Hasta La Ideas

With a tiny computer equipped with a more than capable camera in our pocket, it’s difficult to consider a time when such image-capturing devices were a luxury—one generally uninvolved with daily life at that. In fact it wasn’t until the 1960s, when a…

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British architect Simon Astridge has added a leather-lined dressing room as part of a refurbishment of a London house (+ slideshow).

Simon Astridge, who also recently completed a house extension in south London, designed the leather walk-through on the new second floor of the residence as part of the client’s master bedroom suite secluded in the structure of the roof.

Linking the bedroom to the rest of the floor, the dressing room is lined with British cowhide to conceal sliding wardrobe doors.

The rust-coloured leather panels also cover the floor, create a passage from the bathroom and study to the master bedroom.

“Following early design and concept discussions between client and architect, the clients leather handbag collection and the fact that near the architects’ offices were one of the best leather suppliers in the UK, discussions started about the possibility of actually using leather as a material for the dressing room floors and walls,” Astridge told Dezeen.

“The best part of the leather tunnel is the lovely fresh leather smell you get every time you get out of bed to get dressed,” added Astridge.

Specialist leather supplier Bill Amberg supplied the Cornish cow leather and worked with the architect and client to choose a suitable hide.

“The meeting with the leather specialists went very well,” Astridge explained, “and it was decided that the leather exterior would reflect the leather contents inside the wardrobes.”

“The client and I met with them in their leather workshop and chose a colour – we talked about the actual size of a cow and their butt where the leather comes from.

The shape and proportions of the cow butt constrained the scale of the leather panels on the doors and floor and defined the dimensions of the chamber.

Enclosing the leather tunnel, a mirrored door pivots shut to allow the client privacy for dressing and a clandestine zone away from the rest of the house.

The designer also added pendant lights from EOQ to highlight the warmth and natural qualities of the leather.

The door were stripped of handles to emphasise the tactile qualities of the hide, and underfloor heating was added to create a sensual experience for the client.

Behind the sliding doors, the interior structure of the cupboards is made from softwood timber sprayed mustard, with five-millimetre-thick brass trim along the edges of the doors.

Photography is by Nick Worley

The post Simon Astridge lines a walk-through
dressing room in leather appeared first on Dezeen.

La designer Cristina Bulat a fabriqué la collection de meubles « The Unbutton » : deux tables de chevets et un buffet avec des rangements agrémentés d’une sorte de col ouvert inspiré des vêtements déboutonnés des Pin-Up. Une collection qui reprend les formes épurées du design scandinave, à découvrir.

The ITO lamp forms symbiosis between the latest in lighting technology and smart functionality. Its sharp, irregular, geometric aesthetic is formed by a pattern of ultra-thin, almost transparent OLED modules that can be individually controlled via the user’s smartphone. Turn one or all on/off, control brightness and set the mood with a simple press of a button or finger slide. See it in action after the jump!

Designer: Antonia Kuellmer

OLED Leuchte – ITO – Animation from Antonia Kuellmer on Vimeo.

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(Thin is In was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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1. Just 6mm Thin
2. Thin is Out, Odd is In
3. Thin is in.

Danish architecture firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen has completed a public library in Edmonton, Canada, with a metallic facade and large windows designed to draw visitors inside (+ slideshow).

The new Highlands Branch Library was designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen and local firm Marshall Tittemore Architects to replace the community’s original library, which dated back to 1962, and it offers an extra 200 square metres of space.

Comprising three connected wings, the 1,500-square-metre building features angular rooflines designed to mimic the profiles of neighbouring structures.

The library was built to a strict budget, so detailing was kept to a minimum. Cladding panels with a metallic finish cover the entire exterior, creating seamless joints with the edge of the roof.

“In the design of the building we are inspired by the low-rise buildings in the neighbourhood,” said architect Chris Hardie. “The new library is designed as a composition of pitched roofs, which is given a contemporary and modern expression with the implementation of large windows and the metallic facade material”.

“The library sits like an open pavilion in a garden and expresses that it is open to all; a free public space, a place to read, a place to learn, a place to meet, a place to be,” he added.

Large expanses of glazing feature on every wall, including a large strip that runs around the base to highlight the main entrance. The architects wanted anyone approaching the building, whether on foot, bicycle, bus or car, to be able to see inside.

“The library pavilion faces the surroundings in all directions and acts like a beacon in the community,” said Morten Schmidt, one of the founding partners of the firm whose projects also include Scandinavia’s largest library.

“The building’s transparency and openness contributes to its social hub function, which is essential for a modern library,” he added.

Inside, the librarian’s station is positioned at the heart of the space to be both visible and easily accessible. A large circular lighting fixture overhead helps to highlight this double-height space.

The three wings each accommodate a different book collection – one for children, one for teenagers and one for adults. There are also 18 computer stations.

Recesses are picked out in green throughout the space, while large red armchairs offer more comfortable reading areas.

Photography is by Merle Prosofsky.

Project credits:

Architects: Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, Marshall Tittemore Architects
Client: Edmonton Public Library, City of Edmonton
Engineers: Read Jones Christoffersen, Smith + Andersen, Hemisphere Engineering, ISL Engineering Ltd
Landscape architect: Dialog

The post Schmidt Hammer Lassen’s Canadian library
mimics the angular roofs of its neighbours appeared first on Dezeen.