Miami-based firm NC-office recently completed the Inkanta Design Store located in Miami Beach at the 1111 Parking Garage designed by Herzog and De Meuron.

The project is a retail interior located at the 1111 Building on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach. The space is defined by two walls which contain the display cases. The walls are inflected to engage the customer from the exterior and to provide an integrated display at the storefront. The kink within the walls increases the display surface area while at the same time making every portion of the store visible to the sales-person. The sales area is defined by stainless steel panels which are perforated in order to reduce the weight of the heavy steel as well as to create a pixilated light pattern.

Inkanta Design Store, image courtesy NC-office | Photo by Michael Stavaridis

Inkanta Design Store, image courtesy NC-office | Photo by Michael Stavaridis

Inkanta Design Store, image courtesy NC-office | Photo by Michael Stavaridis

Inkanta Design Store, image courtesy NC-office | Photo by Michael Stavaridis

Inkanta Design Store, image courtesy NC-office | Photo by Michael Stavaridis

Inkanta Design Store, image courtesy NC-office | Photo by Michael Stavaridis

Inkanta Design Store - 3D diagram, drawing courtesy NC-office

Inkanta Design Store - Layout plan, drawing courtesy NC-office

+ Project credits / data

Project: Inkanta Design Store,
Location: 1111 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach
Completion: 2010
Architectural Design: NC-office | http://www.nc-office.com/
Client: Inkanta / 1111 Lincoln Road
Collaborators: Peter Nedev, Elizabeth Cardona, Cristina Canton, Nikolay Nedev
Consultants: Popov Engineers, Inc. (MEP)
Contractor: RCC Construction
Photographer: Michael Stavaridis

Materials:
Epoxy Based Terrazzo Flooring
Stainless Steel Perforated Panels

+ About NC-office

NC-office is a Miami-based partnership for architecture, urban design, landscape urbanism, and interiors. Projects include a fifty unit apartment building, a training facility for Alex Rodriguez from the New York Yankees, a prototype retail space for Inkanta Design Store in the recently completed 1111 Lincoln Road Parking Garage, as well as winning urban design proposals in Somerville, Massachusetts (Edge as Center), and Biscayne Bay in Miami.

The office is led by Nikolay Nedev, Peter Nedev, Cristina Canton, and Elizabeth Cardona. The partners have held faculty positions at the University of Miami, Florida International University and Harvard Univeristy’s Career Discovery Program. The work of NC-office has been exhibited in Miami, New York, Boston, and Stockholm. Several projects have also been published in various architectural journals and newspapers including Archivos de Arquitectura Antillana, Azure, Florida InsideOut and the Boston Globe.

Most recently NC-office received an award for ‘Excellence in Interior Design’ from the Miami Chapter of the American Institute of Architects for the Cafe Bustelo project in Miami Beach. Other awards include a citation for "Innovation and Technology" from the Boston Society of Architects for the short film featuring the 'Third Avenue Commons" residential project in Miami.

+ Video

Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) recently completed design for the much-anticipated ESPA spa located in the Istanbul EDITION hotel.

HBA London's Inge Moore (one of London's most in demand interior designer and Principal) and Nathan Hutchins (HBA London Associate) created a contemporary spa inspired largely by Turkish traditions, with design elements that echo the Hammam customs and atmospheric elements of Istanbul. This juxtaposition of the old with the new create a uniquely contemporary and luxurious space. Elements like embossed bronze floors, chocolate brown marble, cast bronze sinks, walls of crystals and lighting effect gives the spa a warm, rich and mysterious ambiance.

ESPA at the Istanbul Edition - Layout plan, drawing courtesy Hirsch Bedner Associates

ESPA at the Istanbul Edition - Entrance Elevator Lobby, image courtesy Hirsch Bedner Associates

ESPA at the Istanbul Edition - Reception Lobby, image courtesy Hirsch Bedner Associates

ESPA at the Istanbul Edition - Changing Room Lockers Sink, image courtesy Hirsch Bedner Associates

ESPA at the Istanbul Edition - Hammam, image courtesy Hirsch Bedner Associates

THE DESIGN

• Dark materials include rich metallic woods, embossed bronze floors, walls upholstered in exquisite horsehair.
• There are very few straight walls or corridors in guest areas and that helps to make the spaces mysterious and allows guests to discover new areas as they journey through it.
• Opulent chocolate brown marble and cast bronze sinks create a deep sense of calm and warmth throughout the Hammam.
• Mirrored silver glass tiles cover the pool and reflect the lavish gold feature wall above.
• Crystals are delicately integrated into the spa design in their most natural state. Their faceted edges, which glisten in the light, reinforce the atmospheric feel while exuding a distinct sense of luxury and elegance.
• VIP suite is decorated with patterned leather floors and smoked onyx walls

ESPA at the Istanbul Edition - Family Changing Lighting Detail, image courtesy Hirsch Bedner Associates

THE LIGHTING

• The play of light was one of the main component in the design inspiration and was drawn from the faceted cut out patterns found in a traditional Hammam.
• The lutron system installed in the treatment rooms is programmed to have different light levels throughout the varying stages of the treatment: with a welcoming level for arrival, a very low level for treatment, a another level for showering, and a level for relaxation. The Spa has both passive and active spaces, and the light levels reflect each space with the fitness room being the brightest.

ESPA at the Istanbul Edition - Fitness Center, image courtesy Hirsch Bedner Associates

ESPA at the Istanbul Edition - Poolside Lounge Chairs, image courtesy Hirsch Bedner Associates

+ About

HBA / Hirsch Bedner Associates | http://www.hbadesign.com/

World-renowned as the leading global hospitality design firm and winner of six record-breaking awards (2010 Hospitality Design Awards), HBA has over four decades of experience and thirteen global offices (Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, and with 450 designers around the globe). HBA creates the signature look of traditional luxury brands, independent contemporary boutiques, urban resort spas, world-class residences, restaurants, casinos, and cruise ships. Some of their most famous project include the Mandarin Oriental New York and the island hideaway of One&Only Le Touessrok Hotel & Spa in Mauritius. The Gallery is an intimate studio of multi cultural designers spun from HBA DNA, nested in the heart of London.

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Istanbul EDITION

The Istanbul EDITION is positioned in Levent, a wealthy residential and boutique area in the heart of Istanbul. Set to be one of the first groundbreaking hotels out of the partnership between Marriott hotels and Ian Schrager — creator of the world-renowned Gramercy Park Hotel.

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ESPA

Founded in 1993 by Susan Harmsworth, ESPA is the world's leading total spa company building award winning spas in five continents across the globe. Years of experience covering strategy, operational, conceptual and development elements of spas combined with as in depth knowledge of differing cultures, products and treatments, result in a company which is well rounded and genuinely committed to inspired natural products, treatments and continual spa development.

+ All images and drawings courtesy Hirsch Bedner Associates

+ Recommendation Spa design featured on +MOOD

Scandianve Les Bains Vieux Montréal | Saucier + Perrotte architectes

UrBan Homme | Design Act

Recently completed Jassim Alshehab, Tatami Japanese Restaurant is located in the business district “downtown Kuwait”. The design concept was derived from the integration of the “japanese tatami mats” method of planning and the industrial ambiance of the city. Thus, The seating areas, wall cladding, lighting distribution, and circulation the ratio 2:1 was kept as a guiding design principle.

Tatami Japanese Restaurant, image courtesy Jassim Alshehab

Tatami Japanese Restaurant - Layout plan, drawing courtesy Jassim Alshehab

The restaurant layout intended to utilize the building main facade for the restaurant seating and eliminate any distracting elements in that area; therefore, the sushi bar was placed on the opposite side of the facade and the kitchen was located behind it.

Tatami Japanese Restaurant, image courtesy Jassim Alshehab

Tatami Japanese Restaurant, image courtesy Jassim Alshehab

The restaurant feature a mixture of materials and textures that were intended to be subtle and harmonic to emphasize and contrast the copper pipes designed to distribute the lighting and also highlight the side seating and sushi bar to fuse an industrial vibe in the space in addition to the preserved portions of the concrete ceiling and columns which were left untreated.

Tatami Japanese Restaurant, image courtesy Jassim Alshehab

The exterior of the restaurant was designed to feature the color palette of the restaurant's interior and distinguish visually separate the restaurant's elevation and entrance from the building. Therefore a steel beam was extended between the building's front columns at a 3m height with the lower portion of each column cladded with oxidized metal panels. In addition, planters were placed between the columns bordering an outdoor seating area from the street.

+ Project credits / data

Project: Tatami Japanese Restaurant
Arch: Jassim Alshehab
Location: Sharq, Kuwait
Project Year: 2011
Program: Interior | Restaurant

+ All images, drawing and description courtesy Jassim AlShehab