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Ukrainian studio Bogdanova Bureau’s Kyiv office damaged in missile attack
CategoriesInterior Design

Ukrainian studio Bogdanova Bureau’s Kyiv office damaged in missile attack

By Zarkon Group,

Kyiv architecture studio Bogdanova Bureau has vowed to make its office “even more beautiful than before” after it was damaged in a Russian missile attack.

Staff at Bogdanova Bureau arrived at the office on Monday to find the windows blasted into the room and debris and broken glass scattered across the floor.

Bogdanova Bureau office damaged by missile blast
Windows were smashed into the room by the blast

Russian forces had fired a barrage of missiles into the Ukrainian capital and other cities early that morning, killing 19 people and injuring many more.

None of Bogdanova Bureau’s employees were harmed, though some of their possessions were destroyed, the studio told Dezeen. By Tuesday, the team had cleaned up the office and returned to work in the studio.

Ukraine war damage
The team cleaned up the office and returned to work the following day

“In some time we will repair all that is broken and make our place even more beautiful than before,” said studio spokesperson Nadia Sheikina. “As designers, we know how to do it.”

“As well, we are going to rebuild all the destroyed cities and villages, all the schools, homes and ambulatories that were ruined in Ukraine,” she continued. “We already had started working on it.”

Debris on floor
Broken glass and debris was scattered through the office

“We were scared on February 24 when the war started, now we are not,” she added. “We know that the mean enemy wants to invade our land and appropriate our culture, but it will never happen.”

Bogdanova Bureau only recently refurbished its office, completing the project five months before the Russian invasion began.

Bogdanova Bureau's Kyiv office interiors
The office, pictured before the blast, was refurbished five months before the war began. Photo by Yevhenii Avramenko

The office is in the heart of Kyiv next to Shevchenko Park, and is surrounded by a university, libraries, museums, and a cultural centre, as well as apartments and office buildings.

A missile struck the middle of the park close to a children’s playground, with the blast wave destroying windows across the building housing the studio’s office.

Missile strike site in Kyiv park
The missile struck a park outside the office building next to a playground

The bombardment of central Kyiv was part of a series of attacks launched in retaliation after a key bridge linking Russia to the annexed region of Crimea was heavily damaged by an explosion.

In April, Bogdanova Bureau spoke to Dezeen for a piece about how Ukrainian design and architecture studios were dealing with the war.

At the time, its founder Olga Bogdanova urged international clients to trust Ukrainian studios to deliver despite the turmoil of the conflict.

“We thank the international society and especially the international design community for all their support and all their attention,” Sheikina said this week.

War damage in Kyiv
Windows of the building were left damaged

“But after eight months of the war, we feel that some of you got used to the war. Please do not be! It is understandable, no one can be stressed for such a long time and everyone deserves to experience their own life and focus on some normal things around them,” she continued.

“We ask you not to get used to war and pay your precise attention to Ukrainian designers, architects, and artists. Please raise your voice and stand with Ukraine. It can make things different!”

The photography is by Yulia Bevzenko unless otherwise stated.

Reference

Urselmann Interior renovates own office using recycled materials
CategoriesSustainable News

Urselmann Interior renovates own office using recycled materials

By Zarkon Group,

Düsseldorf studio Urselmann Interior has renovated its own office interiors using biodegradable, recycled or upcycled materials, including glueless joinery and a cellulose-based wall cladding.

The interior design studio said that it renovated its self-described “circular” office in the German city to only feature materials that are either recycled, upcycled or biodegradable.

Urselmann Interior office
Urselmann Interior’s office is in Düsseldorf

These include existing wooden and terrazzo flooring that was salvaged during the renovation, as well as heaters obtained from resource-efficient building material platform Concular.

Spread over one main workspace, a kitchen and a meeting room, the single-level office features clay paint walls and is designed to be used as both a co-working space and a showroom.

Kitchen in office
The renovation includes a kitchen

“The office also serves us as a laboratory in that we can [use it to] test new qualities, materials and construction methods,” project manager Liz Theißen told Dezeen.

A solid wooden frame was used to create simple kitchen cabinets, which were constructed without glue so that the structure is fully demountable.

Urselmann Interior kitchen
Joinery was created without glue in much of the project

The frame was fitted with panels formed from recycled strips of fabric supplied by textile brand Kvadrat from its Really collection.

For its walls, the studio used Honext wall cladding – a cellulose-based material that is produced using paper sludge and cardboard waste.

Poplar wood from a tree felled in the nearby city of Krefeld was chosen for the ceiling, which was also assembled without glue.

Throughout the office, neutral and minimal colour and material palettes were applied to the interior design, which also includes clusters of carefully arranged potted plants and books.

Second-hand lighting encased in wiggly orange felt from Hey-Sign adds a splash of colour to the otherwise sandy-hued atmosphere.

Orange lighting in office
Wiggly orange lighting adds a splash of colour

Theißen explained that all of the components that Urselmann Interior used for the renovation have been listed in a published “material passport” that can be referred to for future projects.

“We want to develop a new design language for ourselves, in which we smartly combine high-quality materials such as solid wood with ecological building materials as well as reusable components [to achieve] a positive footprint in the construction industry,” she said.

“Our design principles follow the school of thought of ‘cradle to cradle’, which is the safe and potentially infinite circulation of materials and nutrients in cycles.”

“All constituents are chemically harmless and recyclable. We aim to eliminate the design flaw of waste in our processes,” concluded Theißen.

Honext panels
Honext panels line the clay paint walls

Urselmann Interior is a Düsseldorf-based interiors studio founded by Sven Urselmann.

Similar projects to the studio’s office renovation include a Madrid restaurant by Lucas Muñoz with furniture formed from site construction waste and a bar made out of recycled stereos, bottle crates and fridges by Michael Marriott.

The photography is by Magdalena Gruber. 

Project credits:

Design and build: Urselmann Interior
Founder and designer: Sven Urselmann
Designer: Petra Jablonická
Project manager: Liz Theißen

Reference

GRAAM Architecture wraps Burgundy office building in timber exoskeleton and “glass veil”
CategoriesArchitecture

GRAAM Architecture wraps Burgundy office building in timber exoskeleton and “glass veil”

By Zarkon Group,

A glazed skin hangs from a timber exoskeleton at this office building in France by French studio GRAAM Architecture, which has been shortlisted in the business building category of Dezeen Awards 2022.

Completed for banking group Caisse d’Epargne in Dijon, Burgundy, the seven-storey building was designed to provide airy, flexible and naturally-lit workspaces that meet the Passivhaus requirements of using no more than 15 kWh/m2 per year.

Raised above its sloping site on a concrete podium containing garage space, GRAAM Architecture‘s design was informed by a desire to use materials and companies local to the area.

Exterior image of the Caisse d'Epargne Bourgogne Franche Comté Headquarters
The Burgundy office building was designed by GRAAM Architecture

“Located on the heights of Dijon in Burgundy, a few metres from the tramway stop, the building is built of seven levels, allowing it to be seen from a distance from the city’s expressway,” said the practice.

“Its wooden structure echoes the local resources of the Burgundy region, whose reputation for hardwood and softwood forests is well known,” it continued.

The timber structure of the building prioritises the use of traditional beam and joist techniques, only using concrete and cross-laminated timber (CLT) where necessary, such as for the floors and stair and lift cores.

Exterior detail image of the street facing entrances at Caisse d'Epargne Bourgogne Franche Comté Headquarters
The building incorporates a timber exoskeleton

Helping to free up the interiors, the structure is supported by an exoskeleton of timber bracing, the upper beams of which are used to hang the external “glass veil” envelope, supported by secondary steel elements.

The choice of materials means the structure could be entirely dry-process built, with the concrete elements prefabricated before being brought to the site.

“The project responds to a desire for exemplarity, modularity and intelligence,” said the practice.

“[It is] designed with a wooden structural skeleton, prefabricated concrete floors, and a wooden exo-structure covered with a glass double skin,” it continued.

“The building allows the bank to play a part in environmental issues, displaying its exemplary and unique nature without ostentation.”

Exterior image of Caisse d'Epargne Bourgogne Franche Comté Headquarters glass facade
The exterior is clad in a double glass skin

At the base of the structure, thin white steel columns support the building’s outer structure, creating a small sheltered area around the building’s perimeter that extends onto a terrace created by the concrete base and lined by a metal balustrade.

Inside, thin, almost full-height windows on each floor flood the office spaces with natural light, and the spacing of wooden columns allows for the easy addition of partition walls.

Interior image of a timber column-lined space at the office in France
The interior was developed to be divided and organised to best suit its users

“The space can be subdivided to create working areas for specific departments, or rented out to another firm if needed,” said the practice.

Among the other buildings shortlisted in the business building category of Dezeen awards 2022 is the Sanand Factory in India by Studio Saar, which aims to elevate otherwise typical factory structures with thoughtful details.

Photography is by Nicolas Waltefaugle.

Reference

Instead Of Stairs, A Spiraling Ramp Was Designed For This Office Building
CategoriesInterior Design

Instead Of Stairs, A Spiraling Ramp Was Designed For This Office Building

By Zarkon Group,
A spiraling ramp replaces the need for stairs in this modern office and adds a sculptural element.

PAULO MERLINI architects has designed the offices of E-GOI & CLAVEL´S KITCHEN in Portugal, and one of the main design features central to the interior is a spiraling ramp.

A spiraling ramp replaces the need for stairs in this modern office and adds a sculptural element.

The former warehouse, which has now been transformed into offices that span multiple floors, includes a ramp that replaces the need for a staircase.

A spiraling ramp replaces the need for stairs in this modern office and adds a sculptural element.

The elegantly curves of the concrete form is accentuated by the use of white bars and edges.

A spiraling ramp replaces the need for stairs in this modern office and adds a sculptural element.
A spiraling ramp replaces the need for stairs in this modern office and adds a sculptural element.

The circling ramp connects the floors of the office and adds a sculptural element that doesn’t block the light from traveling throughout the interior.

A spiraling ramp replaces the need for stairs in this modern office and adds a sculptural element.
A spiraling ramp replaces the need for stairs in this modern office and adds a sculptural element.
A white frame and supports connect the top of a spiraling ramp with the ceiling.

Here’s a glimpse of the ramp looking down from the top floor, and up from the ground.

A spiraling ramp replaces the need for stairs in this modern office.

Let’s take a look at the rest of the office…

The exterior of the office has walls of glass providing a glimpse of the interior for the pedestrians on the street.

The exterior of this modern office has walls of glass providing a glimpse of the interior for the pedestrians on the street.
The exterior of this modern office has walls of glass providing a glimpse of the interior for the pedestrians on the street.

There’s a variety of different seating areas in the office interior, including spaces for casual meetings in house-shaped alcoves.

There's a variety of different seating areas in this modern office interior, including spaces for casual meetings in house-shaped alcoves.

More private work rooms with glass walls that keep the sound in or out.

A modern office interior with a variety of work areas.

A larger meeting room with a blue curtain that’s filled with beanbags and has LED lighting in the ceiling.

A large meeting room with a blue curtain that's filled with beanbags and has LED lighting in the ceiling.

Other more traditional work spaces exist too, with desks that include multiple work stations.

A modern office with floor-to-ceiling windows.

There’s also a photo studio with a minimalist white kitchen with floating wood shelves. Adjacent to the kitchen are tall wood shelves filled with photography props and kitchen equipment.

A modern office has a photo studio with a minimalist white kitchen with floating wood shelves. Adjacent to the kitchen are tall wood shelves filled with photography props and kitchen equipment.
Wood shelves frame a spiraling ramp in the center of this modern office.

When it’s time to take a break from working, there’s a communal area with long wood tables, a kitchenette, seating by the windows, and an outdoor space.

A modern office with a communal break room.
A modern office with seating by the windows that take advantage of the natural light.
A modern office with plants that hang from a metal detail.
Photography by Ivo Tavares Studio | Architecture Office: PAULO MERLINI architects | Main Architects: Paulo Merlini/ André Santos Silva

Instead Of Stairs, A Spiraling Ramp Was Designed For This Office Building

Child Studio transforms 60s London post office into Maido sushi restaurant
CategoriesInterior Design

Child Studio transforms 60s London post office into Maido sushi restaurant

By Zarkon Group,

Child Studio has used a glass block wall, dark cherry wood panelling and a soft blue coffered ceiling to channel 1960s London in this sushi restaurant.


Located in a former post office, Maido is an eatery in London’s Saint John’s Wood neighbourhood with interiors designed to honour the heritage of the late modernist building.

Glass blcok wall and wooden cupboard in Maido restaurant
A curved glass brick wall divides the space

“We were fascinated by the unique story of this building and aimed to capture the nostalgic atmosphere of 1960s London, paying tribute to the modernist public spaces of the era,” said Child Studio founders Alexy Kos and Che Huang.

“The design evolved around the bold geometry of this period and the juxtaposition of simple materials: wood, glass, clay and steel.”

Steel panelled bar and MR10 tubular steel chairs by Mies van der Rohe chairs in restaurant interior by Child Studio
Maido is anchored by a steel-panelled bar

The walls across the entire space are clad in cherry wood while shallow alcoves are decorated with a rotating selection of artworks.

A suspended coffered ceiling hangs overhead, its grid pattern echoed in the black quarry tiles on the floor and the semicircular glass brick wall that divides the space.

The curved partition wall also forms a generous, leather-upholstered seating booth at the back of the space.

Wood-panelled walls with art in Maido restaurant
Shallow alcoves are decorated with a rotating selection of art

The focal point of Maido’s interior is a central island bar clad in reflective curved steel panels.

Here, the sushi master prepares and serves authentic Japanese dishes while customers perch on polished aluminium bar stools by Japanese industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa.

“It was important for us to create a range of different seating scenarios and balance the convivial atmosphere with more intimate nooks and crannies,” Che explained.

To complete the space, the studio sourced a selection of classic midcentury furniture pieces. These include antique MR10 tubular steel chairs by Mies van der Rohe and moulded plywood armchairs by Norman Cherner.

Pipistrello table lamps, designed by Gae Aulenti in 1965, sit on the island bar and on a large communal dining table while antique wall sconces produced by Italian manufacturer Stilnovo create a cosy ambience.

Wood-paneleld walls with MR10 tubular steel chairs by Mies van der Rohe in restaurant by Child Studio
Mies van der Rohe’s MR10 chair was used throughout the interior

Founded in 2017 by Che Huang and Alexy Kos, Child Studio has previously completed a 1950s-style interior for a vegan pizzeria in west London, which was shortlisted in the 2019 Dezeen Awards.

All photographs are by Felix Speller and Child Studio.

Reference

Ivy Studio adds pops of colour to Spacial co-working office in Montreal
CategoriesInterior Design

Ivy Studio adds pops of colour to Spacial co-working office in Montreal

By Zarkon Group,

Mint green and burgundy are among the hues incorporated into a Montreal co-working space that Canadian firm Ivy Studio designed to “stand out from its competitors.”


The office is located on the second floor of a 743-square-metre building in Verdun, one of city’s trendiest neighbourhoods. The space formerly housed a Jiu Jitsu gym and a beauty salon.

Ivy Studio designed the project
Spacial co-working office includes mint and burgundy hues

This is the first location for the new co-working brand Spacial. Local practice Ivy Studio was charged with designing a flexible work environment for up to 120 people.

“Being the first of its brand, this space had to stand out from its competitors by offering a unique vision for co-working,” the team said.

Local firm Ivy Studio added dashes of colour to the space
The project was designed by Ivy Studio

The team divided the rectangular space into two distinct zones.

The front portion encompasses public areas that are largely used for informal working, socialising and relaxing. In the rear, the team created a more private area with about two dozen rentable offices in varying sizes.

Throughout the space, contemporary finishes and decor are paired with original building elements, such as exposed ceiling joists and brick surfaces.

In many areas, the team coated the walls with an off-white plaster and covered the floors with light-grey terrazzo. Much of the furniture is black, although dashes of colour are sprinkled throughout.

Rainbow-coloured elements feature in the office
Dashes of colour are set against monochrome walls

Upon entering, one encounters a rounded reception desk made of zinc with a rainbow-coloured finish. Hanging on a wall is a blue, circular mirror – one of several rounded elements in the venue.

To one side of the foyer is a lounge and a trio of conference rooms, each with a wall-mounted screen.

Ivy Studio created a mixture of light and dark areas
Brick walls feature in the office

“In the conference rooms, televisions are camouflaged in front of matching, circular black mirrors, each backlit to put forward the white-washed brick wall,” the team said.

To the other side of the foyer is a second public area. This one encompasses a kitchen and dining space, including private booths that are well-suited for small groups.

Bathrooms have black tiles and pops of colour
Bathrooms have black ceramic tiles

The kitchen features curved cabinetry with a glossy mint-green finish, and a backsplash and island covered with Rosso Levanto marble. The base of the island is made of stainless steel, which mimics the chrome planters found throughout the office.

Situated near the kitchen are the bathrooms, which have black ceramic tiles and matching plumbing fixtures.

Ivy Studio put a glass-brick wall in the reception
The reception area has a blocky glass brick wall

Behind the reception desk is a glazed-block wall that separates the public zone from the private offices, while still enabling light to pass through.

The offices are arrayed along corridors with tile flooring and brick walls. Both fixed and sliding glass panels enclose the work spaces. A dark burgundy hue was chosen for the carpeting and mullions.

Skylights throw light onto the office's corridors
Skylights bring extra light into the office’s interior

To ensure the private area felt bright and welcoming, the team installed 20 skylights above the corridors.

“With the exposed brick walls, sandstone floor tiles and abundance of natural light pouring into the hallways, the general feeling resembles that of working in an exterior courtyard,” the team said.

Other co-working spaces in Canada include an office designed by Henri Cleinge within Montreal’s old Royal Bank, and a women-only space in Toronto that was designed by MMNT Studio to feel peaceful yet playful.

Photography is by Alex Lesage.

Project credits:

Architecture and design: Ivy Studio Inc
Construction: Gestion Gauthier Construction
Furniture: Ivy Studio Inc.

Reference

dMFK Architects creates nostalgic office interior in former 1960s lab
CategoriesInterior Design

dMFK Architects creates nostalgic office interior in former 1960s lab

By Zarkon Group,

London firm dMFK Architects has transformed a mid-century medical laboratory into a flexible office space with smoked oak joinery and a restored concrete staircase.


The office is spread over 550 square metres and located on the first floor of a fully-glazed 1960s building in the city’s Fitzrovia neighbourhood.

Wood-panelled meeting room with spherical pendant lights and wooden furniture in Fitzroy Street office interior
Meeting rooms are separated from the main space using smoked oak joinery

dMFK Architects was commissioned by property developers Derwent London to create an interior that was in keeping with the building’s heritage while incorporating the essential features of a modern co-working space.

Accessed from the ground floor lobby via the building’s original restored concrete staircase, the office features smoked oak joinery and bespoke family-style tables by British furniture brand Benchmark.

Spherical lights in wood-panelled office by dMFK Architects
Spherical pendant lights hang in the main open-plan office area

Paired with vintage lights and pieces of Swiss and Danish furniture, the overall scheme creates a homely environment that is reminiscent of the mid-century era.

The studio incorporated a wide range of spaces for different types of work including phone booths, focus booths, a choice of meeting spaces, shared flexible workbenches, a breakout area, dining spaces, showers and changing facilities.

“We aimed to design as many different workplace opportunities within one space as we could, to offer a potential tenant light and shade and a range of options,” said dMFK Architects.

“Materials were kept soft and neutral to appeal to as wide a range of tenants as we could.”

Open shelving and white couch in Fitzroy Street office interior
Open shelving helps to divide up the space

The architects also stressed the importance of offering different types of lighting to foster productivity.

“We wanted contrast, areas of light and shade, strong task lighting on the tables but dimmer lighting in other areas,” they explained.

“We also chose not to use linear strip lighting to create a less even quality of light, which we believe is less tiring and more interesting.”

Seating area and concrete staircase in Fitzroy Street office interior
dMFK Architects restored the building’s original concrete staircase

According to dMFK Architects, the project is representative of a growing trend for developers to create finished interiors within office spaces, rather than renting out empty shells.

The studio has previously designed 11 buildings for The Office Group and was responsible for renovating The Gaslight, a mixed-use development set within an art deco building in central London.

Photography is by Jack Hobhouse.

Reference