Running adjacent to the World Architecture Festival in Berlin, Germany, the INSIDE World Festival of Interiors 2016 explored the theme, ‘Fluid Interiors’, in consideration of how cross-disciplinary design has changed the way we live, work and play – addressed during the festival by various globally-renowned interior design leaders.

During the interior awards ceremony, nine category winners, including one World Interior of the Year 2016, were announced, celebrating some of the world’s best interiors completed over the last 12 months.

A Chinese fashion concept store was declared the World Interior of the Year. Titled Black Cant System, the design was conceived by Shanwei Weng and Jiadie Yuan of Hangzhou-based An Design Studio for fashion brand Heike. Located in the suburbs of Shanghai, China, the store sits on the second storey of a furniture store, hidden from the spotlight. With a bold, all-grey interiors that combine mesh-clad windows, backlit glass panelling, brutalist black steel, dark timber and touches of silver, the futuristic project was applauded for challenging the traditional notions of a retail store. Besides housing retail elements such as a fitting room, storage, and display, a small bar was injected into the space to create a socialising area.

“Faced with a divided space, the designers inserted a black canted cube over the existing central stair, and effectively absorbed the programmatic elements into a poetic and sculptural whole. The store brand and architectural image work in harmony, with a sensitivity to surface and details,” the jury said.

Neri&Hu Design and Research Office emerged the winner of two categories. In Bars and Restaurants, Neri&Hu’s Rachel’s Burger blurs the boundaries between the internal and external space. Exterior walls of the 1950s-inspired diner open up to expand the perceived boundaries of the porous space – an approach deemed appropriate for the site’s narrow alley. In the Display category, Neri&Hu’s stand design, The Cut, for European textile company Kvadrat’s participation in Salone del Mobile, transformed a standard furniture fair stand into an experiential zone that distinctively connects with the visitor, while cleverly integrating Kvadrat fabrics in an unexpected manner.

Woods Bagot‘s co-working project, Paramount by The Office Space, took home the Offices category. The upper ground level of the Paramount House in Sydney was transformed into a co-working environment tailored to creative businesses. The design of the space honours the building’s heritage through 22 handcrafted suites constructed using traditional joinery and artisan skills. The space reflects an “old world dignity” and charm with a refreshing aesthetic.

Another Sydney-based project, a private home in Chippendale by Smart Design Studio won the Residential category. Indigo Slam, the neighbourhood’s attempt at reinventing itself as an artistic and cultural hub, is composed of sculpted concrete, serene spaces and spacious halls that marry a dynamic interplay of architectural elements such as lighting, materiality, texture, and space flow.

Mallorca-based practice OHLAB also took home two accolades. Its Puro Hotel (Hotels) features an irregular configuration that responds to the varying buildings within the neighbourhood, creating a hotel where every room differs. OHLAB’s Emardental Clinic (Health and Education) was lauded for its welcoming oak finishes, soft tones and sensitive lighting that envelop patients with a sense of comfort and security. Other winners include Studio Lotus for its Baradari City Palace (Creative Re-Use) and De Matos Ryan for its York Theatre Royal (Civic, Culture and Transport).

Click here for our coverage on the winners of the World Architecture Festival.