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Projects & Hospitality | Fall Winter 2020
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
Fall | Winter 2020
VDL Pavilion by Dion & Richard Neutra Molo Collection by Rodolfo Dordoni Band Collection by Patricia Urquiola Half Dome Lamp by Naoto Fukasawa Cala & Geometrics Rugs by Doshi Levien
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FEATURES
Color stories
22
Color human relationship
Interview
84
PEOPLE Elizabeth Lowrey
26
Experiencing the future
PEOPLE Koichi Takada
78
Drawing inspiration from natural life
PEOPLE Baranowitz + Kronenberg
128 B+K, the anthropologists of design
WONDER
16 Jevnaker, norway | The Twist BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group
18 Schnals Valley Glacier, Italy | Ötzi Peak 3251m
Viewing platform | noa* network of architecture
20 Lockeford, United States | The Line | REgroup 72 Bangkok, Thailand | Wonjin Aesthetic
Projects review Solaz Los Cabos Hotel
34
Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese
Surgery Gallery Clinic | A U N Design Studio
42
Sentimental spirit
74 Beverly Hills | Gardenhouse | MAD Architects
Karl Lagerfeld headquarters
76 Ukraine | Undeground House Plan B
Sergey Makhno Architects
48
122 Florence, italy | Palazzo Strozzi Courtyard
Installation | Tomàs Saraceno
124 Chongqing, China | Forest for Rest spa Leaping Creative
Amsterdam Style is a list of limiting factors
Conemoting Market Shenzhen
54
Emotional market
K11 ARTUS Hong Kong
126 Diagonal Dwelling | Nyde
60 Double dream
184 Xi’an, China | Sunac • Grand Milestone
Modern Art Center | CCD/Cheng Chung Design
186 Beijing, China | Beijing Zhongshuge Lafayette store | X+Living
188 Ravenna, italy | Rosetti Superyachts Shipyard Hydro Tec
66
Equinox Hotel New York High-performance lifestyle
84
Ensue Shenzhen Imperfection? A constant force of evolution
Arte Miami
88
The light shines in
The Prestige Hotel
94
George Town, Malaysia Sleight of hand and Victorian mémoires
Maximilian Hotel
102 A contemporary (and playful) touch in Prague
Sinan Books Poetry Store Shanghai
106 Metaphysical harmonies
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02 Fall | Winter
Editor-in-chief
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Managing Editor
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Project and Feature Manager
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San José del Cabo, Mexico Landscape: from cliché to relaxed progression in time
YEAR V
Adidas Arena Herzogenaurach, Germany
112 A strong visual identity
Editors
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FEATURES
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Can Bordoy Grand House & Garden Palma de Mallorca
116 The discreet charm of good manners
Residences by Armani/Casa Miami
Trunk Tokyo
La Poste Paris
Casa Burés Barcelona
The Stratford
Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet
134 A tribute to Art Deco 142 Socializing Convenience 148 The metamorphosis of spaces 152 Rediscovered splendor 158 The Stratford: the Danish touch in London
Le Brassus, Switzerland
164 The engaging complications of a living museum
Maison Albar Hotels Le Vendome Paris
Ace Hotel Kyoto
Delaire Graff Estate
168 The roar of elegance
172 Between arts and crafts
152
Cape Winelands, South Africa
178 African-ness
Monitor
191 A wide view on major international projects
Design inspirations
219 A selection of the most innovative products
for the contract sector by international brands
Next
233 A preview of the upcoming global projects
164 10 | IFDM
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240 The biggest investments in new hotels
Italian Masterpieces Vanity Fair XC armchair designed by Poltrona Frau Style & Design Centre poltronafrau.com
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EDITORIAL
Projects unmasked PAOLO BLEVE | Editor-in-chief
I
n the annus horribilis of Covid-19, the world of design has not stood still. Designers and developers have spent their respective lockdowns by continuing to draw, refine and construct, in spite of the inevitable limitations. Like an undercurrent, the machine of architecture and interior design has never interrupted its creative process. But their projects have naturally, inevitably experienced delays. The world of projects presented in this tenth edition of the Wonder Book bears witness to increasingly sophisticated research on forms, and to courageous architecture that now proposes veritable monuments inserted in the landscape, to generate breathtaking skylines. Not just in terms of the height of buildings: the three premium projects in this edition – Armani Residences, Solaz Los Cabos and The Prestige – are very different from one another, but they share characteristics of careful insertion in their respective territories, with the ability to generate thrilling landscapes. This Wonder Book presents a harmonious zigzag voyage through sites and interiors at all latitudes, in which the theory of attraction of opposites seems to apply: from the innovative Ace Hotel in Kyoto to the HQ of Karl Lagerfeld, by way of the prize-winning – and captivating – Casa Bures, the most remarkable co-working project of 2020.
Asia Pacific, as usual, is the area that makes this edition memorable: the visionaries of Wutopia Lab with their Sinan Books Poetry Store, the example of holism and socializing Made in Japan presented by Yoshitaka Nojiri and Mount Fuji Architects with the Trunk Hotel in Tokyo. West meets East sums up the approach that André Fu has applied in the K11 Artus in Hong Kong, while the wabi-sabi philosophy is explained through the Ensue restaurant in Shenzhen. Three voices have been called in to express themselves in this edition, three designers with ‘stateless’ careers that have led them to make many trips around the world: Liz Lowrey of Elkus Manfredi, Alon Baranowitz and Irene Kronenberg, Koichi Takada. Three visions of architecture and interior design, stemming from studies, travels and passions. Happy viewing!
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WONDER. JEVNAKER, NORWAY | THE TWIST | BIG-BJARKE INGELS GROUP Set within the existing museum and sculpture park Kistefos complex on a woodland estate, the 1,000 square metre building takes a sculptural form, as a “inhabitable bridge”, twisting at the midway point as it
16 | IFDM
Š Benjamin Ward
crosses the Randselva river to connect the north and south sides. The Twist, commissioned by businessman and art collector Christen Sveaas will host an international programme of contemporary art exhibitions.
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WONDER. SCHNALS VALLEY GLACIER, ITALY | ÖTZI PEAK 3251M VIEWING PLATFORM | NOA* NETWORK OF ARCHITECTURE
© Alex Filz
At the top of the Schnals Valley Glacier ridge Italy’s alpine landscape soars high above the reservoir and Austria is around the corner, a viewing platform was built as a detached, almost floating structure.
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WONDER. LOCKEFORD, UNITED STATES | THE LINE | REGROUP
© Tim Griffith Photographer
Designed for small events, the temporary structure in the rural area “has a strong presence while removing all unnecessary components; it is essentially a 75’ long piece of precision woodworking”
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GIORGETTI.EU • PH. TIZIANO SARTORIO
AMADEUS TABLE ALEXA CHAIRS DOMUS SYSTEM NYN CORNER CABINET TARTAN RUG SWORDS LAMP
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
Color human relationship Neuro-aesthetics and collaborative intelligence are the trends that influence the 2021 colors. We keep on the Color Stories tale with Judith van Vliet
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COLOR STORIES
Trend
T
he global health emergency has shuffled the deck, to some extent, but the forecasts of ColorForward™ 2021 remain essentially the same, perhaps even more timely and pertinent than before. Each year, the international experts of the ColorWorks™ design & technology centers analyze social and color trends for the year to come; their color predictions result from intensive research and careful identification of innovations and changes in a wide range of sectors of society that influence the way consumers respond color. The correlation between these emerging trends (reduced to four macro-themes, or Stories) and precise chromatic palettes (five per Story, 20 in all), through an extraordinarily empirical procedure, lays the groundwork for ColorForward™ or the ‘color forecasting guide’: a narrative in ‘colors’ where each chapter offers a look at a different trend. While for 2021 the experts of ColorWorks™ (who work in design centers located in Sao Paulo, Chicago, Merate and Singapore) initially focused on the central role of human beings, their relationships and emotions (aptly represented by generally warm, intense tones), to create a link connecting the four Stories, the events of 2020 are bearing out their intuitions. Dumb numb and C-True – namely the first two Stories of ColorForward™ 2021, narrated in the spring-summer edition of this column – address, in one case, the extensive dependency on screens and digital devices that makes human relationships into a privileged action; in the other, the research examines the distrust of the society regarding information and brands, and hence a growing demand for authenticity and transparency. In chromatic terms, the first has been translated into a bright pink, a discreet gold, an orange, a delicate powder hue and a gray; the second suggests a dark blue, a blanched orange, a fake gold yellow, a lime green and a brighter blue. The voyage now continues in this second step, with the two conclusive Stories, Sense appeal and Ubuntu, where the themes of neuro-aesthetics and collaborative intelligence again put the accent on human beings and their relational universe – with respect to both things and persons. Themes that are more essential than ever today. Our constant guide in this chromatic experience is Judith van Vliet, Senior Designer and team leader of ColorWorks™ EMEA.
Author: Veronica Orsi
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
COLOR STORIES
Trend
THIRD STORY.
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Aesthetics
Motus intelligentia
Sweaty Art
Mona-Lise me
D.A.B.E.
Yuan bei
SENSE APPEAL
Every human action is connected to emotions. A factor big companies are trying to quantify and analyze through technology to get more connected with consumers. Researchers working in the discipline known as ‘neuro-aesthetics’ are attempting to identify the systems and mechanisms of our brain that respond to aesthetic input (color, design, visual art, architecture, music...), to find out how human beings react. A research project by Orbis has shown that quantitative emotional computing (already valued at 16 billion dollars in 2017) is destined to grow to almost 90 billion by 2023; the market of wearable technology to permit identification of emotions (ocular monitoring, galvanic skin response, EKG, EEG) is going through a period of annual growth of about 40%. Interesting preparatory projects are arriving from the big groups like Google, which in the installation “A Space for Being” presented in Milan last April investigated how aesthetics influences the human brain, analyzing emotional reactions to different interior settings (through sensors to track physical responses). IKEA, on the other hand, based on sensorial detection in customers, has experimented to learn their degree of interest in purchasing a product. Jaguar and Land Rover are investing in automotive wellness, studying the emotional state of the driver through his or her visual perceptions. Neuro-aesthetics is therefore demonstrating how important it is to surround ourselves with things that make us ‘feel good,’ underscoring the value of good design capable of adapting to our preferences. The palette of colors to identify this trend spreads through a soft coral pink, known as Motus intelligentia (the color of the emotional intelligence recognized by this new science that connects design and emotions) and the metallic green of Sweaty Art, representing emotional reactions to aesthetic stimuli. Then comes the intense violet of Mona-Lise me (mysterious as the painting of the same name), and the orangey shiny copper of D.A.B.E. – which stands for Design Augmented By Emotion – and winding up with Yuan bei, an apparently white hue that contains pigments of the D.A.B.E. tone, to represent the personalization that is increasingly in demand, to which neuro-aesthetics can help us to respond.
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
FOURTH STORY.
COLOR STORIES
Trend
UBUNTU
A term has been borrowed for its efficacy from the Zulu language, as the title of this story: Ubuntu means “I am because we are” or “Humanity towards others.” This trend, in fact, puts the accent on collective cooperation. The interdependency of today’s society calls for new methods that rely on collective awareness to continue to evolve and to build new social systems. For instance? Swarm Intelligence, based on algorithms biologically driven by nature (the movement of groups of birds, bees, ants), replicated by robots to communicate and exchange information, thus applying a behavioral system like that of swarms. Blockchain itself becomes a means of being transparent, a vehicle of trust and cooperation.The same dynamic has emerged in the project “My Roots in Africa” promoted by the startup MIPAD – the Most Influential People of African Descent – with the objective of planting 200 million trees by 2024 on the African continent through an initiative of social impact, contributing towards the healing of damage caused by deforestation; the partnership with Decagon Institute permits the use of data science and artificial intelligence to identify and geo-tag the trees. When it comes to innovative cooperation, we cannot help but be reminded of the avant-garde project of the city of NEOM: presented as a new ‘smart city model,’ it will rise next year in Saudi Arabia, and also include territories of Egypt and Jordan; above all, it sets out to incorporate all advanced technologies to preventively respond to the necessities of future inhabitants. Dark, contrasting colors, suggesting the earth and Africa, emerge from this Story. With the name Stigmergence (derived from the term ‘stigmergy’), this color with its dark metallic violet tone symbolizes collective minds that interact in a decentralized way for the good of the community. With Ant attack we can see a return to brown tones: with points of red having light metallic and translucent effects, this is a tribute to the organizational prowess of ants and their ability to adapt to different habitats. Magurgur, which means ‘large boat’ in Sumerian, evokes the ancient epic of Gilgamesh and the universal deluge; the dark green (with a pinch of yellow) suggests nature and the idea of safeguarding the human race and the world’s species. There has to be an amber tone, the color of honey and beehives, a direct reference to bees: this is Waggle Dance. Finally, the bright red of Deep Shi(f ) t, concealing tiny internal glitter: the tone of alarm indicates the complexity of today’s problems, also the hidden ones, which we experience every day.
Stigmergence
Ant attack
Aesthetics
Magurgur
Waggle Dance
Deep Shi(f)t
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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING THE FUTURE The creative flair of the interior architecture of Elizabeth Lowrey, principal of Elkus Manfredi Architects
T
he innovative creativity of Elizabeth Lowrey reinvents experience design through an aesthetic driven by various artistic expressions: from fashion to theater, art to architecture. An eclectic vision that reimagines the staging of hotels, retail venues, offices, universities and residential buildings for a high-end clientele: Citizens Bank, Walt Disney Imagineering, Boston Consulting Group, New Balance, Equinox.... from custom furniture Made in Italy to an exquisite idea of beauty. Indicated by the magazine Interior Design as one of the “20 inspiring women who make up the new face of the design industry,” and by Boston Magazine as a “designer of the future,” a member of Auburn University’s Interior Architecture Advisory Council, board member of the Design Museum Foundation and Vice Chair of the Young Collectors Night at Park Avenue Armory, Elizabeth Lowrey has been fascinated since childhood by the various expressions of creativity, growing up in a family of artists. She fills every interior design project with this imaginative insight, finding inspiration in her many passions: travel, film, art, fashion, architecture, theater. Eclectic styles narrated in innovative residential buildings, including Ink Block in Boston, or in hospitality facilities like the White Elephant Palm Beach, in that exclusive location in Florida (opening November 4, 2020), featuring an original art collection curated by Lowrey herself. The artists? Claes Oldenburg, Robert Rauschenberg, Jennifer Bartlett, Ghada Amer. A design poetics that narrates the universe of the sublime.
author: Anna Casotti portrait photo: Trevor Reid projects photo: Robert Benson (Booth Theatre + Draper Headquarters) Andrew Bordwin (Charles River Associates) Eric Laignel (Siena at Ink Block) Evan Joseph (Lantera at Boston Landing) courtesy of Elkus Manfredi
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Elizabeth Lowrey
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
PEOPLE
When did your passion for design start? I grew up in a family of artists and designers. I was lucky – I knew by the age of six that I wanted to be an architect. I shifted to interior architecture in college when I realized that interior architecture was more involved with the actual end user. I like to design from the inside out, to start with the smallest detail and expand to the urban scale. I’m passionate about working with clients to create a space that enhances their lives and the lives of those who use the spaces we design. How did your career at Elkus Manfredi begin and what fascinated you most about the group? It began with a call from architect Howard Elkus (co-founder of Elkus Manfredi Architects) on a Sunday morning in early summer 1988, inviting me to come interview. It was supposed to be an hour meeting but it evolved into the entire day. The following day, I met with architect David Manfredi, who co-founded Elkus Manfredi Architects with Howard. The day after I turned in my resignation at the firm where I was working and became the first employee at Elkus Manfredi Architects. Howard and David were looking to establish what we now call the “three-legged stool” – as architects and urban planners, they wanted to add interior architecture in order to offer total solutions to their clients. That concept was very attractive to me, especially in the ‘80s, when interior design was considered by some as just decoration. At that time, Howard and David were pioneers in the US to value interior architecture as an equal partner – to see it as an integral piece of the architectural whole, the creation of space around people and programs and communities. How is work organized at Elkus Manfredi? Elkus Manfredi Architects is a full-service design firm of 270 people. We provide architecture, interior architecture, master planning, and urban design, and we’re recognized for our work in hospitality, life sciences, workplace, higher education, multi-unit residential, and retail/entertainment design. Since the first day and continuing today, we all work from
Elizabeth Lowrey
a single location in Boston, Massachusetts, which allows us to bring together the best people across disciplines in a highly creative, collaborative environment. Rather than being siloed into separate departments for different specialties, we are organized around our clients’ work. Each project team is made up of designers who bring experience on an array of project types in different industries, which brings diverse points of view to the table. We know that this cross-pollination makes us more inventive and innovative problem-solvers and keeps our work fresh. For example, blending aspects of hospitality and residential design into our workplace projects brings all sorts of good ideas to the mix, ideas that truly enhance the productivity and innovation that can happen in those workspaces. How is Made in Italy an integral part of your interiors work? Which are your reference Italian design companies? Almost all of our interiors projects include Italian furniture, simply because the Italians lead the way in industrial design and furniture design in terms of sophistication and quality. We work with lots of Italian manufacturers. B&B Italia, Giorgetti, Poltrona Frau, Flexform, Minotti, Zanotta, Glas Italia, and Gallotti & Radice are some that come immediately to mind, but there are many more – every year we discover new companies to work with. Some of our recent workplace projects featuring Italian furniture include the offices we’ve designed for Charles River Associates, the headquarters office of Draper, law firms Mintz and Foley Hoag, and AEW. In the last few years we’ve completed multi-unit residential buildings at Meriel Marina Bay, VIA, and Lantera, plus six multi-unit residential buildings at Ink Block, all of which include Italian furnishings. And we’re just completing White Elephant Palm Beach, a reimagined historic landmark hotel in Palm Beach scheduled to open this November. We attend Salone del Mobile with a team of designers each year. As a firm, we invest in that trip because Salone is so influential, so consolidated, and so immediate. IFDM | 27
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
To be immersed in that experience is invaluable for our designers. We also travel to factories while we’re in Italy – textile manufacturers, tile manufacturers, furniture makers, stone fabricators. I remember a fascinating tour of Rubelli’s Cucciago Mill followed by dinner overlooking Lake Como. We missed going to Salone this year, and very much look forward to returning in 2021. Regarding custom made furnishings, which are the craftsmen or the companies that make the furnishings? We design a lot of custom furnishings for projects ranging from hospitality to office spaces. We work with different custom furniture manufacturers all over the world – from Giorgetti, Emmemobili, Estel, Giopatocoombes, and Boffi in Italy, Piet Hein Eek in the Netherlands, and Bulthaup in Germany, to Andreu World in Spain. For recent custom carpeting we’ve worked with Brintons in England and Taiping in Thailand. For White Elephant Palm Beach, we visited custom furniture fabricators in Shanghai. We also work extensively with craftspeople in the 28 | IFDM
PEOPLE
Elizabeth Lowrey
US – for example, a custom wood furniture maker in Rhode Island – and we collaborated with Studio Other in Los Angeles to develop our patented Harbor Stone™ System desking system.
Left: Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre and the College of Fine Arts Production Center, Boston University
How are the commissions started? Through our work we have built long-term relationships with leading institutions, corporate entities, and the nation’s most successful developers. Many of our commissions come to us from existing clients who re-engage us, as well as clients who know of our experience designing some of the country’s premier mixed-use projects, like The Grove and The Americana in Los Angeles, and Miami Worldcenter. Our clients range from large international mixed-use developers to corporate clients, law firms, life science research companies, universities, hospitality entities, multi-unit residential clients, and smaller boutique companies. Our clients who are real estate developer are some of the most prominent in the world, including Related, Disney Imagineering, Caruso Affiliated, and Alexandria. Life sciences clients, for whom it’s all about the speed of innovation, include
Center: Charles River Associates, Chicago
Atrium of Draper Headquarters, Cambridge
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
PEOPLE
Elizabeth Lowrey
Pfizer, Novartis, The Broad Institute, and several others in Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which is called “the most innovative square mile on the planet.” Right now, several of these clients are deeply involved in COVID-19 research. Hospitality projects include the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport, which is currently underway, The Peninsula Chicago, Caesar’s Korea Integrated Resort in Incheon near Seoul, plus the Four Seasons, the Intercontinental, and The Verb Hotel, plus Marriott Bonvoy’s Aloft and Element, all in Boston. Universities we’ve worked with include MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Harvard, Duke, University of Southern California, University of Chicago, and Rutgers. Institutional clients include Children’s National Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital. What do you think will be the most important changes in hospitality? Now, as the world slowly emerges from the pandemic, new concerns about health and safety are top of mind. We believe that people’s hyper-sensitivities to cleanliness and proximity will endure at some level long after the threat of COVID-19 has passed. That means that hospitality spaces must not only be safe, healthy places – they must feel safe to the guest. It’s all about safety and giving people a sense of control. Stringent cleaning protocols; easily cleanable materials and finishes; touch-free technologies for elevators, doors, restrooms, etc.; upgraded HVAC; natural daylight and fresh air – all these factors will come into play. While our designs will need to accommodate people’s heightened sensitivities, we must also increase our efforts to create even more compelling, more inviting, more gracious hospitality destinations than ever before to overcome residual fears about sharing physical space. Calling for less decoration and more architecture-based solutions, the challenges presented by the pandemic give designers the opportunity to create venues offering the benefits of community manifested as safe and healthful places for people to be. Your design idea is revealed in some of the most important projects in Boston and the US, including hotels like Verb and Element, residential buildings such as Ink Block and Meriel Marina Bay. How would you define your style and your design vision? My design responses are an amalgamation of my experiences and travel. We spend so much time travelling the world, and we bring that global perspective and experience to our clients. What keeps me inspired comes from being open to the IFDM | 29
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
world around me, whether it’s film, art, architecture, fashion, theater, travel – all these things wrapped together become a cultural map that I use as a resource for inspiration. A project always starts with the context, the physical place. No matter the project, we begin with the character of each place. Our style is not so much about how a space looks, but how it feels. What is the story we’re trying to tell? How do we incorporate an authentic sense of place? From there, it’s about building trust among the project stakeholders and constituents, and making places that are magnets to bring people together. In relation to the materials, colors, furnishings and lighting, how is the choice made? These elements are chosen – or more often designed – based on the story, the aesthetic, and the experience of a space that we want the user to have. Each element must contribute to the story, the experience. An example of the process is our renovation and reimagining of White Elephant Palm Beach. We created a design that embraces the unique history of Palm Beach and the 100-year-old hotel’s architectural significance as a Historic Landmark, 30 | IFDM
PEOPLE
Elizabeth Lowrey
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
while also introducing an unpretentious, casual elegance that is a departure from the more formal aesthetic of Palm Beach. We designed custom furnishings that are upscale but more modern and relaxed than classic Palm Beach, more attuned to the lifestyle of today’s sophisticated global guest. The design captures the spirit of a fresh and breezy Palm Beach residence – the classic Palm Beach design vernacular reworked in a casual, contemporary style that is layered, textural and easy, with a color palette of soft warm and cool neutrals that together capture the quality of Palm Beach light. All furniture in the guestrooms is customdesigned, as is millwork in the public spaces – our designers and the client, New England Development, flew to Shanghai to oversee production of custom pieces. Sprinkled throughout the hotel, other one-of-a kind furniture pieces add a sense of playfulness, a bit of light-hearted quirkiness. And then there is the art. Working closely with New England Development, our team selected and curated a collection of contemporary original art exclusively for White Elephant Palm Beach. A prestigious international group of established artists is represented in a range of mediums, including Claes Oldenburg, Robert Rauschenberg, Jennifer Bartlett, and Ghada Amer, among others.
PEOPLE
Elizabeth Lowrey
agency, and 7INK by Ollie, an innovative multiresidential building of micro-apartments that is the seventh and final building at Ink Block. What is your dream design project? In recent months, as COVID-19 has upended the world as we knew it, I am seeing design as more important than ever. The first responders were the health care workers. The next responders should be the design industry to create resilient spaces that bring people back together, build trust, exude safety, and heal the environment and cultural wounds. It’s our responsibility and our challenge to meet – our time to rise to the moment and the opportunity. I think of our hometown, Boston, and how its public parks have been a palliative refuge for generations, creating environments for physical, mental, and societal wellbeing and health. Frederick Law Olmstead described his objectives in the planning of Boston’s beloved Emerald Necklace: the power of green space to restore and support physical and mental well-being, as well as the power of a ring of parks to bring together urban neighborhoods of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
Left: Siena at Ink Block, Boston Center: The Verb Hotel, Boston Lantera at Boston Landing
You grew up in an artist family. How much is art an inspirational element for you? And how is it translated into the world of design? Integration of art in our work brings enormous cultural value, and can be the glue that holds it all together. We attend a lot of art fairs including miart in Milan, and Art Basel in Miami. I regularly visit galleries and museums in New York, London, Paris, Los Angeles, and recently Tokyo. And of course, Nilufar is my world favorite! I attend Clerkenwell Design Week in London, Frieze Los Angeles, and The Winter Show at the Armory in New York City for the collection of art and decorative items. What projects are you working on right now? At this moment in our interiors studio, we’re just finishing our fifth office for Charles River Associates in Oakland, California, following our designs for CRA offices in Boston, New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. We are also completing work on White Elephant Palm Beach, plus new headquarters offices for both Mass Mutual and MullenLowe, which is an IPG IFDM | 31
TAVOLO TREBLE - SEDIE GIÃ’ POLTRONCINE YORK - TAVOLINO LUMIERE LIBRERIA FREEWALL - MADIA LINEA - LAMPADA PLANET
riflessi.it STORE: MILANO PIAZZA VELASCA 6 - ROMA VIA PO 1H - NAPOLI VIALE KENNEDY 415/419 - BERGAMO VIA SUARDI 7 BARI P.ZZA GARIBALDI 75/A - REGGIO CALABRIA C.GARIBALDI 545 - TORINO C.SO TURATI, 82
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RESORT
San José del Cabo, Mexico
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
RESORT
San José del Cabo, Mexico
Landscape: from cliché to relaxed progression in time The relational perspective forms the basis of the project by Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos for the Solaz Los Cabos Hotel in San José del Cabo. A facility of big numbers with views of the sea and reflecting pools, restaurants, a fitness center, a spa, a beach club and native plants that are doubled to reinforce the concept of interaction with nature
W
hite expanses of luminescent sand, meeting the crystal clear waters of a sea – that of Cortez – narrated by John Steinbeck in his Log. The robust beauty of the desert, beneath technicolor skies, like timelapse images of clouds in motion. Los Cabos, a cult location for whale watchers and sports fishermen at the extremity of Baja California in Mexico, needs no introduction. Its immediately perceptible charm is well known. What is lacking here, however, is care devoted to the wild spirit, which has had to gradually succumb to tourism, and the tendency to build things that are not always consistent with the relational logic of the parts and the whole. What sets Solaz Los Cabos Hotel apart, in the field of resorts justified by an evolved definition of luxury, is architecture that provides visual evidence of an effort to recognize and respect the natural topography of the site. IFDM | 35
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RESORT
Owner: Marriott International Hotel operator: Marriott Bonvoy Architecture & Interior design: Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos Lighting design: Luz y Forma Landscape consultant: Gabayet Paisajistas Furnishings: Andreu World, Atelier Central, Cuchara diseño, Dupuis, Esrawe, Expormim, Kettal, Triconfort; on design by Cesar Lopez Negrete and local manufacturers Walls, ceilings and flooring: Bozovich, Hunter Douglas, Marmoles Arca Windows and glass doors: Panoramah Rope Installation: Vixi Artworks: Cesar Lopez Negrete Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Rafael Gamo
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The project by Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos has been guided by this need for “correct insertion” with the surrounding environment, obtained by careful selection of construction materials and methods, the introduction of native plants in collaboration with Gabayet 101 Paisaje, and – obviously – by its design: organic forms that reference the movement of the waves, producing an attractive series of volumes that adapt to the landscape. With the concept of shaping as the ordering principle is intertwined with a desire to pay homage to the cultural and artistic heritage of the region, with the display of native artifacts in the El Gabinete Del Barco gallery, and the placement in public and private spaces of over 400 works, including sculptures, installations and wooden furnishings, by the Mexican artist César López-Negrete. Solaz Los Cabos Hotel covers an area of 34 hectares, and in spite of its size it seems to be nestled on the hillside, facing the ocean. Distanced and placed at angles
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with respect to one another, the five taller main buildings – six-story volumes arranged to form a broken chain in the upper part of the property – have a light, airy presence. The lower volumes are set in undulating rows on the slope below, and contain rooms with a private entrance patio and green roof gardens enhanced by desert plants, 38 | IFDM
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offering privacy and energy savings, since they keep the rooms cool. The terraces gently follow the slope of the site, guaranteeing a view of the sea for every unit, including 128 hotel rooms, 147 shared ownership villas and 21 apartments in the three nine-story towers placed to one side. At a glance, the thresholds often dilute the perception
San José del Cabo, Mexico
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San José del Cabo, Mexico
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of the physical boundary with the outside, setting a relaxed progression in time and interaction with light through the vertical elements of the façades, the acute angles and long corridors that project the shade towards the interior. The main construction materials – quarry stone, granite, marble and local wood – blend naturally with the semi-desert backdrop; wicker and cords screen the elegantly furnished spaces in front of the Mako restaurant from the sunlight, in an area featuring large hammocks; rows of cacti, panels and reed pergolas separate the private pools of the rooms in the terraced section. The interiors share a welcoming atmosphere, warmed by the extensive presence of tropical wood and a natural palette of grays, cream and brown tones. A distinctive contemporary personality is provided by furnishings with clean lines, original works of art by César López-Negrete and typical colored fabrics.
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ph be rnArd touillon
A l l A p e r t o by M At t e o t h u n & Antonio rodrigue z
S h o w r o o M M i l A n / pA r i S / l o n d o n / r o M e / C o r t i n A d ’A M p e z z o / C A n n e S ethiMo.CoM
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Rome
Sentimental spirit The Italian and French arts of living blend in the style of the new Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese, recently redesigned by the architect and interior designer Jean-Philippe Nuel
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ake a few steps to the Trevi Fountain and continue to Villa Medici, for a gaze from a high terrace overlooking the dome of St. Peter’s. This is just one facet of the luxury offered by the new Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese, a 5-star boutique hotel on a quiet street in the capital, just reopened to the public after a complete renovation overseen by the architect and interior designer Jean-Philippe Nuel. A place for which Nuel cannot conceal a sentimental transport, since as a student he had the privilege of drawing just a short distance from this hotel. So the opportunity to redesign it came as quite a thrill. The first move has been to create a ‘journey in the journey,’ mixing two cultures close to him in the style of a building from the 19th century: Italian classicism and French modernism. A continuous dialogue that pervades all the rooms, never losing its charm or power. In the lobby, the white of the walls, a symbol of sober elegance, forms a contrast with the multicolored impact of the marble flooring, a forceful expression of Italian generosity and joie de vivre. Partially salvaged and replaced, where necessary, by fragments of marble or carpets, the floor is a tribute to the carefree spirit of the Dolce Vita, full of chromatic counterpoint and vivid hues. The 78 rooms and the large suites have been formulated by Nuel as an identifying part of the 42 | IFDM
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project, an extension of the ground floor, with very pale walls. Here the iridescent ceiling pays homage to the frescos of Italian architecture, wrapped in natural light to create the illusion of a bright sky. All around, the oak floors, the padded headboards, the bookcases and other ‘warm’ elements give the setting a residential feel, breaking with the classic codes of hospitality. This domestic atmosphere returns in the meeting area, also thanks to the memory of the place, where it is possible to read a book from those made available next to the fireplace. Many of the furnishings are custom Nuel creations, though the designer also reveals a taste for Made in Italy, choosing products by Living Divani, Minotti, Moroso, Flos, Arflex, Listone Giordano, among others, alongside international stand-outs by Kettal, Expormim, Tom Dixon, Ligne Roset.
The proximity to the gardens of Villa Borghese is the inspiration behind the restaurant on the upper level, not just in terms of the lush vegetation inside, but also in relation to the motifs of fabrics and upholstery for the seating, again designed for the occasion by Nuel. After all, reality free of artifice is Nuel’s stylistic signature.
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Owner & Hotel operator: Accor Invest Developer: Artelia Interior design: Jean Philippe Nuel Furnishings: Custom made on design by Jean Philippe Nuel; Arflex, Arro Bruner, Azucena, Billiani, Caravita, Diesel, Expormim, Kettal, Knoll, Kos, Ligne Roset, Living Divani, Luxy, Miniforms, Minotti, Moroso, Sé London, Siltec, Tacchini, Very Wood Lighting: on design by Jean Philippe Nuel; B.lux, Christine Kroncke, Flos, Ligne Roset, Moooi, Muzeo, Preciosa Lighting, Tom Dixon Bathrooms: Decor Walter, Duravit, Foursteel, Grohe, Haccess, Keuco, Wedi Floors: Listone Giordano, Revigres, Vicalvi Ceilings: Auberlet & Laurent, Muzeo Walls: Designer Guilds, Hubler, Polyrey, Sikkens, Silestone, Vicalvi Carpet: Design Nuel, Galerie B Pots, Vases: Domani Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Gilles Trillard
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Based on a true story.
Rosetti Superyachts SpA, Ravenna, Italy – rosettisuperyachts.it – info@rosettisuperyachts.it
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Amsterdam
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HEADQUARTERS
Amsterdam
Style is a list of limiting factors Innovation, interaction and history in a concentrate of style for the new Karl Lagerfeld headquarters in Amsterdam. Entirely designed by Framework Studio
“S
tyle is a list of limiting factors.” This is the forceful credo of the designers at Framework Studio for the creation of the new Karl Lagerfeld headquarters in Amsterdam, which joins the one on Rue Saint-Guillaume in Paris, the heart and soul of the brand. A task of great responsibility implemented with the company Millten, specialized in real estate development ‘made to measure’ with a focus on the historical integrity of spaces. The building chosen by Lagerfeld himself and visited during the construction, though he did not live to see its completion, is the Zonnewijser, a national monument amidst the canals, built in 1615, renovated in 1772 in Louis XVI style, which has been used for various purposes in the past (as a bank, an orphanage, a university). The challenge has been to transform 2300 square meters on 5 levels, organized like ‘royal apartments,’ with characteristic vaulted ceilings, into an innovative contemporary workplace, without losing the original values. It was of fundamental importance to combine everything with the brand’s identity.
Owner: Karl Lagerfeld Developer: Millten Amsterdam Architecture & Interior design: Framework Studio Furnishings: custom made by Francesca Finotti/ Framework Studio; Dirk van der Kooij, Fest, Jarno Kooijman, Lensvelt, Morentz, Tacchini, Vitra, &Tradition Lighting: custom made by Dirk Vander Kooij; Dwc Editions, Kaia Lighting, Kreon, Nemo, Sammode Studio, &Tradition Artwork: Endless Carpet: Flexform Amsterdam Curtains: Pierre Frey Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Kasia Gatkowska
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The original architectural features have been kept intact – façade, marble, floors, decorations – while redefining the concept of the space for offices, with an accent on creative work and the objective of generating flexible, informal zones for social contact. As in the ballroom, which is probably the space of greatest impact, taken back to its original condition with the supervision of the government agency Bureau Monumenten & Archeologie, now a dynamic space for encounters, events, fashion shows, or used as a simple waiting room. Here the neoclassical style mixes with more contemporary furnishings designed for the occasion by Framework Studio, together with enormous chandeliers by the Dutch designer Dirk Vander Kooij, known for his creations in recycled plastic.
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With the aim of creating opportunities for random encounters, the central corridor on the upper levels has been modified, constructing a wall in front of the existing one to make recreational niches, places to sit or high workbenches. Since these levels contain the various creative divisions, color is reduced to a minimum, because the fashion design teams require a neutral backdrop as they develop new ideas. The most important architectural intervention, however, has been on the 4th floor, where a coworking space - Karl’s – has been added, opening up the attic and replacing it with 52 | IFDM
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large glazings and two big skylights. From here, climbing a spiral staircase, one enters a dome from which to enjoy a 360-degree view of Amsterdam. The latest achievement of the new Karl Lagerfeld HQ is that it has reached the highest level of sustainability (energy level A), while being the first building on the canals of Amsterdam to make zero use of natural gas. The insulation relies on the use of materials derived from vegetable biomass, hence of biological origin without components of fossil origin, while a climate control system recycles the heat produced by people and computers.
Amsterdam
Ph. Giovanni Gastel
EXTRASOFT, FLOYD TABLE, ILE TABLE. WWW.LIVINGDIVANI.IT
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RETAIL
Shenzhen
Emotional market Opened in Shenzhen, China, Conemoting Market is a new concept for a hybrid commercial space, tailored for the new digital marketing strategies by Yebin Design and aimed at the new generation of young consumers who use technology and the social media as a means of interaction with the world
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he Chinese Generation Z (post-millennials) spends most of its time on the Internet. A socio-cultural behavior pattern that has led to the metamorphosis of retail spaces in that country, which are no longer points of sale in which to touch and feel merchandise, but form a sort of middle ground between physical and online dimensions. Conemoting Market, a store of independent clothing brands located in a residential area of Shenzhen built in the 1990s, is a sparkling example. Created by the interior design studio Yebin Design as an extension of the web, where display fixtures and counters are supplementary to the digital platform, Conemoting Market is a ‘metaphysical’ space developed on two levels overflowing with aesthetic impulses, precisely like the displays of devices, where impressions are the driving force behind purchases. The ground floor, with a height of 5 meters, functions as a retail space for garments and selected products, with a forcefully industrial look produced by visible ventilation conduits that intertwine with an installation of speakers in a golden hue. Concrete and steel become the counterparts of the large central ‘blob’: a series of milk white bubbles bulging out from a cube that welcomes clients to enter it. Bright red dots burst forth in the overall pallor, with carpets, rugs and the theatrical sign of the brand, featuring hands and feet. 54 | IFDM
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Owner & Developer: Conemoting Market Main Contractor: Hangzhou Jiuwei Decoration Engineering Interior design: Yebin Design Lighting design: Hangzhou Licheng Lighting Engineering Furnishings: Custom made Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Xiaoyun
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Everything in the entire store is custom made. The same red hue literally floods the ground floor – café by day, bar by night – mixed with the orange of the transparent tempered glazings that divide the dining zone, for a psychedelic effect like a 4D labyrinth. A warm-cool contrast with the silvery façade, already clearly visible from the outside, chosen by Yebin Design to set the store apart in the district. The two levels are physically joined by an impressive inner staircase; in visual terms, an installation of a giraffe splits the flooring, with the face visible in the café and the legs in the basement. The Yebin Design team explains: “We have focused on pursuit of a new combination of creative content and corporate identity, to achieve a balance between business and vision.”
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Forward-thinking people.
AD Luca Botto — Graphic Designwork — Photo by Jeroen Verrecht
Project by Sabine Marcelis
Osaka, design Pierre Paulin
Everything revolves around design. We celebrate the timeless shape of comfort with sustainable collections.
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HOTEL
Double dream Architect André Fu challenges the traditional canons of hospitality, revolutionizing the concept of modern luxury. The hotel becomes an extension of the home where two different, complementary identities establish a stylistic dialogue. The new K11 ARTUS in Hong Kong, majestically facing Victoria Harbour
“C
ontemporary spaces go beyond aesthetics, providing places in which one wants to spend time, inviting friends, feeling at home in an atmosphere of absolute comfort.” This is the credo that has guided André Fu (AFSO) in the design of the interiors of K11 ARTUS, the 5-star unit facing Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, already a standout on the port skyline for a series of continuous balconies on the 21 floors of the building, with a rippled effect on the façade in osmosis with the nearby natural element of water. 60 | IFDM
The instinctive memory of any site is linked to the sensations one experiences inside it, so Fu sets out to create a mood, above and beyond an elegant layout. This implies an intimate, harmonious and welcoming atmosphere of the type found only inside the walls of a home, transferred into a hotel to revitalize the concept of hospitality. A spontaneous and fluid approach for sharing time with friends, relaxing and thinking, reading, expressed through multicultural references arriving from the architect’s childhood spent in
Hong Kong
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Hong Kong
Hong Kong, and his education in Cambridge, England. “To live, to study and travel back and forth between the two countries over the last 30 years – André Fu says – has shaped my tastes and sensibilities, enabling me to reinterpret national identities while drawing on European principles of beauty, in a new hybrid. For me, it is an ongoing balance between modern luxury and craftsmanship.” The epitome of the style found inside the K11 ARTUS, a mixture of antique and contemporary, where privacy and individuality are forceful priorities. Two different entrances – one for the public for access to communal spaces, one set aside for guests – underline the passage of decompression from the city in a pathway made of exotic plants, doors in bronze and glass with a height of 3.5 meters (by Forms + Surfaces), and monolithic concierge desks in Italian marble.
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The rooms are conceived as private residences, with open-plan dining and living areas, a wellequipped kitchen and private balconies. There are 287 in all, on 14 levels: 65 studio units with a single bedroom; 212 suites with one or two bedrooms; 7 suites with three bedrooms and private elevator access; 3 penthouses with panoramic views of the port. Here the living areas, full of light, reflect painstaking crafting of the dialogue between spaces, with sliding full-height glass doors and a palette of soft tones, combined with furnishings with vintage details. Vivid structured fabrics, glamorous custom finishes, wall panels, zones of leather with details in brushed brass, all elements that reflect the variegated cultural heritage of Hong Kong. In the suites, true paradises of comfort and serenity, the hues are deep navy blue, dark indigo, warm terracotta, as a backdrop for modern pieces and Persian weaves. Fu’s contemporary interpretation of a private salon is clearly
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Hong Kong
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visible in the shared zones, which mix lush succulents and palms with a sculptural rocking chair, table lamps with refined shadings of ground glass, embroidered cushions, small tables in sea green marble, together with a delicate jade green carpet. Other items include a full-height bookcase with oak shelves for a vast collection of art and design books and crafted objects, all personally chosen by Fu.
Hong Kong
Luminous gems of the overall setting include The Commune, the evocative bridge connecting two portions of the building, surrounded by glass, offering breathtaking views of the panorama and maximum flexibility of use for informal meetings and co-working, and the staircase in marble and oak created by the Austrian artist Christoph Weber, shaped on 100 kg of concrete.
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Owner & Developer: New World Development Limited Hotel operator: K11 ARTUS Architecture: Kohn Pedersen Fox Interior design: AndrĂŠ Fu AFSO Lighting design: Worktecht Lighting Landscape design: PLA Furnishings: Decca, Sundart Kitchens: Sundart, Wing Ming Lighting: on design Bathrooms: Kohler Door: Forms + Surfaces Fabrics: Cetec, Richie Hong Kong, Spring Collection Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Courtesy of K11 ARTUS
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New York
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New York
High-performance lifestyle The striking design by the architect Greg Keffer, a partner of Rockwell Group, sets the tone of the Equinox Hotel opened in New York in the creative district of Hudson Yards. 212 rooms, three public spaces, a restaurant and an outdoor swimming pool on the 25th floor, to celebrate the brand’s version of the art de vivre. It’s not fitness, it’s life...
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he holistic vision of Equinox – the brand founded in 1991 and now number one in the States – and its idea of lifestyle connected to wellbeing and harmony, unveils a new 5-star facility, interpreted by the archi-
tect Greg Keffer, a partner of one of the most highly acclaimed firms: New York-based Rockwell Group. Near the galleries of Chelsea, in the new creative and cultural epicenter of Hudson Yards dominated by the sculptural architecture of
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The Vessel, Equinox Hotel is located in one of the dizzying residential towers that characterize this new hub of Manhattan. “Since the hotel is located at Hudson Yards – Greg Keffer says – we have tried to push the envelope of innovation with our onsite projects. What better location to open a hotel focused on an experience of transformation, before the guests venture out into the kinetic frenzy of New York?” Accessed directly from the High Line, with 212 rooms, three public spaces and the Electric Lemon restaurant, the hotel is paced by sophisticated features: an unexpected suspended light sculpture and an elegant reflecting pool at the 25th floor – designed in collaboration with the landscape architect Ken Smith – combined with luxurious materials like resin, metal, stone and leather, conveying the idea of a refined residential loft. “Equinox is a brand that focuses not only on wellness and harmony, but also on the idea of balance and movement. 68 | IFDM
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New York
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New York
Owner & Developer: Related Companies Main Contractor: Tishman Construction Hotel operator: Equinox Hotels Architecture: David Childs/SOM Interior design: Rockwell Group Lighting consultant: Focus Lighting Landscape design: Ken Smith Workshop and Rockwell Group Furnishings and fittings: B&B Italia, Carvart, Cleaf, Hundred Mile, ICE Rugs, Living Divani, Okha, Quality and Company, Restoration Hardware Contract, Saint Damase, The Rug Company, Uhuru, Valli & Valli Lightings: Apparatus, Bec Brittain, Cameron Design House, Flos, Michael Anastassiades, Project Light Bathrooms: Dornbracht, Gessi North America, Hansgrohe, Kohler, Symmons, TOTO Author: Anna Casotti Photo credits: Courtesy of Equinox Hotels, Courtesy of Lasvit
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We have designed a place that narrates this art de vivre through precise details and features: from the neutral desaturated colors with dark moments of contrast to the furnishings and a rotation system in the restaurant to conceal the alcoholic beverages during the day. Everything comes from reflections on the term ‘equinox,’ an event in which day and night have approximately the same duration. The fall and spring equinoxes mark the beginning of the fall – a moment to slow down and relax – and the spring, the emblem of rebirth, growth and regeneration. Inspired by these symbols, our design celebrates the transition from day to night, from activity to rest.” The Sky Lobby is transformed from a place of work to a salon wrapped in soft lights; the
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reflecting metal walls narrate the idea of dynamism, and the rooms – true oases – are conceived as multifunctional areas in which to exercise, to do yoga and meditation. An implied red thread that winds through installations, site-specific artworks, refined materials and colors: “Inside the Equinox Hotel there is no ‘white space.’ The material character is variegated and layered: we have worked with artists from London to create a shiny stainless steel sculpture in the hall, representing the movement of the body, while in the Sky Lobby a monumental installation plays with the transforming power of light.” Immersed in a horizon marked by the slow flow of the Hudson River and the charm of a city in a constant state of becoming.
AD STUDIO MALISAN ∕ PHOTO AND STYLING STUDIO EYE
WAM Collection by MARCO ZITO
B R O S S – I TA LY. C O M
WONDER. BANGKOK, THAILAND | WONJIN AESTHETIC SURGERY GALLERY CLINIC | A U N DESIGN STUDIO The design of the Clinic innovates from the concept of ‘Symmetrical Balance’ from beauty research. Symmetry in one’s face is what makes one attractive. This symmetrical framework led to the space identity as
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© Wison Tungthunya & W Workspace
well as curated artworks. Thai contemporary artists and photographers worked in close collaboration with doctors and designers to tell a story of beauty through cosmetic surgery, titled “Art, Beauty & Surgery”.
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WONDER. BEVERLY HILLS | GARDENHOUSE | MAD ARCHITECTS The mixed use scheme will host one of the largest living green walls in the USA. The envelope is covered in lush plantings of native, drought-tolerant succulents and vines.
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WONDER. UKRAINE | UNDEGROUND HOUSE PLAN B | SERGEY MAKHNO ARCHITECTS © Sergey Makhno Architects
“We offer you a short trip to a depth of 15 metres and below. There is an autonomous house, which competes with ground residences in terms of comfort and equipment”, Sergey Makhno.
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Corolla, design Cristina Celestino
Via della Roggia 28, 33044 Manzano (UD) Italy
billiani.it
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PEOPLE
Koichi Takada
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PEOPLE
Koichi Takada
DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM NATURAL LIFE From a multifunctional domestic space with tatami mats in which he grew up in Japan, to the mixed-use buildings designed and constructed in Australia and the United States. The professional path of Koichi Takada, architect, evolves from the roots in Japanese culture, to studies in London and New York and travels in Europe, then finding new energy in Sydney, chosen as his place of life and work, where he founded his ‘boutique architecture firm’ in 2008.
“I
n Australia there is still some level of freedom in architecture, and I found this freedom intriguing. And nature is just so beautiful here.” The component of nature is essential in his design work, in constant pursuit of a balance between the natural environment, from which he draws energy and inspiration, and the urban context in which he builds things. “Given today’s political and social pressures, we need to design buildings that are more sustainable and future-proof, to bring nature back into cities.” The way to do this is not only through materials and colors, forms permeable to wind and light and awareness of the impact of human presence, but also and above all through the idea of ‘climatizing’ architecture that adapt to the cultural, social and climatic context of reference, giving rise to the contradiction of an ‘invisible architecture.’ “We are very conscious of the future, and nature has a big claim on this. Architecture needs to be almost invisible. In this way, we give a ‘platform’ to people to enjoy and take part in the spectacle of nature. Architecture may be ‘not visible’ while giving you the means to engage and interact from the inside out. This was the philosophy we wanted to promote from the start of our practice.”
author: Alessandra Bergamini portrait photo: Nic Walker projects photo: Doug & Wolf (Sky Trees), Tom Ferguson (Arc, National Museum of Qatar Gift Shop), Anthony Tzikas (Infinity)
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One of your key design concepts focuses on ‘humanizing architecture.’ Where did it come from and how do you reconcile tall buildings with the human scale? When we were commissioned to design highrise buildings we were quite intimidated by the height. The tallest one we designed is 70 stories, which would be too many for Sydney, for example. We asked ourselves: how can we bring the idea of human experience, of human scale into high-rises? This is one of the fundamental questions of the concept of ‘humanizing architecture.’ For the 1111 South Hill Street high-rise in California, where you have the tallest tree in the world, massive, as big as a building and more than a thousand years old, we took our inspiration from the trees. When you look at nature there are so many sources of inspiration; in urban concepts, we’ve forgotten how to create a relationship with nature, and this is the most important aspect of humanization or ‘naturalization.’ While people talk about ‘greener’ cities, we need to
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Koichi Takada
consider our wellbeing inside those cities. This is how we started to first pose a more philosophical question before addressing the architectural design, especially given today’s context where everybody wants to translate their business model into architectural expression; we were quite intimidated by that, and we really thought that there must have been a different way to look at it, to find a balance. This is where the question began. Many of your works are designed and built for Crown Group. Do you share the same vision and values? Crown Group’s CEOs are from Indonesia and Bali, where they own wonderful resorts, very much vernacular but with a modern take, very interactive with nature, where people go to recharge. When Crown Group approached us, they wanted to bring this approach to the urban context, in Sydney for example, to translate the idea of regenerating ourselves in nature into an urban environment.
Arc, 161-165 Clarence Street & 304 Kent Street, Sydney
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PEOPLE
Koichi Takada
1111 Hill in Downtown LA is a mixed-use scheme. Have you also worked on the interiors for the whole building? We haven’t designed the interiors as yet. We normally do everything from the outside in. Of course the experience is seamless, and we bring this theme of nature-inspired design inside. And when the project is completed you understand the inspiring idea. We certainly want to emphasize the wellbeing of residents and hotel guests and create the feeling of holidays, of slowing down, of coming home to relax, even in an urban context. We really work hard to bring nature back to the city, to do it seamlessly, to find a balance between artificial and the natural. What about Arc in Sydney? It seems like a different kind of balance, where you merge heritage with the new. Arc was a very delicate project, in an urban context surrounded by heritage buildings. When we first visited the site to take part in the competition, we initially thought of doing something that would contrast the brick materiality, for example using glass. But then we fell in love with bricks, which derive from Australian traditional construction techniques or cultural heritage. There are so many sources of inspiration while reading the context before you design. When you study the history, it is very important to keep continuity, not just designing for the future. The future has to include the past as part of the storytelling. While we do new buildings, we can relate to our past, in the use of materials and the expression. We kept to the concept of creating archways. I was very impressed with the craftmanship of heritage masonry, which shaped its wonderful arches. We found these well-trained Italian bricklayers, and they brought their craftmanship during construction, but also during the design of the facade, which was built brick by brick, according to a very difficult ‘stepped’ technique. Though it is a heavy masonry structure, it looks very light, because it’s tapered, thin, and the idea was to draw more daylight through the pointed arches, but also to create shadows on the facade. National Museum of Qatar Gift Shops, Doha
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Koichi Takada
Arc is a mix-used building. How is it being received? We were quite pleased by the reactions and the feedback. Some people even said that they walk through the arches every day just to have that feeling, relating to the past. It is a mixed-use project, residential, hotel-serviced apartments, retail, and it is meant to be a city within the urban context. Each of the components can benefit from the interaction between functions, I think it is a good example of how to regenerate and reactivate a part of the city that was once lost and forgotten. Regarding interiors, do you design custom pieces or do you specify some pieces from your preferred brands? We prefer custom-made furniture, even though more repetitive components are specified from suppliers, which is what happened with Arc. We’re working on another project in Tokyo, which is also mixed-use, with a lot of furniture from Italian manufacturers, but we are also designing pieces that are specific of the identity the project. Again, we’re trying to find the balance between manufactured and custom-made, also with local resources in mind. Another beautiful project is Infinity in Sydney. It’s a new scheme, very contemporary, very impressive. What about its concept and life cycle? It will have to stand up to time and use. Infinity is another design competition we won. The context is a new town center called Green Square, which used to be a warehouse district. In other words, when we first arrived on site, there was nothing there, a sort of blank canvas. We had the idea of treating it as an island, a big object seen from all over, something like the Sydney Opera House, with a very sculpted quality. This architectural object is essentially sculpted by light and air. We were given this compliance volume by the Council that would cast shadow onto the public space throughout the year; there was no sunlight, and we couldn’t stand the idea of creating a potentially beautiful building without any sunlight. So we opened a void to draw light into the space and the building, and we created a dynamic shape, exposed to the wind. The aesthetic is very contemporary, but in terms of design there’s a lot of interaction with nature. We hope that over time this building will serve as a gateway to this new town center, and in some ways 82 | IFDM
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it is very controversial, if you consider the fact that this piece of architecture had no relationship with the surrounding context, to begin with, because there were no surroundings. Now new buildings are being built around it. The building is designed to adapt to the changing environment; the residents will still receive a few hours of daylight, they don’t need to use air conditioning, they can use natural ventilation facilitated by this form. We are very conscious of the future, and nature has a big claim on this. Architecture needs to be almost invisible. What do you mean by ‘invisible architecture’? When we started our practice we didn’t want design to speak too loudly; in Australia we have a wonderful climate, wonderful nature, waterfronts and beaches, so why not celebrate that? We want-
PEOPLE
ed to highlight that through architecture. The use of design or the way we give a ‘platform’ to people to enjoy and take part in the spectacle of nature, means that the architecture can be ‘invisible’ while giving you the means to engage and interact inside-out, in other words, let nature speak, and this was the philosophy we wanted to promote. Today people question the impact of modernism around the world; there are many examples of copy & paste buildings, made of the same curtain walls and details, repeated everywhere. We have lost character, we’ve lost the differences. The way we can recover is by ‘climatizing architecture,’ as you need to adapt to the different climate of Sydney, LA, Doha, Tokyo, and to different cultures. Given today’s political and social pressures, we need to design buildings that are more sustainable and future-proof, and bring nature back into cities.
Koichi Takada
Left: Sky Trees, 1111 South Hill Street, Downtown Los Angeles Infinity, Green Square, Sydney
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RESTAURANT
Imperfection? A constant force of evolution “Nothing lasts, nothing is finished, nothing is perfect.” This is the wabi-sabi philosophy shared and observed, in image and substance, by the interior designer Chris Shao and the chef Christopher Kostow for the Ensue restaurant in Shenzhen. A sophisticated ‘temple’ of fine dining inside the Shangri-La Hotel in the Futian district
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hat is your definition of luxury?”, the interior designer Chris Shao asked the chef Christopher Kostow. “That,” came the reply, as he pointed to a tree on his farm. This was the unusually concise design briefing between the two protagonists of the Ensue restaurant in Shenzhen, inside the plush Futian Shangri-La Hotel.
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The underpinnings of a creative process in the fields of food and design. At Ensue, the two share a vision of the world, also in aesthetic terms, based on impermanence and imperfection, the philosophy of wabi-sabi that accepts and welcomes the transient nature of things, constantly in motion in pursuit of improvement. A ‘doctrine’ that Shao, born in China and based in NY, immediately
Shenzhen
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embraced, getting inspiration for the landscapes of Napa Valley in California, from which Kostow hails, and mixing them with those of Guangdong. The restaurant on the upper level of the building abounds in natural references to flora and fauna, organic shapes or subtle, introspective colors that make the spaces almost meditative. The first hint of Ensue’s approach is at the entrance, which welcomes guests with a mural painted by hand by a local artist, enhanced by a pair of appliques by Apparatus made with horsehair. Above, we see a suspended chandelier by Rosie Li Studio, a true floral sculpture in polished brass that seems to float in the space. Heading down the corridor, which leads to the reception counter with deer antlers, the sloping ceiling of stone tiles pays tribute to traditional Guangdong architecture, softened by velvet fabrics in cool tones. In the main dining room the colors fade into a palette of gray and neutral hues, putting the chromatic accent on the food, while the furnishings – all custom pieces designed by Chris Shao – continue to reflect natural forms and atmospheres through modern design: like the lamps with visible wiring to imitate the glow of the sunset, or the divider walls in vertical staves that create an obstructed view, similar to the effect of tree branches. The shaping of the natural light arriving from the incredible height of the spaces – as many as 13 meters – makes a forceful contribution, also to create diversified and personalized settings, like the private dining room, a mezzanine with bar and the various secluded lounges, as well as a reading room. The latter is reached by ascending a staircase of white marble, atop which a bookcase conceals the entrance, activated by pressing on a book at the extreme left. An imaginative voyage, at Ensue, that involves all 5 senses.
Owner: Dingyi Food and Beverage Main Contractor: Guangzhou Loto Interior Works Hotel operator: Shangri-la Hotel Architecture & Interior design: Chris Shao Studio Lighting design: Isometrix Kitchens: Jia Group Lighting: Apparatus, Chris Shao Studio, Rosie Li Bathrooms: Chris Shao Studio Ceilings: Guangzhou Loto Interior Works Walls & Fabrics: Elitis, Holly Hunt, Romo Group Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Lit Ma from Common Studio
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Shenzhen
Italian Luxury Design for Hotel and Residential Projects
Venice www.unocontract.it
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Miami
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RESIDENCES
Miami
The light shines in Mediterranean living is the key concept of Arte, the luxurious residential building on the Miami waterfront. Convivial outdoor pleasures, the sounds and aroma of the sea. A project by Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, in collaboration with Kobi Karp Architecture & Interior Design
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unny on the outside, with the waterfront of Surfside (the northern extension of Miami Beach) as a reflection. Sunny on the inside, thanks to a visionary design. Arte is a seaside apartment building conceived as a floating, light architectural presence by the interdisciplinary studio Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, in collaboration with Kobi Karp Architecture & Interior Design. A symmetrical volume between Collins Avenue and Atlantic Way, pivoting on a central east-west axis from which to extend horizontal
overhangs (a series of terraces) for the length of the building, growing smaller with the 11 rising levels. The protruding terraces are not only a tribute to outdoor living, dilating spaces and allowing light to flood the rooms of the 16 apartments; due to their pyramid arrangement, they become part of the urban fabric, allowing the structure to take an elegant ‘step back’ with respect to its surroundings. “We have created a building that emphasizes the very special relationship between the urban setting and the beach. Few buildings in Miami are able Owner & Developer: Sapir Corp Main Contractor: AMJV Architecture & Interior design: Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, Joseph Montaleone (Partner-in-Charge) Executive architect: Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design Lighting design: Lightchitects Studio Landscape design: ENEA Furnishings: B&B Italia Kitchens: Poliform, Gaggenau Bathrooms: Axor, EDM Doors and windows: Shüco Façade: GM&P Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Kris Tamburello
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Miami
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Miami
to do this,” says Patricia Viel. The unobstructed views of the ocean are wide open from the interiors of the luxurious private residences, also thanks to sliding glass doors and a Shüco window system with bronze sections. The rooms are designed with discreet, informal elegance, where the use of fine materials creates an extremely sophisticated whole: travertine, both outside and inside, with rich grain and warm hues, bronze, wood, stone and glass. “The interiors express a European sensibility – says Antonio Citterio – where discretion is combined with maximum functional quality.” Everything has been studied to encourage privacy between common areas and bedrooms, exploiting natural light and never limiting the ocean view. The flooring in European white oak, with 28-cm planks, balances the constant presence of the bronze frames and combines with the prestigious ipè wood parquet of the terraces. The suspended island is the central feature of the kitchen, furnished with cabinets by Poliform in ash-color oak and tops in white marble with bronze contrasts, alongside Gaggenau appliances, including a full-height refrigeratorcellar. The master bathrooms are genuine spas, with sculptural bathtubs carved by hand, furnishings in oak and marble, glass showers, floors and IFDM | 91
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walls in travertine, though the designers have also added resort-quality features, such as a wellness center with a 23-meter indoor pool, a sauna, a steam room, a meditation pond and a two-story cascade. These are joined by fitness and recreation spaces with an outdoor pool, a tennis court and
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a clubhouse. The elegant building offers an initial glimpse of what it has to offer straight from the lobby, which is furnished with pieces by B&B Italia designed by Antonio Citterio, with a work by the artist Olafur Eliasson, Polychromatic Chronology (2016), in a central position.
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Sleight of hand and Victorian mémoires A modern interpretation of Victorian design, The Prestige Hotel makes optical illusion a key element of its entire project, creating delightful spaces and memorable experiences for guests. A new addition to the prestigious Design Hotels™ portfolio, created by Ministry of Design
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here lush vegetation abounds, driven by the tropical climate, amidst splendid English buildings from the 19th century in the center of George Town, The Prestige Hotel welcomes you into an almost colonial universe, contemporary and magical, created with ‘sleight of hand’ by Ministry of Design. With a name taken from a psychological thriller on the world of magicians, alternating drama and science fiction in late 19th-century London, the project uses a scheme based on ‘optical illusions,’ drawing in an original way on the Victorian aesthetic with the transposition of heritage in a fantastic spatial narrative that combines the pastel tones of furnishings with an allusive vegetation, together with botanical prints and furnishings in wicker and rattan, in a tropical context. The visual stimuli are subtle but omnipresent in the hotel, responding to the unusual specificity of the site – a long, narrow lot – which could have made the guest experience rather monotonous. 94 | IFDM
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George Town, Malaysia
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George Town, Malaysia
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HOTEL
George Town, Malaysia
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George Town, Malaysia
Mechanical lighting elements positioned at regular intervals project the shadows of intricate motifs, generating optical illusions on the monochrome walls of the corridors – already dynamic in their own right thanks to the oblique decorations that make the traditional wall facing more abstract – and on the white tiles of the floors, with inserts of black mosaic that seem to vanish and reappear. The studio has organized the ground floor in such a way that the reception, the Glasshouse restaurant and other retail facilities exist as autonomous spaces, in keeping with the model of the historic English shopping passage. In the circular reception area, the check-in counter with mirrors magically balances on chromium-plated spheres. To reach it, one has to walk on a white marble floor on which a black labyrinth has been tranced, with a brass sphere at the center bearing the logo of the hotel. The curved back wall is adorned by
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imaginative paneling in the form of a cloud. Other unusual features include the engraving on the metal wall inside the elevators, which thanks to reflecting surfaces produces a Droste effect on all sides, with the contours of the iconic buildings of Penang and local botanical elements depicted in a style reminiscent of Victorian wallpaper. The fulcrum of the portico is the very luminous Glasshouse Restaurant, conceived as a delightful indoor garden for breakfasts, lunches and dinners. The tropical motif of the cushions and the forest green leather placed along the perimeter work in harmony with the white wicker chairs and the reticular structure decorating the windows and walls. Here again, there are plenty of visual tricks: from the mirrors that convey an impression of doubled spaces, to the axonometric deceptions of Escher-like cubes on the floor. Placed on different levels, the 162 rooms are subdivided into four deluxe types, accessed by means of sequences of darkness and light in the corridors painted with two-tone boxes in black and white.
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HOTEL
George Town, Malaysia
The guestrooms share a precise approach to luxury, though not without surprising individual effects, gauged through an eclectic selection of materials. Surfaces in marble, polished brass with built-in lighting for the vanity mirrors, inspired by elaborate Victorian designs but modernized with an angular form, generating optical illusions. Chrome and brass enhance the bathroom furnishings, as well as the posts of the doors and furnishings, alongside white wood for contemporary paneling with trapezoidal relief patterns. The references to the world of magic become even clearer in the mattresses that seem to float, thanks to particular lighting below the structure of the beds, and in the shower cabin-wardrobes made in glass and bronze-colored metal, which bring to mind the traps set for himself by Houdini.
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Developer: Tommy Koay, Public Packages Holdings Berhad Hotel operator: Design Hotels™ Architecture: KL Wong architect Interior design: Ministry of Design Furnishings: Kian Interiors, Qbrid Dsignhaus; Custom furniture: Pena Builders, Samson Hospitality Flooring: Boon Seng Timber Flooring, China EC Stone Art, Equipe Ceramicas, GNG Distributors, Goodwood Builders, Greenscape, Lam Ah Marble, Kimgres Marketing, Niro Ceramic Group, Royal Thai Carpets Lighting: Light Craft, Pena Builders Bathrooms: Kohler Fabrics: Acacia, Duralee, Hunter Douglas, Innovasia, Sunbrella, Tatum Malaysia Upholstered panels: Hufcor Maroshumi Custom printed wallcovering: PPAsia Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: courtesy of Ministry of Design
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HOTEL
George Town, Malaysia
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HOTEL
Prague
A contemporary (and playful) touch in Prague Conran and Partners re-imagine the interiors of Maximilian Hotel, opened in 1995 by Ploberger brothers, with art, design and bold colours
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pened in 1995 by Christian and Rudolf Ploberger, Maximilian Hotel in Prague now is refurbished by Conran and Partners, the London based studio who has curated the interior of 71 guest rooms and reconfigured the ground floor. “We agreed that the refurbishment should contrast with Josef ’s architectural, iconic style, the other hotel in Prague owned by
Ploberger brothers, with a softer, more playful approach”, says Tina Norden, partner of Conran and Partners. The hotel consists of two different buildings with different architectural styles, connected on the ground floor by a linear series of previously underutilised public areas: “Our challenge was to open up and unify these spaces to create a coherent and engaging journey for guests and visitors. Owners: Christian and Rudolf Ploberger Architecture & Interior design: Conran and Partners Furnishings: Alki, Aram, Arflex, Asplund, B&B Italia, Brintons, Cassina, Chelsom, Christy Carpets, Classicon, Ercol, Ferm Living, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna, Howe, Ihreborn, J.T.Kalmar, Kartell, Knoll, Kvadrat, Magis, Marset, Mass Productions, MDF Italia, Morgan, Nest, Normann Copenhagen, Pedrali, Rubn, Saba, Sancal, Schottlander, SCP, Thonet, Tom Dixon, Ton, Tribu, Vitra, Wittmann, Zanotta Lighting: Atelier Areti, Chelsom, Delta Light, Egoluce, Flos, Halla, Lampe Grass, Linea Light, Lucis, Nemo Lighting, Sans Souci, Troy Lighting Bathrooms: Dornbracht Author: Francesca Gugliotta Photo credits: Matthias Aschauer
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Prague
We have created a new living room hub which is home to a brasserie, with connected spaces for guests and visitors to eat, unwind or socialise”. Conran and Partners design approach “was to focus on the particular type of Poetic Modernism (our term!) that evolved in the Czech Republic and blend this with the colourful nature of the city. We found a connection between the well-known architect and designer Karel Teige, who had a major exhibition in Prague last year, and the building the hotel is in; his collages are to be found behind ground floor reception and his playful alphabet graphics in every room”. The rooms are “quirky, warm, in a lovely shade of blue with reference to the colours of Prague and the modernist movement”. In the public spaces “we moved the reception deeper and away from the street frontage, in its place we located the café and bar, the most casual and welcoming spaces”. From there, guests move up half a level to the reception, and directly into the living room and brasserie. IFDM | 103
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“From the brasserie, guests can move through to the library and the meeting room, which both face out into a newly landscaped courtyard, while in the lower ground there is a lovely little spa”. Artwork plays a key part, “based on pieces from the owner’s collection and prints of iconic Teige collages and contemporary works inspired by his playful, surreal and intriguing works. Bold use of colour is the defining element of the design approach, each area of the hotel is highlighted in a different pastel tone, from light green tones on entry, to pinks in the historic stairwells and a deep blue for the guest rooms”. The architects selected contemporary pieces alongside design classics: “Like the bespoke lighting elements designed by Conran and Partners and made by Czech manufacturer Sans Souci”. But the list of suppliers is wide, like B&B Italia, Cassina, Flos, just to name a few.
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Prague
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RETAIL
Client: Shanghai Century Cloud Culture Development Architectural design: Wutopia Lab Chief architect: Yu Ting Project architects: Shengrui Pu, Mingshuai Li Design consultant: s5 design Restoration design: Shanghai Construction Decoration (group) design Structural consultant: Junfeng Yu Lighting consultant: Chloe Zhang Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: CreatAR Images
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Shanghai
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Shanghai
Metaphysical harmonies In Shanghai, the Sinan Books Poetry Store ‘reforms’ the church of St. Nicholas, proclaiming a contemporary language in its airy metallic architecture
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he architects of Wutopia Lab have no lack of inventive fervor, poetic license and surprising approaches. From their magical hat, this time they have pulled out the Sinan Books Poetry Store, bringing a legible contrast into an orthodox church in Shanghai. A bookstore entirely set aside for poetry, which in spite of its philological approach interfaces with the historic site as an autonomous identity and an unexpected typology, deliberately displaying its dissonant nature. The renovation of the building completed in 1932 but then converted for a wide range of uses – from a factory to a restaurant – had to comply with the dictates of the Shanghai Historic Building Protection Affairs Center, including the rule of conserving the original significant features of the façade and the plan, together with the decorations associated with orthodox imagery. When overlaid interventions had been removed, Wutopia Lab inserted a giant steel cage, adapting the rhythmical configuration of the parts to the perimeter of the apse, setting the structure back from the walls by just 50 cm. This distance is sufficient to make the antique frescos visible from the IFDM | 107
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Shanghai
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Shanghai
openings in the structural grid with a height of nearly 10 meters, while the light from the dome can pour down into the new centripetal space, bringing out functional and aesthetically appealing elements in an updated modern ‘sanctuary.’ Such as the ring-shaped infopoint that occupies the central position originally designated for the altar, topped by a large ‘halo,’ and an antique balcony that has been transformed into a golden pulpit for poetry readings.
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Sinan Books Poetry Store, says Yu Ting, “should represent the sacred space of the city of Shanghai. It should have an independent spirituality, not based on the religion of the old site. Since the dome could not be transformed, I used the metal bookcase to create a new structure: a church inside a church. A paradise for modern people, in what was once a sanctuary of faith.� In the eastern and western parts of the church of St. Nicholas, a bar has been set up with a welcoming atmosphere, where the compromise with the physiognomy of the context and the self-referential character of the metal bookcase have been resolved by accentuating the contrast through materials and textures in dark tones of chocolate brown. The longitudinal aspect of the space is underscored by the arrangement of the tables, while LED strips mark the perimeter with light.
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Shanghai
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OFFICE
A strong visual identity Offering employees “the best workplace on earth� was the objective (achieved) of the design of the Adidas Arena, on the World of Sports campus in Herzogenaurach, Germany
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egun in 1999 on the site of a former American military base, the Adidas World of Sports campus has added its last facet, thanks to the Arena designed by the firm Behnisch Architekten of Stuttgart. The basic idea was to balance transparency, landscape and a modern concept of work based on communication and interaction between various professional roles. The new office building, with an area of 52,000 square meters, is an organic and highly flexible structure that easily adapts to the chang112 | IFDM
ing needs of 2000 employees. The facility stands on a hill, with a ground floor that blends with the terrain and an entrance that can adapt to events of all kinds thanks to a large, luminous lobby. A block that seems to float over the ground contains the three levels of offices and rests on a tree-like structure with inclined steel pylons. The particular cladding, functioning as a shading system, stands out for its perforated metal pattern, concealing the internal organization. The heart of the Arena is an Escher-like staircase that floats in the lobby and
Herzogenaurach, Germany
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Herzogenaurach, Germany
leads to the three office levels. The path toward the central lobby is monochromatic, with concrete floors that underline the distinction between the circulation system for visitors (Slow Lane) and the one for staff (Fast Lane). Inside, there are six ‘key cities’ featuring particular materials, colors and furnishings. Los Angeles is represented by the blue sky of California, with blue work boxes, lockers, wall surfaces and coverings, combined with ceiling parts and accessories in pale maritime pine. London, with the red of the coverings and drapes, has a more industrial look, while Tokyo is associated with the delicate white of cherry blossoms, applied in contrast with black. New York, with its shades of yellow, also has an industrial image due to the use of metal. Shanghai is in orange, to suggest the ‘luminous city’ with its neon signs, while Paris is associated with green, in reference to the tiles of the metro system. On all the levels work areas alternate with spaces for formal and informal meetings, with recreation zones arranged around light wells to bring natural brightness. The Adidas Arena has obtained LEED Gold certification for its outstanding energy efficiency and abundant use of recycled materials.
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Owner: Adidas Main Contractor: Ed. Züblin Architecture & Interior design: Behnisch Architekten Landscape design: Lola landscape architects Curtainwall: Schüco International Structural Engineering: Werner Sobek Facade: KuB Fassadentechnik, Schwarzach Ceilings: Lindner Group, Pagolux Interieur Lighting Design Special Areas: Bartenbach Kitchen Design: Soda Project &Design Interior fittings: Ganter Interior, Konrad Knoblauch Room-in-Room Solutions: Renz System Komplett Ausbau Signage, graphics: Ockert und Partner Shades: Warema Renkhoff Elevator: Schindler Aufzüge und Fahrtreppen Floor covering: CBL Chemobau Industrieboden, Desso, Findeisen, Gerflor Mipolam, Kährs Parkett Deutschland & Co., Tarkett Holding Doors: Best of Steel, Bos, Geze, Neuform Türenwerk Hans Glock & Co. Author: Francisco Marea Photo credits: David Matthiessen, courtesy of Behnisch Architekten
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Herzogenaurach, Germany
photo Alessandro Paderni – set coordinator Marco Viola Courtesy Danieli Spa
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design Alfredo Häberli — 2020
Taba collection
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
HOTEL
Palma de Mallorca
The discreet charm of good manners The renovation of an abandoned structure has produced the Can Bordoy Grand House & Garden. An urban oasis and boutique hotel, where epochs and styles meet, suspended between nostalgic velvet and contemporary design details. An invitation to cross the threshold, created by OHLAB
A
secret garden where the shadows follow the path of the sunlight amidst thorny blackberry bushes, scented citrus groves and age-old shrubs, birdsong and the clinking of coffee spoons on china cups. An enchanting vision that sends whispers of the synesthetic power of unexpected nature, amidst the streets of the historical center of Palma de Mallorca. The peaceful spell is cast across walls and rooftops, converging on the Grand House to form a whole: the Can Bordoy Grand House & Garden. A small hotel with 24 rooms, a garden, swimming pool, spa and panoramic terrace. The project is by OHLAB, intervening on an abandoned building of 2500 m² that has been through many alterations, some obtrusive, others more delicate and positive. An ageing beauty, in short, that showed all the wear of 500 years of life, which the architects have taken back to a ‘second youth,’ sublimating its decadent charm, making neglect into allure, wounds into precious plot lines. Symbolically inspired by the ancient Japanese art of Kintsugi used to repair plates and pots, the project reconciles and enhances the various layers of history, clearly displaying the interventions required for its new use. Lime mortar, traditional stucco and noble stones decorate the joints, while more detailed architectural strategies burst in with contemporary materials, and majestic velvet – no longer a dusty memory, but a sky blue coup de théâtre – becomes 116 | IFDM
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Palma de Mallorca
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a mobile partition on the dramatic bathrooms in the guestrooms, or behind the bar, to unveil shelves of special beverages. In the spa the original stone walls from the 12th century have been structurally reinforced with brutalist fair-face concrete, and finished with delicate grafting of
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natural stone. In the ground floor and the hall, the intelligent sense of proportions is underlined by reflecting materials, like mirrors, water and steel. The skylight is the transparent backdrop of the pool on the terrace that floods the main staircase with reflections, which continue to dance on the
Palma de Mallorca
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HOTEL
Palma de Mallorca
Client: Mikael Hall Architecture & Interior design: OHLAB / Paloma Hernaiz and Jaime Oliver Landscape design: Salva Cañís (master gardener), OHLAB (landscape masterplan) Acoustical: Tafor Consulting Archaeologist: Elvira González Furnishings: Baxter, Fredericia, GTV Thonet, Ligne Roset, Moroso, Norr; on design by OHLAB Lighting: Artemide, Bocci, Flos, Santa & Cole; on design by OHLAB Commissioned Art work: Pedro Oliver Graphic Design: Studio Roses Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: José Hevia
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reflecting portions, also incorporating passing figures. The eclecticism of the architecture corresponds to a selection of period furnishings and complements, with very different sources: the many antiques from Paris, Copenhagen, Stockholm and Istanbul are joined by handmade items from Mallorca, furnishings by GTV Thonet, Ligne Roset, Baxter, Moroso, Norr, Fredericia, lights by Artemide, Flos, Santa & Cole and Bocci. OHLAB has designed beds, bedside units and headboards to measure in walnut and blue velvet, creating a delicate, intimate space that forms a contrast with the imperfection of the plaster finishes and ceilings. The floors are also like a map of time, with evocative dark wood planks, carpets and marble. The dining rooms of the Botanic restaurant are even invaded by a green corridor of plants, connecting the garden and the street.
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Palma de Mallorca
Poised House, Indore, India Kushalani Associates design studio
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WONDER. FLORENCE, ITALY | PALAZZO STROZZI COURTYARD INSTALLATION | TOMÀS SARACENO Floating airborne without carbon emissions, these aerosolar sculptures speculate about what kinds of nomadic socio-political structures might emerge if we could navigate the rivers of the atmosphere, reconsi-
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Š Ela Bialkowska
dering the ways in which borders are set up by humans, the power of national institutions to decide who can transit, policies that affect vulnerable subjects, humans and nonhuman life forms.
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WONDER. CHONGQING, CHINA | FOREST FOR REST SPA | LEAPING CREATIVE © Minjie Wang
The Hercules beetle symbolizes healing and energy. It tells the story of the brand: travelers encounter an oasis after a long journey in the desert where their body and mind are healed by foot bath and spa experiences.
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A d: S t u d i o M a l i s a n – i m a g e: N u d e s i g n s t u d i o
H U G B AT H T U B E F R E E S TA N D I N G d e s i g n M a t t e o N u n z i a t i COVERING FOLIUM design Sebastiano Zilio NEW PRODUCT KREOO 2020 kreoo.com
WONDER. DIAGONAL DWELLING | NYDE Š Nyde
The off the grid, prefab luxury guest cabin accommodates a scenic hot-tub, an elevated terrace, a compact kitchenette, a comfortable bedroom with mini-bar, and a living space with a day bed and a fireplace.
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PEOPLE
B+K, THE ANTHROPOLOGISTS OF DESIGN Alon Baranowitz and Irene Kronenberg, cofounders of award-winning international hospitality design firm Baranowitz + Kronenberg, tell about their latest projects and their design approach: “We observe, listen, converse with as much people as possible and collect our findings. Only when we feel well immersed with this new knowledge, we evaluate the project at hand and allow this knowledge to lead our way”.
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lon runs the creative side of our office, he is a great fan of building details, construction methods and materials. Irene, graduated as an interior designer, she is a natural psychologist with a unique sensibility for understanding human situations, a virtue when designing for people. She elevates anything sensory: colors, textures and materials”. Alon Baranowitz and Irene Kronenberg, co-founders of award-winning international hospitality design firm Baranowitz + Kronenberg, describe themselves as a very globetrotters - they have practically traveled all over the planet: “Our nomadic approach is reflected in our projects, we believe our uniqueness is in the ability to entice and attract people with narrative-driven design, which captures and celebrates the essence of time, place and local communities”.
author: Francesca Gugliotta portrait photo: Sharon Derhy projects photo: Amit Geron (Âme Showroom, Sir Joan Hotel, Sir Victor Hotel)
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Your latest project, W Ibiza hotel, has just opened. Commissioned for the architecture and interior design, we set sails towards multifaceted, experiential platforms enticed by the W DNA. Challenged by a beach front Balearic structure from the 80s, we had to turn it upside down in order for it to become worthy of a social hub that connects guests, sets the scene and sparks the imagination. W is a leading lifestyle brand born out of the chaos and culture of NY city. It aims at fueling a lust for life, always in the pursuit for the next and the new. When too much is not enough, W asks for more… W has a very bold and original mindset, always connected and on the lookout for breaking new grounds while celebrating the passions of its target audience. “Flower Power” was the leading theme for our design strategy which we followed throughout the resort and with which we rendered the different venues with a bold and holistic freespirit charm. This soft power mind set is amplified through spatial arrangement of spaces, choice of materials and finishes. ‘Effortless’ is a key notion, a second nature to our design which we facilitated to achieve an engaging simplicity expressed by a minimum of means: colour, sun and shade.
PEOPLE
Baranowitz + Kronenberg
Which are the other projects you are working on? To name just a few, we are developing a new Chesterfield for Lensvelt, the iconic Dutch furniture label. It’s a full collection from chair to sofa and everything in between. The chair was inaugurated at the Salone del Mobile in Milan two years ago and it’s going to be on the shelf very soon. W Prague hotel is in the making right on Wenceslas Square: a great honor to take part in transforming the legendary Grand Hotel Europa into a W. The House of Caesarstone in Tel Aviv is in its final stages and will introduce an innovative social platform that sparks the imagination and inspires people with events taking place simultaneously, spontaneously driven by design and lifestyle themes which echo the life according to Caesarstone. The F&B venues in Edition Hotel Milan are in the “oven” and will be ready for construction at the end of the Summer. This September we inaugurate a webinar series where we allow a peak behind the scene of our studio and share the methodology that brought us this far. We believe that the journey is no less exciting than the final physical space, yet no one really knows the why, what and how that stand behind it all. We are really excited about this move. The list of projects goes on and we feel very lucky to be as busy as we are.
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Baranowitz + Kronenberg
Sir Joan Hotel, Ibiza
believe that in order for an experience to resonate with a personal dimension it can’t be prescriptive or explicit. Personal interpretation is key. The best designs are those which evoke new interpretations whenever we revisit them throughout our life. The Little Prince by Saint-Exupery is a great allegory to this idea; we read the story throughout our life as kids, youngsters, adults and much older and whenever we read it, it strikes different chords of our mind and soul and becomes a fresh source of inspiration and pleasure. Any space that achieves this transcendental quality is iconic.
In your hospitality design ethos, which principles are important for you? We could really sum up three principles. The most important of all is People. At the end of the day, it’s all about people and their well-being. Then, culture, history, geography, economy and politics that define The Essence of Place. We can never assume ours to be supreme. Wherever we design around the world we act as Anthropologists; we observe, listen, converse with as much people as possible and collect our findings. Only when feel well immersed with this new knowledge, we evaluate the project at hand and allow this knowledge to lead our way. The third principle is about creating timeless, open-ended and memorable experiences. The perfect experience we designers can bring about is one that allows for flexibility and interpretation; allowing people to find their own meaning while experiencing space, any space. We
You say that “we are not an interior design firm, we are story tellers”. Being anthropologists of sorts, we focus on never being judgmental or having preconceived ideas or personal preferences for how things should be. This mindset allows us to infuse ourselves seamlessly in any culture and get the very essence of it, turning it into a platform from which we develop our stories. Therefore, the stories we develop are made of indigenous findings and places which we hand-stitch and are made to measure. We have no formula or style, we find the Essence of Place and walk together. We create mini-worlds in which people are cast in compelling narratives that celebrate the essence of our time and the human desire for originality and authenticity. You take spaces “to the point of minimal abstraction”, but the spaces you design are not minimal to the extreme though. “Minimal abstraction’’ should not be conceived literally but rather as a notion that refers to the third principle of our work which speaks about open-ended designs and the multifaceted reading of their nature. In order to achieve that level of expression, we must transcend the narrative to minimal abstraction where the intangible is as inspiring as the tangible. IFDM | 131
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You’re also working on retail concepts, as the Ame stores. How is retail design evolving? Retail design must evolve, as the way we consume, experience and shop shifts. With Ame, we proposed a new way of looking at fine diamond jewellery retail, one that puts the human experience at the centre of every touch point. Âme introduces a space for emotions. It has a holistic approach where the jewellery is as important as the spatial experience, as the texture and materials we touch and as the scent that we smell and the playlist that moves us. Âme embraces the shift of times and celebrates it to the full. It proposes a new retail experience to a category that still has to learn about notions such as intuitive, enticing, informal, performative, sustainable and memorable. We see this as being a part of a whole new way of conceiving retail spaces.
methods and materials and constantly looking for the new and the next. Irene graduated as an interior designer and has a bird’s eye view; constantly zooming out and able to foresee the unforeseen and send the office in the right direction. She is a natural psychologist with a unique sensibility for understanding human situations, a virtue when designing for people. She elevates anything sensory: colors, textures and materials.
You say that you design for people like you. We do not share any common fortes which makes us synergetic. Alon runs the creative side of our office, initiating design strategies, spatial concepts and then breaths life and meaning into it all. He is a great fan of building details, construction
mini worlds/events in which local consumers/ dwellers/performers are cast in a world-class design narrative in which the quotidian self is momentarily suspended in local and translocal histories and experiences.
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You are based in Tel Aviv and Amsterdam, but you are globetrotters. Do you think that your nomadic approach is reflected in your projects? Absolutely - we believe our uniqueness is in the ability to entice and attract people with narrativedriven design, which captures and celebrates the essence of time, place and local communities. All of our projects are made to measure. We create
Baranowitz + Kronenberg
W Hotel, Ibiza
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
PEOPLE
Baranowitz + Kronenberg
During this crazy time, did you change your way of life and work? We are both very optimistic people and have developed our studio and our wonderful team as an extension of our home and family. Keeping the family together during these times is the most challenging part of all. As the virus hit, we gathered our team and declared “we are going into this together and we are coming out of this together”. These are unique times that call for unique efforts and commitment - we are now all responsible for each other if we want to make it through. Our team now has the liberty of working from home or the office; they have their own families, kids to attend to, anxieties and mental pressures to deal with and we allow them to divide their day as they see fit as long as targets are met. We were locked down at our apartment in Tel Aviv, and we came to understand why we love it so much, because we traveled the world and the seven seas for so much, so we finally had the time to enjoy our apartment, which usually feels like a terminal that you plug in and you plug out. It’s a vicious cycle of traveling. So now we had the time to enjoy it. We sit on our beautiful terrace all day long - it’s been a prolonged moment of repose. After the pandemic, will hotel spaces change in your opinion? We anticipate stepping out into a very changed world once this is all over. For us as designers and the hospitality industry at large, resilience will be key. We foresee a revolutionary move to a backto-basics approach to designing hotels and restaurants, with slow living and the praise of the simpler things in life leaving their mark. We believe hospitality has been too long a variation of the same theme. The current crisis could certainly serve as an opportunity to recalculate a new path, with designers embracing these new currents of values and shift from self-tagging to self-empowerment in pursuit of holistic health and wellbeing. We will see less of the ‘living in a bubble’ concepts and plenty more of conscious and down to earth directions which address wellbeing in its purest form. Âme Showroom, New York
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Residences by Armani/Casa, a tribute to Art Deco Situated in Miami, at Sunny Isles Beach, the project represents a first for the U.S. and the largest in the world by Armani/Casa interior design studio. It references Art Deco, the artistic movement with a strong presence in the city and a constant source of inspiration for Mr. Giorgio Armani
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t is the first project for the U.S. and the largest designed and completed to date by the Armani/Casa interior design studio in the world: Armani Group launches The Residences, the 60-story tower at Sunny Isles Beach, in Miami, in a breathtaking oceanfront location just north of Bal Harbour, with 260 luxury residences, common areas and amenities. “Armani/Casa was born from my desire to see my design aesthetic at work in interior spaces”, says Mr. Giorgio Armani. “On a project like this, where we have the benefit of partnering with a talented architect like César Pelli, we get the opportunity to create something really special, a remarkable living space, imbued with the spirit of modern elegance”. At the core 134 | IFDM
RESIDENCES
Miami
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Miami
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Miami
Owner/Developer: Dezer Development and The Related Group Architectural design: Pelli Clarke Pelli, Sieger Suarez Architects Interior design: Armani/Casa Interior Design Studio, Artefacto, Marisol Pinto, Steven G. Landscape architecture: Enzo Enea Furnishings: Armani/Casa, Armani/Dada, Armani/Roca Art/Sculptures: Curated by Sandro Chia and Sinisa Kukec Author: Francesca Gugliotta Photo credits: Federica Bottoli
of each project “there is always a great deal of research, and the location and context are the main factors taken into account in order to intervene in the most respectful and consistent way possible, while maintaining the brand identity”. In this case, “Miami’s light and colours played a key role, as did the Art Deco style, part of the city’s cultural tradition. Many curved lines were added, both in 136 | IFDM
the configuration of the rooms and in the furnishings. Soft lines and pure geometry connect all the spaces in a fluid and harmonious way”. Rounded parts often recur, as Mr Armani says, “and the curved volumes, alternating with purer and clearer geometries, are the elements that reappear most often. These create a common thread that unites the various rooms and the furniture that is
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Miami
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specially designed for the project. There is also the presence of coated linens and precious lacquers, an example of Italian craftsmanship and expertise, reminiscent of the sophisticated materials of Art Deco. And then the shagreen texture, typical of the period, re-imagined in a contemporary style, as well as the decorative metal details, which create flashes of light and mark out the volumes of the furnishings, such as the large sofa in the lounge, and the wall coverings”. Residence by Armani/ Casa is a partnership between the Armani/Casa Interior Design Studio, Dezer Development and The Related Group. “The building features private high-speed elevator access to most residences, expansive private balconies and summer kitchens in every home, an Armani Private Lounge, fine dining restaurant, cigar room, wine cellar, heated swimming pool, ocean-facing fitness center, two-story spa with indoor and outdoor treatment rooms, movie theater and clubroom, exclusive beach amenities on a 300-foot stretch of private shore”, 138 | IFDM
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Miami
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explains Gil Dezer, President of Dezer Development. “We love to join forces with like-minded brands and create exclusivity versus anything mainstream. Armani is a good example of this, as they’re a global brand with a specific, timeless style that does not go out of style and cannot be
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replicated. Partnering with them as a developer means that Residences by Armani/Casa will inevitably attract a buyer who is fashionable, luxurious and sophisticated, much like the Armani brand. The collaborations elicit creativity at its finest, and are a win/win for all”.
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HOTEL
Tokyo
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
HOTEL
Tokyo
Socializing Convenience Whether you choose to stay in a Hotel or in a House, at the Trunk in Tokyo what counts is the holistic approach. The strict tenet of its founder, Yoshitaka Nojiri
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n Trunk’s ‘good policy’ as a forerunner of a new generation of Japanese design hotels, the concept of ‘socializing’ covers a set of noble values. They are all based on making a substantial social contribution through lifestyle. The various aspects – solidarity, participation, awareness – spread through the 5 focus points, which become a sort of mantra: environment, providing products based on the concept of the 3 R-words of environmental sustainability, ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’;
territorial identity, to increase glocal consumption; diversity, supporting social welfare through inclusion; health, with research on healthy ingredients, locally sourced; culture, promoting all the typical and unique features of a zone, a city, a country. For all this, and for its innovative design, Trunk has been honored as the ‘New Concept of the Year’ by AHEAD Asia, an award for hospitality, experience and design. Founded by Yoshitaka Nojiri, the first Trunk(Hotel) came to be in Tokyo, in the district
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HOTEL
Tokyo
Owner, Developer & Hotel operator: Trunk Main Contractor: Tokyu Construction Architecture: Mount Fuji Architects Studio Interior design: Jamo Associates, Line-inc, Torafu Architects Lighting design: Daiko Electric Landscape design: Buzz Furnishings: Complex Universal Furniture Supply, Tokyo Cork Project, Trunk Lighting: New Light Pottery Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Chiaki Hirano, Tomooki Kengaku, Taro Mizutani, Tom Sachs
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HOTEL
Tokyo
of Shibuya, thanks to a project by Mount Fuji Architects together with Jamo Associates. “A piece of Tokyo” is what Nojiri wants to give his guests, offering a tailor-made experience to enjoy the spirit of the city. After a short time, Trunk(House) was added, in a historic former geisha house in the Kagurazaka neighborhood, taken ‘into the care’ of a respectful renovation project by the Trunk design team with the studio Tripster. Over the next seven years, 10 more facilities have been programmed, all in Tokyo. But this expansion should not be misleading, because every element aims at quality above quantity. The Hotel has just 15 rooms, all different thanks to a game of alcoves and modern design that draws on the tradition, where wood is the main material, alongside furnishings with fine details, created by local artisans. The lounge is the direct interface with guests, welcomed as into a community with a fluid space, open to workshops and events. The store with Trunk merchandise, designed by Torafu Architects (Koichi Suzuno and Shinya Kamuro), is an informal place for random encounters, where people feel at ease thanks to eco-friendly materials and furnishings based on availability at the time of installation. IFDM | 145
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Trunk(house), on the other hand, has been conceived as a ‘Tokyo salon,’ a space where artists and scholars can gather for discussions. It is an almost bare ‘sanctuary’ of peace and pure forms, with a bedroom featuring works of contemporary art, custom furnishings by the designer Stephen Kenn, and pieces by Jean Prouvé and Serge Mouille. In keeping with the tradition, there are also: a room for the tea ceremony, with tatami mats and a table by the Eameses, a Cigar Lotus floor lamp by George Nelson and origami by Chiaki Hirano; a mini-garden designed by the landscape architect Oryza; the bathroom area for personal care, in which to relax in a Japanese cypress tub scented by resin, surrounded by Shunga and Ukiyo-e printed ceramics by the artist Masumi Ishikawa.
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HOTEL
Tokyo
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OFFICE
Paris
The metamorphosis of spaces As in a living organism, Atelier(s) Alfonso Femia has designed the interiors of the headquarters of La Poste in Paris, differentiating spaces according to functions, starting with the architecture of the building as a backbone
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he spaces of the postal facility in Paris at Issy-les-Moulineaux can be compared to organs that have a precise purpose, taking part in a flow and cooperating with others for the ideal functioning of the body. ‘Espaces de convivialité,’ the ‘bulles’ – offices and meeting rooms – are just some of the spaces that narrate the way of living and working of the employees. The building, designed for Bouygues by Christian de Portzamparc, is organized with a system of closed and 148 | IFDM
open courtyards that have permitted the arrangement of the spaces along a backbone, inserting the collective spaces of relation and interchange with the outside world in the volumes between the courtyards, while concentrating the open or individual offices along the perimeter wings. Starting with the offices: 10% are single units, followed by shared offices and lounges ranging from 60 to 90 square meters in size, with spaces like true transparent bubbles positioned between the
Owner: Poste Immo Architecture: Christian de Portzamparc Interior design: AFA Architectes; Atelier(s) Alfonso Femia Landscape design: Atelier 2 Portzamparc Furnishings: Lazer Agencement, Merotto Milani / Atanor Kitchens: Lazer Agencement Lighting: iGuzzini, Castaldi Lighting Floors: Casalgrande Padana (restaurant) Author: Francisco Marea Photo credits: Luc Boegly
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OFFICE
Paris
offices, meeting rooms and support zones, such as a storeroom and printing-mail facilities. The convivial spaces at the core of each level are areas for waiting, information, coffee breaks or meals, where it is possible to converse and socialize. Each one develops a theme agreed upon with the postal service and its workers (sport, nature, culture, travel). The ‘bubbles’ allow two or three people to meet for more confidential situations, or can be used for phone calls and exchanges between managers and members of their teams. The meeting rooms on each level can contain from 6 to 20 persons, with simple, rapid technological connections. The offices alternate individual and shared units, leaving the organization up to the management of each department.
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Abundant use of natural light, a color palette dominated by the white tone of the walls, neutral hues with vivid chromatic touches and natural materials like wood create the right conditions of comfort for the staff. The corporate restaurant, cafĂŠ and counter have been designed to measure, creating peaceful zones for consumption of meals, enjoying a break as in a real restaurant. Where the furnishings are concerned, the architect has designed a series of tables in wood and marble, a system of wood-glass partitions, several suspended ceilings with recycled and charred wood slats, ceramic facings and a special technical lighting system.
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OFFICE
Paris
Fribourg, SCOTT Sports HEADQUARTER
KOBI COLLECTION designed by Patrick Norguet
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RESIDENCES
Barcelona
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
RESIDENCES
Barcelona
Rediscovered splendor Already a winner of many honors, Casa Burés is a gem of Catalan Modernism. The interior design by Estudio Vilablanch and TDB Arquitectura has created 26 exclusive residences with high-quality shared areas, combining the philological restoration of historical settings with contemporary décor solutions
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rivilege, in this case, goes far beyond appearances. To live in one of the flats of Casa Burés is an experience that forces you to examine the details, the virtues one never tires of discovering inside an expansive whole that propagates a language that at the start of the 1900s absorbed expressive trends inspired by the forms of nature, traditional materials and
techniques, along the paths suggested by the Arts & Crafts movement of William Morris. Francesc Berenguer i Mestres designed the structure and the decorative order of this six-story corner building whose length occupies nearly half of a block near Passeig de Gràcia, protected as heritage since 1979. A team coordinated by Estudio Vilablanch and TDB Arquitectura has worked
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on the interior design, based on a precious, indispensable premise: to recover and enhance all the original decorative parts, and to adapt the 26 new residential units – apartments and lofts – to current regulatory and functional standards, also in terms of layout, technology, security, safety, accessibility and comfort. The architects have developed three concepts, combining the intrinsic elegance of each space with the advantages of modern architecture, such as light, space and fine materials, an impeccable selection of furnishings with clean, contemporary forms, and a lighting design that features the most iconic pieces by Serge Mouille, Moooi, Oluce, Davide Groppi, Vibia and Flos. The new colors, finishes and facings avoid ‘competing’ with the context, taking part in a refined game of juxtapositions. On the ground floor, where the former owner Burés – a representative of the textile industry at the time – had set up his office and warehouses, today there are three large lofts paced by the 154 | IFDM
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Barcelona
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RESIDENCES
Barcelona
original cast iron columns from the start of the 1900s, exposed brick walls, kitchens and furnishings that reinforce the industrial character. The semi-basement is for the communal areas: a swimming pool, a spa, a gymnasium, a wine cellar, a terrace and spaces for social events. The piano nobile, with the most striking decorations, has been divided into two sumptuous apartments of 500 m² in which mosaics and inlays on the floors, multicolored windows, moldings, decorative elements in wood, frescoed walls and ceilings have all been carefully restored. The residences on the upper levels have been transformed into 16 apartments and 5 penthouses, uniting the evocative force of the historic spaces with pursuit of a parallel register that uses the color white and oak to enhanced design pieces and contemporary artworks carefully selected by the architects. It thus happens that in a living area, below gilded ceilings with stuccowork based on botanical motifs, we see a bulthaup kitchen, where the gray of its large module sets the chromatic tone for the CasaDesús sofa, near a square Bolia table, a table by Viccarbe and the larger black dining table by Hay, accompanied by the colonial touch of chairs from Norman Copenhagen.
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RESIDENCES
Barcelona
Developer: Bonavista Developments Interior design: Estudio Vilablanch, TDB Arquitectura Furnishings: Antonio Lupi, Bolia International, Bulthaup Barcelona, B&B Italia, CasaDesús, Cassina, Coblonal, De La Espada, Hay, Ivano Redaelli, Kave Home, Living Divani, Menu, Minim Arquitectura, Molteni&C, Normann Copenhagen, Norr11, One Collection, Poltrona Frau, Viccarbe, Zanotta Lighting: Davide Groppi, Flos, Moooi, Northern Lighting, Nuura, Oluce, Serge Mouille, Vibia, &Tradition Bathrooms: MAT by MINIM Artisans and professionals: Abac Conservació i Restauració, Ascensores Camprubí, Ebanistería Llorens, Jordi Pessarrodona, Max Rudgers, Rom-Aplic, Rudi Ranesi, Taller ProArtis Conservació Restauració, Taller Salvador Escrivá, Urcotex, Vitralls Bonet Art pieces: Marie France Veyrat Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Jordi Folch & Jose Hevia
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HOTEL
London
The Stratford: the Danish touch in London Situated in East London, the hotel is in a spectacular double-cantilevered 42-storey building, with 145 guestrooms and suites curated by the Danish design studio Space Copenhagen
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spectacular double-cantilevered 42-storey building, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and situated in the upcoming cultural hub of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, East London. This is The Stratford, the new hotel destination with interiors, bespoke furniture and accessories curated by the Danish design studio Space Copenhagen. “The Stratford project was introduced to us by Harry Handelsman (CEO of Manhattan Loft Corporation, de158 | IFDM
veloper and hotel operator, ndr), with a term that he named “Vertical Living”, as in contrast to the notion of the horizontal cityscape of the classic European city”, says the architects Signe Bindslev Henriksen and Peter Bundgaard Rützou, founders of Space Copenhagen. “A building that aspires an enfold of the social typologies of the “village”, with all the important components, dwelling, socializing, working, entertaining”. Occupying the first seven stories of the building with 145 guestrooms
Developer & Hotel operator: Manhattan Loft Corporation Architecture: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Interior design: Space Copenhagen Garden Landscapers: Randle Siddeley Furnishings: Benchmark, Fredericia, Gubi, Mater, Stellar Works Lighting: Loafer, &tradition Author: Francesca Gugliotta Photo credits: Ed Reeves, Rich Stapleton, Joachim Wichmann
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HOTEL
London
and suites, The Stratford combines timeless glamour, hospitality and design in all the areas, as the lobby, guestrooms, mezzanine, the ground floor Stratford Brasserie and the 7th floor restaurant Allegra. “We wanted the space to feel embracing and welcoming. The architectural focal point of the expansive ground floor lobby and brasserie is a large fireplace anchoring the triple height space. Gently textured plastered walls, a balmy color palette of rose and blue, natural oak in earthy tones, warm metals and natural stone framed by a polished and dark pigmented concrete floor, serve to softly contrast the strong modern structure of the tower itself, creating a timelessly elegant and relaxed atmosphere for guests to dwell effortlessly, their needs met whether in transition, active or resting, social or private”. The guestrooms are like a sanctuary of calm: “Private and intimate, comfortable and well-balanced, with floor-to-ceiling
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windows allowing generous light, natural woods in different hues, warm metals and softly curved upholstered shapes. Stone-clad bathrooms with a serene ambience, heated floors, separate bathtubs and sculpted vanity mirrors offer supreme comfort. In all of the rooms we have designed vanities and vanity mirrors, beds, bedside tables and desks, and we have also included other furniture pieces from Gubi, Stellar Works and Benchmark”. The 7th floor hosts the restaurant Allegra: “With the restaurant imagined as the sheltered orangerie in a spectacular verdant garden, the beauty and allure of the luscious green take center stage. Tones are fresh, with upholstered seating, light woods and patinated metals balanced by soft green tones, broken warm greys and natural stone flooring”. The big challenge was “establishing community in a place with a fragmented or not-yet-developed sense of belonging, in an area where everything is new or on the drawing board and likely will be for years to come”. The architects have achieved this fully through their approach called “Poetic Modernism”: “We are per definition modern human beings, living in a world which moves faster and faster. But we also believe that certain human conditions and needs evolve incredibly slowly. So not to feel increasingly alienated, we seek and need engagement, poetry, beauty, belonging, recognition, authenticity, safety and comfort”. 160 | IFDM
HOTEL
London
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HOTEL
London
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HOTEL
London
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MUSEUM
The engaging complications of a living museum Designed by BIG and implemented by the Swiss architecture firm CCHE, the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet pays homage to the mastery and ingenuity of the historic brand of luxury watches, unrolling like a spring in the landscape context of Vallée de Joux
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uminous woods and clear skies. A peaceful landscape, that of Le Brassus, a secluded town in a high valley of the Swiss Jura that has made fine watchmaking a national calling card. This pristine and endlessly cyclical natural setting becomes the source of inspira-
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tion for the development of the Audemars Piguet timepieces. The historic brand, with its constant research on the combination of craftsmanship and technique, for which reissues are “remasters” and the avant-garde never fails to become iconic, has recently gained a new pavilion designed by
Le Brassus, Switzerland
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MUSEUM
Le Brassus, Switzerland
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the firm Bjarke Ingels Group and implemented by the Swiss architects of the studio CCHE. A masterpiece of engineering and design, MusÊe Atelier Audemars Piguet stands next to the oldest building of the complex, bringing together the museum, the traditional production workshops and the archives in a spiraling glass structure of 2500 square meters, placed to follow the shape of the terrain, unwinding in a continuous, intuitive sequence of linear spaces. Curved glass supports the steel roof, while a brass grille runs along the outer surface to regulate light and temperature. The latter is also mediated by the roof covered with a real green meadow, created to absorb rainwater while offering an original pedestrian pathway that departs from the historic headquarters of the company to descend clockwise, then ascending in the opposite direction. This feature, ça va sans dire, is occasionally covered with snow, due to the meteorological identity of the location. The design is associated with values of thematic,
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MUSEUM
Le Brassus, Switzerland
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
MUSEUM
Le Brassus, Switzerland
figurative and symbolic identity. The architects have imagined the museum as the metaphorical extension of a clock “that stores and releases its energy”: the walls converge clockwise to channel visitors towards the building as if they were walking through the spring of a timepiece. The German Atelier Brückner has created an itinerary that starts with the historical building and proceed into the heart of the spiral. “The museum is almost like an open work. Nothing is hidden, all the elements that you see are performing and part of the narrative.” The exhibit design is like a musical score, marked by technological “interludes” – robots, kinetic installations, mechanical sculptures, introduced by a work by François Junod – and interactive moments, including two workshops, Grandes Complications and Métiers d`Art, conducted by the craftsmen of Audemars Piguet. Over 300 watches are on view, including the most complicated of all: the Universelle, a pocket watch, from 1899. Presented in a glass sphere surrounded by other gravitating models, for which the front and back parts are displayed as equally precious, in the heart of the spiral. In short, like a solar system with planets that rotate around the sun in their orbits. Owner: Audemars Piguet Architectural design: BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group, CCHE Architecture et Design Interior, exhibition design: Atelier Brückner Lighting: Flos, Gubi, iGuzzini, Zumtobel Lighting Floor and Wall Tiles: Moll, Mutina Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Karin Creuzet, Diode, Iwan Baan, courtesy of Audemars Piguet, courtesy of BIG
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The roar of elegance Luxury glows in the delicate atmospheres of the 5-star Maison Albar Hotels Le Vendome. The project by Fabien Roque references the identities and events that have shaped the history of a legendary site
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secluded location, beautiful and rare, is hidden behind the surprising 19th-century façade designed by Claude David, together with the golden flashes of a glorious past, that of cabarets and cafés-chantants, to which Fabien Roque links back in the sober, elegant interior design. From what was once the home of the Lyon d’Or, the famous Parisian brasserie that was a gathering place for artists and intellectuals, the discreet Maison salvages the feline symbolism and silhouette of the golden lion to pay homage to the spirit of a legendary place, inserted in an intimate atmosphere decorated in gold and green, brass and velvet, which fine white Italian marble. Located on Rue du Helder, close to Opéra Garnier and not far from Place Vendôme, Maison Albar Hotels Le Vendome offers 51 rooms, including 4 luxurious suites with impressive windows looking towards the internal patio or the Opéra, many lounge areas with bars and restaurants facing the garden, a spa created by Carita Paris, an indoor swimming pool and a fitness center. On the ground floor, in the heart of the structure in which the architects of Atelier Cos have worked, we find an exclusive, lush patio, far from the noise of the city, a place to chill out and also to eat meals. An alternative to the trés chic space of the restaurant with its blue velvet armchairs, still with a view of the patio. 168 | IFDM
HOTEL
Paris
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
HOTEL
Paris
Owner & Hotel operator: Maison Albar Hotels Architecture: Didier Beautemps and Valeria Sanchez Rodriguez (Atelier Cos) Interior design: Fabien Roque (Roque Intérieurs) Furnishings & Lighting: on design by Roque Intérieurs Bathrooms: Grohe Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: K pictures Stefan Kraus
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The large windows, in fact, offer uninterrupted visuals of the terrace, flooding the entire access level with natural light. The luminosity is accentuated by other decorative choices of Fabien Roque: from the minimalist clarity of the marble to the warmth of brass, from metallic coatings to the bright details of works commissioned to the painter Marc Dannaud, whose material substance, featuring gold leaf, metaphorically brings back to life the “vanished lion” from the entrance to the rooms. The interiors of the guestrooms and suites keep faith in a constant dialogue between past and present, sumptuous elegance and lightness, the impression of a bygone era that is translated into practical features and contemporary comfort. Every single detail is brilliant and delicate. White marble is everywhere, as the absolute protagonist in the bathrooms, alongside wood floors, green velvet, the gilding that runs along the luxurious rounded custom furnishings, as well as the lamps by Roque Intérieurs.
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HOTEL
Paris
NEW CLASSIC INTERIORS
FACTORY via Milano 39 SHOWROOM via Turati 4 22060 - CABIATE (CO) - ITALY ph. +39 031 7692811 www.angelocappellini.com
Interior LA BELLE VIE
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
HOTEL
Kyoto
Between arts and crafts The first facility of the American hotel chain Ace Hotel in Japan. Ace Hotel Kyoto absorbs the charm of an age-old culture, honing a concept of luxury that celebrates the meeting of East and West through art and local crafts
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t Ace Hotel Kyoto the finely crafted details establish an aesthetic dialogue between American and Japanese design, with the oriental essence of native forms, combining traditional styling with occidental accents. Designed by Kengo Kuma in collaboration with the American studio Commune Design, the hotel is a tribute to the vernacular architecture of the city, in the conversion of a rare modernist building in red brick created by the architect Tetsuro
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Yoshida in 1926, once the headquarters of the Kyoto Central Telephone Company. The outer facades reference the typical machiya house-shops in wood – of which a few specimens still survive in the area – that for centuries set the architectural tone of Kyoto. Kuma’s project adds a new volume, adapting the historic structure with a system of wooden grilles, openings and screens to delicately filter natural light and ventilation. The same model is behind the courtyard with the front garden,
Owner: ACE Hotel Group Architectural design: Kengo Kuma & Associates Interior design: Commune Design Furnishings: Beams, Hender Scheme and Traveler’s Company, Isetan, Kagoshima, Kenzo Minami, Minä Perhonen, Porter, Shigaraki, Takahiro Miyashita of Number (N)ine Lighting: Vitra Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Kobayashi Kenji Photograph Office, Yoshihiro Makino
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
HOTEL
Kyoto
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HOTEL
Kyoto
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
HOTEL
Kyoto
created to encourage interaction with the local community, becoming what the Japanese architect calls a “cultural catalyst� to bring together hotel services, an art gallery and a space for events. The cultural vivacity contaminates the internal spaces, thanks to the contributions of Japanese and Western artists and designers like Isamu Noguchi, Ruth Asawa and George Nakashima, Charlotte Perriand and JB Blunk. At the same time, the true counterpoint to the aesthetic restraint, diluted in natural materials and the pale tones of the furnishings in the public areas and the 123 rooms, comes above all from the optimism and graphic purity of the legendary Samiro Yunoki, the almost century-old creator of the hotel’s logo as well. His abundant imagery is reproduced on the Noren curtains and the prints scattered as one-offs that combine ancestral expertise with a modern vision, ready to ignite forms and patterns of bright colors, with certain leanings towards the very western Fauve movement.
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The references to local crafts and woodworking continue in the lobby, the cafe and the three restaurants, in a lively call and response involving a series of original artifacts: from fabrics by Shobu Gakuen, who foster the talent of disabled artists, to neon artworks by Nobuhiko Kitamur. In the rooms, the neutral tones of Tamo ash, oak and bamboo interact with decorative graphics in panels of blue checks, in the works of the abovementioned Yunoki, and the textile motifs of the brand Minä Perhonen by Akira Minagawa. These are joined by colored furnishings inspired by mid-century design – including the most iconic futons in the Tatami Suite and the Akari rice paper lamps of Noguchi – as well as musical nostalgia, gathering Tivoli radios, TEAC turntables and Gibson guitars. Completely clad in wood, the bathrooms convey retro atmospheres, featuring the typical Japanese tubs.
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HOTEL
Kyoto
Palo Alto walk-in closet _ ph. Michele Poli _ MisuraEmmeÂŽ studio_ misuraemme.it
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
RESORT
Stellenbosch, South Africa
African-ness Seduced by the magic of the Cape Winelands in South Africa, English jeweler Laurence Graff has created the Delaire Graff Estate: a reference point for wine, art and hospitality, a place to ‘taste’ the energy of the continent thanks to a project by DHK Architects and David Collins Studio
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t should come as no surprise that the English jeweler and art collector Laurence Graff was dazzled by the powerful landscape of the Stellenbosch valley in South Africa. The vineyards at the top of the Helshoogte Pass are surrounded by oaks and strelitzia, bordered by the Simonsberg mountain, which lights up at sunset every evening. And it was inevitable that Graff wanted to commemorate this relationship through a structure devoted to its enjoyment, day after day. The result is Delaire Graff Estate, a complex first composed of a winery, a wine shop and restaurant, then completed in 2019 with a resort that also offers 16 exclusive lodges, the owner’s villa – available for rent – two restaurants, a spa and a luxury boutique. The objective: to become the leading destination for lovers of wine, hospitality and art in South Africa. A project designed by the South African architecture firm DHK Architects, for the structural part, and David Collins Studio for the interiors, never losing sight of the connection with the surroundings, the culture of the land and above all the works of art selected personally by Graff. The style of DHK Architects contains echoes of Dutch colonial vernacular architecture, blended with contemporary details and immersed in a landscape garden created by the South African horticulturist Keith Kirsten, welcoming a collection of sculptures by the South African
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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
RESORT
Stellenbosch, South Africa
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artists Dylan Lewis and Deborah Bell. Outdoor and indoor zones establish an intense dialogue in keeping with the spirit of the place. The approach of David Collins Studio gathers many references to the past, selected with care – the obsession with details, crafts and refinement are earmarks of the work of the London-based firm – reinterpreted with a new vantage point on tradition. In the winery the floor is a contemporary interpretation of traditional South African flooring, originally made by mixing peach pits and animal dung, which has now been replaced by resin. The backs of a series of custom chairs designed by David Collins Studio take their cue from a local technique that uses thin crossed leather strips, applied here with vertical threading in a minimalist version. The staircase to the loft in the wine room, located alongside the tasting counter, imitates the tradi-
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RESORT
tional ones that led to the upper levels in cabins. The custom furnishings on the restaurant terrace echo the decorations of Victorian railings, known as ‘broekie lace,’ and native influences can also be seen inside in the thin stucco finish, while a series of benches in orange leather designed by the studio and made by Pierre Cronje wind through the space, suggesting the image of Songololo giant centipedes. The six Superior Lodges feature tribal drum stools in dark leather and wood, while in the owner’s villa, with four bedrooms on two levels, every square meter – 660 in all – is about art: not just due to the works on display, but also due to the forcefully sculptural furnishings. Like the consoles and wall lamps in forest wood, resembling tribal shields; the double wooden doors finished in bronze that separate the living spaces from the dining room; the chandeliers in white
Stellenbosch, South Africa
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
RESORT
Stellenbosch, South Africa
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plaster commissioned by David Collins to Alexander Loge, decorating the dizzying ceiling in oak; the iconic sofa by Vladimir Kagan covered in burnt orange and accompanied by armchairs in ivory bouclé; the black stoneware tables made to measure by the artist Atang Tshikare. Everything culminates in the double suite, dominated by a custom bed covered in handwoven ombré fabric, with barrel chairs by Vladimir Kagan. Both the pieces designed for the occasion by David Collins Studio and those selected from other sources provide vibrant ‘brushstrokes’ dictated by the energy of the continent, expressed in soft, warm tones, mixing African antiques with European contemporary pieces by the likes of Jean-Michel Frank, Christian Liaigre and Vladimir Kagan. Everything exists in perfect harmony with natural, raw materials, the walls faced in stone, the thatched roofs and ceilings in 200-year-old French oak, ready to reveal peerless views of the vineyards and the mountainous landscape of the estate, while the natural light enhances spaces and objects.
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RESORT
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Owner: Laurence Graff Hotel operator: The Delaire Graff Estate Architecture: DHK Architects Interior design & Lighting: David Collins Studio Lighting design: Isometrix Landscape design: Keith Kirsten Furnishings: designed by David Collins Studio, Jean-Michel Frank, Christian Liaigre, Vladimir Kagan Lighting: David Collins Studio Bathrooms: Dornbracht Fabrics: Multiple Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Riehan Bakkes, Dookphoto, Etched Space, Mickey Hole, courtesy Delaire Graff Estates
WONDER. XI’AN, CHINA | SUNAC • GRAND MILESTONE MODERN ART CENTER | CCD/CHENG CHUNG DESIGN In the ancient capital, the Art Center appears like a large floating crystal “gift box”, a modern and stylish gesture. The architects broke the boundaries among the building, the landscape and the interiors,
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Š Qilin Zhang, courtesy of CCD
injected purity and tension into the large spatial volume, and created an experiential space that combines futuristic, contemporary and artistic features.
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WONDER. BEIJING, CHINA | BEIJING ZHONGSHUGE LAFAYETTE STORE | X+LIVING
© Wu Qingshan
The store is a dialogue window between classical art and contemporary fashion. The psychological impact of space rotation brings the readers into the cave of the Peach Garden to experience a terrific journey.
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WONDER. RAVENNA, ITALY | ROSETTI SUPERYACHTS SHIPYARD | HYDRO TEC © Marta Rovatti Studihrad - Courtesy of Rosetti Superyachts
Work on RSY 38m EXP is progressing on schedule for delivery to her European owner next year with all the steel and aluminium work finished, 95% of the welding, 70% of the piping, 30% of the electrics, 15% of the joinery.
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Business Concierge An innovative service for architecture studios, interior designers, general contractors, designers, buyers, developers and companies. Thanks to our experience and competence in the Projects & Hospitality interiors sector, our global contacts and our presence on the ground in strategic markets, is able to offer a Business Concierge service targeted at professionals wishing to become part of the network and gain access to business opportunities. We can provide services including target market identification, consultancy, meeting organisation and B2B presentations, with the aim of instilling mutually beneficial relationships capable of satisfying business objectives. concierge@ifdm.it | ph. +39 0362 551455
Monitor
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MONITOR
NEW YORK | SOHO TOWNHOUSE | POLIFORM
In the heart of Soho, the studio Joseph Vance Architects has done the refurbishing of a typical New York building, transforming the former workshops of the master artist-craftsmen Philip and Kelvin LaVerne into a private residence equipped with all the most coveted functions: indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a terrace with a green meadow, a gym, a wellness center, a home theater and a wine cellar. The interiors combine the charm of an industrial loft with an aesthetically balanced and functional domestic landscape, bringing out the clarity of the new spaces and welcoming an elegant mixture of the Poliform collections, in a context of familiarity and convivial enjoyment, open to a more exclusive social milieu. The Townhouse, with an area of over 1000 square meters, was like a big ‘white canvas’ ready for personalization, where the Brianza-based company has intervened with a wide variety of furnishings and complements, producing a strong but discreet identity. Photo © Federica Carlet
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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
MONITOR
PARIS | HOTEL LUTETIA | POLTRONA FRAU
After four years of renovation by architect JeanMichel Wilmotte, the Hotel Lutetia, the famous and only grand hotel of the Rive Gauche, now boasts its incomparable atmosphere in the heart of Paris. Poltrona Frau Contract supplied loose items for all the rooms: Pelle Frau® desk chairs with solid walnut painted in eucalyptus; large armchairs and cannage armchairs and all the méridiennes covered in fabric. The sofas have also been customised with different precious fabrics for each suite. Each armchair has a custom design with an inner shell covered in fine fabric and an outer leather shell with contrast stitching and maxi cushions. The custommade furniture manufactured by Poltrona Frau was designed by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte and his design studio, Wilmotte & Industries. In addition, Poltrona Frau icons (eight Chester by Renzo Frau and 10 Dezzas by Gio Ponti) are in the front of the house representing the devotion to quality materials, expert craftsmanship and comfort. Photo © courtesy of Hotel Lutetia
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MONACO, MONTE CARLO | PRIVATE RESIDENCE | RES
The project by Matteo Piras for this completely renovated home in a residential building from the 1970s is based on the materials and colors of nature, reinterpreted in a contemporary way, with extreme attention to detail. A range of 4 hues with different textures clads all the surfaces in the luminous, interconnected spaces of the apartment. The Doga paneling in Canaletto walnut has been utilized in the spaces of passage and the bedrooms. In the living area the paneling also features suspended elements covered in very rare Emperador Grey marble. Sliding doors in aluminium and stop-sol glass offer access to the kitchen, while the bathroom furnishings in Canaletto walnut finish are custom items made to measure. Photo Š Anna Positano
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MONITOR
MONITOR
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
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LOS ANGELES | PRIVATE RESIDENCE | MINOTTI
A very prestigious home of over 2700 square meters in Bel Air, created by California-based Paul McClean. Three levels, large terraces, grassy zones, an infinity pool on the ground floor that cascades down towards the garden, fitness center, a theater, a bar, lounge areas and a garage for ten cars. The house has a contemporary personality thanks to the furnishings by Minotti. From the very central Lou table by Christophe Delcourt to the Lawrence seating system that forms a true oasis of relaxation in the expansive main living area. Here the Jacques ottomans and the Benson table stand out next to a three-seat Jacques sofa and some Aston chairs, the Caulfield Gold table and a comfortable Lawrence Clan pouf. All the selected indoor solutions, seats and complements have been designed by Rodolfo Dordoni. A sequence of dining and lounge areas spreads through the ample outdoor zones, enhanced by a configuration of the Florida seating system next to the Halley Outdoor chair and a pair of Colette Outdoor chairs wrapped in a live Verde Khaki weave. Photo Š Simon Berlyn
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MONITOR
MONITOR
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND LE BELLEVUE | PEDRALI
The gem of Glion Institute, Le Bellevue restaurant in Montreux takes its name from the iconic hotel originally located in the 19th-century building, recently renovated by the architects Michel Gicquel and Natacha Froger. At a special position on Lake Geneva, the restaurant brings together contemporary details and design furnishings with the original paneling, conserving the warmth and elegance of the Belle Époque atmosphere. The view of the lake enters the space through a large window and is used as a backdrop, while the seating supplied by Pedrali adds allure to the spaces with soft, sinuous forms. In particular, the dining room features the chairs of the Ester collection designed by Patrick Jouin, while the stools of the same family are a key dÊcor factor in the bar.
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MONITOR VALENCIA | CASA EN LA CAÑADA TALENTI
A house that is closed, protected from the outside, but also open and fluid towards the garden; a prevalently horizontal dimension underlined by the contrast between the materials and by the large white roof in fair-face concrete that continues as far as the garden, where it ends with a big overhang on the veranda bordering the pool area. Known as Casa en La Cañada, it was designed by Ramon Esteve. The interiors feature lacquered surfaces, smoked glass and a concrete floor, while the outdoor spaces contain the chairs of the Cottage collection designed by Esteve himself for the brand Talenti, setting a rustic tone reinterpreted through the formal synthesis of contemporary furnishings. The seats have an ample base and tall backs, and are made with materials like aluminium or synthetic strips that blend harmoniously with more traditional substances such as rope. Photo © Mariela Apollonio
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MONITOR
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
DUBAI | MAREA | FLEXFORM
The famous Marea restaurant in New York, with two Michelin stars, helmed by chef Michael White, has recently opened a branch in Dubai, an exclusive space for lovers of tasty seafood and glamorous venues. The intimate, elegant interiors are by the designer Viktor Udzenija, considered one of the most refined creators of interiors in the Middle East. He has produced a space of contemporary allure, with soft lighting skillfully deployed to enhance every corner, using fine materials like various stones to clad the walls, precious surfaces that also extend to the impressive bar counters. The bar area features sartorial details and furnishings Made in Italy, like the Morgan stools designed by Antonio Citterio for Flexform. IFDM | 199
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MONITOR
PIRNA, GERMANY | HOTEL LAURICHHOF | WALL&DECĂ’
Located in the Elbe Valley, where the river flows at the foot of sandstone mountains: Pirna is the most beautiful medieval village in Saxony. This is the location of Hotel Laurichhof, based on the dreamy imagination of the owners, Annette Katrin Seidel and her son Franz Philip. The hotel has 27 suites with interiors by SeidelStudios, each one different from the others, from a Pop Art room to one with a jungle theme, a Palazzo de Medici Renaissance suite to a room featuring Danish minimalism. The interiors are enhanced by Wall&Decò wallpapers created by designers and artists like Eva Germani, Gio Pagani, Lorenzo De Grandi and Debonademeo: for the bathrooms, the choice has gone to coverings printed on the Wet System surface, totally waterproof and ideal for situations of contact with water. The guestrooms feature CWC wallpapers for interiors.
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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
HONG KONG | ST. REGIS HOTEL | JANUS ET CIE
The St. Regis Hong Kong is located in a sparkling 27-story tower on the Wan Chai waterfront. The hotel has been designed by AndrÊ Fu, who has skillfully combined oriental tradition, American history and personalized services. The language of luxury is spoken in every space, starting with the sensational, opulent hall and the public area that includes the Great Room, the Drawing Room, the Terrace and the St. Regis Bar. The outdoor zones embrace the poetic qualities of the authentic Japanese garden, and feature the Rock Garden collection of furnishings designed by Fu himself in collaboration with Janus et Cie. Chairs and lounge chairs in teak, tables in tones of pale gray and texturized Alabama ceramic, for a refined and richly structured look. Photo Š Michael Weber Photography
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SAINT-BARTH ISLE | BARTHÉLEMY HOTEL & SPA | ETHIMO
The Barthélemy Hotel & Spa on the island of Saint Barth, one of the most exclusive Caribbean destinations, can be seen as a true ‘private paradise’ in which to have an experience that is first of all sensorial in nature. Precisely due to its position – in flourishing vegetation that descends gently to the very white sandy beach and crystalline water – the outdoor spaces have also been customized, contributing to the overall value of the project, enhanced in terms of comfort and design by the furnishings supplied by Ethimo. The Knit lounge and dining collection designed by Patrick Norguet; the Sand cots and Petit Club tables by Ethimo Design Studio; and the Esedra lounge collection by Luca Nichetto: these are the solutions, differing in forms and materials, chosen for the areas by the pool, the beach, the restaurant and the lounge zones. Photo © Laurent Benoit
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MONITOR
MONITOR
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
HOUSTON | GIORGETTI HOUSTON | GIORGETTI
After four years of construction, the first completely branded real estate project by Giorgetti has been completed. Giorgetti Houston is the result of collaboration with Mirador, a Texas-based firm specializing in architecture and interior design, Douglas Elliman Texas, one of the leading brokers on the US real estate market, and Stolz&Partners, developers. The external architecture, overlooking the Upper Kirby District of Houston, stands out for its clean lines, basic geometry and games of light and shadow emphasized by the large glazings. In perfect dialogue with this setting, the interior design choices also reveal a vocation for minimal elegance. The 32 turnkey units are spread over seven levels with personalized layout, finishes and dÊcor solutions, selected from the Giorgetti collections from the kitchens to the living and bedroom areas: the Drive sofa by Carlo Colombo and the Rea bed by Chi Wing Lo, the Diana chair by Carlo Colombo, the Corium and Frame chests of drawers, the Erasmo desk by Massimo Scolari, all the way to the iconic Move chair by Rossella Pugliatti. Large terraces complete the domestic landscape. Here the latest open-air collections by Giorgetti create a stylistic continuum with the indoor spaces: Gea (design Chi Wing Lo) and the Aspara modular seating line Aspara (designed by Ludovica + Roberto Palomba). Photo Š Divya Pande
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MONITOR CHICAGO | HOTEL ZACHARY | BROSS
To live in Shoreditch, the vibrant creative district of London, with the refined style and quality of furniture made in Italy: Lema UK decorates a show flat and provides all the custom wardrobes for The Makers, the new residential complex created with the developer Londonewcastle. Two buildings, one of which is a 28-story tower, for 175 residences, from studios to three-bedroom homes and duplexes, offering 42 different layout variations. The interiors are tailor-made and complete: Lema offers the new owners the possibility of choosing a specific furnishings package, availing themselves of the design services provided in the flagship store at King’s Road, Chelsea. “What makes the selection for The Makers so special,” says Angelo Meroni, president of Lema, “is that for the first time in London the Casa and Contract divisions have worked together to create a complete lifestyle project.” Photo © David Burk
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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
LAKE GARDA | BASTIONE LOUNGE&RESTAURANT PRATIC
Located on the viewpoint of Mount Rocchetta built at the foot of a military tower of the sixteenth century, the restaurant is characterized by a large terrace that opens onto the lake and the surrounding landscape. Here, three modules of bioclimatic Brera pergolas have been used to extend the indoor dining room to the outside with stylistic consistency, thus creating over forty new seats, perfectly sheltered and shaded. The wall-mounted structure is equipped with a covering with aluminum sunshade blades, which are adjustable up to 140 degrees and retractable in a small space for the best view. The style is polished and contemporary, dominated by geometrical lines, large windows and anthracite black frames that echo the warm tones of the earth. The project of the open air area, designed by the architecture firm Fontana&Lotti and the retailer Zamboni 1907, is part of a wider renovation of the premises, and it is accompanied by the creation of a special panoramic lift that leads from the city center to the restaurant. Photo Š Flavio Graffi
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LOCARNO | PRIVATE RESIDENCE | TM ITALIA
A contemporary turnkey apartment in Locarno, with sartorial solutions and flexible spaces designed to meet the needs of a private client. A custom project designed by Andrea Laudini and produced by TM Italia, a company with over 60 years of history, based in the hills of the Marches near Ascoli Piceno. Everything has been made to measure: interiors, kitchen, living and dining room furniture, the paneling in the corridor, the bedroom zone and services. There are many exceptional corners and details, including the kitchen facing the lake though a large metal frame, the open partitions and the bespoke table, the hanging cabinets equipped with backlighting and a built-in sound system, and the master bedroom with a bathroom faced in precious slabs of Taj Mahal stone. The wardrobe cabin has internal drawers, mirrors, LED lighting fixtures, clothing rods and push&pull doors. Photo Š Matteo Rossi
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MONITOR
MONITOR
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
SCHEVENINGEN, NETHERLANDS | CAR PARK | TERRATINTA GROUP
An unusual three-story parking facility – built in the Noordboulevard zone in Scheveningen to contain up to 700 cars – connects the commercial boulevard, the gardens of the residents and the Zeekant in a harmonious movement that transforms inside to create an unexpected theatrical effect. Bureau voor Stedebouw en Architectuur Wim de Bruijn BV, behind the design, has chosen to clad the walls with the seashells of the Artigiana collection of Sartoria, a brand that is part of the Terratinta Group, reproducing the shadings of the sky and sea in an enveloping screen that mixes white, cerulean and blue.
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ATHENS | FOUR SEASONS ASTIR PALACE, ARION LINEA LIGHT GROUP
A temple of wellness of the Four Seasons Astir Palace in Greece, the Arion is the ideal place to regenerate, thanks to the surrounding natural setting, the exclusive restaurants, the private beaches and the spa, whose philosophy is based on the teachings of Hippocrates. The technical lighting project has been done by the studio Lighting Design International, relying on the indoor and outdoor solutions of Linea Light Group to enhance the relaxing atmosphere of the facility. For the hall, the Turkish bath, the Finnish sauna and the swimming pool, the choice has gone to the flexibility of Rubber Side_Bend, the LED strip with uniform light emission, and the PU_C strip, with an adhesive circuit capable of accompanying the profiles of spaces. Besides the Orma uplight, the outside areas are equipped with the invisible Suelo Underwater and the Myia applique, which thanks to its triangular form adapts to the angular structures of the facades. Photo Š Gavriil Papadiotis
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MONITOR
MONITOR
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
AMSTERDAM | EMA OFFICES CERAMICHE REFIN
A new, prestigious office building of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has been built in Amsterdam, thanks to the collaboration between Dura Vermeer and Heijmans (Construction-Combination EMA). Besides containing 1300 work positions, the structure designed by the architect Fokke van Dijk of the Dutch Central Government Real Estate Agency, in collaboration with MVSA Architects and Fokkema & Partners, hosts hundreds of encounters each year with the participation of experts in the pharmaceutical sector. Ceramiche Refin contributes to the interior design with the Scié and Flammé facings from the Blue Emotion collection, based on the intense, dark tones of Pierre Bleue of Belgian origin. The various types of workmanship create surfaces with a soberly material image, without becoming aseptic and cold, conveying a perception of quality, cleanliness, strength and comfort. Photo © Corné Bastiaansen, Rob Acket
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MONITOR
GENOA, ITALY | JIN RESTAURANT ISOLSPACE, ISOLMANT
Even in the most exclusive design restaurants, one sometimes has a hard time conversing, due to the background noise, which can actually spoil the enjoyment of the meal. The Jin Restaurant in Genoa creates a harmonious environment, also in acoustic terms, thanks to the Isolspace and Isolmant sound-absorbing panels. In the restyling of the interiors carried out by the architect Maria Dalmira de Camargo Andrade, the acoustic solutions have made it possible to correct reverberation while personalizing the interiors at the same time: “The use of Isolspace Style panels and the IsolGypsum Telogomma Standard plasterboard by Isolmant,” the architect says, “in a space to be used as a restaurant has made it possible to create the right kind of refined, comfortable atmosphere, as required by the client to offer an unforgettable culinary adventure, without the stress usually caused by phenomena of reverberation.”
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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
MONITOR
NAPLES | URUBAMBA RESTAURANT | RIFLESSI
In the heart of the Chiaia neighbourhood in Naples, architect Mario Sorrentino signs a project with custommade furnishing by Riflessi: the Urubamba, a fusion restaurant conceived as a blue box rich in golden details recalling a Deco style, in harmony with the etnochic mood characterizing Urubamba and its gastronomic offer. The architect Sorrentino and Riflessi who already collaborated in the past – worked to deliver custom-made pieces for the occasion: for the seats, chairs and stools from the Giò and Perla series upholstered in the bordeaux and blue shades with the metallic base in a golden finish, recalling the decorations inside the restaurant. Golden are also the seven chandeliers of the new Twist collection lighting up the space, while the counter and table tops are in vivid colors, in the Laminam fishises noir desir, calacatta oro and fluidosolido blu. Photo © Marco Baldassarre
IFDM | 211
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
MONITOR
LONDON | UNCOMMON CO-WORKING LACIVIDINA
In London, at the Highbury district between King’s Cross and Shoreditch, Uncommon proposes its independent idea (the project is theirs, and the locations are already four in number) of co-working, with a traditional spatial layout but an added value in terms of interior design choices: the accent is on materials and constantly soft colors. In this setting, the impromptu yet conventional taste of the seating by LaCividina stands out, adding character and the necessary performance for a co-working facility: Velour (perfect for reserved telephone calls), the Myplace seating collection in various colors, and the green Pinch sofas combined with the Ala armchairs, represent the connecting link between taste and function.
212 | IFDM
MONITOR
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
MONS, BELGIUM | PARC SCIENTIFIQUE INITIALIS | FRANCESCONI ARCHITECTURAL LIGHT
A meeting point between the world of research and that of companies, the Parc Scientifique Initialis is an avant-garde center associated with two important universities of Wallonia, those of Mons and Louvain. The park has a total area of 259,936 m2 and is equipped with modular spaces from 1000 m2 for businesses, as well as additional buildings for the creative sector and the laboratories. The lighting design by Eng. Henryk Bednarz takes advantage of the Francesconi Architectural Light solutions to underscore the technical character of the construction materials and to bring out the rigorous geometric aspects of the contemporary architecture. The Tech series provides diffused lighting for the facades; the Line series, in the spotlight version, brightens the parts in exposed stone; the Mok series adapts to the lighting of the pathways and spaces of connection. IFDM | 213
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
MONITOR
PORTO CERVO, ITALY | LAMBORGHINI AUTOMOBILES | LIVING DIVANI
Living Divani arrives in Porto Cervo to personalize the lounge of Lamborghini Automobiles. For the decor, bestsellers and new products have been selected, representing the pure design approach of all of Living Divani’s production: the sofa and armchair from the Agra family, together with the Track bench, by David Lopez Quincoces, the Floyd seating system by Piero Lissoni, a platform for free compositions with ample cushions and practical built-in tabletops, the Wedge table by Arik Levy in the dark concrete-effect coated finish, surrounded by the chairs from the Grace Collection by Giopato & Coombes. The two brands share a passion for research and innovation: among the more experimental creations of Living Divani, spotlight on the Inari console by Mist-o, a balance of full and empty zones, and the Carbon Frog seating in carbon fiber. The result is a lounge furnished like a home, complete with carpets and small sculptures of the Progetto Styling, curated by Elisa Ossino Studio for Living Divani.
214 | IFDM
MONITOR
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
MILAN | BOCCONI UNIVERSITY CAMPUS | ALIAS
Flexing lines and transparency for the new Bocconi University campus in Milan, designed by the Japanese firm SANAA. The complex emphasizes a concept of openness, replicating the stylistic lightness and high-tech language of the façade in the interiors, thanks to the iconic Frame seating family by Alias designed by Alberto Meda, chosen for the lecture halls and conference rooms. With a structure in extruded aluminium section and seats in polyester mesh coated with gray mÊlange PVC, the collection stands out for its comfort and timeless design. The Bigframe stackable chairs and the Rollingframe variant with a five-spoke base and wheels have been used for the Executive and Master Program lecture halls. For the conference room, the choice has gone to Rollingframe in the special version with a central base attached to the floor.
IFDM | 215
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
BARI, ITALY | LA BIGLIETTERIA | KARMAN
The studio SMALL, Soft Metropolitan Architecture & Landscape Lab, has designed the new restaurant and American bar La Biglietteria, created inside the former Teatro Kursaal on the waterfront in Bari. The designers have favored a New Deco style in keeping with the late-Liberty character of the building, conserving the existing bardiglio flooring, the doors, the vaults and the box office with its glass sign, relying on the luminous objects of Karman for the lighting. The elegant Snoob black metal chandeliers with 16 arms, designed by Matteo Ugolini, reflect the wide arches of the dining room and the circular forms of the decorations. The striped pattern of the four Nox suspension lamps in amber glass, designed by Laura Alesi and Silvia Braconi, echo the motif of the counter below them in the American bar area. Photo Š Priscilla Tangari
216 | IFDM
MONITOR
MONITOR
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
YALLINGUP, WESTERN AUSTRALIA | SMITHS BEACH RESORT | KETTAL, TRICONFORT
Mobilia has recently completed the soft refurbishment of the Smiths Beach Resort, situated in the heart of Margaret River Region, a project by JCY Architects & Urban Designers. The resort’s interiors have been refreshed with a contemporary decor that is effortlessly light, understated and elegant; this has been achieved through a careful selection of modern furnishings that help complete the spacious, sophisticated interiors. The use of furniture with clean lines, earthy tones of oak and grey, coupled with small touches of blue and green hues help incorporate the two contrasting natural environments of both the picturesque nearby ocean and the surrounding lush natural reserve. A few Kettal collections were selected for the outdoor areas, among which Triconfort Riba by Kettal Studio, Landscape by Kettal Studio, Zigzag by Emilia Design Studio, Outdoor Cushions Terrain & Geometrics Fabrics by Doshi Levien. Photo © Ange Wall Photography, courtesy of Small Luxury Hotels of the World
IFDM | 217
Design Inspirations
IFDM | 219
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
DESIGN INSPIRATIONS
ERIKA | ARAN CUCINE
Erika, one of the best-selling models from ARAN Cucine’s collection, has recently undergone a significant makeover to meet all trends and market needs. Erika’s catalogue is thus enriched with new elements turning the model into a real ‘furniture system’, with modular solutions and more than 41 finishes to allow everyone to choose customizable models, capable of adapting to any living environment. SUPERB ALL LIGHT MASSIMO CASTAGNA | HENGE
Pierced by a long streamlined, tapered brass tubular support, hanging from the ceiling, a gray fiberglass sphere levitates in midair, affirming its incisive, strong formal presence. The light inside the sphere softens the roundness of the diffuser, conferring the translucency of lunar pallor, exalting the exquisite skillful craftsmanship, signature of the Henge brand. Replicated in different sizes and heights, joined together, it forms the seamless floating cluster of an iconic chandelier. Realized in brass hand burnished is customizable in various sizes or diameters.
220 | IFDM
BREAK | ENZO BERTI | BROSS
Including chair, armchair and stool, the collection is characterized by the decorative play created on the padding of the seat back, punctuated by subtle vertical stitching. The shell is made of curved plywood, which can be left exposed in the back or upholstered in fabric or leather. Break comes with a wide variety of metal or wood-covered bases, either fixed, on wheels or with a central column.
DESIGN INSPIRATIONS
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
HUG | MATTEO NUNZIATI | KREOO
Hug is a collection composed of freestanding bathtub and sink. Marble and wood are sewn together with a sartorial soul: the solidity and gloss of the stone (Bianco del Re, Calacatta Carrara, Bianco Carrara, Grigio St. Marie, Pietra Gray, Travertine Silver, Nero Marquina) welcomes the feeling of warmth and tranquility of the eucalyptus or walnut wood. Housing spaces are incorporated, either visible or, in the case of the sink, also retractable. Conceived as a whole, they can also be purchased individually.
IFDM | 221
DESIGN INSPIRATIONS
Photo Š Tommaso Sartori
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
COORDINATES | MICHAEL ANASTASSIADES | FLOS
Originally designed for New York’s legendary Four Seasons restaurant, Coordinates features a series of interlocking linear LED luminaires that take their formal inspiration from the mathematical precision of the Cartesian grid, illuminated and expanded to three brilliant dimensions. Coordinates comes in a broad array of set configurations, including four suspended chandeliers of different sizes and three ceiling-mounted luminaires, available in two lengths to suit both standard and high ceilings. The collection also features a repeatable module that can be suspended or ceiling-mounted, ideally suited to impressive, large-scale installations as often featured in contract projects. Coordinates is made from extruded aluminium with a sophisticated anodised champagne finish, and an opal-white platinic silicone diffuser. 222 | IFDM
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
DESIGN INSPIRATIONS
LYZ COLLECTION | MARIO FERRARINI | POTOCCO
The defined and sinuous lines of the body, dictating the strong personality of the chair, lend themselves to different looks, giving life to new variations and material connections. From the version with sled legs, able to fit crosswise in any type of context, to the metal tube cantilever that winks at the Bauhaus style, to the most iconic version that stands like a sculpture on a metal cone base. The recurring item in the designer’s projects that pays homage to the craftsmanship of the company is the visible wooden frame detail, which the back and armrests gently develop from. E-WALL | ANDREUCCI & HOISL DESIGN | SNAIDERO
Created for customers in search of personalized and functional solutions, E-Wall is a very versatile project composed of open elements that can be inserted on the wall, a worktop or an island, permitting a wide range of personalized compositions. E-wall (Ergonomic Wall) can be combined with all the Snaidero models, for people who live with an accent on balance and concreteness, seeking pragmatic but also sartorial solutions. The system is available in three different ergonomic versions, to adapt to all kinds of spaces and aesthetic or functional needs: Sistema S, Sistema M, Sistema L.
R1 | ULISSE NARCISI | RASTELLI
The kitchen designed by Ulisse Narcisi for Rastelli never ceases to amaze: the countless possible configurations, the skilled craftsmanship and the refined, rigorous but welcoming design, make it a versatile and occasionally unique model. Timeless style and original details meet and harmonize in this version with a contemporary flavour, combining the special copper liquid foil finish, the warm shades of porcelain stoneware and the enveloping rovere moka colour. The large central island, solid and rigorous, surprises for the special door finish: the copper liquid foil recreates the effect of metal sheet, for a warm touch even in its industrial style. The snack table in E-wood Quercia, increasing the working space, can be used as a comfortable base for breakfast or for a snack. IFDM | 223
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
DESIGN INSPIRATIONS
FRANCIS | GIUSEPPE BAVUSO | RIMADESIO
The new Francis table is available in rectangular, round or square shape. The modular structure in high pressure die-cast aluminium and the wide range of top finishing grant maximum durability and reliability. The octagonal section of both tie rod and legs emphasizes the originality and technological innovation which has always been characterizing the brand. The rectangular version has slightly rounded edges. The square top is rounded on all sides. The table is available in different dimensions and finishes: transparent glass, glossy and mat lacquered glass, wood and marble. The aluminium structure is available in black nickel, polished aluminium and in 38 colours of the patented Ecolorsystem collection, produced with latest generation water-based paints, ecological and free of harmful substances.
ICON | HAFRO R&D
An innovative system to manage water, facilitating all actions inside the shower. Icon Column 2-button is a post with a height-adjustable shower and built-in thermostatic tap: one button turns the shower on and off, while the other activates/deactivates the overhead shower. The 3-button version is a three-way shower column, in which the buttons control the handheld shower, the overhead shower and the cascade functions. FRAME BLADE | CARLO PRESOTTO AND ANDREA BASSANELLO | MODULNOVA
The refined and contemporary design and the sheer versatility of the choice of materials (aluminium, glass, wood and resin) make Blade the icon of Modulnova’s style. With FRAME the minimalist clear-cut lines are almost “softened” by a frame that defines and highlights the door profile while incorporating a handle in its thickness, which appears to be recessed and concealed. A kind of contemporary boiserie panel re-introduces minimalist style with a more expressive detail. The doors are made of aluminium honeycomb and perfectly integrate with other furnishing solutions such as BLADE, whose plain doors represent its signature style. Large floor-to-ceiling doors without plinths or handles for the living area also have a place in the kitchen, creating a highly elegant effect. “Traditional” volumetric shapes, created by storage spaces or tall units, disappear in favour of extremely harmonious stylistic continuity. 224 | IFDM
DESIGN INSPIRATIONS
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
PACHA COLLECTION | PIERRE PAULIN | GUBI
Gubi faithfully reissued the Pacha Lounge Chair in 2018, designed by Pierre Paulin in 1975, and is now expanding the collection to include new elements: the Pacha Lounge Chair with armrests, Pacha Sofas with two to five seats and the Pacha Ottoman – plus the option to create your own modular configurations. Basic modules – the Pacha Lounge Chair center section, the Pacha Lounge Chair with a right or a left armrest only, the ottoman and an optional armrest to go between the modules – enable endless combinations to adapt to changing needs and environments, just as Paulin originally intended.
IFDM | 225
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
DESIGN INSPIRATIONS DISTORSION | MARCO PIVA | ILLULIAN
The rug is part of the Limited Edition series, Imaginary Space collection, handwoven from Himalayan wool, pure silk, and vegetable pigments. The weave of the thread like the weave of the cosmos. The fibres which, alone, light, and fragile, come together solidly thanks to the expert hands of those who know how to work them. In the designs, the colours of the wool and silk weave together and transform our perception of familiar space. Transformations and metamorphoses have led to the creation of this collection of rugs that adapt themselves to the most modern and contemporary aesthetic needs of interior design.
JEKO 01 | PAOLA NAVONE | GERVASONI
A settee with structure in ECOTeak, based on reuse of beams and parts in teak salvaged from demolition authorized by regulators on the island of Java. The salvaged segments are cut to measure, repaired with recycled wood, assembled and polished to bring out the original grain. The finishing calls for hand polishing with hemp cloth and wood shavings. The seat cushion and two back cushions are padded with polyurethane. The perfect waterproofing of the filler is guaranteed by polyester covers, treated with specific water-repellent products, with heat-welded ribbon stitching. UNO SHADE | CIARMOLI QUEDA STUDIO | UNO CONTRACT
Uno Shade presents two models, Shell and Spider, which differ in materials and design, but whose modularity provides the same good looks and functionality. Shell comprises a structure in Iroko wood, with chest-head high bands in DelimitaÂŽ fabric, and is made up of curved modules that can be joined together to create small or larger structures. Spider comes in a lightweight anodised aluminium and DelimitaÂŽ fabric structure, ideal for the seaside, and swimming pools.
226 | IFDM
DESIGN INSPIRATIONS
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
MATIC | PIERO LISSONI | KNOLL
Photo © Federico Cedrone
Modular or linear, the collection stands out for its ample seats of different depths, covered in leather or fabric. It is composed of modules, including chaises longues and terminal peninsula units, to provide seats upholstered with evenly-sized squares, or detailed with a T-shaped seam, combined with a special curved back featuring a mechanism that can be turned to adjust comfort for relaxing, reading or conversation. The frontal profile – the key aesthetic feature of the design – enables adaptation to a wide range of settings, in aluminium with a shiny finish or charcoal painted finish. Other choices include covering in fabric or leather. The feet are in aluminium fusion, with either a shiny finish or charcoal painted, while the frame has been designed like a building with a rigorous structural layout.
AERO V | SHIBULERU | LIVING DIVANI
The Aero family, Living Divani’s collaboration with Shibuleru, the design studio founded by the Swiss Lukas Scherrer, focuses on lightness, versatility and an immediately recognizable graphic sign to respond to ever new functions, conquering with its elegance the different spaces of the home. Evolution of Aero bookshelf, the valet stand Aero V captures the eye with its basic elegance, a skilful combination of horizontal and vertical elements, that works just as well for accessories. A calibrated simplicity that betrays a sophisticated work of synthesis for an item that gives precise style and functionality not only to welcoming and waiting areas but also to the hotellerie spaces. ANATRA MODULAR | PATRICIA URQUIOLA | JANUS ET CIE
Sophisticated and intricately designed, the new lounge elements are constructed using the same soft and inviting textured braiding as the other seating pieces in the collection, wrapping the frame gently to create a harmonious weave. Anatra’s seven versatile modular pieces allow for numerous sofa configurations punctuated by cushions for ultimate comfort outdoors. Anatra’s rope finishes include Cadet with a Platinum or Cyan cross weave and Oxford with a Nickel or Cyan cross weave. The powder coated aluminum tables are expertly paired with a choice of two sleek tabletops: a cool Textured Alabama Ceramic or a classic Carrara Marble. IFDM | 227
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
DESIGN INSPIRATIONS
TIN | CHRISTOPHE DELCOURT
Tin is a handmade side table from the Give Me Shelter series that emanates harmony based on diversity. The eclecticism of the material, the juxtaposition of volumes and forms, full and empty zones, generate a whole that rather than seeking unity, aims at reconstructing intimacy. This version is in gray oiled oak and pure black marble. 228 | IFDM
DESIGN INSPIRATIONS
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
MEGHAN | CARLESI TONELLI STUDIO | RIFLESSI
The silhouette of Meghan follows a continuous line, starting from the lower part – a minimal structure available in wood or coated metal – all the way to the seat with its sinuous forms, ensuring maximum comfort also thanks to the presence of cushions. The seat covering comes in a wide range of fabrics – including the new Ischia and Tailor versions, for very high performance – while the base structure can be made in various finishes, including brass, titanium and steel.
MATRIX CENTRAL TABLE | GIANFRANCO FERRÉ HOME
A contemporary design language, based on lightness and essentiality, evolves into a complex game of geometric elements, with different heights and dimensions. Evolution of the Matrix bookcase, the table features a chrome-plated London smoke grey finish which lends the steel structure a metropolitan air, while the movable wooden tops are available in different finishes, including printed leather with crocodile-effect.
METRICA | STUDIO HABITS | MARTINELLI LUCE
A particular lamp where the LED light source hidden inside the support that forms the base is turned on by extracting it from its profile, increasing in intensity until it reaches the stop position. Pushing it back inward, the brightness is dimmed and then fades to zero. Metrica will be produced in the floor, table and wall versions.
IFDM | 229
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
The Bio-mbo bed has been designed as an independent interior, a small haven within the bedroom, that reinvents the concept of intimacy. The bed is characterised by a distinctive padded headboard and optional mobile side wings that create a small independent alcove where one can take refuge. The cosy horizontal quilted headboard has side wings that incorporate handy pockets with leather straps to keep personal objects close. The quilting is also available on the exterior of the headboard so that Bio-mbo can be placed centrally in a room. An air sanitisation mechanism with zero emissions that reduces pollutants in the air has been integrated in the fabric covered bed frame while an ecological and recyclable sound absorbing panel is fitted in the padded fabric headboard.
Photo © DePasquale+Maffini
BIO-MBO | PATRICIA URQUIOLA CASSINA
DESIGN INSPIRATIONS
CASILDA DAYBED | RAMON ESTEVE | TALENTI
As part of the Casilda collection, the new Daybed designed stands out for the strength of its proportions expressed by means of an extreme contrast between massiveness and lightness. The lightness of Casilda’s metal frames is replicated in the daybed as a pergola, contrasting with its generously sized cushions. The soft fabric curtains and the sliding awning on the upper part partially protect its interior, creating a relaxed atmosphere that invites enjoyment in an outdoor space.
WINE CAVE | SIGNATURE KITCHEN SUITE
Carefully tailored to mimic the ideal environment of historic wine caves, the exclusive design reduces vibration, minimizes temperature fluctuations, limits light passing through and locks in humidity. Key features include Wi-Fi monitoring, providing owners peace of mind that their wine collection is in its set storage settings; touch display lighting (LED lights activated by tapping the door or with a mobile app); independent temperature zones, which can be set between 41* F and 64* F; dark-tinted, triple-pane glass for protection against damaging UV light; and the integration of another Signature Kitchen Suite innovation: the True Sommelier app. Powered by Wine Ring’s patented machine learning, this is the first software that learns preferences and makes wine recommendations. 230 | IFDM
DESIGN INSPIRATIONS
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
RIA | ALBERTO LIEVORE | FAST
The new arrival in the large Fast family of seating is an enveloping, light and stackable chair that responds to the desire for outdoor living in various settings, situations and seasons, always with a focus on practicality and comfort. Made in die-cast aluminium and accessorized with cushions in fabric or eco-leather, Ria comes in 14 colors, guarantees maximum durability, and is perfect for both residential and contract applications.
ROMBY | GAMFRATESI | PORRO
Geometric allure and retro look give the new Romby chair an abstract charm. The truncated conical base in natural or black stained ash solid wood, featuring a flared shape with segments obtained through an exquisite cabinet-making workmanship, is connected to a soft, compact, padded swivel seat, covered in the leathers of fabrics of Porro selection. Perfect in a dining room or in a cosy working environment, Romby is a cocoon armchair with an impeccable size and workmanship, that embraces the body while leaving it free to move, surrounded by a feeling of great lightness.
PALCO | NICOLA GALLIZIA | TM ITALIA
Palco is a kitchen created for fluid, multifunctional spaces, where the plot of interconnections between work, dining and living zones is intriguing and harmonious. The project is structured in independent functional modules. The bases and columns can be combined at will with the freestanding elements, creating harmonious dynamism in every composition. The doors with metal frames, sliding or hinged, complete the line. The functions (cooktop, wireless recharging, lighting control) are directly built into the counter and indicated by discreet graphic symbols. The counter thus becomes a seamless, aesthetically appealing surface, easy to quickly put back into order.
IFDM | 231
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IFDM | 233
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
CYPRUS | LIMASSOL DEL MAR | CYPEIR PROPERTIES | BENOY, UDS ARCHITECTS ANTONIADES+ELEFTHERIOU
Located in the coastal Limassol with an unobstructed sea view from all the apartments, this landmark complex consists of luxury residences, five star facilities and services as well as high-end shops and restaurants in the Palza del Mar. The project’s architectural design is signed by Benoy of London, along with UDS Architects, the company’s local collaborators. Surrounded by tranquil gardens and ornate pools, it creates an idyllic location in a city offering a perfect combination of old town charm and cosmopolitan living. Jumbo Group and its Gianfranco Ferré Home collection will join forces with the developer to furnish The Signature Collection residences, which offer a range of two to six bedroom luxury apartments and penthouses. They feature beautifully crafted terraces with dual-aspect panoramic views across the Limassol coastline and beyond, with apartments available on different floors. 234 | IFDM
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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
BRISTOL | SOAPWORKS | WOODS BAGOT
A mixed-use scheme including offices, residential and the conversion of the heritage Soapworks building into a food and beverage hall: it is Soapworks in Bristol, in South West England, the new rising development curated by Woods Bagot architectural firm, in collaboration with the London based developer First Base. Located on the edge of Bristol City Centre, Soapworks will be a mix of modern workspace, including contemporary homes, an apart-hotel, trendy cafes and restaurants. The aim is to revitalise the area, working closely with Bristol City Council, to deliver a vibrant new district that will create much needed new homes, jobs for local people and useable public spaces, on a total landmark site of 165,000 sq ft of existing buildings within a 2.25 acre site.
IFDM | 235
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
CERVIA, ITALY | DARSENA DEL SALE | ARCHLABO
The Magazzino del Sale in Cervia bears witness to the industrial archaeology of the early 1700s, reinterpreted in the 1980s by the architect Giancarlo De Carlo in a project of recovery and transformation of the Magazzino as a naval museum connected to the nearby Darsena (dockyard). The project was never completed, but work on it resumed in 2017 thanks to public investments on the part of the City of Cervia, the Emilia Romagna Region and the European Union, and the sizeable contribution of Leopold Cavalli, an entrepreneur with close ties to the territory, who has made a commitment, personally and through his companies (Visionnaire, Nuage and Fonoprint), to regenerate this site, starting from December 2021. The project, assigned to the architect Fabrizio Fontana of Archlabo, calls for the revitalization of an outdoor area of over 30,000 m2, composed of Piazza dei Salinari, the segment of the canal between Ponte Mobile and Ponte di Via Cavour, the Darsena with its green perimeter, and the building of the former Magazzino del Sale, with 4000 m2 of internal space.
236 | IFDM
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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
ALGARVE COAST | W ALGARVE HOTEL & RESIDENCES AB CONCEPT
In Portugal, on the central Algarve coast, the new W Algarve Hotel & Residences is springing up, with interiors designed by AB Concept. The development includes 124 hotel rooms, 12 hotel residences and 83 private residences, to be completed in the spring of 2021. It is located in the southernmost region famous for its beaches and local crafts, which inspired the interior design: the architects used local stone throughout, and worked alongside Portuguese craft studios to create crochet, mosaic pieces, pottery and ceramics for the space. “Every time we design a W Hotel we seek to immerse ourselves in the local culture and interpret it through our design, in line with the brand”, says Ed Ng, cofounder of AB Concept. “The word Algarve to me, means immaculate blue sky, the sweet ocean breeze, and the sculpture-like seascape. Nature has so much to offer, so this was crucial to our vision of the site, alongside the local culture”.
IFDM | 237
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA | CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG LIBRARY | SNØHETTA, CLARK NEXSEN
Helming a public library system comprised of 20 branch libraries that welcomes 3.4 million visitors each year, the 115,000 square-foot new building will allow Charlotte Mecklenburg Library to also serve as public commons. The revitalized Main Library creates a bridge between the past, present, and rapidly evolving future of Charlotte, reconceiving how the Library connects to people and everyday life. The flexibility and diversity of the spaces and activities offered within will ensure that the building will meet the dynamically changing needs of contemporary Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Plans include five levels above ground and one below, two outdoor terraces, an extensive active lobby, a vendor-operated café, advanced technology capabilities including two immersive theaters, collections spread throughout the building, flexible meeting space and rooms, a revamped Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room, and more. The Library will break ground on the new building in early 2021 and is scheduled for completion and opening in early 2024. Rendering: LMNB © Snøhetta
238 | IFDM
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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
MONTENEGRO | JANU RESORT AND RESIDENCES AMAN RESORTS AND LUXURY HOTELS
Following two years of research and development, Aman introduces its sister brand Janu. While Aman is synonymous with its Sanskrit translation, ‘peace’, Janu stands for ‘soul’ and connectedness offering environments that nurture balance to the head and heart. Janu launches with three forthcoming hotels which are already under construction: Montenegro (2022), Al Ula in Saudi Arabia (2022) and Tokyo (2022), as well as a robust pipeline of future hotels. Janu Montenegro will be the first hotel to incorporate the brands serviced residence concept. Large guest rooms will offer refined havens of tranquillity, all exquisitely furnished and with expansive bathrooms, while social spaces are designed to be ever-evolving and dynamic with a mix of dining, lounge and bar areas. Expansive wellness facilities will offer cutting-edge experiences and treatments and access to the latest equipment as well as extensive hydro and thermal facilities with a focus on finding equilibrium.
IFDM | 239
PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY
NEXT IN THE WORLD
Overview
The biggest investments in new hotels are in Europe and the Far East
E
top hotel
urope, including Russia, and the Far East are the areas of the world of major investment in the construction of new medium and high-end hotels. The Old Continent has recorded a slight increase over last year, with 2576 projects, staying ahead of the Far East which nevertheless reports the largest rise, from 1949 to 2503 projects. The quantity of hotels that will open by the end of 2021 in the Far East is even closer to European numbers, 1042 with respect to 1076. We are also seeing slight growth in new constructions planned or launched in the Middle East, up to 717, of which 316 slated to open by the end of 2021. In Europe Germany maintains its leadership, with 905 hotels under construction, followed at quite a distance by the United Kingdom (489) and France (124). The slowdown in Russia continues, with just 83 projects over last year’s 92. Croatia will welcome the largest European facility presently in the works, the Pearl Hotel of Dubrovnik, with 5000 rooms. In the Far East, behind the absolute leadership of China, where 1337 top hotels are being designed and built, the distant runners-up are India (187), Indonesia (154, a slight drop) and Thailand (138). The most impressive hotel is due to be built in Vietnam, the Eco-Resort of Mui Dinh, with 7500 rooms, already in the worksite phase and due to open in the first months of 2022. Investment in new projects keeps on growing in the Middle East, with the Arab Emirates (246) and Saudi Arabia (190). ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS
Marriott International ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS: 2,749 CONSTRUCTIONS IN TOP COUNTRIES: USA: 1,114 - CHINA: 413 - INDIA: 112 GERMANIA: 81 - MESSICO: 62
NEW
NEW
NEW
2,576
717
2,503
EUROPE
MIDDLE EAST
FAR EAST
IN
IN
IN
STATUS
STATUS
STATUS
VISION 43 PRE-PLANNING 393 PLANNING 982 UNDER CONSTRUCTION 830 PRE-OPENING 207 OPENED 121
VISION 4 PRE-PLANNING 462 PLANNING 149 UNDER CONSTRUCTION 396 PRE-OPENING 89 OPENED 17
VISION 16 PRE-PLANNING 256 PLANNING 546 UNDER CONSTRUCTION 1,359 PRE-OPENING 182 OPENED 81
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2021 1,076
2021 317
2021 1,042
ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS: 1,191
PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES
PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES
PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES
CONSTRUCTIONS IN TOP COUNTRIES:
GERMANY 905 UNITED KINGDOM 489 FRANCE 124 SWITZERLAND 113 AUSTRIA 106 POLAND 93 SPAIN 87 ITALY 86 RUSSIA 83 IRELAND 81
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 246 SAUDI ARABIA 190 TURKEY 64 QATAR 51 OMAN 38 GEORGIA 30 ISRAEL 26 IRAQ 16 KUWAIT 14 BAHRAIN 14
CHINA 1,337 INDIA 187 INDONESIA 154 THAILAND 138 VIETNAM 129 MALAYSIA 93 JAPAN 92 PHILIPPINES 72 SRI LANKA 31 MALDIVES 25
Hilton Worldwide ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS: 2,054 CONSTRUCTIONS IN TOP COUNTRIES: USA: 1,012 - CHINA: 230 - UK: 91 RUSSIA: 54 - TURKEY: 39
InterContinental Hotels Group
USA: 307 - CHINA: 211 - GERMANY: 93 UK: 75 - AUSTRALIA: 41
AccorHotels ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS: 1,189 CONSTRUCTIONS IN TOP COUNTRIES: CHINA: 176 - GERMANY: 83 - RUSSIA: 60 AUSTRALIA: 59 - SAUDI ARABIA: 57
TOP PROJECTS
Hyatt Hotels Corporation ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS: 713 CONSTRUCTIONS IN TOP COUNTRIES: USA: 272 - CHINA: 145 - INDIA: 37 CANADA: 26 - MESSICO: 16
source: TopHotelProjects.com
240 | IFDM
EUROPE Pearl Hotel in Dubrovnik, Croatia Phase: Pre-Planning 4 star - 5,000 rooms
MIDDLE EAST Abraj Kudai Towers in Makkah, Saudi Arabia Phase: Under Construction 9,760 rooms
FAR EAST Mui Dinh Eco-Resort in Mui Dinh, Vietnam Phase: Under Construction 7,500 rooms
EUR 35.00 | USD 45.00 | contract.ifdm.design
NEXT ISSUE: Spring / Summer 2021
Projects & Hospitality | Spring Summer 2021
In March, the Spring / Summer Spin-Off Projects & Hospitality by IFDM: you will discover the new color trends 2022 and international projects, interviews with major players and the new “Design Inspiration� through the products selection. For a complete, up-to-date view on the contract and hospitality industry.