Stories On Design // Perfectly Perforated.

Perfectly Perforated (try saying that as fast as you can five times in a row) is a celebration of the love affair architects and interior designers (yours truly included) seem to have with the ‘hole’. Get your mind out of the gutter – you know that I mean, right? Today’s story is all about buildings and interiors with holes all over them – but in a good way. In other words, not the sort of holes you defect with red dots, but rather the ones that are very much designed and deliberate, giving buildings their own unique personality and character.

During my time of working in large commercial practices, I seem to recall researching perforations almost weekly – I was working on facade patterns, balustrade details, acoustic ceiling treatments, foyer cladding, atrium panelling – you name it, I did it. Perhaps it’s been this subconscious link to those times that’s made me stash away so many references of perfect perforations, which is what brings us to today’s post.

There’s a lot to love about a humble shape that’s cut out repeatedly, creating large patterns across big scales. So many variations are possible with perforations – overlaying them creates a moorish effect, cutting out thick boards will express the edge of the material which creates a completely different look to when a thin sheet is punctured, etc. Scale, repetition (or deliberate lack there of) and material selections play a huge importance when choosing and designing these types of patterns. I’ve spent many-a-time printing designs on large A0 sheets at 1:1 scale, staring at them across the studio, standing on tables while looking down on sheets of paper placed on floors, sticking them to ceilings and imagining panels installed way up there… So all this madness and angst that came from working with perfect perforations has made me think that perhaps this post might become a pretty god-damn useful tool for those times you need a little kick along for your next project.

And don’t mention it – you’re so welcome. You know I’ve got yo’ back. Always x

See More ‘Stories on Design’ Curated by Yellowtrace.

Janus Museum in Switzerland by mlzd // The ensemble of buildings that make up the Rapperswil-Jona municipal museum looks back on a history of more than 700 years. In 2010/11, the museum underwent extensive renewal. The project to put up the new building has been sensitively integrated in the historic town. The view from the north, which is important for the overall visual impression of the town, was to remain unchanged. The building fits discreetly into the background of the historic context presented by the narrow streets. With the new perforated bronze façade, the building imposes a new emphasis on its immediate surroundings and can easily be read as the main entrance to a modern museum complex.

Photography by Tai Zhang.

Aperture 538 by Luca Andrisani Architect // This 10 unit multi-family residence is located in the neighbourhood of Clinton Hill, Brooklyn on Washington Avenue. Central to the exterior is a copper screen, finished to a corten appearance, perforated with an abstracted image of the Brooklyn Bridge and modified for light and air requirements. The result is a dynamic façade where light filters through, an iconic image of Brooklyn is glimpsed, and activity is visible.

Photography by Fernando Alda.

Fine Arts Museum in Badajoz, Spain by Estudio de Arquitectura Hago // Hundreds of tiny holes puncture the white concrete panels that clad these two extensions to the Badajoz Fine Arts Museum by Spanish firm Estudio Arquitectura Hago. The Madrid-based architects added two blocks – one three storeys tall and the other four – to house the permanent and temporary collections of the art museum.

Photography by Daici Ano.

JIN CO LTD Office Building by Aoki Jun // This three storied office building in the suburbs of Maebashi-city, Japan, consists of the work space and warehouse on the 1st floor, office on the 2nd floor and the conference room and the staff canteen on the 3rd floor. The facade of the 1st and the 2nd floor is covered by the perforated folded plate screen for security and privacy reason. Both the cement exterior board used in the interior and perforated folded plate are painted white, giving the space a unique texture while leaving the texture.

Photography by Åke E:son Lindman.

Moderna Museet Malmö by Tham & Videgård Arkitekter // Stockholm studio Tham & Videgård Arkitekter have completed a museum in Malmö, Sweden, adding an extension clad in perforated orange metal. Called Moderna Museet Malmö, the project involved renovating the existing building and adding a new entrance hall, cafe and upper gallery. The addition of the ‘graffiti’ text element is particularly effective, and creates a gutsy contrast with the adjacent heritage facade.

Photography by Filip Dujardin.

adn Architectures Loft FOR in Brussels // In order to divide the space, the architects designed two double-storey structures which occupy the loft as independent forms, like two pieces of free standing furniture. Privacy is controlled with perforated metal mesh. Given the natural lighting conditions, light passes into the space but the screens simultaneously provide privacy from the more communal living spaces. Clever, unique and an exciting space to be in.

Read the full article about this project & see more images here.

Images courtesy of Lighting Design Collective.

Silo 468 Urban Light Art Installation for City of Helsinki by Lighting Design Collective // In 2011, Madrid-based Lighting Design Collective, lead by Tapio Rosenius, won the 1st prize in an international competition to realise a permanent urban light installation in Helsinki – an official project for Helsinki World Design Capital 2012. The designers converted an old oil silo (no. 468) into a mesmerising light display and a civic space. Natural light, wind and reflections of light on surrounding water formed the principles for the lighting concept. The vast volume of the 36m diameter and 17 meter tall steel silo was perforated with 2012 holes, referencing the year Helsinki was made ‘World Design Capital’. The interior was painted dark red and made accessible to public. This spectacular daytime space is now filled with dappled and dynamic shadows. Amazing.

Read the full article about this project & see more images here.

Photography by Luc Boegly.

Saint Nazaire Theatre by K Architectures // Paris-based K-Architectures have completed the ‘Théâtre of Saint-Nazaire’ in Saint-Nazaire, France, adjacent to remnants of a neoclassical train station destroyed in World War II. The monolithic forms takes cues from a nearby bunker and the concrete surface is stamped with a perforated floral pattern derived from motifs of 17th century silk textiles. The motif continues inside the building and is found throughout the lobby’s perforated railings and walls, and inside the auditorium. In the evening, the exterior facade are rigged with lights so that it emits a calm glow, breaking down the concrete structure’s massive presence.

Photography by Ricardo Gonçalves.

SKIN by P-06 Atelier & JLCG Arquitectos // Reflecting the ever-changing nature of its surroundings, the ‘Skin’ by Lisbon-based studio P-06 atelier in partnership with architect João Luís Carrilho da Graça was designed for a multipurpose room in the pavilion of knowledge, a science museum in Lisbon. Flickering light around the foyer, a perforated wall with acoustic properties and LED lighting is embedded into its fabric. The piece is based on the theme ‘ASCII’ (american standard code for information interchange) and is in response to the museum’s intent of sharing information. The textured wall features different densities and sized cut-outs along its façade, with varying sound levels projected through the openings. a white light shines through into the space, with the ‘skin’ balanced by reflected, natural light.

Photography by Peter Hebeisen.

Clarion Hotel & Congress Trondheim by Space Group Architects // Clarion hotel at Brattøra, Norway redefines the classical atrium hotel typology into a new and strong identity. The rooms are arranged/organised in four highly rational structures all oriented towards the perfect view. The perforated facade is punctured and folded, creating a 3D perforated effect.

Photo by Lyndon Douglas.

Hidden House in London by Teatum+Teatum // Perforated steel doors fold open like the wings of a butterfly at the backstreet entrance to this London house by architects Teatum+Teatum. Named Hidden House, the residence is squeezed between two existing buildings and has a glittering facade of black render and metal filings. The perforated folding metal doors lead into a ground-floor living room and kitchen.

The Old Market Square Stage in Winnipeg, Manitoba by 5468796 Architecture // A perfect cube set at a slight angle to the road at the edge of the Square, the structure is formed from raw concrete enclosed by a wraparound aluminium screen, ingeniously formed from 20,000 hollow aluminium tubes, all of which have been cut and twisted to form a repeat pattern across a flexible façade. Mounted on aircraft cabling, the screen can be drawn back like a futuristic curtain, exposing the interior stage, shifting the pattern of light and changing the acoustic properties of the space.

Photography by Leonardo Finotti.

Leitão 653 by Triptyque // Leitão_653 is a building located in the heart of Pinheiros, Brazil, a popular neighbourhood which combines small traditional buildings and new residential towers. The building stands over seven floors of which two are duplex. Built between high towers on a narrow and long plot (10 x 35 meters), the tower catches a cathedral light through a side wall of glass bricks completely revisited. Blocks sometimes milky, transparent or matt deliver a moucharabié effect that filters the vis-à-vis, the zenith light and the noise, like a silent screen between the city and the building. Although not technically ‘perforated’ I couldn’t resist including this little wonder in today’s selection.

Photo by Hiroyuki Oki.

3×10 House by DD Concept // “3 x 10 House” in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnamese was designed by architecture firm DD Concept. The house presents it’s entire frontage with a perforated skin that creates an effect of lightness while preserving the privacy of it’s occupants. Throughout the day the architecture provides an interplay between light and shadow, offering a durational experience of the passing seasons. The light is also considered as it reflects onto the steel panels from the east in the morning to the side of the staircase located to the west aspect in the afternoon. This consideration of the steel as a metaphor of transparent garments to connect space, helps to delineate between the internal and external border by the use of transparency.

Photo by Nobuki Taoaka.

Company Building in Kanagawa by HMAA // This building designed by HMAA is a corporate HQ for a local wholesale company located in Kanagawa, Japan. The first floor was converted into a storage warehouse, and the second floor was transitioned into a business space. The third floor is an executive room with a conference space. In an effort to preserve privacy, an area was dedicated for a garden covered by a perforated screen.

Image courtesy of 1508 London.

Apartment in Istanbul, Turkey by Studio 1508 London // Situated on the banks of the Bosphorus, in the Istanbul neighbourhood of Bebek, this refurbished duplex penthouse by 1508 London design studio features a minimalist aesthetic and a sense of understated luxury. The design is enriched by a decorative screen in the stairwell, with geometric latticework representing a modern interpretation of an Ottoman Selcuk motif. The repetition of the triangulated pattern introduces a touch of the Orient to an otherwise western aesthetic.

Photo by Per Kårehed.

Cultural Center in Landvetter by Fredblad Arkitekter // Gothenburg-based architects Fredblad Arkitekter have designed a cultural center for the municipality of Härryda, Sweden. The design is the result of a competition held in 2012 for a mixed-use building containing library, educational spaces for music and arts, as well as an auditorium. Brass, stone and perforated plywood feature thought the upper floors, creating a low-key but a polished look. The brass is a special alloy which contains aluminium as well as copper and zinc. This ensures the golden colour will last through the process of metal oxidation.

Photo by Peter Bennetts.

Melbourne School of Design by John Wardle Architects // Following an international design competition John Wardle Architects and Boston based NADAAA were appointed as architects to design the new Melbourne School of Design building for the University of Melbourne. Central to the design is the Studio Hall, a large flexible space that provides for informal occupation over all times of the day. The central meeting pod sitting with the atrium is clad in faceted perforated timber panels creating a dynamic effect.

Photography by Mathieu Ducros.

Nakara Residential Hotel by Jacques Ferrier Architectures // This new hotel and holiday home development extends southwards at the extreme end of the Agde shoreline, France, in an area that is still relatively undeveloped and where individual housing districts predominate. Large openwork walls in white concrete cohesively punctuate the various developments. They function as filters, putting distance between the shared areas – gardens and swimming pool terraces – and the more intimate room area. The dual facade system creates an in-between space, an extra space that is neither part of the building’s interior nor its outside areas. The balconies project into this ambiguous space and give a feeling of being simultaneously inside and outside.

Photo by Leo Espinosa.

Pabellon 3E by TACO Taller de Arquitectura Contextual // Pabellón 3E is the result of an architectural intervention of a satellite edification construction, located inside a residential home from the sixties in one of the first neighbourhoods outside of the historic downtown area in the city of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. In the analysis of the existing building, were identified elements which enable the implementation of a double skin facade which integrates the building and offers thermal comfort, privacy and security. The second skin is a lattice of compressed cement made with discontinued moulds from the sixties.

Photo by Sándor Fövényi.

The Soundweaving Installation by Zsanett Szirmay & Balint Tarkany Kovacs // Hungarian design student Zsanett Szirmay has transferred folk embroidery patterns onto strips for a punched card music box, which plays the traditional motifs as sounds. For her Soundweaving project, Szirmay used a laser-cutting machine to create holes along lengths of fabric, forming patterns that mimic old textile motifs from parts of eastern Europe. The punchcards are forced past the 20 teeth of a comb inside the metal music box using a series of cogwheels and a manual crank. When each tooth is caught and released by a corresponding hole, it creates a different musical note. “Soundweaving adds another dimension to traditional embroidery, activating multiple senses and inspiring visitors to interact since anybody to visit the exhibition can try it for themselves,” says the designer.

Photography by Ryota Atarashi.

Sakura in Tokyo, Japan by Mount Fuji Architects Studio // For my money, this house house in Tokyo is the poster girl for perfect perorations. But that’s just me. Hidden behind two walls of 3 mm thick lace-like steel that filters light like sunshine through foliage, the facade features holes punched out in a floral pattern depicting cherry blossoms, a traditional Ise paper stencil pattern. Simply sublime.

Photo by Cyrille Lallement.

Student Housing & Nursery for Paris by VIB Architecture // On 117 rue de Ménilmontant in one of Paris’s busy northern neighborhoods, VIB Architecture took possession of a long and narrow plot to construct and rehabilitate several buildings for a mixed-use program – a residence with 89 student housing and a nursery for 66 children. The front building is itself fragmented and split in two. The first part stands out along the park with rounded corners and aluminum skin while the second building picks up the geometrical typology of the nearby buildings and declines towards the middle of the plot and the existing building.

Photo by FG+SG.

K House by Studio Arthur Casas // This is just one of those really sexy houses. Located in Sao Paulo, Brazil and designed by Studio Arthur Casas Architects, everything about Casa K’s design is sleek. The client is a stylist and stimulated the architects with the task of coming up with different possibilities to “dress” the house, as a result perforated metal panels with a pattern based in the photograph of a leaf was used. In this way the spaces create an interesting relation with the variations of the sun.

Photography by Xia Zhi, Zhang Lin Han & Wang Ning.

Beijing Hutong House Renovation by ARCHSTUDIO // ARCHSTUDIO has renovated this unassuming house in the city’s Dongcheng District into a modern family residence. The two-storey grey brick house is located in a small hutong — a traditional Chinese alleyway or courtyard shared by several houses and consists of living spaces on the ground floor, two bedrooms on the first floor and a study in the basement.

To maximise the sense of openness, the designers have used grids of vertical wooden slats throughout the building as partitions or screens instead of solid walls allowing daylight circulation, also as sliding doors for the numerous built-in bookcases, and across ceilings as a continuation of the vertical screens and doors. The result is an environment that, despite its strict minimalist approach, is both rich in texture and soothing in its tranquility.

Related Post: Micro-Housing: Hutong Experiments by Standardarchitecture // Beijing, China.

Photography by Fraser Marsden.

Black House by Austin Maynard Architects // With the impending arrival of a baby, the existing apartment needed a radical rethink to resist retreating to the suburbs. A lace-like stair and a mess swallowing floor are just two of the ideas employed to convert this two storey apartment into a family friendly home.

Photography by FG+SG.

Casa Branca by Studio MK27/ Marcio Kogan // The White House project designed by Studio MK27 is located on a beautiful Brazilian beach, on the northern coast of São Paulo. Wooden perforated doors, like large muxarabis, shade the interior without blocking the breeze, blurring the division between interior and exterior. Warm materials are meshed into the metal bases, shading the room on the upper volume. The combination of the wood, concrete and white aluminium pay homage to tropical minimalism, greatly influenced by Brazilian modernism.

Photography by Miguel de Guzmán/Imagen Subliminal.

TMOLO House by PYO Arquitectos // PYO Arquitectos has converted a stone stable block and farmhouse in north-western Spain into a holiday residence for a family with four daughters. Recessed windows and an entrance are concealed behind timber shutters that reference the style of the stable’s original doors. The site has a height difference of two metres between the north and south facade, so the interior layout has a staggered arrangement. Metal pillars take the place of partition walls, resulting in a sequence of connected spaces across the ground floor.

Photography by Tim Van de Velde.

City Library in Bruges, Belgium by Studio Farris Architects // This library extension in the centre of Bruges is covered in sheets of pre-rusted Corten steel, deliberately contrasting the white plasterwork of the original building. To ensure the extension stood out against the pale colouring of the old library – as well as a row of other public buildings including the city’s fire and police stations – the team covered the single-storey structure in sheets of Corten steel, giving it a rich orange colour. Some of the sheets are patterned with small circular indentations and perforations, while others are smooth. The horizontal and vertical panels are fitted together in an interlocking formation that uniformly covers the exterior of the building.

Photography by Fernando Alda.

Habitual Restaurant Valencia by Francesc Rife // Renowned Spanish chef Ricard Camarena teamed up with Francesc Rifé Studio for the fifth time to design a new modern restaurant – Habitual. Using the concept of “local field”, a precise choice of elements including a single material, poplar wood, and the most significant shape in gastronomy, the circle, has been used and implemented throughout the restaurant to create a warm space and to avoid excess. The circular holes in the wall create a unique atmosphere and are reminiscent of a plate, a glass, or a cup of coffee; they are the guidelines to the project.

The circular holes, from a technical point of view, contribute as conductors of sound, merging and creating a unique ambiance for those inside. As an extension of the idea of the circle, the name Habitual has been printed on ceramic plates, while lighting has been integrated into the holes in the ceiling. Finally, the holes range in different sizes from small to large, while it is also possible to store caps of wine bottles in the larger holes that make up a drawn fish figure.

Inbani Stand in Ish Trade Fair 2015 in Frankfurt by Francesc Rife // The team at Frances Rife love their perforations, don’t they? Why wouldn’t they, when the humble repeated circle can successfully transform and texturise an interior of a restaurant (previous project) just like a trade-fare stand for a bathroom company. Seriously, what’s not to love?

Photography by Tim van de Velde.

Incineration Line in Roskilde, Denmark by Erick Van Egeraat // Dutch architect Erick van Egeraat has completed a waste incinerator and power plant in the Danish city of Roskilde with a spotty perforated facade that lights up at night as if there’s a fire burning within. A pattern of differently sized and spaced circular holes was laser cut into the panels and increases in density as it reaches the spire. Lighting concealed behind this layer filters through the holes at night and the light sources can be individually programmed to create shifting patterns of colour.

Photography by Satoshi Asakawa.

Kanazawa Umimirai Library by Coelacanth KH Architects // Around 6000 holes puncture the concrete exterior of this library in Kanazawa, Japan, by Kazumi Kudo and Hiroshi Horiba of Japanese firm Coelacanth K&H Architects. Translucent glass fills each hole, diffusing natural light into the 12 metre-high reading room of the Kanazawa Umimirai Library.

Photography by Hélène Binet.

Kolumba Diocesan Museum by Architekturburo Peter Zumthor // Situated in Cologne, Germany, a city that was almost completely destroyed in World War II, the museum houses the Roman Catholic Archdiocese’s collection of art which spans more than a thousand years. Peter Zumthor’s design delicately rises from the ruins of a late-Gothic church, respecting the site’s history and preserving its essence.

Zumthor has used grey brick to unite the destroyed fragments of the site – including the remaining pieces of the Gothic church, stone ruins from the Roman and medieval periods, and German architect Gottfried Böhm’s 1950 chapel for the “Madonna of the Ruins.” The facade of grey brick integrates the remnants of the church’s facade into a new face for the contemporary museum. Articulated with perforations, the brick work allows diffused light to fill specific spaces of the museum.

Photography by Joao Morgado.

Loios Recovery by ODDA // Porto studio ODDA has renovated two 19th-century buildings in the city to create 16 studio apartments spread across five storeys. Apartments contain monolithic freestanding units housing the kitchens, beds, bathrooms and other furniture. The modules can be fabricated to incorporate different functional elements, and can be mounted individually or in groups depending on the space available and the number of services required.

The exterior of the boxes is covered with a perforated pattern based on painted tiles found in some of the city’s historic buildings. Images of the pattern were rasterised and applied to the surfaces as a series of recessed dots and holes, which enable parts of the pattern to glow when illuminated from within. “The perforated technique allowed us to imprint the rasterised images but also to give some transparency to the module so it functions as a grand chandelier in the night,” adds architect Diogo Brito.

Photography by Peter Clarke.

May Grove House in Melbourne by Jackson Clements Burrows // Given a brief of creating a low maintenance home, embodying contemporary aesthetics and organised around an open plan interior, Melbourne-based architects Jackson Clements Burrows have designed the ‘May Grove’ residence located in the city’s suburb of South Yarra. Based on a 250 square meter plot, the refined design draws upon an understated material palette consisting of recycled red brick, raw cement sheet panels and timber.

Characterised by its minimal exterior which stands as an abstract yet engaging element on the residential street, the upper level windows are articulated with operable perforated shutters which forms a seamlessly integrated façade.

Photography by Jeremy Weihrauch-Gollings Studio.

Moonlight Cabin in Australia by Jackson Clements Burrows // Jackson Clements Burrows added perforated shutters to the exterior of this holiday cabin on the far south-west coast of Victoria. The cabin is clad with spotted gum – a durable and sustainable local timber that will age to a silvery grey – and features shutters so that the building can be opened up or closed down, depending on the weather. “Like a Gore-Tex jacket, the house is protected from the elements while the timber is free to expand and contract in the always-changing climatic conditions,” explain the architects.

Images courtesy of Yury Grigoryan.

San Stae in Venice, Italy by Project Meganom // This pavilion was designed by Project Meganom in cooperation with the architect and curator Yuri Avvakumov for his “BornHouse” exhibition, part of the XI International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Biennale, held inside the Church of San Stae. The pavilion featured a gable roof and double walls, within which the exhibited objects arewerelocated. Both the external and internal walls, made of corrugated cardboard, were carved with the same pattern. The holes opposite the exhibits form a sort of “binoculars” to look through.

Images courtesy of Zoboki Demeter & Associates.

Shenzhen Performing Arts Facility by Zoboki Demeter & Associates // The Shenzhen Performing Arts Facility in China was designed and built with special attention to the needs of the local community. A floating metal roof hovers above the entire complex, fabricated from tens of thousands of individually made aluminium forms. The Cultural Centre features levels connected by a large foyer. The different levels are linked with white ribbon-like walkways. The museum’s façade and interiors were developed with keen attention to the local culture. The winding staircases and rather unusual sense of openness and transparency the building exudes.

Photo © Serge Barto.

Photo © Stephane Chalmeau.

Legendre in Paris, France by Avenier Cornejo Architectes // Contrasting sharply with the original streetscape, this unusual building imposes its presence and sets off the preexisting adjacent buildings. The street façade is a series of vertical, perforated metal panels. A pattern stretches across the multiple panels like a net to give the building a uniform feel. The cladding covers both solid and glazed sections. Over the windows, the metal panels act as full-height shutters that rotate outwards and animate the building facade.

Photography by José Hevia.

Rossend Montane School by GGG // The school extends from the village limit into a sea of vineyards of the Penedés region, south of Barcelona. The volume, structured in two different wings, is split into several pieces by intermittent interior courtyards. Multiple openings perforate the courtyard facades, forming a permeable limit and visual connection with the surrounding landscape.

Photography by Albert Lim.

The Courtyard House in Singapore by Formwerkz Architects // The courtyard house is located in a 3-storey mixed-landed residential district, on the eastern part of Singapore. While inspired by the Si He Yuan courtyard house, the project seeks to readapt the vernacular typology found in the northern regions of China, to a detached house typology in an urbanised tropical context. The ground floor is finished entirely in hone travertine without any drops to blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor, unifying the entire ground floor as a singular, seamless, communal space. The perforated concrete wall allows for air-flow and glimpses of the garden beyond but shields the western sun and its adjacent neighbour’s.

Photography by Tomaz Gregoric.

Villa Criss Cross Envelope by OFIS Architects // This minimalist house is located in Ljubljana, Slovenia, designed by OFIS Architects. The external structure is composed of a cube volume and perforated metal envelope. Using a material with holes on both sides aims to make an abstract interpretation of the texture of classical villas in the historical suburb, represented with double perforated panels.

Photography by Mikael Olsson.

Pavilion for Best Western Hotel Baltic in Sundsvall, Sweden by The Common Office // Sundsvall 1900s traditional cityscape is characterised by the classicist architecture. The expression of the pavilion borders architecture of the contemporary and the past. Similar to a baldaquin, the pavilion is draped with cloth of perforated aluminium. These sheets give the building different expressions depending on the light and time of the day.

Images courtesy of Xero.

Xero Office in Wellington by Studio Pacific Architecture // Xero’s vision for its Global Headquarters was to create an environment that encourages productivity, innovation and excitement. Reflecting Xero’s non-hierarchical and collaborative culture, the fitout emphasises social spaces and flexible modes of working. The existing heritage shell remains exposed and is painted white. All new fitout elements are treated as interventions, deliberately only lightly touching the existing building. A curvilinear aluminium wall weaves through the interior, unifying the disparate core spaces, its organically-patterned perforations acting as an acoustic and visual filtering device, while creating playful effects of light through the interior.

Photography by David Prutting.

Aspen Art Museum by Shigeru Ban // Pritzker Prize winner Shigeru Ban has completed work on a new art gallery in American ski resort Aspen. Located on a corner lot in downtown aspen, the new museum facility is distinguished by its outer screen made of woven wood strips, which functions to shade the glass walls.

Photography by Fernando Alda.

Panama Diamond Exchange Building by Mallol & Mallol // Rising above the exclusive Santa Maria Business District, midway between Panama City and Tocumen International Airport, is the ‘Panama Diamond Exchange’, a complex that is set to become the primary trading hub for the diamond, gemstone and jewellery trades in all of South and Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. With a futuristic profile and metallic exterior, the building is a two-level structure covering 1,578 square meters of a 4,810 square-meter developed space.

The building’s facade is constructed of perforated aluminium panels, featuring patterns that represent the angles of a cut diamond. With both functional and artistic value, the panels enhance the security of the facility, and symbolise the art and beauty of the gemstone.

Photography by Lin Ho.

Bukit Pantai Residence in Kuala Lumpur by OOZN // OOZN’s Bukit Pantai concept imagines three tiered lightweight residential pavilions floating over a verdant Kuala Lumpur hillside. The pavilions are clad in a flowing aluminium fabric skin that responds to changing light conditions. Perforations screen the interiors from the harsh tropical sun whilst the rippling geometry creates the impression of movement.

Photography by Frédéric Delangle.

Le Marais Social Housing & Offices by Atelier du Pont // 25 rue Michel le Comte is a building complex located within the perimeter of the Plan to Protect and Restore the Marais (PSMV). It dates from the 17th to the 20th centuries, and mixed private residences, workshops, and artist studios.

The project illustrates the desire to go past the Marais’ “museum” image and to promote mixed usage with ambitions that live up to the site’s expectations. Energy performance will be improved to respect the City of Paris’ Climate Plan, the number of social-housing units will be increased, and actual businesses will be preserved in the Marais area.

Photography by Jack Hobhouse.

Kew House by Piercy & Company in South-West London // The leafy and wealthy area of Kew, in South-West London, has a confident new statement building that is a sharp contrast to its traditional – and oh, so regular – brick and slate neighbours. The outcome of a thorough design process resulted in what is in essence two strong, weathered steel volumes connected by the more delicate glazed circulation space. This all sits behind the retained masonry facade of a nineteenth century stable, the shape of which is reflected in the basic form of the newly constructed elements.

Playfully positioned roof lights create a connection to the external world, and in areas are intertwined with perforations to the external steel shell which create stunning and ever-changing lighting effects internally.

Read the full article about this project & see more images here.

Images courtesy of Matteo Carcelli.

TUVE Hotel in Hong Kong by Design Systems // Inspired by the concepts of rarity, refinement and tranquility, TUVE is a 66-room boutique hotel designed by Hong Kong studio, Design Systems. Taking design cues from Rick Owens and Tadao Ando, material, light and space were carefully manipulated to deliver a moody sensory experience. Oxidised metal doors, raw brass, grey flecked marble, textured concrete, gold leaf and wire glass work in harmony to create a rough yet pure aesthetic. Experimentation with lighting adds to the effect, enhancing the qualities of the materials through shadow and reflection.

Read the full article about this project & see more images here.

Images © i.s.m.architecten. Photography by Luis Diaz Diaz.

LVDV Apartment by i.s.m.architecten in Leuven, Belgium // Koen Pauwels and Wim Van der Vurst of Belgium architecture practice i.s.m.architecten have recently refurbished this super-cool minimalist apartment in Leuven. The designers have added a series of transparent partitions, maintaining a spacious and open feel.

Read the full article about this project & see more images here.

Photo by Peter Bennetts.

Bresic Whitney Hunters Hill HQ by ChenchowLittle // Sydney super star architects Chenchow Little have designed the 180sqm Hunters Hill office for Bresic Whitney as an open plan collaborative office environment. A folded and perforated brass screen veils the Meeting Rooms, providing a balance between privacy and permeability by reducing figures to silhouettes.

Read the full article about this project & see more images here.

Photography by Dave Wheeler.

The Rabbit Hole Organic Tea Bar by Matt Woods Design // Matt Woods’ latest project, The Rabbit Hole Organic Tea Bar, reinvents the tired & clichéd teahouse concept. Perforated E0 custom wood panels conceal acoustic wall linings. Sustainability is at the heart of every design decision, with dematerialisation being a key-driving factor.

Read the full article about this project & see more images here.

Photography by Tom Ferguson.

Cho Cho San Restaurant by George Livissianis // The design references a material palette consistent with contemporary Japanese architecture – think concrete, birch ply, white paint and brass highlights. The space, designed by George Livissianis, is infused with a Japanese sensibility & simplicity in detailing. The simplicity of the room is maintained by concealing the services, a/c and audio behind the perforated panels which primarily function as acoustic absorbers. This was essential to control the acoustic comfort within the space and to preserve the material palette of concrete and white washed brick walls. A real triumph. Bravo George!

Read the full article about this project & see more images here.

Photography by Karel Balas.

French Metal Rack: Restored Paris Apartment by Marcante-Testa (UdA) Features a Clever Zoning System // This beautifully restored 180sqm, 1930s apartment is home to MilK Editor-In-Chief, Isis Colombe Combréas, her photographer partner, Karel Balas, and their two children. Completed in just three months, the restoration was managed by the inimitable Turin-based Marcante-Testa (UdA), who were briefed to rethink the communal areas in the apartment and make them more functional and open.

While Marcante-Testa (UdA) made some minor alterations to the walls, removing some and opening up others, the major design element used for the required zoning of public and private space was a matte black perforated metal rack system, inspired by French designer Mathiew Matégot. The system is moveable, with rotating arms that move through each space of the home. Major extreme love!

Read the full article about this project & see more images here.

Images courtesy of Acne Studios.

Acne Studios Store in Melbourne // Located in the evolving The Strand complex, Little Bourke Street store is the first in Australia to showcase Acne’s new perforated aluminium retail design, which has already rolled out in L.A. and Paris. The retail concept has been developed by Acne’s long term collaborator Andreas Bozarth Fornell of BOZARTHFORNELL.

Read the full article about this project & see more images here.

Images courtesy of Paco Rabanne.

Paco Rabanne’s new Paris Store // Set across 70 sqm. the boutique may be quite compact, but what it lacks in size it makes up by impressing shoppers with an understated clean design by brussels-based architects Kersten Geers and David van Severen. Divided into two distinct spaces, a front section encased by a modular system of perforated aluminium panels that can readily be adjusted to reveal shelving or create seating or room for display. Walls are coated in white paint and panels of perforated aluminium act as a linking backdrop to two main rooms and a very carefully considered window display.

Photography by La Perla.

La Perla Florence Boutique by Baciocchi Associati // Architect Roberto Baciocchi, founder of Baciocchi Associates, has La Perla’s slinky and sensual garments showcased on the backs of gold mesh and periwinkle floors inside the 62 year-old lingerie house’s newly crafted Florence Boutique. Avoiding 90-degree corners, the walls are seductively curved in perfect synch with the curvature of the golden partitions. One would assume the curves reference the female form and the La Perla muse, no?