Spotted: Seaweed has become a versatile ingredient used in everything from animal and human food to cosmetics, packaging, and biofuel. Yet despite such growth, experts believe the industry’s potential is still largely untapped. Currently, the vast majority of the world’s seaweed is grown in Asian countries, one of the reasons researchers consider that the “opportunities for growth in new regions and applications are high.”
One new company getting involved in the industry is Australia’s Phycoforms, which has developed a collection of commercial composites made from waste seaweed sourced from Tasmanian seaweed farms. This innovation grew out of an exploratory project during founder Shimroth Thomas’ master’s degree at Australia’s RMIT University. After graduation, at which he received a sustainability award for his work, Thomas continued his R&D programme in order to further develop and commercialise the materials.
The seaweed-based materials are biodegradable and designed to replace bricks, concrete, and more in traditional construction work. Depending on the item being produced, Phycoforms adds other materials to the seaweed, such as waste coffee grounds, seashells, and other beach detritus. The composites are available as large pressed sheets as well as in products that include tables, chairs, bowls, floor lamps, and other homewares. Thomas has also explored the feasibility of a ‘PhycoWall’.
From removing overabundant algae blooms to create new products to using seaweed to increase the lifespan of electric vehicle batteries, innovations spotted by Springwise are transforming the easy-to-grow plant into sustainable solutions in many different industries.
Our latest lookbook features eight sculptural staircases made of wood that make a statement and bring warmth to apartments from Hong Kong to Boston.
Often the organizing principle in the planning of any space, a staircase can either blend in or stand out.
The eight gathered in this lookbook lean into the latter – showcasing both the structural abilities of wood like larch, birch and plywood and demonstrating how circulation need not be boring.
From a completely pre-fabricated staircase in a Boston apartment to a plywood spiral staircase twisting from the loft of a renovated barn in the Netherlands, these sculptural stairs create a visually striking centrepiece, as well as a fun way to traverse a house.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rustic Italian interiors, autumnal bedrooms and show-stealing dining room tables.
Photo by James Leng
Hairpin House, USA, Studio J Jih and Figure
Located in Boston’s South End neighbourhood, this historic townhouse renovation sees a four-storey interior plan wrapped around a white oak staircase that spirals around a 40-foot-high (12-metre-high) atrium.
“Aptly named Hairpin House, the project takes the tight, unpredictable, and ultimately poetic switchback turns of a mountain road as inspiration for the overall renovation – and in particular a new unravelling central stair,” said the design team.
Find out more about Hairpin House ›
Photo by Jonathan Leijonhufvud
Cape Drive Residence, Hong Kong, Linehouse
Just a short walk from the beaches of Hong Kong’s south side, this three-storey house channels “coastal essence” through natural materials and light, Chinese studio Linehouse told Dezeen.
An “easy flow” was also imbued into the design, created in part by a timber stairwell that’s tucked to the side and – save for a white metallic screen – is open to the living spaces.
Find out more about Cape Drive Residence ›
Photo by Frank Frances
Mass Timber House, USA, Schiller Projects
According to design studio Schiller Projects, this renovated carriage home in Brooklyn is the borough’s first single-family residence that uses mass timber construction.
Besides repurposed wooden elements like timber panels and floorboards used for the project, the house features a pre-fabricated glue-laminated timber (glulam) staircase that can be completely disassembled.
Find out more about Mass Timber House ›
Photo by Alex Baxter
Barn at the Ahof, the Netherlands, Julia van Beuningen
Architectural designer Julia Van Beuningen converted this Gelderland barn into a holiday home complete with a spiral staircase made out of plywood at the heart of the floor plan, which contrasts the more rustic materials of the surrounding building.
“This is very different and very unusual in a barn like this,” said Van Beuningen. “It’s something you either love or hate, but it’s definitely a statement.”
Find out more about Barn at the Ahof ›
Photo by Eric Petschek
Carroll Gardens Townhouse, USA, Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design
New York studios Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design merged a two-family dwelling into one for the owner’s growing family.
White oak running throughout the two units unifies the project, which includes the addition of a new wooden staircase covered by a slated screen made of the same material.
Find out more about Carroll Gardens Townhouse ›
Photo by Jim Stephenson
Stoke Newington loft, UK, Whittaker Parsons
Architecture firm Whittaker Parsons was tasked with adding a loft to a house in Stoke Newington, London, as well as updating spaces throughout the lower floors.
With efficiency and quality in mind, the studio used prefabricated structural insulated panels (SIP) to construct the new loft. The space is accessed by a spiral staircase made of larch that’s topped with a skylight.
Find out more about Stoke Newington loft ›
Photo is by Tim Croker
Dragon Flat, UK, Tsuruta Architects
A floating timber staircase features in this flat in London, which is outfitted with walls CNC-etched with images of peonies, dragons, bats and the Thames.
The central staircase allows light to filter into the kitchen and living room below, while solid timber bricks act as landings on either side.
Find out more about Dragon Flat ›
Photo by Rory Gardiner
Elsternwick penthouse, Australia, Office Alex Nicholls
The timber staircases in this Melbourne house were integrated into its “library spine” an organizing corridor that contains the family’s collection of books, art and artefacts.
“From a practical standpoint, it allowed everything to be easily accessible and displayed but it also helps to draw people through the apartment and celebrate the two staircases to the roof garden at either end,” said Office Alex Nicholls founder Alex Nicholls.
Find out more about Elsternwick penthouse ›
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rustic Italian interiors, autumnal bedrooms and show-stealing dining room tables.
Architecture studio Witherford Watson Mann balanced “studious conservation and bold intervention” for its redevelopment of the historic Courtauld Institute of Art in London.
One of six projects shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize 2023, the three-year project to update The Courtauld Gallery completed at the end of 2021 and marks the first phase of a wider scheme transforming the Grade I-listed Somerset House complex.
Witherford Watson Mann renovated the Courtauld Institute of Art
Supported by £11 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the transformation programme seeked to open up both spatially and culturally the “idiosyncratic” site that has been its home since the 1990s.
Former Stirling Prize winners Witherford Watson Mann sought to clarify the building’s spaces and circulation while maintaining its historic character, combining more subtle modifications in the galleries with a number of more extensive alterations.
Brick salts have been opened up
“[In the galleries], many may struggle to identify specifically what has changed: and yet there was barely a room, door, floor or cable that was not altered,” said director Stephen Witherford.
“The project preserves the institution’s rich past whilst securing its future.”
The environmental performance of all gallery spaces was improved
Improving the accessibility and arrival sequence into the gallery was a priority, and its main entrance off the Strand now features a ramp created by both re-using and matching the existing stone paving.
Previous gallery rooms were cleared to create a larger reception area, where a new stone staircase and lift provide clear circulation between floors.
Beneath the building, a series of brick vaults previously inaccessible to the public have been cut through with a series of concrete-framed openings, providing an entirely new way to traverse the site.
Currently home to the gallery’s shop, these vaults will eventually form a connection through to the Courtauld Institute’s student areas, which are to be upgraded during the wider project’s second phase.
The project is shortlisted for this year’s Stirling Prize
Above, alongside gallery spaces for the Courtauld’s permanent collection, new spaces were created for temporary exhibitions, as well as a learning studio for families and young people, a lecture room and an object study room.
On the top floor is the skylit Great Room – London’s oldest purpose-built exhibition space – where previous subdivisions have been stripped away to restore its original nature as a dramatic, single space.
In all of the gallery spaces, the insertion of new ducting, ventilation grilles and lighting has improved the building’s environmental performance, as well as conditions for both the artworks and visitors.
“The physical alterations are now beginning to support a change of culture,” says Wilford.
“Visitor diversity has increased, along with visitor numbers; school groups are making full use of the first onsite learning centre; and student initiatives and wider partnerships are reshaping the programme.”
“Altering buildings doesn’t change institutions on its own, but it can support their democratisation,” he added.
Witherford Watson Mann previously won the Stirling Prize in 2013 for their refurbishment of Astley Castle, which also involved the careful reconfiguration of a historic built fabric.
Samsung’s flagship experience store in New York City, which has been captured in this exclusive video produced by Dezeen, has been designed to enable visitors to envision living in a smart home.
Located in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, the Samsung 837 store is described by the brand as an “interactive playground” and allows visitors to interact with Samsung’s latest connected home devices.
Located on the second floor, the SmartThings Home section allows visitors to test its connected products in a simulated smart home environment.
The section features a connected kitchen where products, such as Samsung’s Bespoke Refrigerator, are on display, allowing users to test its touchscreen capabilities.
The SmartThings Home on the second floor allows visitors to test Samsung’s latest smart products
The store also features a gaming lounge in which visitors can use consoles to play games in real-time.
Additionally, the SmartThings Home section includes a children’s bedroom, which features a projector where visitors can experience watching movies in bed.
The children’s concept bedroom features a projector to watch films
Samsung customers can download its SmartThings app to connect and monitor all of their smart home devices in one place. Users can monitor their energy consumption in a bid to reduce their energy bills using the SmartThings Energy activation within the app.
Also exhibited in the space is Samsung’s Bespoke service, which allows visitors to customise Samsung products to suit their individual style, including custom colour combinations and finishes.
Samsung’s bespoke refrigerators can be customised to fit a user’s individual style
Samsung uses the flagship experience store to host a variety of talks and events throughout the year. Recently, Dezeen partnered with Samsung to host a live panel discussion in the flagship store, exploring the topics of technology and sustainability.
The talk was moderated by Dezeen’s US editor Ben Dreith and featured a panel including Barent Roth, Matthew Spencer and Claudia Santos, who discussed how connected homes can enable more sustainable lifestyles.
Partnership content
This article was written by Dezeen for Samsung as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
Spotted: Windows have remained functionally the same since their invention; providing natural light and perhaps a level of aesthetic beauty to a home. However, this has meant that while the home has undergone technological smart advancements with heating, storage, electricity, and other things, windows have fallen behind.
Windows account for about 30 per cent of heat loss in a home, and during hot periods, they often let in too much solar heat, which is often compensated for with energy-intensive cooling systems. And even with the right window insulation, it’s rare that lighting is “just right” for the occupant’s comfort when dealing with shifting natural light sources.
This is where Tynt comes in. The concept is simple: windows that can regulate the amount of light that is let in based on what’s available and also the desire of the operator. This is accomplished by using patented Reversible Metal Electrodeposition (RME).
The technology uses a small electric current to influence the properties of a metal film that rests in between the windowpanes – affecting how opaque the window appears and how much energy it absorbs. By either regulating the current up or down, the opacity of the window will range from completely transparent to truly blacked out. With this system the heat regulation of the house is also far more efficient – requiring just 1 volt to function, according to the company.
Tynt is not in the commercial phase just yet, but you can sign up to be alerted when the first product becomes available, which the company predicts will be in 2024.
Windows are a central part of all modern buildings, but if they’re poorly designed, they can rapidly increase the heat losses and greenhouse gas emissions of a property. In the archive, Springwise has also spotted shade screens that provide renewable sources of energy as well as this company that can retrofit entire buildings with net-zero glass to reduce heating costs.
Mexico-based architect Ludwig Godefroy has completed the renovation of a”simple” house and studio in Mexico for himself and his family that is integrated with an adjacent garden.
Godefroy and his partner renovated a former residence, focusing on the home’s orientation towards the site’s pre-existing greenspace.
Ludwig Godefroy has completed a house and studio for himself and his family in Mexico
“Casa SanJe is a very simple project,” said Godefroy. “The main idea behind the project was to reconnect the house with its garden, opening large windows everywhere on the ground floor. In and out are always connected in this house.”
Almost half of the square site is dedicated to the garden, while the other half contains the architect’s residence.
It is organized around the site’s substantial garden
“Casa SanJe was an ordinary Mexican house from the ’80s, without any style, a simple house with tiles on the floor and texturized plaster finishing on the walls,” said Godefroy.
The architect replaced the former materials with concrete, wood and tezontle – a red volcanic stone – to “calm down the atmosphere of the house”.
Godefroy renovated a house originally built in the 80s
The ground level of the home contains two entrances protected by iron doors.
A car park sits adjacent to the building’s first entrance, which is accessed through a patio populated with stone, planting beds and a concrete and brick sculpture.
The ground floor contains large windows and doors that open directly into the garden
A second entrance is located further into the garden and leads to a vestibule space at the centre of the ground-level plan.
The interior program circulates around the vestibule, with the kitchen, dining area and living room located opposite the architect’s studio and library.
It is made of concrete with wood and stone elements
The kitchen and studio spaces were pushed along the back wall of the house, with slim windows placed periodically among cabinets and shelves.
On the side opposite, Godefroy installed large doors and windows that open the living room directly into the garden.
Furniture like a dining table and shelving was also made of concrete
Much of the interior furniture was made of caste concrete, like the living room sofa, the dining table, side tables, kitchen shelving and an island. And some are built directly into the floor.
Godefroy’s studio also contains concrete shelving and a concrete desk that runs along the wall.
A wall clad in volcanic stone rungs along the back of the house
In the same space, a wall was clad in warm wood panels, while a vaulted ceiling sits above the architect’s desk. A chimney sits adjacent.
Like some of Godefroy’s previous projects, geometric openings were cut into interior walls.
An exposed wall made of red volcanic stone runs along the back wall of the house.
Located between the kitchen and living room, a wooden staircase leads to the second floor, which contains bedrooms and a primary bath.
The architect’s studio opens onto the entrance patio
The primary bath contains a sunken, circular cutout in the floor, with multiple shower heads for bathing.
In one corner, a spigot drops water onto a stepped feature.
An upstairs bathroom features a circular, sunken floor
Concrete was used for the ceiling, walls and floor.
Native plants were placed throughout the house, with a large semi-circle planter made of concrete placed above the house’s entrance.
“We wanted the space to become timeless, out of any trend or decoration, just made out of simple material, able to get old instead of getting damaged under the action of time,” said the architect.
Godefroy recently completed a number of projects in and around Mexico City, including a brutalist cube-shaped home and a hotel that recalls the design of an Oaxacan temple.
explore a cat tree house by tan yamanouchi in kamakura
Located in Kamakura, an hour from central Tokyo, A Cat Tree House is a charming private dwelling and architecture studio designed by and for architect Tan Yamanouchi, his partner, and their two cats. As pet owners, the project took shape from the perspective of their little felines. ‘Having lived with the two for ten years, we took our design cues from ‘listening’ to them, although they do not speak human words,‘ says principal architect Tan Yamanouchi.
That being said, he summarized the cats’ needs into three categories: (1) Being able to choose their preferred temperature level at any time of day; as they can sense temperature differences that humans cannot, they like to move around to find the perfect spot. (2) The desire to be in same room as their owners, all while maintaining their space. (3) And lastly (3) the need to have multiple safe places to hide; they like options and may change their minds about where they feel safest depending on the time of day or year. With these in mind, the residence was conceived as a large spiral staircase, known as a caracole, with multiple nooks and crannies, incorporating both the owners’ and pets’ needs.
organizing the home around a large & skylit spiral staircase
Delving into the details, Tan Yamanouchi organized the spiral staircase around an atrium with a skylight in the center of the house. ‘The rises are designed based on the body measurements of our cats, which led to having 23 different floor levels. The entire house is thus divided into fine stripes of temperature layers, between which our feline clients spend all day traveling,’ explains the architect. The spiral staircase, meanwhile, opens up a line of vision to the whole house from any vantage point. Additionally, the standard dimension of the run of each step is generously set to 900 millimeters so that the cats can hide from people downstairs, keep a certain sense of distance from others, or even sleep peacefully.
To design the caracole, Yamanouchi took cues from a tamasudare, a screen made of loosely woven bamboo sticks for a traditional Japanese street performance, where performers twist, fold, and extend it to form various shapes. Exposed to give accent to the open ceiling space, this structure responds to the highly humid environment of Kamakura with its starkly designed split-level architecture. ‘The standard floor level is set one meter above the ground level, creating a buffer space between the raft foundation and the floor, where outside air is introduced, and hot water pipes for floor heating are laid. We designed the buffer for temperature and humidity control,‘ he continues.
entrance to A Cat Tree House
integrating views and programs around the steps
On each corner of the caracole, a bedroom, guest room, studio, kitchen, dining room, and bathroom are laid out for optimal comfort. As this is an architect’s studio as much as a home, it inevitably has constant guests. When we have unexpected visitors, each room also functions as a hiding place for the cats. The mountain views of Kamakura inspired the design of the handrails implemented in the atrium for fall prevention. The delicate stainless-steel fixture was crafted by skilled ironworkers.
On the wall built along the spiral steps, Yamanouchi designed a bookshelf, transforming the steps from a mere passage to a split-level library. For the cats, the stairs function as cozy bedding, while for humans, they become a book vault with suitable height differences to sit anywhere. A part of the circular steps bisects backward, which reaches at the end a window implemented at the eye level of cats, and the final rise of the steps is as high as a human chair to provide a porch-like space for them.
wooden steps to the house
tan yamanouchi’s L-shaped dwelling boasts a green haven
The form of this house consists of two L-shaped volumes, each with a shed roof of different angles. By interlocking the two volumes, a basic shape comes to life, simplifying construction and blending in with the mountains of Kamakura while still holding a unique aesthetic. ‘We also believe that cats looking out the window is a sight that improves the neighborhood landscape. We meticulously designed the placement and the height of the windows so that passersby and visitors can appreciate the adorableness of the cats as a part of the architectural exterior and the scenery,‘ shares the architect.
As for the landscape design, the garden is divided roughly into two zones. One is the Approach Zone, which leads to the entrance and the garden facing the front road. Another is the Terrace Zone, which includes the wooden deck steps and a kitchen garden, surrounded by a 1.8-meter-high wall on the back of the building. Approximately 80 species of plants are flourishing in the Approach Zone, boasting different colors for a rich palette, and 20 species of edible herbs in the Terrace Zone. Completing the outdoor design is a space covered with fragrant wood chips, offering a place to sit on the steps and enjoy a meal.
Tan Yamanouchi designed the house around his cats’ needs
a large, spiral staircase with multiveled steps and a library
creating a home where the cats can be close to their owners while having their own space
From a modernist villa in Beverly Hills to a flat in one of Brasília’s iconic Superquadra apartment blocks, the mid-century renovations in this lookbook are a masterclass in updating a period home while retaining its distinctive character.
Originally constructed in the post-war period between 1945 and 1969, mid-century homes have proved enduringly popular due to their prescient emphasis on natural light, clean lines, open floor plans and humble materials such as wood, stone and concrete.
The renovations below see many of these original features retained and restored, supplemented with contemporary additions such as double-height ceilings and furniture by the likes of Tadao Ando and Mario Bellini.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring art deco homes, sunny yellow interiors and serene bedrooms with striking natural views.
Photo by Jack Lovel
City Beach Residence, Australia, by Design Theory
Australian studio Design Theory looked to preserve the “considerable mid-century charm” of this home on the coast of Perth during its renovation (top and above), remaining true to the rich palette of natural materials found in the original design.
Contemporary furniture and lighting with gently curving forms were chosen to soften the rigorous lines of the original architecture and prevent the interiors from feeling like a period pastiche.
Find out more about City Beach Residence ›
Photo by An Pham
Brandaw Residence, US, by 180 Degrees Design + Build and CBTWO Architects
A new double-height living room with a pitched roof and full-height glazing was added to modernise this 1960s home in Phoenix, creating sightlines up and out towards nearby Camelback Mountain.
Modernist touches remain on the interior in the form of plentiful wood panelling alongside finishes and furnishings in muted primary colours ranging from teal to mustard-yellow.
Find out more about Brandaw Residence ›
Photo by James O Davies
Hampstead House, UK, by Coppin Dockray
This house in Hampstead was originally designed by British architect Trevor Dannatt in 1960 as London’s answer to the post-war Case Study Houses built by the likes of Richard Neutra and the Eameses in California.
When renovating and extending the property for a growing family, local studio Coppin Dockray contrasted vintage and contemporary furniture for a “domestic, lived-in” feel, with pieces ranging from a Togo chair to Mia Hamborg’s Shuffle table for &Tradition.
Find out more about Hampstead House ›
Photo by Gerhard Heusch
Beverly Hills villa, US, by Heusch
Historical images helped architecture firm Heusch to restore this Beverly Hills villa to its former glory and reverse some of its “unfortunate transformations” over the years.
Existing terrazzo floors on the ground floor were restored and complemented with fluted glass details and dark timber furnishings, both new and old, including Ando’s cantilevered Dream Chairs and a bookshelf by Italian architect Augusto Romano from the 1950s.
Find out more about Beverly Hills villa ›
Photo by Justin Chung
Palermo house, US, by OWIU
California studio OWIU retained several original elements during the renovation of this 1955 home in LA’s San Rafael Hills, among them the glass-block walls and wooden ceiling beams, which were exposed from under false ceilings and sanded down to reveal their natural colour.
These were contrasted with more neutral contemporary elements such as pale oak flooring and walls coated in Venetian plaster, with assorted lights by Isamu Noguchi and George Nelson – one of the founding fathers of American modernism.
Find out more about Palermo house ›
Photo by Joana France
Brasília apartment, Brazil, by Debaixo do Bloco Arquitetura
This apartment is located inside Brasília’s historic Superquadra 308 Sul, the first “superblock” apartment complex constructed as part of architect Lucio Costa’s 1957 master plan for the new Brazilian capital.
Local studio Debaixo do Bloco Arquitetura cut open the building’s exposed concrete walls, opening up its layout to meet the needs of a modern family while preserving period details such as the building’s distinctive white breeze-block screens and its granilite flooring.
Find out more about Brasília apartment ›
Photo by Ingalls Photography
Malibu Surf Shack, US, by Kelly Wearstler
When interior designer Kelly Wearstler turned this 1950s beachfront cottage in Malibu into a bohemian retreat for herself and her family, she retained the original wood-panelled walls and selected finishes that were “hand-crafted, rustic and raw” to match the existing material palette.
The interiors feature abundant planting, alongside an eclectic mix of period-agnostic furnishings including a 1980s green marble table by Bellini, paired with a plaster-covered Caféstuhl chair by contemporary Austrian designer Lukas Gschwandtner.
Find out more about Malibu Surf Shack ›
Photo by Rafael Soldi
Golden House, US, by SHED
Seattle architecture firm SHED had to make several aggressive interventions when renovating this 1950s building in nearby Shoreline, which was originally constructed as a family home but had previously been divided up to serve as a retirement home.
Working around the existing post-and-beam structure, the studio updated the interior to maximise views of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound while enlarging the kitchen and reorganising it around a central island.
Find out more about Golden House ›
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring art deco homes, sunny yellow interiors and serene bedrooms with striking natural views.
If there is one thing that architects and their clients can agree on, it’s that architecture should always work in harmony with nature. When it came to Silver Residence, a stunning modern home located in Minneapolis, nature wasn’t just a consideration — it was the starting point for developing the architectural concept.
Local architect David Strand, Principal and Director of Strand Design, was tasked with creating a private residence that remained intimately connected to its site, while providing light, open spaces and high-end finishes to meet the needs of its client. The resulting house comprises an elegant arrangement of three volumes, cleverly oriented to provide a sense of privacy while maintaining uninhibited views of the surrounding forest.
Architizer’s Editor in Chief Paul Keskeys sat down with Strand to discuss the conception and development of Silver Residence, including the material choices and product specification decisions that helped make the design a reality.
Paul Keskeys: How did the client brief and the project’s unique site help to shape your initial concept for Silver Residence?
David Strand: This was a truly unique site. The lot was essentially an established woodland in the backyards of the neighboring homes. Encircled by their neighbors, our main goal was to utilize the large wooded site while maintaining discretion for the neighbors and our clients. Careful site placement and rotation, focused view corridors and room placement was our initial goal.
What most influenced your choice of materials and products for the project and why?
We wanted the house to stand stoically, but also fade into the surroundings. Getting two large, flat roofed volumes to blend in with nature isn’t that simple. The soft tone of the siding and mixed palette of dark brick and concrete helped reduce the impact. The vertical siding has a very calm and natural look that mimics the linear trees and sky.
The expansive windows reflect the woods, so it appears that you are seeing through the home to woods beyond, helping to minimize the mass of the structures. The home changes throughout the seasons, with the warm glow of the windows in the evening accentuating the natural wood ceilings and cabinetry.
For this project, we chose Marvin windows for several reasons. Firstly, both the builder and Strand Design are familiar and comfortable with the brand, and they know they can trust Marvin to stand behind its product. We were also aiming to maintain the crisp and clean aesthetic of the home, and wanted a product that was more streamlined for the windows within the primary spaces of the living room and kitchen.
The Marvin Modern line brings a refined option to the residential market and allows us to intermix supplier and installer within one brand, facilitating multiple sizes and styles of windows throughout the home. These windows allow for massive pieces of glass with minimal structure between them.
In the Silver Residence, the clean lines and minimal articulation create a truly modern and elevated experience for the public spaces of the home. To be cognizant of the budget and quality we established, we chose Marvin Ultimate due to its durable exterior aluminum extrusion and finish.
In terms of the building envelope, what were your goals and how did you achieve them through detailing?
The expansive glazing of the Silver Residence creates movement and intrigue within its harmonic envelope. From the exterior, during the day, the windows reflect the trees and sky surrounding the home, adding tones of green and blue to the otherwise neutral exterior palette. At night, they allow for the warm interior light to filter out to enliven the facade as it blends into the fading light.
From the interior, the glass connects the home to its site and allows the family to interact with nature, even while inside the home. By drawing natural light deep within the home, we created a dynamic and inviting quality that energizes the interior and enriches the time spent at home.
It is always about purposeful material usage and clean transitions. We strive to design each home within its own scale, allowing for quality material usage inside and out. We aim to create a jewel box, whatever size that may be. The main problem with what is often perceived as the modern architecture aesthetic today, is the patchwork application of trendy materials that serves no purpose and has no correlation to the massing of the structure.
This home, like most of our homes, is thought of in terms of overall massing to create a relevant aesthetic for the site, with consideration for the scale of the project and also the clients. We created interest by using textural and material changes rather than jarring transitions. By maintaining one primary tone, we were able to create a refined yet tactile material palette. These elements carry subtly into the home, reminding you of what you are inhabiting.
What was the biggest design challenge you faced during the process, and how was it overcome?
For this question, we need to go back to the site. What seemed like a large and blank canvas became very compact and directional when taking all of the neighboring homes into account. Managing the sightlines and drawing the natural light into the homes was the main priority.
Which elements of the project do you feel are most successful and may influence your future designs?
From both the exterior and interior, the large expanses of glass that cleanly transition from one to another add depth and refinement to the home. Blurring that line of transparency and reflection is something we feel this home does well and will aim for in future homes. Purposeful material transitions are a huge part of the success of this home. Simplicity starts and stops with the absence of adornment.
Another programming element that is incorporated very well with this home is the screen porch. Protected between the wings of the house and backed by the glass breezeway, this space allows for intimate family moments and transitions from an open deck to a screened porch seamlessly. Watching the screen slice through the building façade is a satisfying moment.
What has the client’s response to the project been like?
Our clients truly love their home and utilize the residence to its fullest. It’s a home that selflessly demands little of their time and thought, while encompassing comfort, space and warmth. The home serves as the “form and function” backdrop, enriching their own free flowing lives within it.
To explore more case studies featuring Marvin Modern and learn how to harness windows and doors like these for your next project, click here.
Photographs by Chad Holder Photography; plan drawing courtesy of Strand Design.
Dutch interior design practice DAB Studio has transformed the kitchen of a family home in Zwaag, the Netherlands, by covering the floors and ceiling in one type of wood and the walls and cabinets in another.
DAB Studio aimed to create a “calm yet soulful” interior with an earthy colour palette made up of tan and neutral shades.
Quarter-sawn Afromosia wood lines the walls and kitchen units
The floors and ceiling were covered in hand-scraped oak with a smoked and black-oiled finish, laid in a pattern of side-by-side plank pairs.
Afromosia wood, a tropical hardwood native to west Africa, was applied to the walls and cabinets. The wood was quarter sawn to create a decorative grain pattern and add a sense of playfulness to the interior.
Oak planks were laid in side-by-side pairs on the floors and ceiling
DAB Studio co-founders, Lotte and Dennis Bruns, designed the interior to be a space that would balance “feminine and masculine elements” and reflect both of the owners’ design tastes.
According to the duo, the repeating wood choices for the different surfaces give the space a sense of completeness.
Marble worktops extend down the sides of the kitchen units
“Per the client’s request, we wanted to merge the feminine and masculine vision of their new home, balancing each other out in one curated space,” the co-founders told Dezeen.
“This allowed us to create unique areas in line with our client’s habits and interests while imbuing the space with a sense of spaciousness and lightness.”
“In order to merge all elements of the design, it felt important to prioritise the theme of consistency,” the duo added.
“For that particular reason, the wood of the floor is repeated on the ceiling, and the wood used for cabinetry is continued into the walls of the room.”
The centrepiece of the kitchen is the island, which features Afromosia wood cabinet doors and a waterfall countertop made from Arebescato Orobico marble.
Wood cabinets along one kitchen wall were also topped with a marble worktop, which extends down one side to frame the unit.
The studio balanced “masculine and feminine” elements in the interior
DAB Studio added a dining nook below a window, designed to be a space flooded with natural light where the family can gather.
Seating with rounded corners wraps the three walls of the nook. The seating base was covered in the same wood as the interior walls, while the seat and backrest are covered in plush upholstery.
The quarter-sawn Afromosia wood creates a decorative grain
At the centre of the nook, a rectangular table with two blocky legs made from Arebescato Orobico marble contrasts the rounded seating.
“The dining nook is where the family can spend time together, welcome new conversations, and create core memories,” said Lotte and Dennis Bruns.
“The asymmetrical built-in banquette seating feels inviting with its round edges, and adds a dynamic feel to the space.”
The dining nook sits below a window
Decorative items and free-standing furniture were introduced to the interior to add more rounded elements, including a Wiggle Chair by Frank Gehry.
Elsewhere in the Netherlands, Francois Verhoeven Architects has created a bungalow clad in vertical timber slats and Julia van Beuningen added a plywood staircase to a barn conversion.
For this project, we chose 
It is always about purposeful material usage and clean transitions. We strive to design each home within its own scale, allowing for quality material usage inside and out. We aim to create a jewel box, whatever size that may be. The main problem with what is often perceived as the modern architecture aesthetic today, is the patchwork application of trendy materials that serves no purpose and has no correlation to the massing of the structure.
Which elements of the project do you feel are most successful and may influence your future designs?
What has the client’s response to the project been like?
