Author: Dima Stouhi | ArchDaily

Interior Design Trends of 2024

Dima Stouhi — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 07:30:00 +0000

As 2024 comes to an end, a dynamic year that questioned knowledge, tradition, and innovation, we take a look at how global events and trends influenced the design of interior spaces. Last year, architecture practices sparked worldwide discussions, challenging norms and tradition, and embracing overlooked regions. Interior design, on the other hand, took a more reserved, modest approach, favoring simplicity and individuality. Fast forward a year later, the overall architecture and design themes of 2023 remain the same - reinforced if anything - but have embraced "crafted experimentations" through subtle, acupuncture-like interventions.

Miniature Architecture: 17 Projects that Explore Interior Design for Children

Dima Stouhi — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 05:30:00 +0000

The world certainly looks different through the eyes of a young child; enormous, intriguing, and somewhat overwhelming, and it has long been believed that what we encounter as children shapes our perspective of the world. When asked about his childhood memories in Switzerland, Peter Zumthor shared that the memories of his youth contain the deepest architectural experience, which has become reservoirs of the architectural atmospheres and images that he explores in his work as an architect today.

Interiors within Interiors: 13 Projects that Showcase the Characteristics of Double Skin Facades

Dima Stouhi — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 07:30:00 +0000

The facade of a building often serves as a reflection of both the urban fabric it is set in, as well as what lies behind it. Beyond aesthetics, facades hold important functional, cultural, and sustainable significance, especially in relation to the interior design. Although natural light, views, and spatial organization are influenced by the facade, architects have been prioritizing the relationship between the building's envelope and the quality of the interior, keeping in mind current cultural, economical, and environmental changes influencing the way people design their living space. So responding to these ever-changing needs and habits, along with the focus on overall wellbeing, architects offset the facade and ceiling - and in some particular cases, floors - to create interiors within interiors; secondary envelopes that protect the interior space from the outside environment.

5 Art Movements that Influenced Architecture

Dima Stouhi — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 07:30:00 +0000

As far as history goes back, art and architecture have always been interrelated disciplines. From the elaboration of the Baroque movement to the geometric framework of modernism, architects found inspiration from stylistic approaches, techniques, and concepts of historic art movements, and translated them into large-scale habitable structures. In this article, we explore 5 of many art movements that paved the way for modern-day architecture, looking into how architects borrowed from their characteristics and approaches to design to create their very own architectural compositions.

10 Interior Design Trends of 2023

Dima Stouhi — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

As we head towards the end of 2023, an eventful year that could be defined as the year of "shifts", we take a look at how global events and trends impacted the design of interior spaces. Looking back, people questioned everything, and the architectural practice was no exception. A new voice was given to nations often forgotten as architects searched for alternative ways of designing and building. We questioned colonialism, consumer culture, waste, tradition, and authenticity, bringing about new perspectives within the discipline. Interior design in 2023, however, was reserved; explorative, but a lot more modest and subtle compared to previous years. Following years of constant changes, it seems as though people felt the need to pause, slow down, and embrace simplicity, while expressing their individuality through acupuncture interventions.

Arctic Architecture: 17 Projects that Explore Different Heating Techniques in Interior Spaces

Dima Stouhi — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Some of the most picturesque projects are those built in the mountains; the rustic cabin wrapped with a floor-to-ceiling glass panel that overlooks the snow-covered trees. Visually, the architecture exudes an enchanting feeling, but is it truly a habitable space? When houses are built on an elevation of 3,000 meters, installing a fire element alone is not efficient or sustainable. Spaces on such altitudes or particular geographic locations require to be treated thoroughly, beginning with the architecture itself. Whether it's through hydronic in-floor heating systems or wall-mounted chimneys, this interior focus explores how even the most extreme winter conditions did not get in the way of ensuring optimum thermal comfort.

Are Living Rooms Still Relevant? 16 Projects that Explore how these Private Gathering Spaces Adapt to the Contemporary Home

Dima Stouhi — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 07:30:00 +0000

Today, architecture has become - or is in the process of becoming - more flexible and individualistic to accommodate people's diverse lifestyles and spatial needs. With this adaptation, the residential typology has changed and living rooms have become endangered. Many insist on the need of having a space dedicated to relaxation and leisure, while others claim it is simply a waste of space and money. This debate raised an important question: do we still need living/sitting rooms? In this interior focus, we will look at how living rooms evolved through the years, and how architects readapted and integrated the concept of “gathering space” in contemporary residential architecture.

What is a Good Interior Design?

Dima Stouhi — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 03:30:00 +0000

The world's recent shift towards prioritizing wellness has influenced people to seek healthier lifestyles by understanding the body and the mind collectively. External factors such as the geographic location, the environment, the community, financial status, and the relationships with friends and family have all shown to have considerable impacts on an individual's health. However, it became evident that ensuring physical and mental health was not limited to having access to medical facilities and professional treatments, but was also determined by several factors related to the quality of the built environment.

Poland's White Gold: The Story Behind one of the World’s Biggest Adaptive Reuse Projects

Dima Stouhi — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 07:30:00 +0000

The Republic of Poland boasts diverse geographical territories and cultural tribes that span thousands of years. Its cities and towns reflect a whole spectrum of styles, from Romanesque architecture to Gothic Revival and postmodernist residential and commercial structures. In addition to its unique topography and rich urban fabric, the country houses 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. One site, however, has stood out from the rest and given the country a royal status. Tucked beneath the Malinowka stream, just outside the southern city of Krakow, is one of the world's oldest and largest hand-chiseled underground mines that has been transformed into an expansive, all-inclusive complex. From a naturally-healing health center to a secluded church and an underground bungee jumping platform, this colossal adaptive reuse project is the Wieliczka Salt Mine.

The Top 20 Most Visited AD Architecture Classics

Dima Stouhi — Sat, 21 Oct 2023 07:30:00 +0000

AD Classics presents you with some of the greatest buildings of the past that have influenced and shaped architecture today. Throughout ArchDaily's 13 years, more than 200 classics were published, and for this edition, we have rounded up the top 20 most visited Architecture Classics to date.

Are We Seeing the End of the Open Floor Plan?

Dima Stouhi — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 07:30:00 +0000

The layout of interior spaces has been in constant evolution since the very first residential project. For many years, functionality dictated how they're are organized, but soon after, cultural, social, and economical changes influenced the way people design their living space, bringing about the spacious and versatile open floor plan. A lot has been written - and critiqued - about the open floor plan: who introduced it, how it was developed, its benefits, and/or lack thereof. During the past couple of decades, open floor plans were perhaps among the most requested interior design concepts, but today, architects are leaning towards the opposite.

How to Renovate Interior Spaces on a Budget

Dima Stouhi — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 07:30:00 +0000

Perhaps one of the most common phrases you'll hear when talking about interior renovations is "whatever you initially planned on spending, double it, and double the time with it". Renovations, regardless of their scale, can be very time consuming and costly, especially when unexpected changes pop up last minute. However, we are often met with situations where the interior layout is no longer efficient or we feel that the interior design is a little outdated and its time for a change.

Rome Architecture City Guide: 30 Sites that Celebrate the City's Rich Culture and History

Dima Stouhi — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 06:30:00 +0000

Spanning over 3 millennia with one of the highest concentrations of architecture in the world, Rome is a transcendental influence on the world's culture. Often called “The Eternal City,” it developed as the capital and seat of power of the Roman Empire, regarded by many as the first Imperial city and among the first ancient metropolises. As a city continuously occupied for over 28 centuries, Rome has maintained its countless layers of history to become a perfect depiction of old meets new. Rich in history, academia, and art, the Italian capital is now one of the most visited cities in the world.

Polished, Private, and Passive: Traditional Courtyard Houses and their Timeless Architectural Features

Dima Stouhi — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 07:30:00 +0000

We have seen in recent residential projects the need for bringing the outdoors inside, whether it's through green walls, biophilic designs, or interior courtyards, especially in countries with dry and hot climates. When it comes to countries of the Arab world, creating these outdoor-inspired inner spaces is a lot more than just bringing in some sunlight and fresh air, it is an architectural expression of a rich culture that transcended generations and inspired nations beyond their borders. In this article, we will explore how cultural and social norms influenced the creation of traditional courtyard houses in Arabian countries and how their unique architectural features were reimagined in modern contexts.

Locality, Legality, and Limiting Landscapes: The Story Behind Switzerland’s Villa Vals

Dima Stouhi — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 04:00:00 +0000

The rustic village of Vals in the Swiss Alps is one of the country’s most picturesque areas, located at an altitude of 1250 meters above sea level with numerous exceptional projects. The main square is surrounded by original Vals houses roofed with stone tiles made of Vals quartzite. Throughout the years, the village maintained its authentic residential and rural typology, making sure that its agriculture and rural fabric remained intact. Perhaps the most powerful natural resource of the Vals Valley, one that has nurtured its landscape and wilderness, is the water. For millions of years, ice and rain have forged the deeply-cut topography, and provided the village with a 30-degree thermal source, the only one in the Grisons Canton which springs straight from the ground.

Design Depot: 30 Projects that Explore Diverse Storage Solutions

Dima Stouhi — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 07:30:00 +0000

With the rise of small houses and dense cities, we were forced to sacrifice a good amount of storage space. Ironically, we did not compromise our purchasing habits, so with a few square meters to work with, architects and designers had to come up with efficient storage solutions and make the best of the limited space they have. However, if you were lucky enough to be occupying a large, unobscured space with a generous budget, your storage design possibilities are endless. In this article, we look at how architects and designers found creative ways to store their belongings in spaces with different functions, scales, and spatial constraints, ranging from completely invisible units to sculptural centerpieces.

Let There be Light! 12 Projects that Show the Impact Lighting can Make to an Interior Space

Dima Stouhi — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 07:30:00 +0000

Light is a key feature in architecture. Centuries ago, the sun and fire were the only sources of illumination, but in today's technology-driven world, artificial lighting and cutting-edge optical technologies have found ways to mimic the qualities of natural light, making it possible to have a naturally-lit-looking space within four walls. LED technologies have even made it possible to embed lighting in furniture, interior surfaces, and facades, altering their intensities and hues to make light a main feature in the architecture's storytelling.

Perforated Architecture: 20 Projects that Bring Back the Historic Musharrabiya

Dima Stouhi — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 04:00:00 +0000

There is often an intricate relationship between architecture and the environment. Each part of the world has defined its own architectural techniques based on its unique climatic conditions. However, environmental concerns in the 21st century provoked new techniques, implementing solutions to preserve natural resources and provide thermal comfort. While some opted for a futuristic approach with mechanical and technologically-advanced solutions, others decided to go back in time and explore how civilizations protected their people, architecture, and environment when they had nothing else to resort to but the environment itself. In this article, we look at how Musharrabiyas found their way back into modern-day architecture as significant vernacular features.