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Sustainable News

Sungai Watch chair consists of 2,000 plastic bags from Bali’s rivers

By Zarkon Group,08/04/2024

Indonesian non-profit Sungai Watch has unveiled the debut furniture launch from its design studio Sungai Design, aimed at creating useful products from the mountains of plastic waste that it fishes from Bali’s rivers every day.

The Ombak lounge chair, created in collaboration with American designer Mike Russek, is made using a sheet material produced entirely from discarded plastic bags, with around 2,000 needed for every chair.

The bags are collected by Sungai Watch, which is on a mission to eliminate ocean plastic pollution using its own system of floating barriers to capture the waste as it flows along Indonesia’s rivers.

Since its inception three years ago, the organisation has installed 270 barriers and collected more than 1.8 million kilograms of plastic, resulting in a huge stockpile of material.

Plastic bags are the most frequently collected item and also the least sought after in terms of future value, which led the team to focus on creating a product collection using this readily available resource.

“Collecting and amassing plastic waste solves one part of the problem of plastic pollution, the second challenge is what to actually do with all of this plastic,” said Kelly Bencheghib, who co-founded Sungai Watch with her brothers Sam and Gary.

White chair by Sungai Design on a concrete backdrop — The Ombak lounge chair is made from discarded plastic bags

“As we collected hundreds of thousands of kilograms of plastics, we started to look at plastic as an excellent source material for everyday products we all need and use, from furniture to small goods to even art,” she added.

Sungai Design has created two variations of the Ombak lounge chair – with and without armrests – manufactured in Bali using processes that aim to minimise waste during production.

The plastic bags are thoroughly washed to remove any impurities before being shredded and heat-pressed to form hard, durable sheets.

Close-up of white Ombak chair — The bags are heat-pressed to form sheets

Precision CNC cutting machinery is used to carve out the different components, which are carefully shaped to minimise material use and leave no offcuts.

The panels are connected by a concealed metal structure, resulting in a pure and visually lightweight form with a simple slatted construction.

Although the design is available in three distinct colourways – Granite Black, Ocean Blue and Concrete White – the upcycling process produces slight variations in the tone and texture of the material, meaning each chair has a unique quality.

Ombak means wave in Indonesian and the name references Sungai Design’s commitment to cleaning up rivers and oceans.

In line with this aim, Sundai Design has pledged to minimise its carbon footprint and put in place processes to audit and track the sources of the plastic used in its products.

The company is planning to release other products using the same material and, as a social enterprises, will donate part of its revenue to Sungai Watch to further the project as it seeks to clean up rivers in Indonesia and beyond.

Black chair by Sungai Design next to a tree — The chair was designed to minimise material use and leave no offcuts

“There is so much potential with this material,” added Sam Bencheghib. “When you choose a chair from our collection, you’re not just selecting a piece of furniture; you’re embracing the transformation from waste to a beautiful, functional piece of art that has found its place in your home.”

Every year, Indonesia accounts for 1.3 million of the eight million tonnes of plastic that end up in our oceans, making it one of the world’s worst marine polluters.

Other attempts at collecting this waste and finding new uses for it have come from design studio Space Available, which set up a circular design museum with a recycling station and facade made of 200,000 plastic bottles in Bali in 2022.

White, blue and black Ombak chairs with armrests by Sungai Design — The chair is available in three colours

The studio also teamed up with DJ Peggy Gou turn rubbish collected from streets and waterways in Indonesia into a chair with an integrated vinyl shelf.

“The trash is just everywhere, in the streets and rivers,” Space Available founder Daniel Mitchell told Dezeen.

“It’s not the fault of the people, there’s just very little structural support, waste collection or education,” he added. “Households are left to dispose of their own waste and most ends up in rivers or being burned.”

Reference

Covered walkway with swing seat looking out onto an open-air courtyard with trees

Interior Design

Seven playful living spaces where swings provide dynamic seating

By Zarkon Group,11/03/2024

This lookbook compiles seven living spaces where swings show they have a place beyond children’s playgrounds by providing a gleeful alternative to static seating.

Swings typically consist of a seat made from a flat piece of metal, plastic, wood or canvas, but can also be made from found materials such as tyres and sometimes feature a wraparound design for added safety.

This seat is then suspended by sturdy lengths of rope or chain from a frame, ceiling or tree.

Swings have been used for hundreds of years by cultures across the world for both leisure and ritual-related purposes, and are enjoyed by people of all ages, from children in play areas to older people who might have swinging benches in their gardens.

From basic playground swings transplanted into grown-up interiors to intricately crafted bench swing seats that look out over lush courtyards, read on to view a selection of interiors on Dezeen that feature suspended seating.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring interiors animated by indoor slides, living spaces featuring metal furniture and spaces with oversized windows.

Gujarat house, India, by Design ni Dukaan

A wooden swing seat covered in pillows is suspended from the concrete ceiling of this house in the Indian state of Gujarat.

The swing is situated in one of the house’s covered walkways and was positioned to allow the sitter to enjoy views of its open-air courtyard.

Find out more about Gujarat house ›

Kenwood Lee House by Cousins & Cousins (RIBA house of the year longslist) — Photo by Jack Hobhouse

Kenwood Lee House, UK, by Cousins & Cousins

A cantilevered floating stair anchors a swing inside the hallway of this house in north London by local studio Cousins & Cousins.

The wooden seat is suspended by softly frayed rope, creating a subtly rustic composition that compliments both the poured-concrete finish of the walls and the wood used on the ceiling, cabinets and front door.

Find out more about Kenwood Lee House ›

Covered living space beside courtyard with swing seat — Photo by Yash R Jain

Karai, India, by Rain Studio

Local office Rain Studio hung a polished wooden swing seat overlooking a verdant courtyard in this house near the city of Chennai in southern India.

The seat is suspended from all four corners by ornately cast metal hooks and links, some of which feature animals such as elephants.

Find out more about Karai ›

Living room with concrete fireplace and a swing — Photo by Chase Daniel

Austin House, USA, by Melanie Raines

Rustic Californian barns provided reference points for this house in Austin, Texas, which features a lofty double-height living space complete with multiple seating options.

A metal-framed lounge chair flanked by integrated side tables is suspended from the ceiling’s wooden rafters by two long lengths of rope, adding to the interior’s whimsical atmosphere.

Find out more about Austin house ›

Living room interior of Out of the Blue apartment in India — Photo by The Fishy Project

Thane apartment, India, by The Act of Quad

Rigid metal uprights, each threaded with a cobalt-blue sphere, tie this swing seat in with the rest of the apartment’s blue-themed interior scheme, created by design studio Act of Quad.

The seat is softened by a slim cushioned pad and has been attached to the ceiling with metal hardware.

Find out more about Thane apartment ›

The Perch by Chadbourne + Doss Architects — Photo by Kevin Scott

The Perch, USA, by Chadbourne + Doss

A pair of swings are strung up on the boundary between a covered entryway and a courtyard pond in this house in Seattle.

The seats themselves were made from sheets of walnut timber and intended to provide the sitter with the experience of floating above the water.

Find out more about The Perch ›

Living room in a high-ceilinged apartment with a swing hanging in it — Photo by BCDF studio

Parisian loft, France, by Isabelle Heilmann

Hooks, carabiners and thick, knotted ropes affix this swing to the tall ceilings of this Parisian apartment’s living room.

The suspended seat slots in comfortably with the rest of the eclectically-chosen furniture, including a mid-century cantilevered chair and a slouchy, ribbed sofa.

Find out more about Parisian loft ›

Reference

Built-in seating around the dining table in 10 Fold House, Australia, by Timmins + Whyte

Interior Design

Ten dining rooms with built-in seating including benches and banquettes

By Zarkon Group,21/10/2023

Our latest lookbook explores homes where built-in benches or banquettes offer an inviting place to sit around the dining table, while also helping to save space.

Built-in seating is a popular solution in kitchens and dining rooms where the optimal position for a table is along a wall rather than in the centre of the space.

For homes where space is limited, a fixed bench can provide more seats than would otherwise be possible. It can also be a clever way of integrating extra storage, with concealed compartments under the seat.

The most straightforward approach is to build a fixed seat along one side of the table and then add dining chairs on the opposite side, although L-shaped or curved seating installations can also be possible, depending on the layout.

Whatever the design, the key to getting it right is ensuring that the table legs don’t clash with the base of the bench, so that it’s easy for people to get in and out.

Read on for 10 examples, ranging from a minimalist terrace in London to a warm and tactile family home in Melbourne.

This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, other recent lookbooks feature colourful shower rooms and kitchens with tiled worktops.

10 Fold House, Australia, by Timmins + Whyte

This extension to a family home in Melbourne, designed by architecture and design studio Timmins + Whyte, includes a casual dining space that slots into a corner between the kitchen counter and the end wall.

The L-shaped bench is topped with peach-toned cushions, which match the warm tone of the mid-century-style oak table. As well as providing comfort, they conceal storage areas underneath.

Find out more about 10 Fold House ›

Spruce House by Ao-ft — Photo is by Rory Gardiner

Spruce House, UK, by Ao-ft

A bench seat forms an extension of the polished concrete floor in this cross-laminated timber-framed house in east London, designed by Ao-ft founders Liz Tatarintseva and Zach Fluker as their own home.

This is possible because the living space is slightly sunken. This means the concrete plinth, which actually sits at ground level, is the perfect height for sitting at the table.

Find out more about Spruce House ›

Project Karper by He! — Photo is by Tim Van de Velde

Karper, Belgium, by Hé!

This converted warehouse in Brussels was designed to serve as either a family home or a co-living building, so it features a range of different live and work spaces. One of these is a casual dining space located next to the kitchen on the second floor.

A custom-made bench anchors this space to the side wall. A matching table has a squashed circle shape, creating the feel of a round table while also aligning with the seating fixture.

Find out more about Karper ›

Dining space in Frame House by Bureau de Change — Photo is by Gilbert McCarragher

Frame House, UK, by Bureau de Change

When remodelling this south London terrace, architecture studio Bureau de Change added a three-tiered extension at the property’s rear.

The stepped terrazzo floor was designed to incorporate casual seating areas, with one of them serving as a seating area for the adjacent dining table.

Find out more about Frame House ›

Interior of Steele's Road House by Neiheiser Argyros — Photo is by Lorenzo Zandri

Steele’s Road House, UK, by Neiheiser Argyros

If a kitchen has a window bay, this can be a good place to create a seating area. This is what London studio Neiheiser Argyros did in its renovation of a Victorian terrace in the west of the city.

A curved banquette wraps the base of the window, framing a fixed cafe-style round table.

Find out more about Steele’s Road House ›

Dining room interior of Girona Street apartment in Barcelona, designed by Raúl Sanchez Architects — Photo is by José Hevia

Girona Street Apartment, Spain, by Raúl Sanchez Architects

Barcelona studio Raúl Sanchez Architects employed colour-blocking to create the dining space for this renovated apartment in the city’s Dreta de l’Eixample neighbourhood.

A seating bench and the wall behind it are both painted deep blue, in contrast with the white tones elsewhere, which gives the dining space an increased emphasis.

Find out more about Girona Street Apartment ›

Kitchen with perforated breeze black walls and a timber ceiling — Photo is by Tom Ross

Sunday, Australia, by Architecture Architecture

A kitchen island provides the backdrop to the dining table in this house in Melbourne designed by local studio Architecture Architecture.

Upholstered in a muted colour textile, the banquette has a cantilevered seat that slots neatly under a long, slender table, while traditional dining chairs are positioned on the opposite side.

Find out more about Sunday ›

Kitchen island with built-in bench seat at Scalloped Concrete House

Scalloped Concrete House, USA, by Laney LA

California-based studio Laney LA found another way to position a dining space beside a kitchen island for this home in Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles.

Instead of extending out, the bench seat is built into a recess within the wooden volume.

Find out more about Scalloped Concrete House ›

Dining table and bench seat in London terrace by O’Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects — Photo is by Ståle Eriksen

Kensington Place, UK, by O’Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects

In this extension of a mid-terrace property in London’s Kensington, a built-in bench allowed O’Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects to fit a dining table into a narrow space.

Built from plywood, the bench incorporates storage. It is slightly recessed at the base, while a backboard makes it feel more integrated with the wall behind.

Find out more about Kensington Place ›

Dining table with built-in banquette in Nido House by Angelucci Architects

Nido House, Australia, by Angelucci Architects

The ground floor spaces of this family home in Melbourne wrap around a glazed courtyard, so an L-shaped seat was the best solution for fitting in a dining table.

Designed by Angelucci Architects, the space incorporates a green leather banquette and a dining table featuring a marble surface and a base wrapped in ceramic tiles.

Find out more about Nido House ›

Reference

Lounge windows in St John Street warehouse apartment by Emil Eve Architects

Interior Design

Eight living rooms featuring low-slung furniture and seating

By Zarkon Group,07/10/2023

Low-back sofas and armchairs play a key role in our latest lookbook, which explores how low-slung furniture can make living rooms feel more relaxed and less formal.

When lounge furniture sits low to the ground, it can make a big difference to the mood of the room.

Low-back seats are typically more generous in width, so the sitting position doesn’t have to be as upright. This means sofas can sometimes feel more like beds.

This type of furniture works well in open-plan interiors, as it can divide up the space without making different areas feel too separate. But it can also be used to soften rooms that are heavily decorative.

Read on for eight examples, including a London loft renovation and a California home.

This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, other recent lookbooks feature colourful bedrooms and kitchens with tiled worktops.

St John Street, UK, by Emil Eve Architects

The aim behind this renovation of a former warehouse space in London’s Clerkenwell neighbourhood was to make it feel more comfortable without losing its industrial character.

A low-slung, L-shaped sofa helps to create that mood in the living space. Other furniture elements are also set low, allowing the exposed brickwork walls to be the key focal point.

Find out more about St John Street ›

Vasto gallery by Mesura apartment interior — Photo is by Salva López

Casa Vasto, Spain, by Mesura

This converted factory apartment in Barcelona’s El Poblenou neighbourhood doubles as a gallery, so it plays host to an ever-changing roster of collectable art and design pieces.

Low-lying furnishings help to enhance the apartment’s high, vaulted ceilings, creating an optimal setting for display.

They include a modular sofa system that can be arranged in different ways and an equally low coffee table made out of construction waste.

Find out more about Casa Vasto ›

Minimalist living room inside House by the Sea by Of Architecture — Photo is by Lorenzo Zandri

House by the Sea, UK, by Of Architecture

The open-plan ground floor of this seaside house in Cornwall includes two lounge spaces. One is designed as a snug, with a high-back sofa and a hearth, while the other has a more casual feel.

The sofa in this second space is a modular L-shaped piece, upholstered in beige marl fabric.

Its low back helps the space feel connected with the adjacent kitchen and allows views across to the expansive sliding windows, which offer a view of Newquay’s picturesque Pentire Steps beach.

Find out more about House by the Sea ›

Sausalito Outlook by Feldman Architecture — Photo is by Joe Fletcher

Sausalito Outlook, USA, by Feldman Architecture

The living room of this renovated 1970s house on San Francisco Bay features an iconic low-slung seating design that was launched around the same time.

Designed by Michel Ducaroy in 1973 and produced by Ligne Roset, the Togo chairs and sofas look like slouchy, oversized cushions, but their foam filling is surprisingly supportive.

Here, they create two seating areas that can be used for reading, watching television or looking out at the sea view.

Find out more about Sausalito Outlook ›

Family lounge in Twentieth house by Woods and Dangaran — Photo is by Joe Fletcher

Twentieth, USA, by Woods + Dangaran

Generous, low furniture pieces are a recurring theme in this three-storey house in Santa Monica, which was designed to be practical for day-to-day life and able to host parties and gatherings.

The most striking example is a set of four club chairs with swivel bases, organised around a polished stone coffee table in one of two ground-floor living rooms.

Find out more about Twentieth ›

Exterior of NZ10 Apartment in Spain by Auba Studio — Photo is by José Hevia

NZ10 Apartment, Spain, by Auba Studio

Low-back furniture can work well in rooms that connect indoors with outdoors, where the atmosphere is typically less formal. This apartment in Palma de Mallorca is a prime example.

Located in a converted bakery, the home features full-height sliding doors that connect a rear lounge space with patio terrace. The room is furnished with a casual, low sofa that extends all the way along one side.

Find out more about NZ10 Apartment ›

Canal Saint-Martin apartment by Rodolphe Parente — Photo is by Giulio Ghirardi

Apartment Canal Saint-Martin, France, by Rodolphe Parente

The living room of this renovated Haussmann-era apartment in Paris centres around a sculptural vintage sofa, upholstered in mustard-yellow velvet.

The piece has a formal, geometric shape that complements the building’s period details, while its low shape offers a contemporary feel that is echoed by other playful artworks and furnishings in the room.

Find out more about Apartment Canal Saint-Martin ›

Low-slung sofa in Sag Harbor 2 — Photo is by Read McKendree

Sag Harbor 2, USA, by KOS+A

Sunset views were a priority for the owners of this waterfront house in the Hamptons, the popular retreat destination for New Yorkers.

The waterfront facade is largely glazed to maximise views, so it made sense to choose unobtrusive furniture. For the family lounge, this meant a low-slung L-shaped sofa and a curved club chair.

Find out more about Sag Harbor 2 ›

Reference

Aluminium chair by Sara Afonso Sternberg

Interior Design

Chair of Virtue presents experimental seating at London Design Festival

By Zarkon Group,26/09/2023

Digitally shrink-wrapped skin, armrests salvaged from parks and “frozen” resin featured in Prototype/In Process, an exhibition of seating presented by virtual magazine Chair of Virtue during London Design Festival.

Displayed under a railway arch at Borough Yards, Prototype/In Process was made up of 1:1 scale prototypes of chairs, as well as chairs that are still works in progress, by 12 London-based designers who are either established or emerging in their field.

Sara Afonso Sternberg presented sculptural aluminium seating made of armrests salvaged from the middle of public benches in Camberwell. The armrests were originally created to make it difficult for homeless people to sleep or rest on the benches.

“These objects are given a new form and use, inviting the public to critically engage with control mechanisms such as hostile architecture that permeate the urban landscape,” said Afonso Sternberg.

"Frozen" resin seating in Chair of Virtue exhibition — Jesse Butterfield created a “frozen” resin piece

Another piece on display was by Jesse Butterfield. The designer used vacuum infusion, draping and papier-mâché to create a chair covered in resin that was intended to appear “frozen”.

Various methods of production were showcasedthroughout the show. Daniel Widrig used 3D printing to digitally shrink-wrap a rectangular chair with polylactic acid, a starch-based bioplastic.

3D-printed chair by Daniel Widrig — Daniel Widrig used 3D printing for his piece

The result is a grey-hued chair with an undulating form, which mirrors the shared style of previous blobby stools created by the designer.

“Its contours mimic the gentle curves and natural irregularities of body tissue, forming intricate folds and wrinkles,” explained Widrig.

Thomas Wheller also used aluminium by folding a single piece of the material to create his chair, while Louis Gibson experimented with “regular” construction stock materials by creating casts from disused pipes.

“I was interested in imagining how these parts could be used unconventionally,” said the designer.

Folded aluminium chair by Thomas Wheller — Thomas Wheller also worked with aluminium

“With such large volumes, I was curious to create casts, and then evaluate the internal forms in a new light, and finally address the problem of reassembly,” added Gibson.

“I chose plaster for the purpose of quick setting, I also felt it was in keeping with the world of builders’ merchants stock supplies.”

Chair by Louis Gibson — Louis Gibson experimented with salvaged construction materials

While the exhibition concluded at the end of London Design Festival (LDF), Chair of Virtue is an ongoing project curated by Adam Maryniak.

Prototype/In Process was on display on Dirty Lane as part of the annual festival’s Bankside Design District.

Furniture created from the remains of a single car and a modular display system by Zaha Hadid Design were among the many other projects featured during LDF.

The photography is courtesy of Chair of Virtue.

Prototype/In Process was on show as part of London Design Festival 2023 from 16 to 24 September 2023. See our London Design Festival 2023 guide on Dezeen Events Guide for information about the many other exhibitions, installations and talks that took place throughout the week.

Reference

Interior Design

Home Studios adds soft seating to Italian restaurant Bar Enza

By Zarkon Group,02/10/2022

Brooklyn-based Home Studios has filled an Italian restaurant close to Harvard University with plush booths and banquettes to introduce colour and texture to the space.

Bar Enza is situated in a prime spot on Harvard Square next to the Ivy League college in Cambridge, Massachusetts – just across the Charles River from Boston.

The project involved the revamp of an existing restaurant on the ground floor of The Charles Hotel.

To complement chef Mark Ladner’s menu, Home Studios pulled references from a range of regions and styles across Italy – from Rome’s trattorias to Milanese villas – and combined them to create interiors that feel elevated yet cosy.

Sofa seating forms a row through the centre — The restaurant’s original floors and ceiling were kept intact

Upon request of the client, the original ceilings and floors were retained. Meanwhile, brick walls were plastered and painted white to match the ceiling and to help brighten the space.

Freestanding tables and chairs were mostly swapped for soft seating, in the form of booths, banquettes and sofas covered in five different upholstery types to add variety.

Green booths against the service area — Five different fabrics were used to upholster the booths and banquettes

The building’s zig-zag glazed facade, which brings in plenty of light, creates niches that are filled with high-top tables surrounded by curved, pale pink booths.

Forming a row through the centre of the dining area, pairs of high-backed red sofas face each other across marble tables.

Curved pink booth in a corner — Brick walls were painted white to help brighten the interior

Other booths and banquettes feature sage green or beige fabrics, accompanied by cane-backed cafe chairs, while bar stools are topped with red leather cushions.

“Unexpected details include plush seating, reminiscent of stately libraries and studies,” Haslegrave said. “Essentially we mixed mid-century architectural details with more traditional upholstered seating to achieve a confluence and diversity of designs.”

The service areas were kept largely intact, but custom millwork was added to refresh the materiality.

Shelving was also clad in warm woods, while textured glass and brass hardware were introduced as accents.

Ceiling details above marble tables — Cane-baked cafe chairs accompany the booths and freestanding tables

“The very elevated level of service meant for very specific requirements on the service area millwork and shelving,” said Haslegrave.

Time and budget restrictions meant that lighting was sourced. The selection of sconces, pendants and table lamps was chosen to create a “warm and sexy” feeling in the evening.

Beige banquette along a window — The Italian restaurants draws references from Rome’s trattorias and Milanese villas

During the day, sheer curtains allow natural light to wash over the interior and allows the fabric hue to pop.

Home Studios’ previous bar and restaurant projects across the US include the Laurel Brasserie and Bar in Salt Lake City, The Harvey House in Madison, Wisconsin,and Bibo Ergo Sum in LA.

The photography is by Brian W Ferry.

Reference

Interior Design

Daughter cafe has stepped seating that mimics brownstone stoops

By Zarkon Group,05/07/2021

Designer Christopher Al-Jumah has created Daughter, a community-oriented cafe in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights with interiors informed by the staircases of local brownstone buildings.

Daughter is a long and narrow space defined by an L-shaped block of brown seating that can be seen from the street through the cafe’s large windows.

Interior designer Christopher Al-Jumah said that the seating, which was informed by the stoops – small staircases – of local brownstone buildings, is Daughter’s standout design feature.

The indoor stoops are made from a plywood base that was given a coating of concrete and sand with a top resin coat for durability.

“We spent months researching and testing different combinations of concrete, sand, plaster and resin to get the right look, feel and durability,” Al-Jumah told Dezeen.

Planters sit between the stooped seating in Daughter — Planters divide the step-like seating

Interspersed with planters, the casual seating aims to invite people into the cafe and also influenced the rest of the project’s design decisions.

“Everything started from the brownstone stoop. Once a representative brownstone colour was selected, everything else in the space was designed around it to complement,” explained Al-Jumah.

Daughter has exposed brick walls — A curved bar sits next to the stoops

Custom-made tables with chairs by Danish brand Menu are placed opposite the stoops, next to the cafe’s large windows that feature playful illustrations.

A curved bar designed in the same brown material as the stoops is tucked into a corner, while orb-like lights, also from Menu, glow above the stepped seating.

The furniture is positioned against exposed brick walls that are painted white in contrast to the cafe’s bright yellow ceiling.

With their rough texture and appearance, the stoops are juxtaposed against smoother elements throughout the space.

“The walls have a soft white, tan colour to soften the space. Natural wood furniture and plants work as an organic complement to the stoop,” said Al-Jumah.

The stooped seating is juxtaposed with smoother elements — A bright yellow roof contrasts with neutral walls

The designer explained how the vernacular architecture of the Crown Heights area informed Daughter’s interior, which was designed to create an inviting community atmosphere.

“Daughter is partly black-owned and is situated in a historically black neighbourhood, so it was important to capture the local culture and ethos and implement it into the cafe,” explained Al-Jumah.

“Stooping, or sitting on the large steps in front of the local brownstone buildings, is a staple outdoor activity for the local community,” he added.

“With ‘community’ and ‘gathering’ being central to the ethos of Daughter, we decided to bring the idea of stooped seating into the cafe itself.”

In line with its aim to include the local community in its culture, Daughter plans to donate 10 per cent of its quarterly profits to various organisations including Ancient Song Doula, a group that seeks to eliminate infant mortality rates in the black community.

The cafe intends to include the local community — Lighting from Menu illuminates the space

Christopher Al-Jumah is a New York-based architect and designer.

Other cafe designs include a doughnut-themed cafe in Russia with walls that look almost edible and a cafe in Tokyo with brick-like tiles made from volcanic ash by design duo Formafantasma.

Photography is by Sean Davidson.

Reference

Seating

Sungai Watch chair consists of 2,000 plastic bags from Bali’s rivers

Seven playful living spaces where swings provide dynamic seating

Ten dining rooms with built-in seating including benches and banquettes

Eight living rooms featuring low-slung furniture and seating

Chair of Virtue presents experimental seating at London Design Festival

Home Studios adds soft seating to Italian restaurant Bar Enza

Daughter cafe has stepped seating that mimics brownstone stoops

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