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    Stephanie Brown renovates Vancouver home to have “fewer formalised spaces”

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    Large family get-togethers are enjoyed in the open-concept living spaces at this house in Vancouver, which interior designer Stephanie Brown has overhauled with entertaining in mind.

    The home is situated in a quiet, upscale neighborhood in the Canadian city. Built in 1991, it originally featured a postmodern aesthetic, while subsequent renovations favoured the craftsmen style.
    The layout of the home was reorganised to create a double-height foyerIts latest iteration was devised by local studio Stephanie Brown, who was asked to design the interiors by homeowners Joanne and Alan.
    The couple has a blended family with six grown-up children, and while only one still lives at home, the others return often for dinners together.
    Small rooms were opened up to create larger spaces for entertainingAlterations to the plan of the house were therefore required to allow it to comfortably accommodate so many people in the evenings, but still feel cosy during the day.

    “Prior to the renovation, the layout featured very formal, separated rooms,” said Brown. “We re-worked the layout of the main floor to create a more open-concept space, which would provide better flow for modern family gatherings and fewer formalised spaces.”
    Jewel tones and feminine hues add variation to the predominantly white colour schemeAn enlarged family room is now adjacent to the kitchen, which includes a generous island with a teal-coloured base for preparing meals and eating breakfast.
    The same teal shade, chosen for Joanne’s “love for moody jewel tones” continues in the pantry, while more feminine pinks and purples are introduced in other spaces through furniture fabrics.
    Smaller rooms like this office space feature darker coloursIn the dining room, a large black table is positioned beneath a grid of mid-toned oak beams and a Shape-Up chandelier by Ladies and Gentlemen Studio.
    Oak is also applied as parquet flooring, adding visual interest and bringing warmth to the predominantly white palette throughout the home.

    RSAAW adds double-height library during Vancouver home renovation

    Darker colours are used in the smaller spaces, including a new mudroom with grey-and-white-patterned cement floor tiles, and a wallpapered powder room.
    By also rearranging the first-floor layout, a bright two-storey entrance foyer was created, featuring black and unpolished brass details.
    A mud room with patterned ceramic tiles was created during the renovationArtwork and decorative furniture pieces are dispersed throughout the home, intended to convey a relaxed atmosphere more akin to a city loft.
    “We drew inspiration from New York and European apartments, which feature unique collections of art, furnishings and decor set against elegant details,” said Brown.
    “We opted for a casual take on those interiors, but one where the play between classic and modern would still feel fresh and unique.”
    A powder room is lined with dark wallpaperVancouver is regularly ranked as one of the most liveable cities in the world and has a wealth of notable residential architecture and interiors.
    Other projects recently completed there include RSAAW’s renovation of a mid-century residence to include a double-height library and a house by D’Arcy Jones Architects designed to mesh with its neighbours.

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      Leckie Studio imitates stalactite formations inside Vancouver's AER Skinlab

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      Quarries and caves served as visual references for this marble-lined skincare clinic in Vancouver, Canada, designed by local firm Leckie Studio.

      Set on the ground level of Vancouver’s Waterfall Building, AER Skinlab offers a selection of cosmetic injections and laser treatments.
      Walls throughout the AER Skinlab clinic in Vancouver are lined with grey marbleLeckie Studio wanted to create a calm, grounding interior for the clinic to make it look as if it was “excavated from the stillness of rock”.
      The studio’s key reference point for this aesthetic was a series of photographs by Canadian artist Edward Burtynsky, which captures the dramatic topography of quarries around the world.
      In homage, the clinic’s service desk and almost all of its walls were clad with vast panels of grey marble sourced from nearby Vancouver Island. Each slab was given a subtle striated finish to emulate the irregular surface texture of stone.

      The marble was striated to emulate the uneven surface texture of stoneSimilar striations were made on AER Skinlab’s glass facade, obscuring the interior from passersby to preserve patients’ privacy.
      Crowning the clinic’s reception area is a striking ceiling installation that was produced by Leckie Studio in collaboration with local art and design practice Tangible Interaction.
      It consists of strips of Tyvek, a type of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fabric, which are hung at different lengths. Clustered together, these resemble pointed mineral formations called stalactites that are created when water drips through a cave ceiling.
      Leckie Studio and Tangible Interaction created a hanging installation for the clinic”The ceiling installation was very ambitious from both a design detailing and installation perspective,” Leckie Studio told Dezeen.
      “We prioritised the experiential aspect while also ensuring compliance with local building codes, life safety, HVAC [heating, ventilation and air conditioning] and lighting performance.”
      Consultation and treatment rooms are simply finishedOne of the walls in the clinic’s reception is punctuated with a narrow niche, where AER Skinlab displays its line of skincare products.
      An arched corridor leads through to a consultation area and a trio of treatment rooms that were finished with pale plaster walls and grey soft furnishings to complement the rest of the interior scheme.
      The clinic’s striated glass facade was designed to preserve patients’ privacyLeckie Studio has completed a number of projects around its hometown of Vancouver. Among them is Courtyard House, a family home that contains only the most essential living spaces.
      The studio also designed the Vancouver office of Slack Technologies – the company behind workplace messaging system Slack – which occupies a former warehouse.
      The photography is by Ema Peter.
      Project credits:
      Design: Leckie StudioCeiling installation: Tanglible InteractionBrand identity: Glasfurd & Walker

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      Leckie Studio designs penthouse inside BIG's Vancouver skyscraper

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      A rainforest-style atrium with a cedar tree lies within a two-storey unit designed by Leckie Studio, located inside the new Vancouver House tower.

      The penthouse is found within the sculptural, 59-storey tower that rises up from a triangular site in downtown Vancouver, near Granville Bridge. The building was designed by architecture firm BIG and was completed last year.
      A rainforest-style atrium sits at the heart of the penthouseThe two-level apartment is on the northwest side of the skyscraper, where it is afforded views of English Bay and the North Shore Mountains.
      The unit’s owner desired an inviting atmosphere and spaces to accommodate natural artefacts and artwork from her travels. She turned to local firm Leckie Studio to oversee the design.
      The apartment has views far-reaching views of Vancouver and beyond
      The team set out to create a layered environment that looked both inward and outward, and was infused with organic elements.
      “Through an iterative design process, the studio and client arrived at a highly bespoke, biophilic design that is attuned to the passage of time,” the team said.
      A kitchen on the lower level features a giant islandThe unit is divided into public and private areas. On the bottom level, one finds a living room, dining area, kitchen and an office. A half-turn stair leads to the upper level, which holds two bedrooms.
      There also is a 167-square-metre roof deck that is accessed via a private elevator.

      Jürgen Vandewalle arranges Ghent penthouse around three blocks of furniture

      “The experience of the penthouse is quite varied, depending on the time of day and which space is being occupied,” said architect Michael Leckie.
      The unit’s focal point is a tall, glazed atrium filled with lush vegetation.
      The atrium runs alongside the stairwell leading to bedroomsActing as the “spine” for the penthouse, the atrium runs alongside the stairwell and extends from the unit’s bottom level all the way to its roof terrace. At the top, it is open to the sky.
      “Conceived as a microcosm of the Pacific Northwest rainforest, its centrepiece is a full-size, red cedar tree that lends a contemplative and grounding element to the onlooking interiors,” the team said.
      Finishes and fixtures are kept minimal in the bathroom”The ecosystem surrounding this tree will be sustained long term by a ‘nurse’ log, which replenishes the space with nutrients from decay.”
      Beyond the atrium, earthy elements are found throughout the dwelling and form a rich backdrop for the client’s belongings.
      Marble lines the walls of the powder roomAmerican black walnut makes up the woodwork in the living room, kitchen and bathing areas. The high-quality wood was also used for the stair treads.
      Travertine was used for flooring and custom-milled bathroom sinks. Smokey grey marble lines the walls in a powder room.
      Blackened-steel accents can be found throughout the apartmentBlackened-steel accents run throughout the unit and act as a counterpoint to the natural materials.
      The penthouse’s sparse furnishings include an oak-topped dining table with a cast-bronze base, and a low-lying, multidirectional sofa that support various postures and orientations.
      A lighting installation from Bocci illuminates the stairwellFloating in the stairwell is a lighting installation from Bocci that evokes a cluster of sparkling fireflies. The piece is made of copper and 122 glass luminaires.
      The rooftop terrace is meant to serve as an extension of the living space. It is fitted with a stainless-steel jacuzzi, an outdoor shower, a kitchenette and plenty of seating.
      The lighting installation is made from copper and glassFounded by Michael Leckie in 2015, Leckie Studio has designed a number of residential projects, including mirrored cabins that blend into the forest. The firm also designed Slack’s Vancouver office, located within a repurposed industrial building.
      Photography is by Conrad Brown.

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      Alice D'Andrea creates industrial coffee roastery in Vancouver steel foundry

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      Coffee roasting and tasting takes place in this industrial-style coffee shop in Vancouver, which local studio Alice D’Andrea has designed inside a historic factory building. Located in Vancouver’s Railtown neighbourhood, the space was built in 1923 as the Settlement Building, a steel foundry for manufacturing machinery parts, and then later used as a warehouse for lighting company Bocci.

      The roastery features existing industrial windows and ceiling beams
      It now forms the headquarters for speciality coffee company Pallet Coffee Roasters with space for team training, a tasting area, roastery operations, seating and merchandise.

      Douglas fir beams punctuate the ceiling, large, industrial-style windows bring natural light to the back of the building, and exposed concrete runs throughout, providing a nod to its history.

      Seating is set under a large skylight
      “The main goal for this project was to design a ‘destination’ for coffee lovers,” said Alice D’Andrea. “A place where customers could enjoy their coffee while being educated on the process and the passion that goes behind their product.”

      Williamson Williamson places office above Pilot Coffee roasting warehouse in Toronto

      The 7000-square-foot (650-square-metre) open space has been separated into different areas. To the rear of the space the roastery is furnished with a long table made of reclaimed fir, which is used for coffee tasting and team training.

      An L-shaped counter divides the open space
      An L-shaped coffee counter, patterned with black-stained oak planks in a herringbone pattern, forms the centre of the space. A gridded glass partition that echoes the former foundry’s industrial windows rises from the middle of the counter to offer glimpses of the production area at the rear.
      “The glass partition between the counter and the production leaves the view open on the production, on the machinery and the people working behind the scenes,” the studio said.

      Black-stained wood patterns the counter
      “Customers can enjoy their beverage while watching how raw beans from around the world turn into their favourite drink; a truly unique customer experience,” the studio added.
      The black volume is broken up by glass volumes that form display cabinets for pieces on sale and nooks for seating.

      The roastery occupies the rear
      Large copper pendant lights hang overheard to complement the warm hues of the wooden ceiling beams. Other copper detailing can be found in the counter kick and shelving.
      Customers can sip their coffee on a seating alcove under a huge skylight, or on wooden benches either side of large planters and stools. Decorative elements are provided by coffee bags piled atop pallets, and pops of greenery.

      Copper details add warmth
      Pallet Coffee Roasters HQ’s entrance has white-painted walls, greenery and pendant lights from Bocci – the building’s previous owner.
      Other coffee roasteries on Dezeen include Pilot Coffee roasting warehouse in Toronto that Williamson Williamson recently extended with offices and the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Tokyo designed by Kengo Kuma.
      Photography is by Andrew Fyfe.

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