Aedas proposes a new landmark for Shenzhen with its newly unveiled Huanggang Skyscraper. Standing tall at 247 meters, the tower will stand as a symbolic gateway to the Greater Bay Area and Huanggang Port — an entry point between Shenzhen and Hong Kong — and will play an important role in the Chinese region’s development. The design team hopes to integrate the landscape surrounding the city into the architecture, drawing inspiration from stacking stones and flowing rivers. The fluid volumes and nesting rooftops are planned to resemble cascading water, while the cantilevered canopy at the entrance evoke the image of splashing water.
Stepping into the Huanggang Skyscraper, visitors are greeted by a thirteen-meter-tall, sunlit lobby, designed by Aedas with transparent glass. The layout follows a rigorous, symmetrical form with four stacked circles defining the facade. This optimizes space utilization, offering stunning views and vibrant visuals for the city. The interiors allow for diverse workspace programming with a flexible floor plan divided into four quadrants. Each section offers office depths ranging from ten to fourteen meters, accommodating companies of various sizes. Open office spaces near the crown promote communication and interaction, further enhanced by the inclusion of indoor-outdoor areas. Meanwhile, landscaped ‘sky lobbies’ and gardened rooftop terraces allow space for employees to relax and connect.
Shenzhen’s new landmark will redefine the skyline with inspiration from stacked stones and flowing water
sustainable goals by aedas
Aedas notes that it designs its Huanggang Skyscraper for Shenzhen with sustainability at the forefront. Vertical fins provide shade, reducing energy consumption, while low-reflection panels on the curtain wall minimize the building’s carbon footprint. Integrated ventilation solutions seamlessly blend into the tower’s aesthetics, ensuring a low-carbon design without compromising visual integrity. Executive Director Chris Chen comments: ‘Built based on the principles of ‘high quality,’ ‘customisation’ and ‘sustainability,’ we envision a harmonious layout of simple geometric shapes together formed by the tower and Huanggang Port, that contributes to the development of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation Zone.’
the project is defined by its nested forms and stepping rooftops sky gardens and rooftop terraces will promote wellness in the workplace the 247 meter-tall tower will replicate the fluid forms of nature
Japanese brand Karimoku Case has redesigned an apartment on a hilltop in Tokyo, using wood and a neutral colour palette to create a “calm and serene atmosphere”.
Named Azabu Hills Residence, the project was designed by Karimoku Case – a studio developed by Karimoku Furniture in collaboration with design studios Keiji Ashizawa and Norm Architects.
The studio used the project as an opportunity to optimise the use of local zelkova wood which is increasingly underutilised.
The apartment features furniture made from zelkova wood
“We sympathized with the story of how zelkova used to be a common material in Japan, but is now being chipped and discarded, and wished to explore the possibilities of zelkova through this project,” lead designer Keiji Ashizawa told Dezeen.
“When I first saw the sample of it, I felt that its gentle reddish hue, along with its story, was a good match for the project,” he continued.
“We decided to create the interior using zelkova that would come in harmony with the gentle light from the north side.”
A neutral material palette creates a “calm and serene atmosphere”
The 226-metre-square apartment was centred around a spacious, open-plan living area and dining room illuminated by floor-to-ceiling windows.
A small workspace nestled behind a wall in the living space makes use of the spacious interior, and is furnished with a desk, chair and shelving made from zelkova wood.
White plaster walls and wooden floors define the living spaces
The minimalist interior is defined by textured white walls and wood used for flooring, window frames and fittings, which are tied together by cream furnishings, paper lighting fixtures and decorative artwork.
In the living space, lattice wooden screens were used to separate programmes as well as provide cross ventilation through the space to create airy interiors.
“With the residence being located in the middle of a large city like Tokyo, it was important to have a home-like atmosphere that makes you feel at ease,” Ashizawa said.
“We were conscious of the calmness and tranquility needed to achieve this, and designed the interior with well-curated furniture, lighting, and art to create an environment for this purpose.”
Wooden, lattice screens allow ventilation through the home
A counter made from zelkova wood divides the living space and adjacent kitchen, while also serving as an additional seating and dining space.
Within the kitchen, cabinets built from gridded wooden frames were finished with concrete countertops, complemented by tiled terrazzo flooring that also features in the home’s entryway.
Furnishings, paper lighting fixtures and pieces of artwork tie the interior together
Gridded wooden frames are repeated for both storage in the living area and a wall in the main bedroom where the home transitions into a cosy-feel with carpet flooring.
A circular chair and marbled table sit in front of the bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling windows, with a study desk nestled into the corner.
Gridded wooden frames feature in the kitchen, living space and bedroom
Other recently completed projects with minimalist interiors include a dental clinic in Montreal designed to feel like “someone’s home” and a London pub converted into a pared-back jewellery showroom.
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.
Cedar siding wraps the exterior of the Shelter Island House, which was designed by KoningEizenberg Architecture to exhibit a sense of “deliberate informality”.
Los Angeles studio KoningEizenberg Architecture designed the beach house for a couple that architect Julie Eizenberg has known for years, and for whom she designed an apartment in New York City in 2009.
Shelter Island House looks toward the water and an abandoned, overgrown boathouse
The home is located on Shelter Island, which sits between the North and South Forks of the Long Island peninsula. The island has a year-round population of 2,300 and is only accessible by boat.
For the secluded site – which formerly held a caretaker’s cottage – KoningEizenberg Architecture conceived a “modern cabin” that is meant to complement the landscape.
KoningEizenberg Architecture conceived a “modern cabin”
The Shelter Island project was envisioned as a casual retreat for the parents – one is an academic, the other is a psychoanalyst – and their two children.
“The clients’ must-have list included ample shade, as well as an outdoor shower, big fireplaces and good ventilation,” the team said.
Inside, there is a clear division between public and private areas
“The architecture has a deliberate informality,” the architects said.
The 2,500-square-foot (232-square-metre) building consists of a single-storey volume attached to a slightly taller box, with the main entrance placed between them.
Facades are wrapped in cedar siding
Facades are wrapped in cedar siding that will weather over time.
“The cedar rain-screen siding is quickly turning gray, and it will continue to gather more character as it ages,” the team said.
The home is approached from the north, where trees and a mostly solid facade “create an edge to the property to increase privacy without adding fences”.
The home opens up on the south, where it looks toward the water and an abandoned, overgrown boathouse.
Stretching across the home’s southern elevation is a long, covered porch
Stretching across the home’s southern elevation is a long, covered porch that recalls a similar feature in the former cottage.
The porch offers a comfortable spot to engage in family activities and enjoy the scenery. A row of columns was incorporated for practical and aesthetic purposes.
“Columns create a bold visual effect and add a sense of rhythm and texture while protecting the house from the elements and bringing light into the interior,” the team said.
Within the home, there is a clear division between public and private areas. The communal space occupies the lower portion of the house, while the sleeping zone is found in the taller volume.
A glazed-brick backsplash features in the kitchen
The interior features ample use of wood, including cedar wall slats and Douglas fir structural beams and columns.
In the kitchen, the team incorporated a glazed-brick backsplash, birch plywood cabinetry and concrete countertops. A clerestory brings in soft daylight.
Slatted wood on the facade creates dramatic shadows inside
Sustainability was a concern for the team. Photovoltaic panels were placed on the roof to generate energy and reduce the use of fossil fuels. On the south wall, wooden vent flaps supplement airflow.
To improve drainage and protect from flooding, the ground was raised up and graded in a way that directs water away from the house.
The interior features ample use of wood
Other projects on Shelter Island include a General Assembly-designed pool house that has blackened timber cladding and a central pergola, and a concrete dwelling with a micro vineyard that architect Vibeke Lichten created for her family.
Our latest lookbook shines a light on homes where marble and similar natural stones have been used as the primary material in the bathrooms.
Marble can be a great solution for bathrooms, as it is durable enough to withstand a wet environment better than alternative materials such as wood or concrete.
Many homeowners opt to use the same material across all surfaces, creating a uniform aesthetic that extends from the sink and shower areas across the walls.
Read on to see 10 different examples, featuring a range of marbles that include Carrera and Verde Aver, as well as similar natural stones such as travertine and quartzite.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. Other recent editions showcase Scandinavian kitchens, outdoor showers and eclectic interiors.
Habitat 100, Sweden, by Note Design Studio
Note Design Studio used two types of marble in its renovation of this 1920s Stockholm apartment, echoing the tones of an Italian marble floor in the hallway.
For the main bathroom, the designers opted for a pale Swedish marble known as Ekeberg. Some slabs were polished, while others were milled in different directions to create a subtle chequered pattern.
Elsewhere in the home, green-toned Brännlyckan marble offers a striking counterpoint.
Find out more about Habitat 100 ›
Eastern Columbia Loft, USA, by Sheft Farrace
Tasked with redesigning an apartment in Los Angeles’ Eastern Columbia building, a block with an iconic turquoise art-deco facade, architecture studio Sheft Farrace decided to work with the same palette in the main bathroom.
The architects did this with a statement wall of Verde Aver marble, an Italian stone with a similar green hue.
The marble forms a counter that spans the width of the room, integrating two basins, and also forms a splashback that extends all the way up to the ceiling.
Find out more about Eastern Columbia Loft ›
Botaniczna Apartment, Poland, by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio
A warm-toned travertine features in the bathroom of this apartment in Poznań, which was renovated by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio for a professional couple.
While travertine is a limestone, so not technically a marble, it has a similarly patterned finish.
The stone wraps the walls and the bath, and also forms a cuboidal washbasin. The same stone also features in the home’s kitchen, where it was used to create an island counter.
Find out more about Botaniczna Apartment ›
The Village, Germany, by Gisbert Pöppler
Wood and marble are combined throughout this apartment renovation by Berlin designer Gisbert Pöppler, in the city’s Mitte district, but the juxtaposition is particularly striking in the bathroom.
The room features a bathtub set within a niche that is lined with highly variegated South American marble.
The warm tones of the stone are echoed by the wooden flooring, as well as by a basin unit that combines dark oak with white-glazed lava stone.
Find out more about The Village ›
Flat #6, Brazil, by Studio MK27
Studio MK27 chose highly textured materials for this renovation of a four-bedroom flat in São Paulo, home to a couple and their three teenage sons.
For the washrooms, the designers selected grey Armani, a Mediterranean marble that combines dark tones with white accents.
The stone has been carefully arranged to ensure the white streaks run through niches set into the walls, which provide space for storing soap and shampoo.
Find out more about Flat #6 ›
D2 Townhouse, UK, by Jake Moulson
Multi-coloured stone offered a good fit for the eclectic interiors of this renovated townhouse in Dublin, designed by architect Jake Moulson.
The most striking example can be found in an under-stairs toilet, where a Brazilian quartzite called Azul Imperial combines shades of purple, blue and gold.
Find out more about D2 Townhouse ›
ER Apartment, Brazil, by Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos
This family home in São Paulo, designed by Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos, features different types of Brazilian stone.
In the bathroom, white Parana marble forms the walls and floor, and also provides surfaces within a trough-shaped bronze sink that was custom-made to echo the curves of a mirror above.
Elsewhere in the home, panels of jade-coloured onyx serve as surfaces and also conceal an in-wall light fixture.
Find out more about ER Apartment ›
Twentieth, USA, by Woods + Dangaran
A marble known as Bronze Vena, or “bronze vein”, is the focal point of the en-suite in the main bedroom of this Santa Monica home by Los Angeles-based Woods +Dangaran.
Large-format slabs of this stone cover the walls, floor and ceiling of the bath area, toilet and walk-in shower.
The slabs were cleverly book-matched at the centre of the room for a symmetrical effect. Slabs effectively mirror each other, creating zigzags within the vein patterns.
Find out more about Twentieth ›
West 76th Street, USA, by Messana O’Rorke
This apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side is home to the founders of the skincare brand Malin + Goetz, so special attention was naturally paid to the bathrooms.
New York-based studio Messana O’Rorke combined brass fittings with Carrera marble – the hugely popular Italian stone – with the ambition of creating a “spa-like” feeling.
One bathroom features a marble recess with an integrated sink and mirror, while the other boasts a shower that is illuminated by a hidden pocket in the ceiling.
Find out more about West 76th Street ›
Villa Waalre, Netherlands, by Russell Jones
To match the minimal aesthetic of this woodland home in Waalre, near Eindhoven, bathrooms are finished in Statuario, a white marble quarried in Italy.
The effect works particularly well in the main bedroom, where a free-standing partition wall divides off part of the space for an en-suite. This volume incorporates a marble basin, as well as timber-fronted drawers.
Find out more about Villa Waalre ›
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. Other recent editions showcase Scandinavian kitchens, outdoor showers and eclectic interiors.
images © Aedas | @aedas_architects
