ISSUE 1 • AUGUST 2022 ISSUE 1 • AUGUST 2022 theTremend,Winner MicheliSimone Milan Design Week 2022, What a Great Revelation!
BORELLA ART DESIGN INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO BORELLA ART DESIGN 320 rue Saint-Honoré 75001 Paris - France T.borellaartdesign.com+33142604201 « INTERIOR DESIGN IS OUR A WAY OF LIFE »
Club!theJoin Connected Innovative Setting the pace Swiss Hospitality Investment Club Kaufleuten | Zürich 15. & 16. September 2022 hello@hospitalityinvestmentclub.ch www.hospitalityinvestmentclub.ch
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TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE Architecture & Design will be full of dynamism, innovation and creativity for the fraternity’s curiousminds. Have a regular look at this must-subscribe magazine to stay up to date with thetrends!latest
The online magazine – TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE Architecture & Design - will take the readers on a visual journey across the phases of various conspicuous projectsnotables.by STORIES, interviews with a unique list of people across the fraternity along with a deeper view on their ‘Biographies’ will be in the limelight of the magazine while it’ll pursue the latest trends in this proliferatinghighlyfield.
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After the ongoing success of TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE, we’re ready to fulfill the mission of guiding you on another voyage to discover the unique marvels of architecture and interior design in Albania and abroad. The architectural transformation is in the air in Albania. Albanian and international architects, interior designers, engineers and constructors are exchanging their respective quality experiences and we are proud and happy to highlight everything about it in the upcoming issues.
www.linkedin.com/in/rudina-hoxha-33580136FounderCo-Founderwww.linkedin.com/in/jose-pinto-35596548
Welcome to MAGAZINE Architecture & Design! A magazine every architect should subscribe!
98 TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE Architecture & Fall/2022DesignTRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE Architecture & Design Fall/2022 SPOTLIGHT ON CHRISTINE CUNANAN 10 I know what is required to create a beautiful and interesting property... MEET CHRISTINE & NICOLA BORELLA 18 The couple that Designs with Art and Poetry VLORA 24 A Fantastic Location for Albanian Jewish Museum We’ll Create a One-of-a-Kind Structure that Blends in the City PETER L. WILSON 30 An Architect in Love with Korca City and a Writer Inspired by Ismail Kadare CONTENTS August environmental design to the ultimate level at the group’s latest 5* spa resort in southern Sicily SIMONE MICHELI 40 Milan Design Week 2022, What a Great Revelation! TREMEND, THE WINNER 46 NOT ALL THE SHADES OF GLASS 56 Past, Present and Future ARCHITECTURE OF BRAZIL 66
I know what is required to create a beautiful and interesting property… SPOTLIGHT ON CHRISTINE CUNANAN ArchitectureStunning
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“Since I have stayed in many wonderful hotels myself, I know what is required to create a beautiful and interesting property, as well how to combine aesthetics and experiences for a most memorable stay,” Cunanan says.
1. Ms. Cunanan, thank you for accepting our request for this interview. Please let’s start with a question about you. Can you introduce yourself and why did you choose hospitality as a career? I am based in Tokyo and I own a travel magazine for luxury travelers in Asia. During the pandemic I decided to purchase a property in Spain and renovate it into a luxury boutique resort and private villa for those looking for unique and authentic experiences in Spain. This has long been a dream of mine. Since I have stayed in many wonderful hotels myself, I know what is required to create a beautiful and interesting property, as well how to combine aesthetics and experiences for a most memorable stay.
3. What considerations have gone into building a luxury hotel like La Esperanza Granada when it comes to the architecture and design? Is there a storytelling element to the architecture and design creation? We wanted to offer a real hacienda experience in the countryside of Spain, in a
2. What do you feel sets La Esperanza Granada apart from other high-end hotels? The location amidst nature is magnificent and the architecture of the building itself is stunning. Then there are the interiors which are truly Andalucia in feel and unique in design. The interiors are elegant and eclectic while also being stunning. Every corner of La Esperanza Granada offers a photo opportunity. However, more than this, the quality of the experiences on offer — whether cultural, historic or gastronomic — is excellent and the service highly personalized. Guests feel taken care of in a special way, as if they are the only ones in the property.
She talks with TRAIBLAZING MAGAZINE ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN about La Esperanza Granada and how they sourced almost all the architectural elements, furniture and decorative items from around Granada and nearby cities to create a stunning luxury boutique resort and private villas for those looking for unique and authentic experiences in Spain.
Christine Cunanan is the Owner of LA ESPERANZA Resort & Villa in Granada, Spain and Publisher & Editor of TRAVELIFE Magazine in Tokyo, Japan.
15TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE Architecture & Fall/2022Design place quiet enough to get away from it all but at the same time near enough to some of the most exciting cities in Andalucia. There are many beautiful hotels in Spain but we wanted La Esperanza Granada to be a destination hotel that guests would travel to from around the world to experience luxury and also authenticity. For this purpose, we sourced almost all our architectural elements, furniture and decorative items from around Granada and nearby cities. We want guests to feel like they have entered someone’s beautiful home in the hills outside of Granada City, rather than simply checked into another hotel.
4. How has the specific city of Spain contributed to the hotel’s architecture and design elements? Granada is a wonderful mixture of Moorish and gypsy influences in a conservative and proud Spanish city. And rightly so because it is the home of the Alhambra, the very first UNESCO World Heritage site of Spain. It is also one of the most beautiful cities in Southern Europe. Therefore, we tried to combine these same Moorish and gypsy influences into the architecture and design of La Esperanza Granada. For example, our
courtyard is the same dimension as one of the courtyards of the Alhambra, and we have created fountains and planter boxes using tiles handmade by a family with a 500-year-old history of creating tiles in Granada. Also, many of our rooms have artworks and details inspired by the Alhambra. At the same time, paying tribute to the gypsy community of Granada, from where the flamenco began, we have paintings and artworks alluding to this most alluring of dances. In fact, our breakfast salon has a flamenco theme, with large paintings of dancers on the walls.
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Meanwhile outside, in the gardens, we have fountains similar to those found in the Alhambra. In fact, as soon as guests enter our gates, they will see a recreation of the famous Patio de Leones, which is a fountain supported by sculptures of lions.
5. How do specific designs contribute to the guest experience? La Esperanza Granada is not a commercial endeavor but a passion project to create a resort and private villa where guests can experience the best that Southern Spain has to offer. Guests immediately understand this when they arrive because the hotel is unlike any other. The result is an unforgettable experience and oftentimes a desire to return to this place of beauty and happiness.
6. In your view, has the perception of luxury changed? – if in any way. Do people have different expectations? After the pandemic, luxury now means having the space and the time for an authentic experience in a particular destination. It also means offering personalized service that makes guests feel unique and special rather than just one of many in another beautiful place to stay. It is quite difficult and costly to travel now, and it involves some health risks. So it is important for guests to feel that they have experienced something special and worthwhile amidst the difficulties, costs and risks. This is the new luxury.
Sociologist Set designer for theatre, opera and TV in Great Britain
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CHRISTINE BORELLA - SNOZZI Interior Architect CFAI (Conseil Français des Architectes d’Intérieur) ECIA President 1999 – 2004 (European Council of Interior Architects) Board Member of IFI 2001-2003 (International Federation of Interior Designers) Honorary ECIA President (European Council of Interior Architects)
19TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE Architecture & Fall/2022Design MEET CHRISTINE & NICOLA BORELLA the Couple that Designs with Art and Poetry The Interior Designers Christine & Nicola
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Read the exclusive interview to learn more about the uncommon projects of Borella Art Design and how it adapts its moving lifestyles to these projects.
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NICOLA BORELLA Interior Architect CFAI (Conseil Français des Architectes d’Intérieur)
1. What was the muse of Borella Art Design? Artistically speaking we are inspired by the A fine Bedroom in Switzerland
“We are very open to come to your beautiful country – Albania for his Mediterranean and Multicultural nature. We would love to come for inspiration and of course we would like to take part in Albanian Hotel Projects and bring our specific Hotels “Know-How,” says Christine Borella, a distinguished French Senior Interior Architect as well as a specialist in hotels with 4* and 5 * and a Cruise Boat designer. Christine and Nicola founded Borella Art Design in 1981 to express their complementarity in design, and to live each project as a new creative adventure. Their studio creations are inspired by their common experiences and travels with a splash of French know-how.
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2. What is the design philosophy of your Studio? Our motto is: a place, a concept, a project, a destination. Each time a new experience. Surprise, elegance, harmony, delicacy and lightness, are the few key words that guide our vision and achievements.
Lobby
ART DECORATIVES designers, reinterpreted of course, because of their passion for simplicity, geometry and for nature. The world is also a muse for us: our travels inspire us. We are surprised by the nature, or by the variety of art expressions on the continents.
• DESIGN PROJECTS: We are also very proud of the success of our creation of new furniture, objects, roughs and lamps, for industrials or editing companies.
• Another project at the moment is the Hotel AMELIA in Bulgaria on the Black Sea. The concept is inspired by the Aviation, a celebration of Amelia Earhart (the first woman who, like Charles Lindbergh in 1927, had crossed the Atlantic solo in May 1932).
Roche shop Paris – Setting and Rough Designed by Borella Art Design
• After having successfully projected and realized The Hotel CHATEAU HOCHBERG in Alsace for The Cristallerie LALIQUE, one of our current projects is the creation of the interior for “THE YACHT BY LALIQUE” a 70m Yacht, which was presented in the Monaco Yacht Show last September.
3. Can you mention some of the main projects you are working on?
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The Bar of the Hôtel de Suède Paris France “THE YACHT BY LALIQUE” main deck, dining area
The of the Hôtel Paradise Blue – Albena Bulgaria
• On work also, many Private Houses in France and Switzerland.
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First of all, we listen and search the passion, the desires, the dream and the needs of the project. On this basis we explore with our creativity, imagination and experience. We ask ourself: how can we improve and translate these wishes into surprising and aesthetical spaces? The result is that our aim and work, which have received many prices, are well perceived by the public.
The Bar of the Hotel CHATEAU HOCHBERG in Alsace France.
6. You have admitted that you adapt the moving lifestyles to the projects. How do you do that?
5. Have you ever thought to experiment in Albania which is more and more becoming the centre of international hotel brands? We are very open to come to your beautiful country: for his Mediterranean and Multicultural nature. We would love to come for inspiration and of course we would like to take part in Albanian Hotel Projects and bring our specific Hotels “Know-How”.
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7. To what extent, has the cooperation with your husband, Nicola, helped Borella Art Design to prosper constantly? My studies of Interior Architect are very complete, we are Nicola,complementary.beforebeing an Interior Architect, was a Set Designer of Theatre and Television. His approach of the design, his sensitivity gives a great importance to expression, poetry, artistic meaning, and also lighting, like in a show. We design interiors with art and poetry not only with “spaceplanning” and “decoration”.
The Restaurant Montgolfier - Hôtel Paradise Blue A Junior Suite of the Hôtel Paradise Blue
Over the last years, due to COVID-19, people meet, work and take holidays in a different way. Life has changed. The destination of the rooms, the separation “work, eat, sleep”, is no more established. Hybridisation (of activities, and of style) is today the key word. We are very aware of that. We need to interpret and to anticipate the new lifestyle, and consequently change the way we plan the spaces, without forgetting to create emotion in all our projects. On another hand we have designed the Secrétaire Econe B2, our first sideboard for teleworking from Home, or from an hotel, which is distributed on Internet by https://37plusdesign.com/.
4. What countries are your source of projects mostly? France, continental or oversea, Switzerland, Eastern Europe, Bulgaria, or Africa. We have also designed restaurants in Asia (Japan, Korea) for the Famous Mère Poulard of the Mont Saint Michel.
25TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE Architecture & Fall/2022Design
Vlora, a Fantastic Location for Albanian Jewish Museum Create a One-of-aStructure that Blends in the City
Kimmel-Eshkolot Architects is an Israeli architecture firm, founded by Etan Kimmel and Michal Kimmel-Eshkolot in Tel Aviv, Israel in 1986. In its first years of practice, the firm was involved in the preservation and rehabilitation of Neve Tzedek, the historical neighborhood of Tel Aviv. Throughout the years the firm won several national competitions for the design of high-profile public projects in Israel, such as the new expansion of the government compound (“Kiryat Hamemshala”) in Jerusalem, the Davidson Museum in the Archaeological Park near the Western Wall and the Memorial Center for Israeli military casualties at Mount Herzl. In 2011 the firm won the Rechter Prize for Architecture, considered to be the most prestigious award for architecture in Israel. It received the award for the design of a rehabilitation center for IDF disabled veterans, located in Be’er Sheva. This project was also selected for project of the year in the international competition of the magazine Israeli Architecture. Kimmel Eshkolot Architects won first prize in the international Dedalo Minosse competition and the RIBA award for international excellence 2018 for The National Memorial in Mount Herzl.
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Brief introduction: could you describe the activities and peculiarities of Kimmel Eshkolot Architects? Kimmel Eshkolot Architects, based in Tel Aviv, works across the full range of architectural design and production. From the scale of interior design and the private sector, up to the urban design - our office is responsible for several of the important public projects built in Israel in the recent decades. Recent projects include the national Memorial Hall in Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, as well as several commissions for universities and museums. We also enjoy the design of mixed-use projects with retail, hotels, offices and residential spaces. In addition, we had the opportunity to design several of the Israeli embassies around the world. Your Studio is mostly involved in local projects of great importance for Israel. But lately your Studio won the architectural project of the Albanian Jewish Museum in Vlora. It is an important recognition of the unique history of the co-existence between the Albanians and the Jewish community. Can you elaborate more on the design and technical needs for this building? How have you thought about reviving the with important historical values of this project?
“The jury’s selection of our project revealed the unique connection that we have - as Jews and Israelis - to the story of the museum and of the Jewish population in Albania during World War II,” Prof. Arch. Etan Kimmel, Co-Founder of Kimmel Eshkolot Architects told TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE
he
Memorial Hall, a project by Kimmel-Eshkolot Architects.
the story of the Jewish community in Albania in the architecture of the Albanian Jewish Museum whose design was recently selected by an international jury.
T Tel ArchitectsKimmelarchitectureAviv-basedstudio,Eshkolotwillecho
Architecture & Design.
It is interesting that we were short listed in a competition in which the proposals were reviewed anonymously - five international architectural practices were invited to submit their designs to an international jury, headed by Arch. Prof. Rainer Mahlamäki. The jury’s selection of our project revealed the unique connection that we have - as Jews and Israelisto the important story of the museum telling about the Jewish population in Albania during World War II. Only when we began working on the competition did we discover about the unique stories of solidarity between Albanians, stories that are mostly unknown to the public in Israel and stand in strong contrast to other places in Europe during the time of the war. The vast majority of Jewish Albanians were protected and saved by their neighbors and their communities, who gave them shelter and provided them with all sorts of documents. We were looking for the appropriate way of echoing this story in the architecture of the museum.
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As an office that is experienced in the design of hotels and restaurants - we’ve seen ups and downs in this sector during the pandemic. After two difficult years we expect a great rise of investment in leisure and tourism.
Recently you visited Vlora city where the Albanian Jewish Museum will be erected.
On another note, what do you aim to bring to Albania architecture with this Museum?
Vlora was really a great discovery for us.
What were your impressions about this city and how are you going to integrate it into this project?
The entire area of the historical quarter of the city was recently restored in a lovely way, making it an attractive place to walk around. This area was also the home of the Jewish community who used to live in those streets. This is where the site of the museum is located. We found it to be a fantastic location for this project.
The project is in Design Development phase with Atelier4 as our local architects, and so far, the process has been successful and enjoyable. What have you incorporated into your company that you have learned from your extensive international experience? We always aspire to combine the particularities of the local context with the universal Zeitgeist, and in the case of the museum also connecting the local context and Israel. We plan to bring a small amount of the stone for the project from Israelabout 2% of the total amount - and mix it with the local stone to make a blend visually and symbolically..
Check-point Building, a project by Kimmel-Eshkolot Architects.
Any challenges in the design and construction process of the Albanian Jewish Museum?
The museum aims at two contradicting objectives at once - to be seamlessly embedded within its surroundings while being an iconic architectural object. We would like to bring the parametric architecture with its spatial complexities that we’ve employed in several projects in Israel - such as the CheckPoint building of Computer Science to create in Vlora a one-of-a-kind structure that blends into the city.
Given the current situation, how will the architectural approach in the hospitality sector change?
Born in Melbourne, Australia in 1950, Peter L. Wilson has dealt and is dealing with a series of projects in Albania. His company, based in Münster, Germany, bears the authorship of projects which are widely published and recognized with numerous awards, range from the design of offices to cultural facilities and shops, in search of a formal style that translates the building’s functional and typological requirements into creative Overinvention.thedecades, it has tackled projects all over the world, in Europe, Lebanon, Japan, Korea and Australia, where it has established close and important relationships with local collaborators and consultants. The firm’s projects in the Münsterland area are noteworthy and Wilsoncontinuous.hastaught at several universities as a visiting professor: at the Kunsthochschule Weißensee in Berlin (1994-1996), at the Academy of Architecture in Mendrisio, Switzerland, (2006-2008) and at the Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (2013-2014).
In conversation with Peter L. Wilson, Founding Partner of BOLLES+WILSON (bolles-wilson.com)
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PETER L. WILSON an Architect in Love with Korca City and a Writer Inspired by Ismail Kadare
In this exclusive interview, we talk with Mr. Wilson over his first contact with Albania and his first project in this country but also his current projects while we are intrigued Peter Wilson with one of the Theatre Audience Masks made by the local Kolevica Pottery Studio PHOTO by BOLLES+WILSON Masks by Vasillaq Kolevica
Albanian Football Association, Tirana PHOTO by Roman Mensing. In cooperation with A.P.E.
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Our current projects in Albania include a Regional Development Strategy in the region of Korca, the lakefronts in Pogradec and Pustec (with the ADF). Also the gold facade of the new Tirana International Hotel for Mr Ram Geci. We are also working on a large-scale housing project called `Bazaar Gate´ in Tirana as well as on-going acupuncture interventions in Korca. Recently finished are the new headquarters of the Albanian Football Association in Tirana and the stadium in Shkodra. “Some reason for travelling to Albania”Why did you write a book on Albania?
by his book– “Some Reasons for Travelling to Albania.” Mr. Wilson, what was your first contact with Albania and Albanian architecture? What impressed you most? My first contact with Albania was as one of the three international architects to be selected by the then Tirana Mayor to take part in the competition for a Masterplan for Tirana’s Central Axis. On arriving we were first impressed by the Painted Facade strategy of Edi Rama. This was a radical and poetic way to bring the appearance of the city to public attention. A strategy beyond the imaginative possibilities of a normal politician but quite within the range of an artist/mayor. It also at that time put Tirana on the global horizon. I was also impressed by urban blocks in Tirana without internal roads - something we in Europe would like to achieve (now of course a lot more roads have been constructed in Tirana). How did it start your first cooperation in Albania? When you look back at this journey, what do you remember? Our first co-operation was not the The Square of the Blue House, Korca PHOTO by BOLLES+WILSON masterplan, the French team won. But the Mayor called us back to advise on a series of projects by local architects. The first was what we referred to as the Polychromink Tower, next to the stadium. Our task was to rework the facades (coloured louvers) and to rationalise the building form. This was the first of a series of hand-holding projects where our feedback was sometimes only partially accepted by the local authors. It reminded me of my long years teaching at London’s Architectural Association. Later we were asked to contribute to the painted facade program, only to discover that the strong Albanian sun fades colours over the years. We were much more comfortable when we won the international competition for the historic centre of Korca. There we have been able to make permanent physical adjustments to the urban morphology. Can you tell us about the current projects in Albania?
New City Library Korca PHOTO by Roman Mensing. In cooperation with Vitru+Architects, Tirana, Albania
My book `Some Reasons for Travelling to Albania´ is a follow-up to an earlier book called `Some Reasons for Travelling to Italy´ - this researched the long list of Grand Tourists in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries as well as contemporary cultural figures like the architects Le Corbusier or Robert Venturi who all went to Italy. I am very fond of the anecdotal format of short episodes, this I re-activated to give background to my own reasons for travelling to Albania (and I have many, mostly projects). The book is in the end a documentation of how Albania came into focus on the consciousness of the rest of Europe, through visits by people like Edith Durham or Lord Byron (who was a guest of Ali Pasha). It was also necessary for me to scan Albanian history from Illyrians to the various Italian plans for Tirana, to the period of King Zog. I was all the time inspired by the many and profound Ismail Kadare books I had read. Please elucidate how you established BOLLES + WILSON and what are its approaches? In your view, what makes your projects so special?
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New Tirana International Hotel with gold facade Icon Museum in Korca PHOTO by Roman Mensing. In cooperation with DEA Studio, Tirana, Albania.
+ + + + + T +49(0)251/48272-0 + + + + F +49(0)251/48272-24 + + + info@bolles-wilson.com + + www.bolles-wilson.com + + +
The office of BOLLES+WILSON is based in Münster in Germany, it was here that we built our first major public building - the City Library (which for more than thirty years has ranked as one of the top libraries in Germany). My wife and partner Professor Julia Bolles-Wilson is German and as to be expected highly rational in her architectural methodology. I as an Anglo-Saxon am more on the intuitive/empirical side, more spontaneous and less rule bound - I make it up as I go along. This combination is the basis of our somewhat phenomenological philosophy, also our ambition to engender spaces that are for the user comfortable to be in. Our office originated in London where I was teaching at the avant-guarde Architectural Association, alongside Rem Koolhaas and Zaha Hadid. But in London young architects only get small commissions, shops or houses, hence our move to Germany. Along the way we built a house in Tokyo and a theatre in Rotterdam. What are the latest innovative tools your firm is using to facilitate the smooth realization of various projects? Your question about innovative tools sounds like you want a parametric answer, or at least to know that we are high-tech. and use BIM. But no - my tool of preference remains the pencil, in my own case a very radical, very hard 5H, with it one can achieve a German degree of exactitude. Although photo-realistic Renderings (called ‘Renders’ in an incorrect use of English grammar) are preferred in Albania we are counter-cyclical in our choice of tools. In fact, now that a generation of digital natives has entered the architectural discourse the hand drawn has the exotic status of an almost lost art (I often refer to myself as a dinosaur, one who survived a phase Peter Wilson on site in Korca - demonstrating how to make the Theatre Tragic Mask. Photo by BOLLES+WILSON
Korca Theatre Restructuring Facade with Comic, Tragic and Audience Masks PHOTO by Roman Mensing. In cooperation with DEA STUDIO, Tirana, Albania.jpg
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Polychromic Tower., hand drawn design concept by Peter Wilson change, the transition to the digital). My hand drawings have a positive resonance with clients who are suspicious of digital `Bling´ (eye-candy) and appreciate seeing the product of the authorial hand. My drawings are also collected by museums and other academic collections (V+A London, Drawing Matter, CCA, Tschoban collection-Berlin, AA Archives) and researched by academic scholars (google - JoA Peter Wilson). We also have another tool of preference, this is the young Albanian office of `Vitru,´ with whom we happily and successfully collaborate. You are a “fan” of Small buildings and the Libraries. Can you tell us more about your approach towards them? Small buildings and Libraries. The second because we have built so many of them, including Korca´s and most recently the National Library of Luxembourg (BnL). And small buildings because they are like theatre characters on the urban stage. The smallish building is ideal for our theory of acupuncture, putting small pins in the body of the city to enhance the existing urban choreography. Our small buildings are a respectful way of upgrading the embedded and inherited character of a particular place (a symbiosis of old and new).
CONTACT: BOLLES+WILSON GmbH & Co. KG Hafenweg Muenster
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Italian hospitality brand ADLER takes environmental design to the ultimate level at the group’s latest 5* spa resort in southern Sicily July the 7th 2022 marked the official opening of Italy’s most impressive new coastal destination, ADLER Spa Resort SICILIA. An outstanding example of bio-architecture this low impact design has been orchestrated by the Sanoner family in collaboration with architect Hugo Demetz. The new ADLER Spa Resort SICILIA has been designed in subtle harmony with its unspoilt rural location on the southernmost coast of Sicily. A low-level structure which melds seamlessly into the hillside, every aspect of the resort and the unique materials specified have been chosen to enhance the surroundings rather than impact on the landscape.
“Everything we do is informed by a non-negotiable principle: our resort has to blend in with the landscape without altering its natural balance and beauty. Bio-Architecture was the only way forward. We opted for a dispersive layout of single-storey buildings alternating with botanical oases.” The Sanoner Family.
Sustainability is at the very core of the resort with many of the interiors featuring walls clad in natural unbaked Sicilian clay which activity promotes natural humidity control. Integrated environmentally friendly systems include cutting-edge heat pumps which recover and redistribute energy within the resort. Flooring throughout is finished with Opus Signinum an ecological material comprising minutely crushed bricks and lime mortar. In-keeping with its island location, some of the buildings are clad in Tuff, a Volcanic rock, sourced from the wild terrain around Monte Etna.
Bio-Architecture-where luxury hospitality meets serious sustainability
Natural timber elements such as wall cladding add a charming sense of warmth and character. At ADLER Spa Resort SICILIA, the cedar wood selected is indicative of the surrounding environment and is gently shaded in hues of natural sand. Handcrafted wood panels are printed with subtle pastel motifs which add to the ADLER group’s signature style also found in other resorts.
3938 TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE Architecture & Fall/2022DesignTRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE Architecture & Design Fall/2022 ADLER Spa Resort SICILIA consists of 90 rooms comprised of two categories, junior and family suites, catering both to couples and families, each spacious room enjoys its own private terrace with far-reaching sea views. Fact Sheet • Sustainable Spa Resort • 90 Rooms - 74 Junior Suites & 16 Family Suites • State of the Art Spa • 3 Pools • 3 Saunas • Thalasso Pool Therapy • 1 Gourmet Restaurant • 1 Osteria with Terrace • Yoga Platform • Gardens and Parkland • Access to the Beach • Eco Lido • Complimentary Activity Programme • Nearest Airport Palermo • Resort launch date 7th July 2022 ADLER Spa Resort SICILIA Contrada Salsa 92010 Siculiana (Agrigento) +39 0471 www.adler-resorts.cominfo@adler-sicilia.com1551607NotestoEditors For images and further media enquiries including press trips please contact Sharon Finnigan-Kilby at Arthouse PR, tel: 3345995702 email: editorial@arthouse-pr.com
41TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE Architecture & Fall/2022Design MilanMICHELISIMONEDesignWeek 2022, What a Great Revelation! MILAN DESIGN WEEK 2022
One of the most well-known Italian architects, Simone Micheli keeps coming back in Albania where he supervises his projects. They are all out of this world. After the big success he achieved with Milan Design Week 2022 (June 6-12, 2022), TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN talked with him at the sidelines of the signing ceremony of the first InterContinental Hotel in Tirana. When and how did you get interested in design? I have always been fascinated by design. Since I was a child, I have shaped the undiscovered works that crossed my thoughts through drawings on paper. Seeing ideas transform into actual concretization gave me satisfaction and well-being. With the university, that I attended in Florence, studying architecture, I added technique and knowledge to my artistic flair, structuring a concrete and wise way to direct the creative flow. I have had many great teachers who have helped me grow and from whom I have learned the importance of studying, deepening thoughts, and analyzing contradictions. The strength of history and tradition. But also, the courage to dare, to break with the existing. How to give life to unique architectural works, designed specifically for the human visitor destined to become the protagonist. Experiences, travels, encounters, and cultures have helped to transform me into the person I am today and to give my designing path a characterizing and characterized, unique, clear, and defined style. How would you describe your work? What is your work pattern, and how do you start on a new assignment? I transform dreams into concrete, effective, functional, beautiful realities. I am lucky enough to put my greatest passion into practice every day. But I do it with Hybrid Restaurant
43TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE Architecture & Fall/2022Design Hybrid Restaurant commitment, effort, and thanks to an always curious, open, careful gaze towards the world. There is no specific pattern that I follow because my works are always the meeting of different components that originate from the context, the client’s requests, and the needs of the users. My goal is to give life to unique works that are able to become the attractive fulcrum of the territories in which they are located and able to give unique experiences to the viewers that become active memory in their minds, a future guide for the experiences in the making. What is the success of your Architecture Studio, created in 1990, and the design studio «Simone Micheli Architectural Hero»? How has the fact of having branches in Dubai, Sardinia, Rabat, and Busan, influenced the enlargement of your vision as an architect and designer?
Atomic spa - Bolle Blu Oversea Building
The works I bring to life are unique, and highly distinctive, with the aim of creating an extended communicative flywheel that goes beyond known conventions and generates attractive thoughts. I think that the courage to break with pre-established patterns, to go beyond stereotypes, and to anticipate fragments of the future and of the unknown in the present, are among the reasons that have led my designing way to progress and therefore to be successful. To these is added the attention to the technological avant-garde, the care for the desires and needs of human beings, the ability to respond to the current challenges of the market and respect for the environment, the protection of resources. Furthermore, I have always given a lot of importance to communication: both in generating works capable of communicating with context and people, and in building a winning system for the dissemination of my works. This means that with greater energy my works are known everywhere. The fact that my studio has offices all over the world means that the projects I imagine are the result of the hybridization of contents and the contamination of experiences. Works that grow thanks to the knowledge of different contexts and backgrounds and that take shape from the use of local and specific materials of the places.
Milano Design Week 2022, which took place in Milan from 6 to 12 of June, was a hit that took sharp attention. What were its major highlights that you think can be a strong influence or an inspiration in what architects and product designers can do?
I think that from the confrontation, the relationships that intersect, and the contamination of skills that the best works for the future can take shape. What do you hope to achieve in the future? Are there any dreams that you would like to realize?
I make my dreams come true every day, giving life to works designed to satisfy people, and make them feel good. To generate beauty and give added value to the world we live in every day. In a way that it could be better. Traveling, studying, meeting partners, and creating business opportunities are all connected to the main principle (to design) that I love to do. Also, thanks to the support of my staff. So, what I aim for myself is to continue in this direction: to increase my knowledge every day, not to lose the desire to do, design, and know. That the wonder does not diminish. Not to stop creating unique works, capable of responding to the needs of contemporary human beings and amaze them.
What is your opinion about Albanian architecture & design in general and do you think there is enough support for the young generation of designers and architects who want to start on their own? I think the world of design and architecture in Albania is now in growing expansion. I see in the clients the desire to experiment and to open up to influences and knowledge from all over the world. I see in people the will to broaden the horizons of the known reality. I believe that young contemporary designers are experiencing a very lucky moment. In which designing opens up to innovation and takes shape thanks to the definition of new paradigms. I advise young people to throw themselves into this positive trend with energy. To study a lot both Albanian history and n traditions but at the same time to open the comparison with other cultures. Only in this way, they will be able to build solid foundations to be broken in order to generate a better future for all. Hybrid Restaurant
What attracts you like a magnet to Albania? Can we talk about the projects you have completed in Albania and others in the pipeline? I like Albania because it is an open land where culture meets. That is growing and wishes to innovate and experiment. A beautiful, rich land, where natural wonders are skillfully combined with avant-garde cities. There are many projects that I have in progress now, fascinating, and surprising works aimed to leave their mark on the minds of visitors and the territory. For example, I am taking care of the interior design of the Hotel InterContinental in Skanderbeg square, in Tirana, owned by Ram Geci. Of both the architecture and the interior design of a new hotel that will take shape in Durres for Fafa Hotels & Resorts. And I’m designing a 2000-square meters spa for Melia Hotel in San Pietro. Works that are imagined with the aim of encouraging exchanges, meetings, business, and a sustainable approach to innovation.
Milan Design Week 2022 was a great success. It showed the energy with which the whole world of design and architecture has restarted after darker months. Full of innovative and original ideas, the week dedicated to design has invaded the city of Milan and built paths of confrontation between people from all parts of the world. The event that my Studio organized, selected partners, and I gave life to was also a great revelation! Hybrid Restaurant has attracted many visitors, professionals, entrepreneurs, and experts who have been able to touch the avant-garde of the design landscape. And especially of the greatness of Made in Italy. I created a widespread restaurant in which beauty and taste have harmoniously merged. Opening the Lord of Verona Luxury Apartments doors to functionality and technology and leaving room for well-known protagonists.
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The Polish twin trailblazing sisters, Magdalena Federowicz-Boule and Anna Federowicz, stand behind the Tremend architectural studio, based in Warsaw. They recently joined forces to cause “an earthquake” in the world of architecture.
Hotel Prince
The two sisters are involved in many local and international projects such as France, Albania, Hungary, Ukraine and soon in Germany. They are involved in new projects from sparkling hotel interiors to an Underground station in Łódź or an ecological station in Lublin.
Architecture office Tremend can be defined by sentence “What they touch, they win a prize”. As a mythological Midas they turn everything into gold, winning the most prestigious awards in the industry. Architecture office is led by three partners: Twin sisters Magdalena Federowicz-Boule, Anna Federowicz and Jarosław Gwóźdź. Anna and Magda are architects, Jarosław is engineer, all of them are passionate about their work, what is seen in their projects.
Magda and Anna sit with TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN to tell all about TREMEND.
THETREMEND,WINNER
AC Marriott Kraków
One of multiple-winning project are interiors of Crowne Plaza Warsaw – The Hub, located in skyscraper designed by Tremend. The uniqueness of these interiors without any doubts impresses guests of the hotel and jury of the international contests. The project inspired by wildness of Vistula River and modern life of city like Warsaw, received platinum award in Muse Design Awards in category: Interior – Hotels & Resorts, it is incredibly prestigious honor. Moreover, the project receives golden statuette in the biggest and most differentiated design contest A’Design Award.
The other honorable mention for Crown Plaza and its architects from Tremend is winning in The International Hotel and Property Awards 2021 in category Hotel Over 200 Rooms- Europe, organized by esteemed magazine design et al!
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The scope of work of Tremend is very wide. Owners with team of 80 employee create the projects of solid architecture, multifunctional apartments, hotels, offices, shopping malls and railway or bus stations. Besides designing, Tremend is responsible for management and surveillance of the construction. In portfolio of architecture office there are over 100 hotels designed for groups like: Accor, Louvre-hotel, Marriott, Hilton, Best Western, Vienna house, IHG, Meininger. Plenty of these implementations were honored and awarded in international architecture contests. Awards and honorable mentions
The interiors of hotel Crowne Plaza Warsaw Anna & Magda
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– says architect Magdalena Federowicz-Boule, president of management board and creative director in Tremend Architecture PhenomenalOffice. as well is another hotel of the same chain – Crowne Plaza Budapest inspired by architecture of capital of Hungary and surrounding wineries. Tremend was responsible for revitalization of interiors of the hotel. The realization was lately commissioned, and already had been awarded. Project won Gold Winner in Muse Design Awards contest in category Interior Design Sub-Category Hotels & Resort. The next project awarded last year is Hotel Ibis Styles Bolesławiec, where Tremend architecture office made architectural and interior project. The hotel inspired by local craftmanship contains colorful spaces with funny graphics and hand-painted ceramics, become the showcase of the city. The interiors of the hotel were mentioned in shortlist of The International Hotel & Property Awards 2021 contest and got the bronze winner in A’design Award 20202021.
Dworzec autobusowy Lublin Tremend Around the World Tremend Architecture office develops its projects in whole Europe, mainly due to plenty of winnings in international contests. In France there are many projects of hotel for groups like Accor, Louvre hotel and private investors and projects of luxurious mansions at the seaside of Mediterranean Sea. In Hungary there are projects for Accor, Louvre Hotel, IHG, and others, while in Germany hotels for A&O and Meininger. In Italy architects design luxurious mansions. In picturesque and historical city Durres in Albanian Riviera, Tremend’s architect won the competition for project of exclusive resort on Adriatic seaside. Architect design the solid and its interiors of future resort. The stepped U-shaped construction of the hotel guarantees a beautiful view of the sea, while at the same time giving lightness to the construction.
Crowne Plaza Warsaw The HUB Śswięty D
Recent project realized by Tremend architecture office in this year is boutique hotel at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. The hotel, located in a historic building, is currently undergoing a thorough revitalization, and the architects are responsible for both the modernization of the façade and the reconstruction, revitalization of the body of the building as well as the interior design. It is worth noting that Tremend won the competition for the design of this international facility.
The Hub were spotted and appreciated by jury of Hospitality Design magazine contest. The magazine from New York rewards the best and most innovative projects from all the world. The project of Crowne Plaza was a challenge and adventure. We introduced the brand for Polish market without developed design standards. From one side, it was a little intimidating, but from the other side it let us to completely execute our ideas and visions. What makes us even happier, that our work was appreciated in many international contests.
Solid Architecture
Solid Architecture is also spectacular and award-winning activity of Tremend architecture office. Architect were designing hotels like IHG Group, Hilton, Accor, Marriott, Vienna House, Meininger, Louvre Hotel. These are boutique projects like Tribute, Autograph for Marriott, Hilton Canopy Curio, MGallery for Accor. On the list of works of architecture office there are projects of lifestyle hotels like Ibis for Accor group or IHG, in luxury and midscale style there was Louvre Hotel, Wyndham or IHG, ACCOR.. Tremend’s architects currently are working on projects of resorts from whole Europe. Besides hotels they design train and bus stations as well. Architects were responsible for project of Łódź Fabryczna Rail station which is a real communication hub like in other comparable and same distanced from the capitals of European cities like Turin, Lyon, Hamburg, Lipsk, Rotterdam. Since the beginning the underground location Mgallery Sopot was assumed with possibility of expansion. The external showcase of the station is Large-size skylights made of thousands of glass panels. The interior spaces were shaped in way like a function of city squares and passages open to the surroundings through large glass façades. Raw, monochromatic materials were juxtaposed with replicas of the historical façade, patterns on the glazing and other decorative elements, such as colorful murals with motives of Łódź. They were designed by Polish artist, says Anna Federowicz from Tremend. For Tremend’s architect, the ecology really matters, that’ s why Lublin station’s project puts plenty ways for optimalization of green in Lublin city center. Station is going to have green roof, whereby there will be walking and planted wall. The closest vicinity of the object will be arranged with specially selected plant, producing big amount of oxygen to help with fighting with city smog. Pavements will be finished by material with antismog feature. The concept for solid is “box in box”, the only space for staff in heart of the building is central-heated. The rest of energy comes from recuperation. The building produces energy needed for working thanks to photovoltaic panels and other ecological solutions. By this project, we wanted to revive the district intended for revitalization, make it a meeting place where people can spend time together in attractive surroundings with green areas. In the project we have also presented solutions to problems related to the environment and city life, such as smog, water and energy consumption, noise – explains architect Magdalena Federowicz-Boule, president of management board and creative director Tódź Fabryczna
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Hotel Prince with passages, strip malls, hypermarkets, DIY objects. That was created for investor from France, Belgium, The Found of South Africa and from Polish cities like Warszawa, Poznań, Zabrze, Zielone Góra and many more.
The experience of Tremend architects and their visionary approach to design adapting it to the surrounding nature and architecture while maintaining the highest ecological standards, is what makes Tremend so respected and awarded worldwide. Albania
The Tremend architectural studio has also developed numerous projects for luxury apartments and residential buildings Currently, architecture office is developing a multi-functional entertainment town with residential buildings and a hotel with rooms for rent at the seaside, in the tourist resort of Dźwirzyno. Also in the south, in the mountains, there are developing project including a number of luxury flats and resorts, all embedded in the surrounding nature and with breathtaking mountain views.
in Tremend Architecture Office. The bus station in Lublin project provides construction of public regional transport’s stops, underground parking, green zone and promenade. Station inspired of nature and flora gained recognition of jury in World Building of the Year in Amsterdam during World Architecture Festival, one of the most prestigious contests in architecture world. From the project’s details point of view, attention is drawn to the massive cantilevers supporting the roof, reminiscent of vines or creepers growing in tropical forests. Their openwork construction is very solid, and its reference to the plant world makes it seem light, giving the whole a subtle character. The investment in not only original and charming design. The main function of the building with the surrounding infrastructure will be optimalization of coach and car traffic, pedestrians and providing comfort to all travelers. Architects proposed set of amenities contained of 85 coach stands taking into account the envisaged standstill time; up to 200 parking spaces in the underground car park, including taxi and charging zones for electric cars. Land between railway station and bus station will be reserved for pedestrians – there decorative promenade with greens, trees and rest spaces will be Tremendestablished.Architecture office portfolio includes up to 20 projects of shopping malls. Architect Magdalena FederowiczBoule took part in designing the showcase of Łódź – shopping and entertainment center “Manufaktura” build in place of the old textile factory. The object is maintained in style of old Factory with brick façade, it is not only space for stores, restaurants and coffee shops. Museum of Art. MS2 and Museum of Factory will be amazing spots for art Tremendlovers.designed plenty of shopping malls
Entertainment & Fun Tremend Architecture office is also responsible for projects of entertainment parks like the Majaland belonging to Belgian Plopsa company. First investment like that was Majaland Kownaty next to Polish-German border, the second Majaland is located close to Warsaw, in Góraszka. The inspiration came from fairytale character Maya the Bee. Park has indoor and outdoor attractions, dedicated to all group ages of kids. There are attractions like The Dino Carousel, Butterfly Flight, The Bumper Cars, Vic The Vickings Coaster, Sky Fly on height of 22 meters, water slides – Aqua Team Playground, Junior Ball Pit, theater and many many more. On the premises there are also restaurants and shops. Luxury flats and residential developments
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Joana Dhiamandi, an Architect, Glass Artist, and lecturer of Architecture and Design, with a Ph.D. in Architecture and Urban Planning, speaks with TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE Architecture & Design about her last glass-inspired exhibition welcoming people at the hall of the Ministry of ComingCulture. from a family of artists, Dhiamandi inherited the tradition of stained glass and kiln making since her family had the furnace and the studio. “We apply some techniques of working with this material that is so ancient, beautiful, applicative, and functional in many moments of our daily lives,” Dhiamandi says. She has found inspiration in authors such as Le Corbusier, Matisse, Frank Lloyd Wright, Gaudi, and surrealist artists, “who have used art and space to realize authentic and unexpected situations in the human experience. Still, I’m always amazed by the unrepeatable elegance and aesthetics that nature brings us every day so generously.”
57 NOT ALL THE SHADES OF GLASS ART
The exhibition is entitled ‘’’ Not all the shades of Glass,” with around 30 artworks made of Glass in various shapes and sizes that welcome visitors once they enter the hall of the Ministry of Culture. The circular series has the most appeal, while my concern during the working process was working with form, color, and objectivity: the Glass is a plate, a prism, an object, unique but an object. The individual glass plates are created to represent isolated moments in a complex creative continuum and to be enlarged through lighting and installation. During my experiments, I have worked with various forms and shapes to elicit the density of Glass as a material that changes the structure and absorbs color like sand takes in water. It was also essential to show off how beautiful and substantial the difference between materials is; as shown here, the metal stands that hold it up only emphasize the Glass’s fragility and brittleness, its ‘otherworldly’ presence in the space of spartan rigor of metal. Whereas in the abstract series, his primary concern is with form, the firmness of the material once being a liquid or amorphous form. This freezing process evolves free of formal limits, becoming pure abstraction. Here, pure transparency is meshed with stone and shows the opposite of materiality, rigidity,
What theme(s) have you chosen to reflect in this exhibition inspired by the Glass? Can you talk more in detail about its displays?
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The colored and plain Glass is displayed beautifully against a backdrop of white. Were there any special considerations to working with Glass? Why did you choose this material? Do you work with materials other than Glass?
It isn’t easy to distinguish a favorite part since, for every creator, its pieces are equal while one shows a different part of him. In this exhibition, my works are divided into several mini-series, with two important emerging lines: circular plates and abstract sculptural formats. The cycle of plates has a more emotional, dreamlike state, while the colors transmit that emotional and spiritual fluctuation of me during the creating process.
sharpness, and symmetry. The abstract objects of strange beauty, such as stratified wings or lost swallows with frozen wings captured in mid-flight announcing the wrong season, come across as dysfunctional forms that retain a strong, recognizable symbolic power, mended with stone.
As an architect, I prefer to work with atmosphere and sensations since they are an integral part of malgames; this makes the human experience more than physical but spiritual. By working with Glass in space, I feel I can realize authentic situations for the human experience. I have always thought of the elegance of Glass as a means to create spatial objects of a function and a sustainable aesthetic nature, but also to bring architectural things that strongly meet the vital needs of man. Do you have any favorite ensembles from the exhibition, and why?
On the other hand, the different sections start with theecycleng of glass bottles; the work is called “Glass Bones,” where they are recycled glass bottles melted down to give that corpse feeling, leading towards a more innovative and contemporary wave, where the recycling process changes its function, shape, and at the end the phenomenology of its identity. What messages do you want to convey with this exhibition?
The purpose of the exhibition was to create a sense of wonder, allowing the visitor to read some of the possibilities of both the repertoire of the materiality of Glass and its metamorphic range. Some miniseries are lined with a sensibility towards abstraction; others showcase recycling while simultaneously seeing Glass’s more figurative and decorative use.
Despite being an architect and academic, I have always had a passion for art since I grew up in a family of artists. My father is a glass artist and craftsman, and I inherited the tradition of stained glass and kiln making since we have the furnace and the studio. We apply some techniques of
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In the end is essential the understand all the numerous possibilities this material can offer, either done in the hands of the craftsman with liquid flames or the frozen process of overlapping pieces merged with different materials
As an architect and an artist, what can you say about your career? What has been your biggest artistic influence?
65TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE Architecture & Fall/2022Design working with this material that is so ancient, beautiful, applicative, and functional in many moments of our daily lives. From architecture, I am mainly inspired by the principles of modernity. I have found inspiration in authors such as Le Corbusier, Matisse, Frank Lloyd Wright, Gaudi, and surrealist artists, who have used art and space to realize authentic and unexpected situations in the human experience. Still, I’m always amazed by the unrepeatable elegance and aesthetics that nature brings us every day so generously. How can you assess your experience as an advisor at the Ministry of Culture as LEAD Fellow 2022? How is this enriching your career?
There has been a misconception that art cannot be the right background for leadership. Lately, this has been a change. Art and leadership have historical origins in interacting in the past and today. Both disciplines involve creativity for survival and evolution. While art is a way of experiencing and interpreting life experiences, on the other hand, leadership is an integral part of organizational life and management. The case of the LEAD Fellow program made it possible to bridge this aspect of my professional life. Coming from academia, I know the value of inspiration for the new generation with a passion for our professions; as an artist, I can appreciate the need to search for beauty, while in this leadership program next to the Ministry of Culture, I seek models to provide solutions for complex situations. All three elements engage inspiration, people, emotions, and the complexity of systems, while during this program, it is urged to learn, merging all of them for the public need.
CITY ARCHITECTUREAND
City of Rio de
Janeiro_©https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/brazil/
Past, Present and ARCHITECTUREFuture:OFBRAZIL
Being the world’s fifth-largest country, Brazil is one of the most multicultural and diverse countries. The history of architecture in Brazil is defined by its rich history and heritage, with varying influences from indigenous Indian, African and Portuguese cultures. Due to its location and proximity to the Amazon basin, there is a vast abundance of diverse wildlife and extensive ecosystems throughout Brazil. Owing to these factors and its tropical climate, the architectural vocabulary throughout Brazil is also governed by the climatological impact of the buildings.
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Church Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos in Salvador_©https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/designlovers-guide-salvador-brazil_ Image courtesy of Getty. 18th century Baroque With rising European influence throughout Brazil, the predominantly Portuguese style gradually transitioned into Baroque and Neoclassical, mixed with the indigenous Brazilian style, paved the way for a new and inherently unique style of Architecture.
While the architectural elements now revolved around asymmetry, expressive and irregular geometries which were a symbolic reflection of the dynamic, dramatic and grandiloquent lifestyle of the newly emerging Brazilian population.
The rapid mass urbanization of Brazil after World War II radically altered the lifestyle of the emerging Brazilians, changing their perspectives on the architecture and design of their cities. From predominantly classical to radically modern, the narrative of architecture in Brazil is a major part of their character and identity and is widely recognized by global organizations like UNESCO.
16th century Portuguese Colonial Dating back to the early sixteenth century, the first wave of architecture began when Pedro Cabral, a Portuguese nobleman, and commander discovered Brazil. The Portuguese created an architectural style familiar to theirs in Europe, influencing their sacred and secular buildings, forts, and palaces, and founded major cities like Salvador, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro. The classical Portuguese Colonial style of old Brazil was characterized by symmetry, stone and mortar construction, box-like forms with recessed windows and alcoves, and lime plastered or brightly painted facades. Being one of the oldest cities, Salvador was the old capital of Brazil until 1763 and boasted of an expressive amalgamation of Colonial and Baroque styles of architecture. Upon defeating the Dutch in the mid-17th century, Portuguese settlers refurbished and rebuilt several forts and institutional buildings with cultural and historical significance. These multicoloured colonial buildings show a glimpse of the Portuguese influence and are a sight to behold, adding a vivid character to the streets of Salvador.
Baroque Architecture in Brazil_©https://www.hisour.com/baroque-architecture-in-brazil-33833/
The exuberant and monumental structures of the Baroque-Brazilian era, including palaces, theatres, and churches, were designed to engage all the senses and invoke a sense of grandeur against a backdrop of ritualism and festivity among their Somevisitors.ofthe best examples of Baroque architecture in Brazil are found in Ouro Preto, a quaint colonial town in Minas Gerais. With ornate, colourful buildings with paintings incorporated into walls lining the public streets, Ouro Preto is a major tourist destination that holds an authentic European vibe. It was declared a UNESCO “World Monument” in 1980 with 13 churches, 11 chapels, museums, ancient bridges, and well-preserved houses. A few of the most important examples of exquisite design and craftsmanship include the Church of Igreja de São Francisco de Assis and the immaculately preserved residence, the Casa dos Contos among others.
Inside the National Cathedral of niemeyer-photo?next_project=no9b000655-ad-classics-cathedral-of-brasilia-oscar-of-brasilia-oscar-niemeyer/5037f3f928ba0d59www.archdaily.com/101516/ad-classics-cathedral-Brasilia_©https://
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Salvador_©https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/designlovers-guide-salvador-brazil_ Image
Neoclassical Brazilian As a reaction to the opulence of the Baroque era, there was a significant shift to Neoclassicism in Brazil that was based on simple designs and elegant geometries inspired by Greek and Roman architectural elements like symmetrical floor plans, multi-storied columns, grand triangular and gabled roofs. The brightly coloured and ornamental facades were replaced by subtle colours and noble materials like marble, white soapstone, and limestone. Notable examples of Neoclassicism in Brazil are located in the city of Manaus, especially the Teatro Amazonas. With the turn of the 20th century, the Amazonian region of Brazil saw an era of enormous prosperity owing to the tremendous rise in exports from the rubber plantations in the capital city of ToManaus.commemorate their triumph and recreate the lavish lifestyle of European elites, an Opera House, the Teatro Amazonas, was built in the middle of the rainforest under the supervision of an Italian architect. With its supreme quality of construction and lavish use of materials and finishes, the Teatro Amazonas is considered the epitome of Brazilian Neoclassicism.
Church Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos in courtesy of Getty.
The onset of the 20th century brought with it the newly emerging trends and technological advancements of the Industrial Revolution, which made a breakthrough landmark in the way people perceived their buildings. Modern materials like reinforced concrete and glass began replacing the traditional marble monuments. Brazil was one of the first countries in the world to fully embrace the wave of modernism in architecture and Itdesign.wasduring this time that Brazil was National Cathedral of Brasilia_©Tacio Philip Sansonovski/Shutterstock.com_https://www. britannica.com/place/Brasilia
20th Century Modernism in Brazil
influenced by European modernist architects like Gropius and Corbusier. This ultimately led to the conceptualization of Brazil’s own definition of modernism at the hands of world-renowned architects like Oscar Niemeyer, Lucio Costa, and Paolo Mendes da Rocha who characterized their buildings by using clean geometries along with light and free-flowing materials like reinforced concrete and glass. This was the era of social awakening and saw a rise in the construction of state-owned buildings that were meant to embody the spirit of progress. Well known examples of this time are The Niterói Contemporary Art Museum in Rio de Janeiro, by Niemeyer, The Brazil Pavilion at the World Fair in 1939, by Costa and Niemeyer, the Chapel of St Peter in Sao Paulo by Mendes da Rocha, Copacabana Boardwalk by Burle Marx and the Metropolitana Cathedral in Rio de Janeiro by Edgar Fonseca.
A few of the most prominent examples of Modern Architecture in Brasilia by Oscar Niemeyer include the National Cathedral, the iconic hyperboloid structure reaching out to the sky and resting on sixteen concrete columns and covered in a coloured glass roof, surrounded by a reflecting pool redefines the notions of spirituality in a sacred space.
The Birth of Brasilia
This wide-ranging approach of modernism was not just limited to buildings but was also extended to the newly planned cities like Brasilia. The new capital of Brazil, Brasilia, founded in 1960, was designed by Lucio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer and is considered a major experiment in modernism. At the iconic centrepiece of the city lies the Square of Three Powers, which includes the National Congress, National Cathedral, and the Supreme Federal Court and Presidential Palace at the conceptual heart of the city.
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The Future of Architecture in Brazil With the turn of the 21st century, the style of architecture in Brazil has gone through several remarkable changes and developed its own wide arching vocabulary, with a focus on sustainability and minimalism. Ranging from Niemeyer’s tropical modern there has been a steady increase in absorbing foreign design influences for the rapidly modernising Brazilian cities like Santiago Calatrava’s Museu do Amanhã or the Museum of Tomorrow, the Hotel Unique, by Ruy Ohtake, the Vitra Apartments in Sao Paulo by Daniel Libeskind and the Japan House by Kengo Kuma. Courtesy of Rethinking The Future www.re-thinkingthefuture.com Museu do Amanhã or the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro, by Santiago Calatrava_©Bernard Miranda Lessa_ rio-de-janeiro-brazil/tomorrow-santiago-calatrava-opens-com/2015/12/17/science-museum-of-https://www.dezeen.
