André Fu designs colourful Casetify shop informed by shoji lanterns
CategoriesInterior Design

André Fu designs colourful Casetify shop informed by shoji lanterns

Hong Kong-based architect and interior designer André Fu has completed the first global flagship store for electronic accessory brand Casetify in Osaka, combining traditional Japanese shoji paper lanterns with bright colours.

The store, which marks the first retail project by Fu in Japan, was informed by the urban landscape of the Shinsaibashi neighbourhood in Osaka where the store is located.

Casetify Osaka flagship by André Fu
The store is located in Shinsaibashi, the main shopping area in Osaka

According to Fu, the interiors aim to bring “the allure of the dynamic Shinsaibashi neighbourhood into the store”.

“The overall concept is rooted in a vision to celebrate the distinct context of the project with contrasting shapes and forms, capturing the neighbourhood’s cinematic streetscape in a world where bold geometries juxtapose against each other,” said Fu.

Casetify Osaka flagship by André Fu
Curved shoji screens form the product display wall

The storefront was designed as a floor-to-ceiling shoji lantern framed in bright orange. Customers are greeted by a round display table encircled by cylindrical shoji screens, with the same circular arrangement mirrored at the back of the store and its upper floor.

At the centre of the Casetify store sit cabinets that have been decorated with old phone cases, donated by customers in the recycling box located next to them.

A secret shoji window at the rear of the ground floor can be slid open to unveil customised online purchases.

“A lot of my work is rooted in the idea of a journey that takes the contextual quality of each project into an architectural medium,” Fu explained.

“The world of shoji lanterns that goes around you, that folds and unfolds, creates that effect,” he added.

“It transports you from the everyday reality of the neighbourhood to an imaginary, illusionistic expression that blends a relaxed sense of luxury with the popping Casetify colours that the brand is so well known for.”

Casetify Osaka flagship by André Fu
Cabinets are covered with materials made from recycled phone cases

Fu is known for his work on luxury hotels and restaurants, including the Upper House hotel in Hong Kong, the Berkeley London, and the Mitsui hotel in Kyoto.

More recently, he created a two-person “conversation” chair in collaboration with Louis Vuitton’s Objects Nomades, and furnished a model apartment inside the Jean Nouvel tower in New York with his homeware collection.

The photography is courtesy of Casetify.

Reference

EBBA designs sculptural pop-up for Rotaro at London store Liberty
CategoriesInterior Design

EBBA designs sculptural pop-up for Rotaro at London store Liberty

London-based studio EBBA Architects has channelled the environmental ethos of fashion rental platform Rotaro for its pop-up boutique at department store Liberty.

The project aimed to show that beautiful and interesting spaces can be created for temporary use, while still considering the environmental impacts of materials and construction.

“We are very aware of our environmental impact and we believe design should speak to this, while also trying to make a unique experience for the visitor,” EBBA founder Benjamin Allan told Dezeen.

Pop-up shop at Liberty by EBBA
EBBA designed a pop-up shop for fashion rental platform Rotaro

Rotaro is all about fashion rental, as a response to waste in the industry,” he added. “Circularity is key to their ethos and we wanted to connect to this, both in the use of material and form.”

Bringing definition to Rotaro’s space within the wider store, EBBA has demarcated the area with a pair of substantial columns, each with an elongated, semi-circular cross-section.

“The position and shape of the columns create the sense of walking into an entirely new space within the historic context of Liberty,” said Allan.

Cork column emblazoned with the Rotaro logo
The studio demarcated the area with a pair of substantial columns

Entwining the two columns, a pair of metal rails have the dual function of creating a display area and introducing a sculptural element that further defines the space, with soaring, free-form curves.

“The two rails rotate and wrap around each of the columns, while also simultaneously responding to the opposite rail, a bit like a choreographed piece,” Allan said.

Cork column at Rotaro pop-up in Liberty
Cork is the project’s primary material

Continuing the theme of duality, just two key materials have been used in the space – cork and metal.

EBBA was influenced by the work of artists Donald Judd and Carl Andre and their elevation of humble materials through detailing and construction.

Metal rails by EBBA for the Rotaro pop-up
A pair of metal rails have a dual function

“We always look to push the potential of a project, to make the most impact through the simplest of means and also address the need to be economical,” Allan said.

“Essentially the design revolves around only two materials which, working together, give a sense of regularity in the layouts of the blocks, combined with the sculptural forms of the rails.”

Garments hanging from metal rails
Curated garments hang from the rails

Cork was used as the primary material, cladding the two columns and creating the backdrops that zone Rotaro’s area.

EBBA aimed to use a material that had an environmental quality, while using the standardisation of the blocks to set parameters for the design.

“We chose blocks of a specific dimension that could then be adapted to create both the walls and the columns themselves,” Allan said.

“The cork is a natural material that has an inherent warmth and depth, while also being incredibly versatile and easily recycled,” he added.

Textured ultramarine plinth
Texture characterises the pop-up shop

Brushed stainless steel was used for the metalwork, with each rail comprised of a single piece of metal that was bent and sculpted to wrap around the columns.

This rail’s curving form relates to the idea of circularity in Rotaro’s business model, while also bringing an adaptability to the space by allowing the garments to be shown in a variety of ways.

Stainless steel railing for Rotaro by EBBA
Brushed stainless steel was used for the metalwork

“The primary purpose is to display the continuously updated collection while also adding a sculptural aspect that helps to create a sense of space,” said Allan.

Within the ornately-detailed Liberty store, the project offers a bold, contemporary response to the interior, while finding common ground with the wider building.

Curving metal rail
The rail’s curving form relates to the idea of circularity

“The tones and textures in the warmth of the cork, tie in with the timber and natural colours of Liberty’s interior spaces,” Allan said. “Detailing and decoration in the original columns relate to nature and vegetation, which also tie into the use of cork and its qualities.”

Because the Liberty building has Grade II listed status, no fixings were allowed into the building fabric.

“The benefit of the lightweight cork material meant we could also adapt the Rotaro space with minimal impact on the wider building,” he added.

Lightweight cork column at Rotaro by EBBa
Cork was chosen for being lightweight

To create a plinth that provides a flat surface for displaying objects, EBBA used the same semi-circular form of the columns, but flipped onto its side.

This element has been given an ultramarine blue coating to add a sense of playfulness and catch the attention of visitors, using one of Rotaro’s key colours to connect with the brand’s identity.

Semi-circular plinth with ultramarine coating
A semi-circular plinth features an ultramarine blue coating

While the space has been designed as a pop-up, EBBA worked – through the quality of the materials and the construction of the walls and blocks – to give it a sense of permanence.

“All of our projects aim to achieve a quality of permanence through the use of natural materials and the detailing of the construction,” Allan said.

“We believe that this level of quality helps to create a design that feels purposeful, even for temporary uses.”

Other recent projects by EBBA Architects include a shop for Cubitts in an old pie-and-mash restaurant and a house extension with brutalist-style materials.

The photography is by James Retief

Reference

Ten sustainable biomaterial fashion designs from Dezeen’s Pinterest
CategoriesSustainable News

Ten sustainable biomaterial fashion designs from Dezeen’s Pinterest

Over the past year, searches for sustainable fashion have grown in popularity on Pinterest. We round up 10 projects from our sustainable fashion board which feature items made from more environmentally friendly materials.

The fashion industry generates an estimated 92 million tonnes of textile waste every year. With the aim of reducing their textile footprint, many designers are now using eco-friendly biomaterials and processes.

Designers such as Valdís Steinarsdóttir and Phillip Lim have used gelatin and plant matter in their work, amongst other materials.

Scroll down to see 10 sustainable fashion designs and browse our popular sustainable fashion board to see more.


Shellmets

Shellmet by TBWA/Hakuhodo

Tokyo advertising agency TBWA/Hakuhodo and plastics manufacturer Koushi Chemical Industry CO collaborated to design the Shellmet.

The helmet, which was made from discarded scallop shells and recycled plastic, was developed to be used as protective headgear for fishermen in Japan. The Shellmet can also be used as a cycling helmet or a hard hat.

Find out more about the Shellmet ›


Charlotte Mccurdy algae dress

Bioplastic sequins dress by Phillip Lim and Charlotte McCurdy

Algae bioplastic fronds cover this petroleum-free dress created by fashion designer Phillip Lim and industrial designer Charlotte McCurdy.

The dress has a biodegradable base made of plant fibres, making it free of crude-oil by-products such as synthetic fibres, dyes and plastic sequins.

Find out more about the bioplastic sequin dress ›


Sonnet155

Sonnet166 by Lobke Beckfeld and Johanna Hehemeyer-Cürten 

Sonnet155 is a bag that was made from fruit skins left over from juice production and short cellulose fibres. The product dissolves in water and can be used to fertilise plants.

The bag has a lifespan similar to a disposable paper bag and was designed to break down naturally before it can be composted or recycled.

Find out more about Sonnet166 ›


A female model wearing a beige trouser suit

The Soil Project by Yuhan Bai

The Soil Project is a clothing collection made with a soil-based leather alternative and vintage garments dyed with soil.

After conducting research into the fashion industry’s reliance on cotton, Royal College of Art fashion student Yuhan Bai devised the concept.

Find out more about The Soil Project ›


Shape.Repeat by Valdís Steinarsdóttir

Jelly clothing by Valdís Steinarsdóttir

Designer Valdís Steinarsdóttir designed a collection of vest tops made from gelatin or agar. The tops are created by being cast in a mould and then left to solidify.

The garments require no seams or stitches and can be melted to create new clothes if they are damaged or no longer needed.

Find out more about Jelly clothing ›


Radiant Matter BioSequin jumpsuit

Jumpsuit made with iridescent BioSequins by Stella McCartney

Earlier this year, fashion brand Stella McCartney revealed a sleeveless bodysuit, which was embellished with bi0plastic sequins that are made from tree cellulose.

Biomaterials firm Radiant Matter created the sequins called BioSequins as a substitute for the petroleum-based plastic options which are commonly used.

Find out more about iridescent BioSequins jumpsuit ›


Fluff Stuff includes clothing stuffed with plant filling

Fluff Stuff by Aalto University students

Students at Aalto University created Fluff Stuff, a textile filling created from plants cultivated on re-wetted peatlands in Finland.

The students designed a collection of soft homeware and clothing, which include cushions, duvets, jackets, bags and a hooded hat which were filled with typha latifolia, a plant known as broadleaf cattail.

Find out more about Fluff Stuff ›


Decomposable garments by Helena Elston

Fungal Integrated by Helena Elston

Fungal Integrated is an upcycled clothing collection made from mycelium and London-sourced textile waste.

Pieces, which include a seamless dress, a navy trouser suit, chunky heeled boots and a jacket, were all made by designer Helena Elston from a combination of local waste products such as discarded textiles, coffee sacks and fungi.

Find out more about Fungal Integrated ›


TômTex and Peter Do shrimp and mushroom food waste garments

Shrimp and mushroom food waste garments by TômTex and Peter Do

Fashion designer Peter Do joined forces with biobased material developer TômTex to create garments for Do’s Spring Summer 2023 collection at New York Fashion Week.

The pair created glossy wide-leg trousers and rounded-neck tank tops in two colours, which were constructed from TômTex’s non-woven biofabric. The 100-per-cent biodegradable material was made from shrimp and mushroom food waste to have the look and feel of leather.

Find out more about the collection ›


Olanyi Studio Cellulose Shoes

Kajola by Olaniyi Studio

Kajola is a series of shoes made from biomaterials by architect Yussef Agbo-Ola of environmental design practice Olaniyi Studio.

Agbo-Ola created nine experimental shoes made out of natural materials including clay, volcanic dust and cocoa. The shoes were created as artwork and curl up like plants when they decay.

Find out more about Kajola ›


Follow Dezeen on Pinterest

Pinterest is one of Dezeen’s fastest-growing social media networks with over 1.4 million followers and more than ten million monthly views. Follow our Pinterest to see the latest architecture, interiors and design projects – there are more than four hundred boards to browser and pin from.

Currently, our most popular boards are retail interiors and installations.

Reference

Studio Wok designs bakery Pan as contemporary take on Japanese culture
CategoriesInterior Design

Studio Wok designs bakery Pan as contemporary take on Japanese culture

Architecture practice Studio Wok has created a matcha-green counter and Japanese-style fabric panels for bakery and wine bar Pan in Milan’s Acquabella district.

The studio created the eatery, which is led by Japanese chefs Yoji Tokuyoshi and Alice Yamada, to have an interior that would represent a meeting between Japan and Milan.

“There are references to Japanese culture, non-literal and far from stereotypes,” Studio Wok said. “The intention was for a deeper understanding, working on the concept of quality, both in materials and in details.”

Bread counter at Pan cafe
A fibreglass counter sits at the centre of the bakery

A central bread counter is the “protagonist piece” in Pan’s interior design.

The counter was constructed from panels of fibreglass grid and its eye-catching colour was informed by the vivid green of matcha, an ingredient widely used in Pan’s food, the studio said.

Fibreglass was also used to create an external bench, linking the bakery with the wider neighbourhood.

Fibreglass bench outside Milan bakery
Fibreglass was also used for an external bench

“We did a lot of research looking for a ‘poor’ material that could be ennobled by being used in an innovative way,” Studio Wok told Dezeen.

“Fiberglass grating is a material used in industry but little used in interiors and it seemed perfect to us.”

Ceiling fins in Pan cafe
Fabric hangs from the ceiling

The green of the fibreglass is echoed in vertical fins of hanging fabric that define the ceiling, creating a dialogue between hard and soft elements within the space.

These suspended sheets of fabric are a contemporary update of the traditional Japanese design element of ‘noren’, meaning curtains or hanging divider panels.

Ceiling inside Pan bakery
Wooden seats have views of the street

“The ceiling sheets have the main function of creating a three-dimensional covering to make the environment more welcoming and also to work from an acoustic point of view,” the studio said.

“They create a suspended three-dimensional world, both continuous and ephemeral. Furthermore, they dialogue with natural light during the day and with artificial light in the evening.”

Bathroom sink by Studio Wok
The bathroom has a decorative stone sink

In the bathroom, the green theme continues with a wall and sliding door featuring translucent panels of pressed cellulose, which have been fixed onto a wooden grid frame.

“We were looking for a translucent material to allow natural light to pass through the anteroom. It also reminded us of the rice paper walls, typical of Japan,” Studio Wok said.

The effect of these materials is to create “a green monochromatic box from which the monolithic element of the sink emerges,” Studio Wok said.

The sink was made of a grey-tinted natural stone called Moltrasio.

In the main space, light grey walls and floors in hand-trowelled cementitious resin amplify the sense of light, while chestnut was used in both its pale natural form and stained black across integrated and freestanding furniture.

Interior of Pan, Milan
Black-stained chestnut was used for the bar area

The bar area has a more serious, less playful atmosphere, informed by the black-stained chestnut wood of the counter and cabinetry.

Here, a rough-hewn natural stone boulder serves as a water counter, introducing a freeform, sculptural element to the space.

Bar at Pan in Milan
Studio Wok designed the bakery and wine bar with references to Japan

To anchor the space in the local neighbourhood, Studio Wok designed large windows with pale chestnut frames that open the bakery up towards the street.

Seating in the window areas “project the interiors of the venue outwards, creating a hybrid threshold space between the domestic and the urban,” the studio said.

“Our vision for the material palette at Pan was to seek a balance between elements with a contemporary and industrial flavour, with others that are more natural and timeless,” said Studio Wok.

“It’s a celebration of Japan and its dualism between innovation and wabi-sabi spirit.”

Studio Wok has previously designed a cavernous pizza restaurant and transformed a barn into a country home.

The photography is by Simone Bossi.

Reference

Natural Material Studio designs floor-to-ceiling biotextiles
CategoriesSustainable News

Natural Material Studio designs floor-to-ceiling biotextiles

Danish design practice Natural Material Studio has unveiled its Human Nature exhibition, which featured compostable biofoam seating and biomaterial textiles, at 3 Days of Design.

The studio designed the Human Nature installation to take full advantage of the large vaulted space at art gallery Copenhagen Contemporary, hanging handcrafted biotextiles that were up to seven metres long from its ceilings.

“We created a lot of materials for this exhibition, I think around 150 square metres,” Natural Material Studio founder Bonnie Hvillum told Dezeen.

“But what’s been really exciting has been the length and height that we have managed to work with – the textiles are over seven metres long.”

Biomaterials at Human Nature exhibition
Human Nature features metres-long biotextile installations

“It’s something that we are curious about, expanding the scale,” she added. “Spatially, it creates a completely different experience when the textiles come up in the scale and surround us, almost like trees.”

Natural Material Studio uses its own material processes to create its biomaterials. Among the ingredients used for the materials in Human Nature were natural softeners mixed with biopolymers, chalk and clay.

The textiles that were dyed with chalk had a fittingly chalky white hue, while those dyed with clay become greenish.

Chalk-dyed biomaterials by Natural Material Studio
White textiles were dyed with chalk

As part of the exhibition, which was on show during annual design festival 3 Days of Design, Natural Material Studio wanted to showcase how humans and nature interact in the creation of the materials.

To that end, the biotextile pieces were cast in wooden frames to be handled as they were drying, but were otherwise were left to develop naturally.

Human Nature also featured sculptural seating designs that were made by casting Natural Material Studio’s self-developed biofoam in a three-dimensional frame, within which it was allowed to shape itself.

The resulting square seats come in a variety of colours, including pinkish ones made by using red clay.

Red-clay biofoam seating at Human Nature
Compostable biofoam forms sculptural seating

The material can be composted at the end of its life and will biodegrade in about a month, according to Hvillum.

“The material is biodegradable – you can give it to your chickens,” Hvillum said. “My chickens eat it, I can’t leave it outside!”

The exhibition also includes lighting works, which were constructed by attaching the biotextiles to a metal frame above an LED light, and which mark the first time Natural Material Studio has created lighting designs.

“For a long time we were trying to bring the materials onto the wall,” Hvillum explained.

“This is basically the material suspended over material frames and then we use a LED light to try to work with them like this.”

Lighting designs by Natural Material Studio
Natural Material Studio designed lights for the first time

Describing the installation as a “spatial art piece”, Natural Material Studio said the idea was also to allow visitors to touch and interact with the biomaterials, which represent years of research and prototyping.

The handcrafted nature of the biomaterial process comes through in the finished design, with the seats and textiles having kept their rough surfaces and textural qualities.

Natural Material Studio at 3 Days of Design
The natural materials were showcased in an industrial setting

The company is currently working with the Danish National Museum, which conducts research into the longevity of materials such as plastic, to look at how the biomaterials will age.

“They have taken in my materials and we’re going to be having a look at how they age over time,” Hvillum said.

“They can speed the process up so that one month is equivalent to 30 years, so we can very easily see what happens with these materials.”

Interiors at Human Nature exhibition at 3 Days of Design
The installation was on show at Copenhagen Contemporary

Hvillum is also interested in how the biomaterials can be “kept alive”.

“With this research project we try to understand how they change over time and what we can do to prolong life, for example, moisturising them,” she said.

“It’s keeping them alive, basically, which is mind-blowing – actually thinking that we need to water them, just like I water my plants because it’s organic material. You give them a little spritz to moisturise them.”

Biotextiles hanging from ceiling
Bioxtextiles surround visitors “like trees”

Hvillum hopes that the Human Nature exhibition will showcase more of the process of working with different materials, as well as what the materials can do.

“I feel like we sometimes as designers want to force the materials into certain things, and I wanted to really be honest about the process and about what the materials actually do,” she said.

“I think it works quite well as an installation to come in and really start living with these materials, experiencing them and slowly start building these relations.”

Other projects on show at 3 Days of Design include a farmers market inside the Frama store in an old apothecary and an exhibition of emerging designers inside a woodworking factory.

Human Nature was on show from 7 to 9 June 2023 as part of 3 Days of Design. See Dezeen Events Guide for information about the event, plus a list of other architecture and design events taking place around the world.

Reference

House of Shila designs industrial yet sultry interiors for Mona Athens
CategoriesInterior Design

House of Shila designs industrial yet sultry interiors for Mona Athens

The ancient Acropolis of Athens is in full view from the rooftop of this boutique hotel, which design studio House of Shila has housed in a former factory building.

Mona Athens is located in the city’s lively Psirri district, within an eight-storey 1950s building that once served as a textile factory.

Lobby lounge at Mona Athens hotel
The Mona Athens lobby features an eclectic mix of furniture and decor

House of Shila, led by New York-based entrepreneur Shai Antebi and Greek photographer and creative director Eftihia Stefanidi, chose to keep as much of the building’s bones as possible when converting it into a 20-key hotel.

This meant retaining its original dramatic iron staircase, terrazzo flooring, metal window frames and marble facade.

Staircase in communal area of hotel by House of Shila
The spilt-level communal space houses a lounge and cafe

“We designed Mona with great respect for the building’s 1950s architecture,” said Stefanidi.

“The structure itself remains unchanged, revealing 70 years of history. Emphasis was given to preserving original features.”

Iron staircase in the lobby of Mona Athens
House of Shila retained as many of the building’s original details as possible

Layering over industrial materials like exposed concrete and weathering steel, the team added wooden furniture and textured fabrics to bring warmth and tactility to the spaces throughout.

Accessed from the street, the 200-square-metre split-level lobby serves as a lounge and a cafe that can host pop-up events and installations.

Guest room with exposed concrete walls in hotel by House of Shila
A variety of textured materials are layered over the building’s industrial bones

An eclectic mix of furniture and decor populate the space, which can be opened to the outside via full-height folding glass doors.

The hotel’s six different room categories range from intimate rooms of around 16 to 20 square metres all the way up to the 55-square-metre penthouses and Mona’s Suite, with some of the larger rooms providing access to private balconies and patios.

Guest room at Mona Athens
Wash areas are open to the sleeping quarters in many of the rooms

All feature a similar sultry-meets-industrial aesthetic, which House of Shila compares to a “sensual refuge”, characterised by curtains of sheer cotton and richly-coloured velvet, low minimalist beds, custom-knitted carpets and soft lighting from bespoke fixtures.

In the majority of the guest rooms, the washing areas are open to the sleeping quarters – with separate water closets for privacy – and some feature comfy lounge seating.

Bathroom in suite at hotel by House of Shila
Larger suites have access to porches, balconies and patios

White freestanding Corian bathtubs and industrial-style rain showers are shrouded by translucent curtains, creating a “certain balance of comfort and drama”, according to the design studio.

The open rooftop offers a direct view of the Parthenon and other structures atop the Acropolis, the UNESCO-listed epicentre of Ancient Greece, while the tourist entrance to the site is a 15-minute walk from the hotel.

Reserved for Mona Athens guests and members, this outdoor space includes a long glass-and-metal communal table, cushioned sofas, outdoor showers, lush planting and a bar that serves cocktails and “eclectic fare” with ingredients sourced from the local food market.

There’s also a speakeasy venue in the basement, where pop-up exhibitions and private events can take place.

Corian bathtub in Mona Athens guest room
Freestanding Corian bathtubs are set against weathering steel

All of the decorative items in the rooms are available for guests to purchase, from the organic cotton bedsheets to the ceramic coffee cups.

Antebi’s background is in real estate development while Stefanidi was previously the creative director for immersive entertainment company Secret Cinema.

rooftop bar in hotel by House of Shila
The rooftop is reserved for hotel guests and members

The duo founded House of Shila after working together on their first hospitality project Shila – another boutique hotel-cum-arts venue in Athens’ Kolonaki neighbourhood.

Once a quick stopover for tourists on the way to the Greek islands, the capital is becoming a popular destination for city breaks in its own right, thanks to its rich history, growing culinary scene, year-round fair weather and relative affordability.

Acropolis view from Mona Athens rooftop
A prime view of the Acropolis can be enjoyed from the roof

The owner of Carwan Gallery described Athens as “the new Berlin” when the contemporary design gallery relocated there from Beirut in 2020.

Several boutique hotels have opened or undergone renovation in the downtown area over the past few years, including the neo-modernist Perianth Hotel and the Evripidis Hotel, which received a new rooftop bar and breakfast room.

The photography is by Ana Santl.

Reference

Straight Down the Line: 8 Tectonic Tennis Court Designs in Plan and Section
CategoriesArchitecture

Straight Down the Line: 8 Tectonic Tennis Court Designs in Plan and Section

The One Rendering Challenge is now part of the Architizer Vision Awards, honoring the best architectural photography, film, visualizations, drawings, models and the talented creators behind them. Winners are published in print! Start your entry >

Tennis is the perfect combination of athleticism and spectating. What makes the sport unique ranges from how it is scored to the variety of environments and playing surfaces used. In turn, the architecture of tennis has been continuously reimagined over time. That evolution can be seen from the early pavilions and stands adjacent to a court to the vast sports halls and modern complexes built around the world.

Dating back to the 12th century in France, tennis was originally called jeu de paume, or “game of the palm,” before rackets were introduced. Today, many features of the modern tennis court can be found around the world: baselines, service boxes, ideally a north-south orientation, and a three-foot net. Designed with spaces for athletes and spectators, these structures are centered around the same standard-sized court. With the French Open currently underway, we’ve rounded up the following projects to showcase the nuance and diversity that can be found in tennis architecture. Located in different climates and countries, the projects range from intimate and private pavilions to large, expansive facilities housing multiple courts.


Tennis Terraces

Designed by GRAS Reynés Arquitectos, Santa Ponsa, Spain

This elegant tennis facility is defined by white concrete and cantilevered slabs in Spain. The complex includes a total of seventeen courts of all surfaces, from grass to clay. The topography of the land called for a terracing strategy in order to place the different courts at different levels following the slope of the hill. As a result, the team set out to design the building as a continuation of that terracing: as seen in section, multiple floating terraces overlook the tennis compound. The Centre Court is the heart of the project. A series of terraces are carved in the hill create a natural stone stadium to seat up to 1500 spectators.


Tennis Club Strasbourg

Designed by Paul Le Quernec architect, Strasbourg, France

In Strasbourg, the idea was to create a new tennis hall building for three covered tennis courts and and a new club house. The design is directly inspired by people and how they flow in and through the building. Inside, sky domes and a special color treatment on the floor was chosen to increase day light. Areas where natural light falls were treated with a beige resin, while the room borders and corners are treated with a deep orange resin. The soaring roof forms and domes are readily seen in section, and how the building compares in scale to adjacent structures.


Team Rooms, Gatehouse and Tennis Complex Glen Lake

Designed by Mathison Mathison Architects, Maple City, MI, United States

The Glen Lake Community Schools project was made with three components: a new bus garage; new team rooms for home team and visitor teams for soccer and softball; and a new tennis complex with a gateway building. The floor plan drawing for the team rooms showcases how the pavilion structures were organized and designed, emphasizing connection to the outdoors and with a series of welcoming overhangs. By opening to natural light, using natural materials like glulam beams, and the use of insulated roof panels, the team wanted to highlight the uniqueness of the Glen Lake community and its commitment to the natural environment and energy efficiency.


Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning

Designed by GLUCK+, NY, United States

GLUCK+ designed the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning as a multi-use facility. The complex is where underserved youth in New York City can receive free tennis lessons and academic help. As the flagship site for New York Junior Tennis & Learning, the center was made to host local, national and international tournaments. Sited in the natural parkland of Crotona Park, the project included a clubhouse, public tennis courts, and sunken exhibition courts. The building and stadium courts were partially buried as a strategy to minimize the impact of a large structure in the park and also to take advantage of geothermal heating and cooling.


MG Tennis Courts

Designed by T.T.H.R. Aedes Studio, Sofia, Bulgaria

This intervention of an existing sports facility in Zaimov Park aimed to renew and reorganize spaces dedicated to tennis. MG Tennis Academy is situated in the heart of Sofia, amidst the greenery of the urban park. The complex was made with two open courts and three courts covered with a vinyl membrane. The main issue of the project was to reconnect the park and the courts. Preserving the existing layout of the courts and the building, two more entrances were added and all three are offset in-between the courts. Now, visitors of the complex can enjoy the game as well as the park without distractions.


Diamond Domes Tennis & Event Hall

Designed by Rüssli Architects AG, Nidwalden, NW, Switzerland

This temple to tennis was built in Switzerland. As seen in the drawings, the building sections were symmetrically arranged around a central outdoor tennis court. In turn, two identical tennis halls with crystal-shaped roofs border the transverse sides of the court. The original clubhouse was relocated underground and is accessed from street via an entrance pavilion. A core concept of the project was to emphasizes views into the valley. The façades are finished in natural stone in harmony with the resort on site, while the “fifth facade” features beautiful, polygonal roof panels that were clad in aluminum.


Portsea Sleepout

Designed by Mitsuori Architects, Portsea, Australia

Adjacent to the court, this guest house is located within the grounds of an existing family beach house in a secluded coastal setting. The client required a guest house that would embrace the native landscape while establishing its own identity distinct from the existing house. The team’s design concept was to create a building as a landscape element that forms a backdrop to the existing tennis court and is nestled within the surrounding vegetation. A rectilinear timber pavilion was built with weathered grey cladding and climbers growing up over the walls to give the appearance of a simple timber fence within the landscape.


The Couch

Designed by MVRDV, IJburg, Netherlands

MVRDV’s famous Couch project was built in IJburg, a new district to the east of Amsterdam. The newly formed IJburg Tennis Club included ten clay courts and a tennis school. The clubhouse was made to be the heart of the center, providing both a viewing platform and a club overlooking the water. The challenge was to create a building that worked as a central gathering area, a living room for IJburg. The result is a clubhouse with a roof dipping down towards the south and raised towards the north, creating an informal tribune for the club. Inside, the construction is clad with FSC-certified wood, with the outside fully sealed with an EPDM polymer hotspray in the same color and texture as the clay tennis courts.

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Linehouse designs Hong Kong hotel to evoke the comfort of home
CategoriesInterior Design

Linehouse designs Hong Kong hotel to evoke the comfort of home

Shanghai-based interior studio Linehouse used natural materials and a muted colour palette to give the Ying’nFlo hotel in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, the feel of an inviting home.

The hotel occupies the podium of a 24-story tower on a hilly street in Hong Kong. Its ground floor holds a series of communal spaces that Linehouse designed to provide “home comfort” for guests.

Ying'nFlo Hong Kong by Linehouse
The ground floor comprises a series of rooms referencing living rooms

The Collectors Room, which greets guests at the entrance of the hotel, has a neutral palette of hand-rendered walls, timber paneling, and linen cabinetry that display curated objects and artworks. A communal oak table serves as a counter where guests can interact.

This room also connects to an outdoor terrace through sliding glazed doors. Built-in bench seating and an olive tree sit at the centre of the terrace and invite guests to relax and socialise.

Ying'nFlo Hong Kong by Linehouse
A communal table and outdoor bench invite guests to socialise

A gridded timber screen leads further into the space through to the lift lobby and the Arcade room, where guests can gather to relax and play.

Soft-rendered walls, timber shutters and an eclectic mix of furniture create a sense of intimacy, while floor tiles in various geometrical motifs add a sense of playfulness.

Ying'nFlo Hong Kong by Linehouse
The Music Room features ceramic tiles

Adjacent to the Arcade is the Music Room, the social hub of the hotel. Here, ceramic tiles, a bespoke oak shelving system, a custom sofa and curated art and lifestyle objects were added to evoke a sense of a residential living room.

The Music Room opens up to the Garden Terrace, where undulating greenery sits behind circular seating in yellow-striped fabric, a colourful contrast to the overall neutral colour palette of the Ying’nFlo hotel.

Ying'nFlo Hong Kong by Linehouse
Yellow-striped fabric seating on the terrace adds playfulness

“The spaces are designed to have a warm, welcoming and familiar feel,” Linehouse said.

“Against this backdrop of curated simplicity is an edge of youthful attitude and local context, with vibrant elements giving the hotel its own unique flavour.”

The guest rooms of the Ying’nFlo hotel are located on the upper floor and feature ceilings painted in a muted green hue, which the same green tone used to frame window seating nooks and for the hand-glazed tiles in the bathroom and kitchen.

A clean palette of plaster, wood, white-washed oak and canvas add texture to the rooms. Seating nooks and lounge furniture serve multiple functions as spaces where guests can work, relax or dine.

Ying'nFlo Hong Kong by Linehouse
Muted green and selection of wood furniture create a warm feeling for the guest rooms

Linehouse was founded by Alex Mok and Briar Hickling in 2013 and the duo went on to win emerging interior designer of the year at the 2019 Dezeen Awards.

The studio has recently completed a Mediterranean restaurant with natural, tactile materials, as well as a space-themed cafe decorated with real meteorites, both in Shanghai.

The photography is by Jonathan Leijonhufvud.


Project credits:

Design principle: Briar Hickling
Design team: Ricki-Lee Van Het Wout, Lara Daoud, Justin Cheung

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MVRDV designs “stack of country villas” for Montevideo housing block
CategoriesArchitecture

MVRDV designs “stack of country villas” for Montevideo housing block

Dutch architecture studio MVRDV has released visuals of Ziel, a pixelated residential block made up of stone-clad family units for Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo,

Described by MVRDV “as a stack of country villas”, the 15-storey building is being developed to offer residents of the dense Punta Carretas neighbourhood a more suburban lifestyle.

The design responds to the trend of Uruguayans moving out of the city and to the countryside in search of more space and greenery when starting a family.

Aerial visual of Ziel by MVRDV
MVRDV has released visuals of Ziel

“In Montevideo, like in many other cities, it’s common that once people start a family, they leave – buying a villa in the countryside and reducing the vitality of the city,” said founding partner Jacob van Rijs.

“With our design, we wanted to show that you can have the spaciousness and nature of the countryside on the tenth floor in the middle of the city,” added partner Frans de Witte.

“We believe the city should be for everyone, including families with children,” de Witte continued.

Visual of staggered exterior for housing block in Uruguay
The building will be made up of stone-clad family homes

Ziel is MVRDV’s first project in Uruguay. It will comprise 40 homes designed in collaboration with Argentinan architect Monoblock for local developer IXOU.

The site of the project is close to the ocean and next to the Villa Biarritz park in Punta Carretas, on the southern tip of Montevideo.

Courtyard of Ziel by MVRDV
A courtyard sits at its centre

The distinctive, pixelated form of the building will be created by shifting the floorplans of all 40 homes.

Externally, they will be clad in various stones with “warm, earthy tones” and complemented by bronze window frames.

Inside, there will be ten different home types, ranging in size from two to four beds. There will also be a rooftop lounge and dining room, a restaurant and shared swimming, gym and spa facilities.

To recreate the feeling of living a suburban lifestyle in a dense urban area, a key feature of Ziel’s design will be the integration of open green spaces. According to MVRDV, the pixelated arrangement of the block will also maximise natural light and air that can enter.

Apartment balcony of Ziel by MVRDV
There will be a series of outdoor spaces

The green spaces at Ziel will include a central courtyard, as well as private terraces, shared patios and “sky gardens” across its levels.

These sky gardens will occupy the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth floors of the building and will be filled with plants and landscaped for various activities.

Rooftop pool overlook Uruguayan capital
A swimming pool will be shared by residents

Founded in 1991, MVRDV is an architecture studio led by Winy Maas with van Rijs and Nathalie de Vries.

Another recent housing project by the studio includes Ilot Queyries in Bordeaux, France, which is folded around a large red courtyard.

The visuals are courtesy of MVRDV.

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Markus Benesch designs Alpine Rising home for tuntschi doll
CategoriesInterior Design

Markus Benesch designs Alpine Rising home for tuntschi doll

A vengeful doll from an Alpine folk tale was the imagined occupant of this colourful cabin-style home created by German designer Markus Benesch at Milan design week.

The maximalist Alpine Rising installation featured decorative Alpine-style furniture and multi-coloured wall coverings, all filled with references to life in the mountains.

Benesch developed the design after becoming fascinated by the fabled character of the “tuntschi” doll.

Bench in Alpine Rising exhibition by Markus Benesch
The exhibition featured Alpine-style furniture and multi-coloured wall coverings

According to the story, the tuntschi is fashioned out of wood, straw and cloth by herdsmen who spend the summer tending cattle on the mountain and crave female company.

The doll comes to life, yet the herdsmen continue to objectify her. So when the time comes for them to return home, she takes murderous revenge on one of them.

This got Benesch thinking about what happens after the story finishes.

Chairs at Alpine Rising exhibition by Markus Benesch
Stui dining chairs and Hockerl stools both combine ash wood with colourful resin

“I wondered, what is this doll doing when she is alone in the wintertime?” he told Dezeen. “I thought, maybe she has the time of her life.”

One of the starting points for the design was to think about the types of pastimes that the doll might enjoy.

Cabinet in Alpine Rising exhibition by Markus Benesch
The Tuntschis Chapel cabinet is based on traditional Alpine architecture

One idea was that she might ski. This resulted in swirling motifs – reminiscent of snow tracks – that appeared throughout, plus a pair of bespoke skis.

Benesch also thought the doll might take up pottery, which led him to the work of Austrian ceramicist Florian Tanzer, founder of Vienna-based studio Luma Launisch.

Tanzer’s rough and enigmatic ceramics often depict unusual characters.

For Alpine Rising, he created vases and vessels that integrate the face of the tuntschi. Some pieces had more than one face, in reference to her two-faced nature.

Dining table in Alpine Rising exhibition by Markus Benesch
The wallpaper combines images of wooden shingles with different colours and tones

Benesch and his small-production furniture, textile and wallpaper company Curious Boy created a completely custom interior for the tuntschi’s Alpine cabin.

Divided into rooms, it was filled with farmhouse-style furniture pieces that combined traditional Alpine woodcraft with colourful motifs typical of Benesch’s designs.

Benesch creates these patterns by inlaying wood with pigmented resin.

Wardrobe at Alpine Rising exhibition by Markus Benesch
The zigzag-patterned Hochzeitsschrank wardrobe was crafted from pine

In ash wood, designs on show included the cabin-style Tuntschis cabinet, the elaborate Himmibed and the playful Stui dining chairs.

Walnut was used for the amorphous Splügen lamp, while the zigzag-patterned Hochzeitsschrank wardrobe was crafted from pine.

Ceramics by Florian Tanzer
Florian Tanzer created ceramics that refer to the two-faced nature of the doll

For the wallpaper and textiles, Benesch created repeating patterns using images of wooden shingles that typically clad Alpine chalets, then overlaid them with various colours and tones.

Underlying the entire design was an idea about getting away from today’s digital world and the harmful effects it can have on mental health, and instead celebrating “an analogue lifestyle”.

Alpine Rising spoons
Benesch also produced hand-carved ash and walnut spoons

This idea was emphasised by hand-carved ash and walnut spoons and a pack of custom-designed playing cards.

“We want to disconnect from the crazy of our today’s world and reconnect more with ourselves in nature,” added Benesch.

The exhibition formed part of the 5Vie district during Milan design week, where other exhibitions included Artemest’s L’Appartamento, a 1930s apartment redesigned by six different studios.

Following Milan design week, we collected ten standout installations and projects on show during the week.

Alpine Rising was on show from 15 to 21 April 2023 as part of Milan design week. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.

Exhibition and furniture photography is courtesy of Markus Benesch Creates. Ceramic photography is by Gregor Hofbauer.

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