Danish architecture studio BIG has created an experimental stage set for Danish pop trio WhoMadeWho’s world tour.
A suspended silver orb formed the centrepiece of the immersive audiovisual design, which was created for the tour that began in November. It is BIG‘s latest inflatable structure and was informed by the floating 26-metre-diameter, mirrored sphere it created for Burning Man in 2018.
BIG designs stage set with inflatable orb for WhoMadeWho’s world tour
“Our design for WhoMadeWho’s stage draws from our previous ventures into inflatable creations like SKUM and The Orb [at Burning Man],” BIG partner Jakob Lange explained.
“With maximum visual impact, the inflatable sphere serves as a canvas for captivating three-dimensional video projections, elevating the concert experience to a new level.”
The reflective sphere was designed to mirror the surrounding real-time visuals
The orb was integrated with controllable lights and visuals, but was also designed to reflect the surrounding scenography to give its presence a multimedia dimensionality.
Three futuristic silver pods were positioned below the sphere to be occupied by each band member and the stage was framed by an expansive LED screen background.
BIG’s stage was brought to life with immersive visuals from the creative teams of Flora&faunavisions, LA-based EyeMix Studio and animator Christopher Mulligan.
Using AI and other advanced visualisation tools, the artistic teams sought to combine BIG’s stage set with cutting-edge imagery that can respond in real-time to WhoMadeWho’s performances.
Three silver pods are occupied by WhoMadeWho below the hovering orb
The stage system will reach audiences across cities such as Paris, Los Angeles, London and New York City as WhoMadeWho – comprising of Tomas Høffding, Tomas Barfod and Jeppe Kjellberg – continue their world tour in 2024.
Founded in 2005 by Bjarke Ingels, BIG is one of the world’s most influential architecture studios with headquarters in both Copenhagen and New York. The studio recently unveiled its masterplan for a 1,000-square-kilometre development in Bhutan and its design for a cascading, luxury residential building near Athens.
Top: visitors enter via a domed reception area. Above: the bar is characterised by back-lit glass bricks
The two-storey eatery is arranged across a main restaurant and bar on the fifth floor, as well as on an additional mezzanine and rooftop terrace on the sixth floor of Harrods.
In stark contrast to the department store’s famed Edwardian baroque terracotta facade, Studio Frantzén features a contemporary palette that takes cues from both Scandinavian and Japanese design – a trend known as Japandi.
Studio Frantzén is located across two levels at Harrods
Visitors enter the restaurant at a domed reception area, which references Scandinavian churches and forest chapels, according to the studio.
The curved walls were clad with blocky cherry wood while illustrations of Nordic animals by Ragnar Persson decorate the ceiling and a Swedish wooden Dala horse was perched on the welcome desk.
“Undoubtedly, wood takes centre stage in this restaurant,” Joyn Studio founding partner Ida Wanler told Dezeen.
The main restaurant is composed of two dining halls
The reception area gives way to a “glowing” bar composed of stacks of glass bricks bathed in amber light, which is mirrored by a ceiling of gridded copper.
Informed by traditional Japanese izakaya – a type of casual watering hole serving snacks – the large main restaurant is composed of two dining halls with bespoke geometric terrazzo and marble flooring.
One features bespoke timber seating
One hall features an open kitchen and Joyn Studio-designed chunky seating booths and sofas carved out of end-grain wood. This was sourced from a large Hungarian pine tree, cut into cubes and then glued together piece by piece.
This double-height space is illuminated by a spindly oversized chandelier by Swedish studio Front.
The other follows the same gridded geometry as the bar
The other dining hall, tucked around the corner and connected to a wine cellar, follows the same geometry as the bar.
Sliding timber doors and a gridded wooden ceiling are interrupted by ultramarine benches in booths and delicate, ribbed paper lampshades.
“To create a distinctive Nordic dining experience with Asian influences within a historic London building, we delved into the architectural and design legacy of the early 20th century,” explained Wanler.
“Inspired by the journeys of our predecessors to the far east, where they assimilated influences and pioneered a style known as Swedish Grace, we embraced the resonances between traditional Japanese and Nordic architecture and craftsmanship,” she continued.
Mirrored artwork by Caia Leifsdotter was included in the mezzanine
On the upper floor, the mezzanine includes three intimate dining booths accentuated by a burnt orange carpet and a wall-mounted Psychedelic Mirror by designer Caia Leifsdotter.
Characterised by marble, rattan and wooden accents, the rooftop terrace offers expansive city views.
The rooftop terrace offers views of London
“Aiming to infuse creativity into the traditional luxury context of Harrods, we envisioned a relaxed and comfortable ambiance with sparks of richness created in unexpected ways,” said Wanler.
In 2022, Joyn Studio was longlisted for the title of emerging interior design studio of the year at the Dezeen Awards.
Elsewhere at Harrods, fashion house Prada recently opened a green-hued pop-up cafe that referenced one of Milan’s oldest patisseries.
A brutalist apartment in Belgium and a coastal house in Australia feature in this lookbook, which collects open-plan interiors where dining tables are the focal point.
With dining rooms often forming part of larger, multipurpose living areas in our homes, tables are an easy way to create a focal point that subtly breaks up space.
As demonstrated by this lookbook, dining tables also present an opportunity for homeowners to bring personal style into a room while carving out an intimate setting to entertain guests.
This is the latest in Dezeen’s lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks that feature interiors with reclaimed materials, art deco influences and sunny yellow finishes.
Photo by Jose Hevia
Landaburu Borda, Spain, by Jordi Hidalgo Tané
A dining table takes centre stage in this house extension, which architecture studio Jordi Hidalgo Tané added to Landaburu Borda in rural Navarra.
Supported by chunky metal legs, the table is formed of two giant pieces of wood and paired with bright red chairs that help it pop against a backdrop of concrete walls.
Find out more about Landaburu Borda ›
Photo by Olmo Peeters
Riverside Tower apartment, Belgium, by Studio Okami Architecten
Studio Okami Architecten used the dining table as an opportunity to inject colour into this concrete apartment, which is located in a brutalist tower in Antwerp.
The bright aquamarine tabletop was married with slender red-metal legs, which draw the eye to the dining area with the help of a black ceramic chandelier plunging overhead.
Find out more about the Riverside Tower apartment ›
Photo by Timothy Kaye
Barwon Heads House, Australia, by Adam Kane Architects
Slabs of travertine form this monolithic table, located in the large living and dining room at a coastal home in Barwon Heads.
It brings a lavish aesthetic to the otherwise understated room, which features black wooden chairs, sheer curtains and a pared-back colour palette.
At one end is a sink, allowing the table to also be used as an island for food preperation.
Find out more about Barwon Heads House ›
Photo by Megan Taylor
Sunderland Road house, UK, by 2LG Studio
Pink was used throughout this renovated Edwardian house in London by 2LG Studio, including in the playful dining room set.
Set against white walls and a baby-blue vitrine, the statement table has a top made from waste wood chips and resin and matching sculptural pink chairs.
Find out more about the Sunderland Road house ›
Photo by Joe Fletcher
Three Chimney House, USA, by T W Ryan Architecture
A mottled-brass chandelier was suspended over this big eight-seater table, which sits at the heart of Three Chimney House in Virginia.
Its minimalist yet striking wooden form stands boldly against white walls, a pale-brick chimney and delicate spindle-back chairs.
Find out more about Three Chimney House ›
Photo by Read McKendree
Sag Harbor 2, USA, by Kevin O’Sullivan + Associates
Smooth edges and a curved cut-out give a sculptural look to the wooden legs beneath this chunky dining table.
Teamed with vintage Fresco dining chairs by G Plan, it brings a mid-century-style focal point to the contemporary interior of Sag Harbor 2.
Find out more about Sag Harbor 2 ›
Photo by Jose Campos
Nieby Crofters Cottage, Germany, by Jan Henrik Jansen and Marshall Blecher
Architects Jan Henrik Jansen and Marshall Blecher designed this dining table as an extension of the island in the kitchen at Nieby Crofters Cottage.
Illuminated by low-hanging pendant lights, the table was surrounded by eight of Hans Wegner’s Wishbone chairs and creates an opportunity for the owner to entertain guests while preparing food.
Find out more about Nieby Crofters Cottage ›
Photo by Michael Sinclair
Television Centre apartment, UK, by Waldo Works
Flanked by a black fireplace and kitchen cabinetry, this dining table stands out because of its glossy pine-green top.
Waldo Works contrasted it with saffron-coloured chairs a mustard-yellow rug, which helps establish it as the focal point and social heart of the open-plan room.
Find out more about the Television Centre apartment ›
This is the latest in Dezeen’s lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks that feature interiors with reclaimed materials, art deco influences and sunny yellow finishes.
With spring still a few months away in the northern hemisphere, this is the season to snuggle up in front of an open fire. For our latest lookbook, we’ve rounded up ten cosy living rooms where the fireplace is at the heart of the interior design.
This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbook series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series showcased living rooms with calm interiors, peaceful bedrooms, Japandi interiors and domestic bathrooms designed by architects.
116 Sorauren and 118 Sorauren, Canada, by Ancerl Studio
The living room of 116 Sorauren Street in Toronto, one of a pair of twin townhouses designed by Ancerl Studio, has been made cosy through the use of natural materials and plenty of textiles.
A black steel fireplace sits on a cast concrete plinth against the back wall. The plinth extends to create a comfortable nook has where the owners or their guests can warm themselves.
Find out more about 116 and 118 Sorauren ›
Three Chimney House, US, by T W Ryan Architecture
This modernist white-brick house in Virginia (above and top image) has three white chimneys that define its external form. Inside, one of them opens up into this starkly elegant, brick-clad fireplace in the living room.
Here, tall white walls and ceilings create a contrast with the more traditional upholstered furniture. Warm colours ranging from pale aubergine purple to a mustard yellow were used on the seating by the fireplace, which is practical during cold winter months as well as being a decorative feature all year round.
Find out more about Three Chimney House ›
Pound Ridge House, US, by Tsao & McKown
Tsao & McKown drew on Japanese architectural principles when designing Pound Ridge House. The influence that can be seen in the pared-back fireplace built onto a square stone hearth that sits between the living room and the dining room.
The design references an irori, a traditional Japanese sunken hearth which is often square in form and set in the middle of a room.
Smoke is extracted by a bronze flue in the form of a truncated pyramid that hangs from the ceiling of the lounge, which is filled with wood detailing and cream-coloured textiles. A generous skylight lets the light in during the daytime.
Find out more about Pound Ridge House ›
Teton House, US, by Olson Kundig
With views like the ones from Teton House (above and top) in the mountainous terrain of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, you don’t need art on the walls. Olson Kundig used floor-to-ceiling windows to take advantage of the vistas. But the view is almost upstaged by a substantial black fireplace in the centre of the glazing.
The simple form of the fireplace is complemented by leather chairs in warm brown hues as well as wood surfaces and woven textiles, creating an inviting, relaxing atmosphere.
Find out more about Teton House ›
House for Grandparents, US, by Dash Marshall
The renovation of this California farmhouse was informed by the state’s Spanish missions, and its geometric forms and spartan material use reference these religious structures. But there is nothing ascetic about the house’s comfortable living room, where a broad brick fireplace sits on one wall.
A colourful painting and rug add vibrancy to the room, while two cylindrical metal coffee tables pick up the warm glow of the fire.
Find out more about House for Grandparents ›
Smith Residence, Canada, by MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple
Inside this holiday home on the Nova Scotia peninsula, a massive fireplace keeps the living room toasty. Made from granite that was sourced from a nearby quarry, the fireplace features one aperture for the fire and one for storing logs.
Its sits underneath the black steel trusses that support the exposed roof. In front of the fire, a soft high-pile rug and two brown leather sofas complete the design of the living room.
Find out more about Smith Residence ›
Wasatch House, US, by Olson Kundig
An enormous bronze flue dominates the library in this Utah home by Olson Kundig, which has the feel of a living room thanks to a wide leather sofa and two cognac-coloured leather chairs. These sit in front of the unusual portrait-shaped fireplace, which is set in the monolithic flue and fronted by double doors.
A colour palette of dark browns and greys create a pleasantly laid-back atmosphere in the capacious room while ceiling-height bookcases flank the fireplace.
Find out more about Wasatch House ›
Lincoln, Belgium, by Notan Office
Modernist architect and designer Alvar Aalto inspired the design for this fireplace, set in a rooftop extension in Brussels by Notan Office.
It wraps around a corner and was built from concrete and ceramic construction blocks in warm orange and pale grey hues. “A fireplace is a kind of artifactual element in a house,” architect Frédéric Karam told Dezeen. “I wanted to express a sense of organic and rough feeling for such a function,”
Find out more about Lincoln ›
Little Peek, US, by Berman Horn Studio
Little Peek is a holiday home in Vinalhaven off the coast of Maine, designed by the Berman Horn Studio founders for themselves.
Designed to be used in all seasons, the house nevertheless has a summer feel thanks to its light interior and many generous windows, as well as an enclosed patio.
But in the open-plan kitchen and living room, a built-in fireplace set in a narrow stonework flue helps keep the room warm during cold New England winters.
Find out more about Little Peek ›
Casa Prè de Sura, Italy, by Casati
A freestanding fireplace in the form of a trapezoidal prism decorates this living room in Italy, set in a gabled house by Austrian architects Casati that has rough limestone interior walls.
The white fireplace functions as a decorative piece as well as a heat source. It has been cleverly designed with a side ledge on which the owners can stack wood. Beige and cream hues were used for the colour palette, matching both the fireplace and the limestone walls.
Find out more about Casa Prè de Sura ›
This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing peaceful bedrooms, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.
