Issuu

EUR 35.00 | USD 45.00 | wonder.ifdm.design

Spring 2024

Create, innovate. Design.

www.kettal.com

VENICECOLLECTION D E S I G N B Y L U D O V I C A S E R A F I N I + R O B E R T O PA L O M B A

FEATURES

Spring 2024

Color stories

The pursuit of immortality (in color)

Interviews

PEOPLE Ico Migliore & Mara Servetto

Design means sowing seeds of change

PEOPLE Giovanna Vitelli

Underpinnings of success

PEOPLE John Hopkins

148 A professional juggler starts with three items

Spring

Publisher

Paolo Bleve | bleve@ifdm.it

Editor-in-Chief

Ruben Modigliani | ruben@ifdm.it

Deputy Editor

WONDER

Projects review

16 Fengxi New City, China | Mu Feng Yue Hot

Spring Hotel | Studio A+

18 Camden Town London

Marianne Tiegen Interiors

Carlton Cannes France

Metamorphosis of a ‘Grande Dame’

Cà Select Venice, Italy

20 Blevio, Lake Como | Mandarin Oriental

A temple to Spritz

82 New York | The Spiral | BIG in collaboration

Visibilio House Bolzano, Italy A contemporary celebration of tradition

Art creates connections

Infinity pool | Herzog & de Meuron with Adamson Associates

Cromwell Place Café London

Silena Valles, Rio di Pusteria, Italy

MMA Projects

The city’s Red Church

Santini Headquarters Bergamo, Italy

MAD Architects

Unexpected echoes of Asia

Red Church Olomouc, Czech Republic

Internationale de la Langue Française | Projectiles

Dynamism for the win

Nilaya Royal Huisman

Fast as the wind, light as a feather

Maison Brummell Majorelle

Marrakesh Made for nesting in

Joali Being Bodufushi Maldives

Watchword: weightlessness

Continental AG Hannover, Germany

106 From space to place Six Senses Crans-Montana

110

Switzerland A style revolution

The West Residence Club New York

116

Virtuous connections

Werk Bratislava

120 A transformation of social dynamics 6 | IFDM

01 YEAR IX

Alessandra Bergamini alessandra@ifdm.it

Editor-at-Large

Veronica Orsi | orsi@ifdm.it

Senior Editor

Giulia Guzzini | redazione@ifdm.it

Editors

Alessandro Bignami, Matteo De Bartolomeis, Manuela Di Mari, Elena Franzoia, Elena Luraghi, Antonella Mazzola, Désirée Sormani

International Contributors New York | Anna Casotti

Web Department redazione@ifdm.it

Sales & Marketing Director Dario Rossi | dario@ifdm.it

Brand Relations

Matteo De Bartolomeis | matteo@ifdm.it Camilla Guffanti | camilla@ifdm.it Annalisa Invernizzi | annalisa@ifdm.it

Graphic Department Marco Parisi grafica@ifdm.it

Translations

Annabel Little, Miriam Hurley, Stephen Piccolo

Advertising

Marble/ADV Tel. +39 02 40701449 - info@ifdm.it

Closed by the editorial staff 25th February 2024

Owner and Publisher Marble srl

Head office and Administration

Corso Venezia 8 - 20121 Milano, Italy Tel. +39 02 40701449 - www.ifdm.design

Printed by

Elcograf Spa - Verona, Italy All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. A record and picture file is available at Marble.

THE CASSINA PERSPECTIVE GOES OUTDOOR

cassina.com

Milan Paris Madrid London Athens Dubai New York Los Angeles Tokyo Seoul

Spring 2024

Let’s keep in touch!

FEATURES

    ifdmdesign

128

Sprinklr Dubai

124 Perfect balance Otro Oaxaca, Mexico

128 Oaxaca-style Pricefx Prague

134 Embracing change Palazzo Velabro Rome

138 History meets contemporary style in the Imperial Forums Rosewood Munich Germany

154 Fresh baroque style Perelman Performing Arts Center New York

162 Manhattan’s new performance hub Ocean 182 Sunseeker

166 A versatile floating penthouse QMM cultural center Mérida, Mexico

168 A tangible expression of difference and permanence Regina Experimental Biarritz, France

172 Revamping the Belle Époque Clockwise Bristol & Manchester, United Kingdom

176 New frontiers of (work) space Collegiate Milan

180 Beyond the domestic scale Mix Brussels

184 Creativity and talent in the Mix

Short Stories

197 A wide view on major international projects

Design inspirations

219 A selection of the most innovative products

for the contract sector by international brands

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

240 New top hotels: U.S. still leads, Saudi Arabia grows

172 8 | IFDM

DYLAN SEATING SYSTEM | RODOLFO DORDONI DESIGN RAPHAEL SOFA | GAMFRATESI DESIGN DISCOVER MORE AT MINOTTI.COM/DYLAN

moltenigroup.com

EDITORIAL

Spring 2024

RUBEN MODIGLIANI Editor-in-Chief

Creative instinct

n this issue there are 26 projects, all with something special: a red window, historic stuccowork, an unpredictable architectural rhythm, a stone façade that lights up at night and becomes magical. The process of creating a shelter – which can be very complex, as in the cases of termites, spiders or beavers – is a primordial instinct we share with most animal species. But things change when the time comes for decorating. Nevertheless, we are not alone even in that operation. The Ptilonorhynchidae Gray, namely the bowerbird found in Papua New Guinea and North Australia, builds its nests with bizarre architecture on the ground, little huts that seem to stretch upward. But that is not the end of the story: to attract a mate, the bird puts objects, flowers, shells and pebbles in the adjacent space, as well as bits of plastic or metal; often in the same color (blue is a favorite) but sometimes in groups, one for each hue, like the plots of a flower garden. The urge to create beauty and emotions is simultaneously rational and irrational. Unlike the bowerbird, we do not build (at least not usually) for a single person, but for larger or smaller groups of fellow creatures. Often our constructions are for a community. We too try to catch the eye and fancy of the observer. A strategy to propagate the species, in nature, becomes a way for us to bring progress to our habitat culture. I like to think that the driving instinct, in all these instances, is in many ways the same.

IFDM | 11

1 VISION

Natural wallcoverings colletions design by Metrogramma, AMDL CIRCLE

2 S I G N AT U R E S

ATELIS 2 COLLECTIONS

CURATOR’S LETTER

Spring 2024

ALESSANDRA BERGAMINI Deputy Editor

The transformative power of design

he transformative power that architecture exerts on places, in exteriors and interiors, is plain to see in any context. There is an ongoing, unstoppable process pursued with the goals of adding value, conversion, restoring memory, growing economies, and changing behaviors. This all produces different results in the setting and the community – some unexpected. As we have done in all Wonder Books published thus far, this Spring 2024 edition presents a selection of completed and future projects, including many architectural and urban regeneration and conversion projects. Examples in this book include The Red Church in Olomouc, Czech Republic, Palazzo Velabro in Rome, the Generator Building in Manchester, the Linley House in Bristol, the Hotel Mix in Brussels, the Carlton Cannes, and the Rosewood Munich. Yet, as Ico Migliore and Mara Servetto remind us in their interview, we should remember that one goal runs through all design and that is to transform people. The redevelopment and new build projects all come out of the idea of transforming a space’s solids and voids, as well as the knowledge of the people who use them. This applies to all places, whether for culture or commercial spaces, urban landscapes, or hospitality destinations. The goal is to trigger a process of rethinking behavior, objectives, and values, in a type of maieutic effect. The project’s physical and intangible space in itself often encapsulates a dual sense of journey and destination.

IFDM | 13

WONDER. FENGXI NEW CITY, CHINA | MU FENG YUE HOT SPRING HOTEL | STUDIO A+

A serene retreat nestled in the natural wilderness yet not far from city life, the hotel provides guests with a peaceful and refined sanctuary. The building is not simpy a structure; it’s an environment crafted

16 | IFDM

through strategic placement of walls that redefine and choreograph the space. Its walls fold and unfold the spatial experience, integrating the “environment” with its larger context.

IFDM | 17

WONDER. CAMDEN TOWN LONDON | MARIANNE TIEGEN INTERIORS

The former Monty Python film studios in Camden were reimagined into a versatile family home and fashion studio. Its design interweaves industrial and luxurious elements, crafting creative, welcoming spaces.

18 | IFDM

AD Designwork – Image Superresolution – Copywriting Carter&Bennett

E X T R A ORDIN A RY H OS P I TA L I T Y

WONDER. BLEVIO, LAKE COMO | MANDARIN ORIENTAL | INFINITY POOL | HERZOG & DE MEURON The magic of Mandarin Oriental on Lake Como is renewed with a spectacular, floating infinity pool designed by Herzog & de Meuron and a redesigned spa of 1200 sqm.

20 | IFDM

Spring 2024

COLOR STORIES

Trend

The pursuit of immortality (in color) Full of neutral and delicate hues, the color trends forecast for 2025 reflect a world steeped in uncertainty and unpredictability. But a world where life still always emerges victorious Author: Veronica Orsi

ielding significant influence over our daily experiences, color trends transcend mere aesthetics: they are the tangible outcomes of an intricate, deeply rooted process. The ColorWorks™ Design and Technology Center delineates a direct correlation between trend-setting colors and societal dynamics, with particular attention to international movements that serve as early indicators of impending change. The ColorWorks™ team takes a proactive approach in identifying major trends that have the potential to impact consumer behavior. Curating a palette of 20 colors, with five shades assigned to each of the four trends, known as Stories at ColorWorks™, an inspiring narrative is carefully crafted for each one. “We approach our thinking on a global scale, converting first the into images, mood boards and keywords to establish an immediate emotional connection with the narrative,” explains Roberto Romanin, senior designer at ColorWorks™, and our Virgil-like guide on this journey. “It’s only after this step that we begin defining our colors.” It was from this process that the color trend forecast for the upcoming year, ColorForward™ 2025, emerged, shaped by a preference for “an abundance of cool tones over warm ones” and with a particular focus on “neutrals and almost neutrals with tinted undertones.” Roberto Romanin explains, “This reflects a historical period marked by considerable unpredictability and indecision.” The emerging trends coalesce into four compelling narratives: “Carpe Mortem,” “Easy Peasy,” “Elevens,” and “Destination Salvation.” The first, discussed in more detail below, explores the theme of immortality, while the second, “Easy Peasy,” focuses on a new design vision centered on product longevity. The third Story, “Elevens,” goes on to examine global demographic changes and its consequences, while “Destination Salvation,” our final Story, revisits last year’s theme of grappling with the wave of negativity stemming from catastrophic events, skillfully intertwining elements of humor and seriousness. 22 | IFDM

PEOPLE

Spring 2024

DESIGN MEANS SOWING SEEDS OF CHANGE Migliore+Servetto Architects takes an approach to create projects as “environmental narratives” in all sorts of settings and scales to become a tool for knowledge and the transformation of places and people, alike

ara Servetto and Ico Migliore recount the process through which they create “narrative” projects. Each project tells a story starting from the context/backdrop, bringing out the place’s contents in a narrative sequence, like a theatrical direction of design, making light and time immaterial variables. “We don’t work in an isolated cube, but we always seek a relationship with the space around us. We have to come in lightly to build a dialogue with these surroundings. It’s a choice, it’s our design approach. Immaterial elements like light and time are as important as material qualities and they add lightness.” When they imagine the project’s theatrical direction and its use dynamics – supported by the drawing process – the goal is to implement knowledge tools and to trigger changes in people to help them better understand the place and its spatial, cultural, and social content as well as themselves and their behaviors. People come out of the narrated space changed, whether that space is a cultural institution, store, office, or urban space.

author: Alessandra Bergamini portrait photo: courtesy Migliore+Servetto projects photo: all courtesy Migliore+Servetto: Andrea Martiradonna (The Human Safety Net, Bookshop Electa Colosseo), Jae Young Park (Blue Line Park, Busan, Korea), Marcin Czechowicz, (Chopin Museum), Michele d’Ottavio, Daniele Bottallo, Stefania Kalogeropoulos (a-cromactive)

26 | IFDM

Ico Migliore & Mara Servetto

How would you tell your professional story? Ico Migliore: We have had many encounters and influences that have been essential for our professional development. The first of these was the University of Turin where we studied and met Achille Castiglioni who took us to Milan as his assistants. But before Castiglioni, there was Guido Jannon, who won the Compasso d’Oro in the 1980s for his work with ABET Laminati. He led us to change our professional orientation and take on the issue of brand identity, which is a central theme for us. We graduated with a thesis on the topic with Castiglioni and Jannon as co-advisors. Another important encounter was with Paolo Soleri when we went to the United States to meet him in the late 1980s. He introduced us to the issues of society, sharing, and the environment, considering that he had been talking about the relationship between architecture and ecology already back in the 1950s. What projects do you consider turning points in your career? IM: The Time-Space Foundation that we created with other young people right after we graduated. It had to do with the research and importance of North American design and craft objects and the relationship between place, objects, and culture. At the same time as this, influenced by our trips to the United States, we started to experiment with semi-finished products like fiberglass, metal mesh, and recycled wood. We considered the relationship between light, material, and form, to make a series of self-produced objects “AA.VV. AUTORIVARI,” and then we experimented in the retail field with projects for the WP Store in Milan and Rome. Then, we collaborated with Wallpaper and Tyler Brulé, with whom we worked for 10 years. And meeting Mariuccia Mandelli (Krizia) was fundamental. We designed a large exhibition in Tokyo for her and that was a turning point for us, our experiences in Japan and Asia, and the chance to consider the relationship between fashion and design. The Chopin Museum project in Warsaw, made in 2010 for the bicentenary of Chopin’s birth, was another significant experience. That got us the project for the Egyptian Museum in Turin.

Spring 2024

PEOPLE

Ico Migliore & Mara Servetto

IFDM | 27