curved Archives

Portal House by Svima features brass details and curved oak ribbons

Brass ribbons line the asymmetric portals that connect the kitchen and dining room of this Toronto residence, renovated by local architecture and art studio Svima.

The Portal House was designed for a couple who had wanted to refresh their home for 10 years, but have very different aesthetic tastes.

Portal House by Svima — Two portals connect the renovated kitchen and dining areas of this Toronto home

Toronto-based studio Svima found a compromise by combining his desire for “tenebrous minimalism” and her love of “bright French country kitchens” into the design.

The resulting “denlike cosiness” pairs dark oak across the lower half of the ground-floor spaces and clean white surfaces on the upper half.

Brass-edged asymmetric portal looking into a kitchen — The curved, asymmetric portal over the deep counter acts as a pass-through

The snaked kitchen layout is tight, so Svima curved the corners of cabinetry and counter surfaces to steal extra space for circulation.

This theme continues to the living room millwork: a bookcase is filleted at the corner and meets the wall at an angle, while a built-in sofa beneath the window also softly angles inward.

Open doorway with brass edges looking into the kitchen — The other portal, mirrored in shape, forms a doorway between the two spaces

“The design hinges on ‘ribbons’ flowing through the space, guiding the motion through the rooms,” said Svima.

“The ribbons curve in areas where sharp corners would not fit, or would stop the flow of movement.”

Detail of a brass-lined portal with a kitchen counter behind — Brass edges around the portals were artfully installed to perfectly fit the curved drywall

In the kitchen, the curved oak doors were handmade by a cabinetmaker who created a special jig to kerf-bend the oak into a radius.

Tiles that offer a contemporary take on Dutch Delft porcelain form the backsplash, adding small touches of blue to the otherwise neutral space.

Kitchen with white upper cabinets, blue and white tiled backsplash, and dark oak lower cabinets — To add touches of colour to the dark oak and bright white palette, tiles influenced by Delft porcelain were added to the backsplash

Two portals provide connections between the kitchen and adjacent dining room, both with a mirrored asymmetric shape and edged in brass.

One acts as a doorway, while the other over the deep counter is used as a pass-through for food, drinks and tableware.

“It was an artful process for the contractor to lay the brass into the wall, as it had to fit into the curved drywall perfectly with no tolerance for error,” the architects said.

The living room, located at the front of the house, was furnished with mid-century pieces such as a chair, a coffee table and a media console.

Hallway with dark oak flooring and a staircase — Dark oak flooring throughout the home’s ground floor matches the other millwork

The closed and open shelving unit organises the family’s books and possessions, and its shape allows more light to enter from a side window.

Opposite, the built-in sofa helps to resolve an awkward space under a bay window and orients the sitter towards the TV to one side.

Living room featuring a dark oak storage unit with a filleted side — In the living room, the curved kitchen cabinetry is translated as a storage unit with a filleted side

“The custom sofa sweeps into the space to provide seating at precisely the right sideways angle for viewing the media unit, for lounge reading, and for gathering,” Svima said.

The floors throughout the home match the other millwork, grounding the spaces with a rich dark hue.

A built-in sofa under a living room bay window — A built-in sofa under the living room’s bay window similarly features softly curved angles

Svima, founded by architects Anamarija Korolj and Leon Lai, is not the only studio that’s had to get creative with a tight Toronto floor plan.

When Studio Vaaro overhauled a house in the city, the firm created a series of volumes with minimally detailed millwork to form kitchen cabinetry, the staircase and a feature bookcase in the living room.

The photography is by Scott Norsworthy.

Reference

Interior Design

Neuhäusl Hunal divide open-plan apartment using curved glass walls

By Zarkon Group,13/12/2023

Czech architecture studio Neuhäusl Hunal has renovated a prefabricated apartment in Prague, turning it into an open-plan home and workspace for sculptor and glassworker Vladimír Bachorík.

Neuhäusl Hunal opted for curved translucent glass partitions in place of doors to divide the interior spaces and create a sense of openness and fluidity.

Neuhäusl Hunal renovate apartment in Prague using curved glass partitions — U-profiled glass partitions divide the interior spaces

In order to maximise floor space, the studio removed all non-load-bearing elements, leaving just a single load-bearing concrete wall that cuts through the living and workspaces.

Three U-profiled glass partitions were then used to enclose a cloakroom, storage space and kitchen, while the remaining floor space can be used flexibly.

Kitchen workspace in Prague apartment by Neuhäusl Hunal — An existing load-bearing concrete wall separates the living and work spaces

A centralised, curved bathroom, raised by a small platform for waste management, is similarly enclosed by translucent glass panels and protrudes into the main space.

The bathroom interior was lined extensively with white ceramic tiles and features a walk-in shower.

Meanwhile, matching ceramic tiles were also used in the kitchen, which doubles as a work area for the artist.

Tiled bathroom designed by Neuhäusl Hunal in Prague — White mosaic tiles line the kitchen and bathroom

“To design the maximally open and flowing space without doors, infrastructure, besides statics, was a key constraint, which defines the location of the single-almost-enclosed space: the bathroom,” studio architect and founder David Neuhäusl told Dezeen.

“Therefore we emphasized [the bathroom] as the most prominent element in the apartment to create a strong spatial experience,” Neuhäusl continued.

The interior material palette was defined by the stripped concrete wall as well as the translucent panels and ceramic tiles, set on a background of white plaster walls and grey-toned rubber flooring.

Metal furniture and shelving was used throughout the minimalist interior, with cubic plinths used to display Bachorík’s glasswork around the space.

Neuhäusl Hunal renovate apartment for sculptor in the Czech Republic — Existing windows draw daylight into the interior spaces

Daylight shines through the existing windows at either end of the apartment and penetrates the glass partitions to create a brightly lit interior, while carefully positioned strip lights and spotlights provide artificial lighting.

“These translucent glass blocks of high order ensure the penetration of light and create identity of the apartment,” Neuhäusl explained.

“Their materiality and character naturally refer to the client’s lifelong work. They can be naturally composed in curves to formulate the softly shaped partitions.”

Curved glass partitions divide bedroom interior of Sculptor's Apartment — Metal furniture is used throughout the space

Neuhäusl Hunal is an architecture studio founded by David Neuhäusl and Matěj Hunal in the Czech Republic.

Other projects recently completed in the Czech Republic include a winery topped with a sweeping concrete roof and an angular black extension to a neo-gothic church.

The photography is by Radek Úlehla.

Reference

Architecture

twenty-eight curved townhouses compose the fold residential complex in dubai

By Zarkon Group,03/11/2023

The Fold by Tkdp pops up in Jumeirah district

Architectural studio Tkdp – Tariq Khayyat Design Partners presents The Fold, a low-rise urban development along Al Wasl Road in Dubai‘s Jumeirah district. Comprising 28 terraced townhouses, The Fold seeks to redefine residential living in the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf Cooperation Council, introducing a new architectural paradigm that seamlessly integrates sophistication, refinement, and inclusivity. The design draws from the elegant simplicity of a field of tulips, deviating from the repetitive architectural language that has characterized the neighborhood for the past 50 years. Tkdp’s approach involves extensive research to address the social, environmental, and lifestyle needs of residents, resulting in a design that stands out for its daring yet functional solutions.

all images by Luke Hayes

long central axis organizes the terraced townhouses

The townhouses feature bespoke 12m double-curved Glass Reinforced Polymer components, resembling connecting points that bring cohesion to the overall ensemble. Tkdp enhances the design with Exterior Insulation Finishing Systems for a silky finish and improved insulation, ensuring both aesthetic appeal and thermal performance. The residences, organized along a 200-meter central axis, promote community-building through a wide pedestrian artery, offering a platform for interaction, socializing, and sports activities.

the houses are organized along a 200-meter central axis

terraces incorporate wooden louvers for shade and privacy

Each villa, boasting three or four bedrooms, incorporates high ceilings, spacious living and entertainment areas, and a screened private garden on the ground floor. The upper floor features wood-powder-coated aluminum louvers for shade and privacy on balconies connected to bedrooms, walk-in wardrobes, and bathrooms. To enhance the overall residential experience, the roof serves as a fully accessible terrace and spa with a secluded jacuzzi, providing panoramic views of Downtown Dubai, Burj Khalifa, and the Jumeirah area. The Fold redefines urban living and fosters a sense of community engagement in its immediate surroundings.

the upper floors feature wood-powder-coated aluminum louvers

the concept revolves around elegant simplicity

the townhouses feature bespoke double-curved GRP components

the roof serves as a fully accessible terrace

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main entrance front view

pathway

street view

floor plans

roof plan

site plan

project info:

name: The Fold

architect: Tkdp – Tariq Khayyat Design Partners | @tkdp.design

design team: Tariq Khayyat, Xiaosheng Li

location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

photography: Luke Hayes | @lukehayesphotography

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

Reference

Architecture

Stephane Gaulin-Brown places curved roof on Quebec chalet

By Zarkon Group,16/06/2023

Montreal architect Stephane Gaulin-Brown has placed a single-slope roof with a curved soffit on top of a ski chalet to open it up to the forests of Mont Tremblant, Quebec.

Completed in 2023, the house – entitled Élément Tremblant – is a 1,400-square foot (130-square metre) retreat that recalls the glitz of the region’s classic ski culture with a contemporary twist.

Wooden soffit and curved roof with snow drifts — Stephane Gaulin-Brown created a chalet in Quebec

“The suave adventurous spirit of the early pioneers like Stan Ferguson and Hans Falkner, as well as 1940’s après-ski paintings…served as inspiration for the design.” Stephane Gaulin-Brown said. “The design also grew out of the natural context: the ferns, the birch trees, the deer, and the large glacial boulders strewn across the forest floor.”

The primary feature is a long shed roof with an ochre-coloured wooden soffit that curves from the exterior wall up to the edge of the cantilever. The roof references a traditional Quebecois roof form with up-curved ends and gives a sense of lightness to the chalet “like it was rising up in the air”.

Wooden roof with windows to an interior sauna — Wooden beams wrap the exterior

The tongue-and-groove wood of the soffit turns down the wall to form the upper portion of the facade. Below it, black board and batten siding clads the exterior walls between large, black-framed windows.

The house is organized in a simple double-loaded bar. The entry, secondary bedrooms and bathrooms are aligned facing down the sloped site, while the primary bedroom and open-plan kitchen, dining room and living area form a band that looks up the slope to the forest vista dotted with glacial boulders.

Curved roof with snow drifts — The roof slopes up to let in light and views

On the southeast corner, the windows peak and wrap around a spa. Meanwhile, the northeast corner is subtracted with a small porch off the primary bedroom.

The interiors centre the open living space, which is wrapped in warm stain-resistant Russian plywood and copper-toned metal panels that bounce light from thin, suspended fixtures.

Wooden interior of a sloped living room with steel fireplace — The living areas include plywood and a powder-coated steel fireplace

The sloped roof forms a trapezoidal space that peaks at 12 feet, but the wall of windows is capped just above the average height of a person.

Poured concrete forms a solid base for the powder-coated steel fireplace – a high-efficiency model manufactured locally by Stûv – and flat storage cabinet that rounds the corner to the primary suite.

“Recessed uplit LED lighting along the length of the main living space adds drama, ultimately making the living room into a kind of film set ready for après-ski hangouts,” Gaulin-Brown said.

In the kitchen, thin black hardware and square tile accent the warm wood cabinetry and white countertops.

Glass windows with views of snow in the kitchen — Large glass windows frame the kitchen

“Historical images, sourced with permission from the National Library of Québec, are framed around the house to make the sense of history visceral,” Gaulin-Brown explained. “In the master bedroom, a historical photo of the original Mont Tremblant steam train is printed on a large scale across the whole wall.”

The exposed concrete floor conceals a radiant heating system that warms the house and serves as a heat sink in the winter.

Bathroom with white walls and concrete floors — The house has a radiant heating system in the flooring

In a similar black and warm wood palette, YH2’s Quebec ski chalet also draws in light with an upward-sloping roof, but the Laurentian mountain house employs a V-shaped profile, lifting the roof on both sides like wings.

The photography is by Stephane Gaulin-Brown and Valerie Lacroix.

Project credits:
Client: Alex Roy
Contractor: Daniel Brisson
Designer: Stephane Gaulin-Brown

Reference

Interior Design

Sukchulmok adds curved brick forms to rooftop of Parconido Bakery Cafe

By Zarkon Group,21/05/2023

Curved forms and arched openings feature in this cafe, which Seoul studio Sukchulmok has added to an existing building in South Korea’s Gyeonggi-do province.

Named Parconido Bakery Cafe, the cafe is made from red bricks and features playful curved shapes and rounded walls designed to create an illusion-like effect.

Photo of Parconido Bakery Cafe — Parconido Bakery Cafe was designed by Sukchulmok

“The space, created through one rule, was designed to give a sense of expansion and the experience of an optical illusion image,” lead architect Park Hyunhee told Dezeen.

Arranged across three floors including a rooftop level, the cafe was designed by architecture studio Sukchulmok to resemble European public squares in reference to the client’s time spent in Italy.

Photo of the rooftop at Parconido Bakery Cafe — The studio topped the roof with curving brick volumes

“The client who spent his youth living in Italy is a clothing businessman, opening the cafe as a business expansion to provide people with a space for peaceful rest,” said Park.

“These two aspects naturally reminded me of the image of the European square, where people are huddled together talking on a sunny day between red brick buildings and stone pillars.”

On the rooftop level and terrace, the outdoor dining spaces are punctuated by clay brick columns with arched connections and walls with U-shaped openings.

Built around steel frames that extend into curved forms above the brick walls, the curved elements are coated in bricks cut to two-thirds of their original thickness to lighten their weight.

Interior photo of the Seoul cafe — The walls and floors have curved edges

A long stainless steel table with a curved underside, along with circular stools and planting, is shaded by a removable canopy made from green, orange and white fabrics.

Curved walls lined with white tiles join with the tiled floor and ceiling to create rooms with rounded forms on the interior levels of the cafe.

The rooms are covered in small tiles of travertine limestone, selected for its use in the fountains of European squares.

Kitchens are built into recesses in the curved walls, while wooden elements, including wall panels and pipes that line a portion of the ceiling, add a feeling of warmth to the interior.

Throughout the spaces, uniquely designed seating areas and bespoke circular furnishings provide spaces for dining.

Photo of the interior of the cafe — The interior was covered in different textural materials

Comprising twelve different designs, the cafe’s set of furniture was designed to exhibit a variety of shapes, textures, and materials, including leftover finishing materials, wood, overlapping pipes, and concrete castings.

“Although they have slightly different shapes and textures, the pieces of furniture are all in harmony with the space and show good synergy with space as an object,” said Park.

Photo of a kitchen — The cafe’s curved edges all have a radius of 600 millimetres

To maintain a sense of uniformity, the studio based the design of each element, including the walls, columns and furniture, around a circle with a constant radius of 600 millimetres.

“A radius of 600 millimetres was used as an act of connecting spaces that were not monotonous,” said Park. “It was simply based on the idea that the distance from the height of the door and window to the ceiling finish is 600 millimetres.”

Other South Korean cafes recently featured on Dezeen include a bakery with a curved courtyard designed to act as an “artificial valley” and a Seoul cafe with a vertical farm.

The photography is by Hong Seokgyu.

Reference

Interior Design

Eight cave-like interiors that celebrate curved forms

By Zarkon Group,07/05/2023

A spa with a spherical swimming pool and holiday homes with sloping plaster walls feature in our latest lookbook, which showcases eight cavernous Greek interiors.

Cave-like interior designs are becoming increasingly popular, as seen in the Gilder Center by Studio Gang – a recently completed museum extension in New York with a large grotto-like atrium.

In Greece, which is known for its caves, there is a wide variety of cave-like architecture either built from existing geological structures or designed to mimic these natural dugouts. Thick, curved walls are often chosen to protect interior spaces from the country’s Mediterranean climate.

As the weather becomes warmer in the northern hemisphere, here are eight cave-like interiors from Greece that are defined by their curved shapes.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with striking bookshelves, outdoor showers and offbeat bakeries.

Two holiday residences in Fira by Kapsimalis Architects — Photo is by Yiorgos Kordakis

Summer houses, Santorini, by Kapsimalis Architects

Local studio Kapsimalis Architects converted two underground caves at an old property in Santorini into summer houses with bright white facades.

Inside, the homes are characterised by smoothed-out interiors finished with earthy-hued plaster, while arched doorways and niches nod to the property’s history.

Find out more about these summer houses ›

Interior of house on the island of Nisyros — Image is courtesy of Greg Haji Joannides

Sterna Nisyros Residences, Nisyros, by Greg Haji Joannides

Designer Greg Haji Joannides renovated the interior of an earthquake-damaged house on the island of Nisyros using historic photographs as a guide.

On the ground floor, wide brick archways create an open-plan layout that allows the space to double as an exhibition site for artists in residence.

“The inspiration behind this design was to keep as much as possible of the original way the Nisyrians would build houses,” Joannides told Dezeen. “They would use the ground floor as a storage or working space.”

Find out more about this island house ›

Wooden Cave by Tenon Architecture — Photo is by Spyros Hound Photography

Wooden Cave, Trikala Korinthias, by Tenon Architecture

Wooden Cave is a timber-clad suite that forms part of Hyades Mountain Resort – a hotel in the mountainous village of Trikala Korinthias.

Tenon Architecture split the suite into two sections that intend to mirror the appearance and experience of entering a cave. The front half features ashy black tiles arranged in a linear formation, while the rear half is made from almost 1,000 pieces of curved hand-cut spruce.

“This division intends to create a clear distinction between the hard, ‘protective’ shell and the curved, ‘inviting’ interior, reminiscent of the form of a cave,” explained the architecture studio.

Find out more about Wooden Cave ›

Curved interior of hotel in Santorini — Photo is by Giorgos Sfakianakis

Saint Hotel, Santorini, by Kapsimalis Architects

Kapsimalis Architects converted a cluster of former homes, barns and cellars in Santorini into the Saint Hotel – the volumes of which are arranged in a stepped formation down a sea-facing cliffside.

Inside, smooth cavernous walls were finished in white plaster that creates a subtle backdrop for minimal fittings and amorphous furniture.

Find out more about Saint Hotel ›

House interior in former stable on Greek island — Photo is by Sylvia Diamantopoulos

Retreat in Tinos Island by Ioannis Exarchou

Retreat in Tinos Island is a 100-year-old stable that was transformed into a cosy holiday home for two by architect Ioannis Exarchou.

Exarchou set large stones and thick tree branches into the dwelling’s ceiling, clad the walls in smooth white plaster and covered the floors in coloured concrete.

“My main objective was to retain and preserve the cavernous unique feeling of the space,” the architect told Dezeen.

Find out more about Retreat in Tinos Island ›

Santorini holiday home by Kapsimalis Architects — Photo is by Yiorgos Kordakis

Holiday home, Santorini, by Kapsimalis Architects

The cave-like subterranean spaces and vaulted rooms within this Santorini holiday home were renovated by Kapsimalis Architects to retain the building’s existing architecture.

The studio worked to simplify the complex interior layout, which features a labyrinthine arrangement of spaces that are brightened by all-white plaster walls.

Find out more about this holiday home ›

Euphoria spa in the Euphoria retreat by decaARCHITECTURE — Image is courtesy of DecaArchitecture

Euphoria Spa, Mystras, by DecaArchitecture

Carved into the base of a mountain in Mystras, Euphoria Spa is made up of differently scaled elliptical spaces that are connected by a web of catacomb-style passages.

One of these areas contains an indoor spherical pool that is characterised by a dark central structure that can be accessed via curved archways.

“Floating in the centre of this dark orb there is a sense of being suspended in the void of a platonic volume, but also a sense of womb-like calmness,” said DecaArchitecture.

Find out more about Euphoria Spa

Santorini apartment — Photo is by Julia Klimi

Holiday apartments, Santorini, by Kapsimalis Architects

Arched niches and grey cement plaster floors create neutral living spaces within these four holiday apartments, which were built near Santorini’s highest point.

The complex’s terraces and retaining walls were formed from rocks excavated from the site to create a continuity between the architecture and the surrounding mountains.

Find out more about these apartments ›

Reference

Interior Design

David Thulstrup decorates Ikoyi restaurant with curved metal-mesh ceiling

By Zarkon Group,20/01/2023

Copenhagen-based designer David Thulstrup drew on spice-making processes when designing the interior of London’s Ikoyi restaurant, which features a variety of materials including copper and oak.

The 150-square-metre restaurant, which has a menu based on seasonal British produce and spices from sub-Saharan west Africa, is located inside the brutalist 180 The Strand building in central London.

Wooden furniture inside Ikoyi by Studio David Thulstrup — Studio David Thulstrup has clad London’s Ikoyi restaurant in copper sheets

Thulstrup completely renovated the interior, adding panels of a specially-designed metal-mesh weave that curve up from the restaurant’s windows and cover the ceiling. The ceiling design was informed by the process of spice production.

“I was inspired by sifting spices and thought the mesh could both capture and reflect light coming from the outside, the street light in the evening and sunlight in the daytime, but also be respectful to the exterior,” Thulstrup told Dezeen. “The lights from inside the restaurant will be captured and ‘sifted’ towards the street.”

Metal-mesh ceiling decoration in Ikoyi restaurant — Decorative metal mesh was used to cover the ceiling

Thulstrup also layered materials to create a restaurant interior that references the “boldness and intensity of the gastronomy” delivered by Ikoyi‘s founders Jeremy Chan and Ire Hassan-Odukale.

The restaurant walls were lined with oxidised copper sheets finished with beeswax, while the floors were covered in Gris de Catalan limestone that was flamed and brushed to develop a hammered surface.

Curved walls in London restaurant by Studio David Thulstrup — Ikoyi is located inside a brutalist building

The custom-built furniture and built-in joinery were made from British oak, while banquettes, chairs and wall panels were lined with ginger-coloured leather.

“I always work with contrasts and I like honest juxtapositions of materials that activate your senses – the copper that is warm in colour but cold when you touch it, the warm natural ginger leather against the colder steel mesh and the rough Catalan limestone floor against the warm English brown oak,” Thulstrup said.

Large round wooden table inside Ikoyi restaurant — The colour palette was kept warm and earthy

The earthy, rustic hues chosen by Thulstrup for the interior were informed both by the restaurant’s food and the building in which it is located.

“Ikoyi is placed on the ground level of the beautiful and very active brutalist building 180 The Strand,” he said.

“The restaurant’s gastronomy plays an essential role in the palette as well,” he added. “It’s not an interpretation of a dish but an exchange in colour and tracing ingredients back to their natural form and colour.”

On arrival, visitors to the restaurant are also greeted by a large copper-clad fridge that shows the produce served at Ikoyi, with slabs of meat and fresh fish hanging from meathooks.

Copper fridge in London restaurant by Studio David Thulstrup — Large copper fridges showcase fresh produce

Thulstrup wanted the fridges to remind people of where their food is coming from.

“[The idea was] that we know where a piece of fish comes from and that we are aware what a piece of meat looks like,” he said. “It traces the story back to when the animal was alive and underscores that we have to take good care of them and appreciate them.”

“I thought it would be a modern interpretation and celebration of our awareness of food.”

Ikoyi restaurant facing the garden — Wooden and leather-clad furniture was used for the interior

Thulstrup founded his studio in 2009 and it is based in Copenhagen, Denmark. The studio works in architecture, design and interiors.

Previous projects by the studio include an office in Borough Yards, London, and the revamp of a winery in California’s Sonoma County.

The photography is by Irina Boersma.

Reference

Interior Design

Limdim House Studio uses curved walls and arched niches in Vietnam apartment

By Zarkon Group,16/06/2021

Architecture firm Limdim House Studio has renovated the Brown Box apartment in Vietnam adding curving walls, tiered cornices and terrazzo surfaces that aim to create a “calm” and “gentle” space.

Limdim House Studio reorganised the previously “commercial” two-bedroom apartment by removing walls to convert it into a spacious one-bedroom home named Brown Box.

Brown Box has a neutral colour palette — Top: a curving arched wall divides the open plan living space. Above: terrazzo was used throughout the apartment

“The idea comes from the byname of the owner of the house, Ms Brown,” studio founder Tran Ngo Chi Mai told Dezeen. “Since she also loves the colour brown, our idea was to create a living space as gentle and calm as this colour itself.”

“[We] processed the space with the aim of creating a new colour, a new breath to get rid of the boredom in commercial apartments.”

A kitchen island doubles as a breakfast bar at Brown Box — The island is blanketed in terrazzo

As part of the opening up of the home, the studio removed existing walls and added curving partition walls in their place.

The curved walls were surrounded by stepped cornices as a modern take on crown mouldings that remove the harshness of corners in the open-plan kitchen diner.

Wood and stone was used throughout the apartment — The studio added new partition walls

The studio used a natural colour palette throughout, employing light browns, beige and wood tones to create a peaceful yet sophisticated look.

“We choose tones around brown and beige,” explained Chi Mai. “when designing with this colour tone, we want the apartment to be peaceful, plain and still full of sophistication.”

Sheer curtains surround a balcony at the apartment — Circular furnishings and motifs reference the design of the apartment

A rounded island at the centre of the kitchen diner was clad in pale terrazzo to provide additional counter space in the one-wall kitchen.

An arched niche frames a sink, terrazzo countertops and a row of taupe brown overhead cabinetry which was arranged in a semicircle to fit within the alcove.

Terrazzo slabs extend across the floors of the apartment and to the living space which is zoned by floor-to-ceiling Melaleuca wood cabinetry and wooden furnishings.

The ceiling above the living area has a curved design and merges into an arched wall that visually separates the living area from the kitchen diner.

Terrazzo was used in the bedroom of the apartment — The bedroom has a light and airy look

“We use terrazzo all the way from the kitchen island, like a stream going down the floor and spreading everywhere,” said Chi Mai.

“Choosing this type of material helps the colour in the house to become light and soothing.”

“Physically, Terrazzo has good hardness, just enough gloss, and more heat dissipation than wooden floors, so it creates a cool feeling, especially in tropical areas.”

Textural paint covers the walls of Brown Box apartment — An arched niche houses a mirror and a reading chair

An arched doorway leads from the open-plan living area to the bedroom space. Its walls were covered in a grey plaster-like finish providing a textural quality.

An en-suite next to the bedroom was fitted with a free-standing terrazzo bathtub below a large circular window that looks into the bedroom.

The apartment has an en-suite — Redbrick tiling was used in the en-suite

“The important thing when designing a space, in our opinion, is to create a new, sophisticated and especially to bring comfortable feeling to the owner,” said Chi Mai.

“If the owners come back after a hard days work, they don’t enjoy the life in this space, this space will forever be just a place to provide basic needs like eating, sleeping and that will be our failure in this project.”

A terrazzo bathtub was placed in the en-suite — A large circular window connects the bedroom and en-suite

Limdim House Studio is an architecture, design and interior design practice based in Vietnam.

Other Vietnamese projects include this apartment by Whale Design Lab which references the work of Louis Kahn, along with this holiday home that has a thatched roof.

Photography is by Do Sy.

Reference

curved

Portal House by Svima features brass details and curved oak ribbons

Neuhäusl Hunal divide open-plan apartment using curved glass walls

twenty-eight curved townhouses compose the fold residential complex in dubai

The Fold by Tkdp pops up in Jumeirah district

long central axis organizes the terraced townhouses

terraces incorporate wooden louvers for shade and privacy

Stephane Gaulin-Brown places curved roof on Quebec chalet

Sukchulmok adds curved brick forms to rooftop of Parconido Bakery Cafe

Eight cave-like interiors that celebrate curved forms

David Thulstrup decorates Ikoyi restaurant with curved metal-mesh ceiling

Limdim House Studio uses curved walls and arched niches in Vietnam apartment

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