“The apartment is in a nineteenth-century apartment block on a very cute corner, but it was in a pretty poor state of repair,” Kohn explains.
“It was subdivided into many small rooms so there was no gathering space, nor was there any sense of this rather unusual triangular plan and it’s relationship to the city.”
“There was all this potential, but it was all held back by the architecture.”
To rectify this, Kohn’s studio stripped away most of the apartment’s internal partitions, creating an open-plan living space to make the most of the large windows and high ceilings.
“We wanted to change the apartment to focus on the pleasure of gathering,” explains Kohn. “The architecture of the apartment now is about creating the right setting for that kind of social encounter.”
Two of the bedrooms are contained within a wooden tower at one end of the apartment, which Kohn describes as “a kind of scale replica” of a 1950s apartment block by Spanish architect Josep Antoni Coderch in the La Barceloneta neighbourhood of the city.
“The bedrooms in this tower block have louvred windows so when you want to go to bed you can close the building,” he says.
The apartment’s most striking feature is its tiled floor, which is made up of 25 different triangular designs.
“We basically did research on how we can make a tiled floor using traditional technologies that would be affordable for this project, but introduced something new,” says Kohn.
“We asked Mosaics Martí, who made all the tiles, to use varying amounts of green and red pigment. Now you see it laid, the apartment has a graded floor that goes from green at one end to red.”
Kohn says that the transformation has been received well by the clients, two brothers who grew up in Barcelona but now live in London and Hong Kong.
“The clients love it because because their lives were very pragmatic in the way they used the flat,” he says.
“What we were able to reintroduce into their lives was a pleasure of being in this interior, celebrating their time in Barcelona.”
David Kohn
Inside Festival 2013 took place at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore from 2-4 October. The next Inside Festival will take place at the same venue from 1-3 October 2014. Award entries are open February to June 2013.
Wire-encased lights are suspended above oak-topped counters at this bakery in Poland by designer Maciej Kurkowski (+ slideshow).
Situated in Piaseczno, a town south of Warsaw, Kurkowski’s Przystanek Piekarnia Bakery features a custom-designed shelving unit for storing and displaying bread.
The unit occupies one wall and is made from 626 plywood modules stained in four different hues.
A large blackboard covers the adjoining wall for advertising the day’s menu.
Black electrical cables run up the walls and across the ceiling, powering light bulbs surrounded by intricate wire shades.
Oak counter tops sit on plinths covered in matte white tiles and with bevelled edges.
One tile on each plinth is replaced with a plywood module engraved with the company logo.
Krzosek Bakery is a family company established few generations ago in 1959. Its values combine respect for the tradition and a need for constant development. Interiors of their shops are an embodiment of this approach.
The commission was to create a coherent interior designs for a whole chain of their shops. Individual look of each interior is achieved by use of a stained birch plywood 450x70x20mm module, that can be used to create almost infinite parametric design variations, while the rest of the interior components remain the same. Depending on the interior the modules can form a built-in display rack or a sculptural suspended ceiling that folds over the wall morphing into display shelves.
The first realisation of the project is in Piaseczno. Key feature of the shop is a custom display shelving unit behind the counter made from 626 plywood modules stained in four warm hues. This allows to keep the rest of the elements used in the interior monochromatic, achieving a balanced look with lightly coloured manually applied coarse plaster, epoxy resin flooring and electrical cables laid on walls in black encasement.
Oak counters sit on white tiled plinths. Matte tiles with beveled edges, resembling those used for tile stoves delicately diffuse the light. In each plinth one tile is replaced with a plywood module with new logo of the company engraved in it.
Subtle lightning was created using Thomas Edison’s design inspired light bulbs with an intricate luminescent rod encased in wire fixtures allowing the glow to delicately seep through the gaps which creates elegant overall effect.
Other two main features used in all interiors are a blackboard wall for announcing special offers and stainless steel furnace for baking fresh buns and delicious cookies on site.
Young Serbian architect and 3D artist Milan Stevanović created these convincingly photo-realistic renderings of an imaginary Scandinavian interior furnished with favourite design pieces he found on the internet.
Stevanović, who says he has “a soft spot for Scandinavian architecture and lifestyle,” created the images in his spare time, using 3ds Max to model the furniture and cloth simulations created in Marvelous Designer.
Creating an all-white interior with a Scandinavian theme, he experimented with different lighting setups and moods to see how they would affect the space and materials.
“Most of the furniture pieces caught my attention while browsing different design websites, and in my personal opinion are great examples of a fresh new furniture design,” Stevanović told Dezeen. “My intent was to create clean and bright interior design, and group all of these furniture pieces together.”
Pieces in the room include the Haluz rocking chair by Czech designer Tomáš Vacek and the Slap cabinet by Italian studio Whatwelike To Design, which Stevanović “modified a little bit so it fits better to my needs.”
Stevanović designed the pallett-based sofa himself and added three coffee tables: Vitra’s Eames Occasional Table LTR, by the rocking chair, the Rolf Benz 8480 coffee table by the sofa and Normann Copenhagen Tablo table.
“As for the wood/wire floor lamp, I stumbled on it on the internet, but unfortunately I couldn’t find the name of the designer,” says Stevanović, who has added an artwork by his brother, Jovan Stevanović, leading against the wall in the left corner of the room.
Furniture was modelled with simple poly-modelling techniques, Stevanović says, using the Cloth modifier for sofa and the MassFX modifier for the Haluz rocking chair.
“It is a fantasy,” Stevanović said of the project. “Most of [the items] I modelled from scratch; others, like books, tulips and that kind of stuff I find online. Some of them are free some of them you can buy.”
Table legs extend up to look like tree trunks and branches at this cafe in Tokyo by Japanese studio id (+ slideshow).
The interior, graphics and products were designed by id for the Ki cafe, named after the Japanese word for tree.
The monochrome space features black steel poles that resemble the shapes of bare trees.
The poles form the legs of the tables, which sit on a wooden floor.
Hats and coats can be hung from the branch-like hooks.
Small plates of sugar in the shape of transparent leaves sit on the surfaces.
The bricks of the facade are painted white, while a black graphic showing the cafe name is printed onto the large windows.
Here is more information from the designers:
Cafe Ki opened in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo in Japan, designed by Japanese design office id. Ki means a tree in Japanese. It is a cafe where coffee and pastries can be enjoyed in a space like a yard or a forest.
The pure white space enhances the coffee colored trees. The “tree” standing inside the café takes a role as a table leg made of steel. Hats and coats can be hung on the highly extended table legs.
Although a large number of people can sit around the big table, it can maintain a sense of comfortable distance while sharing the table with a different group since wooden branches help to divide the space on the table.
Moreover, the leg of the table randomly stands and those who sit down can freely choose a place where to sit. The grove where trees are randomly standing brings a deeper impression from front to back than actually it is.
Japanese design office id designed for Café Ki not only the interior but also, the graphics, uniform, website and original products.
Treatment rooms sit within a translucent house-shaped enclosure at this dental clinic in Kobe, Japan, by Tato Architects (+ slideshow).
Japanese studio Tato Architects started the renovation by stripping the interior back to the concrete and painting it white, before adding the translucent central volume to accommodate three separate treatment areas.
Wooden screens partition the central space. The walls comprise a film-coated glass, while the ceiling is made from sheets of translucent polycarbonate.
Architect Yo Shimada says the softened lighting of the space help patients to feel more comfortable: “We aimed to produce an space which is clean and peaceful at the same time by controlling the state of light.”
“The translucent material was chosen for lighting the consultation rooms only by the light transmitted through, so that light sources would not offend the eye of the patient in the tilted dental chair,” he added.
A waiting room and reception are positioned at the front of the clinic and furnished with square stools, wooden bookshelves and potted plants.
Bare light bulbs hang down from the ceiling, while a children’s playroom faces out to the street.
A dental laboratory, X-ray facility and sterilising rooms are tucked away at the back.
The interior of the room was of rather coarse RC and in skeleton state. We painted the interior white and inserted a house type of translucent material to get the ceiling as high as possible without a touch on RC beams. This resulted in getting calm, peaceful consultation rooms.
The translucent material was chosen for lighting the consultation rooms only by the light transmitted through so that light sources may not offend the eye of the patient in the tilted dental chair.
A medical facility tends to become functional, cold space after all due to the indispensable requirement such as contamination-proof. I am of the opinion that we can produce an space which is clean and peaceful at the same time by controlling the state of light.
Scandinavian architects Guise designed this retail space in Stockholm as a blank canvas for any fashion brand to display their garments against (+ slideshow).
Guise designed the white interior of the D&V Multibrand Store to provide a neutral background for different retailers.
Powder-coated steel pillars have perforated corners to accommodate a flexible steel shelving system and also allow clothes to be hung directly from the holes.
The pillars are arranged in staggered lines and spread throughout the store, grouped for garments designed by different clothing labels.
Central display units are made of asymmetrical stacks of angled boxes, which each flare outward from their bases to create more surface area on top for folded items.
“We used a floor area of 40 by 40 centimetres, equivalent to one folded shirt,” said the designers. “This area was designed to grow into a table with a surface for seven shirts. This was repeated until the table offered an area for 20 shirts.”
Oak-clad storage boxes line the edges of the shop and the cash register covered with toughened glass. All pieces of furniture were custom made for the store.
Here is some more information from the architects:
We used a floor area of 40×40 cm, equivalent to one folded shirt, this area were designed to grow to a table for 7 shirts. This logical course of action was repeated until the table offered an area for 20 shirts. The final shape is a result of this commercial rationality, making a 20 times profit in display area.
Being asked not to have any specific garments or brand in mind the space was designed as a neutral space similar to a warehouse. White and with no branded features, hence the empty photos.
Display unit concept diagram
We designed a L-shaped beam with a perforation along the corner. Shelves were custom designed to fit the perforated pillars. The beams were distributed asymmetrical around the store, like a forest of pillars where clothes can hung or be placed according to every new items needs.
“I really got some crossed looks when I brought this Indonesian mask back from a trip overseas,” says Andrew Galuppi (at right). “I took up most of the overhead bins!”
Looking to ward off the evil eye with a wedding Hamsa from North Africa, amass an instant collection of Japanese liquor bottles, or add a Moroccan Beni Ouran rug to your living room? These exotic treasures and many more are just a click away thanks to interior designer Andrew Galuppi and architect Ahmad Sardar-Afkhami. The pair have teamed up with flash sale site One Kings Lane for “Camera Mundi” an online tag sale that begins today.
The collection of homegoods, priced from $20 to $3,000, includes rugs, furniture, statuary, and other objects collected by Galuppi and Sardar-Afkhami during their travels around the world. “Every handcrafted item is infused with someone’s story—they probably were taught their skill by a long-lost relative and spent hours on each piece, and without the help of a machine,” says Galuppi, who travels to India every winter. “This is part of the world I like supporting, because each piece carries with it an energy and a real story that gets transferred to your home.” We asked the globe-trotting designers to tell us more about “Camera Mundi,” the objects in the sale, and where their worldly, contemporary aesthetic will take them next.
How did you come to work with One King’s Lane? Ahmad Sardar-Afkhani: One of my close friends, Nate Berkus, was doing a sale with another friend, Ethan Trask, who works at One Kings Lane. We began talking and he proposed I create a sale mostly with the rugs and textiles I have been collecting.
Andrew Galuppi: Ahmad didn’t want to do the sale all alone—it’s more fun with a friend—so he knew my apartment was stuffed to the rafters with bits and bobs and he thought the mixture of our two collections would create one great big exciting assortment…kinda like a crazy bazaar!
Tell us about the significance of the title, “Camera Mundi”? Sardar-Afkhani: In Latin, it means “room of the world,” where objects from different historical and cultural backgrounds can be displayed next to each other. I’m all for this type of juxtaposition, where new meaning and beauty is derived from assemblages of objects that would otherwise have little in common.
Galuppi: In addition to what Ahmad has explained…I think that a lot of people have really well curated homes these days, and including an object from some far away place will add texture and personality to a space to make it really feel finished and unique. That’s where “camera mundi” comes into place: bringing the globe home. continued…
Exposed brick walls and a large bookshelf are on show through the glazed facade of this ground-floor apartment in Montreal by Canadian designer Anne Sophie Goneau (+ slideshow).
Anne Sophie Goneau began the renovation by stripping the apartment back to its structure, revealing raw brick walls and steel I-beams, then designed an open-plan layout with a bedroom on side and a bathroom at the back.
“The concept was to highlight the raw materials discovered during the demolition, in order to communicate their material, their relief and colour environment,” explained Goneau.
A kitchen runs along one side of the space. Glossy black cabinets, surfaces and appliances flank the exposed red brickwork, while a contrasting white counter is positioned in front.
“The open kitchen is the focal point of the space; it unfolds on the dining room and living room,” said Goneau.
A floor-to-ceiling glass partition separates the kitchen and dining area from the main bedroom, which residents can choose to screen with curtains.
A full-height bookshelf is positioned in front of this bedroom, forming the backdrop of a living room that is also furnished with a large green sofa and a pair of reclaimed wooden armchairs.
A timber-lined corridor leads to a second bedroom and bathroom towards the rear. The bathroom is divided into sections; on one side the bathtub and steel sink are surrounded by white walls, while the adjacent shower and toilet are contained behind dark-tinted glass for privacy.
The project is the design of a 1,280 square feet condo located on the ground floor of a triplex in Montreal. The mandate was to divide each living area in order to maximise while maintaining the architectural integrity of the existing location, each room with natural light.
The concept was to highlight the raw materials, discovered during the demolition (brick wall, wall hemlock and steel structure), in order to communicate their material, their relief and colour environment.
Upon entering the hall is semi-closed hall, so that it has an overview of the condo. The open kitchen is the focal point of the space; it unfolds on the dining room and living room, where the master bedroom fits.
It is bounded by a glass wall which preserves the view of the bare brick; an archaeological reminder wanting to highlight the existing raw materials as an exhibitor showcase. A green velvet sofa, two vintage chairs and a bookshelf that leans against the bedroom wall bound the living room.
On the ground, a radiant hot water heating system was installed under a concrete slab which was covered by a light grey epoxy and polyurethane matt finish to replicate the natural colour of concrete. The primary and secondary bedrooms, as well as the bathroom, are glossy white epoxy to distinguish the private area of the common space.
The steel beam, flameproof, delimits the passage area. In the corridor leading to the bathroom, a light-emitting diode was installed in the recessed ceiling for a more intimate setting, which features the original hemlock wall.
Tone on tone, glossy black kitchen cabinets and electrical appliances are blended. The cooktop with integrated sub-hood, allows maximum exposure of brick wall, the backsplash, lit by a light-emitting diode recessed in counter.
The dining table becomes the visual continuity of the kitchen island. In the bathroom, custom-made stainless steel countertop and bath rectilinear shapes are stacked on each other, forming a sculptural composition. On the floor, a white epoxy and in the shower a dark grey epoxy were applied.
The contrast between these two colours form a psychological boundary of two areas: one is clear and bright, the other, darker, creating a private area for the shower and toilet. The window allows natural light in the room while preserving the intimacy of the space, with a frosted film.
Project name: Espace St-Denis Description: Design of a condo, storefront Design: Anne Sophie Goneau Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Date: 2013
Giant paintbrushes hold up the splattered ceiling of this conceptual restaurant by Polish designer Karina Wiciak (+ slideshow).
Wiciak, of design studio Wamhouse, created the fantasy interior as the tenth of 12 bars and restaurants that each have a different theme.
Titled Pracownia, meaning workshop in Polish, this design is modelled on a painter’s studio and includes surfaces and furniture decorated with paint splashes.
The structural columns look like oversized paintbrushes, plus glass table tops and pendant lights are shaped like palettes.
Table bases, lamps and seats are formed from buckets, with lounge chairs created from large upturned pales and bar stools made from smaller ones. A bucket is also used as the bowl of a toilet.
Pracownia is the tenth project of the collection XII, designed entirely by Karina Wiciak
The restaurant is called “Pracownia” (which in Polish means “workshop”), because it was designed as a light pastiche of a painter’s studio. The most characteristic features of the interior are colourful blobs, because almost the entire interior of the “Papiernia” has been splashed with paint, from floor through furniture to the ceiling. It was not designed to be youth interior in the pop-art style, but to be modern, elegant restaurant. That is why, beyond the blots, the white and silver metal finish dominates.
To the topic of painting studio, some other design elements have been matched. Structural columns resemble enlarged paint brushes. Glass, pendant lamps and table tops have a shape of palette.
A bucket (of course a paint bucket) is present both in the design of tables, chairs and pendant lamps. Brush ends (sticking out of a bucket placed in the table) are used instead of the usual candles or table lamps.
Since the whole interior is designed like a painter’s studio, also the toilets cannot deviate from the topic. Therefore, the design of compact toilet bowl and sink also uses a form of bucket, and the counter top and mirror are mounted on a large easel.
An exhibition exploring the latest digital design and manufacturing processes opens today at New York’s Museum of Arts and Design.
Untitled (5), 2008, by Richard Dupont
The exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) features more than 120 examples of sculpture, jewellery, fashion and furniture that demonstrate different uses for computer-assisted production methods.
Twisted Dump Truck (Counterclockwise, Scale model 1:5), 2011, by Wim Delvoye
Some new works produced specially for the exhibition will also be presented, including a 4.5-metre-tall digitally-scanned mask of artist Richard Dupont.
“From sculptural fantasy to functional beauty to conceptual idiosyncrasies, the works of art in Out of Hand, all created in the past decade, demonstrate an explosive, unprecedented scope of artistic expression,” said curator Ronald T. Labaco.
Liquid Glacial “Smoke” Coffee Table, 2012, by Zaha Hadid and Patrik Schumacher. Image is by Jacapo Spilimbergo
In keeping with the Museum of Arts and Design’s curatorial policy there is a focus on experimental uses of materials and technologies in art and industry, rather than products designed for the mass market.
“The cross-disciplinary nature of the work and the exploration of seemingly disparate themes and concepts allows for boundless creativity,” Labaco added. “The exhibition puts these pioneering works in dialogue, highlighting at once their vast diversity and the trends and ideas that connect them.”
Visitors to the exhibition will be invited to try out technologies including computer-aided modelling software and 3D printers, while designers-in-residence will be on hand to demonstrate some of the processes.
Lacquered Paper-Objects, 2012, by Nendo. Image is by Masayuki Hayashi
Clone Chair, 2005, by Julian Mayor. Image is by Julian Mayor and Topaz Leung.
Here are some more details about the exhibition from the Museum of Arts and Design:
Out of Hand: Materializing the Postdigital
Exploring the latest trends in digital fabrication, Out of Hand: Materializing the Postdigital at the Museum of Arts and Design is the first in-depth survey dedicated to exploring the impact of computer-assisted methods of production on contemporary art, architecture, and design. Opening in October, this landmark exhibition brings together more than 120 works of sculpture, jewelry, fashion, and furniture by 85 artists, architects, and designers from 20 countries to examine how new technologies are pushing the boundaries of artistic expression and creation. The cutting-edge works highlighted in the exhibition demonstrate the reciprocal relationship between art and technological innovation as well as materials and new techniques—an area of exploration that has long been at the core of MAD’s mission and curatorial program.
Brain Wave Sofa, 2010, by Lucas Maassen and Unfold
To mark the launch of MAD’s new holiday hours, visitors are invited for a sneak peek of the exhibition on Columbus Day, October 14. The completed exhibition will be on view October 16, 2013, through July 6, 2014.
Organized by Ronald T. Labaco, MAD’s Marcia Docter Curator, the exhibition features new and recent work from 2005 to the present, including commissions created especially for Out of Hand and objects never presented before in the U.S. by such artists, architects, and designers as Barry X Ball, Bespoke Innovations, Wim Delvoye, Richard Dupont, Zaha Hadid, Anish Kapoor, Joris Laarman, Daniel Libeskind, Maya Lin, Greg Lynn, Lucas Maassen, Jürgen Mayer- Hermann, Achim Menges, Marc Newson, Nike, Alan McCollum, Roxy Paine, Frank Stella, Hiroshi Sugimoto, and Unfold, among many others. Two large-scale sculptures—a fifteen-foot- high digitally scanned mask of artist Richard Dupont’s face, and a towering abstraction of wrestling figures created through digital milling techniques by Michael Rees—will activate the space outside the Museum on Columbus Circle and serve as an introduction to the exhibition.
Bust of Lady Belhaven (after Samuel Joseph), 2011, by Stephen Jones and Made by .MGX by Materialise. Image is by Kent Pell, Courtesy of Phillips de Pury and Company
“The compelling works in Out of Hand expand audience understanding of the ways artists and designers from around the world are utilizing these new technologies to extend their artistic practice, revealing how these innovations are also transforming practices in manufacturing, healthcare, and other fields not readily associated with the contemporary art world,” said David McFadden, MAD’s William and Mildred Lasdon Chief Curator. “By examining these trends through the lens of artistic expression, MAD is opening up a dialogue on the significance of digital technologies to our larger culture and global society.”
Building on MAD’s practice of making the artistic process accessible in the gallery spaces, audience participation plays a central role in the exhibition. The Museum’s second floor will be equipped with 3D printers, modeling software, and computer monitors, allowing visitors to experiment with the technologies explored in the show. Designers-in-residence working in the gallery will demonstrate various digital techniques and fabrication tools used to create objects like those in the exhibition, and a range of special workshops, public and educational programs that provide visitors with hands-on opportunities to deepen their engagement with 3D software and hardware throughout the exhibition’s run. Also integrated into the installation are video clips that explain individual artistic practices and the divergent approaches toward incorporating digital fabrication in the creative process. Additionally, a number of the featured works include interactive components.
Rapid Racer, 2011, by Andreas Schulz , Barbara Kotte, Johannes Zäuner, Rebecca Wilting, and Nicolas Eggert. Image is by Johannes Roloff
The exhibition is conceptually organized around six themes, which provide a framework for navigating the diverse range of artwork on view and reflect aesthetic trends and artistic approaches:
In Modeling Nature biological and ecological phenomena serve as a point of departure for artistic creativity;
New Geometries explores how mathematical formulae are applied to create intricate three-dimensional patterns and geometric forms large and small;
Rebooting Revivals reveals how creators use computer-assisted production to reference or appropriate notable historical art works and decorative styles;
Digital manipulation is also used to reconceptualize human figuration and the body in Remixing the Figure;
Works in Pattern as Structure incorporate movement, sound, light, and other sensory elements to create immersive art forms that activate the gallery space;
Processuality documents how the act of making plays a vital role in the creation and presentation of works that reveal the limitless possibilities of these emerging technologies.
“From sculptural fantasy to functional beauty to conceptual idiosyncrasies, the works of art in Out of Hand, all created in the past decade, demonstrate an explosive, unprecedented scope of artistic expression,” said Curator Ronald T. Labaco. “The cross-disciplinary nature of the work and the exploration of seemingly disparate themes and concepts allows for boundless creativity. The exhibition puts these pioneering works in dialogue, highlighting at once their vast diversity and the trends and ideas that connect them.”
Hyphae Lamps, 2011, by Nervous System. Image is by Jessica Rosenkrantz
To provide audiences with the full sweep of innovation in this rapidly growing field, the exhibition includes objects created through purely digital fabrication techniques alongside works that combine traditional handcrafted processes with these new methods.
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Looking to ward off the evil eye with a wedding Hamsa from North Africa, amass an instant collection of Japanese liquor bottles, or add a Moroccan Beni Ouran rug to your living room? These exotic treasures and many more are just a click away thanks to interior designer 
