Arctic Treehouse Hotel’s ‘Cone Cows’ Rread Gently on the Finnish Landscape

Made by children in Sweden and Finland, ‘cone cows’ comprise a pine cone ‘body’ and four stick ‘legs’. They are so popular that they have found their way onto Swedish postage stamps – and more recently provided the inspiration for Helsinki-based architecture firm Studio Puisto’s Arctic Treehouse Hotel when they were looking for a way to build sensitively in the Finnish arctic circle.

The 32 treehouse-like pods, arranged in pairs, are constructed of wood and clad in overlapping wooden shingles, mimicking the scale-like exterior of a pine cone and providing much-needed insulation. “They wander downhill, peering curiously at the landscape and northern lights,” say the architects.

To minimize the impact on their fragile surroundings, each one was constructed entirely off-site, with only the glazing and connection to surfaces carried out on-site. They stand on stick-like legs and have planted roofs to replace the landscape beneath them. “The ecological footprint of the materials and technical solutions used had an important impact at every step of the planning and building process,” say the architects.

But it is not just the exterior structure that has been carefully considered. “The contrast between wild nature and a safe, warm, nest-like space has been a guiding element of the whole design,” explain the architects.

Inside, from a dark, atmospheric entrance hall, you step into a light-filled bedroom, orientated to make the most of the light – and that view. The wall facing the landscape (and if you’re lucky, the Northern Lights) is completely glazed and each pod has been carefully positioned for the most unobstructed view of the scenery possible. Exterior lighting is kept low to enable a true wilderness experience and minimize light pollution for the best view of the aurora borealis – just enough carefully chosen trees are lit to help you find your way.

There are generous double beds for couples, but the full treehouse experience is reserved for children and solo-sleepers – single nest-like nooks are accessed via a ladder from the hallway.

Rooms are kitted out with the best in Scandinavian design, from classics like the Model AA Butterfly Lounge Chairs by Jorge Ferrari-Hardoy (below) to rising stars like the Cloche Lamp by Lars Beller Fjetland (top).

Adjoining pods have mini-kitchens and fridges, and the hotel even offers room service via WhatsApp, so once you’re in, there’s really no need to ever leave.

Should you decide to brave the snow, you will be rewarded with a five-pointed, snowflake-inspired communal building, encompassing a restaurant, lobby complete with imposing steel fireplace, lounge, and cloakrooms.

Focusing on local and seasonal ingredients, the restaurant’s menu includes traditional Lappish delicacies, such as reindeer meat, fresh lake fish, wild mushrooms, and berries, all reworked with a modern twist.

The pine-cone inspiration is carried through to the pendant lights overhead, while another fully-glazed wall ensures you never lose connection with the arctic landscape.

What: Arctic Treehouse Hotel
Where: Tarvantie 3, 96930 Arctic Circle, Rovaniemi, Finland
How much: From $418 per night including breakfast
Highlights: Nest-like nooks accessed via a ladder for the children.
Design draw: Eco-sensitive architecture by Studio Puisto with snug interiors filled with Scandi classics.
Book it: Arctic Treehouse Hotel

Go virtually on vacation with more design destinations right here.

from Design MilkArchitecture – Design Milk https://ift.tt/30KK4qh
via IFTTT

A Modern, Light-Filled Duplex Loft in Manhattan

Designed for a family of four, the Wadia Residence is a 3,000-square-foot duplex loft located in the Flatiron District in Manhattan. The white, light-filled space was designed by Resolution: 4 Architecture (RES4) to be kid-friendly, despite its clean, contemporary appearance. The client kept their hands in the design process, even designing the dining room table and creating the artwork found in the master bedroom, powder room, and some in the kids’ bedrooms.

The white surfaces bounce natural light that enters in through the walls of windows on the south and east sides. The living room and dining room remain bright with muted furnishings and light woods, as well as plenty of open space for play. Cleverly hidden storage is tucked away in a wall-mounted bench that runs the length of the south wall.

Down the sculptural spiral staircase is an open play space for the kids with a wall of concealed storage closets for all of the family’s things. In addition to the playroom, the bedrooms can be found on the lower level.

Some all-white spaces can feel stark and clinical, but not here. This bedroom, for instance, is given personality via a wall of brightly colored artwork by the homeowner.

The two kids’ bedrooms are also white but definitely not boring as each is given a signature color of red or blue.

Photos by Resolution: 4 Architecture (RES4).

from Design MilkArchitecture – Design Milk https://ift.tt/2TCK3U1
via IFTTT

Friday Five with Matthew Rosenberg of M-Rad Inc.

Canadian transplant Matthew Rosenberg is Founder, acting CEO, and Design Director of Los Angeles-based M-Rad Inc. He founded the firm in 2012 and currently heads up an international team that’s doing business worldwide with a mission of revolutionizing the architecture industry by resolving inefficiencies via expanding the scope of the role of architects. Born and raised in Saskatoon, Rosenberg went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art at the University of Saskatchewan, a Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture at Dalhousie University, and a Masters of Architecture at the Southern California Institute of Architecture. Since, the international award-winning designer has developed projects around North America, and hopes to eventually expand to Italy, Portugal, Taipei, and Australia. His most recent press found him on Forbes Small Giants list as well as Inc. Magazine’s Top 10 Designers Every Business Should Have On Their Radar. Today Rosenberg is sharing five of his favorites in this Friday Five.

Photo: Carl Bovis

1. The flight of a falcon
It’s amazing how little work they have to do, and how much space they traverse. Peregrine falcons have been recorded diving at speeds of 242 miles per hour (390 km/h), making them the fastest-moving creatures on Earth. They are majestic and efficient. My wife and I have recently moved to the Hollywood Hills where we have had the chance to see two Peregrine falcons raise their fledgling. It is their land and we have a lot to learn from them.

Photo: Matthew Rosenberg \\\ Model: Bridgette Rosenberg

2. Sarakiniko Beach in Milos, Greece
It’s like walking on another planet. Seeing how the two natural elements of stone and water negotiate each other shows the importance of balance and forgiveness, and the necessity of one on the other.

Photo: Stephen White

3. Blind Light by Antony Gormley
In 2007, when I first took a year to travel the world, I had the opportunity to experience Antony Gormley’s Bling Light exhibition in London. It was then that I first became obsessed with the five senses. Since that moment I have tried to create architecture and spaces that tap into as many as the five senses as possible. He taught me that removing certain senses allows the others to become heightened and activated. This truly timeless work is what I find artistically invaluable. I reference his work, and specifically this project, constantly.

Photo: Matthew Rosenberg

4. Casa Gilardi by Luis Barragan
One of the most infamous architects of modern day Mexico City was Luis Barragan. He used light and color in ways that allowed the architecture to support nature rather than mimic it or intrude on it. His spaces are emotional and metaphysical. Casa Gilardi is the living, breathing personification of his body of work. While his work is impressive in its own right, it’s his business model and ethics that make him most inspirational. Barragan’s son even describes the house as “silence you can feel”.

Photo: Jimmy Cohrssen

5. Hoshinoya Hotel in Tokyo
I had the opportunity to stay at this hotel during the New Year period in 2016. It has resonated with me ever since, influencing the way M-Rad Inc. designs projects and products. Upon entering, all guests are asked to remove their shoes, which are kept in cubbies. This immediately changed the way we experienced the hotel. The details and materials used are cognitive while the lighting emphasizes key textures, allowing guests to touch and tap into a multi-sensorial experience. While the architecture creates the meditative backdrop, it is the quality of service and attention to detail that elevated the stay beyond anything I have experienced before. It is a modern-day Ryokan in the center of Tokyo that gives credence to the notion that the way we do anything is the way we do everything.

from Design MilkArchitecture – Design Milk https://ift.tt/2FXq5ex
via IFTTT

Norway’s New Arctic Attraction Promises a Whale’s Tale

Forging into a new year, architectural buffs and nature lovers alike will have something to look forward in the arriving decade when the Norwegian island of Andøya becomes host to a dramatic architectural expression celebrating the surrounding landscape and its local aquatic denizens. In 2022 Danish architect Dorte Mandrup’s The Whale is to become “a world class attraction celebrating whales and their relationship with man through science and art”.

“Large windows that open toward the archipelago underline the connection between landscape and building and create a visual connection between the exhibition spaces and the vast natural surroundings.”

Located three hundred kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, in the small town of Andenes, a small population located at furthest tip of Norway’s Andøya island is where Mandrup’s The Whale will find its dramatic home – a site where the austere beauty of ocean and rocky shore presents an undeniable challenge for any construction, let alone an enormous undulating parabolic form structure slated to host exhibition spaces, cafe, store, and adjoining offices under its cavernous stone covered roofline. Andøya was specifically chosen for its proximity to a deep-sea valley frequently visited by migrating whales offshore, offering visitors an intimate opportunity to observe the ocean mammals in their natural environment.

It was back in the spring of 2019 when The Whale AS invited architectural firms to design a new attraction for the island Andøya in Northern Norway, eventually choosing Dorte Mandrup’s design for her sensitive appreciation for both the shore and marine ecosystems in her parabolic structure designed to dissolve the lines between landscape and building.

Located this far North, Andøya is a unique place and The Whale an extraordinary project. Not only will we be creating architecture in yet another remarkable landscape, but we will also take part in increasing the understanding of whales and preservation of marine life. Right here on the edge of the ocean, we will be making a mark in a magnificent and ancient landscape. This opportunity comes with a great responsibility, which is extremely motivating and inspiring.

– Dorte Mandrup

The other competition entrant designs are similarly interesting in their attempts to marry a monumental exhibition space to an even greater monumental landscape, but Mandrup’s flowing and growing proposal deservedly won for keeping intact a sense of place unique to the Arctic landscape.

from Design MilkArchitecture – Design Milk https://ift.tt/2R0mgeS
via IFTTT

Australian and Malaysian Heritage Inform This London Home Extension

South London firm Gruff Architects have created an extension to a London family home that draws from their Malaysian heritage and the time the family spent in Australia. An internal courtyard creates an all-season urban oasis in the semi-detached house. The client, a family of three, wanted a design that would remind them of the warmer climate and the kind of outdoor, al fresco lifestyle that they had experienced in their time abroad.

The extension includes a kitchen, utility, and dining space. Study spaces are situated on both sides of the internal courtyard and look out to the garden. In warm weather, the wood framed windows allow for the space to be opened up so cross-ventilation can cool the home.

The materials – natural timber, exposed grey brickwork, pockets of glazing – were chosen to blend in with the natural surroundings so as to create a soft and calming atmosphere. The architects created new openings with glazed partitions to create new entryways for light to flood the house, while a visually distinct pitched roof frame standing atop a full-length flat roof gives the family a chance to see the sky from the dining room.

Photos by French + Tye.

from Design MilkArchitecture – Design Milk https://ift.tt/2Rfsfvo
via IFTTT

The Los Helechos House Is a Modern Oasis in Mexico City

Named for the ferns planted around the lush property, Los Helechos is a modern oasis in the Mexico City neighborhood of Bosques de Santa Fe designed by Chain + Siman. The angular volumes are finished off with oversized windows that frame the natural surroundings while keeping the interior filled with light. The multi-level structure features high ceilings and clean lines giving the sense of openness and grandeur felt throughout the spacious house.

The main living area extends out to a terrace which is outfitted with a jacuzzi overlooking the trees.

The staircase area features a double-heigh stone wall that continues to form the exterior of part of the house. Another wall becomes the backdrop for their curated collection of art.

Photos by Agustín Garza Photography and Diana Arnau Photo.

from Design MilkArchitecture – Design Milk https://ift.tt/35QRYj0
via IFTTT

MUDA Architects Garden Hotpot Restaurant

While Daniel Libeskind’s Vanke Pavilion for the Milan Expo found inspiration in the Chinese landscape as inspiration back in 2015, MUDA Architects cite the heart of Chinese culture – food – as its muse in a developing project in the Sansheng Township of the Chengdu province of Sichuan today. The slow dancing trails of aromatic steam emanating from the boiling fiery broth of the popular communal dining dish of Sichuan hot pot helped shape MUDA Architects’ plans for a sensual and sinuous restaurant nested in a hauntingly beautiful setting to dip and sip communally.

A commissioned project for the Chengdu suburb cited as “Chengdu’s green lung”, MUDA Architects’ vision forgoes walls completely for a pavilion-style structure encompassing its own body of water, creating an intimate setting where diners are instilled with a sense of dining amongst the trees rather than their presence merely operating as decorative backdrop.

From a site plan perspective, the project takes on similarities to the outline of an elongated Aalto Vase, a squiggle surrounding a small lake, silently incorporating each of the four elements if one considers the flames heating pots within.

Large expanses of glass with pillars mirroring the verticality of tree trunks gently allow the restaurant to blend into the landscape, offering diners a view rather unlike any other hot pot restaurant on earth.

Project location: Chengdu, Sichuan
Design team: Lu Yun，Xu Jiandan，Sun Qiming，He Yixiu，Chen Xue，Liu Xiaoqiao，Rong Dian，Zhou Shangyun

from Design MilkArchitecture – Design Milk https://ift.tt/37TCR9J
via IFTTT

Friday Five with Michael Kovac

In 1988, Michael Kovac founded Kovac Architects – now Kovac Design Studio – and started working on commissions for high end health clubs, commercial spaces, and detailed residences. Aside from architecture he’s also passionate about industrial design and lighting, and is currently directing the studio’s work on a line of lighting for production and a series of furniture pieces that will be available in limited releases. Growing up in an Air Force family in Maine, early travels to Okinawa as a child, and various kinds of aviation have made there marks on Kovac’s work. Eventually his family settled down in Las Vegas and he attended the USC School of Architecture on a Trustee Scholarship. Early on in his architectural career Kovac had the chance to work in the office of modernist Jerrold Lomax, lending another type of influence to his style. These days Michael spends a lot of time outdoors with his wife Karina, as well as mountain biking, standup paddle-boarding, and downhill skiing. They reside in Sycamore House, the firm’s first LEED Platinum project, where their love of nature and sustainable living can flourish. Today Kovac is sharing five of his favorite things with us for Friday Five!

1. Bicycles
Bicycles have always represented independence and exploration to me. They allow me to indulge my curiosity, following faint trails and little-used roads, traveling at a pace that is a sweet spot between walking and zipping along in a car. I hear the sound of babbling brooks and bird song, smell a farmer’s fresh-cut hay, and can stop at a local cafe when the mood strikes. The exertion of climbing and pedaling mile after mile clears and recharges my mind, which is fundamental to my sense of wellness. Bicycles also appeal to my passion for great industrial design, as they combine one of the most efficient modes of transportation with exquisitely shaped carbon frames and gearing mechanisms that would make a watchmaker proud.

2. Water
Water is endlessly fascinating to me with its ever-changing moods, as it morphs from tranquil to tumultuous, luminous and transparent to dark and reflective. Being from coastal Maine, some of my early formative experiences were watching waves crash on the shore, then rushing in and out of fissures between the rocks, recharging small pools that I would crouch next to, observing myriad small creatures going about their lives, unaware of the vastness and power just outside their tiny universe. The smell of the ocean water back home instantly brings back these memories.

A favorite quote of mine on the subject, by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, is: “No man steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man.”

Photo ©Laurian Ghinitoiu

3. Gottfried Böhm’s Pilgrimage Church in Neviges, Germany
One of my earliest profound architectural experiences was a visit to Gottfried Böhm’s Pilgrimage Church in Neviges, Germany. This design reflects many of the themes that still resonate with my firm’s work today: sequence, anticipation, compression/expansion, manipulation of scale, organic forms, and most of all, masterful control of both natural and artificial light.

4. Biomimicry
Nature has been refining and perfecting plants and animals for millions of years, and in this process waste and inefficiency are not tolerated. Out of necessity form follows function, often with more beautiful results than anything humans can create. What better place to look for solutions for today’s challenges?

5. Science Fiction
As a teenager, I spent innumerable hours reading the masters of science fiction – liberating my mind from the restrictions of our known reality, open to all possibilities, and speculating on what the future of technology would have to offer. The cover art of these books was often as inspiring as the tales within, and the movie poster for 2001: A Space Odyssey left more of an indelible impression on me than virtually any painting hanging in a museum possibly could have at the time.

from Design MilkArchitecture – Design Milk https://ift.tt/2sciYf3
via IFTTT

A Two-Story Gym in Beijing That Comes Complete with a Slide

The one New Year’s resolution that seems to be at the top of most people’s lists is working out more. We’re approaching the middle of January and while there are some people that are still crushing that goal, there are others that have already called it quits. I bet if more gyms looked like this one, they’d still be crowded February 1st and beyond and not the ghost town many of them seem to be come June. RAMOPRIMO are the clever minds behind the MFIT SPACE gym – a space so enticing that even a couch potato would enjoy visiting.

The two-story gym supports clients using a one-on-one philosophy where trainers work directly with clients, even giving them the power to choose their unique training plan as they move throughout the various activity spots.

A rock climbing wall, spiral staircase, and slide (yes, slide) connect the two floors offering options of how you’d like to go from one to the other. So if you want to climb up the rock wall you can slide down as a fun reward for the hard work.

Other notable design elements are the blue lattice structures that visually separate the spaces while functioning as a support to hold ropes and hooks, and for other exercises.

The locker room stands out in a monochromatic red design with linear panels of lighting above.

The shower rooms were finished in black textured Bisazza mosaic tiles that break up the mostly black spaces.

Photos by Marcella Campa.

from Design MilkArchitecture – Design Milk https://ift.tt/2QCSmNt
via IFTTT

Camille Walala Brings Local Mauritian Color to SALT of Palmar Hotel

Recently named one of Time Magazine’s ‘Greatest Places’ and a Mr & Mrs Smith ‘Local Hotel Hero’, the SALT of Palmar hotel on the east coast of Mauritius was originally created in 2005 by renowned Mauritian architect Maurice Giraud and has been given a blast of local color inside and out by London-based French artist Camille Walala, with a new interior scheme that runs through the hotel’s 59 rooms and public areas.

Walala, and long-standing collaborator Julia Jomaa, worked closely with Mauritian architect John-François Adams to realize a vision for the dramatic geometric building inspired by both the natural landscape and the man-made environment of the surrounding island. “I was blown away with how many vibrant and bold colors you find around the island,” said Walala. “People paint their houses in the most amazing tones that really stand out against the lush tropical setting. From the emerald green of the plants to the ever-changing colors of the sky, I wanted to marry these warm natural tones to my signature pop colors.”

Described by Time Magazine as “eye-popping Instagram bait”, SALT of Palmar’s beauty is more than screen-deep. The hotel was conceived to champion sustainability, connect with the local community, and introduce culturally curious travelers to the real Mauritius. “This isn’t a hotel that begrudgingly makes concessions to the environment,” said the Mr & Mrs Smith judging panel. “Salt of Palmar literally exists to serve the community and reduce the carbon footprint of the area. And it does so creatively and with tonnes of style, from the beach baskets made of recycled flotsam to the guidebook of the island, written by a team of talented locals.” The hotel has also eliminated all food waste and single-use plastics and sources food for the on-site restaurant from a bio-farm.

Walala was invited to reimagine SALT’s interiors following her work at LUX* Grand Gaube, for which she created a spectacular mural for the resort’s Beach Rouge beach club, but this is her first architectural collaboration. Despite this, she was the obvious choice for The Lux Collective CEO and SALT creator Paul Jones. “Camille Walala’s relationship with color is precisely the same as most Mauritians,” he explains. “For both, color is a vehicle for joy and a means of expressing positivity. She is the ideal artist for SALT of Palmar; I must have been in the hotel 100 times as it developed over the last few months but, every time I see them, her designs make me smile.”

With such a natural fit, Walala might have been forgiven for resting on her laurels, but she and Jomaa still did their homework – exploring the island’s food, culture, and neighborhoods to get a real sense of the Mauritian aesthetic so she could weave that into the fabric of her interiors, helping guests to forge a meaningful connection with their surroundings. “I really wanted to bring what we saw on the road back to the hotel,” she says.

This approach included recruiting local craftspeople to design bespoke pieces for the project, including basket weaver Reotee Buleeram, potter Janine Espitalier-Noel, and father-and-son rattan artisans Mawlabaccus and Said Moosbally.

The geography of the island precluded the sourcing of many of Walala’s go-to material choices. “Mauritius is a remote country, and although the selection of products and materials is wide, I had to think of many alternatives to things that I would have loved to use in the styling and build,” she explains. “Because SALT is by the sea and under a strong sun, we had to work with materials which could not be damaged by wind, heat, water, or light. However, I did grow to enjoy the challenge of finding alternatives in the local area – that, after all, is what the SALT philosophy is all about.”

What: SALT of Palmar Hotel
Where: SALT of Palmar Coastal Road, Palmar 41604, Mauritius
How much: From $195
Highlights: The black and white striped fountain at the riad-style heart of the hotel.
Design draw: Head South to explore the most unspoiled part of Mauritius and don’t miss The World of Seashells Museum, home to Eric Le Court’s personal collection of over 8000 shells collected on the island.
Book it: SALT of Palmar Hotel

Go virtually on vacation with more design destinations right here.

Photography by Tekla Evelina Severin. Film by Zetteler Films.

from Design MilkArchitecture – Design Milk https://ift.tt/36De5un
via IFTTT