Architects and designers SHH have revamped Café Liberty, the 60-cover, second floor restaurant at London's iconic Liberty department store on Regent Street, which was originally constructed in 1924 using the timbers of two ships (HMS Impregnable and HMS Hindustan). The fast-turnaround, tight-budget project was commissioned by the leisure creative team at Compass Group UK & Ireland, the catering company now operating the restaurant, and has radically changed the look and feel of the space, re-integrating it into the style and spirit of the original Arts & Crafts building – one of London's finest and most distinctive retail environments – thanks to a number of choice vintage and contemporary interventions.

Cafe Liberty, image courtesy SHH

Major new features include reclaimed 1920s doors (sourced from Retrouvius); a 1920s Arts & Crafts washstand, reading desk and mahogany cabinet to serve as greeter and waiter stations; eye-catching hand-blocked wallpaper (by Martha Armitage); a series of beautiful reclaimed glass lights and three neon flying ducks (bespoke-designed by SHH's lead designer on the project, Helen Hughes) at the entrance of the café, to attract attention and give the room a contemporary tweak.

Cafe Liberty, image courtesy SHH

'Our overall approach', commented Helen Hughes, 'was to make the interior look properly integrated with the building; make the restaurant function better, with more appropriate seating and lighting, and introduce striking new elements, that were either era-appropriate, highly contemporary or else which evoke the craft and maker spirit of the Arts & Crafts movement, such as the hand-printed wallpaper.'

The brief for the rectangular, 125 sq m space was generated in partnership between SHH, Liberty and Compass Leisure and began with practical issues. Existing seating, for example, had been arranged around 6-seater tables, which were often not fully used, leading to lost covers when customers were waiting for tables. The new marble-topped tables are now 4-seater tables with one group table for up to ten people, which is proving an instant hit. Seating was replaced with the Conran A16 chair, styled on the classic Bent Wood chair, which again gives a sense of warmth, history and permanence – as well as being particularly comfortable and easy to sit on.

The overly-blonde flooring in the space was stained to dark wood to be more in keeping with the store's original dark timbers, whilst a wall of beautifully-framed lead-lined windows was uncovered and restored. The servery area frontage was re-clad to match the new flooring.

Cafe Liberty, image courtesy SHH

Lighting was a major element of the new scheme. The existing system, which featured fittings swinging from the ceiling track, looked cluttered in a low-ceilinged space and also released no ambient light onto the walls or ceilings. This was replaced with discreet, directional spotlights along both long elevations of the room to highlight certain areas and take the eye away from the ceiling, whilst six beautiful and vintage bell-glass lights (surplus to requirements elsewhere in the building) now form a central feature, hanging just above the tables down the central spine of the space.

Cafe Liberty, image courtesy SHH

The reclaimed 1920s doors now screen openings into the store's back offices and also partially-obscure the kitchen (although clear glass still allows glimpses of movement to be seen). 'These really were a lucky find', added Helen Hughes, 'as their slightly battered and beaten look is perfect for the building and it's hard to believe they haven't always been in place'. The gentlemen's suit fabric that lines the back office entry doors in a pleated and gathered curtain, referencing Liberty's fashion offer, was also sourced at Retrouvius. The Arts & Crafts washstand and 1920s mahogany cabinet are used as waiter stations, whilst the 1920s reading desk is used as the host / greeter station at the entrance to the restaurant.

The main decoration took the form of new paintwork for panels and columns, in a strong and contemporary mid-dark grey, with the two long walls papered in two different intricate grey and white motif designs (one of leaves and butterflies and one of a fantasy garden) by wallpaper designer Martha Armitage (sourced from Sigmar). The final fun element is the shocking pink neon sculpture of flying ducks at the entrance to the space, designed by Helen Hughes and manufactured by Neon Creations. 'It's always good to have an unexpected element', Helen Hughes commented. 'This ensures the space is not seen as 'twee' and is definitely in the risk-taking spirit of Liberty's and its endlessly pioneering commitment to style.'

Cafe Liberty, image courtesy SHH

Roy Westwood, Creative Manager at Compass Group UK & Ireland, commented on the design: 'Liberty is a wonderfully unique venue and it was important for us to have a seamless transition between the restaurant and retail areas when embarking on the refurbishment. SHH interpreted our vision fantastically, with an abundance of style and elegance, while still retaining a 'rock'n'roll' playful twist. The restaurant is now a true part of the store and we think Liberty customers will really enjoy the new look.'

+ Designer: SHH
+ Photographer: Gareth Gardner

+ All images courtesy SHH

Designed by dagli + atélier d'architecture, IANUS & IANA are two apartment buildings in Steinsel, in the northern outskirts of Luxembourg-City, with a total of 30 apartments. The project was based on a competition in 2008. Our proposition was chosen because of the architectural concept behind the buildings.

IANUS & IANA, image courtesy dagli + atelier d'architecture | Photo by Jörg Hempel Photodesign

IANUS & IANA, image courtesy dagli + atelier d'architecture | Photo by Jörg Hempel Photodesign

Our conception is based on two characters taken from the roman mythology – I A N U S, the god of the sun, and I A N A, the goddess of the moon. I A N U S was also the god of the beginning and the end, entrances and exits, light and darkness, creator of all things.

IANUS & IANA, image courtesy dagli + atelier d'architecture | Photo by Jörg Hempel Photodesign

Our intention was to pick up the idea of two buildings standing next to each other but being completely different at the same time, kind of creating the opposite attraction. This is why we picked up the opposite of light and darkness, and designed one of the buildings as a positive, white building, and the other one as its alter ego, a negative black building. The buildings' design is kept simple, clear and understandable outlines. In order to keep the conception readable, we designed the two buildings completely identical, on the colors alternate. The façades are designed with a horizontal layout; using areas where balconies get docked onto the building, in order to extent the inner spaces at the outside. We used the black and white opposite colors to connect the balconies and define certain areas around the openings of the façade.

IANUS & IANA, image courtesy dagli + atelier d'architecture | Photo by Jörg Hempel Photodesign

The interior of the building is divided in individually designed apartments. The ground floor is organized into commercial and residential surfaces, while the commercial points out to the street, the residential surfaces are orientated towards the terraces and backyards to the west. The upper apartments are designed as luxurious duplex apartments with roof terraces at the top floor.

IANUS & IANA, image courtesy dagli + atelier d'architecture | Photo by Jörg Hempel Photodesign

The architectural competition included the two apartment buildings in a first round, and a third building in a second round. Due to the quality of our entry, the client decided to cancel the second round and have the third building directly designed by dagli atelierd’ architecture.

+ Project credits / data

DESIGN: dagli atelierd’ architecture | www.dagli.lu
LOCATION: Rue de la Libération
COMPLETION: July 2011
SURFACE: 3.000m²
VOLUME: 10.500m³
PROGRAM: residential (+ commercial)
PHOTOGRAPHER: Jörg Hempel Photodesign | www.joerg-hempel.de

+ All images and drawings courtesy dagli + atélier d'architecture | Photo by Jörg Hempel Photodesign

Ana Relvao is a Portuguese designer working in Munique (Germany), she has recently designed Disco, a tiny medal made in polished steel. This piece is now on exhibition, at Objectos Reflectidos, where some new portuguese designers are being showed, as part of EXD’11/Lisboa.

+ Designer: Ana Relvao

Disco, image courtesy Ana Relvao

Disco, image courtesy Ana Relvao

“Architects.Doing Other Things” art exhibit is organized and curated by the Chicago Women in Architecture. This exhibit is part of Chicago Artists Month 2011, the sixteenth annual celebration of Chicago’s vibrant visual art community.

The opening is on Thursday, October 6, 5:30pm – 9 pm, at Ross barney architects, 10 W Hubbard Street, Chicago. It is free and open to the public and will exhibit the artwork of more than 50 Chicago based architect/artists who will be present during the evening to meet and greet.

+ Exhibition hours

The exhibit will be open Monday thru Friday, 11am – 4pm, from Friday, October 7 till Monday, October 31.

+ Artist Talks

Brown Bag Lunch Series.
All Artist Talks begin at noon and end at 1pm.
Artists will talk from 12:15pm – 1pm.

Tuesday, October 11 – Lori Day, Dawn Heid
Friday, October 14 – Deirdre Colgan
Wednesday, October 19 – Leona Ketterl, Annie Pedret
Monday, October 21 – Jessica Calek, Annie Cosgrove, Jane Sloss
Wednesday, October 26 – Margaret McCurry, Jamie Lis Stevens
Friday, October 28 – Selma Nadhimi, Kathryn Anthony (?)

+ More up to date information can be found at http://www.cwarch.org/HTML/aDOT2011.htm

"Hutopolis" is a research program that aims to investigate new boundaries for the urban development in China. The study intends to re-use and enhance the existing urban framework and networks as a key idea to generate a new evolution of the city.
Hutopolis at Beijing Design Week is a retrospective on the urban condition of Beijing and specifically its Hutongs.

Imagined as an exploration in three chapters on the urban fabric of the old Beijing, the exhibition wants to establish a relationship with the audience engaging a dialogue. The discourse starts from a general picture of the old city, continues with a scientific breakdown into the four principles and concludes at a virtual re-composition of an ideal image of the city.

• A series of boards will raise questions about the facts and they will present figures and info-graphics to illustrate the research.
• Two short movies will offer a close approach to the hutongs atmosphere, the way of living and the most personal portrait of the urban and social conditions.
• A touch screen application will allow the audience to interact with a hutong map to understand the morphology and functions through an urban game.

HUTOPOLIS, image courtesy AQSO

HUTOPOLIS, image courtesy AQSO

By picturing, analyzing, and re-imagining a part of the city, "Hutopolis" wants to engage preservation and modernization into a dialogue to foster an evolution.

China and Spain based firm "AQSO arquitectos office" organizes this exhibition curated by Giannantonio Bongiorno, with the support of a wide team of designers, architects, film makers and software developers.

HUTOPOLIS, image courtesy AQSO

HUTOPOLIS, image courtesy AQSO

+ HUTOPOLIS exhibition

From Monday 26 of September to Monday 3rd of October ( Free admission)
Location: 8 Dawailangyin Hutong, Dashilar. Xicheng district. Beijing.
Opening hours: Daily from 12:00h to 20:00h

+ More information, visit http://www.hutopolis.info/

+ About

ABOUT THE BEIJING DESIGN WEEK 2011

2011 Beijing Design Week & the First Beijing International Design Triennial is scheduled to take place in Beijing from September 26th to October 3rd. With international design resources gathered by BJDW, Beijing is expected to move towards a culture-enriched capital with better developed technology-driven design industries, while Chinese design brands play a more influential role in the world stage. The ultimate goal help "Made in China" transform to "Designed in China".

Beijing Design Week is schedule to be an annual event co-presented with one famous Chinese design institute. This year, we are working with Tsinghua University's "First Beijing International Design Triennial". The event is composed of six sections: opening ceremony, Beijing Design Forum, design exhibitions, Guest City Program, Design Hop and Annual Design Award.

ABOUT AQSO ARQUITECTOS OFFICE

AQSO is a multidisciplinary office composed of an international group of young professionals dedicated to contemporary architecture, urban planning and cultural research. Their philosophy combines a rigorous and pragmatic approach with an innovative attitude.

The office approaches every project with an ambitious methodology that investigates and analyzes social, economic, technical and sustainable issues. Their ability covers a wide range of types and scales, from public, commercial and residential buildings to town planning and urbanism.

AQSO understands architecture as a multidisciplinary process, a comprehensive approach beyond living spaces, a method in cooperation with different professionals and consultants to become the coherent nexus between imagination and reality.

Their team has the international vision, experience, flexibility and ability to materialize each project from concept to site supervision.

The office is founded by Luis Aguirre and is an international partnership. The practice relies on a multicultural team of experienced architects working on an open cross-disciplinary collaboration platform.

AQSO has been awarded for several international design competitions including Europan 9 and the Self-sufficient IaaC contest. The firm has received several prizes for public and restricted architectural competitions in Spain and China, where the company is based.

ABOUT GIANNANTONIO BONGIORNO

Giannantonio Bongiorno is an italian architect currently based in Beijing.

Educated in universities in Germany and Italy he graduated from Politecnico di Milano. During and after the university he was tutor in several courses and workshops of the Milan's Polytechnic, being also coordinator for projects such as the “Culture of Living” exhibition host in Indonesia in 2005 and the “Urban Light Walk” exhibition hosted at the Milan’s design week.

Giannantonio in the past years has been working for Office for Metropolitan Architecture (Rem Koolhaas) and MAD Architects.
Operating within Asia and Europe, he has been recently working on a number of large scale development and promoting cultural projects bridging Europe and China.

In his designs, he wants to achieve a balance between critical and pragmatic approaches to architecture.

ABOUT MEDIA CONSTRUCTIONS

Media Constructions is a Russian new-com concentrating its business in the development of new interactive interfaces. Media Constructions operates between Russia and China with bases in Yakutsk and Hong Kong.

Media Constructions developed for Hutopolis the “Hutopolis build your Hutong” application and the related multi-touch device.

Media Constructions has been founded in 2010 by Dmitry Egorov, Nikolay Chukrov, Vladimir Popov, Djulus Diodorov with the support of Giannantonio Bongiorno.

+ All images courtesy AQSO

Dutch designer Marc Th. van der Voorn has recently designed the BRANCH dining table. The tabletop seems to float above the legs. All steel parts are black oxided to protect them and to give them a nice mat finish. This table is made with beautiful craftsmanship.

+ Designer: Marc Th. van der Voorn | http://www.marcvandervoorn.nl
+ Dimensions: 240 or 300 cm – 100 cm – hight 75 cm
+ Material: European Oak / Natural and Elephant Grey

BRANCH dining table, image courtesy Marc Th. van der Voorn

BRANCH dining table, image courtesy Marc Th. van der Voorn

BRANCH dining table, image courtesy Marc Th. van der Voorn

BRANCH dining table, image courtesy Marc Th. van der Voorn

An installation produced and presented by molo involving four artist/designers – David Ullock, Zoe Garred, Hanahlie Beisle and Joshua Van Dyke – occupying the spaces in and around softshelter (a system for creating personal space within a larger shelter) to create an intimate community of individual viewing galleries.

shelter will be exhibited from September 29 until October 2 at IDS West in Vancouver, Canada at the Vancouver Convention Center.

Shelter for IDS West 2011 in Vancouver Convention Centre, image courtesy molo

Shelter for IDS West 2011 in Vancouver Convention Centre, image courtesy molo

Softshelter is designed and produced by molo. Amongst other things, it is a solution to homelessness caused by disaster. It is a system for creating personal space within larger city shelters – larger buildings that have been designated as shelters and are still intact following disaster – ie. a school gymnasium. softshelter provides individuals and families with a sense of home, comfort and privacy with the idea that these qualities will encourage community planning and building in the days, months and years following tragedy. softshelter is part of molo's ongoing exploration of materials, fabrication techniques and spacemaking, and focus on enhancing common daily ritual and flexible use of space.

Visit our earlier story for more information/installation about the project.

Shelter for IDS West 2011 in Vancouver Convention Centre, image courtesy molo

Shelter for IDS West 2011 in Vancouver Convention Centre, image courtesy molo

Shelter for IDS West 2011 in Vancouver Convention Centre, image courtesy molo

+ About

David Ullock

David Ullock is a visual artist and designer, born in Victoria BC and raised on Vancouver Island. He is a graduate of the Vancouver Island School of Art and Vancouver Film School and enjoys exploring the possibilities of creating composition and narrative through his own uniquely developed process of "automatic marks". His work extends into notions of psyche, transience, and the human mind within its physical surroundings. David is currently living in a softshelter at molo's Vancouver workshop.

Fleet Objects

Fleet Objects is the Vancouver based design studio of Zoe Garred. Zoe's interest is in creating elegantly simple and useful objects. Since the usefulness of an object is entirely subjective, Zoe explores ways of designing objects to be open in their function, inviting the owner to define the object's significance. Zoe's work is fully considered; her products and packaging use a minimum of materials, all of which are either re-usable, recyclable or biodegradable.

Hanahlie Beise

Designer and textile-artist, Hanahlie Beise chose the word "Tierkunde" to represent her line of 100% wool felted animals, for its playful and childlike sound, as a nod to her roots (the word means "zoology" in German), and because of her lifelong fascination with, and love for animals. Each Tierkunde piece is meticulously needle-felted from local, directly sourced wool that's been washed and processed at artisan facilities. As part of her intensely personal, process-based design practice, Hanahlie works with Canadian wool-sheep farmers to help support and build awareness for an industry that's been decimated by competition with imports. In addition to her work with textiles, Hanahlie is a partner in the design studio and boutique branding agency, Caste Projects. She lives in Victoria, BC.

Joshua Van Dyke

Vancouver born artist Joshua Van Dyke graduated from The Glasgow School of Art in 2007, and has exhibited in Vancouver, Scotland and Finland. He received an Olympic Torch Grant for the public art installation 'Corridor' in 2010. Working across sculpture, painting and installation, his practice explores notions of collection and display, materiality, and the overlapping of geographic and cultural boundaries. He has recently set up a Studio on Bowen Island where he lives.

+ All images and drawings courtesy molo

Pedra Silva Architects have just completed the new office for the german institute Fraunhofer in Oporto, Portugal.

Fraunhofer Portugal is a non-profit private research association and is part of the German Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the largest organization for applied research in Europe. Although not familiar to the general public, Fraunhofer is responsible for many important innovations, including, for example, the MP3 file format, and many advances in workplace organization research.

Fraunhofer Portugal, image courtesy Pedra Silva Architects | Photo by João Morgado

Fraunhofer Portugal, image courtesy Pedra Silva Architects | Photo by João Morgado

Pedra Silva Architects was selected, through an open competition, to design the new Porto headquarters, located at the Technology University Campus: "Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia da Universidade do Porto (UPTEC)". Our design took into account Fraunhofer's innovative philosophy trough a message that is simple, positive and dynamic. Innovative workplace layout and organizational elements from Frauhnofer Office Innovation Center in Stuttgart (Germany) were also an important input to the project, adding another layer to our concept.

Fraunhofer Portugal, image courtesy Pedra Silva Architects | Photo by João Morgado

The new research facilities occupy two floors in a new UPTEC building in a total of 1.660sqm. Circulation is the project's backbone; all spaces appear along a distribution route located next to the glass façade. This main axis allows access to all different spaces. These spaces, with different functions and sizes, are generated and consolidated through a bold gesture: a waving plane that goes through the open floors, creating different spaces and ambiances.

Fraunhofer Portugal, image courtesy Pedra Silva Architects | Photo by João Morgado

This spatial and visual dynamics are generated by a free plane that travels through the space and by colour, that reinforces the perception of different volumes. The waving surface acts, depending on the context, as ceiling, wall or floor of offices and meeting rooms, guaranteeing visual continuity, movement and flow.

Fraunhofer Portugal, image courtesy Pedra Silva Architects | Photo by João Morgado

Another important asset to the project is the introduction of several small social and meeting spaces, named silent rooms, which allow for personal retreat, as well as informal meetings or resting. These spaces are intended to generate a highly creative environment promoting comfort and well being among the researchers.

Fraunhofer Portugal, image courtesy Pedra Silva Architects | Photo by João Morgado

+ Project credits / data

Architects: Pedra Silva Architects | www.pedrasilva.com
Project Coordination: Luis Pedra Silva with ENGEXPOR | www.engexpor.pt
Team: Hugo Ramos, Rita Pais, Jette Fyhn, Dina Castro, André Góis Fernandes, Ana Lúcia da Cruz, Ricardo Sousa, Bruno Almeida
MEP design: JCT www.jct.pt with GATENGEL | www.gatengel.pt
Lighting: Astratec with Prolicht Lighting www.astratec.pt and www.prolicht.at
Workplace Furniture: BENE | www.bene.com
Social furniture: Empatias | www.empatias.pt
Location: Oporto, Portugal
Project area: 1660m2
Project year: 2011
Contractor: BEC – Braga Equipamento e Construção www.bec.com.pt
Type: Interior | Workplace
Photographs: João Morgado | www.photo.joaomorgado.com

+ All images and drawings courtesy Pedra Silva Architects | Photo by João Morgado

German architectural practice HPP architects designed the DFB Football Museum in the city center of Dortmund in neighbourhood to the main station, Germany. The new museum will have about 7000 m² GFA and 2.400 m² exhibition space. Scheduled on construction in 2012 and completion in 2014.

+ Architect: HPP architects | http://www.hpp.com/

DFB Football Museum, render courtesy HPP architects

DFB Football Museum, render courtesy HPP architects

DFB Football Museum, render courtesy HPP architects