.Wonder Book | Spring 2024

EUR 35.00 | USD 45.00 | wonder.ifdm.design

Spring 2024

Spring 2024

Create, innovate.

Design.

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FEATURES

Spring 2024

22

Color stories

The pursuit of immortality (in color)

Interviews

PEOPLE Ico Migliore & Mara Servetto

36

Design means sowing seeds of change

PEOPLE Giovanna Vitelli

88

58

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

34

Metamorphosis of a ‘Grande Dame’

Cà Select Venice, Italy

20 Blevio, Lake Como | Mandarin Oriental

42

A temple to Spritz

82 New York | The Spiral | BIG in collaboration

48

Visibilio House Bolzano, Italy A contemporary celebration of tradition

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Art creates connections

Infinity pool | Herzog & de Meuron with Adamson Associates

Cromwell Place Café London

84 New York | Silencio | Harry Nuriev 86 Ostrava, Czech Republic | Plato Contemporary Art Gallery | KWK Prome 142 Dubai | Axiom Telecom Headquarter

Silena Valles, Rio di Pusteria, Italy

58

MMA Projects

144 Hong Kong | Langham Beauty | Linehouse 146 Villers-Cotterêts, France | The Cité 190 Quzhou, China | Quzhou Stadium 192 Valencia | Momiji Atelier | El Departamento 194 Prague | Masaryčka | Zaha Hadid Architects

96

The city’s Red Church

Santini Headquarters Bergamo, Italy

68

MAD Architects

Unexpected echoes of Asia

Red Church Olomouc, Czech Republic

64

Internationale de la Langue Française | Projectiles

Dynamism for the win

Nilaya Royal Huisman

74

Fast as the wind, light as a feather

Maison Brummell Majorelle

78

Marrakesh Made for nesting in

Joali Being Bodufushi Maldives

96

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

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THE CASSINA PERSPECTIVE GOES OUTDOOR

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Spring 2024

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FEATURES

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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

Next

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

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

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

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EDITORIAL

Spring 2024

RUBEN MODIGLIANI Editor-in-Chief

Creative instinct

I

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.

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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

T

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.

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WHITE BOX

Spring 2024

Design signature desinations

E

Curated by: Alessandra Bergamini

REDA AMALOU & STÉPHANIE LEDOUX AW² architecture & interiors

T

GIANCARLO LEPORATTI Eureka Mice CEO

T

ourism in general and especially high-end tourism is increasingly driven by the search for authentic, exclusive experiences that include elements of art, history, tradition, refinement, harmony, well-being, innovation, and design.

Design is the factor that brings together all the other elements in an image of a destination and defines its brand. It is a creative process that generates the uniqueness and authenticity of the traveler’s experience. The design of a signature destination is about much more than decoration, as it is expressed through the use of local materials while respecting tradition. It combines cultural elements and creates spaces that reflect the destination’s atmosphere and identity that draw visitors to seek its genius loci. Design can also be the decisive factor in making signature destinations stand out from others, attracting travelers to have a memorable experience. It is essential to understand the destination’s distinctive characteristics to create a cohesive, authentic design that captures its essence and makes it unique.

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raveler’s expectations have changed drastically in the last decade. From the traditional safe haven of the ‘home away from home’ hospitality has moved to a more guest-centric, experience-oriented offer. This is especially true in the high end and luxury sectors. Because “bespoke” and “on demand” has become a daily requirement from the more savvy travelers, luxury brands have adapted their hotel propositions to maximize guest experience, blending new with discovery, wellness with leisure and luxury.

What is interesting about rethinking the way we travel, is that it gives architecture a lot more space to contribute to that shift. When guests are in the hotel, what are they going to take back from this experience? What are they going to remember? This is where you can make a difference with architecture. It is where you create this emotion, this thing which you cannot really quantify but is there. For us at AW², hospitality is intrinsically linked to the experience of a place, its context in the widest possible meaning of the word: site, culture, climate, people…

People are at the centre of our designs. It is about the sense of place, but also about how you move through this space, about what you see and what you feel. It also relates to the physical site, its conditions, how the project is connected to its direct environment and its genius loci. As architects we want to deliver things that are exactly designed for the purpose for which they are made, for the site on which we are designing and building, and for the people that will experience this place.

EMMANUEL SAUVAGE Evok Collection, co-founder and AD

ach Evok Collection establishment is carefully designed to tell a story, create emotions and encourage inspiration. We are not satisfied with merely creating places to stay. Architecture and interior design play an important role in this vision. They serve as a framework for all the components designed to create an overall experience and an instant emotional connection. It all comes together. That’s where Evok’s uniqueness lies: going beyond the setting, however magnificent, to create an atmosphere with a deep sense of identity. We put aside the decor so that all that remains are feelings and emotions. We believe that every detail contributes to this experience: the layout of the spaces, the selection of materials, as well as the objects chosen, the quality of the linen, the style of the uniforms, the fragrance, the selection of works of art and books, the music played, the comfort of the duvets or slippers, the attentive service.

Antique pieces contribute to the overall spirit of the space. The Group’s commitment to CSR initiatives and the choice of timeless décor are the primary guarantees of the sustainability of the projects undertaken. Whether reinterpreting traditional concepts or pushing back the boundaries of innovation and daring, the projects embody a commitment to creating spaces imbued with meaning and emotion. They are an invitation to take a journey through time, celebrating local history and culture. By choosing locations steeped in history, such as the old Stock Exchange in Venice, we honour and celebrate the past whilst incorporating more contemporary elements. We choose to work with visionaries such as Philippe Starck, for whom design is not just about décor, but enriches the very spirit of the space. Design and decoration come together to provide a unique atmosphere and experience.

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

© Archi-translator

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

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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.

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WONDER. CAMDEN TOWN LONDON | MARIANNE TIEGEN INTERIORS

© Jeremy Wilson

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.

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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.

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BOOKCASE TECHWALL Coffee table - Chic armchair - Totò floor lamp - Bubble table lamp RIFLESSI STORE MILANO | BERGAMO | BRESCIA | ROMA | PESCARA | TORINO | NAPOLI | BARI | REGGIO CALABRIA | PALERMO

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

W

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.

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Spring 2024

E-TERNALS

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COLOR STORIES

GOOD TO GLOW

Trend

FOREVER YOUNG

COLOR STORIES

Spring 2024

Trend

FIRST STORY. CARPE MORTEM

Returning to the Horatian essence of “Carpe Diem,” the title of this Story, “Carpe Mortem,” delves into a subject often pondered yet seldom discussed openly. Centered around the notion of immortality, this trend encompasses more than just the enigmatic ‘Lady in Black’. Rather, it taps into the universal yearning for everlasting life – a desire that echoes throughout the human imagination, spurred on by scientific advances and contemporary quests for healthier lifestyles. While achieving eternal life remains a distant prospect (for now, at least!), current technological developments offer us the promise of prolonged, more peaceful, and healthier lives, reflecting the evolving aspirations of our society. At the forefront of this “revolution” is the pioneering Silicon Valley, spearheading research into “death-disrupting technologies” – innovations poised to challenge the very concept of mortality. Among its visionary leaders is Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal, who recently injected $3.5 million into the Methuselah Foundation, a non-profit endeavoring to develop technology capable of reversing the aging process by 2030. Similarly, Sam Altman, co-founder of OpenAI and Chat GPT, has allocated $180 million to Retro Biosciences, a startup dedicated to researching cellular rejuvenation and reprogramming. Staying in a more familiar context, the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered discussions around concepts such as “health” and “well-being,” prompting a shift in consumer preferences towards practices that promote overall wellness. This shift has fueled a surge in wellness-oriented hospitality experiences – getaways full of elements that seek to promote well-being, a first step towards

GREAT BLUE YONDER

embracing longevity best practices. Projections suggest that the global wellness tourism industry could surpass $1.3 billion by 2025. Amidst this widespread longing for an extended earthly existence, some approach the topic of death from an entirely different perspective. On the one hand, several companies are working on developing a “digital afterlife,” capturing individuals’ essences through extensive questionnaires completed while they are still alive, and thereby preserving them in digital form after their passing. On the other hand, there is a growing movement towards creating new, environmentally friendly burial solutions, such as “TERRAMATION” and “AQUAMATION”, with the focus instead placed on leaving behind an ecological legacy. Currently, these options are only available in a few select regions across the United States. The colors embodying this “ethereal” theme are, accordingly, desaturated.

Take, for instance, the deep, almost black shade of Eternals, with its subtle green undertone, hints of blue and golden shimmer – a truly otherworldly hue that symbolizes the transition into the digital sphere. Good to Glow, on the other hand, a very light shade akin to metallic white, represents the new accepted and lightful narrative around death, while Forever Young, embodying a delightful hue described as “Pink Orange,” epitomizes the essence of anti-aging and wellness practices.

Likewise, Great Blue Yonder, a neutral hue with a faint touch of unsaturated blue, evokes a heavenly sanctuary for relaxation, while Transcender, a soft, desaturated green, recalls the emergence of zeroimpact, ecological burial practices. The Stories will continue in the next Book.

TRANSCENDER

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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

M

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)

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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

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Spring 2024

Mara Servetto: Another turning point was the Turin 2006 Olympics project, developed with Italo Lupi.

This was the largest urban identity project that a city had taken on in Europe. For us, it was a chance to handle the potential of the urban landscape. Our ability to understand the place and society is definitely rooted in that experience. It was the first Compasso d’Oro we won. It was a very unique urban design project where we worked considering the outskirts of town, talking to neighborhood committees. We had the support of an entire city that helped us study the urban fabric and find answers. There were many more works on the outskirts than in the city center. We got a very positive response from the city residents given that these projects are usually considered invasive. We celebrated the Olympics and most importantly we told the story of Turin’s identity. Other projects for cities came out of that, including the recent projects in Busan, South Korea: the Blue Line Park, a linear urban park that winds along 5 km of the city’s east coast overlooking the ocean, and the Waterfront Door / Into the Ocean project, an urban graphic project on a 500-meter area along the city’s coastal strip.

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PEOPLE

Your “narrative” projects come out of a layering of content as well as a layering of skills. What role does lighting design play?

MS: Light is fundamental. It is one of the intangible aspects of the project that we give a lot of attention to.

We think about the role of light in the perception of space. We always look at it not just in a photographic visual sense but in the sense of dynamics, what can happen in an interior when we experience it. Light also involves the complex relationship between natural and artificial lighting. It is a fundamental tool to develop a narrative, to convey content, and to give the project balance and direction.

IM: In everything from museums to cities, light is a tool that we always think about. We work on photographing the space, like they do in films. We don’t simply use lights, we conceive integrated projects where the light photography becomes essential to give life to a theatrical direction of the interiors.

And for exteriors too, like the Intesa Sanpaolo project in Turin, α-cromactive.

MS: The dialogue between natural and artificial light

Ico Migliore & Mara Servetto

Spring 2024

PEOPLE

Ico Migliore & Mara Servetto

is significant in the large installation we made on the 35th to the 37th floor of the skyscraper designed by Renzo Piano. Dynamic light forges a relationship with the hanging sheets like in a whirl of leaves. The object makes light for itself, and it dialogues with its surroundings and the climate, becoming ultimately highly natural and organic. It was made for Luci d’Artista and has become permanent, having been in the bioclimatic greenhouse for six years. It breathes and vibrates following the seasons. It forms a relationship with the natural landscape – the hills on one side and the mountains on the other – and with the entire city, with the shifting hours of the daylight hours, and with the people who walk through the walkways.

How do you build your “narrative spaces”?

MS: As you can see from our design results, each one is different from the others because we start from the local place and its deeper content. We care a great deal about bringing out the message that needs to be conveyed, whether cultural or commercial, and the physical place. Narrative spaces become experiences between the physical and the digital worlds. They are often straddling these two realms, and they always integrate, not just adding them together. Lighting plays a fundamental role in guiding and defining the space. We start from a dark page that we illuminate with light.

IM: Creating spaces based on their content means

Blue Line Park, Busan, South Korea.

Centre, The Fryderyk Chopin Museum, Warsaw. Opposite, a-cromactive, Intesa Sanpaolo tower, Turin

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Spring 2024

adding content and feeling to the form and function.

Narration means creating spaces from their content.

This applies regardless of whether it is for museums, shops, hotels, cities, or private homes. In an integrated project, you have to be able to manage different skills to intertwine them.

Does the variable of time also play an important role in a narrative project?

IM: It does, like in a film and its editing or its relationship with the soundtrack. In architecture, we should think the same way. Time is fundamental, it means determining the right rhythms. It is interesting to consider how long it takes to walk across a square. Time creates dimension and becomes a true design material, an important variable. In individual spaces, time pertains to memory, usage behaviors, and phases of the day.

Is time related to the concept of slow release?

MS: The concept of slow release refers to the space being a place of knowledge, an urban space, an institution, a place of culture, a place of identity, where

PEOPLE

a mechanism of knowing is put into action. Design is the tool to acquire this knowledge, it is a tool to trigger future curiosity that does not stop there but that generates a slow-release effect. For example, after you visit the Chopin Museum, which speaks to diverse audiences in terms of generations and knowledge base, you might decide to buy CDs or tickets for a concert. The museum’s effect radiates out, or the effect of the awareness of a brand that creates attachment to the brand. It’s not a temporary “wow effect” but one that generates a chain of successive reactions.

IM: We try to avoid feeding an excessive sacredness of the architectural object, the perception of entering a pristine place because places are meant to be lived in, experienced, and touched. This sense of slow release is also tied to the idea that you can go into a place and leave it transformed. Everything that has value sparks a change in people. Everywhere from museums to retail shops, we try to induce at least a minor change. The design of places can change people, to spur them to know themselves better, just as art or beauty do.

Electa Bookshop Colosseo, Rome.

Centre, The Human Safety Net, Procuratie Vecchie, Venice

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Ico Migliore & Mara Servetto

Spring 2024

PEOPLE

Is one example The Home of the Human Safety Net at the Venetian Procuratie?

IM: We worked on the historic Procuratie Vecchie after Chipperfield’s restoration to create a space for the social sphere: the new headquarters of the Generali Group’s humanitarian foundation, The Human Safety Net. The result was a space dialoguing with natural and artificial light, full of Venetian materials, somewhere between an anthropological space and a museum of science and technology.

This project was exciting for us as well as complex.

We consider it a true ‘cultural seed’ from which people should come out changed.

MS: The Human Safety Net’s unique quality is to be a multipurpose space, where there is a permanent exhibition area on the third floor and where you can be alone or dialogue with others. There is a cafe, a library with reading areas, an auditorium, and a bookshop that serves as an entrance to St. Mark’s Square.

Ico Migliore & Mara Servetto

Even though your projects are content-rich, there is also an aspect of lightness to them.

MS: We always try to create a landscape, a relationship with the architectural and environmental context, and this means acting with lightness. 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.

IM: Our projects are not plastic, they are highly environmental, which means lightness as well as doing what is needed without overloading the structure, and always relating to the surrounding context. We don’t think about this lightness but it comes automatically from our process.

Does that mean yours is less a design method and more a “process”?

IM: Process means looking at things as they change scale, from big to small, and creativity is the ability to shift to work across realms and to cross elements, light, graphics, technology, and cinematography in the space. When I am being an architect, I think like a graphic designer, when I am being a graphic designer, I think like an architect. Innovation is never formal, it is behavioral. We try to design things that make people change their behavior; we design new behaviors.

MS: By drawing space, you design the dynamism of the usage behavior, not the object’s visual appearance.

What role does drawing have in the design process?

MS: In the studio, all of us designers and architects draw but Ico has a really expressive, direct way of drawing that is always shared starting from the first meetings. What we’re interested in are scenes. In design terms, we see space, light, rhythm, and distance. Ico manages to use drawing to transfer this complexity into a scene, not just the form but the dynamism of what is happening. The result is that in the end we draw over his drawings and it becomes a layering of content.

IM: Drawing is fundamental and I use it a lot. But it is never what is in your mind, it is a way to understand what you’re doing. It’s like a storyboard of what will happen, a map of what is to come. We draw maps and scenes, which are more interesting than a pretty drawing. It also serves as a maieutic mechanism to “find oneself.”

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EF Contract – a division of EF Group – is an international general contractor specialized in the design and implementation of three-dimensional brand experience environments.

A group composed of different and integrated forms of expertise, offering the fundamental advantage of acting as a single resource for clients and designers, covering entire projects and guaranteeing optimal results.

The approach of EF Contract stands out for a total focus on values, combined with a clear vision.

Also in environmental terms. For a sustainable future.

Spring 2024

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HOTEL

Cannes, France

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Cannes, France

Metamorphosis of a ‘Grande Dame’ Carlton Cannes dives into modernity as a historic place of hospitality on the Côte d’Azur’s legendary promenade

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ommanding a powerful position over the Croisette, France’s glamorous city and its bay, The historic Carlton Cannes, built in 1913, is giving its splendor a modern flair, keeping on giving its guests wonderful experiences. It took seven years of work, two and a half years with the hotel closed, and the talents of 750 craftspeople and Tristan Auer, who oversaw the interior design, to restore this Belle Époque jewel to its avant-garde self, 110 years after its first opening. With 20,000 square meters renovated and a 28,000 square meter new build expansion, the Carlton Cannes offers itself to its guests with even more generosity than ever. The work started from the ground floor reception area, which was completely reorganized around new openings with newly uncovered forms. The golden light of the Côte d’Azur was allowed at last to stream inside. Now, a delicate, lightweight, airy atmosphere reigns. The light-color Carrara marble floors and carved ceilings, the finely crafted moldings, rosettes, marbleized stuccoes, and gold decorations are based on shades of cream, ivory, and light beige. Here hospitality is warm and casual IFDM | 35

Spring 2024

while using highly sophisticated technologies. The addition of two wings in the building’s back section let Carlton fully unfurl with a vast, fragrant Mediterranean garden whose 2,200 square meters is home to 22,000 plants and trees carefully selected in France and Italy and an infinity pool larger than any hotel in Cannes. A new adjacent conference center offers a team of event management experts to plan every kind of occasion. It has added 37 private residences, including a luxurious 1,000 sq.m. penthouse with a 500 sq.m. private panoramic terrace. A natural subtle color palette dominates here as in the 332 rooms and suites, echoing the Mediterranean light. Noble materials combined with a sophisticated array of whites, including Vallauris ceramics, braided wicker, marble, and brass. There are also touches of red clay, alluding to the first clay tennis court created right here in this hotel and the site of a historic women’s match. Craftspeople brought their finest skills to the renovation, completed with great delicacy and respect, returning nobility to this icon, along with companies that

36 | IFDM

HOTEL

Cannes, France

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Cannes, France

Hotel operator: A Regent Hotel/IHG Architectural project: Richard Lavelle Interior design: Tristan Auer Furnishings: Armchairs, Casa Padrino, Tristan Auer Lighting: Contardi, Napo et Jeannot Terracotta wall: Fornace Polirone Black and white lavastone screen: Ranieri Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Amaury Laparra, Romeo Balancourt

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Spring 2024

provided custom work. Venini, for example, made the bar’s monumental chandelier by hand. Special techniques were used on many materials, such as a fish scale pattern and the Japanese raku technique for ceramics with striking veined effects. Special attention was given to its historical era’s defining architectural elements, Such as the ogival domes clad in dark majolica above the building’s rounded corners.

The grandiose staircases are made of marble and lava stone with black iron scrolls and sophisticated gold leaf decorations that had been obscured for decades under layers of paint. The period mosaics under the arcade and in the elevators clad in leather and brass feature floor signs and dial hands. Its Grand Salon is classified as a historical monument and has been restored to its full splendor in every detail from its monumental chandeliers to its mezzanine. Majestic in its proportions and grandly furnished, it now has a double opening both to the new garden and the sea.

The Beach Club is the pride of the hotel, celebrating the joie de vivre of the ultra-chic Riviera.

38 | IFDM

HOTEL

Cannes, France

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Cannes, France

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Spring 2024

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HOTEL

Cannes, France

Spring 2024

Client: Gruppo Montenegro Architecture & Interior design: Studio Marcante–Testa Project and content management: MindTheGap Studio Plants and facilities design: PGS ingegneria Content of the exhibition design & visual identity: Studio Fludd Production coordination & executive production: Epica Film Local architect: Stefano Romagna Project manager: Roberta Minici Building construction: Steelwood Engineering Set-up arrangements: Amap, Gruppo Frassati, Steelwood Engineering, WonderGlass Lighting design: Studio Marcante - Testa in collaboration with Flos Decorative lighting supplier: Fortuny Technical lighting supplier: Flos System integrator: Acuson, Red Group Author: Elena Franzoia Photo credits: Helenio Barbetta

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HEADQUARTERS

Venice, Italy

Spring 2024

HEADQUARTERS

Venice, Italy

A temple to Spritz Cà Select dives into color and a Venetian tradition. Designed by Marcante-Testa in the Cannaregio district, it is where the Select bitter is made, the key ingredient of the world-famous Spritz cocktail

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ed Spritzes are the famous Venetian cocktail now beloved worldwide. They were likely invented in the 19th century

by Austrian troops who tried to stretch Venetian wines, intense in terms of alcohol, with a “splash” – spritzen in German – of sparkling water. The amaranth red color comes from Select the Venetian bitter, which was invented in the 1920s and is

now made by Gruppo Montenegro. Cà Select is a space made to produce and promote the famous drink, designed as a multifunctional space by Turin-based architects Andrea Marcante and Adelaide Testa. It is set in an area less overwhelmed by excessive tourism in the north of the Venetian district, Cannaregio, near the North Lagoon and fascinating historic sites such as the Church of the

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Spring 2024

Madonna dell’Orto, the House of Tintoretto, and the former Church of the Abbey of Misericordia.

“We want to tell a story of a Venice that can draw on the uniqueness of its history through the lens of contemporaneity and give Select a home that highlights its past and future bond with this city,” say the designers. True to this district’s long crafting history, Cà Select covers 690 square meters over two floors in a low manufacturing building, once the site of a workshop for metalworking.

Now it is divided into three areas: one production area for the maceration of the main raw materials used to make Select, which includes rhubarb and juniper; an exhibition area that recounts the relationship to Venice (curated by Studio Fludd); and a multipurpose space made powerfully distinctive by blue Murano glass bar/mixology counter with an irregular pattern suggesting the movements of lagoon waves. This tailor-made counter, designed

by Marcante Testa, is the brand’s prime identifying element, placed at the end of the corridor from Fondamenta Madonna dell’Orto. The designers 44 | IFDM

HEADQUARTERS

Venice, Italy

Spring 2024

HEADQUARTERS

Venice, Italy

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Spring 2024

are known for their great attention to detail, making use here of the undeniable iconic impact of the historical Select bottle, and long-stem glass as parts of a scenic setting that involves the use of bright colors and warm materials, like velvet, and vibrant materials like mosaic in a beautiful direct tribute to the Venetian tradition. The architects say, “The overall experience of the new space is imagined as a theatrical sequence, where the audience becomes protagonists as in the famous ‘Bal Oriental,’ whose images ‘immerse’ the visitor in what has gone down in history as the most extraordinary masquerade party of the Venetian twentieth century, earning the title of Party of the Century. The terrazzo floors are also ultra-Venetian as are the distinctive lamps by Mariano Fortuny, often hung in a red metal supporting grid to respect the original wooden trusses, which are left exposed. Another tribute to the unforgettable Fortuny is the mosaics in the entrance, inspired by some of his sketches and made with tiles fired in the historic Orsoni Venice 1888 furnace. A glazed wall with a red filter in the mezzanine, holding mainly exhibition spaces, allows for a direct view of the production area.

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HEADQUARTERS

Venice, Italy

RESIDENCES

Spring 2024

Bolzano, Italy

A contemporary celebration of tradition MoDusArchitects’s Visibilio House offers a fresh take on typical South Tyrolean houses with a private home that taps into the genius loci, while expressing a modern, eclectic spirit 48 | IFDM

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he house is contemporary, lightweight, and focused on sustainability. Fitting seamlessly into the context, it is in a beautiful balance with local traditions and the history of the Alto Adige region in northern Italy.

The architecture and interior of Visibilio House marry two essences with a new perspective on the

genius loci, adopting the distinctive expressive vocabulary of the architects, Sandy Attia and Matteo Scagnol, AKA MoDusArchitects. For this private home in the Bolzano area, the duo drew on skilled craftspeople, vernacular materials, and local aesthetics, filtered through a contemporary lens and enhanced by eclecticism made up of the

Spring 2024

RESIDENCES

Bolzano, Italy

artistic and material influences of diverse cultures.

Visibilio House expands over more than a thousand square meters, its geometric forms stretching lengthwise on two floors (plus an underground floor) and two units. As the co-founders of MoDusArchitects stress, it gives life to “a play of complementary forces generated of the lines and curves that underpin the formal and spatial quality of the project.” Clad with hand-made bricks with an elongated shape that defines the outer surface and creates a chiaroscuro rhythm by alternating neutral and dark hues. It makes evocative reference to historic granaries with walls paced by solid and voids leading to light and shadow effects. Glass and steel also contribute to the architectural envelope. Glass is visible in the large fullheight windows overlooking the private garden.

Steel is found in window lintels, balcony balustrades, and shades covering some of its windows, and in the contour of the fountain in the style of a canal in the entrance square, as well as the details

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Spring 2024

Architecture: MoDusArchitects Design team: Sandy Attia, Matteo Scagnol, Martina Salmaso Lighting consultant: Lichtstudio Eisenkeil Structural engineering: Rodolfo Senoner, engineer Mechanical & Electrical engineering: P.I. Jochen Cristofoletti Home automation consultant: ProgPlan Furnishings: Arper, Bette, Carl Hansen & Søn, E15, Fantini, Finn Juhl, Flexform, Globo, Hay, Kvadrat, Olivari, Prostoria, Vitra Lighting: Davide Groppi, Flos, Foscarini, Louis Poulsen, Vibia Surfaces: Fornace Bernasconi, Fornace S. Anselmo, Santa Bernhard Author: Veronica Orsi Photo credits: Paolo Abate, Gustav Willeit

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RESIDENCES

Bolzano, Italy

Spring 2024

RESIDENCES

Bolzano, Italy

of the shaped handles on the entrance doors. This merging of materials and sensory impressions is reflected in the home as well. It becomes one of its defining elements, a new take on the construction principles of Alto Adige homes, from the underground cellar turned into a workshop for the owner, a footwear designer, and a “stube,” a traditional local living room with a fireplace, featuring modernized shapes here. The crux of the home is the living room which extends double height.

The open kitchen, and dining area, with a patio for breakfast, guest accommodations, a study, and a multimedia room. The living area’s open space celebrates many tactile sensations. Elmwood and burnished metal are used for the kitchen’s back wall, porphyry for the island, broad wooden cladding in the living room, exposed brick in the dining area, and a rope weave (made by the client) is joined to the steel frame of the central staircase.

This was designed as a standalone piece, with a sun-shading effect, directly connected to the living room. The flooring also merges a multitude of traditions. The terrace floor is combined with clay and cocciopesto finishes on the wall on the underground floor. On the ground floor, the terrazzo floor relates to the fireplace wall which has

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Spring 2024

Lasa stone and mother-of-pearl fragments. Wood holds a place of honor among the furnishings designed specifically for the home by MoDusArchitects. The wood in the wainscoting gives a warm atmosphere to the hallways and rooms, including the entrance closet, and reading room of the first-floor balcony, designed as a cushioned alcove. From one side the children’s bedroom area and the laundry room area can be accessed, and the small library and double suite with private bathroom and terrace from the other. A second entrance on the underground floor distributes several functions including a large garage, the owner’s workshop, a small wine cellar, a room for family activities, and various service and storage spaces. The home’s interior and exterior are in a constant relationship, starting from the windows that let natural light in, while the entire home was designed to be oriented to the landscape. Environmental sustainability was given high priority, earning Visibilio House the highest level of CasaClima Gold Nature certification.

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RESIDENCES

Bolzano, Italy

Spring 2024

Art creates connections Daytrip Studio and Nick Vinson designed the new Cromwell Place Café in London in the prestigious cultural center of the same name, bolstering the underpinning sense of community

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f the word “art” could elicit adjectives such as antiquated or static, Cromwell Place overturns these associations. Designed for art professionals as a dynamic place to come together, experiment, share ideas, and form national and international partnerships, it is located within important historical buildings in the London borough of South Kensington. A starring role here is played by the new Cromwell Place Café, designed by Daytrip Studio, hired by the freshly appointed art director Helen Nisbet. The architects took off from their keen attunement with the existing building, drawing on contemporary and classic references. They restored the interiors to their former glory working with design expert and publisher Nick Vinson. The meticulous restoration process achieved an elegant building envelope with walls and period ornamental features painted white and new Versailles parquet flooring.

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RESTAURANT

London

Spring 2024

RESTAURANT

London

The entire effect is enhanced by light fixtures designed by Michael Anastassiades. Daytrip custom-designed the bar counter, which features a sophisticated structure clad in naturally patinated zinc, creating an elegant silver gloss, designed to be set off from the decorated interiors. The projecting edge lets patrons enjoy drinks at the counter or even dine seated comfortably on the cherryred Tokyo stools designed by Rodney Kinsman.

A series of mirrors, colored in yellow are set in a light wood frame and become a backdrop that gives the space a casual feel. The furnishings were chosen by Vinson and include an eclectic mix of mid-century Italian classics including Ignazio Gardella’s Fagiolo sofa and Angelo Mangiarotti’s Club 44 table, alongside Philippe Starck’s iconic Van Vogelsang chairs from the 1980s. The space is imbued with energetic colors in an eye-catching palette of amber yellows and brown reds, with geometric patterned rugs from CC-Tapis.

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Spring 2024

RESTAURANT

London

Client: Cromwell Place Interior design: Daytrip.studio, Nick Vinson Furnishings: Agapecasa, Bieffeplast, Driade, Tato Italia, Vitra. Bentwood chairs by Allmilmö, 1980, vintage items sourced from Beton Brut Lighting: Flos, Michael Anastassiades Rugs: bespoke by CC-Tapis Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Oskar Proctor

56 | IFDM

Spring 2024

58 | IFDM

HOTEL

Valles, Rio di Pusteria, Italy

HOTEL

Spring 2024

Valles, Rio di Pusteria, Italy

Unexpected echoes of Asia Infused with tradition and references to Asian culture, the renovation of hotel Silena was recently completed to the design of noa* network of architecture. The Asian-inflected atmosphere fits smoothly in the landscape of the Italian Alps

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onsai trees, lanterns, and prayer wheels are among are ubiquitous references to Asian culture. Walking through its halls is almost like going on a trip to the East. The experience is all the more unexpected considering its starting point: Valles, an Italian hamlet in Rio di Pusteria among the lush Alps of Alto Adige.

Here at Hotel Silena, a feel of the mystical and far-away finds space in a realm with a powerfully traditional, evocative effect as two cultures, geographically and conceptually distant, meet. The

client, the Mair Family, was indeed inspired by a trip to Asia and experiencing its culture and rituals. So much so that they wanted to recreate and give the experience to their guests in their own hotel. This was the starting point for the renovation project designed by noa* network of architecture, completed in two phases: the first major work started in 2017, and the more recent project added to the hotel with a new entrance, six new suites, and a wellness area, all with even stronger Asian influences. Starting from the entrance to

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Spring 2024

this world, there is a metaphorical boundary line with a wooden doorway made with Asian techniques, adopting the purity of the traditional wooden composition of horizontal and vertical trusses interlocked at the joints. The Asian-inspired concept of the lobby exudes an evocative power with pine bonsai trees, vertical boulders of local stone, lantern-shaped lights, and walls of Tibetan prayer wheels (wooden cylinders that turn with a simple touch). This makes for a space of calm and serenity, added to by a stone fountain, a new fireplace area, and cozy niches for sitting.

This all removes the rigid quality of the classic check-in area, which is intentionally placed to the side. The “new” does not replace the “old” but rather comes to support it. The classic Tyrolean “stube” living area is given space here, dating to the origins of “Moarhof ” (present-day Silena).

Its historic quality, rustic style, and old wood are highlighted by the direct relationship to the bar area, which features minimalist platforms for the tea ceremony. Christian Rottensteiner, architect and project lead says, “The stube and tearoom are separated from one another by a mere thin door frame: they seem to make the transition between origins and future of Silena visible.” There is an understated but constant connection to the local area as seen in the use of dark oak, the connecting material of the entire building, and a reference to the surrounding landscape of the peat bog.

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HOTEL

Valles, Rio di Pusteria, Italy

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Valles, Rio di Pusteria, Italy

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All the wood furnishings are made of oak, also used for the floors in the hotel’s six new suites. It is here that the harmonious merging of the two cultures finds its most sublime expression. The platforms that define the individual bedroom areas, mediation corners, and tea ceremony tables suggest the idea of an Asian room. Likewise, the wooden dividers with geometric motifs or glass and wood create illusory boundaries between the bedroom and bathroom areas, and then the individual terraces, designed like outdoor rooms. Every suite has a small garden with a bathtub, small flower beds, and curtains. noa* paid the greatest tribute to the East in its new wellness area on the top floor, inspired by the Japanese “Onsen” springs. The spa includes a relaxation area, showers for traditional purification rituals, and an outdoor pool whose water is 40 degrees C with steps in exposed black concrete, and the water flowing in an infinity effect. Every part of Hotel Silena was conceived to be part of a meditative ceremony that comes from the East and stops at the Alps.

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HOTEL

Valles, Rio di Pusteria, Italy

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Valles, Rio di Pusteria, Italy

Client: Hotel Silena, Mair family Architecture & interior design: noa* network of architecture Furniture: custom made by Flatz & Windisch and Weissteiner - Bloomingville, Covo, Gervasoni, Grattoni, Norr11, Stampfl, Talenti Lighting: Catellani & Smith, Dedon, Faro, Frandsen, Light Point Copenhagen, Led Tec, Marset, SLV, Wever & Ducré Bathroom: Alice Ceramica, Gessi, GSI, Hansgrohe, Kaldewei Upholstery: Schenk Flooring: Besana, Joka Tiling: Ragno Wall covering: Glamora, WallyArt, Wall&Decò Doors: Aster Türen Windows: Castlunger Pool technology: Winkler Christian Sauna: Carmenta Author: Veronica Orsi Photo credits: Alex Filz

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Spring 2024

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LIBRARY

Olomouc, Czech Republic

Spring 2024

LIBRARY

Olomouc, Czech Republic

The city’s Red Church Atelier-r redeveloped the neo-Gothic Lutheran church in the Moldovan city of Olomouc.

Formerly used as a library, they turned it into an event space, adding a new, contemporary annex

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he Red Church was built in 1901–1902 in neo-Gothic style, designed by the German architect Max Löwe. It was built to officiate Protestant worship in German in Olomouc, a Moravian city with Roman origins and full of prestigious medieval and baroque architecture. Its function as a church was lost after World War II, and in 1959 it was turned into a library. The owner, the Olomouc Region, decided to make the original architecture perceptible again by turning it into a cultural and social event space, expanding it with a new connecting structure that holds the new library and linking it to the administrative offices in the building behind it. The project was designed by the award-winning local studio Atelier-r, founded 20 years ago by architect Miroslav Pospíšil. He and the interior designer Denisa Strmiskova collaborated on the interior. The architects recount, “The building was in a very poor condition. First, it was necessary to strengthen the foundations, mend the damp and salty masonry, repair the stucco and IFDM | 65

Spring 2024

LIBRARY

Olomouc, Czech Republic

plaster, and tidy up and fill the gaps in the facade cladding. The floors were a complete redo including the layers all the way down to the terrain base.

The trusses have been severely damaged by the rain, they could have collapsed at any point. We decided to do a complete makeover with maximum effort to retain the original elements. The new roof was made of copper squares that copy the same shape and format as the original roof.”

The library’s operation and reception functions were moved to the new connecting structure, which declares its contemporary otherness with its geometric shapes and use of materials like glass and matte black aluminum. It also pays tribute to the original building by recreating part of its site plan. The former church and library share the cafe and visually dramatic reception with its full-height, colorful wall of old books. Their appeal and visibility are heightened from the outside through the lantern effect of backlighting at night. The redevelopment project, started in 2018 and completed in 2023, also involved opening its outdoor spaces to the public by turning them into a square. Denisa Strmiskova worked

Client: Olomouc Region, Olomouc Research Library Architectural design: atelier-r Main Contractor: Company Červený kostel (associations of companies Strabag and Ohla Žs) Facade and cladding of the new building: Prefa Aluminiumprodukte Glass facade: Schüco Interior design: Denisa Strmisková Studio Graphic design: Studio Kosatko Steel artifacts: Jan Dostál Furnishings: Hay, Zeitraum Interior furnishings contractor: Prosto Interiér Lighting: Lambert & Fils, Kaia Concrete counters, concrete door of the furniture, wash basins: Gravelli Poured terrazzo floor: Provas Plzeň Author: Elena Franzoia Photo credits: BoysPlayNice

66 | IFDM

Spring 2024

LIBRARY

Olomouc, Czech Republic

closely with Atelier-r, using pastel pink to define the new building in its walls, floors, and furnishing. Great care was given to lighting with colorful fixtures suspended from the ceiling made by Lambert & Fils and Lia floor lamps made by Kaia. The chairs were intentionally varied with a mix of low-cost Élémentaire chairs designed by the Bouroullec for the Danish brand Hay. IFDM | 67

HEADQUARTERS

Spring 2024

Dynamism for the win The building home to Santini’s new Headquarters in Bergamo was renovated by Marco Acerbis, with a project full of parallels with the world of cycling

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ycling means speed and endurance as well as energy and adaptability. All these qualities are shared by Santini, the technical clothing brand for cyclists, as well as the complex chosen for its new production, operational, and strategic headquarters. The second Santini generation is in the urban industrial development area very close to Bergamo’s center. The site creates a connection between the family history and

Bergamo, Italy

Spring 2024

HEADQUARTERS

Bergamo, Italy

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Spring 2024

the cultural memory of a building of great value designed by the architect Giuseppe Gambirasio.

The architectural design and restoration by Marco Acerbis reach back over about 60 years of history to give new life to the entire area – including an extensive green space – and Gambirasio’s reinforced concrete office building. Demolitions and expansions were done with respect for the existing elements to fully express the company values of power and dynamism. Two new spaces were created. There is a reception space as Santini is also the sponsor of the Yellow Jersey of the Tour de France. There is also a showroom open to the public in the office building, giving visitors a view of the company spaces, even if separated from the main atrium with a window. Acerbis’s renovation highlights the reinforced concrete structure with its variable contours of beams and columns that suggest the silhouette of modern carbon bicycle frames and evoke a cyclist’s muscular power. Two spiral staircases, also reinforced concrete, are a masterpiece from the 1960s, bringing to mind a bicycle on a hairpin bend. They were made slightly wider and wrap towards the base. The stairs’ parapets were redesigned – repeating the curved L metal piece marked by an opening to let light in –now appearing to recreate a whoosh of air.

Light is another key element to Acerbis’s design.

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HEADQUARTERS

Bergamo, Italy

Spring 2024

HEADQUARTERS

Bergamo, Italy

The central window above the two stairwells was demolished and rebuilt featuring a contemporary style and making use of natural light. It recreates the experience of constantly shifting sunlight, so important to athletes who want to experience the great outdoors. Special solutions were developed for the lighting design. For instance, the light drum above the atrium was redesigned so that indirect light falls in the spaces below with the gentleness of natural light. There are also plenty of gathering places, including the restaurant, the bar, and even the offices arranged in an open plan, separated by contoured, custom-designed partitions/slats. There is also the reception area on the ground floor where staff can gather before going up to the office floor or into the showroom featuring the coming year’s collections.

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Spring 2024

HEADQUARTERS

Bergamo, Italy

Owner: Santini Main Contractor: Intesa Costruzioni Architecture: Marco Acerbis, Giuseppe Gambirasio Interior & Lighting design: Marco Acerbis Architetto Furnishings: Desalto, Effearredi, La Palma, Talenti Lighting: iGuzzini, Platek Bathrooms: Cristina Rubinetterie, Ideal Standard Floors: Marazzi, Radici Pietro Industries & Brands Windows & Walls: Tecnomont Service Doors & Handles: Colombo Design, Garofoli, Ninz, Tecnomont Service Acoustic panels: Celenit Elevator: Schindler Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Paolo Ciaberta, Marco Introini

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YACHT

Spring 2024

Nilaya, Royal Huisman

Fast as the wind, light as a feather Nilaya, high-performing 46-meter sloop, built by the Dutch shipyard Royal Huisman and designed by the Italian studio Nauta Design, was created for an experienced shipowner who wanted a new, larger yacht that would be comfortable and safe to explore every corner of the world.

And be unbeatable in any regatta

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ome boats are born beautiful; others have a beautiful design and then that something more. They are backed by a great team and an experienced, discerning owner, which made it possible to reach new, ambitious goals. That sums up the story behind Nilaya, a high-performing, 46-meter sloop, built by Royal Huisman for an experienced owner who wanted a new larger yacht that would be comfortable and safe to explore every corner of the world. Plus, it would be

Builder: Royal Huisman Naval architecture: Reichel/Pugh Yacht Design General concept, exterior & interior design: Nauta Design Construction: aluminum + carbon composite Length overall: 47m / 154ft Length waterline: 45m / 147ft Beam: 10m / 33ft Draft: 4.5 - 6.9m / 15 – 23ft Accommodation: 8 - 10 owners / guests + 8 crew Author: Désirée Sormani Photo credits: Giuliano Sargentini, Carlo Borlenghi

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extremely lightweight so it would be unbeatable in superyacht regattas. The owner had won all the races he had taken part in with his previous 34-meter (112’) Nyala boat. Given that “you don’t mess with a winning team” he turned to the same design team for his new yacht: Reichel/Pugh for naval architecture and Nauta Design for the general concept, exterior and interior design. “The owner wanted the spirit and best features of his previous yacht, including the coachroof design,

Spring 2024

YACHT

Nilaya, Royal Huisman

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Spring 2024

but with an even more comfortable lifestyle and less noise. He requested easy-to-helm responsiveness, safety, and strength in the construction,” according to Mario Pedol and Massimo Gino, Nauta Design co-founders. On the exterior, this sloop has graceful, low, modern lines, with a cleverly hidden coachroof. The bow is vertical and the transom is wide, folding out hydraulically to make a beach club platform and a staircase that can be raised for launching the crew tender. There are many common areas with three cockpits for guests, designed with meticulous attention to detail. The guest cockpit is shaded by a carbon hardtop and the sun loungers at the stern turn into chaise longues. There is also a dining table for 14 people and two additional low tables. A carbon sloop armament makes for extraordinary sailing efficiency: 17 knots on a reach with only 18 knots of wind. This impressive performance results from the naval architecture designed specifically for this yacht by Reichel/Pugh Yacht Design, even bringing in specialists from America’s Cup. The construction material was also key: “Nilaya is the world’s lightest aluminum sailing superyacht by length, rewriting the story of high-performance

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YACHT

Nilaya, Royal Huisman

Spring 2024

YACHT

Nilaya, Royal Huisman

superyachts,” Pedol notes. Aluminum also makes for unbeatable robustness and silence. Royal Huisman, among the world’s leading makers of aluminum light sailing yachts, applied its new Featherlight™ method, developed from spacecraft technology. The interiors embody the high-level lifestyle standards that the owner wants: elegant and well-organized, supporting efficient crew service. The large, well-lit saloon features a classic, yet modern style with mahogany used in furniture, flooring and ceiling frames joining lightcolored upholstery with dark blue and terracotta highlights on the decorative pillows. Large windows afford sweeping views and ample skylights let in both natural light and fresh air. Down the steps to the bow, the large suite for the owner and guests unfolds along with a VIP cabin and two additional cabins. There are also three office/work desks around the boat: one in the saloon, one in the owner’s cabin, and one in the TV lounge area.

All three have natural light and views – to always work from the finest location.

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Spring 2024

HOTEL

Marrakesh

Made for nesting in For the new boutique hotel in Marrakesh, Maison Brummell Majorelle, the architects Bergendy Cooke and Amine Abouraoui took inspiration from the rich history of Arab architecture without merely replicating it

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Spring 2024

HOTEL

Marrakesh

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outique Hotel Maison Brummell Majorelle stands next to the famed Majorelle Gardens in Marrakesh that surround the Yves Saint Laurent museum. It was built at the behest of Austrian hotelier Christian Schallert who envisioned it as a place to welcome friends, family, and travelers from all over the world. There is only room for up to 16 guests in the newly built hotel, which took three years to build and now fits smoothly in its setting. The architect Bergendy Cooke from New Zealand and the architect Amine Abouraoui from Morocco joined forces to create a single architectural work inspired by Arab architecture as seen through contemporary eyes. The architects avoided merely replicating styles while seeking to pay homage to the country’s rich history using less traditional references to it. One of the hotel’s key purposes is to provide a place for relaxation and reflection, which required a peaceful, joyful atmosphere. The abundance of lush plant life and running water suggest an oasis. The alternation of solids and voids, inside and outside the hotel, fit with the Maison’s pace,

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to let guests unwind and enjoy facilities like a hammam with a massage room, a Turkish bath, and heated pool. It is as if the architects started with a single block and carved out and empty and filled sections at variable scales.

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light and shadow. The surrounding gardens also draw on a similar language, featuring layers of plants and foliage on different levels. Its exterior and interior surfaces are clear examples of traditional construction methods and Moroccan craftsmanship. For instance, a rammed earth technique uses a mixture of

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Owner: Christian Schallert/Brummell Projects Architecture & interior design: Bergendy Cooke, Amine Abouraoui Furnishings: on design by Studio Bergendy Cook and manufactured by local artisans.

Vintage chairs and lighting Light & wall feature: Studio Bergendy Cook, Contain design studio, Ingo Maurer, Vesoi Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Emily Andrews, La Dichosa, Ely Sanchez

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earth and quicklime, here in a Marrakesh pink version; there is tadelakt, hand-smoothed plaster that requires incredible deftness; there are bejmat handmade tiles, and gray and pink terrazzo which defines the spaces and extends to create washbasins and bathtubs. Local craftspeople were brought in to custom-make some of its furnishings, which are mixed with design pieces, such as the Vesoi hanging lamps and Ingo Maurer lamps, Neve taps, and Lama door handles designed by Gio Ponti and made by Olivari.

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WONDER. NEW YORK | THE SPIRAL | BIG IN COLLABORATION WITH ADAMSON ASSOCIATES The Spiral neighbors the elevated High Line and Bella Abzug Park on Manhattan’s west side. Cascading landscaped terraces and hanging gardens climb the tower in a spiraling motion to create a continuous

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© Laurian Ghinițoiu

green ribbon that wraps around the façade and supplies each office floor with readily accessible terrace space.

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WONDER. NEW YORK | SILENCIO | HARRY NURIEV © Pauline Shapiro

Derived from a love for arts and culture, this exclusive network of clubs expands to NYC, promising members a vibrant array of curated events within an enchanting nightly ambiance.

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Ph Laura Panno

WONDER. OSTRAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC | PLATO CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY | KWK PROME © Jakub Certowicz

Transforming a historic slaughterhouse, the Plato Gallery introduces rotating walls for outdoor art displays. The design preserves its industrial past, adding modern elements to its soot-marked brickwork.

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Giovanna Vitelli

Spring 2024

UNDERPINNINGS OF SUCCESS Leading the rankings once again on a foundation of private entrepreneurial spirit, foresight, and talent-finding

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ccording to data released in late 2023, the Azimut|Benetti Group is again the world’s leading manufacturer of yachts over 24 meters. It maintains its top rankings for the industry in the Global Order Book published

by Boat International, both in terms of the number of hulls in build and the overall length of production:167 boats for a total of 6,014 meters, accounting for 14% of the global market. Plus there was an increase in gross operating margin (EBITDA) of 50% and an increase in the value of production of more than 23% over the previous year. This value almost doubled in the last five years from €700 million to €1.3 billion. This concise, but meaningful, summary of the current numbers is based on the company’s long history spanning 50 years. It has always been family-operated with a private entrepreneurial spirit whose underpinnings of success are the aesthetic and technological quality of high-end products. Far-sighted and based on ongoing design innovation with an R&D department, the company has long worked on sustainability and lowering CO2 emissions, drawing on expert, trusted personnel, and regular collaboration with interior naval and interior design studios. These are just a few of the things we talked about with Giovanna Vitelli, President of the Group, who a year ago took over at the helm of the company from her father Paolo Vitelli.

author: Alessandra Bergamini portrait & projects photo: courtesy of Azimut|Benetti

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Giovanna Vitelli

How important is the relationship between ship design and interior design for the Azimut Benetti Group?

Our investigation into the world of interior design has been key. Many of our architects and designers come from other industries. I’m especially interested in those who’ve worked in hotels since there are a lot of similarities with the world of ship design. Ships need to be appreciated by many at first glance, and then each owner can customize them, but they need to attract immediate attention among a broad clientele. There’s a similar logic behind hotel design, whereas private home design is all about individual taste. This kind of cross-pollination is what I enjoy most about our work. For 50 years shipbuilding was a world unto itself. Until 10 or 15 years ago, you could count the number of yacht designers on maybe two hands, with famous ones like Carlo Galeazzi, Andrew Winch, or Terence Disdale unknown in other industries. If someone buys a 70-meter yacht, now they still always turn to a group of designers, possibly because of the resale value associated with their names. But in the field of semi-customs of up to 40 meters, which is a specialty of Italian shipyards, there has been much more cross-pollination and experimentation. I expect this will eventually start happening for larger ships as well given the requests of the new generation of owners.

What role has innovation had in your story?

In the luxury world our industry is based on the product, not marketing like in fashion. Hefty sums are spent on objects that are put to heavy use, so innovation doesn’t just tell a story; over time, it plays a substantial role in various ways. My father was ingenious in his approach to innovation in the 1970s and 1980s when yachting was still in its early days. His idea to design openable sunroofs on boats was revolutionary. So was his use of a pliable, lightweight material like fiberglass, which performs well even on ships up to 40 meters. Then in the 1990s, he replaced the cabin portholes with large windows in the hull, which required a IFDM | 89

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structurally stable system. It was revolutionary to have a view and to conceive of life on board in a totally new way. He was a major pioneer in an unexplored field and many of the driving forces in the yachting world today originated from him.

And in recent years?

In an era that coincides more with my own beginnings, design has become key, like in many areas of our lives, and everyone appreciates it more. Innovation today is both aesthetic and conceptual.

It has been very gratifying for us recently to think of some spaces onboard in an unusual way, like the cockpit and saloon. A great example is our Benetti Oasis, a ship that has a fresh concept that invented a new way to experience life on board.

While the stern used to be high and closed, protected from the world and away from the water, a lowered stern now opens life on board to the sea.

The concept implies a different idea of luxury, no longer a gilded cage but a place where the lifestyle is focused on well-being, a less ostentatious, more refined approach to the inside and the outside.

The concept influences the lifestyle, which generates a new stylistic approach.

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Do stylistic and conceptual innovation go together with technological innovation?

When it comes to technology, this new paradigm is tied to a concept of innovation that has increasingly gone in the direction of what we generally term sustainable, an important for all the industry sectors but a risky term because it loses credibility when abused.

In the boating world does sustainability mean transparency and measurability?

Given that there is no third-party measurement in our industry, our first step was to help create an index to measure CO2 emissions, which was partly available for larger boats. We won the battle to apply it to boats under 24 meters, a category with large numbers in terms of units and, therefore, consumption. The index was developed by Lloyd’s Register, a third-party certifying agency, which set the standards for sea tests, with the Monaco Yacht Club as the mouthpiece and Credit Suisse as a partner. We began to measure and certify all our yachts’ consumption based on the idea of the same requirements for everyone, like in the auto industry. We have the strength behind of us of the data

Giovanna Vitelli

Spring 2024

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Giovanna Vitelli

obtained and communicate it transparently. In the sustainability conversation, we want to avoid making promises about the future and future possibilities, and instead work to give concrete data.

What other steps are you taking?

Currently, for the goal of reducing CO2 emissions, there is no one solution but several things that make a difference if done together. This is the direction we need to work in at this historical transitional moment. The first thing we need to work on is making boats more lightweight so we need to install less power for the same dimensions. This is why we put our faith in carbon, a more lightweight material, and brought production in-house at Avigliana with a furnace that is over 20 meters. We’re trying to replace teak, which is harder to source and less ethical given the countries it comes from, with cork, a more sustainable alternative because of its weight and impact on the environment. Ultimately we worked on making a more hydrodynamic hull to decrease resistance and reduce CO2 emissions even by 20–25%, as a key component of ship design and an R&D skill that is specific to our shipyard.

What is your position on propulsion?

That is a highly varied issue. Our R&D office, one of the most advanced in the industry, is working with the Energy Department at the School of Engineering in Turin. We commissioned a study to understand if we are moving along the right strategic lines. In short, as we go through this transition, it’s better to use highly optimized, hybrid diesel/electric systems, and alternative fuels like HVO made of vegetable waste, that don’t require a revolution to use. We are the first shipbuilding company to have signed an agreement with the Italian energy company ENI to use only HVO for internal use. We’ve tested it, we’ve spent a summer at sea with it, and the data shows we reduced CO2 emissions wellto-wake by 80%. That’s huge considering the 40% by 2030 target set by our industry’s International Maritime Organization. Obviously, the drawback of HVO is producing and distributing it. For now, we have an agreement with ENI to supply our offices and clients via trucks. The next step will be to create distribution points at the major Italian marinas.

This page and opposite, Azimut Seadeck 6 and 7.

Centre, Azimut Grande 30M

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Giovanna Vitelli

Is the Seadeck range part of this strategy toward greater sustainability?

It’s the low-emission range of yachts that Azimut is launching this year. It started with the idea to integrate state-of-the-art sustainable technology, so the most efficient hull Azimut has ever created, maximum use of carbon, photovoltaics to create clean energy for on-board services, and UV filters to reduce heat and therefore the need for air conditioning. This range of mild hybrids and full hybrids, governed by the optimization concept, uses the hybrid system to fuel both onboard services and propulsion and can save up to 40% in emissions in a year of average use. The Seadeck 6, 7, and 9 are not just a new product, it’s a new philosophy.

You worked on the Seadecks with the studio Matteo Thun & Partners.

It was an amazing first-time partnership. Matteo Thun & Antonio Rodriguez designed the entire range and introduced the concept of consciousness rather than sustainability, in the sense that we are aware of an issue that needs to be addressed and we approach it with the seriousness required to find the best available solution. This is tied to the idea of luxury as well-being, which is also produced by being near the sea. With its large windows, everything about the ship is harmonious and relaxing, almost Zen in its style. I really believe in it, and I was the first person to buy a Seadeck 6. Nature is the protagonist of what you see, and it’s not just a physical concept of closeness but one tied to sociability. The ‘Fun Island’ turns into a multifunctional gathering place where you can spend the day.

For Benetti, you partnered with Bonetti Kozerski.

Speaking of cross-pollination, they work in retail, hospitality, and cultural spaces. They come from different places, one is Italian and the other is British, and their studio is in New York. They represent a cultural and design mix that’s really interesting. They conveyed the concept of the 34- and 40-meter versions of the Benetti Oasis with a much-admired design that’s customizable in different palettes. They’ve reinterpreted the made-to-measure concept by integrating design objects and influences that are unusual for yachts like Gio Ponti and Mollino.

Azimut Seadeck 9, above, Benetti Motopanfilo 45.

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PEOPLE

Giovanna Vitelli

Is the idea to start new partnerships for new generations of products and shipowners?

Yes, for Azimut we recently started working with m2atelier for the Grande range. We’re still at the rendering stage but it seems like the boat is being well-received since we already have many orders.

At the Avigliana yard, we’ve launched the first Fly 72 with an interior by Fabio Fantolino, a Turinborn architect based in Turin and Milan whose contemporary style is full of 20th-century references. Other architects who work well for Benetti are Lazzarini and Pickering who helped design the Motopanfilo 45. We’re always seeking the out-of-the-ordinary but without being over-thetop to find an innovative, contemporary concept.

Speaking of innovations, you introduced the Veranda Deck in the Motopanfilo 45.

Up to now we’ve been talking about interiors because the subject was pollination. When it comes to exteriors, cross-pollinating skills is a bit trickier because the skills are more specific to ship design, so there is a narrower range of professionals. When we launch a new range to break from the past, we hold a contest to find a new designer. Years ago we chose English studio Redman White Dickson (RWD), a famous yacht design studio in the 70-meter-plus sector whose great quality we can confirm. The challenge was to have them create something smaller and they have been very successful, with a timeless yet contemporary design. They helped us develop the Oasis ships, Benetti’s B.Now line and now the exteriors of the Motopanfilo 45 with the Veranda Deck’s new approach to space and interiors by Lazzerini and Pickering. The idea was to create a villa at sea and to revive the main salon, which had become a sort of rarely used mausoleum of ostentation. The Veranda Deck is an evolution of the Oasis in the continuity between interior and exterior and the connection to the sea. The walls disappear just like in a veranda, creating a space for enjoying life on board in various ways. It is also a return to Benetti’s origins with the large metal construction with a modern, innovative twist.

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RESORT

Bodufushi, Maldives

Spring 2024

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Bodufushi, Maldives

Watchword: weightlessness Joali Being is on the island of Bodufushi in Raa Atoll, the first Maldivian resort exclusively dedicated to wellness

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hirty-five minutes by seaplane from the capital city Malé takes you to this resort where everything – truly everything – has been designed in the name of complete wellness. There are spaces for meditation, yoga on the water, and hydrotherapy, under the enchantment of the glassy sea where your eyes will want to linger forever. Once there, it feels like being released from the superfluous, coming into a soothing dimension where design plays a starring role. “We have created an experiential narrative that fits with the identity of the island, applying biophilic principles and placing nature at the center of the whole,” say the architects from Studio Autoban. This story is based on the IFDM | 97

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Bodufushi, Maldives

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Bodufushi, Maldives

concept of weightlessness, the lack of gravity. It conveys and heightens the sense of the island’s lush plant life that shapes the resort’s scenic areas.

A pavilion with an ultra-white roof greets arrivals at the welcome pier, seeming to redesign the material’s physical laws with an organic approach.

The grooved walls of Spa Areka bring to mind rocks that waves have carved over the centuries.

Three terraced pavilions like ancient temples in the center of the island overlook the ocean. They hold a main bar, a tea salon, and two restaurants in full symbiosis with the environment. Flow features light-colored wooden and rattan furnishings under a wave-shaped thatched roof. Mojo is a tropical beachside sanctuary with a central composition of dramatic sculptural chandeliers.

“All its parts are designed to achieve a feeling of lightness,” the architects continue. This same rule

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applies to its 68 villas (half on the beach and half on the water) with from one to four bedrooms, with private swimming pool, canopy roofs, and walls that appear to fold like sheets of paper, seemingly ethereal. “Softly curving roofs appear as if they have been just lightly placed above the structures. Inside, space is maximized with transparent or moving divisions to make you feel as if there is almost no barrier between you and the outdoor world.” The main color palettes include cream white, water green, and powder pink alternating with earth hues, in harmony with materials such as raw wood, brushed bronze, coconut fiber, and stone. Kettal brand furnishings add to the lightweight feeling. Made with non-polluting eco-friendly paints, the work of famous designers: Patricia Urquiola designed the Vieques aluminum dining table and the Mesh and Roll 100 | IFDM

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Bodufushi, Maldives

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Bodufushi, Maldives

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collections; Rodolfo Dordoni designed the Bitta chairs, braided polyester on aluminum frames and the “geometric” Molo sofas; the Basket outdoor chairs are by Nanna & Jørgen Ditzel, and the Cala line chairs are by Doshi Levien. Details referencing the ocean are everywhere: sand grains in the stucco clad walls, the columns and sliding doors seemingly covered in pearly shells, green

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Bodufushi, Maldives

mosaics in the bathroom area, and the graphic pattern inspired by the tides. Care for the environment is not just on the surface here. A hightech system turns seawater into drinking water.

Rain is collected to water plants in the dry season, and the resort is plastic-free. It earned Silver certification from EarthCheck for initiatives aimed at creating a sustainable future.

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Bodufushi, Maldives

Spring 2024

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Bodufushi, Maldives

Client: Joali Architecture: Atölye4n Architectural & interior design: Autoban Furnishings: on design by Autoban Main outdoor: Kettal Mosaics: Bisazza Author: Elena Luraghi Photo credits: Kerem Sanlıman

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HEADQUARTERS

Hannover, Germany

Spring 2024

HEADQUARTERS

Hannover, Germany

From space to place The new Continental AG campus protects privacy as much as it elevates the sense of community in a direct, ongoing relationship with the outside environment

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n the eastern outskirts of Hanover, the new Continental AG headquarters designed by HENN brings together about 2,400 employees from the Tires and ContiTech operational departments in a single, new building complex. The design idea reflects the history of the company, which evolved from a tire manufacturer to an innovative technology group in the German automotive industry. The concept revolves around networking, flexible collaboration, and communication, moving beyond the strictures of departments. The new hub covers two lots separated by an eight-lane street. It is this unique context that determined the project’s genesis and its development in two independent interconnected buildings, connected by a bridge over 70 meters long. The architecture’s best feature – being completely glazed, which makes for infinite light – also emerges in its role as a flexible structure to support the operations within.

The layout is inspired by racing circuits, shifting the trajectories and functions outwards, along the façade. The loop stretches like a dynamic, spatial continuum, weaving the individual departments together and bringing the entire staff into a IFDM | 107

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Hannover, Germany

Spring 2024

“horizontal hierarchy.” It is home to a vast array of individual and collaborative work areas, which allows for variable configurations and multistation rooms for formal and casual meetings, as well as common gathering areas, including cafes. The connecting bridge at the northern and southern ends inserts into the first floor, merging into the two large atriums, welcoming employees and visitors. It also gives direct access to a TV recording studio and company cafeteria designed

by Ippolito Fleitz Group. Flexibility, connection, dynamism, concentration, and privacy join the ever-essential factors of well-being and sustainability as the key concepts around which HENN designed these efficient, stimulating spaces, and they also directed the furnishing choices. The furnishing includes storage units, screening panels, and transparent cubicles in different configurations, sizes, and with varied features. Many are

HEADQUARTERS

customized with colored films and used as phone booths or independent boxes. The modular structures let the staff separate themselves to make phone calls, video conferences, or just enjoy some privacy. The partitions are dematerialized and the dividing components are thin to allow for natural light to spread. The modular approach is completed with niches, corners, open areas, and lounge areas with comfort like at home, combined with a communal office experience. Reflecting Continental’s precise technical solutions, the interiors feature exacting geometric shapes, from the polygonal panels on the workstations to the ceiling grate and recessed carpet panels.

Continental’s sustainability goals are also futureoriented with the campus aiming for “DGNB Platinum” status. The project uses vegan leather, a Continental product, and the ceiling activates a thermal component for optimal energy efficiency.

Hannover, Germany

Client: Continental AG Architectural design: HENN Interior design: Ippolito Fleitz Group and Henn Building services engineering: Fact Carpentry: Jäger Ausbau Furnhishings: Brunner, Walter Knoll, Living Divani, Buzzi Space, König + Neurath, Villeroy&Boch Glass walls, windows, doors: Hörmann, Schüco, St. Gobain, Storama Floors & carpets: Agrob Buchtal, Ege Carpet, Jäger Bodensysteme, Interface, Rehburger Beton- und Marmorwerk Lighting: a.g Licht Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Huthmacher, Ippolito Fleitz Group

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HOTEL

Crans-Montana, Switzerland

HOTEL

Spring 2024

A style revolution In Crans-Montana, a prestigious alpine resort in the Valais Canton, a hotel by the ski slopes has been turned into an exclusive, eco-friendly luxury retreat, designed by AW2 for Six Senses

Crans-Montana, Switzerland

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he project reduced the number of guest rooms and increased common spaces, highlighting views and connecting the interiors to nature. It forges an inside/outside dialogue with details true to the poetry of the mountains and woods. In this spirit, Reda Amalou and Stéphanie Ledoux of the Parisian studio AW2 re-envisioned this Crans-Montana hotel (designed by JP Emery), bringing it into harmony with the Six Senses brand’s philosophy, experience, and luxury style. “Having to modify what was already there, at first it was a joint project.

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Client: CM Resort (Project owner), 1875 Finance (Client representative), IRBIS Consulting (Project owner assistant), EDIFEA (Design & Build) Hotel operator: Six Senses Hotel Resorts Spas Architecture: AW2 architecture & interiors, JP Emery Architectes Interior design: AW2 architecture & interiors Landscape design: Denogent Furniture design: on design by AW2 & Reda Amalou Design Outdoor furniture: Talenti Decorative lamps: Maison Gau / design AW2 Rugs: Toulemonde Bochart / design Reda Amalou Design, Stepevi / design AW2 Curtains: Lenglart Cladding: Ceramiche Keope Decorative plaster: Ateliers Gohard Wood design & Manufacturing: Arca Ebénisterie Lighting: Cooks&Ass Kitchen consultant: Conception Cuisine Spa consultant: LeaderSpa Pro Author: Elena Luraghi Photo credits: Mikael Bénard for AW2 architecture, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas

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HOTEL

Crans-Montana, Switzerland

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Crans-Montana, Switzerland

But the choice of furnishings – almost all tailormade – was entirely ours, inspired by the surrounding Alpine environment,” AW2 says. On the outside, the new concept makes a clear visual separation between the monolithic stone pedestal and the chalet’s two upper structures in dark wood, which hold most of the 79 rooms and suites. Its unique position, directly on the ski slopes, meant that the only possible entrance was underground, through a tunnel in stone and wood. This path emulates an initiatory journey from the heart of the mountain to the peak, the reception area, furnished with Togo sofas and 1970s-style armchairs.

From this first area for settling in, we continue to the restaurants and the lounge overlooking the slopes. The warm materials and natural woods infuse it with a contemporary charm, underscoring a concept that was part of the design from the earlier stage – the passage from cold to warm, from the snow to the common spaces where you feel at home right away. The same mood is in the suites IFDM | 113

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Crans-Montana, Switzerland

Spring 2024

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Crans-Montana, Switzerland

with large stone-colored plastered walls and rough wooden boards separating the rooms from bathrooms with freestanding bathtubs. The designers say, “Our philosophy is to create spaces with a single narrative and feel. We limit the range of materials, create variations of the same theme, and establish a continuity in design. This is what establishes the identity of each of our projects. We believe in the idea of ‘destination within the destination’, where each space is designed in continuity but tells its own story.” The furnishings are primarily brushed antique bronze, natural leather, and wool fabrics.

The treatment booths for the 2,000-square-meter spa are organized around a newly created Alpine garden. The covered pool is imagined as a futuristic cave with 15,000 wooden slats hanging from the ceiling reflecting the outside light through a courtyard of birch wood. Everything is created with full respect for the ever-more pressing issues of social and environmental sustainability. While the interiors dialogue with the Alpine setting, supporting local traditions and craftspeople, the materials come from low-impact sources with a negligible effect on the surroundings. “An eco-green philosophy is key to our process,” AW2 notes. Electric demand, mainly for LED lighting, is from green energy from the Swiss grid, most of which is hydroelectric. It is heated by non-polluting recovered wood pellets.

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RESIDENCES

Virtuous connections A mix of housing types makes The West Residence Club in New York, whose sustainable quality is in its choice of materials and resources and play of inspirations

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ocated at the western end of Manhattan, The West Residence Club rises sharply in the sky of the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood with a staggered cube organization that seems to spring out of its compact brick foundation. The double façade row of this residential building designed by the Dutch firm concrete is made up of layered forms created through materials and construction resources that are references to classic Dutch architecture. It uses over 260,000 kg of recovered building debris.

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The façades of the first seven floors are clad with stone, whose basis is a mix of construction debris and raw clay extracted near Rotterdam, the fruit of a collaboration between concrete and StoneCycling.

Over 30 types of bricks in different shapes and sizes were used for the project. Each individual piece was pre-treated with a glass mixture to make the surface slightly reflective. The exclusive glaze creates a variety of shiny gray and silver hues that make a different impression every time you look at the façade.

New York

Spring 2024

RESIDENCES

New York

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New York

Client/Owner: Ironstate Development & SK Development Architectural, interior and landscape design: concrete Executive architect: Ismael Leyva Architects Civil engineer: Stonefield Engineering and Design Structural engineer: Gace Consulting Engineers Executive landscape architect: Twin Landscape & Construction Main Contractor: CMA Construction Management Bespoke furniture: design by concrete, production by Roord Shopfitter communal spaces: Roord Interior works Furnishings and lighting: &tradition, Danskina, Ferm Living, Fest Amsterdam, Frandsen, Fritz Hansen, Gubi, Hay, Hem, Louis Poulsen, Miniforms, Moooi, Muuto, Skagerak, Studio Henk, Tom Dixon, Vestre, Warm Nordic Supplier loose furniture: BigBrands Graffiti exterior wall: Tony “Rubin” Sjöman Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Adrian Gaut for Concrete, Raimund Koch, Ewout Huibers, Donna Dotan (The West)

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RESIDENCES

New York

Behind the solid brickwork, meticulously combined with large industrial windows, are 222 studio apartments and lofts. The unit above holds “cloud residences,” which are projecting “glass boxes” whose staggered arrangement have a fun effect and gives the apartments unique views and orientations.

Their private terraces erase the bounds between inside and outside. Every apartment affords design and functionality, with custom-made furnishings in light gray, fine natural oak floors, with doors and windows in contrasting colors, and sliding glass walls that allow for optimal flexibility. The living experience is enhanced by large common areas and outdoor areas. They take inspiration from the social function of New York stoops. The main entrance to the building is a small square with seating in the green area, a gradual transition between the public street and private building. Facilities include a co-working area, a greenhouse library, a communal kitchen and dining area, a double-height gym, and a children’s playroom. The top roof has a large terrace with a swimming pool, barbecue, and communal seating areas under a wooden pergola to enjoy the sunset and midtown Manhattan skyline.

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RESTAURANT

Bratislava

Spring 2024

RESTAURANT

Bratislava

A transformation of social dynamics The Werk restaurant, set in a former power plant converted into a multi-purpose space in Bratislava, becomes a vital part of the building and the entire local community.

Interior design by Beef Architekti

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he lighted letters of Werk restaurant’s sign can be glimpsed through the façade openings, which is an appealing invitation to engage. Set in the former Jurkovič power plant, this piece of post-industrial architecture has been converted into a multi-purpose space and an unexpected catalyst of social interactions, both for those working inside and those coming from the outside. The designers of Beef Architekti were in charge of its concept design and chose to create a central element for its numerous uses: offices, co-working space, a multi-purpose room, and gallery for cultural events. They also made key use of contact with the outdoors – the restaurant covers a large part of the ground floor – connecting to the terrace on its lowered square.

Once the architects had decided that the open kitchen and bar should be its focal point, they rendered the entire space versatile, suited to shifting demands throughout the span of the day. The furnishing pieces, such as tables, benches, stools, armchairs, and low tables, were designed to respond dynamically to guests’ needs. In the morning, a small breakfast area is separated by a curtain IFDM | 121

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within the restaurant. The area can be used at lunch for work meetings and as a break area in the afternoons. Werk becomes a vibrant bar with live music in the evenings and weekends. The restaurant interior takes advantage of the former power plant’s fascinating layout, with open views over all its floors. Its atrium appears as if raised on a slab of glass. It maintains elements of the architecture’s evocative heritage, such as the cement walls, large windows framed in steel, solid materials, and rough surfaces. Some sections of the floor feature unusual herringbone masonry.

The bar counter is Cor-ten steel, and the kitchen island is stone. Materials also include oak wood, soft leather, and textiles that come into contact with patrons, and artificial materials are avoided.

The materials all convey a sense of the appealing effect created by the passage of time. The lighting design is also a key element with textile shades that can adapt the interiors to different modes and atmospheres depending on the time of day.

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RESTAURANT

Bratislava

Spring 2024

RESTAURANT

Bratislava

Client: Medusa Restaurants Architectural design: DF Creative Group Interior design: Beef Architekti Furnishings: custom designed; Pitoreska, Pedrali Lighting: Molto Luce Upholstery: Gidra Brick floor: Terakota F-S Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Matej Hakár

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HEADQUARTERS

Perfect balance Roar’s interior design project for the headquarters of Sprinklr, the American software company in Dubai revolves around creativity and pragmatism

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Dubai

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orm and function have been the cornerstone concepts of industrial design from its origins. They are more important than ever to the design doctrine that Roar applied to its interior design for American software company Sprinklr’s headquarters in Dubai. Roar founder Pallavi Dean comments, “Our philosophy at Roar revolves around striking the perfect balance between creative expression and pragmatic design. We believe that functional aesthetics plays a key part in fostering a conducive work environment.” This approach is seen in every aspect of the headquarters in the heart of Dubai Internet City, the business and IT park that the government made as a business district and strategic

Spring 2024

HEADQUARTERS

Dubai

Client: Sprinklr Interior design: Roar Main Contractor: Summertown Furnishings: Andreu World, B&T, Pedrali, Sancal Lighting: EasiLight Author: Manuela Di Mari Photo credits: Chris Goldstraw

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base for companies targeting emerging markets in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. The workspace was designed in accord with the end users’ needs to become a dynamic, adaptable ecosystem with a layout that perfectly includes informal and formal elements, flexible collaboration workstations, gathering areas, and presentation areas. The interiors are infused with a feeling of warmth and community, designed with solutions that foster productivity and engagement for employees and visitors alike.

The blend of shades chosen by Roar evokes the Sprinklr brand colors – terracotta, soft blue, saturated green, and gray –combined with tactile materials such as tiles and felt to create a visually appealing atmosphere. Color palettes and furnishings in diverse styles define different areas to create an agile, flexible work culture. Innovative features abound, such as the customized suspended ceiling adorned with mirrored acrylic stickers, spherical lighting, patterned acoustic panels, and curved furniture pieces. The top management of Sprinklr definitely appreciated the look. Global Workplace Director, Tony Vargas, says.

“The moment Pallavi and I met, we instantly matched energies, and as Roar developed the design, I knew that they truly understood the sensibilities of what we were looking for. Everything we talked to Roar about has actually come to life in the design.”

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HEADQUARTERS

Dubai

Spring 2024

HEADQUARTERS

Dubai

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HOTEL

Oaxaca, Mexico

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca-style Minimalism and simplicity in the city’s aesthetic vernacular Otro is the new project by Grupo Habita in Oaxaca de Juárez, Mexico. It calls itself “a hotel for travelers, not for tourists”

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esigned by RootStudio, with Grupo Habita, Otro Oaxaca is in the center of Oaxaca’s capital and gives the hospitality experience a new meaning by giving visitors a fresh way to appreciate this area’s majesty. Its space is sophisticated and practical, paying homage to local craftsmanship, styles, and materials.

Whether you are going down to the underground spa, sharing meals on the scenic terrace, or kicking back in a multi-story suite, you are invited to slow down and go with the flow, embrace the unknown, and discover Oaxaca in a new way, Mexican style.

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guests and locals. The site plan was inspired by the nearby Mitla archaeological site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has a cross-shaped walkway in the center and a 40-meter corridor built with wood from reclaimed railway sleepers that connect and divide the space at once, inviting exploration. Everything, from the furniture to the linen, was designed specifically for Otro Oaxaca and handcrafted by local artisans using local materials to make functional yet sophisticated spaces through earth tones and choices abounding in personality. The furnishings complete the architecture, evoking the city’s vernacular aesthetics. They give character to each space with their diverse textures through the use of materials like wood, upholstery, suede, handcrafted resins, and metals. “Everything about the hotel is 100% local: the team, the materials, the design process, and the management,” says João Boto Caeiro of RootStudio. The vibrancy of the common areas is paired with a sense of serenity and elegant simplicity in the 16 guest rooms. There is a clear connection 130 | IFDM

HOTEL

Oaxaca, Mexico

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Oaxaca, Mexico

Owner: Grupo Habita Architectural design: João Boto Caeiro - RootStudio Interior design: Carlos Couturier - Grupo Habita, Root Studio Furnishings & Lighting: custom-made to design by the architects, handcrafted by local artisans Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: César Béjar, Andrea David

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HOTEL

here between the furnishings, accessories, and finishes in the wooden tables made by local carpenters, the green limestone floors, the soft quilts, the rust-colored suede curtains, and the clay pieces handmade in the city’s workshops. For an even deeper feeling of peace, the underground Otro Mundo spa opens access to “another” world. Proceeding down the steps, the sun from the patio slowly disappears, revealing a peaceful darkness 132 | IFDM

Oaxaca, Mexico

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Oaxaca, Mexico

that holds a Turkish bath, an ice bath, and a scenic heated circular pool, inspired by the local cenotes, topped by a majestic brick dome with an oculus opening to the sky above. Other spaces open to the public include the roof terrace with a small swimming pool, the restaurant on the ground floor, and a gathering space called The Bunker, which brings together locals and travelers in shared meals and cultural exchange.

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Embracing change Studio collcoll designed an 850-square meter space in Prague for the IT company Pricefx.

One measure of generosity here is its ability to meet the needs and habits of employees and visitors

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his new business community concept emerged from a spurt of optimism in times of pandemic. Here the playful, beguiling aspect of spatial dynamics governs the formal aesthetics and merges the social and work functions. The design was created in Prague for the IT company Pricefx. In 2015, it was already far-sighted and had commissioned Studio collcoll to design workspaces on the building’s first floor with an open plan and variable uses.

In 2020, it brought the studio in to design the addition of another floor which was also to be

Prague

Client/Owner: Pricefx Architectural & interior design: collcoll Main contractor: Capexus Furnishings: Common Seating, Freifrau, Molteni, studio Vono, Vitra Joinery products & custom-made furniture: Olbert Tomáš Slide: Alfeko Lighting: sysloop Graphic design & illustrations: Klára Tesárová Stickers: Michal Orlovský Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: BoysPlayNice

Spring 2024

OFFICE

Prague

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OFFICE

Prague

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OFFICE

Prague

shaped to the needs and habits of employees and visitors. The first problem tackled by the designers in terms of function and distribution was the connection between the two floors. They handled the physical separation with a solution to create a natural flow between the spaces. collcoll created a large structure made up of wooden cubes – inspired both technically and aesthetically by the game Minecraft – with a staircase inside and a slide for the more adventurous. It’s a significant presence both for its size and material impact, with a volume that shapes the surrounding space and becomes a landmark. Personal lockers, changing rooms, and even meeting rooms are concealed within its wooden “pixels” and its surfaces lend themselves to becoming informal seating for public presentations. The structure’s geometric pacing also forms the grid of the ceiling light fixtures, which are made up of LED hexagons that can be individually controlled to calibrate the amount of artificial light let in, and the display panels on the bar counter in the center of the space, which is also a reception. Both floors are defined by flexibility, providing for a variety of uses and inviting different working modes, which became common in the company after the pandemic. The shared kitchen on the upper level becomes an open bar, as needed, for the meeting, relaxation, and multifunctional conference room of the lower floor, which can be arranged in more private, individual, or collective spaces through mobile soundproof partitions. The layout on this floor is completed by several smaller rooms that can be used for different functions including video conferences and presentations. Design or custom-made furnishing pieces adapt to the space and range from conventional office furnishings to upholstered furniture for the relaxation areas. They adopt a color palette fitting the building’s structures, from shades of gray to the solid black of the building systems.

Pricefx’s flexibility also extends to how the spaces are managed, both in terms of occupancy and climate and energy control. An advanced monitoring system measures and evaluates the number of people in a room, the quality of the air, the strength of ventilation, and the quantity and color of the lighting. All these parameters are measured in real-time and calibrated based on the use of space and the time of day.

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HOTEL

Rome

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Rome

History meets contemporary style in the Imperial Forums Palazzo Velabro has become a Design Hotels™ by Marriot and is starting its third life through the design of Garibaldi Architects. With full respect for its past lives, they mix styles and languages to give guests an intimate place

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he creative process often springs from first sensations. They arise in the mind and are translated into images that form the project’s foundational idea. It was like that from the first time I visited Palazzo Velabro. I had the sensation of going into an ‘intimate’ place where the original architectural structure’s thick walls – having already taken in the lesson of the modernist

master Luigi Moretti – had room to tell a third story, our story.” These are the words of Alessia Garibaldi about Palazzo Velabro, a mixed-use hotel opened last spring in Rome by LHM, a white-label company specialized in hotel management. It encapsulates centuries of Roman culture and architecture in its location and history. The Palazzo is between the Arch of Janus and the medieval Church of San

Owner: Unipol Sai Hotel operator: LHM for Design Hotels™ by Marriot Interior design: Garibaldi Architects Landscape design: Blu Mambor Furnishings: on design by Concreta; Moroso, Pedrali, Quinti Lighting: Dcw Editions, Panton, Renzo Serafini, Tom Dixon Wayfinding & Coordinated image: La Tigre Floors: 41 zero 42, Ragno, Ceramica Fioranese, Garbelotto Rugs: Ecocontract Carpets: Coren Gym: Technogym Author: Alessandra Bergamini Photo credits: Danilo Scarpati, Giacomo Albo, Serena Heller

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Giorgio al Velabro in the Imperial Forums. Originating in the eighteenth century, it underwent a preservationist restoration by Luigi Moretti in the 1960s.

The Palazzo’s “third story”, the design by Garibaldi Architects commissioned by Cristina Paini, CEO of LHM, revitalizes the interiors with respect for the building’s historical identity, “preserving the original eighteenth-century partitions, in the site plan and on the facade, highlighting features of Moretti’s design, from the rounded corners to the material details” to open a place to the public that is intimate and infused with meaning. The Social Floor, in particular, which faces the street level, unfurls into a physical and conceptual trajectory of art, design, and culture starting from the entrance area and reception. It brings into harmony custom furnishings and design pieces, lighting design by Luigi Serafini, a library open to guests curated by Maria Vittoria Baravelli, Ettore Spalletti’s artwork “Diptych, Blue, Bull 2014” and the frescoed vaults with “Histoire d’eau #1” a site-specific

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HOTEL

Rome

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HOTEL

Rome

work by Edoardo Piermattei. We come to the restaurant Apicio 16 through a corridor conceived as an exhibition wall. The common spaces on the ground floor are completed with a small movie room, a gym, and an events room. The terrace is accessed from the ground floor and is envisioned as a private garden.

Color is also a key part of the design process, used as a tool for “heightening the effect of the flat figures emphasize the continuity of the walls in their curvature along with the perimeter bands and ceilings,” as well as for distinguishing the types of the 27 home suites with kitchens and 6 rooms going up to the fifth floor: there are three vintage color palettes – sage green, brick pink and cobalt blue – combined with wood, ash, walnut and canaletto walnut, used with curved edging in the wainscotting and headboards, and in the furnishings with clean architectural forms.

The Asian style of wallpaper above the bed and the plush carpeting in the hallways are tangible signs of a fascination for Asian cultures, smoothly blended throughout the hotel with 1950s-style touches.

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WONDER. DUBAI | AXIOM TELECOM HEADQUARTER | MMA PROJECTS The architectural design was based on four fundamental assumptions: icon and green building, city, garden and technology, along with impact, presence, recognisability and synesthesia, to generate a massive

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© Tushar Naik

building, yet suspended and balanced. Cement, black glass, corten made possible to shape a “stone that comes from far away”, a landmark in an area of technological high density.

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WONDER. HONG KONG | LANGHAM BEAUTY | LINEHOUSE © HDP photography

Occupying two levels in Langham Place, the project marries beauty retail with nature-inspired elements. Timber structures and soft light shape a distinct shopping ambiance.

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Wallcovering Dolci voli dell’amor di Madama Butterfly Collection

glamora.it

WONDER. VILLERS-COTTERÊTS, FRANCE | THE CITÉ INTERNATIONALE DE LA LANGUE FRANÇAISE | PROJECTILES

© Sébastien Veronese

Housed in the historic Château de Villers-Cotterêts, a 16th-century royal residence, this culturally significant undertaking fuses historical legacy with modern aesthetics, emphasizing openness and community integration.

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Via Guglielmo Marconi, 37 San Pietro in Gu - PD - Italia welcome@blacktiehomedecor.it www.blacktiehomedecor.it

Spring 2024

PEOPLE

A PROFESSIONAL JUGGLER STARTS WITH THREE ITEMS John Hopkins is actually a Design Director for IA Interior Architects Chicago Studio, he guides and inspires the work of his design teams, operating in 23 international offices and two strategic partnerships. Conversing with John Hopkins means getting swept along on a spontaneous passion for the interactions of spaces and people, driven by an engaging, assertive and above all very convincing attitude

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ith 16 years of experience inside IA, John Hopkins has absorbed the philosophy of this big name in interior design in a natural way, harmoniously combining his areas of expertise with a versatile vision that covers many different disciplines and speaks of multicultural design, inclusivity and a concrete, proactive approach to the social dimension. From hospitality to retail, landing in the world of the workplace, where together with his team he has been able to change the minds of even the most important leaders of outstanding, successful law firms, traditionally oriented towards rigid, formal benchmarks.

author: Matteo De Bartolomeis portrait photo: courtesy of IA Interior Architects projects photo: Tom Harris (Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath, The John Buck Company 155 N Wacker), Kendell McCaugherty of Hall + Merrick (Confidential Financial Services Client)

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John Hopkins

What does it mean to be Design Director in the project and contract world? Is it a bit like designing a complex object?

It’s like being a professional juggler. You start with three balls you are confidently juggling. But then new objects are added that make things more complicated. I use this analogy because being a design director is all about flexibility and adjusting to the needs of the client, colleagues, and consultants while keeping everything moving. It is our job to ensure that the process continues to be engaging and ultimately successful.

IA Interior Architects presents itself as a peoplecentric firm, how do you deal with this socially challenging definition?

We find that definition enriching, not challenging, and we stand behind it. Designing for the user experience is top of mind at every step of our process and every decision we make. We strongly recommend our clients encourage employee engagement during early design phases so that all voices are heard, not just those of leadership. Offering change management services to help employees understand their new workplace, what it offers, how to use the space, and possibly provide a user guide is critical. One story comes to mind. While I was working with a technology client years ago, I met one of the end users during the first week of occupancy at the new space who asked, “What is this area for? The way we work we would never use it.” Note that during the entire design process, we only had contact with the facilities director. That conversation has stayed with me over the years and taught me two things: 1) to strongly recommend that we engage with the people using the space to best understand their workflow, culture, and challenges, and 2) the value of change management throughout the design process to ensure everyone moves into their new workplace with positivity, understanding what and why changes were made and how the new workplace ecosystem is planned for use and operation.

Spring 2024

PEOPLE

John Hopkins

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23 studios including 2 in Europe: how does the IA Interior Architects system work?

As an employee-owned organization and the world’s largest architectural firm specializing in interiors, we are inspired and guided by a one-firm philosophy that enables us to work together as a cohesive organization with a tremendous amount of inter-office knowledge sharing. This extends our expertise far beyond the local markets of our studios and gives us a reach that encompasses the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific. Specifically, in the US we have 21 studios, and there are studios in Canada and London, along with three additional studios focused respectively on hospitality, retail, and workplace. Twenty-six studios in all and two significant partnerships. In APAC we partner with Singapore-based Space Matrix and in Latin America our partner is Brazil-based Athie Wornwrath. These partnerships allow us to combine our expertise with their local knowledge for outcomes.

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PEOPLE

You design for numerous and (apparently) very different sectors, you also seem to move with ease from rich budgets to affordable realizations: is there an IA Interior Architects method? Have you built your own benchmarks through time?

I love the variety of client opportunities, even when they are within a workplace services niche. From technology to legal to financial services, each client has unique goals, challenges, and expectations that require a tailored approach. To be successful, we have a tried-and-true process that provides optimum flexibility to adjust to client and project-specific needs.

Regarding budget, it is important to understand early on the project’s financial goals and how costs need to be balanced between different workstreams such as MEP systems, technology, lighting, and furniture. Approximately 15-25% of the budget is designated for aesthetic design features. Where and how to spend those dollars is an opportunity for clever design, detailed materials, and a mix of products to produce an engaging and high-quality workplace that balances the right combination of spatial proportions, finishes, and material details.

John Hopkins

The John Buck Company 155 N Wacker, Chicago

Spring 2024

PEOPLE

John Hopkins

We read with interest one of your insights on the Legal world, tell me about Hoteling?

Can it be declined in other areas as well?

Hoteling can be a great solution for law firms that are supporting hybrid work. One key factor to consider when strategizing with attorneys is the importance of hierarchy within their organization and how it relates to the firm’s culture and business goals. At law firms historically, your space defines your status. However, if every lawyer has their own office but does not come to work every day, when does the thinking shift from “I get my own office because I deserve it” to “Hey, where is everyone? I am working in my office and I don’t see anyone most of the time because there are so many unoccupied offices near me.” Lawyers are very self-reliant on technology and almost everything they need can be accessed through a computer. If a firm can focus on the value of colleagues engaging with one another and the energy generated at the office by knowing and seeing others around them, then hoteling can be the right approach. There are two factors I would like to see integrated into the culture of future-forward law firms that engage hoteling. First, get over the hump of where is my law degree, my name on the door, and my favorite photo. A concierge can set up your office when you book a room for several days. Second, to better support the specific work done in the office, provide a variety of office sizes and shapes as well as furniture configurations.

The corporate world, and more generally of workplaces, has undergone almost a revolution in recent years (and well before Covid): furnishings, colors, spaces: what do you think?

In our experience, the current workplace trends are a reaction to past decades of sterile office environments, which were driven by a need to be efficient and functional with space. With recent economic and population shifts, jobs are plentiful and the increased competition to hire the best and brightest is driving workplace design and the addition of amenities. Companies realize they need to attract and retain quality employees and provide a choice of where and how work can be done. In the past, typically there were three options: a workstation, an office, and a conference or meeting room. Our job as designers and space planners is to enrich the user experience with choices that ensure everyone can be productive, effective, and comfortable. Additionally, a focus on health and wellness prompts us to bring more features and amenities into the workplace in response to employee needs and preferences.

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PEOPLE

Working across the board, you are practically sentinels of numerous markets: which ones do you see growing the most and where do you have the most fun?

Financial services and investment firms as well as law firms are reconsidering how their workplace environments support their business, people, and culture. We are engaged with some organizations that are upending preconceived notions about the workplace. It is refreshing to work with these firms as they evaluate their workspace on multiple levels and to help them determine the next generation’s workplace model.

Confidential Finance Services Client, McLean, USA

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Does IA Interior Architects have relationships with Italian furniture and finishing companies?

Have you ever chosen them? What do you think of Italian design?

IA Interior Architects is a vendor-neutral company that works with a variety of brands. We have sourced

John Hopkins

Italian lighting, tile, and furniture. Italian design is a thorough mixture of function, elegance, and innovation. My first visit to Italy was in 1988, and my itinerary was very focused on experiencing the work of Palladio and Carlo Scarpa. I admire the work of Carlo Scarpa, his use of simple and complex geometry in spatial relationships, his craftsmanship, and the contrast of minimal and maximal detailing.

Upcoming projects and a dream in the drawer?

I have a few upcoming projects that I am looking forward to. The first is the consolidation of a national insurance company headquarters to one campus from five different buildings. The client’s goal is to support hybrid work and create an approach to rethinking employee needs. They want to shift from private offices and workstations to a choose your location scenario based on the activities of the day.

Spring 2024

PEOPLE

John Hopkins

The second project is the headquarters of an international electronics company that is grappling with how to engage their different siloed departments as one family and improve product speed to market and sales engagements, as well as foster streamlined, less formal processes. They also want to promote agility and growth and enable fast responses, decision-making, and actions while leveraging resources to improve efficiencies. My dream in a drawer would be to lead another project similar to the Whirlpool North American headquarters we did some years ago. It was a brand new, high-profile, LEED Platinum office building for a global company. Our team worked closely with the stakeholders and the base building architect on designing the facility from the inside out.

The result of this effort was a new space for collaboration, sustainably designed with integrated technology and a focus on employee well-being. The experience of all parties collaborating smartly, trusting each other, and contributing their best ideas focused on project goals made for a fantastic result.

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HOTEL

Munich, Germany

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Munich, Germany

Fresh baroque style Rosewood Munich Hotel is a new emblem of Munich hospitality, set in two historic buildings, the former headquarters of the State Bank of Bavaria and the Palais NeuhausPreysing. Its guiding principle is bringing history and custom design into conversation

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he old and new, the genius loci and the contemporary world are in an ongoing dialogue. In the words of Tara Bernerd, CEO of the London-based firm Tara Bernerd & Partners, who designed the interiors, “We sought to combine the two diverse characters of old and new Munich, seamlessly melding the sensitively restored historic elements of the original building with a contemporary aesthetic that speaks to the future.” Before Rosewood Munich became a luxury hotel, it was a bank and an aristocratic residence, IFDM | 155

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the Palais Neuhaus-Preysing. Two adjoining landmark buildings hold the 132 rooms and suites, the Calacatta gold marble spa, and the restaurant and bar conceived as art installations (the fruit of DiPPOLD Interior Design’s creative inspiration). The two buildings were merged into a single property by the Hilmer Sattler Architekten Ahlers Albrecht team, which was in charge of its restoration. The high-prestige international hotel chain brought in three design studios for a single property, which is par for the course for the chain.

“We carefully select the designers and artists who best align with our vision,” said Trish Luyckx, Executive Vice President of the Rosewood Hotel Group. The result is plain to see as soon as you enter, a hotel of timeless elegance, where the monumental baroque staircase of the former State Bank of Bavaria leads to the reception (markedly more contemporary in style), which opens to the courtyard through great windows.

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HOTEL

Munich, Germany

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Munich, Germany

It has the feel of a living room with marble frames and dark wood wainscoting evoking local churches. The furniture and rugs are in midcentury style and suggest home-like atmospheres punctuated by neutral hues and fine fabrics from dark moss green velvets to earth-toned tweeds, and light brown and navy blue accents used on several sofas. The check-in area has a discreet presence in a cocoon-like space enveloped in leather panels with a custom brass and stone counter designed by TBP. Natural light dominates in the winter garden, shining on the sofas, each one different, the marble tables, and the large ochre

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HOTEL

Munich, Germany

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Munich, Germany

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HOTEL

Munich, Germany

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HOTEL

Munich, Germany

double-sided stone fireplace. The light wood of furniture and wainscoting in the guest rooms combines with cream-colored carpets with a sartorial feel, lacquered panels in wood, stone for the cabinet bars (in the suites), and padded headboards for the beds, upholstered in a soft wool fabric. The bathrooms feature elegant light stone floors and wood and marble washbasin cabinets.

The most unexpected features are the “houses,” residences with butler service and equipped with large spaces to relax or work. Their names are tributes to the Bavarian royal family. The house named after Princess Ferdinand includes a small living room set in a suspended glass bridge that once connected the two buildings. King Maximilian House features a large table to enjoy meals in good company, a fireplace, and a private terrace with a direct view of the Cathedral. Tailor-made furnishings are combined throughout with works of art and fine objects, such as porcelain figures made for the hotel by the Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory, in Munich since 1747.

Client: Rosewood Hotel Group Restoration and construction: Hilmer Sattler Architekten Ahlers Albrecht Interior design: Tara Bernerd & Partners, Dippold Procurement: Feuring Hotel Development Europa Bathrooms: Apaiser, Laufen, Duravit Hansgrohe, Gessi, BetteFritzroy of London, Villeroy & Boch, Jee-O Furnishings: bespoke designed by Tara Bernerd & Partners; &Tradition, Artisan, B&B Italia, Baxter, Brabbu, Classicon, Desiree, Gallotti & Radice, Gervasoni, Gianfranco Ferré, Gloster Furniture, Gubi, Janus Et Cie, Kettal, Manutti, Minotti, Munna, Parla, Porada, Ritzwell, Sancal Diseno Lithting consultant: SLB Berlin Lighting: Bert Frank, Circa Lighting, CTO lighting, Flos, Heathfield & Co, Pamono, Visual Comfort Rug & carpet: Ferreira De Sa, Royal Thai Ironmongery: FSB Author: Elena Luraghi Photo credits: Davide Lovatti

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ARTS CENTER

Spring 2024

New York

Manhattan’s new performance hub The World Trade Center site in New York is lit up by an innovative architecture of light – the Perelman Performing Arts Center, which has opened its doors to emerging and established artists in theatre, dance, and entertainment.

Launching a new cultural scene in Lower Manhattan, it features experiential spaces, an open-air terrace, a lobby, and fine dining

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onceived as a flexible and versatile “home” for different artistic expressions, the longawaited Perelman Performing Arts Center PAC NYC is in the heart of the World Trade Center site in Manhattan. Named after the philanthropist Ronald O. Perelman, it has opened its doors to theatre, music, opera, dance, film, and media. The architectural project by Joshua Ramus and his studio REX, in collaboration with executive architect Davis Brody Bond, theatrical consultant Charcoalblue, and Threshold Acoustics, has a unique cubic structure

making it a totem at the foot of the majestic Freedom Tower. The monolithic building is clad in 5,000 slabs of marble, only 12 mm thick. During the day they let light in and at sunset, they “turn on” from the inside, rendering the architecture an urban lighthouse.

The chameleon façade is made of veined Portuguese marble, Estremoz Luminati, laminated on both sides with glass and integrated, insulating panels. It was designed by REX with Front, conceived through a process called “bookmatching,” which means composing the panels so that the marble veins form a

Spring 2024

ARTS CENTER

New York

biaxially symmetrical pattern repeated on all sides.

The interior of PAC NYC has three main lobbies.

The Public Level includes a lobby made to be a gathering space for the community, equipped with a stage for free programming, a restaurant headed by chef Marcus Samuelsson, a bar, and an outdoor terrace, designed by the New York-based Rockwell Group studio. The Artist Level includes all the service areas for performers, and the Theater Level includes three areas for shows: the John E. Zuccotti Theatre with 450 seats, the Mike Nichols Theatre (up to 250 seats), and the Doris Duke Theatre (for 99 spectators), which can be used simultaneously or reconfigured as needed. The idea is an invitation to the community to discover New York’s new cultural scene. The lobby is envisioned as a luminous space whose fluid, sculptural forms evoke the creative dynamism of the performance center. Its majestic ceiling is clad with a corrugated wooden ribbon structure and integrated LED lights highlighting its architectural form. These powerful elements lead the gaze towards the exposed trusses and then to the bar, lounge, and open-air terrace, furnished with an outdoor IFDM | 163

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collection by Paola Lenti, including the Elba line of chairs by David Rockwell. The scenic effect is beguiling as lights pulsate and vary in intensity based on the show announcements, becoming visual signals to direct the spectators toward the elevators and theater entrance doors. FitzFelt structural walls in gray and burgundy felt hold the stage and acoustically insulate it. They subtly contrast to the cast concrete floor and blackened steel details. The built-in stage at the end of the lobby is punctuated by seats situated at varying levels to provide optimal views. As we come into the Metropolis restaurant led by chef Marcus Samuelsson, featuring walnut furniture, antique polished brass, blackened steel, and vintage carpets, we are immersed in the Rockwell Group’s creative vision. They sought to intertwine the lobby’s experiential dimension with a hidden area inspired by speakeasies. The intimate private dining room seats only 16 patrons.

Reached by walking through a steel kitchen it is clad in boiserie panels, the Porto Lino wall coverings created by David Rockwell for Maya Romanoff surround the dining table, designed with cork and metal foil bands. A proper secret room, it is lit by recessed sconces in cast glass in an atmosphere permeated by retro allure to enjoy gourmet excellence nestled in the creative epicenter of Lower Manhattan.

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ARTS CENTER

New York

Spring 2024

ARTS CENTER

New York

Leadership: Michael R. Bloomberg, Chair, Board of Directors; Khady Kamara, Executive Director; Bill Rauch, Artistic Director Design Architect: REX, Joshua Ramus Executive Architect: Davis Brody Bond Theater & AV Consultant: Charcoalblue Acoustician: Threshold Acoustics MKA: Structural Engineer Structural Consulting Engineer: Silman Façade consultant: Front Lighting design consultants: Tillotson Interior architect restaurant/lobby: Rockwell Group Custom-designed furnishings: manufactured by Eastern Millwork, Samuelson Furniture Furnishings: Fredericia, Menu Design, Meridiani, Resident, Sacco Carpet, Stellar Works, The Invisible Collection, Vitra, Wildspirit Stage flooring: Junckers Hardwood Author: Anna Casotti Photo credits: Iwan Baan, courtesy of PAC NYC; Adrian Gaut, courtesy of Rockwell Group

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YACHT

Ocean 182, Sunseeker

A versatile floating penthouse The partnership between the British luxury brand Sunseeker and the high-end design-atelier Visionnaire is giving a new definition to excellence at sea. Ocean 182 was introduced in Dusseldorf, featuring exclusively made furnishings with cobalt blue hues and sustainable materials

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he concept was to create an interior conceived as an exclusive home floating on the water. The design-atelier’s creations fit seamlessly with Ocean 182’s aesthetics, an interpretation of the owner’s dreams, as Andrea Frabetti, CEO of Sunseeker, explains, “The seamless integration of style, elegance, and practicality has culminated in the breathtaking Sunseeker Ocean 182. This partnership embodies a shared philosophy and product vision, fusing the artistry of design with the essential elements of comfort and durability. We have ushered in a new era of excellence.” The interior design was 166 | IFDM

created by Visionnaire for Ocean 182, a new “jewel” on the sea, an approximately 200-square-meter yacht spread over three decks and with ample space on board. It brings together innovative materials and sustainable, high-performance technology. The materials are from a Re-Generation sample that uses recycling processes and low environmental impact manufacturing as seen in the Bastian Lounge and Donovan Roll sofas, the Cloud chairs of cobalt blue faux leather, and the Cameron dining table. The yacht is the quintessence of comfort with furnishings designed for the outdoors. Stand-out pieces on the

Shipyard: Sunseeker Furnishings: Visionnaire Length: 27.10m / 88,9ft Cabins: 5 Engines: Twin MAN V12 1650 or 1900 Maximum speed: 27 knots Range (with 12-knot speed): 1,100 nautical miles Author: Anna Casotti Photo credits: courtesy of Sunseeker International

Spring 2024

YACHT

Ocean 182, Sunseeker

deck include models from the Greenlife collection, the new iroko wood Basketline, and Breezetables customized by the artist Michele Astolfi. The yacht features distinctive forms, creating an extraordinary experience in its three outdoor areas: from the large Beach Club to the main deck with 60 square meters of living space to the bow deck conceived as a gathering place. Its striking spiral staircase with minimalist steps and its full-height windows afford a sweeping view of the ocean, drawing an ephemeral boundary between inside and outside. The concealed sliding doors render the spaces fluid and flexible. The upper deck, for instance, can be completely closed to form a third internal living space or it can remain open to become a terrace on the water. Every detail tells the story of a sophisticated art de vivre. The master cabins are brightly lit and elegant, each with its own bath. The owner’s cabin is set in the yacht’s center, envisioned as a refined refuge, and the VIP area at the bow is a luxurious “home” for guests. The interior is contemporary and can be customized. Designed jointly with Design Unlimited, it is swathed in neutral tones and substantial materials with recessed lighting, stainless steel finishes, and customized bulkheads. Ocean 182 is envisioned as a versatile floating penthouse.

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CULTURAL CENTER

A tangible expression of difference and permanence The Mexican architecture studio Materia designed the QMM cultural center’s pavilion and extension in Mérida, creating a harmonious dialogue with the existing villa and park

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Mérida, Mexico

Spring 2024

CULTURAL CENTER

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he Quinta Montes Molina villa was built in 1906 and immediately set itself apart as an architectural icon and emblem of the Paseo de Montejo, in Mérida, capital of the Mexican state of Yucatán. In 2000, the historic building began hosting social and cultural events in its gardens. In 2006, it designated some of its spaces for a full-fledged museum, with an exhibition of original furniture, works of art, and numerous artifacts. The Mexican architecture studio Materia started work on it in 2015, creating an elegant pavilion with a C-shaped plan that forms a central courtyard while being a continuation of the historic villa towards the park. The new building holds an art gallery, a restaurant, a bookstore, workshop spaces, offices, kitchen spaces, and an art cinema.

An outdoor terrace is on the roof. The Cultural Center project took 6 years of planning, business modeling, financing, design, and construction.

It also involved many visits to museums in the United States with similar programs, which led to comparable compositional and functional design and a deeper understanding of spaces for collective use and to be part of the community’s social life, adjacent and subject to historical architecture.

The project is set behind a line of old trees, which support its goal of avoiding being an object and become a series of spaces intertwined by portals and thresholds, whose spatial quality serves a key function in terms of the connection between its parts. Columns and porticoes frame the views of the gardens, pavilion, and house, forming a central courtyard wrapped around a public space. Materia chose white cement prefabricated components for the columns, combined with original local stone, respecting the light colors of the villa and the urban setting of Mérida, where white dominates. The pavilion only appears lightweight and ethereal.

Mérida, Mexico

Client/Owner: Quinta Montes Molina property Main Contractor: Opresa Architectural design: MATERIA - Architect Gustavo Carmona Lighting design: Luca Salas Landscape design: Gustavo Carmona, Molino Lab, Jarde Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Jaime Navarro

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CULTURAL CENTER

All of its parts are solidly anchored and a second metal grid above the colonnade roof becomes a guide and support for the mobile roof which optimizes its structural stability. The art gallery becomes a transitional space between the gardens and the cultural center’s square.

The identity of the gardens and the open space around the villa and pavilion were preserved by carving it into the land, which also passively provides natural light and internal cooling. The interior design is inspired by the solids and voids that create the architectural rhythm. The material vocabulary balances the presence of cement with wood, becoming the ornamental background that gives expression to the frames holding the artificial lighting, embracing the restaurant spaces. They make them into recessed bookcases and display niches for a reading room and a coffee room. The workmanship features new takes on neoclassical details and influences as seen in the interiors and the home items.

The materials bring a dash of color to the floor tiles and wood cladding of the central bar.

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Mérida, Mexico

Spring 2024

CULTURAL CENTER

Mérida, Mexico

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Client: Experimental Group Architect & Landscape design: Henry Martinet Interior design: redesigned by Dorothée Meilichzon Furnishings: custom-designed Lighting: Ingo Maurer, Anthony Dickens Graphic design: Studio L’Etiquette Author: Elena Luraghi Photo credits: Mr Tripper

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HOTEL

Biarritz, France

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Biarritz, France

Revamping the Belle Époque The historic hotel Regina Experimental, on the Biarritz promenade, has been re-imagined by Dorothée Meilichzon with eclectic touches, from neo-Basque to Art Deco and Japanese allusions

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eo-Basque inspirations, Art Deco tributes, colorful touches, and the perennial call of the sea – or, more exactly, the ocean – opening before us. The experience of entering the Regina Experimental, a masterpiece in the Belle Époque style on the Biarritz waterfront, is dazzling. In the 15-meter-high foyer lit by an Eiffel-tower-style glass roof, the architectlandscape designer Henry Martinet had built the hotel in 1906. History and contemporary style converse in an elegant, sophisticated aesthetic created by Dorothée Meilichzon, the designer behind the style revamping for the new owners, the Experimental brand, founded by Olivier Bon, Pierre-Charles Cros, and Romée De Goriainoff.

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the second oldest hotel in Biarritz) by rendering tribute to its genius loci. This is based on its Basque identity and references to Art Deco style, which left its legacy in the Belle Époque era in beautiful architecture deeply rooted in the local place.

This city on the Bay of Biscay was the preferred destination of nobles and royalty. She avoided being trapped in the past and looked to distant lands such as Japanese culture, expressed here throughout the interiors in red and black lacquers, rice paper, and fabric panels. The rounded lines of the custom-designed furnishings are inspired by the coastline and the ocean, such as in the bottle green, ultramarine blue, and coral sofas in the foyer sitting rooms. They are placed next to each other without divisions, lit by Ingo Maurer and Anthony Dickens lamps hanging along the columns. With the silhouette of a steamship, the monumental 1920s-style cocktail bar counter is inspired by Eileen Gray’s modernist style. Its contemporary, ultra-colorful guest rooms (72 rooms on the ocean or the famous golf course) suggest

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HOTEL

Biarritz, France

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Biarritz, France

the cabins of cruise ships. The colors go from white to dark green, Basque red to diaphanous delicate Japanese paper, livened up by rope frames on several mirrors, sailor stripes of the armchairs, and plaster frescoes with aquatic motifs. The Basque restaurant features a stoneware floor, Japanese lacquer coffered ceilings, and again white and red stripes on the seats. The arches of the niches along the walls are also red as are the many tables for dining outdoors on the terrace for breathing in the fresh ocean air.

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CO-WORKING

Spring 2024

New frontiers of (work) space Clockwise, a co-working operator and MoreySmith designers drew on their established collaboration to again re-imagine iconic buildings fallen into functional disuse through wide-ranging places and modes of working

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lockwise offers flexible workspaces for businesspeople and businesses in the UK and Europe. It efficiently responds to the evermore popular trend of co-working to meet the demands of autonomous, fragmented work lives while taking into account intangible assets for business success, such as sharing, meeting, and dialoguing.

Clockwise and the English design studio MoreySmith have worked together on many occasions, most recently completing projects for the Generator Building, in Bristol, and Linley House, in Manchester. Both projects are examples of form freed to follow new work modes, while never forgoing aesthetic virtuosity and the benefits of biophilic design.

Bristol & Manchester, United Kingdom

Spring 2024

CO-WORKING

Bristol & Manchester, United Kingdom

Owner: Castleforge Operator: Clockwise Architectural & interior design: MoreySmith Furnishings: &Tradition, Another Country, Group Chair, Hay, Norr11, Rawside, Stellar Works Lighting: Trainspotters Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Billy Bolton, Fiona Smallshaw

The Generator Building is in the heart of the historic Waterfront Quarter, located in the iconic building that once housed the generator powering the city’s tram system. The Clockwise headquarters extends over six floors and optimizes its area – almost 3,000 square meters – for work and social interaction. It has private corners and flexible workstations with support spaces revolving around them, such as the Café Two

Hands and the member lounge. MoreySmith’s design made for bright, airy double-height spaces that favor natural light and an atmosphere full of meticulous details and design inspirations. A comfortable setting was created by the combined effect of new surfaces, forms, colors, and lighting objects, echoed by the industrial legacies of the old architecture whose extraordinary original parts are preserved and highlighted.

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CO-WORKING

Bristol & Manchester, United Kingdom

Spring 2024

CO-WORKING

Among these are the numbers embossed on the red wall, two historic trusses, and exposed brick walls.

Linley House is another high-quality example of redevelopment and conversion, as well as the latest award-winning MoreySmith project for Clockwise.

The hub is set in a building built in 1963 on Dickinson Street, Manchester, formerly the headquarters of the North West Electricity Board which served the entire city at the time. The new space’s interiors also marry the legacy of the original architecture and a palette of retro colors that bring to mind the decade it was built. The architectural project required a more intense rewriting than the Generator Building, replacing the original façade on the ground and first floors with continuous double-height glass façades to bolster the building’s street presence and let more natural light in. The interior finishes include original

Bristol & Manchester, United Kingdom

terrazzo elements, enameled tiles, 1960s-style patterns for the fabrics and upholstery, retro chandeliers, and vintage-inspired materials and furniture. Linley House’s ten floors offer workspaces and a private club lounge for Manchester’s thriving community of start-ups and entrepreneurs. Boutique hotels inspire it with a wide selection of furniture, such as velvet sofas and wire shelves. A light-flooded reception at the entrance and walls clad in vibrant mustard tiles

by Kaufmann Keramik contrast with custom-made wooden dividers and arches. The ceilings have a repeated pattern of circular elements that serve dual functions: decorative and sound-proofing. A floating steel staircase connects the floors of the new double-height void, facilitating the transition from the lounge and reception area to the quieter area for Clockwise member offices on the upper floor.

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STUDENT HOUSING

Milan

STUDENT HOUSING

Spring 2024

Milan

Beyond the domestic scale Collegiate AC Group has unveiled a state-of-the-art student complex in Milan. Designed with 695 rooms and communal spaces, it offers a balance between privacy and community

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estled in the lively Bicocca district of Milan, Collegiate AC Group, a leading European company, has launched a new adventure – a vibrant, brand-new student complex entirely outfitted by Lema. Spotlighting the exceptional capabilities of the group, which has a background in property development and interior design, as well as Lema’s versatility in tak-

ing on comprehensive project specifications, this venture is more than just a project. A wealth of professional affiliations and collaborations spawned a dual-purpose residence. Designed to offer high-end accommodation and communal spaces, this residence seamlessly integrates 695 private and shared spaces. Each housing unit, furnished with a capacious bed, a built-in wardrobe,

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a kitchenette, a dining section, a desk, and a private bathroom, embodies modern living standards.

Reflecting on the project, Susana Carrero, the Architecture & Interior Design Director at Collegiate AC Group Ltd, explains, “For the CMN venture, we endeavored to combine all the fundamental aspects of Collegiate, both from a design perspective and functionality.” Focusing on meticulous details, materials, and integration in the surrounding environment, CMN’s concept moves fluidly from secluded rooms to communal spaces. Carrero continues, “We aspired to fashion spaces that emanate warmth and elegance while being functional and adaptable, creating a homely environment equipped with essentials in the private quarters (rooms), while also accommodating a shift to a larger scale in the communal spaces furnished with amenities similar to hospitality accommodations.

We see these spaces as social, gathering spots, which means that the essential importance of transcending the domestic scope is very much recognized.”

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STUDENT HOUSING

Milan

Spring 2024

STUDENT HOUSING

Milan

The architects sought a timeless, elegant, and adaptable design that sees the student occupants as adults. Carrero explains, “We didn’t emphasize creating a ‘photogenic’ space or an ‘Instagramworthy’ snapshot, but rather ensuring the design is understood holistically. Every section we carefully designed to respond to student needs: study zones, teamwork spaces, social, entertainment, sport, relaxation, or unwinding areas. Nothing has been left to conjecture. Our quintessential principle could be that of a performance orchestrated by our design.

We always kept a check on the budget, debunking the stereotype that high quality corresponds to high costs. In reality, it’s about a thoughtful design approach where the challenge lies in discovering materials, finishes, and decisions whose contribution goes beyond their economic value. Collaborating with Lema gives us, first and foremost, a sense of assurance and confidence in complying with quality standards,” Carrero concludes.

Local architect: Nasini Architetti Interior design & FF& project: Collegiate Group SL Landscape project: AG&P Greenscape Main Contractor: Impresa Percassi FF&E contractor & furnishings: Lema Author: Giulia Guzzini Photo credits: Collegiate Group

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HOTEL

Brussels

Creativity and talent in the Mix In Brussels this 4-star hotel stretches over the enormous area of a 1960s functionalist building with an interior design hidden behind its smoky windows that creates an alchemy of shapes, colors, and materials, a prodigious merging of design and material culture

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HOTEL

Brussels

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aterial is part of the capacity to become a moldable element, and designers work with ideas, consciousness, and meaning.

The architect and interior designer Lionel Jadot understands this well as an insatiable explorer of the design/artisan relationship applied to systems of objects and spaces and social and material connections. Jadot, from Belgium, is a self-taught, bold, and tenacious businessperson. He grew up in a family of established cabinetmakers and proves himself again an excellent director of creative commingling. For the Mix Hotel in Brussels, he promoted the power of handcrafting and the intrinsic strength of the synergistic collaboration between artisans, design-

ers, and other interior design specialists. In 2018, in Brussels as well, he turned a 6,000 square meter former paper mill into the lively Zaventem Ateliers creative center, true to the principle of community ethos. The center is an analog, open-source network specialized in producing art and design objects. Jadot and his studio took this concept to a higher level in Mix by converting an iconic, huge functionalist 1960s building, the Royale Belge in Brussels, into spaces for hospitality, preserving the IFDM | 185

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historic cross-shaped building envelope designed by architects René Stapels and Pierre Dufau. The property covers 25,000 square meters, holding a 4-star hotel with 140 rooms and 40 studio suites, a gym, a wellness center, a co-working space, an auditorium, three restaurants, and a dining area.

Drawing from the Zaventem Ateliers team, Jadot brought together more than 50 professionals, including designers and manufacturers, to furnish the interiors with bespoke installations, sculptures, and furniture. Every piece, from chairs down to the individual knobs, was the work of an independent artist or designer. This model is an amplifier and has commercial advantages, such as the certainty of compensating designers appropriately. It also promotes sustainable projects, favoring the use of locally sourced materials and production and fostering a creative community based on the collaboration, talents, and unique values of each designer. As Jadot says, “Our mission was to turn this gigantic iconic building into the ultimate showcase for Belgian collectible design – a space signed collectively by all the artisans involved and where every corner is 186 | IFDM

HOTEL

Brussels

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Brussels

Hotel operator: Limited Editions Hotels Group Heritage architecture: Metzger et Associés Architecture Interior design: Atelier Lionel Jadot (Lionel Jadot, Cristina Gusano, Pierrot Deconinck, Guillaume Thilly, Juliette Geeraert, Juliette Moyersoen, Julien Croenen, Louise Michiels) Furnishings: Zaventem Ateliers (Thomas Serruys, Pierre-Emmanuel Vandeputte, Pierre Coddens, Lionel Jadot x David Chair Docter, Arthur Vandergucht, Ateliers JetJ) Lightings: Zaventem Ateliers (Studio Elementaires, Roxane Lahidji, Pascale Risbourg x Atelier Haute Cuisine, Lionel Jadot) Bathrooms: Zaventem Ateliers Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Serge Brison, Dorian Lhose, Mireille Roobaert, Amber Vanbossel, Louis Vielle, courtesy of Lionel Jadot

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filled with bespoke, handcrafted pieces, telling each a unique story. Mix is a space that arouses curiosity and stays away from clichés, a true permanent group show that redefines collectible design.” Throughout Mix’s spaces are extraordinary works in stone, fabric, metal, and wood. The reception desk, for instance, was designed by Maison Armand Jonckers, and the stools by Belgian designer Thomas Serruys.

The textiles are the brainchild of French creative Emma Cognée who collaborated with Erika Schillebeeckx and Justine de Moriamé of Krjst Studio to produce them. Roxane Lahidji designed the lighting; the foam seats bear the signature of the French-German artistic duo, Carolin Gieszner and Théo Demans of studio touche-touche; the tables are by the Belgian designer Pierre Coddens; the bespoke sconces are by Studio Elementaires; and the tapestries by La Gadoue Atelier. There are also two monumental pieces, a sculpture by Belgian designer Arno Declercq and a papier-mâché piece by Maud Bocquet and Zélie Boubou, from the Belgian collective Les Boulettesin.

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HOTEL

Brussels

Spring 2024

HOTEL

Brussels

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WONDER. QUZHOU, CHINA | QUZHOU STADIUM | MAD ARCHITECTS

© Aogvision, MAD Architects

Despite its 30,000-seat capacity, the Stadium is designed to appear as a continuation of the surrounding landscape rather than an object standing out against it. Unlike the typically fortress-like stadiums, the

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architects built a stadium that would embed much of the technology that went into its production so that it can instead be open to the surrounding public space from nearly every angle.

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WONDER. VALENCIA | MOMIJI ATELIER | EL DEPARTAMENTO © Jorge Peiro

Nestled within Valencia’s iconic Mercado de Colón, the restaurant project Momiji Atelier, under the culinary expertise of Chef Diego Laso, takes its inspiration from Japanese metabolism.

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Resonance Vortex to diversity’, design by studio we+ for Toyo Aluminium, set up by Stipa

Quality no limits, from brief to turnkey.

And beyond

General Contractor for showrooms, events, museums and hospitality.

According with planet. stipa.it

WONDER. PRAGUE | MASARYČKA | ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS © BoysPlayNice

This building revitalizes an abandoned site into a welcoming city gateway, providing new civic spaces and modern office spaces. It integrates with a historic railway station, enhancing urban connectivity.

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Tailored.

Business.

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

Short stories

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SHORT STORIES NEW YORK | 108 LEONARD | GIORGETTI

The history and unique charm of New York’s TRiBeCa neighborhood revive in the prestigious residential project 108 Leonard. Originally designed by the Gilded Age architects McKim, Mead & White in 1898 as the headquarters for the New York Life Insurance Company, the building has been repurposed for residential use to accommodate 160 luxurious apartments. The firms Beyer Blinder Belle and Jeffrey Beers International have preserved the original identity, maintaining original elements such as the Italian Renaissance style facade, which is part of the United States National Register of Historic Places, the monumental marble staircase, the atrium railing, and a marble hall that once served New York Life’s VIP clients.The glamourous atmosphere of the district – once a commercial area, now a luxury residential destination rich in industrial lofts transformed into galleries – can be felt within its walls, harmoniously integrated with the Giorgetti design that adorns the communal areas. The over 2,000 square meters of amenity spaces - which include a media room, a games room, the charming “Marble Room” waiting area, a private dining room with a cellar, a fitness center, and a children’s play area – are adorned with Giorgetti collections, catalog and custom, including Carlo Colombo’s modular Skyline sofa, Ago sofas, Topaze poufs, Bigwig 4.50 metres dining table in Canaletto walnut version, Margot and Janet armchairs. In the elegant Marble Room, Drive sofas harmonize with Opus armchairs, while the iconic 90° Minuto foosball table, upholstered in light leather, stands out in the games room.

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SHORT STORIES

Spring 2024

MARRAKECH | LA MAMOUNIA | CASSINA

Celebrating its one hundredth birthday last October but as enchanting as ever. If not more. The hotel La Mamounia, known as the “Grande-Dame” of Marrakech, has undergone major renovation work, begun in 2020 and carried out by Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku. In this “second act” the Studio has completed the public areas of this legendary destination (adored by celebrities, from Yves Saint Laurent to Charlie Chaplin, as well as the setting for films by directors of the calibre of Alfred Hitchcock) once again bringing in Cassina Custom Interiors, who played a leading role in the production of the furniture designed by Jouin Manku during the first phase. The aim of Divisione Cassina was to create a sense of continuity with the first phase of the project, from the intense colours and sophisticated materials to the majestic design of the products. Cassina Custom Interiors have thus created bespoke sofas and armchairs, along with coffee tables, for the Lobby, combining features of Moorish architecture with Art Deco; for the Les Alcôves lounge, inspired by the seats in classic Moroccan salons known as “sedari” and for the Salon d’honneur, where upholstered benches have been introduced with references to the blue tones of the mosaics that adorn the walls and staircases, alongside a series of side tables whose shape resembles that of a flower that has just come into bloom. The brand’s design can also be seen in the Allée Majorelle lounge, the Salon Majorelle and the Grand Hall (the beating heart and crossroads of the building) up to the reception of the new spa, with a series of poufs and upholstered benches in a fabric that reflects the blue-green shades of the “zellige”, the majolicas that bring colour to the walls.

Photo © Anson Smart

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GUANGZHOU, CHINA | FDL APARTMENT | LIVING DIVANI

Inspiring calm, reflection, refined elegance. An apartment like a temple of wellbeing, a place to withdraw from the chaos of the world, calibrate one’s sensory emotions and rebuild a feeling of tranquility. Such an atmosphere defines this home, that extends over 500 square metres and has been created by Living Divani in collaboration with FDL, their retailer at Guangzhou.

The Italian brand were responsible for furnishing the living room and bedroom, combining their own vision - that consists of a streamlined, understated design that blends comfort with functionality - with an interior design in which the reference to oriental culture and style is clear. The design of the architecture creates perspective views within the different rooms, lit by generous windows that allow natural daylight to flood the space and illuminate the natural and delicate tones of the setting. The task of creating a play of light and shade within the context is given over to just a few select pieces of furniture - such as the Menhir coffee tables-sculptures, presented in both the version in marble and the one in wood, placed in the centre of the living room, it provides a practical surface for placing things on. Soft furnishings and accessories are in keeping with the understated palette, creating a sense of harmonious continuity. As such the imposing Floyd sofa, designed by Piero Lissoni, dominates the living room, showcasing its extreme versatility in terms of modular compositions, and the Extrasoft sofa, adjacent to the kitchen area, creates the perfect corner for relaxation, made inviting by its soft, cappuccino-coloured leather. Moving on to the bedrooms, the aesthetic of the interiors remains consistent and a custom version of Floyd that transforms the classic sofa into a daybed with a decisive and modern style.

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SHORT STORIES

SHORT STORIES

Spring 2024

MILAN | TRATTORIA DEL CIUMBIA | POLIFORM

The familiar warmth of the traditional trattoria has been reworked by Dimorestudio who have brought their eclectic vision to the design of the new Trattoria del Ciumbia in Milan. Located at number 32 via Fiori Chiari, the restaurant takes inspiration from the traditional venues in the neighbourhood, frequented by exponents of the Milanese artistic avant-garde in the 1960s but with a new contemporary twist. The third venue to be launched

by TSF Holding, following the opening of VESTA and CASA Fiori Chiari, the Trattoria del Ciumbia represents the completion of the first phase of a plan to transform Brera into a gourmet district through the work of the restaurant group, that has once again chosen Poliform as interior design partner for the supply of furniture and the creation of claddings and customised pieces - both at the entrance level, dominated by the imposing counter and framed by the panelling in flamed walnut wood and bespoke floor tiles laid in a mosaic pattern, and at semi-basement level, that houses an intimate private lounge where amid the brown carpet and dark-blue satin curtains, materials of with an industrial appeal stand out. The signature of Poliform Contract is evident throughout: from the entrance lobby to the counter and the bar, from the bottle rack to the waiter’s station.

Photo © Paola Pansini

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SHORT STORIES

VENICE | THE HUMAN SAFETY NET | PEDRALI

Within the majestic restoration project for the Procuratie Vecchie in Venice (by Studio David Chipperfield Architects Milan) is the new headquarters for The Human Safety Net (THSN), the foundation of the Gruppo Generali, the design of which saw the participation of Pedrali. The entire third floor of the building overlooking Piazza San Marco houses the headquarters of the foundation, a hub conceived to favour inclusion, innovation and sustainability, in line with the mission of THSN, namely to “liberate the potential of people who live in conditions of vulnerability so that they can improve the living conditions of their families and communities”.

Extending across a floor area of 2500 square metres is the interactive exhibition “A World of Potential” alongside co-working spaces, event spaces, an auditorium, a library and the Illy Café: spaces designed for the part Interior, Exhibition & Multimedia Design by the studio Migliore+Servetto, with art direction by Davide Rampello, who also designed the reception areas on the ground floor. There is a strong reference to all things Venetian in the rooms, starting with the materials - glass, copper, wood, mirrors while the furniture forms a dialogue with the architecture and existing structures. Among these, the Brera collection of chairs and stools by Pedrali. With their name that evokes the chic atmosphere of Milan, the Brera chairs, made from oak wood, are characterised by their compact forms and simple lines that suggest lightness and agility. The result is a chair that is functional and comfortable as well as aesthetically refined.

Photo © Andrea Martiradonna

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Spring 2024

SANTANYÍ, SPAIN | CAN FERRERETA | ETHIMO

Perfectly integrated into the area in which it stands, the 5-star Resort Can Ferrereta is born from the transformation of a suggestive 17th-century manor house, in the historic heart of Santanyí, south-east of the island of Majorca. Among cypresses and olive trees, the architecture has maintained the flavor of Majorcan tradition in harmony with the natural landscape, combining a rural soul and a modern identity. The rooms preserve vaults, arches, wooden beams, original stone ceilings, while the natural light with which the environments are pervaded enhances this multitude of textures. In addition to the 32 rooms and suites, the resort also boasts a spa and a central garden with a swimming pool. The outdoor setting is thus configured as an oasis of peace and well-being, an openair kingdom made even more familiar and comfortable by the Ethimo products that furnish the various outdoor spaces.

Around the pool area are the Sand loungers, in natural teak with custom-made cushions, and the Elle deck chairs, next to the Classic umbrellas. The Restaurant & pool bar La Fresca stages a “casual food experience”, in the company of the Kilt collection - embracing seats in teak and rope signed by Marcello Ziliani - and the Costes lounges in teak, while the stools from the Swing collection, designed by Patrick Norguet, flank the bar corner in an enveloping natural texture.

Photo © Can Ferrereta

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HYOGO, JAPAN | BTW RESIDENCE | MINOTTI

The soothing sound of the waves, the reflection of the architecture on the water, the natural and charming atmosphere that flows smoothly between inside and outside. This is the heavenly experience offered by this magnificent villa located at the edge of the ocean in the Japanese prefecture of Hyogo. A contemporary work of architecture in exposed concrete designed by architect Koichi Nakai with interior design by Esprex, in collaboration with Minotti Tokyo.

The elegance of the Italian brand in fact runs through both the indoor and outdoor spaces of this private residence, heightening the feeling of comfort and wellbeing. A tree-lined path leads to the entrance of the house, in the quietness given by the fountain with bonsai garden that animates the courtyard; on crossing the threshold, a spacious hall makes room for the dramatic spiral staircase that connects the three levels, alongside which the Tape sofa designed by Nendo stands out with its original houndstooth check cover. On the first floor, the living room, kitchen and dining room are all filled with natural light by the large, full-height windows; here the succession of colours and materials - such as stone for the walls and natural wood for the ceiling - generate balanced contrasts that create a modern atmosphere. The setting is dominated by the dining table, surrounded by the refined design of the Fil Noir dining little armchairs by Christophe Delcourt, with leather body and fabric seat. Outside the space opens up towards the horizon via a terrace with large eaves and an infinity pool: this is the setting for the conviviality of the Quadrado table by Marcio Kogan / studio mk27 and the Tape Cord Outdoor chairs while a panoramic corner is made complete by the Patio seats, from which to enjoy the enchanting view.

Photo © collaj

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SHORT STORIES

SHORT STORIES

Spring 2024

POLIGNANO A MARE, ITALY | MASSERIA AURATERRAE | TALENTI

Talenti captivates with its “en plein air” fascination, the outdoor spaces of Masseria AuraTerrae, a conservative recovery project that morphed an ancient farmhouse into a sustainable oasis of well-being. The work was carried out by Interior Designer and Landscape Bepi Povia, together with architects Giuseppe Domenico Sabatelli and Lucia Intini, in collaboration with the owners, the Valentini family, aimed to exalt the original architecture and at the same time the natural territory in which it is immersed. Dating back to 1600 and expanded two centuries later to become a farmstead, the masseria lies northwest of the municipality of Polignano a Mare, on the border with the territory of Conversano; today it dominates from the top of a hill the coast, stretching from Mola di Bari to Monopoli in the form of a widespread hotel with a panoramic view of the sea. The recovery work was, therefore, aimed at merging the pre-existing with modern comforts whilst maintaining a close continuity with such a bucolic landscape: the numerous innovative technologies adopted, therefore, have been carefully concealed, and the use of eco-friendly installations (photovoltaic system, solar panels, heat pumps, induction kitchens and the almost total recovery of water) have allowed for the reduction of environmental impact and waste of resources.

Materials and colors weave a red thread between the work of man and that of nature - starting from the local limestone that gives shape to the structure - with a continuity that also reflects in the furniture choices. This is also observed in the Talenti collections. The sun loungers from the Slam collection signed by Ludovica+Roberto Palomba blend with the naturalistic scenery from the poolside; while the Panama collection (also by Ludovica+Roberto Palomba) plays with the light and the wind that runs through its interweaves from the large terrace. Furthermore, the Cruise Teak seats in nautical rope in the dining room, the Moon Alu line by Christian Visentin along with the Leaf coffee tables by Marco Acerbis in the private terraces.

IFDM | 205

Spring 2024

LE BRASSUS, SWITZERLAND HÔTEL DES HORLOGERS | ATLAS CONCORDE

Ceramic surfaces by Atlas Concorde have been used throughout the Hôtel des Horlogers, owned by Audemars Piguet located at Le Brassus - a town in the heart of the Vallée de Joux (in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland), also home to the headquarters of the luxury watchmaking brand.

A building’s new chapter has begun with the recent intervention involving BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group for the design and Swiss firm CCHE for the construction. This has given rise to a four-star boutique hotel that pays tribute to the surrounding landscape. The zig-zag structure follows the shape of the valley, accompanying its slopes, while the interior design by AUM studio recreates the natural environment through local materials and a graceful atmosphere. As such the surfaces by Atlas Concorde specified to cover the communal areas, the spa and the stylish inhouse restaurant are also in keeping with this concept: the Brave stone-effect porcelain stoneware collection, applied to the floor, recalls the expressiveness of the natural material of origin. Meanwhile the ample spaces of the spa embrace and reflect the light thanks to the large format Atlas Plan surfaces (a brand of the group) which extend seamlessly ensuring aesthetic continuity while also creating continuity with the landscape.

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SHORT STORIES

SHORT STORIES

Spring 2024

LUSAIL, QATAR | THE COSMESIS | MERIDIANI

The Cosmesis is a high-end cosmetic surgery clinic in Qatar, its precise location being Lusail, that lies to the north of the city centre of Doha.

Interior design practice Sienna Designs selected products by Meridiani to furnish the reception areas of the space in such a way as to make them feel like a real living room. Everything has been designed to be comfortable and welcoming, an environment with sinuous lines that conjure up an image of the curves of the human body. The light tones, tending towards white, are harmoniously blended with assorted shades of tobacco, brown and steel. Joseph sofas with their aerodynamic form are in the version with completely smooth covers, with a classy, elegant feel and are combined with the Josephine upholstered armchairs and Teresa armchairs in wood and leather with a more decisive design. The side tables Gong and Belt complete the look, with wood and metal combining with the fabric of the seating to evoke a feeling of total relaxation for a lounge and conversation area that offers the utmost privacy.

Photo © Studio Sionna Design

IFDM | 207

Spring 2024

SHORT STORIES

ROME | THE FIRST MUSICA | OMNIDECOR

Glass as a distinctive feature of the project. We are in Rome, in the exclusive setting of The First Musica, a five-star design hotel nestled in the elegant Prati district. Interior and exterior, architecture and landscape, appear as one, harmonized by the large full-height windows that punctuate the facades and rhythm the spaces, allowing direct access to the urban panorama. “An architecture that, in its care for detail, tells the centrality of the aesthetic-formal balance between design and urban space, in all its components,” explains Arch. Antonio Marincola, who signs the project. To the functional value, Studio Marincola has combined the decorative value that this material can achieve. Brought inside the hotel’s rooms, glass indeed finds a new expressivity thanks to OmniDecor’s frosted glass solutions. The sophistication of the golden glass DecorFlou Design Linen Gold OmniDecor has been applied in the partition and separation between the bedroom and the bathroom. In the balance between transparency and opacity, the harmonious dialogue between the two environments is preserved. The golden shades of the surface enhance the environment with light effects, fitting extremely consistently within an interior design project characterized by precious materials such as marble and brass, chosen for the bathroom furnishings.

Photo © Saverio Lombardi Vallauri

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SHORT STORIES

Spring 2024

ROELOFARENDSVEEN, NETHERLANDS VEENSE CAMPUS | HIMACS

A former secondary school has become a place of work and a campus dedicated to information technology and communication in a design by the studio Design & Meer in collaboration with VRP architects. The aim of Dutch entrepreneur Barry Verdejo, the owner of tech company Verdel Digitaal Partner, was to create an inspiring space for his employees, and drawing on the atmosphere and spatial layout typical of an educational institution was the ideal means with which to achieve this goal. “We wanted our company to also be like a school. Work activities are carried out in a classroom, while the corridors serve as meeting areas, for colleagues to socialise with one another”, says Verdel. Even the original colours of the school (yellow, red, blue) have been retained, along with other unusual elements, such as the rings in the old gym, now hanging above the current reception area.

Here in the entrance area of the building that houses the canteen, the distinctive element is a large counter made from HIMACS in the Urban Concrete finish that echoes the colour palette of the original building while at the same time matching the green of the Verdel Digitaal Partner logo along with the wooden inserts. The ten-metre-long counter has a highly robust appearance and a perfectly smooth finish with no visible joints; the ample worktop in HIMACS allows this element to be used as both a reception space as well as a meeting area for employees. The building has been refurbished not only to create areas given over to offices but also to create a number of dwellings that can be occupied for up to seven years, provided for younger employees.

Photo © Roos Jansen (Lichtgevoelig filmproducties)

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Spring 2024

XI’AN, CHINA | ONE SUNAC OPUS | PORRO

Porro’s distinct character shines in this minimalist, contemporary-style apartment, which is an integral part of the expansive residential project: One Sunac Opus Xi’an. This project majestically nestles in the heart of Xi’an, China. It boasts dimensions and an internal layout that are on a par with a villa, while the furniture is testimony to the versatility and richness of proposals that distinguish Porro. Designed

by Jacci Maye, a strategic partner of Porro in the city and renowned retailer of high-end furniture, the apartment reflects the understated taste of the homeowner. Starting with the furniture by the Made in Italy brand, ranging from recent collections to best sellers, that is spread around the different areas of the house: accessories and large systems by Porrò are the silent protagonists of the space, with their refined design. The Gallery Low Cupboard and Pioggia chairs feature in the dining room; the leather Sadoru bed with Offshore bedside table in the bedrooms of the two children. A System accessorised wall dominates the room dedicated to reading, articulated in a range of different solutions. This coherence of style can also be found in the choice of colours that draws on a neutral palette of lights and darks. The exception being accents of orange that introduce a quirky liveliness to the compositional equilibrium.

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SHORT STORIES

SHORT STORIES

Spring 2024

CAGLIARI, ITALY | PALAZZO TIRSO | POTOCCO

Studio Marco Piva once again shows off its ability to read history, enhance it and translate it into a design that is new as well as surprising in its balanced expression between past and present. The project in question is Palazzo Tirso - MGallery at Cagliari, once headquarters of the Società Elettrica Sarda, now a 5-star hotel part of the Gruppo Accor and property of Gruppo Puddo Costruzioni. A change of use that the Studio has accommodated by conserving the historic value of the building that dates back to the 1920s, in Art Nouveau style, and giving it a new contemporary. The inspiration behind the design of the restyling has come first and foremost from the roots of the territory, its culture and its colours. In order to maintain unchanged the link with the city, Studio Marco Piva has emphasised the view of the landscape by exploiting the large windows of the historic building, overlooking the dock and the Cagliari hills. This continuous connection between the outside of the city and the inside of the boutique hotel is repeated in particular between the suites and the panoramic terraces that house the Cielo “all day dining” restaurant from which to admire the Golfo degli Angeli.

This exclusive location has been furnished with Keel chairs by Potocco, designed by Victor Vasilev and Mario Ferrarini. Their light appearance fits in well with the airy feel of the restaurant, inspired by the maritime and nautical world, this collection is characterised by a slim, streamlined metal structure and slender, wraparound wooden backrest. Making a strong graphic impression, Keel outlines the space dominated by natural light and projected outside by the large windows that surround it, creating a direct connection with the landscape.

Photo © Andrea Martiradonna

IFDM | 211

Spring 2024

SHORT STORIES SKIATHOS, GREECE | ICON HOTEL | CERAMICA DEL CONCA

The Mediterranean tradition is revived in a contemporary context at the Icon Hotel, on the naturalistic Island of Skiathos. Amid the wild and evocative Sporades Islands archipelago, in the heart of the Aegean Sea, the island reveals picturesque landscapes in a kaleidoscope of colors ranging from turquoise to emerald green. This is the backdrop that wraps around this charming boutique hotel, reflecting the relaxed atmosphere of the island in a project that celebrates tradition and the place where it stands, but with a modern architectural touch. The Icon Hotel is indeed born from a project to convert an old building by architect Jamie Peel and the creative research of the Fotini Delagrammatica studio for interior design.

Traces of tradition can be found starting from the color palette that runs through the nuances of beige and juxtaposes blue with white; the classic terracotta tiles appear but with a new connotation, as a decorative element or practical bedside table; the use of materials such as wood, marble, and local fabrics brings the history of this culturally rich land into the building. Even finishing details, like the marble elements of the floors, recall the traditional “galderimi”, inclined stones that were used as rainwater drainage in the island’s streets. The surfaces therefore acquire a fundamental value in the project to interpret the local allure: thus the collection of concreteeffect floors and coverings, Timeline by Ceramica del Conca, in the beige shade, creates a warm and welcoming environment; the coverings of the Frammenti collection by Ceramica Faetano (a brand of the Del Conca Group) generate bright and deep walls in the living area, thanks also to the 7.5x40 cm format, reminiscent of ancient artifacts, and their three-dimensional effect, accentuated by the contrasting pink grout.

Photo © Nicholas Prakas

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SHORT STORIES

Spring 2024

BRUGES, BELGIUM | LA LUDO-MÉDIATHÈQUE LE CHÂTEAU | USM MODULAR FURNITURE

Within the new multimedia library, Le Château, in Bruges (France), one encounters an innovative, dynamic, and multifaceted approach to culture. It serves as a vibrant, inspiring hub where creativity is nurtured and stimulated, all within a context deeply imbued with charm and character. The library (covering 1200sqm) is situated within an extensively renovated 18th-century castle, which still retains traces of its past, such as the fireplaces and original carvings, to which a 400sqm semi-underground extension and an open-air theatre have now been added. Despite the building’s antiquity, the library carries a highly contemporary concept: in addition to offering visitors the chance to read, this space hosts multimedia and digital creation workshops, cultural and recreational events like game nights and video game tournaments, as well as exhibitions, concerts, shows. The versatility of this cultural destination, constantly ready to metamorphose in its configuration, is greatly facilitated by the interior project that features USM Modular Furniture. In fact, the various environments showcase the USM Haller modular system, presenting a variety of solutions such as multimedia consoles, mobile containers for toys or comics, shelving, or service carts, in a mix of colors, shapes, and functions. The “evolving” nature of the system aligns with that of the venue: USM Haller modules change as the room’s function changes and adapt to new working methods or new organizational methods of space.

IFDM | 213

Spring 2024

WEIDEN AM SEE, AUSTRIA | NILS AM SEE | GERVASONI

Situated amidst the serene Austrian countryside and offering a magnificent panorama of Lake Neusiedl, the sophisticated boutique hotel Nils am See is fully furnished

by Gervasoni. This retreat, designed as a wellness haven, blends soft materials, a natural palette of beige, cream, and grey, and gentle lights filtered through linen and cotton drapes, evoking the contemporary sensibility of a luxurious beach house decorated in maritime Boho – a freespirited and artistic Bohemian style, inspired by marine and coastal life. Gervasoni leads the refinement of the hotel’s interiors and exteriors through furnishings, from the lounge area to the restaurant, right down to the bedrooms. The Gray line, synonymous with contemporary design with a vintage touch, adapts perfectly to every setting with its Nordic design. The elegance of the Ghost armchairs, with their removable covers that fall to the ground like a curtain, the Log and Brick tables, the Brick poufs and the Bolla lamps, stand out for the authenticity of their design and the intriguing use of materials. The wonderful outdoor space is enhanced by the Inout collection, a combination of exotic and essential aesthetics. The clay Heiko coffee tables, with their soft and sinuous styling, blend harmoniously into the natural context, helping to create a serene atmosphere of tranquil beauty.

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SHORT STORIES

SHORT STORIES

Spring 2024

GUANGDONG, CHINA | LITEX SURFACE HQ | LEA CERAMICHE, COTTO D’ESTE

The aesthetic and sensory value of ceramic comes through in the design for the headquarters of the Chinese company Litex Surface in Guandong. The intensity of the colours, the subtle natural shades, the marked tactility, the play of light and shade, as well as high performance in terms of use and application, define the collections of Lea Ceramiche and Cotto d’Este selected by the designer Zhu Boyland from the studio RCHA who was responsible for the design of the headquarters. The designer was inspired by the concept Architectural Structure X Space Context, creating an aesthetic connection between the interior and exterior space via the element of the arch. Further elements of connection between the spaces are the surfaces Lea Ceramiche and Cotto d’Este, both brands of the Panariagroup and both orientated towards ongoing research in terms of both aesthetics and technological performance. Lea Ceramiche has expressed itself in this project in the Pigmenti collection (created by Ferruccio Laviani) that covers the exterior of the building: the design studio specified the ultra-thin Slimtech Plus maxi-tiles (3.5 mm thick in a 3x1m format), 100% Carbon Neutral, selecting some of the twelve shades that combined together, create a highly dynamic effect on the facade. Inside, it is the turn of the extra-large tiles (3x1m) from the Advantage Skin collection by Cotto d’Este, distinguished by the unusual stone effect that combines some of the most evocative mineral textures present in nature with a reduced thickness (3.5mm). The Advantage Skin tiles in porcelain stoneware (also 100% Carbon Neutral) specified in colours Silver and Graphite, clad the walls of the main spaces of the building: the hall and the reception, the doors that connect the various spaces and a number of decor accessories such as furniture and display shelves.

Photo © Shanghai Juner Culture Media

IFDM | 215

Spring 2024

SHORT STORIES VOLLA, ITALY | YUGO SUSHI FUSION EXPERIENCE RIFLESSI

Like a bright and precious box, the Yugo Sushi Fusion Experience restaurant at Volla (Naples), is coloured with gold and light, offering an immersion in design along with an exceptional gastronomic experience - a mix between Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine. Architect Marco Sorrentino, with the help of Riflessi, has designed the interior of the restaurant, taking inspiration from the nuanced colours of metal, in particular tones of gold: a warm and welcoming backdrop, clad in backlit onyx, and a series of structures in teak wood, inserts in tones of black and graphite and gold decorative details that stand out against the ceiling and floors treated with cement-effect resin. The products by Riflessi are in keeping with this concept, starting with the Perla range of chairs and stools and the comfortable Carmen chairs, all with structures finished in matt gold to match the claddings that range from dark grey to dove, burgundy and blue. The matt gold is seen again in the base and profiles of the Shanghai tables with custom square top (dimensions 80 x 80 cm) and top in black glass. The lighting is no less impressive, featuring lamps and tubes from the Stilo range - where the black and gold combination returns, with gold and satined chrome finish - alternated with ceiling lights from the LED Loop range with metal rings in a gold finish.

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SHORT STORIES

Spring 2024

BAHRAIN BAY, BAHRAIN | BIBF | FANTONI

The expertise and bespoke approach that defines Fantoni have made them a key partner in an exclusive project to furnish the new HQ of BIBF - Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance, a semi-governmental institute of higher education located at Bahrain Bay, in the heart of the Manama, the capital. The BIBF is the leading provider of education and training for business studies in the region, affiliated with the Central Bank of Bahrain it also plays a major role in the development of human resources in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Gulf region, the wider Middle East, Africa and beyond. Designed by Gulf House Engineering, the new building extends over a floor area of 25,000 square metres, divided into offices with a total of 180 workstations, classrooms/laboratories to accommodate 1200 and an auditorium that can seat 300. As a partner in the interior design project

by SID, Fantoni supplied all the furniture, from the administrative and management offices to classrooms and workshops for the university students, the Library and lounges as well as the auditorium.

Key collections by the brand play a prominent role in these spaces, such as the Framework system for smart offices in a custom version, the Quaranta5 desks, the MultipliCEO system for management offices and the Atelier system that uses shelving to form a central axis from which branch out the tables, storage units and pinboards. Last but not least, all the seating. The end result is one that embodies dynamism, ergonomics and functionality, without sacrificing aesthetics.

Photo © Marco Boria

IFDM | 217

Design Inspirations

On cover: Falésia D’El Rey House Óbidos, Portugal - Photo © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

outdoor dimension On the following pages, we will guide you through a refined selection of ideas and inspirations, in which color plays a leading role: vivid, fresh, invigorating. Gardens, urban terraces, swimming pools and verandas, where we can discover enveloping sofas, irresistible décor accessories, shady pergolas and modern design carpets, all ready to make outdoor life into an authentic oasis of calm and wellbeing.

discover more

IFDM | 219

Spring 2024

DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

Outdoor dimension

VAL CAMONICA | ATELIER TAPIS ROUGE

As the name suggests, the Collezione Val Camonica by Atelier Tapis Rouge, has been inspired by the carvings found in the mountains of northern Italy that have been preserved on the rock for thousands of years, testifying to the ancestral need of humans to make marks. Repeated patterns, marks and symbols reproduce the effect of the carvings thanks to the varying thickness of the fibrous material used. The collection is made exclusively from 100% recycled PET fibre, a material that is highly resistant to the effects of weather conditions such as sun and rain as well as anti-static, high-tech, easily washable and hard-wearing. Sonico (in the photo) alternates bands made up of small marks and lines and larger stripes in plain colour, Sellero, available in versions with dove, brown or grey background, is distinguished by the pattern made up of repeated triangles and arranged in series along parallel lines.

PARKER | ANTONIO CITTERIO | FLEXFORM

Taking inspiration from tradition with an exquisitely contemporary sensibility, Antonio Citterio has come up with Parker for Flexform, a soft chair that is reminiscent of old wicker chairs. Versatile in terms of its configuration - two and three-seater sofas, footrests, an element with back and armrest for face-to-face compositions or standalone use - embodies a high level of craftsmanship as Parker is in fact worked entirely by hand. From the frame in turned and finished solid wood to the fine weave that characterises the back and arms, made from twisted rush or woven leather cord in assorted colours: black, dark brown, tobacco, natural, grey and Bulgarian red. The cover, in gros grain available in different colours, is removable. Also in leather versions.

ARP | BORJA GARCÍA & LAURA ROS OF MADE STUDIO | DIABLA

The strings of a harp are the source of inspiration for a collection called Arp, created by Borja García and Laura Ros of Made Studio for Diabla. The geometric arrangement of the vertical lines becomes a distinctive motif that characterises the sofas, chairs and side tables.

The simple and elegant lines recall the style of traditional 19th century cast-iron garden furniture. The two seater sofa is made up of a tubular structure in textured aluminium, a strong and lightweight material, also used for the side tables. Thanks to multiple configuration options and choice of different colours, these outdoor pieces are chameleon-like and are suited to any setting, from intimate ones like a small terrace, up to hotels, restaurants and other large contract spaces.

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Spring 2024

DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

Outdoor dimension

PAVILLION H | KETTAL

Kettal’s new version of the gazebo is chameleon-like and more complete, with Pavillion H creating a completely customisable structure capable of blending into the surrounding environment and adapting to various uses and contexts. The aluminium structure of this self-supporting pergola is all about lightness, brightness and transparency. All modulated by the range of different options for the roof - waterproof, polycarbonate, venetian, electric, electric bioclimatic, in aluminium, in wood - and side panels - sliding or fixed, in fabric, wood, aluminium, stone, glass, with adjustable racks and shutters. Assorted spotlights are also available for lighting and a choice of colours for the finishes. Dimensions can be customised on request.

IFDM | 221

Spring 2024

DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

Outdoor dimension

LA GRANDE MURAGLIA OUTDOOR | MARIO BELLINI | NEUTRA

Following the success of the indoor version, Neutra has launched the new collection La Grande Muraglia Outdoor, with a series of timeless pieces designed by the great maestro Mario Bellini. The unique design, developed under the creative direction of the studio Migliore+Servetto, includes a three-seater sofa, a two-seater sofa, an armchair and a chaise lounge. The structure is in Silver travertine, the uprights and frame are reminiscent of columns and architrave of an imaginary monumental building, in contrast with the soft and welcoming elements of the seat.

Five options of fabric available: Zaffiro, Matcha, Corallo, Terracotta and Tabacco. The cushions are easy to remove from the structure for storing in a protected and dry place during winter months, leaving the architectural structure exposed.

DELIGHT CHAIRS | PAOLA NAVONE OTTO STUDIO LORO PIANA INTERIORS

Designed by Paola Navone Otto Studio, the chair’s sleek form and extended armrest are perfect for placement of books, glasses, or anything needed close at hand during outdoor relaxation. Exteta handcrafted the chair using superior-quality Sapelli mahogany, highlighting its fine veins with a matte or glossy finish that gives a silky feel, aptly complementing the design’s elegant lines. Loro Piana Interiors contributed outdoor-friendly fabrics resistant to sunlight, rain, chlorine, and salt water, equally flame-retardant with a texture similar to the cool touch of cotton and linen. Available in solid colours and matching patterns. This optimal formula led to the Delight Chairs range, featuring an array of pieces from the original director’s chair to non-folding armchairs, stools that double as tables, rocking chairs, sunbeds, dining and occasional tables. Initially designed for yachts, with rubber protectors to prevent marking teak decking, the Delight Chairs can also seamlessly blend into gardens, roof terraces, or pool areas.

SENDAI “CORD” OUTDOOR INODA+SVEJE | MINOTTI

Cords are the protagonists of the Sendai range designed by duo Inoda+Sveje for Minotti and coordinated by Rodolfo Dordoni, to create places for conversation or corners dedicated to relaxation, in either residential settings or outdoor areas dedicated to hospitality. The Sendai “Cord” Outdoor collection has been developed for exterior use, based on an emptied and stylised upholstered volume through clever use of cords available in the colours Ecru, Burgundy or Dark Brown. Thanks to this process, the transparent shape allows the gaze to penetrate and its lightness creates a contrast with the seats designed with a more consistent appearance. The 360° swivel base with return has a mechanism that has been carefully tested for outdoor use in a natural teak finish.

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Spring 2024

DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

Outdoor dimension

PHOENIX | PRATIC

Sun and light rain are no obstacle to the outdoor life offered by the modular Phoenix pergola from Pratic, conceived to bring a sense of wellbeing in all weathers. Its pared-down appearance, with profiles just 10 x 15 cm, and flat, retractable PVC roof notably reduce architectural impact without affecting the function: either in the version with arches (Phoenix Air) or with uprights (Phoenix Free), both of which can be freestanding or wall-mounted, in configurations that in the Free version can reach up to 5 x 10 m. Uneven and sloping sites are resolved with the innovative Set platform that achieves a perfectly flat surface for installation with any kind of outdoor paving.

Atmospheric LED lighting is combined with accessories such as power and USB sockets and can be controlled, together with other functions, using home automation systems via remote control, smartphone and voice control through Google Home and Amazon Alexa.

In addition, a series of weather sensors can also intervene, controlling the movement of the canvas and lighting.

CLARA | CHIARA CABERLON, MARCO FORBICIONI | CONTARDI LIGHTNING

ADELL | LIEVORE + ALTHERR DÉSILE PARK | ARPER

Adell, the chair created by Lievore + Altherr Désile Park for Arper, demonstrates a strong connection with nature, not only for its organic form but also for the use of recycled and recyclable material and for the particular texture present on the surface. Used in both indoor and outdoor settings, with a shell in 80% recycled polypropylene, it has been designed with the focus on sustainability. It is made up of over 500 hand-drawn lines, with a random, irregular pattern. The result is a shell with a unique textural appearance, made from post-industrial recycled plastic. All the materials present can be reused, reducing waste overall. The paints comply with specific environmental requirements. It is produced without the use of glues, with the aim of reducing emissions and enabling all of the components to be disposed of responsibly. The version of Adell with wooden base has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council®.

The atmsophere created as the sun sets in public outdoor spaces is important. Clara, the brainchild of Chiara Caberlon working in collaboration with Marco Forbicioni and produced by Contardi Lightning is highly evocative. A refined interpretation of the classic lantern, it has a shade made from resin with a rattan cane effect that ensures a 360 degree uniform distribution of light through a process of refraction. In addition, the upper part in the form of a ring/ hook - lacquered matt white or painted bronze - that supports the light source, can be separated from the shade and transformed into a light and independent portable torch. The battery is rechargeable via USB-C and lasts up to eight hours. Clara is certified IP65, indicating the waterproofness of products, and has been subjected to anti-corrosive treatment for metals by cataphoresis.

IFDM | 223

Spring 2024

DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

Outdoor dimension

ANGEL | ANGELETTI & RUZZA | EMU

The new 2024 Collections by Emu are born from the expert and traditional craftsmanship of steel and aluminium, harmoniously blended with other materials apt for outdoor use such as teak, bamboo, stoneware, and flame-resistant fabrics. This technical essence is subsequently moulded into organic, gentle, and embracing lines, thereby fostering a smooth connection with the encompassing landscape. One ideal representation of these principles is the Angel collection, that comes from working with aluminum to shape the ideal of lightness. Designed

by Angeletti & Ruzza, Angel is a complete collection of dining and lounge seating, joined by tables of different sizes, including a coffee table. The common denominator, besides the material, is an airy but soft style. The structure in aluminium tubing creates a sinuous curve at the acks of the seats, to ensure maximum comfort; in the armrests, it is wrapped by the covering, which extends to generating enveloping wings; in the bases, it triggers a game of lines and angles that boost the smooth effect of the various parts. The result is a collection of great elegance, ideal for residential and hospitality contexts.

ASTRA | RODOLFO DORDONI | RODA

The name of this design is an indication of its possible use as the Astra collection is ideal for gazing up at the starry sky. Designed by Rodolfo Dordoni for Roda, it is a family of outdoor reclining furniture that consists of two lounge chairs with high or low back and a three-seater sofa.

All the reclining elements are fitted with nylon wheels at the front that make them easier to move around. The armrest is made up of two tubes covered in rope to ensure comfort, one of which continues around the rear, wrapping around the backrest. The three cushions on the sofa and the single chair have a water-draining system suitable for outdoor use.

Astra is available in the standard colours from the Roda range: smoke and milk for the aluminium frame, combined with 7 mm rope in all the versions in the catalogue, both traditional and recycled.

PANAREA | CMP DESIGN | PEDRALI

224 | IFDM

The star product of a villa in Montrove, Spain, is the Panarea collection (designed by CMP design), born from the idea of a Mediterranean coastal landscape that recalls the palette and the refreshing breeze of terraces overlooking the sea. In particular, the element that distinguishes Panarea is a cozy lounge chair. The idea behind Panarea is rooted in the Mediterranean coast, in the colors and the refreshing breeze of an outdoor dinner on a terrace facing the sea. This collection is characterized by a traditional element in polypropylene rope, manually woven in Italy, that wraps around the 20mm diameter tubular steel frame structure. The seat cushion, made of dry polyurethane foam, is covered in a fabric made with the same thread used for the woven element. Combined with the Reva Twist sofas, characterized by their soft lines and generous sizes, and the Nolita tables, which feature a three-legged steel base, the Panarea collection completes the setting, providing a perfectly balanced and charming relaxation area.

Spring 2024

DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

Outdoor dimension

KETCH | JEAN-MARIE MASSAUD | POLIFORM

Giving shape to outdoor collections that express timeless elegance and innovation, Poliform has presented Ketch, a collection designed by JeanMarie Massaud: a perfect example of the interaction between natural and aesthetic elements. Inspired by the maritime world, Massaud creates a design characterized by solid lines and generous volumes. The distinctive detail of Ketch is the use of iroko wood, which is essential and robust, opposed to lighter parts that form a flexible backrest, conjuring the image of a sail stretched between the two masts of a boat. The flexible backrest of the sofas and armchairs is supported by a simple and solid iroko wood structure, a highly resistant wood, treated with hydro-oils that preserve its beauty over time. The padding, made from materials and textiles specific to outdoor use, is generous and comfortable.

IFDM | 225

Spring 2024

DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

Outdoor dimension

OUTDOOR CARPETS | ÉLITIS

The elegance of Élitis moves outdoors and spreads across gardens and terraces thanks to the new outdoor rugs. The collection boasts the use of durable high-performance fabrics and handcrafted designs, made with recycled synthetic materials suitable for outdoor use. Round in shape, Amapola features a large poppy flower with stylized and simplified petals. Braids moving in opposite directions give this texture a lively dimension. The rug Diego and Frida, handwoven, with two majestic toucans occupying the entire surface, evoke Mexican travel and art. Finally, Mirador is a true work of art made up of squares of hand-woven braids, with a majestic palm tree at the center. This rug adapts to various outdoor furnishings, such as seaside terraces or pool edges.

DOGA RELAX, DOGA TABLE | RAFFAELLO GALIOTTO | NARDI

This open-air lounge designed by Raffaello Galiotto for Nardi, made up of the comfortable Doga Relax lounge chair and the Doga Table, can be used to furnish both small and large spaces, arranged on a terrace, domestic garden or in areas dedicated to bars, restaurants and hotels. The slats, the distinguishing feature of the table and chairs, come in various colours: ranging from shades of mint, pear, agave up to the more neutral white, cappuccino, marsala or the more classic anthracite.

Doga Relax and Doga Table, made from fibreglass resin, long-lasting as well as completely recyclable, are characterised by their lightness, manageability, stackability and ease of cleaning and sanitisation. The collection also includes the Doga chair (with armrests), the Doga Bistrot chair (without armrests) and the Doga Stool. All the seating can also be accessorised with cushions available in four colours and with fabrics suitable for outdoor use.

BAMBOO | TECTONA

226 | IFDM

The Bamboo collection from Tectona takes inspiration from the characteristic appearance of bamboo canes, a recurring motif in Art Nouveau cabinetmaking but also among master glassmakers and ceramicists. The tube-shaped stems, hollow and separated by knots, form the structure for armchairs, tables, chairs and sofa. The armchair is characterised by the width of the seat, the perfect angle of the backrest and the curved shape of the armrests. The clean lines are in keeping with the Japanese spirit of the collection. The table, with its crossed base to ensure perfect stability, has a top in veined grey marble. Made from aluminium, a hardwearing material, with high resistance to changes in weather conditions, Bamboo is coloured black with a technique of powder coating that strengthens its resistance to blows. Ideal for terraces and landscaped gardens, the Bamboo lounge projects you into the world of Japanese design.

Spring 2024

DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

Outdoor dimension

ESOSOFT | ANTONIO CITTERIO | CASSINA

A symbol of stylistic continuity through the various spaces of the home is precisely the Esosoft sofa designed by Antonio Citterio for indoor use, which now becomes a complete system for outdoor living, featuring a sofa and a terminal part for two or three persons, a love seat, an armchair and small tables. The original comfort and forms have been conserved, along with the fascinating material and visual contrast. The emblematic exoskeleton of the base, in fact, returns as the protagonist and takes on four warm, novel hues: ivory, mud, green and terracotta.

The metal structure is attached to a shell made in handwoven fiber, similar to the natural material, in a reminder of wicker basketry: this part is made with an elaborate weave that produces an immediate sensation of craftsmanship, while at the same time guaranteeing high levels of durability and resistance to scratching, heat and UV rays, and facilitating cleaning operations.

SOUNDS | CASTELLO LAGRAVINESE STUDIO | BERTO

The Sounds outdoor collection from BertO, created in collaboration with Castello Lagravinese Studio, includes outdoor sofas and armchairs, garden tables combined with chairs in embossed steel as well as side tables and poufs. The thin vertical wire metal structure, that characterises the entire collection, gives the design a light and airy appearance. Caroline is an armchair that can be made with an embossed steel structure in black, brass and lime green. John B, the round sofa, combines the comfort provided by its particular enveloping form with weather resistance, both in terms of the structure and the fabric covering, designed to resist UV rays and temperature variations, in such a way as to preserve the bright colours and quality of the chair over time. The Carl side table, available in four different sizes, is made with a top in dark-grey shaped lava stone.

VENICE | LUDOVICA SERAFINI E ROBERTO PALOMBA | TALENTI

Ludovica Serafini and Roberto Palomba have turned to Venice to create a new collection for Talenti. The result is Venice, a refined program for outdoor living. Part of the “Icon 2024” catalogue, Venice is a complete family of furnishings, including 18 pieces: sofas, tables, chairs, sun cots. The wooden bases of the seating elements make direct reference to the typical architecture of the city: the echo of squares, canals and bridges emerges in these versatile structures – clearly perceived above all in the various modules of the sofas and cots – which lightly support the soft padding. The common denominator of the collection is the use of teak and Accoya wood, alternating with volcanic stone for the table tops, with a glossy glazed finish. Talenti has chosen these two wood varieties not only for their material impact, but also to ensure a sense of natural allure throughout the offerings.

IFDM | 227

Spring 2024

DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

Outdoor dimension

BOLLE | PAOLA NAVONE | MIDJ

The artisanal vocation of Midj articulated on an industrial scale and above all their expertise in working with metal, combined with the creativity of Paola Navone has produced Bolle. A collection with a mediterranean feel that has been conceived for outdoor use and includes sofas, armchairs, tables, chairs and lamps in coloured macro-perforated metal. This family of products speaks of the sea, through a fresh and lively design born out of the sketches, proposals, tests and prototypes produced by the designer. The name is derived from the special treatment of the metal seat-bodies that produces a pattern with a strong graphic impact. The seats appear as enveloping shells, that can be customised with soft cushions. The lamps, perfect for illuminating terraces, gardens and outdoor areas, create a special atmosphere thanks to the play of light and shadow. The unmistakable style of Paola Navone is also evident in the choice of colours, that conveys her great passion for the sea.

TRADITION | POVL B. ESKILDSEN | FRITZ HANSEN

Encapsulating the refinement and functionality of Danish design, the Tradition collection by Fritz Hansen, created by Povl B. Eskildsen, includes a lounge chair, linear, corner and end modules, a pouf, and two coffee tables that together allow for unlimited combinations, in size and shape. Tradition interprets the traditional design of spindle furniture (with vertical elements in a round section), with clear references to the chairs of the mid-last century. Each piece displays the ability of the craftsmen who produced it, from the backrest to the armrests, formed with dovetail joints, seamlessly.

The solid teak, FSC ™ certified, shaped and joined by hand to preserve its natural beauty, then covers itself over time and usage with an elegant patina in silver-gray shades. The seat and back cushions are covered with outdoor fabric, weather resistant and designed to last over time.

TETIDE AND PANGEA | STUDIOPEPE | ETHIMO

228 | IFDM

Ethimo has recently unveiled two new intriguing creations with the introduction of the Tetide and Pangea, a collection of rugs designed for outdoor spaces by Studiopepe. The two new rugs, Tetide and Pangea, are characterized by a sophisticated weave that suggests a three-dimensional effect of the yarn and original geometric patterns enhanced by warm and intense colors. Inspired by tribal signs, the patterns tell stories and create a contact with a primal and pristine nature. Geometric elements such as zigzags, stripes and diamonds are reinforced by the three-dimensionality of the fiber and the weave. Tetide, with its zigzag motif, is available in Moka and Algae Green colors, while Pangea, with its distinctive diamond pattern, features a bright Garnet Red color. Both rugs are available in the size of 200 x 300 cm. Each rug is made of polypropylene, with great attention to every detail to ensure optimal outdoor durability.

Spring 2024

DESIGN INSPIRATIONS

Outdoor dimension

SAMPEI | ENZO CALABRESE AND DAVIDE GROPPI | DAVIDE GROPPI

The Sampei project, birthed in 2011 by Enzo Calabrese and Davide Groppi, bagged the prestigious XXIII ADI Compasso d’Oro Award. Mimicking a dynamic fishing rod that grips your attention, Sampei is a flexible and telescopic entity crafted into a unique “ready-made” item. Sampei is a gift unexpected. This petite invention captures imaginations by elevating the gaze upwards, employing light as bait, and enchanting with its subtleness.

Mounted on a lengthy carbon fiber stem, a tiny head sways slightly reacting to the faintest fluctuations. This display of natural equilibrium is pleasing not only indoors but also finds its place in outdoor environments. The translucent model of Sampei manifests the tranquility of willow branches or bamboo sticks waving gently in the wind. Since time immemorial, fishing has been a significant analogy implying a perpetual, patient pursuit – a thirst for knowledge that remains unfulfilled. Breaking into the design scene in 2011, Sampei entranced everyone with its magical aura, headfast in establishing itself as an icon of international design.

IFDM | 229

Launch of a new international housing conference MIPIM will host ‘Housing Matters!’, a new half-day international summit focused on sustainable housing solutions in partnership with Co-Liv.

Monday 11 March from 13:00-22:00 Grand Auditorium

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The conference will help the residential sector’s leaders to discuss and uncover affordable and accessible solutions such as built-to-rent, cooperative housing, coliving, multi-family housing, corporate housing… , whilst fostering innovation and collaboration.

Next

IFDM | 231

Spring 2024

NEXT | MIPIM 2024

IN CANNES, TO BUILD THE FUTURE OF REAL ESTATE MIPIM 2024 brings together political decision-makers, investors and enterprises to interact on the challenges faced by the real estate industry, to interpret an urban landscape and habitat needs that are constantly changing

TROJENA | SAUDI ARABIA 232 | IFDM

Once again this year, during MIPIM 2024, many political decision-makers, investors and real estate professionals operating on an international level will come together in Cannes. The central focus of the event, a true global festival about cities held from 12 to 15 March at the Palais des Festivals, will be on new responses to the challenges facing the real estate industry, summoned to come to terms with an urban landscape in a state of continuous change. For some time now, habitat solutions to meet the needs of environmental sustainability and the ways of living and working of the younger generations have been addressed in an open and inclusive debate taking place at MIPIM. An approach to the real estate sector that in this year’s edition is represented well

NEXT | MIPIM 2024

© OBR

Spring 2024

LYF ONE-NORTH | SINGAPORE

ARKANSAS MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS | USA

CASA BBF | MILAN

ADINA APARTMENT HOTEL | MUNICH, GERMANY

by the participation of Sanna Marin, the former Finnish prime minister, who will deliver the opening speech. One key appointment of the event will be the summit of political leaders from various parts of the world. They will talk about perspectives and priorities of their own cities, in the face of several decisive factors for the future of habitation, including geopolitical, demographic and technological aspects, in relation to the expectations of citizens. The real estate sector is being rapidly transformed. To get our bearings and to find concrete solutions to increasingly complex questions, it is necessary – as the director of MIPIM Nicolas Kozubek has emphasized – to establish close collaboration between political exponents, institutions and leaders in the economy and business. This approach, together with a context

where inflation, interest rates and costs of raw materials and energy could favor new investments for cities. The issue is not just to envision major works, but also to respond in a sustainable way to the need for single-family dwellings, for students and for other residential models. This is the perspective taken by the new summit titled “Housing Matters!” Sustainability, together with the insertion of projects in the territory and the community, and in general compliance with the objectives of ESG, are some of the key criteria for the selection of the 40 project finalists that will take part in the MIPIM Awards on 14 March.

Twenty countries are represented by projects already completed or soon to be implemented: France, first of all, with seven submissions, and Italy with two projects in the running.

IFDM | 233

Spring 2024

NEXT

VENARIA REALE, TURIN | CULTURE HUB | PIUARCH

Near one of the most beautiful Savoy estates, the scheme of urban regeneration is calling for the creation of a cultural centre in an urban area currently in a state of abandon as part of the overall initiative “Tra Urbano e Periurbano”, with the aim of urban and social regeneration of a peri-urban sector of the city of Turin. A unique opportunity to interact with the historical roots of this urban context, which developed around the Reggia starting at the end of the 17th century, through the conversion of an area previously occupied by a barracks, now decommissioned, to create a Culture Hub open to the community. The masterplan calls for a system of courtyards whose architectural volumes reference the archetype of the large barracks interpreted in a fluid, modular complex. The heart of the Culture Hub is the area to the north of the site, which will contain two buildings next to the existing Tancredi Milone library. The first will host a museum of the history of the city of Venaria Reale, a historical archive and spaces for associations and coworking facilities. The second, on two levels and containing the new auditorium with 260 seats and independent multifunctional halls.

234 | IFDM

NEXT

Spring 2024

UTRECHT | WONDERWOODS | STEFANO BOERI ARCHITETTI & MVSA ARCHITECTS

The center of Utrecht will soon welcome the progressive vision of coexistence between city and living nature, thanks to the project Wonderwoods created by Stefano Boeri Architetti and MVSA Architects: a tower with a height of 105 meters, covered with greenery, containing about 200 apartments planned for use mostly by young professionals, workers and families. About 50,000 plants of 30 different species will inhabit the tower, generating an urban ecosystem capable of producing 41 tons of oxygen per year.

With areas set aside for offices, fitness and yoga rooms, bicycle parking, along with public and recreational spaces, Wonderwoods presents itself as a new center for wellbeing in Utrecht. The shared facilities include the Vertical Forest Hub, a center of documentation and research on urban forestation. The building thus becomes a sort of outpost of biodiversity, especially for birds, and a place of contact with nature, offering internal spaces and apartments designed to provide views of the botanical species growing on the terraces and balconies.

IFDM | 235

Spring 2024

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UDINE | DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF UDINE | PROGETTO CMR

The new university site is on a 33,742 sqm open area adjacent to Piazzale Kolbe in a 7,000 square meter complex. The campus consists of two separate main units designed to meet the needs of students and professors and engage the entire local community as well. The first building is on two floors and is for classrooms; the second is on three floors and is for research laboratories and teachers’ offices, overlooking a roof garden. Both buildings were designed adopting a principle of “inside-out.” Starting from the needs of the spaces’ future users, the project was conceived based on the site where it will be built and the setting’s natural elements. The paths, rest areas, and buildings themselves are all designed to minimize their impact and maximize green space while respecting the existing tree life. The gardens will serve to strengthen the concept of a campus and give life to this new community. The buildings are designed to meet strict criteria of environmental sustainability and energy efficiency, and to render the project flexible and adaptable over time.

236 | IFDM

NEXT

Spring 2024

MILAN | POP HUB A ROZZANO | ATELIER(S) ALFONSO FEMIA & 967ARCH

The project designed by 967arch and Atelier(s) Alfonso Femia, sets out to revolutionize an almost forgotten space on the outskirts of Milan, transforming it into a social gathering point. The initiative calls for a commercial building featuring a circular canopy that defines the organization of the outdoor spaces, subdivided into three areas with different functions. The main goal of the program is to create a connecting point of reference between the town hall, the urban park and the parish church of Sant’Angelo, presently separated by commercial facilities and the street network. The important feature is the façade in microperforated sheet metal that will cover the blank front of the supermarket, a volume bordering the area. Envisioned as an “urban canvas” for artists, but also as a screen for projected images, the façade will be treated with a washable graffiti-proof coating, enabling it to stand up to acts of vandalism. Particular care has gone into the design of the park: the existing trees will be conserved, and new green spaces will be created to bring new ecological dynamism. The goal is to complete the construction by the end of December 2026.

Render © AF517 & 967arch

IFDM | 237

Spring 2024

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA | ETOILE ELIE SAAB | DAR AL ARKAN

The designer villas will be located in the integrated community of Sedra.

This branded residential complex combines modern and aspirational living with the heritage and history of Saudi Arabia with Salmani architecture at its heart. Located north of Riyadh, the world-class community is strategically located close to the city’s prominent destinations, with easy access to the main roads. Vast green spaces, parks, sports facilities, community centres and state-of-theart education and medical centres ensure that the self-contained community offers holistic living for all residents. The 3-and-4-bedroom villas will feature warm wood finishes, cool flawless marble and a luxe cream palette. The residences will boast the aesthetic touch of Elie Saab’s exceptionally crafted interior design using exclusive pieces from the Maison collection. From bedrooms boasting spacious walk-in closets and en-suite bathrooms to exquisite gardens.

238 | IFDM

NEXT

NEXT

Spring 2024

DUBAI | ARMANI BEACH RESIDENCES PALM JUMEIRAH | TADAO ANDO

In an ambitious venture poised to redefine luxury living, the Armani Group, in collaboration with UAE’s premium property developer Arada, announces Armani Beach Residences Palm Jumeirah, an ultra-luxurious addition to Dubai’s skyline. Envisioned by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando, these residences exhibit a deepseated connection between architecture and the natural ambience. Strategically located on the outer crescent of Dubai’s iconic man-made islands, this project promises a visual and lived experience of luxury, with each residence offering captivating panoramas of the sea. With sales commencing in the latter half of this year and project completion slated for the end of 2026, the residences – comprising exquisitely appointed homes, select penthouses and a slew of world-class amenities – are all set to become an epitome of high-end living. Uniting the timeless elegance and opulence of the Armani brand with Ando’s globally celebrated contemporary aesthetic, this unique development stands as a testament of commitment towards a new era of upscale residences in Dubai

IFDM | 239

NEXT IN THE WORLD

Spring 2024

Overview

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

O

top hotel

n a global level, the planning of new top hotels has somewhat slowed compared to 12 months ago. The United States still holds the lead with 1,649 projects, despite a decline (China follows closely behind with 1,456). The Middle East has started growing again, moving from 601 to 656 projects, and Africa is holding about steady, from 303 to 302, 119 of which are slated to open by the end of the year. In the U.S., almost a third of planned hotels are expected to open by the end of 2024. New construction has dropped in almost all major American cities, while Chicago and Orlando are new entries in the top ten ranking for investments in the industry, with 17 projects each.

New York maintains its first place with 41, followed by Los Angeles (38), and Miami (32). Resort World, the largest new hospitality facility in the US will be built in Miami, with 5,200 rooms. In the Middle East, projects in Saudi Arabia have been growing strongly, reaching 258 projects (+29% over last year), which sets it apart clearly from the UAE, where projects fell to 120 (-18%). Turkey (64) and Oman (35) also showed growth. The Abrai Kudai Towers, in Makkah in Saudi Makkah, are the most ambitious project underway in the world, with 9,760 rooms under construction. Egypt’s leadership in Africa is confirmed, with projects growing to 77. Morocco is in second place, dropping from 32 to 25 projects, one of which is the largest hotel planned in Africa: the Marina Resort in Chbika, with 2,500 rooms. Ghana has 9 projects, making it a new entry in the top 10 ranking. Marriott International is still first among global hotel chains by number of projects, with 992, most of which are in the US (321) but with clear growth in Asia, divided between China, India, and Thailand. Accor, InterContinental Hotels Group, and Hyatt are showing even clearer interest in the East, investing more in China than in the United States.

ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS

Marriott International ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS 992 PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES USA 321 - CHINA 233 - INDIA 28 THAILANDIA 24 - GERMANY 20

NEW

NEW

NEW

1,649

302

656

USA

AFRICA

MIDDLE EAST

IN

IN

IN

Hilton Worldwide

STATUS

STATUS

STATUS

ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS 775

VISION 53 PRE-PLANNING 313 PLANNING 653 UNDER CONSTRUCTION 525 PRE-OPENING 105

VISION 3 PRE-PLANNING 36 PLANNING 70 UNDER CONSTRUCTION 155 PRE-OPENING 38

VISION 9 PRE-PLANNING 93 PLANNING 21 UNDER CONSTRUCTION 365 PRE-OPENING 68

NEXT OPENING

NEXT OPENING

NEXT OPENING

BY 2024 499

BY 2024 119

BY 2024 277

ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS 627

PROJECTS IN TOP CITIES

PROJECTS IN TOP CITIES

PROJECTS IN TOP CITIES

PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES

NEW YORK 41 LOS ANGELES 38 MIAMI 32 NASHVILLE 25 AUSTIN 23 LAS VEGAS 20 SAN FRANCISCO 19 CHICAGO 17 ORLANDO 17 DENVER 16

EGYPT 77 MOROCCO 25 NIGERIA 24 KENYA 20 ETHIOPIA 16 TANZANIA 14 SOUTH AFRICA 12 ALGERIA 10 GHANA 9 CAPE VERDE 8

SAUDI ARABIA 258 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 120 TURKEY 64 ISRAEL 63 GEORGIA 37 OMAN 35 QATAR 32 BAHRAIN 15 IRAQ 8 KUWAIT 8

PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES USA 294 - CHINA 171 - UNITED KINGDOM 25 GERMANY 10 - MEXICO 8

InterContinental Hotels Group

CHINA 184 - USA 107 INDIA 30 - THAILANDIA 28

Accor ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS 609 PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES CHINA 108 - SAUDI ARABIA 30 - GERMANY 23 INDIA 21 - UNITED KINGDOM 18

TOP PROJECTS

Hyatt Hotels Corporation ONGOING HOTEL PROJECTS 369 PROJECTS IN TOP COUNTRIES CHINA 137 - USA 82 - CANADA 17

USA Resort World in Miami

INDIA 14 - MEXICO 12

source: TopHotelProjects.com

240 | IFDM

Phase: Pre-planning 5,200 rooms

AFRICA Marina Resort in Tan-Tan Beach, Chbika, Morocco Phase: Planning 2,500 rooms

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

EUR 35.00 | USD 45.00 | wonder.ifdm.design

NEXT ISSUE: Summer 2024

Summer 2024

In June, the second Spin-Off Projects & Hospitality by IFDM: two other stories on 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.

PH BERNARD TOUILLON

ETHIMO.COM

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

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