HOMEWORKS 93

ISSUE 93

www.homeworks.com.mt | newspaper post

INSPIRATION IMPROVEMENT STYLE

THE GRAND DESIGN ISSUE +KITCHEN SPECIAL

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® ISSUE 93 FEB/MARCH 2019 www.homeworks.com.mt

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FRAMING THE PERSIAN GULF Pg. 038

Find these stories and more including a comprehensive trade directory at www.homeworks.com.mt

CONTENTS KITCHEN SPECIAL cont...

NEWS AND FEATURES

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Readers Letters And Competition The Edit Celebrating Bauhaus Meet the Creative - Gordon Guillaumier Fair Highlights Name to Know - Marcel Wanders The Smart Revolution

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HOMES

038 Framing the Persian Gulf 048 The Inside Story 058 Black Diamond KITCHEN SPECIAL

067 Introduction 068 Kitchen News

Kitchen Chic At Your Service The Latest Kitchen Tech Handy Appliances Kitchen Talk Dining In SHOP LIFESTYLE

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Chocolate Box Food and Wine: Comfort Eating Travel: On the Bauhaus Trail Essential Suppliers Address Book #ontrend 007

EDITOR’S LETTER

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This Issue.

It’s truly exciting when architecture pushes the boundaries to create a building that is original and ground-breaking. The three homes in this issue certainly fulfil this brief, each of them doing things differently and as a consequence creating something very special.

In Bahrain, Malta’s Chris Briffa was part of a collaboration that built the monolithic and sculptural Reef guesthouse, pushing architectural knowledge and expertise to the limit. In Cape Town, architects had the audacity to build a house in black, an inspired choice as the unusual exterior colour makes a residence that, unexpectedly, fits brilliantly into its suburban street while still making a statement. And here in Malta, architects took on a challenging site to create a stylish and spacious home that uses a striking combination of natural materials.

This issue, we also celebrate the centenary of the Bauhaus movement, groundbreaking in its time and still enormously relevant today, while at the other end of the design spectrum, is Marcel Wanders, who has garnered a reputation for doing things his way.

The first issue of the year always features our kitchen special - be inspired by the latest trends, Smart technology, gadgets and advice from architects and homeowners who created their dream kitchen. Enjoy!

PUBLISHER MARC SPITERI

HOMEWORKS is published by Writeon Limited. and is a registered trademark of Writeon Limited. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the Publisher is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Dates, information and prices quoted are believed to be correct at time of going to press but are subject to change and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. Neither the editor, executive editor (Marc Spiteri) nor publisher accept responsibility for any material submitted, whether photographic or otherwise. While we endeavour to ensure that firms and organisations mentioned are reputable, the publisher, editor and executive editor can give no guarantee that they will fulfil their obligations under all circumstances. © 2019

EDITOR RACHEL LOOS ART DIRECTOR MARC SPITERI DESIGN JONATHAN RYAN

PHOTOGRAPHY GREG COX MAS ALDO MORETTI MARK SAPIENZAn

SALES & MARKETING ROBIN MILLS +356 2133 9999 +356 9933 2224 sales@homeworks.com.mt

CONTRIBUTORS SVEN ALBERDING CHRISTOPHER BEANLAND NICOLE BEARMAN JO CARUANA FIONA CARUANA CARABEZ PHILIP EL MASRI LISA GWEN BALDACCHINO ALAIN JAMES GRECH GEORGES MEEKERS AMER WAHOUD GRAHAM WOOD

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GET IN TOUCH HOMEWORKS is distributed to most outlets that carry Sunday newspapers. We’d love to hear your opinions - what you love, what you love less, and what you’d like to see more of! Email us on info@homeworks.com.mt 009

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READER’S RESPONSE

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®

GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK AND WIN FORWARD YOUR IDEAS OUTLINING WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE PUBLISHED IN HOMEWORKS. THE PERSON SUBMITTING THE MOST INTERESTING IDEA OR CONCEPT WILL RECEIVE ‘THE HOMEWORKS BOOK - A COLLECTION OF CONTEMPORARY MALTESE INTERIORS AND ARCHITECTURE, WITH OVER 300 PAGES OF VIBRANT AND STUNNING PHOTOGRAPHY, WORTH €40.

Send your ideas to:

HOMEWORKS Feedback, Writeon Ltd., 89 Tigné Street, Level 2, Sliema, SLM 3170, Malta or email: info@homeworks.com.mt

ISSUE 92

WINNER

VICTORIA AZZOPARDI IS THE WINNER OF THE HOMEWORKS BOOK - A COLLECTION OF CONTEMPORARY MALTESE INTERIORS AND ARCHITECTURE, WITH OVER 300 PAGES OF VIBRANT AND STUNNING PHOTOGRAPHY, WORTH €40 VICTORIA WROTE: ‘An interesting read would be on heat pumps and underfloor heating...vital for a middle-aged couple to live comfortably and sustainably in their home when they reach a pensionable age. I would also welcome advice on doubleglazing and innovative building materials that could be used for better insulation and sustainable energy in homes. ...also interested to learn more about the re-utilisation of waste water from showers and washing machines that could be directed to reservoirs and filtered to be utilised as grey water in toilets.’

HOMEWORKS.COM.MT ONLINE AND ON YOUR MOBILE

NEEDS YOU! Readers are invited to submit interesting photographs and a brief description of their homes, which may be distinct in their architectural design. Of particular interest are homes that offer outstanding elements of both interior and exterior living spaces.

HOMEWORKS will select the best

submissions for future features.

Send a photo and information to the attention of: The Editor, info@homeworks.com.mt

HOMEWORKS BRINGS YOU INSPIRATION, INNOVATION AND STYLE ON LINE! SEARCH THROUGH OUR BACK CATALOG OF HUNDREDS OF HOMES FEATURED IN HOMEWORKS OVER THE YEARS. SEARCH BY ROOM STYLE, COLOUR OR CHARACTERSTIC AND SAVE THEM TO YOUR FAVOURITES IN YOUR PERSONAL PROFILE. CATCH UP ON THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS AND READ THROUGH OUR INFORMATIVE AND INSPIRING ARTICLES. IT’S ALL THERE!

HOMEWORKS

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DIRECTORY

SEARCH ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING RELATED TO GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION YOU WANT AND NEED FOR YOUR HOME OR HOME PROJECT: ARCHITECTS, DESIGNERS, SHOWROOMS, KEY SUPPLIERS, SKILLED TRADEMEN, SPECIALIST SERVICES...IT’S ALL THERE STORED ON YOUR OWN PERSONAL PROFILE!

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Surfacing the most beautiful spaces Marble | Quartz | Engineered Stone | Granite | Patterned Tiles | Quartzite | Ceramic | Engineered Wood

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NEWS TRENDS ADVICE SHOPPING PEOPLE

GOLD STANDARD The latest collection from Scandinavian star brand Bloomingville includes kitchen and dining accessories in beautiful gold and rose tones. Pictured are the Gold Coffee Pot, rose marble bowl with atching gold finish spoon orange Paula mug and fringed tea towel. TKS

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THE LUXURY OF SLEEP Hästens, the Swedish company known for its ultraluxurious beds, has recently opened a shop a short distance away from Form which will oversee the brand in Malta.

The store on Valley Road, Msida, is about 135 square metres in size, and showcases the beds that claim to be the best in the world. ‘We believe that when selling certain products that need a certain level of concentration and a feel of being in the brand’s world, there is no better thing than to have an independent store,’ says Julian Galea of Form. ‘Hästens has its own identity and customers need to be in a Hästens world in order to select the right bed. With Form so close by, we can easily taxi customers there.’

Hästens has been a family company since 1852 and the natural materials used in each bed are chosen to facilitate an excellent night’s sleep: horsehair which transports moisture so the body can regulate the temperature around it, cotton and wool which contribute to an optimal sleeping climate for falling asleep faster, flax which diverts and prevents static electricity as well as providing a quiet sleep environment. The frames are made from slow- growing northern pine which gives stability that lasts for generations. The Hästens store will open between 10.30am – 6.30pm daily and Saturday mornings, and also by appointment. www.hastens.com

LIMITED EDITION LAMP To celebrate the centenary of the birth of iconic Italian designer Achille Castiglioni, lighting company Flos has released a limited edition matt black version of the Toio Floor Lamp, first designed by Achille & his brother Pier Giacomo in 1962. Only 2500 of the special edition lamps the name is a riff on the word ‘toy’ - are available worldwide and just a handful in Malta so you need to act fast. The original pared back, industrial style lamp combined a car headlight and a telescopic stem, the latter inspired by a fishing rod. The special edition has a special matt black embossed finish on the steel base and transformer, and the car headlight has been replaced by a LED reflector that faithfully respects the original shape. The intensity of the light can be adjusted with an integrated dimmer on the cable. Each piece of the Toio Limited Edition Matt Black is guaranteed by a holographic label that certifies the serial number and therefore its absolute unique nature.

Exclusively available at Elektra Ltd.

GRECIAN BEAUTIES These sculptural Muse vases look so good on their o n they don t need o ers. y candi brand Ferm Living, and made from glazed ceramic, they’re modelled on ancient clay vessels and each one takes its name from one of the daughters of Zeus and ne osyne. Group the together to create a stylish ignette or a antelpiece or sideboard. Eclecticist 015

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Mill Street, Qormi. T: 2546 3000 www.elektra.com.mt

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CELEBRATING

Bauhaus The design movement that shaped the 20th century and beyond marks its centenary this year. Nicole Bearman looks at its legacy, and why it’s still influential today…

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he Bauhaus, a name which is practically household, was a predominant art and design school in the early 20th century, famous then for its avant-garde outlook, and famous since or its pro ound in uence on art architecture design dance theatre and fil and the con uence o supre ely talented artists architects, designers and thinkers who made up its teaching staff and alumni. This legacy and the primary objectives to unify art, craft, and technology, embrace internationalism, and seek an optimistic view of the future – a

Bauhaus movers and shakers photographed in 1926 (from left to right): Josef Albers, Hinnerk Scheper, Georg Muche, Lazlo Moholy-Nagy, Herbert Bayer, Joost Schmidt, Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer, Vasily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Lyonel Feininger, Gunta Stölzl, Oskar Schlemmer

vision with both a cultural and social impact – is what make the Bauhaus relevant to this day.

Many of us are familiar with the radical German art school and its associated aesthetic, whether or not one is directly engaged in the creati e fields or hich the Bauhaus is best known, but how much do you know about its history and philosophy?

This year marks the centenary of the Bauhaus, making it an excellent time to delve deeper, and catch up on a romping good story. As ell as the o ficial ears auhaus esti al coming out of Berlin, events will be taking place far and wide, wherever the Bauhaus has left its mark.

To give a brief history of the Bauhaus and its in uence is to erely s i the sur ace. t is a multi-layered story with a large, all-star cast.

Founded in Weimar, Germany, by the architect Walter Gropius, the Bauhaus was operational ro to in three locations Weimar, Dessau and Berlin, under three different directors, and there ore isions Walter Gropius Hannes Meyer, and Ludwig Mies an der ohe. n Wei ar the school was state supported, and friction in its relationship with the conservative political regime led to its relocation to essau in . y the ational ocialist Ger an Wor ers arty a i arty as beco ing ore in uential in Ger an politics. When it gained control of the Dessau city council it o ed to close the school. n its final location a rented derelict actory in Berlin, the school operated for ten months without further

Top: Wassily Kandinsky, Bauhaus exhibition poster, 1923 Top right: Wagenfeld 25 table lamp

by Walter Wagenfeld known as ‘the Bauhaus table lamp’ Above left: Anni Albers ‘Study for the Unexecuted Wallhanging’ Above right: MR Side chair

inter erence ro the a i arty until it as closed do n by the Gestapo in .

Gropius s ision or the auhaus as to abolish the hierarchy between craftsmanship and the arts, and also between genders. The latter being somewhat less successful, with women relegated to the weaving, toy making and ceramics workshops. However, their role ithin the school as ar ro insignificant a fact being highlighted currently through a massive surge of interest in the women of the Bauhaus and subsequent publications, exhibitions and even a TV series with Dörte el tudio ead in Wea ing ro as the protagonist. The recent Anni Albers retrospective at the Tate Modern in London, incorporated a breathtaking collection of weavings, works on paper and writings through which she developed her ideas about textiles. Albers is acknowledged as being among the leading innovators of twentieth-century modernist abstraction, committed to uniting the ancient craft of weaving with the language of modern art.

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Top left: The house of Walter Gropius as it appeared in 1926. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site Top middle and right: Concept costume and spiral costume from the ‘Triadic Ballet’ Above left: ‘Tac’ teapot by Walter Gropius for Rosenthal Above centre left: Newspaper shelves by Walter Gropius, 1923 Above centre right: Bauhaus style ashtray by Alessi Above right: Club chair (model B3) 1927–1928 by Marcel Breuer

The German term Bauhaus—literally ‘construction house’—was understood as meaning School of Building, even though the Bauhaus did not have an architecture department in its early years. When Gropius founded the Bauhaus in 1919 in Weimar, bringing together the existing Academy of Fine Arts and the School of Applied Arts, he proclaimed: ‘Let us conceive, consider and create together the new building of the future that will bring all into one simple integrated creation: architecture, painting and sculpture rising to heaven out of the hand of a million craftsmen, the crystal symbol of the new faith of the future.’ he auhaus style as ost in uenced by the modernist movement, which in architecture was based upon new and innovative technologies of construction, such as the use of glass, steel and concrete; the idea that form should follow function; and an embrace of minimalism with rejection of ornament. Gropius’s building for the Bauhaus in Dessau embodied these principles as well as those of transparency and movement.

The structure is an asymmetrical collection of buildings that each express the work being done inside them. The teaching rooms, for instance, have small rows of windows whereas 018

the workshops and studios are illuminated by walls of glass. Everywhere, one can see and be seen; transparency is omnipresent.

Everything was designed to encourage movement.

The same can also be said of the iconic pieces of furniture that shout Bauhaus. Marcel Breuer’s tubular-steel Club Chair for one, or Mies van der Rohe’s MR side chair. British architecture historian and curator Owen Hopkins describes the latter as: ‘…an essay in e ficiency de oid o anything e traneous and using the smallest number of different materials – only the chrome-plated steel tubes, the leather seat and back, and the string that ties it together. Yet, inherent in the design is an a a ing dra a and air emerging from that purity, of materials being not just true to themselves but showing off their potential. It is a chair as the purest expression of itself, and embodying the spirit of the modern age.’

The Bauhaus was a great experimental playground or re ections on space and its dance and theatre workshops have had an e ually pro ound and lasting in uence.

Oskar Schlemmer’s absurd and fantastical Triadic Ballet (1922) became the most widely performed avant-garde artistic dance and

while Schlemmer was at the Bauhaus from 1921 to 1929, the ballet toured helping to spread the ethos of the Bauhaus. Today, the ballet is being re-conceived for the centenary, with the use of virtual reality technology, in the project Total Dance Theatre, created by the Berlin Art Academy. The director of the 100 Years Bauhaus festival, Bettina WagnerBergelt is convinced that Schlemmer, who once said, ‘We are living in a mechanical world. Technology is a part of us, because it allows us to survive’, would have dreamed of using this technique.

Design is far too often misconceived as embodying style over substance. The Bauhaus was never about beauty, it had a social vision, to facilitate a better world through better design. Prominent design critic and author, Alice Rawsthorn echoes this sentiment perfectly for our time: ‘Design has one elemental role and that’s as an agent of change… to interpret changes of any kind – social political scientific econo ic ecologic technological. And to ensure those changes affect us positively and not negatively.’ One hundred years on, the ethos of the Bauhaus still holds its vitality and agility. ** see Travel: On the trail of Bauhaus, page 106

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HW THE EDIT SOFA STYLE With open-plan living now the norm, sofas have to be able to hold their own in a large space as well as elegantly zone the living room area.

The Amsterdam sofa, one of BoConcept’s latest designs, does just that while exuding total relaxation. Designed by Henrik Pedersen, the corner sofa is both luxurious and architectural with broad arms and backrests jutting over its exposed metal framework. It juxtaposes voluminous cushion forms with slimline angular legs and adds mid-century detailing, with bolster cushions and piped sea s. he loo is finished ith loose cushions and minimal seat tufts. Available in fabric or leather. BoConcept

Smaller in size but with strong design impact is the Silhouette sofa by the Danish and Italian duo GamFratesi for Hay. With a frame supporting a smooth back and slim angular arms, it can act as a room divider if needed, while its padding and cushions give a warm and comfortable feel. A stylish touch is the contrasting piping that creates a chic outline. Loft

BOLD AS BRASS Brass has become a designer favourite for the warmth and soft shine it brings and now Bang & Olufsen’s stateof-the-art audio systems are available in this metallic finish. The Beolab 18 wireless sound column combines brass with smoked wood lamellas while the slim-line design of the all-in-one wireless system BeoSound 35, and the portable wireless speakers Beosound 1 & 2, are all available with a completely brass finish.

The ultra HD television, Beovision 14, meanwhile, comes with elegant brass touches. Astral

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MEET THE CREATIVES Gordon Guillaumier www.gordon-guillaumier.com

Born in Malta in 1966, Gordon Guillaumier has gone on to become one of the most sought after designers working today. Now living in Milan, he is currently art director for Desalto and Roda (along with with Rodolfo Dordoni and Gabriella Zecca) as well as the head of his own design studio that has created pieces for a host of major companies including Desalto, FontanaArte, Minotti, Moroso, Tacchini and Foscarini. He has won awards for the Orson sun lounger for Roda (Wallpaper Design Award, 2014), the Brick table (honourable mention Compasso D’Oro XXXIV edizione, 2016), more recently, the Chill Out seating for Tacchini (Archiproducts Design Awards, 2016) and the Lake table for Desalto (Archiproducts Design Awards, 2018).

HOMEWORKS caught up with him to talk design, creative inspiration and why he would relish the opportunity to re-design the Dghajsa ‘tal-pass’ Words: Lisa Gwen Baldacchino Photo: Valentina Sommariva

Beginnings: can you trace the trajectory that lead you to study design?

Ever since I can remember, my early childhood was marked with creative anecdotes. I grew up in a house which had a small room in the basement that I converted into my own studio, decked with a painting easel, colour paints scattered all over and sketches pinned to the walls.

At school I was always drawing and doodling on copybooks, especially during lessons which did not interest me. I longed for art classes, and as a kid I excelled in art history. This was when I began to notice my artistic drive, and propensity for creativity.

I would sometimes spend summer vacations at my cousin’s house by the sea, and enjoyed observing their father, who was my late uncle Frank Portelli, surrounded by his paintings and sometimes with a brush in hand; these moments had a huge impact on me.

As I grew up, my educational priorities changed and after studying economics and sociology at university in England, I came 022

to realise that I wanted to develop my innate creative skills for a future career, yet without any idea of where it would take me.

So as a start, I enrolled myself at a design at academy in Italy. Initially, I was tempted to opt for beautiful Italian cities like Florence and Rome but ultimately I choose the less clichéd and industrial city of Milan, since it was and still is, the most important hub for design creativity. In time I came to realise that this was the right choice.

Between obtaining your MA and setting up your studio, there is a span of 10 years; how was your time employed? er y nal gradua ion and a er four years living in Milan, I was raring to go. I feared the idea of returning to Malta so soon, as I knew it would be impossible to apply my new skills back home. I also feared the idea of setting up a design practice immediately and without work experience, or clients.

Therefore, I decided to achieve experience and learn the trade by working

for Italian design brands before setting up my own practice. Besides, I needed to earn a living as the pressure from home was high; I had to prove that it was possible to provide for myself with my new mission. I was lucky from the start, since I promptly got myself a job with Baleri and a year later with Driade (...in its heyday) which was a unique opportunity at the time. The latter experience opened up my mind and allowed e o ne une Five years later, I started doing small freelance design consultancies and this was a preamble to setting up a design studio which was y nal o ec i e and a i ion You set up your studio in Milan in 2002 - was it a natural choice based on your studies and training?

I moved to Milan in 1988, which became my new home in every sense. I got well acquainted with the city and the language, which made things easier. I soon came to realise that living in Milan brought huge ene s or y wor ro iding me with cultural input and exposing my profession to new contacts, so it

THE EDIT seemed natural for me to stay on. Milan is geographically positioned close to two important design production hubs - Brianza and Veneto - and it was important to make oneself visible in this context and to build new collaborations with design brands and clients.

I recently toyed with the idea of having a small studio in a laidback, remote place, to alternate between the stressfulness of city life, and Malta topped my list. Admittedly, I never found the courage to take this step, perhaps the time is not yet ripe.

What drives your work?

Creativity is the main driving force behind my work which is a process

that requires intuition to recognise the correct ideas as input to a new project.

Unfortunately, the right idea doesn’t always come when it is needed, so I so e i es nd ha dis rac ion is he es way to stimulate a re-thinking process.

Ideas invariably come from different sources, new technologies or materials, observing people’s behaviour, exhibitions, travelling… the list is endless. My Arezzo table lamp for Oluce for example, was inspired by a bizarre funnel hat which I saw on a beautiful fresco in Arezzo painted by Piero della Francesca (La Leggenda della Vera Croce); so this contemporary shape became a perfect light diffuser.

Discussing my ideas with my assistants and clients is an important habit of mine,

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since different points of view can improve solution possibilities. In product design one inevitably needs to be aligned with the client’s production reality and market e ec a ions which eans uilding a ne balance between their requirements and one’s own creative vision.

In interior design and architecture, the creative process is similar but more complex as you’re working on different scales and dealing with many players where creativity is strongly linked to problem solving. My formation as a designer helps me regard details in interior design or architecture as a necessary value of a large-scale project. I use details in design to give added-value to a product whereas in interiors and architecture

“If you are not curious, just forget it”

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1. Freeflow for Moroso 2. Lemma for Lennox 3. Arezzo table lamp for Oluce 4. Chill out seating for Tacchini 5. Face to face for Tacchini

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1, 3-5. Casa Bochini, house and interiors designed by Gordon Guillaumier, photos by Andrea Ferrari 2. Casa Bochini, sofa by Rudolfo Dordoni for Roda, photos by Andrea Ferrari 5. Arena by Gordon Guillaumier for Roda 7. Casa Cappello, house and interiors designed by Gordon Guillaumier 6. Casa Bochini, sun lounger by Gordon Guillaumier for Roda 8. Brick by Gordon Guillaumier for Roda, photos by Andrea Ferrari

details are necessary to create quality atmosphere and a sense of well-being.

What ideas, and alternatively, what constraints do you feel are driving design at the moment?

In the last decade, design culture has changed substantially, and design consciousness has penetrated markets worldwide becoming the hot thing also in new economies. Design products are ever more democratic and the market has become highly competitive where young design brands are competing alongside iconic ones.

The contract/hospitality market has exceeded the domestic market, so by consequence quality and price today sadly carry more value than products that are innovative and pioneering. Several design brands are more concerned in generating best sellers rather than investing in high technology or innovative trends; so 024

ultimately, design is driven by a commercial attitude rather than a cultural one. On the positive side, sustainability is a growing concern which is gradually influencing our design culture, though not as fast as it should be.

If you were given the opportunity of handpicking a project to work on in Malta, what would it be and why?

As a designer, I normally work close to industry which allows me to be creative within technological parameters and sometimes also extends to craftsmanship or a mix between industrial / handmade production for a production series. I believe in Malta this can be somewhat restrictive, though, actually, I have never had any real opportunities.

That said, I would love to work on a symbolic project for my country, something that stems from our traditions and culture. For this I thought of re-

designing the Maltese iconic dghajsa ‘tal-pass’ which actually has made a big come back in recent years as harbour ferry transport and is becoming a popular alternative for people living around the Grand Harbour and Marsamxett. The boat design seems perfect in proportion and function, though the idea of re-interpreting and modernising this beautiful stream-lined ferry is an ambitious and unique challenge, which I would love to tackle.

Advice for upcoming future designers and creatives?

The prime responsibility of a designer is to transmit emotion through his creativity where straightforward and direct ideas carry most weight, so in a nutshell ‘keep it simple’.

Finally, to quote the great designer Achille Castiglioni ‘Se non siete curiosi, lasciate perdere’ - ‘If you are not curious, just forget it’!

21, Triq San Pawl Naxxar NXR 4018 (+356) 2099 9966 www.loft.com.mt Opening Hours: Mon. to Fri. 10am - 7pm Saturday 10am - 5pm

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FAIR HIGLIGHTS

WINNING STYLE Winner of Designer of the Year at Maison & Objet in January was Sebastian Herkner who presented a selection of work at the fair. The German designer was praised by organisers for ‘straddling the boundary between modernity and tradition’.

Herkner studied at the Offenbach University of Art and Design, where he first began playing with colour and texture; this process with continued by an internship at designer fashion label Stella McCartney. ‘Colour is often the very last thing designers think about. For me, it’s always the starting point for the whole design process,’ says Herkner who started his own studio in 2006

RISING STARS At the other end of the career trajectory, the Rising Talent Awards were given to six Chinese designers who, too, are re-working traditional forms with innovative materials and shapes. The exhibition was curated by a panel of judges that consisted of international designers all of whom have a presence in China including Tom Dixon, Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu of Shanghai-based studio Neri&Hu. Above left: Planet pendant light using construction debris by Bentu, a studio from Guangzhou. Above right: Pig Side Table in aluminium by Hangzhou-based Mario Tsai

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WASTE NOT

Also championing recycling was the Swedish design collective, Malmö Upcycling Service, whose collection featured eight chairs and stools made from repurposed waste materials such as canvas, vinyl, wood, leather and foam

FAIR HIGLIGHTS FACTORY MADE

The installation everyone was talking about was created

by Färg & Blanche who showcased their collection in an opulent 19th century building that once belonged to the great-great grandfather of Emma Marga Blanche, one half of the French-Swedish duo. Lights, stools and a table were displayed amongst the original antiques, all of them inspired by an aspect of the building which was a home as well as housing a factory that made cracker bread

SUSTAINABLE STYLE It may look rather like it is made from marble, but this chair, a remake of the classic R-48 chair originally made by midcentury modernist Bendt Winge, is actually created with a processed substance made from fish farming plastic waste such as nets, ropes and pipes that is then injected into a mould.

Designed by Norwegian architecture and design company, Snøhetta, the S-1500 chair was one of a number of products at the Stockholm Design Fair, held in February, which had sustainability at its heart. ‘With the development of the S-1500 chair, we hope to inspire people to employ waste material in new and sustainable ways through innovation and design,’ said Snøhetta architect Stian Alessandro Ekkernes Rossi

SOUND IDEA

Using natural materials was Baux, who showed acoustic tiles - called Acoustic Pulp - made from a mix of Swedish fir and pine trees, water, wheat bran, potato starch, plant wax and fruit peels. Created after 25 years of research, the tiles which can be used for sound-proofing but also decoration, are currently available in three patterns and a neutral palette, the tiles coloured with non-genetically modified wheat bran. The company hopes to colour them using natural dyes from lingonberries, blueberries and beetroot 028

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Party lights

DESIGNER PROFILE

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NAME TO KNOW

Marcel Wanders is one of the most exciting and influential designers working in the world today, creating unforgettable designs whether they be light fittings, chairs, apartments or hotels

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ith his beaded necklace, coiffed platinum locks and a reputation for doing things differently, Dutch designer Marcel Wanders undeniably has a rock star presence.

In fact, the New York Times famously referred to him as ‘the Lady Gaga of the design world’, citing him as a ‘constant font of ideas and energy who is nearly impossible to ignore.’

Marcel has certainly made his mark over the past two decades, not just through his own design work, but also with Moooi, the Dutch design powerhouse that he co-founded in 2001. Both have garnered a reputation for taking recognisable designs from the past and combining them with cutting edge techniques and importantly, a sense of magic, and sometimes anarchy, to create products that are unique, often amusing and instantly recognisable.

‘As a designer you have a tool box, and the tools you have to play with include size, scale, materials, colour, historical context,’ explains Wanders. ‘There are limitless opportunities to bring these together to make a really different design. I think modernism has decided that a lot of these tools are super uous and shouldn t be touched. hey say a space must be honest; you cannot lie about what it is. That’s ridiculous, because lying is one of the most beautiful parts of the tool box. You can make something look like something it is not. A lamp can be disguised as a horse! Why not?’

www.marcelwanders.com | www.moooi.com His innovative way of looking at design was nurtured as a child, spending time playing in his father’s junk shop. ‘I vividly remember building magical things from the broken things in my father’s shop,’ he says. ‘It is where I cultivated my imagination as a young boy.’

In this he was encouraged by his father.

‘He looked at the world in a very theatrical way,’ says Marcel. ‘He taught me that nothing had to be normal, that I was special enough to always do something unique.’

Marcel’s design career began badly, though, when he was expelled from the prestigious Eindhoven Design Academy for being ‘unteachable’. However, he went onto study at the Arnhem School of Arts, graduating in 1988.

Eight years later he made his international breakthrough with the Knotted Chair which he showed at the Milan Furniture Fair as part of the Dutch collective Droog. Made from knotting lengths of synthetic rope around a carbon frame and coating the form in epoxy resin, it was then hung in a frame to allo gra ity to dictate the final shape o the continuous seat and back.

It swiftly became an iconic piece of design and is now listed in the permanent collections of a number of design museums, including the Stedelijk, the MOMA in New York and the V&A museum in London. ‘For me, the Knotted chair shows the power of new ideas and how important it is to trust what you think is right,’ he says. ‘It is the path I have been following ever since.’

Horse lamp

MARCEL WANDERS Moooi, co-founded with Dutch design entrepreneur Casper Visser, is named after the Dutch word for beautiful – the third ‘o’ in the brand name stands for ‘extra’ beauty uniqueness. The centrepiece for its launch at the Milan Furniture Fair was the ‘Happy Hour Chandelier’, in which a dancing angel hung upside down from a Wanders-designed light fi ture hile pouring utes o ha pagne or the crowds below.

Its designs such as the Smoke Dining hair ith a finish that rese bles burned wood, and the Horse Lamp made it an immediate hit and since then a number of internationally renowned designers such as Studio Job, have designed for the brand.

Today, as well as product design, Marcel is also involved in interiors and his team of 40, based in Amsterdam, work on a variety of projects, from shop fronts (the Villa Moda agship store in ahrain to lu ury hotels the ondrian in oha and ost recently in collaboration with designer led property developers, YOO, a luxury living space in Panama City.

Every project and design follows the Wanders’ philosophy of replacing ‘the coldness of industrialism with the poetry, fantasy and romance of different ages’. He continues: ‘Sometimes my work is witty, but it is never a joke. I am simply trying to celebrate the days of our lives and make them even more special. Life is beautiful, and tomorrow may well be even better than yesterday’.

Knot chair

Atrium of the Mondrian hotel in Doha

The chaise-longue and diamond mirror, both from The Objet Nomades collection for Louis Vuitton 031

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The

Smart Revolution With the value of the global smart home sector expected to soar to €130 billion by 2023, our houses are getting very clever indeed.

Words: Jo Caruana

Above: Ember®, ‘the world’s smartest mugs’.The perfect temperature from the first sip to the last drop

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Thankfully, technology has solved this problem for me. These days I can switch on the kettle from my mobile while still cosy under the covers. With a bit of luck, soon there will be a drone on standby to deliver it.

Smart technology is developing at pace, and while some uture de elop ents ay sound li e the stu o science fiction our homes are certainly becoming more indepedent, more techcentric, and much, much smarter. Here’s how...

Everything is Integrated The automated home is very well connected, and of course connected to the internet. Lots of connectivity is already in action, with home automation systems that can enable you to use your devices remotely from the comfort of your mobile. ‘Many systems allow full integration for many other third party devices, such as air conditioners, pumps, gates, intercom systems, and more,’ says Chris Zammit, sales and projects manager of Astral Enterprises Limited the o ficial agent or a nu ber o brands that o er integrated systems such as Philips Dynalite, Philips Hue, URC, RTI, HEOS, Coolmaster and others. ‘This could include everything from switching your outdoor lights on at sunset, to opening your curtains in the morning – all at the touch of a button from your phone or another mobile device.’ And, while it is best to consider this when building a new property, many features can also be integrated into existing systems, using upgrades – such as special light bulbs that can sync with your device and intelligent lighting systems.

Left to right: Google Home, Google Mini Home, Amazon Echo Dot, Amazon Echo and Amazon Spot

Visualise Before You Buy If you like the idea of seeing items in your space before you commit to buying them, then you’re in luck. Using augmented reality, you’ll be able to work through an app such as Hutch or Modsy, and take a look at what your home could look like if it was designed in a certain way, or used particular items that you have spotted in online stores. A bit like playing one of those Sims design games in years gone by, you’ll be able to stand in your home, take a walk around, and simply add or remove elements such as paint colours, furniture, artwork and carpets at the touch of a button. So far, some of these features are just in test mode and the technology is set to be developed in years to come, connecting you, your virtual reality device, and products from your favourite shops.

f your morning routine is anything like mine, it starts with a daily battle to get out of bed, followed by a sprint to the kettle - that first cup of tea of the day can’t come too quickly.

Our Homes now Listen… and Talk Back Voice automation is one of the biggest technological trends.

You may already speak to your phone on occasion – by saying ‘Hey Siri’ and asking for the answer to a question, or for information about the weather. Now this has developed further with the invention of home devices, such as Google Home and Amazon Echo/Alexa, that listen out for your command and act on it.

Your wish is their command, whether that’s turning on the airconditioner, opening the curtains, running the bath, or giving you an update of the day’s news headlines.

Above: The Hutch APP is described as ‘a virtual dressing room for your home’

Above left: Philips Dynalite Antumbra controller display, from Astral Above right : Philips Hue is a wireless lighting system that lets you control your light and create the right ambiance through an app, from Astral 033

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BeoSound Shape is a wall-mounted wireless speaker system for design conscious music lovers that can be controlled from the Bang & Olufsen APP delivering immersive sound staging, a customisable design and integrated noise dampers for improved room acoustics. Based on a modular tile concept, BeoSound Shape is designed to provide ultimate creative freedom.

Each tile serves a function as, speaker, amplifier or acoustic damper and can be pieced together in endless combinations. Living room, hotel lobby or restaurant - whatever the setting, it will let you define the size and colour with the sound performance to match. ASTRAL

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Above: Zipato, a complete automation platform. Link various smart devices to a controller which provides complete home automation. Cloud-based monitoring provides intelligence alerting and secure remote control for all devices in your home. Remotely control your system from any PC, Mac, tablet or smartphone, from AQS

Your Home Understands Your Habits Right now your air conditioner is unlikely to know your favourite temperature setting and your front door probably doesn’t recognise you when you come home – but standby, as they are about to start learning. ‘Home automation systems will effectively learn their occupants’ behaviours,’ explains Ing. Robert Frendo, Technical Director at AQS MED Ltd. ‘They will come to know our patterns and facilitate everyday tasks like cleaning, cooking, ordering food online, managing solar power utilisation and energy storage, managing electric vehicle charging, optimising climitisation control, exchanging information with neighbouring smart homes, and more. Already we’re seeing this type of technology go into local homes, including in rental properties with solutions such as re ote door access fire and ood detection and security and HVAC management through a simple-to-use mobile app.’

And while it is early days when it comes to some of this technology, in many ways it is easy to integrate – with special hardware from a company like AQS MED Ltd, and a device such as Google Home or Amazon’s Alexa. ‘Traditionally home automation was a solution only available for the high end property sector but the latest smart home wireless technology standards have pushed down the costs to the point that it is now affordable for the average home,’ Robert adds. Soon Maltese supermarkets will be able to integrate too, and our devices will manage our food needs and top them up when needed.

Your Lights Will Do As They Are Told ci fi fil s had us belie e the uture ould see us turn our lights on and off with the clap of our hands but it’s actually even simpler than that, as our lighting can now all be controlled straight from our mobiles, or even using voice recognition. ‘Lighting systems of this sort will be easier to implement than ever as they use wireless communication,’ explains Stephen Ciantar, managing director for Hydroelectric. ‘Today’s automation systems are more affordable and simpler to implement, and fast becoming a standard in development projects. And, while we may be slightly behind countries such as Italy and Germany on this front, we are catching up fast, and our clients are looking for holistic solutions where all scene plates, switches, power outlets and visual monitors have one aesthetic look throughout. By integrating a welldesigned home automation system, the functionality becomes si ple and ore e ible. his could create a syste here you can adjust your lights the way you want to – perhaps dimming them for a dinner party, turning them right up when you’re trying to work, and then switching them off for bed.

Top: TENSE Switches - Manage audio and lighting via specially designed switches that control temperature, music and set up to 20 different moods, from Hydroelectric

Above: HORIZONE, available in different sizes, is the perfect solution for home or small professional environments, such as studios, shops and showrooms, with no changes to the process and architecture. The system does not require a PC, from Hydroelectric

Put Tech To Bed Finally, smart home technology will follow us into the bedroom – but in a good way as it is all about helping us to have the best sleep possible. The future will likely see you integrate a sleep tracker in your mattress that will be synched to an app in your smartphone that lets you know how many quality hours of sleep you have had. You’ll then be woken gently by a smart alarm clock that adjusts the lighting, informs you of the weather, and releases the scent of your choice to put you in the perfect mood to start your day. All just in time for your drone to deliver your cup of tea, of course!

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This issue, feast your eyes on homes that have done things differently. Over the page is the simply spectacular Reef guest house. Built on a man-made island in Bahrain, it’s a collaboration between Malta’s Chris Briffa and architect Jalal AlNajjar that pushes the boundaries of ambition and design. On page 048, is a local home that worked with a challenging site to create a wonderful home that uses natural materials.

And finally, on page 058, a home that took the decision to go black with stunning results 037

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FRAMING THE

PERSIAN GULF

A collaboration between Malta’s Chris Briffa and local architect Jalal AlNajjar, this monolithic and sculptural guest house on an island off the coast of Bahrain is strikingly different to the architecture that surrounds it, both in its design and the emotions it provokes Architects: Project by Jalal AlNajjar Architect in collaboration with Chris Briffa Architects Photography: Aldo Moretti Words: Lisa Gwen Baldacchino Special thanks: Davide Groppi represented in Malta by Elektra Ltd

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The street facade and main entry consist of a tent-like garden wall built out of reinforced concrete and clad with a lime plaster with mother of pearl, from Oltremateria

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The view upon entry into the countryard with the Persian Gulf in the background; the lounge and dining areas are to the right, with the pool house and spa to the left, and the bedrooms cantilevering above

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he expression ‘building on sand’, is generally used to denote instability or the lack of a secure foundation. And yet, that is precisely what Chris Briffa’s architecture studio, in collaboration with Bahraini architect, Jalal AlNajjar, managed to pull off with the breath-taking Reef guesthouse. Situated on one of the manmade islands of the Persian Gulf, little more than a large patch of flat ground and sand, it is anything but unstable.

‘Sitting on 100 piles, the base and foundation of this build was by far the most challenging of hurdles,’ explains Chris. ‘Other than that, we had a unique context to work in, and work with; it was a fantastic playground in which we were able to take architecture to the limit, and a really good budget in order to do so’.

As the site faced north west, the initial concept immediately proposed the inclusion of a courtyard, which would be split into two, allowing the wind to funnel through it. ‘The seaward design of the courtyard, allowed us to stretch the inner, glazed façades of the house, which would remain ventilated thanks to their orientation along the prevailing winds,’ says Chris.

Top: Seaward view showing the three distinct volumes: sleeping areas hovering above the glazed lounge, flanked by the independent pool house on the other end, stitched together by the entry gate in the background Above: Hidden door into the lounge clad in travertine. The full height glazed apertures are by Keller AG 041

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Interior view of the pool house, showing the bar, overlying gym, stairs to underground spa and seating area

Lounge and dining area facing sunset, with a 33m breakfast bar in solid travertine sinking into and serving the pool; 3D-cut and custom built by Il Casone

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Yet, from the exterior, none of this is evident. One enters the build through a minimalist façade which is both nondescript and highly sculptural. Four planes of precast concrete, seamlessly plastered by a mix of lime and motherof-pearl, make up what Chris calls the ‘origami gate’, creating a highly angular and geometric play of line, light and shadow.

The convergence of these planes, leads the eye to the threemetre doorway, laterally flanked by a thin slit of glass on its innermost side, which allows light to pierce the otherwise uninterrupted monochromatic and mono-material entrance.

The play of volumes and masses on the façade persists on entering the courtyard, where the sky, sea and horizon are framed by the build’s three main monolithic spaces – the ‘pool house’ and leisure area on the left, the glazed lounge and living area to the right, and a triangular, double cantilevered volume sitting atop, housing five bedroom suites. The last, a veritable feat of engineering, made possible

by Perit Ivan Muscat, is just five millimetres shy of bridging the courtyard or latching onto the pool house roof – making this a poetically, impossible embrace.

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‘Working in such a context, means that one’s skill set is extended, expanded and tested to the limit’

Above left: Detail of the breakfast bar edge with bespoke shelving and storage system in the background Above right: On first floor, skylit passageways lead the way to the bedroom suites; with natural light during the day and artificial light at night

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Over the years, Chris and Jalal have collaborated on several projects, more often than not comprising the submission of designs and proposals for the occasional competition. However, their working relationship traces back to some 15 years ago: before founding his architecture firm, Chris spent a month working with Jalal, whose own practice was just kicking off.

Since then, Chris has been invited to collaborate on a number of competition designs - none having been as high profile as this one.

Completed in May 2018, the design for the guesthouse was submitted almost four years earlier - in July, 2014. A closed competition to which only four architecture firms were invited, Jalal reached out to Chris, whose firm conducted the entire research and design process. In the brief, the client specified wanting a well-designed space in which he could entertain and host large parties, as well as impress foreign dignitaries.

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Above left: A Corbusier-inspired concrete staircase in the lounge, invites the way up to the sleeping areas Above right: Akin to a sailing boat interior, the master bathroom revisits nautical traits; naturally lit by archetypal overhead skylights around curved partitions. Bath

by Agape, mixer by Cea Design

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Above left: Guest changing room vanity in the pool house, embracing the sloping lines of the pitched roof, on the Ceppo di GrĂŠ marble floor Above right: The basement spa, clad in solid Burma teak and travertine, features a long plunger by the sauna and hammam

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Above left: A recessed seating area on one edge of the chlorine-free pool; softly lit by Sampei fishingrod-lights, from Davide Groppi Left: Pool bar serving guests in the water, with a background storage wall built of teak. The mirrors and recessed lighting (by Davide Groppi) are sheltered by the overhead bedrooms

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Above: An engineering feat on many levels, the entire villa is built on reclaimed land while sitting on a hundred piles. Structural design by Perit Ivan Muscat. Lighting, Davide Groppi

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Chris spent a total of six months in Bahrain in order to oversee the completion of the design process, under the supervision of Jalal’s firm. The final design included a lounge space which could host as many as 200 guests, a car park which could easily accommodate 20 cars, an infinity pool facing and blurring into the Persian Gulf, and a pool house clad with a gym, bar and underground spa for after hours.

Wedged between other villas, towers and skyscapers glaring from a short distance, the design of the guesthouse becomes particularly unique when considering the context of Bahrain - where builds are generally ornamental, possessing a Middle-Eastern aesthetic, and where clean geometric and contemporary design is not necessarily appreciated.

‘Working in such a context, means that one’s skill set is extended, expanded and tested to the limit,’ says Chris. ‘Opportunities to work with such clients, a good budget, and on such a site, don’t come along often.’

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THE INSIDE STORY

A cleverly thought design has created a home that makes the most of its sloping site to give its owners privacy without compromising on style Photographs: Mark Sapienza Styling: Fiona Caruana Carabez Words: Rachel Loos

A suspended bridge leads to the entrance of the home, the door neatly blending into the cladding.

Spied through the glass is the spiral staircase

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The beauty and synchronicity of the materials can be seen in the profile of the house - natural stone, warmed by timber cladding along with the modernity of white

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Bottom, kitchen: although not large, the kitchen works well with sleek stainless steel units on one wall and an island which is also used as a place to sit and work, and gather when cooking

Above, right: A statement light adds impact to the lower floor, as well as adding interesting shadows. The treads of the staircase are of solid American walnut, and are a warming contrast to the white

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rom the street, handsome walls of recycled natural stone combined with the rich caramel tones of timber cladding tantalisingly conceal what lies beyond. It is only when you walk along the suspended bridge, above a lushly planted garden, and step through the front door that the full effect of this L-shaped house is revealed.

By the entrance, an elegant spiral staircase leads to the ground floor with its flatlet and recreational area. Pivot left, however, and a commanding open-plan space leads to enormous floor-to-ceiling doors that look out over a sparkling blue pool and beyond, farreaching views of meandering rubble walls give way to fields, and finally the sea. Stand outside, and the high vertical walls give way to a cantilevered roof, the contrasting horizontal plane adding depth as well as giving the building a relaxed vibe.

The juxtaposition of an introverted house with a bright and open interior was deliberate, driven by the need to shield the

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‘This is a home that reflects me. It has the Ah factor’

‘We liked the idea of the contrast between the traditional materials and modern architecture’ 052

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homeowners from the impact of any future neighbouring development and, given its south-facing aspect, protect the house from the intense heat of the sun.

The sloping site was also a determining factor. ‘The views become evident the higher you go so we deliberately built up the area around the pool so as to take advantage of them,’ says Ian Critien, co-partner of CVCarchitecture, the architects responsible for the project. ‘This also created a lower level which allowed us to include the amenities which take the house to the next level - a gym, indoor pool, games room and garage.’

The open nature of the living space of kitchen, dining area and living room is contrasted by a more private wing in which can be found the bedrooms and bathrooms. ‘Creating living and sleeping zones on the same level is always a challenge in terms of design,’ says Ian. ‘With an L-shape we could wrap around the pool and decking, giving the house two distinct and separate areas. The private space is detached from the public so if there is a party in the living room, it’s possible not to be disturbed in the bedrooms.’

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Left, and top: When open, the floor-to-ceiling doors disappear behind timber screens, so completely merging the internal and external spaces. As well, large format full-bodied gres tiles have a concrete look to match the outside area. These, along with panelling in American walnut, accents of dark grey and pops of yellow, create a stylish and comfortable interior.

Counter-intuitively, the dark grey of the slender pillars helps them meld into the views beyond.

‘You see them far less than if they were in white,’ says Ian

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Snug (top): the top of the house and leading onto the roof terrace, this room is dramatic in black and white patterns

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The pool was elevated to access the views across countryside to the sea. This also allowed the architects to put a recreation area below that includes a gym and an indoor pool

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Despite its luxurious feel, the structural design of the building was relatively traditional, employing a mixture of load-bearing walls, reinforced concrete columns, (but at 30cm quite slender), and reinforced concrete beams and ceilings. ‘This ensured that construction costs and future maintenance and serviceability costs for the building were contained,’ says fellow partner Andrea Vassallo Cesareo.

The palette of materials was derived from its surroundings. ‘We liked the idea of the contrast between the traditional materials and modern architecture,’ says Andrea. Sustainability, too, was key and this runs throughout the project. Every piece of recycled stone in the walls was cut to fit and matched to the surrounding ones for a smooth and elegant finish. ’There are two separate reservoirs so as much water as possible can be collected and recycled,’ says Andrea. ‘We also integrated the PVC cells into the roof, placing 40 of them at a shallow angle so they cannot be seen from ground level.’

The homeowners wanted a ‘very functional’ house that used all its rooms and maximised the outside area and, they say, the result is just what they wanted. ‘It’s a wonderful property with multiple facilities designed by talented architects with great passion for their work.’

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Top: in the private wing, away from the main living space, a neutral palette, including walnut parquet, creates a calming and tranquil bedroom Above: the combination of wood and travertine tiles create a chic and spacious bathroom

Design is where science and art break even

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This bold and angular house is a masterclass in the richness, warmth and sensuality of a dark palette Architect: Scott + Partners Architecture Photographs: Greg Cox Styling: Sven Alberding Words: Graham Wood

Seen from the street, the front of the house kicks out at an angle of 45 degrees, and the contrast to the neighbouring homes heightens the dynamism of the angle. The greenery of the garden and planters integrated with the architecture pop out against the dark background 058

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The unusual angle at which the house was built created planted courtyards and pockets of outdoor space so, as the homeowner puts it, the house ‘lives out’, connecting with these spaces so he never feels ‘caged in’

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n a road where all the houses face the street, there’s one at a rakish 45-degree angle, looking out in a different direction from the rest. The drama of its non-conformist geometry is emphasized by its dark, almost black façade but it’s anything but a reactionary rebel. This house, rather than being forbidding, imparts a sense of warmth, and offsets the abundant greenery in and around it in a way that makes it seem somehow elemental – like an abstracted part of the landscape.

Until recently, this bold addition to the suburban landscape of Camps Bay in Cape Town existed in an altogether different incarnation: it was an Art and Crafts-style bungalow. The owner lived in the house as it was for six years before making any substantial changes, just ‘feeling it out’ as he puts it, and enjoying its sheltered setting and beautiful views of the sea.

When the time came to make an alteration, he turned to architect Greg Scott. ‘You could understand the orientation,’ says Greg, explaining that the original house was angled to catch more of the northern light, and to protect itself from the harsh

west light.

So, while the house in its present incarnation might be almost totally unrecognisable, its unconventional stance was already there, and worth keeping. ‘Interestingly, that unusual orientation set up a lot of the geometry of the new building,’ says Greg. ‘It created many of the interesting angles and orientations, and a lot of lovely front and back spaces around the house. I think that the angles that we had to work with and the planes actually made for quite a dynamic house.’

While the more dramatic changes involved pulling off the roof and knocking down most of the internal walls, Greg says that a large part of his job was framing and editing the views, not just of the sea but of the garden. ‘It was very much about creating something with intimacy, working around the trees and planted banks,’ explains Greg.

He created protruding square windows, some of them designed to make wood-panelled window seats, to frame views and integrate outside pockets of garden with the interior.

Above: Double volume floor-to-ceiling glass greets you at the main entrance. ‘The windows are dark from the outside during the day, and all the frames are dark too, so it all recedes and disappears into the building,’ says architect Greg Scott. The irregular arrangement of the steps will, in time, especially as the plants grow, soften the division between vegetation and architecture. A tree in the entrance courtyard will further integrate landscape and architecture 060

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‘The unusual orientation set up a lot of the geometry of the new building, creating many of the interesting angles and orientations’

Above: The open plan living area downstairs is, counter to most people’s first impression, predominantly white with accents of black, rather than predominantly black. This monochrome palette, and the uncluttered arrangement of furniture, brings warmth, sophistication and texture to what might otherwise have been a fairly minimalist interior. ‘We’ve found that if you’re using black as your base palette, the warmth of timber pops massively,’ says architect Greg Scott. The colour and pattern of the chestnut floors shows up particularly well against this palette 061

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‘Those wooden-surrounded windows are very special to us,’ says the owner. ‘They’re lovely to sit in, and you get the lovely winter sun; it’s a nice place to chill out and read the paper.’

For the homeowner, it was some of the more subtle and thoughtful details that really convinced him of the essential rightness of the design. The balcony from the upstairs bedroom – a kind of cantilevered pergola structure – not only provided the upstairs outdoor space that he desperately wanted, but created comfortable outdoor spaces downstairs too, making it possible to include a patio. ‘Before it was just a flat-fronted building, and those overhangs created lovely shade, and lovely depth to the westerly façade,’ he says.

The dark exterior actually took its lead from the interior. For Greg, the obvious answer to his clients’ brief for ‘a sexy space with a lot of warmth’ was to use 062

Top and above left: The kitchen is entirely black, beautifully textured and warm to the touch.

It is made from an incredibly slim product called FENIX NTM which adds a lightness and delicacy to the design. Above right: One of the most distinctive features of the house is the way in which the windows frame and edit the views. Well-placed slabs with garden furniture make these pockets of greenery accessible and inviting

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Above: The main bedroom includes a clever and versatile divider that combines a headboard with shelving and storage, and creates a well-defined dressing room area. ‘As a space-maker, headboard, dressing room storage space and divider, it’s doing quite a lot,” says Greg. Just seen, panelled ‘box windows’ frame upstairs views Top right: The main bathroom is a wet room, so there are no shower doors or glass boxes. ‘You get the views but you’re still relatively private,’ says Greg. The owner adds, ‘We have a double bath with views of amazing established palms, none of which is in our own property. Sometimes we feel like we’re on an island, or some other exotic place because of the palm trees’ Mid and bottom right : Like the main en suite bathroom, the second bathroom also functions as a wet room. ‘You feel very free when you shower’, says the owner.

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Above: The upstairs balcony off the main bedroom and bathroom is one of the main features that, the owner says, ‘sold them the plan’. From the upstairs bedroom and bathroom it provides valuable outdoor space and views over the neighbouring palms. From the garden, the elegantly cantilevered upstairs pergola adds depth and layers to the westerly façade. ‘Before it was just a flat-fronted building, and those overhangs created lovely shade, and lovely depth to the westerly façade,’ says the owner Far left: The black of the exterior fits seamlessly into its surroundings, accentuating the vegetation in the garden Left: The owner had added the swimming pool before the alternation began, and Greg integrated it into the new plan. The large front lawn was created when the street-facing garage was added. ‘We built that forward which created the big garden in front, and put that garden over the roof of the garages’, says Greg

a consistently monochrome palette throughout the house, and natural materials such as the chestnut floors. The dark colour, he believes, enhances the sense of intimacy and adds a warmth and richness.

‘The stone and the steel all work within a fairly narrow range of darkish colours, and then it’s just tempered by warmth, which we did with leather and timber on the floors,’ he adds.

‘Sometimes we’ve used mirror or reflective materials to create depth, and stop the space being too flat. The richness comes from balancing the textures and materials, the reflectivity, and there’s often inherent richness in materials, so you don’t need a lot of stuff.’

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The fact that the house is so open – ‘a good 30-60 percent of the walls are glass,’ says Greg – means every room is flooded with natural light. ‘So we could get away with it,’ he laughs.

While Greg and the owners initially discussed various greys for the exterior, they kept choosing darker and darker shades until they eventually decided to take the plunge and go with black. The inherent darkness of the windows during the day means the windows ‘recede and disappear into the building’, as Greg puts it, and the greenery of the plants pops out against the dark background.

It still stands on its original foundations, and now, more than ever, it seems of its place.

Your property could be a superstar

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KITCHENSPECIAL

The kitchen has become the heart of the home - not just a place to cook but also to eat and entertain. In our kitchen special be inspired by the latest kitchens and trends, Smart technology, time-saving gadgets and a tale of two real life kitchens with their clever ideas and useful advice

esigner arc adler s first itchen or uro obil co bines ine pensi e la inate ith ore lu ury aterials such as arble and el to create a stunning yet surprisingly a ordable itchen that also boasts ultra sli sur aces or a beauti ully strea lined loo . ailable soon ro FORM

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KITCHEN NEWS BARELY THERE Having become a decorative feature, the latest trend is for the cooker hood to recede into the background. Elica, the world’s leading cooker hood manufacturer, recently launched Skydome, a po er ul coo er hood that fits ush with the ceiling and has a 28W LED lighting panel to provide the cooking area with ambient lighting that can be ‘tuned’ to exactly match the other lighting in the room. A dimmer also allows users to adjust the intensity of light whilst the innovative Tune-White system allows the ‘heat’ of the light to be changed from 2700K to 6000K. ydo e is finished in hite so when it is turned off it blends into the ceiling and its three models offer varying thicknesses. It is also po er ul ith a a i u air o of up to 770m³/h. Elica is available locally at Crosscraft

FLOOR SHOW Wood e ect ooring in itchens and bathroo s is popular and no as ell as tiles you can also find it in inyl. ne range o inyl ooring a ailable at Brands International is hard-wearing and strong and brings the warmth and look of real wood to the kitchen. It’s certified or both residential and contract applications.

COFFEE BREAK Smeg has launched a Drip Filter Coffee Machine – the first ro the talian brand hich is designed to celebrate Italy’s inherent love for great coffee. he F drip filter co ee achine boasts the same iconic design and pastel colourways the brand has become famous for (as well as stainless steel), so you can mix-and-match models for a colourful and chic kitchen set-up. Forestals

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OFF THE WALL Add a stylish touch to your dining area with San Giacomo’s Lampo collection of wall units. Available in a range of oak eneer ela ine and lac uer finishes it can be configured in countless variations so you can create a bespoke unit to suit you. SatarianoHome

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INDUSTRIAL OR MID-CENTURY? In its latest series of dining chairs, Ga adecor o ers t o ery di erent styles. The Code chair (also available as a stool) is more industrial in aesthetic ith the body ade ro steel rods and cushions upholstered in leather. The retro-style Seven features a stylish curve that suppors the bac . ade o ood it s a ailable in natural finishes.

Satariano

SMOOTHLY DOES IT LET’S KOOK! Ceramic sinks instantly give a kitchen a luxurious feel, and the profile that rese bles a piano is ust one o a nu ber o stri ing eatures o the Siluet sink by Villeroy & Boch has a sleek, delicate appearance. Kook kitchen designed by famed industrial designer Karim Rashid for Italian brand The practical knob is available to match your taps in a chrome astelli ucine. With a ie to co bine a slee ini al loo ith a i u or stainless steel finish along ith a ini alist al e co er and unctionality its itchen cabinets eature angled shel ing that can be hidden a ay matching elements. Bathroom Design behind otorised rolling shutter and a specially designed cutting board fits o er the sin hich has a old a ay tap. For the oo itchen anted to create an innovative design to turn even the most challenging culinary endeavours into pure aesthetic pleasure,’ said Karim Rashid

TAPPING IN > A tap is a crucial bit of kitchen kit and making it as functional as possible has become a priority among manufacturers Bridgepoint’s ne three in one tap gives you hot and cold ater ro the right lever and instant boiling ater at degrees ro the left lever. The left lever also co es e uipped ith a lock function to prevent it from being opened by mistake.

lso ne ro Bridgepoint is the three ay catering tap, a stylish industrial style tap that can no ha e the reverse osmosis system connected directly to it delivering pure drinkable ater ro the botto rotatable spout.

At Bathroom Design, the teel pert tap has t o spray modes and a 360° s i el range along ith a removable hand spray, and a a i u o o . litres per minute. Its robust, premium stainless steel construction also adds a striking note to any kitchen design.

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KITCHEN SPECIAL

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KITCHEN CHIC

Looking for a new kitchen? Be inspired by these current looks...

DARK STAR The sleek sophistication of dark wood is highlighted by blonde timbers and glass-fronted cabinets in this elegant kitchen by Aster Cucine. Brands International

MINIMALIST MARVEL Sipario is a modern, Japanesestyle kitchen built with Fenix NTM, the super-matte material that’s soft to the touch, on a birch plywood support with elements in glass and stainless steel. Designed by Makio Hasuike for ARAN Cucine, the optional geometric stainless steel legs create an aspect of exceptional lightness. The at panel cabinets hich can be freestanding or built-in, open with a c-channel handle embedded with an elegant natural wood grain. Dino Fino

COOL COMBINATIONS The Mediterraneum kitchen from SCIC comes in a wide range o aterials finishes colours and accessories as well as cabinets in varying depths and heights, all of which can be put together as you wish to create a custom-designed kitchen that’s completely tailored to your needs. Satariano 071

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IN THE RAW The textured look of distressed wood, with its variations in colour, combined with sleek white create a super-stylish and interesting kitchen. The extra large island of the Lounge kitchen gives extra preparation as well as eating and entertaining space, and the use of a compact skirting board with a height of eight centimetres enables extra volume in the base cabinet. Fino

CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY A deliberate mix of traditional ‘country’ and contemporary styles, along with everything a modern kitchen needs including plenty of storage. The kitchen comes with a variety of elements and materials for a customisable kitchen. Brands

SMOOTH BLEND Open-plan living has seen the rise of kitchens that seamlessly blend into the living room. This Structura kitchen from Nobilia includes shelves for the display of decorative objects and hanging units that resemble a sideboard. Oxford House 072

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MIXED MATERIALS cra ted oa finish blended ith the slee ness o lac uer the ialogo itchen stylishly co bines traditional and odern.

Fino

PURE MARBLE he beauty o alacatta rabescato arble ro nfinity ur aces is on sho in this itchen island that a es a stunning centrepiece in any itchen. Halmann Vella

WHITE OUT he purity o hite gi en subtle te ture ith alacatta orghini that o s ro the island or top to the oor creates a uietly gla orous itchen. Halmann Vella

ON THE TILES plashbac s and accent alls in patterned tiles are a strong trend the decorati e ele ent adding character and char to a itchen. ere subtlely coloured tiles or ell ith the a ese itchen hich co es in ar tones o oa or in lac uered solid ash in three di erent colours also paired ith ood. Fino

WHITE OUT he purity o hite gi en subtle te ture ith alacatta orghini that o s ro the island or top to the oor creates a uietly gla orous itchen. Halmann Vella

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AT YOUR SERVICE Smart technology is transforming the way our every day appliances work, taking them to a whole new level of functionality Words: Jo Caruana

Above left: InstaView™ Door-in-Door® refrigerators from LG have a sleek glass panel that allows you to see inside the easy access door without letting the cold air out. Simply knock twice on the glass to illuminate the contents within. Forestals Above right: The Samsung Family Hub™ helps you manage your home and your life with intelligent voice assistant, you can control your Family Hub™ hands free. Soundmachine

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KITCHEN SPECIAL

T

he kitchen has become one of the most technological spaces in the home. Today ovens can be turned on from a mobile phone, fridges can take note of whether you’re running low on cheese or your food is about to go out of date, and apps can give you real-time advice on how to cook the salmon you just bought.

Smart Kitchens are the next generation with Smart appliances that are ifi enabled allo ing or pinpoint accuracy and unparalleled cooking control.

‘Kitchen innovation has come a long way in recent years, as we have seen the rise of automation, and the integration of the internet and connectivity into our appliances, also known as Internet of things,’ explains Robert Farrugia Vella from Crosscraft.

‘Whereas, traditionally, you would need to closely monitor the food being cooked to track the progress of a meal, nowadays you can easily rely on technology for the majority of this process. In fact, we are at a stage where your smartphone can notify you when your meal is ready, just the way you like it. You don’t even need to be in the same room.’

And the really good news is that a lot of this technology is available here in Malta. ‘It’s true that, in the past, we would have been among the last countries in the world receive certain products,’ continues Robert Farrugia Vella, from Crosscraft. ‘But now we’re actually a ong the first. For instance, we recently launched the new Whirlpool W11 range of smart appliances, with a variety of 6th Sense™ features that make for a truly unique cooking experience.

From the microwave to the coffee machine, they can be controlled from your mobile and accessed anywhere, at any time. That means you can al in the door to find the piping hot coffee of your choice waiting for you.’

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How Do Smart Kitchens Work?

As with the rest of the home (see page 032), Smart Appliances can connect to WiFi and can be controlled through a smartphone, or smart home technologies such as Alexa or Google Assistant. A smartphone permits you to make adjustments and changes from anywhere in or out of your home through the app provided. You can also get information or make changes to your appliances using voice commands. Perform tasks such as starting the oven or the dishwasher, or instantly get access to recipes for ingredients you already have in your refrigerator.

Refrigerators Fridges no longer just keep food fresh. The Smart refrigerator has become the leading smart appliance, technology transforming it into a co puterised tool that increases all round e ficiency.

With Home Connect Bosch fridges, for example, interior door cameras take a picture of what’s in your fridge every time the door is closed, and conveniently sends the image to your mobile device. Not sure whether you need more milk when at the supermarket? Just check the picture on your phone.

Likewise, built-in cameras in Samsung’s black stainless steel refrigerator (adjacent page) collect information regarding what's in your fridge. You can also upload photos on the the fridge - creating a personal photo almbum without the need for magnets, as well as stream music and control other smart devices throughout your home. LG InstaView™ Door-in-Door® refrigerators (adjacent page) have a sleek glass panel that allows you to see inside the easy access door without letting the cold air out. Simply knock twice on the glass to illuminate the contents within.

Smart features in refrigerators:

Program temperatures for each drawer or fridge compartment

Listen to your favourite music and program playlists through speakers right in your

fridge.

Control volume and playback options from the touchscreen or even by voice

command

Upload photos and organise them into slideshows that display on the screen

Enter grocery lists into the touchscreen and have them automatically sync to your

smartphone

Set expiration dates for perishable items and receive alerts when they are about to

expire

Leave messages for your family members with whiteboard options

Look up recipes quickly and easily right where you are cooking, hands free!

Stream favourite TV shows and movies while you cook

Different brands and models offer different features, but clearly, smart refrigerators are a game changer in the kitchen.

Above : Whirlpool W11 suite offers a range of smart functions and Wi-Fi connectivity, enabling access to downloaded recipes and ideal programs.

Crosscraft

Above: Samsung Family Hub™ - Three built-in cameras take a photo every time the door is closed. You can use your phone to access photos from anywhere, so you always know what you have and what you’re missing. Soundmachine 075

HW KITCHEN SPECIAL Smart Ovens Connected cooking is the next level in kitchen performance.

Control your oven with precision through your smartphone.

‘Cooking at home has never been such a brilliant experience,’ says Ayrton Bonello from Oxford House. ‘Bosch appliances take advantage of WiFi connected homes to give you more free time and less waiting time in the kitchen. The Bosch HRG6769S6 – Series | 8 [oven] for example, has all sorts of programmes that allow you to preheat, prepare, adjust and monitor the cooking process from wherever you may be. It will even suggest recipes, and send cooking tips.’

Above: The beautiful new W Collection built-in ovens provide a compelling combination of elegance, flexibility and ease of use. They offer exceptionally intuitive control and a supremely simple guided cooking experience via the 4.5” TFT MySmartDisplay, which learns from you and makes everyday cooking easier for great results every time. In particular this is achieved through Lifestyle Clusters, which make it easier to search for recipes or cooking cycles according to lifestyles – such as ‘Vitamincs’ or ‘Bake Off’. Seamless interaction is also possible using Whirlpool’s 6TH SENSE Live app which lets you select recipes and control and monitor your cooking progress from your smartphone or tablet. Crosscraft

Above: iBosch HRG6769S6 Stainless steel built-in oven with steam function, selfsufficient with Home Connect offering a whole range of features that go far beyond the remote control of your home appliances. Oxford house Smart ovens offer an array of innovative features to help you cook with spectacular results:

Scan the bar-code on food boxes with your smartphone and your smart oven

automatically turns on the correct settings

Use your smartphone to preheat or change your oven temperature, set timers and

more, from wherever you are

Receive text alerts when the oven is done preheating or the timer goes off

Use voice command technology to control your oven while your hands are occupied

Smart ovens make cooking more fun, and more easier than ever. With these smart features, you have the freedom to enjoy the process while your oven takes care of what it does best, cook!

Above: Smart products from Whirlpool. Oven and induction hob are all controlled through one app. Crosscraft 076

Above: Scan the bar-code on food boxes with your smartphone and your smart oven automatically turns on the correct settings

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Vacuum Cleaners The techno kitchen isn’t just about food, but cleaning too. ‘I ould say our obot acuu cleaners are definitely ery popular at the moment, and they can also be controlled via an app,’ says Luke Tabone from Forestals. ‘They are very cool, as you can set the robot to vacuum your home on a schedule or set it from your phone hile you re at or and then co e ho e to find the place sparkling. It’s the sort of thing we could only dream of in the past.’

Above: Not sure what setting to use?Just ask Easy Start in your Home Connect app, and it will recommend the best programme for your dishes.

Oxford house

Smart Dishwashers New generation dishwashers can use sensors to detect how dirty your plates are and adjust the settings accordingly, using only the time, energy and water that is actually necessary. A smart dishwasher can track where your dishes are in the wash cycle and in or you hen it is finished as ell as auto atically reorder your dishwasher tablets when your supply is running low.

Above: Your smart microwave remembers family favorites when you use the touchscreen or app. wwCrosscraft

Smart Microwaves Microwaves are by no means forgotten, here is what you can expect from a smart microwave: Models with LED screens can display recipes right on the control panel

Scan the bar-code of food items to set the oven to the correct cooking settings Advanced power saving modes

Control the microwave from your smartphone Receive alerts when the food is ready

Above: At the touch of a button, Roomba can be your new robotic vacuum cleaner. With easy automation and multi-room navigation, it’s a great way to keep floors clean. Forestals

Integration and concerns ntegrating this ne technology into your ho e is not di ficult.

If you are planning a complete remodel of your kitchen, then it makes sense to choose smart items from the start, ensuring your mobile technology is as up-to-date as your kitchen’s, and integrated with your switches, air-conditioners, and lighting in other parts of your home. However, many appliances, such as a smart kettle, microwave, or fridge, can be integrated into an existing kitchen – ideal if you simply want to update your appliances but not the whole room.

If you have concerns about cost, ease of use and repairs, smart appliances are not that different from non-smart ones. The price of smart home technology is decreasing every day and in many cases you can find a s art appliance in the sa e price range o non-smart appliances, but of course this will vary depending on the features you are looking for. As for ease of use, if you already own a smart phone or tablet, you already have basic training for the know-how needed to use smart appliances. While there will be a learning curve, there is a wealth of information online to help you get the most from your appliance. Most manufacturers have excellent YouTube instructional videos.

Should repairs be required, smart appliances are usually no different to non-smart ones: when an appliance breaks down or needs repairs it is usually a physical part that is broken. The repair cost of physical parts in a smart appliance is practically identical to a non-smart appliance and any problems with software is usually quite minimal in cost.

Smart appliances are here to stay. Simply, their use facilitates and streamlines daily, mundane tasks. As technology becomes more cohesive and integrated within the home, it’s easy to see how the internet of things is transforming the quality of our lives for the better.

077

7/8 Triq L-Ahwa Galea Mosta MST 3342 Tel: +356 2143 7445 Email: info@brightersolutions.com.mt Web: www.brightersolutions.com.mt

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KITCHEN SPECIAL

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THE LATEST KITCHEN TECH

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From app-controlled appliances that help you cook to gadgets that make life in the kitchen easier, there’s plenty to keep techlovers happy 4.

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1. Ember can keep your tea, coffee, or other hot beverage warmed to your favourite temperature. Pair your mug with the smartphone app, monitor the exact temperature of your drink and set what temperature you want to drink it at - the app will then notify you once it’s cooled to that precise degree, and will use the heater to keep it there.

2. The all new iKettle - 3rd Generation by Smarter features an app that lets you set the times you want the Smart Kettle to boil each day, how hot you want the water to be as well as how full the kettle is. It hooks up with Alexa too, so you can ask it to ‘boil kettle’.

3. Nespresso’s app-enabled machines are perfect for espresso fans. The Expert + Milk machine is top of the range with an app that lets you trigger the machine

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remotely, customise the settings for each brew, save preferred recipes, track your stock of capsules, and order directly.

4. Sous vide has been a chef’s secret for a long time.

It involves cooking food under water in a sealed plastic bag, giving you precise control of the water temperature. This allows you to cook any food to the exact temperature without risk of over-cooking.

5. EuroCave Wine Art is for wine enthusiasts who want the last drop to be as good as the first. Keep an open bottle of wine tasting good for up to ten days. The Cave holds two bottles at ideal service temperature.

6. Click and Grow introduces Mother Nature to the Internet of things. There’s space for three plants, which grow up towards the extendable LED light to

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accommodate their growth. The accompanying app will give you reminders to top up the water when required and controls the light on a programmed 24 hour cycle.

7. The Meater is a meat thermometer designed to be left inside the meat or fish while it’s cooking so that it can tell you exactly when to stop. The thermometer easily pairs to your phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. To cook, insert the probe, tell the app what sort of meat you’re cooking and what temperature you want it to reach and start cooking.

8. The Drop Scale is an electronic scale that interfaces to the Drop Recipes app. Together, they are an unbeatable combination, helping anyone make beautiful and delicious food, regardless of experience.

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HANDY APPLIANCES

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1. For everyday salads, this electric slicer from Sencor makes easy work of preparing vegetables.

Easy to clean too. Petrolea 2. Philips Viva pasta and noodle-maker is a fully automatic solution that enables you to prepare fresh pasta and noodles from scratch. Just put the ingredients in the machine and it will do the rest.

Nice and compact. Crosscraft 3. Keeping all the nutrients present in fruit and vegetables is the philosophy that inspires the design of the new PureJuice slow juicer from KENWOOD. Not only is the juice 100% natural, but thanks to its low rotation, it keeps its flavour and natural colour longer. You can mix a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and is also suitable for

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creating different types of homemade drinks such as almond milk. Crosscraft 4. The Braun MQ 9038X blender is characterised by a refined, ergonomic shape allowing a secure grip and comfortable blending with one hand. The ACTIVEBlade technology makes it easy to blend all, even the hardest components of the dish, saving as much as 40% of the effort put into the work. Crosscraft 5. Bodum bistro 2-slice toaster, designed to toast to perfection. TKS 6. The new Bosch MUM9AX5S00 optiMUM food processor, with an attractive stainless steel design and a dash of black, achieves perfect results every time thanks to an array of features including: Smart

Dough Sensor, integrated digital timer, scale, SensorControl Plus, automatic programs and 1500 W of power adding to these list of features. Oxford House 7. Dualit’s ‘Architect’ kettle is cool and collected. It’s quick and it’s got a whole new look. Resilient and stylish, the architect kettle makes boiling water an art form. TKS 8. Dualit 3-in-1 coffee machine in stainless steel.

Utilises capsule, pod or ground coffee. Includes milk frother with 15-Bar-pressure. TKS 9. For the cook that has everything. A hand held crumb vacuum cleaner from Alessi. Pure luxury.

Petrolea

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‘I enjoy cooking and knew that I wanted a comfortable worktop, enough storage and for it to look good by being as simple as possible’

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KITCHEN TALK

How do you configure a kitchen to make it work for you? We look at two real life - and very different - kitchens and discover how they came to be

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Small But Mighty

ow do you create a kitchen that works efficiently as a space to cook great meals and entertain, but does not detract from the relaxed vibe of an open-plan living area That was the challenge architect Mark Peregin faced with his small one-bedroom apartment in alletta that has a mere square metre room for the sofa, dining table and kitchen.

‘I wanted it to look like a kitchen as little as possible but at the same time it definitely had to be a kitchen that would be comfortable enough to allow me to have friends round for dinner,’ he says. ‘I had no problem with moving into a small one bedroom apartment but I couldn’t do so without a fully functional kitchen. I enjoy cooking and knew that I wanted a comfortable worktop, enough storage and for it to look good by being as simple as possible.’ is solution was to design a kitchen that extended along the full length of the room as two long, parallel units. The lower kitchen counter is black slate with a simple black induction hob in the middle and a black sink at one end. ‘This was chosen so as to have the whole top in one colour - the sink and induction hob are also black,’ he explains.

Within the lower unit are two under-counter fridges and one under-counter freezer. ‘This avoids having any tall units which would have disrupted the form,’ he says. ‘As a bonus the two fridges are set at different temperatures.’

There is also enough storage for pots and pans, as well as other kitchen paraphernalia, drawers for cutlery and finally a dishwasher by the sink.

The unusual design feature of this unit, however, lies behind. ere, Mark has installed a custom-made timber

storage unit that behind the sink becomes a draining rack that is connected to a drain, so allowing plates and crockery to dry without cluttering the work top. ‘The base is actually a stainless steel trough into which the wooden sticks are attached,’ he says. ‘I have to clean it every now and then, but it works really well.’

The storage area, opened via two neat finger holes on the top, contains anything from bread to oil and herbs.

‘What I also really like about it, is that it gives me an area to plate up when I have guests over,’ says Mark. ‘Over time I have rented many different apartments and I learned from them what works and what doesn’t. One thing that really annoyed me was not having the space to plate up. ere I have enough room to do eight plates comfortably.’

Another advantage is that the wooden section is cm deep gives the entire lower unit a depth of cm which allows the top unit to have depth of cm instead of cm, giving Mark very useful extra storage capacity.

The top units, which also contain D strip lighting, have been clad in copper-tinted mirror. ‘It looks better than plain mirror and adds a warmer feel,’ he says. ‘It also allows visual communication with the space behind me so I can keep up a conversation with guests without giving them my back whilst cooking. This is important as I don’t have space for an island, which is a great social space in larger kitchens.’

Directly opposite the kitchen is Mark’s projection screen and the mirror is useful there too. ‘It reflects what’s on the screen so I can watch movies whilst cooking,’ he says. ‘Although something I hadn’t thought about is that the subtitles are reversed ’ A minor issue.

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‘As we love to cook and entertain, having a kitchen that feels like it's part of the living room and not cut off from the entire house is what we were after’

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KITCHEN TALK

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How do you configure a kitchen to make it work for you? In the second our two real life kitchens, a stylish cooking and eating area is created from an awkward space

Modern Country

lthough their home, dilapidated when they bought it, was renovated to make it fit for the 21st century with high volume, open-plan spaces and tall slim windows, fashion designer Carla Grima and her husband Sebastian Ripard did not want an ultra-modern style kitchen. ‘As it’s an old house, for us it needed to be a rustic type of look,’ says Sebastian. ‘We also wanted it to be really open because we spend a lot of time in the kitchen. We enjoy cooking - and eating!’

For Forward Architects, who remodelled the entire house, the kitchen brought a few challenges. The room is sandwiched between floor-to-ceiling windows and an eye-catching floating staircase on two sides, and open-plan to the living room area on the third. ‘This meant there was very little wall space and we needed to incorporate all kitchen necessary appliances and utilities and maximise storage in a creative way,’ says Daine Pranaityte Micallef from Forward Architects.

The first stage of solving the problem was giving the one solid wall almost entirely over to storage with a floorto-ceiling unit. Within this is the sink with cupboards below, one of which contains the dishwasher. The tall cupboard to the left holds the refrigerator.

Above the sink are a pair of shelves in iroko, incorporating a draining board and lighting in the lower one, and more storage for every day items in the upper one. Using the same wood as the stairs neatly links the spaces, as well as being a contrast to the blue/ grey, for a more visually interesting look. Above the shelves are more cupboards, these flush with the ceiling ensuring every last centimetre of space is used. ‘For top cupboards we used Georgian Wire Glass panels. It is a more traditional material, however in the context it feels modern but still follows the client’s brief for a country house kitchen feel,’ says Daine.

The second stage of creating a great-looking but functional kitchen was the very large island which, because of the space available, works as the heart of the kitchen and a connection to the living and dining area. Within the island are the hob and oven, as well as more storage in the form of drawers, cupboards and niche shelving. ‘When planning a kitchen, it is important to think about functionality - it is important that the refrigerator, the sink and the hob and oven work together fluently as a triangle,’ says Daine. ‘Other, but no less important issues are a working surface and storage.’

The island worktop is in white lava stone, from Mediterranean Ceramics, as requested by Carla and Sebastian. ‘We wanted to experiment with as many natural materials as possible,’ explains Carla. ‘The volcanic stone is a terracotta colour naturally, but when glazed and given heat it creates a beautiful crackled effect. We selected white because the crackling effect turns a greyish colour which matches our concrete floor and we find it a fresher look than marble. It also does not stain, as marble does, with citrus or turmeric etc and it can take any temperature - so perfect for hot pans.’

At the far end is a breakfast bar, also in iroko. ‘As the clients entertain a lot, it was important to give the island a fluent function, from a space to prepare food and cook, to a centrepiece when guests are over,’ says Daine.

Above the island is a suspended shelf in raw steel from which are hung pots and pans - a modern take on the rack found in the traditional country kitchen.

‘The kitchen is a happy medium between modern and country,’ says Daine. ‘Traditional objects such as the steel rack have been interpreted to have simple modern lines, and materials such as Georgian Wire Glass, brass and glazed lava stone in combination with solid, straightedged iroko wood, work well and have a more modern feel. The blue-grey colour of the units is an earthy tone that complements the rest of the interiors without standing out.’

For Carla and Sebastian - and now baby Olivia - the kitchen is just what they wanted. ‘It’s open-plan heaven, which is how the entire house has been designed,’ says Carla. ‘As we love to cook and entertain, having a kitchen that feels like it’s part of the living room and not cut off from the entire house is what we were after.

The little breakfast bar on the end is perfect for having a friend over for a glass of wine and chat whilst we are cooking... or to place little Olivia close by whilst we are making breakfast. All the natural light coming in also enlarges the open-plan design.

‘We hated the clutter of pots and pans in our previous apartments, so the structure above the island was what we had been longing for, giving us easy access and avoiding that awkward stacking of pots and pans.

We thought the height of certain storage areas would be a disadvantage, but we quickly found a solution by storing items that are not often used and also by buying a little wooden step stool which stores perfectly under our windows.’

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KITCHEN SPECIAL

DINING IN

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Natural materials feature strongly in the latest dining table collections...

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1. Billund table: Together with the Aarhus chair, it represents design and function coming together in a perfect expression of Scandinavian design. The table is adaptable - have it down for an intimate meal for two it fits neatly against a all or ip it up and ha e roo or our or fi e around the table.

BoConcept 2. Icon Calacatta: The warmth of solid wood is combined with the innovation of scratch-resistant ceramic stoneware, a series o handso e tables that co e fi ed and extendable (thanks to an aluminium frame ith integrated sliding syste and in di erent sizes. SatarianoHome 3. Milano: This bestselling table is now a ailable in a ariety o cera ic top finishes including light marble ceramic as shown. The Adelaide chair is a concept chair available in an array o configurations and upholstery options. BoConcept 4. Goblin Keramik: Sculptural legs of solid walnut are the base for this Cattelan Italia table, whose top comes in a range of marble and cera ic finishes all creating a state ent table. Fino

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1. Triangle leg table: Crafted in solid oak with an oiled soaped or clear lac uer finish this table from Hay has rounded ends to create a sociable setting that maximises seating numbers around the table. Loft 2. TheTouch 341: Lacquered laminate table

by Nobilia - it matches the Touch 341 kitchen - creates a simple but smart table. Oxford House 3. Skorpio: An elegant table of canaletto walnut, heritage oak or natural oak, with a base of embossed lacquered steel. Available in three shapes and sizes. Fino 4. Radius Manhattan Roll: fi ed table ith a ceramic top that’s 9mm thick and a base of solid natural ash wood, tobacco stained or matt black lacquered, and also with an option of brass tips. SatarianoHome 5. Rimadesio Manta Table: The modular table system aims to combine aesthetics with technological innovation. The modular structure is made from high pressure die-cast aluminium. Choose from a variety of surfaces.

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MEET YOUR

P E R S O NA L C H E F The award-winning W11 range is Whirlpool’s latest range of handle-less appliances and a perfect example of how beautiful aesthetics meet seamless functionality.

Life has become so hectic nowadays that we often end up relying on fast food or instant meals for dining.

But what if there was a way that your oven could double as your personal chef and literally cook your food to perfection?

The W11 smart oven offers countless recipes to choose from, capable of sending the ingredient shopping list to your phone through its built-in Wi-Fi system and uses dedicated cooking programmes for specific recipes, ensuring perfect results every time.

A D VA N C E D PERFORMANCE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

The award-winning W11 range uses 6th Sense™ live technology to connect to the dedicated app on your smartphone or tablet to give you automated controls and information, so that you do not need to be near

your food to know if it’s ready. Ever feel confused by whether you need to preheat the oven, add salt or rotate your food? The W11 oven will tell you all you need to know through the integrated app on your phone!

MONITOR YOUR MASTERPIECE The MultiSense™ Probe included with your Whirlpool oven can be used to monitor the inner temperature of a variety of dishes, so that you can be sure that the desired temperature is reached every time.

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ISLAND HOOD

CREATE AN ILLUSION

90% of modern kitchens are centralised so that people can continue socialising whilst preparing food for their guests.

A kitchen hood should not get in the way of socialising.

On the opposite, it should be a highlight which complements the dining experience.

For those who are after something even more subtle, the Illusion is the perfect ceiling hood which blends in perfectly with its surrounding environment as its centre can be painted the same colour as the rest of the ceiling - you will almost forget it is even there. Designed

by Fabrizio Crisรก, the Elica Illusion is ideal for open plan kitchens where one can make sure that it will never get in the way.

SWITCH YOUR KITCHEN

U P S I D E D OW N The NikolaTesla Switch aspiration hob by Elica is regarded as one of the best modern innovations one can have in the kitchen as it eliminates the need for an overhead hood and the fact that fumes are

immediately sucked downwards instead of upwards is simply, cool. The good news for those who would not give up a gas hob is that a gas version will soon be available as well!

WHEREAS SOME PREFER TO BLEND IN, OTHERS ARE MADE TO STAND OUT The combination of mirror polished copper and Summilux-lacquered glass embraces different styles of kitchen, from modern to classic. The beautifully designed Elica Summilux is indistinguishable from a chandelier hanging over the hob, serving as an excellent source of light and as opposed to aspiration hobs, optimises cupboard storage space.

A COMPROMISE Unfortunately, elegance may sometimes come at the cost of effectiveness. The Elica Haiku offers outstanding extraction through a well defined kitchen hood, which can also be wall mounted. One does not need to worry about whether it will fit in a particular kitchen as it comes in different sizes and colours.

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TA P S &

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SINKS

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PERFECT SINK As the kitchen sink is seen as the heart of the kitchen, it’s the perfect starting point for creating your dream kitchen. Let your imagination run free with a range of fabulous options to help you maximise space and accentuate the look of the entire room.

There are however certain functional considerations to take into account and the following information will help to ensure that your ideal sink is the perfect fit for your ideal kitchen.

INSET SINKS

UNDERMOUNT SINKS

FILOTOP SINKS

Inset sinks are installed from above into a pre-prepared hole in your worktop. It gives you the widest range of sink shapes, sizes and styles to choose from.

Undermount sinks are installed underneath the worksurface and therefore require a solid surface worktop such as granite or wood, they are not compatible with laminate worksurfaces.

Filotop sinks are the perfect solution for those who are after a sink which seamlessly blends in with countertop for a smooth finish.

DON’T LET YOUR SINK BE THE AFTERTHOUGHT Many tend to worry so much about which furniture or appliances to buy that they often neglect the importance of choosing a practical sink of good quality.

Luckily, a whole new world of possibilities has become available at the newly launched Franke centre at Crosscraft, catering for a wide range of different needs.

BACK IN BLACK

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The shift of modern kitchens from stainless steel to black is clearly evident. However, black sinks are still not so common. Franke have developed a solution through a durable fragranite sink.

That being said, who says that sinks have to be just black?

Franke offers a wide variety of colours and materials to make sure that your kitchen is just the way you want it.

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When considering a domestic project, an essential part of the research process is to go to Crosscraft so that one can get a good idea of how the use of 6th Sense technology integrated into their aesthetically-pleasing Whirpool products create the ultimate cooking and dining experience.

Coupled with magnificent designer hoods from Elica and vast practical solutions for sinks by Franke, one simply cannot begin to think about their kitchen layout without having seen these possibilities.

Carlo Schembri

Art Director, Carlo Schembri Design Team

SHOP

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SHOP See Address Book on page 113 for stockist information

Beautiful textiles with that local touch.

For all items shown plus the full range of the Stephanie Borg collection, visit www.stephanieborg.com

Areon presents a new line of room diffusers in volumes of 1, 2.5 and 5 litres. The selected perfumes will create and maintain a cosy atmosphere in any room. These air fresheners are particularly suitable in large rooms for a long lasting effect.

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HW SHOP Discount on March orders Thinking about refurbishing your outdoor space in time for summer? Loft is offering 20 per cent discount on all outdoor furniture orders placed during March 2019. Brands include designer Belgian companies Manutti and Diphano and Spanish firm Point1920. Loft

Strongly distinctive and intensely realistic, Leonardo stone-effect ceramic surfaces are a beautiful mix of colour, raw material and ceramic elements. A unique set of full-body porcelain stoneware.

Sizes include 75x150 cm and 75x75 cm, with two surface finishes: lapped gloss, and natural. B&M Supplies

White bedroom Set. Solid pine bedrooms, wardrobes and beds available in various sizes. Pine bedrooms sets with matrimonial bed. Prices from €1175.. GrannySmithShop

SH OP A varied collection of classic and contemporary solid wood dining tables (some extendable) that can be customized to any size, style and finish according to a client’s wishes. Prices for a solid wood dining table, seating six to eight, start from €439. GrannySmithShop

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Live by Nobili is a beautifully streamlined wall-mounted bathroom mixer that’s perfect for creating a bathroom with an uncluttered, tranquil mood.

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See Address Book on page 113 for stockist information

SHOP Bridgepoint offers a wide variety of kitchen taps and sinks and at a variety of price points. Choose from over 40 different models of kitchen taps, offering a number of functions, and a wide choice of sinks in different thicknesses and colours. All our products are in stock and carry a 10 year warranty on all mechanical parts and five years on the finish. bridgepointmalta.com

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A beautiful combination of our hand made kitchen sinks and our 100% brass and chrome catering taps. High quality 1.2mm thick stainless steel is used in all our sink productions making them durable and long lasting. The catering tap range has extremely versatile hoses since they pull out from the holder, making it easier to use. bridgepointmalta.com

Aluminium outdoor wall light IP44 E27 €34.95. Litex Functionality and practicality are the finer details. Bridgepoint pull-out hoses are made of durable, long lasting stainless steel, covered with a heavy-duty black threaded casing. The pull-out head has two water functions to choose from and is also fitted with a 360° rotatable head to allow for easier manouvering of the spout. bridgepointmalta.com

Available from stock, garden ornaments and life size four season statues including well fountains and other ornaments for use by the pool , garden or inside. Life size four season statues from €375 and fountains from €149. GrannySmithShop

Sweepovac A simple, powerful and compact vacuum always ready to keep your house clean. Conveniently placed under any kitchen unit and instantly available at a push of a button. Also ideal for caravans or boats. Sweepovac requires minimal set up and does not take any storage space. You’ll never use a dustpan again! AAMizzi See Address Book on page 113 for stockist information

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OUTSIDE IN GARDENS FOOD TRAVEL

CHOCOLATE BOX

With its luscious blue facade and gold trim, Sunday in Scotland certainly brightens up St Lucy’s Street in Valletta. Inside, the cafe is equally delicious with an interior that is reminiscent of a 1920s seaside home with tiles in accents of fresh blue, orange and red, along with vintage wicker chairs, dark wood and brass and original art - not to mention chocolates in a variety of flavours including honey, mixed berry and lemon.

The chocolate lifestyle brand is the brainchild of artistic entrepreneur and chocolatier Amer Wahoud who dreamed up the idea while walking on a Scottish beach one Sunday in summer - hence the cafe’s name. Fans include none other than opera singer Joseph Calleja who tweeted ‘what I have sampled from his creations truly rival the best patisseries in Paris!’ www.sundayinscotland.com 101

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Comfort eating Sometimes only feelgood food will do and these three delicious recipes are guaranteed to warm you up

Recipes: Philip El Masri, Head Chef and Alain James Grech, Chef Patron, Chef’s Table, Bugibba Wine recommendations: Georges Meekers, Emmanuel Delicata Winemaker Photographer and Stylist: MAS (This page, Pork & Potato Pie - recipe on page 105 )

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FOOD & WINE

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CASARECCE

with Pesto Alla Trapanese Serves 4

Pesto Alla Trapanese is Sicily’s version of the traditional pesto but instead of using pine nuts, this one uses almonds and adds cherry tomatoes. For best results blend all the ingredients with a mortar and pestle, but you can use a food processor as well

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

150g almonds (skin off and blanched) 40g breadcrumbs 600g fresh cherry tomatoes 3-4 medium garlic cloves 4 sprigs fresh basil 125g Pecorino romano 40ml olive oil 40g breadcrumbs 480g Casarecce pasta Salt & Pepper

Roast the almonds until golden brown. Toast the breadcrumbs in a pan until golden brown and leave aside. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and lightly roast in oven with a bit of olive oil. Place the garlic and a pinch of salt in a mortar and crush until they become a paste. Add the toasted almonds and crush until they too become a paste. Add the basil leaves and work them in until they break up into tiny bits. Add the cheese, followed by half the tomatoes and olive oil and mix. The final sauce should have the consistency of a rough paste. Bring a pot of water to the boil, put in the pasta and cook it to your preference. In a pan, sautĂŠ the pasta in the pesto sauce for about 1 minute. Plate the pasta and garnish with the toasted breadcrumbs, the remainder of the cherry tomatoes and add some more fresh basil on top. Season to taste but only after adding any extra pecorino as this will add saltiness to the dish.

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TANGERINE MOUSSE Serves 4

A simple but delicious dessert that combines the tang of tangerines with the lightness of cream and it looks good too!

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

250ml fresh cream 120g icing sugar 250g Mascarpone cheese 4 tangerines 50g caramelised pistachios (see below) Pinch of salt 8 Amaretti biscuits

Whip the cream. In another bowl whisk the sugar and Mascarpone. Zest the tangerines and add almost all to the mascarpone mixture (reserve some for the garnish). Gradually fold the cream into the mascarpone mix. Add half of the caramelised chopped pistachios.

Assemble in a Martini glass: Amaretti biscuits, then some fresh tangerine segments, followed by the mousse. Leave to set in refrigerator.

When ready to serve, top with some more zest, pistachio and crushed Amaretti biscuits.

For the caramelised pistachios 200g pistachios 100g sugar 2g salt  50g water

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To make the caramelised pistachios, place the sugar, salt and water in pan. Bring to 120 degres Celsius and cook until all the ingredients dissolve. Remove from heat. Add the pistachios to the liquid and keep stirring until the sugar crystallises on the pistachios and the nuts separate from each other.

Return to the heat, constantly stirring until the pistachios become golden brown. Place on baking paper and separate the nuts as they cool.

FOOD & WINE

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PORK & POTATO PIE Serves 2

Hearty and delicious. You can also prepare and freeze for another day.

INGREDIENTS 250g belly of Maltese pork 60g mushrooms 20g pine nuts Sprig of thyme 2g garlic cloves

12ml Balsamic vinegar 75g potatoes 200g puff pastry 1 egg, beaten Salt & Pepper

METHOD Preheat the oven to 140 degrees Celsius. Slow roast the pork belly for about 3 hours or until tender. Separate the pork belly meat from the fat that may be still attached to the meat. Pull the meat apart into small pieces, season with salt, pepper and Balsamic vinegar and set aside. Raise the oven temperature to 200 degrees Celsius.

Toast the pine nuts until light brown.

Dice and fry the mushrooms in olive oil with thyme and garlic. Dispose of any residual water from the mushrooms. Thinly slice the potatoes.

Roll the puff pastry very thin, cut in half and put one half aside.

Grease a small pie mould, then place one of the pastry halves inside it, with the pastry coming half way up the mould. Line the pastry with the potatoes. In a bowl mix the cooked mushrooms, pine nuts and pork and then place on top of the potatoes in the pie mould. Cover with the rest of the puff pastry and egg wash the pastry. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Garnish with some roasted seasonal vegetables if desired.

If making to freeze for a future date, do not place eggwash or bake. Freeze with the dough still uncooked.

GEORGES’ FAVOURITE

Wine Pairings

CASARECCE (LEFT) 2018 MEDINA GELLEWZA, I.G.T. MALTESE ISLANDS Young, fruity reds bring out the herbaceousness of fresh green pesto. And, you can’t go wrong with an authentic, locally-grown bottle of Gellewza with a dish that bills itself as ‘homemade’ pasta. The varietal characteristics of this vibrant, unoaked garnet-coloured wine magically mirror the hint of liquorice in basil. Really, this earthy wine’s palate offers all the nice plum, cherry fruit flavours you could wish for.

PORK AND POTATO PIE (MIDDLE) 2017 GRAND VIN DE HAUTEVILLE CHARDONNAY, SUPERIOR, D.O.K. MALTA It’s best not to think of pork as just white meat but take it as something richer.

As such, my red wine recommendation makes for a fine match. But, if you prefer a great white, this lush yet racy Maltese Chardonnay with a dollop of oak will complement the creaminess of the Maltese pork pie. This first-in-class, top-drawer Chardonnay of Malta delivers all the right lip-smacking goodness.

TANGERINE MOUSSE (RIGHT) N.V. GELLEWZA FRIZZANTE, I.G.T. MALTESE ISLANDS Mousses and wine can be a hit-or-miss pairing. But in combination with the tangerine and cheese ingredients, Delicata’s original Gellewza Frizzante marries well. This off-dry, semi-sparkling pink is plush and refreshing with that intriguing typical little streak of almond taste that adds up to a playful match with the pistachios. Pop the Frizzante as aperitif and come back to it to finish up the mousse. It simply makes your tongue tickle for more.

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HW TRAVEL

On the BAUHAUS Trail IF YOU WANT TO GET IT ON THE CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS, THE PLACE TO GO IS GERMANY. CHRISTOPHER BEANLAND GIVES US THE TOUR...

B

auhaus is 100 this year and Germany is its home. The country is awash with intriguing artefacts from the era of Bauhaus, as well as contemporary museums that bring the story of this stone groove age to vivid life.

The Bauhaus school was founded in Weimar in 1919 and moved to Dessau in 1926. It was a way of uniting art and craft, bringing together different design disciplines, of learning from the industrial world, of creating a design factory in essence. The move to Dessau was the making of the Bauhaus - this small town is its real home. Situated between Berlin and Leipzig, it gave the school space to ourish. When its i pressi e as built only ar land surrounded it; now there are houses, schools, shops. Dessau was industrious too. The Junkers Aircraft Company was based here.

This September, a brand new Bauhaus Museum will open in the town. The â‚Ź28 million museum, designed by arcelona architect Gon le in abala ill be used to display a wide range of objects, artefacts and photos that are currently in storage due to a lack of space.

The main building of the Bauhaus school has also been handso ely restored and has the lettering do n its side.

You can wander the corridors and view the exhibitions. And even stay in the old student housing. The Bauhaus may have been rational but in some ways it was also eccentric. The place stank of garlic and cults.

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TRAVEL Swiss painter and Bauhaus lecturer Johannes Itten brought the Mazdaznan religion into the Bauhaus - insisting that huge quantities of garlic be consumed as per the quasi-religion's diktats. This was just one of the cults that took hold. essau is filled ith other auhaus buildings you can al to, or visit on a guided tour. Eat at the Kornhaus, designed by arl Fie er its se i circular picture indo gi ing lo ely views of the River Elbe. In the opposite direction is the Törten housing estate with its famous Konsum supermarket. he best o the other buildings is undoubtedly the Masters’ Houses on Ebertallee, which take about 10 minutes to walk to from the Bauhaus, past the dog groomers and the boarded up bookshop. These four houses were home to, at different points, the icons of the

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modernist movement. Imagine living in a street where Walter Gropius ud ig ies an der ohe s l oholy agy and painters Wassily andins y aul lee and s ar chle er li ed. hey all taught at the auhaus.

Gropius’s bright, white Tetris-block bolthole doesn’t loo li e the ind o place you could pop by to as or a cup o sugar perhaps a fi e hour theoretical argu ent about how the sugar grains arrange themselves in the cup ight be ore realistic . ut or no you re ree to wander round the gardens and marvel at the houses.

Mies took over the Bauhaus after Gropius and produced even more minimal designs after his move to hicago ollo ing the closure o the auhaus by the a is. n the past e ee s a ne fil has

Opening in September this year, this new Bauhaus musuem in Dessau will display a wide range of objects, artefacts and photos celebrating the architecture and design movement

An artist impression of Bauhaus Museum Weimar which opens in April. In the town that saw the birth of Bauhaus, it will showcase the oldest collection of Bauhaus objects, started by Walter Gropius 107

HW TRAVEL

been announced telling the story of his famous Farnsworth House he built outside Chicago, with Maggie Gyllenhaal as Mrs Farnsworth and Ralph Fiennes playing Mies.

The basement museum at the Bauhaus main building displays furniture that was designed right here, such as iconic anglepoise lamps and various chairs. The Bauhaus even had its own theatre school - the photos displayed here show students in wacky fancy dress doing some kind of avant garde performance on the roof. No wonder Hitler blew a gasket and eventually ordered the closure of the place.

But Bauhaus is found beyond Dessau. In Weimar, Bauhaus Museum Weimar will open on April 6, after a three-year construction period. It will showcase the oldest collection of Bauhaus objects, started by Walter Gropius as early as the 1920s.

Near the great green space of Tiergarten in west Berlin, is The Bauhaus Museum and Archive - full name BauhausArchiv/Museum für Gestaltung. Currently closed to the public - a new building to expand its own collection is opening in 2021 - it’s still worth a visit for its distinctive sawtooth roof.

For more iconic architecture head for the Mitte Statdbad, the modernist pool with an incredible ceiling of glass blocks.

In the city of Celle, in the north of the country, you can visit the houses, schools and shops that architect Otto Haesler constructed in the Bauhaus style. And in Aldfeld in Lower Saxony you can find the celebrated Fagus Factory by Walter Gropius.

The new museums and anniversary celebrations come at a perfect time for Bauhaus. Its architecture and design has probably never been so popular. The rational lines of Bauhaus chairs and lamps are in homes around the world but their spirit is very Teutonic and to discover them take a leisurely trip through Germany by train between these various sites.

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Top left: The Master’s House, Bauhaus Dessau Foundation Top right: Although the Bauhaus Museum and Archive near Tiergarden in west Berlin is currently closed to the public, it's worth a visit to see the distinctive sawtooth roof Bottom left: Designed by Carl Fieger in 1929/30, the Kornhaus with its closed glass balcony that has lovely views over the River Elbe, is still a restaurant Bottom right: Mitte Statdbad, the modernist pool, with its striking ceiling of glass blocks that fill the space with light

WHERE TO STAY

Vienna House, Berlin: modern, stylish, upmarket lodgings in East Berlin www.viennahouse.com/en/andels-berlin/ the-hotel/overview.html Oderberger, Berlin: former Prenzlauerberg municipal bath house with restored pool and period features throughout www.hotel-oderberger.berlin/ Indigo, Berlin: the brand new Hotel Indigo at the East Side Gallery on the former site of the Berlin Wall www.ihg. com/hotelindigo/hotels/gb/en/berlin/beres/hoteldetail Estrel, Berlin: large hotel filled with public art and paintings in the hip Neukolln district www.estrel.com/en/ home.html

HOW TO TRAVEL

Take the train between BAUHAUS sites with Deutsche Bahn (bahn.com)

For more information: www.Germany.travel. Trips organised with the help of German Tourist Office

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ADDRESS BOOK AA Mizzi Triq is Salib tal - Imriehel, Mriehel.

2148 8168. www.aamizzi.com

Eclecticist Triq il- Pitkali, Attard 9980 0751 www.facebook.com/eclecticist.eu/about

Next Sliema: Tower road; Valletta: Zachary Street; Mosta: Pama Shopping Centre. 2132 2841

Alfred Hilli & Sons 17, Triq Guze Galea, Ħal Qormi QRM 2106. 2723 4527 www.alfredhili.com

Emmanuel Delicata Winemaker, The Winery on the Waterfront, Paola.

2182 5199. www.delicata.com

Ok Home Triq Rue D’Argens, Gzira.

2134 3865 /6. www.okhome.com.mt

AQS MED Ltd Coral House, Triq Dun Karm, Birkirkara Bypass, Birkirkara. 2010 2121 www.aqsmed.com

ESS ESS Building, Triq San Gwakkin, Mriehel. 2125 5777. www.ess.com.mt

Astral Enterprises Abate Rigord Street, Ta’ Xbiex. 2134 0562. www.astral.com.mt Areon / Balev Ltd Areon 17, Triq il-Papa Gwanni XXIII, Birkirkara. 2780 3516 www.areon-fresh.com B&M Supplies Triq Dun Karm, Birkirkara Bypass, Birkirkara. 2144 0710. www.bmsupplies.com.mt Bathroom Design 358, Triq In-Naxxar, Birkirkara. 2144 1328. www.bathroomdesign.com BOV 58, Triq il-Kanun, Santa Venera.

2131 2020. www.bov.com.mt Brands International Ltd, Triq tal - Balal, San Gwann. 2144 4110. www.brands.com.mt BoConcept Triq tal - Balal, San Gwann. 2144 4110. www.brands.com.mt

FGP 109, Triq Valletta, Luqa. 2167 3627. www.fgp.com.mt Fino Fino Buildings, Notabile Road, Mriehel 2549 3000. www.fino.com.mt Flamant Pjazza Tigne, The Point, Sliema.

2395 7630. facebook: FlamantMalta Forestals Forestals Group of Companies, Mriehel Bypass, Mriehel. 2343 6000 www.forestals.com

S&S Bathrooms Mosta Road, Lija.

2141 2222. www.ssbathrooms.com Satariano 122, Triq il -Wied Ta’ I-Msida, B’kara. 2149 2149. www.satariano.com

Glow Gallery 179, Marina Street. Pieta.

7957 2143. www.glowcomalta.com

ServGroup KW36, Corradino Ind. Estates, Paola PLA 3000. 2144 9878. www.servgroupmalta.com

Granny Smith 85, Triq San Pawl, Naxxar.

2141 8984. www.grannysmith.com Halmann Vella The Factory, Mosta, Road, Lija.

2143 3636. www.halmannvella.com

Charles Micallef Swimming Pools Ltd. Triq In-Naxxar, Iklin. 2141 5115. www.micallefpools.com

Klikk Triq Dun Karm, B’kara Bypass, B’kara.

Klikk (Concept store), Tal- Barrani, Zejtun.

2750 2750. www.klikk.com.mt

Crosscraft Qormi:Mriehel Bypass; Mosta: Pama Shopping Village; Ibragg: Greens Supermarket.

2180 5805. www.crosscraft.com.mt

Krea Mdina Rd, Qormi.2146 3501. www.krea.com.mt

Elektra Ltd Mill Street Hal Qormi.

2546 3000 www.elektra.com.mt

Rock Productions 120 Old Railway Track, Santa Venera. 2010 9060. www.rockproductionsmalta.com

SatarianoHome Triq Marina, Pieta.

2149 2149.www.satariano.com

Brighter Solutions Ahwa Galea, Il-Mosta.

2143 7445. www.ledmalta.com.mt

Dino Fino Al Sadi Fino Company Ltd, Triq -il- Ferrovija, St.Venera. 2124 0100. www.dinofino.com

Petrolea Regional road (off Valley road), L-Imsida MSD 9022. 2123 4501. www.petroleamalta.com

Form Triq il -Wied Ta’ I - Msida, Msida 2144 6000. www.form.com.mt

Hydrolectric Triq Il-Kappillan Mifsud Il-Hamrun, Il-Ħamrun. 2124 1111. www.hydrolectric.com.mt

Debenhams The Point Shopping Mall, Tigne/ Main Street Shopping Complex, Paola. 2247 2000. http://debenhams.com.mt

Oxford House Triq L-mdina, Mriehel.

2546 4000. www.oxfordhouse.com.mt

Light Design Solutions Ltd Triq Emmanuel Schembri, B’kara.

2149 6843. www.lds.com.mt Loft Triq San Pawl, Naxxar.

2099 9966. www.loft.com.mt Mattress Collection Tal Balal Rd, San Gwann 2146 1962/ Mdina Road, Triq Il-Kbira, Ħaż-Żebbuġ . 2146 1961. www.mattresscollection.com.mt

Soundmachine psaila street B’kara bkr 9077. 2149 7111. www.soundmachine.com.mt Stephanie Borg 33, Santa Katarina Street, Rabat, Malta 9916 1469. www.stephanieborg.com Studio Moda 82, Triq In-Naxxar, San Gwann.

2138 6812.www.studiomodagroup.com TKS 82, Triq in-Naxxar, San Gwann. 2060 1055.

The Point, Sliema. The Duke gozo. www.tks-onlinestore.Com Wellbeing 5/6 Msida Valley Road, Birkirkara.

2131 6678. www.wellbeingbedding.com Zara Home Pama, Valletta Road, Mosta. 2349 6789. Tower Road, Sliema / Tower Road, Sliema.

2258 2977/ Pavi Shopping Complex, Manuel Dimech Street, Qormi. 2270 0700. www.zarahome.com/mt

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HW A LAST LOOK

#ontrend What’s hot right now in the world of interiors Thanks to the combination of maximalism and this season’s love of all things Seventies, fringing has thrown off its fusty image to become a favourite decorative flourish and can be found not just on upholstered furniture but also lighting, mirrors, pots and wall hangings. It adds movement and texture, as well as a dash of fun

Clockwise from top: Opulent Optic, www.rothschildbickers.com; Freya cushion covers, www.audenza.com; Shaggy Fringe cushion, www.verloopknits.com; Wink suspension light, www.nedgis.com; Fringe wallpaper, tracykendall.com; Rizzo armchair, www.sohohome.com; fringed mirror, madamstoltz.dk; Vivaraise handtowel, www.printerandtailor.com 114

BOV PERSONAL LOANS

THE CHOICE IS ALWAYS YOURS Whatever you choose you can bring your decision to life with a Bank of Valletta Personal Loan.

All loans are subject to normal bank lending criteria and final approval from the Bank. The term of the loan must not go beyond retirement age.

More information is available from www.bov.com or contact 2131 2020.

Issued by Bank of Valletta p.l.c., 58, Triq San Ĺťakkarija, Il-Belt Valletta VLT 1130 Bank of Valletta p.l.c. is a public limited company regulated by the MFSA and is licensed to carry out the business of banking in terms of the Banking Act (Cap. 371 of the Laws of Malta).