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Post Company imbues Mollie Aspen hotel interiors with earthy hues

New York studio Post Company has designed warm, wood-filled interiors for a boutique hotel in Aspen, Colorado, which offers a pared-back take on the Arts and Crafts style.

Mollie Aspen occupies a new timber-clad building designed by CCY Architects and developed and operated by HayMax in the mountain city’s downtown area.

Lobby lounge at Mollie Aspen with earth-toned furniture and a gridded wood ceiling — With an open fireplace as a backdrop, the lobby lounge at Mollie Aspen features earth-toned furniture and a gridded wood ceiling

Post Company was tasked with creating the interiors for the 68-room hotel, combining contemporary Scandinavian and Japanese design elements for a serene take on Rocky Mountain luxury.

“Mollie is designed for those with a natural curiosity and appreciation for connection and offers visitors a unique, welcoming respite in the bustling mountain town,” said the hotel’s team.

All-day cafe in the Mollie Aspen lobby — An all-day cafe in the lobby serves pastries and beverages from a walnut-wrapped counter

An abundance of wood can be found throughout the different spaces, with numerous varieties creating a layered effect of different colours and grain patterns.

The timber is crafted into elements like gridded wall and ceiling panels with built-in lighting, which evoke an Arts and Crafts aesthetic, as well as fluted counterfronts and a range of furniture pieces.

Burl wood counters and displays in a retail space — Burl wood counters and displays present goods in the hotel’s retail space

The majority of the materials used in Mollie’s construction were sourced from the Western United States to reduce waste, according to the team.

Meanwhile, other accents like earthen ceramics, hand-dyed textiles and sand-casted brass add to the cosy atmosphere.

Guest room with neutral decor — Guest rooms offer an even more pared-back take on the neutral decor palette

“These materials are incorporated throughout the hotel to mimic the area’s rough-hewn mountains while large windows frame views of the surrounding landscape and bring an abundance of light into the hotel,” said the team.

The lobby lounge is designed as a cosy gathering space for guests and the public, with a large open fireplace providing a backdrop.

Beige plaster walls and textured carpet in a guest room — Beige plaster walls and textured carpets complement the wood ceilings in the guest rooms

Chunky leather, velvet and boucle sofas and armchairs in a range of earthy hues form comfy conversation nooks.

At one end of the room, the black-topped bar spans the full width and is illuminated by a row of globe-shaped pendant lights suspended from thin brass bars.

Guest suite with black leather furniture and snowy mountain views — Black leather furniture in the larger suites offers a contrast to the other furniture pieces and snowy mountain views

A repeated geometric pattern across the pale counter front is also found on door panels leading to other hotel areas.

An all-day cafe at the opposite end of the lobby serves pastries and an assortment of beverages from a walnut-wrapped counter, and the restaurant

Bathroom with dark green tiles and freestanding white bathtub — Dark green tiles in the bathrooms match the spruce trees outside

In the adjacent retail space, burl wood counters and displays with curved edges, some of which are topped with glass vitrines.

On the third floor is a roof terrace with a bar and a spa pool set to open in Spring 2024, while a fitness facility and flexible meeting space are located at ground level.

The guest rooms continue the soft, neutral palette in a more pared-back style.

Beige plaster walls, textured carpets and green-grey curtains complement the wood ceilings and built-in furniture, while black leather chairs add contrast.

Mollie Aspen is located within a newly constructed building by CCY Architects

Dark green stacked tiles that line the bathrooms match the spruce trees outside and freestanding tubs beside the windows allow guests to enjoy the view while soaking.

“Guests are left with a sense of Aspen’s cultural and recreational history, providing a lens to appreciate its contemporary personality and influence,” the team said.

Mollie Aspen's wood-clad exterior — The building was constructed largely from materials sourced from the Western US

Aspen is a renowned destination for winter sports and affluent vacationers, and CCY Architects has designed several private residences in and around the town – among them an extension to a Victorian house, a residence nestled in a grassy valley and a retreat that overlooks the dramatic mountainous scenery.

Formerly known as Studio Tack, Post Company’s previous hotel projects include the Anvil Hotel in Wyoming, The Sandman in California, and Scribner’s Catskill Lodge in New York.

The photography is by Nicole Franzen.

Reference

Interior Design

Side Angle Side transforms Austin post office into restaurant

By Zarkon Group,19/01/2024

Texas architecture studio Side Angle Side has adapted a 1960s post office into a food market and restaurant in Austin.

Opened in October 2023 in the Hyde Park area, Tiny Grocer serves as a speciality market, bar and cafe while Bureau de Poste is a modern French bistro led by celebrity chef Jo Chan.

The exterior of a small, modern grocery store — Side Angle Side has transformed a 1960s post office into a food market and restaurant

Austin-based commercial and residential architecture firm Side Angle Side renovated the 3,500-square foot (325-square metre) 1967 US Post Office building and added a 1,500-square foot (140-square metre) outdoor dining patio.

“The Hyde Park U.S. Post Office was an important neighborhood hub in the 1960s – so we were especially careful to keep the integrity and spirit of the mid-century-utilitarian design,” Arthur Furman, founding partner of Side Angle Side, told Dezeen.

A grocery market with green shelving — The team sought to preserve the building’s history as a community hub

“As the anchor tenant in the space, Tiny Grocer continues to be the centre of the community, a place to gather, shop, eat and drink.”

The shell of the white brick building was left intact, but the street-facing facade was previously used as a loading dock so the team transformed the back-of-house edge into a welcoming patio for the neighbourhood by removing the asphalt and adding two large live oak trees and a steel trellis and planters.

A bar in a grocery and market — The exterior of the building was kept intact

A cast-in-place concrete banquette holds the edge of the patio that is paved with antique red brick.

The steel planter forms a boundary between the parking area and the dining space, while the other edge is held by a light grey-coloured stucco restroom building. White metal furniture from Isimar and Portofino was used to furnish the patio.

“The patio and wine garden is the real heart of the project,” the team said, mentioning that it wasn’t within the original scope of the project but added later when its larger value was realized. “This is where all the care and thought of the interior spills to the outside, creating a lively environment.”

Wooden tables in front of a black framed window — The renovated building has exposed concrete floors from the original building

On the interior, Side Angle Side complemented the original ceiling and open web joists with metal decking and industrial warehouse pendants by AQ Lighting. The polished concrete floors expose the weathered imperfections and show the history of the building.

Upon entering, shoppers take in the colourful selection of curated products displayed on white oak mercantile shelving. Green millwork hugs one wall and the space widens to an open interior plan.

A patio with white metal seating and plants — A patio and wine garden is at the heart of the project

A central deli and coffee bar floats in the middle of the room and creates a transition from the market to the bistro. The bar is wrapped in Seneca terracotta tile and topped with grey and white quartz countertops. Wooden Soule barstools are tucked under the waterfall counter.

The back-of-house spaces hold a kitchen office, storage, and bar equipment.

“Working closely with the owner, design finishes hint at the building’s midcentury past,” the team said, referencing the custom, built-in leather banquette by Undercover Austin Upholstery that lines the bistro’s back wall.

Above the banquette and Second Chance Custom wooden dining tables hang black cone light pendants by All Modern.

A patio with white metal seating — The patio features brick flooring and white metal furniture

“The single biggest sustainable feature of this project is one that is often overlooked,” the team said, noting the adaptation of the structure. “The ‘loose fit, long life’ style of these old buildings leads to more reuse and far less waste.”

Recent adaptive reuse projects in Austin include a 1900s house converted to a luxury office by Michael Hsu and commercial units converted to an architecture studio by Baldridge Architects.

The photography is by Likeness Studio and Mackenzie Smith Kelly.

Project credits:

Structural engineer: Creative Engineering
MEP engineer: ATS Engineers
Builder: Archive Properties
Commercial interior design: Side Angle Side
Architects: Side Angle Side
Building shell: Thought Barn Studio
Landscape design: Side Angle Side & Wild Heart Dirt
Owner: Steph Steele

Reference

Architecture

Gensler and Civilian transform Detroit post office into technology centre

By Zarkon Group,17/05/2023

American architecture studio Gensler and interior design studio Civilian have restored the historic Book Depository building in Detroit and transformed it into the headquarters for technology company Newlab.

Gensler and Civilian transformed the art deco building to be usable by tech companies, adding purpose-built prototyping labs, open-plan co-working spaces and outdoor green spaces.

Exterior of the Book Depository building transformed by Gensler for the Newlab Detroit headquarters — Gensler and Civilian transformed a 1930s post office into a workspace and technology centre

The 270,000-square-foot (25,083 square metres) building will be used as a centre for startups, entrepreneurs, engineers and scientists working in mobility technology.

The Book Depository building was originally built in 1936, designed by American architect Albert Kahn as a post office and mail-sorting facility. It was later used as a place to store books by Detroit Public Schools, from which it draws its name.

The building now includes an exhibition space, an event space, a robotics and prototyping facility, and two open studio spaces with desks, lounge areas, classrooms and meeting rooms.

The interior has an industrial appearance with concrete floors and exposed services.

Lounge chairs, circular tables and planting fill the central atrium space, which provides a collaborative workspace lit by the skylight above.

Interior atrium space with large skylight and open-plan co-working space — An atrium space lets natural light into co-working spaces

“The building has been repositioned to meet the demands of the city’s top innovators, including ample access to daylight, open internal connectivity and destinations for exchange, and an engaging ground floor as a connective intersection within the overall development, serving as a boulevard for the community, industry partners, and the neighbourhood,” said Gensler.

“Embracing the rich history of the building, juxtaposing design elements with the industrial strength and structure associated with Albert Kahns work, Gensler reimagined the building with a focus on connection and collaboration,” added Newlab.

Newlab has an existing headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, and hopes that transforming the Book Depository building into the company’s Detroit headquarters will attract jobs to the area.

“Building on its success in Brooklyn, Newlab is scaling its model of applied innovation to create the conditions for a sustainable high-tech startup ecosystem to take hold in the region,” said the company.

Technology labs at the Newlab Detroit headquarters by Gensler — The building includes and robotics and prototyping facility

“Projected to attract thousands of new jobs to Michigan Central, the campus will offer high-design innovation and collaborative workspace, dozens of acres of green and open space for the community,” Newlab continued.

Architecture studio Ghafari assisted Gensler and Civilian with the interior design of the project and landscape design studio MYK created the landscaping scheme.

Interior of the Newlab Detroit headquarters — The interior has an industrial appearance

The building is situated on the Michigan Central campus, a district dedicated to mobility innovation that also includes Ford’s restoration and transformation of the Michigan Central Station.

Other large-scale projects set to be built in Detroit include a slanted glazed building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox for the Detroit Center for Innovation campus and OMAs design to transform a derelict bakery into a mixed-use art and education facility.

The exterior photography is by Jason Keen. The interior photography is by Brian Ferry.

Reference

Interior Design

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

By Zarkon Group,18/06/2021

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

post

Post Company imbues Mollie Aspen hotel interiors with earthy hues

Side Angle Side transforms Austin post office into restaurant

Gensler and Civilian transform Detroit post office into technology centre

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

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