Application of exposed cork in interior design
How to transport yourself in natural environments when you are in completely urban situations? The materiality of our environment is an important factor that determines the atmosphere we inhabit. In many cases, the use of natural materials in interior design can help evoke nature in our everyday spaces. In this article, we will specifically analyze the effect that cork has as a special resource in the design of interior spaces. Cork is the bark of a species of tree called the cork oak. When extracted from the tree, it is made into a useful raw product and can be applied to a variety of different uses.
Nía / Sulkin Askenazi School
Nía School, located in Mexico City, is an innovative school that promotes an interactive learning environment through flexible and open interior spaces, comfortable lighting systems, creative furniture and through the use of materials extracted from nature such as cork and oak wood. Cork plays a fundamental role: being a soft-touch material, it is ideal for creating a safe environment for children. Its optimal texture allows children to play quietly, whether they are climbing, jumping or exploring. In addition, cork creates a warm and inviting atmosphere with its orange and yellowish tones that reflect joy and positive energy.
ConsenSys / Neiheiser Argyros offices
Located in London, this project consists of a five-storey office building that offers a variety of spaces to adapt to the different working modalities of users. The project was born from the idea that we all work in a different way: there are comfortable and productive spaces for some, but on the contrary for others. Consolidating itself as a work center for different personalities, the ConsenSys building uses cork to delimit the space of a library with dark wood furniture, providing an atmosphere of contemplation and concentration.
Morris Law / Bornstein Lyckefors arkitekter
Morris Law, a commercial law firm, is another example of the use of cork in interior design. For a project based on the concepts of efficiency, transparency, excellence and mindfulness, warm-colored materials such as cork are ideal for generating warm, welcoming and distinctive workspaces.
Art Barn / Thomas Randall – Page
By observing this intimate space, inserted in a pretty hangar designed by Thomas Randall-Page in England, we realize the high aesthetic value that the use of cork can bring. Its simplicity makes it an elegant material that harmonizes with stone, wood and other white and earth tones.
A spatial quartet on future housing / ARCHSTUDIO + DESIGN APARTMENT + SODA Architects + BLUE Architecture Studio
The New Everbright Center brought together five design teams to stage the four-bedroom ArtPark9 hotel in Beijing. The proposals were to explore possible future lifestyles in high-rise buildings, creating harmonious atmospheres in dense urban contexts.
One of the bedrooms was designed by ARCHSTUDIO as the “hillside dwelling”, in which the architects visualized the evolution of human habitation. The project returns to human origins by creating an atmosphere that stimulates the interaction between people and natural spaces. A hill-like structure was created which allowed different types of three-dimensional relationships. The “hill”, covered with cork planks, managed to evoke nature thanks to its soft texture, organic shape and earthy color. The richness of the project lies in its ability to recreate a natural environment in a creative and aesthetic way, in an interior space otherwise conditioned by modern urban life.
