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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.

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Architecture

Wallmakers uses discarded toys to construct Toy Storey home in Kerala

By Zarkon Group,05/04/2024

Architecture studio Wallmakers has repurposed approximately 6,200 discarded toys to construct the walls of Toy Storey, a circular home in Kerala, India.

The aptly named residence by Wallmakers uses toys discarded in the area, which are unsuitable for recycling, as structural components and decoration within the external walls.

“The main concept of Toy Storey revolves around the idea of using discarded toys and effectively conveying a message through this,” studio founder Vinu Daniel told Dezeen.

“By repurposing around 6,200 discarded toys, the residence in Kerala becomes a living monument to nostalgia and childhood, while addressing environmental concerns,” he added.

View of exterior wall of Toy Storey home — Approximately 6,200 discarded toys are used in the home’s walls

Toy Storey is wrapped by perforated, curved walls composed of compressed stabilised earth blocks, Mangalore tiles and toys, designed to draw in light and enable cross ventilation through the home. A ferrocement roof sits on top.

Four evenly-spaced entrances puncture the facade, which is wrapped by a cantilevered verandah offering outdoor space overlooking the surrounding greenery.

Living space within Kerala home — Perforated walls draw light and ventilation through the interior

Inside, the home’s first floor is divided into public and private segments. The public half is defined by a large living room while the private half contains an open-plan kitchen and dining area flanked by bedrooms.

“One of the things that the client mentioned was they often host their neighbours and members of the community, which means there are often many people in the house,” Daniel said.

“Hence we decided to make the area the people frequented separate from that of the client’s family’s personal spaces,” he continued.

Japanese-style shoji screens are used as partitions throughout the interior to enable light into each space and connectivity between the private and public areas.

Kitchen interior within Toy Storey home in India — An open-plan kitchen and dining area are flanked by bedrooms

The site’s topography enabled the addition of a secluded basement level containing a library and bedroom, accessed from the upper floor by a central staircase.

An internal courtyard topped with a glass ceiling slices through the building providing additional daylight for the interior.

Bedroom interior within Toy Storey in India — Japanese-style shoji screens are used as internal partitions

Wallmakers is an architecture studio established by Daniel in 2007. Elsewhere in India, Wallmakers has also recently completed an arts centre with rooftop seating and a house that resembles “snake curling up under a rock”.

Last year, Daniel faced criticism on social media for his studio’s use of unpaid internships, which he claims have an important educational benefit.

The photography is by Syam Sreesylam and Althaf Rasheed.

Reference

Architecture

Beauty in the Grain: How a Colorado Mountain Home Was Brought to Life With Redwood Cladding

By Zarkon Group,04/04/2024

A home’s materials tell a story of how we live. Nestled in the picturesque mountains of Colorado stands a remarkable testament to sustainable material sourcing. Brought to fruition by Colorado Springs-based architect-engineer Scott Harvey, this mountain home was made to connect with the natural surroundings as an expansive and open retreat. In turn, the project’s redwood cladding reflects a family’s values as they built a home of their own.

A Family Home in the Mountains

Located in the mountains north of Colorado Springs in the town of Monument, this home was made for an active family with five children. The family was hoping for a home that embraced natural light and views out onto the landscape. Working together with builder Palmer Ridge Construction, the team brought the new, 10,538 square-foot home to life with seven bedrooms and expansive glazing. Outside, the home features an unadorned stucco finish and a continuous, seamless band of wood cladding. This warm, redwood band runs non-stop from the exterior through the interior.

The Colorado Mountain Home features an extensive use of redwood from Humboldt Sawmill. Humboldt Sawmill manufactures a full line of redwood and Douglas-fir wood products. Logs are sourced from nearly 450,000 acres of company-owned timberlands, where harvest levels are consistently below the forests’ annual growth rate and harvested trees are replanted. Logs are then processed into lumber.

For this home, the builder had Humboldt Sawmill transport the raw lumber to a dealer in Colorado where it was milled locally to the desired shiplap pattern. Local availability kept the cost within budget. In addition, it was easier to install than tropical hardwoods and no stain was required; only two coats of clear sealer. Redwood, known for its durability, beauty and sustainability, adds warmth to the design and creates a seamless transition from the interior to the exterior of the home.

Sustainable Sourcing

Photo by Kelly Edmondson

What sets this mountain home apart is not just its design but also its commitment to sustainability. The redwood from Humboldt Sawmill was sourced from company-owned Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC® C013133) certified timberlands in Northern California, where it is grown and harvested to the highest environmental standards in the world. FSC certification ensures that products come from forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits. The FSC Principles and Criteria provide a foundation for all forest management standards globally, including the FSC® US National Standard (v1.0) that guides forest management certification in the U.S.

This commitment to sustainability not only reduces the home’s carbon footprint but also supports the conservation of forests for future generations.

Key Properties of Redwood

Photo by Kelly Edmondson

Redwood is renowned for its natural beauty and resilience, making it an ideal choice for this mountain home. Redwood is also native to the U.S., not imported. There are several key properties of redwood that make it a preferred building material:

Durability: Redwood heartwood from the center of the tree is naturally resistant to decay and insects, making it an excellent choice for outdoor applications such as siding, decking and fencing. As the team for the Colorado Mountain Home explain, “natural durability through tannins in the redwood heartwood render the wood resistant to termites and decay, an important factor in the home’s mountain environment.”

Aesthetic Appeal: Redwood’s rich color and grain patterns add a touch of elegance and warmth to homes and commercial projects alike. Its natural beauty only enhances over time, developing a patina that adds to the charm of a building.

Sustainability: Redwood is a renewable resource, with the ability to regrow from the stump after harvesting. When sourced from responsibly managed forests, redwood is a sustainable building material that helps reduce the environmental impact of construction.

Workability: Redwood is easy to work with, making it a favorite among architects and builders. It can be easily cut, shaped and installed, allowing for intricate designs and detailing that enhance the overall aesthetics of the home.

Built to Last: A Home for Future Generations

Photo by Kelly Edmondson

At the heart of this Colorado home is the contrast between materials: the natural white Brauer veneer stone and stark white stucco stand out against the warmth of the redwood. Expansive windows open up to views of ponderosa pines and scrub oaks, while inside, the home features white oak flooring and custom cabinets. From these rooms, multiple patios and decks flow together to bring the family outside and create connections to their surroundings.

Photo by Kelly Edmondson

The Colorado mountain home stands as a testament to the harmonious relationship between nature and design. Through the use of Humboldt Sawmill’s redwood sourced from responsibly managed forests, this home not only showcases the beauty and durability of this remarkable material but also highlights the importance of working with the right manufacturers and builders. Today, the home tells a story of family, warmth and connectedness through its details and construction.

To learn more about how you can harness the unique qualities of redwood for your next project, reach out to the experts at Humboldt Sawmill.

Reference

Orange desk in Univers Uchronia apartment

Interior Design

Uchronia founder designs own home as “love letter to French craft”

By Zarkon Group,03/04/2024

Glossy walls, ruched curtains and oversized flower-shaped cushions characterise this eclectic 1970s-style Paris apartment, designed and owned by Uchronia founder Julien Sebban.

Called Univers Uchronia, the apartment is in the city’s 18th arrondissement, close to the Uchronia office – a Parisian architecture and interiors studio known for its bold application of shape, colour and reflective surfaces.

Sebban designed the dwelling as his home, which he shares with his husband and Maison Royère artistic director Jonathan Wray.

The Uchronia founder created the apartment as an extension of his studio – “it’s truly a manifesto of our universe,” he told Dezeen.

Colourful living room with pink curtains — Colourful interiors anchor the apartment

Sebban worked with local studio Atelier Roma to create all the walls and ceilings, which are either lacquered and glossy or made of matte pigmented concrete, respectively reflecting or absorbing light throughout the day.

Finished in hues ranging from cloud-like pale blue to lemony yellow, the walls and ceilings complement the poured-in-place resin floor that spans the apartment and features a bold motif that “waves and moves in relation to the architecture”.

Open-plan kitchen in Univers Uchronia — A metallic island features in the open-plan kitchen

The home is anchored by a predominantly pink living space, which includes Uchronia-designed pieces such as low-slung interlocking coffee tables made from walnut burl and orange resin.

Translucent and gathered pink curtains were paired with a geometric vintage bookshelf and a blocky but soft sofa finished in purple and orange.

Onyx dining table — A bespoke onyx dining table was created for the home

“The apartment is very colourful with ’60s and ’70s inspirations and a mix of our contemporary pieces and vintage objects,” said Sebban.

In the open-plan kitchen and dining room, a veiny Van Gogh onyx table was positioned next to a metallic kitchen island, illuminated by a blobby seaweed-shaped table lamp.

Home office with orange and yellow walls — Ornamental jellyfish decorate the home office

A portion of the otherwise orange wall was clad with tiny, mirrored tiles. Reflected in the gleaming ceiling, the tiles have the same effect as a shimmering disco ball.

Opposite the dining area is Sebban and Wray’s home office, characterised by a bright orange, built-in day bed topped with silk flower-like cushions and a wave-shaped backrest.

Bathroom with pink bathtub — The dwelling’s bathrooms follow a similar design

Above the bed, ornamental jellyfish were suspended like planets against a constellation of gold stars, which decorate the ombre orange and yellow wall that nods to the colour-drenched interior of the city’s Cafe Nuances – also designed by Uchronia.

The dwelling’s bathrooms follow a similar design. Accents include dusty pink alcoves and ceramic tiles depicting underwater scenes, as well as a lily pad-shaped rug and a mirror resembling a cluster of clouds.

“The apartment defines the codes we have tried to develop at Uchronia over the last four years,” concluded Sebban.

“It’s a play on colours, textures and materials, and a love letter to French craft.”

Pink-hued bathroom by Uchronia — Univers Uchronia is “a love letter to French craft”

Uchronia was named emerging interior designer of the year at the Dezeen Awards 2023. The studio previously renovated a Haussmann-era apartment for a pair of jewellery designers with multifaceted furniture pieces created to mirror the appearance of precious stones.

Various architects have designed their own homes, such as John Pawson, who created this minimalist second home in the Cotswolds in the UK.

The photography is by Félix Dol Maillot.

Reference

Interior Design

Fala Atelier designs Lisbon home with “very Portuguese” materials

By Zarkon Group,22/03/2024

Architecture studio Fala Atelier decked out the angular spaces of the 087 house in Lisbon with oversized spots and stripes, which also feature on its bold marble facade.

Designed by Porto-based studio Fala Atelier, 087 is a three-storey home in the Portuguese capital with a rectilinear facade decorated with chunky marble shapes.

The studio, known for its playful use of geometry, created custom carpentry from locally sourced materials to accommodate the home’s curved and staggered walls and the sloping ceilings within the building.

A garden-facing kitchen on the ground floor includes terrazzo flooring and stepped timber cabinetry decorated with bold black and white stripes and topped with marble slabs.

Funnel-shaped extractor fan by Fala Atelier — A funnel-shaped extractor fan adds an eclectic touch

Unusual features such as a funnel-shaped, teal-hued extractor fan add an eclectic touch. This Fala Atelier-designed piece can also be found in a windowless garage in Lisbon that the studio converted for a couple.

“There are no elegant extractors on the market,” Fala Atelier partner Filipe Magalhães told Dezeen.

“All of them look like nasty appliances. With the kitchen in the way of the window, we knew we would have to integrate the fan. Since we couldn’t make it disappear, we celebrated the piece,” he added.

The open-plan kitchen connects to the living area, which is characterised by pinewood flooring dotted with geometric walnut accents.

“The colours of the stripes and the dots on the floor really try to be noble,” said Magalhães.

Living space with Togo sofas — Bespoke Fala Atelier-designed doors and window frames match the kitchen cabinets

The space also features doors designed by the studio and caramel-coloured Ligne Roset Togo sofas – a quilted and low-slung design classic created by Michel Ducaroy in 1973.

This seating was positioned next to a boxy fireplace clad with gleaming white ceramic tiles and a squat display plinth finished in veiny black marble.

Custom striped cabinetry by Fala Atelier — Custom cabinetry also features on the upper floors

“We tried to diversify the material palette as much as possible while still making it quite banal,” explained Magalhães.

“The choices are very Portuguese, but the mixture aims at being more than just that,” added the architect.

Board-formed concrete ceilings were included throughout

Upstairs, the same bespoke cabinetry as in the kitchen was used to form larger cupboards across the curved and angular private spaces of the two upper floors.

Board-formed concrete ceilings, which also feature downstairs, were paired with oversized rounded mirrors in the bathrooms and a mixture of timber and marble flooring.

The garden-facing facade follows the same geometry as its street-facing component, also featuring circular and rectilinear decorative shapes.

“This house is a lot about the relationship with the garden,” said Magalhães, noting the floor-to-ceiling glazing that connects the indoor and outdoor spaces.

Garden-facing facade with chunky marble decoration — 087 focuses on “the relationship with the garden”

Fala Atelier has designed several homes in a similar style, including six micro-houses in Porto with geometric forms and concrete finishes and another Porto property topped with a striped concrete roof.

The photography is by Francisco Ascensao and Giulietta Margot.

Reference

Interior Design

Eight home interiors where full-length curtains add a touch of drama

By Zarkon Group,16/03/2024

From a glitzy Parisian apartment to a converted garage in Buffalo, New York, our latest lookbook collects eight residential interiors where floor-to-ceiling curtains inject a theatrical feel.

Curtains aren’t just for covering windows. A set of statement drapes can be an easy way to significantly change the mood of a room, particularly in apartment renovations.

The selection below features curtains in stage-like living rooms, rough-edged bedrooms and cosy working nooks.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with statement carpets, furry walls and colourful bedrooms.

Ready-made Home, Spain, by Azab

Duck-egg blue curtains help to create a flexible open-plan layout at this apartment in Bilbao that was overhauled by architecture studio Azab, running the length of the living-dining-kitchen area to conceal storage space and a bathroom.

“The curtains have theatrical and playful connotations and invites the inhabitant to perform with it, to change the space and to play with the mysteries, contradictions and paradoxes that privacy offers us beyond morality,” said the studio.

Find out more about Ready-made Home ›

Ruckers Hill House by Studio Bright — Photo by Rory Gardiner

Ruckers Hill House, Australia, by Studio Bright

In this extension to an Edwardian family home in Melbourne, architecture practice Studio Bright raised the sitting room on a curved plinth, giving it a stage-like quality.

Enhancing the effect is a heavy green curtain hung from the ceiling, which can be drawn across to turn the space into an impromptu theatre for the children to play in.

Find out more about Ruckers Hill House ›

Uchronia renovated a Haussmann-era apartment in Paris — Photo by Félix Dol Maillot

Avenue Montaigne apartment, France, by Uchronia

Sheer, rainbow-effect curtains cover the balconies of this opulent Haussman-era Parisian apartment, renovated by local studio Uchronia.

Even the walls echo the curtains’ gradations of colour, while the brightly toned furnishings are designed to resemble pieces of jewellery.

Find out more about this apartment ›

Roksanda Ilincic penthouse apartment in London's King's Cross — Photo by Michael Sinclair

Gas-holder apartment, UK, by Roksanda Ilincic

Fashion designer Roksanda Ilincic brought her proclivity for bold colours and shapes to this London penthouse inside a former Victorian gas holder.

Pale pink Kvadrat curtains over the full-height windows cast a rose-tinted hue over the rooms, where the colour palette is kept mostly neutral apart from some pops of bright yellow.

Find out more about this apartment ›

Big Space, Little Space by Davidson Rafailidis — Photo by Florian Holzherr

Big Space, Little Space, USA, by Davidson Rafailidis

Peeling paintwork, uneven concrete floors and distressed wooden beams lend a distinctly rough-and-ready feel to this home-slash-workspace in Buffalo created out of a garage conversion by design studio Davidson Rafailidis.

For the most part, the space is minimally furnished, apart from a set of high and wide drapes that introduce a luxurious twist.

Find out more about Big Space, Little Space ›

Silver curtains in hallway at Landscape House in Japan — Photo by Norihito Yamauchi

Landscape House, Japan, by FORM/Kouichi Kimura Architects

Upon entering Landscape House in central Japan, designed by Japanese studio FORM/Kouichi Kimura Architects, one is greeted by a lengthy corridor lined entirely on one side by a full-length silver curtain.

The fabric echoes a raw concrete feature wall on the opposite side of the corridor, as well as referencing the extensive use of metal throughout the building.

Find out more about Landscape House ›

Kitchen in Pops apartment by Furora Studio — Photo by ONI Studio

Pops, Poland, by Furora Studio

Furora Studio wanted the design of this holiday apartment in Kraków to be slightly more outrageous than the standard residential interior.

A velvety, salmon-pink curtain dresses an entire wall in the open-plan kitchen and living room, adding to a plethora of sugary colours and rounded edges.

Find out more about Pops ›

Maison-Boutique Coloniale by Michael Godmer and Mathieu Turgeon — Photo by Maxime Brouillett

Maison-Boutique Coloniale, Canada, by Michael Godmer and Mathieu Turgeon

Most of the spaces inside Maison-Boutique Coloniale in Montreal – renovated by designers Michael Godmer and Mathieu Turgeon as their own residence and studio – are pared-back and neutral.

But in an office space on the basement level, plush orange curtains line the walls, combined with dim pendant lighting and a black table arrangement by Muuto and &tradition for an intimate effect.

Find out more about Maison-Boutique Coloniale ›

Reference

Entrance area of The Wren with walnut wall panelling and hardwood floors

Interior Design

Home Studios refreshes The Wren pub on NYC’s Bowery

By Zarkon Group,09/03/2024

Brooklyn-based Home Studios has remodelled a bar and restaurant in New York’s East Village, using dark wood and velvet seating to retain a “worn-in and aged appearance”.

The Wren on the busy Bowery thoroughfare has become a neighbourhood staple since opening in 2012, but was ready for an interior revamp.

Home Studios refreshed both levels of the upscale pub, including the upper-floor dining and drinking area, and private lounge downstairs.

“Despite the changes in the city and the evolution of the neighbourhood, The Wren has maintained its timeless appeal, offering visitors a glimpse into the past and an authentic pub experience,” said Home Studios, led by founder Oliver Halsegrave.

L-shaped bar with a marble counter and surrounded by wooden stools — The L-shaped bar has a marble counter and is surrounded by GAR Products stools

Across the main level, dark and moody materials have been used to retain the pub-like quality of the spaces, assisted by the exposed wooden ceiling beams and columns, and hardwood floors.

Either side of the entrance, black-painted, booth-style benches are installed against the walnut wall panelling, creating cosy nooks for pairs or small groups to occupy.

Chocolate-coloured velvet banquette featuring ribbed cushions — Towards the back, a chocolate-coloured velvet banquette features ribbed cushions

The bar area features an L-shaped marble counter surrounded by GAR Products stools, opposite black wainscoting that runs below vintage-looking wallpaper.

Towards the back, a long banquette is dressed in ribbed cushions that form the seating and backrests, all wrapped in brown velvet.

Row of custom mirrors alternated with disk-shaped sconces above tables — Custom mirrors alternate with disk-shaped sconces by In Common With

Custom arched shaped mirrors mounted on the walls alternate with disk-shaped sconces by In Common With, against a beige textured plaster backdrop.

A variety of other sconces throughout were sourced from lighting brands including O’Lampia, Shades of Light, Allied Maker and Rejuvenation.

U-shaped both below two windows — Guests can choose from a variety of booths, two-tops or standing areas

“With a worn-in and aged appearance, the space now exudes a moody winter-like atmosphere,” said Home Studios.

Downstairs, the mood is even more “sultry” and intimate, thanks to darker surfaces and a variety of dim, warm lighting sources.

The bar counter is made from Black Portoro marble and the wood floors are also stained black, while the banquette upholstery is a lighter tone than found on the upper level.

Between the two floors, guests can choose from a variety of seating or standing spots for enjoying their beers, cocktails and bar food.

Banquette below walnut panelling and candle sconces — In the private area downstairs, the mood is more sultry and the banquette upholstery is lighter in colour

“Home Studios has seamlessly blended nostalgic and rustic charm throughout The Wren’s interior, creating an inviting and distinctive ambiance that pays homage to the bar’s storied history,” said the team.

Home Studios is no stranger to refreshing beloved establishments, having completed interiors for The Bird in Montauk and The Pearl in Nantucket.

Downstairs area featuring dark-stained floors and a black marble bar counter — The downstairs area features dark-stained floors and a black marble bar counter

The firm also recently turned a conference centre in Northern California back into a luxury hotel, as originally intended by the property’s founder: the inventor of the radio.

The photography is by Brian W Ferry.

Reference

Interior Design

Dezeen Debate features rural Belgian home that achieves “such a clean result”

By Zarkon Group,07/03/2024

The latest edition of our Dezeen Debate newsletter features House in the Fields, a rural home in the Belgian countryside. Subscribe to Dezeen Debate now.

Geneva-based architect Stef Claes looked to mid-century and local architecture to create the low-lying home in Belgium. The residence, named House in the Fields, features white-painted walls and black accents.

Readers discussed the project, with one commending the architects for achieving “such a clean result” and another agreeing, claiming that they “could quite happily live there”.

Architects using AI RIBA report — “Forty-one per cent of architects now using AI” says RIBA report

Other stories in this week’s newsletter that fired up the comments section included the findings of a report by the Royal Insitute of British Architects which found that close to half of UK architects are now using AI for their projects, the announcement that Foster + Partners is designing a two-kilometre-high skyscraper in Saudi Arabia and an opinion piece by Catherine Slessor about architects working into their older years.

Dezeen Debate

Dezeen Debate is sent every Thursday and features a selection of the best reader comments and most talked-about stories. Read the latest edition of Dezeen Debate or subscribe here.

You can also subscribe to our other newsletters; Dezeen Agenda is sent every Tuesday containing a selection of the most important news highlights from the week, Dezeen Daily is our daily bulletin that contains every story published in the preceding 24 hours and Dezeen In Depth is sent on the last Friday of every month and delves deeper into the major stories shaping architecture and design.

Reference

Living space with a green marble feature wall

Interior Design

Kingston Lafferty Design includes “sensual” red kitchen in home renovation

By Zarkon Group,05/03/2024

Dublin studio Kingston Lafferty Design has transformed the architecture and interiors of this family home in Cork, Ireland, which features 1970s-style shapes and colours informed by the work of designer Verner Panton.

Positioned on Lovers Walk hill overlooking the city of Cork, the townhouse – called Lovers Walk – was renovated by Kingston Lafferty Design.

The studio originally planned to just update the interiors, but decided that a more extensive architectural transformation was needed after discovering structural instabilities in the home.

Kingston Lafferty Design removed all of the floors, which lacked foundations and insulation in their concrete slab, and completely reconfigured the two-storey property’s layout.

Oak-lined hallway with colourful accents — Rooms on the ground floor were designed around an oak-lined hallway

“As the building was originally built in the 1970s, we wanted to return to its roots,” studio founder Róisín Lafferty told Dezeen.

“We thrived on inspiration from Verner Panton with his use of strong clashing colour, playful shapes and oversized elements,” she added.

Quartzite-clad kitchen by Kingston Lafferty Design — One of these spaces is a “sensual” red kitchen

The ground floor was adapted to include an open-plan kitchen defined by a counter, island and splashback finished in veiny red quartzite.

Ruby-toned timber was used to create the geometric cabinets. When layered with the quartzite, “it sounds like a disaster, but it’s a delight,” said the designer.

Living space with floor-to-ceiling curtains — The living room follows a similar design to the kitchen

The space, described by the studio as a “sensual red-toned jewel kitchen”, is one of several rooms on the ground floor of Lovers Walk that were designed around the central, oak-lined hallway.

“We used the hallway as the core of the house, which grounded the space with pops of colour stemming from it. Each room leading from the core appears like a framed view or window of colour,” explained Lafferty.

Marble feature wall designed by Kingston Lafferty Design — It includes a green feature wall that takes cues from Mies van der Rohe’s iconic Barcelona Pavilion

The living room includes blue velvet sofas and a green feature wall clad in swirly book-matched marble, which was fitted with an alcove reserved for a subtle fireplace.

When creating the polished stone wall, the studio took cues from the seminal Barcelona Pavilion, completed in 1929 by modernist architect Mies van der Rohe.

Green headboard in the main bedroom — A floor-to-ceiling headboard takes centre stage in the main bedroom

“We used green as an overall thread throughout the house, inspired by the surrounding landscape,” added Lafferty.

“Although depending on the time of year, the colours tend to change and so we were able to add in other rich colours that anchor the green such as burgundies and bright oranges,” she added.

En-suite marble-clad bathroom — Stonework also defines the en-suite bathroom

“One would assume this mix of colours would clash, but we choose the tones and textures of each to ensure that all of them would blend harmoniously,” Lafferty said.

Upstairs, the main bedroom and en-suite bathroom were dressed in the same eclectic interiors as the communal spaces. A floor-to-ceiling headboard, finished in diamond-shaped green tiles originally designed by 20th-century architect Gio Ponti, frames the bed.

Playful bed design in Lovers Walk by Kingston Lafferty Designs — A playful bed was added to the bedroom created for the occupants’ child

Balloon-like coloured glass vases were positioned on two bedside tables, which were topped with the same slabs of Rosso Levanto marble as the geometric vanity desk.

The bedroom designed for the occupants’ child features an alternative bed – a playful green structure with two stacked levels and half-moon openings that reveal a cosy sleeping area on the bottom level.

Other accents featured throughout the home include burl wood, terrazzo, plaster and brass. The repetition of 1970s-style thick pile carpets emphasises the dwelling’s textured material palette.

Lovers Walk is the studio’s “closest nod” to the work of Panton, explained Lafferty – “down to the selection of every tile, light fitting and exquisite piece of designer furniture”.

Deep blue-coloured guest bedroom by Kingston Lafferty Design — Deep blues characterise the guest bedroom

“Although there is such an array of materiality, it is balanced by repeated colour, shape and form,” she said.

“Every space in this house is an assault on the senses, in the best way possible.”

Lovers Walk by Kingston Lafferty Design — Lovers Walk was informed by the work of Verner Panton

Founded in 2010, Kingston Lafferty Design has completed projects ranging from a Dublin restaurant with oversized lollipop-like lamps and a co-working office in Belfast that includes a yoga studio.

The photography is by Ruth Maria Murphy.

Project credits:

Interior architecture and design: Kingston Lafferty Design
Woodwork: DFL
Stonework: Miller Brothers

Reference

Workspace in the Gensler LA office with a banquette around a black circular table

Interior Design

Gensler redesigns its own LA office to have “warmth and comfort” of home

By Zarkon Group,02/03/2024

The team at global architecture firm Gensler’s Los Angeles office has redesigned a floor of its workspace with a hospitality approach, as a pilot for the remaining spaces.

The Gensler LA team’s renovated its space to give it more of the “warmth and comfort” that its staff became used to during its time working from home.

The studio’s return to the office post-pandemic came seven years into a 15-year lease of its spaces in Downtown Los Angeles, the firm had converted from an empty bank building in 2011 then expanded to two floors in an adjacent, connected structure.

With a growing workforce and a desire to rethink the layout, functionality and appearance of the office, a group of the studio’s “next generation” of designers and strategists led an effort to redesign the interiors of the third floor.

Open shelving with colourful books displayed — The pilot project incorporates several products from Gensler collaborations, including open shelving and communal tables

“The look and feel of our space, though contemporary, lacked the warmth and comfort of the hospitality touches we integrate for our clients’ workspaces and that we had become accustomed to while working from home,” Gensler senior strategist Sarah Koos told Dezeen.

“Coupled with the changing nature of hybrid work, the space necessitated a transformation that would support a renewed sense of a work-lifestyle.”

Communal table in wood-lined room — A warm aesthetic that captures the essence of Los Angeles was chosen for the interiors

The group spent a year listening and learning from surveys, workshops and feedback sessions in which each of the 500-plus employees was able to have a say about their future work environment.

Many team members had been highly mobile even before hybrid working became popular, so the previous dedicated desk system seemed redundant.

“Working from home for two years effectively rewired peoples’ expectations of their work environments, a sterile, single-use corporate office no longer spoke to the warmth, variety, and comfort they were afforded in their own homes,” said Koos.

Lounge area with comfy seating, plants and a guitar — Plenty of lounge areas with comfy seating were created for employees to use

They therefore set about redesigning the offices with a focus on flexibility, communal work areas and presentation spaces.

“Rather than confine our designers to a desk or a conference room, we developed a kit-of-parts inclusive of typical sit-stand workstations, communal tables, focus pods, booths, material layout islands, and more,” said Gensler senior designer Kirk Bairian.

“Gensler is built on a studio system which is critical to our design culture, and each studio was able to use this kit-of-parts to customise their space to reflect the specific ways in which they work.”

Workspace with glass meeting room, privacy booth and shelving for pin-ups — The team devised a “kit of parts” for the different studios to customise their own workspaces

A warm, hospitality-forward aesthetic that mirrors the “informal but elevated, casual but curated” essence of Los Angeles was chosen.

Materials including maple plywood, blackened metal and subtle textiles provide a backdrop for more colourful additions in the form of ever-changing pin-up display boards, styled shelving, artwork by local students and books from local creative businesses.

Lounge-style furniture and jewel-toned textiles are placed in the co-working areas to evoke a hotel lobby or coffee shop vibe.

Several of Gensler’s furniture and fixture collaborations were also introduced, among them the communal tables and open shelcves from a product line created with Fantoni and custom focus pods from a partnership with Tangram’s Studio Other.

Conference room behind glass wall — Traditional conference rooms are available alongside more flexible spaces for group work

Since the project completed in 2023, the data from badges suggest that employee office attendance has increased by 35 per cent for the studios located in the renovated pilot space, according to the firm.

“Studios in the new space shared that they felt that working in the renovated space made them more productive, enabled more effective collaboration, and overall, greatly improved their in-office experience,” the team added.

Wood-lined workspace with private booths and open Zoom areas — Maple plywood and blackened metal were among the materials chosen to give the space more of a hospitality feel

Gensler is the world’s largest architecture firm and has locations 53 locations globally. Its European head offices in Wapping, London, was longlisted in the business building category of Dezeen Awards 2020.

In 2022, co-CEO Andy Cohen told Dezeen in an exclusive interview that architecture should abandon “top-down” management to improve working conditions.

Reference

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