Dan Howarth

Mexico City-based Mariel Lozano Studio has designed interiors and furniture for a hospitality project in Mexico City, organising the compact space to create "tranquillity" and reduce clutter. San Luis is the debut property for Stays, a concept from music and design practice Mad Monk Studios that will eventually encompass multiple rentable residences. San Luis Stays is a one-bedroom apartment within a new building Mariel Lozano Studio was brought on to design the interiors of the 50-square-metre apartment, located inside a newly constructed building in the Roma Norte neighbourhood. "The initial interior suffered from an overwhelming combination of builder-grade finishes, requiring a conceptual reset to create a harmonious, high-end guest experience," said the design team. Mariel Lozano Studio added a variety of bespoke teak wood furniture pieces to warm the concrete interior To inject warmth and personality into the one-bedroom abode, Lozano wrapped portions of the exposed concrete walls in teak panelling. The same wood variety was used for several items of custom furniture, which were designed by Mariel Lozano Studio and fabricated by carpenters on site. A dining table that extends from a shelving unit is among the custom pieces "To optimise the compact layout, custom-designed fixed furniture was prioritized to hide clutter and maintain a tranquil feel," said the team. "Key elements, such as a custom bed frame featuring concealed luggage storage, keep the visual space clear, allowing guests to experience stillness inside the apartment." The bedroom is separated from the living area by a sliding slatted screen These custom

Canada's Ivy Studio has transformed a 1970s bank into a veterinary clinic for exotic animals in Laval, Quebec, featuring minimalist interiors and soft lighting. The Fauna clinic occupies a standalone structure completed in a brutalist style near the waterfront, just over the Prairies River northwest of Montreal. Consultation rooms at Fauna are offset from one another and fronted by sweeping walls Ivy Studio leaned into the building's existing style to inform the interiors, creating a calm, minimalist environment for the patients and their handlers. "By celebrating its historical shell, Fauna establishes a unique dialogue between imposing institutional architecture and the compassionate, soothing nature of veterinary care," the studio said. The staggered motif is also applied to the walnut reception counter The building spans 380 square metres over two levels, with the public areas and treatment facilities housed across the ground floor. Boasting 16-foot (4.9-metre) ceilings, the reception and waiting areas maximise natural light from the building's existing windows. The building's tall, coffered ceilings allow for dramatic architectural features The original concrete coffered ceiling is left exposed and painted a deep brown, contrasting concrete flooring and the warm grey of the textured plaster walls. Facing the waiting area, the four consultation rooms are arranged in an offset row through the centre of the plan. Fluted glass doors slide open to the consultation rooms Each is faced with a curved wall that sweeps up to the tall ceiling, mimicking the building's exterior, and is also denoted by vertical partitions with stepped end-profile