Identity - September 2020

ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, INTERIORS + PROPERTY

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Paris Design Week / Rebuilding Beirut / Yinka Ilori / Rana Begum Dimorestudio / Workspaces / Hopkins Architects / Roman Plyus / Mohamed Melehi

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ISSUE 201 / SEPTEMBER 2020

The Colour Issue

Contents The Colour Issue

16 Rebuilding Beirut

Designers and architects share their experiences of the Beirut blast and how the creative community is coming together to rebuild the city

24 Inside the colourful world of Yinka Ilori

British-Nigerian designer reflects on heritage, identity and multiculturalism

34 Eclectic escape

Step inside the dramatic Berlin apartment by Dimorestudio that blends contrasting styles, colours and influences

40 Design Focus: Workspaces

Read about the latest trends and product designs responding to new ways of working - whether at home or in the office

56 One with the Earth

Hopkins Architects has completed the design for the new Buhais Geology Park in Sharjah that blends in with its rocky landscape

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Newswire On our radar

68 ID classics

70 Products

73 Library

74 #idmostwanted

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Editor-in-Chief: Obaid Humaid Al Tayer Managing Partner and Group Editor: Ian Fairservice Editor: Aidan Imanova Designer: Hannah Perez General Manager - Production: S Sunil Kumar Assistant Production Manager: Binu Purandaran Production Supervisor: Venita Pinto Chief Commercial Officer: Anthony Milne Group Director: Andrew Wingrove Deputy Sales Manager: Mrudula Patre Sales Representative - Italy: Daniela Prestinoni Contributors Agata Kurzela Cecilia D’Souza Rania Habib

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Photo by Young Habibti

On August 4, around 6pm, I was exchanging messages with a friend on Instagram when I scrolled down to see the most horrific sight of two massive explosions unlike anything I had seen before. I was frozen, rewatching the video over and over and realising that I was looking at Beirut and that this was real. Of course, my first instinct was to message everyone I know in the city to check if they were safe. While luckily all responses assured their safety, some had near death experiences, most had their properties and offices destroyed, others had minor injuries, while some shared news about friends and relatives who were badly hurt. The next day videos and images of Beirut filled our social media feeds and news channels, but it wasn’t the city that we knew, which despite its violent and conflict-ridden history, has always been celebrated for its vibrant spirit, its creative energy, and its layers of heritage. This was not the same Beirut and it was heartbreaking to see.

In this month’s issue I had wanted to explore the symbolic and communicative nature of colour within design, art and architecture – be it to enhance a narrative, express a culture, or entice a sense of hope and positivity. But in the face of such an atrocious event, I questioned whether it would be an appropriate narrative.

That is until I started speaking to architects and designers in Beirut and was deeply moved by their sense of purpose to rebuild the city. In fact, watching volunteers flood the city the next day to help those in need and NGOs going straight into action to collect funds to help the city and its people, it is clear why the sense of hope among the creative community is still strong despite the circumstances.

Two weeks after the Beirut blast, I stopped at a post by British-Nigerian designer and artist Yinka Ilori who I had interviewed a week before, and whose work uses colour as a tool to bridge cultures, tell stories, spark positivity, and encourage messages of hope. His newly revealed shop window installations for department store Selfridges’ Project Earth initiative involves three window displays called ‘Dedications to Earth’. Each window offers a view of a natural landscape, created using everyday materials to provoke questions about our relationships with waste and nature.

On the cover, we see one of Yinka’s installations that depicts sun-disks, each one dedicated to every new sunrise that gives us the chance to make a change: a hopeful message that mirrors the voices of the creative community in Lebanon who are not only rebuilding, but doing so with the intention of creating much-needed change in their country.

Inside the pages of this issue, you will find firsthand accounts from Lebanese designers and architects about the evening of the devastating blast and their efforts in helping bring the city and its creative sector back to full strength.

Whether positive or negative, change is a focal word in this year’s vocabulary and each one of us has the ability to push for change in the right direction. Years from now, when we are looking back, let us be content in seeing that we did all we could to make this change a positive one.

Aidan Imanova Editor

Photo: Andy Stagg

Editor’s Note

‘This window is dedicated to every sunrise that gives us the chance to make a change’ - Project Earth by Yinka Ilori for Selfridges.

newswire

Designing with responsibility

G

erman industrial designer Konstantin Gricic and Italian furniture brand Magis have developed an affordable, versatile and more importantly, sustainable chair, that is made entirely from recycled polypropylene. The eco-friendly material is obtained from the waste generated by Magis’ own furniture production and from that of the local car industry. The contemporary monobloc Bell Chair is created using a patented plastic material that can be 100% recycled after use, forming an almost closed material cycle and promoting a circular economy.

“Our aim was to develop a high-quality chair with the bare minimum of material,” explains Gricic. “The target was important to us for ecological reasons, but also from a commercial point of view.”

The chair weighs just 2.7 kilogrammes, making it almost one-and-half-kilos lighter than an average plastic chair due to its minimal use of material, which causes less energy consumption during production. This is due to the ingenious shell shape of the chair which features a bulbous geometry that is not only structurally strong, but is also comfortable and visually appealing.

Gricic says the development of the Bell Chair triggered discussions about Magis’ position on sustainability and using it as a a model for future strategies.

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“The project started with the hypothesis that we could develop a chair that would sell to the public for just €65 (approximately AED284).

This figure conditioned everything: from the technology and type of material we used, right down to the exact amount and weight of material per chair, its cycle time in production and logistical footprint,” Gricic shares. “We wanted the Bell Chair to be affordable to everyone.”

Gricic adds that the market is in need of chairs that are both affordable and versatile. Many of the products available today tend to be either cheap or too exclusive.

“I hope that the story of Bell will herald a shift in the consciousness of the industry. Our project shows that you can do things a little differently. In this sense, the project sets an example for a new approach,” he says.

The chair is available in three colours: Sunrise, High Noon and Midnight.

Magis is available in the UAE by Superstudio (superstudio.me)

identity.ae

The Art Club comes to Dubai

T

he famed Arts Club, which was established in London in 1863 by Charles Dickens among others, is making its international debut in Dubai

later this year at the IDC Brookfield Place, a skyscraper in DIFC designed by Foster + Partners.

The Arts Club Dubai will be designed by a celebrated Milanese firm (we can’t wait to reveal the name!) boasting a rich and sophisticated colour palette, strong textures and playful patterns, resulting in an elegance that is both seamless and decadent.

Blending influences from both past and present, the club has a collection of art-deco and historical furniture pieces and lighting. Sumptuous fabrics adorn the space throughout, adding layers of luxury. Set over four floors covering 65,000 square feet, the club’s rooms will vary in size, from grander lounges and restaurants for entertaining and socialising, to smaller, intimate spaces for business meetings or quiet contemplation. It will also be home to a library, eight craft cocktail bars, a rooftop terrace, a nightclub, cigar lounge and a blank canvas events space.

The club’s membership is set to offer an impressive cultural programme, filled with talks, tastings, exhibitions, workshops, cabarets, panel discussions, music and dance.

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RESIDENTIAL • HOTELS • RESTAURANTS • OFFICE • OUTDOOR

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trends Art of Connection

Made in Africa Ghanian-British designer Sara Efia Reddin will be exhibiting her colourful and elegant lighting fixtures as part of her project Golden Editions which highlights the rich craftsmanship and craft traditions from Ghana, working closely with local makers to create contemporary pieces that stay true to traditional techniques. Art of Connection, a South African gallery, will also present a selection of contemporary furniture pieces, while an exhibition of photographs on urban architecture in Africa will be exhibited by the Institut Français du Design. The Saint-Etienne Biennial will additionally reveal a selection of its programming around African design.

Bishop Apple Bottom by India Mahdavi

Golden Editions

Together in Paris

Cultural exchange The D17/20 workshop, an initiative organised by the French Institute and the Embassies of Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam, will pave the way for a cultural dialogue between French designers and craftsmen from South-East Asia in order to exchange local know-how.

Paris Design Week is returning to the city in celebration of its tenth anniversary (3-12 September). Under the theme (RE) Generation, the event highlights the changing attitudes towards consumption in the home and a renewed art of living.

Pierre Gonalons at National Archives Museum

French know-how Pierre Gonalons will take possession of the apartments of the Prince of Soubise at the National Archives Museum to present twenty unreleased pieces made with the Longwy enamels, as well as collaborations with Masiero and Mineral Expertise. La Manufacture des Emaux de Longwy will also be presenting pieces signed

by India Mahdavi, Françoise Petrovitch, Michaël Cailloux and Nicolas Blandin while the Manufacture de Sèvres will be hosting an exhibition entitled ‘The Artist, the Designer and the Object’, bringing together pieces by Borek Sipek, Aldo Bakker, Sam Baron, Andrea Branzi and Michele de Lucchi, among others. The Féau woodworkers are also opening their workshops to the public for the first time and promising an immersion in the great decorative arts.

Stüdio Emmaus

Sustainability first Stüdio Emmaus is committed to sustainable design by giving new life to neglected objects that are transformed into unique pieces which are also environmentally friendly.

Stüdio Emmaus will be offering three workshops around using design to promote self-esteem and social integration while fighting against waste.

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trends

Lamont The organically-shaped bowl is the perfect for any coffee table or console.

Maxim The retro-futuristic table lamp combines acrylic, iron and glass with a gold and smoky electroplate finish ideal for a side table or desk.

Metallic moment Wayne II Paying subtle homage to Saarinen’s Tulip table, this side table is sleek and stylish crafted from aluminium with a strong black nickel-plated finish.

Marina Home’s latest collection offers an array of furniture, lighting and accessories that boast rich metallic finishes and natural materials.

Dinpal Crafted from iron with an copper top and brass base, these elegant pair of vases will pair wonderfully with freshly cut, short-stemmed roses or tulips.

Chakee II First designed as a rice grinder table, today this antique piece can be used for a trio of candles or succulents.

Amalia The pumpkin-shaped Amalia box is perfect for storing tiny treasures.

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Rebuilding Beirut

While the aftermath of the Beirut blast devastated the city’s historic and modern buildings with many at the risk of collapse, the design and architecture community – who also took a massive hit – pledge to rebuild the city and its creative sector Words by Aidan Imanova 16

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“I

have witnessed and lived through a lengthy civil war, a foreign invasion, assassination attempts, numerous brief wars, a revolution, the economic downfall of my country and a global pandemic; but on August 4, at 6:08pm, I experienced the most traumatic moment of my life,” says architect and designer Rabih Geha, founder of Beirut-based Rabih Geha Architects.

Like many others, Geha was at home during the time of the explosion due to renewed lockdown measures following a surge in COVID-19 cases in the country. Lebanon was already suffering from a financial crisis, food shortages and heightened rates of unemployment. Then at 6:08pm, two massive explosions at the Port of Beirut tore through the sky, causing gigantic clouds of white and orange smoke.

The aftermath saw an apocalyptic devastation of the city, causing the death of over 200 people, leaving 6,000 injured and 300,000 homeless. The blast was caused by approximately 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a chemical compound commonly used as an agricultural fertiliser, which had been stored in a port warehouse over the past six years.

The blast has taken a toll on the city’s architectural heritage, damaging at least 8,000 buildings located

in the historic neighbourhoods of Beirut including Gemmayzeh and Mar Mikhael, where the heart of the creative sector beats. 640 are historic buildings, and according to UNESCO, about 60 of them are at risk of collapse. Among the damaged structures are museums, heritage buildings, art galleries and religious sites. Many of the offices, showrooms and boutiques of the city’s designers, architects, and creatives were also destroyed. But the creative sector vows to rebuild.

Days following the horrific blast, a number of designers and design brands took to social media to express their desire to remain in the city and reconstruct what was destroyed. Designer Nada Debs, whose boutique and studio is completely damaged, has stenciled a slogan inside the boutique that reads: “Our space was destroyed, but we are not”.

“I believe that if each one of us were to support our own communities, building one step at a time, one day at a time, in no time we would have gotten back on our feet again, and this time in a more thoughtful way,” says Debs. She explains that due to the current situation and the financial instability in the country, attention needs to be given to all products that are ‘Made in Lebanon’ in order to support the creative sector.

Architect Bernard Khoury, whose work often cites realities surrounding political conflict, agrees that rebuilding must be done more mindfully than in the past, and supporting Lebanese know-how is one of the vital ways in which the creative community can get back on its feet.

“We should revive and reconnect with local artisans and take this opportunity to celebrate their know-how. This is not just a pragmatic and economical posture. It is a form of resistance; it is also a political act,” he says.

A number of initiatives have been launched to help revive the city’s built environment, rebuild people’s homes and resurrect the city’s creative economy. One such initiative is Bebw’shebbek that

aims to fix as many doors and windows before the arrival of winter to ensure people are safe and warm in their homes. Led by Marianna Wehbeh and Nancy Gabriel, it has already mobilised about 100 young volunteers who are deployed to different areas of the city to assess and survey damages.

“We are going to have to keep asking for donations and materials because at some point we are also going to run out because now there is no more port. We import almost 80% of everything that we consume,” says Wehbe. Bebw’shebbek is currently working with Impact Lebanon, a Beirut-based NGO, to source funds for the project.

Another initiative, Rebuilding Gemmayze, is led by young architect and urban planner Hucen Sleiman, that aims to rebuild 80 buildings on Gemmayze street and preserve the area’s cultural heritage.

However, initial plans have stalled due to an unexpected challenge, according to Hecen, who explains that there is a fear that developers will try buy these heritage buildings and demolish them in order to build new structures, erasing layers of Beirut’s history and culture. The initiative is now working on spreading awareness and having conversations with homeowners in order to convince them to save their homes.

“The areas near the port are expensive and there are no urban planning regulations that prohibit the demolition of buildings, even if they are heritage buildings so all of these homes are basically sitting on gold mines and can be replaced by 20 storey towers. Investors will start using this disastrous situation to create opportunities for themselves to make money,” Hucen predicts, adding that the historic neighbourhoods need to be preserved by any means possible.

Architect Carl Gerges expresses similar sentiments, insisting on the importance of preserving and rebuilding areas like Gemmayze and Mar Mikhael to avoid them transforming into “ghost cities” like other parts of Beirut.

“I just hope that our Beirut won't become another ghost city like Solidaire or Downtown. I hope people won't sell their properties and leave, and that developers won't destroy our heritage — or what's left of it — to build soulless buildings. Everything can be saved,” he says.

Despite the tough set of challenges, the spirit of positivity and hope among the design community is strong and so is the desire to return Beirut to a renewed sense of glory.

“We will rise again,” Geha says. “We will save our heritage and rebuild what was destroyed. It will take years and the road is long, but we as architects and designers have an active role in the reconstruction of our city.”

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Bernard Khoury Architect / DW5

How do you think the design and architecture community in Lebanon and outside can come together to rebuild the studios, homes and heritage identity: Can you describe your experience in the moment of the blast on buildings? What is more important than architecture is what precedes the August 4? Bernard Khoury: I was trying to open a large window. The lock was architectural act. So far, we have seen heroic initiatives from the civil society. The jammed. The blast blew the window open. All doors, windows and frames flew out bankrupt and corrupt state institutions have, once again, failed to perform the of place. Our office is located in the quarantine sector, in the vicinity of the port. It most basic tasks and responsibilities that were supposedly given to them. was heavily damaged. There were about 15 of us in the office, but our injuries were What are some of the main challenges in rebuilding the city? The most obvious challenge is financial. This city is in desperate not too serious: bad cuts resulting in stitches. We’re all fine, need of funds. These will hopefully be given to nonand the office is being rehabilitated. Good soldiers get back on "We should think governmental organisations that will channel them their feet instantaneously. of rehabilitation directly and in the most effective ways, where needed. On How are you currently feeling after the incident? and reconstruction a more architectural and technical level, we should think Invincible but somehow tired. of rehabilitation and reconstruction methods that rely on Did your projects suffer any damages? Many of our buildings methods that rely local know-how rather than blindly adopting international got damaged; some much more than others. Buildings can also on local know-how standards of the construction industry, including the skyheal, but the scars should remain visible. rather than blindly rocketing costs of imports and all materials that rely on The level of community and solidarity between the Lebanese community has been such an inspiration to adopting international foreign currencies. We should revive and reconnect with local artisans and take this opportunity to celebrate their everyone. Do you have hope that you will be able to standards of the know-how. This is not just a pragmatic and economical rebuild the city? Our city is in constant convalescence. It construction industry." posture. It is a form of resistance; it is also a political act. has been the case for the past few decades. Since my return to Are you able to comprehend what the future in Beirut the so-called ‘post-war Beirut’, I have worked on a number of delicate and complex situations. In the absence of a serious and collective approach may look like and what is everyone’s responsibility in this? I am much more to reconstruction, we have – and will – deal with each specific situation by bringing worried about the present. Give the present the seriousness it deserves, and the future will take care of itself. forward meaningful strategies for each and every condition.

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Carl Gerges Architect / Carl Gerges Architects

Where were you during the blast on August 4? It was my friend’s birthday and I was expecting a couple of people over. I was cooking in the kitchen when I heard a loud vibration. I got closer to the living room’s window to see what was happening and then a huge blast blew me back into the kitchen.

I got up and immediately went to hide in the powder room because it doesn't have any windows and this is what we were taught to do growing up in Beirut.

The sound of the blast was so loud and violent that my ears were still ringing.

I waited a couple of seconds and then I started hearing sirens, alarms, people screaming and crying; everything felt really close. I rushed to the balcony and through the smoke and orange fog, buildings started to appear. Beirut was in ruins. The towers were all naked, the houses destroyed, the cars wrecked, and the streets were flooded with glass and blood. It was a traumatic and horrifying sight. When I went back inside, I didn't recognise my apartment: everything was broken. I then, sadly, realised that the home that we spent many years building got wiped out in a blink of an eye. Luckily I got away with a couple of scratches, but I knew that the human losses were going to be colossal, and that my friends and loved ones were the ones directly affected by this crime against humanity.

How are you currently feeling after the incident? If 2020 was a normal year for me I would've said that surviving this explosion would’ve made me stronger.

But I personally have been dealing with disasters for a couple of years now. It started with my band (Mashrou’ Leila) getting censored, banned and attacked many times. I received a series of death threats, got arrested, I watched my country’s economy collapse, our currency devalue like never before. We got shot at, we got robbed, we got in and out of lockdowns a thousand times, we’re still experiencing travel bans, we’re dealing with COVID-19 and now the explosion.

I think I’m feeling a new kind of sentiment that hasn’t been defined yet. I’m enraged, angry, despaired, frustrated, but I still want to put up a fight, to rebuild and to move forward.

Do you have hope that you will be able to rebuild the city? The day following the explosion, while bodies were still under the rubble, volunteers from all over Lebanon came to offer their help. No one from the government or from the authorities lifted a finger, they were busy covering up evidence and slowing down the investigation. It’s the Lebanese people who once again did the government’s job. Unfortunately this is how we were all brought up. We are one of the most resilient populations; not because we are born this way but because we have lived through so many atrocities. I have no doubt that we will rebuild the city, that we will grow even stronger and that we will live and dance again, but I have other concerns. We have to prevent this from happening again.

What do you think are some of the main challenges in rebuilding and how can communities outside help? The challenges are endless.

Designers and architects in Lebanon have already been struggling from the economic collapse. Resources and raw materials have been scarce and extremely

expensive. Besides these practical and financial constraints, I’m worried that the new generation of architects will once again follow the footsteps of the civil war generation that preceded us. It has become a bestseller to talk about war and to get inspired by destruction. I strongly believe that it’s our duty to change this discourse and to shift towards a more positive, constructive and contemporary narrative.

Are you planning on working with any initiatives? We teamed up with a group of designers to survey and renovate impacted traditional Lebanese houses in Gemmayze street. Our goal is mainly to document and archive every single element of these majestic remnants, from plans and elevations, to details, ornaments, ceiling fresques and moulures. Unfortunately, they are heavily damaged and structurally fragile. In case of a partial collapse, we will have all the needed documents on hand to be able to rebuild. In parallel, we will work with structural engineers to reinforce and save the existing weakened structures, and later start renovation and rehabilitation works.

What message would you like to send out to the world? Don’t stop talking about Lebanon.

Are you able to comprehend what the future in Beirut may look like? Lebanon has always been a playground for the world powers. There are so many countries and parties involved, so many complex deals that are happening under the table in a mafia-run, corrupt environment. No one will ever succeed in seeing clearly what the future may look like. We’ve been living in limbo and maybe that was the charm of Beirut, but what just happened is a huge slap in the face and an alarming wake up call. It has become evident that something drastic has to change. I hope that our Beirut won't become another ghost city like Solidaire or Downtown.

I also hope people won't sell their properties and leave, and that developers won't destroy our heritage – or what's left of it – to build soulless buildings. Everything can be saved.

"It has become a bestseller to talk about war and to get inspired by destruction.

I strongly believe that it’s our duty to change this discourse and to shift towards a more positive, constructive and contemporary narrative."

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Carlo Massoud Designer

explosion, I went down to the street to see what was going on and check on my friends and neighbours. It was chaos. I could only see grey and red everywhere. People were screaming and crying, the fire fighters were hopeless. I was trying to understand what happened. Today, I am very sensitive to noise and cannot handle hearing too much of it. We have some difficulties sleeping. We are stressed and very down, but lucky to be alive.

Since that day I never slept in my apartment again. I cannot live in it anymore.

How did you feel seeing so many volunteers take to the streets to help? And are you planning on getting involved in the rebuilding yourself? The day after the explosion, an army of volunteers rushed to the streets to clean and help the inhabitants.

When I saw this, it gave me hopes for the future. And yes, I have gotten in touch with many NGOs and the World Bank who are raising funds to rebuild the city. Architects, engineers, designers, and professionals are working hand in hand to assess the damages and plan the reconstruction.

What were some significant building that were lost, and do you think it would be possible to restore them? The Cocrhane Palace, the Sursock Museum, all the Ottoman and French buildings located on Trabaud and Armenia streets are severely damaged. The Electricite du Liban building, the Silo in the port and so many more structures are damaged. It is an enormous cultural heritage that has been damage and a big loss for every Lebanese citizen.

NGOs are working hard to raise money to restore everything as it was. The government, the Beirut Municipality and all the government institution are doing nothing. They are useless. It is going to take years to rebuild everything.

Is there a message that you would like to send out to communities outside of Lebanon? Don’t give a penny to the Lebanese government. Don’t trust anything they are saying. Help us, help us, help us! We need your support in everything. Talk about us. Don’t forget us.

"Help us, help us, help us! We need your support in everything.

Talk about us. Don’t forget us."

Photography by Sabdra Chidiac

Can you share your experience of what happened at the time of the Beirut blast? On August 4, I was in my apartment/studio located in the historical street of Mar Mikhayel. I was working when I heard the first explosion. I went on my balcony to see what was going on. I saw grey smoke rising to the sky from the port, located 300 metres away. At 6:07pm, the ground shook at 4.5 on the Richter scale. I understood that something was wrong. I only had time to cover my head with my hands and lie on the floor. Then boom.

Was your home and studio damaged? The whole house got destroyed.

The windows, doors, elevator doors, lamps, false ceiling, aluminum window frames, everything got damaged in a single second. Luckily, I lost nothing.

What are your feelings after this incident? It is very hard. After the 20

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Lina Ghotmeh Architect / Lina Ghotmeh Architecture

Can you describe what happened that day on August 4? Where were you during the blast? I arrived in Beirut from Paris on the 3rd of August. I come to Beirut every 2-3 months to follow up the projects I am designing in the country, but also to see the family as they live in Beirut. Barely a day after my arrival, the explosion happened. I was at a seaside café when the blast occurred.

It was totally surreal. I grew up in a Lebanon that was at war, but that explosion was nothing like what we had lived through. Every single person in Beirut felt as if it has happened in his or her own household. I was with my family: my husband and my son and I specifically worried about my son. Living in Paris, he had never experienced any event of this sort and I never wanted him to. It is very difficult to explain to a child why conflicts occur between humans, how such a massive explosion could still happen during our times, why there would be such a large amount of ammonium nitrate stocked almost at the heart of our city.

How are you currently feeling after the incident? It is strange, but time seems to have stopped after that event. I cannot but think of all the people, the extended family, that were injured, lost their lives, lost their homes. The strength of the blast still resonates in one’s heart. This suspension of time holds within it, at the same time, a great deal of will, of energy, of drive to change, to continue to act and contribute to transforming our world into a much better one. I feel like my creative energy as well as responsibility had doubled.

Were there any damages made to your Stone Garden building? Just a day after the explosion, I went to the site. I wanted to understand what truly happened. I went to the port area where I had nearly completed the Stone Garden tower.

Although I designed a resilient structure, I did expect to see it on the ground from the sheer strength of the blast.

But there it was, still standing, its sizzled façade intact, its trees and vegetation growing within each of its openings still attached to the earth. It was surprising, as it stood amidst the dismantled buildings around. Walking into the tower, I then saw that the little glazing within was destroyed, the interiors completely suffered. The blast was so strong that it generated a vortex that warped all of the metal doors and elevators within the edifice.

How did you feel when you saw that your ‘love letter’ to Lebanon was still standing? It was a message of hope, of resilience, despite this very sad and enraging event. It emphasised the importance to keep on writing this love letter to this city that reflects on diversity, that had been a historic crossroad of cultures.

Can you tell me a bit about the project and its significance for you? This is my first project in Beirut. The building is an expression of my lived experience of the city, both formally and geopolitically. Stone Garden is not a building per se for me, it is an emergence, it claims a strong and visceral belonging to the ground from which it appears. It is a sort of creature; it wants to talk to Beirut. I chose to embrace the whole site of this project instead of making a stand-alone tower. Stone Garden

embraces its neighbouring buildings. I then sculpted the massing, trying to challenge preconceptions of how architecture ‘should’ dogmatically be done. The project, dedicated to housing and Mina Image Center Galleries, whispers the story of its urban context through its windows. These are generous spaces, subtractions, havens for a new life. As it appears, Stone Garden pays an ode to the scars of Beirut. It is a contemporary ruin, invaded by nature. The edifice allows nature to be part of our built environment, part of the city’s skyline. It also emphasises the importance of the hand in the making of our buildings, its capacity to generate a whole new emotional realm to architecture. I have designed the façade to be all hand chiselled. It was a healing process.

How do you think the design and architecture community in Lebanon and outside can come together to rebuild the city? Beirut has always been a cross-cultural city. It is diverse, bringing both the East and the West together among the same geography. Beirut needs all the know-how at the moment, as well as solidarity and contributions.

Designers, thinkers, urbanists, architects shall initiate both a mental debate, brainstorming the future of the city, as well as organised actions on the ground, where forces could be combined.

What do you think everyone’s responsibility is in this situation?

We should remember that we are dwellers of this world. Events are not isolated phenomena and crises are not limited to geographies; they impact the balance of the world. It is the responsibility of each one of us to act in times of catastrophe, defending social and human justice. It is the right of our children to live a better world in all territories of this world.

"I went to the port area where I had nearly completed the Stone Garden tower. Although I designed a resilient structure, I did expect to see it on the ground from the sheer strength of the blast. But there it was, still standing."

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Nada Debs Designer / Studio Nada Debs

Can you describe your experience on August 4? I had left my studio on Gemmayze street around 4pm. If it wasn’t for the COVID-19 lockdown, I would have probably still been in the studio or at my Yoga studio, which are both completely damaged.

I happened to be visiting my mother who stays 20 minutes away from Gemmazye street. My mother usually lives in Kobe, Japan but she has been in Beirut taking care of my grandmother who is 102 years old.

What we felt was a very strong earthquake (we’re used to earthquakes in Japan) and then suddenly an explosion and then another huge explosion that completely shook the building and we were quite far from the blast. We saw huge pink smoke from afar that was quite unusual and we couldn’t get the correct news for the next 30 minutes. Meanwhile, when we found out about the location of the blast, my accountant decided to rush over to our studio.

He could hardly get there even with a motorcycle.

People were screaming, bleeding and streets were covered with glass and rubble; he had to park far away and walk. He sent me photos of the devastation of the studio and the boutique.

I was completely shocked. In a few seconds, it was all destroyed just like that, in addition to the the street and the whole area.

How are you currently feeling after the incident? It’s now been almost three weeks. I have good days and bad days. There is this constant feeling of whatever I do is not enough’and I try to calm myself down to tell myself that there’s a role for everybody today and that my role will be clearer as time passes. My feeling, as a leader in my field, is to stay positive and to stay strong because I believe that these

feelings are contagious and that eventually things will move forward if we continue staying positive. Of course, there are many moments of weakness, but I have the gift of seeing the positive side of things and hope that things will improve over time.

This time it will be a long time. I believe I reflect the spirit of the Lebanese people, which is quite contagious; we don’t allow ourselves to stay low for too long.

Did anyone from your team experience any injuries? And how badly is your store and boutique damaged? My team thankfully all went home early because we have a COVID-19 lockdown. But the damages to our boutique and studio were quite severe. My team was amazing in organising the clean-up and assessing damaged furniture and objects. We are now in the process of fixing our windows and repainting and refinishing our studio. As for the boutique, which is on the ground level, it is totally destroyed but instead of fixing it, I’d like to just add some glass doors and keep it in its damaged condition, creating a small memorial of this devastation.

There are some pieces of damaged furniture which I may restore in a special way and display there. Thankfully our workshop is far away so our production is ongoing and we insist on continuing on time deliveries to our clients.

How do you think the design and architecture community in Lebanon and outside can come together to rebuild the city? There are many architects and contractors who are now volunteering to fix homes and heritage buildings and a lot of NGOs are supporting them. There are also NGOs from the design and fashion community which are presently raising funds to support product designers, as well as fashion designers and other creatives. A lot of money is pouring into the country.

We just need to make sure they go to the right places.

What do you think some of the challenges are in rebuilding and how can others help? We have the financial crisis here where everything has tripled in price, so it’s been very good to have money pouring in from outside for initiatives such as re-fixing windows and doors. This has become priority for us, as well as preserving the old heritage houses which did not withstand the explosion as much as the more modern buildings. So monetary donations for trusted NGOs for rebuilding is still a good thing and the easiest way to help for now.

Are you planning on working with any initiatives? Presently I help out some of the NGOs through financial aid but eventually I have some ideas in mind in terms of sustainable job creation for the youth, which is something that I am interested in.

What message would you like to send out to the world? The more we get help in supporting the trustable NGOs that are rebuilding, the faster the city will get back on track. Also, as someone who really believes in the creative industry in Lebanon, whether it is fashion, design, jewellery, graphics, architecture or music, I would appreciate that special attention be given to all products that are 'Made in Lebanon' in support of all those who have worked so hard to build this amazing community.

How does the future look to you at the moment? At this moment, it is very hard to look too far into the future, so I believe that if each one of us were to support our own communities, building one step at a time, one day at a time, in no time we would have gotten back on our feet again, and this time in a more thoughtful way.

"My feeling, as a leader in my field, is to stay positive and to stay strong because I believe that these feelings are contagious and that eventually things will move forward if we continue staying positive."

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world

Rabih Geha Architect and designer / Rabih Geha Architects

Can you tell us your experience of what happened on August 4? That day, my wife Ghida and I were working on the terrace when we suddenly felt what we thought was an earthquake. Less than a minute later, I saw the explosion. I grabbed Ghida and ran inside. It took a couple of seconds for the sound and blast to reach us and propel us in. Our kids, who were also home, at the other end of the house started screaming and running towards us. There are no words to express what I felt at that moment, seeing our home shattered, our kids terrified, covered in white dust, it was surreal.

Did you suffer any injuries or damages to your property?

While the only harm that we witnessed at home and at work is material damage, our thoughts and prayers are with the people who lost their loved ones, the ones who were injured and the ones who lost their homes.

A large part of the city was destroyed, homes and neighbourhoods close to the blast site literally exploded, leaving nothing but rubble.

Gemmayze and Mar Mikhael, home to galleries, design boutiques and workshops, Lebanese designers' offices and showrooms with beautiful traditional architecture and heritage buildings are completely wrecked. The residents lost everything. The day after the explosion I walked the streets of Mar Mikhael, Gemmayze, Downtown and Ashrafieh and I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing.

How has this affected the design and architecture communities? Lebanon has been going through an economic crises and the architecture and design industry has been hit as well. The repair of homes, showrooms, offices will be a struggle.

The buildings in those areas suffered severe internal and external damage and their repairs will be extremely costly. The preservation of architectural heritage will be very challenging.

Damages in the most hit areas have been mapped out and funds are being raised to help start rebuilding. A lot of associations and NGOs are receiving funds and are on the ground with volunteers to support the victims in every possible way, helping the injured, cleaning the streets and the houses, repairing destroyed homes, providing meals.

Do you have hope that the city will be rebuilt? Our dreams have been shattered, years of work broken into pieces, but Beirut and its people are resilient.

"Our dreams have been shattered, years of work broken into pieces, but Beirut and its people are resilient.

We have been through a lot and we survived.

We will rise again."

We have been through a lot and we survived. We will rise again. We will save our heritage, rebuild what was destroyed. It will take years and the road is long, but we as architects and designers have an active role in the reconstruction of our city.

The sad thing is that this crime against the Lebanese people could have been avoided. The aftermath of it is disastrous. 300,000 people without homes, more than 200 people dead and 7,000 injured, and still counting. What the Lebanese people went through is a trauma of epic proportions. We have all been affected in one way or another, physically, emotionally and psychologically. It is with courage and hope that we will overcome this tragedy. Together we will rebuild. id

Visit identity.ae to find out ways you can donate to Beirut.

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cover story

Inside the colourful

world of Yinka Ilori Photography by Andrew Meredith

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cover story

Yinka Ilori’s work is instantly recognisable.

With its confident use of saturated colours and playful patterns inspired by West African culture, the British-Nigerian designer continues to make his mark on the design scene – on his own terms.

Words by Aidan Imanova

“I

f you can, depict a scene where you’re in Lagos,” says 33-year-old British-Nigerian designer Yinka Ilori over a Zoom call from his studio in North Acton, London. “It’s busy, there’s sunshine, everyone is wearing colour. It’s pretty special. I try to bring those scenes and that culture into my work.”

Ilori’s parents moved to the UK from Nigeria in the 1980s. He was brought up in Islington in north London, but growing up in London was difficult for someone with a dual identity. “You are told that, while yes, you are in London and yes, you are British, you are also Nigerian, you are not English – don’t ever get it wrong”. Exploring this duality in his identity is a strong theme in Ilori’s work that draws immediate parallels with his upbringing.

“My Nigerian-British heritage has given me a subject matter that I can talk about. If we are talking about sustainability in Nigeria or vernacular architecture or colour, fabrics, lace. There is so much history that I can dig into, such as post-colonialism, slavery; there are so many layers of history that I can talk about and reference in my work. I know that I will never run out of stories or inspiration because it is literally all in the motherland.”

Ilori began his career by readapting chairs as part of a project assigned to him by his tutor Jane Atfield

during his studies at the London Metropolitan University, inspired by Martino Gamper’s 100 Chairs in 100 Days. The process of finding something that was discarded and giving it a new life and narrative was attractive to Ilori, who thrived off storytelling – something he also attributes to the rich oral tradition of telling parables in Nigeria. He also adds that he was “a shy designer and a bit of an introvert”, so creating objects that told their own stories offered a level of comfort where his work would speak for itself.

“For me they were never just chairs, they told stories, they held feelings, they held emotions. We cry on a chair, we argue on a chair, we love on a chair. They are such powerful objects and I think sometimes, we take these objects for granted because they are so accessible, but also so disposable.”

He also loves the community spirit and spontaneity of everyday objects – something he recognised in the way objects were treated in his parent’s village in Nigeria. People around him would use these objects as seating – be it a concrete block or an old tire, allowing them to become part of the community and form conversations.

“I think for me, just seeing how everyday objects are used to create spaces is powerful and how they create a sense of hierarchy in these spaces. For example, in my household, my dad

has a chair that he likes to sit on, and it just shows this connection with an object and how this object is given power or status,” Ilori explains.

He launched his first collection in 2015, at a time where he was growing increasingly frustrated with the design industry in the UK. “For me, design wasn’t a very inclusive space that celebrated different cultures and it wasn’t inclusive for people of colour.

It was quite an elitist thing,” he shares.

Ilori says that things are definitely changing now.

“If we look at what is happening around the world with Black Lives Matter, a lot of industries have been called out for their lack of diversity especially at the top, which is where the change starts. It is a slow transition and it isn’t going to happen overnight.

People are always scared of change and what change can bring, but for me, I love change and I’m always excited for change.

“There are so many voices and so many stories still to be heard in design. I think once the design industry, not only in London, but around the world can celebrate people of colour and celebrate designers from different backgrounds, allow them into the industry and allow them to tell their stories, you will see a huge change in design. Not only in what you see aesthetically, but also in how the public can enjoy the work that is being put out.”

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cover story

Colour Palace, Dulwich Picture Gallery, London

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Photography by Adam Scott

cover story

Project Earth for Selfridges, London

Photography by Andrew Stagg

He adds that the rise of social media has also allowed designers to carve their own path: “A lot of people are no longer asking for a foot in the door or asking to be accepted. The power of social media is allowing people to create their own platforms and allowing them to make their own keys and put it in the door and open it themselves.”

Back in 2015, being someone who belonged to two different cultures wasn’t a narrative that he felt was encouraged or understood within the design industry.

Nor how that experience could translate into a piece of furniture. “I don’t think they understood it, and I don’t think the industry was ready to see something like that,” he says. So, Ilori decided to produce a body of work completely on his own terms. “It changed my life.”

He self-launched a collection of five chairs called ‘If Chairs Could Talk’ that was inspired by five people with whom he grew up: each chair embodied their stories and reflected a parable told to him to by his parents The collection had to be real and honest, he says. The feedback was immense. Pieces from If Chairs Could Talk have since been acquired by the Brighton Museum

and the Museum of London and have been exhibited at the Vitra Design Museum. He cites it as his “first body of work that had a really strong subject matter.”

“I have three left in that collection, and I am saving them for the rest of my life.”

As his work continued to grow, and commissions poured in from the likes of Cannes Film Festival, Pepsi, Universal Music and Kvadrat as well as the Somerset House and the London Architecture Festival, Ilori’s work became increasingly associated with his use of colour.

“The function of colour for me is an extension of who I am,” he explains. “It is an extension of my culture and my identity.” He often gets asked, ‘how do you use colour like that?’ and he replies that he doesn’t know.

“I just do it. It comes naturally to me and you know what? I’ve never had to ask myself that question.” Ilori explains that his confidence with colour stems from his parents who didn’t seek validation for the colours they wore, or the shades that they mixed and matched.

“I know there is colour theory but to me, there are no rules in how you apply colour.”

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cover story

IfWW Chairs Could Talk, upcycled furniture series

A Large Chair Does Not Make A King; an installation for the Africa Centre, London

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Photography by Andrew Meredith

cover story

Does he ever feel pigeonholed? “Yes. But, I’m over it,” he says. “It does have a shadow over my design capabilities. Sometimes someone will say, ‘oh you did the colour, and I would say, ‘no, I designed the whole thing’. So, it’s quite tough. But I’m not very bothered anymore.

Not to sound arrogant, but I think being able to use colour in this way is a gift and I should celebrate that fact. So yes, I am now OK with it because colour will always be a huge part of my practice, a huge part of my life and what I do.”

One of Ilori’s biggest commissions to date is the Colour Palace, a temporary pavilion set on the manicured lawns of the Dulwich Picture Gallery in London’s middle-class neighbourhood. Created in collaboration with Pricegore, it celebrates a fusion of European and African cultural traditions, paying homage to multicultural London.

A Dutch wax print on display in a Lagos market that is mirrored in London’s ‘Little Lagos’ in nearby Peckham inspired the bold geometric pattern of the pavilion, creating a powerful contrast against the gallery building designed by Sir John Soane that sits alongside it. Ilori says that the pavilion is his most rewarding project to date.

“I think it is about what it represented for me and what it did for the culture, for people of colour and what it did for multiculturalism.

It made people feel like they could go to a space that they weren’t able to go to before or didn’t feel comfortable going. It allowed people to mingle in ways they maybe wouldn’t have before. It brought black people, white people, Asians; every race together. It unified people.

And I think that is very powerful and that is what architecture should do. It should be able to allow all people to feel a sense of belonging.”

Ilori also believes in the power of design to create joy, positivity, hope and an opportunity to make memories. During the London Design Festival, he collaborated with a non-profit social enterprise, Restoration Station, working with people in addiction recovery to upcycle furniture that was later auctioned and donated to the organisation. He has overhauled a “gloomy underpass” in south

London with vibrant colours and bold pattens through a project called Happy Street, creating a welcoming space for pedestrians and cyclists that the community can be proud of. His latest public art project with the NHS in light of the COVID-19 pandemic features a mural that reads: ‘better days are coming, I promise’.

Ilori has also recently unveiled a milestone project: three shop windows for the Selfridges department store in London as part of an initiative called Project Earth, which he says has “always been a dream of mine”. The three shop windows are called ‘Dedications to Earth’ depicting different natural landscapes using everyday materials to provoke questions about people’s relationships with nature and waste.

“I discuss tough topics, but I always try to finish off with a positive message and I always try to do it in a more subtle way so it’s not just saying ‘life is so amazing’, but that this is what is happening. But we are allowed to be positive and we are allowed to be hopeful. I think as a designer and as an artist, I have the responsibility to give people some kind of compassion, hope and joy, because life is tough.

“I usually ask people, ‘what’s the first thing you do when you see my work?’ and a lot of people answer that they smile. If a person sees my work for the first time and their initial reaction isn’t positive, then I would feel like I have failed. I want to create joy in my work.” id

“My Nigerian-British heritage has given me a subject matter that I can talk about. I know that I will never run out of stories or inspiration because it is literally all in the motherland."

Happy Street, Thessaly Rosh Bridge as part of London Festival of Architecture THE COLOUR ISSUE

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art

Intersecting light, form and colour No. 901 Folded Grid, 2019 Jesmonite H165 x W146 x D4 cm

Photography by Philip White

British-Bangladeshi artist, Rana Begum, reflects on childhood memories, not wanting to be defined by her background and learning about colour Words by Aidan Imanova 30

art

No. 673 M Drawing, 2016 Powder-coated mild steel & paint on mild steel sheet H165 x W98 x D108 cm

Photography by XXXXX

W

hen Rana Begum arrived in the UK with her family, she was only six years old and didn’t speak a word of English. Drawing replaced language – something the British-Bangladeshi artist always struggled with. By the time she reached the end of her schooling, art was the only subject she was truly excelling at, although a lot of effort was put into persuading her family.

“My father realised how I wasn’t willing to give up on it, and how determined I was. When I applied for my BA, he knew I was nervous about how I was going to take all my work over for the interview. By then I had made a lot of sculptural work and things that you couldn’t just put in a portfolio. So, he actually hired a man with a van and surprised me. He was shocked when I sold my degree show. He couldn’t understand how I could possibly make any money from art. He came to the show just to see what it was that I do. He said, ‘anyone can make this’, she recalls, humourously. “He is no longer around,” Begum adds. “I wish he could see where I am now in my career.”

Begum is currently one of the most in-demand artists whose works have been showcased in cities including London (where she now lives and works), Hong Kong and Dubai

– where she was awarded the Abraaj Group Art Prize in 2017 as well as being represented by the Third Line Gallery in Alserkal Avenue, where her solo show, ‘Perception and Reflection’ took place in 2019.

Begum’s sculptural works combine abstract forms and geometry, using mostly industrial materials and a dose of spontaneity and motion, where a change of light in the environment could impact the form and the use of fluorescent colour. The viewer also plays a vital role in the work, who is encouraged to observe the pieces from multiple perspectives, gracing it with a transformational natue. The simplicity and geometry in Begum’s work is born from a number of influences – some which were, at first, subconscious. These range from the geometric patterns found in Islamic art and architecture to her upbringing that involved rituals of repetition such as praying five times a day and reading the Qur’an.

“What I am excited about is this kind of connection with the things that I see. The vibrant bold colours that you see in Islamic art and architecture and the bold use of geometry. The idea of the infinite. It all kind of stems from there and these are things that I am excited by. But I also still love the relevance that it has to now, and to my experiences.”

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art

Begum’s childhood memories from Bangladesh have also inspired many of the principles that arise in her work, such as the honest yet ephemeral influence of light.

“It was through Cognitive Analytical Therapy that I realised that I spent a lot of my childhood in Bangladesh kind of just staring into space. I used to stare at the water quite a lot, watching the reflections and the light changing. I also used to stare at the rice fields. Just rows and rows of ricefields and watching the movements of the plants. And that’s when it hit me. I was like, ‘my God, it kind of makes sense now’.”

However, Begum explains that despite the struggle, she did not want to be defined by her background: “I was really keen to keep the doors open and not be pigeonholed. As much as I was struggling as a female Muslim artist, I was determined to not go down that road. I wanted the work to naturally develop and find its position in the art world,” she says.

Begum began working with figurative and representational art although her works already possessed some of the elements she is known for today.

Discovering constructivist and abstract artists such as Donald Judd, Sol Le Witt, Agnes Martin and Kenneth Martin allowed her to visualise the potential and growth of her own work.

Is she comfortable being labeled a minimalist? “There has always been this thing where people have to attach a label and I have always tried to stay away from that.

But I feel that people need some kind of anchor and I think minimalist is the closest to what I am trying to do, so for me it hasn’t been a problem,” she says.

On the other hand, she does not agree when her work is described as ‘illusionary’: “I have an issue with the word ‘illusion’ because I feel that that is not something that I am trying to do with my work. Its never been about deceiving the viewer.

It is honest in terms of the material I use and how it is used as well,” she says.

Begum’s research initially began with form and light and only in 2008 was she able to introduce colour into her work. She realised she couldn’t do it all at once and needed to separate them in order to bring them together eventually.

“I really struggled with colour. You wouldn’t think that, but, I definitely struggled with colour and that’s why I wanted to spend time to understand colour a bit more.

Now I feel more confident and I can work with colour a lot better than I used to.

“I feel like now, form, light and colour are points that create this triangle [in my work] and one can’t work without the other. I knew, before, that I wasn’t quite there yet. I knew that I wasn’t achieving what I wanted to. The earlier work helped me understand something I didn’t understand at first. I needed to go through that process,” she explains.

Begum’s solo exhibition, ‘The Space Between’ at the Parasol Unit Foundation for Contemporary Art in London in 2016, curated by the foundation’s founder and director, Ziba Ardalan, allowed Begum to achieve a greater sense of understanding of her work as it brought together a selection of past and recent works in a manner that was “slightly chronological”.

“It really helped bring things together and make sense of what I am doing. The Parasol Unit exhibition gave me the confidence that I needed,” Begum shares.

She is also beginning to create more affordable works. “A lot of the work that I do goes into collectors’ homes. But I have started doing prints and working with Cristea Roberts Gallery and those pieces are more accessible. I think that is important,” she says.

Begum has also recently contributed to the NHS 100 Rooms initiative, her work now gracing the walls of the respite rooms for frontline workers in hospitals across east London.

“I have spent a lot of time at the hospitals because my father was quite ill, and he was in and out of hospitals for years. And I know we really valued the artworks that were in the waiting room or in the hallway. It made a massive difference to us. For me knowing that the art makes a difference to your mental health was a big deal,” she says.

“In these times of COVID-19, you have to do what you can. It’s not easy. The best thing is to know that the art can make a difference.” id

Photography by Anne-Katrin Purkiss

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art

No. 764 Baskets, 18-2017 Handmade bamboo baskets (Dimensions variable)

Photography by Paul Allitt

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interiors

Eclectic escape

A restructured Berlin apartment offers a chromatic fantasy, blending a myriad of styles, colours and influences in ways only Dimorestudio can

Words by Aidan Imanova Photography by Beppe Brancato

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interiors

Ceiling lamp by Ingo Maurer.

Desk by Luigi Caccia Dominioni for Azucena.

Chair by Warren Platner for Knoll.

Wallpaper jungle weave, Dimoremilano Progetto Tessuti.

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interiors

Central ceiling lamp Lampada 027 by Dimoremilano.

Armchairs and poufs by Corrado Corradi del Acqua for Aazucena.

Circular Tavolo Basso 052 in marble and oxidised brass edging.

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interiors

Marle table by MangiarottI. Set of five Rising Sun chiard by Gabriella Crespi (courtesy of Dimoregallery) Ceiling lamp by Gino Sarfatti Custom-made cupboard design by Dimorestudio

T

he eclectic synchronicity of Milan-based Dimorestudio’s signature style is discernable in the design of this Berlin apartment for entrepreneur-couple, Bodo and Victoria Andrin. The client's simple brief dictated a “cool and contemporary space” that satisfied various scenarios to entertain family, friends and colleagues.

Set inside a recently reconstructed building in the city’s central Mitte district, the 587 metre square flat – which originally consisted of three apartments – was turned into a single space for the homeowners

by Dimorestudio, who created a series of scenographic interiors with assorted, open spaces. The couple were introduced to the design duo, Emilio Salci and Britt Moran, by common friends, who thought the studio’s work would perfectly fit the needs of the homeowners.

“The first encounter between the homeowners Mr and Mrs Andrin, happened in Milan at our studio where we discussed their needs and wishes,” Salci and Moran share. “In our work, the space,

the location, the city and of course, the owner’s taste all factor into the final result. There is almost a first inspiration upon discussing a new project, talking about likes and dislikes – perhaps over lunch – that reveals how the space should be tackled and indeed conjures up ideas immediately.”

The layout of the flat could not be altered so the designers relied upon furniture and finishes to orchestrate different proposals that best reflect the perfect balance between the clients’ needs and the studio’s aesthetic.

As entertainment was at the core of the brief, Dimorestudio crafted interiors that catered to different forms of socialising and entertaining, prioritising spaces to talk and eat. As a result, the apartment features two living rooms and one dining room.

“Our favourite place in the apartment is the red living room with the bar,” the designers say. “We have added a Milanese touch with the doorways of the corridor, the bar counter, the door handles, and the custom-made doors.”

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interiors

Easy chairs by Otto Schultz (courtesy Dimoregallery).

Mid-century floor lamp by Angelo Lelii.

Azucena sideboard surmounted by a painting from Berlinese artist Plus Fox.

The colour palette spans from dusty pink to red Campari, pistachio and powder blue, while lush cues are applied across the apartment, from sculptural greenery to leafy wallpapers, contrasted with decadent applications of natural materials, such as wood, resulting in a juxtaposition of bold and playful escapism.

“For the Berlin apartment, we used saturated colours, such as an orange-red-opium hue, blues, shades of greens, and ochre. We custom-designed the bookcases, the doors, the bar, the beds and the cupboards, and we used our signature materials, such as velvet, glossy lacquered woods and brass,” Salci and Moran explain.

The apartment depicts the studio’s surprising combinations that are born out of a trademark style that constantly moves between references from design, art, architecture and fashion. The widely recognised vision of Salci and Moran 38

allows for the co-existence of contrasting materials and time periods, forming a continuous dialogue between past and present, as well as traditional and contemporary that shapes each project with its specific atmosphere. The Berlin apartment is no different. Boasting a mix of different periods and styles with a contemporary edge spanning Art Deco, Bauhaus, as well as references from the late 1950s and 60s.

The design also showcases the duo’s unwavering inspiration of Italian and Milanese details, featuring designers, such as Gio Ponti, Carlo Scarpa, Luigi Caccia Dominioni, alongside custom-made furnishings designed by Dimorestudio.

“For every space or environment we create, we always try to infuse it with a unique flavour through the use of unusual and unexpected colours and by using different materials and mixing past and present, tradition and contemporaneity,” the designers conclude. id

interiors

Afghan wood and braided chair.

Hand-knoted carpet by Renata Bonfanti.

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design focus

DESIGN FOCUS

WORKSPACES With home and corporate work spaces continuing to blur, we investigate some emerging trends and product designs that are redefining the way we work

WORDS BY AGATA KURZELA

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workspaces

Rayures by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for Glasitalia Available at Superstudio

I

n recent years workspaces have become more relaxed, accented with areas for interaction and exchange.

They have been softened by tactile and raw materials, dotted with break-out zones, cafes and pantries, all seeking to increase engagement. These spaces are inviting, unthreatening, comforting – almost domestic.

This evolution from the formal office of the late 20th century owes a lot to the ‘high-tech cool’ of Silicon Valley campuses and their home-like comforts. At the same time, the migration of technology to our mobile phones and our scattered habits caused by faster communication tools blurred the once solid line between office and home. Now workdays bleed into private time.

The setup of the home office, however, has been largely an afterthought; often just a leftover corner for a foldable desk.

When the pandemic shuttered corporate workspaces and – at least for a while – made us work from home full-time, the shortcomings of our home-office arrangements became starkly evident. Now we want it all: an unobtrusive and pleasant extension of our homes, that is at the same time ergonomic, acoustically sound, and properly lit.

The new reality also forced our private, often improvised space to merge with the public domain. With routines involving frequent videoconferencing, the boundaries crumbled. Subject to video scrutiny when our cameras are on, we have tried to curate our homes to create attractive environments for our Microsoft Teams and Zoom meetings.

Alternatively, we experiment with digital backgrounds, trying to combine physical and digital space with varying degrees of success.

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design focus

Decentralised, satellite, hybrid Facebook’s founder Mark Zuckerberg stated this year that he expected 50% of the company’s workforce to be working remotely by 2030.

Twitter’s CEO Jack Dorsey stated that his company’s employees could work from home permanently if they choose to do so. Other firms are selling their completed headquarters, opting instead for a more distributed workforce.

Yet, according to US-based management consulting firm McKinsey & Company's recently published research, an estimated 88%

of employees in the United States will return to their office by the end of the year. Regardless of whether this happens or not, the skills we acquired during the pandemic — and the changes caused by the experience — are here to stay.

Companies are likely to alter their approach to real estate, favouring hybrid solutions away from a single central office that is supported, instead, by a network of satellite co-working spaces and home offices.

Even before the pandemic, access to the internet

Palette by Jaime Hayon for &tradition.

Available in the GCC at Superstudio.

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and the rise of cloud-based solutions allowed us to perform a range of office-based jobs flexibly and remotely — from cafes, airports, hotel rooms and homes. A further drive toward the gig economy, outsourcing and the fragmentation of workforce will fuel the use of those spaces.

Hotels also found a way to jump on the band wagon by renting out rooms and common areas for work purposes through platforms, such as meow.space, dayuse.com and the UAE-based letswork.io.

workspaces

Opposing trends We are also likely to see two opposing trends that will shape the future of offices and workspaces.

The corporate office will become highly choreographed, offering a sophisticated space that cannot be duplicated at home, akin to a movie set that signals corporate identity, ethics and mission, conveying concern for employee wellbeing. The centrally located high-end HQ is here to stay, partially as a conservative expression of stability and as part of an anchor for the organisation.

This stylistic adaptation will soon enough start populating our Pinterest feeds, away from the current dominance of pastels and fluted surfaces combined with blond timber, terrazzo, and arches. In the corporate world we expect to see more high-tech minimalism,

with perfect lighting, less clutter and lab-like clean lines.

On the other side of the spectrum we are likely to see the continued trend of office merging into home, offering a space that is private, cosy and domestic.

While the COVID-19 trauma is fresh, changes in the corporate office will be driven by perceptions of “dirty” (common areas) versus “clean” (user’s spaces). Smoother, wipeable, self-cleaning and anti-microbial surfaces will be preferred over those that are tactile, rough and vintage.

We also won’t escape the frequent and visible placement of hygiene products and a revamping of shared pantries and coffee areas.

In that context, it is easy to see how the home environment will continue to feel safer and less distracting.

Sage SitStand Desk and Workbench by David Rockwell for Benchmark

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design focus

Flexibility, adaptability, performance Changes to real estate and fit-out are expensive and time consuming, and so flexibility and adaptability become an asset. For now, many of those decisions will be based on common sense solutions and a focus on optimisation.

Herman Miller, in its white paper, displays options for reconfiguring floorplans using existing furniture, in order to assist with social distancing.

Similarly, an increasing number of products are targeting quick space reconfiguration and adaptation. For example Vitra is offering a system of screens and screen extensions in an attempt to provide more protection to employees.

Mathias Nero for Zilenzio.

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Technology also comes to the aid of navigating people away from a fixed spot within the workplace.

Steelcase’s recently launched portable Flex Mobile Power module provides users with 200-watt hours of power out of one charge. Miniature portable projectors, with decent audio performance and rechargeable batteries, can now also assist with presentations wherever we choose – from a cafe to a picnic-style boardroom meeting in a park.

With ergonomics of work drifting away from the fixed desk setup, we are moving toward a more discrete and more modular organisation of space and furniture.

workspaces

Flex Collection by Steelcase.

Available in the UAE at OFIS.

Wellbeing everywhere Adjustable sit-stand desks were initially only found in high-end product lines aimed at the C-suite executives. Herman Miller, Steelcase and Vitra have all designed height-adjustable desks. One testament to the trend becoming mainstream is that Ikea has two of such models in its range, bringing the concept to the level of an affordable essential item that can be used at home. Sage Collection for Benchmark has the same functionality, and allows an effortless transformation between desk, dining table and bar, with no aesthetic compromises away from domestic warmth.

Other companies offer add-on 'hacks' that temporarily transform dining tables into work desks complete with acoustic partitions and clipon storage solutions. Buzzi Space’s Tripl Home and

Zilenzio’s Focus offer simple removable textile dividers that can be added to any table and cocoon users to help with focus and visual separation.

Additonally, Arper, deVorm and Zeitraum offer products from desks to free-standing screens while the spectacular Sherazad and Rayures by the Bouroullec brothers for Glasitalia take us away from minimalism and pushes us into the rich world of stained glass.

Karakter’s minimal Desk Console Series by Paul McCobb, originally designed in 1952, together with Office Desk by Bodil Kjær, nicknamed the James Bond Desk, and indeed featured in the Bond series, remain on the more restrained side; their perfect proportions and craftsmanship clearly evident.

On the other hand, the Sled drawer and Studio

storage units by Very Good & Proper address the issue of the sudden buildup of paperwork that has found its way into the home, allowing for a clutter-free home-office space. Other products such as Hay’s infinitely configurable New Order and Sancal’s Estante juggle soft and hard materials. For maximum impact – and if price tag is not an issue – try La Chance’s radically iridescent Bump credenza.

No office is complete without proper lighting and Artemide’s Lotek table light is equally attractive as it is adjustable, echoing constructivist forms that are reinterpreted in a new set of colours. Meanwhile, Moustache’s Olo table lamp can be easily flipped between different scenarios, and so can the overhead Dorval lamp from Lambert and Fils which twists and turns as desired. id

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sponsored

Leading by revolution Bene, global designer of modern working environments, introduces a new office concept, PORTS, inspired by changing dynamics of leadership in the workspace. Curated by London design studio Pearson Lloyd, PORTS is both a concept and a furniture collection that aims to revolutionise the workplace. identity speaks to designer Tom Lloyd to learn more

How was PORTS designed to transition between a concept and a line of furniture? How do the two interconnect? Tom Lloyd: PORTS really came out of a continued research into the broader context of people and relationships within the office and a breaking down of traditional hierarchical boundaries.

Since 2007 we have been working with Bene in search of new ways of interpreting the workplace. Since then, new ideas have emerged every year in our search for better and more effective working environments.

Throughout these developments, we noticed that little of this thinking was being used to consider how senior leaders can better be supported in their work. ‘Management’ furniture seems stuck in a traditional status-driven style with little attempt to think creatively about what leaders need and how their work can also be enhanced. This was the starting point for PORTS. How did the region influence the concept behind the design?

The range has been designed with the Middle East in mind — featuring a unique Majilis lounge for collaborative working. This relaxed yet safely spaced lounge is the perfect sitting space for meetings and connecting.

How does PORTS respond to the changes in the way we work due to COVID, as well as to general global office trends?

Bene’s own research shows that everything is changing as we embrace new ways of working post-COVID. Organisations must accept and encourage new kinds of management and rituals, with multifunctional spaces that reflect the different ways people work.

Tom Lloyd and Luke Pearson

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With the arrival of COVID, our working practices changed. The world of work has become more and more distributed, and technology has transformed the way we connect to our world. Today we really do work wherever we happen to be. In terms of global office trends, the private office is slowly disappearing. And managers are becoming more open, collaborative, democratic – and younger. So they need as much time and space as possible to plan how they will fulfil their Photo: Wolfgang Zlodej responsibilities and to think creatively.

The Majilis concept allows everyone to own their own space and table functions. By avoiding shared touch points, this supports the health and safety protocols that COVID now demands.

As working from home increases, we believe there will be more need for work settings that are shared between teams. PORTS delivers these shared executive spaces perfectly.

How does the concept and collection redefine the concept of hierarchy? The market for management space and furniture is still defined by hierarchy and old ideas of status, with no sense of what the user needs; it has not changed for over a century. PORTS seeks to redefine what a private work space looks like and how it works.

PORTS has been designed for leaders, but in our view supports a far more integrated and democratic working environment. It’s really for everyone and anyone who needs time and space to think, organise, retreat, in an atmosphere that encourages clear thinking.

PORTS is also a place for collaboration, a place to communicate easily – talk, speak, present, discuss, plan, create.

How does it reflect flexibility? The New Leadership office is a

Photo: Wolfgang Zlodej

dynamic place and an unpredictable one because the conventional signals that say ‘leader’ are no longer necessary in the same way.

What we need now are truly intelligent spaces that promote dialogue and focus. For this reason, PORTS layout flexibility will make it highly flexible in a variety of spaces.

Can you describe some of the key features of the collection?

PORTS consists of three elements: A shelving system, a table and a functional lounge furniture collection.

The flexible shelf unit, in which personal storage space and space for technology is available, also fulfils a double role as a room divider.

The height-adjustable rise and fall table is optically very simple, but the subtleties lie in the details. It’s a 4-leg table with a height adjusting motor in each leg, which means it has a very light and minimal structure. It becomes a piece of furniture again when most of these creations look like complex machines.

The Task Lounge is a lounge chair with a unique tilting seat pan to allow relaxed reading and reclined work, but when activated, it places the user in a much more upright posture for laptop work.

The unit is suited with a screen and laptop table which provides multiple positions, allowing lots of different settings to be created.

The support structure is a screening element, meaning the chair can be placed in the open, but provides a degree of privacy.

The lounge chair and sofa collection really flows out of the Task Lounge Chair, these elements are in many ways very conventional lounge chairs and sofas. However, these should not be missing in modern office landscapes and are the perfect addition to the product family.

PORTS is available at Bene Middle East: office@bene.com, +971-4-568-7131

interiors

Cabinet of curiosities Spanish creative studio Masquespacio has designed a radical co-working space that breaks all the rules Words by Aidan Imanova

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hat would a co-working space designed specifically for creatives look like? Spanish design studio Masquespacio has imagined an unconventional space called Cabinette that pulls away from stereotypical assumptions of workspaces and instead transports visitors to a future that is reminiscent of the past.

The colour-blocked interior recalls – and is inspired by – a French film from the 1970’s called ‘Play Time’ in which the main character arrives at a meeting in an office full of ‘cabinets’ that are formed into a labyrinth.

He then proceeds to get lost, later finding himself at an art exhibition.

Similarly, Cabinette blends styles and forms from the ’70s with a retrofuturistic view of the present, bringing with it vibrant, joyful and unconventional energy.

“With the colour blocking, we were able to create a strong impact without spending a large amount of the budget. The colour scheme needed to be bright with a futuristic approach to dislodge visitors,” explains Christophe Penasse, co-founder of Masquespacio.

“We used mainly paint, lighting features and curtains with a touch of velvet for the seating to give a certain luxurious touch to the overall futuristic space,” he adds.

Masquespacio wanted to create an environment that inspired people to break away from traditional ideas, using elements such as inverted picture frames and curtains to encourage questions on what is conventional and re-think the ‘normal’ in everyday life.

The space also offers a touch of irony that is further enhanced by the tongue-in-cheek furniture and lighting selections from Houtique, for which Masquespacio serve as artistic directors, as well as being the owners of Cabinette. The co-working space includes the Houtique’s array of whimsical pieces such as the Wink lamps, the Arco chairs and the Déjà-Vu stool, reflecting the sexy and fun spirit of the brand.

The co-working space also includes meeting rooms, a tranquil outdoor terrace, a kitchen and “closed cabinets” that double up as phone booths.

“Downstairs we wanted the co-workers to use their ‘cabinettes’ that include individual tables with dividers to create their own world that spills into a shared working space,” Penasse explains.

“At the open kitchen, we hope the co-workers can

share a cup of coffee and a lot of great ideas. Upstairs we included two closed rooms that can be used for smaller team meetings or brainstorming sessions.

The idea is that the same cabinets can also be used to make private phone calls. There is another larger room upstairs that will be used for bigger or more formal meetings.”

Penasse believes that the COVID-19 pandemic has created an even bigger impact on the growth of co-working spaces across the globe that will continue even after the crisis.

“Now more than ever, bigger companies will realise that they can have their employees working at home and have a smaller office in a co-working space for meetings and other collaborative work. Co-working will also give employees the opportunity to share knowledge with other companies as well,” he says. id

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interiors

Shifting through time and space A gastronomic hotspot opens in the Hungarian capital of Budapest by Russian designer Roman Plyus featuring a huge KAWS sculpture that is instantly Instagramable Words by Aidan Imanova

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et in the historical heart of Budapest, an early 20th-century red brick building is now home to a gastronomic hot spot that is making its mark on the city. Designed by Roman Plyus, the new venue is the latest addition to the Russian interior designer’s modest portfolio of projects that explore the boundaries between art and design.

Buhairest dubs itself a ‘stylish concept bar’ and a lounge for luxury dining. The 350-square-metre space divides into a bar on one side and a more intimate lounge setting on the other.

“The main idea of the design was to combine the two epochs of the 20th and the 21st centuries, creating a dialogue between vintage and modern design. The result is a harmonious combination of both in one space,” Plyus describes.

“The colour palette was dictated by the facade of the building,” he continues. “I would like the user to feel the connection between the external façade and what is inside. After all, any acquaintance with the interior begins with the facade. When you first see it, you begin to have expectations of what is awaiting you inside. I wanted to make sure that these expectations were met.”

Elements of the facades such as the huge concrete arches along with the floors and the ceiling were left in

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their found state. The rusty-hued floor tiles with polkadot pattens are reclaimed while many of the materials used across the venue are sustainably sourced.

“We have tried to preserve and restore many of the building's authentic elements and integrate the design around this story,” Plyus says.

Many of the dramatic features that complete the design are chosen to create a visual aesthetic that is Instagrammable. Recording moments of one’s life is something Plyus believes to be an act that predates our current lifestyle, going all the way back to the time of cave drawings.

One of such features is a huge sculpture by American artist KAWS, called Small Lie, that is tucked inside a curved niche at the rear of the venue, depicting a Pinocchio-inspired figure with a bowed head. If this isn’t already an invitation enough to snap a selfie, then the brass-framed plate on the floor that spells out ‘Instagram’ leaves no doubt that it is the perfect spot for photos.

Other Instagram-friendly elements include a bulbous fireplace at the corner of the main room, as well as break out areas featuring a pair of round wicker seats that are offset by decorative terracottacoloured plaster panels. Russet-hued tones dress

various elements of the space including the central high-table and the circular wall sconces.

The furniture consists of an interplay of modern and vintage furniture including the likes of Menu and Moooi, that sit alongside legendary names in furniture design of the 20th century, such as chairs by Hans Wegner and Pierre Jeanneret, which the owner had left behind from the previous venue.

Clay-coloured leather cushions cover the bench seats, while earth-toned ceramic pots decorate the space with dry flowers. Grey marble has been crafted for the base of the bar counter, extending up an adjacent wall that offers a sense of contrast to the rest of the surfaces.

A mixture of elements, applications and visual references continue throughout the rest of the venue.

A modular light sculpture that hangs above curvaceous seating is handmade by local craftsmen and inspired by Alexander Calder, while on the tables, the menus and coasters are made using upcycled paper and plastic.

“In design, I prefer simple forms with emotional overtones. Exploring the boundaries between art and design, as well as the ability to exchange ideas and emotions through objects has long fuelled my practice,” Plyus explains. “With Buhirest, I tried to create an atmosphere of warmth and comfort.” id

interiors

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architecture

One with the Earth Hopkins Architects’ design for the Buhais Geology Park in Sharjah offers five interconnected pods that blend with the surrounding rocky landscape Words by Aidan Imanova

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architecture

Photo by Felix von Schwanewede

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Photo by Marc Goodwin

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et approximately 50 kilometres southeast of the emirate of Sharjah in a region that possesses exceptional prehistoric and geological significance is the Buhais Geology Park designed by British architectural firm, Hopkins Architects. The site is home to an abundance of marine fossils from over 65 million years ago, boasting spectacular mountain ranges and ancient burial sites from the Bronze Age. Sitting amidst the geologically rich landscape are five interconnected pods of varying sizes that house a series of exhibition spaces, an immersive theatre, a café that offers panoramic views of the dramatic Jebel Buhais ridge, rising some 100 metres above, as well as a gift shop and other visitor facilities.

The geometry of the pods is inspired by the fossilised urchins present on site that were developed into a typology that could be sized to suit the various functions of the centre. Clad in steel panels that are coloured in earthy and rusty hues, they reference the surrounding landscape and bind the structures to its site. Their sculptural, cantilevered forms are a result of being fixed into an array of steel ribs, further referencing the exoskeleton of the urchin fossils.

Simon Fraser, principal at Hopkins Architects, explains that the firm aimed to minimise disruption to the existing fauna, geology and terrain of the area.

The pods were therefore designed as prefabricated concrete structures that only lightly touch the ground on in-situ reinforced concrete foundation discs.

“Our approach was to create a project that would ‘touch the earth lightly’ by creating a series of articulated pods, which were lifted above the terrain,” Fraser explains, adding that the structures were created to become part of the local environment. “We wanted to reduce the external massing and felt that creating a cluster of interconnected pods were more suited to the context.”

“The location was carefully selected to avoid excessive excavation and to avoid the site’s natural wadi beds. The centre’s inner spaces enable visitors to follow a journey that ultimately leads them to explore the mountain itself by foot.”

He points out that one of the aims of the facility is to attract people from all over the world to learn and understand the way in which landscapes are formed by tectonic activities and how the Earth itself has transformed over time.

Photo by Marc Goodwin

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Using a series of model-based interactive displays, the centre explores the region’s mountains, sand dunes and the Arabian Gulf as dramatic evidence of the area’s rich tectonic history over time, with a particular focus on the disappearance of an earlier ocean and the creation of the limestone mountain ranges of Jebel Buhais. The centre also encourages visitors and researchers to actively examine local rocks and fossils.

This is made easier by the outdoor trail that links the pods and loops sinuously around the site, and can be accessed from the main exhibition area. The trail incorporates viewing areas, a classroom shaded by a high-tensile canopy and raised walkways across natural rock formations and ancient burial grounds.

The interiors of the pods have been designed to be structurefree spaces with a restrained palette of materials that complement the pods’ exposed pre-cast concrete shell segments, forming a direct visual correlation to the exterior. In some pods, glazing and oculi have been inserted to control natural light into the space, tempering the brightness of the desert sun.

Visitors enter the building along an elegant ramp to the central hub where, once inside, they are greeted and guided through the centre.

The positioning of each pod has been carefully considered to tell the story of Jebel Buhais. An interstitial building provides the main points of entry and exit, creating a link between the pods and accommodating concealed staff-only areas.

“The building was purposely set to enhance the visitor experience as they move through the different internal spaces,” Fraser says.

“Glazed apertures in the pod structures create framed views of the exterior, orienting visitors’ attention to the wider landscape”.

While the scheme incorporates a car and bus parking area for staff and visitors alike, electric buggies are used for journeys from the arrival area to the interpretive centre to allow accessibility to all.

Hopkins also took consideration of the project’s climatic conditions, and introduced sustainable practices to ensure that the building is environmentally friendly.

“From the offset, the pods were designed to endure the harsh desert environment. The project celebrates passive design principles throughout its construction, including efficiently utilised thermal mass and carefully controlled solar exposure”, he explains.

“To protect the interior spaces from the desert heat and to minimise the use of air-conditioning; the pods’ precast concrete shells, ribs and in-situ foundation discs provide a well-sealed, exposed thermal mass across their floors, walls and roofs”, Fraser adds.

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Photo by Marc Goodwin

Photo by Joanne Yu

“The concrete is further protected and insulated with a sprayapplied Polyurea waterproofing and Polyurethane insulation foam, topped with a robust acrylic-modified cementitous coating. The products and spray method were chosen to ensure easy application and full coverage to the curved geometry, while minimising impact on the surrounding environment. The steel cladding is intended as a shading element. The shingles are offset from the precast concrete shell, creating a cavity to vent heat radiated from the metal shingles. ” The scheme also seeks to attract and retain staff from the immediate area to boost local employment. Spaces throughout have been designed to encourage interaction between the local guides and visitors, enhancing the learning environment. A research space has also been created to allow local researchers to undertake studies of the site.

The Geology Park is the latest addition to a suite of learning centres operated by Sharjah’s Environmental Protected Areas Authority, which leads conservation efforts in the emirate, manages protected areas and provides educational experiences. id

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Photo by Felix von Schwanewede

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art

Flying colours

Photography by Seeing Things Courtesy of Alserkal Avenue

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Ahead of the opening of New Waves: Mohamed Melehi and the Casablanca Art School Archives in Alserkal Avenue this month, identity speaks to the man behind the show

Words by Rania Habib

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orn in 1936 in Asilah, Morocco, Mohamed Melehi is regarded as a major figure in postcolonial Moroccan art, and within the history of transnational modernism. He now lives and works between Tangiers and Marrakesh.

Melehi’s art offers a sense of spirit of the aesthetic revolution and exhilaration of post-Independence Morocco. The retrospective exhibition, which opens in Concrete on 19 September, reflects the artist’s creative energy and visual innovation through a unique selection of key works, dating from the 1950s to the 1980s. It also tells the story of the Casablanca Art School during its most radical period, when Melehi taught there between 1964-1969.

Your work is characteristically vibrant — what role does colour play in your distinctive visual language?

My relationship with colour has gone through different stages.

Back in the 1950s, during my time as a student at the fine art academies of Western capitals, and in the 1960s, when my attention was captured by Oriental philosophy — specifically Zen and Buddhism — my palette was generally black and white.

I wanted to reach a certain peak in minimalism and spatial contrasts. This phase is a lesser-known period in my practice, as audiences generally know me through my colourful compositions.

When I moved to the USA in the early 1960s, I felt an urgent need to use more colour in expressive terms — for instance, the Solar Nostalgia painting from 1962, which shows a more energetic, rather than formalist, use of colour. It soon felt like an explosion of colours happening all at once in a variety of tones and contrasts, hectically guided by this balance between the expressive and the minimalistic impulses for colour. This need became even stronger when I returned to Morocco in 1964.

In a way, my colourful works show compositions more concerned with attracting concentration, rather than producing distractions.

Also, I see colour as a way to attain a certain state of freedom — from materialistic grounds, and from previously held beliefs.

Your sculptural work is inspired by the Bauhaus philosophy that art, architecture and design should be part of every aspect of daily life. Can you expand on this philosophy, and how it applies to your practice, and to your life? My interest in Bauhaus was particularly driven by the almost existential question of the origins of modernity; the thrill to discover whether a local or non-Western

Untitled, 1975, Cellulose paint on wood. Private collection

source of abstraction or radical visual language could be compared to movements, such as constructivism, De Stijl, or the Bauhaus.

The parallels became all the more interesting as I went along. We began, with the Casablanca Art School group, to document our own radical modernity from 1965. This was found to be expressed through popular art-making in Afro-Berber crafts (jewels, tapestry, tattoos, etc). Though originating in the 12th century, this iconography (mainly Amazigh signs and symbols) continues to circulate today, and can be found on Saharan roads, all the way through Mauritania, Mali, and further.

Eventually, resorting to the Bauhaus was crucial to understanding our own visual roots, which were discovered mostly in our everyday environment. The true sources of local crafts, even when they are forgotten or overshadowed, can resurface through genuine cultural discourse or performance. The Bauhaus encounter represented a paradoxical confirmation that each cultural group or society has a means to express itself genuinely – even in modern terms.

Another specificity of our cultural roots (Arab, African, and Islamic) is the intense link between architecture and calligraphy, as writing expands through space, and vice-versa. These are all the cultural lessons I learned on the ground, but also from the Western movements mentioned earlier, which on the one hand drew inspiration from Arab and African heritage, and on the other hand, inspired us to experiment with new theories, and break away from conservative attitudes.

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art

You bridge European 20th century graphic sensibilities such as De Stijl and Constructivism with a flowing visual freedom. Tell us more about Mohamed Melehi, the graphic designer.

And what does Shoof publishing house do today? My return to Morocco in 1964 was not without nostalgia for New York City. Casablanca was more attractive to me than Tetouan (where I had graduated from the Ecole des Beaux Arts) and reminded me somehow of NYC and its metropolitan energy. The emerging mass housing buildings, universities, and urban infrastructure in Casablanca couldn't compare to the heights of American skyscrapers, but the city was definitely on the cusp of becoming a new art capital. Fortunately, this came right on time with my involvement as a professor at the Casablanca Art School.

When I left the school to pursue my own activities in 1969, I established Shoof Publishing. It was the urban development and economic growth taking place in Casablanca that allowed for such a platform — which brought together visual and communication services such as advertising, logo and graphic design, and also book publishing and film editing — to be created and sustained. But it only lasted a little over a decade, as Shoof was stopped at the beginning of the 1980s.

You co-founded the Asilah Arts Festival in 1978, which continues today. What was its purpose then, and how has it evolved since? When Mohamed Benaissa and I co-founded the Asilah Arts Festival in 1978, Asilah was home to around 30,000 people. The whole idea to begin organising mural art on the walls of the city was a way to stop people from littering on the streets and polluting the city. It was a way to raise social consciousness, and to build a community, with a pedagogical aim. The women and children of Asilah would be invited to paint 64

murals and would attend workshops throughout the festival. Year after year, the festival grew, and our aim to create a sustainable platform and support for social education and active civic citizenship became increasingly significant.

How would you describe the local visual culture of Morocco today, versus four decades ago?

Retrospectively, it seems we have helped bring forward new cultural patterns, but somehow outdated in the Internet era. Nowadays, we experience new behaviours and situations in which mural art and urban experiments can still inspire us. But the whole idea of public space and community-creation

have radically evolved into virtual spaces and big data. I personally tend to retire from this noise, to concentrate on my artistic work.

New Waves: Mohamed Melehi and the Casablanca Art School Archives is presented by Alserkal Arts Foundation, and opens in Concrete, Alserkal Avenue, on 19 September, and runs until 10 October. It is curated by Morad Montazami and Madeleine de Colnet of Zamân Books & Curating. id

Explore a preview of the exhibition, including interviews with curator Morad Montazami, on alserkal.online

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Luxury on wheels So, you like super-luxurious fast cars and SUVs? Then you are going to love the GLE 53 4MATIC + Coupé

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ith its sporty and elegant design complete with the signature AMG radiator grille, the vertical fins in high-gloss chrome and the unmistakable AMG logo, this is a car ready to take you on the ride of your life.

“The new GLE 53 4MATIC + Coupé offers all the advantages of a Mercedes SUV: ample space for passengers and luggage, extensive safety features and super traction on damp or sandy surfaces,” says Thomas Klien, President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz Cars Middle East, which makes it perfect for this region While the exterior design revolves around the projection of power, the interior is meant to be every driver’s happy place. The red contrasting topstitching on the upholstery and seat belts, the black floor mats with AMG lettering, carbon

fibre on the dashboard, aluminium shift paddles and sitting behind the Nappa leather-wrapped steering wheel ensures a thoroughly sporty and exclusive experience. It also lets you choose from 64 ambient colours as well as a range of different interior fragrances and massage programmes. If the slew of options is too overwhelming, simply select the ‘Vitality’ ENERGIZING programme to automatically set-up your car's best comfort settings.

This is definitely a car for the future that comes with a voice command system guaranteed to leave you speechless. The times where you would have to memorize a setlist of commands is ancient history. The super-intelligent Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) gives access to various functions which can be voice-operated by the command “Hey Mercedes”.

The additional smartphone app enhances AMG TRACK PACE with functionalities such as video recording of the journey, individualisation options for the recorded videos and photos as well as sharing the experiences on social networks.

Let us also tell you that not only does the GLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé look sporty, but to offer more control and driving fun, it lets you handle sharp corners like a pro. Whether you're cruising down the streets of Dubai or going off-road, the E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL suspension system ensures your ride is a smooth one.

Fasten your seat belt, rev up, and drive.

To learn more visit Mercedes-benz-mena.com

on our radar

Ties that bind Palestinian duo, Rejo Design Studio, create furniture and interiors that celebrate the beauty, strength and diversity of the Arab world, while living in two different parts of the region Words by Aidan Imanova 66

on our radar

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eem Olyan and Jumama Qasem are Palestinian designers behind the recently launched Rejo Design Studio, based between Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – where Olyan was born and raised – and Gaza, Palestine, where Qasem currently resides.

The duo met at the Islamic University of Gaza where they were both studying architecture and engineering and quickly discovered their mutual appreciation for furniture design. Rejo Design Studio was set up to celebrate the rich and colourful culture and heritage of the Middle East.

“We launched Rejo to make our mark with oriental pieces, cultured with artistic shapes and colours instead of the copy-paste designs in the region,” the duo shares.

“Working from two different areas of the region has given us an advantage in being able to explore the rich culture of the Middle East. Our work has become

more about identity and environmental influences.”

Rejo launched its first collection at Dubai Design Week in 2019 as part of Downtown Editions, curated

by Ghassan Salameh. Titled ‘Suitcase’, the three-piece collection included the Sheba cabinet, the Rudo stool and the Aliaa Table, which were all produced in Riyadh. The concept behind the collection was based on the various inspirations the designers came across upon their travels, with each item capturing a piece of memory in the form of an object. Suitcase told visual stories from Yemen, India and Ndebele in South Africa.

The harsh reality of living in Gaza has prompted the designers to focus on creating works that were strong in shape and bold in colour. “We have experienced three different wars in Gaza in less than 10 years. Seeing the destruction, the fear and the grey colour of the smoke that dyed the city, made us want to create strong shapes and bold colours”.

“Also, in these uncertain times, struggling with feelings of unrest, grief and anxiety, there is a craving for colour that has the ability to instill a sense of reassurance and comfort."

They attribute Middle Eastern cultural influences as a strong point of reference, using visual cues such as patterns, inscriptions and national clothing, in addition to architectural motifs such as the domes and triangles of the minarets or the elongated fronds of palms. “All the richness in the shapes around us is reflected one way or another in our work,” they explain.

The designers also work with a strong colour palette, which is also attributed to cultural influences and a form of resistance against neglecting these cultural identities.

“We believe that colour is one of the main factors when we try to communicate something through design. We can't ignore the fact that our homes have always been full of colour. This has always been part of our culture and can be seen through our traditional clothes and patterns. But we feel that we may have lost this beautiful tradition due to being obsessed with neutral colours. Also, in these uncertain times, struggling with feelings of unrest, grief and anxiety, there is a craving for colour that has the ability to instill a sense of reassurance and comfort.”

Although the studio is quite young and has already experienced its set of victories, challenges continue to persist. One of such issues is the struggle of creating an environment for furniture design in their respective regions, where the designers feel a lack of interest towards the local market and a greater focus on importing commercially-made products from abroad.

Another challenge is the long-distance business set up and travel complications, which at times, creates difficulties for Qasem to attend events, such as the duo’s debut launch in Dubai.

“We usually do not like talking about this as we want to be recognised for our work and not because of the struggle we have been through,” the duo says. “We tried to overcome these obstacles as much as possible to complete our designs and connect our work to platforms that are interested in furniture, whether through communicating with local manufacturers or international companies that specialise in designing and producing furniture.

“And although our attempts, many times, have been unsuccessful, this has not prevented us from continuing to work and always strive to create new ideas because we love what we do.”

The duo is currently designing the interiors for a mosque in Riyadh that is inspired by the ancient oriental paintings of Jean-Leon Jerome, contrasting materials such as Russo Levanto marble with Travertine, complete with a light apricot colour scheme to instill a sense of serenity and clarity to the space. The duo is also working on the final stages of its soon-to-be-launched ‘Hug’ collection, which will be available online along with their other pieces.

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Burj Al Arab

by Khuan Chew

id classics

identity revisits one of the most striking interiors of the Gulf: the iconic Burj Al Arab which opened over 20 years ago, designed by Khuan Chew, founder of KCA International, who shares the story behind the important landmark

Words by Aidan Imanova

T

ogether with Dubai Creek, the wind towers of Al Bastakiya and the World Trade Centre, Jumeirah Group’s Burj Al Arab hotel (originally called the Tower Hotel) remains one of the icons of Dubai’s built environment, boasting a level of opulence and luxury comparable only to royal palaces around the world.

Khuan Chew is the interior designer behind the project, whose firm, KCA International, was then headquartered in London. In 1993 WS Atkins, who was the lead consultant and architect behind the entire development at the time of construction, organised an international design competition, inviting 16 designers to submit proposals of which KCA was one. She initially won the design for Jumeirah Beach Hotel while another firm was appointed for the Burj Al Arab – Khuan didn’t become involved in the project until the end of 1996.

She remembers how she had been told that she was an “outsider” and was only included in the list of invited firms to make up the total numbers needed for the competition. After winning the Jumeirah Beach Hotel bid, she later won another competition that placed her at the helm of the interiors for the Burj Al Arab.

Her first instinct was to learn as much as she could about Dubai and the Gulf region, pouring over books and visiting museums across London to study Arab sciences, poetry and astronomy (“the Internet and Google hadn’t taken off yet in the mid 90s,” she adds). She later arrived at a subject that was later implemented across other Jumeirah properties. Chew explored the theme of ‘Life in the Desert’, focusing on the idea of “living with the elements” including water, fire, earth and air.

“Without these elements, no human would survive, and most certainly, not in such harsh desert conditions. It could only mean that the local people had a very close affinity and understanding and respect for these elements,” she explains.

“The four elements of water, fire, earth and air were magical anchors to me,” Chew recalls. “One naturally equates water to so many hues of blues. Blue was the underlying colour and probably the most difficult colour to work with as an artist and designer.

But in this project, it definitely worked well since we are already by the sea. Shades of blue also featured in our ‘Air’ element where it is much lighter ad translucent.

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Blue changes with light as daylight and night light creates various challenges.

‘Earth’, on the other hand, offers deeper combinations of ochres and browns and a “yang” balance to the “ying” colours. And of course, ‘Fire’ was the brightest and strongest colour of all, filled with oranges and reds! It was the king of the palette!”

Chew adds that the idea behind the four elements was very attractive to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirtes and Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai – and the main client behind the project. Chew explains that His Highness played a key role in the process of developing the design of the hotel, encouraging her not to hold back in using the project as a canvas where colours come to life to attract visitors.

Chew sites one of her mentors, the late David Hicks (Lord Mountbatten’s sonin-law, and cousin to Her Majesty the Queen of England), for inspiring her use of colour within the project. “He was infamous with his explosive use of colour and geometric design. Fuschia and bright pink were his favourites. I owe much to him, as hopefully working with such a genius did rub off me… slightly.”

The hotel also features an abundance of design references from the Arab culture, be it a superior sense of geometry, traditional carpets, pottery, woven and painted fabrics or timber crafts. Motifs from all the different references were carefully combined to provide each area with its own identity.

“Additionally, our client was keen to welcome people from all over the world. He spoke of incorporating very subtle applications of artwork or furniture or sometimes motifs of other cultures into our design, so that the visitor would be pleasantly surprised when they recognised it and relate positively to it. And why not? For sure, one would find a few Chinese Ming vases in English Palaces and Japanese Screens in French Chateaus. We are all connected somehow in more ways than we know, and our eye is always drawn to what is beautiful. The Burj Al Arab is no different in this aspect,” Chew says.

“My little black book also came in handy, having worked on high end residential projects, and palaces in the past. My contacts of suppliers meant that I could access worldwide manufacturers of the most reputable hand stitched gold embroidery for the walls of the Royal Suite, sourced from the archives of artisans in England, France and Italy who supplied Buckingham Palace, Versailles, Fontainbleau, the Medici Family, amongst others. We obtained rare marble and granite from Brazil and Italy. No expense was spared.”

Chew reflects on what made the Burj Al Arab the icon that it is today: “We wanted to achieve a timeless feel and it is now a ‘classic’ icon. Like all things beautiful, you want to be part of it, to remember it, and if you could you can come back, to experience it again and again. I have met people who have told me that they have returned as guests over 50 times and I am flabbergasted. Although every time I visit the Burj Al Arab, I still feel the same thrill I felt the first time we opened its doors.

She adds: “I remember someone writing this so long ago: ‘In Life there are three things you should do before you die: you must fly the Concorde, you must cruise on the QE2, and you must stay at the Burj Al Arab’. Unfortunately, you can’t do two of those anymore but you can still stay at the Burj Al Arab!

id classics

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products

Products Sinuous shapes, natural motifs and bulbous forms make up this month’s selection of product designs we love – including Loewe’s new range of home scents!

Home scents Loewe

Wake up and smell the roses! Loewe’s latest range of home scents evoke the delicious essence of the vegetable garden. Inspired by the Age of Discovery, the range of scents pay homage to works, such as the cyanotypes of algae by the British artist Anna Atkins, the illustrations of exotic South American flora by the Spanish explorer Mutis, and the work of Kazuma Ogawa, who pioneered photomechanical printing as a means to document the flowers of Japan. The range offers 11 plant essences such as honeysuckle, beetroot, juniper berry, tomato leaves, and coriander, and comes in the form of candles, wax candleholders, home fragrances, rattan diffusers and soap. The handcrafted ceramic candles are inspired by Greek drinking vessels from the 5th century BC. Loewe’s creative director, Jonathan Anderson, also collaborated with the Franco-Swiss photographer Erwan Frotin to illustrate the home fragrance rangés packaging, each symbolising the plant and colour of the chosen scent.

Available in Loewe stores and at loewe.com

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products

Mirror plates Nathalee Paolinell

Introduce an artistic quality to your table displays with Nathalee Paolinelli’s set of three Mirror plates, named after the gunmetal glaze covering them. The plates are crafted in Canada from ceramic, which is sculpted using artisanal methods and signed at the base of each concave plate. Seize the versatile look and shape by using them for casual and formal meals alike.

Available at matchesfashion.com

Vivero AYTM

If you’re a plant-lover with a taste for luxury, the Vivero watering can by AYTM may be just the thing you’re looking for. The gold-tone brass Vivero features a polished finish, an exaggerated spout and a circular handle that makes it a true statement piece for any garden.

Available at farfetch.com

Origami Chilewich

Chilewich’s Fall/Winter 2020 collection explores the interaction of texture, pattern, and colour.

Featuring a range of original designs for tabletops and floors, each piece reveals how subtle shifts in structure, scale, and tone can transform the look and feel of a textile. Texture and pattern unite in Origami. By expanding the dimension of this crepe weave, creative director Sandy Chilewich and the Chilewich design team, reveal Origami’s geometric elements, creating a multifaceted textile for the table. It comes in three shimmery shades that are neutral yet rich such as Cocoa, Honey and Ice. Available at chilewich.com

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products

Ceramic coffee cup set Off-White

Start your morning with a fresh brew in one of Off-White’s ceramic coffee cups that comes in a set of two. For those looking to add a sense of je-ne-sais-quoi to their home should look no further than this pair of porcelain cups, featuring decals of grass motifs and the iconic Off-White logo in blue.

Available at off---white.com

Paddock vases Hermès

The Paddock vases in hand-painted enameled steel is a reinterpretation of enamel bracelets, inspired by the geometric and colourful language of jockey silks. The colourful stripes and checkered patterns contrast with the taut lines of the cylindrical vases that are part of Hermès’ Autumn-Winter collection.

Coastal bowls and vases West Elm

Mix and match with these series of bowls and vases to create a naturalistic feel to your home. The Coastal set is created from solid mango and crafted in India, boasting a rich wood grain. It’s sinuous shapes and polished sheen makes it the perfect set, that will comfortably transition from summer to autumn, while maintaining its sense of warmth.

Available at westelm.ae

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library

Books This month, identity celebrates talented women across design and architecture, whose timeless works continue to leave significant imprints on their respective fields.

Words by Cecilia D'Souza

Kelly Wearstler: Evocative Style Kelly Wearstler You don’t earn the title ‘Queen of West Coast style’ by accident or luck. This limited edition of Kelly Wearstler’s fifth book takes a distinct look at her innovative style in the world of interiors. A must-have for designers and design aficionados alike, the visually stunning volume takes readers on a unique storytelling journey filled with detailed compositions, giving an insight into the designer’s creative world. Along with never before photographed interiors, Wearstler even offers up a visual tour of her newly designed home.

Breaking Ground: Architecture by Women Jane Hall

Breaking Ground: Architecture by Women

by Jane Hall offers a stunning selection of buildings designed by female architects across the globe, celebrating their aweinspiring creations. Within its tomato red cover and 200-something pages, the book features more than 180 projects by more than 150

architects and pays homage to icons such as Zaha Hadid, Julia Morgan, Eileen Gray and Lina Bo Bardi, alongside contemporary talents, from Kazuyo Sejima to Elizabeth Diller and Grafton Architects. The book also showcases the work of brilliant Arab architects including Sumaya Dabbagh and Lina Ghotmeh.

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id most wanted

Serena Confalonieri’s Calypso collection imagines a reality in which we are drinking from colourful, exotic flowers instead of being confined in our homes. Bringing back a sense of joy and lightness to sociability, Calypso is created using hand-blown borosilicate glass from Italy. Art Nouveau has inspired the floral forms of the collection, its soft touches of colour fade into transparency, highlighting bodies of crafted glass.

Photography by Andrea Agrati

Calypso by Serena Confalonieri 74

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