As change-makers focused upon driving a new way of thinking about sustainable, natural building products, 2019 has got off to a very positive start for us with the feature by Dezeen of a house that speaks honestly and eloquently about the beauty of raw materials.

The Birch and Clay Refugio, a London flat designed by RISE Design Studio features Clayworks clay plasters throughout, stunningly paired with one of clay’s great friends, wood.

The colours and materials selected by RISE were chosen to reflect the client’s Persian Bengali heritage while also referencing her time spent living in Barcelona, according to Dezeen.

The clay walls used throughout the flat were inspired by the dilapidated medieval streets of El Born and El Gotico of Barcelona. RISE Director Sean Ronnie Hill, speaking to Dezeen.

Different coloured finishes were used in different rooms, including a beautiful and calming use of a custom Coral Pink in the children’s bedroom. The colours were created by Clayworks using natural earth pigments to the specification of the designers seeking to craft an interior that would be authentic and evoke memories of Barcelona.

Each space forms an emotional response through its materials and colours. Sean told Dezeen.

Wellbeing

Clay was also chosen due to the fact that it requires no paint and it has health benefits, such as being non-toxic, breathable and humidity and temperature regulating. Sean Ronnie Hill, RISE Design Studio

Incorporating wellness into the very fabric of the building is easy with simple materials and the growing demand for healthy homes is being driven not by codes and regulations but by a cultural shift, a demand from owners and by visionary designers who are pushing awareness of how to create beautiful, luxurious, healthy buildings.

Photos by Ståle Eriksen and courtesy of RISE Design Studio.

For more pictures please see our gallery feature.