FORM Volume 01 2010

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56 13 FRONTIER TRIPLE TREAT HOME FURNISHING GIANTS PIROUETTE INTO MANDARIN GALLERY AND ION ORCHARD 20 YACHT COUTURE WALLY AND HERMES DREAM UP A REVOLUTIONARY AND SUPER LUXURIOUS PLEASURE BOAT 26 FLASH ITALIAN MAESTRO CASSINA HONOURS 20TH CENTURY ARCHITECT FRANCO ALBINI BY RE-ISSUING HIS ICONIC FURNITURE DESIGNS 32 FUNDAMENTALS SLEEP EASY REAP THE BENEFITS OF MATTRESSES INFUSED WITH LAVENDER AND BAMBOO CHARCOAL 34 LIGHT YEARS AHEAD LUTRON’S ADVANCED LIGHTING CONTROL SOLUTIONS TRANSFORM THE WAY WE USE AND UNDERSTAND LIGHTING 36 FOCUS LEATHER WHIZ CIERRE’S PRINCIPAL DESIGNER STEFANO CONFICCONI ELUCIDATES ON THE EXPERTISE BEHIND HIS FAMILY FIRM 42 DARK REJUVENATION LALIQUE’S CREATIVE DIRECTOR CAROLINE SCHOLL SHEDS LIGHT ON ITS FULL-FLEDGED BLACK CRYSTAL COLLECTION 46 FLAIR THE LIGHT CATCHER TEH JOO HENG ARCHITECTS TRANSFORMS TWO EMERALD HILL HOUSES IN SINGAPORE WITH SENSUOUS SCULPTURAL LIGHT SCOOPS 56 BLANC CANVAS RT+Q ARCHITECTS AND TID ASSOCIATES UPDATE A CAIRNHILL ROAD TERRACED HOUSE WITH A BATHTUB IN A CANTILEVERED GLASS BOX 68 NEUTRAL SHIFT IN CONTRAST TO THE FLORID FACADE OF THE BLAIR ROAD HOUSE, ONG & ONG ARCHITECTS REWORKS THE INTERIORS INTO A PICTURE OF PRISTINE RESTRAIN 76 OLD GOLD THE SENSUOUS STAIRCASES SPIRALLING INSIDE THIS JOO CHIAT TERRACED HOUSE ROW IS ONE REASON WHY ONG & ONG ARCHITECTS WON THE COVETED URA ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE AWARD IN 2009

14447#175M8-Form Contents.S.indd 1

Publisher/Editorial Director EDDY KOH Contributing Editors JOSHUA YAP JENNIFER CHOO Copy Editor SHEILA OLIVEIRO Marketing Managers JOY LEE SHAMIL ABIDIN Art Directors GINA TOH HAN Graphic Designer JEREMY GOH Design Director YEE WAI FONG FORM MICA (P) 059/01/2010 is a bimonthly publication of HEART PUBLISHING PTE LTD 129 Devonshire Road Singapore 239886 Telephone 65 6733 9931 Facsimile 65 6733 5661 Printed by Fabulous Printers Pte Ltd No part of FORM may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written consent from Heart Publishing Pte Ltd.

2/3/10 8:36 AM

Form(SGP)feb-mar10_Form•(SGP)Dic-Gen09 23/12/09 08:47 Pagina 1

30 Hill Street Unit 01-02 Singapore 179360 Tel. +65 6338 2822 E-mail: minotti@marquis.com.sg

Williams, seating system design: Rodolfo Dordoni

Minotti S.p.A. 20036 MEDA (MI) ITALIA via Indipendenza, 152 Tel. +39 0362 343499 www.minotti.com - info@minotti.it

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84 FACES SAVING GRACE CELEBRATED PENANG-BASED ARCHITECT LAURENCE LOH TOOK THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED AS CHAMPION CONSERVATIONIST OF THE ISLAND’S HISTORICAL BUILDINGS 92 FLING STRAITS TIMES HOTELIER NARELLE MCMURTRIE TRANSPLANTS NINE VINTAGE RESIDENCES FROM ACROSS MALAYSIA TO LANGKAWI TO CREATE HER OPEN-AIR MUSEUM-QUALITY TEMPLE TREE RESORT 102 LABOUR OF CLOVE AFTER HIS UNESCO HERITAGE AWARD WINNING MAKEOVER OF GALLE FORT HOTEL IN SRI LANKA, CHRIS ONG WAVES HIS WAND OVER CLOVE HALL IN PENANG 106 INDUSTRIAL TINGE HAILED AS THE ARCHITECT OF PARADISE, BILL BENSLEY INVOKES PHUKET’S TIN MINING LEGACY AT INDIGO PEARL 116 PERFECT POISE THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL BARCELONA IS AMPLE PROOF OF PATRICIA URQUIOLA’S REIGN IN SPAIN 128 FINALE FELINE FORTUNE TITTOT LEAPS INTO THE YEAR OF THE TIGER WITH ITS CRYSTAL RENDITIONS OF THE POWERFUL WILD CAT

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NEW BR 01 INSTRUMENT HERITAGE BR 01

46 mm | Hand-tooled stamp on natural leather strap

Bell & Ross Boutique : 333A Orchard Road #01-15 Mandarin Gallery Singapore 238897 • Tel : (65) 6884 6471 • Fax : (65) 6884 6472 • bellross.mandaringallery@fjbenjamin.com

www.bellross.com

Available at: All Watches Wisma Atria Tel: 6733 2823 • Cortina Watch Ion Orchard Tel: 6509 9218 Millenia Walk Tel: 6339 1728 Raffles City Tel: 6339 9185 • Dickson Watch & Jewellery Wisma Atria Tel: 6737 6451 Sincere Fine Watches Lucky Plaza Tel: 6737 4593 Ngee Ann City Tel: 6733 0618 Suntec City Tel: 6337 5150 VivoCity Tel: 6278 1698 • Watches of Switzerland Paragon Tel: 6732 9793 Tampines Mall Tel: 6783 6535 F J Benjamin Service Centre • 230 Orchard Road, #04-230 Faber House, Singapore 238854 • Service Centre: (65) 6736 3933 • Office: (65) 6737 0155 • www.fjbenjamin.com

09_661 BR Heritage FORM Feb10_.indd 1

1st Proof

Title:

Job No:

Bell and Ross Ad for Form L1209-270/3173

12/22/09 3:34:40 PM

FORM 10

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BOOK & LOOK storage furniture. Design: Pagnon & PelhaĂŽtre.

Catalogue: www.ligne-roset.com

Live beautifully.

Please visit our showroom to view our latest lifestyle concept.

14447#175M8-Monticello Ad.S.indd 1

LIGNE ROSET, 331 North Bridge Road #01-01 Odeon Towers, Singapore 188720 Tel: (65) 6235 4211 Fax: (65) 6733 6643 Email: info@monticellodesigns.com

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Rado_FORM_Mar10.pdf

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TEXT VICTOR CHEN I F R O N T I E R

DESIGN PROFESSIONALS AND ENTHUSIASTS HOTFOOT IT TO ION ORCHARD AND MANDARIN GALLERY WHERE RECENT SHOP OPENINGS PROMISE A PLETHORA OF TOPSHELF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FORM 13

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F R O N T I E R

PROOF POSITIVE

Proof Living launches a universe of possibilities in its ION Orchard premises where reissued classic pieces stand side by side with spanking new designs

It’s fair to count weekend afternoons spent in a Proof Living showroom as a crash course in contemporary design. Not only are the foremost designers represented here in their iconic and current pieces, they are also seen in the light of trends and collective output of their peers. Proof’s new store at ION Orchard, a staggering 10,000+sq ft space (3,000sq ft is allocated to Barbara Barry, see other story Leading Lady), builds up on this concept with more samples from sought-after labels and plenty of settings to demonstrate a trend or two.

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F R O N T I E R

LEADING LADY Fans gain access to Barbara Barry’s impeccable style at the eponymous store in Proof Living. Comprising a front room and two suites joined by a spacious hallway, the 3,000-sq ft store-withinstore features walls painted in a custom shade called Moon Shadow, an assemblage of Barbara’s furniture for the living room, bedroom and dining room, as well as some of her occasional pieces.

BEREFT OF THE HIGH DRAMA FAVOURED BY 1980S TASTE-MONGERS, BARBARA BARRY’S SOPHISTICATED INTERIORS ARE AWASH WITH CALM PALETTES, GRACEFUL FURNITURE AND REFINED ACCESSORIES THAT EMBODY WHAT IS OFTEN IDENTIFIED AS LOS ANGELES STYLE

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F R O N T I E R I PHOTOGRAPHY ALAN LEE / K STUDIO

BIGGER PLATFORM Nearly every store claims to possess a stock of the latest and best looks from designer furniture labels yet only those with the wherewithal, space and access to workshops truly own the bragging rights. Supersized and stocked with select, spectacular pieces, Platform at the Mandarin Gallery is a repository of hard-to-find items and design ideas. A stroll through the 3,000+sq ft showroom is a virtual privilege tour of private homes with specific areas dedicated to a brand, a design trend or an overarching theme. Displays benefit from the larger footprint with shelves that can accommodate bigger pieces and samples in varied colours. (Platform’s older outlet at Millenia Walk, nearly a third in size, is now dedicated to accessories and smaller items.)

BESIDES WORKS BY HEADLINE-HOGGING DESIGNERS LIKE EILEEN GRAY, PHILIPPE STARCK AND KARIM RASHID, THE SHOP ALSO CARRIES OUTPUT BY UPSTARTS AND UPCOMING DESIGNERS AND ARTISANS FORM 18

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F R O N T I E R I TEXT RYAN WU

UNLIKELY BEDFELLOWS, LUXURY YACHT MANUFACTURER WALLY AND HERMES TEAM UP TO LAUNCH A REVOLUTIONARY CRAFT, WITH EXHILARATING RESULTS The black roof panels are not so much a symbol of stealth as an emblem of ecoconsciousness. These silica photovoltaic panels transform and store solar power, accounting for almost half of the boat’s energy needs

Moneyed moguls who survived the financial meltdown relatively unscathed and who now fear the 2012 doomsday prophecies will do well to park their reserves in a WHY. An acronym for Wally Hermes Yachts, the vessels are less Portofino pleasure boats than self-contained floating habitats, infinitely more stylish than the unwieldy arks seen in Roland Emmerich’s disaster epic.

Sculpted like an Oscar Niemeyer masterpiece – a pared-down monolith with audacious curves and nary a hint of superfluous detail – the enigmatic yacht derives its unique triangular hull from a utilitarian source, a Norwegian cable-handling vessel. Renowned for its supreme stability in extreme conditions, the Nordic workhorse was also the starting point for the yacht’s island adrift concept: instead of choosing a structure that conveys and calls for speed, the designers opted to emphasise slowness and stability. Voila! The perfect, understated anti-hero was born.

Welcome aboard, inconspicuous consumption.

Fifty-eight metres long and 38 metres in width, with a maximum speed of 14 knots powered by a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion engine, the WHY boasts 3,400sqm of living space spread over three decks, large enough to accommodate 12 guests and 20 crew comfortably. Level one contains the salon, dining room, music chamber, cinema, spa and outdoor sun deck; level two harbours a lounge, library and guest suites; level three is entirely dedicated to the owner’s private sanctuary. There is also a 25m seawater pool on the bow that hugs the contours of the ship’s nose, plus a jogging track that traces the ship’s periphery.

The task of outfitting the interior fell into the capable hands of Denis Montel, executive chairman and art director of RDAI (Rene Dumas Architecture Interieure), whose wealth of experience encompasses designing Hermes boutiques worldwide, as well as Christie’s auction house in Paris and the head office of Yves Saint Laurent. Clearly no stranger to the world of luxury living, Montel’s first instinct was to adopt a conceptual approach to the layout, before refining his vision with sensations, textures and ambiences using original materials.

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UNLIKE CONVENTIONAL PLEASURE BOATS, THE WHY IS BUILT FOR STABILITY RATHER THAN SPEED, WITH AN AVERAGE CRUISING SPEED OF 12 KNOTS. THE DECKS ARE WRAPPED IN 300SQM OF PICTURE WINDOWS TO PROVIDE 360-DEGREE VIEWS OF THE HORIZON

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F R O N T I E R

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F R O N T I E R

WHAT AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE IT MUST BE TO DINE IN A DIFFERENT PART OF THE WORLD EVERYDAY! FULL-HEIGHT GLASS DOORS FRAME PICTURESQUE VISTAS THAT CHANGE ACCORDING TO LOCATION, SEASON, PREVAILING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND TIME OF DAY

PICTURES COURTESY OF HERMES

THE LOWER DECK FEATURES A 30M-LONG ‘BEACH’; BUT SUNWORSHIPPERS ON THE UPPER DECKS CAN ALSO ENJOY THEIR MOMENT IN THE SUN THANKS TO THE RETRACTABLE SOLAR PANELS

The relationship between living spaces and the environment extend beyond skylights and picture windows; the interior surfaces and furniture are fashioned from natural materials like timber, cane, fibres and water-resistant buffalo leathers, with an aesthetic that sits midway between Japanese Zen and pre-war Scandinavian modernism

Eco-conscious owners concerned about the WHY’s environmental impact need not lose sleep; the design team’s preoccupation with managing the boat’s energy needs borders on obsession.

While recognising that only pure sailboats can be totally ecological, much provision has been made to increase energy efficiency. Of particular note is the state-of-the-art retractable photovoltaic panels that wrap the roof of the upper deck in a silica embrace. Covering a surface area of almost 900sqm, the panels generate almost 50 per cent of the boat’s energy requirements. There is also a rainwater collection system which harvests and filters nature’s resource for use onboard, and advanced waste management systems equipped to handle both organic and inorganic waste.

A full-scale model of the yacht was unveiled to the public in Ancona, Italy, in September 2009. An online report from the UK’s Daily Mail tagged the cost of the yacht at £90 million (approx. S$201 million). But the report didn’t mention the annual cost of maintenance or staff salaries. Still, by the time you read this, the Larry Ellisons, Roman Abramoviches and Prince Jefri Bolkiahs of the world would have probably put their names on the waiting list. Forget the Sentosa Cove bungalow, the apartment in Burj Khalifa or the 13th century Loire Valley Chateau; living a nomadic existence aboard your very own private island, swathed in Hermes leather finery, is the way to go. F For more information, check out www.why-yachts.com

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O1_490 ND390

21.01.10

D66/A4

175 none

none

C M Y K

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F L A S H I TEXT JOSHUA YAP

CASSINA HONOURS 20TH CENTURY ITALIAN ARCHITECT, URBAN PLANNER AND DESIGNER, FRANCO ALBINI, BY RE-ISSUING SOME OF HIS MOST ICONIC WORKS UNDER ITS CASSINA I MAESTRI COLLECTION

CICOGNINO This one’s for the tireless hostess. The Cicognino table features an idiosyncratic handle, inspired by a swan’s neck, that extends from one of its three legs. This allows one to cart the small table around wherever the life of the party is without breaking one’s back. Small in stature but big in stability and sturdiness, it is available in walnut-stained mahogany, natural ashwood or slate-coloured ashwood.

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F L A S H

TRE PEZZI Despite being more than half a century old, Franco Albini’s Tre Pezzi looks set to become a contemporary icon. A daring reinterpretation of the French bergere, it dissects the classical armchair into distinct elements. Consisting of a deep seat, ring-shaped backrest and a semicircular headrest, the graphic components come together like a work of art, held in place by its sturdy metal tubular frame. Available in its original version with red fabric upholstery and black frame, it also comes in leather upholstery and a chromium-plated frame.

CAVALLETTO An architectural feat, the Cavalletto table expresses an uncommon lightness made possible by its ingenious construction. Employing the dynamics of opposing forces, it utilises the traction and compression of its structural components via screws and dark brass pulleys to achieve balance and stability. Perfect for those on the lookout for a generous yet unobtrusive work desk, it comes in walnut-stained mahogany, natural ashwood or slate coloured ashwood.

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F U N D A M E N T A L S I TEXT JOSHUA YAP

Lavender mattress

REAP THE RESTORATIVE EFFECTS OF LAVENDER AND BAMBOO CHARCOAL WITH ISAIAH’S UNIQUE RANGE OF NATUREINFUSED MATTRESSES

Bamboo mattress

your slumber with the therapeutic properties of medicinal bamboo charcoal? Thanks to Isaiah’s revolutionary range of organic mattresses, your dream of a truly recuperative sleep is no longer a pipedream. Ingeniously combining innovative technology with natural elements, the range combines nano-bamboo charcoal fibre and nano-lavender properties to turbocharge the natural benefits of your sleep. While the former offers a worry-free bedtime with its natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and deodorising properties, the latter creates a spa-like ambience with its calming scent that doubles up as an insect repellent. Awarded the European Eco-Flower and Durability Certificate by the Japan Spinners Inspection Foundation, these mattresses are not only environmentally friendly but also guarantee plenty of nights’ rest for years to come. F

Available at OM 134 Joo Seng Road Level 2 Nobel Design House Tel: 6235 0777 www.om-home.com

Liang Court #02-24 Tel: 6837 0060 IMM Building #03-25 Tel: 6883 0700

PICTURES COURTESY OF OM

Fancy snoozing on a bed of aromatic lavender or enhancing

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F U N D A M E N T A L S I TEXT VICTOR CHEN

LIGHT YEARS AHEAD LUTRON’S ADVANCED LIGHTING CONTROL SOLUTIONS TRANSFORM THE WAY WE USE AND UNDERSTAND LIGHTING

Available at LUTRON GL LTD 15 Hoe Chiang Road, #07-03 Tower Fifteen Tel: 6220 4666 www.lutron.com

Before sleek, unobtrusive dimmer switches came

Today, Lutron remains an industry leader with over 10,000 products for residential and commercial projects. From light dimmers to shades and systems for switching, dimming, energy management, and shade control, it is a brand that is transforming how we utilise artificial light in varying environments.

Besides illumination control, Lutron provides solutions that help enhance productivity and comfort, as well as reduce energyrelated costs. With sales and services representatives in the US, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Asia, Lutron Electronics Company is helping ensure that we get more from light than we thought possible. F

PICTURES COURTESY OF LUTRON GL LTD

into being, manipulating artificial light was mostly done with elaborate shades and filters. The more electronically advanced devices were bulky, unattractive autotransformers and rheostats – more appropriate in industrial and theatrical settings than a luxurious home or a modern commercial facility. Until Lutron Electronics Company invented the first solid-state dimmer switch, homeowners had little options in manipulating electric light.

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F O C U S

I TEXT JOSHUA YAP PORTRAIT MICHAEL TAN / MIKA IMAGES

UNDER THE JUDICIOUS DIRECTION OF ITS OWNERCUM-PRINCIPAL DESIGNER, STEFANO CONFICCONI, CIERRE GALVANISES ITS VIRTUOSITY IN LEATHER FURNITURE MAKING BY LEVERAGING ON ITS HERITAGE

To say that Cierre is a specialist in leather furniture would be making a gross understatement. Founded in 1972, this family-run company has not only been hailed as a leading Italian leather furniture brand, but has remained passionate about crafting furniture from the luxurious material all this while. Even as other furniture makers dally with new-fangled high-tech materials, Cierre remains steadfast in its obsession with leather, painstakingly monitoring every step of its production from the abattoir to the tannery and utilising innovative techniques to improve its quality and durability.

Its second-generation owner-cum-principal designer, Stefano Conficconi wouldn’t have it any other way. “Our founding philosophy is Living in Leather,” he proclaims. “That was the starting point of our company and we are proud to be a specialist in leather furniture. Our aim is to produce furniture made with the highest quality leather at competitive prices and for optimum comfort as well.” We caught up with the tireless multitasker to find out what sets his furniture apart from his competitors’.

Perfect for stylish couch potatoes, Alta Marea is equipped with unique rotating mechanisms that allow you to turn its side seat cushions by 90 degrees to transform it into a lounger

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F O C U S

EXEMPLIFYING ELEGANT MODERNITY AND FUNCTIONALITY, SUMMER IS A MODULAR SOFA SYSTEM WITH MINIMALIST LINES AND SUPERIOR LATEX PADDING THAT ENSURES COMFORT AND DURABILITY

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F O C U S

Being a leather specialist, what do you think is the biggest challenge in processing leather?

We have been developing techniques to improve the quality of our leather since the beginning. The specific innovations we’ve developed in leather treatment are too technical to go into but the biggest challenge lies in enhancing the quality of lower grade hides to give it a more luxurious feel. Though it is impossible to attain the same feel of top grade leather, we can improve its resilience and colour fastness. Currently, we offer seven grades of leather in over 200 colours.

Apart from being a specialist in leather furniture, what would you say are the other USPs of Cierre?

The company remains to this day a familyowned business. My parents who founded the company are still very much involved in the company and so are my siblings. This gives us greater flexibility and efficiency as we can react faster to market demands as compared to big corporations. Another characteristic of the company is that all the product development and production are done in-house. This includes the wooden frames of the sofa, innovative mechanisms, foam padding and down feather cushions.

This is so that we can have absolute control over the quality of our products.

As the principal designer of the company, what would you say is the starting point of Cierre’s furniture design? Is it form or function?

My philosophy in design is to always balance two elements – aesthetics and comfort. It must look good and offer great comfort. When it comes to sofas, it must also offer modular options on top of the two elements so it can create the ideal configuration for every customer.

PICTURES COURTESY OF CIERRE

How much has Cierre grown since its founding?

It was a small family business with only three to four craftsmen working in a workshop adjoining the family home. We have since grown into a company with more than 100 employees. In the beginning we only supplied our products to some furniture shops in the region. Today, we can be found in more than 30 countries with flagship stores in major cities like Hong Kong, Seoul and Singapore.

However, the mentality of the company hasn’t changed. We will always focus on producing quality leather furniture.

ONE OF CIERRE’S BEST-SELLERS, VINTAGE, FEATURES AN INNOVATIVE RETRACTABLE BACKREST THAT EXTENDS FOR MAXIMUM COMFORT Which of your sofa systems best illustrates this balance?

The Vintage is a good example. We understand that for a sofa to be comfortable, it must have a high backrest. However, a high backrest will overpower the look of the whole room. The Vintage is a modular system that gives you the best of both worlds as it has an adjustable metal backrest that extends when you want to relax and retract when you are entertaining guests. As mentioned, this mechanism as well as other innovative solutions are developed by us.

What inspires you in your design?

Inspiration comes from all sources for me. It can be from the feedback I gather from my agents and distributors, buildings and parks, or even car seats and chairs in the plane or cinema. I am spurred by outstanding designs and try to incorporate elements of them in my collection.

Working with my team of designers, we will then refine the proportions and sizes several times and conduct tests and checks before we arrive at the final design.

Do you adapt your collection’s designs based on current furniture trends?

Are you influenced by any designers you admire?

It is important for us to analyse our competitor’s designs and to get a sense of what is out there in the market. However, I try not to emulate others because I think it’s important to maintain the identity of our brand. F Cierre is available at MARQUIS QSQUARE 16 Tai Seng Street Tel: 6383 0119 www.marquis.com.sg

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Imagine the Difference

CaesarStone quartz surfaces – Beautiful, functional, easy to care for bench tops and splashbacks.

Pure White. One of six new colours.

(Bench top and splashback in Snow 2141)

1141

Pure White

4600

Organic White

4220

Buttermilk

2040

Urban

2003

Concrete

4170

Black

Rock

Distributed by

For our latest brochure phone +65 6316 1938 www.caesarstone.sg

F L A I R I TEXT VICTOR CHEN

NARROW AND DEEP, SHOPHOUSES HAVE LONG CHALLENGED ARCHITECTS’ IMAGINATION AND RESOURCES TO OPEN THEM UP TO LIGHT AND AIR. BUT WITH JUST A SIMPLE DEVICE, TEH JOO HENG WORKED OUT AN INCREDIBLY ARTFUL SOLUTION FORM 46

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Until a few years ago, an airwell, a skylight and a bank of windows were the only antidote to the poorly lit and ventilated interiors of a shophouse. Strict regulations covering their renovation were often thought to impinge on creative solutions to problems inherent to the structure, and those who worked around the problem invariably imposed a climate-controlled environment that effectively diminished the shophouse’s true character and charm.

But continued interest in shophouses as alternative dwelling spaces, for practical and sentimental reasons, goads architects to find ways to harness light and air in a more personalised and spirited manner.

For Teh Joo Heng, principal and founder of the self-named architecture firm, one solution lies in a device that is so simple and ubiquitous it should not have escaped attention for so long. Called the light scoop, this architectural device draws in light, bounces it off several curved planes and distributes it to specific areas within the enveloping structure. The resulting illumination is nuanced and soft, changing character as the sun crosses the threshold. Its successful application in shophouses on Emerald Hill anticipates progress in bringing natural light into challenging structures.

Besides the brief from the owners, Teh had to work with the Urban Redevelopment Authority regulations that prevented him from rebuilding the enveloping structure including the façade and the front half of the roof. He had freer rein in the back structure, often a later addition to the original, and decided to demolish and rebuild it in one of the shophouses.

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F L A I R

A deft play on round and rectangular shapes yields a subtext of light and shadow

Inside the shophouse the system is articulated around the airwell like a swath of cloth unfurled from the ceiling all the way down to the first storey where it disappears into the walls. Another part of it looks like facetted cathedral doorways, perhaps a Gaudi study in white stucco. It draws the eye towards the lofty ceiling whose summit has been opened up with a pitched skylight. As it spirals downwards, it passes through glass stairs and glass footbridge dragging the eye towards the sparse space on the first storey where the line of sight goes beyond immediate physical boundaries.

“We like to describe it as a sculpture in space – because it does look like a piece of art in a room – but it is also a space in sculpture because it forms a structure that helps define and configure a room,” enthuses Teh. The design – including that of an identical, contiguous property, which Teh revamped in a more conventional manner – bagged the 2005 URA Architectural Heritage Awards and an honourable mention at the SIA Architecture Design Awards in 2006.

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LIGHT CASCADING IN FROM THE SKYLIGHT IS REFLECTED ON AND BOUNCES OFF CURVED PLANES OF THE SCULPTURAL LIGHT SCOOP

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A glass foot bridge and stairs do not impede the flow of light from the skylight to the ground floor

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F L A I R

In keeping with the architecture’s manifold planes and curves, utilitarian elements take on a sculptural guise

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UNEVEN ARCHES DEFINE THE BATHING ALCOVE BOLDLY WORKED OUT IN THE FRONT ROOM OF THE SECOND STOREY

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VOLUPTUOUS FORMS ARE IN CONSTANT INTERACTION WITH A TRADITIONAL BOX-ENVELOPING STRUCTURE “We spend our days in places dominated by rectilinear structures, boxes, 90-degree angles – and there is nothing wrong with that. But I feel that we also crave exciting spatial treatments and configurations; we search for a balance and this space is a response to that need,” he theorises.

Howard Wee, director of 7 Interior Architecture, stepped up to the challenge of designing the interiors with light and thoughtful touches that pay homage to the stunning architecture. “I consulted Joo Heng about his concept for the architecture and decided the ID concept should be a seamless flow from it,” he says.

The NUS and MIT alumnus, Teh claims his practice is driven by a passion for design, particularly for the tropics. “But we prefer the fun, exciting and unusual route,” he says. The firm is a laboratory that churns out myriad ideas, which partly explains its lack of one signature stroke to push it to the forefront of the market. “I’ve not thought about creating a signature look; maybe I should,” he says with a laugh. “But we’re more interested in design principles that come through our experimentation. And we want to grow with these principles, not to be limited by them.” F FORM 55

Cones define spaces and even double up to hide fittings

PICTURES COURTESY OF TEH JOO HENG ARCHITECTS AND 7 INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE

F L A I R

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The hallmarks of this house – lightness, purity, transparency – are encapsulated in the first storey dining room and adjacent water court. Note the ‘floating’ granite feature wall, the white laceeffect screens and how the dining area appears to ‘hover’ above the water

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F L A I R

BLESSED WITH A BOUNTY OF LIGHT AND AIR, THE SECOND INTERNAL COURTYARD IS A LANDSCAPED DECK IDEALLY SUITED TO CASUAL ALFRESCO MEALS

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IN THE SECOND STOREY ENTERTAINMENT LOUNGE AND DINING NOOK, DESIGNER FURNITURE FROM CASSINA AND KARTELL SIT CONTENTEDLY ALONGSIDE REFINISHED ANTIQUE PIECES, UNITED IN THEIR PALETTE OF PALLOR FORM 62

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F L A I R

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F L A I R

INSTEAD OF ALLOWING THE CORRIDOR ON THE SECOND STOREY TO IDLE, THE DESIGNERS INGENIOUSLY TRANSFORMED THE TRANSITIONAL SPACE BETWEEN THE ENTERTAINMENT LOUNGE AND DINING NOOK INTO A GALLEY KITCHEN FORM 64

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ORCHARD ROAD’S GLITZY BOUTIQUES MAY BE JUST A STONE’S THROW AWAY, BUT NOTHING BEATS HAVING YOUR VERY OWN WALK-IN WARDROBE COMPLETE WITH A GLASSTOPPED DISPLAY COUNTER

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F L A I R

NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED, THE MASTER BATHROOM BOASTS A BATHTUB SUSPENDED IN A CANTILEVERED GLASS BOX

A lap pool runs the length of the rooftop terrace and probably invites envious glances from neighbouring high-rises FORM 67

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THE INTERNAL COURTYARD WELCOMES LIGHT AND AIR ENTHUSIASTICALLY. WHITE LOUVRED SHUTTERS IN THE REAR EXTENSION BLOCK MIMIC THOSE ON THE TRADITIONAL FACADE

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F L A I R

NICHES IN THE FIXED FURNITURE WALL, SUCH AS THIS ONE IN THE FAMILY ROOM, MAKE PERFECT DISPLAY FOR ARTWORKS FORM 70

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The island kitchen doubles up as an informal dining area with the elegant folded sheet metal staircase as backdrop. Subtle cove lights provide illumination

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The master suite overlooks the children’s bedroom, which is spacious enough for sleepovers. A bank of built-in cabinets and shelves keeps mess out of sight

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F L A I R

Light pouring in through skylights in the jack roof transforms cleansing rituals into an almost spiritual experience

PICTURES COURTESY OF ONG & ONG ARCHITECTS

SIGNATURE FLOURISHES, SUCH AS THE WALL NICHE ABOVE THE MASTER BED AND THE BAMBOO PATTERNED FILM ON GLASS LEND A DISTINCTIVE QUALITY TO THE OVERALL SCHEME, THWARTING BLANDNESS

The roof terrace in the rear extension hosts a BBQ pit but lends itself equally well to more sophisticated pursuits such as wine appreciation

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F R A M E I TEXT RYAN WU

A chic palette of grey and white showcases the facade’s streamlined, minimalist ornamentation in its best light

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Of the six units, the two corner ones are of the same orientation and layout while the four intermediate units are similar in configuration. The two corner units were subsequently designed with spiral staircases while the intermediate units feature linear staircases

BAGGING THE PROFESSION’S HIGHEST ACCOLADE FOR CONSERVATION PROJECTS, THESE JOO CHIAT PLACE SHOPHOUSES ARE EMBLEMS OF RESTORATION THAT RESPECT ITS MILIEU

Cruising along Joo Chiat Place, this clutch of six conservation shophouses appears virtually indistinguishable from the ones adjacent, so intricately woven is its presence in the neighbourhood continuum. Testament perhaps, to the sensitive restoration work carried out by Ong & Ong architects to preserve the building’s inherent appeal. Testament also to the owners’ painstaking efforts to give these architectural treasures a new lease of life. Their efforts have not been in vain; the property won URA’s coveted Architectural Heritage Award in 2009.

For the owners, it was truly a labour of love. These six units of second transitional style shophouses loomed in the shadow of their much grander Straits Eclectic cousins across the street, whose facades are ornamented with exquisite plasterwork, stained glass windows, fretwork fascia boards and Peranakan porcelain tiles. The six units were dowdy birds by comparison, with only the simplest of plaster mouldings and plain masonry pilasters.

More pressing was the derelict state they were found in. Severe termite infestation had laid waste to the timber doors and windows, and had caused the internal party walls and staircase to be structurally unsound. Despite all the flaws, the owners recognised the potential and commissioned Ong & Ong to refurbish and update all six units for modern living. The architects Diego Molina and Maria Arango, seasoned restorers thanks to their experience gleaned from working on similar conservation properties in Blair Road and Cairnhill Road, shared the owner’s enthusiasm and long-term perspective.

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F R A M E

TERRAZZO WAS CAST IN-SITU TO REPLACE THE ORIGINAL MOSAIC TILES FOR EASIER MAINTENANCE. THE DYNAMIC GRID-LIKE PATTERN COMPLEMENTS THE STREAMLINED GEOMETRY OF THE INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE

Careful evaluation was carried out before any restoration work was done to ensure that the innate laid-back charm of the building and its surroundings were preserved. A photographic survey ensured that the newly constructed facade would not deviate from the original design.

As is the case with most shophouses, the fivefoot way and first storey street frontage are what contribute most to its intrinsic character.

Ergo, the flooring of the five-foot way was restored with a non-slip pebble wash with joint lines created according to the lines of the house to give rhythm; this was a marked improvement over the cement screed finish before.

Existing ceilings were overhauled as well. The wooden planks and fluorescent lightings were replaced by a plasterboard ceiling and pendant lights; this not only enhanced the walkway ambience but also concealed electrical conduits and provided acoustic insulation.

The double casement windows and the front doors on all six units were carefully reconstructed to retain the inherent look and thereafter a modern palette of grey and white paint finish was used to maintain uniformity.

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F R A M E

SKYLIGHTS ADMIT SUNLIGHT AND FRESH AIR INTO THE BACKYARD, HOME TO A SPANKING NEW KITCHEN FITTED WITH MOD-CONS AND AMPLE STORAGE. A SOLID SURFACE KITCHEN PENINSULA DOUBLES UP AS A DINING TABLE

INTERNAL AFFAIRS Building regulations for conservation houses gazetted in the Joo Chiat secondary settlement area specify that the building envelope, original features and facade must be retained; the internal configuration, however, could be remodelled at will, a fact gleefully exploited by the architects in their quest to create a modern living environment.

But before any significant redesigns could be made, structural issues needed to be addressed. In came new steel beams and columns to strengthen existing supports. Party walls were reinforced with structural columns and existing timbers replaced with hardwood to prevent future termite infestation. Finally, the rotting staircases were demolished, paving the way for two staircase typologies – the spiral and the linear – the former appearing in the two corner units and the latter in the four intermediate units.

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In celebration of all things round, the contours of the polycarbonate stairwell screen are echoed in the curvaceous new ceiling

Taking into consideration that the intermediate units suffer from a severe lack of sunlight and fresh air, the kitchen is incorporated into the skylit courtyard for occupants to enjoy an abundance of natural light and ventilation. The pristine white scheme bounces light around and adds an ethereal quality to the space.

THE SENSUOUSLY CONTOURED SPIRAL STAIRCASE WEAVES ITS WAY UP AND DOWN TWO-AND-AHALF LEVELS LIKE A SILKEN ROPE, ITS CONCRETE TREADS IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE SMOOTH PLASTER FINISH OF THE BALUSTRADES AND THE TIMBER FLOOR LANDINGS F R A M E

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F A C E S I TEXT JENNIFER CHOO PORTRAIT GABRIEL NG Project pictures courtesy of LAURENCE LOH ARCHITECTS

CELEBRATED PENANG-BASED ARCHITECT AND CONSERVATIONIST LAURENCE LOH HAS TAKEN THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED WITH FULFILLING RESULTS

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BENEATH THE TRANSFORMED SUFFOLK HOUSE PORCH, LAURENCE LOH MUSES ABOUT THE ROAD WHICH LED HIM TO GIVING THIS REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF GEORGIAN ARCHITECTURE A NEW LEASE OF LIFE

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CHEONG FATT TZE MANSION, PENANG

TOUTED AS THE BEST PRESERVED CHINESE COURTYARD HOUSE, THE ROMANTIC BLUE MANSION BEARS ALL THE HALLMARKS OF THIS PARADIGM

Every intricate detail of the Cheong Fatt Tze mansion was lovingly restored like the spectacularly embellished roof featuring a range of auspicious Chinese symbols made of tiny pieces of broken pottery called chien nien FORM 86

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When the mansion came on the market, it had fallen into disrepair and was a shadow of its former glory

THE MANSION'S ECLECTIC CHARACTER REFLECTS THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY WHEN THE MYTHS AND MAGIC OF THE CHINESE KINGDOM EMBRACED THE GLORY OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE IN AN INTOXICATING MIX OF CROSS-CULTURAL ENERGIES. THE CASTIRON COLUMNS, FOR INSTANCE, WERE CAST BY MACFARLANES FOUNDRY OF GLASGOW, SCOTLAND

Gracefully sweeping upwards, the original cast-iron spiral staircase casts the same intriguing shadows it did a century ago

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STADIUM MERDEKA, KUALA LUMPUR

THE RESTORATION OF MERDEKA STADIUM TO ITS ORIGINAL 1957 CONDITION IS A MATTER OF PATRIOTIC PRIDE AS IT WAS THE SITE OF MALAYSIA’S DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. LAURENCE HAS ALSO REINSTATED TWO UNIQUE PAVILIONS AND REPLACED THE ONCE IMPOSING CONCRETE BARRIERS WITH STEEL PIKES FOR A CONTEMPORARY NOD TO OPENNESS

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F L I N G I TEXT JENNIFER CHOO

HOTELIER NARELLE MCMURTRIE MINES THE MULTI-CULTURAL ARCHITECTURE OF THE BRITISH COLONIAL ERA IN MALAYSIA BY ASSEMBLING NINE VINTAGE HOUSES AT TEMPLE TREE IN LANGKAWI

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Part living museum, part surrealistic architectural experience, Temple Tree is a luxury resort with an intriguing difference. This unique holiday escape on the east coast of the island of Langkawi comprises a collection of nine antique houses ranging from 70 to 110 years old that were moved here from Penang, Perak and Johor Baru.

Relics of the British colonial era, the houses represent the halcyon blend of traditional monsoon architecture of timber structures with wide verandahs and air-vents, and flaunt an eclectic array of vernacular Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian decorative accents. They were destined either for demolition or on the brink of collapse when they were acquired by Australian interior-designer-turned-hotelier Narelle McMurtrie.

Temple Tree follows in the footsteps of McMurtrie’s two other heritage properties, Bon Ton resort in Langkawi and 110 Armenian Street in Penang. It would seem that Narelle has always had an affinity for historical buildings. She first made headlines in Kuala Lumpur in the 1980s with her highly successful Bon Ton restaurant that was housed in an old Malay house. It was reinforced when she opened a second eatery in a refurbished Malaccan shophouse.

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A WALK AROUND TEMPLE TREE IS TRULY A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE FOR THOSE WHO CAN REMEMBER AND FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT, IT IS AN EDUCATION OF SOME FINE EXAMPLES OF RAPIDLY DISAPPEARING STRAITS STYLE ARCHITECTURE But at the turn of the millennium, Narelle reinvented herself as hotelier extraordinaire. She caused a sensation by acquiring eight Malay wooden kampung houses with an average age of 100 years from different parts of West Malaysia, and re-erecting them on a coconut tree-fringed beachfront in Langkawi. Clustered around a sexy swimming pool, they were rehabilitated into luxe resort accommodations outfitted with modern amenities. This made Narelle stand out in an industry overcrowded with new resorts because she injected contemporary chic into authenthic vintage buildings and gave nostalgia their true dues.

Narelle admits her motives for the Temple Tree project were more prosaic. “We needed to expand our portfolio.” A large part is because LASSie (Langkawi Animal Shelter & Sanctuary Foundation), the sanctuary for homeless animals she had founded needed additional funds.

Estate 5 was originally a long house for Indian workers on a rubber estate in Perak

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F L I N G

ASSEMBLY REQUIRED Natelle sourced the houses for Temple Tree through an antiques dealer in Penang. She admitted that she made her selections via photographs rather than site visits. On average, it took one month to carefully disassemble the houses and four to six months to rebuild them on Langkawi (next to the adjacent Bon Ton resort). And since Temple Tree was conceptualised for guests to experience living in traditional Malaysian homes, they were rebuilt as faithful to their original as possible.

Narelle insists on maintaining the spirit and soul of the original houses, allowing them to express themselves, foibles and all. So apart from a coat of paint and essential structural improvements, they are left mostly untouched. There is a notable lack of air-conditioning and ceiling fans are employed because Malaysian homes were traditionally built of timber with many unsealed spaces in the wooden walls and oor boards for maximum ventilation to allow cooling breezes in.

NEVER SHY WITH COLOURS, NARELLE CONFIDENTLY COMBINES VARIOUS BOLD HUES TO STARTLING EFFECT IN THE INTERIORS OF THE 1940S BLACKAND-WHITE BUNGALOW FORM 95

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Far removed from its humble past, cheerful saffron tones pop up against the optic white of one of the Estate 5 rooms

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F L I N G

RICH WOODS ARE COMPLEMENTED BY BLACK AND SHADES OF CRIMSON IN THE ROMANTIC CHINESE HOUSE, WHERE GUESTS CAN LOUNGE ON THE WRAPAROUND VERANDAH, THE RESORT'S BEST SPOT FOR VIEWING SUNSETS INTO THE ANDAMAN SEA, JUST BEYOND THE LONG INFINITY POOL AND THE BIRD-FILLED WETLANDS

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F L I N G

Architectural buffs who adore British colonial houses would have a field day at Temple Tree as Narelle’s selection ranges from the most hoity-toity examples of mansions occupied by early Anglophile-Chinese tycoons to the more plebian quarters built for the Indian immigrant tappers working the rubber plantations.

They will be dazzled by the handsome 80-year-old turquoise-hued house plucked from Penang’s famous Gurney Drive that is reminiscent of an Art Deco collage but adapted for the tropics with shuttered windows and wooden floorboards. It sits in front of the Ipoh House, a sunfloweryellow mansion accesorised with elaborate wooden eaves dating back to 1903. And be equally fascinated by the rectangular estate house next door with cathedral style ceilings and wide verandahs which was built in the 1940s as living quarters for rubber plantation workers.

While the facades of the houses stay true to their origins, the interiors echo the effortless chic of Narelle’s retro beach house-meets-Asian-furnishings approach. “Everything was purchased from different places in Kuala Lumpur and then sort of thrown together,” she explains glibly. So burnt-orange carpets are piled together over unpolished wooden floorboards, modern leather sofas hobnob with elaborate tribal woven baskets, heavy timber benches glow beneath exquisite crystal chandeliers, and designer lamps feature vibrant old-fashioned prints.

Critics may argue that Temple Tree is not conservation in its pure form but one cannot deny the stunning results and how it has rescued historical buildings which would otherwise have been obliterated under the blade of bulldozers. It’s a distilled glimpse into Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage not only for tourists but local visitors alike. F TEMPLE TREE AT BON TON Pantai Cenang, Langkawi Tel: 604 955 1688 3643 www.templetree.com.my

PICTURES COURTESY OF TEMPLE TREE

DEEP CRIMSON AND DARK WOOD MAKE DELICIOUS BEDFELLOWS AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF A HOUSE WHICH STILL SEEMS TO VIBRATE FROM ITS RICH PAST

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F L I N G I TEXT JENNIFER CHOO

AFTER SCORING A UNESCO AWARD FOR THE GALLE FORT HERITAGE HOTEL IN SRI LANKA, HOTELIER CHRIS ONG WORKS HIS CONSERVATION MAGIC ON CLOVE HALL IN PENANG FORM 102

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Suite dreams are made of a romantic four-poster bed and charming wicker furniture

GREAT PAINS WERE TAKEN WITH THE AUTHENTICITY AND CONTEXT OF THE RESTORATION, AND THIS WAS CARRIED THROUGH IN THE CHOICE OF FURNISHINGS AS WELL WHICH ARE ALL APPROPRIATE TO THE PERIOD

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F L I N G

ROOTS FINDER The restoration took about a year which saw Chris working with his favourite contractor and having loads of fun using recycled materials from salvage yards and demolished buildings.

“I was inspired by the Geoffrey Bawa style of using recycled architectural antiques. I love the patina of old wood and the sheen of well seasoned timbers,” he enthuses.

Chris was fascinated by the multiple layers of renovations from the different periods – 1960s, ’70s, ’80s – in the rundown structure, and he scoured buildings from the same era in Penang to find references for the various details.

“The most challenging thing was to balance the use of conservation techniques in relation to the modern world's requirements. For instance, using lime plaster to keep the old brick walls healthy but having to deal with the constant damp feeling in the rooms as it evaporates. Also replacing timber beams and bearers that were very long and not being able to find replacements of such length, buying lots of salvaged timber windows of different sizes but having to fit them and match them all together,” Chris says.

FIVE-SPICE FLAVOUR The restored building, which offers just five suites named after spices, is equipped with all the modern comforts and decorated in a style Chris describes as ‘restrained tropical colonial elegance’ with antiques from Penang and colonial British India.

“The guiding touchstone was to provide guests with a showcase of antique furniture of the period to complement the building so that they may have a richer experience when staying at Clove Hall. I have done many projects and have evolved a personal style that always incorporates old furniture into my interiors be they heritage properties or modern apartments,” explains Chris. And the suites are an effortless blend of cool antique terracotta or polished hardwood floors, exposed wooden rafters, charming antiques with an outdoor sunken granite bath or rain shower.

Like the city itself which is a glistening amalgam of the old and the new, Chris has combined the best of the past with the modern conveniences and spoils of the present while adding new layers of meaning in the process.

A porthole window allows the light to stream into one of the handsomely appointed bathrooms

“My reason for Clove Hall was to save the dilapidated building from developers who were going to pull it down. I also wanted to showcase how beautiful these old buildings could be so that others will hopefully be inspired to restore such buildings. When tourists come to Georgetown because of its UNESCO listing, they want to have a complimentary experience with a heritage hotel that gives them an insight into the culture of old colonial Penang,” he explains. Certainly Chris has succeeded in achieving all these and more with this gem of a property. F CLOVE HALL 11, Clove Hall Road 10050 Georgetown, Penang Tel: 04 229 0818 www.clovehall.com FORM 105

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F L I N G I TEXT JENNIFER CHOO

Indigo Pearl deviates from the lush tropical or minimalist resorts that populate Phuket. Its designer, American landscape architect Bill Bensley of Bensley Design Studios, harked back to the island’s origins as a tin mining centre to transform one of its oldest resorts, the outmoded Pearl Village, into Indigo Pearl.

With some of the most innovative resorts in Asia, including the Four Seasons (Langkawi, Shanghai, Koh Samui, Jakarta and Bali) and the Marriott (Bangkok, Hua Hin and Pattaya) in his extensive portfolio, Bensley took a gamble with Indigo Pearl. He describes the unlikely inspiration as “Neither good nor bad, neither contrived nor romantic, but true”.

Bangkok-based Bensley explains that he wanted to share a vision based on Phuket’s real history, not that of palm trees and piña coladas. Tin mining was Phuket’s pioneer industry in the late 19th century which attracted early migrants to the island – then known as Tongkah. The Indigo Pearl site itself was an old tin mine. Dusit and Banyan Tree resorts on the Thai holiday isle also sit on old tin mines that were cleared and rehabilitated some 20 years ago.

HAILED AS THE ARCHITECT OF PARADISE, BILL BENSLEY INVOKES PHUKET’S PIONEER TIN MINING LEGACY AT INDIGO PEARL

“The owners of Indigo Pearl, the Na Rong family, are third and fourth generation tin miners. They know everything about the history of tin mining, so I wanted to capture a little of Phuket’s history and create the story for the resort from an artistic angle,” Bensley enthuses.

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F L I N G

CONSTANT GARDENER TO ASIA’S FINEST LUXURY RESORTS, BENSLEY’S GREEN FINGERS AGAIN FIND LUSH EXPRESSION AT INDIGO PEARL

ROUGH LUXE Nestled on the fringe of Nai Yang Beach on a quieter part of the island, Indigo Pearl sets itself apart from the average resort with its unusual combination of industrial textures and traditional Thai patterns with a modern spin. Bensley’s homage to Phuket’s tin mining past could have been kitschy but he deftly avoids this with an artistic approach filled with surprising, stylish details.

One of three pools found in Indigo Pearl. The grey tonality of the area contrasts sharply with the colours of the flowers and the greenness of the shrubbery and trees forcing a new awareness of the dichotomy between natural and artificial

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While the library may be a space of quiet contemplation, the colour scheme – an arresting blend of charcoal, steel grey, hot pink and burnt orange – is anything but serene

Bensley does not shy away from unrefined materials to evoke a Thai tin processing factory of a century ago. In the loft-like lobby, sleekly polished cement floors and blackened stainless steel punctuated by rivets – a leitmotif found in the lobby, restaurants and bars as well as the background of its website – add a raw edge. But keenly aware that cement and steel can be cold, Bensley introduced raw Thai silk fabrics and floral arrangements.

The vast luxurious lobby has sky-high vaulted teak ceilings, indigo sofas strewn with cushions and ornate teak tables displaying sculptures fashioned from obscure machine parts for a tableau of extravagant panache

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IN THE RIVET GRILL, BENSLEY OPTED FOR SEATS WHICH ENCOMPASS THE GUESTS, RECALLING SLEEPER CARRIAGES IN TRAINS

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F L I N G

The skilful juxtaposition of hard and soft materials and textures continues throughout the public spaces and engages the senses at every turn. It is most evident in the six dining and drinking outlets which run the gamut from Thai cuisine (Black Ginger) to a steakhouse (Rivet Grill). Each outlet is meticulously designed to be an experience – from architecture to the choice of cutlery. Black Ginger is the paragon of Thai vernacular architecture, set in a pavilion in the middle of a lotus pond. Bensley subverts it by using burnt black timber for a dramatic edge. Over at Rivet Grill, the narrow space with steel flooring and tall columns is furnished with funky, loose furniture for a look that’s more of a dark, brooding rebel.

Black Ginger

REBAR’S POSTAPOCALYPTIC-MEETSLUXURY DECOR

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F L I N G

The Tin Mine

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A walk through the meandering gardens and metal or stone arches cascading with bougainvillea frequently brings surprise and delight with the unexpected encounter with one of the many sculptures scattered throughout the resort

GREEN FINGERS An early innovator in creating ‘outdoor rooms’ defined by flora and sculpture instead of walls, Bensley transformed a mature garden into a post-modern landscape. Silvery blue palms jostle with light blue plumbago (blue jasmine) bushes while antique-style iron gates mark the entrances to smaller pocket gardens, each with individual character.

Sculpture pieces by artists such as John Underwood and found metal objects also add definition to the lushness. Art aficionados will be delighted to know that they are for sale.

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Idiosyncratic elements charm and amuse – rice buckets become rain showers, and abacuses make wall art

REVERED PAST When guests retreat into the private guestrooms, villas and pavilions, they distance themselves even further from what Phuket’s other hotels offer. At the Kelly Quarters, named for machinery once used to excavate tin mines, Bensley works with textural contrasts of the post-modern and locally crafted furnishings.

The Captain Miles Suite is one of two nautical themed suites, both embodying the classic blue and white theme of anything embodying water and sky. The Captain Miles Suite is named after Captain Edward Thomas Miles, the Australian who brought the first tin dredger to Phuket in 1909

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ROOMS COMBINE POST-MODERN OPULENCE AND FACTORY BASIC. GUESTS CAN EXPECT WITTY INDUSTRIAL TOUCHES LIKE A NUT-AND-BOLT TOILET PAPER HOLDER AND OLD-FASHIONED OUTDOOR METAL SHOWERS WITH BAMBOO WATER TANKS

Besides Phuket’s distant past, materials reclaimed from the 2004 tsunami also serve as inspiration and feature throughout the hotel; reclaimed wood was re-invented as headboards. Everything has a touch of tin, from the doors to the washroom taps. Even the boxes for amenities feature rusty nuts and bolts embedded in Lucite.

Bensley’s association with the Indigo Pearl continues as the designer and the Na Rong family have become close friends. Bensley continues to add new layers to the Indigo Pearl experience. Recently, he exhibited 10 one-ofa-kind bronze ‘tin mining’ sculptures in the resort lobby and subsequently auctioned them with proceeds donated to the orphans at the Phuket Sunshine Village. F INDIGO PEARL Nai Yang Beach and National Park Phuket 83110, Thailand Tel +66 (0)7632 7006, (0) 7632 7015 www.indigo-pearl.com Juxtaposing finesse and toughness, the Black Tie Suite is texturally sublime in all senses. A gentlemen’s club with the essence of a French madam’s boudoir, it recalls a more elegant era and features artworks by Andy Warhol and Brigitte Riley

PICTURES COURTESY OF INDIGO PEARL

The Moken Suite is named after the Moken tribe, wandering sea dwellers believed to have been the first inhabitants of the Andaman coastal regions of Thailand

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TEXT JENNIFER CHOO I F L I N G

A new design landmark, the Mandarin Oriental is located on Paseo de Gracia, Barcelona’s most prestigious address. Rather fittingly, it's just a stone's throw away from two of Gaudi's most celebrated buildings

THE BEAUTIFULLY REALISED MANDARIN ORIENTAL BARCELONA IS AMPLE PROOF OF PATRICIA URQUIOLA’S REIGN IN SPAIN Barcelona is

a city where beauty is second nature. Its people, architecture, weather and culture all effortlessly come together to make a gorgeous whole. The aesthetically pleasing, it would seem, is embedded in this city’s sexy DNA. So it’s no surprise that international luxury hotel chain Mandarin Oriental chose Barcelona for its first foray into the southern European market. Even less surprising is the choice of Patricia Urquiola to design the space.

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The Spanish-born, Milan-based designer has been dazzling the design cognoscenti over the last five years with work that is experimental in both form and material, yet sparkling with creative flair and enduring practicality to set it apart. This explains her portfolio which reads like an index of international furniture heavyweights including Foscarini, B&B Italia, Alessi, Cappellini, Cassina, Knoll and Moroso.

Opened last November, the Mandarin Oriental Barcelona is a dramatic manifestation of Urquiola’s genius. She has breathed new life into the building that was completed in 1955 as the head office of Banco Hispano Americano in Barcelona. Nodding to the linear simplicity of the building designed by the Basque architect Manuel Galindez, Urquiola has carefully applied her own touches unobtrusively.

The lobby is broken up in various ways, with furniture grouped to create smaller conversation areas within the huge room, plants hung at varying levels in the vertical space, patterns of floor covering and white metal dividers with their retro space-age starburst design encompassing it all.

The Art Deco facade of the building has been restored in all its elegant glory and discreetly conceals the delights to be discovered within its walls

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F L I N G

URQUIOLA’S LOW-SLUNG B&B ITALIA TUFTY SOFAS AND MOROSO VOLANT ARMCHAIRS SWATHED IN A RICH TOFFEE SHADE FIND A HOME IN THE LOBBY'S LAIDBACK SOPHISTICATION

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THE INNER COURTYARD, THE MIMOSA GARDEN, IS ONE OF THE HOTEL'S HIDDEN TREASURES. WORKING WITH LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT BETH FIGUERAS, URQUIOLA CREATED A DELIGHTFUL GARDEN TERRACE WHICH HAS BEEN PERFECTLY INTEGRATED INTO THE BUILDING

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F L I N G

Moments restaurant

LIGHT AND DARK Sandwiched between two other buildings, the hotel interior nevertheless retains an incredible brightness – an effect the designer achieves by exploiting whatever natural light is available. The impressive atrium ramp that draws passers-by from Passeig de Gracia to the entrance is flooded with daylight from the glass ceiling. From here guests can view the light-filled Blanc restaurant and lounge below, and sneak a peek at the corridors of the rooms upstairs through the random windows that have been cut out of the soaring walls and are illuminated from within.

Throughout the hotel, Urquiola has created a strong sense of timeless elegance by using white confidently and lavishly. The hotel’s 98 rooms sparkle in shades of cream and white, with avant-garde furniture sitting alongside Oriental details such as wall screens and wardrobes inspired by traditional Chinese lacquer boxes. Light oak floors and large bespoke b e i g e r u g s ad d war m t h . Th e bathrooms, complete with oversized walkin showers conceived as magical boxes of coloured glass, are adorned with mosaics by Mutina and Bisazza.

Light filters in from the atrium and through large skylights positioned over Blanc restaurant and lounge on the lower floor at the heart of the building. Possibly the most spectacular design element in the hotel is an enormous, rectangular, metallic grid suspended over the restaurant tables to enhance privacy. Above this structure is a surprising hanging garden created with the addition of plants.

The designer turns down the dial on breezy white in areas where low lighting is more appropriate. A different palette prevails in Banker’s Bar and Moments restaurant on the mezzanine level on either side of Blanc. To mitigate the mood lighting, Urquiola utilises a more colourful decor and, in a witty nod to the building’s heritage, lined up steel safes from the old bank along the walls. At Moments, directed by the prestigious chef Carme Ruscalleda, hues of gold and amber predominate.

Surreal emerald green walls set a dream-like mood in the pool area

The womb-like darkness of The Spa signals a retreat into a haven of relaxing minimalism. Urquiola seems to take a stricter aesthetic here, as evident in the dark wood detailing, black ceilings, white floors and the organic look of wet stone. Metallic curtains lead guests to each of the eight spacious treatment rooms where sophisticated period appliques contrast with the overall simplicity of the space. In the pool area, a large malachite green screen hides the hammam from view. Even the designer’s cheerful Tropicalia chairs for Moroso have been adapted in a sedate olive shade to set off the colour scheme.

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SOARING CEILINGS, A PATTERNED RUG, LARGE SCALE SUSPENDED METALLIC SPACE DIVIDERS, LOTS OF FOLIAGE AND FANCIFUL FURNISHINGS — THE BLANC RESTAURANT & LOUNGE IS ALL ABOUT BIG DESIGN. IT’S A BOLD, ORIGINAL STATEMENT THAT READS AS SOMEWHAT FEMININE, EXTREMELY LIGHT AND VERY FRESH FORM 124

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ONLY ONE SHORT YEAR AFTER IT WAS LAUNCHED, THE DESIGNER’S SENSUALLY PROPORTIONED BATHROOM LINE FOR AXOR HAS BEEN USED IN ALL THE 98 ROOMS OF THE HOTEL

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F L I N G

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F I N A L E

Winged Tiger

Prowess of a Tiger

Available at TITTOT #03-16 ION Orchard Tel: 6509 0111 www.tittot.com

TITTOT LEAPS INTO THE YEAR OF THE TIGER WITH TWO CRYSTAL COLLECTIONS CELEBRATING THE POWER, VIGOUR AND SPIRIT OF THE MAGNIFICENT WILD CAT. THE THUNDEROUS FORCE COLLECTION IS MORE INVIGORATING WHILE THE FIVE TIGER FORCES IS MORE ENDEARING. BUT THE STAR PIECE IS THE WINGED TIGER TO HERALD ROARING TIMES AND SOARING SUCCESSES

PICTURES COURTESY OF TITTOT

Roar of Triumph

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DVC Visionnaire S_FORM Feb2010_232X308mm

N12_9631 NC9471

12.12.09

D18/D18

150

none

none

45˚

C M Y K 45˚

45˚

45˚

45˚

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