EDITOR ' S CHOICE
Figure 1 – A view of part of the living room , characterised by tiled floors , wooden roofs , and full-length windows .
Figure 2 – View of one of the upstairs rooms , with an emphasis on wooden materials and natural light
CASE STUDY : INTERIOR DESIGN IN ARKWRIGHT ROAD : THE PURSUIT OF SUSTAINABLE LUXURY
Daniel Leon , CEO and Director of Square Feet Architects
Architectural projects serve as representations of much wider social structures and values . New projects need to both reflect the current social zeitgeist and priorities , while also reflecting the values and principles of their designers .
Such context has shaped the internal design choices of Arkwright , which as a redevelopment of an existing site , has been forced to find interesting ways to balance aesthetic and sustainability goals .
This principle remains true for Square Feet ’ s Arkwright Road redevelopment , which attempts to respond to a crucial question within architectural debate ; how to balance attractive and unique designs with wider sustainability goals . One of the most interesting ways that Arkwright Road achieves this is through its approach to interior design .
BALANCING SUSTAINABILITY AND AESTHETICS IN ARKWRIGHT ROAD .
In 2022 , the UN found that the construction centre was responsible for nearly 34 % of global energy demand , and 37 % of current Co2 emissions . Such results have reshaped ideas about the value of beauty in architecture and have caused a shift away from traditionally extravagant designs in favour of a rising emphasis on the environmental credentials of new build properties .
Immediately apparent , is a focus on biophilic materials , best seen in Figures 1 and 2 . Wood is a particularly emphasised part of the internal design of Arkwright Road because it reflects a much larger commitment to goals of building sustainable and enduring properties . As a material it is both naturally resilient and strong but also easy to renovate , encouraging elements of the property to be consistently reused , even If the property is eventually replaced . Consequently , wooden materials are used through the interior structure of Arkwright Road , particularly in the living room , to address the criticism that current architectural builds are only suitable for the cultural context in which they were originally built . Biophilic internal materials strengthens a properties ability to claim it is eco-friendly .
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