ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN FURNITURE LIFESTYLE MARBELLA · LONDON · MILAN
SUMMER 2019
105 MARBELLA HILLS THE BRIGHTEST MILLENNIAL NO BORDERS NO LIMITS ULTIMATE BEDROOM SUITES
BEAUTIFULLY DETAILED CONTEMPORARY HOMES udesign.es
Open: Monday – Friday 10 am – 7 pm & Saturday 10 am – 2 pm Polígono Industrial San Pedro de Alcántara, C/Países Bajos 6, San Pedro, Marbella Tel: (+34) 952 794 117 udesign.es
Much of contemporary design is associated with cool clean lines, muted colours and subtle tones of grey. But much of it is not, and in this issue we look to the distinctly colourful: to our cover artist Misterpiro, to the extraordinary (and colourful in every sense of the word) Markus Benesch, to the state-ofthe-art Harow studio in Paris, to the jaw-dropping use of colour in our main architectural feature, and to the most colourful hotel in the Middle East. And then, bathed in bright, we turn to the more subtle colour combinations of our bedroom suites where dreams of sheer opulence await. Jason Harris
CEO & Creative Director
UDesign
“Colour is a power which directly influences the soul.� (Wassily Kandinsky)
Cover by Misterpiro
Editor: Cheryl Gatward ud@udesign.es
CONTENTS
Sub Editor: Vivion O’Kelly Design, Layout & Production: Next Idea S.L. info@nimarbella.com Contributing Writers: Vivion O’Kelly, Anastasia Sukhanova, Fiona Flores Watson, Sophie Ann Gatward-Wicks Architects & Designers: Anja Maria Catharina Dekkers, Ignacio Garrido González, Milda Kazlauskaite, Margarita Mariscal Burgos, Sarah Muller, Diana Robezniece, Carlota RodriguezZúñiga Cofiño, Patricia Sánchez Martínez 3D Virtual Artists: Dmytro Dubchak, David Jesús Espada Ruíz, Diego Camacho Sánchez, Pablo Aranda Varo
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Advertising: Diana Robezniece diana@udesign.es
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Published by: UDesign Polígono Industrial San Pedro de Alcántara, C/ Países Bajos, 6, 29670 Marbella, Málaga, Spain
105 MARBELLA HILLS
FURNITURE
Photography: UDesign, SPCA Visual Marbella, Ink & Movement, Harow, Antonio Rivera, Elchino Po
Administration: Patricia Jiménez Martínez patricia@udesign.es
THE BRIGHTEST MILLENNIAL
ULTIMATE BEDROOM SUITES
106 CURIOUS TO THE MAX UDESIGN SHOWCASE
LIFESTYLE 138 DESIGNER ESCAPES 148 DESIGN TRENDS
Tel: (+34) 952 794 117 info@udesign.es udesign.es Printed by: Jiménez Godoy jimenezgodoy.com Deposito Legal: MA-1335-2017
UD is published three times per year in January, May and September.
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D E S I G N PO R T R A I T.
Richard, seat system designed by Antonio Citterio. www.bebitalia.com
FOLLOW US ON #CLIFFCOLLECTION DESIGN BY LUDOVICA+ROBERTO PALOMBA
OUTDOOR LIVING
customerservice@talentisrl.com www.talentisrl.com
VILLA ALCUZCUZ Marbella’s 1st Luxury Passive House* Located in the exclusive gated community of La Reserva de Alcuzcuz on the Ronda road 5 minutes to the coast and San Pedro State-of-the-art entertainment floor Luxurious gym, spa and wellness area Designer furniture, fixtures and fittings Sold fully furnished
*The Passive House Standard is a modern and sustainable construction method that guarantees over 75% savings in energy costs. It provides unparalleled comfort, consistent fresh air throughout the entire
building, structural longevity, mould free, extremely low cooling/heating costs, radically improved indoor environment. To learn more visit the International Passive House Association at www.passipedia.org
WAKE UP TO THIS VIEW
BEDS: 7
BATHS: 7
BUILT: 1,200 m2
PLOT: 3,500 m2
VIEWING BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
COVERED TERRACES: 200 m2
(+34) 952 794 117
alcuzcuz@udesign.es
PRICE ON APPLICATION www.udesign.es/alcuzcuz
DUNE COLLECTION BY SEBASTIAN HERKNER
WWW.GLOSTER.COM
BRIGHTEST
MILLENNIAL
UD Magazine talks to Misterpiro about how it feels to be on the Forbes list of the 30 most influential people under 30; his dream projects and the ambition of creating his own line of furniture. He’s a visual and urban artist, graffiti master, DJ, interior designer and a daring personality, although true to the spirit of his generation, he isn’t preoccupied with definitions.
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was born Andrés SánchezOcaña Núñez in 1994. That’s more than a century after the birth of impressionism, a few years after the launch of the World Wide Web, and the same year Friends aired for the first time. He is a visual and urban artist, graffiti master, DJ, interior designer and a daring personality, although true to the spirit of his generation, he isn’t preoccupied with definitions. His technique is based on improvisation, where the aggressive quality and colours of spray paint and the delicacy of watercolour mix to become perfectly modern, yet deeply meaningful artwork. Misterpiro has collaborated with such brands as Converse, Dr. Martens and Nordic Mist, and yet he isn’t looking for more of the same – he wants to maximise his creativity through different media and projects of his own. Born and based in Madrid, Misterpiro and his artworks are borderless: from London to New York and from Seoul to Mumbai. You started your creative path as a street artist, always improvising. Now a lot of your work has to do with design, brand collaborations and other projects that require more precision and planning. Which do you prefer?
Interview by Anastasia Sukhanova, photos courtesy of Ink and Movement
“Once I start working, I let myself go with the flow and produce the artwork impulsively”
My whole creative process is usually based on freestyling. I hardly ever do sketches of my paintings and murals. I can determine a concept to base my creations on, depending on the collaboration or the brand that I’m working with. But once I start working, I let myself go with the flow and produce the artwork impulsively. Even though I have slowly walked away from graffiti, that way of working is still alive in me and in what I do. What’s your favourite collaboration to date? A few months ago, I did a collaboration with Nordic Mist. Spain’s main cities were papered with graphics I made for them, and then they decided to turn it into a TV commercial. It was a huge success for me. Normally the customer asks for so many changes in advertising campaigns of this magnitude that your artwork loses identity somehow, and you end up doing something that doesn’t represent who you are. In this project, however, I was given total freedom and allowed to fill three different sets with my work: a house, a bar and a rooftop terrace. At a visual level, this collaboration is my favourite so far.
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Misterpiro’s artwork brightens up a terrace
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THE BRIGHTEST MILLENNIAL
“You can be CEO of your own lifestyle and make whatever you want of it”
All of your creations are made in bright eye-catching colours. Why is that your palette of choice? It’s not something that I plan for, really. I usually freestyle, even with the colour palette. I often try to do monochromatic pieces or work with pastel colours, but I eventually end up using bright tones and fluorescent colours. The piece usually feels unfinished until I do. Human skulls and other bones seem to be a recurring theme in your work. What is their meaning for you? I love dealing with the subject of human anatomy. A year ago, I did a series of artworks that included bones, hands, skulls, and some other parts of the human body which have always been related to dark things or had negative connotations. Using colour to put those negative elements and their traditional interpretations upside down provided this piece with a sweet and eye-catching look. In 2017 Forbes Spain magazine put you on the list of 30 most influential people under the age of 30. How do you interpret this influence and what would you like to tell the world? The truth is, it was a huge surprise – especially because I was surrounded by entrepreneurs that were all very unlike me. They were young too, but mostly CEOs of their own companies or app developers. Knowing that Forbes chose to include someone from the world of art as an influence made me even more excited. It encourages young people to believe in what they do, whether it’s painting murals, dancing or designing clothing professionally. You can be the CEO of your own lifestyle and make it whatever you want.
Right: from the People Through Me series. Left: Misterpiro brightens up a football stadium in Extremadura, Spain
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One of your recent projects was the redesign of the lobby in Madrid’s Emperador Hotel. What is it like to take your art into the sphere of interior design? It turns out that this past year I’ve worked on more inner spaces than big murals in the streets. I love to play with the architecture and the elements that compose a set or a room. I find flat formats like murals or canvases quite uninspiring. I really enjoy having an entire space to play with, invading ceilings and floors, columns, furniture, windows, mirrors, and everything I might find on my way, turning that space into my art. You have painted in Madrid, Lisbon, Rome, London, New York, Seoul, India, Honduras... Where would you want your work to take you next? I don’t have any upcoming project outside of Spain right now. This year I worked very hard painting a wooden boat on the island of Komodo, Indonesia. In the end the project fell through, but I’m determined to make it happen the next time I’m there. I always enjoy painting in recondite places more than in big cities packed with people. The energy and work philosophy are different, especially with limited resources. This makes you test yourself and you always come up with something new. Last summer you collaborated with artist Antonyo Marest and DJ Meneo, creating a work of art accompanied by music. How was the experience? It was incredible! I love to collaborate with artists whose artwork and way of working are very different from mine. A lot of strange but fun things come out, even more so if it’s accompanied by music. I love painting while discovering new rhythms. Sometimes I DJ at events and little parties. My work flow is very free. From time to time I dance while I paint and prepare my sets. Top: The bar at the Marengo Madrid restaurant gets the Misterpiro touch. Above: Misterpiro’s Dr Martens
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“I really enjoy turning an entire space into an artwork...”
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Through the Glass – In 2018 Misterpiro transformed the lobby of the Emperador Hotel on the Gran Vía in Madrid with his paintings on the walls, stairs and furniture.
THE BRIGHTEST MILLENNIAL
Empathy 1 From the Empathy Series, made for the Gerhardt Braun Gallery in Mallorca, 2018
You have painted entire rooms, bar tops, furniture. Is there any particular aspect of interior design you would like to be challenged by? It’s true that I’ve worked on all types of furniture, painting over wood, upholstery and glass, making those objects a little more ‘mine’, but not a hundred percent. That’s why I’ve been thinking about doing my own line of furniture, designed and hand-painted by myself. Moreover, I’d love to design tapestry with my own prints on it. What music do you listen to while you work? I love 80’s disco, especially African and Brazilian. Of course, Italodisco and Funk music mixed with Detroit house, Acid and groovy rhythms. I love all that! misterpiro.com / inkandmovement.com
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SPECIAL FEATURE
Bouquet 1 From the Bouquets Series (2019)
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P.I. San Pedro de Alcántara · C/ Países Bajos, 6 · 29670 Marbella · Málaga· España – udesign.es
TOUR DE MONDE
DEDON COLLETION TIBBO Design by Edward Barber & Jay Osberby
www.dedon.de
VILLA ALCUZCUZ Marbella’s 1st Luxury Passive House* Located in the exclusive gated community of La Reserva de Alcuzcuz on the Ronda road 5 minutes to the coast and San Pedro State-of-the-art entertainment floor Luxurious gym, spa and wellness area Designer furniture, fixtures and fittings Sold fully furnished
*The Passive House Standard is a modern and sustainable construction method that guarantees over 75% savings in energy costs. It provides unparalleled comfort, consistent fresh air throughout the entire
building, structural longevity, mould free, extremely low cooling/heating costs, radically improved indoor environment. To learn more visit the International Passive House Association at www.passipedia.org
THIS COULD BE YOURS
BEDS: 7
BATHS: 7
BUILT: 1,200 m2
PLOT: 3,500 m2
VIEWING BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
COVERED TERRACES: 200 m2
(+34) 952 794 117
alcuzcuz@udesign.es
PRICE ON APPLICATION www.udesign.es/alcuzcuz
MARBELLA HILLS The sophisticated and welltravelled owner of this property has seen it all, but he’s never seen anything quite like this before. This is a party house par excellence, created by UDesign with a sense of fun, exquisite taste and the best works of modern art in the world. 105 Marbella Hills is a luxury villa with a gallery vibe. Between a Rothko, a Warhol and a surrealist black & white wallpaper mural, we see fittingly creative Cloud lights by Apparatus Studio.
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The classic design concept revisited 31
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While art is an integral part of the villa’s character, nature also plays a big role, creating a perfect balance. This sitting area benefits from immediate proximity to a terrace on one side, and an integrated double aquarium on the other.
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Impressive view: the main lounge area extends effortlessly into the villa’s own palm tree boulevard, with a giant LED screen at the end.
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Text by Anastasia Sukhanova, Photos courtesy of UDesign
ords like unique, luxurious, chic and state-of-the-art, frequently misplaced and overused, are brought back to their true meaning in this extraordinary project. It is a luxury villa like no other. With its own DJ booth, a fully functional club bar, a huge outdoor kitchen, a 14 square metre exterior LED screen and an extensive 200 square metre pool area, the owner of this property can invite up to two hundred guests at a time for club standard entertainment from sunset to sunrise, all without leaving the house. La Cabana Pool & Lounge, reads the neon sign on a marble panel, and the space really does deserve a name of its own. Centered around the focal point of the pool are various entertainment zones that allow for a smooth transition between stages and moods of any gathering. Right under the sign, a simple white table and a set of huge candles create an intimate ambience for a dinner party under the stars with friends, perfect to kick off an exclusive private party.
The pool area: the neon La Cabana sign may not be a geographical necessity, but true to the somewhat quirky design of the entire villa, it is an essential design element, as well as a reminder that entertaining is taken seriously in this house. The white sofas are custom-made by UDesign.
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As the evening goes on, one might be tempted to move to the casual bar area, complete with its own TV screen and music – a perfect place to observe the team of caterers and waiters preparing the setting, while the DJ and dancers start off the real party. Or one could take a stroll around the house, where each area has an iPad you can use to play music from playlists custom-made by the best lounge and club DJs for different moods, times of the day and musical tastes. For those who want to see the action without leaving the party area, and perhaps talk business, the mother of all chill-out zones is nearby, overlooking the pool. The dark wood contrasts beautifully with the white stone and green living wall, creating a timeless look. The table is much more than it appears: a water feature where each steel sphere is an individual fountain, floating with LEDs surrounding them. The white sofas by UDesign and Farooo floor lamps by Marcel Wanders for Moooi add to the perfect symmetry.
The mother of all chill-out zones is raised above the pool area with illuminated marble stairs, its borders defined by a living wall and palm trees. Its symmetry is an architectural feature of the whole property.
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The exquisite pool area of the villa is also the structural centre point. Cooling down in the pool provides the best views – of the screen, the chill-out areas and the inside lounge with all its beautiful artwork.
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The pool area itself is exquisite. The white sofas come in a multitude of shapes: round beds custom-made by UDesign and reminiscent of Nikki Beach, while the cloud shaped benches are Lava by Karim Rashid for Vondom. The stone fire pit made by UDesign comes into play at night, further engaging the senses, with flames, gleaming water, music from the hidden speakers and palm trees giving the impression they rise straight from the pool itself. It all comes together here for an unforgettable experience. Adding a splash of colour to the entire pool area, the seemingly incongruous Pink Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons has now become one of the most iconic series of sculptures of our time, one 10-foot-tall version setting the world record in 2013 for the most expensive work of art by a living artist sold at auction. Other equally valuable artworks inside the house can also be seen from the pool area.
An idyllic setting for an intimate dinner under the stars with friends, perfect to kick off an exclusive private party.
ARCHITECTURE
This home has a pool area any 5-star hotel would envy, a fullon club atmosphere and the playful sophistication of an informal art gallery
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This is certainly a house for entertaining, and as the party winds down and the music subsides, one could move to the sitting area. The transition is seamless – the white stone floor is a foundation of both the outside and the inside. Here the feeling of being in a modern art gallery intensifies: quirky colourful pieces of furniture by B&B Italia, Brabbu, La Chance and Edra are cleverly placed around the eye-catching Rothko painting. The 6-foot black & white photographic image on one side cleverly extends one’s perspective, while the wall of shelves filled with small sculptures on the other side makes one feel like getting up and having a closer look. Number 105 Marbella Hills encompasses both impressive architecture and attention to every single detail of interior design. Now might be the time for the massive LED screen, which worked amazingly well as a dynamic backdrop for dancers during the party, to slide back into its frame and turn into a water feature, achieved at the push of a button on the domotics system. The view of the pool area from the inside is a truly cosmopolitan mix, reminiscent of Sunset Boulevard in LA, but with a Mediterranean touch by the presence of 80-year-old olive trees. 44
The DJ is the soul of any party, and fairness dictates that he or she gets their very own booth in this party house, where the works of art facing them are sure to inspire.
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Dining room: The table is custom-made by UDesign from a 12cm-thick oak plank with a high-gloss finish, allowing the shape of the wood to remain visible. Chandeliers by Lasvit, bespoke ceiling detail by UDesign. The design of the geometric rug from the Rug Society was inspired by the ethnic and vibrant work of Jonathan Adler, who can always be relied on to bring a happy and chic look to any interior space.
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The vibrant colours and ethnic materials combine to create the atmosphere of a Moroccan living room. Pass the shisha... Despite its contemporary look and focus on entertainment, the villa has spacious living and dining areas where the owners can spend time in a more private setting. The dining room is an amusing mixture of ultra-modern and antique. The classic chandeliers are paired with the lofty dining table but are at odds with the dramatic details in the ceiling. Meanwhile, the quirky rug from The Rug Society forms its own ensemble with purple avant-garde Ekstrem chairs, designed back in 1972 by Terje EkstrÜm. The purple in the chairs continues into the dining area with its chill-out zone, full of vibrant colours and ethnic motifs. The stone wall with fireplace, complete with a round mirror that’s actually a television set, would make the perfect place for long winter afternoons of playing chess and smoking shisha. Paola Lenti sofas, decorative cushions and a carpet re-mastered from antique rugs recreate the ambience of a Moroccan living room, complete with a living ceiling and bamboo plants. A pool table and a hanging bubble chair complete this gorgeous space between the kitchen, dining and chill-out zone.
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Despite this villa being a statement of taste and luxury designed to share with friends, its more private areas have managed to stay private, comfortable and inviting, with little distance and no separation between the dining area and the chill-out zone.
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The Kitchen: The custom-made UDesign kitchen, with black Miele equipment and brushed gold surface finishes, is both contemporary and impressive. An isle-integrated garden-bed brings life into the otherwise uncluttered space, with storage and the pantry hidden behind the gold-finished doors.
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The villa’s television room features the vibrant colours and artistic themes of the formal lounge, but focuses on practicality, functionality and comfort, an area for the family to spend a lot of time in. Cosy B&B Italia sofas, beautiful and quirky Pipe armchairs by Moroso and a bookcase, illuminated at night, make the perfect setting for an allnight movie marathon. The definitive colour accent is found in the floor to ceiling wallpaper, (see image on following page) which looks like a room in itself, giving a three dimensional feel to the space. It is, in fact, a photograph taken at one of India’s majestic royal palaces, and while it may not immediately appear to be the perfect choice for most contemporary luxury projects, it manages to look just right at 105 Marbella Hills.
105 MARBELLA HILLS
The TV Room: The 3D floor to ceiling wallpaper creates a feeling of extended perspective. The vibrant colours from the rest of the villa find their place here too, the pink of the wallpaper reflected in the carpet, the Pipe armchairs and the small bonsai. With the ethereal and graphic Vertigo lamp by Petite Friture, the room is both stylish and cosy.
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The vibrant palette continues into the master bedroom, where a combination of green, purple and coral is completed with brightlycoloured floral wallpaper. Bed and purple occasional chair by B&B Italia.
ARCHITECTURE
We’ve all been invited to “an evening at my place”, but few of us will have had the good fortune to experience an evening’s entertainment at a home like this. With furniture carefully selected or custom-made, the most up-to-date integrated technology, the original art works and the impressive landscaping, 105 Marbella Hills leaves one unsure of what to enjoy next, be it the beauty of the house itself or the pool and garden areas surrounding it. The answer has to be both, because in this property, the inside and out are one of a piece, a perfect blend of man-made and natural elements coming together to form a whole that is guaranteed to be memorable.
All architecture and interior design in this feature by UDesign. udesign.es
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carlhansen.com
EVERY PIECE COMES WITH A STORY | CH23 |
HANS J. WEGNER · 1950
One of the first designs in Hans J. Wegner’s debut collection created exclusively for Carl Hansen & Søn in 1950, the CH23 chair is a classic with intrinsic, eternal relevance. The chair’s unique double-woven seat and the form-pressed backrest with striking cruciform cover caps showcase Wegner’s refined, detailed craftsmanship. The CH23 is shown here with Wegner’s CH327 dining table.
VILLA ALCUZCUZ Marbella’s 1st Luxury Passive House* Located in the exclusive gated community of La Reserva de Alcuzcuz on the Ronda road 5 minutes to the coast and San Pedro State-of-the-art entertainment floor Luxurious gym, spa and wellness area Designer furniture, fixtures and fittings Sold fully furnished
*The Passive House Standard is a modern and sustainable construction method that guarantees over 75% savings in energy costs. It provides unparalleled comfort, consistent fresh air throughout the entire
building, structural longevity, mould free, extremely low cooling/heating costs, radically improved indoor environment. To learn more visit the International Passive House Association at www.passipedia.org
AND THIS IS JUST THE BASEMENT
BEDS: 7
BATHS: 7
BUILT: 1,200 m2
PLOT: 3,500 m2
VIEWING BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
COVERED TERRACES: 200 m2
(+34) 952 794 117
alcuzcuz@udesign.es
PRICE ON APPLICATION www.udesign.es/alcuzcuz
VaporWave Skull Armchair by Harow
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NO BORDERS. NO LIMITS.
HAROW is a Parisian design studio that has blurred the line between sculpture and product design. Shocking colours, surprising imagery and a hint of classicism has made their pieces truly unforgettable, and explains why Harow has become, almost overnight, a reference in the global design world.
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Interview by Anastasia Sukhanova , born Harold Sangouard, is the founder of the Harow Design Studio in Paris, which makes furniture that is the perfect blend of art, sculpture and design. With a desire to constantly create and a brilliant lack of preference in choice of medium, he became famous almost overnight with his ominously powerful piece, Skull Armchair. UDesign caught up with Harow shortly before the release of his new collection (while moving studio, as it happened) and talked about the trajectory that took him from being a master tattoo artist to an awardwinning designer who follows no trend. Perhaps you’re best known for your Skull Armchair. What’s the story behind it? I’ve always been fascinated by the skull, and from the start it has inspired me. It’s an aesthetic element that has influenced many generations, a timeless shape with a very powerful meaning. Skulls have always aroused creativity in all cultures throughout history: you can’t escape them. I had a lot of ideas in mind for this project. I absolutely wanted to
SKULL ARMCHAIR The skull has been a powerful symbol in different beliefs for thousands of years. Mayan legend tells us that the secrets of the origins of humanity were to be found in 13 crystal skulls, each capable of foreseeing the future as well. The first of these skulls was discovered towards the end of the 19th century, and they are still being found in Mexico, the last in 2011. The Skull Armchair, finished in black, ruby, chrome, copper and gold, also includes the series made in collaboration with Spanish designer Okuda San Miguel (left and right) and the VaporWave edition pictured on the previous page. The 24-carat gold edition, at half a million dollars, is for those whose Lamborghinis are parked in the driveway.
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“Built for comfort and world domination”
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work with this symbol and explore the contrast between the raw polygonal structure and the refined classical influence, and this gradually turned into a very intriguing and imposing piece. I think the main idea was a fusion between the poetry of classicism and the angular skull. I wanted an eye-catching design, curious, timeless, a kind of visual knock-out. I love to be impressed, and my idea is to transmit this feeling. The unique gold edition is the first-ever chair designed and handcrafted like a faceted diamond. Somewhere between sculptural art and functional furniture, the Skull Armchair is as comfortable an armchair as an object to be admired. Did you imagine it would become a sensation so quickly? Having the pieces become famous was not the goal, I just wanted to complete the project. When I finished the first Skull Armchair, I took pictures of it and over the weekend prepared my first ever press release. I sent it out on the Monday and one week later I had more than 100 articles in specialised press and about 500 inquiries in my inbox – that was a great surprise. At the same time, I was very scared of how I was going to satisfy customers and produce the pieces. That is one of the main reasons why I decided to work on very limited editions, which allows me to maintain a state-of-the-art standard. It would make no sense for me to produce anything that is short of perfection. The Skull Armchair has so much character and charisma it could easily feature on Game of Thrones. Is there an ideal personality you imagine it being used by? Being in love with the character of Emilia Clarke’s Khaleesi I think it would suit her. I would probably have to begin by making a provocative John Snow armchair and then offer it to the Mother of Dragons.
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ICONIC STOOL Arnold Schwarzenegger is the embodiment of the American Dream. Born into a modest family in a small village in Austria, he was told again and again that it would be impossible: impossible to become famous in Hollywood with an accent like his, impossible to become a politician without ever having held public office. An eloquent example of determination, Arnold has become a cinematic, cultural, political, and in a word, contemporary icon. “Winners find solutions, and losers find excuses”. The Iconic Stool, made by hand, is not as heavy as it looks (11 kgs), and is finished in black, white, gold chrome and gloss. If you feel you deserve your own Iconic stool, Harow Studio can conceptualize one for you.
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Harow and the Iconic Stool, in the atelier in Paris
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Harow’s artistic furniture does not follow trends or fashion. “I only create things for their beauty” Back in 2008, way before the success of your furniture pieces, you exhibited a wooden sculpture of a T-Rex at Palais de Tokyo. How did that come about? I have always been making stuff and at the time of the Palais de Tokyo exhibition I had just made this huge raptor sculpture which had really no aim. It was just made to be made. I had a few old school friends, one of whom helped me with the technical side and another who dared to ask Palais de Tokyo if they would be willing to exhibit it. And they said yes! I think the most important thing is just to do what you want and to work with people you can trust. My two business partners, Alexandre Chastel and Julien Wolf, have been the key people in making the Harow Studio what it is today. We make all the decisions together, but I always have the final word when it comes to design – no borders, no limits. In one of your interviews you mention that you’ve worked as a master tattoo artist. How did you go from there to furniture design? It’s true that my profile is kind of atypical and nothing predestined me to work as a designer. I’ve been carried through life by my will to create, to imagine things and to go beyond my limits. I love to work with all kinds of media: human skin is just one of them. Step by step my creations became bigger, and here I am with the Harow Studio.
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SPUTNIK CHAIR You know it reminds you of something from way back, but you just can’t put your finger on it. Well, think space race, because Harow had the unlikely idea of designing a chair inspired by the first Sputnik satellite, launched in 1957. And unlikely as it seems, it works. This delightfully sculptural chair, with its shiny metal finish and spiky legs, is what the late 1950s is all about. Eat your hearts out, Charles and Ray Eames! Great care was taken to design the Sputnik Chair as authentically as possible, and that involved the study of original Soviet technical plans. It was shortlisted for The Chair category in The International Design & Architecture Awards and won the Silver A Design Award.
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How would you describe your own design style? I would describe it as the design of artistic furniture that does not follow any trends or fashion. I only create things for their beauty. During your recent collaboration with Okuda and VaporWave, you made very colourful pieces which stand out from the rest of the collection. Was this a conscious move towards colour? My collaboration with Okuda has been very curative for me. In a way, it freed me from the OCD of perfection, which I had with regard to the work I signed. Seeing him actually at work, using his instinct, he provided a new source of emotion for the Skull Armchair, and that really impressed me. It allowed me to combine painting, the medium with which I have the most intimate relationship, with design. The VaporWave is the first “collateral damage� of this collaboration, a kind of cyberpunk edition of an artistic movement which I particularly like.
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ICEBERG STOOL & SIDE TABLE This extraordinary piece of furniture is a genuine work of art, bringing a piece of raw nature into the sitting room while also reminding us of the need to combat climate change. In 2014, a study published in Geophysical Research Letters announced an irreversible reduction of the ice in western Antarctica, predicting the total disappearance of the glaciers within 200 years. Made of resin and fibreglass, this Limited Edition Iceberg Stool and Side Table is a magnificent example of hightech manufacturing. Each piece takes a month to produce, with resin dripped millimetre by millimetre in successive layers to form the whole, in a process slowed by the need for perfect polymerisation.
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MONOLITH STOOL & SIDE TABLE Looking right into the centre of the earth, as the Native Australians believed as they contemplated the glory of the sacred Uluru, known to many of us still as Ayers Rock. The natural monument is mostly smooth surfaced, but with cracks and crevasses where eucalyptus trees grow. These imperfections are an ode to life itself, and form the essence of this beautiful sculptural piece of furniture. It would not be out of place in a contemporary art gallery anywhere in the world. If you wondered how the glittering depth of vision has been achieved in this piece, it is through the use of gold leaf, an ancient technique passed down by master gilders from generation to generation, assuring authenticity in each individual Monolith.
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NO BORDERS. NO LIMITS
Can you tell us about your new collection? The new collection will have an aesthetic guideline. I’ll try to express a new emotion through shapes that will be engraved in everyone’s spirit, which will be nostalgic and very futuristic at the same time. The Vapourwave movement will be a very important part of this new collection. The main idea is to stay true to the Harow Studio DNA: “Design that does not follow any trends or fashion, only design for its visual beauty”. What’s your creative routine? Do you rely more on inspiration or plain hard work? Everything starts with the will to work on a new project. When an idea arises, a theme comes to mind, a material attracts me, and that’s when design comes in and I try to combine everything to achieve something both artistic and functional. I try to keep my design raw, just as it comes. What’s really important to me is not to establish any borders or limits on the design process. harow.fr.
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KHEOPS CONSOLE & TABLE A stunning reminder of the importance of applied geometry in an ancient culture. This console and table is indeed a delightful exercise in symmetry: an inverted marble pyramid (the Great Pyramid of Giza) on a simple metal stand, achieving a play of contrasting positive/negative space in a piece of furniture that is both old as the pyramids and new as the creative mind of its designer. Once again, not out of place in the most contemporary of art galleries. An exercise in sturdiness and elegance, the Kheops collection is manufactured to 1/100th scale. Using precise techniques, the marble slabs are pumiced by hand to remove all imperfections, and then reassembled, keeping the natural veins of the stone perfectly intact.
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ICEBERG STOOL AND SIDE TABLE ORBITAL SOFA ItAlthough was in Hawaii that Charles not instantly evident in Keeling created theOrbital first Sofa has photographs, the observatory with instruments been aptly named. Look again, and capable of measuring the rate of of the then think of the basic shape carbon dioxideSpace in theStation, atmosphere. International the ISS. From on, inspiration the Keelingfor Curve That then was the this piece, registered a constant increase in a fusion of extraordinarily complex the concentration of CO2 in the technical wizardry and simple, air. This increase soon functional shape, idealreached for relaxing its apex, to such an extent that in and contemplating the great the climate became a real worry questions of humanity: who are we during thedid 1970s. In 2014, study and how we get here?a This piece published in Geophysical Research is also a reminder that great design is Letters announced an irreversible simplicity, both visual and structural. reduction of the ice in western The Limited Edition Orbital Sofa is Antarctica, predicting the total made in black of leather with bronze or disappearance the glaciers steel structure. within 200 years. A resin and fibreglass assembly, the Limited Edition Iceberg Stool and Side Table is the embodiment of technical prowess. One month is needed to produce each piece. The resin is dripped millimetre by millimetre in successive layers. The dynamic and thermal physicochemical characteristics require a regular delay between each layer, for perfect polymerisation.
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BEDROOM SUITES Sometimes it’s nice to dream, even when wide awake. And with the thin line between superluxury hotel rooms and what we would actually like in our own homes almost disappearing in recent years, we take a look at three UDesign bedroom suites that are such stuff as dreams are made of. Text by Sophie Gatward-Wicks
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The view from the window showing the wall of stone and the olive tree, which acts as a natural room divider, with the wardrobe in the background.
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Simple bed, wooden flooring, minimal lighting and a perfectly placed armchair that swivels out or in as one’s mood changes. This is what just enough is all about: no need for further decoration.
“You can lie in bed and watch the weather change from close-up.” The first is the Olive Suite, and yes, that’s a real 75-year-old olive tree in a real bedroom that you see in the picture on the right. In fact, it’s so real that it’s open to the sky - hail, rain or shine. It is, perhaps, the ultimate expression of UDesign’s philosophy of bringing the outside in. “When it rains, it rains in the middle of your bedroom,” Jason Harris, CEO and Creative Director of UDesign, laughs, quickly adding that the tree, of course, is separated from the room by walls of glass, making what looks like a room built around an olive tree. “Basically, it’s having a cube of nature right in your bedroom, illuminated at night to become nature’s sculpture. You can lie in bed and watch the weather change from close-up.”
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The wardrobe is a showcase for beautiful clothes and shoes, inviting the guest to go shopping if any excuse is needed. The view from the bathroom, as you can see, is the olive tree.
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But there is a second focal point in this extraordinary bedroom: a sheer rock face behind the bed, dominating this part of the room with subtle stone tones and textures that make further decoration unnecessary. It is, in fact, solid stone cut in sections and installed on the wall, so perfectly done that one would be forgiven for believing that the room had been built against a rock face. This stunning design shouts in a whisper, as design becomes art. “These natural materials will never date”, says Jason, “and we try to achieve the delicate balance between the natural and the man-made, where the finished design develops rather than sticks to an overplanned format. The materials are alive, and they tell you what to do next.”
Minimal ceiling lights, simple bench washstand, brass towel rack and tiled splash area behind the bath with a single globe light - it all adds up to a picture of just enough and no more.
INTERIOR DESIGN Some things just work, Jason tells us, and the way this Japanese-themed wallpaper (not marble!) works is a prime example of fusion in action. He doesn’t try to explain why: just look at it...
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ULTIMATE BEDROOM SUITES The Manhattan Suite The two baroque-style panels flanking the fireplace negate the need for art on the walls and set the colour tone for the whole room, picked up beautifully by the glassbased coffee tables. The Ăźber comfortable armchairs actually swivel, allowing you to take in the view, or chat to someone on the bed, something you could never do with a static sofa. The centrepiece is a huge slab of ceramic tiles made to look like marble.
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One should go to sleep with a symmetrical mind, and this is symmetry at its best. Shades of the baroque, especially in the wallpapered panels on both sides of the fireplace and the circular mirror, a little art nouveau in the hanging brass lamp and four armchairs, and the rest as minimalist as possible to make the whole thing work. But once again, it was not exactly planned this way. “The lovely purple side-tables reflect the colours of the wallpaper panels on both sides of the fireplace, which themselves stand out by the subtle use of back-lighting,” says Jason. “It could be in a private house, or in a six-star hotel in Las Vegas or London. It’s not a massive size, but just right for the furniture it contains, and remember, we don’t go to bed these days just to sleep. We go to check our ipads, watch television or read, and we need the bedroom to be designed accordingly. We make an overall plan but we don’t allow it to get in the way of great design. If something occurs to us along the way, we take it on board. One thing tends to lead to another, and if it happens to contradict an established design style, so be it. The result, and nothing else, is important.”
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The dark green of the bed and bench complements the purple hues of the panels by the fireplace perfectly. The only other decoration in this part of the room is an Artemis torso, small wall lamps, low-hanging ceiling lamps and a see-through bedside table.
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The night is subtly illuminated by hidden light around the ceiling and wallpaper panels, small wall lamps on the panels themselves, a beautiful brass light over the lounge area, thin-corded low hanging lamps over both sides of the bed and sunken lights in black stripes across the ceiling.
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The stark symmetry of the rest of the room, especially the shower and toilet area, is broken by the asymmetrical design of the art deco rug.
“If you can’t reach the shampoo while under the shower, it’s too big.” The ceiling is high, the architectural lines clean and straight, the lighting and decoration down to the basic essentials for a luxury bedroom suite. The baroque style carries through to the bathroom, where a full-size statue of Venus de Milo stands beside the window looking in. She likes what she sees: a free-standing bath, a small round table to place your champagne glass, a simple but elegant towel rack and a wine-red velvet stool, all overlooking the wonderful view of the city. The twin hand basins, finished in gold, reflect the perfect symmetry of the bedroom. The shower room, with the same towel rack and an egg-shaped lavatory bowl, is a minimalist dream.
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The bath almost floats over the floor, with very discreet taps and plumbing on one side, making what looks like a piece of classical ceramics on a museum stand.
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The light-toned honeycombed mosaic wall makes the perfect backdrop for the beautiful gold-finished sinks and circular mirrors above them. Here too, the colours and asymmetrical shapes are in the art deco rug.
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The free-standing bed allows access to the feature wardrobe behind. Above the wardrobe and bathroom entrance is a detailed dark wood panel contrasting with the rest of the walls, which are covered with material and finished with fine decorative black lines. The details speak volumes in this superlative bedroom suite.
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The Hudson Suite The wardrobe is a feature of the room, as are the clothes within. The bed faces the view, of course, and the swivel chair is placed to take full advantage of it, or to chat to whoever is in the bed.
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The Hudson Suite is another masterpiece of understated interior design, from its subtle light browns, greys and off-whites, with contrasting dark lines in the window frames and some fittings, to its elegant almost Mondrianlike shapes and layout.
The room divider is, on one side, a hand basin unit, and on the other side a vanity table – also a place to charge your digital devices. Or if of a generation long past, to write a letter or postcard.
Positioned just over the flowing waters of the Hudson river, its view is so spectacular that very little, least of all a television set, is allowed to distract us from it. The sleeping area is divided from the bathroom by an architectural element that holds, on one side, the twin wash hand basins and round mirrors, and on the other side, the vanity unit that can also serve as a place to prop the digital devices we all carry and expect to have space to use these days.
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The bath, with the graceful copper bar that acts as a hanging rail, is a beautiful shape, set off perfectly by the grooved marble panel behind it. The free-standing tap reminds us of the simplicity of a village pump.
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“As a company, we don’t have an instantly recognisable style, but a feeling” Everything is placed just right for the perfect shower experience, from the brass hanging towel rail to the slippers ready to use.
But there are hints of varying styles here too, if you look closely, in the use of natural and manmade materials and how they are used. The decorative panel holding the large ceiling lamp, the rectangular marble panel behind the bath, machined to give it its vertical stripes, and the Oriental picture on the wall. The bath and tap unit have a distinctly traditional, almost industrial, look. “As a company, we don’t have an instantly recognisable style,” says Jason. “But we do have a feeling, and when you feel it then you know it: this is us. The only way to create new styles is to do what you believe needs to be done, by being adventurous and innovative, by accepting the concept of fusion and taking full advantage of the best of what life’s experience throws your way.” If you’d like to create your own “Ultimate Bedroom Suite” contact UDesign, they can make your dreams come true, literally! udesign.es
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The fireplace, the armchair, the reading light, the small coffee table and the view: this is a bedroom created for spending time in, and not just while sleeping.
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Cultivating chandeliers since 1724
www.preciosalighting.com
CURIOUS TO THE MAX
Markus Benesch is one of Europe’s most innovative designers, creating art installations, designing furniture, products and interiors, lecturing extensively, and collaborating with householdname companies like Fiat, Paul Smith, Benetton, Samsung, Hewlett Packard and more – on a host of projects all over the world. Interview by Cheryl Gatward. Images courtesy of Markus Benesch Creates
It prompted Leonardo to seek a means of defying gravity. It encouraged Albert Einstein to search for some of the answers to our universe. It’s what makes artists and designers react positively to what many of us would regard as the absurd. Only those artists and designers who have it in bucket loads are capable of constantly pushing the boundaries. Markus Benesch is one of them, and he would also appreciate the close link between the creative and the absurd. His rather absurd but intelligent company logo tells us so: a simple line drawing of a head with a love/ heart for a mouth, to communicate with kindness and ease; a twinkle in the eye to see the world, and the work his company does for it, with humour and wit; a flexible brain to envision the non-existing, big ears to listen carefully and an antenna on the head to send out and receive messages, signs and symbols. Creatora, he calls her, and cute as she is, she’s also the smartest kid on the block. We spoke to Markus over the best part of an hour, and what he says tells us everything we need to know about him, about life in general and about his work. He started early, designing and building a submarine at the age of nine. It didn’t work, but he survived the ignominy. While still at school he had taught himself enough about design to have Benetton commission him to design two of their stores. A move to Italy followed, where Markus studied the work of the great Italian
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Above: Markus created this Inspirational Wall, a striking 3D Illusion mirror, 6 x 3 metres, for Hewlett Packard at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York, showing the great possibilities of digital printing.
“My walls are bold messages of courage, fun and creativity”
classical painters, and throughout this period, more and more people in the design world were looking in his direction. He was always fascinated by colour printing, and with industrialized printing laminates mostly unknown, he began to experiment on his own. His spectacular multi-disciplinary projects attracted even more attention, and the reputation of the Markus Benesch brand grew steadily. His company have been pioneers in the industrial digital printing industry since the late 90s, working with Hewlett Packard to take digital printing to new heights. Markus lives between Munich, Milan and New York, and gives lectures and workshops as a guest professor at various art and design schools in France and Italy. On Curiosity and Inventiveness “I was always curious. I built a submarine at the age of ten but it just stayed on dry land. As an adult I taught for 20 years in Milan, and some of the students would come in with piles of magazines under their arms. Asked what they were doing with them, they’d say they were looking for ideas. Nowadays it’s their laptops they search. But being curious about life around you, using your own brain
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INTERIOR DESIGN Water Tube at Curious to the Max, an art installation at the Munich Oktoberfest which was a forum for artists, designers and musicians that introduced an exhilarating world of illusion to the visiting public.
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and trying things out, is more fun. Too many people are afraid of doing things wrong. Of course you don’t want to make mistakes building a house, for example, but being too safe makes for results that can be boring, and that’s not really us. Curiosity and inventiveness go together, because you’re going into unknown territory, and while there are rules you have to follow, the unknown is a nice space to be in. Curiosity is what keeps us young, I guess.” On Being an Artist “My girlfriend and soon-to-be wife comes from a large family in New York, and I’d have to tell them what I do for a living. Saying I was an artist was always difficult for me, because when I was young I had a pre-conceived notion that an artist was a person who would get up late and do very little all day. So I thought being a designer or inventor was better. Then people would look at my work and say:
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Aquarello Mauve wall covering from the 30 Days Collection by Markus Benesch
“Curiosity is what keeps us young, I guess”
A corner of the lounge at Ampere, a concert and club venue in the heart of Munich, designed by Markus Benesch
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it’s art! And so I had to confess to being an artist. When we’re doing an architectural project with 35 engineers, for example, I wouldn’t stress the artist bit. I’d call myself an architect or a designer, because I can say what I want, since I have the freedom of not having formally studied anything. I really see myself as an artist who is creating various things.” On Learning “My multi-disciplinary approach maybe comes from my Italian experience. I went to my first salone at the age of 15, and when I finished school I went back to Italy looking to work with design studios, but having to admit I had no education in the field, and they told me to just do it and see. I never actually worked in a studio, always for myself, but I learned in Italy all about spazio, the entire space where you put things in. I’ve had to learn various disciplines along the way, and had to do lots of different things to make a living. There’s not really a school for multidisciplinary learning. What I learned by not knowing anything is how to learn.” On Mass Production “I always wanted to have my furniture mass produced, but it never worked out that way. I guess my work was too artistic. While still in school I worked for a Swiss company who wanted 4,000 beds to sell in furniture stores, and that did very well on royalties, so I thought this could be great, designers could make a huge amount of money from this, but it turned out that was not true at all. It all depends on the pieces, and some things are just not made to be mass produced. The Foomy chair (right), for example, has about 500 laminates, so mass production would be complicated. Also, when I go to fairs and see all the products out there, it might not be such a good idea to put more stuff on this planet. But yeah, the idea of mass production is something I like, especially if it’s something fun that many more people would like to acquire.”
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The Foomy Chair, a mix between a toy, a sculpture and a functional object. “My aim was to create a chair which was both easy to handle and comfortable, and which radiated an optimistic aura into the spaces where it was exhibited. ”
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Bricks Colour – a textured wall covering from the 30 Days Wallpaper collection. “This collection offers designs which are full of surprises, encouraging the observer to stop for a moment – and smile.”
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On Creativity and Funding Power Plant solar sculpture for a new residential area in Munich.
“If I had unlimited funds? Well, I have to say that to have limited funds is also a great source of creativity. In the past, for most of the time I had negative funds, which doesn’t make things easy. I have artistic freedom anyway. My clients don’t really interfere, unless something were very ugly, I suppose. On the other hand, I have a pet project which I call flat sculpture, three dimensional work printed on layers of metal, and I always wanted to put this in a river, on the Hudson maybe, or in the sea, but you don’t really need unlimited funds for that.” On Obsessiveness “I get obsessive in my work, but my house is not obsessively tidy, it’s more a goal that I never quite reach. I’d say I’m creative-messy, although when finishing a piece, it has to be executed perfectly, so I suppose I’m obsessive about that. And I’m always surrounded by tons of paper. I seem to attract paper, because I use it a lot, but in this case I’d call it creative-chaos.” On Collaborating with Past Masters “David Bowie, I would say, but I was too shy and slow to ask him and unfortunately now I can’t. Not to actually work with him but to do something alongside him, relating to his work, would be great. And maybe Leonardo Da Vinci. I don’t think anybody could have worked with Leonardo, but just to observe him and learn. Oh, and Kate Bush, she’s not a past master but she has this quality I love in artists, which never ceases to surprise me.”
“The world needs more optimism and courage when creating”
A long lifetime of experience and the wisdom that comes with it packed into 50 years. This is the story of Markus Benesch, so far, and who knows? There will certainly be a lot more to surprise us in the years to come. But even if he were to retire right now to some remote island in the Pacific, his inspirational legacy of creative design, artwork and teaching will continue to colour our world. markusbeneschcreates.com
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cazenove collection
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Our showcase home in this issue is a fascinating fusion of the outgoing Mediterranean spirit and Asian reserve. The design is based around a central atrium rising more than eight metres from basement to top floor. Text by Anastasia Sukhanova
How to bring nature down to the basement? UDesign built a hanging oriental garden there, as they did on all levels of this extraordinary house. It is, in fact, a Zen-inspired garden on all floors, and was quite an engineering feat. Metal cables and an automatic pulley system allow specially made stainless steel pots to be set to the exact level needed for pruning, watering, and an occasional play on heights. The cables also allow for illumination, turning the hanging garden into a magical night-time spectacle.
The Lounge: The trompe-l’oeil mural adds a Daliesque touch to the room, prompting us to check the ceiling to ensure that we’re not already looking at it. The two dusty pink sideboards add colour to the rest of the room and reflect the oriental flavour of the interior garden.
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Every splash of colour is mirrored elsewhere in the room The lounge is a functional family space with an 85-inch TV, a stone fireplace and grey and silver viscose rugs, creating a perfectly discreet backdrop for the splashes of colour and light in the room. The space has been put together shape by shape. The circular pattern of the wallpaper mural is reflected in the lights and chairs, and its expanding circles are echoed by the texture of the sofas. In a truly Asian aesthetic, every splash of colour is mirrored somewhere else in the room: the red cabinets and the red velvet chairs, the little bonsais and the flowery cushions, which would have looked incongruous outside the context of the garden. More circular shapes are introduced with decorative glass sculptures by Sklov, set on wooden cabinets custom-made from vanilla wood by UDesign, and a torso on a glass pedestal stands in the corner of the room. Behind it, the long flowing curtains on floor-to-ceiling windows are all that separate inside from out. Talenti sofas are set around a natural oak tree coffee table, once again reminding us of the presence of strong natural elements in the house. The pool is close enough for the effect of its water to sooth those inside the house.
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The basement atrium is a place for reflection, spacious enough for a garden to sit down and relax in. Inspired by the movie Avatar, UDesign took the concept of a magical centrepiece tree and gave it a Japanese twist, the red miniature maple tree providing dramatic colour while gently arranging the room around it. This natural element extends beyond the sand garden onto the walls in the form of moss panels. One of them, circular with integrated LED lighting, brings even more greenery and light into the space, reminding us of a full moon rising over a tranquil landscape. Being an ancient Asian art form, bonsai inspires us to contemplate, and the rest of the room is designed accordingly. Simple Benaldo sofas and yellow Brabbu armchairs sit on a carpet with a basic geometrical pattern. No television set here: this is for conversation, reading, playing chess or just looking at the miniature garden and reflecting on everyday life, as intended by the ancient masters of bonsai. Two terracotta warriors guard the room, adding to the feeling of tranquility and security.
The basement atrium
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The interior garden is seen from all areas of the house, but the double height ceiling provides a view of the top section, which is a hanging garden.
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Bonsai trees and hanging plants create a unique Zen atmosphere that is carried through to all levels of the house. These trees are popular in the Feng Shui philosophy, where they are believed to bring good luck and abundance to those who display them in their homes.
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The 4.5 metre dining table was custom-made by UDesign using South American wood with a high-gloss white lacquer top and natural edges. White leather Scoop chairs with gold legs and a composition of gold and silver Melt lights, both by Tom Dixon, create an other-worldly feeling of altered space. The Orient and the Mediterranean might not be an obvious union, but it certainly makes for a fascinating design aesthetic. With clear surfaces, white and beige-based colour palette and big windows, this house has the classical luxury of the most up-market villa. But it goes far beyond that, built around the central theme of a hanging garden on all floors. Each bonsai tree, as nature intended, is unique, and this house also, in all likelihood, will never be replicated. udesign.es
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The dining room with Melt lights and Scoop chairs by Tom Dixon create an other-worldly feel. A central natural stone panel separates the dining area from the lounge, with both spaces sharing the fireplace.
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Exceptional spaces that enhance and enrich the human experience udesign.es
The Canyon Walk This extraordinary entrance corridor is a contemporary reference to the Siq partition in Petra, transporting guests to Jordan’s famous ancient city. The dynamic lighting is a key feature throughout the hotel’s design.
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Bursting onto the hotel scene of Jordan’s capital city, the W Amman takes the hipand-happening brand’s bold design ethos, combined with the Middle East’s raw energy and Jordanian culture and tradition, to create a dazzling contemporary icon. by Fiona Flores Watson
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and lighting play a key part in the design story at this ultra-modern tower hotel, illuminated at night by an eyecatching vertical red and purple strip extending down its 30 floors. The W Amman, which opened in 2017, is located in the historic city’s up-and-coming Abdali district. Before even entering the hotel, the guests see the illuminated “W” outside reflecting the vibrant colours of Jordan’s sunset – a warm palette of yellow, orange and red. This strong use of lighting is continued throughout the hotel, to enhance transitions of mood. Inside, one passes through a narrow corridor of vivid colour edged in lines of light, with striking planes and angles – a modern interpretation of the famous Siq partition in Petra. This ancient UNESCO World Heritage city, carved from rose-hued rock, which is also one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is located two hours from Amman. Dynamic use of lighting in a bold shade of red in this stunning Canyon Walk leads to the lifts, which take guests up to the hotel lobby. Local culture and tradition are strongly reflected throughout the hotel, so that guests feel that they’re definitely in Jordan, home to Petra, as well as to many Bedouin (literally, desert dwellers), rather than a corporate hotel with bland décor of indeterminate geographical location. One can also sense humour and playfulness – a lightness of touch. The Living Room lobby bar invites guests to sink into sofas inspired by Bedouin weaving, while leaning against brightly coloured ethnic print pillows designed by the Jordan River Foundation, a non-profit organisation supporting children’s and community projects. Here also they can listen to live DJ sessions: local music is an important part of the experience, as in all W hotels. At night the mood lighting reflects the change of atmosphere as day slides into evening with transitions of colours. Fabrics in the Living Room lobby bar are designed by a local non-profit organisation, inspired by Bedouin weaving.
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Various world cuisines can also be sampled here: Levantine-inspired dishes at Mesh, with geometric wall designs and ceramics; five regional South-Eastern Asian cuisines at Enso; and cocktails and Mexican dishes at Aura, where even the carpet underfoot is a work of art, inspired by Petra’s rose stone, with swirling waves and curves in exquisite shades. These restaurants feature special nights, keeping up the dynamic essence of W’s ethos, such as street food on Thursday and Friday brunch at Mesh, with live DJ sets, and sushi on Mondays at Enso. Elements of Jordanian nature are reflected in Aura restaurant, with Petra’s rose stone swirling in the carpet. The restaurant serves Mexican dishes, whose pop culture is also referenced in the decor (below right)
Music can also be heard at the outdoor heated pool, the Wet Deck, on the sixth and seventh floors, which shows Amman’s up-and-coming musical talent in a space whose waters and curtained daybeds alike are tinted with cerise and violet by night.
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At The Wet Deck on the 6th and 7th floors the lighting transforms the pool and Balinese beds with shades of cerulean, crimson and violet.
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Striking references to ancient nomadic desert tribes bring local culture into the hotel The vibrant cultural theme continues with a fractal tree, made from twisted multi-coloured fabrics, striped in intense shades inspired by Bedouin tribes, offering a further striking visual reference to ancient nomadic desert dwellers. The 280 guest rooms, named Wonderful, Marvellous, Spectacular and Mega – the suites are Cool Corner and Wow – enjoy stunning views of the city through floor-toceiling windows. The lighting is in warm, sunny yelloworange, while bathrooms are in cooler shades of blue and purple, with the intensity changing according to the time of day. Each room has a goose-down duvet, media hub, and its own W Mixbar, with ingredients for guests to craft their own cocktails. What’s not to love?
The reception area has an informal yet decidedly artistic feel.
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The Tree of Life. Sculpture, nature and local culture combine in this fractal tree inspired by traditional fabrics
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A quirky design touch which caught our imagination was the illustrative interpretations of Amman’s skyline, and of the “ships of the desert” on the bed pillows, in pink and golden hues respectively, to reflect the sunset and sand. Want to host your own private party? The Extreme Wow Suite is similar to a presidential suite, offering guests sweeping panoramic views of Amman, and 159 m2 of luxurious space, featuring an in-room DJ deck, amplified entertainment system, and private jacuzzi. Mixing age-old traditions and customs with contemporary design, the W Amman strikes a fine balance, offering a level of luxury with artistic kudos and a modern twist. W Amman +962 6 510 8888 marriott.com/hotels/travel/ammwi-w-amman
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Age-old traditions have been mixed perfectly with contemporary design
A. PADERNI ∕ E YE STUDIO MALISAN — PH AD
ADEMAR (table) GIULIO IACCHETTI, YUUMI (chair) MICHAEL SCHMIDT
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B R O S S – I TA LY. C O M
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THE MAGIC OF MAURIZIO MARCATO Known for his evocative architectural and interiors images, Maurizio Marcato has gained an international reputation as the creative force behind many famous brands. His unusual talent for making us look again – and think – has earned him international prizes and changed the way photography is used in architecture and interior design. The images on this page are part of an advertising campaign he created for Euro3Plast, above left, earning him the gold medal in the Tokyo International Foto Awards 2018, and above right, the photograph that won him the gold award in the prestigious “PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris 2018”. mauriziomarcato.com 148
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WHAT TO DO WITH OLD GRAIN SILOS? project manages to unite social inclusion, the commitment to urban art and the recovery of our rural heritage. The province is now an open-air museum in which our towns are part of the works. The people with disabilities who have taken part of the project are our true titans.”
The plains of Don Quixote’s La Mancha will soon become an obligatory stop for art lovers when the first stage of the Titanes project is finished. The question is, or was, what to do with the old grain silos in Ciudad Real, and 12 international contemporary artists, along with hundreds of members of the association for the inclusion of people with disabilities, Laborvalía, had the answer. They painted them. “The purpose of the project”, says Okuda San Miguel, who is curating the venture, “is to change, through art, society’s image of people with disabilities”.
The project was a collaboration between Ciudad Real’s Provincial Council, Laborvalía and the creative team of the artist Okuda San Miguel, Ink and Movement. And this is just the beginning, as the landscape of La Mancha will soon be changed forever. It’s a bright new world there!
José Manuel Caballero Serrano, President of the Provincial Council of Ciudad Real said this: “This
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NEW DESIGNS FROM IRENE INFANTES
THE CONTOUR CHAIR IS BACK
Two issues ago we featured the work of up-coming textile artist Irene Infantes, who had designed four contemporary rugs for Christopher Farr. Here she is again with more magnificent rug designs created under the watchful eye of art curator/advisor Pepe Cobo, one of the principal players of the Spanish art scene. Menta, the Tibetan weave rug pictured above, uses 12 colours in total, and the hole in the piece represents change and transformation, the past and the future.
Carl Hanson & Son have re-launched the iconic Contour Chair, created by the Danish designer Børge Mogensen, who launched the chair at the Cabinetmakers’ Guild Furniture Exhibition in Copenhagen in 1949. Knud Erik Hansen, CEO of Carl Hansen & Son said “The Contour Chair is manufactured in accordance with the original drawings of Mogensen and, since he gave great importance to comfort, we have decided, in collaboration with his family, to upholster the seat to give it greater comfort.” The chair goes on sale from May 2019.
ireneinfantes.com / pepecobo.com
carlhansen.com
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RED, ROUND AND BEAUTIFUL
INDOOR COMFORT OUTDOORS
The Roundel, designed by the multi-award winning studio Claesson Koivisto Rune for Baleri Italia, is a joyful piece of furniture. Round tables work very well in any conversational gathering, as there is no sense of hierarchy in the seating arrangements. With its sculpture-like qualities, Roundel is an artistic and cheerful addition to any space. Available in shades of red and black.
Forgot to take the new armchairs in from outside again? Don’t worry, help is at hand. The new BREA collection, designed by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby for Dedon, is a luxurious outdoor lounge system comprising 19 pieces, and with an advanced cushion design in waterproof fabrics, it can stay out in the rain. It has an ingenious connecting system designed for maximum versatility, and will look chic and modern on any terrace.
baleri-italia.com
dedon.de
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Collection Grand Life
design Christophe Pillet —
ethimo.com Showroom Milan / Rome / Viterbo Paris / Cannes
Contacts info@ethimo.com +39 0761 300 444
Ph Bernard Touillon
LIFESTYLE
DESIGN TRENDS OSTRICH IN LOVE This indoor-outdoor chair, designed by Sebastian Herkner, is the latest member of Moroso’s Afrique collection, its curved design inspired by the courtship dance of ostriches in East Africa. The silhouette of the chair is reminiscent of the flapping of ostrich wings, and each of these Banjooli chairs, handmade in Senegal, is a unique piece, with different colours and weave patterns available on request. View the full collection of colours on Moroso’s website. moroso.it
THE GATSBY COLLECTION The Great Gatsby was a man of his time, and what a time it was! Tut-tut as we might at the excessive partying, most of us would dearly love to re-live part of that lifestyle. The Gatsby Collection, designed by Ramón Esteve for VONDOM, brings back Art Déco in some of its sparkling glory. This beautiful engraved glass lamp is adjustable for both the colour of the light and its intensity, and the resulting symmetrical patterns made by the light are truly magical. vondom.com
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Wallpaper for extraordinary interiors
Meet a new type of wallpaper company. FEATHR work with contemporary artists to create truly original wallcoverings. Discover over 150 exclusive wallpapers. www.feathr.com | @wearefeathr
Pictured: Mystic wall mural by Jen Merli. From â‚Ź36 per m2
The BUN VAN Bedroom www.circu.net
info@circu.net
LIFESTYLE
DESIGN TRENDS ENLIGHTENED MONKEYS A touch of humour and a touch of class in these cheeky Monkey Lamps designed by Marcantonio for Seletti. Art, design and the animal world in one, creating the perfect setting for an enchanted home. We love ‘em! Available in black and white (indoor and outdoor versions) in a selection of monkey poses, including holding a lampshade. See these cute animals for yourself at the UDesign showroom in Marbella. seletti.it / udesign.es
FEEL-GOOD FURNITURE The Imperfettolab collection is timeless, and speaks to us in the language of nature. Tree trunks, pebbles, bubbles, shells, cavities, spheres, bulbs and rocks: all are used to varying degrees in what the studio describes as “a battle between the natural and the technological, where both sides win”. The resulting objects will never go out of fashion, and will never fail to produce an emotional response. Pictured on the right is Antipode, a fibreglass table designed by Verter Turroni, which is a new addition to the catalogue. imperfettolab.com
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Magnus V by Joseph Walsh, 2018. Photo by Andrew Bradley
WHAT’S NEXT? Furniture like you’ve never seen before and sculpture that will take your breath away – we’re thrilled to share the extraordinarily beautiful work of Joseph Walsh with you in our next edition. The image above shows just how he makes the impossible real, pushing wood design to its outermost limits. We talk to EOOS, the Austrian design team, who to date have collected 130 design awards for their eclectic work. We also feature British designer Lee Broom and his celestial lighting & furniture collection. Lee, who won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, is among the most respected of British talents.
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Custom-made artwork available from UDesign (+34) 952 794 117 info@udesign.es udesign.es
BEAUTIFULLY DETAILED CONTEMPORARY HOMES udesign.es
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