Identity | January 2011 by Motivate Media Group

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New year: design resolutions to keep Italian job: connecting with Marco Piva Hadid + Foster: bridging the culture gap Lightwaves: switch-on to Spiers + McClellan

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HARVEY NICHOLS DUBAI M A L L O F T H E E M I R AT E S 04 4098888 BLOOMINGDALE’S HOME THE DUBAI MALL 04 3505333 A L TAY E R I N S I G N I A

I N N O V A T I V E

I N O U T Varnished metal black or white out. Gold or silver leaf in Swarovski.

L I G H T I N G

INSIDE

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Cover: Interior by Marco Piva.

BEAU MCLELLAN

JEAN-LOUIS DENIOT DESIGNED APARTMENT. PHOTOGRAPHY: XAVIER BÉJOT

GRAND MOSQUE, ABU DHABI

JANUARY 2011

FEATURES

17 The art of design

52 Out of left field

Paper folding and Brazilian carnivals were the inspiration for the latest pieces at London’s Super Design exhibition.

Jean-Louis Deniot decorates an apartment in Paris, going back to basics and looking to different sources of inspiration.

22 Cell division

75 Shining light

Mini floating carbon-neutral cities, offices located on a lake and the greenest hotel in the United States are put in the eco spotlight.

Dynamic lighting designer Beau McClellan speaks about his new household creation and record-breaking installation.

28 Pioneer spirit

86 Contract work

Renowned Italian architect, industrial and interior designer Marco Piva talks about his innovative design concepts.

Leaders from the Italian architectural and design community were among guests at the recent launch of Contractitaliano.

32 Bright ideas International lighting experts reveal how intriguing and ingenious lighting schemes are enhancing the UAE’s landmark buildings.

January 2011

Foto: Studio Marcato - Italy

FURNISHING IS LIVING THE HERE AND NOW.

Selva Middle East L.L.C. Sheikh Zayed Road, 4th interchange, Dubai Tel. +971 4 3411933 Fax +971 4 3411799 info@selva-me.ae Home Design Store, Mall of Emirates,1st Floor, Shop F8, Dubai www.selva.com

INSIDE

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DESIGN FORMULA

ISSUE 88 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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Domestic blitz This year’s living room design trends are causing a break from current convention, with new and more extreme additions.

ART DIRECTOR

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January 2011

EDITORIAL

New discoveries

The 7th century Christian monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island.

PHOTOGRAPHY: VIKRAM GAWDE

The expression ‘how time flies’ is one that is so often used here. It’s hard to believe Dubai’s 800-metre plus Burj Khalifa has been open in the UAE for almost a year. It has been a financially painful, yet rewarding, year for our sector. Many will agree they have learnt to multi-task and adapt to the new reality by keeping ahead of projects and working more effectively to produce on time and on budget. While many companies are still involved in litigation as they try to collect monies for glamorous, or not-so-glamorous, projects, the architecture and design sector appears to be moving forward in the knowledge that the situation is still better here than in many other parts of the world. Indeed, 2010 was an eventful year, with numerous projects being completed. From Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, to the new One&Only resort on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah. Other notable mentions in Dubai include the global launch of the Armani Hotel chain, the Pullman Hotel and the new Ibis and Ibn Battuta Gate hotels. Numerous new restaurants and bars, such as the Cipriani in Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s Fraser Suites, added to the UAE’s first-class roster of design-led buildings. Similarly, many design boutiques have chosen to regroup, with Aati among those opting to consolidate in time for the new year. Having been in the market for just under 30 years, Aati recently closed its Sheikh Zayed Road branch, preferring to instead concentrate on its Zabeel flagship store, where it is launching the new Lauren collection from Ralph Lauren. Additionally, XVA gallery, established in Bastakiya by Mona Hauser in 2003, has announced plans to open a new 2,500-square foot gallery in DIFC early in 2011, which will provide yet another platform for arts promotion in the region. Lisa Sicre Interior Design also opened a new boutique in Jumeirah 3, where a sensational collection of Leitner linen can be found. Recently, Baccarat celebrated the year-end by staging the Mille Nuits D’Or event at the Armani Hotel from its in-house designer Mathias. Adding his fresh perspective to the traditional French design house since 1996, Mathias lived in Syria and Turkey as a child, and his Mille Nuits D’Or design is said to have been inspired by his memory of childhood tales from these countries. The recent discovery of a seventh century pre-Islamic Christian monastery on Abu Dhabi’s Sir Bani Yas Island has added significantly to the UAE capital’s burgeoning tourism and culture cache. To date, some 35 archaeological sites have been discovered on the island, a destination best known for its outdoor activities, wildlife reserve and five-star resort. The latest finds include a 4,000-year-old building from the late bronze age and a fortified watchtower from the early Islamic period. With the Zaha Hadid landmark bridge now open and with the recent unveiling of Sir Norman Foster’s vision for the proposed Sheikh Zayed Museum revealed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11, during her whirl wind state visit to the capital last month, Abu Dhabi seems set to lead the pace in the new year. May the creative spirit of discovery continue in 2011. Happy New Year!

Group Editor Catherine Belbin.

January 2011

TRENDS

The art of design With a wide selection of pieces from top designers, London’s Super Design exhibition blurred the divide between functional objects and objets d’art. TEXT: RICHARD WARREN Sources of inspiration are endless: plate tectonics, paper folding and Brazilian carnivals were catalysts for some of the design pieces showcased at London’s recent Super Design exhibition. The fourth edition of Super Design was held in the imposing palladian confines of Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square, during the Frieze Art Fair. Fifteen designers contributed one-off and limited edition pieces especially commissioned for the exhibition by leading galleries such as The Apartment, Mitterrand-Cramer and Vessel Gallery to fill the 139 square metre exhibition space. Devised by gallerist Patrick Brillet, the four-day event seeks to emphasise the synergy between design and the visual arts today. Brillet is co-owner of London’s The Apartment Gallery and has curated museum collections across the world. Ten of the finest objects showcased at Super Design are featured on these pages.

Lightbulb moment Whimsical lighting features designed by Marcus Tremonto were exhibited by The Apartment gallery. These included the designer’s Plug Light, which was inspired by French pop comics from the 1960s, a two-dimensional wall light made to look three-dimensional through a design that also exaggerates its size. Influenced by the bright neon lights and cramped apartments of New York where he lives and works, the artist and designer creates a wide range of lighting fixtures, including chandeliers and table lamps, and in the past has created tables with integrated lighting features. Other sources of inspiration for the designer include video games and sci-fi films.

January 2011

Reverberating idea Two curvaceously-shaped pieces by Brodie Neil were exhibited. The recently graduated, 28-year-old Australian presented Threefold, a large lighting feature consisting of a single seamless surface rolling and folding in the form of a triangular mobius strip. Projecting soft, warm light this sculptural centrepiece is handmade in satin aluminium and finished with a hint of colour. The designer’s other piece, Reverb Wire Chair, is a lightweight metal mesh version of the original solid surfaced Reverb Chair. The wireframe chair is handmade with mirror polished stainless steel rods. Threefold and Reverb Wire Chair were designed for The Apartment Gallery.

Hot seat British designer Tom Dixon presented his Flamecut series, an installation of heavyweight furniture cut from one inch thick steel using traditional flame cutting techniques. The Cast series, a collection of abstract forms made from aluminium sand casting and finished with a bright enamel coating, was also shown. Dixon rose to prominence in the mid-1980s as “the talented, untrained designer with a line in welded salvage furniture.” Having worked for Italian manufacturer Cappellini, he set up his own company, Tom Dixon, in 2002. He experiments with new concepts and industrial processes in his art pieces to generate funding for research into more complex ideas and technologies.

Country pursuits Furniture designer Maarten Baas made this secretaire at his farmhouse studio, where he finds the peace and quiet of the Dutch countryside helps him to work intuitively and spontaneously. The desk forms part of his Grey Derivations furniture collection, a quirky, one-off set of five hand-crafted pieces each made with a grey and red pigmented resin fixed on a steel frame. This new collection was presented by the Geneva-based Mitterand-Cramer gallery. The Dutchman won the Designer of the Year award at Design Miami in 2009 and he founded Studio Bass and Den Herder with fellow designer Bas Den Herder in 2005.

identity [interior/design/property]

TRENDS

Groundbreaking Inspired by the movement of tectonic plates, their collisions, layering and juxtapositions, the Origami Mirrored Chair by Philip Michael Wolfson was displayed. Part of his Origami Series, the chair’s designs reflect the violence of the forces below the earth’s crust that help form landscapes. The resulting “visual aggression” of the piece is intended to invite scrutiny both of it and the surrounding space. A mirror finish is given to the welded and folded stainless steel chair to amplify the sense of movement in and around it. Born in Philadelphia in 1958, the American designer has worked on projects with Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid for 20 years.

Carnival chandelier This chandelier forms part of The Esperança collection by the Campana brothers for Italian art glass company Venini. It represents their twist on folk art from the Brazilian state of Paraiba, and other limited editions in this collection include vases and objects with little figurines. Inspired by the street life and carnival culture of their native Brazil, Fernando and Humberto Campana make pieces from found objects, including furry toys, rubber hoses and pieces of fabric which they combine in surreal ways. By turning unwanted scrap into designer objects they want their work to reflect the “zest for life” of their fellow Brazilians.

Top of the glass French designer Emmanuel Babled presented Superball (pictured) and Linear, two clusters of hand blown lighting orbs made from Murano glass. The choice of glass is all that these dense and apparently chaotic configurations of simple spheres have in common with the traditional, ornate Venetian chandeliers they take their inspiration from. Babled hopes his limited edition chandeliers are a “peaceful” alternative to traditional versions – Superball has black orbs and Linear purple. Based in Milan, the 43-year-old designer specialises in industrial products, crystal pieces and glassware. His animated videos include Lunar City, a futuristic vision of an urban landscape where the buildings are as curvaceous as his product designs.

January 2011

TRENDS

Table matters Herve van der Straeten’s explorative approach to design is reflected in his Console collection, a set of tables that have intriguing names like Pyschose, Kasimir, Piercing and Cristalloide. The finely balanced, geometric forms play with perceptions of reality, ranging from seemingly gravity-defying structures to freeze-frame explosions of overlapping cubes. Originally a jewellery maker, the 45-year-old creates furniture and lighting, shunning industrial production in favour of making pieces by hand, so he can give himself full creative freedom. His pieces range from ceiling lights to perfume bottles. The winner of several awards, he opened his Paris gallery in 1999 and has worked with various French luxury goods makers.

Czech it out We have the shoe tree, the automatic telephone answering tree and now the light tree. The Lipka Tree (pictured), one of a limited edition of nine, was created by Czech studio Olgoj Chorchoj. Made exclusively for London’s Vessel Gallery, this piece forms part of a series of lamps made with fluorescent lights by the studio. Founded in 1990 by Michal Fronek and Jan Nemecek, the studio has established a reputation for its glassware, but it is also active in other design areas, including a six-year project to convert a Prague meat factory into a multifunctional space called the M-Factory.

In the shade Today’s newspaper is not always tomorrow’s fish and chips wrapper – sometimes it becomes art. British designer Michael Young presented an installation made from 10,000 bits of old Chinese newspaper. Newspaper Shade (pictured), was inspired by the designer’s walks through Hong Kong, where he discovered an old paper folding technique that he developed to create stable structures, including tables. This installation, the largest piece ever made using this technique, was one of two Asia-inspired creations presented by the designer. Young’s other offering, the Carbonlite floor lamp, is influenced by his love of Japanese hanging lights.

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Cell division Shimizu Corporation’s concept designs for mini floating carbon-neutral cities that would drift across the Equatorial Pacific, offices that could be located on a lake or marina and the on-going sustainability commitment of a Massachusetts hotel are put in the eco spotlight. TEXT: STEVE HILL

CITY IN THE SKY

Mini floating carbon-neutral cities that drift across the Equatorial Pacific and showcase sustainable technologies could change the way most of us live, according to the Shimizu Corporation. The Japanese technology firm has produced concept designs for giant cells on which people could live and work. And the linking together of similar cells could create cities or even countries in the future as they grow in much the same way as a water lily. At the centre of each cell would be a 1km tall “City in the Sky” capable of accommodating 30,000 people at an elevation of 700m – where there are no strong winds and temperatures of 26C-28C year-round – while the supporting tower would contain a plant factory aimed at ensuring 100 per cent food self sufficiency. “Plains” would be created on land surrounding the tower for livestock and other forms of farming. Nearby would be a waterside residential zone for a further 10,000 people which would adjoin a marine forest and beach resort. Sunlight is plentiful in the region while typhoons have a minimal impact and tsunamis are not considered to be a threat to safety in the open ocean. Towers would be built from alloys, with the metal deriving from magnesium in seawater, while designers predict that no waste would be produced with every product recycled and converted into energy. The use of fossil fuels would be eliminated by a range of natural energy sources employed instead, including space solar power satellites; ocean thermal energy conversion; wave, wind and solar power.

“City in the Sky” by the Shimizu Corporation. Lace Hill.

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ECO

January March 2009 2011

ECO

Clockwise from above: Side, front and back views of H2Office. Below: Motoart’s Desk Watch.

COMPANIES STAY AFLOAT

UK company Waterspace Developments has come up with a prototype floating office that could be powered by a wind turbine and solar panels. The H2Office is seen as an ideal solution for firms who want the flexibility of being located in a marina, inland waterway, river or lake instead of hiring office space in a concrete tower. The company is also looking at developing a “live-aboard” version in the future that could be fitted with a folding bed and kitchen complete with appliances designed for marine use. Designers have produced a ballasted hull to ensure a low centre of gravity and minimise movement of the floating office, while also taking into account the fact that most marinas provide a degree of protection from extreme weather. TEST OF TIME

California-based Motoart takes vintage aircraft parts and recycles them into unique pieces of art, furniture and items for the home. The company recently took delivery of around 5,000 Jacobs radial engine pistons from the 1940s, and were inspired to design an eye-catching Desk Watch, which has been machined at a 60-degree angle to ensure easy reading of the time. EASY A

An integrated design team led by HOK and energy and daylighting consultant The Weidt Group has determined it is possible to construct a market-rate net zero emissions Class A commercial office building following a 10-month virtual design exercise. A site in St Louis in the US was selected for the project because of the city’s four-season climate and low electricity costs, which challenged the aim of making the design affordable. The virtual 16,000 square-metre office features two 90 metre-long office structures that are positioned east-west and connected by two 18 metre links that enclose a courtyard.

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The integrated design reduced carbon emissions by 76 per cent through energy efficiency strategies and the provision of extensive rooftop and wallmounted photovoltaic panels, as well as 1,400 square metres of solar thermal tubes which will provide the remaining clean energy required to reach zero carbon emissions. Payback for the investment required to reach carbon neutrality compared to a LEED certified baseline building would be 12 years if the rise in the cost of fuel outpaced general inflation by four per cent a year. However, the payback would be less than 10 years today in many other areas of the United States, where electricity is more expensive. The design was showcased at Greenbuild 2010 in Chicago. FIRE LIGHT

The series of devastating fires that ravaged California in 2007 inspired the creation of Art From The Ashes, a non-profit organisation of independent artists and volunteers who contribute talent, time and energy to create unique pieces crafted from materials collected from blaze sites. Debris that would otherwise be dumped in landfill is transformed by artisans who then showcase their work at exhibitions with a portion of proceeds donated to national or local charities.

ECO

Clockwise from top left: Paul Priestman’s Water Pebble; The Weidt Group’s St. Louis site; lamp made of a burned olive tree by William Stranger.

building – equivalent to the power needed each year for almost 400 average sized homes. Each solar panel weighs about 27kg and is more than 1.8m long and a metre wide. The 3MW system is expected to generate approximately 3.4 million kilowatt hours of energy per year, enabling the facility to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 3,000 tonnes annually. When complete, it will be the first time a GSK facility anywhere in the world will be completely reliant on solar energy. SHOWER POWER

Paul Priestman was inspired to design a stylish water-saving device by a sign in a hotel bathroom asking guests to use one of the world’s most valuable resources carefully. The Water Pebble device monitors water going down the plug when you shower, memorising the amount of water that flows by when it is first used, establishing a benchmark. On subsequent showers, a series of “traffic lights” then flash gently, from green through to red, to indicate when you should stop bathing. For each subsequent shower, the Water Pebble automatically fractionally reduces shower times, helping save water without needing to think about it. The battery in the device lasts for between four and six months. CURRENT FAVOURITE

Among the eye-catching items on show at a recent exhibition in Pasadena was a new lamp by renowned furniture maker William Stranger. It is made from a burned olive tree, cherry veneer remnants and scrap steel, reflecting his desire to use only salvaged and found objects alongside renewable resources in his creations. HERE COMES THE SUN

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has started to install North America’s largest rooftop solar array at its northeast Regional Distribution Centre in York, Pennsylvania. Nearly 11,000 solar panels will cover an area on the roof that is about the size of seven American Football fields. The panels will generate enough electricity to meet the annual energy needs of the nearly 46,000 square metre

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The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is already regarded as one of the greenest hotels in the United States and recently announced several more programmes that underline its commitment to sustainability. Guests are now offered complimentary use of Electra Amsterdam Classic Bicycles, which are equipped with shopping baskets. And the hotel’s parking garage, managed by ProPark America, is equipped with a “Juice Bar” and a small car detection system, both of which aim to reward those who show dedication to greener lifestyles. The Juice Bar allows customers to charge their hybrid and electric cars for free, while a small car detection system measures vehicles entering the garage and provides a unique parking rate based upon its actual size. Vehicles that fall within the preset size parameters programmed into special sensors and encoded onto the dispensed parking ticket, will receive a discounted parking rate. The hotel also provides a Tyre Inflation Station for guests to check pressures and maximise their fuel consumption. ID

Marco Pivaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s innovative use of mosaic tiles as flexible wall features.

Pioneer spirit A renowned architect, as well as an A-list industrial and interior designer, Marco Piva plans to continue to innovate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and hopes Dubai will continue to support and encourage him. TEXT: GLENN FREEMAN

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PROFILE

Marco Piva is the founder and head of Italian design house Studio Marco Piva, and ranks among Europe’s most important contemporary architectural, industrial and interior designers. He and his studio, which has had a presence in Dubai since 2005 and now employs 15 people, have been involved in numerous high-profile buildings and other design projects in locations across the globe, including cities in Europe, the Middle East and South America. His native city of Milan is home to a number of architectural works from Piva and his studio. One of these is a skyscraper project set to become one of the tallest in Europe, surpassing Milan’s Pirelli Tower designed by Gio Ponti, with further details to be revealed during 2011. With the Italian design capital having been named host of the 2015 World Expo, the designer is busy on still more projects. In the UAE, which he recently visited to speak at an Italian Trade Commission event marking the launch of the new online Italian trade portal Contractitaliano.com, he has designed a number of hotels and mixed-use buildings. These include luxury hotels, such as the Tiara Hotel and Oceana Hotel on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah, which are due to open in 2011, along with the Porto Dubai, a multi-billion dollar residential and commercial development that will be located on a reclaimed peninsula just off the Dubai coastline. Studio Marco Piva has also been involved in the architectural design for the Rawdhat and Melody residential developments in Abu Dhabi. As a multi-disciplinary team, Piva’s studio is also involved in architectural developments outside the standard mix of residential and commercial buildings. It was commissioned to design Naples’ football stadium, a large steel, glass and cement structure that is currently under construction, a project also incorporating restaurants, coffee shops and other lifestyle elements. “We wanted to create the stadium using a lot of steel and glass… to give a clean design,” Piva says, emphasising his desire that it symbolise “transparency and openness.” He also alludes to the design feature of a large garden, which will be located on the top levels of the structure. In South America, Studio Marco Piva is pivotal in helping Brazil create new infrastructure and buildings in preparation for the world’s largest international sporting events, the FIFA Football World Cup and Olympic Games, coming to the country in 2014 and 2016 respectively.

January 2011

Left to right: Marco Piva, Murano glass Tattoo lamps.

Part of this involves his design of a new airport in the north of the country, along with residential projects in the capital São Paulo. According to him, his studio was invited to do the work largely on the basis of its success in designing large-scale developments on the Venetian waterfront in Italy. He began his professional career purely as an architect, having studied at Milan Polytechnic in the 70s, at a time when areas such as industrial design and interior design were not treated as separate disciplines. “The approach of all universities then was architecture; interior design was a later area of specialty,” Piva remembers. “I think that was helpful, because you cannot think of a building’s interior without an awareness of its overall architecture, they are not two separate areas. Each surface and aspect of interior design also needs to relate to the history of the building.” Industrial design is a particular area of passion for him. “Industrial design is an answer to the needs of us all, to give function and life to the interior space,” Piva enthuses. “In Italy, we are very lucky because we have such a strong network of companies involved in manufacturing various products and materials.” As head of a multi-national studio that employs some 70 people, much of his professional focus these days is on solving problems and project management. While interior design accounts for the majority of his studio’s work, Piva says that his two greatest professional passions are architecture and industrial design: “I like the integration of systems and of actions – I like to rethink what has previously been assumed.” With an intense curiosity about all that is new and efficient in the world of design, he describes himself as “very open-minded… I don’t design things that

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are to be pretentious, but to create ideas. I don’t design only for my clients, but also for people [in general].” Thus Studio Marco Piva has created a number of extremely innovative designs for objects otherwise perceived as ordinary, everyday items. One of his most recent is the Vitrum light switch, which has already been commissioned for use in a number of hotels and high-end residences. A control switch specifically designed to work with LED lights, it is operated much like the Apple iPod click-wheel, requiring only a light touch to activate and to dim room lighting. It features an eco-friendly setting, which automatically optimises power consumption at a single touch, and can also be configured to work with home stereos and digital televisions. Other smart design aspects are built into the product through the materials used. Not only does its sheer glass surface allow for easy cleaning, other materials also support this design objective. “We designed the collection to meet various international standards, including the US, Europe and UK. Made of glass, we also used some silver components, because of its inherent anti-bacterial qualities,” he says. Another recent product line from Studio Marco Piva is its range of heaters produced for Italian firm iRadium. Breaking from the traditional materials used to create radiators, these are all made from wood, crafted as aesthetically appealing objects that are as sculptural as they are functional. Piva created the wall-mounted Wood and Leaf radiator designs, which double as attractive wall sculptures, along with the more traditional free-standing designs of the Bag and Totem models.

PROFILE

Clockwise from top left: Piva’s cutting edge light switch; Wood wall-mounted heater for iradium; laser-cut marble in Piva’s vulcano collection for MGM Furnari.

Piva plans to take his penchant for integrating different actions and uses within a single product one step further by integrating heaters within timber bathroom doors. Particularly suited to cold European winters, this moves beyond having separate heated towel rails, radiators and doors, combining them all in a single product. However, despite this recent use of wood, when asked to identify his favourite materials in design, he names glass, steel and stone. “These are three elements that are basic in defining space and volume,” Piva says. Marble in particular is a stone that he likes to work with. “This is one of the first elements used in architecture – it can be cut, treated and reinvented, you can add texture – it is a very versatile material,” Piva says.

He is also interested in the juxtaposition between old and new presented by this stone. Having been used in buildings, sculptures and other applications since ancient times, Piva is fascinated by laser-etching techniques and new ways of working with the material made possible through cutting-edge technology. Examples of this are seen in his Vulcano collection, designed for MGM Furnari, which includes precisely machined marble wash-basins and laser-etching to create unique textural effects. Piva has also looked at ways of reinventing the use of steel. One of his flooring products draws inspiration from ancient mosaic designs, consisting of stainless steel plates that can be interlinked to create a durable floor material, ideally suited to commercial or other hard-wearing applications. In glass, he also shows his love of craftsmanship and a desire to constantly challenge the abilities of the artisans and manufacturers with whom he works. His Tattoo suspension light, created from Murano glass, combines ancient techniques of Venetian glassblowing with more contemporary styling. Ensuring his work is readily accessible is important to Piva and initiatives such as Contractitaliano.com will further improve the availability of his worldrenowned design pieces for customers in the Middle East. Speaking about the UAE, Piva explains his attraction and why he established an on-the-ground presence. “I love this place and it has given me the opportunity to work on some huge projects – it is like a second home to me. I would like to have a chance to help create the new vision,” he says. Indeed, this was the topic he discussed in detail during his speech at the Contractitaliano.com event. In a presentation entitled Reshape the Vision, Piva spoke about the need for the UAE to revise and rejuvenate its ambitious plans for growth – an imperative also shared by many other countries in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. ID

January 2011

Bright ideas The use of intriguing and ingenious lighting schemes is helping to draw even more attention to some of the UAE’s most striking buildings. TEXT: GLENN FREEMAN

The Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi.

The Middle East’s increasing use of leading-edge design principles in architectural lighting was a key theme among presenters at the recent Lighting Middle East conference and exhibition. Internationally acclaimed lighting designers involved in some of the region’s landmark architectural projects – including Dubai’s Burj Khalifa and Atlantis developments and Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Mosque – were in Dubai for the event. Issues around sustainability in lighting were also broadly discussed, along with the importance of architectural lighting in going beyond simple utility and spectacle in conveying deeper meaning. Jonathan Speirs, co-founder of Speirs + Major, the lighting designer behind many global, large-scale projects, was among the guest speakers. He spoke about his firm’s immense undertaking in lighting Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Mosque, including some of the unique opportunities and challenges the project presented. On the sidelines of the event, Speirs described the importance of understanding the religious and cultural significance of the building, and of reflecting sensitivity to these aspects through the project. He emphasised the

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point that creating the lighting scheme for the mosque had to be much more than simply floodlighting; it had to convey a deeper significance. “We were very clear right from the start – do you simply want the mosque floodlit, or do you want it to tell a story? We don’t want to deal with floodlighting,” Speirs said. Creating the concept involved extensive research into aspects of the Muslim faith and integrating this understanding into the overall lighting design. The scheme is based around the lunar cycle, an intrinsic part of Islam, with the building exterior lit in shades varying in line with the waxing and waning moon. This sees the lighting colour gradually shift from white during the full moon, through to different shades including a rich, deep blue when there is no moon visible. “The concept was based around this because it is something that shows a real dignity and respect for the religious significance of the building,” said Speirs, who confessed that “we put a ridiculous amount of thinking into our projects.” An important added detail is the cloud effect that plays on the outside of the mosque. This was designed to simulate the visual spectacle of clouds drifting through moonlight. According to Speirs, this further enhances the symbolised

DESIGN@LARGE

Left to right: The Ambassador Lagoon and exterior of Atlantis, The Palm.

connection between the mosque and the heavens, involving significant additional consideration and work. It also reflects the powerful religious role of the mosque, with the projected clouds always appearing to move from the direction of Mecca. “There is a story behind it all and I think the building is much richer for it,” Speirs said. Interior lighting of the mosque was also an extremely complex process. One aspect of this involved the use of warm lighting, which spills from inside the building to offset the cool white and blue exterior colours. Meeting aesthetic demands of the project also required a lot of detailed work in lighting specific interiors. All fittings and light sources were concealed, using interior walls as reflectors, bouncing light off them into larger spaces. Other highly-involved design effects were used in lighting walls within spaces such as the prayer rooms, with fibre-optics and a floral pattern used to depict and highlight words from the Qu’ran. Novel ways of lighting the interiors of the mosque’s domes were devised, especially in the highlighting of Qu’ran scripting running along the inside of these. Paul Gregory, head of New York-based architectural lighting design firm Focus Lighting, created the lighting concept for Dubai’s Atlantis Hotel, located on The Palm Jumeirah. While this project did not have the cultural or religious significance of a mosque, he emphasised the fact that a detailed back story played a big part in establishing the lighting concept. “There is a whole narrative storyline around the legend of Atalantis, which helped inform everything, including colour choice in lighting and selection of décor,” he said.

According to Gregory, the role of lighting in architectural design revolves around creating an emotional response: “We look at lighting design as breaking each project down into view ports – like paintings – with background, foreground, frame and focus. “If you can get project owners and designers to agree on what mood they’re targeting beforehand, the chance for success is much greater… the building owner needs to understand its clientele and incorporate a lighting design that reinforces the right things.” Commenting on trends in architectural lighting within the Middle East, Gregory believes the importance of careful design of lighting concepts is rising. “The bar is being raised here in lighting design,” he said, referring not only to the Atlantis but also to the Armani Hotel as leading examples. “This stands up in global markets and is showing the growth of world-class quality and appreciation for good lighting design regionally.” In lighting the exterior of Atlantis The Palm, Gregory and his team designed it to accentuate the outsiders’ view of the building, an imposing structure sitting some five kilometers off the Dubai coastline. “We had to light up the vertical columns and their caps in creating an attractive, iconic structure seen from the mainland,” he said. Lighting some of the massive marine-life displays inside the building proved particularly challenging, with the Ambassador Lagoon being the biggest man-made structure of its kind. The entire nine metre depth of the tank had to be lit, without putting lights in the water, with light projected around 30 metres from their anchor points to the tank floor. ID

January 2011

LIVING ROOMS | DESIGN FORMULA

Domestic blitz Living room design trends for the coming year are picking up where 2010 left off, but there are also some new, more extreme ideas popping up, causing a break with current convention. TEXT: LISA VINCENTI

CONTENTS: 36 Disturbed 39 Call of the wild 42 Set limits 45 Emotional attachments 48 Live in colour

G ESI

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Jean-Marie Massaudâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Arch sofa for MDF Italia, with its sleek and slender base, belies its own simplicity.

January 2011

DESIGN FORMULA | LIVING ROOMS

The Dune Sofa by Carlo Colombo for Poliform from Obegi Home. The versatility of the modular Dune system allows for individual interpretation of the living area.

It’s that time of year again. Time to take stock, look back and plan a strategy for what’s to come. For most, the passing into the new year comes with promises to undo some of the shortcomings that have come before. Whatever the resolution, the start of a new calendar is also a time when lifestyle and trend forecasters take stock as well. Where are we going? How will we get there? What do we want? Such questions plague the experts, who study show after show to discover the meaningful trend for the coming months. So while early last year signalled a time to turn inward and withdraw, by the autumn a nascent optimism and hard-edged individualism surfaced. Looking ahead to 2011, the landscape continues to embrace those directions but pushes them ahead full force. In the home, sobriety is tempered by a progressive attitude that toys with concepts of privacy and intimacy, utility and exotic experimentation. The world of design is welcoming a new concept of modernity, where the classics and contemporary, the far-off and near, the public and private merge in an aesthetic that remains clear yet far from cold. Last year, the entire home sphere began to be viewed as a place to escape from the uncertainty surrounding global economic events, now the living area is morphing into a place to transport us to another more fanciful, personal realm. The catwalks during last autumn’s fashion shows on both sides of the Atlantic were painted in vivid strokes signalling a return to colour and life. Consumers are ready for a change in a brighter direction both in their wardrobes and at home; and their rebelliousness is shaking off tired conventions in search of something more dynamic and fulfilling. “The biggest change is in the hierarchy of spaces, the importance that’s attached to them,” says product and interior designer Defne Koz, who has

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studios in the United States, Italy and Turkey. “In the past, only the living room was important and nobody cared about the kitchen, bathroom or studio. But then first the kitchen and next the bathroom experienced a huge increase in importance, and that’s a clear indication that, wherever we go, we seek quality. I really like the idea of all rooms being equally important, because it means you can feel at home wherever you happen to be.” Clearly demarcated spaces, unconnected to other regions of the home are disappearing as open living plans continue to dominate private quarters. However, there are still some aesthetic mistakes from minimalist designs of the first decade of the 21st century that need to be undone: the sterility and neutrality that marked much of modern residential design during this era has left homeowners hungering for something more. Increased expressiveness, personality and complexity now mark top designs. During the past year, a slew of new introductions featured more curvaceous and emotive profiles, to soften rigid lines. And, by the autumn, a tendency toward a more rebellious energy began to take hold and will prove a major direction of the top home fairs kicking off in January. Conformism, extravagance and an overexposed intimacy will be dealt a divisive blow in 2011. DISTURBED

During its autumn 2010 fair, Maison’s Observatory had forecasters focus on the theme of privacy. Three gurus were asked to interpret that idea and the results present a picture of what’s to come, and Please Disturb, Microcosms and Archaic Shelters paint a portrait of major directions in residential designs.

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Clockwise from top left: Colour and pattern makes a strong showing in 2011: Cappellini’s Multicolour Rive Droit; Marcel Wander’s high-back Tulip armchair for Cappellini; B&B Italia’s Bend sofa by Partricia Urquiola.

“There is no longer privacy, we are being shot by cameras, filmed as soon as we go out, watched by satellites, exposed on Facebook,” notes Vincent Grégoire, a former architect and designer who now heads the lifestyle department of the NellyRodi agency in Paris. “Our time has something of Big Brother.” Grégoire’s interpretation of future home designs in his Please Disturb, mishandled privacy, and presents a reaction against the conformism and extravagance that marked most of the prior decade. Matter and forms are “shamelessly brutalised. The time is for manhandled, bumped, burnt, taped or holed objects. The violation of the home results in openly erotic expressions. A provocative but necessary fury for life,” he says. The palette espoused by Grégoire is plush, lush and inviting on one hand, dingy, shattered and damaged on the other. Neutrals still exist, yet sweeps of vivid pinks, reds, purples and black add a heightened layer of intensity to home designs. “It is impossible nowadays to completely close your door. In modern life, there is always an eye peeking through the keyhole,” he states. “Our interiors are no longer enclosed and impregnable cocoons, they are laid bare and stripped of their sanctity. In response, we deliberately attack those objects which are meant to protect us, in a kind of vengeful self-preservation, a reactionary catharsis. Creations nowadays are dented, burnt, deformed… The home has become a

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cry, a savage wrench in the face of an aggressive reality that nobody now wants to conceal. Privacy no longer exists; it needs to be saved through destruction.” Grégoire takes the paradox of privacy to an extreme, where we desperately crave a private sphere yet can’t help but invite the world in via Skype video calls and Facebook postings, or fall victim to anyone’s curiosity via services such as Google Earth or being publicly tagged in photos posted online. The caption to his exhibit might just as easily read: “Enter at your own risk!” His vision of privacy explodes with creative destruction and jarring textures, sharp acute angles, shocking contrasts in shapes, electric colours and materials: knotted, smashed, crumpled, dismantled and repaired. His is a revolt against the increasing encroachment of the public world, but also an edgy response to the crisis that we have found ourselves in. The winners will be those that can control the chaos. “I love chaos. I splatter the world with what pops into my head.” says Belgian conceptual artist Arne Quinze, who has designed Cityscape sculptures and the décor for the L’Eclaireur store with wood slats and nails. He, like many other designers and artists, thrives on the chaos of the times, seeing the perfection of the imperfect. “Boundaries are made to be broken,” he says, and the rules are being broken throughout the home.

LIVING ROOMS | DESIGN FORMULA

Top to bottom: Fratelli Boffi’s Pointers and Coates side tables; soaring backs for added privacy, as seen in Vibieffe’s Class sofa, prove a major direction looking ahead.

CALL OF THE WILD

Parisian designer Elizabeth Leriche, another expert asked to express her vision of privacy at Maison last fall, looked well into the past to conceptualise tomorrow’s top direction. In a world filled with order, symmetry and perfection, she ushers us into a realm that is solid, rough, unshorn. She taps our primal instincts to show what’s next. Hence, Archaic Shelter, Times of Uncertainty, as her exhibit was called, reactivates the archaic desire to find shelter as a means of achieving inner peace. It’s a caveman-like experience, peppered by the raw and primal: a granite bathtub, animal skins for rugs. Like an ultra-contemporary archaeologist, from fragile to raw, from feather to stone, via animal hides, and design takes from nature, to build a neo-primitive retreat. Last year, consumers began getting back to nature in earnest, seeking out products and designs that put them back in touch with the outdoors. They also began the notion of sustainability, whether through smart product purchase decisions or heading to the local farmers’ market en mass. With confidence in the economic structure, governments and energy supplies shattered, the idea of not living off the grid has taken off for some.

“Consumers are striving for more self-reliance and want to achieve an ultra-sustainable lifestyle”, states the 2011/12 Trend Book issued by Heimtextil, a major fabric fair running in January. “In order to achieve this, some are breaking free of their normal way of life in a radical way and adopting the wilderness lifestyle, which means being at one with nature.” Like Leriche, the trend experts at Heimtextil anticipate a broad showing of untreated, coarse, irregular, rumpled, knitted, felted and woven fabrics during the fair. Twisted, knotted and bent hemp and soy fibres will be seen (and felt) along with coarse wool, skins, imitation fur and faux leather, in a broad spectrum of earthy tones, from rust red to soot black. “Private is becoming a luxurious notion, being on one’s own to be in symbiosis with the nature, to have some time for oneself, to refocus on oneself,” Leriche says. “To stay open to others, it is necessary to set distances at times. All of us need to find our inner roots to become deeply-rooted. “There is an idea of shelter, refuge, of our own world to be protected against this society that shows everything and tells everything. We need to come back to something more secret, hidden, personal.”

January 2011

Texture and tactility erase the flatness of earlier years. From Fendi Casa comes the elegant Farnese sofa with printed leather for a touch of the wild.

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LIVING ROOMS | DESIGN FORMULA

January 2011

Top to bottom: Arik Levy’s modular Tea Time sofa for Molteni & C expresses a rationalism and dynamism for utmost flexibility; Pallucco toys with complexity in Bucky 7, where a soft cable lends shape and structure to three blown-glass rods.

SET LIMITS

Like Leriche’s vision of the great thoughts to power design in the coming years, François Bernard of consultancy Agence Croisements also explored the concept of creating something hidden in his Microcosms, The search for calm, exhibit. “In an overexposed and noisy world, our age aspires to find inner silence,” he states. “Creation explores directions that bring the interior of the object to life, overlap the place in the place. An effect of this aggressive reality and the loss of privacy is a turning in on ourselves and our eternal silence. If our homes are no longer impregnable, a world must be created within a world, an oasis of calm in the middle of the cry. The modern home becomes invisible in order to calm us. The feeling of security must be discreet, hidden… Using virtual interfaces and warm material, we plunge back into a meditative trance, helped by our environment. No more of the mundane – objects must provide inner peace.” Over recent years, identity has tracked the phenomena of walls coming down and living spaces opening up. Even in the sanctity of the home, it has become more difficult to carve out a personal space away from other household members. “We are seeing more and more people knocking down their interior walls to create vast open-plan living spaces that incorporate formal and relaxed living areas, kitchen and dining, play areas for children and even offices,” says Shelley Pond, an interior designer and creative director at the Scarlet Opus trend agency. “However, once the walls have come down these huge spaces can seem daunting, leaving many wondering how on earth they’re going to divide the space again effectively. Even without walls there needs to be a sense of order, purpose and even privacy.”

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LIVING ROOMS | DESIGN FORMULA

William sofa by Zanotta.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatever directions the experts predict, underpinning all their forecasts is a desire to make it more personal, where everything holds a nugget of meaning or significance.â&#x20AC;?

January 2011

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LIVING ROOMS | DESIGN FORMULA

Paola Lenti’s Allnew by Francesco Rota presents a linear profile softened by rounded edges, the hand-crocheted Picot poufs lend a handicraft air.

This year’s fairs will be full of designs that offer an added layer of solitude. More furniture makers are introducing seating systems with high-back rests and/or arms to provide an added layer of protection. Montis’ Scene, designed by Dutch designer Gijs Papavoine in 1998, is being launched in a super-sized model with towering back, which can be configured in a number of ways. This modular seating system of squares and rectangles features a large seat standing lightly on thin metal legs. Slender backrests fold around the seating element like a collar raised high in the wind, creating a shielded and private area for the sitter. From prolific London-based designer Kelly Hoppen comes her interpretation of the vintage Bubble Chair. Part of her just-released home furnishings collection, an acrylic orb rests on a circular pedestal providing the best of both worlds, a bit privacy but where everything is still visible. Likewise, two introductions from Cappellini, the cocoon-like Secret Clubhouse and extra-large Wanders Tulip Chair, also offer chic escapes. “We very clearly feel the need for recreating or defining the spatial areas of the living space, of marking the boundaries,” Bernard says. “Enveloping shapes – such as the Gaetano Pesce high-back chairs designed for Cassina or the lounge chair including a sleeping bag by Les M – which allow us to be isolated from others, are welcome.” In fact consumers are re-balancing and reconfiguring their worlds. The lifestyle shifts that came about following the economic turmoil and the new realities of consumption, whether that be decreased spending on purchases or the effect of consumption on the environment, are likely here for good. Uncertainty has driven the consumer inward, looking for re-assurance and comfort. What’s more, the realities born of the financial crisis have moved consumers away from a “me myself” attitude and toward a more communal spirit. Often we are obliged to live together, with different generations cohabiting and young adults living together. “We are adapting, stacking and containing in order to preserve some private space in the midst of other people and we are having to make concessions,” Leriche adds. EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENTS

Consumers have been hungering for more individual, personality-driven interiors, a backlash to the rigid forms and lines of earlier years. They no longer spend just to spend, they want to purchase an experience and meaning. From furniture fair IMM Cologne, which runs later this month, experts predict four major themes will dominate the home: Emotional Austerity, where a clear and unostentatious aesthetic full of passion and detail dominates; Surprising Empathy, where sensual forms and new materials offer a new way of seeing things; Re-Balancing, where inviting and meaningful pieces take a practical turn; and, lastly, Transforming Perspectives, where experimentation takes archaic forms, simple solutions and ‘it’ products to cliché-like extremes.

January 2011

Clockwise from above: The Willy armchair by Poltrona Frau pairs a simple and plump aspect designed to invite and envelope; Atipicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tamburo parallel bars offers lightness; Modoluceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Budino pendant lights in Rosso picks up on the colour trend.

So many introductions in living room items continue to present generous, inviting proportions in a flexible format. The lines remain simple and uncomplicated, but the aspect is lightened and softened by gently rounded corners or a playful touch. New forms and new materials are teaching us a new way of seeing things: what looks light turns out to be heavy and resilient; what seems heavy impresses us with its lightness. The just-launched Dutch design brand Fousse, spearheaded by Niels de Greef, presents the sleepy Zzzen lounger, with a floor hugging, round profile, meant to rock you to sleep either back and forth or side to side. From B&B Italia, comes the curvaceous albeit monolithic Bend sofa designed by Patricia Urquiola. It breaks out of traditional visual schemes via an irregularly shaped

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backrest, curved modules and contrasting seams, creating a sense of motion and calculated eccentricity. Two sofas designed by Jean-Marie Massaud for MDF Italia also play with the expected. In Yale, oversize inviting pillows sit on a delicate, airy steel frame; while his Arch sofa system, with its thin arch-shaped, aluminum frame, seems to float, belying the comfort of its roomy seat and backrests. Consumers no longer desire short-lived, seasonal trends, they hanker for consistent value. The new consumer landscape is characterised by quality, longevity, sustainability and significance. Within this context, a new generation of designers have turned to forgotten skills and traditional craftsmanship, hence the growing popularity of handmade, art-like pieces. In fact, as consumers

LIVING ROOMS | DESIGN FORMULA

Joe sofa by Verzelloni.

January 2011

re-evaluate their lifestyles, they are looking for products to build an emotional attachment with. “In so many homes the main issue that prevents a living area from being effective is clutter and disorder; myriad possessions accumulated over many years in several styles brought together in one space,” Victoria Redshaw notes. “In many cases there is an emphasis either on practicality or style… rather than a harmonious balance of style and substance. Products should enhance your life rather than just adorn it. It is always better to have ‘fewer but more fabulous’ possessions. Decorating choices should make your life and home environment more beautiful, more practical, more enjoyable, more fun and more relaxing.” LIVE IN COLOUR

Everybody is searching for a home that is more personal and vital, which has put colour back on the map. Though the greys and beiges so popular in past seasons continue to play a role in living room designs, patterns, textures and colours are de rigueur. Layers, complexity and emotional ties inject the home with interest and personal whim. Experts predict that cool neutrals and muted hues from icy greys to chocolate browns to bright reds, fuchsia purples and sapphire blues, will be reflected in paints and fabrics. As people become increasingly interested in their roots they are also turning to patterns, textures and colours that have a global influence. “Looking ahead to 2011 and beyond, a key colour story of dark, shimmering, twilight jewel shades of deep sapphire, pure amethyst and midnight purple illuminated by glistening teal and liquid emerald creates a sophisticated tone and is a palette that is both transeasonal and unisex,” Redshaw says. “Combine this with warm metallics such as copper, bronze or brushed gold.” In fact, at the end of last year Redshaw took part in an expert panel at Grand Designs Live, one of the UK’s most popular home shows, and noted that the public is craving colour at home but is uncertain how to introduce it back into their lives. The key, according to Shelley Pond, is to create flow, so even if all the materials and textures are different, subtle variations in tones and shades, for example moving from a pale grey in the kitchen to a dark charcoal in the living room, create relationships and harmony. “Create a flow of colour that gradually moves from clean and bright in functional kitchen areas through the spectrum to wonderfully intense and darker shades of the same colour in living areas; this helps form clear definitions within the different areas,” she says. “Also, don’t be afraid to pull furniture away from the walls and use it to create structure and define areas.”

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LIVING ROOMS | DESIGN FORMULA

Clockwise from left: Despite the lacquered white Wall System and Park sofa by Poliform, character and life are added via colorful and eclectic accents; Kelly Hoppen reworks the iconic bubble chair for her elegant, just-released furniture collection; Seven Salotti adds character to its cushiony nap sofa by pairing it with its sleek Gina armchair and Filu and Blow low tables.

Pond recommends selecting a small palette of three or four colours, from which the entire living area should not deviate. “Using accent colours in different intensities as you move through the space is another effective tool in establishing relationships within your interior design,” she says. The big trends of the moment in living room design are oversized mirrors, sideboards with personality, rugs with a strong decorative narrative and pendant lighting in clusters, Redshaw says. “Spend a little more money on a key statement piece that you truly believe you will cherish for many years. This acts as the foundation stone of your decorating scheme and should make a strong statement,” she adds. What’s more, accessories, from rugs to cushions to vases, window treatments and even wallpaper, can prove an inexpensive way to update a room and begin welcoming colour back. “Our love affair with the ‘statement wall’ continues but, moving forward, opt for large scale prints and push yourself to be more daring in your choice,” Redshaw says. “Opt for a darker or richer shade than you normally would. For a statement wall with real style check out the UK’s Meystyle’s crystal and LED integrated wallpapers. Remember the addition of ‘texture’ is a really important part of creating a successful living room scheme.” Grégoire adds: “We are ready to metamorphosise ourselves. Summer 2012, which we are currently revealing in the various Paris trade fairs, holds the banner high for this idea. After that, each person can write their own destiny based on their preferences and desires. Some may use new weapons – especially technological or scientific ones – to anticipate the possibilities; the more dreamy among us may imagine ourselves hovering above the problems. “Whatever the case, a new map of the world and mankind is being defined and mixed without borders. Instead of nations, it is ideas that now bring us together. Since we’re all in the same boat, we have drawn closer and become more modest, today no one can claim to be unshakeable. Far from lingering on an image, we seek a balance where frenzy will give way to meditation and reflection.” ID

January 2011

DESIGN FORMULA | LIVING ROOMS

From GAN comes the innovative, knit Mangas collection by Particia Urquiola.

Design sources atipiconline.it bebitalia.it; tel: (04) 340 5795 boffi.com; tel: (04) 334 9943 cappellini.it; tel: (04) 2952180 cassina.com kellyhoppenretail.com fendi.com; tel: (04) 337 7825 fousse.nl leriche.com mdfitalia.it meystyle.com; tel: (04) 397 6615 minotti.com; tel: (04) 347 5090 molteni.it; tel: (04) 297 1777 modoluce.com pallucco.com paolalenti.it poliform.it; tel: (04) 394 8161 poltronafrau.com; tel: 295 2981 sevensalotti.it verzelloni.it vibieffe.com zanotta.it; tel: (04) 425 7888

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In the sitting room, The sofa is a custom-made Jean-Louis Deniot design made by Collection Pierre.The 1960s coffee table is by Robsjohn-Gibbings, and the rug was designed by Deniot and custom-made by the Galerie Diurne in Paris. The standing lamp next to the sofa is attributed to Jacques Adnet. The paintings are by Jean-Michel Atlan.

Out of left field When Jean-Louis Deniot was asked to decorate an apartment in the French capital, he decided to go back to basics, stripping away the usual Parisian accoutrements to look at other sources of inspiration. TEXT: IAN PHILLIPS PHOTOGRAPHY: XAVIER BĂ&#x2030;JOT

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INTERIORS

January 2011

Left to right: The entrance hall has a Jean-Louis Deniot rug, two black leather chairs designed by Oscar Tusquets which date from the 1970s, and ceiling lights designed by Deniot lined with gold leaf; in the master bathroom, a blue armchair was designed by Deniot for Collection Pierre and the brushed walnut cabinet was designed by Gio Ponti.

When the owners of this flat on Paris’ Left Bank first acquired it, they were initially delighted by its elaborate architectural details. There were plaster mouldings with leaves, flowers and cherubs, as well as ornately sculpted neo-Louis XV fireplaces in Carrara marble. “They were enthusiastic about having the typical 1890s Parisian feel,” recalls their decorator Jean-Louis Deniot. “I told them to enjoy it while it lasted as everything was going to disappear… and fast!” For him, there is nothing more commonplace – at least in the French capital. Plus, in this case, the florid touches were simply out-of-place. “The layout and form of the apartment were already bizarre enough,” he says. “It was better to simplify things as much as possible.” Thus, Deniot decided to strip the place and turn to other sources of inspiration. One was Man Ray’s iconic muse from the 1920s, Kiki de Montparnasse. Another was the Constructivist movement and the work of Piet Mondrian and Gerrit Rietveld. “I wanted something a little more bohemian chic,” he explains. “To portray an ‘artsy’ place from the 20th century.” That said, Deniot also decided to maintain a few neo-Classical touches (the original doors with their mouldings) and add others (the Greek motif on the carpet in the entrance and the 1970s chrome fireplace with its Louis XVI-style decoration). “That way,” he notes, “the clients would still have a sense of something very French.”

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The 150-square metre flat is located at the top of a building at the crossroads of two busy boulevards. It has a main floor, as well as a staircase that leads up to a studio above and one of its major draws are the views as it looks out over the roofs of Paris towards the Eiffel Tower and the Hôtel des Invalides. In the sitting room, the vistas are framed by a strategically placed oval window, which has been integrated into a bookcase. The principal drawback was its strange and rather restrictive floor plan. Both the entrance hall and sitting room have curved walls due to the fact that they are situated inside the building’s rotunda. Instead of trying to mask the unusual forms, Deniot opted on the contrary to highlight them. In the sitting room, both the carpet and the sofa follow the arc of the walls. In the entrance, horizontal lines on the walls draw attention to their shape. As he says: “Why work against an unusual form when an imperfection can become a very interesting element?” One of his major interventions was to open up the kitchen-cum-family room. Between the two, he placed a counter above which there is a glass partition. Harry Bertoia stools are placed on either side to allow four people to dine casually when the partition is open. When closed, its sanded glass permits views into the kitchen to be obscured. The studio upstairs, meanwhile, was completely reconfigured. Deniot blocked up a skylight, created a central block to house the bathroom, eradicated quirky angles by building a domed ceiling and installed a stainless-steel kitchenette.

INTERIORS

The staircase connects the main apartment to the studio. The mirror is a custom version of the Origami model from Pouenat. Normally it is all mirror, but Deniot requested that one part be black and another gold.

January 2011

INTERIORS

When it came to the colour palette, the owners originally requested white, but Deniot persuaded them that “half-tones” like sage greens, powdery blues and taupe-like greys, would create a greater harmony. He also felt they would help to soften the oak he chose for the millwork and partitions. “Against a white wall, the wood could have appeared rather orange,” he remarks. As for the furnishings, there are naturally a few Constructivist touches. Among them, the column in the family room that has been painted red à la Rietveld and the custom Origami mirror from Pouenat on the stairs. Then, there are the Hervé van der Straeten table lamps, which consist of a number of lacquered blocks placed one on top of the other in an off-kilter fashion. Deniot has also mixed in a Jean-Michel Frank sofa, a few 1940s French neo-Classical pieces, a beautiful Gio Ponti brushed walnut chest, an organically shaped Robsjohn-Gibbings coffee table and a constellation-like chandelier by Gino Sarfatti. Furthermore, he has placed a number of poufs throughout. “They are a nodding wink to the fact that the clients used to live in Morocco,” he explains. “I thought they were also a nice way to give a laid-back feel.” The owners, meanwhile, were keen to integrate works from their collection of art. On the walls of the dining room are several canvases from the school of Rubens. Elsewhere are paintings by Jean-Michel Atlan. “I like his work,” Deniot enthuses, “because there’s an ethnic touch to them. They remind me in a way of Basquiat.” When asked what they like most about Deniot’s style, the owners mention “a certain classicism that is not wrapped up with trends or fashions” as well as “a certain approach to luxury”. “It’s always a discreet luxury,” they note.

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Clockwise from top left: A daybed in the office-cum-guest room is made with oak and the two side tables with the holes in them are by India Mahdavi; the sitting room; the studio apartment’s armchair is by Ignacio Gardella and the standing light is from Hervé van der Straeten. The painting is Ohne Titel by René Clohse.

Here, the result is a cosy, intimate atmosphere that allows for the best of both worlds. Not only do you feel protected from the hustle and bustle of the streets below, you also have a wonderful sense of openness thanks to the views. Deniot, meanwhile, has found the reply to the question he posed at the beginning of the project: how to transform a stiff, Haussmannian flat into a chic, arty pad? “This apartment is the answer!” ID

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ZAYED NATIONAL MUSEUM

idProperty

CONTENTS: 60 A legacy revealed 62 Bridging the gap 64 More clouds on the horizon 70 Antennae 72 Portfolio

January 2011

A legacy revealed Foster + Partners reveals striking designs for the Zayed National Museum which combine the UAEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love of falconry with a sustainable twist. TEXT: ELSA M LAREN C

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LOCAL | idProperty

Top to bottom: Saadiyat Cultural District; the Guggenheim; Sir Norman Foster.

Renowned UK architects Foster + Partners unveiled its designs for Abu Dhabi’s Zayed National Museum during a visit by Queen Elizabeth II to the UAE. The museum is the cornerstone of the city’s ambitious Saadiyat Island cultural district, which will also be home to branches of the distinguished Louvre and Guggenheim museums, designed by Jean Nouvel and Frank Gehry respectively. Dedicated to the founding president of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (1918-2004), the Zayed National Museum will showcase the history, culture and, more recently, the economic transformation of the emirate. Commissioned by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Development Investment Company, the Pritzker Prize-winning Foster + Partners was chosen from 12 world-class firms which competed to create the most awe-inspiring design for a modern Arabian icon. The drawings were released during the British monarch’s second state visit to the Emirates at an official ceremony with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The building is designed to resemble the wings of a falcon, a symbol of UAE heritage and culture, and will rise up from the top of a man-made hill as the centrepiece of Saadiyat Island. It is being developed with the help of the British Museum and includes five galleries, a library, an auditorium and a fine dining restaurant, all centred around a striking ground floor lobby. The lobby is dug into the earth to take advantage of thermal properties and is dramatically lit from above to create a striking entrance point for visitors. Each gallery is housed in a lightweight steel structure, which has been sculpted aerodynamically to look like a bird’s feather. The tallest of the five will measure 125 metres. Each of the five exhibition spaces is contained within its own pod-shaped structure that is suspended from white concrete building supports. Concrete is used extensively throughout the building, while local sand from Saadiyat Island is used to mimic the colour tones of the surrounding landscape to give the building a sense of belonging. Meanwhile, Foster + Partners says the museum is focused on function as much as form in a bid to incorporate sustainable design. Solar panels and heat exchangers are part of the building’s green design, while the five towers work in formation to channel air through the museum. Each wing provides a buffer zone to reduce the impact of the sun’s glare, while heat builds up in each tip to create a cycle that drags used air up and out through the top of the building. Another important element in the design of the museum is the contrast between light and shade. This is achieved with discreet and carefully positioned openings throughout the building’s walls. These capture the region’s intense sunlight to illuminate and highlight interior spaces. Lord Foster said the Zayed National Museum was a “great privilege” to work on and that the project sought to “communicate the dynamic character of a contemporary United Arab Emirates,” adding that he had “sought to establish a building that will be an exemplar of sustainable design, resonating with Sheikh Zayed’s love of nature and his wider heritage.” Foster + Partners, which has a studio in Abu Dhabi, is responsible for the design of some of the city’s leading projects, including Masdar, the world’s first carbon neutral city, and the Abu Dhabi Central Market. Construction on the museum is currently underway and it is set to open to the public in late 2014. ID

January 2011

Bridging the gap Sheikh Zayed Bridge, the first of Pritzker Prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid’s UAE projects, has launched in Abu Dhabi and is set to rival landmarks in San Francisco, London and Sydney. TEXT: ELSA M LAREN C

Hadid’s design is set to create a new landmark for Abu Dhabi.

After almost eight years under construction, the Sheikh Zayed Bridge – designed by the British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid – has opened to traffic in Abu Dhabi. Measuring 842 metres in length, the structure cost Dhs1 billion to build and provides the third access point from the island city to the UAE mainland. The site has always been a strategic crossing point where traders would wade across the shallow waters. Named after the UAE’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed Bridge is set to be a catalyst for the emirate’s future urban growth. It is far removed from the first steel arch bridge that connected the fledgling city in 1967 and a second bridge built in the 1970s, which connected the south side of the island. “The bridge, which bears the name of our father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, is more than a link between two points,” UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, told reporters during the opening ceremony. “It is a symbol for the continuous development process started by the late Sheikh Zayed and evidence of our determination to pursue the goals of Plan Abu Dhabi 2030.”

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The project has not been without delays – it started construction in 2003 and was initially due for completion more than three years ago. However, an engineering feat in itself, the structure is reported to be the most complicated bridge ever built. Launched around UAE National Day, Sheikh Zayed Bridge is set to become a new landmark for the UAE capital and one which its architect says has the potential to become a major destination itself – equal to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Tower Bridge in London and Sydney’s Harbour Bridge. Renowned for her dynamic architectural forms, Hadid’s interest in the relationship between architecture, landscape and geology is evident throughout this project. The bridge is shaped like undulating sand dunes, typical of vast tracks of the UAE’s terrain. Hadid is also involved in a number of other projects in the Gulf, including the Abu Dhabi Performing Arts Centre, one of only five cultural institutions on the city’s Saadiyat Island, as well as Dubai’s Opus building and Bahrain’s Museum of Contemporary Art.

PHOTOGRAPHY: WILFRED THESIGER

LOCAL | idProperty

Top to bottom: A trader leads his camels across the shallow waters of the Maqta Channel; Zaha Hadid.

Sheikh Zayed Bridge launches itself from the mainland to span the Maqta Channel. Three steel arches rise and spring from concrete blocks, evoking desert dunes, or waves rolling to the shore. The main arch rises 60 metres above water level, while the road surface is suspended 20 metres above water. The bridge supports two four-lane carriageways, an emergency lane and a pedestrian walkway, which all run through the centre of the roller coaster frame. In fact, the number of traffic lanes was increased from two in the original plans after designers realised they would have to double capacity due to Abu Dhabiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rapid urban growth rate. Now, about 1,600 vehicles can cross the bridge every hour. A total of 666 concrete pillars made out of 480 tonnes of concrete, 5,000 tonnes of pre-stressed steel structure and 2,000 tonnes of foundation steel, make up the bridge. The central pier alone is said to contain enough concrete to cover a football pitch to a height of five metres. ID

January 2011

More clouds on the horizon

The global property market recovery is expected to broaden in 2011. Unfortunately this doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be a trouble-free year. TEXT: RICHARD WARREN

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INTERNATIONAL | idProperty

Villa Flowers, Eze, Cote d’Azur, South of France, five bedrooms with swimming pool and sea view.

Did you heed Warren Buffet’s advice? Two years ago, he told us “the time to get greedy is when others are fearful”. The financial whiz said this after he bought a chunk of troubled bank Goldman Sachs when most other investors were rushing for the exits with the banking crisis at its peak. Buffet’s approach sounded like something that could apply to investing in property as well as stocks and shares, so identity highlighted it in an article on the global property market. We’re glad we did, because Buffet’s advice, as always, was good. The chances are that most of those who got greedy for property over the past 24 months have been rewarded. Two years ago, reverberations from the global property crash were still ringing in our ears as worldwide average property prices nosedived 17 per cent in 2007 and 2008. Pictures of the resulting devastation, including abandoned, half-finished building sites and repo men knocking on peoples’ doors, flashed up on our TV screens. The housing market slump reached its lowest level at that time, but since then global house prices have risen by 10 per cent on average, according to estate agency Knight Frank. “Each quarter we are presented with further evidence that the impact of the global recession on the world’s housing markets is diminishing,” says Liam Bailey, head of residential research at Knight Frank. “Economic stimulus measures put in place by many Western governments, such as ultra-low interest rates, first time buyer concessions and targeted support for banks, have encouraged house buyers.” So where has greed been good for home buyers? Investors who ploughed money into East Asian markets in 2010 may feel they have the Midas touch as last year property prices rose by more than a quarter in Hong Kong and by a third in Singapore and China’s biggest cities. Those who braved the Latvian housing market must also be feeling smug. The Baltic state’s housing market was devastated by the crash, with home prices sinking 43 per cent from their 2007 peak, but in 2010 they recovered strongly, rising about 20 per cent, making it Europe’s best performing housing market.

January 2011

idProperty | INTERNATIONAL

Clockwise from above: Bond Street apartments, New York; 10-bedroom house in eight hectares of grounds, The Hamptons, USA; Central district, Hong Kong.

Other buoyant markets included Brazil, Russia, Australia and South Africa. Meanwhile Dubai’s housing market stabilised following a catastrophic halving of property values in the emirate in 2009 and modest French property price rises kept pace with inflation. However, as we all know, it does not always pay to be greedy. Anyone who bought a home in most European countries including Spain, Ireland and Switzerland may wish they had not, because values slid downward. The same was true for most of the United States. Knight Frank’s forecast for 2011 is for modest price rises in most Western countries, including France, Italy and Switzerland, and a reining in of runaway markets in East Asia. That doesn’t sound particularly exciting, but a period of boredom is probably what everyone needs, a time for consolidation. Except, that might not happen. A debt-crisis affecting the PIGS (as Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain are collectively referred to by less sensitive types) may wreck property markets across Europe, where a lack of mortgage funding is squeezing demand. Further west, a second dip in the United States housing market is appearing partly because banks are unwilling to lend on property, while for parts of East Asia, where too much money is being borrowed, we may be discussing “burst bubbles” later this year. “The potential risks to future growth are many and varied,” Bailey says. “For Western economies, the availability of new funding, the scale of austerity measures, earnings and employment growth will prove critical to the health of their housing markets. In Asia, a lot hinges on how far governments intervene in fiscal policy.”

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Let’s look at key trouble spots, starting with the PIGS. Price falls are expected by almost everyone in these countries next year, but by how much divides opinion. Knight Frank forecasts a three per cent fall in Irish property values in 2011, but a new set of tax rises and public spending cuts in the wake of the International Monetary Fund and European Union (EU) bailout could exacerbate price drops. Equally harsh austerity measures in Spain, Greece and Portugal will drag down property values in these countries. If any or all four states default on their public debts, require additional funding from European neighbours or leave the Eurozone, that would upset European economies and spark banking crises, causing property prices to tumble across the continent. Britain’s position is also precarious. The EU is Britain’s largest trading partner and its banks have lent heavily to Ireland, so its economy and property market would suffer if the Eurozone’s financial crises spread. Such potential disasters aside, economists are split on Britain’s prospects. Bailey forecasts a modest two per cent rise in Britain in 2011, partly because demand outstrips limited supply. Consultancy Capital Economics, however, forecasts a 10 per cent fall, because a shrinking mortgage market and government austerity programme will drain the housing market of cash. London was Britain’s strongest housing market in 2010, mainly because of strong demand from foreign buyers attracted by the weakness of sterling. Bullish economists say the capital’s private sector revival will give London home prices a boost in 2011, but sceptics say they will fall further than elsewhere in Britain because affordability levels are overstretched.

Office 502 Dusseldorf Business Point, Al Barsha, Dubai - UAE Tel: +971 4 447 4634 | Fax: +971 4 447 4635 | Email: info@sensi.ae Website: www.sensi.ae

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In the United States, a revival in Wall Street’s fortunes meant property markets in the high-end locations of Manhattan and Brooklyn boomed in 2010. The Hamptons, the playground of bankers and stockbrokers, also fared well. As for most of the rest of the United States, the end of homebuyer tax credits last April signalled the start of another slide in US property values. Capital Economics expects US property prices to be five per cent lower than they are now this time next year, but Knight Frank is more positive, forecasting a one per cent rise in 2011. Property markets where currencies are pegged to the US dollar, like Hong Kong and the UAE, are benefiting from low interest rates because homebuyers can borrow large amounts of money cheaply. When US interest rates rise, they will rise in US-Dollar peg locations, too, and the resulting increased cost of borrowing could strain the finances of indebted homeowners and deter new buyers which will undermine property values. If banks absorb interest rate rises, the detrimental impacts will diminish. Steven Morgan, head of estate agency Cluttons UAE, is confident about Dubai’s prospects. “A number of encouraging indices, such as the re-entering of Tamweel and Amlak into the mortgage market, increased tourism numbers in Dubai and growing container shipments through Jebel Ali, all point to stabilisation and even modest recovery within the real estate market in 2011,” he says.

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Clockwise from top left: Arrighi, Castello di Reschio estate, Umbria, Italy; NEO Bankside,199 new flats being built next to Tate Modern art gallery by Grosvenor Estates and Native Land, Bankside, London; The Henson, Camden Town, London, warehouse converted into apartments; Fontana, Tuscany, Italy.

In these uncertain times many of us may prefer not to buy a home, fearing that we may lose money if markets fall. Perhaps the way to approach this conundrum is to ask: “What would Buffett do?” The Sage of Omaha is sanguine about uncertainty. Plan for the long-term, he advises. “Only buy something that you’d be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years,” is a famous Buffett quote. He was referring to stocks and shares, but, as we have found, his approach works for property ownership as well. And as for Buffett’s Dhs18.4 million investment in Goldman Sachs. His Berkshire Hathaway empire is making Dhs1.8 billion a year on the deal. His verdict on that is reported to be “not bad”, which must make him a master of understatement as well as money. ID

idProperty | ANTENNAE

Estate agents are bullish about Morocco, Cyprus and the Alps. But it will take more than optimism to lift property markets in Thailand and the United States. TEXT: RICHARD WARREN

REPO LAND

“High unemployment, widespread negative equity, tight credit conditions and a decline in the desire to own a home will keep the housing market weak for years,” these words of doom and gloom come from consultancy Capital Economics. They were referring to the United States, where a brief upturn in prices last spring has since been wiped out by subsequent falls. Declining sales volumes and prices were made worse by a temporary halt on foreclosures following revelations that banks had cut corners to repossess properties and dump them on the market, a scandal that had Shaun Donovan, secretary of Housing and Urban Development, write: “The notion that many of the very same institutions that helped cause this housing crisis may well be making it worse is not only frustrating – it’s shameful.” Depressingly, 25 per cent of homes on the market are repossessions.

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GO WEST

ASIA MINUS

East Asian investors are ploughing more money into Western property markets. Property buying tours of the United States for East Asian investors, organised rather like group holidays with coach-loads of buyers taken to homes for sale, are commonplace. Their confidence growing, some individual Asian investors have set up multi-million dollar funds like Creations Group USA. Combined, Chinese and Hong Kong investors made up 16 per cent of international buyers in the US in 2010 developers estimate, and Asian buyers are active in Europe, too. In central London’s most des res areas, Hong Kong, Chinese, Singaporean and Malaysian investors bought half of all new build homes sold in 2010, and targeted developments in fringe locations like Vauxhall, where The Tower, London’s tallest residential building is marketed to Asian buyers by its developer St George. The Asian presence is growing in Paris, the south of France and Tuscany as well.

We hear plenty about Asian ascendancy on the global stage, the growing power of China and the vibrancy of Tiger economies. However, it is not all good news, as Thailand continues to struggle. The latest research from The Global Property Guide shows that residential property prices fell in Thailand faster than anywhere else in the world in the third quarter of 2010, down 10.25 per cent quarter on quarter, wiping out price rises earlier in the year and exacerbating a collapse in values during 2009. Strength in the Thai economy has been sapped by political strife and falling numbers of tourists visiting the country, a phenomenon that means those tourists who do come can enjoy empty, sandy beaches like this pictured here. Property prices in Taiwan and Shanghai dipped slightly in the third quarter because of government measures to cool the housing market, and fell in Indonesia and New Zealand, where markets were weak throughout 2010.

CITY LIVING

The Moroccan property market is labelled “one to watch” in 2011 by property marketers Experience International. The company expects the country’s tourism boom to boost revenues for holiday home owners renting out their properties and the values of homes in tourist hotspots may rise. Ten-million tourists visited the North African kingdom in 2010, a 14 per cent rise on 2009. New air routes to Europe mean visitor numbers will rise further in 2011, the company says. Large hotel chains like the Mandarin Oriental are arriving in the country and new entrants include The Baglioni hotel group, which is launching a spa and resort community in Marrakech in response to Morocco’s growing popularity as a holiday destination. The Baglioni Marrakech, includes 15 four and five-bedroom holiday homes interior designed by Jade Jagger. Sales prices for these residences start at Dhs9.5 million.

Despite our complaints about noise, pollution and congestion it turns out the experts love our cities. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) surveyed hundreds of planners, architects, city officials and other “urban professionals” and found almost 60 per cent said life in their cities is getting better, although older respondents feel otherwise. According to the EIU’s Global Liveable Cities report, many over-60s would prefer to move out of the city. Getting around cities is a problem, respondents concluded, and most experts agree making transport improvements is a top priority for maintaining liveable cities. Some developers are building new towns that may become role models for future urban development because they reduce transport problems by making shops and businesses a short walk or cycle ride from homes. These include plans for British eco-town Eco-Bos in Cornwall, which encompasses the Eden Project.

HEAD TO THE MED

CLASS DIVIDE

INTO AFRICA

EVERYTHING’S ALL WHITE

While Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Greece and even Italy and Belgium struggle to cope with huge debt and sluggish economic growth, Cyprus, the independent southern half of the island at least, is quietly establishing itself as a financial centre, drawing in overseas bankers and fund managers who don’t much like rising taxes in traditional money centres like London. There is quite a bit of money available for property development, too. At Limassol, a new Dhs2 billion yacht marina and holiday homes development is being created that “offers the perfect blend of luxury and elegance”, the publicity material gushes. Prices for apartments at the marina’s Nereids Residences project start at Dhs2.3 million, with a swimming pool and underground car parking among its facilities. Cyprus uses the euro, has 340 days of sunshine each year, a legal system based on English common law and English is widely spoken on the island.

It’s the ski season, so as snow and temperatures fall, estate agents warm to their task of marketing chalets to holiday home buyers. A recovery in Europe’s financial services sector has bolstered confidence among Alpine estate agents this winter. “There is good reason for optimism in the French and Swiss Alps this year,” says Andrew Hawkins, head of the international department at Chesterton Humberts estate agency. “We have seen a significant uplift on enquiry levels compared to this time last winter, with most buyers looking for good sized three to five-bedroom chalets. Historically, Alpine markets have been welcome recipients of bonus money. The banks are starting to be profitable once more and all eyes will be firmly fixed on bonus levels in early 2011.” Plenty of home loans are available, too, he says, which will help to buoy demand and prices.

In Britain, the haves are counting their cash while the have nots are paying more of it. The Estates Gazette Rich List 2010 of property owners shows that despite the recession, worsening austerity and several years of war in Afghanistan, the owners of the great London estates increased their fortunes in 2010. The Duke of Westminster, whose estate includes 120 hectares of Mayfair and Belgravia, Earl Cadogan (Chelsea and Knightsbridge), Viscount Portman and Baroness Howard de Walden (Marylebone) all enjoyed increases in the value of their assets. The Duke of Westminster topped the list of 250 property tycoons, with assets worth Dhs39 billion, a Dhs1.7 billion increase on 2009. Huge overseas investment in central London property helped raise the value of these aristocrats’ holdings. Meanwhile, residential rents are rising as demand for rental property surges from those who cannot afford to buy their own home.

January 2011

Raising interest From Qatar’s successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup to a new Banyan Tree hotel in Ras Al Khaimah, there’s plenty for the region to be thankful for. TEXT: ELSA M LAREN C

Qatar’s new World Cup 2022 stadiums will be built using the latest eco technology

FOOTBALL FEVER

FIFA’s decision to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup is a huge boost for the region’s construction and tourism sectors. The tiny gas-rich Gulf state is set to increase its number of hotels from 100 to 240 by the start of the tournament, adding an additional 90,000 rooms at a cost of around $17bn. Plans also include accommodating 6,000 visitors on board a cruise ship moored off the country’s coastline. Hotel chain U Hotels & Resorts has already announced a new venture in Qatar, which will open in Doha in August 2011. U Le Mirage Doha, the Thai group’s first hotel in the Middle East, will feature 78 superior rooms, 36 deluxe rooms and six suites designed in a contemporary style. The hotel will also have a 24-hour restaurant, café, roof top lounge and fitness centre. Plans by Qatar to open 42 new hotels during 2010 have fallen short, but officials remain positive and have said they anticipate they will open over the next 12 months. HEIGHTS OF SUCCESS

Middle Eastern developer DAMAC’s Versace designed tower in Lebanon has been named the Best High Rise Architecture Project at this year’s Bloomberg International Property Awards in London. The tower, in Beirut’s elite marina area, was launched in June and is the first Versace Home branded residential tower in the region.

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Twenty-eight storeys high, the building is designed with a flowing curve to mimic an ocean wave and features a health and fitness centre and main lobby furnished with Versace Home products. Niall Mc Loughlin, senior vice-president of DAMAC Properties, called the tower a “masterpiece”. “It’s a stunning blend of exquisite Versace interiors and unique architectural design in an enviable location on the shores of the Mediterranean,” he said. TURKISH TALENT

The Rezidor Hotel Group has announced plans to open a new 138-room hotel designed by the Italian fashion house Missoni in Antalya, Turkey. Hotel Missoni Belek, located on the Turkish Riviera, will open its doors to the first guests in 2013. “Antalya is a perfect location for this exciting, design-conscious and authentic brand,” said Kurt Ritter, president and CEO of Rezidor. The property is part of a golf and wellness resort located on a hilltop overlooking the ocean 5 kilometres east of the city of Belek. It includes residential villas, a country club and shops as well as an 18-hole golf course designed by the Swedish golf champion Annika Sörenstam. Hotel Missoni, the group’s lifestyle brand, debuted in 2009 and each hotel is personally designed by Rosita Missoni, creative director and founder of the fashion label. Further properties are under development in Kuwait, Oman and Brazil.

PORTFOLIO | idProperty

Clockwise from above: Striped Missoni accessories; DAMAC’s Versace designed tower in Beirut; Missoni founder Rosita Missoni.

“According to a series of recent surveys, the building and construction sector in the UAE and the Middle East has begun to swing back to vibrancy, with 1,600 projects returning to activity in the UAE alone,” he said. MAKE IT OFFICIAL

Meanwhile, Murat Tabanlıolu, founder of the renowned Turkish architecture firm, said he wants to work on a project in the UAE. “Being from Turkey, we have a historic bond with the people and culture of the GCC and UAE,” he said. The firm has won numerous awards this year for its schemes, including the Tripoli Congress Center in Libya and the Levent Loft project in Istanbul. ONE-STOP SHOP

Union Mall, the go-to location for all your construction and interior requirements, has opened its doors in Sharjah, UAE. The specialised retail centre, offering 60 different showrooms, is located on King Faisal Street on 12,077-square metres in industrial area no 4. Mohammad Abdallah Al Omran, founder of the M.A Al Omran Group, said the mall was “in a strong position to benefit from the real estate recovery.”

Upscale hotel brand Pullman officially opened its property at Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates in the presence of Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Pullman Dubai MoE, the company’s flagship property in the Middle East, was soft launched in September. Catering for both business and leisure travellers, the four-star hotel features 481 rooms, four food outlets, as well as a roof top spa. Pullman is part of the Accor Group, which also operates the Sofitel, All Seasons, Novotel and Thalassa Sea and Spa brands. SIGHTS AND SANDS

Banyan Tree Al Wadi in Ras Al Khaimah has unveiled 32 beachfront villas at the luxury hotel’s new beach club venue. After a 20-minute drive from the main desert resort and nature reserve, guests of the beach club will board a traditional dhow boat to reach the new location. Each villa has direct access to a private beach as well as a secluded terrace, plunge pool and covered gazebo. The beach club also features a spa with six treatment pavilions, a water sports centre and a grill restaurant called Sands, serving light snacks and daily specials. ID

January 2011

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PROFILE

Reflective Flow.

Shining light Dynamic lighting designer Beau McClellan speaks about his companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plans to continue building on success, his passion for his work and trends driving the industry. TEXT: GLENN FREEMAN

January 2011

Crystal Spears Chandelier.

Beau McClellan burst onto the international design scene with Reflective Flow, his large-scale, high-tech chandelier in Qatar. Demonstrating his firm belief that creating big, exciting lighting creations doesn’t mean abandoning eco-friendly principles, his works use LED and other cutting-edge technology to create awe-inspiring, interactive displays. “You’re only as good as your next gig,” McClellan explains, as we meet over coffee in the lobby of Dubai’s Al Manzil hotel, where he is staying while in town for the Light Middle East trade show. In meeting this need to keep developing his company, Beau McClellan Designs is preparing to unveil its first self-branded lighting creations targeted at the household market. The Cocoon collection will include wall, floor, pendant and table lights imbued with many of the same principles as some of McClellan’s large-scale installations. “We’re really trying to integrate everything we’ve learned from bigger projects by using the research and design from these and bringing them down to our own brand. Cocoon will incorporate some very special technology, with all products bridging the divide between art and functional lighting,” McClellan says. “We are playing with colour in a way that hasn’t been done before, it will also be very ecological, using low-power LEDs with lamps constructed from eco-friendly polycarbonate and recycled aluminium.” While McClellan says he is keen to keep prices “reasonable”, the designer emphasises the lighting range is targeted at the high-end customer, using premium materials. Borrowing concepts from projects such as Reflective Flow, the world’s largest interactive LED light sculpture, the mirror-finish of the pieces will form the

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surface for reflective sculptures by day. As McClellan explains, the way Cocoon reacts to natural light during the day will make them feature pieces in their own right. With the introduction of LED-light behind these surfaces at night, they are also transformed into functional lights. During our conversation, a couple of points emerge as being intrinsic to McClellan and the work he and his team produce: passion and sustainability. Though he is obviously tired after a long day and late night, his eyes light up and a smile emerges as we discuss his work. His concern for the environment is also plainly evident, something he suggests has become even more important since becoming a father a few years ago, making him more mindful of the environmental legacy generations leave for those that follow. Cocoon uses recycled materials, but McClellan also thought laterally by building in further eco-friendly attributes. “In creating the packaging, we didn’t want to just make it from recycled materials, we wanted it to be something that the customer wouldn’t want to throw away after opening it,” he says. The end result means the boxes themselves can be used as part of a lighting feature, functioning as stylish candle holders. “We shouldn’t have to sacrifice beauty for environmentally-friendly lighting,” McClellan says, referring specifically to the widespread trend of using compact fluorescent globes that is sweeping the world. While acknowledging these do bring some environmental benefits in consuming less energy, he says they are by no means a solution as they contain toxic materials such as mercury. He is also critical of the harsh, white light they create. “Sustainability and being eco-friendly doesn’t mean we have to give up on beautiful things… and colour is so important,” he says, explaining how important lighting is in influencing

PROFILE

Top to bottom: Beau McClellan; Cocoon light; Southgate chandelier.

mood. “For instance, lighting will make or break a restaurant or a hotel… it is a very serious thing, the wrong lighting can make people feel quite sick, light is pure emotion.” McClellan also talks about the pivotal role of lighting in design, referring to the iconic Arco Lamp – designed by the Castiglioni brothers in the 1960s – as a prominent example. His own work, particularly Reflective Flow, also bears testament to this belief, blurring the lines between functional lighting and sculptural display. Commenting about lighting design, McClellan speaks about the minimalism movement, which he believes is inspired by the increasingly busy nature of modern life. “The reason for the growth of minimalism in design is that everyone is so busy, you don’t want clutter around when you get home,” he says, but feels in some ways it has gone too far, with spaces becoming too barren and “feeling like a showroom.” As a result, he sees that minimalist designs are shifting, maintaining the clean lines but introducing more warmth to spaces – and lighting is a key way of achieving this effect. This interaction between emotion and lighting is something that runs throughout McClellan’s work, most notably visible in Reflective Flow. During the day, Reflective Flow uses no external lighting source, instead mirrored surfaces reflect the high levels of ambient light that enter the building. At night, when the lights are switched on, sensors adapt the colours and patterns according to variables such as the number of people in the building and movement. When light is introduced behind the glass frames, the lens coatings become either fully or semi-transparent, transforming it into an interactive, ever-changing light piece. The custom-built computerised control system that runs the entire sculpture and its lighting effects also allows the introduction of external content into the display. “I like the use of content, but after a while it can get repetitive and boring. So we introduced a number of tricks with interactivity which keeps Reflective Flow changing and maintains interest,” McClellan says.

January 2011

PROFILE

Lighting for Nadaman Japanese restaurant in Beijing.

Discussing the design concept behind Reflective Flow, he says it was actually inspired by the building that houses the sculpture, the Al Hitmi Office Building on the Doha Corniche in Qatar. McClellan is also quick to point out that while he is humbled by the many accolades it has received: “Designing something that was the world’s biggest was never the intention with this project – we were not aiming to break world records. The scale simply came about in response to the building itself.” From architect Norr Group Dubai, the design brief of the office building was guided by Ali bin Khalifa Al Hitmi, who was fascinated by the Rocky Mountains in Canada. In a process that took more than six weeks, McClellan and his staff created a mock-up of the building, which they studied before coming up with the concept of a creek-inspired lighting display that became Reflective Flow. While the end result was a resounding success that won global acclaim, there were numerous challenges that had to be negotiated along the way. Anticipating the logistical pressures and intense interest the project had generated, McClellan and his team first assembled Reflective Flow in China, where the installation was created. Though this “dry run” went smoothly, the much higher temperatures of Doha in June created problems. “The heat inside the transport containers had melted the protective packaging on some 5,500 small glass mirrors – we were feverishly cleaning these mirrors so we could assemble it all in time for the unveiling,” McClellan says. Further challenges to this project included juggling the multi-national projects his studio was working on simultaneously, including a striking lighting scheme for

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Nadaman, a Japanese restaurant in Beijing, China. The Nadaman Tree consisted of 3,500 polished, illuminated aluminium chopstick-inspired branches, a project created in collaboration with Stickman design studio. Environmental issues aside, the most significant challenge in these projects – and indeed in any project – is staying true to the initial concept while also meeting client expectations. “One of your best assets as a designer is your ears, in picking up clues from your client. You need to listen as much as you can… it’s important to do your own thing with the design, but also to stay in tune with your client’s vision,” McClellan says. McClellan offers further insight and advice to upcoming designers to not be afraid of diverging from the path along the course of a project: “Don’t be scared of change. While you have to get from point A to point B, sometimes you have to go to point C or D on the way.” Fostering new talent is important to McClellan and his company, which employs many new, young designers. “I like to develop and guide new talent – it doesn’t matter how new someone is to the industry, it is always a two-way process where both parties learn from each other,” he says, adding that he is also keen to share his experiences in other ways and is scheduled to deliver a lecture soon after our meeting to design students at the University of Qatar, which will include a demonstration of Reflective Flow. On that note, as our coffees are finished, the lighting artist makes his apologies and explains he has to leave – his flight to Doha leaves soon and there’s still much to be done. This global designer’s job description comes with a hectic travel schedule, but his passion and enthusiasm suggests he wouldn’t have it any other way. ID

Starting from AED 725!

ANTENNAE

Zaha Hadid’s first completed project in England, a unique addition to the skyline of Copenhagen and the Dhs1.2 billion Kauffman Centre for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, are making headlines in the architectural world this month. TEXT: STEVE HILL

6 4

8 3

2 7

PHOTOGRAPHY: 3XN

PHOTOGRAPHY: SAFDIE ASSOCIATES

2. GEORGIA

3. KANSAS CITY

PARK LIFE

CENTRE STAGE

Henning Larsen Architects has won an international competition to design the new Aghobili Hotel in the Georgian town of Abastumani, located in one of Europe’s largest national parks. The 22,000-square metre hotel will comprise 200 rooms, and guests will have access to modern conference facilities and a spa that stretches out into the landscape and becomes a separate part of the hotel. At the far end, a pool runs over the edge of the terrace, giving guests the impression that they are swimming out towards the tree crowns. In June, Henning Larsen Architects also won a competition for the new aquarium in Batumi, south-west Georgia.

The Dhs1.2 billion Kauffman Centre for the Performing Arts, a new focal point for music, opera, theatre and dance designed by Moshe Safdie, is due to open in September in Kansas City. Located on a new, five-acre park, the 26,000-square metre facility will serve as a public gathering place and a cultural cornerstone in the city’s already vibrant arts community. Two halls, the 1,600-seat Helzberg Hall and the 1,800-seat Muriel Kauffman Theatre, will be housed within a dramatic overarching shell featuring a glass roof and glass walls that provide sweeping views of Kansas City. The venues will share backstage facilities, including accommodation for more than 250 performers.

1. COPENHAGEN SKY’S THE LIMIT

Construction is fast nearing completion on the four-star Bella Sky Hotel, which will become a unique addition to the skyline of the Danish capital. Designed by 3XN, it will feature 814 rooms, 32 conference rooms, three restaurants, a lounge, sky bar and 850-square metre wellness centre. Visually, the hotel will be characterised by two leaning towers, which will incline 15 degrees, creating a 20 metre slope difference between the ground and top floor. The design creates diversity at almost every floor level, challenging the scope for conventional construction. The interiors have been inspired by Scandinavian design tradition and guests will discover more than 200 room variants.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: ZAHA HADID

5. MUMBAI MAKING AN IMPRESSION

BACK TO SCHOOL

PHOTOGRAPHY: GOETTSCH PARTNERS

PHOTOGRAPHY: ERICK VAN EGERAAT

The Evelyn Grace Academy in south London is Zaha Hadid’s first completed project in England and presents itself as an open, transparent and welcoming addition to the community’s local urban regeneration process. Designed for 1,200 pupils, the Academy maintains the educational principle of smaller “schools-within-schools”; with Evelyn and Grace Middle Schools each housing 270 pupils and Evelyn and Grace Upper Schools accommodating 330 pupils per school. Each of the four smaller schools is contained within functional spaces that give a distinct identity both internally and externally. These spaces present generous environments with maximum levels of natural light, ventilation and understated but durable textures.

PHOTOGRAPHY: TOM ARBAN

4. LONDON

Hinduja Hospital S2 is a 22-storey hospital ancillary services building in the heart of Mumbai City designed by architectural company LIVE (Laboratory for Interactive Visionary Environments). The design explores the topological transformation of a “mesh skin” wrapped across the vertical tubular core, and the relationship of this mesh with the properties of light, form, technology and patterns. The development of the spatial system maintained a strong emphasis on the regulation of light transmission and was designed to manipulate direct radiation. Shadow patterns channelled through the mesh and directed towards the internal open plan organisation are constantly transformed.

8. TORONTO 7. TIANJIN

6. ROSKILDE

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE TOWERING AMBITION

FIRED UP

Dutch architect Erick van Egeraat is to build a new incinerator in the Danish town of Roskilde. The structure is described as a “contemporary cathedral,” complete with 100m spire, and is due to be completed in 2013. It will also feature the latest waste to energy transition technologies, processing between 260,000 and 350,000 tonnes each year to produce both electricity and heating for around 60,000 homes in the Roskilde district. At night, backlighting of the perforated aluminium façade will transform the incinerator into a glowing beacon, symbolising the energy production inside the facility.

Goettsch Partners has been commissioned by developer Guangzhou R&F Properties to design a new 294,570 square metre mixed-use tower in Tianjin. Occupying a central position in the city’s newly planned business district, Tianjin R&F Guangdong Tower will be one of China’s tallest buildings at 439 metres. The complex features 134,900 square metres of office space, a 400-room five-star hotel, 55 condominiums and 8,550 square metres of retail space. The tower is designed to establish a signature visual profile in the city’s skyline and become a popular a destination for the people of Tianjin and beyond. The project is scheduled for completion in 2015.

Humber College’s new Centre for Justice Leadership will enable students of forensic science to learn the art of fingerprint dusting and other investigation techniques, including laser and video recording in a state-of-the-art forensics lab. The 1,700 square metre facility is based in a former car dealership, with the service area set to be transformed by Gow Hastings Architects into a crime scene investigations lab, and what used to be the showroom being converted into classrooms. The building’s original façade will be shrouded behind an aluminium screen with oblique proportions and a lush green living wall, swathes of which will be visible through large fissures in the screen.

January 2011

To celebrate the

25th Anniversary

of Arabian Heritage Books Motivate Publishing announces a

NATIONWIDE COMPETITION Are you a budding amateur photographer or perhaps a professional with an extraordinary photo library? This is your chance to have your photographs published in a superb quality coffee table book.

N E K A T R E V E S H P A R G O T O H P T S E B E H T ! S E T A R I M E B A OF THE UNITED AR In celebration of 25 years of book publishing, Motivate Publishing is looking for the best culturally iconic images celebrating the history, heritage and diversity of the UAE. Each successful contributor will be credited and receive a complimentary copy of the hardback book worth Dhs 245. If we feature your image on the cover of the book, you win US$1,000! Visit motivatepublishing.com for competition guidelines and entry forms.

Submission guidelines SUBMIT IMAGES TO: images@motivate.ae Submission deadline: 20 February 2011 Image size: 300 dpi, 280 x 280 mm Maximum 5 submissions per person

FORUM

Good for business From a strengthening of Italian trade ties in the Middle East to chairs inspired by the latest Disney blockbuster and a superb new Arabic cookbook, there’s plenty to tantalise both the fashion conscious and foodies this month. TEXT: GLENN FREEMAN

DOWN TO A T

T-Ray, created for Walter Knoll by international architect Hadi Teherani – renowned for his impressive, sustainable architecture – is a unique range of upholstered furniture. “With new products and concepts, we aim to create high-class living spaces for the residential sector and for the furnishing of offices,” says Markus Benz, managing director of Walter Knoll. Inspired by Teherani’s architectural style, the T-Ray armchair and sofa follow a rational, square design combining clearly-defined horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines in a geometric theme. The armchairs turn on base-plates, with upholstered seats providing comfort and support in both the armchair and couch. The T-Ray collection was featured at the 2010 Orgatec exhibition, along with other new products from PearsonLloyd and EOOS, designer Wolfgang CR Mezger and architect Norman Foster.

SCI-FI SEATING

Italian furniture manufacturer Cappellini has unveiled its TRON armchair, inspired by Walt Disney’s relaunch of sci-fi epic, Tron: Legacy. From New York-based designer Dror Benshetrit, the armchair draws inspiration from the digital landscape of the Outlands terrain depicted in the film. Each armchair is individually hand-finished and uniquely designed by Benshetrit. Following design cues taken from the raw binary data of the fantasy universe shown in Tron, which forms a jagged and angular landscape, the chair’s design comprises a series of intersecting layers and textures of “digital” rock. Constructed of composite material consisting of impregnated fibreglass with polyester resin, processed with manual layering, the special production chairs are part of Cappellini’s Walt Disney Signature collection. The TRON armchair continues the collaboration between Walt Disney Signature and Cappellini, who jointly introduced a line of Disney-inspired limited-edition chairs at the Milano Design Village in April this year.

January 2011

CRYSTAL CLEAR

Fredrikson Stallard, an internationally renowned British designer, has unveiled four stunning Swarovski Crystal chandeliers at the iconic Savoy Hotel. The chandeliers are the crowning feature of the newlook Savoy Grill, which has recently reopened after a major refurbishment and redesign by Russell Sage Studio. Delivering a fresh, contemporary interpretation of the Art Deco chandelier, they expose functional elements and contrast with the traditionally déco material combination of Swarovski Crystal prisms, chrome and brass. According to the designers behind the creation, Patrik Fredrikson and Ian Stallard, their dazzling, innovative lighting creations are hugely influenced by visual art, communicated through sculptural and functional design. In this latest project, they drew inspiration from the strong iconic nature and rich history of the Savoy building, creating a link between contemporary and Art Deco style.

ALL HANDS ON DECKS

Bloomingdale’s Home store, located in Dubai Mall, has unveiled an art exhibition with a difference, with skateboard decks used in place of the artists’ canvas. A concept visualised and created by Emirati businesswoman, artist and photographer Sheikha Wafa Hasher Al Maktoum, the exhibition was inspired by the relatively recent evolution of skateboarding and street culture taking hold in the UAE. The region’s first FAKie Dexhibition showcases the unique creations of 20 artists, each displaying their own unique styles in the colourful and surprisingly detailed designs painstakingly painted on the boards – which are also available for purchase.

COOKING UP A STORM

When Suzanne Cooks, a new cookbook of Arabian recipes from Suzanne Husseini, compiles a number of elegant, authentic dishes delivered in a modern, inspiring and easy to follow collection. Comprising stunning photography combined with the author’s personal recollections, the book makes an excellent addition to any cook’s library. With chapters devoted to mezze and appetisers along with lunch, dinner and dessert, mouthwatering recipes include meatballs with sour cherry sauce, cheese and spinach-filled pastries and decadent regional treats such as baklawa. Compiled by Motivate Publishing with the support of Gaggenau, When Suzanne Cooks is available from booksarabia.com and selected bookstores.

GREAT GELATO

Gaggia, a leading name in Italian coffee, is now importing its new range of household gelato machines to the UAE. Renowned for producing coffee machines and related products since the 1940s, Gaggia’s line of gelato machines are crafted from high-quality stainless steel and other components and built to exacting Italian standards.The Gelateria Gaggia allows you to quickly whip up your own icy creations using fresh ingredients. Easy to use, with push-button operation and easily cleanable attachments, it makes up to 600 grammes of ice cream at a time. Distributed in the UAE by Royal House Electronics, it is available in a number of outlets in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

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FORUM

THAT’S THE SPIRIT

Christofle, Parisian manufacturer of fine silver flatware and home accessories, has introduced its Silver Spirit collection. Including porcelain, jewellery and other luxury accessories, the range also includes the latest incarnation of the Radius cocktail collection. Martin Szekely, the talented French designer of Radius, has created the aesthetically beautiful threepiece collection that includes a champagne cooler, ice bucket and ice tongs. Blending elegance with sobriety, the collection is crafted from stainless steel, a perfect complement to other items from the broad selection of Christofle accessories for the home.

Design agenda IMOB 2011, Istanbul, Turkey, February 1-5 AIFF 2011 Australian International Furniture 2011, Sydney, Australia, February 1-4 Salon du Mobilier 2011, Nantes, France, February 6-8 SPAZIO CASA 2011, Vicenza, Italy, February 6-13 Spring Fair Birmingham 2011, Birmingham, UK, February 6-10 CEVISAMA 2011, Valencia, Spain, February 8-11 Northern Light Fair 2011, Stockholm, Sweden, February 8-12 Bauen + Wohnen 2011, Salzburg, Austria, February 10-13 Ambiente Frankfurt 2011, Frankfurt, Germany, February 11-15 ZOW Bad Salzuflen 2011, Bad Salzuflen, Germany, February 14-17 Casa Pasarela 2011, Madrid Spain, February 16-20 ExpoCasa 2011, Torino, Italy, February 26-March 6

MAKING A SPLASH

WINNING DESIGNS FROM GM

The 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe and Chevrolet Volt have received awards for design and technical innovation respectively from Popular Mechanics magazine, a US-based motoring publication. Following the CTS Coupe’s launch in Beirut, the design has created a buzz for its dramatic expression pairing art and science. Set to become the flagship Cadillac design, the CTS’s innovative features such as touch-pad door entry and reinterpreted, signature Cadillac exterior and interior design define the iconic model. Winning the award for technical innovation, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt is the world’s first mass-produced, plug-in electric vehicle with a range-extending onboard engine. Pairing high-technology lithium-ion batteries with the latest in propulsion systems, the Volt won recognition for its smart design resulting in long-life battery power and extensive range capabilities.

Top European interior design brands Grohe and Villeroy & Boch are now available from the new SARA General Trading showroom on Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road. Grohe’s high-design bathroom, kitchen fittings and showers, which blend aesthetic form and function, are prominently featured. Among the innovative products sold in the new showroom are the premium German designer’s new Rainshower Icon, winner of a 2009 reddot design award. The hand shower combines eye-catching aesthetics and bold iconic colors – chrome with night-time grey and moon white with eco-green. The shower-head’s spray face is accentuated on each product in the Rainshower collection – also including the Eco and Solo variants – through the addition of an intrinsic chrome ring. At the same time, a smooth, flat design encourages interaction and provides a functional hand-held shower head. Features include an Eco button on the handle, for easy reduction of water consumption, Speedclean nozzles for simple cleaning of the spray plate and Grohe’s DreamSpray technology for precise and water distribution. The Villeroy & Boch premium range of ceramic sanitary-ware, along with furniture, tap-fittings and accessories for bathrooms, are also on display, along with its “wellness” range of bathtubs, whirlpools and indoor/ outdoor spas. The Sheikh Zayed Road showroom is SARA’s second in Dubai, joining its Deira showroom.

January 2011

i D DESIGN EVENT

Contract work New online portal, Contractitaliano, fosters closer ties between businesses in Italy, the Middle East and the entire globe.

The Italian Trade Commission in Dubai has launched Contractitaliano, a new online trading hub to further enhance partnership opportunities between businesses in Italy and the Middle East. identity magazine recently hosted an event at the Armani Hotel to mark the global launch of the portal, which was formally unveiled by Alessandra Rainaldi, project manager of Contractitaliano. In particular, the website (contractitaliano. it) appeals to those involved in the design and manufacture of furniture, interior design, architecture, engineering and construction. A number of leading Italian architects including Marco Piva, Simone Micheli, Carlo Colombo, Karim Azzabi and Professor Massimo Papiri were guest speakers at the event. Respectively, they spoke on the reshaping of design vision, architectural sustainability, design contracts and the melding of Western and Arabic culture in architecture. Designed for commercial users, Contractitaliano enables potential business partners in the UAE and other parts of the region to connect with Italian companies looking to expand trade opportunities. Regularly updated with new businesses and projects, the website includes sections showcasing various projects of partner businesses and samples of company capabilities. Serving as an electronic catalogue for hundreds of businesses, it includes company profiles, biographies on key staff and pictures of the products and services they provide. With an emphasis on the lucrative Italian industrial sector, which accounts for a large proportion of its economic activity, the portal provides an important link between businesses in Italy and the world. “As this online portal demonstrates, we have dedicated a great deal of attention to Dubai and the greater Middle East region over the years,” says Francesco Alfonsi, Italian trade commissioner of the UAE, Oman and Qatar. “Regardless of the difficult global economic situation in the past two years, we trust in the UAE and in the continuing potential for growth of various business sectors here and regionally. “With countries such as the US and UK already quite close to Italy, from a commercial perspective, we’re committed to exploring new markets. Contractitaliano allows us to reach out to countries and regions without large Italian communities and build greater understanding and trading opportunities.” At present, there are around 80 Italian partner companies listed on the website, with this figure set to grow exponentially in the next 12 months and beyond. These include some of Europe’s most recognisable names in contemporary architecture, furniture and lighting design, including Simone Micheli, Guzzini and Zonca. While Contractitaliano provides access to such leading brands, a key role of the portal is to also broaden the accessibility of small to medium-sized Italian businesses. As Alfonsi explains, “these are the backbone of Italian trade – this website provides an advantage for companies who want greater flexibility in creating trade opportunities with such specialised, boutique artisans, designers, architects and others”. More than 100 businesses from the UAE and other countries in the Middle East have already partnered with Contractitaliano, including designers, manufacturers and distributors who are potential trading partners for Italian companies. Plans to further expand the reach of the site will see similar networking events held in Moscow and Los Angeles. ID

identity [interior/design/property]

Top to bottom, left to right: Architects Marco Piva; Carlo Colombo and Karim Azzabi; Simone Michelli; Professor Massimo Papiri (left) and his brother Maurizio Papiri; Contractitaliano Project Manager Alessandra Rainaldi; Italian Ambassador to the UAE, HE Giorgio Starace; identity Group Editor Catherine Belbin and Italian Trade Commissioner Francesco Alfonsi.

Inspirations January 2011

BOOKS

Glamorous properties across the globe, the startling modernity of the skyscraper, a look at the Bauhaus movement and some eco-friendly offices make up this month’s reading list.

THE GOOD OFFICE

BAUHAUS

IN HOUSE

SKYSCRAPER

JOHN RIORDAN

HANS ENGELS

M. OWENS AND D. MOORE

ERIC HOWELER

HARPERCOLLINS

PRESTEL

RIZZOLI

UNIVERSE

DHS193

DHS98

DHS225

DHS111

Looking in detail at the design of environmentally sustainable offices, this book features 27 buildings from Belgium, Britain, Canada, Germany, Panama and the Netherlands, although the majority are from the United States. Divided into four colour-coded categories – new construction, adaptive reuse, land conservation and certification – these clearly denote the extent of each building’s green credentials, dependent on it being a Greenfield or upgrade/ renovation project. Looking holistically at the design and construction of each project, The Good Office traces the materials used through to water usage, power sources and office layouts. It also acknowledges the importance of building positioning in maximising natural ventilation and lighting and provides an interesting contrast between high-tech and smart, yet basic design. Examples range from remote light sensors that measure external light and adjust artificial light levels accordingly, to radiant slab heating and cooling systems. This book is recommended both as an accessible guide to implementing eco-friendly design, and a thought provoking, visually appealing read.

Bauhaus provides a comprehensive overview of Bauhaus architecture, regarded as one of the most influential Modernism movements of the 20th century. Tracing the roots of Bauhaus, which ran from 1919 until 1933, editor and photographer Hans Engels, and writer Ulf Meyer examine a wide array of the movement’s buildings. Looking at structures designed by Bauhaus masters, teachers and students of the movement, the book covers both famous and everyday buildings, including those that have been restored, converted and also those that have become dilapidated. From housing estates to hotels, taverns, stadiums and parking garages, it emphasises just how pervasive the movement was. Bauhaus delivers a somewhat clinical analysis of each building’s design, paired with quite staid, stark photography, often emphasised by leaden skies and low light – though this may be intentional in capturing the tone of the movement. While this may not appeal to the more casual reader, its detail and breadth of coverage would suit those with a professional interest in architectural design and its history.

Illustrating some of the most elaborate and striking rooms in houses around the globe, In House combines rich photography and eloquent essays detailing 27 properties from across Britain, Europe, India and the Middle East. From stately homes in the English countryside and 12th century French châteaus, to Edwardian baronial mansions in the Scottish Hebrides and a Gaudi-esque gentleman’s club in Madrid, the book features a selection of original and surprising rooms. It also provides a glimpse of the exotic, including an Art Deco Indian palace in Rajasthan, complete with tiger skins and elephant tusks; an awe-inspiring Tunisian palace; and a high-society expatriate house in Marrakech. The photographs by Derry Moore, a photographer for Architectural Digest and other magazines, capture the old-world opulence and often outrageous interiors of the mansions and palaces depicted in the book. The essays on each, from architectural writer Mitchell Owens, are written in a style reflecting this grandeur, including entertaining observations and detailed descriptions.

The skyscraper, a symbol of modern architecture over the past century, has undergone innumerable adjustments, redesigns and cutting-edge developments. This book is a collection of essays and images – including many stunning and slightly surreal visuals – documenting the past, present and future of the skyscraper. It covers more than 45 buildings from cities around the world, including New York, London and European cities, through to emerging metropolises across Asia. Among the most interesting chapters is kinetic, which looks at twisted, torqued and mind-bending skyscraper designs from around the world, including Santiago Calatrava’s Torqued Tower in Malmo, Sweden and others in Tokyo, the Netherlands and Munich. Another highlight is the chapter on buildings that take on an almost cinematographic quality, akin to movie characters within the urban landscape. A thought-provoking final chapter looks at some of the proposals for the rebuild of New York's World Trade Centre. Skyscraper is a well-rounded, intelligent and compelling read.

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BOOKS AVAILABLE FROM BLOOMINGDALE’S AND KINOKUNIYA

“C OM IN G H OM E”

HANDWO VEN O UTDOOR FURNITURE CREAT ED WITH WEATHER-RESISTANT D EDON FIB ER

www.dedon.de/treehouse Nakkash Gallery · Al Garhoud Street · P.O. Box 26767 · Dubai-UAE Tel: 00971 4 2826767 · Fax: 00971 4 2827567 nakkashg@emirates.net.ae · www.nakkashgallery.com

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ICON

Sony Walkman TEXT: STEVE HILL

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY/GALLO IMAGES

It’s hard to imagine now, but before the appearance of the Sony Walkman in July 1979, the idea of being able to enjoy the music of your choice while on the move was simply unheard of. People sometimes clutched a radio to their ear to enjoy their favourite programmes, occasionally using an earplug or headphones, but the invention of the TPS-L2 revolutionised listening habits and expectations, and paved the way for the even smaller MP3 players with huge memory capacities that are so popular today. The pioneering vision behind the creation of the Walkman belonged to Sony chairman Akio Morita who wanted to create an easily portable music player on which he could listen to opera while flying between Japan and the United States. Sony dealers fretted that the lack of a recording mechanism

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would limit the appeal of the device, but imaginative marketing – specifically the idea that portable music was associated with youth and fitness – quickly led to remarkable sales of a product that instantly became ‘cool’. Today, Sony can reflect on sales of more than 220 million after announcing that it would no longer produce Walkman cassette players in Japan, and instead make only a limited number in China. Sadly, the Walkman had a relatively short lifespan and will soon be consigned to the bin of history that also contains other once innovative, but now superseded, inventions such as the eight-track tape machine and video cassette players. However, the spirit of this cultural icon, and the way in which it redefined what, when and how we listen to music, lives on in the MP3 players and iPods we so cherish today. ID

OPENING SOON IN DUBAI FESTIVAL CITY