This angular passive house is built on a tilt in New Zealand and leans into the wind!

This modern house in New Zealand is a passive structure that won an award from the New Zealand Institute of Architects for its sense of fun and how the design carries through from outside to inside – it makes you feel like you are on a holiday but in a home that you can stay in all year round. The Long Grass House harmoniously blends affordability, sustainability, and liveability!

The use of inexpensive plywood in the interior and steel cladding on the exterior gives it an evergreen yet modern aesthetic with contrast. The interiors are engaging, with plenty of space, natural light, and material warmth. The design approach has been focused on including what is really needed in order to produce what is sufficient; positively reducing waste of both space and construction materials.

It showcases a simple plan for a medium-sized house with a spacious te garage and an interesting layout of the bathroom, laundry, and entrance. The garage and main structure complement each other and almost look like two perfectly angled Lego blocks! The jury that presented the award noted how the Long Grass House is a great example 0f how to use inexpensive materials and get real value out of them.

The angled ends are supposed to appear to be leaning into the prevailing wind, but it’s really a clever energy-saving trick to create overhangs that shade the windows from the northern sun. The architect notes: “The form of the building is compact giving a low form factor, and with its compactness comes low energy demand. Passive House Energy calculations were used to drive design decisions – using current climate data and predicted future climate data.”

A panoramic skylight runs near the length of the building and connects to a vertical window and you can see it from the inside in the kitchen. This light is minimal but eye-catching detail in the house which is designed with thrifty detailing, colourful trimmings, and simple geometric shapes. The wooden stairway leads to a loft above the bathroom and laundry.

“Every material and surface here is durable and will take some hard knocks—something that was central to all material decisions, including cladding. We wanted to ensure that every product we specified would stand the test of time in this harsh environment and be suitable for the family to live in with its changing needs for years to come,” said the team.

The house gets a lot of attention for the slopes that lean into the wind, but the real appreciation should go towards the simplicity and economy of the materials used throughout. Steel siding is one of the most durable and affordable materials for the exterior. While plywood is perfect for long-lasting interiors without increasing costs and maintaining a timeless look. The compact structure helps ensure low energy demand and Passive House Energy calculations were used to drive many design decisions using current and future (predicted) climate data. Long Grass House is perfect for a modern, eco-conscious family looking for a forever home on a budget!

Designer: Rafe Maclean

Klima wraps Maple Haus in the Utah mountains in weathering steel

Maple Haus by Klima

Local firm Klima Architecture prioritised energy efficiency and a low-maintenance exterior while designing this three-level family residence near Park City, Utah.

The studio designed Maple Haus for a site just outside of Park City, a ski town on the eastern front of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains.

Maple Haus by Klima Architecture
Maple Haus is located in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains

The project was designed by Klima Architecture, which was founded in 2010 as Park City Design + Build and took on a new name last year.

The house was initially designed by to be a home for the studio’s founder Chris Price. But due to the area’s favourable real estate market, he ended up selling the home to new owners who use it as a full-time residence.

View from Maple Haus
The house sits in a forested community

The house sits within a forested community with an eclectic mix of abodes, from older cabins to contemporary dwellings. Price has lived in the neighbourhood for over a decade and has designed four homes there, including the Meadows Haus and Tree Haus.

“I gravitated here because historically you could get really cheap lots, and there is the utmost advantage of not having an overarching homeowner’s association with design guidelines,” said Price.

Cube-like external structure
A property called the Cube House informed the dwelling’s design

He added that many Park City neighbourhoods have adopted restrictive guidelines, resulting in an “uninspiring built landscape.”

While designing Maple Haus, Price took inspiration from an adjacent property – the Cube House, designed by the late architect John Sugden, who had apprenticed under Mies van der Rohe.

Corten steel facade
Klima wrapped the house’s upper levels in Corten steel

“In true Mies/German efficiency, the house was built around a rigid grid of steel and glass, all on a concrete plinth,” said Price.

“I wanted to take a notch out of this philosophy and design this house with the same rigour, but with modern materials and Passive House detailing.”

Black kitchen cabinets by Klima
Kitchen counters are topped with black granite

Approximately rectangular in plan, the Maple Haus rises three levels on a sloped site. The house measures 60 by 24 feet (18 by 7.3 metres) and is laid out on a 12-foot (3.7-metre) grid.

“This helped minimise material waste when framing, and allowed us to work faster,” said Price.

Wooden walls inside
Wood clads the property’s interior walls

Creating an air-tight building envelope was a key concern. The architect used double-stud construction to form super thick walls filled with insulation. Triple-pane windows help lock in heat.

The base has a concrete exterior, while the upper levels are wrapped in Corten steel – a low-maintenance material that holds up well against fire, bugs and sunlight.

“On top of the steel siding is a second solar screen made of steel angle iron,” said Price. “This functions solely on the southwest and northwest sides of the home, blocking around 30 per cent of that harsh western light.”

Within the home, the team created light-filled spaces with crisp detailing.

Central staircase
A staircase with wood-veneer treads connects the three levels

The lowest level holds two bedrooms, while the middle floor contains a garage and guest quarters. The top level encompasses the main suite and an open-concept kitchen, dining area and living room.

All three levels are connected by a staircase made of black-painted steel with wood-veneer treads. Price and his father built all of the home’s steelwork.

Maple wood features in the house
Klima used various earthy woods were used in the design

Earthy materials help tie the home to its natural setting. Hem fir was used for walls and ceilings, while maple was used for floors. Counters are topped with black granite.

Rooms were initially dressed with furniture from the Italian brand Poliform.

Bathroom with large glass windows
Large windows connect occupants to their outside surroundings

Large stretches of glass help occupants feel connected to the scenic landscape – a high desert, alpine ecosystem with pine and oak trees. An operable, triple-pane skylight brings in light from above while also allowing hot air to escape.

The roof is designed to allow for photovoltaic panels and a roof terrace in the future.

The house is located just outside of Park City, a ski town

Once a mining area, Park City is now a beloved destination for skiers and nature enthusiasts. Other projects in the mountain town include a residence by Imbue Design that consist of wood-clad, rectilinear volumes that are positioned around a central courtyard.

The photography is by Kerri Fukui and Lauren Kerr.

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The Bauhaus school of design inspires the striking stained glass colors and geometric shapes of these vases!

Trio is a collection of three stained glass vases inspired by the Bauhaus school of art and design to bring a timeless edge to the traditional glass vase.

Finding the perfect vase for flowers is sometimes the most fun when arranging bouquets. Bunchier flowers deserve a bulkier, more bulbous vase. While more delicate flower arrangements could use a skinny, minimalist vase. You know the right vase when you see it.

Vases also carry a long, intricate history in ceramics and glass-making that dates back centuries. Taking notes from one historical art school of design, Bauhaus, Ashley Case designed three different vases in its style to accommodate all types of flower arrangements and create a collection called Trio.

Case’s study on Bauhaus design took shape in the art school’s commitment to simplicity, bold colors, and geometric lines. All three vases are molded from sturdy stained glass that creates shadows of color when natural light pours through them. The first vase, a deep cobalt blue, forms three-quarters of a circle and suspends in midair from a black steel cradle that entirely surrounds the vase.

Then, a vertical, rectangular vase coated in lemon yellow stained glass remains in place inside of a four-bar black steel crate. Finally, an inverted triangular vase dipped in scarlet red balances above an empty platform inside a similar black steel crate. All three vases are undoubtedly inspired by Bauhaus design, an art school devoted to integrating a timelessly modern look into any era.

The Bauhaus school of design came to life in 1919, following geometric and abstract styles of design that feature little to no emotion and personality. Instead, the school encourages a timeless look that nods to no cultural or historical aspect in particular. Ashley Case’s collection of vases called Trio embodies Bauhaus through their minimal profiles and strikingly colorful displays that create dazzling shadows of light color to hearken back to the art school’s heyday.

Designer: Ashley Case

Each vase is molded from the stained glass in striking colors reminiscent of the Bauhaus school of design. 

Each vase can accommodate a variety of different flower arrangements, according to your personal taste. 

Architecture with green roofs designed to meet the needs of humans and nature alike!

Green roofs have been gaining a lot of popularity these days! They are slowly and steadily cementing their place as a beneficial addition to sustainable living setups in the world of architecture. They’re an eco-friendly alternative to conventional roofs as they provide natural insulation against heat and maintain a cool temperature. They also serve as efficient rainwater buffers and reduce energy usage! Not to mention they add an organic and natural touch to homes and help them effortlessly integrate with their surroundings. We’re major fans of green roofs, and we’ve curation a collection of architectural designs that truly showcase their beauty and utility. From a passive house with a living green roof to a rammed earth tiny home concept with a pitched green roof – these structures will have you ditching traditional roofs, and opting for greener ones!

In the hills of Harriman State Park (New York), plans were made to build a beautiful, contemporary-style hobbit hole known as the Black Villa. The house is stunning inside and out, especially its most eye-catching feature: the luscious grass-covered roof. Green roofs have been growing slowly in popularity over the past decade, due to their economic and environmental advantages. They can reduce energy usage by 0.7% by providing natural insulation against heat and maintaining temperatures that are 30-40°F lower than conventional rooftops. (The Black Villa also decreases the need for electricity by using skylights and floor-to-ceiling windows.) Green roofs also reduce and slow down stormwater runoff, which helps immensely in areas with poor drainage systems (usually in urban areas).

Hill House is a passive house designed and constructed by Snegiri Architects with a living green roof that blends the home seamlessly with its natural woodland surroundings. Plotted with diverse plant life and shrubbery, Hill House’s living green roof sprawls with a grass carpet filled with stonecrop and dwarf plants including chamomile and sedum. The gradual incline of Hill House’s green roof conceals the home’s structural presence, bringing the home inch by inch into the bordering woods. The rest of Hill House’s exterior strikes a balance between black-stained wood-paneled facades and natural, unstained wood-paneled eaves.

Tucked in a coastal town outside of Rio De Janeiro, Ortiz designed the residence using the ancient indigenous ‘Taperá style’ as a reference. This unique style is usually characterized to be a visually simple home with open enclosures. And this particular home follows the Taperá style in true fashion! The minimal structure features large glass facades that allow for an ample amount of natural lighting to enter and then carefully uses the streams of natural light and ventilation to its advantage. Of course, the home’s most exquisite feature is its sleek and curved green roof. The monumental roof unifies the entire home, which has been separated into three levels and follows the gentle slope of the landscape, almost concealing the segregated sections of the home, making it seem like one long and leveled structure.

In conceptualizing the Rammed Earth House, the team of architects set out to balance contemporary energy production practices with traditional building methods. Located in Dobrava, a settlement in Slovenia’s flatland region, the Rammed Earth House is inspired by the famed floating roof designed by Slovenian architect Oton Jugovec. Since rammed earth involves compacting a mixture of subsoil into an externally supported framework, the three architects behind Rammed Earth House conceptualized a concrete foundation and timber framework. It’s generally difficult to make changes to a rammed earth structure, but the home’s overhang roof allows cement to be added in the case that extra stability is needed.

Known for designing bold, daredevil retreats stationed on the edge of mountain summits and cliffsides, Eshtiyaghi maintained the same mythical energy for his most recent rendering of Tehran’s Modern Art Museum. From an aerial viewpoint, Eshtiyaghi’s museum does not form any distinct shape, progressing past geometric, sharp angles for a gleaming white roof that slopes and bulges like a white tarp covering a wild landscape. Modern museums are generally known for their conceptual architecture, a form Milad Eshtiyaghi executes well considering his wide array of escapist hideaways. The green space that surrounds Eshtiyaghi’s museum tightens the museum’s abstract energy with rolling green roofs that mimic the overlapping lines of soundwaves, offering a place to rest on its manicured lawns.

Parking Parc was inspired by the pun in its own name– Maeiyat reinterpreted the garage as both a space for parking the vehicle and as an actual greenway that resembles a children’s park. Shaped like a rolling hillside, Parking Parc provides a storage area for parked vehicles that rests beneath the garage’s grassy, recreational exterior. As currently conceptualized, photovoltaic panels punctuate the taller regions of the garage’s exterior, providing clean energy for Volvo’s XC40 Recharge to well, recharge, and enough energy to sustain the rest of the garage’s inside operations.

WTTJH is built within a rejuvenated heritage façade of rendered masonry, steel, timber, and greenery – it is where Victorian row terrace housing meets and a post-industrial warehouse aesthetic. The two-story home was close to collapse and originally occupied the 90sqm triangular site. Due to strict heritage controls, it was untouched and in despair till the rejuvenation project by CPlusC brought it back to life in a way that was conducive towards a better future for the industry and the planet. The rooftop is made from steel planter beds that provide deep soil for native plants and fruit and vegetables. The garden beds are irrigated from the fishpond providing nutrient-rich water created by the edible silver perch (fish)!

Architecture firm Coldefy will be creating a mixed-use building in Northern France. Named ‘Echo’, the structure will include an office space, and a catering and recreation program. The building will be accentuated by green terraces that will cascade one after the other, almost resembling a green river. Echo will be the ‘first bio-based building in Euralille’!

Cuba-based Veliz Arquitecto conceptualized a modern eco home called Hugging House that integrates the land’s rolling terrain and surrounding trees into the layout of the building. Hugging House is a large, bi-level, cantilevered home located somewhere with dense forestry and overhead treetop canopies. The two sections that comprise Hugging House merge together as if in an embrace. Concrete slabs comprise the home’s surrounding driveway that leads to the ground level and outdoor leisure areas.

Cohen developed the Living Shell, an architectural shell built by growing jute, felt, and wheatgrass into a form of a textile that’s laid over a bamboo frame. Turning to textile technology, Living Shell was born from Cohen’s quest to evolve layers of wheatgrass root systems into elastic, textile materials. Settling on the shell’s curvilinear structural shape, the wheatgrass textile wraps over its bamboo frame, forming layers of insulation and shade while it continues to grow. Cohen found durability in the inexpensive building material he developed from jute, felt, and wheatgrass. Layering the different roots together in a pattern that allows room for sustained growth periods, the textile’s thickness and durability increase over time as the roots continue to interlace and grow.

Wowowa uses colourful accents to update 60s home in Melbourne

The roof of the home is scalloped

A scalloped metal roof and brightly coloured accents feature in a renovation and extension of a 1960s home in Melbourne by local architecture studio Wowowa, which has been shortlisted in the residential rebirth category of Dezeen Awards 2021.

Designed to express the client’s own personal aesthetic the renovation, called Pony, adds four new bedrooms and two bathrooms to the existing single-storey home.

The layout was also reconfigured to improve the relationship to the garden.

The profile of pony's roof is scalloped
Top: Wowowa renovated and extended a 1960s home in Melbourne. Above: the exterior of the home was clad in glazed bricks

“The plan was arranged along a double-axis – a prominent post-war design driver to increase connection to the garden, creating a front, back and central courtyard,” explained the Wowowa.

“Our design exaggerated the existing axial plan through a clip-on colonnade.”

This “clip-on colonnade” extends the axis along the rear of the home and is defined by a run of glazed brick columns framing large windows, creating a bright corridor space that connects a new strip of children’s bedrooms.

There is a gated pool area at pony
Wowowa added four new bedrooms and two bathrooms to the single-storey structure

Above, the scalloped roof structure is expressed internally by a wooden ceiling that sweeps “like the belly of a whale” above this new corridor, referencing the construction of boats.

“The structural design, cladding and construction methodology for the roof form was not dissimilar to the construction of a boat, with a keel, bow and stern,” said the practice.

Moving the children’s bedrooms to this wing freed up space within the original footprint, which now contains a large en-suite main bedroom to the south alongside a new sitting area, connecting via the entry hall to a large kitchen, living and dining area.

Designed to be the heart of the home, this central space is organised around a bright yellow table and counters, with a “desert inspired” colour palette expressed through terrazzo splash backs and pastel pink cabinets.

“Reflecting their personal aesthetic through form, materiality and colour, the interiors are an accretion of small moments of delight that allow a family to find a quiet moment alone or come together,” described the practice.

Interior view of the kitchen at pony
Colourful accents were added to the home including pale pink and yellow cabinetry

Sliding doors to the north connect to a new courtyard created by the extension, allowing the living and dining areas to open out onto an area of raised decking.

“Each axis has the capacity to be closed from the next, allowing a separation of the noisy living spaces from quiet adult areas and children’s study zones,” it continued.

The home has wooden floors and ceilings
The ceiling has an undulating form that follows the shape of the scalloped roof

The colourful accents in the kitchen extend into the new bedrooms, where pinks and yellows have been used to finish doors and furniture.

Previous projects by Wowowa include a home in Melbourne with cylindrical brick turrets and copper cladding, designed to reference agricultural buildings.

Other projects shortlisted in the residential rebirth category of the 2021 Dezeen Awards include Šilta Šiauré’s charred timber clad block of holiday apartments and Matt Gibson’s renovation and restoration of a Melbourne home.

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Ten elegant interiors with a dark and moody atmosphere

house h apartment by kc design studio

With Halloween approaching, our latest lookbook highlights 10 dramatic dark interiors from the Dezeen archive, including a concrete-walled restaurant and a gothic nightclub.

These ten projects each make use of dark colours and low light to create an intriguing atmosphere.

While in some cases – such as in a nightclub – the dark colour palette suits the function of the space, other projects chose monochrome hues to minimalise visual distraction or stand out from more colour-saturated competitors.

This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series that provides visual inspiration for designers and design enthusiasts. Previous lookbooks include smart storage solutions, homes with playful slides, and interiors with window seats.


Voisin Organique restaurant by Various Associates

Voisin Organique, China, by Various Associates

Cavernous ceilings and low lighting was used to create a dark and moody setting at this farm-to-table restaurant in Shenzhen by Various Associates.

The studio took advantage of the space’s shadowy qualities to create an experience that aims to mimick “wandering in a valley”.

Surfaces were covered in a matte-finish foil that only dimly reflects the light, which was used sparingly throughout the restaurant. Just a handful of spotlights were added to the ceiling.

Find out more about Voisin Organique ›


Shibuya Apartment 201,202 by OgawaArchitects

Shibuya apartment, Japan, by Hiroyuki Ogawa Architects

Hiroyuki Ogawa Architects overhauled two apartments in Tokyo, renovating one of them with a material palette of dark plaster, concrete and grey carpet.

The walls and ceilings of the Airbnb apartment were covered with dark plaster which is illuminated by a large full-height window. Matching dark concrete fixtures were added to the living space, including a kitchen island and bar.

Find out more about Shibuya apartment ›


House H in Taiwan designed by KC Design Studio

House H, Taiwan, by KC Design Studio

KC Design Studio applied a greyscale palette to its renovation of this cave-like apartment in Taipei.

A corner-fitted staircase folds and rises along the textural plastered walls of the basement, below a large window that connects the two floors of the apartment. Cabinetry and fixtures were coloured in a slate hue to further add to the dark look of the space.

Find out more about House H ›


B018 bunker nightclub by Bernard Khoury has been refurbished

B018, Lebanon, by Bernard Khoury

Lebanese architect Bernard Khoury designed the dark interior of the B018 nightclub in Beirut to have a gothic feel. It references both religious architecture and abattoirs.

The interior was built with solid stone, including walls, floors, ceilings and furniture. Altar-like seating was added to the space, with carved-out grills that provide glimpses into neighbouring booths.

Find out more about B018 ›


The Krane, Copenhagen, Denmark, by Arcgency Resource Conscious Architecture

The Krane, Denmark, by Arcgency

An industrial coal crane on the waterfront of Copenhagen was renovated by Arcgency into a luxury retreat with black interiors.

The space features all-black interiors with built-in and custom furniture crafted from leather, wood, stone and steel. The studio clad the walls, floors and ceilings of the space in wooden panels that were stained jet black.

“Black plays a pivotal role in muting and minimising visual distractions so people feel almost enveloped in the interior,” the studio explained.

Find out more about The Krane ›


Fusion Danilo paint showroom designed by JG Phoenix

Danilo showroom, China, by JG Phoenix

Located in Shantou, China, the Danilo paint showroom by JG Phoenix was informed by the ancient philosophy of yin and yang.

Muted, red vaulted corridors are connected with dark cave-like spaces through circular openings in walls. Boldly shaped furniture was placed in front of the textural walls to accompany the space’s curving form.

Find out more about Danilo showroom ›


IN 2 by Jean Verville

IN 2, Canada by Jean Verville

Canadian architect Jean Verville transformed the interiors of a 1950s cottage into a monochromatic home that was stripped of its original features, fixtures and finishes.

In places, rooms were swathed in black paint. The kitchen features an all-black interior with walls, ceilings, cabinetry and fixtures removed of colour. Windows looking out to the garden provide the interior with pops of green.

Find out more about IN 2 ›


Terrace House, Japan, by Atelier Luke

Japanese-Australian architecture studio Atelier Luke renovated this house in Kyoto, stripping it back to its structural elements in an effort to highlight the previously hidden beams.

The studio stained the upper level of the home and the internal timber structure and ceiling black to create “a spacious void of shadows”.

The black-stained skeleton extends to the poured concrete floors and highlights a warmly-hued cedar volume at the centre of the space that contains a bathroom, kitchen and lofted sleeping space.

Find out more about Terrace House ›


Lucky Cat restaurant by AfroditiKrassa

Lucky Cat restaurant, UK, by AfroditiKrassa

AfroditKrassa blanketed the interior of this restaurant in London with moody tones in an effort to separate it from the colour-saturated Instagrammable aesthetics of many other restaurants.

The studio looked to underground Japanese jazz cafes to inform the design, incorporating wood parquet flooring, an ink-black ceiling, black painted bamboo and black-linen screens.

Find out more about Lucky Cat restaurant ›


Salon Sociedad by Communal

Salón Sociedad, US, by Communal and OTRA Arquitectura

Mexican studios Communal and OTRA Arquitectura added a dark and rustic palette to the interior of Salón Sociedad in Monterrey.

Dim lighting filters through the space via frosted glass panels set between vaulted brick arches. At the rear of the space, arches were filled with concrete and clad with dark wood panelling.

Find out more about Salón Sociedad ›


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 smart storage solutions, window seatsplywood interiors and marble bathrooms.

The post Ten elegant interiors with a dark and moody atmosphere appeared first on Dezeen.

Recycled plastic REX chair can be sold back to manufacturer after use

REX chair by Ineke Hans for Circuform

Dutch furniture brand Circuform has launched a recycled plastic chair designed by Ineke Hans, with the promise that customers can return the product after extended use and receive a partial refund.

Hans unveiled REX during Dutch Design Week. The chair is designed to have as little environmental impact as possible, through innovations at both the start and end of the product lifecycle.

Recycling an old design for REX chair by Ineke Hans for Circuform
REX is a rework of a chair originally launched in 2010

It is made using recycled plastic from fishing nets, toothbrushes, office chair components and other industrial waste.

The retail price includes a €20 deposit, which Circuform will refund to the customer if they return the chair after use. Old chairs can then be either repaired and reused, or recycled to create new chairs.

To make the concept easy to understand, Hans has staged a series of photographs detailing each stage in the process.

Finding recycled materials for REX chair by Ineke Hans for Circuform
The chair is made from recycled PA6, a thermoplastic used for fishing nets

“It is a chair that will basically last a lifetime, but the reality is our society doesn’t work like that,” she told Dezeen.

“Sometimes people only need it for six months,” she said, pointing to temporary offies and events as examples. “We need a world where we deal with second-hand too.”

Injection moulding process for REX chair by Ineke Hans for Circuform
The chair is manufactured through a process of injection moulding

Hans first developed the design more a decade ago, launching it in 2010 as the Ahrend 380.

While the original version was also made of recycled materials, Hans felt the design was never fully resolved.

“Now it is finally done as it was meant to be,” said Hans.

REX chair by Ineke Hans for Circuform
The chair can be returned after use for a refund of €20

REX is injection-moulded using a specific type of recycled plastic, PA6. This nylon-based thermoplastic offers good durability and is easy to source, as it is widely used.

The main body of the chair is manufactured in two parts. “Otherwise you don’t get the flexibility that you need,” said Hans.

The seat and legs are produced in one piece. The backrest is made separately, but slots easily into a gap in the rear of the seat. Armrests can also be added.

“We wanted to make a chair that works for everyone,” said Hans. “It’s very flexible, for fat people, thin people, tall people, or short people.”

The chair is also designed to be stackable.

Recycling process for REX chair by Ineke Hans for Circuform
Old chairs are either repaired and resold, or recycled into new products

REX is the second chair design that Circuform has relaunched under a deposit model, following a design by another Dutch designer, Ton Haas. The brand is also planning to relaunch a 1950s design, according to Hans.

The brand’s philosophy is rooted in the circular economy, the concept of a production and use model that designs out waste and puts minimal strain on natural resources.

“Finding companies who want to do this is a task in itself,” said Hans.

The company has set up a series of deposit stations around the Netherlands, to make the process of returning old chairs straightforward for customers.

The post Recycled plastic REX chair can be sold back to manufacturer after use appeared first on Dezeen.

Peloton, meet Pottery Barn. This seemingly normal mid-century cabinet conceals your exercise bike inside.



“The cabinet that burns carbs.”

The ‘boîtier for bike’ is an unusually functional bit of furniture. The internet is filled with gimmicky cabinets that transform into beds, sofas, or dining tables, but they aren’t quite as impressive as this little number right here. The boîtier for bike, as its name would suggest, is a cabinet or housing (or boîtier in French) that actually comes with a dedicated space for your stationary exercise bike. Aside from having a chest of drawers that let you store your belongings, the boîtier for bike actually is meant to conceal a mini-gym within it. A pull-out drawer on the side reveals an exercise bike on the inside, allowing you to get some cardio right in the comfort of your home… when you’re done, the bike slides back into its boîtier, looking like an unsuspecting mid-century cabinet that your guests will probably think you picked up from Pottery Barn.

Designer: boîtier

Click Here to Buy Now: $1450 $1599 ($150 off). Hurry, for a limited time only!

Hand-crafted furniture made for riding and hiding your stationary bike.

Made from beautiful Cherry hardwood, veneered wood, and antique brass.

Now, the boîtier for bike doesn’t, actually come with its own stationary bike, but rather, is designed to be compatible with your existing stationary bike. Designed to fit Pelotons as well as bikes from other brands (there’s a list on their website), the boîtier comes with a load-bearing slide-out drawer made from steel that actually lets you mount the bike on it. The drawer’s built to withstand up to 180 kilograms, so you can actually work out right on the boîtier, and slide the bike in once you’re done. It’s weirdly convenient, and your guests won’t even know that you’ve got a makeshift gym in your living room.

Compatible with Peloton and other popular stationary bikes.

Stable, durable – custom-built, steel-enforced drawer made from industrial components.

Each boîtier is crafted from cherry hardwood and finished off with a veneer and brass furnishings. The overall cabinet measures 60″ in width, although you’ll need to place your boîtier in a relatively open space to provide a clearing for the open-out drawer (which brings its overall width to 116″). The drawer stands at 72″ in height, and comes with a nifty slim shelf on top to store other items too. Moreover, the bike chamber of the boîtier is also accessible via 2 front doors and has ample space to store your other gym equipment like your yoga mat, shoes, weights, skipping rope, etc. As a clever bit of customization, you can even choose whether you want the slide-out steel drawer on the left or the right side of your boîtier, to account for your living space and furniture placement.

Shelving for books, plants, speakers, etc. to match your living space.

Available for an early-bird price of $1450, the boîtier is available to a limited set of people within the USA. The price includes shipping and installation, and the boîtier itself comes with a 3-year warranty. Oh, and if you’re still wondering, it’s pronounced bwa-tje.

Click Here to Buy Now: $1450 $1599 ($150 off). Hurry, for a limited time only!

IKEA-worthy furniture designs that are the ultimate storage + display solutions for your modern home!

If you’re an independent millennial who recently moved out of their family home and into their own, then a major issue that you may be dealing with almost every day…is space constraint! Our modern millennial homes have many virtues, but one thing they lack is space! Space constraint is something most of us end up dealing with every day. Smart storage solutions can be lifesavers in such tricky and compact situations. And to make your lives easier, we’ve curated a whole collection of storage solutions that come in the form of furniture designs that, to be honest, are IKEA-worthy! Not only do these products comfortably store your belongings, but they’re also perfect for displaying those special items that you don’t feel like shutting away in a dusty cabinet. From a modular shelf unit inspired by the architecture of Bangkok’s storefronts to a bookshelf that hides a sleek staircase- these innovative storage and display solutions are the IKEA-worthy additions your home needs!

Tenement H is a modular cubby storage system that reflects the exhibition’s ‘domestic’ theme. Inspired by the multifaceted facades of Bangkok shophouses, Tenement H features customizable barriers that range from scissor gates to accordion doors, shutters, and railings. Constructed from aluminum, Tenement H is modular and versatile by design, allowing access to the storage units from all sides and multifunctional as a semi-partition for your room as well. Coated in glossy optic white, scarlet red, and light blue, the modules of Tenement H mimic the color scheme of Bangkok’s city storefronts. Each unit can be configured according to what your space allows–for smaller spaces, Tenement H can be built up vertically while larger spaces would allow for a wider base.

Although their motto is “No tools, no hassle”, the most defining characteristic of staxxiom’s furniture is that it’s so visually simple, you don’t even need a manual. With laser-cut pieces of wood that simply interlock to create your design, staxxiom is building on IKEA’s DIY culture by making their furniture more efficient, more eco-friendly, and as simplified as possible. That last part works in staxxiom’s favor too, because the simplified design gives their furniture a unified, wonderfully minimal aesthetic, along with the added benefit of being ridiculously easy to build too. Try, for a second, to describe the parts of a table in the simplest way possible. You’ve got 4 legs and a tabletop surface, right? In reality, though, furniture is often much more complex than that. There are many more aspects, like glue, screws, bolts, threaded inserts, rubber feet, etc. that go into making a great table that you often forget to describe. staxxiom’s designs outright do away with these minor complexities by keeping their furniture designs as visually and physically simple as possible.

Amidst the catalog of accessories is a basket storage system that doubles as a wood-and-crate step ladder, ideal for the kitchen space or bathroom to store toiletries and reach taller heights. Then, there’s a series of photo frames that can store paper goods like notes and business cards in an integrated slot that traces the perimeter of each frame. Using their own homes and colleagues’ homes as their main source of inspiration, the design students even made niche items like an insect house made from wire and hollow bamboo that could be hung outside an apartment window for hummingbirds and honeybees to drop by and visit.

Furnicloud essentially functions as a system of aluminum rods that can be configured to attach different container modules and create more storage space. Composed primarily of boxes that come with lids and doors, the rods can be vertically placed in varying shapes for the boxes to attach to and fill. The boxes that come with Furnicloud come with drawers, doors, and shelves to optimize their storage capabilities. In addition to storage boxes, Furnicloud includes mirrors, lights, hangars, and other accessory-sized storage containers that can be strewn from the aluminum rods, stabilizing the furniture system as a whole. Constructed entirely from aluminum, Furnicloud comes in different shades, coats, and finishes, ensuring that each furniture system can be customized for each given living space.

While Riders Gonna Ride is a lifestyle brand whose roots come from mountain biking, Bike Box is a storage solution designed for bikers everywhere– from the mountains to the city streets. Bike Box is modular by design and built from black CDF and beech wood to ensure a versatile, yet durable storage unit. Constructed like a storage unit for a professional locker room, Bike Box’s frame is built from CDF, or Compact Density Fibreboards, a highly compressed material often chosen for its water-resistant and long-lasting nature. The storage found on each Bike Box is made available through a peg and socket system of wooden pegs and accompanying sockets. When customized to hang your bike or orient shelving units, the pegs can be positioned however each bike owner sees fit.

Tiny home designs are some of our favorite designs, mainly because they have forced designers to look beyond the obvious space-consuming solutions and think literally inside the tiny home box for out-of-the-box solutions! The stair cupboard manages to do the same and beautifully, with super tight-fitting steel sliding stair in a bicolor oak closet that slides out with ease. The staircase also doubles as a temporary storage space for knick-knacks and other items in the bookshelf when not in use. The dark steel staircase creates a strong contrast to the pale wood while matching the industrial-chic vibe of the remaining apartment. Villa Roco was designed to house a generation of one family that can live together and apart in one plot with its intuitive design. Who said an entire family couldn’t live in a smaller space with their privacy intact!

The idea for the Parachute Wall Shelf came to designer Yusuke Watanabe, funnily enough, as he was listening to Coldplay’s first album titled “Parachutes”. Derived from the Italian word “parare” (to protect) and the French “chute” (to fall), this award-winning universal shelf holds anything in place! Its clever design is influenced by how clothes pegs secure objects on a clothesline by clipping onto them. The multiple pegs or planks on the Parachute Wall Shelf hold your objects in place by gently ‘clipping’ them to the wall. Made from colored sheet metal stripes that almost look like a parachute’s cloth with their wavy design, the Parachute Wall Shelf looks like abstract art when not in use. It sits flat against the wall (unlike most shelves with cantilever forwards), looking like framed art until you tip one of the ‘pegs’ forward and use it to store objects or to even hang items of clothing like your coat, scarf, or hat.

PaiPai Pets’ double basin cat kennel is a cat tower and console storage cabinet in one. Looking at the kennel head-on, two wide doors border a narrower middle door, which opens up to the kennel’s storage unit and jungle-gym interior. On the left and right sides of the kennel, there’s enough space to fit two large litter boxes, which are always accessible through the middle door’s open porthole. Behind the kennel’s center cabinet, storage shelves can be found where cat owners can stow away smaller items like cans of wet cat food and litter scoopers. Painted in bright white, with natural wood accents along the perimeter, the kennel can remain discreet even in busier home spaces like the living room or den. Along the sides of the kennel, smaller portholes allow for plenty of airflows as well as a fun way for you to play whack-a-mole with your cat.

Orte loop

In urban homes, one often has to compromise on the kind of furniture they would like because there isn’t enough space to have a separate piece for each function – in this case, Orte saves the space you would need for a full shelf and a mirror by blending them into one. Its limestone base supports a rotating wooden frame with the mirror on one side and six hidden shelves on the other. The pop of red brightens up the corner where the furniture will be and stretched oblong shape makes it easy to fit in any corner. It can be used as a dresser, a bookshelf, or the stuff you need to grab quickly without it being on display always.

To give the studio space more defined and delineated areas, Alexander Kudimov and Daria Butakhina of Ruetemple, built an elevated module from wood, with plenty of storage options and a cave-like zone that works as the studio’s enclosed bedroom space. The idea to create a bedroom module initially came from Kudimov’s and Butakhina’s plan to build a wooden structure that would absorb the studio’s many functional elements, including storage space, a living area, and a platform area for getting ready in the morning. The bedroom module mainly contains the studio’s sleeping area– a secluded section of the elevated platform that provides a space for the bed to remain separate from the rest of the apartment. The cozy den remains hidden from view for the most part, but a large window situated at the head of the bed dissolves the barrier between the studio’s hallway and the newly formed bedroom.

This Porsche open wheel concept brings back the craft of racing to the eco-conscious world

A Porsche racing car tailormade for young racers to hone their skills at the very basic level, along with the go-karting drills. The designer envisions a future where the open racing cars will replace the Porsche Supercup, prior to the Formula-1 extravaganza.

Porsche carries the crown of being one of the most iconic automotive brands in the last century or so. The German luxury and high-performance sports car manufacturer based in Stuttgart has Volkswagen AG as the current owner – but the core values of the brand haven’t been tampered with. The single-seated Porsche 804 and Porsche 718 racing car for the Formula One championship are great examples of the German brand’s growth curve all these years.

Passionate automotive design student Jan Bendixen relives that golden era of Porsche open-wheel racers with his modern interpretation that’s purely magnetic. The concept renderings here of the Porsche open-wheel racing car is in fact Jan’s internship project done at Porsche’s Designstudio in Weissach. So a very good probability you might get the traces of the design elements in future Porsche designs or even better, a similar-looking open-wheel racer. According to him, the idea was to create a “tiny E-Fuel driven formula car for Porsche.” The final 4 cylinder boxer engine-powered car came out to have minimal aerodynamic drag, lightweight credentials.

This Porsche concept is highlighted by clean, flowing lines that give it a unified dimension. The classic open-wheel racing character is pretty evident in the very low center of gravity dimensions – hug very close to the tarmac. The car is only going to be limited to race tracks and the cockpit positioning suggests that. Modern interpretation comes in the form of the black and silver combo skin – giving it a great sense of depth and contrasting muscular aesthetics. Match that with the uber-cool wet of wheels and this Porsche racing concept is ready to take on any challenge.

Taking a cue from the Porsche Supercup, the open racing wheel series will use 100% carbon neutral E-Fuel for a new era of green and sustainable motorsport racing. Formula-1 is also headed in the clean fuel direction by the way. This way, Porsche will acquire fresh talent straight from karting and lower racing series. Then polish their racing craft and give them the opportunity to move to the big league of advanced racing series – the likes of F1, WRC, or World Endurance Championship.

Designer: Jan Bendixen