First look of the new KARL LAGERFELD concept store set to open on June 7th in Paris’ Le Marais district, at 25 rue Vieille du Temple. This is designer’s 2nd concept store to open in Paris, joining the Boulevard Saint Germain location. Shaped in Karl Lagerfeld’s signature sentiment the store will offer label’s accessible luxury collections alongside the always innovative Lagerfeld technology experience.

The 65 square meter space designed on two levels accommodates fitting rooms equipped with special photobooths and built in touch screens allowing shoppers to capture their looks and even apply a slew of Karl-taken filters to their photos. karl.com

AZL architects: CIPEA no.4 house, nanjing, chinaimage © yao li all images courtesy of AZL architects

Among the lush greenery of the laoshan forest in the eastern chinese city of nanjing is an architectural complex that brought together twenty-four designers to manifest ideas about built space. among those twenty small homes is the ‘no.4 block house’ by local firm AZL architecture, the five bedroom dwelling channels the formal spirit of the pagoda with four cubic floors tacked vertically. the spatial organization allows for minimal excavation of the valley site while making for optimal synthesis of the roofline with the horizons of the landscape.

With the bucolic environment swathes the home, the architecture simultaneously creates a visual break from the textured vegetation with curved concrete planes that lift and reveal open hallways and ample glazing. the understated facade geometry also helps reframe views more dynamic than simple horizontal breaks, while alluding to the chinese landscape scrolls through its curved apertures as well as the quiet contemplation inherent in a chinese garden. the roof itself is fitted with a dark wooden deck, thereby using program and sight-lines to invite the surrounding greenery and nearby stream into the home.  Thanks to designboom and AZL architects for the news.

Project info: location: Nanjing, jiangsu province, china / Architect in charge: Zhang lei / Project team: Zhang lei, jeffrey cheng, wang wang, wang yi / Collaborator: Architectural design & planning institute, NJU / Project area: 500 sqm / Project year: 2008-2012

Casa Lapo is a project realised by talented French architect Florent Lasaulnier, inspired by Lapo Elkann, the hire of the Fiat founders and known for his extravagant style, involving a lot of denim and camouflage. Of his project, he says:

“The Casa Lapo project is a dream come true. A project appeared to me while reading an interview of Lapo Elkann in The New York Times. I had never heard of Lapo Elkann at the time but I always had a great love for Italy and particularly Turin, even if I was never able to explain why, besides being the capital of Baroque and Carlo Mollino’s home, as well as headquarters of the Fiat empire, of national and international fame.”

This amazing home is an awesome big structure overlooking a lake covered in a camouflage print, that’s for sure. The structure of the house supports the whole building, with an open internal space that offers infinite spatial options. And the walls of the structure contain all of the electrical, sound, lighting and ventilation systems, keeping them neatly tucked away out of sight. Read the new york times interview that set the project in motion here.

Great design, this chair will surely add a touch of modernity to your home or office.

Seating that obscures “the intersecting outlines where the materials would traditionally and structurally meet,” Holly Golightly Chair by Austin McAdams also illustrates the designer’s urban commutes, on his white Triumph Bonneville, during his grad school days in San Diego.

Introducing Spring–In celebration of the arrival of the floral season, Hugo Boss introduces their new window at the New York Meatpacking District store. Consisting of a custom topiary of the words “Greener Pastures” and a wood planter with Kalanchoe, the store front also consists of mannequins displayed upon pedestals covered with grass in the spring 2013 collection for both a seasonal and environmentally appropriate window. / Flowers by Roy Owsley at Interior Foliage.s

MULBERRY has opened its first store in Germany. The new boutique – located in Berlin, on the prestigious Kurfürstendamm Street – is part of the British brand’s current plan to expand into major European cities, reinforcing its identity through dedicated retail spaces.

The Berlin store was designed by British architects Universal Design Studio, who focused on “creating a connection between the store design and Mulberry’s dedication to craftsmanship”, said a spokesperson for the brand. Natural materials like timber, oak and limestone were used to provide “a welcoming and warm environment”, while acting as a subtle nod to the English countryside and Mulberry’s rural roots.

“We’re delighted to be opening our first store in Germany. We chose Berlin for the rich culture between the city’s history and its artistic heartbeat. We felt that the city’s vibrancy and energy was the ideal complement to the Mulberry brand and our own heritage of craftsmanship and creativity,” said Mulberry CEO Bruno Guillon. “Europe is still a key growth market for Mulberry, so to open a store in a strong city location like Berlin is a significant milestone for our expansion plans in this region. Over the long term, we want to see Mulberry extend its reach as a global luxury brand, known for its leather craftsmanship and English sensibility.”

To mark the brand’s debut German store, Mulberry collaborated with Berlin artist Frank Hülsbömer on a dedicated art installation and in-store space. The boutique will also stock a retail exclusive: the popular Willow Tote has been reincarnated in biscuit brown alligator – the only one of its kind in the world. Thanks to Sarah Karmali​  and vogue.co.uk for the news.

This couch has a professionally engineered frame and an elite level spring system topped with high density down wrapped seats. A real conversation piece, unless you put trees behind it and your guests can’t find the couch.

”While we normally say military printed clothes or anything else should be reserved for the sort of person who thinks he is a super army soldier but has failed the try-out ten times, we think this sofa is different. This couch comes with a professionally engineered frame with the highest quality springs so we know it is ultra-comfortable. The Camouflage Chesterfield Couch by CoCoCo Home actually has a bit of charm about it.”  Made in North Carolina.

$3,500 available here.

This visually stunning new title is dedicated to the seemingly magical transformation of spaces and structures. It covers an amazing range of residential and commercial architecture as well as large-scale urban renewal, showcasing projects that frequently cross functional boundaries.

The dramatic scope of the renovations included in this title give the reader a visceral shock to the system: an office auditorium converted into an urban oasis, an old airplane repurposed into a must-visit hostel, and 19th century ruins updated to become a modern family home.

Some transformations not to be missed include The Alan Voo House in Los Angeles, which doubled in size from a 1,000 square foot residence to a 2,000 square foot residence through the insertion of a new 16ft linear house into the existing house (Neil M Denari Architects Inc); or the refurbishment of a 1975 office building in Mexico City into a residential block with 23 apartments. Its main and rear facades having been replaced with a chopped metal facade in the style of the Mexican handcraft papel picado, creating a liveable artwork (Hierve-Disenaria Architects).

Other works include an alpine hut conversion in Slovenia, Blue Frog Lounge in Mumbai; and the Jumbo Hostel in Stockholm.

Available here.

The endearing and modern design of Mickey Egg Chair coming our way from designer Miloš ‘Mickey’ Vujičić.

Story: ”The Egg is a iconic chair designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1958 for Radisson SAS hotel in Copenhagen. It is manufactured by Republic of Fritz Hansen. So here is Mickey version of this chair and I hope you like it ” Mickey Mivu

The site of ‘house hafner’ by german practice hornung and jacobi architecture is located in the countryside next to a forest in Southern Germany, situated at the end of a blind alley to benefit from the views of the woods and valley. a very high level of privacy is provided by the natural protection of the environment which makes an open living configuration possible.

The slight remodeling of the topography with a given height difference of three  meters inspired the choreography and orientation of the building. 
the residential building is designed for a couple with an independent area for guests and is divided into two parts: one introverted area, articulated by an arrangement of smaller openings following the surrounding typology of the neighborhood;  its counterpart is an extroverted zone facing the forest and the beautiful view of the valley, interpreted as an extension of the open living area.

The abstracted shape  of the gabled roof draws an analogy to the surrounding roof typologies, which is common in the region. the transformation to  an open cubic design made a maximum size of openings possible, as well as the visual merging of living and nature.

Project info:

Architects: Hornung and Jacobi Architecture  / Project: House Hafner / Project team: Peter Thomas Hornung & Elsa Katharina Jacobi / Location: South Germany / Year: 2011-12 / Type: Residential / Size: 180qm / Visualisations: Peter Guthrie / Thanks to Designboom for the news.

Futuristic and very sophisticated. Here’s the Riemann chair in mirror polished stainless steel by Craig Van Den Brulle.

Measurements :  height: 37″ /  second height: 16.5″ /  depth: 35.5″

width/length: 33.5″

Materials/Techniques: Stainless Steel /  Creator: By Craig Van Den Brulle

Photography provided by Craig Van Den Brulle / Available at 1stdibs.com

Two giant blue busts face each other across this Hong Kong boutique by Italian designer Fabio Novembre.

Novembre designed the interior of the HIT Gallery concept store, a branch of Italian retail group Ittiere, as a contemporary interpretation of a piazza. “The HITGallery stores we plan to open around the globe will capture the essence and spirit of Italy in wonderful new ways,” he explains.

The busts are shaped from perpendicular planes of wood slotted together to create shelves on which accessories are displayed.

The walls are painted with the same light blue as the figures and a monochrome zig-zag pattern covers the floor.

“The colour defining the walls – a neutral shade bordering between green and sky or cerulean blue – defies classification, so becoming the ideal backdrop for all the brands sold in the store,” says Novembre.

The design was inspired by the surrealist paintings of Greek-born Italian artist Giorgio De Chirico, which often feature faceless figures and arched colonnades.

Arched niches line three walls of the store, each containing garments hung from rails or shoes and bags on glass shelves. A curved wall punctured by more arches separates the cash desk from the rest of the shop.

Walls near to the shop window are angled to accommodate a column on one side and distort the perspective created by the entirely symmetrical layout.

The store is located in the Times Square shopping centre on Hong Kong island. Photography is by Dennis Lo. source deezen  / Fabio Novembre