Berges Family Girl Scouts Center, Maryland Heights, MO
Photography by Alise O’Brien Photography.
The Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri are evolving with the addition of the Berges Family Girl Scouts Center in Maryland Heights. This 6,500-square-foot space designed by Oculus Inc. unites rural, suburban and urban troops in one location. It features a new STEM lab that allows scouts to get hands-on experience with new technology like robotics. There are currently 42 competing robotics teams who use the lab as a workspace. A new kitchen offers cooking schools with local vendors and professionals who teach the girls how to cook with their health in mind. What the building lacks in natural light it makes up for with a bright color scheme and high, white walls to open each room. To make the center accessible to all scouts, the space is ADA compliant with adjustable countertops and hooks to eliminate the need for additional storage. Existing garage doors were repurposed for taking indoor activities outside, a trend seen in local modern learning spaces. Bright colors and exciting opportunities keep a laid-back yet energetic feel to keep the scouts engaged in whatever the day may bring.
Zurbaran, Athens, Greece
Photography by Mariana Bisti.
Chef Hippocrates Anagnostitelis harnessed the luxury of Athens, Greece when he opened the Mediterranean restaurant, Zurbaran, designed by Kokkinou-Kourkoulas Architects & Associates. It’s located in the neighborhood of Kolonaki, a trendy area known for its upbeat style dubbed “Urban Athens” or the marriage between Athen’s rich history and positive future. The interior focuses on urban luxury by combining dark materials with an artistic take on lighting by Soraa and Okapi Light. The lighting creates a mysterious and sexy atmosphere through keeping most of the restaurant in shadow while highlighting seating areas. Visitors can follow the bar from one side of the space to the other, recreating a nightwalk through the center of the sultry city. Modern black metal sheets cover the stairs and act as shelving to accent the interior’s wood and concrete. The focal point of this restaurant, however, is its striking addition of local jade-toned Tinos marble defined by strong white veins. The marble symbolizes the area’s rich heritage while keeping a customer’s experience elegant and classy.
The Broad, Los Angeles, CA
Photography by Iwan Baan
Philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad have amassed one of the most prominent holdings of post-war and contemporary art worldwide. In 2015, designers Scofidio & Renfro finished construction of the Broad, a contemporary art museum in downtown Los Angeles. The Broad features temporary rotating exhibits and innovative audience engagement not often seen in art museums. Pieces not shown in the galleries remain important to the collection as the building’s architecture reflects with a veiled and vault design, or the combination of public exhibition and storage. The vault serves as the ceiling for the gallery below and the floor of the gallery above with windows along its exposed side to allow guests to see the entirety of the collection. The vault protects art from exposure damage, and the galleries take special measures to protect displays from the sun. The galleries have massive windows to showcase the view of Grand Ave. that are capped by a honeycomb design to allow for natural light while providing an appropriate amount of shade. The Broad offers free admission, so art connoisseurs and families alike are welcome to enjoy the collection.
