.Wonder Book | Projects & Hospitality | International | Spring Summer 2022

EUR 35.00 | USD 45.00 | wonder.ifdm.design

Projects & Hospitality | Spring Summer 2022

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

Spring | Summer 2022

Create, innovate.

Design.

www.kettal.com

ROGER INDOOR MODULAR SEATING SYSTEM | RODOLFO DORDONI DESIGN PATIO OUTDOOR MODULAR SEATING SYSTEM | GAMFRATESI DESIGN DISCOVER MORE AT MINOTTI.COM/HOSPITALITY

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

FEATURES

22

Color stories

The colors of alternative realities

Interviews

PEOPLE Peter Ippolito

28

Identity rhymes with diversity

PEOPLE Joe Cheng

86

“Design is for people”

PEOPLE Tim Bowder-Ridger

144 Creatives in the name of Sir Terence Conran

34

WONDER

Projects review Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Los Angeles

16 Carbon Capture Refuge X (CCRX) | Bless Yee

34

A temple for American cinema

Zhongguancun Digital Economy Innovation Industry Base Beijing

18 Florence, Italy | Braccialini Store Emanuele Svetti Architecture

42

20 Chengdu, China | Floating Islands of Sky

unarchitecte

54

432 Park Avenue New York Touching the sky of New York Hotel Palazzo Nani Venice Venice, noblesse oblige

Hermès Paris

140 Jinan, China | Shuifa Information Town

64

Industrial Exhibition Center

AOE, Beijing Puri Lighting Design

142 Rome | Basilica di Santa Maria in Montesanto Pietà | JAGO

The (re)creative spirit of the Hermès world

25hours San Paolino Florence

70

190 Nicosia, Cyprus | Eleftheria Square

Dantesque nights

Resa San Mamés University Residence Bilbao

Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)

192 Shanghai | Green Massage in Madang Road

76

“Color blocking” conquers the campus

194 Chengdu, China | Tianfu Stage, Urban

92

The Royal Senses Panormos, Greece Constructive conversations

Vermilion Zhou Design

Planning Exhibition Hall | AAI-Monster

Casa di Langa Cerreto Langhe, Italy

92

100 In a UNESCO heritage wine country Chuan Malt Whisky Distillery Emeishan, China

106 Tao and the harmony of opposites 112

Hotel Bjornson Jasná, Slovakia Designing a connection to nature LeBron James Innovation Center

116 8 | IFDM

Editor-in-Chief Ruben Modigliani ruben@ifdm.it

Deputy Editor

Alessandra Bergamini alessandra@ifdm.it

Editor-at-Large Veronica Orsi orsi@ifdm.it

Editors

International Contributors

82 Chengdu, China | % Arabica store | Archiee

138 Shenzhen | Zhongshuge | X+Living

Publisher

Paolo Bleve bleve@ifdm.it

Hotel Saint Vincent New Orleans Bold and beautiful

60

Spring | Summer

Wellbeing at work

48

84 Chicago | David Rubenstein Forum University of Chicago, South Plaza | Angie McMonigal

01

Alessandro Bignami, Manuela Di Mari, Elena Franzoia, Elena Luraghi, Antonella Mazzola

80 Daolang Town, Tai’an City, China

Tai’an Ceremony Hall or The Hometown Moon Syn Architects

YEAR VII

Beaverton, USA The poetic finish of fast

New York | Anna Casotti

London | Francesca Gugliotta

Web Department redazione@ifdm.it

PR & Marketing Manager marketing@ifdm.it

Brand Relations

Matteo De Bartolomeis | matteo@ifdm.it Camilla Guffanti | camilla@ifdm.it Annalisa Invernizzi | annalisa@ifdm.it

Graphic Department

Sara Battistutta, Marco Parisi grafica@ifdm.it

Translations Miriam Hurley

Advertising

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Closed by the editorial staff 25th March 2022

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. A record and picture file is available at Marble.

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

Let’s keep in touch!

FEATURES

     ifdmdesign Villa Copenhagen Copenhagen

122 The epitome of nordic elegance Lantern House New York

128 House of light Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna Helsinki

134 Majestic déjà vu The Londoner London

150 Where the magic happens Xapo Gibraltar

158 Where archeology meets the cybersphere Amabilia Suites Milan

162 A peaceful getaway overlooking Milan’s Cathedral Altstadthotel Weisses Kreuz Innsbruck, Austria

166 Upside down MilanoDuomo Stoneroom Milan

172 A “hub-lab” where dreams

and the tangible world meet

The Residences at St. Regis Chicago

178 Gemstone-inspired design Four Seasons Milan

182 The Four Seasons in Milan gets a make-over

150

La Maison Xun Beijing

186 Feeling at home in one of Beijing’s ancient hutongs

Short Stories

197 A wide view on major international projects

Design inspirations

221 A selection of the most innovative products

for the contract sector by international brands

Next

231 A preview of the upcoming global projects

172

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NEXT IN THE WORLD

240 Hospitality awaits post-pandemic recovery

Italian Masterpieces The Secret Garden Collection designed by Roberto Lazzeroni poltronafrau.com

EDITORIAL

ALESSANDRA BERGAMINI Deputy Editor

Art and geometry

T

hese two themes dominate the projects presented in this 19th .Wonder Book.

These complex, many-faceted projects embody the world of art each, with their own perspective, each with their own skill at blending geometry and art.

Unlike in previous .Wonder editorials, we will not mention names or architects, but we will simply invite you to take the time to discover the beauty revealed on every page, a beauty achieved through the skill of architects and designers working in synergy with the property owners. In this sum of creations, geometry and decoration are at their best in the vertical extensions. We go on a journey that is not simplistic, where each project merits us stopping to consider its details and design touches that will make us marvel and sigh in wonder. This .Wonder Book has explored niches of architecture and interior designs made with refinement and balance, where even the crypto world (very connected to art) has brought in architects and interior designers to represent its power and reality. Our journey is taken in 24 stages, plus 12 Wonder Pages — the height of beauty — and 3 interviews, to Tim Bowder Ridger, Joe Cheng, Peter Ippolito, that recount the philosophies of distant worlds that have become leaders in Asia and Europe, highlighting the primacy of these two geographical areas in the best recent design, as we have had the chance to show in previous issues as well.

Enjoy the ride!

IFDM | 13

WONDER. CARBON CAPTURE REFUGE X (CCRX) | BLESS YEE A proposal for a habitable living infrastructure which simultaneously provides a sustainable way of living while filtering carbon out of the atmosphere. As the CCRXs flourishes and multiplies, the need for larger

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© Bless Yee

living infrastructures grow, and units begin to connect and plug into one another. They migrate freely, floating as one with the earth gradually restoring microclimates and ecosystems.

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WONDER. FLORENCE, ITALY | BRACCIALINI STORE | EMANUELE SVETTI ARCHITECTURE © Varvara Verbitskaya

“It’s so fascinating to mix the spaces of the store as if they were a Luna Park on Mars or a Casino in the Center of the Earth, waiting for Houdini to come down on the stage”. Emanuele Svetti

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SUMO. WWW.LIVINGDIVANI.IT

WONDER. CHENGDU, CHINA | FLOATING ISLANDS OF SKY | UNARCHITECTE © He Yao, Zhang Hetian

A cluster of artificial islands and pontoon bridge connects the C9 Food Street of Luxes’ Island in Luxelakes Water City and the artwork ‘Chengdu Rainbow Hut’ by Japanese artist Tsuneo Sekiguchi.

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Collection I Massivi Table Monti, By Matteo Bianchi

Wooden floorings: Oak Online industriale Borgo Plus.

Itlas – v i a d e l l a v o r o – n°35, 31016 C o r d i g n a n o, Tr e v is o – I t a li a p h. +39 04 3 8 36 8 04 0 — itlas.com AD – S t u d i o M a lis a n

I m a g e – N u d e si g n / Ric c a r d o M u n a r in

Ecos – sustainable circular economy The virtuous use of the wood.

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

COLOR STORIES

The colors of alternative realities Psychedelia on one hand, the metaverse on the other. New forms of escapism — psychological and digital — shape reality and so color trends 2023

W

e live in an age of change. The digital world zooms by at a speed that reality can’t keep up with; the pandemic has engendered new social dynamics with major psychological consequences, especially among young people who are the ones who will act to redesign their future; the climate crisis is no longer just theory or the announcement of an inevitable future, but part of everyday life. It makes no difference which continent you are on. We all live in this shared moment of transition. In its color trend research, the ColorWorks™ team investigates the situation and the collective status quo.

The process that guides ColorWorks color-andsocial trend experts, who come from around the world, starts with researching and identifying four global trends that may influence consumers’ response to color in the coming years. For each trend, or story, the team assigns five colors or color effects to represent the key elements of each emerging story, for a total of 20 colors that make up its ColorForward™. The colors of the 2023 color palette are interferential, ambiguous and mysterious, reflecting the current pursuit of escapism — psychological and digital — embodied in the stories of Mare Tranquillitatis and Meetyour-verse, the first stories we will discuss with Roberto Romanin, ColorWorks Senior Designer.

For the Fall Winter edition, we come to Code Blue and CatalyƧt, stories that tell of the climate crisis and the repercussions of all these fears turned into action by the new generations.

Author: Veronica Orsi

22 | IFDM

Trend

Our culture of cutting-edge industrial production, our expertise inspired by ancient craftsmanship, our in-depth knowledge of materials, our commitment to research, experimentation and innovation - these are all distinctive features of the Natuzzi Contract Division.

DISCOVER MORE ON NATUZZI.COM

products custom sofas and furnitures final Client Radisson Collection Venice location Palazzo Nani design Studio Marco Piva

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

COLOR STORIES

Trend

FIRST STORY.

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Aesthetics

Sci-Ψ Ψ

Katso merta

Flowing flaws

Joker Face

Equanimity

MARE TRANQUILLITATIS

Two years after the pandemic, though much has been done to safeguard people’s physical health, but the psychological consequences have been greatly under-considered. Mental illnesses and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder are affecting all parts of the population around the globe. We can think of the cases of Simone Biles at the Beijing Olympics and Naomi Osaka at Roland Garros in Paris last year? Whether it’s because of Covid-19 or not, fortunately, there is right now greater awareness and concern for the issue of mental health, and, as a result, research into its care and treatment. Scientific research is moving forward along these lines in universities (including Stanford and Imperial College London), research institutes and pharmaceutical companies on the use of psychotropic substances as medical treatment. Proof is in the fact that the FDA may approve the use of LSD as a treatment for certain diseases by 2023. In this context, philosophies and movements that touch the emotional side are also making headway, such as Blue Mind, a new approach to life that recognizes our relationship with water for its ability to create a condition of calm and serenity. Meanwhile, social networks and the online world push a wave of meaningless, forced positivity (termed “toxic positivity”, which is actually psychologically harmful) and “tragic optimism” which are actually psychologically harmful. ColorWorks’ research expresses a dual development of the theme: from psychedelic treatment as a scientific method to solve psychological problems to the need for disconnection and inner rediscovery; both are resolved in a lively, bright color palette. Yellow is a must, which is given the name Sci-Ψ, a play on words that combines the term “Science” with the Greek letter “psi,” as in the word psychology, indicating that the theme has a psychological foundation with a strong scientific connotation. It is combined with the light blue of Katso merta, Finnish for “look at the sea” — a clear reference to Blue Mind — and the fluorescent fuchsia of Flowing flaws which reflects the concept of “Flawsome”, a neologism that advocates the acceptance of our flaws as a value. Natural green with a touch of acid in Joker Face refers to toxic positivity, and the transparency of Equanimity, livened up with splashes of fuchsia and orange, suggests a state of composure and mental calm, the arrival point of inner peace.

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

SECOND STORY.

COLOR STORIES

Trend

MEET-YOUR-VERSE

While psychedelia leads to an alternative reality by taking substances that reveal hidden sides of our ego, the metaverse is a further escape from the current world to another dimension, but this time entirely virtual, to be accessed through technology (all you need are headsets). The metaverse (to which Mark Zuckerberg now aspires and therefore changed his company’s name from Facebook to Meta) is the future of the internet made up of virtual spaces populated by avatars. To simplify the idea, we can consider gaming, the first gateway to this parallel universe.

Are all those words not enough to define the focus of this story? Then we can add NFTs, the “non-fungible tokens” that are deeds of ownership and certificates of authenticity stored on a blockchain, which will be sure to take off by 2023. This is the future, not only of the internet, but of ourselves too. Some brands are trying out big innovations with a view to joining the metaverse, including fashion companies such as Nike, which have created products specifically for our digital twins (or avatars) identical to those bought in the store and that our “virtual twin” will be able to wear on all platforms, which are hoped to be intelligible in the metaverse. Though there is clear enthusiasm, many doubts remain, first and foremost, about the management of privacy, data security and ownership, which are all issues that have not yet been resolved. The choice of the palette that tells this story had to be fascinating and mysterious in a duality that ranges from purple to green. So Gimme 5G! is the name for purple with shifting effects (between red, purple and blue), marking the importance of 5G as a technical enabler. It’s a futuristic shade, linked to technology. Snow crash (the name that pays tribute to the novel by Neal Stephenson from 1992 in which the term “metaverse” appeared for the first time) is given the task of interpreting a metallic, dark green, “jungle” effect; entering the new digital universe will be like entering a new world. Cybertschùmbia is the color of the avatars, a neutral white but with microdots that create effects tending towards light blue. And then there is the color of gamification, Insert e-token, a deep dark red recalls the words “Insert Coin” of the now obsolete video games of the ‘80s and ‘90s, in an obvious play on words. Lastly, AARON # 001 is an transparent orange base with splashes of white that represents the NFT theme.

The changeable color recalls the uniqueness of digital works, and the name refers to the first machine created to make large-scale paintings.

Gimme 5G!

Snow crash

Aesthetics

Cybertschùmbia

Insert e-token

AARON #001

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PEOPLE

Peter Ippolito

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

PEOPLE

IDENTITY RHYMES WITH DIVERSITY As easy as it is to make the rhyme, it is much more complex to build identity places for ever-changing contexts, cultures, and uses.

The key is the human component and seeking a moment of magic

A

fter training as architects, Peter Ippolito and Gunther Fleitz founded the Ippolito Fleitz Group in Stuttgart. Peter Ippolito says that “After 20 years we’re still curious about what drives people and hungry to do totally new projects in countries we’ve never visited before.

Context is one of our main drivers, the curiosity and courage to just get out there, along with a strong focus on the user’s perspective.” In 20 years, and 1600 projects, four more offices have been opened, in Berlin, Zurich, Moscow and Shanghai where more than 130 people work, including product designers, interior designers, architects, brand specialists, graphic designers, textile designers, craft people and artists engaged in corporate, residential, hospitality and workplace projects.

They have always described themselves as “identity architects.” “In both private and public projects, we’re aiming for something that resonates with people and creates a sense of relevance for our users. This is at the core of what we do and why we call ourselves identity architects.”

author: Alessandra Bergamini portrait photo: Ippolito Fleitz Group, Jessica Morfis projects photo: Zooey Braun, Philip Kottlorz, Sui Sicong

Peter Ippolito

You constantly work on your clients’ identity, but how would you define your firm’s own identity?

When we started the company 20 years ago after graduating as architects we made a couple of decisions that are still valid for us today. One was to work as broadly as possible and not specialize. We were curious about the world and we just wanted to go out there and take whatever seemed interesting. We still have that kind of variety and diversity of work today, with projects spanning from the private to the corporate sphere, from very small projects to large and even massive ones, from branding and product design to interior design and architecture. Diversity is really a core value for us, not only in what we do but how we do it. Our second important decision was tied to our belief that the world is too interesting to look at just from the perspective of architects. So, since our very first project 20 years ago we have included different perspectives, be they of artists or graphic designers, and we are still doing this too. Today we employ over 130 designers from all over the world, including product designers, interior designers, architects, brand specialists, graphic designers, textile designers and artisans. It really helps to have a broad view and always aim to understand society as a whole in order to solve something specific. We want to understand how people live, love, work and travel, which allows us to integrate our view. We also made the decision to work internationally and go beyond our own culture.

We wanted to be curious about other perspectives and how people of different backgrounds look at a similar problem and offer a totally different answer.

So, is diversity at the core of your design approach?

After 20 years and more than 1600 projects, we’re still curious about what drives people and hungry to do totally new projects in countries we’ve never visited before. Context is one of our main drivers, the curiosity and courage to just get out there, along with a strong focus on the user’s perspective. Nothing we do comes from an idea of a particular style, so every project is different because each client or their target group have a different idea about life, love, work, travel, and they deserve a unique answer. Essentially our projects respond to the user’s perspective and take a human-centric approach.

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

PEOPLE

Roman Klis Design office, Herrenberg, Germany LaVisione restaurant, Denkendorf, Germany So, the starting point is the client.

How do you become identity architects?

We develop projects around the client’s identity. We see a project like a journey with our clients. Always on eye level as a strategic partner, not knowing the outcome when we start, but arriving at a solution that not only works well but creates value. Obviously, the solution needs to be functional, operative and beautiful, but in both private and public projects we’re aiming for something that goes beyond that, something that resonates with people and creates a sense of relevance for our users. This is at the core of what we do and why we call ourselves identity architects.

Your work could be described as moments, or a series of moments. Could you explain this?

There will always be theories and concepts, which are important, but a moment is something magical, whether it’s about you as a designer knowing you’ve arrived at a solution, or a workplace context where it’s no longer so interesting to create or “mirror” everything that has already been defined by operational processes. What’s interesting is creating something you haven’t planned ahead of time. For example, how can people working in separate teams or departments meet up somewhere and have an idea? Moments are 30 | IFDM

a sort of innovation. That’s what we’re looking for: the kind of magic that happens when you leave the realm of the expected and the planned.

Can dialogue and surprise be considered key moments for both clients and users?

Our generation was trained to design objects or spaces as results but I don’t believe in that concept anymore. The workplace and what we have been experiencing in recent years is a good example. There is no successful workplace project without a proper change management process. So, the work of designers is as much about designing processes as it is to design objects and spaces. Having a deep understanding of the socio-economic context and how people act in it, makes our lives as designers much richer.

Being process-oriented and dialogue-oriented, shaping processes, is a key part of our job. Creating unexpected moments, which break the barriers of what you expect from a space, disrupts our preconceived expectations and hence creates an opportunity for a strong identity, a memorable and shareable moment, appropriation or a reflection of purpose. It’s always more interesting to engage with someone who is different, who provides a source of friction. With spaces it’s just like that.

Peter Ippolito

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

PEOPLE

Peter Ippolito

Your interiors, including the ceilings, are dense and visually stimulating.

Ceilings are somehow a lost surface of modernism.

Ceilings have been and still are a fantastic opportunity because you always see them. Even if you have a busy place like a restaurant or a commercial space, the ceiling is always visible. It’s an opportunity to create identity, start a dialogue, lead the client on a journey and, of course, in a classical-architectural sense, support zoning, orientation and layering. Often in modernism the ceiling is reduced to a bearer of functional things like sprinklers, lights and cooling systems. We always try to grasp the opportunity a ceiling offers and take a very integrated approach to building technology. In most of our projects, technology is invisible, unless it helps to make a visual hierarchy work since we usually focus on the effect.

Regarding the design of workspaces and their users, what do you think current and near future development will look like?

There are a couple of things we’re looking for right now and, of course, everything has been accelerated by the Covid experience. But none of that is new, it’s just more present. And I think it’s a chance for us, Chromatic Spaces show apartment, Shanghai Schöller office, Reutlingen, Germany

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

PEOPLE

I mean Central European countries, to be shaken up and stop postponing changes. The first question to ask is, why should people return to working in offices? The answer is, because we want to do it, not because we need to do it. That’s the magic. The knowledge-based workplace of tomorrow is a temple of values, purpose and belonging. Considering that we’ve all learned that remote work is less scary than we said it was for years, now we have new and valid options for places to work besides the classic head office or headquarters, be it at home, in decentralized hubs or coworking spaces. We’re going to start seeing less concentration-based spaces, where the traditional desk is less important, and we’ll focus more on everything that starts with “co”: collaboration, co-creation, communications -- everything that can be done together, which can foster a sense of identity and belonging. The office of tomorrow is a social space, it’s a cultural project rather than a facility-management project. We like to say that identity is the new facility. This is the big theme. Change has been constant and it’s accelerating for all of us, everywhere. So, we don’t really know how we’re going to be working in, Ippolito Fleitz Group office, Stuttgart, Germany

32 | IFDM

say, five years’ time. Our tools are changing constantly, miniaturization and mobilization are still evolving.

As we move from departments towards a more matrix-based, process-oriented way of working, we need to create something that’s both agile and has more character. The negotiation between identity and agility is at the core of workplace design because we’ve all learned that we’re looking for our individuality.

We don’t want to be just a number or a part of the system; we want to use the efficiency of the system.

So, we have to create a system that doesn’t look like a system. We have the chance to create architecture or interiors that not only enable flexibility but can also be spaces where people are less scared about change because they see opportunity in them. We’ll also be focusing far more on wellbeing, sound solutions and sustainability, responding to our need to connect to nature and experience ourselves in our physical presence in an increasingly virtual world since technology has deprived us of nature. In this accelerated world we are concerned about our health. All of this plays a key role in introducing a totally different language to workplace architecture.

Peter Ippolito

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

Please tell us about your relationship with Italy and Made in Italy design. Do you choose Italian brands for your projects?

I’m half Italian since my father comes from Sicily, but, unfortunately, I don’t speak the language. I think “being in-between” — half-Italian, half-German — is the theme of our work since my partner [Gunter Fleitz] is German and we like this kind of in-between situation. We have a sense of style and beauty and this idea of enjoying the world by creating something that’s enjoyable. As for Made in Italy, how could you not be attracted to Italian design? It’s a fantastic source of products that come close to understanding how people want to live and translating that. The area around Milan -- where many mid-size companies, often run by their owners, are very innovative in their process through idea, mock-up and product — is unique in a globalized world. It’s also remarkable how well Italy promotes and markets its design abroad.

Do you and Mr. Fleitz play different roles in your firm?

Traditionally I’m more the designer and Gunter manages the projects, but as our studio has grown,

PEOPLE

our roles became more fluid. I’m still overseeing the design phase in many projects and I’m the one who travels more to our international offices, while Gunter deals with the German market in terms of key accounting decisions. We’ve known each other and been friends for so long. The impressive part of our story is that we are still friends after 20 years of running a business together.

Peter Ippolito

Floating Connection guesthouse, Germany

Tell us about your ongoing and future work.

We work on several huge workspace projects.

“Heads” in Aschheim, for example, is Germany’s first immune office – a workspace designed with meticulous attention to health and well-being.

For our client Beiersdorf we are working on a new corporate headquarters in Hamburg and we’re in the middle of finishing offices for wellknown brands such as Ritter Sport and Bionade.

Besides that, we’re designing a new corporate architecture for Geberit and Poggenpohl to reach a global market. And in Shanghai we currently develop several iconic mall projects throughout China, one of them being located in the new OPPO headquarters, the latest Shenzhen landmark by Zaha Hadid Architects.

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

A temple for American cinema The brand-new Academy Museum in Los Angeles was designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop, inspired by the infinite possible worlds imagined by film, expanding and renovating a futuristic example of Streamline architecture

3

88 million dollars, 7 floors, 28,000 square meters, and the ultra-prestigious signature of the best-loved Italian architect in the United States, Renzo Piano. Its location is the Mecca of American movies, Los Angeles. These are some of the record-breaking numbers of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, billed as an “unparalleled experiences in the universe of the arts, sciences, artists, and the social impact of motion pictures.” It courageously cut the ribbon in late September 2021, despite the hard blow the pandemic has dealt the world of culture and entertainment. The new museum is the culmination of a dream over 90 years old, as the ambitious idea 34 | IFDM

MUSEUM

Los Angeles

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

MUSEUM

Los Angeles

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

Client: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) Architectural design: Renzo Piano Building Workshop Executive architect: Gensler Project manager: Paratus Group Civil engineer: KPFF Consulting Engineers Lighting design, structural engineer: Buro Happold Façade consultant: Knippers Helbig Landscape architect: LRM Landscape Architects Theater design: Arup North America Acoustics A/V: Jaffe Holden Acoustics Restaurant design: Commune Design Fire/life safety: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Leed consultant team: Atelier Ten Interior façade: Walter P. Moore Building conservation experts: John Fidler Preservation Technology Exhibition design: WHY Architecture Glass fabricator: Saint Gobain Vertical transportation: HKA Elevator Consulting Furnishings: Poltrona Frau (David Geffen Theater) Author: Elena Franzoia Photo credits: Iwan Baan, Nic Lehoux, Joshua White

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MUSEUM

Los Angeles

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

MUSEUM

Los Angeles

was launched in 1929 by then Academy President Douglas Fairbanks. It was built thanks to the support of 13,000 donors attracted by a promotional campaign led by Annette Bening and Tom Hanks.

In addition to Renzo Piano Building Workshop, the project bears the signature of the global network Gensler, which oversaw the executive project, and WHY Architecture, responsible for the spectacular, multimedia display of the core gallery spaces covering over 2,800 square meters. This exhibition, which will change often, as the name Stories of Cinema suggests, making room for a wide spectrum of voices and themes, displaying in rotation an enormous variety of memorabilia, all with different conservation needs. Other sections feature temporary exhibitions (the inaugural one is of Japanese master of animation Hayao Miyazaki), special collections (such as Richard Balzer’s collection about pre-cinema) and immersive experiences, such as simulations of Oscar presentations, complete with red carpet for visitors.

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

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MUSEUM

Los Angeles

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

MUSEUM

Los Angeles

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

There are two movie theaters, the 1000-seat David Geffen Theater and the 288-seat Ted Mann Theater. The Shirley Temple Education Studio is for educational programs for children and families. The timeless glamor of the cinematic universe also infuses the Fanny’s café restaurant, designed

by Commune Design with Osvaldo Morozzi and named for Fanny Brice, the enchanting star who Barbra Streisand played in Funny Girl (1968). The Academy Museum Store is the museum’s large retail space where you can buy exclusive merchandise, often related to the Oscars. The complex has received LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. It was created by joining two different structures: the 1939 May Company building, an important example of Streamline architecture, which was renamed the Saban Building in honor of its benefactors Cheryl and Haim Saban, and a new spherical glass and concrete building designed by Piano. An internal square to the north is named for Walt Disney. The complex 40 | IFDM

MUSEUM

Los Angeles

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

MUSEUM

Los Angeles

is located in the heart of Los Angeles, at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue, on the famous Miracle Mile. “The additions made to the original building, which date back to 1946, have been removed and replaced with a spherical building that holds the David Geffen Theater and Dolby Family Terrace, with breathtaking views of Hollywood,” says Renzo Piano.

“The Academy Museum gives us the opportunity to honor the past while creating a building for the future. in fact, for the possibility of many futures.

The historic Saban Building is a wonderful example of Streamline Moderne style, which preserves the way people envisioned the future in 1939. The new structure, the Sphere Building, is a form that seems to lift off the ground into the perpetual, imaginary voyage through space and time that is moviegoing. By connecting these two experiences we create something that is itself like a movie. You go from sequence to sequence, from the exhibition galleries to the film theater and the terrace, with everything blending into one experience.”

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Beijing

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

Wellbeing at work The importance of having spaces to decompress made up of light and nature is found in the QUCESS Design project for the offices of Zhongguancun Digital Economy Innovation Industry Base, in Beijing

OFFICE

Beijing

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he creative team of QUCESS Design, led by Li Yiming, showed beyond a doubt how pressing the need has become for outdoor spaces when designing work spaces. Despite a limited budget, the group kept to its objective in rebuilding the former Beijing Research Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Technology (BRIMET), in Beijing, now the new work place for the Digital Economy Innovation Industry Base, one of the few structures still

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OFFICE

Beijing

Client: Shaoxing Shuimuwan Science Park Company Beijing Branch Interior design: Qucess Design Structural consultant: China Academy of Building Research Co. Furnishing team: Hu Kun, Li Tingting, Luo Yun Branding team: Li Yuhan, Lele Brand Strategy Agency Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Zheng Yan

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OFFICE

Beijing

standing, waiting to be renovated, in the central area of Zhongguancun, a few kilometers from the University. The architects started specifically from the client’s needs to create this vital decompression element, as they were asked first and foremost to renovate the interiors and optimize the work areas through good ventilation, lighting, and quality of the working space. Making use of the position of the entrance and the height of the area involved, the entire building was divided into four circular sections. Due to the lack of corners, this automatically created large open-air loops covered by an enormous skylight that guides natural light to spread through the atriums under it and reach the office interiors as well. The studio says, “We hope that every office area is surrounded by a garden so that the staff can enjoy a moment of relaxation when they look out the window after work. Of course, they can also walk into the garden and enjoy the sun and nature.”

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Two spiral staircases in the atrium organize and ease the flow of people, supporting the other staircase set east-west lengthwise. Next to it are two sets of panoramic elevators running along a brightly painted steel structural frame, contributing to its vibrant dynamic. The project’s low-cost implementation was doubtlessly due to making the best use of restoring existing structural and building conditions, with a powerful visual effect, showing off the easy coexistence of old and new.

These “presences” are also seen on the roof, where a garden center includes a series of seats, lit in the evening by solar energy, along with art installations that also reiterate the shapes of stems and foliage.

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OFFICE

Beijing

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

New Orleans

Bold and beautiful Like a Wes Anderson movie set, far from the buzz of Bourbon Street but in the fascinating confines of the bohemian enclave of the Lower Garden District.

Hotel Saint Vincent in New Orleans welcomes a colorful mix-and-match of styles with vintage verve and exquisite details

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otel Saint Vincent is the first project by MML Hospitality, founded by industry veterans Larry McGuire, Tom Moorman and Liz Lambert. A carefree overlapping of periods and a joyful mash-up of inspirations gives the impression that anything can happen, more than just sleep, in the iconic red brick structure, which was originally built in 1861 by the Irish philanthropist Margaret Haughery for Saint Vincent’s Infant Asylum. The design by LMD, Lambert McGuire Design, conceives new elegance made of modern opulence and vintage creativity that beguiles with an unusual combination of styles from different periods with colorful, almost psychedelic backgrounds, Murano chandeliers and neon signs. The architects approached the building with a “spirit of restoration,” finding its structural elements fairly unscathed. The old building was a children’s orphanage until the early 20th century, and then a shelter for teenage mothers in the 1990s. It has retained part of its institutional feel, but now features 75 newly designed rooms and lush public spaces, including an interior courtyard with a swimming pool lined with tropical

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HOTEL

New Orleans

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plants and fountains, outdoor verandas with sky-blue painted ceilings, and exclusive bars and restaurants, such as the San Lorenzo restaurant, which pays tribute to Italy with a coastal menu influenced by regional New Orleans dishes, and The Chapel Club bar. Both are holders and representatives of a hyper-aesthetic approach as seen in every detail: from the modern chandeliers and diamond-tipped columns of the restaurant to the luxuriant atmosphere of the bar, which vibrates in the intense colors of the walls, the brilliant 50 | IFDM

HOTEL

velvets, monochrome marbles and the exuberant collection of nude paintings arranged everywhere, seeming almost debauched with the orange filter of its lights. In contrast, the Paradise Lounge is bathed in natural light through its high windows, lighting the exotic beauties that blossom artfully on its walls alongside palm trees, emerald velvet sofas and mosaic floor tiles. Each of Saint Vincent’s 75 rooms is unique in its layout, including its Mary corner suites with views of the Virgin Mary statue in a cave and the classic Courtyard

New Orleans

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

New Orleans

Owners: Liz Lambert, Larry McGuire & Tom Moorman of MML Hospitality and Real Estate Developers: Zach Kupperman, Christian Strobel & Jayson Seidman Main Contractor: Palmisano Hotel operator: McGuire Moorman Lambert Hospitality (MML Hospitality) Interior design: Lambert McGuire Design (LMD) Furnishings and lightings: vintage, sourced and custom Bathrooms: D.S. & Durga, Waterworks Wallpaper: Voutsa Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Douglas Friedman, Matt Harrington

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Kings pool-side and the cozy Sister Studios on the fourth floor. The private rooms also stand out for their ever-changing styles and color combinations, infused with new life with luxurious fabrics and curtains, furnishings and accessories ranging from 20th century Italian design to Art Deco. The bathrooms have classic bathtubs and rather psychedelic backgrounds, with red and pink tiles, and marbled wallpaper by Voutsa that echo the traditional Florentine book bindings found among Margaret Haughery’s books.

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HOTEL

New Orleans

Ph bernard touillon

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Showroom m i l a n / Pa r i S rome / london / CanneS / Cologne

Cali PSo by il aria marelli

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RESIDENCES

Main Contractor: Cardinal Construction Interior design: Axis Mundi/John Beckmann with Hannah LaSota Furnishings: Avery Boardman, B&B Italia, Cassina, Flexform, Hudson Furniture, Living Divani, Mattaliano, Moooi, Poliform, Poltrona Frau, Roll & Hill; Paul Dupré-Lafon, Charlotte Perriand Lighting: Bocci, DelightFull, KLUS Lighting, Henge, Serge Mouille Wallcoverings: Flavorpaper Carpets: Joseph Carini Rugs, The Rug Company Fabrics: Christopher Hyland Fabrics, Frette, Maya Romanoff Ceramics: John Born, courtesy of Collection 20C Author: Francesca Gugliotta Photo credits: Durston Saylor

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New York

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

RESIDENCES

New York

Touching the sky of New York On the 94th floor of 432 Park Avenue in New York City, Axis Mundi designed the residence for a private client with a family of four, with the most breathtaking views in Manhattan

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onceived by architect Rafael Viñoly, 432 Park Avenue in New York is the tallest residential skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere, 426 meters high. In this stunning building, Axis Mundi designed the residence for a private client with a family of four, a luxury apartment with the most breathtaking views in Manhattan: “The apartment is about 4000 square feet on the 94th floor with

views facing west, south, and east”, says John Beckmann, founder and creative director of Axis Mundi.

“432 Park is one of several residences that the client owns, primarily they use this apartment for just a few weeks out of the year. The client’s two teenage daughters found us to begin with, which I considered quite a compliment, the girls liked our work the best, after seeing a variety of other designers’ work”.

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Inside, luxurious fabrics and a finest selection of Italian furniture brands, such as Flexform, B&B Italia, Cassina, Poltrona Frau, Poliform, Living Divani, just to name a few: “I call what we do glamorous minimalism, we mix bold patterns and colors with luxurious materials like bronze, it’s then all set off against a minimalist architectural background. Traditionally color and pattern are not associated with minimalism, yet I punctuate my work with unexpected juxtapositions”. Talking about his furniture choices, John Beckmann says: “I love Italian design, Carlo Mollino and Gio Ponti are my favorite designers. Of course, we used many pieces from Poltrona Frau and Flexform, Henge has been developing new lighting fixtures that I also love. Typically we will design a few custom pieces for each job, but due to time constraints, we were unable to for this project”. The spaces are full of natural light, with the amazing views towards the breathtaking panorama: “The apartment’s biggest asset is its fantastic views.

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New York

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RESIDENCES

New York

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places to perch and read a book while the light changes through the day”. The interiors are fluid, dynamic and with bold touches: “The most counterintuitive room turned out to be the long hallway, we treated the walls with black Venetian plaster, no one would do that, but it just worked, the hall became elegant and mysterious, it was a fabulous way to showcase the client’s art collection, it really popped.

I also love the Master Bedroom, which is very grand, we mixed the Dream headboard system by Marcel Wanders in leather and velvet panels from Poliform with a custom pure silk rug in gold by Joseph Carini.

I’ve always wanted to use some furniture designed

by Paul Dupré-Lafon, his work is extraordinary”.

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The apartment has an impressive art collection, including the likes of Cy Twombly, Gerhard Richter, Susan Frecon, Vik Muniz and Lisette Schumacher: “The owner’s collection is primarily contemporary art, including an impressive collection of Chinese art, some of which is in the project. I love working with art collectors, discovering how to live with art is a fascinating challenge”. John Beckmann reveals that his favorite room is the library media room: “I think it’s a very iconic space, it has received a lot of media attention, it is unexpected and shocking, I love the use of red, the sofa, the rug, the bookshelves.

It’s also not a very large room, but it looks big, it’s bold and fun, it has a rock star swagger to it”.

New York

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Venice

Venice, noblesse oblige The recently opened Hotel Palazzo Nani evokes the long-ago world of the Serenissima Republic without sacrificing contemporary style. Fine furnishings and fabrics are made to measure, dialoguing with marble, wood, frescoes, stucco, in the name of timeless elegance

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ince the sixteenth century, the Cannaregio Canal has been a main gateway to Venice coming from the mainland. Of the many noble buildings reflected in its water, one captured special attention: Palazzo Nani, named after the noble Venetian family of that name that had it built and lived there for centuries; later it became a barracks and then a school. After two years of restoration, Palazzo Nani becomes the new jewel in the crown of Venetian hospitality,

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joining the Radisson Collection. It’s a triumph of stucco and marble chip flooring, historic wood, and frescoes, furnished with clean, sophisticated elegance by Studio Marco Piva (who had designed the Milanese Palazzo Touring Club for Radisson). “Palazzo Nani was a beautiful piece of architecture, but in a state of decline. Turning it into a 5-star hotel was an opportunity to bring it back to life,” explains the architect Marco Piva, who worked closely with the construction man-

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Venice

Owner: Figura 11 Hotel operator: Radisson Collection Architectural restoration: Sirecon Interior design: Studio Marco Piva Architecture & work supervisor: Venice Plan Ingegneria Main Contractors: Arredo Design, BRB Engineering, Concreta, Prisma Furnishings: Brunner, Calligaris, Ethimo, Miniforms, Natuzzi, Tribu, Wiesner Hager Mobel Lighting: Artemide, Flos, Italamp, Marset, Rossini Illuminazione, Santa & Cole, Vibia Bathrooms: Axor, Ceramica Globo, Crown International, Geberit, Hansgrohe, Margaroli, Vismara, Zucchetti.Kos Kitchens: Candy, Electrolux, Elica Flooring and surfaces: Cotto D’Este, Itlas, Pagani Marmi, Silestone, Unilin Italia Textiles: Rada, Rubelli Carpets: Besana Carpet, Lolohey, Radici Pietro Curtains: Delius, Jab, Silent Gliss, Tendaggi Paradiso Handles: Colombo Design, DND Author: Elena Luraghi Photo credits: Andrea Martiradonna

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agement company Venice Plan Ingegneria and the Superintendence of Fine Arts. The architect focused on a “box in the box” design, placing the monumental building envelope in a conversation with the interior design and the decorative system with made to measure furnishings inspired by the essence of Venice. In its 52 rooms (36 standard, 15 suites, 1 presidential suite) and 3 apartments, the woods and other materials, with their unique designs, are put in continuity with the building’s original materials. The finishes and colors evoke the hues of water, reflections of the glass of the nearby Murano factory, and the interiors of gondolas. The marbles and their distinctive veins — such as Palissandro Nuvolato and Bardiglio Nuvolato — are also references to the lagoon, and the paintings of the rooms pay homage to the friezes and frescoes of the ceilings, made primarily in the nineteenth century by Bevilacqua, when the Nani family had already left the building to move to Ca’ Rezzonico. According to the architect,

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HOTEL

Venice

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Venice

“The dialogue with history was essential.” He modified the internal structures as little as possible in the new layout, adding only a few partitions when strictly necessary, designing wardrobes and furnishing elements with technological parts, so as to avoid interrupting the visual continuity of the spaces. Where possible, the marble chip flooring was restored; otherwise parquet flooring was used with a geometric pattern in keeping with the interiors’ linear quality. The common areas, which are on three floors, are dominant. The hotel’s main entrance has the reception console and accesses the restaurants and the bar, whose key feature is a curved, lagoon-green counter. The noble halls on the first and second floors return to their historic functions as a place of entertainment, with lounge seats made jointly with Natuzzi to evoke the colors of mythological ceiling frescoes, marbles and muses painted in the ovals above the doors. The architect says, “They are magical places, full of light, where guests can feel at home.” That’s a fitting summary of a design that seeks to offer the best of hospitality on the lagoon in an alluring setting that brings art, history and design into symbiotic harmony.

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RETAIL

Paris

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RETAIL

Paris

The (re)creative spirit of the Hermès world The Hermès boutique in Rue de Sèvres, Paris, has been renovated and restyled, and a new store is opening next door to showcase Petit H, a collection of “circular” objects made by reusing materials. Architectural design by RDAI

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he extraordinary exploratory approach that defines Hermès’ creations come through powerfully in its newly renovated absolutely charming boutique in Rue de Sèvres in Paris, and in the new space it opened right next door at no. 17. The petit h métier, which is about sustainability and material reuse, has an independent entrance and display window, born of thinking about reinvention and environmental

respect while keeping true to the artisan values and aesthetic excellence that have forged every single Hermès piece since 1837. RDAI architects were responsible for the new architectural work as well as renovation of the flagship store, given the importance of the site where both are located, the former Lutetia swimming pool, named a national monument in 2005. The existing section covers over 1300 square meters and houses all sixteen

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Paris

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

RETAIL

Paris

Owner: Hermès Interior design: RDAI Artistic director: Denis Montel Project interior architect: Nathalie Gonon Interior architect: Joanna Andreassian Lighting consultant: Metis Lighting Furnishings: RDAI design and selections Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Guillaume Grasset

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Hermès métiers, designers who have given their own interpretation to water, playing on the complementary quality of opposites, lines, colors and materials. Water and light inspired the shape of the custom-woven carpets and the wall surface’s iridescent reflections imitating concentric circles.

Ceramic tiles in 1930s styles, made by ceramists with exceptional expertise, embellish many areas of the shop. Luminous blues and greens are echoed in mosaics and terrazzo floors, warmed by the cream and caramel hues of the glazed lava stone tops and crackle lacquered wooden shelves.

This combination goes beautifully with the 120-meter long colored fresco L’Odysée d’Hermès that unfurls along the walls, designed by the French artist Matthieu Cossé. A selection of exclusive pieces was chosen to celebrate the shop’s reopening, including Birkin, Bolide 1923 and Lindy handbags in a collection of water-inspired hues that match the shop’s color 68 | IFDM

RETAIL

palette. The adjacent space for Petit H infuses life and meaning into unique, high-quality hybrid objects, made under the artistic direction of Godefroy de Virieu by meticulously crafting discarded materials (leather, silk, crystal and porcelain), made from materials which were not used. In this upcycling project, RDAI’s architects deftly highlighted the terrazzo floors with marble punctuated by brass pieces from the leatherworking craft, magnetic whitewashed cork panels on which to attach different pieces each season, and cubic cork furniture with leather handles that fully express the concept of reuse. The layout will change four times a year to tell ever new stories about (re)creation, and, an absolute first, the shop will host workshops where you can discover the infinite possibilities of things you no longer use. the star material of the opening was earthenware with pieces made from Ravel workshops in south of France…. shaped like a jar.

Paris

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Dantesque nights The interiors of the brand-new 25hours San Paolino hotel are the work of Studio Otto-Paola Navone. Taking inspiration from Dante’s Divine Comedy, this relaxed, experiential hospitality with touches of Pop Art uses class and wit to redevelop the former Monte dei Pegni in the historic center of Florence

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t goes without saying that it depends on your character and mood if you opt for a few nights in the torrid red of an infernal circle of hell or to fly, with silvery wings and all, in the paradisiacal ambiance of the Host of the Blessed.

For angels or demons alike, boredom is banished in the brand-new 25hours Hotel San Paolino, the

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first Italian hotel of the German group that chose to redevelop and expand a historic building in the center of Florence, through a project by the global-scale Florentine team, GLA - Genius Loci Architettura. The complex was a former convent and then the Monte del Pegni lending company and had been long abandoned. It is strategically

Florence, Italy

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Florence, Italy

Owner: Invesco Investor & Developer: Art-Invest Real Estate Hotel operator: 25hours Hotel Company Architecture: GLA - Genius Loci Architettura Interior design: Paola Navone, Studio Otto Concept & Original Inspiration: 25hours Hotels Furnishings: Amura, Baxter, Casamilano, Chaises Nicolle, Gervasoni, Maximum Lighting: Karman, Lapo Binazzi/UFO, Slide Wallpaper: Vescom Carpets: Seletti, graphic design by Studio Otto-Paola Navone Antique handcrafted mirrors: Franco Failli Flooring: 14Oraitaliana, La Pietra Compattata Author: Elena Franzoia Photo credits: Laura Fantacuzzi, Maxime Galati Fourcade, Dario Garofalo

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located not only close to the hub of the tram line and railway station and the iconic monumentality of Piazza Santa Maria Novella, and Florence’s elegant area full of antiques and designer fashion.

The general manager of 25Hours Bart Spoorenberg had the inspiration to focus the concept on Dante’s Divine Comedy and chose to entrust the interior design to the class and experience of Paola Navone. “I have known Christoph Hoffman, who created the 25Hours brand, for over 10 years. What immediately struck me was the ‘disruptive’ design approach with which 25hours’ places were conceived, which was very close to my own,” says the designer. “Each project is unique, a white canvas on which to build a memorable, immersive, fun experience tied to the city hosting you.” Navone’s distinctive taste for the theatrical use of color and fascination with objects (often found ones) are expressed differently in each area, designed to meet the varied audiences that the hotel is catering to. One includes locals as well as it aims to take root in its Florentine setting as a place to dine, drink and gather, also spilling into the small San Paolino square. The heart of the project is the large central courtyard of the former Monte dei Pegni company, which was covered and enriched by a lush installation made with recycled fabrics by the Dutch artist Linda Nieuwstad. The lounge quickly has become a site for photoshoots, holding the reception, the Italian restaurant San Paolino, with a kitchen in full view and a Nomadic Shop with furnishings and accessories chosen or made by Paola Navone. More secluded areas are gathered around the courtyard, including the Bacchus Room, which can be used for tastings or work meetings, a large bar/lounge area on an Aromatic Garden and areas that can be accessed externally, like the chic American bar Companion, with a Central European ambiance, and the ultra-Tuscan gourmet shop Alimentari. Though its 171 rooms are dedicated to the virtuous and the damned, some nonetheless have balconies and private gardens, and a roof loft is immersed in a Secret Garden with the welcome cooling off spot of a swimming pool.

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Florence, Italy

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Florence, Italy

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Other amenities include the Cinema Paradiso (of course!) and a library with billiards. The choice of furnishings, materials and details is informal but exclusive throughout, defined by custom pieces as well as craftsmanship and vintage style. Navone explains, “The trick was to create a sum of many details that would together tell a cohesive story.

And in a city like Florence, a forge of artisan genius, the challenge is bringing its great creative and manufacturing capacity into the project was all the more exhilarating, forming an ongoing conversation, original and eclectic, between the concepts of interiors, design, and product making. This is a collection of Applied Arts 4.0 seen through the “paradigm of having no paradigms.”

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HOTEL

Florence, Italy

Porcelain tiles for new design paths

Affrescati collection www.refin.it/affrescati

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

RESIDENCES

“Color blocking” conquers the campus A site slated for demolition became carte blanche for the creative design studio Masquespacio, which chose color blocking as the tool to define the concept of the unique, strategic spaces of the Resa San Mamés University Residence in the new Terminus Bilbao

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reystar Group-Resa, specialized in student housing, commissioned Masquespacio to develop the visual strategy for a series of campuses aimed at forging and enhancing relationships between people adopting a cohesive, unified narrative that can be tracked, un-

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derstood and identified. The project for the Resa San Mamés University Residence is intended as a communication device that acts within the social relations through the symbolic effectiveness of its elements. Flexible custom furnishings, brightly colored signs and practical design

Bilbao

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RESIDENCES

Bilbao

Owner: Greystar - Resa Architectural design: IA+B (Iñaki Aurrekoetxea & Bazkideak) Interior design: Masquespacio Construction: Amenabar Furnishings: on design by Masquespacio and manufactured by Inmodeco; Beliani, Fatboy, Masferreteria, Pedrali, Sancal, TM Sillerías Lighting: on design by Masquespacio, ACB Lighting, BEN Group, Performance in Lighting, Tecnolite + YLD Lighting Flooring: Concrete + Gerflor Tiles: Complementto Granite: Mosaicos Solana Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Courtesy of Masquespacio

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create inviting spaces and encourage a comfortable, cheerful living experience. The purpose of this community space and the process of identification for people moving through it are in the interdependence between shapes, colors, materials and functions. Masquespacio kept to a limited budget, choosing to restore some elements of the site being demolished and keeping its ‘grunge’ atmosphere. The industrial details — original concrete floors, pipes and exposed brick — are arranged in a well-organized color strategy with translucent partitions that define the functional areas into interconnected zones. The structure’s area covers 1,850 square meters and its open plan includes spaces for study, socializing, gathering and dining for 351 students. In addition to dormitories, the building has a kitchen, a dining room, study rooms, recreation rooms, a gym and a terrace. Ana Hernández, Masquespacio’s creative director explains, “Using the technique of color blocking we obtained a strong visual impact for 78 | IFDM

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Bilbao

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RESIDENCES

Bilbao

the space and at the same time we could create a clear distinction between each zone in this open space.” From pastel hues to pop colors: the color range includes pink, green, lilac, blue, yellow and red. The color blocking theme makes use of bold “proximities,” extending outdoors as well to the terrace, where green picnic tables merge within the visual boundaries in the same green, while different shades of blue border other surfaces and absorb seating in the same color, and hot pink lounge chairs are juxtaposed. Millennial pink covers the tables and chairs in the dining room, including extra-large amphitheater-style steps to allow students to sit and interact. The study areas use flexible acoustic glass panels to screen out noise and can be opened to connect to adjacent areas. Exposed bricks painted in navy blue add texture to formal study spaces and burgundy velvet awnings on circular tracks enclose group study tables when needed for greater privacy.

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WONDER. DAOLANG TOWN, TAI’AN CITY, CHINA | TAI’AN CEREMONY HALL OR THE HOMETOWN MOON | SYN ARCHITECTS An exemplar of China’s rural revitalization practice which aims at infusing a deep meaning into the artificial moon that never sets. According to this rhetoric, the building functions as a ceremony hall designed

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© Zheng Yan

to escape conventionalisms. As a tourist attraction, the structure can host ceremonies and events, and provide spiritual and operational values that strengthen local resources.

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WONDER. CHENGDU, CHINA | % ARABICA STORE | ARCHIEE © Kobe

This project by a Paris based agency for the Japanese coffee shop, renowned for its white minimalist stores, blends Chinese landscapes, Japanese structural and minimal design, and the Paris café culture.

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WONDER. CHICAGO | DAVID RUBENSTEIN FORUM UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, SOUTH PLAZA | ANGIE MCMONIGAL © Angie McMonigal Photography

Bird’s-eye view. The fall colors and long shadows add a layer of interest to the space. The forum is aimed at fostering the engagement of visiting scholars, researchers and dignitaries from around the world.

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wallanddeco.com

adv D+ / ph Valentina Sommariva design Eva Germani

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

PEOPLE

“DESIGN IS FOR PEOPLE” Between East and West, the human component and openness to the world make the difference in architecture and space design

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ur conversation with Joe Cheng, founder of the CCD Cheng Chung firm with offices in Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, revealed two basic pillars of his design method and the firm’s long history, which boasts an impressive roster of projects in hospitality, work spaces, and residences of international hotels and developers. The first pillar is a ceaseless desire to show the world the Chinese perspective and Eastern lifestyle through projects that convey the fascination of the East using Western technologies. “In our designs, we integrate traditional oriental culture with international trends to introduce the Orient to the world.” The second key concept is that design is made for people by people. While we need to move our attention to the ways in which people live and interact with spaces, it is also important for designers to experience the world to become creative and innovative. “The process of constantly feeling, thinking and innovating keeps design alive.” Of course, this also relies on the rapid development of technology, a component that the firm has always integrated into its space design.

author: Alessandra Bergamini portrait photo: courtesy of CCD projects photo: courtesy of CCD (CCD Headquarters, Shenzhen), Wang Ting & Zhu Hai (Suning Zhongshan Golf Resort Nanjing), Wang Ting (W Changsha), Wang Ting & Qiu Xin (Dongfengyun Hotel Mile Mgallery, Mile City), CCD owns all the copyright

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Joe Cheng

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

PEOPLE

Joe Cheng

What would you choose to tell us about your education and the beginning of your career?

I completed my undergraduate degree in environmental art design at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. After graduation, I went to South China University of Technology where I began to systematically study architectural design. After receiving a postgraduate degree there in 1991, I had the honor of staying on to teach. I started designing for clients while still a student, so I have gained a lot of practical experience in design.

Could you please explain to us what you mean by “experience-oriented interior spaces”?

Experience is quite a multifaceted concept in people- or user -oriented spaces.

The most important thing in design is the client’s experience and requirements, in every respect. Design is for people. It is more than just the display of design concepts and skills. We need to pay more attention to the people occupying and using the spaces we are designing. In an era like this, design blends with art, work blends with life, and beauty blends with practicality. Traditional boundaries and original rules are broken to respond to various lifestyles.

This approach is encapsulated by the Mix Match Life Experience Center, located at the 48F office of the CCD headquarters in the Greater Bay Area, China. The project fuses a playful spirit of exploration with technological elements to create fantastic visual appeal and features. The project is an office space that overturns traditional interior design. It includes a workspace, a coffee bar, an open kitchen, a book bar, a soundproof booth, a lecture hall, a floating conference room and an art gallery. It also functions as a showroom for world-class products and a product museum from which CCD will build an online and offline technology platform. Here, people can not only work, but also host events like art shows, film screenings, academic lectures, coffee tastings, and other business and leisure activities.

People can interact in infinite ways because of the natural communication that happens here.

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PEOPLE

Your work spans from hotels to residences and offices. Which building type right now is the most innovative from your design point of view?

Does this kind of innovation owe a lot to recent scientific and technological development?

Design always requires innovative thinking. Both hotel and residential design require innovation.

CCD has always had a competitive edge when it comes to creativity. Many innovations have emerged with the rapid development of science and technology that we have integrated with the concept of spatial design. This is how our design projects stay forwardlooking and keep up with the times. These “boundary breaking” innovative designs and constant reflection keep CCD at the forefront of the design industry.

Being creative as a designer is also inseparable from experiencing life. I often encourage our team to live life to the fullest, in addition to working. I tell them to have experiences abroad and to stimulate their imaginations. This helps them come up with new ideas and try new things. This process of constantly feeling, thinking and innovating keeps design alive.

CCD Headquarters, Shenzhen

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Joe Cheng

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

And what is your design approach?

Each time we receive a new project, we develop a deep understanding of it, delving into the local culture and integrating its particularities into the design.

We use cultural elements to evoke memories and tell the design story. CCD promotes the cultural confidence and innovation of the East. In our designs, we integrate traditional oriental culture with international trends to introduce the Orient to the world.

Considering your clients, design culture, and culture more generally, how would you describe the relationship you aim to create between East and West?

The core concept of CCD is to present the Chinese perspective and the Oriental lifestyle to the world according to the design approach of “embodying Eastern charm using Western techniques.” Our newly designed Changsha W Hotel is a good example. W Hotels is a Western brand and Changsha City has a great sense of history and a distinctive civic culture. Today, this renowned historical city is known nationwide as a fashionable hub. We started our design by thinking of how to integrate these elements.

Changsha is the name of a star in the sky and the

PEOPLE

Joe Cheng

city of Changsha is also called the Star City. Our interior design was inspired by the name Star City and the Changsha Star. Referencing both the genes of Changsha City and the W brand, we turned the design of the W Hotel into a cosmic adventure. The concept behind the design of the lobby was to magnify the universe by 300 times and embed cosmic elements like galaxies, planets and meteorites. The Star of the Universe concept is meant to stimulate our imaginations. Star constellations were deconstructed and reorganized to form the Avenue of Stars. Everyone on earth is a star in the future. The brave heroes of our history looked up and chased after new frontiers beyond the horizon. In our design of the RUNWAY Bar, we took an artistic approach to endow the starry sky with beauty, courage and sustenance. The blooming starlit ceiling evokes fantasy, splendor and mysterious visual expression, projecting hopeful, unconstrained imagination into the space. Our design of the restaurants was based on the idea of an artistic journey through the galaxy. The ZETA Explorer takes you on a new creative adventure through time and space. The design concept of the guest rooms is the “ideal star city” with a warm, comfortable style that makes guests feel at home.

Suning Zhongshan Golf Resort Nanjing, China

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W Changsha, China

Joe Cheng

It would also be interesting for us to know what kind of ‘East meets West’ approach you choose considering the scope of your firm’s work.

“East meets West” refers to refining the essence of Western design with Eastern culture as the axis; telling detailed stories to create design “resonance.” For example, we based our recent renovation of the Suning Zhongshan Golf Resort on its geographical location and its important role in the history of modern China. The property is located right next to China’s first golf course, built by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China in 1929. In the 1930s, this field served as a key platform for negotiations between Chinese and Western politicians. This is what informed CCD’s transformation of the hotel with a design that emphasizes the link between past and present, the intersection of East and West, and the integration of an elegant European style. We used the latest techniques to design this luxury accommodation, reopening it to the public after ten years of work. Such an operation must also include the skillful use of greenery since it enhances the guests’ experience. We therefore lined the road leading to the hotel with Chinese parasol trees. These robust, locally grown deciduous trees with their glistening branches and leaves provide the perfect respite during the hot months.The building’s entrance with its copper doorway opens onto a reception area adorned with blackwood paneling, a golden ceiling and a stone floor.

The subtle blend of black and golden tones recalls the city’s prosperity and old-world charm. Even the octagon-shaped layout of the reception area is a reminder of the past since it was inspired by the graphic symbol of the Bagua. Attention to detail is also evident in the hotel’s restaurants and guest rooms. Here, the visual connection with the landscaped garden enlarges the space towards the outside, underlining the important role of the site’s natural aspects in the project.

What about the value and role of craftmanship in your work? Does it connect local culture to your creativity?

Now that the structure of our lives is changing, our education, tastes, identity and other aspects are changing too. I think people’s needs for hotels and homes are no longer about covering their heads with tiles and having beds to sleep in. They care if a space has particularly strong natural and cultural characteristics. So, I think interior designers should consider factors like local culture and a sense of story. Take DongFengYun Hotel Mi’Le - MGallery, for example. The hotel is located in Dongfengyun Art Town,

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

PEOPLE

Joe Cheng

Dongfengyun Hotel Mi’le Mgallery, Mile City, China

Mile, Yunnan Province. Made of local red brick, the artistic, post-modern buildings have a dramatic appearance. The design fully respects the architectural structures and the local culture. Plain materials like local burnt-red brick, cement and clay were used to unify the hues of the interior and integrate it with the architecture. By using local red brick and drawing on the form of the grape trellis, the walls create infinite possibilities in diverse ways. Meanwhile, the characteristic local pottery used to adorn the space strengthens the sense of history. The names and design of all the guestrooms pay tribute to local art forms like painting, pottery, dyeing and composition as well as specialties and treasured objects, fully embodying the aesthetic concept whereby “art dialogues with everything and inspiration portrays life.”

Please tell us about your relationship with Italy…and with Made in Italy design.

I have been to many cities in Italy, including Rome, Milan, Florence and Venice. I like the humanity of Italy very much. Italian architecture and clothing all have a strong cultural and fashion heritage. I also admire Italian creativity and design. CCD uses many Italian products in their designs such as fabrics, objects and so on. WOWU Art Consultant, a subbrand of CCD, has also used Italian products like furniture, lamps and artwork. CCD also designed a faucet with the Italian brand NEWFORM, which was exhibited at the Milan fair. Other Italian brands have reached out to partner with us in recent years, and maybe we will launch more co-designed brands or products in the future.

Can you tell us about a few of your most recent work?

Although affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, CCD projects are proceeding in an orderly manner, and many new projects are about to be launched, including the Banyan Tree Nanjing Garden Expo, the Hotel Indigo Jiuzhai, the Tang Paradise Hotel and the Hoiana Hotel & Suites.

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HOTEL

Panormos, Greece

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Panormos, Greece

Constructive conversations On the island of Crete, The Royal Senses is stepped on a rocky terrain, featuring measured, geometric spaces. PeppasNarchitects chose an open arrangement free of boundaries, connecting the inside with the outside and celebrating light and the sea. The interiors by HBA and Constantina Tsoutsikou give a modern interpretation to local authenticity

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n Panormos, the Royal Senses Resort features views over turquoise expanse of the Aegean Sea, which the dry summer wind renders and intense blue. It elegantly aligns, in a geometric and conceptual counterpoint, with the rocky curves of the north-western part of the coast of Crete where it stands. PeppasNarchitects’ construction choices — as well as those for the interior design by HBA / Hirsch Bedner Associates and Constantina Tsoutsikou of StudioLost — borrows their logic from the landscape, both in terms of design and a concept of relating with the context that aims to highlight the local culture and its excellent craftsmanship, albeit in a modern key.

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Located next to its sister property, the Royal Blue, a few kilometers from the picturesque city of Rethymno, the new resort in the Troulis Royal Collection follows the slope of the land in a series of structures distributed along six natural levels, at the base of which are common spaces, with the structures at higher altitudes holding 179 suites and villas. Accessory services, such as kitchens and corridors, are at the rear of the hotel, while the main services are in the front. The water features are striking both for their number and their contribution to the composition: private infinity pools organically are dug into the rock part of the ultra-luxurious 200-square-meter villas, the four

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HOTEL

Panormos, Greece

Owner: Curio Collection by Hilton Hotel operator: Troulis Royal Collection by Hilton Architectural design: PeppasNarchitects Interior design: Dome of engineering, PeppasNarchitects, StudioLost Lighting design: Foss Landscape design: Livingscapes_Mathioudakis Furnishings: on design Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Nick Kontostavlakis / Globe & Trotter

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Panormos, Greece

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HOTEL

Panormos, Greece

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

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Panormos, Greece

large communal pools and the 74 private infinity pools flanked by elegant sun loungers and cabanas that seem as if they flow from one level to another like a single large waterfall. The buildings’ positioning and its interior spatial sequences were orchestrated to ensure “unobstructed views to the endless blue of the Aegean sea, wherever you are,” the architects Nikos Peppas and Katerina Tsiolaki explain. The intensity of the light and the perception of the surrounding environment are also controlled by the careful design of its windows and doors. This boundless, converging perspective creates the conditions for guests to enjoy a new kind of hospitality. They get the benefit of a private view and can reconnect to the environment around them. As visitors move through water features and olive trees, they come

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across the grandiose, transparent building of the reception, passing through the common areas located on the same level as the spectacular lobby and restaurants. A cable car takes visitors to the hot springs where the stone wall crossing it reflects in the swimming pool. This brings guest to level of their room and leads them through small pathways. In the interiors, natural tones of terracotta, rattan and rope combine with the selective use of stone and wood to create a feel of immediate calm. The juxtaposition of rough and smooth surfaces suggests the wild quality of the natural context which is sometimes stark and unruly. Both in its private spaces and public areas, furnishings with simple lines and works of art and decor pieces celebrate the craftsmanship of the new Cretan generation. Textile accessories are completely handmade by a local weavers’ association using the island’s traditional pattern.

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HOTEL

Panormos, Greece

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Panormos, Greece

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HOTEL

Cerreto Langhe, Italy

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Cerreto Langhe, Italy

In a UNESCO heritage wine country Luxury gets sustainable in the GaS Studio project with Parisotto + Formenton Architetti for Casa di Langa, bringing back to life an abandoned building site to make it a refined boutique hotel in the Piedmontese Langhe territory

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his landscape is so exceptional that it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014. Located right on 40 hectares of hazelnut trees, woods and vineyards that cover the hills of the Piedmontese Langhe, this new boutique hotel was recently opened, despite the pandemic, made on the design of the Milanese team GaS Studio assisted by architects from Veneto, Parisotto + Formenton. With 39 rooms and suites, Casa di Langa is owned by the US Krause Group, whose president and CEO Kyle J. Krause has Italian origins and a deep love for Italy and Italian-made products. Luxury here comes to mean passionate attention to the place and its traditions and a holistic concept of sustainability, which are the cornerstones of the design approach. The decision was made to use state-ofthe-art architectural and energy standards to revive buildings on which construction had begun in 2000 and then stopped. The materials on site were reused or returned to the circuit of local suppliers to minimize waste. The concept of the circular economy informs the choice to prefer local products and materials. The complex is made up IFDM | 101

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Owner: Krause Group Project Management: Arcadis Italia Main Contractor: Malabaila&Arduino Systems and structures: Bre Engineering - Euclide Architectural design: GaS Studio with Parisotto + Formenton Architetti Lighting design: PSLab Landscape design: Land Indoor plasters: Matteo Brioni Outdoor plasters: Weber Saint-Gobain Bricks: Fornace Ballatore Furnishings: B&B Italia, Carl Hansen, Cassina, Dedon, De Padova, Emu, Hay, Kettal, Kuda Design, Maxalto, Meridiani, Poliform, Tribu, True Design, Vibieffe, Vitra; custom by HiContract - Brugnotto Group Lighting: Astep, Flos Bespoke, Firmamento Milano, PSLab, Viabizzuno Bathroom: Agape, Cea Design, Cielo, Gessi, Jacuzzi, Villeroy&Boch Windows: Secco Switches: Microdevice Handles: Giara Spa/Gym: Starpool, Technogym Wine cellars: Enofrigo Fireplaces: Maison Fire Outdoor firepit: AK4 Mattresses: Midsummer Milano Linen: Beltrami, Society Curtains: Bonino Design, Bottone Carpets: Rucksthul Author: Elena Franzoia Photo credits: Alberto Strada

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Cerreto Langhe, Italy

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

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Cerreto Langhe, Italy

of three main wings forming a C, arranged around a central courtyard that slopes towards the valley with large terraces. “The common thread of the entire project is respect for the territory and the inspiration drawn from the rich local heritage,” say the designers. “The resort has a unique configuration, multi-parted and outward-facing. On one side it faces the surrounding hills and on the other, the green terraced courtyard. The architecture is integrated and completely connected to the natural context. Colors, materials and details emerge from precise choices made with an eye to continuity with tradition, interpreted through a powerfully contemporary style.” This also came out of the desire to allow for different types of spatial use and visual perception through arcades, balconies and jalousies and the special attention given to color, expressed not only in the pervasive use of exposed brick, but also in materials such as stone, plaster, fabric. Casa di Langa is especially scenic in autumn when the landscape is immersed in the warm colors of the foliage and scents of harvest season. It is also exemplary in its approach to energy use, with 100% sustainable sources

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(solar, geothermal and photovoltaic) and ensuring the complete recycling of water, which is used in the final phase to irrigate the vineyards. The widespread use of Pietra di Luserna, an old local stone with terracotta and raw earth-based plasters enhances its internal microclimate year around. The wood comes exclusively from forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, the plastic used is all recyclable, and the furnishings include the best of Italian design (with pieces by Magistretti for De Padova and Citterio for B&B, for example) and classic international design the likes of Bouroullec brothers for Hay, Charlotte Perriand for Cassina, Hans Wegner and Ole Wanscher for Carl Hansen, among others. Restaurant, spa & wellness center, gym, outdoor swimming pool, art garden and an annexed villa for private events complete the hospitality features, and the property also continues farm productions such as that for honey. Designed for a refined clientele desiring a secluded destination, the resort also has a wine bar, a winery for tastings and a restaurant headed by renowned chef Manuel Bouchard. Also top of class are the landscape design, the work of Land, and the lighting design by PSLab. 104 | IFDM

HOTEL

Cerreto Langhe, Italy

info@aebliving.com | www.aebliving.com

SPECIAL PROCESSING UNIQUE DETAILS EXCLUSIVE FINISHES

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

DISTILLERY

Tao and the harmony of opposites In a UNESCO Heritage site of exceptional historical and environmental value, Neri & Hu have designed the Chuan Malt Whisky Distillery, inspired by the timeless principles of Chinese tradition

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eri&Hu, a distinguished, multidisciplinary architecture firm headquartered in Shanghai, have recently completed a project that stands on a site among those with the deepest, oldest spirituality in all of China: Mount Emei. The mountain is in the central-western province of Sichuan and is one of the four sacred mountains of the Buddhist tradition. Martial arts in particular were often practiced in its monasteries. This ancient site has

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been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

Three years ago, Neri & Hu won the design competition held by the French multinational Pernod Ricard to build its first Chinese whiskey distillery.

“The revered land on which our project stands has a long, rich history,” the architects say. “Over many centuries, this place has been the site of a grand monastery and many historic battles, as well as a stop on pilgrim and trade routes. Although there is

Emeishan, China

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

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Emeishan, China

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Client: Pernod Ricard Architecture & Interior design: Neri&Hu Design and Research Office Landscape design: YIYU Design Construction: K&H International, Suzhou Hezhan, Qi’an Group Experience design: BRC Imagination Arts FF&E design: Design Republic Furnishings: Carl Hansen, Classicon, De La Espada, Stellar Works, Vitra; custom design Lighting: Parachilna, Viabizzuno; custom design Author: Elena Franzoia Photo credits: Chen Hao

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no physical remnants of the past, the very landscape powerfully evokes this legendary past. This is why we chose to create a timeless architecture expressing the essential values of a forward-looking company, and the material and cultural heritage it aspires to support.” The name of the project, Shan-Shui (literally ‘mountain water’), is a nod to the site’s physical characteristics, which has a stream and is visually dominated by Mount Emei, and it also underscores coexisting opposites (the stability and permanence of the mountain, on one hand, and the fluidity and

Emeishan, China

transformation of water on the other). This complementary quality is a basis for the Chinese concept of harmony and particular style of landscape painting.

Homage to the Tao is paid in the project’s balanced duality, with space given both to the modern interpretation of the vernacular architecture that informs the industrial part of the complex and the geometric abstraction of the visitor spaces. The production area covers three elongated parallel buildings, arranged along the mountain slope, featuring the coexistence of concrete walls, large windows, and clay-tiled roofs.

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DISTILLERY

Emeishan, China

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The two visitor buildings have a sculptural, abstract shape. Here again there is a tribute to the natural elements of the ancient Tao and Feng Shui traditions, using a circle and the square together, symbols of Heaven and Earth, of the Father and of the Mother, respectively. Tastings are done in the round building and the underground section in the project’s center, with a central courtyard covered by a hemispherical dome from whose central oculus a dramatic fountain-waterfall descends, an obvious reference to the Pantheon in Rome. Three rings surround the dome and are made of different textures, emerging from the ground like Mount Emei, becoming a landmark and icon for the entire complex. These spaces have a deep sacredness and an elegant spareness recalling that of a temple. The building for the café and restaurant is lower and dialogues with the square shape; the perimeter spaces are for rooms and the internal courtyard offers original vantage points on Mount Emei. The extensive gardens are marked by sculptural paths where concrete combines with the presence of water and boulders, reused after being extracted when the ground was leveled before construction.

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DISTILLERY

Emeishan, China

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Mondsee, Austria. 30th July, 3 pm New comfort and total privacy.

Perspective from your point of view.

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

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HOTEL

Jasná, Slovakia

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Jasná, Slovakia

Designing a connection to nature The Ark-shelter firm, which is specialized in modular architecture, has created a series of small cabin/huts in the Low Tatra mountains in Slovakia. Much more than extensions of the existing Hotel Bjornson, they are a means to connect us with our inner selves

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he Ark-shelter firm sees it as a philosophy of life turned into a design. The philosophy is about “returning to your roots by reconnecting with nature, your senses and your natural biorhythm. We are helped in this by these respectful, contained structures, made with only what is necessary and built with zero impact materials. Michiel De Backer and Martin Mikovcak, the firm’s founding architects, believe in this project so much that they have created a special modular cabin construction system with the help of craftspeople. These cabins are built as an extension of the Hotel Bjornson, in the ski resort of Jasná, in the Low Tatras mountains in Slovakia, and are shaped fully to the surrounding land and trees. They are respectfully placed between the trees and raised on stilts rather than placed on the usual concrete foundations. This lets the landscape keep flowing and breathing even under the buildings, helped by the “green” roof that doubles its habitat. Spruce wood is the main material of the skeleton patented by Ark-shelter, with large-sized panels to clad the interior walls, ceiling, and facade.

Oak parquet was chosen for the floor, making use of its natural insulating properties combined with those of rock wool. “We want people to recharge in a minimalist space and focus on the here and now, getting IFDM | 113

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HOTEL

Owner & Hotel operator: Hotel Bjornson Architecture & Interior design: Ark-shelter Engineering office: Archekta Main structure: OSB - Kronospan Skeleton: KVH + BSH timber beam -Jafholz House envelope, foils and vapour barriers: Doerken Connector screws: Rothoblaas Ceiling infrared heating panels: Fouczech Furnishings: Prostoria; on design by Ark-shelter Kitchens: on design by Ark-shelter Lighting: Senk.design Insulated window glass, fences: Pilkington Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: BoysPlayNice

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Jasná, Slovakia

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Jasná, Slovakia

back in touch with nature and themselves,” say the architects. All the cabins have an exact orientation and one-sided view, and they consist of two adjacent independent apartment-modules. As desired, the two units, which normally function separately, can be connected through a specially designed sliding partition, which creates a large central space where two families can meet and socialize. Inside the cabins there is everything that is needed, no more, no less: a bedroom-living room, a children’s room, an entrance, and a bathroom. Two of the apartments serve as mirrored, detached modules with minor spatial changes, such a larger bathroom or an extra balcony, adding to the variety of options. The architects’ work also includes an extension of the restaurant and a wellness center, in addition to these cabins set in the midst of the forest, close to the ski slope but in total privacy and peace. The wellness center is made up of four Ark-shelter modules arranged to form a group of saunas, relaxation rooms and massage areas. Reinventing the way we live to connect with nature is the architects’ constant point of departure.

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INNOVATION CENTER

The poetic finish of fast Olson Kundig captures the concept of speed and athleticism within Nike’s new LeBron James Innovation Center, where research and development are taken to their highest levels

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ur mission is what drives us to do everything possible to expand human potential.” Nike’s mission statement contains the inspiration and innovation that spurred Phil Knight to found this brand that has become the definition of an icon, which Nike, true to its nature, wants to bring to every athlete. These are the core principles behind the building of the new LeBron James Innovation Center inside the Nike World Headquarters, in Beaverton (Oregon). The building — named for the four-time NBA champion and four-time MVP with which Nike has a lifetime deal — brings togeth-

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er Nike’s innovation teams that had been spread over the 286 acres of the Nike Campus with the goal of fostering interconnections and the cross-pollination of ideas. design studios, offices and meeting spaces, prototyping laboratories, an internal research facility and even a 100-meter sloping outdoor track makes for a highly functional hub where the latest innovations in sports technology can be designed, built, tested and perfected. The project was designed by the Seattle-based studio Olson Kundig, which envisioned the space’s architecture (with its 700,000 sqf) as a rectangular volume soaring horizontally

Beaverton, USA

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INNOVATION CENTER

Beaverton, USA

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INNOVATION CENTER

Beaverton, USA

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INNOVATION CENTER

to become a metaphor for the concept of speed.

Tom Kundig, the firm’s Design Principal with Jim Olson explains, “The ‘big idea’ behind this building is Nike’s underlying agenda of fast. Athletics at all levels, and innovation in service of athletes, is about capturing speed, about going fast. The spiritual sense of the building reflects this functional basis as well as the poetic finish of fast.” This concept is expressed inside through a large central atrium, open across the four floors, removing physical barriers to facilitate collaboration, spontaneous meetings and co-working. A large staircase connects the floors up to the top one, all of which is the Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL), which cantilevers out from the monolithic structure at 50 feet high and covers the main entrance. This makes visible the precision cement “waffle” pattern of the base, an engineering trick to eliminate structural noise and vibrations to facilitate accurate data collection while also referencing Nike’s history and how its waffle soles revolutionized running shoe performance. Straight from research to testing: the NSRL has a regulation basketball court, a track, a soccer field, and connects directly to the 100-meter outdoor track (with a gradient of 15.63%); it also has one of the world’s largest motion-capture installations (with 400 cameras), 97 force plates and body mapping equipment.

Beaverton, USA

Owner: Nike Architecture & Interior design: Olson Kundig, Tom Kundig, Kirsten Ring Murray Furnishings: Arper, Athletic Seating, Magis, Winnebago; custom made furniture by Made-Studio & RAD; custom cabinetry designed by Olson Kundig and built by GC Environmental graphic led: Nike, in collaboration with Olson Kundig and Studio Matthews Graphics: Nike Author: Veronica Orsi Photo credits: courtesy of Nike

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“In a way this project is like the culmination of a career spent pursuing authenticity – in architecture, in systems, in materials,” Tom Kundig continues, “I’ve always felt the basis of architecture is function-driven with a poetic finish. The physicality and athleticism you see in this building is something I’ve been exploring throughout my career at a variety of scales.”The firm’s design cohesiveness is also on display in the interior design choices, which are deliberately rough and simple — concrete walls that have signs of construction work, plywood tables that become work benches — underscoring the research’s practical nature. The overall design of neutral tones is warmed up through powerfully communicative, motivational graphics, referring to Nike’s history and that of “King James” (in the public spaces). Research, top performance, athleticism. And LeBron James Innovation Center also embraces sustainability. It is the second-largest LEED-NC v2009 Platinum building on the West Coast, with sustainability strategies including passive ventilation, daytime lighting through the central atrium and a photovoltaic system, in addition to the use of local materials and water-saving mechanisms.

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INNOVATION CENTER

Beaverton, USA

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HOTEL

Copenhagen

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Copenhagen

The epitome of nordic elegance Villa Copenhagen is the product of an impressive co-design project celebrating contemporary and classic Scandinavian design in a historical setting that is as intimate and relaxed as it is inspiring and reliably eco-conscious

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ith a prime location near the Tivoli Gardens and the Meatpacking District, Villa Copenhagen features 390 rooms along with various other spaces and services. The hotel was created out of the restoration and conversion project by Krook & Tjäder of the former post and telegraph headquarters, an architectural landmark of the Danish capital built in 1912 by architect Heinrich Wenck. Historical references abound in the neoBaroque facades and the team-designed yet cohesive interior, whose atmosphere is welcoming, celebrating traditional and contemporary Scandinavian design.

Soft colors, minimalist furniture, sustainable solutions, and indoor gardens inspire a sense of calm, well-being and invite sociability. London-based Universal Design Studio designed most of the public areas – the hallways and staircases – and the 390 guest rooms. Goddard Littlefair, also from London, accentuated the building’s architecture and historical aspects and worked in contemporary Nordic details. Danish architect Eva Harlou of Earth Studio designed the “ultra sustainable” Earth Suite featuring recycled materials and fabrics and eco-friendly furniture by Danish manufacturer Mater Design.

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Finally, Epicurean creative professionals worked with Goddard Littlefair to develop the identity of the restaurants, lounge bar, multi-functional Playroom and rooftop Pool Bar. The north-facing entrance leads to a square courtyard furnished by Shamballa Jewels and topped by a faceted glass ceiling. In keeping with the building’s history, restored original details join Scandinavian design in the bright, informal dining and communal areas. The former mail-sorting room next to the railway tracks now holds the breakfast cafe called Public and the hotel’s Rug Bakery. Designers used vintage photographs to adapt the spaces, keeping the original arches and adding lights with draped flex, copper-reeded wall paneling and original glazed brickwork. The understated, mid-centuryinspired design of bar-restaurant Kontrast includes an original post-office counter, exposed brick walls and various kinds of seating around the open steel kitchen. Littlefair describes T37, whose name abbreviates the hotel’s address Tietgensgade 37, as a “strong, stoic and grandiose space.” Occupying the former post office, it features sturdy Arabesque marble columns, a restored coffered ceiling, original wood paneling and a decorated entrance. With its Corten-steel pergolas, the Pool Bar is a rooftop retreat 124 | IFDM

Copenhagen

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HOTEL

Copenhagen

overlooking one of Villa’s courtyards. The 25-meter rooftop pool designed by Krook and Tjader Architects is intrinsically sustainable, heated year-round by excess heat from the kitchen refrigerator. Copper from the old roof was used to cover the bar counter, exemplifying Epicurean’s design approach of exploiting a space’s unique features like position, former purpose and existing materials. Inspired by the romance of majestic Copenhagen residences, Universal Design Studio reinstalled or restored elements like large window frames, wooden beams, herringbone floors, doors and moldings in the rooms and suites.

The color schemes are strongly influenced by the “silent” paintings of Master Vilhelm Hammershøi, the father of Danish interior art, translating his austere, elegant use of light into a palette of warm, delicate colors and muted shades of ocher, brick, gray-green and copper. For each different room type, Universal combined a selection of classic furnishings with classic and contemporary ones. It combined custommade or re-released furnishings and lighting features, drawing from Danish design whose functional yet humanist tradition, with original pieces by Finn Juhl, Ole Wanscher, Nanna Ditzel, Niels Otto Møller, Hans Wegner, and Borge Morgensen, as well as the Italian designer Gio Ponti.

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Client: Strawberry Properties Hotel operator: Nordic Hotels & Resorts Architectural design: Krook & Tjäder Interior design: Earth Studio, Epicurean, Goddard Littlefair, Shamballa Jewels, Universal Design Studio Furnishings: Brdr. Petersen, Carl Hansen & Søn, Fogia, Fredericia, Fritz Hansen, Getama, House of Finn Juhl, J.L. Møllers Møbelfabrik, Menu, Mobel Copenhagen, Skandinavisk Lighting: Astep, Flos, Louis Poulsen Bathrooms: Axor, Nero Marquina Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Andy Liffner, Stine Christiansen

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House of light Two new residential towers soar above Manhattan’s waterfront. Overlooking the High Line, Lantern House draws inspiration from the timeless fascination of lanterns, with bulbous windows providing a modern take on the traditional bay window

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he British architect who is transforming Manhattan with experiential projects like the pioneering Little Island park suspended over the Hudson River has transformed the former maritime warehouses of the West Chelsea district into two luxury resi-

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dential buildings. The Lantern House complex comprises two imposing buildings imagined as a series of lantern shapes, embodied by large bulbous windows on 22 levels on the west tower and 10 levels on its eastern counterpart. In Thomas Heatherwick’s words, “The design for Lantern

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House came from looking at the city’s existing buildings and thinking about which ones you might want to live in, not just look at” In an idea that evokes ready-made design where everyday objects are reinvented to take on a different function while retaining their original shape, Lantern House is a symbol of a new idea of living. This new luxury experience comprises 181 private residences featuring artisanal elements, custom surfaces and natural materials in an interior design

by March&White Design (MAWD), a studio founded in London by Elliot March and James White. As the designers explain, “In our vision, holistic design is a perfect synthesis between exterior and interior, between a distinctive facade and an interior design with a special heritage. Lantern House is the perfect expression of this idea”.

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Oak furniture by British master artisans dialogues with select materials like marbles, bronze and solid wood in a celebration of the hand-made, culminating in the luxurious penthouses. Designed as oases suspended in the sky, these boast spacious private terraces with sweeping views over the New York skyline, Emperador marbles, elegant vented gas fireplaces and oak floors. An authentic imaginative dwelling, the symbol of an art of living that Lantern House interprets through its amenities, with saunas and spas, a saltwater pool, innovative fitness centre, library, cinema, game room and a dizzying rooftop. Created by Hollander Design, the Garden laid out below the High Line is a vibrant social space where nature plays the dominant role, with botanical species and an intense aroma of magnolia. A green experience in the heart of Manhattan, surrounded

by Heatherwick’s cutting edge creations with the lovely “lanterns” that light up at night, illuminating one of New York’s most creative districts.

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Architecture: Heatherwick Studio Interior design: MAWD March&White Design Landscape design: Hollander Design Furnishings: Apparatus, Avenue Road, Bright Group, Carpets, Gubi, Holly Hunt, Minotti, Nella Vetrina, Stark Carpets, The Future Perfect Custom open-plan kitchens: designed by March and White Design, handcrafted in the UK Kitchens: Gaggenau Doors hardware: Valli & Valli Health Club: Equinox Author: Anna Casotti Photo credits: Colin Miller, Rebecca Robertson

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Majestic déjà vu In the heart of Helsinki, Fyra spruces up modern tradition and renovates the Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna, paying homage to the masters and icons of Finnish design

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unctionalist orthodoxy and romantic nostalgia: the former is given explicit expression in the rigor of the facades, and the latter is expressed in the sensual, luxuriant ornamental design of the interiors. Crossing the threshold of the Hotel Vaakuna is like delving into an atmosphere of yesteryear, being swept away by the magic of the best of Finnish design, the formal solutions that evoke solid harmony between nature and artifice. Simple materials like wood and metal, are given sensitive interpretation to meet needs for their use and gratify aesthetic pleasure in accordance with the modernist tradition. Designed by architect Erkki Huttunen in the center of Helsinki, the Sokos building — whose five upper floors hold the hotel — was meant to be completed for the 1940 Olympics. But the war delayed it until 1952 as well as the opening ceremony. Huttunen not only designed the functionalist modern architecture, he also contributed to the interior decor and furniture design, with Runar Engblom and Paavo Tynell, who at the time was one of Finland’s most sought-after lighting

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Client: Sokotel Interior design: Fyra Furnishings: Artek, Fredericia, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna, Gubi, L’Abbate, Normann Copenhagen, Poiat Lighting: Astro, Flos, Gubi, Marset, Örsjö, Rubn, Santa&Cole, Tuote Carpets: Koolmat Oy Curtains: Kvadrat Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Riikka Kantinkoski

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designers for public spaces. Today his lamps sell for record amounts at auctions. Over the decades, the hotel has undergone several restorations, the last of which was by the local firm Fyra. As the building is partially protected, the work was completed in cooperation with the Helsinki City Museum. The aim of Fyra’s project was to update the hotel’s premises and visually unify the building’s different parts while preserving the 1950s atmosphere and the original design. The lobby areas, rooms, corridors and the restaurant on the tenth floor were renovated; the doors and brass numbers were preserved and restored; over 200 armchairs were repaired, including the iconic high-backed lounge chairs designed by Runar Engblom in the 1940s, and Tynell’s ornamental brass lamps were highlighted. Some of these were designed specifically for the Vaakuna and made at the renowned industrial art company Oy Taito Ab, of which Tynell was then a co-founder. New furnishings were chosen for the rooms and the restaurant to match the original furniture and lamps in their tones and soft lines. The restaurant on the tenth floor also includes many culturally and historically important pieces. In addition to Tynell’s beautiful chandeliers, the restaurant is decorated with white plaster peace doves by the artist Gunnar Finn, which have been replicated on the walls of some of the bedrooms and lobby areas.

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WONDER. SHENZHEN | ZHONGSHUGE | X+LIVING “When I received the assignment for Zhongshuge in Shenzhen last year, I had completed several Zhongshuge across China. In the process of researching the cultural background of the city, I realized I could

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design a space that could become a symbol of Shenzhen itself as an inclusive and vibrant city of migrants, paying tribute to all those who have struggled to make history in this city”, Li Xiang

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WONDER. JINAN, CHINA | SHUIFA INFORMATION TOWN INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION CENTER | AOE, BEIJING PURI LIGHTING DESIGN

© Jianquan Wu

Lighting designers used pure white light and metaphorical warm yellow to enhance the exterior. The building looks integrated, clean, and pure. It is the clear spring flowing from the cracks in the stone.

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Table SHANGAI Chairs GIADA Lamp TWIST Sideboard CROSS Mirror VENERE

Store: MILANO PIAZZA VELASCA 6 BERGAMO VIA SUARDI 7 TORINO C.SO TURATI 82 ROMA VIA PO 1H

PESCARA VIA G. MAZZINI 133 NAPOLI VIALE KENNEDY 415/419 BARI P.ZZA GARIBALDI 75/A REGGIO CALABRIA C.SO GARIBALDI 545

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WONDER. ROME | BASILICA DI SANTA MARIA IN MONTESANTO | PIETÀ | JAGO © Massimiliano Ricci - www.creeo.it - instagram.com/massimilianoricci_ph

The artist working on the sculpture in Carrara marble, a modern interpretation of a moment of reflection and suffering with which humanity has identified for centuries.

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CREATIVES IN THE NAME OF SIR TERENCE CONRAN Tim Bowder-Ridger, Principal Partner at Conran and Partners, talks about the legacy left by the founder, how they work as a collective of creatives between London and Hong Kong, their new headquarters in Clerkenwell, their upcoming projects and their design approach: “Individuality is key”

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onran and Partners is the architecture and interior design practice, based in London and Hong Kong, founded by Sir Terence Conran, renowned for designing contemporary ways of living. One year since his passing, the founder he left a big legacy: “Terence clearly had an enormous influence on Conran and Partners, and in particular through the way we look at design”, says Tim Bowder-Ridger, Principal Partner at Conran and Partners. “One of Terence’s greatest strengths was the curation of creatives. This approach of bringing together different creative viewpoints into a coherent approach remains fundamental to our practice”. With a unique approach: “Besides designing thoughtful, beautiful and award-winning places to live, our role as designers is to create a backdrop for neighbourhoods to naturally evolve. There is no doubt that bringing people into the design journey is where the magic evolves, ensuring we create a place with authenticity and meaning”.

author: Francesca Gugliotta portrait photo: courtesy of Conran and Partners projects photo: Philip Durrant, Toby Mitchell, Forward Stroke, Taran Wilkhu

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It is one year since Sir Terence Conran passing, what is the legacy he left you?

Terence clearly had an enormous influence on Conran and Partners, and in particular through the way we look at design. Our approach continues to be disciplined by common sensibilities centred around keeping things simple, honest but also joyful. Personally, having worked with Terence for almost 2 and a half decades, he also passed onto me an enduringly love for the good things in life, of course great design, but also a broader lifestyle built around the joy of eating and drinking with newly acquired friends (something he credited to his time in France as a young man), often our clients or collaborators. More often than not, in these occasions barriers come down and creative discussions and relationships begin and endure.

You have recently moved into a new HQ in Clerkenwell, London, designed by you. How did you imagine the space? And how did the new post-pandemic way of working affect the project?

2021 has been a year of re-calibration for us as a practice, following a period of great change including moving to a new location. In many ways, the turbulence of the last couple of years gave us the opportunity to reconsider what we wanted and needed to thrive and grow in the future. Moving to a new studio, which we were able to design ourselves, enabled us to physically manifest our design approach to modern workplace. After nearly 18 months of remote working, we wanted to create a space in which people not only can, but actually want to spend their time. The pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated the blending of people’s lifestyles, and our new studio has been designed to provide a release from the claustrophobia of working from home and offering a variety of environments that enable us to come together as a team, collaborators and friends. Fluid and varied spaces with tactile and intimate materials and lighting, are all designed with a view to enhance the creative energy in a supportive and collaborative environment.

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The Penthouse at LUMA, a residential development by Argent in King’s Cross, London Kita Aoyama, a residential development in Tokyo, Japan Among your recent projects, there is Luma Penthouse, a luxury penthouse in Kings Cross for developer Argent. Please, could you tell about the project, and, in general, how is the residential market transforming in London?

We were commissioned by Argent to design the interiors at Luma, a new boutique residential development in the heart of King’s Cross. Taking inspiration from our hotel design experience, as part of this we also designed and dressed the penthouse, coming together as the culmination of the project as a whole.

Our design was centred around creating a sense of calmness and tranquillity, with a focus on bespoke, carefully sourced and curated elements that bring a peaceful quality and allows you to leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind you. Whilst remaining in the heart of a new urban neighbourhood. Along with workplace, the pandemic has been a watershed for residential development, particularly in UK cities. For some years now residential design has followed the lead of hospitality, and this has now been accelerated by the expectation that people will be spending more time in their homes. It will therefore be unviable to deliver schemes that do not include the amenity and break-out spaces one would expect in a quality hotel, nor will it be possible to design 146 | IFDM

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without a consideration for homeworking – even if it requires apartments, in particular to get a little more generous. However, in our cities we must ensure that projects have a desirable and unique sense of place and spirit that attracts people away from the romantic drift to the countryside, now that is made so much easier by technology.

In Luma Penthouse, as in your others apartments, you create unique and very personalized places. Is it important the use of customized furniture to achieve this result?

Individuality is key. We do not believe that ‘one size fits all’ approach to design. Instead, we approach each project from first principles, usually taking inspiration from the location, the building and its proposed users, to create a narrative that sets the tone of the design. In this project we layered our response to suggest that not everything is off the shelf, creating a distinct personality and a distinguished but inhabited aesthetic to a new build. For example, in the Luma penthouse, the dining table is a bespoke shape of an existing design. The chairs were vintage that we had reconditioned and re-upholstered. The pendant light over the dining table is also vintage. Artworks, the

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headboards and numerous pieces of furniture were custom made too. Mixing old with new creates an impression of objects across a vast length of time and design eras. Meanwhile, through careful consideration to the layouts and the use of bespoke details, such as natural stone vanity units with fluted hardwood timber panelling and exaggerated bevel-edge details to the kitchen islands echo the faceted form of the building. The apartments were designed to blend seamlessly with the existing architecture, to create a unique identity to the building as a whole.

You recently designed the interiors of The Peninsula Boutique & Café, a new boutique and cafe concept at the luxury 5* Peninsula hotel in Hong Kong. Please, could you tell more about this project?

We created a new multifunctional retail and café boutique in one of the world’s most iconic heritage hotels, The Peninsula Hong Kong, located below the hotel’s famed baroque-style lobby. The 350sqm open-plan emporium houses a central space showcasing luxury teas, seasonal gifts, chocolates and baked items with an area for tasting teas. The space also occupies a cosy café area and an Assouline

The Peninsula Boutique & Café, Hong Kong

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Conran and Partners headquarters, London Park Hyatt, Auckland, New Zealand bookstore. We introduced a design concept that remains true to The Peninsula’s meticulous brand codes: a rich, classic palette, elegant lines, luxury materials and artisanal touches. The studio introduced additional elements to contemporise the overall experience - mixing classical and minimal aesthetics in a complementary manner that emphasises approachable luxury. At the core of the design concept is a crisp and refined palette that includes marble, slate, leather and lacquer in the distinctive ‘Peninsula green’, offset by champagne metal and soft blush pink tones. Brass edging details express The Peninsula’s heritage in a minimalist manner. The combination of contemporary colours and detailing give the open-plan interior a distinctive, modern edge and offsets the more classical elements. The Hong Kong flagship is the first to feature the new design concept, since completion Conran and Partners has been commissioned to write a brand manual for the brands future rollout in other Peninsula hotels and boutiques, including the new London hotel which is scheduled to open in 2022. The design concept was developed to maximise flexibility to apply to different scales and contexts, from boutiques to pop-ups.

For Portobello Square, a mixed-use residential development in Notting Hill, London, you delivered a community-led regeneration of the iconic area of Portobello Road. Please, could you tell more?

As with many of our mixed-use residential schemes, this is a lengthy and interesting journey where we are currently mid-way through. Working from macro to micro, understanding how the new neighbourhood works on a city scale, whilst maintaining a granular person-centric approach.

Considering the intimate and tactile nature of the end result. Besides designing thoughtful, beautiful and award-winning places to live, our role as designers is to create a backdrop for neighbourhoods to naturally evolve. Taking into account the views of the existing locals, we have developed a narrative for the core ingredients, for example independent shops, green spaces, working hubs including a steel pan workshop to encourage a sense of ownership.

There is no doubt that bringing people into the design journey is where the magic evolves, ensuring we create a place with authenticity and meaning.

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You describe yourselves as problem-solvers.

Architects and interior designers are in essence problem-solvers. However, we must go further than that, to be opportunity-finders. We add most value when we expose the true potential of a space or a building. For example, this may be finding a solution that releases ‘that left-over space’ that nobody could think what to do with, or it might be enabling a building to be a better version of itself, or perhaps where our ideas act as a catalysts to rejuvenating a neighbourhood that is outside of our project ‘red-line’. But what is a common thread between all of our projects, whether a single room or a 23hectare masterplan, is our key priority to understand the people using the space.

You are a collective, working collaboratively across studios in London and Hong Kong, Please, could you tell us how do you work, and also how do you choose your partners and suppliers?

One of Terence’s greatest strengths was the curation of creatives. This approach of bringing together different creative viewpoints into a coherent approach remains fundamental to our practice. Quite deliberately, each of the creative partners has her or his own passions, skills and focuses, each with their own client bases, without too much duplication. But these ‘Venn diagrams’ all overlap and that is where the richest collaboration occurs. Many of our clients appreciate the breadth of knowledge informing a project, even if some of that perspective might be coming from a different discipline, sector or geographic market.

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You are reimagining the shape and the soul of London. Which is your vision for the city?

Our long-standing view has been that peoples’ lives are far more blended than our industry has traditionally given it credit for. Ever evolving technology has enabled home, work and leisure activities in daily lives to cross-over for some time, and the pandemic has substantially accelerated this direction of travel. In some ways London is now reverting to its historic form, where even the neighbourhoods at its heart, included many different uses at the smaller scale and the days of the mega towers with massive floor plates are numbered. This finer grained, organic tapestry of uses creates a far richer experience and will be key to London and the periodic flights to the countryside (also seen after WW2). People now have far greater choices regarding what they need to do and where they want to do it. Whilst homeworking has probably been a good thing for suburban high streets, if the heart of London is going to continue to thrive it must focus on being desirable enough to draw people back in. At an urban scale we can all learn from the hospitality industry which has had to continuously evolve to attract their very fickle customers, who not only expect their experience to be effortless but joyful and stimulating with a distinct sense of place and occasion.

Bond Mansions, Portobello Square, London

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The Londoner, where the magic happens Located in Leicester Square, the theatre district in London, this new boutique hotel is the place to live a not ordinary experience, surrounded by an incredible art collection, unique members club-style private areas and an entire floor dedicated to wellness

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boutique hotel designed to capture the character of London itself, with winks and nods at every turn to British humour, with an impressive art collection and eclectic details that mirror the vibrant soul of the city. It is The Londoner, the new boutique hotel located in Leicester Square, the theatre district in London, by Edwardian Hotels London, one of the UK’s largest privately owned hotel groups, that put together a world-class design team, with interior designers Yabu Pushelberg, architecture studio Woods Bagot, engineers Arup Associates and artist Ian Monroe. Spread over 16 storeys, with a 30-metre subterranean series of spaces on six levels, creating the deepest habitable basement IFDM | 151

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in London and among the deepest in the world, The Londoner features 350 guest rooms, suites and a tower penthouse with panoramic views, two private screening rooms, a mix of six concept eateries, including bars and a tavern, alfresco dining on the ground floor and a contemporary Japanese lounge bar with a rooftop terrace and fire pit, plus a unique members club-style private area, an expansive ballroom suited for any occasion, a variety of meeting spaces, and The Retreat, an entire floor dedicated to wellness. The Londoner is a synthesis of the extroverted, witty and seductive character of Leicester Square, a succession of stages that mention the figures of theatrical and cinematographic productions, as the lobby, where the guests can do the check-in remotely via smartphone, a sort of historic cinema ticket office but with the contemporary touch of a mirror coating, and a giant anthropomorphic moon suspended above the

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reception, created by the London based illustrator Andrew Rae. Speaking about the interiors, Glenn Pushelberg comments: “When we were designing the hotel, we wanted to break through and connect with the way people are living today on a global level. It is our goal to make high-level, beautifully designed rooms, suites and public areas that enhance the motions of everyday life”. And George Yabu adds: “The Londoner is designed to play into the roots of Leicester Square as London’s historic theatre district. We created layers of programming up into the sky and deep into the earth to emphasise this extroverted, alluring, playful voice. Through subtle nuances we gently infused this energy into the guestrooms because we wanted them to remain evident spaces for comfort and relaxation. Stylistically we tapped into traditional British sensibility and a minimal cohesive neutral palette. The sense of play felt throughout the walls of the hotel is carried into the rooms through bespoke artwork individualised to each room.

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There is a subtlety to our choices that reflects the hotel’s versatility and multi-generational thinking”. The boutique hotel is full of bespoke art, spanning from contemporary pieces to emerging artists, with an “exclusively inclusive” art collection born thanks to the collaboration between Yabu Pushelberg, James Robertson Art Consultants and Edwardian Hotel London’s Krishma Singh Dear, curated with a fresh and contemporary approach. Among the dream corners, The Whiskey Room, a lounge reserved for just six tables, opulent green velvet seats and a collection of the best whiskeys in the world, which is accessed via a “secret” passage. Well protected in its own locker, each bottle occupies a dedicated space inside a display case studded with decorative symbols, such as open palms and wide eyes, which playfully observe the occupants of the room. Because The Londoner is where the magic happens.

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Client: Edwardian Hotels London Architecture: Woods Bagot, Rob Steul Interior design: Yabu Pushelberg Construction Management: Blue Sky Building Contractors: EE Smith, GIG, Grants, Halsion, McGee Engineers: Arup Associates Furnishings & Lighting: Cassina, Henge, Lasvit, Molteni, Salvatori, Stellar Works, Tribu Kitchen Consultant: Humble Arnold Carpets: Tai Ping, Warp & Weft Handles: Valli&Valli Artist: Ian Monroe Author: Francesca Gugliotta Photo credits: Henry Bourne, Adrian Houston

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OFFICE

Where archeology meets the cybersphere A real, physical space that is open to the public for an exclusively cryptocurrency bank: XAPO’s first headquarters was also the multidisciplinary firm Lagranja’s first conversion of a historic building

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ryptocurrencies are a complex world defined with difficulty. Virtual money encrypts information, which is stored in an encrypted form not on a single server, but on several thousand computers at the same time.

It might, as such, seem unusual that a company

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operating entirely in the digital domain wanted a headquarters and a physical presence. Wences Casares, head of the company XAPO hired the Lagranja studio to design its first headquarters inside a military construction – barracks known as ‘casemates’ — built by the British army in 1817

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in the heart of Gibraltar’s historic center. The back of the structure is adjacent to the remains of the original city walls and defensive towers. The front faces Grand Casemates Square, a lively public square with outdoor restaurants and cafes. The historical significance of this emblematic context was not particularly appreciated by the community who wanted a new use for it, both within the realm Xapo’s design and possible social uses. The company spaces cover two arched bays of the barracks complex, a total of 800 square meters, built in local limestone and ceilings supported by original wooden beams. The stone beams and walls have been cleaned and restored to their natural condition, making for an atmosphere like an ancient bank vault. The Lagranja firm started from a creative cross-pollination between archeology and modern design, designing the interiors with a

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contemporary office layout and furniture and accessories made with digital processes. This itself is a metaphor, alluding to the rapid, technological change of the banking and currency systems.

The element of surprise clearly guides the interior design scheme along with respect for the structure’s age. The walkway to the reception area is flanked on both sides by shallow pools of water and continuous lighting, compensating for the structure’s low height and little natural light. At night, laser beams criss-cross the swimming pools and the reception area, making the installation visible from the outside square. Entering through the stone arches, the ‘bank’ takes physical shape through a series of automatic tellers where clients can manage their cybercurrency transactions. Behind this is a meeting room with kitchenette and lounge area. On the far end, a walled patio opens up, originally and gunpowder warehouse, which is surrounded by the office, divided by glass screens.

Many of the bespoke furnishings were 3D printed in Barcelona with corn-based bio plastic. Modular shapes were chosen with a slightly structured appearance to help create a sense of community and a casual narrative featuring harmonious spaces using shared palette of warm tones.

Owner: Xapo Architectural & Interior design: LaGranja Design Lighting consultant: reMM Furnishings: Haworth, LaGranja Collection, Noumena, custom made by 3D printing and solid oak envelope Lighting: LaGranja Collection Flooring: Marazzi Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: courtesy of LaGranja Design

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A peaceful getaway overlooking Milan’s Cathedral Amabilia Suites are on Milan’s famous square, offering a new kind of hospitality made of non-ostentatious, tailor-made luxury, the work of the interior designer Federico Peri.

A joint project with Brera Apartments

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he location could not be more prime.

The four independent suites, set in a 19thcentury residence, overlook the Milan Cathedral, showing us the way to a new frontier of luxury hospitality. On the top floor of the recently restored Palazzo Carminati, Amabilia Private Suites feature a refined design of well-balanced neutral colors. They are the first actualization of a format conceived by Chiara Morgante, the owner and businesswoman. It will be coming soon to Venice and other Italian cities. An agreement has been formed with Brera Apartments, which will be in charge of the hospitality, managed by HotelSolutions, a strategic revenue management company, the first to implement the ‘dispersed hotel’ experience in Milan.

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CEO of HotelSolutions. “It literally goes straight to the collective imagination of a high-end international clientele as a coveted, intimate, familiar place to stay in Milan, giving them a different experience than that of a luxury hotel. We worked with Chiara Morgante to heighten the sense of feeling at home.”

Morgante is eager to make clear that “Amabilia is not an apartment converted into a suite, but a luxury suite project designed and fine-tuned to provide excellent comfort in a charming residence. Nothing has been left to chance, including the room’s acoustic soundproofing of the rooms, 40-decibel doors, the humidification system that keeps the air perfect, the size of the beds and showers, the arrangement of the switches and sockets, and the cards to open the doors. All was planned and designed down to the last detail, drawing on the invaluable consulting and suggestions of Paolo Catoni.” The interior design of Federico Peri helped make this a unique experience, recreating the elegant atmosphere of a home in the heart of Italy’s fashion capital. The interior designer carefully maintained the original architectural design’s appeal and graced the interiors with sophisticated details and finishes. He mixed contemporary touches and elements of historical value IFDM | 163

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Owner: Chiara Morgante Hotel operator: Brera Apartments/HotelSolutions Interior design: Federico Peri Furnishings: custom made; Molteni&C Textiles: Lelièvre Paris Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: courtesy Amabilia Suites by Brera Apartments, Paola Pansini; courtesy by Molteni&C

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with custom-made and design works of art and furniture, such as those by Molteni&C. The interiors feature many iconic pieces, including the D.153.1 and D.151.4 armchairs designed by Gio Ponti, the Panna Cotta coffee tables by Ron Gilad, Vicino by Foster + Partners and When by Rodolfo Dordoni, as well as the Pass-Word sideboard by Dante Bonuccelli. Amabilia Suites include a common living area, a kitchen and four theme-based double suites — Montenapoleone, Triennale, Scala and Aperitivo — with walk-in closets and en-suite bathrooms, giving guests a conceptual tour of Milan. It is as if by going through the rooms, the guests get to visit the key places of the city, starting from the common space — a living area reflecting classic Milanese sobriety — and get to enjoy the experience of that special mix of comfort, understatement, and luxury.

Peri says, “I wanted to create a little gem, a place that would evoke the elegance of the Milanese atmosphere while conveying warmth through selected colors, refined woods and sophisticated fabrics.”

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Innsbruck, Austria

Upside down The Altstadthotel Weisses Kreuz in Innsbruck comes back to life with a total resdesign from the surreal vision of Noa* network of architecture. Where contemporary style, reality and imagination meet

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he Noa* network of architecture has rewritten the history of the centuries-old Altstadthotel Weisses Kreuz hotel in the heart of Innsbruck, subverting the bounds of time and design. Dating back to around 1460, the Weisses Kreuz was formed of construction elements from different eras, set with complete continuity in the urban landscape of the Herzog-Friedrich-Straße, the city’s historic neighborhood. Stefan Rier and Lukas Rungger (co-founders of the Noa* studio) took up the redesign and expansion of the hotel, taking a very contemporary approach to this invaluable starting mate-

rial, drawing on a multiplicity of cultural references, joined harmoniously despite their distance in time.

While crossing the Weisses Kreuz threshold takes us on a journey through history, it also demands we free ourselves from preconceptions and give ourselves over to Noa*’s visionary design. Right from the entrance, the sense of strangeness begins. The building is narrow, stretching lengthwise towards the interior and it opens with a long corridor, interrupted by two “mirror partitions,” which lead to the elevator. The reflective surfaces on the walls and the ceiling dissolve the boundaries of the room and architecture becomes

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immaterial, while guests encounter themselves. Here is where the new time dimension begins. The elevator goes from the ground floor directly to the sixth — a new penthouse added during the redesign, the result of work careful to protect the building’s heritage — and opens onto the reception. “It was immediately clear from studying the state of affairs that the distribution of the spaces would have to be subverted,” says Stefan Rier. “The lobby had been on the second floor, separated from the breakfast area. This made the ground floor entrance rather uninviting.

So we opted for the radical approach of a walkway from the entrance to the sixth floor, and as you go up the sense of anticipation mounts.” The lobby is pure magic, unexpected in its location and even more so in its layout. Its identifying feature is a 13-meter long table — made to measure in brass with baroque ornaments — which traces a path lengthwise through the room while serving the functions of receiving guests, serving as a breakfast buffet, bar and delightful meeting place in the evenings, open to the public.

The warm dark blue hues intensify the atmosphere’s

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evocative power and combine with the smoked oak of the floor in contrast to the royal brass of the finishes and furnishings; this color also gave the name of the “Blaue Brigitte” venue (named in honor of the property’s owner as well). “The decision to invert the routes of the hotel turned out to be a success on both a conceptual and compositional level. On the one hand, it creates a sense of surprise; there is no better start to a journey through time than to break with the life flowing in the streets of Innsbruck,” continues the architect. “On the other, it optimized the layout of the spaces in a building with considerable historical constraints; having the lobby and the bar on the sixth floor, and addition to the original volume, made for a well-lit, functional space with an urban character.”

The penthouse’s bay windows and glass niches that light up comfortable rest spaces to enjoy a view of the city make it a triumph of timelessness; pieces from different style periods create a varied mix but carefully coordinated by harmonious colors, carrying guests away from the present day. Here the “Chic Shock Baroque” design theme is most clearly expressed.

HOTEL

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Client: Altstadthotel Weisses Kreuz Architecture & Interior design: Noa* network of architecture Furnishings: custom made by Norer Tischlerei Lighting: Gubi; Custom lamps Bathrooms: GSI, Paffoni Upholstery & Textiles: Raumausstattung Wieland Wall coverings: Inkiostro Bianco Painting & coatings: Farben Holzbaur Flooring: HTW-Design Carpet Tiling: Equipe Author: Veronica Orsi Photo credits: Alex Filz

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“That motto is a wink to the Baroque, which inspired us for the interior design, in the sense of being excessive, opulent, eclectic. But everything is studied in its color down to the detail, no room is made for minimalism.” This goes for the rooms too (which can be accessed from the lower floors) and are given a specific identity by their color. The rooms have Gothic ceilings, arches and rooms of different heights, another challenge for Noa*, given the building’s unusual configuration. “It was a tailoring job, in which we explored, room by room, the possibilities for redesigning and redistributing spaces without harming the structure.” Some rooms overlook the street, others onto the internal courtyard (with patios or balconies); in the central part of the building without windows, the rooms are lit by a shaft of light between the first and sixth floors that lets natural light filter into the rooms and have a small private terrace with plant life. These are the green rooms, like the “Superpatio” furnished in jungle style. There are red ones (including the “Mozart Suite” on the second floor, in honor of the composer who stayed here), which are a little more spacious than the light blue ones; and dark 170 | IFDM

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HOTEL

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blue rooms with balconies, and gray ones, which are furnished as double rooms. The third floor holds the smallest room of all, christened “the broom closet,” left deliberately unfinished, the only corner of the hotel “without style.” The fourth floor with another ten rooms extends to an adjacent building, known as “Frank House,” which includes the “Golden Roof ” with opulent golden furnishings: a tribute to Innsbruck’s famed Golden Roof, clearly visible from the bay window. Everything in the decor and furnishings, from the carpet to the tiles, the painting to the curtains, and the furniture, are in the same hues. Baroque style lives in the details here: a leg of the sink or a chest of drawers, accessories, photographs on the walls. “Right from the start, we asked ourselves how we could revive a past that no longer exists. Barry Kosky’s art gave us the inspiration we needed on how to recreate a distant world. Kosky uses projections to stage a living musical theater; likewise, we as architects and interior designers have used the means in our possession, through colors, lights, mirrors, paths, to create surreal spaces.”

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Milan

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RETAIL

Milan

A “hub-lab” where dreams and the tangible world meet Halfway between a workshop and a showroom, the MilanoDuomo Stoneroom, designed by Alessandro La Spada, tells of the uniqueness of natural stone and the expertise of the Verona-based company, through an all-encompassing sensory experience

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he intent is to immediately activate the emotional aspect, triggering sensory perceptions, first visual, then tactile, that dissolve the sense of time. This was the vision of the interior designer Alessandro La Spada’s idea for the first Stoneroom Antolini. It starts from eight display windows right in the historic center of Milan, from which we can glimpse views whose powerful material impact and back-lit scenic sets that attract our eyes, inviting us to delve into an all-encompassing experience.

The Antolini family specifically wanted a cultural and commercial “hub-lab” for industry professionals and the public alike. They wanted it to recount the exclusive appeal of natural stone in all its expressions down to little-known applications. Throughout the space’s 600 square meters, the layout, the exhibition and the retail concept tell the story of these arts that the company has honed since 1956 to work with such a fine material. All in a ceaseless pursuit of IFDM | 173

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beauty are the use of innovative, sustainable industrial processes, research and development of cutting-edge technologies — many of which have been patented — great craftsmanship and tradition in selecting and working natural stones. Visitors are guided through the fascinating story of the brand’s complete knowhow, recounted to powerful effect. As La Spada explains, “At the entrance, the Stoneroom is like a gallery with focal points: the immediate perspective point of view towards the counter, then the exploration of the wall with the stones exhibited, and then leading to the bathrooms. Then we return to the starting point from which to admire the Perception Wall, the Working Desk, and then the LED Wall.

Next we come to the connecting staircase made of slabs part of a single block. The same slabs cover the walls which lead by suggestion to the sense of entering a quarry.” La Spada used materials that have an “empathic” relationship with natural stone, such as wood, glass and metal, and chose the custom-made furnishings from companies that share Antolini’s great skill in treating materials. The extraordinary 174 | IFDM

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exclusive selection is comprehensive in number and type of stone material, showing over 5,000 samples in exclusive formats with 1,300 available in stock, a statement of its distinctive quality and the vastness of its stone selection. The space is conceived like a high fashion fabric shop, where you cannot but feel the material samples with your hands and can bring home a “swatch” to make a careful selection.

Available as coverings for walls, surfaces and floors, islands, furnishing accessories and furnishings (such as shelves, desks and tables), the variety of natural stones meet the demands of the residential sector as well as for office, hospitality and retail sectors. They are paired with a personalized service including consulting about the stone’s technical characteristics, its aesthetic qualities, and possible applications in interior design projects. The Stoneroom presents stones from the most sought-after collections, including Exclusive Collection, Textures+, Natura Collection, Precioustone, Gemstone and Shellstone, Perception and Couture.

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RETAIL

Owner: Antolini Interior design: Alessandro La Spada Furnishings & Lighting: Flos, Gessi, PLH Italia, Signature Kitchen Suite, Visionnaire; on design by Alessandro La Spada Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Riccardo Urnato

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Milan

SCOTT Sports HEADQUARTER Architect: Itten+Brechbühl AG Location: Givisiez, Switzerland

GRAN KOBI ESSENTIEL ARMCHAIR designed by Patrick Norguet BIPLANE XS TABLE designed by Alberto Meda

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RESIDENCES

Gemstone-inspired design The Residences at St. Regis: Chicago’s third tallest building makes the skyline sparkle.

Sapphire, amethyst, fluorite and topaz are the muses for HBA Los Angeles’ interior design of the magnificent skyscraper created by Studio Gang. The architectural masterpiece borrows its bold, dynamic volumes from crystal formations and other shapes found in nature

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ith its form and structure inspired by fluorite’s crystalline shapes, Jeanne Gang’s visionary concept for the Residences at St. Regis - Vista Tower lights up Chicago’s skyline. Located in the Lakeshore East neighborhood facing majestic Lake Michigan, this innovative tower with its 101 floors of pure avant-garde inspiration, developed by Magellan

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Development Group and built by bKL Architecture, is a work of engineering excellence. “We use ordinary materials,” says Gang, “to create extraordinary buildings.” The unique structure comprising three interconnected towers and a suspended central stem is enveloped by glass facades that transform the building into a mirror of light and shadow. In addition to the hotel with

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RESIDENCES

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its 191 rooms and luxury amenities like the Sky Bar, gourmet restaurant, fitness center, pool and spa, the 393 Residences at the St. Regis showcase the creative vision of Hirsch Bedner Associates Los Angeles (HBA). Furnishings and lighting by internationally known brands like Paola Lenti, Cattelan Italia, Blu Dot, Herman Miller, Stellar Works, RH, Flos, Lumens, Kuzco, Sonneman, Snaidero, Sicis and Cesarstone adorn these classically refined, contemporary living spaces. Residential amenities include panoramic terraces, an open-air pool, a conference center, a private viewing room and a golf lounge. The entire project was informed by nature and inspired by fluorites and sapphires. “We explored the fundamental splendor found in nature by examining crystals, minerals and gems ... which then informed our design decision to write a story behind each finish package. The overarching narrative is a perceptive response to location, architecture and overall vision,” says HBA Los Angeles Partner Kathleen Dauber.

“This project is built upon craftsmanship and a shared aspiration to achieve the extraordinary.

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RESIDENCES

Chicago

Owner: Magellan Development Group Main Contractor: McHugh Architectural design: Studio Gang Architect of record: bKL Architecture Associate architect: Gensler Interior design: HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates Structural engineer: Magnusson Klemencic Associates MEP Engineering design assistant: dbHMS Civil engineer: Mackie Consultants Landscape architect consultant: OLIN Façade consultant: CDC Lighting design: Illuminate Lighting Design Graphics: HBA DNA Art consultant: Chicago Art Source Furnishings: A Rudin, All Modern, Arteriors, Beaufurn, Blu Dot, Cattelan Italia, CBW, Charleston Forge, Charter Furniture, D’style, Design Within Reach, Falcon, Global Views, Herman Miller, Holly Hunt, IAP, Industry West, Made Goods, One Kings Lane, Misuraemme, Modloft, Paola Lenti, RH, Stellar Works, Usona, West Elm, YLiving Lighting: Flos, Hubbardton Forge, Jonathan Browning, Lumens, Kuzco, Paola Lenti, RH, Usona, Sonneman, YLighting Acoustical ceilings: Armstrong, Hunter Douglas TechStyle Cabinetwork and custom woodwork: Beaubois, Snaidero Paints and stains: Sherwin Williams Wallcoverings: Wolf-Gordon, Phillip Jeffries, MDC Interior Solutions, Colour & Design, Maya Romanoff Paneling: LBI/Boyd Solid surfacing: Caesarstone Floor and wall tile: Emser Tile, Arizona Tile, Artistic Tile, Atlas Concorde, Crossville Studios Carpet: Bloomsburg Carpet Special interior finishes: Kinon, SICIS Wood flooring: Junckers Author: Anna Casotti Photo credits: Angie McMonigal, Magellan Development Group

each identified with a gem’s essence. The brilliance and intensity of sapphire is translated into hues of indigo offset by Italian white lacquer cabinets, Montclair Danby marble counters and monochrome marble bathrooms. Amethyst’s ability to dissolve negative energy is manifested through violet tones, hardwood floors and Madreperola quartzite. The sun’s energy as transmitted through topaz is expressed by a welcoming atmosphere of warm, luminous tones, oak wood, white Italian marble and sea pearl quartzite. Finally, the vibrant energy of fluorite crystals is transposed into fine materials like walnut wood, golden quartzite and bronze fixtures. In this rare marriage between a stepped façade and clean interior lines, HBA Los Angeles’ design brings Studio Gang’s contemporary vision, And its delicate perception of mother nature, inside the homes.

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HOTEL

Milan

The Four Seasons in Milan gets a make-over The hotel of the famed luxury hospitality chain is again welcoming guests in Milan, after a meticulous restyling of the common areas designed by Patricia Urquiola

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he first Four Seasons hotel in continental Europe was opened in 1993 in a former 15th-century convent in Milan and immediately became an iconic metropolitan and cosmopolitan hospitality destination. It is opening again, back in all its charm and sophisticated beauty, featuring the new creative signature of the designer and architect Patricia Urquiola who has renovated its common areas, the restaurant, the bar and its picturesque garden. The second phase of renovation is already underway for the rooms, suites and meeting rooms. The renovation

prioritized a sensitive, conservational re-design approach to a building steep in history. “In the Four Seasons Hotel Milano project, the goal was to renew the space, while respecting the history of the hotel and simultaneously entering into a dialogue with the urban context of Milan,” says Patricia Urquiola. “I took into account the affection felt by many regular guests for the hotel.”

The challenge was to give a new interpretation to a statement-place of the city with a contemporary approach, while also accentuating the past and the original building of which the frescoes

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Owner & Hotel operator: Four Seasons Interior design: Patricia Urquiola Landscape design: Flavio Pollano Furnishings: Cassina, Moroso, Poliform, Poltrona Frau, Stepevi Lighting: Aggiolight Custom Lamps, Cassina, Flos Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Sara Magni

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and the central cloister remain. The common areas of this hotel are spaces in which its personality is deeply expressed through a language of sober colors and pure shapes that refer to the sixteenthcentury heritage. We studied the relationship between light and spaces, giving emphasis to the fine original frescoes with a contemporary style.”

Guests are ushered into the lobby by light, neutral colors in a subtle dialogue with the original frescoes and the walls are adorned with bronze inserts and mirrors. An intimate, elegant atmosphere dominates, created by the lightweight chandeliers and lighting fixtures by Cassina, Aggiolight Custom Lamps and Flos, fabrics and dividers in harmony with the coffered ceiling given a new double frame, rendering them a timeless

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detail of the new Four Seasons. Iconic furnishing from Cassina, Poliform, Moroso, Poltrona Frau and Stepevi collections fit stylishly in this setting.

A new space, Bar Stilla, opens here, extending from the lobby to the outside, the historic garden where herbs and vegetables were once grown, now an oasis of peace with boxwood bushes and laurel designed by the expert landscape architect and agronomist Flavio Pollano based on affirming nature in relationship to its shapes. Stilla extends an invitation to socialize with its elegant semicircular counter that defines the spaces’ lines.

The Zelo Restaurant takes on a dual identity and becomes a bistrot during the day, led by Fabrizio Borraccino, the executive chef, who has completely recreated its menu based on seasonality and sustainability. Celebrating the place’s past, present and future, featured artworks were chosen from artists the caliber of Vanessa Beecroft, Crow Studio, Joergen Craig Lello & Tobias Arnell, lrene Kung, Sophie Ko and Matthew Shlian.

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RESTAURANT

Beijing

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RESTAURANT

Beijing

Feeling at home in one of Beijing’s ancient hutongs Experiencing tradition through modern eyes: a total, immersive experience was created

by LDH Architects’ design for the La Maison Xun restaurant, in the center of Beijing

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t is like a sweet, nostalgic dip into the past, especially for those from Beijing. Coming into the luxurious La Maison Xun restaurant, in Beijing’s center, is like being taken by the hand and led through the past, pulled gently through memories of the old hutongs, which have now almost completely disappeared to make room for new buildings. The LDH Architects team, led by the

founder Liu Daohua, deserves credit for achieving this through a well-balanced use of contemporary style, succeeding in recreating the intimate, refined atmosphere of hutongs, the traditional Chinese courtyard houses, by restoring one of the few left. “I hope people will think about their childhood and feel like they’ve come home,” says Daohua. “There is a great old tree in the courtyard.

Owner & Developer: La Maison Xun Main Contractor: Individuals Architecture, Interior design, Landscape design: LDH Architects Lighting design & Lighting: Beijing Guangshe Lighting Design Furnishings: Maxmark and Chendarui Kitchens: Customized Bathrooms: Hansgrohe Walls: customized, made by Guan Shao Curtains & Fabrics: Customized Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Wang Ting from Dalian AsYouSee

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I’m sure that its flowering in spring, the shade of leaves in summer, and its fallen leaves in autumn will bring fond memories.” Chinese history and culture have been deftly preserved while respecting the past and using the tools of the present. The architects have given expression to two “voices” that are in opposition but inextricably linked. They deliberately avoided any layering, removing excess, uninteresting decoration while restoring the architectural structure and its historical vestiges. Its creative process works by subtraction rather than addition, restoring a sort of warm naturalness and a genuine conduit of emotions. The overall design uses red and black, which are symbolic local colors, and includes modern design and contemporary works of art, such as ‘Pupu Bear’ by the artist Zhang Zhanzhan, peeking in from the courtyard and the main doorway just like a pet would. Each room, with its large floor-to-ceiling windows, gathers close around the beautiful courtyard, a true rarity in Beijing, forming a quadrilateral. Here, just under the tree, an outdoor area is organized with a series of elegant sofas and a fireplace-table in fine contemporary style. From here, we breathe the air of history while looking to the future.

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Beijing

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RESTAURANT

Beijing

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WONDER. NICOSIA, CYPRUS | ELEFTHERIA SQUARE | ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS (ZHA) Eleftheria Square is adjacent to the Venetian Walls and the dry moat that encircles the city. ZHA envisioned the Square as the initial phase of a much larger urban plan. The design ensures unobstructed views

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© Laurian Ghinitoiu

of the Venetian Walls, establishing them as an integral part of Nicosia’s identity, while also opening the dry moat for public use to create an orbital park that surrounds the city.

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WONDER. SHANGHAI | GREEN MASSAGE IN MADANG ROAD | VERMILION ZHOU DESIGN © Yunpu Cai

When you enter ‘green massage’ Madang Road, this Alice’s Wonderland ‘Rabbit Hole’ shrinks your reality and leads into a “magnified” fantasy forest out of the stress and tension of an incongruous world.

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CONTEMPORARY HOME

METROPOLIS STORAGE SYSTEM YORK SOFA KUBICO COFFEE TABLE AND RIALTO SIDE TABLE

WONDER. CHENGDU, CHINA | TIANFU STAGE, URBAN PLANNING EXHIBITION HALL | AAI-MONSTER

© XF Photography

On either side of the “stage”, folded glass façades act as its “curtain”. Their unique shifting angles breaks up the scenery reflected on the glass, producing a dramatic kaleidoscope-like effect.

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Atelier: smart working environments

www.fantoni.it

designed in collaboration with Gensler as a product design consultant

JOIN SUSTAINABILITY Atelier is a flexible, multifunctional system representing today’s evolving business models and changes in workplace culture and design.

Short stories

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HAMBURG | STRANDHAUS | POLIFORM

This project’s powerful modernist appeal is certainly owed first to the American architect Richard Meier, who designed the architectural project, and then to the setting, the HafenCity district in Hamburg, transformed into a dynamic center of business and culture that also includes the magnificent Elbphilharmonie. But some credit goes as well to the contemporary, sophisticated touch of Poliform which furnished two penthouses inside this mixed-use residential building, the Strandhaus. Poliform Hamburg’s design enhances the interiors with tone-on-tone furnishings in the bedroom area, and then plays with chiaroscuro effects in the living area through large furnishing pieces, including the wardrobes, the wainscoting and the sculptural kitchen with an island overlooking the city.

Photo © courtesy of Poliform

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ROVINJ, CROATIA | GRAND PARK HOTEL | LIVING DIVANI

The hotel, part of the Maistra Collection group, is nestled in a pine forest by the sea with a view of the sea and Rovinj’s historic center. The design came out of a collaboration between Piero Lissoni and the Croatian firm 3LHD, to conceive a hotel with an international character. The spacious lobby, the hotel’s heart, visually connects to the sea through a large window and connects to all the other areas of the building. Piero Lissoni’s Lipp sofa is a star of the interiors, upholstered in fabric with elegant taupe leather deep-buttoned details, combined with leather Lipp armchairs and Track benches by David Lopez Quincoces.

The Confident armchairs are soft and enveloping, paired with the Agra sunbed, in the lightweight version with light-colored seat cushions and rollers in shades of blue, also used in the delicatessen area, fostering moments of relaxation and conversation. For the Laurel & Berry restaurant, Piero Lissoni’s Maja D chair was chosen with its simple design and soft lines. In the wellness area, including a spa, sauna and swimming pools, there are many Frog chairs and Frog lounges, featuring a lightweight and fresh design, adapted to many different uses to create an appealing ambiance. Living Divani’s presence here is completed

by Cabrio armchairs, George’s chairs, Nina stools and Filo Outdoor sofas, which enhance the quality of the outdoor spaces, marked by the brand’s defining formal purity and sophisticated craftsmanship.

Photo © Tommaso Sartori

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FLORENCE | LUISAVIAROMA | CASSINA

Officially opened during the week of Pitti Immagine Uomo, in January 2022, the new, exclusive terrace installation features two original, welcoming and striking settings: living and dining. In the living area the colors are warm, taking on soft, playful forms thanks to the Trampoline outdoor collection by Patricia Urquiola, accompanied by iconic items

by Charlotte Perriand, including the Doron Hotel Outdoor chair and the Mexique bar tables and stools. The dining zone offers refined comfort around the 9 tables created by Piero Lissoni, where guests can have a seat on the Caprice and Passion chairs by Philippe Starck.

The innovation and authenticity of the “Cassina perspective,” together with the company’s technological prowess and fine craftsmanship, find a perfect partner in one of the leading online fashion retailers in the world, LuisaViaRoma, capable of combining its digital platform with an avant-garde concept store.

Photo © Carlotta Gargini

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CAGLIARI, ITALY | PALAZZO DOGLIO | LINEA LIGHT GROUP

This urban resort was conceived on the model of English gentlemen’s clubs, a place for wellness to balance work and leisure time.

The building has been recently remodelled by Studio Mei & Pilia Associati, which preserved its authentic 1920s spirit. Equally important, the lighting design is a connecting thread between the renovation’s elements. Especially on the facade lighting, the lighting design made use of many Linea Light Group products.

For example, its Periskop projector was installed to light the external facade and the one on the courtyard, now a public square with many cafés and restaurants. Periskop’s subtle design and minimal lines make it the perfect lighting fixture to emphasize details with elegance. Completing the design are Suelo uplights, which emphasize the main entrance on the street side and the one inside the courtyard, where single-beam Vedette wall lamps were installed for the balconies. Completing the lighting of the internal courtyard are Orma uplights used to make a walkway at the base of the columns along the perimeter, while the Prolamp projectors can create light scenes for special events. The spa and fitness room, designed by Studio Simona Corpino, has Gypsum recessed downlights, used for the reception desk and for general lighting, Beret uplights on the walls, and comfortable light is provided in the lounge rooms by Quantum, a recessed spotlight, winner of the RedDot Award for design, combining high performance with sophisticated design.

Photo © Dario Sequi

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SAINT MARTIN | SECRET RESORT & SPA WALL&DECÒ

Immersed in the lush landscape of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin and designed

by Luis Pons, the Secret Resort & Spa is a resort rich in visual input within which exotic scenery blends with clean and refined architecture and interiors, suggesting moments of seraphic tranquillity. Rio wallpaper is a tribute to the lush vegetation of the tropics, with a fresh, contemporary connotation expressed through outsized proportions. Chosen for the lounge area, it evokes the surrounding vegetation as if to suggest a continuum between interiors and exteriors.

Elisir wallcovering – customized in a softer nuance - expresses the lightness through which, in a trompe l’oeil game of transparencies, traits of vegetation emerge giving the rooms a sense of brightness and luminosity.

Photo © courtesy of Wall&decò

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FLORENCE, ITALY | ETRA COLLECTION | BOFFI|DEPADOVA

Palazzo Pola e Todescan is located in Florence between Via de’ Brunelleschi and Via de’ Pecori. Built on the design of the architect Giovanni Paciarelli between 1901 and 1903, it was among the first monumental buildings in the historical center to show clear signs of new modernist influences, in combination with an Art Nouveau decorative system with sculptures, colored ceramic friezes from the Cantagalli factory and wrought iron elements from the Michelucci Workshops of Pistoia. The Palazzo is now home to the three luxury suites designed by Etra, opened after an ultra refined interior restoration done in collaboration with architects Daniela Bianchi and Alessandro Marcattilj of AMDB studio. The 120-squaremeter Presidential Suite is arranged as a loft. The ample living area is separated from the bedroom area by a large full-height burnished storage unit, a perfect partner for the compact, darkcolored “cube-kitchen” from K6 system, designed by Norbert Wangen for Boffi. The De Padova Flying Landscape upholstered furnishing set is by Piero Lissoni, a comfortable conversation “landscape” lit by a chandelier with Bohemian crystals handcrafted in Florence, and a ‘95 Table by Achille Castiglioni.

Photo © courtesy of Boffi|DePadova

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ARZACHENA, ITALY | VILLA MARTINE | TALENTI

The villa designed by Studio Pè is situated on a hill affording a view of the sea, from the villa’s interior through large windows and the right orientation. It is made up of several buildings distributed organically in the area through large terraces and consists of a main residence and three guest annexes. The swimming pool nestled in the rock is the focal point of the villa’s buildings, and the outside paths wind towards the terrace, which has a glass bridge over the water, and the main entrance is on a staircase “suspended” between the rocks and walkways set on the hill’s various levels. The lush terraces are furnished with many pieces from Talenti’s collections: Cruise Teak sofas, armchairs, ottomans, dining chairs and daybeds by Ludovica+Roberto Palomba, Casilda Daybeds by Ramon Esteve, Panama armchairs and daybeds, also

by Ludovica+Roberto Palomba, Jackie Collection lamps and Parasol Zeus shade structures.

Photo © courtesy of Talenti

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GIZA, EGYPT | SACHI PARK ST RESTAURANT | PEDRALI

Designed by Alchemy Design Studio, the restaurant recently opened its doors in Sheikh Zayed, offering a dining experience deeply rooted in the Mediterranean traditions, while playing with Asian influences. The sumptuous halls on two levels are decorated with fine marble and wonderful mosaics which, together with the large windows and precious chandeliers, add a sophisticated touch to the environment.

The 350 seats, organized in a way that encourages communication between diners, feature comfortable and welcoming seating, selected among Pedrali collections. Armchairs and barstools of the Ester collection, designed by Patrick Jouin, selected in the tones of terracotta and moss green with refined die-cast aluminium legs. A mix of elegance, ergonomics and functionality in harmony with the surroundings. The Jazz armchairs features cosy upholstered seating with curved and embracing backrest, separated from the seat by a functional opening that makes them extremely functional. The seating is supported by a thin steel frame which guarantees a nice balance of proportions and profiles. The Laja collection, designed by Alessandro Busana and the Gliss armchairs, designed by Claudio Dondoli and Marco Pocci, give colour and dynamism to the dining rooms. At the bar the Babila barstools by Odo Fioravanti.

Photo © Sherif Tamim

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ANTIPAROS, GREECE | VILLAS | ETHIMO

The residential project by Tsolakis Architects includes three dwellings in an underground setting with respect to a steep, rocky site on the island of Antiparos. Enhancing rather than distorting the awareness of the context, the discreet approach of digging into the ground brings out the beauty of local natural materials, with etched ramps and steps, pedestrian pathways, open patios and the perfect profiles of blue swimming pools. Ethimo has interpreted the space in a balance between nature and contemporary design, underlining the strong bond between indoor and outdoor spaces. The Knit, Rafael, Cube, Swing and Grand Life collections personalize every open-air space with teak, metal, woven cord, soft cushions covered with fabrics that stand up to sunlight and salt air. The Knit and Swing lounge and dining systems, both designed by Patrick Norguet, set the stage for relaxing convivial moments. The Rafael collection, designed by Paola Navone, combines fine workmanship in teak, marble and volcanic stone with the refined colors of fabrics on the upholstered pieces. The Grand Life series by Christophe Pillet takes part with ample sofas and lounge chairs, which stand out for the structure in pickled or natural teak, featuring large cushions and a classic weave inspired by the image of Vienna straw.

Photo © courtesy of Ethimo

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SHORT STORIES NAPLES | MAMA COCHA RESTAURANT | RIFLESSI

A restaurant offering nikkei food and wine, a synthesis between the Peruvian and Japanese culinary culture. Designed by architect Mario Sorrentino, the interiors of Mama Cocha whose name is a tribute to the Mother of the Waters, the Peruvian goddess protector of the sea and fishing - are characterized by a lively and contemporary fusion aesthetics, where materials and stylistically different decorations meet with bright color palettes. Riflessi created special custom-made Sofia seats: a typical Peruvian fabric decorated with multicolor striped pattern was used for the seat - after a special processing – in combination with a velvet effect fabric for the back in vivid complementary colors, like orange, ocher and blue. The base of the seats feature an elegant finish in rose gold which confer a whimsical and original effect in continuity with the eclectic style of the restaurant.

Photo © Marco Baldassarre

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SINGAPORE CHANGI AIRPORT TERMINAL 1 | GARDEN METAMORPHOSIS PRECIOSA LIGHTING

In the refurbished area at Terminal 1 Departure/Transit Hall, Garden Metamorphosis is a organic, fluid installation which explores the shapes and patterns of nature. With Anna Kralova as lead designer, it captures every moment of a garden’s never-ending transformation. More than 10 metres long and 9 metres wide, it is made of more than 650 hand blown crystal components, including small and big butterflies, and small and big single and double leaves. Each component was handcrafted at the Preciosa factory in the Czech Republic. The metal base is champagne and polished brass for a warm feel. Component colours include clear crystal, frosted crystal, champagne, light pink, pink, and light and dark lustre. In-house R&D team had two challenges to tackle.

First, the programmable dynamic scenes, and second the project’s location. “We wanted to figure out the best way to move and light the butterflies,” said Ondřej Dörfl, Senior Electrical Design Engineer. “The idea is that for a while, butterflies fly above the light fixture, then they settle (shine) and show us their crystal beauty. The next moment, they gradually light up and after a while they gradually and slowly go out again. I believe in the end we managed to give the lighting its soul.” The architecture and interior design was led by RSP Architects Planners & Engineers, Singapore for main contractor, Takenaka Corporation.

Photo © courtesy of Preciosa

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CASTELLINA IN CHIANTI, ITALY | BOUTIQUE HOTEL LOCANDA LE PIAZZE | PRATIC

Among the vineyards of Chianti, a farmhouse dating to 1540 is now home to the eco-gourmet boutique hotel Locanda Le Piazze, an elegant accommodation with a “glocal” essence and design, featuring modern comfort in an architecture attentive to sustainability and tradition.

Total immersion in the Tuscan landscape is made possible by a charming outdoor dining area that can seat 38 restaurant guests on a terrace of about 120 square meters overlooking the hills, protected by the comfort and technology of six Opera pergolas by Pratic, designed jointly with Gianni Menconi’s Project & Design Home Lab. The aluminum blades are adjustable up to 140 degrees to regulate natural lighting and ventilation, for a pleasant recirculation of air, and customizable shading is provided by drop curtains hidden in the horizontal sections. On cool, cloudy days, the blades and panoramic windows shield the room without sacrificing the view of the scenic landscape. Clean style and a perfect combination of colors render the pergolas a natural extension of the restaurant.

Vulcan gray sections and uprights follow the recurring color scheme of the doors and windows and boutique hotel’s details with the ecru shade of the roof matching those of the building. When the blades are closed and in evenings the lighting is from spotlights and the soft light of perimeter LEDs. Photo © Ivan Rossi

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COMO, ITALY | RISTORANTE DA PIETRO | BAXTER

A stone’s throw from Lake Como, the design for the “Da Pietro” restaurant, by Baxter’s Ufficio Stile, originated in the idea of creating a place connected to the local landscape as well as the spirit of innovation that makes it an inviting, contemporary space. The bar counter at the entrance is made with a mixture of materials (leather, lacquered wood, copper and glass) and ushers visitors into a sensory journey of aromas, taste and visual perceptions. The connecting theme is, without question, the choice of materials, tying into everything in its surroundings.

Muted materials, where the raw material is the star, highlighting the colors chosen for the upholstery, soft and welcoming but with a strong character. Raw earth is on the walls, natural stone flooring laid like a parquet floor and large light installations frame Baxter’s “tailored” furnishings. The seats are in different shapes and heights, featuring color and texture combinations that convey the sense of a familiar, comfortable place. The large kitchen overlooks a banquet table made of Travertine marble and lets guests enjoy watching the preparations of the chef and his staff. Everything chosen ties back to the concept of sophisticated elegance that takes patrons within the experience. This is a place where every individual part is in accord with each other part, creating an environment to relax and enjoy being received within a special place.

Photo © courtesy of Baxter

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AOSTA, ITALY | THE PLACE BIKE HUB TERRATINTA CERAMICHE

A multifunctional space, the fruit of redeveloping a former industrial building, becomes a resource for the community, bringing sports and design together. Its 700 sq. m. is home to a café, shop, rental, workshop, and front office of Aosta Valley Freeride, where you can book tours and sign up for courses. The building operates entirely on electricity and is self-powered with solar panels installed on the roof. Two Terratinta Ceramiche collections were chosen for the Place Bike Hub: Betonbrick, distinctive for its innovative style, a union of tradition and contemporary design, in its Black Diamond Glossy variant; and Betonmetal, in the Aluminum matte variant, whose grays and the combination of metal and concrete references the building’s original spirit. The project was managed by Zanetti Cantieri with materials supplied by Noli Home.

Photo © courtesy of Terratinta Ceramiche

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DUBAI | AURA SKY POOL LOUNGE | KETTAL

An island of relaxation in the sky. This might sound like a strange definition but it is indeed at 200 meters from the ground, on the 50th floor of Palm Tower, overlooking Dubai’s majestic skyline, that we find the highest swimming pool in the world. Aura Sky Pool Lounge was commissioned by the visionaries of Sunset Hospitality and designed by kokaistudios and now invites guests into its elevated ambiance. With a breathtaking 360° view of the city’s main attractions, including Palm Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab, Burj Khalifa and Ain Dubai, the infinity pool and exclusive lounge experience create an extraordinary, unique world. Both the 750 sq.m.

Pool Deck and the Lounge & Bar are customized with Kettal outdoor furnishings, including Roll, Wicker and Mesh designed by Patricia Urquiola, Cala by Doshi Levien, Landscape

by Kettal Studio, Basket created by Nanna and Jorgen Ditzel, Bitta by Rodolfo Dordoni and Zigzag designed by Emiliana Design.

Photo © Sunset Hospitality - www.auraskypool.com - @auraskypoldubai - www.kettal.com - @kettal

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

NEW YORK | VERSACE STORES | MARGRAF

In summer 2021, two new stores opened in New York with ready-to-wear clothing and accessories, one in Soho on Greene Street and one in Manhasset, Long Island, at Americana Manhasset on Northern Blvd. Each shop has different proportions, but both are true to the concept conceived

by Gwenael Nicolas of Studio Curiosity, and, like all its flagship stores, they powerfully elevate Versace’s values, aesthetics, fine elegance and icons.

Icons like the Medusa, which dominates the statue art in the ceilings, and Versace’s Greek key pattern which becomes the support system for the suspension and recessed lighting and the (macro) decorative pattern of the lavish floors made with over 400 square meters of Margraf marble. In the interplay between white and Bardiglio gray, also used in the displays with accessory showcase, the effect of a fine macro inlay for the wall and floor coverings was created with a special waterjet technology and a material as precious as it is natural, fitting perfectly with the brand and the interior designer’s choices. The store is completed by sales and collection display areas with white ribbed wood paneling, blue calcite wall displays, carpets, armchairs and sofas in soft coordinated hues.

Photo © courtesy of Versace

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NATERS, SWITZERLAND | GOTHAM | ALIAS

A “home” for nomads, startups, commuters and innovative companies. At least for whenever they need it. The Swiss coworking network Gotham has recently created dynamic workspaces at its Aletsch campus in the center of Naters (Upper Canton Valais). Gotham covers the top two floors of the entrance building, the point where the mountainous and valley landscapes converge. The mountain was actually the inspiration for the entire layout. The closer you are to the peak, the more the landscape opens to offices, conference rooms and meeting rooms, conceived as settings to work, rest or engage with other “Gothamers.” The natural, relaxing environments are made comfortable by the furnishing from Alias. The TEC table by Alfredo Häberli and the Rollingframe chairs by Alberto Meda are for the work offices. The Biplane tables by Alberto Meda surrounded by the Taormina upholstered seats

by Alfredo Häberli are placed throughout the meeting rooms.

The upholstered Eleven High Back seating by the PearsonLloyd duo are for the private areas and those by Patrick Norguet, Gran Kobi Essentiel are for the informal areas. Plus: Alias created two exclusive collections designed by Jost Kutter of Gotham Design to meet the specific needs of coworking, including the Ant Collection for spontaneous teamwork.

Photo © Jost Kutter

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

COPENHAGEN | DIGITAL HUB DENMARK VISITOR CENTRE | MUUTO

The office space, designed by Designit and Studio Marie Persson, is located in a converted loft of a sugar factory in the harbour of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the central port of call for international delegations who want to find out about Danish technical solutions and services. Spread over 1,400 sqm, the visitor centre is a mixture of an interactive showroom, theatre, lounge and co-working space. Under the motto “We do digitally differently”, various materials, colours and surfaces are placed into an interesting juxtaposition. Numerous digital installations are distributed around the rooms, while interactive elements have discreetly been integrated into mirrors, walls and tables. The evolving need for flexible and fluid workspaces, has overall been backdrop for the office’s interior design. Muuto’s new and configurable office system, Linear System Series, has been used to bring a feeling of home to the office space. Displayed together with Muuto’s Fiber Side Chairs and Cover Armchairs, the office system provides a warm materiality and modern expression to the loft. To enhance a modern and comfortable expression within the co-working space, several customized Connect Modular Sofas from Muuto have been included.

Photo © Jonas Jacob Svensson

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SHORT STORIES

MILAN | RADISSON COLLECTION HOTEL PALAZZO TOURING CLUB | IDEAL STANDARD

The concept of travel is the inspiration for the new Radisson Collection Hotel Palazzo Touring Club Milan. Studio Marco Piva, which was responsible for the architectural and interior design, kept in mind that the building was once the historical headquarters of the Italian Touring Club, as well as one of the most beautiful expressions of late Art Nouveau style in Milan. History and contemporary style coexist in the design of its functional spaces that fit perfectly in the context, hand in hand with the needs of an ever-evolving society. For instance, it has a restaurant on two levels, conceived to be a multifunctional place that can also serve as a lounge bar, breakfast room, book shop and travel agency. Then there are its meeting and conference rooms and the wellness and spa area. In its 89 rooms, which feature high ceilings and smoked oak parquet floors laid in a herringbone pattern, each bathroom is different than all the others. For this place for self-care, an interplay of contrasts was established with finishes of great personality and colors ranging from white to gray. The studio chose Strada II countertop washbasins and the Tesi bathroom fixtures by Ideal Standard, which act as a point of connection between design, high performance and durability with two collections whose soft, minimal lines meet the high expectations of the contract furnishing sector.

Photo © Andrea Martiradonna

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COMMANDANT CHARCOT | PONANT | LIGNE ROSET

This high-exploration vessel, intended to crisscross the confines of the Arctic and Antarctic seas, not only accommodates 245 passengers in optimal comfort conditions in 123 cabins - but also makes itself available to the scientific community and thus participates in the global effort to preserve the poles and the oceans.

Jean-Philippe Nuel designed the furnishings for the bedrooms, lounges and the gourmet restaurant. For the main lounge, 56 Soufflot armchairs (high and low back) and 5 king size settees have been customised in new dimensions. Furtermore a specific chair has been designed by Nuel for the ship’s gourmet restaurant.

The main challenge was to create a seat and a back and assemble them on a base using invisible connecting pieces. To meet the resistance tests for a specific use in catering, the base in stained beech required the study of reinforcements. In addition, in order to adapt to the rounded shapes of the chair and keep the stretched effect intended by Jean-Philippe Nuel, the fabric required specific development.

Photo © Gilles Trillard

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SHORT STORIES AMSTERDAM | NHOW AMSTERDAM RAI | CERAMICHE REFIN

In the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas business district, Ceramiche Refin collections have been chosen to clad the outdoor spaces of the Hotel Nhow Amsterdam RAI, designed by Reiner de Graaf of Office for Metropolitan Architecture. OMA was inspired by Het Signaal, the advertising column located next to the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre, made of a number of triangular blocks placed on top of each other.

With a height of 91 metres, 650 rooms on 24 floors, an event space, meeting and conference rooms and a restaurant, the hotel is the largest in the Benelux. The three triangular volumes that make up the building are built on top of a transparent plinth. Triangular projections up to twelve metre long create six terraces on the roof of the 10th and 17th floors.

All the terraces are paved with Refin OUT2.0 2cm thick tiles, chosen in the Blue Emotion Flammé Blue 90x90cm size and applied using the raised installation method on supports. Installation, which was a real challenge considering the height, was handled by Ceramiche Refin retailer Kerastone in active collaboration with Van Beek Tegelprojecten.

The Blue Emotion line, inspired by the dark tones of the Belgian Pierre Bleue, carries the charm of a sober surface that convey a strong sensation of quality, cleanliness and resistance. OUT2.0, specially designed for outdoor use, guarantees maximum resistance to stress and tensile strength, and is able to fit easily into any outdoor space.

Photo © Egbert de Boer

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ST. HELENA, USA | ALILA NAPA VALLEY | KREOO

The Alila Napa Valley resort, in the Californian county of Napa, was designed by Yabu Pushelberg with great attention to detail and careful consideration of the surroundings. The five-star resort fits perfectly in the landscape, built with materials that respect the context and with many references to natural materials. Wood paneling and floors, linen and cotton fabrics, leather details together shape its public and private environments. Marble and stone cover the bathroom floors and walls, envisioned like private spas. The Kreoo collections stand out here, with the Bowl n.2 and Bowl n. 9 countertop washbasins from the Nabhi collection, along with the custommade countertops and surfaces in marble mosaic.

The Nabhi collection features a powerful material sense and balance of proportions born of a union between craftsmanship and innovative technology.

Photo © Alice Gao

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MIPIM 2022 15-18 March 2022

PALAIS DES FESTIVALS, CANNES In a context where real estate must reinvent itself to embody our futures cities, we believe we can join our forces and make a difference with a positive contribution to the urban change.

Join us in Cannes to drive the change in the real estate industry.

Register now on www.mipim.com or contact our sales team mipim@rxglobal.com

MIPIM® is a registered trademark of RX France - All rights reserved

Creating the future built environment together

Design Inspirations

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DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

IN THE MOOD | JEAN MARIE MASSAUD POLTRONA FRAU

A seating system developed to induce calm and tranquillity, embraced by comfort and fine craftsmanship. The horizontal geometry determines the character, emphasized by the slender poise of the feet reaching towards the center, for a sense of dynamism and lightness. The minimal, almost elementary design, with clean, essential lines, is pursued down to the smallest details to bring out the remarkable quality of the covering. Whether in Pelle Frau® or in the weaves of Poltrona Frau fabrics, the large upholstered surfaces are clad in elegance, with the brand’s typical sartorial stitching, reinterpreted in a contemporary way. The edging accompanies the contours of each piece, even including the lateral storage compartment, amplifying the sense of softness of the rounded surfaces.

There are many possible combinations, with two or three-seat modules, and a 45° curved element that breaks up the rigidity of the corner configurations. The armrests can be low, medium or accessorized. A storage compartment concealed in the latter, to contain everyday useful objects, along with an extractable tray.

ROOMS | PATRICIA URQUIOLA | CO.DE BY JANNELLI&VOLPI

The capsule collection is an investigation on surreal newspaper. Scenes and tools of everyday living becoming wall decoration, windows, table with still life, curtain, bookcase, and a green house garden populated with plants. Reflecting on the evolution of living and the relationship that binds us to our homes, the collection is developed in a series of 7 rooms in four color variations, to which two small and medium decorations are added, for a total of 9 themes. Each room is designed to be in harmony with the others. Designed to decorate entire rooms, it reproduces walls that amplify real space, without invading it, integrating as a silent atmosphere of our days.

BOXWOOD COLLECTION | JANUS ET CIE

Meticulously handwoven around powder coated aluminum frames, this expansive collection of dining, lounge and modular sofa pieces embodies a synthesis of design, craft, and technology. As one of Janus et Cie’s Masterpiece collections, Boxwood is engineered with the finest materials available, flawlessly achieving an unparalleled level of complexity in both design and fabrication. Its rigorous structure is softened by the translucency of the weave as well as its luxurious cushions. Recently a subdued yet striking new Janus fiber option, Smoke, has been added. An alluring finish incorporating various shades of grey that can be paired with coordinating Janus fiber collections in Smoke including Amari, Rock Garden, and Rush.

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

PER SPECULUM IN AENIGMATE | DRAGA & AUREL

Per Speculum in Aenigmate is a special project which will forge a dialogue between Aurel K. Basedow’s new body of pictorial works and some of the iconic design pieces of the duo Draga & Aurel, to which he belongs. The title of the exhibition refers to a fundamental passage from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians. This biblical text, on which was founded the dogmatic Christian belief regarding the impossibility of any human knowledge in relation to the divine power, has been transformed by the artists Draga Obradovic and Aurel K. Basedow into its most evocative and poetic aspect. The mirror and enigma elements refer to the fact that their work is in a perennially split state – a scission in which its simultaneous nature as furnishing object and artwork is revealed.

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DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

IVY | VITTORIO MASSIMO | LODES

Ivy features a minimalist, geometric design, made of a ring suspended from a cable, which powers a custom-made LED module. With a single or double cable, the Ivy I and Ivy V versions respond to the rising demand for flexibility in architectural and renovation projects, letting the lamp stand apart from the ceiling power source. The design is inspired by wedding rings, imagined as a necklace pendant, a simple but precious object whose value is in the perfection of its form. The name Ivy is an allusion to several lamps being grouped together with multiple intertwining, overlapping cables like ivy. With Ivy 5, several lamps are combined with double cables to create ever-varying compositions and layers.

UNAM | SEBASTIAN HERKNER | VERY WOOD

It allows light to pass through, and thanks to its particular back in woven nautical rope or gray parchment the Unam chair is light in weight, suitable for all kinds of spaces. Inspired by the works of Pierre Jeanneret, the collection combines the particular back with a padded seat in fabric or leather, and a structure in ash composed of solid wooden parts. The clean lines and authentic materials of Unam connect it to the tradition, reinterpreted in a modern tone. The curved parts of the seat provide a true embrace, making it perfect for all interiors, including restaurants. The outdoor version, known as Unam Out, is made in untreated iroko wood, with woven nautical rope for the back and a padded seat in water-repellent rubber.

PATIO | GAMFRATESI | MINOTTI

The outdoor modular seating system is conceived as a dynamic mosaic, composed of tesserae in simple geometric shapes, which can be pieced together as desired, and reconfigured to suit the available space and the mood to be created. The system offers a rich variety of sofas in different measurements and configurations, in addition to central and end units, armchairs, loveseat, and double daybeds.The design of the sofa base structure enables the back elements to be arranged in various set positions all along the perimeter, spacing out the seats with coffee tables, and complementing them with ottomans and benches. A solution capable of meeting the requirements of both small metropolitan terraces, and extensive outdoor spaces, thanks to the two depths: 83 and 98 cm. Materials are masterfully combined: the extruded aluminium base with matt finish in the shades of Ecru and Dark Brown is accompanied by steel backrests, covered in woven polypropylene cord in the same shades, according to a Scandinavian-type geometric design.

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DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

CRISTALLO ROOTS | ANTOLINI

With its unique hues and veining, Antolini’s Cristallo Roots natural stone adds refinement to any interior. Colors, shades and visual patterns that only nature can impress on a stone beguile those who see the surfaces and material beauty of Antolini’s Cristallo Roots. The new natural stone joins Antolini’s select Exclusive Collection. The natural quartz shades between gray and beige and features an intricate pattern of earth-colored veins. The stone is defined by its translucency, precisely because it’s a crystal and backlighting creates special light effects cladding the surfaces of an interior, like kitchens, open spaces or lounges, both in residential and contract furnishing settings. With materials from the best quarries located all over the world, Antolini gives architects and interior designers the chance to choose a natural stone with brown streaks adding extra quality to home and interior designs.

TURN AND TURN+ | NAO TAMURA | AMBIENTEC

Sophisticated portable lamps that blend a jeweler’s craftsmanship with the rigor of optical science. Essential, poetic forms in nomadic rechargeable objects to carry with you from room to room in any situation. Nao Tamura, who previously designed the portable work and desk lamp Turn, was inspired by natural light and the gentle, familiar lines of classic lanterns in designing Turn+. Thanks to the integrated touch sensor and two types of LED segments, a simple gesture is all it takes to adjust the light to one of four different gradations. It ranges from an intimate, candle-like glow to create a meditative atmosphere, to a more intense light ideal for gatherings and celebrations, to a restful light perfect for reading by. The exterior is made in aluminum, brass or stainless steel, while solid glass has been chosen for its diffuser.

C_BASE | PATRICK NORGUET | CIDER

It moves, it can be adjusted, utilized alone or in groups. The C-Base system offers a valid way to organize workspaces, responding to the increasingly ‘fluid’ needs of offices. The metal structure of the workstation, like that of the coatrack trolleys, has four wheels to permit easy movement, with a height-adjustable worksurface ready for multiple uses and settings in the home or office. Depending on necessities, it can be outfitted with shelves or other objects useful for working, or with small pots and planters to make the office more welcoming and biophilic. By adding a storage module at the base, the unit also becomes a compartment for objects, enhanced by a vertical partition. The designer has chosen the name C-Base to reference the innovative spirit of the first coworking facility created in Berlin in 1995.

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DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

TOUCH COLLECTION MARZOTTO INTERIORS

The Touch collection by Marzotto Interiors combines soft jacquard velvets, iridescent yarns with metal inserts, and elegant velvets, which meet jacquard fabrics in cotton, wool, linen and other natural fibers.

The line of furnishing fabrics is a tribute to tactile sensations and the desire for touch, dialogue and relationships through a multiplicity of textures and material surfaces.

Quality and aesthetic innovation join in Touch along with attention to environmental sustainability with the use of certified raw materials and the elimination of dyes and chemical agents.

DECOR MANIA | RUBELLI

The 2022 collection’s new designs are made with natural fiber yarns as well as technical yarns. They are printed, jacquard, and embroidered , an expression of highly varied styles, classic, contemporary, Eastern, floral, fantasy, which are suitable to furnish quite different interiors. Camilla, Madamadoré, Eliodoro, Lady Bloom, Gulliver, Derby Toile, Derbyshire Spring, Tea Cat, Magico Mexico. Each tells a story inspired by nature. They range from the other-worldly, magical atmosphere of a Mexican landscape to a graceful floral motif inspired by an 18th-century document, and a print that is a new take on Toile de Jouy enlivened with colorful watercolors.

GEEN-A | FERRUCCIO LAVIANI | KARTELL

Geen-a is Kartell’s reading lamp, supplementing the brand’s lighting range with a product designed for this specific purpose. The simple lines conceal a real sense of attitude, while the clean shape has a familiar yet intriguing effect. The piece consists of a base, a lightshade, three LED bulbs, a stem and a handle for easy transportation, while three matt-finish colours are available: white, black and brick. This is a simple lamp, just as reading is one of life’s simple pleasures.

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

CAPSULE LOW CABINET | LUCA BARENGO | A&B LIVING

The design of Capsule Low Cabinet is highly charismatic with an exact identity that marries technology, experimentation and the “wow factor.”

The inspiration for the design is especially current, with its shape suggesting capsule pills, which in our increasingly hectic lives can help make up for nutrient difficiencies and balance our body’s functions. Made entirely of wood, they then undergo finishing with liquid metal paired with an unusual mix of straw marquetry, a meticulous, extremely fine technique for applying straw, entirely done by hand.

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DESIGN INSPIRATIONS SINUOSA COLLECTION | MASSIMO IOSA GHINI | NATUZZI

The inspiration comes from the rejuvenating and reassuring sensations of the Apulian landscape to celebrate visual comfort. The lines of the collection thus become features that appear moulded by a vital impulse. The Gutta table, with a round or oval top, feature a light and elegant solid walnut structure which, like a continuous line, emphasises the sinuous shapes of the design and defines its contours, starting from the foot and completing the profile of the top. The legs seem to have been shaped by their function, while the top – reminiscent of an irregular body of water that reflects its surroundings – is available in Calacatta Oro marble or American walnut versions. Welcoming and reassuring, Beat is a chair that contains and supports the seat with generous padding. Available with leather or fabric upholstery, the collection is designed to offer a seamless transition between living and dining areas in both large and small spaces.

KOINÈ | MANDALAKI | LUCEPLAN

Elegance and purity of style characterise this set of suspension lamps named Koinè for its meaning of “shared language”, referring to its shape which offers such extreme versatility. The real heart of the project lies, however, not in the product design but in the lighting mechanism inside. This is where Koinè’s great innovation lies. A specifically created mineral lens has in fact been applied to the light source. The beam of light transmitted through the lens appears homogeneous and clear, a wide cone of light with clearly defined edges. The border between light and shade thus results as sharp, not blurred in any way. Thanks to careful direction of the light source, Koine does not dazzle, guaranteeing a strong yet comfortable light experience. The reflector is a ‘hat’ that plays a mainly decorative role. Koinè comes in 3 sizes (diameter 37, 55 and 110 cm) and 3 colours, black, white and aluminium.

BOXLIFE | RAINLIGHT STUDIO SCAVOLINI

“Hiding to organize” is the concept behind Boxlife project conceived by Scavolini in collaboration with Rainlight and its creative director Yorgo Lykouria.

A response to the current demand for dynamic spaces that can be transformed, this complete, modular system allows for linear, corner and curved solutions where panels are at the clear forefront. They create wardrobes with retractable doors (single or double) in the kitchen, sliding systems for the living area, wardrobes in the bedroom area, and even the laundry area.

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DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

CHIRICO | ILLULIAN

The Chirico rug is a graphic manifestation of classical architecture reinterpreted through a contemporary surrealist lens.

Applying signature elements of my work into a complex and unworldly space, inspired by the buildings of Ricardo Bofill, Xavier Corberó and Richard England.

Playing with dimensions, contrasting the flatness of the rug by introducing depth through perspective and tonal differences to create a trompe-l’œil effect.

ZEN IDRO/HAMMAM | MEGIUS

These new products keep the minimal contour of the Zen shower, but with the added features of fixed shelves set directly in the glass, available in several sizes. The 6 mm glass has protective film, and the built-seat is Iroko wood, while the interior walls are in multiply aluminum and water-repellent laminate, a wear and water resistant material. Both models are available in corner, wall or niche options, with a central hinged door and can be installed on the floor, on a Technart Megius shower tray or any other shower tray. They are equipped with a hand-held shower, back water jets, 20x20cm multifunctional showerhead, waterfall and on-off Turkish bath button and chromotherapy (in the Hammam version).

VINO CANTINA | SIGNATURE KITCHEN SUITE

The Vino Cantina line from the Signature Kitchen Suite is a concentrate of high performance and design. The Vino Cantina collection is available in built-in and panel versions, with 2 or 3 sections that can be adjusted separately for temperature and humidity. It mixes careful attention to materials (the shelves in natural beech wood, stainless steel profiles and the cabinet glass with UV protection) with innovative technology, including the Linear Inverter compressor that makes the wine cooler extremely quiet, the Smart Knock Door (just knock on the door to activate the lighting inside), and the Smart Diagnosis system that allows you to check if it is working properly through the app. The collection is also WiFi ready to be connected to your home network and controlled remotely.

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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

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© Donato Di Bello

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REAL ESTATE INVESTORS COME TO CANNES At Mipim 2022, the opportunities and challenges in an industry in the midst of post-pandemic growth and decision-making processes increasingly sensitive to sustainability and climate change issues minating moment of Mipim’s consideration of the environmental issue, as it was Hollande who coordinated the COP21 efforts, with the president of the French Republic, which led to

BEST OFFICE & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT | GIOIA 22 | MILAN

BEST CULTURAL & SPORTS INFRASTUCTURE | DEPOT BOIJMANS VAN BEUNINGEN | ROTTERDAM 232 | IFDM

© Ossip van Duivenbode

One of the key passages of the speech with which François Hollande will open the 2022 Mipim, scheduled in Cannes from March 15 to 18, will be about climate change. His speech is the cul-

BEST RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT | ÆBELØEN | AARHUS © Creat AR

the signing of the Paris climate agreement. Hollande will mention some of the key challenges as well as opportunities that the real estate industry will face in the coming years. These challenges and opportunities are largely tied to the effect of climate change on the development of urban spaces. The context that the former president of France will outline is that of a difficult but essential post-pandemic recovery, in which public health and labor policies will have to address the inequalities that have worsened in these two years. Mipim 2022 is a crucial event for the real estate industry that has met with “industry’s great desire to participate in the event, reflected in the encouraging numbers of registrations,” says the director of the event, Ronan Vaspart. The European real estate sector is moving towards the post-pandemic phase in the wake of intense growth. International investors are demonstrating their faith in this growth, coming in droves Cannes in search of partnership opportunities with fastdeveloping cities and regions.

Sustainability is the common thread connecting investors to the industry, as mentioned in Hollande’s speech. The role of ESG evaluation criteria in decisionmaking processes for sustainable investments will be one of the focuses of the closed-door Re-Invest Summit. There’s also the notto-be-missed, traditional event on March 17, the Mipim Awards, a prestigious recognition of the best projects, both completed and to be built, excellence in today’s real estate in the world, in the opinion of a jury formed by representatives of the industry’s leading investment companies.

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

© 2017 Mikkel Frost

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BEST SHOPPING CENTRE | HONGKONG LAND’S YORKVILLE, THE RING | CHONGQING, CHINA IFDM | 233

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

MONTRÉAL | HEC MONTRÉAL | PROVENCHER_ROY

Construction is wrapping up on new downtown hub for HEC Montréal, a centre for entrepreneurship and research that will forge strong ties between the school and the Montréal business community. Located at the intersection of the Quartier des Affaires, Quartier des Spectacles, and the Quartier International, the building will be a centre of exchange that spurs innovation through collaborative programs for academics and business leaders. The facility will house spaces for professional development courses, collaborative research into emerging areas like AI, and conferences, increasing capacity for the school while supporting partnerships with leading businesses in Montréal. Conceived as a crossroads, the 24,000-square-meter facility is organized around two circulation axes that traverse the site and converge on a central skylit atrium that rises five floors. Open and accessible from all sides, the building functions more like a neighbourhood in itself than a standalone structure.

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FORTALEZA, BRAZIL DIAGONAL BY PININFARINA

Embracing the scenic waterfront and ocean landscape, the new luxury residence will feature a curved façade, reminiscent of waves crashing on the shore below. The strategic use of a living green façade –– which tapers upward from the lush base of the tower –– will offer a rainforestlike oasis at the heart of Fortaleza’s urban fabric and serve as a key driver for the city’s continued urban afforestation and regeneration efforts. Designed with the resident’s wellbeing in mind, each of the 47 apartment units will feature floor-to-ceiling windows and large terraces that allow for abundant natural light. The unobstructed views help to create the perception of continuity between the bright interior and exterior, connecting the living spaces with the surrounding nature, ocean, and sky to elevate the human experience across every residence within the building. Further enhancing the experience of the vertical community, residents-only amenity areas, complete with exciting activities and state-of-the-art facilities, encourages a crossgenerational leisure environment.

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MIAMI | CASA BELLA | RELATED GROUP (RELATED), ALTA DEVELOPERS, ARQUITECTONICA, LISSONI NEW YORK

Located at 1400 Biscayne, the 55-storey Casa Bella by B&B Italia will offer 312 homes ranging from one to four bedrooms, 24 marquee penthouses and 4 upper penthouses. In addition to soaring ceilings and panoramic water views, all residences feature an exquisite selection of European-fixtures and finishes as well as private elevator access. Two full floors of amenities feature a party room, a wine vault and tasting lounge, a private theatre, coworking spaces, Wellness Center, spa facilities. Outdoors, Enzo Enea outfits the pool deck with lush Italian-inspired gardens to create an oasis within Downtown Miami. The 78-foot lap pool is surrounded by private cabanas, shaded lounge areas, as well as an open-air lawn for yoga and meditation. A poolside bar and Mediterranean café will have light bites and refreshments on offer. On the 55th floor, residents and guests can access the tower’s rooftop pool and terrace, complete with observatory.

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NEW YORK | ONE WALL STREET MACKLOWE PROPERTIES, SLCE ARCHITECTS

A symbol of New York has been reborn in its full glory: the former site of the fifth most powerful bank in the U.S., Irving Trust Company. One Wall Street has been converted into an exclusive residential and commercial property by Harry B. Macklowe of Macklowe Properties, launching a new idea of home living in its 56 floors of sophisticated style. Designed in 1931 by Ralph Thomas Walker, dubbed the “Architect of the Century,” original elements stand out, including mother-of-pearl ceilings of the White Room — converted into an incredible penthouse — and fine mosaics that cover the Red Room decorated by Hildreth Meière, now One Wall Street’s lobby. One Wall Street goes beyond being a residential building to become an exclusive citadel with 566 private apartments, featuring sophisticated interior design — by MdeAS Architects, Deborah Berke Partners, and Ashe & Leandro — with Italian kitchens by Aran Cucine, high-end services, co-working spaces, a wellness center by Life Time, indoor swimming pool, garden terrace, an impressive spa and commercial areas including Whole Foods, New Yorkers’ food mecca.

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CAIRO | ELIE SAAB SIGNATURE VILLAS AT CAIRO GATE | EMAAR MISR

Cairo Gate is Emaar Misr’s first gateway into West Cairo on an area of 133 feddans, centrally located in Sheikh Zayed, offering a boutique lifestyle living and an exclusive community surrounded by breathtaking scenery. The developer is partnering with Elie Saab to present an exclusive collection of Signature Villas by Elie Saab, featuring a limited addition one story villa type along with other spacious types with areas ranging from 350 to 570 sqm. The Villas are surrounded by luscious green valleys and lily ponds, featuring a yoga pavilion and direct access to Rays social club.

Special attention has been given to the finishes, delivering an exceptional level of quality, aesthetic and tactical performance in pure Elie Saab style. Cairo Gate’s first phase has been awarded to 5 of the largest contracting companies that have already commenced on the construction work, with a total value of EGP 1.4 bn.

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ROME | SAVILLS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT | MAD ARCHITECTS, BUCKLEY GRAY YEOMAN, STARCHING

Renovation phase of the new building in Via Boncompagni, Rome, has now started. The complex is a brand new 30,000 sqm regeneration project incorporating premium workspace, world-class living residences and retails in a series of four design-forward buildings spreading over an entire block and integrated within the heart of the Rione Ludovisi, near the US Embassy and next to Via Veneto. The complex, set to complete in spring 2024, is the first Italian project designed by studio MAD Architects which, with the support of Starching and Buckley Gray Yeoman, proposes a holistic intervention for the area, enhancing the identities of the project’s various components and developing a forward-looking and futuristic architecture yet inspiring a sense of community and orientation towards nature.

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Overview

Hospitality awaits post-pandemic recovery

N

top hotel Marriott International HOTEL: 7,579 ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS: 3,341

ew builds of high-end hotels in the United States, the Middle East and Africa are down slightly from the end of last winter. In 2021, the pandemic’s effects were intense and did not encourage investments in hospitality, one of the industry’s most impacted by the health emergency. In the United States, new projects dropped from 1,819 to 1,698 in one year. America’s leadership position is no longer as dominant as it was only a few years ago, and can now be seen as shared with China, which is still growing with 1,658 top hotels planned or already under construction. New York is still firmly at the forefront as the U.S. city with the most new projects, moving from 72 to 77. San Francisco also grew, from 25 to 31, but new builds in Atlanta fell (from 52 to 30) as they did Denver (from 25 to 20). The Drew in Las Vegas is the most ambitious project, with 3,780 rooms, but the completion date has not yet been announced. In the Middle East, the top hotels under construction dropped from 740 to 678, 400 of which were distributed fairly evenly between the United Arab Emirates (202) and Saudi Arabia (198). Israel follows at a considerable distance, with 56 projects, a noticeable drop from last year’s 65. There were fewer construction sites in Turkey as well: from 52 to 43. Qatar is holding steady, staying the same at 54, with an eye to the World Cup at the end of the year. The largest building for hospitality will be the Abraj Kudai Towers in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, with a capacity of 9,760 rooms. It will be completed by the end of 2023. Africa still attracts the least investments in new high-end hotels, falling from 326 to 295 projects. Egypt and Morocco continue to have the greatest number of construction sites, 59 and 38, respectively. New buildings are down in Nigeria, from 29 to 23, and in South Africa, from 22 to 17. In Tanzania, 9 ongoing projects are enough to take into the top 10 African countries in the industry. The leading project is still the Marina Resort in Morocco, which is expected to open in Chbika in the spring of 2023.

ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS

PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES: USA: 1,230 - CHINA: 598 - INDIA: 127 GERMANY: 110 - MEXICO: 85

Hilton Worldwide HOTEL: 6,333 ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS: 2,398 PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES: USA: 1,082 - CHINA: 370 - UNITED KINGDOM: 110 RUSSIA: 63 - TURKEY: 47

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC HOTEL: 5,977 ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS: 1,438 PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES: USA: 376 - CHINA: 291 - GERMANY: 108 UNITED KINGDOM: 91 - AUSTRALIA: 53

AccorHotels HOTEL: 5,100 ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS: 1,492 PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES: CHINA: 256 - GERMANY: 92 - RUSSIA: 71 AUSTRALIA: 70 - SAUDI ARABIA: 67

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PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES: USA: 301 - CHINA: 221 - INDIA: 47

678

USA

AFRICA

MIDDLE EAST

IN

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IN

IN

STATUS

STATUS

STATUS

VISION 69 PRE-PLANNING 246 PLANNING 676 UNDER CONSTRUCTION 492 PRE-OPENING 125 OPENED 90

VISION 0 PRE-PLANNING 39 PLANNING 74 UNDER CONSTRUCTION 161 PRE-OPENING 13 OPENED 8

VISION 13 PRE-PLANNING 67 PLANNING 140 UNDER CONSTRUCTION 353 PRE-OPENING 75 OPENED 30

NEXT OPENING

NEXT OPENING

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BY 2022 443

BY 2022 101

BY 2022 233

PROJECTS IN TOP CITIES

PROJECTS IN TOP CITIES

PROJECTS IN TOP CITIES

NEW YORK 77 LOS ANGELES 56 MIAMI 44 NASHVILLE 33 SAN FRANCISCO 31 ATLANTA 30 AUSTIN 23 CHICAGO 22 ORLANDO 21 DENVER 20

EGYPT 59 MOROCCO 38 NIGERIA 23 ETHIOPIA 21 SOUTH AFRICA 17 KENYA 17 ALGERIA 11 CAPE VERDE 11 TANZANIA 9 GHANA 8

NITED ARAB EMIRATES 202 SAUDI ARABIA 198 ISRAEL 56 QATAR 54 TURKEY 43 GEORGIA 34 OMAN 30 BAHRAIN 18 IRAQ 14 KUWAIT 11

TOP PROJECTS USA The Drew in Las Vegas

CANADA: 29 - MEXICO: 21

source: TopHotelProjects.com

NEW

295

Hyatt Hotels Corporation HOTEL: 950 ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS: 897

NEW

1,698

Phase: Under Construction 5 star - 3,780 rooms

AFRICA Marina Resort in Tan-Tan Beach, Chbika, Morocco Phase: Planning 4 star - 2,500 rooms

MIDDLE EAST Abraj Kudai Towers in Makkah, Saudi Arabia Phase: Under Construction 5 star - 9,760 rooms

EUR 35.00 | USD 45.00 | wonder.ifdm.design

NEXT ISSUE: Fall / Winter 2022

Projects & Hospitality | Fall Winter 2022

In September, the second Spin-Off Projects & Hospitality by IFDM: two other stories on color trends 2023 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.