CUT Architectures designs third PNY burger joint in Paris

A new, colourful and super dooper contemporary PNY burger joint has opened in Paris in the 3rd arrondissement Les Marias, designed by CUT Architectures. I'm guessing this is only due to the success of the existing two restaurants, PNY Oberkampf and PNY FBG St-Denis, both also in Paris, and both also designed by CUT Architectures.

A little bit about the PNY burger establishments... They're actually part of what is becoming a flourishing concept in Paris, that of digging into burgers. While devouring burgers has always been more of an American thing, the French, who are generally more choosy about the quality of their food, seem to slowly be coming across this concept.

And the success of the PNY concept probably lies largely in their philosophy around the quality of their food. They carefully choose only the very best meat and ingredients, all while serving up a culture that is a blend of NYC and Paris, but minus the typically, corny clichés.

Whereby the first two PNY joints, in Oberkampf and St-Denis, were less colourful and certainly darker, the Les Marais PNY is completely animated with colour and eccentricity. There are a couple of things that stand out for me in the photos here; I love the juxtaposition of the bright, metallic, shiny colours against the rugged, textured wall, and I also get completely lost in the rectilinear, geometric visual cues that pop up as one moves through the space.

So with my flying to Paris in exactly one week from now, this is a definite must do on the list. It ticks all the boxes; I love burgers, love NYC, love Paris, love the colourful interior... however, the waistline may suffer...

Source - contemporist.com

Images - contemporist.com

Photography - david foessel

Whimsical & quirky Re-Edit hair salon in Japan, by Sides Core

Both austere and whimsical at the same time, the interior of the RE-EDIT hair salon in Osaka, Japan, is re-imagined by husband and wife design team Sides Core. The team, Sohei & Sumiko, have given this space nothing short of an atmosphere that bathes in a decidedly frugal aesthetic. This simplicity has one key objective, to reduce the space to its essentials.

And while simple, open, and devoid of partitions and breaks, the space has its own willful presence and sophistication. This easeful confidence comes through the careful choice of softly-spoken materials which work quietly as an ensemble to string together the space as a whole. The bright space is kept simple through the use of thin curtains, whitewashed walls and a lightly textured concrete floor, elements which help the interior maintain a calm and monotone palette.

While simplicity is key, there has clearly been a lot of thought put into maximising the use of the modular arrangements. Brightly coloured hooks are assembled on the ceiling in a grid, allowing the owner to freely 're-edit' the space as needed. The mirrors and shelves are secured with little more than ropes bound to the hooks, making it easy to move and shake the interior as one pleases. It is, without a doubt, a hair salon like few I've seen before, making for quite a unique experience, I would imagine...

Source - hypebeast.com

Images - Sides Core

Stock Coffee House in Serbia, by Arhitektura Budjevac

I have often said how refreshing it is to find great design in all the corners of the world, and so I'm very excited to have come across this little gem in Serbia. Designed by the Serbian based architectural studio Arhitektura Budjavec, the project is called Stock Coffee. The first coffee shop, in what is to roll out and be a franchise, was a transformation from what used to be a retail space. 

The first thing that the architects did was to strip back the space to its beautiful and candid materials. They removed all unnecessary elements from the interior and exposed the rugged bareness of its concrete, ceiling walls, beams and columns.

Spanning across two levels, the coffee shop is comprised of two L-shaped spaces that sit one above the other, and which are spatially connected by an atrium. They are further connected visually by a grand black wall that plays the role of a blackboard. One of the key unique elements of the interior, and noticeable from before one even steps foot into the store, the wall is covered with hand-drawn decorations made by Serbian artist Jelena Ilić. With its organic and free-hand drawings, the wall adds a human element to what is predominantly a coffee shop comprised of straight lines and flat surfaces. It also adds a sense of depth to the space, where someone enjoying their coffee could lose themselves in the story of the illustrations.

Besides the quirkiness and down-to-earth element of the wall, I love the use of furniture. it is simple yet perfectly appropriate for the space. It looks super comfortable and has an edgy, urban feel to it that does nothing short of compliment the choice of the rugged materials. And always one for simplicity, I couldn't go past noting the use of customised palettes serving as low-seating coffee tables. 

Beyond the main interior itself, the architects have also given thought to the actual user experience, giving it some relevance in the way we live today, through the notion of taking 'selfies'. Catchy wording is illustrated on the bathroom mirrors, inviting clients to take fun selfies, many of which they're likely going to share on social media. It's a simple but very interesting consideration when designing a space, because it recognises the effect of the interior beyond the physical interaction of the primary user. It explores how the interior plays a part as 'brand' out in the wider world of social media.

Source - archdaily.com via atelierrueverte.blogspot.fr

Images - arhitekturabudjevac.com via archdaily.com

Photography - andreja.budjevac

Ethereal ceiling in SND Fashion Store China, by 3GATTI Architects

Located in Chongqing, China, the SND Fashion Store is designed by 3GATTI Architects, with Francesco Gatti as lead architect. At first glance, this space appears to be a museum exhibition, a conceptual space designed with the user in mind, the soul that will weave in and out of the light and shadow created by the thousands of individual fins that hang down from the ceiling.

When 3GATTI embarked on this project they started from the simple and appealing idea of hanging everything from the ceiling, thereby being able to clear the way of furniture and other props, allowing the customer to be free to circulate as they please. This led to them imagining an 'elastic' ceiling, one that was pulled down the by the weight of the various objects that hang from it.

In thinking about where to house the technical equipment needed in such a store; lighting, speakers, sprinklers, cameras, etc., it was a natural progression to then think of this hanging ceiling as a permeable surface. The architect describes it as 'The permeable surface was the origin of the ethereal white ceiling; an ephemeral support for ephemeral objects.'  

The waves of ceiling are created by ten-thousand differently shaped unique pieces, each made of very thin, translucent fiberglass. This material was chosen due to its fire resistance factor, as well as the way it interacted with light reflections, creating an enigmatic landscape that is a spectacular source of play on light and dancing shadows. While the physical panels hang from the ceiling, their presence is felt in reflections on the floor, where it crosses over to the world of the customer...

Source - archdaily.com

Images - archdaily.com
Photography - shen-photo.com

Taschen opens first store in Italy! Photos by Mark Seleen

I was quite surprised to read that Taschen's first store in Italy has just opened in Milan. I would have assumed that they would already have a foot-print there... but there you go. And what a store it is!!! If these photos are anything to go by, the interior is well deserving of its very own special Taschen hardcover edition...

Launching during Milan Design Week, the Taschen store spans its art, design and photography books across 120 square metres of museum-like interior. The full Taschen collection is stocked over two floors, with the first floor dedicated entirely to limited editions and print exhibitions.

Touches of grandeur meet design hungry browsers at every corner of the store. A chandelier on the ground floor is by Gio Ponti. US artist Jonas Wood has designed the terrazzo flooring, inspired by shimmering Californian flora and fauna. Long-time Taschen collaborator, and Australian designer Marc Newson, created glass-top cabinets to present the publisher's collector's and art editions. And to top of the big name designs, pieces from the personal collection of Benedikt Taschen display 1950's Italian design.

A spiral staircase by Salvatoe Licitra features an alcove intended for quiet reading, and its walls are adorned with art from Graphic Thought Facility. On the first floor, a 1954 lamp by Flavio Poli illuminates the exhibition space, which currently displays a series of Julius Shulman photographs.

With their selection of extraordinary books, Taschen stores always serve as magical escapes for design book lovers, and so I can only begin to imagine what this refined interior serves up in terms of experience and emotion...  

Source - vogue.com.au

Images - vogue.com.au

Photography - markseelen.com