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North Carolina practice Sundholm Studio revamps Durham restaurant

Interiors practice Sundholm Studio has refreshed the 30-year-old Nanas restaurant in Durham, North Carolina, with strong colours, bespoke timber joinery and metalwork.

Previously named Nana’s, the restaurant was renamed Nanas, in tribute to “not one nana, but rather the entire genre,” Sundholm Studio creative director Shaun Sundholm told Dezeen.

The space – intended to capture the hospitable “spirit of grandmothers” – comprises a bar, salon, dining room and an outdoor patio.

Restaurant and bar in Durham, North Carolina — Navy fluted walls form the backdrop to the salon

Sundholm’s aim was to update the space with “modern details that bring the outside in”.

The existing curved walls in the entryway were retained and reworked with wooden slats, which light passes through to evoke “a walk through the woods”.

Wooden window blinds and sheer drapes in the dining room help with acoustic absorption and adjusting the natural light levels.

Restaurant and bar interiors in Durham, North Carolina — The seating is a mixture of banquette booths and chairs

The dimly lit entrance was contrasted with the bar, dining area and salon, where jewel-toned colours like emerald green, sapphire blue, and rich amber orange have been used.

“I aimed to pay homage to aspects of the previous design where possible, accentuating some of the interesting bits of the existing physical space, such as the curved wall at the entrance and the hints of orange throughout – recalling the bright, blaze orange walls of the past,” Sundholm explained.

In line with the jewel-toned colour palette, Sundholm selected a variety of textures to use across the restaurant, including glossy green handmade Italian tiles and brass finishes.

Blue velvet upholstery covers the banquettes in the bar, while “vintage luggage” orange leather covers the banquettes in the salon and dining area.

Nanas, Durham, North Carolina, USA, by Sundholm Studio — The dark entrance leads into a curved passage, through to the dining room

Brass archways designed by local metal art studio Andrew Preiss Designs feature across the restaurant, including as a portal between the salon and dining area. This arch motif is echoed in the bathroom mirrors.

Earth-toned grasscloth wallpaper and a plaid-patterned carpet contrast the solid colours and textures.

“For this restaurant, our initial mood boards culled from a diverse range – from The Golden Girls and vintage Ralph Lauren textiles to 1970s Cadillacs and abstract impressionist art inspired by the Smoky Mountains,” Sundholm said.

Nanas bar and restaurant in Durham, North Carolina, USA — Bold colour is used for the restaurant seating

The studio’s goal was to “distill these inspirations into their core elements” and use them to inform the interiors in a “non-gimmicky” way.

A collection of mixed-media artworks by local artist Jason Craighead featured across the restaurant add to this aesthetic.

Tartan carpet introduces a pattered counterpoint to the block colours

Other recently renovated restaurants featured on Dezeen include Aino and Alvar Aalto’s Savoy restaurant in Helsinki restored after 80 years and The Bird in Montauk designed by Home Studios.

The photography is by Lissa Gotwals and D L Anderson.

Reference

Sustainable News Zero Energy Homes

Top Policies That Propel Passive House in North America

By Zarkon Group,18/05/2023

To further understand the policy structures and mechanisms driving Passive House adoption across North America, the Passive House Network (PHN) studied what, where, and how Passive House policies succeed. Beginning in 2017, a research team inventoried Certified Passive House projects and professionals, and then analyzed Passive House–focused (or Passive House–related) local policies. Three frontrunner regions shone through. And the final report examines how specific policies operating in those regions harness the power of voluntary standards, like Passive House, that are already delivering high performance; and the key patterns or mechanisms they share. Scaling and replicating these patterns has proven incredibly successful both here and abroad.

Passive House Network leader Bronwyn Barry is an architect and principal of Passive House BB. Her webinar presentation with green building resource Rate it Green deep dives into the Policy That Works report. According to Barry, “Our goal is to have everybody look at how to implement these patterns and use them in their own policies.”

Watch the 2022 video presentation on the report’s implications

The Passive House framework offers tools and training that target buildings’ operational energy use, aiming to create a long-lived built environment that is regenerative and restorative. Passive House strategies are proven to produce reliable, low energy-use intensity. And after years in practice, Passive House buildings actually cost less to build than code-compliant buildings.

The report identified New York, Pennsylvania, and British Columbia as having both a critical mass of trained Passive House professionals and a significant lead in terms of Passive House project numbers and square footage. The data confirmed that Passive House adoption in North America is primarily being driven by large, multi-family buildings.

Connecting policy to projects

The PHN research discovered a layered mix of cities, states, and utilities driving high-performance energy policies in these accelerated regions, most being state-mandated, utility-funded programs. These policies and programs were competitively run; included tiered incentives and options and/or stepped implementation; and required reporting and monitoring, so data was captured to inform further policy.

The report then distills specific features that these policies have in common:

They all included training subsidies to achieve a critical mass of well-trained building professionals and civil service employees.
They all included carrots: project subsidies that help to remove the risk burden of the developer and owner community.
They all clearly identified, up front, the end goal.

Interestingly, the researchers determined that all three of these drivers must be in place for successful implementation at scale. They also found, in all of the frontrunner regions, a local community of advocates and practitioners who supported policymakers implementing these programs: a local, grassroots community of activists.

Further accelerating Passive House adoption, policies connected one area of regulatory framework with others. In addition, most of the frontrunner regions had removed roadblocks within the baseline code, allowing Passive House pathways to compliance.

Finally, required monitoring and cost reporting circularly fed back into either reach codes or baseline code adoption, or back into the existing incentive program to reconfigure and refine the next iteration.

Working cooperatively

Starting the energy code process with an explicitly and clearly defined end goal helps to structure the interim steps (a back-casting structure, as contrasted with an iterative code update process). A stepped energy code can also replace a multitude of reach codes in different municipalities.

In the webinar, Barry points out that at the city, state, and utility level, all of these successful policies connect. They were “quilted together” to work effectively. Each civic entity developed programs that supported programs and incentives run by fellow entities.

As an example, Barry highlighted a Vancouver program that connected zoning variances to certified passive house projects. Vancouver’s zero-emissions building plan issued in 2016 includes training of municipal staff, for an integrated approach. Bary emphasized training repeatedly as an oft-overlooked but essential component of successful programs.

British Columbia also provided up to $80,000 to incentivize manufacturers to develop Passive House Certified windows. The local building codes and incentives then created the market for them, producing a “virtuous feedback loop.”

New York City required their public works buildings to be Certified Passive House: fire stations, school retrofits, affordable housing, etc. NYC also implemented a benchmarking law (all the large buildings must measure and report energy consumption) and then set carbon caps, driving emissions gradually toward net zero carbon. This goal-oriented approach motivates owners to leap ahead when retrofitting and to plan for net zero in new buildings.

Barry then highlighted New York State’s Buildings of Excellence Program, a competitive award that funds early design explorations. The feedback that tracks modeling methodologies is encouraging innovation, because it removes some of the developers’ risk.

Pennsylvania linked their affordable housing tax credits to high-performance buildings, giving far more points for Passive House Certification. “See how policies, programs, and incentives actually can quilt together with policies similarly operating, and make each of them work better together. [The] additional points make it more likely to get financing through the state-run financing program.” explained Barry. “And lo and behold, after three years of running this program, the Passive House buildings performed reliably and ended up costing less money per square foot than the baseline code-compliant buildings. Because the professional community figured out ways to do this cost effectively.”

Reference

Interior Design

The Mint List brings mid-century influences to north London family home

By Zarkon Group,14/05/2023

Interior design studio The Mint List has brought light, space and warmth to this Edwardian house in London with multiple extensions, a hidden playroom and plenty of tactile materials.

The renovated end-of-terrace house in Kensal Rise belongs to a film-industry couple that wanted a cosy family home with mid-century elements, in particular referencing the work of designers Charles and Ray Eames.

North London house by The Mint List — The Mint List has renovated and extended an Edwardian house in north London

“The clients had a leaning towards mid-century style but they didn’t want that to overwhelm the scheme,” The Mint List founder Camilla Kelly told Dezeen.

“The Eames House was a good mid-century reference in terms of encompassing warm, repurposed textures, a sense of scale and an abundance of light.”

The brief was to open up this formerly dark and “unremarkable” home and create an improved sense of flow.

As well as adding two bedrooms and a small study in the newly converted loft, The Mint List created a rear extension to house the kitchen-dining space and absorbed the property’s former garage into the house, providing a mudroom, pantry and playroom.

The playroom is cleverly concealed behind a bank of new storage in the hallway, which has also been enlarged by opening it up into the former porch.

“There was huge importance given to light in the design,” said Kelly. “Wherever possible, we created tall windows benefiting from the south-facing aspect.”

The house is full of custom-designed features and finishes at the request of the client.

The floor uses unusually slim lengths of oak, laid at right angles to each other in huge grids, while the thresholds were distinguished with slender fins of brass that add subtle visual interest.

Drawing on the design language of mid-century furniture, the kitchen was completely custom-built for the space with a clean-lined, yet playfully asymmetric design.

“We centralised the assembly and used high windows on either side of the cabinets to emphasise the cubic nature of the design,” said Kelly. “The asymmetric cubes that form the cabinets were built using walnut, with cream-painted doors for the covered storage.”

The material mix includes walnut veneer, reeded glass, olive-coloured door fronts and antique brass detailing, as well as concrete and reclaimed iroko wood worktops.

“I’m averse to keeping things all in one colour,” the designer said. “It’s a missed opportunity to bring texture, colour and character to a space.”

The kitchen island was designed to account for the owners’ love of entertaining, with a section of the worktop raised to bar height to draw guests away from the cooking area.

“The island is even more asymmetric, with different levels, drawers, shelves and openings that served to show how the geometry of a design can sometimes be off-kilter and still look neatly intentioned, as long as it sits correctly within the scale of the space,” Kelly said.

The curved bar provides a visual link to the rounded steps that lead down into the kitchen area, as well as to other curved elements throughout the house.

“I like to include some curves in my projects through room openings, joinery and countertops,” Kelly said. “They help to soften spaces and improve flow from one area to the next.”

Adjoining the kitchen is a hybrid library and snug, which is partially enclosed with oak shelving finished in glass and raffia, that double up as room dividers and nod to the Eames House in California.

“We didn’t want this to be a dead space,” Kelly said. “It’s a quiet spot where you can curl up with a book or listen to music. And when the couple is entertaining, this is a soft space where you come to catch up with someone.”

Four bedrooms are spread across the home’s upper levels, including a shared children’s bedroom with bunk beds on the first floor and two added bedrooms in the converted loft.

Since founding The Mint List in 2011, Kelly has completed a number of interior projects in London.

Among them are the headquarters of music management company Everybody’s in Highbury, which she kitted out with mid-century-style movable furniture.

The photography is by Dave Watts.

Reference

Architecture

North Arrow Studio designs a playful, birdhouse-like ADU in Austin

By Zarkon Group,12/04/2023

North Arrow Studio has completed a compact, corrugated metal accessory dwelling unit in East Austin’s Chestnut neighbourhood featuring a custom, circular pivot window that is reminiscent of the round opening in a birdhouse.

Aptly named the Birdhouse, the 900-square foot (84-square metre) ADU shares a narrow 5,900-square metre (550-square metre) lot with a 1939 single-storey house and three large protected pecan trees.

North Arrow Studio’s principal architect Francisco Arredondo described the two-bedroom, two-bath house as “simplicity carried to the extreme”.

“There’s simplicity in the footprint, the massing, and the material palette throughout,” Arredondo said. “But it’s also a smart little house that makes me smile.”

The home was strategically placed around the trees to create a courtyard between the main house and the ADU while providing privacy for the separate living quarters.

The L-shaped plan features a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living room featuring a roll-up garage door on the ground floor, all wrapped around an external pecan tree.

Upstairs, the main suite sits within the vaulted ceiling of the double-gabled form. Four five-foot (1.5-metre) diameter circle windows sit under each gable and use the surrounding tree canopy for privacy.

“They create a resemblance to a traditional birdhouse and bring a sense of whimsy to the design,” the studio said.

One of the custom-fabricated steel windows serves as the required egress for the room.

“We began with a pivot design and worked our way towards a final swing design that opened up to the pecan tree’s canopy,” the team explained.

The rounded-window motif carries throughout the house with miniature custom steel circle windows.

“Strategically selected walls are curved to soften edges and draw you into the spaces,” the studio said. “Interior finishes are simple and restrained apart from a few accent walls that give life to each room.”

The monotone ADU is wrapped in light corrugated metal that “is a nod to the many metal sheds and accessory buildings already found throughout the neighborhood, but with a modern and playful twist”.

The soft, rounded edges and neutral colour complement the existing house and provide an accent along the alley, and the metal runs up the walls and becomes the roof material as well.

In the courtyard, a curved polycarbonate wall brings light into the hallway and creates a softly glowing, semi-transparent effect.

Corrugated metal was selected for its sustainability and resilience as the envelope is 100 per cent recyclable, repels sun and heat in Texas summers and is durable and low-maintenance, according to the studio.

“Working with a tight budget and constrained footprint can be very helpful in creating a story for the design,” the studio said. “The constraints begin to guide you and lend opportunities to be creative with traditional materials and spaces in ways that typically wouldn’t be considered.”

In 2014, North Arrow Studio created a stilted home in the Texas Hill Country that references Mies Van der Rohe’s glass Farnsworth House.

The photography is by Chase Daniel.

Project credits:

Builder, developer, owner: Brita Wallace, Digs ATX
Styling: Ben Newman Studios

Reference

Sustainable News

Climatically Climactic: 6 Modern North African Residences Reveling in Their Context

By Zarkon Group,08/03/2023

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter.

The architecture of North Africa is diverse and rich in history and culture, with a variety of architectural styles and building technologies that are influenced by the different civilizations who have inhabited the area that spans along the northern coast of Africa.

This is not to say that a region of that size and rich history is neither homogeneous nor singular in its architectural identity. On the contrary, this collection celebrates the heterogeneity of architecture in North Africa by sampling a handful of residential projects whose architectural elements have been remarkably responsive to the specificities of their sites’ environments, traditions and history while remaining modern and responsive to their time.

The Colonnade House

By Atelier Messaoudi Architectes , Tipaza, Algeria.

Photo by Reda Ait Saada

In this highly accessible house that was designed for two elderly parents in Tipaza, three factors guided the design process: privacy, weather conditions and activity, which reflected on the building envelope, building layout and building orientation. The design of the openings achieved the required level of privacy for Algerian culture, while opening up the house to the surrounding garden for natural ventilation, sunlight and views, taking in consideration the challenging weather conditions of the area.

The light colored and local building materials responded to the climate. Similarly, the overhanging colonnaded gallery adjacent to the main living spaces sheltered them against the southern sunlight, while simultaneously acting as an intermediate living space for the family for dining and circulation.

Villa Agava

By Driss Kettani Architecte, Casablanca, Morocco

Reinterpreting the courtyard layout, this house is reminiscent of traditional houses, highly introverted with openings and activity turned inwards, surrounded by enclosure walls and solid facades. The openness of the house increases along the north-south axis, complemented by three landscape sequences, beginning with a solid and closed façade containing the main entrance on the north, with the house gradually becoming more extroverted as it reaches an open garden on the south, in a manner that also responds to the weather conditions. Inside, the house layout is characterized with a high level of spatial fluidity, transparency and openness, with big windows opening to the outside pool, the mineral garden on the west and the huge vegetal garden on the south.

Cedar Street House

By Alia Bengana architect, Algiers, Algeria.

Photo by Myriam Bengana

The new remodeling of the Cedar Street House witnessed the enlargement of the 1950’s house and the addition of a new basement and terrace that overlooks the the Bay of Algiers. The new terrace comes as an extension of the living room, spanning over the expansion of the ground floor, extending up to the outdoor swimming pool. Huge local plants border the swimming pool to secure the privacy for the house owners and creates a more intimate outdoors space, while the white exterior walls succeed in reflecting the summer sun and ensure a more comfortable interior environment.

Dar bibi

By JELJELI studio, Tunis, Tunisia

The renovation of Dar Bibi was to accommodate the changes in the house users, after the passing of Hassene Jeljeli’s grandfather and his mother moving back into her childhood home to look after his grandmother. In that sense, the intergenerational use of domestic spaces is one aspect of the region’s culture and family structures that was exemplified in this project.

The changes consisted of turning the old living room into two new bedrooms, while adding a new and larger living room that would accommodate the whole family, in the form of a floating volume, which was added to the old building. The new white façade was designed as a climatic wall, consisting of modular breeze-blocks that are molded in situ, providing natural ventilation while diffusing the strong southern sunlight.

Reyard House Team Bosphorus

By Studio Hcrbzkrt, Ben Guerir, Morocco

The name of the project consists of two parts: “Re” that stands for recycling and “Yard” that refers to the courtyard. Together the word reads as the word Riad, which is the traditional Moroccan courtyard house. The house was designed and built in Morocco by the Turkish Team Bosphorus for the Africa edition of the ‘Solar Decathlon’ competition. The team focused on finding solutions that would counter the hot and dry desert climate while honoring tradition.

The building envelope alternates between solid walls that ensure privacy and perforated walls that allow cross ventilation through the yard to cool off the interior. Built out of local materials consisting of rammed earth and wooden framed panels, the team increased the house efficiency by using a water treatment system and solar panels for energy.

Dar Mim

Septembre, Hammamet, Tunisia

Photo by Sophia Baraket

Photo by Sophia Baraket

Located in the historic heart of the city, the renovation and the extension of Dar Mim demanded the addition of a new volume containing living areas for guests, adjacent to the existing traditional courtyard house used by the client. Adopting the traditional courtyard house layout, the living areas were distributed around the two existing courtyards, weaved together through a set of spatial and visual connections, both horizontal and vertical. Relying on local building materials and craftsmanship, the traditional building techniques and the use of lime paint and plaster on all exterior walls allowed the extension to fit with its context and adapt to the weather conditions and turned the walls into canvases that reflected lights and shadows.

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter.

Reference

Architecture

What Can North Americans Learn About Design From European Cities?

By Zarkon Group,29/05/2022

Judging is now underway for the 10th Annual A+Awards Program! Want to earn global recognition for your projects? Sign up to be notified when the 11th Annual A+Awards program launches.

As a Canadian ex-pat currently living in France, I was excited for and whole-heartedly welcomed a change of pace from North American life. Canadians and Americans often idolize Europe and its accompanying lifestyle, and after nine months in France, I can confirm the charm of European living has yet to wear off.

Europe covers a relatively small landmass, especially when comparing it to the rich array of countries that make up the continent. Each country offers its own distinctive culture and way of life, and because of this, it is difficult to categorically define ‘European living.’ Nonetheless, there are certain cultural similarities that can be strongly felt amongst countries (especially those in Western Europe). I will use my time residing in France as a case study to help make sense of North America’s infatuation with the European lifestyle. An infatuation that I continue to feel here in France.

I’ve been residing in Orléans, a small French city located one hour southwest of Paris. The city dates back to antiquity and has a charming mix of half-timbered medieval homes, Haussman-style buildings and Gothic architecture. Those living in the city center typically reside in the town’s older infrastructure, while those in the surrounding suburbs occupy newer, more contemporary buildings.

One of the most apparent reasons why North Americans are so charmed by Europe is its history. European cities are filled with an incredible history that is recognizable through architecture. As a North American, it’s hard not to be taken by such ornate and historic surroundings. When living in Orléans, I can confirm that walking past the striking gothic cathedral and rows of half-timbered homes never got old to my North American eyes.

Despite such apparent beauty, history and charm, there were certain aspects of French living that took some time to get used to. While in France, I said goodbye to the many North-American luxuries I had grown accustomed to: high-end heating, accessible infrastructure, dryers and large living spaces. At first, I missed such luxuries but I quickly discovered just how easy it is to live without them. All it took was a bit of adjusting to eventually realize that many North-American amenities are superfluous. In the winter months, I learned to layer my clothes and in the summer months, I made sure to keep my shutters closed during the day. Quickly enough, giving up modern amenities was easy to do when, in return, you get to live in a historic city.

Even as we enter the hot summer months, I do not long for North American amenities. One of the most pronounced differences between Europe and North America in the summer is the absence of air conditioning. Most old European apartments do not come equipped with air conditioning. European homes are often built with brick and stone, unlike North American homes, which are built with wood. Building with stone and brick provides much better insulation and thus a more temperature-regulated living space. Therefore in Europe, it is possible to keep a dwelling cool in the summer. Moreover, the use of exterior window shutters is common in Europe and helps keep out the heat during the days and ventilate the home at night. Perhaps it is less convenient not having air conditioning, but the traditional building infrastructure makes it possible to endure hot summers.

Window Shutters – ‘Pierre Bottero’ media library and park in Pélissanne by Dominique Coulon & Associés, Pélissanne, France, 2020

Stone Buildings – Former Monastery of San Giuliano by CN10 Architetti, Bonate Sotto, Italy, 2016

Moreover, I realized that Orléans’ architecture contributed to my ability to find community in a foreign country. For example, the tight living spaces and communal courtyards helped foster strong connections with my roommates and neighbors. Equally, the abundance of mixed-use buildings furthered this strong sense of community living. In North America, we are often used to separate residential and commercial districts. Whereas in Europe, everything is much more densely organized. We often perceive density as a negative urban characteristic, but in this case, it helped me find my place and personal rhythm in Orléans. Whether it was visiting my local boulangerie or pharmacie, the intertwined nature between commercial stores and residential dwellings fueled a strong connection between all Orléanais people. In addition, the numerous public squares sprawled throughout the city would hold weekly farmer’s markets and social events. These public squares further contributed to my ability to comfortably integrate into the local way of life.

Public Spaces – Leyteire Courtyard by Martin Duplantier Architectes, Bordeaux, France, 2012. Yohan Zerdoun Photography

Dense Architecture – Voltaire by SABO project, Paris, France, 2017

Before I knew it, the very things I at first disliked about France became the very aspects I now appreciate. Today I see claustrophobic close quarters as intimate spaces, narrow sidewalks as endearing and the bike-unfriendly cobblestone roads as a welcomed challenge to my daily commute to work. All in all, what I’ve taken away from my time in France is that European living is often more laidback. It’s at times less convenient and less polished but equally, if not more, enjoyable to North American life. The homes may not be equipped with the standard appliances found in North America, however, one will quickly find great satisfaction and purpose in navigating the quirks of European life.

Judging is now underway for the 10th Annual A+Awards Program! Want to earn global recognition for your projects? Sign up to be notified when the 11th Annual A+Awards program launches.

Reference

North

North Carolina practice Sundholm Studio revamps Durham restaurant

Top Policies That Propel Passive House in North America

Watch the 2022 video presentation on the report’s implications

Connecting policy to projects

Working cooperatively

North Arrow Studio designs a playful, birdhouse-like ADU in Austin

Climatically Climactic: 6 Modern North African Residences Reveling in Their Context

The Colonnade House

By Atelier Messaoudi Architectes , Tipaza, Algeria.

Villa Agava

By Driss Kettani Architecte, Casablanca, Morocco

Cedar Street House

By Alia Bengana architect, Algiers, Algeria.

Dar bibi

By JELJELI studio, Tunis, Tunisia

Reyard House Team Bosphorus

By Studio Hcrbzkrt, Ben Guerir, Morocco

Dar Mim

Septembre, Hammamet, Tunisia

What Can North Americans Learn About Design From European Cities?

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