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Transatlántico exhibition "forms a bridge" between Latin American and European design
Brutalist furniture by Rick Owens, a shaggy pink sofa and ethereal lighting feature in Transatlántico, an exhibition of Latin American and European sculptural design presented by Galerie Philia in Mexico City.
Transatlántico brings together furniture and ornaments by emerging Latin American designers from Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Top: a wall hanging by Mexican studio Caralarga. Above: Pietro Franceschini presents his Waldo sofa, among other seating
Their pieces are presented alongside work by leading European designers such as Pietro Franceschini and Pierre De Valck, some of whom are showing in Mexico for the first time.
"The aim was to create an authentic, specialised event around the Latin American design scene and its very distinct identity, but also include new collections by European designers," Transatlántico co-curator Alban Roger told Dezeen.
"We wanted to establish a dialogue between the two continents, with both their own distinctive styles but also strong inter-influences."
Carob wood furniture by Cristián Mohaded features in the exhibition
In line with this theme, a shaggy pink "yeti" sofa by St Petersburg-based artist Vladimir Naumov for Missana Lab is included alongside delicate carob wood furniture by Argentinian designer Cristián Mohaded, who explores carpentry using native materials from his birth country.
An ethereal light named Ghost Pendant was crafted by Mexican designers Héctor Esrawe and Emiliano Godoy and Los-Angeles born designer Brian Thoreen, using handblown glass, silicon tubing and LED lights.
Vladimir Naumov offers a shaggy pink sofa
Other pieces include dark-coloured brutalist furniture by Paris-based American fashion designer Rick Owens that is made from a mixture of bronze and camel skin, as well as Mexico City-based Platalea Studio's playful Happiness Bench formed from three curvy slabs of pink and brown terrazzo.
"We reached out to talents we believe in and who fell within our criteria of sculptural design," explained co-curator Jorge Brown, with regard to how Galeria Philia selected the participating designers.
"Our main criteria was the originality of their design exploration but also their creative research on various materials and sculptural techniques."
Read:
Mario García Torres curates design exhibition in Mexico City house
According to Galerie Philia, sustainability was also a factor in Transátlantico's curatorial ethos.
This is reflected in pieces such as a series of delicately woven wall hangings by Mexican artisanal studio Caralarga, which are crafted using raw cotton yarn and discarded fabric waste.
Ghost Pendant is a light by Héctor Esrawe and Emiliano Godoy and Brian Thoreen
Colombian designer Alejandra Aristizábal also presents textile wall hangings that resemble jumbo rolls of sewing thread, although hers are made from fique – a natural fibre from the Andean region that has historically been used to create ropes and hammocks.
"Transatlántico is founded on the idea of forming a transatlantic bridge between the contrasting cultural and artistic worlds of Europe and Latin America, identifying how we establish a creative discourse across the social boundaries associated with the geography that divides us," said Galerie Philia co-founder Ygaël Attali.
Rick Owens presents a selection of brutalist bronze furniture
With galleries in Geneva, New York City and Singapore, Galerie Philia is an international contemporary design and art gallery that also presents group exhibitions at temporary spaces around the world.
Previous Galerie Philia exhibitions include a furniture show in Manhattan's Walker Tower and an exhibition presenting emerging Italian designers' responses to Rick Owens' work in Milan.
Happiness Bench is playful terrazzo seating by Platalea Studio
The photography is courtesy of Galerie Philia.
Transátlantico is on show at House of Kirschner's gallery space, Avenida Ejército Nacional 676, in Mexico City from 8 to 12 February 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
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Triennale di Milano reconstructs room from Ettore Sottsass's Casa Lana
This video, shared exclusively with Dezeen, shows the living area of a Milanese apartment by Memphis Group founder Ettore Sottsass being dismantled and rebuilt inside the city's Triennale di Milano museum.
The apartment, named Casa Lana, was originally designed by the Italian architect in 1965 for his close acquaintance Giovanni Lana, a lithographer and printer.
The living room of Casa Lana has been reconstructed inside the Triennale di Milano
Now, with the help of donations from the architect's widow Barbara Radice Sottsass, Casa Lana's brightly-hued living room has been reconstructed within the Triennale di Milano as part of a permanent new installation.
Italian architect Stefano Boeri, who is the museum's president, said putting the Sottsass-designed room on display to the public is like "giving the world a wonderful surprise".
At the heart of the space is a wooden enclosure with built-in shelving and sofas
"Milan is now home to an authentic time machine, created by one of the international geniuses of the twentieth century," Boeri said.
Staff from the archive and restoration team at the Triennale di Milano visited Casa Lana and carefully documented the layout of the living room before taking it apart piece by piece.
Other furniture elements such as the desk are pushed to the periphery of the room
The parts were then transported to the museum and painstakingly put back together to form a display on the first floor.
At the heart of the room is a three-sided wooden enclosure, where Lana would retreat to listen to music or conversate with guests. Inside, there's a trio of sofas – two upholstered in indigo-blue fabric and the third in a similar pink hue to the magenta carpet.
Bold magenta-pink carpet runs throughout the room
Winding around the top of the structure are a few built-in shelves where artworks and other ornaments can be displayed. There are also a couple of square openings inset with beaded wooden screens.
Beyond the enclosure, the rest of the room has been kept largely open plan as Sottsass wanted it to have a piazza-like layout that allowed inhabitants to roam and interact freely.
As a result, furniture items like storage cupboards and desks are pushed to the room's periphery.
Read:
Triennale Milano reveals Unknown Unknowns theme for 2022 exhibition
Throughout 2022, a series of Sottsass-focused exhibitions will run alongside the Casa Lana display, put together by Triennale di Milano curator Marco Sammicheli and designed by Christoph Radl, who was a frequent collaborator of the Memphis Group founder.
The current show, Struttura e Colore, uses paintings, photographs and drawings to examine Sottsass's interest in daily rituals and domestic spaces.
A marble-topped counter provides storage next to the entrance
Il Calcolo, which is set to run from May to November, will look at how the designer's work intersected with technology.
The third show, La Parola, will kick off in December 2022 and delve into the narrative and literary significance of Sottsass's designs.
The installation is on Triennale di Milano's first floor
Other major shows taking place at the museum this year include the 23rd edition of the Triennale Milano International Exhibition.
Under the theme Unknown Unknowns: An Introduction to Mysteries, it will see scientists, artists and intellectuals from across the globe collaborate to answer complex questions about human existence.
The photography is by Gianluca Di Ioia.
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Nido adds pale wood and stone furnishings to compact Moscow apartment
Russian studio Nido mixed different volumes and neutral sandy colours to add depth to this minimalist apartment in Moscow.
Located in the centre of the Russian capital where apartments are notoriously small, the 111-square-metre apartment – called RS_D – features creative solutions to maximise space.
The RS_D apartment is a single-storey home in the middle of Moscow
The studio aimed to create a multi-functional and "convenient" home that would include both private and more social open-plan areas.
"The assessment of all possible life scenarios and the creation of a convenient structure and floor plan were the primary points of the project," Nido told Dezeen.
"For us, this project is interesting due to the work with a variety of volumes, textures and materials," it said.
The kitchen, dining and living rooms have been merged together
To maximise space, the studio focused on improving the layout and creating a savvy floor plan for RS_D.
The designers moved the kitchen into the apartment's foyer so that it is easily accessed when entering the house. From this area, the space opens up into the living and dining room.
The studio also decided to place the living room on a raised platform in an effort to create multiple layers for the interior
Read:
Ruetemple creates small spartan apartment in Moscow
A master bedroom and a smaller children's bedroom are located on the other side of the apartment, offering the client some private space.
Wooden cupboards used for storage are tucked out of sight along the walls of the hallway.
"Navigation is organized in such a way as to preserve through traffic in the main part of the apartment while providing privacy and visually clear boundaries of each of the functional areas," the studio said.
A large travertine stone sink runs along one wall
Materials were chosen to "soften" the neat and compact layout. The furniture textures are smooth, soft and natural with a warm color palette – terracotta and sandy shades are designed to recall beaches and travelling.
Natural light enters through a large living room window, which provides views out onto the apartment's terrace.
Storage space and Mutina blocks decorate the minimalist apartment
A large travertine stone sink runs along one wall, while Mutina blocks designed by Spanish architect Patricia Urquiola have been used to decorate another wall.
"Neat and tight forms are softened by the choice of the materials and their diversity," said the studio. "It is minimalistic in structure and assembly but simultaneously rich in details you want to look at."
Neutral colours have been used throughout the apartment
Other apartments in Moscow include The Pomegranate Apartment by Russian practice Archetype which is covered in rich burgundy tones and an apartment by Shkaf Architects that has asymmetrical walls.
Photography is by Sergey Krasyuk.
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Worrell Yeung refreshes Broadway Loft for a growing NYC family
A Manhattan family that needed more living space has commissioned New York studio Worrell Yeung to overhaul their apartment in a historic NoMad building.
The growing family was committed to remaining in a 1,600-square-foot (149-square-metre) loft in Gilsey House that they had lived in for over a decade.
The Broadway Loft's living room has a low marble table that serves multiple functions
Worrell Yeung therefore redesigned the Broadway Loft to better suit their current lifestyle.
"The family had lived in the apartment for nearly 14 years and had been looking to purchase a new home to solve their growing need for additional space, privacy, and storage," the team explained.
An open-plan kitchen provides further flexible space
"If redesigned to create more storage, enhanced access to natural light, and an additional bathroom and bedroom, it could be their ideal home — one still filled with important memories, but also embodying their transitions and growth as a family," they added.
All of the apartment's existing walls were removed, revealing the building's steel structure, sprinkler piping, and original moldings from its construction in 1867.
Kitchen cabinetry is coloured light grey
The layout was then reconfigured to include two bedrooms, a second bathroom, and plenty of storage space. "Utility and storage was paramount to the design of each programmatic element," said the architects.
Upon entering the home, a full-height closet creates a foyer, and provides some separation between the front door and the open-concept living area.
A full-height closet acts as a room divider
Worrell Yeung envisioned the kitchen, living and dining room as a continuous space to be used flexibly by the family.
"We created an efficient layout that added an additional bedroom and bath, but also made the living space larger, more airy with more access to daylight," said studio co-founder Max Worrell.
Exposed pipework is highlighted with soft hues in some places
Along the living room's longest wall, a low piece of marble serves as a desk, seating area and fireplace surround.
"The built-in lies low on the wall, leaving ample space above for a salon display of the couple's vibrant art collection," said the team.
Read:
MKCA completes Carnegie Hill apartment with hidden doors and reconfigurable furniture
The kitchen features cabinetry finished in neutral grey tones and a breakfast bar for informal meals.
Above the new bathroom is a sleeping loft accessed by a built-in wooden staircase, making the most of the apartment's footprint. Similarly, the children's bedroom features a lofted sleeping area, which frees up the floor for other activities.
The children's lofted bed is reached via a teal staircase-cum-storage unit
Within the main bedroom at the end of the hallway, Worrell Yeung incorporated a generous walk-through closet leading to an ensuite.
Given that the family's large collection of art, objects, sculptures and memorabilia would bring plenty of colour into the rooms, Worrell Yeung opted for an otherwise more restrained palette for walls, floors and ceilings.
The redesigned apartment offers better access to natural light
"When we started talking about the material palette, the idea was always to have really beautiful materials, like the bone white floors, but also let it be very neutral," said Worrell Yeung co-founder Jejon Yeung.
"We knew the clients had a lot of art and colorful furniture, so we wanted to let the architecture exist more calmly in the background," he added.
A walk-in closet leads to an ensuite bathroom
Worrell Yeung was founded in Brooklyn in 2014 by the duo, whose other projects in New York City include a Chelsea loft and an apartment in Dumbo's Clocktower Building.
The photography is by Alan Tansey.
Project credits:
Architect​: Worrell Yeung MEP​: Engineering Solutions Expediter​: Anzalone Architecture Contractor​: Bednarz Construction
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Copenhagen Contemporary cafe features wooden chairs made by 25 designers
Danish studio Tableau and designer Ari Prasetya have filled the Connie-Connie cafe at the Copenhagen Contemporary art gallery with chairs created by 25 designers from leftover wood.
Tableau and Prasetya designed the cafe as a new addition to Copenhagen Contemporary, an international art centre in a former welding facility in the city's Refshaløen area.
Above: various wooden seating designs decorate the cafe. Top: the designs were made by 25 different designers. Photo is by Marco van Ritj
As the cafe is located within the gallery, Tableau, which created the overall spatial design for the 150-metre-square space, wanted to explore how furniture can also be art.
"We really wanted to showcase how furniture can become functional pieces of art and also how a spatial design can be dictated by a material and a direction involving multiple designers, artists and architects," Tableau creative director Julius Værnes Iversen told Dezeen.
Ari Prasetya designed the cafe's bar
The studio worked with Australian designer Prasetya, who was in charge of the design and manufacturing of the bar as well as a number of other furniture pieces in the space.
They collaborated with 24 other creatives to create seating for the cafe. All the seats were made from leftover wood from Danish flooring brand Dinesen.
Designers, architects and artists made the chairs from leftover wood
"We chose to work with Dinesen offcuts," Iversen explained. "I have always been fascinated by the company and especially the quality of their material."
"The offcuts are leftover material from their plank production, so we also made use of a material which has little usage normally," he added.
The 150-square-metre cafe is in an art centre
Tableau aims to works with a large number of artists, designers and architects on its projects, as the studio believes that diversity in design and art produces the most interesting result.
For Connie-Connie, the only parameters the studio gave the designers was the size of each seat and the requirement that it should be comfortable.
Participants were given the freedom to design what they wanted
"We curated the participants being very aware of which type of designer, artist or architect we wanted to take part," Iversen said.
"So the finished result showcases quite well how we curate in Tableau in general. We like a large variety of directions."
Read:
Bauhaus-informed chair and hemp vases feature in Ukurant Perspectives exhibition
Prasetya, who created three of the chairs, said working with just leftover wood didn't pose any difficulty.
"For me, it’s more dependent on the material choice, where you have many different ways to work with specific species of wood," he told Dezeen.
"Obviously strength and construction is very important, so being aware of which part of the tree, grain direction all have to be considered."
Prasetya's red chair Stine's Desire (right in picture) towers over the others
Prasetya's three chairs for the space include the asymmetrical Genno and the more classic Armmi as well as Stine's Desire, which he describes as a "phallic reflection and expression."
"A play on size, scale, that demonstrates societies constant idea of 'the bigger the better', Stines chair was created through humorous banter about desire and a mention of the false perception of always wanting more," Prasetya said.
The cafe takes its colours from the packaging protecting the wood
The interior of the Connie-Connie cafe was painted in a green colour that contrasts against the clean natural wood colour on most of the seating and also nods to the furniture's origins.
"To make a cohesive spatial design with an eclectic collection of furniture, we chose to colour all floors and walls in a monotone green color," Iversen said.
"A color we found from the packaging of the Dinesen wood planks when visiting the production in the south of Denmark together with the artists," he added.
"Normally their planks are delivered with this significant colored cover to protect it from rain and moist."
The material was leftover from Dinesen's wooden flooring
All of the pieces at Connie-Connie will be sold either as singular originals or reproductions.
The creatives taking part in the project were alongside Tableau were Among Other Things, Anna Clarisse Holck Wæhrens, Anne Brandhøj, Arnaud Eubelen, Ari Prasetya, Bram Vanderbeke, Carsten In Der Elst, Davide Ronco, Frederik Gustav, Jacob Egeberg, Janis Karasevskis, Kevin Josias, Kim Lenschow, Kristine Mandsberg, Laurids Gallée, Mads Hilbert, Pablo Dorigo Sempere, Paul Cournet, Pettersen & Hein, Pil Whitta, Natalie P Koerner and Thomas Gayet.
Some chairs were painted while other designers left the wood natural
Tableau has previously showcased Cornucopia, a collection of vases that the studio designed together with Röd Studio from steel and wool.
Other Danish design showcases include Ukurant, an exhibition of emerging Danish artists that took place during design festival 3 Days of Design.
The photography is by Michael Rygaard unless otherwise stated.
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Contrasting elements fill Imperfecto restaurant in Washington DC by OOAK
Marble, wood and brass are among the eclectic materials found in an upscale eatery in Washington DC that was designed by Greek-Swedish studio OOAK Architects.
Located in the US capital's West End neighbourhood, Imperfecto serves up a fusion of Mediterranean and Latin American cuisine.
Imperfecto is a Mediterranean and Latin American restaurant
The restaurant was designed by OOAK Architects, an Athens- and Stockholm-based studio, with input from the photographer and art director Yiorgos Kordakis. OOAK won the commission through an invited competition.
While designing the space, the team took inspiration from Mediterranean motifs, such as a blue-and-white colour scheme, along with the restaurant's overall essence.
Upon entering, one finds a maître-d stand made of burl wood
Imperfecto is described as a "culinary experience whose imperfection derives from the divine synthesis of seemingly incompatible elements, worlds and aesthetic identities".
Rectangular in plan, the restaurant seats 98 guests. The front of the house is divided into three zones: a bar, a main dining room and a chef's table.
OOAK paired neutral tones with splashes of blue
A private dining room and outdoor seating were recently added.
Throughout the eatery, the team paired neutral tones with large splashes of blue and white. In each space, white walls and partitions have varying textures and reflect light in different ways.
Drop-shaped glass fixtures hang overhead
The restaurant has a mixed material palette that includes wood, terracotta and marble. Rooms are fitted with custom furniture by OOAK and pieces from leading brands and artists, such as Verpan and Marset.
"OOAK Architects has used varied, high-quality finishes and authentic materials including Greek and Italian marbles, as well as brass and wood from different parts of the world, creating contrasting textures across the space," the team said.
Read:
Thompson Washington DC hotel subtly draws on city's nautical past
Upon entering, one finds a maître-d stand made of burl wood, along with handmade ceramic pieces by Athens- and London-based artist Melina Xenaki.
To one side of the lobby is the bar, which features large arches and bespoke lighting fixtures by Orbium, along with an abstract mural-photograph of a Greek quarry by Kordakis. The room's snowy white, marble bar is lined with crimson red stools.
A white marble bar is lined with crimson red stools
To the other side of the lobby is the main dining room, which is adorned with wooden tables and chairs covered in Kvadrat fabric.
Overhead are drop-shaped, glass fixtures by Swedish artist Simon Klenell. The lighting fixtures emit a warm glow that is meant to simulate the "comfort of the sun over the Aegean".
Curved leather banquettes line the back wall
Along a back wall in the main room, the team placed a row of "silos" with leather banquettes and round tables. Overhead are curved enclosures that help create a pod-like feeling.
Adjoining the main room is the chef's table area, which is fitted with a communal table made of elm, leather-backed chairs and a cylindrical, brass lighting fixture from Orbium. The back wall is covered with a zigzag-patterned screen made of terracotta tile from Mutina.
OOAK, which stands for One of a Kind, is led by Maria Papafigou and Johan Annerhed. Other projects by the studio include a concrete house that cantilevers over a rocky cliff on the Greek island of Karpathos.
The photography is by Jennifer Chase and Yiorgos Kordakis.
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Intg designs Korean bank lounge with "floating meeting room"
Local design studio Intg has created minimalist interiors informed by traditional Korean architecture for a Seoul bank lounge.
The private lounge was completed for Hana Bank, which is based in Yeouido, the main finance and investment banking district in Seoul, South Korea.
Hana Bank's lounge features a "floating meeting room"
Seoul studio Intg created a two-storey, 1,104 square-metre lounge with VIP zones as well as areas for regular customers, including various meeting spaces.
The studio aimed to design a space that would encourage clients to visit the branch in person in an age when banking is increasingly digital.
The lounge includes various spaces for clients
When visitors enter the lounge, they are met by a statement glass box in the centre of the space that is filled with seating and side tables, which Intg described as a "floating meeting room".
According to the design studio, the room – which is bordered by a moat of bright blue sand arranged in a swirly formation – takes cues from traditional Asian architecture.
Intg built a moat of bright blue sand around the meeting room
"It is designed to subtly reflect the way people enter living spaces after stepping over a stone in traditional Korean houses," Intg co-founder Daniel Song told Dezeen.
"Separate meeting rooms are placed like islands similar to the Hanok structure," he continued, citing the Korean term for such houses.
Read:
Ministry of Design creates lush "banking conservatory" for Citibank Singapore
Among the minimalist furniture in the meeting room are chubby midnight-blue Kerman sofas by German brand E15, as well as Italian furniture company Cassina's Le Corbusier-style Capitol Complex armchairs.
"While traditionally, bank branches hide meetings room into corners, we placed ours in the middle to make customers feel valued," explained Song.
Minimalist furniture features in the project
The studio used stone floors for the room and metal to construct the meeting room in reference to the strength and security of bank safes.
A large, mossy mound of rocks and plants rises up from the ground and adds a touch of nature to the otherwise dark and angular lounge.
The lounge "is designed to melt digital into analogue with an emphasis on tangible experience," Song explained.
A mossy rock formation rises up from the stone floor
Intg (pronounced "in-teg") was co-founded by Daniel Song and Kate Cho and has a portfolio spanning hotels and houses to work and retail spaces.
Other recent projects in banks and financial institutions include Ministry of Design's "banking conservatory" in Singapore and a metal-clad cash-processing centre in Paris by Jean-Paul Viguier.
The photography is courtesy of Intg.
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Architecture for London uses natural materials to renovate studio founder's home
Wood, stone and lime plaster pervade the minimal interior of this energy-saving home in Muswell Hill that Architecture for London has created for its founder, Ben Ridley.
Architecture for London renovated and extended the three-floor Edwardian home that had gone untouched for close to 40 years and was in a less than favourable condition when purchased by Ridley.
The interiors of the home are finished with natural materials
"It was very tired, with bright floral carpets and textured wallpaper," he told Dezeen.
"There were some severe issues with damp where non breathable renders and plasters had been used in the past," he continued. "It was also quite dark as the orientation of the property isn't ideal – the rear reception room in particular had very little natural light."
Oak cabinetry and grey limestone fixtures feature in the kitchen
Although Ridley and his team at Architecture for London carried out extensive renovation work they aimed to using natural materials and only make sustainably minded interventions.
For example, in the ground floor kitchen, the studio preserved a couple of structural masonry walls to evade having to replace them with supportive frames made from energy-intensive resources such as steel.
The house's original timber roof has been preserved
Walls here, and throughout the rest of the home, have been coated with lime plaster to form an airtight layer, mitigating any heat loss.
The cabinetry is lined with oak wood, while the floor, worktops, prep counter and chunky window seat are crafted from pale grey limestone, which the studio preferred to use instead of cement-based products.
In celebration of the house's "modest beauty", the studio has also left the original timber roof exposed.
A rear extension offers views of the garden
A short flight of stairs leads up to the living room, where wood fibre insulation has been added behind the walls; fitting the insulation internally meant the studio was able to leave the house's Edwardian facade completely undisturbed.
The space otherwise features a couple of muted-pastel chairs, oak storage cupboards and a handful of potted plants.
Read:
Architecture for London builds one house extension in slate and another in brick
At the back of the house, the studio has constructed an extension from structural insulated panels (SIPS).
The rectilinear volume accommodates a dining area and is fronted by a full height, triple-glazed window, to give views through to the lush foliage of the garden.
More wood fibre insulation has been incorporated here, and in the house's peripheral walls.
A Douglas fir bed frame has been included in the master bedroom
Natural materials go on to appear upstairs in the master bedroom, where the flooring and furnishings – including the bed frame – are made from Douglas fir wood.
Oak has then been used to fashion the bathroom's vanity unit, which backs onto a fluted limestone wall.
Fluted walls add textural interest in the bathroom
Ben Ridley set up Architecture for London in 2009.
The studio has since gone on to complete a number of projects around the British capital – this includes Tower Hamlets Tandem, a pair of extensions made for adjoining residences, and House for a Stationer, which is designed to reflect the occupation of its owner.
Photography is by Lorenzo Zandri and Christian Brailey.
Project credits:
Architects: Architecture for London Structural engineer: Architecture for London Services engineer: Green Building Store Main contractor: Construction Hub
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Ten residential interiors with cosy conversation pits
Our latest lookbook features ten home interiors with snug sunken lounges and conversation pits, proving that the retro architectural feature is making its comeback.
Peaking in popularity in the mid-twentieth century, conversation pits are lounge areas embedded within the floor of a larger room to create intimate spaces for people to gather.
Accessed by a small set of steps, they are traditionally lined with custom built-in sofas. However, many architects enjoying their revival are opting to fill them with free-standing furniture and statement fireplaces instead.
While creating more intimate spaces for their occupants, sunken lounges are useful tools for creating broken-plan interiors and the illusion of taller ceilings. They can also prevent furniture from obstructing outward views, forging stronger connections between homes and their surroundings.
This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen's image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing glass-block walls, modernist open-plan living rooms and homes with interior courtyards.
Photo is by Darren Bradley
Pam and Paul's House, USA, by Craig Steely Architecture
Plump purple cushions fill this 13-square-metre sunken pit, which is the focal point of the living room in Pam and Paul's House in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains in California.
Craig Steely Architecture surrounded the seating with floor-to-ceiling glass doors, providing occupants with a cosy space from which to enjoy uninterrupted views of the steep wooded site.
Find out more about Pam and Paul's House ›
Photo is by Marino Thorlacius
Holiday Home by Thingvallavat, Iceland, by KRADS
This wood-lined conversation pit at Holiday Home by Thingvallavat was designed by KRADS to separate the lounge space from the adjacent dining area.
Fitted out with pared-back leather furniture and a minimalist coffee table, it helps to retain focus on the views out across Iceland's Lake Thingvallavatn, which is framed through large panels of glazing.
Find out more about Holiday Home by Thingvallavat ›
Photo is by Peter Bennetts
Towers Road House, Australia, by Wood Marsh
A curved concrete plinth wraps around this circular sunken lounge, which Wood Marsh created at Towers Road House in Melbourne's Toorak suburb.
Accessed by two small steps, the pit is fitted with a polychromatic carpet and red sofas that are orientated towards a large suspended fireplace on one side.
Find out more about Towers Road House ›
Photo is by Taran Wilkhu
Knightsbridge Mews, UK, by Echlin
A grey L-shaped sofa and wooden cabinetry fold around the edge of this seating area, which architecture studio Echlin has sunk into the basement of a London mews house.
The space was introduced as part of a broken-plan layout, which loosely demarcates the lounge area from the kitchen behind it without creating individual rooms.
Find out more about Knightsbridge Mews ›
Photo is by Scott Frances
Shore House, USA, by Leroy Street Studio
This sunken lounge sits on a semi-open deck that is enclosed by the open-plan lounge, kitchen and dining room at the Shore House in New York's Suffolk County.
It was designed by Leroy Street Studio as a space for the homeowners to host large parties and events and is complete with a large masonry hearth and fireplace surrounded by black ceramic tiles.
Find out more about Shore House ›
Photo is by José Hevia
House on the Street, Spain, by Arquitectura-G
The lowered sofas in this conversation pit are covered in cushions that match the colour of the carpet at the House on the Street, a minimalist apartment in Barcelona by Arquitectura-G.
Sinking the lounge area helped to break up the apartment's open-plan interior and adds interest to the monochrome room.
Find out more about House on the Street ›
Photo is by Nick Guttridge
House in Coombe Park, UK, by Eldridge London
This curved sunken lounge is situated in one wing of the House in Coombe Park, which studio Eldridge London created for a family on a verdant spot in Kingston-upon-Thames.
Distinguished by a transition from oak flooring to soft grey carpet, it is framed by a large bespoke sofa that follows its curves and is complete with a grey Bertoia Bird Chair by Knoll and a pair of Flower Tables by Swedese.
Find out more about House in Coombe Park ›
Photo is by Andrew Ogilvy
Ritson Road, UK, by Gresford Architects
Gresford Architects planned this Victorian house extension in London around a sunken seating area that is lined with plush pink-velvet cushions.
Positioned alongside a winter garden and external terrace, it is designed for a cosy mid-century aesthetic. The velvet cushions match the coloured concrete that was used to construct the extension, which is exposed internally.
Find out more about Ritson Road ›
Photo is by John Gollings
True North House, Australia, by Tandem
A conversation pit helps to break up the open-plan ground floor of the Truth North House, where there is also a kitchen, dining area and double-height atrium.
However, to create a sense of continuity between the spaces, they are all finished with the same grey terrazzo flooring and wooden wall panelling. The pit is completed with a curved grey sofa and a plywood cabinet.
Find out more about True North House ›
Photo is by Damien Kook
River House, Australia, by Simon Pole and Annabel Dundas
Architect Simon Pole and graphic designer Annabel Dundas designed this small conversation pit for the guesthouse at their home on the bank of the Yarra River in Melbourne.
Accessed by four white steps, it is lined with wood and fitted out with grey cushions that set it apart from the dark grey floor tiles of the kitchenette beside it.
Find out more about River House ›
This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen's image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing glass-block walls, modernist open-plan living rooms and homes with interior courtyards.
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Chengdu's % Arabica cafe is designed to feel like "a small neighbourhood"
The buzzing ambience of Chengdu's Kuanzhai Alley has set the tone for this cafe by BLUE Architecture Studio, which is centred on a water-filled courtyard for people-watching.
Kuanzhai Alley is the collective name for three parallel roads running through downtown Chengdu, encompassing Kuan Alley, Zhai Alley and Jing Alley.
The % Arabica cafe is set in Chengdu's Kuanzhai Alley district
The trio of streets dates back to the Qing dynasty. But since the early 2000s, it has become populated with a number of trendy shops, bars, restaurants and cafes including % Arabica, which now occupies a former home.
Informed by these bustling streets, BLUE Architecture Studio designed the coffee brand's latest outpost to be "like a small neighbourhood where people can stroll and stay for a while".
The cafe's interior is designed to resemble a street
"We believe that a cafe provides more than just a drink," explained the studio. "More significantly, coffee provides opportunities for people to gather, communicate and fully experience the local urban culture."
"By extending the vibrant living and cultural atmosphere of the alley into the cafe, we renovated the site to make it a dynamic public space that provides a rich and solid experience," the studio added.
Grey bricks line the floor as well as forming benches and planters
A pavement-style pathway runs through % Arabica's meandering interior, formed from the same grey bricks that are ubiquitous to the Kuanzhai Alley area.
More of the bricks have been used to make the cafe's planters, as well as a few blocky benches that invite people to perch and chat.
Drinks are ordered and prepared at a counter towards the back of the cafe
Alternatively, customers can occupy slightly more private seating booths in one corner of the cafe, which are lined with handmade white bricks.
Orders can be placed at a huge white counter at the rear of the plan, conceived as a kind of "roadside shop" that customers stumble upon while strolling down the cafe's winding path.
Read:
BLUE Architecture Studio erects rocky columns inside Zolaism cafe in Aranya
At the centre of the building, BLUE Architecture Studio reinstated an open-air courtyard that the previous occupants had covered with a pitched roof.
Surrounded by glass panels, the new courtyard is filled with a bed of white pebbles and a shallow pool of water.
At the heart of the plan is a water-filled courtyard
Running around the perimeter of the space is a sequence of all-white counters and stools, allowing customers to people-watch while enjoying their coffee.
"The specific experience of seeing and being seen helps to enhance the interest of the space," said BLUE Architecture Studio.
"People can walk, rest and enjoy time freely in the cafe," the studio continued. "The vibrant scene stands for a reappearance of life from old Chengdu."
Seating around the courtyard lets customers people-watch
This isn't the first time that Beijing-based BLUE Architecture Studio has worked with % Arabica.
Back in 2020, the studio designed the coffee brand's Shanghai outpost as a U-shaped glass box so that visitors can observe the streets beyond.
The photography is by Zhi Xia.
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Ten self-designed homes by architects and designers
For our latest lookbook, we've collected ten homes from the Dezeen archive that were self-designed by architects and designers including John Pawson, Sarah Wigglesworth and Alan Maskin.
From a two-storey apartment in New York City to a second home on the grounds of a former 17th-century farming complex, these homes offer interior inspiration and insights into how architects and designers take advantage of their knowledge when designing spaces for themselves.
This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous lookbooks feature interior home courtyards, modernist living rooms and spacious kitchen extensions.
Photography is by Kalle Sanner
Villa Timmerman, Sweden, by Andreas Lyckefors and Josefine Wikholm
Designed by Swedish architect couple Andreas Lyckefors and Josefine Wikholm, Villa Timmerman is a home in the south of Gothenburg, Sweden.
The couple developed the site into two separate properties, one of which would be sold to fund the build. Lyckefors and Wikholm created identical floorplans and lined the exterior of each home with a decorative timber lattice.
Inside, the architect-couple added ash panels across the walls of the ground floor to create a streamlined and peaceful wooden interior.
Find out more about Villa Timmerman ›
Photography is by Lara Swimmer
Little House/Big Shed, US, by David Van Galen
As per its name, Little House/Big Shed is comprised of a main cabin that houses the living areas, and a smaller volume which is used by US architect David Van Galen as a studio and guest quarters.
Van Galen wrapped the exterior of the structures in Corten steel panels, while windows and architectural features were trimmed in cedar framing the alder and Douglas fir trees outside.
Inside the home, an open-plan interior features plenty of wood-detailing and neutral hues have been combined with colourful details, like the warm red sofa at the centre of the room.
Find out more about Little House/Big Shed ›
Photography is by Kevin Scott
Logan Pavilion, US, by Eric Logan
This self-designed home by Eric Logan of CLB Architects was originally built for his family in 1997. Logan renovated Logan Pavilion in Wyoming in 2021, adding a steel gabled roof and a new open-plan kitchen.
The low-lying structure boasts an open-plan living arrangement under the newly added corrugated cold-rolled sheet steel roof that was left exposed throughout the living areas.
The house's slight industrial feel is underlined by its oiled concrete floors and engineered-wood wall panelling.
Find out more about Logan Pavilion ›
Photography is by Gilbert McCarragher
Home Farm, UK, by John Pawson
Built within a 17th-century farming complex in the Cotswolds, British designer John Pawson converted the former farming building into a family home for himself.
Pawson fitted out the home with minimalist furniture and employed a simple material palette of elm, lime plaster, and concrete. His own taste influences all his projects, he told Dezeen.
"I think of myself when I'm designing houses for other people," he said. "I guess people come to me because maybe they like what I do."
Find out more about Home Farm ›
Photography is by Ivan Jones
Stock Orchard Street, UK, by Sarah Wigglesworth
Architect Sarah Wigglesworth completed an overhaul of her RIBA Sustainability Award-winning Stock Orchard Street home in London to renew its energy efficiency and age-proof its interiors.
The house was designed to try out green technologies and unusual building materials and has insulation made from straw bales and walls made from materials including sandbags, recycled concrete and railway sleepers.
Its warm, light interior shows how beautiful sustainable architecture can be.
Find out more about Stock Orchard Street ›
Photography is by Amit Geron
Suspended Patio House, Tel Aviv, by  3322 Studio
Designed by the founder of 3322 Studio for himself and his family, this concrete home in Tel Aviv accommodates the changing needs of the founders' young sons.
It is arranged around the voids in its boxy concrete frame and boasts a large open plan design across its three storeys. The voids in the frame allow light and air to filter and circulate through the multiple levels.
In the open-plan living space, full-height glazing connects the interior with the outdoors.
Find out more about Suspended Patio House ›
Photography is by Trevor Mein and Sharyn Cairns
Kew Residence, Australia, by John Wardle Architects
Clad in Victorian ash across the floors and ceilings, architect John Wardle of John Wardle Architects designed this Australian home for him and his wife with the aim of creating a "cocoon."
In the cosy living room, Wardle added spaces that could be used to better display his art collection, including wooden shelves and wood plinths.
Find out more about Suspended Patio House ›
Photography is by Aaron Lietz
Agate Pass Cabin, US, by Alan Maskin
Olson Kundig Architects principal Alan Maskin renovated and extended a 1938 beach cabin in Washington State to function as a personal retreat.
Maskin added a first-floor extension to the cabin, which was fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows at the gable end providing views out to the nearby water. The interior retained its original Douglas fir panelling, while Glulam plywood lines the walls across the new extension.
Find out more about Agate Pass Cabin ›
Photography is by Dylan Chandler courtesy of Crosby Studios
New York apartment, US, by Harry Nuriev
Grey tiles and purple carpeting cover the walls and floors of this New York City apartment renovation by Crosby Studios founder Harry Nuriev and partner Tyler Billinger.
Nuriev and Billinger used bright purple and muted grey colours, geometric shapes and textural materials to add their own personal style to the two-storey NoLita apartment.
Find out more about the New York apartment ›
Photography is by Cristóbal Palma
Casa SS, Chile, by Pablo Saric and Cristian Winckler

Casa SS is a single-storey home located 85 metres away from the coastline of Canela in Chile. Designed by architects Pablo Saric and Cristian Winckler
 for Saric and his young family, the home adopts a minimalist style.
Vertical slats of blackened pine clads the exterior while the interior is blanketed in white with minimalist, clean finishings. Large glass sliding doors flank the length of the kitchen and dining area and open up to connect with the dramatic coast.
Find out more about Casa SS ›
This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen's image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing modernist living rooms, original hotel bathrooms and spacious kitchen extensions.
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Reveria Studio revamps villa overlooking Lake Como
Milan-based Reveria Studio has renovated the interiors of an elegant villa at a Lake Como hotel to echo the cinematic but welcoming nature of traditional Italian houses.
The studio updated the interiors of Villa della Quercia, which is a standalone villa within the Mandarin Oriental Lake Como resort hotel in Italy.
Villa della Quercia overlooks Lake Como
Reveria Studio completely revamped Villa della Quercia, which contains a living area, kitchen and dining space, one bedroom and a bathroom.
Each room was renovated to reflect the colours and atmosphere of Lake Como as well as the traditional principles of Italian design.
A terrace is attached to the renovated villa
"The project is led by elegance, clean shapes, material consistency and handcrafted design objects," explained Reveria Studio.
"Italian design is, above all, the foresight to make rooms welcoming and comfortable – making you feel like the protagonist of a scene from a [Federico] Fellini film, and at the same time, a guest in a friend's house."
Two types of local marble were used in the design
A palette of both deep greens and warmer, more neutral tones defines the villa, while local Cipollino and Emperador Light marble, dark wood and burnished brass feature in the design.
Reveria Studio replaced the living room's existing gold floor with Italian herringbone parquet flooring, which the firm described as typical of classic Italian villas.
A geometric structure displays handpicked artwork
Light-coloured walls have been adorned with a geometric metal structure from which various artwork, mirrors and other decorative elements can be flexibly hung, while wallpaper created with traditional Como silk also features in the interior spaces.
Every work of art that features in Villa della Quercia is the result of a collaboration with Milan contemporary art gallery The Pool NYC. Artists whose pieces are included at the hotel were also invited to experience the resort before creating their work.
"Each area of the villa has its own identity, feeling and texture," continued Reveria Studio.
Read:
Bolza family turns 1,000-year-old Italian castle into Hotel Castello di Reschio
Other renovations in the living area include elegant sconce lights and rustic-looking green chaise longues, as well as a retro alcove featuring a petite but decadent drinks cabinet.
The headboard of the villa's only bed was also upholstered with decorative fabric that contributes to the eclectic atmosphere of the rooms.
Dark green accents feature in the living space
Reveria Studio also renovated the outdoor terrace of hotel's Italian-Japanese L˜ARIA restaurant as part of the project, which involved changes such as dining tables clad in the same local marbles that were used in the villa, and large sun umbrellas that shade guests from the harsh sun.
"The redesign is a balance between intimacy and sociability, Italian and oriental culture, tradition and marine style," said the studio.
Reveria Studio also renovated the outdoor terrace of the hotel's restaurant
Led by Laura Delfina Sari and Diego Paccagnella, Reveria Studio is an architecture, interior design and styling studio based in Milan.
Other projects at Lake Como include Villa Molli by architect Lorenzo Guzzini – a moraine stone house with an infinity pool that overlooks the water.
The photography is courtesy of Reveria Studio.
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i29 enlivens 17th-century canal house in Amsterdam with pops of colour
Bursts of blue and green appear inside this centuries-old canal house in Amsterdam that has been renovated by local architecture studio i29.
i29 worked alongside a team of specialists for more than two years to revive the three-floor home, which had been severely neglected since its construction in 1675.
It now features a sequence of bright, white-painted living spaces with colourful interventions that the studio hopes will bring an "unexpected" quality to the interior.
The house dates back to 1675
The ground floor of the house accommodates the kitchen, which has a long oak wood counter running down its centre.
One half of the counter serves as a dining table, while the other half has a stove, sink, and counter space where meals can be prepared.
A green volume containing a guest room has been introduced in the kitchen
Just beyond the counter is a glossy, forest-green volume that conceals a guest bedroom, complete with its own en-suite bathroom and access door to the garden.
Towards the other end of the kitchen is an oak-lined stairwell stained dark grey. After the first few steps is a small landing that has been turned into a cosy seating nook.
Just a few furnishings are in the home's living room
The steps eventually leads up to the first-floor living area, which has been minimally finished with a sofa, armchair and an amorphous white pendant lamp.
A wall here has also been lined with greige acoustic fabric.
A bookcase can be pushed back to reveal a secret snug
At the rear of the room is what appears to be a simple bookshelf, but it's actually a secret door.
When pushed back, it reveals a serene, deep-blue snug where inhabitants can go to read and relax during the day.
All surfaces in the snug are a calming shade of blue
A study is also included on his level of the house.
While a majority of the space is grey, a segment of the ceiling, floor and walls has been painted sage green, as has the room's desk and lamp.
Part of the study is painted sage green
The entirety of the third floor is dedicated to the sleeping quarters, which i29 has designed to "radiate comfort and luxury like a true hotel experience".
At the heart of the room is a shiny enclosure that contains the stairwell, and a shower cubicle with two-way mirror walls that allow views out to the canal that runs in front of the house.
A bedroom sits beneath the house's pitched roof
To one side of the enclosure lies the bedroom, set under the peak of the house's original pitched roof.
On the other side is the bathroom, complete with a Japanese-style wooden tub and standalone sink.
A Japanese-style tub and sink feature in the bathroom
i29 is no stranger to using bold hues; the studio recently designed a dentist in Amsterdam that features khaki-green communal areas and fresh white treatment rooms.
In 2020 the studio also revamped the Dutch capital's esteemed Felix Meritis building, finishing its interiors with blue ombre walls, cherry red furnishings and sunshine-yellow seating booths.
Photography is by Ewout Huibers.
Project credits:
Restoration: Kodde Contractor: G.K. Visbeen & Co Interior builder: Schneider Interieurbouw
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AIM Architecture takes cues from 1970s offices for Hangzhou cosmetics store
Shanghai studio AIM Architecture has transformed the second floor of a business park in Hangzhou, China, into a store that resembles a 1970s office for cosmetics brand Harmay.
The studio reimagined the space as a retro-looking office complete with desk chairs, phoney bookshelves for makeup items and boardroom tables for other cosmetic products.
AIM Architecture wanted the Hangzhou cosmetics store to look like an office
AIM Architecture (AIM) chose a colour palette of muted yellows, oranges and browns that were popular during the 1970s for the 1,382 square-metre space.
This retro colour scheme is paired with a woollen carpet by German brand Findeisen, frosted-glass sliding "meeting room" doors and contrasting lime green shelving.
1970s browns, yellows and oranges make the store feel retro
Other office touches throughout the two-floor store include bookshelves, cushioned stools and industrial structural columns.
Rows of yellow desks similar to ones you might find in an office from the time period have been used to display the brand's cosmetics, including perfumes and make-up. Extra stock has been stored inside the desk drawers.
Porthole windows give customers a glimpse of the internal transit warehouse that is also housed in the building complex, while mirrored walls in the store's centre are designed to transport customers away from reality.
Read:
AIM Architecture adds slide-like staircase to Shanghai store In the Park
The studio wanted the shop to be a tribute to working life and to help customers realise the benefit of in-store shopping experiences versus purchasing online.
"We really wanted to use this concept to celebrate daily life and see the beauty in it," AIM founder Wendy Saunders told Dezeen.
"Here in China, the reality is that people shop online for everything, anywhere, anytime," she said. "As physical shopping is just for fun, we wanted to create a colourful version of it."
Cosmetic products are displayed on pretend bookshelves
As well as paying homage to the specific decade, the studio wanted the store to echo the surrounding offices within the mixed-use business park.
The store is located in the recently opened OōEli complex, a large-scale urban development project designed by Pritzker-winning Italian architect Renzo Piano.
A mirrored walkway runs through the store's centre
"Sometimes the building dominates and inspires the site you get to work in: it sets the mood," explained Saunders. "This site was one of those."
"Creating an 'old fashioned' physical retail experience in an actual office space just seemed a fun way to translate this duality of space and time," she added.
Other recently completed stores in Shanghai include MVRDV's design for a Bulgari store which took cues from the glamour of art deco architecture, and a clothing shop called Canal St designed by Sò Studio to look like the New York subway.
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Xiamen pilates studio by Wanmu Shazi resembles a light-dappled cave
Amorphous windows illuminate the cavernous interior of this pilates gym, which designer Wanmu Shazi has created in the Chinese port city of Xiamen.
The interior of TT Pilates, which is set inside a high-rise office building, was designed to distance visitors from the hustle and bustle of their urban surroundings.
The TT Pilates studio has cave-like interiors
"Pilates is a unique exercise that enables people to focus on themselves," Shazi explained.
"Through physical and mental training, people are able to enter another state of consciousness completely different from daily life and recharge their batteries. Such exercise needs an immersive, introverted space."
Natural light streams in through amorphous windows
With this aim, the designer focused on using soft colours and materials to mimic textures found in nature.
A mixture of micro cement and beige paint was used to form a rough, stone-like layer over the studio's walls and ceilings.
This fake rock finish also covers most of the studio's expansive steel-framed windows, leaving only a few organically-shaped openings so that visitors can catch glimpses of the skyline beyond.
Wooden stools are meant to look like pebbles
"Standing in the tranquil space and looking down at the bustling outside world through window openings evokes a transcendental experience," said Shazi.
These openings, along with those made in the ceiling to accommodate spotlights, cast bright patches of light onto the wooden floors.
Read:
BLUE Architecture Studio erects rocky columns inside Zolaism cafe in Aranya
Rocky surfaces also appear in the bathroom with its huge trough-style sink, which rises up from the ground like a boulder.
And in the entrance area, wooden stools shaped to resemble pebbles allow visitors to sit down while changing their shoes.
A trough-style sink in the bathroom resembles a boulder
"Many people said the studio looks like a cave but actually, at the beginning of the design, no particular style or form popped into my mind," Shazi explained.
"Instead, I just hoped to create a pure space that reveals a natural, immersive and serene vibe."
Just beyond the studio is an outdoor courtyard
Just beyond the studio's two main classrooms is a drinks bar where visitors can relax on plump white beanbag chairs.
One of the room's walls is punctuated with arched windows looking through to an outdoor courtyard, which features an exotic tree surrounded by a shallow pool of water.
A thick ledge running around the perimeter of the pool allows visitors to sit and submerge their feet on warmer days.
A shallow pool surrounds a tree at the courtyard's centre
Wanmu Shazi isn't the only designer to create cave-like interiors in recent months.
BLUE Architecture Studio just completed a Chinese dessert cafe with craggy, boulder-style columns while Studio Wok designed a pizzeria in Sardinia with curved plaster walls that nod to the island's rocky coves.
Images are courtesy of 1988 Photography Studio and A Qi.
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IE University taught me how to "future-proof" interior spaces says Rasha Al-Tekreeti
Dezeen nsn: studying at the IE School of Architecture and Design encouraged interior designer Rasha Al-Tekreeti to focus on "the process leading up to impactful design".
Al-Tekreeti, who is the senior interior designer at consultancy practice SAY Studio in Dubai, received a master's in Strategic Interior Design of Spaces from the IE School of Architecture and Design at IE University.
According to Al-Tekreeti, the course taught her to focus on the thought process behind interior design and its effect as opposed to the aesthetic alone.
"My favourite part about the program is that it was not focused on design as a theme; it was more about the process leading up to impactful design," said Al-Tekreeti.
This included doing market research, looking into the sociology and psychology behind the design, and developing "future-proof" strategic solutions using innovative design techniques.
"The program has had a great impact on both my professional and personal life," said Al-Tekreeti. "It was an eye-opener that taught me a lot of different aspects from learning how to collaborate with people who were strangers, to managing teams based in different parts of the world."
Rasha Al-Tekreeti is an interior designer based in Dubai
These skills learned at IE University have proven particularly useful to SAY Studio's current work on the renovation of the Fairmont Dubai, a luxury hotel that is remaining open to guests while construction is taking place.
The first stage of the project sees the refurbishment of 275 rooms and suites, in a bid to heighten the hotel's guest experience.
Designed with "the modern business traveller in mind" the rooms have been updated to house modern features while still maintaining the quality expected of Fairmont hotels across the globe.
Al-Tekreeti says that the IE University program taught her to focus on the thought process behind interior design
Al-Tekreeti and her team aimed to create "timeless yet classic" spaces that spoke to both the history of Fairmont and the "innate ambitions of grandeur" found in Dubai.
"It is easy to view Dubai in the form which it holds today, a vibrant cosmopolitan city that pushes boundaries and sets global standards," explained Al-Tekreeti.
"But if you return to a few decades ago, things were quite different," she continued. "We felt a symbolic representation of the city's diversity and development, and inspirational ambition could be found in the dynamism of its location."
Throughout the hotel rooms a soft colour palette paired with natural materials work to emulate the surrounding Dubai landscape. Warm timbers are used to represent sand dunes and ocean blue-hued carpets and furniture used to convey the Arabian Gulf.
  In the design of the hotel Al-Tekreeti aimed to create "timeless yet classic" spaces.
According to Al-Tekreeti, she and the SAY Studio team were driven by strategic design decisions, which included a feasibility study generated by a data operation team that considered the rising needs of business travellers and an increase in tourists during the Expo 2020 Dubai, which opened in October 2021.
"The decision was taken to bring back the Fairmont Dubai as the leading Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road and with it to create a more comfortable and inviting space that elicits the feeling of a home away from home," said the designer.
"Ultimately the property is looking to attract customers, bring increased value to its guests, promote loyalty and increase turnover as part of an effort to keep up with the ever-changing tastes of discerning global travellers."
More information on IE University and the courses it offers can be found on its website.
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This article was written by Dezeen for IE University as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
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Yakusha Design creates earthy interiors for Antwerp's Faina Gallery
A colour scheme informed by soil and moss features inside this showroom in Antwerp, Belgium, which Yakusha Design has developed for its own furniture line Faina.
The retail space, named Faina Gallery, is set inside a 500-year-old building.
As a result, the studio steered away from making major structural alterations to avoid disturbing its historic framework.
The Faina showroom is set within a 500-year-old building
Instead, the Ukrainian studio devised a new colour palette, painting walls throughout the shop in earthy shades that evoke the natural world.
"I wanted to convey this feeling of grounding serenity in the interior," explained Victoria Yakusha, who founded both Yakusha Design and Faina.
"Nothing is more powerful than the energy of earth. When standing on bare earth, I am one with nature, I gain strength."
Walls in the first room are coated with green paint
Upon entering Faina Gallery, visitors walk into a room almost entirely washed with a deep, mossy green paint.
The only surfaces untouched by the colour are the grey terrazzo floors and the ceiling, which has been left in its original state.
A stainless-steel cabinet shows off Faina's ceramic ornaments
Matching green furnishings are displayed throughout the space, including Faina's angular Toptun armchairs and three of its knobbly hand-sculpted Soniah floor lamps.
There is also a beige edition of the Plyn sofa, with its gently curving cushions stacked on top of each other "like stones that have been naturally polished by wild waters".
Black paint covers the showroom's second room
A bespoke stainless steel shelving unit runs the length of one of the walls.
Designed to resemble a cabinet of curiosities, it showcases an array of Faina's ceramic ornaments alongside a number of scents for the home.
Read:
Yakusha Design applies dark tones throughout its Kyiv offices
The storage unit is interrupted by a steel-lined doorway that leads through to Faina Gallery's second room.
This space has been painted jet-black in a nod to chernozem, a highly fertile black soil that is found in abundance throughout Ukraine.
Faina furnishings displayed here include the Ztista table and Domna chair
The furniture presented here is dark, too. One corner of the room is dominated by a black version of Faina's hole-punctured Ztista table while a charcoal-grey model of the brand's bulbous Domna chair sits nearby.
There's also a wall-mounted black tapestry emblazoned with the word "earth", written in the symbol-based writing system of the ancient Cucuteni-Trypillia civilisation, which lived in Ukraine in the fifth millennium BC.
A circular black wall hanging is emblazoned with Cucuteni-Trypillian symbology
Victoria Yakusha established her eponymous studio in 2006 before launching Faina in 2014.
Her practice has previously designed a number of interiors in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, including Yakusha Design's own office and a calm, tactile fast food restaurant.
The photography is by Piet-Albert Goethals.
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