.Wonder Book | Projects & Hospitality Book | International | Fall Winter 2023

EUR 35.00 | USD 45.00 | wonder.ifdm.design

Projects & Hospitality | Fall Winter 2023

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

Fall | Winter 2023

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

FEATURES

24

Color stories

In search of self, and one’s own color in the world

Interviews

PEOPLE Denis Montel & Julia Capp

28

It’s all about the experience

PEOPLE Guicciardini & Magni Architetti

88

Generosity and inclusivity at the museum

PEOPLE Carlo Masseroli

148 Cities of the future

Projects review

34

Laude Living Bologna, Italy

WONDER

34

Six Senses Rome

18 Domaine de la Rose, Lancôme, Grasse, France Rose House | NeM Architectes

42

20 Québec City | Passages Insolites Exmuro Arts Publics

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22 The Karl Lagerfeld Macau | The Grand Lisboa Palace Resort | SJM Resorts 82 Prague | Price f(x) Offices | Collcoll

A concept for temporary housing Timeless classicism

Nice Limeira, Brazil A smart factory that speaks to the future Ying’nFlo Hong Kong

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Balance as an invitation to connect

Manifattura Tabacchi Florence, Italy

84 Qingdao, China | Vanke Future City Mall

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The Fantastic Jungle | Clou Architects

86 Naples, Italy | Romeo Napoli

The creative social world of the factory

Soho House Stockholm

The SPA by Sisley Paris

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142 Nova Lima, Minas Gerais, Brazil Açucena House | Tetro

A new spectacular flair

Firma Brussels

144 Cold Spring, NY | Magazzino Italian Art

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146 Olomouc, Czech Republic

72

194 Val di Fassa, Italy | Olympic Spa Hotel | NOA

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A totally Italian welcome

94

Bulgari Hotel Tokyo The harmony of opposites

Robert Olnick Pavilion | Miguel Quismondo Alberto Campo Baeza The Red Church Reconstruction Olomouc Research Library | atelier-r

Can Santacilia Palma de Mallorca, Spain

198 New York | Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation | Studio Gang

A re-creation without too much sacrifice

Hangar Lounge Rome

196 Naples, Italy | Hi, my name is Stereo Mike Concept bar | Carmine Abate

So many things all at once, or co-working with a twist

LOAM Café & Bar Shanghai

102 A story that flows

94

Hotel Oktogon Budapest

104 Vintage flair, modern comfort Brixen Public Library Italy

110 A tree for the community Gurdau Winery

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Kurdějov, Czech Republic A camouflaging slope

YEAR VIII

03 Fall | Winter Publisher

Paolo Bleve | bleve@ifdm.it

Editor-in-Chief

Ruben Modigliani | ruben@ifdm.it

Deputy Editor

Alessandra Bergamini alessandra@ifdm.it

Editor-at-Large

Veronica Orsi | orsi@ifdm.it

Senior Editor

Giulia Guzzini | redazione@ifdm.it

Editors

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

Let’s keep in touch!

FEATURES

     ifdmdesign Zoku Paris

120 A business hotel becomes a second home Paleis Het Loo Museum Apeldoorn, Netherlands

126 House of Orange Park Hyatt Jakarta

132 The rule of no-two-alike Torres Blancas Madrid

138 The house tower Booking.com Amsterdam

154 An urban campus for a travel giant

132

Aethos Ericeira Portugal

162 Wellness as an experiential journey Rue du Vertbois Paris

168 The power of transformation JIC Brno, Czech Republic

172 A home for innovation Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp, Belgium

176 A sensitive modern restoration Falésia D’El Rey House Óbidos, Portugal

182 Embraced by the ocean Casa Baglioni Milan

186 Milanese living room Nolinski Venice, Italy

190 A change of scene

Short Stories

201 A wide view on major international projects

Design inspirations

223 A selection of the most innovative products

for the contract sector by international brands

Next

182

233 A preview of the upcoming global projects NEXT IN THE WORLD

240 Hospitality looks to the East

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SISTEMA DI SEDUTE DYLAN | DESIGN RODOLFO DORDONI DIVANO RAPHAEL | DESIGN GAMFRATESI DISCOVER MORE AT MINOTTI.COM/DYLAN

EDITORIAL

ALESSANDRA BERGAMINI Deputy Editor

Focus on People

T

his Fall/Winter edition of .Wonder Book presents twenty-six projects including interior design and architecture, redevelopment and new builds, hospitality and work, and home living and leisure time. This “collectible” selection of recently completed projects on varied scales in different regions and cities of the world was chosen to make room for a kind of “scan” of contemporary design, rather than to just identify trends. This edition includes projects, as usual, as well as faces of people who agreed to take part in this edition with personal contributions, such as the interviews with Julia Capp and Denis Montel of RDAI, Marco Magni of the Guicciardini & Magni Architetti studio, Carlo Masseroli of Nhood, and in ‘White Box’ by Francesco Conserva from the architecture studio Open Project, along Michael Giuliano, Regional Director of Operations for Italy at The Social Hub, Lavinia Guelfi, Contract Commercial Director, Lema and Frank Uffen, Managing Director of Community & Partnerships at The Social Hub, as well as Roberto Romanin, senior designer at ColorWorks™.Reading their words, we see the importance of designing to create curiosity, inclusivity,

and physical and mental well-being with positive individual experiences as well as a sense of community, as seen in student housing, the transformation of city sections, and designs for museums and cultural institutions. It is needed to pay attention to people and their relationships in space and in the rhythm of their daily lives. In a state of “permacrisis,” to quote the guide to colors of 2024 from The ColorForward™, Third story: Anything Else?: “Humanity is not over, as it and its capacity for collaboration remain the best resources with which to approach this scenario. There is an increasing emphasis on a vision of ‘community first’ in urban settings, making the physical and mental wellbeing of local citizens central.”

Enjoy the read.

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A

rchitecture plays a crucial role in the redevelopment of neighborhoods and can also redefine the relationship between a city and its university. Student housing, in particular, often acts as a magnet for talent, fostering creative and entrepreneurial innovation, becoming a pivotal opportunity for cultural promotion and comprehensive community development. Such spaces prove fundamental, shaping not only the professionals of the future but also exerting a significant influence on the identity of modern city dwellers. This is why, during both the design and construction phases, creating new spaces that coexist harmoniously with the city is essential as is seamlessly integrating them into the urban environment and having the capacity to spur processes of change. The most recent project, Laude Living Bologna, reflects advancements made in student accommodation. Transcending the conventional notion of a dormitory, the building serves as a space for sharing and collaborative studying, while fostering recreation and creativity. These aspects are vital for the development of young men and women, cultivating their ability to establish connections with others and share their visions of the future because exchanging with others is how we form our identities.”

FRANCESCO CONSERVA Vice President Open Project 14 | IFDM

WHITE BOX LAVINIA GUELFI Contract Commercial Director, Lema

FRANK UFFEN Co-Founder of The Class Foundation

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he contract furnishing industry can no longer ignore the boom in the student accommodation market. These projects are demanding in nature with tight schedules and limited budgets, requiring highly efficient solutions to ensure quality and long-term durability. Lema’s expertise ranges from furnishing luxurious five-star hotels and business accommodations to outfitting retail establishments and boutique hotels. Such vast experience has let Lema Contract enhance its ability to adapt to ever-changing demands and solidify the expertise needed for success in student accommodation projects, never compromising on the quality of the end result. One example is the success story of Collegiate Milan North, an impressive building that offers fully furnished mini-apartments with a wide array of amenities. This project was completed on time, on budget, and with results so impressive they speak for themselves. With a methodical approach and expertise honed through experience, Lema Contract consistently delivers effective, high-quality solutions that make every project a success.

nvesting in programs that incentivize Student Housing creates inclusive and positive environments for students and others through which they can fully express their potential. As The Social Hub, we strive precisely to create safe spaces that encourage personal growth and a sense of belonging for students, but also workers, travelers and all our guests who want to spend a night or a year in the cities where we are present, creating bonds and connections through educational experiences. Providing them with housing that fosters their sense of community must be a priority and an opportunity for the social and economic development of cities and universities. It becomes important to foster collaboration with universities, agencies, and institutions, as well as local realities, through which we can generate an impact on the local economy and develop urban transformation and regeneration strategies that support our guests and the places that have welcomed us.

MICHAEL GIULIANO Regional Director of Operations Italy The Social Hub

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he Student Living Monitor, the first survey by The Class Foundation involving 3,300 students in 40 countries, including Italy, highlighted the impact of Student Housing on student well-being in Europe. Using the Mental Health Inventory Index 5 (MHI-5), internationally established methodology, we were able to observe the connection between the housing environment and mental health and the importance of investing in programmes that promote its development. It is crucial to ensure that students are given the resources to embark on a successful pathway, from professionally managed housing through activities designed for student interaction and involvement, and spaces where décor and are an asset. In addition, encouraging the growth of the PBSA (Purpose Built Student Accommodation) market results in an opportunity not only for students, but also for local communities, thanks to the economic impact that students generate each year in the area.

WONDER. DOMAINE DE LA ROSE, LANCÔME, GRASSE, FRANCE | ROSE HOUSE | NEM ARCHITECTES Positioned at the center of an uncontaminated field of lavender, rose bushes and olive trees, the renovated Rose House is now open to the public, sector professionals and others, with training sessions, wor-

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© Laziz Hamani

kshops, screenings and events for knowledge of the tradition of the site and the company, the processes of perfume creation, and regenerative agricultural practices.

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WONDER. QUÉBEC CITY | PASSAGES INSOLITES | EXMURO ARTS PUBLICS

© Stéphane Bourgeois

During the recent public art event, internationally renowned artist Felice Varini presented Double interlaced concentric circles, a monumental work blending into the architecture of Place Royale.

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HOSPITALITY RESIDENTIAL RETAIL lemamobili.com

WONDER. THE KARL LAGERFELD MACAU | THE GRAND LISBOA PALACE RESORT | SJM RESORTS

© courtesy of Maison Karl Lagerfeld

The five-star hotel is the only one in the world wholly designed by the late Karl Lagerfeld. Design concept stemmed from a reimagining of modern Chinoiserie fused with traditional craftsmanship.

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ZIRKOL SIDE

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

COLOR STORIES

Trend

In search of self, and one’s own color in the world Collectivity as resource, with the importance of a new focus on the self: these are the themes behind the rising trends, translating into a warm, bright palette, a chromatic metaphor of today’s desire for positivity Author: Veronica Orsi

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e’re talking about color. The different palettes and hues that surround us – in fashion, furnishings, and consumer goods in general – have the ability to influence our moods and our relationships with particular objects.

But the colors we see around us are the result of research that analyzes everyday life, translating into chromatic trends. This is the task of the color and social trend experts of ColorWorks™, who identify four global trends that can influence the reaction of consumers to color over the next few years. They collect these findings and assign a palette of 5 hues to each (also known as a “story”). Each represents a key factor of any emerging movement. The result is a guide, the ColorForward™, containing the 20 colors that will set trends for the year to come. Considering the moment of widespread disorientation and rapid changes in the present, we have asked ourselves which colors will emerge, and what we should be expecting for 2024. There is a general desire for protection and security, faced with the instability of the world, so the colors shift towards more welcoming tones, offering a wider sensation of comfort; at the same time, bright and saturated colors are used to make room for human expression and exuberance.

While in the palette for 2023 purples and greens were the clear protagonists, for 2024 the colors shift towards reassuring ranges, like the browns and the yellows, adding a touch of mystery through the many shades of blue. Therefore ColorForward™ 2024 focuses on environmental themes, first of all (from the growing problems related to water shortage, to agricultural technology as a resource). But there also an emphasis on human value, in single or collective terms, giving rise to the last two Stories for the year to come, as explained by Roberto Romanin, senior designer at ColorWorks™.

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Ph Laura Panno

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

COLOR STORIES

Trend

THIRD STORY. ANYTHING ELSE?

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Aesthetics

Clusterf@*k

Bye gold

Where are those happy days?

Aggiungi un posto a tavola

Equilibrium State

“What else should we be expecting today?” This is a rhetorical question to introduce a trend: other wars, other economic, social or climate crises? We are witnessing a series of negative events packed into a short time span, perhaps unprecedented in history. We are living, in fact, in a state of so-called “permacrisis”. So we are said to be seeing the end of an era of peace and economic wellbeing, that have been available in the western world over the last three decades. But humanity is not over, with its capacity for collaboration, which remains the best resource with which to approach this present scenario. In response, various methods have emerged, which merge in the idea of cooperation. There is an increasing emphasis on a vision of “community first” in urban settings, putting the physical and mental wellbeing of local citizens at the center. This happens in the so-called “equilibrium cities” that seek to improve cultural interaction, sustainability and an economy of sharing. We are thus redefining our spaces and their contents, and an apparently contradictory trend emerges: retrofuturism, a combination of retro and futuristic design that merges nostalgia with the fascination with future technology (one example will do: the revival of the Volkswagen “Bulli” in an electric version). The value of cooperation can also be seen in the growth of organizational systems known as DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations), based on blockchain and self-governed, seeking a new way to cope with inequalities of wealth and governance, in a fusion of physical and virtual dimensions. The chromatic range that reflects this trend starts with a dark gray, a gloomy color that points to the concentration of negative events, with the nickname Clusterf@*k.

Then there is Bye gold, a very diluted, almost transparent golden hue, reminding us that economic and environmental wealth is drying up. Where are those happy days? (borrowed from a song by ABBA) is instead a nostalgic color of retrofuturism: a fluo orange, bright, saturated, an effort not to lose hope and to remind us of a luminous past. Next comes the pale azure (warm, with violet interferences) of Aggiungi un posto a tavola (one more guest for dinner), the color of technology, referencing the DAOs. Finally, we reach Equilibrium State, the city of the future constructed on community and nature, therefore presenting a green with limited saturation, veering towards yellow.

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

COLOR STORIES

Trend

FOURTH STORY. WHAT ABOUT ME?

Once again, it is a question that turns on the trend spotlight. The central focus of the thinking, and of the emerging trends, is people and their needs. A direct reaction to the pandemic, which canceled out opportunities and desires for two or three years. Starting with travel. In the attempt to recover lost time and to reconnect to the world around us, “revenge travel” has rapidly become a phenomenon. The economy of products seems to be getting replaced by one of experiences. One of the reasons is the awareness that taking care of yourself is not egotistical, quite the opposite: doing things that make us happy, satisfied, complete and content is a priority. This is true in the real world, but also in the digital sphere. The evolution of the metaverse will involve the possibility of full, free self-expression that avatars in the virtual dimension – an experiment already being tested by Adidas and Ready Player Me, or by Be Real, an app that encourages us to take and post one photo each day, developing an unfiltered view of ourselves. In the model of education, the passion economy still rules: above all, the younger generations are looking for jobs that reflect their interests and passions, rather than standard career paths. It is no coincidence that the most coveted profession for GenZ is that of the content creator, a sector – namely the content economy – that already includes over 50 million people. So it’s time for strong, exaggerated, super-warm colors.

Starting with the yellow of Happy as a clam, a metaphor of a protected ecosystem – which is what the home has become, for many – in which to feel safe, productive and free. The central focus on ourselves leads to the warm intimacy of Me, Myself & I, an orange with red influences that retunes personal physical and psychological wellbeing. Magenta with highimpact personality is seen in To the max, the hue of maximalism that thrives in this trend which makes room for self-expression in the digital and physical world. Then comes My Way, a symbol of the passion economy and young people who are searching for their own paths, assigning priority to their passions, hence with a color connected with inner existent, a sort of “gut red.” Finally, Payback time is the color of revenge time, the time lost during the pandemic that now has to be reconquered. In chromatic terms, this translates into an ultrablue violet, strong but with a feminine touch.

Happy as a clam

Me, Myself & I

Aesthetics

To the max

My Way

Payback time

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

author: Alessandra Bergamini portrait photo: Gaelle Le Boulicaut projects photo: courtesy of RDAI, Masao Nishikawa (Hermès Dosan Park), Stirling Elmendorf (Hermès Fukuoka Iwataya), Kevin Scott (Hermès Madison), Michel Denancé (Cité des Métiers Hermès), Kyle Yu (Bountiful Journey Tower), Christian Kain (Hermès Vienna)

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PEOPLE

Denis Montel & Julia Capp

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

PEOPLE

Denis Montel & Julia Capp

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE Julia Capp and Denis Montel talk about the history and work of the RDAI interior design and architecture studio, their lasting achievement in the luxury retail sector, and their new adventures

I

n the Paris-based studio founded 50 years ago as Rena Dumas Architecture Intérieure, Julia Capp and Denis Montel continue on the path laid out by the interior designer who started her long collaboration in 1976 with Hermes, one of the most long-lived and illustrious French fashion houses. They also blaze new trails. Their partnership with Hermes has continued over the years with a long line of flagship stores around the world, including Tianjin, Vienna, Fukuoka, Hamburg, New York, and with a Cité de Metiers on the outskirts of Paris that earned the studio the Equerre d’Argent award in 2014. The studio’s design work is always shared between the two partners whose studio employs over 100 people. It has shifted over time from product and interior design to interior architecture and architecture in general, for Hermes and other clients. As Julia Capp says, “We try not to do much retail outside Hermes, as I think it is good for us intellectually and creatively to work in other realms.” In recent years, its work has expanded to hospitality. The So/Paris was completed last year and large apartment buildings such as the interiors for Broome Soho New York and Eighty Seven Park Miami, as well as the Bountiful Journey apartments in Taiwan. There are three essential design foundations in the diversity of realms: context, scale, and experience, with plenty of attention to craftsmanship and materials.

How would you tell the story of your firm?

Julia Capp: RDAI (Rena Duma Architecture Intérieure) was established a little more than 50 years ago in 1972, as an interior design practice. Rena developed it first with private clients, which included Hermes, and over the years it kept on growing. I joined the firm in 1998 and Denis joined shortly after. It was at that point when Hermes was developing larger, more ambitious and architectural projects. Rena wanted to respond to that so she employed us as architects.

She understood that Hermes needed architects, not just interior designers. Since then, we have been involved in the whole project, from architecture to interiors and furniture design. Today our office, with more than one hundred people employed, practices architecture and design, as we really want to be involved in the full experience.

Which projects do you consider milestones for the firm?

Denis Montel: For a long time we were very focused on only Hermes projects so our milestone projects were quite related to Hermes. However, ten to twelve years ago, we started to develop other sorts of projects and now we work on lots of different programs for many different clients. A very important project for us was the first Hermes flagship store we completed in Paris after Rena Dumas passed away. For this Hermes Rive Gauche, we decided to take some risks so we designed a massive wooden structure, which started a new dialogue between RDAI and Hermes. One of our most important projects is the Dosan Park Building, in Seoul, as our office designed its architecture. Another key project is La Cité des Métiers, a campus with workshops, offices, product archives, IFDM | 29

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

exhibition space, and company restaurant located in Pantin on the northern edge of Paris.

Julia Capp: The large project in Pantin (26,000 sqm) was very significant because in order to be approved by the local French government we had to be registered architects. So, we opened a new office, RDAI Architecture, with Denis as a registered French architect and established ourselves as a real architectural studio. Afterwards, we won the Prix de l’Equerre d’Argent 2014. This was very inspiring for us as it was our first architectural project in France.

What are the most important key concepts in your design approach?

Julia Capp: Three elements are very important to us in any project, context, scale, and experience.

These three elements are really what we look for in every project. In our projects, people can see recurring elements, for example, the way light penetrates the building is very important for us because you feel the light on your body, and it adds to the experience you have in the building.

We’re always working to see how the building can introduce light, but it’s not something we want to put in blindly. For each project, we look at how we can incorporate light relative to the context and the scale of the project, and the experience we want to give people. So, it’s more than just a recurring style, we want our projects to respond to the individual context, time, and the questions the client asks us on each occasion instead of having people say it’s an RDAI project. We want to create an experience.

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PEOPLE

Denis Montel & Julia Capp

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

PEOPLE

What does creating the experience mean?

Julia Capp: All of the projects are challenging. In each project we want to arouse a feeling in the people that come in, at the entrance, and when they’re inside. Each experience is different and individual. The experience is something we consider at every scale and every stage of the design.

If we are doing a building for example, the “experience” means how you see it as you approach the building as well as how you experience it inside.

For example, in the building we did in Pantin, La Citè des Métiers, one of the façades is made out of hand-made bricks, and one in five of them is glazed. So, if you look at it from the front on it looks like a brick façade, but if you move slightly the sun will reflect off the brick and you will notice it. It’s something you can experience as you move around the building.

Denis Montel: This is a good example because this building has an important scale and we wanted it to look very solid, so we decided to use bricks, but we also wanted to give it weight and complexity. To make it look more delicate we introduced a few details, such as enamel bricks and recessed bricks in opposite directions to play with

Denis Montel & Julia Capp

the bounds of the façade. So, the front view is a flat brick façade, and there’s a dynamic quality as the brick itself is hand-made and quite rough, but as soon as you look from an angle the facade looks as if it’s covered with fish scales which makes it both sophisticated and rough. The façade itself is the beginning of the experience, which only continues when we get to the interiors with a sequence of spaces. The lobby, for example, is very high and quite narrow, a void of about 18 meters, which is then reduced by a low slab. The effect is like a process of aspiration as you enter and then go through it to arrive at a garden. This makes the sequence of the space something you can feel.

How do you blend local or diverse influences in a project in a way that is new on each occasion?

Julia Capp: Every time we approach a new project, we look at the way we can relate the existing context to the new one. In the Hermes projects, some small elements are related to the brand, almost subliminal elements, like the name, flooring, or some lighting details. Apart from that, everything is looked at in a new way. We study the places, the history, and the location within the city, and then we try to express it through different know-how, savoir-faire, using different materials, often evoking traditions and histories. For example, for the Hermes flagship in Osaka, Japan, we designed a façade inspired by Kumiko, a traditional game made with small pieces of wood.

We decided we wanted to reproduce this game pattern on a large scale. We were able to expand this traditional method of assemblage of wooden pieces by using parametric design to alternate more opaque areas and more open ones, and then local Japanese artisans were able to piece it together by hand onsite. Hermes came to Osaka through a dialogue with Japanese culture; people go in and can experience this traditional “know-how” at a completely extreme scale. For each project, we find a way to maintain dialogue with the local context in the same way.

Denis Montel: We love to work with craftsmen, with beautiful, natural materials, but we always look at traditions in a modern way. In the case of this wooden façade, the starting point was the traditional geometry of a flower made of wood. We completely revisited the pattern, it looks like the Above Hermès Vienna, below Hermès Madison New York. Opposite page, above Hermès Dosan Park Seoul, below Hermès Fukuoka Iwataya Japan IFDM | 31

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PEOPLE

original but it’s different. When we met the artisans, they first said they couldn’t do it, but when we explained we wanted to work together and with their craftmanship they were happy.

Bountiful Journey Tower Taiwan, interiors.

Opposite page, above Cité des Métiers, Pantin, below Bountiful Journey Tower, building

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Is the role of materiality key in all your work?

Denis Montel: Materiality and know-how are not only related to our work for Hermes, they are our way of looking at projects. Materiality is deeply engrained in the culture of our firm. I think we inherited Rena Dumas’s sensibility for materials.

When we talk about experience, and since we are architects doing a lot of architectural, interior and object design, we design environments where people live very close to each other, so the feel of touch and colors are very important as we create feelings by using materials and colors at different scales.

Julia Capp: Our clients love to have this level of craftsmanship in their projects because that’s the experience for them. We did a private residence in Miami for which we designed a console whose top is made with a material produced with shells we found in the Philippines. And this evokes much more for our client than many other beautiful furnishings we have done. Our clients love to share craftsmanship and its value and experience it.

Denis Montel & Julia Capp

And what about your idea of sustainability?

Denis Montel: It is more than an idea. It’s more like a feeling infused in the work of the office. Today architects cannot work without being involved in sustainability, and this is good because we all have to move ahead and build better buildings. Going back to the topic of materiality and know-how, there is a dimension of sustainability that comes first. For example, being careful to use local materials or sustainable materials. Now we have a more technical approach to sustainability, and we have to become experts on all subjects related to it. We work in two directions, one is the whole team has to be more educated, and the other is that we have to be aware that all of our design actions have consequences.

How do you think retail design changed over the last decade?

Denis Montel: We can see a big difference in retail environments compared to ten years ago in most luxury brands. I think the goal today is to establish a relationship between brands and their clients, and it’s all about experience. Once again, I’m using this word. When you like a brand, you want to know more about it and it’s not only about

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

PEOPLE

Denis Montel & Julia Capp

a service; people can come and ask about materials they want to use in some location or on some project. That’s why the word ‘curator’ is important, it’s not just about materials, it’s about why, where, and when you would want to use a material. It’s not a sample library, we provide expertise and advice.

Could you tell us something about your ongoing and future projects?

Julia Capp: We try not to do much retail outside Hermes, as I think it is good for us intellectually and creatively to work in other realms. We’ve also moved into hotel work and have been working on apartment towers for many years. We did a couple of projects with Renzo Piano [Broome Soho New York and Eighty Seven Park Miami]. We finished the So/ Paris last year, and we have another hotel in Martinique, which is starting construction in one month, and another hotel on site in Doha.

We started designing private houses. We have three at the moment. We are also working on a museum in the U.S. in Orlando, Florida. We really like to get into cultural programs, and we’re doing some competitions.

buying because you can buy while at home. It’s about knowing what the brand wants to express, it’s more about conversation and curiosity about the brand. When we designed the most recent Hermes flagships, the one in New York, Madison, or the one we completed last month in Vienna, we didn’t imagine a shop, but a café, a library, a salon, where you can also buy a bag or a pair of shoes. It feels less and less like retail because you can be somewhere else, not in the shop. I think this is really a new development. And it’s funny because ten years ago we had lots of counters and selling furniture in a shop, now we have lots of seating and sofas.

Do you play different roles in the design process?

Julia Capp: We are both architects. Denis has the role of artistic director. I do a little bit of artistic direction but more on the furniture side. I would say I do a lot more general management than he does and I work a lot on the international sector in English in Asia and America. I think is very important for our clients to have a 360-degree view of their projects. I really want to make sure that Denis sees everything that comes out of the office, that’s very important.

Denis Montel: And I do likewise. We are working very close, she knows all about what I’m doing and I know all about what she is doing.

Why did you establish Material Curator?

Denis Montel: Over 15 years, we have built a big material library. It’s our little treasure box and we have five people working on it. Two or three years ago, we decided to share and show this treasure box to others. One day, Julia came and said she knew what we should call that new department in our office, Material Curator, directed by Carole Petitjean.

Julia Capp: It was also because other companies used to ring up and ask us about wood. We offer IFDM | 33

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STUDENT HOUSING

Bologna, Italy

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

A concept for temporary housing Laude Living Bologna is the focus of an urban redevelopment project in Bologna’s close-in outskirts. A new concept of student housing by Open Project and TP Bennett, it is envisioned both as a gathering place and as a landmark with low ecological impact for the neighborhood

STUDENT HOUSING

Bologna, Italy

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n Bologna, non-resident university students are one of the groups with the most intensive housing needs. One answer to this demand, in the footsteps of new trends from northern Europe offering innovative, integrated housing solutions for young people, is Laude Living Bologna a new student residence designed by Open Project in the historically working-class neighborhood of Bolognina. A 15-minute walk from the central university area, Laude Living Bologna fits into a redevelopment of the urban built fabric, also connecting to the city’s green space of the adjacent park. It strives to become a creative hub conceived as a point of gathering for the local community and a landmark with low environmental impact for the neighborhood.

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“Students make up a fertile environment for ideas,” says Francesco Conserva, vice president of Open Project and partner with Maurizio Piolanti. “We planned and designed around the individual’s needs to make a creative hub where new connections can be forged, with an eye to the importance of relationships and social life. It is also a gathering point for the neighborhood, a chance to make the local community central and reconnect it with the university district and the many stimuli that this sparks, a place that can be an inspiration for the international world of students who live in or travel through Bologna.” Designed and built based on a concept developed with TP Bennett, the student complex rises 16 floors above ground with a basement, for a total area of 20,000 square meters. The large building can accommodate over 500 beds, with mini-apartments with individual bathrooms and kitchens, as well as many large ancillary common spaces – including open spaces – for socializing, sports, leisure, and, 36 | IFDM

STUDENT HOUSING

Bologna, Italy

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

STUDENT HOUSING

Bologna, Italy

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STUDENT HOUSING

Bologna, Italy

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

STUDENT HOUSING

Bologna, Italy

Client: Stonehill Main contractor: CMB Operator: Beyoo Architectural and Interior design: Open Project Concept: TP Bennett Project management: Drees & Sommer Italia Contractor and custom furnishings: Cesare Roversi Mini-aparments custom furnishings: S.75 Outdoor furnishings: Bellitalia, Metalco, Muuto Lighting: Inotec, Isyluce, Nobile Italia, Nobiled, Novalux, Philips, Wiva, 3f Filippi Bathrooms: StercheleGroup Appliances: Bosch, Electrolux, Miele, Sagi, Silverline Windows: Schüco Partitions: Gyproc, Isover, Ponzi, Ferlegno Wallpaper: Vescom Floors: Cotto d’Este, Tarkett Doors: Novoferm, Bertolotto, Schüco Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Giacomo Albo, Ingrid Taro

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of course, study. The façade is punctuated with linear, graphic precision with window sections in line with the rooms alternating with solid parts. The neutral hues of the façades let the structure fit harmoniously into the surrounding environment. The interiors, in contrast, are striking for their pop aesthetics with a vibrant explosion of energetic colors and contrasting combinations. The bright colors of the walls and custom furnishings add to the intense impact of the tailor-made wallpapers designed by TP Bennett with a graffiti effect, creating diverse interiors with common color palettes. The interior design encompasses an industrial style, making ample use of metal elements and leaving the building systems completely on view, partly in tribute to the building’s history, previously a factory for railway carriages. The apartments, study rooms, and private dining areas are powered by heating systems and intelligent energy-saving systems, which can be controlled remotely by BMS and have low ecological impact, which has earned the building LEED® Gold certification.

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STUDENT HOUSING

Bologna, Italy

PH BERNARD TOUILLON

ETHIMO.COM

SHOWROOM M I L A N / PA R I S ROME / LONDON / CANNES

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Timeless classicism The Thai chain Six Senses opens its first Italian urban hotel in Rome.

Patricia Urquiola does the interior design

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rominent historical references include the mosaic floors of the BIVIUM RestaurantCafe-Bar (inspired by a mosaic from the triclinium of the house of Vigna Lupi now in the Vatican Museums) and the sculpture-table with classical features by artist Paolo Giordano in the lobby representing Janus, the two-faced god who looks toward the past and the future. These are the symbols of the new Six Senses Rome in Piazza San Marcello, a ho-

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tel of 96 rooms and suites housed within the historic walls of Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini. Patricia Urquiola’s new design elegantly blends the building’s history with the contemporary aesthetics of a luxury hotel while also enhancing the architectural interventions carried out over the centuries. One example is the steel structure commissioned in the 1970s by architects Ludovico Quaroni and Paolo Micalizzi in the Galleria, which now features custom-made

Rome

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Rome

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HOTEL

Rome

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Rome

round carpets by cc-tapis. The Galleria bridges the before and after, a passageway lit by large windows facing the courtyard leading to the historic baptistery of the Church of San Marcello, which guests can see through the transparent walkway, and to the bar and restaurant area, designed by Patricia Urquiola like an inviting, convivial market square.

All the interiors contain references to the classical world, especially in the choice of travertine, which in the guest rooms combines with wood paneling and cocciopesto plaster, an ancient material made modern by its eco-friendly quality. The guest rooms also contain custom-made furnishings and artworks with a timeless elegance like diptychs by South Korean artist T-Yong Chung and photos by Caroline Gavazzi. But the true recurring theme is natural beauty, with plants held in hanging lamps next to the bed or conjured in the softly shaped sinks that look like water-polished stones. In line with the Six Senses philosophy, the two-story spa (with wet area on the first floor and dry area on the ground floor) plays a key role, representing exclusive, sophisticated well-being and taking cues from the monumental elegance of Roman baths. Alongside the triclinium steam room are an ice fountain, a relaxation area, a meditation room, and the Alchemy Bar where you can make creams with aromatic herbs. Everything is “wrapped” in elegant, omnipresent travertine, with contrasting classical and rationalist shapes and mythological references like the laurel leaves of Apollo and Daphne in the decoration.

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Developer: Orion Capital Managers Hotel operator: Six Senses Group Main Contractor: CDs Holding Architecture: Starching and architect Paolo Micalizzi Interior design: Patricia Urquiola Gallery and restaurant: Quaroni-Micalizzi intellectual property Furnishings & Lightings: Agape, Cassina, Flos, Glas Italia, Kettal, Moroso; custom-made designed

by Patricia Urquiola Carpets: GAN, cc-tapis, Warli Artworks: T-Yong Chung, Caroline Gavazzi Author: Elena Luraghi Photo credits: courtesy of Six Senses Rome; ​​ John Athimaritis

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HOTEL

Rome

Photography: Beppe Brancato - AD: Studio MILO

I CHING

DESIGN BY ELISA OSSINO A heating object epitomising the radical simplification of shape and perfection in every detail.

I CHING is a stainless steel electric heated towel rail.

Each module can be installed horizontally or vertically, providing the opportunity to create an array of graphic compositions on the wall.

Light-weight, minimal and understated.

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

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HEADQUARTERS

Limeira, Brazil

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HEADQUARTERS

Limeira, Brazil

A smart factory that speaks to the future Mario Cucinella Architects has revolutionized the concept of production spaces for Nice Brasil’s new headquarters, creating a full bioclimatic machine set in the green of Limeira, northwest of San Paolo

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sustainable business model increases efficiency and production quality, with new technologies designed to improve working conditions and reduce environmental impact. These principles of “Industry 4.0” are determined to aim for a virtuous approach to the future. Nice, a global company in the home and building management and security industry, is going full speed ahead on this path, as shown in the architecture of its new headquarters (20,000 sq.m.) in Limeira, near San Paolo, Brazil, which is also one of the international centers of the group’s research & development. Mario Cucinella Architects flips the concept of a production space, moving from an image of a closed, compact structure to one that is open and perme-

able, forging a dialogue with the surrounding community and environment. The symbiotic relationship between built space and nature starts from a fresh take on traditional Brazilian architectural elements to reduce energy consumption by using fewer active measures and more passive ones that take advantage of favorable climatic conditions. This has great benefits for the comfort levels of its users. For example, the roof takes inspiration from the shape of a tropical leaf resting gently on lightweight columns and it is also the building’s most important passive environmental device.

It gives protection from direct sunrays during the hottest months of the year, bringing the right amount of diffused light into all spaces.

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by directing natural light in a large space, improving the livability and establishing direct contact with the exterior. Openable components also let natural ventilation be enjoyed in the building for two-thirds of the year.

Transition spaces (semi-outdoors) control the microclimate between outside and inside and shaded areas. In the production area too, the combination of thermal mass and natural ventilation makes no heating or cooling necessary. The building is potentially able to operate without support from the electrical mains for several periods of the year. In keeping with the overall energy policy that Nice has adopted, starting with a mapping of its carbon footprint in 2021, it has set itself the goal by 2025 of reducing CO2 emissions by 50% caused by energy consumption. And it aims to reach zero carbon emissions by 2030, consistent with international targets to contain global warming below 2°C. 50 | IFDM

HEADQUARTERS

Limeira, Brazil

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HEADQUARTERS

Limeira, Brazil

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HEADQUARTERS

Owner: Nice Architecture: Mario Cucinella Architects Landscape design: Balmori Associates Structural engineering & MEP: MF Minerbo Fuchs Engenharia Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Duccio Malagamba

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Limeira, Brazil

AD Designwork – Photo concept Eye – Copywriting Carter&Bennett

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

GUESTHOUSE

Hong Kong

Balance as an invitation to connect A lovely mingling of forms, lines, hues, and skillfully placed accents of colors create a cozy, inviting atmosphere at Ying’nFlo, a guesthouse designed by Linehouse in the vibrant Wan Chai neighborhood of Hong Kong

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ing’nFlo is a guesthouse in Hong Kong’s vibrant center, welcoming young urban travelers in a modern, comfortable environment that steps away from the traditional hotel style of rigid spaces and inflexible boundaries. Given the task of giving physical expression to the brand’s concept of hospitality according to a “sociable lifestyle approach” and eco-efficient actions, the Linehouse architecture

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and interior design studio created warm, home-like atmospheres in social spaces as well as in rooms, focusing on style as much as on comfort and functionality. At the entrance, the Collector’s Room ushers guests inside with clean lines, organic forms, natural materials, and a neutral palette of hand-painted walls, punctuated by works of art and objects that together contribute to a playful yet sophisticated elegance.

Client: Great Eagle Holdings and Langham Hospitality Interior design: Linehouse Main suppliers: Anta, Caesarstone, Inax, Mutina, St. Leo Wool Studio Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Jonathan Leijonhufvud

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

GUESTHOUSE

Hong Kong

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Mutina terracotta tiles cover the floor and create a continuous connection with the lush outside terrace with bolder colors. Large sliding glass doors frame it and an olive tree in the center is the star of the undulating landscaping. Seats are built into the striped yellow fabric and round pistachio green huts. A communal light oak wood table becomes a counter letting guests interact. A wooden lattice panel extends from the outside to the elevator lobby and leads to The Arcade, a room for gathering, relaxing, and playing. The tiles with graphic patterns enliven the floor design, offset by soft walls, and wooden shutters that lend a home-like feel to an eclectic mix of furnishings. Adjacent to The Arcade is the Music Room, Ying’nFlo’s true social hub, framed by ceramic tiles, textural plaster, and a bespoke oak shelving system. The guestrooms on the upper floor use a bold, well-considered interplay of colors on just a few elements. Dark green, for instance, colors the ceilings, door and window frames, and hand-glazed tiles in the bathroom and kitchen.

The living room corners and lounge furniture for working, relaxing, or eating make the guest rooms efficient and practical for a pleasant, seamless experience.

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GUESTHOUSE

Hong Kong

The Monaco Chair and Bistro Table, designed by Eugeni Quitllet. I sutherlandfurniture.com

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

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MIXED USE

Florence, Italy

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

MIXED USE

Florence, Italy

The creative social world of the factory The Factory, a high-quality retail and hospitality complex designed by studio q-bic, is the beating heart of former factory Manifattura Tabacchi in Florence.

The central area with hanging gardens provides space for art and events

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wenty-one-thousand square meters of surface area including over 5,000 for retail, 11,220 for offices, 1,000 for exhibitions, and 7,240 for public areas. These are the numbers of the Factory, the beating heart of 1930s tobacco factory Manifattura Tabacchi, and Florentine architectural firm q-bic’s contribution to the redevelopment of Pier Luigi Nervi’s industrial complex. Buildings 4, 5, and 11, which originally housed workshops and form a huge U-shape, have been back in operation since summer 2023. Designed as a new urban-scale public square, the Factory houses commercial spaces on the ground floor and office spaces on the three floors above. The bright, flexible, eco-conscious open spaces feature massive volumes, towering heights, concrete structures, exposed pipes, and large windows.

The eminent Polimoda international school, which occupies the elegant Nervi-designed building overlooking Piazza dell’Orologio and often holds its fashion shows at Manifattura, has also acquired some of the new, redeveloped office spaces. The art gallery that shares building 11 with a large event space (for everything from markets to DJ sets) works with the Palazzo Strozzi Foundation, a major player in the Florentine contemporary art scene. Building 11 is overlooked by the roof garden Officina Botanica, which was designed by Antonio Perazzi along with the rest of Manifattura’s green spaces and connects to the surrounding offices through large, metal canopies. A rating of Excellent by the BREEAM Certification guarantees high standards of environmental sustainability. “Since there is a 70 cm difference between the entrances and the outside elevation, we transformed the original windows into doors to make the ground floor accessible,” q-bic founders

Architectural design: q-bic di Luca e Marco Baldini Landscape design: Antonio Perazzi Tenants food&beverages, retail: Archivi Sartoriali, Barberè, Blues Barber, Bottega Biologica, Bulli&Balene, Cool Farm, Cuchiss Lab, Ditta Artigianale, Duccio Maria Gambi, Fàbera, Hiroko – Bento fatti a modo, Lostudioesse, Lunedì, Noa Ink, Opera Prima, Polverenera, Shake Café, SUPERDUPER, Todo Modo, Trek Bikes, ZOO Design Tenants offices&arts: Carbonsink, Doghead, Gruppo Florence, LVMH, PNAT, Polimoda, SDG Group, Shippy Pro, Associazione Arte Continua, Toast, Veda Author: Elena Franzoia Photo credits: Eleonora Festari, Niccolò Vonci, Alessandro Fibbi, Leonardo Morfini, Serena Gallorini, Andrea Martiradonna, Giovanni Andrea Rocchi

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MIXED USE

Florence, Italy

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

MIXED USE

Florence, Italy

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Luca and Marco Baldini explain. “We could have used ramps and ladders to solve the problem of the external height difference, but we chose to strengthen the idea already tried out in temporary building 9 of the elevated wooden pier-sidewalk to maintain accessibility to a car-free area where only bicycles can go. People also use the platform as a seat, especially during happy hour when Manifattura is particularly lively.” The cutting-edge brands, both large and small, that have set up shop in the Factory are not the kind you see in the center or at the mall but share Manifattura’s holistic concept of sustainability. This is the case for the Bulli & Balene restaurant, the US sportbike brand Trek, and SuperDuperHats, which here includes an atelier for creating unique hats worn by artists like Ben Harper and Vinicio Capossela, as well as an entire collection developed with Jovanotti. “A goal of the Factory, and Manifattura in general, is to prize artisan work and combine it with gentle, alternative mobility,” say the Baldini brothers. “In the central building, we chose the same iridescent bluish iron for the internal staircase found in other Manifattura interiors, like the floors in the offices and in Polimoda, to contrast with the rest of the building, which we left rough like we found it to recall its industrial past.”

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MIXED USE

Florence, Italy

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

CLUBS

Stockholm

A new spectacular flair The Soho House private members club is coming to Stockholm for a second time, now choosing a deconsecrated former 19th-century church. Situated between the “living” history of carefully restored features and Swedish-inspired refinements

Client/Owner: Soho House & Company Operator: Soho House Interior design: Severine Lammoglia Furnishings: Kjellerup, Trine Tronhjem and Liv Rømer, Hans Bergström, Hans J. Wegner, Jac van den Bosch Lightings: Sofia Olsson, Cassandra Bradfield, Hans Bergström, Hans J. Wegner, Jac van den Bosch Fabric design: Josef Frank, Cathy Nordström, Nina Bruun, Tronhjem Rømer Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Dana Ozollapa

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

S

oho House Stockholm is the second location in Scandinavia to open its doors to the famous club that Nick Jones founded in 1995. It is in the midst of ogival vaults and elaborate stained glass of a deconsecrated Methodist church in Stockholm’s cosmopolitan Östermalm district. This quite spectacular setting’s architectural and figurative heritage, as distinctive as it is grand, nonetheless does not overwhelm the iconic intentions of classic Scandinavian design. It smoothly integrates with a sophisticated and imaginative interplay of color and material.

It also allows for the iconographic counterpoint of the abundant collection of artworks that defies stereotypes about art exhibited in sacred places with a coming together of artists born, living, or raised in Sweden. The House’s color palette takes inspiration from Stockholm’s deep,

CLUBS

Stockholm

expressive seasonal hues. They are heightened by the fabrics designed by Swedish designers Josef Frank and Cathy Nordström and Danish designers Nina Bruun and Tronhjem Rømer, combining with the red, yellow, green, blue, and purple tones of the church’s windows, reverberating over an area of 1,430 square meters. Every corner of Soho House Stockholm features furniture and lighting by Scandinavian designers such as Hans Bergström, Hans J. Wegner, and Jac van den Bosch. For instance, lamps are decorated with Swedish-inspired fabrics, pleated lampshades, and soft armchairs on the mezzanine upholstered with the Barranquilla print, one of Josef Frank’s iconic fabrics. The heart of the club, the church’s spacious center, is all about conviviality.

Floating lightly in its center is the majestic linen chandelier designed by the Swedish-American

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designer duo Sofia Olsson and Cassandra Bradfield.

The library on the lower floor is inspired by Swedish living rooms with ample armchairs with side headrests as well as a lush orange sofa set back into the wall panels, subtly lit by smoky glass chandeliers. The bar counter is the dominant feature here, with lacquered front panels forming a kind of contemporary chessboard made of colored blocks and a solid brass top. Cecconi’s Club is entered through an internal courtyard surrounded by lush plant life and features a mosaic floor of green, white, and deep purple stripes. Cecconi’s iconic chair is upholstered with green and burgundy striped fabric from the Scandinavian manufacturer Kjellerup, completed by red stools lined up in front of the counter which has a Carrara marble top and scalloped wood front panel.

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CLUBS

Stockholm

NOOR COLLECTION 2023 - Design: SPHERE, superior handtufted in bamboo silk relief and loop jute - diam. 400 cm

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

CO-WORKING

Brussels

So many things all at once, or co-working with a twist Work culture continues to evolve within firma’s second location. In the heart of Brussels, a hotbed of inspiration fosters the meeting between entrepreneurship and creativity by facilitating high-potential synergies

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fter having opened its first location in the industrial district of Vilvoorde in Flanders, firma has chosen its second home in the center of Brussels in a former warehouse of about 800 square meters, which the Keper architects renovated and converted. This creative yet low-key space is minimalist and in68 | IFDM

viting. It embodies an efficient response to the “new normal,” rethinking the places and paces of traditional offices. It opens to its nature as a shared environment – with flexible workstations, meeting rooms, and common spaces – while positing itself as an incubator of creativity and productivity. firma II gives those who come through,

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

CO-WORKING

Brussels

whether for the short or long term, a chance to find experience, forge new relationships, and create collaborations, sharing day-to-day experiences and experiencing new disciplines. Familiar Reflections, for instance, was the first exhibition hosted in its Brussels location, put on by the creative studio Baroness O., at the end of a collaborative, immersive residency program in which Belgian artists and designers participated, the caliber of Stephane Barbier Bouvet, Niels Raoul Boone, Clarisse Bruynbroeck, Bieke Buckinx, Destroyers Builders, Jord Lindelauf, Thibeau Scarcériaux, Ben Storms, Studio Matta, Bram Vanderbeke, Elias Van Orshaegen, and paulineplusluis.

Though firma II is open to all, it seems to be primarily independent makers, designers, and innovative entrepreneurs who have been most swayed by the power of disciplinary cross-pollination and the value of interconnection, which are the key concepts underpinning this space. “I think it’s important to create a place where entrepreneurship IFDM | 69

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CO-WORKING

Brussels

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

CO-WORKING

Brussels

Architectural design: KEPER architecten Interior design: Anne Van Assche (baroness o.)

Furnishings: Aqualex, Atelier Hanssens, Sistem, Vormen Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Jeroen Verrecht, Evenbeeld

and creativity are connected, a place where we learn and inspire each other,” says Anne Van Assche, the designer in charge of the interior project and founder of Baroness O. She has the appreciation of one who had already experienced this approach and holds the firm belief that the future lies in flexible, small-scale workspaces. Flexibility is at the heart of architectural organization as well as the interior design, which features a wellthought-out, sleek, versatile space dominated by shades of gray with pastel counterpoints and lightweight furnishings that vary cohesively and lend themselves to being easily repositioned. And the networking opportunities do not stop at the

workstations, spilling over into Cantine, a lunch bar based on a seasonal menu that rethinks the model of a cafeteria to give a new sense to the meaning of community and support the flowering of high potential relationships by hosting conferences, brunches, and dinners. Anna Van Assche is ultra-focused on supporting local businesses and like-minded people. The coffee is from Mok and the kombucha is from Rish, both based in Brussels. The bar is from Atelier Hanssens of Vilvoorde; the bar stools are designed by Vormen from Brussels and the kitchenettes by sistem. The faucets are also the fruit of a collaboration, this one with the Belgian company Aqualex.

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RESIDENCES

Palma de Mallorca, Spain

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

A re-creation without too much sacrifice Can Santacilia is the fruit of a careful renovation design, sensitive to its architectural memory without historicizing it, by OHLAB: 15 different unique residences come together in a co-existence of diverse materials and colors

RESIDENCES

Palma de Mallorca, Spain

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n Palma de Mallorca’s historical center, Studio OHLAB designed a careful renovation for an architectural complex, which is complicated because divided and subject to historic conservation protections. The project sought to modernize the two existing buildings, restoring their connections and reorganizing the space around the central courtyard while also highlighting the value of the historical identity, incorporating the alterations to which it had been subject over the centuries. Can Santacilia’s central building was already registered in the city archives in 1576, having been built on 12th-century remnants and later incorporating another building in front of it in addition to later 18th-century expansions. Ohlab’s design takes an approach Client: Viviendes Santacília Architecture and Interior design: OHLAB / oliver hernaiz architecture lab Building engineer: Jorge Ramón Builder: Diazgar Obras Project Manager. Rafael Del Toro Structure project: AMM Technical Group Facilities: AMM Technical Group, I3 SETI Branding: Studio Roses Archeologist: Elvira González Restoration of coffered ceilings: Mitra Restaura, Ana Rus Furniture supplier: Muebles Decágono Furnishings: Carl Hansen & Søn, Cassina, Gebruder Thonet Vienna, Novamobili Lighting: Contain, Flos, &Tradition, Worldlight Kitchens: Espacio Home Design Kitchens and bathroom: Dornbracht, Miele, Inbani Flooring and carpentry: Socias y Rosselló Interior carpentry: Carpintería Cañelles, Bricolópez Elevators: Kone Stone: Calizas Capellà Artworks: Pedro Oliver Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: José Hevia

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RESIDENCES

of historical responsibility, appreciating the value of the modifications and making use of the whole of the existing building as a potential to generate unexpected spaces, updating its use to 21st-century needs. The Can Santacilia complex currently includes 15 apartments each of which is distinguished by its distribution and unique, individualized design. They join several shared spaces, like the gym and spa with swimming pool as well as underground parking. The complex covers a 74 | IFDM

Palma de Mallorca, Spain

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

RESIDENCES

Palma de Mallorca, Spain

total area of 3,300 sq.m. Special attention was given to recovering the original materials both to emphasize its long history and to maintain the building’s Mediterranean flavor. Ohlab’s designers explain, “A simple palette of natural materials encompasses the entire project, combining the restoration of historical elements such as wood carpentry, stone and wood structural elements, plaster and wood moldings, wooden coffered ceilings, mortar and lime coatings, stone and wood ceramic floors, and wrought ironwork.”

Minimalist design furnishings and other noble materials are juxtaposed with these references to the Palma de Mallorca tradition, including antique bronzes, local stones, and walls with a mirror finish that separates some spaces while multiplying their spatial perception, porcelain details, and local cotton and linen fabrics. The restoration project also involved the central courtyard which had been damaged by previous modifications.

It was turned into a main entrance and returned

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to its former glory for the area that is so deeply rooted in the classical building types of Spanish noble homes. A second courtyard was restored to become a private garden; five terraces were designed at the same time to become the exclusive outdoor spaces of five apartments. Despite the construction constraints on the protected building, strategies were adopted to increase efficiency and lower consumption. Insulation was enhanced thermal bridges were removed from the building envelope, and a centralized climate control system was added.

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RESIDENCES

Palma de Mallorca, Spain

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

LOUNGE

A totally Italian welcome Almost 1000 square meters, maximum capacity of 150 persons, and above all the excellence of Made in Italy to welcome travelers into the new Hangar Lounge of ITA Airways at Rome Fiumicino Airport. A project by Robilant Associati

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usiness class, Premium Volare, Elite members, Plus Skyteams and Executive members, ready for departure to domestic and international destinations in the Schengen area, will now be able to pass through the entrance of the new Hangar Lounge of ITA Airways. Located after the security gates of Terminal 1, in departure area A of the Leonardo da Vinci Airport at Fiumicino, the Hangar is an exclusive, quiet and functional place where passengers can wait for their flights in total privacy and relaxation, or organize work meetings. With the possibility – for the Executive members of the Volare program – of hosting up to 6 already eligible passengers in the lounge, and using the VIP Rooms without reservations (now only for clients of the Meet&Greet service). The branding agency Robilant Associati

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overseeing the project has approached this space of 980 square meters, ready to accommodate up to 150 guests, as an ambassador of the best of Italian style in the world, creating synergies with a number of the most prestigious trademarks. From food to beverages, fashion to design. Also because the project sets out to reflect the new tastes of travelers. Right from the entrance, the designers focus on the pleasure of flying in total comfort, with the metaphor of the cabin and a row of enveloping armchairs in dark blue leather, juxtaposed with the table and the porthole-shaped lamp. A large tapered counter functions as an open bar and dominates the central space, suggesting the interiors of the airline’s outfitting. A true concentrate of moments of relaxation and recreation. Poltrona Frau, B&B Italia, Bisazza, Reggiani, Campari, 1895

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by Lavazza are some of the brands proudly representing the Bel Paese. In the VIP Living Room, the heart of the lounge for those in search of a simple break, Lema has created a warm convivial setting in which to feel right at home. “Making this space – says Angelo Ferrara, creative director of Robilant Associati – we have thought about a location capable of transmitting the founding values of ITA Airways at first glance, outlining a new idea of an airport lounge through the celebration of the world of aviation. Hangar Lounge represents the point of contact between the airline and that portion of its clientele that is interested in typically Italian beauty and style, in human relations and hospitality: an authentic, unique project, created together with a range of excellent partners, to offer travelers a very special experience, a true ‘trip within the trip’ with an accent on wellbeing.”

Client: ITA Airways Interior design & Branding: Robilant Associati Furnishings & lighting: B&B Italia, Bisazza, Lema, Poltrona Frau, Reggiani Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: courtesy of Robilant Associati, courtesy of Lema

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Collection I Massivi Table Monti, By Matteo Bianchi

Oak Online industriale Borgo Plus.

Itlas – v i a d e l l a v o r o – n°35, 31016 C o r d i g n a n o, Tr e v is o – I t a li a p h. +39 04 3 8 36 8 04 0 — itlas.com AD – S t u d i o M a lis a n

I m a g e – N u d e si g n / Ric c a r d o M u n a r in

Ecos – sustainable circular economy The virtuous use of the wood.

WONDER. PRAGUE | PRICE F(X) OFFICES | COLLCOLL Two floors are tectonically connected by a structure composed of thousands of wooden pixels, which modulates the space around it. At the core is a new interior staircase and, for the more adventurous, a slide.

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© BoysPlayNice

Hidden inside the wooden cells are lockers, dressing rooms and function rooms, while the individual fragments create nooks for informal seating and public presentations.

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WONDER. QINGDAO, CHINA | VANKE FUTURE CITY MALL | THE FANTASTIC JUNGLE | CLOU ARCHITECTS © Zhu Runzi

In the atrium’s central space, a two-storey red cube is the focal point, surrounded by a jungle garden. Tropical greenery, seating, water features, and staircases create human-scale details.

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UPGRADE YOUR OFFICE PANORAMA

by Ben van Berkel / UNStudio

Beyond traditional workspaces: embrace the change and empower the third space experience.

WONDER. NAPLES, ITALY | ROMEO NAPOLI | THE SPA BY SISLEY PARIS © courtesy of Romeo Collection

In a building redesigned by Kenzo Tange, what was once the Harbour’s Salt Custom House is now the hotel’s haven of natural therapy and ancient ritual that embraces the therapeutic benefits of salt.

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PEOPLE

GENEROSITY AND INCLUSIVITY AT THE MUSEUM Marco Magni, founding partner with Piero Guicciardini of Florentine studio Guicciardini & Magni Architetti, tells us how the concept of the museum has undergone a sea change in recent years, with the recognition of the visitor’s importance and a new design approach based on connection

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ince its founding in 1990 by Piero Guicciardini, Marco Magni, and Nicola Capezzuoli, Florence studio Guicciardini & Magni Architetti has focused on cultural heritage concerning architecture, architectural restoration, and the design of exhibitions and interiors. Having designed over 60 museums and 80 temporary exhibits in Italy and abroad, Guicciardini & Magni has dealt with all kinds of installations – running the gamut from archeology, contemporary art, industrial design, classical art, and ethnography to fashion – applying a cross-functional design concept that focuses on both the objects and the changing needs of contemporary visitors. Often resulting from international competitions, their most important projects include the cathedral museums in Florence and Pisa, the Tekfur Palace and the Topkapi Palace museums in Istanbul, and the recently completed National Museum of Norway and the Richelieu Library Galleries in Paris.

author: Elena Franzoia photos: Mario Ciampi

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How has the concept of the museum changed in recent decades?

Throughout the 20th century, museums were places of “cultural awe” that could spark a feeling of unease, especially in children. Museums used to be places only visited by specialists and highly cultured people. But in the last few decades, they have taken on a major social role. Certainly, they have always represented national ambitions and identities, presenting themselves as signs or barometers of institutional power, but now they have become full-fledged social-cultural centers for their communities. We go to museums to learn but also to socialize, play, study, and develop ideas while having fun. English and American institutions have greatly influenced this shift since they were the first to start focusing on visitors as well as the objects in their care. Even before World War II the British started paying attention to education, the world of children, teaching, and the role of the visitor, who may have been seen as a sort of “customer,” but at least one worthy of attention. Now visitors have become the real key players. The experience may be superficial because the level of general knowledge is sadly lacking, but the new public makes up a wide cross-section in terms of class and education. Now visitors have fun, are amused, and feel they have a right to do as they please since they no longer feel the unease I referred to.

How does this change translate when it comes to design?

Visitor areas have become crucial. Museum entrances used to be just monumental, representational spaces, but now they are the key for interpreting the institution, the calling card for the entire undertaking. There is a more diverse public so now we involve specific groups of visitors, such as minorities and people with disabilities.

Museums have become institutions with political power that often “comment” on outside events, movements, and behaviors. We have tried to anticipate some of these trends. There were very few of us in the field of museography when we started in the early 1990s, but we were already trying to

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be open and inclusive, breaking architectural and cultural barriers, with our first designs for small ethnographic museums in Siena. Educational workshops have always played a big role in the museums we’ve worked on, making it clear how important children and school-aged visitors are.

When it comes to communicating, we figured out right away how important graphic design, lighting, and multimedia are for creating an engaging exhibition. As museographers and installation designers, we must understand how exhibitions can help people take on experiences, interests, and perceptions and turn them into individual experiences. We appreciate the potential of specific places and try to listen to their “inner voices,” combining curatorial needs with our interpretations of the values and stories borne by works and objects.

Often in Italy, less so abroad, we also deal with the architecture, which we consider vital having worked under master architect Adolfo Natalini.

You can see this at Florence’s Opera del Duomo Museum where the architecture is central to the installation requirements. The Galleria del Campanile contains 16 marble-covered structures to hold Giotto’s 16 original sculptures for the bell tower, and the extraordinary space devoted to Arnolfo’s original cathedral façade was generated by the desire to create the reconstruction.

Which of your projects most convey a museum’s civic and political value?

A perfect example is the installation in Oslo’s National Museum. It is a grandiose museum that includes four different institutions and covers an area of over 50,000 square meters, 11,000 of which permanently display a wide variety of objects related to archeology, applied arts, design, art, and architecture within some 90 rooms. This powerful narrative spans history and its repercussions as seen by a country long perceived as “peripheral,” before Norwegian playwrights like Ibsen and artists like Edvard Munch began influencing the European cultural landscape in the late 19th century. The Nasjonalmuseet tells these stories in a new, “fresh” way, thanks in part to the democratic way our group (which includes graphic design studio Rovai Weber, lighting technician Massimo Iarussi, and multimedia designer Alain Dupuy) interfaced for nearly five years with 17 different curatorial groups.

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Guicciardini & Magni Architetti

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PEOPLE

Guicciardini & Magni Architetti

Above, Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Florence.

Below and opposite page, Terme di Diocleziano, Rome, ‘L’istante e l’eternità. Tra noi e gli antichi’ exhibition, 2023

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The Richelieu Library, Paris.

Opposite page, below, Nasjonalmuseet Oslo, above, Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Pisa

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the weeks that followed. Fortunately the pandemic began when we were in the production phase and some of us did long stints in Norway supervising the work. In this case, the concepts of inclusiveness, openness, and generosity that we tried to interpret were part of the museum’s own mission.

How do you translate these concepts in practical terms, taking into account the short attention spans of today’s visitors?

Basically, by varying the spaces, lighting, and colors of the exhibitions. The Nasjonalmuseet’s 90 rooms are very similar in height, size, and materials given the architectural uniformity of Klaus Schuwerk’s design, so we were forced to invent installations that not only worked for the objects

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but also differentiated the spaces around them.

We designed some very distinctive installations and a line of benches with individual seats, games for kids, and multimedia and workstations. Visitors can interact variously both through multimedia and physically throughout the various rooms.

The seats, display cases, and fittings were made by the Italian company Goppion using local materials like curved birch plywood and Norwegian wool to give the rooms a domestic, everyday feel.

At the Richelieu Library in Paris, on the other hand, the diversity and historical stratification of the rooms required a more placid, even-handed approach, which we expressed using precious materials of the courtly French decorative tradition like brass and bronze.

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Guicciardini & Magni Architetti

What are you working on now?

We recently installed a big show of classical sculpture at the Baths of Diocletian in Rome, “The Instant and Eternity,” sponsored by the Italian Ministry of Culture and the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sport. We’re also working on some permanent installations for Pompeii, the Louvre, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, where we’ve been shortlisted for the design of the Gilbert Galleries. Other projects involve the archaeological museums in Volterra, Florence, and Naples and the Caposanto in Pisa.

What are some of your other key reference points?

We value listening and being receptive because we’re aware that museums are collective organisms. While collections are formed by individuals, museums are formed by institutions and professionals who come together to create something new, at least in today’s museums. Our work is often compared, perhaps undeservedly, to that of the great Italian museographers. But we have little to do with the approaches of Scarpa or Albini who focused on the idea of the cultured or elite visitor and an often poetic, value-laden presentation that required a considerable education to be understood. The Italian group we relate to most is BBPR, which started taking a social approach to museums and opening them to the masses in the 1960s and 1970s. They did it by working with graphic designers and artists, as they did for the Museum to Deportees in Carpi, tapping into the different professions that revolve around museums and becoming bearers of collective values.

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HOTEL

The harmony of opposites In the middle of Sakura season, when the cherry trees blossom, the new Bulgari Hotel Tokyo was opened with a view of the city and Mount Fuji

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HOTEL

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talian style and elegance meet the refinement of the Japanese aesthetic. This seeming dichotomy sums up the mood of the new Bulgari hotel – the eighth, now followed by the one in Rome – in the Yaesu district, a short way from the Imperial Palace gardens.

Completely designed by Antonio Citterio and Patricia Viel, it is spread over the fortieth to forty-fifth floors of Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, a glass and steel skyscraper. Seen from the outside, the building suggests nothing of the soft elegance of the hotel’s five floors. The 98 rooms and suites include the 400-square-meter Bulgari Suite, among the largest in Tokyo. They showcase custom-made furnishings featuring both Italian and Japanese craftsmanship, combined with a subtle approach, never forced or disruptive. The Italy-Japan combination is ubiquitous. The furnishings in the main lobby are designed by ACPV and pair beautifully with a series of portals evoking certain rooms of the Imperial City. The sanpietrino pavings, typical of Rome, are a tribute to Italy along with the Issorie marble from the quarries of the Valle d’Aosta. The Bisazza mosaic in the corridor to the elevators presents a refined “peacock tail” design, simultaneously evoking traditional Japanese fabrics and the decorations of the Baths of Caracalla in Rome. Another tribute to Rome is the eight-pointed star – the Bulgari brand symbol – carved in the black granite and travertine floor in the reception area, near the lobby separating the two award-winning restaurants, the cozy Hōseki restaurant headed by Japanese chef Kenji Gyoten, and the Italian restaurant led by Niko Romito. Overlooking a Japanese garden, Hōseki is a tiny kingdom serving only eight guests with a solid hinoki wood counter lit

Tokyo

Architectural design (tower): Pickard Chilton Architects Interior design: ACPV Architects Furnishings: B&B Italia, Flexform, Fritz Hansen, Hervé Baume, Karimoku, Marsotto Editions, Maxalto, Molteni&C, Ritzwell, Simmons, StellarWorks, Takara Belmont Lightings: Aggiolight, Barovier&Toso, Flos, FontanaArte, Oluce, Viabizzuno Fabrics: Dedar, Hosoo, Rubelli Taps and fittings: Axor Rugs: Altai Mosaics: Bisazza Gym machines: Technogym Vases: Gaya Ceramic Author: Elena Luraghi Photo credits: Courtesy of Bulgari Hotels & Resorts

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by FontanaArte pendant lamps. The other restaurant is monumental and extends under a curved ceiling inspired by the vaults of Renaissance palaces between saffron-colored and pastel-blue walls. It features custom-made Maxalto chairs and lanterns in hand-blown glass in Murano by Barovier & Toso. There is a private room closed off by an elm wood portal, reigned over by a table designed by Gio Ponti in the 1950s, recently reissued by Molteni. The same aesthetic contrast is seen in the rooms from the 41st to the 44th floor (the smallest of 51 square meters), all furnished in a well-balanced mix between

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Bulgari’s spirit and local culture. The bedspreads

by Hosoo (a historic kimono fabric maker in Kyoto) forge a dialogue with the silk walls and boiserie, custom-made dark oak furniture by Ritzwell and Fukuoka, Flexform armchairs, and Maxalto desks, also custom-made. In the suites, the ACPV signature bedside headboard and Altai’s colorful rugs seem like works of art under the opaque gold-finished ceiling reflecting light.

Lastly, the spa is a marvel. It’s a holistic oasis of extra-large windows overlooking the city with Burmese teak finishes and light Vicenza stone – like that the Palladio used in his villas – and exclusive custom-made wooden cabanas and a mosaic wall inspired by the Baths of Caracalla.

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HOTEL

Tokyo

icona Nickel PVD Matt Copper PVD Matt British Gold PVD Matt Gun Metal PVD

Fratelli Fantini SpA Via M. Buonarroti, 4 28010 Pella (NO) Ph. + 39 0322 918411 fantini@fantini.it Fantini Milano Via Solferino, 18 20121 Milano Ph. +39 02 89952201 fantinimilano@fantini.it

Ph. Santi Caleca

A.D. Graph.x

Icona Design V. Van Duysen

www.fantini.it

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A story that flows Shanghai’s LOAM Café & Bar has a “re-organized” façade to fit beautifully with the surrounding field, making use of the site’s intrinsic features to create a spatial experience of both substance and transparency

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CAFÉ & BAR

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ocated in the vibrant arts district of the West Bund, Shanghai, the LOAM Café & Bar has recently undergone a façade and interior renovation designed by architectural firm Studio8. The space was originally a closed art exhibition venue. The architects made use of its intrinsic features to encourage the visitors’ “journey” through the spatial experience. The design focused on the site’s adaptability to create smooth transitions between different functions and settings, especially during special events.

The original building was conceived as an independent circular spiral structure, decorated with green ceramic tiles. Only half of its façade was completed. Studio8 stayed true to the original program’s intention and avoided introducing additional elements, choosing instead to redistribute the existing porcelain stoneware pieces, which changed the order

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of the façade. Starting from the entrance, the density of the ceramic tile arrangement gradually decreases to create a fascinating shaded effect. In the interior, this creates playful, variable shadows, infusing natural elements into the space. This promotes a dynamic, ‘transparent’ dialogue between patrons and the outside environment, also helped by a variety of colors, materials, furnishings, and diffused light systems, which is made up of a series of treated discs that can be directed towards the ceiling to produce a soft, even opening while effectively accentuating various focal points within the space. The “journey” through LOAM Café & Bar in Shanghai starts from the large glass revolving door at the main entrance. It then unfurls through a partially uncovered transition space that blurs the boundaries between inside and outside, with a majestic green maple tree in the center, around which a path winds, adorned with white gravel, where people can stop to rest and restore their energy.

Patrons coming into the space are welcomed by a distinctive atmosphere. The seating arrangement is in line with the design expression of each area, from the more casual areas by the sliding door and circular sofas, moving gradually and seamlessly into a more secluded area with comfortable armchairs and sofas, all

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facing the courtyard.The bar counter is made of enameled concrete and beautifully reflects the soft curves of the architecture, capturing the essence of the natural porcelain structure.

Studio8 also designed the wooden table with mortise and tenon joints, and a mobile table of recycled foam ceramic materials.

Shanghai

Client: LOAM Yard, Huge Architectural design: Shirley Dong, Andrea Maira Interior design and supplies: Studio8 Furnishings: Bentu Design, Grado Design, Ziin Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Sven Zhang

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Hotel operator: Continental Group Hospitality Architecture: Archikon Interior design: este’r partners Furnishings: Alu Style, Daniëls Openhaarden, Eichholtz, Grattoni, Horm, Informa, Khilia, laCividina, Midj, Pedrali, S•Cab Lighting: ACB, Antares, Aromas, Astro, Davide Groppi, PXF, UTU, Viokef Bathrooms: Betatherm, Emico, Geberit, Hansgrohe, JIika, Laufen, Villeroy&Boch Walls: Kriska Décor, Marazzi, Muraspec, Valpaint and Sto Floors: Abik, Aco, JAB Vynil, Progress Profile, Radici, Ragno Fabrics: Flukso textile Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Courtesy of este’r partners

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HOTEL

Budapest

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HOTEL

Budapest

Vintage flair, modern comfort Set in a historical building in the heart of Budapest, the hotel seeks to attract a young, dynamic crowd. The new cosmopolitan heart of Hotel Oktogon was designed with a contemporary aesthetic by the interior design firm este’r partners

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amed for a nearby square, it is at the crossroads of streets brimming with trendy shops and bars. The 4-star Hotel Oktogon in Budapest wants to attract this same kind of clientele: on the move, full of life, and looking for modern, absolutely practical comfort. All while respecting the powerful historical identity of the

building where it is set. Haggenmacher Palace has been given a new life through three years of renovation. This magnificent Neo-Renaissance specimen was redesigned by Eszter Radnóczy, Csilla Szabó, and Hajnalka Zellei of the interior design studio este‘r partners, with Archikon as architecture partner. The designers managed to make its

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grand, spectacular late 19th-century character coexist smoothly with a sophisticated, vibrant design. Stone decorations, pillars, cornices, black and light gray diagonal checkered floors, and painted ceilings with leaf motifs are all brought back to their former glory and into an interplay with new modern furnishings and pastel red, green, and blue colors. Its well-defined, bright, and compact interiors make for a lively impression befitting an energetic clientele, always on the go. The lobby, a once open courtyard that is now covered, immediately announces the hotel’s fresh, lively character.

It includes a breakfast area and bar to encourage socializing and is furnished sleekly with curving pieces from S•Cab and La Cividina. Cheerful pieces add to its pleasant feel, such as long-necked floor lamps by Davide Groppi and flower vases with elongated legs from Daniëls Openhaarden.

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Budapest

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Several features contrast with the building’s purely historical part, such as the contemporary staircase in the lobby. The 121 rooms are no exception in their mingling of casual style and antique elements. And there are plenty of especially scenic solutions. Such as the mirrored box in the room center holding the bathroom, whose placement is possible because of the interiors’ spaciousness.

These monoliths create a spatial division, forming a hallway and a private living room as well.

The present and past are reflected here, including the original boiserie, returned to its former light walnut color, covering the room’s entire perimeter.

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HOTEL

Budapest

styling L. Favaloro ph. O. Sartor adv Multi Form

Tailored Dreams

Showroom Milano Via Mercato 3 ↘ By appointment milano@bolzan.com

Jack-e bed design Zanellato/Bortotto www.bolzan.com

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LIBRARY

Brixen, Italy

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

LIBRARY

Brixen, Italy

A tree for the community The new Brixen Public Library designed by the Treviso-based studio Carlana Mezzalira Pentimalli is an open, multi-functional space, a truly public infrastructure that redeveloped two preexisting buildings in the centrally located Piazza Duomo

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he Public Library is the second building after the Music School to be designed in Brixen by Carlana Mezzalira Pentimalli, who won the job through an international competition. Centrally located in Piazza Duomo, it provides the community with a collection of some 36,000 books. After being on hold for eight years, the project was completed in 2022 with the addition of a building in the courtyard between the old revenue office and the courthouse, replacing a building owned by the local diocese. The project involved restoring and adapting the existing buildings and redefining the outdoor areas, especially the garden tangent to Via Bruno now open to the public. “It was the second competition we won, and we weren’t even in our thirties,” recalls Michel Carlana. “We realized immediately that the most interesting part was the new building, like a little graft with branches. So, we chose the name Kulturbaum (‘culture tree’), a concept whose meaning has gradually cohered into a small connecting infrastructure. The new building has various ‘branches’ connecting to the floors above, IFDM | 111

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LIBRARY

Client: Municipality of Bressanone Architecture: Carlana Mezzalira Pentimalli (Michel Carlana, Luca Mezzalira, Curzio Pentimalli) Main Contractor: Unionbau Works management: Bergmeister, Carlana Mezzalira Pentimalli, 3M Engineering Project management, structures, systems, fire safety, safety coordination: Bergmeister Electrical system, security, lighting: Leitner Electro Lighting consulting: Von Lutz Studio Associato Acoustic consultant: NiRa Consulting, Studio Architect Eleonora Strada Exterior doors and windows: Askeen Restoration and special paints: Nerobutto Concrete floors: Boden Service Metalwork, metal grid gates and custom handrails: Inoxferdi Furnishings: Art, Erlacher Natural larch wood floors, carpet and curtains: Seeber-Tendacor Custom-made wood interior cladding in wood paneling: Longato Carpentry Production and installation of infographics and signage: Serima Author: Elena Franzoia Photo credits: Marco Cappelletti

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the former revenue office (now the library’s administrative offices), and the lower floors of the former courthouse where restrooms and storerooms are located and where we had to include a security exit, including for upper floors not involved in our project. We approached it like a building with no main facade that serves as a central hub within the historic center. While we thought of the Music School as a kind of wunderkammer, a cabinet of curiosities, we gave the library shapes that imitate distinctive traces of the old city.” The tree analogy also works in terms of the site plan. The building has a double shell on the perimeter, a sort of “bark” made of concrete walls outside and wood paneling inside.

This perimeter holds most of the service spaces, vertical connections, restrooms, and furnishings, freeing up the interior space from functional demands. “Buildings need to be more open and available to everyone these days,” says Carlana.

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LIBRARY

Brixen, Italy

“Both the library and the music school have accessible outdoor spaces, which the public immediately embraced as their own. The library is divided into compartments with different entrances for independent access, which makes it feel more like a multi-functional space than just a container for books. It is a truly public infrastructure where people can go, whether for book presentations, clown shows, or simply to sunbathe in the garden.” The relationship between the monumental and the domestic is a cornerstone of the design.

“The entrance foyer is five stories tall, though it feels like you’re still outside,” explains Carlana.

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allowing the facades of the existing buildings to keep their individuality, and using the same materials as on the exterior. To drive home this urban concept, we altered the experience by adding various sloping surfaces using a very physical, sensory approach that we architects unfortunately often forget but is key to the perception of a place. The foyer acts as a decompression chamber that leads to some remarkably home-like interiors featuring erkers (bay windows), wood paneling, and carpeted floors. Using models and mockups we focused on light, materials, and the atmosphere created by sounds and colors to create a strong sense of belonging, bolstered by our new takes on local materials and features. Examples include the erkers on the first floor, which turn into secluded niches for relaxed use where people can go to check their phones, for instance. Long before Covid, we were trying to figure out how to bring the domestic sphere into a public building, but since the pandemic that has become essential.”

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Brixen, Italy

CONTRACT | TRADE SHOW SET-UP | TEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE Corso Allamano 127/C • 10098 Rivoli (Turin) Italy • +39 011 9596361 • efgroup@ef-group.net • www.ef-group.net

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

WINERY

Kurdějov, Czech Republic

A camouflaging slope In Aleš Fiala’s design, Gurdau Winery literally merges with the landscape through an artificial hill with a gently sloping roof that replaces the terrain removed in the building process

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he new Czech winery Gurdau lays claim to Kurdějov’s great wine heritage by adopting the village’s historical name and choosing a strategic, poetic position in the middle of the countryside near rows of vineyards. With a jump in height, the contour of the building designed by architect Aleš Fiala curves to form a wave in the landscape – a hill among the hills. The camouflage effect is achieved by a sloping, grass-covered roof integrated into the

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building’s natural surroundings and planted with 150 shrubs and mature trees, some of which grow through the perforated roof. The overall impact and benefits of the new plants for the landscape and structure will emerge over time.

The large windows, wide terraces, and grassroofed artificial hill directly connect guests to nature, allowing them to admire the fabulous scenery of Kurdějov, the Pálava in the distance, and the lowlands extending toward Austria.

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WINERY

Kurdějov, Czech Republic

Client: Gurdau Winery Architectural design: Aleš Fiala Design team: Tomáš Bílek, Bronislav Bureš Interior design: Daniela Hradilová Landscape design: Zdeněk Sendler Furnishings: Dedon, Living Divani, TON Czechia Lighting: Georg Bechter Licht Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: BoysPlayNice

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Built of reinforced concrete, Gurdau Winery is spread over two floors. Wine is produced and stored in the basement, where there are also complete apartments for special guests, while tastings and sales take place on the ground floor. The barrel-shaped apartments look out over the landscape and wooden-slatted paneling frames the beds. The winery’s atmosphere is one of beauty, refinement, and pure comfort. The clean, unadulterated use of materials like exposed concrete, glass, metal, oak wood, and acacia wood is in accord with the building’s organic shape. Precision craftsmanship and attention to detail are complemented by a harmonious, carefully chosen color scheme. The dynamic interiors of Gurdau Winery are perfect for social, romantic, or contemplative moments over a glass of wine. The building’s location inside the vineyard minimizes the transport of raw materials and workers to the cellar. Other sustainable elements include a rainwater collection system for irrigation, an energy-saving heating system with an air-water heat pump, and windows made of triple-glazed heat-insulating glass with oak slats to keep the indoors cool in summer.

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WINERY

Kurdějov, Czech Republic

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HOTEL

Paris

A business hotel becomes a second home The fourth Zoku location is opening in Paris’s 17th arrondissement. This innovative hotel brand has shaken up the approach to hospitality and work

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n Paris’s Clichy-Batignolles neighborhood, rapidly changing because of the Reinventing Paris project, the Zoku hotel brand is strategically planting its fourth flag. To be exact, it is on the 6th and 7th floor of the Stream Building, designed

by PCA Architecture, that condenses workspaces, apartments, dining, and cultural activities into a hybrid hub. Zoku Paris shares this hybrid nature and once again renders a business hotel into a second home, blurring the lines between work and private life and mingling duty and fun in just the sort of exciting atmosphere the new generation of professionals is looking for. The design is by the Dutch design firm Concrete, which worked closely with Zoku’s team to make a relaxed place to live, work, and socialize, suitable for long stays. To these ends, Zoku Paris’s common spaces are its vibrant heart to foster connection and collaboration between guests as well as with locals. An open-plan spatial arrangement invites and encourages social interaction throughout its many areas. The large, scenic terrace is a green oasis

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equipped with swing-chairs, offering relaxation and breathtaking views of the city. Its Kindred Spirits Bar is surrounded by the living room, featuring inviting interiors with comfortable sofas and wardrobes. Most importantly, there is a Music Corner equipped with many musical instruments, inviting you to improvise a jam session at any moment. The Living Room has long shared oak wood on which to work, plus individual booths for extra concentration or video calls.

Its co-working spaces are specially designed to fuel energy and creativity for a productive working experience that is less solitary. Fun gets an extra boost from the game room with foosball,TV, and Nintendo Switch and a custom-made ‘escargot’ themed carpet adds a unique, playful touch, inspired by kids’ games.

Ideas flow better in two different meeting rooms: “Work Is Not a Job Room” with a round table sitting up to six, and “Not a Bored Room” with a rectangular table for up to eight. Naturally, the pleasures of the palate and good company are not overlooked here.

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Owner: Covivio and Zoku, Hans Meyer, Marc Jongerius Concept development: Zoku in collaboration with Concrete Project development: Covivio Main Contractor: SPIE Architecture: PCA architecture Room fitting out: Smeulders Furnishings: bespoke by Smeulders, Epoca; Ahrend, Fest Amsterdam, Hay, Muuto, Normann Copenhagen, Quinze and Milan, Rsbarcelona, Sateliet, Vitra Lighting: bespoke by Frandsen, Horsens; Hay, Artemide, Marset, Moooi, Muuto, TDE lightech, Weltevree Ceilings: Sto-silent Floor: Moso, Winckelman Walls: Winckelman Fabrics: Kvadrat Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Ewout Huibers for Concrete and Zoku

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There’s a food shop and an open kitchen where guests can watch chefs prepare breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Gathering around a long shared table is perfect for sharing meals and connecting with new people. For more substantial numbers, there is the Event Space, covering 100 square meters that can be set up in 7 different layouts, all with magnificent views of the Tribunal de Paris. For its, private spaces Zoku and Concrete say goodbye to traditional hotel rooms, completely re-inventing them. Seven different room types can meet all needs, from studios to fully furnished apartments with living rooms, cooking areas, and bathrooms. All of these can be easily turned into workspaces while keeping a comfortable atmosphere where Dutch rationalism and Japanese simplicity meet. The room is designed like a Tetris game that adapts to the different needs of each moment. The table becomes the focal point with the bed hidden behind the sliding door, or the space can be maximized by stacking the storage units and using fold-away stairs. A series of artworks add an extra personal touch to each room.

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MUSEUM

House of Orange Dutch firm KAAN Architecten recently expanded and renovated the Paleis Het Loo Museum in Apeldoorn, the former summer residence and hunting lodge of the Dutch Royals

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n 2016, Rotterdam-based firm KAAN Architecten won the public competition to redevelop the Paleis Het Loo Museum in Apeldoorn, built in 1686 as a summer residence and hunting lodge of stadtholder William III of Orange and Queen Mary II Stuart. Inspired by the elegant distribution and spatial layout of the old residence, an illustrious example of Dutch Ba-

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roque, the design involved an expansion of over 5,000 square meters, a careful restoration of the building, and a meticulous asbestos removal process. “The goal was to balance and unify old and new, with a result that was greater than the sum of its parts,” says KAAN co-founder Dikkie Scipio.

“The renovation and expansion are invisible at first but are then revealed by careful choices to

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improve the visitor’s experience without detracting from the original monumental impact. The Paleis Het Loo will now remain a vital cultural institution for years to come.” KAAN’s intervention was based on the link between the architecture and landscape of the historic building, whose vast gardens were designed by Claude Desgotz, the grandson of Versailles park creator André Le Nôtre. The abundance of forested land and underground water helped create lush Baroque gardens dotted with water features, at the end of which is a palace that blends French monumentality with the more bourgeois style of aristocratic Dutch homes.

To respect the 17th-century plan, the new extension is underground, while the historic Bassecour nestled between the building’s wings, once a courtyard with grassy parterres and a watering hole for horses, is now a roof for the new extension. It features a central fountain and four glass surfaces embellished with natural stone on which a 4-centimeter layer of water flows and reflects the monumental building while refracting the light in the space below. To preserve the Bassecour’s monumental continuity, the entrances were placed at the ends of the wings that define the distinctive c-shape of the historic complex. Conceived as

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two large, bright ‘lanterns’ that reveal traces of the past, the entrances guide users to the underground mezzanine level, which houses visitor services and leads to the Grand Foyer, the heart of the underground extension located at the central axis with unusual views of the Bassecour ‘from below.’ Located underneath the fountain, the foyer’s center is marked by a large compass rose directing visitors to the Corps de Logis, the exhibition rooms, the west wing, or back to the mezzanine entrance. West of the Grand Foyer are large square rooms with 5-meterhigh ceilings that host temporary exhibitions and correspond to the Junior Palace children’s museum in the historic building

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above. The history and current news of the Dutch royal family are the focus of the east wing with a permanent exhibition House of Orange. Making the building’s systems efficient and sustainable was clearly a priority, and the new exhibition spaces in the palace’s two wings and the restaurant in the former ballroom were created to be as functional as possible. Refined, high-quality finishings include different kinds of marble and walnut wood, whose warm effect is enhanced by nature motifs like flowers and butterflies inspired by the gardens outside. These subjects also feature in opulent textiles with shimmering metallic threads like the contemporary tapestries in the restaurant.

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MUSEUM

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Client: Stichting Paleis Het Loo National Museum Architect: KAAN Architecten Restauration advisor: Van Hoogevest Architecten, KAAN Architecten Exhibition designer: Kossmanndejong Exhibition concept & art direction: GrobEnzo Interior architect: KAAN Architecten, Studio Linse Wall tapestries: TextielLab, KAAN Architecten Light fixtures: Atelier Rick Tegelaar, Zumtobel Lighting advisor: Beersnielsen lichtontwerpers Landscape designer: Copijn Main Contractor: Volker Staal en Funderingen, Koninklijke Woudenberg/ BAM Bouw en Techniek - Integrale Projecten Oost, Heijmans Utiliteit/Infra, Draisma bouw, Bouwbedrijf Van Laar Construction manager: Draaijer en partners Structural engineer: WSP Nederland Sustainability and Acoustics advisor: DGMR Glass roof: IGS Interior Glass Solutions Waterproofing: Oranjedak Metal works: Ensel staalkonstrukties Wooden doors and windows: Harryvan Internal doors and windows: Harryvan, Zuid-Nederlandse Ramenfabriek Wall tiling and natural stone: Kolen Keramiek en Natuursteen Parquet floor: Michels Parketvloeren Interior walls, painting, wall coverings, ceilings: Schuurmans Afbouwsystemen Signage: Studio Staak Author: Elena Franzoia Photo credits: Simon Menges, Sebastian van Damme

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HOTEL

Jakarta

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The rule of no-two-alike No Park Hyatt is like the next. For the Park Hyatt in the heart of Jakarta in Indonesia, the Conran and Partners firm sought to infuse a sense of belonging and personality, adopting artisanal forms, details, and material qualities that are all tightly bound to the place

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very project is conceived individually.

This is a foundation shared by Park Hyatt, an international hospitality brand, and the eminent architecture and interior firm Conran and Partners. The shared credo converges in a new luxury hotel in Jakarta, situated on the 19th floor of the 37 floors of the centrally located Land Park Tower. “Our concept for Park Hyatt Jakarta focuses on bringing some of the beauty and variety of Indonesia to the city,” says Tina Norden, head of the Conran team that designed the interiors. “Guests staying at Park Hyatt Jakarta may not venture further into Indonesia, even if they do, this will be their starting point. We wanted to give the guests a first glimpse not only of the city but also the country.” The goal was achieved by exalting local natural resources and craftsmanship brought to a strikingly sophisticated level.

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including lava stone, marble, ceramic, wood, and copper. They offered fresh interpretations of traditional textile motifs and age-old craft techniques.

Partition panels and the ceiling recreate the Ikat pattern in the spa’s massage room (also including an outdoor pool, sauna, hydrothermal facilities, and a fitness center). A subtle, bucolic theme makes up the backdrop in the KITA restaurant, featuring hand-painted flora and fauna inspirations. A color scheme of rich, dark hues moves in a slow gradation from darker colors on the lower floors to lighter, brighter ones on the upper floors. This was inspired by the Indonesian rain forests where light gradually filters in as you climb up from the forest floor. Local woods are dominant throughout – in its 222 rooms and suites as well as its common areas. Most furnishings are custom-made by the Indonesian company Saniharto. Abundant artworks are spread throughout the hotel, making a powerful impression. In the large, open, plant-lined entrance, the stone sculptured work by the famous sculptor Richard North Lewis ushers guests into the lobby lit by a spectacular glass umbrella chandelier. From this point on, sweeping views of the urban landscape accompany guests throughout every space of the hotel and every moment of their days.

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Hotel operator: Park Hyatt Interior design: Conran and Partners Furnishings: bespoke designed by Conran and Partners or crafted by Indonesian-based furniture supplier, Saniharto, using native timbers and materials from the region Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Himawan Sutanto, Martin Westlake

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The house tower The architectural qualities and design vision of Torres Blancas in Madrid have been rediscovered and optimized by the founders of Studio.Noju, who chose the iconic Brutalist landmark for their own residence

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esigned by Spanish architect Javier Sáez de Oíza in 1961, the Torres Blancas tower in Madrid is an 81-meter-high polystyle pillar built in the Brutalist style in 1964–1968. In line with Japanese Metabolism and utopian rationalist housing, the building was to house offices and apartments on the first 21 floors and communal services on the top two floors. In just 11 months, studio.noju founders Antonio Mora and Eduardo Tazon created their 400-square-meter residence inside this iconic building by combining two former duplexes whose original layout had been heavily compromised by the expansion of the indoor space to the detriment of the outdoor space, which took away from the original idea of a “vertical garden city.”

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The architects decided to renovate the original building by designing an open-space living room and recovering the outdoor area where an ecosystem of plants and a small kitchen garden have turned it into the home’s living heart. “We wanted to invest in a design that we could use as our calling card, one that epitomizes our design language and the way we approach architectural conservation as more than just a way to freeze time,” say the designers. “The Torres Blancas building is part of any architect’s imagery references, and it has amazed us since our first year of university for how it defies all conventions about housing.”

In the new design, a semicircular foyer acts as a filter between the apartment and the common areas using the same materials as in the tower’s corridors, e.g., black slate from the original Segovia quarry used by Sáez de Oíza in the 1960s and a vivid wine red for the walls and paneling. “Sáez de Oíza’s interior is even more unique than his exterior, a wonderful example of craftsmanship no longer found in European construction,” the architects explain. “It’s full of details like leathercovered handrails, curving doors, and a huge circular staircase that goes from the lobby to the top floor and is lit by a 70-meter-long chandelier.”

Architecture and interior design: Studio.Noju, Eduardo Tazon and Antonio Mora Main Contractor: Proedisur Landscape design: Vicky Rodriguez Eguiagaray Lighting design: Daniel Rodriguez Padilla (D-LUZ) Crystal structures: Teofilo Wood structures: Ricardo Vega Wood cladding: D Tarima, Studio Noju Kitchen: Encidecor, Vijupa Bathrooms: Cinca, Iconico, Roca Author: Elena Franzoia Photo credits: José Hevia

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Studio.Noju kept the original polished brass handrail on the new staircase inside the apartment that leads to the bedroom area and created a hallway in the open-space living room that is framed by a curved glass facade. In the kitchen, the seamless countertop enhances the space’s curved lines and the light takes on amber shades by filtering through the original dark exterior glazing. The boundaries between open and closed spaces are blurred by the green-tile-covered exterior whose undulating contours penetrate the interior. The bedroom area on the second floor features oak ceilings and antechambers replace the traditional hallways leading to the four bedrooms. The large terrace off the master bedroom was turned into an indoor/outdoor space by a curved glass wall enclosing a large round bathtub.

“We think the most rewarding result has been the recovery of the curved lines, the spaciousness inside, and the terraces filled with plants that reinterpret the courtyard-house type,” conclude the designers. “We selected furnishings that refer to the architecture, but nothing too iconic or recognizable so the focus stays on the apartment and its finishings. The neutral colors also remain discreetly in the background.”

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WONDER. NOVA LIMA, MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL | AÇUCENA HOUSE | TETRO

© Jomar Bragança

The house is inserted into a challenging topography with a steep slope. The initial understanding was that the architecture should mold itself to the terrain, and not the other way around. The house rises above

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the ground, while animal and plant life develops underneath. The program shapes itself as a harmonious balance of art and nature, occupying the empty spaces between the trees.

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WONDER. COLD SPRING, NY | MAGAZZINO ITALIAN ART | ROBERT OLNICK PAVILION | MIGUEL QUISMONDO | ALBERTO CAMPO BAEZA

© Marco Anelli. Courtesy Magazzino Italian Art

“A white cube traversed by light. The space embraces the beauty of the artworks displayed within, and the isotropic design, pierced by an opening in each corner, will allow every detail to be grazed by magnificent natural light.”, Alberto Campo Baeza

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Museo del Novecento, Milan, Italy | set up by Stipa

Quality no limits, from brief to turnkye.

And beyond

General Contractor for showrooms, events, museums and hospitality.

According with planet. stipa.it

WONDER. OLOMOUC, CZECH REPUBLIC | THE RED CHURCH RECONSTRUCTION | OLOMOUC RESEARCH LIBRARY | ATELIER-R © BoysPlayNice

The originally Lutheran Church, complemented by a new crystal-like annex, re-opens its doors to the public as a cultural hub intended for various kinds of social and cultural events.

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THE ART OF LIVING

Flap design Meneghello Paolelli www.s-cab.it

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PEOPLE

Carlo Masseroli

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CITIES OF THE FUTURE An international firm providing real estate services and solutions, Nhood fosters a new urban perspective applied to all sectors of real estate

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hood. This emblematic name is the contraction of the word “neighborhood.”

The reference to being a good neighbor speaks not only to the company’s innate consulting orientation but to the ideal of community, positive impact, and inclusiveness that are part of all of its projects. They aim to build the smart cities of tomorrow, adopting mixed use assets (more functions and more community services). Nhood is an international firm providing real estate services and solutions. Founded in 2021 as part of an international group, it specializes in commercial real estate and urban regeneration. It fosters a new urban perspective applied to all sectors of real estate – retail, housing, offices, logistics, and mixed-use – by supporting the building, activation, and transformation of all kinds of asset classes. It also leverages public-private partnerships. In Italy, this successful strategy is on display in the Piazzale Loreto, Merlata Bloom, Dropcity and Cadorna projects in Milan. We talked with Carlo Masseroli, Head of Market and Development at Nhood Italy.

author: Veronica Orsi photo: courtesy of Nhood, Delfino Sisto Legnani (Dropcity)

Carlo Masseroli

An initial managed portfolio of nearly 800 commercial sites in Europe and West Africa, with a potential of 30,000 homes in 40 projects and a portfolio valued 14 billion euros.

How is Nhood positioned in Italy?

Nhood’s Italian division manages 37 commercial assets, with real estate assets worth a total of €2 billion.

It has a trailblazing approach to promoting and developing diverse projects. I’ll mention three of these right away: the transformation of Piazzale Loreto, winning the C40 Reinventing Cities competition, one of C40’s most iconic projects worldwide; the publicprivate partnership proposal to cover the tracks of the Cadorna Station in Milan; and “Dropcity,” a placemaking project set to redevelop the tunnels of Via Sammartini, near the Central Station, which are now abandoned and bring them back to life. With examples like these, Nhood is positioning itself in Italy as a company to create places of life for people by leveraging the capacities – in economic and skill terms – of the private sphere to benefit the public.

You have gone from being retail property owners to being a full-spectrum real estate service company, whose business model is based on “four pillars.” Can you tell us about those?

The decades of experience we have gained in managing shopping centers led us to evolve naturally towards managing and bringing spaces to life that were not only retail but increasingly mixed-use, including for third parties. Applied to urban redevelopments, this led us naturally to turn towards new asset classes and new core business approaches.

In all these cases, we work in synergy with public administrations to generate public value. In practical terms, we always start with a well-structured listening to the communities in which we work with an ESG-compliant approach. We do so based on four pillars: real estate innovation, proximity, culture and entertainment, retail and services.

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and asset management, for starters. We work along the entire chain of the value of the real estate market, providing an even more complete offer to owners of existing commercial assets.

Sustainability is a key driver of your vision, isn’t it?

Environmental, social, and economic sustainability are essential factors for us, both as real estate developers and as asset managers for the shopping centers in our portfolio. This is why we work with partners and clients who share our intent to create sustainable living places for future generations, according to responsible, conscientious models of business, consumption, and lifestyles. When we form partnerships with public administrations or other private players, we do so to activate spaces as catalysts of sociality and well-being. We see “Placemaking” as creating, transforming, and animating places according to a shared approach to design that involves public actors and local communities to respond to the new challenges and needs of the place, as seen in two very different projects that show who we are: the brand-new lifestyle center Merlata Bloom Milano and the regeneration project for Piazzale Loreto.

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Carlo Masseroli

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Carlo Masseroli

The Piazzale Loreto project in Milan is emblematic of this, a virtuous model that incorporates mixed-use assets to make key community services easily accessible.

How does this take shape and what are the economic and social benefits?

With the project for the transformation of the present Piazzale Loreto into a square, as team leader, we won one of the C40 international competitions, the one for the city of Milan. The project is based on a positive three-way collaboration between the public administration, private operators, and the city itself to create an iconic square for Milan, smarter and oriented to future urban models.

Our proposal for redeveloping Piazzale Loreto responds to 10 sustainability challenges that aspire to improve the quality of public space – which is currently a non-place, a congested, inhospitable traffic hub – to make it a new square for the city and its visitors that encourages soft mobility and sociality by optimizing vehicular flows at the edges of the square. We’re starting from a total investment estimated at about €80 million. The new square will be connected to the Milanese district of NoLo to give continuity to the Corso Buenos Aires/Viale Monza/Viale Padova thoroughfare.

It fits into the urban fabric and has a positive These pages. Above, Merlata Bloom Milano, lifestyle center opening on Nov 15th, 2023.

Here Nhood works with a focused team of Property Management and Leasing.

Below, Dropcity, Centro di Architettura e Design, Magazzini Raccordati, Milan

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impact on the community, calculated by the SROI (Social Return On Investments) indicator of 4 in relationship to the investment (for €1 invested €4 of impact on the local area). It is the first time that an existing public square has been redeveloped by a private player. Here too, the investment and private capacities provide support to the community in the realm of urban regeneration. A project like this has a great innovative scope and experimentation that generates quality through the services in the square, bringing together all the different identities in it.

To achieve this, we didn’t wait for the end of the project, which is on track for 2026, but we wanted to immediately involve residents and associations in a process of sharing information and co-designing spaces through the opening of a hub, LOC 2026.

This is an anticipation of the future new Piazza Loreto’s paradigm and is also the first practical step towards its creation.

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PEOPLE

What is the potential for development and regeneration in Italy?

Milan is definitely a very interesting city for experimentation and innovation in real estate. It is the only one in Italy with a European outlook.

But there are also other interesting cities in our country, like Genoa, Rome, and Bologna, where we think we can make our contribution. Tools such as the public-private partnership, international competitions such as the C40, and participation in public tenders are chances for us private developers to put our skills and resources – financially and in terms of expertise – at the service of the public. This has become possible because the relationship between the public and private spheres has finally overcome that gap in an approach that seemed impossible to bridge up until a decade ago. Projects like winning the C40 international competition for Piazzale

Carlo Masseroli

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

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Loreto, the new use of the public-private partnership approach that we implemented in Cadorna, as well as the competitions outside of Milan that we’re working on to our great satisfaction, all tell us that we’re on the right path.

Is Milan still the driving force behind Italian real estate development?

In the post-pandemic era, we can say that Milan has proven to be more resilient than ever. The city is moving towards a future of considerable growth for the metropolitan area, which in the next ten years will drive the entire Italian real estate market. According to the report “Winning Mix - The public-private partnership as a resource for urban regeneration” report that we presented with Scenari Immobiliari last April, Milan is the leading Italian metropolis for land development, with 23.5 million square meters of potential buildability by 2035 in the metropolitan area and 5.1 million square meters in the city with a potential impact of added value on the market of €50 billion and €19.5 billion, respectively. However, we feel strongly that such a multifaceted city’s transformation must have the support of private investors, pursuing common goals with public administrations.

Piazzale Loreto, Milan, redevelopment project.

Winner of C40 international competition

You talked about a “winning mix” between public and private spheres as a resource for urban regeneration. What opportunities does it offer?

The public-private partnership is a key, strategic tool for implementing urban redevelopment projects of public and community interest. According to the report mentioned that we did with Scenari Immobiliari, the publicprivate partnership in Milan could contribute to increasing the added value in real estate by over 15%. These processes implemented in the entire metropolitan area of Milan could contribute to redeveloping or regenerating an area of about 5.5 sq. km.

We were trailblazers for this form of cooperation in Italy with the cover for the tracks of the Milan Cadorna station, for which we presented the feasibility study in late 2022. This is a new frontier in the relationship between the public and private spheres, aimed at maximizing public interest by investing private funds. We hope to be able to help accelerate and strengthen this form of cooperation, which is a great opportunity for our country.

Carlo Masseroli

The Cadorna project for the Ferrovienord railway company fits into this approach.

What is the proposal?

Last December, the asset and financial company Ceetrus Italy, of which Nhood is the manager and developer, got the feasibility report for a PublicPrivate Partnership proposal from Ferrovienord. The subject of it was the building and management of the infrastructure for the track cover of the regional railway line in the area between the Milan Cadorna Station and the bridge on Via Mario Pagano. The proposal submitted will be studied by the agencies responsible as part of the program agreement. It involves building a platform for a total area of about 60,000 sq.m. covering the bundle of tracks, 30,000 of which are in the new urban park. The project will implement new functions, for an estimated total of about 60,000 sq.m. between residential, accommodations, services, and small retail businesses for the neighborhood locals, city dwellers, and over 150,000 passengers who come through the station daily. This will create a new intermodal hub with the “Fabbrica dell’Osigeno” scientific center that aims to reduce its carbon footprint through cutting-edge technologies working with the Politecnico of Milan. The proposal is part of the “Fili” project from FNM S.p.A., one of the leading urban and suburban regeneration initiatives for a total value of about €800 million and a requested public contribution of about €180 million.

The Dropcity project has cultural and educational aspects. How much have you invested in this project and how will it develop?

Nhood decided to get involved in the development of Dropcity – Center for Architecture and Design with a total investment of €16 million because it creates an unprecedented urban model in Europe: It’s a place of gathering and conversation about architecture, design and the contemporary city that will emerge along Via Sammartini in Milan within the Magazzini Raccordati of the Central Station.

Dropcity came out of an idea from the architect Andrea Caputo, with over 10,000 sq.m divided into 28 tunnels. It will hold production ateliers, and workshops for carpentry, robotics, and advanced prototyping. A sizeable area will be for research, teaching, and office spaces for professionals in the industry as well as a material library and civic library for open consultation on architecture and design topics. There will also be exhibition galleries that will be freely open to the city through an agreement with the Municipality of Milan.

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An urban campus for a travel giant Diverse spatial and functional solutions reflect the wonder of travel to attract new talent for Booking.com and bring them under one roof.

The headquarters are set within a plant-inspired, inclusive, sustainable context aimed at employee well-being

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eeting in Tuscany, having a coffee in Panama City, and talking business strategy in the Serengeti amid photographs and souvenirs of talented employees from around the world. These are scenarios that could actually take place in the new, innovative urban campus of top travel platform Booking.com that recently opened in Amsterdam. By taking a joint, interdisciplinary approach the designers created an inclusive workplace for 6,500+ employees. In addition to a nearby residence, the main campus 154 | IFDM

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building was designed by UNStudio, who worked closely with BPD (Bouwfonds Property Development) and the team at Booking.com. For the interior design HofmanDujardin involved and coordinated various architects and design companies to create varied spatial solutions that enhance privacy and collectivity at once. The designers included Linehouse, i29, Studio Modijefsky, CBRE, and Powerplant. “The interiors feel very international, which fits perfectly with Booking. com’s core business,” says architect Ben van Berkel of UNStudio. “We also wanted the building’s overall concept to evoke the essence of Amsterdam where this Dutch travel company has been based for many years. The architecture was inspired by the robust quality and industrial history of Amsterdam’s port, combined with glass details that soften the building’s colossal size and subtly 156 | IFDM

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reflect the shimmering water and sky. The interior design also embodies the liveliness of the city’s districts,” van Berkel continues. Distinguished by multiple intertwined forms, the 65,000 sqm main area houses a large central atrium overlooked by internal terraces. The focus from the start was to create a workplace that fostered sociability and the physical and mental well-being of employees. To encourage movement and interaction, engaging elements like stairs, bridges, and tunnels were used to connect all the floors up to the roof. The emergency staircase was deliberately designed with glass walls to allow light and visibility to permeate the space. The abundance of hanging and vertical gardens, the fresh air constantly flowing under the floor, the soothing feeling of air conditioning coming from the ceilings, and the copious natural light create a stimulating,

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Amsterdam

sustainable workplace for everyone and helped it earn a BREEAM Certification rating of Excellent. Flexible, spacious interiors with diversified spaces allow employees to work, gather, and meet with multiple solutions that foster reflection and sharing knowledge, alone or in groups. There are also spaces in which to get away and relax, like the 28 areas conceived as micro tourist destinations with cafés and meeting zones, as well as three large restaurants. The Market on the second floor was designed to feel like a spacious European covered market; Five Islands on the fifth floor brings together five thematic zones; and the High Garden on the ninth floor has a lush roof garden and panoramic views of Amsterdam. In the latter, designed by i29, nature and technology unite with tableside vertical gardens becoming dispensers of healthy “Fastbowls” and a contrasting aesthetic created by fluorescent graphic decoration placed alongside bamboo.

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HOTEL

Ericeira, Portugal

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Ericeira, Portugal

Wellness as an experiential journey The Aethos Ericeira four-star hotel is immersed in nature, perched over the Atlantic Ocean on a cliff in Portugal, striving to achieve harmony between mind, body, and soul... not only for surfers. This new vision of luxury is given breath by Astet Studio and architect Luis Pedra Silva

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ou don’t have to be a surfer to fall in love with Aethos Ericeira, the new 5-star hotel from the chain that offers a new take on the concept of luxury based on mind-body balance. The location is a former fishing village on Portugal’s Atlantic coast, famed for attracting those on the hunt for the perfect wave to surf, earning it the first place in Europe for surfing and the second in the world.

But coming to this hotel, perched on the top of a 40-meter-high sandstone cliff, means considering well-being from many vantage points.

The food features responsibly sourced local IFDM | 163

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ingredients with a menu inspired by the beauty and culture of its surroundings. Daily yoga and meditation classes complement its in-house surf coaching service with a special concierge.

E-bikes offer a new vantage point to explore golden beaches and peaceful bays. And, of course, there’s a gym and heated saltwater pool, hammam, and treatment rooms. All this takes shape in the simplicity of the interiors designed

by Astet Studio and the architectural choices of ample windows made by Luis Pedra Silva, who worked jointly to turn a former farm estate into 50 rooms and suites. These two designs were joined with authenticity and never flashy aesthetic elegance, letting true beauty emerge and leaving guests free to “Enjoy the pleasures that life can offer,” in the words of Ala Zreigat, one of Astet’s founders. The aim achieved by the architects and designers was belonging to the context while also being international.

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HOTEL

Ericeira, Portugal

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Ericeira, Portugal

Its local spirit and diversity were captured by the hues that echo that of sand joined with the intense blue of the Atlantic Ocean and the colors of the cliff ’s earth. Ala Zreigat says, “One of the challenges was making it work for every season. But we believe we were able to solve it by proposing a dialogue between cold and warm materials. The interior design adopts a color palette that keeps guests well aware of the location, ranging from wood to leather and velvet mixed with fine materials like stone and marble, as well as carpets and other textiles”.

“We’re not traditional hoteliers. We’re owneroperators who can look at a hotel as a completely white canvas, since we have no brand standards dictated by anyone, and there’s no one telling us what to do — we can just do what we think is the best experience for our guests. We believe that travel and hospitality should be an experience that makes a lasting, positive impact on the body, mind, and spirit.”

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HOTEL

Ericeira, Portugal

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Ericeira, Portugal

Owner and hotel operator: Aethos Architecture: Luis Pedra Silva Interior design: Astet Studio Furnishings: Carl Hansen & Søn, Hay, Dvelas, Alentes, Cantarutti, Blasco Vila, Ethnicraft, Soho Home, Omelette Editions, Roolf Living, Vincent Sheppard, Tribu; custom-made furniture by ASTET Lighting: Marset, Santa&Cole, Vibia, customized lamp bases by the artist Carmen Balada Fabrics: Pierre Frey, Kvadrat, Güell lamadrid Blankets: Mariaflora Carpets & Rugs: Papiol, Roolf living Tiling: Marazzi, Autentica Cerâmica, bespoke ones from Fàbrica de Rajoles Stucco: by local painters and textured walls

by Cement Design Floorcoverings: Oscar Ono, Mosaic del Sur, bespoke tiles by Art Antic Bathroom fittings: Menu Artwork/Selected artist: Sara Andujar, Marta Alidad, Josefina Folgueira, Anna Casadevall, Dolor Curell, Dare collective Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Francisco Nogueira, Pion Studio

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MIXED USE

Paris

The power of transformation Moussafir Architects and Inside Outside’s project for a building in rue du Vertbois with a Brutalist aesthetic is a perfect demonstration of the multi-faceted, up-to-date quality of modernist principles

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eutral, generic architecture. This is how the building in Paris appears, designed in the 1970s by the Biro Fernier studio, and the object of a recent renovation turned it into a mixed-use commercial location with offices and apartments. Moussafir Architects and Inside Outside (who designed the façade on 5 rue du Vertbois) expertly brought out its value and original potential. Fortunately, even though the building is in the heart of the Marais, an area made up almost entirely of protected historic buildings, the local authorities had determined that it lacked cultural interest, which made it easier to change its internal distribution and its external envelope. The building is an unusual example of architecture from the post-war French economic boom, made of precompressed reinforced concrete – innovative for the time – made of 7 floors with a 3-level underground parking. The principle behind the original construction – open plan floors without intermediate columns – guided the new architectural choices.

Indeed, specifically to highlight the bearing role of the skeleton, the stairs, parapets, floors, ceiling, and façades were suspended and dissociated from the structure, seeming as if “borrowed.” This rationalist beam-pillar system also smoothed the transition from single-use to mixed-use. The architects also decided not to differentiate living and office spaces, but to design apartments as workplaces. The façade on Rue du Vertbois by Inside Outside with Moussafir Architects is the first expression of this.

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MIXED USE

Paris

Architecture: Moussafir Architectes, Inside Outside Construction companies: Lisandre, Rok, Kozac, Tischlerei Bereuter, Oleolift, Lenco Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Hervé Abbadie

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MIXED USE

Paris

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MIXED USE

Paris

A true example of textile architecture – Inside Outside’s distinctive signature – extends over four levels along the glass and steel exterior, with the aim of both filtering natural light and cooling the interior spaces, while dialoguing with the building’s architecture. Stretching across it, a shade curtain has circular perforations on the fabric and the contour of a large ‘Prunus Lusitanica’ (Portuguese bay leaf ) tree. The mesh is permeable to wind while casting playful beams of natural light inside.

A motorized system with integrated sensors guides the movement independently on each floor. The smooth, thin continuous façade on the courtyard side has been replaced by an interplay of volumes that create intermediate spaces with large windows overlooking the garden for varied vantage points.

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HEADQUARTERS

Brno, Czech Republic

A home for innovation The fluid design of the Czech Republic’s South Moravian Innovation Centre (JIC) by architectural firm KOGAA fosters exchange and interaction

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he South Moravian Innovation Centre ( JIC), which provides spaces and support services to students, startups, scaleups, and established companies in the Czech Republic city of Brno, has gotten a face lift thanks to a retrofit born out of the pandemic. Architecture studio KOGAA modernized their premises according to a new vision of office design in which a creative, open atmosphere favors sociability and interconnection. This lets the workplace be a place of balance as well as a launching pad. The architects took a radi-

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cal step away from the outdated, fixed nature of the original structures by introducing organic, transparent forms in Plexiglas and corrugated metal to the meeting rooms and semi-private workstations. The fluid design encourages people to relate to each other and exchange ideas. Color is also key as it influences mood. The architects used it to define and characterize certain areas like blue for individual work, which requires peace and quiet, and red and orange for interactive experiences. To optimize working methods the floors are divided according to area of expertise.

Owner: JIC (South Moravian Innovation Centre) Main Contractor: QDS Group Interior design: KOGAA Furnishings: Artek, Dyberg Latsen, Muuto, Pedrali, Vitra Furniture supplier: Lino Design Bespoke lights: Hormen Bespoke LED neon lights: HappyFish Glass walls: DEXO Graphic designer: STEEZY Studio Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: BoysPlayNice

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HEADQUARTERS

Brno, Czech Republic

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The ground floor is for entrepreneurs who have just started their business and features an open-plan coworking space. A light installation symbolic of JIC’s identity interacts with the space throughout the day by casting different colors on the surrounding surfaces. Designed to attract start-ups and digital businesses, it also acts as a visual link to the upper floors where the JIC team and older startups, scale-ups, and established companies are located. Of course, retrofitting the entire structure also included making it energy efficient. Not only was waste reduced throughout the restoration process, but the upper floor was also separated from the ground floor by a glass wall to prevent needless light dispersion, and most of the furnishings, along with the main floor lighting and finishes, were reused from the old offices. As the designers explain, “At KOGAA we truly believe in the power of inspiring spaces to make a positive impact on the world around us and the new JIC HQ is the home for innovation where change can happen.”

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Brno, Czech Republic

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HEADQUARTERS

Brno, Czech Republic

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HOTEL

Antwerp, Belgium

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

A sensitive modern restoration Luxurious comfort tucked away behind the walls of a centuries-old monastery.

The Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp has taken five historic buildings and a listed botanical garden and transformed them into an impressive hospitality experience where craftsmanship, innovation, sustainability, and tradition come together seamlessly

Antwerp, Belgium

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he Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp marries a tranquil atmosphere with a deeply ingrained eco-conscious philosophy. The Sanctuary is a resting place where a history of community, healing, and comfort is embodied by new standards of quality and sustainability. It offers elegantly designed spaces that are thoughtfully interwoven with its architecturally distinguished surroundings, fostering well-being and a deep sense of privacy. Located just beyond the Latin Quarter, in what is now Antwerp’s fashion district, the five-star Botanic Sanctuary annexes a complex of historic buildings and gardens that lie adjacent to the Botanical Garden. The Sanctuary’s development, led by AIDarchitecten together with developers Eric De Vocht and

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HOTEL

Antwerp, Belgium

Owner: IRET Development Developer: Johan Van Laer Hotel operator: LHW Architectural design: AIDarchitecten Interior design: Maryse Odeurs & Rebecca Verstraete Landscape design: Guy Stockmans Furnishings: Izé, Steel Worx, The Silk Road Collection, Vincent Sheppard Spa suppliers: Concept, Dauwco, De Witte Lietaer, Dormakaba, Luxury Linen, MyLife Changer, Physiodermie, RKF, SPA4, SuitUpNow, Technogym Lighting: Dexter Bathrooms: Dornbracht, Duscholux Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: courtesy of Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp, LucidLucid

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HOTEL

Antwerp, Belgium

Maryse Odeurs, involved supervising the building’s restoration. This task was supported by both preliminary surveys and historical studies of the different buildings built at different times: the fifteenth-century infirmary, the sixteenth-century chapel, rectory, and convent building, the chaplain’s house, and the nineteenth-century pharmacy. The project also required the redevelopment of the buildings, something which was achieved by making subtle adaptations to ensure they could both accommodate the complex hospitality program and conform to the highest technical and

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sustainable standards. The Sanctuary includes 108 rooms and suites, several multi-use conference rooms, a large auditorium, an extensive wellness area that reflects the building’s tradition of using healing plants and herbs, a small chapel, and five restaurants that have been collectively awarded four Michelin stars. In the words of AIDarchitecten, “former kitchens are today private dining rooms, in the old pharmacy that was restored you can today find botanical spa-products, the infirmary remains a multi-use space for a diversity of activities, and the chapel has been restored and serves again for all kinds of “deconsecrated”

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HOTEL

Antwerp, Belgium

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Antwerp, Belgium

services of honor.” Among other works, existing spaces in the convent and presbytery were rearranged and merged to make contemporary spaces, with new areas of transition offering greater flexibility and simultaneity of use. Emphasizing the authentic nature of the rooms, suites, and communal areas, natural materials like natural stone, warm wood, and fine fabrics such as silk, linen, and wool were used throughout the Sanctuary, while a restrained yet cheerful color palette was adopted to underscore the historic aspect of the buildings, echoing the lush greenery of the plants scattered throughout. The furniture, furnishings, and lighting were custom-designed to reflect an understated, contemporary style, while the decorations also subtly mirror various botanical elements: either cast into wrought-iron pieces, door handles, and clothes racks or depicted using ancient painting techniques. The outcome is a calm and bright atmosphere that encourages a sense of well-being and deep serenity.

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RESIDENCES

Óbidos, Portugal

Embraced by the ocean Perched on the Portuguese Atlantic coast the Falésia D’El Rey House faces majestic cliffs and opens onto the immensity of the ocean in an intimate, protected atmosphere.

A design by [i]da arquitectos

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uilt parallel to the coastline, the Portuguese Falesia D’el Re House designed by architects Ivan de Sousa and Inês Antunes, the founders of [i]arquitectos, is a masterpiece of urban construction within a wild, natural context. Strong winds and warm light define the site, which faces the sheer cliffs of the Silver Coast in Praia D’El Rey near Óbidos and the Atlantic Ocean with the Berlengas archipelago in the background. The designers managed to marry contemplation of this dazzling, disarming, embracing beauty with a protected domestic space.

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RESIDENCES

Óbidos, Portugal

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The house’s two overlapping, sand-colored volumes serve different functions. The upper Lshaped structure contains the main rooms, opens onto the extraordinary natural landscape, and shades the transitional space between the backyard and the ground-floor patio. The volume below acts as a plinth, a cubic base supporting the volume above. It contains the living and guest rooms and frames the house’s more sheltered

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RESIDENCES

outdoor spaces. Made of a more durable material, its structure articulates different areas of the house from the protected, shaded, substantial east-facing entrance to the wide staircase that leads to a picturesque west-facing terrace-belvedere reminiscent of a ship’s bow. The staircase also connects to the south-facing backyard, which includes a sundeck and swimming pool and leads to the intimate, enclosed 10x10-meter patio.

Óbidos, Portugal

Client: Private Architecture: [i]da arquitectos Lead architect: Ivan de Sousa Engineering: Projecto Engenheiros Associados Landscape design: Inês Antunes Construction: Lagoa Atlantica Construções, [i]da arquitectos Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

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RESIDENCES

Óbidos, Portugal

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HOTEL

Milan

Milanese living room Casa Baglioni in the Brera district, the new crown jewel of Baglioni Hotels & Resorts, pays homage to 1960s art and design with furnishings and details tailored to guests. Like in a real home

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ore than just accommodations, hotels provide experiences. This was the clear idea that Federico Spagnulo, founder of the studio Spagnulo & Partners, had in mind when he transformed a residential Art Deco-style building in Milan’s Brera district into Casa Baglioni. In this temple of hospitality, the concept of the hotel has become an intimate, personal experience where everything from the general concept to the

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smallest detail was designed to link the building and the neighborhood. “Brera is very important for Milan. There was a lot of creative buzz here in the 1960s. Artists met at the bar Giamaica (which still exists, a few minutes’ walk from the hotel) and embarked on artistic and life paths together. This unique mood is exactly what inspired us when we were asked to design Casa Baglioni,” says the architect. He and partners Alessandra Carbone

Interior design: Spagnulo & Partners Furnishings: Paola Lenti; on design of Spagnulo & Partner made by Gabana Arredamenti and Rubelli Casa Lighting: Vistosi, Oluce; on design of Spagnulo & Partners for Panzeri Wallpaper: Rubelli Fabrics: Dedar, Rubelli Faucets: Zucchetti Bathtubs: Kos Ceramic tiles, bathroom sink tops: Mutina Restaurant: LG Signature, Signature Kitchen Suite Artworks: Stefano Cecchi Trust Collection Author: Elena Luraghi Photo credits: Diego de Pol

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Milan

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and Andrea Spagnulo created everything: the two small living rooms in the lobby instead of the usual reception area, with the couch in Rattoppato jacquard velvet (the famous textile designed by Gio Ponti for Rubelli) and the armchairs where guests check in; the little bar with historical touches like the stone walls and wooden ceiling inherited from the old building; and the restaurant of Michelin star chef Claudio Sadler, reached through a wine room framed in wood, with a buffet at breakfast and a chef ’s table in the evening. Everything from the bespoke furniture to the terrazzo floors, whose motifs recall Gio Ponti’s shapes, are in a warm color palette, and the walls are adorned by artworks selected with the help of the Stefano Cecchi Trust Collection. The paintings by Enrico Castellani, Agostino Bonalumi, Carla Accardi, Hans Hartung, and Christo (that are “emblematic of the 1960s, or at least by artists with close ties to Milan,” as Spagnulo points out) and the glass and ceramic vase collection designed for the hotel by 188 | IFDM

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Milan

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

Gala Rotelli provide the warmth and ambiance of a real home. The 30 rooms and suites on the lower and upper floors were designed with the same philosophy and feature diamond pattern ceilings, carpets inspired by avant-garde art movements, and large windows and terraces overlooking the rooftops of Brera. Though similar, each room is one-of-a-kind and furnished with tailor-made wallpaper, beds with elegant walnut headboards,

HOTEL

Milan

and Panzeri-made brass lamps designed by the architects. Panzeri also made the large chandelier in the lobby, assembled to recall Lucio Fontana’s famous neon structures on display at the Museo del Novecento in Piazza Duomo. The only exception to the hotel’s subdued sophisticated styling is the outdoor furniture by Paola Lenti that adds exuberant color to the newly opened Rooftop by Sadler terrace.

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HOTEL

Venice, Italy

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Venice, Italy

A change of scene In Venice, the Stock Exchange and Chamber of Commerce building is made into Nolinski hotel, the first in Italy from the Paris-based Evok Collection group. Guiding light: tailor-made craftsmanship

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n architect’s work is very different from that of an archaeologist. An architect creates or maybe reinvents. An archaeologist saves and conserves. But the line separating the two no longer seems so absolute as we move through the spaces of this new gem of luxury hospitality. “We chose to preserve the architectural quality of the building, which was rather austere other than the façade. Like true archeologists, we maintained the historic furnishings – such as an original handle in the form of a seahorse, now recreated on the doors of all the rooms – and we

enhanced them through a new color palette and tailor-made furniture designed specifically for the hotel.” This is how the architects Le Coadic and Scotto introduced their latest work: the interiors of the Nolinski Venezia, a five-star hotel a stone’s throw from San Marco, in a building designed in 1929 for the Stock Exchange. In its period, Art Deco and Modernism were in vogue, with Venetian-style floors, wrought iron details, and marble stuccoes – all of which were kept by the architect Alberto Torsello, in charge of the restoration.

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such as plaster, mosaic coatings, wooden floors, and blown glass. There were considerable constraints put on it by the Superintendence, which forced us to keep on finding distributional, architectural, and technological refinements,” he explains. Now they have been given life and become a bridge between present and past: the entrance to the hotel is through the smaller of the two historic doors of the Stock Exchange. Behind the reception is Caffè Nolinski, inspired by the Portego – old Venetian reception halls – mixing historic style features, such as coffered ceilings and marble stucco walls, with the warm hues of velvet. An additional bar on the third floor includes a library of 4,000 volumes, given a modern touch by a fresco by the artist Simon Buret on the ceiling. The Palais Royal restaurant, in the amphitheater of the former Council Hall, which is 7 meters high, combines 1950s Barovier chandeliers and velvet benches with Byzantine-style arches. This attention to detail recurs in its 43 rooms, of which 13 are suites.

“We designed everything here, like the headboards clad in marble stucco, an ingenious and ecological technique because it comes from a mixture of lime and stone powder. Then there are wardrobes, the coffee tables, and the armchairs...,” Alessandro Scotto continues. Each room is different from the next, with mango boiserie, gray marble, powder pink sofas, and sliding doors clad with metal, making the transition from one private area to the next. They share in common the drawing of a golden octopus in the mosaic in the bathrooms, homage to the one carved on the facade of the hotel, and the many handcrafted and custom-made details that render the interiors virtual wonderrooms. Art also makes a fine contribution through ancient works and contemporary pieces tastefully selected by gallery owner Amélie Du Chalard: “I made an eclectic selection, like that of an aesthetic traveler who brings with him objects from all over the world and from all periods.” Then, on the top floor, there’s a surprise. A minimalist concrete finish on the ceiling of the top floor forms the backdrop to the swimming pool, which is covered in gold-leaf tesserae. The mosaics are the same shades as in the nearby St. Mark’s Basilica, long the emblem of all that is Venetian.

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HOTEL

Venice, Italy

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

HOTEL

Venice, Italy

Architectural design & Restoration: Alberto Torsello Interior design: Le Coadic Scotto Architecture Furnishings: Le Coadic Scotto Architecture, Janus et cie Restoration: Unisve, Toscoveneta, Edilia, Lamp Arredo Mosaics: Sicis Marble: Toscoveneta Fabrics: Italpoltrone Lighting: Muranonline, Barovier Curtains: Italpoltrone Art collection: Amélie du Chalard Bar/library books: Anatole Desachy Author: Elena Luraghi Photo credits: Guillaume de Laubier

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WONDER. VAL DI FASSA, ITALY | OLYMPIC SPA HOTEL | NOA The graphically simple profile of the partially buried new building, which accommodates ten rooms and a gym, is inspired by that of a mountain. At one end, a higher spike identifies the double level of the

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© Alex Filz

largest suite, then the roof descends, with lower height spikes indicating the single-level rooms and, at the other end, the fitness studio.

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WONDER. NAPLES, ITALY | HI, MY NAME IS STEREO MIKE | CONCEPT BAR | CARMINE ABATE © CarloOriente2023

A kaleidoscope of dichroic colors. “The most dramatic door in Naples. The glass is of ever-changing hues, a door of a million colors. And reflections that create a fascinating thing as you come inside.”

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29 - 30 November 2023 ExCeL London CSI Design Expo Europe caters exclusively to the European cruise interior design industry.

The boutique event provides a gateway for the cruise interiors supply chain to meet with Europe’s most esteemed cruise lines, designers, and shipyards working on major refurbishment and newbuild projects.

Taking place 29 - 30 November 2023 at London’s ExCeL, the highly focused exhibition and conference allows you to connect with key decision-makers and build valuable new relationships within the industry.

200 exhibitors | Expertly curated Conference Programme | Exclusive Networking & social events | Product launches | Workshops

Scan here to register for your free pass

WONDER. NEW YORK | RICHARD GILDER CENTER FOR SCIENCE, EDUCATION, AND INNOVATION | STUDIO GANG © Iwan Baan

The architecture of the five-story Kenneth C. Griffin Exploration Atrium is inspired by natural Earth processes of wind and water, which shape landscapes that are exciting to explore.

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26 – 30. 1. 2024 FRANKFURT / MAIN

ThE LIFESTYLE MOvEmENT The most comprehensive range of products for contract business – innovative solutions, novelties and the latest trends. Ambiente is the meeting place that inspires and connects the international sector.

Your industry, your community: ambiente.messefrankfurt.com/ contractbusiness visitatori@italy.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +39 02 880 77 81

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Short stories

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MILAN | VESTA | POLIFORM

Vesta, the inaugural restaurant of the Triple Sea Food Group, a recent addition to Milan’s hospitality sector, has opened its doors in the Brera district. Historically renowned for its arts and culture, the district has, in recent years, formed the pulsating heart of the city’s design epicenter. Celebrated for its refined seafood offerings, Vesta is also distinguished by its exceptionally elegant interior design, developed by architect Stefano Belingardi Clusoni. Upon entering, an impressive travertine marble staircase immediately commands attention, affording a breathtaking view of Via Fiori Chiari and seamlessly integrating the restaurant with the city.

Passing through to the outdoor area, located just before the main dining room, guests are welcomed by carefully curated materials and furniture arrangements that seek to foster conviviality and social interaction. A second staircase leads to the lower floor, a more intimate environment where architecture once again assumes a pivotal role, with a scenic series of arches leading to a grandiose counter. Here, it is the materials themselves that establish a continuous connection between the outside and the inside, with warm, enveloping tones of fabrics and finishes taking center stage. Meanwhile, in the realm of furnishings, the Grace armchairs, an iconic design by Emmanuel Gallina for Poliform, are instantly recognizable. Poliform Contract created the travertine marble finishes, including the staircase and the ebony and brass elements, as well as the furnishings of the private room with tables, chairs, and custom pieces designed by architect Belingardi Clusoni.

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SHORT STORIES

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

NARDÒ, ITALY | MASSERIA CORSANO | TALENTI

A short distance from Lecce, Nardò and Gallipoli - epicentres of Salento baroque - and immersed in a silent, absolute landscape, the Masseria Corsano is a project that combines style and life. Curated directly by the owner Leonardo Giusti, a Florentine whose work often takes him around the world, it is a distillation of forms of beauty that this passionate globetrotter has found on his travels over the years. On a site extending over twelve hectares, the property invites you to enjoy life in the open air. To furnish the exterior spaces, standout pieces from the Talenti Outdoor Living collection were selected: Casilda stools (designed by Ramon Esteve), Panama Egg and Argo chairs (Ludovica+Roberto Palomba) as well as Coral and CleoSoft Wood (Marco Acerbis) and others. Everything is articulated in a minimalist colour palette (white, beige, light grey) that reflects the light of the landscape and offers a sophisticated contrast with the rural elegance of the building. Interiors and exteriors have been conceived to be in symbiosis and everything conveys a sensation of calm.

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SHORT STORIES

GIZA, EGYPT | KHUFU’S | PEDRALI

Designed by Egyptian architect Hisham Ghorab, owner of Style Design Egypt, the restaurant reflects a cozy fusion of design and contemporary elements that are seamlessly integrated with their historical surroundings. The sandstone architecture appears as though emerging from the desert sands themselves, and a neutral color palette defines the various spaces throughout the building. During the dining experience, the restaurant affords an extraordinarily close view of the Pyramids, offering a truly unique atmosphere. Italian craftsmanship harmoniously integrates with the region’s flavors and culture, with Pedrali’s distinctive furnishings adorning both the indoor and outdoor spaces of the restaurant. The Panarea collection, designed

by CMP Design, imparts a sense of understated elegance to the striking outdoor terrace, featuring an intricately handwoven pattern that combines graphic precision with aesthetic refinement. Complementing the stunning view from the terrace, the Ypsilon tables designed

by Jorge Pensi, together with the Arki-Table, strike a harmonious balance between linear, structural precision and versatility. In contrast, the interior space embraces a profoundly natural aesthetic, courtesy of both the Nemea chairs, a reinterpretation of CMP Design’s classic ash and aluminum model, and the Malmö armchairs, also by CMP Design. The latter explore the expressive nature of curved forms and are situated in the bar area, where there is also a stool version.

Photo © Style Design Architects, Nour el Refai

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LONDON | ALESSI STORE @ HARRODS | LEMA

“We conceived the Alessi store inside Harrods as a large house of cards,” remarks Davide Angeli, Deputy Managing Director at AMDL Circle, discussing the design for Alessi’s new store in Harrods, London. Within its 30 square meters, the space exudes a truly scenic and immersive ambiance: “Small modular panels in typical British green and mirrored alternations combine an interplay of connections and reflections, which allows different configurations to be built to highlight the value and uniqueness of Alessi products.” Designed by AMDL Circle and Michele De Lucchi, the store was created entirely by Lema Contract. They accomplished a comprehensive, wide-ranging transformation of all the physical elements in the concept store, ranging from the flooring to the checkout counter, ensuring complete customization of the space. Lema’s technical prowess in crafting bespoke solutions is most evident in the perimeter equipped walls. This expertise shines through in the seamless fusion of materials and compositional harmony achieved through the rhythmic arrangement of green lacquered shelves paired with vertical mirrored dividers and oblique green panels. The resulting dynamic and three-dimensional design enhances the display of more than 200 Alessi-branded items. The large display table with a glass case, placed at the store’s center, is equally noteworthy, reflecting the symmetry and color palette of the surrounding furniture. Even the original display tower, with a sculptural quality, has a vertical smoked-glass structure and green lacquered shelves.

Photo © Nick Caville

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SHORT STORIES DUBAI | GFH CAPITAL HQ | FANTONI

The contemporary office space is versatile, functional, focused on promoting well-being, and equally mindful of aesthetics. These are precisely the concepts that Fantoni embodies with his furnishing design for the new GFH Capital Headquarters, the investment banking division of GFH Financial Group Bahrain strategically located in Dubai’s bustling financial district. Throughout the project, the Udine-based company collaborated closely with architect Davide Chiaverini, who has long worked in partnership with GFH. Together, they succeeded in creating a dynamic, informal environment which, perhaps most importantly, perfectly aligns with the company’s corporate image. The Group transformed one of its own buildings into a sophisticated four-story workspace, one which serves not only to enhance meeting and collaboration spaces but also to prioritize individual privacy and ensure comfortable workstations. This was attained primarily through the harmonious and complementary integration of Fantoni furniture.

The Framework collection, with its versatile dual-function storage units, serves to partition and demarcate the areas, incorporating decorative elements such as plants for added visual appeal. The Meet Up tables in the meeting rooms speak to the changing nature of executive environments. In recent years, these spaces have undergone a considerable shift, with less emphasis being placed on individuality, and a stronger focus being paid to collaboration, all the while maintaining a commitment to both functionality and essential design. The Woods program also sets out to define individual workstations, with desks featuring a distinctive sloping leg design, while the Outline bookcase, aside from its customary display and functional roles inherent in executive office systems, exudes an aesthetic quality reminiscent of home interiors.

Photo © Marco Boria

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VENICE SIMPLON ORIENT EXPRESS | RUBELLI

The very name of the Venice Simplon Orient Express (a Belmond train, Europe) conveys the idea of timeless elegance. For this outof-the-ordinary hospitality project, conceived as a manifesto of style, Rubelli developed the fabrics for the new suites working together with Wimberly Interiors, a division of the international studio WATG specialised in luxury design for the hospitality sector with the aim of giving the passenger a truly wonderful experience. At the company’s mill in Cucciago (Como), four 100% Trevira CS custom jacquards were woven in shades of green, blue, hazelnut and beige/white/blue. The motifs, supplied by Belmond and each with its own name, take inspiration from the landscapes that travellers look out onto along the route taken by the train: nature’s wide open spaces for La Campagne, the autumn landscape for Le Foret, snow-capped mountains for Les Montagnes and finally, Le Lac that conjures up the reflections of moonlight on water. A small and exquisite special collection that manages to combine poetic imagination with the high performance essential for use in contract settings.

Photo © Ludovic Balay

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VENICE | LUXURY APARTMENTS RIALTO BOLZAN

Nestled between Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge, Luxury Apartments Rialto comprises twelve apartments in the heart of the San Marco district. The apartments provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere, offering a new dimension of comfort and relaxation after long days of exploring the city. When designing the interiors, London-based THDP designers initially aimed to pay tribute to the district’s rich history, with the area once home to workshops specializing in tin and pewter craftsmanship.

Their focus later shifted to achieving excellence in material crafting, with a particular emphasis placed on meticulously finished textiles like those from artisan workshops. For the rooms, THDP opted to work with the Bolzan “atelier of sleep” and upholstered Corolle and Flag beds. The former features a headboard adorned with an embroidered diamond pattern, together with slanted feet upholstered in fabric, while the latter offers a tailored yet simple style with carefully designed proportions, allowing for its seamless positioning to fit beautifully in any interior. Both beds are decorated with brass accessories, carefully coordinated with the various upholstery choices.

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MILAN | DESIGN WITH NATURE | STIPA

Is there an alternative way to approach the development and creation of products that doesn’t involve the constant consumption of raw materials? The Design with Nature exhibition at the 2022 Salone del Mobile in Milan introduced new, innovative ideas in response to this question. Conceived by Mario Cucinella Architects and set up by Stipa for Federlegno Arredo Eventi, the installation delved into eco-friendly practices, starting with the notion of the city as a potential source for acquiring basic materials. This concept resembled an almost “reservoir for the future,” highlighting the themes of circular economy and reuse. The exhibition’s three main themes – ecological transition, the home as the primary urban element, and the city as a mine – sought to portray an ecosystem focused on fostering social value and restoring balance with our surroundings, both in terms of living spaces and available resources. Potential scenarios were discussed within a framework of open dialogue and collaboration, while the various components designed by Design by Nature, sourced from natural supply chains, were repurposed at the end of the event to serve new functions: a small school library, a chair for a public space, and a table for a laboratory.

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SINGAPORE AIRLINES A380 | BUSINESS AND FIRST CLASS | POLTRONA FRAU

Technology, comfort, and elegance. The seats crafted by Poltrona Frau, curated by JPA Design, for the exclusive interiors of the new Singapore Airlines Airbus A380, are a true embodiment of style and sophistication. The First armchair, an evolution of the renowned Pillow model initially designed for living spaces, has been expertly personalized by Poltrona Frau. Featuring dark taupe gray leather complemented by contrasting beige stitching and piping, the chair is enhanced with convenient armrests and a practical magazine pocket. Poltrona Frau also designed the bespoke, fully reclining Business armchair. Incorporating elements reminiscent of luxury automobiles, the chair ensures spaciousness and an exceptional degree of privacy, with its curvaceous contours complemented by hand-stitched auberginecolored, full-grain leather. The “micro rhombus” embossing method applied to the cushion pads enhances its visual appeal, while its structure prioritizes passenger comfort from take-off to touchdown.

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LIMONE DEL GARDA, ITALY | HOTEL EALA | FLORIM

During the intricate renovation and expansion of Hotel Eala, situated along the shores of Lake Garda, Studio Gesia was tasked with interpreting the natural surroundings through an architectural lens. Their approach, which primarily revolved around a deep appreciation for local forms, colors, and architectural traditions, resulted in only the building’s top floor being visible from the street, with wooden screens providing additional protection, except for at the entrance. Moving from the top floor to the lower level near the lake, expansive windows and terraces seamlessly integrate with the natural surroundings, with Florim’s distinctive collections harmoniously aligning with the designers’ vision. Inside, I Classici di Rex adds a personal touch, while in the Michelin-starred restaurant, the geometric patterns of Policroma on the wall tiles harmonize with the juxtaposition of tradition and modernity reflected by Stone&More 2.0 on the floor. Within the Luxury Spa and Suites, the Étoile de Rex and Les Bijoux de Rex series, here in generous Magnum Oversize versions, find their inspiration in rare marbles, offering a compelling decorative statement. Meanwhile, in the wellness area, Ardoise cultivates a comfortable and serene ambiance with its soft, neutral color palette.

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MARRAKECH | LA MAMOUNIA | ETHIMO

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Affectionately known as the “Grand Dame,” Marrakech’s timeless La Mamounia Hotel has seen its unparalleled charm elegantly reignited through a renovation project expertly supervised by Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku. The architect and designer duo sought to conscientiously preserve the distinctive features of the building through the fusion of Arab and Andalusian architecture with Art Deco influences, all the while integrating it seamlessly into a contemporary context. The most remarkable aspect of the building is undoubtedly the extensive eight hectares of greenery that surround it, with ancient olive trees, flourishing rose gardens, aromatic orange groves, and over a thousand diverse plant species forming a truly captivating “hidden garden” perfect for wandering and contemplation. The remarkable care devoted to this open-air realm is further reflected by the attention paid to the outdoor furnishings, which offer the perfect means to relish the beauty of the natural surroundings.

Ethimo’s collections play a significant role in enhancing this captivating scene, contributing to the creation of outdoor spaces that encourage immersive relaxation and stylish gatherings that resonate with the location’s atmosphere. The Grand Life collection designed by Christophe Pillet also commands attention with its spacious proportions, plush cushions, and, most distinctively, a weaving pattern inspired by classic Vienna straw, expertly crafted from rope to define the seats’ structure. The Kilt line, designed by Marcello Ziliani, also presents a harmonious blend of ergonomics and shapes, which are brought to life through the woven rope design that gracefully embraces the teak grain.

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CAPRI, ITALY | URUBAMBA | RIFLESSI

Two locations, two interior design projects that speak the same language and a unique partnership that combines design with hospitality. Riflessi have worked once again with the Nikkei fusion restaurant Urubamba and after having furnished their location at Naples, it is now the turn of Capri, recently opened. The interior design is once again by architect Mario Sorrentino who for both sites has created eclectic spaces in tones of blue and brass with a refined play of colour and light. For Urubamba Capri, Riflessi created a custom installation with a contemporary flavour, reinforcing the identity of Urubamba. Twist lamps in the wall-mounted and floor-standing versions illuminate the surroundings with a soft light while Lumiere mirrors with frames in brushed brass give generous depth to the space. Inside, architect Sorrentino also created the “Riflessi Room”, a space dedicated entirely to the furniture brand with an atmosphere of heightened comfort and privacy: the interior decor features Shanghai tables in the version with base in a satin champagne finish and top in blue sodalite ceramic accompanied by Carmen and Sofia large chairs and Perla stools.

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HERE COMES THE SUN | AMELS | VISIONNAIRE

Delicate atmospheres, soft and extremely refined. On the luxurious yacht “Here comes the sun,” 89 meters long, produced by the Dutch shipyard Amels (and sold

by Fraser), furnishings, finishes and colors combine to generate an ideal of nautical lifestyle of extreme elegance, underscoring the relationship with the water and the surrounding landscape. An ideal accentuated by the design of the yacht, with large windows and six decks, creating a constant, fluid indoor-outdoor dialogue. On board, the experience of relaxation covers 360 degrees, from the dining room to the office, the lounge area to the cinema, the swimming pool and the wellness area. The delicacy of the colors – alternating natural hues and blue nuances – pervades each room, also thanks to the furnishings by Visionnaire that punctuate the various spaces. Relying on its sartorial approach, the brand has taken part in the interior design with some of its most iconic creations. The Bastian Dual sofa adds character to the owner’s living area, while the Kerwan dining table by Alessandro La Spada is a gem in the space; we can also see the Adele chair

by Marco Piva in the second living area, while the office features the comfortable Planet chair by Steve Leung and the Whitney armchair by Fabio Bonfà. The setting is enhanced with practical and elegant coffee tables. The indoor zones are in stylistic alignment with the outdoor offerings. The open deck hosts the Galloway collection of outdoor furnishings by Maurizio Manzoni and Roberto Tapinassi, with Kathryn designed by Giuseppe Viganò, ideal choices for moments of open-air conviviality thanks to the welcoming forms and careful selection of materials.

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NEW YORK | PRIVATE RESIDENCE | ABOUTWATER | FANTINI

One of the most prolific architects of his generation, Tadao Ando is an undisputed master of contemporary practice. Thanks to his longevity, the Japanese architect has realised more than three hundred works in his lifetime, including small-scale projects and monumental interventions. On the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Ando has renovated a penthouse gallery, located on the top floor of a 12-story historic landmark building constructed in 1912. The top floor of the building is connected to the penthouse by a spiral staircase. The progression of the rooms is linear – gallery, living room, dining room, kitchen and bedrooms – and the rooms are marked by geometric rigour, illuminated by natural light filtering through large glass surfaces. In this architectural context, awarded for its formal cleanliness, is the AF/21 collection designed by Naoto Fukasawa for Aboutwater, the brand born from the collaboration between Boffi and Fantini, and offers taps with pure and essential shapes.

Photo © Jeff Goldberg, Esto, Federica Carlet

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DUBAI | CHARLIE & FRIENDS | NEMO LIGHTING

The light remains present yet unobtrusive, an effect achieved not through magic, but through the deliberate integration of refined architectural lighting designed by XO Atelier and Nemo Lighting. The design studio, led by Vera Dieckmann, envisioned a space for the charming restaurant and bakery, Charlie & Friends. With an ample dose of creativity, they carefully combined casual elegance and an artisanal approach to composition, with the works and artistic touch of Tamer Kamerji further serving to enrich the environment. Inspired by the Mediterranean, Charlie & Friends boasts an interior that embodies a warm color palette reminiscent of sunset hues, the tactile appeal of lava stone, and the timeless charm of the custom-made terrazzo floor. This ambiance is elevated by the gentle lighting, which imparts a welcoming, soft glow, and seamlessly interweaves with the space to create soft curves and soothing sensations, a credit to Nemo Lighting’s expertise and craftmanship. The furnishings further enhance this atmosphere, showcasing top design brands such as Billiani and Pedrali, with Kvadrat overseeing the upholstery for an added touch of luxury. These elements are carefully juxtaposed with bespoke and locally crafted creations, including communal benches and tables. The result is a space that exudes a distinctive sense of organicity and familiarity.

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LIMA | HOTEL JW MARRIOT | ALPI

The colours of the sea in their multiple hues, the dense patterns of the rocks, the green of the land cultivated with vineyards. The geographic and historic context of Peru is the inspiration behind the newly refurbished interiors of the JW Marriot Lima hotel. Carried out by the studio Raimondo Morales & Associates, the design aimed to highlight the native features and atmosphere of the country. The aesthetic result is highly successful, including the contribution made by the company Alpi with its collection of woods that faithfully reproduce the various species and their natural characteristics, thanks to a high-end sartorial culture and state-ofthe-art industrial processes. The Alpi Xilo Walnut Flamed series by Piero Lissoni for example reproduces the warm and welcoming brown of Canaletto walnut inside the cafe, sushi bar, concierge and lobby, softening and refining the grain and nuances of the wood, achieving a stylish and contemporary result. Also in the sushi bar, the Alpi Sushi brown wood pattern, made to a design by the Campana brothers, clads the volumes with a unconventional and highly decorative result. A spiral graphic pattern that is very effective is created through the use and contrast of gold and brown. In addition to the communal areas, the interiors of the rooms and access corridors also present a strong textural quality, here more Nordic and familiar with Alpi Oak wood that reproduces the natural feel of oak with its colour and striped grain.

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SHORT STORIES

REYKJAVIK | PARLIAMENT HOTEL, CURIO COLLECTION BY HILTON | IRIS CERAMICA GROUP

THG Arkitektaris are behind the impressive design project for the new Parliament Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton in Reykjavik. A total of seven buildings, with an overall plan area of 14500 square metres, in which new constructions are combined with other historic ones that have a strongly symbolic value for the city. The layers of history from different eras has led to a concept of eclecticism, clearly expressed by the ceramic finishes in stoneeffect porcelain stoneware by Iris Ceramica Group. The graduated shades and pronounced veins of the collections Ariostea, FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti, Iris Ceramica and SapienStone become the medium for an exchange between multiple voices. Such as on the outside, the Quarzite of FMG in Ice colour that interacts with the surrounding materials. Or the finishes on the main floor that are expressed in the duality between the matt and neutral tones of the Pietra di Basalto by Iris Ceramica and the intensity of the Black Marquina by Ariostea. A powerful expression also reinforced in some cases by the large dimensions of the tiles, such as the MaxFine by FMG in the luxurious spa and bathrooms. In the versions Travertino, Amazonite, Onice Malaga, White Calacatta.

Photo © Claudio Parada

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SHORT STORIES

HOXTON ROME | CONTARDI

We are in the district of Parioli, one of the most exclusive in the Italian capital, surrounded by parks, cultural landmarks and refined palazzi. This is the setting for the Hoxton hotel, a British chain of “open-house hotels - as it calls itself - inspired by the diversity and originality of the streets and scenes that surround us”. Hoxton Roma therefore is not to be outdone and with an interior design created by London-based Ennismore Design Studio, brings that elegant yet exciting atmosphere inside a building of seven storeys, evoking the Rome of the 1950s and La Dolce Vita. A mid-century style defines the furniture and decor, including the lighting. This vintage feel was the inspiration for Contardi Lighting when it came to creating bespoke lamps for the hotel to go in the communal areas as well as the rooms. Completely new products along with restyled existing lights that here take on a new life. Combining a sartorial approach and cuttingedge technology, Contardi lamps emit a modulated and functional light that makes for cosy interiors.

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OSTUNI, ITALY | OSTUNI MIRROR | PRATIC

The Ostuni Mirror Trullo & Mirror House project harmoniously combines landscape and architecture in a distinctive structure that blends a traditional trullo with a contemporary all-mirrored building, notably showcasing the mirrored design of Connect pergola. Born from the restoration of a trullo, and seamlessly marrying rustic charm with modern comforts, the holiday residence offers guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in the ambiance of Puglia’s countryside, a landscape dominated by vast olive groves and Mediterranean flora. In addition to the trullo’s cozy interior, the property boasts two bioclimatic pergolas, skillfully crafted by the Florentine retailer, Delco Service. The two structures, measuring 31.5 and 14 square meters respectively, significantly expand the available space.

The Connect pergola surpasses its typical role as a summer shelter through its seamless integration with a small stone house that accommodates a kitchen and private bathroom, thus transforming the pergola into a “mirror house.” Within this mirrored haven is a comfortable master bedroom, a living area with seating and dining spaces, and Connect glass windows that offer uninterrupted views of the surrounding landscape. Spy Glass technology also ensures complete interior privacy by reflecting the outdoor scenery onto the windows’ surface. Connect’s slim, aluminum profile elegantly blends with the building’s compact architecture, while its Corten coloring, reminiscent of Puglia’s red earth, pays homage to the land it calls home.

Photo © Arnaldo di Vittorio

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COPENHAGEN | FERRING PHARMACEUTICALS LINEA LIGHT GROUP

Architectural practice Foster + Partners have completed the headquarters of Ferring Pharmaceuticals, located on the seafront at Copenhagen. It is a building with a triangular base that rises up six storeys above ground, getting gradually wider towards the top and culminating in a cantilevered roof that creates natural shading for the floors below. Light is very much the protagonist of the design: both natural, coming from above through the large glazed dome that sits over the central, full-height atrium, as well as filtering through the large glazed facade, and artificial, designed to be integrated with natural light sources with the aim of being functional but not invasive. The British practice chose Linea Light Group who created bespoke solutions that could be adapted to the system of lamellar, sound-absorbent suspended ceilings. 15 km of Rollip linear profile were used to light the offices and laboratories, while for the exteriors, Shaker adjustable and Portik fixed spotlights were used.

Photo © Nigel Young

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Tailored.

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Concierge.

The professional link for the design industry that encourage the attendance and knowledge of international markets with the vocation of supporting companies in expanding their network and embracing new opportunities.

Thanks to its well-established presence in the Project&Hospitality field and deep experience in high-end furniture, IFDM Business Concierge department supports architects, interior designers, general contractors, buyers, developers and made-in-Italy producers in the different phases of their projects. concierge@ifdm.it

Design Inspirations

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DESIGN INSPIRATIONS CIGAR CLUB ROSSO | AGRESTI

Masculine, singular. Cigar Club Rosso by Agresti references the sophisticated elite atmospheres of the late 1800s, those moments of gathering and conversation among men, epitomized by the ritual of the cigar. A tradition that is being rediscovered today, in terms of art, culture, relaxing moments. Agresti responds to this trend with an elegant humidor in red oak and mahogany, which adds a technological aspect to the tradition, thanks to the opening mechanism with a keyless card and RFID. The inner chamber in finest cedar contains removable trays and a built-in drawer, while another small compartment is placed inside the swivel base.

A German hygrometer and LED lights offer the final touch for a product designed for pleasant convivial or personal moments.

LALEGGERA HIDE LEATHER | RICCARDO BLUMER | ALIAS

Interpreting the concept of technological lightness, Laleggera hide leather, in the chair and chair+ versions, is a stackable seating solution that joins the series first created by Riccardo Blumer in 1996, for a significant expansion of the collection. A seat designed to be welcoming, ergonomic and functional at the same time. Featuring a structure in solid ash wood and composite oak veneer, with different finishes, the model stands out from the original due to its frontal covering in cowhide, available in three colors: black, dark brown and natural.

SALINA | FRANCESCA DE GIORGI AXOLIGHT

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Salina, a hanging light for exteriors and interiors made from fabric and created by designer Francesca de Giorgi. Salina enters into environments such as residential or hospitality with an indescribable lightness. An effect that is derived from the particular arrangement of the fabric (made by Kvadrat, in three different colours) folded at the corners and held in place by four clips to create a concave shape. The fabric is sometimes stretched, sometimes free in an equilibrium of straight and curved lines but also in a play of light and shade.

The “Dim to Warm” technology then allows the level of light to be reduced while adjusting the colour temperature of the LEDs to a warmer shade. Salina, thanks to the particular material used to cover it, can also be used in spaces with high levels of humidity (such as bathrooms or spas) as well as outdoor settings (porticoes, loggias, terraces, gardens). The notion of inside or outside disappears as the light is free to spread.

DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

EOLIAS | ANTONIO CITTERIO | KETTAL

Moving easily between indoor and outdoor spaces thanks to its versatile nature and combination of synthetic and natural materials such as aluminium and wicker. Antonio Citterio has stayed true to this concept in the design of the Eolias collection whose name takes inspiration from the Aeolian archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Just like these islands, the elements in Kettal’s collection share the same origin and have features in common such as the structure in tubular aluminium, that have then been developed to create multiple elements: the Lipari folding table; the version in wicker for exteriors called Salina, the heart of the design; Panarea is the version in rattan for exteriors. For outdoor settings, the range consists of tables in teak, chairs and armchairs; for indoors there is the addition of a functional chair on wheels.

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DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

MONTECARLO | PETER JAMIESON | TUBES

“Montecarlo radiators maintain their usefulness in summer and winter, shelving the spare towels, soaps, shampoos, brushes, mirrors and slippers. They are designed to cosset our daily rituals from January to December”, as the designer Peter Jamieson explains. The essence of Montecarlo is its multiple soul: radiator and towel warmer, it is also a shelf and open container. Composed of rectangular section elements, made thanks to an innovative production technique that allows to create an edge on the outside of the fold and a rounded corner on the inside, it can in fact be equipped with accessories such as shelves and towel rails, which can be freely positioned inside, offered as convenient shelves where small bathroom items can be placed. Available in horizontal and vertical, rectangular and square versions, Montecarlo has been conceived to function either electrically or as part of the heating installation.

ALDORA VIS A VIS | CRISTINA CELESTINO | MOOOI

The latest addition to the Aldora range of soft furnishings but immediately making its presence felt. Following on from the Aldora Sofa and Aldora Chaise Longue, the new double-sided Aldora Vis a Vis sofa commands attention with its sculptural backrests, now designed for a double-sided arrangement, so as to create a freestanding seat that can be placed in the centre of the room, even more suited to encouraging interaction and conviviality. The design follows that of the entire collection, created by Cristina Celestino: inspired by nature, with backrests that resemble the petal of a calla lily, and evoking a sophisticated Milanese look.

THIERRY XXL | PIERO LISSONI | KARTELL

The Thierry range designed by Piero Lissoni for Kartell has been extended. From side tables to the Thierry Bistrot designed for a lounge bar atmosphere, the series is now completed with the new Thierry XXL models for dining, in two versions, oval and round. Colour remains the distinctive feature of the collection that plays on a lively array of shades.

Metal legs and glass tops therefore stand out in highly convivial spaces with intense shades of grey, burgundy, white and black. With their linear and informal appeal, they become flexible elements for multiple occasions and uses, either residential or hospitality.

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

CERA | REFIN

A highly sensory surface that has emerged from observing and experimenting with an ancient, everyday element: wax. Called Cera, the Italian word for wax, this new product from Ceramiche Refin translates the visual and tactile sensations derived from working with this material, along with its transformation processes, into stoneware finishes. The result is a pattern with great depth, where small cracks, cavities and marks - that reproduce the effect that results from the pouring and subsequent solicitation of wax - from a distance seem to dance on a background that alternates light and dark areas while from close up they reveal a universe of details and nuances.

This effect is also heightened by the colour range made up of three dusty shades - Luce, Fumo, Incenso - while the special CeraSilk surface finish conveys the fluidity of wax to the touch with its soft and silky feel.

OVENS RANGE | SIGNATURE KITCHEN SUITE

Passion for food and technology at the highest level go hand in hand in the design of Signature Kitchen Suite. This balanced combination has given rise to a range of cooking appliances, now available in a new, stylish Silver finish. Starting with combined ovens (in combined steam and combined steam and microwave models) characterised by a minimalist design without handles, equipped with high-definition 7” LCD colour touch screens that can be connected to wi-fi. Also available is a food-warming drawer that can be fitted alongside the ovens, integrated to create a complete cooking wall. Finally the flex induction hob with its five cooking zones combined with fast controls that enables easy activation of the cooking modes used most frequently.

RAPHAEL | GAMFRATESI | MINOTTI

The light and sophisticated line is characteristic of the Italian-Danish duo GamFratesi, the designers of this collection of chairs for Minotti whose compact size encompasses all of the brand’s sartorial and sophisticated spirit. Raphael consists of three kinds of sofa (straight, semicurved and asymmetric semi-curved), two kinds of armchair, two dining chairs and a footstool, with organic shapes and generous, welcoming proportions. The singularity of each element gives it a strong individual presence in space, conquering it through its sinuous lines and overall appeal of lightness, derived from the raised bases and enhanced by the delicately angled aluminium legs. The details, forms and aesthetics of Raphael make it a contemporary piece of furniture with a timeless character, designed to foster relaxation as well as conviviality, from occasions of hospitality to the more intimate moments in domestic life.

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DESIGN INSPIRATIONS TAGLIO TABLE & KOI TABLE | STEFAN GULASSA SUTHERLAND FURNITURE

Stefan Gulassa designs accessories for Sutherland Furniture (from the Perennials and Sutherland group) like furnishing jewels, that combine maximum functionality with sophisticated aesthetics and whose strong personality is able to enhance whatever environment they are placed in. Thus the Taglio Table, designed as a round pedestal cut on the sides, distinguished by its T-shaped structure and the Koi Table, with its original oblique form and cut-out corners (that comes in teak, polished stainless steel, painted aluminium and GFRC). These two new additions go to join the C Table, thereby expanding the Gulassa range of tables.

AMURI | RAGNO

The Amuri collection of ceramic tiles takes inspiration from the typical Mediterranean motifs and traditional methods, translated by innovative manufacturing technologies for introducing into contemporary interiors. The material quality of the collection arises from the handworked terracotta, with marked edges and slightly cloudy effects on the surfaces. Patterns, colours and tactile effects conjure up memories of the Sicilian landscape, in a homage to its warm atmosphere and the expertise of its skilled artisans. The collection comes in Ivory, Biscuit, Cotto, Grey, Gloss White, along with numerous decorative pieces.

BALANCE | FIANDRE ARCHITECTURAL SURFACES

Balance intends to bring harmony to architectural spaces, effectively recreating a “colour pause” in settings of particular creative intensity.

It is made up of 14 plain colours (in formats 120x120, 120x60, 60x60 cm), ranging from cooler to warmer shades that can combine perfectly with one another or even be put alongside the ceramic marbles, stones, agates and granites by the brand to create evocative interactions. The slightly structured surface collects light to give shape to a smooth and intense product that is visually engaging and naturally brilliant.

ISOLA LIGHT | ITLAS

Itlas continue their journey in the creation of a concept of home where wood plays a leading role, with all its natural and sensory qualities. Not only in terms of surfaces but also in the bathroom fittings.

The “Progetto Bagno” is therefore now even larger and more articulated. Isola Light is a system of bathroom furniture made up of an adjustable storage unit in anodised aluminium and glass, covered in wood from the Itlas range, completely modular; the top can be made in marble, stoneware or synthetic material.

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

MEKNES | SAHRAI

Boho-chic style is all the rage, recovering trends from the 1960s and 1970s, in fashion but also in decorating. Interiors too can thrive on a fresh, light and alternative but always refined approach. This type of allure can also be seen in Meknes, the new carpet in Mamounia collection by Sahrai Milano.

A carpet tufted by hand in wool, with a rhythmical motif of white lines on a dark background.

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MINIMA | MARIO FERRARINI | POTOCCO

Minima in name as well as deed. The new chair designed by Mario Ferrarini is fully expressed in forms that are essential and archetypal but equally welcoming and sturdy. What emerges is Potocco’s skill in working with wood: the plywood of the seat and backrest creates a sinuous comfort; thanks to an elegant twist, the legs in solid ash embrace the backrest. What is more, its fluid lines are enhanced by the new colours, in addition to the versions with wood finishes from the standard range, it is also available in a delicate palette that has been designed to coordinate with other products in the collection. Minima is also stackable, making it an element of furniture that is suitable not just for the home but also for contract use.

CENOTE A COLONNA | PATRICIA URQUIOLA | AGAPE

The Cenote range of washbasins has been extended with a new pedestal model, thus continuing the exploration of the expressive potential of clay, in a new form. In Cenote a Colonna in fact, the circular basin and pedestal with its streamlined design are combined with material and architectural continuity. Both elements are made from natural or dark refractive clay turned by hand. On the outside the surface is left rough while on the inside of the basin has a shiny glaze, creating a sensory play of contrasts. The pedestal version can be introduced into settings with a strong material quality, with the option of being placed in the centre of the room to emphasise its sculptural appeal.

BLACK FLAG | KONSTANTIN GRCIC | FLOS

When extended, it brings light to the heart of any space; when closed, it assumes a compact, sculptural character. It is Black Flag, an extending wall light that can illuminate up to 3.5 metres from its frame. It consists of a vertical bar and three horizontal ones that alter in character depending on the position. When closed it is a discreet presence, taking up very little space while when opened it is dramatically revealed, bringing light to the centre of the room as if it were a hanging light, in work settings, living rooms and spaces of large dimensions. Black Flag is made up of a series of elements that are simple to assemble yet at the same time sophisticated, it features a direct light source that points upwards, useful for balancing the main light source ensuring maximum visual comfort. Made mainly from aluminium, it is also available in a refined white finish.

230 | IFDM

DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

SUPERMAX | ANTONIO CITTERIO | FLEXFORM

Exactly forty years on from the launch of the Max sofa, Antonio Citterio has reworked an iconic product by Flexform, staying as faithful as possible to the original with its strongly rationalist feel, adapting it for the present day and at the same time extending its possible uses. The result is Supermax: the proportions have been enlarged, the tubular metal structure lowered to favour a more relaxed sitting position while the characteristic kidney-bean shaped seat cushion has been completely redesigned in terms of dimensions and padding for improved comfort. The distinctive upholstered backrest with its cylindrical shape takes on an even more original appearance in the version with two-tone cover. While Max was intended mainly for waiting rooms, lounges and office settings, Supermax has been designed for a more transversal use and can be smoothly introduced into both hospitality and residential contexts.

GINKGO BILOBA | VENINI

The Venini icons have been revived with a new look in the Ginkgo Biloba capsule collection. An energising yellow characterises the classics Fazzoletto, Deco, Monofiore Balloton, Opalino, the Bloom and Ritagli vases and the Balloton Luce, Deco Luce and Fanatasmino table lamps.

A vital and natural shade that takes inspiration from the colour that the majestic tree of oriental origin assumes in autumn, golden tones that bring out the beauty of Venini’s creations, the fruit of ancient knowledge and handcrafted processes.

MIKO | VUESSE | SCAVOLINI

Miko is the name of a new series of bathroom fittings from Scavolini, designed by Vuesse. The distinctive feature is the squared front with L-shaped profile, available with two types of grooved recess, Flat or Round. This functional detail also becomes a geometric decoration within a system whose appeal lies in both its minimalism and its elegance. The extensive range of finishes available emphasises this identify; in particular the three new shades with pearlescent effect - Cuvée, Pas Dosé and Perlage - extend the range of gloss and matt lacquers, also available in a distinctive version with vertical slats. Designed to be highly functional, Miko enables bespoke configurations to be created to combine with washbasins, tops and mirrors, lighting solutions and accessories, for creating one’s own individual dimension of wellbeing.

IFDM | 231

INTERIOR. ARCHITECTURE. HOSPITALITY. 9 – 12. 1. 2024

FRANKFURT/MAIN

Special Interest

TOURS ++ TALKS & TOURS ++ LIBRARY ++ FINDER ++ visitatori@italy.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +39 02 880 77 81

www.heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com/iah

for interior designers, architects and hospitality experts

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IFDM | 233

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

NEW YORK | WALDORF ASTORIA RESIDENCES SKIDMORE, OWINGS & MERRILL | JEAN-LOUIS DENIOT

When the Waldorf Astoria opened on Park Avenue in 1931, it was the largest and tallest hotel in the world and remains one of New York City’s most prominent landmarks.

The property is in the midst of an unprecedented restoration, undertaken by developer Dajia Insurance Group and renowned architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, with great attention given to the original Art Deco design. The full block property will include condominium residences atop the 375-key Waldorf Astoria New York hotel and will offer a residential experience separate from the hotel.

Jean-Louis Deniot create a truly modern experience within the building’s historic framework. The wide variety of residences range from gracious studios to four bedrooms and penthouses within the iconic copper pinnacles and several marquee residences with expansive private outdoor spaces.

Residents will have exclusive access to over 50,000 square feet of private residential amenities, ranging from health and wellness to entertaining and business spaces.

234 | IFDM

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

TRENTO, ITALY | PALACE OF JUSTICE EXPANSION C+S ARCHITECTS

The Hapsburg building of the Ex-Prisons will be transformed into a new Law-Court, expanding the existing one. The building was part of the 19th century expansion of the city, when it became a fundamental part of the new urban grid, following the cut of the Adige River. The existing building, designed by Ignazio Liberi, consists of a sequence of two courtyards and follows the classical jail typology, with a central triple height void space all cells faced on.

Particularly interesting is the construction system, with thick stone-made baring walls, brick vaults or horizontal stone-made floors, of which a very interesting example are the central balconies, with a series of stone shelves, on which generous stone slabs rest forming the walking surface. The spatial and constructive quality of the complex prompted a delicate work of retrofitting the existing building, grafting a new ‘soft infrastructure’ capable of translating and reinterpreting the complex to fit the new program.

IFDM | 235

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

AARHUS STADIUM, DENMARK | ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS | SWECO | TREDJE NATUR

Following a competition launched by the Municipality of Aarhus, the new football stadium is to be built on the site of the existing one. The new project’s design, structure, and materials are optimized with regards to environmental impact, functionality and experienced value. Titled the “Arena of the Forest”, the design concept is informed by the vertical rhythm of the surrounding trees that reach up to 47m in height.

The new stadium is envisioned as an extension of the forest with its verticality continued in the stadium’s public colonnades and the timber ribs of its façade.

These vertical gestures flow from the forest towards the landscaped plaza and into the colonnades of the stadium’s external and internal concourses. Together with an intricate hierarchy of timber ribs within the façade and roof, the stadium’s large horizontal volume is subdivided into a human scale whilst at the same time offering a sense of arrival for the fans congregating in the adjacent public plazas.

Render © Negativ

236 | IFDM

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

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MARSEILLE | M99 | CONSTRUCTA | PIETRI ARCHITECTS

99 meters high, M99 completes the Quais d’Arenc neighborhood project and is a perfect example of a mixed-use urban development which will include a student residence, a hotel, and a rooftop restaurant in addition to high-end residential units. Inspired by the limestone minerality of the city and the Calanques, M99 will be white, like the vernacular architecture of Mediterranean port cities. Striking a perfect balance between North and South, Pietri Architectes proposes solar architecture, with rounded forms, generous and respectful of the environment. With unprecedented views of the sea and the city, the apartments, depending on the type, will offer loggias, balconies and terraces of up to 120 square meters. The restaurant and its 240-square-meter terrace will offer the city a balcony suspended over the sea and a meeting place. The rooftop terrace, a veritable garden in the sky, will be reserved for M99 residents. With its 330 square meters, 280 of which are planted with trees, it will offer an exceptional view, constituting a green lung of biodiversity as well as a place for all M99 residents and their guests to stroll, meet and socialize.

Render © Tecma Solutions

IFDM | 237

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL | MISSONI | GAFISA

The residential building will be located in one of the most important corners of Itaim Bibi, in the heart of the financial district of São Paulo where a mix of residential and commercial buildings merges with infrastructure of leisure and entertainment. The project interiors have been envisioned and curated by Alberto Caliri, Creative director of Missoni home collection supervised by Rosita Missoni. Within the apartments, the spatial quality represented by the double height ceiling in the living rooms and large wooded terraces, brings a sophisticated design and sculptural architecture. For more, the layered terraces overlapping builds an exclusive and innovative design with major green presence throughout the facade, resulting in a physical and mental well-being perspective, with decoration signed by Missoni. The project seeks to create a respectful relationship between the building and the city, with a ground floor that connects with its surroundings.

238 | IFDM

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PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

PUNTA MELISO, SANTA MARIA DI LEUCA, ITALY | LABORATORIO DI ARCHITETTURA SEMERANO

The renovation of the former Colonia Scarciglia dates back to 2004, which provided for the renovation of the original volume in accordance with current legislation. Now the design plans to drastically reduce the imposing façade by making the hill, completely hidden from view, reappear. An intervention where architecture merges with the landscape since the main goal is the environmental recovery of Punta Meliso. The load structure reduction and its uniform distribution determine a significant attenuation of the geomorphological danger. Only the ground floor is used of the imposing volume of the Colony. The part of the main body facing the tourist residence is used to create a “Lido” which includes, in addition to specific functions such as swimming pools, fitness, spa and related services, a restaurant and bar. The remaining part of the former Colony will be recovered as a Water’s museum, a place that will make available all that human intelligence has proposed in a creative form on the theme of sea and travel: documentaries, films, sound recordings. A single element stands out in the recovered landscape, a Tower of great symbolic value, whose height is the memory of the size of the former colony, as well as the gateway to the hill above.

IFDM | 239

PROJECTS & HOSPITALITY

NEXT IN THE WORLD

Overview

Hospitality looks to the East

A

top hotel

sia remains ahead of Europe for the number of new top hotels being designed and built. The numbers are lower in the Middle East, but investments there are steady. Of the 2,470 projects in Asia and Oceania, 1,496 are already under construction and 224 are opening soon. China leads the ranking for top hotels being built in the Pacific with 1,373 projects, followed by India (186) and Australia (168). The most impressive top hotel for number of rooms – 2,600 – is the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, set to open in the second quarter of 2025. Europe is another key geographical area for investments in high-end hospitality with 2,334 projects underway, including 811 hotels under construction and 205 opening soon. Germany has the largest number of hotels in the pipeline (627) with the United Kingdom a close second (472), followed by Spain (144) and Italy (113). The largest building in the works is the Pearl Hotel in Dubrovnik, Croatia with 5,000 rooms. Of the 585 new top hotels being planned in the Middle East most are under construction and 73 are about to open. Investments in Saudi Arabia are growing dramatically with 224 projects underway, including the largest hotel currently being built in the world: the Abra Kudai Towers in Makkah with 9,760 rooms.

The United Arab Emirates is in second place with 122 projects, followed by Israel with 59 new hotels on the way. Hotel chain Marriott International has the highest number of new projects in the world mainly in the United States (332) and China (230).

ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS

Marriott International ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS: 1,005 PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES: USA: 332 - CHINA: 230 - INDIA: 30 GERMANY: 24 - THAILAND: 24

NEW

NEW

NEW

2,334

585

2,470

EUROPE

MIDDLE EAST

FAR EAST

IN

IN

IN

Hilton Worldwide

STATUS

STATUS

STATUS

ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS: 765

VISION 37 PRE-PLANNING 294 PLANNING 987 UNDER CONSTRUCTION 811 PRE-OPENING 205

VISION 5 PRE-PLANNING 62 PLANNING 109 UNDER CONSTRUCTION 336 PRE-OPENING 73

VISION 33 PRE-PLANNING 203 PLANNING 514 UNDER CONSTRUCTION 1,496 PRE-OPENING 224

NEXT OPENING

NEXT OPENING

NEXT OPENING

BY 2024 873

BY 2024 288

BY 2024 1,064

PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES

PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES

PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES

GERMANY 627 UNITED KINGDOM 472 SPAIN 144 ITALY 113 AUSTRIA 88 FRANCE 85 IRELAND 83 SWITZERLAND 76 PORTUGAL 61 POLAND 52

SAUDI ARABIA 224 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 122 ISRAEL 59 TURKEY 39 QATAR 33 GEORGIA 33 OMAN 33 BAHRAIN 13 IRAQ 7 KUWAIT 7

CHINA 1,373 INDIA 186 AUSTRALIA 168 VIETNAM 126 THAILAND 110 INDONESIA 109 JAPAN 68 MALAYSIA 62 PHILIPPINES 57 NEW ZEALAND 27

PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES: USA: 273 - CHINA: 173 - UNITED KINGDOM: 25 GERMANY: 11 - MEXICO: 10

AccorHotels ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS: 589 PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES: CHINA: 103 - SAUDI ARABIA: 29 - BRAZIL: 16 USA: 16 - PHILIPPINES: 16

IHG Hotel & Resorts ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS: 587 PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES: USA: 104 - CHINA: 155 - UNITED KINGDOM: 20 AUSTRALIA: 17 - GERMANY: 15

TOP PROJECTS

Hyatt Hotels Corporation ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS: 375 PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES: CHINA: 140 - USA: 87 - INDIA: 16 CANADA: 15 - UNITED KINGDOM: 9

source: TopHotelProjects.com

240 | IFDM

EUROPE Pearl Hotel in Dubrovnik, Croatia Phase: Pre-Planning 5,000 rooms

MIDDLE EAST Abraj Kudai Towers in Makkah, Saudi Arabia Phase: Under Construction 9,760 rooms

FAR EAST Marina Bay Sands in Singapore Phase: Under Construction 2,600 rooms

EUR 35.00 | USD 45.00 | wonder.ifdm.design

NEXT ISSUE: Spring / Summer 2024

Projects & Hospitality | Spring Summer 2024

In March, the Spring / Summer Spin-Off Projects & Hospitality by IFDM: you will discover the new color trends 2025 and international projects, interviews with major players and the new “Design Inspiration” through the products selection.

For a complete, up-to-date view on the contract and hospitality industry.