las Vegas-based artist Justin Favela re-appropriates the piñata as an important symbol of Latinx identity in both still-life paintings and painted life-size objects such as low-rider bikes.
      Bright colours were used for backdrops. Work by Nicki GreenAccording to Riggs, the idea was to use these groupings as a way of highlighting the full complexity of American collectible design and offer fresh insights on how conceptual and self-expressive objects fit in the larger cultural conversation; how these designs can be both functional and used to comment on different aspects of contemporary American society.
      The photography is by Logan Jackson.
      Objects: USA 2024 is on show from 6 September 2024 to 10 January 2025 in New York City. For more exhibitions, talks and fairs in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide. 

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      Snarkitecture overhauls New York law offices using “elevated” stud walls

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      Architecture studio Snarkitecture has updated the New York offices of legal firm Jayaram Law, adding elements with wavy cutouts and furniture from a new collection with Made By Choice.

      The overhaul of Jayaram’s 3,800-square-foot (353-square-metre) space in Manhattan’s Flatiron District forms part of the company’s artist residency program and continues a longstanding relationship with Snarkitecture.
      A continuous, wavy wooden edge forms a portal into the Record Room at Jayaram Law’s officesThe studio, founded by artist Daniel Arsham and architect Alex Mustonen, reimagined the offices as a collaborative space for creative work and made multiple interventions to the layout.
      “Our approach was to unify the space and create a layout emphasising openness, flexibility, and scattered moments of reflection and privacy,” said the team.
      Snarkitecture reinterpreted “the ubiquitous stud wall as an elevated millwork piece” to create the freestanding structureA key decision involved bringing warmth to the industrial-style space, which features exposed ceilings and concrete tile flooring.

      This was achieved by introducing wood, acoustic panels, rugs, curtains, and upholstered pieces “that added more comfort and softness to the space”.
      A window provides a view from the workspace into the Record Room, which displays various Snarkitecture ephemeraAt one end of the floor plan, Snarkitecture built a room using a simple wooden framework to create a library and display area.
      “One of our key design moves is reinterpreting the ubiquitous stud wall as an elevated millwork piece,” the team said.
      In the centre of the offices is a lounge area known as The CommonsThe semi-enclosed space, named the Record Room, has a window that looks onto the open-plan workspace and is accessed via a portal with a continuous wavy outline.
      “We wanted this room to feel unexpected and immersive, thus creating a theme around a ‘Listening Lounge’, featuring an environment with wood shelvings, a record player, and vinyl records,” Snarkitecture said. “Its shelves also host archival items, publications, design objects, and ephemera from Snarkitecture and Jayaram.”
      The open workspace is furnished with long desks that together create room for 24 to 32 peopleOther stud-wall elements with amorphous cutouts form moveable display cases and room dividers, used particularly to define a central lounge known as The Commons.
      Wavy edges are also found on the Autex acoustic panels hung vertically in rows from the white-painted ceiling above the seating area.
      A conference room was created by merging three smaller private offices”It is a comfortable spot with low lounge seating, lush greenery, and an area rug that creates a space for collective gatherings and intimate conversations,” said Snarkitecture.
      On either side, communal workspaces with 15-foot (4.6-metre) custom birch plywood tables accommodate 24 to 32 people.
      Acoustic panels were added above the lounge area to dampen the sound in the industrial-style spaceAlong the perimeter is a glass-fronted conference room that was created by combining three private offices into one space.
      Built-in millwork provides a TV niche for conferencing and stores general office supplies, while a curtain wraps the space to dampen echoes.

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      Throughout the Jayaram offices, Snarkitecture included furniture from its new collection in collaboration with Finnish brand Made By Choice.
      Pieces including dining chairs, lounge chairs, small round tables and a large conference table all feature the studio’s signature wavy edges and cutouts.
      Several furniture pieces from Snarkitecture’s collection with Made By Choice can be found throughout the officeSeveral works from Snarkitecture’s Broken & Sculpted Series created with the Italian brand Gufram are also dotted around the office.
      The pink, broken mirrors introduce hints of colour, while the studio’s Slip chairs with wonky legs and a slanted seat for Portuguese brand UVA add even more whimsy.
      Pink mirrors from a collaboration with Gufram introduce hints of colourSince starting Snarkitecture in 2008, Arsham and Mustonen have worked with brands including Kith, Billionaire Boys Club, COS and Caesarstone on retail interiors and immersive installations.
      In New York City, the studio has previously filled a gallery with lights that resemble “large lollipops” and created an exhibition space at Hudson Yards to allow the public to explore its experiments.
      The photography is by Harlan Erskine.

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      Alastair Philip Wiper captures “over-the-top kitsch” 1970s doomsday bunker in Las Vegas

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      British photographer Alastair Philip Wiper has documented a subterranean fallout shelter in Las Vegas, Nevada, complete with a four-hole putting green surrounded by faux pine trees and painted scenery.

      Built in 1978 by millionaire Jerry Henderson, the doomsday bunker stretches across 1,400 square metres. Henderson lived in the underground house for five years with his wife Mary up until his death in 1983.
      Alastair Philip Wiper has photographed an underground bunker in Las Vegas”Jerry was a millionaire who advocated for underground living,” Wiper said, adding that Henderson also had a similar bunker in an undisclosed location in Colorado.
      “He thought that all people would be better off living underground, not just in case of an apocalypse but in all situations.”
      The residence was built in 1978 as a nuclear fallout shelterThe shelter reflects the era in which it was designed, with details from decorative luminaires to statement pink curtains and toilet seats evoking 1970s interiors.

      Other features include a swimming pool, two hot tubs, a dance floor with a pole, a four-hole putting green, a bar, a barbecue and a sauna.
      “It seems like Jerry liked to party,” Wiper told Dezeen. “The house is made for entertaining. It’s not a house designed for a recluse.”
      1970s statement furnishings include pink toilet seats and decorative luminairesArtificial pine trees and faux rock walls emulate an outdoor garden space, while painted backdrops depicting life-like landscapes surround the shelter.
      Lighting simulates different times of day, with details like the pool and the garden picked out with colourful fluorescents that add to the eccentric nature of the residence.

      James Shaw’s light-filled London home is almost entirely underground

      “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” said Wiper. “But if you have a penchant for over-the-top kitsch, insane colour combinations and James Bond villain-lair aesthetics then you would be in heaven at this place.”
      Henderson’s underground house is now owned by the Church of Perpetual Life, an organisation involved with cryonic preservation that aims to extend human life, which Wiper explored in a 2023 feature for Bloomberg.
      The house has two separate hot tubsWiper documented the residence as part of an ongoing project called “How We Learned to Stop Worrying”, about the many architectural interpretations of the word “nuclear”.
      “I’m looking for all sorts of unusual locations that are associated with nuclear and when I came across the house, it fit perfectly,” Wiper said. “It’s so eccentric and flamboyant.”
      Artificial trees and faux rocks help mimic an outdoor garden spaceWiper’s latest photography book titled Building Stories, published by the Danish Architectural Press, also includes the underground house among a mix of other surreal buildings including a spooky skiing resort and a nuclear missile control centre.
      It is the follow-up to his previous book Unintended Beauty, which focuses on industrial buildings such as factories and power stations.
      Painted backdrops depict life-like scenery”I look for locations that are out of the ordinary, places that tell a story and which people don’t get to see every day, places I want to visit myself,” the photographer explained.
      “If there is something absurd, taboo or humorous about the location then all the better.”
      The photography is by Alastair Philip Wiper.

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      Ceremony of Roses offices by 22RE feature 1970s-influenced meeting spaces

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      Los Angeles studio 22RE has included a “huddle room” that resembles a sunken living room at the offices for a creative music agency.

      The offices within a 1950s factory in Culver City were designed for Ceremony of Roses, an artist merchandising and brand services company for top music creatives.
      A minimalist white oak counter welcomes visitors to the Ceremony of Roses officesWorking with creative director Madeline Denley of creative consultancy Never Far Studios, 22RE completely overhauled the 7,000 square feet (650 square metres) of space to create four executive offices, six communal desks, a showroom, a conference room, a huddle room and a listening room.
      “The project was a full-scale, wall-to-wall customisation where we got to dig into functional priorities while maximising visual appeal and comfort,” said 22RE principal Dean Levin.
      The main communal workspace features aluminium desks atop a raw concrete floorThe main communal workspace occupies a large, lofted central room illuminated by skylights between the exposed wooden ceiling rafters.

      Reaching past a minimalist white oak reception desk, the open area features custom aluminium desks and cabinets accompanied by Eames Management chairs atop a raw concrete floor.
      Executive offices are visible through glass panelsOn either side, open and closed storage is provided by millwork cabinets and titanium travertine shelves.
      A row of executive offices, visible through tall glass panels, are furnished with a mix of French and Italian modernist pieces.
      A maple-panelled conference room is furnished with a burl wood table and Pierre Jeanneret chairsA freestanding structure built from dark-stained white oak houses a conference room, which holds a burl wood table and six Pierre Jeanneret floating-back chairs.
      Maple wall panels complement the brown carpet, and a spherical Akari lamp is suspended overhead to give the space a warm glow.
      White oak and titanium travertine, which appear throughout the project, were used to craft the kitchenOn the other side of the communal work area is a kitchen, where the same material palette of white oak and titanium travertine continues.
      A matte aluminium dining table with matching curved-back chairs – another set of 22RE custom designs – provides a space for employees to eat and congregate.
      22RE custom-designed the matte aluminium dining table and matching curved-back chairsThe listening room is decorated entirely in a chocolate brown hue, with walnut panelling, carpet and upholstery on the built-in, U-shaped sofa all carefully chosen for a monochrome effect and optimum acoustics.
      “The ceilings maximize sound quality, with angles implemented to reverberate music as top creatives gather to experience albums – which also accessorize the shelved wall – on vinyl,” said 22RE.

      And And And Studio brings 1970s elements to Century City Law Office

      The “huddle room” is modelled on a 1970s sunken lounge, evidenced by its low wraparound sofa modules upholstered in pale green mohair.
      A custom aluminium table referencing designs by Oscar Niemeyer was placed in the center and a vintage Akari light by Isamu Noguchi hangs above.
      An acoustically optimised listening room is decorated entirely in chocolate brown”The space’s soft and hard, warm and cold elements amplify the contrast of the warm wood and industrial materials that are apparent across the office interiors,” said the studio.
      In stark contrast to the rest of the office, bathrooms are enveloped floor-to-ceiling in vibrant blue, including three-inch Japanese ceramic tiles.
      In contrast, the bathrooms are enveloped floor to ceiling in vibrant blue22RE’s previous projects include a golf clothing boutique in Miami with pale-green stucco surfaces informed by the sport and the city.
      Other offices in LA with unexpected interiors include the Century City offices of an entertainment law firm, which also have a 1970s vibe.
      The photography is by Yoshihiro Makino.

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      Lissoni Architecture designs moody, minimal interiors for AKA NoMad hotel

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      New York-based Lissoni Architecture has completed a hotel in Manhattan’s NoMad neighbourhood, featuring minimalist interiors that blend Scandinavian and Japanese influences.

      The studio, led by Italian architect Piero Lissoni, designed the AKA NoMad inside a building that formerly housed the Roger New York hotel.
      A bronze-painted spiral staircase anchors the lobby of the AKA NoMad hotelLocated in NoMad – north of Madison Square Park – an area with many design showrooms and hospitality venues, the project marks Lissoni’s first hotel in NYC after opening his US-based architecture office last year.
      “You know the film New York, New York with Liza Minnelli and Roberto De Niro?” Lissoni said. “Well, for me that’s AKA Nomad, my idea of a New York that encompasses music, life, silence, snow, traffic and energy, but always accompanied by a distinct elegance and diversity.”
      An intimate mezzanine-level lounge is housed within a glowing volume”It’s not formalised – it’s a hotel that narrates and speaks with a touch of style, a touch of art deco, a touch of the 1950s… and we’ll see what else,” he added.

      The double-height lobby is anchored by a bronze-painted metal staircase that spirals up past a backlit volume to a mezzanine level that holds an intimate lounge.
      The lobby bar takes advantage of the tall ceiling height and elongated street-facing windowsBanquettes with sage green velvet cushions sit against the illuminated panels on the other side, paired with white-topped tables and various styles of dining chair.
      “The often filtered light generates soft and cocooning environments, where natural materials such as wood and stone are flanked by fabrics of light and neutral tones, and bespoke furnishings are juxtaposed with contemporary design and iconic objects,” said Lissoni Architecture.
      Fluting on the bar counter front and a glass light fixture accentuate the ceiling heightIn the space below, where the ceiling height is lower, soft lighting and comfy seating create areas for guests to relax beside the floating blue reception counter.
      At the front, a bar area takes advantage of the tall ceilings and elongated windows facing onto the street.

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      A glossy black bar counter reflects the minimalist liquor bottle shelving, which also glows from behind, while fluting on the counter front and a glass light fixture accentuates the height of the space.
      On both communal levels, dark tiles laid in a herringbone pattern cover the floors and exposed brickwork is painted beige to create consistency.
      Oversized fabric-upholstered headboards and textured wallpaper soften the bedroomsThe guest rooms and suites continue the same neutral palette and materials, but the balance is tipped towards a lighter tone.
      Oversized fabric-upholstered headboards, plush carpets and textured wallpaper soften the bedrooms, while the bathrooms are lined with dark stone and tiles.
      Guest bathrooms are lined with dark stone and tilesLissoni previously has leant his clean, minimalist style to several of Italy’s top design brands, including Lualdi, Boffi and Salvatori, and recently expanded the Design Holding flagship in New York City.
      He has also served as artistic director of B&B Italia and Sanlorenzo yachts, and was a Dezeen Awards judge in 2023.
      The photography is by Veeral Patel.
      Project credits:
      Design team: Piero Lissoni with Stefano Giussani, Christine Napoli, Antonio Rinaldi, Vincent Chen, Tania Zaneboni, Roberto Berticelli.

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      ORA utilises LA’s fallen street trees inside Uchi West Hollywood restaurant

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      Vertical fins of live-edge wood, which was sourced from fallen street trees, divide spaces at this Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles by local studio ORA.

      Uchi West Hollywood is the first West Coast location for chef Tyson Cole’s Austin-based chain, operated by Hai Hospitality Group.
      Fallen street trees sourced from across LA form spatial dividers through the restaurantSituated on a prominent corner along Santa Monica Boulevard, the 5,200-square-foot (483-square-metre) restaurant seats 160 covers amongst a timber-dominant interior.
      “We collaborated closely with local artists, makers and craftsmen, elevating humble natural materials to create a sense of surprise and connection to the unexpected natural beauty and spirit of our city,” said ORA founding principal Oonagh Ryan.
      Custom pieces created for the space include a sculptural light fixture by Kazuki Takizawa above the bar counterOne of the main collaborations for this project was with Angel City Lumber, which sourced wood from 25 Aleppo Pine trees that had fallen across 14 different city neighbourhoods.

      “With an average diameter of 30 inches and an average length of nine feet, nearly 26 tons of local LA trees were turned into wood for Uchi,” said the team.
      The live-edge wood boards trace sinuous lines through the space, creating more intimate seating areasThe 42 logs from these trees were cut into live-edge boards of varied lengths, and suspended vertically from the restaurant’s ceiling to form spatial dividers.
      The panels follow sinuous lines that demarcate seating areas, and are followed around the top by vertical wood bands that conceal cove lighting designed by Dot Dash.
      Travertine is mounted behind the sushi barIn between, hand-troweled plaster across the ceiling helps to improve acoustics in the space.
      Meanwhile, custom concrete planters by landscape firm SBLA run underneath the dividers and extend out to a patio with further dining space.
      Light boxes above the banquettes create silhouettes of the decorative objects displayed in frontThe remainder of the earth-toned material palette is dominated by woods such as white oak and walnut, complemented by upholstery from Maharam, Knoll and Carol Leather.
      At the perimeter, bespoke booth seating by ORA is placed below glowing light boxes that create silhouettes of decorative objects displayed on shelves in front.

      Stitched brick wall welcomes guests to Uchi Miami restaurant by Michael Hsu

      Striations in travertine panels mounted behind both the sushi bar and drinks bar are accentuated by thin metal shelves for storing dishes and bottles respectively.
      Also in the bar area, a custom sculptural light fixture created by LA artist Kazuki Takizawa to evoke cherry blossoms hangs above the end of the stone counter.
      Custom concrete planters below the wooden board dividers extend out to the patio dining areaBoth the solid white oak and brass bar stools by Lawson-Fenning and the handmade ceramic lamps by Ceramicah were made locally.
      Other California-based artists represented in the space include Liisa Liiva, Molly Haynes, Rajiv Khilnani and Rachel Duvall.
      The corridor to the bathrooms is lined with thin wooden stripsThe bathrooms are reached via a corridor lined with thin vertical wooden strips, and are themselves clad in dark grey tiles.
      Uchi – which means “house” in Japanese – also has locations in Austin, Miami, Dallas and Denver, while its sister brand Uchiko has an outpost in Houston designed by Michael Hsu.
      The photography is by Eric Staudenmaier.
      Project credits:
      Architect: ORAInterior design: ORAFurniture and accessories: Hai Hospitality and ORALighting: Dot DashLandscape: Stephen Billings Landscape ArchitectsStructural: Nous EngineeringMechanical: Engineered SolutionsElectrical: TEK Engineering GroupFoodservice design: MyersContractor: Build GroupLumber shop: Angel City LumberMillwork fabricator: Architectural Woodwork of Montana

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