Merci Magazine 2020 Fall Special Edition

merci

Architecture & Interior Design

Architecture | Interior Design | Living Design

YOUR LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

ISBN 9781777080013

90000 >

2020 FALL SPECIAL EDITION 9 781777 080013

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pervinca armchair nisha bookcase clori lamp - photo daniele cortese

promemoria hong kong Shop 1 & Shop 4, G/F Centre Point 181-185 Gloucester Road, Wanchai — H.K.

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milan paris- Fall london moscow Merci Magazine Special Edition

info.hongkong@promemoria.com www.promemoria.com

new-york

hamburg

munich

The Atelier of Beauty hong-kong

warsaw

merci

Architecture | Interior Design | Living Design

YOUR LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE 28 Le Cocon de Luxe

90 The Modern Expression

34 The French Art of Living

108 The Journey of Timeless Design

40 Monochrimatic

114 Four Seasons in Karuizawa

44 Art de Vivre in Champagne

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58 Over a glass of wine with Johnny Li

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68 Regeneration 74 OMM 84 Kenzo Takada at K 三

126 Intimacy Design for Clients

Bringing the poetry of Japanese design to the world 164 An Urban Ryorkan

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176 Sky Design Awards 2020

204 DesignArt Tokyo 212 Mono No Awre 216 Why do I paint the flower pink?

222 A stimulating environment for art and culture 232 Flowers of the shaodow 239 A Drink that bonds people

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244 Coming Up: Next Issue

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MERCI TEAM

EDITOR’S LETTER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Welcome back to our special edition in Fall 2020! On behalf of the

Peggy Lui

Merci team, we wish you all are doing well and stay safe during the global pandemic.

LIFESTYLE EDITORS & CONTRIBUTORS Peggy lui

Uncertainty is the circumstances that we all live with, but

Vivianne lau

discovering the new angles of design, art, lifestyle, and well-

Suzi Yamaguchi

being is what we can do and enjoy every present moment. Just

Jimmy ming shum

imagine for a moment: what if we live our lives without creativity?

David Hoggard

How would it happen? Life is creation; seeing design excellence

Farid Ziami Denis Guidone Hil Ying Tse Kaman Yip

in architecture, interior, and urban design is always great and inspire. Keep the momentum and the spirit of design thinking and live sustainability are still an exciting topic for open discussion.

Aidin Ardjomandi

We hope you enjoy reading our magazine and finding some great Interested in advertising with us? Simply email to enquiries@merci-magazine.com. We will be contact you with our media kit and rates.

We are looking for more up-to-day press release.

All right reserved 2020 Š Merci Media Corporation

inspirations and creativity in this issue during the unknown period. That's how we able to fuel our imagination for our future.

We believe you will enjoy our relaunch issue! We are moving forward to the first print issue by the end of October, and it will be sales in Tokyo or pre-order by international post!

Mail 2nd Floor, 60 Atlantic Avenue.

Toronto, Ontario, M6K 1X9 Canada For enquiries: email: enquiries@merci-magazine.com Phone: 437-222-2064 Tokyo Representative Office

peggylui Editor-In-Chief

TED ASSOCIATES Co.,Inc. Lucid Square Gotanda, 7-10-4 Nishigotanda, Shinagawa-ku,Tokyo 141-0031 Japan

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Peggy Lui www.merci-magazine.com www.facebook.com/MerciMagazine #mercimagazine

Merci Magazine - Fall Special Edition

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TEAM MEMBERS AND CONTRIBUTORS

Vivianne Lau EDITOR LIFESTYLE Led by divine serendipity and fuelled by a love for beautiful things and minds, this renegade lawyer went on a series of professional adventures from branding to fashion to project management. In her private life, Vivianne is a closet creative junkie who gets her fix through writing, photography and cooking.

Suzi Yamaguchi EDITOR LIFESTYLE Originally from Australia Suzi Yamaguchi has spent her nearly 30-year career in Japan working in film, performing arts and the music business. Her diverse background includes working in the motion picture section of Japanese advertising giant Dentsu, organizing the Sundance Film Festival in Tokyo and later interpreting at the Sundance Filmmakers Lab in Utah. She was the associate producer for renowned stage/film director and casting director Yoko Narahashi, and Rock Challenge, a children’s performing arts competition. Suzi has been a cultural/trade officer for cultural industries at the Embassy of Canada to Japan.

Now the Japan representative for the American based photographer and filmmaker Norman Seeff, known for his iconic photographs and work exploring the inner dynamics of the creative process. Her passion is working on projects that affect positive social change through the arts.

David Hoggard CONTRIBUTOR EDITOR ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN David has been a Partner at PDP London since 2007 and was in charge of the practice’s Asia Pacific portfolio. In 2010 Dave established PDP London’s Hong Kong Studio with the aim of expanding the brand into the Asia Pacific region.

Prior to opening the Hong Kong Studio Dave was involved in many high quality projects in central London and led the design and execution of a number of projects in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Japan. These include the acclaimed residential developments Grosvenor Place Kamizono-cho, Tokyo, and The Westminster Terrace in Hong Kong. Dave held the lead design role on these projects, a role that enabled him to build close relationships with the client and consultant teams.

Farid Ziani CONTRIBUTOR EDITOR ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN Farid Ziani is an Architect Designer at KTX archiLAB based in Japan.

Prior to moving to Japan, Farid has alternated between practicing architecture and academic research with an international perspective. After graduating from the Polytechnical School of Architecture and Urban Design in Algiers, practicing shortly in the same city, and developing a peculiar interest to the local traditional forms of architecture, he joined a Master program in Cultural Heritage in the University of Paris Diderot and the ENSA Paris-Val-deSeine. In the same University, Farid started writing a PhD thesis about post-modernism leading him to exchange studies in the University of Copenhagen. In Denmark he was introduced to the Scandinavian design principles, and the differences with the Mediterranean and West European cultural spheres. Differences and comparisons developed further to include the Japanese perspective since he joined KTX archiLAB in 2015 and worked on several international and local prize-winning projects.

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merci

TEAM MEMBERS AND CONTRIBUTORS

Jimmy Ming Shum CONTRIBUTOR EDITOR PHOTOGRPAHY & VISUAL Jimmy Ming Shum is a famous photographer and film director in the Asia Pacific, now based in Tokyo, Japan. Jimmy Ming Shum was born in Hong Kong, graduated from San Francisco Art Institute, Studied at Parson and Pratt Institute in New York City.

After returning to Hong Kong from New York, he once gave up photography. In 2004, he met with Nobuyoshi Araki and Yuki Eiji in Tokyo. After their encouragement, they decided to regain their camera and make photography a part of his life. In 2004, his work was selected as the “New Generation Photographers Exhibition” at the Qingli Photography Museum in Japan and listed as a permanent collection.

In 2005, it won the AvantGuardian Award from the American design magazine SURFACE.

Hil Ying Tse CONTRIBUTOR EDITOR SPIRITS Business owner, spirits consultant, event manager and simply a lover of always being on the move. Born in the Netherlands and now based in Hong Kong, Hil is a passionate lover of fine spirits and wines. She turned her interest into a business at end of 2016 and founded her own distribution company: Whiskies & More. The company selects, introduces and distributes premium spirits to China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Aidin Ardjomandi CONTRIBUTOR EDITOR Design The Good Design Mark holder, Aidin Ardjomandi, is an awards winning Iranian designer. He has received Master of Industrial Design from IA University of Tehran in the specialization of aesthetics. In 2015 he won A’DESIGN Award by inventing a new brand musical instrument, the Celloridoo, which was a hybrid one by combination of Cello and the didgeridoo. Aidin is the official member of World Design Consortium, International Design Club, International Council of Creative Industries Alliance of International Business Associations and the International Association of Designers.

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Merci Magazine - Fall Special Edition

Denis Guidone CONTRIBUTOR EDITOR ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN Denis Guidone is a design and architecture studio based in Milan and Tokyo. Fascinated by the contrasts between the East and the West, he merges the aesthetics of these two extremes with unconventional and strict precision into an elegant, eye-catching appearance. He has won international awards, including the IDA Design Award in Los Angeles.

He was also given the Bruno Munari Prize by Gillo Dorfles in 2009 at the Triennale di Milano and selected for the ADI index 2010.

In 2018, he elected by Triennale of Milan and Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the ambassador of Italian design.

KAMAN YIP CONTRIBUTOR EDITOR LIFESTYLE Kaman is a certified yoga instructor based in Hong Kong, also a visual artist in her free time & experimenting in her plant based kitchen. With 500 Hours of Dharma yoga certified training under Sri Dharma Mittra, 200 hours of Master Sudhaka, Reiki 1 & 2, and Pre & Post - Natal, Kaman has been teaching at studio. Kaman is a creative teacher; likes to bring different dynamic elements into her classes to brings out fun & powerful practive. She is passionate about traveling, seeing the world and enjoys teaching at yoga retreats to share a memorable experiences with her students.

Architecture & Interior Design

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WHEN INNOVATION meets CRAFTMANSHIP Photo: Mydriaz Paris

“Envolée cascade” Suspension by MYDRIAZ 640 x 495 x 155 mm / custom Golden-plated polished brass LED Price upon request

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Merci Magazine - Fall Special Edition

Architecture & Interior Design

MYDRIAZ was founded in 2011 by 3 artisan designers Cyril Kaleka, Jennifer Midoz and Malo du Bou�tiez specialises in the design and creation of bespoke furniture, decorative lighting and monumental high-end brass installations. From the initial sketches through to installation, the designers are involved with the entire production process. MYDRIAZ creates decorative collections that combine lighting with brass and other highquality materials.From the beginning, MYDRIAZ has dreamt up daring pieces made of metal, a material that initiates a dialogue between art and functionalism. The mastery of innovative methods and crafting techniques also allows for strong aesthetics and conceptual dimensions to blossom.

This unique array of pieces has quickly captured the attention of well-known luxury brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Cartier, Dom PĂŠrignon, Isabel Marant, Diane Von Furstenberg and Lancel.

MYDRIAZ also works with contemporary designers and artists such as Martino Gamper and Pierre Huygues.

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PRESS RELEASE

Sensitivity, precision and agility make up MYDRIAZ's philosophy.

Technical requirements and the choice of the finish are at the

overall aesthetic that breaks down barriers between art and

heart of their approach to the overall aesthetic and the concept

craftmanship. By combing traditional manufacturing processes

they imagine. Throughout their creations, MYDRIAZ seek to break

with cutting-edge techniques, MYDRIAZ creates outstanding

down the barriers between art and craftsmanship by combining

functional sculptures. Their work revolves around lighting and

traditional manufacturing with cutting-edge techniques.

furnishings, and creating opposing effects in its substance as

Working at the crossroads between two disciplines, MYDRIAZ

well as in its form. Their designs illustrate the junction where

produces and edits outstanding functional sculptures.

tradition meets innovation, and where elegance and the avantgarde unite.

The high technicality of their approach, from the initial concept to the carefully-selected finishing touches, produces an

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Merci Magazine - Fall Special Edition

CRAFTMANSHIP The Workshop

From the beginning, MYDRIAZ has dreamt of daring pieces made of metal, a material that initiates a dialogue between art and functionalism. The mastery of innovative methods and crafting techniques also allows for strong aesthetics and conceptual dimensions to blossom.

This unique array of pieces has quickly captured the attention of well-known luxury brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Cartier, Dom Prignon, Isabel Marant, Diane Von Furstenberg, and Lancel. MYDRIAZ also works with contemporary designers and artists such as Martino Gamper and Pierre Huygues. Strengthened by these incredible collaborations, the workshop participates in several events and has received various excellence awards. The eclecticism of MYDRIAZ's clientele also feeds into a varied catalog, continuously integrating new pieces displayed from New York to Miami, in places as diverse as they are remarkable, such as the Palais de Tokyo and the l'hotel de la Marine in Paris.

Motivated by a taste for new challenges, Cyril, Jennifer, and Malo have created monumental works; the results of their meetings are a never-ending source of inspiration.

Encouraged by the expectations of the luxury world and the demands of their knowledgeable clientele, MYDRIAZ ensures all of their pieces are of the highest quality. In January 2017, the company settled in the Viaduc des Arts in Paris, a central area for unique craft workshops. The workshop also regularly presents its works at expositions and corporate events, such as Révélations at Grand Palais and Journées Européennes des Métiers d’Art at the Mobilier National. As a craftwork company with its own design office and a solid network of highly skilled partners, MYDRIAZ now participates in prestigious projects for architectural firms and renowned decorators, such as Ciguë, Isabelle Stanislas, Jean-Louis Deniot, Pierre Yovanovitch, and Bruno Moinard.

For more information: www.mydriaz-paris.com

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Merci Magazine - Fall Special Edition

Ditzel Lounge Chair Sheepskin Edition

By Merci Team Photo : Fredericia Nanna Ditzel was truly an extraordinary woman. Incredibly talented, with a magnetic personality and a relentless drive. When Thomas Graversen took over as Creative Director at Fredericia in the late 1980’s, Ditzel joined him as Head of Design. Their close collaboration and openness to experimentation led to countless design awards and pieces celebrated all around the world to this day. Including what is arguably Ditzel’s most famous piece, the Trinidad Chair. She applied her brilliant creative mind to other disciplines, such as jewellery, tableware and cabinet making as well as textiles for famous design firms, such as Kvadrat.

Boasting a career that began as part of the mid-century Danish Modern movement, she was a forward-thinking visionary whose work spanned more than 50 years. Partnering with her husband Jørgen on the Ditzel Lounge Chair, they rejected conventional thinking and the assumption that a chair must be upright and rigid. Instead, by creating unconventional furniture that considered the various dimensions in a room, they believed that sitting in new ways would give people the freedom to think and live in new ways.

One of their most accomplished designs was the Ditzel Lounge Chair, designed in 1953.

With the Ditzel Lounge Chair, each line and curve has been carefully considered to appear beautiful from all angles. Providing a perfect fit to the human form and as well as exceptional comfort, due to its generous width, back support, armrests and upholstery.

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It also lends itself to customised versions and countless colours. Despite its broad, selfcontained dimensions, the chair is rather light and takes up only little space.

Known for her rebellious spirit and never-say-never attitude, Ditzel was unafraid to push the boundaries of what was considered possible. To challenge the status quo with sculptural, vibrant designs that drew inspiration from nature. Her rebellious spirit is also revealed in the varying ways you can position yourself in the Ditzel Lounge Chair. There are no rules; feel free to use it exactly as you see fit. Throw your leg over the side, lean sideways, straighten your back or cross your legs – do whatever you need to feel comfortable.

Ditzel Lounge Chair is a modern take on the traditional easy chair, offering a stylish seating solution for private residences to more public venues, such as hotel lobbies and executive suites, upscale lounges, reception areas and the like. Now available in white sheepskin with legs made of walnut wood.

MATERIALS Shell in high pressured PUR-foam enforced with a steel frame upholstered in sheepskin with solid wooden legs. * The Ditzel Lounge Chair is available in stores from October 2020.

For more information, please visit: https://www.fredericia.com

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Architecture & Interior Design

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Architecture & Interior Design

INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM Børge Mogensen collection

By Merci Team Photo : Carl Hansen & Son

Carl Hansen & Son is expanding its Børge Mogensen collection with a flexible storage system that has never been in production before. In collaboration with Børge Mogensen’s family, Carl Hansen & Son has given life to the furniture designer’s forgotten drawings. The result is an expandable shelving system that can be rebuilt, built on and adapted to individual storage needs and changing room sizes.

Børge Mogensen, one of Denmark’s most important furniture designers, left behind an extensive and multifaceted design legacy, and Carl Hansen & Son’s collection of furniture classics already includes a number of his functionalist furniture pieces. We now add another piece to the tale of the popular designer – this time a storage piece that reaches out and invites individual personalisation, exactly as Børge Mogensen intended it.

The flexible and multifunctional shelving system is the embodiment of simplicity with its veneered shelves of varying sizes and a wooden cabinet, all of which can be assembled using a frame made of cylindrical metal bars of different lengths. The shelves and cabinet module can be combined according to your needs, and the blend of open and closed modules creates a rhythmic and transparent expression.

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“The shelving system is in particular characterised by its simplicity, stability and quality, while also being very well thought-out and practical in how it refuses to be confined by its surroundings. It is highly usable and compact, with a refined choice of materials and a high degree of precision in the craftsmanship,�

- Carl Hansen & Son CEO Knud Erik Hansen

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Architecture & Interior Design

The modular structure provides the freedom to assemble and combine the shelving system according to individual needs and desires and to adapt the furniture to the size of the home. Such flexibility allows you to create a variety of furniture pieces, such as a sideboard or a bookcase that continues to grow with your book collection. This modular structure and great flexibility were hallmarks of several of Børge Mogensen’s so-called building furniture – a concept that covers furniture elements that can be combined according to personal needs. This concept became popular from the early 1930s, and Børge Mogensen was a vital part of refining it throughout the 1940s and 1950s.

Børge Mogensen always focused on the humans who were to use his furniture, and throughout his life he aimed to develop simple and functional designs that encouraged and enabled self-expression, created as durable structures and from such high-quality materials that the pieces could be passed down from generation to generation. His background as a cabinetmaker and furniture designer contributed to making wood his preferred material, and his respect for this organic and natural material is clearly reflected in the BM0253 shelving system.

The shelves and cabinets are a combination of solid wood and veneered MDF gently manufactured by hand. The shelves have rounded edges and the cabinets are equipped with small, discreet handles that have been milled into the wood to ensure an easy and effortless movement of the sliding doors. Made with a focus on details and good craftsmanship, the shelving system is available in oiled oak, white-oiled oak and oiled walnut, choices that perfectly match the rest of Carl Hansen & Son’s extensive collection. The cabinet doors are also available in painted MDF in the colours grey, maroon, blue and green, all selected by Børge Mogensen in 1953 for the shelving system and used in his drawings. The doors are also available in black. The frame comes in grey or black powder coating.

Material: oiled oak, white-oiled oak and oiled walnut. The cabinet doors are also available in painted MDF in the colours grey, maroon, blue and green. The bars come in grey or black powder coatin The shelving system is available in stores from September 2020.

https://www.carlhansen.com/en 19

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Merci Magazine - Fall Special Edition

PLASTER RADAR arose from the desire to create a collection of graphical objects and scupltural lightigs made by qualified European traditional craftsmen using noble materials. The complicity between two enthusiasts of art and design, two cities, two life stories, Paris and Milan linked by the culture of fashion and design. Also the capacity to capture new trends and to be tuned in to our clients needs to produce unique custom-made objects.

A contrast of materials. Between the gleam of glass and raw wood grain to the brilliance of marble and the matt-finish of plaster.

Solid and fluid forms, graphical curves, pure understated design.

A spectrum of noble materials provide a timeless elegance to the product line. RADAR's style is marked by the orignal codes of industrial design

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Reinforced Plaster of Paris, black metal frame.

Bulb socket available in powder coated matt white, matt black or solid brass finish.

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Merci Magazine - Fall Special Edition

Architecture & Interior Design

RIVOLI. S / WALL LAMP

SOLFERINO. S PENDANT

RAW MAT E R IA L S & SAV O I R - FA I R E All RADAR's raw glass and plaster materials are sourced exclusively in France and Europe and worked and assembled by hand in Poland.

ODEON. S PENDANT

The glass products are cast in traditional workshops, the wood is sourced from sustainable forests, the marble blocks from renowned Italian quarries and the leather from French tanneries.

Even every fabric-covered electric wire is produced in France.

Each piece of furniture, each lamp originates from a noble raw material which has either been very slightly or radically transformed by human intervention. This geographical proximity enables us to forge a close relationship with our partners and to keep a close eye on quality and production deadlines.

RIVOLI. S PENDANT

www.radar-interior.com 23

Neel

Porcelain Plate Collection

By Merci Team | Photo : Ponti Design Studio Ltd.

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Merci Magazine - Fall Special Edition

Architecture & Interior Design

Neel is a collection of 12 one-of-a-kind hand-painted porcelain plates designed by Hong Kong-based Italian designer Andrea Ponti. Inspired by Ponti’s recent visits to Rajasthan, in the North-west of India, the plate design is a modern take on classic Indian architecture, frescos and bass relieves.

Geometric patterns and lines blend with floral prints and stylized natural features such as mountains and clouds.

Neel,

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Hindi for indigo, is the typical color of interior and exterior

The plates (diameter 25cm) can be purchased on www.

decorations in Rajasthan and a symbol of its capital Jodhpur,

andreaponti.com (price on request). All the proceeds will go to

the Blue City. Indigo highlights the nuances of the paint and the

Make a Difference (MAD), an Indian NGO founded in 2006 that

intentional imperfection of the brush strokes. The color appears

mobilises young leaders to enable long term outcomes equitable

dark and faded when painting, and acquires its final brightness

to middle class for children in need of care and protection in India.

and intensity through repeated baking at high temperature (above

The plates were hand-painted by Italian porcelain artist Ivana

800°C). Each plate features a unique design and various painting

Calegari. The photographs were taken by Italian photographer

techniques. Different combinations of sfumato, ombre sponge,

Antonio Muroni.

brush and fountain pen make each plate one-of-a-kind and give the entire collection its vibrant expression.

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Merci Magazine - Fall Special Edition

Architecture & Interior Design

THE DESIGNER Andrea Ponti is an Italian designer specializing in Product and Industrial Design. Since 2013 he has lived in Hong Kong, where he founded Ponti Design Studio. After graduating in Product Design from the Politecnico of Milan, Italy in 2006, Ponti lived seven years in Japan. As a researcher with Kyushu University, he was on various internship programs with leading Japanese companies including Honda Motors and Mitsubishi Electric. Fascinated by Japanese aesthetics and design, he collaborated with Japanese design masters Toshiyuki Kita, Chiaki Murata and Junzo Yamashita. Ponti has organized numerous exhibitions for the Salone del Mobile in Milan, Italy on the theme of Product Design between Italy and Japan.

https://www.andreaponti.com/neel.html

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LE COCON DE LUXE

BY Merci Team Photos courtesy of Sybille de Margerie

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Architecture & Interior Design

"This period has been such an inspiration to me that I wanted to go beyond all constraints and conceive a space as part of a new design concept. wanted to design an atypically luxurious room; a sort of wrapping, a protective showcase, nestled in the greenery.

The original idea came from an egg- shaped concept, a cocoon - a birth or, rather, a rebirth.

The layout is inspired by the Yin and Yang symbol. In Chinese philosophy, Yin and Yang are complementary forces, used in analysing the overall cosmos and universe phenomena.

Through their etymology playing with opposite systems, the space balances these opposites with a ‘sunny side’ and a ‘shady side’, with dark and light, with night and day. They may as well represent the duality of human nature, introvert or extrovert.

An intimate life or a social world.”

- Sybille de Margerie

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Architecture & Interior Design

A follower of spiritual retreats, lockdown provided great food for thought for the interior designer. This new creation is a manifesto for “living better”, where well-being is more than ever a luxury in the heart of the creative process.

It is a new design concept, in the form of a gîte, whose purpose is to inspire hoteliers and developers as an extension of an existing establishment or a second home in the great outdoors.

Le Cocon de Luxe is a refuge, an escape free of constraints, which is rich in fulfilment and softness. Ovoid shaped, the space is intimate and feminine, designed to be like a symbol of eternity where once can imagine reaching out the mystery of creation and life.

It is a space to isolate, alone or as a couple, and awaken one’s senses to a benevolent nature, rich in positivity and inspiration. One can curl up to revitalise oneself, to escape from the everyday city-living pressures, to protect oneself from a world which has become so worrisome.

Wide openings play between the indoor and outdoor boundaries to create a sense of freedom and space.

Inside, a day area and a night area, are connected together. The fluid layout follows a path of elliptical curves which wrap around the space without restricting the flow.

Sybille de Margerie was inspired by Marcel Proust’s ponderings : ‘‘the most remarkable journeys come from the inside, free from time and space’’.

In this sensorial and dreamlike universe, one seeks the perfect symbiosis with the cosmos, a retreat without a beginning, nor an end.

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In this soft nest, the senses are awakened: creativity, the imagination and dreams are emphasised. It is a place for meditation, reading, and resting within a cosy cocoon.

The space is simultaneously luxurious and comforting, wrapped with noble and raw textures, echoing the surrounding nature. The interior includes wood and raw stone flooring, glass inlayed with iron fabric, brass, warm wooden fittings, leather, cotton, linen and velvet cushions. Colourful wallpaper and carpets bring a dynamic and poetic touch. The furniture is nomadic, easy to make bespoke and to move around.

Rooted in its era, it is contemporary and full of dynamism. You will find a “vintage� spirit, referring to the big names in design, as many landmarks and safe values.

Luxury is hidden; it is felt more than it is shown. It is expressed in a myriad of details, from the sophistication of a doorknob to the tieback for curtains.

https://www.sybilledemargerie.com 32

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THE FRENCH ART OF LIVING

BY MERCI TEAM PHOTOS COURTESY OF SYBILLE DE MARGERIE 35

‘My philosophy is to reveal the soul of a place through design.

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Sybille de Margerie

Merci Magazine - Fall Special Edition

Architecture & Interior Design

Adorned with a thousand features, Megève sparkles with the brilliance of the French art of living. A luxurious world-famous ski resort, the village of Megève nevertheless retains all the charm of Haute-Savoie in south-eastern France. It is located in the centre of three mountain ranges, in the wake of a rich architectural heritage, that Sybille de Margerie designs the interior architecture of the new chapter of the Steller Coeur de Megève hotel and restaurant. A true haven of peace nestled in the heart of the resort, this hotel renowned for its exceptional location offers a friendly and refined restaurant throughout the year. Its lounge bar is the new chic meeting place to relax in Megève , and its recently created spa introduces a serene haven of wellness to the hotel.This welcoming place contains, like (2) Above (2) Headboard: bespoke design SYBILLE DE MARGERIE -

a jewel case, an authentic and warm atmosphere in harmony with the soul of Megève. The new design of the Steller Coeur Hotel in Megève combines vibrant, pure and vibrant colours inspired

fabric Bisson BRUNEEL

by nature with the fresh colours of a sunrise on the slopes. The

Side tables: PORADA marble top on walnut

architect attaches particular importance to the optimizstion of

Cushions: tartan OSBORNE & LITTLE Desk: PORADA leather and walnut Desk chair: ALIVAR leather

surfaces and the fluidity of spaces in order to enhance the visitor experience.

Curtains: Pierre FREY Wooden wall: sandblastered walnut

Inspired by the history of the place and the heritage of Megève, Sybille de Margerie creates a welcoming atmosphere, combining tradition and modernity.

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Architecture & Interior Design

The interior decoration of the Stella Coeur de Megève pays faithful attention to detail and showcases artisanal creations, revealing with subtlety a meticulous work of shapes and colours. Sometimes this is tinged with humour and playfulness, for example the printed design of small climbers climbing the steep slopes of the white curtains. Warm tones and round lines combine to form a world of refined comfort, sheltered from the extreme cold of Megève. Sybille de Margerie offers an aniseed or brick palette for the rooms, and glacier blue for the suites. Its subtle choice of materials such as Murano blown glass suspensions or the brushed walnut weave on the walls underline the elegance of the rooms. «Luxury, calm and voluptuousness: The Steller Coeur de Megève offers an exceptional experience in the heart of the mountain.

https://www.sybilledemargerie.com 39

MONOCHRIMATIC

BY MERCI TEAM PHOTOS COURTESY OF LIGHT ON WHITE

A cosy apartment in West Village NYC. Whilst maintaining its historic character, the complete renovation has enhanced the space's functionality and contemporary aesthetic.

“Recognising the emotional impact that our environments can have on us, I gravitate towards clean lines and neutral tones and a harmonious layering of textures that inspire a sense of calm.�

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Merci Magazine - Fall Special Edition

Director, Alizee Brion

Architecture & Interior Design

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The 400sq ft, pre-war apartment's interiors are timeless, with exposed brick walls, raised ceilings, and a monochrome palette of black, white and taupe. The clever design includes sliding pocket doors and built-in closets to maximise space, given that every inch counts. The bespoke kitchen is extended to feature a marble-clad island equipped with a step-down dining table which can seat 4. The bathroom's Calacatta Oro slabs and minimalist black fixtures add a sense of luxury to the space. The large windows in the living room flood the apartment with light, accentuated through the use of 11ft long draperies with a striking patterned fabric. The furnishings mix classic silhouettes with contemporary geometric shapes, with an emphasis on natural materials.

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Architecture & Interior Design

Always searching for the next creative challenge, Light On White will be launching their first ever furniture collection internationally in 2020. They have also recently expanded their expertise to boutique hospitality projects, corporate spaces and custom yacht interiors. They constantly shift boundaries and raise the bar of what is possible.

Born in Paris, raised in London, Alizee holds a Master of Architecture from Columbia University in New York. Prior to forming Light On White, Alizee honed her design skills working with renowned architecture and interior design firms including Philippe Starck’s office in Paris. Global travel, a love of nature and a passion for art are constant influences in her creative design work.

www.lightonwhite.com 43

ART DE IN CHAM

INTERVIEW BY PHOTOS COURTESY OF

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Architecture & Interior Design

E VIVRE MPAGNE

Y MERCI TEAM F SYBILLE DE MARGER

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Architecture & Interior Design

In the heart of historic hillsides, the hotel’s contemporary architecture blends into nature and favours an unobstructed view of the three Champagne spots, listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Passionate about France and its land, an American couple acquired the Royal Champagne Hotel in 2014 in Champillon, near Epernay, only an hour and a half from Paris.

After a total transformation, this Relais & Châteaux offers luxury with delicacy and subtlety.

The decoration project incorporates the history of this former coaching inn, where the kings of France stopped on their way to their coronation in Reims, then after, Napoleon and his generals. Today, it is the ideal base for exploring the most famous Champagne houses. For the decoration, Sybille de Margerie drew inspiration from the vine, and has helped restore all prestige to this address.

Transparent and delicate, the natural materials, blond wood and coloured glass are inspired by champagne bubbles. Shoots of vines here and there symbolise the history, the heritage and the land passed down from generation to generation. The atmosphere is warm; the round shapes are inspired by barrels weathered by time.

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The Royal, a recently-awarded gastronomic restaurant, is composed of a round room furnished at its center with a large table lit by a monumental chandelier in amber glass bubbles. The cutlery is set under the complicit look of the elegant women invited by Napoleon. They are painted on four large screens standing in front of the walls with golden gradients. A bistronomic restaurant, the Bellevue is a continuation of the bar. It opens onto the terraces and offers a beautiful panorama of the vineyards. The tones are soft and recall the history of the post house with its riders hand-painted on the walls in shades of an autumn vine. The sober materials respond to the lightness and fragility of crystal pendants suspended in the center of the restaurant. The real magic happens in the evening, when the lights are metamorphosed into suspended drops of water.

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SKYLIGHTS

in the heart of the lobby, the

monumental spiral staircase leads to the lounges and restaurantlocated on the first floor.

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From the lobby acting as a vast living room, a huge chandelier of crystal flowers captures guests’ attention. Bathed in light, this space hosts a large fireplace and a contemporary wood-panelled library.

Intimate, it is conducive to tasting a selection of the best champagne.

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Architecture & Interior Design

From the lobby acting as a vast living room, a huge chandelier of crystal flowers captures guests’ attention. Bathed in light, this space hosts a large fireplace and a contemporary wood-panelled library.

Intimate, it is conducive to tasting a selection of the best champagne.

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Composed of 49 rooms on two levels, the hotel offers a serene and poetic atmosphere. The range of colours revolves around two worlds: from yellow to wine-red. The JosÊphine suite is unique, dressed in a very soft blue, recalling the Empress’ damask fabrics. All rooms have stunning views of the vineyards.

Each guest enters a setting of resolutely contemporary comfort. A subtle blend of pastel and acid tones brings a softness to the space. The wall hangings designed by Sybille de Margerie represent a pattern with monochrome grape leaves.

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The Spa is nestled in a vast area of 1500 m² that allows you to take refuge in a bubble of well-being. The calm of the reception is accentuated by long mosaic fountains. The relaxation area with its cocoons of bamboo, the softness of its lighting and the vine leaves carved on the wall echo the surrounding landscape.

In the treatment booths, the bubbles are omnipresent: they are embedded in the wood of the wall panels, in patterns on the suspensions and in the form of decorative sconces. The play of light surrounding the beautiful indoor pool and the view of the vineyard is breathtaking.

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Architecture & Interior Design

SYBILLE DE MARGERIE

ABOUT the designer: SYBILLE DE MARGERIE Elegance and rigour make Sybille de Margerie a precious ally for large-scale projects, with previous projects including dreamy hotels, luxurious residences, and prestigious addresses all over the world. The interior designer, whose agency will soon celebrate its thirtieth anniversary, creates exceptional and tailor-made projects from her offices in Paris, Florence and Dubai. This unique savoir-faire, shared by a team of more than thirty employees, has earned the reputation of a studio with international influence and constantly-renewed creativity.

https://www.sybilledemargerie.com 57

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CONVERSATION OVER A GLASS OF WINE with Johnny Li

YILINE New York- Frederick Lagrange, styling Johnny Li

Interview and written by Vivianne Lau Photos: LI&Co. Design Limited

Merci Magazine met with Johnny Li, founder and managing director of LI&Co. Design Limited, an award-winning design studio with multiple disciplines, including architecture, interior architecture, a furniture line YILINE and high-end commercial/ retail branding.

Johnny graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a double bachelor degree in Architecture and Fine Arts. After working at international architecture and design companies in New York, London, Vienna and Hong Kong, he set up LI&Co in 1998.

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Niseko retreat in Hokkaido - Credit: Niseko Retreat-Glen Clayton

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Architecture & Interior Design

You were trained as an architect, why have you decided to focus on designing interior instead of building houses?

At RISD, we received a well-rounded education; our professors taught us to be conscious of our surroundings on different levels. Interior design is internal architecture if you will: architecture is all about structure, so building the interior and the exterior shell are just different scales of the same discipline.

As time goes by, I have grown to like interior design as a way of expression.

The practice allows for exploration of more things, and I enjoy being able to amalgamate different aspects like furniture, soft furnishing, lighting, objet d’art into a harmonious whole. Our furniture line YILINE is part of this design synthesis.

Simply put, interior design has become the preferred scale for me.

In your design process, do you do it outside in or inside out?

Both, and upside down if needed! It’s all about looking at things from a different perspective, asking lots of “what if” questions. But there are a few constants in my design process: understanding of the space, the surrounding environment, and the clients - their needs, their hopes, their habits, personalities. So establishing rapport with the space and with the people is crucial.

When you see a raw space, do you have an instinctive feeling of where things should go?

As a designer, yes, I do have set ideas but I try to create according to the clients’ DNA. So different clients means different versions on the same space. Clients very often challenge my thinking too. Anyway, a raw space cannot be seen in isolation of it’s surrounding. Just as different clients means different designs, same project may not work in a different location, for example, the Niseko retreat we did could only be achieved in that Hokkaido forest.

University Place Boston-RISD 5th Year Project 61

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L’ecole Van Cleef & Arpels, Hong Kong at PMQ L’ECOLE-Ming Chan, styling Ester Van Wijck

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Architecture & Interior Design

German Design Award 2018 L’ecole Van Cleef & Arpels, Hong Kong

JANE Chair, YILINE x MARET MARET x YILINE - Josh Lee

So the landscape can be a source of inspiration; and coming

“Understated elegance”, “refined”, “considered” and “attention

from a fine arts background, presumably you draw inspirations

to details” are some words that have been used to describe

from art and history as well. Where else do you find inspirations?

LI&Co’s designs. How else would you describe your style?

Everywhere! Movies, culture, people… In the majority of times

Hmmm… I don’t think I have a particular style, do I? Back at college

the clients are a rich source of inspirations: Van Cleef & Arpels’

I was known for deconstructivism. My own bar was whimsical. I

heritage, Blanc de Chine’s brand philosophy for example. We

suppose common traits in my designs are calming, timeless, not

start with the research and pick a few aspects to develop. The

contrived with elements of surprise. The thing is each project is

treatment is different every time, sometimes it’s paring down

the result of our design and our clients’ participation, similar to

the details or blowing them up, sometimes it’s applying them in

red wine which is a product of interactions with different notes

a different context. Basically we extract the essence rather than

and constantly developing.

duplicate a look. We call it conceptual abstraction. The results are more subtle and nuanced.

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Smith House-Boris Shiu, styling Esther Van Wijck

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Architecture & Interior Design

2018 was the 20th anniversary of LI&Co, how did you celebrate and what’s your plan for the next 20 years?

We are having a year-long celebration starting last September. It began with the setting up of our New York office which is very exciting. I mentioned earlier the element of amalgamation, as part of the celebration, we collaborated with high-end bespoke jeweller MARET to give the JANE chair a makeover. Dr Margaret Lee’s interpretation is a sequence of projected images influenced by Cubism and cinematographic experience in a montage from her journey in the past. We have not done any collaborations for a while so we are hoping this MARET collab will rekindle our crossover fire. The stage set design and movie collaborations we did previously were all a lot of fun.

The next 20 years is about reinvention and focus. We would like to challenge the mundane with more maturity and higher goals. With the setting up of our New York office, we hope to step outside of the region and our comfort zone. As a designer, constant regeneration with new challenges is a necessary step to better design with maturity.

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Maison PUYI-Chandelier, Johnny Li

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Architecture & Interior Design

You received 2 lovely anniversary presents in the form of the German Design Award 2018 for your design of L’ÉCOLE, Van Cleef & Arpels’ School of Jewelry Arts at PMQ, and the “Outstanding Commercial Design Award 2018” given by the International Interior Design Association, IIDA WC. Yes, we are very grateful and humbled to have been selected. Of course it is nice to be recognised too.

In a parallel universe, what would you be?

In my father’s parallel universe, I would be a banker or a lawyer.

My mom is happy with whatever I do in life. In my parallel universe, I would still be an architect, but maybe one who could play tennis or swim like an Olympic athlete, LOL! What I am trying to say is nothing is perfect in my life. I have lots of ups and downs, happy and sad times; I made lots of mistakes and only a few nearly winning formulae, but these make my journey all the more interesting. So I wouldn’t want anything Blanc De Chine-Johnny Li

else but the exact duplicate of my current life.

Qi Pao- Boris Shiu, styling Johnny Li For more information, please visit: http://www.lincodl.com 67

REGENERATION

BY MERCI TEAM PHOTOS COURTESY OF GIULIO BOEM Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel architecture and design firm completes the regeneration of two historical buildings in the heart of Milan into a flexible and highly sustainable complex, offering a glimpse of the working space of tomorrow.

International architecture and design firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel (ACPV) unveils the renovation of San Babila Business Center. of Galleria San Carlo, and of Galleria Passerella 2, in the heart of Milan's historic center. Transforming a 21,000 GLA (Gross Leasable Area) block of buildings designed in the Fifties into a flexible and sustainable space, ACPVs intervention takes a careful approach to the conservation of the buildings' original details. while elevating their character and elegantly integrating the architecture in the surrounding urban context.

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By meeting the highest international building standards for environmental sustainability and personal wellbeing. The project by ACPV creates a flexible space able to adapt to its users' needs. While preserving the original architectures as designed in the Fifties by renowned architects Gio Ponti, Fornaroli and Soncini brothers.

while undertaking an urban regeneration intervention right in the heart of the city's busiest, best-known cultural, commercial/ and tourist destination, says Antonio Citterio, co-founder of ACPV firm, "We redesigned the buildings· facades, entrances and lobbies - opening them to the city."

The mixed-use building block (office and retail) has an E-shaped layout and comprises seven floors above ground and five basement floors hosting storage, plant rooms and parking spaces.

By replacing the original windows· frames with new black fixtures, the building's façade overlooking Corso Europa shows a lighter and modern look while highlighting the supporting structure. The facade of Galleria Passerella 2 now features a continuous glass surface after removing the old façade made of prefabricated concrete.

Overlooking Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and Corso Europa, the building's two main wings benefit from outstanding visibility. With cutting-edge design and abundant natural light, the offices feature flexible, Functional, and stylish spaces. The rooftop of the block on Corso Vittorio Emanuele hosts a 320 sqm terrace with a stunning view over the Duomo cathedral and its skyline. "Our design responds to a dual purpose, the creation of a particular design language for a single yet extensive office complex.

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ACPV also intervened by opening the buildings to the city. Lobbies are more spacious and more visible from the outside, with the characteristic spiral staircase of Galleria San Carlo that can now be seen from the street in perfect harmony with the urban landscape. "We wanted to infuse new life to the buildings, enhancing the original architecture of renowned architects such as Gio Ponti,"

Architecture & Interior Design

says Marco Brambilla, partner and project director at ACPV. "We had the marbles and original details renewed, and we designed the new addictions with new lighting items to highlight the historical threshold difference for some elements of the shared spaces - such as the elevators - to make them more accessible and prominent.

The redesign of the 21,000 GLA block of buildings also connected the layout of Galleria San Carlo and Galleria Passerella 2, creating a continuous space to allocate up to six tenants on each floor.

"Our design responds to a dual purpose. the creation of a particular design language for a single yet extensive office complex, while undertaking an urban regeneration intervention right in the heart of the city's busiest, best-known cultural, commerical/ and tourist destination, says Antonio Citterio, co-founder of ACPV firm, "We redesigned the buildings¡façades, entrances and lobbies - opening them to the city."

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"The new space design offers a glimpse of the workspace of the future," says Patricia Viel, co-founder of ACPV firm.

"The offices' space can be easily changed and adapted to the users' needs - a feature that comes quite handy, considering how to work paradigms are changing because of the COVID-19 emergency. ACPV designed a false ceiling that allows lights and partition walls to be easily moved, integrated or eliminated, to create a reconfigurable space able to quickly switch from open to closed workspaces.

The project by ACPV integrates the highest sustainability and personal well-being standards, which led to energy class A building certification besides the prestigious LEED Gold and Well certifications.

The building was sold by Goldman Sachs to DeA Capital Real Estate SGR S.p.A. for more than â‚Ź 280 72

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million, marking one of the most important Real Estate transactions of the year 2019 and the most important single asset deal in terms of size.

DeA Capital Real Estate SGR, an asset management company specialized in AIFs (alternative investment funds), acquired Galleria Passarella through its Diamond Core fund (an investment fund reserved for professional investors). The Company manages 9,5 bln euro assets under management in 52 real estate funds (2 of which are listed on the Italian Stock Exchange MIV segment).

It can rely on a wide investor base encompassing approximately 100 institutional investors.

Architecture & Interior Design

The project is part of a wider renovation intervention by ACPV in the San Babila area - including a residential tower and a mixed-use building in Corso Vittorio Emanuele, both designed by BBPR architecture practice in the late Seventies - and continues ACPV's long line of experiences in the design of offices - recent works include NOVE, an office building in Munich (Germany), and Nexxt -Fastweb new HQ in Milan.

Fore more information, please visit: ANTONIO CITTERIO PATRICIA VIE www.citterio-viel.com 73

ODUNPAZARI MODERN MUSEUM

OMM – Odunpazari Modern Museum, a major new museum and distinctive architectural landmark by Kengo Kuma and Associates celebrates its public opening. Founded by art collector and businessman Erol Tabanca, the museum is the first of its kind in Eskisehir, a university city in north west Turkey.

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OMM by Kengo Kuma and Associates. © NAARO 75

OMM commissions the largest work to date by Japanese bamboo artist Tanabe Chikuunsai IV

OMM’s innovative design, by the acclaimed Japanese architects behind the new V&A Dundee in the UK, provides a bright and spacious new home for the 1,000-piece collection of modern and contemporary art housed inside the museum. With its stacked timber design, inspired by the surrounding streetscape of Odunpazari and its history as a timber trading market, the 4,500m2 museum stands as a new landmark that reconnects the town with its heritage, and as a progressive cultural development for Eskişehir and the Central Anatolia region at large. The museum’s

permanent collection comprises over a thousand works of art spanning the 1950s to the present day, with an emphasis on artists from Turkey. The collection features works by acclaimed artists from Turkey such as Burhan Doğançay,

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Canan Tolon, Azade Köker, Nejad Melih Devrim, Erol Akyavaş, Haluk Akakçe, Taner Ceylan, İnci Eviner, Gülsün Karamustafa and Erdağ Aksel, alongside international names including Peter Zimmerman, Jaume Plensa, Marc Quinn, Robert Longo, Aron Demetz, Julian Opie, Sarah Morris, Stephan Kaluza, Hans Op De Beeck, Massimo Giannoni, Seon Ghi Bahk, Alfred Haberpointner.

We are delighted to reveal this unique building, the collection and our exciting inaugural presentations to the community here in my hometown of Eskisehir and to visitors from around the world.”

Erol Tabanca , Founder of OMM 77

The stacked and interlocked boxes are designed in various sizes to create diverse scales of exhibition space inside. Boxes at the ground level offers opportunities for large scale art works and installation.

The boxes get smaller at upper levels to exhibit smaller, intimate scale art works. The central atrium, composed with timber blocks, connects each level to let the natural light through skylight above.

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The name of this area “Odunpazari” means “wood market” in Turkish. The exterior envelop of the museum is composed with timber in full extent signifying the history and memory of the place that used to function as market in trading wood.

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Data and Credit Project title: OMM (Odunpazari Modern Art Museum) Client: Polimeks Holdings, INC.

Design Architect: Kengo Kuma and Associates Team: Yuki Ikeguchi; Partner in charge, Yasemin Sahiner; Project Architect,

Man Wai Yiu, Anteo Taro Sanada Consultants: Structural Engineer: SIGMA Facade Engineer: Ateknik Structural Design Mechanical engineer: TEMA Engineering and Consulting Trade Ltd. 1

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General contractor: Polimeks Holdings, INC. Site: Odunpazari Eskisehir, Turkey Principle use: Art MuseumStructural system: Steel, RCMajor materials: Laminated Timber Pine, limestone, Oak flooring, plaster Site area: 16,360 m2 Total floor area: 3,582 m2

Tanabe Chikuunsai

Tanabe Chikuunsai IV’s installation at OMM. Photos by Kemal Seçkin

The acclaimed Japanese bamboo ‘master’ artist Tanabe Chikuunsai IV has created a new site-specific installation for Odunpazari Modern Museum (OMM).

The installation is 6x8 meters in size and crafted entirely from ‘Tiger Bamboo’ that is unique to one mountain in Kochi, Japan.

Tanabe’s creative process mirrors natural cycles of decay and regrowth; once an exhibition is finished, the materials are broken down and repurposed in different forms elsewhere.

This particular work includes recycled bamboos that are over seven years old.

The installation was deeply inspired by the town of Odunpazari, the town where the museum is based; by Tanabe’s response to the natural environment and to the respectful attitude of

its inhabitants to their cultural history. Since his first visit to Turkey for this project, the artist has met and observed many local people as part of the creative process, in order to create an installation that captures a sense of place.

The installation takes the four elements (earth, water, air, fire) and entwines them with the human spirit of Odunpazari, filling the empty space with five interwoven strands that ascend towards the ceiling in a continuous interlocking dialogue.

To this extent, Tanabe’s design reflects OMM’s progressive mission to include the citizens of Odunpazari and, more broadly speaking, of Eskisehir, in a global exchange of culture and ideas.

Odunpazari Modern Museum | www.omm.art

OMM INN

New boutique hotel now open in Eskişehir, northwest Turkey, on the site of a major new museum OMM INN. Photo by Kemal Seçkin

OMM INN, a new boutique hotel on the site of a major new art museum, Odunpazari Modern Museum (OMM), has opened for business. Located in Odunpazari, the historic heart of the Eskişehir district in northwest Turkey, the hotel and new museum were together form an attractive cultural destination for art and design lovers.

The hotel’s design, by Istanbul-based construction company Polimeks, puts a contemporary twist on the Ottoman residential architecture that is synonymous with the town of Odunpazari and echoes the stacked timber structure of the adjoining museum designed by world-renowned architects Kengo Kuma and Associates.

Built partly inside an Ottoman-era Odunpazari home, sophisticated simplicity and attention to detail are at the core of OMM INN, with 12 custom designed rooms and an open courtyard boasting a range of eateries offering curated menus for hotel guests and museum visitors.

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DRINK & DINE

STAY

Arranged around a beautiful inner courtyard, the hotel offers a smorgasbord of dining experiences showcasing the new generation of Turkish cuisine. OMM INN Restaurant functions as a brick oven pizzeria during the day and turns into a Mediterranean meze restaurant by night, serving classic cocktails, a selection of Turkish wine and traditional raki. For a contemporary alternative, the Vegetarian Kitchen is the first of its kind in the city, catering to museum visitors with adventurous flavours and fresh ingredients.

The rooms combine a sleek aesthetic with world-renowned Turkish hospitality, with modernist details and natural materials providing chic and sustainable comfort. With the atmosphere of an airy studio apartment, each of the 12 individual suites comes with a flat-screen TV, high-speed wifi, coffee and a carefully curated selection of books. The cosy, lifestyle-oriented layout is designed to make guests feel instantly at home.

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EXPLORE OMM INN is the perfect base from which to explore the striking new museum, home to a 1,000-piece collection of modern and contemporary art, and the surrounding town of Odunpazari with its well-preserved Ottoman architecture, narrow meandering streets and an array of artisan shops and local restaurants

Eskişehir, a vibrant university city. Situated on the high-speed train line between Istanbul and Ankara, Eskişehir is popular with tourists and day-trippers from Istanbul thanks to its numerous museums spanning archaeology to aviatio n, two city parks, vibrant student population and the scenic Porsuk river that has earned it the name ‘the Venice of Turkey’

Odunpazari, which was nominated to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Tentative List, is widely considered the historic heart of

OMM INN | www.omminn.com 83

KENZO TAKADA at K㆔

Interview by Peggy Lui Photos courtesy of K三

K三, pronounced ‘K-3’, is a new luxury home and lifestyle brand founded by world renowned Japanese designer Kenzo Takada. The K三's collection was unveiled on January 17th 2020 in Paris at Maison & Objet, the leading home decor fair connecting the international interior design and lifestyle community.

To celebrate this launch, Kenzo Takada has also opened the first Ka showroom, at 242 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75007 Paris on the same day, as part of the Paris Deco Home circuit.

Kis a colorful ode to life; with the support of his team, the French at heart Japanese designer has conceptualised an extensive, yet meticulously curated collection, including chairs, sofas, tables,rugs, bed linens, home textiles and accessories. To help bring his extraordinary vision to life, the designer enlisted the know-how of leading Italian heritage brands including luxury bed linen brand SFERRA.

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This vision has been inspired by Eastern and Western

Shogun powerfully evokes solemnity, with dramatic

aesthetics with a modern twist. Therefore, as part of

black and ivory monochromes. This graphic and

the brand’s visual identity, most pieces bear a kintsugi

geometric theme brings a sharp flair to interiors, whilst

mark, a tribute to the Japanese savoir-faire.

encapsulating modernity and sophisticated elegance.

Featuring a myriad of vivid colors and bold patterns,

The Japanese designer expertly weaves together the

Kenzo Takada’s designs are reflective of his joyful

organic and geometric forms and patterns. Within this

creative universe.

collection, Kenzo Takada has fashioned together three underlying themes: Sakura, Maiko and Shogun.

For this new venture, Kenzo Takada is serving as the artistic director, and has enlisted a vast team of experts

Inspired by nature, the Sakura theme creates an overall

to work alongside him. Jonathan Bouchet Manheim has

feeling of harmony and tranquillity with intricate floral

been Kenzo Takada’s managing partner since 2013 and

motifs. The oneiric theme boasts hints of gold with a

has been at the forefront of ’s development. Engelbert

subtle pastel palette of pink and yellow.

Honorat is also working closely with the Japanese designer as his creative assistant. Wanda Jelmini has

With vibrant reds and pinks, illuminated with touches of

provided her extensive interior design knowledge and

gold, Maiko blends geometric lines and organic shapes.

experience.

This theme echoes the delicate and refined spirit of the Maikos; these young Geishas in the making are renowned for their kimonos, and their delicate red and white makeup.

What’s driving your creativity in your new brand of K3?

I have always adored working with colours, probably because I am drawn to things that exude joy, optimism, and positivity. The design philosophy for K-3 could be embodied by the French expression “Joie de Vivre.” I believe there are absolute freedom and playfulness in our work.

My team has also been an important motivation when launching K-3. This the brand is, above all, the story of incredible teamwork. I feel fortunate to collaborate with people such as Jonathan Bouchet Manheim, who has been at the forefront of K-3’s development, Engelbert Honorat, a talented designer who is closely working with me as a creative assistant, and Wanda Jelmini, who helped us with her extensive interior design knowledge and experience.

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What’s your mission to bring a unique luxury home and lifestyle brand after you retired from Kenzo?

The creation of K-3 was the result of a natural progression.

I’ve always loved interior design, and I think that I started to be more interested in this practice when I moved to Bastille (Paris) in 1987; I really enjoyed sourcing furniture and artwork for my Japanese-inspired house.

After I left KENZO, I quickly realized that work gave my life a particular purpose and fuelled by creativity. I have worked with several lifestyle brands, including Rochebobois and each of these collaborations, I must say, has enjoyed success.

Japan is one of the countries that most value the traditional craftsmanship. How you choose or select the right materials to work with your collection?

At K-3, we value craftsmanship, and that is why we have decided to collaborate with around 10 different Italian ateliers and manufacturers. We have also worked with a Japanese artisan for the screen. We choose precious materials that are.

Are there any particular Japanese materials you love and passion?

I love to work with wood, lacquer and silk for the fabrics.

What inspired you most at this moment of design?

I would say that my inspiration comes from multiple cultures, but I tend to go back to my Japanese roots and love for France.

I love working influenced by Japanese fabrics, patterns and other visual elements. I was particularly inspired by the Kimonos that I used to see on my mother and sisters. I have always adored working with colours because I am drawn to things that exude joy, optimism and positivity. I have also incorporated these Eastern aesthetics in my new K3 collection with a modern Western twist.

I must say that the French architecture, lifestyle, fashion and art are infinite sources of inspiration.

Through a remarkable career that started in 1965 in Paris, Kenzo Takada has taken his fashion brand ‘KENZO’ to a global audience. After selling his brand to LVMH in 1993, Kenzo Takada left the firm in 1999.Since then, his creativity has ventured far beyond fashion and he has collaborated with many firms across different industries.

Kenzo Takada is the founder of K三, a new luxury home and lifestyle brand, launched in January 2020.

K三 showroom | https://k-3.com

THE MODEST EXPRESSION AT KAMIZONO-CHO, TOKYO Written by David Hoggard, Managing Director HK Studio + Partner London Studio Photos: PDP London Hong Kong Studio

Tokyo, a huge city, is made navigable and legible by the many individual areas, towns, and villages that overlap. Each with its own identity and character, its own specialties, its own history.

Kamizono-cho is not a well-known part of Tokyo, certainly not beyond Japan. Yoyogi is famous for its park, home to the Meiji Jingu shrine, the entrance to the Harajuku corner of the park.

This development is on the west side of Yoyogi Park. The quiet side away from the Harajuku end and the busy entrance to the Meiji Jingu shrine. The site is set back from the road and runs lengthways, deep into the park. This was a unique opportunity for the design of a residential building in Tokyo. In the city's heart, but completely detached from it, a haven in completely private and serene surroundings.

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THE POW

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WER OF DESIGN With the building being set back well into the parkland, we had the opportunity to design the entrance experience from roadside to apartment as a journey of discovery, creating a transition from public to private in a series of curated stages. The development is low-rise, only five storeys above ground, so respectfully stays well below the canopy of the magnificent park trees surrounding it. The entrance gives little away of the building beyond. A simple wall of grey stone at the road’s edge defines the boundary of the development.

On entering, one crosses the outer threshold under the wall.

The main building is only just visible, sitting above and behind the podium level. Next, one drives into a covered area. Here the walls are clad in stone surrounded by pools of water. Warm lighting reveals the texture of the materials and marks the way onward. In the far corner, light spills out from the reception area. At this point, the visitor feels they have travelled a distance underground. There is a sense of surprise through the doors and upon entering the foyer as this area is flooded with natural light from the skylit atrium above. Abstractly the experience is similar to that of finding an unexpected clearing in the neighbouring park.

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The architecture itself is calm and restrained in style. Clad in stone and brick (a reference to the UK heritage of one of the clients), the facade is an exercise in proportion with large picture windows providing the connection from within to the park beyond.

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The development is linear in plan with the main building sitting above the level where one arrives. The apartments are arranged to the perimeter on all four sides. Although at the lowest level, the centre is the main foyer space is naturally lit from an atrium-like roof along its entire length. The foyer is the central hub of the building providing the connection to all the functions and activities. At the arrival, the end is the concierge space and then arranged around the foyer's perimeter are the individual lift lobbies that take the residents up to their apartments.

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THE FOYER

The foyer itself is very spacious, and as well as a circulation zone also functions as the resident's lounge. To the side of the main space in secluded alcoves are located intimate sitting areas where residents can meet guests and friends in a private and homely setting.

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CONTEMPORARY REFINMENT The apartments were designed to appeal both to the Japanese and International markets. We were keen to combine the best of both, so while kitchens follow a more cosmopolitan feel with the latest European appliances laid out in generous open plan living and dining spaces, the bathrooms adopt the Japanese model of bathing. (Since completion, it is interesting to see how the Japanese bathroom has become popular around the world in luxury developments.)

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The apartments at GPK were designed from the

the rooms feel better proportioned with more

outset to be different from its contemporaries in

frontage and more access to natural light. This

Tokyo. For the same floor area, each apartment

is the real luxury at the heart of the design of

at GPK generally has one less bedroom than its

GPK.

equivalent in other developments. This reflected the idea that future residents would likely prefer more space distributed evenly throughout their homes to merely having a certain number of bedrooms. This extra space gives a feeling of generosity to every room and results in all of 99

The interiors of the units follow the same feeling of understated luxury as the rest of the building. With the main feature of most of the rooms being the views to the park beyond the interior is simply finished in a predominantly white scheme with large picture windows or sliding doors onto terraces.

The result is that the apartments are flooded with natural light and feel fresh and bright with a strong sense of connection to the park beyond. Uninterrupted timber floors flow through the apartments adding to an appreciation of the natural surroundings.

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CELEBRATING In addition, the majority of the apartments are duplex units with the lower units having private outdoor terraces and the uppermost having their own private roof gardens. These units are at a level looking directly into the treetops of Yoyogi Park. A truly unique setting and one that is worth celebrating.

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The apartments above surround the open atrium space, and so in addition to their windows facing outwards into the park beyond, they also have windows opening into the atrium. The apartment entrances are on the atrium side and so also benefit from natural lighting. There are several separate lift cores around the foyer, so each is only shared by two apartments per floor. There is, therefore, no need for internal corridors in the development. The combination of these considerations gives the development of being more like a series of houses than apartments.

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LESS IS MORE Tying the entire development together is a real sense of craft. There is attention to detail in the selection of materials and how they are put together, which resulted from excellent teamwork between the entire team, particularly the Executive Architect Yasui Kenchiku, the Lighting Designer Uchihara Creative Lighting, and the Contractor Kajima. Many months were spent scrutinizing every material with respectful discussions going on late into the night (in true Japanese style).

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The main building is surrounded in its own landscaped gardens for the residents to enjoy. These are designed to represent and celebrate all four seasons in microcosm.

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The result is a development that has proven hugely popular with its residents and consistently achieves amongst the highest rental values across the whole of Tokyo. A development that was designed with an utmost of respect for a unique site in a unique location.

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Interview

Interview by Peggy Lui Copywriter: Suzi Yamaguchi Photos courtesy of Ted Assoicates and Nippon Yusen Kaisha

When talking about samurai, ‘Bushido’ the samurai code of honour and discipline comes to mind. Mr. Nagai was born in a samurai family and grew up in the affluent Shirokane area of Tokyo, a sophisticated and well-educated environment. It is one of the reasons he acquired his distinctive sense of design.

T-PLACE - Minami Aoyama Yusen Building is a classy cityscape of Aoyama built 30 years ago and designed by Mr. Nagai. We will talk about how this timeless design was developed and also as the Vice President of JCD, how he foresees the challenges and growth in the Japanese design industry.

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Above: The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho. (Photo from The Prince Gallery Kioicho Website) The interior was designed by Rockwell Europa, and Mr. Nagai was in charge of a local design for the Nikken Space Design.

You are more into high-end luxury hotel

You are also an author and one of your books is

consultancy projects now, what motivates you

called “Akinai design�, what’s it about?

to be successful in this special category.

Over the past several years I have been involved in

The word "AKINAI" is a combination of the Japanese

several luxury hotel projects and currently have two

words "shobai = business" and "akinai = do not get

large scale projects in progress. I think it is because I

tired of ~". I am aiming for a design that does not

am a designer but I can also see things from a different

become obsolete = never get tired (it will not get old

perspective. I think it is very important to make

over time). In that sense, I think Aoyama T-PLACE is a

decisions by understanding the design and getting

good example of this success. It's been 12 years since

a well-balanced point of view from the business,

the book was published and it has been very well

operator, architect, and construction aspects. At the

received. Originally, this book was written in the hope

same time it is important to be able to clearly explain

that many business owners who do not understand

opinions and reasons to the other parties. Next, we

design will understand the importance of design in

need the ability to look ahead (predict the outcome

business, and then use design as a weapon to advance

in advance), which requires a lot of experience and

new business. Also, because it is written in an easy-

knowledge. Sometimes you have to make judgments

to-understand manner, nowadays it seems that it has

like "this design is similar to the competitors, so the

been purchased by many educational institutions

product value will decrease to half, therefore it is better

and read by students. I am very happy that it is read

to change the design." This can sometimes be the

by these students, who are the seedlings of our future

opposite opinion of the designer. Design is important,

designers.

but at the same time I think it is important to be able to consider over-investment and maintenance efficiency. It's a difficult but rewarding job.

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JCD: Japan Commercial Environment

Interview

As the Vice President of JCD, how do you foresee the challenges, trends and development of the Japan design industry?

I feel that the designing abilities of all Asian countries have improved tremendously over the last 20 years. I would like to contribute to creating an environment in which Japanese designs will have an even stronger competitive edge and we can produce more world-class designers in the future. To that end, the important thing is to get governments and companies to understand the importance of design.

I would like to collaborate so that intangible intellectual property without resources will become a new industry/asset in Japan. This is because business and design are now inseparable. In a sense, creating a company's organization or building a profit-making structure is synonymous with design. I would like to encourage many international designers to actively participate in Japanese business and compete with Japanese designers to inspire and strengthen each other.

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FOUR SEASONS in KARUIZAWA Interview and written by Vivianne Lau Architect interview by Peggy Lui Architect written by Suzi Yamaguchi Photos: Jimmy Ming Shum

Jimmy Ming Shum is an artist, film director and photographer based in Tokyo.

As someone who grew up in`Hong Kong, graduated from San Francisco Art institute, Parsons and Pratt Institute in New York City, and known for his Tokyo Girls series and commercial shoots, Jimmy seems to be all about urban coolness. His recent creative endeavour - building his family home in Karuizawa, a resort town in Nagano - is all the more interesting.

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V: Vivianne Lau J: Jimmy Ming Shum

V: How was building a house different from your work in terms of the creative process?

V: What was the most challenging part and rewarding part of this project?

J: The core of the projects are very similar, it’s about

J: The toughest part was to balance the needs and

expressing myself through different medium. With

opinions of different members of the family. This

the house, my crazy ideas have to be tempered by my

is afterall a family home, i have to juggle practical

family’s practical needs.

needs and creative ideas.

As I am not an architect, I enisted the help of my architect friend to realise my vision, so this time, I am the one giving the brief, which was actually very

This entire undertaking itself is one big challenge: building a timber house from scratch in a place that

straight-forward: to create a simple, minimalist space

snows in the winter. It poses a rather steep learning

with high ceiling, similar to a gallery where artwork

curve from decorating an apartment in the city. The

can be displayed. I also wanted large windows

materials, landscape and weather presents many

throughout the house so that the view of the outside

technical and statutory constraints, even down to

could be enjoyed readily in different parts of the

the colour of the building. Then again, completing it

house, almost like nature as art pieces.

is also the rewarding part of the project.

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V: Tell us about the part of the house you like best or are most proud of.

Is it what you expected?

J: I really like the large deck which extends out to the trees; it gives the feeling that we are truly living in a forest. I also love the large windows that you will find throughout the house, even in the bathrooms. They are like pictures of the four seasons, bringing nature into the house.

V: What are the feedbacks from your family?

J: I think (hope!) they are happy with it. Unlike living in a Tokyo apartment with strictly demarcated and confined spaces, having the high ceiling, spaciousness and a less defined spatial delineation in the house are aspects they appreciate. It’s a novel experience for the family.

W: If you could start again, how would you have done it differently?

J: Perhaps I would be more experimental or daring, especially with the exterior. I might create different spaces or corners in the house that are more unusual. I would probably make it one level rather than two storeys.

W: What are your hopes for this house?

J: I hope to gradually fill it with artwork that I love, and I hope the retreat will offer my family a hiatus from the Tokyo city life.

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What draws you to KARUIZAWA? The amicable summer temperature has made Karuizawa a popular summer retreat destination for many. In the winter, the kids can have easy access to skiing. I also happen to like the mountains, the forest and being amongst wood. As Karuizawa is in Nagano, it has access to an abundance of fresh produce, so there are plenty of restaurants in Karuizawa.

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P: Peggy Lui A: Architect: equip Inc.

P: Can you share with us the concept of the design?

A: When designing the space for my client’s Karuizawa villa, I kept in mind that he works in a creative field so I wanted to create a place to inspire his creativity.

We started planning the layout for this villa from the perspective of where to place the building on the sloping land so it extends out to the east to make the most of the views and also the appearance of the villa when welcoming them on their arrival from Tokyo.

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What about the perspectiveof the design?

In order to feel the extraordinary we carefully studiedthe positioning and size of the windows, designing them so that the green of the broadleaf trees from spring to summer can be see from wherever you are, but also see the distant scenery during winter when the leaves are bare, fully experiencing the white snow.

We used a lot of wood for the interior with a touch of Japanese feeling even though it is a very simple design; the exterior appearance also has Japanese elements, which is designed to be less oppressive so as to blend with the surrounding landscape. The exterior is the shape of a box with small surface area; it is a total of two floors with good thermal efficiency so my clients can live there comfortably even during the cold months in Karuizawa.

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Is this the first time for you to collaborate with a foreign customer?

No, I have worked with foreign clients who live in Tokyo."

Did you have any difficulties during this project?

The volume of the building and the layout plan were particularly difficult.

How do you foresee cross-culture design projects in near future?

I think cross-cultural design projects will become more and more popular in the future, especially in Japan.

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ABOUT JIMMY MING SHUM https://jimmymingshum.com

ABOUT EQUIP INC. https://ekip.co.jp/index.html

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As healthcare facilities are acknowledging the high level of stress generated by the medical procedures, they aspire to overcome the preconception of being barely treatment laboratories by taking inspiration from both hospitality and retail design experiences. The ambition is to offer an increasingly relaxed space and lower the stress levels.

Nevertheless, medical spaces are not restaurants or cafes, neither are they shops or showrooms.

Patients’ needs as space users are different from the needs of customers in purely commercial sense. The complex and orchestrated procedures inside a medical institution and the psychological impact that it could have on patients draw several guidelines and limitations to space design.

Written by Farid Ziani KTX archiLAB Photos: Stirling Elmendorf

INTIMACY DESIGN for clinics

When it comes to day-patients’ or outpatients’ clinics, the examination and treatment spaces are used for a short time in a relatively limited space, overruled by functionality, and leaving little room for design. It is at the waiting room, however, that these medical institutions are expressing themselves with refreshing creativity. Two main themes are repeatedly being interpreted in these spaces: nature and high-tech. Firstly, and most commonly, nature is believed to be a stress relief for patients; inserting plants, gardens, or simply opening the space to a natural scene plays an important role to relax the atmosphere and acts as a psychological antidepressant. On the other hand, the High-tech theme promotes the skillful, precise, and sophisticated discipline of medical care, subconsciously reassuring the patients on being taken care of by the right hands.

While patients go through examination or treatment alone, or together with his/her companion, it is not the case while waiting, where they must share the space with all other patients present in the clinic at the time. This creates a new type of stress, not related to the medical procedures but rather to the lack of intimacy. A matter that has hardly been acknowledged by medical space design even in the recent years where hospitality is taking over waiting spaces.

The degree to which intimacy is relevant is obviously related to the local society and culture, together with the type of the medical services offered. An internal medicine clinic for example does not require the same level of intimacy as a urology clinic, and so is a skin care clinic different from an ophthalmology or a dentistry clinic.

The following case studies goes through three clinic designs with different medical specialties requiring contrasting levels of intimacy. All three cases are recent works designed by the Japan based KTX archiLAB.

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PART I

The Midlight Runway Shuhei clinic in Nishinomiya city is a skin beauty clinic in one of the most fashionable neighborhoods in western Japan. Here, the patients need to go through consultation before heading up to the examination or treatment process. The consultation requires removing any kind of makeup beforehand, creating an uncomfortable situation for patients that wish not to reveal their faces. The design of Shuhei clinic focuses on offering the patients the necessary intimacy and comfortable environment.

A series of vertical back-lit stainless-steel panels are set up along the distribution corridor stretching on from the reception counter along the entire space width. Every second panel on the right side is extended into a mirror covered wall on both sides, dividing the space into 7 small consultation rooms that also serve as The Waiting Space. Here, there is no proper waiting room in the orthodox meaning, rather sofa and coffee table furnished small spaces that blend two functions, the consultation and waiting.

Aside from providing the necessary intimacy, all spaces give directly to a Japanese mineral garden outside to relax the atmosphere and provide natural light. Each room has two openings between the vertical panels, the opening behind the patient’s sofa is closed using translucent glass to provide further protection. Once the consultation is over, the patient will be guided directly to the assigned examination or treatment room without crossing other patients.

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PART II

The Panelarium Matsubara Himeji

Urology

city

Clinic

follows

a

in

more

conventional layout with two distinct

waiting

rooms:

a

reception section and an inner section in front of the examination and treatment rooms. A series of horizontal and vertical 70 x 500 mm panels stretches out from the waiting space walls and ceiling, in what appears to be as a random position. Nevertheless, the panels were strategically placed, each fulfilling a specific function.

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The panels vary in depth to form shelves, seats, counters, and most importantly blinders covering the patient’s face while waiting in front of the assigned room. Urology patients are particularly shy when it comes to which examination they are about to take and need more intimacy at that moment. Inspired by the digital world and the High-Tech DaVinci surgery system, a specialty of Dr. Matsubara, the space from floor to walls to ceiling is turned white. All the panels are white except for one aspect, the same sized surface facing the corridor, which is either black or back lit, aa interpretation of the digital binary system 0 and 1.

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SYSTEM 0 AND 1

Architecture & Interior Design

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PART III

WHEN CLASSICAL MEETS SIMPLISTIC

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The third case is a diabetes clinic in Kobe city. Although it provides conventional diabetes treatments, the doctors in this clinic focus on promoting natural healing process by offering dietary guidance and consulting to the patients. The general waiting room is designed in simple lines with a light wooden finishing. At the end, a minimalistic white gate opens to a dim lit room with classical moldings, a green wall, a bookshelf, and furnished in a big table and chairs in a cafÊ style. This room is the special waiting space for patients that are assigned to the two consulting rooms accessible directly from the waiting space. The two consultation rooms are well closed, and sound proofed allowing the patient to feel comfortable while speaking to the doctor. Converting the special waiting room into a hospitality space atmosphere tricks the brain into shifting the attention away from the medical procedures. While the patient’s confidence in self increases in a relaxed space, the need for intimacy declines significantly.

https://ktx.space 137

HOSOO:KYOTO

By Peggy Lui

Photos courtesy of OEO Studio Japanese textile brand HOSOO, established in 1688, traces its history back to the Kyoto silk industry of the 6th century and is specialised in superior quality Nishijin textiles for high-end fashion and contemporary interiors.

The collaboration between HOSOO and OEO Studio started back in 2011 and besides designing a whole new range of distinctive HOSOO textiles, OEO Studio has worked closely with Masataka Hosoo, representing the 12th generation of the Hosoo family, to shape the strategic and creative direction of the brand for the international luxury market.

HOSOO is a Kyoto-based textile company founded in 1688 and specialised in superior quality textiles for high-end fashion and contemporary interiors.

HOSOO pushes the boundaries of textiles by combining the qualities of traditional craftsmanship with highly developed skills within threedimensional weaving. These unique weaving techniques add depth, structure and detail to the textile in the actual weaving process besides creating the pattern.

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On 2 September 2019, HOSOO opened their first

The furniture design seeks to balance the HOSOO

flagship store in the old Kyoto district of Karasuma-

textiles and offer a perfectly crafted total ambiance.

Oike on the ground floor of a building that also

The furniture collection is available in a choice of

houses the HOSOO headquarters. OEO Studio has

light-hued and black-stained ash wood and consists

contributed to the interior design of the 275m 2

of a daybed, lounge chair and a three-seater sofa

flagship store, while local architect Naohisa Hosoo

in addition to two sizes of coffee tables featuring

has headed the transformation and renovation of

Nishijin Reflected table tops. The collection is made

the five-storey building. Traditional craft techniques

to order and crafted in Japan.

have been extensively applied in the interior and exterior of the building. The interior walls are

Other furniture in the HOSOO lounge includes the

constructed using a traditional plastering technique

Coco chair from Danish design brand Gubi that in

and feature four colours of rammed earth as well as

the store is featured with different kinds of HOSOO

gold foil applied on black plaster.

textile upholstering. Jari tables, masterly crafted by Danish design brand Brdr. KrĂźger, are also part of the furnishing, here featured in grey-stained ash wood.

All furnishing is designed by OEO Studio.

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The exterior of the top floors of the building is covered with Nishijin Reflected, which is a transparent Nishijin textile featuring the ‘Moss’ pattern designed by OEO Studio. At night, the design offers an alluring subtle glow. Nishijin Reflected is constructed using alternating layers of fibre-reinforced resin and glass – an innovative use of materials that allows Nishijin textile to be applied in new ways.

OEO Studio has from the early stage of the project been involved in the spatial planning, choice of materials and the design of bespoke interior elements for the flagship store in close dialogue with local architect Naohisa Hosoo.

Finally, the upper floor of the flagship store features an art space with changing exhibitions that trace and portray Japan’s 1200-year heritage of unique textiles and traditional crafts. The gallery OEO STUDIO floor itself is fitted with a bespoke carpet adorned with the ‘Moss’ pattern in green and greytones. The carpet is also designed

by OEO Studio and crafted in Japan.

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HOSOO FLAGSHIP STORE Floor Guide / 1F Store / 1F Lounge / 2F Gallery / 3F Salon / 5F Hall http://www.hosoo.co.jp/en/

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HOSOO

KANAAMI-TSUJI

KAIKADO ASAHIYAKI

NAKAGAWA MOKKOUGEI

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BRINGING THE POETRY OF JAPANESE DESIGN TO THE WORLD In 2012, six crafts companies from Kyoto teamed with OEO Studio to create a platform for international growth with the aim of pushing the boundaries of Japanese crafts and bring the poetry of Japanese design to the world.

From this brief, OEO Studio created the umbrella brand Japan Handmade and helped shape the strategic and creative direction for the crafts companies, including the design of new products, by tapping into their unique traditions and skills within textile, ceramics, woodcraft, bamboo, metal knitting and teaware. Reflecting this heritage, OEO Studio developed a universe of compelling storytelling that communicates the values, emotions and qualities of the crafts, while reaching out to an international audience with inspiring contemporary products.

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ASAHIYAKI CERAMICS WITH EXQUISITE COLOURED GLAZING

Asahiyaki is part of the Japan Handmade initiative and has worked with OEO Studio since 2012 to bring new revitalised life to their unique heritage products.

The Harmony Collection introduces exclusive and highly functional pieces of porcelain that offer contemporary appeal. The collection includes vases, trays, teacups and teapots, which are all handcrafted at the Asahiyaki factory in Japan and feature exquisite colour glazing carefully selected for every single piece.

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Product launch: 2012 OEO Studio Client: Asahiyaki, Japan Services: Product Design, Packaging https://asahiyaki.com 149

HOSOO MORE THAN TEXTILE

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Japanese textile brand Hosoo, established in 1688, traces its history back to the Kyoto silk industry of the 6th century. In 2011, the company partnered with OEO Studio with the objective of offering superior quality textiles to the international market. Apart from designing a whole new range of distinctive textiles, OEO Studio has shaped the strategic and creative direction of the Hosoo brand by applying a comprehensive, holistic approach, pushing the boundaries and bringing a fresh perspective and direction to the company with a focus on clearcut communication, product innovation and creating a design universe with international appeal and commercial potential.

Today, Hosoo provides textiles for interior projects and fashion brands worldwide and in 2015, the brand’s textiles was included in the permanent collection at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian

Design Museum in NY. On-going collaboration since 2011 Product launch: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 OEO Studio Client Client: Hosoo, Japan Services: Brand Innovation, Creative Direction, Textile Design http://www.hosoo.co.jp/en/

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KAIKADO CONTEMPORARY OBJECTS THAT AGE WITH GRACE Kaikado is part of the Japan Handmade initiative and has worked with OEO Studio since 2012 to bring new revitalised life to their unique heritage products.

The Objects Collection complements the company’s distinctive centuries-old idiom – the tea caddy - with contemporary everyday objects created with materials that age with grace to ensure lasting value as family heirlooms. The collection includes a tea pot, water pitcher, trays, vases, milk jug, champagne and wine coolers etc.

Following the success of the Objects Collection, Kaikado has furthermore brought life to the Objects Collection in silver.

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Product launch: 2012 OEO Studio Client: Kaikado, Japan Services: Product Design, Packaging https://www.kaikado.jp/english/ 153

KANAAMI TSUJI DRAWING ON THE CRAFTSMANSHIP OF KIKU-DASHI

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Kanaami-Tsuji is part of the Japan Handmade initiative and worked with OEO Studio since 2012 to bring new revitalised life to their unique heritage products.

Product launch: 2012 OEO Studio Client: Kanaami-Tsuji, Japan Services: Product Design, Packaging http://www.kanaamitsuji.net

The Chrysantemum Shades is a unique collection of lampshades that celebrates the craftsmanship of kiku-dashi.

The chrysanthemum pattern is translated into simple and highly distinctive expressions, creating a unique experience and sense of shadow play.

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BMBU COLLECTION The BMBU collection includes a chair, a table in two sizes, a stool and a bench.

Bamboo is a strong, durable and highly flexible

The BMBU collection is designed by Danish OEO Studio

material. The aim of the BMBU collection was to

for Kohchosai Kosuga and produced in a collaboration

create a line of furniture that reflects the beauty of

with TEORI, a Japanese bamboo furniture maker

this natural material. The collection offers an honest,

based in Kurashiki, Okayama. The BMBU collection

minimal design with international appeal, born out of

is made of “Mosochiku” bamboo, traditionally used

a democratic Scandinavian ethos where good design

for simple Japanese housewares. Yet for the BMBU

should be for everyone. With simple yet refined lines

collection, bamboo has been applied in new ways

and with bamboo at its core, the BMBU collection is

to enhance and explore the qualities of “Mosochiku”

conceived for comfort and to add warmth to a small

bamboo as a material.

home.

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THE PLATEAU COLLECTION MOSO BAMBOO

The Plateau Collection comprises accessories for

This collection is made using moso bamboo. Partnered

the bathroom and living room and serves multiple

with Kohchosai Kosuga, one of China’s leading bamboo

purposes in the modern home. As the name implies,

studios produces the items in an integrated production

the design offers a reflection of differences in levels

system that encompasses the entire cycle of processing

of height and is inspired by the terraced Japanese

from farming to fashioning, ensuring the highest of

landscape. Drawing on traditional craftsmanship and

quality.

high-tech machine manufacturing, the sophisticated collection is designed by OEO studio in Copenhagen, Denmark.

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MOSO BAMBOO:

Widely common in Japan and mainly used for food as well as arts and craft products. There

is also an abundance of high-quality bamboo in China, its place of origin. In Japan, bamboo is

broadly used as a material for daily-use housewares.

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NAKAGAWA MOKKOUGEI

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OBJECTS OF DESIRE Nakagawa Mokkougei embodies the fine tradition of Kyoto woodcrafting where time-honoured skills are passed on from father to son. Shuji Nakagawa represents the third generation of the Mokkougei family business and has, together with OEO Studio, brought a new approach to the Ki-Oke tradition, a technique developed 700 years ago. The first result is the Ki-Oke Stool, launched in 2012, which fuses the fine tradition of Kyoto woodcrafting with western sensibilities. More objects of beauty followed in 2015, including a Low Table, a Backgammon Game, a Storage Container and a Large Tray. In 2015, the Ki-Oke Stool was included in the permanent collection at The Toshiba Gallery at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Product launch: 2012, 2015 OEO Client: Nakagawa Mokkougei, Japan Services: Product Design https://www.ateliercourbet.com/nakagawa-mokkougei-inventory

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INTERVIEW with THOMAS LYKKE

Q: Peggy Lui A: Thomas Lykke What's driving your creativity and passion for design?

Our drive for OEO Studio is what we call 'Reason for being,' meaning that what we do and what we create needs purpose and reason in a bigger perspective than the actual product itself.

We are driven by creating meaningful experiences that touch people or move people. We see ourselves as a creative tool and soulmate for the people we work with to evolve and differentiate.

What is cross-cultural to you and how to evolve in your design?

Cross-cultural to us is like imagining an artist with a blank canvas taking in inspiration from whatever where ever. It is like an open mindset that is not limited to one way of thinking.

Cross-cultural is slowing your self to be inspired by other cultures and not afraid of mixing and creating new typologies. Look at music today and how it is being produced and how much culture is taken. New sounds, tunes are all seen with fresh eyes and a new perspective.

At OEO Studio, we are born out of a tradition for design and architecture, yet we are not limited.

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Speaking of Minimalistic, can you share your definition of the difference between the West and East cultures? Any example in-between your home country Copenhagen and Japan?

At OEO Studio, we practice Compelling Minimalism - design, experiences and solutions that emotionally touch you. The design you are drawn towards.

The difference between Minimalism from Japan and Minimalism from Denmark is that Minimalism's Japanese touch has a much higher sense of poetry and sophistication. In contrast, Danish Minimalism is rooted in pure aesthetics and function.

Back to 2012, the government-sponsored initiative when the six crafts companies, how you revitalized life to their unique heritage products that draw on Kyoto craftsmanship's time-honoured traditions?

That we did with an open mind, humbleness and an open heart. Through respect and curiosity and a mission to help and evolve traditional crafts by opening their eyes to new possibilities and making them feel comfortable and at ease.

Which product design you like the most, and can you share with us the reason?

We like products, be honest, and original - and we strive to create products with the reason for being.

It is difficult to pinpoint just one product. Yet we will do that. As we are talking about Japan Handmade, we would like to pick our Ki-Oke stool designed for craftsman Nakagawa Mokkougei.

The stool design is a perfect example of our approach to design 'Compelling Minimalism.' It touches you, and you feel engaged by it. The design builds on the proud traditions of bucket making - through it elevates a bucket from a simple object to a piece with almost art like reference and value.

I remember sometime after the launch when visiting Nakagawa san at his workshop in Shiga - he said: You have helped me open eyes and door to new possibilities. I still get goosebumps just by thinking about it.

That, to us, is worth it all.

6 craftsmen from very different backgrounds and trades - together, we created one overall strategy for communication as a joint collaborative named Japan Handmade or GoOn in japan. Below that umbrella, we did a one-to-one strategy with each company and craftsman.

It has been an incredible and fruitful journey, and we feel very grateful and proud of what we have achieved together. We have received honourable mentions and spaces at permanent collections alike the V&A museum as well as MusĂŠe des Arts DĂŠcoratifs, to name some. The most significant award, though, is the friendships we have gained with the families in Kyoto.

We try to avoid using the term re-think. Instead, what's your new thinking during the pandemic, and what are you looking for in 2020-2021?

More or less, we do what we have always done - now we just do it a little bit more. We reflect and think about context, purpose and reason for being.

As a designer, you have a big responsibility, and that responsibility has grown with the pandemic. Yet it should just be common sense and responsibility for the bigger picture.

ABOUT OEO STUDIO Founded in Copenhagen in 2003, OEO Studio is a multidisciplinary award-winning design studio focusing on interior architecture, product design and brand innovation. Led by Head of Design and Founder Thomas Lykke and Managing Partner Anne-Marie Buemann, OEO Studio share a passion for craftsmanship, tactile natural materials and a lived-in sensibility, creating meaningful products and universes.

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AN URBAN RYOKAN AND ROOFTOP ONSEN IN TOKYO

By Merci Team Photos: Nacasa & Partners

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ONSEN RYOKAN YUEN SHINJUKU Embodies the essence of traditional ryokans adapted for modern travellers Surrounded by a sea of summer-green bamboo, a wooden gate with a blue noren curtain opens onto a tranquil pathway lined with lanterns, pebbles, plants and, at the far end, a rock handbasin with trickling w ater.

This sounds like the entrance of countless traditional ryokan inns across Japan, the serene pathway typically providing guests with a sense of transition from the outside world to its inner sanctum. Yet this hotel isn’t located on a rural mountainside or quiet Kyoto lane. Instead, it can be found in an area more famed for its futuristic neon lights and skyscrapers than its traditional aesthetics: Shinjuku in Tokyo.

The traditional and the contemporary easily overlap in ONSEN RYOKAN YUEN SHINJUKU, which recently opened on a quiet street about a 15-minute walk from Shinjuku’s main train station. The atmospheric 20-metre entrance walkway leads into a discreetly positioned grey 18-floor tower, complete with 193 guestrooms resembling a contemporary take on traditional sukiya tearoom-style architecture.

‘Through unique impressions and delicate sign designs, I would like guests to feel the unique qualities of Japanese hospitality,’ explains Shun Kawakami, founder of artless Inc.

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‘Yuen Shinjuku is a modern and urban version of the traditional Japanese ryokan,’ says Daishi Yoshimoto, its designer from UDS. While the hotel is owned by JA Mitsui Lease Buildings, UDS is involved in its planning, design and operation.

‘We extracted the essential features of a ryokan and “edited” it to fit the practical needs of modern travellers,’ Yoshimoto explains.

‘While the front facade is that of a very traditional ryokan, the traditional design begins to gradually blend and shift to modern contemporary design as the guest proceeds towards the lobby and on to the guestroom. This transition is intended to be very subtle and natural so that the whole experience is comfortable and memorable, while being authentically Japanese.’

Stepping inside the modern, minimal space, a series of design touches evoke ryokan interiors: from the night-time shadows of bamboo plants moving in the wind, seen through white washipaper screens behind the check-in desk, to the hovering under-lit wooden platform with circular straw cushion, minimal ikebana displays and the traditional incense burning in corridors.

Clean-lined signage by Tokyo-based branding agency artless Inc. guides guests to the elevators.

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The seven room types span a range of sizes, but all share

Kakatojo restaurant on the ground floor — a warm mix of

the same aesthetic: tatami-style flooring, low-lying

grey stones, a sugi cedar wood ceiling and an L-shaped

white beds, walls that evoke traditional plasterwork,

counter made from a single piece of Japanese gingko —

and touches of craftsmanship in the round ceramic

serves contemporary Japanese cuisine, plus delicious

washbasins made in Shigaraki and the tiered wooden

breakfast in tiered ceramic boxes.

jubako boxes containing amenities.

The windows are also eye-catching in their simplicity: a single horizontal slit framing views across the Tokyo skyline. Inspired by the traditional concept of yukimi shoji (which literally means ‘sliding screens for seeing the snow’), the intention is for guests to slow down, position their gaze and savour the view.

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But the hotel’s crowning glory can be found at its apex: the rooftop onsen, for which an undisclosed amount of mineral-rich onsen water is delivered weekly by lorry from the mountainous Hakone region. Here, noren curtains lead to indoor and outdaoor baths for men and women, plus a small lounge with a wall of glass, where stunning views across Shinjuku can be enjoyed post-bathing.

https://www.uds-hotels.com/yuen/shinjuku 175

SKY DESIGN AWARDS 2020 SHORTLISTED Sky Design Awards is an award recognising the

The prize , is awarded every years, garnering international

achievement of excellence in the areas of architecture,

attention to the most inspirational and significant new

interior design, visual design and product design

buildings, interior design and visual design across

for companies and individuals exemplifying design

different countries but also to a range of the industry’s

excellence for projects delivering meaningful social

leading talents.

impact.

In 2020 The Sky Design Awards create collaboration opportunities

SPECIAL PRIZE sponsored by HYM Turntable & Stereo

between designers and companies globally. Sky Design Awards endeavors to empower design professionals to

One of our special prizes is sponsored by HYM Turntable &

hone their skills and creative development through our

Stereo. One of the Sky Design award winners or shortlists

awards, design dialogue and experience hub; facilitating

will be able to collaborate, create and design a brand new

creative exchange opportunities. Through this award

vinyl record player with HYM. The new vinyl record player

we aim to continue recognising and cultivating more

target to be launch in the market in 2021 to celebrate this

projects for cross-cultural collaborations with architects

compelling co-curation.

and interior design companies on a global scale.

Specializes: In 2019, we were honored to have PROMEMORIA from Italy

Winners of Industrial Design included Gold, Silver, and

extend an opportunity for one of our shortlisted firms –

bronze, will have a one year contract with Merci Media for

A.N.D (Aoyama Nomura Design) – to collaborate on a new

online and offline sales and promotion.

furniture piece for an up-coming design show in 2020.

We are hoping to foster more of such collaborations this

The quality of design and execution presented is the key

year.

considerations are:

Prizes Trophy with the certificate, an extended opportunity, Sky Design Awards will be awarded to winners and provides a chance for overseas projects hiring, cooperation, and brand collaboration. The prize is open to individuals and companies for architects, iInterior and visual and graphics, and industrial design globally.

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25%: Originality and creativity 25%: Appearance 20%: Constructability 20%: Commercial value 10%: Sustainability

2020 JUDGING PANEL

(Names in no particular order)

Manuel Rabaté

Arthur de Villepin

J Lee Rofkind

Daishi Yoshimoto

Takao Kawasaki

Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi

Founder and CEO of the Art de Vivre Group

HOK's regional leader of Hospitality Design in the Asia Pacific Region

UDS Ltd/ COMPATH Corporate Officer

President of Kawasaki Takao Office

AIA/ LEED AP

AIA Japan Representative, International Region

Naoki Iijima

Yukio Hashimoto

Tetsuya Matsumoto

Manfred Yuen

Jodi Batay-Csorba

Principal of IIJIMA DESIGN

Art Director of Hashimoto Yukio Design Studio Inc.

Head Architect Designer at KTX archiLAB

Founder of Groundwork Architecture + Urbanism

Principal, Batay-Csorba Architects

BA(AS)(Hons)(HKU), DipArch(Cambridge), RIBA, HKIDA, HKDA

OAA, MRAIC, LEED AP, NCARB, M.ARCH, B.ARCH

Present Director of KU/KAN DESIGN Organization

Lecturer at: Aichi Prefectural University of Arts,Showa Women’s University

2017 RAIC YOUNG ARCHITECT RECIPIENT

Andrew Batay-Csorba

Keith Lam

Spencer Hung

Principal, Batay-Csorba Architects.

Co-founder and Artistic Director of Hong Kong-Taiwan based New Media Creative Studio Dimension Plus

Design Director of JIA Inc.

OAA, MRAIC, NCARB, M.ARCH, B.ARCH 2017 RAIC YOUNG ARCHITECT RECIPIENT Sessional Professor, Ryerson University/ University of Waterloo / University of Toronto

Co-founder of art & culture studio Studio Movement , Founder of composite design space openground .

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ARCHITETURE DIVISION Name of Company or Individual: SFG landscape architects Country: Japan Project Name: Bloom no kaze Project Completed City: Kashiwa, Chiba Architecture Division: Landscape Architecture Website: https://www.sfg-landscape.jp/ The public garden for “Bloom no kaze” is public spaces to encourage communication between local people and disabled children who use the care center “Bloom no kaze”. Before this project, the place was an abandoned forest and not open to the public but because of the construction of the care center, the garden has been renovated as a public community garden.

Multiple paths are set to walk freely between trees and also accessible for wheelchairs users. Movable benches and tables are set in the cafe exterior terrace of the center so that you can use it for relaxing or chatting with a cup of coffee, eating something.

Name of Company or Individual: Nomura Co.Ltd Country: Japan Project Name: Varve Museum Project Completed City: Fukui, Japan Architecture Division: Landscape Architecture Website: http://www.nomurakougei.co.jp/english/

A symbolic landscape that unveils 70,000 years of terrestrial history Fukui Prefectural Varve Museum, situated near Lake Suigetsu, opened in 2018 as the world's first museum dedicated to varves. Varves are thin bands of sediment deposited annually at 0.7mm layer in glacial lakes and those from Lake Suigetsu which date back 70,000 years, have been verified against radiocarbon dating at the International Radiocarbon Conference in July 2012, and it is now exhibited at the Museum as a precious shining asset of the region.

Name of Company or Individual: IYs-Inoue Yoshimura studio Inc. Country: Japan Project Name: Slanting Line House Project Completed City: Yokohama City Architecture Division: Residential Website: http://iystudio.jp/ Small house for couples and children. IYs-Inoue Yoshimura studio Inc. proposed a new way of living with slanted lines taking advantage of adverse conditions such as slanted line restrictions and narrow deformation sites.

In the plan, the plane of the building was divided into diagonal lines and the floor was shifted up and down.

Each function is not divided into rooms, and most of the space is a single room with no division, but it is gently segmented by the difference in floor height and the size of the space. Non-orthogonal, sloping line overlaps small, wide, high, low, and diverse spatial variations.

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Name of Company or Individual: Atelier Global Limited Project Name: SONGSHAN LAKE, THE MASTERS ART MUSEUM Project Completed City: DONGGUAN, CHINA Architecture Division: Commercial, Retail & Office Website: http://www.atelier-global.com

The Master’s Art Museum is located between Shenzhen and Dongguan, within a newly developed cultural and design district. National renowned Artists fashion designers had set up their work studio and held exhibitions in the development. The new museum is an effort to create a more unified exhibition space, and also act as a day-to-day common living room for the artists.

Name of Company or Individual: Tetsuo Kobori Architects Country: Japan Project Name: BAIKO GAKUIN UNIVERSITY - The Learning Station CROSSLIGHT Project Completed City: Shimonoseki city Architecture Division: Institute & educational Website: https://tk-a.jp/ The new building of Baiko Gakuin University aims to provide a place for students to develop the capacity to think and the power to live. The campus is located in Shimonoseki city, Yamaguchi Prefecture and by considering the context in which the site is (surrounded by other schools, a municipal gymnasium and houses), we erased the boundary between the campus and the city. We allowed access from multiple directions, with the new building becoming the center of the community.

Name of Company or Individual: Atelier Temma Co., Ltd. Country: Japan Project Name: Forest Corporation Head Office Project Completed City: Ina City, Nagano Architecture Division: Commercial, Retail & Office Website: http://www.atelier-temma.com/

“Tatami” and “Doma” Workspace in a Forest. This office was built by a construction company specializing in homes and harmonized with the forest surrounded by 360°of the Shinshu mountains.

This project is full of ideas for working styles born from a continuing pursuit of the home that faces daily life. The motif is “tatami” and “doma”. This office lets workers go barefoot, which returns to the traditional Japanese custom of living life with shoes removed.

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ARCHITETURE DIVISION Name of Company or Individual: KAMITOPEN Co., Ltd. Project Name: majimaya Project Completed City: Tokyo Architecture Division: Commercial, Retail & Office Website: http://www.kamitopen.com

The history of Kappabashi Tool Street began in the first year of the Taisho era (1912 C.E.) with several tool shops and antiquarian dealers set up at around Kappabashi Bridge over the Shinhori River.

Located in the middle of Ueno and Asakusa stations, about 170 specialty shops dealing with tableware, kitchen equipment, kitchen utensils, confectionery tools, food raw materials and packaging supplies are on the 800 meters arcade.

Name of Company or Individual: RON DESIGN Country: JAPAN Project Name: Weekend House in TANOURA Project Completed City: Imabari Architecture Division: Residential Website: http://ron-design.jp/ Tanoura's weekend house is located on the island of Oshima, in the southwest of Japan. This island extends from Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture, toward Hiroshima. Ron Design designed a weekend house overlooking the beautiful sea for the client, who runs his own landscape company.

In modern society internet connectivity through our smartphones is an ever-present fact of life. Although very convenient, it's hard to create an environment where we aren't interrupted. At the weekend house, the client could escape the hustle and bustle of his busy life, which provided muchneeded space and time to refresh his mind.

Name of Company or Individual: Kris Lin International Design Country: China Project Name: Textile Project Completed City: Deqing Architecture Division: Remodelled Heritage (Conservation)

The project is located at the junction of Hangzhou City and Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province. It is located in Leidian Town, Deqing County. Deqing has thousands of years of textile history and is also an important silk weaving industry region in China.

In the design of the project, the designer integrates the city's compatibility and continuation, integrates history with modernity, respects the original culture and residual status of the space, retains the historical elements, and equips it with modern diversified functional spaces to inject new vitality into this space.

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Name of Company or Individual: Kris Lin International Design Project Name: Light Waterfall Project Completion Date: 12/2/2019 Project Completed City: Wuhan Architecture Division: Public Space

This is a space for exhibition and sales. Kris Lin International Design participated in the design of architecture, interior design, soft-fitting project and landscape scheme. We tried to integrate the three parts of interior architecture landscape into one and form an experience space of gallery-style exhibition in the way of integration of architecture, interior and landscape.

Name of Company or Individual: Kris Lin International Design Country: China Project Name: Flying Project Completed City: Jiangyin Architecture Division: Public Space

The project is located at Jiangyin city, the center of the Yangtze River Delta urban economic planning zone. The Yangtze River Delta is the largest economic development planning zone in East China. Designers use the advantages of geographical location to create an urban art experience center, which symbolizes the expectation for the city’s future development.

It is hoped that it will represent the development and take-off of the city in the Yangtze River basin, and lead the Jiangyin citizens to witness the leap of the city. Therefore, it is named as the "Flying�.

Name of Company or Individual: D.H.I.A International design CO., Ltd Country: Taiwan Website: http://www.dhia.com.tw Project Name: Rainbow Project Completed City: Chupei City Architecture Division: institute and education Rainbow Kindergarten is located in zhupei City of Taiwan. At nearly 1,650 square meters, the layout of architectural, landscape and interior aims to maximize the outdoor living space. The curving corridor of the courtyard in front of the main building serves as the main entrance. The covered corridor connects the arc of temporary parking for the parents who pick up their kids, rain or shine. The slanted columns support the awnings. The colourful glass panels introduce natural lights and animate the daily walks to school.

The spacious lawn adjacent to the corridor accommodates the playground and the stretching and activity of the body. A small fence demarcates the semi-outdoor area while connecting the activity area to the indoor.

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ARCHITETURE DIVISION Name of Company or Individual: A Nomad Sub + nanometer architecture Country: Japan Project Name: PALETTE Workspace for Continuous Employment Project Completed City: OSAKA Architecture Division: Institute & educational Website: http://www.anomadsub.com/ Architecture like an urban space where users can find a place to fit In a homogeneous space like an office, about twenty users were engaged in work; some were packing products in boxes at their desks, and some were processing parts for industrial products. One-half of them were working at an open desk, and the other half sat at individual desks with partitions so that no other people came into sight. Because they felt nervous about the visitors, high screaming came from individual cabins separated by piled up boxes and partitions. It was something I saw in the existing facility on an adjacent section before the design of the employment support facility PALETTE.

Name of Company or Individual: Q-LAB Country: Taiwan Project Name: Dalong Mix-Use Complex Project Completed City: Taipei Architecture Division: Mixed-Use Website: http://www.qlabarchitects.com/

Dalong Mix-Use Complex was originally built in 1985, found with contaminated building materials in 1996 and lastly demolished in 2015 for the concern of public health and safety.

Q-LAB won a nation-wide competition in 2015 to re-design the new Dalong Mix-Use Complex. The program calls for a return of the traditional market on the ground level, municipal office on mid floors and 96 social housing units on top.

Name of Company or Individual: IYs-Inoue Yoshimura studio Inc. Country: Japan Project Name: Slanting Line House Project Completed City: Yokohama City Architecture Division: Residential Website: http://iystudio.jp/ Small house for couples and children. IYs-Inoue Yoshimura studio Inc. proposed a new way of living with slanted lines taking advantage of adverse conditions such as slanted line restrictions and narrow deformation sites.

In the plan, the plane of the building was divided into diagonal lines and the floor was shifted up and down.

Each function is not divided into rooms, and most of the space is a single room with no division, but it is gently segmented by the difference in floor height and the size of the space. Non-orthogonal, sloping line overlaps small, wide, high, low, and diverse spatial variations.

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Name of Company or Individual: teamSTAR Country: JAPAN Project Name: MGY BASE Project Completed City: Tokyo Architecture Division: Commercial, Retail & Office Website: https://www.starchitects.info An office like a ‘secret base’ where people would want to gather. MGY BASE is an apparel brand office situated in a quiet residential area of Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo. It is an eye-catching building with an arrow shape facade.

The main floor is 6m high and its huge glass facade gives the impression of semi-outdoor space. Wire mesh used in the loft, industrial taste lighting, iron and scaffold used fixtures, and other details represent the ‘secret base’ the client asked for.

Name of Company or Individual: S.O.Y. LABO. Country: Japan Project Name: K.S. Kindergarten Lunch House Project Completed City: Abiko, Chiba Architecture Division: Institute & educational Website: http://www.soylabo.net

This is a project to add a new lunch house to an existing kindergarten.

Mankind’s architectural beginnings were hand productions with a minimal amount of processing. They used natural materials such as earth and stone that were readily available and fashioned structures using the characteristics found in these materials. Among them, the material “wood” was of particular interest. Wood a living organism if looked at from a biological perspective the tissue structure made of connected cells serves as a vibration (seismic) absorbing structure and with a built-in performance gradient.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT An update about Sky Design Awards 2020 – COVID-19 The declaration of COVID‑19 as a pandemic is having an impact on our lives and business operations globally. All of us are feeling unsettled and anxious to different degrees, especially as we face unknown changes to our daily routines and future plans. The Sky Design Awards Committee will continue to monitor and assess the updates provided by different countries and public health regulations and policies. These information will guide our approach and help ensure we take the steps that best protect our partners and all who support the Sky Design Awards. As part of our commitment to the safety and well-being of our staff and visitors, we have decided it is in the best interest of our clients and staff to limit walk-in service at this time.

Design symposium and exhibition, for the time being we now changes to November, 2020 on our schedule.

Nonetheless, this is a fluid situation of historical proportion and things are evolving every day if not by the hour, we shall continue to monitor the circumstances and make any changes and announcements as soon as possible. Last but not least, We hope everyone will stay safe and take care of each other. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

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INTERIOR DESIGN DIVISION Name of Company or Individual: MASTERD Co., Ltd Country: Japan Project Name: ISORAS CIKARANG Project Completed City: Cikarang, Bekasi, West Java, Indonesia Interior Division: Hotel & Resort Website: http://masterd.co.jp “ISORAS CIKARANG” is a suburb of Jakarta, Indonesia.

It is the first serviced apartment in the area of Cikarang that is operated by a hotel operator.

The request from the owner is that `looking at the sky changes but living the same as usual, ‘’ because the target is a business trip for a long stay from Japan, a life experience that does not feel uncomfortable with living in Japan is required. The design was assumed.

Name of Company or Individual: SOMETHINK Country: Hong Kong Project Name: The Park Lane Hong Kong A Pullman Hotel Project Completed City: Hong Kong Interior Division: Hotel & Resort Website: http://www.somethink.co The design of the executive guest floor from 23-26F with 144-room, Hotel enjoys an enviable location in Causeway Bay offering accommodation and venues with breathtaking views of the city landscape, Victoria Park and Harbour.

This renovation can help to create a new guest room & corridor that reflects its brand and provides a space where a traveller from around the world can feel comfortable, create the concept in ultimate style.

Name of Company or Individual: cmyk Co.,Ltd Country: JAPAN Project Name: ASTY SHINFUJI Project Completed City: Tokyo Interior Division: Transportation Hub Website: http://cmyk-jp.com/ In the city of Fuji, the historical Shin-Fuji High-speed rail station and its commercial area are revived in this project. Using Fuji-Hinoki, local pine lumber for floors, walls and furniture, we designed the seating area that is essentially wide stairs. A large staircase in the center of the lobby provides the public with a seating place with clarity. We wanted people to see the stairs from outside, as it acts as an indicator that there is easy access to the second floor, and gains traffic to businesses. The nature of high-speed rail is that there is a long waiting time for the train; hence we created many spaces visitors can dwell and pass time comfortably.

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Name of Company or Individual: MASTERD Co., Ltd Country: Japan Project Name: KUSHITEI GINZA Project Completed City: Tokyo Interior Division: Restaurants Website: http://masterd.co.jp Kushitei Ginza was planned as a flagship store under the Kushitei brand.

According to the location and characteristics of the brand, it is divided into three stages of <luxury>, <upper middle> and <casual>, and this time the flagship located in <luxury>. However, while inheriting the concept of â&#x20AC;&#x153;oriental sumâ&#x20AC;? for the entire brand, there was a need for a feeling of air that is different from the past and that fits the Ginza area.

To create such a feeling of air, we worked with Momentum Factory, Orii Koji Orii, and used copper plate colouring to create the expression of all-round change, and put the sense of presence and sizzle when fried skewers on the entire wall.

Name of Company or Individual: Oriharamiki Design Office Co., LTD. Country: JAPAN Project Name: IPPUKU & Matcha Project Completed City: Tokyo Interior Division: Restaurants Website: http://www.oriharamiki.com Store design of only 15 square meters.

Although it is a rare matcha shop with a take-out facing the front, there is a tea room behind the hidden door of the mirror, a quiet space that escapes the hustle and bustle of the city. The original design of the glass stove, the unusual red earth plasterer, and the accent bamboo are also represented by the plasterer.

Name of Company or Individual: Oriharamiki design office Co., LTD Country: JAPAN Project Name: GYOZA OHSHO Yurakucho Kokusa Forum Project Completed City: Tokyo Interior Division: Restaurants Website: http://www.oriharamiki.com A property in a new business format of a national chain store under an overpass in JR Yurakucho.

Because it is located under the railroad tracks, the design was designed with the image of the premises of a European station. We thought about raising the values of the land so that the people walking on the front street would not feel strange about this cityscape.

Although it is a Chinese chain, it was the 50th anniversary of its founding, so I was conscious of the retro feeling at the time.

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INTERIOR DESIGN DIVISION Name of Company or Individual: Shenzhen C.S.C Design Institute Country: China Project Name: Guiyang Louvre Tulip Inn Project Completed City: Guiyang, Guizhou, China Interior Division: Hotel & Resort Website: http://www.cscsjy.com The project is located in Guiyang’s new district-Shuanglong Linkong Economic Zone, the total area of the project is 22,000 ㎡. It is located in a European-style building and landscape of China Railway Ecological City.

Doomed, and everything has multiple possibilities. The interior designer hopes: writing a city, engraving a landscape, creating a symbol of the city’s spiritual totem, and continuing the local human context.

Name of Company or Individual: NOMURA Co., Ltd Country: Japan Project Name: HIYORIYAMA COAST MUSEUM Project Completed City: HYOGO Interior Division: Institution Website: https://www.nomurakougei.co.jp/ In 2019, Hiyoriyama Coast Museum opened in the GeoPark located in Hyogo Pref., north-west of Honshu Island, Japan, adjacent to the Kinosaki Marine World - a marine research aquarium facility with 300 species in 7,000 varieties being nurtured, bred and protected. The museum exhibits the work of the species preservation and learnings from life in nature and aims to protect the earth's wild animals and pass them on to the next generation.

Name of Company or Individual: Daisuke Yamamoto / de:sign Country: Japan Project Name: beautiful people Project Completed City: Shibuya,Tokyo Interior Division: Retail Shop Website: http://de-sign.jpn.com “Beautiful People”, a Japanese fashion atelier based in Tokyo. Since their debut at Paris fashion week, they have broadened their activities and this is their second freestanding store in Tokyo, Shibuya Parco, an iconic shopping destination leading the Japanese youth culture opened in Nov 2019.

Every day, and in every place of the world, we see new buildings and stores being built, and in every site, there are numerous construction materials used one after another. Steel is used to framework walls that protect the entire construction frame, then fireproof boards are compounded, finished with paint to give the walls and ceilings a distinctive look and texture.

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Name of Company or Individual: Materiality Design Country: Taiwan Project Name: Taipei EROS Hair Salon Project Completed City: Taipei Interior Division: Retail Shop Website: https://www.mdesign.com.tw/ As a leading brand among the hair salons, we treat the physical space of the shop as the embodied identity at the fringe of the downtown Taipei. In order to make it an innovative, fashionable, and enduring place, we integrate regional characters into the design. The geometry of black, white, and grey colours transform the layers of the space while ensuring its functionality.

Here the framed landscape becomes a diorama with flowing junctures of inside and outside that echoes the essence of hair design.

Name of Company or Individual: FATHOM Country: Japan Project Name: Ripi Project Completed City: Kure city, Hiroshima, Japan Interior Division: Retail Shop Website: https://fathom-design.jp/ The request from the client is to create a transparent space. Inside the store, the kitchen and sales floor were separated by steel and glass and could be opened completely. Although it was possible to express the transparency visually, I thought that equalizing the balance between the kitchen and the counter would create continuity between the two spaces and lead to new sensory transparency.

The two spaces have been averaged while maintaining the structure and function of each floor. The"sales floor"uses mechanical lighting, such as the use of industrial lighting, to remove decorations.

Name of Company or Individual: Loftwork /Shuhei Goto Architects Country: Japan Project Name: CODO Project Completed City: Shizuoka Interior Division: Office Design Website: http://shuheigoto.com/ This office was designed as a prototype for offices in a new era of innovation based on the idea that today's office space needs some room for flexible renewal and updates initiated by employees themselves.

We decided to transform the existing lecture hall that had been originally used for in-house events into a space capable of accommodating multiple activities including working, meeting, dining, holding events and more.

Our idea was to create a space allowing people to circulate freely and meeting various purposes by utilizing the existing space in all directions and stacking box-like steps in a staggered manner along the periphery of the room while leaving a wide-open space in the center.

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INTERIOR DESIGN DIVISION Name of Company or Individual: S.D.S. International Co., Ltd. + YUHI STUDIO Country: JAPAN Project Name: YJY Zhengzhou Flagship Book Store, China Project Completed City: Zhengzhou, China Interior Division: Retail Shop Website: http://www.yuhi-studio.com/ “VILLAGE BOOK STORE” offering a new lifestyle for people One of the origins of the book is to convey information to people through words. Chinese kanji have been created based on the footprints of birds walking on sandy beaches in the era of the Yellow Emperor. The letters have then been used in various ways. The great poet “Li Bai” sang nature and humanity by words, his poems still linger on the hearts of people.

Meanwhile, modern people have less access to books and are more likely to get information from the virtual world online.

Name of Company or Individual: Tomoko Ikegai ikg inc.

Country: Japan Project Name: YJY MAIKE CENTRE FLAGSHIP STORE Project Completed City: Xi’an, Shanxi Province, China Interior Division: Retail Shop Website: http://ikg.cc/ The city of Xi’an was once known as Chang’an the seat of several important dynasties in ancient China; today, it is home to the Xi’an Hi-tech Industries Development Zone, a leading center of technological development. This project involved the design of a bookstore and commercial complex occupying 4,500 m2 on the first and second floors of an elegant building in the Development Zone. The goal of the design was to create a place for encounters between people, cultures, and books from around the world by building on three remarkable features of the site: its location in an ancient city that boasts the extraordinary World Heritage Terracotta Army as well as the origin of the Silk Road; its luxurious surroundings, including a Grand Hyatt on the upper floors; and the elegant lines of the twin building.

Name of Company or Individual: 9Studio Design Group Country: Taiwan Project Name: No. 9 Rhapsody Project Completed City: Canton City, China Interior Division: Office Design Website: http://www.9studiodesign.com The nature of design is to make something out of nothing. The studio space of a designer is the source to thoughts and concepts and a site of imagination. Therefore we design our own studio like the setting for a science fiction movie with a strong sense of prop. The inexhaustible imagination lays out the spatial need.

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Name of Company or Individual: NOMURA Co., Ltd Country: JAPAN Project Name: NSK MUSEUM Project Completed City: TOCHIGI-city Interior Division: Office Design Website: https://www.nomurakougei.co.jp/ Nakanishi Inc., NSK is a leading manufacturer and distributor of dental equipment with a and headquartered in Kanuma City, Tochigi Pref., Japan.

For its business partners from around the world, we took a task in its opening of the NKS Museum and Plant Tour Corridor within the premises of NSK’s R&D Center in 2018. The Museum showcases NSK’s products, including state-of-the-art surgical handpieces, each of which is crafted from as many as 2,300 components, polished and assembled to a precision of 1/1000mm.

We designed the Museum with two objectives; to offer a stunning array of those products with innovative design and unrivalled quality, while stimulating internal communications for employee engagement.

Name of Company or Individual: Tomoko Ikegaiikg inc.

Country: Japan Project Name: Yan Project Completed City: Shenzhen, China Interior Division: Retail Shop Website: http://ikg.cc/ “Life in the East”, New Style of Bookstore Complex 2,475 sqm bookstore complex ‘Yan’ was conceptualized with the theme of ‘Life in the East’, located in a development area of Shenzhen Bay, where hotels, residences, sports facilities, and office buildings clustered. We designed it to be a place where people feel the calm and dignified spirit of ‘Zen’ and also follow its sub-concept ‘Think borderless, Discover Yourself.’

It expresses the shop’s identity as a place for endless self-discovery. To achieve this, we designed the bookstore to be a place where you can feel the calm and dignified spirit of Zen Buddhism.

Name of Company or Individual: NIKKEN SPACE DESIGN LTD Country: JAPAN Project Name: The Chapel of Tokyo Kaikan Project Completed City: Tokyo Interior Division: Institution Website: http://nspacedesign.co.jp/ Tokyo Kaikan's main building with the Imperial Palace view opened in 1922 as a world-famous social venue that anyone could use. The chapel is newly built in Tokyo Kaikan along with its rebuilding in 2019. Tokyo Kaikan's history, tradition, style plus Imperial Palace forest view make it ideal for special ceremonies, with Japanese aesthetics enjoying the passage of time and seasons, blurring indoor-outdoor borders. Inspired by the Imperial Palace forest, the approach is like the sun through a tree canopy, inviting to extraordinary places, with natural light's direction and quality evoking nature's changing elements of time, season, weather, etc. Intersecting light and wood lattice create the couple's special space, quietly celebrating them.

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INTERIOR DESIGN DIVISION Name of Company or Individual: ATELIER GLOBAL LIMITED Project Name: Shenzhen Longhua Book City Project Completed City: Shenzhen, China Interior Division: Institution Website: http://www.atelier-global.com Shenzhen Longhua Book City is the sixth Book City Building in Shenzhen with a ~46,000m² building area. It is set to become a new local cultural hub which is more than a place of reading, but also a place for innovative design workshops, leisure, entertainment, child education, and commercial.

From design initiation, we hope that the design would be able to provoke dialogues between different mediums: between nature and people, art and culture, space and sensation, et cetera. By looking into the past, present and future of Book City culture, our design aims to rejuvenate the daily life of citizens and help them to rediscover the joy of reading by bringing them a brand new reading experience, through a smart architecture that can breathe (natural ventilation), grow (flexibility), and understand the needs of readers (interactive).

Name of Company or Individual: RHIZOMATIKS Country: JAPAN Project Name: SHIBUYA SKY Project Completed City: Shibuya Interior Division: Leisure and wellness Website: https://rhizomatiks.com/ “SHIBUYA SKY” is a 360-degree view observatory that takes place at a height of 229 meters in the center of Shibuya, Tokyo overlooking the chaotic Shibuya Scramble Crossing. It aims to be a place to stimulate the curiosity of visitors and nurture the imagination for the future.

The experience is structured by three zones. The first zone is where connects from the 14th-floor entrance to the 45th floor “SKY GATE”, the second zone is the outdoor rooftop observatory “SKY STAGE”, and the third zone is the indoor corridor exhibition “SKY GALLERY” on the 46th floor.

Name of Company or Individual: TAKASHIMAYA SPACE CREATE CO., LTD. Country: Japan Project Name: Citadines Namba Osaka Project Completed City: Osaka city Interior Division: Hotel & Resort Website: http://www.ts-create.jp/ The building was built in 1923 as a department store architecture incorporating Western architectural styles that were rare in Japan. At that time, Osaka was a very vibrant economic center called the “Greater Osaka era”. After that, it was no longer used as a department store as the times passed, and it was used as an office for the back department.

In converting the historic building this time, the building owner is a department store and the hotel requirements include a vibrant design element that includes "WOW". Therefore, the hotel design concept is "The Department Store".

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Name of Company or Individual: NIKKEN SPACE DESIGN LTD Country: JAPAN Project Name: Intercontinental Yokohama Pier8 Project Completed City: Yokohama Interior Division: Hotel & Resort Website: http://nspacedesign.co.jp/ YOKOHAMA is known as an international port that has been in operation from the mid-nineteenth century. “The Yokohama Hammerhead” complex opened in October 2019, with a newly established cruise terminal acting as a new gateway into Japan. The wharf - with a sense of floating - reaches out to the sea, and supports the “Shinko Pier Cruise Terminal” and our hotel, the “Intercontinental Yokohama Pier8”.

At the entrance, visitors are greeted by a delicate spiral staircase, akin to a seashell found swaying with the tides of the sea that leads visitors to the reception on the second floor.

Name of Company or Individual: TAKASU GAKU DESIGN AND ASSOCIATES INC. Country: Japan Project Name: BAKE CHEESE TART / CROQUANT CHOU ZAKUZAKU Sakuramachi-Kumamoto Project Completed City: KUMAMOTO Interior Division: Retail Shop Website: http://www.gaku-design.com

This is the first combined store design of “BAKE CHEESE TART” and “CROQUANTCHOU ZAKUZAKU” developed by BAKE inc.

BAKE is made up of only ultra-fine solid metal rods and is lined with tarts floating on minimal furniture that has been shaved to the limit and yellow boxes that symbolize the brand. On the other hand, ZAKUZAKU has a soft impression with a round opening in the gradation glass from the brand colour light blue to transparent.

Name of Company or Individual: TAKASU GAKU DESIGN AND ASSOCIATES INC. Country: Japan Project Name: Nishinakasu TAKESHI DOROKAWA Project Completed City: Fukuoka Interior Division: Restaurants Website: http://www.gaku-design.com This is the design of the Italian restaurant's second store so popular that one cannot even make a reservation. The restaurant name “nishinakasu Takeshi Dorokawa” is, just as its name suggests, only made up of the newly selected land name and the chef’s real name.

It does not bear the word Italian intentionally. The chef, Mr. Takeshi Dorokawa, carefully prepares the dishes using multiple essences of Japanese cuisines and natural ingredients from the earth, a unique cooking style with Italian cooking methods as a base. His method and garnishes are beautifully calm, just like a full course of Japanese cuisines.

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INTERIOR DESIGN DIVISION Name of Company or Individual: supermaniac inc.

Country: Japan Project Name: TOKI to TOKI Project Completed City: Kinosaki, Hyogo Interior Division: Hotel & Resort Website: http://www.supermaniac.ne.jp This traditional Japanese hotel “ryokan” is perfectly located in the central of Kinosaki onsen district near the station. Even though it is newly opened but TOKI to TOKI stands beautifully along the river as it had been there for a long time. TOKI to TOKI in Chinese characters means “season and time” and we wish that this hotel will be the place for the guests to simply enjoy changes of the season while time passing slowly.

The design concept was “Miyabi” which means Japanese elegance. It seems loud but there is a refined sense embedded in the design. As we design, we came to understand “Miyabi” we want to express in our design is the pomp and the fine quality that can elevate our mind.

Name of Company or Individual: Kimoto Yoske Architectural design room Country: Japan Project Name: BREAD, ESPRESSO & "Arashiyama Garden" Project Completed City: Kyoto Interior Division: Retail Shop Website: http://www.hare-ma.com/profile When the old Kobayashi family residence, a cultural property, is used as a store used by the unspecified majority, it was difficult to use it without damaging the current atmosphere (the original value as a building) under the Building Standards Law. Therefore, by utilizing the proviso ordinance of Article 3, Paragraph 1, Item 3 of the Building Standards Law, we took a method that could be used legally while maintaining the current atmosphere. In order to compensate for areas not covered by current laws and regulations, structural reinforcement and disaster prevention reinforcement were implemented. There are few application examples in private houses in Kyoto Prefecture, and we hope that it will become an advanced example of leaving old buildings in the future.

Name of Company or Individual: OVAL DESIGN LTD Country: Hong Kong Project Name: Hong Kong Monetary Authority Information Centre Project Completed City: Hong Kong Interior Division: Institution Website: http://www.ovalesign.com.hk Elevating the HKMA Information Centre which has a mandate to educate the public and whose audience entails a wide-ranging profile into a welcoming place for visit requires relentless stretching limits of ordinariness.

We achieve this goal by heavily injecting physical and digital interactive elements into education tools and games so as to make them playful for learning financial matters of different themes threading through monetary policies and history of Hong currency notes and coins.

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Name of Company or Individual: Kimoto Yosuke Architectural design room Country: Japan Project Name: Soy Sauce Brewery Restaurant - "KINBUE" Syoyu park Project Completed City: Kawashima Town Interior Division: Restaurants Website: http://www.hare-ma.com The public garden for “Bloom no kaze” is public spaces to encourage communication between local people and disabled children who use the care center “Bloom no kaze”. Before this project, the place was an abandoned forest and not open to the public but because of the construction of the care center, the garden has been renovated as a public community garden.

Multiple paths are set to walk freely between trees and also accessible for wheelchairs users. Movable benches and tables are set in the cafe exterior terrace of the center so that you can use it for relaxing or chatting with a cup of coffee, eating something.

Name of Company or Individual: Kraft Architects Country: Japan Project Name: Observation Lobby of the Ibaraki Prefectural Government Building Project Completed City: MITO Ibaraki Interior Division: Office Design Website: http://www.kraft-architects.jp/ In order to promote the use of the Observation Lobby on the 25th floor of the top floor of the Ibaraki Prefectural Government Building, a plan for a new location such as "visitors", "meetings", "business" and "relaxation" was required. While respecting the existing space, we carefully interpreted the space and designed two new terrains: "Curved Wall" and "Observation Stage".

The curved wall, which resembles the coastline of Ibaraki, is intended to capture the magnificent scenery inside, with a lively “visitor” and “meeting” space inside, and outside there are calm “Business” and “Relax” spaces.

Name of Company or Individual: Daisuke Yamamoto / de:sign Country: Japan Project Name: PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO Project Completed City: Shibuya, Tokyo Interior Division: Retail Shop Website: http://de-sign.jpn.com “PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO”; a gallery where trends emerge, showcasing art, design and fashion exhibitions, located in Shibuya Parco, one of the iconic Tokyo cultural scenes opened in Nov 2019.

While most commonly, museums within shopping complexes are located with other art-related tenants or on its own, this “PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO” does not go by that rule. Instead, this gallery is surrounded by fashion brands, accessories stores, cosmetic salons, and even restaurants. Therefore, while respecting the entire floor environment and atmosphere, it needed a bounding line and a distinct entrance, a clear symbolic gateway, to attract and communicate what this space is for. At the same time, a gallery design cannot be too distinct; as the main focus is on the exhibitions.

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INTERIOR DESIGN DIVISION Name of Company or Individual: Kris Lin International Design Country: China Project Name: Fluid Space Project Completed City: Hefei Interior Division: Retail Shop Hefei is the capital city of Anhui Province and an innovative capital with international influence. The project is located in the eastern part of the main urban area of Yaohai District, Hefei City, far from the noise of the city center. The northeast direction of the project is separated from the Yaohai Wetland Park. It has a superior natural environment and ecosystem. A large area of green landscape belt is planned on both sides of the building to construct a quiet and fresh natural space environment. Inspired by the design of "Fei river form" of Hefei Mother River, the designer follows the concept of the art design of Fei river curve and introduces the art elements of flowing space into the interior space.

Name of Company or Individual: OPPOSITE Country: Japan Project Name: OOE VALLEY STAY Project Completed City: Yazu gun, Tottori Pref.

Interior Division: Hotel & Resort Website: https://opposite-ids.com Opened in July 2019, OOE VALLEY STAY is located within the mountainous area of eastern Tottori Prefecture in Japan. This countryside resort hotel is operated by Ooenosato Resort, a commercial complex that includes a cafe, a bakery and a restaurant. This project was designed with the purpose of reusing the former Ooe Elementary School, which was closed in March 2017.

The school was remodelled as a large-scale accommodation facility offering a variety of guest rooms and other amenities. With a multitude of activities such as farming, pottery or woodworking, this resort will act as a starting location on your exploration of the prefecture.

Name of Company or Individual: fan Inc. Country: JAPAN Project Name: INFLUX Project Completed City: Tokyo Interior Division: Office Design Website: http://www.fan-inc.com This space is a solar panel company office of Influx Inc. The space image is artistic and minimum design.

We aimed at the simple design that guests are guided inside by the light emitted from the entrance sign.

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Name of Company or Individual: fan Inc. Country: JAPAN Project Name: SHIMURADENKI COFFEE ROASTER Project Completed City: Tokyo Interior Division: Retail Shop Website: http://www.fan-inc.com About a year ago, I received a phone call from a woman who operates a coffee roastery inquiring about the renovation. When I went to see it in person, we saw that her husband ran an appliance store in one half of the space, which was divided by a screen, and the other half was the coffee roastery space.

She requested that we divide the space with a solid wall and remodel it into a coffee roastery. But I had a completely different idea come to mind. I asked her, “How about if we combine your coffee roastery with your husband’s appliance store and remodel it as one store?” and so the project started.

Name of Company or Individual: fan Inc. Country: JAPAN Project Name: Sonore in Hoshino Resort Oirase Keiryu Hotel Project Completed City: Aomori-ken Interior Division: Restaurants Website: http://www.fan-inc.com Restaurant Sonore has been opened in Hoshino Resort Oirase Keiryu Hotel in Aomori prefecture, Japan. This hotel is built in the national park of Oirase mountain stream, and it is a French restaurant that you can enjoy the full course unique to Oirase while feeling the nature of Oirase mountain stream.

We wanted to produce an experience-based restaurant unique to Hoshino Resort. A luxury experience taking advantage of the blessed natural environment of a national park, and first-class cuisine and services provided by Hoshino Resort. By making the resonance between these two elements, we aimed to create a dramatic, exciting and unique experience that guests can enjoy only in the restaurant.

Name of Company or Individual: Homeyoung interior decorating and design Ltd. Country: Taiwan Project Name: Da Ming Ding Ding Chinese Hot Pot Project Completed City: Fuzhou, China Interior Division: Restaurants Website: https://www.homeyoung.com.tw/ Inspired by the elements of oriental culture, including window crafts, symbol, and constellation, the designer creates a place where everyone can immerse in the atmosphere of the royal palace. The designer creatively fuses those elements into the design. Everywhere around the space are judiciously arranged, that eventually integrate as a place that can represent our brand culture.

From the chandelier that symbolizes Chinese constellation to the exquisite decoration of the dining hall, the restaurant not only satisfies the customers with the delicacy but appeal them through the fulfillment of various sensation.

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INTERIOR DESIGN DIVISION Name of Company or Individual: DESIGN & CREATIVE ASSOCIATES Co.,Ltd. Country: VIETNAM Project Name: NAB STUDIO Project Completed City: HOCHIMINH-City Interior Division : Office Design Website: http://www.dreamcomesasia.com NAB STUDIO is a pioneering IT company in Vietnam focusing on mobile application development. A group of young people gathered with a passion to create impactful products for the whole world as if they represent Vietnam today. With the increase in the number of employees accompanying the business expansion, they decided to plan more comfortable office space with the aim of expanding the office and improving the workplace environment.

The new office also needed a design and impact that embody the NAB brand image.

Name of Company or Individual: SEMBA CORPORATION Country: Japan Project Name: VOYAGE GROUP Offices Project Completed City: Tokyo Interior Division: Office Design Website: https://www.semba1008.co.jp/en/index.html The office embodies the group’s corporate philosophy of “360-degree amazing” while also conveying a story of “voyage (travel over the sea).”

On the photogenic entrance floor, the center of which is made up of company bar Ajito, space is connected seamlessly despite its different areas, including Lagoon, a café space with flexible layout, Oasis, the company library that also serves as a concentration space, Hill, whose design attracts the eye to different levels, and Beach, where visitors can relax and even lie down.

Name of Company or Individual: Adapa Architects Limited Country: Hong Kong Project Name: Hangzhou Oasis One Project Completed City: Hangzhou, China Interior Division: Residential Website: http://adapa.com.hk/project/hangzhou-oasis-one/ This duplex in the outskirts of Hangzhou shows aspirations for a different way of life in today’s consumer culture. What is luxury? It’s not about rarity, materials or flat size. Rather, it’s about living at ease with freedom over the ownership of possessions.

The duplex has an open layout with both interlocking and free-flowing spaces, offering endless leisure and living options.

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Name of Company or Individual: DRAFT Inc. Country: Japan Project Name: UX Square Tokyo Project Completed City: Tokyo Interior Division: Office Design Website: https://draft.co.jp UX Square Tokyo is new from beBit, Inc., which produces integrated UX design. Positioned as an office lobby that functions as an interface for companies and customers, and the interaction of being online and offline.

The reception lobby is an open area that guests can use freely. Although this area is required to have an earthquake-resistant brace permanently in place, the ceiling has been converted into a skeleton style and the steel frames are exposed as part of the interior to create a more spacious feel.

The seminar hall is another distinctive feature. A suspended ceiling has been added to both sides instead of just one, which balances the overall symmetry of the space.

Name of Company or Individual: DRAFT Inc. Country: Japan Project Name: TORIDOLL Project Completed City: Tokyo Interior Division: Office Design Website: http://draft.co.jp The new office of TORIDOLL, which operates restaurant chains such as “Marugame Udon,” has opened inside Shibuya Solasta, a development which completed only recently in May 2019. The decision to launch a new office was backed not just by the need to consolidate the client’s operational hubs, which were scattered across four different locations in Tokyo, but also the desire of the client “to do away, once and for all, with the image problem the restaurant business has as a workplace, and create a workplace where ideas and communications flourish.”

Name of Company or Individual: MOI Interior Design Country: Hong Kong Project Name: Achromatic Project Completed City: Hong Kong Interior Division: Residential Website: http://www.moi-interiordesign.com For a home to be comfortable, functional is a big factor, but the appearance also cannot be ignored. Most of the people will design a feature wall for their home, in order to make it more personal, iconic.

The relationship between the monotone (black, white, grey) and the vertical lines. It is a subtle way to divide a huge area into different levels and layers.

The variation of the materials is not luxurious and complicated. But they will not make space have an empty or dull feeling. Distinguish the living room and the dining room perfectly.

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INTERIOR DESIGN DIVISION Name of Company or Individual: DRAFT Inc. Country: Japan Project Name: NAGOYA INNOVATOR'S GARAGE Project Completed City: Nagoya Website: http://draft.co.jp Born from a collaboration between the Central Japan Economic Federation and Nagoya-city, NAGOYA INNOVATOR'S GARAGE was built to produce new innovators from the Central Japan region. Located in Nagoya's Sakae district, which is one of its prime areas, NAGOYA INNOVATOR'S GARAGE opened its doors as a hub of innovation supporting entrepreneurs and business persons.

The central Japan area around Nagoya City is the home to Toyota, a world’s leading car manufacturers. Due to the long term economic benefits of the giant corporation, local industries have fallen into stability and stagnation and are reluctant to start innovation.

Name of Company or Individual: Architecture Commons Limited Country: Hong Kong Project Name: Former Fanling Magistracy Revitalization Project Completed City: Hong Kong Interior Division: Institution Website: http://www.acommons.com The Former Fanling Magistracy was erected in 1960 and remained in operation until 2002. It was selected for adaptive reuse and will serve as the new home for the Hong Kong Institute of Leadership Development to be operated by the HKFYG. While preserving the noteworthy historic elements such as the grand staircase and the jail cells, the design seeks to balance the solemnity of the institute and the youthful energy and optimism of the students. We are retaining the existing material palette of wood, metal and masonry, and by injecting contemporary designs and techniques the revitalization of the building would remain consistent with its original identity.

Name of Company or Individual: TAKATO TAMAGAMI ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, Ltd. Country: Japan Project Name: ESR Ichikawa DC KLÜBB Lounge EAST Project Completed City: Chiba Prefecture, Japan Interior Division: Office Design Website: https://takatotamagami.net/ SR Ichikawa DC KLÜBB is a resting lounge that resides in the largest distribution center in Japan. With a total building area of 230,000 m2, Ichikawa Distribution Centre harbours multiple tenants who also have the freedom to utilize various amenities within the space, including the resting lounge.

My intent when it came to the design of the resting lounge was to offer an array of views and different levels of privacy so that people could meander through the area in accordance with their own individual purpose.

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Name of Company or Individual: NOMURA Co., Ltd. A.N.D. Country: Japan Project Name: SUGALABO V, Le Café V Project Completed City: Osaka Interior Division: Restaurants Website: www.and-design.jp Louis Vuitton Maison Osaka Midosuji was newly opened in Osaka in February 2020.

‘LE CAFÉ V’ is the world’s first restaurant of Louis Vuitton and ‘SUGALABO V’ is the referral-only restaurant located on the top floor of the Maison.

The common concepts of architectural façade and other sales floors are ‘ship’ and ‘trip’. Osaka has long been called as the ‘City of Water’ as it was developed by water transportation due to its geomorphic characteristics, having many canals and rivers, and became a center of commerce and culture. Inspired by the historical background, both cafe and restaurant were designed with the concept of ‘ship’ and ‘travel’ as well.

VISUAL & GRAPHIC DIVISION Name of Company or Individual: Noriko Kinouchi Country: Japan Project Name: Digital Art Meets Spaces Project Completed City: Everywhere in Japan Visual Design Division: Corporate Identity Design Website: https://norikokinouchi.com/x-1 For a period of over 15 years, I have been creating artworks using computers.

Occasionally I am asked why I use computers for this. There are still many people who believe that artworks should only be drawn on canvas or other in the traditional way.

I wanted to become a pioneer of expression, and I wanted to pursue this in a form of expression unique to myself. Digital has been the best tool for this purpose. Even now I continue to research and make new discoveries as I create.

Name of Company or Individual: KAZUKI KUMONO & YOKO FRAKTUR Country: JAPAN Project Name: Ginza’s White Forest Project Completed City: Ginza, Tokyo Visual Design Division: Multimedia (Exhibition Design) Website: http://fraktur.amebaownd.com The Ginza, Shiseido’s top brand’s anniversary addition: Ginza’s White Forest.

It’s been said that there is a forest in Ginza. The white rabbit we met at Ginza 5 Chome led us to the cellar. A cutting edge installation utilizing the world’s most transparent acrylic and paint that diffuses light. A mirrored object reflecting the roots of a large tree and a calligraphy wall with images of trees in a forest. Sense the light and shadow as you take a stroll through the forest.

Name of Company or Individual: ODS / Oniki Design Studio Country: Japan Project Name: CORD/CODE Project Completed City: Tokyo Visual Design Division: Multimedia (Exhibition Design) Website: http://oniki-design-studio.com/ Exhibition “CORD/CODE” was held in a gallery of “THE GINZA COSMETICS GINZA”, which opened in 2018. The exhibition introduces a new installation “CORD/CODE” and a newly designed chair. The title “CORD/CODE” denotes the creation of a CODE using a CORD, and aims to portray the spatial simplicity and relaxation of THE GINZA.

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Name of Company or Individual: NOMURA Co., Ltd Country: JAPAN Project Name: COLORS Project Completed City: TOKYO Visual Design Division: Multimedia (Exhibition Design) Website: https://www.nomurakougei.co.jp/ On September 30 and October 1, a two-day event titled Colors was held at a basement meeting hall of the headquarters into an invitation-only sports lounge space. It was organized in an aim at marking momentum of OneYear-to-Go countdown for the Paralympics, and raise awareness about Paralympic sports.

Key personnel from the Tokyo 2020 Games sponsor companies were invited to Colors - a meticulously white space where they can enjoy two sports; Bocca using digital technology, and unique shapes of Table tennis tables for simulation of the disabled, along with an exhibition match by Paralympic tennis players

Name of Company or Individual: Sano Minami Design Office Country: Japan Project Name: Package 2020 Valentine's day sable chocolate for GODIVA Project Completed City: Tokyo Visual Design Division: Graphic Design Website: http://sanominami.com After press release of GODIVA 2020 Valentine’s day limited collection in Belgian Embassy, these products were available at famous department store, GODIVA store and online store around the country from 1st January.

The most important things for the design through this project was how we express vision of GODIVA and fascination of products through our design in big Valentine’s day marketing.

Name of Company or Individual: JAPAN SPORT COUNCIL, Hakuhodo and TOHOKUSHINSHA FILM CORPORATION Country: JAPAN Project Name: “YELL” is Power “Sports Lottery connects, A New Way to Support Exhibition” Project Completed City: Tokyo Visual Design Division: Multimedia (Exhibition Design) "toto" and "BIG" are lotteries that predict the outcome of a specific game, mainly in a professional soccer league in Japan, and if your result is correct, you win money.

These are called "sports lottery" and it originally started to secure financial revenues for Japanese sports promotion. It is familiar to soccer fans. The money collected by this "sports lottery" is used not only for soccer, but to support all sports games and facilities, and also for training athletes in Japan. It has an important role in the development of sports in Japan.

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INDUSTRIAL DESIGN DIVISION Name of Company or Individual: Modernform Group Public Company Limited Country: THAILAND Project Name: more Project Completed City: BANGKOK Industrial Design Division: Home Furniture Design Website: http://www.modernform.co.th The multi-purpose chair that has a simple modern design, and sufficiency materials with top ergonomics and anthropometrics. The main concept of its design emanates from the ‘Sustainable Design’ by which its outlook has been reinterpreting and alternating with the focus on its “value and connotation” of beauty. Its focal point is to design proportionate size, and select requisite and sufficient materials conforming to the derivable comfort through the finesse, lightweight, relaxed, and graceful proportion.

Name of Company or Individual: Mitsuhiro Gotoh Architects Country: Japan Project Name: Spring Arch Project Completed City: Miyagi Industrial Design Division: Office Furniture Design Website: http://www.mthrgt.jp/

This is wooden furniture placed at the entrance of the university to brochures. The size of the furniture is W3.7m x H1.3m, and It is so soft that it swings when you touch. When you pick up a brochure and notice that it 'swings', You will recognize it as a little special artwork. Relaxed appearance is designed to match the atrium. The 4-story atrium has a staircase and it's like an intersection where students and teachers come and. This furniture is the material dimensions and details for "swaying" by structural simulation. It is light enough to be moved by two people.

Name of Company or Individual: SOL style Country: Japan Project Name: Flat screw Project Completed City: Tokyo Industrial Design Division: Office Furniture Design Website: http://www.sol-style.info/ We designed the first flat screw in the world.

Flattening the screw creates a “blank” between the screw hole and the screw. → Various things can be passed through the “gap” of the screw part → If it is inside the engine, hydraulic pressure can move left and right through the gap → Wiring through screw part Screws can be closed with hands or pliers.

New possibilities are born with precision machinery, equipment, and medical equipment.

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Name of Company or Individual: KOTARO HORIUCHI Country: JAPAN Project Name: ANA glass Project Completed City: Tokyo Industrial Design Division: Tableware Website: http://kotarohoriuchi.co.jp â&#x20AC;&#x153;ANAâ&#x20AC;? means a hole in Japanese. There is a hole (ANA) on the glass for wine.

Looking into the hole (ANA) floating quietly on the glass is similar to glancing at the grid of Kyomachiya, a traditional townhouse found mainly in Kyoto. By looking into the hole (ANA), a relationship between inside and outside is executed. The light goes through, and the shadow of the outline of the hole (ANA) is projected on the surface of the wine. The bouquet of the wine from the hole(ANA)is another way to enjoy the wine. By paying close attention to the holes, in order not to spill wine, the time for staring at the wine is inevitably increased, the presence of the holes has been emphasized. Drinking through the "hole (ANA) " adds a new pleasure and vividly colours on our activities.

Supporting Organisations By

Supporting Companies & Sponsors By

Venue of the Ceremony/ Design Symposium Sponsor & Media Supported By (Japan)

Venue of the Exhibition & Supporting Organisations by

Organisations

For More Information, Please visit: www.skydesignawards.com

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DesignArt Tokyo

The theme of Design “emotion” was one of the main topics of DESIGNART TOKYO 2019. With amazing creators from Japan and overseas used DESIGNART TOKYO 2019 as a place to showcase their works. Successfully ending on Oct 27, this third year saw the addition of two new participating areas: Ginza and Shinjuku, bringing the number of areas to 11 and making for a total of 104 venues and 390 brands and creators taking part in the event. During the ten days of the different art, design, talks, and exhibition practices, DESIGNART TOKYO has successfully drawn over 220,000 people to visit and participate in this extraordinary city festival in Tokyo, Japan.

Stepping into the fourth festival, DESIGNART TOKYO will talks across Tokyo around a specific theme to revitalizing the city’s creative spirit. with the theme of Emotions. Let's review some of the special events from last year.

By Merci Team Photo courtesy of DESIGNART TOKYO

Nacása & Partners

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DESIGNART is a new word that redefines the things that touch us and bring emotion to our everyday lives through function and beauty. It is also the name of the movement to spread and share this amazing concept. With the concept of “Emotions” we will gather and exhibit emotional design and art contents from all over the world, Through the recent years, the boundaries between design and art have been crossing over, and works surpassing such boundaries have been creating an international movement. However, to save the traditional industries around the world, DESIGNART TOKYO noticed the need to clarify the identity of these movements through design or art, and send out this information to the people who are interested in an “Emotions”.

Through their vision and sustainable activities, DESIGNART TOKYO aim to enrich the qualities of lives, along with spreading the word DESIGNART, as a term to explain design and art on the same level, not just domestically but also internationally.

THE GINZA (2019)

Celebrating the first anniversary of THE GINZA COSMETICS GINZA hosted an exhibition by ODS (Oniki Design Studio) titled “CORD/CODE”, which was an installation accompanied by chairs. The installation was in a space with a 4 meter-high ceiling and 400 wires were used to create a sense of dynamism, simple beauty and sense of security in the space, which fascinated visitors.

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B&B Italia Tokyo (2019) Italian leather wall brand studioart teamed up with SOMA DESIGN, who do work in the various fields including fashion, graphic, product and sound design, to showcase a fusion of interiors and fashion through an installation of leather walls at B&B Italia Tokyo.

Google An installation ‘comma’ that communicated the design philosophy of Google hardware was held at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Gallery 3. Google’s vice president of Hardware Design Ivy Ross worked with pioneering Dutch trend forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort to show ways in which technology could be incorporated into everyday life.

OKURAYAMA STUDIO

Judge’s Comment: Akio Aoki

Okurayama Studio presented their works at KASHIYAMA DAIKANYAMA using a type of stone loved by Isamu Noguchi. These rocks, formed 20 million years ago, are beautiful without being manipulated by human hand and had a strong, primitive aura. A low table made for New York design gallery Philia totally resembles a sculpture. Furthermore, thanks to the exhibition design by Teruhiro Yanagihara that brought to mind a wooden specimen box, the viewer’s focus was directed to the various different qualities of the stone. Also the photographs by Yuna Yagi turned into art works with thick layers of acrylic, also brought out the otherworldly quality of stone. Making the most of the materials, this exhibition was like eating a gourmet meal.

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In 2019, 1% for Art Exhibition was curated by Design Pier, a Hong Kong-based firm which is active worldwide, 18 creators mostly from Asian countries presented around 30 works in the impressive white marble space of WORLD Kita-Aoyama Bldg., which is distinguished by two high glass walls that allow in a lot of natural light. These young creators’ art works filled the space with creativity. The main piece placed in the center of the space was a sculpture made from straight poles that reflected light into the high ceiling and was conceived as a way of expressing the bright future of “1% for Art” made by artist Ryan L Foote, who is based between Hong Kong and Melbourne. Around this main piece were placed cabinets made with tiger bamboo, which only grows in Kochi Prefecture, by Berlin-based designer Shigeki Yamamoto, for whom this was the first ever exhibition in Japan. Three of these pieces, including the large cabinet, were sold during the course of the exhibition. Kitt Ta Khon Design Studio from Thailand sought to propose a borderless craftsmanship fusing elements from African, Islamic and Thai cultures in their designs, which exemplified the mix of genres and cultures that DESIGNART TOKYO is all about.

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Marking the 4th year of “DESIGNART TOKYO” With its advantage of being an online & socially distanced multi-venue festival.

DesignArt Tokyo believe the field of art and design needs a strong push forward to stay resilient under the current circumstances. This year, DESIGNART TOKYO will be held as a socially distanced multi-venue festival following all health & safety measures. Furthermore, the public can participate virtually via digital guidebooks, presentation videos, videoconferences, and some virtual exhibitions, as we are determined to enhance our online communication platform for this occasion. At a time when our values and lifestyles are being challenged, we hope this event provides an opportunity to find solutions, inspirations, and paths to a fulfilling life through art and design.

EXHIBITION : NEW HOME OFFICE

A new era is emerging for the home office. Showcasing products of the world's top furniture brands.

NEW HOME OFFICE EXHIBITION ■ SEMPRE https://sempredesign.co.jp ■ Muuto https://maarket.jp/muuto ■ 1518 http://15-18.jp ■Steelcase https://www.steelcase.com ■ emu https://www.asplund-contract.com/brand/emu/ And others. The exhibition is scheduled to be held at the WORLD Kita-Aoyama Bldg. located at the center of Aoyama/ Omotesando area.

WorldCo.,Ltd. : http://corp.world.co.jp/english/ As this new culture of remote work has emerged, the ways of introducing work-oriented décor and furniture into the home have come under reexamination and brought new perspectives and significant changes to the interior design industry. DESIGNART TOKYO 2020 is addressing the changing attitudes towards the domestic workspace and its function by creating a platform for the world's top furniture brands to exhibit their ideas of a contemporary home office. Shuhei Kamiya, an architect who studied under Kengo Kuma, will design the exhibition space. As an architect and a creative director, his practice has developed a worldview that is undoubtedly unique. Venue WORLD Kita-Aoyama Bldg. SEMPRE / Muuto / 1518 / Steelcase/ emu, and other.

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SHUHEI KAMIYA Architect / KAMIYA ARCHITECTS founder

Architecture & Interior Design

FUTURE OF DESIGN

pushing boundaries and exploring new ideologies in the works of Swiss creators The global design platform “Form” was founded by Arata Maruyama, a Japanese artist with a long career as a design director in Europe, primarily in Switzerland and England. With the sponsorship of the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan, Form is organizing FormSWISS, an event focusing on Switzerland’ s contribution to the fields of visual communication and design thinking.

In addition to the interviews that Form filmed with approximately 20 groups of creators, educational institutions, and museums in Switzerland, FormSWISS showcases the works of Swiss designers who will make their debut in Japan.

Form / Embassy of Switzerland in Japan With a focus on design, Form explores the differences and similarities in values that emerge between Japan and other countries, and runs a global platform to share their findings. FormSWISS is organized by Form and the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan under the “Doors to Switzerland Japan

Furthermore, FormSWISS offers a market for the team’s collaborative products as well as a round-table discussion. The event aims to portray the country’ s diversity through design, education, and culture from various perspectives. This will function as a platform to discover ways in which design can enrich our lives in the future. Among other emerging designers representing Switzerland’ s next generation creatives, Swiss Typefaces, Gavillet & Cie, Studio Feixen, KasperFlorio and CCRZ will participate.

2020” campaign. https://formtokyo.com/ | https://www.doorstoswitzerland.com

VENUES: THINK OF THINGS, BOOK AND SONS, FormGALLERY

THE CITY OF TOKYO AS A MUSEUM FOR 12 DAYS “DESIGNART TOKYO” is a festival held each fall as a platform for showcasing the project. It brings together items and experiences like art, architecture, interior design, product design, fashion, food, sports, and technology from around the globe to the stage of Tokyo, one of the world’s leading mixed culture cities, in a revolutionary assembly of presentations in galleries, shops, and all sorts of locations. This is an event that transforms all of Tokyo in a museum of design and art, allowing everyone to stroll the city taking in each display.

In 2020, DESIGNART TOKYO will be held on the 23rd of October to the 3rd of November.

For more information: https://www.facebook.com/designart.jp https://twitter.com/DESIGNART_TOKYO https://www.instagram.com/DESIGNART_TOKYO/#designart_tokyo 211

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MONO NO AWARE Text & Photos by: Denis Guidone View from my window...

I am fascinated and inspired about it... but at the same time I feel sad.

I love this kind of sadness that you can reach in the Japanese word MONO NO AWARE Mono no aware (物の哀れ), literally “The Pathos of Things”, and also translated as “an empathy toward things”, or “a sensitivity to ephemera”, is a Japanese term for the awareness of impermanence (無常), mujō, or transience of things, and both a transient gentle sadness or wistfulness at their passing as well as a longer, deeper gentle sadness about this state being the reality of life. “Monono aware: the ephemeral nature of beauty – the quietly elated, bittersweet feeling of having been witness to the dazzling knowing that none of it can last.

It’s basically about being both saddened and appreciative of transience...

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The asymmetric shape gives room to a new use.

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Design & Art

HANAMI

The Flowers and the fragrance sticks are apparently separated becoming an invite for a flower composition: An ikebana.

Fragrance diffuser and flower vase.

HANAMI takes inspiration from the Japanese culture.

The material is borosilicate glass, worked by hand.

In ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, blossoms, branches, leaves, and stems find new life as materials for artmaking.

In contrast to the western habits of casually placing flowers in a vase, ikebana aims to bring out the inner qualities of flowers and other live materials and express emotion.

https://www.denisguidonedesign.com 215

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WHY DO I PAINT THE FLOWER PINK?

By Merci Team | Photo courtesy of Charles Chau

SCALE "Gb" 2019.

Acrylics on canvas. 137.2 x 188 cm / 54 x 74 in.

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BEAUTY AND TRUTHFULNESS The joy and boundless happiness of one’s childhood, cherished memories and fond rhythms... make up the beauty of one’s extended world.

Charles Chau

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Art & Culture

Charles is a Hong Kong born contemporary artist currently residing in BC, Canada. Many art critics have described his work as drawing inspiration from classic Chinese calligraphy, urban architecture and master painterly styles.

His latest body of work is a deliberate attempt to break away from his former signature monochromatic works that explored contained emotions, now liberated instead with full-colour brushstrokes and freely associated forms.

Charles is a graduate of the University of Hong Kong in Philosophy and Art History, with an MBA from London Business School. In his early career, he was a consultant at McKinsey, Managing Director of MTV Networks North Asia and senior management for a number of other media companies, before turning full time to his own art in 2006.

In 2019, Charles was commissioned to paint a mural depicting Okanagan Chinese history in downtown Kelowna, BC, Canada. The documentary of the mural project Flowers & Fruits recently won the “10 Best” China’s Roots Film Awards 2020, presented by the Chinese Filmmakers Association.

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Why do I paint the flower pink? is a first

The exhibition features 30 pieces of

release of Charles Chau's new body

the artist's latest paintings. "The work

of work, comprising colour work on

presented herein are out there, as is

mostly large-size canvases.

nature around us, awaiting for the viewers to discover."

The use of vibrant colours and sensational brushstrokes displayed

Central to the artist's thesis is the

the artist's expression of joy and

notion of "Death of the Expressionist

truthfulness of the beauty of nature.

Artist", in which new meanings are

To the artist, these were marks of days,

assigned by the viewers. The previous

weeks, and on occasions months and

role of the artist was hence limited to

years of observation, reflection and

create as purely and reflectively as he

dialogue between him and the world

could; to be a plain mirror that would

around him. Cherished memories and

allow viewers to ascribe their own

fond rhythms make up the beauty of

possible meanings to the paintings.

one's extended world.

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Above: Smell of Seasons "Blue" 2018.

Acrylics on canvas.

172.8 x 228.6 cm / 68 x 90 in.

Art & Culture

Left: How many birds are there on the tree?

2019 Acrylics and mixed media on wood panel 9 panels 91.4 x 40.6 cm / 36 x16 in each 284.5 x 132.1 cm / 108 x 48 in installed (overall) 4 cm / 1.6 in deep SOLO EXHIBITIONS Why do I paint the flower pink?

Hong Kong Arts Centre June, 2020 Artist Interview. 14'45" http://youtu.be/bv7GvlldTVw What is the colour of the wind?

The Alternator Gallery, Kelowna, Canada.

May-July, 2018.

Mountain Vastness | WHITE series The Opposite House, Beijing, China.

April-June, 2014 White series video 2"46 https://youtu.be/VSWAtvlvMyo Mountain Vastness | BLACK series.

The Fringe Gallery, Hong Kong.

September 2013.

Black series video https://youtu.be/foFpxr7JroA Artist Website https://www.charleschau.ca 221

Design & Art

A Stimulating environment for art and culture Painting, an art form that is all together ancient, timeless, poetic and dramatic has always played a fundamental role in society, culturally and anthropologically. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contribution economically has seen a tremendous growth in the 21st century with a global USD$50 billion/year and growing fine arts market. The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) has a mission to not only nurture talents in art and design, but also to help cultivate their careers in this ever-growing industry.

Located in the heart of the booming Asian art market, with an everincreasing demand for specialized artistic talents, especially in painting, SCAD Hong Kong is the leading university for creative careers. SCAD understands the importance for students to be able to turn their passion into a profession. Its Innovative approach goes beyond equipping students with professional skills to help their career take off.

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Interivew with SCAD’s painting professor Stephen Thorpe How did Stephen turn his passion into profession?

Why did you choose painting as your career ?

artwork, especially vis-à-vis the interior space and architecture?

My career as a painter began organically. Art as a vehicle for generating ideas, and paint as a medium

I spent my formative years growing up in a boarding

more specifically, has always captivated me. This,

house, which made me question the nature of the home

coupled with a strong and natural instinct to paint and

and its functions. This as a starting point quickly led

create, led me to a career in painting.

to broader philosophical and existential questions regarding space, functionality and ultimately the human

What do you perceive to be the differences between

condition. It has since been an endless source of enquiry,

the contemporary painting culture in Asia Pacific and

spanning to include notions of identity, displacement

in Europe?

and belonging. The house/home itself is also something that is universal in its reach and resonates with most

I think painting and art in general across the APAC

people in some form or other.

region and Europe is influenced with their respective contemporary environments and socio-political con-

How do you define the rigorous and refined process

texts. There is perhaps a stronger focus on and incor-

of underpainting?

poration of traditional techniques in Asia, but this is changing quite rapidly as the art market in Asia grows

In relation to my own work, I create an underpainting

and the painting community is exposed to international

through the application of a high-gloss brilliant white

influences. I have seen some real innovation by young

paint to a stretched and gesso-primed canvas. This

artists working in Asia, particularly regarding to their

process is repeated no less than four times, a new layer

use of technology and digital engagement, which is very

only added once a tight skin has formed over the one

exciting.

below. As the different layers dry and tighten, they pull

Why have you chosen to focus on the house in your

and distort the ones above, resulting in a canvas devoid of any thread; random rippling and imperfections form on the surface. This is then followed by a layer of burnt umber, loosely applied by dragging the paint across the surface with a ‘squeegee’, to give the canvas a warm and rich caramel colour with an almost marble-like effect.

This process of underpainting, with its textured surface and thin layer of umber, is the base from which all my paintings begin and this process alone takes about a five days to complete.

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What is your definition of generating tension between surface and subject?

The tension between the surface and the subject in my painting speak to the content I paint in relation to the texture of the canvas in that particular area. For example, a highly-ornate and delicate curtain may be rendered on an irregular and rippled surface, or in contrast, an ordinarily coarse brick wall may be tightly painted on a smooth and polished area of the canvas. This is the definition of creating tension between surface and subject within my work and it allows me to create an even greater sense of displacement within the work.

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By the end of 2018, SCAD Hong Kong had launched SCAD Art Sales, a full service art consultancy that offers distinctive design and curatorial services. Pieces from over 45,000 artists, drawn from SCADâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s alumni and faculty network from over 100 countries, are available to a global clientele. In addition to the online platform, SCAD Art Sales presents the best and the brightest artists to the most discerning of clients through industry-specific showcases and world renowned art fairs, such as the Venice Biennale, Art Basel and Art Central.

The art industry is increasingly globalised and accessible to everyone. The presence of artwork is more keenly felt than ever, with corporations and hospitality industry opting to display various forms of artwork and installations in offices, shopping centres, public spaces and hotels. SCAD Art Sales believes that its extensive portfolio, of which paintings make up the largest segment and the curatorial service that it offers, is an unprecedented platform that connects businesses and art enthusiasts to the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expansive artist network, and its an important step to enable its students to turn passion into profession.

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Hong Kong has grown to be a stimulating environment for art and culture in recent years: public spaces are converted into galleries, the opening of several international blue-chip galleries, record attendance and sales at art fairs such as Art Basel and Art Central, scheduled opening of new venues such as M+ in the West Kowloon Cultural District. SCAD plays an important part in this global art stage by helping creative talented student to realize and fulfill their potential. The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution offering bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degrees at distinctive locations and online to prepare talented students for professional careers. SCAD offers more than 100 academic degree programs in more than 40 majors across its locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Hong Kong; Lacoste, France; and online via SCAD eLearning.

For more information, please visit: SCAD http://www.scad.edu SCAD Art Sales

http://www.scadartsales.com

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FLOWERS OF THE SHADOW Yoichiro Nishimura

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Art & Photography

Interviewer by Peggy Lui Photo courtesy of Yoichiro Nishimura

Photogram is one of the oldest techniques in the area of photography. In fact, this could be said to have existed before the invention of photography; there are historical records, predating the creation of photography, which describes the process of capturing a photographic image, by placing the object on top of a paper coated with silver chloride and silver nitrate, and exposing it to light.

Being fascinated by the medium of photogram, Yoichiro Nishimura has continued to apply this technique into many of his artworks over the past years. His practice is not about mere representation of a conscious revival of traditional techniques, nor a return to the source. For Nishimura, photogram is rather a promising ground that allows him to explore and expand his new creative expressions; furthermore, the medium could indicate the possibility of new photographic expressions, still yet to come.Nishimura has undertaken a new and original photographic technique, which he calls scangram. Scangram can be described as a digital version of photogram. It is a technique to create a negative digital image of an object, such as owers and leaves, by placing them on top of a scanner. e biggest feature is in how the color is reversed from the original color into the complimentary color, as much as how the form and outline of an object is captured; thus a red Hibiscus or Azalea would result in a blue-ish outcome. e visual eect is extraordinary; the owers exude a mystic atmosphere, as if they were bathed in moonlight. rough transforming themselves from the world of the positive to the negative, “owers of the shadow” come to light. When looking back in the history of photography as media expressions, we come across practitioners - similar to magicians or alchemists - who indulged their passions in creating mystical images, rather than representing or documenting the reality as it is.

For them, photogram remained an important tool for their creative expressions. Man Ray, known as “alchemist of images” , is one of the many 233

In the middle of the night, as I turn o the l various lights glowing like phosphorescence in retina. Whenever my senses experience this inde Nishimuraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; s visions each time. A journey into Flower is a sublimation of the Nishimuraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; s cre

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practitioners of photogram representing the 20th century; and clearly, Yoichiro Nishimura is a photographer following the same artistic lineage.

His exploration of photogram will show no end. In the case of scangram, I see no reason why the motif should be limited to plants; potentially, the range of subject matter could be expanded to various objects and living things – including human. Having said that, I feel it was genuinely positive that he started the series with botanical motifs; as the “owers of the shadow” , emanating subtly in the darkness, illuminate the artist himself - reticent, yet remarkably passionate deep inside.

INTERVIEW Why did you choose to be a photographer?

At a young age, I bought a camera and started to use it as a tool to understand my surroundings, it gave me an instance appreciation towards photography and art. I guess it’s not a matter of choosing of what you will become, I can be an engineer or an astronomer if I have favoured any of that path but I realized being an artist and a photographer, it’s a selfless consideration. Nowadays, photography is a tool to socialize and engage us virtually, for me, it is a way to express my daily

light and close my eyes, there appear spectacles of n the back of the eyelids, slowly owing across the enable transition of light, I nd myself immersed in a sensual, alluring world of the microcosms - Blue eative sensitivity.

Daido Moriyama

encounters and dialogues between me and with my family, friends and surroundings. The first significant work I have published is called ‘Life’, it’s a collection of photographs of my own ‘Ikebana’ or the Japanese art for flower arranging. On a daily basis, I would take shots of tulips and my gift to my firstborn daughter. After this experience, my knowledge grows without realizing that I am an artist and a photographer.

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my s

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Art & Photography

What is the inspiration behind your series “Blue Flower” and “Life”?

The “Blue Flower” series is an eight-year abstract of my daily encounters. I was inspired by Man Ray’s photogram, an old and classic shooting technique in which the subject is placed on chemically treated paper and exposed to a light without using a camera resulting to a monochrome image, my own version of photogram which I called Scangram is another technique which creates a luminous negative digital version of photogram. The visual reversed effect adds a mystic silhouette as if the image is captured under a moonlight.

I sometimes describe my “Blue Flower” series as “flowers of the shadow”.

In “Life” series, I have done years of experiment, capturing the beauty of my own ‘Ikebana’: the Japanese art of flower arrangement. The format which I have employed as I would like to express one of the two translations of the word flower in Japanese Kanji characters (華) meaning elegance. On a dark setting, the flowers are photographed under natural light using a sophisticated camera - Hasselblad, a snapshot where my emotions and values resonate describing the balance between life and death, light and dark, and the Chinese principle of yin and yang.

Do you have any upcoming projects using the Photogram technique?

I am using my own technique which is Scangram and will continuously use this technique to my projects. At the moment, I have an upcoming exhibition with Fabrik Gallery who will present my works including both “Blue Flowers” and “Life” series. In the exhibition, I have selected some of the photography works from my photo-catalouge or catalogue raisonné, this is exciting for me as it will be my 2nd exhibition and 1st solo exhibition to show my works.

• What is the current Photogram culture in the Asia Pacific (if any) and how does it compare to other parts of the world?

Photogram is known to many professional photographers as students learn the darkroom techniques as early as the means to understand the fundamentals or principles of photography. However, there are not many photographers who have produced photogram works themselves and continue to publish. I think with ever growing and fast development of modern phones and technology as well as social media, this technique is not as popular to this generation as it takes time to create the end product or image so it is less used.

https://www.yoichironishimura.com Mr. Yoichiro Nishimura 237

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WHISKY

SPIRITS

A DRINK THAT BONDS PEOPLE Written by and photos courtesy of Hil Ying Tse

Whiskies have undoubtedly been trending in the past decade as new distilleries are being built in almost every corner of the world. Closer to home, multiple whisky bars have been popping up and last year our city hosted three whisky festivals, not to mention the regular whisky events held on a weekly basis. So what does make whisky now so popular in Hong Kong?

A large contribution to the popularity of whiskies is the increased sharing of knowledge.

From whisky blogs on social media to in-depth whisky books written by industry experts, the accessibility of information on whisky has grown immensely over the past decade. In addition, the whisky selection in Hong Kong has expanded in the last three years. There are now many more opportunities to taste a diverse collection of whiskies at festivals, bars and masterclasses. Sipping and tasting a flight of whiskies among friends became a fairly common sight in Hong Kong.

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From blended whiskies to single cask whiskies

SPIRITS

In the 1980s, the majority of the exported whiskies

before releasing it under their own label. Others

from Scotland were blended whiskies. While this is

choose to marry a small number of casks together

still the case, the ratio of blended whiskies versus

to create a small batch. Generally speaking, most

single malt whiskies has changed over time.

of the releases by independent bottlers are single

Increasing demand in single malt whiskies from

cask expressions, meaning the quantity is limited

markets such as Asia have encouraged distilleries

to the number of bottles the cask produces. The way

to release new expressions, such as different cask

independent bottlers operate further increase the

finishes and limited editions, to widen the variety of

variety of whiskies.

single malt whiskies.

Scotch

has

gone

through

multiple

Another part of the whisky industry has been on the

developments in the last centuries. For a long time,

rise: Independent bottlers.

most of the Scotch whiskies were peated, as peat was the most economical, or even the only energy

Independent bottlers do not produce spirit

source for the malting process. Peat, decayed

themselves, but they purchase casks of whisky from

vegetation, has a distinctive aroma

distilleries and third parties. They can choose to immediately bottle the cask or let it mature longer in their own warehouses. Some independent bottlers choose to transfer the whisky into a different cask

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whisky

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SPIRITS

PEAT Scotch whisky has gone through multiple developments

to access coal, a cheaper alternative energy source.

in the last centuries. For a long time, most of the Scotch

Distilleries in the Lowlands region started to produce

whiskies were peated, as peat was the most economical,

un-peated whiskies, although the more remote locations

or even the only energy source for the malting process.

such as Outer Islands and Northern Highlands kept

Peat, decayed vegetation, has a distinctive aroma which

producing the traditionally peated whiskies.

is described by many either as ‘medicinal’ or ‘smoky’. As the vegetation varies in different regions of Scotland,

Today, peated whiskies are still not for everybody, but

the peat used in each location has its own particular

they do have a sizable following. In particular, whiskies

aromas. The peat on Islay tends to be fierce with tastes

from Islay – an island located on the Southern West

of iodine, seaweed and salt notes, while the peat in the

coast of Scotland - are particularly popular among peaty

Highlands leans towards sweet smoke like tobacco or

whisky lovers. Every year, at the end of May, Islay is filled

smoked meat.

with whisky lovers around the world for the Islay Festival of Music and Malt. Currently, there are nine active

Not everybody appreciated the distinctive smoky

distilleries on the island, with plans of building additional

flavours, however, as a result of the lack of an alternative

distilleries in the near future, but the first distillery built

energy source, the best part of the whisky production

on Islay back in 1779, Bowmore, still remains one of the

was peated. This started to change when the industrial

favourites.

revolution and expansion of the railway system throughout Scotland made it easier for distilleries

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PORT ASKAIG The Warmth and Character of Islay ort Askaig is a range of Islay single malt whiskies,

which are always available: Port Askaig 8 Years old

which embodies the unique spirit of Islay and

and Port Askaig 100⁰ Proof.

its people. Nestled into the Northern coast of the island, Port Askaig has been the gateway to Islay for

The Port Askaig 8 Years old has a fresh, clean and

hundreds of years. Created by independent bottler

vibrant nose with notes of lemon oil and sea spray.

Elixir Distillers in 2009, it simply seemed right to

The smoke is gentle but alluring, reminiscent of

name the whisky after this magical place. There is

wood embers and coal, cooling on a beach fire. On

no distillery at Port Askaig; instead, Elixir Distillers

the palate, rich citrus fruit and salt baked mackerel.

has taken the opportunity to specially select casks

Classic Islay peat reek is mixed with a subtle honey

from the distilleries around Islay to reveal a variety

suckle sweetness while a background herbal

of expressions.

character adds balance.

Port Askaig is both an everyday smoky whisky,

Port Askaig 100⁰ Proof brings together sweet fruit,

as well as a great place to start a journey into

peat smoke and a wonderful minerality. It is fresh

discovering the charms of Islay whisky. All the

and vibrant, delivering peat reek and citrus on the

whiskies are bottled as single malts – that is, the

palate which stay with you into the finish.

product of one distillery. Every year, Elixir Distillers

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releases new limited expressions of Port Askaig

Past limited releases include a 30 Years old Port

Islay Single Malts, however there are two whiskies

Askaig matured in American oak casks and the

Merci Magazine - Fall Special Edition

SPIRITS

legendary 45 Years old Port Askaig. Distilled in

Askaig whiskies, this expression is unpeated. At

1968, this is a combination of five sherry butts,

the first sniff, an intense nose of sweet figs, raisins

which were married together for the final year.

and a touch of leather followed by more fruits and

An exceptionally complex whisky that any Islay

nuts. The intense flavours continues in the palate,

fan will savour. Last year, Elixir Distillers bottled a

with notes of sultanas, hazelnuts and more spices.

limited edition single malt to commemorate the

The oily and velvety texture combined with all

10th anniversary of Port Askaig. The smoke in this

the flavours results in a complex yet harmonious

10 Years old perfectly mingles with a blend of fresh

dram with many layers. This is truly an intense

fruit, salt and aromatic spice.

and very well balanced whisky that leaves you a heartwarming feeling.

Special Release for Hong Kong Aside from its annual releases, Port Askaig also bottles exclusive single casks for individual markets. Whiskies & More, as the distributor of Port Askaig in Hong Kong, has selected a special single cask for its 4th year anniversary celebration.

Distilled in 2001, this single cask aged for over 17 years in a sherry butt. Unlike most of the Port

Available at www.timelessandtasty.com 243

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