A wide view on major international projects

Short stories

BEVERLY WEST RESIDENCES | EMAAR PROPERTIES | MISURAEMME

The five penthouses, from the 18th to the 22nd floor, have breathtaking views scanning all the way to the ocean. The interiors are ample, measuring over 760 sqm, in keeping with the design codes of a concept of extreme prestige, which takes on expressive impact and identity in the sartorial approach Made in Italy of MisuraEmme products. The Crossing living system by Mauro Lipparini, and the Urban living system by Iriam Bettera give the large, luminous rooms a sense of unique visual lightness, reinterpreting the traditional role of bookcases in configurations that adapt to the architectural space. Thanks to the possibilities of combination of shelves and counters, the modular solutions permit free design of walls with dynamic and colorful compositions.

The PaloAlto Ibox walk-in closet designed by Gianni Borgonovo transforms the bedroom zone into a total ‘transparent’ vision of pure, refined volumes. Stemming from the interaction between two systems already contained in the collection, the closet stands out for its hinge that permits installation of the doors in a classic wooden upright, or in a framework – opening up to 180° – generating infinite compositional options thanks to the wardrobe-closet coordination. The countless intersections between the support structure and the various surfaces produces functional spaces with multiple internal equipment, like chests of drawers, suspended elements, object caddies, jewelry compartments, trouser hangers and all the storage solutions for everyday objects. The bedroom zone becomes a place in which to experiment with new juxtapositions of design and materials, granted by the wide variety of luxurious finishes – ranging from glass to technomarble, from the noble grain of wood to metal – and the rigorous lines of the London, Narcisse, Milano, Brillanta and First wardrobes, enhanced by sophisticated LED lighting built into the frame to convey a delicate atmosphere of remarkable class.

CORFU | THE ANGSANA CORFU | RESORT & SPA | FIMA

The breathtaking landscapes and marine panoramas of the island of Corfu provide an idyllic setting for the Angasana Corfu Resort & Spa – the turquoise waters of the bay of Benitses stretch out before it, and lush gardens and olive groves stand all around. This luxurious 6-star complex also boasts a hot spring and bathing centre, and offers 159 rooms and suites and more than 37 luxury villas built in the local architectural idiom. The overall style is minimal and contemporary, with an elegant sobriety that even influences the bathrooms, with chrome finish taps and fittings from the Next family, manufactured by Fima Carlo Frattini and designed by Castiglia Associati with great rigour and simplicity. One unusual feature of the collection is the oval design that highlights the flat front plate. The handle is offered in two versions – short, “pommel” style for a strong, captivating appeal and a longer, more straightforward lever integrated into the design of the mixer for an effect of formal purity. Next is a line of singlecontrol taps in all elements required for wash basin, bidet, bath tub and shower.

CASABLANCA, MOROCCO | RADISSON BLU HOTEL | EXPORMIM

The Hotel is located in the Dherb Gallef district of the city, an area of Art Deco buildings and architecture from the 1930s close to the central and popular Place Mohamed V. “My core idea involved ensuring I could infuse this 1930s style into a contemporary design”, explains Jaime Beriestain, who designed the interiors. The building features a large lobby, spa, two restaurants, meeting rooms, made as warm and comfortable as possible. On the fourteenth floor, the Caprice Sky Bar offers panoramic views of the city and the Atlantic ocean. Several sets of Twins low armchairs in an attractive orange oxide finish are placed in the lounge. These pieces along with the Grada tables and Espiral rugs increase the sense of warmth, setting a very refined yet relaxing ambiance. Out of this seating area, the Käbu sofas are combined with some more Twins to accommodate bigger groups, while four Käbu chaise longues encourage the guests to lie down by the terrace pool and three Lapala stools in black are by the cocktail bar.

Photo © Manolo Yllera

MILAN | CAMPUS SDA BOCCONI PEDRALI

The harmony and affinity of Pedrali furnishings inform the design philosophy of the La Centrale bistro and Materia restaurant on the SDA Bocconi campus. The innovative complex by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa from the Japanese SANAA studio has a futuristic structure with sinuous glass facades. The Compass Group Italia group selected Pedrali to furnish the three venues on the campus. The airy interior and exterior spaces and large windows of La Centrale welcome students and visitors with Nolita chairs designed by CMP Design placed around Stylus tables. The Nolita chair has a simple shape and is made entirely of steel, created to encourage the friendship and conviviality that makes campus life so enjoyable. Along the glass walls of the à la carte Materia restaurant are tables with two types of Pedrali chair, Tivoli, designed by CMP Design and made of solid ash, and Inga with a simil-leather shell.

SWISSÔTEL KURSAAL BERN | NINA MAIR | LA CIVIDINA

Simplicity, elegance and modularity are the three elements that distinguish the interiors of the Swissôtel Kursaal Bern, a historic building in the heart of the Swiss capital. It has recently been given creative makeover by architect and designer Nina Mair. The project comprises a reception area with a family atmosphere, where natural materials create sophisticated furnishing solutions that are both welcoming and inclusive. Together with the architect, LaCividina has created a collection of innovative chairs called Bernard, celebrating the elegant hotel. The heart of the furnishings is an armchair that with its unusual single armrest and back enables the room space to be used as rationally as possible, exploiting the dual face of the seat. It is flanked by a coffee table, creating a small drawing room, while the pouffe version provides a further minimal seating solution for a refined, complete furnishing concept. With its light shapes Bernard brings a little corner of domestic well-being into the light-filled suites.

Photo © Bernard Kursaal, David Schreyer

BENSHEIM, GERMANY | MEATHEAVEN | ANTOLINI

The restaurant, designed by David and Elli Pietralla, consists of a single large room that can accommodate up to fifty diners, gathered around cozy tables which boast solid wood tops obtained from single pieces cut from huge tree trunks. Almost like a theater set that reveals every stage of the cooking process, the open-plan kitchen is fully visible with the chef’s worktop as its most recognizable feature. The worktop is a sculptural rectangular block clad on three sides with slabs of Quarzite Michelangelo made available already cut in size to Marmor-Center Gmbh which turned it into the focal point of a pure and elegant space, in complete harmony with the restaurant’s cultural heritage. This material with its ancestral pattern, suspended in space and time, is among the most popular in Antolini’s Exclusive Collection, the high-end selection of the company’s wide range in terms of style and material authenticity. With its harmonious dark streaks that stretch out across a blue background and dissolve into the bright tones of the earth, Quarzite Michelangelo owes its name to the artist who made sculpting a universal language capable of transcending epochs and cultures. Slightly off-centered, a second worktop was also created in Quarzite Michelangelo, as well as a low vertical wall that elegantly frames one of the kitchen’s functional spaces.

Photo © Marmor Center Gmbh

SOTOGRANDE ALTO | CASA DE AGOSTO MERIDIANI

Relaxation is the key word at the Casa de Agosto in Spain. For the interiors the THESET studio chose the Meridiani company, whose furniture pieces have succeeded magnificently in inspiring the atmosphere of tranquillity and elegance that enfolds this villa in the valley of Sotogrande Alto. Light colours in the lounge with the Harald modular sofa upholstered in pure white, complemented by Judd coffee tables with marble top and the light grey Cecile armchair. Light shades also dominate in the Master Suite, contrasting with the dark wood furniture. The curved Freeman sofa dialogues with the low Bongo coffee tables and Forrest armchair, which has a dark wood frame with a touch of light grey in the fabrics. A welcoming atmosphere is created in the bedrooms by the Lauren Ghost bed and Berry bench. In the guest room, the ideal location for conversation and relaxing, stand the island element from the Harold collection and the Bongo low table with sculptural shape.

VOLLA, NAPLES | YUGO SUSHI FUSION EXPERIENCE | RIFLESSI

The sophisticated menu of the Yugo Sushi Fusion Experience restaurant in Volla (Naples), celebrates the encounter of Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine. The same level of refinement is evident in the interiors, created by architect Mario Sorrentino and Riflessi with intense attention to detail. Simple, regular lines are emphasised by select materials and striking finishes that recall metals, especially in the shades of gold. This can be seen in the refined Perla chairs and stools and comfy Carmen armchairs, all with a matt gold finish frame and soft upholstery in colours ranging from dark and dove grey to Bordeaux and blue. The matt gold motif reappears in the base and edges of the Shanghai tables with custom-made square and black glass tops. The lighting concept, too, is a spectacular constellation of lamps and tubular lights from the Stilo series featuring the black and gold combination, alongside ceiling lights from the Led Loop series with gold-finish metal rings.

LONDON | EATALY | WALL&DECÒ

In the London store, visitors certainly notice the dramatic wall, 13 meters high, which crosses the levels, leading to the wine department. The design of Treillage, already adorned with vine shoots, has been completely reworked with brighter colors and handmade drawings of bunches of grapes. A response to the client’s desire for an on-demand installation that reflects the refinement and tradition of Italian wine, and that was made possible by the company’s Studio, a service made available to architects and designers to provide, and completely package, wallcovering solutions of high sartorial quality.

MIAMI | ONDA BOUTIQUE LUXURY RESIDENCE MARGRAF

Onda, a new luxury boutique residence situated in Miami’s Bay Harbour district, directly overlooks Biscayne Bay. The result of a new partnership between CMC Group’s Ugo Columbo and Valerio Morabito of Morabito Properties, the architectural design is by Bernardo Fort-Brescia of Arquitectonica with interiors by Studio A++ Human Sustainable Architecture. Drawing inspiration from the colours of the sea and the movement of its waves, this pocket paradise comprises 41 exclusive residences, all with spacious terrace and private or semiprivate lift, as well as a swimming pool on the roof with tropical garden designed by the architect Enzo Enea. Inside, Margraf has enhanced the structure’s prestigious appeal with over 3,000 square metres of marble. Large slabs with a thickness of only 1 cm and polished finish make the space unique and highly distinctive – even the bathrooms, transformed into fully-fledged private spas. Onda is an eco-sustainable building equipped with advanced, efficient summer and winter climatisation technology.

TOKYO | 2020 TOKYO OLYMPICS CASA ITALIA | MOROSO

The Impossible Wood chairs, designed by the AngloIndian duo Doshi Levien were to be seen in the common areas of Casa Italia, the meeting place for the athletes of the Italian team and located at The Kihinkan - Takanawa Manor House, a building characterised by early 20th century Art Nouveau architecture situated in the Minato district. Aesthetically, Impossible Wood has an essential and refined profile, an agile structure from which the graceful perspective of the chair emerges. It is the result of a long research work undertaken by the two designers that tells a story of visual, geometric and perceptive investigation: a new formal sequence that mediates naturalness, interfering with it, preserving, in a moulded plastic product, the visual and tactile qualities of wood.

LOS ANGELES | LAX TOM BRADLEY INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL | PRECIOSA

In the recently opened West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport, Crystal Swell spans three levels and is inspired by an ocean wave breaking on the nearby ocean shore and features crystal cut prisms supported by a polished stainless steel frame. It combines the simplicity associated with the “mid-century jet age” modern design of the International Terminal and the structural requirements needed to meet the stringent seismic codes developed for installations of this nature. Sarka Olivova, a senior member of Preciosa’s design team, was challenged with the creation of a dazzling design that would satisfy Preciosa Lighting and the airport’s safety requirements. “We decided on three intertwining ribbons. The engineering team calculated the best possible placement of anchor points and how to prevent the prisms from breaking in case of an earthquake.”

JEDDAH | VIVIENDA HOTEL VILLAS MLE HOTEL LIGHTING

Marking Vivienda Hotel Villas, member of Lux Preferred Hotels & Resorts, first entry into the city of Jeddah, the luxury private villas property spreads within a gated area of 20,000 sqm centrally located right in Sari Road, 3 km from the new Corniche. The 45 sophisticated villas’ interiors are designed by Italian architect Michele Arcarese to reflect the highest standard of the Italian aesthetics and material paired with the brand’s expertise for exclusivity and refinement. “Vivienda’s distinctive interior design project fully reflects Italian lifestyle and aims at weaving, not only past and future together, but also Jeddah’s heritage and cultural values together with the Italian excellence in design and materials. We brought together the best brands of the world-renowned Italian craftsmanship, among them MLE exclusive lightings and decorations.” The villas range from 100 to 650 sqm in size and offer pools and build-in elevators. The resort also features a gym and a spa in addition to the BiCE Italian Kitchen restaurant.

LONDON | MANHATTAN LOFT GARDENS | AGC

The new Manhattan Loft Gardens residential complex in London, designed by the architectural firm SOM, offers a new lifestyle that is inclusive and sustainable. The innovative residential building covers 42 floors, including apartments, gardens, a luxury hotel, two exclusive restaurants, and a spa. Keeping with the project’s philosophy, AGC Glass Europe, the European leader in the production of flat glass, made the facades of the building with ipasol light gray 60/33, solar control glazing that, through the perfect combination of the values of light transmission (60%) and solar factor (33%), does not allow external heat to overheat the interior during the hot season and prevents internal heat from dispersing in cold seasons.

AMSTERDAM | HOTEL MEININGER | ROCKFON

The lobby has become the highlight of the Hotel Meininger Amsterdam City West after its renovation by the Berlin architect Christian Sandor Tschersich van Lava. Like all the chain’s hotels, it makes a fabulous impression and reflects defining aspects of the local culture in the design of the interiors. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, but great attention was given to the sensory experience of visitors with noise control and resulting acoustic comfort. Style and comfort always go hand in hand for Rockfon, which was to create a painting-like ceiling through the use of Rockfon Contour Rockwool Baffles®: a high-performance acoustic solution that can create a layout inspired by Van Gogh’s postimpressionist paintings. In the lobby’s three different hotspots — reception area, stairwell with elevators, and bar — guests are visually guided by the ceiling height gradually lowering moving towards their destination, with Baffles Rockfon Contour® positioned taking into account the direction of movement.

Photo © Courtesy of Rockfon

PERTH | INFINITY VIEWS VILLA | KETTAL

Nestled in the cliff above Perth, Australia, the Infinity Views villa was designed by John LeClare Josephs of Superseed Architecture. The project strives for harmony between the villa and its surroundings, taking inspiration from the curves of the river and local materials. The furnishings, selected for the home’s three floors, have soft, flowing lines. Kettal, among the design brands chosen for the project, helped it achieve this harmony. The outdoor area, for example, is completely furnished with the Kettal outdoor collection in various shades of green for the Roll armchair, the rounded padding of the backrest and the Vimini sofa, named for the Italian word for its material, wicker; both were designed by Patricia Urquiola; and the Doshi Levien carpet evokes the cliff. Around the table, Bitta chairs by Rodolfo Dordoni stand out for the blue color of the polyester ropes. For sitting and admiring the gorgeous view, there is a set of Landascape rocking chairs with teak armrests by Kettal, matched with Vieques coffee tables by Patricia Urquiola.

Photo © Jack Lovel

PADUA, ITALY | PRIVATE RESIDENCE | LUALDI

In the center of Padua, Studio Marco Piva made the interior design of a private house, covering four floors and emphasizing the historic nature of the Art Deco architecture of the building where it is located. The interior design was conceived to be in accord with the building’s monumental quality. Lualdi, in addition to working on the finishes, custommade all the doors and paneling, as well as the elevator. The Wall&Door partition system, completely leather-clad, fits beautifully with the interior’s aesthetics. The dramatic entrance features large, back-lit Honey Onyx panels with metal frames, such as in the wine cellar and the upper floor creating continuity with the entrance to the lower floor. The cleanlined dining room opens with a visible show kitchen in Brown Onyx directly connecting to the dining room.

Photo © Beppe Raso

HUZHOU | CHANGE ON - WHITE CITY CLUB CENTER | BROSS

Leisure, entertainment, and wellness on the three floors of the Huzhou Club Center, designed by Studio Marco Piva for the “Change on - White City” residential complex. Two side areas for conversations were created in the entrance lobby, where the monumental glass and metal suspension chandelier is the star feature. In the first area, a light gray carpet frames the cognac-colored leather armchairs and L-shaped sofa, positioned near the Six coffee tables by Bross, in the same hues as the upholstery. The five hexagonal-shaped modules, chosen from the Six collection, create a dynamic composition with different heights and finishes. In the second area, the lounge bar with a curved metal counter and satin steel top is surrounded by Path stools by Bross. The tapered legs are in heat-treated solid oak; the seat is formed by the combination of a thin visible wooden section and a cushion covered in leather, and the backrest is also leather-clad and has an opening for optimal ergonomics.

SUBBIANO, ITALY | AEC ILLUMINAZIONE | GRUPPO COSENTINO

With the largest ventilated facade ever built in Italy, with a material in pane format, the Gruppo Cosentino took part in the project of the new research center for AEC Illuminazione, outside of Arezzo. Developed by the architecture firm SBGA Blengini Ghirardelli, the Innovation Technological Center features this record-breaking facade, on the north of the building: 1,100 square meters clad in Dekton® Domoos, a Solid Collection shade, with a graphite black matte finish. The ‘sintered’ panes were applied with dry mechanical technology on a double skin, ventilated facade cladding. This type of facade gives the building’s high quality performance and providing optimal thermal insulation, high resistance to ultraviolet rays and top internal acoustic comfort.

Photo © Lorenzo Patoia, AEC Illuminazione

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