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    Cho Thompson unearths Boston building’s history to inform office interiors

    US studio Atelier Cho Thompson has redesigned the shared spaces for an office building in Boston, borrowing shapes and materials from its history for new interior elements.

    The project involved reimagining the communal areas at 179 Lincoln Street, a full-block building in the city’s Leather District that was constructed as a shoe factory in 1899.
    Arched motifs on the facade of 179 Lincoln Street were reinterpreted as grooves in the lobby’s plaster wallsAtelier Cho Thompson looked to this history to guide the design of areas at the margins of the building, including the under-utilized lobby space, a dark central core, and empty pocket spaces on each of five floors – all totalling 8,000 square feet (743 square metres).
    “We unearthed and amplified the building’s rich history while creating a space that is responsive to the needs of the post-pandemic workplace,” said studio founder Cho Thompson.
    Finger-shaped backrests for a bench are wrapped in leather to nod to the building’s shoe-making pastWork began with removing the layers of previous renovations, including vinyl tile and commercial carpet, which had left areas “dark and generic”.

    The team uncovered original terrazzo floors in some areas and worked with experts to restore any sections that were damaged.
    Arches are also hewn into the white oak counter front in the receptionThey also looked to the arched geometry and detailed ornamentation of the building’s historic facade for interior design cues.
    The arches are repeated in the lobby as grooved patterns across the hand-troweled plaster walls, and again at a smaller scale around the white oak front of the marble-topped reception counter.
    Brass details including handrails match the building’s original mail chute”With a modern sensibility, we developed a language of detail that brought elements of the exterior into the building’s core,” Thompson said.
    “In that transformation, we brought a playful spirit, bringing massive forms down to human size and creating juxtapositions of materials, patterns, and scales.”
    In other communal areas, original red brick walls and terrazzo floors are exposedShiny black floors contrast the pale colour palette used across all other surfaces, while brass – chosen to match the building’s mail chute – provides a bright accent on railings, drawer handles and other details.
    Lighting fixtures by Lam Partners comprise globe-shaped components attached to thin brass supports, in a variety of linear configurations.
    Multiple counters are provided for group work and conversations between colleaguesIn other “in-between” communal areas, red brick walls and columns are exposed beneath skylights.
    A series of brass-topped counters are scattered through these spaces, creating spots for casual conversation between colleagues.

    GRT Architects restores facade and overhauls lobby of New York’s Fashion Tower

    Banquettes and benches also provide opportunities for group and collaborative work outside of typical meeting rooms.
    These are upholstered in dusty pink leather as a nod to the building’s shoe-making past.
    These casual meeting spaces are designed to respond to the changing needs of office workers”This project responds to the changing landscape of office life by offering opportunities that go beyond what we can experience in only working from home,” said Thompson.
    “With a hospitality approach, the spaces of the project offer a fresh, welcoming, and inclusive place to spend time with colleagues.”
    Polished brass is also used for signage and wayfinding. Photo by Samara ViseReimagining historic buildings as contemporary workplaces is a common challenge for architects and designers, and refreshing communal or public-facing spaces is typically an impactful place to start.
    Similarly, GRT Architects overhauled the entrance to the art deco Fashion Tower in New York, restoring its facade and modernising the lobby.
    The photography is by Jared Kuzia, unless stated otherwise.
    Project credits:
    Client: EQ OfficeArchitect: Atelier Cho ThompsonLighting designer: Lam Partners

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    Kelly Wearstler designs Los Angeles bar to feel “like it has been there for ages”

    Interior designer Kelly Wearstler paired clay plaster walls with Moroccan cement tiles at this eclectic cocktail bar in the Downtown LA Proper hotel.

    Named after Mexico’s national flower, the Dahlia bar features a blushing interior that was designed to echo the rest of the hotel – also created by Wearstler.
    The designer looked to the same Spanish, Mexican and Moroccan influences that define the wider Downtown LA Proper, such as terracotta Roman clay plaster walls and ceilings when conceptualising the bar.
    Dahlia is a cocktail lounge within the Downtown LA Proper hotel”The warm, earthy tones of the lounge are in concert with the larger hotel while striking their own note entirely,” said Wearstler.
    “Dahlia feels like it has been there for ages,” added the designer, who has been named as a judge for the inaugural Dezeen Awards China.

    Moroccan cement tiles clad the barVisitors enter the bar through yellow-tinged stained glass doors that were custom-made for the venue by Los Angeles’ historic Judson Studios, which claims to be the oldest family-run stained glass company in America.
    Seating was created from a mix of built-in reddish banquettes and low-slung curved armchairs that hug circular timber tables, while a geometric chandelier draped in light-filtering silk was suspended overhead.

    Kelly Wearstler renovates swimming pool for suite in Downtown LA Proper Hotel

    In one corner, an embossed and low-slung black cabinet supports two squat table lamps that look like oversized green olives.
    Wearstler adorned the clay plaster walls with a mishmash of vintage and contemporary textural artwork, which was finished in ceramic and sand. Various local artists were included in the mix.
    Kelly Wearstler imbued the venue with her signature eclectic styleDefined by “saturated hues and dramatic lighting,” the cocktail lounge also features a bar clad with lilac-hued Moroccan cement tiles and woven crimson rugs.
    “This is the kind of space where you can entirely lose track of time,” said the designer.
    Known for her distinctively eclectic style, Wearstler has created interiors for various other destinations that are part of the Proper Hotel Group. The designer scoured vintage shops to source the furniture that decorates the living room-style lobby of a Santa Monica branch while an Austin location features a sculptural oak staircase that doubles as a plinth for Wearstler’s own glazed earthenware pots and vases.
    The images are courtesy of Kelly Wearstler.

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    Hotel Genevieve in Louisville features colour-coordinated guest rooms

    Room types are organized by bold colours at this hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, which was designed by US hospitality group Bunkhouse and Philadelphia-based design studio Rohe Creative.

    Located in Louisville’s East Market district, also known as NuLu (New Louisville), Hotel Genevieve occupies a new six-storey, black-brick building that’s within walking distance of some of the city’s biggest tourist attractions.
    In the hotel’s lobby, pink terrazzo flooring matches the plasterwork behind the reception deskThe hotel takes its name from a regional type of limestone, Saint Genevieve, which is a key ingredient in local bourbon production and also prevalent in Texas, where operator Bunkhouse is based.
    The company collaborated with Rohe Creative on the interiors, which are intended to reference Louisville’s history.
    Communal spaces for guests include a speakeasy-style bar with a golden vaulted ceilingIn the lobby, pink tones of terrazzo flooring are echoed in the plasterwork behind the reception desk, surrounding an equestrian-themed mural.

    Artworks are displayed on white walls and in front of red velvet curtains to form a gallery around the lobby seating areas and corridors.
    The rooms are coloured by type and the smaller spaces feature a blue paletteThe adjacent all-day restaurant, Rosettes, serves food made with local ingredients and is influenced by al fresco Parisian cafes and chef Ashleigh Shanti’s Southern background. This bright, brasserie-like space combines green-tiled floors with colourful dining chairs and retro light fixtures.
    “Richly decorated, each design accent tells a story, from bold usages of colour to a playful mix of vintage and modern furniture, and a vivacious art program featuring local talent,” said the hotel team.
    The chosen colour in each room extends across the wall and ceiling, as well as into the bathroomsA mini market on the ground floor, which is “part convenience store, part pop art installation”, sells locally sourced provisions, handmade artisanal goods, and coffee and snacks to go.
    There’s also a dark and moody speakeasy-style bar with lounge seats and a golden vaulted ceiling.
    Double Queen rooms are decorated in a terracotta hue”Luxurious and feminine architectural details bring life to the space and reference the city’s namesake, King Louis XVI, heavily featuring Louisville’s vibrant local flora and fauna, with goldenrod [plants] shining throughout the suites and ground-floor restaurant,” said the hotel team.
    The hotel’s 122 guest rooms are each painted a distinct colour that correlates with their size or type. These hues cover the walls and ceilings, and also extend into the bathrooms via floor and shower tiles.
    Four Suite Genevieve rooms have a separate living room and are coloured yellowSmaller rooms, including the King Louie and Petite King categories, feature a blue palette, while the slightly larger Double Queens are decorated in a terracotta hue.
    Four Grand King rooms accommodate a seating area and are also painted blue, while an additional four Suite Genevieve rooms have a separate living room and are coloured yellow.

    Jenny Bukovec draws on “soulful” local heritage for Kentucky hotel

    All of the rooms boast custom features and fittings by ROHE, as well as paintings and prints by Kentucky-born artist John Paul Kesling.
    The rooftop venue, Bar Genevieve, serves cocktails and French-Mediterranean food from an indoor space that opens to the outdoors.
    Bar Genevieve on the top floor features teal accents and can be hired for private eventsThe bar area is accented with deep teal colours across the counter, stool seats, arched window frames and floor-to-ceiling velvet curtains that can be used to divide up the room.
    Hotel Genevieve has also partnered with local organisations Black Soil Kentucky, Louisville Orchestra, and the Olmsted Parks Conservancy for programming across its varied communal spaces.
    The hotel occupies a new black-brick building in Louisville’s East Market districtKentucky draws visitors for its bourbon production and horse racing heritage, and demand for high-end accommodation in the state appears to be on the rise: a new five-star hotel called The Manchester also recently opened in Lexington.
    Bunkhouse operates multiple properties across North America, including the Austin Motel and nearby Hotel Magdalena, Phoenix Hotel in San Francisco and Hotel San Cristóbal in Los Cabos, Mexico.
    The photography is by Nick Simonite.

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    AB Lafitte creates colourful and “eccentric” music venue in Oklahoma City

    This live music venue in Oklahoma City was created by local interior designer AB Laffite as a “psychedelic funhouse” using carnival lighting strips and a palette of sunset hues.

    Resonant Head occupies a previously vacant building on SW 25th Street in the historic Capitol Hill neighbourhood, south of the Oklahoma River from the city’s downtown area.
    While designing the Resonant Head venue, the angled ceiling proved to be the toughest constraintWith a capacity of over 250, the renovated space is intended for hosting small performances within a visually stimulating and immersive environment.
    “Designed to be a carnival-like playground for both fans and artists, the venue reintroduced the building’s original mid-century modern architecture as a psychedelic funhouse,” said Laffite.
    The bar area was given a nostalgic diner-style feel”The goal was to create an eccentric design that maintained the character of the building while also straying from the typical dark and industrial music venue aesthetic,” she added.

    The renovation of the building involved negotiating the “wildly angular” original concrete ceiling, which is the most prominent visual element and proved to be the biggest design constraint.
    A central column was wrapped in gold mirror strips and the ceiling ribs were edged with carnival lightsThe designer chose to highlight its geometric faux coffering using four different sunset-hued paints and attaching strings of multi-coloured carnival lights to its ribs.
    A central column, from which the ceiling panels emanate, was wrapped in thin strips of gold mirror and encircled by a counter for placing drinks.
    A red leather banquette tucked into a niche provides a seating areaAt the back of the venue, the raised stage area is painted red, lined with iridescent silver curtains and illuminated by thin neon tubes.
    The diner-esque bar combines yellow-gold laminate, chrome edge banding, amber glass blocks, mosaic tiles and terrazzo flooring to create a nostalgic feel. “1970s club swank was the goal,” Laffite said.

    Mutuus Studio designs inclusive Supernova nightclub in Seattle

    To one side of the bar is a seating area, where red leather banquettes are set into a niche in the wall and accompanied by cafe tables and chairs. Sconces by lighting brand Rich Brilliant Willing add a soft glow.
    Meanwhile, “the restrooms are destinations in themselves,” according to Laffite, who added checkerboard tiles, retro-coloured glazed sink and urinals, and pilled-shaped mirrors.
    In the bathrooms, the designer added checkerboard tiles, retro-coloured sinks and pill-shaped mirrorsThe aim of the project overall was to create a unique spot for locals to enjoy music together, as well as to help revive a once-bustling commercial thoroughfare.
    “The conversion of this former department store (and later bar) into a music venue has returned a social gathering place back to the community, where it will hopefully become a cultural anchor in the revitalisation efforts of the Capitol Hill neighborhood,” said Laffite.
    The venue is located within a mid-century building in Oklahoma City’s Capital Hill neighbourhoodSelf-described as a Midwest-based designer, she founded her own studio in 2021 after working in the Los Angeles design industry for several years.
    Elsewhere in the US, other small performance venues and nightclubs to recently open include Supernova in Seattle, designed by Mutuus Studio to be an inclusive environment for all.
    The photography is by Justin Miers.

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    Mattaforma considers “plants as clients” for Public Records outdoor space

    Local design studio Mattaforma has created a plant nursery and community space for Public Records, a music venue and restaurant space in Brooklyn.

    The Nursery at Public Records sits in an outdoor space adjacent to the Gowanus institution’s other programming, a vegan cafe, club and listening lounge. It serves as a nursery for plants and as an outdoor music venue.
    Public Records expanded its programming to an adjacent empty lot, adding a DJ booth and plantsThe team at Public Records wanted to turn the adjacent, empty lot into a functioning space.
    To do so while limiting new construction, the team took advantage of several storage units already on the site, positioning them as both separators and inhabitable spaces for both humans and plants.
    Mattaforma created a system of wooden trusses to shelter the plants and equipment”The brief was an over winter nursery for their garden plant collection, as well as a community space that people could enjoy and learn about plants,” Mattaforma co-founder Lindsey Wilkstrom told Dezeen.

    “With this in mind, we focused first on designing a space that relied solely on passive heating in the winter, treating the plants as our clients first, then adapting a plant-oriented space towards humans as our secondary clients.”
    The trusses are lined with polycarbonate panelsTo house the plants, Mattaforma installed wooden pratt trusses lined with polycarbonate panels.
    The trusses were made on-site out of Microllam R laminated-veneer lumber (LVL), a manufactured wood that combines micro-layers of different kinds of woods like fir and larch.
    The space is meant to hold plants year-roundAccording to Wilkstrom, the material was chosen for its durability and also its manufacturer, Weyerhaeuser.
    “[It’s] the first American timber company to call for regenerative forest stewardship over 100 years ago and who still maintains today some of the highest ethical standards in their replanting initiatives, meeting SFI certification and transparency in their evolving ESG performance metrics,” said Wilkstrom of the company.
    Vents were included in the trusses to allow for passive cooling during the summer months. The trusses also extend out over the sound system and DJ booth to celebrate the DJ booth “like an altar”.

    RSDA repurposes shipping containers to form home on Indian farm

    Public Records also created the sound system for The Nursery, working with audio engineer Devon Ojas and manufacturer NNNN to develop a custom system that includes two blue-green and black speakers.
    In addition, the team brought in engineering firm Arup to advise on the acoustics of the space and New York-based Cactus Store to supply additional vegetation for the site.
    Besides the plants within the containers, trees and a grove of bamboo were installed around the concrete dance floor.
    Sustainable timber was used for the trusses”The Nursery is intended to be an ecological/urban intervention that serves to bring people and plants together, in reaction to the challenge of re-imagining an asphalt parking lot,” said Public Records, which was founded by Shane Davis and Francis Harris and has existed on the north end of Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal since 2017.
    The once-industrial areas of Brooklyn have seen a variety of art and culture institutions moving in past years. Recently, a derelict powerplant, once known for its graffiti culture, was renovated by Swiss architecture studio Herzog & de Meuron into an arts centre.
    Elsewhere in the borough, Ennead Architects and Rockwell Group converted a 19th-century train warehouse into a headquarters for a charitable organisation.
    The photography is by Adrianna Glaviano.

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    Woods Bagot lines American Australian Association HQ with oak battens

    The American Australian Association has opened a headquarters in New York City, with interiors by architecture firm Woods Bagot designed to offer flexible spaces for events.

    The 9,450-square-foot (878 square metres) space at 600 Third Avenue is the first location in the city for the American Australian Association (AAA), a non-profit organisation dedicated to strengthening ties and collaboration between Australia and the US.
    A large, flexible space allows the AAA to host a variety of events and activitiesClose to both the United Nations and the Australian Consulate-General, the headquarters is intended to promote Australian-American relations in NYC by hosting a variety of discussions, performances, exhibitions, networking receptions and more.
    Woods Bagot – which was founded in Adelaide and has offices globally – aimed at “melding the spirit of Australia with the corporate culture of New York” with the project, according to CEO, Nik Karalis. “It’s a stylish, welcoming environment created to bring people from both countries closer together,” he added.
    Moveable dual-purpose furniture created for the space includes a workstation that doubles as a barTo accommodate such varied activities, a large events space was left open to be as flexible as possible while incorporating movable dual-purpose furniture and fittings.

    A custom mobile island acts as both a work surface and a bar, and counters along the windows can also become serving areas for food and drinks.
    The ceiling structure was left exposed, while white oak battens wrap the columnsLocated on a high floor, the space benefits from sweeping views of the skyline through unobstructed expanses of glass.
    The ceiling structure was left exposed to maximise the height in the space, while columns were wrapped in vertical white oak batten system by wood cladding manufacturer Sculptform – for which Woods Bagot created an immersive showroom in Melbourne in 2001.

    Steam-bent timber tunnels through Melbourne showroom by Woods Bagot

    Similar battening lines the lobby and circulation spaces, with curved profiles creating sculptural frames around a golden bar back and over a pair of sliding doors with frosted glass panels.
    The AAA headquarters also houses offices for employees and a boardroom for private meetings.
    The white oak battens also line the lobby area, surrounding the doorway to the boardroomTo commemorate the opening of the space in June 2023, the organisation commissioned a custom artwork from the APY Art Centre Collective.
    The colourful painting was created by eight Indigenous women artists based in Adelaide and hangs in the bar area.
    Some of the battens feature curved profiles to create sculptural shapesWoods Bagot works on projects worldwide, and its current high-profile projects underway range from the Aboriginal Art and Cultures Centre in Adelaide to an extension of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
    Also in the US, principal Krista Ninivaggi recently completed the lobby design for the supertall Brooklyn Tower.
    The photography is by Adrian Gaut.

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    Jenny Bukovec draws on “soulful” local heritage for Kentucky hotel

    American designer Jenny Bukovec has looked to Kentucky’s heritage for the interiors of a hotel in Lexington, a city famed for bourbon production and horse racing.

    Described by the hotel team as “the first high-end hotel in the horse and bourbon capital of the world,” The Manchester sits on the site of the historic Ashland Distillery – the city’s first registered bourbon producer, which was established in 1865.
    The lobby bar at The Manchester hotel features vaulted ceilings and eclectic lounge furnitureIts location in the heart of Manchester Street’s historic Distillery District places guests within close proximity to a host of bourbon distilleries, breweries, bars, restaurants and event spaces.
    Hoteliers Nik Feldman and Hank Morris tapped New York City-based Bukovec to design “soulful” interiors for the public areas and 125 guest rooms that draw upon the region’s heritage.
    The equestrian-themed main restaurant, Granddam, is designed with walnut wainscoting and green accentsIn the lobby, a wall of hit-and-miss brickwork is modelled on the neighbourhood’s historic rickhouses – structures used for storing and distilling spirits.

    Corbelled arches within the brick wall lead through to a bar with vaulted plaster ceilings, eclectic lounge furniture, and details that include handmade bejmat tiles and amber-toned fluted glass.
    Geometric patterned tiles and wicker furniture decorate the Lost Palm rooftop barThe hotel’s main restaurant is named Granddam “after a wise, figurative matriarch racing horse” and serves a contemporary take on traditional Appalachian cuisine.
    Seating 140 covers, the space is encircled by square-panelled walnut wainscoting, huge floor-to-ceiling windows and teal-hued leather banquette seating.
    The rich hues in the guest rooms evoke those associated with Kentucky’s Bluegrass music tiesGreen floor tiles and cushions match the ceiling colour and complement the taupe tones of the walls and furniture upholstery.
    “The 140-seat dining room follows the hotel’s equestrian aesthetic and is designed as a modern reinterpretation of nearby stables, featuring rich walnut walls and horse saddle-inspired woven leather seating,” said the hotel team.
    Among the room categories are five with wooden bunk beds that sleep four guestsA very different aesthetic was chosen for Lost Palm, a rooftop bar and lounge that takes cues from art deco nostalgia while repeating the same arched forms found in the lobby.
    Bukovec combined wicker furniture, rattan panels, geometric patterned floor tiles and tropical planting as a nod to 1960s South Florida and its horse racing culture – for which Lexington is also famed.

    Fettle returns The Georgian hotel in Santa Monica to its 1930s “glory”

    The dark woods and rich hues used in the guest rooms evoke those commonly associated with Bluegrass music, another regional specialty.
    Room categories range from standard kings and double queens up to one- and two-bedroom penthouse suites with clawfoot tubs, as well as five bunk-bed rooms that each sleep four guests.
    The 7th-floor gym is kitted out with tanned leather equipmentA gym located on the 7th floor features herringbone parquet flooring and tanned leather equipment.
    The Manchester also offers a variety of guest experiences, including distillery tours, bourbon tastings, fly fishing, polo lessons and trail riding.
    The hotel occupies a brick building on the site of a historic bourbon distilleryMany visitors to Kentucky come for its whisky heritage and industry, which has ties to several big-name architecture firms.
    In 2018, Shigeru Ban unveiled a proposal to build a trio of mass timber pyramids for the Kentucky Owl distillery, and more recently, RSHP unveiled its design for Horse Soldier Bourbon’s new home in the state.
    The photography is by Matt Kisiday.

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    Smith Hanes Studio brings “a sense of calm” to Carmel restaurant in Atlanta

    Atlanta-based Smith Hanes Studio has used a palette of natural colours and materials to help diners at this restaurant imagine they’re beside a beach.

    A laid-back, coastal vibe was the goal for the Carmel restaurant, located on a cobblestone street in Atlanta’s Buckhead Village.
    The U-shaped bar at the entrance to Carmel is wrapped in rattanFounder Tal Baum of Oliva Restaurant Group wanted to create a space that would transport guests to the casual seaside ambience, so she tasked Smith Hanes Studio with designing an environment that draws upon a variety of beachside communities.
    “[Baum] wanted us to bring a sense of calm and expansiveness to Carmel, like you’d experience on the Mediterranean coast,” said studio founder Smith Hanes. “Our interior designer Janine MacKenzie accomplished that with a beautiful warm palette of naturals that coax us to remember the balmy indoor-outdoor breezes of Tulum or Puerto Escondido beach.”
    Lime plaster covers the walls to evoke a coastal aestheticA variety of local artists and craftspeople were brought on to achieve the desired effect. Lime plaster was hand-applied to surfaces by Super Delicious Walls and custom fibre installations by Sonya Yong James were added as accents.

    Meanwhile, upholstery and millwork were crafted by fabricators Hancock Surface Studio, Onemost Studio and Bjork Studio.
    In the dining room, woven pendant lights emit a warm sunset-like glowUpon entering the establishment, a U-shaped bar is wrapped in rattan, matching a light fixture suspended above that follows the same shape.
    Folding back a large wooden window opens the bar area to the street, where additional seating is built into the facade to serve cafe tables.
    Contributions from local artisans include custom fibre installations by Sonya Yong JamesThe back bar is set against a wall of textured, square white tiles, and framed by an arch with curved pillars covered in similar but smaller reddish tiles.
    “The rattan-wrapped bar, amber-tiled barback, glowing drink rail and sculptural lighting evokes a world of cabanas and parts of the Mediterranean where handwoven basketry is commonplace,” said the restaurant team.

    Floral installations decorate Atrium bar in Atlanta by Smith Hanes Studio

    Past the bar area, a deep arched opening leads into the 1,600-square-foot (149-square-metre) dining room.
    Mossy green banquettes, wooden four-top tables and chairs, and sheer curtains are all washed in a warm glow, “as if the sun is setting low on the ocean’s horizon” according to the team.
    Booth seating is set into niches carved from the wallsThe pendant lamps above the tables are woven from elephant grass and feature matte porcelain bulbs.
    More tilework, this time in sage green, clads the area around the kitchen passover window, which is flanked by niches for booth seating on either side.
    A large window opens to additional seating along the restaurant’s exteriorHanes founded his eponymous studio in 2004, and also opened an office in New York in 2020.
    Focusing on hospitality interiors, the team has previously completed a bar and restaurant in Atlanta that’s decorated with floral installations, and the ground-floor eateries within a renovated hotel in Portland, Oregon.
    The photography is by Tim Lenz.

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