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      Omar Aqeel brings “sensory fantasy” to NYC bar Only Love Strangers

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      Cobalt blue surfaces line this bar and restaurant in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, designed by Brooklyn-based Studio Omar Aqeel as a “retro-futuristic oasis”.

      On the corner of East Houston and Allen streets, Only Love Strangers is a two-level cocktail lounge, restaurant and live-music venue that draws influences from 1960s and 70s surrealism.
      Guests arriving at Only Love Strangers are greeted at a cantilevered host stand within a limewashed spaceStudio Omar Aqeel blended references ranging from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey movie and Eileen Gray’s E-1027 villa to the sculptures of Alexander Calder for the interiors.
      “A site of sensory fantasy – especially for discerning creatives – Only Love Strangers boasts a unique aesthetic that encourages endless discovery,” said the team.
      An arched opening leads into a bar area lined floor to ceiling with cobalt blue tilesGuests who enter the 6,300-square-foot (585-square-metre) space are greeted at a cantilevered, brushed-aluminium host stand.

      Straight ahead, through an arched opening, is a bar area enveloped in floor-to-ceiling cobalt blue tiles with blue grouting.
      Banquettes are upholstered in Verner Panton’s 1969 Black and White Optik textileA brushed-aluminium bar counter has rounded ends echoed by a light fixture above, and industrial-style bar stools provide seating for seven.
      Banquettes are upholstered in Verner Panton’s 1969 Black and White Optik textile, adding space for eight more guests.
      Cobalt blue continues as an accent on seat cushions in the main dining spaceIn the main dining space, left of the entrance, the walls are covered in earthy limewash that contrasts the bright blue cushions of built-in seats.
      “Here, a voyeuristic egress allows guests to peek into the subterranean lounge, while domed dining niches with blue crescent-shaped booths provide a more intimate dining atmosphere,” the team said.
      The private dining space is decorated with a mural inspired by the Bauhaus abstract gridThe private dining space for up to 10 guests is decorated with a wall-to-wall, hand-painted mural inspired by the Bauhaus abstract grid.
      With its own entrance, this space includes Ant chairs by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, a vintage Makio Hasuike for Seccose metro dining table, and Maru pendant lighting by Ingo Maurer.

      Bird feathers and burls inform New York restaurant by Polonsky & Friends

      Cobalt blue reappears across the basement-level lounge, where almost every surface is dressed in the bold hue.
      Aluminium accents continue in this space too, along with a variety of playful lights that add a warm glow to the cool-toned space.
      The basement-level cocktail lounge is also lined almost entirely in cobalt bluePieces by New York-based artists and designers can be found throughout Only Love Strangers, including Max Simon, Blue Green Works, Yuyu Shiratori, Nico Anon, Superabundance, Gregory Beson, Adriana Gallo, Ash Allen, and Lucas Willing Studios.
      The lounge also offers a live music program of local jazz talent in the evenings.
      The lounge features aluminium furniture and hosts live music performancesThe lively Lower East Side neighbourhood is packed with bars and restaurants, such as Italian spot Una Pizza Napoletana with “deco meets industrial” interiors.
      Boutiques that have recently opened in the area include the Le Père menswear store by BoND and the Awake NY streetwear shop by Rafael de Cárdenas.
      The photography is by Ori Harpaz.

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      Working Holiday Studio adds hacienda-style twist to midcentury LA house

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      The founders of LA-based Working Holiday Studio have renovated a midcentury home for themselves and their growing family, transforming the interiors to echo a Mexican hacienda.

      Designers Carlos Naude and Whitney Brown chose to move from their previous ranch-style home to a larger dwelling after having a second child, knowing they would need more space.
      Working Holiday Studio added arched openings and handmade brick floors to the midcentury homeThe couple found another midcentury home built in 1962 in the Granada Hills neighbourhood of Los Angeles, which they set about remodelling in “an eclectic hacienda style with Mexican and Scandinavian influences”.
      “We renovated the house because it hasn’t been updated since the first owners bought it and was in much need of a refresh,” the duo told Dezeen. “The layout didn’t make sense for modern living and the house felt dark, cold and outdated.”
      Details like iron railings with wavy balusters add a “hacienda vibe” to the interiorsThe biggest change involved opening up the wall between the dining room and kitchen, creating a large space for the family to gather and entertain under the dark-stained, mono-pitched ceiling.

      The kitchen was reimagined with swing-out French doors, dark green plaster across the walls, and warm millwork for cabinets and the central island.
      The kitchen was completely transformed with dark green plaster walls and warm millworkBricks across the floor in this space and the hallways were handmade in Tijuana, Mexico, and imported across the border.
      Together with arched openings that Working Holiday Studio added throughout the home, they add a “hacienda vibe” to the property.
      A formal living room features a variety of sculptural seats arranged around a marble coffee tableBeige plaster walls, iron railings with wavy balusters and various wooden furniture pieces also lend to the contemporary Mexican aesthetic, with hints of Scandinavian minimalism.
      “We always start with a palette of colours and materials,” said Naude and Brown. “We wanted [the interiors] to feel neutral, earthy, and warm with a few pop accents.”

      Los Angeles ranch house becomes Zen Den by Working Holiday Studio

      Also on the ground floor is a space for the family to watch TV together, which features a large cushioned sectional.
      A formal living room off the dining area has a whitewashed brick fireplace in the corner, and a variety of sculptural chairs arranged around a marble coffee table.
      Bedrooms are decorated with natural materials in neutral tones”We spend a lot of time in the family and TV room because it’s very cosy and comfortable, but love looking into the formal living room because each piece feels like an artwork or sculpture,” the couple said.
      Upstairs, the bedrooms are decorated with natural materials in neutral tones, while the bathrooms are playfully lined with checkerboard or thin straight-stack tiles.
      Playful touches in the bathrooms include checkerboard tilingAcross the exterior, the house was rendered in mid-grey stucco and black-framed windows and doors were added.
      A large covered veranda stretches almost the full length of the building and is used for outdoor lounging and dining in front of the backyard swimming pool.
      The house has a large veranda for outdoor lounging and dining in front of the backyard swimming poolOther properties designed and owned by the couple – the ZenDen in LA’s Woodland Hills and Casa Mami near Joshua Tree National Park – are available as vacation rentals for guests.
      The photography is by Carlos Naude.

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      Twelve scenes froms America’s “hidden” industrial world

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      Pencil production in New Jersey and the fabrication of massive turbines for wind power in North Dakota feature in this roundup of American industrial facilities photographed by Christopher Payne.

      Payne has spent the last decade exploring factories in America, ranging from “traditional industries” like wool carders to the production of contemporary technological machines that he says are often “hidden from view”.
      His reasons for creating Made in America stem from the lack of awareness of where products come from, and from American manufacturing “making a comeback” after Covid-19.
      “Most people I know have never set foot in a factory,” said Payne. “Decades of global outsourcing and a flood of cheap imports have decimated sectors of American manufacturing and hollowed out once-thriving communities.”
      “Yet, we still live in a physical world, and we surround ourselves with material things, and many of these things are still made in America. As environmental concerns and the pandemic have become urgent wake-up calls for us to rethink global supply chains, US manufacturing is making a comeback.”

      Nine municipal buildings in North America that reject bland utilitarianism

      The book includes close-up photography gathered from Payne’s personal exploration and editorial commissions and has an introduction from British author Simon Winchester.
      Payne said that he wanted to preserve the legacy of certain industries while showing the continued innovation and skill of workers – many of whom are featured in the photography.
      “All of these places share a commitment to craftsmanship and quality that can’t be outsourced,” he said.
      “There is, for sure, a certain romance in the idea of making our own goods here in the US, but it is no longer entirely nostalgia; it is also necessity and opportunity.”
      Read on for Payne’s commentary on scenes from twelve industrial facilities in the United States:
      Wool carders at the S & D Spinning MillS & D Spinning Mill, Millbury, Massachusetts
      “In 2010 I discovered an old yarn mill in Maine that reminded me of the state hospital workshops that I photographed for my book Asylum. While most such places had long been abandoned, this mill was fully operational, a scene from the past miraculously coexisting with the present.”
      “I learned of other mills around New England, remnants of a once-dominant industry that had moved south long ago, and then overseas, in search of cheap labor. I befriended mill owners, who, in addition to opening their doors, would inform me of a colorful production run, an invaluable tip that transformed a drab, monochromatic scene into something photogenic and magical.”
      A tipping machine adds metal ferrules and erasers to pencils General Pencil Company, Jersey City, New Jersey
      “General Pencil is one of two remaining pencil companies in the US, and it took five years to win the trust of the owners and gain access to the factory.”
      “I focused on essential steps in the manufacturing process to reveal a fresh look at this humble, everyday object.”
      Wafer (a thin slice of semiconductor material used to make microchips) sorterGlobal Foundries, Malta, New York
      “There is a familiarity to traditionally made objects like pianos and pencils that makes them easier to photograph than tiny microchips [featured above] or complex, one-of-a-kind spacecraft; they’re recognizable in all stages of production and we know exactly what they do.”
      “Whenever possible, I try to include people in my pictures to humanize a subject that might otherwise seem incomprehensible.”
      Vertical assembly of a CFM LEAP jet engine core
      GE Aerospace, Lafayette, Indiana
      “From the window of a plane, it is impossible to appreciate the size and complexity of a jet engine.”
      “Seen up close and uncovered, it becomes an intricate, dazzling work of art, the perfect balance of form and function.”
      Inspection of a low-pressure steam turbine rotorGE Gas Power, Schenectady, New York
      “Gaining access to modern factories is never easy. There are concerns about safety and intellectual property that didn’t exist in the 1940s and 50s, when American companies spent lavishly on annual reports and were eager to pull back the curtain for popular magazines like LIFE and Fortune.”
      “Sometimes I’ll make a beautiful picture only to find out later that I can’t use it, prompting me to look elsewhere for a replacement, like this one, which was my second – and successful attempt – at photographing a turbine rotor.”
      A technician tracing a part template for optimized glass utilization on a boule of Corning HPFS fused silica Corning Inc, Canton, New York
      “Glass is an ancient material continually being pushed to new limits, but it is not easily photographed. It’s transparent, reflective, and often quite thin and fragile.”
      “Finding this technician hovering over a massive circle of glass, lit up like an ice sculpture, was something I had never seen before, and it remains one of my favorite pictures.”
      An R1 vehicle hood in the closures area of the body shopRivian, Normal, Illinois
      “Car factories are so vast that a golf cart is needed to get around. The environment is visually overwhelming and everything beckons the camera.”
      “I never have enough time to show even a fraction of the production process so I search for quiet, simple moments that serve as stand-ins for the larger story.”
      Workers weld parts to the steel frame of an electric public transit busBuild Your Dreams (BYD) factory, Lancaster, California
      “I approach industrial subjects and busy, cluttered factories the same way I do buildings: I try to find an underlying order within the visual chaos.”
      “Here, I was able to use the bus frame as a geometric backdrop upon which the action could unfold, like a stage set.”
      Gathering yarn to be fed into a carpet tufterInterface, LaGrange, Georgia
      “New technologies are often integrated seamlessly into everyday products in ways that are indiscernible, as is the case here, where captured carbon dioxide will be fused into the backing of a commercial carpet.”
      “Even though the product is ‘high tech’, the manufacturing process still requires the deft touch of the human hand.”
      Sanding infused fiberglass inside a wind turbine blade shellLM Wind Power, Grand Forks, North Dakota
      “Clean energy is another booming sector in manufacturing. Wind turbine blades are 200 to 300 feet long (60 to 91 metres), so there’s no elegant way to show their length without including a lot of distracting context.”
      “Seen in section, though, the half circle of a blade shell becomes a pleasing composition that fills the frame.”
      Inside Stargate, the world’s largest metal 3D printer, prints a Terran 1 rocketRelativity Space, Long Beach, California
      “Essential technologies like aerospace have been reenergized by the private sector and new technologies, like 3D printing, and some factories I visited had the buzz of tech startups.”
      “Relativity Space 3D prints rocket engines, reducing the time to do so from years to months. To work around the UV light of the laser we had to wear protective gear to avoid a nasty sunburn.”
      American flags in production on a rotary screen printerAnnin Flagmakers, South Boston, Virginia
      “Even in its unfinished state the American flag is instantly recognizable, a whole greater than the sum of its parts.”
      “I like to think that a factory is similar, a whole that is only complete when everyone works together as a team. These are the people who make the stuff that fuels our economy, and in this time of social polarization and increasing automation, they offer a glimmer of hope.”

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      Twelve scenes from America’s “hidden” industrial world

      by

      Pencil production in New Jersey and the fabrication of massive turbines for wind power in North Dakota feature in this roundup of American industrial facilities photographed by Christopher Payne.

      Payne has spent the last decade exploring factories in America, ranging from “traditional industries” like wool carders to the production of contemporary technological machines that he says are often “hidden from view”.
      His reasons for creating Made in America stem from the lack of awareness of where products come from, and from American manufacturing “making a comeback” after Covid-19.
      “Most people I know have never set foot in a factory,” said Payne. “Decades of global outsourcing and a flood of cheap imports have decimated sectors of American manufacturing and hollowed out once-thriving communities.”
      “Yet, we still live in a physical world, and we surround ourselves with material things, and many of these things are still made in America. As environmental concerns and the pandemic have become urgent wake-up calls for us to rethink global supply chains, US manufacturing is making a comeback.”

      Nine municipal buildings in North America that reject bland utilitarianism

      The book includes close-up photography gathered from Payne’s personal exploration and editorial commissions and has an introduction from British author Simon Winchester.
      Payne said that he wanted to preserve the legacy of certain industries while showing the continued innovation and skill of workers – many of whom are featured in the photography.
      “All of these places share a commitment to craftsmanship and quality that can’t be outsourced,” he said.
      “There is, for sure, a certain romance in the idea of making our own goods here in the US, but it is no longer entirely nostalgia; it is also necessity and opportunity.”
      Read on for Payne’s commentary on scenes from twelve industrial facilities in the United States:
      Wool carders at the S & D Spinning MillS & D Spinning Mill, Millbury, Massachusetts
      “In 2010 I discovered an old yarn mill in Maine that reminded me of the state hospital workshops that I photographed for my book Asylum. While most such places had long been abandoned, this mill was fully operational, a scene from the past miraculously coexisting with the present.”
      “I learned of other mills around New England, remnants of a once-dominant industry that had moved south long ago, and then overseas, in search of cheap labor. I befriended mill owners, who, in addition to opening their doors, would inform me of a colorful production run, an invaluable tip that transformed a drab, monochromatic scene into something photogenic and magical.”
      A tipping machine adds metal ferrules and erasers to pencils General Pencil Company, Jersey City, New Jersey
      “General Pencil is one of two remaining pencil companies in the US, and it took five years to win the trust of the owners and gain access to the factory.”
      “I focused on essential steps in the manufacturing process to reveal a fresh look at this humble, everyday object.”
      Wafer (a thin slice of semiconductor material used to make microchips) sorterGlobal Foundries, Malta, New York
      “There is a familiarity to traditionally made objects like pianos and pencils that makes them easier to photograph than tiny microchips [featured above] or complex, one-of-a-kind spacecraft; they’re recognizable in all stages of production and we know exactly what they do.”
      “Whenever possible, I try to include people in my pictures to humanize a subject that might otherwise seem incomprehensible.”
      Vertical assembly of a CFM LEAP jet engine core
      GE Aerospace, Lafayette, Indiana
      “From the window of a plane, it is impossible to appreciate the size and complexity of a jet engine.”
      “Seen up close and uncovered, it becomes an intricate, dazzling work of art, the perfect balance of form and function.”
      Inspection of a low-pressure steam turbine rotorGE Gas Power, Schenectady, New York
      “Gaining access to modern factories is never easy. There are concerns about safety and intellectual property that didn’t exist in the 1940s and 50s, when American companies spent lavishly on annual reports and were eager to pull back the curtain for popular magazines like LIFE and Fortune.”
      “Sometimes I’ll make a beautiful picture only to find out later that I can’t use it, prompting me to look elsewhere for a replacement, like this one, which was my second – and successful attempt – at photographing a turbine rotor.”
      A technician tracing a part template for optimized glass utilization on a boule of Corning HPFS fused silica Corning Inc, Canton, New York
      “Glass is an ancient material continually being pushed to new limits, but it is not easily photographed. It’s transparent, reflective, and often quite thin and fragile.”
      “Finding this technician hovering over a massive circle of glass, lit up like an ice sculpture, was something I had never seen before, and it remains one of my favorite pictures.”
      An R1 vehicle hood in the closures area of the body shopRivian, Normal, Illinois
      “Car factories are so vast that a golf cart is needed to get around. The environment is visually overwhelming and everything beckons the camera.”
      “I never have enough time to show even a fraction of the production process so I search for quiet, simple moments that serve as stand-ins for the larger story.”
      Workers weld parts to the steel frame of an electric public transit busBuild Your Dreams (BYD) factory, Lancaster, California
      “I approach industrial subjects and busy, cluttered factories the same way I do buildings: I try to find an underlying order within the visual chaos.”
      “Here, I was able to use the bus frame as a geometric backdrop upon which the action could unfold, like a stage set.”
      Gathering yarn to be fed into a carpet tufterInterface, LaGrange, Georgia
      “New technologies are often integrated seamlessly into everyday products in ways that are indiscernible, as is the case here, where captured carbon dioxide will be fused into the backing of a commercial carpet.”
      “Even though the product is ‘high tech’, the manufacturing process still requires the deft touch of the human hand.”
      Sanding infused fiberglass inside a wind turbine blade shellLM Wind Power, Grand Forks, North Dakota
      “Clean energy is another booming sector in manufacturing. Wind turbine blades are 200 to 300 feet long (60 to 91 metres), so there’s no elegant way to show their length without including a lot of distracting context.”
      “Seen in section, though, the half circle of a blade shell becomes a pleasing composition that fills the frame.”
      Inside Stargate, the world’s largest metal 3D printer, prints a Terran 1 rocketRelativity Space, Long Beach, California
      “Essential technologies like aerospace have been reenergized by the private sector and new technologies, like 3D printing, and some factories I visited had the buzz of tech startups.”
      “Relativity Space 3D prints rocket engines, reducing the time to do so from years to months. To work around the UV light of the laser we had to wear protective gear to avoid a nasty sunburn.”
      American flags in production on a rotary screen printerAnnin Flagmakers, South Boston, Virginia
      “Even in its unfinished state the American flag is instantly recognizable, a whole greater than the sum of its parts.”
      “I like to think that a factory is similar, a whole that is only complete when everyone works together as a team. These are the people who make the stuff that fuels our economy, and in this time of social polarization and increasing automation, they offer a glimmer of hope.”

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      Electric Bowery renovates Big Sur house overlooking California’s coastline

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      The co-founder of California studio Electric Bowery has renovated a redwood-clad house in Big Sur for her family, preserving its iconic features and adding custom furniture.

      The house, originally designed by well-known local architect Mickey Muennig, is perched high up on a bluff overlooking the dramatic coastline – famous for the scenic Route 1 that runs along it.
      The house was built in 1993 by renowned local architect Mickey MuennigCommissioned in 1993, the building features a curved copper roof and redwood exterior cladding that Electric Bowery co-founder Cayley Lambur and director of interiors Stephanie Luk used as the foundation for the remodel.
      After speaking to her neighbour, the original owner, Lambur delved into Muennig’s legacy and the property’s history for clues to approach the project.
      Electric Bowery co-founder Cayley Lambur’s updates to the property included reconfiguring the compact kitchen”Inspired by this connection, Lambur began to breathe new life into the residence while honouring its organic architectural roots,” said the studio.

      The house benefits from large windows and expanses of glazing that capitalise on the views across the landscape to the ocean.
      Custom furniture in the living room includes a curved sofa designed to “hug views into the canyon”Keeping these vistas top of mind, the renovation involved reconfiguring the internal spaces, and respectfully upgrading some of the outdated decor and fixtures.
      An entirely new custom kitchen was added within the tight existing space, designed to maximise counter space and celebrate the views of the garden and ocean.
      Vintage leather chairs surround an impressive stone hearthThe redwood millwork was created in collaboration with American furniture company Henrybuilt to blend with the rest of the interiors, while raw steel, warm-stained concrete floors and leathered natural quartzite complete the contemporary look.
      Where the roof slopes to its lowest point, the living room is furnished with custom pieces such as a curved channel-tufted sofa that “hugs views into the canyon” and an oversized claro walnut coffee table by Dusk.
      Redwood panelling continues in the bedrooms, with are decorated with a warm and earthy paletteBehind, an impressive stone hearth is accompanied by vintage black-leather armchairs and a variety of textured rugs and pillows.
      The redwood panelling continues in the bedrooms and bathrooms, where it’s complemented by custom beds dressed in deep red and green textiles.

      Electric Bowery arranges steel and wood cabins for Hudson Valley hotel

      “The consistent use of redwood paneling throughout the home offers the experience of bringing the outside inwards, contrasted and complemented by the incorporation of colour through art, tile and textiles,” said Electric Bowery.
      “A warm and earthy palette is carried through the home, layering textures and natural materials, old and new.”
      One of the bathrooms is tiled entirely in thin, straight-stacked, teal-glazed tilesOne of the bathrooms is tiled entirely in thin, straight-stacked teal glazed tiles, while another features a shower lined with square tiles in tones of blue.
      Also as part of the scope, a trailer on the property was restored and renovated for use as additional guest accommodation and an office for remote work.
      The house overlooks the dramatic Northern California coastline from its lofty perchLambur founded Electric Bowery with fellow architect Lucia Bartholomew in 2013, and the studio is based between Venice, Big Sur and Santa Barbara in California, and New York City.
      Other projects by the studio include the Wildflower Farms resort in Upstate New York, where a series of wood or Corten steel-clad cabins are nestled among meadows and woodland, and a house in Venice Beach that features an askew pitched roof.
      The photography is by Chris Mottalini.

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      Studio Ahead designs “soothing” interiors for Williamsburg wine bar

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      Taupe walls and walnut banquettes create a calming atmosphere in this wine bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, designed by California-based Studio Ahead.

      Named With Others, the bar on Bedford Avenue specialises in natural wines from small-production, low-impact wineries.
      Studio Ahead designed the With Others wine bar to have a soothing atmosphereSouth Williamsburg, which has seen a dramatic transformation over the past three decades – from creative backwater, to hipster locale, to commercial hotspot.
      Owner Shanna Nasiri wanted to take her patrons back to the creative spirit of the neighbourhood’s heyday in late 1990s and early 2000s.
      Industrial elements include metal-mesh shelving behind the barShe invited Homan Rajai and Elena Dendiberia, founders of Studio Ahead in San Francisco, to design the interiors with a “rough around the edges” feel.

      “This is not the Williamsburg of Hermès and homogeny, but of carefully selected wines served in a space of carefully selected artisans where you wave to the people you know across the room,” said Studio Ahead. “A neighborhood bar.”
      Walnut banquettes feature tall backs and thin cushionsThe building’s weathered facade, complete with “scratches, graffiti, patina, grime”, was left largely untouched.
      Inside, a soft-industrial aesthetic is evoked through elements like metal-mesh shelving behind the bar, fabricated by local company Wombat.
      Small square tiles cover the front of the bar counter and the floorSmall square tiles cover the floor and the sides of the bar counter, matching the Farrow and Ball paint on the walls and ceiling.
      Along one side of the space runs a series of minimalist walnut banquettes with tall backs and thin seat cushions.

      Timothy Godbold adorns Tribeca loft with modernist relief panels

      Georg stools by Chris Liljenberg Halstrom for Fritz Hansen, which feature cushions strapped to simple wooden frames, appear in two heights.
      Artworks and objects dotted through the interior include a wooden vase by artist Ido Yoshimoto, and small dishes and bowl by ceramicist Katie Coughlin.
      With Others nods to the recent history of its Williamsburg locationOn the walls, cube-shaped washi paper lanterns by artist John Gnorski depict “Dionysian scenes of friendship and frolic”.
      The minimalist forms and muted colour palette throughout the space offer a “soothing contrast to bright loud furious New York” according to Studio Ahead.
      The building’s weathered facade was left largely untouchedWilliamsburg may have changed over the years, but it’s still one of New York City’s most popular neighbourhoods.
      Recent additions to the area include a Moxy hotel designed by Basile Studio and a Kith store with an “industrial ambiance”.
      The photography is by Ekaterina Izmestevia.

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      Crina Arghirescu Rogard adds “eccentric design” to historic penthouse in Tribeca

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      Architect Crina Arghirescu Rogard has updated a penthouse apartment in a historic New York City building, injecting an array of designs into an already eclectic collection.

      Arghirescu Rogard was tasked by a friend, Mexican artist Claudia Doring Baez, to reimagine her family home in just six weeks.
      Located in the American Thread Building, the penthouse’s grand living room was formerly a ballroom for The Wool Club societySharing “a mutual passion for eccentric design pieces,” the pair set about finding and installing a mix of art, textiles and custom contemporary pieces that would add to the home’s assemblage.
      “The primary challenge was to establish a dialogue between the old and the new, the strong historical architectural shell of the apartment and a decidedly contemporary new interior,” said the architect, who has offices in both Paris and Brooklyn.
      Decorative black walnut panelling is contrasted by contemporary furnitureThe penthouse is located in Tribeca’s American Thread Building, built in 1890 in the Renaissance Revival style.

      Its grand living room was formerly the ballroom for The Wool Club, a society of fabric industry leaders who would gather on the building’s top floor.
      Custom-designed pieces for the apartment include the pale-blue dining table by Liz HopkinsOriginal details such as highly decorative black walnut panelling, ceiling mouldings and a large open fireplace form a backdrop for the contemporary furniture.
      Baez’s extensive collection of art, which includes works by Pablo Picasso, Robert Motherwell and Roy Oxlade, helped to inform the interior refresh.
      The eclectic mix of furniture and artwork continues in the kitchenPaintings, photographs and sculptures by her mother Lucero Gonzales, her brother Adolfo Doring and her daughter Alexandra Zelman also cover the walls of the kitchen and hallways.
      “A poetic assemblage of strong pieces that could stand on their own was what was needed to echo the spirit of the art,” Arghirescu Rogard said.
      For the primary bedroom, Crina Arghirescu Rogard custom-designed a curvaceous headboard wrapped in dark green velvetA large-scale triptych by Rose Wylie that hangs behind the custom dining table informed the colour palette and bold gestures chosen for the living space.
      Among the pieces added are the curved asymmetric sofa that separates the sitting and dining areas, and the pale blue Conversation chairs by artist Liz Collins that are tied together with draping fabric.

      Timothy Godbold adorns Tribeca loft with modernist relief panels

      Contrasting one another, a bi-colour Franco Albini Fiorenza lounge chair and a white Lympho Contemporary chair by Taras Zheltyshev are positioned by the fireplace.
      The bright yellow coffee table comprising stackable resin cubes was custom designed by Liz Hopkins, who also created the blue-tinted dining table – both taking their colours from Wylie’s paintings.
      Paintings, photographs and sculptures by the homeowner’s family line the corridorsFor the primary bedroom, Arghirescu Rogard custom-designed a curvaceous headboard wrapped in dark green velvet and added her yellow raku and bronze coffee table.
      With these pieces, the architect was able to “transform the Baez apartment into a poetic contemporary retreat that is audacious and yet warm and familial, in keeping with the owner’s own sense of life, creativity and whimsy”, she said.
      The updated interiors reflect the owner’s “sense of life, creativity and whimsy”Tribeca is a popular neighbourhood for artists and creatives, who reside in the spacious lofts and penthouses of former industrial buildings.
      Others that retain their historic features include an apartment with “secret spaces” that was renovated by Andrea Leung and a pied-à-terre that doubles as a showroom for Danish design company Vipp.
      The photography is by Chris Mottalini.

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      Mithun completes airy, colourful interior for office in Austin

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      Pops of colour and a bar with an entrance hidden by a bookcase have been installed in a software company’s office interiors, recently completed in downtown Austin by Seattle-based architecture studio Mithun.

      Spanning five storeys, the 157,000-square foot (14,585 square metres) office houses diverse work and amenity spaces for Atlassian Inc, an Australian company that develops products for software developers and project managers.
      Mithun has completed colourful office interiors for Atlassian Inc in AustinCompleted in 2022, the office is housed in a building shell designed by Gensler, while Mithun was responsible for the interior architecture of the workspace, collaboration areas, focus rooms, cafes and kitchen spaces, lounges and rooftop patio.
      “Atlassian creates collaboration software, so at the very core of their culture is a focus on fostering collaboration,” said Mithun partner Elizabeth Gordon.
      The office is housed in an exterior by GenslerAccording to Gordon, the team prioritized flexibility, inclusivity and sustainability.

      The studio created an environment that inspired social connection with people-centred spaces for in-person and hybrid collaboration and amenities for networking as Atlassian’s team re-establishes a workspace.
      The team prioritized flexibility, inclusivity and sustainabilityRather than delineating floor space with individual workstations, the design opens the rectangular office along the glazed exterior for collaborative zones with moveable furniture, dividing curtains and integrated technology that “empower workers to curate their own day-to-day journey”.
      The spaces are separated by warm wooden bookshelves set into the structural grid that rounds into a ceiling detail before running down the other side of the space.
      Moveable furniture and open floor plans encourage collaborationFocus rooms – provided for individual, head-down work – are arranged in rows as a transition from the open workspace to the central core with circulation and facilities.
      Lit from a large skylight, a feature stair climbs through the building, connecting the workspaces to the amenities, which include a music-inspired coffee shop and “living room” with a stage for events and an indoor-outdoor happy hour area that connects to a secret, Texas-themed bar through a hidden bookcase.
      It includes focus rooms, shower and parent suites, all-gender restrooms, meditation rooms and a wellness studio”Indoor-outdoor connections throughout provide access to fresh air, support outdoor work and help promote movement throughout the day,” the team said. “The variety of unique destinations serves to surprise and delight workers while fostering a sense of community.”
      In terms of inclusivity, the design incorporates elements that create a “safe and inviting space for all Atlassian employees” – like the installation of art and accessories from Austin-based artists of color and LGBTQIA+ creators.

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      Wayfinding was integrated in the form of large-scale custom murals by local artists that lend identity to each floor. Additionally, custom bottle chandeliers serve as an abstract reference to Texas bottle trees.
      The office also includes single-occupant, all-gender restrooms, shower and parent suites, meditation and ablution rooms and a multi-purpose wellness studio that can hold classes from local fitness instructors.
      A bar is accessed through a bookshelfThe project is targeting a LEED Gold standard with high-performance systems and sustainable materials.
      “The design for Atlassian Austin incorporates biophilic principles in many different ways – with new skylights above the stairwells that let sunlight pour in across different levels, with views in and views out, and with the use of plants and natural materials and textures,” said Mithun partner Lisa Scribante
      Other office projects that have recently come online in Austin include Michael Hsu’s self-designed architecture studio and a renovated 110-year-old bungalow for a tech investment firm. West of West also completed a concrete office complex in one of the city’s industrial neighbourhoods.
      The photography is by Jasper Sanidad.
      Project credits:
      Interior architecture: MithunCore/shell: GenslerClient: AtlassianGeneral contractor: Harvey Cleary BuildersFurniture dealer: CRIPlants: Texas TropicalCustom installations: SarabiFurniture: Coalesse, Hightower, Studio TK, Keilhauer, Spacestor, Hem, Hay, Andreu World, Muuto, TON, Emeco, WCI, Blastation, Fritz Hansen, Carl Hansen & Son, Uhuru, Bend Goods, Offecct, Grand Rapids, Sossego, Herman Miller, Schiavello, Davis, Bernhardt Design, Watson, Fogia, Bludot, Kettal, PedraliMaterials: Luum, Maharam, Kvadrat, Carnegie, Kirei, Filzfelt, Pollack, HBF Textiles, Clay Imports, Shaw Contract, Flor, Wineo, Stone Source, Caesarstone, Foresso, Daltile, Cambria, Jujupapers, Katie Kime, Wolf Gordon, ArmstrongLighting: Rich Brilliant Willing, Schoolhouse Electric

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