OBJEKT©INTERNATIONAL D11 by OBJEKT©International

INTERNATIONAL

d11 INTERIOR DESIGN ART + MORE

OBJEKT INTERNATIONAL LIVE THE DREAM Light, dimensions, color, the charm of the unexpected and the beauty of imperfection; that is what this edition and all other editions of OBJEKT INTERNATIONAL are all about: Life at the crossroad of art and design. So, the stage for the famous architect and designer Aldo Rossi. He was one of the key figures in establishing Italy as the motherland of interior design. His exhibition 'Design 1960-1997' curated by Chiara Spangaro, with the Fondazione Aldo Rossi at Milan's Museo del Novecento was a retrospective of over 350 items of furnishings and objects of everyday use, prototypes and models, paintings, drawings and studies, by the great creator.

OBJEKT© iNTERNATIONAL Living in Style no. D11, SUMMER 2022 Published by Hans Fonk Publications. Distripress member - issn 1574-8812 Copyright ©Hans Fonk Founder and editor-in-chief: Hans Fonk Editor-in-chief: Izabel Fonk Corporate head office: Raadhuislaan 22-B NL-2451 AV Leimuiden - Netherlands t:+31 172 509 843 info@objekt-international.com www.objekt-international.com

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Honorary editor in chief USA and Canada: Alexander Sasha Josipovicz, Studio Pyramid Inc. 1232 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON, M4V 1E4 sasha@studiopyramid.com Head Office Berlin, Germany Rneé Wilms Unique Company Group Oberwallstraße 14 D-10117 Berlin, Germany OBJEKT International ASIA/CHINA Cora Feng Xi Tang Art Center. No 2. Xi Ba He Road, Chaoyang district, 100028 Beijing, China

Job Smeets also gave its own direction to the concept of design with Studio Job. His solo exhibition 'Forever Endeavor' in the new museum in the Dutch city of Weert transcends reality. He pushed the envelope beyond any standards: a world where interior piece become objects of art.

Contributing writers: Izabel Fonk, Sasha Josipovicz, Susan Grant Lewin, Milosh Pavlovic, Ruud van der Neut, Lorenza Dalla Pozza, Robyn Prince, Raphaëlle de Stanislas, Rene Wilms, Mercedez Zampoli. Contributing photographers:Andrea Avezzù, Julia Brechler, Maxime Brouillet, Georges Chevalier, Sagar Chhabra, Alaia Fonk, Hans Fonk, Douglas Friedman, Niveditaa Gupta, Marwan Harmouche, Jin Jiaji, Evan Joseph, Willy Labre, Delfino Sisto Legnani, Auguste Léon, Junya Okada, Stéphane Passet, Ema Peter, Roberto Marossi, Ossip, Sandra Pereznieto, Aroon Permpoonsopol, Niccolò Quaresima, Carole Rabourdin, Olivier Ravoire, Adam Rouse, Tomoko Sawada,

The International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, titled The Milk of Dreams, curated by Cecilia Alemani was a shining example that creativity knows no boundaries and is therefore a source of inspiration for everyone. It was for the first time the participating female artist outnumbered their male colleagues. Yes, it was spring in Venice.

photo: Alaïa Fonk

Graphics: Hans Fonk Studio Art directors: Hans Fonk, Alaïa Fonk Video productions: Alaïa Fonk Illustrations: Eveline Lieuwma-Puijk

H A N S FON K

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INTERIOR DESIGN ARCHITECTURE ARTS, ANTIQUES GARDENS, YACHTS

Honorary ambassadors OBJEKT International OBJEKT USA-CANADA George Beylerian Eric Booth Martyn Lawrence Bullard Tony Chi Massimo Iosa Ghini Jacopo Etro Marva Griffin Wilshire Ralf Ohletz von Plettenburg Glenn Pushelberg George Yabu Rene Wilms

INTERNATIONAL DIGITAL PUBLICATION BY HANS FONK PUBLICATIONS COVER : DRAWING SEDIA VIAVIA BY ALDO ROSSI

WHAT’S UP FOREWORD

DUTCH PAVILION VENICE

FABRIQUE DES LUMIÈRES

JAPAN FINEST

SAY NO WORD MAISON&OBJET, PARIS

AVOCADO HOUSE

EARTH, WIND & GLASS

LUCA MEDA

PINAREE SANPITAK AT VENICE BIENNALE

TIGER STRIKE RED

CURAÇAO CONCRETE CAÇHAÇA

DRIFT IN VENICE

ARCHITECTURAL ORIGAMI

ROUND HOUSE

ROME WITHOUT LIMITS VANCOUVER CHIC

INSPIRED BY PALM TREES

STUDIO JOB SOLO

TOTAL TRANSPARENCY

NINE MILLBANK

PRADA ROLE PLAY

ADAGIO FOR BEIRUT

LENNY KRAVITZ MEETS ASH NYC

OBJEKT INTERNATIONAL INFO PAGES

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HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YO

"How do you feel when your body says Yes?". melanie bonajo (bottom right) used contact with mutual consent as a powerful tool against the modern loneliness epidemic at the Dutch entry at the Art Biennale Venice 2022. The new video installation by the artist, filmmaker, sexological bodyworker, somatic sex coach and pedagogue, cuddle workshop supervisor and activist reflected on the meaning of touch and intimacy. When the body says Yes followed a group of people who share intimate stories on their path to both personal and collective harmony and participate in workshops and social touch tutorials. The video was shown in a soft, sensual and colorful landscape, designed by bonajo in collaboration with scenographer Théo Demans. The installation was commissioned by the Mondriaan Fund, the public fund for visual arts and heritage. The curators were Orlando Maaike Gouwenberg, Geir Haraldseth and Soraya Pol. For the 2022 biennial, the Mondriaan Fund decided to break with tradition and presented the Dutch entry at the Chiesetta della Misericordia, a desecrated 13th-century church in the Cannaregio district. The Mondriaan Fund invited Estonia to use the Rietveld Pavilion during the 2022 biennale.

OUR BODY SAYS YES?

PHOTO: HANS FONK

UNIQUE EXPERIENCES Selected Retreats for Family & Friends

WWW.UNIQUE-EXPERIENCES.CH

Izabel Fonk on Kyrasinda D&E Everdale x Trento b - Mare, 2015

Fonk Sporthorses - Top Quality Horse Training and Breeding www.fonksporthorses.com

photos: Hans Fonk

Gustav Klimt, Gold in Motion Fabrique des Lumières, the new digital art center opened in Zuiveringshal West at the Westergas area in Amstedam, the Netherlands. The permanent art center is an initiative by Culturespaces, the French company known for founding Atelier des Lumières in Paris. Using cutting-edge technology with light projections and music, Fabrique des Lumières will feature immersive exhibitions of classical, modern, and contemporary artists. The first main exhibition in Fabrique des Lumières brought Viennese art to life in an innovative way, featuring works by Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) and his contemporaries. The show was created by Gianfranco Iannuzzi, Renato Gatto and Massimiliano Siccardi. Production was by Culturespaces Digital® and graphic & animation design by Cutback. Klimt was the most important artist of the Vienna Secession, an art movement that sought to distance itself from the traditional artistic styles at the start of the twentieth century. The use of the color gold and the decorative motifs were the symbols of this artistic revolution. Part the exhibition was 'Hundertwasser, in the wake of the Vienna Secession' about the work of Viennese artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928-2000).

japans’ finest

Each edition of the International Interior decoration Fair, Maiso&Objet in Paris, highlights a new generation of talents from a specific country. In spring 2022 the spotlight shined on Japan, a country with a rich c ulture of craftsmanship and design. A jury of experts, chaired by architect Kengo Kuma, selected six talents. Memebrs of the jury were Noriko Kawakami, Associate Director of the 21_21 Design Sight museum, Ryuko Kida, Branding Director for Elle Decor Japan, Jo Nagasaka from Schemata Architects, Kinya Tagawa, designer-engineer, Masaki Yokokawa, founder of Welcome Co. Ltd; and and Ikko Yokoyama, Lead Design & Architecture Curator at the M+Museum in Hong Kong and co-founder of the Editions in Craft platform. In a central stage, set by, Philippe Boisselier, they showed there sometimes brilliant works.

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Above: the Suki lighting collection by Baku Sakashita mixed semitranslucent paper, Tengujoshi, with stainless steel wire. It is the designer’s own take on traditional paper lanterns by creating a space between the LED light source and the wafer-thin paper through which light filters. Each light is hand-crafted using the Mizubari technique, a process used when applying paper to shoji (paper screens). All photos: Hans Fonk

Right: one of the high lights of Japanese talent show was the presentation by Yuri Himuro, She developed new ways of interacting with textiles, inviting others to create patterns by cutting into her fabrics. HerBloom project was conceived around fabric with a dual-sided weave featuring an eclectic array of patterns. The refinement of the flowers and leaves is captured through varying textures in the weave. Her recently acquired Jacquard loom for her workshop allows her to weave fabrics and non-fibrous materials. Above: Satomi Minoshima” s Skin Tote project featuring a series of bags that assert the beauty and diversity of skin color. Her Inflatable Leather project is shaped by air and employs both natural and synthetic materials.

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japans’ finest

Top-left: creations by Kodai Iwamoto. Bentstool used a low-tech manufacturing process that sees metallic tubes being flattened and bent, resulting in the deformation of their circular shape. The misshapen sections were used to assemble the stool. Iwamoto also transformed PVC pipes into vases using traditional glass-blowing techniques in his PVC Handblowing Project. Top-right: Yuma Kano’s Rust Harvest project where he destroys aircrafts, takes car engines, brings bridges down, and causes corrosion inside concrete. What Yuma Kano sees is beauty, and turns it into something special. Opposite: Haruka Misawa ‘s Doshi (paper in movement) project gives paper a mind of its own, as if it were a living being. When the metallic particles react to a magnetic force, the previously still paper slowly begins to animate.

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Paris - Maison&Objet decoration festival

SAY NO WORD

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NEW NOSTALGICA

Previous pages: shining crocodile head by Fuoriluogo, Chrome Design from Milan. These pages. Left: reflecting dinner setting by Geminiano Cozzi, Venezia, 1765. Above: miniatures by Dupont Berlin. All photos: Hans Fonk.

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L’AFRIQUE C’EST CHIC

Above: African objects from Fernando Otero from Spain. Right: ‘Original Piece for Singular Spaces as part of the Museum Tour exhibition at Maison &Objet, Paris by François Bernard.

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Opposite: ‘Taste of the Forest’ aimed to promote the design and use of domestic wood through craft design and to present Taiwan's domestic wood in a more friendly way to make works made with these materials pleasant companions in our lives. Aside from works made with domestic wood and bamboo, the project also included a ceramic work and a concept design of waste ceramics created by Taiwanese designer Chen Chiung Ju. The presentation showed Taiwan's power of craftsmanship and design to the world. Right: sculpture by Toru Kurokawa from Kyoto, Japan and winner of the Craft section at Maison&Objet, Paris. By playing with the limits of ceramics, he finds the balance between empty and full. Kurokawa: “Working with natural materials each day encourages new discoveries and sparks creativity.”

ASIAN BEAUTIES

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NOTHING WITHOUT REASON

Above: ’Non sans Raison’ by Porcelaine de Limoges, France. Right: Maison Dada, co-founded by Thomas Dariel and Delphine Moreau and launched between Shanghai and Paris in 2016. It was born out of the wild dream to inject a dose of Dadaïsm into everyday life around the World with a range of furniture, lightings, rugs and accessories with in mind the desire to create the unexpected from ‘ordinary’ objects with a French spirit.

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RANDOM REFLECTIONS

Left: shifting light by Henri Bursztyn from France. Above: presentation by LCD Textile Edition from Belgium.

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RESONATING MICROCOSMS OF LIFE

An enchanted experience, combining Art and Technology, the international art collective teamLab returned to Maison&Objet Paris with ‘Resonating Microcosms of Life - Solidified Light Color”, a 100% immersive installation where nature meets the digital world.

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- SOLIDIFIED LIGHT COLOR

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the avocado

house

Left: Francisco Pardo, a Mexican architect with a Master’s Degree in architecturefrom Columbia University in New York. He was awarded with the young creators scholarship in 2001 and is a member of the Mexican National Creators System since 2010 by the Arts and Culture Ministry. In 2016, he founded Francisco Pardo Arquitecto practice in Mexico City. His studio is considered as one of the World’s 50 hottest young architect practices

Casa Aguacates, Avocado House, is located two hours from Mexico City, in the rural lake area of Valle del Bravo. It was designed by the Mexican firm Francisco Pardo Arquitecto for a young couple and their child as a weekend retreat. Offering pleasant weather all year round and stunning panoramic views, the luxuriant three-hectare site, nestled in a valley between the mountains, is covered by an avocado field that slopes down into a dense forest and glen. “The main goal was to guarantee a privileged view of the forest and to leave the avocado field intact, which inspired us to literally bury the house,” according to Francisco Pardo.

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The whole concept of Casa Aguacates revolved around the intention to preserve the natural elements and generate minimum impact on the surroundings. As a result, avocado trees still sprout above the concealed and unassuming structure, which overlooks the treetops of the forest. As keen hang gliders, the couple had a special interest in what they deemed the fifth façade: the view from the sky, which was designed as meticulously as its counterparts, to let the house naturally blend into the context. The structural concept provided optimal internal thermal conditions, in an area affected by considerable temperature variation between night and day, thanks to the earth above the roof. This keeps the house at a constantly mild temperature.

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Inside, the sunken volume unfolds as a large exposed concrete container with a simple open layout. The partition walls are low and isolated from the roof in order to create a continuous concrete ceiling running through the whole plan. A big open space gives direct access to a terrace with a hot tub facing the forest, and features a kitchen, dining room, and living room, with few custom designed elements such as the kitchen island and the black metal fireplace. The house consists of the master bedroom, the kid’s bedroom, two additional guest rooms and a studio. The back area was pierced to become an interior patio, providing a second source of sunlight and ventilation, as well as a juxtaposition of natural elements. On one side, the house enjoys a view of untamed greenery; on the opposite, a refined landscape. Thus, the project represents a subtle expression of architecture’s ability to control and coexist in creative tension with its natural surroundings. A simple tone and texture palette creates an overall natural feel, while the material selection contributed to the minimal aesthetic and ensures very low maintenance considering the property’s function as a weekend home. The bare concrete structure combined with walls coated in Chukum, a natural stucco from the Yucatan region, and partitions made of pine wood recycled from the construction process.

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Architect: Francisco Pardo Arquitecto Design Team: Francisco Pardo, Wilfrido Estrada, Karen Burkart, Rosa Medrano, Catalina Lombardo, Joanne Elliott, Nayeli Mendez, Ivan Saucedo, Julián Román Ramirez, Renato Torres. Structural engineering: Luis David Moctezuma. Electric installation: Alejandro Moctezuma, Banah de México. Photos: Sandra Pereznieto.

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Earth Wind and glass Located in suburban New Delhi, the Earth and Glass House is designed as a weekend retreat for a family looking to host friends and relatives to escape the chaos of big city living. It was designed by Studio Lotus, an Aga Khan Award-nominated Architecture practice based in New Delhi, India.

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The design and materiality of the house provided a canvas representing the client's eclectic aesthetic sensibilities. This was achieved through the use of locally sourced materials, hand-crafted décor elements, and bespoke detailing. It strived to elevate the living experience in a manner that was context appropriate and suited to individual tastes. Situated on a two-acre rectangular plot with one half reserved for hosting events, the house is surrounded by farmlands on three sides and a dense urban settlement on its eastern edge. The clients had a fifteen-meter-high compound wall constructed along this fringe to ensure privacy and security. Creating a landscaped zone along this wall as a buffer to the development became a starting point for initiating the design scheme. The house brings together three construction systems: load-bearing walls made of rammed earth, a mild steel framework, and exposed RCC slabs. A key design challenge was to develop the requisite joinery and junction details to cohesively unite these three distinct structural systems. Manually operable cedar louvres wrapped around the exterior of the cantilevered block, granting residents the desired degree of shade, ventilation and privacy.

Previous pages: The living of the Earth and Glass house, uitside of New Delhi, India. It was designed by the team of Studio Lotus consisting of Sidhartha Talwar, Ansel Colaco, Anusha Pulapaka, Sachin Dabas, Satish Kumar, Mohit Goel. In the living and dining area, the overarching narrative of metal, stone, and timber is reinforced through the decor and pockets of furniture. These pages: Left: The material combination of metal, timber, and stone resonates across the private spaces and find expression in the arte facts, the bedrooms, the baths, and the vanities Right: the bathroom is fitted with skylights for daylight and revealing views of the nearby foliage. Each bedroom is fitted with bespoke furniture. photos: Niveditaa Gupta, Sagar Chhabra OBJEKT 41

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These pages: a place in the Earth and Glass House where simplicity of form and elements come to their full blossom. The pure esthetics of basis elements and materials gives the space a Zen like atmosphere.

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The timber panels rendered the facade with a touch of warmth and distinctiveness. Covered walkways made of a grid of light metalwork, interspersed with silver oak trees retained along the site periphery are designed to further add a layer of landscape and privacy. The site zoning is derived from the principles of Vastu. To let in the south sun and bring the outdoors in, the design team scooped out a winter court, opening the living area to the landscape, facilitating a seamless line of sight, from the winter court to the lawns on the north. The private spaces flank the living room, and are connected by a terrace garden and a shaded bridge on the upper level. The entryway featured a double-height court within which sits a winding staircase that established a visual and spatial connection between the shared and the private spaces. Its brass railing emulated twigs and branches of the nearby trees as a nod to nature, injecting the area with a sculptural presence. The overall spatial experience now invites guests to observe objects, arte-facts, murals, and art pieces and explore the tactility of the surfaces that populate the space. Blurring the boundaries between the inside and the outside, the Earth and Glass House promotes living in harmony with nature. It facilitates fluid transitions and provides its residents with a sanctuary to pause and unwind within.

The Earth and Glass House providing a framework for multiple recreational functions and landscaped zone serving as an extension to the living area Right: The entryway is with a double-height, sky-lit court and a staircase that establishes a spatial connection between the shared and the private spaces.

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ALDO ROSSI grandmaster of design

‘Aldo Rossi. Design 1960-1997’ curated by Chiara Spangaro, in cooperation with the Fondazione Aldo Rossi at Milan’s Museo del Novecento is a retrospective of over 350 items of furnishings and objects of everyday use, prototypes and models, paintings, drawings and studies, by the great creator. He was one of the key figures in establishing Italy as the motherland of interior design. The Milanese architect-designer won the Pritzker Prize in 1990. “Aldo Rossi. Design 1960-1997” leads the spectator into an unexpected, imaginific and

spectacular story that moves between form and use, classicism, irony and metaphysics, in which the Piroscafo bookcase looks like a steamship (with Luca Meda for Molteni&C., 1991), La Conica or La Cupola are coffee machines one minute (Alessi,1984 and 1988) and stage props for the Teatro Domestico (XVII Triennale di Milano,1986) the next minute, the Faro lighthouse, already a theatre in Toronto and a museum in Vassivière, is a glass and ceramic teapot for Rosenthal (1994) or the Segrate Monumento is reproduced in wooden marquetry for Bruno Longoni or in a rug woven in Sardinia, in cooperation with ARP Studio.

The show enlightened Rossi’s achievements in the design world and linking them to his prowess as a theoretical architect. Throughout his production, and starting from the very first items of furniture designed in 1960 with the architect Leonardo Ferrari, Aldo Rossi reflected on the relationship between architectural and urban scale and monumental and object scale From 1979, he approached the world of industrial production and quality handicrafts, making furniture/furnishings and objects of everyday use first with Alessi, and then with

Previous pages: Aldo Rossi These pages: Left: Piroscafo bookcase by Aldo Rossi with Luca Meda for Molteni&C. Above: sketch for the Poltrona Vivette and the real product.

Top left: Sedia ViaVai and below that Capotavola (Molteni). Right-hand page: drawing for Sedia ViaVai by Aldo Rossi.

Artemide, DesignTex, Bruno Longoni Atelier d’Arredamento, Molteni&C, Richard-Ginori, UniFor, Rosenthal and Up&Up. In almost twenty years he designed more than 70 items, many of which are still in production today, experimenting with shapes and shades of color in the field of metals and wood, marble and stone,ceramics and porcelain, hand-woven and i ndustrial fabrics and plastic materials. The exhibition, staged by Morris Adjmi, MA Architects, Rossi’s collaborator and later business partner in New York,

illustrates Rossi’s design universe in nine rooms, each room a world in which the relationship between graphic designs and handcrafted and industrial products emerges, with references to Aldo Rossi’s architectural structures and his private space. By virtue of the long-standing friendship and partnership with Aldo Rossi, who also stimulated the development of numerous business activities, the Molteni Group signed up as partner in the first exhibition focusing on furnishings and objects designed and produced between 1960 and 1997.

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Design for Capotavola for Molteni by Aldo Rossi. The architect is also known for his work as a designer and artist, from the Teatro del Mondo presented at the 1979 Venice Biennale, to the Monument to Sandro Pertini (Milan,1990), as well as for his painting and graphics, always linked to his design work.

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Pinaree Sanpitak

"I was very honored and pleased that Cecilia Alemani has chosen my paintings for Venice. When I heard about the three themes of her curatorial intent: the representation of the bodies and their metamorphoses, the relationship between individuals and technologies, the connection between bodies and the Earth. I thought which works? Because any of my works would have fit the criteria. We decided on a salon style hang on a 6 x 7 meter wall. It’s very different when you hang paintings in a linear position. I had a certain time limit to work so had to plan well. It was challenging. The whole wall creates a fluid story based on the vessel and the body." Pinaree Sanpitak

Above:Thai artist Pinaree Sanpitak who was invited by curator Cecilia Alemani to take part the the Venice Art Biennale 2022. photo: Tanapol Kaewpring. Right: detail of ‘Breast Vessel in the Reds,’ 2021. Acrylic, pencil, feathers on canvas, 250 x 250 cm. Photo: Aroon Permpoonsopol. Courtesy of the Artist.

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Exhibition by Pinaree Sampitak at Venice Art Biennale 2022.Top left: Offering Vessel II, 2021. Acrylic, pencil on canvas, 250 x 250 cm and beside that Offering Vessel 250 x 250 cm, 2021. Bottom left:The Body and The Gold Breast, 2021. Acrylic, gold leaves on canvas, 250 x 220 cm. Center: Body Lyrics III. 2020. Acrylic on canvas, 200 x 150 cm. Bottom right: Breast Vessel in the Reds, 2021. Acrylic, pencil, feathers on canvas, 250 x 250 cm. Photo: Roberto Marossi.

The 59th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, titled The Milk of Dreams, was curated by Cecilia Alemani and organized by La Biennale di Venezia chaired by Roberto Cicutto. For the first time the participating female artist outnumbered their male colleagues. The Milk of Dreams took its title from a book by Leonora Carrington (1917–2011) in which the Surrealist artist describes a magical world where life is constantly re-envisioned through the prism of the imagination. Cecilia Alemani invited Pinaree Sanpitak to take part at this edition of the art biennale. Pinaree (b. 1961, Thailand) is widely regarded as one of Southeast Asia’s most important contemporary artists. In the 1990s, her groundbreaking exhibition Breast Works marked the start of the artist’s reference to an emergent and defining iconography: the female breast, which Sanpitak has become renowned for. The recurring breast motif is distilled into the basic form of vessel and mound, which she relates to imagery of the Buddhist stupa (shrine) and offering bowl. Sanpitak correlates it to primal and sacred forms in nature, Thai tradition and culture, and Buddhist architecture and practices. Over the years, Sanpitak has redefined notions surrounding the human body, looking at the bodily form as a vessel of experience and perception, and the sense of the body in space and the perceived iconographic and conceptual associations they may trigger. Sanpitak’s works have been shown in numerous museum and biennales. Her recent site specific installations include: The Black and The Red House, Setouchi Triennale, Japan (2019); The Roof, commissioned by Arts Brookfield, Brookfield Place Winter Garden, New York, USA (2017); and Breast Stupa Topiary, Jim Thompson Farm, Thailand (2018). An overview of her work from 1995-2013 was showcased in a solo exhibition, Collection +: Pinaree Sanpitak, Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation, Sydney, Australia (2014). The artist presented Hanging by a Thread at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (2013), a solo exhibition featuring her large-scale installation of the same title. Another large-scale installation, Temporary Insanity, was exhibited at the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, Virginia, USA (2012) and subsequently at The Contemporary Austin in Austin, Texas, USA (2013). At the 18th Biennale of Sydney (2012) she showcased a large-scale installation, Anything Can Break, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. She has exhibited her works at ‘Museum voor Moderne Kunst‘, Arnhem (The Netherlands), National Gallery Singapore, Singapore Art Museum, ILHAM Gallery (Malaysia), Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (Australia), Museum of Modern Art Tokyo (Japan), MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum (Thailand) amongst many others. In 2007, she received the Silpathorn Award from the Thai Ministry of Culture, one of the top honors for artists in the country.

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Tiger Strike Red by Qatari-American artist, writer, and filmmaker Sophia Al-Maria, was the new single-channel video created for the Applied Arts Pavilion in the Sale d’Armi, Venice Arsenale in response to the theme of La Biennale di Venezia 2022, The Milk of Dreams. This marked the sixth collaboration between La Biennale di Venezia and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The artist was selected by the curator of the Biennale, Cecilia Alemani. Sophia Al-Maria explores the echoes of colonialism and racism as they have bled into the contemporary relationship between humans via the inherent biases of our algorithms and machines. Al-Maria’s work raises questions around the alienation and dysfunction arising from a culture of “alternative facts” and whitewashed history, identifying remnants of colonialism in the fields of quantum computing, virtual space, and artificial intelligence. Tiger Strike Red was the third in an ongoing series of Al-Maria’s video works that include Beast Type Song (2019) and Tender Point Ruin (2021). Taking inspiration from the collection of automata at the V&A, Al-Maria was drawn to the peculiar eroticism of the automaton known as “Tippoo’s Tiger.” Made for Tipu Sultan, an 18th century ruler of Mysore in South India, the mechanical sculpture depicts a tiger mauling a British soldier. It both demonstrates a yearning for revenge on the colonial oppressor and, in the suggestive entwinement of man and beast, the subconscious fantasy of sexual coupling.

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Tiger Strike Red by Sophia Al-Maria photo: Andrea Avezzù. 60 OBJEKT

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The house at the Spanish Waters on the Caribbean Island of Curaçao built from concrete and steel according to the wishes of the owner. She asked architect Henk Bolivar to draw the plans based on her ideas for the design of the house and the interiors. All photos: Hans Fonk

C U R AÇAO C ONCR ETE CAÇHAÇA

Below: the kitchen between the entrance and living area. Bottom: the master bedroom with surrounding terraces. Right-hand page: the dining room next to the kitchen decorated with drift wood elements. Next pages: the well ventilated living room with the concrete sofas and tiled tables. in the background the opening to the dining area.

In 1987 she took her first steps on the Caribbean island of Curaçao. The light, the colors and the warmth touched her and she felt an immediate connection with the place. After running her own publishing company for 18 years, she emigrated to the island at the end of 2002 to create her own place. That became quite an undertaking. Without building experience it was a leap of faith. But she had the absolute will to build her own house, with as much privacy as possible. And so it happened. She said about her choice for Curaçao: “It is impossible to explain why you fall in love with the island: you don't like it or it grabs you and doesn't let go. What I still remember is my Curaçao girlfriend, who came to pick me up from the airport. On her Dushi Korsou I saw her for the first time in a floral dress, with red shoes, bright red lips and nails: beautiful. And that's how I experienced Curaçao: warm and colorful. From that moment on I went back to Curaçao every year and so it became my second home.” She continued: “I came in contact with Henk Bolivar, an architect on Curaçao. I told him what my dream house looked like. The piece of land on which I was going to build is located on the Spanish Waters and sloped towards the sea. I wanted to keep that slope and to use the trade winds to keep the house cool. I also wanted to be able to sit outside without being hindered by the sometimes strong winds.” Additional requirements: there had to be an open connection to the air and a fountain somewhere in the house. From the road, the whole had to make a closed impression. Taking her wishes into account, Henk Bolivar started drawing and he succeeded in giving shape to her wishes.

Center top: the dining area of the guest apartment. Below that: the zen garden in the main garden, de outdoor dining area next to the kitchen and the front entrance. Below: the panoramic view over the Spanish Waters, a protected lagoon with an exit to the Caribbean Sea. It is located on the southeast coast of Curacao, east of the capital Willemstad. Right-hand page: the play of light and shadow at the outdoor dining space.

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With the sea orientation as the basics, she created various living spaces. A number of those spaces should have the possibility to be closed off, so an apartment could be created. The furnishing of the house and garden gradually came about. She preferred a Mexican style with concrete furniture. Other materials used are steel and stones. Doors and window frames are made of teak. The steel doors and the cedar beds and wardrobes are locally made.

Stones from the grounds have been used to give the walls around the fountain a natural appearance. Ceramic lamps from Ellen Spijkstra were introduced and lamps made from Fiber were made for the kitchen and garden. Most outdoor lamps are ceramic lamps because of the salt water. Places have been created in the garden to experience the environment in different ways. The salt water pool is equipped with seating and loungers. The Spanish Waters thus acts as an extension of the garden and provides a direct connection with nature.

Left: concrete and rusted steel as a contrast with the lush vegetation. Above: piece de resistance is the salt water swimming pool with concrete benches and color full walls. It was the idea of the owner to have this little oasis built this way.

SOCIAL SACRIFICE DRIFT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, staged their first-ever indoor aerial drone performance ‘Social Sacrifice’ in Venice during 2022 Venice Art Biennale. Exploring the swarming dynamics exhibited by a school of fish encountering a predator, the work highlighted the tensions that emerge between collective action and individual freedom, as well as how these change in the presence of external threats. The flying A.I. fish swam through the Church of San Lorenzo, Venice. Flying overhead above the audience, the drones dance and battle one another, their movements accentuated through light and color. Each drone has its own light source, with the ‘predator drones’ represented in red and the school of fish represented in white, and the intensity of these lights are influenced by the density of the group: brighter and stronger when closer together, fainter and weaker when more diffuse. DRIFT is represented by: Pace Gallery. Photo: Ossip. 72 OBJEKT

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From fluid promenade to pragmatic functionality, the space called MB is a rehabilitation of a Montreal cottage orchestrating sculptural experience and architectural dimension. It was created by the architect Jean Verville who transformed it in a both simple and complex system of multiplies geometric interweavings and visuals.

Photos: Maxime Brouillet

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Focusing as much on compactness as on organizational interrelationships, the development of the architectural system required its users to scrutinize their habits, and questioned the needs related to their daily life. In this process of collaborative creation, owners Benjamin Boller and Mathieu Denécheau adopted the playful approach of Studio Jean Verville architects with enthusiasm, humor, and sensitivity.

Playing with positive and negative spaces, the proposal articulated a crystallization fragmenting the volumetric entity by a physical and visual permeability, altering the perceptions of dimensioning. Opting for the subtraction of floor areas in favor of spatial qualities, volumes and interstices composed a domestic ecosystem of rows and vis-à-vis. Livened up by the constant variability of color shades, enlivened by the seasons and the natural light coming from the garden adjoining the living space, the MB project manifested the expression of these external parameters on its unifying monomateriality.

Beyond the amalgamation of domestic functions, MB proposed an intervention multiplying interrelationships to enhance the movement through a parcours revealing its spatial polysemy. From archetype to abstraction, the project had undergone a spacial transformation.

Team studio Jean Verville architectes Jean Verville, architect(lead architect), Tania Paula Garza Rico, architect (studio director), France Goneau (artistic advisor), François Bodlet, architect, Rémi St-Pierre, architect, Samuel Landry, MA architecture, Camille Asselin, MA architecture Jacob Éthier, MA architecture candidate, Bahia Burias, MA architecture candidate,Alexandre Meloche, MA architecture. Contractor: Le Pierre Rénovation. Cabinet maker CST inc. Steeve Tousignan. Digital Collages: Studio Jean Verville architectes

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round and round she goes

Tucked away in Los altos hills, California, the round house is a geometrically unique structure. It is one of a few similarly shaped circular homes in the area that were built in the 1960s. The clients fell in love with the quirky house and initially planned a modest remodel. But soon after moving in, the pair recognized serious inadequacies as the low window eaves which curiously obstructed the otherwise spectacular views. With views as the driving force, the owners took the opportunity to modernize the entire house and open it up for a more contemporary feel. They asked Feldman architecture to realize their ideas.

Perched atop a precipitous site, the 5,103-squarefoot structure has 180-degree views with a deck that runs around its perimeter. The original central courtyard, once open-to-sky, has been transformed into the kitchen, an appropriate gesture for an aspiring baker and a family of food enthusiasts where cooking and gathering take center stage. Previous pages: the Round House in California after. On the right: the original house. These pages: view from the kitchen on to the circular deck and the view of South Bay and on the right the large, circular skylight streaming daylight into the kitchen. Photos: Adam Rouse. Architecture and Interior design: Feldman Architecture General Contractor: Baywest Builders Civil Engineer: Lea + Braze Engineering Inc Landscape Design: Variegated Green Structural Engineer: BKG Structural Engineers Geotechnical Consultant: Romig Engineers Inc Arborist: Urban Tree Management Lighting Designer: Tucci Lighting.

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a large, circular skylight now streams daylight into the kitchen, creating a makeshift sundial that illuminates different sections of custom curved casework throughout the day. From the main entrance, visitors can effortlessly move through the open plan living room, kitchen, and spacious deck before circumnavigating the house via a wrap-around walkway. a concentric hallway traces the kitchen, leading to discrete pie-shaped rooms carefully arranged to demarcate private spaces from common areas. an outdoor deck is strategically carved out at the intersection of the living room and kitchen,

framing sprawling views of south Bay. Tall, curved pocket doors vanish into the walls, asserting a seamless indoor-outdoor connection. The modest perimeter deck allows outdoor access from all the bedrooms, while curved landscape walls radiate outward and into thoughtful softscape. shou sugi Ban (charred wood) siding, seamless concrete ﬂoors, crisp curved white walls, and minimalist interior furnishings let the colorful and dramatic views take ﬁrst position. due to the challenges of its circular form, the project team had to look for creative solutions in each aspect of the venture. Most conventional solutions favor straight geometry, which made for a refreshing intervention that is an honest response to the constraints of this unique project. respectful of the home’s original form, the updated residence now fully embraces its location through a site-sensitive response to the challenging plot. OBJEKT 83

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Spanning two adjacent 19th-century buildings on Via Liguria, Rome, Italy, this recent completed W Rome is an unexpected interpretation of Roman design: intriguing, glamorous, and uniquely. Grand architecture with interiors by Meyer Davis, founded by Will Meyer and Gray Davis, reflects the colorful history and vibrant culture of Italy's capital. In a city marked by heritage, the project features traditional architecture blending into color blocking and graphic patterns in hues of orange, red & green, layering Italian palettes & patterns that blur distinct eras of design. One of the high lights is an intriguing, hand-painted mural that wraps around walls that look onto chic reflective stainless steel welcome desk pods. The mural, painted by Italian artist Costanza Alvarez de Castro, is inspired by Roman gardens, and invites discovery by telling the story of the destination’s stunning geography.

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ROME WITHOUT LIMITS

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VANCOUVER CHIC Modern transitional with classic overtones that is how designer Mitchell Freedland characterizes the interior of the house in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. “Inspiration came from the clients’ previous more traditional home. We took the principals from the former residence and translated them into a more contemporary design vocabulary. We reduced detail on molding and casing, simplified panel and stone details, and specified more contemporary lighting and fittings to achieve a lighter more modern home.”

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Mitchell Freedland about the design process: “It took a year of detailed planning. The complex nature of resolving every aspect of every room down to the most-minute detail was the greatest challenge. Having been involved with the architect and the builder from the beginning was a great comfort in allowing our voice to integrate so well into the program.” ‘ The color palette of the interior took its clues from the exterior architectural elements as well as some of the clients existing art and furnishings. There is a timeless and classic appeal to most of the residence, with the lower entertaining level being the darker more dramatic departure.” Exterior material selection of limestone and bronze elements were carried into the interiors of the residence to give a seamless unified appeal. Oak, marble, limestone, lacquered wood with touches of silver leaf and metal accents dominate the interior spaces. Changes in color enhance the desired dramatic effect. The project consists of three levels connected by a pair of classically proportioned staircases. The floor plan is formal and symmetrical, with the kitchen family wing being more open and casual. The lower level contains is for entertainment with a custom wine room, billiards/TV lounge, gym, spa and indoor pool. The upper level has a children’s playroom/library and four bedrooms including the principal suite, which comprises of the bedroom, dressing room/ closet, bathroom and office for the lady of the house. “The success of the design is in the consistency of detail that flows and unites the experience throughout the home. This is an elegantly tailored and timeless residence that is truly approachable for young family life,” according to the interior designer. Furniture and lighting are by Lasvit, Flexform, Thomas Pheasant for Baker Furniture, Swarovski, Phillip Jefferies wallcovering, Stark Carpets rug, and Lucien Rollin (French Modern mouvement from the 20th century). Several pieces were custom made by Mitchell Freedland Design.

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The house was designed for a young family with three children who wanted spaces dedicated to wellness. This is now concentrated on the lower level with a custom wine room, billiards /TV lounge, gym, spa and indoor pool. Photos: Ema Peter.

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These pages;:The floor plan of the Vancouver House is formal and symmetrical, with the kitchen family wing being more open and casual. It was designed by Mitchell Freedland Design in a modern transitional style with classic overtones.

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INSPIRED BY PALM TREES The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman da their interiors recently completely revamped by interior design studio Champalimaud Design, New York. They wanted to create a strong sense of place and to reflect the natural beauty of the island. Careful consideration was given to the lobby and reception area to ensure this was achieved as soon as guests entered the resort. Natural materials and colors are used throughout, from lush greens, beach inspired whites and beiges to deep blues evocative of Cayman’s night sky and the turquoise of the Caribbean Sea. The silver thatch palm, which is the national tree and endemic to the Cayman Islands, has been interwoven throughout the resort. This symbol influenced the choice of the pendant lights in the lobby lounge and the biophilic carpets in the lobby, corridors and stairwells. “The corridors are whimsical, with layers of local flora travelling through the halls, leading visitors through the public spaces and beyond.” Courtney Brannan, Principal at Champalimaud Design. The palm also inspired the rich green colour palette used in the Silver Palm Bar, a cigar and cocktail bar that celebrates Caribbean elegance, which features soaring arched windows that provide unbeatable views of waterways and fairways with lush tropical blooms. 94 OBJEKT

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STUDIO JOB SOLO

FOREVER ENDEAVOUR

Left: Robber Baron Safe by Job Smeets, Studio Job, 2006-2007. Right: Job Smeet in the Carnival Room of his solo exhibition at the Museum W in the Dutch city of Weert. photos: Hans Fonk

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A loud visual bang announced the opening of new Museum W

in city of Weert, the Netherlands, May 2022. After over

twenty years of international success, Job Smeets, Studio

Job, returned to his hometown to exhibit.

The solo exhibition ‘Forever Endeavour’ marked his first show

in the Netherlands in over ten years and was conceived as a

series of living space with each its own dedicated music.

Invited to be the launch exhibitor of the newly renovated

museum, designed by Maurice Mentjens, Job Smeets created

a personal journey through the rooms of the museums’

ground floor, creating a fully submersive installation of his work, both past and present.

Contemporary creations at the interface of art and design:

exciting and narrative, humorous with a dark side, robust

and multi-faceted. The show was curated by Paricia Van Der

Lugt, curator MuseumW.

Studio Job is a pioneering art and design studio and an internationally recognized pioneer of contemporary conceptual and sculptural design. The studio was founded in 1998 by Job Smeets (1969) and is located in the Netherlands and Milan. Between 2000 and 2016, he worked closely with designer Nynke Tynagel (1977).

Operating in the Renaissance spirit, the studio combines traditional and modern techniques to create unique, once-in-a-lifetime objects. Studio Job is active in various fields including art, design, fashion, architecture and interior design. Works have been produced for Gufram, Barneys and Land Rover, set designed for Viktor & Rolf and Mika, as well as product collections for brands as Swatch, Nodus, Alessi, Venini, Moooi, Pepsi and Seletti’s Blow. Designs range from unique bronze artworks in New York's Metropolitan Museum to a national postage stamp depicting King Willem-Alexander from unique life-size outdoor bronze statues in Miami Beach to the unique Wunderkammer cabinet made for Swarovski, Innsbruck, Austria.

‘Forever Endeavour’ was a reflection on Job’s creative journey. Rather than a classic installation showed the idiosyncratic and imaginative world of Job Smeets. He grew up in the city of Weert in the south of the Netherlands and these early influences can be seen much of his sculptural and design work; the traditional carnivals, folklore, the gloom of the local church and the local artisans.

“Through the process of working on this exhibition I discovered a context and a starting point for some of the themes in my work, from the Farm objects (Farm, 2008), through to the carnival-like elements in my work (i.e. B*llsh*t Circus, 2019; Always Close, 2018). Since I left Weert at 18, I have had this very international career, so like the classical story of a wanderer retuning from his travels, I now have the opportunity to show respect to the town that I grew up in. In this same year we have an important show in New York (R&Company) it means a lot to me personally, to do a show as a thank you to where it all began,” explained Smeets.

Above: a pile of thousands of Jobs’ actual hand drawings can be seen on Job’s desk in the ‘Drawing Room. “Work that could keep my studio going for 100 years after I die,” accroding to the artist. On the right: DrCrutzenIlluminator 2011-12 and on the left XO Barneys LoveBoat drawing 2, 2016

Previous pages: one of the rooms created by Job Smeets, Studio Job for his solo exhibition at Museum W. In the center the Robber Baron Safe, a black doll for Viktor & Rolf and his Weeping Lantern. On the left a drawing for Shark and the bronze Howling Wolf. On he right the Car Crash Diana drawing.

In a completely unique style, Job has created a show that has an overwhelming effect on the sense. Works and influential pieces of his personal collection were packed into a coordinated ’home’ setting, each room with a different theme, with sound tracked to music selected by Smeets and the initial sketches as wallpaper.

The result was a very personal ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’ with Job’s creations, mixed with art objects and works by Donald Judd, Nacho Carbonell, Seungjin Yang, Bart van der Leck, Anton Pieck, Constant Permeke, Willy van der Steen, Tom Wesselman, Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Maurizio Cattelan, and Piet Hein Eek, Koos Flinterman, Ward Wijnant, Viktor & Rolf and Erik van Lieshout.

Museum W was established in Weert in 1982, in what once was the city hall.The oldest sections of the heritage building date back to the 16th century. It owes its current appearance primarily to a large-scale Renaissance Revival-style restoration carried out in 1911.The museum underwent yet another renovation in 2019- 2021, during which it was provided with a new extension to the rear, fitted with a Tecu®Gold façade.The design of the new museum including renovation and restoration is by Maurice Mentjens (photo above by Arjen Schmitz) for the Municipality Weert. Artist and photographer Emily Bates (born in 1970) created the first video project conceived especially for the two large screens in the new exterior façade: Lost Spring. Lost Year.

The exhibition rooms reflected the mix of influences that Job Smeets has encountered, some from his hometown of Weert and then from living in Paris, Antwerp, New York and Milan. Rooms such as the ‘Bedroom’ where a single bed from his own home is headed with Studio Job bronze pillow, with behind it two paintings, one by Karel Appel, portrait of a well-known local art collector. Music selected by Smeets played in the exhibition spaces (t És de rog van oeës Wieërt, Leike de Borgie, VV De Rogstaekers; Unter fremden Sternen, Freddy Quinn; Warszawa, David Bowie; La quête, Jacques Brel).

It is a mixture of Dutch carnival songs and also his favorite artists, all memories from his youth in the town giving an insight into his memories of that time.

Right-hand page: the Carnival Room, the carnival themed space with a sculpture of Chairman Mao and the precious Piece for Peace in association with the famous Belgian crystal producer Val Saint Lambert for the Cabinet of Van Rompuy, former President of the European Council in Brussels. Below that: the Bedroom with a single bed from his own home with Studio Job bronze pillow, with behind it two paintings, one by Karel Appel, portrait of a well-known local art collector. Next page: the Bedroom from a different angle, with the iconic chess set, a unique piece created for the four children of a private client with four complete chess set art pieces, in casted bronze, gilding and hand-painted. “The whole concept of the show is to challenge the idea of always showing the same gallery aesthetic and styling, but to show the real thing,” Job Smeets. 102 OBJEKT

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TOTAL TRANSPARENCY

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Kua Bay Residence, Kona, Hawaii, embraces the spirit of Mauka-Makai, the symbolic flow of lava from mountain to sea, through its direct connections to the volcanic landscape and dramatic vistas of the Pacific Ocean. The site captures the stark contrasts between land and sea in the Hawaiian topography. On the mountainside of the property, dark lava formations create a dramatic backdrop. On the ocean side, the immediate adjacency to the turquoise oceanfront makes you feel as if you are standing on the edge of the earth. The challenge for Walker Warner Architects was to manipulate the site so that the buildings would blend with the landscape while providing a graceful and multi-layered experience from mountain to sea. The interior was designed by NicoleHollis and the landscaping was done by Lutsko Associates.

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The private driveway on the mountain-side of the property cuts into existing 15-foot-high lava rock formations, shielding the property from surrounding neighbors and reducing its visual impact from the roadway. Descending into the auto-court, the garage and guest hale structures are embedded into the natural lava topography. The living roof with lava rock and native grasses further emphasizes the buildings direct relationship with the site. Decorative corten steel panels screen the auto-court from the rest of the property and direct guests toward the courtyard and ocean views beyond. Blending the line between inside and outside, the courtyard is framed by a raised tree bosquet and lava outcrops mirrored by a series of

These pages: the villa on Hawaiï designed by Walker Warner Architects with interiors by NicoleHolles and landscaping by Lutsko Associates. It was built by Ledson Construction with GFDS Engineers. photos: Douglas Friedman.

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reflecting ponds. The courtyard serves as a private gathering space shielded from trade winds where guests can take in and appreciate the views of the mountains and the sea. The main hale seamlessly frames the ocean views with expansive floor-to-ceiling pocketing glass doors. A separate system of pocketing wood screens is designed to soften the sunlight without compromising the views. Materials, including basalt, Alaska Yellow Cedar and steel, are simple, tailored and unadorned, and used for both interior and exterior surfaces. Furnishings are casual, favoring lightly-colored sofas and chairs that act as a counterpoint to the dark lava and basalt.

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An ocean facing lanai descends to an infinity- edge pool with intimate outdoor gathering spaces. The guest hale on the mountainside of the property places an emphasis on the natural beauty of the layered lava formations. To create a sense of seclusion and privacy, decorative corten pickets enclose a furnished entry courtyard, while the living roof helps the building discreetly blend into the rugged landscape. As you enter the guest bedroom suites, the focal point of the experience becomes a striking outdoor lava grotto space, deliberately pulled away from the building to create a sophisticated and moody private outdoor terrace where guests can admire the beauty of the natural lava and bathe in privacy.

These pages: nature is blending in in the master bedroom and en-suite bathroom. Designed by NicoleHollis

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NINE

MILLBANK LONDEN ENGLAND

The building is a beacon in the city of London, England: 9 Millbank. Located in Westminster, the city’s most historic borough, famous for its soaring neo-Gothic architecture and spacious green parks the area is home to the seat of political power since the Middle Ages. Built in 1927, the interiors of 9 Millbank were recently revamped by interior design studio Goddard Littlefair including the duplex apartment, ‘The Conrad’, part of the Heritage Collection.

These pages: the interior design of the kitchen and the formal dining room at 9 Millbank with details of the iconic architectural English heritage create an ‘instant history’. Design studio Goddard Littlefair had to respect the heritage architectural features, yet soften them to provide a residential aesthetic. Architecturally, the listed timber panels in the main living areas have been stripped back and restored to their former glory for their new residential setting. Glass chandeliers from Northern Lights reflect the grandeur of the building and location.

The building 9 Millbank has an impressive history. Designed by Sir Frank Baines, chief architect at the British Office of Works and constructed between 1927 and 1929, it was then known as the Imperial Chemical House. It was built for Imperial Chemical Industries, which for long time was the largest manufacturer in Britain.

It was once home to some of great innovators in chemistry including Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Peace Price, Joseph Priestly, the man who discovered oxygen and Alfred Mond, founder of ICI. The project at that time did cost nearly 1,8 million pound sterling (120 million in today’s value) and had numerous innovations: it was lit by ‘artificial daylight’ and employees would breath air freshened by an ozone plant.

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The name of the building refers to the 14th Century Mill that served Westminster Abbey and the banks of earth that held back the Thames water. The location was at the important trade route to the Continent.

The entrance of the building is flanked by two 20ft doors designed in 1927 by William Bateman Fagan (reminiscent of the bronze gates made by Lorenzo Ghiberti for the Baptistery in Florence.

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English heritage at 9 Millbank, London, England, is evoked and revered through an opulent color palette of greens and blues and the chosen materials of plush velvets. Traditional parquet flooring, along with tones of black and white, conjure the classical English style, offset by rich leathers, beautiful silks, and aged oaks that provide a more contemporary finish. 116 OBJEKT

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The designers had to respect the heritage architectural features, yet soften them to provide a residential aesthetic. Architecturally, the listed timber panels in the main living areas have been stripped back and restored to their former glory. English heritage is evoked and revered through an opulent color palette of greens and blues and the chosen materials of plush velvets. Traditional parquet flooring, along with tones of black and white, conjure the classical English heritage of Westminster, offset by rich leathers, beautiful silks, and aged Oak woods to provide a more contemporary finish. To achieve their goals, Goddard Littlefair worked with various British suppliers, including vintage and luxury specialists London Rug House and commissioned luxury bespoke lighting from Northern Lights.

The duplex consists of a vast formal living area, a second lounge with a TV/Entertainment area, a spacious kitchen, dining area, 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 powder rooms, a self-contained apartment for staff and a home office. The outdoor terrace with original heritage columns of the building offers an urban oasis.

Artwork played a key role in the storytelling of the project. Goddard Littlefair appointed art consultants Artiq and commissioned plaster art pieces to convey the narrative of the lifestyle of the discerning individual who would reside here.

Above: one of the bedrooms op the upper floor. Artworks were curated by art consultants Artiq. The bathroom has the classical English heritage touch. Right-hand page: a view from the living room with the grand piano to the formal dining room. The hand-painted floral patterned wallpapers are by D’Arts.

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ROLE PLAY REWINDED

‘Katie The Friends And Christmas’ a Role Play performance by Beatrice Marchi. Osservatorio Fondazione Prada, Milano. Photo: Niccolò Quaresima Courtesy: Fondazione Prada Right: A Clone of Your Own, 2017 and Die Now, Pay Later, 2018 by Juno Calypso (Courtesy of the artist and TJ Boulting).

Spring 2022 was the time for ‘Role Play’, an exhibition curated by Melissa Harris, at the Osservatorio in Milan for Fondazione Prada. Comprising a selection of photographic, video and performing works by 11 international image-based artists, the project explored the notions of the search, projection and invention of possible alternative identities, hovering between authentic, idealized, and universal selves. Playing with gender tropes, stereotypes, sense of place, and future perspectives, the artists at ‘Role Play’ interrogated individuality as we know it and as it might be. The project generated its own alter-ego with the support of Fondazione Prada at Prada Aoyama Tokyo, with works by Juno Calypso, Beatrice Marchi, Haruka Sakaguchi and Griselda San Martin, Tomoko Sawada, and Bogosi Sekhukhuni.

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Right: Cosplayers, 2004, by Cao Fei. (Courtesy of the artist, Vitamin Creative Space and Sprüth Magers). Below the artists from left to right: Top: Bogosi Sekhukhuni, Cao Fei (photo Jin Jiaji), Griselda San Martin, Haruka Sakaguchi, Beatrice Marchi (photo Valentina De Zanche) and curator Melissa Harris. Bottom: Tomoko Sawada, Juno Calypso, Darius Miksys, Meriem Bennani (photo Sunny Shokrae), Mary Reid and Patrick Kelley and Amalia Ulman.

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Curator Melissa Harris explained ‘Role Play’: “Since the early twentieth century, projects engaging role play have further contemplated identity, liberating artists to gender-bend and time-travel and envision their selves in myriad ways, in turn reflecting on their very is-ness, even when that is in flux. An alter ego, persona, or avatar may be aspirational; it may relate to one’s personal and cultural history and sense of otherness; it may be a form of activism, or a means of maneuvering through entrenched, even polarized positions, toward empathy: putting one self in another’s shoes. Since its invention, one of the most suitable visual languages to investigate otherness is undoubtedly photography.”

These pages: OMIAI♡, 2001 by Tomoko Sawada (Courtesy Rose Gallery).

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“Through different genres like portrait, self-portrait and reportage, and through alternative approaches, from narrative to conceptual research, photography is the ideal medium for self-reflection, given its objective nature and thus its perceived authenticity. Its evolution and transformation in filmic languages, the widespread diffusion of online social communities and virtual platforms, the future developments of the Metaverse and the subsequent emergence of digital avatars have intensified the urgency to explore self and others through roleplaying, reinforcing our obsession with alternative selves.” Role Play’ featured works by artists Meriem Bennani, Juno Calypso, Cao Fei, Mary ReidKelley and Patrick Kelley, Beatrice Marchi, Darius Mikšys, Narcissister, Haruka Sakaguchi & Griselda San Martin, Tomoko Sawada,

Below: video still of Rape of Europa, 2021 by Mary Reid Kelley and Patrick Kelley, Role Play at Osservatorio Fondazione Prada, Milano. Photo: Delfino Sisto Legnani. Courtesy: Fondazione Prada Right: Exhibition view of ‘Role play’, Osservatorio Fondazione Prada, Milano: Photo: Delfino Sisto Legnani (Courtesy: Fondazione Prada).

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Bogosi Sekhukhuni, and Amalia Ulman in a light installation project, conceived by the creative agency Random Studio for the two exhibition floors of Osservatorio.

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ADAGIO FOR BEIRUT LEBANESE ARCHITECT

KARIM NADER IS ENGAGED

IN PRESERVING THE

ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE

OF THE CITY OF BEIRUT AS WELL AS OPTIMISTICALLY COMMITTED TO ACTS OF

REPRISE IN SITES SCARRED

BY DESTRUCTION.

These pages: the Anthony project on the 20th ﬂoor of a Beirut tower designed by Karim Nader Studio. Modernity and the purity of its lines go hand in hand with clear architectural references to Gerrit Rietveld, Le Corbusier and Eileen Grey. Photos: Marwan Harmouche.

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Above: part of the living area with a coffee by Poltrona Frau, armchairs by Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina and ﬂoor lamp by Michele de Lucchi with Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide. Below: bedroom annex yoga space with table by Charlotte Perriand, Cassina, and bed/seating designed by Karim Nader Studio. Below that: master bedroom with a bed designed by Karim Nader Studio, a lamp by Jean Prouvé, Vitra and a Zigzag designed by Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina. Right-hand page: the dining area with a table designed by Karim Nader Studio, chairs designed by Eileen Grey, Knoll and a Calder like chandelier by Fabraca designed by Karim Nader. The painting is by Paul Guiragossian.

As part of his commitment to the reprise of the city of Beirut, and in addition to his projects to restore iconic buildings from the modernist era, Karim Nader has also worked on several residential projects. One of his recent works is Anthony, located at the port of Beirut The apartment is facing the port from its 20th floor of a Beirut tower. Its modernist architectural references brought to life in a play of lights and shadows, colors and muted grays. A place where the abundance of light that it demanded a darkening. Combined with a certain affinity for modernity and the purity of its lines, clear architectural references to Gerrit Rietveld, Le Corbusier and Eileen Grey found their way as the necessary accents in primary color on an otherwise neutral background. The consistent grey cement palette on floor and walls is only contradicted by the lightness of a natural wood ceiling where a Calder-like ‘mobile’ serves as a decorative light accent. Dark corridor and apartment entrance serve as ‘blind transitions’ while the multi-guest bedroom doubles as a yoga space and home office. When Beirut eventually overlays itself in this modernist Mondrian-like collage, it is once again its moving shadows that activate all perspectives of this multi-layered city: north towards the port, south and east towards the mountains and west towards the central district.

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WHEN LENNY KRAVITZ MET ASH NYC

The penthouse apartment in the Nolita neighborhood, NYC, is one of 38 curated homes in the contemporary luxury building and decorated by ASH to compliment Lenny Kravitz's vision for the building. The interior designers approached the project through the eyes of a vintage furniture collector and an avid entertainer, combining carefully selected antiques and art with custom pieces to bring the unit to life. 132 OBJEKT

Photos: Evan Joseph

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The unit boasts four bedrooms, four and a half baths, a private terrace, and panoramic views of lower Manhattan. The designers outfitted the 3,000+ square foot penthouse with a 43-foot loft-like living and dining space suitable for entertaining, a sanctuary-inspired primary suite, a home office, a cozy retreat of the den, and a guest space. It has two private outdoor spaces: a wrap-around terrace and a rooftop terrace. The entrance is decorated with a sculptural oak and marble console table that is paired with a gold-framed mirror and topped with a collection of ceramics. To the side is a whitewashed Elfenbein side chair by Max ID, NY and a contemporary mixed media piece found at a small dealer in Los Angeles. The pièce de résistance is the 43 foot loft-like living and dining space, which features a large chef’s kitchen and opens onto a wraparound terrace. A large wooden dining table seats eight, while mid-century bar stools at the adjacent island offer seating for an additional five people. The living room has a custom modular sofa by ASH NYC and two sculptural oak coffee tables and vintage side chairs by Giancarlo Piretti. The floor lamp is by Serge Mouille, while the brass table lamp is by Vico Magistretti. Opposite the primary bedroom is a home office, envisioned as a moody and thought provoking hideaway with charcoal grey walls, vintage posters, and neon sculptures inspired by Keith Haring. The vintage desk lamp is by Artemide and the vintage burnt orange and chrome side chair is a Bauhaus-style design by Anton Lorenz. The curved sofa is a custom design by ASH NYC and the brass pendant above is by Louis Weisdorf for Gubi. Located at the far end of the apartment, the primary suite is a luxurious sanctuary replete with abundant sunlight during the day. The bed is upholstered in a tweed fabric and flanked by a pair of shagreen nightstands with brass detailing. The tonal wallpaper is Philip Jeffries and the striped wool rug is by Sarah Sherman Samuel. The apartment has a hotel-style guest suite, designed with a specialty paint scheme where the top portion of the room is painted in Benjamin Moore’s Wrought Iron for added depth and intrigue. The vintage headboard is by John Stuart and the black lacquered nightstands are by Roger Rougier. The contemporary sconces are by Marset. Artwork in this space includes a series of

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contemporary paintings by a Brooklyn artist, as well as a pair of dimensional abstract pieces by Coup D’Esprit. The armchair in the corner is by Paulo Mendes da Rocha and the ceiling light fixture is by Cedar & Moss. In the den, an intimate space off of the kitchen, is a comfortable retreat for TV and movie watching created. Here, a dark grey modular sofa is paired with a monolithic blue marble side table, a gold and lucite bar cart, and a rope wrapped table lamp by Los Angeles studio Cuff Home.

ASH Project Team: Partner/Head of Staging: Andrew Bowen Director of Staging, East Coast: Dylan Stilin Senior Designer: Moxindian Wu.

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d 11 One of Hans Fonk’s main achievements is OBJEKT©International, the authoritative and bespoke title for the upscale urban modernist with a passion for interiors, art & antiques, modern design and outstanding architecture. Thanks to the general concept, unexpected topics, the selection of designers, and quality of the photos, OBJEKT©International has gained the highest authority in its field. The magazine was first published end of 1991. OBJEKT INTERNATIONAL

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