Valerie Traan by Lens°Ass architecten // Antwerp, Belgium.Valerie Traan is a gallery and a residence in Antwerp, Belgium. Designed by LENS°ASS architecten, the space is a fine example of heritage renovation that sings the sweetest of design songs. The kind of song which isn't typecast as any...
Design Free Thursday // Dan Cretu.My parents raised me with a belief that playing with ones food is not a done thing. Romanian photographer, artist and maker, Dan Cretu, clearly had a very different...
Little Trace Of // Christopher Boots.Christopher Boots is a Melbourne-based designer who is driven by his love of nature and light. After visiting the studio of the renowned lighting designer Geoffrey Mance in 2005, Christopher went on to work with Mance gaining an invaluable...
The Turku Chapels // Finland.There is something so powerful about essential, elemental space. Not one part more than needed, not one gesture less than necessary. The result presents as a single deft stroke, which conjures visceral and various reactions from the people...
IRO Hair Salon by Reiichi Ikeda // Osaka, Japan.Humble materials considered beautifully, intricate patterns on the shopfront, pristine joinery pieces that double up as room dividers - these are just some of the reasons I was instantly drawn to the IRO hair salon in Osaka, Japan....
DualSpace Studio Transforms a Kuala Lumpur Store into a Cinematic Experience.For Kuala Lumpur's Calaqisya Store, DualSpace Studio drew inspiration from Wes Anderson's meticulous aesthetic. The space features custom wood panelling that conceals functional elements, membrane ceiling lights casting golden warmth, and...
At Above The Clouds Melbourne Store, Pattern Explores Restraint as a Form of Richness.Above The Clouds' Melbourne expansion showcases Pattern Studio at their most considered. The young practice has refined their signature "unexpected dualities" theme into something more nuanced for the Collins Street store. It's retail...
Inside Sunnei’s Rule-Breaking Milan Flagship Where Retail Meets Cultural Hub.Milan's coolest fashion brand Sunnei has completed their multifaceted flagship by unveiling a gallery space within their headquarters. This final piece transforms the "Store-Café-Gallery" concept into Milan's newest cultural destination....
Earth, Craft & Hospitality: Clare Cousins Architects’ Warm Minimalism for Fisher & Paykel Melbourne Experience Centre.Within a meticulously restored 1920s garage on Brunswick Street, Fisher & Paykel's Melbourne Experience Centre showcases three distinct kitchen environments through a material palette celebrating local provenance. Clare Cousins Architects,...
Studio Manifold’s Design Double-Header in Melbourne’s Collingwood.In a heritage-listed building on Collingwood's Peel Street, Studio Manifold has designed two distinct but philosophically aligned projects I can only describe as a design double-header. Mane, a gender-fluid retail experience, and Two Birds...
Glass Act: A Crystalline Retail Experience in Seoul by Indiesalon.In Seoul's bustling Garosu-gil district, Indiesalon has created a crystalline retail environment for cosmetics brand Glow. The 36-square-metre showroom uses glass architecture and technical innovation to create a retail space that feels...
Voce at Triennale Milano Elevates Music to Museum-Worthy Art Status.Milan's cultural landscape gains a new dimension with Voce, Triennale's dedicated sound space. Designed by Luca Cipelletti within Giovanni Muzio's historic Palazzo dell'Arte, the venue combines cutting-edge acoustics with respectful...
Blade Runner & Kill Bill References Meet Japanese Ryokan In This Houston Dining Fantasy.Houston's dining scene just levelled up with Haii Keii, an immersive restaurant where reality bends through portals of perception. Designed by Gin Design Group, this surreal Japanese ryokan reimagined draws from Blade Runner's neon...
Sleeping Among the Trees But Make it Luxury: The Montenotte’s Woodland Suites in Cork.The Woodland Suite Experience at Cork's Montenotte Hotel redefines luxury accommodation in Ireland with its €7.5 million ($13M AUD) development of nine architect-designed retreats. Nestled within the hotel's historic grounds, these...
Shell+Core Crafts Dynamic Day-to-Night Experience for ETHR’s Clubhaus in Sharjah.ETHR expands its beloved UAE presence with a new Clubhaus concept in Sharjah, where shell+core's design extends the brand's minimalist language while drawing subtle inspiration from the emirate's distinctive mountainous...
At Bar Bon Funk in Singapore, Music, Materials and Design are a Team Sport.In Singapore's New Bahru, Bar Bon Funk is another fine example of thoughtful hospitality design by Nice Projects, the team serious about creating special environments that are light hearted with big personalities. The 110-square-meter...
The EVE Hotel Sydney: A Biophilic Breath in Wunderlich Lane’s Final Chapter.Rooted in a philosophy of longevity, The Eve balances enduring architectural design with contemporary accents. It's a celebration of Sydney's creative spirit and a contributor to the ongoing story of Surry Hills and Redfern—a design...
Mid-Century Vibes in Modern Dubai: Al Barari Apartment by Bone Studio.Bone Studio has transformed a Dubai apartment into a mid-century inspired sanctuary that feels like an extension of the surrounding landscape. The 150-square-metre space was cleverly reconfigured from one to two bedrooms using a raised...
House for Five Women: Architecture as a Force for Good in Post-War Bosnia.The House for Five Women in Bosnia represents a new model for post-war community healing through design. Swiss and Serbian practice TEN collaborated with local craftspeople, NGOs, and residents over seven years to create architecture that...
New Castle: A Walled Garden Paradise in Merewether by Anthony St John Parsons.Behind imposing limestone walls of New Castle lies an "invisible garden of paradise" where rooms snake around hidden outdoor spaces. Anthony St John Parsons deliberately created "uncanny scales and proportions" using familiar materials in...
A Compact Rural Retreat Inspired by Thoreau’s Walden Philosophy.In Spain's Sierra de Gredos mountains, architecture firm Extrarradio Estudio has created a compact cabin that punches well above its 40m² footprint. Prado Toro reimagines local agricultural typologies through vertical expansion, with a...
Philadelphia’s Famous Movie Loft Gets an Architectural Encore.In Philadelphia, a historic cigar factory with cinematic credentials has undergone a dramatic transformation. Once the filming location for Tom Hanks' "Philadelphia," this 297-square-metre loft combines two adjacent units into a...
How German Homeowners Built Their Dream House with Architectural Manuals.When Erika and Willi purchased a barn in Germany's wine country, they faced a challenge: transforming it with limited skills and budget. Working from detailed architectural manuals by Piertzovanis Toews architects, they spent four years...
