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Downtown LA Proper
CategoriesInterior Design

Eight hotel interiors characterised by eclectic designs

By Zarkon Group,

From guest rooms filled with fashion designer Christian Louboutin’s personal antique collection to Ibiza’s oldest hotel where handmade masks are mounted on the walls, our latest lookbook features eight eclectic hotel interiors.

Eclectic design brings together objects and styles from a range of sources – often mixing contemporary and vintage pieces.

While many hotels are characterised by uniform luxury, others celebrate unlikely combinations of furniture, colours and patterns.

Here are eight eclectic hotel interiors from around the world defined by contrasts and clashes.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring residential mezzanines, Mexican holiday homes and minimalist bathrooms.

Downtown LA ProperDowntown LA Proper
Photo courtesy of Kelly Wearstler

Downtown LA Proper, USA, by Kelly Wearstler

American designer Kelly Wearstler has created the interiors for all four of the Proper Hotel Group’s branches across North America.

The Downtown LA Proper is anchored by “bold and eclectic choices”, including a chunky graphite reception desk and a hand-painted archway flanked by leaning column-like cacti in rustic pots.

Find out more about Downtown LA Proper ›

Montesol Experimental hotel in Ibiza by Dorothée MeilichzonMontesol Experimental hotel in Ibiza by Dorothée Meilichzon
Photo by Karel Balas

Montesol Experimental, Ibiza, by Dorothée Meilichzon

Dorothée Meilichzon of French interior design studio Chzon renovated Montesol – the oldest hotel in Ibiza, originally built in the 1930s.

Meilichzon transformed the renamed Montesol Experimental with “a bohemian overtone” that draws on the hotel’s rich history. Among its interior elements are lumpy Playdough Stools by artist Diego Faivre, hand-crafted masks and an abundance of tassels.

Find out more about Montesol Experimental ›

Monkey side table in Vermelho Hotel bedroomMonkey side table in Vermelho Hotel bedroom
Photo by Ambroise Tézenas

Vermelho, Portugal, by Christian Louboutin and Madalena Caiado

Louboutin filled his first hospitality project with furniture and materials from his personal antique collection.

The fashion designer worked with architect Madalena Caiado to create the Vermelho boutique hotel in the Portuguese village of Melides. The guest rooms feature unexpected elements such as a rattan monkey-shaped side table and striking hand-painted frescoes.

Find out more about Vermelho ›

Palm Heights Grand Cayman by Gabriella KhalilPalm Heights Grand Cayman by Gabriella Khalil
Photo by Brooke Shanesy

Palm Heights, Grand Cayman, by Gabriella Khalil

Collectible design pieces characterise Palm Heights in Grand Cayman, the island’s first boutique hotel.

Creative director Gabriella Khalil sought to style the project like a 1970s Caribbean mansion, selecting sandy yellows and bold blue hues to complement the many original artworks that adorn the walls.

Find out more about Palm Heights ›

Kelly Wearstler-designed hotel in AustinKelly Wearstler-designed hotel in Austin
Photo by The Ingalls

Austin Proper Hotel and Residences, USA, by Kelly Wearstler

Among the Proper Hotel Group’s other locations is an Austin branch. Wearstler inserted a sculptural oak staircase into the lobby that doubles as a plinth for a varied collection of glazed earthenware pots and vases.

Locally sourced art and textiles characterise the hotel, which has cypress wood walls that were charred using the traditional Japanese technique of Shou Sugi Ban to create a tiger-striped effect.

Find out more about Austin Proper Hotel ›

Bedroom with patterned headboardBedroom with patterned headboard
Photo by Simon Brown

Hôtel de la Boétie, France, by Beata Heuman

Swedish designer Beata Heuman created the Hôtel de la Boétie in Paris to be “a bit like a stage set”.

Heuman chose contrasting elements for the colour-drenched interiors. Bedrooms feature a mixture of dark-hued woven headboards and pale pink sheets, while downstairs, the reception area’s jumbo flower lamps balance the steely silver of the lounge walls.

Find out more about Hôtel de la Boétie ›

Château Royal hotel in Berlin by Irina Kromayer, Etienne Descloux and Katariina MinitsChâteau Royal hotel in Berlin by Irina Kromayer, Etienne Descloux and Katariina Minits
Photo by Felix Brueggemann

Château Royal, Germany, by Irina Kromayer

A series of eclectic spaces make up the Château Royal in Berlin, which references the heyday of the German capital at the turn of the 20th century.

Interior architect Irina Kromayer designed the hotel to be “authentic” rather than retro, choosing art noveau tiles and brass and nickel hardware in a nod to the finishes commonly found in Berlin’s historic buildings.

Find out more about Château Royal ›

A green hotel barA green hotel bar
Photo by Christian Harder

Esme Hotel, USA, by Jessica Schuster Design

Plush velvet flooring, textural tassels and plants in wicker pots come together at the Esme Hotel in Miami, renovated by New York studio Jessica Schuster Design.

The interiors draw on the “bohemian grandeur” of the hotel’s 1920s history, with decadent alcoves clad with contrasting patterns.

Find out more about Esme Hotel ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring residential mezzanines, Mexican holiday homes and minimalist bathrooms.

Reference

Shrinking Spaces, Expanding Horizons: Navigating Tiny Living in an Off-Grid Houseboat
CategoriesArchitecture

Shrinking Spaces, Expanding Horizons: Navigating Tiny Living in an Off-Grid Houseboat

By Zarkon Group,

The judging process for Architizer’s 12th Annual A+Awards is now away. Subscribe to our Awards Newsletter to receive updates about Public Voting, and stay tuned for winners announcements later this spring.   

“Water is central to these kinds of desirable ecologies that can reshape cities,” says Ham Dong, co-founder and partner of Crossboundaries. The firm contributes to creating “vital built environments” via architecture, and project blueprints are often defined by location.

In some ways, you could say the opposite is true of the firm’s latest undertaking, Solar + Design = Tiny Home on the Water. The clue is very much in the name — a modified houseboat offering the freedom of canal, lake and river life with high-end, modern specifications. Less obvious: the vessel runs entirely on solar power, making it a groundbreaking example of alternative fuel for transport, off-grid heating and cooking. 

Solar + Design = Tiny Home on the Water by Crossboundaries, Germany

Putting things into perspective, around 1% of the UK population has no grid connection and uses bottled gas for power. In the US, around 12 million use propane as a primary energy source. Off-grid fuels are recognized as a substantial challenge to green transition. Solar Houseboat SYC 1415 is a unique example of renewable solutions applied to a situation that presents particular challenges in this area.

Currently floating in Germany, from March to November, the boat is entirely self-reliant. An entire roof of panels and an additional one on either side powers everything needed. That includes traveling up to 50 kilometers per day, at 7 KM/H, around the same speed as a standard canal barge.

Solar + Design = Tiny Home on the Water by Crossboundaries, Germany

On the inside, climate considerations are more hidden. A biological sewage treatment unit can be converted to drinking water, and a purification system is capable of turning river and lake water into potable. 

With just 15 meters in length and 4 meters in width to realize a bold vision combining transport, architecture and interior design, a series of interlinked but distinct areas guide you through the lower deck from a charming rear ‘terrace.’ These are almost as adaptable as the boat itself. Living areas become personal gyms, with equipment hidden beneath floor tiles that perfectly complement a simple, primary color scheme and functional finish. Beds recede before vanishing, opening more space.

Solar + Design = Tiny Home on the Water by Crossboundaries, Germany

Extensive research was conducted into material quality, taking into account local and regional landscapes, and seasonal weather on a continent known for real variation in temperatures. Lessons in design have clearly been learned from the development of tiny homes in recent decades, with every inch maximized through innovative solutions.

The result recalls memories of a trip to the iconic Rietveld Schroder House, in Utrecht, Netherlands. The 1920s home is an interiors landmark, carefully conceived in a way that introduced incredible flexibility to each area inside its modest sized building. De Stijl style governed aesthetics, a school defined by bold ‘pure’ colors and right angles.

Solar + Design = Tiny Home on the Water by Crossboundaries, Germany

Back onboard, another sleeping area appears from within the helmstead — the core technical controls of the craft itself — as if to emphasize the point that this is a deftly engineered home. In doing so, we’re given a truly spectacular view to wake up to. And this could be anywhere, because the project is made for absolute mobility and designed for relocation. Simply cast off and leave when you need a change of scenery.

We can’t remember another live-in vehicle which is so closely aligned in design with more permanent, fixed dwellings. And this hybrid speaks to our emerging needs. Like the ability to move without sacrificing the notion of ‘home’, immerse ourselves in new places but not lose identity. Others are more urgent, for example developing new forms of resilience to a changing world. Or returning to others we had, in the West at least, almost abandoned.

Solar + Design = Tiny Home on the Water by Crossboundaries, Germany

For the boat’s owner, Marianne, travel was the key driver in all this. Having spent her life living in cities, most recently moving from Beijing to Berlin, her dream of navigating Europe by water makes sense. There’s always something beautifully peaceful about being on a boat, whether that’s the lone barge on a quiet canal or sole ship on the ocean. 

In Europe, lack of access to green space is an increasing concern among urban populations, with a recent poll suggesting 1/3 of residents in Britain’s biggest metropolitan areas planned to leave in the future to get closer to the countryside. And yet, if the pandemic taught us the value of nature, it also made a point about the importance of connections and communities. The joy of Solar Houseboat SYC 1415 is the fact we don’t need to commit to either. We can be remote, or find ourselves on the busier channels coursing through our great cities. As such, it speaks to our current age in clear terms — a time when adaptability is becoming currency.  

The judging process for Architizer’s 12th Annual A+Awards is now away. Subscribe to our Awards Newsletter to receive updates about Public Voting, and stay tuned for winners announcements later this spring.   

Reference

Oslo Vitra showroom
CategoriesInterior Design

Vitra extends European presence with showroom openings

By Zarkon Group,

Promotion: Swiss furniture brand Vitra is expanding its European presence through a programme of showroom openings in renovated, distinctive historic buildings.

The brand, which is known for high-end office and home furniture by leading designers, has embarked on a programme of showroom expansion and renovation to add to its global presence.

“All Vitra showrooms reflect an agile and flexible platform to showcase our office and home concepts, including both Vitra and Artek,” said the brand.

“We are keen to present the collaboration and synergies with our partners in spaces designed for communal work, activities and events.”

It has recently opened or renovated showrooms in Amsterdam, London, Madrid, Oslo and Stockholm.

Oslo Vitra showroomOslo Vitra showroom
Vitra recently opened a showroom in Oslo

Vitra’s latest showroom opened last month in Oslo. Set within a 1930s metal factory in the resurgent Skøyen district, the understated interior was designed to contrast the industrial structure and set the base for the brand’s curated furniture collections.

The space contains offices for Vitra local staff and also functions as a place for the brand to host architects and designers.

Vitra Madrid showroomVitra Madrid showroom
It also opened a showroom in renovated building in Madrid

Earlier this year in Madrid’s bustling Salamanca district, Vitra opened a showroom within a 1920s art nouveau building originally designed by Spanish architect Antonio Palacios as a power supply facility for the city’s metro system.

The space was renovated by Spanish studio Carlos Manzano Arquitectos to create a bright and open space that showcases many of the building’s original features.

Topped by a distinctive steel and glass roof, the space combines office space for Vitra’s Madrid staff along with a showroom space, Vitra Colour & Material Library and a Task Chair Lab.

“One of our main goals was to peel off added elements to reveal the beauty of the spacious interior,” said Till Weber, creative director interiors and scenography.

“We also tried to maintain as much as possible of the original structure. For example, we tore out an entire kitchen installed by the former tenant to reveal wonderfully preserved brick walls.”

Vitra Amsterdam showroomVitra Amsterdam showroom
Its Amsterdam showroom overlooks the city’s port

In Amsterdam, Vitra recently opened another showroom on the dockside in the city’s Houthavens district within an old industrial munitions complex.

Vitra’s Amsterdam home was designed by London-based interiors studio SevilPeach, which was shortlisted for interior designer of the year at Dezeen Awards 2019.

Described as “breathtaking” by Vitra chairman Rolf Fehlbaum, the pared-back space features several showrooms, a shop, offices, canteen, a workshop and warehouse spaces.

Vitra showroom in ShoreditchVitra showroom in Shoreditch
Vitra’s London showroom opened in the Tramshed in Shoreditch

In London, Vitra recently opened a showroom in another heritage building – the Grade II-listed Tramshed in Shoreditch.

Originally built as a power station for the East London Tramway in 1905, the building was renovated to draw attention to its original features including the central roof light.

Along with the showroom openings, Vitra also recently renovated its Stockholm showroom. The brand also has European showrooms in Brussels, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Prague and Paris as well as outside Europe in Los Angeles, New York and Tokyo.

Herzog & de Meuron-designed VitraHaus flagship storeHerzog & de Meuron-designed VitraHaus flagship store
The Herzog & de Meuron-designed VitraHaus is its flagship store

The target audience for Vitra’s showrooms are B2B professionals, dealers, artists and designers. For its private clients, Vitra caters via its authorised dealer network and its own online shops.

Additionally, there is the Vitra Campus in Weil Am Rhein in Germany, which contains the Herzog & de Meuron-designed VitraHaus flagship store.

“The VitraHaus is a unique building that we have been working on for more than a decade,” said Nora Fehlbaum, CEO of Vitra.

“During this time, we have learned more about the building and about interiors in general: what does the building want? What suits it? What are the recipes for a good room? What is missing from our collection to make an interior even more meaningful or appealing? The interior we have now created reflects our answers to these questions and it is an ongoing project.”

Vitra creative director interiors and scenography Till Weber said: “In addition to the Vitra Campus, the Vitra brand should also be tangible and visible at a local level.”

“Depending on the location and surroundings there is a tailored concept, different colour scheme, a different product selection – but the Vitra DNA can always be experienced.”

Find out more about Vitra’s showrooms on its website.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Vitra as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

Reference

an ethereal lightness takes over studio gameiro's VAULT apartment in lisbon
CategoriesArchitecture

an ethereal lightness defines studio gameiro’s the VAULT in lisbon

By Zarkon Group,

inside the vault apartment by studio gameiro

 

Studio Gameiro completes The VAULT as an integrated residential project, spanning approximately 157 sqm in size and located in a singular building on the historic and creative Rua de São Bento street in Lisbon. ‘As good and long lasting stories go, we wanted to take this challenge a bit further as a unique opportunity to go that extra mile, and were extremely fortunate to find such an interesting couple moving into the city who handed us the challenge to design and build something completely unique which played, and twisted, with the usual notions and principles of space,’ shares the studio. 

an ethereal lightness takes over studio gameiro's VAULT apartment in lisbon
all images © Francisco Nogueira

 

 

mimicking the Arch of São Bento in lisbon

 

The perfect metaphor for the VAULT apartment by Studio Gameiro (see more here) is that the inside of the apartment mimics what the street has lacked for decades, and which used to define it as a starting and finishing point: the Arch of São Bento. The fact that the arch still exists nowadays in another square of Lisbon, and that the marks of this ‘uncoupling’ are still deeply visible on the street itself (and on the tiny rocky side which connects it to the National Parliament), gave the team an extra shot of energy to create something deeply rooted on the notion of the unexpected/unusual. This historic but grounded reference to arched forms is now perceived throughout its operational/logistics framework, and its visual identity.

an ethereal lightness takes over studio gameiro's VAULT apartment in lisbon
The VAULT living area

 

 

curved ceilings and ethereal atmospheres

 

As residents enter from the living room, the social area is revealed in full display, with a corridor leading to the dining room. Here, a bespoke dining table with a Travertine Creme top occupies the center of the space. It rests on a solid Iroko wood structure which evokes the traditional style of centuries-old dining tables, and which is accompanied by six restored chairs designed by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina. A classic revisited, something borrowed from memory, something pushing forward. This space is then smoothly connected to a breakfast corner, casual and chic as it could be. This small room, almost like a roundabout, gives one of the structural elements of this project: a strong character embedded with an almost floating, ethereal lightness. This contradiction of sorts permeates the entire apartment.

an ethereal lightness takes over studio gameiro's VAULT apartment in lisbon
Studio Gameiro designs ethereal curved ceilings throughout

 

 

The continuation of the curved ceiling leads us to the bespoke kitchen, where Moleanos countertops, a brass pendant element and extensive storage units (which aesthetically and structurally follow the tone of the walls) stand out. Bespoke brass handles, in the shape of hooks, make magical appearances as playing hide and seek. The kitchen provides access to a small patio, ideal for a short break (and a good book on cold Winter nights). The opposite path leads to the private area of the apartment which is traversed by a corridor that begins and ends with a stone arch. Full circle and the perfect metaphor for the project itself.

an ethereal lightness takes over studio gameiro's VAULT apartment in lisbon
breakfast corner

 

 

This corridor leads to the bedrooms and a family bathroom, ultimately leading to the impressive entrance of the master suite. This room, with its incredible scale and width, has an almost cinematic visual flair that defines what we were very keen to have as a foundation stone: space as playful and functional as it could. These layers work as different ‘levels’ to create smooth transitions between each area, allowing us to create quiet spaces, reminiscent of the Roman aqueducts which had basins to calm and re-direct the water’s flow. It is as if all these historical references came together to create ‘free flow’ areas to promote smooth transitions between each room.

an ethereal lightness takes over studio gameiro's VAULT apartment in lisbon
detailed view of breakfast corner

 

 

a deep and rich material palette by studio gameiro

 

The use of materials such as Moleanos limestone and brass is a nod to the aqueduct’s heritage and technical expertise as an Architecture and Design wonder. As textures go, the stone permeates all prominent areas like the arches which divide the spaces, the kitchen countertops and the bathroom sinks, while shiny brass represents a much more industrial character, alluding to the hooks that held lighting cables in the tunnels. This material, which sometimes wrongly rhymes with brash, is poetically edited into signature pieces, as it is discreetly incorporated into the project with a functional purpose. From the entrance there are two side paths which ‘divide’ the apartment into complementary ‘half moons’.

an ethereal lightness takes over studio gameiro's VAULT apartment in lisbon
corridor leading to the bedrooms and a family bathroom

 

 

From the common areas of both kitchen and dining room, the same sense of openess permeates the acess to the sleeping rooms, accessed through another set of arched corridors. This ‘suspension’ framework is intricately connected to the apartment’s storyline. As the arch was part of the same technical design of the Aqueduto das Águas Livres which used to supply water to Lisbon, the curved ceilings and arches guide us through it like a meander/path, much like water was guided through the arches of the aqueduct to people’s homes for centuries. Similar to the soft and mysterious lighting of those tunnels (which have an almost cinematic and stage/set display), light is skillfully designed to illuminate warm-textured surfaces coated with lime stucco stone.

 

Reference

LN-CC store in east London
CategoriesInterior Design

Gary Card redesigns LN-CC store with orange tunnel and LED-lit club

By Zarkon Group,

Designer Gary Card has given London’s LN-CC boutique a redesign that includes a sci-fi-looking wooden tunnel and a room “shaped like the inside of a foot”.

Card, who designed the original interior of the east London store in 2011, said the challenge for him was using the knowledge he has accumulated since then to create something new.

LN-CC store in east LondonLN-CC store in east London
The LN-CC store in east London has a red facade

“The question for myself this time was – can I use everything I’ve learned over the last decade to reimagine one of my most recognized projects,” he told Dezeen.

“Each room has a very different concept,” he added. “It’s become part of the tradition now to change the temperature and colour palette with each room and encourage a journey of identity and discovery.”

Wooden orange tunnel inside London fashion storeWooden orange tunnel inside London fashion store
An octagonal wooden tunnel welcomes visitors

The store is the only physical shop for LN-CC, which is mainly an online business, and is spread across the ground and lower-ground floor of a former tie factory.

Visitors enter via an orange wooden tunnel with an octagonal shape reminiscent of the architecture in director Stanley Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Calisto room inside LN-CCCalisto room inside LN-CC
Each room in the store has different colours and materials

It is the third tunnel that Card has designed for the store, following its original orange tunnel and a later white version.

“The tunnel is LN-CC’s icon,” Card explained. “It’s been with us for over a decade now, so it had to be a significant feature.”

“We decided early on to bring it to street level and make the entrance something that had never been seen before as part of the store space,” he added.

“It’s a brand-new design and construction. We’ve brought back the orange from the first tunnel; the white is a nod to the second version from 2014.”

Blue room by Gary Card at LN-CCBlue room by Gary Card at LN-CC
A cobalt-blue room sits on the lower-ground floor

Each of the six rooms in the store has a different feel and different colours, which Card chose together with LN-CC’s buying and creative director Reece Crisp.

“The colours we settled on really amplify what we’re showcasing, the brand’s unique edit,” the designer said.

Cave-like Callisto room at LN-CCCave-like Callisto room at LN-CC
The store is LN-CC’s only physical space

Among them is the Callisto room, which has a cave-like feel and a design that was influenced by the building’s existing structures.

“In the Callisto room, there was a circular part of a helter-skelter that used to be in the building – this used to be a tie factory and it was in the corner,” Crisp told Dezeen. “When we stripped the space back, we saw this sort of circle and that fed into how we wanted that space to be.”

In the Atrium, Card used tile adhesive to create the structures and patterns on the room’s wide lime-green pillars, which provide shelving for the store’s accessories.

Green pillars inside LN-CC Atrium Green pillars inside LN-CC Atrium
The Atrium room has green pillars decorated with tile adhesive

For LN-CC’s shoe room, known as the Midtarsal, Card drew on the anatomy of the human body to create an undulating, flesh-coloured interior.

“The shoe space, the Midtarsal room, that’s engineering to an incredible degree,” Crisp said. “We love the shape – like the inside of the foot – and how that warps the room.”

Throughout LN-CC, Card used a variety of different materials to bring the rooms to life.

“The space is a juxtaposition of lots of different materials,” he said. “So MDF, perspex, wood and concrete – I sought to take small cues from the original while innovating with a refreshed lens exploring the interplay between texture, colour and materials within the newly imagined rooms.”

Midtarsal room at London fashion storeMidtarsal room at London fashion store
The Midtarsal room has undulating shapes in a beige colour

The last room of the store is a club space, which features LED walls that can be used to turn the room into different colours or display messages.

“The club has always been a huge part of LN-CC’s identity, ” Card said. “It was never about selling clothes – the brand was an online business after all – it was about delivering experiences. So we wanted to do something really special with the new club.”

Club space at LN-CCClub space at LN-CC
The LN-CC club space is lit by an LED wall

“It was a bit dark and gritty before, which was cool, but we knew we needed to raise the stakes for the latest store design without it losing its edge,” Card added.

“My right-hand man, Richard Wilkins, was the tech wizard for the space who created the lighting and amazing LED wall. The lighting totally transforms the space.”

Other recent London store interiors include a boutique sprayed with recycled newspaper pulp and a colourful Marylebone store with handpainted murals.

Reference

Timber exterior of Two Sisters holiday home in Finland
CategoriesArchitecture

MNY Arkitekter completes “down-to-earth” house for two sisters in Finland

By Zarkon Group,

Finnish studio MNY Arkitekter has completed Two Sisters, a timber holiday home in Salo that is designed to allow two siblings to live “together separately”.

To create a dedicated space for each of the two sisters, MNY Arkitekter divided the home into two standalone units joined by a central terrace overlooking the surrounding rocks and pine trees on Finland’s west coast.

Timber exterior of Two Sisters holiday home in FinlandTimber exterior of Two Sisters holiday home in Finland
The two units are joined by a central terrace

“In many ways the site is one of typical Finnish inner archipelago terrain and vegetation, and one of the main goals was to preserve as many trees and visible rocks as possible,” MNY Arkitekter founder Mathias Nyström told Dezeen.

“Equality of the views from the two units was also important and had a significant impact on the layout.”

Living area within Two Sisters in FinlandLiving area within Two Sisters in Finland
Each unit has large windows. Photo by Mathias Nyström

The home’s two units “fan out” to provide privacy and avoid the surrounding trees, while making space for an existing sauna, utility room and overnight shelter on the site.

Each block features large windows at its western end, looking towards the sea and pine trees to the west. Openings facing the central terrace have been placed to minimise overlooking.

Kitchen interior of holiday home by MNY ArkitekterKitchen interior of holiday home by MNY Arkitekter
Black kitchen counters feature in each living space

“Being in one of the units you can only see the other from certain points, otherwise you mostly sense the existence of the other part,” said Nyström.

“You are on your own, but feel part of a bigger entity,” he added.

Each living space at Two Sisters has been finished with black kitchen counters, a dining table and a large freestanding fireplace. Built-in bench seating provides space to sit and look out over the landscape.

In the northern block, a bed is housed in a small nook off this living space backed by a full-height window, while to the south the slightly larger unit provides a double bedroom and two single bedrooms alongside the living space.

Bedroom interior within timber holiday home in Finland by MNY ArkitekterBedroom interior within timber holiday home in Finland by MNY Arkitekter
A small bed is backed by a full-height window in the larger unit

Two Sisters has a prefabricated structure of glue-laminated timber, finished externally with vertical planks of spruce. Internally, pale timber walls, floors and ceilings are treated with lye.

“The aim for the atmosphere was to create a uniform, serene space where nature plays a big part – the end result is very uplifting,” said Nyström.

“The weathered silver-grey wood will fuse the building in the landscape with rocks and pines. All in all it is a down to earth and subtle building,” he added.

Living space interior within Two Sisters holiday homeLiving space interior within Two Sisters holiday home
The home is constructed from glued-laminated timber

Elsewhere in Finland, MNY Arkitekter created a home on the shoreline of a small lake in Tenala using seven different varieties of timber.

Other recent projects in the country include a sauna and restaurant on the edge of Lake Saimaa by Studio Puisto and the steel-clad Dance House by JKMM and ILO architects in Helsinki.

The photography is by Multifoto Ab unless otherwise stated.

Reference

Mid-closeup of electric fireplace shows no-pollution "coals and flames" - photo
CategoriesSustainable News Zero Energy Homes

Decarbonize Your Hearth with an Electric Fireplace

By Zarkon Group,

Humans have a primal attraction to a crackling flame and the ambience of a cozy fireplace. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright called the hearth the “the psychological center of the home,” and designed all his residences around a central fireplace.

For the majority of humans who now live in urban areas, a traditional wood-burning fireplace is not a practical or healthy option (for reasons we explain below). This reality has made gas fireplaces popular because they pair the beauty of fire with the convenience of a switch and without the hassle of chopping wood and lighting a flame. But because elimination of gas is a fundamental tenet of decarbonized living, and we all love a cozy fire, we need alternative decarbonized hearth options. Enter the electric fireplace.

The State of American Fireplaces

First, a little context on the hearths in American homes. Many new homes in the US have a fireplace, yet the traditional wood-burning one is disappearing. New homes with fireplaces of any kind declined by almost two-thirds from 1978 to 2017, possibly because fireplaces are plagued with problems like heat loss through the chimney, indoor air pollution, and risk of fire spreading. However, according to the National Association of Home Builders’ What Home Buyers Really Want, 55% and 48% of home buyers rate gas- and wood-burning fireplaces, respectively, as desirable or essential, and this share has been increasing since 2003.

Why Fireplaces Matter

Research consistently finds that traditional wood-burning and gas stoves are bad for indoor and outdoor air quality and create serious issues for human health and the environment. Burning wood releases harmful gas and particulate matter that leads to respiratory issues for people living in the home and around it. It’s one of the biggest sources of air pollution in the county where we live. Natural gas also pollutes indoors through combustion and leaks and releases significant outdoor pollution, including NOx and carbon dioxide. Air quality districts in California are beginning to phase out any natural gas combustion in the home because the air pollution exceeds that of gas power plants. Other countries have similar issues. In the UK, for example, fireplaces and stoves are now the largest single source of primary particle pollution, greater than traffic and industry!

Fortunately there is a great way to create a clean, healthy, low-carbon ambience with the feel of old school flames: the electric fireplace is the future home hearth. Because electricity is getting dramatically cleaner every year, with the rise of renewables and the demise of coal, electric fireplaces offer a cozy vibe without any of the negative health or environmental impacts.

Until recently, fireplaces were synonymous with combustion, and the words “electricity” and “fire” were rarely paired together in a positive way. When we think of electric heat, many of us imagine the glowing red, inefficient electric resistance coils that are hardly associated with a comforting fireplace. But like so many new, clean electric home technologies, the electric fireplace has undergone rapid, and appealing, changes over the past 10 years.

Mid-closeup of electric fireplace shows no-pollution "coals and flames" - photo

Benefits of Electric Fireplaces

The electric fireplace is a radically improved, often overlooked technology that has a lot going for it:

  • Ambience: You may be surprised to know that electric fireplaces can provide a great-looking flame. Thanks to LEDs and a mirror element that rolls and reflects light, many electric flames look pretty realistic. You can enjoy them around the clock and any time of year because most models allow you to use the flame without the heat. Some models offer an option to change the color below the flame, which is our kids’ favorite party trick. Some varieties come with a material that sits in front of or below the flame to anchor it like a real fire. Since there’s not a real flame, you can use whatever material you want, including wood or stone to give it a natural look.
  • Safety: Unlike combustion fireplaces, the electric varieties have no risk from open flames or sparks that could lead to an uncontrolled fire. They are cool to the touch, making them great for homes with kids and pets. They safely operate near other appliances, including below TVs, which is a common set up.
  • Cost: Electric fireplaces are, by far, the most inexpensive type of fireplace to buy and install. The unit itself averages $1000, but you can find models as low as $200, compared to $1500 to $3500 for a gas fireplace insert. They are also much cheaper to install than gas or wood stoves, which typically run $2,000 to $10,000, because they require no outdoor venting or permitting. They simply plug into an outlet.
  • Improved Air Quality and Health: As discussed above, burning wood and gas creates significant amounts of indoor and outdoor air pollution. 
  • Carbon-Free: Of course, for us, committed to decarbonizing our lives, the number one benefit is the ability to remove natural gas from your home and run a fireplace on clean, emissions-free electricity.

Our Electric Hearth

Our 1987 ranch home didn’t have any kind of fireplace when we bought it in 2012. In 2015 we moved a pellet stove from our former house into an addition we built (we’ll cover the pros and cons of pellet stoves in a future article). In 2020, after hunkering down at home during the peak of the pandemic, we decided to invest in some home hygge and create a hearth to define our main living area, hide an unsightly electrical panel, and provide some storage. This simple, affordable project improved our home’s beauty, functionality, and carbon impact.

After much online research, we went to a local Portland electric fireplace store to check out the electric flames in person. We opted for a Dimplex because of the size (20 by 34 inches), which was the right proportion for our design, and realistic flame. We designed a hearth, mantle, and built-in cabinets and hired a local handy-person to put it all together over a long weekend when we were out of town.

The fireplace unit cost $700 and we spent close to $2500 on labor, lumber, drywall, and minor electrical work to build the hearth. This cost includes the plywood cabinets on either side.

The fireplace wonderfully defines our living room, which previously felt a bit anchorless in our open plan living area. It also provides heat, though we don’t turn on the heating element very often because it’s electric resistance, and our ductless heat pump is on the same wall. It came with unappealing plastic jewel-like rocks that sit on an interior shelf below the flame, and we replaced them with real rocks from the Oregon coast.

Options for Your Electric Hearth

While we went for the built-in model because of our other project goals, there are lots of options for standalone electric fireplaces. Our product selection was based on the dimensions that best fit our design and had the most realistic looking flame. Depending on your goals, and the configuration of your home, you may consider one of the following:

  • Wall mounted can be hung right on your wall, like a piece of art or flat-screen TV.
  • Built-ins fit into a custom structure so they are flush with the wall, like our fireplace.
  • Inserts are well suited for homes with existing wood burning fireplaces and can sit in the existing opening.
  • Standalone models allow you to plug a fireplace into any outlet and create great ambience in any room. A great option for renters.
  • Water Vapor is even an option! These can be filled manually or connected to a water line to create vapor resembling smoke.

While you can find electric fireplaces that cost thousands of dollars (typically the long narrow, built-in variety), all of the models shown here are only a few hundred.

For more on electric fireplaces, check out this fireplace guide from Modern Blaze and this Electrify Now video.

This article is part of a series by Naomi Cole and Joe Wachunas, first published in CleanTechnica. Through “Decarbonize Your Life,” they share their experience, lessons learned, and recommendations for how to reduce household emissions, building a decarbonization roadmap for individuals.

The authors:

Joe Wachunas and Naomi Cole both work professionally to address climate change—Naomi in urban sustainability and energy efficiency and Joe in the electrification of buildings and transportation. A passion for debarbonization, and their commitment to walk the walk, has led them to ductless heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, induction cooking, solar in multiple forms, hang-drying laundry (including cloth diapers), no cars to electric cars and charging without a garage or driveway, a reforestation grant from the US Department of Agriculture, and more. They live in Portland, OR, with two young children.

 

Our team researches products, companies, studies, and techniques to bring you the best of zero building. Zero Energy Project does not independently verify the accuracy of all claims regarding featured products, manufacturers, or linked articles. Additionally, product and brand mentions on Zero Energy Project do not imply endorsement or sponsorship unless specified otherwise.

Reference

Bookshelf wealth lookbook
CategoriesInterior Design

True trends always answer a need

By Zarkon Group,

As TikTok and other platforms become increasingly flooded with home-styling ideas, Michelle Ogundehin shares advice on how to navigate changing trends in the era of ubiquitous social media.

Newspaper journalists are often keen for a quote on “the latest trends”. What do I think of polka dots? What about red paint: hot right now, non? It depends. Or recently, what could I say about the TikTok trend “bookshelf wealth”? Hmmm, interesting.

Obviously, just because images of a lot of spotty things have been cobbled together by someone on Instagram, or an influencer declares in breathless tones that poppy has surpassed magnolia in the paint stakes, does not make it universally true. But this is not to flagellate the notion of “trends” per se – the stylistic movements that visualise our cultural climate can be genuinely intriguing.

Here-today-over-tomorrow fads can be noxious

True trends always answer a need. Emerging from an alchemy of desire, available resources, and cultural resonance, they have the power to make visible unspoken truths. However, the here-today-over-tomorrow fads can be noxious. The thing is, true trends don’t occur in a vacuum; you can always trace their roots. In short, no roots = no relevance = fad. And I’ll come back to the bookshelves.

Alternatively, it’s called marketing. Because someone, somewhere will make money from you feeling compelled to throw out your perfectly good cushion, frock, phone, or sofa to replace it with a newer, more “on-trend”, faster, smaller, prettier, or any other adjective you care to insert here, model.

Social media platform-time is bought to advance the cause and propel the message. Whether it has staying power though, is entirely another matter. This is where the aforementioned relevance and roots come in.

Arguably there are moments when it seems as if one creative camp has agreed on a singular approach. The spring special April issues of the fashion magazines collectively trill that “it’s all about pastels!” But is it? Or did the picture desks just pull together all the sugary-coloured images from across the collections of 20 different designers and call it a moment?

After all, it’s habitual for colours to lighten in the spring and darken as we approach winter. More of note would be if everyone went grey for April. But that probably wouldn’t make for an uplifting (ie sales-savvy) coverline.

It’s the same in interiors. When I was editor-in-chief of ELLE Decoration, occasionally I’d receive a letter from a disgruntled reader bemoaning the season’s hot new look. Why had it changed from last month’s look, which they loved?

As consumers and designers, we must self-interrogate

My reply was always the same: my job is to show you what’s out there, your job is to decide what you like, and then stick to it. Or change if you want to. But the key is that it’s your choice. What I always wanted to add was: and don’t devolve the responsibility for your taste!

It’s also true that there used to be a bit of a journalistic mantra that went along the lines of: one’s an oddity, two’s a coincidence, but three’s a trend! So, if three of a similar thing plopped into the inbox, then it was worth looking into.

However, the follow-up question is always: why? Why is this happening? Is there anything behind it? Just because something is new doesn’t make it news. And, crucially, is it adding anything to the cultural conversation?

I think this latter point is ever more relevant today. It can no longer be justified to create for the sake of it (that is arguably the purpose of art). Instead, as consumers and designers, we must self-interrogate.

Has this product genuinely improved the models that precede it by using less resources, demanding less energy, eradicating plastic, and thus being less likely to end up as waste? If not, then why make it?

That aside, sometimes a “trend” reflects more of a mood than a whole “moment”. Take the unexpected red “trend”. We could post-rationalise this as being rooted simply in a feeling of dark times drawing us to colour. It makes us happier.

Engaging your own inner critic becomes ever more vital

On the other hand, red is a deeply emotive hue, one of the most visible of the spectrum, thus a colour that intrinsically demands our attention. This is why it’s used for both stop and sale signs. We’re literally hardwired to see it. So, is this a verifiable trend, or merely the power of colour theory? Maybe it doesn’t matter?

However, when considering social-media trends, we generally only see more of what we think we already like. This is fine when we’re talking pops of colour, a lot less so regarding deep fakes deliberately designed to thwart opinions.

Bottom line, engaging your own inner critic becomes ever more vital. The platforms will always deliver a constant stream of fodder, but to paraphrase the inimitable Coco Chanel: content is what’s out there – but it’s up to you to choose what to believe.

Now back to those bookshelves. The images themselves are irrelevant. If someone was to go out and buy books by the metre to “get the look” then they’ve missed the point entirely; let’s not reduce the notion of home to a mere backdrop – it should be your personalised space from which to thrive.

Thus, to me, “bookshelf wealth” is the visual expression of the authenticity that we’re currently craving in a world that appears to have gone right royally tits up. Homes with shelves bursting with well-read tomes, curiosities and the talismans of life, however quirky, are an antidote to the virtual.

It dwells firmly in the tactile and tangible world of the analogue as so beautifully depicted recently in Wim Wenders’ latest film, Perfect Days, wherein the main protagonist lives contentedly in his chosen world of flip phones, cassette tapes and simple routine.

Stop the press! A trend that reflects the rejection of the maelstrom of modern life

It’s about honouring yourself, your journey, your interests, and proudly displaying it all. It stands on the shoulders of the movements we’ve seen already towards fermenting, knitting, and baking sourdough. It’s about truth-telling and slowing-down; renovating not relocating; ditching the work/spend cycle and stepping off the consumer conveyor belt.

It’s not so much a look as a potent signifier of a shifting of priorities. It’s back-to-basics and living on a human-needs-first scale, as an antidote to the prevalent norm of life being voraciously consumed at technological pace to maximise productivity for someone else.

Stop the press! A trend that reflects the rejection of the maelstrom of modern life, indicating long-term thinking and emotional evolution to be the way forward. That may not make for a super snappy soundbite, but it certainly bodes better for our future than crimson walls, or polka dots.

Michelle Ogundehin is a thought leader on interiors, trends, style and wellbeing. Originally trained as an architect and the former editor-in-chief of ELLE Decoration UK, she is the head judge on the BBC’s Interior Design Masters, and the author of Happy Inside: How to Harness the Power of Home for Health and Happiness, a guide to living well. She is also a regular contributor to publications including Vogue Living, FT How to Spend It magazine and Dezeen.

The photo, showing House M by Studio Vaaro, is by Scott Norsworthy.

Dezeen In Depth
If you enjoy reading Dezeen’s interviews, opinions and features, subscribe to Dezeen In Depth. Sent on the last Friday of each month, this newsletter provides a single place to read about the design and architecture stories behind the headlines.

Reference

Bc-biermann-geneva
CategoriesArchitecture

Augmented Drawing: Redefining Sketching for the Digital Age

By Zarkon Group,

Calling all architects to join the conversation! Rate and review your favorite design softwares and hardwares on Architizer’s Tech Directory, a new library of tech tools for designers.

“Imagine if you could see your ideas materialize in a matter of seconds, onsite and without waiting for construction to be finalized to evaluate and experience your design.”

Augmented drawing involves overlaying digital content onto the physical world through the lens of augmented reality. This process smoothly integrates digital elements, such as 3D models, animations or interactive effects, into real-world environments. Unlike traditional drawing methods confined to paper or canvas, augmented drawing liberates architects and designers from spatial limitations, enabling them to interact with their creations dynamically.

One of its most exciting aspects of augmented drawing is its interactive nature. Unlike static sketches on paper, augmented drawings can come to life through animations, sound effects and interactive elements. Architects can create dynamic compositions that respond to user input or change over time, transforming passive viewers into active participants. This level of interactivity adds a new layer of engagement and immersion to the creative process, captivating audiences in ways that traditional sketches cannot. By overlaying digital models onto physical environments in real-time, architects can explore spatial relationships, evaluate design proposals and visualize concepts with unprecedented clarity.

Admittedly, Augmenter Reality’s (AR) most groundbreaking quality is its ability to connect each specific architectural design with its site context. Consequently, augmented drawing offers architects a powerful toolkit for site analysis and contextual integration, enabling them to overlay digital models onto real-world environments to assess factors such as sunlight exposure, topography and surrounding architecture. By contextualizing designs within their physical surroundings, architects can ensure that their proposals harmonize with existing landscapes and urban contexts, enhancing the overall sustainability and livability of built environments.

Explore Architizer’s Tech Directory

Augmented drawings also facilitate collaboration among stakeholders throughout the design and construction phases. By creating shared virtual environments, architects, clients, engineers and contractors can collectively visualize and interact with design proposals, fostering consensus and alignment on project objectives. It also provides intuitive tools for marking, highlighting and annotating design elements within the augmented environment. This visual communication not only promotes clarity but also reduces the potential for misinterpretation, leading to more efficient decision-making and smoother project workflows during construction.

Still, apart from these more “obvious” applications of AR, there have been numerous innovative projects where augmented drawings are used to access environments and spaces, which so far have been out of reach. One example is CapitolaVR’s Rembrant Reality App in Mauritshuis museum, which allows visitors to literally enter Rembrandt van Rijn’s painting The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp.

The painting’s virtual environment was made through 3D scanning techniques and actors, who posed as the subjects of the painting, creating a portal to a past, fictional setting. This revolutionary merging of art and technology suggests countless possibilities for architects and uncovers ways of accessing, experiencing and even redesigning spaces that were not only physically but also conceptually perceived.

Several tools and platforms have emerged to facilitate augmented drawing experiences. Techniques for augmented drawing vary depending on the desired outcome and the chosen platform. Architects may begin by sketching outlines on paper before overlaying digital elements using AR-enabled devices. Alternatively, they can directly draw within AR environments, leveraging tools like gesture recognition and spatial tracking to refine their compositions with precision. The one thing that remains constant, however, is that augmented drawing not only expands the possibilities of artistic expression but also transforms the creative process itself.

By bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds, AR fosters a symbiotic relationship between the artist and their creation, blurring the lines between creator and spectator. It also democratizes creativity by lowering barriers to entry and fostering inclusivity. With accessible tools and intuitive interfaces, individuals from diverse backgrounds can engage in the artistic process, transcending traditional skill barriers to unleash their creative potential.

Since the beginning of the profession, sketching has been the most freeing tool for architectural drawing. It translates ideas, concepts and intentions to lines, textures and experiences, becoming the mediator between inception and reality. Ironically, augmented drawing blurs these boundaries even more. Its constant improvement on producing accurate spatial mappings and high-resolution augmented overlays leads to the creation of countless highly realistic augmented environments, which become backdrops for pioneering architectural designs, architectural conservation practices and real-time assembly processes.

Calling all architects to join the conversation! Rate and review your favorite design softwares and hardwares on Architizer’s Tech Directory, a new library of tech tools for designers.

Reference

Exterior view of front entrance of home; blurred man and woman stand in doorway conversing; path leads up to entrance, flanked by garden; in the fore and small sign mounted on a post displays the "Pearl Certified" logo - photo
CategoriesSustainable News Zero Energy Homes

Pearl Home Certification: Leading the Way to High Performance

By Zarkon Group,

A Platinum-level Pearl Certification renovation in Long Island, NY, prioritized both comfort and cost savings. The homeowners installed heat pumps, ENERGY STAR certified windows and doors, advanced cellulose-dense insulation, as well as solar panels. Smart home technology helps them manage energy and monitor savings

Tracking home improvements

The journey towards a more sustainable, comfortable, and valuable home can be long and complex. In his renovations, Woodcock said he primarily takes advantage of Pearl Points, a scoring system designed to help homeowners recognize and track high-performing assets and potential improvements. “The scoring system is sort of addictive,” Patrick says. “By that, I mean it’s like the way you want to reach the next level in a video game.”

Pearl’s multiple certification levels present your home’s overall performance, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Plus, it deep-dives into specific categories of assets:

  • Building Shell, including insulation
  • Heating & Cooling systems
  • Baseload appliance energy use
  • Home Management, like smart thermostats and dashboards
  • Solar, EV & Energy Storage

A home that doesn’t reach Pearl Silver (yet!) can qualify for Pearl Asset Certification, highlighting one or more high-performing features: high-performance windows and doors, heat pumps, ENERGY STAR appliances, etc. Assets that interact more with your local climate will earn more points. For instance, a high-efficiency air conditioner will be worth more points in Phoenix than in the Midwest.

This helps identify the most impactful home upgrades, from temperature and humidity control to reducing energy bills and resilience in the face of climate change, including well-being issues like indoor air quality. These “hidden” systems have no curb appeal but do represent valuable, long-lasting home investments.

The Green Door app will recommend priority tasks and update your plan as you bring assets online, earning Pearl Points toward higher home certification. Maintenance reminders help you ensure your investments continue to save on your energy bill and retain their value. Finally, the app stores the documentation and warranties on upgraded systems.

To achieve Gold-level Pearl Certification, this renovation in Phoenix included solar panels, AeroSealing, an EV charger, and ENERGY STAR certified appliances.

Contractor connection

Jan Green, a realtor and certified eco-broker, transformed her 1979 dilapidated Phoenix home, purchased in 2015, into a net-zero, energy-efficient residence, earning a Pearl Gold Certification. “A lot of people probably don’t know this—I certainly didn’t—but if the contractor who does your energy audit is also a certified contractor, with the capabilities to handle whatever fixes or replacements the audit revealed, it’s fairly standard practice for them to waive the cost of the energy audit as long as you contract with them for services,” said Green.

Homeowners can access Pearl’s network of contractors through the Green Door app. Importantly, any work done by a Pearl Contractor is automatically Pearl Certified upon successful completion. This ensures that the improvements contribute towards the home’s certification and overall value.

Green began with an energy audit, and then step-by-step upgraded her home with efficiency renovations: air sealing, LED lighting, energy-efficient appliances, and solar panels. She was able to offset some costs with a 26% federal tax credit and state incentives. Her approach aligns with the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) incentives for high-performing home improvements. Homeowners can determine which specific funds are available for different upgrades utilizing Pearl’s IRA Rebates Calculator.

Looking to sell?

Pearl hosts a nationwide network of real estate agents who are trained to identify and certify high-performing home features. They can then leverage the marketing materials provided with Pearl Certification to highlight a home’s high-performance qualities and capitalize on their added value.

More and more new homes include high-performing features. And as more cities adopt stricter energy codes, this is where the market is headed. An eco-savvy real estate agent can ensure you get the most value for your efficiency renovations by optimizing the green fields in MLS databases and filling out the Appraisal Institute’s Green and Energy Efficient Addendum. They know how to market individual energy efficiency, home automation, and solar features, as well as connect whole-home performance to value and comfort.

Home certification is a gateway to a higher standard of living and a testament to the value of sustainability investments in our homes. In an evolving real estate market, Pearl Certification recognizes what’s already working and helps unlock the full potential of our homes to create a better, greener future.

Reference