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Five vulva-shaped buildings

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O-Tower, infinity loop skyscraper by BIG in Hangzhou

Following the unveiling of the Vulva Spaceship concept last week, we have rounded up five buildings that have been compared to female genitalia.

German feminist art group Wer Braucht Feminismus? designed its vulva-shaped spaceship concept to be a comment on the phallic shape of the majority of space rockets.

"We want to restore gender equality to the cosmos," said the group. "We dare to change the status quo in space travel: new shapes in space will revolutionize our thinking, our actions and everything we have thought to be true."

While the spaceship was deliberately designed to evoke a vulva, numerous buildings have unintentionally yonic forms. Here are five of the most vulva-like:


Spaceport America, USA, by Foster + Partners

Spaceport America, USA, by Foster + Partners

Potentially the perfect place to launch the vulva-shaped spaceship from – or dock a phallic spaceship – Foster + Partners' Spaceport America completed in 2011.

The structure in New Mexico, which was designed as the world's first space terminal for tourists, is dug into the landscape with two wings divided by a cleft.

"Gee, from above it looks like, ummm, well... female private parts," said one commenter on the story.


Al Wakrah stadium, Qatar, by Zaha Hadid Architects

The shape of Zaha Hadid Architects' Al Wakrah stadium for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World was informed by the curved shape of a Dhow – a type of Arabian fishing boat.

However, following the unveiling of the design, it was widely compared to a vulva, with Cosmopolitan.com's sex and relationships editor Anna Breslaw saying: "I'm no expert, but I think those are labia."

In response, the late Zaha Hadid dismissed the comparison as "nonsense" and suggested it wouldn't have been made if the architect had been male.

"It's really embarrassing that they come up with nonsense like this," she told TIME magazine. "What are they saying? Everything with a hole in it is a vagina? That's ridiculous."


O-Tower, infinity loop skyscraper by BIG in Hangzhou

O-Tower, China, by BIG

Danish architecture studio BIG designed this research and development building in Hangzhou, China, for Chinese smartphone manufacturer OPPO to look like an "infinity loop".

However, Dezeen readers were quick to point out its resemblance to female genitalia."The word 'yonic' comes to mind," said one commenter.

"I just love it!" said another. "First we had all the dildo towers, now we get vulvas! Equality is coming!"


Monte St Angelo Subway Station by Amanda Levete Architects and Anish Kapoor

Monte St Angelo Subway Station, Italy, by Amanda Levete Architects and Anish Kapoor

London studio Amanda Levete Architects and artist Anish Kapoor designed this suggestive entrance for a subway station in Naples, Italy, in 2009.

Currently under construction and reportedly due to open this year, it has a Corten-steel entrance that the design team said "appears to have been pulled from the underground to create a dramatic, powerful and almost primal form."

Dezeen commenters pointed out what this form envokes.

"Most of the phallic buildings I have seen in my life have been in Italy," said one. "So of all places, I cannot think where a design like this would be better suited."

Crain Communications Building, USA, by A Epstein and SonsPhoto is by Kevin McGill

Crain Communications Building, USA, by A Epstein and Sons

The distinctive diamond-shaped top of this skyscraper in downtown Chicago, along with the appearance of being divided in two, earnt the building the not-so-subtle nickname the Vagina Building.

Designed by US studio A Epstein and Sons, the 39-storey skyscraper alongside Millenium Park is officially named the Crain Communications Building.

According to local legend, the building was deliberately designed to be a "feminist icon" evoking the form of a vagina in response to the city's numerous phallic skyscrapers. However, this myth has been debunked.

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Eight ways to prevent birds flying into buildings with glass facades

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Mirrored exterior of Mirage 1049 in Gstaad

Collisions with windows cause billions of bird deaths each year. From patterned glass to netting, here are eight ways to make buildings more bird-friendly.

Reflective surfaces are "the main culprit" for mass bird deaths according to Melissa Breyer, a volunteer who has studied bird-window collisions in New York City.

Read:Glass facades are "the main culprit" for billions of annual bird deaths

"Birds do not understand the concept of glass," added architect Dan Piselli, director of sustainability at US architecture studio FXCollaborative, who has worked on reducing bird strikes at several New York City buildings.

"They didn't evolve to deal with glass. They simply cannot see it."

Here are eight ways to help birds avoid crashing into glass-covered buildings:


Fritted glass at the Statue of Liberty museumPhoto is by David Sundberg Esto

Fritted and patterned glass

Using fritted glass is one the simplest and most common ways to make buildings more bird-friendly. Printed with a ceramic frit or dot pattern, this type of glass is primarily used to reduce glare and help cut a building's cooling costs, but it also makes glass more visible to birds.

According to the American Bird Conservancy, frits are most effective when etched to the outside of a glass surface. Examples of this can be seen at the Statue of Liberty Museum (above) or the renovated Jacob K Javits Convention Centre in New York by architecture firm FXCollaborative.


Frosted glass exterior of Lasvit headquarters by Ov-a ArchitektiPhoto is by Tomáš Souček

Translucent and opaque glass

Opaque and translucent glass that is etched, stained or frosted can reduce and even eliminate collisions, according to the American Bird Conservancy. This is because they do not create the optical illusion of continued space.

An example of translucent frosted glass can be seen on the Lasvit headquarters by Ov-a Architekti (above). Glass blocks, such as those used on The Glass Fortress by Archismith, can also have the same effect as opaque and translucent glass as they do not create confusing reflections.


Mirrored exterior of Mirage 1049 in GstaadPhoto is courtesy of the Luma Foundation

Window films

Applicable to inside and outside surfaces, window films are becoming an increasingly common way to ​​help birds see reflective surfaces on buildings. The films typically take the form of narrow, horizontal stripes that are barely visible to the human eye.

Artist Doug Aitken used window films on the facades of Mirage 1049 (above), a mirrored pavilion in Gstaad. Following guidance from the Swiss Bird Protection Society, the horizontal black lines were positioned three centimetres apart "to counter the distraction from the reflective surfaces", Aitken said.


Mesh-covered MoyaMoya house in TokyoPhoto is by Daisuke Shimokawa/Nacasa & Partners

Netting, screens and shutters

Exterior shades and screens are a simple way to make glass on buildings of any scale safer for birds. These can take the form of solar shading or decorative facades that wrap entire structures, such as the metal mesh-covered MoyaMoya house in Tokyo (above) or the gridded timber facade of House on an Island in Norway.

However, cost-effective alternatives such as mosquito and insect screens can be equally effective.


Mirrored exterior of Casa Eterea by Prashant Ashoka

UV-patterned glass

Windows and reflective surfaces can also be made visible to some birds using ultraviolet (UV) patterns or coatings. This is because avian species can see into the UV spectrum of light.

The technology, which is not visible to humans, is commonly used on mirrored buildings that are designed to reflect their environments. Examples include Casa Etérea in Mexico by Prashant Ashoka (above) and a series of guesthouses by Peter Pichler in Italy.

However, UV patterns are one of the most expensive options for achieving bird-friendly buildings and are often not recommended as certain birds are less sensitive to UV light.


Angled exterior of AstraZeneca research centrePhoto is by Hufton + Crow

Uneven surfaces

Angled surfaces can also help prevent bird collisions as they create contrast and uneven reflections, preventing the illusion of continued space. his approach was used at Herzog & de Meuron's AstraZeneca research centre in Cambridge (above). The architect says it has so far been "very successful" in deterring birds.

At Maggie's Southampton, architect AL_A opted for mottled stainless steel cladding in place of flat mirrors, while Studio Gang used undulating balconies to break up walls of windows at the Aqua Tower in Chicago.


Playtype concept store in Copenhagen by e-Types

Decals and stickers

One of the more familiar low-tech solutions available is decorative stickers or decals. These can range from stickers that resemble silhouettes of animals to simple strips of tape.

The American Bird Conservancy states that, if applied correctly to the outside of a reflective surface, birds can identify decals as obstacles that they must try to fly around. Decals can also serve a decorative purpose, such as on shop windows including the Playtype concept store in Copenhagen by e-Types (above).


New York skyline at nightPhoto is by Joshua Newton

Lights Out programs

Alongside minimising the reflectively of glass and mirrors on buildings, one of the easiest ways to decrease bird collisions is by simply turning off lights in buildings at night.

This is the goal of many "Lights Out" programs launched across the USA and Canada. Melissa Breyer, a volunteer for New York City wildlife charity NYC Audobon, demanded that more building owners and occupants took part in these following the mass-bird death in New York last year. Breyer said these programs are particularly important during spring and autumn bird migrations.

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Ten buildings that showcase the beauty of London's council housing

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The council House book by Jack Young

Jack Young's book The Council House aims to capture the beauty of London's council estates, which he photographed to "look like they could be perched on an Italian hillside". He chooses 10 favourites for Dezeen.

The Council House collects 68 of London's "most innovative and iconic" council homes, including recognisable examples such as Ernö Goldfinger's Trellick Tower as well as lesser-known buildings such as Spedan Close.

The buildings were lensed by photographer Young in the past three years, just over a century after the 1919 Addison Act was passed to provide subsidised housing construction in the UK.

Depictions of council homes "can create negative stereotypes"

Young, who works as a digital product designer and lives on the Lettsom Estate in Camberwell, hopes the book will change some of the perceptions people have about these often unappreciated buildings.

"They are so often depicted in black and white photography which highlights its often brutal forms, or on a dark wet night as the gritty backdrop to a television drama," Young told Dezeen.

[ McGrath Road by Peter Barber Architects

Read:

Peter Barber Architects' "intelligent, dynamic and original" McGrath Road named UK's best affordable housing scheme

](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/10/20/peter-barber-social-housing-estate-neave-brown-award-housing/)

"Those depictions start to drive a narrative and can create negative stereotypes," he added.

"I was determined to catch these buildings in their best light, to really capture their beauty, and to do so I limited my photographic expeditions to when the sun was shining and the birds were singing – it is remarkable how many of the estates look like they could be perched on an Italian hillside."

Revival could restore "rightful pride" in council housing

Although his intention was to draw attention to the beauty of council houses, Young says that many are sadly neglected, which has made them less attractive.

"While the book aims to capture these buildings at their best, the sad reality is that far too many of London’s estates have slipped into disrepair after years of neglect," he said.

However, the book's introduction — A Brief History of Council Housing by John Grindrod – offers hope that council housing might once again be appreciated thanks to new designs by architects including Peter Barber, Mikhail Riches and Cathy Hawley.

"Hopefully, in time, we can begin to restore some of the rightful pride that was once felt towards council housing," Young concluded.

Read on for Young's selection of iconic London council homes:


Trellick Tower by Jack Young

Trellick Tower, by Ernö Goldfinger, built 1968-72

"Trellick Tower is the poster boy of postwar council housing in London. Its instantly recognisable silhouette transcends niche architectural obscurity, becoming a brutal landmark that has truly infiltrated the mainstream.

"Inside the iconic walls, however, is a secret world belonging exclusively to its residents. Dramatic bush-hammered concrete makes way for colourful rejoice, as the stained-glass mosaic bathes the tower’s foyer in euphoric light as if entering a concrete cathedral."


Holmefield House by Jack Young

Holmefield House, by Julian Keable & Partners, built 1966-67

"My intention with the book was always to champion lesser-known estates and pieces of architecture, as well as some of the more iconic buildings, somewhere like Trellick Tower – the shadow of which Holmefield House sits beneath.

"With its shimmering tiles, mock-classical pillars and porthole windows, the block comes across as a bit wacky and unusual, which I love and think is reminiscent of a lot of the post-war council buildings, where creativity seemed to be at an all-time high.

"The photo was a total act of luck, as while I was taking out my camera I heard the rumble of the Volkswagen's engine coming around the corner. With no time to set up a tripod or to worry about composition, it was just point-and-shoot. The blues matched up perfectly and I knew this shot would be a standout image for me in the final book."


Bevin Court by Jack Young

Bevin Court, by Skinner, Bailey and Lubetkin, built 1951-54

"Architect Berthold Lubetkin believed that 'a staircase is a dance' and at this Grade II-listed block he put on a once-in-a-lifetime performance. Reaching from the ground to the sixth floor, the freestanding staircase offers uninterrupted views from the bottom to the top of the building, resulting in an exceptional feeling of light and space.

"Recently restored to its original lipstick red, the underbelly of the staircase creates a geometric kaleidoscope as you look up in inevitable awe from the lobby – which also includes an original mural by Lubetkins collaborator, Peter Yates."


Brunswick Centre by Jack Young

Brunswick Centre, by Patrick Hodgkinson, built 1967-72

"The Brunswick Centre is an example of restoration and regeneration done right, the results of which breathed life and light back into a modernist icon. By the end of the 20th century, the Centre was severely run-down; the unpainted concrete facade (a cost-cutting measure) had deteriorated, the plaza had been neglected and the flats were prone to leaks.

"It wasn’t until its Grade ll-listing in 2000 that architects Levitt Bernstein were able to turn the Centre into the holistic community that it was originally intended to be. Completed in 2006, the practice worked with original architect Patrick Hodgkinson to see the centre painted the cream colour that was always intended, and the upgraded shopping street with enlarged units saw retailers stream back in."


Golden Lane Estate by Jack Young

Golden Lane Estate, by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, built 1953-62

"The estate that we all have to thank for creating the famous Chamberlin, Powell and Bon architecture firm – responsible for some of the country's most celebrated post-war architecture, which includes next-doors concrete utopia, the Barbican. As with many schemes at the time, the contract was decided by competition, to which the three architects made a pact to form a partnership should one of them win – that architect would be Geoffry Powell.

"Chamberlain, Powell and Bon were as interested in the spaces between the building as they were in the buildings themselves during the planning of Golden Lane. Communal gardens can be found peppered throughout, the views from which, if you catch them just right, often result in a heart-soaring vista of coloured blocks, four or five at a time.

"The most impressive garden, however, is that on top of Great Arthur House, which although very rarely open, even to residents, boasts unrivalled views of the city."


Spedan Close by Jack Young

Spedan Close, by Gordon Benson and Alan Forsyth, Camden Architects' Department, built 1974-78

"Formerly known as Branch Hill Estate, Spedan Close is a slice of Mediterranean charm sandwiched between quintessentially English greenery. Nestled inside the densely treelined Hampstead woods, the estate transports you to a secret world that feels a million miles from the stereotypical grey and gritty council estate too often portrayed in the media.

"Terracotta brick pathways dissect the whitewashed homes, which exemplify the Camden Style pioneered by borough architect Sydney Cook."


Sivill House by Jack Young

Sivill House, by Skinner, Bailey and Lubetkin, built 1964-66

"The graphical nature of Lubetkin's work speaks to my background as a graphic designer – his outstanding use of colour and flair for geometric finishes marked his facade design out from virtually all of his contemporaries.

"Sivill House's hypnotically repetitive motif of geometric 'C' shapes was inspired (depending on who you ask) by either patterned carpets or the paintings of Chinese dragons that hung from the walls of Lubetkin's studio."


Lillington Gardens by Jack Young

Lillington Gardens, by Darbourne and Darke, built 1964-72

"This green oasis of an estate was one of the first low-rise, high-density public housing schemes to be built in London after the second world war. As well as winning awards for its landscaping, architects Darbourne and Darke have been widely praised for their sensitivity to the Grade l-listed Church of St James the Less, which the estate was built around.

"With complimenting brick-work and balanced proportions you could be forgiven at a glance for overlooking the 105 years between the two.

"Although the red bricks blend into one, and this is by no means a coincidence, Darbourne offered a refreshingly pragmatic case for the choice of brick over increasingly popular concrete: 'With brick, you can get the mortar over the face and the joint out of place, but even done poorly it is just about acceptable. That is not the case with concrete'."


Brunel Estate by Jack Young

Brunel Estate, by City of Westminster Department of Architecture and Planning under F G West, built 1970-74

"Designed in conjunction with one of the most prominent landscape architects of the time, Michael Brown, Brunel Estate is a masterclass in balancing heavy architecture with quiet moments of urban rest bite. Quiet, until you reach the site of the estate's iconic, monumental slide – which is a local hotspot for both residents and neighbouring children alike.

"Cascading down a particularly craggy brick face, the slide is now one of the country’s only Grade ll-listed pieces of play equipment, practically unaltered except for the addition of some all-too-sensible metal barriers."


World's End Estate by Jack Young

World's End Estate, by Eric Lyons and Jim Cadbury-Brown, built 1969-77

"The World’s End Estate is one of a few that occupies a mind-bogglingly desirable piece of real estate, slap bang on the bank of the River Thames – another, featured in the book, is Falcon Point, located just outside Tate Modern.

"Here, seven towers of between 18 and 21 storeys define the estate's topography – the residents of which get to enjoy some of the most wonderful views of the river as it snakes its way towards the city.

"It is refreshing to imagine a time when a location like this wasn’t reserved for luxury apartments sold at an eye-watering price, but rather for the ordinary Londoner, the likes of which make our city the greatest cultural melting pot in the world."

The Council House by Jack Young is published byHoxton Mini Press.

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Ten climate-resilient homes that have adapted to the realities of global warming

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Arkup 75 villa-cum-yacht by Waterstudio.NL is a climate change resilient home

From a hurricane-proof house in Puerto Rico to a floating villa with retractable stilts, we've rounded up ten homes that incorporate the climate change-resilience strategies set out in the latest IPCC report.

Published last week, the landmark report from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found that cities and settlements across the world are largely unprepared to cope with the record heatwaves, floods and storms that have already been brought on by global warming.

As the world moves towards a catastrophic global temperature rise of between two to three degrees Celsius this century, extreme disasters and rising seas could make some regions and small islands completely uninhabitable, the IPCC said.

To protect their inhabitants, the report says homes must be redesigned and retrofitted to incorporate resilient design solutions from green roofs to stilts and wind towers.

Below, we've rounded up ten houses that have already adopted some of these strategies.


Arkup 75 villa-cum-yacht by Waterstudio.NL

Arkup 75 by Waterstudio.NL

This electric yacht-cum-villa can be sailed like a boat (top image) or fully raised out of the water using retractable stilts (above) to protect it from hurricanes.

The home functions off-grid thanks to its rooftop solar panels and built-in rainwater harvesting system – features that the architects say will be crucial when it comes to developing entire floating neighbourhoods.

Find out more about Arkup 75 ›


Louvres on the facade of the Forest House by Shma Company, a climate change resilient home

Forest House, Thailand, by Shma Company

Designed to fit the largest amount of foliage into a small urban plot, Forest House in Bangkok has two courtyards and multiple green roofs that together house 120 trees and more than 20 different plant species.

Beyond providing food security, the IPCC found that this kind of urban greening can also help to manage and retain stormwater, and create a local cooling effect by lowering the surface temperature of a building.

Find out more about Forest House ›


Shinminka by ISSHOArchitects, a climate change resilient home

Shinminka house, Japan, ISSHO Architects

This house on Japan's tropical island of Okinawa was designed to weather the devastating winds of a typhoon while still allowing for natural cross-ventilation, which is crucial as global temperatures rise.

Its robust wooden structure is reinforced around the edges by 12 diagonal bracing beams, reducing the structural pressure on the walls so that these can incorporate sliding sections to keep interior spaces cool.

Find out more about Shinminka ›


Mt Coot-Tha House by Nielsen Jenkins

Mt Coot-Tha House, Australia, by Nielsen Jenkins

Built to withstand Australia's second-highest bushfire attack level (BAL40), this house in Brisbane is shielded from burning debris and embers by its towering blockwork walls and corrugated metal roof.

All materials on the interior and exterior were chosen in line with this strict fire safety standard and the entire building is connected by a triple-height "civic-scaled" stairwell to ensure an easy exit.

Find out more about Mt Coot-Tha House ›


Amphibious House by Baca Architects, a climate change resilient home

Formosa, UK, by Baca Architects

Set on an island in the river Thames, this "amphibious house" has separate foundations that act much like a shipping dock and allow the building to float on the surface of rising floodwater rather than become overwhelmed by it.

The home is plumbed with flexible pipes that can stretch up to three metres as the house ascends in its dock, allowing residents to continue with everyday life as smoothly as possible.

Find out more about Formosa ›


Mumbai Artist Retreat by Architecture Brio in Alibag, India, a climate change resilient home

Mumbai Artist Retreat, India, by Architecture Brio

Steel stilts prop up this artists' residence in Mumbai to elevate it above rising sea levels, while skylights with integrated solar panels generate power for the cabin and provide ventilation by drawing warm air up and out of the building.

The entire prefabricated structure was designed to be reversible, meaning it can be taken apart and rebuilt on higher ground once the tides encroach too far into the city.

Find out more about Mumbai Artist Retreat ›


Casa Flores by Fuster + Architects

Casa Flores, Puerto Rico, by Fuster + Architects

All openings in the facade of this monolithic home in Puerto Rico, designed in the wake of Hurricane Maria, are covered with integrated storm shutters in order to protect the building from tropical cyclones.

Eight wind towers with integrated skylights allow natural daylight and cool air to permeate into the interior, in a technique that the IPCC says can reduce interior temperatures by up to 14 degrees Celcius.

Find out more about Casa Flores ›


HouseZero at Harvard by Snohetta, a climate change resilient home

HouseZero, US, by Snøhetta

To safeguard against both hot and cold weather extremes, the most promising climate adaptation measures combine "solar shading with increased levels of insulation and ample possibilities to apply natural ventilation to cool down a building", according to the IPCC.

This model home, which Snøhetta retrofitted together with Harvard University researchers, unites all of these characteristics. Its windows open and close automatically and are surrounded by protruding "shrouds" to provide shade while a glazed solar chimney acts as a vent.

Find out more about HouseZero ›


House in Takaoka, Japan, by Unemori Architects

House in Takaoka, Japan, by Unemori Architects

This home in Toyama Prefecture is raised around 70 centimetres above the ground by its reinforced concrete pillars, sheltering it from both heavy snowfall and a flood-prone river nearby.

The stilts extend nine metres down into the earth and are intended to resemble utility poles where they emerge from the ground.

Find out more about House in Takaoka ›


Tecla, Italy, by WASP and Mario Cucinella Architects

Tecla, Italy, by WASP and Mario Cucinella Architects

More than 20 million people have been internally displaced by extreme weather events such as storms and floods every year since 2008 – a number that is only set to increase as these disasters become more frequent, intense and widespread.

To provide climate migrants with quick, cost-efficient shelter, this low-carbon housing prototype can be 3D printed from locally sourced clay in around eight days, with a parametrically designed envelope that balances thermal mass, insulation and ventilation.

Find out more about Tecla ›

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Six contemporary interiors by Ukrainian designers that showcase the nation's creativity

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Dicentra florist by Rina Lovko Studio

As the ongoing Russian invasion forces designers and architects to shut their studios and seek safety, interior designer Katerina Kovalenko selects six interiors that represent contemporary Ukrainian design for this special lookbook.

These projects from the Dezeen archive show how Ukrainian designers mix different cultural eras in contemporary residential and commercial projects.

Before the Russian invasion, Ukrainian design was in a confident position, expressing the optimism of a culturally rich country.

Ukrainian style often combines references to artisanal traditions, such as in the Faina Gallery project, and the Soviet past, such as in the Kovalska office project, where mosaics from the Soviet era were taken as a reference.

This is a special edition of our lookbooks series, which provides curated visual inspiration from Dezeen's image archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks showcasing parquet wooden flooring, cavernous interiors and coastal hotel rooms with sea views.


Earthy interiors of Faina Gallery in AntwerpThe photography is by Piet-Albert Goethals

Faina Gallery, Belgium, by Yakusha Design

Ukrainian studio Yakusha Design created the showroom for its own furniture line Faina in Antwerp, Belgium, with a muted colour scheme that was informed by moss and soil.

The shades, which were chosen to evoke the natural world, are meant to "convey this feeling of grounding serenity in the interior," explained Yakusha founder Victoria Yakusha.

The studio's furniture is showcased throughout the space and comes in matching green and grey hues.

Find out more about Faina Gallery ›


Say No Mo salon in Kyiv designed by Balbek BureauThe photography is by Yevhenii Avramenko

Say No Mo, Ukraine, by Balbek Bureau

Local design studio Balbek Bureau created this salon-cum-cocktail bar to avoid gender stereotypes by staying away from colours and textures normally used in beauty salons.

Instead, the studio focused on contrasting textures such as concrete walls and gold-coloured panelling. Sculptural beige and grey furniture decorates the space, which also features a doorway fitted with rows of exposed bulbs and a glass-topped ball pit.

Find out more about Say No Mo ›


Virgin Izakaya Bar, Ukraine, by YODEZEEN

Located in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, this Japanese izakaya – a bar that serves drinks and small plates of food – was designed by YODEZEEN to blend the existing architecture of the industrial building with more contemporary features.

The studio used weathered wood and copper to add warmth to the space but kept its brick walls and concrete surfaces bare. To create zones within the space, YODEZEEN added oxidised metal panels and metal mesh details.

Find out more about Virgin Izakaya Bar ›


Kovalska office designed by Artem Trigubchak and Lera BruminaThe photography is by Dmitrii Tsyrenshchikov

Kovalska office, Ukraine, by Artem Trigubchak and Lera Brumina

Designed for a Ukrainian developer and building materials company called Kovalska, this office is set inside a Soviet-era factory in Kyiv's industrial district of Obolon.

Creative duo Artem Trigubchak and Lera Brumina divided the large space up by using concrete slabs, sand and paving stones, which was also used to create much of the furnishings.

"We are endlessly inspired and love the architecture of the Soviet period, and we really wanted to create a comfortable working space without violating the architectural context," they explained.

Find out more about Virgin Izakaya Bar ›


The photography is by ​Yevhenii Avramenko

Kyiv apartment, Ukraine, by Olga Fradina

Dark colours and natural textures create a cosy atmosphere in this Kyiv apartment, located on the top floor of a five-storey Soviet apartment building and designed by Olga Fradina.

The designer switched the bedroom and kitchen in the flat to create a large, open-plan living space filled with furniture and accessories in different natural materials. Apart from the sofa and dining chairs, Fradina designed all the furniture herself.

Find out more about Kyiv apartment ›


Dicentra florist by Rina Lovko StudioThe photography is by Alexey Yanchenkov

Kyiv florist, Ukraine, by Rina Lovko Studio

The minimalist interior of this retail space for a wholesale flower supplier was designed on a tight budget but still features arresting details such as polished terrazzo fixtures and mirrored surfaces.

Rina Lovko Studio created textured walls and floors to give the store a deliberately unfinished look.

"The idea was to make everything look untouched," said the studio, "as if we had come, put down furniture and the store started working."

Find out more about Kyiv florist ›

Kovalenko is the founder of studio725 design.

This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen's image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasingparquet wooden flooring, cavernous interiors and coastal hotel rooms with sea views.

The post Six contemporary interiors by Ukrainian designers that showcase the nation's creativity appeared first on Dezeen.

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Ten homes with decorative parquet wooden flooring

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1930s apartment, Portugal, by Aboim Inglez Arquitectos

Our latest lookbook highlights 10 homes with decorative parquet flooring including a Victorian terraced home and 1930s apartment feature in Portugal.

Parquet flooring is a traditional style of hardwood flooring, that is used to create decorative and mosaic-like patterns in homes and interior settings.

The decorative hardwood flooring is made from short wooden battens that are slotted and placed together in often intricate, geometric and mosaic arrangements.

Parquet flooring rose in popularity during the 1600s as it became a favoured option with European aristocracy, offering an alternative to decorative marble floors that required less maintenance.

It can be installed in a number of different patterns including, herringbone, Versailles, chevron and chantilly.

This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen's image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing cavernous interiors, bright-white kitchens and self-designed homes by architects and designers.


 1930s apartment, Portugal, by Aboim Inglez Arquitectos

1930s apartment, Portugal, by Aboim Inglez Arquitectos

Portuguese studio Aboim Inglez Arquitectos incorporated parquet flooring, stone surfaces and a bright sunroom in its update to a 1930s apartment in Lisbon (above and top).

Hardwood, parquet flooring uncovered during the renovation was restored across the home. The floor is comprised of blocks of different tones which are arranged to create a checkerboard-style pattern that is framed by strips of light wood.

Find out more about the 1930s apartment ›


Apartment Basta by Blockstudio

Apartment Basta, Russia, by Blockstudio

A mixture of different textures, materials and time periods were all combined within this Moscow apartment by Blockstudio, which aimed to recreate the look of a Parisian apartment.

To create a lived-in feel within the new-build structure, reclaimed-oak parquet flooring sourced from Italy was used throughout the living and dining room.

Find out more about Apartment Basta ›


Charred House by Rider Stirland Architects

Charred House, UK, by Rider Stirland Architects

Rider Stirland Architects remodelled this Victorian terraced home in south London and added an extension clad in blackened wood to the rear.

To juxtapose with the extension's charred exterior, materials were chosen to provide the interior with warmth. Parquet flooring stretches across the home and was paired with bespoke joinery.

Find out more about Charred House ›


Leith apartment by Luke McClelland

Leith apartment, UK, by Luke McClelland

Scottish architect Luke McCellard renovated the interior of this Georgian apartment in Edinburgh, creating a bright, light and contemporary home for a formerly dark space.

McClelland blanketed the floors of the 19th-century apartment in warm oak parquet flooring which was arranged in a herringbone pattern. The wood complements the stark white walls throughout the property.

Find out more about Leith apartment ›


Victorian terraced house by Matthew Giles Architects

Victorian terraced house, UK, by Matthew Giles Architects

This Victorian terraced home in Wandsworth, London, was updated and extended by Matthew Giles Architects.

On the ground floor, parquet flooring in a herringbone pattern was designed to draw the eye from the entrance through to the garden at the rear beyond the newly added dropped-level kitchen diner.

Find out more about the Victorian terraced house ›


Hatfield House by Archmongers

Hatfield House, UK, by Archmongers

Located on the iconic Golden Lane Estate in London, local studio Archmongers renovated the duplex flat using bold colours that aimed to complement the home's modernist look.

The studio uncovered parquet flooring which was restored and made a focal feature of the home.

Find out more about Hatfield House ›


Portland Residence by Atelier Barda

Portland Residence, Canada, by Atelier Barda

Black furniture and fixtures sit on top of the chevron-patterned oak parquet flooring in this Montreal home by Canadian architecture studio Atelier Barda.

The studio added a rear extension to the existing stone house and reconfigured the floor plan to create open-plan living areas and a better flow between spaces. The home's original rounded walls and mouldings were preserved and highlighted by the oak flooring beneath.

Find out more about Portland Residence ›


Dutch townhouse by Antonia Reif

Dutch townhouse, The Netherlands, by Antonia Reif

This early 20th-century townhouse in The Hague was renovated by Dutch architect Antonia Reif. The home was previously divided into two apartments which the architect reversed to reconnect the building's four floors.

Reif fitted the interior with herringbone-patterned oak flooring to create continuity between the home's different spaces.

Find out more about Dutch townhouse ›


Apartment Vilnius by Kristina Lastauskaitė-Pundė

Apartment Vilnius, Lithuania, by Kristina Lastauskaitė-Pundė

Original features at this apartment in Vilnius were spotlighted and paired with grey-painted joinery and brass accents.

The overhaul was completed by interior designer Kristina Lastauskaitė-Pundė who wanted to give the home a contemporary update that still spotlighted its historic and original features. Muted chevron flooring spans the interior of the apartment to visually connect its different rooms.

Find out more about Apartment Vilnius ›


1970s apartment by Aurora Arquitectos

1970s apartment, Portugal, by Aurora Arquitectos

Wooden panelling lines the walls and ceiling of areas of this apartment in Lisbon which was refurbished by Aurora Arquitectos.

The home was defined by its use of wood seen through its vast pale herringbone-patterned parquet flooring and blonde panelling that frames skylights across the ceiling. Wood and marble were arranged in a herringbone pattern to define the apartment's different zones and spaces.

Find out more about the 1970s apartment ›

This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen's image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasingcavernous interiors, bright-white kitchens, and self-designed homes by architects and designers.

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Ten houses that celebrate their sand dune surroundings

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Faceted exterior of Dune House in Suffolk

A faceted seafront dwelling in England and a residence on the sandy shores of Argentina feature in this roundup of houses that are surrounded by coastal dune landscapes.


Crystal-like dune house in TerschellingPhoto is by Filip Dujardin

*Dune House, the Netherlands, by Marc Koehler Architects

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Sunken into a sandy plot on the coast of Terschelling island, this cabin has a crystalline form designed to deflect strong sea breezes around it.

It was clad in strips of silvering red cedar, chosen to complement the textures and colours of the dune landscape.

Find out more about Dune House ›


Faceted exterior of Dune House in SuffolkPhoto is by Chris Wright

*Dune House, UK, by Jarmund/Vigsnæs Architects and Mole Architects

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A faceted roof clad with dark-stained timber crowns Dune House, which Jarmund/Vigsnæs Architects and Mole Architects designed on the seafront in Suffolk.

Created as part of Alain de Botton's Living Architecture series, it has an open-plan ground floor surrounded entirely by glass, framing views out to the surrounding grass-covered dunes.

Find out more about Dune House ›


House with canvas louvres

*Amagansett Dunes House, USA, by Bates Masi Architects

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This house was positioned on sand dunes on Long Island's south shore and oriented toward the prevailing winds to help keep it cool.

Paying homage to its beachside setting, the western facade was shielded by louvres that are made from strips of sailcloth. These louvres allow breezes to pass through while blocking direct sunlight.

Find out more about Amagansett Dunes House ›


Concrete exterior of House in the Dune, ArgentinaPhoto is by Daniela Mac Adden

*House in the Dune, Argentina, by Luciano Kruk

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Tactile board-marked concrete encloses this holiday home, which Luciano Kruk designed to fit the uneven topography of a sand dune in a coastal town near Buenos Aires.

Social spaces occupy most of the building's floor plan and are bracketed by large windows that frame the coastal setting and pine trees at the rear of the residence.

Find out more about House in the Dune ›


Pink coastal housePhoto is by Richard Chivers

*Seabreeze, UK, by RX Architects

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Seabreeze is a pink-coloured house located on Camber Sands beach in England. It was designed by RX Architects to withstand high winds, moving sand and salt air at the site.

To prevent the collection of sand, the windows are flush-mounted into the exterior that has been sealed with a microfibre concrete coloured with pink pigment.

Find out more about Seabreeze ›


Dune House with thatched roofPhoto is by Juozas Kamenskas

*Dune House, Latvia, by Archispektras

*

Archispektras topped this dwelling with a large, angular thatched roof that was designed to echo surrounding grassy dune landscape of Latvia's Pape Nature Reserve.

The roof was broken up by a band of glazing that wraps around the dwelling, providing the owners with views out towards the sea from the home's pale pine wood interior.

Find out more about Dune House ›


Concrete exterior of Casa MRPhoto is by Daniela Mac Adden

Casa MR, Argentina, by Luciano Kruk

A peak of a sand dune provides support for the upper storey of Casa MR, a contemporary holiday home located on a stretch of the Costa Esmeralda coastline.

The dwelling is divided into two intersecting cuboids that are unified by their concrete and timber-clad exteriors designed by Luciano Kruk to retain the natural slope of the sandy site.

Find out more about Casa MR ›


Black timber exterior of Villa MeijendelPhoto is by Christian van der Kooy

*Villa Meijendel, the Netherlands, by VVKH Architecten

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Villa Meijendel is a boxy geometric house created by VVKH Architecten for a sandy site in a Dutch nature reserve, set between a forest and a valley of dunes.

The stepped roofline was intended to mirror the irregular shapes of the dunes, helping the building to establish a dialogue with its surroundings.

Find out more about Villa Meijendel ›


Holiday home on TerschellingPhoto is by MWA Hart Nibbrig

*House in the Dunes, the Netherlands, by Unknown Architects

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Unknown Architects disguised this house in Terschelling as a single-storey cabin by sinking it into the surrounding grass-covered dunes.

The dwelling is topped by a steep, asymmetric pitched roof that was clad with Accoya wood planks. As they slowly turn grey over time, this will help the house blend in with the landscape.

Find out more about House in the Dunes ›


House of Shifting Sands in Cape CodPhoto is by Jane Messinger

House of Shifting Sands, USA, by Ruhl Walker Architects

Ruhl Walker Architects raised the House of Shifting Sands above this sandy waterfront site in Cape Cod to reduce the impact on its ecosystem.

The home comprises a series of overlapping, cantilevered volumes that are orientated to maximise views of the coast and surrounded by drought-resistant plants.

Find out more about House of Shifting Sands ›

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Ten cavernous interiors that swap corners for curves

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Cave-like interior of Cloudscape of Haikou library in China by MAD

A nursery by Junya Ishigami and MAD's Cloudscape of Haikou feature in our latest lookbook, which highlights 10 softly contoured interiors from the Dezeen archive that were modelled on the sinuous shapes of clouds and wind-smoothed caves.

Whether crafted from plaster, concrete or wooden panels, undulating walls can help to bring a sense of intimacy to otherwise large, impersonal spaces.

Beyond just looking pretty, they can also be a practical solution to integrate everything from seating to storage into the fabric of the interior, while concealing unsightly mechanical and electrical systems.

This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen's image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing bright-white kitchens, cosy conversation pits and self-designed homes by architects and designers.


Seating nook of Softie house by OPAPhoto is by Joe Fletcher

Softie, USA, by OPA

Design studio OPA subverted the rational modernist grid of this house near San Francisco by overlaying a series of cloud-like architectural features on top of its existing structural shell.

Its load-bearing columns are now enveloped by bulging white walls, while ceilings droop down to form a series of intimate seating nooks as well as a cove that surrounds the freestanding circular tub in the bathroom.

Find out more about Softie ›


Ferrari Maranello store interior by SybaritePhoto is by Paola Pansini

Ferrari flagship, Italy, Sybarite

Going down a sleeker, more space-age-style route, London studio Sybarite carved out a sinuous display area at the centre of Ferrari's lifestyle concept store in Maranello to house the carmaker's debut fashion collection.

The otherwise open-plan interior is cast in shades of glossy red and white and also incorporates touches of mahogany, which was used to make Ferrari's original Enrico Nardi steering wheels of the 1950s and 1960s.

Find out more about the Ferrari flagship ›


Cave-like interior of Cabin at Norderhov, Norway, by Atelier OsloPhoto is by Lars Petter Pettersen

Cabin at Norderhov, Norway, by Atelier Oslo

Curved birchwood panels engulf the walls and ceilings of this cabin, turning it into a cosy refuge on the banks of Norway's Lake Steinsfjorden while sweeping windows provide panoramic views over the natural landscape.

Like a winding tunnel, the interior was designed as one continuous space, with the bedroom cordoned off from the open floor plan by a heavy grey curtain.

Find out more about the Cabin at Norderhov ›


Holiday residence in a converted cave in Fira by Kapsimalis ArchitectsPhoto is by Yiorgos Kordakis

Two Holiday Houses in Firostefani, Greece, by Kapsimalis Architects

Three rocky vaulted caves, which once provided additional storage space for a traditional dwelling on Santorini, were smoothed out and finished with earthy-hued plaster to create this summer house by local practice Kapsimalis Architects.

Colours, finishes and fittings throughout the interior were designed to reflect the building's humble origins, incorporating arched niches and doorways, flush built-in storage and furniture made by local craftsmen.

Find out more about Two Holiday Houses in Firostefani ›


Cloudscape of Haikou, China, by MADPhoto is by CreatAR Images

Cloudscape of Haikou, China, by MAD

Designed to evoke "a wormhole that transcends time and space", the interior and exterior of MAD's library on Hainan Island were cast as one continuous vessel without any right angles.

On the inside, the sinuous white concrete shell forms small reading nooks and bookcases recessed into the walls, while concealing all of the building's electrics and plumbing.

Find out more about Cloud of Haikou ›


Cave-like interiors of National Museum of Qatar gift shop by Koichi Takada ArchitectsPhoto is by Tom Ferguson

National Museum of Qatar gift shop, Qatar, by Koichi Takada Architects

Around 40,000 slabs of wood were stacked on top of each other and assembled by hand to form the soaring walls and built-in shelves of the gift shop in the National Museum of Qatar.

The interior, much like the Jean Nouvel-designed building, pays homage to Qatar's desert landscape – particularly the crystal-crusted cavern of Dahl Al Misfir, which tunnels deep into the earth outside Doha.

Find out more about the gift shop ›


Myrto pizzeria by Studio WokPhoto is by Simone Bossi

Myrto, Sardinia, by Studio Wok

Studio Wok looked to the way that the wind carves granite rocks on the Sardinian coast into sinuous, almost architectural structures when designing this pizzeria, set in the island's port town of Porto Cervo.

This erosive process is referenced in the restaurant's curved, sandy pink plaster walls and arched windows, which are complemented by custom furnishings including a tiled counter in varying shades of green that echo the colours of local shrubs.

Find out more about Myrto ›


Cloud Garden Nursery by Junya IshigamiPhoto is by Edmund Sumner

Cloud Garden, Japan, by Junya Ishigami

Rather than covering up the bulky columns found in this high-rise office block in Atsugi, Junya Ishigami converted its former cafeteria into a nursery by inserting wiggly concrete partitions, creating archways and pathways as well as various spaces for play.

"There are crevices that only children can pass through, and absent spaces that are considered large even for adults," Ishigami said. "It is a space that softly ties in various objects and scales."

Find out more about Cloud Garden ›


T.T. Pilates studio in Xiamen features cave-like interiorsPhoto is by 1988 Photography Studio

TT Pilates, China, by Wanmu Shazi

Designer Wanmu Shazi used micro-cement to cover up not just the walls but also most of the windows in the TT Pilates studio, which is located in a typical high-rise office building in Xiamen.

Only a few organically-shaped openings allow visitors to catch glimpses of the sky while letting light dapple into the interior, in a bid to shut out the usual hustle and bustle of the Chinese port city.

Find out more about TT Pilates ›


Grotto, Canada, by Partisans

Cedarwood panelling creates an undulating terrain inside this sauna in Canada, curving up from the floor to form stepped seating and skewed porthole windows as well as enveloping the wood-burning stove.

Set on a craggy outcrop on the shore of Lake Huron, it was designed to resemble a seaside grotto carved out by the water, while its exterior was moulded perfectly to the rock formation using a 3D scanner.

Find out more about Grotto ›

This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen's image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasingbright-white kitchens, cosy conversation pits and self-designed homes by architects and designers.

The post Ten cavernous interiors that swap corners for curves appeared first on Dezeen.

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Eleven buildings that prove Palm Springs is a modernist oasis

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Twin Palms by E Stewart Williams

To mark Palm Springs Modernism Week 2022, we've rounded up 11 standout buildings located in the Californian desert city often referred to as the mecca of mid-century modernist architecture.


Abernathy Residence by William F CodyPhoto is by Jake Holt

Abernathy House by William F Cody

Sprawled across a plot of land in the middle of Palm Springs, this house by American architect William F Cody is designed for sunny outdoor living, with ample outdoor areas and a lengthy pergola.

Its vast expanses of glass, white exterior and geometric blueprint have drawn comparisons to modernist houses such as Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye and Maison La Roche-Jeanneret.

Find out more about Abernathy House ›


Swiss Miss Houses by Charles DuBoisPhoto is by Jim Riche

Swiss Miss Houses by Charles DuBois

Charles DuBois, one of modernism's lesser-known architects, is responsible for this collection of low-lying, single-storey residences.

A-frame roofs that stem straight from the ground make the 15 houses stand out drastically from the flat-roofed buildings that cropped up throughout the 20th century in the surrounding neighbourhood.

Find out more about Swiss Miss Houses ›


Tramway Gas Station by Frey and ChambersPhoto by Gary Bembridge

Tramway Gas Station by Albert Frey and Robson Chambers

Acting as gatekeeper to the modernist mecca that is Palm Springs, Tramway Gas Station is one of the first buildings visible to those travelling south along the road from Los Angeles into the Californian desert city.

The low-lying building is topped by a huge wing-shaped roof that offers shade from the desert sun, a component found in many modernist buildings in the area due to the bright and arid climate.

Find out more about Tramway Gas Station ›


Coachella Valley Savings & Loan by E Stewart WilliamsPhoto is by David A Lee

Coachella Valley Savings& Loan bank by E Stewart Williams

Like many other buildings listed here, this bank is topped by a slender overhanging roof, which – along with the panels covering the walls – offers shade from the strong desert sun.

Modernist architect E Steward Williams left openings at the top of the walls to ensure there is plenty of natural light inside.

Find out more about Coachella Valley Savings & Loan bank ›


Hope Residence by John LautnerPhoto is by Brian Thomas Jones, courtesy of Patrick Stewart Properties

Hope Residence by John Lautner

Covered by a large domed roof, this concrete residence in Palm Springs' Southridge community has been likened to a mushroom, yet Lautner is said to have modelled the house on a volcano.

Either way, his nods to natural elements, use of curved forms and large expanses of glazing have similarities to buildings by the architect's famous mentor, Frank Lloyd Wright.

Find out more about Hope Residence ›


Twin Palms by E Stewart WilliamsPhotograph by Jake Holt

Twin Palms by E Stewart Williams

Twin Palms was architect E Stewart Williams' first residential project – a house that he designed for music legend Frank Sinatra and his wife.

The 4,500-square-foot (418-square-metre) pad includes a piano-shaped swimming pool, a veranda with square holes and many sliding glass doors that lead outside. The design contributed to William's reputation as one of the Palm Springs "desert modernist" architects.

Find out more about Twin Palms ›


Kaufmann House by Richard NeutraPhoto by David A Lee

Kaufmann House by Richard Neutra

Built in 1946 by Austrian-American architect Richard Neutra, this boxy two-storey residence has many recognisable elements of modern architecture – a flat roof, pale facade and shaded outdoor spaces.

Its patios are lined with slatted metal fins which provide shade during extreme heatwaves while also offering glimpses of the large boulders, cacti and palms in the sandy gardens.

Find out more about Kaufmann House ›


Bank of America by Rudy BaumfledPhoto by David A Lee

Bank of America by Rudy Baumfield

Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier's famed Ronchamp chapel, with its bulky overhanging roof and curved lines, was the starting point for this bank designed by Rudy Baumfield.

Constructed in 1959, the bank is covered in vibrant aqua-coloured tiles across its rounded south facade. The structure is much softer in shape than the geometric lines typically associated with modernism but its unusual form and plain decor still fits with the style.

Find out more about Bank of America ›


Arthur Elrod House by John LautnerPhoto is courtesy of Nelson-Moe Properties/Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Elrod House by John Lautner

Another Lautner building, Elrod House is a residence perched on the top of Palm Springs' Araby Cove neighbourhood which featured in the James Bond film Diamonds are Forever.

A dome-shaped roof made up of alternating glass and concrete segments, sliding glass walls across the front of the living area and a large crescent-shaped swimming pool gives the house its modernist edge.

Find out more about Elrod House ›


Palm Springs City Hall by Albert FreyPhotography by Stephanie Kloss, from California Dreaming

Palm Springs City Hall by Albert Frey

Palm trees protrude through the open roof of the city's municipal building, Palm Springs City Hall, designed by Albert Frey and built in 1952.

The structure is typical of the modernist style thanks to its low height, flat roof and expansive canopy. Its exterior facade is a light taupe hue to match the desert beyond while the underside is painted in pale turquoise and yellow, matching the sun-drenched city palette.

Find out more about Palm Springs City Hall ›


Steel Houses Palm Springs Modernism Week 2022 roundupPhoto is by David A Lee

Steel Development Houses by Donald Wexler

These steel-framed houses by architect Donald Wexler are early experiments in customisable prefab homes, designed to provide a housing model that was low-cost, easily replicable and suited to the desert climate.

Each of the seven houses come with a light gauge metal wall system and one of three steel roof options, including a white "butterfly" roof and a flat roof with overhanging eaves.

Find out more about Steel Development Houses ›


Modernism Week takes place in Palm Springs from 17 to 27 February 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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Six architecturally significant ski jumps from around the world

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Ski jump architecture

Two new ski jumps are hosting events at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. As the Games continue, we have rounded up the most significant architect-designed ski jumps from around the world, including structures by Zaha Hadid Architects and Julien De Smedt.


Holmenkollen ski jump by JDS ArchitectsPhoto is by Marco Boella

Holmenkollen Ski Jump, Norway, by JDS Architects (2011)

Built on the historic Holmenkollbakken ski jumping hill in Norway, this distinctive ski jump is cantilevered 69 metres above the surrounding landscape.

Designed by JDS Architects founder Julien De Smedt, the structure is clad in an aluminium mesh and topped with a viewing platform so visitors can experience views across Oslo and the surrounding fjord.

Find out more about Holmenkollen Ski Jump ›


Bergisel ski jump, Austria, by Zaha Hadid ArchitectsPhoto is by Hélène Binet

Bergisel Ski Jump, Austria, by Zaha Hadid Architects (2002)

The Zaha Hadid Architects-designed Bergisel Ski Jump (above and top), which overlooks the alpine city of Innsbruck in Austria, is perhaps the world's best-known architect-designed ski jump.

The ramp itself is supported by a concrete tower that is topped with a cafe and viewpoint.

"The structure's distinctive form – part tower/part bridge – and silhouette extends type topography of the ski slopes into the alpine ski," said the studio.


Photo courtesy of Beijing 2022

Big Air Shougang, China, by TeamMinus (2019)

Built for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Big Air Shougang is the world's first permanent venue for skiing and snowboarding big air events.

Designed by Chinese studio TeamMinus, the colourful structure stands alongside four industrial cooling towers within the site of Beijing's largest former steel mills.

Find out more about Big Air Shougang ›


Olympic ski jump by terrain:loenhart&mayr

Olympic Ski Jump, Germany, by Terrain:loenhart &mayr (2009)

Originally created to host the 1936 Winter Olympics, this ski jump in Garmisch-Partenkirchen was revamped by Munich-based architects Terrain:loenhart&mayr in 2007.

The studio replaced the previous structure with a cantilevered tower accessed by a diagonal elevator, with the building nominated for the Mies van der Rohe Award 2009.

Find out more about the Olympic Ski Jump ›


Snow Ruyi at Beijing 2022Photo courtesy of Beijing 2022

National Ski Jumping Centre, China, by TeamMinus (2020)

The second ski jump created for the Beijing 2022 Games was also designed by TeamMinus.

Named the National Ski Jumping Centre, the structure is topped with a disk-shaped form that has been likened to a UFO, round table or traditional Chinese sceptre. Within the disk is a circular viewing platform complete with panoramic restaurant.


Lugnet Ski Jumps by Sweco Architects Photo is by Tim Meier

Lugnet Ski Jumps, Sweden, by Sweco Architects (2013)

This pair of ski jumps at the Lugnet sports complex in Sweden, which were built in 1974 for the World Cup Ski Championships, were refurbished by Uppsala-based Sweco Architects in 2013.

As part of the modernisation glass and steel railings, as well as lighting, were added to the weathering original steel structures.

Find out more about the Lugnet Ski Jumps ›

The post Six architecturally significant ski jumps from around the world appeared first on Dezeen.

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Ten striking buildings by Iranian studio Hooba Design Group

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Kohan Ceram headquarters by Hooba Design Group

To mark Hooba Design Group winning the RIBA International Emerging Architect 2021 prize, we have rounded up ten projects by the Tehran-based architecture studio.

Hooba Design Group, which was founded by architect Hooman Balazadeh in 2007, was awarded the prize in recognition of its design for the Kohan Ceram Central Office in Tehran, Iran.

Chair of the RIBA Awards Group Denise Bennetts described the building as having "an architecture of restraint, invention and elegance".

"An uplifting and inspiring design, this project, as well as the Hooba Design Group’s collaborative approach to innovation, qualifies them as a worthy recipient of the RIBA International Emerging Architect 2021," Bennetts added.

Below, we've gathered ten notable examples of Hooba Design Group's work, many of which show the studio's expertise in creating innovative brick facades:


Hitra Office Building in TehranPhoto is by Parham Taghioff

The Hitra Office and Commercial Building, Tehran

This brick-clad office building in Tehran was given a scooped-out central void to bring light into the centre of the building.

Hooba Design Group used glazing for its two commercial floors while the upper five storeys, which hold offices, are clad in tiered layers of red brick. The exposed sides of the brick were painted turquoise to create a lenticular effect that gives the building a playful, fun feel.


Kohan Ceram's brick exteriorPhoto is by Parham Taghioff – Deed Studio

Kohan Ceram Central Office, Tehran

This building, for which Hooba Design Group won the RIBA International Emerging Architect 2021 prize, is the headquarters of brick manufacturer Kohan Ceram (above and top image) and was built from bricks made in its own factory.

Some of the bricks, of a new type called "spectacle brick," have circular glass inserts. These were used to create geometric patterns across the building's facade, which is also broken up by narrow window slits.

The six-storey block houses offices, a reception area and showroom for Kohan Ceram as well as an apartment on the two upper floors.


Water feature at Aptus Factory Showroom by Hooba Design GroupPhoto is by Parham Taghioff and Mohammad Hasan Ettefagh

Aptus showroom, Karaj

Hooba Design Group created showrooms and administrative spaces for the Aptus concrete factory in the suburbs of Karaj, Iran, using the brand's own concrete.

The buildings were designed to connect the inside with the outside and comprise a series of one-storey volumes broken up by greenery.

At the entrance, a fish pond with a tiled floor and verdant plants add movement and colour to the grey concrete blocks that make up both the interior and exterior of the showrooms.


The Sharif Office Building in Tehran by Hooba Design GroupPhoto is by Parham Taghioff

Sharif office building, Tehran

This office building, designed for the Sharif University of Technology in Iran, features a smart brick facade sitting above panels with light sensors that allow them to adjust according to the sunlight.

Built atop an existing concrete structure that forms its ground floor, the facade was designed to match the 1940s-style bricks that clad the nearby university buildings.

"The intention was to reinterpret the traditional brick used in the university buildings, using industrial bricks," Hooba Design Group founder Balazadeh told Dezeen.


Iran brick building by Hooba Design GroupPhoto is by Mohammad Hassan Ettefagh

Building no 41, Karaj

Building no 41 was designed as a combination of a villa, apartments and commercial space. The building's commercial spaces will house a bookshop and a cafe for residents and has a balcony facing the trees on the adjacent street.

The upper floors hold two residential units, above which sit a duplex residence designed like a villa with a private yard.

Hooba Design Group used a combination of glass and brick for the facade, adding openings in the brick that create a lantern-like effect at night when the building is lit from within.


Tohid residential building in Tehran Photo is by Danak Group

Tohid residential building, Tehran

The colourful Tohid residential building was designed to bring more green spaces to Tehran, where buildings often have openings on just two sides, leading to dense urban neighbourhoods with little connection to nature.

"The current infilled residential typology requires major reconsiderations to improve the living environment of the inhabitants," Hooba Design Group said.

In its Tohid project, the studio aimed to bring more greenery to the building by adding plants to transform the exterior into a "vertical garden" and creating a green roof where the residents can grow food. Traditional red bricks were used for the exterior and contrasted by green-blue glazed bricks used for the flower boxes.


Residential building with brick and glass facade Photo is by Parham Taghioff

Ozgol residential, Tehran

The Ozgol residential building was built on a plot measuring 10 by 22 metres next to an "unbuildable" piece of land and designed for a single family. It has a guest unit on the ground floor and a duplex on the first and second floors.

Hooba Design Group used brick both as the base and the finishing of the exterior facades, as well as for the circulation corridors and voids through the whole building.

The studio added rotated bricks and layers of glass to some parts of the facade to let in more sunlight.


Ridged office building in KarajPhoto is by Khatereh Eshghi

Sepehr office and commercial building, Karaj

Hooba Design Group's design for the Sepehr building in the Mehrshar province of the city of Karaj features a three-dimensional facade made of limestone.

The vertical layers create a complex facade, whose volumetric fluctuations continue inside the building. Here, they create interior walls and define the boundaries of the space.

At the exterior, the layers of the facade continue to the top of the landscaped roof.


Valiahdi office building, KarajPhoto is by Parham Taghioff

Valiahdi Commercial Complex, Karaj

The Valiahdi office building, which sits in one of Karaj's busiest areas, is defined by its multidimensional facade. This was designed to create an intimate connection between the building itself and the surrounding cityscape and consists of a geometrical grid that was modified to optimise the viewing angles.

Hooba Design Group added stained glass, inspired by the Orosi glass patterns of traditional Persian architecture, to the windows. According to the studio, using double glazing with the patterned windows on the inside helps control the heat generated by the sun exposure on the building's southern side.


Espriss Cafe by Hooba Designm Group, TehranPhoto is by Parham Taghioff

Espriss Cafe, Tehran

The 28-square-metre Espriss Cafe is located in Tehran's Nejatollahi street and surrounded by small handicraft stores. Its brick exterior and interior was informed by the nearby Iranian Handicrafts Organization, which also has a brick facade.

Inside, the studio used small terracotta bricks that are partly glazed in a turquoise colour to create more interest. Hooba Design Group used 3D-modelling to create the layout of the bricks, starting from the pavement outside the cafe and continuing inside.

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Ten houses made from colourful concrete

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Red concrete house by Sanden+Hodnekvam

Concrete is usually associated with an industrial-looking shade of grey, but it doesn't always have to be that way. Here, Dezeen rounds up 10 concrete houses that bring colour to the material.


Pink coastal houseTop and above photos by Richard Chivers

Seabreeze, UK, by RX Architects

This holiday home on the English south coast is covered in smooth pink concrete.

Given an open brief, British studio RX Architects opted for a playful design for the project that references Mediterranean beach houses.

Find out more about Seabreeze ›


Red concrete house by Sanden+HodnekvamPhoto is by Sanden+Hodnekvam Arkitekter

House in Red Concrete, Norway, by Sanden+Hodnekvam Arkitekter

The distinctive red colour of this concrete house in the Norwegian town of Lillehammer was achieved by adding iron oxide to the mix.

To keep the project affordable, Osl0-based studio Sanden+Hodnekvam Arkitekter chose to use prefabricated insulated concrete panels, which gave the facade its geometric pattern.

Find out more about House in Red Concrete ›


Swimming pool view of Villa 19 of Palmares Ocean Living & Golf resort by RCR ArchitectesPhoto courtesy of RCR Arquitectes

Signature Villas, Portugal, by RCR Arquitectes

Built at a seaside resort in the Algarve, these luxury villas designed by Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning Catalan studio RCR Arquitectes are formed of overlapping planes of red-pigmented concrete.

The houses have angular wall surfaces, with no clear front or back to the buildings because of the way rooms fan out from one another.

Find out more about Signature Villas ›


P House by Tectoniques Architetectes in LyonPhoto is by Jérôme Ricolleau

P House, France, by Tectoniques

The semi-buried P House, in Saint-Cyr-au-d'Or, was constructed from specially developed concrete dyed with ochre. The concrete was vibrated manually to release air bubbles and produce a thick, imperfect finish.

Architecture firm Tectoniques, which usually specialises in timber buildings, took on the project as an experiment. Inside, concrete is contrasted with oak woodwork and flooring and bleached spruce ceilings.

Find out more about P House ›


Mazul Beachfront Villas by RevolutionPhoto is by Mauricio Guerrero

Mazul Beachfront Villas, Mexico, by Revolution

Designed by Mexican architecture studio Revolution, the Mazul Beachfront Villas are located on the Oaxaca coast facing the Pacific Ocean.

Built from a combination of rough brick and smooth red concrete to complement their beachy surroundings, the villas were named rural house of the year at the 2021 Dezeen Awards.

Find out more about Mazul Beachfront Villas ›


Casa Calafia in Mexico by Red ArquitectosPhoto is by Miguel Angel Vazquez Calanchini

Casa Calafia, Mexico, by RED Arquitectos

Named after a mythical warrior queen, Casa Calafia in Mexico's Baja California Sur was built from concrete that was given a reddish earthy tone using natural pigments.

It was designed by RED Arquitectos as a holiday home for an American couple.

Find out more about Casa Calafia ›


Rusty coloured concrete housePhoto is by Paul Tierney

Rustic House, Ireland, by Urban Agency

Iron oxide powder was used to give this concrete extension to a traditional cottage in Ireland's County Kerry a rusty colour that mimics the corrugated steel barns of the surrounding countryside.

Architecture firm Urban Agency chose concrete because of the remote site's high exposure to wind and rain, but cast the material in situ using wooden boards to give it the texture of timber.

Find out more about Rustic House ›


By the Way House by Robert Konieczny KWK PromesPhoto is by Olo Studio/Juliusz Sokołowski/Jarosław Syrek

House on the Road, Poland, by KWK Promes

Robert Konieczny's studio KWK Promes designed this house to look as if it had emerged out of a winding white concrete road running through the site.

Inside the building's concrete shell is an exact replica of the client's former apartment.

Find out more about House on the Road ›


Black concrete house by Edition OfficePhoto is by Ben Hosking

Federal House, Australia, by Edition Office

Architecture practice Edition Office used black-pigmented concrete and timber battens to build this imposing-looking house dug into a hillside in rural New South Wales.

"At a distance the building is recessive, a shadow within the vast landscape," said the Melbourne-based studio.

"On closer inspection, a highly textural outer skin of thick timber battens contrasts the earlier sense of a machined tectonic, allowing organic materials gestures to drive the dialogue with physical human intimacy."

Find out more about Federal House ›


The exterior of Casa Majalca by OAXPhoto is by Paco Álvarez

Casa Majalca, Mexico, by OAX Arquitectos

Local artisans were employed to manufacture irregular and natural-looking concrete formwork for this earth-coloured holiday home situated in the Cumbres de Majalca National Park in northern Mexico.

"The color blends in with the land, making reference to the cultural past of the archaeological sites of Paquimé and Casas Grandes," said OAX Arquitectos.

Find out more about Casa Majalca ›

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Ten architecturally impressive hospitals that aim to redefine healthcare

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Tambacounda Maternity and Paediatric Hospital, Senegal, by Manuel Herz Architects

Following The Friendship Hospital in Bangladesh being named the world's best building, we have rounded up 10 other architecturally impressive medical facilities from across the globe.


Maternity and Paediatric Hospital in Tambacounda, Senegal, by Manuel HerzPhoto is by Iwan Baan

Tambacounda Maternity and Paediatric Hospital, Senegal, by Manuel Herz Architects

Characterised by its lattice-like brickwork, this maternity and paediatric clinic designed by Swiss studio Manuel Herz Architects, is an extension to an existing hospital.

It has a distinctive S-shape which curves around other buildings on the site to create new courtyards as well as encouraging airflow to manage temperatures in the scorching Senegalese climate.

Find out more about Tambacounda Maternity and Paediatric Hospital ›


Psychiatric Center by Vaillo+Irigaray ArchitectsPhoto is by Rubén P Bescós

Centro Psicogeriatrico San Francisco Javier, Spain, by Vaillo+Irigaray Architects

Spanish studio Vaillo+Irigaray Architects modernised this 19th-century psychiatric centre in the city of Pompolona.

The designers added concrete structures shaped and dyed to mimic the older buildings on the site, cantilevered above glazed walls to create sheltered walkways and give the impression that the heavy volumes are floating.

Find out more about Centro Psicogeriatrico San Francisco Javier ›


Arcop arranges Afghan hospital around public and private courtyardsPhoto is by Irfan Naqi

Bamyan Provincial Hospital, Afghanistan, by Arcop

Nestled in a valley in Afghanistan's highlands, Bamyan Provincial Hospital is organised around a series of courtyards that become increasing private the further one ventures into the complex.

"Overall, our attempt is to take a 'biophilic' approach to design," said Pakistani architecture studio Arco.

"Through natural light and ventilation, views of mountains and gardens and access to outdoor courts, an architecture is created which fosters healing and well-being."

Find out more about Bamyan Provincial Hospital


Harvey Pediatric Clinic by Marlon Blackwell Architects

Harvey Pediatric Clinic, USA, by Marlon Blackwell Architects

Located in the suburbs of a small city in northwest Arkansas, Harvey Pediatric Clinic has an irregular shape and a bright red facade intended to make it stand out from its surroundings.

American firm Marlon Blackwell Architects said the design reinforces the progressive identity of the clinic, which takes a holistic approach to treating children.

The project was shortlisted at the 2017 World Building of the Year awards, hosted by the World Architecture Festival.

_Find out more about the Harvey Pediatric Clinic › _


Bayalpata Hospital by Sharon Davis DesignPhoto is by Elizabeth Felicella

Bayalpata Hospital, Nepal, by Sharon Davis Design

Created by New York-based Sharon Davis Design, the Bayalpata Hospital medical campus is located a 10-hour drive on mountain roads from the nearest manufacturing centres in one of Nepal's poorest and most remote regions.

To make the project feasible the designers focused on using local materials, including rammed earth made with soil from the site itself for the walls, stone for the foundations, and wood from the indigenous sal tree for the doors, window louvres and furniture.

Find out more about Bayalpata Hospital ›


Epilepsy residential care home by Atelier MartelPhoto is by Andre Cepeda

Epilepsy Residential Care Home, France, by Atelier Martel

This facility in the northeastern French town of Dommartin-lès-Toul provides both long- and short-term care to people living with epilepsy.

Designed by Paris-based practice Atelier Martin in collaboration with American artist Mayanna von Ledebur, the building's concrete facade is covered in hundreds of soft indents in reference to the markings found on an ancient tablet from 600 BC believed to be the first written record of epilepsy.

Find out more about Epilepsy Residential Care Home ›


Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital by Sheppard Robson and John Cooper ArchitecturePhoto is by Tristan McLaren

Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital, South Africa, by Sheppard Robson and John Copper Architecture

Designed by London studios Sheppard Robson and John Cooper Architecture in partnership with local office GAPP, this 200-bed children's hospital in Johannesburg is deliberately divided into six separate wings linked by a single spine.

"By breaking down the mass of the building into six elements, the design has a domestic, human scale that is reassuring and familiar to children," said Sheppard Robson.

Find out more about Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital ›


Maternity unit in UgandaPhoto is by Peter Landers

Kachumbala Maternity Unit, Uganda, by HKS Architects and Engineers for Overseas Development

Kachumbala Maternity Unit, in rural eastern Uganda, is entirely self-sustaining, generating its own power from solar panels and collecting rainwater from roof runoff to create its own water supply.

HKS Architects and Engineers for Overseas Development designed the birth centre to be built using local skills, technology and materials, including external walls made from terracotta screens.

Find out more about Kachumbala Maternity Unit ›


Waldkliniken Eisenberg by Matteo Thun has a cylindrical design

Waldkliniken Eisenberg, Germany, by Matteo Thun & Partners and HDR Germany

Milan-based design studio Matteo Thun & Partners and German architecture firm HDR Germany designed this new wing of the Waldkliniken Eisenberg orthopaedics centre to feel more like a hotel than a hospital.

Surrounded by trees in the Thuringian Forest, the circular building has shared winter gardens between adjacent rooms, while pervasive use of wood, green roofs and planted courtyards are intended to enhance the connection with nature.

Find out more about Waldkliniken Eisenberg ›


Rogers Stirk Harbour's £160 million cancer treatment centre opens at London hospital

Cancer Centre at Guy's Hospital, UK, by Rogers Stirk Harbours + Partners

This dedicated cancer treatment clinic at Guy's Hospital in London was built in the inimitable style of Rogers Stirk Harbours + Partners, made famous by its co-founder, the late Richard Rogers.

Services are arranged in four stacked "villages" designed to make the environment feel human-scaled and non-institutional, while bare concrete walls contrast with pale timber walkways and exposed metalwork.

Find out more about the Cancer Centre at Guy's Hospital ›

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Dezeen's top 10 non-fossil fuel car and truck designs of 2021

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Heritage Series Grandeur by Hyundai

Electric vehicles were a hot topic this year amid growing concern about the climate impact of petrol and diesel engines. For our review of 2021 Dezeen rounds up 10 non-fossil-fueled vehicles, including a coupe designed by Virgil Abloh and an electric car by Heatherwick Studio.


Non-fossil fuel carPhoto courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

Project Maybach by Virgil Abloh and Mercedes-Benz

German carmaker Mercedes-Benz unveiled Project Maybach, a solar-cell-powered electric show car developed in partnership with Virgil Abloh, shortly after the American fashion designer's death.

The off-road coupe is nearly six metres long and has a transparent front bonnet housing solar cells that would be used to charge the battery.

Find out more about Project Maybach ›


Heritage Series Grandeur by HyundaiImage courtesy of Hyundai Motor Company

Heritage Series Grandeur by Hyundai

The Heritage Series Grandeur is a modernised, all-electric concept version of the 1980s Hyundai Grandeur saloon car.

It retains the original car's boxy shape and single-spoke steering wheel while introducing 2021-ready updates, such as LED headlights and an ultra-wide touch screen dashboard display.

Find out more about the Heritage Series Grandeur ›


Suite No.4 Renault concept car by Mathieu LehanneurPhoto courtesy of Renault

Renault 4L Suite No.4 by Mathieu Lehanneur

Another example of a classic car given an electrified makeover, the Renault 4L Suite No.4 has the same lines and exterior dimensions as the 1960s original but features new panoramic windows across much of its back, sides and roof. The roof also contains transparent solar panels.

It was dreamed up by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur, who said the Suite No.4 "isn't a car, it's travel architecture".

Find out more about the Suite No.4 ›


Airo by Heatherwick StudioPhoto is by Yanli Tao, courtesy of Heatherwick Studio

Airo by Heatherwick Studio

British designer Thomas Heatherwick's studio this year unveiled its prototype of Airo, an electric car created for Chinese brand IM Motors that is set to go into production in 2023.

Heatherwick has promised Airo will "vacuum up pollutants from other cars" as it drives, by virtue of it being fitted with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtering system.

Find out more about Airo ›


Canoo PickupPhoto is by Richard Thompson III

Pickup by Canoo

In November, US automotive start-up Canoo introduced an all-electric pickup truck with a variety of hidden tricks.

For example, the modular truck bed is extendable, while there is a fold-out workbench in the space where the engine would traditionally be found.

Find out more about the Canoo Pickup ›


XPeng HT Aero flying carImage courtesy of XPeng

Flying car by XPeng

Chinese manufacturer XPeng plans to mass-release this electric flying car as soon as 2024.

The design is unusual among urban air motility vehicle concepts in that it would be capable of driving on the road as well as functioning in the air, with a foldable dual rotor mechanism converting it from a car to a flying machine.

Find out more about the XPeng flying car ›


Lexus hydrogen-powered ROV Concept as seen from above on a sand roadImage courtesy of Lexus

ROV Concept by Lexus

This off-road buggy is not electric but instead runs an internal combustion engine that uses hydrogen in place of fossil fuel.

Lexus, which developed the concept, said the vehicle generates "near-zero emissions" while retaining the rumbling engine tone and instant responsiveness beloved by petrol heads.

Find out more about the ROV Concept ›


Exterior of New Car for London by PriestmanGoodeImage courtesy of PriestmanGoode

New Car for London by PriestmanGoode

The New Car for London is a driverless, electric ride-hailing vehicle concept designed by PriestmanGoode.

It is intended to be specific to London to combat the global domination of major ride-sharing apps, with the car's angular profile informed by the British capital's brutalist buildings and its interiors reminiscent of the Tube's distinctive upholstery.

Find out more about the New Car for London ›


BMW i-VisionImage courtesy of BMW

i Vision Circular by BMW

BMW's i Vision Circular concept car is electric, but what sets it apart from other battery-powered vehicles is its ability to disassemble at the touch of a button.

Designed to demonstrate how the automobile industry could embrace circular economic principles, it is made from recycled and recyclable materials and held together by detachable connections, rather than permanent adhesives, so the parts can be separated and reused.

Find out more about the i Vision Circular ›


Volta Trucks develops electric 16-tonne lorry with “glasshouse-style” cabinPhoto courtesy of Volta Trucks

Volta Zero by Volta Trucks and Astheimer

This 16-tonne electric lorry, developed by Swedish startup Volta Trucks in collaboration with Warwick-based consultancy Astheimer, was named product design of the year at the 2021 Dezeen Awards.

By placing the batteries in the chassis, the designers were able to free up space in the driver's cab, with the low, central sitting position and panoramic windows intended to be safer for pedestrians and other road users than standard heavy goods vehicles.

Find out more about the Volta Zero ›

The post Dezeen's top 10 non-fossil fuel car and truck designs of 2021 appeared first on Dezeen.

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Virgil Abloh dies of cancer

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Virgil Abloh

Breaking news: fashion designer Virgil Abloh, who was the founder of brand Off-White and artistic director of Louis Vuitton's menswear collection, has died aged 41.

Abloh died today from "a rare, aggressive form of cancer". The news was announced with a statement on his Instagram account.

"We are devastated to announce the passing of our beloved Virgil Abloh, a fiercely devoted father, husband, son, brother, and friend," said the statement.

"He is survived by his loving wife Shannon Abloh, his children Lowe Abloh and Grey Abloh, his sister Edwina Abloh, his parents Nee and Eunice Abloh, and numerous dear friends and colleagues," it continued.

The designer had been battling cancer for two years.

"For over two years, Virgil valiantly battled a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma. He chose to endure his battle privately since his diagnosis in 2019, undergoing numerous challenging treatments, all while helming several significant institutions that span fashion, art, and culture," said the statement.

"Through it all, his work ethic, infinite curiosity, and optimism never wavered. Virgil was driven by his dedication to his craft and to his mission to open doors for others and create pathways for greater equality in art and design. He often said, 'Everything I do is for the 17-year-old version of myself,' believing deeply in the power of art to inspire future generations," it continued.

"We thank you all for your love and support, and we ask for privacy as we grieve and celebrate Virgil's life."

More to follow.

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Ten projects involving colourful textiles designed by Space Popular

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Infinity Spa reception

From elaborate stage designs to upholstered sculptures, here are ten projects by architecture and design studio Space Popular that make use of polychromatic textile designs.

Space Popular has worked with textiles for nearly a decade, often using digital printing techniques to create decorative tapestries and motifs that explore various themes.

In more recent years, the studio has also turned its attention to creating textiles for the infrastructure in both augmented and virtual reality environments.

It is exhibiting 10 of its key projects involving textiles today as part of its guest editorship for Dezeen 15, a digital festival celebrating Dezeen's 15th birthday.

[ Virtual reality portal

Read:

Space Popular proposes a "civic infrastructure for virtual teleportation" to help people navigate the metaverse

](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/11/08/space-popular-manifesto-dezeen-15/)

During the studio's takeover, founders Lara Lesmes and Fredrik Hellberg will also talk to Dezeen's editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs in a live interview about the increasingly important role of textiles in virtual spaces as they become more intertwined with our physical reality.

This was the focus of a manifesto written by the duo as part of its contribution to the festival, named Threads of Thresholds.

Space Popular is one of 15 creatives presenting a manifesto for a better world at Dezeen 15. Others participating include Winy Maas, Es Devlin and Neri Oxman. Find out more details about all of the participants here.

Read on for 10 projects by Space Popular that make use of textiles.


Infinity Spa reception

Infinity Spa, 2016

Back-lit cotton curtains break up the pared-back treatment rooms of the Infinity Spa, a day spa built within a small three-storey building in Bangkok, Thailand.

The curtains were designed by Space Popular to create the feeling of infinite space, despite the size of the building, giving the project its name.


The Wardian Case installation by Space PopularPhoto is by Davide Calafa

The Wardian Case, 2019

Set in the tapestry rooms at the Palazzo Reale Milano in Italy, The Wardian Case was an upholstered sculpture that contained an immersive virtual reality film exploring the historical use of textiles to transport information through time.

The sculpture, which was covered in synthetic suede, specifically referenced the Wardian Case – a container designed to transport rare plants between different continents invented in 1829.


The Stones of Venice gown worn by James Taylor Foster

The Stones of Venice, 2018

The Stones of Venice is a digitally-printed cotton gown, which Space Popular modelled on Japanese kimonos worn in formal ceremonies.

It is decorated with illustrations, colours and patterns that are all personal to James Taylor Foster, a curator and writer for whom the garment was made.


The Soi Stage at WonderFruit Festival in 2015

WonderFruit Festival, 2015

In 2015, Space Popular collaborated with Bang Bang Collective and Issue Fashion on the design of the Soi Stage at WonderFruit Festival in Pattaya, Thailand.

A thin metal structure was used to support a series of fabric frames that were adorned with brightly-coloured motifs resembling columns and roofs. It is a nod to the temporary stages that are often used in China for opera performances.


The Glass Chain installation by Space PopularPhoto is by Ben Blossom

The Glass Chain, 2017

An alternative future for the use of glass in architecture was the focus of this mixed-reality installation. It was informed by the Glass Chain Letters – a famous correspondence between a small group of German architects in 1919 about what form architecture should take in the future.

The Glass Chain consisted of a kaleidoscopic glass sculpture, a daybed, and a series of decorated cotton drapes.


How I Started Hanging out with Home exhibition by Space PopularPhoto is by Fredrik Hellberg

How I Started Hanging out with Home, 2018

How I Started Hanging out with Home was a textile-based exhibition that visualised a future where buildings take on human features due to the increasing power of domestic appliances.

Installed at the Magazin exhibition space in Vienna, it was composed of a series of wall hangings and upholstered architectural sculptures with humanistic qualities, intended to make visitors feel as though they were intruding on the space.


Portland Place Out of Character tapestry at RIBA

Portland Place Out of Character, 2017

Portland Place Out of Character was a 25-square-metre cotton textile that was hung within the lobby of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in London in 2017.

The textile is illustrated with various facade designs that were originally proposed for the home of the RIBA, now named 66 Portland Place, as part of a competition held in 1932.


Value in the Virtual exhibition at ArkDesPhoto is by Jeanette Hägglund

Value in the Virtual, 2018

Two different environments, one physical and one virtual, made up this solo exhibition curated by Space Popular for ArkDes in Stockholm, Sweden.

The project explored the value of architecture in the design of virtual worlds and, in the physical part of the exhibition, featured ten giant carpet prints that depicted various scenes.


Space is the Place installation at the Architectural Association

Space is the Place, 2016

One hundred metres of thick cotton fabric were used to create this installation for a Christmas party in the lecture hall of London's Architectural Association School of Architecture.

Wrapped around a series of existing columns, the fabric was adorned with elevation drawings of the string of Georgian buildings occupied by the school, but with a playful graphic twist.


The Venn Room augmented reality installation by Space PopularPhoto is by Fredrik Hellberg

The Venn Room, 2019

Physical and virtual reality merged within The Venn Room, a mixed-reality installation created by Space Popular for the Tallinn Architecture Biennale in Estonia.

As part of the installation, the studio created a series of textile wall hangings that depicted cross-sections of domestic environments within "the augmented future" – an enhanced version of the real world.

The post Ten projects involving colourful textiles designed by Space Popular appeared first on Dezeen.

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Ten lesser-known designs by women from the past century

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Woman Made interview by Jane Hall

Architect Jane Hall's Woman Made book celebrates the work of over 200 women designers from the past century. The author picks 10 items designed by lesser-known women from the book.

Illustrated with images of objects made by female designers, including Zaha Hadid and Ray Eames, Hall's book charts 100 years of work using a simple A-Z structure that focuses on one product per designer.

The book serves as an encyclopedia of household objects made by women. According to Hall, the book aims "trace how women's roles have changed throughout the 20th and 21st century".

Woman Made: Great Women Designers includes designers from over 50 countries around the world and with products made by both household names and lesser-known women.

"I wanted it to be as far-reaching as possible in a way that a lot of other books of the same ilk don't really offer or don't really attempt to do," Hall told Dezeen.

"Often these narratives can end up being a little bit one-sided, or just creating a well-known history of women that already exists, so hopefully there are quite a few surprises in this book," said the designer.

Hall is co-founder of Turner Prize-winning architecture studio Assemble. Below, she chooses 10 projects by women designers from her book, most of whom she believes are relatively unknown.


Elio light, 2020, by Utharaa ZachariasPhoto by Soft Geometry

Elio light, 2020, by Utharaa Zacharias

"Originally from Kochi in southern India, co-founder of Soft Geometry, Utharaa Zacharias moved to New Delhi to study product design at the National Institute of Fashion Technology, where she met co-founder, Palaash Chaudhary.

"Describing New Delhi as 'ripe with inspiration, materials, tools, and ingenuity', Zacharias and Chaudhary went on to study furniture design at the Savannah College of Art and Design in the US. The Elio Light was inspired by a photo series capturing the interplay between light and transparency on glass, water, skin, and even dust."


Watering can, 1955, by Hedwig BollhagenPhoto by hedwig-bollhagen.de

Watering can, 1955, by Hedwig Bollhagen

"At 20 years old while still a student at a technical college, Hedwig Bollhagen became the supervisor of an entire department of 'paint girls' in a stoneware ceramics factory near Berlin.

"Bollhagen created simple, affordable ceramics and in 1934 became the artistic director of a ceramic workshop previously owned by Bauhaus ceramicist Margarete Heymann-Loebenstein.

"The ceramic 766 Watering Can is notable for its absence of a handle, instead featuring two ergonomic indentations. Despite her influential legacy, Bollhagen herself described her work as 'just pots'."


Striped fabric, 1964, by Gegia BronziniPhoto by Archivo Privato Gegia Bronzini

Striped fabric, 1964, by Gegia Bronzini

"Gegia Bronzini, fascinated by the work of the female farmers in Marocco, Venice, was inspired to purchase a loom and went on to found a small weaving school there.

"She began experimenting with colour and texture, incorporating unusual materials such as broom bristles and corn husks into natural silk and linen yarns.

"The heavy silk seen here features bands of horizontal stripes in rich hues. Described in 2020 by Domus magazine as a "textile diva," Bronzini also designed furniture for notable Italian designers including Ico and Luisa Parisi."


Karelia easy chair, 1966, by Liisi BeckmanPhoto by Modest Furniture / Arne Jennard

Karelia easy chair, 1966, by Liisi Beckman

"Finnish designer Liisi Beckmann is somewhat of a mystery. Although she moved to Milan in 1957 and established a successful career designing for Italian design firms, her designs remain mostly invisible, with the exception of the Karelia easy chair designed for Zanotta in 1966.

"Its undulating form of expanded polyurethane foam covered in vinyl is inspired by the coves of Karelia in Finland where Beckmann grew up. Beckmann's designs from this period are now held in the Helsinki Design Museum."


Milo chair, 2018, by Marie BurgosPhoto by Design by Leva Kaleja

Milo chair, 2018, by Marie Burgos

"Marie Burgos's furniture designs and product line are inspired by her appreciation of mid-century design and the aesthetics of both the natural landscape and built environment of the Caribbean island of Martinique, her ancestral home.

"A certified master in feng shui, Burgos pairs opposites, such as clean lines with curves, hard textures with soft, to achieve a sense of balance. The Milo Chair, for example, combines handcrafted wood legs with raspberry-hued velvet upholstery; its plush, curvy form is suggestive of a hug."


Componibili modular storage system,1967, by Anna Castelli FerrieriPhoto by Kartell US

Componibili modular storage system,1967, by Anna Castelli Ferrieri

"Anna Castelli Ferrieri was heavily influenced by European architecture circles; she helped to organise the Congrès Internationale d'Architecture Moderne (CIAM) 1949 meeting and edited the architectural and product design magazine Casabella.

"She began working for the Italian postwar Neo-Rationalist Franco Albini, whom she called her 'maestro', and his partner, Franca Helg.

"She was the first woman to graduate in architecture from the Politecnico di Milano and founded the plastic furniture fabrication company Kartell. Many of her designs are still in production, including the popular Componibili Modular Storage System."


Dune collection, 2017, by Lisa ErtelPhoto by Eliseu Cavalcante

Dune collection, 2017, by Lisa Ertel

"The Dune collection, described by designer Lisa Ertel as a family of archaic seating, is made from solid spruce wood, sandblasted to create a textured surface throwing the wood's grain into relief. This transforms the annual rings of a tree that reveal its age into a tactile surface.

"The German-born designer based the forms of Dune on traditional German Ruhsteine, stone benches placed on the side of roads where historically travellers would stop to rest and was designed while Ertel was still a student of product design at the State College of Design Center for Art and Media."


Kenny dining table, 2018, by Egg CollectivePhoto by Hannah Whitaker

Kenny dining table, 2018, by Egg Collective

"Egg Collective began through informal weekly dinner meetings between its three founders, Stephanie Beamer, Crystal Ellis, and Hillary Petrie. The trio chose the name Egg Collective to symbolise the group's creative design incubation while also referencing a naturally occurring sculptural form.

"All of their woodwork is fabricated, finished, and assembled in-house at their base in New York.

"Core designs like the Kenny Dining Table establish confident forms that are then iterated using a variety of materials, such as the walnut top and base seen here. The group frequently promotes the work of women in the industry, as organisers of the exhibition Designing Women for the non-profit arts organization NYCxDESIGN."


Counter stool, c 1970s, by Cleo BaldonPhoto by Blend Interiors

Counter stool, c 1970s, by Cleo Baldon

"Cleo Baldon was already the owner of a successful landscape design business, Galper-Baldon Associates, before she founded a sister company, Terra, to manufacture furniture to accompany some of the 3,000 swimming pools she herself designed across Southern California.

"Baldon drew on the ubiquitous Spanish colonial motifs of Los Angeles, combining wrought natural wood and leather upholstery, as seen in these typical Counter Stools."


Concordia chair, 2003, by Mira NakashimaPhoto by George Nakashima Woodworkers

Concordia chair, 2003, by Mira Nakashima

"Mira Nakashima's pieces celebrate the knots and idiosyncrasies found in timber, reflecting the dictum of her father, George Nakashima, that there is a perfect and singular piece of wood for each design. Nakashima inherited her father's woodworking studio in 1990 after studying architecture in Tokyo.

"Her approach has introduced more angles and curves to the work of Nakashima Studios, which continues to be based on the craft-based traditions of her father with the richness and texture of wood still very much in evidence. The walnut Concordia Chair was created for a group of local chamber musicians."

The images are courtesy of Phaidon.

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Buckminsterfullerine, diamond and graphite illustrate "the very rich chemistry of carbon"

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Geodesic dome at the Montreal Biosphere by Buckminster Fuller

A "curiosity molecule" named after American architect Buckminster Fuller is one of the weird and wonderful allotropes of carbon, explains nanomaterials professor Andrei Khlobystov.

Following an in-depth interview with Dezeen about the "unprecedented" properties of carbon, Khlobystov talked us through the various allotropes of the element.

"The existence of allotropes is just a manifestation of the very rich chemistry of carbon as an element," said Khlobystov, who heads the University of Nottingham's Nanocarbon group and Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre.

Allotropes are different forms of the same chemical element. They have the same atoms but in different arrangements.

Buckminsterfullerene named after architect famous for geodesic domes

One of these is buckminsterfullerene, nano-scale spheres of atoms that resemble the geodesic domes popularised by the architect Richard Buckminster Fuller.

A geodesic dome, which Buckminster Fuller patented in 1954, is a lattice-shell structure based on a geodesic polyhedron, a three-dimensional shape made up of a series of triangles.

These triangular elements distribute stress throughout the structure, a phenomenon that Buckminster Fuller termed tensegrity, which makes the domes very strong for their size and weight.

The buckminsterfullerene molecule is not technically a geodesic polyhedron. Rather than triangles, the molecular structure is made up of a series of hexagons and pentagons, like a football.

But a photograph of a Buckminster Fuller dome reportedly inspired the team of scientists that discovered buckminsterfullerene in 1985 to first consider that the molecule could have a spherical structure.

"It's not super useful at the moment, it is still sort of like a curiosity molecule but I think it has [future] applications," said Khlobystov.

Carbon can form "very strong bonds" with other atoms

Carbon is not the only element that can form allotropes but it has the most due to the unique way its atoms are able to bond with each other in various different configurations.

"[It can] form very effective and very strong bonds with other carbon atoms and with other elements," Khlobystov told Dezeen in the interview, conducted as part of our carbon revolution series about the element.

"This is actually quite unprecedented as far as the elements are concerned."

Molecular structure of carbon allotropes diamond, graphite and buckminsterfullereneAbove: carbon can form allotropes with varied molecular structures. Top: buckminsterfullerene resembles architect Buckminster Fuller's geodesic domes

Khlobystov pointed out that carbon's ability to form multiple allotropes is just one of the characteristics that makes the element uniquely important.

"Carbon is very special," he said. "We are carbon-based life forms. All life on Earth is based on carbon. And this is not a coincidence."

Diamond and graphite are the two best-known allotropes of carbon but their radically different properties demonstrate how much of a difference the arrangement of atoms makes and how unusually versatile carbon is.

While graphite is soft, grey and electrically conductive, diamond is translucent, a poor conductor and the hardest substance on earth.

"They're almost complete opposites," Khlobystov told Dezeen. "It's the same element, but the way the atoms are knitted together is different and therefore the properties are very different."

Many carbon allotropes are made in labs

Carbon changes form under high temperature and high pressure such as the conditions that occurred in the early years of planet Earth. Nowadays, those conditions can be emulated in a lab, but some allotropes are harder to create than others.

While graphite and diamond occur relatively widely in nature, other allotropes are almost exclusively made in labs.

These include the much-talked-about "wonder material" graphene, carbon nanotubes and buckminsterfullerene, an allotrope named after the twentieth-century architect Buckminster Fuller.

Below, Khlobystov explains the key characteristics of the main carbon allotropes and what makes each of them exciting.


Graphite

In graphite, each carbon atom has three neighbours, with two shorter bonds and one longer bond. This makes the structure look like sheets of hexagons, stacked into layers.

"Graphite is the most stable form of carbon," Khlobystov said.

"So we can take anything that contains carbon — for example, bits of wood or paper or anything organic — and then at very high temperature and pressure, it can turn to graphite."

Graphite is probably best known as the drawing material in pencils. A good conductor of heat and electricity, it is often used in electronics such as batteries and solar panels.

But the real interest in graphite at the moment is due to its close connection to two other allotropes, graphene and carbon nanotubes.


Graphene

Graphene is a single-atom-thick layer of graphite. It is the top layer of graphite hexagons, shorn from their bonds to the next layer. This is possible because the longer bonds connecting the hexagons into layers are weaker and easily separated.

It is the "newest" allotrope because it was not successfully isolated and characterised in labs until 2004, albeit using a separation technique so simple it is known as the "Scotch tape method". This involves a piece of duct tape being used to peel a layer of graphene from a chunk of graphite.

In the years since, graphene has been labelled a "wonder material" due to the fact that it is a better conductor than copper and 200 times stronger than steel despite being six times lighter.

"Graphene is the most hotly discussed allotrope at the moment," said Khlobystov. "There's actually many conferences about graphene as a result of investment, because graphene is a good conductor of electricity, it's very thin, very light, very strong."

Graphene has been used to make lighter wheelchairs, stronger concrete, warmer clothes — even thinner condoms. There are also plentiful tech applications.

"There is a lot of interest in making touchscreen displays out of graphene because it's so electrically conducting and very transparent optically," said Khlobystov. "You can imagine using graphene instead of other expensive metal-containing materials in our mobile phones or anywhere we have a touchscreen."


Carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes are similar to graphene. They are essentially a sheet of this single-atom-thick structure but wrapped into a tube. This nanotube is extra-strong while being around 80,000 times thinner than the diameter of human hair.

"It's quite difficult to deform a nanotube, so they're used to make reinforced materials such as polymers," said Khlobystov. "There are man-made fibres where polymer is blended with the nanotubes and extruded and spun into thread, and that can make really, really strong materials."

"It's also highly electrically conducting, so one can use nanotubes as part of electronic devices," he continued.

"Potentially, we can replace metal wires in our devices with carbon nanotubes. Because they're so small, we can make smaller and smaller devices and more powerful computers."

Carbon nanotubes also have many laboratory applications and have even been used as the world's smallest test tube. Another notable appearance is in "the world's blackest black", the light-sucking pigment Vantablack.

Nanotubes can be "grown" in the lab from any organic carbon source, such as graphite or methane gas. The application of a metal catalyst starts a reaction that makes the nanotube grow like hair grows from a follicle.


Diamond

Diamond

In diamonds, each carbon atom is connected to four neighbours, forming a repeating lattice structure. While some diamonds are classified as gemstone quality due to their clarity and colouring, their less photogenic counterparts are used in industrial applications for their hardness and thermal conductivity.

"These [industrial] diamonds don't look very beautiful but are nevertheless diamond," explained Khlobystov.

Currently, a lot of research is going into nanodiamonds – microscopic diamond particles with an average diameter of around four to five nanometres. In comparison, a human hair has a diameter of 120,000 nanometres.

"Nanodiamonds can be used for example as sensors, they can absorb light, they can mimic light and they can react to a magnetic field that is around them," he said.

"That makes them more useful than standard diamonds that we see in jewellery."

While most lab-grown diamonds are not gemstone quality, some are. In 2019 US company The Diamond Foundry used its technology to produce an all-diamond ring designed by Jony Ive and Marc Newson, which sold for US$256,250.


Buckminsterfullerene

Unlike the other allotropes, which are potentially infinite lattices, buckminsterfullerene, or the "buckyball", is a closed mesh of exactly 60 atoms.

It was named after Buckminster Fuller due to the fact that its atomic structure resembles the geodesic domes the American architect popularised and patented in the 1950s.

While the lattice-shell of a geodesic dome is constructed from triangular elements, buckminsterfullerene’s atoms are arranged in a pattern of hexagonal and pentagonal shapes that enable the mesh to curve around and close.

There are few known applications for the allotrope, although it is being used in solar cells and more experimentally in medicine and skincare, as it has the ability to trap free radicals and stop them from harming and ageing our skin.

"It's not super useful at the moment, it is still sort of like a curiosity molecule but I think it has applications," said Khlobystov.

There are also other kinds of fullerenes that have a similar closed or nearly closed structure, among them carbon nanotubes with their distinctive cylindrical shape.


Carbyne

Carbyne, or linear acetylenic carbon, is the latest carbon allotrope to be isolated — and simplest. It consists of a single chain of carbon atoms in a straight line. Unfortunately, this structure is also highly unstable.

"Diamond, graphite, graphene, they're really, really stable — it's one of the beauties of carbon actually," said Khlobystov. "But carbyne, particularly when it's very long, becomes tangled somehow and sort of reacts with itself.

"At the moment the best method to make it is inside carbon nanotubes," he continued. "So you use the nanotube as a little container to protect it from reacting with anything else."

While its instability is a problem and it has only been made in tiny quantities so far, the existence of carbyne shows where chemistry might take us next. Calculations show it to be the strongest material known per density — stronger than graphene, carbon nanotubes or diamond.

There could also be more carbon allotropes to come.

"I think there probably could be some more," said Khlobystov. "But I think these will probably be based on hybridisation or mixing and matching current allotropes. It's almost like a chimera-type thing, so you have elements of one allotrope combined with another one."


Carbon fibre

Carbon fibre is not technically an allotrope of carbon as it contains some other elements such as oxygen and nitrogen but those other elements occur in very small proportions.

Carbon fibre has a similar structure to graphite, with the same hexagonal pattern but a difference in how the layers interlock. Whereas in graphite the bonds are weak making it soft and brittle, in carbon fibre the sheets are crumpled or folded together, making them more interlocked and strong.

The first carbon fibres were made in the 19th century, with Thomas Edison baking cotton threads at high temperatures to carbonise them for use in light bulbs. Nowadays, the material is made to higher quality using the polymer polyacrylonitrile as the base.

Typically, carbon fibre is used as the reinforcement in composite materials, usually with resin surrounding it. This kind of carbon fibre commonly features in sports cars, such as Buggati's €11 million La Voiture Noire (above, as well as fighter jets, bikes, tennis racquets and even some furniture.

There's also an alternative process using filament winding, which has been said to produce a higher quality fibre and has been used to make structures such as the Elytra Filament Pavilion.

The carbon fibre composites could get even stronger in the future with the addition of carbon nanotubes, and greener by using plant-derived cellulose instead of petroleum-based polyacrylonitrile as a precursor.


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Carbon revolution

This article is part of Dezeen'scarbon revolution series, which explores how this miracle material could be removed from the atmosphere and put to use on earth. Read all the content at: www.dezeen.com/carbon.

The sky photograph used in the carbon revolution graphic is byTaylor van Riper via Unsplash.

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