arches Archives

Los Angeles design studio Gharib Studio has contrasted concrete floors and exposed ceilings with soft-pink walls and clean lines for a jewellery store in Austin.

Created for the friendship jewellery brand Little Words Project (LWP), Gharib Studio used elements of the merchandise to inform the store’s pink material palette and incorporated arches throughout the space to contrast the industrial elements of the building, which were left exposed.

According to Gharib Studio founder Nora Gharib, the team followed the common phrase “everything is bigger in Texas” when designing the concept store.

“I wanted to amplify the brand in a grand way by taking the LWP brand aesthetic and localizing it to Texas by pushing the standard design elements, such as the brand’s bracelet arches and beading table experience, then accentuating it,” said Gharib.

A retail store with silver with long white tables — Arches and soft tones contrast with the space’s industrial elements

Visitors enter the store into a large, primary space, where built-in display cases were integrated into the walls.

On one side, the display resembles small bookcases and on the other, the bracelets are displayed throughout a series of arches.

Archways with tables and chairs — Long tables lead to the seating area at the back of the space

At the centre of the primary space are two long tables with metallic-coated bases, also used for display. A circular display table in the middle was created to resemble a vanity, with merchandise incorporated throughout.

Gharib inserted three arches along the back of the space, in part to accentuate the height of the space, and to draw visitors to the space beyond them, which serves as a beading area.

Velvet chairs underneath aluminum light fixture — Metallic details were informed by the charms found on the bracelets

This space was outfitted with CB2 Castell Chairs in burgundy, with similar tables as the main space, except with pink bases instead of silver.

A neon sign that reads, “You can sit with us” hangs above the tables.

Textured dusty-pink wallpaper by Belarte Studio was used to line the space, while the remaining interior was covered in a rose pink hue.

Metallic accents throughout the store, including aluminium light pendants, a metal trimmed mirror and the display table’s metallic bases, were informed by the metal charms found in LWP bracelets.

Space with velvet chairs and textured wallpaper — It is the brand’s first store in Austin

The space’s utility elements were left exposed on the ceiling, with red track lighting running the perimeter of the space.

Other retail projects recently completed in Austin include a mid-century post office turned grocery by Side Angle Side.

Gharib Studio is a Los Angeles-based studio founded by Nora Gharib in 2023, focused on retail and brand design.

The photography is by Casey Woods Photography

Project credits:

Architectural designer: Gharib Studio

General contractor: Paco Santander Construction

Reference

Entryway with black and white mosaic flooring

Interior Design

MRDK uses arches and mosaics for Ciele Athletics store in Montreal

By Zarkon Group,03/07/2023

Rounded walls and archways create a flow through this Montreal boutique, designed by local studio MRDK for Canadian sportswear brand Ciele Athletics.

The first boutique for Ciele, which sells technical headwear and apparel for running, opened in April 2023 on Notre-Dame Street in Montreal – the brand’s hometown.

The 3,000-square-foot (279-square-metre) flagship store was designed by MRDK to be as much a boutique as a community space for runners to meet and socialise.

Along the narrow entryway, flooring comprises black and white mosaic tiles that form a graphic pattern based on select items of the brand’s apparel.

Four mannequins within a wall niche — Visitors are lead past a quartet of mannequins to a community lounge area

Ascending four steps or a ramp leads visitors past a large white-tiled planter, then a display of mannequins lined up in front of a brick wall.

A lounge area at the end is designated for gathering and conversation, offering “anyone with an interest in movement and connection a chance to experience running and the many facets of its dynamic community through regular meet-ups and events”, said MRDK.

A dark green dividing wall with arched openings — Access to the main retail space is via an archway that punctures a dark green partition

Access to the main retail space is through an archway with rounded corners that punctures a deep, dark green partition.

“An arched wall gracefully separates the more public community area from the rest of the store, creating a sense of intrigue and inviting exploration,” MRDK said.

White service counter in front of a dark green wall — The green hue continues behind the fluted white service counter

Other similar openings in this spatial divider are used to display clothing on single or double-stacked rails.

The same forest green shade continues on the wall behind the service counter, which is fronted by a white fluted panel and includes a small glass vitrine set into its top.

Sportswear displayed in a series of angled niches — Lime plaster covers the angled walls, which feature bull-nose edges that soften their appearance

Herringbone white oak parquet floors are laid wall to wall, running beneath a low central island that is designed to be broken apart and moved around the store depending on merchandising needs.

A textured lime plaster finish was applied to the walls, wrapping around the bull-nosed corners that soften the angles created by the offset displays.

“The play of light and shadows on these textured surfaces creates a sense of dynamism, accentuating the uniqueness of the space,” said MRDK.

In one corner, a 12-foot-tall (3.7-metre) shelving system presents Ciele’s range of hats on cork mannequin heads.

Hats displayed on floor-to-ceiling shelves — A tall shelving system displays Ciele’s hat collection

Fitting rooms at the back of the store are kept minimal, with green velvet curtain draped behind the arched openings to the cubicles.

“The thoughtful combination of materials, textures, and colours creates an atmosphere that seamlessly blends modernity with a touch of timeless elegance,” said MRDK.

Minimalist fitting room with green velvet curtain — The fitting rooms are kept minimalist and feature green velvet curtains

Formerly known as Ménard Dworkind, the studio was founded by Guillaume Ménard and David Dworkind, and has completed a variety of retail spaces in Montreal and beyond.

Most recently, these have included a store for plastic-free beauty brand Attitude.

The photography is by David Dworkind and Alex Lesage.

Project credits:

Team: David Dworkind, Benjamin Lavoie Laroche
Contractor: Groupe Manovra
Ceramic floor tile: Daltile
Lighting: Sistemalux
Lime plaster: Venosa
Wood profiles: Brenlo

Reference

Architecture

lina ghotmeh brings sweeping arches to new hermès workshop

By Zarkon Group,08/05/2023

hermès maroquinerie de louvriers by lina ghotmeh

On April 7, 2023, Hermès inaugurated a new Maroquinerie, a high-performance, and low-carbon, brick-clad building in Louviers, France. Completed by French-Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh, the 6,200 sqm leather workshop occupies a second site in Hermès’ Normandy hub, perpetuating the house’s artisanal and human culture, as well as its ecological ambitions. The workshop will welcome 260 artisans trained at the Louviers École Hermès des savoir-faire, its apprenticeship training center (CFA) accredited by the French Education Department, which delivers the CAP vocational diploma in leatherworking. This manufacture also includes a saddlery workshop to support the dynamic equestrian métier, historically at 24 rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré, Paris.

image © Iwan Baan | all courtesy Hermès and Lina Ghotmeh — Architecture

the first industrial building to earn the french e4c2 label

Drawing on her unique approach, rooted in what she calls ‘the archaeology of the future,’ Lina Ghotmeh (see more here) focused her quest on the architecture of the space and how it enhances and preserves its site, in line with the house’s values. The Hermès workshop is thus a true technical achievement serving the brand’s environmental goals: it is, to date, the first industrial building to have earned the French E4C2 label. This label assesses the performance of a new facility according to two criteria: energy (E) and carbon (C). Level E4, the highest level, means that the Louviers leather goods workshop is a positive energy building. Level C2, also the highest, denotes the most efficient operation for carbon footprint reduction.

‘The wooden-framed building was constructed on an industrial brownfield site using more than 500,000 bricks, produced 70 kilometers from Louviers to minimize the impact of construction while showcasing the know-how of Normandy’s brick-makers. As the main material used, the brick attests to the local embedding of the project in its environment and offers a palette of red and violet tones that vary according to daylight and the time of the year,’ writes the architectural practice.

a brick-clad, low-carbon, environmental workshop | image © Iwan Baan

preserving and celebrating the local site

Indeed, the building’s location takes full advantage of natural light and ventilation to limit the need for artificial lighting, heating, and air conditioning. These needs are met by geothermal energy (with 13 probes at a depth of 150 meters) and more than 2,300 sqm of solar panels, which combine to ensure energy autonomy. Using the soil excavated from the site and the expertise of the Belgian landscape architect Erik Dhont, three hectares of undulating gardens have been created, retaining most of the site’s original trees. Designed to preserve local biodiversity, these gardens are equipped with a system for recovering and directing rainwater into the water table.

‘From its construction to its day-to-day operation, everything has been designed to ensure that the building embraces, extends, and complements its natural environment. This ‘archaeology of the future’ approach also permeates its appearance: echoing the motifs dear to Hermès, the square shape of the workshop is reminiscent of the house’s silk carré, while its graceful arches evoke the trajectory of a jumping horse. This innovative and timeless form, thought of from the smallest scale of the brick and as a new layer in the landscape, also recalls the gestures of artisans, the precision of the hand, and the constant pursuit of excellence and beauty in their leather work. The gardens’ gentle undulations recall the arches of a building that blends into its landscape, down to the materials used to construct it,’ concludes Ghotmeh.

image © Iwan Baan

Last but not least, in this precise and harmonious setting, the artist Emmanuel Saulnier was invited to design a piece of art for the ‘village square’, the workshop’s courtyard and meeting place. Inspired by ‘The Epsom Derby’, a painting by Théodore Géricault from 1821, the work consists of seven stainless steel needles suspended by leather stirrup straps custom-made by the house’s bridle-makers. These horizontal lines evoke the movement of horses beneath a light-filled stormy sky and connect it to the artisanal gesture of the expert hand.

image © Iwan Baan

art installation by Emmanuel Saulnier | image © Iwan Baan

image © Iwan Baan

inside the leather workshop | image © Iwan Baan

Reference

arches, curves and rounded edges contour parconido bakery cafe in south korea

Architecture

arches, curves and rounded edges contour cafe in south korea

By Zarkon Group,19/04/2023

red bricks shape out a modern bakery cafe by sukchulmok

Design practice sukchulmok constructs ‘parconido’ bakery cafe in northern Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, utilizing subtle contemporary materials and shaping simple rounded forms. The cafe presents a consistent space in which forms, furniture, and lighting are designed to create a unified atmosphere. The project draws from ‘European’ architectural elements applying red brick in combination with stainless steel.

The structure develops in layers ‘stuck one by one’ with columns that surge everywhere and rounded walls wrapping the open layout. Although the walls and columns compose different shapes, they all present a radius of 600 mm. Following this design rule that acts as a reference point throughout the construction, the project generates a sense of unity while still avoiding monotony. The contemporary café is built out of stacked clay bricks with no holes, that are cut off by two-thirds of the thickness and form a coating skin on an iron frame to relieve the load.

all images by hong seokgyu

smooth edges and round shapes generate a sense of expansion

The furniture, manufactured in perfect circles, is appropriately blended into the space in various forms, such as concrete castings, combined wooden textures, and overlapping circular pipes. The fittings highlight the round spaces while travertine limestone, usually suitable for the fountains in squares of Europe, is designed to cover the floor, walls, and ceiling of the rooms. The angles in the indoor space are smoothed out in round shapes blurring the boundaries of each zone and generating an illusion of expansion and weightlessness.

The mixture of the three main materials, red brick, travertine, and wood, adorns the interior space in warm tones. All fittings and fixtures are custom-made and produced to fit the unique rounded design of the café.

stacked clay bricks are cut off by two-thirds of the thickness forming a coating skin on the iron frame

an elongated form of stainless steel shapes up an outdoor table

on the third floor, a terrace can be seen following the extended passageway

a sense of expansion and uniformity is adjusted both vertically and horizontally through curved forms

Reference

cliffside resort's white caves and arches frame the views of chinese south coast

Architecture

resort’s caves and arches frame the views of chinese south coast

By Zarkon Group,13/04/2023

Miyue · Blue & White Cliffside Resort by GS Design

GS Design realizes the ‘Miyue · Blue & White Cliffside Resort‘ on the south coast of China, redefining the concept of ‘elegant vacation’ and focusing on ‘spatial experience’. Located amidst mountainous views in Shenzhen, the hotel incorporates a predominantly white color palette throughout, creating an aesthetic clarity that complements the expanses of blue sea and sky surrounding the structure. The architectural practice composes a series of elegantly minimalist spaces in a warm, uncluttered style, and with subtle materials that reflect the natural environment. The accommodation unit arranges 25 rooms with a unique interior design and character. The core element of each room is the formation of various caves, baths, and arches which provide framed views of the landscape.

all images by GS Design

a sensory experience of urban vacation

Architectural practice GS Design focuses on the ‘spatial experience’ of the composed resort exploring the architectural potential in color, light, and texture forming a ‘pioneering model of urban vacation’. Redefining the term ‘elegant vacation’, the design integrates the building with the surrounding environment ‘unlocking the relationship between physical space and perceptual experience behavior’. The material selection of the public zones applies natural bamboo and wood allowing the natural landscape to become part of the interior. Pure white sets as the main tone of the entire building contrasting the framed blue sea and sky.

The rugged cave baths ensure direct contact with the outdoor area securing privacy and transparency. The terrace bubble pool reflects the ever-changing shadowplay during the day. Through the visual, tactile, and auditory sensory experience and the design team’s constant and progressive exploration to connect daily life and leisure, the hotel shapes a contemporary urban vacation retreat.

the hotel incorporates a predominantly white color palette throughout the structure

formed arches provide framed views of the landscape

each room enjoys unique outlooks of the mountainous scenery

white hues and subtle materials complement the framed expanses of blue sea and sky

Reference

Architecture

Monumental brick arches outline London houses by The DHaus Company

By Zarkon Group,19/03/2023

Architecture studio The DHaus Company has completed The Arches, a row of six brick-clad townhouses in a north London conservation area.

Replacing a derelict petrol station, the terrace is named after the monumental arches that form the facades of each partially sunken, three-level home.

The DHaus Company designed the row to echo its surroundings, which include Georgian-era housing named Grove Terrace and a row of Victorian railway arches.

The arch is a recurring motif, so the studio decided to create a contemporary interpretation.

Arched window with pivoting glass — The facade is formed of a series of arches. Photo is by Richard Chivers

“We undertook a study of local buildings in and around the local area,” explained architects David Ben-Grunberg and Daniel Woolfson, the founders of The DHaus Company.

“These buildings highlighted a strong mixture of rectangles and arches set within a brick canvas,” they said.

The site is a highly prominent location within the Dartmouth Park Conservation Area, so the design process involved lengthy consultation.

Night view of The Arches townhouses by The DHaus Company — The height matches a petrol station previously on the site. Photo is by AVR London

As Ben-Grunberg grew up in the area, and Woolfson had lived nearby, the pair were able to use their instincts to come up with a design that felt appropriate for the setting.

A key aspect was the decision to partially sink the buildings below ground, so the roof is no higher than the petrol station that occupied the site previously.

Rear elevation of townhouses in London — Scallop-patterned window screens reference the arch motif. Photo is by AVR London

Another idea was to reinstate green spaces along the street both in front and behind the terrace.

“Our initial design idea was inspired by the historic green lung of open green spaces along the Highgate Road,” said the duo.

“This meant reinstating the green lung as close to how it was back in 1873 – a futuristic Victorian throwback.”

Pivoting window leading into bedroom of The Arches townhouses by The DHaus Company — Pivoting glass doors are set within one row of arches. Photo is by Richard Chivers

The view seen by most passersby is of the west-facing facade. Here, two rows of arches provide balconies for the two upper levels, while a glass-fronted basement opens out to a sunken patio.

“Because of the stepped nature of the site, this lower level does not feel like a basement,” said Ben-Grunberg and Woolfson.

“The living spaces enjoy a secluded feel with plenty of access to natural light despite sitting close to the main road.”

Entrances are located on the east-facing side, which has more of a quiet, residential feel.

Here, a single row of arches incorporates screens with a matching scallop pattern, while a second sunken patio helps to bring more natural light down to the floor below.

Bedroom of London townhouse by The DHaus Company — Each home contains three bedrooms. Photo is by AVR London

Inside, each 130-square-metre home has a layout that places a lounge, dining area and kitchen on the lowest level, and three bedrooms and a study across the upstairs floors.

Concrete retaining walls are an essential part of the build, but other parts of the structure are constructed from prefabricated timber components.

Living space at The Arches townhouses by The DHaus Company — A study could serve as a fourth bedroom. Photo is by Richard Chivers

The arches are also concrete, clad with red-brick slips that match the tone of the adjacent brickwork.

“We explored brick bonding patterns to differentiate the different areas of the building and give order to each facade,” said Ben-Grunberg and Woolfson.

The homes are topped by green roofs and photovoltaic solar panels.

Kitchen and living space sunken below street level — Kitchen and living spaces open out to a sunken patio. Photo is by Richard Chivers

The DHaus Company is best known for its experimental approach to residential design, on projects like its shape-shifting house concept and the playful Columbia Road extension.

More recently, the studio completed an overhaul of The Bull and Last, a pub located very close to The Arches, with the addition of two Japanese-inspired duplex flats.

Arched windows in brick facade of The Arches townhouses by The DHaus Company — The arches are pre-cast concrete and clad with brick slips. Photo is by Richard Chivers

The completion of this project marks the end of a five-year project, delayed by both the planning process and Covid-19 pandemic. Visualisations were first published on Dezeen in 2019.

“Over the last five years, this project has been such a big part of our lives,” concluded the studio.

Project credits

Architect: DHaus
Client: Design Ventures/EFKERIA
Structural engineer: AMA
Planning department: Camden
Planning consultant: The Heritage Practise
Glazing contractor: Vitrocsa by Brava Windows
Brickwork: Ibstock

Reference

arches

Gharib Studio outfits Austin jewellery store with pink walls and arches

MRDK uses arches and mosaics for Ciele Athletics store in Montreal

lina ghotmeh brings sweeping arches to new hermès workshop

hermès maroquinerie de louvriers by lina ghotmeh

the first industrial building to earn the french e4c2 label

preserving and celebrating the local site

arches, curves and rounded edges contour cafe in south korea

red bricks shape out a modern bakery cafe by sukchulmok

smooth edges and round shapes generate a sense of expansion

resort’s caves and arches frame the views of chinese south coast

Miyue · Blue & White Cliffside Resort by GS Design

a sensory experience of urban vacation

Monumental brick arches outline London houses by The DHaus Company

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