Zarkon Group, Author at Zarkon Group Real Estate Builders & Developers

Pink accessory dwelling unit in Los Angeles

Architecture

John Friedman and Alice Kimm include crane in Los Angeles house

By Zarkon Group,17/08/2023

Architects John Friedman and Alice Kimm have stacked a white concrete mass with sinuous cutouts into a hillside as a home for their family in Los Angeles, complete with a yellow crane in the kitchen and a pink accessory dwelling unit.

Named the JArzm house – using the first initial of each family member – the home is set into a 60-foot slope in Los Angeles’ Silver Lake neighborhood.

The 3,725-square foot (346-square metre) residence is “intensely livable and playful, as well as architecturally inventive, open, and highly crafted” according to the architecture studio.

John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects (JFAK) completed the house – and 540-square foot (50-square metre) accessory dwelling unit (ADU) – in November 2021.

ADU with curved roof structure — It is set into a slope in Los Angeles’ Silver Lake area

The white cement plaster envelope is “neither box nor blob” with curved cutouts and large expanses of glass removed from a flat cube combining the arched influences of Alvaro Siza (for whom Friedman worked in the late 1980s) and the crisp detailing of Richard Neutra, Rudolph Schindler and John Lautner (whose designs are scattered throughout the neighbourhood).

Accessed from the top of the slope, the house is inverted and sits below the street level preserving views out to the Silver Lake Reservoir and Dodger Stadium for the surrounding homes.

The entry’s curving concrete steps transition to a stainless steel staircase that leads down into the open living, kitchen and dining area, as well as two children’s bedrooms.

“Designing our own house was great because we didn’t have to ask permission,” Friedman told Dezeen. “We could do whatever we want, and we did in fact integrate some ideas and elements that other clients turned down for their particular houses.”

Yellow construction crane above the dining space — A yellow construction crane was mounted into a linear skylight in the dining area

The studio included a yellow construction crane mounted into a linear skylight above the kitchen and dining room that lifts the mirrored aluminium dining table, extends it out over the balcony and lowers it to the pool deck two storeys below.

A large central staircase with open teak treads, a glass railing and a powder-coated aluminium bookcase wall connects all three levels.

Large central staircase with teak treads — All three levels are connected by a large central staircase

The middle floor contains the primary suite, laundry room, two home offices, and the third child’s bedroom, which is separated from the rest of the house by a small glass bridge that spans a triple-height light well adjacent to the staircase.

The ground floor includes a multipurpose family room that leads out to the pool deck, which is set at the same height as the roof of the pink accessory dwelling unit (ADU).

Colourful interiors within LA hillside house — Large windows open the various rooms to the forest-like landscape

The ADU sits atop an embedded garage and is topped by an urban roof garden with a sinuous aluminium sunshade structure.

“The pool deck and roof garden together create a ‘middle ground’ suspended between the streets at the site’s top and bottom,” the team explained.

Because the house is lowered in the steep terrain, it doesn’t align with the neighbouring properties.

Large windows open the various rooms to the forest-like landscape on each side of the house, while skylights and interior glazing allow sunlight to reach deep into the plan.

Bedroom with sliding glass walls — Sliding glass walls dissolve the transition between interior and exterior

Disappearing sliding glass walls dissolve the transition between interior and exterior.

The studio said that “functional domesticity” was a key requirement for the home.

“The functional and workaday are the foundation for achieving artfulness and architectural innovation,” said the studio. “[These traits] are hallmarks of JArzm House that place it firmly within the rich lineage of experimental Southern California domestic architecture.”

White house with curved openings — The house does not align with neighbouring properties

Established in 1996, JFAK Architects is the only studio to receive two Rudy Bruner Silver Medals for Urban Excellence and was longlisted for the website of the year in the 2021 Dezeen Awards.

Nearby in Los Angeles, Anonymous Architects recently embedded a concrete house into a hillside with a two-storey pool.

The photography is by Benny Chan.

Project team:

Architect: John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects, John Friedman FAIA (lead)
General contractor: Bonomo Development
Landscape contractor: Pablin Arevalo
Special fabrications: Chris Berkson, BerksonFab
Cabinetry: Evan Pohlmeier
Structural engineer: Parker Resnick
Landscape architecture: Kathleen Ferguson Landscapes, Matson Walter
Civil engineer: JMC-2

Reference

Central counter inside PJ Lobster eyewear store

Interior Design

El Departamento designs glasses store as a “challenging visual exercise”

By Zarkon Group,16/08/2023

Slight variations in tone and texture differentiate surfaces inside the PJ Lobster glasses store in Barcelona, which Spanish interiors studio El Departamento has finished entirely in green.

The shop in the El Born district features walls, floors and stuccoed ceilings all covered in soft, tranquil tones of seafoam green, creating an immersive experience designed to challenge the eye.

“The human eye is able to distinguish more different shades of green than any other colour,” El Departamento told Dezeen. “That’s because, deep inside us, we’re still hunters from the prehistoric era.”

“So that’s what we wanted to aim for here, not to hunt anything but to recover the challenging visual exercise of exploring a wide range of greens.”

Central mirrored counter inside eyewear store in Barcelona by El Departamento — A glossy counter stands at the centre of the shop

The practice was also influenced by Charles and Ray Eames’s short film Powers of Ten, which explores the scales of the universe.

This informed El Departamento’s study of different textures within the store “from macro to micro”, from the small-grained velvety micro-cement on the floor to the rough textured plaster that was applied to the wall by hand to achieve the right level of thickness.

“We wanted to get to the last step, just before a texture becomes a topography,” the studio said. “It was done manually, carefully and step by step to achieve the perfect state.”

Eye examination room inside PJ Lobster eyewear store — The examination room is located at the rear of the store

Stainless steel is another key player in the store, used to create banks of display shelving that frame each pair of glasses, with the soft sheen of the metal creating a striking contrast with the deliberately blobby texture of the walls behind.

Another textural juxtaposition is provided by the large, capsule-like counter at the heart of the store with its high-shine gloss finish and mirrored top.

Further back in the store is an area dedicated to visual examinations, delineated by a shiny pleather curtain and a softer carpeted floor.

The result, according to El Departamento, is “a vibrant space that swings between the soft and the hard, the rough and the velvety”.

Shelving inside eyewear store in Barcelona by El Departamento — Glasses are displayed on stainless steel shelves

The studio has been collaborating with PJ Lobster since the eyewear brand was founded in 2018 under the name Project Lobster, helping the company to expand from an online business into real-life stores.

With this latest outpost, El Departamento wanted to encapsulate the evolution of the brand and its products.

PJ Lobster eyewear store in Barcelona by El Departamento — The examination room is hidden behind a shiny pleather curtain

“We wanted to show that the brand has matured,” the studio said. “We tried to show somehow the organic evolution of the brand by giving this space a more technical and precise atmosphere, where the wide range of textures speaks of the precision levels of the products.”

Other monochrome eyewear stores include Lunettes Selection in Berlin, which is enveloped by mint-green floor-to-ceiling cabinets, and Melbourne’s Vision Studio where cool-toned industrial materials such as aluminium and concrete are paired with grey marble surfaces.

The photography is by José Hevia.

Reference

Charcoal-based garments by Natural Material Studio and Moskal Design

Sustainable News

Materials “have so much more to give” says Bonnie Hvillum

By Zarkon Group,16/08/2023

Materials can become a much bigger part of our everyday lives and the way we see the world if people are willing to give up mass production, Natural Material Studio founder Bonnie Hvillum tells Dezeen in this interview.

Hvillum and her Copenhagen-based design and research studio have been pushing at the boundaries of what’s possible with different materials since 2018.

From charcoal-based garments to crockery made of surplus seafood shells, Natural Material Studio creates bespoke products using its own-developed biomaterials.

“Mass-produced materials are so homogenous”

“I prefer working from a ‘leftover’ kind of aspect,” explained Hvillum, whose ethos revolves around a circular approach.

“I want materials to play an active role in our way of understanding the world,” she told Dezeen. “I feel like we have become too familiar and comfortable.

“It’s become too convenient with mass production – mass-produced materials are so homogenous and so refined. Machinery textiles are just the same when they come out, there’s no variation,” the designer added.

“We’ve had an industrial process where materials have become quite neutral, in a way. I just feel like they have so much more to give and they can be part of shaping how we think, talk about and perceive the world.”

Natural Material Studio uses a combination of simple mechanical machinery – such as a process similar to “whipping cream” when creating its biodegradable B-foam – and more manual techniques.

For example, Procel is a home-compostable, protein-based bioplastic of natural softener and pigments developed by the studio that is made into sheets using hand casting.

“It’s the handcrafted aspects that make the materials so special,” said Hvillum, referencing the random and unique patterns that emerge on the surface of the materials produced by the studio.

Shellware ceramics by Natural Material Studio — Shellware is a set of ceramics made from leftover scallop shells

Hvillum’s belief is that this approach to making things can highlight the inherent value in their materiality. Sustainable design, she said, should only be “a base point”.

“I’m more curious to talk about what these materials actually do,” she added.

“How they affect us, what they make us think and do and how they can be part of transforming the world instead of just [approaching design] with this linear thinking of replacing materials with existing ones – although of course that is also needed.”

“I needed that connection with the physical world”

Educated primarily as an interaction designer, Hvillum previously founded a consultancy called Social Design Lab.

The now-defunct company assisted professional organisations, including political parties, with “how they could think more holistically, or ‘circular’, as we call it today, in all aspects of resources including human and material resources,” according to the designer.

“I wasn’t critical of things. It was very much facilitating processes and advising and strategies and stuff. I needed that connection with the physical world,” reflected Hvillum, explaining her decision to launch Natural Material Studio.

Despite the shift, Hvillum stressed that human interaction is still at the core of her practice.

“I’m very curious about and absorbed in what we could almost call the cognitive aspects of these unconscious processes that we have in our brain. Like, why do we experience some materials in this way and others in that way?”

During the most recent edition of Milan design week, the studio showcased Brick Textiles – stretchy panels made from a combination of Procel and highly porous repurposed bricks that were classified as waste after demolition projects.

The project, which is defined by uncharacteristically “soft” bricks, proposes fresh ways of thinking about an existing resource, according to Hvillum.

Brick Textiles by Natural Material Studio — The studio also created stretchy textiles made from bricks

Hvillum is optimistic that a change in the way consumers and designers think about materials is possible.

“It’s so inspiring speaking to young people because they really see the world differently,” she said.

“These changes that we’re seeing around social equality – fluidness in terms of genders, for example – all these things are also very inspiring when we talk about design and architecture and art, because it makes us start to understand that these fields can be fluid and equal, too.”

“I feel these movements that we’re seeing on the more cultural and societal and social levels could actually inform us in ways within design and architecture – but only if we are listening.”

The photography is courtesy of Natural Material Studio.

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

Sustainable News

AI makes job ads more inclusive

By Zarkon Group,16/08/2023

Spotted: Research has demonstrated that companies with better gender and ethnic diversity find it easier to attract top talent and are more likely to have above-average profits.

But one major challenge when recruiting diverse candidates is that people often unknowingly write company descriptions and job postings focusing on a stereotypical type of person they expect would fill that role. To help change this, Develop Diverse has created a web-based artificial intelligence-(AI)-powered software tool that helps eliminate unconscious bias.

The Develop Diverse platform analyses writing for stereotypical language, highlights non-inclusive or potentially problematic words, and suggests alternatives that are less stereotypical and more inclusive. Each highlighted word also includes a socio-psycholinguistic explanation that helps users unlearn the unconscious bias reflected in the language.

In addition to replacing non-inclusive words, the platform can also deliver analytics and user reports that help organisations track changes in texts, such as job adverts, and improvements in the use of inclusive language over time.

Develop Diverse was founded in 2017 and today claims to have more than 750 users in over 35 countries. In one example, Danske Bank increased their number of qualified female applicants by 81 per cent by using Develop Diverse.

In the archive, Springwise has spotted other tools and platforms working to improve inclusivity in the workplace, including analysis software to discover an organisation’s inclusivity ‘footprint’ and AI tech that measures a company’s diversity.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

Architecture

Seamless Integration: The Revitalization of 712 Fifth Avenue Lobby

By Zarkon Group,16/08/2023

712 Fifth Avenue Renovation – Returning to one of our projects more than 30 years later, we were challenged with how to reimagine the entry and lobby to a prestigious postmodern building. This led to bigger questions; how do we engage with the discourse of history today? And how do we discuss postmodernism through built work? Our response was to generate a fundamental dialogue between glass, stone, and human occupation; to utilize advanced modern technology to fabricate the materials in a way that is both futuristic yet grounded in traditional historic construction methodologies; and to change everything without changing anything.

Architizer chatted with Hugh Trumbull, Design Principal at Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), to learn more about this project.

Architizer: What inspired the initial concept for your design?

Hugh Trumbull: Without changing the program or layout of the space, we countered the original proposition of placing ornate objects within a room with the concept of making space that integrate people and room.

Originally, the lobby was designed with postmodern ornamental columns clad in many types of stone, objects within a grey granite room. The object-ness of these elements restricted the ease of movement in and out of the building.

Our new proposition embraced a more tactile approach. The columns and wall are unified with one material, a soft welcoming stone detailed in a curving shape so that its vein and form are its sole ornament. Walls seamlessly transform into benches and a reception desk, inviting people to interact with one another and the architecture. At the entry, the sinuous structural glazing promotes a clear view and a seamless, organic flow in and out of the space.

This project won in the 10th Annual A+Awards! What do you believe are the standout components that made your project win?

We’re thrilled that our work has been recognized in the A+ Awards. There are so many beautiful components of this project, but I think the way they work together is what makes this project truly stand out. The combined effect of the sinuous glass wall and unified stonework creates a clean and elegant space that simultaneously feels light yet solid. And I think the use of advanced technology to manipulate classical material is particularly successful.

What was the greatest design challenge you faced during the project, and how did you navigate it?

By engaging in advanced technical fabrication for the stone and glass, we were able to engage in a dialogue between the future and the past and examine the postmodern condition in a new way.

For the stone, the challenge was the fabrication of very large pieces. We utilized modern CNC milling techniques, yet also relied on age-old craftmanship of stereotomy found in medieval gothic construction. To ensure a seamless grain flow from one stone to the next, pieces were rotated ever so slightly in three dimensions.

For the glass, the challenge was to build a high-performance double wall cavity that utilized the inherent structural capabilities of large curved panels while simultaneously defining an artful threshold that immerses the user into the architecture. The 14- foot-tall panels encase a mechanically isolated conditioned space that mitigates temperature differentials and humidity.

How did the context of your project — environmental, social or cultural — influence your design?

An interesting aspect of the context is that we were returning to work on a building that our firm designed. I think that touches on a really powerful idea, that buildings need to evolve and change with the cities around them, and it is up to architects to help achieve this goal. When presented with the project, we had to determine how we wanted to interact with the style today, and how to make this a more usable space without undermining the integrity of the original building. Because of the postmodern aesthetic, albeit fairly minimal version of postmodern work, this was a loaded problem full of historical references and thought history.

What drove the selection of materials used in the project?

We selected Magny Le Louvre limestone for the interior as a continuation of the tower’s Indiana limestone exterior. We wanted the interior to offer a sophisticated take on stone and give people the opportunity to touch and engage with it directly.

For the exterior wall, we shaped glass to create an immersive experience for the user as they pass through. They become part of the building as they enter or exit, and that process is completely visible, though distorted, to others passing by or pausing in the lobby. We also removed metalwork to unify the experience between the spaces.

What is your favorite detail in the project and why?

It’s always hard to pick a favorite anything when it comes to one’s own project, but one the things I think came out best here is this dialogue between materials that we’ve created. I think the way both the stone and glass are shaped and formed ergonomically enables the project to achieve its goal of serving as a point of engagement with users. Similarly, I think the contrast we’ve created between these materials – the solidity of the sedimentary veined stone and the transparency of the sculpted glass. Notably, both materials are created from sand, linking them in an essential way.

How important was sustainability as a design criteria as you worked on this project?

Sustainability is a key aspect of all of our firm’s work. In this case, as a renovation project, we were starting out with an existing structure. We upgraded mechanical systems in the lobby to be more efficient, and we designed the new a high-performing façade for the entry.

How have your clients responded to the finished project?

We’ve been fortunate to work with a great and truly supportive client, Paramount Group, on this project. Since we first brought them our design concept all the way through construction and project completion, the Paramount team believed in our vision and remained dedicated to seeing it through. It has also been exciting to see the positive reaction from the building’s tenants as they experience the new space.

What key lesson did you learn in the process of conceiving the project?

Creating an architectural dialogue with the past, present, and future, though challenging and ever-evolving, is a great foundation for developing new designs, particularly within existing projects.

How do you believe this project represents you or your firm as a whole?

I think our work on this project represents KPF’s commitment to the evolution of cities and urban spaces. By reimagining this space, working within its constraints and addressing its challenges, we have enhanced the usefulness of this entire office building and met the needs of its current users. And, as a renovation, this project also reflects a commitment to sustainability and which is a core aspect of our work.

Team Members

Design Principal: Hugh Trumbull / Managing Principal: Richard Nemeth / Project Manager: Greg Mell / Team: Chris Dial, Xi Chen, Alex Lightman, Parker Russo

Consultants

AECOM Tishman (Construction Manager) / ETMA (Stone Fabricator) / Front Inc. (Facade Consultant) / Wilkstone (Stone Installation)

Photographer credit: Michael Moran / OTTO

Products and Materials

Magny Le Louvre limestone, Cristacurva glass

For more on 712 Fifth Avenue Renovation, please visit the in-depth project page on Architizer.

712 Fifth Avenue Renovation Gallery

Reference

Lobby with pink terrazzo floor and matching plaster walls

Interior Design

Hotel Genevieve in Louisville features colour-coordinated guest rooms

By Zarkon Group,15/08/2023

Room types are organized by bold colours at this hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, which was designed by US hospitality group Bunkhouse and Philadelphia-based design studio Rohe Creative.

Located in Louisville’s East Market district, also known as NuLu (New Louisville), Hotel Genevieve occupies a new six-storey, black-brick building that’s within walking distance of some of the city’s biggest tourist attractions.

The hotel takes its name from a regional type of limestone, Saint Genevieve, which is a key ingredient in local bourbon production and also prevalent in Texas, where operator Bunkhouse is based.

The company collaborated with Rohe Creative on the interiors, which are intended to reference Louisville’s history.

Dark bar lounge with a vaulted golden ceiling — Communal spaces for guests include a speakeasy-style bar with a golden vaulted ceiling

In the lobby, pink tones of terrazzo flooring are echoed in the plasterwork behind the reception desk, surrounding an equestrian-themed mural.

Artworks are displayed on white walls and in front of red velvet curtains to form a gallery around the lobby seating areas and corridors.

Blue guest bedroom with large bed — The rooms are coloured by type and the smaller spaces feature a blue palette

The adjacent all-day restaurant, Rosettes, serves food made with local ingredients and is influenced by al fresco Parisian cafes and chef Ashleigh Shanti’s Southern background. This bright, brasserie-like space combines green-tiled floors with colourful dining chairs and retro light fixtures.

“Richly decorated, each design accent tells a story, from bold usages of colour to a playful mix of vintage and modern furniture, and a vivacious art program featuring local talent,” said the hotel team.

View through an arched opening into a blue bedroom — The chosen colour in each room extends across the wall and ceiling, as well as into the bathrooms

A mini market on the ground floor, which is “part convenience store, part pop art installation”, sells locally sourced provisions, handmade artisanal goods, and coffee and snacks to go.

There’s also a dark and moody speakeasy-style bar with lounge seats and a golden vaulted ceiling.

Terracotta-coloured hotel room with two queen beds — Double Queen rooms are decorated in a terracotta hue

“Luxurious and feminine architectural details bring life to the space and reference the city’s namesake, King Louis XVI, heavily featuring Louisville’s vibrant local flora and fauna, with goldenrod [plants] shining throughout the suites and ground-floor restaurant,” said the hotel team.

The hotel’s 122 guest rooms are each painted a distinct colour that correlates with their size or type. These hues cover the walls and ceilings, and also extend into the bathrooms via floor and shower tiles.

Yellow-coloured living room within a hotel room — Four Suite Genevieve rooms have a separate living room and are coloured yellow

Smaller rooms, including the King Louie and Petite King categories, feature a blue palette, while the slightly larger Double Queens are decorated in a terracotta hue.

Four Grand King rooms accommodate a seating area and are also painted blue, while an additional four Suite Genevieve rooms have a separate living room and are coloured yellow.

All of the rooms boast custom features and fittings by ROHE, as well as paintings and prints by Kentucky-born artist John Paul Kesling.

The rooftop venue, Bar Genevieve, serves cocktails and French-Mediterranean food from an indoor space that opens to the outdoors.

Spacious bar area with teal accents — Bar Genevieve on the top floor features teal accents and can be hired for private events

The bar area is accented with deep teal colours across the counter, stool seats, arched window frames and floor-to-ceiling velvet curtains that can be used to divide up the room.

Hotel Genevieve has also partnered with local organisations Black Soil Kentucky, Louisville Orchestra, and the Olmsted Parks Conservancy for programming across its varied communal spaces.

Exterior view of black-brick building — The hotel occupies a new black-brick building in Louisville’s East Market district

Kentucky draws visitors for its bourbon production and horse racing heritage, and demand for high-end accommodation in the state appears to be on the rise: a new five-star hotel called The Manchester also recently opened in Lexington.

Bunkhouse operates multiple properties across North America, including the Austin Motel and nearby Hotel Magdalena, Phoenix Hotel in San Francisco and Hotel San Cristóbal in Los Cabos, Mexico.

The photography is by Nick Simonite.

Reference

Sustainable News

Egg Chair would not be designed today say Luke Pearson and Tom Lloyd

By Zarkon Group,15/08/2023

Concave chairs like Arne Jacobsen’s Egg and Eero Saarinen’s Womb don’t meet today’s definition of good design, according to the founders of design studio Pearson Lloyd.

Luke Pearson and Tom Lloyd said furniture with glued upholstery no longer makes sense because it is too difficult to recycle.

They argue that mid-century designs like the Egg and Womb, which require a large amount of glue to achieve their concave shapes, are no longer appropriate for production.

“People still hold up the Egg chair as an icon of design, even though it’s made of textile glued onto foam and moulded onto metal, making it almost impossible to repair or recycle,” Lloyd told Dezeen.

“Any textile which is a concave surface is not fit for purpose any more,” he said.

Shift to “planet-first approach”

In a joint statement sent exclusively to Dezeen, titled “Why the Egg chair would not be designed today”, the Pearson Lloyd founders said that today’s furniture must embrace the circular economy.

They said the definition of “good design” must now consider environmental impact.

“We are no longer able to judge the quality of a design by aesthetics alone,” they said.

“The value proposition of design is shifting rapidly towards a planet-first approach, and it is leading us to question how we behave and what we make. If a design doesn’t minimise carbon and maximise circularity, is it good?”

Finnish architect Eero Saarinen developed the Womb chair in 1946. It went into production for furniture brand Knoll two years later.

Danish architect Arne Jacobsen designed the Egg chair, as well as the smaller Swan chair, in 1958 for the interior of the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. They were marketed by Danish brand Fritz Hansen soon after and have been in continuous production ever since.

“Almost impossible” to recycle

All three designs are produced by glueing leather or textile onto polyurethane foam, then moulding it over a structural frame of metal or fibreglass.

This results in products that are easy to manufacture and highly lightweight, but it also makes them harder to recycle and consequently increases their ecological footprint.

This technology was revolutionary in the mid-20th century, but Pearson and Lloyd believe it has since become defunct, due to “the poor environmental credentials of this material stack”.

“Today we are questioning whether 20th-century technologies are appropriate, to eliminate products that have a short and single carbon lifecycle,” they said.

The pair reject the counterargument that, as design classics, these products often outlive their expected lifespans.

“What about the generations of derivative products whose useful life is so much shorter?” they said. “They have been incinerated or added to landfill.”

Pearson Lloyd now avoids glued textiles

Pearson Lloyd has previously used glued textiles in its own designs. But it now avoids them as much as possible, said the founders.

They instead promote the use of linear or convex shapes, which allow textiles to be held in place with drawstrings rather than glue.

Recent launches such as the CoLab classroom furniture, produced by British brand Senator, demonstrate this approach.

Pearson and Lloyd believe that new technologies such as 3D knitting also offer viable alternatives.

“We are excited by new material innovations such as 3D knitting that are allowing us to explore new design paradigms, new aesthetics and new demountable structures, to reflect the times we live in and our new priorities,” added the duo.

Read the full statement below:

Why the Egg chair would not be designed today

Egg, Swan, Womb: these organic words are resonant of nature. They are also names of some of the most recognisable chairs of the 20th century that reimagined seating in bold forms. This new aesthetic language of complex compound forms was enabled by technological developments in polyurethane foam moulding, glues, and fibreglass. These icons of design have been held up as benchmarks to which designers the world over should aspire.

Today, our definition of good design is changing. We are no longer able to judge the quality of a design by aesthetics alone. The value proposition of design is shifting rapidly towards a planet-first approach, and it is leading us to question how we behave and what we make. If a design doesn’t minimise carbon and maximise circularity is it good?

So a question we have been asking ourselves recently as we have been avoiding glueing textiles: would iconic products like the Swan, Egg and Womb chairs be designed today?

Circular design demands that products can be repaired to extend their life and recycled at end-of-life, so that carbon can be recovered by returning constituent materials to their discrete technical cycles. The vision is that we could use the products and materials in circulation today to cater to our needs in the future, preventing the extraction of raw materials.

Icons such as the Egg, Swan and Womb chair apply textiles to concave padded surfaces for comfort. This requires the textile to be glued onto foam to hold it in place. The foam is then moulded over a structural frame or surface, connecting three materials together in a way that is almost impossible to separate for repair or recycling. The poor environmental credentials of this material stack have led to the Egg aesthetic disappearing from contemporary design.

Now, ironically, in the case of these iconic chairs, their cultural durability means that they are cherished way beyond their normal and expected lifespans and, like classic cars, through careful restoration, they may indeed last forever. But what about the generations of derivative products whose useful life is so much shorter? They have been incinerated or added to landfill.

Today we are questioning whether 20th-century technologies are appropriate, to eliminate products that have a short and single carbon lifecycle. We are excited by new material innovations such as 3D knitting that are allowing us to explore new design paradigms, new aesthetics and new demountable structures, to reflect the times we live in and our new priorities.

Main image is courtesy of Shutterstock.

Reference

Sustainable News

Sustainable circular packaging for deliveries

By Zarkon Group,15/08/2023

Spotted: Germany created 225.8 kilogrammes of packaging waste per inhabitant in 2020 – the highest level of all countries examined in Europe, even though its recycling rate stands at almost 70 per cent. One of the biggest drivers of this issue is e-commerce waste, which boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic and doesn’t look set to stop.

To battle this scourge, Germany-based Rhinopaq has created a sustainable and reusable packaging system to replace existing single-use bags and boxes.

The startup’s packaging consists of sturdy envelopes and boxes made from recycled polypropylene – reducing the need to produce more plastic in fossil-fuel-reliant processes or fell trees for more ‘sustainable’ paper alternatives. Notably, Rhinopaq emphasises that each of its boxes or packs tells a story, meaning that their customers can track carbon savings and the packaging’s previous usage.

Rhinopaq is commercially available across Germany, offering its reusable boxes on a pay-per-use model as well as a plugin that allows its e-commerce clients to easily provide reusable and disposable packing to their customers on their own websites.

Customers simply put the packaging back in a postbox when they are done – with no stamp required.

In the archive, Springwise has spotted other innovations working to lessen the climate footprint of e-commerce, including nano-fulfilment centres and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to minimise clothing returns.

Written By: Amanda Simms

Reference

Architecture

20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco

By Zarkon Group,15/08/2023

Unlike many cities, San Francisco’s most iconic structure is not a building but a bridge. While the Golden Gate looms large in popular culture, it casts a shadow over some of the hilly city’s more iconic buildings. Likewise, although bay windows may rival the bridge’s iconic status, the city’s eclectic mix of Queen Anne and Victorian homes with modern architecture is less often remarked upon as noteworthy in and of itself. Yet, designing and building with heritage in mind is just one of many challenges that the city’s architects rise to in any design (steep hills and a meandering waterfront representing other prominent hurdles).

As Silicon Valley has grown, making property prices skyrocket, architects are increasingly pressed to address rising inequality and the affordable housing crisis. At the same time, they have responded to the growth of wealth and business by designing campuses, offices, masterplans and the like. The urban issues that San Francisco faces are both daunting and complex, but the high caliber of local firms makes the city well-suited to rise to the occasion.

With so many architecture firms to choose from, it’s challenging for clients to identify the industry leaders that will be an ideal fit for their project needs. Fortunately, Architizer is able to provide guidance on the top design firms in San Francisco based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.

How are these architecture firms ranked?

The following ranking has been created according to key statistics that demonstrate each firm’s level of architectural excellence. The following metrics have been accumulated to establish each architecture firm’s ranking, in order of priority:

The number of A+Awards won (2013 to 2023)
The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2023)
The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2023)
The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2023)
The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2023)

Each of these metrics is explained in more detail at the foot of this article. This ranking list will be updated annually, taking into account new achievements of San Francisco architecture firms throughout the year.

Without further ado, here are the 20 best architecture firms in San Francisco:

20. Fougeron Architecture

Fougeron Architecture is a nationally recognized design firm whose work exhibits a strong commitment to clarity of thought, design integrity, and quality of architectural detail. The firm’s decidedly modernist attitude is the result of founder Anne Fougeron’s vision to create a practice dedicated to finding the perfect alignment between architectural idea and built form. Her work can be defined by three basic tenets:

Architectural space is modulated by the quality and character of natural light,
Innovative use of structure becomes the architectural ornament, and
Exploration into the visual and tactile nature of materials enhances how people engage a building.

Ms. Fougeron’s keen interest in crossing disciplinary boundaries has led the firm to develop a collaborative design process that capitalizes on her relationships with craftsmen and artists who are experts in their fields.

Some of Fougeron Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Fougeron Architecture achieve 20th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	1
Featured Projects	7
Total Projects	39

19. MWA Architects

At MWA Architects, we approach each project with a holistic design vision because we know that our work can create a positive and lasting impact for both people and the environment. Our primary markets focus on humanity’s essential needs — housing to support our well-being and access to healthy infrastructure – however, we pursue various project types all integral to a thriving community. The common thread in all of our work is that we deliberately take on challenging projects with complex and diverse stakeholder needs as these opportunities can often inspire meaningful change. A West-Coast-based firm, founded in 1988, we strive to create a legacy of beautiful and sustainable architecture that positively impacts the world.

Some of MWA Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Brooklyn Basin Township Commons, Oakland, California
San Francisco International Airport Terminal 2, San Francisco, California
Renaissance Commons, Portland, Oregon
Oak Harbor Clean Water Facility & Windjammer Park, Oak Harbor, Washington
Palo Alto Dewatering & Loadout Facility, Palo Alto, California

The following statistics helped MWA Architects achieve 19th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	5
Total Projects	17

18. STUDIOS Architecture

STUDIOS believes in the transformative power of design to lift the trajectories of individual lives and entire communities. We’ve seen it happen again and again since our founding, back when the first tech boom was just a spark. As those early innovators changed the way we all live, learn and work, we changed the way they thought about space — as a strategic resource for expressing their unique vision and fueling extraordinary success.
While our impact and expertise have expanded, our flexible approach to design remains fundamentally the same. We push boundaries, guided by the wisdom of close client partnerships and the confidence needed to take big and small steps forward together.

Some of STUDIOS Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

Kearny Point Building 78 Annex, Kearny, New Jersey
Dow Jones, New York City, New York
IAC Building, Interiors, New York City, New York
200 Fifth Avenue, New York City, New York
Nike – New York Headquarters, New York City, New York

The following statistics helped STUDIOS Architecture achieve 18th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	8
Total Projects	47

17. Studio O+A

At Studio O+A, our work process combines creativity and flexibility with the technical expertise to realize appropriate solutions for our client. Because our professionals are trained and experienced in all aspects of corporate planning and design, we exercise a degree of control that carries projects from concept to finish with consistency and economy.

Some of Studio O+A’s most prominent projects include:

adidas East Village Expansion, Portland, Oregon
Slack, San Francisco, California
Vara, San Francisco, California
McDonald’s Headquarters, Chicago, Illinois
Facebook HQ, Palo Alto, California

The following statistics helped Studio O+A achieve 17th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	11

16. OPA

Ogrydziak Prillinger Architects is a progressive San Francisco-based office that has been globally recognized for projects ranging in scale from institutions to private homes, as well as interior and object design. Founded in 2004, OPA is an idea-driven office committed to finding design solutions that both expand the possibilities inherent in architecture and resonate within their particular context.

While every project originates as a response to specific requirements of site, program and client, it evolves as an exploration of its own internal potential rather than reflecting a predetermined architectural style. In all the work, there is an emphasis on shaping and choreographing spatial experiences through the consideration of movement, perception and formal logic.

Some of OPA’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped OPA achieve 16th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	5
Featured Projects	5
Total Projects	9

15. Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture

Motivated by a conviction that landscape design has the power to alter perception and ultimately initiate a deeper respect for the environment, ACLA designs spaces that offer opportunities for users to forge new relationships with their surroundings. Through an iterative process, we find simple responses to complex problems, and seek to elevate experiences through layering and choreography of movement. The trust we build with our clients through long-term partnerships is an important foundation of our work, as each new project expands our expression of design and craft.

Some of Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

Windhover Contemplative Center, Stanford, California
Richardson Affordable Apartments, San Francisco, California
Los Altos Residence, Los Altos, California
Telegraph Hill Residence, San Francisco, California
Birmingham Residence, Detroit, Michigan

The following statistics helped Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture achieve 15th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	13

14. Cass Calder Smith Architecture + Interiors

We believe that masterful design is unique, relevant and timeless. We really like iconic architecture that is conceptually interesting and also reveals an attention to detail, materiality and authenticity. We admire boldness balanced with simplicity, innovation balanced with functionality and power balanced with precision. We see ourselves as well-traveled creators with a conviction that a talented and experienced team that conscientiously listens is a valuable ally. We are professionally motivated to connect the aspects of artistic ambition, problem solving, environmental responsibility and style within demanding requirements.
‍
We are an award-winning multidisciplinary firm dedicated to design excellence. We were founded in 1992 by Architect Cass Calder Smith and are now comprised of four principals that include Barbara Vickroy, Taylor Lawson and Tim Quayle.

Some of Cass Calder Smith Architecture + Interiors’s most prominent projects include:

Print Lounge, New York City, New York
Diane Middlebrook Studios, Woodside, California
Stairway to Heaven, San Francisco, California
Aptos Retreat, Aptos, California
Mill Valley Residence, Marin County, California

The following statistics helped Cass Calder Smith Architecture + Interiors achieve 14th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	3
Featured Projects	6
Total Projects	22

13. Rapt Studio

We’re into branding, design, and the spaces that bring them together.
We love connecting things. Sites, design, and strategy — we think it’s better when they all come together.
We’re a group of designers, builders, thinkers, and fans of culture who love creating inspiring spaces, digital places and everything in between. In short, we help companies stand out and stand for something.

Some of Rapt Studio’s most prominent projects include:

Vans Global HQ, Costa Mesa, California
Make, Carlsbad, California
Basalt, Napa, California
J Dawgs, Salt Lake City, Utah
Dropbox HQ, San Francisco, California

The following statistics helped Rapt Studio achieve 13th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	7
Featured Projects	3
Total Projects	28

12. Mork Ulnes Architects

With offices in San Francisco and Oslo, Mork Ulnes Architects approaches projects with a combination of Scandinavian practicality and Northern California’s ‘can-do’ spirit of innovation.

Some of Mork Ulnes Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Skigard Hytte, Fåvang, Norway
Mylla Cabin, Oppland, Norway
MOOSE ROAD RESIDENCE, Ukiah, California
MEIER ROAD BARN, Sonoma, California
Troll Hus, Placer County, California

The following statistics helped Mork Ulnes Architects achieve 12th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	2
A+Awards Finalist	4
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	9

11. S^A | Schwartz and Architecture

S^A | Schwartz and Architecture is a modern architecture and interior design studio established by Founder + Principal Neal J. Z. Schwartz, FAIA in 1997. Our expertise is in guiding clients through a highly interactive design process tailored to their personalities, budgets and needs. Rather than imposing a pre-conceived aesthetic, we begin our work by thoughtfully analyzing the particular opportunities posed by any site and constraint. We remain involved at every stage of design and construction and thrive working with fixed schedules and resources.

Some of S^A | Schwartz and Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped S^A | Schwartz and Architecture achieve 11th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	1
Featured Projects	8
Total Projects	23

10. Mark Cavagnero Associates

Mark Cavagnero Associates is a San Francisco-based architecture firm focused on cultural, commercial, education, and civic projects. Since its establishment in 1988, the firm has completed a wide range of architectural and master planning projects, including large and small scale institutional, non-profit, commercial, and residential projects. The firm provides a full range of services, from programming, master planning, site planning and conceptual design, through construction documents and administration.

Some of Mark Cavagnero Associates’s most prominent projects include:

UC San Francisco, Joan & Sanford I. Weill Neurosciences Building, San Francisco, California
Quest Diagnostics Next Generation Lab, Clifton, New Jersey
Confidential Investment Firm, California
Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, California
San Francisco Conservatory of Music – Ute and William K. Bowes, Jr. Center for Performing Arts, San Francisco, California

The following statistics helped Mark Cavagnero Associates achieve 10th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	2
A+Awards Finalist	5
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	9

9. Klopf Architecture

Klopf Architecture brings the outside in. Our firm creates warm, modern designs that admit natural light and allow openness to nature. Our design approach weighs many factors to create custom designs with just the right level of connection to the outside world: clients’ goals and lifestyle, site orientation, views, climate and neighborhood context. Our primary goal is to create spaces people love to inhabit.

Specializing in new warm, modern net-zero energy houses, we are widely recognized for our work remodeling and adding to mid-century modern and Eichler homes. We believe in bringing these wonderful homes back to life for another generation to love, or creating new, green modern homes that provide the same level of warmth and connection to nature that follow a similar philosophy.

Some of Klopf Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Klopf Architecture achieve 9th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	47

8. Arterra Landscape Architects

Arterra is a full-service landscape architecture firm specializing in contemporary, sustainable design. We collaborate with our clients and their design team, providing imaginative solutions and clear communication. The Arterra Team is a diverse and slightly quirky group of creative and nerdy individuals. We are dedicated to the art and the craft of our profession. We consider it an honor and a privilege to do the work we do — and we do it well.

We share ideas and inspiration in our beautiful, open studio space, where design ideas come to life. We are dedicated to doing sustainable work and living sustainable lives. Our greatest achievement is creating a meaningful and sustainable landscape legacy.

Some of Arterra Landscape Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Dry Garden Poetry, Santa Cruz, California
The Painterly Approach, Belvedere Tiburon, California
Farm to Table, Woodside, California
Inspired by the Land, Healdsburg, California
Taronga, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Top image: Art House, San Francisco, California

The following statistics helped Arterra Landscape Architects achieve 8th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	3
A+Awards Finalist	4
Featured Projects	9
Total Projects	15

7. Aidlin Darling Design

With a shared interest in exploring design across a wide range of scales, programs, and disciplines, partners Joshua Aidlin and David Darling started Aidlin Darling Design around a woodshop in 1998. With an emphasis on designing for all of the senses, they have cultivated a diverse and collaborative studio that acts as the creative hub for an extended network of builders, fabricators, artists, engineers, chefs and other collaborators. The firm’s work explores a closely held conviction that design can enlighten the human spirit by engaging all of the senses.

Some of Aidlin Darling Design’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Aidlin Darling Design achieve 7th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	2
A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	14
Total Projects	21

6. Jensen Architects

At JENSEN we are passionate about creating buildings and environments that enrich the experiences of organizations and individuals. Guided by a responsibility to achieve the most using the fewest resources and to engage a broader cultural perspective, we develop solutions that embody each client’s values and larger purpose.

Our wide-ranging portfolio — encompassing arts, education, residential, workplace and retail — is underpinned by an abiding interest in how we live and work today, and the pleasure we take in collectively solving design challenges through research, unconventional thinking and a focus on craft. The economy and directness in our work reflects not only a clear concern for ecological sustainability but also a deep appreciation of the inherent beauty that emerges when functional, experiential and environmental goals are efficiently and gracefully resolved. We are recognized for innovative applications of proven building systems and materials and valued for our collaborative approach to design and construction.

Some of Jensen Architects’s most prominent projects include:

Stanford Residence, Stanford, California
The Shed Healdsburg, Healdsburg, California
Blue Bottle Morse Building, Oakland, California
Turner Residence, Larkspur, California
SFMOMA Rooftop Sculpture Garden, San Francisco, California

The following statistics helped Jensen Architects achieve 6th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	1
A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	15
Total Projects	25

5. Form4 Architecture

Form4 Architecture believes in returning a sense of humanity to Modernism through emotional meaning and poetic design. The San Francisco-based award‐winning firm measures success by our contributions to society through a 2nd Century Modernist approach that balances expressive design, rigor, empathy and sustainability to create captivating buildings and spaces that resonate with people and enhance their lives.

Some of Form4 Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Form4 Architecture achieve 5th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	2
A+Awards Finalist	7
Featured Projects	12
Total Projects	26

4. Feldman Architecture

Feldman Architecture is an innovative residential and commercial studio known for creating buildings that sit lightly on the earth: beautiful, healthful, and soulful spaces that enhance our clients’ lives, our communities and the environment.

Some of Feldman Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

Mill Valley Cabins, Mill Valley, California
Slot House, Los Altos, California
The Sanctuary, Palo Alto, California
Sunrise, Healdsburg, California
Surf House, Santa Cruz, California

The following statistics helped Feldman Architecture achieve 4th place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Finalist	2
Featured Projects	20
Total Projects	37

3. IwamotoScott Architecture

IwamotoScott Architecture is an award winning architecture and design firm established by Lisa Iwamoto and Craig Scott. Based in San Francisco, the firm has gained national and international recognition for innovative design with projects around the country and overseas. Committed to pursuing architecture as a form of applied design research, IwamotoScott proceeds from the belief that each project can achieve a unique design synthesis.

IwamotoScott’s client list includes arts organizations, educational institutions, media firms, commercial developers and private clients. Our projects consist of work at all scales including urban design, buildings, interiors, full-scale fabrications, museum installations and exhibitions and theoretical proposals. IwamotoScott has received over eighty design awards and honors.

Some of IwamotoScott Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

Pinterest HQ, San Francisco, California
Pinterest HQ2, San Francisco, California
Heavybit Industries, 325, 9th Street, San Francisco, California
City View Garage, Miami Design District, Miami, Florida
Pinterest NY – Scissor Stair, New York City, New York

The following statistics helped IwamotoScott Architecture achieve 3rd place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	5
A+Awards Finalist	7
Featured Projects	13
Total Projects	39

2. Salter

Salter consults on over 900 worldwide projects each year with headquarters in San Francisco and branch offices in San Jose, Los Angeles, Honolulu and Seattle. In 1975, Charles Salter founded the company on principles of sound engineering, scientific process, inquisitive problem solving, and personal integrity. His motto was simple: to be better every day. Having grown from 1 engineer to a team of 50 that includes acoustical, audiovisual, telecommunications, and security experts, that commitment remains the same.

At Salter, our legacy is 45 years of award-winning projects. We are a team of Professional Engineers, LEED Accredited Professionals, Certified Technology Specialists, Registered Communications Distribution Designers, Fellows of the Audio Engineering Society and Fellows of the Acoustical Society of America.

Some of Salter’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Salter achieve 2nd place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	4
A+Awards Finalist	10
Featured Projects	14
Total Projects	42

1. Gensler

Gensler is a global architecture, design and planning firm with 53 locations and more than 7,000 professionals networked across Asia, Europe, Australia, the Middle East and the Americas. Founded in San Francisco in 1965, the firm serves more than 4,000 clients across more than 29 practice areas spanning the work, lifestyle, community and health sectors. Gensler designers strive to make the places people live, work and play more inspiring, more resilient and more impactful.

Some of Gensler’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Gensler achieve 1st place in the 20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco:

A+Awards Winner	8
A+Awards Finalist	28
Featured Projects	49
Total Projects	163

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

With more than 30,000 architecture firms and over 130,000 projects within its database, Architizer is proud to host the world’s largest online community of architects and building product manufacturers. Its celebrated A+Awards program is also the largest celebration of architecture and building products, with more than 400 jurors and hundreds of thousands of public votes helping to recognize the world’s best architecture each year.

Architizer also powers firm directories for a number of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapters nationwide, including the official directory of architecture firms for AIA New York.

An example of a project page on Architizer with Project Award Badges highlighted

A Guide to Project Awards

The blue “+” badge denotes that a project has won a prestigious A+Award as described above. Hovering over the badge reveals details of the award, including award category, year, and whether the project won the jury or popular choice award.

The orange Project of the Day and yellow Featured Project badges are awarded by Architizer’s Editorial team, and are selected based on a number of factors. The following factors increase a project’s likelihood of being featured or awarded Project of the Day status:

Project completed within the last 3 years
A well written, concise project description of at least 3 paragraphs
Architectural design with a high level of both functional and aesthetic value
High quality, in focus photographs
At least 8 photographs of both the interior and exterior of the building
Inclusion of architectural drawings and renderings
Inclusion of construction photographs

There are 7 Projects of the Day each week and a further 31 Featured Projects. Each Project of the Day is published on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Stories, while each Featured Project is published on Facebook. Each Project of the Day also features in Architizer’s Weekly Projects Newsletter and shared with 170,000 subscribers.

We’re constantly look for the world’s best architects to join our community. If you would like to understand more about this ranking list and learn how your firm can achieve a presence on it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at editorial@architizer.com.

Reference

Interior Design

Viruta Lab blankets compact house in Valencia with chequerboard tiles

By Zarkon Group,14/08/2023

Spanish interiors studio Viruta Lab has renovated a compact house in El Cabanyal, Valencia’s traditional fishing neighbourhood, using geometric blue-and-white tiling for an understated nautical aesthetic.

Built in 1946, the humble two-storey building once belonged to the grandparents of the current owner but had been boarded up for many years.

Viruta Lab was brought on board to transform the small 85-square-metre home into a modern holiday residence while respecting its great sentimental value to the family.

“Emotion was a very important starting point,” the studio told Dezeen.

Kitchen of Valencia house by Viruta Lab — The interior is dominated by chequerboard tiles

“The house is a family legacy and the image they have of it is very deep, so it was necessary for any intervention to be as respectful as possible and with a language that they understood and took as their own,” Viruta Lab continued.

“We understood that the architecture already had a value, that we only had to beautify it, preserve it.”

Dining area of Casa Cabanyal — Green upholstery provides a contrast with the blue-and-white colour scheme

Viruta Lab uncovered the building’s original brick walls from under layers of peeling paint and carefully repaired the pre-existing mouldings “to give height and nostalgic value to the interior design”.

Liberal chequerboard tiling provides a contrast to these traditional design details, featured throughout all the rooms from the kitchen to the sleeping quarters.

Mouldings inside house in Valencia by Viruta Lab — Viruta Lab restored the home’s original mouldings

In a suitably nautical palette of navy and off-white, the tiles reference the great variety of tiled facades found in the El Cabanyal neighbourhood.

“The dominant colours on the facades of the Cabanyal are white, blue and green, which are associated with a lifestyle linked to the resources offered by the sea,” the studio said.

“It was clear that we had to respect the local traditions, the architecture and the essence of the house and give it a maritime aesthetic, reinterpreting the Mediterranean style to adapt it to the tradition of the neighbourhood using its own materials.”

Green shows up throughout the interior in the form of simple upholstered furniture – including a sofa, pouffe, benches and stools – all custom-designed by Viruta Lab for this compact space.

Bathroom inside Casa Cabanyal — European oak was used to form joinery details

The interior woodwork in European oak was stained to resemble Canaletto walnut, matching the tones of the two remaining original interior doors that were painstakingly restored and repurposed as sliding doors.

“We wanted the woodwork to provide a quality counterpoint to the cold tones of the blues and greens, with an imprint and weight,” the studio said.

Bedroom inside house in Valencia by Viruta Lab — The remaining interior doors were restored and repurposed as sliding doors

Another key local material – esparto grass fibre – is less noticeable than the tiles but pops up throughout the house to add textural interest.

Traditionally used to make ropes, baskets, mats and espadrille sandals, the flexible natural material was repurposed to form headboards and backrests, and even clad the suspended ceilings in the bathrooms.

Bedroom inside Casa Cabanyal — Esparto grass was used to from headboards and backrests

“This material has been used because of its roots in the traditions and life in the Mediterranean area, especially in the Valencian community,” the studio said.

“For Viruta Lab, the legacy comes from its use by men of the countryside and the sea, by the original residents of the Cabanyal, those men who used to wear espadrilles.”

Courtyard inside house in Valencia by Viruta Lab — The house has a shaded outdoor dining area on the roof

As well as a clay-tiled roof terrace with a shaded outdoor dining area, the house also features a sensitively restored inner courtyard, complete with a stone water trough where the owner’s grandfather once dried his fishing nets at the end of a day’s work.

Other projects that celebrate Valencia’s historic architecture include a 1920s penthouse that was renovated to celebrate its original mosaic floors and an octogenarian home in El Cabanyal that was updated using traditional construction techniques and local materials.

The photography is by David Zarzoso.

Reference

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20 Best Architecture Firms in San Francisco

How are these architecture firms ranked?

20. Fougeron Architecture

19. MWA Architects

18. STUDIOS Architecture

17. Studio O+A

16. OPA

15. Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture

14. Cass Calder Smith Architecture + Interiors

13. Rapt Studio

12. Mork Ulnes Architects

11. S^A | Schwartz and Architecture

10. Mark Cavagnero Associates

9. Klopf Architecture

8. Arterra Landscape Architects

7. Aidlin Darling Design

6. Jensen Architects

5. Form4 Architecture

4. Feldman Architecture

3. IwamotoScott Architecture

2. Salter

1. Gensler

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

A Guide to Project Awards

Viruta Lab blankets compact house in Valencia with chequerboard tiles

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