This former show unit presented such a cleverly designed space, that it is now home to a young couple, who appreciates its understated and luxurious look. Lynn Tan reports.
Design duo, James DyerSmith and Gian Frey were commissioned to design a mock-up penthouse unit for Hard Turm Park Tower, which is now home to a young Swiss couple. Located in an area west of Zurich, the 1,292 square foot maisonette-loft occupies the top floor of the building.
Both graduates from Zurich School of Arts Product and Industrial Design, James and Gian founded the practice in 2010 after collaborating on the F&B project Monkey Bar at Zurich Niederdorf. As designers, they believe in always establishing a clear design language and this project is no exception. “Based on a classic penthouse layout, we used light and subtle sand tones, materials comprising different woods and brass, and custommade furniture from our DSF Collection to shape the interior,” says James.
The first level is where the entrance foyer, living and dining areas, kitchen and a guest bathroom are located. The loft level houses more private functions such as the bedroom, bathroom and dressing room. Connecting the two floors is a staircase that provides a physical link, while the striking turquoise blue wall with a rhombus pattern that runs alongside the staircase creates a notional association.
Different shades of blue have been used as accent colours against the predominantly brown and grey colour palette of the apartment.
“The maisonette-loft is flooded with light and we wanted to enhance a colour that reflects the sky but still offers a cosy atmosphere against the other materials and earthy colours,” Gian explains. The rhombus shape is an important and recurring element, not just in this project, but in the work of Dyer-Smith Frey. It is like a leitmotiv that can also be found in other parts of the penthouse, such as the screen between the entrance foyer and living area, as well as on many of the furniture.
The furniture in the penthouse were all designed and custom-made by James and Gian under their own label, DSF Collection.
“As interior designers, we create room concepts that convince with their significantly emotional character and stylishly simple solutions. This design approach is reflected in DSF Collection,” shares James. The collection is characterised by airy shapes, plain materials and different woods, with brass and turquoise contrasts. The rhombus pattern is often invoked to highlight the clean and light lines of the different furniture styles and to emphasise the elegance of the materials. All the pieces in DSF Collection are made in Switzerland and showcase the high quality materials and traditional craftsmanship.
For the designer pair, design is a “journey of discovery” and they do not limit their creative minds to just interior and furniture design, but also corporate branding and web design. For the Hard Turm Park penthouse, they have put together a design that combines aesthetic effortlessness, elegant design and extraordinary proportions.
Exceptionally large glass windows help to frame up the beautiful vistas around the penthouse
The designers installed a collection of large pendant lights to add a sense of proportion to the dining area.
Different shades of blue are used thorughout the house, helping to connect the interiors with the sight of the sky outside.
An accent wall serves as the headbord in the master bedroom, while also providing subtle storage spaces along the sides of the wall.
THE RHOMBUS SHAPE IS AN IMPORTANT AND RECURRING ELEMENT, NOT JUST IN THIS PROJECT, XXX APARTMENT IS PART OF THE KNIGHTSBRIDGE FREAKE ESTATE THAT WAS BUILT IN THE MID-1850S. BUT IN THE WORK OF DYER-SMITH FREY.
PHOTOS DYER-SMITH FREY
