Workshop Archives

Sculptures crafted from recycled BMW airbags and oak railway sleepers feature in artist Frederik Molenschot’s Atlas 2000 exhibition, which is on display at Carpenters Workshop Gallery in Paris.

Marking the Dutch artist’s first solo exhibition, Atlas 2000 features hand-sculpted works that are directly influenced by natural landscapes, Molenschot said.

The show’s title refers to the visual diary the artist has created since his studies at Design Academy Eindhoven in 2000.

Spread across the minimalist ground floor at the Paris branch of Carpenters Workshop Gallery, the sculptures were crafted from various materials and range from functional to abstract.

Buoy Airbag is an amorphous, pale blue-hued hanging sculpture created from recycled airbags sourced from BMW vehicles.

Sculptures at Carpenters Workshop Gallery — Frederik Molenschot’s debut solo show is on display at Carpenters Workshop Gallery

“The piece delves into the intricate connection between cargo transport and climate change, with recycled airbags symbolising a melting arctic ice rock floating in the sea,” the artist told Dezeen.

“I want to explore how luxury materials are used and how they become what they are,” he added. “[So] I processed the used airbags in a ‘couture’ way, to get a very high-quality finish.”

Molenschot also designed Gingerblimp, a bulbous bronze LED light sculpture characterised by a silver patina and a gold-brushed interior.

The artist explained that the sculpture is a playful take on ginger root from the natural world and also nods to the manmade blimps that form part of New York City’s annual Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Furniture made from recycled oak — Recycled oak railway sleepers were salvaged to create furniture

Recycled oak railway sleepers were salvaged to create a chunky dining table and chair, which were named Bridge Beat to “pay homage to the captivating structure of bridges”.

Also part of this series is a black bronze desk and chairs formed from gridded lines arranged in triangular formations.

“Each material was selected purposefully, offering unique properties and textures that complement the conceptual aspects of the artworks,” explained Molenschot.

“Every piece is hand-sculpted in our studio.”

Oversized clothing and bronze furniture by Frederik Molenschot — Molenschot also created oversized clothing

According to Molenschot, the pieces’ forms vary as much as their material palettes. In one corner of the gallery, a bobbly bronze glove was positioned underneath a branch-shaped textured lamp while oversized clothing also features in the exhibition.

“This solo show holds a special place in my heart, as it represents my entire artistic journey since my time at the Academy,” reflected Molenschot.

“It’s an invitation to explore my vision of our world. My ‘atlas’ is a compendium of research, pictures, designs, and sketches that have shaped me as an artist.”

Sculptures in Carpenters Workshop Gallery — The exhibition runs until mid-September

Known for his large-scale bronze sculptures, Molenschot has been represented by Carpenters Workshop Gallery since 2008. The galley, which also has locations in London and the US, previously exhibited an all-denim furniture show by designer Harry Nuriev.

The late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld also debuted his first sculpture exhibition at the Paris branch.

Atlas 2000 is on display at Carpenters Workshop Gallery from 1 June to 16 September 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

Reference

Architecture

lina ghotmeh brings sweeping arches to new hermès workshop

By Zarkon Group,08/05/2023

hermès maroquinerie de louvriers by lina ghotmeh

On April 7, 2023, Hermès inaugurated a new Maroquinerie, a high-performance, and low-carbon, brick-clad building in Louviers, France. Completed by French-Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh, the 6,200 sqm leather workshop occupies a second site in Hermès’ Normandy hub, perpetuating the house’s artisanal and human culture, as well as its ecological ambitions. The workshop will welcome 260 artisans trained at the Louviers École Hermès des savoir-faire, its apprenticeship training center (CFA) accredited by the French Education Department, which delivers the CAP vocational diploma in leatherworking. This manufacture also includes a saddlery workshop to support the dynamic equestrian métier, historically at 24 rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré, Paris.

image © Iwan Baan | all courtesy Hermès and Lina Ghotmeh — Architecture

the first industrial building to earn the french e4c2 label

Drawing on her unique approach, rooted in what she calls ‘the archaeology of the future,’ Lina Ghotmeh (see more here) focused her quest on the architecture of the space and how it enhances and preserves its site, in line with the house’s values. The Hermès workshop is thus a true technical achievement serving the brand’s environmental goals: it is, to date, the first industrial building to have earned the French E4C2 label. This label assesses the performance of a new facility according to two criteria: energy (E) and carbon (C). Level E4, the highest level, means that the Louviers leather goods workshop is a positive energy building. Level C2, also the highest, denotes the most efficient operation for carbon footprint reduction.

‘The wooden-framed building was constructed on an industrial brownfield site using more than 500,000 bricks, produced 70 kilometers from Louviers to minimize the impact of construction while showcasing the know-how of Normandy’s brick-makers. As the main material used, the brick attests to the local embedding of the project in its environment and offers a palette of red and violet tones that vary according to daylight and the time of the year,’ writes the architectural practice.

a brick-clad, low-carbon, environmental workshop | image © Iwan Baan

preserving and celebrating the local site

Indeed, the building’s location takes full advantage of natural light and ventilation to limit the need for artificial lighting, heating, and air conditioning. These needs are met by geothermal energy (with 13 probes at a depth of 150 meters) and more than 2,300 sqm of solar panels, which combine to ensure energy autonomy. Using the soil excavated from the site and the expertise of the Belgian landscape architect Erik Dhont, three hectares of undulating gardens have been created, retaining most of the site’s original trees. Designed to preserve local biodiversity, these gardens are equipped with a system for recovering and directing rainwater into the water table.

‘From its construction to its day-to-day operation, everything has been designed to ensure that the building embraces, extends, and complements its natural environment. This ‘archaeology of the future’ approach also permeates its appearance: echoing the motifs dear to Hermès, the square shape of the workshop is reminiscent of the house’s silk carré, while its graceful arches evoke the trajectory of a jumping horse. This innovative and timeless form, thought of from the smallest scale of the brick and as a new layer in the landscape, also recalls the gestures of artisans, the precision of the hand, and the constant pursuit of excellence and beauty in their leather work. The gardens’ gentle undulations recall the arches of a building that blends into its landscape, down to the materials used to construct it,’ concludes Ghotmeh.

image © Iwan Baan

Last but not least, in this precise and harmonious setting, the artist Emmanuel Saulnier was invited to design a piece of art for the ‘village square’, the workshop’s courtyard and meeting place. Inspired by ‘The Epsom Derby’, a painting by Théodore Géricault from 1821, the work consists of seven stainless steel needles suspended by leather stirrup straps custom-made by the house’s bridle-makers. These horizontal lines evoke the movement of horses beneath a light-filled stormy sky and connect it to the artisanal gesture of the expert hand.

image © Iwan Baan

art installation by Emmanuel Saulnier | image © Iwan Baan

image © Iwan Baan

inside the leather workshop | image © Iwan Baan

Reference

Architecture

Workshop Architects renovates and expands purple Mérida home

By Zarkon Group,04/05/2023

Local architecture studio Workshop Architects has renovated a Spanish colonial house in Mérida, Mexico, and added two concrete buildings in its garden.

Named Casa Pulpo, the 235-square-metre residential project is characterised by lilac-hued exterior walls and traditional pasta floor mosaic tiling in the interiors.

“The traditional architecture of Mérida uses pasta tile for the floors, and usually, each room has a different pattern,” said Workshop Architects co-founder Francisco Bernés.

“That is why in this project, every room has a unique design on the floors and a similar tone colour for the base of the walls.”

Front exterior of the existing house at Casa Pulpo by Workshop Architects — The studio renovated the existing Spanish colonial house

The studio renovated the existing house, preserving the high ceilings and exposed white metal beams with wooden joists in the bedroom and living room at the front of the property.

An archway in the living room leads to the kitchen, which features a wood and white quartz island and a corner breakfast area to add a sense of cosiness.

A one-storey purple building with glass sliding doors revealing a dining room and swimming pool beyond — Glass sliding doors in the central building connect the living space and swimming pool

Each space in the house features a different colour applied to the pasta floor tiles and painted on the lower sections of the walls.

Workshop Architects united the rooms by using a neutral colour on the upper part of the walls and adding white border tiles on the perimeter of the floors.

Interior of a living room with mosaic floor tiles, exposed ceiling joists and a blue sofa — Traditional Mexican pasta tiles decorate the floors

Large sliding glass doors connect the kitchen and outdoor space, letting natural light and ventilation into the interior.

A breakfast nook was also added to generate a “warm and cosy feeling”.

The studio added two separate concrete buildings to the site, using door proportions and wall heights and thickness that reference the original house.

One of the buildings is a one-storey structure in the middle of the site, accommodating a bedroom and dining and TV room with glass sliding doors open out to a swimming pool.

“This area, being independent of the rest of the house, allows, through the use of two sliding glass doors, to have visuals that flow towards the gardens and towards the pool area, giving the sensation of spaciousness and freshness,” said Workshop Architects.

Exterior of a purple two-storey building with an arch entryway and swimming pool — Workshop Architects added an arched entryway to the building at the rear of the property

At the end of the garden is a two-storey structure containing a bedroom and ensuite on the ground floor, accessed by an arched entryway. An outdoor staircase leads to an additional bedroom and ensuite above.

“The third and last nucleus of the house has a more modern and purposeful volumetry with respect to the previous two, which are presented in a more conservative way,” said Workshop Architects.

Purple rectangular one-storey building with a swimming pool and palm trees — Chukum was used for the swimming pool walls

Adjacent to the two-storey structure is a small terrace with a bajareque wooden roof that filters natural light and “projects an extraordinary play of light and shadow on the walls and floors”.

The swimming pool walls were made from the material chukum, which is created by boiling chukum tree bark and mixing it with concrete.

Interior of a kitchen with mosaic floor tiles, a corner breakfast area and archway leading to a living room — Different colours were used on the lower parts of the walls in each room

“Casa Pulpo seeks to create perfect atmospheres for the full enjoyment of each of its spaces through the use of different materials and textures throughout the property,” said Workshop Architects.

In 2020, the studio transformed a colonial house in Mérida into an art centre and workshop for the city’s annual festival of lights.

The photography is by Tamara Uribe.

Reference

workshop architects fuses yucatecan + modernist elements in eclectic mexican home-studio

Architecture

workshop architects fuses yucatecan + modernist elements in mexican home-studio

By Zarkon Group,08/10/2022

workshop architects melds traditional + modern design

In a historic neighborhood in the Mexican city of Mérida, Workshop Architects’ ‘Studiolo’ is a traditional yet eclectic home-studio which fuses juxtaposing elements of Yucatecan colonial architecture and 20^th-century Italian modernism. A celebration of vibrancy, risk-taking, and iconic design elements, the space serves as a residence and studio for Mexican artists David Serrano and Robert Willson, and perfectly encapsulates both their personal and professional personalities. The loft-style interior is characterized by a simplistic spatiality, enlivened by iconic furnishings and decor including an LC1 Le Corbusier armchair, and vibrant statement elements such as a bright orange bathroom ‘cubicle’ which doubles as a canvas.

all images courtesy of Workshop Architects

an eclectic home-studio in historic Mérida

The space is modeled after the traditional Italian ‘studiolo’ which during the Renaissance era served as a lavishly decorated palace chamber where owners could retire to read, study and write in privacy. Similarly, Workshop Architects’ ‘Studiolo’ provides its residing artist duo with a place to not only live, relax and socialize, but also to work on their pieces and meet with collectors, gallery owners, and colleagues. Beyond the minimalist, pristine white façade inspired by Italian architect Gio Ponti, the loft-style interior conjures a vibrant and idiosyncratic fusion of historical Yucatecan colonial elements with modernist aesthetics which reflect the duo’s practise with 20^th-century pieces in their LA Gallery ‘Downtown’.

In a vibrant and eclectic display, the architects utilize traditional materials in contemporary ways. Along the floor, Yucatecan pasta tile rugs are reinterpreted and randomly ‘thrown’ as if they were fabric rugs, rather than precisely fitted into the space. Different shades of chukum coat the interior walls, their velvety textures and natural tones exuding a sense of dynamism and depth through the space. The windows are made with black ironwork and transparent glass alluding to functionalist architecture and connecting the interior spaces to the gardens, generating cross ventilation.

the loft-style interior is characterized by a simplistic spatiality

infusing iconic modernist design elements from the 20th-century

Workshop Architects enlivens the simplistic spatiality with bold sparks of color and iconic design elements. On the open plan ground floor living area, furnishings include a Jean Prouvé style table in the work area, an LC1 chair by Le Corbusier and a Verner Panton lamp in the living room, vintage pieces from the 1940s by Woodard in the dining room, and SMEG appliances and a lamp by Wilhelm Wagenfeld in the kitchen. Floating in space, an orange glass cube emerges as an unexpected element, doubling as a half bathroom and a canvas for drawing and experimenting.

In the monochromatic rear garden, a statement pink Roly Poly chair by Faye Toogood sits beside a black pool that recalls the architecture of Mies van der Rohe. A subtle yet sculptural staircase elegantly winds to unite the communal ground floor space with the private bedroom upstairs. The bed floats in the center of the space beside a Gio Ponti lamp, angled to overlook the patio and terrace. The space also includes a wet room, walk in closet and laundry room.

Yucatecan pasta tile rugs are reinterpreted and randomly ‘thrown’ as if they were fabric rugs

Reference

Workshop

Frederik Molenschot presents sculptures at Carpenters Workshop Gallery

lina ghotmeh brings sweeping arches to new hermès workshop

hermès maroquinerie de louvriers by lina ghotmeh

the first industrial building to earn the french e4c2 label

preserving and celebrating the local site

Workshop Architects renovates and expands purple Mérida home

workshop architects fuses yucatecan + modernist elements in mexican home-studio

workshop architects melds traditional + modern design

an eclectic home-studio in historic Mérida

infusing iconic modernist design elements from the 20th-century

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