Architecture Homes Primary Slider Yin and Yang Balance by Clare Ryan 28 February A compact 234m2 site in the inner-city suburb of Maylands, Perth, was a design dream for architect Orlando Catenacci of X-space Architects. “Architecturally, working on the home was fun and quite possibly one of the most enjoyable projects I’ve worked on to date,” he explains. “The site itself presented some obvious challenges as it was small, an odd shape and sloped aggressively, but I was able to use these site challenges to my advantage and spark some unique design decisions.” As the owner/architect and builder of the home, Orlando set out to create a spacious home that would embrace the quirks of the angular block, while also packing a punch to the streetscape. “I wanted the home to feel alive and fresh, whilst still having a sense of opulence,” he says. The contrasting dark and light levels place emphasis on the materials and geometric angles of the home. The white upper level gracefully floats over the chocolate brickwork on the lower level, while the eye-catching cantilevering feature evokes a sense of luxury. “The upper level of the home was designed to have a hotel inspired, penthouse vibe,” says Orlando. “The large cantilevering overhanging elements also created some interesting protected spaces below.” The home sits harmoniously in its parkland and waterway surrounds, taking advantage of the natural and built-up views views. The upper level holds the main living and entertaining areas, with windows strategically placed to capture the Perth skyline and change of seasons. One of Orlando’s stand out features is a window carefully positioned to frame the Perth city. Externally, all the windows on the upper level are celebrated through an extruded steel box. Having not only executed the design of the home, Orlando committed to also building the home as an owner–builder, overseeing every fine detail from start to finish. “This was another challenge I set myself, which was very much a trial run to see if I had what it takes to go onto become a registered builder someday,” he says. “Dealing with tradesman as a builder as opposed to being an architect, was certainly a different experience and I now have an increased amount of respect for builders and what they endure daily.” X-space Architects Xspacearchitects.com Photography by Dion Robeson Dissection Information Smeg appliances Masson Triangle pendant in dining room Masson Roman pendant in kitchen Sofa from Nick Scali Dining chairs from District Rug from West Elm David Moreland Framed chair from District. We think you might also like State Of Kin: Encouraging Perth’s appetite for incredible designabc Design Hunters People Eleena Jamil And The Art Of The Architectural Intervention by Kirsty Sier 28 February In a quiet square in one of the oldest parts of the city of Kuala Lumpur sits a small bamboo pavilion. The pavilion, designed by Eleena Jamil Architects for UNHabitat, is an unassuming yet affecting place. Composed of bamboo ring walls with coloured, writeable panels, the little structure greets passers-by with an invitation to contribute their pledges and ideas for a better, more sustainable city. This humble project is symptomatic of Eleena Jamil’s broader body of work; an œuvre that is riddled with well-considered architectural interventions whose small scale often belies something more deeply felt. Or, in her own words: “I think small things can make a huge impact to a place if well-designed. I like the idea of a small intervention charging the spaces around it with connective possibilities, allowing others to see the potential and do something. This is what we try to do with our projects.” Having grown up in a family that was involved in the construction business, Eleena says architecture was always something that “made sense” to her. At age 18, she left home to pursue studies in the United Kingdom, taking up a construction course at Brighton College of Technology before moving onto an architectural degree at Cardiff University’s Welsh School of Architecture. In 2005, this academic groundwork culminated in the creation of her own eponymous practice, Eleena Jamil Architects (EJA). Although EJA has experienced no shortage of accolades during the near 17 years in practice, Eleena made a conscious decision to avoid the pitfalls that often accompany such growth. EJA might have matured from an at-home operation to a fully-fledged business occupying commercial space, but it still behaves like a small firm, driven by passion projects and underscored with ethics. “Being small and selective allows us to focus on projects that really appeal to us, and this leads to a portfolio comprising what I feel to be interesting projects,” says Eleena. “It is such a huge privilege to have the freedom to work on projects that I am passionate about. For every project – large or small – my team and I spend a lot of time developing ideas until we are truly happy with the result. We hope that each work that we produce is not only socially responsible and sustainable, but also a delight to use and experience.” It is not only the size of Eleena’s “architectural interventions” that distinguishes them; it is also in their considered and often idiosyncratic forms and materiality. At a time when Kuala Lumpur – and Malaysia more broadly – is looking to soaring glass towers as a symbol of its development, Eleena sees the virtue in a kind of architecture more deeply rooted in place and demonstrative of local materials. “I’m always looking for patterns that surround me, whether tangible or intangible,” says Eleena. “Often, my work is inspired by patterns seen in cultural artefacts, or patterns of movement and habit (i.e. how a space is used). Patterns that arise from responses to local climate are particularly interesting to me. I believe that understanding these patterns is important in connecting a building to place. “For instance, we use bamboo in a lot of our projects. It’s a wonderful building material – cheap, strong, sustainable, and very light. We also love local timber, but it is used in the way that all precious things should be used: sparingly and with consideration.” Until now, this locally driven philosophy has kept Eleena’s practice largely in place. But this doesn’t mean her style isn’t transferable. In the future, Eleena says, she would like to take her work more often outside of Malaysia. She sees international projects as “an opportunity to create interesting spaces and forms that respond to different local cultures and climates”. This desire to impact through architecture manifests itself in many different ways outside of architecture itself. In 2018, Eleena plans on carving out some time to conduct research on social housing, and to take up architectural photography. Over the coming months, she’ll also be lending her expertise to Indesign Media as a judge for the second ever INDE.Awards, to be held in Singapore this June with an Australian live-streaming event. “The idea of an awards program focused on the Asia-Pacific region – where the economies, cultures and concerns are so diverse – is exciting,” she says. “It’s a dynamic part of the world that is changing rapidly in architectural and design terms and I very much look forward to seeing the best this region has to offer.” Eleena Jamil Architects ej-architect.com Portrait by DD Hoe We think you might also like In Conversation With... Deyan Sujicabc Architecture Around The World Places Community Dining With Seafront Views by Joanna Kawecki 27 February With breathtaking seafront views and an underlying need for a local community space, Case-Real architects have created a restaurant and public kitchen on the little-known island of Teshima, located in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea in Kagawa Prefecture. Situated some distance from the main road and sitting directly on the oceanfront, it is hard to distinguish the restaurant from its grey, shed-like appearance. From roadside, it appears as a regular shed, however upon entering inside the restaurant it becomes clear that the main facade is in fact a sea-facing terrace and dining area. Designed by Koichi Futatusmata and Yasushi Arikawa of Fukuoka-based Case-Real, the structure sits on 471 metres-squared of a total 1685 metres-squared site area and includes a kitchen, restaurant and public kitchen open for community use. The initial client brief included a request to take the breathtaking ocean view into consideration in the architecture, including a request for “light architecture”, utilising steel as a more transparent component in the design. The one-story steel frame structure is comprised of two interconnected spaces parallel to one another, both with with double-arched roofs. Case-Real architects explain, “The terrace portion of the roof uses an opaque white wave plate with a permeability that conjures a feeling of openness, and natural sunlight pouring through the roofs of both arches creates differing atmospheres in the indoor and outdoor spaces.” Inspired by the region’s history of rice and dairy farming – now mostly obsolete, yet in small part maintained by volunteers – the architects have used a unique opportunity to connect the local community and its temporary visitors to share a communal dining space together. The restaurant was built on the little-known Teshima Island with a main objective to provide “both the local islanders and the visitors [opportunity to] gather and enjoy local foods”. Intended as a local gathering area, Koichi says: “When people use the public kitchen, we can use the terrace and the public kitchen continuously by opening the holding door of the public kitchen. We can use this kitchen when the local islanders gather and make something and when the guest chef serves the meals to them and visitors.” Constructed over a period of one year, the architects enlisted structural engineer Hirofumi Ohno to create the custom welding for the steel curvature roofing. “For the structures and each of the furniture and frames’ finishings, we used a hot-dip galvanizing technique to protect against slot damage.” Whilst the design doesn’t consider Japan’s typhoon season in the region, the solid earthy red concrete foundation was built slightly raised to protect against potential flooding. With seafront views directly facing the Seto Inland Sea, the restaurants unobtrusive design balances the transparency of the structure to compliment the site’s incomparable views. Case-Real casereal.com/en abc Homes Architecture ARC - Feature Labour Of Love: A Melbourne Renovation Kept Close To Home by Alice Griffin 26 February There’s something about being close to a project that clouds our judgement or at the very least, raises the stakes. Renovating a stately Melbourne home and creating an open-plan extension that is both complementary to the building’s 150 year-old history and enjoys modern functionality would pose a challenge for any designer. For Dina Malathounis of architectural practice Junctions90, it was even more difficult – she was the homeowner as well. As is expected when an architect-slash-homeowner takes the reins, the bar was set high for the renovation. The home was to enable the busy family of four to live, work and function as a unit, and cater to the couple’s ageing parents who would inhabit the space’s second floor addition. A comfortable 21st-century home was key, but it had to be sustainable and respect the landscape and existing architecture as well. As both Dina and her husband work full-time, it was important that the home be low maintenance and hard-wearing. With many objectives at play, Dina looked to one of the founding fathers of modernism to inform her vision. “The home was inspired by Mies van der Rohe’s long-standing architectural principles of extreme clarity and simplicity,” tells Dina. Similarly, reductionist thinking echoes throughout the home. Concrete, steel and glass are the primary materials while a simple palette of walnut, white and black meet the brief of timeless and minimal interiors. The home goes to great lengths to achieve the simplicity trumpeted by the German-American architect. For an aesthetic free of ornament, audio conduits, curtain tracks, glazing and pivot door requirements were all recessed into the concrete slab of the extension before it was poured. Conscious of the building’s heritage, a delicate dance between restoring the old and embracing the new abounds in the home, with stunning results. The Hawthorn brick façade in the heritage home – uncovered and brought back to life during the project – become a backdrop in the extension, adding texture and warmth to the modern rooms. The second floor’s steel mirror cladding was chosen for its now you see it, now you don’t appeal, its reflections merging the new build with the natural surrounds. “The new should be ideal 21st-century living but [should also be] almost invisible on the site,” explains Dina. While the design may retain a sympathetic outlook to its foundations, Dina’s home is far from traditional – just take the bedroom in the upstairs apartment. The multipurpose space throws out the rulebook entirely, its glazed glass walls evading the stuffy boxed-in feel that usually hinders small rooms. A glamorous yet relaxed space, the open-plan library, kitchen and sunken lounge is the heart of the home. Here, the family eat, relax and share stories. It is the ultimate gathering place, just as Dina planned. Junctions90 junctions90.com.au Photography by Christine Francis Dissection Information Custom-made Italian cowhide leather lounge in living room Original Le Corbusier lounge in living room Custom-made Ironbark dining table Bathtub from Apaiser Ceiling track lights by Bocci in dining area We think you might also like Darling Point Penthouse by Arent&Pykeabc Design Products Habitus Favourites - Slider Lighting Five Of The Best: Cafe Lighting Design by Sophia Watson 23 February The Asia Pac region is pioneering some mega cool new directions in the hospitality space – and the international design community is noticing. Imaginative and intelligent lighting concepts play a huge role in this reputation, where our designers are creating instantly iconic alternatives to the standard humdrum downlights and oh-so-over-it Edison bulbs. Instead, we are a region of inventors! Creative geniuses and radical thinkers taking the hospitality typology to new and unexpected places. Here, Habitus celebrates five Asia Pacific cafes (and the designers who created them) that showcase our collective talent in producing the world’s best cafe lighting design... No.19 Ascot Vale by Biasol Tribute design is a dicey game, kids. All it takes is a client brief that mentions “New York Deco” and suddenly you’re replicating the Chrysler building. There is a fine line between modernising a traditional design archetype and flat-out copy-pasting it. In their recent effort for hospitality space No.19, local Melbourne studio Biasol have successfully produced a nostalgic design without completely ripping off the original. Having already designed one café for clients Domenic and Diana Caruso, the duo asked the studio to find them a property for their second venture. Australia has a rich and diverse immigration history, where cultures from all over the world came seeking opportunity. This has impacted our design heritage immensely, where immigrants from Mediterranean areas of Europe in particular – such as Italy and Greece – meant that they brought with them their own aesthetic traditions that quickly became blended with a kind of Australi-ana twist. “Our concept was inspired by the Greek delicatessens that flourished around Melbourne in the 1950s,” Team Biasol notes. “Materially, concrete surfaces – the counter, walls and floor – give the space a warmth and sophistication.” Though certainly inspired by vintage Greek-Australian eateries, Biasol worked to inject elements of nostalgia into the space while still producing a more modern, refined space in line with current hospitality culture. “Its 4.5-metre-high ceilings and skylights allow daylight to flood the space throughout the day,” says Jean-Pierre Biasol, “while the rectangular layout offered a variety of possible layouts. We chose to combine pale concrete surfaces with warmer elements such as brass and wood. The concrete service counter, is definitely the heart of the space, accented with the hand-painted teal tiles, which were sourced from Morocco to add a level of Mediterranean authenticity.” “Brass lamps sit atop of the counter, with a footrest in the same material snaking around its base. The golden material is used again for a sink set into the concrete surface, where customers can serve themselves water.” “We took an integrated approach to this project, to make sure the architecture, interiors, branding and products worked well together, and produced a cohesive and memorable dining experience,” added the team. Photography by Ari Hatzis [gallery size="medium" ids="71355,71356,71358"] Flaggerdoot Bar & Doot Doot Doot Restaurant at the Jackalope Hotel by Carr Design The demand for ‘transformative experiences’ in the luxury travel market requires the ability to transport and excite. They need to communicate, mesmerise, delight and surprise guests, whether they are a first-time punter or a seasoned traveller. These environments not only need to tell a story – but invite you to actively participate in that story, too. In one of the most daring and avant-garde moves in the hotel industry to date, the Carr-designed Jackalope Hotel on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula wine region provides an otherworldly experience rich with narrative and imagination. But how exactly has Carr built-in this ability to offer guests a ‘transformative experience’? From head to toe, the project is guided by the theme of ‘alchemy’ – a nod to its 18th century heritage as a working vineyard. Nowhere is this technique more prevalent than the awe-inspiring lighting concepts in the hotel’s bar & lounge Flaggerdoot and fine-dining restaurant Doot Doot Doot. Celebrating the hotel’s origins, the signature bar, Flaggerdoot is housed within the original 18th century Federation cottage, its architecture having been thoroughly and sensitively restored. One of the most amazing features however is the geometric single-track lighting installation on the ceiling, referencing the alchemic nature of the space. One thing I’m willing to bet you’ve definitely seen while scrolling through Instagram is the spectacular light installation on the Doot Doot Doot restaurant ceiling, collaboratively designed by Carr and Fabio Ongarato Design (FOD). Jewel-like in form, what you might not know is that the installation references fermentation and bubbling (again, another comment on the theme of alchemy) while celebrating the hotel’s own working winery and vineyard providing an immersive, interactive and tactile wine experience for guests. This lighting design in particular may be one of (if not the) most magnificent feats of luminary design intelligence in Asia Pacific’s history. Photography by Sharyn Cairns [gallery size="medium" ids="71352,71353,71354"] Chifley Plaza, Sydney by SJB Sydney’s famed Chifley Plaza shopping mall, by SJB, reimagines the retail experience with inspiration from the Manhattan Art Deco style of the original building itself. Since its inception, Chifley has been an iconic retail precinct in Sydney’s CBD, renowned for extraordinary marble detailing and high-end shopping. SJB has taken the interiors to a new level by retaining the aesthetic and historical nostalgia of the precinct and architecture while delivering a more modern interpretation of it. On the upper floor, for example, an enormous backlit ceiling acts as a glowing skylight visible from all levels. Taking inspiration from iconic international public buildings like Le Bon Marche in Paris and The Guggenheim in New York, the patterned backlit ceiling acts as a focal point, throwing a lovely wash of light through the tri-level atrium void. “We approached the design by understanding the problems, considering options and looking to historical references that might help unfold the answers,” says SJB director and design lead, Jonathan Richards. “For example, we loved the idea of a backlit ceiling to resolve the issue about low ceiling heights and a hidden food-court. It would be the draw-card on entering Chifley. The enveloping canopy of light also created a sense of marketplace.” With this illuminated ceiling, SJB injected some more detailed and bespoke lighting elements into the space. Specifically, custom lighting was created by Brooklyn-based industrial designers Apparatus studio for the food court on the third floor. In designing these smaller details, Richards and team note that they “always like to be heavily involved in the prototyping of furniture, joinery and construction details”. Richards says: “The builders made 1:1 mockups that gave us the opportunity to finesse proportions, colours and materials to ensure the final outcome feels properly resolved and completely thought through.” Photography by Felix Forest [gallery size="medium" ids="71347,71346,71348"] Hightail Pub, Melbourne by Techne Combine a hip food court with a luxe cocktail bar, and you might get something like Hightail – a new hotspot set to breathe life to a notoriously overlooked part of Melbourne. With the client having recently merged with 100 Burgers, the 950-seat space cleverly integrates individual kiosks for Belle’s Hot Chicken, Super Taco, and the ever-popular Mr. Burger. Catering to roughly 20,000 workers in the buildings above, Hightail was formed with the vision of providing the perfect backdrop for after-work drinks descending en masse. Inspired by the classic and wonderfully vivid children’s book The Wateringhole by Greame Base, the venue playfully references the concept of ‘the wateringhole’ as both a feature of the natural landscape and to the old colloquial term for a public bar. Hightail is a journey through texture, colour and form, creating a fun and unique experience. Two bars; a robust beer bar finished in concrete, cork and copper; and a more intimate wine bar adorned with brass, terracotta tiling, deep blue carpet and natural timber. Taking cues from Graeme Base’s lush illustrations, murals and rich layers of colour and texture bring an element of intrigue and tactility to the space. While the stunning combinations of colour and texture are the substance of the space, it’s the clever and creative lighting that really sets the dining experience apart. The entry for example, features a bright blue neon ‘Hightail’ sign, referencing the famous and iconic “neon bar sign” trope. Throughout the space, Hightail is littered with a series of deliberately miss-matching pendants above each of the tables as well as draped caravan-style bulb lighting throughout some of the private wine bar areas to give the space a more bohemian feel. The pièce de résistance however, is most certainly the main bar, which mimics the flooring by cascading down from the ceiling in a vintage 50s diner-style aesthetic. Here each row is warmly backlit against the green timbre and tile structure, given off a luminous golden glow and acting as the monolithic centrepiece in an already eye-catching space. Photography by Charlie Kinross [gallery size="medium" ids="71351,71349,71350"] Bikini Bar, Bali by Travis Walton Architecture & Interior Design With more than one million Australians visiting the Indonesian island of Bali each year and more than 10,000 Australians making it their main home, there’s something in the Bali waters right now, and it’s taken hold of the hospitality scene. One of the latest additions to an already growing list of high-end hospo is Bikini Bar designed by Australian-based Travis Walton Architecture + Interior Design. The 120-seat bar and restaurant is the latest venue from restaurateurs 8 Degree Projects, headed by Australian expat Adam McAsey. The four venues – Sisterfields cafe, BO$$ MAN burger shop, Expat coffee roasters and now Bikini – sit side by side, occupying one of the busiest corners of upmarket Seminyak. Of all the venues, Bikini shouts loudest to the street with a pink neon sign high above its forecourt declaring “U LOOK HOT IN (A) BIKINI.” The “A” flickers in and out of view, inviting two different readings – one of flattery and one of subtle instruction. The vivid display is a little reminiscent of the courtship behaviour you see by tropical male birds or young men in Kuta, but it is a purposeful tactic to capture the attentions of passers-by and encourage them inside. Once through the front entry, visitors can pick a spot in the open-air cocktail lounge, with the “disco art-deco” service bar on the right and plush banquette seating on the left. The space has been designed as a place for people watching, and for many tourists this is exactly what they feel like doing on their first nights as they take in their surroundings. Timber screens the soffit of the overhead private dining room and the bar front, while marble countertops, brass-lined stools and especially the art-deco style wall pendants above each of the booths speak of influences from New York and Miami. But sometimes the best lighting is hidden from sight! Bikini Bar, for example, runs around the corner and into the purpose-built double-height concrete structure that houses the main dining space. The western and northern walls are flanked with curvy leather dining booths which feature indented backlighting which projects from the booths and up through to the walls and ceiling. The effect of this kinds of lighting concept is heightened by the western wall, which is almost completely cloaked in a mural by Melbourne artist Ash Keating, who filled up fire extinguishers with pink and white paint and sprayed the wall. The result is a dynamic curtain of illuminated colour from the hidden lights that appear to drip down the wall and flood the space with a pink fog. Photography by Sean Fennessy [gallery size="medium" ids="71343,71344,71364"]abc Primary Slider Interiors Homes A Different Take On The Traditional Australian Beach House by Elana Castle 23 February Australian beach houses are noteworthy for their laid back aesthetic, but Killcare House, located on the rise of a gently rolling hill in the Bouddi National Park in NSW, offers a delightful antidote to the ubiquitous minimalist genre. “Our clients wanted to create a sophisticated and unconventional beach house, whilst give it a relaxed barefoot elegance,” explains Alexandra Donohoe Church, founder and managing director of interior design firm Decus Interiors. “They were keen to marry texture, richness and references to beautiful European farm houses and chateaux, which they had visited during their travels.” Designed by architecture practice Square Design, Decus Interiors were co-opted onto the design team once construction had begun. As the project evolved, so did their involvement, and ultimately the team took on a significant portion of the design scope which included the design evolution of the kitchen, bathrooms and joinery. “Dan Cliff from Square Design really considered the volumes of the spaces and how light enters the home through highlight windows,” continues Alexandra. “Maintaining a sense of free-flowing space throughout was of utmost importance to a very sociable client couple who wanted an ‘un-beachy’ beach house. We endeavoured to balance the open sense with a rich, textural palette, adding cosy nooks and a few little hidden gems of space.” The result is a richly evocative interior scheme that draws in colour and texture from the surrounding natural environs. The house’s luxury factor is further amped up by a palette of lush finishes which include dark timbers, black steel paneling, marble and the integration of leather and hand blown glass. “We also deployed little details to keep a clean and uncluttered look, such as the stone upstand in the kitchen, which hides ample storage,” adds Alexandra. “This is then balanced by softer lighter elements seen in the wall colour, stone and flooring - and of course - the ample natural light.” Standouts rooms with the modern Australian beach house include the “the bijoux powder room,” – a favourite of the designers for its “rich tones and incredible visual texture of Breccia Nera stone,” which is layered on a bespoke vanity unit. “The entry to the room is a hidden door set within the library joinery – it’s a beautiful surprise,” adds Alexandra. Another unexpected design element includes the use of custom sliding panels made from electro-plated custom bronze mesh which conceal the library adjoining the living area and all the AV equipment – further evidence of Decus Interior’s commitment to their clients’ distinctive brief and personal vision. Ultimately, this house balances the vast, striking majesty of an exceptional geographic location with a rich interior that showcases the clients treasured vintage pieces and passion for antiques – with great sophistication. Decus Interiors decus.com.au Photography by Anson Smart We think you might also like Stables House by Robson Rakabc Design Hunters DH - Feature People Accidentally In Business by Holly Cunneen 21 February Try everything once, right? Because you never know what might stick. No one knows that better than George Wilkins and Will McCallum. Two childhood friends, the duo have grown from skiing together to studying together – commerce, at the University of Otago, Dunedin – to now designing, manufacturing and running a business together. More or less eponymous, George & Willy is a local design studio and workshop based out of Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. It was during the latter years of their degree that, in a bid to get the most out of the resources the university made available to them, George and Will discovered the woodshop. Subsequently a new path unfolded. “We joke about accidently starting a business because we never made things to sell them, we just made things for fun: oversized matchsticks and toy helicopters, lamps and catapults,” says Will. Although their design offering still very much embodies a light-hearted, playful approach, in the years since foundation (2014) their approach to business and design has auto-refined. First of all, their work has remained far from superfluous. On the contrary, it’s very much based on functionality and need. “Necessity is the mother of invention,” says Will, rather poignantly. “We call our products life tools; tools that will be around forever and not fade with the trends. Our products are fun and help people live a better life.” And while they may seem niche to some, a global market allows the team to reach the world. As Will points out, an online market means they’re not bound by their base. The running of the business is another way in which the company has matured. In the beginning George & Willy may have run more or less as a 24/7 operation – that’s often what it takes to get a passion project off the ground. That can be exhilarating, but also stressful. In recent years, the founders have been able to hire staff to distribute the load – both mental and physical. Now everyone has set hours, and they stick to them. What that definitely doesn’t mean, though, is that the workshop is off limits for personal use. “The team at work obviously have free reign over the workshop and are encouraged to have personal projects going all the time,” says Will. “It’s a fun space.” And it seems that not only do the team have a personal connection with the pieces they are designing, manufacturing and sending out to the world, but they also have a strong personal connection to one another – like a family. The whole crew got together for the renovation of Will’s house, also in Mount Maunganui. Everything from the laundry basket to the couch to the letterbox outside was made from scratch. George & Willy are a small, tight-knit community of five that live and breathe design. But watch this space, it’s a growing community. George & Willy georgeandwilly.com abc Parties Happenings HAP - Feature Celebrating StylecraftHOME’s Latest Collections by Andrew McDonald 20 February VIP clients and design lovers alike joined StylecraftHOME in Sydney to preview the latest collections from a suite of International brands. Every visit to StylecraftHOME's showroom offers something new, and with special guest and resident HOME artist Daimon Downey joining the evening to chat about his inspiration, method and approach to the pieces being exhibited, this night was no exception. The evening was a wonderful celebration of the design experiences available in store, and of the spirit of exceptional design in general. [gallery columns="5" ids="71160,71161,71162,71163,71164,71165,71166,71167,71168,71169,71170,71171,71172,71173,71174,71175,71176,71177,71178,71179,71180,71181,71182,71183,71184,71185,71186,71187,71188,71189,71190,71191,71192,71193,71194,71195,71196,71197,71198,71199,71200,71201,71202,71203,71204,71206,71207,71208,71209,71210,71211,71212,71213,71214,71215,71216,71217,71218,71219,71220,71221,71222,71223,71224,71225,71227,71229,71230,71231,71232,71233,71234,71235,71236,71237,71238,71239,71240,71241,71242,71243,71244,71245,71246,71247,71248,71249,71250,71251,71252,71253,71254,71255,71256,71257,71258,71260,71261,71262,71263,71264,71265,71266,71267,71268,71269,71270,71271,71272,71273,71274,71275,71276,71277,71278,71279,71280,71281,71282,71283,71284,71285,71286,71287,71288,71289,71290,71291,71292,71293"]abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider When Nature Informs Design by Darlene Smyth 20 February Primitive Hut is an architectural concept wherein which the relationship between humans and their environment is seen as the driving force behind the design and build. And it’s a concept that the team at RT+Q Architects in Singapore drew on heavily when working on House With Shadows. Directors Rene Tan and TK Quek, and project architect Melvin Keng, at explored the dynamics between an assemblage of primary residential building forms and their surrounding garden spaces. Housing multiple generations of the one family, this barn-like building opens up and responds to the interplay of light, wind and views of the surrounding landscape of the site and the distant views beyond. The house reacts to the surrounding series of gardens in a way that intrinsically links the built forms and the landscape elements. These ideas of symbiosis are expressed in the delicate patterns of shadows cast by light filtering through the various forms of screening along the building’s edges and in the careful framing of landscape elements through projected portals and strip windows cut into the house’s façade. The act of lifting the main body of the house to the second story so that the ground floor is highly permeable to the landscape, creates an environment in which the building and its gardens seem to exist in a symbiotic relationship with each other on the site. The owners of this 20,000-square-foot plot in a prestigious neighbourhood in the West Central area of Singapore are a multi-generational family comprising grandparents, their daughter and their grandchildren. The son-in-law, who happens to be a landscape designer, conceived the design of the external spaces from the onset of the project. Melvin Keng from RT+Q explains, “In this project, we worked with the concept that the landscape be the driver of how the architecture sits on the site… the garden spaces are thematic according to the uses.” A front garden, which Melvin refers to as “the secret garden”, is a romantic space which feels like a private clearing in a forest. Much of its character comes from the umbrella of a few 30-year-old roadside shade trees that were to be felled during the project and were transplanted here to screen the house from the road and enclose this serene and reflective space. The centre of the home is cooled down with a water garden which extends beyond the notion of a swimming pool into a large body of water with bridges crossing over it; above which the surrounding buildings appear to float. Thirdly, a side garden brings in exotic influences in the design with a distinctly Japanese theme. This asymmetrical garden with a central koi pond uses a selection of extremely soft and flowing plants and trees that blow lightly in the wind to give the garden its sense of tranquillity. The house is likewise broken up into three main zones which are expressed as pavilions with barn-like forms and relate to these three gardens. The pavilions are differentiated from each other through their material use and orientation, forming an asymmetrical T-shape. A main public pavilion greets visitors from the front of the house sharing common areas to the extended family; a living room, dining and kitchen, and a large family room on the second storey which overlooks the double-volume living area below. While this pavilion is cladded mostly in Chengal Timber, the lower level is completely glassed in so that it simultaneously enjoys views into all three gardens. The daughter’s pavilion is clad in cast-in-form concrete which is expressed as an impossibly light material, almost resembling the lightness of wood itself in its application. A third zone to the side of the main pavilion houses the master suite and relates directly to the Japanese themed garden. To amplify the experience of the garden, the designers have introduced a large enclosed porch, surrounded by sliding vertical timber screens, reminiscent of a traditional Japanese veranda or engawa from which to enjoy the views of nature. Throughout the house, the hand of the designer can be felt through the highly crafted details. “All the details are our idea of expressing joints,” explains Melvin, “we like to show how things go together.” The architects customised and detailed all elements of the house, controlling even the detailing of integrated light fittings, railings, and electrical switches, which became elements of design in themselves. Toeing the line between rustic, unpolished materials and intricate joinery, these details reflect the overall design intent in the house: to be inspired by – and in harmony with – nature. abc Design Hunters Conversations Accommodating The Evolving Habits Of A Contemporary Lifestyle by Patricia Arcilla 19 February The way we live is changing. Now more than ever we are drawn to big cities, relying on technology in all aspects of our lives, and embracing with open arms the unique joys and challenges of living in increasingly dense populations. In line with this ongoing shift in circumstance and perspective, the residential sector has bloomed to produce dynamic, vibrant living spaces unlike anything that has preceded them. Today, the home is the perfect backdrop for expressive, experimental design that celebrates individuality; spaces are not just blank slates for activity, but are in themselves extensions of their occupants’ wants, needs, and idiosyncrasies. Whatever the scale of the home – and wherever it is – it is now recognised that there is always room for exceptional design. This year, as ever, the INDE.Awards Living Space Category will recognise the best projects in the Asia Pacific residential sector. Tackling everything from denser urban populations to new technologies and climate change, the best living spaces view the complexities and intricacies of their site not as challenges but as opportunities for innovation. Winners in this category will represent a strong creative identity, a firm grasp and innovative interpretation of the client brief, and the distinct flavour of design in the region. The Living Space category also celebrates projects that demonstrate a nuanced understanding of their site, whether that might mean considerate, responsive and sensitive reactions to context, or indeed pushing the boundaries of design and local identity. In either case, a well-resolved Living Space has a firm grounding in its surrounds and strong sense of place are essential, as is a clear, coherent design strategy. German luxury brand Gaggenau is proud to return as a sponsor of this year’s INDE.Awards Living Space category and honour yet another year of excellence in residential design. The partnership is fitting, with kitchens forming the backbone of living spaces around the world. One of the most important rooms in the house – the kitchen – demands a unique degree of design ingenuity and foresight for innovation. As the hub of our personal and familial lives, the kitchen's sudden transformation to become a site of technological advancement, avant-garde materials, luxuriant design and supreme functionality, we cannot imagine a better brand to partner with to present the Living Space Award than Gaggenau. Drawing inspiration from the professional kitchen, the company’s designers and craftsmen use only the finest materials to create appliances that enable culinary perfection in the home kitchen. Whether it’s storing ingredients perfectly, cooking expertly, or cleaning effortlessly, Gaggenau will inspire you to create. If you’re a professional chef, a passionate home cook, or even somebody with a restricted recipe repertoire, the kitchen is a central part of the living experience – one of the first rooms you visit in the morning and likely one of the last at night. In many ways, the kitchen is one of the ultimate spaces for living. The kitchen distils some of the best elements of living: passion, expressiveness, sociality, and sensual pleasure, and serves them all up in a flavoursome tangle. If the kitchen is the heart of the home, then Gaggenau is the soul of the kitchen. Since their beginnings in the Black Forest in 1683, the company has shaped the face of appliance design, earning a reputation as one of the most trusted global designers and suppliers of luxury appliances for high-end homes. From integrated cooking solutions to dishwashing, ventilation, refrigeration, and wine cabinets, Gaggenau appliances are at the heart of kitchens everywhere, bringing joy, performance, and cutting edge avant-garde design into living spaces around the world. Gaggenau is pleased to support the 2018 INDE.Awards and a new generation of designers taking up the mantle for exceptional living spaces. Gaggenau gaggenau.com 2018 INDE.Awards indeawards.com abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider Inner-City Living Doesn’t Mean A Disconnect With Nature by Sophia Watson 19 February Inner-city living is problematic even for the most urban-minded among us. It’s noisy, chaotic and expensive to boot – but perhaps one of the most significant issues with living in a city is the lack of commune with nature. Believe it or not, the benefits of surrounding yourself with nature are huge both physically and mentally, and so when we are relegated to the big smoke for work or what have you, a small part of us feels very unfulfilled. This was especially the case for a man who had not only had an appreciation for nature, but made it his life’s work. For an agriculturalist and his family, living in Surat, India, for his career was a necessity, and so they approached local design firm Neogenesis+Studi0261 to come up with a new blueprint for their living situation. Located on the coast of the Indian state of Gujarat, the property sits in a climate that is typically dry throughout the year until the monsoon rains arrive around mid-June. The house is flanked on either side by existing homes with a suburban character and was originally designed to make the most of the available natural light. “The project aims at creating an economically modest built form for an agriculturist and his family,” says architect Chinmay Laiwala. “We decided to use abstraction of urban farming as design devices to shape both the exterior and interior spaces – which of course were deliberately blurred. The heart of the concept was driven by the basic building materials, which are kept to their natural form and texture to comprehend and reference the natural flora.” Though the project was largely the delivery of a conceptual dream, the design approach was taken further to improve the functional aspects of the home, while continuing to express a connection with nature throughout. The façade for example – incorporating the main entrance – faces onto a laneway that provides access to a garage, above which are a series of stepped terraces and balconies. A set of steps leads to a foyer lined with a trellis that opens into an open-plan living space occupying most of the ground floor. The lounge and dining space are arranged around the double-height courtyard, which is flanked on one side by the trellis. Creepers and climbing plants help to shade the interior from direct sunlight, while the full-height retractable glazing ensures an uninterrupted connection with the outdoor space. The courtyard is topped with a circular opening that allows natural light to filter down. A matching circular window overlooks the garden from the master bedroom above. The main lounge space on the ground floor is connected by a set of louvred wooden doors to a large enclosed terrace with built-in concrete planters. Also on this level is a shrine based on the Shikhara – a pyramid-like structure found in some Hindu temples. The shrine is positioned at the base of a triple-height void that allows daylight to flood into the heart of the building. Stairs ascend from the dining area to a family room occupying the first-floor landing, which is surrounded by three en-suite bedrooms. The master bedroom features sliding glass doors that open onto a private balcony sheltered beneath a cantilevered roof. Plants spill over from the edge of the balcony to overhang the terrace below. The stairs continue from the family area to a second floor accommodating a further two bedrooms. Fitted timber joinery throughout the rooms offers a warm contrast to the stone flooring and rough, plastered walls. Ultimately, Jungalow House is a stunning example of how inner-city living does not have to meet a disconnect with the vitally important natural world. We think you might also like Binh Thanh House by Vo Trong Nghia Architectsabc Happenings Parties Where the Wild Things Are Celebrating Project 82+ and Daniellex by Andrew McDonald 16 February Project 82 has always had a strong focus on producing locally made furniture and working with Australian-based designers, and this new project will see them collaborating with artists and creative in a whole new way. The first iteration of Project 82+ sees a partnership established with Sydney-based artist DANIELLEX to introduce ‘Where The Wild Things Are’, a new limited edition abstract floral photography collection as the first Project 82+ initiative. “In 2018, Project 82 will be welcoming four local creatives into our St Peters showroom space to create a little bit of design magic,” says Shelley Mason, director of Project 82, “DANIELLEX is our very first guest, turning our space into a sea of abstract floral photographs for the months of February and March. Her raw and beautiful prints will look striking against the backdrop of our Project 82 sofas, tables and chairs and we can’t wait to see the transformation of our space.” ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ is a collection of 10 limited edition abstract floral photography prints where the artworks themselves take on a deeper meaning, both in the floral structure and its symbolism. ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ will be open for viewing during Project 82’s St Peters showroom hours, from Friday 8 February through to Thursday 29 March 2018. Project 82 project82.com.au [gallery columns="5" ids="70940,70941,70942,70943,70944,70945,70946,70947,70948,70949,70950,70951,70952,70953,70954,70955,70956,70957,70958,70959,70960,70961,70962,70963,70964,70965,70966,70967,70968,70969,70970,70971,70972,70973,70974,70975,70976,70977,70978,70979,70980,70981,70982,70983,70984,70985,70986,70987,70988,70989,70990,70991,70992,70993,70994,70995,70996,70997"]abc 1 2 3 Next Page → TOP
Design Hunters People Eleena Jamil And The Art Of The Architectural Intervention by Kirsty Sier 28 February In a quiet square in one of the oldest parts of the city of Kuala Lumpur sits a small bamboo pavilion. The pavilion, designed by Eleena Jamil Architects for UNHabitat, is an unassuming yet affecting place. Composed of bamboo ring walls with coloured, writeable panels, the little structure greets passers-by with an invitation to contribute their pledges and ideas for a better, more sustainable city. This humble project is symptomatic of Eleena Jamil’s broader body of work; an œuvre that is riddled with well-considered architectural interventions whose small scale often belies something more deeply felt. Or, in her own words: “I think small things can make a huge impact to a place if well-designed. I like the idea of a small intervention charging the spaces around it with connective possibilities, allowing others to see the potential and do something. This is what we try to do with our projects.” Having grown up in a family that was involved in the construction business, Eleena says architecture was always something that “made sense” to her. At age 18, she left home to pursue studies in the United Kingdom, taking up a construction course at Brighton College of Technology before moving onto an architectural degree at Cardiff University’s Welsh School of Architecture. In 2005, this academic groundwork culminated in the creation of her own eponymous practice, Eleena Jamil Architects (EJA). Although EJA has experienced no shortage of accolades during the near 17 years in practice, Eleena made a conscious decision to avoid the pitfalls that often accompany such growth. EJA might have matured from an at-home operation to a fully-fledged business occupying commercial space, but it still behaves like a small firm, driven by passion projects and underscored with ethics. “Being small and selective allows us to focus on projects that really appeal to us, and this leads to a portfolio comprising what I feel to be interesting projects,” says Eleena. “It is such a huge privilege to have the freedom to work on projects that I am passionate about. For every project – large or small – my team and I spend a lot of time developing ideas until we are truly happy with the result. We hope that each work that we produce is not only socially responsible and sustainable, but also a delight to use and experience.” It is not only the size of Eleena’s “architectural interventions” that distinguishes them; it is also in their considered and often idiosyncratic forms and materiality. At a time when Kuala Lumpur – and Malaysia more broadly – is looking to soaring glass towers as a symbol of its development, Eleena sees the virtue in a kind of architecture more deeply rooted in place and demonstrative of local materials. “I’m always looking for patterns that surround me, whether tangible or intangible,” says Eleena. “Often, my work is inspired by patterns seen in cultural artefacts, or patterns of movement and habit (i.e. how a space is used). Patterns that arise from responses to local climate are particularly interesting to me. I believe that understanding these patterns is important in connecting a building to place. “For instance, we use bamboo in a lot of our projects. It’s a wonderful building material – cheap, strong, sustainable, and very light. We also love local timber, but it is used in the way that all precious things should be used: sparingly and with consideration.” Until now, this locally driven philosophy has kept Eleena’s practice largely in place. But this doesn’t mean her style isn’t transferable. In the future, Eleena says, she would like to take her work more often outside of Malaysia. She sees international projects as “an opportunity to create interesting spaces and forms that respond to different local cultures and climates”. This desire to impact through architecture manifests itself in many different ways outside of architecture itself. In 2018, Eleena plans on carving out some time to conduct research on social housing, and to take up architectural photography. Over the coming months, she’ll also be lending her expertise to Indesign Media as a judge for the second ever INDE.Awards, to be held in Singapore this June with an Australian live-streaming event. “The idea of an awards program focused on the Asia-Pacific region – where the economies, cultures and concerns are so diverse – is exciting,” she says. “It’s a dynamic part of the world that is changing rapidly in architectural and design terms and I very much look forward to seeing the best this region has to offer.” Eleena Jamil Architects ej-architect.com Portrait by DD Hoe We think you might also like In Conversation With... Deyan Sujicabc Architecture Around The World Places Community Dining With Seafront Views by Joanna Kawecki 27 February With breathtaking seafront views and an underlying need for a local community space, Case-Real architects have created a restaurant and public kitchen on the little-known island of Teshima, located in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea in Kagawa Prefecture. Situated some distance from the main road and sitting directly on the oceanfront, it is hard to distinguish the restaurant from its grey, shed-like appearance. From roadside, it appears as a regular shed, however upon entering inside the restaurant it becomes clear that the main facade is in fact a sea-facing terrace and dining area. Designed by Koichi Futatusmata and Yasushi Arikawa of Fukuoka-based Case-Real, the structure sits on 471 metres-squared of a total 1685 metres-squared site area and includes a kitchen, restaurant and public kitchen open for community use. The initial client brief included a request to take the breathtaking ocean view into consideration in the architecture, including a request for “light architecture”, utilising steel as a more transparent component in the design. The one-story steel frame structure is comprised of two interconnected spaces parallel to one another, both with with double-arched roofs. Case-Real architects explain, “The terrace portion of the roof uses an opaque white wave plate with a permeability that conjures a feeling of openness, and natural sunlight pouring through the roofs of both arches creates differing atmospheres in the indoor and outdoor spaces.” Inspired by the region’s history of rice and dairy farming – now mostly obsolete, yet in small part maintained by volunteers – the architects have used a unique opportunity to connect the local community and its temporary visitors to share a communal dining space together. The restaurant was built on the little-known Teshima Island with a main objective to provide “both the local islanders and the visitors [opportunity to] gather and enjoy local foods”. Intended as a local gathering area, Koichi says: “When people use the public kitchen, we can use the terrace and the public kitchen continuously by opening the holding door of the public kitchen. We can use this kitchen when the local islanders gather and make something and when the guest chef serves the meals to them and visitors.” Constructed over a period of one year, the architects enlisted structural engineer Hirofumi Ohno to create the custom welding for the steel curvature roofing. “For the structures and each of the furniture and frames’ finishings, we used a hot-dip galvanizing technique to protect against slot damage.” Whilst the design doesn’t consider Japan’s typhoon season in the region, the solid earthy red concrete foundation was built slightly raised to protect against potential flooding. With seafront views directly facing the Seto Inland Sea, the restaurants unobtrusive design balances the transparency of the structure to compliment the site’s incomparable views. Case-Real casereal.com/en abc Homes Architecture ARC - Feature Labour Of Love: A Melbourne Renovation Kept Close To Home by Alice Griffin 26 February There’s something about being close to a project that clouds our judgement or at the very least, raises the stakes. Renovating a stately Melbourne home and creating an open-plan extension that is both complementary to the building’s 150 year-old history and enjoys modern functionality would pose a challenge for any designer. For Dina Malathounis of architectural practice Junctions90, it was even more difficult – she was the homeowner as well. As is expected when an architect-slash-homeowner takes the reins, the bar was set high for the renovation. The home was to enable the busy family of four to live, work and function as a unit, and cater to the couple’s ageing parents who would inhabit the space’s second floor addition. A comfortable 21st-century home was key, but it had to be sustainable and respect the landscape and existing architecture as well. As both Dina and her husband work full-time, it was important that the home be low maintenance and hard-wearing. With many objectives at play, Dina looked to one of the founding fathers of modernism to inform her vision. “The home was inspired by Mies van der Rohe’s long-standing architectural principles of extreme clarity and simplicity,” tells Dina. Similarly, reductionist thinking echoes throughout the home. Concrete, steel and glass are the primary materials while a simple palette of walnut, white and black meet the brief of timeless and minimal interiors. The home goes to great lengths to achieve the simplicity trumpeted by the German-American architect. For an aesthetic free of ornament, audio conduits, curtain tracks, glazing and pivot door requirements were all recessed into the concrete slab of the extension before it was poured. Conscious of the building’s heritage, a delicate dance between restoring the old and embracing the new abounds in the home, with stunning results. The Hawthorn brick façade in the heritage home – uncovered and brought back to life during the project – become a backdrop in the extension, adding texture and warmth to the modern rooms. The second floor’s steel mirror cladding was chosen for its now you see it, now you don’t appeal, its reflections merging the new build with the natural surrounds. “The new should be ideal 21st-century living but [should also be] almost invisible on the site,” explains Dina. While the design may retain a sympathetic outlook to its foundations, Dina’s home is far from traditional – just take the bedroom in the upstairs apartment. The multipurpose space throws out the rulebook entirely, its glazed glass walls evading the stuffy boxed-in feel that usually hinders small rooms. A glamorous yet relaxed space, the open-plan library, kitchen and sunken lounge is the heart of the home. Here, the family eat, relax and share stories. It is the ultimate gathering place, just as Dina planned. Junctions90 junctions90.com.au Photography by Christine Francis Dissection Information Custom-made Italian cowhide leather lounge in living room Original Le Corbusier lounge in living room Custom-made Ironbark dining table Bathtub from Apaiser Ceiling track lights by Bocci in dining area We think you might also like Darling Point Penthouse by Arent&Pykeabc Design Products Habitus Favourites - Slider Lighting Five Of The Best: Cafe Lighting Design by Sophia Watson 23 February The Asia Pac region is pioneering some mega cool new directions in the hospitality space – and the international design community is noticing. Imaginative and intelligent lighting concepts play a huge role in this reputation, where our designers are creating instantly iconic alternatives to the standard humdrum downlights and oh-so-over-it Edison bulbs. Instead, we are a region of inventors! Creative geniuses and radical thinkers taking the hospitality typology to new and unexpected places. Here, Habitus celebrates five Asia Pacific cafes (and the designers who created them) that showcase our collective talent in producing the world’s best cafe lighting design... No.19 Ascot Vale by Biasol Tribute design is a dicey game, kids. All it takes is a client brief that mentions “New York Deco” and suddenly you’re replicating the Chrysler building. There is a fine line between modernising a traditional design archetype and flat-out copy-pasting it. In their recent effort for hospitality space No.19, local Melbourne studio Biasol have successfully produced a nostalgic design without completely ripping off the original. Having already designed one café for clients Domenic and Diana Caruso, the duo asked the studio to find them a property for their second venture. Australia has a rich and diverse immigration history, where cultures from all over the world came seeking opportunity. This has impacted our design heritage immensely, where immigrants from Mediterranean areas of Europe in particular – such as Italy and Greece – meant that they brought with them their own aesthetic traditions that quickly became blended with a kind of Australi-ana twist. “Our concept was inspired by the Greek delicatessens that flourished around Melbourne in the 1950s,” Team Biasol notes. “Materially, concrete surfaces – the counter, walls and floor – give the space a warmth and sophistication.” Though certainly inspired by vintage Greek-Australian eateries, Biasol worked to inject elements of nostalgia into the space while still producing a more modern, refined space in line with current hospitality culture. “Its 4.5-metre-high ceilings and skylights allow daylight to flood the space throughout the day,” says Jean-Pierre Biasol, “while the rectangular layout offered a variety of possible layouts. We chose to combine pale concrete surfaces with warmer elements such as brass and wood. The concrete service counter, is definitely the heart of the space, accented with the hand-painted teal tiles, which were sourced from Morocco to add a level of Mediterranean authenticity.” “Brass lamps sit atop of the counter, with a footrest in the same material snaking around its base. The golden material is used again for a sink set into the concrete surface, where customers can serve themselves water.” “We took an integrated approach to this project, to make sure the architecture, interiors, branding and products worked well together, and produced a cohesive and memorable dining experience,” added the team. Photography by Ari Hatzis [gallery size="medium" ids="71355,71356,71358"] Flaggerdoot Bar & Doot Doot Doot Restaurant at the Jackalope Hotel by Carr Design The demand for ‘transformative experiences’ in the luxury travel market requires the ability to transport and excite. They need to communicate, mesmerise, delight and surprise guests, whether they are a first-time punter or a seasoned traveller. These environments not only need to tell a story – but invite you to actively participate in that story, too. In one of the most daring and avant-garde moves in the hotel industry to date, the Carr-designed Jackalope Hotel on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula wine region provides an otherworldly experience rich with narrative and imagination. But how exactly has Carr built-in this ability to offer guests a ‘transformative experience’? From head to toe, the project is guided by the theme of ‘alchemy’ – a nod to its 18th century heritage as a working vineyard. Nowhere is this technique more prevalent than the awe-inspiring lighting concepts in the hotel’s bar & lounge Flaggerdoot and fine-dining restaurant Doot Doot Doot. Celebrating the hotel’s origins, the signature bar, Flaggerdoot is housed within the original 18th century Federation cottage, its architecture having been thoroughly and sensitively restored. One of the most amazing features however is the geometric single-track lighting installation on the ceiling, referencing the alchemic nature of the space. One thing I’m willing to bet you’ve definitely seen while scrolling through Instagram is the spectacular light installation on the Doot Doot Doot restaurant ceiling, collaboratively designed by Carr and Fabio Ongarato Design (FOD). Jewel-like in form, what you might not know is that the installation references fermentation and bubbling (again, another comment on the theme of alchemy) while celebrating the hotel’s own working winery and vineyard providing an immersive, interactive and tactile wine experience for guests. This lighting design in particular may be one of (if not the) most magnificent feats of luminary design intelligence in Asia Pacific’s history. Photography by Sharyn Cairns [gallery size="medium" ids="71352,71353,71354"] Chifley Plaza, Sydney by SJB Sydney’s famed Chifley Plaza shopping mall, by SJB, reimagines the retail experience with inspiration from the Manhattan Art Deco style of the original building itself. Since its inception, Chifley has been an iconic retail precinct in Sydney’s CBD, renowned for extraordinary marble detailing and high-end shopping. SJB has taken the interiors to a new level by retaining the aesthetic and historical nostalgia of the precinct and architecture while delivering a more modern interpretation of it. On the upper floor, for example, an enormous backlit ceiling acts as a glowing skylight visible from all levels. Taking inspiration from iconic international public buildings like Le Bon Marche in Paris and The Guggenheim in New York, the patterned backlit ceiling acts as a focal point, throwing a lovely wash of light through the tri-level atrium void. “We approached the design by understanding the problems, considering options and looking to historical references that might help unfold the answers,” says SJB director and design lead, Jonathan Richards. “For example, we loved the idea of a backlit ceiling to resolve the issue about low ceiling heights and a hidden food-court. It would be the draw-card on entering Chifley. The enveloping canopy of light also created a sense of marketplace.” With this illuminated ceiling, SJB injected some more detailed and bespoke lighting elements into the space. Specifically, custom lighting was created by Brooklyn-based industrial designers Apparatus studio for the food court on the third floor. In designing these smaller details, Richards and team note that they “always like to be heavily involved in the prototyping of furniture, joinery and construction details”. Richards says: “The builders made 1:1 mockups that gave us the opportunity to finesse proportions, colours and materials to ensure the final outcome feels properly resolved and completely thought through.” Photography by Felix Forest [gallery size="medium" ids="71347,71346,71348"] Hightail Pub, Melbourne by Techne Combine a hip food court with a luxe cocktail bar, and you might get something like Hightail – a new hotspot set to breathe life to a notoriously overlooked part of Melbourne. With the client having recently merged with 100 Burgers, the 950-seat space cleverly integrates individual kiosks for Belle’s Hot Chicken, Super Taco, and the ever-popular Mr. Burger. Catering to roughly 20,000 workers in the buildings above, Hightail was formed with the vision of providing the perfect backdrop for after-work drinks descending en masse. Inspired by the classic and wonderfully vivid children’s book The Wateringhole by Greame Base, the venue playfully references the concept of ‘the wateringhole’ as both a feature of the natural landscape and to the old colloquial term for a public bar. Hightail is a journey through texture, colour and form, creating a fun and unique experience. Two bars; a robust beer bar finished in concrete, cork and copper; and a more intimate wine bar adorned with brass, terracotta tiling, deep blue carpet and natural timber. Taking cues from Graeme Base’s lush illustrations, murals and rich layers of colour and texture bring an element of intrigue and tactility to the space. While the stunning combinations of colour and texture are the substance of the space, it’s the clever and creative lighting that really sets the dining experience apart. The entry for example, features a bright blue neon ‘Hightail’ sign, referencing the famous and iconic “neon bar sign” trope. Throughout the space, Hightail is littered with a series of deliberately miss-matching pendants above each of the tables as well as draped caravan-style bulb lighting throughout some of the private wine bar areas to give the space a more bohemian feel. The pièce de résistance however, is most certainly the main bar, which mimics the flooring by cascading down from the ceiling in a vintage 50s diner-style aesthetic. Here each row is warmly backlit against the green timbre and tile structure, given off a luminous golden glow and acting as the monolithic centrepiece in an already eye-catching space. Photography by Charlie Kinross [gallery size="medium" ids="71351,71349,71350"] Bikini Bar, Bali by Travis Walton Architecture & Interior Design With more than one million Australians visiting the Indonesian island of Bali each year and more than 10,000 Australians making it their main home, there’s something in the Bali waters right now, and it’s taken hold of the hospitality scene. One of the latest additions to an already growing list of high-end hospo is Bikini Bar designed by Australian-based Travis Walton Architecture + Interior Design. The 120-seat bar and restaurant is the latest venue from restaurateurs 8 Degree Projects, headed by Australian expat Adam McAsey. The four venues – Sisterfields cafe, BO$$ MAN burger shop, Expat coffee roasters and now Bikini – sit side by side, occupying one of the busiest corners of upmarket Seminyak. Of all the venues, Bikini shouts loudest to the street with a pink neon sign high above its forecourt declaring “U LOOK HOT IN (A) BIKINI.” The “A” flickers in and out of view, inviting two different readings – one of flattery and one of subtle instruction. The vivid display is a little reminiscent of the courtship behaviour you see by tropical male birds or young men in Kuta, but it is a purposeful tactic to capture the attentions of passers-by and encourage them inside. Once through the front entry, visitors can pick a spot in the open-air cocktail lounge, with the “disco art-deco” service bar on the right and plush banquette seating on the left. The space has been designed as a place for people watching, and for many tourists this is exactly what they feel like doing on their first nights as they take in their surroundings. Timber screens the soffit of the overhead private dining room and the bar front, while marble countertops, brass-lined stools and especially the art-deco style wall pendants above each of the booths speak of influences from New York and Miami. But sometimes the best lighting is hidden from sight! Bikini Bar, for example, runs around the corner and into the purpose-built double-height concrete structure that houses the main dining space. The western and northern walls are flanked with curvy leather dining booths which feature indented backlighting which projects from the booths and up through to the walls and ceiling. The effect of this kinds of lighting concept is heightened by the western wall, which is almost completely cloaked in a mural by Melbourne artist Ash Keating, who filled up fire extinguishers with pink and white paint and sprayed the wall. The result is a dynamic curtain of illuminated colour from the hidden lights that appear to drip down the wall and flood the space with a pink fog. Photography by Sean Fennessy [gallery size="medium" ids="71343,71344,71364"]abc Primary Slider Interiors Homes A Different Take On The Traditional Australian Beach House by Elana Castle 23 February Australian beach houses are noteworthy for their laid back aesthetic, but Killcare House, located on the rise of a gently rolling hill in the Bouddi National Park in NSW, offers a delightful antidote to the ubiquitous minimalist genre. “Our clients wanted to create a sophisticated and unconventional beach house, whilst give it a relaxed barefoot elegance,” explains Alexandra Donohoe Church, founder and managing director of interior design firm Decus Interiors. “They were keen to marry texture, richness and references to beautiful European farm houses and chateaux, which they had visited during their travels.” Designed by architecture practice Square Design, Decus Interiors were co-opted onto the design team once construction had begun. As the project evolved, so did their involvement, and ultimately the team took on a significant portion of the design scope which included the design evolution of the kitchen, bathrooms and joinery. “Dan Cliff from Square Design really considered the volumes of the spaces and how light enters the home through highlight windows,” continues Alexandra. “Maintaining a sense of free-flowing space throughout was of utmost importance to a very sociable client couple who wanted an ‘un-beachy’ beach house. We endeavoured to balance the open sense with a rich, textural palette, adding cosy nooks and a few little hidden gems of space.” The result is a richly evocative interior scheme that draws in colour and texture from the surrounding natural environs. The house’s luxury factor is further amped up by a palette of lush finishes which include dark timbers, black steel paneling, marble and the integration of leather and hand blown glass. “We also deployed little details to keep a clean and uncluttered look, such as the stone upstand in the kitchen, which hides ample storage,” adds Alexandra. “This is then balanced by softer lighter elements seen in the wall colour, stone and flooring - and of course - the ample natural light.” Standouts rooms with the modern Australian beach house include the “the bijoux powder room,” – a favourite of the designers for its “rich tones and incredible visual texture of Breccia Nera stone,” which is layered on a bespoke vanity unit. “The entry to the room is a hidden door set within the library joinery – it’s a beautiful surprise,” adds Alexandra. Another unexpected design element includes the use of custom sliding panels made from electro-plated custom bronze mesh which conceal the library adjoining the living area and all the AV equipment – further evidence of Decus Interior’s commitment to their clients’ distinctive brief and personal vision. Ultimately, this house balances the vast, striking majesty of an exceptional geographic location with a rich interior that showcases the clients treasured vintage pieces and passion for antiques – with great sophistication. Decus Interiors decus.com.au Photography by Anson Smart We think you might also like Stables House by Robson Rakabc Design Hunters DH - Feature People Accidentally In Business by Holly Cunneen 21 February Try everything once, right? Because you never know what might stick. No one knows that better than George Wilkins and Will McCallum. Two childhood friends, the duo have grown from skiing together to studying together – commerce, at the University of Otago, Dunedin – to now designing, manufacturing and running a business together. More or less eponymous, George & Willy is a local design studio and workshop based out of Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. It was during the latter years of their degree that, in a bid to get the most out of the resources the university made available to them, George and Will discovered the woodshop. Subsequently a new path unfolded. “We joke about accidently starting a business because we never made things to sell them, we just made things for fun: oversized matchsticks and toy helicopters, lamps and catapults,” says Will. Although their design offering still very much embodies a light-hearted, playful approach, in the years since foundation (2014) their approach to business and design has auto-refined. First of all, their work has remained far from superfluous. On the contrary, it’s very much based on functionality and need. “Necessity is the mother of invention,” says Will, rather poignantly. “We call our products life tools; tools that will be around forever and not fade with the trends. Our products are fun and help people live a better life.” And while they may seem niche to some, a global market allows the team to reach the world. As Will points out, an online market means they’re not bound by their base. The running of the business is another way in which the company has matured. In the beginning George & Willy may have run more or less as a 24/7 operation – that’s often what it takes to get a passion project off the ground. That can be exhilarating, but also stressful. In recent years, the founders have been able to hire staff to distribute the load – both mental and physical. Now everyone has set hours, and they stick to them. What that definitely doesn’t mean, though, is that the workshop is off limits for personal use. “The team at work obviously have free reign over the workshop and are encouraged to have personal projects going all the time,” says Will. “It’s a fun space.” And it seems that not only do the team have a personal connection with the pieces they are designing, manufacturing and sending out to the world, but they also have a strong personal connection to one another – like a family. The whole crew got together for the renovation of Will’s house, also in Mount Maunganui. Everything from the laundry basket to the couch to the letterbox outside was made from scratch. George & Willy are a small, tight-knit community of five that live and breathe design. But watch this space, it’s a growing community. George & Willy georgeandwilly.com abc Parties Happenings HAP - Feature Celebrating StylecraftHOME’s Latest Collections by Andrew McDonald 20 February VIP clients and design lovers alike joined StylecraftHOME in Sydney to preview the latest collections from a suite of International brands. Every visit to StylecraftHOME's showroom offers something new, and with special guest and resident HOME artist Daimon Downey joining the evening to chat about his inspiration, method and approach to the pieces being exhibited, this night was no exception. The evening was a wonderful celebration of the design experiences available in store, and of the spirit of exceptional design in general. [gallery columns="5" ids="71160,71161,71162,71163,71164,71165,71166,71167,71168,71169,71170,71171,71172,71173,71174,71175,71176,71177,71178,71179,71180,71181,71182,71183,71184,71185,71186,71187,71188,71189,71190,71191,71192,71193,71194,71195,71196,71197,71198,71199,71200,71201,71202,71203,71204,71206,71207,71208,71209,71210,71211,71212,71213,71214,71215,71216,71217,71218,71219,71220,71221,71222,71223,71224,71225,71227,71229,71230,71231,71232,71233,71234,71235,71236,71237,71238,71239,71240,71241,71242,71243,71244,71245,71246,71247,71248,71249,71250,71251,71252,71253,71254,71255,71256,71257,71258,71260,71261,71262,71263,71264,71265,71266,71267,71268,71269,71270,71271,71272,71273,71274,71275,71276,71277,71278,71279,71280,71281,71282,71283,71284,71285,71286,71287,71288,71289,71290,71291,71292,71293"]abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider When Nature Informs Design by Darlene Smyth 20 February Primitive Hut is an architectural concept wherein which the relationship between humans and their environment is seen as the driving force behind the design and build. And it’s a concept that the team at RT+Q Architects in Singapore drew on heavily when working on House With Shadows. Directors Rene Tan and TK Quek, and project architect Melvin Keng, at explored the dynamics between an assemblage of primary residential building forms and their surrounding garden spaces. Housing multiple generations of the one family, this barn-like building opens up and responds to the interplay of light, wind and views of the surrounding landscape of the site and the distant views beyond. The house reacts to the surrounding series of gardens in a way that intrinsically links the built forms and the landscape elements. These ideas of symbiosis are expressed in the delicate patterns of shadows cast by light filtering through the various forms of screening along the building’s edges and in the careful framing of landscape elements through projected portals and strip windows cut into the house’s façade. The act of lifting the main body of the house to the second story so that the ground floor is highly permeable to the landscape, creates an environment in which the building and its gardens seem to exist in a symbiotic relationship with each other on the site. The owners of this 20,000-square-foot plot in a prestigious neighbourhood in the West Central area of Singapore are a multi-generational family comprising grandparents, their daughter and their grandchildren. The son-in-law, who happens to be a landscape designer, conceived the design of the external spaces from the onset of the project. Melvin Keng from RT+Q explains, “In this project, we worked with the concept that the landscape be the driver of how the architecture sits on the site… the garden spaces are thematic according to the uses.” A front garden, which Melvin refers to as “the secret garden”, is a romantic space which feels like a private clearing in a forest. Much of its character comes from the umbrella of a few 30-year-old roadside shade trees that were to be felled during the project and were transplanted here to screen the house from the road and enclose this serene and reflective space. The centre of the home is cooled down with a water garden which extends beyond the notion of a swimming pool into a large body of water with bridges crossing over it; above which the surrounding buildings appear to float. Thirdly, a side garden brings in exotic influences in the design with a distinctly Japanese theme. This asymmetrical garden with a central koi pond uses a selection of extremely soft and flowing plants and trees that blow lightly in the wind to give the garden its sense of tranquillity. The house is likewise broken up into three main zones which are expressed as pavilions with barn-like forms and relate to these three gardens. The pavilions are differentiated from each other through their material use and orientation, forming an asymmetrical T-shape. A main public pavilion greets visitors from the front of the house sharing common areas to the extended family; a living room, dining and kitchen, and a large family room on the second storey which overlooks the double-volume living area below. While this pavilion is cladded mostly in Chengal Timber, the lower level is completely glassed in so that it simultaneously enjoys views into all three gardens. The daughter’s pavilion is clad in cast-in-form concrete which is expressed as an impossibly light material, almost resembling the lightness of wood itself in its application. A third zone to the side of the main pavilion houses the master suite and relates directly to the Japanese themed garden. To amplify the experience of the garden, the designers have introduced a large enclosed porch, surrounded by sliding vertical timber screens, reminiscent of a traditional Japanese veranda or engawa from which to enjoy the views of nature. Throughout the house, the hand of the designer can be felt through the highly crafted details. “All the details are our idea of expressing joints,” explains Melvin, “we like to show how things go together.” The architects customised and detailed all elements of the house, controlling even the detailing of integrated light fittings, railings, and electrical switches, which became elements of design in themselves. Toeing the line between rustic, unpolished materials and intricate joinery, these details reflect the overall design intent in the house: to be inspired by – and in harmony with – nature. abc Design Hunters Conversations Accommodating The Evolving Habits Of A Contemporary Lifestyle by Patricia Arcilla 19 February The way we live is changing. Now more than ever we are drawn to big cities, relying on technology in all aspects of our lives, and embracing with open arms the unique joys and challenges of living in increasingly dense populations. In line with this ongoing shift in circumstance and perspective, the residential sector has bloomed to produce dynamic, vibrant living spaces unlike anything that has preceded them. Today, the home is the perfect backdrop for expressive, experimental design that celebrates individuality; spaces are not just blank slates for activity, but are in themselves extensions of their occupants’ wants, needs, and idiosyncrasies. Whatever the scale of the home – and wherever it is – it is now recognised that there is always room for exceptional design. This year, as ever, the INDE.Awards Living Space Category will recognise the best projects in the Asia Pacific residential sector. Tackling everything from denser urban populations to new technologies and climate change, the best living spaces view the complexities and intricacies of their site not as challenges but as opportunities for innovation. Winners in this category will represent a strong creative identity, a firm grasp and innovative interpretation of the client brief, and the distinct flavour of design in the region. The Living Space category also celebrates projects that demonstrate a nuanced understanding of their site, whether that might mean considerate, responsive and sensitive reactions to context, or indeed pushing the boundaries of design and local identity. In either case, a well-resolved Living Space has a firm grounding in its surrounds and strong sense of place are essential, as is a clear, coherent design strategy. German luxury brand Gaggenau is proud to return as a sponsor of this year’s INDE.Awards Living Space category and honour yet another year of excellence in residential design. The partnership is fitting, with kitchens forming the backbone of living spaces around the world. One of the most important rooms in the house – the kitchen – demands a unique degree of design ingenuity and foresight for innovation. As the hub of our personal and familial lives, the kitchen's sudden transformation to become a site of technological advancement, avant-garde materials, luxuriant design and supreme functionality, we cannot imagine a better brand to partner with to present the Living Space Award than Gaggenau. Drawing inspiration from the professional kitchen, the company’s designers and craftsmen use only the finest materials to create appliances that enable culinary perfection in the home kitchen. Whether it’s storing ingredients perfectly, cooking expertly, or cleaning effortlessly, Gaggenau will inspire you to create. If you’re a professional chef, a passionate home cook, or even somebody with a restricted recipe repertoire, the kitchen is a central part of the living experience – one of the first rooms you visit in the morning and likely one of the last at night. In many ways, the kitchen is one of the ultimate spaces for living. The kitchen distils some of the best elements of living: passion, expressiveness, sociality, and sensual pleasure, and serves them all up in a flavoursome tangle. If the kitchen is the heart of the home, then Gaggenau is the soul of the kitchen. Since their beginnings in the Black Forest in 1683, the company has shaped the face of appliance design, earning a reputation as one of the most trusted global designers and suppliers of luxury appliances for high-end homes. From integrated cooking solutions to dishwashing, ventilation, refrigeration, and wine cabinets, Gaggenau appliances are at the heart of kitchens everywhere, bringing joy, performance, and cutting edge avant-garde design into living spaces around the world. Gaggenau is pleased to support the 2018 INDE.Awards and a new generation of designers taking up the mantle for exceptional living spaces. Gaggenau gaggenau.com 2018 INDE.Awards indeawards.com abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider Inner-City Living Doesn’t Mean A Disconnect With Nature by Sophia Watson 19 February Inner-city living is problematic even for the most urban-minded among us. It’s noisy, chaotic and expensive to boot – but perhaps one of the most significant issues with living in a city is the lack of commune with nature. Believe it or not, the benefits of surrounding yourself with nature are huge both physically and mentally, and so when we are relegated to the big smoke for work or what have you, a small part of us feels very unfulfilled. This was especially the case for a man who had not only had an appreciation for nature, but made it his life’s work. For an agriculturalist and his family, living in Surat, India, for his career was a necessity, and so they approached local design firm Neogenesis+Studi0261 to come up with a new blueprint for their living situation. Located on the coast of the Indian state of Gujarat, the property sits in a climate that is typically dry throughout the year until the monsoon rains arrive around mid-June. The house is flanked on either side by existing homes with a suburban character and was originally designed to make the most of the available natural light. “The project aims at creating an economically modest built form for an agriculturist and his family,” says architect Chinmay Laiwala. “We decided to use abstraction of urban farming as design devices to shape both the exterior and interior spaces – which of course were deliberately blurred. The heart of the concept was driven by the basic building materials, which are kept to their natural form and texture to comprehend and reference the natural flora.” Though the project was largely the delivery of a conceptual dream, the design approach was taken further to improve the functional aspects of the home, while continuing to express a connection with nature throughout. The façade for example – incorporating the main entrance – faces onto a laneway that provides access to a garage, above which are a series of stepped terraces and balconies. A set of steps leads to a foyer lined with a trellis that opens into an open-plan living space occupying most of the ground floor. The lounge and dining space are arranged around the double-height courtyard, which is flanked on one side by the trellis. Creepers and climbing plants help to shade the interior from direct sunlight, while the full-height retractable glazing ensures an uninterrupted connection with the outdoor space. The courtyard is topped with a circular opening that allows natural light to filter down. A matching circular window overlooks the garden from the master bedroom above. The main lounge space on the ground floor is connected by a set of louvred wooden doors to a large enclosed terrace with built-in concrete planters. Also on this level is a shrine based on the Shikhara – a pyramid-like structure found in some Hindu temples. The shrine is positioned at the base of a triple-height void that allows daylight to flood into the heart of the building. Stairs ascend from the dining area to a family room occupying the first-floor landing, which is surrounded by three en-suite bedrooms. The master bedroom features sliding glass doors that open onto a private balcony sheltered beneath a cantilevered roof. Plants spill over from the edge of the balcony to overhang the terrace below. The stairs continue from the family area to a second floor accommodating a further two bedrooms. Fitted timber joinery throughout the rooms offers a warm contrast to the stone flooring and rough, plastered walls. Ultimately, Jungalow House is a stunning example of how inner-city living does not have to meet a disconnect with the vitally important natural world. We think you might also like Binh Thanh House by Vo Trong Nghia Architectsabc Happenings Parties Where the Wild Things Are Celebrating Project 82+ and Daniellex by Andrew McDonald 16 February Project 82 has always had a strong focus on producing locally made furniture and working with Australian-based designers, and this new project will see them collaborating with artists and creative in a whole new way. The first iteration of Project 82+ sees a partnership established with Sydney-based artist DANIELLEX to introduce ‘Where The Wild Things Are’, a new limited edition abstract floral photography collection as the first Project 82+ initiative. “In 2018, Project 82 will be welcoming four local creatives into our St Peters showroom space to create a little bit of design magic,” says Shelley Mason, director of Project 82, “DANIELLEX is our very first guest, turning our space into a sea of abstract floral photographs for the months of February and March. Her raw and beautiful prints will look striking against the backdrop of our Project 82 sofas, tables and chairs and we can’t wait to see the transformation of our space.” ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ is a collection of 10 limited edition abstract floral photography prints where the artworks themselves take on a deeper meaning, both in the floral structure and its symbolism. ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ will be open for viewing during Project 82’s St Peters showroom hours, from Friday 8 February through to Thursday 29 March 2018. Project 82 project82.com.au [gallery columns="5" ids="70940,70941,70942,70943,70944,70945,70946,70947,70948,70949,70950,70951,70952,70953,70954,70955,70956,70957,70958,70959,70960,70961,70962,70963,70964,70965,70966,70967,70968,70969,70970,70971,70972,70973,70974,70975,70976,70977,70978,70979,70980,70981,70982,70983,70984,70985,70986,70987,70988,70989,70990,70991,70992,70993,70994,70995,70996,70997"]abc 1 2 3 Next Page → TOP
Architecture Around The World Places Community Dining With Seafront Views by Joanna Kawecki 27 February With breathtaking seafront views and an underlying need for a local community space, Case-Real architects have created a restaurant and public kitchen on the little-known island of Teshima, located in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea in Kagawa Prefecture. Situated some distance from the main road and sitting directly on the oceanfront, it is hard to distinguish the restaurant from its grey, shed-like appearance. From roadside, it appears as a regular shed, however upon entering inside the restaurant it becomes clear that the main facade is in fact a sea-facing terrace and dining area. Designed by Koichi Futatusmata and Yasushi Arikawa of Fukuoka-based Case-Real, the structure sits on 471 metres-squared of a total 1685 metres-squared site area and includes a kitchen, restaurant and public kitchen open for community use. The initial client brief included a request to take the breathtaking ocean view into consideration in the architecture, including a request for “light architecture”, utilising steel as a more transparent component in the design. The one-story steel frame structure is comprised of two interconnected spaces parallel to one another, both with with double-arched roofs. Case-Real architects explain, “The terrace portion of the roof uses an opaque white wave plate with a permeability that conjures a feeling of openness, and natural sunlight pouring through the roofs of both arches creates differing atmospheres in the indoor and outdoor spaces.” Inspired by the region’s history of rice and dairy farming – now mostly obsolete, yet in small part maintained by volunteers – the architects have used a unique opportunity to connect the local community and its temporary visitors to share a communal dining space together. The restaurant was built on the little-known Teshima Island with a main objective to provide “both the local islanders and the visitors [opportunity to] gather and enjoy local foods”. Intended as a local gathering area, Koichi says: “When people use the public kitchen, we can use the terrace and the public kitchen continuously by opening the holding door of the public kitchen. We can use this kitchen when the local islanders gather and make something and when the guest chef serves the meals to them and visitors.” Constructed over a period of one year, the architects enlisted structural engineer Hirofumi Ohno to create the custom welding for the steel curvature roofing. “For the structures and each of the furniture and frames’ finishings, we used a hot-dip galvanizing technique to protect against slot damage.” Whilst the design doesn’t consider Japan’s typhoon season in the region, the solid earthy red concrete foundation was built slightly raised to protect against potential flooding. With seafront views directly facing the Seto Inland Sea, the restaurants unobtrusive design balances the transparency of the structure to compliment the site’s incomparable views. Case-Real casereal.com/en abc Homes Architecture ARC - Feature Labour Of Love: A Melbourne Renovation Kept Close To Home by Alice Griffin 26 February There’s something about being close to a project that clouds our judgement or at the very least, raises the stakes. Renovating a stately Melbourne home and creating an open-plan extension that is both complementary to the building’s 150 year-old history and enjoys modern functionality would pose a challenge for any designer. For Dina Malathounis of architectural practice Junctions90, it was even more difficult – she was the homeowner as well. As is expected when an architect-slash-homeowner takes the reins, the bar was set high for the renovation. The home was to enable the busy family of four to live, work and function as a unit, and cater to the couple’s ageing parents who would inhabit the space’s second floor addition. A comfortable 21st-century home was key, but it had to be sustainable and respect the landscape and existing architecture as well. As both Dina and her husband work full-time, it was important that the home be low maintenance and hard-wearing. With many objectives at play, Dina looked to one of the founding fathers of modernism to inform her vision. “The home was inspired by Mies van der Rohe’s long-standing architectural principles of extreme clarity and simplicity,” tells Dina. Similarly, reductionist thinking echoes throughout the home. Concrete, steel and glass are the primary materials while a simple palette of walnut, white and black meet the brief of timeless and minimal interiors. The home goes to great lengths to achieve the simplicity trumpeted by the German-American architect. For an aesthetic free of ornament, audio conduits, curtain tracks, glazing and pivot door requirements were all recessed into the concrete slab of the extension before it was poured. Conscious of the building’s heritage, a delicate dance between restoring the old and embracing the new abounds in the home, with stunning results. The Hawthorn brick façade in the heritage home – uncovered and brought back to life during the project – become a backdrop in the extension, adding texture and warmth to the modern rooms. The second floor’s steel mirror cladding was chosen for its now you see it, now you don’t appeal, its reflections merging the new build with the natural surrounds. “The new should be ideal 21st-century living but [should also be] almost invisible on the site,” explains Dina. While the design may retain a sympathetic outlook to its foundations, Dina’s home is far from traditional – just take the bedroom in the upstairs apartment. The multipurpose space throws out the rulebook entirely, its glazed glass walls evading the stuffy boxed-in feel that usually hinders small rooms. A glamorous yet relaxed space, the open-plan library, kitchen and sunken lounge is the heart of the home. Here, the family eat, relax and share stories. It is the ultimate gathering place, just as Dina planned. Junctions90 junctions90.com.au Photography by Christine Francis Dissection Information Custom-made Italian cowhide leather lounge in living room Original Le Corbusier lounge in living room Custom-made Ironbark dining table Bathtub from Apaiser Ceiling track lights by Bocci in dining area We think you might also like Darling Point Penthouse by Arent&Pykeabc Design Products Habitus Favourites - Slider Lighting Five Of The Best: Cafe Lighting Design by Sophia Watson 23 February The Asia Pac region is pioneering some mega cool new directions in the hospitality space – and the international design community is noticing. Imaginative and intelligent lighting concepts play a huge role in this reputation, where our designers are creating instantly iconic alternatives to the standard humdrum downlights and oh-so-over-it Edison bulbs. Instead, we are a region of inventors! Creative geniuses and radical thinkers taking the hospitality typology to new and unexpected places. Here, Habitus celebrates five Asia Pacific cafes (and the designers who created them) that showcase our collective talent in producing the world’s best cafe lighting design... No.19 Ascot Vale by Biasol Tribute design is a dicey game, kids. All it takes is a client brief that mentions “New York Deco” and suddenly you’re replicating the Chrysler building. There is a fine line between modernising a traditional design archetype and flat-out copy-pasting it. In their recent effort for hospitality space No.19, local Melbourne studio Biasol have successfully produced a nostalgic design without completely ripping off the original. Having already designed one café for clients Domenic and Diana Caruso, the duo asked the studio to find them a property for their second venture. Australia has a rich and diverse immigration history, where cultures from all over the world came seeking opportunity. This has impacted our design heritage immensely, where immigrants from Mediterranean areas of Europe in particular – such as Italy and Greece – meant that they brought with them their own aesthetic traditions that quickly became blended with a kind of Australi-ana twist. “Our concept was inspired by the Greek delicatessens that flourished around Melbourne in the 1950s,” Team Biasol notes. “Materially, concrete surfaces – the counter, walls and floor – give the space a warmth and sophistication.” Though certainly inspired by vintage Greek-Australian eateries, Biasol worked to inject elements of nostalgia into the space while still producing a more modern, refined space in line with current hospitality culture. “Its 4.5-metre-high ceilings and skylights allow daylight to flood the space throughout the day,” says Jean-Pierre Biasol, “while the rectangular layout offered a variety of possible layouts. We chose to combine pale concrete surfaces with warmer elements such as brass and wood. The concrete service counter, is definitely the heart of the space, accented with the hand-painted teal tiles, which were sourced from Morocco to add a level of Mediterranean authenticity.” “Brass lamps sit atop of the counter, with a footrest in the same material snaking around its base. The golden material is used again for a sink set into the concrete surface, where customers can serve themselves water.” “We took an integrated approach to this project, to make sure the architecture, interiors, branding and products worked well together, and produced a cohesive and memorable dining experience,” added the team. Photography by Ari Hatzis [gallery size="medium" ids="71355,71356,71358"] Flaggerdoot Bar & Doot Doot Doot Restaurant at the Jackalope Hotel by Carr Design The demand for ‘transformative experiences’ in the luxury travel market requires the ability to transport and excite. They need to communicate, mesmerise, delight and surprise guests, whether they are a first-time punter or a seasoned traveller. These environments not only need to tell a story – but invite you to actively participate in that story, too. In one of the most daring and avant-garde moves in the hotel industry to date, the Carr-designed Jackalope Hotel on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula wine region provides an otherworldly experience rich with narrative and imagination. But how exactly has Carr built-in this ability to offer guests a ‘transformative experience’? From head to toe, the project is guided by the theme of ‘alchemy’ – a nod to its 18th century heritage as a working vineyard. Nowhere is this technique more prevalent than the awe-inspiring lighting concepts in the hotel’s bar & lounge Flaggerdoot and fine-dining restaurant Doot Doot Doot. Celebrating the hotel’s origins, the signature bar, Flaggerdoot is housed within the original 18th century Federation cottage, its architecture having been thoroughly and sensitively restored. One of the most amazing features however is the geometric single-track lighting installation on the ceiling, referencing the alchemic nature of the space. One thing I’m willing to bet you’ve definitely seen while scrolling through Instagram is the spectacular light installation on the Doot Doot Doot restaurant ceiling, collaboratively designed by Carr and Fabio Ongarato Design (FOD). Jewel-like in form, what you might not know is that the installation references fermentation and bubbling (again, another comment on the theme of alchemy) while celebrating the hotel’s own working winery and vineyard providing an immersive, interactive and tactile wine experience for guests. This lighting design in particular may be one of (if not the) most magnificent feats of luminary design intelligence in Asia Pacific’s history. Photography by Sharyn Cairns [gallery size="medium" ids="71352,71353,71354"] Chifley Plaza, Sydney by SJB Sydney’s famed Chifley Plaza shopping mall, by SJB, reimagines the retail experience with inspiration from the Manhattan Art Deco style of the original building itself. Since its inception, Chifley has been an iconic retail precinct in Sydney’s CBD, renowned for extraordinary marble detailing and high-end shopping. SJB has taken the interiors to a new level by retaining the aesthetic and historical nostalgia of the precinct and architecture while delivering a more modern interpretation of it. On the upper floor, for example, an enormous backlit ceiling acts as a glowing skylight visible from all levels. Taking inspiration from iconic international public buildings like Le Bon Marche in Paris and The Guggenheim in New York, the patterned backlit ceiling acts as a focal point, throwing a lovely wash of light through the tri-level atrium void. “We approached the design by understanding the problems, considering options and looking to historical references that might help unfold the answers,” says SJB director and design lead, Jonathan Richards. “For example, we loved the idea of a backlit ceiling to resolve the issue about low ceiling heights and a hidden food-court. It would be the draw-card on entering Chifley. The enveloping canopy of light also created a sense of marketplace.” With this illuminated ceiling, SJB injected some more detailed and bespoke lighting elements into the space. Specifically, custom lighting was created by Brooklyn-based industrial designers Apparatus studio for the food court on the third floor. In designing these smaller details, Richards and team note that they “always like to be heavily involved in the prototyping of furniture, joinery and construction details”. Richards says: “The builders made 1:1 mockups that gave us the opportunity to finesse proportions, colours and materials to ensure the final outcome feels properly resolved and completely thought through.” Photography by Felix Forest [gallery size="medium" ids="71347,71346,71348"] Hightail Pub, Melbourne by Techne Combine a hip food court with a luxe cocktail bar, and you might get something like Hightail – a new hotspot set to breathe life to a notoriously overlooked part of Melbourne. With the client having recently merged with 100 Burgers, the 950-seat space cleverly integrates individual kiosks for Belle’s Hot Chicken, Super Taco, and the ever-popular Mr. Burger. Catering to roughly 20,000 workers in the buildings above, Hightail was formed with the vision of providing the perfect backdrop for after-work drinks descending en masse. Inspired by the classic and wonderfully vivid children’s book The Wateringhole by Greame Base, the venue playfully references the concept of ‘the wateringhole’ as both a feature of the natural landscape and to the old colloquial term for a public bar. Hightail is a journey through texture, colour and form, creating a fun and unique experience. Two bars; a robust beer bar finished in concrete, cork and copper; and a more intimate wine bar adorned with brass, terracotta tiling, deep blue carpet and natural timber. Taking cues from Graeme Base’s lush illustrations, murals and rich layers of colour and texture bring an element of intrigue and tactility to the space. While the stunning combinations of colour and texture are the substance of the space, it’s the clever and creative lighting that really sets the dining experience apart. The entry for example, features a bright blue neon ‘Hightail’ sign, referencing the famous and iconic “neon bar sign” trope. Throughout the space, Hightail is littered with a series of deliberately miss-matching pendants above each of the tables as well as draped caravan-style bulb lighting throughout some of the private wine bar areas to give the space a more bohemian feel. The pièce de résistance however, is most certainly the main bar, which mimics the flooring by cascading down from the ceiling in a vintage 50s diner-style aesthetic. Here each row is warmly backlit against the green timbre and tile structure, given off a luminous golden glow and acting as the monolithic centrepiece in an already eye-catching space. Photography by Charlie Kinross [gallery size="medium" ids="71351,71349,71350"] Bikini Bar, Bali by Travis Walton Architecture & Interior Design With more than one million Australians visiting the Indonesian island of Bali each year and more than 10,000 Australians making it their main home, there’s something in the Bali waters right now, and it’s taken hold of the hospitality scene. One of the latest additions to an already growing list of high-end hospo is Bikini Bar designed by Australian-based Travis Walton Architecture + Interior Design. The 120-seat bar and restaurant is the latest venue from restaurateurs 8 Degree Projects, headed by Australian expat Adam McAsey. The four venues – Sisterfields cafe, BO$$ MAN burger shop, Expat coffee roasters and now Bikini – sit side by side, occupying one of the busiest corners of upmarket Seminyak. Of all the venues, Bikini shouts loudest to the street with a pink neon sign high above its forecourt declaring “U LOOK HOT IN (A) BIKINI.” The “A” flickers in and out of view, inviting two different readings – one of flattery and one of subtle instruction. The vivid display is a little reminiscent of the courtship behaviour you see by tropical male birds or young men in Kuta, but it is a purposeful tactic to capture the attentions of passers-by and encourage them inside. Once through the front entry, visitors can pick a spot in the open-air cocktail lounge, with the “disco art-deco” service bar on the right and plush banquette seating on the left. The space has been designed as a place for people watching, and for many tourists this is exactly what they feel like doing on their first nights as they take in their surroundings. Timber screens the soffit of the overhead private dining room and the bar front, while marble countertops, brass-lined stools and especially the art-deco style wall pendants above each of the booths speak of influences from New York and Miami. But sometimes the best lighting is hidden from sight! Bikini Bar, for example, runs around the corner and into the purpose-built double-height concrete structure that houses the main dining space. The western and northern walls are flanked with curvy leather dining booths which feature indented backlighting which projects from the booths and up through to the walls and ceiling. The effect of this kinds of lighting concept is heightened by the western wall, which is almost completely cloaked in a mural by Melbourne artist Ash Keating, who filled up fire extinguishers with pink and white paint and sprayed the wall. The result is a dynamic curtain of illuminated colour from the hidden lights that appear to drip down the wall and flood the space with a pink fog. Photography by Sean Fennessy [gallery size="medium" ids="71343,71344,71364"]abc Primary Slider Interiors Homes A Different Take On The Traditional Australian Beach House by Elana Castle 23 February Australian beach houses are noteworthy for their laid back aesthetic, but Killcare House, located on the rise of a gently rolling hill in the Bouddi National Park in NSW, offers a delightful antidote to the ubiquitous minimalist genre. “Our clients wanted to create a sophisticated and unconventional beach house, whilst give it a relaxed barefoot elegance,” explains Alexandra Donohoe Church, founder and managing director of interior design firm Decus Interiors. “They were keen to marry texture, richness and references to beautiful European farm houses and chateaux, which they had visited during their travels.” Designed by architecture practice Square Design, Decus Interiors were co-opted onto the design team once construction had begun. As the project evolved, so did their involvement, and ultimately the team took on a significant portion of the design scope which included the design evolution of the kitchen, bathrooms and joinery. “Dan Cliff from Square Design really considered the volumes of the spaces and how light enters the home through highlight windows,” continues Alexandra. “Maintaining a sense of free-flowing space throughout was of utmost importance to a very sociable client couple who wanted an ‘un-beachy’ beach house. We endeavoured to balance the open sense with a rich, textural palette, adding cosy nooks and a few little hidden gems of space.” The result is a richly evocative interior scheme that draws in colour and texture from the surrounding natural environs. The house’s luxury factor is further amped up by a palette of lush finishes which include dark timbers, black steel paneling, marble and the integration of leather and hand blown glass. “We also deployed little details to keep a clean and uncluttered look, such as the stone upstand in the kitchen, which hides ample storage,” adds Alexandra. “This is then balanced by softer lighter elements seen in the wall colour, stone and flooring - and of course - the ample natural light.” Standouts rooms with the modern Australian beach house include the “the bijoux powder room,” – a favourite of the designers for its “rich tones and incredible visual texture of Breccia Nera stone,” which is layered on a bespoke vanity unit. “The entry to the room is a hidden door set within the library joinery – it’s a beautiful surprise,” adds Alexandra. Another unexpected design element includes the use of custom sliding panels made from electro-plated custom bronze mesh which conceal the library adjoining the living area and all the AV equipment – further evidence of Decus Interior’s commitment to their clients’ distinctive brief and personal vision. Ultimately, this house balances the vast, striking majesty of an exceptional geographic location with a rich interior that showcases the clients treasured vintage pieces and passion for antiques – with great sophistication. Decus Interiors decus.com.au Photography by Anson Smart We think you might also like Stables House by Robson Rakabc Design Hunters DH - Feature People Accidentally In Business by Holly Cunneen 21 February Try everything once, right? Because you never know what might stick. No one knows that better than George Wilkins and Will McCallum. Two childhood friends, the duo have grown from skiing together to studying together – commerce, at the University of Otago, Dunedin – to now designing, manufacturing and running a business together. More or less eponymous, George & Willy is a local design studio and workshop based out of Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. It was during the latter years of their degree that, in a bid to get the most out of the resources the university made available to them, George and Will discovered the woodshop. Subsequently a new path unfolded. “We joke about accidently starting a business because we never made things to sell them, we just made things for fun: oversized matchsticks and toy helicopters, lamps and catapults,” says Will. Although their design offering still very much embodies a light-hearted, playful approach, in the years since foundation (2014) their approach to business and design has auto-refined. First of all, their work has remained far from superfluous. On the contrary, it’s very much based on functionality and need. “Necessity is the mother of invention,” says Will, rather poignantly. “We call our products life tools; tools that will be around forever and not fade with the trends. Our products are fun and help people live a better life.” And while they may seem niche to some, a global market allows the team to reach the world. As Will points out, an online market means they’re not bound by their base. The running of the business is another way in which the company has matured. In the beginning George & Willy may have run more or less as a 24/7 operation – that’s often what it takes to get a passion project off the ground. That can be exhilarating, but also stressful. In recent years, the founders have been able to hire staff to distribute the load – both mental and physical. Now everyone has set hours, and they stick to them. What that definitely doesn’t mean, though, is that the workshop is off limits for personal use. “The team at work obviously have free reign over the workshop and are encouraged to have personal projects going all the time,” says Will. “It’s a fun space.” And it seems that not only do the team have a personal connection with the pieces they are designing, manufacturing and sending out to the world, but they also have a strong personal connection to one another – like a family. The whole crew got together for the renovation of Will’s house, also in Mount Maunganui. Everything from the laundry basket to the couch to the letterbox outside was made from scratch. George & Willy are a small, tight-knit community of five that live and breathe design. But watch this space, it’s a growing community. George & Willy georgeandwilly.com abc Parties Happenings HAP - Feature Celebrating StylecraftHOME’s Latest Collections by Andrew McDonald 20 February VIP clients and design lovers alike joined StylecraftHOME in Sydney to preview the latest collections from a suite of International brands. Every visit to StylecraftHOME's showroom offers something new, and with special guest and resident HOME artist Daimon Downey joining the evening to chat about his inspiration, method and approach to the pieces being exhibited, this night was no exception. The evening was a wonderful celebration of the design experiences available in store, and of the spirit of exceptional design in general. [gallery columns="5" ids="71160,71161,71162,71163,71164,71165,71166,71167,71168,71169,71170,71171,71172,71173,71174,71175,71176,71177,71178,71179,71180,71181,71182,71183,71184,71185,71186,71187,71188,71189,71190,71191,71192,71193,71194,71195,71196,71197,71198,71199,71200,71201,71202,71203,71204,71206,71207,71208,71209,71210,71211,71212,71213,71214,71215,71216,71217,71218,71219,71220,71221,71222,71223,71224,71225,71227,71229,71230,71231,71232,71233,71234,71235,71236,71237,71238,71239,71240,71241,71242,71243,71244,71245,71246,71247,71248,71249,71250,71251,71252,71253,71254,71255,71256,71257,71258,71260,71261,71262,71263,71264,71265,71266,71267,71268,71269,71270,71271,71272,71273,71274,71275,71276,71277,71278,71279,71280,71281,71282,71283,71284,71285,71286,71287,71288,71289,71290,71291,71292,71293"]abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider When Nature Informs Design by Darlene Smyth 20 February Primitive Hut is an architectural concept wherein which the relationship between humans and their environment is seen as the driving force behind the design and build. And it’s a concept that the team at RT+Q Architects in Singapore drew on heavily when working on House With Shadows. Directors Rene Tan and TK Quek, and project architect Melvin Keng, at explored the dynamics between an assemblage of primary residential building forms and their surrounding garden spaces. Housing multiple generations of the one family, this barn-like building opens up and responds to the interplay of light, wind and views of the surrounding landscape of the site and the distant views beyond. The house reacts to the surrounding series of gardens in a way that intrinsically links the built forms and the landscape elements. These ideas of symbiosis are expressed in the delicate patterns of shadows cast by light filtering through the various forms of screening along the building’s edges and in the careful framing of landscape elements through projected portals and strip windows cut into the house’s façade. The act of lifting the main body of the house to the second story so that the ground floor is highly permeable to the landscape, creates an environment in which the building and its gardens seem to exist in a symbiotic relationship with each other on the site. The owners of this 20,000-square-foot plot in a prestigious neighbourhood in the West Central area of Singapore are a multi-generational family comprising grandparents, their daughter and their grandchildren. The son-in-law, who happens to be a landscape designer, conceived the design of the external spaces from the onset of the project. Melvin Keng from RT+Q explains, “In this project, we worked with the concept that the landscape be the driver of how the architecture sits on the site… the garden spaces are thematic according to the uses.” A front garden, which Melvin refers to as “the secret garden”, is a romantic space which feels like a private clearing in a forest. Much of its character comes from the umbrella of a few 30-year-old roadside shade trees that were to be felled during the project and were transplanted here to screen the house from the road and enclose this serene and reflective space. The centre of the home is cooled down with a water garden which extends beyond the notion of a swimming pool into a large body of water with bridges crossing over it; above which the surrounding buildings appear to float. Thirdly, a side garden brings in exotic influences in the design with a distinctly Japanese theme. This asymmetrical garden with a central koi pond uses a selection of extremely soft and flowing plants and trees that blow lightly in the wind to give the garden its sense of tranquillity. The house is likewise broken up into three main zones which are expressed as pavilions with barn-like forms and relate to these three gardens. The pavilions are differentiated from each other through their material use and orientation, forming an asymmetrical T-shape. A main public pavilion greets visitors from the front of the house sharing common areas to the extended family; a living room, dining and kitchen, and a large family room on the second storey which overlooks the double-volume living area below. While this pavilion is cladded mostly in Chengal Timber, the lower level is completely glassed in so that it simultaneously enjoys views into all three gardens. The daughter’s pavilion is clad in cast-in-form concrete which is expressed as an impossibly light material, almost resembling the lightness of wood itself in its application. A third zone to the side of the main pavilion houses the master suite and relates directly to the Japanese themed garden. To amplify the experience of the garden, the designers have introduced a large enclosed porch, surrounded by sliding vertical timber screens, reminiscent of a traditional Japanese veranda or engawa from which to enjoy the views of nature. Throughout the house, the hand of the designer can be felt through the highly crafted details. “All the details are our idea of expressing joints,” explains Melvin, “we like to show how things go together.” The architects customised and detailed all elements of the house, controlling even the detailing of integrated light fittings, railings, and electrical switches, which became elements of design in themselves. Toeing the line between rustic, unpolished materials and intricate joinery, these details reflect the overall design intent in the house: to be inspired by – and in harmony with – nature. abc Design Hunters Conversations Accommodating The Evolving Habits Of A Contemporary Lifestyle by Patricia Arcilla 19 February The way we live is changing. Now more than ever we are drawn to big cities, relying on technology in all aspects of our lives, and embracing with open arms the unique joys and challenges of living in increasingly dense populations. In line with this ongoing shift in circumstance and perspective, the residential sector has bloomed to produce dynamic, vibrant living spaces unlike anything that has preceded them. Today, the home is the perfect backdrop for expressive, experimental design that celebrates individuality; spaces are not just blank slates for activity, but are in themselves extensions of their occupants’ wants, needs, and idiosyncrasies. Whatever the scale of the home – and wherever it is – it is now recognised that there is always room for exceptional design. This year, as ever, the INDE.Awards Living Space Category will recognise the best projects in the Asia Pacific residential sector. Tackling everything from denser urban populations to new technologies and climate change, the best living spaces view the complexities and intricacies of their site not as challenges but as opportunities for innovation. Winners in this category will represent a strong creative identity, a firm grasp and innovative interpretation of the client brief, and the distinct flavour of design in the region. The Living Space category also celebrates projects that demonstrate a nuanced understanding of their site, whether that might mean considerate, responsive and sensitive reactions to context, or indeed pushing the boundaries of design and local identity. In either case, a well-resolved Living Space has a firm grounding in its surrounds and strong sense of place are essential, as is a clear, coherent design strategy. German luxury brand Gaggenau is proud to return as a sponsor of this year’s INDE.Awards Living Space category and honour yet another year of excellence in residential design. The partnership is fitting, with kitchens forming the backbone of living spaces around the world. One of the most important rooms in the house – the kitchen – demands a unique degree of design ingenuity and foresight for innovation. As the hub of our personal and familial lives, the kitchen's sudden transformation to become a site of technological advancement, avant-garde materials, luxuriant design and supreme functionality, we cannot imagine a better brand to partner with to present the Living Space Award than Gaggenau. Drawing inspiration from the professional kitchen, the company’s designers and craftsmen use only the finest materials to create appliances that enable culinary perfection in the home kitchen. Whether it’s storing ingredients perfectly, cooking expertly, or cleaning effortlessly, Gaggenau will inspire you to create. If you’re a professional chef, a passionate home cook, or even somebody with a restricted recipe repertoire, the kitchen is a central part of the living experience – one of the first rooms you visit in the morning and likely one of the last at night. In many ways, the kitchen is one of the ultimate spaces for living. The kitchen distils some of the best elements of living: passion, expressiveness, sociality, and sensual pleasure, and serves them all up in a flavoursome tangle. If the kitchen is the heart of the home, then Gaggenau is the soul of the kitchen. Since their beginnings in the Black Forest in 1683, the company has shaped the face of appliance design, earning a reputation as one of the most trusted global designers and suppliers of luxury appliances for high-end homes. From integrated cooking solutions to dishwashing, ventilation, refrigeration, and wine cabinets, Gaggenau appliances are at the heart of kitchens everywhere, bringing joy, performance, and cutting edge avant-garde design into living spaces around the world. Gaggenau is pleased to support the 2018 INDE.Awards and a new generation of designers taking up the mantle for exceptional living spaces. Gaggenau gaggenau.com 2018 INDE.Awards indeawards.com abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider Inner-City Living Doesn’t Mean A Disconnect With Nature by Sophia Watson 19 February Inner-city living is problematic even for the most urban-minded among us. It’s noisy, chaotic and expensive to boot – but perhaps one of the most significant issues with living in a city is the lack of commune with nature. Believe it or not, the benefits of surrounding yourself with nature are huge both physically and mentally, and so when we are relegated to the big smoke for work or what have you, a small part of us feels very unfulfilled. This was especially the case for a man who had not only had an appreciation for nature, but made it his life’s work. For an agriculturalist and his family, living in Surat, India, for his career was a necessity, and so they approached local design firm Neogenesis+Studi0261 to come up with a new blueprint for their living situation. Located on the coast of the Indian state of Gujarat, the property sits in a climate that is typically dry throughout the year until the monsoon rains arrive around mid-June. The house is flanked on either side by existing homes with a suburban character and was originally designed to make the most of the available natural light. “The project aims at creating an economically modest built form for an agriculturist and his family,” says architect Chinmay Laiwala. “We decided to use abstraction of urban farming as design devices to shape both the exterior and interior spaces – which of course were deliberately blurred. The heart of the concept was driven by the basic building materials, which are kept to their natural form and texture to comprehend and reference the natural flora.” Though the project was largely the delivery of a conceptual dream, the design approach was taken further to improve the functional aspects of the home, while continuing to express a connection with nature throughout. The façade for example – incorporating the main entrance – faces onto a laneway that provides access to a garage, above which are a series of stepped terraces and balconies. A set of steps leads to a foyer lined with a trellis that opens into an open-plan living space occupying most of the ground floor. The lounge and dining space are arranged around the double-height courtyard, which is flanked on one side by the trellis. Creepers and climbing plants help to shade the interior from direct sunlight, while the full-height retractable glazing ensures an uninterrupted connection with the outdoor space. The courtyard is topped with a circular opening that allows natural light to filter down. A matching circular window overlooks the garden from the master bedroom above. The main lounge space on the ground floor is connected by a set of louvred wooden doors to a large enclosed terrace with built-in concrete planters. Also on this level is a shrine based on the Shikhara – a pyramid-like structure found in some Hindu temples. The shrine is positioned at the base of a triple-height void that allows daylight to flood into the heart of the building. Stairs ascend from the dining area to a family room occupying the first-floor landing, which is surrounded by three en-suite bedrooms. The master bedroom features sliding glass doors that open onto a private balcony sheltered beneath a cantilevered roof. Plants spill over from the edge of the balcony to overhang the terrace below. The stairs continue from the family area to a second floor accommodating a further two bedrooms. Fitted timber joinery throughout the rooms offers a warm contrast to the stone flooring and rough, plastered walls. Ultimately, Jungalow House is a stunning example of how inner-city living does not have to meet a disconnect with the vitally important natural world. We think you might also like Binh Thanh House by Vo Trong Nghia Architectsabc Happenings Parties Where the Wild Things Are Celebrating Project 82+ and Daniellex by Andrew McDonald 16 February Project 82 has always had a strong focus on producing locally made furniture and working with Australian-based designers, and this new project will see them collaborating with artists and creative in a whole new way. The first iteration of Project 82+ sees a partnership established with Sydney-based artist DANIELLEX to introduce ‘Where The Wild Things Are’, a new limited edition abstract floral photography collection as the first Project 82+ initiative. “In 2018, Project 82 will be welcoming four local creatives into our St Peters showroom space to create a little bit of design magic,” says Shelley Mason, director of Project 82, “DANIELLEX is our very first guest, turning our space into a sea of abstract floral photographs for the months of February and March. Her raw and beautiful prints will look striking against the backdrop of our Project 82 sofas, tables and chairs and we can’t wait to see the transformation of our space.” ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ is a collection of 10 limited edition abstract floral photography prints where the artworks themselves take on a deeper meaning, both in the floral structure and its symbolism. ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ will be open for viewing during Project 82’s St Peters showroom hours, from Friday 8 February through to Thursday 29 March 2018. Project 82 project82.com.au [gallery columns="5" ids="70940,70941,70942,70943,70944,70945,70946,70947,70948,70949,70950,70951,70952,70953,70954,70955,70956,70957,70958,70959,70960,70961,70962,70963,70964,70965,70966,70967,70968,70969,70970,70971,70972,70973,70974,70975,70976,70977,70978,70979,70980,70981,70982,70983,70984,70985,70986,70987,70988,70989,70990,70991,70992,70993,70994,70995,70996,70997"]abc 1 2 3 Next Page → TOP
Homes Architecture ARC - Feature Labour Of Love: A Melbourne Renovation Kept Close To Home by Alice Griffin 26 February There’s something about being close to a project that clouds our judgement or at the very least, raises the stakes. Renovating a stately Melbourne home and creating an open-plan extension that is both complementary to the building’s 150 year-old history and enjoys modern functionality would pose a challenge for any designer. For Dina Malathounis of architectural practice Junctions90, it was even more difficult – she was the homeowner as well. As is expected when an architect-slash-homeowner takes the reins, the bar was set high for the renovation. The home was to enable the busy family of four to live, work and function as a unit, and cater to the couple’s ageing parents who would inhabit the space’s second floor addition. A comfortable 21st-century home was key, but it had to be sustainable and respect the landscape and existing architecture as well. As both Dina and her husband work full-time, it was important that the home be low maintenance and hard-wearing. With many objectives at play, Dina looked to one of the founding fathers of modernism to inform her vision. “The home was inspired by Mies van der Rohe’s long-standing architectural principles of extreme clarity and simplicity,” tells Dina. Similarly, reductionist thinking echoes throughout the home. Concrete, steel and glass are the primary materials while a simple palette of walnut, white and black meet the brief of timeless and minimal interiors. The home goes to great lengths to achieve the simplicity trumpeted by the German-American architect. For an aesthetic free of ornament, audio conduits, curtain tracks, glazing and pivot door requirements were all recessed into the concrete slab of the extension before it was poured. Conscious of the building’s heritage, a delicate dance between restoring the old and embracing the new abounds in the home, with stunning results. The Hawthorn brick façade in the heritage home – uncovered and brought back to life during the project – become a backdrop in the extension, adding texture and warmth to the modern rooms. The second floor’s steel mirror cladding was chosen for its now you see it, now you don’t appeal, its reflections merging the new build with the natural surrounds. “The new should be ideal 21st-century living but [should also be] almost invisible on the site,” explains Dina. While the design may retain a sympathetic outlook to its foundations, Dina’s home is far from traditional – just take the bedroom in the upstairs apartment. The multipurpose space throws out the rulebook entirely, its glazed glass walls evading the stuffy boxed-in feel that usually hinders small rooms. A glamorous yet relaxed space, the open-plan library, kitchen and sunken lounge is the heart of the home. Here, the family eat, relax and share stories. It is the ultimate gathering place, just as Dina planned. Junctions90 junctions90.com.au Photography by Christine Francis Dissection Information Custom-made Italian cowhide leather lounge in living room Original Le Corbusier lounge in living room Custom-made Ironbark dining table Bathtub from Apaiser Ceiling track lights by Bocci in dining area We think you might also like Darling Point Penthouse by Arent&Pykeabc Design Products Habitus Favourites - Slider Lighting Five Of The Best: Cafe Lighting Design by Sophia Watson 23 February The Asia Pac region is pioneering some mega cool new directions in the hospitality space – and the international design community is noticing. Imaginative and intelligent lighting concepts play a huge role in this reputation, where our designers are creating instantly iconic alternatives to the standard humdrum downlights and oh-so-over-it Edison bulbs. Instead, we are a region of inventors! Creative geniuses and radical thinkers taking the hospitality typology to new and unexpected places. Here, Habitus celebrates five Asia Pacific cafes (and the designers who created them) that showcase our collective talent in producing the world’s best cafe lighting design... No.19 Ascot Vale by Biasol Tribute design is a dicey game, kids. All it takes is a client brief that mentions “New York Deco” and suddenly you’re replicating the Chrysler building. There is a fine line between modernising a traditional design archetype and flat-out copy-pasting it. In their recent effort for hospitality space No.19, local Melbourne studio Biasol have successfully produced a nostalgic design without completely ripping off the original. Having already designed one café for clients Domenic and Diana Caruso, the duo asked the studio to find them a property for their second venture. Australia has a rich and diverse immigration history, where cultures from all over the world came seeking opportunity. This has impacted our design heritage immensely, where immigrants from Mediterranean areas of Europe in particular – such as Italy and Greece – meant that they brought with them their own aesthetic traditions that quickly became blended with a kind of Australi-ana twist. “Our concept was inspired by the Greek delicatessens that flourished around Melbourne in the 1950s,” Team Biasol notes. “Materially, concrete surfaces – the counter, walls and floor – give the space a warmth and sophistication.” Though certainly inspired by vintage Greek-Australian eateries, Biasol worked to inject elements of nostalgia into the space while still producing a more modern, refined space in line with current hospitality culture. “Its 4.5-metre-high ceilings and skylights allow daylight to flood the space throughout the day,” says Jean-Pierre Biasol, “while the rectangular layout offered a variety of possible layouts. We chose to combine pale concrete surfaces with warmer elements such as brass and wood. The concrete service counter, is definitely the heart of the space, accented with the hand-painted teal tiles, which were sourced from Morocco to add a level of Mediterranean authenticity.” “Brass lamps sit atop of the counter, with a footrest in the same material snaking around its base. The golden material is used again for a sink set into the concrete surface, where customers can serve themselves water.” “We took an integrated approach to this project, to make sure the architecture, interiors, branding and products worked well together, and produced a cohesive and memorable dining experience,” added the team. Photography by Ari Hatzis [gallery size="medium" ids="71355,71356,71358"] Flaggerdoot Bar & Doot Doot Doot Restaurant at the Jackalope Hotel by Carr Design The demand for ‘transformative experiences’ in the luxury travel market requires the ability to transport and excite. They need to communicate, mesmerise, delight and surprise guests, whether they are a first-time punter or a seasoned traveller. These environments not only need to tell a story – but invite you to actively participate in that story, too. In one of the most daring and avant-garde moves in the hotel industry to date, the Carr-designed Jackalope Hotel on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula wine region provides an otherworldly experience rich with narrative and imagination. But how exactly has Carr built-in this ability to offer guests a ‘transformative experience’? From head to toe, the project is guided by the theme of ‘alchemy’ – a nod to its 18th century heritage as a working vineyard. Nowhere is this technique more prevalent than the awe-inspiring lighting concepts in the hotel’s bar & lounge Flaggerdoot and fine-dining restaurant Doot Doot Doot. Celebrating the hotel’s origins, the signature bar, Flaggerdoot is housed within the original 18th century Federation cottage, its architecture having been thoroughly and sensitively restored. One of the most amazing features however is the geometric single-track lighting installation on the ceiling, referencing the alchemic nature of the space. One thing I’m willing to bet you’ve definitely seen while scrolling through Instagram is the spectacular light installation on the Doot Doot Doot restaurant ceiling, collaboratively designed by Carr and Fabio Ongarato Design (FOD). Jewel-like in form, what you might not know is that the installation references fermentation and bubbling (again, another comment on the theme of alchemy) while celebrating the hotel’s own working winery and vineyard providing an immersive, interactive and tactile wine experience for guests. This lighting design in particular may be one of (if not the) most magnificent feats of luminary design intelligence in Asia Pacific’s history. Photography by Sharyn Cairns [gallery size="medium" ids="71352,71353,71354"] Chifley Plaza, Sydney by SJB Sydney’s famed Chifley Plaza shopping mall, by SJB, reimagines the retail experience with inspiration from the Manhattan Art Deco style of the original building itself. Since its inception, Chifley has been an iconic retail precinct in Sydney’s CBD, renowned for extraordinary marble detailing and high-end shopping. SJB has taken the interiors to a new level by retaining the aesthetic and historical nostalgia of the precinct and architecture while delivering a more modern interpretation of it. On the upper floor, for example, an enormous backlit ceiling acts as a glowing skylight visible from all levels. Taking inspiration from iconic international public buildings like Le Bon Marche in Paris and The Guggenheim in New York, the patterned backlit ceiling acts as a focal point, throwing a lovely wash of light through the tri-level atrium void. “We approached the design by understanding the problems, considering options and looking to historical references that might help unfold the answers,” says SJB director and design lead, Jonathan Richards. “For example, we loved the idea of a backlit ceiling to resolve the issue about low ceiling heights and a hidden food-court. It would be the draw-card on entering Chifley. The enveloping canopy of light also created a sense of marketplace.” With this illuminated ceiling, SJB injected some more detailed and bespoke lighting elements into the space. Specifically, custom lighting was created by Brooklyn-based industrial designers Apparatus studio for the food court on the third floor. In designing these smaller details, Richards and team note that they “always like to be heavily involved in the prototyping of furniture, joinery and construction details”. Richards says: “The builders made 1:1 mockups that gave us the opportunity to finesse proportions, colours and materials to ensure the final outcome feels properly resolved and completely thought through.” Photography by Felix Forest [gallery size="medium" ids="71347,71346,71348"] Hightail Pub, Melbourne by Techne Combine a hip food court with a luxe cocktail bar, and you might get something like Hightail – a new hotspot set to breathe life to a notoriously overlooked part of Melbourne. With the client having recently merged with 100 Burgers, the 950-seat space cleverly integrates individual kiosks for Belle’s Hot Chicken, Super Taco, and the ever-popular Mr. Burger. Catering to roughly 20,000 workers in the buildings above, Hightail was formed with the vision of providing the perfect backdrop for after-work drinks descending en masse. Inspired by the classic and wonderfully vivid children’s book The Wateringhole by Greame Base, the venue playfully references the concept of ‘the wateringhole’ as both a feature of the natural landscape and to the old colloquial term for a public bar. Hightail is a journey through texture, colour and form, creating a fun and unique experience. Two bars; a robust beer bar finished in concrete, cork and copper; and a more intimate wine bar adorned with brass, terracotta tiling, deep blue carpet and natural timber. Taking cues from Graeme Base’s lush illustrations, murals and rich layers of colour and texture bring an element of intrigue and tactility to the space. While the stunning combinations of colour and texture are the substance of the space, it’s the clever and creative lighting that really sets the dining experience apart. The entry for example, features a bright blue neon ‘Hightail’ sign, referencing the famous and iconic “neon bar sign” trope. Throughout the space, Hightail is littered with a series of deliberately miss-matching pendants above each of the tables as well as draped caravan-style bulb lighting throughout some of the private wine bar areas to give the space a more bohemian feel. The pièce de résistance however, is most certainly the main bar, which mimics the flooring by cascading down from the ceiling in a vintage 50s diner-style aesthetic. Here each row is warmly backlit against the green timbre and tile structure, given off a luminous golden glow and acting as the monolithic centrepiece in an already eye-catching space. Photography by Charlie Kinross [gallery size="medium" ids="71351,71349,71350"] Bikini Bar, Bali by Travis Walton Architecture & Interior Design With more than one million Australians visiting the Indonesian island of Bali each year and more than 10,000 Australians making it their main home, there’s something in the Bali waters right now, and it’s taken hold of the hospitality scene. One of the latest additions to an already growing list of high-end hospo is Bikini Bar designed by Australian-based Travis Walton Architecture + Interior Design. The 120-seat bar and restaurant is the latest venue from restaurateurs 8 Degree Projects, headed by Australian expat Adam McAsey. The four venues – Sisterfields cafe, BO$$ MAN burger shop, Expat coffee roasters and now Bikini – sit side by side, occupying one of the busiest corners of upmarket Seminyak. Of all the venues, Bikini shouts loudest to the street with a pink neon sign high above its forecourt declaring “U LOOK HOT IN (A) BIKINI.” The “A” flickers in and out of view, inviting two different readings – one of flattery and one of subtle instruction. The vivid display is a little reminiscent of the courtship behaviour you see by tropical male birds or young men in Kuta, but it is a purposeful tactic to capture the attentions of passers-by and encourage them inside. Once through the front entry, visitors can pick a spot in the open-air cocktail lounge, with the “disco art-deco” service bar on the right and plush banquette seating on the left. The space has been designed as a place for people watching, and for many tourists this is exactly what they feel like doing on their first nights as they take in their surroundings. Timber screens the soffit of the overhead private dining room and the bar front, while marble countertops, brass-lined stools and especially the art-deco style wall pendants above each of the booths speak of influences from New York and Miami. But sometimes the best lighting is hidden from sight! Bikini Bar, for example, runs around the corner and into the purpose-built double-height concrete structure that houses the main dining space. The western and northern walls are flanked with curvy leather dining booths which feature indented backlighting which projects from the booths and up through to the walls and ceiling. The effect of this kinds of lighting concept is heightened by the western wall, which is almost completely cloaked in a mural by Melbourne artist Ash Keating, who filled up fire extinguishers with pink and white paint and sprayed the wall. The result is a dynamic curtain of illuminated colour from the hidden lights that appear to drip down the wall and flood the space with a pink fog. Photography by Sean Fennessy [gallery size="medium" ids="71343,71344,71364"]abc Primary Slider Interiors Homes A Different Take On The Traditional Australian Beach House by Elana Castle 23 February Australian beach houses are noteworthy for their laid back aesthetic, but Killcare House, located on the rise of a gently rolling hill in the Bouddi National Park in NSW, offers a delightful antidote to the ubiquitous minimalist genre. “Our clients wanted to create a sophisticated and unconventional beach house, whilst give it a relaxed barefoot elegance,” explains Alexandra Donohoe Church, founder and managing director of interior design firm Decus Interiors. “They were keen to marry texture, richness and references to beautiful European farm houses and chateaux, which they had visited during their travels.” Designed by architecture practice Square Design, Decus Interiors were co-opted onto the design team once construction had begun. As the project evolved, so did their involvement, and ultimately the team took on a significant portion of the design scope which included the design evolution of the kitchen, bathrooms and joinery. “Dan Cliff from Square Design really considered the volumes of the spaces and how light enters the home through highlight windows,” continues Alexandra. “Maintaining a sense of free-flowing space throughout was of utmost importance to a very sociable client couple who wanted an ‘un-beachy’ beach house. We endeavoured to balance the open sense with a rich, textural palette, adding cosy nooks and a few little hidden gems of space.” The result is a richly evocative interior scheme that draws in colour and texture from the surrounding natural environs. The house’s luxury factor is further amped up by a palette of lush finishes which include dark timbers, black steel paneling, marble and the integration of leather and hand blown glass. “We also deployed little details to keep a clean and uncluttered look, such as the stone upstand in the kitchen, which hides ample storage,” adds Alexandra. “This is then balanced by softer lighter elements seen in the wall colour, stone and flooring - and of course - the ample natural light.” Standouts rooms with the modern Australian beach house include the “the bijoux powder room,” – a favourite of the designers for its “rich tones and incredible visual texture of Breccia Nera stone,” which is layered on a bespoke vanity unit. “The entry to the room is a hidden door set within the library joinery – it’s a beautiful surprise,” adds Alexandra. Another unexpected design element includes the use of custom sliding panels made from electro-plated custom bronze mesh which conceal the library adjoining the living area and all the AV equipment – further evidence of Decus Interior’s commitment to their clients’ distinctive brief and personal vision. Ultimately, this house balances the vast, striking majesty of an exceptional geographic location with a rich interior that showcases the clients treasured vintage pieces and passion for antiques – with great sophistication. Decus Interiors decus.com.au Photography by Anson Smart We think you might also like Stables House by Robson Rakabc Design Hunters DH - Feature People Accidentally In Business by Holly Cunneen 21 February Try everything once, right? Because you never know what might stick. No one knows that better than George Wilkins and Will McCallum. Two childhood friends, the duo have grown from skiing together to studying together – commerce, at the University of Otago, Dunedin – to now designing, manufacturing and running a business together. More or less eponymous, George & Willy is a local design studio and workshop based out of Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. It was during the latter years of their degree that, in a bid to get the most out of the resources the university made available to them, George and Will discovered the woodshop. Subsequently a new path unfolded. “We joke about accidently starting a business because we never made things to sell them, we just made things for fun: oversized matchsticks and toy helicopters, lamps and catapults,” says Will. Although their design offering still very much embodies a light-hearted, playful approach, in the years since foundation (2014) their approach to business and design has auto-refined. First of all, their work has remained far from superfluous. On the contrary, it’s very much based on functionality and need. “Necessity is the mother of invention,” says Will, rather poignantly. “We call our products life tools; tools that will be around forever and not fade with the trends. Our products are fun and help people live a better life.” And while they may seem niche to some, a global market allows the team to reach the world. As Will points out, an online market means they’re not bound by their base. The running of the business is another way in which the company has matured. In the beginning George & Willy may have run more or less as a 24/7 operation – that’s often what it takes to get a passion project off the ground. That can be exhilarating, but also stressful. In recent years, the founders have been able to hire staff to distribute the load – both mental and physical. Now everyone has set hours, and they stick to them. What that definitely doesn’t mean, though, is that the workshop is off limits for personal use. “The team at work obviously have free reign over the workshop and are encouraged to have personal projects going all the time,” says Will. “It’s a fun space.” And it seems that not only do the team have a personal connection with the pieces they are designing, manufacturing and sending out to the world, but they also have a strong personal connection to one another – like a family. The whole crew got together for the renovation of Will’s house, also in Mount Maunganui. Everything from the laundry basket to the couch to the letterbox outside was made from scratch. George & Willy are a small, tight-knit community of five that live and breathe design. But watch this space, it’s a growing community. George & Willy georgeandwilly.com abc Parties Happenings HAP - Feature Celebrating StylecraftHOME’s Latest Collections by Andrew McDonald 20 February VIP clients and design lovers alike joined StylecraftHOME in Sydney to preview the latest collections from a suite of International brands. Every visit to StylecraftHOME's showroom offers something new, and with special guest and resident HOME artist Daimon Downey joining the evening to chat about his inspiration, method and approach to the pieces being exhibited, this night was no exception. The evening was a wonderful celebration of the design experiences available in store, and of the spirit of exceptional design in general. [gallery columns="5" ids="71160,71161,71162,71163,71164,71165,71166,71167,71168,71169,71170,71171,71172,71173,71174,71175,71176,71177,71178,71179,71180,71181,71182,71183,71184,71185,71186,71187,71188,71189,71190,71191,71192,71193,71194,71195,71196,71197,71198,71199,71200,71201,71202,71203,71204,71206,71207,71208,71209,71210,71211,71212,71213,71214,71215,71216,71217,71218,71219,71220,71221,71222,71223,71224,71225,71227,71229,71230,71231,71232,71233,71234,71235,71236,71237,71238,71239,71240,71241,71242,71243,71244,71245,71246,71247,71248,71249,71250,71251,71252,71253,71254,71255,71256,71257,71258,71260,71261,71262,71263,71264,71265,71266,71267,71268,71269,71270,71271,71272,71273,71274,71275,71276,71277,71278,71279,71280,71281,71282,71283,71284,71285,71286,71287,71288,71289,71290,71291,71292,71293"]abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider When Nature Informs Design by Darlene Smyth 20 February Primitive Hut is an architectural concept wherein which the relationship between humans and their environment is seen as the driving force behind the design and build. And it’s a concept that the team at RT+Q Architects in Singapore drew on heavily when working on House With Shadows. Directors Rene Tan and TK Quek, and project architect Melvin Keng, at explored the dynamics between an assemblage of primary residential building forms and their surrounding garden spaces. Housing multiple generations of the one family, this barn-like building opens up and responds to the interplay of light, wind and views of the surrounding landscape of the site and the distant views beyond. The house reacts to the surrounding series of gardens in a way that intrinsically links the built forms and the landscape elements. These ideas of symbiosis are expressed in the delicate patterns of shadows cast by light filtering through the various forms of screening along the building’s edges and in the careful framing of landscape elements through projected portals and strip windows cut into the house’s façade. The act of lifting the main body of the house to the second story so that the ground floor is highly permeable to the landscape, creates an environment in which the building and its gardens seem to exist in a symbiotic relationship with each other on the site. The owners of this 20,000-square-foot plot in a prestigious neighbourhood in the West Central area of Singapore are a multi-generational family comprising grandparents, their daughter and their grandchildren. The son-in-law, who happens to be a landscape designer, conceived the design of the external spaces from the onset of the project. Melvin Keng from RT+Q explains, “In this project, we worked with the concept that the landscape be the driver of how the architecture sits on the site… the garden spaces are thematic according to the uses.” A front garden, which Melvin refers to as “the secret garden”, is a romantic space which feels like a private clearing in a forest. Much of its character comes from the umbrella of a few 30-year-old roadside shade trees that were to be felled during the project and were transplanted here to screen the house from the road and enclose this serene and reflective space. The centre of the home is cooled down with a water garden which extends beyond the notion of a swimming pool into a large body of water with bridges crossing over it; above which the surrounding buildings appear to float. Thirdly, a side garden brings in exotic influences in the design with a distinctly Japanese theme. This asymmetrical garden with a central koi pond uses a selection of extremely soft and flowing plants and trees that blow lightly in the wind to give the garden its sense of tranquillity. The house is likewise broken up into three main zones which are expressed as pavilions with barn-like forms and relate to these three gardens. The pavilions are differentiated from each other through their material use and orientation, forming an asymmetrical T-shape. A main public pavilion greets visitors from the front of the house sharing common areas to the extended family; a living room, dining and kitchen, and a large family room on the second storey which overlooks the double-volume living area below. While this pavilion is cladded mostly in Chengal Timber, the lower level is completely glassed in so that it simultaneously enjoys views into all three gardens. The daughter’s pavilion is clad in cast-in-form concrete which is expressed as an impossibly light material, almost resembling the lightness of wood itself in its application. A third zone to the side of the main pavilion houses the master suite and relates directly to the Japanese themed garden. To amplify the experience of the garden, the designers have introduced a large enclosed porch, surrounded by sliding vertical timber screens, reminiscent of a traditional Japanese veranda or engawa from which to enjoy the views of nature. Throughout the house, the hand of the designer can be felt through the highly crafted details. “All the details are our idea of expressing joints,” explains Melvin, “we like to show how things go together.” The architects customised and detailed all elements of the house, controlling even the detailing of integrated light fittings, railings, and electrical switches, which became elements of design in themselves. Toeing the line between rustic, unpolished materials and intricate joinery, these details reflect the overall design intent in the house: to be inspired by – and in harmony with – nature. abc Design Hunters Conversations Accommodating The Evolving Habits Of A Contemporary Lifestyle by Patricia Arcilla 19 February The way we live is changing. Now more than ever we are drawn to big cities, relying on technology in all aspects of our lives, and embracing with open arms the unique joys and challenges of living in increasingly dense populations. In line with this ongoing shift in circumstance and perspective, the residential sector has bloomed to produce dynamic, vibrant living spaces unlike anything that has preceded them. Today, the home is the perfect backdrop for expressive, experimental design that celebrates individuality; spaces are not just blank slates for activity, but are in themselves extensions of their occupants’ wants, needs, and idiosyncrasies. Whatever the scale of the home – and wherever it is – it is now recognised that there is always room for exceptional design. This year, as ever, the INDE.Awards Living Space Category will recognise the best projects in the Asia Pacific residential sector. Tackling everything from denser urban populations to new technologies and climate change, the best living spaces view the complexities and intricacies of their site not as challenges but as opportunities for innovation. Winners in this category will represent a strong creative identity, a firm grasp and innovative interpretation of the client brief, and the distinct flavour of design in the region. The Living Space category also celebrates projects that demonstrate a nuanced understanding of their site, whether that might mean considerate, responsive and sensitive reactions to context, or indeed pushing the boundaries of design and local identity. In either case, a well-resolved Living Space has a firm grounding in its surrounds and strong sense of place are essential, as is a clear, coherent design strategy. German luxury brand Gaggenau is proud to return as a sponsor of this year’s INDE.Awards Living Space category and honour yet another year of excellence in residential design. The partnership is fitting, with kitchens forming the backbone of living spaces around the world. One of the most important rooms in the house – the kitchen – demands a unique degree of design ingenuity and foresight for innovation. As the hub of our personal and familial lives, the kitchen's sudden transformation to become a site of technological advancement, avant-garde materials, luxuriant design and supreme functionality, we cannot imagine a better brand to partner with to present the Living Space Award than Gaggenau. Drawing inspiration from the professional kitchen, the company’s designers and craftsmen use only the finest materials to create appliances that enable culinary perfection in the home kitchen. Whether it’s storing ingredients perfectly, cooking expertly, or cleaning effortlessly, Gaggenau will inspire you to create. If you’re a professional chef, a passionate home cook, or even somebody with a restricted recipe repertoire, the kitchen is a central part of the living experience – one of the first rooms you visit in the morning and likely one of the last at night. In many ways, the kitchen is one of the ultimate spaces for living. The kitchen distils some of the best elements of living: passion, expressiveness, sociality, and sensual pleasure, and serves them all up in a flavoursome tangle. If the kitchen is the heart of the home, then Gaggenau is the soul of the kitchen. Since their beginnings in the Black Forest in 1683, the company has shaped the face of appliance design, earning a reputation as one of the most trusted global designers and suppliers of luxury appliances for high-end homes. From integrated cooking solutions to dishwashing, ventilation, refrigeration, and wine cabinets, Gaggenau appliances are at the heart of kitchens everywhere, bringing joy, performance, and cutting edge avant-garde design into living spaces around the world. Gaggenau is pleased to support the 2018 INDE.Awards and a new generation of designers taking up the mantle for exceptional living spaces. Gaggenau gaggenau.com 2018 INDE.Awards indeawards.com abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider Inner-City Living Doesn’t Mean A Disconnect With Nature by Sophia Watson 19 February Inner-city living is problematic even for the most urban-minded among us. It’s noisy, chaotic and expensive to boot – but perhaps one of the most significant issues with living in a city is the lack of commune with nature. Believe it or not, the benefits of surrounding yourself with nature are huge both physically and mentally, and so when we are relegated to the big smoke for work or what have you, a small part of us feels very unfulfilled. This was especially the case for a man who had not only had an appreciation for nature, but made it his life’s work. For an agriculturalist and his family, living in Surat, India, for his career was a necessity, and so they approached local design firm Neogenesis+Studi0261 to come up with a new blueprint for their living situation. Located on the coast of the Indian state of Gujarat, the property sits in a climate that is typically dry throughout the year until the monsoon rains arrive around mid-June. The house is flanked on either side by existing homes with a suburban character and was originally designed to make the most of the available natural light. “The project aims at creating an economically modest built form for an agriculturist and his family,” says architect Chinmay Laiwala. “We decided to use abstraction of urban farming as design devices to shape both the exterior and interior spaces – which of course were deliberately blurred. The heart of the concept was driven by the basic building materials, which are kept to their natural form and texture to comprehend and reference the natural flora.” Though the project was largely the delivery of a conceptual dream, the design approach was taken further to improve the functional aspects of the home, while continuing to express a connection with nature throughout. The façade for example – incorporating the main entrance – faces onto a laneway that provides access to a garage, above which are a series of stepped terraces and balconies. A set of steps leads to a foyer lined with a trellis that opens into an open-plan living space occupying most of the ground floor. The lounge and dining space are arranged around the double-height courtyard, which is flanked on one side by the trellis. Creepers and climbing plants help to shade the interior from direct sunlight, while the full-height retractable glazing ensures an uninterrupted connection with the outdoor space. The courtyard is topped with a circular opening that allows natural light to filter down. A matching circular window overlooks the garden from the master bedroom above. The main lounge space on the ground floor is connected by a set of louvred wooden doors to a large enclosed terrace with built-in concrete planters. Also on this level is a shrine based on the Shikhara – a pyramid-like structure found in some Hindu temples. The shrine is positioned at the base of a triple-height void that allows daylight to flood into the heart of the building. Stairs ascend from the dining area to a family room occupying the first-floor landing, which is surrounded by three en-suite bedrooms. The master bedroom features sliding glass doors that open onto a private balcony sheltered beneath a cantilevered roof. Plants spill over from the edge of the balcony to overhang the terrace below. The stairs continue from the family area to a second floor accommodating a further two bedrooms. Fitted timber joinery throughout the rooms offers a warm contrast to the stone flooring and rough, plastered walls. Ultimately, Jungalow House is a stunning example of how inner-city living does not have to meet a disconnect with the vitally important natural world. We think you might also like Binh Thanh House by Vo Trong Nghia Architectsabc Happenings Parties Where the Wild Things Are Celebrating Project 82+ and Daniellex by Andrew McDonald 16 February Project 82 has always had a strong focus on producing locally made furniture and working with Australian-based designers, and this new project will see them collaborating with artists and creative in a whole new way. The first iteration of Project 82+ sees a partnership established with Sydney-based artist DANIELLEX to introduce ‘Where The Wild Things Are’, a new limited edition abstract floral photography collection as the first Project 82+ initiative. “In 2018, Project 82 will be welcoming four local creatives into our St Peters showroom space to create a little bit of design magic,” says Shelley Mason, director of Project 82, “DANIELLEX is our very first guest, turning our space into a sea of abstract floral photographs for the months of February and March. Her raw and beautiful prints will look striking against the backdrop of our Project 82 sofas, tables and chairs and we can’t wait to see the transformation of our space.” ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ is a collection of 10 limited edition abstract floral photography prints where the artworks themselves take on a deeper meaning, both in the floral structure and its symbolism. ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ will be open for viewing during Project 82’s St Peters showroom hours, from Friday 8 February through to Thursday 29 March 2018. Project 82 project82.com.au [gallery columns="5" ids="70940,70941,70942,70943,70944,70945,70946,70947,70948,70949,70950,70951,70952,70953,70954,70955,70956,70957,70958,70959,70960,70961,70962,70963,70964,70965,70966,70967,70968,70969,70970,70971,70972,70973,70974,70975,70976,70977,70978,70979,70980,70981,70982,70983,70984,70985,70986,70987,70988,70989,70990,70991,70992,70993,70994,70995,70996,70997"]abc 1 2 3 Next Page → TOP
Design Products Habitus Favourites - Slider Lighting Five Of The Best: Cafe Lighting Design by Sophia Watson 23 February The Asia Pac region is pioneering some mega cool new directions in the hospitality space – and the international design community is noticing. Imaginative and intelligent lighting concepts play a huge role in this reputation, where our designers are creating instantly iconic alternatives to the standard humdrum downlights and oh-so-over-it Edison bulbs. Instead, we are a region of inventors! Creative geniuses and radical thinkers taking the hospitality typology to new and unexpected places. Here, Habitus celebrates five Asia Pacific cafes (and the designers who created them) that showcase our collective talent in producing the world’s best cafe lighting design... No.19 Ascot Vale by Biasol Tribute design is a dicey game, kids. All it takes is a client brief that mentions “New York Deco” and suddenly you’re replicating the Chrysler building. There is a fine line between modernising a traditional design archetype and flat-out copy-pasting it. In their recent effort for hospitality space No.19, local Melbourne studio Biasol have successfully produced a nostalgic design without completely ripping off the original. Having already designed one café for clients Domenic and Diana Caruso, the duo asked the studio to find them a property for their second venture. Australia has a rich and diverse immigration history, where cultures from all over the world came seeking opportunity. This has impacted our design heritage immensely, where immigrants from Mediterranean areas of Europe in particular – such as Italy and Greece – meant that they brought with them their own aesthetic traditions that quickly became blended with a kind of Australi-ana twist. “Our concept was inspired by the Greek delicatessens that flourished around Melbourne in the 1950s,” Team Biasol notes. “Materially, concrete surfaces – the counter, walls and floor – give the space a warmth and sophistication.” Though certainly inspired by vintage Greek-Australian eateries, Biasol worked to inject elements of nostalgia into the space while still producing a more modern, refined space in line with current hospitality culture. “Its 4.5-metre-high ceilings and skylights allow daylight to flood the space throughout the day,” says Jean-Pierre Biasol, “while the rectangular layout offered a variety of possible layouts. We chose to combine pale concrete surfaces with warmer elements such as brass and wood. The concrete service counter, is definitely the heart of the space, accented with the hand-painted teal tiles, which were sourced from Morocco to add a level of Mediterranean authenticity.” “Brass lamps sit atop of the counter, with a footrest in the same material snaking around its base. The golden material is used again for a sink set into the concrete surface, where customers can serve themselves water.” “We took an integrated approach to this project, to make sure the architecture, interiors, branding and products worked well together, and produced a cohesive and memorable dining experience,” added the team. Photography by Ari Hatzis [gallery size="medium" ids="71355,71356,71358"] Flaggerdoot Bar & Doot Doot Doot Restaurant at the Jackalope Hotel by Carr Design The demand for ‘transformative experiences’ in the luxury travel market requires the ability to transport and excite. They need to communicate, mesmerise, delight and surprise guests, whether they are a first-time punter or a seasoned traveller. These environments not only need to tell a story – but invite you to actively participate in that story, too. In one of the most daring and avant-garde moves in the hotel industry to date, the Carr-designed Jackalope Hotel on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula wine region provides an otherworldly experience rich with narrative and imagination. But how exactly has Carr built-in this ability to offer guests a ‘transformative experience’? From head to toe, the project is guided by the theme of ‘alchemy’ – a nod to its 18th century heritage as a working vineyard. Nowhere is this technique more prevalent than the awe-inspiring lighting concepts in the hotel’s bar & lounge Flaggerdoot and fine-dining restaurant Doot Doot Doot. Celebrating the hotel’s origins, the signature bar, Flaggerdoot is housed within the original 18th century Federation cottage, its architecture having been thoroughly and sensitively restored. One of the most amazing features however is the geometric single-track lighting installation on the ceiling, referencing the alchemic nature of the space. One thing I’m willing to bet you’ve definitely seen while scrolling through Instagram is the spectacular light installation on the Doot Doot Doot restaurant ceiling, collaboratively designed by Carr and Fabio Ongarato Design (FOD). Jewel-like in form, what you might not know is that the installation references fermentation and bubbling (again, another comment on the theme of alchemy) while celebrating the hotel’s own working winery and vineyard providing an immersive, interactive and tactile wine experience for guests. This lighting design in particular may be one of (if not the) most magnificent feats of luminary design intelligence in Asia Pacific’s history. Photography by Sharyn Cairns [gallery size="medium" ids="71352,71353,71354"] Chifley Plaza, Sydney by SJB Sydney’s famed Chifley Plaza shopping mall, by SJB, reimagines the retail experience with inspiration from the Manhattan Art Deco style of the original building itself. Since its inception, Chifley has been an iconic retail precinct in Sydney’s CBD, renowned for extraordinary marble detailing and high-end shopping. SJB has taken the interiors to a new level by retaining the aesthetic and historical nostalgia of the precinct and architecture while delivering a more modern interpretation of it. On the upper floor, for example, an enormous backlit ceiling acts as a glowing skylight visible from all levels. Taking inspiration from iconic international public buildings like Le Bon Marche in Paris and The Guggenheim in New York, the patterned backlit ceiling acts as a focal point, throwing a lovely wash of light through the tri-level atrium void. “We approached the design by understanding the problems, considering options and looking to historical references that might help unfold the answers,” says SJB director and design lead, Jonathan Richards. “For example, we loved the idea of a backlit ceiling to resolve the issue about low ceiling heights and a hidden food-court. It would be the draw-card on entering Chifley. The enveloping canopy of light also created a sense of marketplace.” With this illuminated ceiling, SJB injected some more detailed and bespoke lighting elements into the space. Specifically, custom lighting was created by Brooklyn-based industrial designers Apparatus studio for the food court on the third floor. In designing these smaller details, Richards and team note that they “always like to be heavily involved in the prototyping of furniture, joinery and construction details”. Richards says: “The builders made 1:1 mockups that gave us the opportunity to finesse proportions, colours and materials to ensure the final outcome feels properly resolved and completely thought through.” Photography by Felix Forest [gallery size="medium" ids="71347,71346,71348"] Hightail Pub, Melbourne by Techne Combine a hip food court with a luxe cocktail bar, and you might get something like Hightail – a new hotspot set to breathe life to a notoriously overlooked part of Melbourne. With the client having recently merged with 100 Burgers, the 950-seat space cleverly integrates individual kiosks for Belle’s Hot Chicken, Super Taco, and the ever-popular Mr. Burger. Catering to roughly 20,000 workers in the buildings above, Hightail was formed with the vision of providing the perfect backdrop for after-work drinks descending en masse. Inspired by the classic and wonderfully vivid children’s book The Wateringhole by Greame Base, the venue playfully references the concept of ‘the wateringhole’ as both a feature of the natural landscape and to the old colloquial term for a public bar. Hightail is a journey through texture, colour and form, creating a fun and unique experience. Two bars; a robust beer bar finished in concrete, cork and copper; and a more intimate wine bar adorned with brass, terracotta tiling, deep blue carpet and natural timber. Taking cues from Graeme Base’s lush illustrations, murals and rich layers of colour and texture bring an element of intrigue and tactility to the space. While the stunning combinations of colour and texture are the substance of the space, it’s the clever and creative lighting that really sets the dining experience apart. The entry for example, features a bright blue neon ‘Hightail’ sign, referencing the famous and iconic “neon bar sign” trope. Throughout the space, Hightail is littered with a series of deliberately miss-matching pendants above each of the tables as well as draped caravan-style bulb lighting throughout some of the private wine bar areas to give the space a more bohemian feel. The pièce de résistance however, is most certainly the main bar, which mimics the flooring by cascading down from the ceiling in a vintage 50s diner-style aesthetic. Here each row is warmly backlit against the green timbre and tile structure, given off a luminous golden glow and acting as the monolithic centrepiece in an already eye-catching space. Photography by Charlie Kinross [gallery size="medium" ids="71351,71349,71350"] Bikini Bar, Bali by Travis Walton Architecture & Interior Design With more than one million Australians visiting the Indonesian island of Bali each year and more than 10,000 Australians making it their main home, there’s something in the Bali waters right now, and it’s taken hold of the hospitality scene. One of the latest additions to an already growing list of high-end hospo is Bikini Bar designed by Australian-based Travis Walton Architecture + Interior Design. The 120-seat bar and restaurant is the latest venue from restaurateurs 8 Degree Projects, headed by Australian expat Adam McAsey. The four venues – Sisterfields cafe, BO$$ MAN burger shop, Expat coffee roasters and now Bikini – sit side by side, occupying one of the busiest corners of upmarket Seminyak. Of all the venues, Bikini shouts loudest to the street with a pink neon sign high above its forecourt declaring “U LOOK HOT IN (A) BIKINI.” The “A” flickers in and out of view, inviting two different readings – one of flattery and one of subtle instruction. The vivid display is a little reminiscent of the courtship behaviour you see by tropical male birds or young men in Kuta, but it is a purposeful tactic to capture the attentions of passers-by and encourage them inside. Once through the front entry, visitors can pick a spot in the open-air cocktail lounge, with the “disco art-deco” service bar on the right and plush banquette seating on the left. The space has been designed as a place for people watching, and for many tourists this is exactly what they feel like doing on their first nights as they take in their surroundings. Timber screens the soffit of the overhead private dining room and the bar front, while marble countertops, brass-lined stools and especially the art-deco style wall pendants above each of the booths speak of influences from New York and Miami. But sometimes the best lighting is hidden from sight! Bikini Bar, for example, runs around the corner and into the purpose-built double-height concrete structure that houses the main dining space. The western and northern walls are flanked with curvy leather dining booths which feature indented backlighting which projects from the booths and up through to the walls and ceiling. The effect of this kinds of lighting concept is heightened by the western wall, which is almost completely cloaked in a mural by Melbourne artist Ash Keating, who filled up fire extinguishers with pink and white paint and sprayed the wall. The result is a dynamic curtain of illuminated colour from the hidden lights that appear to drip down the wall and flood the space with a pink fog. Photography by Sean Fennessy [gallery size="medium" ids="71343,71344,71364"]abc Primary Slider Interiors Homes A Different Take On The Traditional Australian Beach House by Elana Castle 23 February Australian beach houses are noteworthy for their laid back aesthetic, but Killcare House, located on the rise of a gently rolling hill in the Bouddi National Park in NSW, offers a delightful antidote to the ubiquitous minimalist genre. “Our clients wanted to create a sophisticated and unconventional beach house, whilst give it a relaxed barefoot elegance,” explains Alexandra Donohoe Church, founder and managing director of interior design firm Decus Interiors. “They were keen to marry texture, richness and references to beautiful European farm houses and chateaux, which they had visited during their travels.” Designed by architecture practice Square Design, Decus Interiors were co-opted onto the design team once construction had begun. As the project evolved, so did their involvement, and ultimately the team took on a significant portion of the design scope which included the design evolution of the kitchen, bathrooms and joinery. “Dan Cliff from Square Design really considered the volumes of the spaces and how light enters the home through highlight windows,” continues Alexandra. “Maintaining a sense of free-flowing space throughout was of utmost importance to a very sociable client couple who wanted an ‘un-beachy’ beach house. We endeavoured to balance the open sense with a rich, textural palette, adding cosy nooks and a few little hidden gems of space.” The result is a richly evocative interior scheme that draws in colour and texture from the surrounding natural environs. The house’s luxury factor is further amped up by a palette of lush finishes which include dark timbers, black steel paneling, marble and the integration of leather and hand blown glass. “We also deployed little details to keep a clean and uncluttered look, such as the stone upstand in the kitchen, which hides ample storage,” adds Alexandra. “This is then balanced by softer lighter elements seen in the wall colour, stone and flooring - and of course - the ample natural light.” Standouts rooms with the modern Australian beach house include the “the bijoux powder room,” – a favourite of the designers for its “rich tones and incredible visual texture of Breccia Nera stone,” which is layered on a bespoke vanity unit. “The entry to the room is a hidden door set within the library joinery – it’s a beautiful surprise,” adds Alexandra. Another unexpected design element includes the use of custom sliding panels made from electro-plated custom bronze mesh which conceal the library adjoining the living area and all the AV equipment – further evidence of Decus Interior’s commitment to their clients’ distinctive brief and personal vision. Ultimately, this house balances the vast, striking majesty of an exceptional geographic location with a rich interior that showcases the clients treasured vintage pieces and passion for antiques – with great sophistication. Decus Interiors decus.com.au Photography by Anson Smart We think you might also like Stables House by Robson Rakabc Design Hunters DH - Feature People Accidentally In Business by Holly Cunneen 21 February Try everything once, right? Because you never know what might stick. No one knows that better than George Wilkins and Will McCallum. Two childhood friends, the duo have grown from skiing together to studying together – commerce, at the University of Otago, Dunedin – to now designing, manufacturing and running a business together. More or less eponymous, George & Willy is a local design studio and workshop based out of Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. It was during the latter years of their degree that, in a bid to get the most out of the resources the university made available to them, George and Will discovered the woodshop. Subsequently a new path unfolded. “We joke about accidently starting a business because we never made things to sell them, we just made things for fun: oversized matchsticks and toy helicopters, lamps and catapults,” says Will. Although their design offering still very much embodies a light-hearted, playful approach, in the years since foundation (2014) their approach to business and design has auto-refined. First of all, their work has remained far from superfluous. On the contrary, it’s very much based on functionality and need. “Necessity is the mother of invention,” says Will, rather poignantly. “We call our products life tools; tools that will be around forever and not fade with the trends. Our products are fun and help people live a better life.” And while they may seem niche to some, a global market allows the team to reach the world. As Will points out, an online market means they’re not bound by their base. The running of the business is another way in which the company has matured. In the beginning George & Willy may have run more or less as a 24/7 operation – that’s often what it takes to get a passion project off the ground. That can be exhilarating, but also stressful. In recent years, the founders have been able to hire staff to distribute the load – both mental and physical. Now everyone has set hours, and they stick to them. What that definitely doesn’t mean, though, is that the workshop is off limits for personal use. “The team at work obviously have free reign over the workshop and are encouraged to have personal projects going all the time,” says Will. “It’s a fun space.” And it seems that not only do the team have a personal connection with the pieces they are designing, manufacturing and sending out to the world, but they also have a strong personal connection to one another – like a family. The whole crew got together for the renovation of Will’s house, also in Mount Maunganui. Everything from the laundry basket to the couch to the letterbox outside was made from scratch. George & Willy are a small, tight-knit community of five that live and breathe design. But watch this space, it’s a growing community. George & Willy georgeandwilly.com abc Parties Happenings HAP - Feature Celebrating StylecraftHOME’s Latest Collections by Andrew McDonald 20 February VIP clients and design lovers alike joined StylecraftHOME in Sydney to preview the latest collections from a suite of International brands. Every visit to StylecraftHOME's showroom offers something new, and with special guest and resident HOME artist Daimon Downey joining the evening to chat about his inspiration, method and approach to the pieces being exhibited, this night was no exception. The evening was a wonderful celebration of the design experiences available in store, and of the spirit of exceptional design in general. [gallery columns="5" ids="71160,71161,71162,71163,71164,71165,71166,71167,71168,71169,71170,71171,71172,71173,71174,71175,71176,71177,71178,71179,71180,71181,71182,71183,71184,71185,71186,71187,71188,71189,71190,71191,71192,71193,71194,71195,71196,71197,71198,71199,71200,71201,71202,71203,71204,71206,71207,71208,71209,71210,71211,71212,71213,71214,71215,71216,71217,71218,71219,71220,71221,71222,71223,71224,71225,71227,71229,71230,71231,71232,71233,71234,71235,71236,71237,71238,71239,71240,71241,71242,71243,71244,71245,71246,71247,71248,71249,71250,71251,71252,71253,71254,71255,71256,71257,71258,71260,71261,71262,71263,71264,71265,71266,71267,71268,71269,71270,71271,71272,71273,71274,71275,71276,71277,71278,71279,71280,71281,71282,71283,71284,71285,71286,71287,71288,71289,71290,71291,71292,71293"]abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider When Nature Informs Design by Darlene Smyth 20 February Primitive Hut is an architectural concept wherein which the relationship between humans and their environment is seen as the driving force behind the design and build. And it’s a concept that the team at RT+Q Architects in Singapore drew on heavily when working on House With Shadows. Directors Rene Tan and TK Quek, and project architect Melvin Keng, at explored the dynamics between an assemblage of primary residential building forms and their surrounding garden spaces. Housing multiple generations of the one family, this barn-like building opens up and responds to the interplay of light, wind and views of the surrounding landscape of the site and the distant views beyond. The house reacts to the surrounding series of gardens in a way that intrinsically links the built forms and the landscape elements. These ideas of symbiosis are expressed in the delicate patterns of shadows cast by light filtering through the various forms of screening along the building’s edges and in the careful framing of landscape elements through projected portals and strip windows cut into the house’s façade. The act of lifting the main body of the house to the second story so that the ground floor is highly permeable to the landscape, creates an environment in which the building and its gardens seem to exist in a symbiotic relationship with each other on the site. The owners of this 20,000-square-foot plot in a prestigious neighbourhood in the West Central area of Singapore are a multi-generational family comprising grandparents, their daughter and their grandchildren. The son-in-law, who happens to be a landscape designer, conceived the design of the external spaces from the onset of the project. Melvin Keng from RT+Q explains, “In this project, we worked with the concept that the landscape be the driver of how the architecture sits on the site… the garden spaces are thematic according to the uses.” A front garden, which Melvin refers to as “the secret garden”, is a romantic space which feels like a private clearing in a forest. Much of its character comes from the umbrella of a few 30-year-old roadside shade trees that were to be felled during the project and were transplanted here to screen the house from the road and enclose this serene and reflective space. The centre of the home is cooled down with a water garden which extends beyond the notion of a swimming pool into a large body of water with bridges crossing over it; above which the surrounding buildings appear to float. Thirdly, a side garden brings in exotic influences in the design with a distinctly Japanese theme. This asymmetrical garden with a central koi pond uses a selection of extremely soft and flowing plants and trees that blow lightly in the wind to give the garden its sense of tranquillity. The house is likewise broken up into three main zones which are expressed as pavilions with barn-like forms and relate to these three gardens. The pavilions are differentiated from each other through their material use and orientation, forming an asymmetrical T-shape. A main public pavilion greets visitors from the front of the house sharing common areas to the extended family; a living room, dining and kitchen, and a large family room on the second storey which overlooks the double-volume living area below. While this pavilion is cladded mostly in Chengal Timber, the lower level is completely glassed in so that it simultaneously enjoys views into all three gardens. The daughter’s pavilion is clad in cast-in-form concrete which is expressed as an impossibly light material, almost resembling the lightness of wood itself in its application. A third zone to the side of the main pavilion houses the master suite and relates directly to the Japanese themed garden. To amplify the experience of the garden, the designers have introduced a large enclosed porch, surrounded by sliding vertical timber screens, reminiscent of a traditional Japanese veranda or engawa from which to enjoy the views of nature. Throughout the house, the hand of the designer can be felt through the highly crafted details. “All the details are our idea of expressing joints,” explains Melvin, “we like to show how things go together.” The architects customised and detailed all elements of the house, controlling even the detailing of integrated light fittings, railings, and electrical switches, which became elements of design in themselves. Toeing the line between rustic, unpolished materials and intricate joinery, these details reflect the overall design intent in the house: to be inspired by – and in harmony with – nature. abc Design Hunters Conversations Accommodating The Evolving Habits Of A Contemporary Lifestyle by Patricia Arcilla 19 February The way we live is changing. Now more than ever we are drawn to big cities, relying on technology in all aspects of our lives, and embracing with open arms the unique joys and challenges of living in increasingly dense populations. In line with this ongoing shift in circumstance and perspective, the residential sector has bloomed to produce dynamic, vibrant living spaces unlike anything that has preceded them. Today, the home is the perfect backdrop for expressive, experimental design that celebrates individuality; spaces are not just blank slates for activity, but are in themselves extensions of their occupants’ wants, needs, and idiosyncrasies. Whatever the scale of the home – and wherever it is – it is now recognised that there is always room for exceptional design. This year, as ever, the INDE.Awards Living Space Category will recognise the best projects in the Asia Pacific residential sector. Tackling everything from denser urban populations to new technologies and climate change, the best living spaces view the complexities and intricacies of their site not as challenges but as opportunities for innovation. Winners in this category will represent a strong creative identity, a firm grasp and innovative interpretation of the client brief, and the distinct flavour of design in the region. The Living Space category also celebrates projects that demonstrate a nuanced understanding of their site, whether that might mean considerate, responsive and sensitive reactions to context, or indeed pushing the boundaries of design and local identity. In either case, a well-resolved Living Space has a firm grounding in its surrounds and strong sense of place are essential, as is a clear, coherent design strategy. German luxury brand Gaggenau is proud to return as a sponsor of this year’s INDE.Awards Living Space category and honour yet another year of excellence in residential design. The partnership is fitting, with kitchens forming the backbone of living spaces around the world. One of the most important rooms in the house – the kitchen – demands a unique degree of design ingenuity and foresight for innovation. As the hub of our personal and familial lives, the kitchen's sudden transformation to become a site of technological advancement, avant-garde materials, luxuriant design and supreme functionality, we cannot imagine a better brand to partner with to present the Living Space Award than Gaggenau. Drawing inspiration from the professional kitchen, the company’s designers and craftsmen use only the finest materials to create appliances that enable culinary perfection in the home kitchen. Whether it’s storing ingredients perfectly, cooking expertly, or cleaning effortlessly, Gaggenau will inspire you to create. If you’re a professional chef, a passionate home cook, or even somebody with a restricted recipe repertoire, the kitchen is a central part of the living experience – one of the first rooms you visit in the morning and likely one of the last at night. In many ways, the kitchen is one of the ultimate spaces for living. The kitchen distils some of the best elements of living: passion, expressiveness, sociality, and sensual pleasure, and serves them all up in a flavoursome tangle. If the kitchen is the heart of the home, then Gaggenau is the soul of the kitchen. Since their beginnings in the Black Forest in 1683, the company has shaped the face of appliance design, earning a reputation as one of the most trusted global designers and suppliers of luxury appliances for high-end homes. From integrated cooking solutions to dishwashing, ventilation, refrigeration, and wine cabinets, Gaggenau appliances are at the heart of kitchens everywhere, bringing joy, performance, and cutting edge avant-garde design into living spaces around the world. Gaggenau is pleased to support the 2018 INDE.Awards and a new generation of designers taking up the mantle for exceptional living spaces. Gaggenau gaggenau.com 2018 INDE.Awards indeawards.com abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider Inner-City Living Doesn’t Mean A Disconnect With Nature by Sophia Watson 19 February Inner-city living is problematic even for the most urban-minded among us. It’s noisy, chaotic and expensive to boot – but perhaps one of the most significant issues with living in a city is the lack of commune with nature. Believe it or not, the benefits of surrounding yourself with nature are huge both physically and mentally, and so when we are relegated to the big smoke for work or what have you, a small part of us feels very unfulfilled. This was especially the case for a man who had not only had an appreciation for nature, but made it his life’s work. For an agriculturalist and his family, living in Surat, India, for his career was a necessity, and so they approached local design firm Neogenesis+Studi0261 to come up with a new blueprint for their living situation. Located on the coast of the Indian state of Gujarat, the property sits in a climate that is typically dry throughout the year until the monsoon rains arrive around mid-June. The house is flanked on either side by existing homes with a suburban character and was originally designed to make the most of the available natural light. “The project aims at creating an economically modest built form for an agriculturist and his family,” says architect Chinmay Laiwala. “We decided to use abstraction of urban farming as design devices to shape both the exterior and interior spaces – which of course were deliberately blurred. The heart of the concept was driven by the basic building materials, which are kept to their natural form and texture to comprehend and reference the natural flora.” Though the project was largely the delivery of a conceptual dream, the design approach was taken further to improve the functional aspects of the home, while continuing to express a connection with nature throughout. The façade for example – incorporating the main entrance – faces onto a laneway that provides access to a garage, above which are a series of stepped terraces and balconies. A set of steps leads to a foyer lined with a trellis that opens into an open-plan living space occupying most of the ground floor. The lounge and dining space are arranged around the double-height courtyard, which is flanked on one side by the trellis. Creepers and climbing plants help to shade the interior from direct sunlight, while the full-height retractable glazing ensures an uninterrupted connection with the outdoor space. The courtyard is topped with a circular opening that allows natural light to filter down. A matching circular window overlooks the garden from the master bedroom above. The main lounge space on the ground floor is connected by a set of louvred wooden doors to a large enclosed terrace with built-in concrete planters. Also on this level is a shrine based on the Shikhara – a pyramid-like structure found in some Hindu temples. The shrine is positioned at the base of a triple-height void that allows daylight to flood into the heart of the building. Stairs ascend from the dining area to a family room occupying the first-floor landing, which is surrounded by three en-suite bedrooms. The master bedroom features sliding glass doors that open onto a private balcony sheltered beneath a cantilevered roof. Plants spill over from the edge of the balcony to overhang the terrace below. The stairs continue from the family area to a second floor accommodating a further two bedrooms. Fitted timber joinery throughout the rooms offers a warm contrast to the stone flooring and rough, plastered walls. Ultimately, Jungalow House is a stunning example of how inner-city living does not have to meet a disconnect with the vitally important natural world. We think you might also like Binh Thanh House by Vo Trong Nghia Architectsabc Happenings Parties Where the Wild Things Are Celebrating Project 82+ and Daniellex by Andrew McDonald 16 February Project 82 has always had a strong focus on producing locally made furniture and working with Australian-based designers, and this new project will see them collaborating with artists and creative in a whole new way. The first iteration of Project 82+ sees a partnership established with Sydney-based artist DANIELLEX to introduce ‘Where The Wild Things Are’, a new limited edition abstract floral photography collection as the first Project 82+ initiative. “In 2018, Project 82 will be welcoming four local creatives into our St Peters showroom space to create a little bit of design magic,” says Shelley Mason, director of Project 82, “DANIELLEX is our very first guest, turning our space into a sea of abstract floral photographs for the months of February and March. Her raw and beautiful prints will look striking against the backdrop of our Project 82 sofas, tables and chairs and we can’t wait to see the transformation of our space.” ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ is a collection of 10 limited edition abstract floral photography prints where the artworks themselves take on a deeper meaning, both in the floral structure and its symbolism. ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ will be open for viewing during Project 82’s St Peters showroom hours, from Friday 8 February through to Thursday 29 March 2018. Project 82 project82.com.au [gallery columns="5" ids="70940,70941,70942,70943,70944,70945,70946,70947,70948,70949,70950,70951,70952,70953,70954,70955,70956,70957,70958,70959,70960,70961,70962,70963,70964,70965,70966,70967,70968,70969,70970,70971,70972,70973,70974,70975,70976,70977,70978,70979,70980,70981,70982,70983,70984,70985,70986,70987,70988,70989,70990,70991,70992,70993,70994,70995,70996,70997"]abc 1 2 3 Next Page → TOP
Primary Slider Interiors Homes A Different Take On The Traditional Australian Beach House by Elana Castle 23 February Australian beach houses are noteworthy for their laid back aesthetic, but Killcare House, located on the rise of a gently rolling hill in the Bouddi National Park in NSW, offers a delightful antidote to the ubiquitous minimalist genre. “Our clients wanted to create a sophisticated and unconventional beach house, whilst give it a relaxed barefoot elegance,” explains Alexandra Donohoe Church, founder and managing director of interior design firm Decus Interiors. “They were keen to marry texture, richness and references to beautiful European farm houses and chateaux, which they had visited during their travels.” Designed by architecture practice Square Design, Decus Interiors were co-opted onto the design team once construction had begun. As the project evolved, so did their involvement, and ultimately the team took on a significant portion of the design scope which included the design evolution of the kitchen, bathrooms and joinery. “Dan Cliff from Square Design really considered the volumes of the spaces and how light enters the home through highlight windows,” continues Alexandra. “Maintaining a sense of free-flowing space throughout was of utmost importance to a very sociable client couple who wanted an ‘un-beachy’ beach house. We endeavoured to balance the open sense with a rich, textural palette, adding cosy nooks and a few little hidden gems of space.” The result is a richly evocative interior scheme that draws in colour and texture from the surrounding natural environs. The house’s luxury factor is further amped up by a palette of lush finishes which include dark timbers, black steel paneling, marble and the integration of leather and hand blown glass. “We also deployed little details to keep a clean and uncluttered look, such as the stone upstand in the kitchen, which hides ample storage,” adds Alexandra. “This is then balanced by softer lighter elements seen in the wall colour, stone and flooring - and of course - the ample natural light.” Standouts rooms with the modern Australian beach house include the “the bijoux powder room,” – a favourite of the designers for its “rich tones and incredible visual texture of Breccia Nera stone,” which is layered on a bespoke vanity unit. “The entry to the room is a hidden door set within the library joinery – it’s a beautiful surprise,” adds Alexandra. Another unexpected design element includes the use of custom sliding panels made from electro-plated custom bronze mesh which conceal the library adjoining the living area and all the AV equipment – further evidence of Decus Interior’s commitment to their clients’ distinctive brief and personal vision. Ultimately, this house balances the vast, striking majesty of an exceptional geographic location with a rich interior that showcases the clients treasured vintage pieces and passion for antiques – with great sophistication. Decus Interiors decus.com.au Photography by Anson Smart We think you might also like Stables House by Robson Rakabc Design Hunters DH - Feature People Accidentally In Business by Holly Cunneen 21 February Try everything once, right? Because you never know what might stick. No one knows that better than George Wilkins and Will McCallum. Two childhood friends, the duo have grown from skiing together to studying together – commerce, at the University of Otago, Dunedin – to now designing, manufacturing and running a business together. More or less eponymous, George & Willy is a local design studio and workshop based out of Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. It was during the latter years of their degree that, in a bid to get the most out of the resources the university made available to them, George and Will discovered the woodshop. Subsequently a new path unfolded. “We joke about accidently starting a business because we never made things to sell them, we just made things for fun: oversized matchsticks and toy helicopters, lamps and catapults,” says Will. Although their design offering still very much embodies a light-hearted, playful approach, in the years since foundation (2014) their approach to business and design has auto-refined. First of all, their work has remained far from superfluous. On the contrary, it’s very much based on functionality and need. “Necessity is the mother of invention,” says Will, rather poignantly. “We call our products life tools; tools that will be around forever and not fade with the trends. Our products are fun and help people live a better life.” And while they may seem niche to some, a global market allows the team to reach the world. As Will points out, an online market means they’re not bound by their base. The running of the business is another way in which the company has matured. In the beginning George & Willy may have run more or less as a 24/7 operation – that’s often what it takes to get a passion project off the ground. That can be exhilarating, but also stressful. In recent years, the founders have been able to hire staff to distribute the load – both mental and physical. Now everyone has set hours, and they stick to them. What that definitely doesn’t mean, though, is that the workshop is off limits for personal use. “The team at work obviously have free reign over the workshop and are encouraged to have personal projects going all the time,” says Will. “It’s a fun space.” And it seems that not only do the team have a personal connection with the pieces they are designing, manufacturing and sending out to the world, but they also have a strong personal connection to one another – like a family. The whole crew got together for the renovation of Will’s house, also in Mount Maunganui. Everything from the laundry basket to the couch to the letterbox outside was made from scratch. George & Willy are a small, tight-knit community of five that live and breathe design. But watch this space, it’s a growing community. George & Willy georgeandwilly.com abc Parties Happenings HAP - Feature Celebrating StylecraftHOME’s Latest Collections by Andrew McDonald 20 February VIP clients and design lovers alike joined StylecraftHOME in Sydney to preview the latest collections from a suite of International brands. Every visit to StylecraftHOME's showroom offers something new, and with special guest and resident HOME artist Daimon Downey joining the evening to chat about his inspiration, method and approach to the pieces being exhibited, this night was no exception. The evening was a wonderful celebration of the design experiences available in store, and of the spirit of exceptional design in general. [gallery columns="5" ids="71160,71161,71162,71163,71164,71165,71166,71167,71168,71169,71170,71171,71172,71173,71174,71175,71176,71177,71178,71179,71180,71181,71182,71183,71184,71185,71186,71187,71188,71189,71190,71191,71192,71193,71194,71195,71196,71197,71198,71199,71200,71201,71202,71203,71204,71206,71207,71208,71209,71210,71211,71212,71213,71214,71215,71216,71217,71218,71219,71220,71221,71222,71223,71224,71225,71227,71229,71230,71231,71232,71233,71234,71235,71236,71237,71238,71239,71240,71241,71242,71243,71244,71245,71246,71247,71248,71249,71250,71251,71252,71253,71254,71255,71256,71257,71258,71260,71261,71262,71263,71264,71265,71266,71267,71268,71269,71270,71271,71272,71273,71274,71275,71276,71277,71278,71279,71280,71281,71282,71283,71284,71285,71286,71287,71288,71289,71290,71291,71292,71293"]abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider When Nature Informs Design by Darlene Smyth 20 February Primitive Hut is an architectural concept wherein which the relationship between humans and their environment is seen as the driving force behind the design and build. And it’s a concept that the team at RT+Q Architects in Singapore drew on heavily when working on House With Shadows. Directors Rene Tan and TK Quek, and project architect Melvin Keng, at explored the dynamics between an assemblage of primary residential building forms and their surrounding garden spaces. Housing multiple generations of the one family, this barn-like building opens up and responds to the interplay of light, wind and views of the surrounding landscape of the site and the distant views beyond. The house reacts to the surrounding series of gardens in a way that intrinsically links the built forms and the landscape elements. These ideas of symbiosis are expressed in the delicate patterns of shadows cast by light filtering through the various forms of screening along the building’s edges and in the careful framing of landscape elements through projected portals and strip windows cut into the house’s façade. The act of lifting the main body of the house to the second story so that the ground floor is highly permeable to the landscape, creates an environment in which the building and its gardens seem to exist in a symbiotic relationship with each other on the site. The owners of this 20,000-square-foot plot in a prestigious neighbourhood in the West Central area of Singapore are a multi-generational family comprising grandparents, their daughter and their grandchildren. The son-in-law, who happens to be a landscape designer, conceived the design of the external spaces from the onset of the project. Melvin Keng from RT+Q explains, “In this project, we worked with the concept that the landscape be the driver of how the architecture sits on the site… the garden spaces are thematic according to the uses.” A front garden, which Melvin refers to as “the secret garden”, is a romantic space which feels like a private clearing in a forest. Much of its character comes from the umbrella of a few 30-year-old roadside shade trees that were to be felled during the project and were transplanted here to screen the house from the road and enclose this serene and reflective space. The centre of the home is cooled down with a water garden which extends beyond the notion of a swimming pool into a large body of water with bridges crossing over it; above which the surrounding buildings appear to float. Thirdly, a side garden brings in exotic influences in the design with a distinctly Japanese theme. This asymmetrical garden with a central koi pond uses a selection of extremely soft and flowing plants and trees that blow lightly in the wind to give the garden its sense of tranquillity. The house is likewise broken up into three main zones which are expressed as pavilions with barn-like forms and relate to these three gardens. The pavilions are differentiated from each other through their material use and orientation, forming an asymmetrical T-shape. A main public pavilion greets visitors from the front of the house sharing common areas to the extended family; a living room, dining and kitchen, and a large family room on the second storey which overlooks the double-volume living area below. While this pavilion is cladded mostly in Chengal Timber, the lower level is completely glassed in so that it simultaneously enjoys views into all three gardens. The daughter’s pavilion is clad in cast-in-form concrete which is expressed as an impossibly light material, almost resembling the lightness of wood itself in its application. A third zone to the side of the main pavilion houses the master suite and relates directly to the Japanese themed garden. To amplify the experience of the garden, the designers have introduced a large enclosed porch, surrounded by sliding vertical timber screens, reminiscent of a traditional Japanese veranda or engawa from which to enjoy the views of nature. Throughout the house, the hand of the designer can be felt through the highly crafted details. “All the details are our idea of expressing joints,” explains Melvin, “we like to show how things go together.” The architects customised and detailed all elements of the house, controlling even the detailing of integrated light fittings, railings, and electrical switches, which became elements of design in themselves. Toeing the line between rustic, unpolished materials and intricate joinery, these details reflect the overall design intent in the house: to be inspired by – and in harmony with – nature. abc Design Hunters Conversations Accommodating The Evolving Habits Of A Contemporary Lifestyle by Patricia Arcilla 19 February The way we live is changing. Now more than ever we are drawn to big cities, relying on technology in all aspects of our lives, and embracing with open arms the unique joys and challenges of living in increasingly dense populations. In line with this ongoing shift in circumstance and perspective, the residential sector has bloomed to produce dynamic, vibrant living spaces unlike anything that has preceded them. Today, the home is the perfect backdrop for expressive, experimental design that celebrates individuality; spaces are not just blank slates for activity, but are in themselves extensions of their occupants’ wants, needs, and idiosyncrasies. Whatever the scale of the home – and wherever it is – it is now recognised that there is always room for exceptional design. This year, as ever, the INDE.Awards Living Space Category will recognise the best projects in the Asia Pacific residential sector. Tackling everything from denser urban populations to new technologies and climate change, the best living spaces view the complexities and intricacies of their site not as challenges but as opportunities for innovation. Winners in this category will represent a strong creative identity, a firm grasp and innovative interpretation of the client brief, and the distinct flavour of design in the region. The Living Space category also celebrates projects that demonstrate a nuanced understanding of their site, whether that might mean considerate, responsive and sensitive reactions to context, or indeed pushing the boundaries of design and local identity. In either case, a well-resolved Living Space has a firm grounding in its surrounds and strong sense of place are essential, as is a clear, coherent design strategy. German luxury brand Gaggenau is proud to return as a sponsor of this year’s INDE.Awards Living Space category and honour yet another year of excellence in residential design. The partnership is fitting, with kitchens forming the backbone of living spaces around the world. One of the most important rooms in the house – the kitchen – demands a unique degree of design ingenuity and foresight for innovation. As the hub of our personal and familial lives, the kitchen's sudden transformation to become a site of technological advancement, avant-garde materials, luxuriant design and supreme functionality, we cannot imagine a better brand to partner with to present the Living Space Award than Gaggenau. Drawing inspiration from the professional kitchen, the company’s designers and craftsmen use only the finest materials to create appliances that enable culinary perfection in the home kitchen. Whether it’s storing ingredients perfectly, cooking expertly, or cleaning effortlessly, Gaggenau will inspire you to create. If you’re a professional chef, a passionate home cook, or even somebody with a restricted recipe repertoire, the kitchen is a central part of the living experience – one of the first rooms you visit in the morning and likely one of the last at night. In many ways, the kitchen is one of the ultimate spaces for living. The kitchen distils some of the best elements of living: passion, expressiveness, sociality, and sensual pleasure, and serves them all up in a flavoursome tangle. If the kitchen is the heart of the home, then Gaggenau is the soul of the kitchen. Since their beginnings in the Black Forest in 1683, the company has shaped the face of appliance design, earning a reputation as one of the most trusted global designers and suppliers of luxury appliances for high-end homes. From integrated cooking solutions to dishwashing, ventilation, refrigeration, and wine cabinets, Gaggenau appliances are at the heart of kitchens everywhere, bringing joy, performance, and cutting edge avant-garde design into living spaces around the world. Gaggenau is pleased to support the 2018 INDE.Awards and a new generation of designers taking up the mantle for exceptional living spaces. Gaggenau gaggenau.com 2018 INDE.Awards indeawards.com abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider Inner-City Living Doesn’t Mean A Disconnect With Nature by Sophia Watson 19 February Inner-city living is problematic even for the most urban-minded among us. It’s noisy, chaotic and expensive to boot – but perhaps one of the most significant issues with living in a city is the lack of commune with nature. Believe it or not, the benefits of surrounding yourself with nature are huge both physically and mentally, and so when we are relegated to the big smoke for work or what have you, a small part of us feels very unfulfilled. This was especially the case for a man who had not only had an appreciation for nature, but made it his life’s work. For an agriculturalist and his family, living in Surat, India, for his career was a necessity, and so they approached local design firm Neogenesis+Studi0261 to come up with a new blueprint for their living situation. Located on the coast of the Indian state of Gujarat, the property sits in a climate that is typically dry throughout the year until the monsoon rains arrive around mid-June. The house is flanked on either side by existing homes with a suburban character and was originally designed to make the most of the available natural light. “The project aims at creating an economically modest built form for an agriculturist and his family,” says architect Chinmay Laiwala. “We decided to use abstraction of urban farming as design devices to shape both the exterior and interior spaces – which of course were deliberately blurred. The heart of the concept was driven by the basic building materials, which are kept to their natural form and texture to comprehend and reference the natural flora.” Though the project was largely the delivery of a conceptual dream, the design approach was taken further to improve the functional aspects of the home, while continuing to express a connection with nature throughout. The façade for example – incorporating the main entrance – faces onto a laneway that provides access to a garage, above which are a series of stepped terraces and balconies. A set of steps leads to a foyer lined with a trellis that opens into an open-plan living space occupying most of the ground floor. The lounge and dining space are arranged around the double-height courtyard, which is flanked on one side by the trellis. Creepers and climbing plants help to shade the interior from direct sunlight, while the full-height retractable glazing ensures an uninterrupted connection with the outdoor space. The courtyard is topped with a circular opening that allows natural light to filter down. A matching circular window overlooks the garden from the master bedroom above. The main lounge space on the ground floor is connected by a set of louvred wooden doors to a large enclosed terrace with built-in concrete planters. Also on this level is a shrine based on the Shikhara – a pyramid-like structure found in some Hindu temples. The shrine is positioned at the base of a triple-height void that allows daylight to flood into the heart of the building. Stairs ascend from the dining area to a family room occupying the first-floor landing, which is surrounded by three en-suite bedrooms. The master bedroom features sliding glass doors that open onto a private balcony sheltered beneath a cantilevered roof. Plants spill over from the edge of the balcony to overhang the terrace below. The stairs continue from the family area to a second floor accommodating a further two bedrooms. Fitted timber joinery throughout the rooms offers a warm contrast to the stone flooring and rough, plastered walls. Ultimately, Jungalow House is a stunning example of how inner-city living does not have to meet a disconnect with the vitally important natural world. We think you might also like Binh Thanh House by Vo Trong Nghia Architectsabc Happenings Parties Where the Wild Things Are Celebrating Project 82+ and Daniellex by Andrew McDonald 16 February Project 82 has always had a strong focus on producing locally made furniture and working with Australian-based designers, and this new project will see them collaborating with artists and creative in a whole new way. The first iteration of Project 82+ sees a partnership established with Sydney-based artist DANIELLEX to introduce ‘Where The Wild Things Are’, a new limited edition abstract floral photography collection as the first Project 82+ initiative. “In 2018, Project 82 will be welcoming four local creatives into our St Peters showroom space to create a little bit of design magic,” says Shelley Mason, director of Project 82, “DANIELLEX is our very first guest, turning our space into a sea of abstract floral photographs for the months of February and March. Her raw and beautiful prints will look striking against the backdrop of our Project 82 sofas, tables and chairs and we can’t wait to see the transformation of our space.” ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ is a collection of 10 limited edition abstract floral photography prints where the artworks themselves take on a deeper meaning, both in the floral structure and its symbolism. ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ will be open for viewing during Project 82’s St Peters showroom hours, from Friday 8 February through to Thursday 29 March 2018. Project 82 project82.com.au [gallery columns="5" ids="70940,70941,70942,70943,70944,70945,70946,70947,70948,70949,70950,70951,70952,70953,70954,70955,70956,70957,70958,70959,70960,70961,70962,70963,70964,70965,70966,70967,70968,70969,70970,70971,70972,70973,70974,70975,70976,70977,70978,70979,70980,70981,70982,70983,70984,70985,70986,70987,70988,70989,70990,70991,70992,70993,70994,70995,70996,70997"]abc 1 2 3 Next Page → TOP
Design Hunters DH - Feature People Accidentally In Business by Holly Cunneen 21 February Try everything once, right? Because you never know what might stick. No one knows that better than George Wilkins and Will McCallum. Two childhood friends, the duo have grown from skiing together to studying together – commerce, at the University of Otago, Dunedin – to now designing, manufacturing and running a business together. More or less eponymous, George & Willy is a local design studio and workshop based out of Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. It was during the latter years of their degree that, in a bid to get the most out of the resources the university made available to them, George and Will discovered the woodshop. Subsequently a new path unfolded. “We joke about accidently starting a business because we never made things to sell them, we just made things for fun: oversized matchsticks and toy helicopters, lamps and catapults,” says Will. Although their design offering still very much embodies a light-hearted, playful approach, in the years since foundation (2014) their approach to business and design has auto-refined. First of all, their work has remained far from superfluous. On the contrary, it’s very much based on functionality and need. “Necessity is the mother of invention,” says Will, rather poignantly. “We call our products life tools; tools that will be around forever and not fade with the trends. Our products are fun and help people live a better life.” And while they may seem niche to some, a global market allows the team to reach the world. As Will points out, an online market means they’re not bound by their base. The running of the business is another way in which the company has matured. In the beginning George & Willy may have run more or less as a 24/7 operation – that’s often what it takes to get a passion project off the ground. That can be exhilarating, but also stressful. In recent years, the founders have been able to hire staff to distribute the load – both mental and physical. Now everyone has set hours, and they stick to them. What that definitely doesn’t mean, though, is that the workshop is off limits for personal use. “The team at work obviously have free reign over the workshop and are encouraged to have personal projects going all the time,” says Will. “It’s a fun space.” And it seems that not only do the team have a personal connection with the pieces they are designing, manufacturing and sending out to the world, but they also have a strong personal connection to one another – like a family. The whole crew got together for the renovation of Will’s house, also in Mount Maunganui. Everything from the laundry basket to the couch to the letterbox outside was made from scratch. George & Willy are a small, tight-knit community of five that live and breathe design. But watch this space, it’s a growing community. George & Willy georgeandwilly.com abc Parties Happenings HAP - Feature Celebrating StylecraftHOME’s Latest Collections by Andrew McDonald 20 February VIP clients and design lovers alike joined StylecraftHOME in Sydney to preview the latest collections from a suite of International brands. Every visit to StylecraftHOME's showroom offers something new, and with special guest and resident HOME artist Daimon Downey joining the evening to chat about his inspiration, method and approach to the pieces being exhibited, this night was no exception. The evening was a wonderful celebration of the design experiences available in store, and of the spirit of exceptional design in general. [gallery columns="5" ids="71160,71161,71162,71163,71164,71165,71166,71167,71168,71169,71170,71171,71172,71173,71174,71175,71176,71177,71178,71179,71180,71181,71182,71183,71184,71185,71186,71187,71188,71189,71190,71191,71192,71193,71194,71195,71196,71197,71198,71199,71200,71201,71202,71203,71204,71206,71207,71208,71209,71210,71211,71212,71213,71214,71215,71216,71217,71218,71219,71220,71221,71222,71223,71224,71225,71227,71229,71230,71231,71232,71233,71234,71235,71236,71237,71238,71239,71240,71241,71242,71243,71244,71245,71246,71247,71248,71249,71250,71251,71252,71253,71254,71255,71256,71257,71258,71260,71261,71262,71263,71264,71265,71266,71267,71268,71269,71270,71271,71272,71273,71274,71275,71276,71277,71278,71279,71280,71281,71282,71283,71284,71285,71286,71287,71288,71289,71290,71291,71292,71293"]abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider When Nature Informs Design by Darlene Smyth 20 February Primitive Hut is an architectural concept wherein which the relationship between humans and their environment is seen as the driving force behind the design and build. And it’s a concept that the team at RT+Q Architects in Singapore drew on heavily when working on House With Shadows. Directors Rene Tan and TK Quek, and project architect Melvin Keng, at explored the dynamics between an assemblage of primary residential building forms and their surrounding garden spaces. Housing multiple generations of the one family, this barn-like building opens up and responds to the interplay of light, wind and views of the surrounding landscape of the site and the distant views beyond. The house reacts to the surrounding series of gardens in a way that intrinsically links the built forms and the landscape elements. These ideas of symbiosis are expressed in the delicate patterns of shadows cast by light filtering through the various forms of screening along the building’s edges and in the careful framing of landscape elements through projected portals and strip windows cut into the house’s façade. The act of lifting the main body of the house to the second story so that the ground floor is highly permeable to the landscape, creates an environment in which the building and its gardens seem to exist in a symbiotic relationship with each other on the site. The owners of this 20,000-square-foot plot in a prestigious neighbourhood in the West Central area of Singapore are a multi-generational family comprising grandparents, their daughter and their grandchildren. The son-in-law, who happens to be a landscape designer, conceived the design of the external spaces from the onset of the project. Melvin Keng from RT+Q explains, “In this project, we worked with the concept that the landscape be the driver of how the architecture sits on the site… the garden spaces are thematic according to the uses.” A front garden, which Melvin refers to as “the secret garden”, is a romantic space which feels like a private clearing in a forest. Much of its character comes from the umbrella of a few 30-year-old roadside shade trees that were to be felled during the project and were transplanted here to screen the house from the road and enclose this serene and reflective space. The centre of the home is cooled down with a water garden which extends beyond the notion of a swimming pool into a large body of water with bridges crossing over it; above which the surrounding buildings appear to float. Thirdly, a side garden brings in exotic influences in the design with a distinctly Japanese theme. This asymmetrical garden with a central koi pond uses a selection of extremely soft and flowing plants and trees that blow lightly in the wind to give the garden its sense of tranquillity. The house is likewise broken up into three main zones which are expressed as pavilions with barn-like forms and relate to these three gardens. The pavilions are differentiated from each other through their material use and orientation, forming an asymmetrical T-shape. A main public pavilion greets visitors from the front of the house sharing common areas to the extended family; a living room, dining and kitchen, and a large family room on the second storey which overlooks the double-volume living area below. While this pavilion is cladded mostly in Chengal Timber, the lower level is completely glassed in so that it simultaneously enjoys views into all three gardens. The daughter’s pavilion is clad in cast-in-form concrete which is expressed as an impossibly light material, almost resembling the lightness of wood itself in its application. A third zone to the side of the main pavilion houses the master suite and relates directly to the Japanese themed garden. To amplify the experience of the garden, the designers have introduced a large enclosed porch, surrounded by sliding vertical timber screens, reminiscent of a traditional Japanese veranda or engawa from which to enjoy the views of nature. Throughout the house, the hand of the designer can be felt through the highly crafted details. “All the details are our idea of expressing joints,” explains Melvin, “we like to show how things go together.” The architects customised and detailed all elements of the house, controlling even the detailing of integrated light fittings, railings, and electrical switches, which became elements of design in themselves. Toeing the line between rustic, unpolished materials and intricate joinery, these details reflect the overall design intent in the house: to be inspired by – and in harmony with – nature. abc Design Hunters Conversations Accommodating The Evolving Habits Of A Contemporary Lifestyle by Patricia Arcilla 19 February The way we live is changing. Now more than ever we are drawn to big cities, relying on technology in all aspects of our lives, and embracing with open arms the unique joys and challenges of living in increasingly dense populations. In line with this ongoing shift in circumstance and perspective, the residential sector has bloomed to produce dynamic, vibrant living spaces unlike anything that has preceded them. Today, the home is the perfect backdrop for expressive, experimental design that celebrates individuality; spaces are not just blank slates for activity, but are in themselves extensions of their occupants’ wants, needs, and idiosyncrasies. Whatever the scale of the home – and wherever it is – it is now recognised that there is always room for exceptional design. This year, as ever, the INDE.Awards Living Space Category will recognise the best projects in the Asia Pacific residential sector. Tackling everything from denser urban populations to new technologies and climate change, the best living spaces view the complexities and intricacies of their site not as challenges but as opportunities for innovation. Winners in this category will represent a strong creative identity, a firm grasp and innovative interpretation of the client brief, and the distinct flavour of design in the region. The Living Space category also celebrates projects that demonstrate a nuanced understanding of their site, whether that might mean considerate, responsive and sensitive reactions to context, or indeed pushing the boundaries of design and local identity. In either case, a well-resolved Living Space has a firm grounding in its surrounds and strong sense of place are essential, as is a clear, coherent design strategy. German luxury brand Gaggenau is proud to return as a sponsor of this year’s INDE.Awards Living Space category and honour yet another year of excellence in residential design. The partnership is fitting, with kitchens forming the backbone of living spaces around the world. One of the most important rooms in the house – the kitchen – demands a unique degree of design ingenuity and foresight for innovation. As the hub of our personal and familial lives, the kitchen's sudden transformation to become a site of technological advancement, avant-garde materials, luxuriant design and supreme functionality, we cannot imagine a better brand to partner with to present the Living Space Award than Gaggenau. Drawing inspiration from the professional kitchen, the company’s designers and craftsmen use only the finest materials to create appliances that enable culinary perfection in the home kitchen. Whether it’s storing ingredients perfectly, cooking expertly, or cleaning effortlessly, Gaggenau will inspire you to create. If you’re a professional chef, a passionate home cook, or even somebody with a restricted recipe repertoire, the kitchen is a central part of the living experience – one of the first rooms you visit in the morning and likely one of the last at night. In many ways, the kitchen is one of the ultimate spaces for living. The kitchen distils some of the best elements of living: passion, expressiveness, sociality, and sensual pleasure, and serves them all up in a flavoursome tangle. If the kitchen is the heart of the home, then Gaggenau is the soul of the kitchen. Since their beginnings in the Black Forest in 1683, the company has shaped the face of appliance design, earning a reputation as one of the most trusted global designers and suppliers of luxury appliances for high-end homes. From integrated cooking solutions to dishwashing, ventilation, refrigeration, and wine cabinets, Gaggenau appliances are at the heart of kitchens everywhere, bringing joy, performance, and cutting edge avant-garde design into living spaces around the world. Gaggenau is pleased to support the 2018 INDE.Awards and a new generation of designers taking up the mantle for exceptional living spaces. Gaggenau gaggenau.com 2018 INDE.Awards indeawards.com abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider Inner-City Living Doesn’t Mean A Disconnect With Nature by Sophia Watson 19 February Inner-city living is problematic even for the most urban-minded among us. It’s noisy, chaotic and expensive to boot – but perhaps one of the most significant issues with living in a city is the lack of commune with nature. Believe it or not, the benefits of surrounding yourself with nature are huge both physically and mentally, and so when we are relegated to the big smoke for work or what have you, a small part of us feels very unfulfilled. This was especially the case for a man who had not only had an appreciation for nature, but made it his life’s work. For an agriculturalist and his family, living in Surat, India, for his career was a necessity, and so they approached local design firm Neogenesis+Studi0261 to come up with a new blueprint for their living situation. Located on the coast of the Indian state of Gujarat, the property sits in a climate that is typically dry throughout the year until the monsoon rains arrive around mid-June. The house is flanked on either side by existing homes with a suburban character and was originally designed to make the most of the available natural light. “The project aims at creating an economically modest built form for an agriculturist and his family,” says architect Chinmay Laiwala. “We decided to use abstraction of urban farming as design devices to shape both the exterior and interior spaces – which of course were deliberately blurred. The heart of the concept was driven by the basic building materials, which are kept to their natural form and texture to comprehend and reference the natural flora.” Though the project was largely the delivery of a conceptual dream, the design approach was taken further to improve the functional aspects of the home, while continuing to express a connection with nature throughout. The façade for example – incorporating the main entrance – faces onto a laneway that provides access to a garage, above which are a series of stepped terraces and balconies. A set of steps leads to a foyer lined with a trellis that opens into an open-plan living space occupying most of the ground floor. The lounge and dining space are arranged around the double-height courtyard, which is flanked on one side by the trellis. Creepers and climbing plants help to shade the interior from direct sunlight, while the full-height retractable glazing ensures an uninterrupted connection with the outdoor space. The courtyard is topped with a circular opening that allows natural light to filter down. A matching circular window overlooks the garden from the master bedroom above. The main lounge space on the ground floor is connected by a set of louvred wooden doors to a large enclosed terrace with built-in concrete planters. Also on this level is a shrine based on the Shikhara – a pyramid-like structure found in some Hindu temples. The shrine is positioned at the base of a triple-height void that allows daylight to flood into the heart of the building. Stairs ascend from the dining area to a family room occupying the first-floor landing, which is surrounded by three en-suite bedrooms. The master bedroom features sliding glass doors that open onto a private balcony sheltered beneath a cantilevered roof. Plants spill over from the edge of the balcony to overhang the terrace below. The stairs continue from the family area to a second floor accommodating a further two bedrooms. Fitted timber joinery throughout the rooms offers a warm contrast to the stone flooring and rough, plastered walls. Ultimately, Jungalow House is a stunning example of how inner-city living does not have to meet a disconnect with the vitally important natural world. We think you might also like Binh Thanh House by Vo Trong Nghia Architectsabc Happenings Parties Where the Wild Things Are Celebrating Project 82+ and Daniellex by Andrew McDonald 16 February Project 82 has always had a strong focus on producing locally made furniture and working with Australian-based designers, and this new project will see them collaborating with artists and creative in a whole new way. The first iteration of Project 82+ sees a partnership established with Sydney-based artist DANIELLEX to introduce ‘Where The Wild Things Are’, a new limited edition abstract floral photography collection as the first Project 82+ initiative. “In 2018, Project 82 will be welcoming four local creatives into our St Peters showroom space to create a little bit of design magic,” says Shelley Mason, director of Project 82, “DANIELLEX is our very first guest, turning our space into a sea of abstract floral photographs for the months of February and March. Her raw and beautiful prints will look striking against the backdrop of our Project 82 sofas, tables and chairs and we can’t wait to see the transformation of our space.” ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ is a collection of 10 limited edition abstract floral photography prints where the artworks themselves take on a deeper meaning, both in the floral structure and its symbolism. ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ will be open for viewing during Project 82’s St Peters showroom hours, from Friday 8 February through to Thursday 29 March 2018. Project 82 project82.com.au [gallery columns="5" ids="70940,70941,70942,70943,70944,70945,70946,70947,70948,70949,70950,70951,70952,70953,70954,70955,70956,70957,70958,70959,70960,70961,70962,70963,70964,70965,70966,70967,70968,70969,70970,70971,70972,70973,70974,70975,70976,70977,70978,70979,70980,70981,70982,70983,70984,70985,70986,70987,70988,70989,70990,70991,70992,70993,70994,70995,70996,70997"]abc 1 2 3 Next Page → TOP
Parties Happenings HAP - Feature Celebrating StylecraftHOME’s Latest Collections by Andrew McDonald 20 February VIP clients and design lovers alike joined StylecraftHOME in Sydney to preview the latest collections from a suite of International brands. Every visit to StylecraftHOME's showroom offers something new, and with special guest and resident HOME artist Daimon Downey joining the evening to chat about his inspiration, method and approach to the pieces being exhibited, this night was no exception. The evening was a wonderful celebration of the design experiences available in store, and of the spirit of exceptional design in general. [gallery columns="5" ids="71160,71161,71162,71163,71164,71165,71166,71167,71168,71169,71170,71171,71172,71173,71174,71175,71176,71177,71178,71179,71180,71181,71182,71183,71184,71185,71186,71187,71188,71189,71190,71191,71192,71193,71194,71195,71196,71197,71198,71199,71200,71201,71202,71203,71204,71206,71207,71208,71209,71210,71211,71212,71213,71214,71215,71216,71217,71218,71219,71220,71221,71222,71223,71224,71225,71227,71229,71230,71231,71232,71233,71234,71235,71236,71237,71238,71239,71240,71241,71242,71243,71244,71245,71246,71247,71248,71249,71250,71251,71252,71253,71254,71255,71256,71257,71258,71260,71261,71262,71263,71264,71265,71266,71267,71268,71269,71270,71271,71272,71273,71274,71275,71276,71277,71278,71279,71280,71281,71282,71283,71284,71285,71286,71287,71288,71289,71290,71291,71292,71293"]abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider When Nature Informs Design by Darlene Smyth 20 February Primitive Hut is an architectural concept wherein which the relationship between humans and their environment is seen as the driving force behind the design and build. And it’s a concept that the team at RT+Q Architects in Singapore drew on heavily when working on House With Shadows. Directors Rene Tan and TK Quek, and project architect Melvin Keng, at explored the dynamics between an assemblage of primary residential building forms and their surrounding garden spaces. Housing multiple generations of the one family, this barn-like building opens up and responds to the interplay of light, wind and views of the surrounding landscape of the site and the distant views beyond. The house reacts to the surrounding series of gardens in a way that intrinsically links the built forms and the landscape elements. These ideas of symbiosis are expressed in the delicate patterns of shadows cast by light filtering through the various forms of screening along the building’s edges and in the careful framing of landscape elements through projected portals and strip windows cut into the house’s façade. The act of lifting the main body of the house to the second story so that the ground floor is highly permeable to the landscape, creates an environment in which the building and its gardens seem to exist in a symbiotic relationship with each other on the site. The owners of this 20,000-square-foot plot in a prestigious neighbourhood in the West Central area of Singapore are a multi-generational family comprising grandparents, their daughter and their grandchildren. The son-in-law, who happens to be a landscape designer, conceived the design of the external spaces from the onset of the project. Melvin Keng from RT+Q explains, “In this project, we worked with the concept that the landscape be the driver of how the architecture sits on the site… the garden spaces are thematic according to the uses.” A front garden, which Melvin refers to as “the secret garden”, is a romantic space which feels like a private clearing in a forest. Much of its character comes from the umbrella of a few 30-year-old roadside shade trees that were to be felled during the project and were transplanted here to screen the house from the road and enclose this serene and reflective space. The centre of the home is cooled down with a water garden which extends beyond the notion of a swimming pool into a large body of water with bridges crossing over it; above which the surrounding buildings appear to float. Thirdly, a side garden brings in exotic influences in the design with a distinctly Japanese theme. This asymmetrical garden with a central koi pond uses a selection of extremely soft and flowing plants and trees that blow lightly in the wind to give the garden its sense of tranquillity. The house is likewise broken up into three main zones which are expressed as pavilions with barn-like forms and relate to these three gardens. The pavilions are differentiated from each other through their material use and orientation, forming an asymmetrical T-shape. A main public pavilion greets visitors from the front of the house sharing common areas to the extended family; a living room, dining and kitchen, and a large family room on the second storey which overlooks the double-volume living area below. While this pavilion is cladded mostly in Chengal Timber, the lower level is completely glassed in so that it simultaneously enjoys views into all three gardens. The daughter’s pavilion is clad in cast-in-form concrete which is expressed as an impossibly light material, almost resembling the lightness of wood itself in its application. A third zone to the side of the main pavilion houses the master suite and relates directly to the Japanese themed garden. To amplify the experience of the garden, the designers have introduced a large enclosed porch, surrounded by sliding vertical timber screens, reminiscent of a traditional Japanese veranda or engawa from which to enjoy the views of nature. Throughout the house, the hand of the designer can be felt through the highly crafted details. “All the details are our idea of expressing joints,” explains Melvin, “we like to show how things go together.” The architects customised and detailed all elements of the house, controlling even the detailing of integrated light fittings, railings, and electrical switches, which became elements of design in themselves. Toeing the line between rustic, unpolished materials and intricate joinery, these details reflect the overall design intent in the house: to be inspired by – and in harmony with – nature. abc Design Hunters Conversations Accommodating The Evolving Habits Of A Contemporary Lifestyle by Patricia Arcilla 19 February The way we live is changing. Now more than ever we are drawn to big cities, relying on technology in all aspects of our lives, and embracing with open arms the unique joys and challenges of living in increasingly dense populations. In line with this ongoing shift in circumstance and perspective, the residential sector has bloomed to produce dynamic, vibrant living spaces unlike anything that has preceded them. Today, the home is the perfect backdrop for expressive, experimental design that celebrates individuality; spaces are not just blank slates for activity, but are in themselves extensions of their occupants’ wants, needs, and idiosyncrasies. Whatever the scale of the home – and wherever it is – it is now recognised that there is always room for exceptional design. This year, as ever, the INDE.Awards Living Space Category will recognise the best projects in the Asia Pacific residential sector. Tackling everything from denser urban populations to new technologies and climate change, the best living spaces view the complexities and intricacies of their site not as challenges but as opportunities for innovation. Winners in this category will represent a strong creative identity, a firm grasp and innovative interpretation of the client brief, and the distinct flavour of design in the region. The Living Space category also celebrates projects that demonstrate a nuanced understanding of their site, whether that might mean considerate, responsive and sensitive reactions to context, or indeed pushing the boundaries of design and local identity. In either case, a well-resolved Living Space has a firm grounding in its surrounds and strong sense of place are essential, as is a clear, coherent design strategy. German luxury brand Gaggenau is proud to return as a sponsor of this year’s INDE.Awards Living Space category and honour yet another year of excellence in residential design. The partnership is fitting, with kitchens forming the backbone of living spaces around the world. One of the most important rooms in the house – the kitchen – demands a unique degree of design ingenuity and foresight for innovation. As the hub of our personal and familial lives, the kitchen's sudden transformation to become a site of technological advancement, avant-garde materials, luxuriant design and supreme functionality, we cannot imagine a better brand to partner with to present the Living Space Award than Gaggenau. Drawing inspiration from the professional kitchen, the company’s designers and craftsmen use only the finest materials to create appliances that enable culinary perfection in the home kitchen. Whether it’s storing ingredients perfectly, cooking expertly, or cleaning effortlessly, Gaggenau will inspire you to create. If you’re a professional chef, a passionate home cook, or even somebody with a restricted recipe repertoire, the kitchen is a central part of the living experience – one of the first rooms you visit in the morning and likely one of the last at night. In many ways, the kitchen is one of the ultimate spaces for living. The kitchen distils some of the best elements of living: passion, expressiveness, sociality, and sensual pleasure, and serves them all up in a flavoursome tangle. If the kitchen is the heart of the home, then Gaggenau is the soul of the kitchen. Since their beginnings in the Black Forest in 1683, the company has shaped the face of appliance design, earning a reputation as one of the most trusted global designers and suppliers of luxury appliances for high-end homes. From integrated cooking solutions to dishwashing, ventilation, refrigeration, and wine cabinets, Gaggenau appliances are at the heart of kitchens everywhere, bringing joy, performance, and cutting edge avant-garde design into living spaces around the world. Gaggenau is pleased to support the 2018 INDE.Awards and a new generation of designers taking up the mantle for exceptional living spaces. Gaggenau gaggenau.com 2018 INDE.Awards indeawards.com abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider Inner-City Living Doesn’t Mean A Disconnect With Nature by Sophia Watson 19 February Inner-city living is problematic even for the most urban-minded among us. It’s noisy, chaotic and expensive to boot – but perhaps one of the most significant issues with living in a city is the lack of commune with nature. Believe it or not, the benefits of surrounding yourself with nature are huge both physically and mentally, and so when we are relegated to the big smoke for work or what have you, a small part of us feels very unfulfilled. This was especially the case for a man who had not only had an appreciation for nature, but made it his life’s work. For an agriculturalist and his family, living in Surat, India, for his career was a necessity, and so they approached local design firm Neogenesis+Studi0261 to come up with a new blueprint for their living situation. Located on the coast of the Indian state of Gujarat, the property sits in a climate that is typically dry throughout the year until the monsoon rains arrive around mid-June. The house is flanked on either side by existing homes with a suburban character and was originally designed to make the most of the available natural light. “The project aims at creating an economically modest built form for an agriculturist and his family,” says architect Chinmay Laiwala. “We decided to use abstraction of urban farming as design devices to shape both the exterior and interior spaces – which of course were deliberately blurred. The heart of the concept was driven by the basic building materials, which are kept to their natural form and texture to comprehend and reference the natural flora.” Though the project was largely the delivery of a conceptual dream, the design approach was taken further to improve the functional aspects of the home, while continuing to express a connection with nature throughout. The façade for example – incorporating the main entrance – faces onto a laneway that provides access to a garage, above which are a series of stepped terraces and balconies. A set of steps leads to a foyer lined with a trellis that opens into an open-plan living space occupying most of the ground floor. The lounge and dining space are arranged around the double-height courtyard, which is flanked on one side by the trellis. Creepers and climbing plants help to shade the interior from direct sunlight, while the full-height retractable glazing ensures an uninterrupted connection with the outdoor space. The courtyard is topped with a circular opening that allows natural light to filter down. A matching circular window overlooks the garden from the master bedroom above. The main lounge space on the ground floor is connected by a set of louvred wooden doors to a large enclosed terrace with built-in concrete planters. Also on this level is a shrine based on the Shikhara – a pyramid-like structure found in some Hindu temples. The shrine is positioned at the base of a triple-height void that allows daylight to flood into the heart of the building. Stairs ascend from the dining area to a family room occupying the first-floor landing, which is surrounded by three en-suite bedrooms. The master bedroom features sliding glass doors that open onto a private balcony sheltered beneath a cantilevered roof. Plants spill over from the edge of the balcony to overhang the terrace below. The stairs continue from the family area to a second floor accommodating a further two bedrooms. Fitted timber joinery throughout the rooms offers a warm contrast to the stone flooring and rough, plastered walls. Ultimately, Jungalow House is a stunning example of how inner-city living does not have to meet a disconnect with the vitally important natural world. We think you might also like Binh Thanh House by Vo Trong Nghia Architectsabc Happenings Parties Where the Wild Things Are Celebrating Project 82+ and Daniellex by Andrew McDonald 16 February Project 82 has always had a strong focus on producing locally made furniture and working with Australian-based designers, and this new project will see them collaborating with artists and creative in a whole new way. The first iteration of Project 82+ sees a partnership established with Sydney-based artist DANIELLEX to introduce ‘Where The Wild Things Are’, a new limited edition abstract floral photography collection as the first Project 82+ initiative. “In 2018, Project 82 will be welcoming four local creatives into our St Peters showroom space to create a little bit of design magic,” says Shelley Mason, director of Project 82, “DANIELLEX is our very first guest, turning our space into a sea of abstract floral photographs for the months of February and March. Her raw and beautiful prints will look striking against the backdrop of our Project 82 sofas, tables and chairs and we can’t wait to see the transformation of our space.” ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ is a collection of 10 limited edition abstract floral photography prints where the artworks themselves take on a deeper meaning, both in the floral structure and its symbolism. ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ will be open for viewing during Project 82’s St Peters showroom hours, from Friday 8 February through to Thursday 29 March 2018. Project 82 project82.com.au [gallery columns="5" ids="70940,70941,70942,70943,70944,70945,70946,70947,70948,70949,70950,70951,70952,70953,70954,70955,70956,70957,70958,70959,70960,70961,70962,70963,70964,70965,70966,70967,70968,70969,70970,70971,70972,70973,70974,70975,70976,70977,70978,70979,70980,70981,70982,70983,70984,70985,70986,70987,70988,70989,70990,70991,70992,70993,70994,70995,70996,70997"]abc 1 2 3 Next Page → TOP
Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider When Nature Informs Design by Darlene Smyth 20 February Primitive Hut is an architectural concept wherein which the relationship between humans and their environment is seen as the driving force behind the design and build. And it’s a concept that the team at RT+Q Architects in Singapore drew on heavily when working on House With Shadows. Directors Rene Tan and TK Quek, and project architect Melvin Keng, at explored the dynamics between an assemblage of primary residential building forms and their surrounding garden spaces. Housing multiple generations of the one family, this barn-like building opens up and responds to the interplay of light, wind and views of the surrounding landscape of the site and the distant views beyond. The house reacts to the surrounding series of gardens in a way that intrinsically links the built forms and the landscape elements. These ideas of symbiosis are expressed in the delicate patterns of shadows cast by light filtering through the various forms of screening along the building’s edges and in the careful framing of landscape elements through projected portals and strip windows cut into the house’s façade. The act of lifting the main body of the house to the second story so that the ground floor is highly permeable to the landscape, creates an environment in which the building and its gardens seem to exist in a symbiotic relationship with each other on the site. The owners of this 20,000-square-foot plot in a prestigious neighbourhood in the West Central area of Singapore are a multi-generational family comprising grandparents, their daughter and their grandchildren. The son-in-law, who happens to be a landscape designer, conceived the design of the external spaces from the onset of the project. Melvin Keng from RT+Q explains, “In this project, we worked with the concept that the landscape be the driver of how the architecture sits on the site… the garden spaces are thematic according to the uses.” A front garden, which Melvin refers to as “the secret garden”, is a romantic space which feels like a private clearing in a forest. Much of its character comes from the umbrella of a few 30-year-old roadside shade trees that were to be felled during the project and were transplanted here to screen the house from the road and enclose this serene and reflective space. The centre of the home is cooled down with a water garden which extends beyond the notion of a swimming pool into a large body of water with bridges crossing over it; above which the surrounding buildings appear to float. Thirdly, a side garden brings in exotic influences in the design with a distinctly Japanese theme. This asymmetrical garden with a central koi pond uses a selection of extremely soft and flowing plants and trees that blow lightly in the wind to give the garden its sense of tranquillity. The house is likewise broken up into three main zones which are expressed as pavilions with barn-like forms and relate to these three gardens. The pavilions are differentiated from each other through their material use and orientation, forming an asymmetrical T-shape. A main public pavilion greets visitors from the front of the house sharing common areas to the extended family; a living room, dining and kitchen, and a large family room on the second storey which overlooks the double-volume living area below. While this pavilion is cladded mostly in Chengal Timber, the lower level is completely glassed in so that it simultaneously enjoys views into all three gardens. The daughter’s pavilion is clad in cast-in-form concrete which is expressed as an impossibly light material, almost resembling the lightness of wood itself in its application. A third zone to the side of the main pavilion houses the master suite and relates directly to the Japanese themed garden. To amplify the experience of the garden, the designers have introduced a large enclosed porch, surrounded by sliding vertical timber screens, reminiscent of a traditional Japanese veranda or engawa from which to enjoy the views of nature. Throughout the house, the hand of the designer can be felt through the highly crafted details. “All the details are our idea of expressing joints,” explains Melvin, “we like to show how things go together.” The architects customised and detailed all elements of the house, controlling even the detailing of integrated light fittings, railings, and electrical switches, which became elements of design in themselves. Toeing the line between rustic, unpolished materials and intricate joinery, these details reflect the overall design intent in the house: to be inspired by – and in harmony with – nature. abc Design Hunters Conversations Accommodating The Evolving Habits Of A Contemporary Lifestyle by Patricia Arcilla 19 February The way we live is changing. Now more than ever we are drawn to big cities, relying on technology in all aspects of our lives, and embracing with open arms the unique joys and challenges of living in increasingly dense populations. In line with this ongoing shift in circumstance and perspective, the residential sector has bloomed to produce dynamic, vibrant living spaces unlike anything that has preceded them. Today, the home is the perfect backdrop for expressive, experimental design that celebrates individuality; spaces are not just blank slates for activity, but are in themselves extensions of their occupants’ wants, needs, and idiosyncrasies. Whatever the scale of the home – and wherever it is – it is now recognised that there is always room for exceptional design. This year, as ever, the INDE.Awards Living Space Category will recognise the best projects in the Asia Pacific residential sector. Tackling everything from denser urban populations to new technologies and climate change, the best living spaces view the complexities and intricacies of their site not as challenges but as opportunities for innovation. Winners in this category will represent a strong creative identity, a firm grasp and innovative interpretation of the client brief, and the distinct flavour of design in the region. The Living Space category also celebrates projects that demonstrate a nuanced understanding of their site, whether that might mean considerate, responsive and sensitive reactions to context, or indeed pushing the boundaries of design and local identity. In either case, a well-resolved Living Space has a firm grounding in its surrounds and strong sense of place are essential, as is a clear, coherent design strategy. German luxury brand Gaggenau is proud to return as a sponsor of this year’s INDE.Awards Living Space category and honour yet another year of excellence in residential design. The partnership is fitting, with kitchens forming the backbone of living spaces around the world. One of the most important rooms in the house – the kitchen – demands a unique degree of design ingenuity and foresight for innovation. As the hub of our personal and familial lives, the kitchen's sudden transformation to become a site of technological advancement, avant-garde materials, luxuriant design and supreme functionality, we cannot imagine a better brand to partner with to present the Living Space Award than Gaggenau. Drawing inspiration from the professional kitchen, the company’s designers and craftsmen use only the finest materials to create appliances that enable culinary perfection in the home kitchen. Whether it’s storing ingredients perfectly, cooking expertly, or cleaning effortlessly, Gaggenau will inspire you to create. If you’re a professional chef, a passionate home cook, or even somebody with a restricted recipe repertoire, the kitchen is a central part of the living experience – one of the first rooms you visit in the morning and likely one of the last at night. In many ways, the kitchen is one of the ultimate spaces for living. The kitchen distils some of the best elements of living: passion, expressiveness, sociality, and sensual pleasure, and serves them all up in a flavoursome tangle. If the kitchen is the heart of the home, then Gaggenau is the soul of the kitchen. Since their beginnings in the Black Forest in 1683, the company has shaped the face of appliance design, earning a reputation as one of the most trusted global designers and suppliers of luxury appliances for high-end homes. From integrated cooking solutions to dishwashing, ventilation, refrigeration, and wine cabinets, Gaggenau appliances are at the heart of kitchens everywhere, bringing joy, performance, and cutting edge avant-garde design into living spaces around the world. Gaggenau is pleased to support the 2018 INDE.Awards and a new generation of designers taking up the mantle for exceptional living spaces. Gaggenau gaggenau.com 2018 INDE.Awards indeawards.com abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider Inner-City Living Doesn’t Mean A Disconnect With Nature by Sophia Watson 19 February Inner-city living is problematic even for the most urban-minded among us. It’s noisy, chaotic and expensive to boot – but perhaps one of the most significant issues with living in a city is the lack of commune with nature. Believe it or not, the benefits of surrounding yourself with nature are huge both physically and mentally, and so when we are relegated to the big smoke for work or what have you, a small part of us feels very unfulfilled. This was especially the case for a man who had not only had an appreciation for nature, but made it his life’s work. For an agriculturalist and his family, living in Surat, India, for his career was a necessity, and so they approached local design firm Neogenesis+Studi0261 to come up with a new blueprint for their living situation. Located on the coast of the Indian state of Gujarat, the property sits in a climate that is typically dry throughout the year until the monsoon rains arrive around mid-June. The house is flanked on either side by existing homes with a suburban character and was originally designed to make the most of the available natural light. “The project aims at creating an economically modest built form for an agriculturist and his family,” says architect Chinmay Laiwala. “We decided to use abstraction of urban farming as design devices to shape both the exterior and interior spaces – which of course were deliberately blurred. The heart of the concept was driven by the basic building materials, which are kept to their natural form and texture to comprehend and reference the natural flora.” Though the project was largely the delivery of a conceptual dream, the design approach was taken further to improve the functional aspects of the home, while continuing to express a connection with nature throughout. The façade for example – incorporating the main entrance – faces onto a laneway that provides access to a garage, above which are a series of stepped terraces and balconies. A set of steps leads to a foyer lined with a trellis that opens into an open-plan living space occupying most of the ground floor. The lounge and dining space are arranged around the double-height courtyard, which is flanked on one side by the trellis. Creepers and climbing plants help to shade the interior from direct sunlight, while the full-height retractable glazing ensures an uninterrupted connection with the outdoor space. The courtyard is topped with a circular opening that allows natural light to filter down. A matching circular window overlooks the garden from the master bedroom above. The main lounge space on the ground floor is connected by a set of louvred wooden doors to a large enclosed terrace with built-in concrete planters. Also on this level is a shrine based on the Shikhara – a pyramid-like structure found in some Hindu temples. The shrine is positioned at the base of a triple-height void that allows daylight to flood into the heart of the building. Stairs ascend from the dining area to a family room occupying the first-floor landing, which is surrounded by three en-suite bedrooms. The master bedroom features sliding glass doors that open onto a private balcony sheltered beneath a cantilevered roof. Plants spill over from the edge of the balcony to overhang the terrace below. The stairs continue from the family area to a second floor accommodating a further two bedrooms. Fitted timber joinery throughout the rooms offers a warm contrast to the stone flooring and rough, plastered walls. Ultimately, Jungalow House is a stunning example of how inner-city living does not have to meet a disconnect with the vitally important natural world. We think you might also like Binh Thanh House by Vo Trong Nghia Architectsabc Happenings Parties Where the Wild Things Are Celebrating Project 82+ and Daniellex by Andrew McDonald 16 February Project 82 has always had a strong focus on producing locally made furniture and working with Australian-based designers, and this new project will see them collaborating with artists and creative in a whole new way. The first iteration of Project 82+ sees a partnership established with Sydney-based artist DANIELLEX to introduce ‘Where The Wild Things Are’, a new limited edition abstract floral photography collection as the first Project 82+ initiative. “In 2018, Project 82 will be welcoming four local creatives into our St Peters showroom space to create a little bit of design magic,” says Shelley Mason, director of Project 82, “DANIELLEX is our very first guest, turning our space into a sea of abstract floral photographs for the months of February and March. Her raw and beautiful prints will look striking against the backdrop of our Project 82 sofas, tables and chairs and we can’t wait to see the transformation of our space.” ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ is a collection of 10 limited edition abstract floral photography prints where the artworks themselves take on a deeper meaning, both in the floral structure and its symbolism. ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ will be open for viewing during Project 82’s St Peters showroom hours, from Friday 8 February through to Thursday 29 March 2018. Project 82 project82.com.au [gallery columns="5" ids="70940,70941,70942,70943,70944,70945,70946,70947,70948,70949,70950,70951,70952,70953,70954,70955,70956,70957,70958,70959,70960,70961,70962,70963,70964,70965,70966,70967,70968,70969,70970,70971,70972,70973,70974,70975,70976,70977,70978,70979,70980,70981,70982,70983,70984,70985,70986,70987,70988,70989,70990,70991,70992,70993,70994,70995,70996,70997"]abc 1 2 3 Next Page → TOP
Design Hunters Conversations Accommodating The Evolving Habits Of A Contemporary Lifestyle by Patricia Arcilla 19 February The way we live is changing. Now more than ever we are drawn to big cities, relying on technology in all aspects of our lives, and embracing with open arms the unique joys and challenges of living in increasingly dense populations. In line with this ongoing shift in circumstance and perspective, the residential sector has bloomed to produce dynamic, vibrant living spaces unlike anything that has preceded them. Today, the home is the perfect backdrop for expressive, experimental design that celebrates individuality; spaces are not just blank slates for activity, but are in themselves extensions of their occupants’ wants, needs, and idiosyncrasies. Whatever the scale of the home – and wherever it is – it is now recognised that there is always room for exceptional design. This year, as ever, the INDE.Awards Living Space Category will recognise the best projects in the Asia Pacific residential sector. Tackling everything from denser urban populations to new technologies and climate change, the best living spaces view the complexities and intricacies of their site not as challenges but as opportunities for innovation. Winners in this category will represent a strong creative identity, a firm grasp and innovative interpretation of the client brief, and the distinct flavour of design in the region. The Living Space category also celebrates projects that demonstrate a nuanced understanding of their site, whether that might mean considerate, responsive and sensitive reactions to context, or indeed pushing the boundaries of design and local identity. In either case, a well-resolved Living Space has a firm grounding in its surrounds and strong sense of place are essential, as is a clear, coherent design strategy. German luxury brand Gaggenau is proud to return as a sponsor of this year’s INDE.Awards Living Space category and honour yet another year of excellence in residential design. The partnership is fitting, with kitchens forming the backbone of living spaces around the world. One of the most important rooms in the house – the kitchen – demands a unique degree of design ingenuity and foresight for innovation. As the hub of our personal and familial lives, the kitchen's sudden transformation to become a site of technological advancement, avant-garde materials, luxuriant design and supreme functionality, we cannot imagine a better brand to partner with to present the Living Space Award than Gaggenau. Drawing inspiration from the professional kitchen, the company’s designers and craftsmen use only the finest materials to create appliances that enable culinary perfection in the home kitchen. Whether it’s storing ingredients perfectly, cooking expertly, or cleaning effortlessly, Gaggenau will inspire you to create. If you’re a professional chef, a passionate home cook, or even somebody with a restricted recipe repertoire, the kitchen is a central part of the living experience – one of the first rooms you visit in the morning and likely one of the last at night. In many ways, the kitchen is one of the ultimate spaces for living. The kitchen distils some of the best elements of living: passion, expressiveness, sociality, and sensual pleasure, and serves them all up in a flavoursome tangle. If the kitchen is the heart of the home, then Gaggenau is the soul of the kitchen. Since their beginnings in the Black Forest in 1683, the company has shaped the face of appliance design, earning a reputation as one of the most trusted global designers and suppliers of luxury appliances for high-end homes. From integrated cooking solutions to dishwashing, ventilation, refrigeration, and wine cabinets, Gaggenau appliances are at the heart of kitchens everywhere, bringing joy, performance, and cutting edge avant-garde design into living spaces around the world. Gaggenau is pleased to support the 2018 INDE.Awards and a new generation of designers taking up the mantle for exceptional living spaces. Gaggenau gaggenau.com 2018 INDE.Awards indeawards.com abc Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider Inner-City Living Doesn’t Mean A Disconnect With Nature by Sophia Watson 19 February Inner-city living is problematic even for the most urban-minded among us. It’s noisy, chaotic and expensive to boot – but perhaps one of the most significant issues with living in a city is the lack of commune with nature. Believe it or not, the benefits of surrounding yourself with nature are huge both physically and mentally, and so when we are relegated to the big smoke for work or what have you, a small part of us feels very unfulfilled. This was especially the case for a man who had not only had an appreciation for nature, but made it his life’s work. For an agriculturalist and his family, living in Surat, India, for his career was a necessity, and so they approached local design firm Neogenesis+Studi0261 to come up with a new blueprint for their living situation. Located on the coast of the Indian state of Gujarat, the property sits in a climate that is typically dry throughout the year until the monsoon rains arrive around mid-June. The house is flanked on either side by existing homes with a suburban character and was originally designed to make the most of the available natural light. “The project aims at creating an economically modest built form for an agriculturist and his family,” says architect Chinmay Laiwala. “We decided to use abstraction of urban farming as design devices to shape both the exterior and interior spaces – which of course were deliberately blurred. The heart of the concept was driven by the basic building materials, which are kept to their natural form and texture to comprehend and reference the natural flora.” Though the project was largely the delivery of a conceptual dream, the design approach was taken further to improve the functional aspects of the home, while continuing to express a connection with nature throughout. The façade for example – incorporating the main entrance – faces onto a laneway that provides access to a garage, above which are a series of stepped terraces and balconies. A set of steps leads to a foyer lined with a trellis that opens into an open-plan living space occupying most of the ground floor. The lounge and dining space are arranged around the double-height courtyard, which is flanked on one side by the trellis. Creepers and climbing plants help to shade the interior from direct sunlight, while the full-height retractable glazing ensures an uninterrupted connection with the outdoor space. The courtyard is topped with a circular opening that allows natural light to filter down. A matching circular window overlooks the garden from the master bedroom above. The main lounge space on the ground floor is connected by a set of louvred wooden doors to a large enclosed terrace with built-in concrete planters. Also on this level is a shrine based on the Shikhara – a pyramid-like structure found in some Hindu temples. The shrine is positioned at the base of a triple-height void that allows daylight to flood into the heart of the building. Stairs ascend from the dining area to a family room occupying the first-floor landing, which is surrounded by three en-suite bedrooms. The master bedroom features sliding glass doors that open onto a private balcony sheltered beneath a cantilevered roof. Plants spill over from the edge of the balcony to overhang the terrace below. The stairs continue from the family area to a second floor accommodating a further two bedrooms. Fitted timber joinery throughout the rooms offers a warm contrast to the stone flooring and rough, plastered walls. Ultimately, Jungalow House is a stunning example of how inner-city living does not have to meet a disconnect with the vitally important natural world. We think you might also like Binh Thanh House by Vo Trong Nghia Architectsabc Happenings Parties Where the Wild Things Are Celebrating Project 82+ and Daniellex by Andrew McDonald 16 February Project 82 has always had a strong focus on producing locally made furniture and working with Australian-based designers, and this new project will see them collaborating with artists and creative in a whole new way. The first iteration of Project 82+ sees a partnership established with Sydney-based artist DANIELLEX to introduce ‘Where The Wild Things Are’, a new limited edition abstract floral photography collection as the first Project 82+ initiative. “In 2018, Project 82 will be welcoming four local creatives into our St Peters showroom space to create a little bit of design magic,” says Shelley Mason, director of Project 82, “DANIELLEX is our very first guest, turning our space into a sea of abstract floral photographs for the months of February and March. Her raw and beautiful prints will look striking against the backdrop of our Project 82 sofas, tables and chairs and we can’t wait to see the transformation of our space.” ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ is a collection of 10 limited edition abstract floral photography prints where the artworks themselves take on a deeper meaning, both in the floral structure and its symbolism. ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ will be open for viewing during Project 82’s St Peters showroom hours, from Friday 8 February through to Thursday 29 March 2018. Project 82 project82.com.au [gallery columns="5" ids="70940,70941,70942,70943,70944,70945,70946,70947,70948,70949,70950,70951,70952,70953,70954,70955,70956,70957,70958,70959,70960,70961,70962,70963,70964,70965,70966,70967,70968,70969,70970,70971,70972,70973,70974,70975,70976,70977,70978,70979,70980,70981,70982,70983,70984,70985,70986,70987,70988,70989,70990,70991,70992,70993,70994,70995,70996,70997"]abc 1 2 3 Next Page →
Architecture Around The World Homes Primary Slider Inner-City Living Doesn’t Mean A Disconnect With Nature by Sophia Watson 19 February Inner-city living is problematic even for the most urban-minded among us. It’s noisy, chaotic and expensive to boot – but perhaps one of the most significant issues with living in a city is the lack of commune with nature. Believe it or not, the benefits of surrounding yourself with nature are huge both physically and mentally, and so when we are relegated to the big smoke for work or what have you, a small part of us feels very unfulfilled. This was especially the case for a man who had not only had an appreciation for nature, but made it his life’s work. For an agriculturalist and his family, living in Surat, India, for his career was a necessity, and so they approached local design firm Neogenesis+Studi0261 to come up with a new blueprint for their living situation. Located on the coast of the Indian state of Gujarat, the property sits in a climate that is typically dry throughout the year until the monsoon rains arrive around mid-June. The house is flanked on either side by existing homes with a suburban character and was originally designed to make the most of the available natural light. “The project aims at creating an economically modest built form for an agriculturist and his family,” says architect Chinmay Laiwala. “We decided to use abstraction of urban farming as design devices to shape both the exterior and interior spaces – which of course were deliberately blurred. The heart of the concept was driven by the basic building materials, which are kept to their natural form and texture to comprehend and reference the natural flora.” Though the project was largely the delivery of a conceptual dream, the design approach was taken further to improve the functional aspects of the home, while continuing to express a connection with nature throughout. The façade for example – incorporating the main entrance – faces onto a laneway that provides access to a garage, above which are a series of stepped terraces and balconies. A set of steps leads to a foyer lined with a trellis that opens into an open-plan living space occupying most of the ground floor. The lounge and dining space are arranged around the double-height courtyard, which is flanked on one side by the trellis. Creepers and climbing plants help to shade the interior from direct sunlight, while the full-height retractable glazing ensures an uninterrupted connection with the outdoor space. The courtyard is topped with a circular opening that allows natural light to filter down. A matching circular window overlooks the garden from the master bedroom above. The main lounge space on the ground floor is connected by a set of louvred wooden doors to a large enclosed terrace with built-in concrete planters. Also on this level is a shrine based on the Shikhara – a pyramid-like structure found in some Hindu temples. The shrine is positioned at the base of a triple-height void that allows daylight to flood into the heart of the building. Stairs ascend from the dining area to a family room occupying the first-floor landing, which is surrounded by three en-suite bedrooms. The master bedroom features sliding glass doors that open onto a private balcony sheltered beneath a cantilevered roof. Plants spill over from the edge of the balcony to overhang the terrace below. The stairs continue from the family area to a second floor accommodating a further two bedrooms. Fitted timber joinery throughout the rooms offers a warm contrast to the stone flooring and rough, plastered walls. Ultimately, Jungalow House is a stunning example of how inner-city living does not have to meet a disconnect with the vitally important natural world. We think you might also like Binh Thanh House by Vo Trong Nghia Architectsabc Happenings Parties Where the Wild Things Are Celebrating Project 82+ and Daniellex by Andrew McDonald 16 February Project 82 has always had a strong focus on producing locally made furniture and working with Australian-based designers, and this new project will see them collaborating with artists and creative in a whole new way. The first iteration of Project 82+ sees a partnership established with Sydney-based artist DANIELLEX to introduce ‘Where The Wild Things Are’, a new limited edition abstract floral photography collection as the first Project 82+ initiative. “In 2018, Project 82 will be welcoming four local creatives into our St Peters showroom space to create a little bit of design magic,” says Shelley Mason, director of Project 82, “DANIELLEX is our very first guest, turning our space into a sea of abstract floral photographs for the months of February and March. Her raw and beautiful prints will look striking against the backdrop of our Project 82 sofas, tables and chairs and we can’t wait to see the transformation of our space.” ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ is a collection of 10 limited edition abstract floral photography prints where the artworks themselves take on a deeper meaning, both in the floral structure and its symbolism. ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ will be open for viewing during Project 82’s St Peters showroom hours, from Friday 8 February through to Thursday 29 March 2018. Project 82 project82.com.au [gallery columns="5" ids="70940,70941,70942,70943,70944,70945,70946,70947,70948,70949,70950,70951,70952,70953,70954,70955,70956,70957,70958,70959,70960,70961,70962,70963,70964,70965,70966,70967,70968,70969,70970,70971,70972,70973,70974,70975,70976,70977,70978,70979,70980,70981,70982,70983,70984,70985,70986,70987,70988,70989,70990,70991,70992,70993,70994,70995,70996,70997"]abc 1 2 3 Next Page →
Happenings Parties Where the Wild Things Are Celebrating Project 82+ and Daniellex by Andrew McDonald 16 February Project 82 has always had a strong focus on producing locally made furniture and working with Australian-based designers, and this new project will see them collaborating with artists and creative in a whole new way. The first iteration of Project 82+ sees a partnership established with Sydney-based artist DANIELLEX to introduce ‘Where The Wild Things Are’, a new limited edition abstract floral photography collection as the first Project 82+ initiative. “In 2018, Project 82 will be welcoming four local creatives into our St Peters showroom space to create a little bit of design magic,” says Shelley Mason, director of Project 82, “DANIELLEX is our very first guest, turning our space into a sea of abstract floral photographs for the months of February and March. Her raw and beautiful prints will look striking against the backdrop of our Project 82 sofas, tables and chairs and we can’t wait to see the transformation of our space.” ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ is a collection of 10 limited edition abstract floral photography prints where the artworks themselves take on a deeper meaning, both in the floral structure and its symbolism. ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ will be open for viewing during Project 82’s St Peters showroom hours, from Friday 8 February through to Thursday 29 March 2018. Project 82 project82.com.au [gallery columns="5" ids="70940,70941,70942,70943,70944,70945,70946,70947,70948,70949,70950,70951,70952,70953,70954,70955,70956,70957,70958,70959,70960,70961,70962,70963,70964,70965,70966,70967,70968,70969,70970,70971,70972,70973,70974,70975,70976,70977,70978,70979,70980,70981,70982,70983,70984,70985,70986,70987,70988,70989,70990,70991,70992,70993,70994,70995,70996,70997"]abc 1 2 3 Next Page →
