by Our favorite interior projects this month feature Vitra’s new headquarters and retail concept inspired by the Canary Wharf skyline.
Vitra HQ, by Thirdaway
Vitra’s London headquarters are now in the newly refurbished Grade II listed Tramshed building in Shoreditch. Design studio Thirdaway tried to create a link between the old and the new, placing Vitra furniture classics and contemporary design pieces in an industrial context.
Built as a power station for the East London Tramway in 1905 on Rivington Street in Shoreditch, the original Tramshed was designed by English architect Emmanuel Vincent Harris. Thirdaway was tasked with respecting the heritage of the building and integrating the Vitra brand and identity. The green and red-toned colors complement the existing architecture of the building as well as black accents that refer to the black steel elements.
The 920 square meter space is divided into three main areas. With a terrazzo bar centerpiece, the Club area seeks to meet the needs of a post-pandemic workforce. The space is “thoughtfully divided with natural lighting that shows how the inspired concept can be adapted to changing spatial conditions”, according to Thirdaway. A silver curtain acts as a soft divider between the seats and a separate private space.
On the top floor, Thirdaway created a mezzanine area, reflecting Vitra’s approach to home interiors using a biophile design concept, soft furnishings, and artwork. The basement floor, now known as The Gallery, will serve as an exhibition space.
On Sports Store London
Swiss sports brand On has opened its European flagship store on Regent Street, London, taking a technology-based approach to designing customer experience and interiors. The three story store aims to offer a multi-sensory experience inspired by a science museum.
Ground floor interactive stations showcase the latest in the brand’s technology, sustainability and innovation efforts. With cobblestone floors and natural clay walls, this floor is designed to look and feel like a running path in London.
Designed with the community in mind, the lower ground floor is a space for panels, rehearsals and events, including a pop-up bar. The green walls made of concrete cast from wood aim to replicate the brand’s affinity with the outdoors.
On the top floor shoppers will come across a “Magic Wall” featuring trainers, nearly the length and height of the floor. Integrated into the floor is hidden ride-cycle analysis technology, meaning shoppers have made a few moves to instantly match a pair of running shoes based on their running style.
Heythrop Park Hotel, by DesignLSM
DesignLSM redesigned a hotel in the heart of the Cotswolds to make the contemporary extension more integrated with the original 18th century Grade II listed manor building. The studio’s refurbishment of Heythrop Park Hotel includes The Orangery, six lounges, three restaurants, two bars, a ballroom and a theatre.
Each space has been designed with its own unique identity in mind, tied together by references to the property’s history. Heythrop Park was built for the 1st Duke of Shrewsbury in 1706-1711 and the new interior is influenced by his working relationship with the English Baroque architect Thomas Archer and endeavors such as the Duke’s Grand Tour of Italy.
Three lounges within the house – The Churchill, Bladon and Blenheim rooms – feature designs inspired by the Duke’s European travels and cultural experiences. Velvet seats in warm colors have details similar to those found in traditional train carriages and oil paintings decorate the rooms.
The largest of the three restaurants – The Market Kitchen located in the extension – takes design cues from the traditional kitchen garden, with a color palette inspired by a working pantry. DesignLSM tried to contrast the lighter colors with color accents through the citrus patterned upholstered chairs and floral wallpaper.
Malin + Goetz Canary Wharf, by Jonathan Tuckey Design
Skincare brand Malin + Goetz has a new retail concept designed specifically for its Canary Wharf location. Jonathan Tuckey Design created the space to look like the streetscape and skyline on a human scale, with tall structures made of steelwork and stacked cubic pipe prism shapes.
The custom-designed mini-skyscrapers have translucent white shelves that vary in depth as they rise. Spot lighting illuminates the spaces but creates a darker atmosphere towards the ceiling, covering the top of the shelf structure. Jonathan Tuckey Design chose to set heavier materials, such as theater royal blue velvet curtains and polished marble and matte concrete against the steel displays, setting a city scene at night.
The other three Malin + Goetz retail experiences in Islington, Seven Dials, and Spitalfields – also designed by the studio – have their own distinctive interiors for their location. They seek to bring the role of the apothecary to the fore and emphasize the value of well-being through a local connection.
Sony Music UK HQ and Studio, by MoreySmith
Architecture studio MoreySmith Designed Sony Music UK’s new headquarters in the heart of Kings Cross, along with a new recording studio, The Gin Factory. Designers worked at Sony’s office in the weeks leading up to the move to observe work patterns, which informed how they would design the new workspace.
Among the elements most requested by employees and label leaders were greater access to outdoor space, improved acoustics, more natural light, and a space that enables a creative and flexible work culture. Each label and company under Sony Music, including RCA, Columbia Records, and Ministry of Sound Records, has been given a specially designed space, distinguished by relevance, furniture schemes, and artwork across its ten studio spaces.
The new Kings Cross office includes space for live music events, a private study area, photography studios, audiovisual facilities and a roof terrace. MoreySmith combined an open desk plan with closer alcove seating and quiet areas with phone booths, aimed at serving the needs of Sony’s 900 staff. The studio also incorporated furniture and materials from Sony Music’s former UK headquarters, as well as recycled and locally sourced materials to create the most sustainable scheme.
Other interior standout features include the double-height cafe in the center of the building, a mirrored boardroom that allows occupants to glimpse the activity below, and an enclosed study with a tiled archway and vaulted, inspired ceiling at the Coal Drops Yard architecture.
& Over at Punakha River Lodge
Travel company & Beyond is launching its first lodge in Asia, located on the banks of the Mo Chu River in Bhutan’s Punakha Valley. The interior draws inspiration from its natural surroundings and displays a unique take on traditional Bhutanese style.
Six safari tent rooms are suspended from the traditional Bhutanese wooden structure, with decorative details in the woodwork. The same decorations can also be found in the bathrooms, as well as brass covered bathtubs.
Bhutan’s national flower – the blue poppy – is a recurring motif throughout the lodge’s interior design. Handwoven Bhutanese wool upholstery, linen details and blankets attempt to add hints of bright color and texture to the otherwise simple, traditional design.
The Alchemist, by Blacksheep
London-based creative studio Blacksheep created the new interior for The Alchemist site in Glasgow, drawing on the “new age of Cosmic Alchemy”. Blacksheep tried to blend the rough architecture of the building with a higher aesthetic.
Layers of rich-toned tactile materials and opulent finishes are featured throughout the space, from the Speakeasy bar and dining room to The Dispensary, a new interactive self-serve drinking experience. Guests are led into the main bar through a “cosmic portal” decorated with gold artwork inspired by astronomy.
The Alchemist’s statement bar is designed to look as if it is emitting light throughout the space, in an effort to make the drinking experience more theatrical. A large piece of Luna moonlight looks over the intimate Speakeasy bar to create a “heavenly and warm atmosphere”, says Blacksheep.
