Cracker Barrel redesign of "iconic barrel" logo faces backlash

American restaurant chain Cracker Barrel has faced online backlash for the redesign of its logo, which until recently featured a country salesman and a barrel and is now composed of a minimal gold background and lettering.

Cracker Barrel rolled out the new logo in late August as part of a larger rebranding effort across the nationwide country-themed chain, which also includes menu updates and remodels of 40 of its 660 locations, according to the Wall Street Journal.

In contrast to subtle rebrands from retail giants such as Walmart and...

Sandwiched Between Two Buildings, “The Chapel” Transforms a Tiny Urban Gap in Bucharest

Wedged between two fairly conventional residential buildings in Bucharest is an unexpected gem of a cafe. “The Chapel,” a single-story, contemporary structure with a steep triangle roof line and sleek fixtures, is extremely narrow—a characteristic it celebrates through proportion, materials, and a lot of windows.

Designed by Ștefan Păvăluță, founder and principal architect of Romanian studio Vinklu, the unique building is home to a local coffee shop called Boiler. “The Chapel” has enough room for a barista and a few customers, while benches outside provide a little bit of seating.

A large, mature tree along the street was instrumental in designing for...

Light, air and shadow are "core design tools" for Chilean courtyard house

Chilean studio Paralelo Transversal has utilised passive strategies, including multiple courtyards for ventilation, in the design of a house oriented around a skylight on the outskirts of Santiago, Chile.

Casa con Lucarna was completed in 2024 with 3,250 square feet (302 square metres) of interior space, divided by open-air bays that help it cool in the warm climate.

"Casa con Lucarna was inspired by the need to respond to a hot climate using passive strategies – light, air and shadow as the core design tools," the team at Paralelo Transversal told Dezeen.

The...

Single-Family Home from the 1920s Transformed by VAUST Studio

Located in Berlin’s Karlshorst Rheinisches Viertel, RPA19 reimagines a single-family home from the 1920s as a site of subtle transformation. With approximately 200 square metres of floor space, the residence underwent a radical yet respectful spatial reorganization. Walls were removed to open up the view and merge spaces, particularly around the kitchen and dining area, [...]

If A Bumble Bee Lands On Your Toe

Easy-assembly music player among projects from Metropolitan State University of Denver

Dezeen School Shows: a music player designed for easy assembly is among the industrial design projects from Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Also featured is customisable furniture designed to be suitable for e-commerce transactions and a 3D-printed guitar.

Institution: Metropolitan State University of Denver
School: College of Aerospace, Computing, Engineering and Design, Department of Industrial Design
Course: Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design
Tutors: Doug Golenz, David Klein, John Wanberg, Amy Kern and Ted Shin

School statement:

"The Industrial Design Department at MSU Denver blends creativity, craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology to prepare students for a rapidly evolving global design industry.

"Our balanced curriculum integrates...

Parry cot by Jitrin Jintaprecha for Mother Goose

Dezeen Showroom: created by designer Jitrin Jintaprecha for Thai brand Mother Goose, this adaptable solid wood cot can be transformed into a single bed, sofa, low bunk bed and desk.

Made from one set of interchangeable parts, the Parry cot is designed to support a child as they grow by evolving into other items of furniture, each equally as functional and aesthetically appealing as the last.

First launched in 2013, the cot is now available in warm solid Thai teak wood, with the low loft bed as a new addition to the modular design...

ERE STUDIOS

Barcelona social housing by MIAS Architects is a "tribute to the cultural roots of its inhabitants"

Spanish studio MIAS Architects has renovated a historic housing block in the centre of Barcelona into a series of social housing apartments, defined by a bold palette of red render, patterned ceramic tiles and geometric metal grilles.

Called Lady Raval Social Housing, the block is located along the medieval Hospital Street in Barcelona's Raval neighbourhood – one of its oldest and most densely populated urban districts.

Raval is defined by its diverse immigrant population, which MIAS Architects looked to celebrate through the incorporation of materials and decorative patterns, which it says are a "tribute to...

Hé replaces traditional roof of Flemish home with glazed winter garden in Belgium

Brussels-based architecture studio Hé! has updated a traditional Flemish home in Belgium, inserting a glazed timber and metal volume to form a "new living space" on its upper floor.

Situated in the hilly landscape of the country's Pajottenland region, Omloop Farmhouse was purchased by its owners in the 1990s.

They approached Hé! to improve the home's connection with nature and establish a more compact layout suitable for the couple to grow old in.

To do this, the studio rearranged the home's existing layout, with the largest transformation being the addition of a glazed winter garden,...