Swedish studio MatssonMarnell invited Stockholm Design Week visitors to the home of co-founder Magda Marnell, where local designers showcased beeswax candles, sculptural chairs and hairy lamps.The design duo, which works in interior design as well as creating collectible objects and furniture pieces, chose Marnell's flat as its exhibition space because they thought it represented their aesthetic well.The One Day Exhibition featured pieces by contemporary designers"We realised that this piece of art that we're standing in represents our practice pretty well and shows a part of the Stockholm design scene that we really love," co-founder Katarina Matsson told visitors at the Stockholm Design Week event.Each room in the flat featured art and design pieces by 15 designers and artists alongside botanical installations by local firm Stockholm Slow Flowers.Wooden tables by MatssonMarnell were on display in the living roomIn the living room, MatssonMarnell's own wooden tables kept rough and organic to evoke the forest were at the centre."In here, the idea was to not really know what is the home and what is the exhibition," Matsson said. "We have so many of our favourite designers represented here.""Even though it's quite a broad collection of designers and artists and brands, they all come together very naturally here," co-founder Magda Marnell added.The bedroom featured a purple lamp by Gnilmyd KcabIn the same room, the duo showcased other pieces including a spiky ashtray by Gnilmyd Kcab and Hyfer Objects' undulating armchair Eel Lounge.The designers underlined that the exhibition space wasn't an art gallery or a museum, encouraging visitors to touch and feel the objects on show.A wood-branch beeswax candle was designed by BjrnlundaarvetIn the bedroom of the apartment, recently renovated by local studio Norell/Rodhe, visitors could admire Gnilmyd Kcab's Standing Lampshade Lamp adorned with a lilac wig.It jostled for attention with Bjrnlundaarvet's sculptural beeswax candle, melted onto a tree branch to create a light installation with a pagan feel.Read: Swedish designers doing things that have "never been done before"One of the kids' rooms was decorated with wooden mobiles by designer Michelle Eismann, who also made artful mirrors that were dotted around the apartment.The idea to create a house show, which isn't very common at Stockholm Design Week, came from historical precedents, according to MatssonMarnell."We've always both had a dream of the French salon in the 1910s, like Gertrude Stein," Matsson said.In one of the kids' bedrooms, wooden mobiles hung from the ceilingOnce the concept was decided, finding the collaborators proved easy as many of their designs were already represented in the home."We looked at 'who do we have in our network?'" Marnell said. "Both of us want to have a personal connection when choosing objects, to choose objects that say something and come with a meaning.""Many of them had a lot of pieces and we could choose what we wanted to use," Matsson added.The family cat enjoyed a stroll among the floral installations in the hallwayWhile many exhibitions this Stockholm Design Week were dominated by male designers, MatssonMarnell's One Day Exhibition so-called because it was only on for one day featured a majority of works by women, though this wasn't a conscious choice by the designers."I've chosen objects and art from women for a long time," Marnell said."I think it was a subconscious choice," Matsson added.In the main bedroom, a mirror shaped like a woman decorated one wallOther pieces on show at the exhibition included glass vases and marble windowsills by local firm Public Studio, a paper holder by designer Alfred Sahln and sculptures by artist Kajsa Melchior.The photography is by Caroline Borg.Stockholm Design Week 2025 took place at various locations around the city from 3 to 9 February. SeeDezeen Events Guidefor an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.The post One Day Exhibition showcases private flat filled with unusual design pieces appeared first on Dezeen.

Yrj Kukkapuro, the Finnish furniture and product designer who dreamt up ideas "until the very end" over more than 70 years of creating, has passed away at his home in Kauniainen at the age of 91.Yrj Kukkapuro died last Saturday 8 February at his house just outside of Helsinki, according to a statement released by his studio, which is led by his daughter Isa Kukkapuro-Enbom and his granddaughter Ida Kukkapuro.Born in Vyborg in 1933, furnituremaker and interior architect Yrj Kukkapuro was a pioneer of postmodernism whose design approach was anchored in ergonomics.Yrj Kukkapuro was born in 1933. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia CommonsAlthough his chairs are included in the collections of international museums, from MoMA in New York to London's V&A, the functional but experimental furniture has served Finland's schools, airports and doctor's surgeries over many decades."Almost every Finn has sat on a chair he designed at a metro station, in a bank, at school, or in a library," said Studio Kukkapuro."Yrj focussed on public space furniture and office chairs, but their comfort made them well-suitable for homes," it added.The designer is known for his postmodern chairsAmong the designer's most famous work is his Karuselli (or 'carousel') lounge chair, designed in 1964 to echo the curves of the human body.Produced by furniture brand Artek, the chair caught the eye of designer Terence Conran in 1966 after architect Gio Ponti put it on the cover of his Domus magazine, prompting Conran to declare Karuselli "the most comfortable chair in the world"."I lie back in it with a glass of whisky and a cigar and immediately feel that life is worth living," said the late British designer.Among his most famous works is the Karuselli lounge chairYrj Kukkapuro studied at Finland's Institute of Industrial Arts (now known as Aalto University) before qualifying as an interior architect in 1958.The Finnish designer is also remembered for his iconic 1982 Experiment Chair, featuring an angled black seat but contrasting colourful and wavy armrests, which caused a stir for its unusual design.Although production ceased in the 1990s, Swedish brand Hem reproduced the chair in 2021 with minor adjustments for a contemporary audience.Yrj Kukkapuro created the YK lounge chair in 2021"We are saddened by the news of Yrj's passing, and our thoughts are with his family, said Hem founder Petrus Palmr. "He was a furniture design trailblazer, and showed us that a non-conformist approach is the only way to achieve a lasting legacy."Yrj Kukkapuro's self-designed Kauniainen home and studio was built in 1968. Characterised by a swooping concrete roof and no right angles, the house is scheduled to become a museum next year and display Yrj Kukkapuro's life's work alongside that of his wife Irmeli, the graphic artist who passed away in 2022.He designed many pieces for the home over his lifetime, including his 1980s Perhonen (or 'butterfly') multicoloured floor lamps, which although decorative, were characteristically produced for functionality.Read: Five classic chairs making a comeback at 3 Days of Design"The building was completed in 1968, and it was a rather experimental environment," reflected Yrj Kukkapuro. "I forgot to design electrical points for lighting fixtures on the ceiling. There was nothing for it but to design my own collection of lamps that stand on the floor."The designer continued to produce work well into his later years, such as his solid birch and aircraft plywood YK lounge chair produced for furniture brand Alkeis in 2021.Yrj Kukkapuro "never stopped designing and coming up with new ideas. Until the very end, he pondered a concept of his new chair, the plan of which was clear in his mind. His assistant didn't have time to make drawings of the chair," said his studio.The designer "pushed that design should be clear, functional and somewhat personal if possible," said Swedish architect and former student Eero Koivisto in a tribute to the Finnish creative. "A life well lived," he added.His 1968 home in Kauniainen is scheduled to become a museum next year"His style of design is characterised by his experimental treatment of form and his respectful approach to the inherent properties of his materials, ergonomics and ecological values," said Yrj Kukkapuro's studio in 2023.The designer was often known to ask, "does it make any sense to design a chair which is not good to sit on?", carrying that philosophy with him until his final days.The photography is courtesy of Studio Kukkapuro unless stated otherwise.The post Postmodernist Finnish designer Yrj Kukkapuro dies aged 91 appeared first on Dezeen.

Dezeen Showroom:White Tiger granite and golden-hued bronzed brass combine dramatically in the Skywalk kitchen, designed by British kitchen brand Eggersmann.Eggersmann aimed to create a "captivating symbiosis" with Skywalk, whose two complementary materials meet in a bold diagonal deliniation across the kitchen island.The Skywalk kitchen combines White Tiger granite and brushed brassThe granite element cantilevers out from the brass base, appearing to float but in fact being firmly anchored to the central structure.Eggersmann's design brings out the richness of the materials by giving them a handcrafted finish, bronzing the brass to achieve a warm, cloudy effect that sits elegantly against the intricate natural pattern of the granite.The brushed brass gives a warm, handcrafted feelAs in all of the company's creations, there is great attention to detail through precise bevels and seamless concealed joints, which adds to the monolithic and luxurious character of the kitchens."Every detail counts and has a great impact on the overall appearance of an Eggersmann: every joint, every miter, every screw," said Eggersmann owner and creative director Michael Wunram. "With this obsession for detail, we create distinctive, one-of-a-kind kitchens. That is our credo."Product details:Product: SkywalkBrand: EggersmannContact: marketing@eggersmann.comMaterials: White Tiger granite, bronzed brassColours/finishes: selected natural stones, metals and veneersDimensions: 4260 x 1277 x 1815 millimetres or 4260 x 1277 x 2970 millimetresDezeen ShowroomDezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen's huge global audience. For more details email showroom@dezeen.com.Dezeen Showroom is an example of partnership content on Dezeen. Find out more about partnership content here.The post Skywalk kitchen by Eggersmann appeared first on Dezeen.

Danish studioBIG has designed a curving folded roof informed by traditional Kosovan skirts for the Opera and Ballet Theatre of Kosovo in Pristina.Created in collaboration with local architecture studio ALB-Architect, the performance venue will be home to the Kosovo Philharmonic, Ballet and Opera and contain a 1,200-capacity concert hall, a 1,000-capacity theatre hall, 300-seat recital hall and an education and conference centre.BIG has designed an undulating roof for the Opera and Ballet Theatre of KosovoA sculptural roof informed by the shape of the Xhubleta, a traditional bell-shaped folk skirt, will top the venue and peel away from the ground to reveal glazed facades.The roof will be clad in photovoltaic tiles and a stone-paved public square will surround the building.A public square will surround the theatre"Our design for the Opera and Ballet Theatre of Kosovo is designed like an efficient factory for the fabrication of artistic performances," said BIG founder Bjarke Ingels."The rational nucleus is wrapped in a continuous canopy, creating an engaging public space open in all directions," he continued."The undulating roof creates a flowing and inviting gesture evocative of the Xhubleta, the traditional national dress of Kosovo."Read: BIG set to top Museum for Paper Art with "a single sheet of paper"Wide outdoor staircases will flank the theatre, which is located next to the Palace of Youth and Sports, Fadil Vokrri Stadium and Public Services Ministry, to give pedestrian access through the site.BIG designed the building to reflect Kosovo's cultural heritage while also being a contemporary venue that celebrates the country's performing arts.BIG drew from the shape of the Kosovan Xhubleta when designing the curving roof"The design for the Opera and Ballet Theatre of Kosovo allows for the flexibility to accommodate the precise needs of the organisations who will occupy the spaces within, while providing a modern facility that can elicit joy and delight for future generations of visitors and performers alike," said BIG London partner Andy Young."The theatre's design symbolises a new era of the arts and culture of Kosovo, with the potential to touch the heart of everyone who experiences it."Theatre halls at the Opera and Ballet Theatre of Kosovo will be lined with timber. Image by Bucharest StudioA lobby connected to the four performance halls will be illuminated by a skylight.The halls will have curved timber interiors with velvet upholstery and acoustic curtains designed to have a sculptural and inviting appearance.Other projects recently unveiled by BIG include luxury apartments for Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi and housing for the first phase of Toyota Woven City in Japan.The images are by Bloomimages unless otherwise stated.The post BIG to wrap Kosovo opera and ballet theatre in sculptural photovoltaic roof appeared first on Dezeen.

London studio Satish Jassal Architects has completed Rowan Court, a cluster of brick-clad social housing blocks in Seven Sisters that "repairs the frayed edges" of an existing 1970s estate.Commissioned by Haringey Council, the development provides 46 apartments on a left-over strip of land between an existing housing estate and a railway line in north London.Satish Jassal Architects has completed Rowan Court in north LondonIntended to diversify the available housing types at the estate with a focus on larger families, Rowan Court includes four wheelchair-accessible apartments and four multi-generational maisonettes.Satish Jassal Architects' design mirrors the zigzagging plan of the existing housing blocks and is organised around an L-shaped apartment block, flanked on either side by a series of lower terrace blocks. This creates a new courtyard and mews-style street.The development includes 46 apartment social homes"The core concept revolves around repairing the frayed edges of the urban fabric," founder Satish Jassal told Dezeen."This involves enhancing the public space and developing sustainable and inclusive housing for the community," he continued."The most significant gesture is the creation of a new public square and mews street, which transforms a neglected, unsafe area into a gentle, secure, and community-oriented space for all residents, both new and existing," he added.Read: David Chipperfield adds social housing and offices to Lyon riverside developmentThe central block of Rowan Court is six storeys in height and contains 31 apartments. Each one has access to an external terrace cut out of the brick facade that overlooks communal outdoor areas.To the east, two blocks of maisonettes and townhouses create the mews-style street, while to the west a single block of townhouses completes the partial enclosure of a small green square by the existing estate.All of the blocks have been finished in hand-laid red brick, contrasted with semi-glazed white bricks used to highlight pillars framing the windows and create narrow horizontal bands that bring scale to the facades.Its L-shaped layout frames a courtyardThese bricks cloak the concrete structure of the main block and steel framework used for the smaller buildings."The primary material, brick, was selected for its local resonance, durability, and design flexibility," explained Jassal. "Semi-glazed bricks introduce rhythm and depth, reflecting architectural facade patterns in the area while maintaining budget constraints."A mix of red and white bricks clad the buildingsIn line with the council's sustainability goals, the homes are predominantly car-free and have access to 96 cycle spaces. There are also onsite solar panels and air-source heat pumps.Jassal founded his eponymous London-based studio in 2014. Its previous projects include a skylit bungalow that was squeezed into a small site in Haringey and the addition of an oak-framed conservatory to a Victorian townhouse.The photography is by Richard Chivers.The post Satish Jassal Architects adds red-brick social housing blocks to London estate appeared first on Dezeen.

Data journalist and illustrator Mona Chalabi has worked with architecture studio Situ to examine the proposed international crime of domicide in Patterns of Life, an installation at the Smithsonian Design Triennial at New York's Cooper Hewitt museum.Presented under the triennial's theme of "Making Home", Patterns of Life explores the impacts of the systematic destruction of housing by focusing on three real-world examples, represented by three architectural models.The models recreate in dimensionally precise detail the homes of Osman and his wife in Manbij, Syria, damaged in 2016; Basim and his family in Mosul, Iraq, destroyed in 2015; and an unnamed woman and her son in Gaza, Palestine, destroyed in 2023.The Patterns of Life installation recreates homes destroyed by domicide as architectural modelsAlongside the models, Chalabi's illustrations both situate the homes within their wider cities and provide a window into the lives that were lived within.Chalabi conceived the installation in collaboration with Situ Research, a wing of Brooklyn-based practice Situ, to put a human face on the widespread destruction in overseas conflicts that the public sees in the media.She was first approached by the triennale in 2023 and initially began developing a work around US housing and inequality before pivoting once the scale of the Israeli offensive in Gaza began to dwarf her other concerns.There is still a connection to the US, however all three of the homes featured in the exhibition were destroyed by American munitions, with a direct link proved through Situ's research.The largest of the models depicts the home of Osman and his wife in Manbij, Syria"A large part of this project was to recast how a lot of these countries are represented in US media," Situ Research deputy director Gauri Bahuguna told Dezeen. "You're not really shown these private, intimate moments of domestic life.""Another part of that is just this relentless depiction of rubble," added Chalabi. "The rubble only shows the after it doesn't really show you what's been lost.""It's so hard for us [as viewers] to look at piles and piles of grey concrete broken into stones and to visually be able to construct what was there, whereas a resident of that city will look out and they will see what was there before," she continued.The homes in Patterns of Life all have different typologies. Basim's home in Iraq is the single-family house of someone relatively affluent, while the home in Gaza is a low-rise multi-family residence and Osman's in Syria is a larger apartment building.A smaller apartment building forms the home of woman X and her son in Gaza, PalestineSitu's fabrication unit constructed the models as accurately as possible based on satellite imagery gathered by Situ Research as well as the photographs and personal testimonies of the participants that Chalabi interviewed.Inside the models, the team took a more non-literal approach. On one facade, the models are cut to reveal a cross-section of the interior, recreated with an almost dreamlike quality that aims to communicate a feeling of loss.Here, Chalabi's illustrations of domestic details remembered by her interviewees such as books, toys and heirlooms are presented as digital prints on layers of translucent silk, giving both a sense of three-dimensionality and fragility.Bahuguna said that this approach arose in an effort to combine architectural models and illustration without entering "doll house territory".Read: "Data replicates the existing systems of power" says Pulitzer Prize-winner Mona Chalabi"There were conversations about, how do you get someone to feel a bit more softness or evoke some sense of domesticity without then veering into the twee?" she said."We talked about having 3D objects, but it would have felt too twee or too much like a doll's house," added Chalabi. "There needed to be some degree of abstraction.""If it was a full replica of the home, you would almost lose sight that this had been destroyed. We wanted to communicate that something has been lost here this is an attempt to recreate memories, rather than to recreate the home itself," she continued.Fragrance also helps to evoke emotion, with peppermint oil in the Syrian home honouring Osman's memories of mint tea, lavender oil in the Iraqi home nodding to Basim's garden, and orange oil in the Palestinian home evoking surrounding orchards.Basim's home in Iraq is a single-family houseChalabi and Bahuguna hope that, after walking through many other rooms exploring housing in the USA, visitors to Patterns of Life are drawn to reflect on the country's connection to these homes overseas and their destruction.Domicide is not currently a crime under international law, but it has been on the agenda since it was recommended in a 2022 report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing, Balakrishnan Rajagopal.The report considers not just the deliberate destruction of homes through military conflict but through urban development or social upheaval as kinds of domicide."It felt really important to communicate that domicide isn't about the destruction of a house, it's about the destruction of a home," said Chalabi."Under international law, a home is not protected; the only protections that exist reduce home to private property," added Bahuguna. "But there is something more than just the physical property that is being destroyed."The Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum's seventh triennial exhibition, Making Home features a wide range of works, including an installation by The Architecture of Reentry imagining the best way for individuals to reenter communities from prison and an intervention by the Black Artists + Designers Guild restocking the museum's library.The photography is by Elliot Goldstein.The Smithsonian Design Triennial is on show from November 2024 to 10 August 2025 in New York City. For more exhibitions, talks and fairs in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.Project credits:SITU Research team: Gauri Bahuguna, Martina Duque Gonzalez, Sam Rabiyah, Frederick Rapp, Bradley Samuels, Candice StrongwaterThe post Patterns of Life installation recreates homes destroyed by domicide appeared first on Dezeen.

Ecological concerns and the pressures of the modern world mean designers no longer have the luxury of seeing their work as a form of self-expression, Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa tells Dezeen in this interview."Many designers in the past believed that design was merely a medium for self-expression, but we are now in an era where it is crucial to carefully assess whether such an approach is truly appropriate," Fukasawa said."Success means creating something that brings joy to people, while failure occurs when the design contributes to harming the natural environment or disrupting the peace of people's daily lives."Fukasawa has produced furniture and product designs for companies such as Herman Miller, Alessi, B&B Italia, Emeco, Magis, Issey Miyake and Hay.Fukasawa's wall-mounted CD player for MUJI is possibly his best known design. Photo by Hidetoyo SasakiHe is perhaps best known for his wall-mounted CD player for Muji, which is now part of the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.The first major exhibition in the US celebrating the designer's career has now opened at The Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA), curated by the institute's curator and historian of decorative arts, design and craft, Colin Fanning.Titled Naoto Fukasawa: Things in Themselves, it looks back at the last 25 years of Fukasawa's work.The show is too small to exhibit more than the 1,000 designs he has created, so Fukasawa said it provided him with "a great opportunity to focus on symbolic works that aligned with the key concepts behind my designs".Naoto Fukasawa: Things in Themselves is at the Philadelphia Museum of Art until 20 April. Photo by Sarah Croop"I realised that both my ideas and the quality of my designs have remained consistent," he said. "I am simply given ideas or insights from something, and then I transform those into a tangible image."At the start of a project, Fukasawa said, he asks a client or collaborator what their best-selling product is."The question is essentially asking which product design is loved by the most people," he explained. "If the answer aligns with what I feel, I will be convinced and put in the effort to create great designs with the client."From then on, his process is meticulous."I start by sketching, turning it into a drawing, creating a hand-made, highly accurate shape model," he said."Then [I] adjust and modify the design by adding technology and regulations, refining it further through the process of trial and error, creating functional prototypes, and repeatedly checking whether it matches the original vision. Ideas and execution are inseparable."Read: Naoto Fukasawa inserts Issey Miyake store into 132-year-old Kyoto townhouseIn 2025, the first question designers must ask themselves is whether or not to create more stuff in the first place, Fukasawa believes."Good design should be something that is loved for a long time," he said. "Designers and humanity in general must avoid creating things that are deemed undesirable in the context of life itself."While he still believes that "design is essential for living well", Fukasawa argues that designers are now required to think harder about their work than in the past."It's not just about creating good designs, but about making the right ones," he said. "I believe that design should serve as a tool needed by people, not merely as a source of stimulation.""I hope designers will create with humility, crafting things that blend into the background of everyday life."Fukasawa designed the Cha teapot for AlessiDesign fairs have come under increasing scrutiny in recent years from some commentators who argue they encourage unnecessary production.But Fukasawa believes they still have value, as long as they do more than simply exhibit products."Their value lies in the ability to physically engage with products and experience, whether they improve usability and enhance daily life," he said."I think fairs should be places where the value becomes clear through experience. They shouldn't just be trade shows."Nevertheless, he expressed some reservations about brands pouring large amounts of resources into fully immersive installations at various design weeks."While it's not a bad thing to have a space where brands that offer experiential products come together, I don't think it's ideal to spend a huge amount of money on building stands that are then dismantled and discarded after a week," he said.Grande Papilio chair was designed by Naoto Fukasawa for B&B Italia. Photo courtesy of B&B ItaliaFukasawa said his principles will continue to apply as artificial intelligence becomes more commonly used in the design process."AI has already become an indispensable tool in bringing images to life," he said."While the benefits of AI are clear, recent trends showing a growing interest in folk crafts and handmade items suggest that people are increasingly drawn to things created directly by the human body, not just driven by convenience, reflecting a deeper sense of attachment and emotion."Other designers recently interviewed by Dezeen include art-design duo the Haas Brothers and Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis.The photography is courtesy of the PMA unless otherwise stated.Naoto Fukasawa: Things in Themselves is on show at the Philadelphia Museum of Art until 20 April. See Dezeen Events Guidefor more architecture and design events around the world.The post Design should "blend into the background of everyday life" says Naoto Fukasawa appeared first on Dezeen.

Dezeen Showroom: South Korean brand Vobia has released a kitchen made from stainless steel that gains character over the course of time.The Ark T5 kitchen comprises a stainless steel kitchen island and wall units that are designed around the properties of five-millimetre thick plates.The Ark T5 kitchen is made of textured stainless steelVobia focused on infusing life into the material by drawing out its lines to create a bar table on one side, and by embracing a rough surface finish that both disguises and embraces the scratches that come as a result of day-to-day use."Ark T5 is a design that gives rhythm to repetitive machine production by combining it with human handicraft," said Vobia. "Vertical machine production creates lines, and human hands create surfaces that are filled with soul."A pull-out shelf adds functionality"The weight of stainless steel expresses simplicity through its lines and depth through its surfaces," the brand continued. "This harmony between lines and surfaces acquires the permanence of time."Study of efficient circulation also informed the design of the Ark T5, which features a pull-out shelf in the centre of its wall unit that shortens the distance between it and the island when desired.Product details:Product: Ark T5Brand: VobiaContact: vobia200@naver.comMaterial: stainless steelDimensions: 2748 x 1192 x 915 millimetresDezeen ShowroomDezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen's huge global audience. For more details email showroom@dezeen.com.Dezeen Showroom is an example of partnership content on Dezeen. Find out more about partnership content here.The post Ark T5 kitchen by Vobia appeared first on Dezeen.

Montreal-based designer Ying Gao has created a pair of garments embedded with soft mirrors and eye-tracking robotic components that transform when people look at them.The collection, which features mirrors made by fusing glass and silicone, aims to challenge conventional notions of self-perception and visibility in the digital age.Ying Gao has created a pair of garments embedded with soft mirrorsEmbedded with eye-tracking technology, the garments react to the observer's gaze, triggering micro-actuators that cause the material to ripple and shift.Microcontrollers and sensors are discreetly integrated into the pieces and powered by lightweight, rechargeable lithium batteries.The collection was inspired by Italian philosopher Umberto EcoExpanding on Gao's long-standing exploration of interactive design, the collection draws on Italian philosopher Umberto Eco's idea that mirrors offer an impression of both virtuality and reality."Mirrors are not just reflective surfaces they are thresholds where reality and illusion converge," Gao told Dezeen. "Within clothing, they create a layered experience, one that does not simply reflect an image but fragments and reshapes perception."The garments ripple when people look at themThe garments aim to explore the idea of perception in an age where AI and digital culture continuously reshape how we see ourselves."Self-perception today is shaped as much by screens as by direct experience," Gao said. "These garments embody that condition, both literally and conceptually.""Like digital reflections, they do not offer a singular, stable image but a shifting, fragmented presence."The collection utilises eye-tracking technologyTo create a flexible mirror surface that can move with its wearer, Gao experimented with different combinations of glass and silicone, eventually creating a hybrid material that retains its reflective properties while allowing for movement."The soft mirror material does not simply reflect, it shifts, fragments, and distorts, making the wearer both present and displaced," Gao said.The mirror pieces were assembled using medical cotton gauze refined with 18-carat gold finishing and sewn onto the garments.Read: Rahul Mishra adorns couture pieces with skyscrapers at Paris Couture WeekWhile not intended for everyday use, the garments are not purely conceptual. Gao compares them to haute couture and says they are built to last and "designed to withstand interaction"."Like haute couture, which serves as a laboratory for experimentation, the pieces challenge materiality, movement, and perception," Gao said."Their purpose is not practicality in a conventional sense, but to shift perspectives, to propose new ways of thinking about clothing, technology, and presence."Glass and silicone were combined to create a flexible mirror surfaceThe electronic components were designed to be modular, allowing for maintenance and repair, while cleaning involves localised treatments rather than traditional washing."These pieces invite us to rethink our relationship with clothing, one that values preservation, interaction, and continuity over disposability," Gao said.The mirror pieces are assembled using medical cotton gauze with gold finishingThrough this collection, Gao wants to push the limits of what clothing can be by combining fashion and technology."My work has always questioned the limits of textiles, how they move, how they interact with the body, and how they respond to external forces," Gao said."Incorporating materials like mirrors, robotics and responsive elements allowed me to push this further, transforming clothing into something more than just fabric on skin an active participant in perception."Modular electronic components allow for maintenance and repairGao's previous works include a pair of dresses that expand and contract in response to colours and a collection with fibrous panels that become animated in the presence of strangers.The photography is by Malina Corpadean.The post Ying Gao's All Mirrors clothing responds to the observer's gaze appeared first on Dezeen.

Waxed plaster walls, rainbow onyx surfaces and an olive tree create a spa-like atmosphere inside the store that Canadian studio Ste Marie has designed for luggage brand Monos.The new Monos location is situated on Ossington Street, a few blocks away from Toronto's Little Portugal neighbourhood.An olive tree sits in front of a vertical light box at the heart of the Monos store in TorontoThe brand draws influence from the Japanese concept of "mono no aware" an appreciation of fleeting moments of beauty and Ste Marie used this to guide the interior design."The space invites guests to embark on a multi-sensory journey that connects them to moments of awe, discovery and the joy we crave with travel," said the studio, which has offices in Toronto and Vancouver.The store's minimalist design includes serene beige tones and stone display shelvesPortuguese bed and breakfasts known as "pousadas" also provided a reference for the welcoming ambiance that the team aimed to achieve."This dreamlike space on Ossington, influenced by gentle surrealism and the cultural hospitality of Portugal's pousadas, is timeless and wistful," said Ste Marie.Through the centre of the space, a water feature flows from the rainbow onyx counter and cascades into a lower basinAn olive tree stands at the heart of the store, against a light box that rises up the wall behind and traces across the ceiling.On either side, waxed plaster walls and monoliths of split-faced cottonwood limestone help to frame the central installation.The brand draws influence from the Japanese concept of "mono no aware" an appreciation of fleeting moments of beautyA larger central counter is topped with a slab of Turkish rainbow onyx, patterned with veins of blue-grey and orange.From the countertop, a raised water feature flows towards the front of the store and cascades into a lower basin, "cuing the simplicity and connection between nature and humanity" according to Ste Marie.Read: Ste Marie spotlights the art of flower arranging inside Cadine store in VancouverThe beige colour scheme extends from the ceiling to the flooring and across wall displays and lighting elementsCove lighting illuminates the large stone shelves upon which the luggage products are presented against the neutral backdrop.Cove lighting illuminates the display shelves along the walls"Softly encased wall niches, adorned with subtle Italian Onice Striato Avorio stone, showcase the brand's curated collection of luggage and accessories thoughtful products for the mindful traveler," Ste Marie said.Back-of-house areas are concealed by taupe curtains, while full-length mirrors installed in the corners allow the space to feel larger than it is.The store is located on Ossington Street, close to the city's Little Portugal neighbourhoodSte Marie is best known for its hospitality interiors across Vancouver, with recent projects including a restaurant influenced by Hong Kong's "love motels" and a bakery decorated in malty hues.The studio's previous forays into retail have included a lifestyle store that spotlights the art of flower arranging.The photography is by Doublespace.The post Ste Marie designs "dreamlike" interior for Toronto luggage store appeared first on Dezeen.

Architecture studio Urko Snchez Architects has created a series of classrooms for a school in Nairobi, Kenya, which are wrapped inwooden logs to blend into their forested surroundings.Situated in clearings within the forest, the development by Urko Snchez Architects contains a series of temporary classrooms designed as a "small village" for the existing Nairobi Waldorf School.Urko Snchez Architects has added a series of classrooms to a school in Nairobi"The main concept was to create a village for children hidden in the forest, fostering a strong connection with nature," the studio told Dezeen."The project prioritised cost-effective and reusable materials like wood, soil, and forest leaves to minimise environmental impact," it added. "Classrooms were dispersed in forest clearings to preserve native trees and avoid disruption."Reusable materials were used to construct the classroomsThe 3,1620-square-metre project comprises several classrooms topped with overhanging wooden roofs, informed by the region's vernacular architecture.Among them is an existing, lofty structure, repurposed to accommodate additional classrooms and services, supported by a framework of tall logs.The structures are topped with overhanging roofsUrko Snchez Architects designed the structures for a 10-year lifespan because of a lease on the site. This led it to use lightweight, cost-effective and reclaimed materials that could be repurposed in the future.This included the use of wooden logs of various heights, which wrap around the base of each classroom, and reclaimed roof tiles, which were repurposed and used to create paths around the site.Read: Andblack Design Studio designs undulating preschool to "foster creativity and play"Polycarbonate sheets encase some of the teaching spaces, creating transparent walls that also help draw light into their interiors.In a bid to offer both a natural aesthetic and promote biodiversity on the site, portions of the polycarbonate walls are filled with layers of reclaimed soil and forest leaves that act as "living walls".Polycarbonate panels were used for some of the walls"The design addressed the temporary 10-year lease by prioritising cost-effective and quick construction methods," the studio said."Recycled materials were creatively repurposed, emphasising sustainability and collaboration," it added. "Children, parents, and teachers participated in the soil filling process, fostering a sense of community."Sheltered corridors wind around the classrooms to provide access to the interiors, which offer children well-lit workspaces finished with earthy tones thanks to the use of natural materials.Natural materials create earthy tones within the classroomsUrko Snchez Architects works out of studios in Madrid and Nairobi. Previous projects by the studio include a concrete compound in Djibouti designed as a home for vulnerable children.Other schools recently featured on Dezeen include an elementary school in northeast Vancouver built from mass timber and a cuboidal primary school in rural Austria designed as a "village within the village".The photography is by Javier Callejas.The post Urko Sanchez Architects prioritises reusable materials for temporary school in Nairobi appeared first on Dezeen.

Data journalist and illustrator Mona Chalabi has worked with architecture studio Situ to examine the proposed international crime of domicide in Patterns of Life, an installation at the Smithsonian Design Triennial at New York's Cooper Hewitt museum.Presented under the triennial's theme of "Making Home", Patterns of Life explores the impacts of the systematic destruction of housing by focusing on three real-world examples, represented by three architectural models.The models recreate in dimensionally precise detail the homes of Osman and his wife in Manbij, Syria, damaged in 2016; Basim and his family in Mosul, Iraq, destroyed in 2015; and an unnamed woman and her son in Gaza, Palestine, destroyed in 2023.The Patterns of Life installation recreates homes destroyed by domicide as architectural modelsAlongside the models, Chalabi's illustrations both situate the homes within their wider cities and provide a window into the lives that were lived within.Chalabi conceived the installation in collaboration with Situ Research, a wing of Brooklyn-based practice Situ, to put a human face on the widespread destruction in overseas conflicts that the public sees in the media.She was first approached by the triennale in 2023 and initially began developing a work around US housing and inequality before pivoting once the scale of the Israeli offensive in Gaza began to dwarf her other concerns.There is still a connection to the US, however all three of the homes featured in the exhibition were destroyed by American munitions, with a direct link proved through Situ's research.The largest of the models depicts the home of Osman and his wife in Manbij, Syria"A large part of this project was to recast how a lot of these countries are represented in US media," Situ Research deputy director Gauri Bahuguna told Dezeen. "You're not really shown these private, intimate moments of domestic life.""Another part of that is just this relentless depiction of rubble," added Chalabi. "The rubble only shows the after it doesn't really show you what's been lost.""It's so hard for us [as viewers] to look at piles and piles of grey concrete broken into stones and to visually be able to construct what was there, whereas a resident of that city will look out and they will see what was there before," she continued.The homes in Patterns of Life all have different typologies. Basim's home in Iraq is the single-family house of someone relatively affluent, while the home in Gaza is a low-rise multi-family residence and Osman's in Syria is a larger apartment building.A smaller apartment building forms the home of woman X and her son in Gaza, PalestineSitu's fabrication unit constructed the models as accurately as possible based on satellite imagery gathered by Situ Research as well as the photographs and personal testimonies of the participants that Chalabi interviewed.Inside the models, the team took a more non-literal approach. On one facade, the models are cut to reveal a cross-section of the interior, recreated with an almost dreamlike quality that aims to communicate a feeling of loss.Here, Chalabi's illustrations of domestic details remembered by her interviewees such as books, toys and heirlooms are presented as digital prints on layers of translucent silk, giving both a sense of three-dimensionality and fragility.Bahuguna said that this approach arose in an effort to combine architectural models and illustration without entering "doll house territory".Read: "Data replicates the existing systems of power" says Pulitzer Prize-winner Mona Chalabi"There were conversations about, how do you get someone to feel a bit more softness or evoke some sense of domesticity without then veering into the twee?" she said."We talked about having 3D objects, but it would have felt too twee or too much like a doll's house," added Chalabi. "There needed to be some degree of abstraction.""If it was a full replica of the home, you would almost lose sight that this had been destroyed. We wanted to communicate that something has been lost here this is an attempt to recreate memories, rather than to recreate the home itself," she continued.Fragrance also helps to evoke emotion, with peppermint oil in the Syrian home honouring Osman's memories of mint tea, lavender oil in the Iraqi home nodding to Basim's garden, and orange oil in the Palestinian home evoking surrounding orchards.Basim's home in Iraq is a single-family houseChalabi and Bahuguna hope that, after walking through many other rooms exploring housing in the USA, visitors to Patterns of Life are drawn to reflect on the country's connection to these homes overseas and their destruction.Domicide is not currently a crime under international law, but it has been on the agenda since it was recommended in a 2022 report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing, Balakrishnan Rajagopal.The report considers not just the deliberate destruction of homes through military conflict but through urban development or social upheaval as kinds of domicide."It felt really important to communicate that domicide isn't about the destruction of a house, it's about the destruction of a home," said Chalabi."Under international law, a home is not protected; the only protections that exist reduce home to private property," added Bahuguna. "But there is something more than just the physical property that is being destroyed."The Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum's seventh triennial exhibition, Making Home features a wide range of works, including an installation by The Architecture of Reentry imagining the best way for individuals to reenter communities from prison and an intervention by the Black Artists + Designers Guild restocking the museum's library.The photography is by Elliot Goldstein.The Smithsonian Design Triennial is on show from November 2024 to 10 August 2025 in New York City. For more exhibitions, talks and fairs in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.Project credits:SITU Research team: Gauri Bahuguna, Martina Duque Gonzalez, Sam Rabiyah, Frederick Rapp, Bradley Samuels, Candice StrongwaterThe post Patterns of Life installation recreates homes destroyed by domicide appeared first on Dezeen.

For our latest lookbook, we've rounded up eight retail spaces that use metal to define their interiors, demonstrating its ability to elevate the shopping experience.From sculptural aluminium clothing racks to curved metal-clad walls, the stores featured in this lookbook embrace metals versatility.Ranging from industrial and futuristic to sculptural and refined, here are eight retail stores that showcase how metal can be both functional and expressive.This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring living rooms with the Togo sofa, dental clinics and stylish bookshelves.Photo courtesy of Crosby StudiosAvgvst, Germany, by Crosby StudiosWhile this jewellery store occupies the ground floor of a 19th-century building and retains a traditional shop front, its interior aims to break away from convention.New York-based Crosby Studios outfitted jewellery brand Avgvst's store with a faux industrial kitchen, featuring repurposed stainless steel appliances and yellow camping furniture.Find out more about Avgvst Photo by Thomas AdankNatalino, UK, by Mooradian StudioSculptural aluminium display fittings feature alongside textured walls coated in spray-on newspaper pulp in this menswear store.Working with design studio Mitre & Mondays, Mooradian Studio created custom-made clothing display structures made from aluminium strips that are bent and folded into shape.Find out more about Natalino Photo by Pankaj AnandNezo, India, by Sanjay Puri ArchitectsMumbai studio Sanjay Puri Architects paired reflective chrome furniture with cobalt blue flooring to design a futuristic interior for Nezo's showroom.The clothing racks that line the boutiques perimeter, cast and shaped to resemble molten liquid, are made from the same reflective chrome steel as the reception desk.Find out more about Nezo Photo by Salva LpezGigi Studios, Spain, by Isern SerraTo add contrast to the otherwise minimal and serene palette of this showroom and office, Spanish studio Isern Serra placed a large circular sofa framed in stainless steel in one of the reception areas.The sculptural piece serves as both a seating area and a workspace within eyewear brand Gigi Studios' head office, complemented by a circular built-in shelf crafted of the same material.Find out more about Gigi Studios Photo courtesy of DE-YANBigface, USA, by DE-YANInformed by the sci-fi film 2001: A Space Odyssey, this coffee shop created by NBA star Jimmy Butler embraces the minimal aesthetic reminiscent ofthe film's spaceship setting.Design agency DE-YAN positioned a pilled-shaped service counter at the centre of Bigface while backlit niches set within brushed stainless steel walls showcase the store's merchandise.Find out more about Bigface Photo by Erik Stackpole UndehnDepartamento, USA, by 22RELos Angeles-based studio 22RE drew on 20th-century modernists like Rudolph Schindler and Richard Neutra as well as the industrial character of this boutique's warehouse setting for its interior.Along with metal grids and custom display cases, Departmento features a pair of curved metal-clad walls that form a narrow corridor that leads from one area to another.Find out more about Departamento Photo by Katie KutuzovaEstil.io, Armenia, by Studio ShooMilan-based Studio Shoo combined sculptural elements, chrome furniture and bright accents to create a calm interior for Estil.io's homeware store, reflecting its brand identity.A large, undulating metal strip curls down like a ribbon from the ceiling to the floor, framing the reception desk as a dramatic focal point.Find out more about Estil.io Photo by Yongjoon ChoiSVRN, USA, by WGNBAiming to present fashion brand SVRN's products as artworks and ideas, South Korean studio WGNB applied a muted, monochrome selection of materials to the store.In the back room, the walls and ceilings are clad in brushed stainless steel while a curved bench mirrors the circular opening punctuating the ceiling above.Find out more about SVRN This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring living rooms with the Togo sofa, dental clinics and stylish bookshelves.The post Eight retail stores that make a statement with metal appeared first on Dezeen.

Multitude of Sins founder Smita Thomas has used brutalist forms and whimsical elements to overhaul her duplex apartment in Bengaluru.Named Pearls on Swine in reference to its location within an ordinary-looking building, the home combines Thomas' whimsical taste with her husband's desire for minimalism."Our differing perspectives opened doors to unexpected artistic expression: a dynamic space that celebrates the interplay of artistry and function, a home that's a true reflection of who we are," Thomas told Dezeen.Multitude of Sins founder has overhauled her apartmentThe apartment is split over two levels with an open-plan living, lounge and dining area occupying the majority of the lower floor. A kitchen, library and guest bedroom complete the lower floor with the main bedroom and large terrace on the floor above.All of the spaces share the same grey walls, while in the main living area, Multitude of Sins created a concrete floor with a mosaic described as "a game of tic-tac-toe that's been abandoned halfway"."The flooring itself is an example in artistry and craftsmanship, transforming what could be mere surfaces into a tactile experience," said Thomas.The apartment features whimsical elementsWithin the living area is a multi-textured couch upholstered in micro velvet, cotton and corduroy, accentuated by leather straps and stainless steel inlay designed with the aim of being formal yet laid-back."Think James Bond in a business suit and sneakers suave, but ready for a good time," said Thomas.A flower-shaped artwork hangs above the couchHanging above the couch is an unusual flower-shaped mosaic artwork made with square tiles of varying sizes, sprouting tendrils resembling Maleficent's horns.A pet-proof wall clad in fluted charcoal basalt stone topped with a stripe of Toronto marble runs along the living room and foyer.A multifunctional screen was installed in the foyerExtending out from the living room is a geometric bar unit and pub-style seating nook. Dark concrete flooring with mauve tiles and wood inlay was chosen to distinguish the nook from the rest of the house.The unit itself is shaped like an inverted trapezoid, covered in brown-grey veneer and topped with a stone counter.The bar unit draws upon brutalismThe shutters feature tall, mauve-toned metal handles a detail which is satisfyingly mirrored in the flooring inlay below.On the opposite side of the room, a L-shaped bench was added with a small counter supported on a floor-to-ceiling pole as bar-style seating.Pub-style seating was createdIn the dining space a three-metre-long table covered in concrete-finish tiles with a marble inlay border is supported by large grey-stained wooden legs that resemble concrete blocks.This space is separating from the open kitchen by a sculptural partition wall featuring a collage of materials.Read: Studio Est adds "brutalist elements" to Battersea Power Station apartmentIt is embedded with a rugged concrete slab embossed with the names of the couple's pets, connected to the other elements of the wall with construction rods."I envisioned an experimental piece that would be a showstopper, yet also withstand the reality of daily life: dogs darting around, meals being made, and messes that come with living fully," explained Thomas.The kitchen partition wall is a collage of materialsAlongside the main living area, the library-cum-TV room has a vaulted ceiling covered in weathered grey bricks.Next to it the guest bedroom has a distinctive headboard shaped like a capsule, connected to the bed with metal rods. Flower-shaped lights made in metal moulded to mimic clay flank the bed on both sides.The guest headboard resembles an abacusIn the principal bedroom a stainless steel lattice structure was created for the headboard of the bed, which was cushioned with pink fabric and silver leather.The flooring of this bedroom was embedded with a triangle-shaped marble piece near the foot of the bed, mimicking an area rug.A steel lattice supports the master bedOverall, Thomas hopes that the space successfully blends layers of meaning and materials."I'm most proud of how functional objects and materials in our home gently transform into artistic installations and experiences, blurring the lines between utility and art," Thomas told Dezeen."I aimed to create layers of meaning in every choice, ensuring that every material, every detail, and every curve speaks to who we are as a couple and individuals, without any fear of judgement."The apartment also features a library-cum-TV roomMultitude of Sins is based out of Bengaluru. The studio's project, The Circus Canteen, was the winner of the sustainable interior category at the 2022 Dezeen Awards.Elsewhere in Bengaluru, local studio A Threshold have designed a skylit home offering a "seamless transition between indoor and outdoor living" and 4-site Architects have designed a home informed by Bengaluru's green spaces.The photography is by Ishita Sitwala.The post Multitude of Sins founder revamps own apartment with "interplay of artistry and function" appeared first on Dezeen.

Mexican architecture and materials have informed the interior of this restaurant in Midtown Manhattan, designed by LA-based Jordana Maisie Design Studio.On the corner of 52nd Street and 2nd Avenue, Animo! is a 2,394-square-foot (222-square-metre) eatery that utilises material and culinary references from Mexico, especially its breakfast culture.A row of booths set within curved niches provides seating for diners at nimo!Jordana Maisie Design Studio (JMDS) envisioned the space as a respite from the commotion of the business-focused neighbourhood it serves."In Spanish, animo signifies the act of reassuring, of encouraging someone to overcome a challenge; not to give up," said founder Jordana Maisie.A dropped ceiling follows the curved line of the banquettes and tables below"This is a sentiment intended to liberate you from the day-to-day grind of a bustling city like Manhattan," she added.A facade of reeded concrete tiles, chrome sconces and white awnings over the large windows and doors invites passersby.Deep red tiles cover the front of the rounded service counterInside, a row of semi-circular booths below the windows creates a wavy line that's replicated in a dropped ceiling above."We wanted to break from the linear grid of Midtown, and introduce flow, play and texture into a space that pushes out into the city grid from the corner, inviting people in," said Maisie.Terrazzo counters top the point-of-sale volume and provide surfaces for casual diningThe undulated upper area and leather seat cushions below are coloured pistachio green, matching the Heath Ceramics tiles laid along the rounded banquette backs and bases.Between each alcove is a curved terrazzo counter, reflected in the mirrored panels that wrap the columns between each window.Read: Jordana Maisie designs "deco meets industrial" interior for Una Pizza Napoletana in New YorkContrasting the otherwise muted palette are the rich sapele wood tables and the deep red tiles laid across the front of the service counter.Arranged vertically, these handmade Fireclay Tiles surround food and beverage displays set into the curved volume.Pistachio-coloured leather tonally matches the tiled seat backs and basesMore black and white speckled terrazzo tops the point-of-sale counter and forms another high-top dining area along the front wall."Inspired by the dynamic curves and fluid lines found throughout Mexican architecture, each piece is a testament to the beauty of craftsmanship and attention to detail," said the design team.Reeded concrete tiles, chrome sconces and white awnings feature on the restaurant's exteriorBorn in Australia and now based in Los Angeles, Maisie has completed multiple projects in New York City.A store for shoe brand Feit, a pizzeria with a "deco meets industrial" aesthetic and a boutique filled with white scaffolding are among her studio's portfolio.The photography is by Seth Caplan.The post Jordana Maisie looks to Mexican craft for NYC restaurant interior appeared first on Dezeen.

Hempcrete and timber form the rough-hewn walls of this south London house extension, designed by local studio Nimtim Architects with a focus on low-carbon materials.Named Hemp House, the project updates a traditional semi-detached home in Upper Norwood, Croydon, to provide its owner room to host dinner parties and flexible space for their growing family.Nimtim Architects has extended a house in south LondonNimtim Architects added the single-storey extension to the rear of the home, introducing a new living and dining area that overlooks the patio and garden.The kitchen has been moved from the back of the house to the centre, connecting to the living and dining room and creating a more sociable space and flow. This has also provided views of the back garden from the front door.It is built from hempcrete and timber"The clients wanted an open plan, flexible layout for both parents, children, grandparents and guests to enjoy," said Nimtim Architects project director Allie MacKinnon."We designed a space that was open but also created different zones and areas allowing the clients to spend time together whilst doing different things," she told Dezeen.The extension contains a dining areaIn addition to providing more space, the family also wanted the Hemp House extension to "impact the world lightly" through the use of natural materials, according to Nimtim Architects.Instead of using traditional brick for the extension's structure, the studio used a timber frame infilled with hempcrete a durable and insulating bio-material formed of hemp fibres and lime. Hemp can be grown locally in the UK and absorbs carbon during its growth.It links to a central kitchen"Both ourselves and our clients were aware of the carbon footprint of building an extension and therefore keen to consider more carbon-conscious materials," co-director Nimi Attanayake said."We proposed hempcrete as a response to this. It gives a natural, soft quality to the extension," she added.Existing openings on the rear facade lead into the extensionWorking with the material for the first time, Nimtim Architects collaborated with specialist company Hempcrete UK. It used a mix of pre-dried hemp blocks and hemp that was hand-pressed on site in layers a process that takes time to dry.In some areas, such as the wall facing the garden, the hempcrete wall construction has been left exposed.Read: Cork walls and pink window frames characterise London house extension by Nimtim Architects"This was a challenge as it meant that everything that is normally concealed such as bolts and studs needed to be considered aesthetically as well as structurally," explained Attanayake.Initially, the studio intended to expose the hemp on the extension's exterior too, in a similar way to the practice's 2019 house extension where cork cladding was used inside and out.The hempcrete is exposed internallyThe plan was to protect the hemp with a transparent rainscreen cladding but this idea was rebuffed by the local planning authority. To avoid delays, the studio and client opted instead for a natural render, accented with cornflower blue window frames.Existing openings on the rear facade have been retained as the entrance into the extension. This created a broken plan with connected spaces that are still distinct from each other.Linoleum flooring juxtaposes the rough-hewn wallsHints of blue feature throughout Hemp House's interior, chosen to work in contrast to the warm hues of the natural material palette. Marmoleum a type of linoleum flooring is used to offer a smooth counterpoint to the rough-hewn walls."In contrast to the textured envelope of the extension, other materials were chosen for their sharpness and seamlessness," added MacKinnon. "The Marmoleum flooring is flat, sharp and seamless in comparison to the textured hemp and timber grain."The client opted for a type of Marmoleum called cocoa, which contains recycled materials like wood flour and cocoa husks. This material adds visual interest, while the specks in its surface help to hide mess.Nimtim Architects described the hempcrete as a "textured envelope"Hemp House is one of many residential projects in London completed by Nimtim Architects, a studio founded in 2014 by Attanayake with Tim O'Callaghan.Other recent examples include Walled Garden, a renovation of a Victorian terrace in Camberwell, and the upgrade of a 1920s house in Peckham.The photography is by Megan Taylor.The post Nimtim Architects creates "textured envelope" for Hemp House extension appeared first on Dezeen.

Glistening interiors feature in our latest lookbook, which spotlights eight kitchens and dining rooms lined with glazed concrete floors.Aside from their seamless appearance, polished concrete floors are a durable option for cooking and eating spaces within the home, where surfaces are prone to mess and spillage.Often neutrally-toned, concrete floors also offer versatility serving as a backdrop that can complement a range of materials, hues and finishes.Highlighted among this list of projects is a home renovation finished with green-toned concrete floors in Belgium and an almost entirely concrete home with a pared-back interior in the Czech Republic.This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring living rooms that use Ligne Roset's iconic Togo sofa, dental clinics with inviting interiors and homes with stylish shelves for book lovers.Photo by Nick DeardenConcrete Plinth House, UK, by DGN StudioDGN Studio introduced a sunken concrete floor to maximise the ground-floor ceiling height of this Victorian terrace house in London.Named Concrete Plinth House, the extension sought to create a bright, open kitchen and dining space, which is complete with polished concrete floors and a neutral colour scheme.Find out more about Concrete Plinth House Photo by Alex Shoots BuildingsHouse of Seven Floors, Czech Republic, by Mal ChmelExposed surfaces feature throughout this home in the Czech Republic composed of staggered concrete floors.Completed by local studio Mal Chmel, the home's ground floor living, dining and kitchen areas share a polished concrete floor and a pared-back finish.Find out more about House of Seven Floors Photo by EvenbeeldHouse Y&A, Belgium, by Memo ArchitectuurGreen-hued polished concrete flooring unites the ground floor of this home in Moetsel, Belgium, renovated by local studio Memo Architectuur.Raw concrete and wooden furniture bring cool tones to the home's interior, which is set off by colourful accents and leafy plants.Find out more about House Y&A Photo by Ariadna PuigdomenechCampo Atelier, Spain, by Ibiza InteriorsLocal studio Ibiza Interiors renovated and converted the 200-year-old building of Campo Atelier into a vacation home in Ibiza.Renewed as part of a group of rentable guesthouses, the single-storey structure was finished with wood-panelled cupboards and a polished concrete floor that extends from an external patio to the interior spaces.Find out more about Campo Atelier Photo by James RetiefDatum House, UK, by DHausThe extension of this Victorian maisonette in London saw the expansion of its ground floor and the addition of a full-width skylight to draw light into the space.Architecture studio DHaus used polished concrete flooring throughout the interior, which is wrapped with oak panelling.Find out more about Datum House Photo by French + TyeQueen's Park House, UK, by Rise Design StudioAlso in London, local practice Rise Design Studio completed side and rear extensions to this Victorian house in Queen's Park.Illuminated by large windows, the design saw the addition of an open-plan kitchen and dining room, which sit against a backdrop of polished concrete floors and bricks.Find out more about Queen's Park House Photo by Olmo PeetersSofie, Belgium, by Madam ArchitectuurBrussel-based studio Madam Architectuur used green-pigmented concrete to create the base for a green-tiled extension to a home in Dilbeek, Belgium.In contrast to the existing white house, the polished concrete base forms both the flooring for the home's dining space and an external terrace.Find out more about Sofie Photo by Richard ChiversHoj House, UK, by Studio MerlinScandinavian design informed the design of this concrete home extension completed by architecture practice Studio Merlin.Connecting the extension to the garden, polished concrete flooring extends from an external patio into the dining space, which is illuminated by a large roof opening.Find out more about Hoj House This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring living rooms that use Ligne Roset's iconic Togo sofa, dental clinics with inviting interiors and homes with stylish shelves for book lovers.The post Eight kitchens with shiny polished concrete floors appeared first on Dezeen.

The latest newsletter in our US edition of Dezeen Agendafeatures all the news from the US, including office-to-residential plans in New York and 3D-printed houses in Texas . Subscribe today!In this US edition of our Dezeen Agenda newsletter, we reported on plans for two major projects: Foster + Partners redevelopment of Television City in Los Angeles and Gensler's conversion of Pfizer's former New York HQ into apartments.Gensler featured elsewhere in our American coverage across the last fortnight with the studio designing a pair of data centresfor Microsoft in northernVirgina, which featurea noteworthy hybrid, CLT structure.Read: Microsoft building first data centres with cross-laminated timberElsewhere in the newsletter, Cara Greenberg examined the impact of Brooklyn's first supertall skyscraper and talking of supertalls, we have put together everything you need to know about America's next tallest building, planned for Oklahoma City.In an exclusive interview, National Civic Art Society president Justin Shubow weighed in on Donald Trump's push to promote classical architecture wonder what they'd both think of 3D-printed homes, one of which has recently been completed in Texas.GRT Architects converts Harlem rectory into home for an artistThis week's newsletter also featured GRT Architects' conversion of a Harlem rectory, a serpentine installation at Santiago Calatrava's Oculus and plans for a series of luxury residences in the Utah desert.The US edition of Dezeen AgendaThe US edition of Dezeen Agenda is a curated newsletter sent every second Friday containing agenda-setting news, opinions, interviews and projects from across America. Read the latest US edition of Dezeen Agenda or subscribe here.You can also subscribe to our other newsletters; The global edition ofDezeen Agenda is sent every Thursday containing a selection of the most important news highlights from the week.Dezeen Debate is sent every Tuesday and features the hottest reader comments and most-debated stories.Dezeen Daily is our daily bulletin that contains every story published in the preceding 24 hours.Dezeen In Depth is sent on the last Friday of every month and delves deeper into the major stories shaping architecture and design.The post US edition of Dezeen Agenda features all the news from the last fortnight in America appeared first on Dezeen.

This week on Dezeen, theRoyal Institute of British Architects awarded Japanese studio SANAA its Royal Gold Medal for the firm's "impactful leadership".SANAA was given the award for its contribution to the advancement of architecture."Exemplifying an unassuming yet impactful leadership in the evolving practice and theory of architecture, SANAA's designs demonstrate that architecture can balance functionality with profound elegance," said RIBA presidentMuyiwa Oki.To celebrate the win, we rounded up 10 notable projects by the studio.The Dezeen team reported live from Stockholm Design WeekStockholm Design Week took place this week and the Dezeen team reported live from the city, covering everything from designers' pets to an office rollercoaster and terrazzo beer taps.We also launched our first print magazine, Dezeen Dispatch, during the week, which has features on Swedish design and radical designers as well as interviews, Stockholm tips and much more.A trio of skyscrapers by Foster + Partners were revealed this weekIn London, British studio Foster + Partners revealed a trio of skyscrapers that will overlook the river Thames. The office development is said to be "London's lowest whole-life carbon high-rise development".The Albanian capital of Tirana is also focusing on skyscrapers, with a numerous high-rises currently under construction. Our roundup of the eight most unusual includes towers by MVRDV, Stefano Boeri and OODA.Designer Maarten Baas has shown distorted pianosA hanging piano that looks like it's melting made an impact on Dezeen readers this week. Designer Maarten Baas' Crescendo! exhibition showed pianos that were hung from butcher's hooks and distorted to resemble how animals' flesh stretches out after they have been slaughtered."The pianos are hanging almost like a piece of meat from a butcher," said Baas. "Just like how an animal used to live and used to have a soul, it is now a few kilos of meat."This week's opinion piece discussed Brooklyn skyscrapersSkyscraper Brooklyn Tower has "brought some heft to Brooklyn's skyscape," wrote Cara Greenberg in an opinion piece for Dezeen.Greenberg argues that, while some compare Brooklyn Tower to the Tower of Sauron from the Lord of the Rings films, it and the numerous other skyscrapers that have started popping up in Brooklyn are what the borough needs to compete with Manhattan.A Scottish house was among the most popular projects this weekPopular projects on Dezeen this week include a house on a Scottish coast with views of the estuary, a raised steelcabin in Australia and an Italian-informed loft extension in London.Our latest lookbooks focused on living rooms with Ligne Roset's Togo sofa and well-designed dental clinics.This week on DezeenThis week on Dezeenis our regular roundup of the week's top news stories.Subscribe to our newslettersto be sure you don't miss anything.The post This week SANAA won the RIBA Royal Gold Medal appeared first on Dezeen.

New York-based Distributed Art Publishers and Designers & Books have partnered with Archigram magazine and designer Miko McGinty to create remakes of all ten issues of the 1960s counter-culture architecture magazine for the first time.The ten fully reprinted issues will come in a clamshell box, along with a "reader's guide" with additional essays and archival material, including tributes by architects such as Tadao Ando, Norman Foster, Bjarke Ingels and theorist Beatriz Colomnia.The "first-ever" facsimile of all ten issues of Archigram is set for printDistributed Art Publishers (DAP) worked with co-publisher Designer & Books, book designer Miko McGinty and Archigram to "faithfully" reproduce the often-complicated layout of Archigram issues, which contained elements such as pop-ups and gatefolds that could vary copy to copy."Perhaps DAP's most ambitious publishing project to date, this has been a labor of love conducted over the past two years," said DAP.New York publishers DAP and Designers & Books worked with Archigram and designer Miko McGinty to recreate the issues"All the original surprises and idiosyncrasies are faithfully reproduced: flyers, pockets, a pop-up centerfold, 8 posters, 5 gatefolds and an electronic resistor, printed on 12 different paper stocks and housed in a large-format clamshell box. This is the first ever authorized facsimile of all ten issues."Founded in London in 1961, Archigram encompassed a collective of designers and the print magazine of the same name focused on disseminating and exploring ideas in architecture, largely informed by the work of architect Buckminster Fuller, Antonio Sant'Elia and Yona Friedman.The set will come with the magazine issues, plus a readers guide with new and archival materialsThe magazine and collective asserted an experimental, futurist and high-tech slant, all under a sci-fi meets pop-art design identity. It also appealed to an international design audience, including groups such as the Metabolists in Japan and the Viennese Haus-Rucker-Co.The magazine ran from its launch in 1961 to 1974.Read: "At first, almost nobody took any notice of Archigram" says Peter Cook in exclusive Dezeen interviewThe group and publication consisted of founding members architects Warren Chalk, Peter Cook, Ron Herron, David Greene, Michael Webb and Dennis Crompton, who recently passed away in January 2025.Crompton, who curated the Archigram Archives until his passing, served as a "point-person" over the past two years to bring the facsimile to print, contributing elements such as technical details, high-resolution scans of each issue and guidance.It is the first time the magazine has been recreated in totalityAccording to the DAP, original copies of the magazine are rare.Beyond Archigram, the team accessed copies for research through organisations such as Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library at Columbia University and Hong Kong's M+ museum, which acquired the complete Archigram archive in 2019.Elements such as foldouts were reproducedTo help offset the costs of the project, a Kickstarter campaign will go live on February 19.According to the team, the box set will be available for purchase in Fall 2025.Associate member of Archigram Colin Fournier also recently passed away, following co-founders Chalk in 1988 and Herron in 1994.In 2020, Dezeen explored architectural concepts found in the magazine through a video series for VDF.The images are courtesy of Distributed Art PublishersThe post Archigram to print "first ever" remakes with tributes by Tadao Ando and more appeared first on Dezeen.