Showing a true love of the famous Milanese fashion house, Infinite Design Studio have embraced the Missoni Home collection in many of their projects. Missoni’s ethos of innovation and their ongoing sense of wonder in design, has lead to their collections serving to achieve a point of difference in those projects.
This Summer, Infinite Design Studio has collaborated with Spence & Lyda to bring to Sydney a rare experience in the world of Missoni Home. A tailor made pop-up Missoni experience in the form of an apartment installation was launched in late November in the heart of Woollahra.
The concept experience at Infinite Design Studio’s courtyard was launched with an invitation-only Italian Summer party, attending by some of the local design community’s best and brightest, showcasing a range of Missoni’s products ideal for the summer season – or all year round!
This event was the first for the Design Studio collaborating with Missoni Home representative in Sydney - Spence & Lyda.
“’We are excited to experiment with the form and colour of Missoni Home products in a completely blank canvas such as our studio and courtyard,” says Michelle Macarounas of Infinite Design Studio “Mixing the concept of Summer filled days in Italy with the glorious landscape of Sydney living. A positive, creative exercise that will link the two environments through what they do best. Summer Living.”
Infinite Design Studio
infinitedesignstudio.com.au
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The Montana System from Cult
With Montana modules in different sizes and colours you can build up in height and width, choose from free-standing or wall-leaning, or all of it at once. Design your home the way you want it to look and reflect your personality with colours and functions suited to who you are. Cult
Lugano Wall Units by Morten Georgsen from BoConcept
Lugano is a series of storage units that can be used individually or together to create custom storage solutions. Consisting of a range of wall hung units, freestanding units, open and closed units and options for doors and drawers, the Lugano can be configured for just about any space. BoConcept
The Kumiko Cabinet by Staffan Holm for Ariake from Apato
The Kumiko cabinets combine semi see though screens and a very well crafted cabinet to create an interesting composition. Placing lights inside will give a warm feeling to the room. Apato
The Collaborative Collection by Technē from Grazia & Co
Composed of a tall shelving unit, medium-sized sideboard and side tables, the shelving selection is the first foray into the world of furniture design for Technē Architecture + Interior Design. Collaborative Collection
Transfix by Marc Krusin, Kensaku Oshiro from SPACE
A display and storage unit, Transfix can also be used as an element for dividing and screening spaces. Formed by gluing slabs of tempered 8-millimetre thick transparent extra light glass, the practical and versatile piece of furniture seamlessly fits in to any environment. SPACE
Bristol System Bookshelf by J.M. Massaud from Poliform
The Bristol System comprises of bookcases with an original design and light, simple lines to complete the collection by Jean-Marie Massaud. Poliform
Agapecasa Cavalletto Storage System by Angelo Mangiarotti from Artedomus
Designed by Angelo Mangiarotti in 1953, Cavalletto Storage System is a modular system of stackable vertical elements and shelves. This versatile and functional system features Mangiarotti’s signature and timeless gravity joints in which shelves and drawer units can easily be interlocked. Artedomus
Nubila wall shelves by Elena Salmistraro from Hub
The Nubila shelves are made of slender curved sheet steel with a multi-layered wooden support panel. The rounded design resembles the shape of a tray, suggesting it can be used both for serving and standing things on. Hub
Speed Shelf System by Dall'agnese from thinkdzine
The speed is a design system of open units with structural panels, made up of side panels, shelves and doors. It has a variety of different widths and lengths to make combinations that meet all needs and applications. thinkdzine
The full sized iQ700 oven is a highlight of Siemens' studioLine range. Designed with a strong sense of aesthetics purpose and with peak German engineering under the hood, the iQ700 is the ultimate in built in ovens.
With 20 heating functions, including the pulseSteam function for steam injection alongside hot air, you can trust the iQ700 to not only complete the look of your designer kitchen, but also truly fulfill your culinary dreams. The design experts at Siemens designed the unit to include an integrated 800W microwave, saving valuable kitchen space through not having to have a separate unit.
The oven itself has been designed with varioSpeed technology, which means a faster cooking time, preparing meals in up to 50% less time, as well as automatic roasting and baking sensor technology. With pyrolytic self-cleaning technology, even the cleaning process is a breeze.
Finished in a new blackSteel exterior, the unit shines with high-quality materials and a reduced appearance. Additionally, the look of the darkGlazed deepBlack glass door matches perfectly to create a unified overall picture. This design has been recognized with a Red Dot Design Award, which was awarded to the Siemens studioLine product family, recognizing their outstanding modern design and innovative technologies that are easy to use.
Siemens have designed the iQ700 to offer at home chefs and beginners alike a truly flexible cooking experience. Whether you’re slow cooking a roast dinner, or need to speed up the cooking process with the varioSpeed feature, or adding steam for tastier dishes at the touch of a finger – the iQ700 has the solution. These features, along with the roastingSensor and bakingSensor – are all controlled with the intuitive and satisfyingly simple TFT touch display.
Siemens
siemens.com
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While designing a house, more often than not, architects and designers get lost in the process of trying to create a grand architectural statement. However, as seen in Spanish Mission House by the Melbourne-based design firm, Kennon.Studios, the eclecticism evident by mixing old styles with modern tastes can amplify simple pleasures within a home.
When Glen Murcutt said, “the important thing is that we address the issues, we address the landscape, we address the brief, we address the place… if we address those things and do them rationally and poetically at the same time, we must be getting somewhere,” he was referring to the capabilities of design, particularly design that can enrich lifestyles. Spanish Mission House does just that; it reflects the client’s lifestyle and the era in which the house was built, all while establishing an identity that surpasses the norm.
A renovation that can only be summarised as a new wave of modern abstraction and historical fiction, Spanish Mission House is a holistic and powerful project outcome. Brought to fruition as the result of a long-standing friendship between the occupant and Pete Kennon of Kennon.Studios, the house truly captures the quintessence of the clients’ personality.
Built during the 1900s, the house was recently purchased in an extremely poor condition. The lack of spatial articulation did not pose as an obstacle; in fact, the design team at Kennon.Studios saw it as an opportunity to revamp the house with architecture and design that is evocative of the era without being historical. Utilising the remnants of colonial style Californian architecture influenced by Spanish missionaries during the 19th century, the design team used simple materials and geometric forms to contrast with light, neutral and dark wood furnishings. The restrained, bare-white exterior hence contrasts starkly with the interior, especially with dark timber floorboards and furniture.
White interior walls posed as a canvas for the client’s artwork. Complementing the colourless backdrop to create an atmosphere that feels fluid and spacious, Kennon.Studios also included a study with colourful and thoughtful paintings from the client’s portfolio.
Carrying a sense of delicacy that is rare to Melbourne’s homes, Kennon.Studios continues the ‘lightness’ by stripping back north-facing walls to overcome the existing awkward flooring arrangements. Opening up the flow between living and kitchen areas through arched doorways also nods to the buildings past while allowing the dining area to be the house’s focal point. With an ability to easily transform into a formal or casual space, the dining table accommodates for any anticipated activity the client may require.
A truly logical expression of its occupant’s needs, contents, function and setting the Spanish Mission House poetically shows that good architecture and interior design can be achieved simply by addressing the issues, the brief, the landscape and the place.
Kennon.Studios
kennon.com.au
Meanwhile In Melbourne
meanwhileinmelbourne.com
Photography by Caitlin Mills
Styling and Art Direction by Manuela Millan of Meanwhile In Melbourne
Dissection Information
White and Pepper Matte porcelain from Maximum Porcelain Sheets
Terrazzo Stone Tiles by Gibonacci
Basin from Omvivo
Sunny Led Down Lights from Reggiani
Tacchini Sesann Armchair from Stylecraft
LEN Lehenga Side Table from Stylecraft
Semper Vase by Dale Hardiman for Artedomus New Volumes
Spomenik II by Marsha Golemac for Artedomus New Volumes
Hemera from Ross Gardam for Artedomus New Volumes
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What was it about the inaugural, 2018 selection of the Habitus House of the Year residential projects that set them above and apart from the rest of the industry? And what does this new initiative from Indesign Media add to local, Indo-Pacific design calendar?
Enjoy exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to our judges and their notes on the bespoke architectural elements and unique design cues that made a lastly impression.
Though they need no introduction, our 2018 judges are:
Howard Tanner, Consultant Architect
Karen McCartney, Architecture Editor / Author / Curator
Narelle Yabuka, Editor of Cubes, Indesignlive.sg, Indesignlive.hk and the Asia Co-Editor of Habitus
Neil Burley, Founder of Burley Katon Halliday and Anibou
Paul McGillick, Founding Editor of Habitus, and
Raj Nandan, founder, Publisher and CEO of Indesign Media Asia Pacific
Have you got a project you think we need to see for the 2019 Habitus House of the Year selection ? Send an email to the Habitus editor holly@indesign.com.au
Habitus and Indesign Media would like to thank our Major Sponsors StylecraftHOME, Sub Zero Wolf, and Zip. Videography by Daniel Bolt Edited by Josh Palmerabc
Flint represents Joyce Wang Studio’s fascination with the terrazzo material. The Flint collection showcases new perspectives in materials, introducing a new level of refinement in form and finish
This selection of limited edition objects and furniture has been designed to challenge people’s perceptions of the humble material of terrazzo. In place of monolithic, rectilinear blocks, Flint is a range of crafted domed geometry, curves, bevelled edges and tapered silhouettes.
With Flint, Joyce Wang Studio reveals more precious qualities of terrazzo, elevating it from a surface material into a collection of furniture and objects that accentuate its multifaceted character. Designing elements with a material more commonly associated with flooring and wall surfaces encouraged Joyce Wang and her eponymous studio to engage with it more intimately.
“Terrazzo is a surface that has been sanded, exposed and so it feels honest,” says Joyce Wang herself “I love the idea of unearthing this inherent quality within the material. Terrazzo speaks to the shift of luxury design from past to present- from the aspirational to the fathomable; from hierarchical to democratic”
The Flint Hourglass’ unique silhouette sees curved and straight lines combined in symmetric interplay, resulting in a piece that is harmonious and solid. Entirely handmade, the piece can serve as a stunning decoration or as functional bookends when purchased as a pair.
Elegant and timeless, the Decorative Sphere is an ode to the purity and geometric clarity of the form of the sphere. Featuring two crossing rings in brass that add a warm glow, it can be used as a striking sculpture or as a paperweight on a desk. Likewise the monolithic and cylindrical Vase can be used for plants for fresh cut flowers or as a stunning decorative object in a modern living room or private study.
The Vessel is an elegant statement piece working individually, or as a set. The vessels are available in three colour variations: black marble chips set in grey cement; black and white marble chips set in green cement; and white marble chips set in pink cement, which can be stacked.
The collection has been created so that accessories can be playfully stacked and interchanged with other objects in the series.
Joyce Wang Studio developed Flint in collaboration with a fourth generation Italian terrazzo manufacturer, and the full Flint collection is available in charcoal, with limited edition vessels also available in rose and sage.
Joyce Wang Studio
joycewang.com
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Joyce Wang has recently been announced as one of the judges for the 2019 INDE.Awards program; celebrating the Indo Pacific's most progressive buildings, spaces, objects, proposals and people.


From a young age Grace Mortlock and David Neustein – who together make up Other Architects – were exposed to a mindset that recognised the value of architecture and design, as well as the ability to use it as a medium to challenge and provoke thought. David’s father is an architect and town planner, and Grace’s grandfather, the celebrated Australian modernist architect Bryce Mortlock, partner in the famous Ancher Mortlock & Woolley practice that adapted modernist Scandinavian architecture to Australian conditions.
Growing up in families where the daily conversation was about architecture and planning, you wouldn’t be surprised if a younger generation took up the pencils and set square as well. Sure enough, David and Grace did indeed go down that path. But with a difference.
While not exactly turning their backs on the everyday tasks of architecture, the duo have quickly gained a reputation for the way they explore the potentialities of architecture through installations and exhibitions. This began with their installation at the 2015 Chicago Architectural Biennial, was reinforced by winning (in collaboration with Retallack Thompson) the 2018 National Gallery of Victoria Architecture Commission and has been capped off by winning the 2018 INDE Prodigy Award.
Separately, the pair have worked for some of the bigger architecture powerhouses of the local industry. And while they did work together on projects in their own time, it wasn’t until 2016 that Grace joined as co-director of Other Architects, as it’s known today.
Their now iconic exhibition at the 2015 Chicago Architecture Biennial really propelled them into the spotlight they’ve found today forcing the industry – colleagues and media alike – to stop and take note. But in fact it was an unsuccessful proposal to curate the Australian Pavilion at the 2013 Venice Architecture Biennale, a proposal they worked on with Sydney architectural critic Elizabeth Farrelly, which sparked the concept.
“We felt this pressure to represent Australia as this place without conflict, this place with beautiful houses,” says David. “The [Venice] Biennale is an opportunity to talk about our challenges, not our successes; it’s not a trade fair, it’s an exchange of ideas, problems and potential solutions.”
The opportunity that arose shortly after to exhibit at the Chicago Architecture Biennial was a second chance to express their ideas that had since been recalculated and refined.
Out of a shortlist of just 20 other Australian practices, Other Architects won the bid to exhibit responding to the question: What is the state of the art of architecture in Australia. In brief, their thesis was to take suburban architecture, being the reality of where and how most people live in Australia, and explore possible reconfiguration of the popularly criticised and regularly written off McMansions. In their detailed and meticulous research and development, Grace and David became transfixed on the stud frame component, a.k.a. the balloon frame, and its history.
“There is a disconnect between the flexibility and ingenuity of the stud frame,” says David. “When you look at it there’s this modularity and as a skeleton, it looks extremely efficient and light. There’s no fat on it. The contrast between that and when those houses are clad: suddenly they look like these bloated, aspirational and slightly confused buildings. And they always have these contradictory qualities.”
Stripping back these houses they realised the frame itself was valuable, they could retain it and as such also the roof and potentially even the plumbing. With this, architects could effectively take the frame as a “found object” and build different housing within it, more suitable to people and place. The final work became a way to communicate their discovery: that architects could reconfigure these houses in ways that are flexible, modern, passive, and – most importantly – desirable.
“One of the essential problems of these houses is that they’re huge and there’s an aging population that live in them,” adds Grace, explaining the reasoning behind the ingenuity. “So this allowed an opportunity for these people to downsize in place.”
More recently, the duo won the commission for the NGV Architecture Commission Design Competition for 2018. Garden Wall was born out of a conversation with Jemima Retallack and Mitchell Thompson of Retallack Thompson, who they ultimately collaborated with for the entry. The two major sources of inspiration were Retallack Thompson’s preference towards having “less building, more landscape”; and revelations realised while travelling. It became apparent to Grace and David, during their travels, that they enjoyed themselves the most, felt lively and noticed other people uninhibited when there was little or invisible architecture.
“We started to think about whether architecture could operate in the background rather than the foreground,” says David. As a result, all four team members began to focus on the garden and its attributes; such as the Henry Moore sculpture, the Rodin, the Pin Oak trees and the leftover space on top of a carpark roof. And they were all on the same page intent on avoiding another pavilion-style entry. The wall became a means to hide the garden path and encourage users to rediscover the spaces without expectation.
It’s easy to get excited about the work this duo is producing, the ideas they’re discussing and the future of Australian architecture they’re fighting for. While we can, on the one hand, appreciate the pair following in the footsteps of previous generations, it must be conceded that they’ve done so distinctly in their own way. Prodigies indeed.
Other Architects
otherarchitects.com
Photography by Charles Dennington
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Ambience, comfort, good food and good service are the foundation for an eatery to be successful. Nationwide, Melbourne is known for its eclectic and diverse food scene. So when the trio of hospitality experts, Leigh Worcester, Asaf Smoli and Adam Wright-Smith came across an old fabric mill during their drive down Melbourne’s freeway, their connection to site was almost instant.
Standing on the street, in front of a naked brick façade with a gabled glass roof behind it, it may not immediately strike you what Half Acre is. Curiously, it draws people through an arched, illuminated entrance before opening up to a chameleon of spaces. “To me, Half Acre is like my home. When the doors open, I am really saying ‘come into my home.’ I want people to feel comfortable, I want them to feel like we are friends and they are here for a catch-up,” says Adam.
Named simply after the size of the land, Half Acre is nestled within the booming precinct of South Melbourne. Despite the vast and varied interior, the sense of homeliness and comfort disperses through all corners. Adam, who was the head of operations at the Fat Radish in New York, a downtown diner that merged British comfort food with a farm-to-table ethos, wanted to offer the Melbourne community a space “for everyone to do anything, any time”.
Differing from other commercialised restaurants that are popular to Melbourne, Half Acre was designed to be the epitome of a home away from home. Fitted with soft-hued furniture and a motley crew of vintage pieces that harmonise with the tones of natural wood, there is an obvious nod to the building’s past. Complemented by contemporary finishes and handmade light fittings by Henry Wilson, Anna Charlesworth and Sophie Dipasquale, the approachable design breathes new life into the former mill. Taking it a step further to give it a cottage-like vibe, Michael Strownix created a singular urban sanctuary with greenery, native ferns and wisteria.
With existing Oregon pine ceilings and triple brick walls still intact from the 1900s, the homespun design direction sets the scene for a relaxed, comfortable, intimate and unique experience. The statement-making setting of the glasshouse accommodates for the main eating spice, while its neighbouring building has evolved to an events space. Blending the indoor and outdoor, the glasshouse opens up to a courtyard. “[It’s] a place where people can choose their own adventure. They can sit here for eight hours straight, pop in for a glass of wine, or host an entire wedding. Half Acre is comfortable enough to accommodate for everyone and anyone,” explains Adam.
Half Acre is flexible and adaptable, facilitating a range of activities without being structured or commercialised, it truly resembles a countryside upstate setting.
In short, Half Acre has it all. When one enters, they are not only greeted by a host, but also by the aroma of open wood-fire and coal. “The open kitchen is really the heart and the soul of the space,” says Adam, bearing a close resemblance to the island benches that people have at home. Here, diners are encouraged to be involved with the art of prepping for service and the spectacle of cooking as all their senses are hit with a burst of “experiences” as Adam puts it.
Half Acre
halfacre.com.au
Photography by Tom Ross
Dissection Information
Custom floor and wall lamps by Studio Pasquale
Oversized Brass Wall Sconces by Studio Pasquale
Flower Sconces from Anna Charlesworth
Surface Sconce by Henry Wilson
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The guest rooms at Perth’s newest five-star hotel take their design inspiration from the city’s heady decade of excess when gold embellishments and bottomless champagne were the hallmarks of a thriving business scene.
Architect and QT Perth guestroom designer Shelley Indyk conceived the richly decorated and opulent rooms – with jewel-like colours drawn from local landscapes – to transport guests away from everyday concerns.
“You may go to a hotel to experience something unique, so it needs to be different from home, and QT Hotels each have their own quirky design intent,” Shelley says. “With Perth, we used marble on the bathroom walls and floors, and gold and brass accents throughout, to create a sense of opulence and luxurious spaces.”
The journey to the rooms is intriguing: step out of the lifts into dark and moody hallways that combine jarrah floors, a custom carpet runner, dark panelled walls and heavy timber doors.
Over the threshold, the jarrah flooring continues but the luxe levels shift up a notch. The rooms feature rich textures such as velvet curtains and plush upholstery to soften the marble and brass.
And the rooms feel spatially opulent thanks to sliding panel doors that reveal the glamorous bathroom areas. These are divided into semi-private and private zones with black-framed glazed doors that echo the joinery in the room; the use of these dark materials helps to blur boundaries between the two spaces.
Throughout the rooms, Shelley and her team designed all of the individual pieces, from the statement bedheads to the bespoke inbuilt joinery lighting. No aspect has been overlooked and every detail provides another opportunity to impress guests.
She specified two colourways: one that combines emerald green and deep mauve, derived from the grapes and vines that made this south-west region famous among wine lovers; and a grey and gold pairing, which riffs off the state’s former gold-rush fortunes.
Shelley says she chose colours and soft furnishings that would withstand and counteract Perth’s notoriously bright daylight that streams in via floor-to-ceiling windows.
“The light is strong in Perth, and you feel the impact of that, especially on the western rooms,” she says. “We didn’t have much input into the architecture but we did use sheers that help to soften the light but still allow guests to see beyond them.”
From these sumptuous spaces that overlook and celebrate a city shaped by mining-led boom-and-bust cycles, it’s easy to be transported to another time and place, even if only for one or two nights.
Indyk Architecture
indykarchitects.com.au
QT Perth
qthotelsandresorts.com
Photography courtesy of QT Perth
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The new range of Corian® washplanes achieves a supremely functional solution and overall streamlined design. User-centred at every turn, this design approach effectively augments increased opportunities for designers and homeowners to bring a sense of luxuriousness into residential bathrooms. This new design is perfect for single or double use, where comfort meets convenience, design meets engineering, completely reimagining the humble vanity basin, transforming it into a sculptural statement, bringing with it endless design possibilities for any interior scheme.
Designers and residents are therefore able to take advantage of having a holistic design expression within their bathrooms or powder rooms because of the smooth and continuous finish. What’s more, a generous array of colours and finishes ensure that bathroom spaces can continue the interior scheme of the greater home environment rather than (as is too often the case) remain an unimaginatively designed space kept largely out of view.
As a result of advanced technology and unsurpassed material properties that are recognisable across the extensive product portfolio, the New Corian® Washplane range for residential applications boasts design flexibility and freedom at every turn. Made-to-order in any length or Corian® colour, the new Washplanes are the epitome of design functionality and style that responds directly to the needs of users and uses of all shapes and sizes.
The beauty and strength of the Corian® surface technology certifies that it is the ideal material for bathrooms across the industry and not just solely for the residential space. The unique blend of natural minerals, pigments and acrylic resin guarantee that all applications are durable and easy-to-clean and surpass in cleanliness and hygiene. With no need for joins or grout lines, the Corian® surface eliminates moisture penetration and growth of bacteria culture.
A stroke of innovation from the Corian® team, this new range of Washplanes ensures that access, convenience and engineering come together to deliver a design that not only looks good but is good for you too.
For years, CASF has been committed to developing and designing new Corian® bathroom solutions for every imaginable sector in contemporary architecture and design. The brand’s range is an exemplary alternative to conventional basins and has proven to provide limitless design possibilities. Truly embodying a spirit of innovation, these washplanes are the ideal solution for any bathroom that doesn’t want to compromise on functionality… or luxury for that matter!
To view the New Washplane range, visit the Corian® website.
Photography courtesy of Corian.
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It's a warm sunny day as a gentle summer breeze lulls you to rest in your magnificent Sunshine Mariposa chair. The double layer of 100% Sunbrella Plus fabric surrounds you with comfort and the 30% bigger design caresses you into a state of absolute tranquillity.
This is the elegant lifestyle that the Cube + Circle team bring to Australian design lovers. They have partnered with world-renowned Swedish furniture company Cuero Design to exclusively deliver the beauty and quality of the Sunshine Mariposa chair.
Cuero Design has dedicated over 15 years into perfecting the design of the Sunshine Mariposa chair so that it flawlessly balances beauty, comfort and durability. The rounded edges, soft colour and organic shape allow the Sunshine Mariposa chair to fit into virtually any environment.
Its extra-large size gives you the freedom to comfortably relax in the outdoors from dawn until dusk. The chair is resilient against the elements and practically effortless to maintain throughout the changing seasons.
The Sunshine Mariposa is a stress-free addition to the home due to the carefully calculated details in its design. The durable chair can be left out in Mother Nature throughout the entire summer without any worry of damage. Behind each corner of the chair is a hidden Velcro strip to ensure that the cover remains in its place even on exceptionally windy days.
The strong and stable frame is also equipped with a layer of zinc under the coat to protect it from rust and the forces of nature. The famous Sunbrella fabric is made to be highly resistant to UV light as well as rain. A small simple hole is placed at the bottom of the cover to drain away rainwater and thus helping the cover dry faster so that the chair can be enjoyed even soon after a stormy day. All these fine details help to make the Sunshine Mariposa chair the world’s ultimate outdoor lounge chair.
The spectacular Sunshine Mariposa chair was built to stand as a masterpiece in any location. Placed near the pool, balcony or spa, the radiant piece enhances any area through its luxurious and grand design. Whether you’re indulging into the depths of a novel or enjoying a long conversation with good friends, the stylish Sunshine Mariposa chair is sure to provide you with peaceful comfort for hours on end.
Cube + Circle
cubencircle.com.au
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Guest Writer: Somethea Ma

At first glance, it is difficult to tell where the house ends and the garden begins for this project – so seamless is the blur between the natural and built environment.
The brief for Stark House revolved around designing a house that unified interior architecture with its surroundings rather than juxtaposing with nature. Along the same line, the structural elements evident within the house were introduced in a way that eliminates distractions. A non-ornamental method of including intrinsic details to the bigger picture decorates Stark House with a restraint that borders on austerity, even honesty.
Built during the 1980’s, the existing structure resembles a typical Singaporean estate. Differing from other houses built in that era and in a rather commercial and industrial neighbourhood, Stark House turns away from the street front and engages with the rear garden. Situated on the edge of a small sloping hill, the existing build was in perfect position overlooking two mature trees. While formulating a solution to the sloping site, the Park + Associates project team also included a nook in the basement and a pool that instantly transformed the basement into a focal point for social gatherings and outdoor activities.
From the very beginning, when occupants reach the end of a long and winding driveway, they are greeted with a green expanse instead of an abrupt garage or wall. The uninterrupted entrance experience sets the premise for what is within. The plan of the house responds to its natural topography, giving the illusion that the house sits deeper in the site than it actually does. Living spaces on the first floor open up to the back of the house, maximising ventilation and natural light, and utilising the rear garden as a private sanctuary. The adopted holistic approach results in explosions of greenery with sunlight reflecting all surfaces inside.
A house and a garden have always been a powerful pair, and as Park + Associates have proven in Stark House, it is possible to blur the divide. The architecture studio’s critical reciprocation to the context achieves the kind of interior architecture that radiates invigorating complexities, simply by accentuating features that were already existing.
Park + Associates
parkassociates.com.sg
Photography by Edward Hendricks
Dissection Information
Steve Lounge from Arper
Enna Floor Lamp from Astro
Bowl Coffee Tables from Mater
Pix Ottoman from Arper
Recife Rug by Courtisan
Martini Side Table from West Elm
Lerman Armchair by Camerich
Karl Johan Table Lamp from New Works
Fumi Console from AYTM
J67 Chair from Mater
Nuur Table by Arper
LC4 Chaise Lounge by Cassina
Malmo Lounge Chair by Pedrali
Tip Toe Bench by WON Design
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