Bringing an old home into the present, for better or worse, means undoing a bit of the past. Or, if you’re architect André Braz, a lot of it. As he tells it, his latest project, a soup-to-nuts renovation of a 1970s, 134-square-metre apartment in São Paulo’s Jardim Paulista neighbourhood, was thanks to a stroke of serendipity. “The client contacted the studio as soon as she bought the apartment, so we were able to conduct layout studies during the purchase negotiations,” he shares, noting that the full gut remodel may not have been possible otherwise. Make no mistake, the home, i ..read more

  Ever walked into a coffee shop on the other side of the world and had the eerie feeling you’ve been there before? No longer just the hallmarks of Starbucks, homogeneous designed cafes can be found all over the world—yet these venues are no chains. This fairly well-documented phenomenon has been called everything from ‘a flattening of culture’ and ‘Filterworld’ to ‘Refinement Culture’, all similar coined terms referring to a ubiquitous style developed out of a sped-up globalisation bred on social media. With minimalist stylings and polite furniture, these spaces feel detached from place ..read more

      If the aim of the 1910 Amsterdam School movement was to create a total architectural experience, inside and out, then DAB Studio has very successfully followed in those footsteps. Housed in an Amsterdam School building, renowned for its intricate brickwork and sculptural architecture, the Collectors Home has horizontal lines and stained glass to prove it. As if giving clear instructions as to how one should sit, stand and experience the space, the furniture selection dictates all, and alongside the tonal colour palette’s request for a certain emotional respons ..read more

  Berlin-based Modiste Studio established a unique ‘third place’ concept with their project, Denizen House, stitching the transitional space between corporate and residential living. Playfully designed as a “members club for non-members”, Denizen House is a bespoke combination of interstitial amenities reflecting lessons from Modernist architecture, Eames, Kreuzberg’s vintage furniture and materials’ textural qualities. Each space offers a quiet comfort often overlooked or underappreciated in public corridors. Located in Berlin’s Kreuzberg, this 475-square-metre co-working space i ..read more

  There’s always an unspoken pressure cocktailed with a splash of excitement whenever one is tasked with a renovation project. Let alone, should the building that you’re tasked with is designed by a renowned architect—there is another level of expectation in which one must respect the former’s vision while implementing one’s own signature charm. In the case of Florence Court Apartments, initially designed by Streamline Moderne frontier Esmond Dorney, Melbourne interior designer Max Copolov is given an intricate pattern to alter while preserving Dorney’s creative visions. Located in ..read more

  They say work-life balance is important, and you’d be hard-pressed to disagree. In the case of Vasto Gallery in Barcelona’s Poblenou, Mesura took a reductive approach to spatial separation and programming in this gallery-slash-home. Art and Architecture have always been decidedly intertwined, and it is no different here with architectural interventions playing second fiddle to the curation and utilisation of the furniture and art pieces so deliberately selected for this space. Emerging out of a post-industrial era Spain, the suburb of Poblenou grew into a hub for creatives in the 60 ..read more

  Architect George has completed a vibrant renovation of a late 70s, early 80s apartment nestled within heritage-listed gardens in Sydney’s Double Bay for clients who have owned it since its inception. “Our clients hadn’t changed anything, and the interior was immaculately cared for,” explains Dean Williams of Architect George. “This apartment was the original developer display suite, and some of the furniture, including the incredible marble dining table from this era still remained.” The project was a delicate balance between preserving the heritage and accommodating the m ..read more

      Six weeks isn’t a long time. Or I suppose it is for some things. It’s a long time to wait for new shoes in the mail or to be apart from a lover. It’s actually far too long to leave leftovers in the fridge. What it is not is a long time to transform a home, yet this is exactly the challenge proposed to architect and designer Crina Arghirescu Rogard by her good friend Claudia Doring Baez. Why the deadline? Well, Claudia is known for her fabulous parties, and she had one upcoming to celebrate her participation in the latest Frieze New York. The Mexican-born artist ..read more

      There’s a house in Haarlem—the one in Amsterdam with two As, not the one in New York with one—that looks like it could belong in a Disney movie. It’s got perfectly pointed angles, shiny-as-wax windows and a storybook facade, and though it was built in the 1900s, its historic charm has somehow only grown over the decades, though not merely by chance. As designers Bart van Seggelen and Valérie Boerma of Amsterdam-based interior design studio Barde vanVoltt would tell you, it took a tiny bit of effort. When the pair stepped in to revive the interior, it was, at best, a s ..read more

  Although culturally worlds apart, these three office spaces—from New York, Athens and Shanghai—find level ground following the cohesive design language of minimalism. Each project feels distinctly grounded in its local context and yet there are similarities that make a major impact—from neutral monochromes, pops of colour, natural materials and open plan spaces. One thing is for sure: beneath their cool and calm exteriors, these projects are anything but boring. Enjoy our round-up of three very different yet familiar office spaces from across the globe.     Photos by Lor ..read more