Homes by Ihsan Sharif

Fuzhou Teahouse / Neri&Hu Design and Research Office

The project draws inspiration from imagery uniquely associated with Fuzhou: the Jinshan Temple. This is a rare example of a temple structure built in the middle of a river in China.

John Thomson was one of the first photographers ever to travel to the country and provided Western audiences with some of the first glimpses into the Far East. In the album Foochow and the River Min, which documented his legendary journey up the Min River, Thomson captured the ancient structure in its original state resting serenely above a floating rock in 1871.

This would become a lasting image unmistakably identified with the city of Fuzhou.

Architects: Neri&Hu Design and Research Office
Photographs: Hao Chen

Paris Dental Studio / JCPCDR Architecture

Created by 4 young and renowned parisian dentists, Paris Dental Studios proposes a new approach to dental health, and wishes to transform your dentist appointment into a relaxing moment of self-care.

To achieve this warm and laidback, yet high end atmosphere, young parisian agency JCPCDR Architecture was commissioned by Paris Dental Studios with a simple brief : to make it different, to put the customer’s experience first, with access to the latest medical technology, and to address the new sanitary concerns in a long term, durable design.

Architects: JCPCDR Architecture

OWSPACE book store in Aranya / B.l.U.E. Architecture Studio

Located in Aranya resort in Qinhuangdao, OWSPACE is a seaside bookstore of 590m. Design contents include facade renovation, interior and landscape design.

The inspiration for spatial design originated from “loneliness”. Being alone by the sea, away from the hustle and bustle of the city life, the feeling of loneliness is suddenly magnified.

Unlike traditional bookstore design, the designer attempts to create a space which allows different levels of interaction based on individuals' needs. As the original concrete frame structure remains unchanged, dark gray wooden “boxes” of different functions are inserted into the building.

These boxes of different shapes and sizes give the originally monotonic space a richer way of extension, allowing readers to explore the space with interest as walking around. These boxes give people the opportunity to seek solitude and quietness, also offer the possibility of encountering the others.

Architects: B.l.U.E. Architecture Studio
Photographs: Qingshan Wu

Palmyra House / Studio Mumbai

Located outside of Mumbai on the Arabian Sea, Palmyra House was built as a refuge from the bustle of the busy city.

The house consists of two wooden louvered structures set inside of a functioning coconut plantation. Structural framing for the house was built of ain wood, a local hardwood, and was constructed using traditional interlocking joinery. The extensive louvres were handcrafted from the outer part of the palmyra trunk (a local palm species).

Exteriors are detailed with hand-worked copper flashing and standing seam aluminum roofs; interior surfaces are finished with teakwood and India Patent Stone, a refined pigmented plaster.

Architects: Studio Mumbai
Photographs: Helene Binet