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Loft conversions by architects that maximise usable space
CategoriesInterior Design

Loft conversions by architects that maximise usable space

By Zarkon Group,

Our latest lookbook shines a light on residential loft conversions from Dezeen’s archive, including rooftop extensions on existing dwellings and apartments built in underused attics.

Opening up the volume beneath the roof is a popular way of squeezing more space out of a dwelling or building. The new spaces often feature unusual geometries, which a skilled architect can exploit to create dramatic and characterful new rooms.

This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series feature plant-filled interiors, colourful kitchens and stylish home-working spaces.

A guest bedroom in a London attic

West Heath Drive, UK, Alexander Martin

London architect Alexander Martin converted the disused loft of an Arts and Crafts-style house in Hampstead to create this pared-back and light-filled guest room and study.

It has a T-shaped plan and was therefore divided into three rooms – one of which is hidden behind a moving wall that is disguised as an integrated bookcase. The guest room is finished with white walls, a dark wooden floor and a vintage Greaves and Thomas teak sofabed.

Find out more about West Heath Drive ›

A bed deck in a loft apartment by Dodi Moss

House for a Sea Dog, Italy, by Dodi Moss

While renovating the loft of a 17th-century apartment block in Genoa, architecture and engineering studio Dodi Moss inserted a mezzanine floor that serves as a bed deck to maximise usable floor space under the eaves.

It has a rustic finish, characterised by an exposed wooden roof structure, unvarnished wooden floors and a rough plaster wall, and is furnished with a simple IKEA stool for use as a bedside table.

Find out more about House for a Sea Dog ›

A home office in a London loft

Dormore, UK, by Con Form Architects

Dormore is a bright home office nestled within the small attic of a house in London, which was converted for a client who needed a space to work from home. A large slice was cut out of the original roof and filled with glazing and a large dormer window to bring light inside.

It is accessed by a compact folded steel staircase and finished with oak joinery and a whitewashed floor, alongside exposed brick walls and a Hans Wegner Wishbone Chair.

Find out more about Dormore ›

A loft apartment in Prague

Rounded Loft, Czech Republic, by A1 Architects

Czech studio A1 Architects built a two-storey apartment within the attic of an apartment block in Prague. Its living room, which occupies the lower level, is lit by windows slotted within the attic’s sloping roof and finished with tactile wooden furnishings and grey plaster walls.

The lower level also contains bedrooms and is linked to a guest suite on the small upper floor by a staircase lined with wooden bookshelves and a steel net that takes the place of a bannister.

Find out more about Rounded Loft ›

A plywood-lined bedroom in the loft of a London home

Maynard Road, UK, by Widger Architecture

A pair of minimalist bedrooms lined with plywood occupy the old attic of this first-floor flat in Hackney, which was converted by London studio Widger Architecture.

As the attic had a sloped roof with limited head height, the architect introduced a flat roof dormer that spans the entire width of the property. While maximising headroom, it also allowed the studio to introduce more windows to invite more light inside.

Find out more about Maynard Road ›

A white-walled loft apartment

Alpine Apartment, Slovenia, by Architektura d.o.o.

This loft space was converted into a two-bedroom apartment by Slovenian studio Architektura d.o.o. for the client to use as a family holiday home in the lakeside town of Bled.

At the centre is a kitchen, flanked by two bedrooms, a living room and an entrance hall. As the kitchen has no exposure to natural light the living room entrance has no door, in order to help illuminate the space.

The home is complete with white custom-built furniture that aligns with the irregularly shaped attic ceiling, while pale wooden floorboards nod to the home’s Alpine setting. These finishes are complemented by wooden Wishbone Chairs by Hans Wegner and white folding chairs from IKEA.

Find out more about Alpine Apartment ›

A plywood-lined reading room

Gallery House, UK, by Studio Octopi

London architect Studio Octopi renovated and extended the dead space below the pitched roof of this terraced Victorian house in Battersea to create a separate reading room and study.

The two rooms are unified by a perforated black steel staircase and their matching spruce plywood walls and floors. Pared-back furnishings are dotted throughout, including a pair of About A Lounge Chairs by Hay in the reading room.

Find out more about Gallery House ›

A bed in a converted attic in Belgium

Attic conversion in Antwerp, Belgium, by Van Staeyen Interieur Architecten

A dark attic that was used for storage was converted into this bright multi-functional room at a house in Antwerp. It contains a bed, seating area and bathroom defined by spruce-clad partitions with arched portals, curved seating and yellow detailing.

It was designed by Van Staeyen Interieur Architecten for the clients to use as a guest room and a social space for their daughters to spend time with their friends as they get older.

Find out more about Attic conversion in Antwerp ›

A reading room in a dormer extension

Project Escape (to the Roof), UK, by A Small Studio

Architecture practice A Small Studio created a reading room, bedroom, dressing room and bathroom for a family within the loft of their Victorian home in south-east London.

Between the bathroom and reading room, there is also a new free-standing solid oak stair that helps bring light into the lower levels of the home. Three large dormer windows on one side of the loft frame views of the back garden.

The conversion’s focal point is its reading room, which is complete with a Plastic Armchair RAR by Charles and Ray Eames and a black DLM side table by Hay.

Find out more about Project Escape (to the Roof) ›

A white-walled attic conversion in France

Attic conversion, France, by F+F Architects

This spacious light-filled apartment was built by Parisian studio f+f architects by converting the attic of an art nouveau building in Strasbourg. Over two levels, it comprises bedrooms, bathrooms and an office, alongside an open-plan living space with a kitchen, dining area and terrace.

The attic’s original pine flooring was preserved and treated with lye, an alkali used to lighten wood, while existing trusses have been painted white and left exposed throughout.

Find out more about this attic conversion ›

This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing colourful interiors, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

Reference

REDO Architects creates new interior for Puppeteers House in Sintra
CategoriesInterior Design

REDO Architects creates new interior for Puppeteers House in Sintra

By Zarkon Group,

REDO Architects had stage sets in mind when redesigning the interiors for a pair of houses in the former Puppeteers’ Quarter in Sintra, Portugal.

The two homes, now known as Puppeteers House, are part of a series of buildings that were originally built for a local puppeteer’s family, but had more recently been used as storage for farming tools.

First floor window seat in Puppeteers House by REDO Architects
A curved wooden bench creates a window seat on the first-floor landing

With its renovation, Lisbon-based REDO Architects has brought the buildings back into residential use as homes for two of the puppeteer’s great grandchildren.

The revamped buildings are designed to capture the spirit of their heritage, with lightweight wooden joinery constructions that evoke theatrical scenography and circular details that suggest a playful character.

Window seat in Puppeteers House by REDO Architects
Bathrooms are concealed within the wooden joinery

An all-new interior layout was needed, so this was designed to reinforce the theatrical feel.

Elements like the staircase and first-floor window seat have a stage-like quality, while secondary spaces like bathrooms are concealed within the walls.

Puppeteers House by REDO Architects
The larger house contains a dedicated kitchen and dining space

“The relation between the existing external walls and the new interior walls – two different skins – was explored and dramatised throughout the project on different scales,” explained studio founder Diogo Figueiredo.

“This friction generated misalignments, which are expressed in the windows as opaque panels,” he told Dezeen, “and it also created in-between spaces for built-in furniture and bathrooms, like a back-of-stage area.”

Courtyard in Puppeteers House by REDO Architects
The homes sit on opposite sides of a garden courtyard

One of the houses is single-storey, the other is double-storey, and they are located either side of a private courtyard.

The buildings are designed to function as self-contained properties, but they are also very open to one another, with large windows fronting the shared courtyard garden.

Bedroom in Puppeteers House by REDO Architects
The smaller property contains one bedroom on the ground floor

The smaller of the two homes contains a living space with a kitchenette, a separate bedroom and a bathroom.

The other home has a similar layout, with a living room and a separate kitchen and dining space on the ground floor, and two en-suite bedrooms upstairs.

Curved wall in Puppeteers House by REDO Architects
Living spaces feature lioz stone flooring

A consistent materials palette features throughout. An ivory-toned regional stone known as lioz was used flooring in the main living spaces and surfaces for the kitchen and bathrooms.

Flooring in the bedrooms is wood, matching the doors, furniture and shelving that feature throughout the two homes.

Circular details feature throughout the interiors, at a range of scales. Some are full circles, like the porthole window and cabinet handles, while others are large curves, like the window seat or the rounded wall partitions.

“We used a precise quarter of a circle as a tool – like a compass – in different radii, orientations, combinations and materialities,” explained Figueiredo.

Bedroom in Puppeteers House by REDO Architects
The main first-floor bedroom features a corner window

“It was explored in different moments of the project: to differentiate and disconnect the new internal layer from the existing walls, to connect different rooms, and to create smooth circulation routes,” he said.

Many of these curves are mirrored in ceiling details directly overhead, which contrast with the linearity of the exposed roof beams.

Porthole window in Puppeteers House by REDO Architects
The second first-floor bedroom features a porthole window

Other recent examples of house renovations in Portugal include House in Fontaínhas, a home with candy-coloured details, and Rural House in Portugal, a house created in an old granite community oven.

Photography is by Do Mal o Menos.

Project credits

Architect: REDO Architects
Project team: Diogo Figueiredo, Pedro França Jorge

Reference

Ten peaceful Scandi living rooms that feature minimalist design
CategoriesInterior Design

Ten peaceful Scandi living rooms that feature minimalist design

By Zarkon Group,

For this week’s lookbook, we have picked ten Scandi-style living rooms from the Dezeen archive that play with textures and showcase natural materials, elegant accessories and muted colours.


Scandi style is a term used to describe designs from the three Scandinavian countries – Sweden, Denmark and Norway – but has also become a catchphrase that denotes minimalist interior design that uses plenty of natural materials, especially wood.

Wooden floors are traditional in Scandinavian homes, where they are often matched with wood details such as panelling and classic mid-century modern furniture.

Scandi living rooms often feature white or pale walls, which are common in the Nordic countries where the long, dark winter months mean people tend to choose light colours for their interiors.

Many of the ten interiors below also play with textures, adding fluffy throws to simple sofas, tactile rugs to wooden floors and rattan and leather seating.

This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous roundups include L-shaped kitchens, interiors that use internal glazing and inviting courtyards.

Scandi living room with grey walls

Gjøvik House, Norway, by Norm Architects

Located an hour outside of Oslo, Gjøvik House comprises six interconnected blocks with interiors featuring mottled grey walls, earthen textiles and warm wooden panelling.

Pale grey hues were used for the living room, which has a soft Bollo chair designed by Andreas Engesvik for Foglia and a modular sofa in a neutral grey tone.

According to the architect, the spaces were designed to have a “cosy and inviting feel, where you can truly hibernate while taking shelter from the frigid days of Nordic winter.”

Find out more about Gjøvik House ›

Living room of TypeO Loft in Sweden

TypeO Loft, Sweden, by TypeO

The living room area of creative studio TypeO’s guest loft in southern Sweden features floor-to-ceiling glazing that opens up onto a large balcony.

A coffee table by Isamu Noguchi for Vitra matches the wooden floor and beams and is complemented by Ligne Roset’s Togo armchairs in black leather. Sculptural decorative details add an art gallery-like feel to the bright living space.

Find out more about TypeO Loft ›

Living room of 20 Bond apartment by Home Studios

20 Bond Apartment, US, by Home Studios

Design firm Home Studios filled the 20 Bond Apartment in New York with bespoke furniture and vintage finds, including a leather Safari chair by Danish designer Kai Winding.

An entire wall is taken up by a bespoke shelving unit that the studio made from oak wood and brass, adding another Scandinavian-style feature to the room. A rattan table and a pink resin side table by Sabine Marcelis add a tactile touch.

Find out more about 20 Bond Apartment ›

The Sculptor's Residence installation by Norm Architects at Stockholm Design Week

Sculptor’s Residence, Sweden, by Norm Architects, Menu and Dux

Norm Architects, Menu and Dux collaborated on this installation that was designed to resemble the “eclectic living quarters of a creative.” Muted brown and beige hues lend the interiors an earthy, organic feel, which is contrasted by the elegance of the black marble table and black sculptures.

Menu’s Hashira floor lamp adds a subtle nod to Japanese interiors, and its sleek surface offsets the knobbly texture of the brand’s Eave Dining Sofa Bench.

Find out more about Sculptor’s Residence ›

Villa Weinberg by Weinberg Architects and Friis and Moltke

Villa Weinberg, Denmark, by Mette and Martin Weinberg

Wienberg Architects collaborated with fellow Danish architects Friis & Moltke to overhaul the 1940s Villa Weinberg. The result is a warm, inviting home lined with oil-treated oak walls.

The wood-clad living room also has a simple wooden coffee table and poufs for lounging on, as well as a built-in leather-clad bench. A rice lamp and sheepskin throw add texture to the wooden interior.

Find out more about Villa Weinberg ›

Summerhouse Solviken by Johan Sundberg Arkitektur

Solviken, Sweden, by Johan Sundberg

Scandi living rooms tend to have very neutral colours, but in this space in a Swedish holiday home, two comfy sofas in a calming seafoam green create a bright focal point in the room. The hue is picked up by a painting at the end of the large, open-plan kitchen and living room.

Small unpainted wooden coffee tables match the floor and the wooden storage cabinets alongside one wall.

Find out more about Solviken ›

Powerscroft Road by Daytrip

London townhouse, UK, by Daytrip

Design studio Daytrip’s renovation and expansion of an east London townhouse includes a living room with white walls, a wooden floor and furniture in muted colours.

A textured “Banana” sofa designed by Danish Cabinetmaker, contrasts with the glass Trebol side table by Oscar Tusquets Blanca.

Numerous ceramics and sculptures surround the open fireplace and add life and interest to the sleek white interior.

Find out more about London townhouse ›

Lyceum apartments by Andreas Martin-Löf Arkitekter

Lyceum Apartments, Sweden, by Andreas Martin-Löf Arkitekter

The Lyceum Apartments in Stockholm are located in the Old Technical College’s Pharmaceutical Institute and feature light-filled rooms with clean designs and historical details.

In the living room, a curved white sofa contrasts against the angular shapes of Pierre Jeanneret’s wood and cane Easy Chairs, Soft beige curtains match the neutral hues of the rest of the room.

Find out more about Lyceum Apartments ›

Sommarhus T by Johan Sundberg

Sommarhus T, Sweden, by Johan Sundberg

This summer house by Johan Sundberg features a green sofa and a matching armchair. Both are from Danish brand &tradition and match the verdant greenery outside the large glass windows.

A practical wooden table holds globe-shaped glass vases matching the slightly uneven glass lamps in the ceiling. The entire room is clad in pale wood, including the spruce floors, creating a calm, peaceful interior. The fixed furniture in the home was made from oak.

Find out more about Sommarhus T ›

Birkedal by urlaubsarchitektur

Birkedal, Denmark, by Jan Henrik Jansen

A circular holiday home on the island of Møn in Denmark features a playful living room with white-panelled walls and a floor covered in small white pebbles collected from the beach.

A built-in curved sofa has brown leather seats that have been made cosier with added throws and pillows, and a small circular side table provides space for books, magazines and snacks.

Find out more about Birkedal ›

This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing colourful interiors, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

Reference

Ashiesh Shah creates “visually soft” restaurant interior in Mumbai
CategoriesInterior Design

Ashiesh Shah creates “visually soft” restaurant interior in Mumbai

By Zarkon Group,

Textured surfaces and sinuous forms populate this outpost of vegan restaurant chain Sequel in Mumbai, which was designed by local architect Ashiesh Shah.


Located in an office development in the city’s Bandra Kurla Complex, the interior was conceived as a calming antidote to the busy business district beyond.

“The restaurant alludes to a timeless charm, celebrating the ethos of subtle luxury, slow living and refined lifestyles,” Shah explained.

Counter seating with oak veneer walls in Sequel restaurant interior
The dining area of Sequel’s Mumbai outpost features counter seating (above) as well as a number of standalone tables (top image)

Divided into two zones, Sequel features a grab-and-go counter on one side and a cafe on the other, which serves as a formal dining area for customers looking for a break from work.

The two areas are divided by a central partition with a doorway on either side for easy circulation.

Seating area with sheer curtains and rounded seating in restaurant by Ashiesh Shah
Sheer curtains cover the restaurant’s wrap-around window

Shah designed the restaurant as a reflection of Sequel’s philosophy, which it described as “futuristic in form and earthy at its core”.

Textured materials are paired with neutral colours and soft edges to create a “visually soft interior”.

Spherical lights and counter seating in Sequel restaurant interior
Shah had a number of furniture items, such as these stools, custom-made for the project

“The material choices for the space pay homage to Indian craftsmanship and handmade processes,” Shah explained.

A sculptural lighting fixture, handmade using lacquered channapatna beads from the Indian state of Karnataka, hangs in the centre of the seating area.

Seating area with oak veneer walls and sculptural chandelier made from wooden beads in restaurant interior by Ashiesh Shah
A chandelier made from lacquered wooden beads hangs above the dining area

Here, walls are lined with oak wood veneer that runs from the ground onto the walls and along the gridded facade, while a sheer curtain covers the wrap-around window. A matching console unit is finished in the same oak wood veneer.

The grab-and-go section of the restaurant is enveloped by curved walls clad in louvred wooden panelling that was handmade on site, before being finished in an open-grained veneer with grey lacquer.

A monolithic serving counter enveloped in moulded off-white Corian resin emerges from the wall and snakes out into the dining area.

Its curved lines are echoed in the false ceiling overhead, where globe-shaped lights are positioned like pearls within oyster-shaped reliefs made from textured lime plaster.

The same bumpy plaster was applied to parts of the walls and a series of oyster-shaped shelves that appear to grow out of the wall, while patterned terracotta bricks line the floor.

Oyster-shaped ceiling relief with spherical lights in Sequel Mumbai
The ceiling is decorated with oyster-shaped reliefs

Many of the furniture pieces, including the rounded chairs and sofas in the formal dining area as well as the consoles, bar units, coffee counters, communal tables, shelving and storage cabinets, were custom-made for the project.

“The lighting, materiality and form together celebrate a narrative of perfect imperfection,” Shah explained.

Integrated white shelving in restaurant interior by Ashiesh Shah
An integrated shelving system seems to grow from the walls

In his work, the architect says he practices the Japanese aesthetic philosophy of wabi-sabi,  which finds beauty in imperfections.

Other restaurants with textured surfaces include a Kyiv eatery by Yakusha Design
 with rough concrete walls and this fine-dining restaurant where Valencia studio Masquespacio employed uneven surface finishes such as rough stucco, ceramic and terracotta tiles.

Photography is by Atelier Ashiesh Shah.

Reference

Uncommon Found physically showcases 19 designers found on Instagram
CategoriesInterior Design

Uncommon Found physically showcases 19 designers found on Instagram

By Zarkon Group,

The Radford Gallery’s debut exhibition brings together a series of work on fringes of design, art and craft that the curator found on Instagram.


Titled Uncommon Found, the exhibition physically showcases work by contemporary makers, artists and designers who usually display their work on Instagram.

Pieces displayed at The Radford Gallery
Top: a collection of lamps by Amelia Stevens, John Henshaw, Matthew Verdon, Isabel Alonso, Elliot Barnes and Carsten in der Elst were displayed in a fabric-lined room. Above: 19 designers showcased work at the exhibition

“The key part of this exhibition for me had always been for people to see work in real life that otherwise they would only see on their Instagram feed,” said Radford Gallery founder Max Radford.

“When people came to visit the show they would ask if they could sit on or touch the pieces and often seemed surprised when the answer was yes,” he told Dezeen.

Furniture at The Radfird Gallery was constructed using wood
A trio of etched furniture by Katy Brett and a piece by Eduard Barniol were placed beneath a print by Ben Dawson

Founded in 2020, The Radford Gallery put out an open call for its debut exhibition, Uncommon Found, after recognising a lack of shows of its kind in London.

“The Gallery came into existence as myself and some Instagram, now real life, friends would be prowling peoples pages looking at all this amazing tactile work being made on the boundaries of art and design but you never got to see it in the flesh, only the perfectly angled Instagram image,” said Radford.

Artwork was displayed on brick walls at The Radford Gallery
A sand and turmeric painting by Meryl Yana was placed above pulp stools by Nicholas Sanderson

“We knew the work was being made here but there didn’t seem to be the gallery structure to show it, so we decided to do it,” said Radford.

“I was already aware of quite a few artists and designers through Instagram but was also aware that the algorithm would only let me see so much… in order to try and reach as many people as possible, we put out an open call.”

Objects were places atop fabric draped plinths at The Radford Gallery
Plank stool by Carsten in der Elst, Dross Table by Rashmi Badisaria and The Snoopy Table by Eddie Olin

The exhibition took place at Hackney Downs Studio in east London and although the work did not share a common theme, the 19 designers presented functional, interactive and sculptural pieces to be physically seen, used and touched.

A four-layered chair by set and furniture designer Jaclyn Pappalardo was upholstered in tones of ecru while Eduard Barniol created a striped-sock wearing, four-legged side table crafted from branches that were stripped of bark.

“I am particularly fascinated by the process behind Rashmi Bidasaira‘s ‘Dross’ Collection where she has been able to use the waste product of steel production to create a new material to make her works out of with the pieces themselves having a beautiful form,” said Radford.

“Also Nicholas Sanderson‘s cardboard pulp-based ‘History of a Future’ series of stools, where the pulp has been coated around a found stool to transform them into ethereal objects.”

A red and orange art piece covers the brick wall at The Radford Gallery
A red and orange gingham print by Amy Johnston covers the wall above a wooden console by Lewis Kemmenoe

Shaped like, and etched with ornate imagery from pieces of found porcelain, a trio of plywood chairs by Katy Brett combine the decorative style of the arts and crafts movement with fragmented, primitive forms.

London-based designer, Elliot Barnes presented a collection of steel objects including an orange-hued leather chaise lounge, a rotating half-light and a part-oak smoking perch.

A chair was upholstered with green velvet
A tubular-legged chair titled Cove Chair by Lewis Kemmenoe

Radford told Dezeen that the title of the exhibition came from an amalgamation of the wide array of works presented at the show as well as the 2013 British Land Exhibition, Uncommon Ground.

“The title for the show is a bastardization of the British Land Art exhibition Uncommon Ground from 2013 by the Arts Council,” he said.

“The show had a profound effect on my own practice at the time and has always been at the back of my mind. ‘Uncommon Found’ seemed like a perfect title to sum up the width and breadth of works we were showing.”

A contracting and unfolding sculpture was on display
A sculpture by Jean-Baptiste Coulomb

Uncommon Found is the first of a series of cultural collaborations between Max Radford and Hackney Downs Studios.

The partnership stemmed from both Radford and Hackney Down Studios’ shared interest in providing a platform to showcase grassroots and local design talent. Works exhibited in the show can still be viewed by appointment via the gallery.

A collection of cement and stone vases and sculptures
A stepped sculpture carved from Whitbed limestone by Samuel Collins was placed beside three vases by Tessa Silva

Founded in 2020 by Max Radford, The Radford Gallery aims to forge an honest, democratic and supportive space for makers and emerging artists.

Recently, Olivier Garcé transformed his New York home into a show space for contemporary art and design.

While New York’s Friedman Benda gallery showcased Split Personality, an exhibition that explores the value of design objects.

Photography is by Genevieve Lutkin.



Reference

The American University in Dubai spotlights 14 student projects
CategoriesInterior Design

The American University in Dubai spotlights 14 student projects

By Zarkon Group,

A residential building typology that challenges Dubai’s standalone towers and a community hub that connects a neighbourhood via sport are included in Dezeen’s latest school show by students at The American University in Dubai.


The projects also include a tent designed to unite religious communities in Dubai and a tower intended to educate people on sustainability while promoting biofuel-producing architecture.

School: The American University in Dubai, SAAD School of Architecture Art and Design – Bachelor of Architecture
Courses: ARCH 502, Architectural Design Studio X, Final Senior Project
Tutors: Anna Cornaro, Takeshi Maruyama and Abdellatif Qamhaieh

School statement:

“This is a final course in which students implement their thesis research by developing a project that incorporates all the principles of design, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of architectural design and evidence of professional capability.

“The course outcomes are exhibited in a senior showcase where a jury of experts was invited to vote. The 2021 architecture senior showcase ran online on Behance from 27 April to 29 April.

“A jury of 40 international experts, coming from academia, professional realm and press, voted the projects – first, second, third, honourable mentions and design awards. Another series of awards involved an internal academic jury – professors, alumni, faculty – and an external jury included students and the public.”

The American University in Dubai

First Place Award and the Faculty and Alumni Award: The Cessation/Memorial Museum by Joe Sassine Finianos

“The project aims at being the cessation of relationship, civilian and historical losses witnessed by the Lebanese people. It aims at fixing the relationship loss that was broken in 1975 when the city of Beirut got divided between Christians and Muslims.

“The demographic distribution of the people shows a clear evident line in the separation of the two religious groups. The thesis highlights the citizens who died, making their memory live and making them a lesson for the upcoming generations.

“The thesis also studies the numerous destructions in historical monuments and art crafts after every explosion or war. The repeated cycle is evident after every war where museums lose historical artefact due to poor storage, people lose their loved ones as a result of the explosions and the relationship between the two religious group worsens.”

Student: Joe Sassine Finianos
Course: ARCH 502, Architectural Design Studio X
Email: Joesassine.finianos@mymail.aud.edu

The American University in Dubai

Second Place Award: The Isle by Rhea Khoury

“The Isle is a micro-city where students have the freedom to explore their passions and make their own decisions on what and how they want to learn. New teaching methods encourage new solutions on how educational spaces should be organised and designed – moving from a still and disciplined environment to a student-centred, flexible and adaptable space for all different kinds of people.

“The young adults from the schools around the Isle and beyond come from different backgrounds and gather to learn from each other and coexist. The different typologies of spaces encourage learning, collaboration, innovation, identity, inclusion and communication. The environment becomes the teacher.”

Student: Rhea Khoury
Course: ARCH 502, Architectural Design Studio X
Email: rhea.khoury@mymail.aud.edu

The American University in Dubai

Third Place Award: Pedestrian Enclave by Dalia Qasem

“The concept of Pedestrian Enclave revolves around the nature of social gathering and interaction in the site. These encounters have a unique identity and result from multiple factors that include but are not limited to: overcrowding, vibrant street life, and the presence of low-income residents that feel a disconnect from the rest of the city.

“The goal was to integrate a structure into the chosen site to refine the pedestrian experience and create pleasant gathering spaces by inserting elevated platforms with different levels connected to the roofs of the existing buildings and create a central hub to host some of the missing amenities.

“Overall, this decreases the congestion on the ground level of the site, responds to the need for gathering spaces, and provides a more three-dimensional pedestrian experience as opposed to the flat urban fabric of the current area.”

Student: Dalia Qasem
Course: ARCH 502, Architectural Design Studio X
Email: Dalia.qasem@mymail.aud.edu

The American University in Dubai

Honorable Mention: A Child’s Place by  Klara Bekhet

“A Child’s Place proposes a residential building typology that challenges the current standalone towers present in Dubai with a focus on how children perceive and react to residential spaces cognitively, physically and emotionally. The proposed project takes inspiration from the traditional Sha’biyaat housing.

“It tackles three main design approaches an abundance of communal spaces for frequent interaction between the children, the rejection of the vertical void created by elevator-dependent multi-story buildings, and the importance of child-scale for the younger residents to be able to perceive their homes and surrounding.

“The project aims to provide ‘homes’ rather than transitory sellable units, encouraging children to form a sense of place attachment to these spaces and the city of Dubai.”

Student: Klara Bekhet
Course: ARCH 502, Architectural Design Studio X
Email: klara.bekhet@mymail.aud.edu

The American University in Dubai

Honourable Mention: Bridging The Gap by Zinah Al Asad

“Internally displaced people (IDPs) are continuously being viewed as a threat to a host society’s security, history, and cultural relationships, and are therefore excluded and restrained.

“The objective is to gradually merge IDPs into the urban fabric of their host city, rather than exclude them. Here, architecture creates a physical bond between the host society and the ‘new society’, the IDPs, and creates a link between the two histories. Moreover, it allows them to benefit society and themselves through the incorporation of self-build structures.

“The project comes to life through a continuous path that physically connects the three different plots while occasionally becoming the roof of recessed volumes. The path starts from an archaeological site to a final site of a refugee accommodation, with an intermediate museum in the second plot.”

Student: Zinah Al Asad
Course: ARCH 502, Architectural Design Studio X
Email: Zinah.alasad@mymail.aud.edu

The American University in Dubai

Sustainable Design Award: Plantae Tower by Basant Abdelrahman

“Our planet is in dire need of saving. Humanity’s eradication of nature has had a devastating impact on every aspect of our lives, including our health, population and wildlife. Nature is targeted for its non-renewable fuels, which has continued to contribute to the heating of the planet and has caused severe climate change.

“This should concern every human since it affects animal ecosystems, food production and essential biodiversity. To save our planet, we need to focus on alternative energy resources. There have been many surges in technology and advancements that have helped find solutions other than using non-renewable fuels as sources of energy.

“The main goal of my project is to raise awareness of these emerging integrated innovative technology and help visualise a sustainable building community. I propose to design a tower that advertises a biofuel-producing architecture. It will become a beacon of hope for a sustainable future and will raise awareness about the crisis of climate change. The purpose of the tower is to educate people about the necessity of protecting the environment.”

Student: Basant Abdelrahman
Course: ARCH 502, Architectural Design Studio X
Email: Basant.abdelrahman@mymail.aud.edu

Cultural Design Award: Tentmod by Noor AlHashemiThe American University in Dubai
Cultural Design Award: Tentmod by Noor AlHashemi

“Dubai is one of the most luxurious cities in the world, but around 90 per cent of its population are migrant workers who earn 19 dollars a day. This brings up the obvious reality of Dubai being a city built just for the rich while there are people who are in poverty.

“The city is known for being the melting pot in the middle east, and so it has residents from different incomes, nationalities, and most importantly, different religions. Unfortunately, all of these aspects create classism between the poor, the middle class, and the rich. TentMod was inspired by a mosque – there is a harmonious interaction between the poor and the other classes during the five prayers.

“I aim to create a Ramadan tent-inspired project that everyone can enjoy together. All classes, religions, and nationalities of the city can come together in union to build the temporary structure of the tent during the month of Ramadan while enjoying the structure during the rest of the year.

“This project creates a sense of unity and harmony between people while forming a connection between the occupants and the project. Furthermore, TentMod is designed to be placed and built on any site beside a mosque since it is designed to be adaptive. This characteristic will help in spreading the awareness of community and culture that comes with Ramadan tents.”

Student: Noora AlHashemi
Course: ARCH 502 – Architectural Design Studio X
Email: noora.alhashemi@mymail.aud.edu

The American University in Dubai

Community Design Award: Goodbye Slumbai by Mahima Aswani

“The project revolves around the redevelopment of one of the biggest slums in the world, Dharavi, Mumbai, India. The objective is to provide the slum dwellers with more than just shelter. To create an affordable housing option and to improve their quality of life.

“The design of the project is adaptable, sustainable and incorporates social distancing between dwellers to prepare the project for future uncertainties.

“It is designed as a place where dwellers can work in workshops to live in a type of housing module while enjoying and expressing themselves in the public spaces. In addition to this, there are also several stalls on the deck, main market, research centre, reading square to support the dwellers and the strengthening tourism financially.”

Student: Mahima Aswani
Course: ARCH 502, Architectural Design Studio X
Email: mahima.aswani@mymail.aud.edu

The American University in Dubai

Innovative Design Award: Vertical Voids by Yash Rochani

“Vertical Voids tackles the issue of expansive sprawl and urban verticality found in Dubai. It proposes to densify the existing urban cloud further, allowing people to live closer and avoid the need to commute. Densification is achieved by studying the negative spaces within the existing skyline of Dubai and proposing an infill development between the current urban fabric.

“A development built within the voids but does not connect to the urban tissue and instead floats above the existing urban fabric and suffices on itself. Densifying the neighbourhood above the grade level will help retain the existing infrastructure while creating new horizontal connections between the existing and new buildings. Thus, creating various levels of interaction besides the ground level.”

Student: Yash Rochani
Course: ARCH 502, Architectural Design Studio X
Email: yash.rochani@mymail.aud.edu

The American University in Dubai

Professor Award: Convergence by Hiba Al-Sharif

“The project objective aims to connect the Jebel Ali religious complex with its surrounding and create a unity between the existing religious buildings. Instead of an isolated island of religious buildings, the project will form a series of connections between one building and another and between the complex and its adjacent surrounding.

“Here, the concept converges the religious buildings and considers the ‘in-between passages’ under the canopy theme. This will be achieved through enhancing these passages by integrating culturally shared architectural elements, and by elevating the passages, so connecting the complex with the new cultural park.”

Student: Hiba Al-Sharif
Course: ARCH 502, Architectural Design Studio X
Email: hiba.alsharif@mymail.aud.edu

The American University in Dubai

Professor Award: Ori-folds by Maghi Alkhen

“This project aims to be taken into consideration in any country that has faced war – one that aims to build its future again. As a first step, I have taken the country Syria as a proposed location.

“In this project, I aim to try and heal the country step by step back to its life-filled days. The healing process adapts to the concept of “mitosis”, where the healthy cells start to divide themselves to cure a scar on the skin.

“The three phases of healing start with the shelter. It provides a temporary structure that is fast to build, low in cost, and safe for the people who have lost their original homes.

“The second phase focuses on transforming these temporary residentials into permanent ones and creating full residential units. The third and final phase that coexists with phase two is to conceptually include some Arabic and Islamic inspired elements within the final outcome.”

Student: Maghi Alkhen
Course: ARCH 502 – Architectural Design Studio X
Email: maghi.alkhen@mymail.aud.edu

The American University in Dubai

Professor Award: Excavation by Nawara AlMandeel

“The kingdom of Bahrain is one of the wealthiest islands in the Arabian Peninsula with cultural monuments that date back to the Sumerian and Assyrian times. It is the heart of captivating temples and forts that bind the kingdom together for its profound culture.

“It is essential that all demographic slates of people get to learn and embrace the kingdom of Bahrain’s profound cultural heritage and get inspired to revive what is lost. The project is a livable, sustainable educational cultural centre, hosting multiple activities that would invite all demographics worldwide to visit and immerse in Bahrain’s true architectural identity.

“The former would include contemporary livable areas such as resort hotels that overlook museums and refabricated historical monumental sculptures and exhibition areas.”

Student: Nawara AlMandeel
Course: ARCH 502 – Architectural Design Studio X
Email: Nawara.almandeel@mymail.aud.edu

The American University in Dubai

Students Award: Oneness by Ahmed Hussein

“When designing this project, we were told to try to relate to things we love or to our hobbies, so the first thing that came up to my mind was football or sports in general. The goal is not only to facilitate people with utilities but also how to make sports better and more accessible.

“The title of this project is oneness. I have chosen a site in a relatively poorer neighbourhood and managed to facilitate them with a sustainable hub that connects the neighbourhood that includes a stadium and a hospital. This zero-carbon emission hub offers not only sports facilities but also offices, galleries and restaurants for all types of people to connect.”

Student: Ahmed Hussein
Course: ARCH 502, Architectural Design Studio X
Email: Ahmed.hussein@mymail.aud.edu

The American University in Dubai

People’s Choice Award: Platform by Ayesha Changaai Mangalote

“Platform is an integrated rehabilitation program while activating, reflecting and incorporating new functions that would revive the central importance to the city’s fabric. The project is built around the primary goal of ordering integrated public spaces. These public spaces go from the ground floor to the leading platforms and roof gardens leading to roof gardens.

“The main intention here is to create a hub between the Gold Souq and the ultimate site, which acts as a surprise element or a hidden gem. The site includes old buildings, demolished and certain included and revamped and connected to new extensions to give continuity while ensuring a clear hierarchy and articulation of space.

“The main struggle for this project was its dense urban fabric, and the knitted area had to be well planned. That’s where the modularity of the project comes in. Balconies with roof gardens and the park below give the place a revamp where public and private realms converge. Social and physical boundaries are dissolved when different groups can meet on the ground floor of the central park.”

Student: Ayesha Changaai Mangalote
Course: ARCH 502, Architectural Design Studio X
Email: Ayeshasuha.changaaimangalote@mymail.aud.edu

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and The American University in Dubai. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

Reference

Schissel Montgomery Architects renovates Brooklyn flat for art gallerist
CategoriesInterior Design

Schissel Montgomery Architects renovates Brooklyn flat for art gallerist

By Zarkon Group,

New York City-based architecture office Schissel Montgomery has completed a minimalist renovation of a three-bedroom apartment in the Park Slope neighbourhood.

Named Wendy’s, the studio decluttered the 1,300-square-foot (120-square-metres) apartment’s living spaces to create “a quiet, generous background for art and life”.

Schissel Montgomery Architects also converted one of the bedrooms facing the street into a study.

White Brooklyn apartment kitchen renovation with tiles
The kitchen uses only lower cabinets to create a sense of openness

The renovation centres around a new kitchen, which is partially open to the living and dining space. Previously, these two areas were separate.“The intervention focuses on creating connections between the shared spaces of the apartment and selectively removing materials accreted over time,” said the studio.

Brooklyn apartment living room with minimalist furniture
A key move was to declutter the apartment’s living room

A new banquette along the wall integrates storage beneath the seat while consolidating the previously separate spaces.

At the end of a corridor, the studio repurposed an existing bedroom to create a study for the owner. Furniture selections here include a table by midcentury designer Eileen Gray and a Barcelona Daybed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

Since the apartment is at street level, Schissel Montgomery designed sheer fabric curtains to cover the bottom portion of the windows.

This gives residents more privacy, while still admitting light into the space.

Office with Mies van der Rohe Barcelona daybed
The new study occupies a former bedroom at the far end of the apartment

The project has a restrained palette with light wooden floors, white painted walls and selectively curated furnishings and artwork.

“The intervention focuses on creating connections between the shared spaces of the apartment and selectively removing materials accreted over time,” Schissel Montgomery explained.

Brooklyn apartment foyer with built-in closets
The entrance includes a full-height mirror and built-in storage

Custom details include a handmade concrete enclosure to protect the building’s steam pipe.

It is made of stacked, textured cylinders that resemble a classical column’s fluting motif.

Brooklyn kitchen dining table with custom pipe cover
Custom details include a concrete sleeve to cover the building’s steam pipe

Another additional at the apartment’s entrance is a floor-to-ceiling mirror that was to expand the space and brings more light to a darker area of the apartment.

“The intervention uses painted surfaces, whitewashed floors and window sheers to maximise bounced light in the space,” explained Schissel Montgomery.

Renovated Brooklyn apartment with custom classical details
The pipe enclosure nods to similar classical columns visible from within the apartment

These pipes are left exposed in many New York City apartments and can become so hot that they are hazardous to residents, in addition to being unsightly.

Schissel Montgomery was established in 2019 and is led by two graduates of Columbia University’s architecture school, Michael Schissel and Talene Montgomery.

Other apartment renovations in the Brooklyn area include a townhouse by GRT Architects that is filled with eclectic art objects and a monochrome interior renovation by local firm Arnold Studio.

Photography is by Daniel Terna.

Project credits:

Architect: Schissel Montgomery Architects
Construction: WK Renovation

Reference