OBJEKT©International D6

d6 INTERNATIONAL

OBJEKT© iNTERNATIONAL Living in Style no. D6 Published by Hans Fonk Publications bv.

Distripress member - issn 1574-8812 Copyright ©Hans Fonk Founder and editor-in-chief: Hans Fonk Editor-in-chief: Izabel Fonk Corporate head office: Raadhuislaan 22-B NL-2451 AV Leimuiden - Netherlands t:+31 172 509 843 info@objekt-international.com www.objekt-international.com Honorary editor in chief USA and Canada: Alexander Sasha Josipovicz, Studio Pyramid Inc. 1232 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON, M4V 1E4 sasha@studiopyramid.com Head Office Berlin, Germany Rneé Wilms Unique Company Group Oberwallstraße 14 D-10117 Berlin, Germany OBJEKT International ASIA/CHINA Cora Feng Xi Tang Art Center. No 2. Xi Ba He Road, Chaoyang district, 100028 Beijing, China Contributing writers: Izabel Fonk, Nicole Henriquez, Sasha Josipovicz, Susan Grant Lewin, Milosh Pavlovic, Ruud van der Neut, Lorenza Dalla Pozza, Robyn Prince, Raphaëlle de Stanislas, Dirk Wilms, Rene Wilms, Mercedez Zampoli.

Contributing photographers: Camila Cossio, De Pasquale + Maffini, Rafael Gamo, Luciano Ferri, Joe Fletcher, Douglas Friedman, Alaia Fonk, Hans Fonk, Alex Lesage, Matthew Millman, JB Mondino, Johan Persson, Silva Rivoltella, Adam Rouse, Tomohiro Sakashita, Tommaso Sartori, Kevin Scott, Peter Stigter, Wang Ting.

Graphics: Hans Fonk Studio Art directors: Hans Fonk, Alaïa Fonk Video productions: Alaïa Fonk Illustrations: Eveline Lieuwma-Puijk

photo: Alaïa Fonk

Fantasy is all there is. Fantasy, art and authenticity. These are the main ingredients for a unique interior while the combination of classic and modern design adds depts. As does light.

OBJEKT International has always been guided by these principles.

This seems to be a time where Instagram ready interiors prevail.

That has resulted in an avalanche of non-exciting interiors.

We try to avoid this swampland of decors and try to find soulful new dimensions for the concept of interior design.

Fantasy is all there is. That certainly applied to a number of iconic designers and architects who laid the foundation for modern design in the mid-last century.

The impact they had on the evolution of design, is not to be underestimated.

Their creations are still echoing and are considered modern and timeless.

Not that everything used to be better, but it's not so long ago that design was a new and exciting adventure.

A direction full of conviction and pleasure was taken, assisted by Italian companies and their owners in particular.

It was a time when the sky was the limit and when the basis for the concept of Italian design was laid.

Design by marketing still had to be invented and this was reflected in the groundbreaking designs and design sketches that the leading designers sent out to the world.

Their names still live on; their creations are still being applied.

I ZA BE L FON K

FACEBOOK: @OBJEKT.INTERNATIONAL INSTAGRAM: @OBJEKTINTERNATIONAL YOUTUBE: @OBJEKTINTERNATIONAL TWITTER: @OBJEKT_INT VIMEO: @OBJEKTINTERNATIONAL PINTEREST: @OBJEKT Advertising and international sales: advertisements@objekt-international.com t:+31 172 509 843

INTERIOR DESIGN ARCHITECTURE ARTS, ANTIQUES GARDENS, YACHTS

Honorary ambassadors OBJEKT International OBJEKT USA-CANADA George Beylerian Eric Booth Martyn Lawrence Bullard Tony Chi Massimo Iosa Ghini Jacopo Etro Marva Griffin Wilshire Ralf Ohletz von Plettenburg Glenn Pushelberg George Yabu Rene Wilms INTERNATIONAL DIGITAL PUBLICATION BY HANS FONK PUBLICATIONS COVER : CHARLOTTE PERRIAND PHOTO COLLAGE :

H ANS F ONK

WHAT’S UP FOREWORD

02

FILSON IN MANTHATTAN

06

FANTASY WONDERLAND

10

CHARLOTTE PERRIAND

18

ACHILLE CASTIGLIONI

ALDO ROSSI

JOHN HUTTON MONKEY SONGS & CIGARETTES

SPAZIE D’AMORE

FICTIONS AT DAWN

FULL MOON ON RUSSIAN HILL A PRIVATE ZEN ZONE

PRELUDE TO A CHINESE KISS RYOKANISSIMO

NON ROLLING STONES KAHUA KUILI

WHEN PELICANS FLY MEZCAL POR FAVOR

IN CASE OF DOLDRUMS: DIVE OBJEKT INTERNATIONAL INFO PAGES

28 34 42 48 56 64 64 70 76 84 90 100 104 108 114 118

artwork: Hans Fonk

East meets West UNIQUE EXPERIENCES www.unique experiences.ch

DARK LIGHT, BRIGHT HEAT

Photos: Kevin Scott

Filson’s New York flagship store in mid-town Manhattan occupies a 4,000-square-foot former mattress store in an 1800s brownstone located on Broadway, near Union Square. Founded in 1897 to meet the needs of prospectors traveling through Seattle on their way to the Klondike Gold Rush, this 120-year-old company is intrinsically tied to the history of the Pacific Northwest.

Inspired by the company’s ethos, the Heliotrope design team, in collaboration with Filson, and a team of builders, craftspeople and fabricators, made it their focus to create a retail space that shared the same level of quality and integrity as the clothing products.

The designers: “We started by buying an barn in Oregon, that we found for sale on-line. We

dismantled it and shipped the rough-hewn wood siding, posts and beams to Nelson, British Columbia, home of Spearhead, a specialty fabricator and one of our partners.”

“In collaboration with Spearhead, using this salvaged material, we conceived of a post-andbeam ‘barn interior’ that we constructed inside the store’s 18-feet-tall, double-height space, that the customer inhabits immediately upon entering from the street. Inside this ‘barn’ we built custom, solid fir and painted wood display cabinets.”

They were mounted to the post-and-beam salvaged wood structure above, a gallery of artifacts, hunting decoys, canoe shells, logging equipment, vintage images and maps. The floors are from salvaged pine from York, Pennsylvania.”

Harbors of the World:

Nice, Côte d’Azur photo artworks by

Hans Fonk

photo printed on paper.

sales info: izabel@objekt-international.com

ALICE: CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER

FANTASY WONDERLAND Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, wearing a costume designed by Colleen Atwood for the Walt Disney Pictures movie Alice in Wonderland directed by Tim Burton's 2010.

12 OBJEKT

Left: Salvador Dali was inspired by the story of Alice in Wonderland and made ‘A Mad Tea Party’ in 1969. © Salvador Dali, Fundació GalaSalvador Dalí, DACS 2019.

Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Lynne B. and Roy G. Sheldon, 1999.

Above: print by Peter Blake from a suite illustrating 'Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There'. © Peter Blake. All rights reserved, DACS 2019 Beside that: photograph of the 'real' Alice Liddell, by Julia Margaret Cameron, 'Pomona', albumen print, 1872 (c) Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Alice in Wonderland, 1865 novel by English author Lewis Carroll (pseudonym of Charles Dodgson) is one of the best-known and most popular works of English-language literary’s nonsense genre.

It tells the story of a young girl named Alice, who falls through a rabbit hole into a subterranean fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures.

The story tale plays with logic, giving the story lasting popularity with adults as well as with children.

The V&A’s landmark exhibition in 2021, ‘Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser’ celebrates one of this most iconic, imaginative and inspiring stories of all time. Offering an immersive and fantastical journey down the rabbit hole: the origins, adaptations and reinventions of Alice in Wonderland over 158 years, charting the book’s evolution from manuscript to a global phenomenon beloved by all ages.

The work has never been out of print and has been translated into at least 97 languages.

The story of Alice in Wonderland has, since it was published in 1865, an endless source of inspiration for the greatest artists across all artistic disciplines.

Through over 300 objects, across five Alice-inspired worlds, spanning film, performance, fashion, art, music and photography, the V&A is the first museum to fully explore the cultural impact of Alice in Wonderland and its ongoing inspiration for leading creatives, from Salvador Dalí and Yayoi Kusama, to The Beatles, Vivienne Westwood and Little Simz.

Highlights include Lewis Carroll’s handwritten manuscript, illustrations by John Tenniel, Ralph Steadman and Mary Blair for Walt Disney’s iconic 1951 film adaptation, to Royal Opera House stage costumes, fashion by Iris van Herpen and Victor & Rolf, and photography from Tim Walker.

Featuring theatrical sets, Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser takes children and adults on a journey through the enchanting and extraordinary world of Wonderland, through Alice’s eyes.

The exhibition is created by award winning designer Tom Piper, best known for his stage designs for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the V&A as well as his Tower of London poppies installation.

Kate Bailey, Senior Curator of Theatre and Performance at the V&A: “With our world- class collections of art, design and performance and founding mission to inspire the next generation, the V&A is the perfect place for an exhibition on the cultural impact of Alice in Wonderland across artistic disciplines. Alice encourages us all to question, to learn, to explore, and to dream: discovering why she’s an endless source of inspiration for some of the world’s most creative minds has been an extraordinary adventure, even taking the museum into a new dimension of Virtual Reality for the first time. It is a journey for all ages into Alice’s magical and mind-bending Wonderland, to imagine their own world on the other side of the Looking Glass.”

The exhibition also traces Alice in Wonderland’s origins in Victorian Oxford. Uncovering the people, the politics and the places that inspired Lewis Carroll and introduces visitors to the ‘real’ Alice and her family. Shining a spotlight on creative partnership between Carroll and John Tenniel, the exhibition will bring their original drawings together as well as their inspirations, including ‘The Ugly Duchess’ portrait by Quinten Massys (1513), which informed the illustrations of the Duchess in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Left: Viktor & Rolf’s Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2016: ‘Vagabonds’. photo: Team Peter Stigter.

Above: Override#25 (Override) by artist Anna Gaskell, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. photo: courtesy of Galerie Gisela Capitain, Cologne. The works were inspired by the story of Alice in Wonderland.

OBJEKT

15

Above: Infinity Dress from Iris van Herpen’s Hypnosis collection, Fall Winter collection 2019, shown in Paris, July, 2019.

Right: Alice in Wonderland. The Royal Ballet. Zenaida Yanowsky as the Queen of Hearts, the homicidal monarch wearing blood red and terrorizing everyone in sight. Costumes by Bob Crowley.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a ballet in three acts by Christopher Wheeldon with a scenario by Nicholas Wright, based on Alice in Wonderland book

by Lewis Carroll. It was commissioned by The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden and the National Ballet of Canada, and had its world premiere in February 2011.

The music by Joby Talbot was at that time the first full-length score (1 hour 40 minutes) for the Royal Ballet in 20 years. photo: ©ROH, Johan Persson.

OBJEKT

17

THE GLORIOUS C

CHARLOTTE PERRIAND

Together with Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Gerrit T. Rietveld, she was one the four great masters of contemporary design united by the sensorial appeal of natural materials. They were essential for laying the foundation for what is now known as modern design.

The Modern Movement in the first half of last century, was marked by a lively debate on how to reconcile regional traditions with the universal language of rationalism.

Charlotte Perriand made a key contribution by her return to simple materials and elementary forms, inspired in particular by Alpine architecture.

“La manqué de materiaux donnait de l’imagination”, wrote Charlotte in her memoirs, recalling that it was precisely the simplicity of materials that stimulated creativity in rural populations.

Previous pages: Charlotte Perriand in the Haut Savoie. She used to hike in the mountains with artists like Miró and Léger.That was where she got the idea to create a shelter from the severe weather conditions.

Photo Perriand: Archives Charlotte Perriand.

It was a masterpiece of mobile architecture before that term existed: a podlike shelter resembling a space shuttle and serving as a refuge in severe weather conditions in the Alps.

The amazing thing is that Charlotte Perriand designed it back in 1938, together with Pierre Jeanneret, cousin and design partner of Le Corbusier.

Yet this ‘Refuge Tonneau’ never progressed beyond a scale model. It had to wait until 2012 for Cassina to actually construct it and thus keep alive Perriand’s ideas for the canon of design.

These pages Above: Pierre Jeanneret, cousin and design partner of Le Corbusier. He persuaded the famous architect to take Perriand on the team. In the Le Corbusier practice she was in charge of interior design and promoting the studio through exhibitions.

Right: Charlotte Perriand.

Photos: Archives Charlotte Perriand.

Perriand was very keen on the high mountains. She often went hiking with friends, including artists Fernand Léger and Joan Miró. Her great passion for the mountains gave shape to her idea of ‘art de vivre: freedom of expression and movement.

It was Pierre Jeanneret, cousin and design partner of Le Corbusier who persuaded the famous architect to take Perriand on the team.

In the Le Corbusier practice she was in charge of interior design and promoting the studio through exhibitions.

In that period she designed three chairs in keeping with Le Corbusier’s principles: the B301, the LC2 and the famous B306 chaise longue.

In her work, she focused on creating functional living spaces in the belief that better design helps in creating a better society.

All according to her principle that ‘simple materials stimulate creativity’.

OBJEKT

21

Charlotte Perriand (Paris 1903-1999) holds full membership of that avant-garde cultural movement which, from the first decades of the twentieth century, brought about a profound change in aesthetic values and gave birth to a truly modern sensitivity towards everyday life.

In this context, her specific contribution focuses on interior composition, conceived as creating a new way of living, still today at the heart of contemporary lifestyle.

Above: the Doron Hotel armchair was designed in 1947 by Charlotte Perriand for the winter sports resort of Méribel Les Allues and Hôtel Doron, one of the first chalet-hotels, at the same location.

Below:Tokyo, designed, but not realized, in 1940, by Perriand during her time in the Japanese capital.The chair uses bamboo to revisit the famous LC4 chaise-longue.The seat of this recliner is made of twelve curved strips of wood while the joining elements are satinfinish brass studs. A mattress for can be added outdoor use. Both Doron chair and Tokyo chaise-longue with its organic form, have been re-issued by Cassina.

22 OBJEKT

In the sphere of twentieth century furnishing history, the advent of modernity made possible the entrepreneurial audacity of this true reformer of interior design.

At the beginning of her professional career she was acclaimed by critics for her Bar under the roof, exhibited at the Salon d’Automne in 1927 and constructed entirely in nickel-plated copper and anodized aluminium. In the same year, when she was just twenty-four years old, she began a decade-long collaboration with Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret, at the famous design studios at 35, rue de Sèvres in Paris.

Her presence in the Le Corbusier studio is visible in all the furnishings designed with him and with Pierre Jeanneret: and so Charlotte Perriand becomes a cornerstone in the reformation project promoted by the architect, adding a distinct dimension of humaneness to the often cold rationalism of Le Corbusier.

In her creations she manages to animate the f undamental substance of daily life with new aesthetic values: in particular her talent and intuition in the discovery and use of new materials manifest themselves to their fullextent.

The ten-year long collaboration with Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret, and her Japanese experience, represent periods of intense creative effervescence in the life of the artist.

During her long stay in the Far East (‘40-‘46), she reveals her artistic talent to the full, through a reinterpretation of the reality of life to echo both tradition and modernity. By way of example, worthy of mention are the furnishings produced using traditional bamboo processing techniques, capable of enhancing the new forms already experimented using steel-tubing.

After her work as a professional, she concentrates on a series of original and balanced productions, commissioned by top-level authorities and leading companies of the calibre of Air France, and by a number of foreign organizations, authenticating the fame she had by now gained on the international scene.

The distinguishing factor of Charlotte Perriand’s personality is a sincere loyalty to the principles of humane and innovative rationalism, preserved intact in her projects, on which she worked with such passion, also in readiness for their revival in the “Cassina I Maestri” collection.

Right: the interior of the Refuge Tonneau in which the various elements fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The centrallylocated ladder to the sleeping quarters above. The living area has room for two more people to sleep. Benches attached to the wall with leather straps can be folded out to form beds. Upstairs, immediately beneath the simple umbrella-like roof and accessible by way of a steel ladder, is the sleeping accommodation for six people.

Photo: Hans Fonk.

Right: Bar stool and table Mexique by Charlotte Perriand, according to her principle ‘The lack of materials gave the imagination’. It is now part of the I Maestri collection by Cassina.

Beside that: Tabouret Berger, 1953 by Charlotte Perriand and inspired by a stool for shepherds. It was presented for the first time in Tokyo during the Synthèse des arts exhibition in 1955.

It is created entirely out of wood in three finishes.

Authenticity and avant-garde characterize Charlotte Perriand’s Nuage shelving unit from 1940.

Drawing on her experience of seeing cloud-like wall-hung modular shelves in Kyoto, she developed her own version: functional,and versatile.

These units can be combined with others creating unique combinations. Bottom right: Nuage as produced b Cassina.

Original drawings by Perriand for the Nuage Bookshelf.

Images: ACHP/ADAGP 2021

24 OBJEKT

OBJEKT

25

26 OBJEKT

Above: the famous LC4 Noire, designed by Le Corbusier, Jeanneret and Perriand.

Right: Mexique table designed by Charlotte Perriand. Both reissued by Cassina. photos: De Pasquale + Maffini.

A HUMORISTI

ACHILLE CAS

Above: artist impression of the original drawings of the world famous Arco designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1962. In the middle a sketch for Taraxacum 88 for Flos by Achille Castiglioni, 1988 Right: the master of Italian design Achille Castiglioni. photo: JB Mondino.

IC GENIUS

STIGLIONI

OBJEKT

29

Achille Castiglioni and his brother Pier Giacomo were some of the most important Masters of Italian design.

The created masterpieces in a period where drawings were made by hand and where a joyful exploration predominated.

They worked in a time where vision and a common drive for progress brought the masters of design together.

It was a period where the foundation was laid for what is now known worldwide as Italian Design.

Halfway the last century, the Italian interior design industry was a conglomerate of family companies evenly enthusiastic for experimenting to bring the interior design to whole new and unseen levels.

These family companies were usually very loyal to their designers: the collaboration and mutual trust have led to iconic pieces that are as elegant as timeless.

One of those companies the Castiglioni’s helped tp shape was the Italian lighting company Flos.

30 OBJEKT

Castiglioni was born in 1918 in Milan, Italy. He was the third son of the sculptor Giannino Castiglioni and his wife Livia Bolla. His elder brothers Livio and Pier Giacomo were both architects.

From 1952 until Pier Giacomo died in 1968, he and Achille worked as a team; their designs were not attributable to either one of them.

After the death of Pier Giacomo, Castiglioni worked alone.

The story of the Italian lighting company Flos is intertwined in an indissoluble way with the Castiglioni brothers who together with Tobia Scarpa, have been the reference designers of the company since its foundation, in the early 1960s.

Their unprecedented fermentation of revolutionary ideas and intuitions would lead to the creation of objects destined to remain forever in the history of design.

Piero Gandini, CEO of Flos, recalled, on the occasion of the celebration of Achille’s 100th birthday anniversary, the salient features of the personality and design philosophy of Achille Castiglioni.

“One thing that Achille always passed on to me, even in the most advanced years of his career, was his positive energy. His gestures, his curious way of moving, his

Above: Castiglioni’s Ventosa. (photo: courtesy Fondazione Achille Castiglioni) Below: some of the iconic lighting objects the Castiglioni’s designed for Flos with from left to right: the Arco 62, was a response to the need for a suspension lamp -the Taccia, 1962 - Lampadina at the opening Flos store Turin, 972 - the Taraxacum 88 - the Snoopy -The Gatto, 1960. The cocoon was originally used as packing material by the US Army, during the Second World War, for shipments by sea - the Parentesi after the original idea

by Pio Manzù, 1979 and the Taraxacum 88.

On the right: Achille Castiglioni’s hand sketch for the Parentesi.

voice. For a while, I thought it was just his sense of humor.

Then I realized that there was more to it. He wanted to change things every time. He had a subversive attitude to design and to society and things.”

“He was a profoundly good and kind man, but at the same time he was extremely revolutionary.

He was truly at the cutting edge.

From Achille, I absorbed this legacy of innovation as a moral, almost political, obligation.”

Above: Toio is the humorous translation by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for the English word toy. The assemblage of a special car headlight imported from the United States that same year (1962), fishing rod running rings and shiny red lacquer, gave the magic of a toy for the adult world.

Far right: Pier Giacomo and Achille Castiglioni. From 1952, after their brother Livio left the design studio, they worked together as a team.

Their designs were not attributable to either one of them. After the death of Pier Giacomo, Castiglioni continued the works.

aldo rossi’s fabulous fantasie

“Aldo Rossi. The architect and the cities” That is the title of the exhibition reflecting on the great architect’s role in the sphere of Italian and international architecture in the second half of the 20th century.

It is the celebration of the genius of Aldo Rossi, over twenty years after his death, produced by Rome’s Museo Maxxi and curated by Alberto Ferlenga.

Exceptional materials from collections and archives all over the world, primarily from the Maxxi Architecture archives, are shown in the Museum’s display cases, produced by Molteni&C and UniFor.

Previous pages: Design skecthes by Aldo Rossi with on the left Un’altra estate 1979.

Courtesy Fondazione Aldo Rossi. On the right: Piroscafo 1991. Courtesy Archivio Luca Meda / IUAV.

The manifestation follows the development and the thinking of the great Italian architect and designer who, in 1990, became the first Italian to win the Pritzker prize.

Curator Alberto Ferlenga: “It is hard to define the figure of Aldo Rossi within the mold of a rapidly evolving profession and, for this reason, an inexhaustible bearer of suggestions and ideas”.

Among the objects and drawings on show, there is the Piroscafo bookcase designed thirty years ago with Luca Meda (1991), produced by Molteni&C and the Parigi armchairs (1989), produced by UniFor. In the early Sixties a friendship blossomed that marked a revolution for the Molteni Group. Aldo Rossi (1931-1997), a recent architecture graduate from Milan’s Politecnico, and Luca Meda (1936), just returned from the Ulm school, opened a design studio in Corso di Porta Vigentina in Milan. Then their paths diverged – Rossi’s towards architecture, Meda’s towards design – only to intersect each other later.

It was Luca Meda who brought Aldo Rossi into Molteni&C. The encounter was decisive. Over the years, his relationship with the Molteni family developed from a professional one into a real friendship. They travelled together, worked and shared passions and obsessions.

On the subject of design, Rossi wrote: “I believe we are moving towards an increasingly industrialized and rational type of manufacturing, based on repeatable models. This is my idea of design: being able to translate imaginative personal elements

Left: the great Aldo Rossi.

Above: artist impression b seum: the museum chair f Maastricht, the Netherland Below: Part of the facade Venice, Carteggio, Papyro, Teatro, Sala Rossi Teatro La

36 OBJEKT

by Aldo Rossi for the Sedia Mufor the Bonnefanten Museum in ds. Courtesy Molteni Museum. of the Gran Teatro La Fenice in Piroscafo, Poltrona Parigi, Serie a Fenice.

OBJEKT

37

into rational and repeatable designs, not ad hoc objects made for a single item. And, what’s more, a piece of furniture is agile, i.e. transportable. I never lose sight of the transportability issue, maybe I have an escape complex. But items of mobilia, as the word suggests, also need to be mobile”.

The partnership between Aldo Rossi and the Molteni Group reflected the philosophy of the two parts. Rossi liked the frank and informal way they discussed and achieved his designs, cleverly interpreting the ideas behind them, but especially the drawings, skillfully and inventively, to create a product that fully lived up to his expectations.

The Molteni’s loved Aldo Rossi giving them the chance to develop innovative designs, respecting their own philosophy, including the ‘art of making things’.

It was an extraordinary adventure, both human and professional, and a great example of how to live, breathe and share the culture of design.

Over twenty years of joint efforts led to items of furniture that made the history of Italian design, such as the Cabina dell’Elba (1980), a veritable piece of domestic architecture; the Teatro series(1982-84), designed with Luca Meda for a small Milanese theatre, which went on to become a fixture in numerous Rossi buildings, such as Casa Aurora in Turin (1984-87) and Genoa’s Teatro Carlo Felice (1983-84), for which he also designed the seat for the stalls (1990).

From the mid-Eighties, they began producing two ‘iconic’ Rossi designs: Carteggio (1987) and Milano (1987). Carteggio is a tall, narrow, tower-like piece of furniture, completed at the top with a roll-up compartment, reminiscent of the roof of a building.

The Milano chair is designed to perfection: modern and classic, it is a timeless object that became the company’s symbol.

The Nineties saw even greater cooperation between Aldo Rossi and the Italian Group. Architectural projects such as the Bonnefanten Museum in Maastricht (1990-95), the Fontivegge Centre in Perugia (1982-1989), the Schuetzen Strasse complex in Berlin (1992-98) and the “Il Palazzo” Hotel in Fukuoka (198789) provided the opportunity to design new items of furniture: the Providence sofa (1992) and the Papyro desk (1990). He designed with Luca Meda ,the Parigi armchair (1989), the Museum (1992) chair, the Cartesio bookcase (1993) and the Consiglio table (1993) for UniFor, and lastly the glass-fronted Piroscafo bookcase (1991.

The partnership between the artist and the Molteni’s was not limited to furniture designs but was completed with intense work on staging exhibitions of his work: Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris (1991), Beurs van Berlage Foundation in Amsterdam (1991), Triennale in Milan (1999). Not only staging, but catalogues, invitations and theme booklets. All under the direction of Luca Meda.

Rossi’s last great project, which he was unable to see completed, was the reconstruction of the Gran Teatro La Fenice in Venice, with all the wooden parts made by Molteni&C, including the monumental model of the Sala Nuova, later Sala Rossi, made of untreated Cypress wood, which reproduces the facade of the Palladian Basilica. Vicenza.

Above: design sketch by Aldo Rossi for Milano and Carteggio, 1987. Courtesy Fondazione Aldo Rossi.

Right: Milanese interior with Poltrona Parigi and person looking at Duomo with fog by Aldo Rossi. Courtesy Molteni Museum.

Below: Aldo Rossi exhibition at the National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome. photo: Musacchioianniello Pasqualini. courtesy Fondazione Maxx.

OBJEKT

39

These pages: design sketch

by Aldo Rossi.Tre amici con cane conversano. 1989.

The Gypsy lifestyle, expressed in their music and their strong views on how to furnish their caravan interiors, appeals to the imagination.

It’s what you might call ‘precursor Versace’: a cheerful combination of colors and materials.

A tribute to John Hutton: one of the most important furniture designers and a ‘modern Gypsy’.

Together with Gypsy musician Betcha, he cheerfully added his designs to the interiors of three authentic Gypsy wagons in the Netherlands.

42 OBJEKT

Gypsy dancing with John Hutton

Previous pages: the world famous designer John Hutton who died in 2006.

Beside that: an interior of a Gypsy wagon that he and Betcha restyled with his lamp and furnitre designs.

Top right: Three authentic Gypsy caravans. These are actually larger than the original types from earlier days. Those horse-drawn wagons were between three and five meters in length. The chair on the foreground is a creation by John Hutton for David Sutherland.

Below: Gypsy chic in a restored gypsy caravan standing in the south of the Netherlands. Behind the curtain there are two ‘bedrooms’. In the old days these vans were drawn by horses, from one village to another.

Bottom: a subdued composition in shades of pink and brown. It is clear that the vans had most of the creature comforts, apart from a bathroom.

Overleaf: the well-nigh authentic interior of a Gypsy van from the days when gypsies still led nomadic lives. photos: Hans Fonk

John Hutton, who died on 2006, made an enduring impression on furniture design world wide. He was a typical modern Gypsy, who demonstrated his designing skills wherever he went.

His collaboration with Angelo Donghia, for whom he made, amongst other things, furniture designs, marked the rising of his star. His elegant creations were as iconic as timeless.

Many of his clients became his close friends, including Ann and David Sutherland, with whom he built up the collections for Sutherland furniture and Perennials fabrics.

OBJEKT©International asked David Sutherland some time ago to write a tribute to this modern Gypsy.

“John was the ultimate modern Gypsy. He was always on his way somewhere or just returning from somewhere exciting. He was always immaculately dressed, usually in linen and always looked perfectly ‘pressed’.

His bags were always heavy and it took forever to get him going in the morning as he was very thoughtful and meticulous in his preparation for the day. He enjoyed conversation and coffee in the mornings as much as he enjoyed his cocktails and conversations late into the night.

John never left a city or a town without leaving his glasses, his cell phone, his notes, his passport, his clothes: nothing was immune from being left behind.

It was his way of telling us that he would be back”

“Many times we shipped multiple packages of important documents, drawings and specifications to him at multiple locations just to make sure one of them stuck with him for the time necessary for him to ‘work his magic’.

His handwritten cards were of images he wanted us to see or subjects that he thought we would enjoy and it was always a treat to receive one.”

“Brenda (his wife) told me that she once let John out at Laguardia in New York and John realized he didn't have his passport. While on the pay phone to try to reach her, he saw a passport in the street outside the airport.

He ran quite a distance to get to the passport and luckily it was still there, and luckier still that it was his passport! He once tried to tell me how easy it was to reach him on his cell phone. When next I tried there was no answer but when I did finally reach him he told me that he had left ‘that’ cellphone in Moscow!

Working with John was always like herding cats and we loved every minute of it.”

OBJEKT

45

46 OBJEKT

OBJEKT

47

monkey songs & cigarettes

OBJEKT

49

Located in the historic village of Brayon-Thames, Berkshire, England, the Monkey Island Estate has recently undergone a thorough renovation: a celebration and tribute to the history of the island, acquired in 1738 by Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough.

The Duke was a fond angler, and he asked Palladian architect Robert Morris to design two buildings on the island: the fishing lodge and the fishing temple now known as the Pavilion and the Temple.

It also was the Duke who put colorful statues of monkeys in his various gardens.

After a long and tumultuous history, Monkey Island was acquired by YTL Hotels in 2015. Champalimaud Design from New York was asked to realize the delicate renovation.

The design studio looked to the two original structures on the island, the Temple and Pavilion, as inspiration for their design vocabulary.

They melded garden elements throughout their new design; from the botanical wall covering in the entry hall oft he Pavilion, to the lattice covered Marlborough Ballroom, to the extension of the lounge and restaurant into the adjacent terraces and gardens.

Previous pages The Monkey room in the Pavilion on Monkey Island. The ‘Singerie’ paintings of monkeys singing and smoling were made by French artist Andieu de Clermont in 1738.

Above: Monkey Island, England, created in1738 by Charles Spencer, 3rd. Since then, it has become a place full of history.

Below that: a 1905 photograph with King Edward V11 enjoying afternoon tea under the walnut trees at Monkey Island.

Right: different spaces on the premises adjusted for the 21th century by Champalimaud Design from New York. Colors are inspired by the natural elements of the estate.

On the portrait image: the designers Ed Bakos, Alexandra Champalimaud and Winston Kong from Champalimaud Design.

OBJEKT

51

Right: the grand suite in the Temple.

Originally it was the billiard room. The Duke commissioned a grand ceiling with Neptune, shells and mermaids in high relief plasterwork in Wedgwood style.

It is considered to be the work of Roberts of Oxford and made around 1725.

Champalimaud Design’s goal was to celebrate the soulfulness of the original Robert Morris Buildings.

The Pavilion was built out of colored wood blocks cut to look like stone, a specialty of Georgian carpentry.

The Duke commissioned ‘Singerie’ paintings, for his Monkey Room. He asked French artist Andieu de Clermont to paint them playing cards, shooting, fishing and smoking. The paintings have been there since 1738.

The Temple was, on the ground floor, originally an open structure like a market stall. The Duke's eclectic decorative taste is still visible in the room on the first floor, once the billiard room.

Its grand ceiling with Neptune, shells and mermaids in high relief plasterwork in Wedgwood style, is considered to be the work of Roberts of Oxford and made around 1725. Some experts however attribute it to carver William Perritt.

By 1840, the Pavilion had become a riverside inn. By the mid/late 19th century the hotel was called the "Monkey Hall Hotel’.

Visitors have been staying here ever since. It became particularly fashionable just after 1900, when King

OBJEKT

53

Right: a corner of the Monkey Room with paintings of monkeys, playing cards, fishing, shooting and smoking.

Edward VII and Queen Alexandra often had afternoon tea on the lawns with their children.

Edward Elgar composed his violin concerto in 1910 in the Hut, a house on the riverbank facing Monkey Island.

Musical stars Clara Butt and Nellie Melba entertained the island's guests.

From 1912 onwards, celebrities like Rebecca West and H. G. Wells frequented the premises.

Champalimaud Design celebrated in their renovation plans, the anecdotal history of the island and some of its inhabitants, both human and otherwise.

The Andieu de Clermont paintings of the monkeys have been retained and restored.

The upholstery fabrics, for the Monkey Lounge and Bar, were inspired by the clothing worn by the monkeys and pay tribute to their crimson and blue kneelength coats.

The use of peacock blue as the primary color in the restaurant wallpaper and painted ceiling is a reference to the colorful peacocks on the island.

In paying close attention to the rich history, the lodging interiors were inspired by the boats on the river and the cabins on board.

OBJEKT

55

spazie d’amore

56 OBJEKT

OBJEKT

57

The interiors reflected a contrast between past and present, a relaxed domestic atmosphere, a subtle dialogue of different stylistic identities combined with a touch of ‘The Orient meets the Vintage’.

Dimoregallery in Milan, Italy, has over the years developed into a stylistic powerhouse. The friendship between Elisabetta Crespi, Gabriella Crespi’s daughter, and Dimoregallery founders Britt Moran and Emiliano Salci have resulted in a tribute to style.

Refined palettes of grays and browns framed the Milanese interiors, which were made up of contemporary furnishings, icons of 20th-century design, a selection of artworks by Elisa Montessori presented in collaboration with the Antonia Jannone gallery.

Special editions of iconic pieces by Gabriella Crespi, the Milanese artist/designer known for transforming furnishings into museum-like objects characterized by precise forms and gracious contours are still vibrant and one-of-a-kind (all the re-editions of the tables can be custom made in metal or lacquered wood in various colors).

The re-editions by Gabriella Crespi were created exclusively for Dimoregallery The harmony between modern and contemporary styles was achieved through suggestive and elegant pairings: the Blueprint table by Ilaria Bianchi (Italy, 2016) and the Gattaca-Calacatta table by Ocra Studio (Italy, 2019) are juxtaposed to iconic pieces such as the Big Bubble ceiling lamp (USA,1950s), the bookcase by Afra and Tobia Scarpa produced by B&B Italia, Compagnie delle Filippine collection (Italy, 1970s), and the floor lamp G109 by Hans Agne Jakobsson with brass structure and silk fringes (Sweden,1960s).

So are the low table in crystal and brass details by Pietro Chiesa, produced by FontanaArte (Italy,1940s), the ceiling lamp in opal glass, brass and painted metal by Paavo Tynell (Finland, 1950s), and the Mantova UNO corner cupboard in black lacquered wood by Luigi Caccia Dominioni (Italy, 1980s).

The latest Dimoregallery stage included the re-editions of Scultura low table and Scudo wall lamps, and Rising Sun bed, part of the historical collection.

photos: Silva Rivoltella OBJEKT

59

60 OBJEKT

OBJEKT 61

The Collectif des Créateurs Canadiens (CCC) unveiled Fictions, a virtual experience showcasing new and exclusive works by a group of eight Canadian designers, both established and up-and-coming: Atelier Zébulon Perron, Claste Collection, David Umemoto, Lambert & Fils, Loïc Bard, Pascale Girardin, SSSVLL and Yannick Pouliot.

The atypical love letter to the Canadian city of Montreal was written in cooperation with curator, design specialist and architect Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte from Montreal.

Fictions pretended to be synonymous with freeform of

exploration of shape, materiality, and function. Thirteen objects were set in a nondescript post-apocalyptic environment in the heart of Montreal.

The fictions of mutated furniture blurred the lines of design and art, and question who the user might be, what purpose they are meant to inhabit.

According to writer Daniel Canty: “These mirrors of montreality, gathered here, are expressions of a meridian city that is neither here nor there. Where invention requires it and feeling follows, it manifests at the meeting point of elsewhere and elsewhen.”

Above: The chair is

by Atelier Zébulon Perron and the furniture in the background is by Yannick Pouliot On the right a decorative object by David Umemoto.

Original photos: Alex Lesage.

64 OBJEKT

FULL MOON ON RUSSIAN HILL OBJEKT

65

This architecturally significant three-bedroom family residence sits atop Russian Hill in San Francisco.

The original John Bricknell Victorian was built in 1866 and transformed into a classic Italianate by the architect Julia Morgan in 1916 for prominent art importer David Atkins.

Once also the home of San Francisco designer Anthony Hail, the property was purchased by a close-knit family who looked to leave the suburbs for the city.

They tapped NicoleHollis to reimagine the house with a modern sensibility while keeping its ‘soul.’

She recently seismically upgraded the structure and carefully installed with 21st century amenities respecting Ms. Morgan’s original attention to detail and craftsmanship.

production: Izabel Fonk Photos: Douglas Friedman Previous pages.

Left: detail of the master bath room with wall paper design by Damien Hirst.

Right: the office of the man of the house.

Above: the entrance and its landscaped grounds. The garden at the back offers a place for outdoor entetaining and contains a detached guesthouse. The house has a two car garage.

The new owners of the Russian Hill Townhouse had a strong appreciation for innovation and creativity and looked to translate this modern point of view into their residence.

A new kitchen, bathroom and master bedroom were required, as were spaces that were open, modern and kid-friendly.

The father enjoyed ice climbing and motor-cycling and desired a ‘gear room’ which includes custom shelving for colorful mountaineering equipment and a reclaimed black steel cabinet by La Cornue.

The project involved a three-year full remodel.

The renovation preserved the home’s myriad original details, including moldings and fireplaces, and emphasized the expansive windows, natural light and large back yard.

The second floor featured a ballroom that was transformed into the master bedroom, which preserved the original character of the space with herringbone flooring and Victorian moldings.

A wall was removed so the kitchen opened to the living room, creating a multifunctional living area that works for entertaining as well as casual meals and homework.

A new lower level comprised a new staircase, family room, guest room, guest bath, and wine room with custom glass shelving.

NicoleHollis installed two tall custom designed mirror-polished brass cabinets to house his and hers wardrobes floating on each side of the room.

The master bath features a double vanity, brass fixtures and custom wallpaper with a historical etching of Yosemite blown-up in modern scale by artist Yedda Morrison.

New furnishings include custom lighting by Bec Britton throughout the residence as well as wallpaper

by Damien Hirst and an extensive art collection by up-and-coming and established artists.

Custom furnishings include a mirrorpolished brass custom bar cabinet in the formal dining room.

Above: the master bedroom with the en-suite master bathroom. The original character of the space was preserved with the herringbone flooring and the Victorian moldings.

The mirror-polished brass cabinets were designed by NicoleHollis.

The custom wallpaper in the bathroom with a historical etching of Yosemite blown-up in modern scale is by artist Yedda Morrison.

New furnishings were installed throughout the residence as well as wallpaper

by Damien Hirst and an extensive art collection by up-and-coming and established artists.

The ‘gear room’ includes custom shelving for colorful mountaineering equipment and a reclaimed black steel cabinet by La Cornue.

OBJEKT

67

These pages: the dining room with the fireplace and in the back ground the family room.

The furniture is custom designed by NicoleHollis.

68 OBJEKT

Right: a new kitchen area was created by removing a wall so the space opened to the living room, creating a multifunctional living area

OBJEKT

69

70 OBJEKT

Left: the Smriti Curtilage, Yanlord Land located in Suzhou City, China.

Above: T. K. Chu of T.K.Chu Design Group with offices in Taipei, Beijing, and Shanghai. He designed the house in the Chinese way. photos: Wang Ting

A PRIVATE ZEN ZONE

To the outside naturalistic artistry reigns, to the simplistic modernity is queen. That is the subtle duality is what designer T.K. Chu was aiming for with this project in Suzhou, China.

Here he created a serenely elegant home built around a courtyard. There is a weighty dose of contagious serenity spreading from the courtyard to the interior through the sliding glass doors, which open to a limpid pool and a Zen garden where bamboos and grasses send off refreshing aromas to the interior after a short spell of rain.

Approaching the doors is like entering a private Zen world.

The propensity for duality in China may elude Westerners. Different from the notion of trinity, duality is starred in this project with a singular focus: spreading the gospel of harmonies in a very Chinese manner.

Left: the interior of a villa in China designed by designer T.K. Chu with a statue in the central staircase by artist, PoLin Yang.

Below: the seamless transition from the living are into the zen garden landscape.

Suzhou is the cradle of Coupling Garden, whom preserves the legacy of the dual qualities of Suzhou: modernity and tradition. Embedded on a secluded retreat, enclosed by tranquil nature and equipped with a verdant backyard, this private residence is a classic microcosm of the Suzhou Gardens.

This private residence is located in the proximity of a courtyard named ‘Ŏu Yuán, Couple's Retreat Garden which became a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2000.

The designer: “The propensity for duality in China may elude Westerners.

Duality is the dual juxtaposition in a pair. Different from the notion of trinity, duality is starred in the design with a singular focus: spreading the gospel of harmonies in a very Chinese manner.”

OBJEKT 73

Chu used this concept in his design, which is grounded on a strong form of externalization of traditional Chinese philosophies.

“Individuals are being manifesting their humblest demeanor in an effort to show reverence to the Mother Nature and reach the oneness with the nature.

That’s why the elements of nature are literally everywhere in the spaces,” according to Chu. “Granted that the notion is a little bit indecipherable, it comes more acceptable in a form of verticality and linearity, angularity and irregularity — The marbles being finely cut, the hallway being replete with geometric expressions, the rocks and trees boasting their untrimmed appearance — the duality is unified within the residence but divided by the windows.”

Full-height windows connect with the outdoors scattering light in to illuminate the space.

The consistency of neutral tones flows throughout the main level. The kitchen focuses more on the elegance of the ambient conditions whereby there are fewer distractions from savoring every mouthful of cuisines with preoccupied relish.

The staircase is more like a vertical meandering sculpture leading upwards to the privacy of the dwellers.

A large sculpture in the staircase area reflects ‘coupling’. Created by artist, PoLin Yang, it enhances the intimacy and interdependence of dual elements.

Sophistication and complexity are evoking emotions.

The design team opted to infuse the cohesiveness throughout all levels without eroding away the charm of the basement. Chu wanted to see the basement equal to the main level, so dwellers could be king in the basement level, free to do anything as they are pleased to.

74 OBJEKT

OBJEKT

75

76 OBJEKT

PRELUDE TO A CHINESE KISS

Previous pages; Erhai Lake near the city of Dali, China. Here designer Xie Ke and his partner Zhi Hongxin designed Hotel Sisan-Shuanglang on the premises of the former Ladyfour hotel.

The original buildings were designed by the architect Ba Xun, to inherit the natural comfort of Bai traditional architecture.

These pages Below: designer Xie Ke and partner Zhi Hongxin.

All rooms and suites have been restyled in a natural quite way using vintage furniture combined with modern amenities. photos: Tantan / JLAP

During the Chinese Spring Festival of 2008, designer Xie Ke, his partner Zhi Hongxin and other friends came across Dali. Dali is a city and autonomous prefecture in the northwest of the southwestern province of Yunnan, China.

The city is located on the Kunming road, which runs to the Myanmar border.

Driving around Erhai Lake, Xie and Zhi passed by ShuangLang and a small hotel called ‘Ladyfour’. This caused Xie Ke to change his travel plan and to talk to the owner of the place, his friend Baxun. This resulted in rudimentary sketches for hotel Sisan-Shuanglang.

Baxun hoped Xie Ke and Zhi Hongxin were creating a new ‘Ladyfour’, the designer Xie Ke decided to keep the original buildings while expanding the lake view space without increasing the architectural height.

Responding to the nature, Xie Ke created an environment, which is not limited in form, style or concept.

He adjusted the relationship between space and nature to experience the changes of time at day and night during the four seasons.

78 OBJEKT

The designer: “In the east-west courtyard, the sunshine differs from day to day in four seasons, but is as free and brilliant as in the space. In the new design an extra dimension was built in: the light and shadow during day and the candlelight at night contrast with each other and give his idea an extra dimension.”

OBJEKT

79

Below: lake view at the hotel Sisan-Shuanglang in Dali, China. Ke expended the view without increasing the original architectural height.

Responding to the nature, the designer pursued the creation of an environment at which is not limited in form, style or concept. He adjusted the relationship between space and nature by simply thinking. Below; the front courtyard, bar and restaurant. Right: the sense of calm is a dominant theme in the hotel’s interior. Photo is by Luo Dan. The landscape design is by SYY design

He continued: “Great design aims to present the world and natural landscape, instead of landscaping it into studios popular for Internet celebrities

or objectifying it into pictures or images.

Under the strong sunlight of Dali, the gray tones of the projects allow the visitor to experience peace. If a festival presents a reference to the meaning of life, then a ceremony is the origin of the existence of a hotel. With its spatial orders, the hotel now recombines the rhythms of experience.

They encourages people to pay attention to the dramatic details in their ordinary life and re-evaluate their lifestyle.”

80 OBJEKT

With 14 rooms at two floors with wide and diversified lake views, the design of Sisan·Shunaglang is defined by Xie Ke’s signature design elements such as white walls, old wood, hand-made ceramic tiles, and clear (refined) washed stone from old warehouses and shops dominate the interior and outdoor spaces.

The rooms near Erhai Lake are bright and light-colored in terms of space, furniture.

The two largest suites not only embrace both the courtyard and Erhai Lake, but also are equipped with gray and black

decorations, dark metal furniture, collected old furniture and Luo Dan's photography art works titled Nujiang River, which calm down the whole atmosphere.

Ever changing shadows of the tree enrich the levels of walls. It has plenty of sunshine and rain in Dali, which makes it especially suitable for plants to grow.

Xie Ke arranged various local flowers and plants in the courtyard according to climate, which are prosperous in four seasons.

All according to his adagio: experience the seasons at the lake.

These pages: designer Xie Ke’s signature design elements such as white walls, old wood, handmade ceramic tiles, and clear (refined) washed stone from old warehouses and shops dominate the interior and outdoor spaces. Interior and Furnishings are by SYY design.

82 OBJEKT

OBJEKT

83

RYOKANISSIMO

These pages: a historical Japanese residence transformed into the modern Azumi Setoda ryokan. It was the work of architect Shiro Miura. photos: Tomohiro Sakashita

OBJEKT

85

On Ikuchijima, a small and tranquil island in the Japanese Seto Inland Sea, Kyoto-based architect Shiro Miura let his spirits run free to create a sense of harmony and relationship with the elements at the transformation of a historical Japanese residence into the modern Azumi Setoda ryokan.

Co-founded by Adrian Zecha and Naru Developments, the ryokan balances tradition and modernity.

The project is located on the West Side of the Setouchi Region in Hiroshima Prefecture and considered the calmest part of the Seto Inland Sea, with clear, blue waters and pure, fresh air.

Azumi Setoda is situated within a 140-year old Japanese residential compound, enlisting Kyoto-based architect Shiro Miura to work closely on the restoration for a number of years.

An expert in private residences and trained in the Sukiya style of Japanese architecture, Miura has respected the original purpose of the building whilst reimagining the next century of its life.

His restoration plans were based on rebalancing the relationship between moisture, wind, and light as Miura uses wood, stone, and soil as his primary materials.

By understanding these materials as living elements, by their capacity to bend, break, and change color at their own will, the architect saw them as a reflection of the condition of the environment.

86 OBJEKT

OBJEKT

87

All of the furniture within the Ryokan has been custom made in co-creation with Doi Mokkou, a local artisan specializing in wood.

These pieces made for Azumi Setoda use exclusively local natural materials, primarily unfinished Japanese Cypress, designed to blend into the interiors.

The furniture was also designed to harmonize with the garden view, including key pieces built at custom heights so as to offer optimal views of the interior courtyard.

The ryokan was designed as a mixture of open and secluded spaces, creating a harmonious atmosphere, from the reception area and main dining room through to the property’s semi-private dining and entertaining areas, and Azumaya, a quiet multi purpose garden room. This space, built on the site of the family's former teahouse, was influenced by the aesthetic concept of yohaku (‘blank space’).

Azumi Setoda has multiple garden spaces where every guest room has its own outdoor area: either a private garden designed

by Wa-So landscape architects, a balcony, or a combination of both. Each one is unique and is well-secluded thanks to Shiro’s bold, unconventional take on the traditional kakine (cedar fence).

88 OBJEKT

OBJEKT

89

THE COACHELLA VALLEY AND THE SAN JACINTO MOUNTAIN RANGE, THIS SINGLEFAMILY RESIDENCE IS TIGHTLY NESTLED WITHIN A CONSTELLATION OF BOULDERS ON A ROCKY DESERT PLATEAU OUTSIDE OF PALM DESERT. THE BRIEF FROM THE CLIENTS, A COUPLE LOOKING FOR A RETREAT IN THE DESERT WELL AWAY FROM THEIR URBAN LIVES, WAS SIMPLE: CREATE A MODEST HOME WITHOUT REMOVING A SINGLE PINYON TREE, EMBRACE THE RUSTIC DESERT CLIMATE, AND FRAME THE ALWAYS CHANGING VISTAS FROM WITHIN. THEY ASKED AIDLIN DARLING DESIGN FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO GET THE JOB DONE.

92 OBJEKT

Previous pages: The villa nestled within huge boulders just outside Palm Desert.

These pages From all spaces in the house have vistas over the ever changing landscape. photos: Adam Rouse, Joe Fletcher

OBJEKT

93

The design team of Aidlin Darling camped on the site to intimately observe and absorb the nuances of the micro-climate, the vast diurnal temperature swings, the specific positioning of the existing trees and the sculptural boulders.

They studied the power of the ever-changing light conditions to fully understand the place. From their finding they developed the basis design idea. According to the designers, the house would perform as a simple framing device for the occupants to observe the dynamic surrounding terrain.

This resulted in a triptych of building elements, quiet and crisp in its geometry and contrasting the organic forms of the desert: a floating roof plane. A collection of wooden volumes and two concrete anchor walls.

The square floating roof hovers over the home providing respite from the beating sun both in its opaque form but also as a porous wooden lattice.

A singular aperture is carved out of the roof plane, framing the dramatic sky above while providing the pool area with ample sun exposure below.

94 OBJEKT

Left: the interior is a collage of concrete, wood, stone, and steel, each responding to its immediate application to maximize durability while providing the home with warmth and a soulful nesting quality. All spaces are positioned to optimize the views over the impressive landscape.

Above: the little courtyard with a reflecting pool and surrounded by concrete walls

OBJEKT

95

Below the roof plane reside seven rectilinear volumes: rectilinear masses that split apart and slides out into the landscape to both maximize the experience of the surrounding terrain and create an open space in the center of the home. This space would become both the entry and the dining room, a location for the public and private spaces to meet and capture sunrise and sunset as well as breezes rising up the hillside.

The entry sequence from garage to house is articulated by the orientation and form of two concrete entry walls.

They are intentionally juxtaposed to create a void between them, guiding the occupant to the glazed entry of the home. The parallel concrete walls are framing the views to the East and the Coachella Valley below.

The materials of the home were chosen to quietly contrast with the lighter palette of the desert landscape. The blackened wood siding is pine-wood that is acetylated, burnt, wire-brushed, stained and sealed.

All of these treatments provides a highly textured finish that is bug and rot resistant and minimizes movement within the diurnal temperature swings.

The interior is a collage of concrete, wood, stone, and steel, each responding to its immediate application to maximize durability while providing the home with warmth and a soulful nesting quality.

These pages: The house designed by Aidlin Darlin is the desert near Palm Desert, blends in into the surrounding landscape with its huge boulders and old trees. The outdoor experience is enhanced by the open shower and the floating pool.

Next pages The interior of the house is as simple as inviting and an extension of the rugged surrounding terrain.

OBJEKT

97

98 OBJEKT

OBJEKT

99

Kahua Kuili Residence, inspired by traditional Hawaiian architecture in its natural landscape of lava and bunch grasses.

Designed by California-based Walker Warner Architects, the Kahua Kuili residence is a modern interpretation of the classic Hawai’i summer camp.

Located within the dry portion of the Kona Coast at the base of the large cinder cone Pu’u Kuili, the property offers wide views of the Pacific Ocean and Kua Bay as well as mountain views of Hualalai.

Previously the site of a working ranch, the transition to residence became an opportunity to return the majority of the landscape to its natural state: a mix of lava and grasses.

Kahua Kuili incorporates old indigenous design elements paired with contemporary attitudes to create a residence that will remain relevant for generations to come.

Inspired by traditional Hawaiian architecture, the 5,590square-foot residence is composed of multiple structures that simultaneously provide privacy through their scattered arrangement and community through the open spaces between them. The camp-like retreat’s focal point is the main hale (Hawaiian for house), which provides a central gathering place for family and friends.

The main hale opens to ocean views and the central, protected courtyard with the pool and tiki bar. The bar/lounge area spills over into the pool, complete with multiple lounge chairs and ocean views. A barbecue/luau area is located under a huge Kiawe tree.

Deep roof overhangs define the transition between inside and outside and offer shelter from sun and rain.

Outdoor spaces link the separate structures—guest quarters, studio, washhouse, garage—to one another.

The use of simple, durable materials, such as boardformed concrete, western red cedar, large sliding doors, operable wood ventilation louvers, and rope lashing help reinforce the camp-like aesthetic. Western red cedar was selected for its resistance to termites and dry rot as well as for the way it patinas with age. Natural stone walls surrounding the property help to create a sense of privacy.

The interiors were designed by Marion Philpotts with a comfortable, contemporary aesthetic in mind and with bright colors and retro elements.

Right: the Kahua Kuili Residence on the Big Island of Hawaii. It was designed by Walker Warner Architects on the side of a former ranch. Interiors are

by Marion Philpotts. The landscape designer was David Y. Tamura Associates and the builder Maryl Construction. photos: Matthew Millman.

Mexico and Sweden-based studio Main Office has revived Villa Pelícanos, an existing residential complex dating from the ‘80s. Nestled in the tropical landscape of Mexico’s West Coast at Sayulita, a beach town that is a popular destination for health, wellness and surfing retreats, the project is composed of a series of pavilion-like individual dwellings that descend from a slope facing the Pacific Ocean.

Immersed in the jungle, the complex has its own private beach and accommodates up to 20 guests and exudes the mellow ambience of a yoga retreat.

when pelicans fly

OBJEKT 105

Photos: Rafael Gamo

The architects redesigned the eight villas and a common area at the top of the hill including a shared kitchen, a dining room and a swimming pool, preserving the references to the African aesthetic, which reflect the heritage of the resort’s previous owner, originally from South Africa. As a result, the project combines Mexican elements and an African mood.

While externally preserving its original palapa roofs and atmosphere, the architects created interiors that resolved the pathologies suffered by the original structure due to its direct exposure to the tropical sun and the ocean breeze, while leaving the least environmental impact as possible.

The new spatial interventions celebrated the site’s natural setting. An exterior showers open towards the sky and the treetops, an outdoor bathtub overlooking the Pacific Ocean allows guests to merge into nature. Smaller external showers and terraces interact with the jungle scenery and the sea-horizon.

A key feature located at the bottom of the slope, is the yoga platform that takes the shape of a half-circle, nestled amongst the forested banks.

A majestic Papelillo tree frames the views towards the Pacific Ocean.

OBJEKT 107

MEZCAL POR FAVOR

108 OBJEKT

OBJEKT

109

Casa Colorada owes its name to the clay red soil color of the mountain where it is built. It is a country house designed by Once Once Arquitectura in the colonial tourist town of Valle de Bravo, 140 km away from Mexico City.

Once Once Arquitectura is a contemporary architecture and construction studio founded by Diego Yturbe V in Mexico City in 2011 The villa is located on a hill that borders the Monte Alto Reserve and has full views of the lake and town. Situated 1600 meters above sea level it has a privileged microclimate since temperatures slightly vary throughout the year, setting the average at 22 degrees centigrade.

Valle de Bravo is a weekend leisure place with its lake, oak and pine forests, and rivers. The site of the house presented special demands as it was elongated, with steep slopes and many trees. In the design all trees were preserved and only the small ones were transplanted. At the wide front terrace, multiple gaps were created for tree trunks and branches, which not only saved them but also generated shade and greenery for the house.

The house is accessed through the upper part of the terrain and entered through a vehicular narrow and winding road that leads to a mini-roundabout and parking lot. From here the rear facade of the house in red clay red is visible, sober and minimalist with few small windows.

At the ground floor the hall, the kitchen, toilet, living room, and dining room are located, as well as stairs that connect with the upper floor.

The dining room opens onto the terrace with a pool and Jacuzzi and views to the lake, town, and mountains and the interior patio. The living room and dining room can be opened with sliding windows to integrate the terrace, as well as the backyard.

The kitchen has a terrace bar fully shaded by trees that generate a green roof.

On the upper floor are four bedrooms. The main one has an unobstructed view of the entire landscape with a large bathroom with tub and shower and a window to its own terrace.

The materials for this project were chosen to have a connection between traditional and industrial. Traditionally, the walls are made of annealed red partition plastered with cement and sand, the ceilings are made of beams and planks of Oyamel (wood from the area), the floors have mud panels, and volcanic stone. Modern industrial ingredients guarantee the house has maximum thermal comfort. It is cool in summer and warm in winter without the need for environmental conditioning systems.

112 OBJEKT

OBJEKT

113

114 OBJEKT

INCASE OF DOLDRUMS

DIVE !

OBJEKT

115

Inspired by the local environment, Blink Design Group, UK, created the Raffles Maldives Meradhoo.

Enveloped in the sanctuary of the Gaafu Alifu Atoll, the 38-villa resort, marked Raffles’ debut in the Maldives.

Design elements throughout the property depict nuanced takes on marine life and sea creatures.

The designers selected colors associated with Raffles and motifs influenced by the island.

As materials on the island are scarce, Blink sourced and designed a mix of imported and custom-built furniture suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

Sea coral lamps mingle with figures of starfish, sea urchins, and turtle shells made from ecologically friendly resin material. Coral patterns and classic stripes alternately appear on linens and upholstery.

Raffles Maldives Meradhoo’s villas and residences are designed to be discreet and lavish, with a prudent composition of raw and polished furnishings in teak and dark oak complemented by rattan and straw accents.

Seven-meter high ceilings with exposed beams painted in grey-blue allow natural light to flood into the rooms, adjusted with fully retractable blinds that lend the feel of a colonial home.

Super-king-size four-poster beds are crowned with white canopies and elevated atop solid dark wood platforms. Bathrooms were finished with marble, replete with a walk-in outdoor shower and double vanities.

In addition to the residences and villas, Blink also designed the spa, the three restaurants and the bar.

116 OBJEKT

OBJEKT

117

OBJEKT INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING HOUSE

OBJEKT INTERNATIONAL

- the world standard for style

www.objekt-international.com One of Hans Fonk’s main achievements is OBJEKT©International, the authoritative and bespoke title for the upscale urban modernist with a passion for interiors, art & antiques, modern design and outstanding architecture.

Thanks to the general concept, unexpected topics, the selection of designers, and quality of the photos, OBJEKT©International has gained the highest authority in its field.

The magazine was first published end of 1991.

OBJEKT©International is distributed in over 80 countries worldwide.

OBJEKT©Asia is produced for China and surrounding countries.

OBJEKT INTERNATIONAL

PHOTO: RETO GUNTLI

UNIQUE EXPERIENCES Selected Retreats for Family & Friends

WWW.UNIQUE-EXPERIENCES.CH