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Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Paying homage to the patron saint of Ireland, today is a symbolic holiday for Irish people and all those of Irish descent. Here we see the Chicago River flowing through downtown Chicago, Illinois. The river was dyed green this weekend, as it is each year, to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

We also see an Overview of the entirety of Ireland — including Northern Ireland — which has a population of about 6.6 million people. The so-called ’Emerald Isle’ covers 32,595 square miles (84,421 square km), making it the 20th largest island on Earth.

Source imagery: Nearmap / Airbus Space

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Alchemy is setting out to transform the future of cannabis with the opening of Canada’s first highly immersive retail store in the heart of downtown Toronto. Designed by Paolo Ferrari, Alchemy’s innovative flagship rejects staid cannabis clichés to deliver a cerebral experience infused with artistry, nature and technology.

The aesthetic is directly informed by the brand’s identity, which celebrates the tension that exists in the world of cannabis. Specifically, that it grows naturally in the earth, but still benefits from the worlds of science and artistry to develop high-quality products. Not dissimilar to this alchemic transformation, the flagship melds high-tech ingenuity with natural materials to create an elevated space that feels much like a design boutique.

“For us, the store is somewhere between a laboratory and temple,” says Ferrari of the apothecary-like space. “It is a serene environment with energetic bursts. It is also about escapism, and experiencing something on a different plane.”

The store was designed around how customers move through and shop the space. Indeed, customers who know what they want in advance can pre-purchase online and take an expedited checkout route inside—which may be preferable during COVID-19, but for those interested in browsing, a delight for the senses awaits in a sequence of unique zones.

The multisensory journey begins in the arrivals area, where customers queue around a lush plant installation that looks as if it were a specimen in a laboratory. Small digital viewers are embedded in the surrounding walls, showing kaleidoscopic visuals and acting as voyeuristic points of discovery for guests to explore while waiting.

Once inside the main space, warm and cool tones blend to calm the senses for a serene retail experience. Soft and strong geometry coexists throughout—for instance, a whitewashed ash table sharply contrasts with utilitarian Corian fixtures and an aluminium ceiling—while neutral plaster walls appear alongside colourful, saturated eco-resin surfaces that reference the Alchemy-branded packaging on display. There are a few key elements of tech ingenuity in this room, such as custom cannabis sniff jars, which give product descriptions on a screen when customers interact with them. In addition, the highly technical self-checkout table is engineered from solid aluminium sheet and outfitted with custom wheels that allow it to glide through the space along an in-floor aluminium track.

When customers step into the accessories room, a cinematic David Lynch-esque aesthetic takes over. This scintillating space has mirrored stainless ceilings, carpeted floors, undulating walls crafted out of vivid orange formed eco-resin, and products displayed against a single back-lit shelf as if they were in a museum. All the accessories can be touched by customers, with no lock and key in sight.

To end their journey, customers enter the checkout area where natural terracotta brick, aluminium walls, terrazzo flooring, and a brightly-lit ceiling evoke a world quite different from the last. Here, large hanging screens display artistic visuals and customers can glimpse their orders being assembled by the back-of-house staff through a small aluminium slot.

“The best retail environments are about celebrating the human experience and presenting highly considered multi-sensory environments,” says Paolo Ferrari. “If a retailer earns the privilege of a consumer stepping out of their online platform and into a physical retail space, that space had better be astounding.” Alchemy’s unconventional flagship presents just that: a highly architectural feast for the senses, with a sublime artistic soul.

| The article High Design: Alchemy Cannabis Dispensary in Toronto by Studio Paolo Ferrari. appeared first on Yellowtrace. |

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Cádiz is an ancient port city surrounded by the sea in southwest Spain. Because the city was constructed upon a spit of land that cannot support high-rises, its skyline has not substantially changed since medieval times. A portion of the “Old City” — an area characterized by narrow winding alleys connecting large plazas and markets — is seen in this Overview.

See more here: https://bit.ly/3eMK6ac

36.533333°, -6.283333°

Source imagery: Maxar

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As they say in the theatre biz “All the world’s a stage”, so this living space and art studio in Montreal takes the phrase to a whole new level as the worlds of architecture and theatre collide. Designed by architect Jean Verville for actors and creators Sophie Cadieux and Mani Soleymanlou, this dramatic interior is a deeply personal collaboration that responds to the everyday needs of family life, while also subtracting them at times in order to create a work environment that strengthens concentration and creativity.

This spirit of collaboration can be seen in the final photos – combining their talents, the architects and their clients have engaged in an improvised and unpredictable theatrical work within the home with whimsical staging by Jean Verville. Digital manipulation produces images featuring creature-allegories that raise questions about the illusory banality of habitability.

Immersing themselves in the creative universe of the family, their personalities and particular needs, Jean Verville Architects formed a narrative around this rich tapestry. Consisting of a complete volumetric reconfiguration, the outcome is an artistic creation as well as a living space adapted to the daily reality of the two artists and their son.

Related: So Hot Right Now // Playing Dress Ups In Architecture Shoots.

While ensuring minimal alterations to the existing building, the proposal engages in an entire spatial reorganisation. The central space is pierced by an openwork steel structure, extending over twelve meters in height, blowing the original hierarchy of residential building design out of the water. Functions of various spaces are concealed through this vertical deployment in a succession of ordered volumes while interspersed by ten scenic pauses.

Ten versatile multifunctional platforms gradually unfold over the three floors as the core of the space is selectively subtracted to accommodate the new vertical progression. Breathing vitality into the existing space, Jean Verville Architects take advantage of decompartmentalisation to engage unusual interactions and new creative perspectives for the coexistence of domestic and professional activities.

A labyrinth of stages and raised platforms showcase the versatility of the space – sometimes they offer a small scene, other times a seat – minimising the need for furniture. While the monochrome greige tones of the perforated steel surfaces and low walls unite the monolithic entity, drawing fluid limits that privatise space.

While the intricate metal structure consolidates the structural integrity of the project it is also capped with a skylight, diffusing natural light all through the house. Graphic line and geometric shadows dance on the monochromatic canvas, as Cadeux says “At every moment we discover something new, a new cut, a new line. It’s a tremendous gift.”

Beautifully dynamic, this project transgresses the limits of three-dimensional forms while meeting the families requirements for functional adaptability.

Related: IN 3 Apartment in Montréal, Canada by Jean Verville architecte.

| The article MSO Home + Art Studio by Jean Verville Architects. appeared first on Yellowtrace. |

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Cape Nelson is located on the north coast of Oro Province, Papua New Guinea. Its coastline is characterized by its many rias, or drowned river valleys, locally referred to as ‘fjords’. On the top of this Overview, we can also see the single airstrip at Tufi Airport, which services flights to the capital city of Port Moresby and other regional destinations.

See more here: https://bit.ly/30OyYS9

-8.997500°, 149.250278°

Source imagery: Maxar

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In a city like Dubai, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the dazzling high-rise glass-clad buildings and complex cityscape. Bone Studio’s newest hospitality venture ‘Terra’ is designed to contrast with this urban environment. Raw materials and plenty of natural elements act as a calm respite from the frenetic surroundings.

Terra embodies a timeless eatery, where traditional construction and application techniques evoke a homelike and hospitable experience. Aware of the busy and loud surroundings, Bone aimed to create a retreat from the buzzing city.

For Bone, creating a sheltering atmosphere was imperative. The interior space is reminiscent of a courtyard. The lush garden envelopes the shop and acts as a natural barrier from the surrounding streets while sheltering its inhabitants in the grounded terrace. Interwoven amongst the interior space, the greenery allows guests to enjoy a private moment during their dining experience. Five- meter-high pivoting glass doors welcome visitors to the interior dining space from all three facades. The shop faces the east, allowing sharp rays of sunlight to penetrate through the clear glass doors during the brisk hours of the day. The sunlight also exposes the hues and undulations of the clay walls and uneven surfaces of the terracotta tiles.

A slot punctuates the cacao walls and frames the hand-hammered column at the centre of the space. The tailor-made kitchen displays the talent that prevails behind the Mediterranean cuisine and allows guests to enjoy the culinary energy. All equipment is integrated, producing a refined working space with seamless counters.

With a strong desire to blend architecture and craftsmanship, Bone worked alongside several talented specialists that helped compose the space. The raw earth surfaces emulate different colours that are natural and pigment free. Clays from different parts of Italy have been sourced by Matteo Brioni, who developed the traditional raw earth surface finish that is healthy, hypoallergenic, versatile, and sinuously adaptable to any surface. Matteo’s brothers, who own Fornace Brioni, have also collaborated with Bone to compose the terracotta floor tiles that grace the space with their imperfections and artisanal craft.

The earthy materiality and hues of Terra play an essential role in the intimate feel of the space as the monochromatic palette soothes the brutalist forms. Warm materials were considered, such as reclaimed and weathered woods, linen fabrics, smoked metals, as well as handmade ceramics. The strategically arranged projector and spotlights lay emphasis on the romantic atmosphere and the different textures and tones of the space.

Blurring the threshold between form and function, Bone Studio has created a layered and enveloping space that embodies warmth through its natural elements. A welcome place to take a breather in a city more known for its lavishly built environment and glittering skyline.

Related: Bone StudioLa Petite Cafe in Abu Dhabi by Bone Studio.

| The article Terra Cafe in Dubai, United Arab Emirates by Bone Studio. appeared first on Yellowtrace. |

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Los Caracoles Pass — or “The Snail’s Pass” — is a twisting mountain road located in a remote section of the Andes Mountains on the Chilean side of the border with Argentina. The path climbs to an elevation of 10,419 feet (3,175 m), has no roadside safety barriers, and is frequented by large trucks.

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

-32.851667°, -70.137778°

Source imagery: Maxar

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Young architect and interior designer Alexandra Potapova – who founded Workshop Studio in 2014 – finds inspiration in the cities she visits, such as New York where she discovered the perfect lighting (by Apparatus Studio) and finishes for this project located in Moscow’s upscale Presnya neighbourhood.

“My key objective in this apartment was to create a timeless spirit, with modern and comfortable spaces that the clients (a couple with two children, one cat, and one dog) could adjust over the course of their lives,” Potapova says. “When I started to work on this project, it was a concrete space so I created all the layouts.”

Nestled in a new building and spread over 170 square meters, the apartment comprises an entrance hall, a guest bedroom with its bathroom, a living room with an open kitchen, a kid’s room with its bathroom, a laundry room and a master suite with two walk-in closets.

The owners asked Potapova to make sure their home would feel cozy, with natural colours and some wood elements throughout. Other than that, the interior designer had a lot of freedom to bring the different areas to life.

“In all the apartment, I used the same colour for the walls and the ceilings,” Potapova describes. “The doors are based on my sketches and complemented with handles by Piet Boon.” In the master bathroom, the fixtures are also by the Dutch designer. “I feel his aesthetics is close to my vision of the perfect home,” she confesses. “I like how he uses simple shapes with raw finishes. I love it when it’s not only about beauty but also about the story.”

The living room is the centre of the apartment, which is adorned with vintage pieces and artworks in every nook. The Little Petra lounge chair from &Tradition, the Apparatus Studio lighting fixture as well as the tiled stove and round coffee table – both designed by Potapova – give a feeling of warmth while the Rooms Studio chair and painting by M. Weiss Studio introduce black touches.

Potapova designed the shelves that run along one of the walls and then transform into a bureau. “The idea was to build a multifunctional item that could be used for different purposes,” she says. A comfortable sofa from Baxter sits next to a vintage bench from the Netherlands with the painting Plano Real 3 by Ding Musa (from Osnova Gallery) above it. On the other side of the room, the open, oak veneer-wrapped kitchen features Norr11 bar stools in leather, which combine with the concrete floor and the mossy green doors of the wood cabinet. The soft colour palette was also used in the master bedroom where grey prevails.

In this apartment designed to evolve with the family who lives in, Potapova used textures and curved shapes to create visual balance and harmony. “I thought about every square centimetre,” she says. Careful in everything she does, Potapova is already at the top of her game.

| The article Timeless Spirit: Moscow Apartment by Workshop Studio. appeared first on Yellowtrace. |

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Colorful rooftops are seen in the San Juan District of Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain. Las Palmas is located on the island of Gran Canaria, about 93 miles (150 km) off the Moroccan coast, and experiences a hot desert climate. Not only are the pastel-colored buildings charming to look at, but their color helps reflect the sun’s heat, keeping interiors cool during hot days.

See more here: https://bit.ly/3rJD6yw

28.150000°, -15.416667°

Source imagery: Sebastien Nagy

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Student art covers a parking lot at Joshua High School in Joshua, Texas. Located just south of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, Joshua is a small city of roughly 7,800 residents. This particular high school serves students in grades 10 through 12 and allows each member of the graduating class to paint a parking space for their respective car.

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

32.449936°, -97.381464°

Source imagery: Nearmap