#HTE

Dampier Creek winds its way inland to form the eastern border of Broome, a coastal town in Western Australia. Broome is home to roughly 14,000 people, but its population can grow to upwards of 45,000 per month during peak tourist season from June to August. Its 14-mile (22-km) white-sand Cable Beach, paleontology exhibits, pearl farms, and other attractions make it a popular destination for travelers around the world.

See more here: https://bit.ly/3BnzCq3

-17.959000°, 122.247167°

Source imagery: Maxar

#HTE

The Yarra Yarra Lakes Nature Reserve is a system of small salt lakes near the town of Carnamah, Western Australia. Once the site of a great river, this landscape has formed due to changes in land and sea level, a drier climate, and infrequent rains. Lakes here will change color throughout the year, turning blue in the winter as they fill with water and pink in the summer as they evaporate and leave behind salt.

See more here: https://bit.ly/3BgNXEI

-29.689000°, 115.887000°

Source imagery: Planet

#HTE

CO-LAB Design Office’s Casa Areca readily welcomes visitors with complimentary cool shades of palm leaves. Surrounded by a secret garden of Areca Palms, the three-storey residence is located by the beach town of Tulum, Mexico. Draped in accents of creamy chai and cashmere-like colours, this AirBnB listed holiday home aims to relax.

Casa Areca’s design is predominately influenced by the existing palms on the site – resulting in a relatively narrow footprint on the large rectilinear block. Although, the additional two levels above ground makes the house a surprising 285 square metres, made possible by straightforward planning.

Leading up to the singular garden path, the entrance opens up to a spacious open kitchen, living and dining area, framed by floor to ceiling black-framed glass doors operable to transform the house into an oversized alfresco zone.

Related: Aviv House in Tulum, Mexico by CO-LAB Design Office.

With such a large garden space to work with, the architects introduce a large deck to accommodate the oversized doors, as well as a swimming pool. Upstairs contains four luxurious bedrooms, each provided with an en-suite for that extra bit of self-care before capping off with a lovely rooftop garden that offers a tree-house-esque experience as the branched of the overgrowing tree whimsically spill into the space.

Beyond the aesthetic front, the house is embedded with environmentally conscious attributes. Solar panels are installed to take advantage of the sun and windows are positioned to embrace the cross-ventilating breeze. Added in with the polished concrete stone floor, the temperature inside is modestly balanced by the harmonious relationship between internal and external elements.

Related: Lover’s House in Mallorca by ISLA Architects.

Externally, Casa Areca is made of CMU blocks and concrete walls with ridges printed by wooden sticks to represent the movement of the sun. Internally, CO-LAB confidently create implied negative space with a careful selection of material and colour. Soft burnt-macadamia tones offset the walls and semi-floating staircases to cast a warming glow. Solid inbuilt shelves and island benches are gently embraced by locally harvested timber used in cabinetry. Harvesting vibes that match a romantic film set are further embellished with custom joinery designed in collaboration between the architects and Yucatan artisans.

In such a space of warmth and dreams – Casa Areca definitely sells the dream of a summer getaway. Everything feels soft despite the hard edges – and the image of the sun rays across my face while admiring the complimentary greens – have me dreaming of my next summer adventure.

Related: PDM Holiday House in Majorca by Paradowski Studio.

| The article Casa Areca Tulum by CO-LAB Design Office. appeared first on Yellowtrace. |

#HTE

La Latina is a neighborhood located in the center of Madrid, Spain. The area was named after an old hospital of the same name that was founded in 1499. In the lower left of this Overview, you can also see the popular Mercado de la Cebada market, with its six-panel, multi-colored rooftop.

See more here: https://bit.ly/3kio14o

40.411500°, -3.710972°

Source imagery: Maxar

#HTE

With the whole world increasingly becoming more open to the idea of working from home, the office is firmly positioning itself as a place of human connection, collaboration and inspiration. Interpreting these concepts into a physical space, co-working brand Cloudworks tasked MESURA with the design of their latest office in the centre of Barcelona – a penthouse with 360-degree views of the city.

“Incorporating the brand’s identity and that of its community, we built an office based on three key design principles in constant dialogue – function, identity and wellbeing,” explains the design team. Wrestling with the overarching concept of private versus public space, inside and outside, MESURA set out to design an office as a continuous whole.

“Even more so in current times, it’s become clear the office is more than just a place to work and concentrate,” says the design team. “Working also implies meeting, cross-pollination across teams, conversation and finding new ideas. The contemporary office space includes both a private and a public role, yet one shouldn’t hinder the other.”

Related: CLOUD Coworking in Barcelona, Spain by MESURA.

Cloudworks GV differentiates its social and public areas by using meeting rooms as a buffer while positioning a landing point in the middle – an informal meeting area set between the public and the private zones. Overall, the coworking space is open with all physical divisions removed, opening up the office to the panoramic views from the terrace – here, lush greenery is installed along the edges to act as a natural buffer from the city.

The project invites the Mediterranean climate inside the interior, while extending the office space outside. With an entirely monochrome colour palette, Cloudworks GV becomes a continuous whole, using a functional program to encapsulate all physical needs of the coworking office of today.

Related: Note Design Studio’s Convention-busting Interior for Flexible London Workspace.

The interior’s character resonates with a delicate use of light, colour and sustainable materials. Every area is given its own identity with custom-designed locally-made furniture pieces, creating a youthful and dynamic atmosphere. MESURA worked with Copenhagen-based Really – a company that upcycles end-of-life textiles into interesting, new materials that challenging the design industry to rethink its use of resources, and encourage it to design with the circular economy in mind.

With design and architecture disciplines increasingly turning to lifestyle-oriented and preventative approaches to healthy buildings, Cloudworks GV fitout incorporates the WELL Building Standard. WELL was founded on the understanding that all facets of our environment interact with personal, genetic and behavioural factors, and play a part in shaping our overall health and well-being – recognising that built environment can shape not only our physical health, but also our behaviour.

Related: Spacial Coworking Office in Montreal by Ivy Studio.

| The article Cloudworks Office Penthouse in Barcelona by MESURA. appeared first on Yellowtrace. |

#HTE

Chaos has unfolded at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, in recent days as thousands attempt to flee the Taliban-controlled country. The first Overview shows crowds lined up on the tarmac near a departing American C-17 and the second shows the traffic jam and bottleneck of people at one of the airport gates. Those fleeing Afghanistan must navigate numerous Taliban-controlled checkpoints before they can enter the airport.

See more here: https://bit.ly/2WmR1A3

34.565833°, 69.213056°

Source imagery: Maxar

#HTE

Sculptural arched forms and hyperbolic manipulations of scale enlarge the modest 154sqm frame of this three-storey townhouse located east of Melbourne’s CBD into a softly luminous sanctuary. Designed by Fiona Lynch, lighting is exploited to expand spatial parameters as the taut tension of Burnley House’s polished plaster walls dissolves into a velvety pastiche befitting the tactile nature of the furnishings.

Touch and textures are paramount throughout the interior. Plush carpets and nubby soft furnishings bolster soft serves of cushioned comfort. The home’s material advantage comes via the use of luxe elements including marble, solid timber, velvet, bamboo silk rugs and carpets plus leather; all used sparingly to avoid density.

The central staircase balustrade is lined with a crisp layer of Calacatta marble, following through to the en-suite framing the Elba integrated mirror and shelving unit.

Lightweight brass and metal accents fuse industrial strength and practicality with an opulent finish. A custom lighting sculpture by Brenton Angel illuminates a shelved corner within the study. Tethered to ceiling and floor, the thread-like brass fixture with elongated neon tube’s casts a glowing warmth upon the pale citrus lemon plaster wall, instantly expanding the confines of the room.

Related: St Kilda Apartment by Fiona Lynch Office.

Opening into the entertaining area on the third level, perforated steel armatures float above the central kitchen and stairwell to support potted greens, with kitchen joinery relegated beneath bench height to enable open sightlines across the lounge area.

Walls lay bare to emphasise this airiness, concealing integrated storage. All the usual suspects can be spotted from a Faye Toogood Roly Poly to a Lynch signature FLOS Snoopy Lamp. Their playful shapes distinct amongst the restrained fixtures. Adjoining the lounge’s fireplace, black ash open shelving enables the corner to recede into undefined depth.

A lithe folded curtain of pale green fibreglass matches the shade in the dining room (also custom created by Angel) rustles on the other side of the fireplace, counter-balancing its recessive nature. Strategically positioned in an upright, angled position, it gently glistens in the sunlight.

The master bedroom’s densely mottled fibre cement sheet walls usher a sense of utmost quiet. Countering the sun-bathed light from the adjoining courtyard, shadows cast upon them providing a deeply calming effect. Inside, a rich sapphire armchair by Eileen Grey glows like an oversized precious stone mined from the site, as does the lounge room’s faceted emerald green electroplated steel pedestal.

With an ease that is anything but easy, Fiona Lynch has intricately designed a home of restrained decadence. While tranquil and sedate, it’s sure to leave a lasting impression.

Related: Ottawa Road House in Toorak by Fiona Lynch.

| The article Touch & Texture: Burnley House in Melbourne by Fiona Lynch. appeared first on Yellowtrace. |

#HTE

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport covers more than 27 square miles (70 sq. km) in Texas — an area larger than the island of Manhattan. It handled 39.3 million travelers in 2020, down from more than 75 million the previous year because of COVID-19. Still, this volume made DFW the fourth-busiest airport in the world that year by passenger traffic.

See more here: https://bit.ly/3B3OWI6

32.896944°, -97.038056°

Source imagery: Maxar

#HTE

Fashion and science fiction has always been intertwined, from Jean Paul’s looks in The Fifth Element, Iris Van Helpern’s notorious AW14 show complete with a human installation of vacuum-packed models, to fashion’s own provocateur Alexander McQueen and his post-apocalyptic aesthetic. Designers have long looked to the futurism genre for inspiration, so it’s no surprise (although there is some awe!) that for fashion boutique Audrey in Hangzhou, Liang Architecture Studio has designed an otherworldly playground for customers to explore.

Straight out of a scene from Metropolis, graceful curves and sharp geometric elements are layered throughout the interior, shaping the forms of structures and display units. Following a symmetrical language articulated around a glowing neon diamond embedded in the ceiling – the literal crowning jewel of the space – the layout is simple yet expressive.

Related: Surreal Classicism: Maó Space by One Fine Day Studio & Partners.

Distinctly retro-futuristic, the design team balanced soft with hard in a composition that feels eternal. Effortlessly walking the tightrope between the past and future, plush fabrics and retro wood ease the rigidness of the enveloping concrete forms and metal beams. Designing an aesthetic that feels familiar yet unknown, the material textures and structural forms also work functionally, helping to blur the boundaries between different areas.

An eye-catching spiral staircase disrupts the imposing brutalist architecture, leading to the second floor. Clad in rich chocolate velvet, its strong hue adds a romantic and dynamic edge to the surroundings. Operating as the VIP display area, a more intimate story unfolds with the designers introducing church-like structures that impart a sense of ritual and ‘holiness’ onto the upper story.

Diffuse and “Mod” lantern lighting is used liberally, casting an ethereal glow on the disembodied hanging clothes. The freedom of this space is not its visual effects but rather the feeling they construct.

Worlds meet in this highly exploratory interior that transports to a place one can’t quite put their finger on, but certainly would like to know more about.

Related: Breaking Away from Display-orientated Retail: J1M5 Boutique by Various Associates.

| The article Retro-futuristic Audrey Boutique by Liang Architecture Studio. appeared first on Yellowtrace. |

#HTE

The River Guadalquivir flows through the center of Seville, Spain. With about 1.5 million residents in its metropolitan area, Seville is the largest city in the autonomous community of Andalusia and the fourth-largest in Spain. Near the center of this Overview — amid the city’s many red tile roofs — is the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza, a 12,000-seat, eighteenth century bullring.

See more here: https://bit.ly/3ydjrt7

37.386089°, -6.000710°

Source imagery: Maxar