Dan Howarth

🏠 New York-based Lissoni Architecture, led by Italian architect Piero Lissoni, unveils the AKA NoMad hotel in Manhattan's NoMad neighborhood, merging Scandinavian and Japanese minimalist interiors. The renovated space, previously the Roger New York hotel, marks Lissoni's first NYC hotel project, following the establishment of his US office in the preceding year. The hotel features a bronze-painted spiral staircase in its double-height lobby and rooms with a neutral palette, oversized headboards, and dark stone bathrooms. The design showcases natural materials, bespoke furnishings, and iconic design pieces.

🖤 Uchi West Hollywood, a Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles, features live-edge wood from fallen street trees sourced by Angel City Lumber as spatial dividers in its 5,200-square-foot space seating 160 guests. The wood, from 25 Aleppo Pines across 14 neighborhoods, amounts to nearly 26 tons, cut into 42 logs with an average diameter of 30 inches and a length of nine feet. Local artists and artisans, including ORA, contributed to the earth-toned interior, which includes a custom light fixture by Kazuki Takizawa and concrete planters by SBLA.

🍺 Bursa Bar, designed by Mirzoyan Studio, opened in 2023 in Kyiv's historic Podil neighborhood. The 55-square-metre space features plywood panelled walls, a green latticed ceiling to enhance acoustics, and a design inspired by musical instruments, targeting vinyl enthusiasts and live-set fans. The bar includes a DJ booth and an extensive vinyl record collection, with lighting and ventilation systems concealed within the intimate atmosphere. Despite the ongoing war, Kyiv has seen new projects like this bar and others.