Every week we highlight those submissions which have been frequented by our readers and jury, in the lead-up to the reveal of Interiors of the Month winners and honourable mentions. Here are the five most-viewed projects between 12 and 19 May 2023.
IMPACT HUB BERLIN AT CRCLR-HOUSE
LXSY Architekten
Repurposing a former brewery in Berlin, LXSY Architekten has designed a vibrant community and co-working space for Impact Hub Berlin (7.08; Co-Working Space). The core values of this new workspace centre around sustainability, circularity and diversity and inclusion, with its design taking on a 'form follows availability' approach. An agile interior comprising various workspaces allows employees to pick and choose environments best suited to their working needs. The industrial feel of the former warehouse building has been elaborated on using a mixture of reused and upcycled materials, with all components being fully mountable and dismountable in a circular fashion.
See more here.
AUSTRIAN PAVILION AT EXPO DUBAI
Querkraft Architekten
This Austrian pavilion, designed by Querkraft Architekten, offered a moment of serenity amidst the commotion of the Expo 2020 in Dubai, UAE (6.98; Cultural Space). Inspired by traditional wind towers, 38 cones intersect to produce a variety of open, semi-open and internal spaces, showing off Austria's knowledge of climate engineering and reducing energy consumption in the pavilion by 75 per cent. The arrangement of the forms, combined with the addition of greenery and a water mist system, encourages the passive cooling of spaces. The pavilion was constructed using a modular construction method, allowing it to be reconstructed in a different place in the future.
See more here.
PSD BANK BERLIN-BRANDENBURG
Ester Bruzkus Architekten
An old post office has been transformed into a PSD Bank office that doubles up as a welcoming community centre in the southwest of Berlin, Germany (7.14; Small Office). The interior is made warm and inviting, encouraging visitors to make themselves at home and get comfortable on the various couches and chairs surrounded by plants. The historical nature of the building has been juxtaposed with contemporary and colourful materials, initiating a dialogue between old and new. This project challenges the corporate and imposing feel of many bank spaces, providing a café, community living area and interior garden that foster a more genuine connection with visitors.
See more here.
SHIBUYA SAUNAS
Snark Inc.
A desire for wellbeing drives the design of this Finnish sauna facility, designed by Snark Inc., in Tokyo, Japan (6.44; Health Club). Spread over three floors, visitors can choose between eight different types of saunas, two water baths, and a contemplative resting area, as well as a workspace and restaurant on the ground floor. The interior is elegant and minimalistic, supporting not only physical but also mental relaxation, and attention has been given to the sense of touch, with soft, curved benches and a non-slip rubber floor generating thoughtful moments of contact with the human body. The most minute details have been considered, too, from signboards to soap holders, fully immersing the visitor in the sauna experience.
See more here.
SOCO WORK
PBM
Designed by PBM, this agile co-working space in Bangkok, Thailand, captures the dynamicity of its capital city and young residents (6.19; Co-working Space). The 1030-sq-m building appreciates the unique needs of its users, taking inspiration from the Thai practice of seasoning food to cater for individual tastes. Blending open, collaborative areas with more intimate nooks, SOCO Work enables a variety of working styles, redefining the function of office space while integrating a strong Thai identity in its formal approach and decorative elements.
See more here.
