Combo Studio breathes new life into Casa São Victor, a historical building in Porto dating back to 1880-1881 that had lost its original charm due to ill-fated interventions that compromised its architectural integrity and spatial essence. The profit-driven alterations convert the building into collective housing, overshadowing its intrinsic character. The renovation aims to uncover the building’s original attributes preserving its heritage. Originally conceived as a single-family residence, the house features high ceilings, intricate carpentry, and a central staircase crowned by a conical skylight. The project revives the original spatial quality and comfort by subtracting any intrusive elements from the interior.
The project centers primarily on the revitalization of the building’s interior, excluding the untouched ground-floor commercial space. Spanning four floors, the dwelling’s layout unfolds connecting the various levels through the central staircase. The first floor houses the living area and kitchen, while the second floor offers a bedroom and bathroom. Ascending to the third floor reveals another bedroom and bathroom.
all images by Alexander Bogorodskiy
renovation reinterprets original architectural attributes
Originally conceived for an artist, a flexible studio-bedroom is devised on the top floor, offering versatility for combining sleeping areas with artistic pursuits. Along the entire length of the main wall, the design team installs a tripartite folding table, an adaptable centerpiece that can assume multiple configurations tailored to the workspace’s needs, discreetly folding into a wall paneling when not in use.
The restoration extends to the replacement of certain carpentry elements, such as craft baseboards and doors with their respective jambs. A restored partition wall within the water closet, unveiled during demolitions, now serves as a statement piece. In the top-floor bedroom, the removal of a false ceiling unveils the entire roof structure and a petite mansard, infusing the space with an airy expanse and natural light. Traditional materials like wood, Estremoz marble, and azulejos, along with a palette of light hues are thoughtfully chosen to visually amplify the interior’s sense of space. The aesthetic and formal features of the building’s original period act as a guide for the renovation project as elements from the past resurface, reinterpreted with a modern touch. The kitchen echoes old kitchens with grand chimneys and stone sinks, simplified for contemporary living.
in the top-floor bedroom, the removal of a false ceiling unveils the entire roof structure
the project revives the original spatial quality by subtracting any intrusive elements from the interior
the house features high ceilings, intricate carpentry, and a central staircase crowned by a conical skylight
spanning four floors, the dwelling’s layout unfolds connecting the levels through the central staircase
COS architectural creative lead Marcus Cole explains how more sustainable design principles were used in its recently opened concept stores, in this exclusive video produced by Dezeen for the brand.
The brand recently opened two stores, located in Stockholm and Mexico City, which according to COS exemplify its commitment to sustainable building and circular design. Cole talked to Dezeen about the brand’s approach when creating the new retail spaces.
“This flagship store in Stockholm is the first in Europe to adopt the most sustainable store concept from COS to date,” he said.
The Stockholm flagship store reflects the brand’s promise to lower CO2 emissions. Photograph by Åke Lindman
At 566 metres square and spread over two floors, the store, located on Biblioteksgatan, is also the brand’s largest concept store.
When creating the space, COS wanted to address their existing waste flows, finding ways in which byproducts that would traditionally be categorised as waste could be reused and repurposed.
“The design focuses on circularity in both our material selection and our design strategy,” explained Cole.
“The floor throughout our sales area is a terrazzo tile that has been made from 90 per cent quarry waste from our own suppliers’ production line. The majority of the rugs are a collaboration using waste yarn from our suppliers’ chain, each bespoke in their own way.”
“We prioritised materials that can be easily repaired, and are designed for disassembly by avoiding mixing materials that are hard to decouple later down the line,” Cole added.
The Stockholm store uses 66 per cent more recycled materials than the original store design. Photograph by Åke Lindman
The brand also took the same approach when creating the furniture and fixtures used in the store, choosing to prioritise more sustainable and recycled materials.
“Our vitrines and wardrobes are made from a combination of recycled acrylic and bamboo,” said Cole.
“Bamboo is a more renewable choice than traditional hardwoods, because of the speed at which it grows, its carbon storage capacity, and also its durability,” he continued.
“If we look to our fitting rooms and some of the softer fixtures in our stores, the panels are made from 60 per cent recycled plastic bottles that have been spun into felt, [and] the floor consists of a PVC free linoleum, which is made from a mixture of recycled and natural materials.”
Sustainable and recycled materials were prioritised during the design process. Photograph by Åke Lindman
Other changes include 30 per cent recycled aluminium rails, 100 per cent recycled mannequins and the removal of all concrete fittings.
The brand also found it important to make use of the existing building where possible to reduce unnecessary CO2 emissions and to give new life to unused materials.
“This concept store is actually a rebuild of an existing store,” Cole explained. “We were able to reallocate and reuse 50 per cent of our interior elsewhere in our portfolio, making sure we have as much emphasis on what we’re taking out of the store as what we’re putting in it as well.”
A selection of paintings and sculptures by visual artist Liselotte Watkins decorate the store interior. Photograph by Åke Lindman
Following on from the Stockholm store, the brand also unveiled another sustainable concept store in Mexico City. The store is located in the Polanco neighbourhood, and the interior references Mexico’s artisan craft traditions.
In addition to operating as a fashion store, the shop also exhibits artworks by local creators, such as Caralarga, a female-led enterprise which focuses on sustainability and female empowerment.
The Mexico City store is the first in the Americas to embrace COS’s sustainable store concept. Photograph by Fernando Marroquin
“We have very ambitious plans to bring this sustainable approach and all of our learnings from it to more stores in the future,” Cole said.
“The stores that have adopted our new concept now have an average of 68 per cent recycled materials. And this is a percentage that we’re both really proud of because of how far we’ve come, but also challenged by because of where we want to get to,” he continued.
“Whether it’s a flagship store or a smaller activation, we worked hard to embed agility into the core of our interiors so that we’re not wasteful in the future.”
COS is a London-based fashion brand. The brand has 252 stores, spanning 47 physical markets.
Partnership content
This video is produced by Dezeen for COS as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen’s partnership content here.
The Royal Institute of British Architects has revealed the six-strong shortlist for the 2023 Stirling Prize, which is dominated by projects in London.
Three of the buildings vying for the coveted award, which is given annually to the UK’s best new building, are housing projects in London by studios Apparata, Sergison Bates and Adam Khan Architects.
This is a reflection of what the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) president Muyiwa Oki said is a shortlist of community-focused and “purposeful architecture”.
A House for Artists is one of three residential projects on the shortlist
“The 2023 Stirling Prize shortlist illustrates why architecture matters to all of us,” said Oki.
“These six remarkable buildings offer thoughtful, creative responses to the really complex challenges we’re facing today. Whether it’s tackling loneliness, building communities, or preserving our heritage, these projects lay out bold blueprints for purposeful architecture.”
The residential projects on the list include A House for Artists, an affordable housing scheme by Apparata that was aimed specifically at creatives, and Lavender Hill Courtyard Housing, an infill project by Sergison Bates at a former sheet-metal workshop in Clapham.
A social housing block designed by Adam Khan Architects as part of the Central Somers Town masterplan in Camden is the third.
This project was animated by matching arch motifs, matching an adjoining children’s community centre that also forms a part of the project.
The University of Warwick Faculty of Arts is the only building on the list outside of London
Two other buildings on the list that are also in London are Courtauld Connects by Witherford Watson Mann Architects and the John Morden Centre by Mae.
Courtauld Connects is a renovated gallery at Somerset House, while the John Morden Centre is a daycare centre for a retirement community in Blackheath.
The only building on the shortlist that is not in London is the Faculty of Arts for Warwick University designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios for a site in Coventry.
This university building brings together its arts departments under one roof and is formed of interconnected pavilions that draw on the surrounding nature.
Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios won in 2008 for the Accordia housing in Cambridge, which it created alongside Alison Brooks Architects and Maccreanor Lavington, while Witherford Watson Mann Architects was named winner in 2013 for Astley Castle in Warwickshire.
Last year’s recipient of the award, which is the most significant in UK architecture, was a brick and timber library that Niall McLaughlin Architects created for the University of Cambridge.
The winner of the 2023 RIBA Stirling Prize will be revealed on 19 October at a ceremony in Manchester. It will be selected by a jury headed up by OMA partner Ellen van Loon.
Read on for edited comments from the 2023 Stirling Prize jury:
Photo by Ståle Eriksen
A House for Artists, Barking, by Apparata
“A House for Artists provides an ambitious model for affordable and sustainable housing.
“Following a six-year effort by arts organisation Create London to provide affordable accommodation for creative people, the result is a flexible live-work space for 12 artists arranged across five floors.
“In exchange for reduced rent, they deliver free creative programmes for the neighbourhood through a street-facing glass-walled community hall and outdoor exhibition space on the ground floor.
“This is a thoughtful and assured piece of architecture that has been delivered with rigour and precision.”
Find out more about A House for Artists ›
Photo by Philip Vile
Courtauld Connects, Westminster, by Witherford Watson Mann Architects
“The transformation of the Courtauld Gallery in its home at Somerset House, London is the first part of a multi-phase project that aims to open up the institution both physically and culturally.
“The three main moves that transform the gallery are the insertion of a lift, the reworking of the entrance sequence, including a beautiful new stair down to the basement visitor facilities, and relevelling and opening up the vaults below the entrance to provide a flowing, level space.
“Overall, the jury thought that this was an extremely well-judged project, which lets the spirit of the historic building lead the visitor experience, but with some 21st-century creativity to solve some of its inherent complexities.”
Photo by Jim Stephenson
John Morden Centre, Blackheath, by Mae
“Founded in 1695, Morden College is a charity dedicated to providing older people in need with a home for life, including the provision of residential and nursing care. Residents live on the Grade I-listed college site in Blackheath, which is attributed to English architect Sir Christopher Wren.
“The John Morden Centre is a daycare centre housing social and medical facilities for all residents. The brief was to bring functions from across the college, including a medical centre, cafe, lounges and administrative offices, into a single building.
“The project provides a delightful set of meandering spaces, which expertly combines recreational and more tricky medical facilities without feeling institutional.
“Such stimulating spaces are vital to conquer loneliness and isolation. It is beautifully yet robustly detailed and should be a joy to use for years to come.”
Find out more about John Morden Centre ›
Photo by Johan Dehlin
Lavender Hill Courtyard Housing, Clapham, by Sergison Bates
“Tucked away down a timber-lined passageway, barely visible at the end of a Clapham mews, Lavender Hill Courtyard sees the redevelopment of a former sheet-metal workshop into nine apartments of various sizes, arranged around a courtyard space and a timber-decked terrace on the first floor.
“The judges were impressed by the project’s success at inserting a dense development into a very constrained site. The unassuming entrance to the site opens up into the welcoming courtyard that is accessible to all units and creates a sheltered communal space and sense of privacy amongst the busy surroundings.”
Find out more about Lavender Hill Courtyard Housing ›
Photo by Hufton + Crow
University of Warwick Faculty of Arts, Coventry, by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
“The impressive new Faculty of Arts building for the University of Warwick brings together the departments and schools of the faculty under a single roof for the first time.
“The building itself is shaped by the surrounding trees that define the parkland character of the site. This is achieved through four pavilion buildings connected by a lightweight atrium and sculptural timber larch stair.
“The combination of the client’s ambitions to create a new model of working for the faculty, and the architect’s creativity in articulating this ambition through a holistic design approach, has resulted in a building that is both inviting and flexible, enabling collaboration, creativity, and innovation.”
Photo by Lewis Khan
Central Somers Town Community Facilities and Housing, Camden, by Adam Khan Architects
“Central Somers Town Community Facilities and Housing are part of a larger masterplan commissioned by the London Borough of Camden for an extensive area within the very deprived Central London neighbourhood of Somers Town, adjacent to St Pancras station.
“Adam Khan Architects was assigned Plot no.10 and asked to design and supervise the construction of a flexible community children’s facility as well as that of several housing units for social rent.
“The jury commended the Central Somers Town Community Facilities and Housing as a key community asset which is a marked improvement on the previous facility on the site.”
Find out more about Central Somers Town Community Facilities and Housing ›
Italian studio Marcante-Testa has turned an industrial building in Venice into the canal-side Ca’ Select bar, visitor centre and production facility.
Set alongside a small canal in the Cannareggio district of Venice, the bar and distillery belong to the company behind Select Aperitivo – the main ingredient of a Venetian Spritz.
Ca’ Select bar is located on a canal in Venice
“The history of Select is closely tied to that of Venice, where the brand was founded in 1920,” said Marcante-Testa.
“Starting from this awareness, the mother company Gruppo Montenegro commissioned the architects Andrea Marcante and Adelaide Testa to formulate a reinterpretation of the unique characteristics of Venetian identity, reviving one aspect of the city’s past.”
The space includes a Select Aperitivo bar
Marcante-Testa led the conversion of the former metal workshop into a bar and events space, spanning 690 square metres. Throughout the bar and production spaces, glass and ceramic details were chosen to highlight traditional Venetian crafts.
The elongated space was split linearly into three zones, with the bar placed at the front of the building so it can be accessed from the canal by a corridor clad in white and red Zellige tiles made by Mosaic Factory.
The bar is wrapped in blue wavy glass
At the centre of the space is a freestanding bar wrapped in blue wavy glass “in the Murano tradition”, created by the Wonderglass company to recall the waves of the nearby lagoon.
The space features three handmade mosaics made from tiles fired in the historic Fornace Orsoni and informed by the sketches of Spanish designer Mariano Fortuny, who was a long-term resident of Venice.
Venetian seminato terrazzo flooring with red glass and blue sodalite marble inlays was used to unify the spaces, running from the entrance through the bar to the production area.
Separated from the bar by a large curtain is a seating area furnished with steel-framed sofas alongside armchairs upholstered in reds and pinks as a nod to the aperitivo’s colour. This area will also be used as an events space.
An events space is located next to the bar
The event space has views through a red-tinted glass wall to the production facility at the rear of the building.
Here, the maceration of the herbs and spices used to make the distinctive aperitivo takes place.
The distillery is separated from the public areas by a glass wall
The final space in Select Aperitivo’s building is nestled above the entrance corridor. Accessed by steps to the side of the entrance is a small visitor centre with exhibits curated by Turin-based Studio Fludd.
It contains seating and exhibits that aim to tell the story of the aperitivo brand, which was established in 1920.
An exhibition space is located above the entrance
Select Aperitivo hopes that the bar and visitor centre will continue to reinforce the brand’s historic links to the city.
“Ca’ Select represents a fundamental step in our multi-year plan to consolidate the brand and aims to strengthen the link with the city of origin,” said Marco Ferrari, CEO of Gruppo Montenegro, which owns the brand.
“It is no coincidence that we have decided to bring the heart of Select’s production here, to enhance the local culture starting with the valuable architectural elements that enrich the space.”
The building also houses a Select Aperitivo production facility
Other recently completed bars that have been featured on Dezeen include a brewery in a former Copenhagen slaughterhouse and a bar in Calgary topped with plywood barrel vaults.
Project credits:
Architectural project: Marcante-Testa Interior design project: Marcante-Testa Project and content management: Mindthegap Studio Plants and facilities design: Pgs Ingegneria – Studio Associato Content of the exhibition design: Studio Fludd Production coordination and executive production: Epica film Visual identity project: Studio Fludd Building works director: Valter Camagna, Andrea marcante Local architect: Stefano Romagna Project manager: Roberta Minici Safety manager and coordinator: Sebastiano Cibien Building construction: Steelwood Engineering Plant engineering work: Gruppo Frassati, Vem Sistemi Set-up arrangements: Steelwood Rngineering, Gruppo Frassati, Amap, Wonderglass Light design: Marcante-Testa with Flos Decorative lighting supplier: Fortuny Technical lighting supplier: Flos System integrator: Acuson, Red Group
Architecture studio SOM has completed an office building in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighbourhood clad in black-glazed terracotta that was designed to complement the surrounding neighbourhood.
Called 28&7, the 12-storey-tall office building was designed to complement the nearby masonry-clad structures, while maintaining a modern look.
SOM has used black-glazed terracotta for an office building in Manhattan
“The scale of the building is modest in its context,” SOM design partner Chris Cooper told Dezeen.
“Our all-black design creates a distinguishing contrast within the immediate neighbourhood of masonry buildings.”
The material was chosen to contrast with and complement the surrounding masonry structures
According to the studio, it is the first example of a structure in New York that uses black terracotta. The ceramic material was given a black glaze that is then polished to create a smooth, almost reflective surface.
SOM said that the material was chosen for the way it “harmonizes” with the clear glass used for the remainder of the facade.
Referred to the building’s minimalist look as a “perfectly tailored suit”, the cladding conceals the window’s aluminium frames.
The black material is meant to change with light conditions
“The black sheen in the glazing has an elusive surface quality that changes depending on the time of day, much like the glass,” said Cooper.
“As a contemporary interpretation of a historic typology, the facade design is an honest expression of the structure, construction and use,” he continued.
“The resulting tactility of the facade feels more comfortable and inviting than the sleek counterparts all in glass.”
The lobby features wooden louvres and terrazzo
The terracotta was also chosen for its “high-performing, yet-low carbon” attributes, and Cooper noted that the material has less of a footprint than steel or additional glass. It was manufactured using a dark terracotta blend from the fabrication company Shildan in Germany.
Designed before the pandemic, the building’s smaller envelope is an attempt to create a “boutique” approach to offices. The construction marks what Cooper says is a marked shift from mega-scale developments towards smaller, more flexible building typologies for offices.
The size of the building was used to leverage what Cooper calls a “community-centred workplace”, and suggested that this smaller, more open arrangement can help attract workers back to office buildings.
Because the structural columns were integrated into the facade, the floor plates are column-free, creating clear lines of sight throughout the 90,000 square-foot (8361 square-metre) plan.
Interior materials were selected to create a “feeling of comfort and warmth”, especially in the lobby area which is clad in wood and a terrazzo tiling.
The 12-storey structure has a penthouse and open floor plans
Other buildings in New York City that incorporate unique shades of glazing for terracotta facades include a high rise in Long Island City with British racing green terracotta and a fire station in Brooklyn by Studio Gang that incorporates bright red terracotta details to mimic fire engines.
The material is even finding its way into the city’s supertall skyscrapers. SHoP Architects’ Steinway Tower, the skinniest supertall in the world, has two full faces clad in terracotta.
Danish furniture brand &Tradition has opened the doors to a four-storey showroom in Copenhagen, featuring a complete apartment and rooms designed by Jaime Hayon and Space Copenhagen.
Unveiled during 3 Days of Design in an exhibition titled Under One Roof, &Tradition‘s design team has transformed the interior of an 18th-century townhouse on 4 Kronprinsessegade.
The Apartment takes over the top floor of the townhouse
The top floor has become The Apartment, an entire home interior that is described by Els Van Hoorebeeck, creative and brand director for &Tradition, as “the cherry on the cake”.
Despite being completely kitted out in the brand’s products, it was designed to have the feel of a lived-in space rather than a showroom.
Designed by &Tradition’s in-house team, the spaces combine classic and contemporary
“When you enter, you feel this balance between colours and neutrals, between wood tones and glass or metal, and between classic and contemporary designs,” Van Hoorebeeck told Dezeen.
“There’s a lot of product in there, but you don’t notice it,” she said.
The bedroom showcases a quilted bedspread by Swedish-Danish duo All the Way to Paris
Spanish designer Hayon has created two rooms on the first floor, which give an insight into the creative process behind products he has developed for &Tradition.
The first, called Cabinet of Curiosities, features a glass display case filled with objects and drawings, revealing the forms and images that inspire Hayon’s designs.
Jaime Hayon has created a room called Cabinet of Curiosities
The second presents new works by Hayon – including the Momento vessels and a limited edition of his Formakami pendant lamp – in a scenography framed by large silhouette characters. This room is called Teatro Surreal.
“We felt it was important to show the world that his products come out of,” said Van Hoorebeeck.
Jaime Hayon’s Teatro Surreal creates a scenography for his new products
The two rooms by Danish interiors studio Space Copenhagen can be found on the second floor.
These spaces include a studio and, building on the studio’s experience in hotel and restaurant design, a dining room. Here, shades of green and brown combine with fresh herbs and plants to bring a sense of nature.
New products are peppered throughout these two rooms.
They include the Trace storage cabinets, which are filled with kitchen utensils and tableware, and the Collect rugs.
Space Copenhagen has created a dining room in shades of green and brown
Founded in 2010 by Martin Kornbek Hansen, &Tradition combines contemporary and classic design in its collections.
The brand has been based at 4 Kronprinsessegade since 2018, but the building primarily served as a headquarters, with offices located on the upper levels.
Verner Panton’s Flowerpot lamps feature in several rooms
The company has now moved its offices to another nearby location, which made it possible to open the entire townhouse up to the public for the first time during 3 Days of Design.
Other spaces revealed in Under One Roof include the Verner Panton Lounge, which is dedicated to mid-century pieces by the late Danish designer such as the 1968 Flowerpot lamps.
An archive room is filled with original drawings and vintage samples
There are also rooms designed to appeal to the senses. These include the Listening Lounge, a relaxed space filled with music, and Mnemonic, which centres around a range of scents.
Other key spaces include a “workshop” showcasing the possibilities of the modular workspace furniture, an archive filled with original drawings and vintage samples, a cafe and a shop.
A cafe and shop are located on the ground floor
Van Hoorebeeck hopes the spaces will help tell the stories behind the products.
“What we wanted to do here is to create a whole universe,” she said. “Every room is based on showing a different atmosphere between contemporary and classic designs.”
“Now the layout of the house is set and every year we’ll just adapt it,” she added.
The photography is courtesy of &Tradition.
3 Days of Design took place in venues around Copenhagen from 7 to 9 June 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for information, plus a list of other architecture and design events taking place around the world.
Architecture practice Office S&M has completed its own office inside a former paint-making workshop in Hackney, London.
With an entire wall of material samples and areas for modelling and sketching, Office S&M‘s workspace aims to act as a laboratory to support its ongoing exploration of materials “that are both practical and fun.”
Material samples are loosely placed to allow experimentation in the office
The studio, headed by architects Catrina Stewart and Hugh McEwen, frequently experiments with materials and colour.
For its own office, complementary shades such as electric blue, yellow, red and green, were combined.
The office combines bold colours
“For this workspace, we particularly used an electric blue and a bright yellow to contrast with each other and make the space larger,” McEwen told Dezeen.
“At the same time, because the workspace is south facing, we used the blue to cool the light and even out the warmth of the sun when looking at samples or drawings.”
The space has been broken into spaces for different uses
The office features a separate meeting room acoustically isolated with sheets of recycled plastic bottles.
The plastic-bottle wall also works as a point of light thanks to the bulbs it contains inside.
According to the architects, the recycled-plastic-bottle “provides excellent acoustic insulation”
“For our own office, we decided to use another common waste material, plastic bottles, but reimagined, to build a soundproofed meeting room,” said Stewart.
“The recycled plastic insulation is easy to work with, and irritation free, compared to traditional insulation.”
The studio also includes ergonomic workstations
The space was divided into areas focused on collaboration, discussion and making to reflect Office S&M’s commitment to community-led design.
“We live in east London, and do much of our work in the areas near where we live and work,” said McEwen. “This gives us really local knowledge, so we can make sure projects have the most impact and can give back to the area.”
The building is owned by Bootstrap, a charity that supports emerging businesses in Hackney
Additionally, Office S&M added plants, air purifiers and ergonomic workstations that intend to maintain the well-being of its occupants.
Other projects by the studio include a rental home for a young property developer that aims to offer a solution to London’s rental market, and the renovation of the Mo-tel House, a residence that features pale colours and bathroom counters made of discarded milk bottles and chopping boards.
Studio Wasabi Architecture and Satoshi Kawakami Architects have created a home and artist residency in Tokyo for Mexican artist Bosco Sodi, founder of the arts foundation Casa Wabi in Mexico.
Occupying a corner plot in the Sendagi district of Tokyo, Casa Nano 2.0 is a renovation of a postwar house constructed in the late 1950s.
Casa Wabi founder Bosco Sodi has unveiled a home and artist residency in Tokyo
“The house has a very simple facade system to protect the windows, a system called amado, where you can slide some metal windows and close them when there is a typhoon,” said Studio Wasabi co-founder Rafael Balboa.
The 68-square-metre home has a simple facade with a gabled roof and ridges that jut out to create small awnings.
The home renovated a post-world war two home in Tokyo
“For the exterior, we only applied one material – which is called Excell Joint – so it looks similar to the original house in order to make it more natural and coherent with the neighbourhood,” said Balboa.
Studio Wasabi worked with Satoshi Kawakami Architects to completely revamp the interiors for use as an extension of the Casa Wabi artist residency in Puerto Escondido, Mexico or as a home for founder Bosco Sodi and his wife interior designer Lucia Corredor.
The home’s original cedar beams were maintained in the redesign
After sponsoring 13 Mexican artists in the original Casa Nano at another location, Sodi needed more space and decided to move the residency into a larger space – Casa Nano 2.0.
The architecture studios worked with Sodi and Corredor to open up the space, creating an open-concept kitchen, adding furniture and moving the original staircase.
In order to open up floorplan, the architecture studio included a floating staircase
The first floor of the two-storey, cedar-framed structure is concrete, and the second storey’s floor is made of cedar.
The designers and construction company Washin Architects kept all of the old cedar beams and columns, as well as the windows from the original house to preserve the essence of the original building.
The original windows were maintained
“For us, it was also very important to be able to have blackout windows so we kept the original pocket metal windows of the facade of the old house to be able to close the windows completely,” explained Corredor.
The team had to move the original staircase to open up the ground floor, so a floating steel staircase was placed against the wall at the middle of the structure, suspended from the existing beams.
There are three living spaces on the second floor
“This house, besides being part of the art residence of Casa Wabi, was designed to fit our family needs,” said Corredor.
Storage space was another important factor in the design process, so the architecture studios created a shelf unit that hangs from the existing beams that stretch around the entire house.
A shelving system surrounds the home
On the second floor, three separate spaces were included to accommodate a family of five. The primary bedroom has a simple layout and connects to a small terrace.
A central living area has a bench with a small reading nook and the seating area was furnished with a vintage French sofa from the 1950s and an old wood table from a local flea market.
The spaces are divded by sliding panel doors
The bunk bedroom at the end of the second floor was built for the kids or as another area spot an artist in residence and has access via a ladder to a small outdoor terrace.
The three spaces are divided by Japanese paper sliding doors with overlaying glass thick enough to maintain privacy and let the light flow into the space.
Read: Five Casa Wabi pavilions include Álvaro Siza ceramics studio and Kengo Kuma chicken coop
The doors and built-in furniture as well as the ceiling of the second floor were made using Lauan wood.
Corredor used furniture from the previous residence and items that were locally sourced to furnish the home.
“We brought all the furniture we already had in the former Casa Nano,” she said.
“Like our old wood table that we found in the flea market in UENO and our beloved Noguchi lamp to give warmth and light to the space.”
The home’s exterior blends into the style of the neighbourhood
Casa Nano 2.0 will continue with its residency program, inviting four Mexican artists every year, each for a period of one month.
“Japan has been life-changing for the artists that have been already,” Sodi said.
“As it was for me when I was invited to an art residence in Tokyo almost 20 years ago.”
Casa Wabi’s headquarters in Puerto Escondido was designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando and features yearly pavilions by international architects including a red brick chimney by Mexico City-based architect Alberto Kalach and a ceramics workshop by Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza.
Architecture studio BIG has completed six curved housing blocks that combine to form a spiral shape at the Sneglehusene development near Aarhus, Denmark.
Containing 93 homes, the Sneglehusene housing for developer Taekker Group forms part of the Nye neighbourhood to the north of Aarhus and was created using a modular system developed by BIG and contractor CJ Group.
BIG has unveiled the spiral-shaped Sneglehusene housing development in Aarhus
The six curved blocks, which vary from one to four stories, spiral out from a central park designed by BIG Landscape surrounding a small pond.
The overall design for Sneglehusene, which translates as the snail houses in reference to the developments’ spiral form, was based on the Dortheavej Residence housing that BIG and CJ Group previously created in Copenhagen.
Sneglehusene was made using modular construction methods
“As an architect, one typically only gets to build a house once,” said BIG partner Finn Noerkjaer. “With the Sneglehusene, we were given the opportunity to evolve our housing concept from an earlier project, while also developing the buildings’ own identity.”
“Our modular concept has made it possible for us to maintain simplicity in the execution despite the construction’s complexity, and we have been allowed to improve the concept with all our experience,” he continued.
The blocks step down to create terraces
The development has a similar aesthetic to the Copenhagen housing, with the blocks broken up to create a “porous wall”.
As at Dortheavej Residence, a distinctive checked pattern was created by stacking two modular structures with the indented modules having 3.5-metre high ceilings and the protruding ones 2.5-metre high ceilings.
A series of balconies were placed within the indented spaces, while the blocks step down at the ends to create larger outdoor terraces.
The development contains townhouses, multi-bedroom apartments and studios that range in scale from 50 square metres to 150 square metres.
The concrete structure is exposed in the ceilings
The building’s concrete structure was clad with timber boards on its facades to express the modular pattern, while it was exposed in the apartment’s ceilings.
All of the homes are dual-aspect with windows facing inward and outward, while the studio aimed to open up interior spaces with minimal internal walls.
The apartments are all dual aspect
Founded by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels in 2005, BIG is one of the world’s best-known architecture studios. It has recently completed a cantilevering housing block over IJ lake in Amsterdam and is developing BIG and Samoo unveil design for a “flood-proof” floating city Oceanix Busan.
Ingels is also the co-founder of a housing startup named Nabr that intends to revolutionise the sector. “Architects or designers are, in a way, the last ones to get involved [in housing] so it becomes very hard to be part of a more fundamental transformation of the industry,” Ingels told Dezeen in an exclusive interview.
“This is basically an attempt to apply design, not just to the final product, but to the entire process that delivers our homes.”
Architect: BIG Client: Tækker Group Collaborators: Mads Gjesing, Cj Group, Spangenberg & Madsen, COWI Partners-in-charge: Bjarke Ingels, Finn Nørkjær, David Zahle Project manager: Joos Jerne Design lead: Nanna Gyldholm Møller, Høgni Laksafoss BIG Landscape: Alexa Haraga, Anders Fønss, Camille Inès Sophie Breuil, Giulia Genovese, Lasse Ryberg Hansen, Ulla Hornsyld BIG Engineering: Andrea Hektor, Andreas Bak, Andrew Robert Coward, Bjarke Koch-Ørvad, Cecilie Søs Brandt-Olsen, Duncan Horswill, Ewa Zapiec, Ivaylo Ignatov, Jesper Kanstrup Petersen, Jonathan Otis Navntoft Russell, Kaoan Hengles De Lima, Kristoffer Negendahl, Mikki Seidenschnur, Peter Andres Ehvert, Timo Harboe Nielsen, Tristan Robert Harvey Team: Norbert Nadudvari, Wiktor Kacprzak, Axelle Bosman, Liliane Wenner, Christine Mulvad, Joanna Jakubowska, Johanna Schneider, Richard Garth Howis, Xinying Zhang, Mikkel M. R. Stubgaard, Katarina Mácková, Sean Edmund Deering, Søren Aagaard, Pawel Bussold, Mantas Povilaika, Espen Vik, Lucian Tofan, Jesper Bo Jensen
London-based toothbrush company Suri has created Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush, an electric toothbrush with an aluminium body and brush heads made from plant-based materials that can be recycled after use.
Suri founders Mark Rushmore and Gyve Safavi designed the Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush after learning that nearly every plastic toothbrush ever owned still exists in the world. They believe it could replace plastic toothbrushes – four million of which they say are disposed of each year around the world.
Suri has released an electric toothbrush that has a recyclable head
“Over the last few decades, electric brushes haven’t meaningfully changed; only novelty features, such as Bluetooth-enabled apps, have emerged on the market under the guise of innovation,” Rushmore told Dezeen.
“While most are bulky composites of plastic that can’t be recycled because they’re welded shut, it’s no surprise that every year over four billion brushes – including electric ones – are thrown away and end up either in landfill or in our oceans,” he added.
“We wanted to create a brush that champions design, performance and sustainability without compromise.”
The bristles are made from corn starch and castor oil
The Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush heads, which come with medium to soft bristles are made from corn starch and castor oil.
Traditional toothbrushes usually have bristles made from nylon, which end up as landfill waste or marine waste for decades.
By contrast, Suri claims that they are 100 per cent recyclable. Users can send their used brush heads back to the brand in the post in compostable paper bags provided by the company.
The toothbrush body is made from aluminium
By using a pre-paid compostable return service, Suri hopes to make the process of changing heads as easy as possible and discourage its customers from switching back to disposable brushes out of convenience.
The company recommends changing the brush head every three to four months as you would traditional electronic toothbrush heads.
It comes in three muted colours
Alternatively, the brush heads can be recycled at home by removing the bristles and disposing of them in a home waste bin where the brand says they will eventually break down in a couple of years.
According to the toothbrush manual, the metal clips that connect the bristles to the head and the inner core of the head can also be recycled at home in the same way as aluminium foil. The remaining cornstarch shell can be sent to a local industrial composter.
Meanwhile, the aluminium body can be sent back to Suri to be repaired or have its rechargeable Li-ion batteries replaced once they run out. The batteries are designed to last for up to 30 days without being charged.
“Once a customer’s battery dies, they can send back the brush to us to replace the battery or complete any other repairs, if necessary,” Safavi explained.
“Whilst we’re refurbishing the brush, we will send that customer a replacement brush so they can still brush their teeth.”
Users can send the body back to the company to be repaired
Despite Suri’s sustainability claims, the brand sources the materials and manufactures its toothbrushes in China. As a result, the product’s carbon footprint is much larger than it would be if the product was manufactured locally.
“All components are sourced in China but we found that we could reduce our scope three emissions by not shipping parts to the region to assemble and then ship on once again,” Rushmore said.
“We are looking to make production more local, but this was the most optimal way to launch with sustainability in mind.”
Cutting down on virgin plastic in toiletries is one way that designers are trying to make their products more sustainable.
New York toiletries company By Humankind created refillable deodorants and dehydrated mouthwash that come in paper pods made of biodegradable paper while design studio Visibility developed a re-fillable container for plant-based deodorant brand Myro that uses 50 per cent less plastic than a regular disposable toiletry.
Suri’s Sonic Toothbrush has been shortlisted in the product design category of the Dezeen Awards. Other products shortlisted for design awards include Tenuto 2, a wearable vibrator by MysteryVibe that is designed for those who experience erectile dysfunction.
