PUP Architects extends Surrey Docks Farm with a sawtooth orangery and black tower

PUP Architects has refurbished Surrey Docks Farm in London, reinstating a three-storey tower clad in black timber and topped by a golden pig weathervane.

Surrey Docks Farm has occupied this site along the River Thames in Rotherhithe, south-east London, since 1986.

It sits on a 2.2 acre site that provides space for rearing animals, along with community and education facilities.

The refurbishment, which was funded through grants, is to help extend the farm's community outreach.

London practice PUP Architects was appointed through competitive tender in 2014.

The new development adds a glazed orangery and new landscaped public realm that creates a new "front door" for the farm, opening it out towards the adjacent Thames Path.

"The farm had previously turned its back to the river, with the Thames Path fronted by tall bushes and the derelict tower," explained the studio.

"[Our] response involved a mini-masterplan for this frontage. Rather than whole-scale demolition and rebuilding, a series of careful interventions and additions were proposed."

This new river frontage comprises three elements – the orangery, the tower and a new toilet and storage block extension attached to an existing forge on the site operated by a blacksmith.

Topped by a sawtooth roof, the glass orangery is attached to the river room.

It can be used either as a spacious foyer for this space or as a separate classroom.

The adjacent tower houses a community kitchen in its ground floor, and an office and meeting room with a balcony in the two storeys above, connected by an external metal staircase.

Drawing on an existing Walter Segal-designed building on the farm, the timber used to construct the new structures has been left exposed.

It is complemented by bursts of colour in the river room's fittings, and translucent corrugated panels that clad the toilet block.

"The choice of materials aims to carefully mediate between existing and new architecture whilst creating light and fresh spaces," said the studio.

"Reflecting the hybrid agricultural, educational and social function of the farm, simple robust materials are left in their natural stage: galvanised steel, zinc, aluminium, concrete, pine and Douglas fir."

The black wood-clad tower, informed by the barns of Sussex and Kent as well as the site's history as a timber wharf, subtly changes as it moves up the tower, with the panels becoming wider as they reach the top.

"The patterning of the cladding reflects a subtle shift from agricultural use at ground level to a more civic role of the tower as viewed from a distance," said the studio.

The weathervane atop the tower is modelled on the farm's pigs, which are a rare breed called Oxford Sandy and Black.

Young firm PUP Architects garnered much attention with their winning entry to The Architecture Foundation's inaugural Antepavilion competition in 2017, designing a rooftop pavilion designed as an air duct and covered in Tetra Pac tiles.

Photography is by Simone Bossi.

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Project credits:

Architect: Pup Architects
Contractor: John Perkins Projects
Structural engineer: Structure Workshop
Client: Surrey Docks Farm

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Francesco Pierazzi Architects delicately clashes materials inside London maisonette

A plywood-lined staircase, red-steel beams and exposed-brick surfaces appear throughout this maisonette in west London, which has been overhauled by Francesco Pierazzi Architects.

The maisonette takes over the upper-ground and first floor of a brick residential building in the Notting Hill neighbourhood, overlooking another development designed by architects Terry Farrell and Nicholas Grimshaw in the 1970s.

Its owner wanted to convert the area beneath the home's steep roof into an additional bedroom and to reconfigure the overall floor plan to improve the amount of space available.

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The challenge of the project was to devise an original interior on three levels with no alterations to the facades, while concurrently maximising the internal floor area," explained southeast London-based practice Francesco Pierazzi Architects, which was tasked with the re-design.

The lower floor has been opened up to create a large open-plan kitchen, dining and living space.

Two large bedrooms occupy the middle floor, while one bedroom has been re-located to sit on the new top floor underneath the roof. Circulation space has also been reduced on the middle floor to create more spacious wash facilities.

The practice enhanced the home's sense of height by placing floor-to-ceiling doorways in its more narrow rooms and creating skylights above the double-height space at the top flight of stairs.

The brick shell of the house has been worked into the interior. Exposed-brick surfaces now feature in the entrance hallway, living room, study area and loft, where there are also timber and red-painted steel beams.

"The decision [to expose the brick] was driven by the idea of enhancing and emphasising those pre-existing structural elements that were built with 'poor' materials – such as construction-grade bricks – and lack of refinement, such as the crude structural connections," the practice's eponymous founder told Dezeen.

"They create textures and contrast to guide the users through the spaces. I particularly liked the decorative qualities of both bricks and steel beams," he continued.

"I also liked the idea of surrendering to a condition that I could not control and plan. I realise that as designers we have a tendency to plan and coordinate too much. On this occasion, I wanted to let the existing structure take a leading role in the design, almost as if – to a degree – the house was designing itself."

A birch plywood-lined staircase that extends through the home's three floors has been installed, complete with a recessed handrail.

Walls throughout the home have been washed with white paint and the floors are grey vinyl. A bright-white sideboard in the living room is also inlaid with a slab of veiny marble.

Pierazzi explained that his use of contrasting textures and materials is informed by phenomenology – the philosophical study of human consciousness and the way in which we experience things.

"When I talk about a phenomenological approach to design I refer to the philosophy of [French philosopher] Maurice Merleau-Ponty," he said.

"Merleau-Ponty stressed that the body is the primary site of knowing the world, in opposition to the more traditional approach that states that consciousness is the informant of knowledge."

"I use the phenomenological approach by assuming that the body of the users of my projects will react and become active and stimulated if subjected to textures, contrast of materials, certain light conditions, vistas that direct one's view, or by creating very narrow spaces or corridors that lead to unexpected wide rooms," he concluded.

Back in 2017, architect Larissa Johnston overhauled a maisonette in London's Islington, arranging its interior around a central plywood box. The volume accommodated the home's kitchen, stairs, and an abundance of storage space to keep living spaces clutter-free.

Photography is by Lorenzo Zandri.

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Get cosy with our living room Pinterest board

This week, we've updated our living room Pinterest board with images from new projects, including a holiday home featuring a mix of designs from all over Africa and a spacious open-plan kitchen and living room in the Hamptons decorated in honey tones.

This living room is wrapped in floor-to-ceiling glass, to strengthen the home's relationship with the landscape

Recent additions to the board also feature a Swedish house designed to celebrate its coastal setting and the living area of a cabin in Vermont, complete with a black wood-burning stone and scenic views of the surrounding mountains.

The living room of this holiday home in Cape Town features a red Berber rug from Morocco layered on top in the sitting area.

Other images you can find on the Pinterest board showcase the living room of a residence in the Hudson River Valley with an eclectic mix of finishes and decor, as well as a Brooklyn townhouse featuring a bright, spacious area to read and relax.

Dezeen's Pinterest account features thousands of images, organised into hundreds of boards. Follow us on Pinterest to keep up to date with our latest pins.

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Adidas uses Parley ocean plastic for Terrex Free Hiker shoe

Sportswear brand Adidas has once again teamed up with environmental initiative Parley for the Oceans to release an updated version of its Terrex hiking boot, which is made using recycled ocean plastic.

The Terrex Free Hiker Parley utilises a yarn that was specially developed by the non-profit Parley for the Oceans organisation from waste plastic gathered from shorelines and coastal areas.

The Terrex Free Hiker Parley has a water-repellent upper woven with the Parley Ocean Plastic yarn. The sock-like fit of the Primeknit upper is designed to stretch and adapt to all foot shapes.

The shoe also uses the brand's Boost midsole, which is made from a rubbery material injected with air to create bubbles that are melded together to form a springy surface.

"We believe that through sport, we have the power to change lives and our latest shoe in the Terrex collection does just that," said Adidas Outdoor general manager, Tim Janaway.

"The Terrex Free Hiker Parley represents both sustainability and performance, empowering you to get outside and challenge yourself, without challenging the environment."

Parley's Ocean Plastic material is made using marine plastic debris that can replace virgin plastic in the process of manufacturing various products.

The plastic is collected from remote islands, beaches and coastal communities. It is then shredded and reworked to become a high-performance polyester yarn suited to use in sportswear.

The long-distance hiking shoe is the first from Adidas' Terrex Free Hiker range to be made using the Parley Ocean Plastic yarn, which the company first used for a running shoe developed by British designer Alexander Taylor in 2015.

Since then, Adidas and Parley have worked together on a collection of swimwear, an updated version of a classic 1990s shoe, football kits for Manchester United and Real Madrid, and a trainer designed by Stella McCartney.

In a 2019 interview with Dezeen, Parley for the Oceans founder Cyrill Gutsch said he no longer believes that eliminating plastic from the seas is possible and that we should instead focus on creating non-harmful alternatives.

The organisation previously worked with Spanish designer Adolfo Correa on a Hawaiian shirt covered in images of plastic spoiling the oceans, and launched a collection of sunglasses made from waste plastic to help fund an ocean clean-up programme.

Artist Doug Aitken also created an underwater installation for the organisation featuring three mirrored geodesic domes anchored to the seabed that people could swim into.

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Masa exhibition in Mexico City castle "celebrates contradiction"

A curving metal streamer, mirrored room screen and bulbous fibre chandelier are among the objects in an exhibition hosted by travelling gallery Masa in Mexico City.

Recover/Uncover exhibits a mixture of furniture, lighting and sculptures across the property

Recover/Uncover showcases furniture, lighting and sculptures with contrasting elements from designers such as Misha Kahn, Masa co-founder Hector Esrawe and Rooms.

The show exhibits a mix of commissioned works and limited-edition pieces, which the gallery said can't be sorted into a defining archetype or category.

A ribbon-like metal sculpture by Masa co-founder Hector Esrawe's hangs over a decorative wooden staircase

"Masa celebrates contradiction as a reflection of the ongoing process of becoming and self-definition – presenting objects as tools for living, contemplation and, most of all, reconciliation," Masa said.

"The pieces in Recover/Uncover exist along a spectrum of indeterminates rather than at a stasis, defying strict archetypes in favour of an ongoing exploration of purpose and expression."

This chrome mirror by VIDIVIXI divides the room, while also making it appear larger

Masa is hosting the show inside a castle located in Mexico City's San Miguel Chapultepec neighbourhood, built by the German Royals in the early 20th century. Its architectural features include a round turret on its stone exterior, brick walls and dark wood on the panelling, framing and columns inside.

The castle marks the second location for the travelling gallery after it launched last year with an exhibition inside a 1970s house in Mexico City.

Also displayed is a woven chandelier by Misha Kahn that uses fibres, nature debris and balloon-like glass sculptures

As with the inaugural show, the objects are dispersed around the castle. Some rest on plinths while others are fixed to the walls and ceilings of the historic interior.

Esrawe's looping ribbon-like metal sculpture hangs over the castle's decorative wood stairwell by attaching to the ceiling and adjacent wall.

A bench designed by Tbilisi studio Rooms comprises a row of black U-shaped seats

Mexico City collective VIDIVIXI has designed a screen fronted with a chrome mirror that divides a room, while also appearing to expand it through its reflective surface.

Other objects inside the gallery include a light fixture by American designer Misha Kahn and a wood bench by Tbilisi studio Rooms.

Perla Krauze has filled a room with discarded materials, such as cracked stones and incised cutting mats

Kahn's woven chandelier combines fibres, nature debris and billowing glass sculptures. The bench comprises black U-shaped seats connected to one another at their sides.

A full-room installation by Perla Krauze makes use of discarded materials, such as cracked stones and incised cutting mats.

Recover/Uncover also showcases several pieces outdoors, such as these chairs constructed from rocks by Mario García

The exhibition extends outside where a number of sculptures occupy the grassy lawn, including a circular formation of keystones by Adeline de Monseignat and chairs constructed from rocks by Mario García.

Esrawe launched Masa in 2019 with art curator Cristobal Riestra, curator Age Salajõe and designer Brian Thoreen, along with Roberto Diaz Sesma and Isaac Bissu. Recover/Uncover was co-curated with Su Wu.

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