standard Archives

Standard Architecture refreshes interior of pink Paul Smith store in LA

British fashion label Paul Smith’s iconic pink store in Los Angeles has received an interior makeover from Standard Architecture.

Standard Architecture collaborated with the Paul Smith design team to reimagine the 4,740-square-foot (440 square metres) store on Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood.

Paul Smith LA store interior is stone-clad partitions and exposed rafters — Standard Architecture and the Paul Smith team reorganised the LA store to better define the brand’s different collections

The studios also created a new VIP entrance patio for the building, which is notorious for its bright pink exterior that has become a pilgrimage spot for amateur photoshoots.

“The primary goal was to enhance the overall customer experience within the store, which was achieved by creating a more cohesive and immersive shopping environment across the different brand departments,” said Standard Architecture.

Seating area with clothing displays on either side — Stone-clad partitions help to define areas, but don’t reach the exposed timber ceiling

The entrance to the store – the only opening in the giant pink wall that faces the parking lot – leads shoppers through a glossy red metal vestibule into the main retail space.

Clearly defined yet interconnected areas for the menswear, womenswear and homeware collections help with navigation around the store.

Suits displayed in colour order on long brass rails — Long brass rails are used to present tailoring

Partitions clad in dappled beige stone frame these zones, but don’t reach the exposed timber ceiling, to retain the sense of openness.

In places, the stone walls are inlaid with mosaic-style artworks depicting abstract flora, which add splashes of colour to the warm-toned surfaces.

Paul Smith homeware collaborations displayed in a corner of the store — Paul Smith’s collaborations with Gufram and Anglepoise are among the pieces on show

Black track lighting is suspended from the rafters, spotlighting the various clothing displays and lounge areas furnished with midcentury-style sofas and armchairs that are dotted around the store.

Long brass rails that appear to be suspended in midair are used to display suit jackets, which are carefully arranged by colour.

Shoes presented on stepped white ledges that resemble bleacher seating — Shoes are presented on stepped white ledges that resemble bleacher seating

In an area dedicated to accessories, the shoes and bags are lined up on stepped white ledges that resemble bleacher seating.

Walnut is used for accents including shelving, door frames, and podiums, as well as for a large open storage system with compartments for presenting individual products and a row of sculptures by Alexander Calder.

Founded by fashion designer Paul Smith in 1970, his eponymous brand is synonymous with the brightly coloured stripes applied to many of its apparel products and other collaborations.

Many of these appear throughout the store, including a colour-tinted Anglepoise desk lamp and a striped version of Gufram’s cactus-shaped coat stand.

Glossy red metal vestibule with store interior beyond — Entry to the store is via a vestibule wrapped in glossy red metal

“Overall, the design reflects a deep understanding of the brand’s identity, which places a strong emphasis on the use of colour and attention to detail,” Standard Architecture said.

Paul Smith retail spaces around the world are equally playful. On London’s Albemarle Street, its boutique has a patterned cast-iron facade by 6a Architects, while the shop in Seoul is encased in a curving concrete shell by System Lab.

Bright pink exterior of Paul Smith store on Melrose Avenue — The store on Melrose Avenue is an icon in Los Angeles thanks to its bright pink facades

Standard Architecture was founded by Silvia Kuhle and Jeffrey Allsbrook, who discussed their work with Dezeen during our Virtual Design Festival in 2020.

Past projects by the firm include a Hollywood Hills residence with a cantilevered swimming pool and a minimal showroom for fashion brand Helmut Lang – which was located just a few blocks from the Paul Smith store before it shuttered.

The photography is by Genevieve Garruppo.

Reference

Architecture

Wonder Wood: Black Label Sets a New Standard for Sustainable Materials

By Zarkon Group,02/03/2023

For architects specifying materials for their projects, it’s hard to look past the building envelope as the most important element to consider. Not only is it one of the most visually significant aspects of a building, but it can also make or break a project’s sustainability credentials, given the potential environmental impact of sourcing, transporting, constructing and maintaining materials used for exterior surfaces.

Enter Black Label by Tropical Forest Products, one of the world’s most sustainable building products for decking, cladding and more. This forward-thinking manufacturer has refined its process to minimize the environmental impact of its products without compromising on the durability and incredible aesthetic qualities of its collection. The results are stunning: the warm, rich tones and resilient nature of tropical hardwood makes it a fit for a wide range of contemporary architecture projects, including hospitality, commercial, residential and landscape design typologies. Black Label Sustainable Lumber topped the popular choice vote in the Landscape Design category for the 2022 A+Product Awards.

Architizer spoke with Tropical Forest Products about their products, their processes, and how they see their work evolving in the future.

Congratulations on winning a 2022 A+Award! What does winning this accolade mean to you and your brand?

We are thrilled to have Black Label sustainable lumber named a winner in the world-renowned Architizer A+Awards. This prestigious recognition proves that the architectural community appreciates our efforts to bring high quality and organic tropical hardwoods to market.

The fact that we were awarded by People’s Choice makes it even more special. We would be equally thrilled if this was a jury award, but the fact that this came from architects, designers, contractors and homeowners who have been using Black Label wood confirms the great acceptance that the industry has given to our sustainable, architectural grade products.

What inspired the design of your product?

We are inspired by nature. We believe that natural hardwoods are not only the most sustainable and renewable building product in the world, but they’re also the most exquisite. So we keep our interference as minimal as possible. That means that Black Label hardwoods have no chemicals, additives or toxins – nothing is added. Our products are already what the engineered industry has tried to mimic for years, with no success.

From natural one-of-a-kind designs to unmatched structural strength, our hardwoods are born nearly impeccable. Our role is selecting the optimal boards – Premium Architectural Grade on all sides and edges, with no knots – and kiln-drying them in state-of-the-art Italian chambers.

Using advanced sustainable forest management techniques certified by the Forest Stewardship Council or Unfloresta, we go deep inside the forest and hand pick a limited number of trees with potential to become a piece of art in the hands of architects. Our mission is to give professionals the ability to create stunning, meaningful work that not only delights people, but that also reconnects them to nature.

Add to that the design of specific product profiles, along with the product testing and engineering into a system-based approach consisting of CAD details and CSI based specification language, and you have the essence of the Black Label brand.

Tell us about the manufacturing process — What are the key stages involved, and how do these help ensure a high quality end product?

Manufacturing sustainable wood products goes way beyond what meets the eye. Kiln-drying every board in Italian-made chambers until they meet precise humidity levels is a challenge, as is the world-class millwork we do with our state-of-the-art German-built planers. But it’s when we go into the forest to source our wood that we really set ourselves apart.

To craft every piece of Black Label hardwood, we use the most stringent forest management protocols, guaranteeing forests forever for all future generations. We remove less productive trees (that no longer store carbon) and make room for new trees to flourish.

Think of it as a garden, but on a bigger scale. We prune aging trees the same way you prune old branches in your backyard, allowing new life to grow. And not just any aging tree. From an area as big as a football field, only four to six trees are carefully selected, leaving the remainder intact. And for every one we harvest, up to 25 new trees benefit from the opening in the canopy of leaves and have a chance to flourish.

We go out of our way to keep our products not only sustainable and organic, but to make sure they bring a positive impact on both nature and people. Our multiple certifications with world-class organizations like FSC and Unfloresta only prove how seriously we take sustainability at Black Label.

What detail of your product was the biggest challenge to design, and why? How did you resolve it?

Solving design challenges are at the core of Black Label. Wood, by its very nature, is an incredibly flexible building product, and we take that to the next level by bringing unlimited profile options with state-of-the-art molders and CNC platforms. There’s nothing a commercial or residential project would need, no matter how big or small, that we could not provide.

We also have a dedicated department to serve designers and architects in their specification development process with all of the tools and data they require available on our website. Additionally, we always love to hear from designers directly so we can match their needs, from product sampling to our mill shop.

What makes your product unique and of great value to specifying architects?

Tropical hardwoods are the best in the world for a wide range of residential and commercial applications, and Black Label heightens this aspect. Black Label wood products such as Ipe, Garapa, Tigerwood, Jatoba, Cumaru and Bulletwood — the world’s most appealing species — are sustainably sourced and perfect for all climates. Besides, all of them have unmatched durability and require low maintenance, without the use of chemical treatments. They represent the perfect mix of beauty and unrivaled performance.

Black Label hardwoods have almost twice the strength of Generic FAS grade lumber, and because of the establishment of definitive grading rules, Black Label offers lifestyle products with Premium Appearance on all four sides and edges of each board. Our hardwoods are 100% organic — with absolutely no additives — harvested from sustainably managed forests, and some species have an impressive lifespan of up to 75 years. Hardwood last longer than other materials, and therefore does not have to be replaced nearly as often, making it even more sustainable. Plus, every piece of wood has enhanced stability, made possible by an optimal temperature control system that increases the structural performance by hardening the cell walls. It’s what the industry has been trying to match for years by using chemicals and toxic additives, with no success.

Combine this with FSC, Unifloresta, and even our own Legal Lumber certification program, and designers have a validated and comprehensive approach to biophilic design within the wood product category.

What has the reception to your product been like from architects/clients/consumers?

It has been amazing to watch the incredible reception for such a young brand that has been on the market for less than two years. Dealers all over North America are working with Black Label products every day, and we were awarded by People’s Choice at the Architizer A+Awards. On top of that, we received additional prestigious recognition, which made us the most awarded hardwood brand in our industry in 2022.

Technically, the architects and designers are astounded by the breadth of resources that are available to them to assist in specifying naturally durable hardwood products from our resource library and our availability to work through design challenges with them.

Both designers and consumers are reassured by our comprehensive environmental compliance certification programs, including FSC certification. But the real challenge remains in the continuing education about the Life Cycle Benefits of renewable wood products over non-renewable building products. We are extremely grateful to have received the Architizer A+Award and for any attention it brings to this most important environmental initiative.

How do you see the product evolving in the future?

We have just recently introduced prefabricated deck tiles into our Black Label roof deck system. And for the first time ever in our industry, they are kiln-dried, providing a resistance only similar to that of steel.

But only offering wood sometimes isn’t enough for a brand that aims to support architects and builders with everything they need to deliver world-class projects. So, we’re excited to announce the evolution of the Black Label brand into a wide range of accessories from deck and clad clips to tool kits to stains and beyond.

This evolution is how we guarantee our builders will always find the same quality standards we stand for, from the wood all the way down to the smallest screw.

To find out more about Black Label Sustainable Lumber, visit their website, and reach out to one of their experts to learn how to implement the product in your next project.

All images courtesy of Tropical Forest Products

Reference

Sustainable News

UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard to verify net-zero carbon buildings

By Zarkon Group,16/10/2022

A group of leading industry organisations including the Royal British Institute of Architects have come together to create a building standard that will verify net-zero carbon buildings in the UK.

Named the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, the initiative will help the industry to ensure and prove that buildings claiming to be net-zero hold up to that claim.

The launch, announced by the Royal British Institute of Architects (RIBA), responds to confusion over the term net-zero and “a clear demand for a single, agreed methodology”.

It is also hoped to encourage the industry to decarbonise and help the UK to meet its 2035 and 2050 emissions targets.

Standard will “help the entire industry to move forward”

“This is a really exciting and timely initiative that will help the entire industry to move forward in its efforts to reach net-zero carbon,” reflected RIBA president Simon Allford.

“Working together we will address current ambiguities around the much-used term and develop a common understanding, based on clear performance targets, to support all those involved in the procurement, design, construction and operation of buildings.”

Net-zero carbon buildings are designed to eliminate all possible emissions over a building’s lifetime. This takes into account both embodied carbon, which are emissions caused by the construction supply chain, and operational carbon, which are emissions caused by a building’s use.

Any remaining emissions must be offset by removing carbon from the atmosphere.

As the built environment is responsible for around 40 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions, net-zero carbon architecture could help the UK meet its decarbonisation targets.

The UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard will verify both new and existing buildings, and take into account both their operational and embodied carbon emissions.

The Carbon Trust among supporters

Among the industry bodies backing the initiative are RIBA, the Carbon Trust, the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) and The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE).

The Better Buildings Partnership (BBP), Building Research Establishment (BRE), London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) are also in the steering group.

“We look forward to contributing to the development of this highly impactful standard, which will be instrumental in guiding the UK real estate industry, the construction sector and the wider built environment, in the rapid and urgent transition towards net-zero,” reflected the Carbon Trust’s director Dominic Burbridge.

“Addressing the energy demand of the built environment and the associated emissions is a key driver in accelerating the move to a sustainable, decarbonised future and we are excited to be supporting such an important and pioneering initiative.”

Delivery will require “radical collaboration”

According to the RIBA, the standard will be accessible to everyone and “anyone who wants to fund, procure, design, specify, or occupy a net-zero carbon building and anyone wanting to demonstrate that their building is net zero-aligned with an industry-agreed standard”.

The steering group is now looking for support from other industry figures and stakeholders to deliver the standard.

“A UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard will be critical for asset owners and managers to evidence that their buildings are built and operating in line with climate science,” concluded Sarah Ratcliffe, the CEO of steering-group member BBP.

“An industry-wide standard will enable stakeholders including investors and occupiers to differentiate between assets that are net-zero and those that are not,” she continued. “It will take radical collaboration to deliver this project.”

Architecture is “one of the least well-represented businesses” in the UN initiative to get companies to commit to net-zero emissions by 2050, according to UN climate champion Nigel Topping.

In 2019, RIBA launched a voluntary challenge to help architects create net-zero carbon buildings. However, less than six per cent of UK studios have signed up.

The main image is of the carbon-negative Paradise office by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.

Reference

Sustainable News

Ubiquitous Energy aims to make solar windows the global standard

By Zarkon Group,16/09/2022

US company Ubiquitous Energy has invented a thin coating that turns windows into transparent solar panels, providing other ways to harvest renewable energy in buildings beyond rooftop panels.

Ubiquitous Energy describes its technology as being the only transparent photovoltaic glass coating that is “visibly indistinguishable” from traditional windows.

Any surface could become a solar panel

The company was founded in 2011 by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Michigan State University (MSU), who engineered a transparent solar panel by allowing the visible spectrum of light to pass through and only absorbing ultraviolet and near-infrared light to convert to electricity.

Standard solar panels look black because they absorb the full spectrum of light, and because of their appearance, their deployment has been typically limited to roofs, walls and large rural solar farms.

With Ubiquitous Energy’s coating, which it calls UE Power, potentially any surface can be turned into a photovoltaic panel.

Gloved hands holding a transparent solar panel — Ubiquitous Energy’s transparent solar windows (above) are installed at Michigan State University (top)

“The mission is to turn all these everyday surfaces around us into essentially renewable energy generators,” Ubiquitous Energy VP of Strategy Veeral Hardev told Dezeen.

“Windows is where we’re focused first, but beyond that, think about vehicles, transportation in general, portable consumer electronics devices, sustainable farming like greenhouses – these are all things that see sunlight to some degree,” he continued.

“Why not improve them so that they can actually generate renewable energy themselves without changing their appearance?”

Hardev said the company’s modelling shows that with broad adoption of the technology to the point that in 30 years the coating is as standard as low-emissivity (or low-E) coatings on windows are now, it could offset 10 per cent of global carbon emissions.

All components are completely transparent

The solar window works in the same way as any other solar panel. It contains cells of a semiconductor material that create an electric charge in response to sunlight.

Wiring hidden in the window frames connects it to the building’s energy management system to direct power to where it’s needed in the building or to store it in a battery.

Close-up of person in a lab holding a vial and spatchula — The coating is made using light-absorbing dyes

The innovation with Ubiquitous Energy is that all of its materials are transparent to the human eye, including the semiconducting compounds, which take the form of light-absorbing dyes.

To achieve its thinness – the coating is about one micrometre thick, or about 80 to 100 times thinner than a human hair – it is made with nanomaterials, similar to those used in display technologies.

The semiconductor layers are deposited onto glass using vacuum physical vapor deposition (PVD) – a standard coating process using in the window industry – and Ubiquitous Energy plans to license its technology to existing glass manufacturers so that they can incorporate it into their product offerings.

Transparent panels only half as efficient

Ubiquitous Energy estimates the windows would provide about 30 per cent of a building’s electricity needs, depending on factors such as geographical location, elevation and tree cover, and imagine them being used in conjunction with rooftop solar panels to reduce the building’s reliance on the electrical grid.

Because some light is allowed to pass through, the transparent solar panel is only about half as powerful as a typical rooftop solar panel of the same size. But Hardev claims their potential scale of deployment compensates for this loss of efficiency.

“A few years ago, we reported the highest-ever performance for a transparent solar device, with near 10 per cent efficiency,” said Hardev. “Although there are options that are 20 per cent efficient today, we’re making this conscious trade-off of being transparent so we can put it in places where you can’t put traditional solar panels.”

Cities would theoretically be able to produce substantial amounts of solar power locally without changing in appearance, reducing the need for land for large solar power plants.

First factory to open in 2024

Applied in other ways, the coating could be used to make mobile phones that don’t need to be recharged, more energy-efficient cars and self-powering greenhouses, Hardev says.

“We’re first starting with windows because we think that is the area that is going to have the biggest overall impact,” said Hardev, citing the statistic that nearly 40 per cent of total global energy-related CO2 emissions come from buildings.

Ubiquitous Energy has completed a number of demonstration projects, including at Michigan State University and at the Boulder Commons apartment community in Colorado.

Ubiquity Energy solar windows installed at Michigan State University — The company is working to expand the coating’s applications beyond windows

The company plans to open its first factories producing floor-to-ceiling solar windows in 2024. It also hopes to grow its partnerships, which have so far included window companies Asahi, Pilkington and Andersen.

Past aesthetic solutions to the issue of intrusive solar panels have come from designer Marjan van Aubel, who created colourful skylights reminiscent of stained glass, and Tesla, which released camouflaged Solar Roof tiles.

Architects have also been creatively integrating the technology into buildings, with designs such as BIG and Heatherwick Studio’s “dragonscale solar skin” on the roof of Google’s Bay View campus in Silicon Valley and Shigeru Ban’s sail-like moving wall of photovoltaics at La Seine Musical near Paris.

All images are courtesy of Ubiquitous Energy.

Illustration is by Berke Yazicioglu

Solar Revolution

This article is part of Dezeen’s Solar Revolution series, which explores the varied and exciting possible uses of solar energy and how humans can fully harness the incredible power of the sun.

Reference

standard

Standard Architecture refreshes interior of pink Paul Smith store in LA

Wonder Wood: Black Label Sets a New Standard for Sustainable Materials

UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard to verify net-zero carbon buildings

Ubiquitous Energy aims to make solar windows the global standard

Get in touch

about us

Company info

Useful Links

Newsletter