Surfaces International Mag-Book Collectible 2023

R E S I D E N T I A L

P R O J E C T S

ph. Maxime Brouillet, Maryse Béland

01 MEMPHIS TWIST Canada

RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

Attracted by the disruptive design approach of Studio Jean Verville Architectes, two eccentric clients with a passion for 1980s Italian art and design invited the team of architects to design and shape a forest refuge for them: a home-studio capable of embracing everyday life with extravagant energy. The challenge was a perfect match for the philosophy of the Canadian firm.

MEMPHIS INSPIRATION The futuristic design has spawned a bespoke alternative universe tailored to the tastes of the home-owners. Conceived in a spirit of playfulness, it was developed with mathematical and architectural rigour. Going

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by the name “MEV”, the house draws upon juxtapositions of geometries and colours under the rebellious influence of Italy’s Memphis design movement, which was the antithesis of the monotony and monochromatic design of its time. Studded with allusions to that vibrant historical period, the concept celebrates originality with a system of contrasting expressive relationships, which nonetheless reflect the personality of the clients. The stark contrast between the black cladding of the façade and the use of bright, playful tones inside is a good example of this. But the real extravagance appears indoors, where volumes

and materials develop and alternate with each other in a sparkling succession of colours.

ORGANIC STYLE An important eco-region lying between Canada and the United States and a quintessential escape from civilisation, the Laurentian Forest plays host to this home-studio on a strip of land that has remained out of reach and hence unspoilt. To help it blend into its natural setting as inconspicuously as possible, the building has an organic, curvilinear shape and a roughhewn appearance, clad in dark-coloured,

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high-performance wood laths that make it look like part of the surrounding woodland.

The relationship between the interior and the forest scenery is uninterrupted: on the south frontage, for example, the linear layout of the rooms provides a constant view of the landscape and the adjacent watercourse.

On the north side, two separate volumes, connected by a fully glazed entrance, have the appearance of a long façade joined by a uniform cladding. While a strict logic of maximum functionality and simplicity, as in a Boolean diagram, prompted the architects to dispense with the traditional concept of a roof, the view from above is defined by a shift in the axis of the ridge, which animates the silhouette of the roof and the entire building.

This introduces a captivating new complexity to the architecture, which plays with visual perceptions, textures, colours and materials, while also making use of natural light to create kaleidoscopic reflections.

Materials used Ceramic tiles: Margherita tiles by Nathalie du Pasquier, Mutina Exterior wood cladding: Maibec

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02 TORRE SOLARIA Milan

ph. Andrea Martiradonna

RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

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In response to a commission from an important foreign client in search of a prestigious pied-à-terre in Milan, Studio Marco Piva recently produced the interior design for an apartment on the upper floors of Torre Solaria – Italy’s highest residential building – in the city’s Centro Direzionale district.

The elegant, uncluttered habitat that the designers created is defined by its wide-ranging use of materials, whose textures, details and rhythmic sequences generate a distinctive tactile effect. Light vein patterns, soft colours and refined contrasts mingle with selected furnishings from the most renowned Italian companies, bespoke pieces that make the environment unique, and works of art owned by the client, which are integrated into the design narrative.

The original layout was modified to meet the client’s aesthetic and practical needs, by demolishing the walls, where possible, and creating large windows to give the environment a more fluid, light-filled appearance. The result is a dynamic space that connects with the outside world and provides a wealth of features specifically designed for the contemporary businessperson.

One of the existing rooms was converted into a study, another into a gym and a third was left for use by the service staff. The spaces

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allocated for work, leisure and relaxation, such as the Japanese bath specifically commissioned by the client, are designed to blend tradition with modernity, while meeting the practical needs of a businessperson as well embracing the more intimate side of their life, with a tailor-made property offering a specific identity, in which to feel at home every time they come to Milan.

MATERIALS-DRIVEN APPROACH The stand-out feature of the design is the combination of natural and artificial materials, which interact with each other to create a monument to delicate, minimalist luxury, with an appealing array of tactile and visual effects.

Among his requirements, the client specified that he wanted both the flooring and the vertical surfaces to trigger sensations. In light of this, Studio Marco Piva chose oak floor coverings for the living room, kitchen, bedroom and gym, while opting for Travertino and Pietra d’Orcia in the bathrooms, composite wood on the terrace and carpet in the study. For the wall coverings, the designers chose to lead with fabric, but to pair it with various types of stone with a sanded finish, nubuck, marble, leather, lacquer, glass and metal, with a range of different textures to highlight the individual materials. In terms of the colour scheme, the designers chose white for most of the walls | 12

surrounding the large windows, so as to emphasise how the quality of light changes at different times of day, and to use the wall surfaces as a vehicle for bringing the ebb and flow of the outside world into the indoor space.

For the furnishings and upholstery, the designers placed an emphasis on woven textures and fabrics that embody the value of craftsmanship.

The playful juxtaposition of gloss and matt, transparent and reflective, and warm and cold materials generates a uniquely contrasting range of perceptions.

Suppliers Agape, Alpi, antoniolupi, Artemide, Axolight, B&B Italia, Caleido, Casamilano, Cassina, Catellani & Smith, Cfg Tessuti, Davide Groppi, Erba, Ex.T, Flos, Geberit, Glas Italia, Gubi, Inalco, Laufen, Living Divani, Lualdi, Marmoarredo, Mdf, Miele, Minotti, Natuzzi, Nexo Luce, Peloton, Penta, Poliform, Porada,Ppg, Ravaioli Legnami, Tacchini, Tubes, Vesta, Vibia,Vimar, Vivaio Dordoni

Exploring materials is the central theme of the design, because we translated our client’s desire for tactility into a continuous interaction of materials, which give the environment an exclusive character, based on a combination of functionality and aesthetic and emotional magnetism.

Marco Piva 13 |

03 MOBILE LIVING Stößensee

ph. Johanna Link

RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

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A MOBILE HOME ON THE WATER The desire to own a self-contained retreat that can move from place to place under its own steam seems to have grown exponentially, across the board, in response to recent events.

The increase in sales of caravans and traveltrailers, which offer an immediate but partial response to this burgeoning demand, testifies to the trend.

Mobile forms of architecture have a long and evolving history that spans different eras and cultures. Moving from one place to another in search of sustenance is a long-standing tradition, originally adopted out of necessity and, more recently, out of choice. As Ron Herron of the Archigram group pointed out in “The Walking City” in 1964, “one of the great attractions of urban living is the notion of being able to access all the services and goods you need easily. But what if those services came to you?”

Nowadays, the architectural agenda addresses mobility and domesticity as ever more closely linked topics that form part of the design debate and challenge our established notions of public versus private and temporary versus permanent. The idea of home, which used to be associated with solitude, belonging and property ownership, has now turned into one of sharing, exchange, transience and sometimes transferability.

So why not re-design a motorboat in such a way that it is powered entirely by solar energy and has the performance, image and appearance of a tiny but comfortable, highend house that can move?

This was the question that Marianne Friese asked herself before taking possession of her “Tesla on the water” renamed Fang Sōng 放松, which means “Relax” in Chinese.

Marianne’s desire to spend time on the water was triggered by spending over 20 years in cities with neither coast nor other significant bodies of water, from Beijing to Berlin.

The culmination of this life journey was the purchase of a mobile houseboat that would take her to urban destinations such as Paris, where she would be able to moor on the banks of the Seine before moving on to the south of France.

Its exterior resemblance to a bus, combined with its interior design potential, quickly sparked her interest. With enough space for two people 17 |

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plus guests, the boat had the potential to be a personal retreat where she could re-energise, and invite friends and family.

REDEFINING THE MEANING OF “HOME” While most people in industrialised countries still live in highly urbanised areas, in this project the lure of water makes it possible to explore new options, such as adapting to different living conditions, thus eroding the conventional norms of modern dwelling.

The plan to upgrade and remodel the boat’s interior involved Crossboundaries, a firm of architects with offices in Beijing and Frankfurt.

The design challenge lay in introducing flexibility into micro-dwellings, where each room has to play multiple roles.

The chosen concept therefore revolves around optimising the interconnected areas of the vessel, which can be transformed to create a range of different scenarios, so that the user no longer needs to move from one room to another in the traditional sense. This makes the boat a metaphor for creative expression and efficiency, based on its highly customisable, streamlined and practical layout.

On the styling front, the designers opted for classic colours from the Chinese imperial era, such as red and yellow. These are used to accentuate smart furnishing systems designed to maximise interior functionality, which is essential in a micro-dwelling. The colour scheme also provides a common thread between the indoor and outdoor areas of the boat, thus reinforcing the visual coherence of its overall design.

TRANSFORMABILITY AND ADAPTATION Transformability is a key ingredient of the design. In the sleeping area, a large bed becomes totally invisible when not in use, by converting into a comfortable sofa. Another fully concealed bed serves as a closing element for the control station, thus also concealing the boat’s technical equipment and giving the space a more intimate, domestic feel. In the living area, a folding desk retracts into a closet, and in the kitchen there is another fully removable table with multiple configurations for use. | 18

TECHNOLOGY AND SUSTAINABILITY With a total length of about 15m and a maximum width of just over 4m, the boat makes extensive use of innovative, efficient solutions on all fronts, from solar energy to heating, water and waste management.

Advanced technology and electronic features also make the boat “smart and self-powered”.

This means that the “Solar houseboat SYC 1415” model is a future-proof prototype for living on the water without compromising on comfort. Several features were added to the prototype to optimise its efficiency, sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

“The boat is not just designed to be a new home for Marianne,” explains Binke Lenhardt, cofounder and partner of Crossboundaries, “it’s also designed to slot neatly into its context, as a sub-unit of the city, containing a full set of urban resources.”

From March to November and on sunny winter days, the houseboat is completely selfsufficient thanks to its solar panels, which cover the entire roof as well as part of each side. As a result, the boat can travel about 50km a day, in sunny conditions, at an average speed of 7km/h. It is also equipped with a highcapacity bank of batteries to power the motors, electrical appliances and technical equipment.

During the winter months, the power supply is supplemented by fixed power lines.

Heating requirements are met by a pellet stove, and the pellets are kept in an underfloor storage space in the bilges. These wood pellets are a renewable energy source used to fuel a heating system that is comparable to diesel- and gas-fired counterparts in terms of operation and maintenance. The stove can also be remote-controlled from an app and therefore incorporates smart home functionality as a design tool and an integral part of domestic life.

Further improvements to the boat’s environmental credentials are in the pipeline, including a river-water or lake-water filtration and purification system, so as to reduce the need to fill up with fresh water on land.

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“Watercourses provide fertile ground for contemporary design with a green emphasis.

Examples of eco-friendly structures immersed in natural settings, such as this houseboat, can help reshape cities in important ways, while also encouraging users and designers to explore pioneering solutions and raise their awareness of environmental issues.”

Hao Dong Co-founder and partner of Crossboundaries | 20

ph. Marina Denisova, Guillem Cruells, MESURA

04 VILLA AM Jeddah

RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

Materials, courtyards and openings have always played a central role in Jeddah’s architecture, which is designed to create cool, comfortable residential environments. Villa AM is a classic example. Shaped by natural factors such as wind and sunlight, the villa also takes its character from Giallo Dorato stone by Grassi Pietre. This sedimentary rock contributes to the poetry of colours and textures that adorn the building, and serves as a unified covering material for the floors, walls and staircases, both indoors and out.

The architecture is designed to suit the climate and maximise enjoyment of every moment of the day. The whole home is a continuous sequence of stone-clad walls that provide shade in the right place at the right time. The windows face in all four directions, so the rooms benefit from natural light all day long, while the garden paths are sheltered by high walls to create cool, shaded walkways that remain comfortable even in | 24

hot weather.

The courtyards, the indoor passageways and the shape of the building itself are designed to funnel the north-easterly breeze into the home and keep the air flowing naturally around it. Jeddah takes on a range of hues over the course of the day, culminating in the colours of the sunrise and sunset.

“One of the main reasons we chose this material is that it reflects the setting in which the house is built. It’s a perfect match for Jeddah’s colour palette, but more importantly, it’s the ideal solution for the sandstorms we get in this area, which often leave the façades of buildings covered in dust.

As for the stone itself, its most poetic feature is the distinctive range of textures it generates when it comes into contact with the light, which give the surfaces of the house a really appealing sense of depth.”

Laura Beneyto Art Director MESURA.

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ph. Wison Tungthunya & W Workspace

RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

Imagine a kid playing with his friends in their neighbourhood, running in and out of the house and having fun. Imagine adults leaning on the fence, chatting and watching their children running and playing. These happy memories come back, “reflecting” the childhood experience of the home owner and his relationship with his mother. Having spent decades studying, working and living abroad alone, a long way from home, the owner wanted to come back to the place where he grew up, and make it different, and more comfortable for his elderly mother and himself to live in. He wanted a home that would adapt to the presence of two people and keep in step with their age and needs.

This is the concept behind the “Reflection House” in Bangkok, which was designed by AUN Design Studio and rebuilt from scratch on the same plot as its predecessor. Although the site is closely surrounded by adjacent dwellings, the project intentionally reflects the memories that mother and son have of their life in the neighbourhood over the years, with connections both inside and outside the house. The designer decided to separate the entrance into two parts, due to the different lifestyles of the owners, and chose to locate the focal point of the home, with its living area, in the centre of the residential complex, to create a bright, open space. In fact, the garden that wraps itself around the villa on both sides floods the interior with natural light. The floorspace is divided between two levels, each accommodating a separate life: the ground floor serves primarily as the mother’s home, comprising a shared living area, a kitchen and a dining room. The upper floor is designed as a private space for her son.

The second floor serves as a home and a retreat for the owner. The private space has been designed to facilitate socialisation. The living room is adjacent to the bar, with a small balcony that gives it more depth. The guest bathroom, complete with shower, is concealed behind the bar for the sake of privacy.

The bedroom, complete with dressing-room and bathroom, is located on the side opposite the work room. Its position was chosen because it offers a wide range of exterior views. There is also a relaxation area on this floor, for yoga or meditation.

The interior design is built around just a few items of furniture. This is partly to make the space flexible to use, and partly to keep expenditure within the agreed construction budget. The designer has given the architecture and interiors a sense of continuity by leaving the concrete surfaces, walls and ceilings | 28

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exposed, and painting the walls white up to the height actually used by the home owner. The effect is easy on the eye. Decorative items from everyday life, from the proprietor’s own collection, can be hung on walls or placed on horizontal surfaces. These include paintings, chairs, lamps, hooks, clocks and other works of art.

The layout of these objects is easy to change, and items can be added or taken away to suit the mood of the moment.

A MINIMALIST DESIGN IN CONCRETE AND STEEL The overall design of the house is rigorously minimalist.

AUN Design Studio chose to keep the concrete surface of the building bare and unpainted, and opted for dark grey for the door frames.

“The primary material both inside and outside the Reflection House is exposed concrete,” explain the architects. “In the future, the owners might opt to paint additional walls or floors in colours of their choosing, to change the appearance and atmosphere of the house. For the flooring, we used polished concrete in 90% of the living-area, acid-stained polished concrete in the concealed bathroom, and mosaic in the main bathroom.”

To complete the distinctive shape of the house, the car port roof and the front fencing were re-designed, to create a continuum that harmonises with the surrounding environment, without alienating it.

Furthermore, the steel slats chosen for the exterior fencing help give the environment an open appearance and offer an appealing contrast to the solid body of the house.

Steel is reprised inside the house too, in the central, monumental staircase that connects the two levels.

Drawing inspiration from origami – the Japanese art of turning square sheets of paper into finished sculptures by means of complex folding techniques – the staircase reflects the owner’s passion for artworks.

The staircase consists of thin sheets of perforated steel, which make it semi-transparent, and each steel sheet is bent geometrically to increase its strength.

This makes the staircase self-bearing, so it requires no additional support. All the perforated steel sheets are suspended from the second floor and float above the bottom three concrete steps, which are also clad with perforated steel, to prevent slipping.

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06 CAHN POOL

Beverly Hills

RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

Pool Improving

Southern California, with its iconically picturesque Pacific coastline, plays host to a string of high-end, custom-designed houses, which combine luxury aesthetics with high-performance technologies, to offer outstanding levels of comfort and well-being, both indoors and out.

More and more often, the outdoor areas are the real distinguishing feature of this latest generation of cutting-edge residences. A good example can be found in the extensive grounds surrounding a private villa with panoramic views over the undulating scenery of Beverly Hills. The star of the show here is a glass-mosaic infinity pool on the rear terrace, built with technical prowess and precision by Rock Solid Tile, Inc., which chose LATICRETE® products to achieve an impeccable result. Thanks to the excellent quality, speed of application and final effect of the materials supplied by the American multinational, the team of highly qualified installers achieved all its aims, while delivering a master-class in the delicate art of installing a glass tile covering in a large swimming pool.

TECHNICAL CHALLENGES AND INNOVATIVE MATERIALS When it came to remodelling the Cahn pool in Beverly Hills, the construction team had a series of hurdles to overcome before they could give the owner exactly what they wanted. First of all, it became clear that

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a previous renovation of the existing pool had been poorly executed, giving rise to serious problems of water infiltration linked with the perimeter overflow system. The design scheme needed to be modified because it was simply incompatible with the architecture of the property, but the major issue of water intrusion added an extra layer of difficulty to this process.

The circular steps and radius coves of the previous design were a mismatch for the hard-angled, rectangular geometry of the house. The steps were re-designed to look like a stack of cubes and the pattern was repeated with rectangular tiles for the pool surround and brick-patterned glass mosaic tiles to create a harmonious whole.

Once the rear terrace had been dismantled and was ready to take on its new look, Rock Solid Tile used various innovative products from LATICRETE® to install 278m2 of porcelain tile for the pool surround and another 176m2 of glass mosaics for the inside of the pool and the four rectangular support columns. One of the materials that made the biggest contribution to the success of the project was LATICRETE® HYDRO BAN®, which is ideal for waterproofing surfaces and protecting them against fracture. It is the first product of its kind not to require the use of reinforcing fabric in the field, coves or corners, thus saving considerable amounts of time and labour for tile and stone contractors. This feature alone was an incredible breakthrough for the industry, but LATICRETE HYDRO BAN® also

bonds directly to PVC and metal plumbing fixtures, eliminating the timeconsuming task of tying out traditional waterproofing membranes to each drain and pipe inlet in the project. What’s more, it can be flood-tested in just two hours at 70°F (20°C) and higher, which is an outstandingly short time-frame that can cut entire days off the project schedule.

Thanks to these attributes, LATICRETE HYDRO BAN® enables contractors to submit far more competitive bids, not just for glass mosaic pools, but for any kind of building project. The product is ideal for any installation of tile and stone that requires a waterproofing membrane.

PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES The Rock Solid Tile team first pressure-washed the shell to remove any debris. Before proceeding, they then sealed all the drains and pipe inlets with LATAPOXY® WATERPROOFING FLASHING MORTAR, a three-component epoxy mortar that can be worked like a cement mortar, to ensure total water-tightness at these critical points. Next, they used rollers – and brushes in certain areas – to apply two coats of LATICRETE HYDRO BAN® over the entire pool shell, to ensure waterproofing and protection against fractures.

To set the 2”x4” quartz-coloured mosaics, by Mirage Spectra, on the inside of the pool, the contractors opted for white LATICRETE 254 PLATINUM, which offers high strength and first-class workability, making

it ideal for thin-set installation of glass tiles in swimming pools.

They then finished off the job with LATICRETE SPECTRALOCK® PRO PREMIUM GROUT. Thanks to its unmatched colour uniformity, durability, stain-resistance and unrivalled ease of use for an epoxy product, LATICRETE SPECTRALOCK® PRO PREMIUM GROUT, in the colour Latte, was the ideal pairing for the delicately quartz-coloured mosaics of the Cahn Pool installation.

LATICRETE SPECTRALOCK® PRO PREMIUM GROUT is tough, durable, stain-resistant and crack-resistant, and has a long open-time, of up to 80 minutes at 70°F (20°C) Once they had completed the pool itself, the Rock Solid Tile team finished off the project by installing 12”x24” (30.5cm x 61cm) Tecno porcelain tiles on the pool surround, in a staggered, rectangular pattern better suited to the design of the property. Using the same installation methods and materials from LATICRETE®, they then used rollers to apply two coats of LATICRETE HYDRO BAN® for waterproofing and anti-fracture protection up to the industry standard of 1/8” (3mm). Next, they set the tiles, in the colour Torta, using LATICRETE 254 PLATINUM thin-set, which far exceeds ANSI A118.4 and A118.11 requirements.

Lastly, thanks to the range of 52 colours offered by patented LATICRETE SPECTRALOCK® PRO PREMIUM GROUT, the installation team found 35 |

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the right colour-match for the pool-side porcelain tile: colour 35, Moka.

LATICRETE SPECTRALOCK® PRO PREMIUM GROUT inhibits the growth of stain-causing mould and mildew in the grout joints, thanks to Microban® anti-microbial product protection.

This epoxy-based grout outperforms similar cement-based products and is quicker and easier to clean, especially if exposed to direct sunlight in outdoor installations with glass mosaic coverings.

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07 A BLEND OF BRUTALISM AND CONTEMPORARY STYLE Zurich

What helped make the Swiss architect Ernst Gisel a model for later generations of architects was his timeless artistic approach. This is encapsulated in the house he designed in Erlenbach, on the shores of Lake Zurich, in 1988.

It took Gisel over 60 years to build this house, which underwent numerous changes in the course of its design, to meet the needs of the clients and to develop a harmonious relationship with the surrounding scenery and topography. The expressive exposed concrete and the use of natural materials, such as stone, wood and slate, characterise the work as a whole, which consists of two semi-detached houses, while Gisel’s solution to the

sloping gradient and limited space was to arrange the building over multiple levels.

In the original layout, the ground floor served as the entrance to the house, while the living areas, with views over Lake Zurich, occupied the upper floors.

Accentuated frontages, gardens and terraces slice through the space, combining the interior with the exterior and creating various outdoor areas for the occupants to spend time in and enjoy. The use of a barrel roof is unusual for this setting, but this upward termination is simply the logical consequence of the way the space is laid out.

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The interiors have subsequently been fully renovated by Victoria Maria Interior Design, which has given the home an “immortal” quality by means of a few strategic design changes, while leaving its original appeal intact. The challenge for the designer was to combine the brutalism of the architecture with contemporary comfort and elegance. The highly textured, exposed concrete ceiling – a unique feature that formed part of the original design – is still visible, as are the niches, fireplaces and lamps designed for the house. Even the varying textures and materials, the zones with incident light and the recesses and cut-outs in the walls and partitions, which Gisel

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used as spatial dividers, still play a key role in the interior design. Rounded wall junctions, windows in unusual positions, breakthroughs and an open gallery create continuously evolving perspectives. The linchpin of the house is the central staircase that connects all the levels. The narrow airspace eliminates the spatial boundaries between them and orchestrates the visual relationships.

To meet current needs, the old floors have been replaced with a modern, continuous surface, which helps keep the space fluid and visually uncluttered. The kitchen has been redesigned as an open-plan

environment that draws radiance from the use of brass, enamelled green lava stone and Emperador marble, while the fully renovated bathrooms feature latest-generation furnishing solutions that embrace contrasts.

impact, such as the Dornbracht taps – Tara and Meta models – with a Dark Platinum brushed finish that counterbalances the whiteness of the materials chosen for the finishings.

For the walls, flooring and raised surfaces, the architects opted for lightcoloured Italian travertine, in opposition to the original, highly textured ceiling in exposed concrete. The cubic precision of the fixtures divides the area into zones, and the large mirrors augment the sense of space. The styling of the bathrooms has been boiled down to the essential and this creates a minimalist atmosphere, punctuated by touches of high visual

The balance of high-quality materials, the mix of soft and intense colours, the fine fabrics and the wallpapers preserve the style and unconventional character of the home, while also playing an instrumental role in the contemporary allure of the interior design. The new features naturally respect their forerunners, in keeping with the spirit of Ernst Gisel.

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08

‘70 RE LOAD ING

Montecampione

ph. Simone Furiosi

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A mountain apartment in Montecampione in totally unrenovated condition, facing towards the mountains on one side and the valley on the other, has been entirely transformed on the basis of a pitch-perfect design by Offstage, a Milan-based firm of architects and general contractor, founded by Alessandro Colmanni and Cristian Minerva.

A few years after completing another acclaimed remodelling job in the same location in Val Camonica, the team was called upon to solve the compositional problems posed by the original layout of this two-storey unit, bought as a holiday home for use all the year round.

The approach taken at the time of its original construction, which borrowed liberally from the world of cabin cruisers, resulted in a confused hierarchical relationship between the various areas. Offstage’s main aim, therefore, was to bring a clear sense of order to the habitat.

The route to achieving this was to expand the living area, which was unduly compact because it had been carved out of the residual space between the entrance and the fireplace opposite, and was cramped on the inner side by the presence of the staircase. The decision to relocate the staircase to a position adjacent to the kitchen area opened up a new entrance to the sleeping quarters, thus freeing up space to expand the living area.

This one change to the design solved all the layout problems, restored balance to the rooms, opened up new spaces and enhanced the liveability of the apartment.

Offstage then complemented this structural intervention with a new design language made up of counterpoints, dissonances and allusions to the mountain setting. | 44

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INTERIOR AND MATERIALS The chestnut parquet downstairs complements the short-pile carpet upstairs, as well as the staircase itself, consisting of alder wood and forest-green lacquer.

The walls feature a variety of finishes because of the nature of the original mortar, and the areas where technical systems have been routed are finished with lime plaster in a different shade.

The furniture is mostly bespoke and made of reclaimed alder wood, which is not easy to find, and lacquered MDF. The structure of the sofa is made of chestnut wood, and the piece was made to measure, for a perfect embrace of the hearth area.

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The doors to the two sleeping areas – the main area is downstairs and the children’s area is upstairs – are of folding type, made to measure and upholstered in mustard-coloured fabric.

The few off-the-peg furnishings evoke the warm, welcoming atmosphere of Scandinavian design, and feature natural oak for the table and open-pore black-stained beech for the chairs.

“The design was formulated on site and gives consideration to both the valley and the mountains that the apartment faces. The green of the woodland, brown of the tree bark and blue of the sky guided the choice of finishes. That’s why we opted for aged alder for the structural items, chestnut for the flooring and forest-green lacquer (tending towards blue from certain angles) for the staircase block, which is the focal point of the entire design. We aimed to make the walls vibrant, in dialogue with the other components of the home, while also accentuating the concept of unprocessed, living

material. That’s why we opted for lime plaster, applied fresh on fresh.

The use of such different materials and finishes presented the challenge of bringing them all into harmony, and their delicacy – the alder wood was reclaimed, so was fragile in places, and lime plaster is more difficult to apply than normal plaster – made it necessary to take special care over the construction, but the end result is a home that reflects the surrounding nature and fosters full enjoyment of it.”

Alessandro Colmanni, Cristian Minerva Offstage

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04 LIVING IN ALENTEJO

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Studio Joana Aranha signed the stunning renovation project of a historic 400m2 singlestory house in the Portuguese countryside, that has family, functionality, and joy at its core.

The 5000 m2 plot is punctuated by native olive and cork trees, that are artfully mirrored by an abundance of natural wood and stone used throughout the rustic interior. Turquoise and copper accents compliment a warm earthen colour palette, where subtle variations of terracotta, are set against bright white walls, to create a pervading atmosphere of tranquility.

Reflecting Studio Joana Aranha signature multi-disciplinary approach, that incorporates both interior design and architecture, voluminous high ceilings create naturally

convivial indoor-outdoor spaces. The pool acts as a natural gravitational point for the surrounding structures, which feature a large outdoor dining and seating area, a paddle court and an additional outbuilding housing a gym.

The decorative style is a reflection of the multicultural experiences of its owners, from the delicate application of Moorish tiles and the subtle Arabic influence of the master suite to the vibrant colours of an African chair in the living room reminiscent of the homeowners’ happy memories in Mexico.

The project encapsulates an artful marriage between traditional and contemporary living, a signature style of Studio Joana Aranha, striking the balance between rustic and modern, and bringing the beauty of nature indoors.

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Studio Joana Aranha always wants to honour the place that the projects are situated.

Therefore, the design includes traditional materials to the region of Alentejo in Portugal - a lot of wood, elements of copper and Portuguese tiles.

Additionally, some of the materials chosen relate to the homeowners’ experience, such as the perforated brass lamps in the master suite which recalls their memories of Arabia. A specific detail to this project is the appearance of small antique Moorish tiles throughout the house such as inside the bathtub, the hallway and the passage to the living room.

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C O L L E C T I V E S P A C E S P R O J E C T S

ph. David Zammit

01 THEATRE NEXT DOOR Malta

COLLECTIVE SPACES PROJECTS

The result of a project to renovate and re-purpose a rural farm, Theatre Next Door is a new performing arts venue in the village of Magħtab in Malta. The Theatre is owned and operated by FM Theatre Productions, a well-known production company behind a string of successful shows and musicals, including my Fair Lady, Mamma Mia! and We Will Rock You.

stands as a monument to “imperfect perfection”, where repairing does not mean concealing previous iterations. This co-existence of materials with different textures is the pivotal point of the theatre’s design, by virtue of a balanced relationship between authenticity and innovation.

Designed by DAAA Haus, a Maltese firm of architects, the building comprises a black-box theatre, a backstage area with state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems, a café that is open to the public during events, and three rehearsal rooms available for hire.

The Theatre Next Door is distributed over four floors. On the ground floor, a bright, visually striking foyer welcomes visitors in. The heart of the room is a large block of hard natural stone, sourced from the village itself, with a wood insert that looks like it is slicing through the stone and forms the reception desk. At the front, a bench clad with the same type of wood doubles up as a planter for a semi-artificial olive tree, which recalls the rural origins of the building. The foyer leads to

The space merges the old limestone structures with newly built concrete and metal elements, to create an evocative melting pot of styles, which | 58

THE INTERIOR

the cafeteria and recreation area, which retain their traditional features, first and foremost the imposing limestone walls that interact with the newly designed structural supports made of concrete and raw cor-ten steel sheet. These areas are adorned with original theatrical artworks, memorabilia and a mystical Flos “fantasma” luminaire that is reminiscent of historic opera house chandeliers. At the back of the ground floor is the first of the building’s three multi-purpose studios. The stylistic approach here is simple and minimalist, and leans towards industrial design.

The first floor consists of light-filled administrative offices, the high-tech black-box theatre and the dressing rooms. The second and third floors, where the other two multi-purpose studios are located, are connected by a linkage that crosses the vertical axis of the volume to join the front and back of the building. All the landings are fitted with skylights designed to let natural light flood into the interior. Lastly, a large spiral staircase, which is fire-resistant and made of metal, connects the various levels at the rear of the building. This too emphasises the contrast between materials, which is the leitmotif of the design, while pairing effectively with the limestone façade.

DAAA Haus is a multi-disciplinary architecture and design practice with offices in Malta, Milan and Ragusa, founded in 2009 by Keith Pillow, the firm’s creative director. It is staffed by over 30 skilled, talented and passionate young professionals of multiple nationalities, including Maltese, Italian, Serbian, Irish, Indian, Polish and Tunisian, and this cultural diversity has undoubtedly helped DAAA Haus succeed in carving out a niche for itself on the international stage. The practice’s design language stems from a taste for exploring different tools, materials, technologies, techniques and strategies, culminating in functional, cutting-edge design with strong green credentials.

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02 THE CANOPY Clermont-Ferrand

ph. Cyrus Cornut, Nicolas Trouillard, Encore Heureux

COLLECTIVE SPACES PROJECTS

Encore Heureux Architectes, in collaboration with Construire and the landscape design firm Base, recently completed a project to reinvent the welcome centre at the Michelin Group’s headquarters in Clermont-Ferrand, where the company has been based ever since its foundation in the 19th century. The aim of the renovation was to project the company’s image into a unique, cohesive and welcoming space, while also creating a new public plaza. The approach taken by the team of architects and landscape designers involved preserving the existing structure as far as possible, while fitting it out with a new façade and bringing coherence to the whole system.

THE NEW CONCEPT: “THE CANOPY” The project focuses on connecting the buildings that make up the complex and adding a two storey welcome centre that provides a permeable interface between the company’s private premises and the public plaza outside, which was also renovated as part of a development plan overseen by the local council in conjunction with the Michelin Group.

The main challenge was to unite a motley collection of spaces into a coherent complex capable of welcoming thousands of visitors per day.

The design proposed by Encore Heureux was based on one simple, fundamental assumption: “The future of the headquarters could only be decided in collaboration with the company and within the company itself,” explained Nicola Delon, founding partner of Encore Heureux. “This idea was accompanied by a period of architectural consulting, which involved setting up a studio on company premises. Ongoing dialogue and a series of workshops with the Michelin team thus became a milestone in the process of transforming the place.”

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In addition to the reception area, the new 11,000m2 welcome centre also comprises a cafeteria, exhibition spaces, offices, meeting rooms and a sales area that is open to everyone. Previously, access to the site had always been restricted to Michelin employees, but now it is open to the public and features a tree-lined plaza adorned with outdoor furniture, greenery and water features.

Furthermore, a tropical greenhouse built in the 2000s, which accommodates species that thrive in rubber-tree growing areas, has been preserved and integrated into the complex to add an extra layer of interest to the visitor experience.

SUSTAINABILITY AND LOCAL MATERIALS The architectural structure is a response to two primary challenges: transparency and the prospect of a circular economy, where environmental impact is a prime concern. The emphasis on transparency is represented by the 160-metre glass façade. In order to reduce the building’s carbon footprint, the architects opted for minimal use of concrete, in favour of sustainable, recycled and local materials.

They also paid close attention to the local area, so gave priority to regional materials, such as volcanic rock from quarries in the vicinity, and wood from the nearby department of Corrèze and the Massif Centrale. This agreed aim was to adhere to simple construction principles without compromising the industrial nature of the site, such as the use of steel for the structure, or the decision to make the grilles and frames visible.

The Canopy therefore symbolises the new challenges facing sustainable mobility, while illustrating the link between Michelin and the city of Clermont-Ferrand.

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COLLECTIVE SPACES PROJECTS

The focus on materials was one of the key challenges of the project, and was intended to minimise human impact on the environment, including at the processing stage, from transport to transformation.

The principles of simple form and effective construction were followed throughout.

The development of the new welcome centre therefore provided an opportunity for experimentation on the design front, too.

For example, it features a comprehensive range of reclaimed components, including the windows for the reception area greenhouse, the wooden floors, the sanitaryware and an electrical transformer that comes from another Michelin site in Clermont-Ferrand.

1,100m2 of 1950s oak flooring was transferred to the building following the clearance of the La Redoute site in Roubaix.

Some of the windows were re-used in situ as an internal partition for conference rooms. The remaining parts were completed with the aid of a local start-up called Métabatik, which is a platform for reclaimed materials.

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“This successful, forward-looking method could not have been implemented in the same way without the continuous presence of the project team on site,” explained the architects. “We had to make constant adjustments, and having continuous access to an all-round perspective on site facilitated dialogue between the parties involved and the professionals who worked on the project. Using reclaimed materials is still not a widely understood method and it requires a lot of explanation and technical support, which is much easier if professional consultants are physically present on site.”

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03 WINE & HOSPITALITY EXPERIENCE Langhe

ph. Federico Moschietto, Davide Gonella

COLLECTIVE SPACES PROJECTS

Monforte d’Alba is an enchanting mediaeval village in the Langa del Barolo, which joined UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2018 and is a member of the association of “Borghi più belli d’Italia”. Surrounded by hillside vineyards, it is the home of Icollirossi, a wine estate centring on a magnificent farmhouse that was recently given a new lease on life when it was extended and remodelled by LATO51, a Turin-based firm of architects appointed by the Verga family, who are well known in the wine world as producers of Barolo di Monforte DOCG. To give visitors to the winery an all-round experience encompassing wine-tasting, exploring the landscape and simply relaxing, the farmhouse has been set up as a boutique hotel offering a concept of hospitality that has strong links with the local territory but remains separate from the more conventional tourist circuits.

Equipped with a tasting room, a wine shop and seven bedrooms, including a suite, it is set in a restful atmosphere where the beauty of tradition rubs shoulders with contemporary design.

Each room is named after a local cru – Bussia, Bricco San Pietro, Bricco San Giovanni, Ginestra and Manzoni – while the suite takes the name of the estate itself: Icollirossi. Each room contains a trunk. All the trunks are different, all were found at antique markets and all were incorporated into the décor because of the stories their mere presence tells of times and travels past.

The centrepiece of the farmhouse is the winetasting room, which the designers have turned into a supremely comfortable tasting-lounge by means of their stylistic research and painstaking attention to detail.

LATO51 specifically designed the communal areas to be elegant, while retaining a welcoming, family atmosphere. With this in mind, the interior design combines traditional materials with a more modern style, juxtaposing various textures and authentic materials with warm colours and dark tones, attenuated by judicious lighting design.

WOOD TAKES CENTRE STAGE Wood is the leitmotif of the interior design and adorns the rooms with its enveloping essence, bringing warmth and uniformity to the space.

For the flooring, the designers opted for Saloon wooden floorboards by Bruno Parquet: their natural appearance, featuring broad flames, grouted knots and | 68

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variegated colouring, is reminiscent of the parquet floors of times gone by and gives the environment a versatility that pairs well with both a classic style and more modern approaches to design and furnishing.

The version selected for this project is a pre-finished rustic oak floorboard varnished with Bruno Parquet’s special “oil-effect” varnish. Featuring a slightly brushed finish and bevelled edges on all four sides, these large floorboards are 14mm thick, including a 4mm layer of hardwood, and measure 200mm in width by 600mm to 2400mm in length.

The manufacturer took care of both the supply and installation of the 200m2 of floorboards.

BRUNO PARQUET The Bruno family’s history as a dynasty of entrepreneurs began in 1929, when BRUNO GB was a flourishing sawmill and seller of timber. The business expanded rapidly and soon started making and selling wood flooring.

Thanks to its 90-year history spanning four generations, BRUNO PARQUET is now a highly experienced and highly professional company, which is widely acclaimed for the excellent quality of its woods and finished products, its customer care, its respect for forests and its strong environmental credentials.

The company’s profound knowledge of wood, combined with the quality of its raw materials, the uniform origin of its batches of timber and its rigorous monitoring of every stage of the production cycle make Bruno Parquet’s wood flooring a true ambassador for the Made in Italy label. All Bruno Parquet products are CE-marked and comply with the latest European standards.

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04 THE ART OF BEING ATTRACTIVE

COLLECTIVE SPACES PROJECTS

By definition, art is the ability of human activity to shape a thought.

Art is therefore true substance; it is poetry and imagination that show themselves and become authentic and recognisable.

Artistic language is able to tell a story by talking directly to the emotions, and in this sense becomes a universal language.

With this spirit, Iris Ceramica Group presents its vision by proposing a poetic and at the same time concrete idea to inspire the concepts of exhibition and collective spaces: a contemporary art gallery to explore, observe, touch, arrange and rearrange.

A unique narrative made up of the many faces of the Group’s Brands, all sharing a clear entrepreneurial vision: re-engineering ceramics to improve the interaction between man and the environment.

The Iris Ceramica Group Planet-Friendly Booth presents the large mural “Blooming Bonds”, created exclusively for the Group by the international artist Becha. This contemporary work stands out for its elegant and delicate style, representing a landscape animated by human and natural figures that seem to float in a kind of dance. The drawing is created on large ceramic slabs using “Design Your Slabs” technology applied to wall covering with a magnetic support, to narrate the Group’s founding values in the form of pictures: sustainability, innovation, beauty and excellent quality.

Becha interprets the Group’s values, business vision and sustainable soul with a video installation and a sinuous and elegant 18x3 m collage that visitors could interact with, changing the work. Some of the mural elements, thanks to the revolutionary magnetic laying system “Attract” for the Brands’ ceramic slabs, could be removed and replaced by other elements in a “texture library” open to visitors, who could therefore create their own customised works.

In particular, following the guiding thread of the concept The Art of Being, Attractive is the central theme narrated by the Group’s exhibition space, playing on the dual meaning of the adjective which, on one hand, refers to the appearance and beauty of the slabs, while on the other it indicates the name of the homonym installation system. | 74

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ATTRACT Granitech, the business unit of Iris Ceramica Group that works in technical fields, has developed a revolutionary, patented solution that reinvents processes, bringing life to a regenerative product according to an integrated approach.

Attract is the innovative, sustainable dry magnetic laying system for the ceramic slabs of the Group. The modular system consists of ceramic slabs that are made magnetic and reach the site ready to be laid to create a continuous horizontal or vertical surface, without the use of glues or supporting structures. The removal of each ceramic slab is also quick, easy and circular, without the need for demolition.

In this way, the ‘new-buy’ logic is replaced by the far-sighted choice of re-use. The ceramic slabs can be re-used an infinite number of times, renewing walls and floors in homes, offices, stores and any temporary spaces that require frequent modifications. The magnetic base can be also reused an infinite number of times, cut and re-assembled without losing its magnetic properties.

Moreover, every single component in the system can be separated from the others and treated individually, also for re-use, disposal or recycling.

Attract opens new horizons for ceramics while respecting circularity principles. It is an outstanding, concrete example of the power of aware design, a sign of authentic responsibility towards people and the environment.

Iris Ceramica Group once again confirms its pioneering nature as a laboratory working constantly and enthusiastically to research new solutions, materials and technologies, for a better present and future.

The “Art of Being” project was developed by Iris Ceramica Group, with the support of Machas, the international artistic consultancy agency.

Art Installations created by Becha 77 |

ph: Kevin Mak @1km Studio

05 YIN YANG

Tai Chi Center Hong Kong

COLLECTIVE SPACES PROJECTS

Body Wisdom Studio in New York is the first centre specifically designed to re-acquaint contemporary society with the appeal of Tai Chi, with a view to attracting a younger, more fashion-conscious demographic. Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art based on slow movement and a tranquil state of mind.

Practised mainly by elderly people in Hong Kong, it is at risk of being forgotten, especially in major metropolises such as New York. At a time when numerous cultures are embracing their ancestral practices once again, this new centre aims to shine the spotlight on 21st century Tai Chi, with the aid of a latestgeneration environment that combines history and contemporary appeal, designed by Adrian Chan Design & Research Office based in Hong Kong. The result is a collective space that gives a nod to the 1970s Kung Fu film genre, in full-blown Eastern style, but with a captivating contemporary twist.

The layout is specifically designed to represent the two diametrically opposed forces of Yin and Yang.

The Yang spaces, which get more sunlight during the day, host group training sessions, inspired by the tradition of doing Tai Chi in New York City’s urban parks in the mornings. The Yin spaces, which are more intimate, are dedicated to holistic treatments aimed at calming the mind and body. A tea-room between them serves as a balanced space where users of both the Yin and the Yang sides of the centre can gather and socialise.

INTERIOR DESIGN The biggest challenge facing the team of architects as they drafted the design for Body Wisdom Studio was the uniqueness of the space itself. From a functional point of view, it had to meet a range of different needs, including facilitating the practice of Tai Chi, while taking account of factors such as lighting, temperature and atmosphere, and catering for the pragmatic and formal aspects of the discipline. Since Tai Chi was invented in the Ming dynasty, the architects chose to reprise the architectural features of that era in a softer, more contemporary style, drawing inspiration from the fight clubs of classic cinema. The result was a minimalist approach to shapes, colours and textures, without neglecting a series of clear allusions to Chinese culture. | 80

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FORMAL BALANCE The project revolves around the concept of balance that is so important to Tai Chi. According to this principle, opposites attract and complement each other, but neither is superior to the other, and since an increase in one causes a commensurate decrease in the other, it is essential to strike the right balance between the two.

The choice of materials and the layout of the space therefore deliberately reflect these principles, and the key ingredient is exposure to sunlight. For example, the architects used contrasting materials to spark an interaction between light and shade, by juxtaposing dark coverings with light-coloured paint, and strategically positioning wood finishes in darker and more sun-lit areas on an alternating basis.

MATERIALS: AESTHETIC MINIMALISM MEETS PHYSICAL STRENGTH The materials were chosen on the basis of sustainability and practicality, in view of the intended use of the space. The architects therefore opted for natural surfaces, which enhance the health and comfort of the centre’s users, and high-tech, high-performance surfaces that stand up to the stresses to which a venue of this type is inevitably exposed. Both the floor and wall coverings consist primarily of Haro Oak Amber Wood laminate, which combines high strength with an appearance that is reminiscent of Huang Hua Li, a legendary Chinese wood often used in Mingdynasty design. For the sake of practicality, the architects also opted for visually modern, scratch-resistant, nano-technological materials for the furnishing systems and bathrooms, and for Versa decorative wall coverings with a vinyl base layer to combine aesthetic appeal with durability in certain areas of the centre.

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ARCHI-PEOPLE

P I U A

by Chiara Poggi Studio Piuarch was founded in Brera, the vibrant heart of Milan, in 1996, by Francesco Fresa, German Fuenmayor, Gino Garbellini and Monica Tricario, as a means of channelling their varied range of skills and experiences into a shared architectural mission.

Piuarch’s approach to design always starts from the specific characteristics of the places in which it is commissioned to work, so as to optimise the potential and the architectural relationships between buildings and their urban settings.

Using contemporary design language, Piuarch conceives public buildings, private houses, commercial premises and office complexes, as well as numerous interior design projects, both in Italy and abroad.

The firm won “Architetto Italiano 2013” – the first edition of the annual award assigned by the National Council of Architects in collaboration with the MAXXI (the National Museum of 21st Century Art in Rome) – on the basis of its “outstanding ability to work and communicate with clients spanning a wide range of different cultures, expectations, budgets and technical resources”.

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ARCHI-PEOPLE

What is the story behind the founding of your firm? And how do you approach your design work?

We first met in the early 1990s, when we were working together at Vittorio Gregotti’s practice.

Our friendship grew over the years and when we got the opportunity to start our own business, we decided to do so together. Our different personalities, origins and backgrounds united around a shared vision of design based on a profound understanding of the multiple facets of urban context – whether cultural, social or artistic – and an embrace of cross-pollination with other disciplines. This reveals a lot about our work, which incorporates recurrent reflections of the nature, culture, music, art and history of the places we are invited to work in.

It gives rise to sober, understated architecture, with deep roots in the Italian design culture of the 1950s and ’60s, which interacts with the surrounding fabric without ever encroaching upon it. By striking a careful balance between modernity and the distinguishing features of places, we strive to design buildings that stand as icons in their own right while also preserving the identity of the original context.

Your work ranges from urban architecture to interior design. What is the common thread that joins these two worlds and these two ways of approaching design?

The aim of our design work is to create meaningful places through an approach underpinned by several core aspects: functionality, comfort, innovation and sustainability. Ultimately, the direction of travel of all of our projects is towards overcoming the most exciting challenge faced by architecture: how to enhance the experience of living together, by designing high-quality habitats, regardless of whether you are undertaking a residential or contract design project, or you are working on a larger scale, such as an urban redevelopment project or a masterplan.

This makes the architecture or urban design a significant arena that transcends the merely functional use of space to set the tone of how people interact with each other and with the landscape.

Which of your projects best represents your approach? And why?

Over the course of almost 30 years, we | 86

have had the opportunity to take on more than 500 projects, spanning the design of office buildings, retail premises, hospitality venues, residential complexes and urban-scale redevelopment and regeneration projects.

All the projects we have done or that are in progress, as well as our design experiments in international competitions and our experiences of social architecture, represent us in some way, but there can be no doubt that we have enjoyed a special relationship with the fashion industry, particularly with Dolce&Gabbana, whose Milan offices and worldwide boutiques we have designed. The office building in Piazza Gae Aulenti gave us the opportunity to take part in our first major urban regeneration project in Milan. It involved working on a place with the strategic function of stitching the urban fabric between existing neighbourhoods back together again. The Gucci Hub really showcased the theme of reusing and converting existing buildings, in this case the former Caproni industrial area in Via Mecenate in Milan, which plays a central role in our firm’s approach to design.

You have completed projects in various parts of the world: what major differences have you noticed from one country to another?

When we take on a project, we always start by conducting a preliminary analysis of the context, not just from a physical and geographical point of view, but also from a cultural, social, historical and artistic perspective. This creates fertile ground for the smooth growth of the design. That’s how the differences between various places, which are as numerous as the differences between the people who live in them, become the pool of information that we draw on and build on to develop projects that are objectively meaningful, rather than self-referential.

Your designs always place a strong emphasis on materials. Which materials do you think are best suited to use in the present and future contexts?

For interior design, we often choose natural materials, such as stone and wood, sometimes in its raw state, sometimes processed to a fine finish. We are very interested in the way materials interact with light, which is why we make extensive use of glass or metal surfaces, to give interiors luminosity and often kinetic

effects, too.

We do not believe some materials are more suitable than others in the absolute sense, but we do believe some materials are better suited to specific functions, in specific contexts. In general, we think architecture must respect the planet’s current and future resources, which is why we are always on the look-out for new materials and new ways of using them that reduce environmental impact. For example, in the office buildings project for MIND – Milano Innovation District, on the site of the former Expo 2015 – we designed a 13-storey building with a structure made entirely of wood, which is supremely carbon-neutral, delivers high environmental performance and has a production, transformation and reuse cycle with a small ecological footprint.

How do you imagine the residential and collective spaces of the future, bearing in mind the growing shift towards functional hybridisation and the way the sector is evolving?

In the wake of the pandemic, there was a sharp acceleration in the process of functional hybridisation that was already introducing crossovers between work, home and shared spaces. The pandemic dramatically highlighted the precarious balance between humans and nature, particularly in major conurbations.

We have taken on-board, even more deeply, the importance of open spaces and the need to reclaim them and make them liveable, for the sake of our well-being. The presence of greenery in indoor space has also proved to be a vital ingredient for psychological health, and this inevitably affects the work we do in these places. The other fundamental fact we have embraced is that quality of life cannot be separated from human interaction and the sharing of our experiences and the places we frequent. There is growing demand for higherquality environments that enhance their users’ experience, creativity and performance, where technology and services support the development of innovation and where spaces are therefore also hybrid and flexible to accommodate these needs.So increasingly, the challenge for architecture will be to design spaces for shared living, both indoors and out, in order to develop possible new forms of conviviality and social interaction, with a firm emphasis on human comfort and well-being.

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This emphasis is reflected in our own firm’s workspaces: Piuarch’s office building has had a kitchen-garden on the roof since 2015, with both cultivated areas and flower-beds. This is not just a project for regenerating unused spaces and improving the energy-efficiency of the building, it is also about growing our own food at the same time as providing a space for interaction, showcasing our ethos and coworking for the firm’s staff.

What kind of relationship do you establish with your clients and how far do you find them willing to experiment?

Our clients are involved in every step of the design process, including the initial and most creative stages; they make a vital contribution to understanding what factors the architecture needs to convey. With our most “enlightened” clients, a relationship of trust develops, which enables us to experiment with unconventional solutions and more interesting and innovative ideas.

You have always stood out for your focus on environmental sustainability. How is this expressed in your designs?

The construction industry has a significant impact on society and the environment: it is responsible for 40% of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, it is a major consumer of non-renewable resources, it is a substantial source of waste and pollution, and it is a big consumer of land and energy. This highlights the responsibility of the current generations of architects and designers to make use of the available resources without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. So choosing sustainability as a driver of design is now imperative and is a cross-cutting strategy that spans every area of design, including the circular economy for building materials, commitment to energyefficiency and the use of green energy and standardisation of the design of building components, always with a central focus on the well-being of end-users. We are advocates of the adaptive re-use of buildings because it revives existing structures while maintaining cultural heritage, as well as being one of the best strategies for maximising sustainability. It reduces energy demand, carbon emissions and land consumption. It also fosters a new urban vitality that reflects the spirit and needs of our

time. We have applied this strategy to various projects, including the Gucci Hub complex, the Fendi factory, Dolce&Gabbana’s offices and headquarters in Milan, and the offices of the Kering Group.

On the subject of the new Fendi Factory (see later pages, ed.), its architecture is almost camouflaged and it stands in open dialogue with its natural setting. What was your approach to a project of such scope and what kind of challenges did you run into?

Fendi’s new production building in Bagno a Ripoli was conceived and developed by our firm with Antonio Perazzi, and then continued and coordinated by Fendi’s Architecture Department. It is a 14,000m2 complex in the Tuscan countryside that comprises executive and administrative offices, a restaurant, a production warehouse, workshops and a fine leatherwork school.

The aim of the design concept is to forge a renewed sense of partnership between architecture and environment: it was the local landscape that gave us the idea for the project’s form and design language. The real challenge was to create a functional, efficient building that would also restore the upland environment in which it stands and heal the landscape of the scars inflicted on it by a former clay quarry and brickworks.

Bearing these factors in mind, we designed a workplace with a sharp focus on efficiency and functionality, but which also fosters a sympathetic relationship and open dialogue with its natural surroundings.

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07 FENDI FACTORY Bagno a Ripoli

ph. Andrea Bartolozzi Photographer

COLLECTIVE SPACES PROJECTS

A roof-garden that heals an ancient rift in the landscape and restores the undulating skyline of the site it occupies. This is the stand-out feature of Fendi’s new production building in Bagno a Ripoli, in the province of Florence, whose design concept was conceived and developed

by Piuarch, a Milan-based firm of architects, before being continued and coordinated by Fendi’s Architecture Department.

Covering about 14,000 square metres of Tuscan countryside, the complex was designed to meet stringent criteria of landscape quality and energy efficiency, and to fulfil the company’s desire to combine the excellence of its products with the creation of an architectural landmark of equally high aesthetic and environmental value.

Piuarch responded to this requirement with | 92

a project that forms an integral part of the landscape, rather than a separate element grafted onto it.

warehouse, workshops and a fine leatherwork school, giving full expression to the outstanding quality and high standards of the luxury brand.

Taking an innovative approach, the firm designed a building that extends horizontally on a single storey, offering the freedom of form required by the production process. The building was thus shaped by the principle of maximising the functionality of the spaces, which combine multiple functions and merge them into fluid pathways that cross the complex horizontally.

A “backbone” connecting the various spaces, with transparent walls, also visually connects the different functions and makes it easier for people to circulate and socialise.

The complex comprises executive and administrative offices, a restaurant, a production

The aim of the design concept, initially formulated in conjunction with the landscape designer Antonio Perazzi, is to forge a renewed sense of partnership between architecture and environment. Scarred by a disused quarry and industrial exploitation by brick manufacturers, the site required rehabilitation, and this prompted the decision to use the construction of the production complex as an opportunity to establish a virtuous dynamic in terms of landscape management.

The architecture thus enters into an open dialogue with its natural setting: the building,

which gives the impression of being under ground because of its continuous, densely planted, green roof, becomes an integrated eco-system that reconstructs the morphology of the land and restores shape to the original hillside.

But the vast roof-garden plays more than just an environmental role: it is also a shared social space that employees can use to meet or relax in.

The green roof, dotted with patios that break up its continuity and let light into the interior spaces, emerges as the stand-out feature of the project. It extends the identity and function of the new production site to the surrounding area, with which it establishes an unprecedented equilibrium: ventilation, natural

light, construction materials that reflect the colours of the local geography, and transparent interior and exterior walls foster an almost osmotic visual and physical exchange between the natural and artificial environment, and between the interior and exterior space.

From the green roof to the courtyards and the surrounding industrial park, the idea was to transform the entire plot into an extensive new garden, while improving the quality of the work spaces, so as to accentuate what the client cites as the top priority of its work: social and environmental responsibility.

“The idea was to reconstruct a natural landscape by means of an architecture that vanishes into the landscape itself. When an architectural design is also a landscape design, the symbiosis with the environment develops naturally.”

Gino Garbellini, Piuarch

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08

Fairy Boutique

COLLECTIVE SPACES PROJECTS

by Sabrina Tassini

The atmosphere in the Fairy Boutique, designed by Tekla Evelina Severin, can only be described as dreamlike. This vibrant, multi-coloured space takes the conventions behind clichéd, run-of-themill retail environments, and turns them on their head. The provocative forms and colours that animate this compact but highly seductive space open the mind to fresh, free and sporadically fabulous new approaches to design.

In the Swedish designer’s dreamy but calibrated vision, conventional display systems are revisited with pitch-perfect contemporary taste, and monotony – both literal and figurative – is swept aside by an astounding design language that blends enticing 2D effects with aesthetics borrowed from days gone by.

With its spectacularly rhythmic sequence of curtains in place of banal changing rooms, sinuous pillars to mark out possible functional areas, statuary monoliths in place of desks, and graceful living-areas to make waiting a pleasure, this shop – designed for both present and future – feels like it’s brimming with magical vigour, channelled through astute use of colour and materials.

Playing daring games with colour-blocking, the design draws inspiration from the great couturiers, artistic avant-gardes and Jovinge-style pictorial purity of the 20th century. And it does all this with ceramic, one of the most versatile materials of all time, by taking it to its most playful and intriguing extremes. Staircases with heterogeneous silhouettes, boiserie with tiled motifs, hypnotic geometries, arched doors hung with drapery: they all combine to form an immersive capsule, balanced between realism and surrealism.

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Vis a vis

TEKLA EVELINA SEVERIN What are your most frequent sources of inspiration?

Anything can inspire me, sometimes everything and nothing at the same time.

It might be an artistic object or a simple detail, or it might be the way the sunlight suddenly strikes something unexpected.

To be honest, I don’t actually look for inspiration, it all just happens very naturally.

But in general: post-modernist architecture, textile motifs, geometric

shapes, colour theory, graphics and fashion.

Your designs are well suited to sharing on social media. Their aesthetics are particularly Instagram-friendly. Is that a coincidence or a strategy?

I don’t choose images to get “likes” on Instagram, but my posts often generate a lot of interaction, and I think that’s because of the power of colour, which is the most

effective communication tool at my disposal. I think that’s one of the reasons I stand out and people like what I do.

My background as a photographer gives me a good eye too, not to mention my perfectionism when it comes to images: I do a lot of work on post-production.

So colour is the key ingredient of your design philosophy?

Yes, colour is at the root of everything I do, regardless of what type of project it is or what role I’m playing – whether it’s interior designer, set designer, creative director, photographer, fashion designer, product designer or anything else – for the simple reason that I’m attracted by the immense power that colour has. It’s so strong, but so changeable; it’s never absolute, but always relative, because it’s defined by what you put next to it.

I’m just obsessed with the constant search for new colour combinations.

What materials do you like working with most?

To be honest, I like working with ceramic because it opens up so many possibilities for interpretation. In this case, with Färgblock, I experimented with blocks of colour, using gloss porcelain tile and contrasting matt paint for the walls.

I also like working with Venetian terrazzo and glass. I’ve got a few textile projects in the pipeline too, and they’ll be ready soon.

This project was created using the Färgblock collection of porcelain tile, originating from a collaboration between Tekla Evelina Severin and Ramona Macchi, Art Director and Co-founder of Quintessenza Ceramiche.

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H O . R E . C A . P R O J E C T S

ph. Atelier d’More

01 SLEEPING LAB ARCH

Beijing

HO.RE.CA. PROJECTS

The architecture practice Atelier d’More has converted a run-down residential and office block in Huangmuchang Village, on the outskirts of Beijing, into a boutique hotel with such strong and original appeal that it is now the show-piece of its host district.

The absence of distinctive scenery in the surrounding area prompted the designers to create an environment with an attractively organic aesthetic, both indoors and out, to make a mark on the area and give guests a unique experience. The hotel thus embraces a distinctive style of architecture, whose sinuous forms generate a welcoming sense of warmth

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at first glance, despite the predominance of light, neutral colours.

Every space, from the inner courtyard to the rooms, fosters a feeling of relaxation, aided by effective insulation that cuts out the noise from the street and cocoons guests from the urban bustle outside. The colours of the sky and clouds, meanwhile, seep into the rooms, forming an integral and valuable part of the interior design. Natural light also floods in through the large windows, filling the rooms with life and underpinning the sense of well-being that pervades the interior space.

THE COURTYARD The rectangular courtyard that embellishes the hotel extends over an area of 100 square metres and is divided into several small, semi-enclosed courtyards designed to create an attractive maze of outdoor pathways. A tree has been planted in each courtyard, and as these trees grow, they will gradually turn the outdoor space into a coherent, connected whole.

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FLUID ARCHITECTURE The architectural language that underpins this “sleep laboratory” revolves around fluidity and makes recurrent use of quarter-arcs that trace free-flowing semicircular segments between the spaces. The scenic tension of the building is heightened by its geometric composition and the rounded shapes that alternate with each other and bring harmony to the various environments, in an almost mystical connection between nature, structure and human being. The choice of white for the façade gives the building an abstract, sculptural appearance that hints at candour and underscores the purity of the lines. The predominance of white also softens the dividing lines between the two sides of the walls and floors by means of an optical effect that brings uniformity and a sense of connection to the design, with the help of a minimal range of materials built around a combination of wood, concrete and glass, which recurs in every area of the “Sleeping Lab”.

AN “ASSEMBLED” FURNISHING SYSTEM The furniture brings a minimalist style to the interior, and all of it was specifically designed

by Atelier d’More – which has been designing assembled and prefabricated furniture for many years – to embody something of the feel of an oversized toy. While the traditional process of industrial automation for furniture production involves long lead-times, prefabricating and assembling furnishing elements saves time and turns tedious construction tasks into a quick and stimulating art. Most of the resulting furniture items can be assembled on-site with pre-made components, thus helping keep the project on time and on budget.

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02

COOKING

(R)EVOLUTION

HO.RE.CA. PROJECTS

New design systems appear on the market with the aim of offering ever greater versatility in horeca environments but also in domestic ones, allowing people to prepare food, cook and dine in the same place.

To make cooking an intuitive, safe and enjoyable experience, RAK Ceramics presents CookingRAK, a unique invisible induction cooktop designed to create a multifunctional kitchen space, perfect for everyday use.

CookingRAK is food-safe and easy to clean.

It was developed for exclusive use with 14.5 mm thick 135.5x305 cm Maximus porcelain stoneware slabs that are heat and scratch

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resistant and are made of non-porous material that will not host mould and bacteria.

Without undermining cooking quality, CookingRAK also uses less energy than traditional electric and gas powered hobs.

Moreover, the induction system does not cause the surrounding worktop surface to heat up because it uses electromagnetic currents that only heat the cookware placed on the cooktop.

There are two practical ways to control CookingRAK: a wired remote control or a dedicated app, which you can use to switch the system on and off, adjust the heat and set the timers.

To make it easier to locate the burners in the worktop, RAK Ceramics can customise the system with special markings in six different variants. This ensures compatibility with any kitchen décor while at the same time preserving slab quality and absorbency. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, CookingRAK offers a wide selection of effects that naturally complement any style. A colour combination carefully selected by the style department satisfies the diverse preferences of modern customers by embodying the latest trends.

Five ranges - Marble, Stone, Concrete, Metal and Unicolor - ensure a harmonious match with any type of kitchen, whether modern, classic or rustic.

WORKTOP SURFACES MAXIMUS COLLECTION This new innovative system makes use of the Maximus Countertop collection by RAK Ceramics, which represents a new generation of large-format, versatile and highly technical tiles, ideal for kitchen worktops in residential and commercial environments. The collection of slabs, in sizes of 120x280 cm in 6 mm and 144x310 cm in 14.5 mm, presents numerous variations, finishes and colors - from elegant white, black and blue shades, to warm natural colors - to satisfy any stylistic need and furnish environments, both minimal and modern and sophisticated and exotic, with graphics that draw inspiration from the veins of marble, the colors of natural stones, the materiality of concrete and the transparencies of quartz and other visual suggestions. No detail is left to chance and it is also possible to customize the edge of each slab, an element that is anything but secondary, capable of completing and defining the style of each shelf. What differentiates Maximus sheets on the market is their high resistance to heat, frost, temperature changes, scratches and breaking load. Furthermore, these are nonporous surfaces, which prevent the deposit of dust or residues, and are therefore extremely hygienic and easy to clean, a peculiarity which is also the basis of the CookingRAK hidden induction hob.

COOKINGRAK FOR MASSIMO BOTTURA Pioneering the use of the new system is the 3 Michelin-starred chef Massimo Bottura, who has chosen it for his new adventure in the Emilia-Romagna countryside “Al Gatto Verde”, the restaurant located in the recently restored courtyard of Acetaia Maria Luigia, which now houses 1400 barrels of traditional balsamic vinegar dating back to the years from 1910 to 1980 alongside contemporary artworks.

In the kitchen of restaurant of Casa Maria Luigia the countertops with invisible induction burners consist of high-performance Maximus

slabs, which, thanks to an innovative system, make it possible to prepare food, and cook and dine in the same space, under the banner of conviviality with persons of different outlooks and cultures.

“The main concept that has driven my work over the last 25 years is evolving tradition.

We cannot ignore flavours that have been distilled over centuries of history, but our kitchen is also a laboratory in which we observe, experiment, collaborate, and share, drawing inspiration from the team’s cultural biodiversity. When I think of the new CookingRAK top, the first thing that comes to mind is “beauty’’. Natural materials, clean shapes, and straightforward lines.

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especially in the kitchen. You must create something that is functional for what you need to do while also being simple; this is the most difficult aspect.

Technology, for example, is extremely important in kitchen. There is nothing without technology.”

And CookingRAK has both, technology and design, it’s invisible and conceived to give maximum emphasis to the preparation of dishes. But it’s also an element around which people live and discuss and in Massimo Bottura’s kitchen, conviviality is extremely important.

“My entire childhood was spent huddled around a large dining room table with my five brothers, mom, dad, uncles and grandmothers.

My passion for this profession stems from that sense of movement, the loud chatter, the confusion, and the sense of food as a bond.

My family has grown today.

My team represents my family and my future.

When we reach out to people from different backgrounds and cultures, we share ideas and knowledge and grow together.

Consider this beautiful, essential, natural surface on which you can cut, cook, clean, and eat all at the same time. You can have your team there, as well as guests and friends.”

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RAK Ceramics Founded in 1989 by the will of the Sheikh of Ras al-Khaimah, one of the seven United Arab Emirates, RAK Ceramics was born as a tile manufacturer, exploiting the resources of the territory, rich in clays. The business grew rapidly and in 1993 a new plant dedicated to the production of sanitaryware was inaugurated. Today, with 23 state-of-the-art factories, located in the United Arab Emirates, Europe, India and Bangladesh, RAK Ceramics produces 118 million square meters of tiles, 5.7 million pieces of sanitary ware, 2.6 million faucets and 26 million pieces of porcelain tableware per year, RAK Ceramics is a real multinational listed on the stock exchange. It is the fourth largest ceramic industry in the world, with an annual global turnover of about 1 billion US dollars, active in 150 countries through a network of operational hubs.

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03

ph Romain Ricard, Florian Touzet

LA TARTANE Saint - Tropez

HO.RE.CA. PROJECTS

Located along the delightful Route des Salins, between the picturesque town of Saint-Tropez and the famous beaches of the Côte d’Azur, La Tartane is a hotel that catches the eye with its eclectic ornamental motifs, delicate colour palette punctuated with bold accents here and there, and natural materials that interact harmoniously with the natural environment.

The creative talent behind the revitalisation of this hotel, standing just a short distance from the sea, is Jordane Arrivetz, an interior designer and the founder of Notoire, who has brought a fresh touch to the establishment, while preserving its family atmosphere.

Like an authentic Provençale village, La Tartane consists of an array of small houses, each with its own history, that accommodate the rooms and suites. These buildings stand next to a large open-air restaurant, surrounded by a magnificent swimming pool, both set in a lush Mediterranean garden. Here, there are myriad citrus trees and an imposing maritime pine, which guides guests towards the hotel and is reprised in its logo.

The interior design pays homage to the French Riviera, which has been a source of inspiration for artists and other creative talents ever since the 1920s. Fine details and carefully selected objects recall the charm of an enchanted past and evoke memories of unforgettable holidays.

The hotel’s 27 rooms, which provide nest-like comfort and intimacy against a backdrop of perfect peace, are spread across six houses, each of which takes its name from a Café Society muse or actor: Ernest (Hemingway), Peggy (Guggenheim), Pablo (Picasso), Gabrielle (Chanel), Sara (Murphy) and Scott (Fitzgerald).

The rooms and suites are available in five different types, and each has its own entrance from the garden. Most have a private terrace, embellished with shrubs and made-to-measure benches, so that guests can enjoy the peace and quiet of the surroundings to the full. The suites extend over two or three floors and offer an especially generous amount of living space.

The rooms’ interiors make effective use of authentic materials to create a strikingly original atmosphere. Exposed beams, stained white, are | 114

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paired with brightly coloured parquet flooring, while fine fabrics, such as linen and cotton, bring depth to the furnishing system.

But it’s the small details, such as woven rattan headboards, wicker seats and armchairs, handcrafted travertine tables, and bedspreads embroidered with floral motifs, that really make the difference. Every ingredient is painstakingly selected to generate a sense of comfort and refinement.

The spaces are adorned with works of art and unique pieces, such as original paintings, sculptures and antiques, that work together to build a narrative.

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The bathrooms feature the same attention to detail and the same quality of materials.

Colourful walls mingle with grey marble and white ceramic. Shell-shaped ceramic luminaires and contoured mirrors put an elegant finishing touch to the environment.

The real centrepiece of La Tartane, however, is the outdoor area, with its restaurant and swimming pool surrounded by greenery. In the restaurant, wooden tables are paired with woven rattan chairs, upholstered with terracotta-coloured fabrics, featuring customembroidered coral patterns.

The pool area, concealed behind a row of planters, is furnished with large, sinuously shaped wooden sun-loungers, flanked by fringed umbrellas. The colour schemes reflect those of the restaurant, creating a sense of visual harmony between the two spaces.

The feelings and fragrances of the Mediterranean recur in the bar, where guests can lose themselves in the hand-painted drawings by Brazilian artist João Incerti, while savouring cocktails or sparkling orange and lemon drinks, freshly made from citrus fruits picked from the hotel’s own garden.

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04 THE ITALIAN CLUB SEAFOOD WINE BAR Hong Kong

HO.RE.CA. PROJECTS

The new Italian Club Seafood Wine Bar – the first restaurant with an interior design by Pininfarina Architecture, under the supervision of the multi-award-winning Studio Stefano Tordiglione Design – recently opened for business in Hong Kong.

Italian food and wine.

The interior design completes the high-level culinary experience of the chef Stefano Balsamo, and brings the style and flavours of Italy into the heart of Soho, one of Hong Kong’s most vibrant districts.

The restaurant embodies all the values of the Italian Club Group, a global, vertical, multi-channel platform specialising in the distribution of top-class Italian gastronomic produce. By making exclusive use of authentic, certified products, the Group aims to recreate the life-style experience of the “Bel Paese”. Indeed, the purpose of its e-commerce platform and restaurants is to meet worldwide demand for high-quality

The design concept draws inspiration from the variety that is the hallmark of the Mediterranean, where different places share common roots and where the power of the sea drives ongoing changes in the landscape.

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The atmosphere of the venue is dictated mainly by the choice of materials and colours, which create an evocative envelope that pairs

perfectly with the thematic thread running through the overall design.

The colour palette makes extensive use of oxidised copper, juxtaposed with neutral light greys and the petroleum green of the wall coverings.

The perforated metal façade adorning the entrance draws a partially see-through veil across the frontage, bringing a sense of intimacy to the atmosphere. In the dining area, a large ceiling-hung installation made of fabric evokes the movement of the waves, as if designed to make guests feel like they are dining by the sea-shore.

The harmoniously-shaped ergonomic stools and armchairs have metal frames with a brushed copper finish, which is reprised by the Carrara

marble tables and the decorative panels that punctuate the room.

The bathroom, by contrast, immerses guests in an under-sea world: the soft lighting and the hammered metal on the ceiling emphasise this feeling, while the oxidised metal panels feature a graphic design, applied with copper film, which draws inspiration from the movement of subsea currents.

The Carrara marble counter-top, the taps and the metal accents with brushed copper finish, reflect the design of the main part of the restaurant.

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Thanks to its finely judged, scenographic interior, the Italian Seafood Wine Bar steeps its international clientèle in the atmosphere of the Mediterranean, with the aid of a combination of comfort, good design and outstanding cuisine.

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MARBLE WAVES Toronto

ph. Riley Snelling

HO.RE.CA. PROJECTS

Milky’s, the well-known Toronto café that serves thoughtfully crafted coffee and seasonal specialty drinks, officially opened their second location, Cloud Room, in a shipping container at Stackt Market. Embracing slow coffee, the new location features dynamically changing lights and a brew bar for making hand made coffee and tea.

“Cloud Room” earns its name from moving light that collects shadows in the three dimensional travertine pattern covering the walls and ceiling.

The effect mimics the shadows of moving clouds across the wall. Light moves at a very slow pace; imperceptible when stared at, but noticeable over the time it takes to order and make a coffee.

Milky’s Cloud Room was designed and built by newly founded Full Fat Studio. Developed from the architectural language and graphic patterning created for Milky’s by Batay-Csorba Architects, Cloud Room achieves a familiar, yet new feeling. Changes in material, colour, pattern, and details create two distinct spaces.

THE CONCEPT The idea that everything surrounding the offering is as important as the product - from presentation to hospitality - has helped shape the concept of Milky’s Cloud Room. Thoughtful design is everywhere in the space, from the narrow colour palette to the unique cups used for each drink, all to create a space that slows down time.

The entire interior was custom designed and fabricated to outfit the interior of a container.

The travertine walls and ceiling were machine sculpted by Marbela*. Anony designed intelligent light fixtures to control the ambiance and create the cloud effect. Other fixtures, such as fibre-optic counter lights, were customized to suit the space. A miniature sized herringbone wood from Relative Space covers the floor.

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“We wanted the second location to be distinctly Milky’s, while having its own personality. Slow coffee was an appealing concept, so we started thinking about how to create a space for slowness.

Stone was our material choice, because of its age and solemness. Clouds were our concept because of their speed and unpredictability.”

Hirad Badizadeh President Marbela

“For this project, we provided a unique type of white travertine. Ordinarily, most travertines are vein-cut, which have that straight linear look. However, we decided to have the travertine in crosscut pattern, in which we can see various cloudy patterns and movements. The overall aim of this project was to create an organic natural look. Thus, we had the travertine honed finished instead of polished. This way, it’s possible to see all the holes and natural elements in the stone.

The elongated diamond shaped tiles were cut using our CNC machines and then hand-polished.

The surface of the tiles is concave (7 mm deep) in order to reflect light from above and below to emphasize the shapes and patterns. All the countertops and shelves including their supports are all from the same material maintaining consistency all throughout. The tiles on the walls extend to and cover the ceiling as well.”

Fraser Greenberg Founder Milky’s & partner Full Fat Design

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06

Muraless Art Hotel Verona

HO.RE.CA. PROJECTS

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In the Muraless Art Hotel, the walls and ceilings transcend their structural and functional role to become blank canvases for the expression of creative flair, enabling the 94 thematic rooms to celebrate Italian genius and excellence in a host of fields, spanning wine, opera, cinema, cars, art, architecture, design, history, science, food, fashion and music.

Located near Verona, the Muraless Art Hotel is the brainchild of Gianmaria Villa, the entrepreneur who conceived the ambitious plan to regenerate an existing hotel. Under the guidance of Luigi Leardini, the Art Advisor for the project, the facility was radically remodelled around the expressive language and stylistics of Street Art. While the project as a whole was coordinated

by Laura Sancassani, the Project Manager, the personalisation of the rooms was overseen by the curator and art critic Chiara Canali, in collaboration with Deodato Arte, an art gallery in Milan. Thanks to this synergy, the interior of the Muraless boasts works by leading national graffiti-artists who were invited to interpret the virtues of the Made in Italy label, while the exterior is adorned with a façade by the acclai-

med Thierry Guetta, aka Mr. Brainwash.

By using a wide range of tools and techniques, including aerosol art, stencil, paste-up and free-hand painting; adopting an array of styles and forms of expression, from lettering to 3D modelling, graphics, digital photography, comic book style and illustration; and blending traditional languages with contemporary codes, spanning abstract, hyper-realism and anamorphosis, the hotel creates the feel of a frameless picture, as anticipated by its name, which highlights the absence of boundaries in the language of art.

INTERIOR AND ROOMS From the communal areas to the rooms, the hotel takes guests on a personal journey between fantasy and reality that starts in the lobby, whose floor cannot fail to catch the eye with its painting by Agron Hoti, a well-known contemporary visual artist whose technique unleashes explosions of colour with a rare energy.

The rooms, designed for a business and bleisure clientèle, are distributed over three floors, furnished in an urban style and equipped with

a comprehensive range of comforts. No two rooms are alike, so on each return visit, guests can immerse themselves in a new atmosphere, which can be relaxing or vibrant, depending on the theme. You might find yourself contemplating the classics of Italian art, such as Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Titian, Caravaggio, Tiepolo, Canova, Modigliani, De Chirico or Depero. Or you might be captivated by the scenery and atmosphere of Turandot, La Traviata, Rigoletto, The Barber of Seville or Madama Butterfly. Alternatively, you might delve into the history of Rome, as expressed by the mosaics of Pompeii and the Popes. Then again, you might explore the history of the great navigators, witness episodes from Dante, or find out about famous Italian scientists, such as Margherita Hack (an astrophysicist), and inventors like Guglielmo Marconi (radio), Alessandro Volta (batteries) and Antonio Meucci (telephony). Film lovers will be drawn to the stories of actors such as Monica Vitti, Anna Magnani and Massimo Troisi, and relish the chance to take a backstage peak at the sets of directors such as Sergio Leone, Federico Fellini and Pier Paolo Pasolini.

The hotel also has two meeting rooms with an adjacent lounge bar, for welcome events and coffee breaks, as well as pre- and post-dinner drinks.

THE FAÇADE The hotel’s pièce de résistance is its façade by Mr. Brainwash, whose work has a global reputation and is filled with allusions to Pop Art, art history and the works of other artists. While his most direct inspiration is the artwork of his colleague, Banksy, there are also plenty of allusions to Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, comic book superheroes, Disney classics, and icons of modern and classical history. The Mona Lisa, Marilyn Monroe, Albert Einstein holding a sign saying “Love is the answer”, not to mention Mickey Mouse and Minnie hugging each other, are the eternal symbols of love and mutual respect reprised in the work created for Muraless.

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The protagonists include long-established Italian graffiti-artists (Joys, Etnik, Wubik, Fraud, Gatto, Mister Thoms and MrFijodor) and muralists (Neve, Cheon, Vesod, Seacreative, Refreshink, Casciu, Luca Font, Ufo5 and Ale Puro), alongside latest-generation exponents (Chill Surrealism, Luogocomune, Rise, Soler). They also include numerous female artists, of the calibre of Coquelicot Mafille, Nais, Senso and Octofly.

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Mr. Brainwash

IN CON VER SA TION

by Sabrina Tassini Thierry Guetta, aka Mr. Brainwash – who many people think is Banksy, following the success of the documentary “Exit Through The Gift Shop”, which was nominated for an Oscar in 2011 – is like a river in spate. He has a rare, vibrant and authentic energy that expresses good sentiments, with no fear of absolute superlatives, through smiles and iconic poetics.

He’s one of those “ordinary ” people - as he reminds me emphatically several times - who has the ability to convey a powerful sense of peace, akin to the sense of peace he says he perceives in Verona, on the outskirts of which he is producing one of his first European works: the facade of the Muraless Art HoteI. Our meeting takes place in this hotel, which is a living museum of urban art, thanks to its 94 thematic rooms, featuring works by 50 internationally renowned street artists. He is just back from a tour of the city and he is raving about it.

Did you enjoy it?

Loved it! It’s the first time I’ve ever been to Verona and it’s a great honour to be here. I know the story of Romeo and Juliet, but I knew nothing about its setting, so I’ve just taken a little tour and it’s got a really incredible feel.

It’s hard to believe that something like this could even exist. It’s all so nice and quiet that it makes you want to just linger there. In fact

the whole of Italy gives me this feeling, because there are just so many places, that hardly anyone even knows about, that have something really beautiful to offer.

Like the muraless art hotel … could we describe this as a genuinely site-specific work?

Yes, absolutely, and bringing together so many different artists, all united by a “single love”, is a great work of art in itself. This is the true power of art: that sense of connection between people, which turns into collaboration. When I found out that about 50 Italian artists were going to be working together to create the hotel rooms, I thought it was a fantastic idea straight away, and that’s why I agreed to take part. Even though they’re all inside and me, the only foreigner, I’m outside. They left me out! (he laughs) Anyway, I like getting involved in projects where people do what they love, bring their diversity to a collective work, and help each other make the world a better place. It’s a fabulous concept!

Street art is a universal language that knows no geographical boundaries. But there’s a huge difference between los angeles, where you’ve lived and worked for a long time, and the verona countryside. Have you had to adapt your art to such a different context?

No, I followed my gut instinct. You never know what’s going to happen or where. After meeting Luigi Leardini, the Art Advisor for the project, I decided to just create something from the heart and really open up to the project, and I hope this shows through. Normally, I do everything I can to generate energy and transmit it to other people. Sometimes without knowing exactly how or why, but just by channelling this force through art. Coming here in person and seeing the end result – in other words, finding out how this energy has spilled out onto the walls – is

incredible, don’t you think? Art is love, freedom of expression and something really beautiful.

Just like Verona is really beautiful.

So not only “milan is beautiful” (thierry’s first solo show in italy, held in 2019, ed.)

Of course not, Verona is beautiful too. In fact, beauty is everywhere! Because when it comes down to it, life itself is beautiful.

Speaking of “life is beautiful”, good feelings are the leitmotif of your art…

It’s not just art, it’s a way of life. When we focus on love and positivity, we can’t go wrong. For me, every new day feels like the beginning of a new life, and that’s what makes it so beautiful.

Even negative things hide a positive side, and what I always strive to do is look beyond the surface to find the good in every situation.

I’m a great dreamer and I make everything that I want happen in my mind, but the longer I live, the more I realise that all my dreams really do come true. We have to keep on dreaming because what we want most can become reality and that’s exactly what’s happening to me! You really have to believe it, because anything is possible.

So is positive “brainwashing” what you’re offering us? What is the connection between your pseudonym and your work?

There was a time when art was too serious and that was okay back then, but I feel that people, children, everyone, needs positive messages now. They need to just move on, knowing that everything will be all right, and feel good vibrations like the ones generated by colours or affirmations like “Love Is The Answer,” “Life Is Beautiful,” “Follow Your Dreams” and “Never Give Up”. I don’t think of myself as a 135 |

philosopher of art, I’m an ordinary guy; I just do what I love and I love what I do. But I want to be your brainwash. Anything I can do to “wash your brain”, I’ll do it.

Messages, or rather, icons, that also recur on the facade of this hotel…

Yes, because they’re part of my art. Whether they’re on the facade of a hotel, the walls in a street or anywhere else, it makes no difference.

They’re subjects you all know, all over the world; they’re iconic and emblematic of what I do.

What if other people wanted to “contaminate it”? Can we think of it as an “open” work?

I’m not jealous of my work. It’s an outdoor work, people can do what they want. If somebody decided to draw something intelligent on it, I might find beauty in that. And that’s a metaphor for life too: things change all the time, sometimes for the better.

Street art on the outside, luxury style on the inside: isn’t that a contradiction?

No, at the end of the day, it’s still art. There’s art outside and art inside, art on the ceiling, art on the walls, there’s even art on the floor. It’s art, period. We shouldn’t worry about where it is or what guise it comes in. Art is art, we can’t close it up in a box. It’s freedom, and freedom can be anywhere. In a museum, in someone’s house, on the subway, in a bus, on the street. We can never say it should be in one place rather than another, or how it should be there. Art, in all its forms, transcends all rules.

And so it evolves constantly… what future do you see for your street art, for example?

The street is the natural pathway for this artistic medium. It’s open to everyone, and that’s the beauty of it. There are no galleries involved and no-one who has to approve what you do every time you wake up; you can do whatever you want. But as far as I’m concerned, my art does

evolve, and it goes everywhere. I’ve opened a museum in Los Angeles, in Beverley Hills. I’m one of the first artists to open a museum of their own. I don’t want to feel that I have to be “on the street” and only on the street, I want to be in other places too. But the “street” will always be part of my love.

I’m not interested in it. Sure, there’s a market, in the same way there’s a business, but it’s not something I care about. Over the years, I’ve raised loads of funds, millions of dollars, which have been used to help about 50 or 60 associations. What’s really important to me is to keep doing what I love and keep raising funds to carry on helping. That’s what motivates me to get me up in the morning and keep going.

I don’t want to stop growing, because the more I help, the more I want to help. I’ll never stop.

him. Everyone asked if I was crazy, but you’ll never get anything in life if you don’t ask, and in fact the Pope accepted. We bought everything we needed, but in the end he preferred to paint on the back of my jacket, where he painted a kind of cross. The third time, I showed up with a sheet of Plexiglas and asked him if he could draw me a corazón. I gave him the brush, and it was fun; he amazed me because when I draw a heart, I usually do it in two separate strokes, but he started on one side and drew the whole thing in a single stroke. He created a fantastic Pope-heart in just one stroke!

But over the years I’ve collaborated with so many public figures, from Madonna to the Dalai Lama, Jay-Z and Rihanna, to the point that I realised they’re just ordinary people, like the rest of us.

I’ve also wondered how I got to meet so many well-known people and get so many people involved in my work. I think the explanation is that I’m always myself.

Is there a work you are particularly fond of?

How about banksy, what does he mean to you?

The one I haven’t created yet. It’s definitely my favourite. I don’t usually feel attached to one particular work more than any other; I think they’re all part of the jigsaw of my life. If you ask me again in the future, when I’m 95, I might be able to answer you, but at the moment I think about my work in the same way that a parent thinks about their children: I love them all.

Who? Who? What?

What kind of relationship do you have with the art market?

From obama to the pope, who you consider to be a great friend of yours, what do you like or find inspiring in these personalities?

That they’re ordinary people. People who can see right inside you and understand who you really are. People with whom there’s immediate eye contact and an immediate connection. Exactly like it was when I first met the Pope. I gave him a sculpture that day, called “Life Is Beautiful”, while holding a spray-can marked “Pope” and I took a picture: there was art and there was the Pope… so it was real Pope Art! Before I met him the second time, I said I would like to paint with

Banksy…

The bank? Ah, the bank, yes. The bank is applauding!

Anyway, I don’t know who he is. Francis knows, you’d have to ask the Pope. He knows him.

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ph. Simone Bossi

07 PAN Milan

HO.RE.CA. PROJECTS

Pan is more than just a bakery; it’s also a wine bar and a convivial place to eat and drink. A venue with a neighbourhood feel, it was set up by the Japanese chef Yoji Tokuyoshi and Alice Yamada, with a view to bringing Japanese culture to a wider public.

The architectural design was produced by Studio Wok and is intended to physically and materially transpose the innovative format of the premises, while also underscoring its relationship with the surrounding cityscape.

Large windows with chestnut-wood frames, edged with galvanised sheet metal, bring an elegantly rigorous feel to this corner of the city.

The extensive glazed areas project the interiors of the venue outwards, creating a hybrid space that straddles the threshold between domestic and urban. | 140

The interior envelope is neutral and welcoming, and contains a few stand-out elements that dominate the design, such as the two counters, one for the bakery and one for the bar. These two distinct atmospheres are clearly defined but still co-habit the space fluidly and naturally: a long wooden bench runs along the street-side interior wall, acting as a connecting-piece between the venue’s two rooms.

As you cross the threshold, the bakery counter emerges as the pivotal feature, and is reflected by the outdoor bench, which offers a foretaste of its counterpart’s material and styling. Made from lightgreen fibre-glass grids, it is an architectural piece in its own right that inhabits the space and reacts with the natural light. Its colour strikes up an exchange with the nuanced shade of the noren – ceiling-hung fabric dividers – that pay tribute to Japanese tradition, while creating

a three-dimensional, suspended world that is both contemporary and ephemeral.

The backdrop to the room is the wall leading to the bathroom antechamber. This consists of a wooden frame with translucent, pressedcellulose panels fixed into it, creating a green monochromatic box against which the monolithic, Moltrasio stone washbasin stands out.

The bar area, by contrast, revolves around more sober shades, such as the black-stained chestnut wood of the counter and the stainless steel inserts. A rough-hewn boulder in natural stone pushes the balance of the material palette towards an almost spiritual atmosphere, by celebrating the beauty of imperfection and showcasing the ritual of replenishing with water.

Like the chef’s gastronomic offerings, the architectural design also features allusions to Japanese culture, but never literally or stereotypically. Studio Wok’s intention was to incorporate deeper layers of significance into the design, by harnessing the quality of both the materials and the details.

Materials used Resin floor and wall coverings: Resinarc Wall plaster: La Calce del Brenta

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08 DOLOMITI LODGE ALVERÀ Cortina

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by Marco Piccoli DESIGN AND STYLE IN THE ITALIAN DOLOMITES The mountain resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo, known as Hayden in German and Anpezo in the Ladin language spoken in the upper Boite Valley, is a haven of extraordinary beauty situated between Cadore and Val Pusteria in the Italian Dolomites. This magnificent setting is home to the Dolomiti Lodge Alverà, an eco-friendly hotel whose ambience is defined by the pervasive use of wood.

In this oasis of well-being, the Alpine tradition represents a fusion of style, comfort, elegance and conviviality. Wood has a ubiquitous presence throughout the hotel, creating a sense of seamless continuity between the lounges, dining areas, wellness spaces, outdoor terraces, suites, and chalets, all in perfect harmony with the natural surroundings.

To create a uniquely luxurious atmosphere and offer guests an unforgettable stay, the Alverà family approached MF Design, a firm located in the town of Sedico in the heart of the Belluno Dolomites specialising in restoring reclaimed wood.

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Renowned for an age-old woodworking tradition that has been handed down from generation to generation, the “wood surgeons” at MF Design boast unique skill in restoring antique wood, together with a passion for impeccable finishes and an innate dedication to this noble material.

Above all, their overriding commitment is to preserve the forests and their history, a far-sighted mission that is reflected in the selection of tree species and the scented oils used to protect the wood.

Ancient oak wood planks reclaimed from remote farmhouses were chosen for the hotel’s expansive floors, while first-patina spruce from mountain huts was selected for the wall panelling and ceilings. In 2017, the master craftsmen at MF Design began work on restoring the wood and returning it to its former glory, ready to be installed in the Dolomiti Lodge Alverà.

It was an exciting challenge! A total of 300 square metres of wood panelling, ceilings and floors required extensive restoration, a task that took a month of painstaking manual labour to complete.

Towards the end of the summer, the meticulously restored wood began its journey along the 80 km route from Sedico to Cortina, initially following the course of the river Piave and eventually reaching its destination at an altitude of 1,224 metres above sea level. It would then take another 20 days of painstaking work to install the wood in the interiors of the Dolomiti Lodge Alverà.

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The unique beauty of the antique wood floors, ceilings and counter in the bar and lobby area immediately capture the visitor’s gaze. The bright, spacious interiors of the eco-lodge are clad with planks of different sizes, creating a regal yet inviting ambience that combines a warm, homely feel with an innovative design.

The dining room features a Baroque-style coffered floor, with a delightful alcove that exudes an air of refined opulence, further enhancing the hotel’s eco-centric spirit. The main hall boasts a splendid herringbone French oak floor, a masterpiece of timeless symmetries that evoke a reassuring sense of harmony.

In the unique setting of the Dolomiti Lodge Alverà, the antique oak planks restored by MF Design serve as the ideal backdrop for the creations of Giancarlo Candeago, an internationally acclaimed master metalsmith from Cortina known for his timeless artistic works.

As the protagonist in this narrative of hospitality, antique wood fosters innovative design synergies, engaging in a functional dialogue with marble, metal, glass and ceramics. These elements come together to form a highly prestigious project, a convergence of multiple materials spanning art and design.

MF Design is based in the town of Sedico in the heart of the Belluno Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage site where the love of wood and woodcraft has been handed down through the generations.

The company specialises in designing and creating bespoke solutions for residential and hospitality projects, whether flooring, wall panelling or even furnishing accessories. Even the scent of the oil used to protect the wood is customised. For many years, MF Design’s core business has involved skilfully restoring reclaimed wood to give it a new lease of life in contemporary spaces.

Health and well-being are the cornerstones of the company’s philosophy, so it strictly complies with the principles of environmental sustainability in every project.

This ethical approach is recognised by numerous certifications: PEFC, which endorses the origin of new wood from controlled deforestation; FSC, which advocates responsible forest and plantation management; and LEED, which certifies low environmental impact in buildings through the use of eco-friendly products.

MF Design is committed to salvaging and reusing wood of Italian origin with the aim of discouraging large-scale deforestation, minimising waste and responding conscientiously and responsibly to the sensitive issue of ecosustainability.

The wood it uses originates from mountain farms, huts, barns, country houses, casks and roof beams, as well as from castles, boats, piers and the wooden posts known as “briccole” that serve as channel markers in the Venetian lagoon. The wood is rigorously inspected and sanitised ready to be given a new lease of life in green building projects.

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G R E E N

B U I L D I N G

P R O J E C T S

01 RESIDENCE DE L’ISLE Montréal

ph. Muk van Lil

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Designed by the Chevalier Morales architecture practice for a family with a green-oriented philosophy, Residence de l’Isle is a reinterpretation of modernist American houses of the mid-20th century. This single-family, riverside home, concealed behind a row of tall, lush pine trees, in a northern suburb of Montréal, is the result of an architectural dialogue with the design work of the architects of that era. Its location makes the existing natural vegetation an integral part of the design, while also optimising the view over the water.

GEOMETRIES The architecture is dominated by its rigorous symmetries. The geometry of the floor and ceilings, the integrated wooden furniture and the masonry cladding have all been reinvented by putting a contemporary slant on some of the typical architectural features of modernism. The garage, symbolising an era in which cars and suburbs were echoes of progress and enthusiasm, is a perfect square directly integrated into the house. The balance between privacy and openness to the outside world, which was a crucial part of 1950s culture, forms the rationale behind the creation of the two rectangular courtyards, which slot into the volume of the home and bring natural light into its heart.

These external spaces extrude from the initial mass and serve to define and structure the geometry of the indoor space, standing in direct

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contact with an orderly outdoor area in the foreground, succeeded by the natural context that remains intact beyond the boundaries of the house.

INTEGRATION INTO THE LANDSCAPE The structure of the house intentionally accommodates the topography of the plot and enabled the architects to conserve as many of the existing trees as possible. To boost the green impact of the development, large conifers were also planted in the heart of the first courtyard, which provides access for vehicles.

The layout of the interior spaces also takes account of the house’s relationship with its natural setting, first and foremost the river that it overlooks, without neglecting the angle of the sun at different times of day and the specific needs of the inhabitants. Although the initial design included only one level, the final version added a mezzanine made entirely of glass, thus creating a further space suited to a wide range of uses. The more intimate rooms, where privacy is a factor, are located on the north-south axis of the house, while the communal areas are located in the more exposed section, overlooking the river, thus strengthening the connection between interior and landscape.

Overall, the plentiful greenery gives the home the right degree of privacy, while also providing a leafy, natural setting in which mind and body can find peace.

THE MATERIALS The palette of materials is one of the project’s key assets, and plays a strategic role in flawlessly integrating the structure into its natural context. Their authentic, neutral tones, often inspired by the surrounding landscape, represent the real link between the built and the natural environment. The architects opted for clay bricks for the exterior walls, wood for the interior and a portion of cladding on the façade, and natural stone for the flooring. They also chose metals for the internal structural elements, and made glass the centrepiece of the front section of the house, in order to build a visual bridge to the river.

The high degree of sustainability achieved by the project is also attributable to the use of geothermal systems, which provide both heating and ventilation for the entire home.

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02

The Black & White Building London

Designed by Waugh Thistleton Architects, this innovative office building offers a sustainable vision of contemporary workspaces. Made of mass timber, with 37% less embodied carbon than comparable structures, and powered entirely by renewable energy, it can be dismantled and reused in the future, in line with the principles of the circular economy.

ph. Fred MacGregor, Ed Reeve

GREEN BUILDING PROJECTS

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A new approach to workspace design is emerging on the international architectural stage, as evidenced by this project by Waugh Thistleton Architects, a specialist in timber architecture, in collaboration with TOG, a workspace provider, which operates over 50 buildings in London, Leeds, Bristol, Berlin, Hamburg and Frankfurt.

The Black & White Building is an exploration of “architecture of sufficiency”, in which every element has a purpose, nothing is superfluous and all materials and processes are as efficient and sustainable as possible.

strength. The curtain walls are made of glulam, while the columns and beams are made of beech LVL.

Located a stone’s throw from the Old Street tech hub and Silicon Roundabout, in the heart of Shoreditch, which is home to one of London’s first ultra-low emission thoroughfares, this new seven-storey mass-timber building is designed to demonstrate that wood is the ideal option for sustainable, energy-efficient buildings.

Overall, the Black & White Building generates 37% less embodied carbon than a comparable concrete structure, and serves as a long-term carbon deposit for 1,014.7 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (55% of the building’s total) stored in the wooden structure.

Standing about 18 meters high, made from renewable materials and located, coincidentally, on the site of a former timber-seasoning shed, the Black & White Building is a model for future office architecture.

The existing building – with 11,000 square metres of floorspace and a black-and-white colour scheme – was unable to meet the growing demand for workspace space in the area, and could not be extended, so TOG’s cofounders and co-CEOs, Olly Olsen and Charlie Green, set out to create the most sustainable new building they could.

LOW-IMPACT MATERIALS TOG and Waugh Thistleton decided to design a building that would minimise carbon emissions both during the construction phase and in use, once completed. The architects designed a new building from scratch, using cross-laminated timber (CLT) and laminated veneer lumber (LVL) sourced from 227 beech trees and 1,547 pines and spruce trees harvested from certified forests in Austria and Germany. These highperformance engineered-timber materials generate far lower greenhouse gas emissions during production than steel or concrete, thus saving thousands of tonnes of CO2, as well as being highly durable and fully reusable.

The CLT frame was chosen for its perfect balance between sustainability, light weight and

Cross-laminated timber is considerably lighter and easier to transport than conventional building materials, so requires fewer journeys between supplier and construction site. This not only reduces carbon emissions in terms of logistics, but also makes the task of building in densely populated urban areas more efficient and less disruptive for neighbours and passers-by.

Furthermore, because the wooden components are prefabricated and designed to slot together, the building is bolted rather than glued, so it not only requires less labour, but also plays a role in the circular economy. At the end of its useful life, the building can be easily dismantled, rather than demolished, and the materials can be reclaimed and reused.

AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT EXTERIOR The Black & White Building is powered entirely by renewable energy, part of which comes from its 80 solar panels.

The exterior is clad with timber louvres running from street level to the roof. These provide natural shade and reduce the heating effect of the sun on the façade, while stilling letting plenty of light into the interior. The depth of the louvres changes as they ascend the building, so as to optimise energy-efficiency. This also minimises the amount of solar coating required to protect the clear glass windows.

The louvres are made from thermally modified tulipwood certified and supplied by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC).

This wood is highly reliable, lightweight, readily available and has minimal environmental impact.

As an added bonus, the tulipwood of the louvres is an excellent visual pairing with the building’s interior, designed by Daytrip, which is a mix of exposed woods and natural fabrics.

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INTERCONNECTED INTERIOR SPACES Inside, the Black & White Building has been deliberately designed to encourage interaction and collaboration, by enabling people to get together in a variety of spaces and multiple ways. There are rooms of various sizes and layouts throughout the building, as well as numerous break-out areas and outdoor spaces, culminating in a rooftop terrace with views of the cityscape, which is ideal for sunny days. To maximise the natural light in the building during the day, a light-well runs the full height of the building, from the roof terrace to the groundfloor courtyard, where a maple tree is planted. | 160

Like the exterior, every element of the interior is functional and understated, echoing the emphasis placed on wood as the structural essence of the building, making its environmental credentials clearly visible in the materials. As Waugh Thistleton explained, the entire building is “visibly sustainable.”

In total, the building houses 28 offices of various sizes, six meeting rooms, 94 bike storage spaces, and several focus booths, relaxation areas and showers. On the lower-ground floor, next to the open-air internal courtyard, there is a yoga and gymnastics studio – the first in the TOG portfolio – which will host a programme of activities focused on holistic well-being.

“The principal message of the Black & White Building is sustainability – this is a mainstream, grade-A central London office building, built entirely from timber. It clearly demonstrates that mass timber is a viable replacement for concrete and steel in the mainstream office market, saving thousands of tonnes of CO2. We’re trying to change the way we build, to transform the industry.”

Andrew Waugh Waugh Thistleton Architects 161 |

NewspaperWood PAPER TRANSFORMED INTO WOOD When we think of wood and paper, we usually see it in this way; wood = source, paper = result. What if we turned the model upside down and saw paper as the source and wood as the final product? This was the concept behind Mieke Meijer’s project at the Design Academy Eindhoven. Thinking of paper as the final state of the product was limiting. With so much paper as the end result of newspaper production, Mieke envisioned an opportunity to recycle the process and recreate the wood. NewspaperWood is an innovative and ecological material, produced from the recycling of newspapers which, due to printing errors or other reasons, have left the production cycle.

When NewspaperWood is cut, the layers of paper take on the typical appearance of wood grain. The material can be cut, milled and sanded, and, like wood, is generally treated. We talked with Mieke Meijer, Arjan Van Raadshooven and Anieke Branderhorst, to learn more about the project.

Your idea was born in 2003, when you were studying at the Design Academy Eindhoven: what was the input? Tell us more about the genesis of this interesting project…

Mieke Meijer: NewspaperWood started as a student project at Design Academy Eindhoven. In the spring of 2003 I started my third module in the department ‘Atelier’ at Design Academy Eindhoven. This department was different from all others: the classes took place in the middle of the workshop. Students who chose this direction were true ‘makers’.

Experimenting with materials was the basis for each assignment. The assignment we worked on at that time was about wood. Wood is, in its smallest form, the basis of paper. Once turned into paper it does not come out of the paper recycling cycle anymore. I thought it would be nice to turn the process around and turn paper into wood again. When I started making a ‘paper tree’ I didn’t know what the outcome would be. The result was beyond expectation. Beside the fact that the material seemed to act like wood, it was just beautiful!

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Then you got in touch with Arjan and Anieke of the Vij5 design brand…

Mieke Meijer: Yes, actually not with the intention to collaborate on the NewspperWood project. But when they saw the material they fell in love with it and were interested in apping as a material alternative within the Vij5 collection. The project however took a different turn. We invited designer friends to experiment with and come up with NewspaperWood product ideas which Vij5 presented during the Salone del Moile in 2011.

Surprisingly there was a lot of interest from automotive companies which resulted in a project with Peugeot for a concept car. Because of this development we decided to join forces in a new company. In March 2014, NewspaperWood BV was established. Within this company we could dedicated focus on the production and development of the NewspaperWood material in orderto find new intermediate products and innovative applications.

We could start industrialising the production process of the material.

What were the first reactions of the public after the presentation of the project at the Dutch Design Week?

Mieke Meijer: Already back then, the response was very promising! We were only showing the material in a very raw, initial shape. But people already started to fantasize about floors, furniture, etc. made out of NewspaperWood.

Entering into the merits of the material: how is it possible that piles of recycled newspapers manage to take on the connotations of wood?

Arjan e Anieke: In fact, we litterally ‘copy paste’ the structure of wood, by making new ‘tree logs’. The logs are layered because of all the layers of newspaper are stacked to each other. This gives the same effect as wood grain or growth rings of a tree and therefore resembles the aesthetics of real wood.

Once cut, can NewspaperWood be milled and sanded just like traditional woods? Is it possible to add pigments and proceed for customization?

Arjan e Anieke: There is a lot possible with NewspaperWood but you have to be willing to experiment. We have done plenty of experiments already, and there is still a lot to explore. NewspaperWood may look like wood, but you have to take into acount it is still paper combined with glue. So, it partly acts similar to wood, but also partly needs its own instructions. It is a very delicate material and the glue used in the material can work in your advantage (for example on 3d shaped forms) but it can also result in cracks. This is why for now we choose to only process the material as a veneer, as in our experience this is the most stable form of the material.

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What are the main uses of the material? You count numerous references and partnerships, both in the design and fashion fields, and not only ...

Arjan e Anieke: To be honest, there is not yet a main use of the material. All projects we have done so far, have been quite experimental. For example, we worked on some conceptcars in the automotive sector, we used it in furniture and interior design, we made jewelry with it and it was even used in a watch. We are very grateful for the trust and opportunities those partnering companies gave us, making us able to proof and show that the material has potential. Now we are looking for companies that actually would like to go a step further and implement the production process of NewspaperWood into their own production lines.

How has the NewspaperWood project evolved over time?

Arjan e Anieke: It has been quite a ride untill now! Mieke already invented the material in 2003 and started working with us in 2007, so the project has been around for almost 20 years.

Despite the visual and storytelling succes of the material, making NewspaperWood producible and accessible to a larger audience did not happen overnight. We had to move from a manual process to a less labour-intensive and cost-efficient product. Step by step we made progress, but with every solution we often encountered a new problem.

We managed to create a custom made NewspaperWood machine that is able to make the tree logs for us. We are still in a pre-production phase

though, as we are looking for the right partner that is willing to invest in the first NewspaperWood production line. We can do small scale projects, but we do not sell NewspaperWood ‘off the shelves’. There has to be a reason to produce the material before we start.

This invention is not only aimed at fighting waste, but also at adding new beauty to the environment around us. What new goals are you setting for the future?

Arjan e Anieke: Exactly, NewspaperWood does not aim to become a large-scale alternative to wood or to recycle all paper waste into a new material. The main theme of the project is ‘upcycling’; we show how a material surplus can be used in something more valuable by using it in a different context. Next to the value of beauty, NewspaperWood also has very strong visual and storytelling characteristics. We hope this can help making sustainability more appealing to the public.

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ph. Noughts and Crosses & Andre J. Fanthome

04 GIRLS HOSTEL BLOCK New Delhi

GREEN BUILDING PROJECTS

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The Girls’ Hostel Block at the St. Andrews Institute of Technology and Management in the northern Indian city of Gurugram, designed by the New Delhi-based architecture practice Zero Energy Design Lab, is a model of sustainability and energy efficient design. The 2,300 square metre building accommodates approximately 130 students and includes ancillary spaces such as a pantry, recreational areas and outdoor social spaces.

The region’s scorching hot summers, with temperatures of around 40°C from April to October, prompted the design team led by Sachin Rastogi to clad the entire building with simple exposed brickwork inspired by India’s vernacular architecture.

The St. Andrews Girls’ Hostel unfolds as a series of multidimensional spaces, arranged in a hierarchical order through the method of adaptive layering, the principle whereby people adapt to a variety of indoor conditions depending on their clothing, their activity and general physical condition.

The distinctive feature of the hostel is its double-skin (brick and concrete) façade, which is designed to protect the structure from sunlight and provide plenty of space for socialising. The double-skin façade creates a semi-permeable layer that regulates the temperature between the exterior and interior environments via a controlled airflow.

The design draws from the local architectural tradition and uses large courtyards to protect against the heat and avoid the need for expensive, carbon-intensive cooling.

Most of the façade is covered by a jaali perforated brick screen in which each brick is rotated at a specific angle to block direct sunlight. The jaali bricks create a filter zone between the interior and exterior, improving thermal comfort and promoting natural lighting.

The exterior façade screen uses hollow pigmented concrete blocks to resemble the colour of the red brick, which provide adequate thermal mass to absorb the heat while reducing glare. The air volume passing through this mass loses its heat through compression on the basis of Bernoulli’s principle.

The double-skin facade acts as thermal mass, reducing the incident direct and diffused radiations by 70% and mechanical cooling loads by 35%, thereby guaranteeing considerable energy savings. The results exceed the standards of the Indian Energy Conservation Building Code.

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Imposing pivot doors play a starring role in this new dwelling unit designed by the German architect Fabian Wagner and clad in carbonised wood. Although small, the house makes optimum use of the available space and fosters a close bond with the outdoor area thanks to the use of high-performance, latest-generation doors and windows

BLACK HOUSE Munich

ph. Florian Holzherr, Fabian A. Wagner

GREEN BUILDING PROJECTS

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On the banks of the River Ammersee, not far from Munich, stands a monolithic black house, fully immersed in its natural setting. The house is strikingly small (6 x 3.80 metres), but the space is perfectly optimised and the design is dramatic. Distributed over several levels, the structure has a dynamic appearance, with a form that follows the shape of the surrounding landscape.

it the look and feel of a detached unit. One of the most effective solutions, which helped blend the house seamlessly into the landscape without sacrificing the spectacular view, was to use pivot doors made of oak and equipped with System M hinges by FritsJurgens.

The challenge faced by the architect Fabian Wagner was how to build an extension to the existing house on the site, while giving

Sustainable building materials, all treated by means of natural processes, were used for both the interior and exterior. Indeed, no part of

GREEN MATERIALS AND FIRST-CLASS COMFORT

the house has undergone any kind of chemical treatment. The spruce wood used as a cladding for the exterior of the building has undergone a process of carbonisation, which gives the building its distinctive black colour. The charred layer also protects the exterior of the house against the adverse impact of external agents such as rainfall and insect attack.

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concealed directly inside the concrete walls, for a pleasant feeling of space and tranquillity, while the windows and the angle at which the light strikes the walls, provide a magnificent view of the garden.

PIVOT DOORS TAKE CENTRE STAGE The sense of dynamism and contact with the outdoor environment is masterfully reinforced by the two huge pivot doors made of oak that open onto the terrace. Measuring 1.9 metres in height and 3.35 metres and 1.8 metres in width respectively, they do a perfect job of making the outdoor area feel like a direct extension of the living-room.

“The use of oak doors with System M hinges

by FritsJurgens proved to be the most suitable solution,” explains Fabian Wagner, “and they make the view of the natural surroundings feel like a life-size painting, without interrupting it with door or window sills, which is exactly what we wanted.”

The hinge is equipped with an automatic closure system with adjustable damping on the closing cycle and a hydraulic brake for the opening cycle, thus making it possible to fasten the door at any angle within its 90° range of rotation, so that the occupants can adjust the spatial impact of the doors to suit their needs at any given moment.

The FritsJurgens System M hinge has another feature that makes it ideal for a small house like this: it can be installed a short distance from the adjacent wall, in such a way that the radius of rotation inside the house is minimal, thus obviating the need to leave empty spaces, while maintaining the elegant, fluid movement of the door. The decision to use a FritsJurgens TP-40 top hinge reduced the rotation radius even further.

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ph. Stetson Ybarra, Stephen Morgan, Daniel Joseph Chenin

06 FORT 137 Las Vegas

GREEN BUILDING PROJECTS

Daniel Joseph Chenin Ltd., a multi-disciplinary, multi-award-winning firm of architects, has designed an oasis of comfort in the desert on the fringes of the Las Vegas Valley, having previously won numerous industry awards for its thoughtful, innovative design.

Built for a family with an active lifestyle and a penchant for immersive experiences in the natural environment, Fort 137 offers panoramic views of the surrounding Red Rock Canyon and is designed as a warm, contemporary home that nonetheless blends seamlessly into the rugged beauty of its natural setting.

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While offering an interior with a master suite, a second suite, three bedrooms and a large living-room with open-plan dining-area, the property turns its main focus to the exterior, which includes a circular tower, a shaded courtyard and a walkway overlooking the desert scenery.

The circular tower can be seen from the driveway into Fort 137 and pays homage to the old forts built by early settlers, which once dotted the desert landscape of the Las Vegas Valley. Standing some 8 metres high, it acts as a transitional zone between the heat of the desert outside and the cooler interior, with a conical shape that strikes a contrast with the straight lines of the living-spaces. As you enter the circular tower, the sound of running

water from the stone fountain on the level below greets the ears like a refreshing aural mirage, and a spiral staircase leads to a rooftop lounge with a fireplace and sweeping views of the desert.

After a cooling break, the stroll from the outdoor area to the interior of the house starts with a fully shaded and sheltered courtyard, which is ideal for dining and relaxing with the family, and in the background lies a 75-tonne boulder, sourced from a nearby quarry. Inside the house, two double-layer side walls, running north to south, provide protection from the outside elements and mark the boundaries of the dwelling unit.

Between the perimeter walls there is a large lounge with dining-area, a kitchen, a home-office and a home-cinema, while the more intimate spaces, including the bedrooms, are on the outer sides.

AN INTERIOR DESIGNED FOR COMFORT The living space at Fort 137 is spread over three complementary volumes, each designed to maximise thermal comfort, energy-efficiency and the minimalist, relaxing atmosphere. Set between stone walls, an array of large, steel-framed sliding windows provide panoramic views from both the northern and southern aspects. They are strategically positioned to provide cross-ventilation and draw plentiful sunlight into the rooms, while still affording ample protection against the most extreme conditions of the desert sun and wind.

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GREEN BUILDING PROJECTS

Every space, from its orientation to the design of its intrinsic features, is intended to bring an outstanding sense of well-being to the inhabitants.

The discreet luxury of the interior is a further expression of this design philosophy, which embraces the use of natural materials and finishes that pair harmoniously with the landscape, such as travertine flooring, stucco ceilings, veneered vertical panels made of reconstituted wood, and brass details such as the bespoke door handles and furniture, which mirror the colours and textures of the adjacent Red Rock Mountains.

The construction of Fort 137 had limited environmental impact.

The team of architects applied a wide range of design strategies to offset the home’s environmental footprint and reduce its energy dependence.

A system of photovoltaic panels and a gravel-ballasted roof were installed, together with insulation, passive cooling and radiant heating systems, to enhance the building’s performance.

The choice of wood cladding, made from reconstituted sawmill waste, and the use of locally sourced materials, alongside rocks and earth extracted from the site, also serve the purpose of sustainability.

The architects also opted for materials such as weathering steel, hotrolled steel and travertine because of the attractive way they age and develop a time-worn, sand-swept patina, adding further colour and texture to an environment that is destined to blend even more deeply into its surroundings as the years go by. | 180

“In our search for an architecture that would counter the effects of the hot, arid climate of the South-West, we sifted through some of the pioneer settlements of the 1800s. The idea of a stacked rock structure, like that of the forts designed by the settlers in those days, inspired us and garnered an equally enthusiastic response from our clients.”

Daniel Joseph Chenin

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07 TONEHEIM FOLK HIGH SCHOOL Norway

ph. Fredrik Myhre, Ola Spangen, Niklas Hart

GREEN BUILDING PROJECTS

ASAS Arkitektur, a Norwegian firm of architects, has developed a fresh interpretation of the student hall of residence at the Toneheim Folkehøgskole music high school just outside Hamar, in Norway. This small, timber-built village is constructed around a communal inner courtyard, in keeping with the traditional Norwegian concept of the “tun”. The new facility, laid out like a village, is vernacular and deeply rooted in the site and its local history.

THE CONCEPT The architectural idea behind the design is the use of a single building block, repeated and varied according to its location and its orientation on the site. By adhering to this principle, the landscape is left largely unchanged and an accessible entrance is assigned to each building block. Each block consists of five twin bedrooms, a common room with kitchen and living-room, and a bathroom. The common rooms and entrances all face the courtyard.

To enter or leave the building, students have to pass through the common room, and this encourages interaction between people.

FLEXIBILITY AND EFFICIENCY The layout is compact and the buildings are efficient in terms of space, energy and economy. The bedrooms are wheelchairaccessible and their flexible layout means they can be furnished in lots of different ways. The design also maximises storage space in the rooms, with space both under the bed and in the wall-niche above it.

MULTI-FUNCTIONAL STAIRCASE The staircase is integrated into the common room and is shaped in such a way as to create smaller, more intimate spaces in which to relax, thus establishing connections between the private and social dimensions, and the indoor and outdoor areas. As well as playing an important visual and structural role, the staircase is also an important environmental element, with skylights in the stairwell that flood the walls with light.

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LANDSCAPE New intermediate zones have been introduced to maximise the functionality of the large outdoor area. These are made up of smaller spaces, furnished with benches and hardy plants, and are connected to the pedestrian routes that cross the area.

Small outdoor benches have also been set up at the front of the buildings and connect the internal common rooms with the courtyard.

The pedestrian walkways incorporate orientation systems for people with impaired vision.

The stunning views from the rooms – towards the countryside of Stangelandet from the south and west, and towards Van Kirke church

from the north-east – also help forge a link between the building and the landscape.

The typically Norwegian plants in the garden play an important role. These are mainly fruit trees and hardy shrubs that require minimal maintenance, including the Juneberry, which flowers in the spring and develops berries in autumn, and trees such as pine and Japanese Katsura maple, which brings a bouquet of colour to the courtyard in the autumn months.

MATERIALS All the buildings are made of wood and concrete, mainly in prefabricated form, to reduce construction time. Both the interior wall coverings and the exterior cladding are

made of solid spruce, which gives the buildings a grey patina as they age, especially on the façade.

The student accommodation is designed to passive-house standards. Its compact footprint and interlinked structure reduces the surface area of the façades, thus limiting heat dispersal from the building elements. All the windows have very low thermal transmittance, so keep the interior space well insulated.

These features make a major contribution to the levels of well-being inside the new hall of residence, which is complemented by the usability and well-designed layout of the outdoor courtyard.

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ph. LGM Studio

08 LING LING Mexico City

How do you make people feel like they’re in a courtyard when they’re on the 56th floor of a skyscraper? This was the question that the architecture firm Sordo Madaleno asked itself when faced with the challenge of creating a high-altitude, greenoriented restaurant in the capital of Mexico. The result? A space on three levels, with a wooden portico and lush vegetation, inspired by the traditional courtyards of Mexican architecture.

GREEN BUILDING PROJECTS

Ling Ling, a well known restaurant, occupies a privileged position in Mexico City, on the top floor of one of the tallest skyscrapers on Paseo de la Reforma. The restaurant’s aim is to invite the city’s visitors to extend their stay into the night, by welcoming them into an attractive and versatile environment where they can enjoy a relaxing experience against the calming backdrop of one of the best views over the city’s skyline.

The evocative imagery that guided Sordo Madaleno in its design of the spaces included the large terraces and lush courtyards that are a typical feature of Mexican architecture. This proved to be one of the biggest challenges for the design team: how to make people feel like they’re in a garden, when they’re on the 56th floor of a city skyscraper.

The key to the conundrum lay in making a shrewd choice of formal approach and using distinctive structural elements and construction methods to blur the boundaries between architecture and interior design. This led to the decision to create a space on three levels with a layout featuring wooden vaults and lush vegetation, both strongly linked with the concept of garden design.

By using an extensive palette of colours from the plant kingdom and focusing on light as the driving force behind the entire project, the restaurant carves out a niche for itself as a location full of character that embraces the green and leafy world of Mexican tradition within its high-altitude interior. So each space is not only designed to optimise the entrancing view but also to connect guests with nature.

Surrounded by luxuriant plant-life, the terrace is actually the beating heart of the project and provides an environment that you would scarcely think possible on the top floor of a commercial skyscraper. This space benefits from three different levels and a corner position to surprise diners with a glazed atrium-like structure offering a 270° view over the city.

The indoor lounges are enclosed in a vaulted wooden shell, made according to a stereotomic design, and feature soft lighting and bespoke furnishings. | 188

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GREEN BUILDING PROJECTS

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09 NZEB BUILDING

This winner of the Wood Architecture Prize is a house made of wood, rice and cork, which stands as a ringing endorsement of the benefits of using totally natural materials in sustainable architecture.

The surprising thing about this NZEB (Near-Zero-Energy Building) is its performance: as well as consuming only negligible amounts of energy, it provides an exceptional level of comfort, from the acoustics to the overall perception of the interior.

GREEN BUILDING PROJECTS

Designed by Luca Compri, of LCA Architetti in Varese, this sustainable, eco-friendly house has about 190 square metres of floorspace divided between two floors. There’s a kitchen and livingarea on the ground floor, and a guest bedroom, small gym and bathroom on the attic floor.

The building’s architecture draws inspiration from the old rural houses typically found in Lombardy, and the roof with two sloping pitches and no gutters gives this timber-built home an elegant, essential, contemporary appearance.

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Its load-bearing structure was built in the Novellocase production plant using wood frame technology: the insulating material used in the frame walls is rice straw, which is a natural product with a high degree of energy-efficiency.

The choice of materials is totally in line with the sustainable approach to architecture that LCA Architetti typically takes: rice straw – an agricultural by-product usually discarded as waste – gets a new lease on life as the perfect insulation material for this bio-building.

An exposed cork cladding completes the structure and provides an

excellent level of energy-efficiency. In terms of technical systems, the parties involved agreed to use the innovative compact aggregate system, an energy-efficient mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery and domestic hot water heating, which is ideal for NZEBs. Prefabricating wood-and-straw walls in the production plant not only reduces the construction time of turnkey wooden houses by a considerable margin, it also minimises the risk of errors and imprecision during on-site construction work, thus ensuring topquality execution.

The choice of premium finishes, such as double-glazed wood-andaluminium doors and windows and natural oak flooring, combined with a judiciously designed layout and lighting system, has given the owners of this house a high level of comfort: the living-area is equipped with large windows, which heat the interior space with natural sunlight, while also offering a fabulous view over the surrounding garden.

FOCUS ON THE MATERIAL Rice husk (the foliage that envelops grains of rice for human consumption) is a waste material from the food supply chain, which Novellocase uses as a high-performance material for the internal insulation of frame-built walls.

Because these husks are so small, they form a very high-density filling for wall cavities, therefore delivering insulation performance that is unmatched by almost any industrial material. So using rice husk for insulation not only removes an unwanted waste product from the food supply chain, it also gives buildings top-class comfort and a degree of energy performance that is literally out of the ordinary.

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ph. Jörg Hempel, Aachen

10

A MARRIAGE OF ART AND TECHNOLOGY

Hamburg

GREEN BUILDING PROJECTS

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Hamburg’s architecture is an eclectic mix of Romanesque churches, Art Nouveau mansions and modern buildings, just like the new D11. With its façade and roof clad with Corian® Exteriors cladding panels, this residential complex is designed to create an eye-catching link between a Wilhelminianstyle building and a functional 1960s apartment block.

D11 is located in the heart of Grindelviertel, Hamburg’s former Jewish quarter, which is famous for its rich history and its small, authentic shops and cafés. It is built on a narrow, 252m2 plot, on which a garage used to stand. The smooth façade made of Corian® Exteriors cladding panels in Glacier White reflects the structural lines of the neighbouring Wilhelminian building, and gradually de-constructs them as it approaches the next building – a 1960s block, with which it forges a contemporary connection by virtue of its gable roof.

The aim of grasp architecture GmbH, the firm that conceived and produced the design, was to make the best possible use of the available space to create a contemporary, high-quality apartment building that would harmoniously bridge the stylistic chasm between the buildings on either side of it. To achieve this, they designed a visually monolithic building, with a façade and roof clad entirely in 442m2 of Corian® Exteriors. The roof is a waterproof substructure made of sheet steel, clad with 66m2 of Corian® Exteriors cladding panels in the shape of a gable.

The choice of material was dictated by various factors. In terms of design, Corian® Exteriors makes it possible to create two- or threedimensional sections of façade, as well as sharply tapering elements for the corners and lintel, thus crafting apparently seamless connections for complex architectural structures – the details of the roof edges had to be extremely precise, for example, because there are gutters and drainpipes concealed in the façade and roof. It is also a durable material that is easy to repair and renovate.

The use of Corian® Exteriors cladding panels gave the architects the dual benefit of a homogeneous façade design and optimum

thermal insulation. There are environmental benefits too: the resulting ventilated façades are breathable and yield substantial energy savings.

COHERENCE, INDOORS AND OUT From the outside, D11 stands out as a white sculpture with a pure, clear aesthetic. Inside, natural materials and a darker colour scheme generate a warm, welcoming feel.

The three dwelling units are designed to let in as much natural light as possible, and have numerous windows of various sizes.

The floor-to-ceiling windows create a sense of space and light on the intermediate floor, while the ground and first floors are lit by horizontal openings in the ceiling, through which daylight floods in.

The top floor is finished with a roof terrace laid with wood decking, offering views over the surrounding area.

Corian® Exteriors cladding panels are made from Corian® Solid Surface, a non-porous, UVresistant and fade-resistant material. Façades made with Corian® Exteriors give architects the utmost freedom to express their design concepts, while also yielding the well-known benefits of ventilated façades. These solutions allow the air to circulate and create a breathable, low-maintenance environment, combined with excellent thermal insulation. Keeping buildings dry and ventilated maximises their energy-efficiency and has a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of their occupants. Ventilated façades can reduce energy consumption by up to 40%.

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