GRAY Magazine No. 69: Design Future by GRAY

No. 69 Design Future

Bubble 2, Curved 3-4 seat-sofa, designed by Sacha Lakic. *$8,490 instead of $10,110 until 04/30/23 for a sofa as shown, 97.6” L. x 31.5” H. x 52” D. Price includes one curved 3-4 seat sofa, upholstered in Orsetto Flex fabric. Fully tufted, and excludes optional toss cushions. Other dimensions available. Astréa armchair, designed by Sacha Lakic. Triolet cocktail table, end tables and occasional table, designed by Julie Figueroa Zafiro. Up floor lamp and table lamps, designed by Marcel Wanders. Made in Europe. Mer rug, designed by Antoine Fritsch & Vivien Durisotti.

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N0. 69: DESIGN FUTURE

N O 69:

DESIGN FUTURE

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DESIGN DNA

22 . LAUN CHED New and noteworthy. 26 . COMIN G SOON On the boards. 28 . DESIGN DISPATC H Detroit is a one-of-a-kind destination for those looking to be inspired by innovation, creativity, and progress. 42 . EXPO Now showing.

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46. A R T Matthew Ronay’s most ambitious work to date: a psychedelic, friezelike sculpture. 50 . B OOK S GRAY’s top reads for this fall and winter.

56. F A C T O R Y Four heritage design brands that have stood the test of time. 62 . O N T HE R ISE An artist’s creative evolution from architect to sculptor. 6 6 . F IE L D NO T E S A designer’s move to the heart of Seattle. And, can the mall serve as the next great third space? 7 4 . C HA NG E M A K E R A nonprofit uses collaborative design to improve the lives of displaced children.

O N T HE C O V E R

The Ash—Bar in Detroit features a painted mural with stylized industrial scenes, photographed by Victor Stonem; Studio Plow-designed primary suite in Colorado Springs with custom bed and floating tables by Barrett Karber, photographed by Nicole Franzen; Naoto Fukasawa’s sketch of the AF/21 tap collection for Fantini and Boffi, image courtesy Fantini.

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HOME

AWA Y

CONTACTS

82 . A FA MILY A FFA I R Working closely with their adult children, a Colorado couple fulfills a lifelong dream of building their home from the ground up.

114. C ON C E P T A contemporary art gallery reconsiders the use of a 300-year-old building.

1 3 4 . A R C HIT E C T U R E + INT E R IO R S F IR M S

96. LAKESIDE C ON T EMPORA RY An infusion of color breathes new life into a historic cottage.

118. ES C A P E A classic wellness retreat gets a modern makeover; a refit motor lodge for Route 66 road-trippers.

1 4 6 . E SSA Y A parting word from designer Lee Broom.

126. T RA N S P O R T The 30-year-old Renault Twingo is reshaped as an electric concept car.

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N0. 69: DESIGN FUTURE

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No. 69. Copyright ©2023 Published biannually by GRAY Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. While every attempt has been made, GRAY cannot guarantee the legality, completeness, or accuracy of the information presented and accepts no warranty or responsibility for such.

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BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

VICTOR STONEM

Chapter

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LAUNCHED

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ARCHIT ECT URE

Small but Mighty

JULIEN LANOO, COURTESY ATTA AND VITRA

Unveiled on the Vitra Campus in Germany during Art Basel 2023, the new Tane Garden House is the latest addition to the site’s mélange of notable architecture. Designed by Paris-based architect Tsuyoshi Tane, the octagonal stone-and-wood structure was built using sustainable and, wherever possible, locally sourced materials and constructed by local craftspeople. Measuring a modest 161 square feet—and able to hold about eight people—the garden house is equipped with a small coffee corner, but its primary purpose is to store tools used to tend the adjacent Oudolf Garten. »

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URBAN DESIGN

LAUNCHED

Creative Connections

The High Line—one of New York City’s most beloved public spaces—has debuted two new bridges. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and James Corner Field Operations and dubbed the Moynihan Connector, the expansion is part of a long-standing plan to create safer pedestrian access, connect people to transit, and seamlessly link public spaces and other community assets in the neighborhood. Comprising the 260-foot-long Timber Bridge (constructed from sustainably sourced wood) and the 340-foot-long Woodland Bridge (featuring built-in soil beds deep enough to support large deciduous trees), the extension creates one continuous pathway connecting Moynihan Train Hall, Manhattan West, and the High Line while bringing new green space to Midtown West.

PR OD U C T D E S I G N

CB2’s latest collection taps into the creativity of Black designers around the globe. Curated in partnership with London-based product designer Evan Jerry of Studio Anansi, the capsule includes work from 11 Black artists and designers, including France’s Axel Mert of Studio Satël, multidisciplinary artist and textile designer Élan Byrd of Miami, and Melbourne-based Sandra Githinji Studio. The collection includes modern pieces rooted in history and craftsmanship, from mirrors and lighting to furniture, textiles, and tableware.

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ANDREW FRASZ, COURTESY THE HIGH LINE; COURTESY CB2

New Class of Classics

RE T A I L

East Coast Enclave

BRITTANY AMBRIDGE, COURTESY ERIK LINDSTROM; ERIC POITEVIN

After years of operating out of his Los Angeles flagship showroom, rug designer Erik Lindstrom has set up shop in New York City. The by-appointment (for now) gallery, imagined in collaboration with local interior designer Anna Beeber, is located in the Flatiron District and done up with a layer of 1970s glamour. In the lobby, a monumental Paul Evans desk and console sit under repurposed streetlamps from Paris. Rugs, art, vintage furniture (including two original Vladimir Kagan sofas and a marble coffee table), lighting, and curios populate the 4,000-square-foot showroom. Lindstrom plans to use the space as a gallery for his rugs but also envisions hosting intimate, salon-like gatherings that celebrate music, art, design, film, fashion, and literature.

P RO D U C T DE S I G N

Silver Linings

Sculptor Donald Judd may have died in 1994, but thanks to French silversmith Puiforcat, the world now has access to a cache of the late artist’s never-before-seen designs dating to 1989. The newly released series comprises eight tableware pieces with the striking presence and minimal form of Judd’s sculptures. “This collaboration happened by chance, after a tour and visit of the Judd Foundation we had with Flavin, the artist’s son,” say Charlotte Macaux Perelman and Alexis Fabry, the artistic directors of Puiforcat. “During our discussion, he mentioned this dinner collection imagined by his father and never released. We seized this as an opportunity to collaborate, posthumously, with an artist in whom we have a real interest. This service is particularly striking for its balance between artistic expression and functionality.” h —Rachel Gallaher

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COMING SOON

Beyond the Books

British architecture and design firm Heatherwick Studio has unveiled renderings for its first public library design. Conceived for the Howard County Library System and set to open in Columbia, Maryland, in 2027, the plantcovered building will go up near Lake Kittamaqundi. 26

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According to Heatherwick Studio, the library will be not just a repository for books, but a place for people to gather, learn, exchange ideas, and attend cultural programs. In addition to the main library and workspaces, the design will encompass a central amphitheater-like

DEVISUAL FOR HEATHERWICK STUDIO

space, play areas, and a teaching kitchen and café. The building will be capped with interconnected, grass- and tree-covered walkable roofs that encourage exploration. “Columbia has always been driven by a socially radical vision,” says Stuart Wood, a partner at Heatherwick

Studio. “This legacy inspired us to evolve the traditional library beyond books and into a new type of community center for broader learning and social exchange.” h —Rachel Gallaher

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DESIGN DISPATCH

The city of design: With a storied history and a reclaimed future, Detroit is a one-ofa-kind destination for those looking to be inspired by innovation, creativity, and progress.

By Giuseppa Nadrowski

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MATTHEW WILLIAMS

The newly opened Le Suprême is a 210-seat Parisian-inspired brasserie celebrating Detroit’s rich French history. Located within the historic Book Tower, the grand eatery offers French cuisine more than 300 world-class wines and champagnes, a curated cocktail menu, and baked goods from the adjoining patisserie and boulangerie.

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DESIGN DISPATCH

INTEL

efining Detroit— with its rich history, vibrant cultural legacy, and one-ofa-kind character—is nearly impossible. There is a complexity to the city that makes it unlike any other. Built by hardworking visionaries, Detroit’s foundation was laid by those with a determination to do things better than they were done before. The late chef, author, and TV personality Anthony Bourdain once said of Detroit, “It’s where nearly everything American and great came from. The things the whole world wanted were made here.” That’s certainly true when it comes to cars and music, two of Detroit’s best-known exports. Henry Ford completed his first car in 1896, and 17 years later, the first mass-produced Ford Motor Company car rolled off a Highland Park assembly line. In the early 1960s, Berry Gordy Jr. founded Motown Records, ushering in 12 No. 1 Billboard hit singles and influencing a generation of music. This sense of originality and optimism swept the city for decades, touching every industry, from food to finance. In the realm of art and design, Detroit is—and always has been— a heavy hitter. Some of the giants of midcentury modern design—think Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen, Harry Bertoia—created their most iconic furnishings just

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outside the city limits at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, and various performing arts genres (the electronic dance movement, for example) originated in the Motor City. New Jersey native Bo Shepherd, co-founder of Throwbacks Home—a design lover’s shopping paradise in downtown’s Capitol Park district that offers original furniture and décor crafted in Detroit with reclaimed and recycled materials—agrees. “When I moved to Detroit [in 2008], I didn’t know how much the city would impact my life as a designer and artist,” she says. “It has a gravitational pull that is indescribable. Once the richest city in the world, it was also a leading force in design and innovation. Its identity inspires those who live here to always think outside the box; [it] encourages [artists and artisans] to push the boundaries [of their] crafts.” Shepherd and her partner and co-founder, Kyle Dubay, are releasing a limited-edition collection of products crafted from materials salvaged from the historic Michigan Central Station. “It just underwent an incredible restoration since being abandoned in the 1980s, so it’s exciting to create pieces from this culturally rich location and bring them into people’s homes,” Shepherd says. A robust creative community makes Detroit a bucket-list must for design-curious travelers. From gastronomic delights and restored historic hotels to can’t-miss galleries, original exhibitions, and architectural

standouts new and old, there are inspiring attractions across every neighborhood. History buffs will want to check in to the suites at Roost Detroit, an apartment-style hotel in the newly remodeled Book Tower, which was originally designed by architect Louis Kamper in the early 1900s. Culinary enthusiasts should plan to have a meal—or two—at one of the city’s newly opened eateries: Le Suprême, BARDA (a James Beard Foundation award nominee), Ash— Bar, or Alpino. Designed to impress, each restaurant has a distinct personality crafted to reflect the spirit of its cuisine. Through November 8, 2023, Library Street Collective (LSC), a contemporary art gallery near the heart of downtown, will be showcasing the original works of artists Tiffany Alfonseca and Mónica Hernández, who use their respective mediums to explore their Dominican roots. Known for shaking up the city’s design scene since it opened in 2012, the gallery has become recognized for progressive exhibitions like the first solo show for Los Angeles–based textile artist Gary Tyler—a powerful presentation that paid homage to the artist, who was wrongfully incarcerated for 41 years. Initiatives like Public Matter, the gallery’s ongoing, revolving exhibition installed just outside the building in the adjacent Belt alley, are among the ways in which LSC activates public spaces in an eye-catching and accessible manner. The gallery has plans to

expand its footprint with a soonto-open arts campus in Detroit’s East Village that will include a Tony Hawk– designed skate park, a historicchurch-turned-gallery, sculpture gardens, and more. Also deserving of a visit is LSC’s sister gallery, Louis Buhl & Co., which holds traditional exhibitions and offers limited-edition prints, books, décor, and more for those seeking creative inspiration. For architecture aficionados, Detroit offers abundant destinations. World-renowned architect Minoru Yamasaki (who designed New York City’s original World Trade Center) created more than 13 buildings in and around the city. There is also work by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who designed the modernist housing development Lafayette Park, where 186 co-op townhouse units, three apartment towers, 13 acres of green space, and an elementary school beautifully coexist. Innovative new players, including architecture firms Iannuzzi Studio and Midwest Common, continue to push the boundaries of design within the city. In 2015, such efforts resulted in Detroit being designated a City of Design by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)—a first for a city in the United States. Achieving such a high honor wouldn’t have been possible without the work of Design Core Detroit (DCD), a design-focused organization that applied for the UNESCO designation. Founded in 2010 and housed at the

College for Creative Studies, DCD is an economic development nonprofit dedicated to growing Detroit’s designdriven businesses and making the city a global resource for creative talent. Additionally, DCD has “developed a curriculum for teaching inclusive design principles, conducted hundreds of business coaching sessions, written and published three educational design guides, and connected hundreds of designers to business opportunities through our programs,” says Kiana Wenzel, the organization’s co-executive director. In September, DCD hosts the annual Detroit Month of Design festival, which showcases standout work from local designers, makers, and artists—including Mike Han, Citizen Robotics, Argonaut Studio, Spool and Dye Works, Elizabeth Salonen of Mottoform, and ceramist Claire Thibodeau—as it celebrates the city’s reputation as a national and international design capital. On September 26, 2023, mobility innovation company Newlab will open the doors of its new Corktown office, Newlab @ Michigan Central, to host an immersive event highlighting the concept of inclusive design for mobility. Located in Michigan Central— the city’s new, 30-acre walkable hub designed to explore ideas addressing urban transportation—Newlab’s outpost is housed in an abandoned book depository designed for Detroit Public Schools by internationally acclaimed, local industrial architect Albert Kahn and built in 1936. The reimagined

space reflects Newlab’s mission to nurture mobility-focused startups and Detroit’s place in the design community. Situated next to the historic Michigan Central Station, it encompasses 274,000 square feet and features custom contemporary art, a stunning central atrium, coworking lounges, and a 200-seat event space. Brooklyn-based design firm Civilian, which imagined the building’s interiors, outfitted the collaborative workspace with a mix of furniture from Michigan’s own MillerKnoll. Since its opening, the three-story building has become an inspiring place for the 25-plus start-ups it houses, including local company JustAir, which provides cities with air-pollution-monitoring solutions. “There is a unique aesthetic at Newlab [Detroit], which is very different from any other start-up hub I’ve seen,” says Rich Fahle, head of partnerships at Newlab. “It feels very Detroit in every way. If you look at the design of our building—the layout and the incredible architecture— it’s the combination of elements that makes something really special, and that speaks to the essence of what’s unique about Detroit: It’s music, art, design, creative engineering, and science all wrapped up into one. You throw that on top of the aesthetic of the Detroit landscape and the people who live here, and you have something you just can’t replicate anywhere else in the world.” »

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COURTESY LIBRARY STREET COLLECTIVE

DESIGN DISPATCH

INTEL

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THIS PAGE: The recently opened

VICTOR STONEM

Ash—Bar, located on the second floor of downtown Detroit’s Siren Hotel, was designed to evoke the essence of Detroit during its glory days. The restaurant, helmed by Chef Scott Martinelli, features a painted mural with stylized industrial scenes that play perfectly against rich wood veneer details and pale mint-green surfaces inspired by the color of many factory machines of a certain era. OPPOSITE: The work of artists Tiffany Alfonseca and Mónica Hernández (shown) will be on view at the Library Street Collective this fall. The exhibition, Found in Translation, features figurative paintings that engage the artists’ Dominican heritage while exploring questions of identity and race. »

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“I AM INFLUENCED BY THE ARTISTIC ETHIC OF MY KOREAN HERITAGE. THAT ETHIC HAS LED ME TO A REDUCTIVE AESTHETIC, IN WHICH I MERGE EASTERN PHILOSOPHY WITH EXPERIMENTAL FORM.” DESIGN DISPATCH

—NINA CHO, DESIGNER

THIS PAGE: Born in San Francisco

COURTESY NINA CHO

and raised in Seoul, South Korea, Nina Cho—now a resident of Detroit— studied woodworking and furniture design at Hongik University before earning a Master of Fine Arts degree in 3D design at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. Cho was named one of Dwell’s 13 Extraordinary Women in Design and Architecture in 2019 and received WantedDesign’s sixth-annual American Design Honors award. Her work is a celebration of her identity and background. OPPOSITE: Located in the recently renovated Book Tower, the 117-room ROOST Detroit is the city’s first high-design extended-stay concept hotel. h

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MATTHEW WILLIAMS

IDS Returns This September. Hold the date!

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Vancouver Convention Centre Sponsors

Opening Night Party Sept 21

Trade Day & Conference Sept 22

Trade & Public Days Sept 23-24

INTEL

EXPO

NOW SHOWING

IDS Vancouver September 21–24, 2023

Interior Design Show 2024 is slated to be an extra-special year for Interior Design Show (IDS) Toronto, as it marks the event’s 25th edition. The show, held annually in January, will return to the North Hall of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre—a brutalist building designed by Crang and Boake in 1984, with full-length glass windows and city views. Here, they’ll celebrate in part with Future Neighborhood, a curated exhibition about the design industry’s potential to transform how we live and work over the next 25 years. For starters, cross-disciplinary collaboration will be a critical part of designing for the future, with a need to simplify costly and complex processes—from global manufacturing for mass markets to building single-family homes. In the Modern Prefab feature, West Coast companies Aux Box, Hewing Haus, and Blend Projects will have installations onsite to prove that it isn’t necessary to compromise quality and style in prefabricated housing solutions. IDS is also inviting interior design students from across Canada to Toronto to share their ideas about the future of outdoor living in an AR display by LIV Design Studio.

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IDS Toronto January 18–21, 2024 IDS Vancouver September 26–29, 2024

ABOVE: GRAY’s Brandon Gaston (right)

talks with lighting designers Matthew McCormick (left) and Mike Randall (center) at GRAY Studios during IDS Vancouver 2023. LED SIGNS: Yellowpop WALLPAPER: Rollout FURNISHINGS: Montauk Sofa

IDS x Obakki Design Incubator IDS and Obakki, a purpose-led homeware brand, launched a design incubator in 2023. The initiative selects one Canadian designer or brand from the annual IDS Studio North design competition for industry mentorship. The first brand to win the honor—Montreal-based Cyrc, which diverts plastic waste into 3D-printed products—received the Juror’s Choice award at IDS Toronto in January 2023. Together with Obakki, Cyrc contributed to an immersive installation at the main entrance of IDS Vancouver in September and plans to exhibit at other international design shows, making this emerging design studio one to watch.

GRAY Studios at IDS

ABOVE: Speakers and presenters at GRAY Studios at IDS Vancouver 2023 included

(from left) GRAY host Brandon Gaston and Jen Hawk of Occupy Design, who talked about hospitality design, and Yehia Madkour, architect, strategist, and innovation director at Perkins&Will who spoke on AI.

As a media partner of IDS, GRAY has participated in programming at the show since 2012. This year, we replaced the GRAY Stage with GRAY Studios: a media hub on the show floors of IDS Toronto and IDS Vancouver where we visit with established and emerging creatives to talk about design, the business of design, and current affairs through a design lens. We launched the New Product Runway Show this year—an event at the studios where we celebrate some of the best of IDS in the style of a fashion show. In Toronto in January 2024, the studios will take the form of recording pods, where guests can reserve a pod for content creation or meetings. Learn more at graymag. com/gray-studios

THANK YOU TO GRAY STUDIOS PARTNERS

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GRAY Studios at IDS Vancouver

Rollout wallpaper was the featured backdrop for GRAY Studios at IDS Vancouver. ABOVE: For the Canary Studio, Rollout customized their Skygazing mural—designed by FormNation, a firm founded by Dutch designer Jan Habraken—in shades of vibrant yellow. For the Dove Studio, GRAY provided a map of the Vancouver metro area (shown on previous spread) that resembles a giant slab of black marble when viewed from a distance. Rollout’s paper is high quality and easy to apply. rollout.ca

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IDS Exhibitor + GRAY Studios Partner

The iconic Danish architect and designer Arne Jacobsen designed the first VOLA taps in 1968. The then-radical built-in concept—which offers a simple form, perfect proportions, and timeless character—is exclusively distributed in the United States and Canada by Hastings Bath Collection. hastingstilebath.com

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STEP INSIDE THE WORKS OF MODERN ARCHITECTS + BUILDERS For home design enthusiasts, MA+DS offers a sublime exhibition of residential architecture.

Opening the doors to a collection of contemporary homes, Modern Architecture + Design Society (MA+DS) is a forum for fans of contemporary design. Hosting tours and events across the country, MA+DS provides the design community with exclusive access to architects, designers, and builders—who are often on site to personally walk tour-goers through the ins and outs of their projects. The organization’s Modern Home Tour series launched in Austin, Texas, in 2011 and has since offered the self-guided home tours in 30 different cities across North America. Over the years, the tours have featured notable works including midcentury homes by Joseph Eichler and Robert Rummer, and restorations by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture. In September 2023, the Seattle tour included a house built by MN Custom Homes (see story on next spread) and a small home efficiently designed for a sailor by Seattle-based Workshop AD. In Silicon Valley, Klopf Architecture presented a historic 1962 Roger Lee house that the firm renovated while preserving Lee’s original design intent. 42

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“I’ve always had a passion for cool, modern homes,” says James Leasure, founder of MA+DS. “As a kid, I’d see those LA houses with large glass windows overlooking the city and wanted to know more … who designed them, how do they look inside, are there any cool tricks or gadgets?” As an architectural photographer, Leasure has a keen eye for spotting hidden gems. “We look for a variety of designs—not just modern, but of all contemporary styles—for each of our tours. We like a mix of accessible and aspirational, waterfront and infill,” he notes. “In the end, our intent is to grow appreciation for architecture and to inspire dialog.” The past year has seen a postpandemic resurgence of interest in tours, with record-breaking turnouts at many events. In response, MA+DS has launched new tours of outdoor living spaces and vacation homes. In 2024, the organization will branch out beyond architecture with a five-city interior design tour of homes and commercial spaces in collaboration with GRAY (see graymag.com/ design-tours). »

Upcoming Modern Home Tours: San Diego October 14, 2023 Austin February 24–25, 2024 Houston March 23, 2024 Austin Outdoor May 4, 2024 Silicon Valley May 18, 2024 Portland June 1, 2024 Seattle September 14, 2024 Washington, D.C. October 5, 2024

DAVID BRADLEY; DH REAL ESTATE MEDIA

Featured on the 2023 San Diego Modern Home Tour, this home by Nakhshab Development & Design was created for entertaining. Its notable features include a flamingo-pink bar, soundproof music room, and private sauna and spa retreat.

The new Vacation Homes Tour 2023, held in Austin, featured the vacation home La Alexandria, a modern playground featuring backyard games, a luxurious pool, and an Insta-worthy mural.

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“THE INSPIRATION FOR THE CONCEPT BEHIND THIS HOME WAS TO SEAMLESSLY COMBINE PRACTICALITY AND SERENE INTERIOR DESIGN USING A WARM COLOR PALETTE AND A SELECTION OF EXCEPTIONAL MATERIAL CHOICES.” —BELINDA SHERMAN, DIRECTOR OF INTERIOR DESIGN, MN CUSTOM HOMES

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COURTESY MN CUSTOM HOMES

MN CUSTOM HOMES This family residence in Bellevue, Washington, was thoughtfully situated to take advantage of its corner lot where the home’s large windows open up to outdoor views. Designed and built by MN Custom Homes, the 4,676-square-foot house was completed in 2023 and was included on the Seattle Modern Homes Tour because of its nod to nature. “I’m particularly impressed by the use of stone and other natural finishes on this project,”

says James Leasure, founder and tour producer MA+DS Media. “The fireplace surround, for example, captures the elegance of a traditional luxury home, while its dramatic and sleek design is unquestionably modern.” The interiors are layered in rich, warm tones with touches of opulence that create a calming sense of tranquility emanating from the heart of the house. h mncustom.com

OPPOSITE: The fireplace in the primary suite is made of travertine stone and wood slats and painted in soothing Mindful Gray by Sherwin-Williams. THIS PAGE: Natural materials and colors used throughout this home complement the abundant outdoor views.

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Wondrous Wood

Measuring 24 feet long, artist Matthew Ronay’s psychedelic, frieze-like sculpture The Crack, the Swell, an Earth, an Ode is his most ambitious work to date. With the piece, Ronay invites viewers to discover exquisitely crafted and vividly colored wood forms that, he says, walk “the razor’s edge of something familiar and unfamiliar,” evoking poetic biological forms. Originally created for a solo exhibition at the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, the piece was subsequently shown and sold at Frieze New York, not far from Ronay’s Brooklyn home. Here, the artist talks to GRAY about The Crack, the Swell, an Earth, an Ode. »

The full view (top) and details (this page and the following) of The Crack, the Swell, an Earth, an Ode, 2022, by Matthew Ronay. The sculpture is made of basswood, dye, gouache, flocking, plastic, steel, cotton, epoxy, and HMA (a combination of stone, sand or gravel bound together by asphalt cement).

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COURTESY THE ARTIST AND CASEY KAPLAN, NEW YORK

ART

By Carla Sorrell Photographed by Matthew Ronay

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COURTESY THE ARTIST AND CASEY KAPLAN, NEW YORK

INTEL

COURTESY THE ARTIST AND CASEY KAPLAN, NEW YORK

ART

“THIS WORK IS AN EDITED GROUPING OF AUTOMATIC DRAWINGS [ELEVATED DOODLES] COLLECTED OVER AT LEAST HALF A DECADE.” —MATTHEW RONAY

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What is most significant to you about this sculpture? That it continues a slightly unorthodox way of investigating how the relationship of images pushed up against one another sheds light on the spirit of the age. It was fulfilling to work on a long-format work and see it embody the anxiety and wonderment of our moment.

COURTESY THE ARTIST AND CASEY KAPLAN, NEW YORK

What would you like viewers to know about this piece? That it was not conceived as an illustration of something. It is the result of a process of improvisation, experimentation, and intuition. It should be absorbed with a very open mind and a keenness to look thoroughly. Let your body feel it. How does your process explore story and the way the viewer “reads” the artwork? The genesis of my work is engaging my unconscious through a process called automatic drawing. Automatic drawing is elevated doodling. It allows one to let flow imagery that may be impossible to understand and that is unacceptable, in terms of taste. This work is an edited grouping of automatic drawings collected over at least half a decade. This process was also intuitive. Finally, its making included a myriad of improvisations in sculpting. These processes enact a kind of wastewater surveillance of the moment we are in, scientifically, spiritually, politically, psychologically. It does not contain one single message or narrative but a kind of nebula of feelings and possible readings. My subjective interpretation of these symbols is of body trauma, transfiguration, celestial energy, degradation, violence, mysticism, and suffering. Why do you choose to work primarily in wood? Wood is such a warm and earthy material. It is humble, historical, and its transformation into an object doesn’t leave behind its initial incarnation.

What inspired your color selections for this piece? I am colorblind and have collaborated with my wife, Bengü, on color decisions for two dozen years. For this work, we knew it needed an underlying logic to support the quantity of objects and information contained within the piece. For us, this is a monochrome based in red. We used all our dye colors that contained a trace of red. One side tends toward bluepurples and one side toward redpurples. The center contains pure red. Bengü created a spectrum of these colors and we then isolated

18 color notes to correlate to the 18 main images. Each individual color note sets the home tone for the color chord in each vignette. The colors of the ends of the piece could be next to each other in the spectrum, creating a loop. The color story to me is of metaphysical, mystical, majestic bluepurple versus earthy, terrestrial, bruised red-purple. h

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Shelf Life There’s a fresh crop of gorgeous page-turners for design aficionados hitting stores this fall and winter—the perfect time to spend shorter evenings curled up with a good read. Here, our top picks.

Back in print after a multiyear hiatus, this tome is an ode to Oscar Niemeyer, one of the fathers of modernist architecture. Part of Assouline’s limited-edition Ultimate Collection, the volume explores Niemeyer’s 104-year life and career, from Le Corbusier’s influence on his work to his break with traditional modernism and forging of a new path to become one of Brazil’s most celebrated architects.

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Initially conceived in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic began, Stefan Sagmeister’s Now is Better examines quality-of-life issues—access to education, the impact and duration of war and peace times, the development of democracy—and strives to present a sense of hope for the future. Pushing back at the persistently negative tone of today’s news cycle (and social media), Sagmeister writes, “Most of us prefer life over death, food over hunger, health over sickness, and peace over war. We’d rather live in democracies than in dictatorships, we’d rather be knowledgeable than ignorant ... we have a better chance of finding a solution for these problems from a position of acknowledging past success than from a place of doom and gloom.”

Written by Heikki Aalto-Alanen, the grandson of architects Aino and Alvar Aalto, this monograph from Phaidon illuminates one of the most iconic design partnerships of the 20th century. Including archival letters, photographs, and sketches—many of which have never been published—Aino + Alvar Aalto: A Life Together coincides with the 125th anniversary of Alvar’s birth in 1898 and the nearly 90-year anniversary of the couple’s founding of furniture and accessories brand Artek.

Used extensively in Europe during the Middle Ages, books of hours were manuscripts containing sets of prayers to be said throughout the day and night. Comprising collections of texts that were meaningful to their owners, these books helped them mark hours while reciting devotions. The Book of Hours, by Mexico City–based architect Frida Escobedo (from Lars Müller Publishers), offers a modern interpretation of this practice with its depictions of 24 objects which were photographed over time to capture their evolution and interaction with light.

COURTESY PHAIDON; COURTESY ASSOULINE; COURTESY PHAIDON; COURTESY LARS MÜLLER PUBLISHERS; ©ANA GÓMEZ DE LEÓN LÓPEZ

BOOKS

INTEL

PHOTO: FRANCESCO DOLFO/PRODUCTION: BENEDETTA ROSSI ALBINI

From patterned, packed, and accessorized-to-the-hilt 17th-century châteaux to 20th-century townhouses, Maximalism: Bold, Bedazzled, Gold, and Tasseled Interiors, from Phaidon (out in October 2023), celebrates more than 400 years of splendid homes. With a foreword by Simon Doonan, Maximalism takes readers on an eye-popping journey through projects from modern-day design icons including Jonathan Adler and Kelly Wearstler, and original maximalists such as Elsie de Wolfe and Lorenzo Mongiardino. h —Rachel Gallaher

A Los Angeles residential project by interior designer Kelly Wearstler, as seen in Maximalism: Bold, Bedazzled, Gold, and Tasseled Interiors.

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JOHNSTON ROBERTS

NAOTO FUKASAWA FOR FANTINI, COURTESY FANTINI

Chapter

FACTORY

DESIGN DNA

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

AT A TIME WHEN BRAND TURNOVER IS HIGH, WHAT ALLOWS SOME DESIGN INDUSTRY NAMES TO ENDURE? GRAY LOOKED AT FOUR HERITAGE BRANDS THAT ARE STILL GOING STRONG DECADES AFTER THEIR FOUNDING AND FOUND A FEW COMMON THEMES: AN EMPHASIS ON INNOVATION, METICULOUS ATTENTION TO QUALITY, AND AN UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO CORE VALUES ESTABLISHED LONG AGO. By Rachel Gallaher

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COURTESY LIGNE ROSET; COURTESY ADEX

ABOVE: In the 1950s, Spanish tile company Adex released an

exclusive collection designed by surrealist artist Salvador Dalí (right). LEFT: French designer Michel Ducaroy designed the Togo seating in 1973 for Ligne Roset.

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DESIGN DNA

The Togo collection, made with a polyurethane foam filling, is meticulously hand-sewn in Ligne Roset’s French factories.

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to evolve with their time,” Antoine adds. “Sometimes it stays as experimentation, but we mostly push the envelope to bring an idea onto the market as an innovative product.” Togo, for example, was the first sofa in the world to be made entirely from polyurethane foam—a thenrevolutionary material that allowed Ligne Roset to experiment with new shapes. Unlike most sofas of the time, Togo was frameless; its low profile and cocooning form made it ideal for relaxed lounging. The brand is currently developing a new type of vegan leather, made from mushrooms, that it hopes to incorporate into its core collection offerings. “Being a heritage brand means you carry values through the decades,” Antoine reflects. “These values come from the former and current generations’ experiences. It also means that you’re not obliged to follow the trends—you are your own trend.”

COURTESY LIGNE ROSET

FACTORY

Contemporary furniture brand Ligne Roset made its brick-and-mortar debut in 1973 with its first showroom and the introduction of French designer Michel Ducaroy’s Togo chair, a radical piece inspired by the shape of a half-used aluminum toothpaste tube. Founded in 1860 by Antoine Roset and his son, Emile, Ligne Roset began as a small wood-processing factory. By the 1960s and ’70s, the brand had shifted to manufacturing residential décor. From the very beginning, a focus on experimentation and innovation has been central to Ligne Roset’s ethos—and ensures the brand’s continued relevance today. “Our legacy is in innovation,” says Antoine Roset. In March 2023, he and his cousin, Olivier Roset—both greatgreat grandsons of founder Antoine— were named co-chief executives of Roset SAS, a parent company of Ligne Roset. “We have always been pushed by this idea that our products need

COURTESY ISOKON PLUS

The Iso-Lounge, manufactured from engineered plywood, was developed over 18 months in collaboration with designer Jasper Morrison.

As with many developments throughout design history, the impetus for the Isokon Furniture Company (renamed Isokon Plus in 1997) was fulfilling a need. Founded in 1931 by British entrepreneur Jack Pritchard with Canadian architect Wells Coates, the company first produced its famed plywood furniture for London’s Lawn Road Flats, a Bauhaus-inspired residential complex designed by Coates for Pritchard and his wife, Molly. “We have been associated with plywood from the beginning; Jack Pritchard, our founder, represented cutting-edge plywood materials of the time,” says Ed Carpenter, creative director and CEO of Isokon. Pritchard collaborated with Marcel Breuer, Walter Gropius (founder of the Bauhaus), Egon Riss, and Ernest Race, commissioning each to design pieces that would become icons, including Breuer’s Long Chair and Nesting Tables and Riss’ Penguin Donkey, a bookcase designed to store Penguin paperbacks. “From the very beginning, the designs of Marcel Breuer and Egon Riss pushed what was possible with plywood, taking full advantage of the latest techniques and technology,” Carpenter says. “The flowing forms and minimal construction were a stark contrast to the typical British furniture of the day—we are still trying to push these boundaries today.” Although Isokon continues to release new products—recent collaborations include designs by Jasper Morrison, Barber Osgerby, and Shin and Tomoko Azumi—Carpenter notes that the brand is careful about adding to the existing line; new designs must complement the original collection. Now, with its 100th anniversary less than a decade away—and a growing number of competitors— Isokon plans to hold a steady course, keeping its legacy as a touchstone. “There have been so many new design brands emerging over the past few years that it sometimes feels hard to tell their products and stories apart,” Carpenter says. “That’s where our heritage really makes a difference. This is not something you can create from scratch.” »

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DESIGN DNA

FACTORY

Place is the bedrock of the Fantini family’s namesake faucet and fitting brand. Headquartered in the small Italian town of Pella, on the shore of Lake Orta, the company has operated from this idyllic location for three generations. Founded in 1946 by brothers Giovanni and Ersilio, Fantini has been producing highly crafted hardware since its launch. Current CEO Daniela Fantini, daughter of Giovanni, joined the family business in her 20s while studying law, and has helped lead the company into the 21st century with a focus on sustainable production practices. “Innovation through experimentation is our mission,” she says. “We have roots and deep ties with the values of our history, but we always look ahead.” The I Balocchi collection, for example—designed by Davide Mercatali and Paolo Pedrizzetti and launched in 1978—quickly became the first series of color-forward water taps to experience widespread commercial success. The Calibro Single Control Mixer Tap, another Fantini piece from Mercatali and Pedrizzetti, followed in 1979; just four years later, it was added to the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Looking ahead to the next 70 years, Daniela recognizes the need to operate with the big picture in mind. “As individuals, entrepreneurs, and society in general, we must be increasingly aware that to protect the environment, sustainability must be first in our actions,” she says. “A collective effort is needed to change mentalities. Producing and consuming less, but with higher quality, must be the guideline for everyone.” Fantini continues to embrace its Italian heritage, partnering with national brands to celebrate a mutual cultural foundation. In 2022, the company released the Venezia series— a suite of glass knobs designed with iconic glass studio Venini, which dates to 1921. Much like Calibro, these fittings—which are created using centuries-old glass-blowing techniques—are a testament to Fantini’s dedication to upholding the art of design.

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The I Balocchi collection, designed by Davide Mercatali and Paolo Pedrizzetti for Fantini, remains an iconic part of design history.

ABOVE: Tiles from

La Suite Catalane, the six-tile set designed by Salvador Dalí for Adex. BELOW: The company’s original factory and signage, which can still be seen in downtown Onda, Spain.

Headquartered in Spain’s Castellón province—a region on the eastern coast that produces nearly 90 percent of the country’s ceramic tile—Adex has fabricated high-quality, hand-painted tiles in the town of Onda for 126 years. Founded by Miguel Piñón Castelló, Adex (originally named El Siglo) started making tiles in traditional furnaces using ancient pottery crafting techniques. Recognizing its artisans’ intricate and time-consuming work, Adex dedicated a large section of its factory to the work of hand-finishing tiles and molded decorative pieces. “We take care of the ceramic as a work of art, with great sensitivity and taste when designing and creating our collections,” says Adex owner and fourth-generation family member Cristina Palop. Collaboration has always been central to the brand’s ethos—and an important factor in its expansion beyond Europe. “During the 1950s, my grandfather made an exclusive hand-painted collection of tiles designed by Salvador Dalí,”

Palop says, “[and we became] one of the first companies in the region to export tile to the States.” Adex’s tiles have appeared in projects including the recent restoration of the historic Antoni Gaudí–designed Park Güell in Barcelona, the restoration of the pool in New York City’s West Side YMCA building, and government buildings in Spain. “We balance innovation and experimentation with honoring the company’s legacy,” says Palop, who has embraced sustainable manufacturing practices. The Adex factory now reuses water to reduce depletion and contamination, and all products contain 45 to 58 percent recycled content. Palop views these policies as critical steps toward preparing the family’s fifth generation for its era of leadership. “We provide valuable opportunities for future generations to learn from the past, and blend this knowledge with today’s market,” she says. “To be a heritage brand in 2023 means staying authentic but adapting to the new world.” h

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DESIGN DNA

ON THE RISE

MEDIUM JOURNEY

In search of a casual creative outlet, architect Evgeniya Plotnikova sat down at a pottery wheel. A few years later, she’s making gallery-worthy stone sculptures.

Belly, a 2022 sculpture by architect and artist Evgeniya Plotnikova, is hand-carved from Statuario marble.

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KONSTANTIN NOVIKOV

By Rachel Gallaher

Plotnikova working in the stone yard at Seattle’s Pratt Fine Arts Center.

“SCULPTURE MUST BE EXPERIENCED THROUGH TOUCH; THAT’S ITS LOVE LANGUAGE.”

JOHNSTON ROBERTS

—EVGENIYA PLOTNIKOVA, EVG.WORKS

The stone yard at Seattle’s Pratt Fine Arts Center is a cacophony of air hammers, chisels, and diamond saws whirring, clanking, and grinding as their artist operators hunch over blocks of stone, coaxing out their creative visions. But on one particularly hot August evening, the open-air space—filled with marble blocks, tall wood tables, and inprogress and abandoned sculptures— is quiet. The only person working is artist and architect Evgeniya Plotnikova, who sits taking in the calm after a day at the downtown office of LMN Architects, the design firm where she works.

“I love coming here in the evenings,” Plotnikova says, looking around in contentment. “It’s very meditative.” Plotnikova, who founded her mixedmedia studio EVG.WORKS in 2019, seems at ease in the stone yard. Though her artistic skill is evident in her modern, body-themed marble sculptures, she only started working with the material a little more than three years ago. An architect by training, she has an interest in stone that began at her job with New York– based architecture firm WORKac. “We had a lot of high-end residential clients,” she says, “and we would get requests for entire kitchens

made from specific, rare stones, so we’d go to different stone yards to look. I would see all of these slabs of incredible material, and it just blew my mind how much nature offers in the richness of patterns.” At that time, Plotnikova—who was born and raised in Siberia but came to the United States at age 20 to study architecture at the University of Illinois at Chicago—started working with ceramics. “My time in New York was really intense, and I got very burned out,” she recalls. “I needed an outlet, something with immediate results, and that’s how I arrived at clay.” » GRAY

ON THE RISE

DESIGN DNA

At the end of 2019, Plotnikova moved to Seattle with her thenhusband and continued to make ceramics in her free time. “I tried a mug here and there, but I quickly realized that when it comes to my work, I’m not just about function,” she says. “It started to shift to sculptural art. We had bought a house with a garden, and I started to make vases— as a vessel, [a vase] has a function, but you have to pair it properly with the flower. I had an interest in making beautiful combinations.” Plotnikova’s ceramics—unique forms that range from textured, amoeba-shaped bodies to tubes that look like puddled pieces of cloth— started getting press. More than mere tabletop objects, the vases were miniature, sculpted works of 64

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art that meditated on themes of war, identity, and materiality. As she gravitated toward fine art, Plotnikova enrolled in an immersive and intimate sculpture workshop in Tuscany led by an American woman who had taught sculpture for 30 years. “I spent a month in Santo Pietro, which is a mecca for sculptors,” Plotnikova says. Two years later, after a thorough exploration of both ceramics and marble, she has decided to focus entirely on stone. Elbow, the piece that Plotnikova worked on in Italy, is the first in a three-part series titled Body Works that the artist describes in a written statement as “an ode to the temple of our human body.” Made of white Carrara marble, the sculpture takes the shape of a bent elbow—a testament

to personal strength and resilience. The two other pieces in the trio, Belly and Torso, embody feminine softness and a change of direction. Although she doesn’t rule out returning to the kiln someday, Plotnikova’s trajectory is currently set in stone. She’s deep in the process of creating another bodythemed sculpture and plans to continue with the medium for the foreseeable future. “I am creating from a place of freedom,” she says. “Art teaches you about the process rather than just giving you a result, and you have to enjoy that process along the way. At the end of the day, even the most beautiful work is just a piece of stone.” h

JOHNSTON ROBERTS

Plotnikova enjoys the hands-on process of working with marble. “There are two ways to work with stone,” she explains. “The first is to take a block with rectangular proportions and impose your idea onto it. Another way is to take random pieces of stone, look at the shape, and say, for example, ‘That kind of looks like a cat; I’ll make a cat.’ The result is usually more abstract or random. I only work in the first, more controlled way.”

KONSTANTIN NOVIKOV

The complete Body Works series includes three sculptures: Belly, Elbow, and Torso.

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DESIGN DNA

Seattle State of Mind Interior designer Susan Marinello reestablishes her firm in the heart of her hometown. FIELD NOTES

By Susan Marinello Photographed by Aaron Leitz

celebrated the 25th anniversary of Susan Marinello Interiors in 2021—smack in the middle of the pandemic. Thanks to lockdowns, the commemoration only happened in my head, but there I began mulling ideas for a new studio space that could usher in a new era of design for my firm. COVID-19 hit Seattle hard, pushing the city’s residents into isolation. Like most people, I rolled through all of the emotions: anger, fear, protectiveness of my team. But despite the sad realities that faced us—less work, sick friends and family members, a jarring loss of peace of mind—Seattle remained a city that

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represents everything to me, and I was not going to leave. My former office was located in a neighborhood that had become too dangerous for me and my team to safely navigate, so I started looking for a new space that would feel like a comforting home away from home. I wanted my team of 16 to feel proud of the office they worked in, and I had a few requirements: It would need to be in the heart of the city, and have abundant natural light and flowing energy. I envisioned an open loft, washed in light, that would become a “home” filled with antiques, art, and music. I found just the space in the »

ABOVE: The office entryway features a Jacobean refectory table from England, 1970s chrome arch lamp, vintage Oushak rug from Turabi Rug Gallery in Seattle, and disco ball by Canal Sound & Light in New York City. OPPOSITE, TOP: In the library, Ethel (the office support dog) sits on a vintage

wingback chair amid midcentury armchairs and an antique mercury glass lamp. An art piece by Matthew Wetschler hangs above a vintage bar cart from Sweden. Ceiling lighting throughout the office was sourced through Visual Comfort. OPPOSITE, BOTTOM: Susan Marinello working in the office.

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FIELD NOTES

DESIGN DNA

Alaska Trade Building, a historic spot set between Le Pichet bistro and the all-too-famous Biscuit Bitch in the Pike Place Market neighborhood. The building was constructed in 1909 and is 100-percent concrete. At the turn of the 20th century, it was advertised as the first fireproof

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building of its kind. As a team, we opted to fully gut our 4,700-squarefoot space and start with a clean slate. Planning and construction took five months, and it was a push. Balancing my vision and budget with the reality of what products were available to ship felt like a

never-ending challenge. In late September 2022 we moved in, and by that November, we were fully operational in the new space. Just as I had envisioned, the interiors of our new office feature light and art, which foster creativity, wellness, and joy. Each morning,

“I INTENTIONALLY REDUCED THE SIZE OF OUR [SAMPLE] LIBRARY WITH THE IDEA THAT WE NEED T O GO OUT INT O THE WORLD T O FIND OUR SPECIAL INGREDIENT S.” —Susan Marinello, Susan Marinello Interiors

when I walk through the door, I feel a sense of calm. And meeting clients here is a treat: Not only do they get to experience our design firsthand, but they also have the opportunity to discover the best of Seattle and what makes it such a desirable place to live. The new Seattle office celebrates

the best of our town: striking views of Elliott Bay and the bustling energy of tourists. I had no idea how rich Pike Place Market is until we moved in—and I am a Seattle girl! We shop it daily now, and I can say that the city doesn’t feel quiet at the market. It feels alive and vibrant. h

A vintage Oushak runner from Turabi Rug Gallery and table skirt fabric by Pierre Frey add warmth to the west side of the studio. Against the far windows, Eames task chairs surround a conference table.

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FIELD NOTES

DESIGN DNA

DESIGN FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION

Can the mall serve as the next great third space? By Ranee Lee As an industrial designer, I often find myself observing the margins and intersections in the fabric of society, as I believe that’s where most design opportunities lie. I started DESIGNwith, a lab for social and environmental sustainability, in June 2022, but it has been a project “in-iteration” for the past eight years. In 2015, I read the City of Toronto’s Poverty Reduction Strategy plan, which used the words “prosperity for ALL.” The phrase made me question what design can do for those who live in the margins. How could society value the inherent skills of immigrant women, for example, and, through participatory design, share in the city’s prosperity through the production of alternative economies? Around that time, I met a group of women sewists in Regent Park who were involved with various charitable organizations, and I decided to merge academia and the design of soft goods with the sewing collective I found in the community. Together with the students in my design courses at Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD University), where I am a professor in the industrial design program, we codesigned products including bags, baby products, and apparel. We planned to design these marketable soft goods for sale as part of a livelihood program helping women and single parents access sustainable income while maintaining flexible schedules that enable them to meet family responsibilities. A good design project should be improving itself—iterating for the betterment of all stakeholders. And that’s exactly what ours did. Over

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the years, what started as a group of sewists designing products in an OCAD University classroom slowly evolved into an immersive, participatory design project. My university course moved off campus and began to take place within the community of Regent Park. The project iterated from codesign to participatory design—creating and producing marketable products collaboratively, from initial design all the way through to final product. This flattened the hierarchy of teaching and learning, blurring the line to produce a more meaningful way of engaging and sharing design knowledge. Through this partnership, I learned that cities like Toronto are made up of highly skilled and educated immigrants—many of the sewists came from places outside of Canada. I learned that design could produce alternative economies through the discovery and valuation of people’s creative skills. And I learned that a values-based design lab can be the basis of a new way to explore design for social innovation. As I began to explore new ways in which this partnership could evolve, the pandemic struck, and we all moved to remote work. I continued teaching my design studio course from my basement, and started to observe a shift in the retail landscape as the global pandemic became our new normal. ALIGNED PARTNERSHIPS In the depths of the pandemic, the world around us changed, and I started to imagine a brick-and-mortar space for DESIGNwith. When most

people were hoping to get back to normal, I started to imagine what a new normal would, and could, look like. I presented this opportunity to a group of thoughtful individuals from Cadillac Fairview, the owner and manager of the CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Canada’s busiest shopping mall, which attracts more than 50 million visitors annually), in the form of a design proposal. Together, we imagined what a design incubator could do for community engagement while fostering Cadillac Fairview’s company-wide goal of supporting initiatives that are “Transforming Communities for a Vibrant Tomorrow.” When DESIGNwith opened its doors on June 24, 2022, the event attracted more than 13 million media impressions, which is a significant outcome illustrating the project’s resonance with the public. The 635-square-foot space— created in partnership between Cadillac Fairview and OCAD University—is an inclusive, designcentered lab that brings together communities that are not otherwise invited to the design table. With our programming, which includes workshops, seminars, exhibitions, retail pop-up shops, and more, we make design accessible to the average person, freeing institutional knowledge from the limited walls of traditional design school. DESIGNwith democratizes design education by allowing students to participate in creating an alternative economy in which corporations, academia, and community members from diverse backgrounds can come

“I LEARNED THAT CITIES LIKE TORONTO ARE MADE UP OF HIGHLY SKILLED AND EDUCATED IMMIGRANTS.... I LEARNED THAT DESIGN COULD PRODUCE ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIES... AND I LEARNED THAT A VALUES-BASED DESIGN LAB CAN BE THE BASIS OF A NEW WAY TO EXPLORE DESIGN FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION.” —RANEE LEE, DESIGNWITH

KATYA KOROSCIL

together to share knowledge and skills by making to learn. THE THIRD SPACE Over the past year of observing people pass through the CF Toronto Eaton Centre, I’ve started to wonder about their relationships with the mall—and how DESIGNwith can provide a potential third space for people in our post-pandemic world. The third space refers to a social realm that is separate from the two usual social environments of home and workplace. The line between the latter two environments has become blurred since the onset of the pan-

demic, making the importance of the third space significant. I think the mall of the future needs to be more experiential. Visitors want to be seen as more than mere consumers, and they expect more than transactional exchanges. We need to create more accessible spaces in the city where people feel welcome and can connect with one another without necessarily spending resources. Corporations also need to shift toward more authentic marketing in response to the drastic changes in consumers’ values and lives. I believe the mall will play a much

more important role in our lives in the future—but not in its current state. I hope to see the mall become that third space—one that will facilitate and support growth, learning, and human connections beyond the workplace and home. Ranee Lee is an industrial designer, an associate professor of industrial design at OCAD University in Toronto, Canada, and the founder of DESIGNwith. h

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DESIGN DNA

The Best-Kept Industry Secret in Flooring

FIELD NOTES

Promotion

fter more than 30 years of designing the interiors for multifamily residential projects, Dallas-based Faulkner Design Group understands what works well in a space that sees foot traffic from hundreds—if not thousands—of people every day. When recently designing the ELE Dallas— an eight-story, 236-unit project in the heart of Dallas’ eclectic Lower Greenville neighborhood—Faulkner Design Group knew that when it came to furnishings, everything sourced needed to check off each part of the designer’s trifecta: quality, durability, and style. Featuring a sophisticated brick-and-glass exterior, the building’s modern architecture and sleek interiors required a palette to match. For the flooring, the designers turned to Metropolitan Floors—a leading company in the industry, and one they have consistently worked with 72

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throughout the years. “We know from experience that Metropolitan Floors maintains a quality product offering that withstands commercial use in high-traffic areas,” says Courtney Holt, a senior project manager at Faulkner Design Group, noting that the best-in-class Metropolitan Floors is a go-to source for many of the design firm’s projects. “We look for long-term partnerships with our vendors and suppliers, just as we would with a client. We want [knowledgeable] partners that we can trust to provide a quality product that will allow us to maximize what we can do with a project budget.” Adds Myles Sampey, a Faulkner designer who worked on ELE Dallas: “Their products make us look good as designers.” For ELE Dallas, the firm choose Brushed Oak Mink, an engineered oak wood plank flooring from Kentwood’s

Plateau Collection. Like all Kentwood flooring, it is made from ethically sourced and manufactured materials in accordance with the company’s Clean Floors environmental compliance program, which ensures that all products are crafted with conscience. The high-performance hardwood has a rich, dark finish that complements the building’s contemporary style. Regardless of budget or building size, Metropolitan Floors—which also offers a range of flooring options under the Evoke brand, specializing in luxury vinyl and composite core products—works closely with clients to help find flooring solutions for projects ranging from single-family homes to hospitality spaces and commercial office buildings. The company has been a best-kept industry secret for more than 30 years. h METROFLOORS.COM

Brushed Oak Mink, an engineered oak wood plank flooring from Kentwood’s Plateau Collection, was sourced for the residential units and most public zones at ELE Dallas.

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Nonprofit design organization CatalyticAction used a participatory design approach for this play area in El Mina, Lebanon. The group engaged local “citizen scientists” in the research, design, activation, and monitoring phases.

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YOUSSEF ITANI © CATALYTICACTION

CHANGEMAKER

DESIGN DNA

SMALL BUT MIGHTY

CatalyticAction, a nonprofit organization started by two forward-thinking architects, uses collaborative design to improve the lives of displaced children. By Rachel Gallaher

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CHANGEMAKER

DESIGN DNA

n early 2014, architects Joana Dabaj and Riccardo Luca Conti, founders of CatalyticAction—a charity that uses design and architecture to empower vulnerable children—had just graduated from the University College London and were looking for jobs. The market was slow, and as they sent out applications and waited to hear back, the friends (who each graduated with a Master of Science in building and urban design in development) started discussing what they could do in the meantime. “Joana is Lebanese and still has strong connections to Lebanon,” says Conti, the executive director of CatalyticAction. “At the time—and unfortunately, this is ongoing—that country had a lot of needs related to the Syrian refugee crisis, so we started to ask ourselves, ‘As architects, is there anything we can do in response to humanitarian crises?’” In Lebanon—which currently has about 1.5 million Syrian refugees who have fled the civil war that began in 2011—the population has surged over the last few years, with some towns’ numbers doubling. In many cases, public infrastructure has been unable to accommodate this influx. Children are particularly vulnerable, and many living in refugee settlements don’t have access to safe play spaces. “When I went to Lebanon for the first time, it was overwhelming to see how children were hanging out in the streets with nowhere else to go,” Conti says. “The more we thought about it, the more we realized that if you invest in younger generations—especially in a country where the political and social issues are very tangled—it can catalyze a big change in the future.” Conti and Dabaj founded CatalyticAction in 2014, launching with a project in Bar Elias, Lebanon.

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Partnering with the Kayany Foundation and the American University of Beirut’s Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service, the duo’s organization designed a playground at a school near a refugee settlement. Instead of purchasing off-the-shelf equipment, Conti and Dabaj spent time with the community—specifically the children and teachers who would use the space—to learn what kind of environment would best serve them, then planned the project accordingly. The result was a wooden structure incorporating a basketball hoop, climbing elements, swings, elevated walkways, and an area to sit and socialize—all accented with playful, colorful details including a wall painted with cartoonish, rainbowstriped snakes and punctured with holes that children can poke their faces through for a moment of levity. From the outset, this collaborative approach, which became characteristic of all CatalyticAction projects, has been the organization’s bedrock. “We believe there is value in a participatory approach to design,” says Conti, who explains that for each project, which is typically youth- and community-focused, the team invites local children to participate in various exercises, from drawing to talking about their ideas. “Engaging with a community— hearing its needs, ideas, and vision—then transforming that into something that can be built is an empowering process,” Conti adds. Creating projects for young people also provides a strategic entry point for addressing divides within a community, Conti says. “We found early on that parents are more willing to talk to each other and work together when the focus is their children.” Individuals also tend to take greater pride in a project completed in collaboration with their neighbors,

and are therefore more likely to help keep it clean, discourage vandalism, and address repairs as they arise. “We get messages on WhatsApp with pictures and updates about the projects we’ve completed,” Conti says. “If something needs to be fixed, they come to us for help.” Since the completion of that first project in Bar Elias, CatalyticAction— which partners with established nonprofits for each of its projects and uses local materials and workers for construction—has expanded its staff and built 36 additional projects in Lebanon, one in Jordan, and one in Iraq. Several parks in Lebanon are about to enter the construction phase and, according to Conti, the organization is also “working on a project that addresses the topic of gender inequality in public spaces in Beirut.” In 2020, CatalyticAction coauthored a handbook with UNICEF and UN-Habitat about codesigning built interventions with children affected by displacement. That book is now undergoing translation into multiple languages. Despite its size, CatalyticAction proves that with partnership, determination, and a willingness to get hands dirty, even small teams can make a life-changing impact. “Building with a community creates strong bonds,” Conti says. “Our goal in the coming years is to reach as many children as possible.” h

“WE BELIEVE THERE IS VALUE IN A PARTICIPATORY APPROACH TO DESIGN. ENGAGING WITH A COMMUNITY—HEARING ITS NEEDS, IDEAS, AND VISION— THEN TRANSFORMING THAT INTO SOMETHING THAT CAN BE BUILT IS AN EMPOWERING PROCESS.” —RICCARDO LUCA CONTI,

YOUSSEF ITANI © CATALYTICACTION

CATALYTICACTION

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Hank Drew is a Seattle-based advertising and editorial photographer with more than 30 years of experience—if we’re counting the first ten years as a kid with his grandfather’s 35mm. Hank’s passion for finding beauty from behind the camera is still as strong as ever. Specializing in product photography for fashion and beauty advertisements and editorial images for magazines, Hank has clients including Nordstrom, REI, Starbucks, Amazon, Phillips, and Marios, and his editorial work has appeared in GRAY and Seattle Metropolitan, among others. hankdrew.com

“IT’S THE THRILL OF DISCOVERING THAT THERE IS NO SUBJECT THAT CANNOT BE MADE ENGAGING.”

CHOWN HARDWARE L U XU RY H A R D WA RE, PL U MBI N G , A N D L I G H T I N G SE ATTL E / BEL L EV U E / PORT L A ND

I N F O @ C H O W N . C O M / W W W. C H O W N . C O M / 8 0 0 . 4 5 2 . 7 6 3 4 I N T E R I O R D E S I G N : P E N N Y B L A C K I N T E R I O R S / P H O T O G R A P H Y: C H R I S T O P H E R D I B B L E

NICOLE FRANZEN

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DOUBLESPACE PHOTOGRAPHY

Working closely with two of their children— a Colorado couple fulfills a lifelong dream

both design professionals in the Bay Area— of building their home from the ground up. By Rachel Gallaher Photographed by Nicole Franzen

ABOVE: The upstairs family room is a popular hangout spot when the whole family is in town. The large, L-shaped Kelston sofa at the heart of the space is from Design Within Reach. The homeowner’s daughter and designer Britt Epperson had it upholstered in a custom Maharam fabric. A Herman Miller Eames chair received a glamorous update in custom mohair; the Adrian Pearsall lounge chair is vintage.

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“We wanted our home [to be] integrated with nature; to enjoy the views from every room and open the doors to the patio when the weather is nice.” —DEBBIE KARBER, HOMEOWNER

PREVIOUS SPREAD: Two Ferm Living chairs upholstered in Dedar’s Tiger Mountain fabric balance the earthy tones used

throughout the rest of the room. An Akari Light Sculpture by Isamu Noguchi hangs in the corner over a set of nesting tables made by the homeowner, Debbie Karber, in a high-school wood shop class. »

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The dining table was crafted by the homeowners’ son, Barrett Karber, from a salvaged claro walnut slab. He and Epperson sourced the wood from Evan Shively of Arborica, with whom they have worked on projects over the years.

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Barrett Karber and his father, Curtis, sanded and finished the slab, and the family installed the dining table together. Epperson found the 1970s brutalist walnut credenza by Lane, over which hangs an acrylic work on canvas by artist Betty Ross. »

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In the upstairs game room and office, a set of shearling stools by 101 Copenhagen tucks under a burled-wood table made by Barrett Karber. The desk/cabinet is from Blu Dot, and the hammered-brass Moroccan pendants are by Tazi Design.

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ike most people designing a new home, Curtis and Debbie Karber had a checklist of requirements in mind as they viewed properties in the Colorado Springs area. It wasn’t many criteria, but it was important that they fulfill at least two. The Karbers, who had moved to Colorado Springs from Oklahoma in 2010, had always wanted to design a home from the ground up. As outdoor enthusiasts who also enjoy the offerings of an urban setting, they were looking for a site with some combination of the following: a location near the city, mountain views, and a setting that would make them feel like they were camping. It took several years—and considerable searching—to find the right spot. Situated in a little neighborhood behind the scenic Garden of the Gods park, the 4-acre lot is less than 7 miles from downtown Colorado Springs, yet far enough from the city—and the neighbors—to feel secluded. Offering plenty of space for outdoor living, it was the naturefocused setting the Karbers had been seeking. “It really gives the feeling that you’re out camping,” Curtis says. “We used to come out to Colorado when we were younger, so we’ve always been attracted to the area.” “We wanted our home [to be] integrated with nature; to enjoy the views from every room and open the doors to the patio when the weather is nice,” Debbie adds. The Karbers, who have three grown children, are very family oriented; from the project’s outset, they planned for their son and two

daughters to be involved in the design process. It didn’t hurt that two of the siblings are design professionals. The couple’s son, Barrett Karber, owns a construction business in San Francisco (and fabricates custom furniture), and daughter Brit Epperson is the founder and chief creative officer of Bay Area design firm Studio Plow. “We could not have done this project without them,” Debbie says. “I had the kids on speed dial during the entire process, and they answered whenever we needed them.” Before the sketching and rendering began, the Karbers invited Barrett and Epperson out to get a feel for the site’s nuances. “We climbed trees to see the views, set up ladders, put out stakes and rope, and picnicked in different areas around the lot,” Curtis recalls. The interaction with the land helped Epperson determine how to site the house for maximum views and light exposure. “We all went more than once to view the site,” she says. “Looking back, we’d do what in school is called a charrette, which is like a marathon design workshop. We did the first sessions on-site: We’d take a folding table down there, lay out the plans, iterate room placement, and mark it on the ground. Eventually, it turned into [working] at every holiday, spending hours hyper-concentrated until we’d make big strides.” One important point that remained at the forefront of the home’s design was that the Karbers saw this as their last residence. With aging in place in mind, Epperson designed »

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A Dot Line pendant light by Lambert & Fils hangs over the marble island, and vintage Frankoma ceramics fill the marble shelving against the wall. »

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a family-friendly dwelling with two levels: a ground floor including the garage, primary suite, kitchen, and living and dining rooms, which would allow the Karbers to live entirely on the main level if needed (wide doorways allow for wheelchair accessibility); and a second floor, including a TV room, office, workout room, and guest rooms, where the couple’s children could stay during visits. “The house was a labor of love,” Epperson says of the project that took five years from first sketch to completed construction. “We worked on the design alone for years; it went through many versions as we tweaked the shape and size.” One day, in the middle of the design process, Epperson received a heavy package from her mother. “It was a box of rocks from the site,” she recalls. “It was a good reminder of how beautiful the landscape is—the silvery greens, creamy sages, and red limestone.” Taking a cue from those earthy tones, Epperson employed a neutral palette throughout the home, bringing in natural, textured elements—fabric, wood, stone, rattan, and other organic fibers—to create a soft, elegant aesthetic. Using a mix of modern pieces from Eames, Thonet, Blu Dot, and Flos, she gave the home a lived-in ease by combining the readymade furniture with antiques and handmade items. Barrett crafted the walnut dining table, a media cabinet, a game table in the family room, the front door handle, and the primary

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bed and floating side tables. The living room’s set of nesting side tables was made years ago, in Debbie’s high-school wood shop class. Curtis framed all the art in the house with leftover wood from the oak baseboards, and he and Debbie installed all of the decorative lighting. Every room has a view, helping Epperson achieve the goal of “making the interiors flow seamlessly with the exterior,” she says. “We pulled together a palette that feels very harmonious with the landscape.” The communal areas—kitchen, dining room, and living room—were a focus for the Karbers, especially Debbie, who wanted spaces where the whole family could gather. “I don’t want to miss out on anything!” she says. “I want my family close to me. If I’m in the kitchen cooking dinner and the kids are having a great conversation, I can easily join in.” The ground level’s open floor plan creates a large circle, with all rooms connected not just physically, but also aesthetically by oak millwork and marble accents. Curtis agrees that the new house better facilitates time spent together, with the handcrafted dining room table serving as the dwelling’s hub. “It feels complete when the whole family is sitting around that table looking out onto the property,” he says. “There’s nothing better than being together in this space that we created collaboratively.” »

“My mom wasn’t sure at first of the wall color of this bedroom,” Epperson says about the moody, deep turquoise color (Farrow & Ball’s Inchyra Blue) in one of the guest bedrooms, “but now she loves it.” The wallpaper in Epperson’s childhood bedroom inspired the bold choice behind the headboard. The vintage chair, its shape reminiscent of a chess piece, was sourced through the Mod Mood furniture store in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

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The powder room features a marble sink, quartzite counters, and unglazed zellige tile by Clé. The Pond mirror by Ferm Living hangs above a Watermark’s Elements 21 faucet, and the playful lighting is by David Pompa.

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The primary bathroom embraces a vintage aesthetic. The pieced-hide Fancy rug by Kyle Bunting was designed in homage to the classic quilt. Loft Curtain drapes in a soothing wheat color provide privacy, and the Allied Maker lights are industrial yet elegant. h

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Furniture is showcased like artwork throughout this striking summer cottage. In the expansive living room, a Beam sofa by Patricia Urquiola for Cassina and Yale table by Jean-Marie Massaud for MDF Italia invite family gatherings.

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LAKESIDE CONTEMPORARY An infusion of color by Reigo & Bauer breathes new life into a historic Canadian cottage. By Carla Sorrell Photographed by Doublespace Photography

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ABOVE AND LEFT: To update the cottage’s foyer, a built-in closet was replaced with new board-and-batten paneling.

The addition of a built-in bench, cabinet, and dichroic-glass cabinet brings new life to the space.

ibrant color may not be the first thing that comes to a designer’s mind when developing a minimalist interior for a 200-year-old home. But when the creative brief prioritizes a collection of iconic 1960s pop art, a bold and unconventional result is almost inevitable. The aforementioned structure, a former innkeeper’s lodge, is the last remnant of a once-sprawling resort on Muskoka Lake in Ontario, Canada. Although the property had been owned by the same family for two decades, its husband-and-wife stewards had refrained from making changes to the old building, fearing that any new upgrades would be at odds with the historical cedar board-and-batten-clad interiors that are characteristic of the region.

But eventually, thanks to a relationship with husband-and-wife designers Merike and Stephen Bauer, which has spanned more than 10 years and two successful renovations—a Toronto home and a Collingwood ski chalet—the couple decided to make the leap and update the treasured cottage. For the art-collecting duo, the previous renovations had proven that design—much like the contemporary art they collect—can significantly enhance their experience of a living space. Initially, the Bauers’ task was to restore the 6,700-square-foot building and replace its antique and vintage furniture, which was stylistically typical of a lake cottage, but out of sync with the bold pop art that adorned the walls. The Bauers and their clients were committed to forgoing an easy-to-adopt »

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The dining room’s focal point is a cherished antique table that easily sits 10 for family meals. Its scale inspired the choice of oversized hanging Avico suspension lamps by FontanaArte.

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ABOVE: A board-and-batten backsplash was introduced to reinforce the idea that the home’s new elements are engaging with the original structure. OPPOSITE: Designers Merike and Stephen Bauer worked with

Toronto-based millwork and cabinetry company Renca + Heilimo to create a striking new kitchen.

palette of neutral finishes for a more colorful approach, but at that point, neither party knew just how daring the end result would be. “This client loves color a lot,” says Merike, who cofounded Reigo & Bauer with Stephen in 2005. “That’s so fun for us because not everyone is brave enough to embrace bold colors. It allowed the opportunity to think about which colors complement cedar—because a lot do, but you don’t see [them used in that context] too often.” Standout color combinations include the intense neon hues of a Warhol sunset, a surprising match with the dark wood paneling, and a zesty teal-and-apple-green combination that unites a contemporary settee with an iconic Love print by Robert Indiana. The interior’s traditional board-and-batten cedar walls are the antithesis of a contemporary gallery’s crisp white walls, but the

designers realized that by treating the former as the latter—literally placing, hanging, or framing the furniture against these rustic feature walls—they could create a simple yet striking gallery-like effect that the clients loved. This, Merike says, brought them to the project’s thesis: Here, architecture and design are treated as art. “The place was in immaculate condition when we got there,” Merike recalls. “So it wasn’t so much restoration as it was continuing the language. We wanted to reinforce this idea that all the new elements were engaging with this old perimeter.” The realization that a contemporary design language could live in harmony with the property’s historical features broadened the project’s scope. Everything in the 1990s-era kitchen and bathrooms was replaced. » GRAY

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OPPOSITE: In a space known as the “pink room,” furniture pieces by Muuto, Patricia Urquiola, Bensen, and MDF Italia mingle with artwork by Thrush Holmes and vintage Vogue magazine cover art. TOP: A bedside table lamp by FontanaArte illustrates how Reigo & Bauer viewed furniture and décor items as additions to the homeowners’ existing art collection. ABOVE: The black-steel-framed shower appears to hang from the board-and-batten walls like artwork. »

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The homeowner’s two daughters were a part of the design process, which included ‘kids’ room’ days. »

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OPPOSITE: The primary bedroom features Ligne Roset ottomans and custom nightstands. ABOVE: In the spare

bedroom, nicknamed the ‘green room,’ a contemporary settee creates a striking color combination with an iconic Love print by Robert Indiana.

New cabinetry, stainless-steel surfaces and appliances appear to hang from the walls like artworks, creating a stark contrast with the existing wood paneling, and a quiet palette of black and white was introduced to complement the art and furniture. The furniture pieces, in turn, were selected to create a distinct palette that gives “the art a place to be at home without feeling like it was a color-coordinated room,” Merike says. Simple yet striking pieces by Kettal and Paola Lenti were go-to favorites for the designer, who also incorporated custom items—like the primary bedroom’s colorful nightstands—and old treasures into the rooms. “Even though we’re building a largely new collection of pieces for a project, often there will be an antique or family heirloom that becomes an interesting starting point for an unexpected grouping,” she notes. A round, wooden dining table—cherished by the family for its ability to include as many as 10 people, face-to-face, in the same

conversation—became the focal point of the dining room. To emphasize its impressive diameter, Merike illuminated it with oversized, dome-shaped light fixtures that hang overhead. In the family room, she gave lighting an equally important role, balancing an oversized Anglepoise lamp alongside a stack of board games. The lengthy design process afforded every family member—including the couple’s two children—the opportunity to share input on the design. “The kids’ realms have always been part of our design brief,” Merike says. “In every project with these clients, the [children have] been part of our meetings. We have ‘kids’ room’ days [when we put out all the samples] and the kids get to come and see everything.” A pair of enticing Paola Lenti bean bag chairs and a Kettal swingseat demarcate their zone on the covered veranda, offering playful testaments to this cottage’s livability for many more generations to come. h

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ALEX FILZ

COURTESY RENAULT

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COURTESY STUDIO FEI

CONCEPT

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INTEGRATIVE IDEAS

Studio Fei’s concept for a contemporary art gallery in Montreal reconsiders the use of a 300-year-old building. By Rachel Gallaher

A rendering by Studio Fei shows its concept for a contemporary art center in Montreal. The integrative design updates the original building—which has a foundation that dates back more than 300 years—with a modern white addition that fits in between the existing wings.

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CONCEPT

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asy to pass by without a second glance, the stone building in Montreal’s historic Old Montreal neighborhood has a long and storied history. Located steps away from the harbor, the former townhouse—built around 1770 on the foundation of a structure dating back to 1692—has a résumé that includes residence, grocery store, hotel, restaurant, and furniture brand headquarters. The building will soon add another function to that list, having been recently purchased by a local art foundation with plans to transform it into a gallery and cultural center. Soon after the acquisition, the foundation announced an international competition for a feasibility study. The challenge: Update the space while respecting the context of the historic district. Yang Fei, founder of New York– based design firm Studio Fei, was studying for his master’s in architecture at Harvard University when he came across the opportunity to conduct a feasibility study for this particular site. Interested in the idea of sedimentation—and the concept that the old building, and the city of Montreal, contain layers of construction, demolition, and partial recycling of physical boundaries—he devised a design that would suit the needs of a contemporary gallery while salvaging much of the original structure. “It would be impossible to meet the basic needs of an exhibition space in the current [building],” Fei says, “but if we only preserved the exterior façade, then it would become just a fake shell, so we wanted to keep the authenticity through materiality and spatial orientation.” Fei’s solution is an architectural palimpsest that marries the 300year-old structure with a sleek new addition that nestles between the original building’s wings. Nodding to the old gray limestone construction, he proposed a new exterior of precast concrete blocks that resonates with the existing materiality but is modern enough to make a striking 116

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visual contrast. “It brings a familiar texture to the façade,” Fei says. As it stands, the building needs a heavy dose of restoration. Fei proposed first eliminating its newer additions, including a former restaurant squeezed between the two historic sections. “We would keep the most important remains,” he says, “and start to fill in the gaps and densify the site to provide more floor area.” Fei’s design encompasses three distinct types of interior space: new construction, a restoration with the explicit presence of new design details, and an integrated restoration that balances new and old. Moving through the building, visitors would encounter an unfolding aesthetic journey. “Gradually, you would experience more new and less old,” Fei explains. “You would feel like you’re stepping into something new, but there is a gradient as you go along.” The first level of the proposed triple-height atrium, for example, makes use of the existing building’s limestone walls, while a large white form protrudes into the space from above. Cutouts in the form let in natural light, creating a cathedrallike atmosphere. Outside on the street level, existing doors and openings are painted black, and a new courtyard space sits perpendicular to the street, serving as the new entrance. Fei’s thoughtful study instilled the clients’ confidence in the building’s potential, prompting them to host an international design competition the following year. Meanwhile, Fei’s concept design concept caught the attention of design lovers worldwide, and was selected as the Popular Choice winner of the 2023 Architizer A+Awards in the Unbuilt Cultural category and was nominated for the 2020 Harvard James Templeton Kelley Prize. “The old building itself is like an object being exhibited,” Fei says of his firm’s design. “We were trying to stitch together the old and the new in a cohesive and interesting way.” h

In Studio Fei’s vision, as gallerygoers travel through the building, the rooms get brighter and more modern. Geometric shapes, large windows, and industrial materials delineate the new spaces from the old.

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COURTESY STUDIO FEI

PEAK DESIGN Inspired by the region’s dramatic natural skyline, a classic wellness retreat in the Dolomites is given a modern makeover. By Rachel Gallaher Photographed by Alex Filz

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Designed by European firm Network of Architecture, an expansion of the Olympic Spa Hotel in northern Italy includes 10 new guest rooms in a modern building with a roofline that mimics the jagged peaks of the surrounding Dolomite Mountains.

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“THE DOLOMITE MOUNTAINS PERMEATE THE ENTIRE DESIGN, AND THEIR INFLUENCE IS PARTICULARLY RECOGNIZABLE IN THE JAGGED SILHOUETTE OF THE ROOFS.” —MICHELE PASCUCCI AND NICCOLÒ PANZANI, NETWORK OF ARCHITECTURE

The steep roofs reflect the regional design vernacular; abundant snowfall in the winter months makes them a necessity. For the exterior, the architects chose a cement mix in a color similar to that of Dolomite rocks. »

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pened as a small guest house by a local family in 1963, the Olympic Spa Hotel has expanded over the years into a popular vacation destination in northern Italy’s Trentino region. Tucked into the mountainous terrain of the Fassa Valley, the hotel, which remains under family ownership, has grown from that single guest house to include blocks of rooms; a restaurant, spa, and other amenities; and most recently, two modern additions designed by Italy- and Germany-based architecture firm Network of Architecture (NOA): a building comprising 10 guest rooms and a gym, and an elevated wooden sauna. Looking to the future, the family had presented NOA with the idea of a multistep refresh that would modernize the property’s facilities while remaining true to its roots. This vision complemented NOA’s process, which always considers a project’s lifespan and integration with its surroundings. “Our design approach is always in long-term scenarios in which, at the beginning, it is not relevant what will be built in the immediate future, but how the hotel as a whole will evolve,” note architect Michele Pascucci and interior designer Niccolò Panzani, both of NOA. “From an aesthetic point of view, the owners are very committed to tradition and the use of natural materials; an essential condition was the use of wood.” The first step was orienting the new building. Beautiful, wooded vistas had previously served as a backdrop for the existing resort, with most rooms facing the road. “We flipped the hotel’s center of gravity and set the new premises all facing the forest,” Pascucci and Panzani say. “The Dolomite Mountains permeate the entire design, and their influence is particularly recognizable in the jagged silhouette of the roofs.” The new building’s striking outline is especially evident in winter, when the dark exterior contrasts with the snowy landscape. “We used a cement mix whose color had to

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come close, in a mimetic intent, to that of the Dolomite rock,” Pascucci and Panzani explain. At one end of the complex, a higher peaked roof caps a two-level suite; the rest of the guest rooms are situated under a lower, but no less jagged, roofline. “These steep slopes have always been present in the region, given the abundant snowfall in the winter months,” the designers say. The building is partially buried and connected to the existing hotel by an underground passage, allowing for sheltered access. Each guest room has floor-to-ceiling windows and a large terrace overlooking the slope toward the Avisio stream. Four of the accommodations, the Te Bosch rooms, pay homage to the forest with their private, year-round glass-walled patios. The five water-inspired Te Aga rooms feature stone fountains that provide guests with water from a nearby mountain spring. For all, local oak was used for flooring and custom furniture. “We wanted to use materials from the natural world as much as possible, to merge outside and inside into one continuous space,” the designers explain. Nearby, a wooden bridge leads to the standalone sauna. Supported by pilotis, the elevated structure floats above a cross-country ski track where the famous Marcialonga ski race takes place each year. The sauna’s interiors are treated with black wax to create an interesting contrast to the exterior—and to the winter landscape. “The profile of the sauna roof recalls the aesthetics of the guest room building, and the timber cladding and structure recall the classic house in the woods,” Pascucci and Panzani note. “It was very important to us to link the wellness moment—going to the sauna— to the psychological well-being one derives from a walk in the forest.” h

The hotel’s new sauna is made entirely of wood. The exterior is clad in warm-toned larch, while the interiors are finished in spruce treated with black wax.

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GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66

A retro refit inspired by the northern Arizona landscape turns a faded motor lodge into a destination for Route 66 road-trippers. By Carla Sorrell Many of us long for the bygone era of highway travel, when trips were long and leisurely—and the journeys offered as much adventure and enjoyment as the final destinations. This sentiment drove the recent renovation of the Americana Motor Hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona, a Route 66 property built in 1962. Like many of the classic motor lodges lining the Mother Road, this one had lost much of its original charm to time. But thanks to two hospitality industry veterans, the once-popular stop has been reimagined for today, with a design and guest experience that harken back to the heyday of road-tripping, roadside motels, and drive-in culture. When it opened, the Americana Motor Hotel had “the most modern and desirable accommodations available in Flagstaff and was touted as the finest motor hotel on Route 66,” says Bashar Wali, CEO of Practice Hospitality, which was engaged to help concept, execute, and manage the property. At its peak in the 1960s, the hotel hosted country musician Willie Nelson when he played at the Museum Club down the road, and housed the cast and crew of Easy Rider during the movie’s filming in and around Flagstaff. “To cater to the modern traveler, the property required a makeover that would allow it to serve as a destination and home base for road-trippers and adventurers through the region,” Wali says. With help from Andrew Alford, former chief creative officer of Graduate Hotels, Practice Hospitality took cues from the region’s natural wonders—from the Grand Canyon to the ancient Wupatki Pueblo—and deep ties to astrotourism when developing the hotel’s design. The vibrant interiors celebrate utopian optimism with colorful touches, including geometric-patterned carpets, in-room disco balls, and lobby walls painted in warm desert tones that shift to the deep hues of a night sky. To recreate the experience that defined the hotel in its heyday, Wali and Alford updated its amenities to include “dive-in” movies in the heated pool; bikes that guests can borrow to venture around town; an expansive backyard with firepits, games, and telescopes for taking in the stars above the world’s first International Dark Sky City; and a fenced “barkyard” for four-legged visitors. Guests have been kicking back in this desert oasis since its doors reopened in June. h

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PRACTICE HOSPITALITY

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A contemporary update to this iconic 1962 roadside motel maintains the style and convenience of the original while catering to the modern traveler. To evoke the hotel’s 1960s heyday, the 89 guest rooms were redesigned with retro touches including geometric patterns, vintage prints, and disco balls. “Dive-in” movies in the heated pool recreate the experience that defined the hotel in its heyday.”

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TRANSPORT

DRIVING DESIGN FOR THE FUTURE

Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis radically reshapes the 30-year-old Renault Twingo as an electric concept car. By Carla Sorrell

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OPPOSITE: The reimagined Twingo is stripped of color and its exterior to reveal the essential elements that define its design. ABOVE: The transparent, molded-resin disk steering wheel is a result of Sabine Marcelis’ exploration of light’s interaction with various materials.

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or Sabine Marcelis—whose portfolio of functional and decorative object designs encompasses everything from donut-shaped poufs to swiveling stone chairs—the invitation to redesign the iconic Renault Twingo car was a welcome challenge. The designer and her Amsterdam-based team were compelled by the opportunities and restrictions that characterize such a complex project. “The collaboration with Renault began with an invitation to rethink Twingo as part of its 30th-anniversary celebrations,” Marcelis says. “It was a fantastic opportunity, and a new field of exploration for me, because I had never designed a car before. Working on such an iconic and popular car was a real challenge, especially given the scale of the project. It was an opportunity to create something truly innovative and memorable.” Marcelis’ work—a mix of product, installation, and spatial design—is characterized by simple, pure forms and her tendency to highlight the properties unique to specific materials. These qualities, along with her signature pastel color palette, shaped her vision of a Twingo for the modern age. To honor the original, a cult city car launched in 1993 when Patrick Le Quément was Renault’s legendary head of design, Marcelis stripped back the vehicle to the essential elements that defined its design: the wedge-shaped silhouette, “frog eye” headlights, and interior details including illuminated vents and buttons. Playing with light and materiality— including resin and Plexiglas, which allowed her to experiment with varied translucencies—she elevated the design from casual commuter to chic concept car. »

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“Working on such an iconic and popular car was a real challenge, especially given the scale of the project. It was an opportunity to create something truly innovative and memorable.”

—SABINE MARCELIS, STUDIO SABINE MARCELIS

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The sky was the limit for Marcelis, who was given complete creative freedom to explore new expressions of the materials already used for the vehicle.

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With its rich palette of warm red tones, the interior is both cozy and spacious. Exploring the idea of mono-materiality, Marcelis combined typically separate elements, like the sunshade with the rearview mirror. »

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TOP: White wheels amplify the impact of a completely white chassis. BOTTOM: The Twingo’s “frog eye” headlights are a feature of Marcels’ design.

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Marcelis also embraced the idea of mono-materiality, or reducing typically separate components into singular elements. For example, the sunshade and rearview mirror are combined to simplify and streamline the driver’s view through the windshield. The front seats are merged into a single bench. The vehicle’s body and windows also form a seamless piece interrupted only by a transition in opacity. “One of my favorite features is the key, which we designed in a translucent torus shape, a signature form I often work with,” Marcelis says. A white chassis and wheels offer a stark contrast to the red interior. Marcelis had a strong inclination to keep the exterior devoid of color, which allows the body materials’ characteristics to take center stage. The interior’s rich palette of saturated finish colors, ranging from burgundy to raspberry, nods to the original Twingo red. A peach-colored resin disk steering wheel and purple topstitching on the red leather seats enhance the interior experience. Exceptionally spacious given its compact footprint—a four-door option wasn’t introduced until the vehicle’s third generation, in 2014—the Twingo offered many features for Marcelis to explore. Her new lines and silhouette remain true to the original while maximizing the sense of space. Although the car is not road-legal, it is a fully functioning vehicle that has been tested extensively by Renault. The design, which debuted at Centre Pompidou in Paris, is a testament to the brand’s commitment to electrify all its European models by 2030. h

The reimagined Twingo was Marcelis’ first automotive design and Renault’s third cutting-edge designer collaboration in the past year.

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