A modern history

The main wall of the house rising from the kitchen to the living room was designed with a special plaster technique. The door that leads to the bedroom is carved from raw wood and made in the same pattern as the wall to create visual coherence. The lighting fixtures are by Foscarini

On the western coast of Turkey, this stone house was transformed by interior architecture studio Erdem Hamza to meet modern needs while respecting the property’s past

A dining area was created by preserving the historical texture of the walls. Since this area is located in a part of the house that does not receive light, Otto Tile material was used on the ceiling to make it spacious. The lighting fixtures are by Pharestudio and the table was specially designed with local materials

“We like to blend elements from different periods in the history of architecture and design,” begins Erdem Hamza, who leads his eponymous Istanbul-based interior architecture practice.

“In the spaces we design, we always try to offer something unexpected, while favouring a full sensory experience.” Located in Alaçati, in the province of Izmir on the western coast of Turkey, this house reflects the architect’s vision of intertwining different influences and creating unique sensations. “The summer months in the region are lively, while quietness prevails the rest of the year,” Hamza notes. Dating back 130 years, the property – which was originally used as a place to extract olive oil and gum tree resin – was carefully renovated and transformed over the course of five months for a family of three – a couple with a child – who are long-time residents of France.

“The biggest challenge was to create a design without getting in the way of the historical texture of the structure, and without damaging it,” says Hamza, who worked to reveal the hidden layers of the property’s past.

Organised across two floors with a central garden, the house comprises three bedrooms, a kitchen and a study on the lower level. The living room, dining area and another bedroom occupy the upper level. Outside, the pool reflects the green of the vegetation and the blue of the sky. Outdoor areas and closed spaces that shield the property from the sun alternate naturally thanks to a fluid floor plan that is an invitation to explore every nook. The interplay between light and shadow is omnipresent throughout the design.

This page: Plaster work was done in the dining area, creating an elegant and more modern atmosphere. Next page: With its low ceiling height, the lower floor of the house was previously used for olive oil storage. For this reason, wood and light colours were used in the kitchen to give the feeling of a more open space. The marble is by Stoneline Group, the wall is adorned with ceramics by Otto Tile and the furniture was custom-designed with local materials

The existing wall texture in the bedroom was preserved. Le Soleil pendant is by Foscarini

All the interiors were reconsidered in terms of functionality to meet contemporary living requirements. Throughout the project, the main goal consisted of bringing a serene design to life, with references both to an urban aesthetic and a holiday home. As a result, a feeling of calm and peace exudes among the stone walls that bear the traces of the original building. “In our projects, we usually try to reflect the old spirit [in] a new housing, but with this one we were excited by the idea of reflecting a new spirit in an old housing,” says Hamza.

Authenticity, through the use of local materials, and refined simplicity characterise this house, where wooden beams add even more character to the distinctive atmosphere. Even if the furniture and lighting from the likes of Foscarini, Pharestudio, Jonathan Adler and Georg Jensen – among other names – are more modern and contemporary than the architecture, they nevertheless give the impression of belonging to the same place.

“We see the concepts of art and timelessness as a common language in our designs,” says Hamza. With this home, he has achieved a true sense of harmony where every detail, colour, texture and material are perfectly aligned with the whole. id

Master craft

Cosentino’s latest Dekton Kraftizen collection is a marriage of technology and craft

Buildings made from rammed earth or bamboo, or finished in limestone, possess a certain warmth that other, more processed materials, perhaps have difficulty attaining. The latter’s handcrafted nature displays markers of the human touch, which makes it at once natural and intimate.

Enter Kraftizen, the latest Dekton collection from producer and distributer of innovative and sustainable architectural and interior surfaces, Cosentino. Kraftizen takes inspiration from the various techniques that have been perfected by master craftspeople across centuries, revealing a range of colours boasting deep, rich textures.

Reinterpreting the versatility, beauty and honesty of hand-crafted materials using digital craft technology, the carbon-neutral Dekton surface is both weather-resistant and durable and is the first large-format stucco material of its kind to be used across both interiors and exteriors.

Kraftizen consists of five hues – Umber, Nacre, Argentium, Micron and Albarium – that are reminiscent of Venetian stucco and rooted in a minimalistic approach. Umber is a timeless colour that has a warm and cosy terracotta shade of the earth, bringing a sense of nature to any building or space. Nacre, on the other hand, has a silkier finish and is highly decorative and emotional, with trowel marks that bring the colour to life, evoking sea waves or the sense of running one’s fingers across a mother-of-pearl.

Argentium revisits the legend of silver, which was believed to be created from the magic of the moon. Inspired by this, its matte grey hue is ever-changing and can be combined with cold or warm atmospheres for different results. Its trowelled structure, typical of lime plastering, strengthens the personality of the series. Another colourway with a strong trowelled texture is Micron, which is both elegant and restrained and comes in a deep, dark grey. Finally, Albarium is a powdery white shade that reflects its primary element: marble dust. Its subtle trowel marks overlap, achieving a rich continuity and making it ideal to apply on larger surfaces. It is captivating in refinement and lightness – qualities that it brings to any space.

Icon status

New York’s financial district is transforming into a coveted cultural destination and residential hotspot - and its latest luxury development, One Wall Street, is leading the charge

WORDS BY NATASCHA HAWKE

Synonymous with wealth, power, greed and glamour, Wall Street is arguably New York’s – possibly the world’s – most famous street. The subject of numerous movies, it’s where Hollywood heavyweight directors, including Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese and Mary Harron, have fed their imaginations through blockbusters such as Wall Street, Wolf of Wall Street and American Psycho – inspired by the much-documented cut-throat nature of the New York Stock Exchange and the bon vivant characters who work and play there.

But aside from the glamourised Hollywood narrative, Wall Street and Downtown Manhattan in which it’s situated are steeped in history, with the southern tip of Manhattan Island – now the Financial District – being the actual birthplace of New York City, which was founded in 1624.

In recent years, Downtown Manhattan has been undergoing a reinvention, with many office buildings being repurposed into residential towers, and in excess of US$30 billion being invested in real estate and infrastructure, resulting in a three-fold increase in the area’s residential population and a growing number of affluent residents.

Enter One Wall Street, the 102,000-square metre restoration project from real estate tycoon Harry Macklowe. Formerly the Irving Trust Company Building, an Art Deco masterpiece designed by Ralph Walker, One Wall Street is the largest office-to-residential conversion in New York’s history and is set to change the face of modern city living with an innovative, super-luxury approach to its design and amenities. Spread over 56 storeys, the redevelopment saw architect Lilla Smith completely gut the building – even moving elevator shafts to the middle – in order to achieve the most gracious layouts for the 566 apartments that range from studios to four-bedrooms, with – at the very top – a magnificent penthouse with 360-degree views across the city, rumoured to be priced in the region of US$70 million. The building’s inaugural model apartments were designed by Elizabeth Graziolo of Yellow House Architects, French architect and designer Cyril Vergniol, and award-winning architect Deborah Berke, with Berke also creating One Works, the stylish stateof-the-art co-working space – one of the many luxury lifestyle amenities provided exclusively for residents.

Custom breakfast table made out of a butcher block top, fabricated by Brooks Custom on Crate and Barrel legs. Daiku chairs by Victoria Magniant. Vintage 'L'instant Taittinger' poster features Grace Kelly

Grey sofa and burr wood table by Yellow House Architects. Sofa by Kagan. The skeleton art piece by the terrace door is from Carrie Haddad Gallery, New York, is made of black cones by artist Donise English. Anony mobile light fixture above the dining room table - from Gestalt. The large William McLure painting above the sofa was a commission from William McLure

“The opportunity to work on One Wall Street was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, particularly as the Art Deco period has always been one of my favourite architectural styles,” says Graziolo, who was drafted in to design Model Unit 2501, that showed potential buyers exactly what life could look like owning an apartment in One Wall Street.

Graziolo worked closely with Harry Macklowe himself, with the design concept to create a space that paid homage to the vintage glamour of the Art Deco period of the city. “We wanted the apartment to exude luxury and comfort. We took inspiration from the organic shapes of the building’s exterior stone, where the rigid material was softened to make it feel almost sensuous. We then selected an equal amount of organic and traditional pieces to create a play between old and new. For example, we designed a traditional sofa for the living room and paired it with an organically shaped Kagan Zoe sofa. We carried this theme throughout the apartment.”

Designing the apartment during a pandemic also presented challenges: “The world had changed, and now everyone was on the web to sell and buy. The days of travelling to a Paris gallery were behind us, and we suddenly had access to all this excellent merchandise right at our fingertips, from the comfort of our own homes – which was great,” explains Graziolo.

And while the pandemic inspired the inner interior designer in us all, it also resulted in a shortage of materials and long shipping delays – for example, the burr wood living room table from Love House took nine months to arrive. “The most challenging part of this project was the timely procurement of pieces,” Graziolo says.

Delays aside, Graziolo’s two-bedroom apartment came to fruition and is a dreamy, sophisticated space that perfectly complements Lilla Smith’s elegant renovations.

The primary bedroom “in the clouds” is a surrealist space that exudes escapism from the bustling city life beneath. Layers of textured creams and beige, the tactile sheepskin chair from Koket, the Dali-esque droopy mirror over the wall-mounted vanity by Debra Folz, and the ‘Blossom Trail’ installation by Valéria Nascimento that weaves across the wall behind the bed all add ethereal touches.

In the second bedroom, Graziolo was more playful. “This room is for a very sophisticated cosmopolitan kid! A luxurious yellow bed is placed opposite a Crate and Barrel writing desk with a Magnus Læssøe Stephensen-style wing chair by Mazo from Gestalt, New York. A playful rainbow Meander leather chandelier by Avantgarden Ltd. hangs in the centre of the room. The pièce de résistance is a vintage Omersa leather giraffe placed in the corner near the desk,” she shares.

Due to budgetary constraints, one of the more challenging spaces to design was the librarycum-home office-cum-movie room. The long, slim space required a creative approach in order to maintain the feeling of calm not clutter. It was also the space in which Graziolo came to understand Harry Macklowe’s penchant for the colour white. “We’d painted everything in the library – walls and ceiling – this beautiful deep blue-green colour named Dark Harbor. I immediately received a wonderful call to remind me about the beauty of the colour white,” she laughs. After fast adapting a new design direction, beginning with a beige suede wallpaper, the library is, overall, “a modern, monolithic architectural space paired with a curvilinear sofa as the room’s foundation,” complemented with a unique Gazelle chair by Amorph Inc. in front of a bronze-patina brass writing desk by R&Y Augousti, covered in cream shagreen.

In the living room, the playful arrangement of furniture was directed by Harry Macklowe’s preference for pieces to never sit flush against a wall; therefore, the curved Kagan Zoe sofa sits just so away from the wall, next to an angular contemporary mirrored coffee table.

Art plays an integral part in the visual language of the apartment. Harking back to New York’s golden age of glamour, a large vintage ‘L’instant Taittinger’ poster, featuring Grace Kelly sipping champagne, hangs in the kitchen and “puts the final touch on the room, tying all of it to the building’s era.” The poster is contrasted against the modern, organic form of the skeleton art piece made of black cones by artist Donise English, which sits by the terrace door, and the large abstract painting by William McLure that sits in the living room. Even the powder room showcases artworks sourced in Sicily, and two paintings by Ron Giusti hang in the hallway.

A true labour of love, Graziolo’s apartment harmoniously marries the Art Deco energy of One Wall Street’s iconic architecture with a contemporary design aesthetic that will help potential buyers envision their new life in the world’s most prestigious address. id

Crate and Barrel writing desk with a Magnus Læssøe Stephensenstyle wing chair by Mazo from Gestalt, New York. Meander leather chandelier by Avantgarden Ltd. Vintage Omersa leather giraffe

Working (out) from home

Technogym’s innovative products provide the ideal solution for training without stepping outside of the house

Technogym Cycle

From good health and fitness to reducing stress, the benefits of exercise are multiple. Finding some time to do it regularly, however, is not always easy. So, why not simplify the process by having all the equipment at home? World-leading fitness, sport and wellness product and digital technology brand Technogym has already convinced over 55 million people to train in 400,000 private homes (in addition to 85,000 wellness centres). These high numbers are not by chance. Rather, they can be explained by the connected smart equipment, digital services, on-demand training experiences and apps that are available to anyone who is motivated to take the (small) jump.

When training at home, the Technogym App – which was developed by combining scientific research and artificial intelligence – is the perfect tool for goal setting. It gives users access to a wide choice of on-demand video workouts as well as personalised plans that are adapted to every user’s needs and lifestyle, while allowing them to follow their progress along the way.

Thanks to its compact equipment – including MYRUN for runners, Technogym ellipticals for those who want to avoid impact and favour fluid movements, and Technogym Cycle for bike enthusiasts – there are options for anyone in all types of spaces.

Newly launched, Technogym Ride now gives users access to the apps used by the best cyclists – including Zwift, Strava, ROUVY, TrainingPeaks, Kinomap and Bkool, plus Netflix and Eurosport, among others. No matter what the weather is outside, this immersive indoor experience (thanks to a 22-inch screen) is the perfect way to get ready for outdoor performance. And, last but not least, the Technogym Bench offers equipment to do resistance, strength and core training exercises, all in a small room.

With so many possibilities at hand, sport is definitely within reach.

An ideal partnership

Designer Charles Zana reflects on his 20-year collaboration with THG Paris, which has recently seen the launch of their first collection together

How do you approach the world of

the bathroom in your work? Since the beginning, we have always considered the bathroom to be a living space. Like the kitchen, bathrooms are often seen as the most beautiful spaces in a house. This is very important to me. In fact, during an exhibition at the Musée des Arts décoratifs, we did an installation of a living-room-bathroom – a bit like ArmandAlbert Rateau’s bathroom. We always try to approach the bathroom not from the technical side, but from the aesthetic side - more a moment of life than a utilitarian need.

How did your collaboration with THG Paris

come about? We have worked with THG Paris on numerous projects for 20 years now. It is a family business that has supported us since the beginning. It is a company we know really well, with legendary product lines that we have used since the beginning. I really like the idea of a bathroom fitting being a familiar object, like a pet that you live with every day, so I have a lot of affection for this brand.

What was your inspiration for the

Hamptons collection? When we had the idea of doing a collection with THG Paris, images of New York immediately came to mind, where technology and networks of pipes and plumbing are all visible. And we really see aesthetic, engineering and industrial materials as something beautiful, because [they are] also so refined and well designed. At the same time, I was thinking of Gérald Genta’s creations from the 1970s when he designed all his watches with [visible] screws. In the end, we merged this industrial aesthetic with the refined jewellery aesthetics of the watch.

What did your architectural approach bring

to this collaboration? It is very nice to be able to work on projects with THG Paris’ range of bathroom fittings. We have been using this fitting in some of our projects in the last six to eight months. It is very satisfying to be able to go all out on the detail and to be able to integrate a collection of fittings designed by the agency into our projects. I have also put the fittings in my own bathroom, so I see them every day and I enjoy using them.

How would you sum up THG Paris’ artisanal

know-how in a few words? For me, there is true expertise at THG Paris, which helps us to draw up the specifications of our projects, and which accompanies architects and decorators as closely as possible. It’s really a brand which works with a family mentality and a manufacturing mindset to create such well-made objects. The collaboration for the creation of the Hamptons collection was completely idyllic. They provided us with incredible modelling tools and 3D mockups. From the first sketches, we had a team that listened, that was very attentive, and that allowed us to make a dream come true.

Warm comforts

Hues of burnt orange, burgundy and terracotta dominate this month's moodboard of objects and accessories, from the bright Loewe beach towel to Casina's amorphic Coral vase

Pink Horizon jewellery dish Usfur x Lutem Ceramics Available at usfur.com

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1. Coral vase by Cassina. Available at mytheresa.com 2. Murano coupe glass by Dolce & Gabbana Casa. Available at mytheresa.com 3. Paula's Ibiza cotton beach towel by Loewe. Available at mytheresa.com 4. Nina & Beni chair by Andrés Mariño Maza. Available at rossanaorlandi. com 5. Fante table lamp by Stilnovo. Available at linealight.com 6. Trullo contained by Fabio Novembre for Kartell. Available at thatconceptstore.com

Unveiling the invisible

With her new book, Iranian-born artist Hoda Afshar explores the relationship between cultural traditions and the natural environment

WORDS BY KARINE MONIÉ PHOTOGRAPHY BY HODA AFSHARE COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND MACK

Born in Tehran, Iran, and currently based in Melbourne, Australia, Hoda Afshar is a renowned documentary photographer who gained international recognition in 2015 when she received the National Portrait Gallery’s National Photographic Portrait Prize for her ‘Portrait of Ali’. Selected from among 2,500 entries and 44 final images, Afshar convinced the judges unanimously.

“The portrait is poignant for its intimation of this boy’s future – likely as a shepherd,” said National Portrait Gallery’s senior curator Dr. Christopher Chapman. “The photographer has captured a powerful sense of mystery that adds to the compelling nature of the portrait – the boy, standing calmly within the rocky, misty setting.”

This fascinating way of capturing her subjects through her lens makes Afshar’s work particularly distinctive. That same year (2015) brought her to the islands of the Strait of Hormuz, near the southern coast of Iran, for the first time. There, she discovered inhabitants with a rich culture, as well as inimitable landscapes of mountains and valleys, that she paid tribute to in her new book, Speak the Wind, whose title refers to the local belief that the winds can possess a person and cause them to experience diseases.

Through her photos that grace the book’s 168 pages, Afshar tells the story of the rituals of the island’s inhabitants, such as a ceremony led by a hereditary leader using incense, music and movement in order to stop the wind’s harmful effects.

In this project, Afshar questions and challenges the traditional modes of documentary photography with processes that disrupt traditional image-making practices – an approach she has taken in her work for years. By beautifully recording and showcasing the invisible through powerful yet subtle images, Speak the Wind is an invitation to another world where imagination and reality, as well as history and the present, merge with nuance and a sense of magic that characterises Afshar’s body of work.

Her photographs – which form part of private and public collections – are set at the crossroads of the conceptual and the real, transforming our way of seeing and understanding what surrounds us, whether it be far from or close to what we are used to seeing in our everyday lives.

Missoni Home’s latest collection echoes the eclectic and playful patterns and hues that feature across all its bodies of work: be they of home décor or fashion. This artistic energy continues here with the unrestricted manner in which the furniture pieces blend indoor and outdoor spaces, contrasting muted tones with bright colours. The Bali collection comprises patchwork and tartan effects, alternating between moods and materials: indoor and outdoor, wood and weave. The Tektonik modular seats are upholstered in tartan using Belmopan outdoor jacquard, the Cordula lamps feature woven tops, and the Harry outdoor glass tables boast a zigzag pattern.

Bali by Missoni Home